THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
“Little good is accomplished without controversy, and no civic evil is ever defeated without publicity.”
da
Thursday October 9, 2014
Volume 127, Issue 39
www.THEDAONLINE.com
Drawing inspiration on 97 years courtney gatto correspondent @dailyathenaeum
Yesterday evening, West Virginia University’s Festival of Ideas featured John Godfrey Morris at the Erickson Alumni Center. Morris’ story started Dec. 7, 1916. Through his 97 years of life he has lived through 17 presidents, two world wars and thousands of influential photographs. He came to WVU to share his autobiography, “Get the Picture, A Personal History of Photojournalism,” to explain his upcoming book, “My Century,” and to share
the lessons he has learned through war photos and the changing world. “My privilege has been not to take pictures myself,” Morris said. “But to work with some of the greatest photographers in the twentieth century.” Morris has lived his life through the eye of a photojournalist. Previously working in Europe as Life Magazine’s photo editor, his duty was to coordinate the photographic war coverage during World War II. He continued his career working at Magnum Photo Agency, Ladies’ Home Journal, The Washington
Post, The New York Times and National Geographic. During his presentation, Morris shared several war photos starting at World War I, The Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War and the Vietnam War. As a war correspondent, he had the rare opportunity to experience countless famous photographs first-hand, ones which we have come to know so well today. “On June 6, 1944, came D-Day. Thousands of people were killed, over 20,000 French also died during the invasion of Normandy,” Morris said. He introduced
one of the most famous pictures from the war and one of his more memorable experiences. Robert Capa, a friend of Morris and photographer, was responsible for several photographs taken that day during the infamous invasion. “His film was at first thought to be totally destroyed, but we managed to save 11 precious photos,” Morris said, as he believed it to be a miraculous victory. After all his years of experiencing war and viewing the photographs, he has become extremely anti-war
and understands the dangers and destruction that comes of it. “To me, enemies are people too. If we’d all regard enemies as people like ourselves, we might not need the concept of war,” Morris said. “I am a lifelong pacifist. I believe the world will eventually rid itself of war. My words are: enough is enough.” Today, Morris resides in his home in Paris, France where he consistently advocates for world peace. Through his achievements, Morris has been awarded the Dr. Erich Sa-
lomon Preis award from the German Society of Photography and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Center of Photography. In 2009, he was made a Knight in France’s Légion d’Honneur. When asked his top three priorities in his life as of now, it is evident he has decided to slow down a bit. He said, “My first (priority) is to live two more years, my second is to finish the book, ‘My Century,’ and my third is to just have some good fun.” danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu
Student Government
SCIENCE ON TAP
Tutoring network honored, Ronald Lasky visits from Dartmouth to discuss potential of robotics Pediatric Entertainment Program awarded grant by alexis randolph ANd Jacob Bojesson DA staff @dailyathenaeum
Nick Holstein/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Ronald Lasky discusses the future of robot consciousness over beer and food with Science on Tap attendees.
by alyssa lazar staff writer @Dailyathenaeum
Science at West Virginia University took a new approach Wednesday evening by featuring Ronald Lasky, a visiting professor from Dartmouth College, at the Morgantown Brewing Company for the Science on Tap monthly guest speaker series. Lasky, professor of engineering for the Dartmouth College, presented a talk entitled, “Will Robots be Recognized as Humans?” During the talk, Lasky addressed scholars in the field of technology, and futurists like Ray Kurzweil, about how advancements in technology have evoked the idea that robots being accepted as humans may be a viable possibility. According to Kurzweil, who is also a director of engineering at Google, by the year 2029, robots will be recognized by some humans. Other scholars contend that robots will transcend humans by the year 2045. They
foresee digital consciousness coming to life. Lasky expresses his disbelief and doubts that humans will coexist in a world of robots. “I’ve been pretty hard on the people that believe this,” Lasky said. “An awful lot of being who you are is your body. How do you program a computer to have thoughts, feelings and beliefs?” Science on Tap organizes guest speakers to visit WVU monthly with a goal to improve scientific literacy in the community. Science on Tap coordinator, Kyle Mandler, worked to bring in Lasky from Dartmouth through funding provided by the WVU NanoSAFE graduate fellowship program. The National Science Foundation gives grants to universities, and then the universities distributes the grants to students of all scientific disciplines. Mandler says the grants are distributed to students conducting research related to the field of nanomaterials, which is where the WVU
NanoSAFE program received most of its funding. “Part of the mission of the NSF grants is outreach to the community and improving scientific literacy, so this is one aspect,” Mandler said. As a WVU NanoSAFE graduate fellow and graduate student in the biomedical science department at WVU, Mandler seeks to improve scientific literacy by pulling in guest speakers of various scientific disciplines. “We want to be as broad as possible and attract as many different people as we can,” Mandler said. In past months, Science on Tap has created an interesting twist on who they bring in as guest speakers. They have had speakers talk about the biochemistry of beer production and the pharmacology of bath salts and synthetic marijuana. Numerous students, as well as locals and academics were in attendance at the presentation. Daniel Harth, a sophomore mining engineering student, was attending for an engineering class
and found the topic interesting and relevant. “Multiple big companies can replace their whole work force with machines,” Harth said. “My mom used to own a laundromat, and she started off with four employees. When she started making money, it turned into just one person, the cashier, who worked there everyday. All the other work was done by machines.” Mandler and other members of the group Science on Tap were thrilled to see Lasky travel to WVU. The grant provided lodging and travel. “We are always looking for people, and especially if we can bring them in from somewhere else, it is nice to have that outside perspective,” Mandler said. Students can enjoy the next Science on Tap the first Wednesday of next month, featuring Vincent Castranova, former chief of the Pathology and Physiology Research Branch at NIOSH in Morgantown.
The new student organization, Mountaineer Tutoring Network, as well as campus-wide tutors were recognized at Wednesday’s West Virginia University Student Government Association meeting. Proclamation 2014-05 congratulating both tutors across campus and the Mountaineer Tutoring Network for their continued dedication to assistance with academics was passed unanimously by SGA’s Board of Governors. The proclamation was co-sponsored by vice chair of the BOG Stephen Scott and BOG member Joy Wang. Scott spoke of National Tutoring Week and its spark for the recognition of peer and student tutors. “This is to recognize students throughout the country for their service to students for their academic success, just to really thank them for all of their help throughout the year,” Scott said. “I wanted to make sure tonight that we really gave thanks to the support services that at the end of the day students can turn to.” The Mountaineer Tutoring Network has held several events across campus this week to raise awareness. Rachel Burky, a junior
secondary math education student and member of the organization, addressed the board to explain the purpose of the organization. “Our main goal is to join all of the academic learning centers here on campus as one cohesive unit so we can get that one WVU feel,” Burky said. “This will work so that if a student needs help in both math and history, they can know where to find it.” While the proclamation passed unanimously, there was debate as well as other motions on the document. Several members of SGA were concerned about the timeliness of the proclamation, proposing it be tabled until the following week. A motion was voted upon to table the proclamation and failed, which led to the passing of the document. Vice Chair Scott said thank you and congratulations to members of the organization and emphasized SGA’s continued support. “Thank you again to the Mountaineer Tutoring Network for all your hard work throughout this week and really bringing National Tutoring Week to our campus,” he said. “SGA thanks you for all of your hard work, and we look forward to working with you in the future.” National Tutoring Week
see SGA on PAGE 2
CORRECTION Due to a reporting error in the Oct. 8, 2014 edition of The Daily Athenaeum, we reported that Student Body President Chris Nyden was subject for impeachment pending a disorderly conduct charge. The citation is pending dismissal. Also, Nyden was dismissed of any impeachment charges at the Special Meeting for the Board of Governors Tueday evening. The meeting took palce behind closed doors and BOG members were not able to discuss the matters at hand. Therefore, The Daily Athenaeum was unable to obtain this information prior to our print deadline. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu
Career, Internship Fair continues with new dress code requirements by alexa mcclennen correspondent @dailyathenaeum
The West Virginia University Career and Internship Fair kicked off Wednesday and will continue today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Mountainlair Ballrooms. Many companies from diverse industries, government agencies, non-profit organizations and military branches will attend. Professional attire is required. Students wearing jeans, T-shirts, hats or ca-
sual wear will not be allowed in. “There are a lot of employers who are interviewing on Friday. For students to secure that interview, they need to attend the career fair. We want students to realize that there is no better chance of working with a company than meeting them in person; that’s why career fairs are so important,” said Sarah Glenn, assistant director for WVU’s Career Services Center. The two-day event will feature companies from all
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over the country looking to recruit students for entry-level jobs and internships from all fields of study. While most companies will attend both days of the fair, some companies will only attend one day. “Most of these companies spend a lot of time, energy and resources to come to WVU, so they are very serious about working and recruiting WVU students,” Glenn said. “When a student can meet a recruiter (in person) as opposed to online, there is a much
greater chance of getting a call back.” Local companies such as Mylan Pharmaceuticals, WVU Healthcare and MassMutual Pittsburgh will be in attendance. Nationally known companies, such as Amazon, PepsiCo, Peace Corps, Southwest Airlines and Kroger Company will also have informational booths with recruiters. Today, The National Journalism Center will be on location to talk to interested students. Also, there will be a Meet the Employer session
with Southwest Airlines at 4 p.m., and the Department of State will hold an “Ask a Diplomat” session at 5 p.m. in the Mountainlair. “We have met a lot of candidates that have come well-prepared. We believe the University has well prepared its students. We came here today looking for sales representatives, and we found many well-driven students we are interested in talking to more about job opportunities,” said Alison Coosin, a Human Resources representative who works
THE DA’s HIRING WRITERS Inquire about paid positions at The Daily Athenaeum at DA-editor@mail.wvu.edu or pick up an application at our office at 284 Prospect St.
CONTACT US Newsroom 304-293-5092 or DAnewsroom@mail.wvu.edu Advertising 304-293-4141 or DA-Ads@mail.wvu.edu Classifieds 304-293-4141 or DA-Classifieds@mail.wvu.edu Fax 304-293-6857
#LAWSUIT Twitter sues U.S. government over first amendment issue OPINION PAGE 4
for a Dallas-based technology and material company called ThyssenKrupp. There will also be a LinkedIn photo booth for students to get a professional portrait to put on their LinkedIn or any other professional website. WVU Career Services suggests that students bring multiple copies of their resume for employers to look over and keep. If any students need help editing their resume, they are en-
see FAIR on PAGE 2
SEEING SIMILARITIES Holgorsen sees resemblance between Trickett, Kingsbury SPORTS PAGE 7?
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
2 | NEWS
Thursday October 9, 2014
AP
Mom who tried to kill daughter gets 10-22 years
AP
Kelli Stapleton, right, and defense attorney Heidi Hodek look on shortly before Stapleton’s sentencing to 10-22 years in prison Wednesday, Oct. 8 in Benzie County Circuit Court in Beulah, Mich. Stapleton pleaded guilty in September to first-degree child abuse for trying to kill her autistic daughter in a failed murder-suicide attempt. BEULAH, Mich. (AP) — A judge Wednesday sentenced the mother of an autistic Michigan teenager to 10-22 years in prison for what the woman described as a failed murdersuicide attempt brought
on by despair after years of violent attacks by her child and failure to find affordable and effective treatment. Kelli Rai Stapleton, 46, pleaded guilty last month to first-degree child abuse
in a bargain with prosecutors who dismissed an attempted murder charge. She admitted driving her daughter Isabelle to an isolated spot in rural northern Michigan in September 2013, giving
Online Student Ticketing
The Mountaineers kickoff at 12 p.m. against g
Baylor University on October 18 Questions on ticket procedure?
Check out the policy and FAQ at wvu.edu/football_tickets
Here’s The “Game Plan” Online ticketing begins at 4:01p.m. Friday, October 10. Go to wvugame.com to request tickets. Bring printed student ticket and WVU ID to stadium for admittance; enter through East gates of stadium; gates open 1-1/2 hours before kickoff. Guest tickets - if available after the initial request period - will be located in the Upper Deck and Spirit Section 121; be sure to select one of these sections when requesting guest seats. Remember: Bring printed ticket AND student ID for admittance; tickets are nontransferable. Any attempt at fraudulent ticket reproduction will result in disciplinary action, including loss of athletic privileges and possible expulsion. If you do not have BOTH your printed ticket and student ID, you WILL NOT be admitted to the game.
Remember the “High Five Rules” 1. No excessive drinking - intoxicated fans are not allowed inside or outside the stadium. 2. No foul or abusive language 3. No smoking in the seating or concourse areas. 4. No throwing stuff (anything) onto the field. 5. No ignoring of the instructions of Event/Security personnel.
Support the Pride - Get to the game 45 minutes before kickoff to see the WVU Mountaineer Marching Band!
Have Fun. Be Safe. Be Respectful.
her a sleep-inducing drug and placing two charcoalburning grills inside their van. Both survived, although Isabelle, now 15, was in a coma for four days and suffered brain damage. Although largely recovered, she still has memory loss and problems with balance. Circuit Judge James Batzer ordered Stapleton to serve a minimum of 10 years before becoming eligible for parole, though she will get credit for the 399 days she’s already served. He set her maximum sentence at 22 years. Her body trembling and her voice breaking, Stapleton apologized repeatedly before her sentencing to her children, her former husband, her friends and others. Although her attorney requested probation and community service, Stapleton herself asked Batzer for a 15-year sentence — “one year for every year of (Isabelle’s) life that I tried to take.” “I will spend each moment of each day in anguish for my actions and gratitude for the miracle that brought Issy back,” Stapleton said, referring to her daughter by her nickname. “She is not a monster,” Stapleton said. “I am. ... I always have and will always love her beyond measure.” Batzer rejected the sug-
gestion that Stapleton had faked her suicide attempt and simply wanted to be rid of her daughter. He said that Stapleton might have been mentally ill but noted that she had decided against going to trial on an insanity defense. “We can have sympathy,” Batzer said. But he described Stapleton’s actions as “profoundly wrong” and deserving of “a severe price.” Defense attorney Heidi Hodek said she was disappointed and that imprisoning Stapleton wouldn’t help anyone. Prosecutor Sara Swanson said Stapleton deserved punishment and the sentence should serve as a deterrent. “We can’t as a society say that it’s OK to try to kill your children,” Swanson said. Stapleton and her former husband, Matthew, a school principal who recently obtained a divorce, were prominent figures in the adjacent Lake Michigan communities of Elberta, where they lived, and Frankfort. In addition to Isabelle, they have another daughter and a son. On Wednesday, Hodek read aloud a letter from Matthew Stapleton, written on behalf of him and his children, which said, “We know and understand in our hearts that she needs help, not an extended amount of jail time.” Kelli Stapleton became
well known as an outspoken advocate for autism awareness and blogged about the challenges of finding proper help for Isabelle. Stapleton wrote in the summer of 2013 that she was “suffering from a severe case of battle fatigue” after the family’s insurance company stopped paying for a treatment program and local officials changed Isabelle’s education plan. She later told authorities she had concluded the best solution would be if she and her daughter “went to heaven.” During a three-day sentencing hearing, friends and relatives said Stapleton was a loving but broken mother, while other family members described her as selfish and devious. Batzer said he had received letters from around the nation about the case, which generated sharp debate among advocates of those with disabilities. Ari Ne’eman, president of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, argued for sentencing Stapleton “the same way a mother of a non-disabled child would be sentenced for a comparable crime.” Forensic psychiatrist Carole Lieberman, who examined Stapleton in July, testified that Stapleton was suffering from post-traumatic stress and bipolar disorders and was legally insane when attempting the murder-suicide.
FAIR
SGA
I am of the opinion that the Judicial Board violated my right to due process,” Nyden said. A $500 grant was also awarded to the Pediatric Entertainment Program to help it prepare programs for local elementary schools. All members of the BOG gave reports highlighting progress made toward their platform goals. Several members of the Board announced upcoming events and soonto-be announced accomplishments, as well. Each member also encouraged members of the audience to contribute to the work being done. SGA holds weekly meetings at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays in Hatfield’s B in the Mountainlair. To learn more about SGA, visit http://sga.wvu. edu.
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couraged to email it to career.services@mail.wvu.edu where a staff member can edit and make corrections before participating in the career fair. Erin Walsh, a junior pyschology and German student, attended the career fair for personal interest. “I am really glad I came to the career fair today. It gave me an idea of what to expect in the real world,” Walsh said. “I talked to a lot of companies who were really friendly and full of information. It was an eye-opener, but it made me excited for the future.” For more information, follow WVU Career Services on Twitter @wvucareerserv or search #WVUCAREERFAIR2014.
will continue this week until Oct. 11. Student Body President Chris Nyden expressed his concerns regarding an article that was published in The Daily Athenaeum Wednesday in his Executive Report. Nyden clarified his stance and responsibility on the matter of the SGA Judicial Board’s recommendation to the BOG to consider the possibility of impeaching Nyden. The BOG dismissed the recommendation Tuesday night and Nyden is no longer a subject for impeachment. “The citation in question is pending a possible dismissal and that is the bottom line of the whole thing. After talking to several lawyers and officials at WVU,
danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu
danewsroom@mail.wvu.edu
Thursday October 9, 2014
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 3
AP
New book focuses on the minds behind our technological revolution NEW YORK (AP) — Walter Isaacson has a different way of looking at history. Mention the second half of 1969 and he won’t talk about Woodstock or the moon landing but the development of the microprocessor and the first time separate computers were connected. And the 1990s? Not the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal or “Seinfeld.” “In the end, the microchip had far more impact,” he says. The author of best-sellers about Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, Isaacson has long prided himself on making science and technology accessible to the general public. After books focused on one man’s story, he has taken a broader approach and written what he hopes will become the first major chronology of computers and the Internet: “The Innovators: How a Group of Inventors, Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution.” “The Innovators” includes stories of Jobs, Bill Gates and other familiar names in the field, but it also honors such lesser-
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Isaacson’s new book will feature stories on Gates, Jobs and others. known pioneers as the 19th-century mathematician Ada Lovelace, daughter of the Romantic poet Lord Byron and among the first to express the concepts for digital technology. “Poetical science,” she called her work. The geeks may find this old news, Isaacson says. But others - readers of Isaacson’s previous books - may be open to know more about the people who made their gadgets possible and about the gadgets themselves. “Because I think the reader might want to know: How does a transistor work?
What is a semiconductor? Why do a lot of transistors on a circuit allow it to perform logical tasks?” he says. “And those are beautiful concepts and I want to do them justice while explaining them in terms that an average reader who hasn’t studied technology can enjoy.” Isaacson, 62 and a resident of Washington, D.C., spoke recently at his pieda-terre in Manhattan that overlooks Central Park, an Apple store just a short walk away. Wearing slacks and a light blue shirt, he says he had planned the book for
more than 20 years, since he was editor of new media for Time magazine. He was also encouraged by Gates and Jobs, both of whom believed the digital revolution was made possible by the intersection of personal computers and the Internet. “The Innovators” was in the top 10 on Amazon.com upon its Oct. 8 publication, and has already been adapted by Geoffrey Cowan for a graduate course he teaches on entrepreneurship and new media at the University of Southern California. “I want to show my students examples of how the innovators broke rules and took chances,” said Cowan, an author and playwright and USC’s former dean of journalism and communications. Isaacson’s new book is a story of how the great advances and best companies are born out of contrasts and competition. The cover features pictures of Jobs and Gates, but “The Innovators” is a tribute to both individual and team efforts, such as Bell Labs in the 1930s and `40s and the groundbreaking online forum The WELL. Isaacson
also cites the achievements made possible by cooperation among government, schools and the private sector, including legislation passed in the 1990s that made the Internet available to the general public. (A key sponsor, then-U.S. Sen. Al Gore, did indeed help create the Internet.) And Isaacson tracks the Utopians who think of the Internet as a public space and believe that knowledge should be shared without ownership and the entrepreneurs who wanted to make money - a dynamic embodied by Apple founders Steve Wozniak and Jobs. “When Steve Wozniak looked at the specs for the Intel microchip, he realized that he could create a whole new personal computer and he wanted to share it with everybody in the Homebrew Computer Club,” Isaacson said, referring to a gathering of technophiles founded in the mid-1970s in a Menlo Park garage in California. “But his friend Steve Jobs says, `Why don’t we go to the garage and make these things ourselves?’ “Thus Apple is born.”
Isaacson not only wrote about the Internet, he also made it part of the writing process. He posted passages online and incorporated responses into the book. For a future project, Isaacson would like to attempt a hybrid between Wikipedia and a traditional narrative. His idea is to have readers contribute written and visual stories and he would edit them into a bound volume. He’s a fan of the Wikipedia community and in his book describes a debate over the page for Albert Einstein. He noticed the entry contained an erroneous reference alleging the scientist visited Albania in 1935 in an effort to escape the Nazis and move to the United States. Isaacson kept removing the passage, but others kept restoring it. Isaacson’s view prevailed. “At first I didn’t credit that success to the wisdom of crowds, since the push for a fix had come from me and not from the crowd,” he writes. “Then I realized that I, like thousands of others, was in fact part of the crowd, occasionally adding a tiny bit of its wisdom.”
Contemporary artist entrusts real-life moms with his vision BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — The first thing you encounter at a new contemporary art show at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is the “Mom Booth,” where a woman in an apron sits at a table. Behind her, shelves are stocked with Band-Aids, puddings, animal crackers, soup cans, paper lunch bags and clean underwear. She’s not a docent or guide. She’s a real mom who gives advice, hugs and maybe a scolding. She might ask you to fold laundry or pick Legos off the floor. And she may inspire thoughts of your own mom or kids. But how is a mom surrounded by Band-Aids and puddings art? As a work designed to engage viewers, the Mom Booth, created by Andy Ducett and staffed by local volunteers, has earned its spot at “State of the Art,” the contemporary art show that opened Sept. 13 at Crystal Bridges. The show is a new direction
for the museum, which opened in 2011 with a respectable collection of traditional works bought by Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton. That collection consists mostly of paintings by famous artists, from a George Washington portrait by Gilbert Stuart to Norman Rockwell’s “Rosie the Riveter.” In contrast, “State of the Art” showcases new, under-recognized art, including interactive art, mixed media and videos. The Mom Booth is an inviting way to start the show. Ducett said it counteracts the stereotype that contemporary art is cold. “I want to make the initial experience something that’s familiar but at the same time, takes a mom out of context,” he said. “Maybe visitors laugh and take a selfie, but as they move away, they ask, `What makes that art?’” Ducett held volunteer training sessions for Mom Booth shifts. “They wanted to know how I wanted them
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Artist Andy Ducett is the mind behind contemporary art piece ‘Mom Booth’. to act as mothers, which was bizarre,” he said. He doesn’t want to dictate anything; he wants “a collaboration - a collage.” But he encourages the moms to bring props laundry, aprons, photos, knitting. Ducett’s mom,
Marilyn, staffed the booth for the opening and for a previous one-night show at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and she brought a tub of Vicks VapoRub. “When we were sick with a cold, we were chased around the house with
that,” Ducett said. “That smell takes you to a different place.” Some visitors pose for selfies with the moms; some say they’ve lost their moms and get hugged; one couple asked for advice for newlyweds. One man asked Marilyn Ducett: “How do you heal a broken heart?” “Get on the next bus,” she said. “There’s one coming every 15 minutes.” Some viewers compare the shelves with their own cupboards: Yes, I have paper lunch bags; no, we don’t eat pudding. But Ducett doesn’t intend the items to be seen as essential to child-rearing. The Campbell’s soup cans, for example, are a nod to Andy Warhol’s “iconic image. That soup can in 2014 is the same as it was in the `60s.” Ducett was also inspired by “Peanuts” comic strip character Lucy, who sat in a booth with a sign offering “psychiatric help” for 5 cents.
While the Mom Booth appears to promote an old-fashioned image of loving but stern caregivers, some volunteers draw on expertise from their real lives as educated career women. When a visitor confided needing help for a disabled child, volunteer Tara Ray Wright, who is a speech therapist, whipped out her laptop and found services for the family. Other visitors turn the tables, giving advice to the moms. “You’re responsible for you!” an elderly woman told Wright. An elderly man said: “Dads don’t know split beans from coffee beans.” “It’s an awesome duty to be entrusted with the artist’s vision,” Wright said. “What he’s done is genius.” But often, the volunteers just use motherly commonsense. When a child asked for pudding from the display, Wright said: “No. It will spoil your dinner.”
Rising star talks about ‘Whiplash’ ‘Sherlock’ star plays Turing NEW YORK (AP) — How badly does Miles Teller want it? In “Whiplash” (out Friday), he plays an aspiring jazz drummer at a Julliardlike New York music conservatory, playing until his hands bleed to meet the impossible standards of his oppressively perfectionist teacher (J.K. Simmons). The movie, a festival hit since winning a heap of awards at Sundance, rhythmically beats on the theme of ambition and its high sacrifices. Teller, too, is an up-andcomer, tagged as one of Hollywood’s hottest rising stars. He landed his first movie role, 2010’s “Rabbit Hole,” partly because Nicole Kidman was impressed that he - playing a fragile kid weighed by guilt from a fatal car accident - blushed in the audition. Like his “Whiplash” character, Andrew, Teller can play the drums, and spent three weeks cramming to learn to play the jazz pieces of the film. The Florida-native was schooled in New York, too, studying acting at New York University’s Lee Strasburg Theatre and Film Institute. Speaking to the candid, jokey Teller, the confident, frat-boy charm he showed in “Project X” and “21 & Over” comes through. But so does the clear-eyed ambition of the sensitive actor of “The Spectacular Now” who will also soon be inducted into the superhero realm, playing Mr. Fantastic in “The Fantastic Four.” But the Oscar-buzzed “Whiplash” sounds Teller’s serious aspirations. He’d even like to play Elvis: “We do certain things similarly,” he says.
AP: “Whiplash” director Damien Chazelle told me that when he first met you, you were “the polar opposite” of the role, talking about drinking with your friends. But he realized that underneath, you share Andrew’s drive. TELLER: It’s a side of me that very few people do see. I guess it comes through in a performance like this. Even when I was filming the movie, the buddies I was living with, when they saw it, were like, “I had no idea you were doing that, you were killing yourself for it.” I’ve always had that balance. I was the guy that in high school, me and my buddies threw the parties. We put a keg in the woods and get people to come. But I was also getting straight As. AP: You recently caused a little storm when you suggested you did “Divergent” for “business reasons,” after which you issued a statement saying you were proud to be a part of the franchise. TELLER: If people really want to do the research, for “Whiplash” you make $7,000. For “Spectacular Now.” You make $7,000. For “Rabbit Hole,” you make $4,000. Studios don’t make dramas. So if an actor wants to satisfy themselves, they’re really not going to make any kind of money most of the time. That’s why there’s an allure of the studio films because you can drive a car if you do some. But I would never do a movie just for a paycheck. If Shailene was not in the movie, if Kate Winslet was not in that movie, if Neil Burger wasn’t directing it, I wouldn’t. Because I’ve been offered a lot of money to be in bad scripts.
AP: You have scars on your face from a bad car crash when you were 20. How did that go over in early auditions? TELLER: The casting director would tell my agent, “Miles is a really good actor, but it doesn’t make sense for his character to have these scars.” I kept getting that feedback over and over again. There was a point where I was like, “Is something as superficial as having scars on my face really going to inhibit me from playing these characters”? I thought something I loved so much was not in my control anymore. AP: You’ve been on a steady run of constant work in the last year. TELLER: People tell me I’ve had a quick ascension into this business. But for me, when I was in college, I was looking at Shia LaBeouf. ... I used to say that I needed to get a “Disturbia” and then I’ll be in the biz and I’ll kind of be “the other Shia” - the next guy. But I’m glad it went the way it’s went. I’ve been able to work on some studio films and some really good independent films. AP: Don’t you feel like you’ve broken through? TELLER: Well, almost. At the end of the day, I just feel like I want to be a step ahead of ... not the critics, the perception. I have a pretty wide taste. I’m doing a musical with Damien, his next film. It’s literally a song-and-dance, Gene Kelly kind of thing. And also, I want to shoot somebody. That’s the only thing I haven’t done, that kind of an action thing. Right off the bat, I’m trying to show I can do all this stuff.
LONDON (AP) — “Sherlock” star Benedict Cumberbatch says his latest role as a code-breaking genius doesn’t mean he’s only capable of playing brainy characters. Cumberbatch stars as computer pioneer Alan Turing in “The Imitation Game,” which opens the London Film Festival on Wednesday. Turing’s work on cracking German codes helped win World War II, but he later committed suicide after being prosecuted for homosexuality. Now widely regarded as a wartime hero, he was granted a posthumous royal pardon last year. “It’s a great honor to be asked to play someone like Alan Turing, so the last thing I want to do is go, `Well, it’s a bit like Sherlock, isn’t it,’” Cumberbatch told a news conference. “I’ve also played stupid people as well,” he said. “If anyone out there’s got some more stupid roles for me, great, bring it on.” Keira Knightley, who plays Turing’s fellow codebreaker and sometime fiancee Joan Clarke, said the actors struggled to match the
Cumberbatch plays code cracker Alan Turing in new film. problem-solving agility of their characters. “One day we decided we should all really do the crossword,” she said. “So we got the quick crossword, there were five of us. It took us five days, and we still didn’t finish it.” “The Imitation Game” won the audience award at the Toronto Film Festival, often a harbinger of Academy Awards success. It’s one of 248 features playing at the 58th London festival, which opens Wednesday. It closes Oct. 19 with Brad Pitt war yarn
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“Fury.” Other gala screenings include Bennett Miller’s wrestling drama “Foxcatcher,” Mike Leigh’s artist biopic “Mr. Turner” and the world premiere of “Testament of Youth,” adapted from Vera Brittain’s World War One memoir. The festival will hand out prizes for best picture, best first feature, best documentary and best British newcomer at an Oct. 18 ceremony. Veteran director Stephen Frears is due to receive a lifetime achievement honor.
Celebrating 31 Years in Same Location!
4
OPINION
Thursday October 9, 2014
CONTACT US 304-293-5092 ext. 4 | DAperspectives@mail.wvu.edu
staff editorial
WVU sets up students for future success The West Virginia University Career and Internship Fair began Wednesday in the Mountainlair Blue and Gold Ballrooms and will be held again from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. today. The fair will not only show cas e companies from Morgantown and surrounding areas but nationwide as well. There will be a great variety of companies in attendance ranging from Deep Creek Marina LLC, a top boat dealer in the United States, to a number of police departments. There are open positions for both part-time
and full-time, and many of the companies will be accepting applications from students in all majors and class rank. However, there are companies with more specific requirements to fit the needs of soon-to-be graduates who already know what they’re looking for. The best part about this career fair is it is open to everyone, and has plenty of opportunities available, no matter your class rank. Like this career fair, many require that attendees dress in professional attire – no jeans, T-shirts, hats, etc. Most can under-
stand this requirement is to display professionalism. However, we at The Daily Athenaeum believe what a student decides to show up wearing proves to a potential employer whether or not they are serious about professionalism and landing a future job. But what about students who can’t afford a jacket and tie or pant suit because they are still in college? Or the commuter student who didn’t know there was a career fair and doesn’t have time to drive home and change? These may be questions for the University to consider
when planning these fairs. In any case, it can never be stressed enough how important it is to start planning for your career after college as early as possible. The sooner one gets their foot in the door, the more experience there is to throw down on a resume, and nobody wants to turn in an application or head into an interview with a blank resume. In this day and age, it is getting harder and harder to obtain a quality job – or a job at all – right after graduating. Granted, there are companies that dwell on hiring the young,
freshly educated, rightout-of-college applicant because there’s a greater chance they’ll stay at the company longer and they can get away with paying them less for their inexperience. But who honestly wants to get paid less because they didn’t pick up an internship or a degree-related job while in college? WVU has provided its students with an incredible opportunity to further their knowledge and experience even before graduation rolls around. So, take advantage of it. This isn’t the only fair throughout
the year though. The University holds several each semester. For more information on the employers attending The WVU Career and Internship Fair and available positions, or to check out future career fairs and job openings, visit The WVU Career Services Center’s MountaineerTrak program at http:// careerservices.wvu.edu/ mountaineertraklogins. There is also a MountaineerTrak kiosk located to the left of Hatfield’s in the Mountainlair. daperspectives@mail.wvu.edu
commentary
Twitter beef: Getting real with the U.S. government taylor jobin columnist @dailyathenaeum
Twitter might only allow you to use 140 characters, but Tuesday it filed a 19-page lawsuit against the United States government. In essence, the lawsuit is a first amendment issue. Twitter is required by law to give any and all requested national security-related data to the government. The lawsuit aims to loosen restrictions on what Twitter can release to the public as pertaining to what the government requests. In January, other tech giants like Microsoft, Google and LinkedIn, but not Twitter, sued the government over the right to publicly publish what they are obligated to hand over in the name of national security. The outcome was only slightly favorable for the tech companies. They were allowed to publish for the first time ever and in broad terms, mind you – how much customer information was given to the U.S. government. However, the new publishing rights are very limited in scope. This means that private companies, who collect their customers’ data and have to provide it to the government, can now exercise a small amount of transparency in our post-Edward Snowden
world. Twitter is following up this victory with a battle of its own. The lawsuit claims the U.S. government prohibits service providers from giving their perspective on national security requests. Twitter claims it is only allowed to publish preapproved language by the government, thus hindering first amendment rights. The lawsuit states the restrictions place an “unconstitutional prior restraint and content-based restriction on, and government viewpoint discrimination against, Twitter’s right to speak about information of national and global public concern.” It is hoping to remove all restrictions and be able to release any information requests by the government to the public. The claim is not unfounded, either. In April 2014, Twitter attempted to publish one of its Transparency Reports. Five months later on Sept. 9, 2014, the government informed Twitter that “information contained in the (transparency) report is classified and cannot be publicly released.” This was because it did not meet the standards of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the National Security Letter statutes, according to the lawsuit. Twitter is challenging this ruling because it
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claims uniqueness from other companies because of how public it already is. The majority of tweets are public record, and world leaders, journalists and corporations all publicly disseminate information on Twitter. So why does the government need to request public information, and why should Twitter keep these requests classified, or at least redacted to the government’s liking, is essentially the question posed by Twitter. Twitter would like to publish, among other things, the actual aggregate number – even if it’s zero – of requests received by the
government, and a statement about Twitter’s exposure to national security surveillance and the overall degree of surveillance it’s subjected to, as per the lawsuit. Whether the government’s restrictions are found unconstitutional or not won’t be discovered for a long time. Twitter wants to be able to publish what it feels is in its, and its customers’, best interests. While the government claims the same old company line: you’re not safe from terrorism so we have to collect and store every bit of data from everyone, and you can’t know how or
why we do this because … national security. The government even admits in the lawsuit that Twitter, or any electronic corporation, can only publish what they permit. That admission itself seems unconstitutional. Transparency is almost always in everyone’s best interest. We deserve to know who and what the government is looking at and why. This is a first amendment issue, but it’s also about accountability. Twitter is looking to hold the government accountable for its reckless surveillance methods that went wholly unchecked for
years. We all know that freedom isn’t free; you have to take it and own it, all by yourself. That is what Twitter is trying to do. So, in 700 words or less – thank you, Twitter. I hope you win, for all of us. The full lawsuit can be viewed at http://www. washingtonpost.com/ world/national-security/ twitter-sues-us-government-over-limits-on-ability-to-disclose-sur veillance-orders/2014/10/0 7/5cc39ba0-4dd4-11e4babe-e91da079cb8a_story. html. daperspectives@mail.wvu.edu
across the u.s.
The Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong gaining momentum matthew hutchings city on a hill press UC santa cruz
If the Chinese government was hoping that the Umbrella Revolution would taper off and die in its eighth day, before the workweek started anew, they seem destined to be disappointed. When the sun illuminated the main thoroughfares of Hong Kong on Sunday morning, it revealed that the protests were even larger than they were on Saturday and Friday, and there are no signs of reconciliation in sight. The student organizing groups, such as Scholarism and the Hong Kong Federation of Students who help lead the prodemocracy supporters, have cancelled planned talks with government officials in response to the events of the prior Friday and Saturday, when triad members and plainclothes policemen severely beat several protestors and ripped down tents. The so-called Umbrella Revolution began as a student protest and quickly drew in large numbers of Hong Kong citizens who were angered at the fact that the Chinese govern-
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ment had forced Hong Kong, which has a tradition of openness and free speech, to only allow Communist Party vetted candidates for the office of Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Many of these incidents occurred under the eyes of uniformed police, who did nothing to detain the offending parties, and they occurred almost simultaneously in several sepa-
rate locations where protestors were gathered, indicating that while some of the people angry at the protesters were indeed regular people annoyed by the delays associated with having college students camp out in their main traffic arteries, there was something darker beneath that, something coordinated. Vice News documented reports of counter-protestors beating people
so badly they were taken away by ambulances in critical condition, and sexually assaulting students. This has only reinvigorated the movement and boosted turnout, which had dwindled in recent days. It is a remarkable movement indeed, whose symbol is an umbrella, and whose most famous and admired member is a 17-year-old student leader named Joshua Wong.
Here at UC Santa Cruz, many people rolled their eyes when a group of student activists blocked the roadways into campus earlier this year. But it bears thinking about that these same tactics are being used by the same generation on the other side of the globe to stand up to one of the most powerful and oppressive governments on earth. A 17-year-old kid, along with several thousand stu-
dents and everyday citizens of Hong Kong are standing up to skull-shattering blows, tasers, plastic bullets, riot batons and the will of the Communist Party of China to insist that they be allowed to vote in free and unbiased elections that do not require a rubber stamp from China’s Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. So perhaps even if our issues here in the mostlyfree world are a little less life-and-death, it is certainly still a good muscle for our young people to exercise. When voting can no longer change things, the remaining options are peaceful protest and violence. The United States has seen plenty of both, and is likely to see more in the future. If we wish to have more of the former and less of the latter, then we should suspend our scoffing at student protest groups. For it is not such a crazy suggestion that a day might come when the nerdy 17-year-old kid with the bullhorn is going to be the only one brave and stupid enough to stand up to the government for you, and rally others to the cause.
Letters to the Editor can be sent to 284 Prospect St. or emailed to daperspectives@mail.wvu.edu. Letters should include name, title and be no more than 300 words. Letters and columns, excluding the editorial, are not necessarily representative of The Daily Athenaeum’s opinion. Letters may be faxed to 304-293-6857 or delivered to The Daily Athenaeum. EDITORIAL STAFF: JACOB BOJESSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF • JAKE JARVIS, MANAGING EDITOR/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR • DANIELLE FEGAN, OPINION EDITOR • LAURA HAIGHT, CITY EDITOR • EVELYN MERITHEW, ASSOCIATE CITY EDITOR • CONNOR MURRAY, SPORTS EDITOR • ANTHONY PECORARO, ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR • ASHLEY DENARDO, A&E EDITOR/WEB EDITOR • WESTLEY THOMPSON, ASSOCIATE THEDAONLINE.COM A&E EDITOR • DOYLE MAURER, ART DIRECTOR • CASEY VEALEY, COPY DESK CHIEF • NIKKI MARINI, SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR/CAMPUS CONNECTION EDITOR • ALAN WATERS, GENERAL MANAGER
5 | CAMPUS CONNECTION
S U D O k U
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Thursday October 9, 2014
Difficulty Level Medium
Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk.
WEDNESday’s puzzle solved
Goldwell Salon Style Week
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$10 Healthy Shine Treatments
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$10 Regenerating Serums www.Tonique.com www.Goldwellsalonstyleweek.com
Downtown on Fayette Street | 304-291-4050
Across 1 Breakfast brand 6 Omega, to an electrician 9 Stage 14 Hippodrome, e.g. 15 Yellow ride 16 Come again? 17 Pound 20 Ocean flatfish 21 Half a dance 22 Beginnings 23 Church title: Abbr. 24 Ship destroyer in Sinbad’s fifth voyage 25 Pound 34 Dilemma for Jonah 35 Eggs 36 Coastal raptor 37 Astrological Ram 38 Econ. yardstick 39 ZZ Top and Cream 40 Campus military org. 41 Hat with a tassel 42 __ City, Oklahoma 43 Pound 47 Homer’s neighbor 48 Chaired, say 49 Degenerate 53 Rte. provider 54 Astrological edge 58 Pound 61 Capital on the Aar 62 Holiday __ 63 Church centerpiece 64 Place 65 One may have a sitter 66 Small world? Down 1 Bar obligations 2 Longtime Hydrox competitor 3 Freshwater duck 4 Chip in a new pot 5 Principle 6 Common choir music book size 7 Chemistry Nobelist Otto 8 CEO’s degree 9 Ride proudly 10 Haws’ partner 11 Top 12 Cooking fat 13 Overthrows, maybe
18 Coffee, tea or milk option 19 Fuss 23 Whiskey orders 24 Invitation initials 25 Group in a hive 26 Severe pang 27 Eastern yogurt condiment 28 Smart guys? 29 “Great” Muppet daredevil 30 “Vive __!” 31 Camera-to-telescope adapter 32 Methuselah’s father 33 Posed again 38 Opposite of hawed 39 Adorned in a prankish way 41 Lets go 44 Let go, as a prisoner 45 Show off 46 Fray, e.g. 49 Abates 50 Worry 51 Camper’s cooker
52 Europe’s highest active volcano 53 Promgoer’s concern 54 Basic organic unit 55 Golden rule word 56 Healing sign 57 Flammable pile 59 Trendy 60 Joplin piece
WEDNESDAy’S puzzle solved
C R O S S W O R D
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Students attend the wvu career & Internship fair in the MountainLair BallRooms Wednesday | photo by nick jarvis
HOROSCOPE BY JACQUELINE BIGAR
changing the situation. Your imag- be on the way. A parent or older perination is likely to encourage you son might be a little too vague for Born today This year you en- to take a risk. You will want to your taste. Tonight: Not to be found. joy relating to people on a one-on- have a reality check and a sound one level. You will find that close- conversation. Tonight: All smiles. CANCER (June 21-July 22) ness is more rewarding, though at HHHH Listen to what is betimes you might choose not to share TAURUS (April 20-May 20) HHHH ing shared by a friend. You could a lot of what is happening in your life. If you are single, it will be im- You will want to work through a feel uncomfortable expressing exportant to remember the role of problem. Someone who is involved actly what is on your mind. You friendship when relating. A rela- could be in your face, and his or her might not be as sure of yourself tionship will be more solid as a re- anger might be difficult to handle. as you’d like to be. Don’t worry – sult. If you are attached, the two of Revisit a long-term goal before say- you are surrounded by friends. Toyou will fulfill a major goal, which ing anything. With a fresh perspec- night: Only where people are. will add to the happiness that ex- tive, you will see the whole matter ists between you. Do not take differently. Tonight: Be spontaneous. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) HHH You out your moods on your sweetie. can’t avoid the limelight, and in TAURUS can be very stubborn! GEMINI (May 21-June 20) HHHHH truth, that doesn’t bother you at all. Use your instincts, and do some You were born to be in the spotlight, ARIES (March 21-April 19) thinking about the ramification of and you love to be complimented. HHH You might be concerned dealing with an angry person. You You could feel awkward when dealabout your spending, yet on some might believe that you can handle ing with a new friend’s feelings. level, you could feel incapable of the situation, but a surprise could Tonight: Listen to a loved one.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) HHHH Reach out to someone at a distance whom you really care about. You might be overwhelmed by the twists and turns that could come down the path. Detach, and you will have a better understanding of what is going on behind the scenes. Tonight: Give your mind a treat.
escaping your feelings through some type of indulgence. Your creativity will come out if you relax. A solution will appear as a result. Tonight: Say “yes” to an offer.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) HHHH You are likely to maintain a fairly even pace, which means you could accomplish more than LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) HHHH you even thought possible. You also Pressure builds around a personal seem to be more easily angered than situation involving a partner who usual. Be careful when expressing wants what he or she wants and is these feelings. Follow your intuition. unwilling to compromise. You could Tonight: Know when to call it a night. be hitting your head against the wall, but accept that it is futile to try CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) to change this person’s mind. Accept HHHH Your ability to detach and the situation. Tonight: Out late. see what others refuse to see earmarks your abilities, especially toSCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) HHHH day. Creativity seems to flow natDefer to others, as they seem to urally between you and others. A have a different opinion of how mere suggestion could trigger a things should be done. You might be great idea. Tonight: Where the fun is.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) HHHH You may want to go with the moment and get to the bottom of a problem. By saying less and listening more, you’ll find an answer. Share your opinions before deciding you’re right. Tonight: Head home. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) HHHH Return calls and catch up on others’ news. You’ll have a lot to share. At the same time, you might want to make plans for the weekend. Others appreciate your imagination and often want to tap into it for personal as well as professional reasons. Tonight: Hang out with a pal. BORN TODAY Singer/songwriter John Lennon (1940), British Prime Minister David Cameron (1966), singer Jackson Browne (1948).
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A&E
THURSDAY October 9, 2014
CONTACT US 304-293-5092 ext. 3 | DAA&E@mail.wvu.edu
Division of Diversity hosts Hispanic heritage celebration By Hannah Harless A&E WrITEr @Dailyathenaeum
In order to bring awareness and recognition to the Hispanic/Latino culture at West Virginia University, the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s Diversity Initiative office hosted Hispanic Heritage Night in the Gluck Theatre in the Mountainlair. The event was hosted and organized by Brandy Ledesma, a junior social work student, and Renzo Diaz, an engineering student. Ledesma felt a dire need to honor the Latin community. “The end of my sophomore year, I got initiated into the McNair scholars program, and through that, I had to spend my summer here with an internship through research, and I felt that there wasn’t a big Hispanic culture here or organization,” Ledesma said. “For this reason, I met with the diversity program a lot over the summer trying to get something started.” Recently, Ledesma and Diaz teamed up to found the
WVU Hispanic and Latino Assocation, a new club on campus. Hispanic/Latino Heritage Night was put together in order to showcase what the culture is all about and make students and staff alike aware of the diversity on campus. “We’re just trying to get recognized here on campus as other organizations are, like the Muslim and African students for example,” Ledesma said. The events of the night included performances by the Afro-Colombian Dance Ensemble of Slippery Rock University, a welcome by Vice President David M. Fryson, presentations from Ledesma, a recognition ceremony, a lecture from keynote speaker Dr. Sebastian Diaz and Hispanic/Latin Music from DJ Gary Laruta. The event began at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments were provided for all who attended. Tables outside the theatre were filled with nachos, peppers and salsa, giving guests a genuine Hispanic experience. Ledesman and Diaz started off the night with an ice-
Erin Irwin/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Slippery Rock University’s Afro-Colombian Dance Ensemble performs ‘La Danza del Garabato,’ which is a dance that describes the ongoing battle between “life” and “death.” breaker in order to get guests actively engaged and allow them to converse amongst one another. Upon arrival, guests were given a flag with a specific country on it. The first task guests had to com-
plete was to find someone with a different flag, introduce themselves and have a conversation with them. The second task was to find another person in the audience that had the same flag.
Guests continued to complete tasks using their flags, which led to the room roaring with interesting topics and personal stories. “I heard about this event through the NAACP,” said Ka-
maria Dingle, a sophomore business and finance student. “I was most excited about learning about the different cultures and meeting different Latino/Hispanic people because I’m Hispanic. It’s great to partake in my culture, and it’s nice to see other people learning different things about it.” The Afro-Colombian Dance ensemble of Slippery Rock was a big draw-in for many of the guests. The ensemble’s dances and costumes were traditional. “I would definitely have to say the dance ensemble was my favorite part,” said Cassie Dawson, a sophomore accounting and Spanish student. Overall, the event had a relatively large turnout and guests were interactively engaged throghout the night. WVU Culturas will continue to host events throughout the year to give recognition to the Latin/Hispanic Community as well as promote diversity on campus. daa&e@mail.wvu.edu
A&E Photo Feature
WVU Wind Symphony features guest organist William Haller
The WVU Wind Symphony held a concert Tuesday evening in the Creative Arts Center, featuring guest organ soloist Professor William Haller and his organ, seen in the background.
Kyle Monroe/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Kyle Monroe/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Kyle Monroe/THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Music education students (left to right) Sophia Enriquez, Connor Haupt, Nick Gasemy and Ruth Williams perform ‘Canzon The WVU Wind Symphony held their concert, entitled ‘Music for Winds and Organ,’ Tuesday. Primi Toni,’ a selection composed by Giovanni Gabrieli, in the Lyell B. Clay Theatre of the Creative Arts Center.
WV Chestnut Festival invites you to go nuts this weekend By Caitlin Worrell A&E Writer @dailyathenaeum
Rowlesburg, W. Va., will host the 7th Annual Chestnut Festival Sunday, bringing a wealth of knowledge and handmade crafts for spectators to enjoy. The Rowlesburg Park and Szilagyi Creative
Arts Center will be transformed into a nut haven, with something to offer for every chestnut lover. The festival brings together a combination of vendors, researchers and enthusiasts honoring the heritage of the American Chestnut Tree. It’s also an opportunity for researchers to share their findings and
continue in their efforts to restore the chestnut tree to the region. The event will begin with a continental breakfast in the River City Cafe, followed by a meet and greet with esteemed festival guest John Brooks, a professor of Forest Research and Management at West Virginia University. He will
also speak with his colleague Mark Double, a research associate at the University. Guests will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the tree nut industry and receive an autographed article. Following the morning reception, guests can use the remainder of the day to explore the festival’s many
‘The Unseen’ This weekend the local M.T. Pockets Theatre is opening a new show titled “The Unseen.” Directed by Kevin Ford, the play is about two characters, Wallace and Valdez, who are being tortured by a corrupt government for crimes they don’t know they committed. Wallace and Valdez have no hope to escape the torture they are forced to endure until a new prisoner joins them in jail. Their new prison-mate helps them learn to trust other people and they start to build different relationships with the people who captured them as well as each other. Playwright Craig Wright wrote the play and the Actors Theatre of Louisville first performed it in 2007. Since then, there have been many performances
around the country, most recently in Folsom, Calif. in May. Wright has a history in writing for television and movies. He has worked on shows like “Six Feet Under” and “Lost.” He was also the screenwriter for the recently released “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” movie. Local to Grafton, W. Va., Ford is directing “The Unseen,” with a cast starring Sean Bonnette, Josh Rocchi and Patrick Crogran who have all performed at M.T. Pockets previously. Tickets are available from mtpocketstheatre.com. Tickets are $10 for students, $13 for seniors and $15 for the general public. “The Unseen” opens 8 p.m. Friday. daa&e@mail.wvu.edu
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chestnut-themed activities and vendors. The Rowlesburg Park will host handmade chestnut craft vendors selling everything from home furnishings to kitchen wares and novelties. Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to purchase chestnut saplings for planting. There will be outdoor chestnut roasting on an open fire, all while enjoying the scenic beauty of the park. This two-part event offers a whole new experience in the Szilagyi Creative Arts Center, where there will be even more chestnut happenings for enthusiasts to enjoy. Beginning at noon is the annual West Virginia Chapter meeting of The American Chestnut Foundation, where both professionals and the public will discuss current matters affecting the chestnut tree industry and ongoing preservation efforts. The Arts Center will also have a Chestnut Scientific Program starting at 4 p.m., featuring prominent speakers Bryan Burhans, the past CEO and President of The American Chestnut Foundation, accompanied by woodworking specialist Bob Walters. The River City Cafe will have lunch and various seasonal dessert options for spectators throughout the day. The Center’s permanent exhibit will also be open
for festivalgoers, including the World War II Museum, the Preston County Sports Museum and the Carolann Hooton Library. There will be an art room and a quilting room with themed crafts and activities. Guests can also stop by the 4-H History and Learning Center to learn even more about the regional culture of West Virginia. The big event of the evening will most certainly be the Gala Chestnut Dinner Banquet. Guests can indulge in chestnut-flavored dishes featuring grilled chicken with a savory chestnut stuffing. Following the dinner will be the crowning of Mr. and Mrs. Chestnut, Bryan and Lisa Burhans. The Burhans are being honored for their contributions to the chestnut community and their ongoing efforts to preserve the chestnut tree in the Appalachian region. The evening will close with keynote speaker Brooks, giving his speech entitled “Pre- and PostChestnut Blight in Eastern Forests.” The West Virginia Chestnut Festival will take place from 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Sunday. There is no admission for the festival, not including the banquet. Admission for the Gala Chestnut Banquet Dinner is $17. daa&e@mail.wvu.edu
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SPORTS STUDENTS OF THE GAME
thursday october 9, 2014
CONTACT US
304-293-5092 ext. 2 | DAsports@mail.wvu.edu
anthony pecoraro associate sports editor @pecorarowvunews
New look entering 201415 season
Coming off a season that had more bad than good for the West Virginia men’s basketball team, the 2014-15 season hopes to be just the opposite with many new faces on this WVU squad. As the Mountaineers are nearly one week into their practice schedule, not only does there seem to be a new positive attitude surrounding the squad, but the players on head coach Bob Huggins’ squad are completely different than those of a year ago. In an off-season that saw top players from Huggins’ program of 2013-14 transfer, the new faces, in combination with Preseason Big 12 Conference Player of the Year Juwan Staten, are ready to perhaps be able to make strides forward – something that the program has lacked the past couple of seasons. Huggins, however, does not doubt for a second that this group is moving forward, especially Staten. “I think he (Staten) can be just as productive and not play as much,” Huggins said. “And I think he can be better on the defensive end because we’re not asking so much on offense. I hope we can keep him fresher, and I hope we can get him off the floor a bit. If he’s fresher, I think he can be more productive in less minutes, even.” The confidence Huggins displayed is needed after sophomores Eron Harris and Terry Henderson transferred at the end of last season. Also, junior Remi Dibo decided to return to France to play professionally. After key players from last season fled Morgantown, Huggins said his team will not shoot the ball as well as his squad did last season, but the team will bring much more athleticism – something I believe is very evident and needed to have any shot at competing in a conference such as the Big 12. “There are shooters and there’s scorers,” Huggins said. “It doesn’t matter, as long as you score more than the other team, it doesn’t matter how you do it. We’re probably not going to make as many threes, and we probably aren’t going to shoot it as well. But we’ll pass it better, we’ll guard better (and) we’ll rebound better.” Junior BillyDee Williams, who has the talents to be right up there with Staten in terms of performing at the highest level for West Virginia this season, needs to bring that explosiveness he had toward the end of last season from game one this season. “I think if you look at the most successful teams we’ve had here, (they) were the teams that really guarded and extended the possession by rebounding the ball,” Huggins said. “Yet we couldn’t do that a year ago; we couldn’t stop anybody. But with this group I think we’ll be able to rebound the ball, and to this point I think we’re going to be way better defensively.” With West Virginia’s first game of the season against Shepherd slightly more than four weeks from now, I fully believe Huggins knows what needs to be fixed from last year. With those issues now out of the way, I see many positives heading in the Mountaineers’ direction – granted they are still in one of the best basketball conferences in the nation, and Big 12 play will still bring its fair share of issues for WVU once that time rolls around. anthony.pecoraro@mail.wvu.edu
file photo
WVU quarterback Clint Trickett throws a pass during the 2013 game against Texas Tech.
Holgorsen, Kingsbury bring offensive firepower, history into matchup by connor murray sports editor @connorkmurray
Every week in the Big 12 there seems to be at least one matchup of offensive juggernauts. This week, that matchup involves two men who have risen through the coaching ranks largely due to their offensive genius. West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen has endured plenty of ups and downs in his first four seasons in Morgantown. After bursting onto the scene with the likes of Geno Smith, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin lighting up scoreboards week in and week out in his first two seasons, Holgorsen’s offense sputtered without that superstar-quality talent in 2013. After enduring a year of
growing pains, West Virginia’s offense is getting back to the level of success that Holgorsen has been accustomed to throughout his career. Redshirt senior quarterback Clint Trickett is looking to be next in the line of great quarterbacks Holgorsen has tutored in his day, including Kingsbury, and after struggling through an injury-ridden campaign in 2013, he appears to be well on his way. Holgorsen said there are similarities between Trickett and Kingsbury, and not all of them have to do with on-field performance. “I have a soft spot for coach’s kids when it comes to quarterbacks. I’ve said that a bunch in here. Kliff was a coach’s kid at quarterback and a student of the game. He was around it his whole life. His dad was
a coach,” he said. “He would come in and want to watch a ton of film and knew how to be a leader in the locker room - knew how to be a leader in the huddle. He was extremely competitive. I see all of those qualities with Clint.” Whether or not the NFL will come calling for Trickett remains to be seen. It did for Kingsbury, but the magic from his college glory days never really translated. He only lasted three years in the league, but his cerebral approach made him a perfect candidate for coaching. While he was working as the offensive coordinator at Houston, Holgorsen saw the qualities of a future coach in Kingsbury. He said he sees some of those same things in Trickett now.
“He’s a great leader in the locker room. He’s a great leader in the huddle. Being competitive out there, I see a lot of other similarities than just that,” he said. “I always knew Kliff was going to be a great coach, just because of that. The same reason why Clint is going to be a great coach. Those qualities translate into a good coach Kliff could never let go of the game. When he went to the NFL, he bounced around four or five different places. He could never let it go because he was so competitive, and he wanted to play.” Football can be an unforgiving game. Players dedicate their whole lives to it, but when the first sign of them losing their edge crops up, it doesn’t take long for the curtain to
drop. Kingsbury experienced this firsthand in his professional career. Just like Holgorsen did in 2013, Kingsbury is starting to get some experience in dealing with adversity as a head coach. The Red Raiders were the feel-good story of college football through the first half of the 2013 season. Kingsbury’s infectious smile was all over television as he led his team to a 7-0 start in his first season. Since that hot start, the Red Raiders have fizzled. Kingsbury’s team has lost eight of its last 11 games. Will Kingsbury be able to circle the wagons like his former head coach and mentor? Only time will tell. Leaning on his stellar football pedigree will certainly help. connor.murray@mail.wvu.edu
men’s soccer
Mountaineers’ confident entering conference play by ryan minnigh sports writer @dailyathenaeum
As MAC play opens up this weekend for the West Virginia Mountaineers, they are still looking for answers to their road woes this season. More than halfway through the 2014 season, the Mountaineers hold tough at 6-5, but their road struggles have been well noted. While the Mountaineers have enjoyed a 5-2 record at home this season, they have dropped to 1-3 on the road. The men enjoyed a fivegame home stand to begin the season. After winning their first three games, they fell to now No. 2 UC Irvine and St. Francis. The success on the road has been hard to come by this season. The Mountaineers’ only road win came against High Point, who is currently 4-4-1 on the season. Of the three losses, two have been to .500 opponents. In the Mountaineers’ most recent road matchup, New Mexico blasted the Mountaineers 6-1 and left them a man down. West Virginia played nearly the entire game with only 10 men. However, the road troubles are still evident. The Mountaineers now move into MAC play, and three of the five games against MAC opponents will be played on the road.
This could spell trouble for the Mountaineers, who have not had road success in the past against MAC opponents. Since joining the MAC Conference in 2012, playing MAC opponents on the road has been WVU’s kryptonite. In their eight MAC road games, the Mountaineers are 2-5-1, including the MAC playoffs. The Mountaineers have only won one conference road game in each year, beating Bowling Green and Buffalo in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The playoffs have been an especially tough time. West Virginia has been outscored 4-0 in these contests, including falling 1-0 last season against Saturday’s opponent, Northern Illinois. However, the Mountaineers do get the luxury of hosting Bowling Green, who has been the top team in the MAC season. Despite their struggles on the road, players are still optimistic that this is their year in the conference. “The team is ready. The results haven’t always gone our way, but we’re playing well,” said senior forward Andy Bevin. “It’s not that we’ve been playing bad, we just haven’t been getting the results we want so far.” Jamie Merriam also said he knows road games will be crucial to winning the MAC title.
“We approach every game the same. We have some confidence under our belt now from this last win, so we’ll be going into these games with more confidence now,” Merriam said. Coach Marlon LeBlanc said he has great confidence in his player’s abilities and believes the MAC title is well within the
Mountaineers’ reach. “I like where we’re at going in (to this matchup) - this group is playing well,” LeBlanc said. “We know these games will be tough, but these guys can handle it.” However, the goal remains the same between everybody on the team: the MAC Title. “We want silverware
this year,” Bevin said. Road success will be key if the Mountaineers want to come away with the MAC title. Although the road success has not been as great in the first half of the season, road games will be the deciding factor in the Mountaineers’ title quest. dasports@mail.wvu.edu
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VOLLEYBALL
West Virginia drops third straight, falls 3-1 to OU by nicole curtin sports writer @dailyathenaeum
The West Virginia University volleyball team dropped its third-straight match, falling to the Oklahoma Sooners last night with set scores of 17-25, 12-25, 25-20 and 15-25. After losing the first two sets to the Sooners, the Mountaineers came into the third with more pep in their step and took the set 25-20. “I did like our resolve in the third set,” said head coach Jill Kramer. “The way we were playing in the first two it would have been easy to just back right out of there but we showed some fight and I like the way we did that.” Outside hitter Jordan Anderson led the Mountaineers with 14 kills on the night. Middle blocker Caleah Well had 10, and opposite hitter Nikki Attea had eight. Sophomore, middle blocker Hannah Shreve found the court six times and hit for the highest clip on the team at .364. After falling the first two sets, a few lineup changes took place on the WVU side of the net. Kramer said moving some peo-
ple around helped to pace the third set. “We’ve been struggling with some things with some fight in the last couple of matches and honestly getting the right group of people out there,” she said. “I think that happened in the third set we finally got a group of people that wanted to play together and fight through a match. That was good to find that rhythm a little bit, but it was just a little, too little, too late.” Lamprini Konstantinidou played the first two sets before junior Brittany Sample came out and set for the final two. Sample finished with 20 assists. Konstantinidou had 15 and altogether the team had 42, only two less than Oklahoma’s 44. Kramer said putting Sample in the game gave the Mountaineers a boost. “We needed some fight, and she’s the definition of a fighter,” she said. “She rallied the team around her and that’s what you got to do.” Sample saw the most playing time she’s had all season against the Sooners. “We practice every day,
and I set in practice,” Sample said. “But it’s awesome being able to go out there with the team trusting me to do what I like to do, it’s good stuff.” Oklahoma’s front row played hard the whole game finishing with 49 team kills. Big 12 Player of the Week, sophomore Madison Ward, had 16 herself, followed by teammate Kierra Holst who put down 13. “I think regardless of if they were passing well, their outside hitters were attacking well,” Kramer said. “A lot of those attacks, especially Ward, she was just ripping balls out of the back row, regardless of if her feet were there or not and just tooling the block. She had a great match and a lot of those came from out of system play.” Wells also moved around a bit tonight working at middle blocker and elsewhere on the court. Aside from her 10 kills, she had two digs and contributed to the team total seven blocks. “We thought we would try something new tonight and I thought Caleah did a good job with it,” Kramer
Junior Hannah Sackett follow through on a spike against Oklahoma Wednesday. said. “We would have liked to keep her there, but we have to have all the pieces of the puzzle working so she did a great job of switching her position and making that adjustment during the match.” Kramer said the team’s
serving and passing was off again against Oklahoma, being a basis of how successful they can be. “I think our serve and pass has to pick up a bit, be more consistent,” she said. “When we’re doing well there, we’re just like any other team in the country,
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we’re having some success, and that’s where it starts really.” The Mountaineers will be on the court again at2 p.m. Saturday against TCU in the Coliseum for their Gold Rush game. dasports@mail.wvu.edu
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NFL owners’ meetings focus on personal conduct NEW YORK (AP) – There hasn’t been much football talk at the NFL owners’ meetings Wednesday. Instead, the focus has been on the personal conduct policy, and on educating everyone involved in the league about domestic violence. After approving the sale of the Buffalo Bills to Terry and Kim Pegula in the morning, the owners listened to a presentation on domestic violence that included a video by a former player appealing for recognition and action. They also began intense discussions on potential changes to the personal conduct policy and how to discipline players, executives, and even their peers, should they make missteps. There have been plenty such mistakes recently, most notably the Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson abuse cases. In the midst of a
maelstrom over how the league has handled those and other incidents, Commissioner Roger Goodell has asked for a re-examination of the policy. In the powerful video, Joe Ehrmann, a defensive tackle for 10 pro seasons (1973-82), beseeches viewers to imagine what it would be like to see a loved one being subjected to abuse. He then urges intervention to curb such behavior. “Think about the role you have to raise up a generation of men that are going to have the clarity, have the moral courage to call out other men,” Ehrmann says. The video was part of a 40-minute presentation put together by the league with the help of a group of outside advisers. The goal is to educate everyone in the NFL about the dangers of spousal abuse, child abuse, sexual assault and
other domestic violence topics. “It was very thorough, it was good,” Steelers President Art Rooney said. “It is important with this kind of education to start at the top and have it filter down,” said Lisa Friel, vice president of the Sexual Misconduct Consulting & Investigations division for T&M Protection Resources, and one of the advisers helping the NFL develop and carry out the educational program. “From the owner to the guy in the locker room who washes uniforms.” She also anticipates long-term benefits beyond team and league organizations. “A lot of NFL athletes have been leaders throughout their lives,” he said. “We can tap into that leadership role ... and it can help empower others.” The educational program being implemented
will examine workplace policy, disciplinary considerations and “increasing understanding of the prevalence in society of these issues and how it impacts the NFL,” according to Deana Garner, the league’s director of player engagement and education. Garner said the owners were particularly interested in all the internal and external resources available, including LifeLine, a 24-hour toll-free number created for “the entire NFL community and families.” “They asked specifically how to activate those resources within their clubs,” she said. Discussions of the personal conduct policy took up a large portion of the meetings that were expected to last until early evening. In a memo to owners this week, Goodell outlined how the NFL will re-
examine that policy. These are the first league meetings since Goodell admitted he was wrong in giving Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice only a two-game suspension for punching his then-fiancee in an elevator. Following a torrent of criticism, Goodell announced stiffer penalties for future domestic violence cases. After video of the punch was released, the Ravens cut Rice and Goodell suspended him indefinitely. Rice has since appealed the suspension. Other abuse cases involving Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson, Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer and Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy also have been made public. All three are on an exempt list, suspended but still being paid. Approval of the sale of the Bills was a slam dunk as the Pegulas gained
unanimous support from the 31 other owners – and strong applause, too. The Pegulas, who already own the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, expect the sale to be finalized by the end of the week. “This is a significant step in us owning the team.” Terry Pegula said. “There’s a small matter of having to pay some money and we’ll get that done.” That payment would be for $1.4 billion. Longtime Bills owner Ralph Wilson died in March, prompting the sale. Buffalo sports fans were concerned the Bills could be moved out of state if purchased by another group. But the Pegulas are committed to the Buffalo area. “If you asked me 10 years ago if I would own the Sabres and the Bills, I would have called you a liar,” Pegula said. “I just got a hell of a deal. I own the team.”
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Brain injury expert faults NFL concussion deal PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A scientist studying the brains of deceased athletes with head trauma criticized the proposed NFL concussion settlement, saying it would not compensate retirees who exhibit mood swings, aggression, depression or other aberrant behavior. Boston University researcher Robert Stern said that many of the 76 deceased NFL players found to have the brain decay known as CTE would not
have qualified for awards under the settlement. Some never developed the dementia, Alzheimer’s and neurological problems covered in the minimum $765 million settlement. CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, can cause either cognitive or behavioral disorders, or both, according to Stern’s research, which includes interviews with the families of 33 deceased athletes. The behavioral issues included domestic violence, drug
addiction, social isolation and suicide, Stern wrote in a court affidavit this week. “That’s what started the whole discussion (of NFL concussions) and it’s not compensated,” Stern told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday, explaining his decision to wade into the litigation. “Repetitive hits to the head do not lead to Alzheimer’s disease. They lead to CTE, if anything.” A federal judge in Philadelphia plans to weigh fi-
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nal objections to the settlement next month. However, the nearly 20,000 retired players eligible must decide whether to opt out by next week. “I don’t want to play an adversarial role,” Stern said. “I want a settlement to go through. I just don’t want a settlement to go through without people understanding what it truly means.” In his affidavit, Stern, of the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, noted that individuals with impaired mood and behavior “can still experience devastating changes in their lives,” even without significant cognitive impairment.
The NFL would pay $765 million under the plan to fund claims over the next 65 years, and more if needed. The individual awards would reach $1 million to $5 million for the most severe neurological problems, such as Lou Gehrig’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. The average award for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is likely to be $190,000. The settlement also provides up to $4 million for CTE-linked deaths through July 7, when Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody granted preliminary approval. However, they will not be covered in the future, in part out of concerns about financially motivated suicides.
CTE presently can only be diagnosed after death, although Stern expects that to change within five to 10 years. “We’re getting so close,” he said. The class-action settlement, which may cost the NFL an additional $112 million in opposing lawyer fees, followed more than a year of negotiations between the NFL and a small group of players’ lawyers. The league expects nearly three in 10 retirees to have a qualifying brain condition. Lead players’ lawyers Christopher Seeger and Sol Weiss on Wednesday again called the deal “an extraordinary settlement for retired NFL players and their families – from those who suffer with neurocognitive illnesses today, to those who are currently healthy but fear they may develop symptoms decades into the future.” Only nine ex-players have formally opted out of the settlement, signaling they will sue the NFL individually. Lawyers for hundreds of others have raised concerns - especially given the NFL’s nearly $10 billion in annual revenues. Some have asked Brody to extend Tuesday’s opt-out deadline. Stern’s affidavit was attached to an objection filed by seven former players represented by lawyer Stephen Molo. “CTE is the industrial disease of football,” Molo said. “And CTE goes effectively uncompensated in this entire sham of a deal.”
Thursday October 9, 2014
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thursday october 9, 2014
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ap
Tentative December trial date set in Peterson case
ap
Adrian Peterson has his first tentative trial date set for Dec. 1 in Texas. CONROE, Texas (AP) – Adrian Peterson is hoping to go to trial as soon as possible. Whether the star running back for the Minnesota Vikings returns to the playing field any time soon is another question entirely. A Texas judge on Wednesday set a tentative Dec. 1 trial date for Peterson to face a felony charge of child abuse after using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son in suburban Houston earlier this year. Defense attorney Rusty Hardin said after the hearing that Peterson is “chomping at the bit” to defend himself publicly. But the case might not be tried before the end of the year, meaning Peterson - who is on paid leave from the team – may not be back on the field this season. The Vikings’ final regular-season game is Dec. 28. The trial date might change, too: Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon said he intends to file a motion to recuse Judge Kelly Case after the
judge called each lead attorney in the case a “media whore.” Case apologized, saying the comment was meant as a joke. A Nov. 4 hearing was scheduled on whether to assign a new judge. Case said the trial would likely begin Dec. 1 if keeps the case. Peterson faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of injury to a child. He has said he never intended to harm his son and was only disciplining him in the same way he had been as a child growing up in East Texas. Accompanied by his wife and with his mother, Peterson did not speak during his court appearance and did not enter a plea. Hardin has indicated Peterson will plead not guilty and said he wants to try the case as quickly as possible since Peterson can’t play while the charge is pending. Hardin had wanted the trial to begin a week before Thanksgiving. “He just keeps getting hammered without the
ability to respond,” Hardin told Case. “This is the place to resolve all those allegations.” Peterson arrived in a black Cadillac Escalade and was quickly surrounded by a throng of reporters. Nearby was a person wearing a wildcat costume and holding a sign that said “Free AP” in sparkling letters, prompting a chuckle from Hardin. Several women stood near the courthouse entrance shrieking and talking about how handsome Peterson looked after he entered the building. After the hearing, Peterson stopped briefly outside to sign a miniature football for a waiting fan and he smiled as the woman thanked him profusely. “This is a case about parenting decisions and whether something unfortunate happened when a parenting decision was made by a man who believes strongly and loves his children very much,” Hardin said after the hearing as Peterson stood be-
hind him and managed a half smile. He will not be in contact with the boy until the case is resolved. Corporal punishment is legal in every state. The Texas Attorney General’s Office notes that belts and brushes “are accepted by many as legitimate disciplinary ‘tools,’” but “electrical or phone cords, boards, yardsticks, ropes, shoes, and wires are likely to be considered instruments of abuse.” Legal experts say the final determination of what is reasonable discipline will be based on the standards found in the local community – and Texas law offers no definition of what that is. It says the use of non-deadly force against someone younger than 18 is justified if a parent or guardian “reasonably believes the force is necessary to discipline the child or to safeguard or promote his welfare.” If Peterson’s case goes to trial, jurors will be picked from a county that is conservative and has banned corporal punish-
ment in its largest school district. E. Tay Bond, an attorney who has worked in Montgomery County for 16 years, said the potential jury pool in the Peterson case will likely not be economically or racially diverse. F. Scott McCown, director of the Children’s Rights Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law that represents children in abuse and neglect cases, said people can have abstract debates about what is reasonable but they tend to come to a consensus when looking at a specific case. Some of the factors that tend to be used to decide whether corporal punishment was unreasonable include whether a child needed medical attention and if the disciplining left visible marks and bruises, McCown said. According to court records, Peterson’s son suffered cuts, marks and bruising to his thighs, back and on one of his testicles. Prosecutors like Lucy Wilke, who has worked
in Central Texas in Kerr County for 17 1/2 years, say they only try cases where it is clear that corporal punishment has veered into child abuse. Wilke recalled a case in 2009 in which an 11-yearold boy was hit nearly 20 times with a three-foot piece of looped wire by his father, David Dill, for not taking out the trash. “This was just excessive. This was abuse and not corporal punishment,” said Wilke, who helped convict the Kerrville, Texas, man on a charge of injury to a child. Dill was sentenced to four years in prison after prosecutors accused him of binding his son’s hands, feet and mouth with duct tape and then using the looped wire to hit the boy. Dill denied doing anything wrong and, like Peterson, said he disciplined his son similar to how he had been punished as a child. “People will still discipline their children ... As long as it’s appropriate and not excessive, it’s not a crime,” Wilke said.