MINARET UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1933
THE
Vo l u m e 8 0 N u m b e r
4
•
September 19, 2013
•
ut.minaret@gmail.com
•
theminaretonline.com
Weak Wireless Hinders Campus Productivity
Doha Madani/The Minaret
UT students and professors continue to express frustration at the slow and sporadically dropped Internet connection around campus. By DOHA MADANI News Writer
A group of University of Tampa students sat in class on their phones, tablets and laptops, responding to an interactive poll that would serve as their quiz grade when all of a sudden everything stopped. The wireless
Internet completely dropped. In fact, computers did not even show the network name in their system. For both the students and their professor, Scott Paine, this was not the first time experiencing Internet issues. “We were about six or eight questions into the interactive quizzing dialogue
about the reading, when the internet failed completely. For the students and for me. So we were no longer able to use the web-based polling service for a quiz,” said Scott Paine, Associate Professor of Communications and Government/World Affairs at the University of Tampa. Though this lapse in service was due
to a network equipment failure, which the Department of Information Technology estimates occurred for only twenty minutes, it was not the first occurrence of sporadic Internet service the University has seen in recently. During the first two days of the 2013 fall semester, students and faculty received an email about a system downgrade that resulted in a large-scale slowdown in service. Chloe Messer, a senior education major who commutes from her offcampus residence, feels that spotty wireless service has impacted her academics. Not only does Messer use the web in class to work on interactive lesson plans, but she also is dependent on campus network services to work on assignments when waiting between classes. “I cannot count the number of times the Internet has gone down when I was doing a project or homework on campus,” Messer said . “As commuters, we generally don’t have time to go home and use our Internet there. This forces us to rely on the school Wi-Fi, and when we have connection issues it puts a big kink in our ability to work on our studies.” Donna Alexander, the Vice President for Information Technology, said that the University continuously monitors the wireless bandwidth in order to purchase additional coverage to meet the university’s needs. The University of Tampa has acknowledged the need for a stronger wireless service as the campus continues expansion, and has already See WI-FI Page 4
D.C. Bill Proposed: 24-Hour Wait for Body Art By LAUREN RICHEY News Editor
A new proposition has been announced in Washington, D.C. that could potentially affect the body art industry nationwide. It’s been called the “Think Before You Ink” Law, and many believe that it will stop the late night, spur-of-the-moment permanence of tattoos and piercings. Washington, D.C.’s Department of Health has proposed a 24-hour waiting period for anyone considering a new tattoo or piercing. According to ABC News, the public has 30 days to comment on the proposal before it could potentially become a final regulation. According to draft regulations, all D.C. body art businesses would have to
In Other News...
ensure that “no tattoo artist applies any tattoo to a customer until after 24 hours have passed since the customer first requested the tattoo.” These regulations would not only apply to tattoos but piercings as well. Many University of Tampa students have some type of body art, ranging from cartilage piercings to full-sleeve tattoos. Some of these students feel that this proposal is a step in the right direction, and agree that it would be a good idea to bring these regulations to Tampa. Junior and allied health major Briana Murphy got her first tattoo as a freshman. “I got my tattoo because it’s symbolic of my sisters and my family heritage,” Murphy said. “I think this is a smart
3 Nero the Duck: Newest Edition of UT Family 7 FOB Drummer Recounts Reunion, Anticipates Tampa Show
idea. People should be absolutely sure if they want to get a tattoo because it’s something that’s going to stay with you for the rest of your life.” Local tattoo artist and owner of Cherry Bomb Tattoos and Piercing, Mason Chimato, provided insight to the potential effects this law would have on tattoo businesses everywhere. “I feel if the bill in motion were to be passed, the business of tattooing would fail miserably,” Chimato said. “Eliminating the ‘walk-in’ business would leave only the world’s best tattoo artists in business; in turn destroying the future and diversity of tattooing.” According to ABC News, licensed therapist and parenting expert Tammy
Photo courtesy of Mason Chimato
Chimato works on a design for a walk-in client.
See BILL Page 4
9 Franky’s Transforms into New Sports Bar The Outpost
14 Catcalling: Street Harrassment is not Compliment
News..................................2
12 America Faces Dilemma: Diplomacy or Force?
20 Floyd Mayweather: The Greatest Boxer of this Generation?
Opinion............................ 11
Diversions.........................6 A+E....................................7 Sports..............................16
M
SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
MINARET
2
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jessica Keesee
jessica.keesee@theminaretonline.com
MANAGING EDITOR Mia Glatter
mia.glatter@theminaretonline.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Natalie Hicks
natalie.hicks@theminaretonline.com
NEWS + FEATURES Lauren Richey, Editor
lauren.richey@theminaretonline.com
Katherine Lavacca, Asst. Editor
katherine.lavacca@theminaretonline.com
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Justine Parks, Editor
justine.parks@theminaretonline.com
Jordan Walsh, Asst. Editor
jordan.walsh@theminaretonline.com
OPINION
Paola Crespo, Editor
NEWS + FEATURES
Fire Destroys Jersey Boardwalk: Community Forced to Rebuild Once Again By KHADIJAH KHAN News Writer
A massive fire broke out in Seaside Park, N.J., on Thursday and destroyed several blocks of the boardwalk. After completely rebuilding the seaside following the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, citizens and business owners are forced to rebuild yet again. The fire began around 2 p.m., but firefighters didn’t gain control of the blaze until 11 p.m. Firefighters made the decision to dig a trench into the boardwalk starting at Lincoln Avenue. According to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, without that trench the entire boardwalk could have gone up in flames. Four hundred firefighters were on the scene and several suffered minor injuries, according to the Huffington Post. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Gov. Christie arrived at the scene of the fire Thursday night to address the situation.
“I will not permit all the work we’ve done over the last 10 months to be diminished or destroyed by what happened last night,” Christie said. Many University of Tampa students come from the New Jersey area and are in disbelief that a significant part of their home has been destroyed a second time. Freshman and biochemistry major, Rachel Christ, said,“I’ve lived in Jersey my whole life. I’ve gone on vacations along the shore for years and it’s such a shame to see such a beautiful place be destroyed all over again by this freak accident.” Freshman Jackie Hirshan, a psychology major and New Jersey native, went into detail about how she felt the government and citizens were doing when it came to restoring the boardwalk for the second time. “It is very traumatic and strange to see how quickly something can be ruined, but I am very happy to see our government and citizens working as one,” Hirshan said. “If we can
overcome it once, we can do it again.” Still recovering from the stress and trauma caused by Hurricane Sandy, some New Jersey residents now find themselves displaced and in need of emotional support just one year later. The Christie administration has provided residents and business owners grief counselors to help them deal with the situation, according to NBC News Online. “It is devastating to me that yet again more time and money and labor needs to be utilized to rebuild a great place after another catastrophe. My prayers and best wishes go out to everyone from the area,” Christ said. Despite this tragedy, the Christie administration, residents and business owners are banding together once again to rebuild the boardwalk. Christie plans to give $15 million in state aid to the businesses that were damaged in the fire to rebuild, according to NBC New York. Khadijah Khan can be reached at khadijah.khan@spartans.ut.edu
Paola.Crespo@theminaretonline.com
Annabella Palopoli, Editor
annabella.palopoli@theminaretonline.com
Richard Whitaker, Asst. Editor
richard.whitaker@theminaretonline.com
SPORTS
Jordan Llanes, Editor
jordan.llanes@theminaretonline.com
Griffin Guinta, Asst. Editor
griffin.guinta@theminaretonline.com
ONLINE
Vanessa Righeimer, Web and Social Media Director
vanessa.righeimer@theminaretonline.com
PHOTOGRAPHY Casey Budd, Editor
casey.budd@theminaretonline.com
ADVERTISING
Shivani Kanji, Ad & PR Director Brandon Caples, Asst. Ad & PR minaret.ads@gmail.com
ADVISER
John Capouya
Jcapouya@ut.edu
COPY EDITORS
Zoe Fowler, Head Copy Editor
zoe.fowler@theminaretonline.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS Taylor Sanger
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Rebecca Barton
STAFF WRITERS Britney Cox Khadijah Khan Rachel Baranowski
COLUMNISTS
Jake Koniszewski Avery Twible
MORE INFORMATION THE MINARET is a weekly student-run publication at the University of Tampa. Letters to the Editor may be sent to editor@theminaretonline.com. To reach THE MINARET call 813.257.3636. Your first two copies of THE MINARET are free. Each additional copy is $1.00 TOP LEFT: Todd Lappin/Flickr, TOP RIGHT: nikinicholenick/Photobucket, BOTTOM: Beachcomber Bar and Grill/Facebook
Local business, Beachcomber Bar and Grill, was one of the many shops on the boardwalk to be affected by the massive fire.
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
3
Nero the Duck: Newest Edition of UT Family By JESSE LONG News Writer
Alex Genado loves to skate around campus on his longboard, and if students look closely they may notice a friend riding along with him: a duckling. Genado, 23, is not yet a UT student (he is considering applying next fall) likes to longboard around UT’s newly renovated campus on days that the weather permits. About a week ago, Genado rescued a baby duck named Nero from a couple of hawks that kept swooping down and snatching up his duckling siblings. He was the only one out
of the eight ducks to survive. This isn’t out of the ordinary for Genado; this is the sixth duck he’s saved. Genado has been rescuing and taking care of ducks for a while now. He takes after his grandmother, who rehabs a variety of animals and is currently housing a duck with two broken legs. Genado has only had his latest project, Nero, for one week, but he has every intention of one day setting him free. “I will probably keep him a couple months, but it really depends on him and if he is capable of fending for himself.” Genado
Alex Genado/Facebook
Nero the Duck poses for a close-up shot, while hanging out on Genado’s keyboard.
said. “ I once had a duck that was really attached to me and didn’t want to leave so I decided to keep him. However, one day he flew away. It really just depends on when the duck is ready and everyone is different.” In an effort to prepare Nero for life on his own, Genado tries to make him as independent as possible. “I hide food around the backyard so that he can find it and realize that eating out of a bowl is not normal,” Genado said. Genado is very experienced at taking care of this out-of-the-ordinary pet, although to some people it may not seem any different from a dog or a cat. However, it’s a lot harder than one might think. “It is kind of like taking care of a child. You need to feed it, watch over it and make sure it feels loved and safe,” Genado continued. In the past, Alex had a duck that actually was picked up by a hawk and dropped. The duck was never able to recover and feel safe again which eventually lead to its death. Some people think exotic pets seem like a cool idea, but it is actually a huge responsibility. Nero is also a huge attraction when on campus. Genado constantly has people coming up to see him. “Every time I come on campus I have to allow time for people who stop me, even when I’m skateboarding just because I have a duck,” Genado said. This is exactly what happened when Jessica Luba, a freshman education major, spotted Nero. After just a few minutes with Nero she said, “I want a duck, it is the cutest thing in the whole world.” It’s a good thing Nero enjoys the attention. He even has his own Facebook page, entitled
Alex Genado/Facebook
UT students play with little Nero on campus.
Nero the Duck. Genado has also received his fair share of attention with Nero by his side, but he doesn’t do it for that. “They just love you and can’t live without you,” Genado said. As Nero continues to make appearances around campus, he will continually be met with the shocked faces of students everywhere. Although strange at first, students agree that Nero is definitely a cool addition to the University of Tampa community. Jesse Long can be reached at jessica. long@spartans.ut.edu
From the Sept. 9 to Sept. 13 reports
10/8- Senate Election winners will be announced. Get to campaigning! Crazy Old Coot On Sept. 10, a resident student complained about being pushed by an older rowing woman at the Boat House dock. Blindsided On Sept. 10, a student struck another vehicle while pulling out of a parking spot. Don’t Taze Me Bro On Sept. 13, a student was found in possession of a stun gun.
Smoke Zone 1 is being moved away from the baseball field, make sure to only smoke in the zones! Finders Keepers On Sept. 10, a room search resulted in an alcohol violation and in the recovery of stolen property.
No Air, Air On Sept. 11, responded to the intramural field concerning a report of a student having difficulting breathing. Reports compiled by Katherine Lavacca
Attention UT Organizations: If a representative did not attend the spring leadership retreat, you must attend the fall retreat to get funding! Register for this event by Friday, Sept. 20 The Fall Leadership Retreat 2013 is Saturday, Sept. 28- Check-in at 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Grand Salon Lunch will be provided! AT&T’s anti-texting campaign “It Can Wait” will be in Vaughn lobby- Come and take the pledge! There will be stickers and prizes
4 SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
NEWS + FEATURES
Weak Wi-Fi interferes Body art industry with academics in jeopardy
in designing courses around a 21st century reality. He recently discovered a positive moved towards becoming a better service influence of web-based technology in a provider for students. classroom setting, and he has begun to “This past summer, the UT wireless include more web-based programs into network in the residence halls was his classrooms. Though fairly new, he upgraded with new high-capacity noticed that these interactive activities 802.11n wireless access points and core helps assess students understanding, router,” Alexander said. “Additional and allows for opportunities to clarify wireless access points were installed in difficult concepts. the residence halls, totaling 487, nearly “If the university is unable to maintain tripling the wireless bandwidth from appropriate levels of reliable Internet 54 megabytes to 135 megabytes and service, that definitely both undermines expanding the five gigahertz wireless our claim to be very orientated towards coverage.” experiential learning for the twenty first B a n d w i d t h century and our is essentially the position vis-a-vis I cannot count the downloading and other institutions uploading speed that our students number of times the capability an Internet might be choosing Internet has gone down service has, and between,” Paine when I was doing a project access points are said. “We either or homework on campus. router points in which are going to be -Chloe Messer this service can be a university that accessed. By adding makes full use bandwidth speed of the available and access points, the Department of technology in intelligent ways, or we’re Information Technology is preventing not because those technologies are any one access point from being flooded actually not reliably provided.” with users. Overloading the system with The Department of Information users tends to be the main cause of slow Technology encourages students to internet service on a campus. In addition report connection issues and to view to these already developed upgrades, the information about how to connect with University of Tampa plans to upgrade the network via Spartanweb, under once more by Oct. 31 to a two-gigabyte Campus Life. bandwidth speed. Doha Madani can be reached at doha. Paine finds these upgrades a necessity madani@spartans.ut.edu WIFI from page 1
BILL from page 1
Gold explained that this new bill could help parents talk their young teens out of rash decisions. “This wait and hold time will do such wonders for [children’s] ability to protect themselves if they’re not sure they if want to do it, and a parent’s ability to protect them, to say, ‘Let’s register and then let’s give ourselves 24 hours to really talk about it,” Gold said. According to Chimato, the walkin business is a huge part of income for smaller and less known tattoo parlors. Photo courtesy of Mason Chimato “The majority of everyday tattoo Tattoo customer adds a custom piece to his back. business is from a walk-in clientele. Unless you have a strong name in the industry that’s what they’re trying to fix with the such as Timmy B, Jeff Ensminger, Nick bill.” Baxter or Nikko Hurtado, you would not In a survey done by the Harris Poll, be able to survive solely as a tattoo artist, one in five U.S. adults has at least one without walk-in business,” Chimato said. tattoo, which is up from the 16 percent Other UT students agree with and 14 percent who reported having a Chimato, yet understand where this bill tattoo in 2003 and 2008, respectively. is coming from. These are some of the results of The Sophomore and secondary education Harris Poll of 2,016 adults surveyed major Dana Scherer said, “One of my online between January 16 and 23, 2012 tattoos was by an appointment and by Harris Interactive. the other was a walk-in. I had to sign “I think tattoos and piercings are paperwork for both, so I feel like that is a huge part of our culture,” Chimato kind of your last opportunity to back out.” concluded. “The times have changed, the “I just think that if a person wants to quality of the supplies used have gone get a tattoo, they should be able to get it,” far beyond what people once knew, yet Scherer continued. “I knew what I wanted people still have the wrong idea about for two months before I got my second tattoo artists and tattoos.” one, but then there are the people that get Lauren Richey can be reached at tattoos last minute and drunk. I feel like lauren.richey@theminaretonline.com
Students React to Navy Yard Shooting By NATALIE HICKS Associate Editor
News of the Navy Yard shooting in Washington, D.C. rung through the University of Tampa campus on Monday morning. Many students felt the emotional effects whether they were in Washington, D.C. or in Tampa. The attack left people feeling confused as the Boston bombing did just four months ago. Samantha Pfaff, an international and cultural studies major, is living in Washington, D.C. this semester for an
internship through The Washington Center. Her housing is about two miles away from the Navy Yard. “It was really more of a surreal experience for me rather than fearful,” said Pfaff, a junior from Monroe, Mich. “Others I live with were more tentative about how secure they felt.” During the time of the shooting, Pfaff was at a meeting at the World Bank, which is closer to the Navy Yard than her internship offices based in Arlington, Va., where she would normally be on a weekday.
Pfaff stayed inside for most of the day for various meetings, but she noticed a larger amount of police officers on duty at the metro stations on her way back home later that evening. “I would have gone jogging last night or across town to the store, but I just stayed in as a precaution,” Pfaff said. “More so in caution of societal responses/ reactions to the shooting than fear of the actual event itself.” Meanwhile, junior Terry Preston waited at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to fly back to Tampa. He
Doug Mills/The New York Times
The Navy Yard shooting on Monday morning left some students feeling uneasy, whether they were in Washington, D.C. or in Tampa.
visited Washington D.C. for the weekend to attend his nephew’s christening. To be safe, the Reagan National decided not to let any planes fly in or out of the airport until police had contained the gunman, Aaron Alexis. “The only major difference was my plane sat on the runway for half an hour,” said Preston, a double major in advertising and public relations and writing from Bristow, Va. Junior Joshua Hernandez, a veteran of the U.S. Army, has lived on several U.S. Army bases and has never personally experienced suspicious activity before. However, bases have specific procedures to follow when events like the D.C. shooting occur. “[None of these procedures encourage] soldiers to engage the suspicious person or do anything that could escalate a situation from suspicious to violent,” said Hernandez, an international business and management major from Irmo, S.C. Hernandez said faulty security is less of a problem when preventing violence on base. “It [faulty security] would be a small factor compared to the greater issue of identifying and treating people with mental illnesses, should that be the case of the shooter,” Hernandez said. Despite Alexis’ motive, the shooting brought up issues of gun control and public safety yet again. “The shooting served as a chilling reminder that I’m living in a high-target city, especially early on when the details were still unclear,” Pfaff said. Natalie Hicks can be reached at natalie.hicks@theminaretonline.com
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
5
How did the residence halls get their names? If you pay for it, they will come. Getting a building dedicated in your name is a matter of money and how much you’re willing to give. Here are some of the famous faces behind the residence halls. The oldest named residence halls are McKay and Smiley. McKay was originally a men’s only dorm and was named for Kenneth McKay who was a chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1940-1945. Smiley was the women’s only dorm and was named for David E. Smiley who followed McKay as a chairman until his death in 1960. Austin Hall was first called Crescent Place and was built in 1998. The name was changed in 2005 to honor Alfred and Beverly Austin who helped a lot in the expansion of UT at the time. Alfred Austin is a former UT board chairman, a successful businessman and is involved in many charitable causes. Vaughn Center was built along with
Brevard Hall in 2000 with help from a notable donation from John Sykes. Sykes chose to name the student center/ residence hall/conference facility after our long-time and beloved President Ronald Vaughn. Frank P. Urso is an alum from the UT class of 1957 and is a retired pathologist and author who grew up in Tampa. Previously called Kennedy Place, Urso Hall was named after him after a donation of $3 million in 2008. Fun fact: A 1956 edition of The Minaret has Frank P. Urso listed on the honor roll his senior year. David A. Straz is a retired banker and also a generous contributor to Tampa causes (the performing arts center across the street bares his name too). The residence hall opened in 2003 and was called Stadium Place before it was given his name in 2005. Straz served on the University of Tampa board of trustees as chairman.
Photo courtesy of The Minaret/2000
Delo Hall, built in 1926, was destroyed in 2000 and Vaughn Center was built a year later in its place.
Previously Stadium Center (built in 2007), Morsani Hall is named for power couple and philanthropists Frank and Carol Morsani. The couple made a multi-million dollar donation last year and Morsani Hall was christened. Frank Morsani has been an active member of several UT boards since 1974. Fun fact: the building was funded in part from a $5 million anonymous donation.
Want a question answered by UT FYI? Send your question about anything UT or Tampa related to ut.minaret@gmail.com
6 SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
Diversions
Sudoku
The Weekend Update Spartans Abroad Fair September 19
Vaughn Center Lobby 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Free
Delta Zeta’s Theme Week: Rose Bowl September 19
Intramural Field 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. $20 per team
Halloween Horror Nights September 20 - November 2 Universal Studios 6:30 p.m.
$42.99 - $69.99
Miranda Lambert September 20
Midflorida Credit Union Ampitheater PrintableSudokuPuzzles.net
Picture
WEEK of the
Photo by Doha Madani/The Minaret Students participated in Delta Zeta’s theme week event on Monday, which included a game of tug-of-war into a pool of jello.
7 p.m.
$38.25 - $67
Student Productions: Spartans After Dark September 20
Vaughn Center Lobby 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Free
Bluesapalooza September 21
Hernando Park 12 p.m. $1 - $5
National Hazing Prevention Week September 23 - 26 Various Events Free
Imagine Dragons September 24
University of South Florida Sun Dome 7:30 p.m.
$34.50 - $39.50
SP Unplugged: Tim Halperin September 24
Morsani Hall, Jazzman’s Cafe 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Free
Arts + Entertainment
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
7
FOB Drummer Recounts Reunion, Anticipates Tampa Show Evolving musically was the most important factor in the writing process.
By LAUREN MILICI
Arts + Entertainment Contributor
Believers Never Die. Ask any fan of Chicago-based rockers, Fall Out Boy. The band has gone five years without a new release and three years of inactivity. That’s enough to make the average music fan abandon ship. The Overcast Kids, however, knew Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley would be back with a vengeance – however long it took. After months of Fall Out Boy denying rumors, they sent out one tweet that led to a hit single, a VMA-nominated music video and the release date for a number one album. Their website crashed within a few minutes, and just like that, Fall Out Boy was back. Following the release of the single “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark,” music videos for “The Phoenix” and “Young Volcanoes” were released in an 11-part series, titled “The Youngblood Chronicles.” FOB embarked on a sold-out tour with New Politics, performed live on shows like The Today Show and America’s Got Talent and flew overseas for a string of International music festivals. Sept. 5 marked the beginning of the Save Rock & Roll Arena Tour with their good friends Panic! At the Disco. Drummer Andy Hurley talked to The Minaret about saving rock and roll, touring the world and what’s next. The Minaret: The album is titled Save Rock & Roll. Do you think there’s a lack of real rock & roll in current mainstream culture? Andy Hurley: The title is a bit tonguein-cheek, but there’s a real problem with the conception of rock & roll these days. You hear about the newest rock revival bands every year, but that isn’t rock & roll. Rock & Roll doesn’t need a revival, it needs a reinvention. Rock & Roll isn’t just one sound. It’s an attitude of doing
M: Pete mentioned in a recent interview that you’re the “glue of the band.” Would you agree? AH: I definitely agree. I’ve always been the most level headed and able to navigate the business of the band and our schedule. The other guys vent to me and I can always help find sanity on the road. The other guys are married and there’s a kid in the mix, so it’s often more difficult for them to be away for so long, so consistently.
Fall Out Boy/Facebook Fall Out Boy Drummer Andy Hurley opens up about the band’s reunion and future tour dates, including Tampa.
something new and different and weird. M: The initial album release date was moved up due to the response to “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark.” How does it feel to be dominating music again? AH: It feels amazing. None of us expected the response. Usually, an album gets pushed back for heavier advertisement and to push the single to radio longer, but we had the opportunity to release earlier, which we wanted to do in the first place. M: Do you think the hiatus has made FOB a stronger band? AH: The break was something we really needed, or we would’ve ended in a bad way. Being able to do our own projects and explore other genres made us better musicians, and being able to hang out with each other outside of the context of the band and of business made our friendships so much stronger.
M: A little over a decade ago you were touring in a van and playing shows for crowds of ten people. Do you ever wake up and say, “Wow, this is my life?” AH: I wake up every day and think how crazy my life is. I appreciate this opportunity more than anything. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, and to be able to do it in this scale, all over the world… It’s just insane. But I love playing shows and touring no matter the scale. M: With SR&R being a different sound/direction for FOB, how was the pressure to release new music? AH: There was no pressure for new music, which was the great thing about recording and writing in secrecy. If the album turned out crappy, we could have just trashed it and moved on. So the only pressure was to make sure we were all happy with what the album turned out to be.
M: You’re currently on an arena tour with Panic! At The Disco. What makes this tour bigger and louder than the last? AH: With this tour we’re able to have a bigger stage with a lot of dressing and lighting that we can’t have on the smaller tours. It’s almost like the production for a play. It’s really exciting, and a lot more nerve-wracking as well. It’s really fun to be able to add a visual/staging aspect to a show when we can. And it’s definitely louder, because for this tour were turning up to twelve! M: Tampa is the last date on the arena tour. Saving the best for last? AH: Absolutely! Florida shows are always amazing to play, and we’ll lay it all out at that show. It’s nice to just let loose when you don’t have to have anything left afterwards. M: What’s next for FOB? What should fans expect in the last few months of 2013? AH: We have some more international tours, some more videos to shoot to finish off The Youngblood Chronicles, and other fun things for TV. We’re hopefully hitting U.S. cities again around Christmas time. Fall Out Boy is playing the USF Sun Dome Arena on Sept. 29 with Panic! At the Disco. Lauren Milici can be reached at lauren. milici@spartans.ut.edu
8
SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
New York Fashion Week Unveils Designers’ Crazy Sides
LEFT TO RIGHT: Rodarte/ Facebook, Thom Browne/Facebook
Designers Rodarte and Browne showcased two different styles this season on the runway. Thom Browne’s designs (right) featured models who resembled patients in a mental asylum. By BRIANNA KWASNIK Arts + Entertainment Writer
The streets of New York are once again flooding with the latest trends for the spring season. Shows began on September 5th, with the Nicholas K runway show, and ended on September 12th, with the new Calvin Klein collection. One of the most talked about shows of the week was the Thom Browne show. Deemed by critics’ the creepiest show of the week, the models were adorned with white face paint, grey and white painted teased hair, and wore dark makeup that resembled patients in a mental asylum. Lights flickered, mannequins dangled from the ceiling, and audience members stared at white padded walls, as they waited for the show to commence. Models wore all white with padded hips and shoulders. As they walked down the runway, they distributed cups filled with white M&M’s resembling pills to audience members. Thom Browne shows usually tell a story. Looking beyond the white, Elizabethan inspired
clothing, one may infer Browne was attempting to represent the models as paper decorations. The frills adorning tight silhouettes symbolize how many look at models as decorations. It is often overlooked that they too, have insecurities. Oscar de la Renta’s show displayed his flirty and feminine spring collection. The show opened with a variety of suits, and coats. The show featured Teal, Brown, and Black suits, with an added peplum design. Next, were printed dresses paired with elbowhigh gloves. His collection featured a mix of outfits that would be perfect for any spring day, and elegant gowns we can most likely look forward to seeing next year, on the red carpet. The 90’s trends are not going anywhere anytime soon. Classic trends such as crop tops, flannel, and overalls appeared on numerous runways throughout the week. Alexander Wang, Rodarte, and DKNY were just a few of the designers to feature 90’s influenced clothing. Maybe all of the talk about an NSYNC reunion, and the return of 90’s TV shows made these designers nostalgic. Alexander Wang’s
collection featured a monochromatic color scheme- flowy crop tops paired with loose boxer shorts, or skirts. Blazers were tailored to expose midriffs, and paired with loose printed shorts. Wang is clearly attempting to bring back logos. The collection featured a sweatshirt with a parental advisory warning. His name was used as a logo: laser cut into sweatshirts, coats, and even a pair of elbow-length gloves. Rodarte’s runway show was also influenced by 90’s grunge: Crop tops, Flannel, and overalls all making an appearance. Trying to convey the essence of laid-back California, Rodarte added a modern spin on classic 90’s styles by adding zebra, and cheetah prints to crop tops, skirts, and cut off shorts. DKNY was another designer attempting to bring back classic trends from the late 80’s and 90’s. The collection featured baggy jeans, and a denim moto style jacket with sewn on patches. The sheer, pastel colored overall-like pieces make overalls look chic (that’s hard to do.) The skater dress, elastic pants, and bandana inspired one piece are
fun, sporty pieces to a nostalgic collection. For those looking to have a first-hand experience on the latest styles, starting September 13th lasting until September 21st, Fashion week will be making an appearance in Tampa. The week kicks off with workshops throughout the day Friday at International Plaza. As the week continues, there will be various fashion shows put on around the Tampa Bay Area. On Thursday, Sept.19 pop up shops will open in the Channelside District. The pop up shows are featuring a media preview of the collection that will be available for purchase on Friday and Saturday. The shops will have clothing, accessories and more. The fun continues on Friday at 6 p.m. in Channelside with Fashion and Design day. Workshops include Innovation and Skateboard Design, Skateboard Design, Design Inspiration and Costume Design. More information and a full schedule of Fashion Week Events in the Tampa Bay Area can be found at: www.fashionweektampabay.com. Brianna Kwasnik can be reached at brianna.kwasnik@spartans.ut.edu
‘Limsanity’ Strikes Target Stores: Collaboration Exceeds Expectations By JESSICA KEESEE Editor-In-Chief
From L.A. to Chicago, New York to Tampa, shoppers lined outside of Target stores on Sunday to grab whatever piece of 3.1 Phillip Lim’s Target collaboration they could get their hands on before herds of other fashionistas cleared the racks. In what was dubbed as “Limsanity,” the newest designer collaboration to hit select Target stores nationwide captivated fashion audiences across the country, and it did not disappoint. I lined up outside of my local Target at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday in preparation to brace the expected crowds of fashion-hungry men and women waiting to storm Target’s doors for the 8 a.m. opening. Well, my Target lineup included just women––and a few at that––compared to big cities like L.A. where shoppers bum-rushed Target employees to get their hands on the bags. The capsule collection of over 100 women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, full of classic pieces, ranges in price from $19.99 to $299.99, though most items were under $50 each. Some pieces were even inspired by Phillip Lim’s actual line. Lim’s iconic Pashli bag ranges in price from $650 for the mini and upwards from $825 for the medium and large. The Target doppelgangers? Only $34.99 for the mini satchel and $54.99 for the tote. A fashion steal, if I may. In fact, the bags were the most anticipated pieces of Lim’s collection. Though not made of leather nor the same quality as Lim’s real bags, the Target collaboration bags were still of tremendous quality considering the price. The polyurethane shell is surprisingly soft and could have fooled me for real leather just off looks alone. The muted gold hardware is subtle and complements the color range of each style of
bag, from a rusty red to black, navy, taupe and a golden yellow. The zipper gusset detailing on the Pashli-inspired bags offers wearers versatility. For a boxy look, wearers can zip the bag up and then back down to expose the penguin flaps and make the bag roomier. Choosing to base pieces off of his real line was quite genius, actually. It truly takes the popular high-end designer collaboration and makes it a reality. Not only can consumers on a budget finally get their favorite designer’s clothing and accessories for reasonable prices, they can also get some of the pieces they covet the most, just a more affordable version. Lim has been praised for this because not only is he offering consumers his iconic designs, he’s also warding off piracy. Why buy a Pashli knockoff when you can buy an actual Lim-designed Pashli-esq bag for under $40? Other designers, take note. Other pieces inspired from Lim’s real line include the “Boom” print sweatshirt and sweaterdress, at $29.99 and $44.99 respectively,
inspired by his “Ka-Pow” sweatshirt from his pre-fall 2012 collection. Both were a must-have for anyone shopping the collection and truly the créme de la créme of designer collaborations. Lim’s Target collab is timeless. From the navy tuxedo pants and blazer ($39.99 and $59.99 respectively) for women and classic khaki trenches for both men and women, several of the pieces are not only wearable now but 20 years from now. Even better, these clothes and accessories are top-notch quality considering their prices. The floral high-neck peplum top fits as though it has been tailored to your body. It feels expensive, like it was bought from a high-end department store, but it only costs $39.99. And did I mention the bags? I bought four. Sturdy construction and timeless details will make these bags last past fading trends. The leather jackets ($249.99 for women in navy and $299.99 for men in ebony) were on the pricier side for the collection, but for good reason: they’re real leather. I’ve seen faux
Casey Budd/The Minaret Lim’s bags were the most anticipated of his collection. Clothing was of top-notch quality and well-tailored.
leather jackets with cheap construction cost more than that. These jackets are beautiful and biker chic, a great way to add edge to a fall outfit. It’s no wonder why several of the bags and clothes sold out online before Target stores even opened on Sunday. Target’s past few designer collabs have not been so successful, specifically their partnership with Neiman Marcus for a holiday collection last year. But Lim’s collection was just as impressive as the Target and Missoni line from 2011, which crashed Target’s website and is by far the standard set for any designer and budget-friendly retailer collab. Lim, a two-time CFDA award-winning designer, was approached by Target five years ago to do a collection for its GO International line, which offered high-end fashion designer collaborations from the likes of Zac Posen, Jean Paul Gaultier and Rodarte at budget-friendly prices. The successful line was discontinued in 2012 and replaced with a new system, introducing collaborations with Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Neiman Marcus with the CFDA and now, 3.1 Phillip Lim. At the time Lim was first approached five years ago, he was hesitant to do the collaboration, but now says he’s glad he waited. “When Target first approached me five years ago, neither of us was ready.” Lim said to thedailybeast.com. “The timing just wasn’t right. This time, it felt right for me and my own company and what we had to offer.” If Lim’s line is any indication of Target’s future collaborations, walletconscious fashionistas should rejoice. Jessica Keesse can be reached at jessica. keesee@theminaretonline.com
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
9
Frankie’s Transforms Into New Sports Bar The Outpost By ALYSSA HINGRE
Arts + Entertainment Writer
Frankie’s, the fast food joint that used to be right across the street from campus, was notorious for its hot dogs and chocolate shakes. Last semester, Frankie’s closed, leaving an empty parking lot to stand on the corner of W. Kennedy Boulevard and N. Boulevard Street and leaving students wondering what happened. I was pleased to see a new restaurant, The Outpost, move into the space when I returned at the beginning of this fall semester. Mike Diogostine, owner of the former Frankie’s and what is now The Outpost, is excited with the restaurant’s transformation and looks forward to expanding the UT customer base. “We wanted to create a place where people could watch the games and hang out now, especially with the new stadium coming in,” Diogostine, a UT alum, said. Frankie’s had a fast food atmosphere. Customers grabbed their food at the counter then ate without much waiting service. The Outpost, on the other hand, is a sit-down restaurant and sports bar. You can sit down and enjoy your meal, watch a football game on the big screen TVs and take note of the friendly servers. For a local restaurant, The Outpost is quickly gaining popularity. The bar area is packed on Saturday nights, and the entire floor space is crowded with people sitting at the high-top tables. Chattering sports fans root for their favorite college football teams as they sip their beers until closing time at 3 a.m. The Outpost would be a fitting spot to enjoy game days throughout the rest of football season. A nice selection of appetizers are available
Casey Budd/The Minaret
The Outpost which has replaced Frankies, offers students a wallet-friendly and mouthwatering menu.
which could easily double as meals themselves. Appetizers range from typical bar food such as onion wings and fries to healthier picks such as hummus, and the portions are big enough to feed a full table of people. As for entrées, there is a wide selection of wings and burgers along with sandwiches, wraps and salads. The sandwiches are bigger than the ones served at UT’s Ultimate Dining cafeteria, but I still finished mine and didn’t find the need for a to-go box. Also, The Outpost gives you all
the sandwich fixings. I ordered the Pulled Pork Cuban Sandwich, and the bread could barely hold in all the contents. It was packed with meat and tangy mustard sauce. It reminded me of the authentic Cuban sandwiches that can be found throughout Tampa. It wasn’t as comparable to the real thing, but it was still delicious. The jumbo chicken wings were messy and full of meat, just the way wings should be done. The Outpost also offers a special deal on wings during their happy hour from 4-7 p.m. every
day. Wings are just 50 cents each if you dine in. The burgers come in many flavors. They aren’t just plain cheeseburgers. The El Cubano is similar to the Pulled Pork Cuban sandwich but has a juicy burger patty thrown in, and the Barn House burger is topped with onion rings. Another unique choice, the “SCOOTER,” glazes pineapple over the top of the burger. Most of the menu items, even these burgers, stay within the typical college student’s price range. The menu is also stocked with dessert items. There is a strong selection of fried desserts and several that incorporate Oreos such as the Fried Oreo Sundae with vanilla ice cream and deep fried Oreos topped with chocolate and caramel sauce. This sundae might even convert some new chocolate lovers. If you truly don’t like chocolate, the Funnel Fries which is funnel cake shaped like french fries covered in salted caramel and powdered sugar might fulfill your sugary needs. Some students who visited Frankie’s often may not know what to think about The Outpost, but I encourage fans of Frankie’s to check out Diogostine’s new restaurant. “Frankie’s had really good hot dogs, but The Outpost has a wider variety of food than I remember Frankie’s having,” Alyssa Kane, a junior education major, said. Diogostine hopes that The Outpost will become an after-game hotspot for UT foodies. As one of Diogostine’s former UT professors once told him: “To be successful you need to learn to work on your business not in your business.” And he certainly runs his business by this Alyssa Hingre can be reached at alyssa. hingre@spartans.ut.edu
New Shows Dominate Fall TV Schedule
By SELENE SANFELICE Arts + Entertainment Writer
Even the busiest of college students still find time for their favorite shows. The upcoming fall season this year features an abundance of new programs, at least one of which is sure to be your new favorite. Not only that, but continuing shows are also making some pretty serious changes. No matter how busy you are, just know that this season there’s definitely something worth watching. Selene SanFelice can be reached at selene.sanfelice@spartans.ut.edu
Masters of Sex/Facebook
Masters of Sex
Agents of S.H.I.E.LD/Facebook
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
Premieres Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. on ABC Clark Gregg returns as Agent Phil Coulson (despite being killed off in The Avengers) Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Facebook to assemble a team of super-secret agents. Brooklyn Nine-Nine Fellow Avengers and How I Met Your Premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8:30 p.m. on Fox. Mother star Cobie Smulders will appear in From the creators of Parks and Rec, this new comedy is set to be the most the pilot to explain Coulson’s resurrection. popular show of the upcoming season. Andy Samberg plays a goofy NYPD detective, and Andre Brower (Law and Order) plays his uptight gay police captain.
Premieres Sunday, Sept. 29 at 10 p.m. on Showtime Based on Thomas Maier’s biography, the show is about a married couple (one of which is played by Lizzy Caplan of Mean Girls) who jump-started the initial research of human sexual response, diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders in the 1950s. Viewers are said to expect something along the along the lines of Mad Men with more sex.
The Michael J. Fox Show/Facebook The Crazy Ones/Facebook
The Crazy Ones
Premieres Thursday, Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. on CBS Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar reunite on TV for the first time since their 1982 show Mork & Mindy. The pair plays a father-daughter team that heads their own advertising agency. The first episode will feature a cameo by Kelly Clarkson.
The Michael J Fox Show
Premieres Thursday, Sept. 26 at 9:30 p.m. on NBC Michael J. Fox returns to full-time TV 13 years after Spin City to star in a show based on his own life. Fox plays a local news anchor with Parkinson’s disease. The comedy has already received a straight-to-series order of 22 episodes.
Dads
DADS/Facebook
Premieres Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. on Fox Creator Seth McFarlane features his fellow Family Guy costar in this new comedy about a pair of video game developers whose fathers move in with them. The show has already taken a lot of critical heat for its taboo, sexist and racially indifferent jokes.
MasterChef Junior/Facebook
Junior Masterchef
Premieres Friday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. on Fox This spin-off of Gordon Ramsay’s Masterchef will feature twenty-four aspiring cooks from the ages of 8-13. Viewers can expect less rivalry and bitterness between competitors, and hopefully less temper-tantrums from Ramsay.
10 SETEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Master It Boost your career credentials with a graduate degree from UT! • MBA (seven concentrations) • M.S. in Accounting • M.S. in Finance • M.S. in Marketing • Certificates in Nonprofit Management, Accounting and Business Administration
• New! M.S. in Exercise and Nutrition Science • M.S. in Nursing • M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology • M.A. in Teaching • Master of Education • MFA in Creative Writing
U.S. News & World Report ranks UT as a top-tier school for master’s degrees in the South. The Sykes College of Business has been named one of the best business schools in the world by The Princeton Review for the last six years, and its MBA program was rated #1 in the Bay area by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The Sykes College of Business is accredited by AACSB International, an honor shared by only 6 percent of business schools worldwide.
All programs accepting applications now. Request more information at www.ut.edu/gradinfo or call (813) 258-7409.
Join our community online!
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
Opinion
11
Struggles of Being Wiccan on a College Campus By LAUREN MILICI Opinion Writer
“You worship the devil, don’t you?” came the reply of one of the kids in the back of my World Religions course at Broward College. The instructor, a 67-year-old former pastor, had never in her life heard of America’s fifth largest religion: Wicca. I was asked to stand up in front of the class and explain my spiritual path. “No,” I calmly replied, “We don’t acknowledge the belief in a devil.” The student rolled her eyes. In a society dominated by Christianity and Judaism, the term “Wicca” usually spawns one of two responses: “It doesn’t exist” or “It’s evil.” Wicca is defined by Google as “the religious cult of modern witchcraft, esp. an initiatory tradition founded in England in the mid 20th century and claiming its origins in pre-Christian pagan religions.” Wicca.com, however, defines it as “a modern Pagan religion with spiritual roots in the earliest expressions of reverence for nature.” Both are valid definitions, but the terms “cult” and “witchcraft” are enough to send the average person jumping to negative conclusions. Witchcraft in ancient history was regarded as “The Craft of the Wise.” Today’s modern witch believes in love,
light and oneness with the divine and all that exists within the universe. We acknowledge the lunar phases, the seasons and the cycles of nature. We concentrate on the beauty and power of Mother Earth. We lay out in the grass at night underneath the new moon, meditating as the sun rises. We live by the rede Do What Ye Will, But Harm Thy None. We accept responsibility for our own actions, and live to benefit ourselves and the world we inhabit. We live in the present and hardly concentrate on what will become of us in the afterlife. Our time on Earth is a gift. A year following my World Religions class, a discussion about Halloween in my Mass Media and Society course at the University of Tampa led me to raise my hand. “I’m sorry, how do the devil and Halloween even relate?” There was a simple answer from the girl in front of me: “Well, it’s a Wicca thing.” I replied, “Samhain, which falls on the 31st, is a Wicca thing. It’s a holy day, but-“ “Exactly.” “No, we don’t believe in a devil.” Silence. All heads turned to me. Since that instance, none of my classmates have spoken to me. It’s saddening to think that any educated individual still holds the belief that the “big bad” witch is the direct link to the fiery gates of hell.
This misconception dates back to the year 1692 in the town of Salem, Mass. Men and women were being dragged before courts and burned at the stake. Midnight rituals around a fire and meditating outside under the full moon could only be attributed to one thing: Witchcraft! Any spiritual belief other than Christianity was condemned as devil worship, even if the belief was in the natural magick of the universe. Fast forward to 2013. America recognizes Wicca as a federal religion, and yet pentagrams, the starin-circle symbol which represents the five elements commonly used to decorate the Wiccan altar, are considered signs of devil worship. What about the Inverted Cross? Saint Peter was crucified upside down, as he didn’t believe he was honorable enough to have the same execution as Christ. Yet somehow the sign is incorrectly associated with today’s modern witch. Where can a practicing Wiccan coexist amongst their peers? The answer for some is college. Dartmouth College, a small Ivy League in New Hampshire, has its own studentformed Pagan/Wiccan organization. The University of Missouri has Pagan holidays on its annual school calendar. UT offers Witchcraft and
Magic in the Early Modern World as a course. On a campus that’s openminded and non-denominational, it’s easier to come out of the broom closet. The first step? Tell your roommates. There’s no way you can set up your altar full of crystals, pentagrams, statuettes and wands without the inevitable, “What is that?” from your mate on the other side of the room. If your campus has its own Pagan or Wiccan collective, join it. That way you don’t have to celebrate holidays by yourself, or accidently (and awkwardly) include your roommate. If a teacher or classmate prompts a discussion about Wicca (usually by asking a question involving broomsticks and Satan) don’t be afraid to raise your hand. Change some minds, make some friends, educate your peers and even your professor. And if there isn’t an organization on campus, do some research and start your own. You never know, you could be making it easier for other on-campus Wiccans to come out of hiding, too. Most importantly, no matter what comments your classmates might make or how your roommates react: stay true to yourself, and to your spiritual path. Live ye must and let to live, goes the old rede, fairly take and fairly give. Lauren Milici can be reached at lauren.milici@spartans.ut.edu
Sarah Eichler/The Minaret
America recognizes Wicca as a federal religion and yet pentagrams, the star-in-circle symbol which represents the five elements commonly used to decorate the Wiccan altar, are considered signs of devil worship.
Africa Incorrectly Portrayed in Media, Leads to Ignorance By IRENE SIDEDE Opinion Writer
The question of whether media has a positive or negative impact on society has been and continues to be a controversial issue. Every day the media conveys to people how things should be. It determines what we should buy, what is trending and what to wear. But most importantly, it displays what it wants us to believe by controlling what is broadcasted, removing what is “unnecessary” and adding what is considered to be more attention-grabbing and persuasive to the audience.”U.S. news media are a for-profit, ratings-driven enterprise and so they seek first to entertain and capture audiences to sell to advertisers,” said Christopher M Boulton, the Assistant Professor Communications. “I’m sure many journalists strive to educate the public to be better global citizens, but that is not the priority of the largest media companies that own their outlets.” In the case of what is aired about Africa as a continent, people are starting to rely on the information given by the media and are making generalizations which are incorrect; this, in turn, makes it difficult to have awareness of what is actually true. “American news media is notoriously oblivious to international news (except when it produces sensational images or effects the U.S. directly) and tends to only cover Africa when there is a famine or war,” said Boulton. As an African, I have been able to live outside of my country and I have seen the
differences in what the media arrays and how this has been able to influence people. This is my second year of living in not only another country but a whole new continent. What really surprises me is that every time I switch on the news or happen to watch any advertisements that have any link to Africa (such as the UNICEF World Hunger advertisements), all I see are women and children in famine and severe poverty. They usually lack basic necessities such as clothes, food and clean drinking water. It is very noble of the media to show people under these circumstances because the world needs to be informed of these issues. It’s great that people want to help, but the fact that this is the only image that is being used to represent where I am from is extremely heart-wrenching. I say this because everytime I watch these clips it leaves me wondering: “What happened to everything else in Africa? What about the happy and friendly people, the different cultures within the continent and the beautiful green pastures and landscapes with all types of animals inhabiting them?” Never have I seen even one clip that depicts any of our busy cities with our hard-working citizens and our multiple restaurants that have some of the most delicious local dishes. American media only shows the negative aspects that occur in developing countries which leads others to the level of ignorance. I am a Kenyan, from Nairobi to be precise, and during my first few weeks here at the University of Tampa I was asked a number
of questions that made me wonder what educated person in their right mind would say these things. During freshman orientation week a fellow freshman asked me my name and where I was from. It was a normal, delightful introduction until he said, “Wow! That’s cool. You speak really good English.” He then proceeded to say, “I’m surprised you’re wearing clothes.” I was flabbergasted. A few weeks later I went through the same introduction with another girl in the cafeteria only for her to ask, “So do you live in a hut?” Unfortunately, by the time I had my encounter with her, I had already been asked enough of the same type of questions such as, “So do you guys have cars?” and “Do wild animals walk around in your backyard?” At first, I considered the fact that some people have never travelled outside the country, leading to their confusion. Then I reconsidered and thought that is not an excuse. Before I came to America I was well informed about it. I was under the impression that people were so consumed in their American culture that they did not have time to find out what else is out there in the world. I also realized that the reason why they asked such questions is because they simply don’t know any better; what they have seen on television all these years has formed an illusion of how the whole continent of Africa is. I had the opportunity to discuss these issues with a fellow African student here at UT. Sina Carlo, a junior from South Sudan, said that she was once asked if she
spoke “African” and if she had water and electricity where she lives. Sadly, these are not only problems that Africans here are facing. Some of my international friends, specifically those from the Caribbean islands, informed me that because the media only shows the islands as having beaches, sand, palm trees and dolphins, they have also been asked ignorant questions such as if their country has cities with buildings or if they sit down and eat coconuts all day. However, there are students who haven’t been to Africa and are still culturally aware, like Briana Kenley, a junior from Tennessee.“People need to be more cautious and think before they speak because the statements they make are very inappropriate,” she said. “Most modern Africans are just like anyone else that lives in America or any other place out of Africa because the speak and dress just like any other person” As important as the media is in informing the public on what happens and goes on in the world, it is also definitely doing a good job at false advertising. It has managed to convince viewers that a whole continent is a desert-filled area with malnourished citizens with no form of civilization whatsoever. What I can do is correct and enlighten those who are oblivious and hope that in years to come I will be able to switch on the television and see a different and better image of home. Irene Sidede can be reached at irene. sidede@spartans.ut.edu
12 SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Minaret A View From the
An Editorial
America Faces Dilemma: Diplomacy or Force? During the past few weeks, the possibility that America might use lethal force in Syria loomed larger with the passing of each day. Moreover, oddly, there was no real effort by our own national leaders to seek alternative applications of national power. In a twist, Russia finally stepped forward as the advocate for diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution. America typically thinks of itself as a calming force, a mature state which seeks to maintain peace and only seek deadly and costly conflict as an absolute last resort. Contrary to this national identity, in the aftermath of repeated terror attacks, America has struck out at her enemies during the past dozen years. It is not difficult to describe the similarities to our 2003 invasion of Iraq and the direction that the Obama Administration has pursued relative to Syria. Prior to that conflict, the Bush Administration asserted that Iraqi despot Saddam Hussein possessed large caches of weapons of mass destruction and had sponsored terror. Realizing that the International Community and the United Nations specifically, might encourage other methods of conflict resolution, the Bush Administration built a “Coalition of the Willing” and used aggressive force to bring the Hussein regime down. After expending hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of American and Iraqi lives on a war that the United States did not have to wage, for a purpose that we now collectively understand never existed, we find ourselves in a position to avoid similar mistakes in Syria. However, instead of reviewing our very recent past mistakes, the Obama Administration turned its back on its other options and pursued the aggressive use of force.
At the moment, it appears that Russia now stands in the shoes of the peacemaker, and the United States is the beneficiary of cooler heads. At this juncture, perhaps it is a good time to reflect on the events and policies that led to this reality. Eerily similar to America’s position in 2003, the Obama Administration has steadfastly asserted that the Syrian government has chemical weapons and has used them to murder more than a thousand of its own citizens. As expected the United Nation’s team of inspectors, who are onsite where the alleged attack occurred, found that the weapons were used but made no declaration as to who used the sarin. President Obama has made a number of public appearances speaking out for support and arguing that America basically has two options: act or do nothing. While this may form the basis for a dramatic and compelling argument, it does have a substantial flaw: It is not true. America, the most powerful country in the world, always has more than two options. She always has what international law provides, which is the first and best option during times of strife: diplomacy. Due to Secretary of State John Kerry’s slip of tongue in which he said that President Assad could prevent a U.S. attack by giving up his chemicals weapons within the week, President Obama is now forced to pay heed to the Russian initiative proposing diplomacy. Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote an open letter published in The New York Times. In his letter, Putin asserted, “No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. Such collapse is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military
action without Security Council authorization.” It is hard to disagree with this logic; if President Obama continues to pursue military action without the consent of the U.N., he will be voiding the power from an organization that America helped build and so fervently supports. Likewise, although the commander-in-chief does have Constitutional authority to act without Congressional consent, doing so in a matter where America is not acting in self-defense sends a negative message to the people of this country, most of whom do not support military action. Putin continued, “Under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the Security Council.” He asserted that anything else is unacceptable under the U. N. Charter and would constitute an act of aggression. Putin further argued that a breach of the Charter would be defined as an act of aggression directed toward the Syrian government, which could anger surrounding Syrian supporters, triggering a conflict that nobody wants. It cannot be an option to break laws in order to appear strong. International law is in place for a good reason, to keep peace. As Putin later outlined, an attack in Syria could have lasting effects that could send that entire region of the Middle East into violent turmoil from Israel to Iran. While Putin’s article generally makes sense, his ulterior motives deserve a keen look. Russia, as a U.N. Security Council member, has the power to veto any proposed attacks. Thus, Putin is advocating a model wherein all future American use of military force would be subject to Russian approval and control. That’s a pretty nice setup for Russia
but not such a great deal for the United States. Interestingly enough, Russia has not sought U.N. approval for many of its own military ventures such as the 1980 invasion of Afghanistan (in fact, the U.N. enthusiastically rejected that invasion). This reality does tend to generate more than a few questions in regard to Putin’s motives. It does not, however, change the fact that America should seek U.N. approval for situations like Syria. Our national prestige and legitimacy are at stake. The Syrian conflict does not put America’s back against the wall; we do not need to respond with immediate military force to defend ourselves. American sovereignty is not threatened by deferring to the U.N. Instead, if our President still desires to use military force, we have the time to take this to the world’s stage and ask the important questions and prove our case to the world’s arbiters. If the Obama administration does not get the verdict it seeks, it must stand down from military action. While Putin has his own reasons to disagree with our President, in this narrow set of circumstances, it seems, incredibly, that he is correct. Recent polls by the Wall Street Journal show that 75 percent of Americans believe we should focus our energy elsewhere, like here at home. Similar to the American people, the larger international community, including nearly all our allies, do not support military action in Syria. It is important to understand when America should walk shoulder to shoulder with her sister nation states. The case of Syria is an example of when diplomacy and alternative forms of national power make a lot more sense than hurling bombs and missiles.
The situation in Syria is an example of when diplomacy and alternative forms of national power make a lot more sense than attacking with bombs and missiles.
tunelko/Flickr
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
OPINION
13
On-Campus Jobs Limited for International Students By RAWAN ELZAYAT Opinion Writer
Most college students try to find parttime jobs to help with their expenses and tuition fees; International students, on the other hand, don’t have as many possibilities to do so. According to SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System,) students who study in the United States holding an F-1 visa are not allowed to work anywhere off campus. They are only allowed to work on campus for up to 20 hours a week when school is in session and up to 40 hours a week during the university’s holiday periods. The issue about whether international students should be allowed to work off campus or not is very controversial. After the incident of 9/11, it became very hard for international students to earn F, J and M visas. The F-1 visa is a non-immigrant, full-time, student visa that allows foreigners to pursue education in the United States. “J” visa is The Exchange Visitor non-immigrant visa category that is granted to students participating in work or study exchange programs. “M” visa is reserved for nonimmigrants wishing to pursue nonacademic or vocational studies. There were false claims that some or all of the 9/11 hijackers entered the United States by student visas. However, according to the 9/11 Commission Report, only one of the 19 hijackers affiliated with 9/11 was on a student visa. A report by the Government
Accountability Offices showed serious concerns about the need to track foreigners who overstay their visas. Consequently, SEVIS came up with these strict rules and regulations to monitor international students and scholars on F, J and M visa statuses and see their up-to-date information, academic activities and their accompanying family members. International students, who are generally on F-1 visa status, have to pay a SEVIS fee of $200 to issue their visa. These fees are used for different purposes, one of them is to support the current version of SEVIS and the other is to develop and deploy the next generation of SEVIS. Students who violate these regulations or fail to maintain status either leave the United States or apply for reinstatement. It is understandable to assign such rules for security reasons, since F-1 visas used to be easy to earn and may have been misused. Anyone can apply to a university and use the acceptance letter to get into the US for reasons other than studying. But what does this mean for International students? Kidus Dawrt, a freshman from Ethiopia, expressed his opinion on the restrictions of job opportunities for International students, “I think that is very unjust and unfair how international students are not allowed to work offcampus. We are actually the ones with the lowest amount of financial resources and it is so frustrating that we can’t support ourselves.”
As much as we have to respect these rules and regulations and understand their importance, we have to admit they cause much struggle for international students, including myself, who are trying to find a part-time job. Normally, it is already hard for a college student to find a part-time job that pays well and doesn’t interfere with their busy schedules and academic performance, let alone finding a job on campus. Job opportunities that are available on campus are very limited. Especially for international students, who are restricted to opportunities that are considered Curricular Practical Training (CPT.) According to the university’s official website, “Curricular Practical training is an employment option available to F1 students in which work experience is considered to be an integral part of the curriculum or academic program.” As an international student, to be eligible for CPT you have to receive a job offer that is related to your major field of study and is an integral part of your degree program. Kebron Bizuneh, an senior from Ethiopia, talks about how hard it is to find jobs on campus: “As an international student, it’s always difficult to find a job that pays you. Firstly, we international students are not allowed to work off campus and that tightens our chances. Secondly, most famous jobs are not student employment but work study which are offered for American students but not international. On top of that,
some students have more than one job. So this brings our chances to get a job from limited to none. All this added makes it difficult to any international student to find work on campus.” It is even harder and more competitive here in the University of Tampa as it is known for having a great number of international students from over 100 different countries. This is ironic in the way that international students have to pay higher tuition fees and most of them don’t get the chance to work to cover part of these expenses. As much I support the SEVIS rules and follow them as a student on F1 visa, I believe that there should be some solution that gives International students better job opportunities while maintaining all other SEVIS rules that track and monitor students with F-1 visas. For example, some oncampus jobs can be solely available to International students instead of being restricted to curricular practical training. These can include jobs that are available in different campus departments as the office of admissions and the office of campus recreation. It’s unfair that we international students don’t have enough job opportunities on campus although we really need them. Since we can’t change the law that restricts us from working off campus, we should at least try to increase the job opportunities on campus. Rawan Elzayat can be reached at rawan.elzayat@spartans.ut.edu
DC Comics Contest Asks Fans to Draw Harley Quinn’s Suicide By BRITTNEY COX Opinion Columnist
This past week, Sept. 8-14, was National Suicide Awareness Week. This same week, DC Comics announced their fan art contest called “Break into Comics with Harley Quinn,” where fans can get their art published if they draw a page for the new issue. The correlation isn’t obvious until you find out what the scene is: Harley Quinn killing herself. Not only is that inappropriate and gruesome in itself, but it’s announced during the week when people are supposed to put more effort into recognizing and helping prevent suicide, not glamorizing it with the offer of fame and recognition from an art contest. DC as an industry is not at fault because it is only a specific group of artists holding this contest. However, they should be very aware of the contests their artists are hosting, and perhaps the time of the contest announcement was merely a coincidence. According to USA Today, the creators of the competition, Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, apologized, stating, “I am sorry for those who took offense, our intentions were always to make this a fun and silly book that broke the fourth wall.” They also wanted to apologize for not giving enough context, and they explain that this wasn’t a pivotal scene in the issue, Harley Quinn #0. According to the artists, Harley Quinn #0 “is not about suicide. Not even close.” The point was to make a funny arc with Harley. The whole comic isn’t based on Harley’s suicide, just the four panels (one page) chosen for the contest. The contest is still running and young artists are still submitting works of Harley killing herself. Even if they say the arc is not specifically about suicide, it is still something of substance that’s going to be placed in this comic. This contest is glamorizing suicide by having artists focus their hope of success on a suicide scene. To top it off, one of the panels requires her to be naked in a bathtub. Not only do
the artists have show Miss Quinn killing herself, they have to draw her doing it naked. Now, the contest takes a turn from glamorizing suicide to opening it up to becoming sexualized by some, which is really screwed up. I’m not saying that we should completely censor the concept of suicide in comic books. This is why we have an awareness week-- to bring light to the situation. This is a problem that is affecting people all over the world and it should be talked about. Comic books are an excellent way to raise awareness about this epidemic, because they are a form of mass-produced media that reaches a younger generation. These artists should be pushed to their limits to discuss difficult ideas and social issues. However, they need to be able to contrive these situations without making it seem lighthearted. I’ve been personally affected by suicide. In high school, one of my classmates decided to take his own life. Our lives had never intermingled to a great extent but the rippling effect tore through mutual friends. This action left many people raw, and it seriously changed everyone in my school, including myself. Life is something that we often take for granted, and when someone is driven to such an extreme sorrow that they take their own life, it is a moment to take seriously and reflect on our own decisions. It feels as though the artists cadeeej/Photobucket believed they could write something off as A DC contest is glamorizing suicide by having artists focus their hope of success on a suicide scene. though it was just a funny little quip when in all actuality it’s not funny. Something as of will for life in a way that doesn’t make there are other options; life can get better. tragic as suicide should be taken seriously it look trivial to young viewers. Rather, If you are struggling with the same type and presented in a way that is part of the the point should be to make it look and of emotions that Harley is in this comic, cure, not the disease. feel realistic. If a character has reached the know that there are people to talk to and it DC’s contest is entirely wrong. It’s wrong point of suicide, then the artist needs to can get better. The only way for DC to fix to host a contest demanding a character’s understand the real aspects: how this affects this situation would be to simply annul the suicide during a week of awareness. It’s not only Harley, but the other characters contest. There are many other scenes that wrong to make light of at a serious topic in these comics, as well as the audience. could be used for a contest, and a suicide that affects so many people. If Harley Quinn It shouldn’t be humorous, glamorized or scene is probably the worst one they could has to kill herself and it’s necessary to the sexual. It should be real and emotional and have chosen. plotline of this issue, there is a way to do presented in a way that shows people that Brittney Cox can be reached at brittney. it tastefully and express her ultimate loss although this is something that happens, cox@spartans.ut.edu
14 SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Catcalling:
Street Harassment is Not a Compliment sexual nature to a woman passing by,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Catcalling is a Opinion Co-Editors normalized form of harassment that is prevalent When I step out onto West Kennedy Blvd., a in many different cultures. car honks and I look up to see a guy hanging out A catcall is not a compliment. Though the of the window. I notice a group of young men men doing it may think that they are paying staring at me and try to avoid eye contact, but the woman compliments in letting her know inevitably they yell something like, “Hey, girl, how attractive they think she is, in truth it is where you going?” Another man whistles. All of only objectifying her body and can make her this disgusting behavior falls under the category feel very uncomfortable. When I tell people of catcalling, also known as street harassment. how catcalling makes me feel and how I wish A “catcall” is when someone (usually a man) it would stop, some say, “It’s a compliment, whistles, shouts or makes a comment “of a don’t get mad. He thinks you’re pretty.” People just don’t seem to understand that catcalls do not make most women feel good, and we shouldn’t take it as a compliment, because it’s simply not. We feel targeted, harassed and unsafe; if a man is willing to yell obscenities at me in public, what makes me trust him to stay away from me physically? It’s also extremely offensive, sometimes literally comparing a woman’s body to a piece of meat. But unfortunately, it has been normalized in our society. What makes the whole situation worse is how a woman is treated and insulted if she chooses to ignore or decline the catcalls. Girls are called “sluts,” “ugly bitches,” and told, “You know what, you’re not even that pretty anyway” when they try to avert their eyes and walk past. But really, I have no idea what Casey Budd/The Minaret Catcalling is disrespectful. It isn’t flattering, it’s just creepy. these men expect. Do they think that if they honk at me I’m going to By PAOLA CRESPO & ANNABELLA PALOPOLI
chase after their car screaming, “Stop! I wanted to have sex with you?” That if a woman is being catcalled she will just jump for joy and hurry over to hear more about how her “booty got them lost like Nemo?” I don’t think so. A catcaller’s actions are for his own benefit, not the woman’s. Catcalling is disrespectful. It isn’t flattering; it’s just creepy. What if the situation were reversed? Imagine a group of women leaning against a wall, watching a man walk by, whistling, and yelling things like, “Now that’s a nice ass!” or “I want to lick Nutella off your abs!” It isn’t any more flattering and I think most men wouldn’t appreciate being harassed in that way if societal roles were reversed. Society needs to come to the realization that catcalling is actually harassment, not flattery. Both women and men need to work to spread the word and raise awareness. There is a program called ‘Stop Street Harassment’ that helps do just that. If you are catcalled, tweet about it with the mention “@catcalling” and tag it with “#streetharassment.” They will share your story. Taking and encouraging others to take self-defense classes could also help you and them “feel more empowered to safely confront” harassers (stopstreetharassment.com). If enough people work to change this norm, it will make a difference. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable or harassed for simply walking down the street. Annabella Palopoli can be reached at annabella.palopoli@theminaretonline.com Paola Crespo can be reached at paola. crespo@theminaretonline.com
Our Stories
Paola:
In the Bahamas, men often make a “seeking” sound one would associate with calling a dog when a girl passes by. Oftentimes, they accompany this with phrases like, “She right,” or “Aye, sweety. You ain’t wan’ talk to me aywe?” Being Latina, I would often be told things by men trying to speak Spanish with me like, “Ay Mamacita. Mi casa es tu casa. (Hey babe. My house is your house.)” In Puerto Rico, catcallers tend to yell out “compliments” or invitations like, “Ay Mami ven pa’ ‘ca (Hey babe, come here,)” “Ea Mami, tantas curvas y yo sin freno (Dang girl, so many curves and I’m without brakes)” or, a classic one, “Arroz que carne hay (Where’s the rice ‘cause here’s the meat.)”
Annabella:
In the US, the most common forms of catcalling include whistling, honking car horns or exclaiming something like, “Dayyummm girl.” Growing up in the U.S., I started to experience catcalling from the age of 12, and to this day, I can’t walk down the street without hearing honks, whistles or yells from pathetic men. It was even worse when I went to Spain. Being blonde, I was relatively rare and highly coveted. Calls of, “Ay, rubia, ven aquí (Hey blondie, come here)” followed me through the streets. I often had to wear a hat or hoodie to avoid being grabbed.
Revenge Porn: Dumped Boyfriends Leak Exes’ Nude Pictures By DAINA STANLEY Opinion Writer
In this technological age, many people send intimate photos to their partners in the privacy of their relationship. Eight percent of middle school and high school students admitted to sending or posting nude or semi nude photos of themselves (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). When naked photos are posted on the Internet it might seem that the person posted it themselves to get attention. The truth is that this is not always the case. The topic of revenge porn was discussed in a recent story by CNN. Revenge porn is when a nude photo or video is publicly shared online for the purpose of spiteful humiliation. By no means are guys excluded from this victimization, but an overwhelming majority of the revenge porn pictures posted are those of girls by their exboyfriends. Somehow, this doesn’t seem to be a big enough issue that society believes should be punishable by law. According to CNN, only a few states have made revenge porn illegal. New Jersey has a law that deems revenge porn illegal and punishable by law, and California is presently taking steps to pass a law that would make revenge porn illegal. Furthermore, Sen. Anthony Cannella of the California State Senate proposed a law that would protect victims of revenge porn. According to a press release by Cyber Civil Rights Initiative Inc, the bill would enact punishment to “any person who photographs or records by any means the image of another, identifiable person with his or her consent who is in a state of full or partial undress in any area in which the person being photographed or recorded has a reasonable expectation
of privacy, and subsequently distributes the image taken, with the intent to cause serious emotional distress, and the other person suffers serious emotional distress.” These are the types of laws that need to be passed nationwide in order to begin protecting females from this kind of abuse. The fact that there are so many sites that promote revenge porn is ridiculous. To think that someone is making money off the exploitation of women against their consent is appalling. Even sicker is that someone can be so full of spite and anger that they might be pleased by the pain that their victim feels. I don’t know how the people who play either of these roles sleep at night. There should be consequences for this cyberharassment. The emotional trauma that a victim goes through has to be exceptional. A victim’s reality could be flipped upside down after such a horrifying event has transpired. The impact of the distribution of an individual’s nude or semi-nude photos can be devastating. Being a victim of revenge porn comes with the consequence that any leaked photos exist in cyberspace forever. In addition, some of the sites allow you to publish the victim’s real name, address and phone number. This could lead to stalking and in-person harassment. Not to mention their reputation could be damaged, and that is something that is hard to restore. Oh, and of course we can’t forget the fact that any Internet surfer has access to see the intimate parts of someone’s body. Katie Couric hosted a guest on her show who was familiar with this ruthless trend. Holly Jacobs, a victim of revenge porn, called it “cyber-rape.” To me, this is an appropriate term to use for this type of act. It is basically
demoralizing females through the use of the Internet. Jacobs became a victim when her ex changed her Facebook profile photo to a nude photo Jacobs had sent him. You can only imagine how horrified she was. She has now found a way to fight back through creating a website: endrevengeporn. com. Here, she asks victims and supporters to sign a petition that would help change laws on the topic. The new spread of revenge porn, coupled with the fact that many people do not even flinch when women are disrespected in a plethora of other
ways, is an issue. As a culture, it is imperative that we begin to stand up for women and ensure that they are protected from any form of violation, whether it be trespassing boundaries through mental, physical, verbal or technological methods. Now that we are aware of the issue and its pervasiveness, we must pay attention to it. If the American people work to pass laws, victims of revenge porn will have security in knowing that the government will protect them. Daina Stanley can be reached at daina.stanley@spartans.ut.edu
Casey Budd/The Minaret
An overwhelming majority of the revenge porn pictures posted are those of girls by their ex-boyfriends.
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
OPINION
15
HIV Vaccine Success in Monkeys, Victory Clouded by Unethical Animal Testing By AVERY TWIBLE Opinion Columnist
Could a cure for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) be just around the corner? It looks promising, since scientists have created a vaccine for monkeys that removed and fought off an HIV-like virus from the bloodstream of affected animals, according to CBS news. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States today. These advancements could provide hope for a cure, but, sadly, at the cost of the monkeys the vaccine was tested on. HIV is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and is a virus that the body cannot get rid of, says the CDC. T cells are specific cells of the immune system that fight off infections and diseases, and they are the cells that HIV specifically targets. If enough T cells are destroyed by the virus, the body can no longer fight off illnesses because the immune system fails. According to the CDC, it is possible that HIV arose when humans hunted and came in contact with the blood of chimpanzees in Africa. These chimpanzees are thought to have had simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) which mutated into HIV in the human body. “Studies show that HIV may have jumped from apes to humans as far back as the late 1800s,” the CDC says, and is known to have been in the United States since at least the mid-1970s. In the past, there have been only a handful of known cases of HIV being cured, and they all occurred in bizarre
circumstances. Louis Picker, one of the study researchers at Oregon Health and Science University, said, “To date, HIV infection has only been cured in a very small number of highly-publicized but unusual clinical cases in which HIVinfected individuals were treated with antiviral medicines very early after the onset of infection or received a stem cell transplant to combat cancer,” according to The San Francisco Chronicle. In the latter case, the stem cells were obtained from someone who is of the one percent of Caucasians that are immune to HIV, according to CBS News, and the transplant was originally used to fight the patient’s Leukemia. “This latest research suggests that certain immune responses elicited by a new vaccine may also have the ability to completely remove HIV from the body,” Picker said. In the study, scientists inoculated 16 rhesus macaque monkeys with a vaccine and then they were infected with SIVmac239. This is a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) which is 100 times more deadly than HIV, and of which individuals will likely die within two years, according to CBS News. The vaccine called the cytomegalovirus (CMV) given to the monkeys was modified by researchers to hopefully target the strain of SIV, instead of what it would normally do which is spread throughout the body in general. In nine out of 16 monkeys, the immune system fought off infection and destroyed the virus as reported by CBS News. The monkeys that had a successful reaction to CMV remain clear of SIV currently up to three years after the injection.
According to The Independent, Picker told BBC, “It’s always tough to claim eradication - there could always be a cell which we didn’t analyze that has the virus in it. But for the most part, with very stringent criteria... there was no virus left in the body of these monkeys.” Because of this success, what was previously thought to be a permanent disease could now have the hope of finding a cure. The animal lover and the scientist within me are having an ethical tug of war with this study, and it’s hard to know which side is winning. I support the efforts to find a cure for HIV that affects millions of people around the world, but it’s difficult for me to support animal testing of any kind. In some labs, it can be said that primates and other animals are treated similarly to how prisoners were treated in concentration camps in World War II. PETA shows on their website that in a typical animal research lab primates are often kept in cold metal cages, have no interaction with other organisms, go through pharmaceutical tests, invasive brain experiments and vaccine tests. This experiment clearly used vaccine tests on the animals, but the other conditions of the lab are unknown. However, I do understand the need for a living subject. Because of the everchanging matter of SIV, this experiment would be difficult if not impossible to do in a lab without a live individual. The vaccine can be created in a lab, but to see it in action it is necessary to put it in a living being to observe the reaction in real-time. It is said that
sometimes the ends justify the means, but to decide if that is true in a situation like this is nearly impossible for me. Is the possibility of curing millions of people of this disease worth the treatment that these animals are subjected to? I think every life, whether it is human or animal, is important. But to declare that hundreds of millions of HIV infected human lives being improved by the unwilling sacrifice of a few dozen animals is a great payoff is still not easy for me to do. Since this study can provide substantial support for creating a future vaccine of HIV in humans, I can lean towards the supporting side, but would I have felt this way if the study provided no substantial results? I would then lean more in favor of the animals, but I can also understand that that is what research is; you cannot predict the outcome or else there would be no point in testing it. The researchers are now going to use these results to work towards creating an HIV vaccine, and Picker says they could possibly begin human trials within two years if they get approved, according to The Independent. I believe I can simultaneously be grateful for the results of the study and not be completely all right with the study itself. Since this is all for the betterment of human life I think humans should be the subjects and not innocent animals, but in the world we live in today that is not likely to happen when the consequences could be less than ideal. Regardless, this experiment provided great insight for the human race in its endeavors to eradicate HIV. Avery Twible can be reached at avery. twible@spartans.ut.edu
JK Rowling Revisits Wizarding World in New Film Series By JAKE KONISZEWSKI Opinion Columnist
When the end credits of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II started rolling, I and dozens of other Harry Potter fans got out of our seats and headed for the exit. Some patrons were recalling their favorite parts of the film while others held each other and wiped away tears. I remained silent, but with a smile on my face. I knew the end was coming. After eight movies filled with magic, peril and friendship, it was over. That is, until now. On Sept. 12, 2013, it was announced that the world of Harry Potter would return to the big screen, this time with the adaption of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a story based on a textbook used at Hogwarts, a wizarding school in the world of Harry Potter. According to Deadline Hollywood, “This is the first planned series of films and will feature magical creatures and characters from the Potter mythology including the textbook’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander.” Harry Potter fans should be hyped for this. I know I am. The Harry Potter films have always been created with a good level of quality and a powerful level of immersion. I have no doubt that this movie can succeed not only with audiences, but at the box office, so long as the filmmakers and writers continue the same standard of quality used in the previous films. Speaking of writers, if any Harry Potter fans are skeptical, it may help to know that J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books, is onboard to pen the script. Rowling said in a BBC News article, “I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it.” Not only will Rowling’s presence allow the script to shine, but it will also be one more thing to draw people to see the movie. However, this does highlight a disturbing and continuing trend in Hollywood. Film
studios are choosing to back more sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots and spin-offs more often than original movies, or at least it feels that way. I cannot blame Hollywood for their love of sequels. So far this year, according to Box Office Mojo, the highest grossing movie is Iron Man 3, with a domestic total of over $409 million. The next seven down the highest-grossing line are sequels, prequels and adaptations of already existing properties. Catching Fire and The Desolation of Smaug have yet to be released this year, but I am predicting they will also make many millions at the box office. Still, as much as I love Harry Potter and even think sequels are usually a safe route, I would love to see more original movies being made, especially of the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Then again, if this year is any indication, the future of sci-fi and fantasy movies are in trouble. According to Box Office Mojo, of the original sci-fi movies that came out this summer, only Pacific Rim managed to make more than $100 million at the domestic box office, and only barely. Another issue sci-fi and fantasy movies must overcome is their budget. Sci-fi and fantasy usually rely on plenty of CGI and special effects, which are not cheap. Elysium had a production budget of $115 million, which is the smallest production budget of the original sci-fi movies that came out this summer. Young adult book adaptations are also not doing well this year. According to Box Office Mojo, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, The Host (the film adaption of a novel written by Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series), and Beautiful Creatures made a domestic total of about $28 million, $26 million and $19 million respectively (although City of Bones is still in theaters). Those are movies with a production budget of $60 million, $40 million and $60 million respectively. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is doing slightly better, possibly due to the fact that this is
the second book/movie in the series, but so far it has only made a domestic total of $60 million on a $90 production budget. It is far from a Harry Potter-level of success. While foreign markets add to those totals, it does not look good for future young adult book adaptations, especially ones of the fantasy genre. Does this mean original sci-fi and fantasy movies are dead and that after The Hunger Games film series wrap up, young adult book adaptations are doomed? I doubt it. A
lot of factors go into the success of a movie, such as the writing, directors, actors, budget, societal and cultural opinions of the time and luck. Filmmakers just need to keep trying and not be afraid to take a gamble, though it is easy for me to say, considering I will not be the one losing money if the movie fails. Until then, filmgoers will have to find comfort in Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them, which should not be too hard to do. Jake Koniszewski can be reached at jake.koniszewski@spartans.ut.edu
16 SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
Sports
UT Adds New Strength & Conditioning Coach By GRIFFIN GUINTA Asst. Sports Editor
method so that pre-existing conditions are not extenuated during real game situations. Because of the brittle nature of the human body, muscles must constantly be trained and exercised to avoid pulling or tearing of vital areas. “That’s the enigma of this job. Nothing can be absolutely solved by my position. My job is to get athlete bodies physically ready to prevent injuries from happening in the first place,” Thiel
said. Unfortunately, a large number of college athletes come in with preexisting injuries or conditions that have hampered them throughout high school, according to Thiel. “A lot of these kids come in with physical [ailments].Women’s soccer players often come in with ACL injuries,” he said. “Half of our baseball pitchers have already had UCL or Tommy John
Up to this point, the University of Tampa Athletic Department was devoid of a full-time strength and conditioning coach. Due to the growing need for a physical specialist, the Athletic Department decided to take precautionary measures and bring in Justin Thiel, a veteran trainer formerly with West Point (U.S. Military Academy) to head up a new Strength & Conditioning program for athletes at UT. Thiel, a native of Princeton, Minn., has a bevy of experience in the field of exercise science, including stints as a coaching assistant with USF and as a strength and conditioning coach at the Toronto Blue Jays spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla. Thiel says that the new position is “absolutely mandatory.” He believes it is crucial to the success and performance of teams on campus to keep up with their opponents. “By not having a full time strength coach we’re behind the eight ball with our competitors,” Thiel said. The intent of a strength and conditioning program is not to be a panacea for all wounds and voxcfx/Flickr It is imperitive for athletes to keep their bodies in peak shape to prevent reoccuring injuries. afflictions, but rather a prevention
surgeries.” Statistics certainly fortify Thiel’s assessments. According to the NCAA, “The overall injury rate in NCAA women’s soccer is 7.3 per 1,000 athlete exposures (games and practices combined).” “Ligament sprains of the lateral ankle (12.8 percent), concussions (9.2 percent), quadriceps (thigh) muscle strains (7.0 percent) and hamstring muscle strains (4.8 percent) are the most common specific types of injury in women’s soccer.” To combat these figures, Thiel aims to simulate the same range of motions that are used in games while athletes train in the weight room. Each team has slightly different modifications on training regiments due to the way their sport is played. “For instance, baseball requires intense training of the frontal plane, whereas jumping sports (such as basketball) incorporate more plyometrics or squatting” Thiel said. Young college athletes looking to preserve their bodies for the rest of their lives will be stronger and better equipped against potential injuries now that UT has a resident Strength & Conditioning Department. Griffin Guinta can be reached at griffin.guinta@theminaretonline.com
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
17
Soccer Teams Start Season Strong Women’s soccer captures 200th victory in second game By GRANT PAWLAK Sports Writer
The UT Spartans opened the season with a shutout of 2-0 against the Warner University Royals on Sept. 5. Though the game was delayed by 50 minutes due to lightning, the Spartans had already pulled ahead with 1-0 lead in the first half of the game. The Spartans kept pressures high as they continued to attack at the royals goal, registering 20 shots in the first half alone while the Royals couldn’t even manage a shot on goal. The final goal was registered by freshman Emily Jones, who received an assist from Senior Cina Salemi. With the offense and defense playing so aggressively, goalie Kori Butterfield went the entirety of the game without seeing so much as a single attempt on a goal. Their second game took place on Sept. 7 and saw the Spartans come out with a crushing shut-out of 10-0 against the Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes, their 200th victory in the history of the program. “Everyone who has ever been a part of this program can share in the achievement and feel proud of how the program has grown since its inception in 1998,” Head Coach Gerry Lucey said. The first goal was scored just ten minutes into the game by Gabby Ruso, making it her second of the season. Shannon Walisch was able to get off yet another goal at around the 22nd minute mark, bringing the score to 3-0 by halftime. The second half proved to be much more exhilarating as the Spartan offense exploded with seven goals to finish off the game. The Casey Budd/The Minaret Spartans were also able to break the school record of LEFT: A member of the women’s team prepares to strike. RIGHT: The 48 shots in a single game, completely crushing it with Lady Spartans participate in one-on-one drills during practice. a whopping 98 total shots taken.
The third game had the Spartans beat their recent shutout record with a crushing victory of 11-0 against Florida Memorial just a day after their victory over Georgia Southern. The streaking Spartans went on to bag another victory against the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears with a score of 2-0 in the first Columbus State Tournament of the season. While the Spartans have been dominating the field it will only get harder for them to maintain their winning streak throughout the year. Ranking at no. 8 in the nation and coming off of a 15 win season last year, the Spartans have a lot to live up to in the season to come. But if the last few games are any indication as to what we can expect their performance to be like, fans won’t be disappointed. Grant Pawlak can be reached at grant.pawlak@ spartans.ut.edu
Men’s soccer ready for new challenges this season By MICHELLE SPEAKER Sports Writer
The 20th ranked University of Tampa men’s soccer team has started off the season with a bang. While starting off the 2013 fall season with an undefeated record, UT’s men’s soccer team is looking forward to have more consistency with game play and improve throughout the season to make it to the national championships, a team goal. “We’re the kind of team that should play a high tempo for the whole game, but at certain times we drop off,” said junior Tyler Blackwood, “if we play a bad team, we play at a bad tempo.” The first two games were away against Clayton State and Coker in Morrow, Georgia. “The first games of the season are hard to start with road games,” said Blackwood, knowing there are only seven home games throughout the season. The Clayton State game was a tie ending 2-2 with two overtimes and the second game against Coker was a 4-0 shutout. After the first game of the season against Clayton State, the men’s soccer team believes they could have won or lost the match, but a tie overall was ideal. “I think Clayton State stole a win from us really,” said junior Andrew Clare, “in the second game it was frustrating, their game plan was really
hard to break down.” Coach Adrian Bush was not pleased with their first home game. “I was disappointed in the performance tonight,” said Bush, “pleased with the result, but disappointed in the quality of play.” Bush thinks that discipline is the biggest area for improvement. Discipline wise, the speed of play and tempo could be a lot faster. According to Bush, the team has given up some pretty poor fouls that lead to cards and other opportunities for teams to score. “It’s not many times you can win 40 and not be happy with how your team played, but I think we’re a much better team in possession. I think we have to play a lot smarter. But with that being said we are 2-0-1, ranked number 20 in the country and we have got a lot of very, very tough games ahead of us.” Coach Bush is not looking down the road to other games, but has the team focus on the next game at hand. The players only have the thoughts about what they want to achieve out of the next game that they put all of their effort into. The team this fall has plenty of fresh faces that the other players are going to help get acquainted to play at the college level. “We have about twenty plus freshman coming in and a lot of new players, so I think the team cohesion, seeing how that plays out and getting to know the new boys. I think we’re already gelling as a team as you can tell
by our results,” said Blackwood. Even though the team is doing exceptionally well statistically, the team still has goals they would like to accomplish this season. “The goal is to go undefeated, we are taking it one game at a time,” said junior Alex Knaggs, “while our next game at Barry is going to be a tough game, hopefully we can keep our streak undefeated.” The men’s soccer team next home game is Saturday, September 21st against Nova Southeastern. Michelle Speaker can be reached at michelle.speaker@spartans.ut.edu
Photos courtesy of Tom Kolbe
The men’s soccer team opened the season with a masterful 4-0 victory over Florida Memorial. The Spartans begin SSC play against the Barry University Buccaneers on Sept. 18 in Miami, Fla.
18 SEPTEMBER 19 2013 | THE MINARET
SPORTS
Pro Sports
Local Sports Bars Cater to Every Type of Fan By JOSIAH KACHELMEYER Sports Writer
UT students are finally settling in after the usual craziness of the first couple weeks of the semester, and many of them finally have some time to kick back and watch their hometown team.Unfortunately the many out-of-state students at UT are without a way of watching their favorite teams from the comfort of their dorms. Fear not, for the Tampa Bay area is home to a number of great sports bars which allow those whose allegiances don’t lie with the Bucs, Rays or Lightning to feel right at home while watching the games. Here’s a look at the best the bay area has to offer:
Trade Winds/Flickr
Fans come together at “Beef ‘O’ Brady’s”, a family friendly sports franchise in Tampa Bay.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s
Tampa You really can’t go wrong with a place Trade Winds/Flickr whose trademark is, “Good Food, Good Sports.” Beef ‘O’ Brady’s features a great pub- Beef ‘O’ Brady’s restaurant is one of the most popular spots in the Tampa Bay area for sports fans to watch football games on Sundays. style menu with all sorts of delicious things memorabilia, this historic three-story brick Walter’s Press Box Sports Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill to chow on to help deal with the anxiety of watching your favorite team in a tight game. sports bar is especially hopping during hockey Emporium and Eatery St. Petersburg With an always expanding menu including season due to its proximity to the Tampa Bay Tampa If you or a friend have access to a car and everything from Hand-Breaded Pickle Chips Times Forum. However, it is also a great For more than 20 years, The Press Box are able to get over the causeway to St. Pete, be to Dublin-style roast beef, Beef’s will make place to catch football games and the final has been a popular destination for Tampa sure to stop by Ferg’s. Located right across from sure you don’t go home hungry. In addition to push of the MLB season. Bay sports fans. Focused on football, this Tropicana Field, this place is always packed O’Brien’s Irish Pub having all of the sports packages on its many place features 23 total TVs, including during Rays season, and, as we are approaching Brandon HDTVs, this particular store location is an five big screens. This is a great place the final playoff push for the Rays and the rest Sticking with theme of pubs, O’Brien’s for college students running a little low of MLB, you can bet there will be just as much official backers club for fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide, so if you go here on Saturdays is another Tampa Bay gem for sports bars. on funds. It boasts extremely affordable excitement in this building as there is across the don’t be shocked if you hear “Roll Tide!” before Although there is also a location on N. Dale but still tasty food with all the favorites street in “The Trop” itself. If baseball isn’t your Mabry Highway in Tampa, the Brandon including wings, Cuban sandwiches and thing, the large amount of TVs with any sporting you even enter the door. location is larger and is always hopping on more. Another perk of The Press Box event you could imagine will surely keep you Hattricks Saturdays and Sundays during football season. is the chance you might run into local entertained. As far as food, Ferg’s features the Tampa If you’re an Ohio State, Pittsburgh Steelers or Tampa Bay sports figures themselves usual bar food but gets rave reviews for its take Just a short walk across the Hillsborough Buffalo Bills fan, O’Brien’s is the place for you because this place is known for attracting on the Philly cheesesteak. River from UT, Hattricks, like Beef ‘O’ as they serve as an official backers location for the area’s local athletes like Buccaneers Josiah Kachelmeyer can be reached at Brady’s, offers a delicious variety of pub fans of all of those teams. and Rays players. josiah.kachelmeyer@spartans.ut.edu food. Featuring walls covered in sports
From Behind the Sports Desk
Another Week, Another Letdown by Tampa Bay Bucs
By JORDAN LLANES Sports Editor
Another week, another round of thoughts in an always busy sports world. Lebron got married, Floyd Mayweather gets to run his mouth a little more and the UT Men’s Soccer Team has started the season off on a high note with a No. 20 ranking and a 2-0-1 start. Let’s get to it. For the second straight week, the Bucs lost a heartbreaker, this time to a New Orleans Saints squad that they had pretty much outplayed in almost every way. The Saints escaped with a 16-14 win due to a Garrett Hartley field goal as time expired. Even though Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman continued his rocky start with an abysmal 9-for-25 effort against an improved Saints defense, they were in a position to win the game due in large part to the defense, which had shut down star Saints quarterback Drew Brees with numerous sacks and two interceptions. However, a missed field goal by Tampa Bay kicker Rian Lindell with just over a minute left gave Brees great field position to lead the Saints to another victory. Penalties killed the Bucs for the second straight week, as an illegal formation call on offensive tackle Demar Dotson negated a long touchdown pass from Freeman to wide receiver Vincent Jackson that would have put the Bucs up by eight, instead of one heading into the final minutes. Now they have an even tougher challenge next week against the Patriots in Foxborough. Those kind of mistakes will almost certainly doom the Bucs to an 0-3 start against a ticked off
Keith Allison/Flickr
Josh Freeman had yet another rough outing this week, going nine of 25 for 125 yards.
Tom Brady. Like stated above, Floyd Mayweather gets to keep running his big mouth in addition to hanging out with celebrities such as Lil Wayne and Justin Bieber. Mayweather defended his title belt and undefeated record in dominant fashion against Canelo Alvarez Saturday night. According to one of our staffers, Connor Anthony, it just seemed like Alvarez couldn’t land a punch on the 36-year-old champ. No wonder he couldn’t win a round. Even Johnny Manziel can’t beat Alabama two times in a row. The top ranked Crimson Tide outlasted the reigning Heisman winner
and Texas A&M 49-42 in a game where the scoring didn’t stop until the final seconds of the fourth quarter. It was certainly the game of the year thus far, as Manziel and Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron kept trading blows in the second half. Yet, even after throwing for a school record 464 yards, 279 of them to wideout Mike Evans, Johnny Football’s two interceptions proved to be too costly to the Aggies, as McCarron threw for 334 yards and four scores of his own as opposed to no turnovers and orchestrated a potent Alabama attack to perfection. I don’t know about you, but I would be
down for a rematch in the national title game next January in Pasadena. Chris Davis’ breakout season just keeps rolling along, as the Orioles’ slugger hit his 50th home run of the season on Saturday in a win over Toronto, and he will probably hit a couple more before everyone reads this column on Thursday. Davis’ monster season is one of the biggest reasons why Baltimore is still in the playoff hunt. Here’s to hoping that we have yet another clean slugger on our hands in the mold of Miguel Cabrera. One week after we saw last season’s breakout quarterbacks dominate headlines, the NFL’s more traditional stars at the position stole the show. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Denver’s Peyton Manning put on passing clinics in wins over the Redskins and Giants respectively, and it looks like they are on track for great years once again. Rodgers threw for a career high 480 passing yards, including 335 yards in the first half, against Washington. Another MVP season is a definite possibility, as Rodgers is in midseason form. However, Manning is looking to add yet another MVP trophy to his current record of four, as he followed Week One’s seven touchdown outburst against Baltimore with a steady 307 yard and two touchdown performance against brother Eli and the Giants. This is why I’m glad I cover sports. There are so many stories that happen all the time. Tokyo won the bid for 2020 Summer Olympics and the Rays can’t buy a win to save their lives. Looking forward to the next week in sports already. Jordan Llanes can be reached at jordan. llanes@theminaretonline.com
SPORTS
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 19 2013
19
abbernaffey/Flickr
Seeing enraged fans like this one at sporting events is a common sight. Many spectators lose control and become belligerent when their beloved team makes a mistake on the field.
Sports Rage: Some Fans Out of Control During Games By GREG PRAVER Sports Writer
When sports fans clash, it’s not always an easy sight, especially if you’re on the losing side. That much was evident after the Vancouver Canucks lost the Stanley Cup in 2011 to the Boston Bruins. Following the game, which was played in Vancouver, cars were overturned, fires were started and fights bled into the streets. Sadly, this is a common occurrence at sporting events. For instance, At Candlestick Park in 2011 during a preseason showdown between the Oakland Raiders and crosstown rivals the San Francisco 49ers, violence was extreme. A man was beaten and left unconscious in the restroom, a huge fistfight erupted in the stands between opposing fans and two men were shot postgame in the parking lot. On Opening Day of the 2011 MLB season during a San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers game, another brutal incident occurred. Dedicated Giants fan Bryan Stow was pushed into the concrete and knocked unconscious by two Dodger fans while walking to his car after the game. When the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL Conference championship in January 2013, a fan was stabbed in the throat after a brawl. The cause of the fight remains
unknown, but similar altercations are happening more frequently. Trash talking is a major reason that these types of fights are occurring. People take it personally when their team’s play is criticized, and some are unable to control their anger. Some argue it is the responsibility of fans to ensure their own personal safety. What is responsible for this growing trend in violence at sporting events? There are several contributing factors. 1) Many young fans welcome the camaraderie of a community rooting for the same team and feel more powerful when they do so. 2) The consumption of alcohol causes minor arguments to get out of hand and become belligerent, and 3) Fans wearing team colors strongly identify with their allegiances, giving rise to a gang-like mentality where they view the opposition as intruders. Some grow overly protective and threatened, so they fight. Aware of these threats, visiting fans set themselves up for trouble by wearing their team’s colors. They feel it is their right to wear whatever they want in support of their team. Emily Warner, a former columnist and sports editor at Vidette, the Illinois State University newspaper, feels that visiting fans should be allowed to be “decked out”
in team clothes and colors, because they travel and expend money just to see their favorite team play. “There is no need to be shy,” she said. Visiting fans argue thatstadiums should be made more secure. Increased security presence in the stadiums, patrolling of parking lots before and after the game and stadium designated sections for away-team fans to sit may increase the safety for all. Around the anniversary of the Bryan Stow incident, security was beefed up when the Dodgers hosted the Pittsburgh Pirates in their home opening game. Undercover LA police officers sat in random seats throughout the stadium wearing Pirates jerseys. “The Dodgers are making increased security a visible priority.” said Brian Shields of KRON 4 news, a San Francisco based television network. Some feel there is nothing to fear when adequate security is present. One can still be a true fan by dressing neutrally. The likelihood that someone would try to start a fight with somebody in plain clothes is significantly lower. Perhaps if Bryan Stow were not wearing a Giants jersey the hostile Dodgers fans would have walked on by. The consumption of alcohol presents another safety debate. There are many who feel that drunken fans tend to become more rowdy, insulting, argumentative and ag-
gressive and effectively change the scene of a sporting event for sober attendees. Is it safe for stadiums to serve alcohol? Tom Kolbe, the Sports Information Director at the University of Tampa, believes that alcohol consumption creates more violence because it causes fans to make bad decisions. Kolbe also feels the lack of security at stadiums is to blame for wholesome environments being turned into dangerous ones. He claims that eliminating alcohol sales at sporting events is unrealistic because that will eliminate a large portion of the enormous profit that stadiums make. He asserts that rather than banning alcohol altogether, “stopping the sale of alcohol at a certain point in a game and using signage to encourage alternative transportation” could be a solution. Is public safety more important than demonstrating team support and enabling fans to wear and drink how they wish? Should anything that threatens personal safety be avoided? Must stadiums do more to provide a safe viewing environment for spectators? The increase in violence at stadiums suggests that if safety is a concern, changes must be made. Greg Praver can be reached at gregory.praver@spartans.ut.edu
Tokyo Lands 2020 Olympics, First Bid Since 1968 By KEVIN BARASIA Sports Writer
It was just a matter of time for Tokyo, Japan to become part of the world’s biggest stage, yet again. After 56 long, excruciating years of waiting for another crack at it, the capital city of Japan will finally be able to play host at the Summer Olympic Games seven years from now. (The Japanese were a part of holding the 1998 Winter Games at Nagano.) As Madrid and Istanbul agonize in defeat, the Southeast Asian city will bring only but positive contributions toward its nearly crumbling economy. It may have taken some steps backward to try and help mold this epic run for Japan, according to Economist.com. Its 2016 bid to hold the games went under because of the lack of expressed interest by its locals, and also the fact that there had been a tsunami and earthquake which damaged the northeast coast in 2011. According to NewYorker.com, after two previous consecutive bid failures, the main two reasons for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to vote them over locations of Spain and Turkey was due to in part to the
Prime Minister of Japan making a very rare appearance outside of his native land. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Shinzo Abe flew to the IOC’s meetings in Buenos Aires, Argentina to make a strong pitch for why his nation should be the host for the Olympic Games. He wanted to personally reassure the voters that there was absolutely zero health risk of radioactive leaks from the Fukushima power plant. He also promised the voters the responsibility of upholding fiscal obligations and to present any and all visitors to his nation with a passionate welcome. “The joy was even greater than when I won my own election,” Abe told reporters after hearing the news that his nation was elected host. Tokyo isn’t the only city facing economic and political difficulties. Madrid and Istanbul are in the same boat with the Japanese capital city and the immense challenges all three cities brought to the table created a very tricky voting scenario for the IOC. After the first round of voting, there was a tie that required a “tie break,” which the Turkish city Istanbul managed to win. In the final round of voting, Japan swiftly won over Istanbul with a tally of 60 votes to 36 votes.
The plan going forward now is to construct many new arenas for the games. In fact, out of the 37 planned venues, 22 will be built from scratch. The centerpiece from the ’64 games will be refurbished and act as the main act for the future games. The Japanese government has created a cost analysis of the entire project that will create uproar if this whole event flakes out. 4.7 billion dollars will be used in order for the construction to take place, while a projected $3 trillion dollars is the goal of pursued, economic stability.
In seven years time, a nation will rise up to the occasion and have a 28-day window to forget about any and all conflicts that are currently arising. There will be an all inclusive, residual effect for love and affection that will spread around the nation of Japan. Because in the end, that’s what the Olympic Games are meant to induce: an international frenzy that captivates people of all race, ethnicity, skin color, religion, size, gender and sexual orientation. Kevin Barasia can be reached at kevin. barasia@spartans.ut.edu
fakelvis/Flickr
The city of Tokyo will have quite a bit of work to do before it is ready to host the olympics.
MINARET
Soccer Recap [17]
UT’S SOURCE SINCE 1933
SPORTS
Sports Bars [18]
Floyd Mayweather: The Greatest Boxer of this Generation?
Bryan Horowitz/Flickr
LEFT: Floyd Meather Jr. speaks with the press before a highly anticipated match against Tito Ortiz in 2011. RIGHT: Floyd Mayweather is one of the highest paid athletes to box professionally.
By CONNOR ANTHONY Sports Writer
To say Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a great boxer is a huge understatement. He is the best fighter of our generation and could arguably go down as the greatest boxer of all time. Saturday night’s fight against Canelo Alvarez wasn’t as much of a boxing match as a lesson taught by Mayweather Jr. on how to fight. The fight, which went 12 rounds, featured two undefeated boxers: Mayweather (44-0) and Alvarez (420-1). Before the fight started, many critics easily predicted Mayweather, noting that Alvarez hasn’t had many fights with as stiff competition as he faced Saturday. Alvarez was overmatched from the very first round, and by the fourth round, Alvarez was done. Alvarez
only landed 22% of the punches he threw while Mayweather landed 46%, including 115 more punches than Alvarez. The fight was a letdown in the sense of how it played out. Mayweather won all 12 rounds, and it was surprising that Alvarez was able to stay on his feet the entire match. At the age of 23, Alvarez is still extremely young and has the potential to be one of the best fighters in the world. Fighting against a legend like Mayweather is no easy task, and all of Alvarez’s flaws were shown. The biggest problem was simply that Alvarez could not land a punch. Mayweather and his elusiveness had no problem counterattacking and putting the fight away in the earlier rounds. Mayweather isn’t known for being a big puncher, and nothing changed during this fight. However, he was
PICK‘EM Writers Predict Weekly Matchups
SCORE CHECK Trending and Sliding Teams in the Sports World
able to be consistent and continuously get good shots in on Alvarez. All of these added up throughout the course of the fight, leading to his nearly unanimous decision. Two of the three judges elected Mayweather as the winner victor, with scores of 116-112 and 117111 respectively. The third judge, C.J Ross saw that even though Mayweather basically won every round, that the fight was a tie, scoring it 114 a piece. Coincidentally, this same judge scored a win for Timothy Bradley Jr. in his infamous “upset” against Manny Pacquiao in June 2012. Something like this definitely raises the question about the legitimacy of boxing, and if fights are being fixed. Mayweather has stated that he plans to fight again in May and in September 2014. The opponent is unknown as of now, but junior
vs. Jordan Kevin Marcus Phil Michelle Josiah Connor
welterweight champion Danny Garcia has been one possibility. Garcia who is also undefeated (boasting a 27-0 record) would definitely be a more noticeable opponent for Mayweather to fight. Anytime you have a match with two undefeated fighters going, it’s going to be a headlining event. This fight was the second fight of a six-fight contract (to take place over 30 months) that Mayweather signed at the beginning of the year with Showtime. Now that Mayweather is 36, and will be 38 when the contract is up, two questions are raised: How many more years will we get to sit in amazement at Mayweather’s fighting, as well as the question everyone wants to know: When will we get to see the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight? Connor Anthony can be reached at connor.anthony@spartans.ut.edu
vs. Nathan Griff Jack
For the second straight week, the Bucs offense couldn’t deliver a score when it counted. They now sit at 0-2. -Jordan
Connor Greg Nathan Marcus Phil Kevin Griff Josiah
vs. Jordan Jack Michelle
Texas A&M put up a good fight, but they were no match for A.J. McCarron and Alabama’s dominant offensive unit. Better luck next time, Mr. Manziel. -Connor
Jordan Nathan Marcus
Josiah Phil Kevin Michelle Jack Griff Connor
Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks are the kings of the NFC West after a commanding win over the San Francisco 49ers. -Griff