The Vermont Cynic Issue 22 Spring 2012

C YNIC THE VERMONT

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

BREAKING DOWN ‘CLASS OF 2016’ GETTING THE SCRIPT RIGHT

MEN’S LACROSSE WINS

2 8

An interview with Jon Kilik

THE MADONNA, THE WHORE AND THE LAW STUDENT

13

11

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

SGA Candidates

Mike White

Gavin Caster

KELSEY CALLAHAN The Vermont Cynic

Students wait for the on-campus bus, by the Ira Allen Chapel, March 13. Many students utilize the text service Blirp It to find out current bus schedules despite the recent lack of application updates.

Busted Blirp It updated Ali Sadeghi

Connor Daley

Want to know more about the candidates? Turn to page 3!

Vermont Yankee runs out of time

Plant no longer supplies to Vt.

By Lindsey Waters Staff Writer The nuclear power plant Vermont Yankee has fueled protests across the state as people rally to have the station shut down.

Research professor Richard Watts held a book signing March 21 for his published book on Vermont Yankee.

Watts discussed the newbook, “Public Meltdown: The Story of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant,” March 21 to a packed Billings lecture hall the day the plant’s 40-year contract expired.

Vermont Yankee has been a core part of the state for 40 See YANKEE on page 4

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Professor Richard Watts speaks on energy in Billings, March 21.

NEWS 1-4 Studying on the mountain

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LIFE 5-6 Sex educator gives ‘the talk’

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Bus locator service promises new app features

By Amanda Sherwood Staff Writer Students may not have time to wait for a bus they aren’t certain is coming.

Recently, in an effort to revamp Blirp It by improving its operations and reliability, founders Mike Fogg and Nick Godin were unable to update the app, leaving students confused and negligent of its service.

“I only used it once and it didn’t give me bus times,” sophomore Trevor Ogden said.

Although the problems with the app have been resolved, students remain unaware that Blirp It is fixed, Fogg said.

“I think it would be extremely convenient if it worked,” junior Devon Farr said.

Fogg said he regrets the inevitable neglect of the old version in their reconstruction and introduction to a new and improved app.

“During the transition from our old system to our current one, some issues came up that we did not see until we were already live and moved over,” Fogg said.

Although it seems that the app had long been out of commission, the frustration from students has not been in vain.

Fogg and Godin worked tirelessly to restart the newly upgraded app, with renovated and fresh ideas including the ability to see bus schedules more easily.

In 2009, Fogg and Godin introduced Blirp It to UVM in an effort to make life simpler.

DISTRACTIONS 7 Camp Morning Wood

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ARTS 8-9 Dr. Dog throws audience a bone

“I can’t tell you how many times I sat looking out the window for the late night bus to pull up before sprinting out,” Fogg said. “Nick and I started brainstorming various ways we can make our lives a little easier and thought, why don’t they show where the buses are on a map?”

“We are working now to build in the ability to view bus schedules right from the app.”

Mike Fogg Creator of the app Blirp It

By simply sending a text message “blirpit uvm” to the number 368266, the sender will receive specific times the bus will arrive to designated stops on campus.

New benefits are on the way as well, Fogg said. He and Godin continue to work on new features for the app that are forecasted to debut in the future.

“We are working now to build in the ability to view bus

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OPINION 10-12 Uneducated or just plain wasteful?

schedules right from the app so students can find out when the bus is supposed to be active,” Fogg said.

Plans also include a GPS locating system that will track users’ phones, he said.

“The app will soon be able to determine where you are, and, using that information, figure out the closest stop to you for your specific route,” Fogg said.

Fogg said he is continuing to expand Blirp It by reaching out to new people and places.

“We’ve focused on building it in a way that will let us grow and create new features with complete control over how the data is managed in the background,” he said.

Now that the app has been updated, Fogg expressed his excitement for the text messages it has started to receive.

“In the month of February, Blirp It sent out over 135,000 text messages to students at UVM,” Fogg said. “We were very excited to see those numbers.”

Some students are beginning to rediscover Blirp It, while others who previously held no faith in the app may try it again.

“I’d give it another shot,” Ogden said.

Fogg encourages students to try out the new app now that updates have been made. For more information and updates, students can follow Blirp It on Twitter at @blirpit.

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SPORTS 13-16 Men’s basketball attempts history

2

NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Studying on the mountain Book names UVM disability friendly

By Mat Degan Staff Writer

Those inspired by the call of the wild may consider a new program that allows students to live and learn in the heart of the Adirondacks for a semester.

The course, “Understanding the Park,” will be open this fall to upper-level undergraduate and graduate students through the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF).

A first-of-its-kind offering, students will have the opportunity to earn 16 credits while living in cabins at ESF’s Newcomb Campus located in the 15,000acre Huntington Wildlife Forest.

“We saw it as an opportunity to create a powerful experience,” said Paul Hai, who coordinates programs for ESF and will serve as one of the course’s semester instructors.

The SUNY program builds on a previous academic relationship with UVM – professors from both universities have collaborated in the past to create

learning programs – and will stress a multidisciplinary approach, combining natural sciences, conservation, ethics and leadership, Hai said.

“Often we find that students who are pursuing careers in resource management come with a fantastic background in a specific area, but not a parallel exposure to [other areas.]”

Students will be exposed to biodiversity within the forest, visit active logging sites to learn about industrial logging and study the park from a cultural perspective centering on trips to the Adirondack Museum.

Hai said he hopes the class will gain a broad understanding of the park through both a cultural and economic context.

The semester will culminate in an independent project addressing questions of what the park is and how an ethical framework can be created to manage competing interests within the forests.

“We see it as a semester abroad,” he said. “Everyone recognizes that this is a pretty

unique opportunity.”

Senior Ashley Koetsier, an environmental science and forestry double-major and president of the UVM Society of American Foresters, said she liked what the program has to offer and thought it was important to be exposed to the perspectives and learning approaches of a different university.

Koetsier said she would be interested in pursuing the semester in the Adirondacks if she wasn’t graduating in the spring.

“I definitely support it,” she said. “Any kind of progressive learning, I’m into. Forestry is the type of thing you can’t learn in a book; the more hands-on learning the better.”

Registration is on a first come, first serve basis and is limited.

Students interested in learning more about the program should contact Hai at pbhai@ esf.edu.

Breaking down ‘class of 2016’

By Kevin Santamaria Staff Writer After three waves of admission letters since last fall, the wait is finally over for high school seniors who applied to UVM. This year’s first-year applicant pool was just under 22,000, one of the largest pools in UVM’s history, director of admissions Beth Wiser said.

A total of 19,522 were outof-state, a four percent decrease from last year, and a record number of 2,258 applicants came from Vermont, a 10 percent increase from last year, she said.

More than 16,500 students were offered admission, almost 400 more than last year, Wiser said.

“We want to have a freshman class of 2,485,” Wiser said.

The reason behind accepting such a high number of applicants when expecting a class size much smaller is because students apply to more schools and won’t always choose UVM, she said.

Medina Korajkic, a Burling-

Projected first-year students

ALEXA ALGIOS The Vermont Cynic

Senior Brittany Jean leads visiting students on campus, Mar. 19. ton High School senior, applied to three schools, but still chose to come to UVM. “It’s close enough to home that I can be familiar with the campus and everything around it, but far enough away from home so I can still have a college experience,” Korajkic said.

Students from the admissions pool represent 49 states plus D.C., with the exception of North Dakota. The pool also

Source: Beth Wiser, director of admissions

475

Projected new transfers

21,780

Out-of-state (Down by 4%)

UVM has been named one of America’s most disability friendly colleges in the newly published book, “College Success for Students with Physical Disabilities.”

The guidebook for prospective college freshmen with physical disabilities or mental conditions was released Feb. 1 and is a tool for navigating collegiate life, according to Prufock Press. “‘College Success for Students With Physical Disabilities’ offers individuals the confidence, strategies and guidance they need to effectively choose a college and get prepared for university life,” Prufock Press stated.

The book is meant to address important concerns in-

Crime log March 11, 2012 5:22 p.m.

Applicants 19,522

By Amanda Sherwood Staff Writer

By Lauren Drasler Staff Writer

Projected Acceptance

2,485

Living options above standard

2,258 In-state (Up 10%)

represents potential students from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The top 10 states with the highest number of applicants are all in the Northeast, but the next five are California, Illinois, Virginia, Ohio and Colorado.

“What makes UVM special is the amount of geographic diversity,” Wiser said. “We have admitted students from the Northeast, but the next five [top contributing states] come from different regions.”

Unlike last year, this was the first class in which SAT writing scores were used in the admission’s process and scholarships, with an average SAT score of 1840, she said.

Even though the class of 2016 is not finalized until the first week of May, Wiser said a great class of students has been admitted. “[We] look forward to welcoming a new group of first year students in the fall,” she said.

Now that the undergraduate admissions are almost complete, the work is not done yet, Wiser said.

“We just started looking at transfer students,” she said.

A man that is not a student reported that another person not associated with UVM assaulted him in the Bailey Howe Library. Police determined that one person bumped into the other and it did not rise to level of assault.

March 11, 2012 9:27 p.m.

Three students were seen doing skateboarding tricks on the stairs by the Marsh Life Science center. An officer responded to the scene and informed the students that they were prohibited from doing the tricks due to potential property damage and injury.

March 11, 2012 10:55 p.m.

Hall staff at the Mason Simpson Hamilton complex reported seeing a student outside smoking. The staff called an officer who responded to the incident and an odor of marijuana was coming from the individual. Upon arriving, the officer confiscated a joint containing a small amount of marijuana from the student.

cluding living arrangements and classroom necessities; it recognizes colleges and universities that address these issues.

The book also contains a list of colleges and universities that provide full disability service or services that meet or exceed the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

UVM was named on the ADA-Plus list, which characterizes schools that have provided services beyond the requirements of the ADA. Other universities that also exceed ADA standards include University of Arizona, Rutgers University, University of Florida and University of California.

“I think it’s a commendable thing,” first-year Ryan Southworth said. “I feel proud to go to a school with that kind of reputation.”

March 12, 2012 3:55 p.m.

A student required medical assistance after passing out in the Simpson Dining Hall. The student was standing in line when they fainted and fell to the floor.

The student regained consciousness before an ambulance arrived, but was still transported to the hospital to receive further medical attention.

March 12, 2012 6:36 p.m.

Officers found a note on a parked car in the Waterman parking lot. The car was double parked, and the person who wrote the note outlined how upset it made them that someone parked by taking up two spaces instead of the one allotted to each individual vehicle.

March 12, 2012 9:56 p.m.

A bike was stolen outside of Kalkin Hall. The bike was chained to a lightpole at 6 p.m. The owner of the bike returned at 10 p.m. to find their bike gone. The cable which locked the bike in place was cut and left behind at the light-pole.

March 13, 2012 12:55 a.m.

A person was reported to the police because they were standing outside UHeights South. The individual who reported the event said it was suspicious because the person appeared to be looking into the windows of the building as if they were looking for someone or waiting to be let in. Officers reported to the scene, but the person was gone before they arrived.

N EWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

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SGA Voting started for new student leaders ...continued from page 1

Meet the candidates Ali Sadeghi • • • •

“Rally for Sadeghi and DeMasi” Stop tuition increases Allocate finances in a more appropriate manner Improve on-campus living styles Push toward true sustainability

Mike White • • • •

Gavin Caster

“Redefine, reimagine, revolution.”

• Get more students to vote in presidential election • Keep tuition fair • Clean and simplify emails to keep students connected to SGA • Focus on community service

“A Taller, Smarter, Sexier SGA.” Expand the Eco-Ware program Expand our bike share Establish an on-campus graffiti wall Constitutionally change the way the SGA functions

Connor Daley • • • •

“Vote Connor Daley and you’ll have a good one.”

Make advising better More service opportunities in Vermont Create an on-campus compost site De-politicize and humanize SGA

Vice presidential candidates Connor Burns

Tom Campbell

My main reason for seeking this position is that I believe that the students deserve to know what is happening at UVM at all times.

I would be ensuring that the Student Government function to the best of its ability, for you, for us, the UVM student body.

Samantha Holland

Source: SGA website

I decided to run for vice president of the SGA was that I really wanted to get more involved with the decisions made on campus, in turn utilizing student opinion to get results and to see positive change.

Owen Demasi I hope to respond to the wants and needs of the student body at large and improve the everyday experience of everyone associated with our university.

Her Campus UVM back online

After brief hiatus, magazine for college women returns

By Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor When Her Campus UVM, the self-proclaimed “Collegiette’s Guide to Life,” temporarily stopped publication in January, some were left wondering what had happened to the online magazine.

According to sophomore Marissa Villegas, who founded the UVM branch of the website her freshman year, the answer was simple: Villegas and her fellow campus correspondent, sophomore Ashley Richardson, had too much on their plates to keep the magazine going.

“We took a slight break from the website and started things up when everything went back to a normal, manageable pace,” she said. “It started back up with a drive for more content.”

Unlike most online magazines geared toward college women, Her Campus UVM is run entirely by students like Villegas, who meet every other week to discuss article ideas and assign content.

The appeal for the website is in its “for students, by students” model that is tailored to each college involved with Her Campus, Villegas said.

“Even at different branches, all of the content is dependent on the interests and demographic of the community,” she said. “With that, the different personalities of the different colleges really shine through.”

While the UVM branch is only a year and a half old, Her Campus began in 2009 as a national website when it was a winner in the i3 Innovation Challenge, a business plan competition held at Harvard College.

Now the Boston-based Her Campus boasts more than 200 branches across college campuses nationwide, and has formed content partnerships with media outlets ranging from Seventeen magazine to the Huffington Post, according to its website.

A quick browsing on the Her Campus UVM page will reveal a colorful webpage of articles with titles like “Getting Through Your Interview,” “10 Crazy Fun Things to do in Burlington During the Winter Months” and a recurring blog known as “My Life is GrUV.” While Villegas said the website currently receives approximately 1,200 to 1,500 views per week – “a work in progress” –

she believes that the online format is important and said that it becomes popular around exam time as students procrastinate.

And because UVM students themselves make up a large part of the Her Campus UVM features, the Campus Cutie and Campus Celebrity have gained special attention.

The cuties and celebrities are nominated by readers through the magazine’s Facebook page or by email, and no person entered is denied, Villegas said.

“We will contact them via Facebook or email and inform them of their anonymous nomination and explain the process if they choose to accept the title,” she said. “If they choose not to accept, then we move to another nomination in the order we received them.”

Now that Her Campus UVM is up and running, Villegas said she and her team will be busy putting together events for the website and contacting businesses for advertising.

Students interested in joining Her Campus UVM are encouraged to attend the magazine’s meeting held every other Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the Mansfield room.

ALEXA ALGIOS The Vermont Cynic

Martha Raine, Jennifer Shasberger and Kelly Thorne, table outside of the new Center for Health and Wellbeing, March 20.

Wellbeing center moves into Davis

Living Well to house relax room

By Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor Living Well, a resource center that houses the Education & Outreach staff from the Center for Health & Wellbeing (CHWB), has just moved into the Davis Center.

Students can now stop by the first-floor offices, located in the space that formerly held the Computer Depot, for health and wellness education and events, according to Jennifer Shasberger, CHWB’s marketing coordinator.

“We wanted to be somewhere central where students could access all of our services,” Shasberger said.

In addition to workshops and resource information on health issues that include alcohol, drugs, sexual health, body image, mental health and nutrition, Living Well will also be opening a relaxation room available to students.

The room will contain a massage chair, relaxing music, aromatherapy, light therapy and more, according to Living Well’s informational flyer.

Living Well is also affiliated

with campus organizations such as Active Minds, the Health & Wellness residential learning community, the Collegiate Recovery community and the “Shaken & Stirred” student video contest.

“We wanted to be somewhere central where students could access all of our services.”

Jennifer Shasberger CHWB marketing coordinator Living Well was also behind the “Med Mob,” a flash meditation mob that took place in the Davis Center on Nov. 11, and Shasberger said another flash mob is already being planned.

Students are encouraged to stop by Living Well to check out the resources, use the services and meet the staff.

Bramley backs station

By Devin Karambelas Assistant News Editor After receiving multiple complaints, the University has decided not to end its contract with Colchester-based AM station WVMT, according to an email sent out to the UVM community March 20 by President John Bramley.

WVMT, which broadcasts men’s hockey and women’s basketball games, came under fire from some members in the Faculty Senate at the Senate meeting March 12 because it also airs Rush Limbaugh’s nationally syndicated radio show.

Limbaugh made derogatory comments about Georgetown University Law School student Sandra Fluke on Feb. 29, saying that testifying in Congress for free and mandated contraception made her a “slut” and “prostitute.”

Despite the nature of Limbaugh’s “misogynistic” and “offensive” statements, Bramley stated in his email that the Uni-

versity would not be terminating its contract.

This is because listener action would have more of an impact, he said. UVM must uphold the right to free speech and the University is obligated to broadcast its athletic games locally as part of its membership in the American East and Hockey East conferences.

Faculty members like professor Charlotte Mehrtens, who had proposed the motion to sever ties with WVMT along with the Faculty Women’s Caucus, argued that the University had the responsibility to elect to do business with corporations that supported UVM’s values.

Fed Up Vermont, a women’s rights organization, will be planning a protest/ speak-out March 26 demanding that the University take a stronger stance against sexism, according to their Facebook page.

The Cynic has been covering the conflict and speaking with all parties involved — look for an article in next week’s issue.

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NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Financial aid: friend or foe Experts debate rising cost of tuition in forum

By Chris Scott Staff Writer Despite increases in federal financial aid, students at institutions around the country have long struggled with the costs of rising tuition.

The Janus Forum debate series, held at UVM on March 20, focused on discussing whether federal financial aid makes college more or less affordable.

The two experts participating in the debate were Richard Vetter, professor of economics at Ohio University, and Robert Archibald, Chancellor Professor of economics at the College of William and Mary.

“Universities need to be places where these issues can be hotly and fairly debated.”

John Bramley UVM president In the past 10 years, tuition at American institutions has risen 72 percent, yet middle class income has only increased by two percent, a University Communications article stated.

As a result, federal expenditures on financial aid have more

KELSEY CALLAHAN The Vermont Cynic

Professor at the College of William and Mary, Robert Archibald, speaks at the Janus Forum in the Davis Center, March 20. than tripled, according to the article.

Vetter, who spoke first at the forum, argued that the increase in financial aid over the years is one of the reasons universities increase tuition: school officials believe aid covers most of the student fees.

“It has been an unmitigated disaster,” Vetter said of rising federal expenditures on aid.

Vetter also argued that the increase in federal aid has placed more demand on taxpayers and has contributed to rising income inequality.

In his rebuttal, Archibald argued that the increase in tuition at various institutions has been a result of the rising wages of educators and other services, not the increase in federal aid.

Archibald cited various trends in tuition and financial aid in order to strengthen his argument. When financial aid was increased, inflation-adjusted tuition costs decreased, whereas when financial aid was decreased, tuition costs increased.

The editor and publisher of the St. Albans Messenger Emerson Lynn moderated the forum.

This debate marked the seventh forum in the past four years in the Janus series, said President Bramley, who opened the forum.

“Universities need to be places where these issues can be hotly and fairly debated,” Bramley said.

YANKEE Locals protest plant’s renewal ...continued from page 1 years and tonight, the plant will no longer provide its power to Vermont, Watts said.

“For most of the time it has quietly been providing one third of our energy — until 12 o’clock tonight, contractually,” he said.

Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell said there was a 26-4 bipartisan vote against relicensing Vermont Yankee.

“The book ends waiting to see if we are going to file an appeal,” Sorrell said. “This is a really, really important case of a real significance nationally.”

Earlier in the week, Vermont Student Environmental Program (VSTEP) hosted a teach-in about Vermont Yankee in the North Lounge in Billings Center, according to the Office of Sustainability.

“Tonight is meant to be an inclusive night, and we want to make sure everyone is comfortable – not just the activists,” secretary of VSTEP Cate Elliot said.

Vermont Yankee is owned and operated by Entergy Corporation in Vernon, Vt. Entergy purchased the power station in 2002, according to the Vermont Yankee website.

The three panel speakers discussed the social, environmental and legal implications of the nuclear power plant.

The first speaker, Maggie Gundersen, is founder and president of Fairewinds Associates in Burlington, which focuses on the environment and nuclear safety related to legal issues, according to the Fairewinds Associates website.

Gundersen discussed Vermont Yankee from a scientific viewpoint and explained the environmental hazards, including what would happen if the nuclear power plant was damaged by a natural disaster.

“When the tsunami hit [in Fukushimi, Japan], it flooded all the containment cabinets,” Gundersen said. “That would be like if we had the Connecticut River flooding.”

Vermont Yankee uses a closed cooling system that takes water from the Connecticut River to cool the reactor. This can cause a lot of destruction to the river, she said.

The nuclear power station also has a small containment system for its radiation, so there is a higher chance of hydrogen explosions, which was also the problem in Japan, Gundersen said.

The Committee to Bridge the Gap (CBG) is a nonprofit nuclear policy organization focused on nuclear safety, and Margolis said Vermont Yankee is not following CBG’s rules.

“If they continue to operate their plant in violation of the CBG, then that should be grounds for denying their application for a new CBG because it shows that they don’t really care what the state does and what the CBG provides,” she said.

In response to recent protests against Vermont Yankee, chairman and CEO of Entergy Corporation J. Wayne Leonard said the company has pledged to take further steps in ensuring safety equipment is protected.

“We greatly appreciate the backing of our supporters and respect the rights of opponents to peacefully protest,” Leonard said.

Students passionate about the controversy as well as students just wanting to learn more about Vermont Yankee attended the teach-in.

“If you are going to oppose someone on something, you should be knowledgeable about it,” VSTEP member Avery Lavoie said.

Locals also attended the event and showed their support for the cause. Local Vermonter Steve Ekberg carried a sign reading “Shut it down.”

“What happened in Japan is a clear indication of why Vermont Yankee should be shut down,” Ekberg said.

Elliot said the VSTEP sponsored event was an important night of solidarity and working together on a shared goal.

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LIFE

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Students speak about race, gender, sexuality

By Connor Yamada Cynic Correspondent

ALEXA ALGIOS The Vermont Cynic

Sex Educator Jay Friedman speaks at the J-Spot talk, March 15.

Sex educator gives ‘the talk’

J-Spot compares cultures

By Melina Tej Chaouch Cynic Correspondent Jay Friedman is a sex educator from Seattle, Wash. whose job is to go to campuses all across the country to teach students how to have better sex lives, and to talk about the politics surrounding sex.

Friedman said that he enjoys traveling all around the country and seeing the different student reactions.

“I go to these conservative campuses and talk about how to have a better orgasm and students laugh, clap and cheer.”

Jay Friedman Sex educator from Seattle, Wash.

“I go to these conservative campuses and talk about how to have a better orgasm, and students laugh, clap and cheer,” Friedman said.

“But the moment I talk about the government taking away your rights to these orgasms, I can feel the tension in the room.”

Not all his experiences have been great.

“I was at Georgia Tech last semester, and a group of about 18 students walked in with rosary beads and just chanted the whole time,” Friedman said, “I finally called them out on it. I try to be respectful of everyone.”

During his presentation, Friedman highlighted the dif-

5

ferences between the sexual cultures of Europe and the U.S. “In London, a group put together this aphrodisiac ice cream. It has a sprinkling of aphrodisiacs of the herbal kind, [and] it has some Viagra in it – $20, limit one per person,” he said. “I don’t think you’d see something like this in America.”

Friedman also talked about the obsession Americans have with sexuality.

“I’m fascinated in the connections between sex and food,” Friedman said.

“I do a column for my local newspaper called ‘Sexy Feast,’ which takes me to one restaurant a week. I try to figure out what the dishes teach us about sex.”

One attendant found the lecture to be thought provoking.

Sophomore Asya Cook said her favorite part about the lecture was seeing the difference in how Americans and Europeans perceive sex.

“It gave me great insight into how sheltered American society is from sex. I feel like it’s an important issue to address, but we hide from it instead,” Cook said.

Sophomore Nikki Rosa talked about how she enjoyed the segment on food/sex comparisons.

“I thought I was the only one who wonders what foods may be aphrodisiacs and how they might affect your sex life, but I also really enjoyed the whole talk,” Rosa said.

Friedman visited the campus on March 15 in the Sugar Maple Ballroom, and was hosted by the UVM Program Board.

Speaker Jay Friedman can be reached at info@jaytalk.com and can be found on Facebook to answer questions.

Race, gender and sexuality play an important role in many aspects of society.

March 16 marked the Eighth Annual Race, Gender and Sexuality Conference at UVM. The event, composed of student panelists presenting their research and work in these fields, was free and open to the general public.

“The Burlington community is interested in the intersection of race and gender and this [conference] supports that,” Gregory Ramos, director of ALANA U.S. ethnic studies, said.

The conference also provided students with a real-world opportunity to present their work, and gave them experience in research, Ramos said.

The panelists presented on a wide range of topics from global issues, such as sex trafficking in Israel to gender perceptions and equality on UVM’s own track and field team.

Audience members asked questions that led to discussions across the three areas of

interest, while panelists who had covered the different topics collaborated to develop a wellgrounded response.

One panelist noted that the issues of race, gender and sexuality are rarely discussed when considering globalization, yet they play a prominent role in how human beings interact with each other.

Panelist and senior Gaelan Chutter-Ames focused his presentation on contrasting the social mobility of the white, upper class women of “Sex and the City” with the restrictive relationship between an AfricanAmerican man and a Caucasian woman.

Chutter-Ames noted that the public reception of the blackwhite couple in the movie was negatively charged, while the white-white relationships of the women in “Sex and the City” are portrayed in a positive light.

Panelist and senior AJ Habib presented the story of sex trafficking in Israel.

Women brought over primarily from Russia are smuggled into Israel’s sex trade,

where they are forced into working to repay an initial “debt” to their employer, Habib said.

Customers can pay premiums to have sex with women without protection, drastically increasing the transmission and prevalence of STIs, she said.

One audience member mentioned radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh’s comments about a student who supported President Obama’s insurance law covering contraceptives for women, which triggered a heated discussion.

In response, the panelists theorized that there would be a net loss of money if contraceptives were not covered by insurance.

They noted that limiting access to contraceptives would create a higher incidence of unwanted pregnancies and enable STIs to transmit more easily.

The conference’s unification of race, gender and sexuality led to a host of new viewpoints, providing insight and bringing attention to issues sometimes not examined.

Spring Break

By Hannah Ullman Life/Features Editor

Groovy UV students had some interesting plans over spring break.

The Cynic interviewed 10 students – check out what they did: “Jury duty, the most fun.”

Chloe King, sophomore

“I went on Alternative Spring Break.”

Mike O’Donnell, junior

“I visited grandparents in California.”

Caroline Mariz, first-year “I went to white water rafting guide school.”

Sam Wesley, junior

“I went to the Dominican Republic.”

Andrew Cass, junior

“I went home to Puerto Rico.”

Guillermo Sarriera, sophomore

“I just relaxed at home.”

Masiel Mendoza, sophomore

“I milked cows for CREAM.” Shannon Emmons, junior “Someone in my class said he stayed in Burlington and had the Drink special every day, and on Monday had all of the Drink specials .”

Megan Benedict, senior

“I went to Arizona and volunteered with the United Way .”

Arline Weaver, sophomore

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LI FE

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

‘Corporations are not people’

Crowd addresses ways to end business priveleges

By Ann Cromley Assistant Life Editor

On March 15, a group of Vermonters gathered at the Ira Allen Chapel to weigh in on questions surrounding big business and corporate spending.

The topic of the meeting was ending corporate personhood, and it focused on addressing the Citizens United ruling, corporate personhood and money in politics.

The panel of speakers addressing these issues consisted of Vermont state Sen. Ginny Lyons, presidential candidate David Cobb and Ben and Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield.

Viewpoints of the state and national level were addressed

by Lyons and Cobb respectively, while Greenfield touched on the business side of things.

The movement to take down big business stems from a 2008 Supreme Court ruling against a nonprofit corporation, Citizens United, who attempted to use its own funds to run a film documentary against Hillary Clinton.

The verdict that was passed by a 5-4 ruling upheld that large business corporations are protected with the same constitu-

tional rights of speech as people of the United States under the First Amendment.

“Money is not speech, corporations are not people,” Lyons said as she drove this home to the audience.

“We the people are now limited to choices we make in the grocery store, not how the country is run.”

David Cobb Activist

The notion that “money is not speech” is derived from the corporate support and funding for election campaigns of important politicians. The number of super pacts between businesses and party candidates

has climbed over to 30 in 2012, totaling abowut $300 million each, according to Lyons.

Lyons provided the audience with insight to the work that is being conducted in Vermont to combat the power of corporations. Presently, 64 towns in Vermont have passed legislation to help overturn corporate personhood across the nation and create a national movement.

“This is just the beginning,” Lyons said. “Together we are going to make this happen.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders is also taking action on the issue. In December 2011, Sanders proposed an amendment titled Saving American Democracy that would overturn the Citizens United court ruling. The legislation consists of four main points that can be found at www.sanders.senate.gov.

David Cobb, 2004 Green Party presidential candidate and American activist, presented the conflict of corporate personhood from the national level.

He described two main aspects of the problem and why their relationship makes no sense to him.

First, Cobb defined democ-

racy, which as stated in the U.S. Constitution means rule by the people. Next, he defined corporation as to have or create.

“In legal terms, [a corporation] is referred to as legal fiction,” Cobb said of the word.

“Meaning: [it is] fake, made up!”

Cobb described how large and powerful corporations have become since the issuing of the first charter of the U.S. in 1789.

“We the people are now limited to choices we make in the grocery store, not how the country is run,” Cobb said.

Cobb described the anger that Americans have regarding corporate personhood as righteous anger.

“Righteous anger is a good thing,” Cobb said. “It propels people into action.”

Greenfield spoke on what is being done to reverse the cycle of corporate manipulation.

“Big business is the most powerful force in our nation,” Greenfield said. “It controls mainstream media, how we’re all treated and elections. To make more money is the only goal.”

‘Rape culture’ to be discussed

Seminar to focus on dismantling common perception

By Ann Cromley Assistant Life Editor On April 5, the Seventh Annual Dismantling Rape Culture Conference (DRCC) will be held in the Davis Center from 8-4:30 p.m.

The event is free to UVM students, faculty and staff and is sponsored by UVM Women’s Center, Chief Diversity Office, Department of Student Life and Residential Life, and the InterResidence Association.

“I think education about this issue is so important,” firstyear Kristen Wade said. “People

don’t realize it, but things like [sexual assault] happen behind our backs every single day.”

The conference will aim to question, challenge and educate attendees on common existing views surrounding rape culture.

Activist, author and survivor Marta Sanchez will present at the event as keynote speaker.

Indigo James, sophomore, and a member of the event planning board described rape culture.

“Rape culture is the systematic, normalized denial and the condoning of sexual violence in

our culture,” James said.

Rape culture in our country is swayed by attitudes, norms, media and social practices of everyday life, she said.

“We want to educate people about what consent and healthy sexuality look like,” James said.

The DRCC will also be a source of support and empowerment for those who have survived victimization of sexual violence and abuse.

“Our culture allows and excuses these episodes of violence,” James said. “We want to let survivors know they aren’t

alone.”

First-year student Lucy Basa mentioned that the conference is important because rape culture is a prominent issue that is often overlooked in today’s society.

“The rape culture in America really accentuates the underlying meaning of the way in which women are viewed and treated in today’s society,” Basa said.

Registration for the event is required and is now open. To learn more about the DRCC and to register for the event, visit www.uvm.edu/~women/dcr.

EMMA HANSEN

Cynic Video

Emma Hansen presents: BTV Beats

St. Patty’s Day “Oh my God, they have green Jell-O shots,” a girl wearing a bright green bow tie shrieked as she threw a wad of $1 bills at the vendor.

Bros and biddies decked in shades of green roamed the streets in droves on this year’s St. Patrick’s Day. The 65-degree weather provided the optimum day for drinking and window-shopping. The people of Burlington emerged from their hibernation to enjoy the Stuart D. Ireland Parade and take advantage of the outdoor patios of Church Street’s restaurants and bars.

Ri-Ra’s Irish Pub offered a full, traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner, including a pint of Guinness. For those who can’t quite handle the heavy stout, Red Square offered green beer on tap to enjoy with the eclectic mix of beats that Craig Mitchell spun for Red Square’s patrons.

Lift also offered green beer and a variety of Irish cocktails.

One Half Lounge offered a Guinness Float drink special in celebration — a snifter of Guinness with a shot of Vanilla Absolute Vodka and just a touch of champagne.

And, of course, Irish Car Bombs were a popular choice of the evening.

No matter what bar you went to, you could find the perfect drink to celebrate your inner Irishman.

Parade spectators donning goofy green hats and green bead necklaces ranged from young college students to an older crew. Later into the evening, packs of twenty somethings filled Burlington’s streets.

Not only did downtown offer the perfect St. Patty’s Day party setting, but the house parties were also bumping.

Wandering along Pearl Street you were guaranteed to find people willing to share their Jameson — or at least a party large enough that no one would notice if you joined in on the fun and borrowed a few drinks.

By the wee hours of the morning, the howls of the bar crawlers began to fade and satisfied party-goers went to their beds.

What was your favorite part of St. Patty’s Day? Tweet us @cynicvideoteam

D I S T RAC T I O N S

Crossword

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

brought to you by bestcrosswords.com

Camp Morning Wood by Scott Womer

7

#uvmproblems This kid really brought his bike onto the 3rd floor of Williams #uvmproblems

@xoxosnowboardgrl my teacher has a cooler tattoo then most of my friends #uvmproblems

@marlee_walker I’m getting way too good at replying to all recipients with this new UVM webmail... #uvmproblems

@zombiezooey There’s a kid rock climbing up converse #uvmproblems ACROSS 1- Book boo-boos 7- Covering for the head 10- A type of bake 14- Privateer 15- Nabokov novel 16- Actress Downey 17- More sore 18- Blame 19- Rat-___ 20- Subject to propaganda 23- With respect to 26- Anger 27- Stomach woe 28- “Is ___ it?”

29- “___ Ventura” was played by Jim Carrey 30- Actor Vigoda 31- Restaurant in Greece 33- Faulkner’s “___ Lay Dying” 34- Ques. response 37- Tina’s ex 38- Swiss river 39- Letters on a Cardinal’s cap 40- ___ Paulo 41- ___ anglais (English horn) 42- Spy org.

43- Conductors 45- Afflict 46- ___ es Salaam 47- Hurler Hershiser 48- Wears well 51- Armed conflict 52- Accumulate 53- Matchless 56- Ollie’s partner 57- “Rope-a-dope” boxer 58- Gory 62- Single 63- Cartoon Chihuahua 64- Fuzz remover 65- Tolkien tree creatures 66- Unit of energy 67- Scoffs

11- Living in flowing water 12- Astonish 13- Alma ___ 21- Vagabond woman 22- Marriageable 23- Room at the top 24- Military cap 25- Half a sawbuck 29- For want of ___...

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@mellaswag oh my god #relief.. pretty sure the marche is the only place on campus that is not 4000 degrees #uvmproblems

@beckhotung Not only do I dread waterman because the door takes ten people to open, on top of that not one room has any air circulation #uvmproblems

@emmawitz617 Shirtless man wearing suspenders, walking his dog on a leash made of rope #uvmproblems

@Shanny_Smith

8

ARTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Getting the script right

By Sarah Stickle Staff Writer

Producer Jon Kilik’s adaption of “The Hunger Games” has soared from a small-scale production and is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. The Vermont Cynic had the chance to talk to Kilik, a UVM alumnus, who discovered his passion for film making right here on campus.

The Vermont Cynic: There are many different roles a producer can take, especially in a major film like this. How do you see your role in “The Hunger Games?”

Jon Kilik: I tend to just work the same way I always work, which pretty much includes all aspects of [production]. It includes script, development of the script, casting, getting financing together, [finding] where we’re going to shoot.

[When] we finally get the financing together and all those other creative elements, then we finally go off and shoot it. When that happens I’m on the set all the time.

Every day is a new set of problems, challenges and evolution… Every day of shooting is an opportunity to bring what’s on the page to life, and you want to continuously be surprised with what comes out of those

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHARON ABELLA

Producer Jon Kilik (right) with writer/director Gary Ross on the set of The Hunger Games in N.C. shooting days.

VC: What has the most important part of the process been for you?

JK: Getting the script right [and] adapting the book in a way that was faithful to it. At the same time, [making] the transition to make it into a different medium to bring it all to life visually was a big challenge with this one.

It was written in a way that was very personal. You’re constantly in this character’s head, and it’s a very personal

journey [that is] sometimes really hard to translate.

VC: What inspired you to adapt this book in particular?

JK: I read the book and I thought it had something that was important to tell … and it had a lot to say about where we are as a society.

This whole concept of a survival game was in this story, a futuristic fiction, but in reading it I thought it was something I could relate to today. That whole sense of having to survive, and throw-

ing our kids into this kind of situation in which they’re scrutinized every minute of the day and put under a great deal of pressure.

VC: This sounds like such a cool job.

JK: Yeah, I mean, I was taking the normal liberal arts … sociology, psychology and so forth. Then I took a film class junior year for fun and I thought, “Wow, this would really be a cool job” … Then I took a production class and another one … I started to

look at it as something I could really turn into a career.

So, when I graduated I moved down to New York to try to find a position and couldn’t really find an entrylevel position, so I took an internship in Burlington on Channel 3 and finally got a job in New York a year later.

VC: How do you feel your time at UVM inspired your choices as a producer later in life? What about this production in general?

JK: UVM was great because it was my first time living out on my own, and that in and of itself is a great, lifechanging experience. Then I took a whole mix of liberal arts classes, as well as lots of sports and clubs and whatever else I could get my hands on. It was a great opportunity to start to meet different people and try out different things.

My parents, teachers, and friends were all really encouraging … when I found film class, I gave it a try, and I only discovered that at UVM. It was inspiring.

There will be a special UVM-exclusive showing of “The Hunger Games” at midnight on Thursday, March 22 for $8 at Essex Cinemas.

After that, the movie will be available in all Vermont theaters at the regular price, starting during business hours on March 23 .

Poetry review of Irish writing, Heaney explores historical themes in the development of Ireland. The juxtaposition of the Ireland of the past with the industrial-driven contemporary Ireland is at the center of many of his works.

THEODORA ZIOLKOWSKI

Irish Poetry

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In lieu of the shamrock, leprechaun, corned beef and cabbage hodgepodge that hit Church Street on March 17, why not honor Burlington’s unseasonably warm weather, and the month of St. Patty’s, with iced tea and an investigation of Irish poets?

Seamus Heaney, Eavan Boland and Paul Muldoon are three contemporary representatives of Irish writers who explore their dynamic visions of the world through poetry.

A native of Northern Ireland, Heaney gained his popularity in the late 1960s with the advent of his first book, “Death of a Naturalist.”

Considered a member of the Northern School

Cold smell of potato mold, the squelch and slap/Of soggy peat “Digging,” which appeared in “Death of a Naturalist,” portrays Heaney’s comparison of different types of digging: that of his ancestors’—the spade that brings the “cold smell of potato mold, the squelch and slap/Of soggy peat” — and that of the pen which his speaker uses to “dig.”

Born in Dublin, Boland currently teaches at Stanford University. Her poetry is often associated with feminist themes.

Read “Pomegranate,” in which Boland illustrates her ability to slip into the Roman myth from any age.

In the poem, the speaker merges what one can assume to be Boland’s experiences as a child relocated from Dublin to London, to

the speaker’s reflections on being “a child in exile in/a city of fogs and strange consonants.”

The speaker later considers her experiences as a mother, emphasizing her first-person assertion that “the best thing about the legend is/I can enter it anywhere.”

Muldoon grew up in Northern Ireland and teaches at Princeton University. Compare “Gathering Mushrooms” to Heaney’s “Digging” for a different instance of a poem that focuses on its subject’s relationship to his ancestry.

In “Gathering Mushrooms,” Muldoon’s speaker describes an unidentified third person’s reaction to the gravesite of his mother and father.

Notice also the poet’s naming of American states.

This incorporation intensifies our understanding of the poet’s relationship to his native Ireland and current residency in the United States.

While all three poets focus on different sides of Ireland, Heaney, Boland and Muldoon excavate their relationship to Ireland and explore their identity as Irish writers in vibrant and innovative ways.

ARTS

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Dr. Dog throws audience bone Band delivers high energy

By Molly Philbin Assistant Arts Editor Audiences received an unexpected four song encore on March 19 at Higher Ground after a high energy performance by Dr. Dog. The evening began with folk band Birdie Busch and the purchase of beer from the bar counter at the side of the ballroom. The supporting act left the stage at 9 p.m.

Funk throwbacks were played over the speakers while the audience waited for Dr. Dog. The bar was crowded, but many people who had gotten to the venue early remained near the stage, talking in small groups.

Half an hour later, the speaker music stopped. A person in an orange and white astronaut suit walked on stage and began to remove grey sheets hiding an elaborate stage set.

“It was the best moment of my life.

Dr. Dog is my favorite band.”

James Tierney UVM sophomore Self-made posters covered the back wall along with handwritten locations of the band’s current touring schedule for their new album “In The Void.”

On an old rug was an improvised brick fireplace with glowing orange lights inside. There were also several stuffed animals on stage, including a miniature elephant atop the fireplace and a lion’s head on a long pole in the corner.

The six-member band clambered onto stage and — without acknowledging the audience — began to play the opening song “Old Black Hole,” a song off their new album.

Stage crew laughed when they realized singer and bassist Toby Leaman’s microphone was set up too tall for him.

Not only were the venue’s speakers turned all the way up, but Dr. Dog brought in two of their own bass cabinet speakers. Leaman’s bass made the ground shake; a concertgoer said she thought the sound was going to push her over.

“What’s up y’all,” guitarist and co-lead singer Scott McMicken

said in a quiet voice just as the band began their second song.

Keyboardist Zach Miller left his chair for the third song, “Nobody Knows Who You Are,” and played guitar along with Frank McElroy and McMicken. The song was all guitar and drums; Leaman just sang.

A single piece of red confetti dropped from the ceiling and fell to the stage where a concertgoer grabbed at it. The band did not notice as it was during a guitar solo, and the front line never faced the audience during solos.

Five songs in, McMicken thanked the crowd for being there.

“Thanks for coming; we really appreciate it,” he said.

“It’s not early, and it’s not a weekend, so we appreciate it.”

A security guard picked her way through the dancing crowd and took a conspicuous water bottle — that was not purchased at the venue — from a girl and berated her for bringing it.

During the 11th song “Die, Die, Die,” McMicken removed his guitar and held it out to the audience.

“Hey, do any of you play guitar?” He asked.

McMicken pulled volunteer sophomore James Tierney onstage and went to the back of the stage near the pole with the lion head atop to watch Tierney finish the song.

The crowd cheered him on; some took out cell phones and snapped pictures.

“It was the best moment of my life,” Tierney said, who has seen the band perform live six times. “Dr. Dog is my favorite band.”

Dr. Dog ended the concert with “Shame, Shame.” McElroy bowed and McMicken thanked the crowd again.

They left the stage at 11 p.m., and the stage crew began to take apart the stage.

Although instruments were being carried out, the audience stayed. The front row slammed their hands on the stage and the crowd yelled the band’s name.

Several minutes later, Dr. Dog came back on and helped the stage crew re-set up their equipment. They quickly conversed over which song to play and decided on “From.”

The concert did not end after the first encore song though. The band stayed on stage for four extra songs, giving the crowd 20 more minutes before leaving the stage for a second time.

Free posters where handed out at the end of the concert to the people in the front row.

9

Arts Calendar Thurs. March 22- Sat. March 24

Dancing Uphill Mann Gymnasium (Trinity Campus) Fri. March 23- Sun. 25

Fifth Annual Folk Music Festival Fri. March 23

Giant Panda Higher Ground Fri. March 23

Topcats Benefit Show Grand Maple Ballroom (Davis Center) Sun. March 25

The Hunger Games Screening Majestic 10, Williston, Vt. Sun. March 25

Boombox Higher Ground Mon. March 26

The Hunger Games Q&A With Producer John Kilik Grand Maple Ballroom (Davis Center) Wed. March 28

Painted Word Poetry Series Fleming Museum

Thurs. March 29

Strangefolk Higher Ground

Music review

DILLON BAKER

Andrew Bird releases yet another outstanding album Andrew Bird has always been an outstanding figure in the music scene.

Using violin — in which he has a Bachelor’s degree in performance — electric guitar, glockenspiel, voice and even whistling, Bird creates an entirely distinctive and hypnotic sound that is guaranteed to catch your ear upon first listen.

His first self-produced album, “Break It Yourself,” is not any sort of innova-

tion for Bird fans, but rather a focus on stripping down and highlighting the greatest parts of Bird’s music while at the same time shifting the thematic tone of his music to a more humanistic place.

Simple yet jaunty pop structures broken up by pointed whistling and spellbinding violin interludes make up the core of the album.

Of course, there are parts where he strays from this basic formula, as he does on the track “Near Death Experience,” but these songs serve as welcomed breaks of experimentation.

As hinted at by the sepia-toned cover featuring a child and a toy horse, the overall mood is decidedly intimate and gentle. This is the most important break from his previous albums, as Bird was more prone to focus on scientific and academic concepts such as palindromes and dark matter for lyrical material in his previous work.

Bird always focused on these academic concepts with an eye on demon-

strating the complexity of the everyday world, but in “Break It Yourself,” he seems more interested in reflecting instead on our world while keeping the basic structure of his quirky lyrical and musical content intact.

In shifting to a more straightforward style, Bird has created his most relatable and catchy album yet, and perhaps even his best. With every listen, the subtle beauty of the simplified and focused songs becomes more and more apparent.

The crown jewel of the album, “Hole in the Ocean Floor,” captures the album’s overall shift in a grand eight-minute journey through all of the elements that make Andrew Bird one of the most interesting current musicians.

At 38, Bird remains one of the most consistent musicians in the alternative music scene. With “Break It Yourself,” he demonstrates that there is still plenty of rosin left on his bow.

10

Opinion

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

STAFF EDITORIAL

THE VERMONT

C YNIC

EDITORIAL BOARD

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

Managing Editor Corrie Roe

cynicnewsroom@gmail.com

News

Becky Hayes

cynicnews@gmail.com

Opinion

Peyton Rosenthal

cynicopinion@gmail.com

Sports

Mike Eaton

cynicsportseditor@gmail.com

Life/Feature Hannah Ullman

cyniclifeeditor@gmail.com

Arts

Natalie Slack

cynicartseditor@gmail.com

Layout

Devon Meadowcroft

cyniclayouteditor@gmail.com

Web

Colleen McClintock

vermontcynicweb@gmail.com

Photography Natalie Williams

cynicphoto@gmail.com

Copy Chief

Jasmine Hughes

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Illustration Dana Ortiz

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Video

Jon Polson

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STAFF Assistant Editors

Devin Karambelas (News), Mackenzie Jones (Photo), Walker Sultzbach (Photo), Julia Dwyer (Sports), Ann Cromley (Life), Grace Buckles (Layout), Molly Philbin (Arts)

Page Designers

Danielle Bilotta, Lilly Xian, Grace Buckles, Meg Ziegler, Alana Luttinger

Copy Editors

Amanda Santillan, Stephanie Nistico, Jenny Baldwin, Emily Bartran, Jess Schwartz, Kaitlyn Green, Abbey Dunn, Shelbie Ladue, Allie Sullivan, Molly Philbin, Katie Murray, Stephen Hudecek, Isabella BrowneLorcher

OPERATIONS Operations Manager

University mourns tough loss together This past week, the UVM community has coped with the sudden loss of one of its students, Abraham “Avi” Kurganoff.

Though this has been a difficult time for the large amount of people who were touched by Avi during his lifetime, we have witnessed a tremendous wave of support following his passing.

We at the Cynic commend the University for the comfort and respect it has offered.

Its services speak to UVM’s commitment to its students’ well-being and ability to provide assistance in the event that it is needed.

We also wish to praise and highlight UVM’s unity in the honoring of one of its members.

Avi was extremely invested in the UVM community, participating in the Outing Club, John Dewey House for Civil Engagement and Alternative Spring Break among other groups on campus.

Students from these clubs have been among those most celebratory of his life, hosting events that include sunset hikes and ski rides in his memory.

Others around campus continue to remember him through posts to Avi’s Facebook wall, and through memorials that commemorate Avi’s favorite activities and enthusiasm for life.

Avi’s family has issued a statement expressing its gratitude to the UVM community, stating, “It was so therapeutic for us to be able to share our love for Avi with you.”

Sharing Avi’s love seems to be a part of the healing process.

It is a truly amazing thing to see UVM come together and celebrate Avi and his passion for life. The power of our community to unite in tough times like these demonstrates the values that make the UVM

Correction In issue 21, published on March 15, the Cynic incorrectly identified State Representative Kesha Ram as a senator.

COLUMNISTS

Uneducated or just plain wasteful?

BIANCA MOHN

Scampering about campus with reusable water bottles in tow, it’s easy to think that our generation is more aware of our environmental impact than our parents. We recycle and avoid plastic bags like the plague — don’t we deserve a prize?

Not exactly. Although our generation has the reputation for being environmentally conscious, a study entitled “Generational Differences in Young Adults’ Life Goals, — Concern for Others, and Civic Orientation, 1996-2009” has revealed otherwise.

Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, and her colleagues Elise Freeman and Keith Campbell, have discovered that “today’s young Americans are less interested in the environment and in conserving resources — and often less civic-minded overall — than their elders were when they were young.”

The analysis covered three

generations: the baby boomers, gen xers, and millennials.

When the baby boomers were our age, five percent admitted to doing nothing to protect the environment, and eight percent of gen xers said the same.

What is alarming is that of our generation surveyed, 15 percent confessed to making zero effort to help the environment.

Despite endless presentations in school, the “save the environment” message does not seem to have resonated with our generation.

It’s not that millennials don’t care: 85-90 percent are “open to protecting the environment and natural resources, but [are] not leaders and [are] not interested in being seriously inconvenienced or paying a cost to do so.”

Although we claim to be environmentally aware, this still rings true. How many times have you thrown a plastic bottle away, simply because there was no recycling bin in sight? At UVM it is not uncommon to see students utterly perplexed by the trashrecycle-compost system, who in the end throw everything into random bins out of frustration.

I do believe that our generation is more aware of the environment, but I think the way we are educated in high school and middle school is half-hearted at best. Long speeches on Earth Day, boring guest lecturers and power point presentations drowning in

text — is this the way students should be introduced to an enormous issue? There must be other methods.

As a result of these dull presentations, we have pangs of guilt when we do something wasteful, but we quickly move on without ever changing our habits. If conservation were a greater aspect of the high school science curriculum and not just a footnote, perhaps the number of active environmentalists in the millennial generation would grow.

In fact, why not implement separate classes on protecting the environment in grade school and high school? The subject does not have to be dull: classes full of hands-on learning, field trips, decorating reusable water bottles and sharing ideas of how to decrease our carbon footprint could be fun.

Let’s face the facts. The “reduce, reuse, recycle” motto is not hitting home with our generation, and something needs to change. In the 21st century, our planet is too important for our generation to ignore. It all starts with an act of self-reflection — what will you do to benefit the environment today?

Bianca Mohn is a first-year business administration major.

She has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2011.

Victor Hartmann

cynicoperations@gmail.com

Distribution Manager Kyle DeVivo kdevivo@uvm.edu

DISTURBING QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I JUST SNIFFED THE SWEETEST BITCHES ON MY WALK……”

-@JulioCCLopez, formally known as Mario Lopez’s dog, who has his own Twitter account to document his daily happenings.

Advertising Manager Luke Jonas cynicalads@gmail.com

ADVISER Faculty Adviser Chris Evans

crevans@uvm.edu

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

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OPINION

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

11

COLUMNISTS

The Madonna, the whore and the law student

ZACH DESPART

Republicans love to talk about sex.

Last week, the Senate rejected a Republicansponsored initiative that would have allowed employers to be exempt from providing contraception in employee health insurance if they had religious or moral objections.

Some states, including Arizona, Colorado and New Hampshire, are considering similar legislation.

Republican presidential hopeful and sweater-vest aficionado Rick Santorum said he would favor overturning Griswold v. Connecticut, the landmark 1965 Supreme Court decision that prohibited states from restricting access to contraception.

The court, in a 7-2 decision, said that prohibiting the sale of contraception violated a citizen’s right to privacy — a precedent that played a large role in Roe v. Wade, eight years

later. This fundamental right to privacy has been cited in cases upholding same-sex marriage, and in banning restrictions on same-sex sexual acts.

For the record, all of the remaining Republican candidates favor overturning Roe. In a recent op-ed in The New York Times, Louise Trubek, who challenged the Connecticut law four years before the court agreed to hear Griswold, summed up why access to contraception is so important: “Women are not guaranteed control over their own lives, because the necessary social supports were never secure,” she said.

Trubek articulates perfectly why access to contraception is paramount for women — without it, they cannot control when to have children or plan a family. Lack of contraception restricts a woman’s ability to be a working professional with a career; it denies full autonomy.

I believe that health care is a basic right that should be guaranteed to all citizens, and contraception should be included in that coverage.

The combined oral contraceptive pill was approved for sale in 1960, and dramatically affected the role of women in society.

In a 2002 essay discussing how the pill affected women’s marriage and career decisions,

Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz noted, “the pill directly lowered the costs of engaging in long-term career investments by giving women far greater certainty regarding the pregnancy consequences of sex.”

The alternative, they argued, is bleak: “young women embarking on a lengthy professional education would have to pay the penalty of abstinence or cope with considerable uncertainty regarding pregnancy.”

Santorum said in a 2006 television interview that birth control harms women and society, but the exact opposite is true. Access to contraception benefits both. It does not encourage women to have sex outside of marriage; rather, it enables women to be solely responsible to choose whether or not to have children.

No one is suggesting it be mandatory to use contraception. Men and women should have equal and unfettered access to birth control, should they choose to use it or not.

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have stated that they do not use contraception. That is their choice. But don’t make that decision for my sister or my girlfriends or any women in this country. Your morality is just that — your morality.

And it is dangerous to legislate

accordingly.

Romney and Santorum want abstinence-only education in our schools, they want to restrict the sale of contraception, and they want to ban abortion — yet they wonder why the United States has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the developed world

I believe that health care is a basic right that should be guaranteed to all citizens, and contraception should be included in that coverage.

To borrow from Josh Lyman, they want to reduce the size of government so it’s just small enough to fit inside our bedrooms.

Teenagers are going to have sex. We have decades of research that tells us that.

Seven in 10 teens have had sex by the time they turn 19, according to a report published by the Guttmacher Institute last month.

To ‘slut’ or not to ‘slut’ in the media

KATIE IDA

Following the week of March 11, a slew of national newspapers decided to censor a comic, “Doonesbury,” that satirizes Texas abortion laws.

The problematic nature of this illustration is said to be the use of the terms “slut” and “rape” within the comic.

This comes not too long after Rush Limbaugh’s controversial comment about a Georgetown University law student, in which he called her a “slut” and a “prostitute.” This comment was then repeated numerous times in news stories covering the controversy.

This is an appalling act by syndicating newspapers, who have published numerous articles about the Texas legislation, but who, when the subject is presented in such a visceral manner, call the comic “over the line.”

Therefore, it should be up to the syndicator of each piece of media to decide whether or not to show its support.

It should be noted that although the “Doonesbury” cartoon — which correctly uses the term “rape” within its definition — has been silenced by many disapproving newspapers, Limbaugh’s

syndicator has chosen not to act against Limbaugh’s derogatory use of the words “slut” and “prostitute.”

The comic features a woman checking in for her mandatory transvaginal sonogram before having an abortion. The device used for the sonogram is called a “10-inch shaming wand.” The comic then goes on to have a “middle-aged legislator” call the girl a “slut,” and a nurse state: “By the authority invested in me by the GOP base, I thee rape.”

Although the “Doonesbury” cartoon correctly uses the term “rape” within its definition, it has been silenced by many disapproving newspapers.

The author and creator of “Doonesbury,” Gary Trudeau, suggests in a March 11 article in The Guardian that the editorial pages generally have less readership than that of the comics section, and, as a result, he censors many from the story.

While Limbaugh’s comments most definitely come from a different place than do the satirist commentary of “Doonesbury,” censoring the first could result in censoring of

the second.

Recently, Jane Fonda, Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan issued an open letter to CNN calling for the FCC to take Rush Limbaugh off the air for his sexist and racist commentary, and suggesting that his show is not “in the public interest,” regardless of First Amendment rights.

In the letter, the three suggest that his comments fall under “hate speech,” while Limbaugh hides under the defense of comedy to protect his speech rights.

Media have chosen to disregard the defense of comedy for First Amendment rights and silence “Doonesbury’s” actions against anti-abortion measures, while they simultaneously and hypocritically repeat antifeminist speech in coverage of Limbaugh.

Some newspapers have decided to run the column on the editorial pages or on websites instead of in its usual place in the comics sections of the newspapers, according to a March 9 Associated Press story.

However, like Limbaugh’s recent surge of press, the “Doonesbury” cartoon will most likely get the readership it deserves from the coverage of the controversial comic, in effect ruining the intended censorship many newspapers sought.

Katie Ida is a double major in English and Community and Internataional Development. He has been writing for The Cynic since fall 2008.

It is absurd that the debate over whether contraception should be legal, or that the Constitution guarantees a fundamental right to privacy, has reignited.

Whether it will continue after this raucous election year is over remains to be seen, but the fact that a basic component of women’s reproductive health is being seriously challenged is deeply troubling.

I don’t know when “feminist” became a bad word. I don’t know why women’s rights in many ways have regressed more so than progressed since Roe. I don’t know why the long-overdue Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which expands health care to 30 million Americans, actually restricts a woman’s access to abortion.

Anti-contraception crusaders, stop demonizing women. Stop inventing a moral panic about “sluts” and “prostitutes” who want the government to pay for their birth control so they can have unlimited sex with whoever they want.

There are real, dire issues facing this nation right now that warrant a space in the public discourse. We don’t have time for the cosmetic ones.

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

Quick Opinions Illustration by Andrew Becker

Arielle Boutwell “The weather gets warmer, and the walking becomes slower.”

Bianca Mohn “Studying outside: a good idea in theory, in practice, not so much.”

Peyton Rosenthal “All we need is a BBQ setup and raunchy music to complete this week’s global warming heatwave.”

Have an opinion?

Send your quick opinion to: cynicopinion@gmail.com

12

OPINION

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UVM, water you thinking?

Bettering the Dear Editor, UVM community drinks come in plastic bottles, too.

Dear Editor, Most students know about UVM’s new president, E. Thomas Sullivan. The Cynic itself broke the story before the formal announcement several weeks ago. But the selection of Sullivan should not overshadow, and instead highlight, the fact that this is an important time for the University.

New programs are starting, UVM is getting more national recognition than ever, and the way UVM interacts with students is beginning to change.

Many students may not care about new initiatives from the UVM administration and probably don’t pay attention to what happens in our Student Government Association — we just receive emails — MANY emails.

We don’t need to make big political statements for or against something in the world. Let’s instead work on what students care about most at UVM.

What students instead care about are their academics, having fun while at UVM, contributing back to Vermont and the world and ensuring that their money is going right back to helping them succeed.

There’s also another presidential search happening right now, but at the student level.

Several students are running for president of SGA to represent all 10,000 of us UVMers, and I happen to be one of them.

My name is Connor Daley, and I know most students don’t actually participate in SGA elections. But even if you don’t care about SGA, you probably care about UVM. I’m running because I love Burlington, I love Vermont — I’m from the other side of the state — I love the people here, and I love UVM. But there are a lot of things that could be made better.

I think SGA and the UVM administration should do a better job at communicating with students. SGA uses videos in weekly emails so students can get the information they need quickly without reading a lengthy message.

But what about an SGA Newsletter — a one-page update — next to the stacks of The Cynic and the Watertower, telling students what’s going on in

SGA and UVM administration?

What about an open-question forum for students in the Marketplace, the Marche, or the Davis Center green with the presidents of UVM and SGA? Student Government passes a lot of “resolutions” that are meant to be as the “student voice,” but how often do we consult students about these things?

I think we should engage students more, but also move away from passing “resolutions.”

We don’t need to make big political statements for or against something in the world.

Let’s instead work on what students care about most at UVM. The success of Inclusive Language Week, co-sponsored

by Free2Be and the Greek Life community, argues that when different student groups on campus collaborate, awesome things can happen.

So why doesn’t the president of SGA have a ‘cabinet’ with representatives from Greek Life, Campus Media, the largest clubs, the Inter-Residence Association, and people in charge of UVM strengths — sustainability, academics, diversity —to have SGA collaborate with more students?

I think UVM students should also be able to explore more of Vermont, my home, at a low cost and a benefit to them.

Why doesn’t SGA listen to student voice more, and provide more money to the Ski and Snowboard Club, providing more buses to the ski mountains in the winter?

Why don’t we have more internships for students at Vermont businesses? I can think of at least 12 off the top of my head who would love to hire UVM students in the summer.

A quarter of UVM students are graduating this year, and that means that they might not be too worried what’s going on in SGA or even UVM administration. But what happens at UVM will affect how employers see Catamounts’ degrees after they graduate and leave.

The students who will compose next year’s student body are also probably wondering how they can get the most out of college and be successful afterwards.

I think student government should provide students with opportunities to have fun and get an awesome education.

And I’m running for president of the Student Government Association because, in a time where so much is going on at UVM, I think we should still focus on how we can make it all better for regular students.

Sincerely, Connor Daley Class of 2014

I was dismayed to learn the other day that VSTEP had finally won the battle to ban bottled water on campus, a classic display of great intentions turned into worst possible outcome.

Don’t get me wrong. I do sympathize with the cause — saving the world. It’s great. I love it. The best. I’m on board.

But a ban on bottled water?

Eh. I’m not so in to it.

Here’s why: First of all, the ban stinks of paternalism. Restrictions made on my freedom for “my own future” make me uneasy, especially when the benefits of those restrictions aren’t clearly demonstrated.

Second, the ban will achieve no net reduction in waste. If the idea is to reduce the amount of plastic bottle waste produced on campus, then get rid of all the plastic bottled beverages, not just water.

The empty shelf space is going to be filled with other drinks. And guess what? Those

UVM is saying that they don’t believe in selling drinks that are good for their students on campus, only those that are demonstrably terrible.

Where’s the study that links the absence of bottled water on a college campus with fewer bottled beverages consumed overall? I bet VSTEP a Dasani to a Nalgene that it doesn’t exist. And if people are going to substitute, what is actually being accomplished?

Third, a ban on bottled water is effectively a promotion of other less healthy bottled drinks.

UVM is basically saying that

they don’t believe in selling drinks that are good for their students on campus, only those that are demonstrably terrible.

And a few others, maybe, that aren’t as terrible.

My last point is a question.

What is the first ingredient in almost every other bottled drink besides water? That’s right, it’s also water!

UVM is banning bottled water, at an enormous expense to its student body, and replacing the bottled water with more bottled water. Except the new bottled water is enhanced with sugar and food coloring.

Simply mind blowing.

The way to reduce bottled water consumption is through long-term, grassroots education. And even then, success isn’t certain.

A plan hinged on prohibition is a bad idea and won’t work to accomplish its intended goals. It just doesn’t hold water.

Joe Collier Class of 2008

Newt Gingrich: comparable to Hitler?

Dear Editor, When I recently read the diaries of Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, I saw some striking resemblance to Newt Gingrich’s court proposals.

Newt Gingrich apparently thinks the Founding Fathers made a terrible mistake when they established an independent court system.

Under his proposals, judges would please the president, congress, and the public — or suffer the consequences.

Presidents could ignore court decisions they dislike. Congress could haul judges before it to explain their decisions and

jail non-compliant judges and unpopular judges could be fired and their courts abolished.

Even some very conservative judicial critics have expressed outrage at Gingrich’s proposals.

One of George W. Bush’s Attorneys General — Michael Mukasey — called them “outrageous and dangerous;” another, Alberto Gonzalez, condemned “bringing judges before Congress, like a schoolchild being brought before the principal.”

Columnist George Will wrote that Gingrich would replace legal reasoning with “raw political power.”

The Gingrich plan is not totally untested. Joseph Goebbels argued that German judges

tended to rely too much on legal reasoning, too little on public opinion and Hitler’s wishes.

For this offense, judges should be fired and their courts abolished. Like Gingrich, Goebbels said these “reforms” would protect “the people” against oppressive courts.

They became law, the last remnants of freedom vanished, and we learned an invaluable lesson. Or did we?

Sincerely, George Kiser Professor Illinois State University

Santorum’s Christian blueprint for U.S. Dear Editor, Rick Santorum says American law should never violate biblical commands, and often it doesn’t. For example, both prohibit murder and theft.

Yet, the conflicts are enormous American law nourishes capitalism while the Bible would destroy it by commanding us to sell all we own and give the proceeds to the poor.

The Constitution protects freedom of religion, while the Bible requires death for nonbelievers.

Pre-marital sex is not a crime in the United States, but the Bible says women who are not virgins at the time of marriage must be executed.

It is not against the law to work on the Sabbath in the United States, but the Bible

proclaims death to Sabbathworkers. And the list goes on and on.

A common result of theocracy is merciless suppression of even the most basic human rights, religious hatred and violence.

What Santorum advocates is theocracy, a form of government which claims to represent God’s will as found in scripture.

It was tried in the American

colonies until the Constitution outlawed it, and it is in effect today in such countries as Afghanistan and Iran.

A common result of theocracy is merciless suppression of even the most basic human rights, religious hatred and violence spanning centuries, and death and more death.

Do Americans really want the United States to go down that road under a President Santorum? Probably not, but lest we grow complacent, he is winning primaries, while the media virtually ignores his theocratic blueprint for the United States.

Sincerely, George Kiser Bloomington, IL

Sports

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

13

Notable signings in the NFL

JAKE BIELECKI

COURTESY OF UVM ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Sophomore Sandro Carissimo dribbles past a Stony Brook defender in the America East Championship game, March 10.

Men’s basketball attempts history

By Mike Eaton Sports Editor

Vermont fell to No. 1 North Carolina 77-58 on March 16, knocking the Cats out of the tournament and advancing the Tar Heels further in March Madness.

Despite a solid performance from senior Matt Glass and a manageable halftime deficit, the Cats turned the ball over 20 times in the contest, leading to their loss.

The Cats said they realized their competition and knew that a win would be a miracle, as a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament history.

“To be here in this atmosphere and have an opportunity to play one of the top teams in the country is very special, and we’re all very humbled,” said Glass. “They’re an incredible team, and we’re just honored to be on the court with those guys.”

Sophomore Sandro Carissimo believes that just the experience of playing one of the historically great programs in college basketball can serve as a method by which to grow for UVM. “Any time you come down here and play games in the NCAA tournament, it’s definitely a great experience and it will help us in the future,” he said. “We’ll definitely take this game and learn from it, and learn from all the experiences we had over the last couple days.”

Yet for seniors Pat Bergmann and Glass, the loss to UNC means the end of their time with the Catamounts. For Glass, at least, he couldn’t have asked for a better final season.

“It’s been an unbelievable ride,” he said.

“All the way from the top to the bottom – it’s just such a special program, and such an unselfish group of guys.”

Glass was proud of how much the team became a family, sticking together through all of the ups throughout the season — a plan that they had established from the start.

“It’s been an unbelievable ride.”

Matt Glass Senior forward for UVM men’s basketball

“We stuck with the plan, and it’s just a really special team,” Glass said. “The most special [team] I’ve ever been a part of, and I couldn’t be happier to be ending up on the court with these guys in my last game.”

First-year head coach John Becker spoke about growing, stressing the positive effects of the team’s experiences this year, especially as a young crew.

“It’s been amazing the growth of this team at the end of the season through league play,” he said. “Tough environments against good teams, our guys found a way — you can’t ask for a better experience than these guys have had here down the end of the season.”

Becker hopes that these experiences will carry into the offseason and he remains optimistic about the future.

“We’ll have a better understanding of everything we need to do,” he said. “I’m excited to get into the offseason and continue to move forward with this group, and [I’m] so real proud of the guys.”

Peyton Manning – Despite a late push by the 49ers, Manning opted to sign with Denver. Manning is joined by a young defense and a capable offense, and the Broncos should be considered the favorites in the AFC West.

Expect the Broncos to pursue former teammate Dallas Clark to fill the hole that is the tight end position. Manning is a believer in utilizing the tight end position. Even when Clark was injured and Jacob Tamme was in the lineup, he targeted the position often.

Tim Tebow was traded to the New York Jets for a fourth round pick on March 21. It’s about time the Jets admitted that Sanchez is not a franchise quarterback.

Matt Flynn – On the back of his strong play against the Patriots in 2010 and his shredding of the Lions last year — dismantling our hopes of playing the Falcons in the first round — Flynn signed with Seattle for 26 million over three years.

The former clipboard holder joins a team capable of winning 10 games with improved quarterback play.

Pete Carroll claims Flynn will compete with Tavaris Jackson for the starting job, but common sense dictates that it’s Flynn’s job to lose.

Vincent Jackson – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers opened their wallet and then some for the former Chargers’ receiver, signing him for five years and 55 million – a lot of money to spend on a receiver who caught three or less passes in 10 of his 16 games last season.

With that being said, Jackson is still one of the better deep threats in the league and should spread the field for a young Tampa offense. Josh Freeman got a whole lot more interesting for fantasy purposes.

Laurent Robinson – The Jaguars were unable to sign any of the premier receiving threats to fix their inept passing offense, and were forced to shell out 32.5 million over five years to the former Robinson.

It was a bit of a desperation move, as his career so far didn’t warrant that type of contract.

Regardless, he’ll certainly improve the offense and fits their need of a receiver.

Brandon Lloyd – For the third time in three seasons, Lloyd will be paired with Josh McDaniels. The Patriots pulled off an inexpensive deal, signing the receiver to a three-year $12 million contract.

One of the premier receivers in this year’s receivers’ class, Lloyd will be asked to fill the void left by Randy Moss as the Patriots’ downfield receiver. If Lloyd works out – and considering he knows McDaniels’ offense like the back of his hand, there’s a good chance – he’ll be a game changer for the Patriots.

Randy Moss – I’ll get this out of the way from the getgo: Randy Moss is my favorite player of all-time.

Jerry Rice is the greatest receiver ever, but even he didn’t dominate the game the way Randy did when he was motivated. He reportedly ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at a recent workout with the Saints.

He is also 6 foot 4 inches, jumps like a caped man in a phone booth and catches everything thrown his way. He is the only player in NFL history to play on two 15-1 teams.

The 49ers were wise to sign Moss. In addition to Moss, the recent signing of Mario Manningham, Michael Crabtree on the outside, and playoff hero Vernon Davis on the inside, means they could boast a potent passing attack.

As the 49ers took a stab at the Peyton sweepstakes, Alex Smith was off visiting the Dolphins. Getting Smith back under contract again will be key because he played very well last year and Moss will respect him.

If Randy doesn’t get the ball, Randy isn’t happy. Make sure your quarterback can get Randy the ball, Harbaugh.

14

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Play ball: 2012 MLB season preview

WILL ANDREYCAK

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies While the Marlins and Nationals significantly enhanced the talent of their rosters this off-season, the Phillies remain the class of this division. While their elite hitters are beginning to show signs of aging, the pitching staff is so head-and-shoulders above any other National League team that injuries in the middle of the lineup shouldn’t knock them out of the top spot in the NL East.

MVP candidate: Hunter Pence, Philadelphia Cy Young candidate: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia

NL Central

Cincinnati Reds After breaking out in 2010, the Reds took a step backward last season. The departure of Albert Pujols from the Cardinals and Prince Fielder from the Brewers leaves the divisional title up for grabs with no clear favorite. The Reds’ biggest off-

season move was trading Edison Volquez and topprospect Yonder Alonso to San Diego for potential ace Mat Latos. With a young lineup that ranks as one of the best in the NL, expect Cincinnati to emerge as the class of this division.

MVP candidate: Joey Votto, Cincinatti Cy Young candidate: Zach Grienke, Milwaukee

NL West

Arizona Diamondbacks After years of rebuilding, Arizona finally broke out in 2011 thanks in large part to the emergence of Ian Kennedy and Justin Upton. While I doubt Kennedy will match his outstanding numbers of last season -- he had a record of 21-4 paired with a 2.88 ERA – he should continue to establish himself as an ace in the National League. At the age of 21 Upton put forth an all-around excellent season last year with a .289 batting average, 31 home runs, 88 runs batted in and 21 stolen bases. The Diamondbacks have the pieces to make a deep postseason run this year and beyond.

MVP candidate: Justin Upton, Arizona Cy Young candidate: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles

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AL East

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New York Yankees This division is stacked, probably more so than any other division in baseball. The Yankees, Red Sox and Rays each have a legitimate shot at winning a division title while they rack up win totals in the high 90s. A whole heck of a lot hinges on whether or not the left side of the infield can stay healthy for New York. Even if A-Rod and Jeter miss some time, Eduardo

AL Central

Detroit Tigers The Tigers have one of the deepest rotations in all of baseball to pair with a lineup that ranked fourth in the American League in runs scored last year.

Add Prince Fielder and his absurd power to that mix and the Tigers are a scary offensive team. Losing Victor Martinez for the season is a shame, but Fielder should more than compensate, and the Tigers should run away with this division.

MVP candidate: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Cy Young candidate: Justin Verlander, Detroit

AL West

Los Angeles Angels The Angels, for a long time the team that could never land the big name, went out and signed the best free agent bat and arm on the market in the form of Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson. The signings immediately elevate the Angels to contenders for an American League pennant.

Albert Pujols has a solid shot of becoming the second player in

F

MLB history to st earn MVP Illu honors in both the American and National League – Frank Robinson is the only other . The talented veteran acquisitions should pair nicely with young talent such as Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo.

Add in a filthy starting rotation made up of Wilson, Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana, and the Angels will be one of the most exciting clubs in the game.

MVP candidate: Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Cy Young candidate: Felix Hernandez, Seattle

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Nunez is a more than capable replacement. The starting rotation, a major question mark of last year’s club, is far better this year with a projected rotation of C.C. Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Huroki Kuroda, and Andy Pettitte. If any of these five go down to injury, Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia are guys that give the Yankees outstanding depth.

MVP candidate: Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Cy Young candidate: David Price, Tampa

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National League Playoff Predictions Wild Card Round: Brewers over Nationals Divisional Round: Phillies over Brewers, Diamondbacks over Reds League Championship Round: Diamondbacks over Phillies

American League Playoff Predictions Wild Card Round: Texas over Boston Divisional Round: Phillies over Brewers, Diamondbacks over Reds League Championship Round: Yankees over Tigers

‘12

World Series: Yankees over Diamondbacks

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Men’s lacrosse nabs first win

By Jeremy Karpf Staff Writer

With just 10 second left, sophomore attacker Connor McNamara scored the gamewinning goal to earn a 12-11 Catamount come-from-behind win on March 17 at Virtue Field.

The non-conference win over the Sacred Heart Pioneers marked the first victory for the team this season.

“I’m not sure it was that different than other games this season, other than the final result,” said Vermont coach Ryan Curtis. ”I give the guys credit for continuing to battle and grind out a tough win against a pretty dangerous team.”

Despite a 5-2 deficit late in the first quarter, Vermont came back to score six unanswered goals between 2:21 in the first period and the end of the first half to take a 6-5 lead.

Vermont extended their lead to three in the third period with two quick goals by junior A.J. Masson and first-year Dan Gutberlet. Sacred Heart responded with a goal to cut the lead back to two before the Cats scored another three goals to take an 11-6 lead in the final period.

The Pioneers rallied to score five straight goals in the fourth to tie up the game with 5:10 remaining. UVM’s defense came up huge when it counted, as sophomore midfielder Derek Braig forced a turnover and Vermont was able to work the clock down to 30 seconds left before calling a timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, Masson fought through the de-

fense and was able to get the ball to McNamara, who fired it past goalie Ryan Hughes of Sacred Heart to break the tie and secure Vermont’s first win of the season.

McNamara finished the day with a hat trick, and nine Catamounts scored goals in the victory. Senior goaltender David Barton stopped 15 shots.

What Vermont needs now is consistency. “We have yet to string together a complete game.

We need to be better in between the lines and play a little smarter,” said Curtis. “AJ Masson is starting to play very well. He had a key groundball that led to the winning goal. We have struggled this year getting the ball up off the ground, and that was a big play at a big time for us.”

With a game against Brown this weekend and the start of America East League play beginning at the end of the month, coach Curtis feels the team has “played a very challenging schedule up to this point to prepare us for the conference.”

“At the beginning of the year, all of our goals centered on the America East and that hasn’t changed,” Curtis continued. “In my time here, I have never seen the conference so up in the air.

All the teams have been good at times and struggled at times. I think this is the first time there isn’t a clear-cut favorite, and that puts everyone in the mix.”

Vermont stands at 1-6 on the season, while Sacred Heart falls to 2-4. Vermont is back in action on Saturday, March 24 at 1 P.M. as they host Brown at Virtue Field.

Featured club sports team of the week

UVM squash team

By Julia Dwyer Assistant Sports Editor

The University of Vermont club squash team was formally founded in Feb. 2006.

Since its founding year, the club team has seen immense expansion and success.

Through the long and winding hallways of Patrick Gymnasium, the squash courts can be found on the lower level of the gym around the perimeter of the pool.

Squash is an extremely fastpaced game typically played between two players on a four-walled court. With a racquet in hand, players hit a small rubber ball to designated points on the sides of the wall. If the ball hits an area that is out of the marked areas on any wall, the ball is considered out.

The scoring system in squash is called point-a-rally scoring. The winner of rallies — which are a series of shots by players during a game that begins with a serve and ends with the ball no longer in play — earn a point. Games are played to 11.

The club squash team began its semester of games in fall with matches against nationally recognized teams, and was able to earn wins against these high-ranking teams.

“What I enjoy most about

being on this team is that despite being a club team we compete on a Varsity level,” team captain William Vitagliano said. “This gives the team the opportunity to play other top notch schools around the country.”

The squash team has had the opportunity to compete in tournaments all around the country and earn themselves recognition at these national tournaments. “ [We] recently went down to Philadelphia to compete at the College Squash Association National Championship where we finished 5th in our division,” Vitagliano said.

Even though the club has seen recent successes, their hopes for the future are even more optimistic.

“I am looking forward to continue to develop as a team, work on skills and technique, and hopefully perform better next year at the National level,” he said. “We have a great President Devon Winter and Treasurer Sam Kazman who will bring the team to higher places.”

The squash club has recently collected the funds to build two new courts in Patrick Gymnasium. The new courts are predicted to be ready for fall season 2012.

15

Sports Shorts

By Julia Dwyer Assistant Sports Editor

Stahlberg signs with NHL Vermont men’s hockey forward Sebastian Stalberg signed a two-year entrylevel contract with the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League.

Stalberg, a junior, will not be skating with UVM for his senior year of college.

Stalberg’s career in Vermont ends with 78 points in 106 career games. In his first year at Vermont, Stalberg became the second Catamount to earn a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

Three Catamounts named to Swimming and Diving AllAcademic Team

ALEXA ALGIOS The Vermont Cynic

The Catamounts celebrate their first win of the season, March 17.

On March 14, senior Kaitlyn Evarts, along with juniors Chelsea Krisanda and Kailey Garnder, were named to America East Swimming and Diving All-Academic Team.

This is Evarts’ second straight season to earn a spot on the team. To be named to the team, student-athletes must be an asset to the team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team’s competitions. In addition to this, athletes must have a minimum GPA of 3.30.

16

S P O RT S

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Women’s lacrosse off to strong start

By Taylor Feuss Staff Writer

With a current winning record of 6-2, the Vermont women’s lacrosse team is off to their best start since 1994.

After a disappointing end to the 2011 season, finishing with one less wins than losses, the nine returning players came into the 2012 season ready to improve.

“I think we’re going to get a lot of wins this year,” said returning sophomore Sydney Mas. “What’s amazing about this year is that we have a winning mentality; we’re not going to be surprised when we win a game — we expect to win a game.”

In the season opener at the end of February, UVM christened the new Virtue Field with a win against Colgate, finishing with a final score of 18-12.

By the end of the game, senior Samantha Stern racked up a total 11 points on five goals and six assists, and earned her 100th career point as a Catamount.

“First game of the year and first win here at Virtue Field; I thought it was a great start,” Vermont head coach Jen Johnson said.

The Lady Catamounts’ momentum continued on as they hosted the Siena St. Bernards just a few days later. Stern again led the team by scoring a total six points, helping to bring their lead to 16-8.

The winning streak continued as the ladies tallied up another two wins while on the road facing Davidson and High Point.

The team’s first loss came in a

WALKER SULTZBACH The Vermont Cynic

Women’s lacrosse defends against a Siena player on Virtue Field, Feb. 29. UVM defeated Siena 16-8 in their second win of the season. heartbreaking last minute win for UMass.

The game was bound to be a tough one for Vermont given that they, as the second best offense in the country, were being matched up against the No. 1. Within the last few minutes of the first half, UMass was leading Vermont 5-1.

But right out of the half, Vermont scored an additional four goals bringing the score to a tie at 5-5.

As the seconds ticked away, the two teams seemed to shoot and score together. As UMass would earn a point, Vermont would answer right back.

UMass netted their gamewinning goal with less than eight minutes left. At the 2:09 mark UMass led 9-7, but senior Adison Rounds scored again. That was the last time the ball would see the back of UMass’ net.

Four days later, Vermont faced Dartmouth. Their losing record continued as Dartmouth topped Vermont 13-9.

In their game against Columbia on March 17, Mas scored four goals and Stern, who racked up another six points with one goal, led the team.

“Columbia played a hardfought game; they made us work for everything,” Johnson said.

“I was pleased with how we responded to the challenge to get the victory.”

The Cats faced Quinnipiac on March 21, beating the Bobcats 18-9 and marking their sixth win of the season.

This week the Lady Catamounts move on to face Boston University on March 24, which will be their first America East conference game of the year.

athletetweets Never realize how skinny I am until I see myself in pictures or on tv #AI’s #moes #beansies #bk #KFC #bww #5guys

Clancy Rugg

Sophomore forward for the UVM men’s baskeball @ClancyRugg

#youknowyourboredwhen your watching soul surfer by yourself.

Not#fortheboys

Geoff Worley

Senior attack for UVM’s men’s lacrosse @daddylegend7

So I threw my shoes out after the game against uvm and they are now on ebay. Who in the blue hell would take those?

Ben Crenca

Junior center for UVM men’s basketball @BruceChen42