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Florida’s Top College Paper urrent partan, c e [2] S r e rm o F d. Pag r, indicte o rn e v o g

Vol. 75 No. 17

By Katy Sandusky Staff Writer

The invasion of the famous Jose Gaspar pirate ship is quickly approaching. The ship and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla will enter the city and virtually transform it into a day-long festival of pirate fun. This pirate foray will occur on Saturday, Feb. 7, beginning with the take over of the Hillsborough River. At 11:30 a.m. the festivities begin with the first glimpses of the majestic ship. The day starts with a hearty brunch at the convention center, complete with an up close and personal look at the enticing ship and crew that the festival is ultimately geared around. Following, the streets of Tampa will experience the next invasion

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with the annual Parade of the Pirates up Bayshore Boulevard. This spectacle will be filled with over 130 units, including musical ensembles and elaborate floats. The theme of this portion of the take over is sharing of the wealth, beads, treasures, and doubloons abound. See

“Gasparilla” [7] Arrr!! Take a look inside for a survival guide on how to protect your booty. Get stiffy and make sure the rum is not wasted with The Minaret’s own drink, “The Peg Leg.” And get in the mood for Gasparilla while watching the top 5 greatest pirate movies!

Law: Student Bodies OK in Bowl Parties By Charlie Hambos, Asst. Editor-in-chief & Sarah Gottlieb, Asst. News Editor

University of Tampa students will have something else to consider besides which brand of chips to put out and how many beers to buy Super Bowl Sunday. During recent floor meetings, some RAs have been telling their residents that they will not allow more than 3.4 people in a room watching the Super Bowl. Krystal Schofield, Director of Residence Life, says the topic of copyright law first came up in RA

training. RAs were being further educated on copyright laws and how it applied to their jobs, not specifically for the Super Bowl. “Some RAs were looking for hard facts on how many people could view an event in a room and it still be considered a private showing,” she said. Adam Goldstein, attorney advocate at the Student Press Law Center said he had never heard of the 3.4 person rule. “If you want to throw a party and invite a thousand of your closest friends, which I’m sure is

happening this weekend across the Hamptons, there is no legal obstacle,” he said. He also said that viewing parties for the Super Bowl are legal as long as they don’t charge or constitute a public performance in which people can come and go, such as showing the game in the Vaughn Courtyard. According to John Stepro, director of media services, the number 3.4, is the estimated number of people per household in See

“3.4” [4]

Student Reporter Covers Super Bowl Players By Ellery McCardle News Editor

If there’s anything I learned about the Super Bowl’s Media Day, it’s to be aggressive. Among roughly a thousand members of the international press, a shy reporter seeking that perfect soundbite from Ben Roethlisberger or Kurt Warner just couldn’t survive. When looking from the stands, below I saw a frenzy of cameras,

January 30, 2009

cables and oversized backpacks being hauled from one player to another. Microphones, tape recorders and reporters surrounded me, awkwardly shouting at Mike Tomlin and all the big names to get their question answered. Microphones were thrust to people’s mouths. A Telemundo reporter dressed in drag. Two people started tangoing on the field

Inside ...

Retreat’s Liquor License Appealed By Peter Arrabal Editor-in-chief

A drawn out battle between the University of Tampa, the First Baptist Church of Tampa and The Retreat has come down to a 1946 photo of a bar. The Retreat’s owners are claiming that the location sold liquor in ages past, and that they should be allowed to grandfather in the old liquor license to their new location. UT and the church disagree. “We were dealt a severe injustice,” said Dean of Students Bob Ruday, according to the

below me. Steelers players began singing and dancing in the stands. I saw celebrities such as Maria Menounos from “Extra” and actor Jerry O’Connell doing a VH1 production . Sports broadcasters such as Chris Collinsworth, Chris Berman, and Deon Sanders were also among the flood of media big shots. See “Media day”

[17]

Marijuana Debate [10] Super Bowl Fans [17] Frankies Serves Up [2] Fashion: Flatter your Figure [14] College All-Star Challenge [18]

Tampa Tribune. He added that UT does not want to “liberalize in any way the consumption of alcohol.” The Retreat took over the old Mouse Trap saloon after a series of underage drinking violations drove the old owners out. The new tenants have instituted high-tech scanners for catching fake IDs. UT has filed an appeal of the decision to allow liquor sales, and the hearing will be heard by city council members at 1:30 p.m. on March 5. This meeting is open to the public.

Letter to Editor [8]

Electronics Alive Exhibition[14]

“It is when pirates count their booty that they become mere thieves.”

News.................[1-6] Commentary...[8-10] Editorial..............[9] A&E..............[11-15] Sports...........[17-20]

[William Bolitho]

News

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Blagojevich Brothers Have UT Connection Former Spartans implicated in pay-to-play scheme in Illinois

By Peter Arrabal Editor-in-chief

Editor-in-Chief Peter Arrabal parrabal@gmail.com

Asst. Editor-in-Chief Charlie Hambos chambos@ut.edu

News Editor Ellery McCardle minaret.news@gmail.com

Commentary Editor Derrick Austin minaret.commentary@gmail.com

Sports Editor Bobby Winsler

minaret.sports@gmail.com

A&E Editor Mel Steiner

minaret.arts@gmail.com

Online Editor Alex Vera

avera813@tampabay.rr.com

Head Photographer Mindy Tucker mtucker@ut.edu

Adviser Charles McKenzie charles.mckenzie@ut.edu

Staff-At-Large

Josh Kratovil, Staff Assistant Sarah Gottlieb, Asst. News Editor Jillian Randel, Reporter JP Busche, Staff Writer Emily Williams, Reporter Delaney Spoerl, Reporter Stephanie Roman, Reporter Thiago Queiroz, Reporter Erika Escobar, Reporter Megan Smith, Reporter Austin Daniels, Cartoonist Max Roberts, Artist Shanette Lewis, Photographer Elizabeth Harm, A&E Kadie Hayward, A&E Shannon Grippando, Reporter Kristen Vasquez, A&E Shelby Kuni, Sports Olivia Glynn, Sports Kyle Bennett, Sports Samuel Gerb, Sports Shannon Grippando, Copyeditor

You can reach The Minaret directly at (813) 257-3636

The Minaret is a weekly student-run publication of the University of Tampa. As a student organization, The Minaret invites all students to take part in its production. Inquiries and comments may be sent to ut.minaret@gmail.com

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The impeachment trial of Illinois Governor and former University of Tampa student Rod Blagojevich began this week, as recorded phone calls were played for the senate hearing. Blagojevich was indicted on federal charges in December for corruption, including an attempt to sell President Barack Obama’s open Senate seat to the highest bidder. Blagojevich attended UT in 1975, but left after two years to attend Northwestern, where he received his degree in history. His brother, Rob, graduated from UT in 1977 and later became a member of the Board of Trustees. Rob Blagojevich has been implicated in the pay-to-play scandal, and is allegedly Fundraiser A in the 76-page federal indictment. He also gave the May 2008 commencement address, in which he told students that connections were more important than book learning, and gave out his personal phone number. In late December, the wellconnected UT alumnus came under fire in the federal investigation of his younger brother. Rob Blagojevich hired a defense lawyer that week after it was revealed the FBI taped several of he and his brother’s conversations. The longtime investigation into broader corruption charges now centers on alleged attempts to “sell” Obama’s open senate seat. Illinois law dictates that the governor has the obligation to appoint someone to fill a vacated Senate seat. Blagojevich chaired his brother’s campaign fund, “Friends of Rod Blagojevich,” and in the 76-page indictment, the governor’s mysterious “Fundraiser A” is his brother Rob, according to the

Rob Blagojevich’s 1974 UT yearbook picture

Associated Press and a number of Chicago and Nashville news outlets. Rob was paid $62,500 during his time as chair of the campaign, records show. There were also numerous other charges of corruption against the governor, though no charges have been filed against his brother, Rob, his attorney said. “I’ve spoken with him briefly,” Michael Ettinger told the Nashville Post. “I haven’t heard anything where he violated any law.” UT Connections Rob Blagojevich and his wife Julie (née Thrailkill) graduated in 1977 and gave between $25,000 and $100,000 to UT’s eight-year, $80 million capital campaign. The Tennessean newspaper reported that Rob sits on UT’s board of trustees, but UT spokesman Eric Cardenas said he was a trustee from 1998-2004. He was hand-selected by UT president Ronald L. Vaughn to give the keynote speech at last spring’s commencement. Typically, the Office of Development and Alumni Relations makes a list of prominent alumni, and Vaughn then picks the speaker, Cardenas said. Blagojevich’s freshmen year was fruitful in many ways, he told the audience.

Rob Blagojevich (left) spoke at the May 2008 graduation ceremony. Photo courtesy Public Information

“My years here were among the happiest and most formative of my life, to include meeting my wife and best friend Julie, in Western Civ. class freshman year,” Blagojevich said. “Plant Hall and the campus will always hold fond memories for both of us.” He stressed the need to network and encouraged the graduates to connect with professors and alumni, even offering his office phone number to any graduate who needed job-seeking advice or connections. The speaker was previously the president of Invest Financial C o r p o r a t i o n , a Ta m p a - a r e a investment house. He recently ended a long run as a senior executive of First American Trust Co., in Nashville. The Allegations The 76-page indictment has 33 references to a “Fundraiser A,” who played an integral role in the governor’s attempts to raise money and build political connections. The governor is accused of attempting to get a $50,000 campaign contribution from Patrick Magoon, the CEO of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, and in return Blagojevich would steer $8 million in state funds to the hospital.

He reportedly later tried to rescind the commitment of funds when the CEO backed out of his campaign contribution. If Rob Blagojevich is indeed “Fundraiser A” he was involved in this negotiation, according to the federal affidavit. “I’ve left three messages there (with the CEO), so I’m gonna quit calling,” he reportedly said, after not hearing from the hospital executive. “I feel stupid now.” The governor even knew about the investigation and later warned Rob to be careful when meeting with lobbyists. “Yeah, now be real careful there,” he said before a meeting about contributions from a highway contractor. “I mean, the FBI went to see [Lobbyist 2]. You understand?” Later, the affidavit details a conversation between the governor and the UT grad about a $60,000 contribution from an engineering firm that had received $10 million during each fiscal year between 2004 and 2008. The governor was also supporting a bill that would open up billions of dollars for infrastructure rebuilding that would benefit the engineering firm.

Frankies Serves Up for Super Bowl Pre-Game Event By Charlie Hambos Asst. Editor-in-chief

The recently opened Frankies Hot Dog franchise next to campus will get some spotlight when they provide some of the food for the NFL’s Touchdown Club before the game. Two UT alumni, Mike and Joe Diogostine along with Tyson Carner own the Waterbury, Connecticut based franchise restaurant on the corner of N. Boulevard and Kennedy Boulevard. The brothers worked at the Reidville Drive locations in Connecticut during high school. According to Carner, the owner of Mise en Place, Maryann Ferenc was placed in charge of the food event. She decided to get a plethora of local cuisine for the event and Frankies was one of her choices. “We put in a bid for the event,” Carner said. “They said we were a perfect fit for the Super Bowl.” There are 10 total vendors that will participate in the pre-game event from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1. Thousands of hot dogs are expected to be served.

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Tampa Unemployment Skyrockets By JP Busche Staff Writer

A new semester just started and one might think how to use time in college. One opportunity would be catching up with the offerings of the career center. With the current economic situation, job opportunities have considerably diminished. The Tampa Bay area alone has an unemployment rate of 8.3 percent , according to tampabay. com, which is even higher than the 8.1 percent of unemployment that Florida has in general. Before the recession, Florida used to be well below that number. The economy in Florida has taken a complete shift, according to Tim Harding, Director of Career Services. It is currently more important to become an active jobseeker, then it has ever been before. While the career center works with a number of local and state employers to build career fairs, there is more to discover. Furthermore, students have to network with people, rather than sending out electronic résumés, which will not help with fostering one’s career.

Job opportunities are still existing and just because one might not be interested to work in a field that the conversation partner is working in, is not a reason to neglect a conversation Professionals are well aware of the importance of networking and know people in other branches quite good. Impressing such a conversation partner can easily lead to a job opportunity with a networking peer.The career center does its best to support that effort. It offers training sessions towards networking, speed interviews, training of how to represent oneself and breakfast with business professionals. Tim Harding, Director of Career Services also offers a class on how to prepare for job interviews, build a solid CV and sell oneself, which provides students with some necessary tools. He furthermore delivers useful advices, such as Students attending grad school need to be focused instead of considering it the better alternative in a bad economy. But in the end it still depends how students are selling themselves and how effective they are able to network with other professionals.

Student Injured in Hit & Run

News

CNN Encamps in Plant Park

The CNN satellite truck sits on the outskirts of Plant Park (left) while a crew member assembles the set (right) Photos by Abby Sanford

P.E.A.C.E. Hosts Fight for Literacy Formal By Charlie Hambos Asst. Editor-in-chief

The (P.E.A.C.E) Volunteer Center will host the Fight for Literacy Formal on Friday, Feb. 6 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. in Fletcher Lounge. The night will be full with food, music and dancing. Admission is $5 a person or $8 for a couple. A $1 discount is available if you donate a children’s book. All money raised at the event

A University of Tampa sophomore broke her leg when she was by a hit-andrun driver along Kennedy Boulevard early Saturday, Jan. 24. Walking back to campus, Kelley Havens was struck near the Nursing

By JP Busche Staff Writer

Saturday afternoon the sun illuminates the corner of West Grand Central and South Hyde Park, making it appear like a set for a typical neighborhood movie. Amid this historic neighborhood, a grocer has served locals since 1927. Nicolo Massari founded Model Cash Grocery after he emigrated from Sicily. Now his grandson, Andrew, 63, carries on the family’s legacy. Full of memories and a substantial part of the community ever since its opening, Model Cash Grocery is a place where one can get sense of real Tampa history. The store is still family run three generations later and has weathered

forces. “The situation for small businesses has changed,” said Massari. “There are barely any neighborhood stores around, because of the big supermarkets and drug stores everywhere. It used to be different around here. The situation for small businesses has become worse.” Nevertheless, his business enabled him to send his two sons to college and graduate school, becoming a lawyer and an accountant. Having a historical shop close to UT not only enables students to witness some of the area’s past, it is a good opportunity to relieve a grumbling stomach with one of the fresh sandwiches prepared daily without heading too far from campus.

Dr. Barbara Weiss to Speak of Globalization By Jillian Randel Staff Writer

Creativity and risk taking are on the decline and that’s hurting the economy. Dr. Barbara Weiss plans to tell those who attend her Honors Program symposium next Wednesday. “Capitalism was a success postCold War, but that success could have created its own problems,” Weiss said. “I think we have become less creative entrepreneurs and that is part of the problem. The system has to be more willing to take risks and it cannot succumb to fear.” The Honors Program is kicking off another semester of symposiums for the spring of 2009. Dr. Weiss of the International

Photo by Dr. Barbara Weiss

Business and Economics department will give one of the first presentations, “Globalization and the Financial Crises”. Weiss will be commenting on the current financial crisis and the implications that it has for capitalism and the future of the global marketplace.

will go to ICAN, a group that works to improve children’s literacy in school. According to a 1999 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that looked at the specialized reading skills necessary to succeed in college from ages 9-17, only one in 12 White 17-yearolds, 1 in 50 Latino 17-year-olds and 1 in 100 African American 17 year olds could read at that level. The level of standard that

Department offices. The driver responsible has not been found. Tampa Fire Rescue and the Tampa Police Department responded to the scene and transported Havens to Tampa General Hospital.

Neighborhood Grocer Has History with Tampa economic turmoil before, including the Great Depression. Massari welcomes customers with a smile. “This store used to be a fullservice store. We sold meat and made deliveries,” said Massari. He took over the business over in the 1970’s, when it was also remodeled, and has always been self employed since then. “The only period I was not self-employed was in the 1960’s, when I was drafted to serve in the Navy for four years,” he said. He obtained a degree in business administration from USF prior to taking over the store. He took a break from his studies due to military obligations, and was stationed in Hawaii. However, he finished his degree at USF after he left the armed

“I’m looking at this global system and questioning if it is a series of crises or a repetitive cycle or a getting-to-know-you phase of financial flows and globalization that is causing the crisis,” said Weiss. Her presentation will graph the world’s recent history of financial flows worldwide. Weiss, whose family has a long history in international trade, has traveled all over the world and lived in places like Germany, Japan and Canada. She has worked in banking and studies international trade. She will be speaking on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. in Library AV No. 2. Jillian Randel jillianrandel@ yahoo.com

the assessment used was a science section of a local newspaper. People interested in earning volunteer hours may help with ticket sales and decorating for the event may contact the P.E.A.C.E Volunteer Center at (813) 2536263 or e-mail alternative breaks@ ut.edu. Also any organizations or individual that would like to perform for the formal may also contact the volunteer center.

Dean of Students Bob Ruday reported that Havens is doing fine. She had surgery on Sunday, Jan. 25 as well as Tuesday, Jan. 27. TPD is still investigating the incident and asks that if anyone has any information to please contact them at 813-276-3200.

P.E.A.C.E. Office Preps for Double Shift of Service By Ellery McCardle News Editor

Spring break is just around the corner, which means volunteer time for UT’s P.E.A.C.E. This is the first year that the organization offered two service trips. The sites are Waveland, Miss. and Maryville, Tenn. But the work done will not be the same at both sites. In Waveland, the group will work with Dream Fuel Center to rebuild a home for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Hannah Duprey, Alternative Breaks Co-Coordinator, will be helping on the Waveland trip. She went on the trip last year to New Orleans to help restore a house damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The group will be doing many projects such as rebuilding, flooring, decking and drywall. Although Waveland is one hour away from New Orleans, it

was still hit hard. “I think many people believe Hurricane Katrina did the most damage in New Orleans, and this trip will open everyone’s eyes to that myth.” In Maryville, the group will collaborate with Cherokee Community to serve dinners, play with children, play games with seniors and do maintenance of surrounding areas. For Katrina Vidal, Alternative Breaks Coordinator, this is her last spring break trip of service. “I’m excited but sad at the same time… I have been going on the trip each year since I was a freshman!” With the addition of an extra trip, the future of Alternative Spring Break trips will see an evolving light. “We have more spots available for students to be a part of these trips, and we are extending to a broader crowd of interests,” Vidal said.

News

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Plant Hall Upgrades to Preserve History

By Matt Girardelli Special to The Minaret

From 1891 until 1932, Plant Hall operated as a hotel; in 1933 it became the University of Tampa. So how does a building that’s 117 years old maintain its original aesthetics while meeting the ever changing demands of UT’s students and increasing technology? Twenty years ago the Tampa Bay Advisory committee, which is made up of community leaders and museum workers interested in preservation came up with a master plan for the building. If any change needs to be made to Plant Hall’s original structure, the master plan is referenced to

make sure the original feel of the building is maintained. “There are areas of the building that are high priority for authenticity,” said Cynthia Gandee, executive director of Plant Hall museum for over 20 years. “The rooms on the first floor are highest priority in keeping with the buildings 1891 structure. We have to keep the buildings authenticity while still attracting new students,” said Gandee. However, attracting new students to such an old building can be a daunting task when technology is increasing on a daily basis. Factors such as Internet use, WiFi instillation and air conditioning have to be taken into

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account when keeping the building up to date. “Wireless technology is becoming less and less obtrusive which will allow for fewer parts of the building’s structure to be tampered with,” said Ken Garcia of Abell-Garcia Architects. Abell-Garcia Architects have been involved in keeping Plant Hall up-to-date over the years. Much of the wiring in Plant Hall is done through strategically placed entry points so that exposed conduits aren’t placed on exterior walls. Pipes are placed under existing floors and closets which run throughout the building. “The biggest challenge is always how do you air condition a historic structure?,’’ said Garcia. Existing air conditioning units are being removed which will hopefully make way for a central air conditioning system that will benefit the building year round. The removal of old air conditioning units and the moving of sprinkler heads from the ceiling

to other locations will contribute to the more authentic look of the building, while keeping up with more advanced technological innovations. “Slowly but surely we’re restoring windows, reappointing bricks and adding new paint colors,” said Garcia. The needs of handicapped students have also been addressed with the addition of an electronic

ramp to the men’s bathroom. The elevator can also be used for special occasions, although it requires an attendant. In the future, students can look forward to a building that looks aesthetically appealing while meeting their educational needs through advances in technology and innovative ideas.

Holocaust Speaker Reflects on Rwanda By JP Busche Staff Writer

A seasoned Holocaust expert shared her knowledge to a UT class last Thursday, expanding on her experiences from traveling around the world. Professor Janice Law invited Dr. Ellen Kennedy of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota to speak to her Holocaust class. Having already lectured in East Europe, China, Jamaica and at different schools in the country,

Dr. Kennedy does not only have an intense knowledge about such holocausts as the ones in Germany, Rwanda, Darfur and Bosnia, but has also travelled a lot and has seen the cruel truth. Approximately 800,000 people killed in a period of 100 days-- that’s what happened in Rwanda in 1994 and it happened without any intervention. Ironically, the UN gathered in 1948 just after the worst war in human history and decided that such genocides should never happen again. Genocide, defined as a “deliberate attempt to destroy a group by mutilating and finally murdering its member,” has happened after the promise in 1948. It is important, that citizens themselves contribute to an active change instead of just hoping that someone else would do so. Doing so is easier then one might expect with the help of the Genocide Intervention Network. The Organization sets up a

scorecard for congress members and is rating them based on their action taken towards the current conflict in Darfur. Since the people and their representatives elect the senate members, it is upon the voter to tell his representative what he cares about. It is thereby possible to contact a congress member and inform him/ her about the grade received on darfurscores.org. The website depicts further steps that can be undertaken and surely is a great guide for becoming active without being lost or alone. Maybe one day, it is really possible to say “Never again.”

From “3.4”: Front Page

the Vaughn Center. In order to play movies in public spaces like these, the individual must purchase the rights of the movie. Each week, Student Productions spends almost $1,000 dollars for the rights of each movie that they play in Reeves Theatre. For music, UT has the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) rights, which allow anyone to play music publicly on campus. Beyond campus, bars and restaurants that have big screen televisions and show NFL games need special permission though because they are competing with the NFL’s right to sell tickets. One television over the bar would not require special permission, he said, because it is not considered to be competing with the NFL.

the U.S. and it is considered to be the threshold for what is a private showing and what is a public performance. Stepro says that a good example of a private showing would be a few friends coming over to watch a movie or play a video game. However, when a movie or video game is being played with a door open and people free to go in and out, it begins to infringe copyright laws of Microsoft for Xbox, Nintendo for Wii, Sony for Playstation 3 and the individual movies. Stepro says that this is the reason why there are no DVD/ VCR players in any of the common residence hall spaces, such as Rescom Clubhouse and the Commuter Lounge in

GO ONLINE Check out more stories online at www. theminaretonline. com.

Josh Kratovil Compiled From Reports Provided By UT Security Elevated Tension Officers were alerted via emergency phone of people trapped in an elevator in Straz Hall on Jan. 22. They responded and found that there were students stuck in an elevator between floors one and two in an elevator. They reset the elevator system and the students were returned to the first floor without further incident. There were no injuries and the elevator was taken out of service pending a maintenance call to OTIS elevator.

News

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Oh, nuts, now I’ll have to wear my other tiny skirt to Prana! A student reported to the Security Office on Jan. 23 that she was missing several items of clothing from her McKay Hall room. She had left for winter break on Dec. 11 and returned on Jan. 19 to find the items missing. There were no signs of forced entry to her room and only the clothing was missing, valued at approximately $120.00. (Investigation still open). Maybe you shouldn’t have $600 in your wallet, you clown. A student contacted the Security

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Office to report the theft of money from his wallet on Jan. 23. He said that he and three other students, one he knows and the others he does not know, were playing around in the park. He had placed his wallet and keys on the ground while he “climbed a tree” and assumed his friend was watching his belongings. When he was done, he returned, gathered his items and went back to his room. He took a shower and then looked in his wallet only to find $400 of his previous $600. Another one bites the dust . Officers responded to the residence hall in reference to a “Silent Witness” notification in McKay Hall on Jan. 24. They were alerted to subjects inside a room using narcotics and alcohol. Upon arrival at the room officers were met by the resident of the room who was advised of the anonymous complaint. The resident student was advised of the room search and freely provided the narcotics paraphernalia and marijuana that they had hidden in the room.

Jan. 27 Meeting Student Government is looking for new officers to fill positions. Go to BlackBoard.com and Vote! Vice-President of Finance- Morgan Tanafon, Ben Shane, Francheska Flores Vice-President of Communications- Hannah Pothier Student Commuter Organization President- Eyleen Torress Career Services- Business Management position open to all students. Paying job. Applications are due Feb. 7. Spring Leadership Retreat: Feb. 27-28 $10 to attend- Contact Matt Farrell for more info. Senior Party is scheduled for April 18 at the Florida Aquarium. Contact William Ross for more info.

420 at 401 Officers were called by RA’s who were doing their rounds when they heard suspicious activity in the Vaughn Center stairwell on Jan. 25. When Security went to investigate, unknown persons ran from the location leaving behind marijuana on the ground. Officers gathered up the narcotics and placed them into evidence in the security office. (Investigation is still open)

Contact Fred at 813-892-7997

THE STRENGTH TO HEAL

and learn lessons in courage. The pride you’ll feel in being a doctor increases dramatically when you care for our Soldiers and their Families. Courage is contagious. Our Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) helps you reach your goal by providing full tuition, money towards books and lab fees, a $20,000 sign-on bonus, plus a monthly stipend of more than $1,900. To learn more about the U.S. Army Health Care Team, call Maj. Irving Fannell at 877-359-6501, email irving.fannell@usarec.army.mil, or visit healthcare.goarmy.com/info/mchpsp1. ©2008. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.

The Minaret | January 30, 2008

Want To Quit Smoking?

Freshstart class is starting again at UT and is open to faculty, staff and students. Second Semester Class Feb. 4, 11, 18, and 25 12:00-1:00 p.m. 217 Vaughn Center

Cost? Free! In fact, if you smoke a pack a day, you can learn how to save $1,638 a year! Register with Gina Firth, gfirth@ut.edu or @ 257-1777

Gasparilla

2009 asparilla‘09

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

By Peter Arrabal Editor-in-Chief

Only a naïve freshman would wake up on Jan. 28, 2006 and think the University of Tampa was under attack. But can you blame me? What else would it mean when I wake up at 10 a.m. and hear explosions outside my Vaughn Center window? As the sleep-haze wore off, I realized the pirate ship in the distance was part of the Gasparilla invasion, and the few thousands boats following it were just a bunch of drunks, not

an invading army. And that’s how I met Gasparilla. Three years later, our relationship is different. But that first year set the tone. Around noon, my friends and I finally rolled out of Vaughn. “Come to the big slinky,” another friend said. “The big slinky?” We answered. Just trust me, he said. You’ll see it, he promised. So we trekked down Boulevard, past the drunk parents and confused children and into the mass of humanity on Bayshore. I’d heard about Gasparilla, but this was nothing like what I expected. And so we moved south, searching for the big slinky.

From “Gasparilla”: Front Page The parade continues further downtown on this 3.5 mile trek, all admission is free to the parade at all points along the pirate journey. As evening approaches, the town will prepare for the summit of the activities, the Pirate Festival. Though it is most attended after the parade, there will be festivities occurring all day. With live music, vendors and plenty of good food, the

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festival truly offers something for everyone. The fest takes place along Florida Avenue between Kennedy Boulevard and Channelside Drive. The festivities will be plentiful as the pirates invade the city of Tampa. The festival will be nothing if not eventful and all in the celebration of one man, Jose Gaspar. The “last of the buccaneers” terrorized the sea for 12 years. He had an unexpected start; born with aristocratic taste, as a Lieutenant in the Spanish Royal Army, he was never satisfied. He commandeered his own ship and began a life of adventure on the Sea. Jose Gaspar coined the name

How to Protect your Booty Wear Sunscreen Ahoy! It’s chilly in the bay, but the sun still burns.

Stay Hydrated Gasparilla isn’t on the open seas. Keep hydrated or the treasure will be a mirage by the end of the day.

Wear Shoes, Not Flip-Flops Aye, don’t forget your boots or the only pirate booty you’ll find is sitting down like you’ve dropped an anchor on your toe. Wear Your Best Costume Arrr, whether sea breeze or the sunrays, dress for the treasure and the weather.

Bring A Camera The real treasure is in the memories so bring your camera to blackmail your friends on Facebook. Bring Cash There’s no booty for the broke. Food, drink and public indecency tickets, you’ll be walking the plank without you wallet. Pick a Good Spot Finding the treasure is all about where you drop your anchor. Watch Out For Beads Avast, cannon fire coming! Stay steady matey, bead hurts.

Sip On This: The Peg Leg Combine 3 ounces of orange juice, 1 ounce of peach juice and 1 ounce of pineapple juice together in a glass. Add a shot of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and ½ shot of Cointreau Orange Liqueur and mix together. Float a shot of Bacardi 151 Rum. Garnish with a wedge of pineapple.

As we were about to lose all faith, we finally saw it. The big slinky. Take a trip down Bayshore, and when you see the big slinky, you’ll do what we all did: “Oh. The big slinky!” The rest of the day is not important. The next year, I lived off campus. Again, I was woken up with loud banging, but this time it was six of my friends banging on the door telling me the party was at my house. They had their morning drinks, and I had a bowl of cereal. Seriously. There’s even pictures on Facebook. Then what seemed like a few hundred people showed up. My roommate was unhappy when he returned and found the carpet a mess, but it was

Ingredients: 1 shot Captain Morgan Spiced Rum 1 shot Bacardi 151 Rum ½ shot Cointreau Orange Liqueur 3 oz Orange Juice 1 oz Peach Juice 1 oz Pineapple Juice

nothing a little Rug Doctor couldn’t handle. I think there was a parade on Bayshore that year, but all I remember is the parade of people in and out of my little house. And the parade of cleaning agents. So last year, I was determined to make it big. I was going to meet my friends in ResCom at 9 a.m. and away we were going to go. When we finally got on our way to Bayshore, we stopped about 10 times. Make it 15 times. The problem with traveling in a large group is that if one person sees someone they know, the whole group has to stop. And when you have 30 people, you stop 15 times. Someone among my

“Gasparilla” for himself as he assumed his new identity. A major power of the seas for part of the 18th and 19th centuries, according to his diary, he seized 36 ships in total, gathering a loyal crew and banishing many to the depths of the ocean. As the lifestyle grew weary, Gasparilla convinced his crew to split their fortunes and embark on new journeys of their own. His yearning for adventure hadn’t fled him completely yet. In a final scheme, the crew preyed on a distant merchant ship that seemed a simple battle. The merchant ship was in fact a United States Naval ship in disguise. As

friends had the good sense to buy lime green shirts for the lot of us. Anywhere we went at the parade, all we had to do was scan the crowd for lime green, and we were never separated. I guess that’s my form of advice to you this year: wear something that will help you stand out of the crowd, so your friends can find you. I learned some important things from the last three Gasparillas: wear bright colors, drink lots of water, wear sunscreen, for the love of God, don’t try to steal something from someone, and have no expectations for how the day will go. I am not predicting what will happen this year, but I’m promising a fun time. I just hope it doesn’t rain.

the battle grew bloody, and the ship seemed to disintegrate from beneath them, wrapped in chains, Gasparilla sent himself to the depths. The event traditionally has been held during the last Saturday in January, however, with the Super Bowl providing a grand enough invasions, the festivities will be held the following week, with no less spirit. Ye Mystic Krew Gasparilla invade this year over 700 pirates deep. Decorative floats for the artist, live music for the musician, festive ambiance for the partier, and an ever-expanding crew for the aspiring pirate.

Top Five Reel Pirates To Sea

By Alan Mehanna Staff Writer

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate “Captain” Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor’s daughter, from Jack’s former pirate allies, who are now undead. Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley

Cutthroat Island

A female pirate and her companion race against their rivals to find a hidden island that contains a fabulous treasure. Starring Geena Davis, Matthew Modine, Frank Langella

The Pirate

A girl is engaged to the local richman, but meanwhile she has dreams about the legendary pirate

Macoco. Starring Gene Kelly and Judy Garland

The Black Pirate

Seeking revenge, an athletic young man joins the pirate band responsible for his father’s death. Starring Billie Dove and Douglas Fairbanks

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Captain Barbossa, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle. Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley

Commentary

LETTER

I am writing to address a series of attacks your paper has launched against myself and the Student Government throughout this past year. In last week’s addition you made the uneducated accusation that few of my campaign promises were met, a point at which I would like to address. During my campaign for Student Government President in the Spring of 2008, I promised to the Student Body that I would take SG in a new direction, that I would stand up for students to the administration, and that I would help to forge the campus community which we all dream of. And while UT is still far short of the utopian university to which we aspire, I am confident that the Executive Board and I have lived up to the student’s trust which elected us by more than a twothirds majority. My campaign made three central promises; that I would change the alcohol policy, create better meal exchanges, and improve school spirit at athletic events. I am happy to say that we have succeeded in all three categories. In regards to the alcohol policy, not only did we completely rewrite the Organizational Conduct Policy and its influence over Greek’s use of alcohol, but we succeeded in adding a provision to the minimum sanctions for

social hosting. The new provision effectively eliminated the “one strike you’re out” policy which was so detrimental to students last year. Student Government also has been actively working with Sodexo in designing a better meal exchange system. These efforts resulted in chicken being added to the Pandini’s pasta and salad meal exchanges in addition to smoothies being brought back as meal exchanges on the Dairy Queen menu. The last major promise of my campaign was to improve attendance and spirit at campus athletic events. Our efforts at promoting the wildly popular “pink out” and “black out,” in addition to the creation of the Athletics and Involvement Committee directly resulted in a drastic turnaround in attendance. I would refer you to the December 5 edition of your own paper which featured a piece from the Athletic Department thanking SG for its support in creating a 70 percent increase in game attendance over the last two year averages. I also wanted to take the time to address campaign ethics in preparation of the upcoming Student Government elections. No part of my campaign violated any rule either in the Student Government constitution, or in local law. I myself received a free poster and bumper sticker from the Obama

TO THE

campaign and a free shirt from a local candidate, all substantially more than a few pieces of candy or an already free Storm ticket. A piece of candy can hardly buy a vote, but it can serve as an incredibly effective means of starting a conversation on meaningful issues. In this coming election cycle, the Elections Committee and I will diligently police any unethical behavior and violations of campus policy, but we will not be limiting candidates to simply posting flyers. I encourage all candidates in March to campaign as zealously as I did. While the Student Government and I have been incredibly successful in achieving our campaign promises this year, it is still far from over. We still enthusiastically look forward to building on our successes throughout the coming spring. We will deliver intelligent constitution changes, continue to fill the stands at athletic events, create the best graduation party for our seniors that UT has ever seen, and above all, Student Government and I will continue to fight feverishly on behalf of all of our students and live up to each and every promise we have made. Andrew Learned, SG President

/&8

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The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Better Than Make-Up: Self-Confidence Beautifies Any Person By Nicole Robinson Columnist

If you turn on your television right now, there’s probably a show about beauty, idolizing beautiful celebrities or maybe a reality show searching for beauty. If you went to a magazine stand there’s plenty of the same: big lips, big boobs, small waists, brown hair, blonde hair and light skin. I have pent up anger over these general standards of beauty and the effects they’ve had on women—and sometimes men—around our age range. There was no reason why at my old job as camp counselor I should have been in an argument with a ten-year-old over why she shouldn’t be on a diet. Here’s my advice on dealing with the stress of our perfection oriented society: 1. Do not make Elle or any magazine your beauty Bible. So much of our media feeds us images of acceptable beauty, causing some to internalize those images of photo-shopped Britney Spears, thus creating unrealistic expectations. 2. Never ask anyone the following: Am I fat? Do you think I’m pretty? If you really were “fat” (and I prefer to use the term “healthy functioning individual” because anyone above Nicole Richie’s

weight is said to be wildly overweight these days) you would know it. There would be no question about it. I don’t go around asking people if I’m black because I know it and I love it! Find it within yourself to love your weight and your curves (curves aren’t against the law). Despite being soft around the belly and missing those abs, chances are you are healthy. Here is something I live by: you need to know that you look great no matter what. I don’t need anyone to tell me I look pretty because I know it. I find myself beautiful and I like me, and you should feel the same about yourself. If you get in a situation where you need someone to tell you you’re beautiful, you are prisoner to that individual’s standards. 3. It’s ok to say you’re hot. If you really think you don’t look good, do this: look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I look damn good.” It has been my experience that if you tell yourself something, eventually you’ll start believing it. It’s all about perspective; if you feel confident, if you feel beautiful, then you are beautiful! Nicole Robinson may be reached at nrobinson@ut.edu.

Commentary

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Cheers

& Jeers

Octuplets

Twins

John Updike

John Grisham

Martha Serpas

Ronald Vaughn

Solar Eclipse

Lunar Eclipse

“Happy Chinese New Year!”

Failing New Year’s Resolutions

Super Bowl

Lingerie Bowl

Facebook Bumper stickers

Facebook “Poke”

Hummus

Salsa

Cheap Textbooks

Late Textbooks

“Super” Sunday Marred By Nonsense The Super Bowl extravaganza this weekend has produced two head-scratching decisions by University of Tampa students and administrators. The first involves the numerous students who have volunteered to help at the NFL Experience. They are selling t-shirts, peddling various wares and turning a profit for the NFL—and getting nothing in return. The amount of people willing to give up their time to volunteer at these events is astounding when you consider the number who honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at P.E.A.C.E.’s annual MLK Day of Service. Only 37 participated that day in which volunteers actually did work to better the community. Why are people volunteering to work for a corporation whose profits are in the billions? This isn’t to detract from the NFL’s excellent service record— they did build quite a few houses for the homeless in the Tampa area this week, among other things. However, UT students should step up here.

If you are working to profit the NFL, demand payment, and then do something positive for the community. This is absolutely an nonissue. The fact that students are working for a company—not a non-profit organization nor working toward some charitable aim— and receive no payment is purely nonsensical. It’s embarrassing that people are calling themselves volunteers for a job like this. The second head-scratcher is the message being passed around by RAs that only 3.4 people can be in a room during a Super Bowl watch party. It’s not a typo. And, it’s not a miscommunication. The rule is actually that 3.4 people can be in a room at once. Even Director of Residence Life Krystal Schofield called the number “absurd.” If you have a friend you value less than others, you can probably let him be the fourth person in your room.

When the NFL Police come knocking, just explain that he’s worth less than the rest of the people. We are sure that they’ll understand. The NFL has a right to protect their broadcasts. They have the right to promise their advertisers a certain amount of people will be watching the game. But how can you put a limit of 3.4 people per room on the Super Bowl? For that matter, who determines what that two-fifths of a person is? There are countless bars, churches, groups and numerous other venues that will show various sporting events to the masses—and almost none will be penalized. But UT RAs have stricken the fear of God into campus residents. There will be roughly 2,000 people watching the second half of Sunday’s game in the Martinez Center, as the NFL is bringing the halftime show volunteers back to campus. There had better be at least 589 TVs set up in there.

Theology No Longer Theoretical For Commentary Editor

By Derrick Austin Commentary Editor

I went to church for the first time last Sunday. A friend and I decided to check out a Unitarian Universalist church in St. Petersburg, an unassuming chapel, sparsely covered by ivy on its side with a surprisingly spacious interior. The congregation was comprised of genial middle-aged folks (who were only too happy to lead my friend and I to coffee and refreshments after service) and a handful of kids. My initial apprehensions about being in a church—sermons being nothing but doctrine and dogma crammed down my throat, or simply boring—quickly transformed to

quiet reverence. The Unitarian service was surprisingly free-flowing, less theological and more meditative. As I understand it, Unitarian churches are open to everyone— literally. This branch of Christianity is less concerned with how you get to God or through what spiritual channels than the fact that you establish some sort of relationship with the Divine. Now, Unitarianism isn’t for me (a bit too hippie-ish for my taste), but I appreciate the concept. It was an eye-opening experience. I wasn’t raised within any kind of religion, and it wasn’t something I was particularly interested in as a kid—what kid really wants to wake up early on a Sunday? I roughhewed theological definitions for myself: God as a cosmic Santa Claus for lack of a better comparison—a loving Divine Being that rewards the

good, punishes the bad, still loves campus that Sunday (the first time everyone and at the end of the day I’ve been there too), I was heartened to find some people actually loves cookies and a good joke. care about a Still, I’d say in the “It tries to be a rwe il at thi o nGs hoi dp past eight years or so, one-size-fit-all glove, r a t h e r t h a n I’ve built up b u t r e l i g i o n c a n flouting him like a company quite a lot of logo. a n i m o s i t y never be that. ” I may not towards be a person of religion. Everywhere I turned it seemed, the strictest faith, but what I loved people were making a travesty of about both Intervarsity and the religion: cherry-picking scriptures Unitarian service was that I was as complex and ambiguous as given space to think. I’m not much of a prayer, but The Bible or Koran, for example, taking passages out of context and I’m an analyst. When you give religion space declaring absolute authority on the for singular meditation and a forum intentions of God. Or, people invoking the Divine for argument, I feel it thrives Spirit for self-righteous political more. This semester I’m taking causes. Organized religions sickened Literary Interpretation of The Bible. me for a long time, only because We break down the text as a written, of folks besmirching the beauty and rather than theological, work. You’d be surprised how wrong wisdom of theology. At an Intervarsity meeting on people’s basic assumptions are.

For example, Eve wasn’t alone by the tree of knowledge when the serpent tempted her—Adam was there! Not only did Eve confess to eating the fruit, but she avoided blaming God (unlike Adam). Eve was certainly the better of the pair. Yet we still suffer centuries of cultural baggage over inaccurate depictions of the first couple. We get the most out of religion when people are active participants in making meaning through questioning and respectful disagreement. It tries to be a one-size-fit-all glove, but religion can never be that. Each of us has to have an individual quest, take these centuries-old spiritual constructs and find some semblance of harmony between religion and ourselves. Derrick Austin may be reached at daustin@ut.edu.

Reading Books Remains A Novel Idea Among College Students By Alyssa Lum Columnist

“It takes too long!” “I read slower!” “I don’t understand what I’m reading!” “This doesn’t have anything to do with my life!” The idea of reading a book or a newspaper has become almost unthinkable to many young Americans. Increased media consumption from computers, movies, video games and other gizmos has made the prospect of reading a novel unappealing, even a waste of time. And most of those excuses come after only from reading the first page. When a professor assigns

a 300-page text, many students grumble about having to read all those pages, which is followed by mentioning of “Spark Notes” after class. The student-reader mentality is negative from the beginning. It may be from being forced to read for a class or from never being open to the prospect of enjoying words on a page. It’s not a big screen with actors and intense drama or a music track with a high-octane beat. It’s exploring characters and plot with every turn of the page. It’s reading in your head— quietly. This quiet may be in fact why reading unnerves some students to the point where they depend on audio books to get them through

classes. Audio book popularity has taken off because they’re easy to get a hold of and even easier to play on an iPod or on a computer. Even more appealing is the ability to do many other things while listening to a book. It’s like baby sitting sleeping kids: no work. The problem with audio book multi-tasking is how more attention is being paid to other activities than the book being read aloud. For an audio book to be of good use, students should be actively reading along in the text to retain key information. Different media outlets have led our generation and younger ones to depend upon the “WOW” tactics that are produced causing

novels to be classified as boring and old. To most students, reading is dreaded instead of appreciated. This has led to the creation of an entirely unimaginative group of individuals that will someday rule the country and the world. Is imagination important? Most certainly. On the scale of one to ten, it’s an eleven. Where is imagination acquired? Novels. Novels that can take us into different worlds and out of comfort zones, to the past and to the future. Reading is one of the most important skills necessary for any job or any daily activity. The more one reads the faster you’ll be able to read and the easier

it become to discover meaning in the text. It builds vocabulary and improves grammar skills. Do yourself a favor and take a chance. Find a book you are interested in. Pick a day when you have nothing to do and read for fun. It doesn’t have to be all day, try an hour at first and you might be surprised at how enjoyable reading becomes. Soon the pages will be turning and you’ll learn more at the end of it than you would from a video game or from Spark Notes. I’m sure of it. Alyssa Lum may be reached at alum@ut.edu.

Commentary

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Marijuana Debate Smokes Up Controversy Across Country

Image by Max Roberts

By Anna Burrell Special To The Minaret

Earlier my mom calls me and we’re talking about life in college; she brings up drugs. Go figure. I love my mother, but like the majority of concerned parents, she often gets carried away by the first 60 Minutes segment she sees. This time she nagged me about the increasing number of college students who smoke marijuana. After many reassurances that I’m not a druggie, she was finally satisfied to hang up. The conversation caused my curiosity to peak and I decided to do some research about what the good ole press was saying about the little leafy plant these days. Here’s what I unearthed about the drug. Marijuana has been legalized for use in several states (Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington), albeit for medical use only. There are vending machines dishing out marijuana in California operated by a fellow who goes by

the name of Vincent Mehdizadeh. He came up with the idea of putting several of these nifty little pot machines in several key places so that people who use reefer for medical purposes don’t have to risk going to a dealer or paying outrageous prices. It turns out that medical marijuana helps alleviate chronicpain syndromes, cancer pain, multiple sclerosis, AIDS wasting syndrome and the nausea that can accompany chemotherapy. What is the price of this vending-machine-green you may ask? It costs about $40 for a one-eighth ounce package and getting that little package can be troublesome. One has to be put in Mehdizadeh’s system and then present a prepaid card with a magnetic strip (for scanning) and fingerprint certification (also involving a scan). This all sounds good, of course, but you know that the federal drug agents have something to say. In a quote found on foxnews. com, Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent Jose Martinez was caught saying, “Somebody owns

[it], it’s on a property and somebody fills it. Once we find out where it’s at, we’ll look into it and see if they’re violating laws.” We’ll keep an eye on that and see where it goes. With all the debate about the pros and cons of this controversial vegetation, things can get confusing. Just to try and keep things from getting too mixed up, I’ll outline a bit of what I uncovered about cannabis. An overview of what I’ve discovered can be summed up in this clever little pro-con list that can be found on balancedpolitics.org/ marijuana_legalization.htm. Though there are 11 pros and seven cons on the web site, the marijuana debate is too multifaceted to be so simply represented. Anna Burrell may be reached at amburrell@ut.edu.

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Whether you’re cheering for the Steelers or the Cardinals, enjoy the SUPERBOWL SAFELY.

Designate a SOBER driver. If you go out together, stay together. If you drink, keep your BAC below a .06 Know your own body, know your limits: visit www.ut.edu/detail.aspx?id=140 To calculate your BAC level.

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Arts & Entertainment

By Linda C Black Tribune Media Services

Aries (March 21-April 19) It would be OK if you avoid a potential confrontation. Put the conversation off at least until next week. Taurus (April 20-May 20) You’re lucky and loved. It doesn’t get an awful lot better than that. Make sure to let your friends know how much you care. They bring you up when you’re down. Gemini (May 21-June 21) Choose the option that’s the most likely to spur you to take action. A sales job with commission, for example. You’ll burn it up. You could sell butter to a cow. Cancer (June 22-July 22) It’s OK to be in love, but also be discreet. Don’t let it interfere with the job you’re supposed to be doing. You’re as cute as a button, and therefore attracting attention. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Good news financially and professionally, but there’s no vacation. You’ll stay busy for a while, so you might as well enjoy it. Postpone a personal trip; you don’t have time for it now. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Somebody thinks a lot of you, so don’t turn this person away. At least be nice. Don’t harden your heart, no matter what happened before. This

by Austin Daniels

situation is different. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) This job requires concentration. Get aligned with your muse and the Holy Spirit and Whomever Else you call upon. Make a start and you can always make changes later. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You’d like to sleep late, but you probably shouldn’t. The work is stacking up. You’ll have to move like a scalded puppy to get it all done in time but luckily, you know how. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Somebody’s crazy about you. This is not just because you’re so smart or goodlooking, but because you’re honest and nice. You can trust this person, too. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Discuss what you’ve recently learned with a person who’s always encouraging. It’s fun to share and it’s fun for others to be included. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Grab a sweet deal early. If you wait, it won’t be there. There’s liable to be a conflict this evening, so take that into consideration when you’re deciding where to go, and with whom. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Don’t plan a hectic weekend. You won’t feel like going. You’ll be happier staying home and saving your money. Maybe have a favorite sibling over, for entertainment.

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

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The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Arts & Entertainment

Quilt’s Corner The Law Fulfilled By Teddy Vath

This easy-to-make Baked Rigatoni is a classic Italian favorite By Michelle Magner Staff Writer

This is a recipe that can be altered depending on you or your guests’ preferences. More sausage could be added or the spinach could be taken out - it all depends on what hits the taste buds. Garlic usually leaves a strong smell on your fingers, so I recommend buying already minced garlic in a jar. But if you really like garlic, you can put in some whole cloves, and I’ll let you in on a secret. Wash your hands with lemon juice after handling garlic and the smell should go away. This recipe doesn’t look like a lot only using 1 lb. of pasta, but it served my roommates, my sister, and four other people around the dorm. Cooking in the dorm can be easy. One of my roommates New Year’s resolutions was to learn how to cook. If you’re new at cooking, teach yourself, and if you are confident in your cooking, teach others! Preparation Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the pasta and set it aside in a sprayed casserole dish. Crumble the sausage in a

Photo by Michelle Magner

skillet with water covering the bottom of the pan and cook thoroughly. Transfer the sausage to the casserole dish with the pasta and add ¾ of the mozzarella cheese and mix together. Heat oil in that same skillet and add garlic. Once the garlic is cooked, add tomatoes, cream, salt and pepper; cook and stir until slightly thickened. Stir in spinach, beans and pine nuts; cook until heated through. Pour tomato sauce mixture over pasta and sausage; toss to coat, and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Ingredients: 1 lb italian sausage, casings removed 1 lb rigatoni pasta 1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups spinach 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 2 tablespoons pine nuts

I wished on a gutter in passing and was led back to it. It glistens now with the full moon reflecting on its edge. He gives me no remorse from his angle. I, the poet of nothing from everything, once provided, lies at the throne of a drunk, the stream of oil, water, and piss. It anoints me and I take its Eucharist for the sake of salvation from its own damnation. I look to the moon for trust, but he left me at the gutter

to my own devices, my own means of faith. I look to my glass next to me, but it is empty, its mouth toward me, silent. Nothing will fill it, not even the stream where abundance seems to flow. I light my last cigarette and flick it for the wind to handle like a burning leaf. It will be manipulated, but won’t burn out until it reaches its filter.

Behind The Camera, In Front Of The Lens By Sean Malloy

Left out of every scene in this movie. The things you see behind the camera are almost surreal. Does any of this look real to you? Not until the fully edited version is finished do you look sincere. On the brink of self-destruction. Merry with pain and fear of government corruption. Shoot for every frame till the scene is right. It doesn’t look like were going home tonight.

Man, when the soundtrack is done, you feel…safe and a warm sensation on the inside. Nothing to explain, words better left unsaid. Just plain solid emotion on a canvas surface.

By Micaela Lydon Staff Writer

Only two movies premiere this week in theaters near you!

Amazing how free you may be without a binding contract, but its that last scene you’re still left out of that makes you mad.

Music of the Week: The Bird And The Bee Heard in Apple TV ads and Sex and the City, the rising stars release another best-selling CD By Mike Trobiano Staff Writer

On Jan. 27 the indie California pop group the Bird and the Bee released their latest album “Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future.” Bringing back an updated version of their renowned pop and techno vibe, you’ll probably wear out your boom box just listening to all the edgy and intriguing sounds. The two behind the name, Greg Kurstin and Inara George are quiet renowned in the music scene, with Kurstin producing tracks for such artists as Lily Allen, Beck and Red Hot Chili Peppers. You might recognize their song “La La La” in a past Apple advertisement in addition to hearing an assortment of other

tracks in the company’s stores. Or perhaps you heard their mellower side with the song “How Deep is Your Love” in “Sex and the City: The Movie” last summer. But of course, if you’re a lover of indie bands like myself, it’s quite hard not to recognize them when not one but two of their songs have landed on “Grey’s Anatomy.” If for some unknown reason none of these are ringing a bell or you can’t find any of these songs on your iPod, believe me, you’ll want to check them out ASAP! The band is known specifically for their electronic sound, however, it’s the unity of quirky and eccentric sounds that juxtaposed against depressing lyrics that make their work unmistakable. Take, for example, the track “Ray Gun” off the new album. The blending of George’s soft and unobtrusive whispers and Kurstin’s capricious beats camouflages the song’s gloomy and dismal message. “I’m stuck inside the walls

of all this sin and strife. I want a pretty little life.” This formula is used on the majority of their tracks and is sure to have you immediately hooked after just the first riff. “Hey boy won’t you take me out tonight, I’m not afraid of all the reasons we shouldn’t try.” It’s this play of musical textures that makes listeners and fellow musicians alike yearn for more of their music. After the release of their debut album, “Again and Again and Again and Again” back in October of 2006, “Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future” is the Bird and the Bee’s astonishing seventh album to date available on iTunes. Now, with only a little over three years under their belt, I think it’s safe to say this group will continue creating and producing albums until their batteries run out of charge. To hear more of the Bird and the Bee, visit www.myspace.com/ thebirdandthebee. Also check out their website, www.thebirdandthebee.com. “Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future” is available in stores everywhere.

Taken Liam Neeson plays an ex-CIA operative who uses his lethal skills to track down and kill the men behind his daughter’s kidnapping. Friends who may or may not have downloaded this movie illegally promise it to be a fast paced, action-packed thrill ride. Director: Pierre Morel Rating: PG13 Running Time: 106 min. The Uninvited A young girl returns home after a stint in a mental hospital following her mother’s death only to discover that her father has become engaged to her mother’s former nurse. A visit from her mother’s ghost reveals that the new woman of the house is not who she seems. Director: Charles and Thomas Guard Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 102 min.

Arts & Entertainment

By Kristen Vasquez Staff Writer

Do you have a not-so-flat stomach? Does your cuppeth filleth over (or not at all)? Is “Bootylicious” your theme song? When dressing yourself, you have to keep in mind what ultimately makes you, you. Hopefully this little guide will lay out the basics to what you should be stocking your closet with to make yourself look as amazing on the outside as you know you are on the inside. The four main body types are: Hourglass, ruler, pear and apple.

Rulers can be defined as having a lack of curves. With such a straight figure however, you can pull off a variety of things. Most designers manufacture pieces for walking mannequins with bodies similar to yours, so you can pull off things such as high waisted skinny trousers or a very form-fitting gown. Horizontal stripes are your friend. They can help create the illusion of curves. Also, volume is your friend. Ruffled tops, pleats, you can pull them off. However, make sure you are

balancing them out by pairing them with an equally form fitting piece. I.E Skinny jeans with that ruffled top, a thin tank top with the pleats. Don’t drown yourself in over sized pieces a la Ashley Olsen unless you’re ready to look like a hanger. Oh, pear shapes. You can also be described as “bottom heavy” which by no means sounds cute. However, I am also a member of this club and a devotee to trying my best not to look too rotund. Black pants and dark wash denim both help take away

An hourglass can be described as having a very defined waist with evenly dispersed curves. Basically, your celebrity body look alike could be Kim Kardashian. Hourglasses can accentuate their figure with waist-defining pieces such as cinching belts, wrap dresses and anything that has seams around this area. Try to stay away from tops that are too baggy and sack dresses-they will only take away your curves and make you look dumpy. This is a truly lovely and ideal figure so show it off!

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

attention from the bottom and bring it to the top. Embellished necklines, v necks, gathering, horizontal stripes, lace-pretty much any intricate detail can be worn on top. Light wash denim is not your friend. Also try to stay away from too tight bottoms and things that tie at your waist, because they will only serve to disappoint. Apple shapes can pretty much do everything pears can’t. “Top heavy” is pretty much the definition of an apple shape. Your best bets would be to wear clothing that is not too tight on top to prevent from some uncomfortable pulling at your bust line. Belting things at your natural waist is also a nice way to elongate your frame and help bring the attention down, lengthening your torso. Light colored bottoms also draw the eye down. Wide leg trousers also are very flattering because they help to keep your proportions in check. Leave tapered pants on the rack, they’ll only make you look like an upside down triangle.

Now, I know that categorizing yourself is a lot easier said than done.

In between:

There are millions of different body shapes and sizes. It’s almost impossible to fit perfectly into any single category. However, these are some universal fashion tips that will help you looking tip top: Heels will always make your legs look amazing. Short girls should not succumb to cropped anything, it’ll only create weird breaks in your ensemble and often leave yourself looking shorter. Black is forever slimming. Red heads shine in green, brunettes glow in yellow, and blondes look great in blue. Rounder tummies can hide behind empire waists, structured jackets and wrap dresses. Show off great shoulders in racer backs and strapless dresses. Thicker legs should stray away from ankle strapped shoes. Bigger arms can hide behind kimono style sleeves. Let yourself be classy, stylish, and timeless by taking heed to some of these tips and integrating them into your wardrobe. You won’t regret it, and your flaws will become a thing of the past as you focus on making your body beautiful everyday.

Tampa Digital Art Exhibition Brings Electronics Alive Press Release

A biennial exhibit of experimental computer animations, interactive digital work and computer graphics from around the world will open at the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery on The University of Tampa campus on Tuesday, Jan. 27, and will run through Tuesday, March 24. This is the fifth installation of Electronics Alive. There will be a reception on Friday, Feb. 20, from 7-9 p.m. in the gallery, featuring a collaboration by UT art professor Lew Harris and retired UT music professor Terry Mohn.

All events are free and open to the public.  Viewers can see continuous computer animations and 2-D/3-D digital art from Canada, France, the UK and Japan, and various other countries. Artists exhibiting multimedia computer graphics and installations include UT lecturer Corey George, UT assistant professor Greg Perkins, UT assistant professor Doug Sutherland, Sally Grizzell Larson, Viktor Koen, Kazuhiko Kobayashi, Masakazu Takano, Mark Stock, Carlos Franklin,

Roque Rivas and Jeff Whipple. Some of the best computer artists will offer lectures and presentations in the gallery (unless otherwise noted).  The gallery is located at 310 N. Boulevard, next to the Martinez Gym. It is open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesday - Friday, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, contact Dorothy Cowden at (813) 253-6217 or dcowden@ut.edu.

Feb. 5, at 10 a.m. - Cynthia Lawson, a digital artist assistant professor of integrated design at Parsons the New School for Design. Monday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m. Anthony La Molinara, who won a 2004 Oscar as animation supervisor for the “Spiderman” movies. Thursday, Feb. 12, at 10 a.m. - Bruce Wands, chair of the MFA Computer Art Department at the School of Visual Arts in NY, on The New Face of Contemporary Art, tracing the evolution of digital art from the ‘60s. Thursday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m. David Grad, MTV producer. Thursday, Feb. 19, at 10 a.m. Christina Hung, assistant professor at Clemson University, on Artistic Inquiry Within a Scientific Infrastructure. Monday, March 2, at 11:30 a.m. - Chris Landreth, independent filmmaker and animator, winner of a 2004 Oscar for best animated short film.

James Lee, Tarboy / Digital Animation USA (Above) GOBELINS Ecole de l’Image, Blind Spot / 3D Animation, France (Right)

Wednesday, March 18, from 6-7 p.m. - Animation Theater with an introduction by Santiago Echeverry, UT asst. professor of art, in Reeves Theater.

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Arts & Entertainment

Turn The Beat Around: The Latest and Craziest iPod Accessories By Shannon Grippando Staff Writer

iPods are the hottest MP3 players on the market, so naturally, everyone has one. While you can choose from a variety of colors, a faceplate change is hardly the way to customize your iPod to be uniquely yours. You need something that stands out, something over the top to let the world know, “Yeah, that iPod is mine!” That’s what the booming iPod accessory market is for. Below are iPod accessories that stand out from the ordinary, promising to get you a little more attention than the average iPod jacket or fancy earbuds. Rock-Ola iPod Jukebox Many iPod owners have a dock to play their music on. They’re convenient, a great way to charge your iPod and, to the people at Rock-Ola, cute playthings more along the lines of Hallmark music cards than speaker systems. If you’re really down with the whole “music thing,” why not upgrade to the $6,000 iPod Jukebox from Rock-Ola. This baby is a full-sized, retrostyle jukebox complete with neon lights and bubbly panels. Just plug in your iPod and enjoy hours upon hours of your favorite music. This is the Hummer of iPod docks. For more information visit

http://www.rock-ola.com. Pause iPod Bed If the Rock-Ola is the Hummer of iPod docks, the Pause bed is a B-2 bomber. Starting around $4,300, the makers of the Pause bed believe that “a bed should be completely personalized.” They design each part of the bed according to the needs of partners that might share it, from the frame to the nightstands. Included in these options is an iPod dock that plays through elaborate Bose speakers. Sure, a Tempurpedic might feel like you’re sleeping on a cloud, but on a Pause you can drift off to the lulling voice of Weird Al Ya n k o v i c through the clarity only Bose can bring. If that’s not worth $4,000, I don’t know what is. For more information visit http:// w w w .

Graduating in May? Get Your Graduate Degree from UT

Info Session Jan. 31 10 a.m.

Sykes College of Business, room 134

Reserve Your Seat (813) 258-7409 utgrad@ut.edu Register online: www.ut.edu/graduate

designmobel.co.nz/pause.html. Tunebuckle iPod Belt Buckle Everyone knows name-plate belt buckles are the coolest things since pet rocks. They’re so chic and creative, like fannypacks or dangling truck balls. The Tunebuckle improves this

hot fad of belt customization while also keeping your precious iPod Nano safe and secure inches from your crotch. Long gone are fears of scratches on the screen. No longer will you have to fumble through your pockets for your microscopic MP3 player. The Tunebuckle’s got you covered. The buckles cost anywhere from $40-$70, but,

considering the prices of other iPod accessories and cases (I’m looking at you $20 iPod socks), this is a steal for what you get. For more information visit http://www.tunebuckle.com. OhMiBod NaughtiBod Personal Massager Who doesn’t like a massage? A good massage can make your entire day less stressful, more relaxed and fully stimulating. And what’s more stimulating to the senses than music? With OhMiBod’s NaughtiBod personal massager you can enjoy the delicate pulses of handheld vibrations with the customizable touch of your favorite music. The NaughtiBod’s “freedom cord” plugs into any headphone jack, splitting off into earbuds and the massager itself. Depending on the choice of music, the NaughtiBod’s vibration function varies. Are you one that tends to beat around the bush? Why not begin with a soothing song from Coldplay? Or perhaps you don’t pussyfoot around. The new Guns ‘N’ Roses album is pretty rockin’, in my opinion. The price tag is a bit steep at $69, but you’re guaranteed to get some bang for your buck. If the NaughtiBod works for you, tell a few friends and let the cat out of the bag. For more information, visit http://www.ohmibod.com.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN

BUSINESS AND EDUCATION Learn about UT’s graduate programs during a presentation by the dean of graduate studies. Program directors, current students, and alumni will host informational sessions about each of the graduate degree programs. The director of graduate studies will also be available to answer questions about admission requirements and the application process.

MBA (part-time and full-time) M.S. in Accounting M.S. in Finance M.S. in Marketing Certificate in Nonprofit Management Master of Arts in Teaching Master of Education

www.ut.edu/graduate

Ther University of Tampa • Graduate Studies 401SYMBOL W. KennedyOFBlvd. • Tampa, FL 33606-1490 EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

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Sports

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

Sports Fan Cheers For A Dynamic Super Bowl Match-Up

Image by RMTip21 / flickr.com

By Anne Napatalung Columnist

In my household, learning to walk went hand in hand with learning to dribble a soccer ball or a basketball. Between me, my sister and my parents, our family’s weekend bonding consisted of a tight schedule of soccer matches, basketball games, track meets, tennis matches and swim meets. Sportsmanship was encouraged growing up and we idolized professional athletes. Michael Jordan and Brazilian soccer players like Pele and Carlos Alberto covered our walls and made up a majority of what we watched on television. My sister and I ignored the dolls most of our friends played with and devoted our time to tossing a football or watching “SportsCenter.” My parents played sports

competitively: my mother through high school and my father up to the professional level. Sports have never been mere hobbies in our family; for us, sports have and always will be a way of life. I think I speak for all diehard sports fans when I say that the Super Bowl is without a doubt one of the world’s greatest sports holidays. The city of Tampa will be hosting its fourth Super Bowl this Sunday, and for those of us who cherish this holy grail of American athletics, the competitive spirit that goes along with such an event is nothing short of beautiful. When the Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Arizona Cardinals, only one team will walk away with the glorious Vince Lombardi trophy, only one team will walk away knowing that they are the best team in the entire NFL for the 20082009 season and only one team

will be able to call themselves champions. More importantly, there are numerous reasons why this Super Bowl will be an exciting game to watch for everyone—not just Cardinals and Steelers fans. May we first rejoice at the fact that we have no convicted criminals participating in this year’s Super Bowl match-up! We continue to see far too many professional athletes having run-ins with the law, as NFL players such as Michael Boley, Charles Grant, Chris Henry (once again) and Darrion Scott face serious legal convictions during the past year. With these players’convictions ranging from battery to involuntary manslaughter, Anquan Boldin’s outspoken and opinionated views start to sound more like love songs. Heck, I’ll listen to anyone who is still talking after recovering from a broken face! On that note, this game is providing many players and coaches the opportunity to prove themselves. After beating the young Matt Leinart out for a starting position, 37-year-old Kurt Warner is getting another shot at glory. Since Warner has been starting, he has shown his capabilities as an experienced and reliable player. After the Cardinals’ victory against the Eagles, he became only the fifth person to throw

four touchdown passes in a single postseason. Alright Kurt, show ‘em what you got! And Warner’s not the only quarterback with something to prove. The Steelers’s Ben Roethlisberger has made quite a name for himself since his rookie season in 2004. The 26-year-old has shown a phenomenal ability to mature in the NFL, while also using his youth, strength and size to his advantage. However, he has yet to fully prove his reliability in big game situations. There is no doubt that for Roethlisberger, a stunning performance in the Superbowl would mean quite a lot on his NFL resume. I’d really like to see this guy step up, too, because along with his great attitude and humble interviewing skills, Roethlisberger has proved himself as a positive, hard-working role model in the league. In addition, we are confronted with yet another momentous occasion for African Americans in 2009. Not only have we elected our first black president, but on February 1, the first day of Black History Month, a win from the Steelers would make Mike Tomlin the second black head coach to win the Super Bowl (after Tony Dungy

in 2007). And did I mention talent? Not only has Cardinals’s Larry Fitzgerald been called the best wide receiver in the world right now, but he has also managed to step up his game in the postseason. He has already broken Jerry Rice’s record for most yards in a single postseason, and he still has one more game to go. While Fitz doesn’t care to say too much to the press, the fact that he leads the league in receiving touchdowns seems to say enough. I just can’t think of a better display of football at its finest. The Steelers’s currently have the top-ranked defense, thanks to factors like the phenomenal defensive coordinators Dick LeBeau and this season’s defensive MVP, James Harrison. In the meantime, the Cardinals’s offense brings the experience and reliability of Kurt Warner in combination with the seemingly unstoppable Larry Fitzgerald on the receiving end. Needless to say, I am no less than ecstatic to see such a match-up of ability and talent. So for those of you who love sports, Super Bowl XLIII is the game to watch. Whether you are rooting for a team or not, prepare yourself for a beautiful game of football and a day for sports fans to remember. Anne Napatalung can be reached at anapatalung@ut.edu.

Student Reporter Gets a Super Chance at Pre-Game Press Day From

“Media Day”

Continued

from

Front Page

Reporters came from all over. I passed local reporters from Tampa and others from Mexico, Australia and London. But everyone was here for the same reason, to get the best interview. Hundreds of crews swarmed around players who fielded questions from the field, on podiums and in the stands. I felt like I was back in a crowded high school hallway, bumping shoulders with people just to move two feet. Being a young journalist, my eyes were opened that day when I was asked to intern for Hawaii Five-O Sports Media, a production company based in Honolulu. I was also writing an article for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin about the rival between high school teammates Chris Kemoeatu of the Steelers and Aaron Francisco of the Cardinals. As I entered the Media Center at the Tampa Convention Center, I was faced with a slew of card

Chris ‘Boomer’ Berman

tables where radio jocks did their morning shows, screaming “It’s Super Bowl Time!” and “Good Morning Pittsburgh!” By 8:45 a.m. I was on the bus headed for Raymond James Stadium. Crews filled the aisles with their bags filled with cameras and mile-long cable. Having no previous sports reporting experience, I felt an increasing surge of adrenaline as the bus pulled up to the stadium. Upon arriving, I went through security tighter than JFK airport with an orange Homeland Security threat level. First, I was frisked and forced to clear my pockets. Stage two, as I like to call it, required me to put my backpack on a white line. It couldn’t be in between the lines, but absolutely be on the white line. After proceeding through the metal detector and clearing my pockets yet again, I watched as a dog sniffed at my bag, while all the media watched and backed behind a fence, just waiting to grab their bag and get to the actual stadium. As the day went on, and after I interviewed the Steelers’ Chris Kemoeatu, Mike Tomlin, Scott Paxson and Jeremy Parquet and Aaron Francisco of the Cardinals, the humidity shot up and the sweat started pouring down the faces of reporters, who were mostly dressed in their crisp black and brown suits. As each hour of interviewing happened, the jumbotron counted down our time left. When time

Ben Roethlisberger answers press questions.

was up, a mass of security guards in red shirts pushed us up the stadium steps and out the door. They shouted “please move up the stairs now.” No excuses. Overall, the experience of interviewing NFL stars on camera was worthwhile. I experience an adrenaline rush of NFL superstars and determined reporters. Despite writing one of he thousand reporters at the event, I will always have my own story of being thrown into the world of journalism. Ellery McCardle can be reached at minaret.news@gmail. com.

Get your articles in print and your blogs posted online. Contact minaret. sports@gmail. com to find out more information.

Photo by Ellery McCardle

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The Minaret | January 30, 2009

College Football All-Stars Compete in Campus Challenge

Photos by Kara Wall

Ball State’s Nate Davis gets interviewed. By Sam Gerb Sports Writer

Along with all the Super Bowl festivities in the area, the 11th Annual College All-Star Football Challenge was hosted at the University of Tampa this past Monday.

The brightest stars the college football world had to offer dawned on a beautiful day in Florida and put on a spectacular for the students and college football fans. This event has featured big name stars in the past such as Donovan McNabb and Joe Flacco just to name a few. This year the

Senior Ryan Zsiga holds a sign for the cameras.

event had recognizable names such as Missouri’s quarterback Chase Daniel and Texas Tech’s quarterback Graham Harrell. There were eight different competitions that the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and place kickers from all over the nation had to participate in. Some of the events included a Long Throw competition for the quarterbacks, two different obstacle courses that the running backs and wide receivers had to traverse through and a Long Kick competition for the place kickers. In the first event quarterback Nate Davis lost in a tie breaker to Graham Harrell, who won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award during the regular season, but Davis blew the competition away in the Long Throw event. He threw his first ball an astonishing 67 yards and eclipsed that number with a colossal toss of 70 yards.No other quarterback could come close to matching that long ball. Even though Davis has a

strong arm, in college he was known for his scrambling out of the pocket, which can make him a duel threat at the next level. The other three quarterbacks, Louisville’s Hunter Cantwell, Chase Daniel and Graham Harrell also had impressive showings, but Davis stole the show for the quarterbacks. The placekickers took part in both accuracy and distance competitions. West Virginia’s Pat McAfee won the accuracy competition, in which kickers had to make field goals from distances of 40-55 yards. Florida State’s Graham Gano won the long distance competition, kicking a field goal of 54 yards to win the event. In warm ups Gano was routinely making field goals of 60+ yards. Gano is both a placekicker at FSU as well as a punter, which should greatly raise his NFL draft stock. He also won the Lou Groza award during the regular season,

which honors the nation’s top placekicker. Pittsburgh’s Connor Lee and Utah’s Louie Sakoda also took part in these events. Running backs and Wide Receivers had to battle through two different obstacle courses as well. The most exciting player of the entire challenge was Cal Poly’s wide receiver Ramses Barden, who was probably the most unknown player of all. Barden is a strong presence on the field and looked like a giant compared to all the other players. He ducked and slashed his way through the both obstacles courses and even though he didn’t win he was still enjoyable to watch. He pumped up the crowd and did dances for the camera. Other players that participated in the events were Uconn’s Donald Brown, Oklahoma’s Juaquin Iglesias, Penn State’s Jordan Norwood and UNC’s Hakeem Nicks. Sam Gerb can be reached at sgerb@ut.edu.

Florida State placekicker and punter Graham Gano participates in the accuracy competition.

Alumna Drove in First Daytona Speedway Sports Car Race By Audrey Parente Daytona Beach News-Journal

DELAND -- Lalah Neuman Tallinghast experienced both victory and disaster as one of the first women to race across the infield and up Daytona International Speedway’s high bank. And she got some help from Big Bill France. In 1959, the Floral City resident drove a white Morgan Roadster with a four-cylinder Triumph engine -- No. 13 -- and the baby-blue pit pass in her scrapbook looks more like a laundry ticket than a credential, but it led to a glamorous show. The “magnificent” track spread out before her with “paved areas and a grandstand, indoor restrooms instead of port-a-potties and a restaurant-cafe for the drivers and pit crew,” Tallinghast said during a recent lunch with friends at a downtown DeLand restaurant. She brought a “ratty old scrapbook” to share the 50-yearold history of her brief, long-ago

road-racing career. “I thought, ‘Oh, my God, what am I doing here?’ There were even covered pit areas,” she said. But she wasn’t intimidated and knew what she was doing. “It was my car, and I paid for everything,” she said, but she had worked out a deal to get labor for repairs free by working as a parts runner for Tamiami Sales Co., a foreign-car garage near her home in South Florida. “I learned to do a lot of the work for myself, but it was simple, and anybody with half a brain could do some minimal engine work.” The retired 70-something fourth-grade schoolteacher said she had been racing on little airport tracks in Titusville, Dunnellon and Boca Raton when she learned about plans for the first sports-car race at the Speedway in 1959. No professional races for the sports cars took place at the Speedway until later, said Eddie Roche, head archivist for Motorsports Images and Archives.

“The actual Continental, which later became the Rolex, didn’t start until 1962,” Roche said. But in 1959, then Lalah Neuman, a 5-foot-9-inch, 120-pound Texas-born beauty hailing from South Florida, raced in the opening event Sept. 5-6, a local race sponsored by the Sports Car Club of America, Roche said. “You had to go through the tunnel to get to the infield, and when I got inside, I was stunned. I felt like a little hick in the big city,” Tallinghast told friends during her DeLand visit. Tallinghast said Bill France Sr. had mutual friends with her family and came to her pit. “I could have met a movie star and not been more impressed,” Tallinghast said. “He was the one who told me that to ride the high bank, you had to go 100 miles per hour. We used the infield and then back onto the track, and after a few times around, I had to try it. Never in my life did I experience anything like it. To be up there, you are pulling three-Gs. I went to

lift my hand for the shift lever and it was actually heavy.” The Morgan’s speedometer registered 110, but the track “had electric clocking, and they clocked me at 130,” she said. On the road, Tallinghast said the car got 35 miles per gallon, but only eight on the track. And she “also found out new tracks with new pavement eat your little Michelins fairly rapidly. I made it through the race, but some of the heavier cars had to change tires” during the nearly 60-mile race. A University of Tampa graduate (1957), Tallinghast said she recalled winning a silver-cup trophy that her dad used to make her a celebratory drink following one race when she placed second. She continued to race during the 1959 season, finishing fourth in the nationals later that year, according to archive records, Roche said. She later got a call to drive a Volvo in a NASCAR race that ended in disaster. “A guy from Sports Illustrated called and asked me to drive

a factory ride in a pre-race at Daytona,” she said. “I was used to the Morgan -- low, steers by the seat of your pants and dirt-tracks around the corners. The Volvo had a higher center of gravity with fantastic pickup and a squishy, soft ride.” During the race “it went sideways, hit the grass, rolled over twice, and I was sitting there upright and couldn’t open the door.” She ended up with six compressed vertebraes, in a brace at Halifax Hospital. “Bill France was a really terrific guy, and on Valentine’s Day, they had the Firecracker, and he had them put me in an ambulance and drive me out to the track. I watched the race from the clinic,” she said. She wore the brace through October. “After I got out of the brace, I was back in my Morgan on the Speedway within a couple of weeks.” Reprinted with permission of The Daytona Beach News-Journal © 2009.

Sports

The Minaret | January 30, 2009

((Check these blogs for offbeat, humorous, or opinionated sports stories. Check them out at www.theminaretonline.com/overtime))

And Finally....

Football Challenges and Face Stompings all on

All-Star Blowout By Kyle Bennett Online Sports Manager

The University of Tampa hosted the ESPN College Football Showcase on Monday Jan. 26. The crowd in attendance looked to easily be larger than any home UT soccer game. Students disregarded classes as they realized this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see some big name players. Although the stands were crowded the roar of the crowd sounded like a peanut gallery. If

you didn’t know any better you would have thought it was a high school football practice rather than 13 players entering the NFL draft. We’ll see if ESPN adjusts the sound to make UT sound like we actually care about football Perhaps the most well known names, among others, in attendance were Quarterbacks Chase Daniel and Graham Harrell. Missouri Quarterback Daniel started the contest in the State Farm Accuracy Competition. I do not know how much the University was involved with the organization of the event, but it did not start off

Chase Daniel facing Northwestern.

Golf Webber Invitational (Lake Wales) Baseball Georgia College & State 2 p.m. Baseball Georgia College & State 5 p.m.

Golf Brevard Invitational (Melbourne)

Baseball Georgia College & State noon

Photo by Jim Barcus/MCT.

22 Softball vs. TBA (Eckerd Tournament, at Clearwater) Tennis Nova Southeastern 11 a.m. Baseball Stillman 11 a.m. Baseball Stillman 2 p.m.

Baseball vs. Southern Arkansas (Livingston, Ala.) 11 a.m.

Golf Brevard Invitational (Melbourne) Baseball Florida Tech 7 p.m.

Tennis Florida Southern 3 p.m. Baseball at Rollins 6 p.m.

right. You would think that with ESPN piloting the competition that at the very least the equipment chosen would work, right? Wrong. In the first competition the crowd had to endure about a 10 minute delay, with a less than humorous announcer, because of a dead battery on a golf cart being used. (In case you missed the event, large signs holding point values were placed on the side of four golf carts and driven across the field. Each Quarterback had to hit the targets as they moved across the field.) Surprising to me, there was a large portion of female faces in the crowd. Not so surprising however was the fact that most of these females were infatuated with elementary school crushes on either Daniel or Harrell. During one of the intermissions between events the announcer asked the crowd who wanted a kiss from Harrell. He did not disappoint the excited fan, as he blew a kiss to the girls that cheered when the question was probed. The event as a whole was very disappointing. The athletes, described by many as the ‘stars of tomorrow’, were a huge let down. None of the athletes went all out. Frankly, it looked like none of them cared about being there, period. Outside of Cal Poly’s Ramses Barden not one player improved their draft status. Barden is the only player that seemed to be running as hard as he could during the events.

Tennis at Saint Leo 3 p.m.

W. Basketball at Nova Southeastern 5:30 p.m. M. Basketball at Nova Southeastern 7:30 p.m.

Swimming at Bluegrass Conference (Charlotte, N.C,) W. Basketball Eckerd 5:30 p.m. M. Basketball Eckerd 7:30 p.m.

Tennis at Flagler 2 p.m. W. Basketball at Saint Leo 5:30 p.m. M. Basketball at Saint Leo 7:30 p.m.

Following the conclusion of the competition some of the advertisements used during the event were given away to the crowd. Powerade water bottles were handed out as well as huge advertisement signs. I was lucky enough to snag a box of about 60 water bottles as well as a Lifelock and Mercedes Benz sign. It’s safe to say that the water bottles were the best part of the entire event.

College Face Off As The University of Houston was up 63-51 with less than 10 minutes left in the contest, (figuratively) wiping the floor with Arizona’s defense, Cougar guard Aubrey Coleman decided to literally wipe the floor with the side Arizona’s Chase Budinger’s face. The face stomp was intentional and clear as day. Near half court Coleman lowered his shoulder and was immediately called

“

What could they possibly be saying, ‘Good job, you really face stomped him?’

for a charge. As Budinger lay defenseless on the court Coleman looks down at him and continues to walk toward Budinger until he lifts his right foot and brings it down on the side of Budingers face, with obviously more force than his previous three steps. As Coleman walked off the court he showed off a huge grin and received congratulatory high fives from his teammates.

25 W. Basketball Florida Southern 5:30 p.m. M. Basketball Florida Southern 7:30 p.m.

What could they possibly be saying; “Good job, you really ‘face stomped’ him.” This was a ridiculous act. It disrespects the entire NCAA as well as the Houston Cougars. Teammates of Budinger were about as helpful as the fans. They stood in astonishment, but lent no helping hand. Wildcat guard Kyle Fogg went as far as to hold back his face imprinted teammate as he tried to retaliate with a fist of his own. Rather than Coleman be slapped in the face, like he should have been, he was tagged with a flagrant foul and ejected from the game. Cougar coach Tom Penders showed no remorse or apathy toward the incident in his post game conference. It was reported that Penders went as far as saying that he felt the referees should not have stepped in. “I’m just sorry the official

Swimming at Bluegrass Conference (Charlotte, N.C,)

Tennis Embry-Riddle 3 p.m.

Swimming at Bluegrass Conference (Charlotte, N.C,) Baseball at West Alabama 3 p.m.

20 Tennis Barry 3 p.m. Softball vs. Palm Beach Atlantic (Eckerd Tournament, at Clearwater) 4 p.m. Softball vs. Armstrong Atlantic State (Eckerd Tournament, at Clearwater) 6:30 p.m. Baseball at Eckerd 7 p.m.

26 Tennis Softball Augusta State 3 p.m. at Eckerd 7 p.m. Baseball vs. Nebraska-Omaha (Winter Haven, Fla.) 6 p.m.

”

interpreted it that way. The way I saw it, Aubrey got tangled and his momentum carried him forward and I think it was a mistake,” said Penders. Get serious Penders. You will not be able to protect your players forever. Karma came back to bite the Cougars as they dropped the game with a 96-90 overtime effort.

Golf Webber Invitational (Lake Wales) W. Basketball Rollins 2 p.m. M. Basketball Rollins 4 p.m. Swimming at Bluegrass Conference (Charlotte, N.C,) Tennis Florida Tech noon W. Basketball at Barry 2 p.m. Baseball vs. Southern Arkansas (Livingston, Ala.) 2 p.m. M. Basketball at Barry 4 p.m. Baseball at West Alabama 5 p.m.

21 Softball vs. Florida Tech (Eckerd Tournament, at Clearwater) 9 a.m. Softball vs. Saint Leo (Eckerd Tournament, at Clearwater) 11:30 a.m. Baseball Stillman 1 p.m. W. Basketball Florida Tech 2 p.m. Baseball Stillman 4 p.m. M. Basketball Florida Tech 4 p.m. 27 28 Crew Stetson Sprints (DeLand) Baseball at Valdosta State 1 p.m. Softball at Eckerd 1 p.m. Softball at Eckerd 3 p.m. Baseball at Valdosta State 4 p.m. M. Basketball at Lynn 4 p.m. W. Basketball at Lynn 5:30 p.m.

‘n t u O

Flag Fans

Members of the University of Tampa cross-country team will be joining other students in running team’s flags on the field as the player’s enter. The school’s running program was contacted by Super Bowl committee members who were searching the Tampa area for good athletes.

Pool Players The Spartan women came away with an impressive victory over Indian River State College, winning by a margin of 137-121 on Jan. 24. An impressive three win performance by Lindsay Calimer led the women to their sixth win of the season. The men were not as fortunate, losing Calimer 163-99. The UT swim team has one meet left in the regular season in Charlotte, N.C. to compete in the Bluegrass Conference on Feb. 11-14.

Lynn Teaches Yanks Lynn University is currently offering a class called Reflections on Pinstripes: Viewing Life Through the New York Yankees, in which life lessons are taught using the team as a starting point. The course covers topics such as literature, race and mythology, all somehow related to one of the greatest teams in history. Heroes and villains are also popular topics in the course, bringing up the Yankee greats, the Red Sox rivalry, and proving that anything can be related to America’s favorite pastime.

Campus Cashes in Super Bowl Week Events By Shelby Kuni Sports Writer

The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and the city of Tampa has been overflowing with pre-bowl events and activities leading up to the big game this Sunday. With the UT campus hosting such events as the recent ESPN College Football Challenge and the upcoming Cato June Superslam Celebrity Basketball Game, UT students have the opportunity to see some of the biggest names in the NFL, celebrity and music industry today. Gil Swalls, the Associate Athletic Director of Marketing at UT, was very pleased with the amount of offers the school received for renting out space for these pre-bowl events. “It’s a financial boom for us,” Swalls said. “Our biggest fundraising each year is renting out our facilities, but we always do it very consciously of the students and school. We’ve turned a lot of things down for logistical reasons.” This past week the NFL College Football Challenge was held in Pepin Stadium on the soccer field. Airing on Sunday during the Super Bowl, this is

UConn’s Donald Brown competes in a running back competition.

one of the many events that have provided the school with nationwide publicity. The Bob Martinez Sports Center will also be the assembly area for 2,500 people come Sunday. They are the halftime show participants who will be bussed over to Raymond James Stadium for the Bruce Springsteen halftime show concert during the Super Bowl.

Besides the Cato June Basketball Game, our school was offered another chance at hosting a popular Super bowl event: The Lingerie Bowl. “They offered us the most money, and they would have definitely given us the biggest revenue, but we respectfully turned them down,” Swalls said. “It was just an ethical decision.” UT has a standard rate for

Photo by Kara Wall

renting out its facilities that runs around $1,000 per day; although Swalls said UT received much more than that for each of the Super Bowl events entertained at UT, he declined to comment on the exact amount of money our school is ranking in for being the host to such activities. Shelby Kuni can be reached at skuni@ut.edu.

Professor Recalls Tampa’s Struggle to Bring Big Game Sport Studies at the University of Tampa, knows first hand of the hard work involved in helping a city get chosen for a major sporting event. “In my career I’ve worked for sports commissions in Tampa, Atlanta, and Memphis,” said Bartow. “In those positions I was able to work in the hosting or bidding or both for Super Bowls, for the Olympics, for the Paralympics, for the maBartow in his office. Photo by Olivia Glynn jor sporting events that are out there.” Brief presentations are given By Olivia Glynn Asst. Sports Editor to the NFL owners in order to inform them of all that a city has to The fate of the Super Bowl lo- offer and why it would be a good cation ultimately lies in the hands choice to choose one venue over of the National Football League another. Elements, such as hotel acteams and owners, but it also decommodations and help from the pends greatly upon the people that promote their city for the event. business community and governRoss Bartow, Assistant Pro- ment, impact the decision. fessor of Exercise Science and Hotels must be available for

M. Basketball Jan. 31, 4 p.m. vs. Palm Beach Atlantic

>>> The men host the Sailfish at home for the last non-conference game of the season. The Sailfish are currently (8-13).

W. Basketball Jan. 31, 5 p.m. at Flagler

>>> The Lady Spartans go on the road to take on a struggling Flagler team in St. Augustine on Saturday.

teams and fans, and they must have quality rooms for the rates that are being asked. Businesses help to recruit volunteers to help with everything surrounding the Super Bowl, and the government must provide security and sanitation. The major element, however, is the stadium. “You’ve got to have the right kind of stadium, that’s first and foremost that you’ve got a quality stadium,” stated Bartow. Tampa has hosted four Super Bowls, proving that the city has got all of the qualities that the NFL is looking for in a Super Bowl town. Bartow has been involved in five Super Bowl location selections, one of them being the 2000 Super Bowl when he was working in Atlanta. Atlanta was up against Tampa for the location, and in the end Atlanta was chosen to host the Super Bowl that year. Tampa, however, could not take no for an answer.

“Atlanta did win,” Bartow explained, “but the owner of the Buccaneers stood up and said, ‘I can’t go back to Tampa without a Super Bowl because we’ve got a new stadium, and we need to have a game,’ so Tampa got one too.” The NFL had not planned on choosing a location for the 2001 Super Bowl at that time, but they complied with the Buccaneers’ wishes and granted them just that. In terms of revenue, the Super Bowl is the biggest single day event in the world, and Tampa will reap the benefits. Along with the publicity that a major sporting event brings to a city, Tampa’s businesses will also profit economically from the tourism that is generated by the Super Bowl. Tampa is behind only three other cities, Miami, New Orleans and Los Angeles, for number of times they have hosted the Super Bowl. Olivia Glynn can be reached at oglynn@ut.edu.

Baseball

Feb. 3, 7 p.m. vs. Florida Tech >>> The Spartans open their season at home against the Panthers as they try to stay true to their SSC favorite prediction.

The Minaret breaks down the biggest sports stories (19).