MINARET UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1933
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Volume 78 Number 7
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October 13, 2011
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A Question of Confidence
Professor explains proposed vote of no confidence against UT’s provost Amid the growing conflict between faculty and administrators at the University of Tampa, one extreme individual incident occurred last semester when a criminology professor proposed a motion of no confidence against the UT provost. At a late January Faculty Senate meeting, Sean Maddan, an associate professor of criminology, introduced a motion for a vote of no confidence against provost Janet McNew. As provost, McNew is second-in-command in the university’s administrative hierarchy, overseeing the school’s four colleges and various other academic programs. A no-confidence vote is a symbolic measure of discontent, implying that an elected body has lost faith in a ruling official. Maddan’s no-confidence motion cited what he perceived as 17 “serious violations,” including McNew’s decision to place “an armed guard” at an investigatory department meeting, utilizing attorneys in situations not sanctioned by the faculty handbook, making “derogatory statements” about faculty, “actively creating a hostile work environment to dispose of qualified
See TOP STORY, Page 4
Provost Janet McNew
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Asst. Opinion Editor and Opinion Editor
faculty” and “fostering an atmosphere among the faculty and staff of hostility, low morale and distrust.” During the January 2011 Faculty Senate meeting, the senators, in a 16-12 vote, decided not to discuss Maddan’s proposed motion of no confidence. However, because the disapproval did not obtain a two-thirds majority, Maddan was eligible to re-introduce his motion at a later date. While McNew said she could not discuss personnel matters, she said, “I had nothing to do with [the vote of no confidence]. I knew that there was one there, and also knew that it was withdrawn. That’s really what I know about that.” Maddan initiated the motion of no confidence after authoring a “processviolation grievance against the provost.” In the grievance, he laid out one specific situation that motivated the motion. Early in the grievance, Maddan recounted an instance in which McNew installed an armed guard outside a room in a campus building during a mandatory meeting regarding “an alleged incident of harassment” within the criminology department.
Professor Sean Maddan
“I can’t let another faculty member have to go through this crap. I can’t let another faculty member come into a closed meeting with an armed guard at the door.” - Sean Maddan, criminology professor
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By MIKEY ANGELO RUMORE AND RICHARD SOLOMON
Demonstrators Occupy Streets of Tampa, Protest Inequality By CHANNING HAILEY Asst. News Editor
A group of demonstrators referring to themselves as “The 99 Percent” spent Thursday, Oct. 6 to Sunday, Oct. 9 in and around Downtown Tampa protesting the lack of accountability the government provides
and demanding more economic equality. Known as Occupy Tampa, the Tampa Bay General Assembly was inspired by Occupy Wall Street and was facilitated in Tampa by 25-year-old Jay Fortner. A release from the Media Team of Occupy Tampa said more than 2,000
Channing Hailey/ The Minaret
Protestors gathered in downtown Tampa in the name of the 99 Percent of Americans displeased that the wealthiest one percent are gaining from the labor of the middle class.
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people were in attendance over the course of the demonstration’s 12-hour “Stop the Machine!” event in Lykes Gaslight Park on Thursday, Oct. 6. John Vitali, who described himself as an “average working-man American,” explained why he had come to the demonstration saying, “We’re the 99 Percent that’s fed up with the one percent getting wealthy off the worker’s backs. The current economic system is not working.” Officers of the Tampa Police Department circled the park in case the movement got out of hand, but no violence arose. Occupy Tampa’s Oct. 7 release explained, “The TBGA [Tampa Bay General Assembly] expresses its solidarity with law enforcers who are also part of the 99%. The group feels that the laws are unjust, but for now, it is important to show cooperation.” After a lengthy rally Thursday afternoon, protesters lined in formation and began their march around the financial district, the momentum of which was inconvenienced by the numerous stoplights in the downtown area. The organizers had planned to spend Thursday night in the park. When
7 Red Bull Flugtag Flies Through the Convention Center 11 Steve Jobs’ Certainty of Innovation
they were told by TPD that activists remaining in the park overnight would be arrested, demonstrators carefully weighed their options. One woman, who chose to go by M.A.P.H. said that she would be calling her husband to discuss whether she’d spend the night. She had come that day voice the need she sees for “peaceful, radical change.” By the end of Thursday, Occupy Tampa organizers collectively decided that risking arrest would not advance The 99 Percent’s peaceful agenda. On Friday, about 300 protesters gathered and continued their march around the city center, making their way down Kennedy and lingering on the sidewalks in front of the University of Tampa campus. By Saturday, the number of demonstrators had noticeably diminished, and even fewer turned out Sunday because of the rain. Fortner and the organizers of Occupy Tampa are regrouping and focusing their efforts on the rally that has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15 in Lykes Gaslight Park. Channing Hailey can be reached at channinghl1@gmail.com.
12 Saudi Women Win Right to Stand Election and Vote
News..................................2
17 New Assistants Bring Youth, Experience to Lacrosse Staff
Opinion............................12
Diversions.........................6 A+E....................................7 Sports..............................17
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MINARET
2 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Trobiano
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Miles Parks, Editor
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REPORTERS
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Mia Glatter
STAFF WRITERS Michael Paonessa Sophie Erber John Hilsenroth Joe Beaudoin April Weiner Laurel Sanchez
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
NEWS + FEATURES
Spartacus Celebrates His 80th Birthday
By BRITTANY MOULDEN News Reporter
Oct. 5 marked not only the 80th birthday of the University of Tampa, but also its beloved mascot, Spartacus. The day was celebrated at the men’s soccer game as they took on their biggest rival, Florida Southern College. “It was the perfect day for it,” said Kelsea Roccapriore, an athletic marketing staff member. “Most people didn’t even know it was UT’s 80th birthday, so when we sang happy birthday to the school on the track, it felt good to bring fans to the game to support athletics and the school.” For weeks in advance, members of SOS (Save our Spartans) planned in preparation for Pepin Stadium’s big party. It was decorated with banners and balloons while there were fan participation games and a hot rivalry soon to ensue out on the soccer field. Despite the rain and wind, fans still enjoyed all of the
birthday events that took place that night. Before the game, smiling students posed with a gregarious Spartacus giving a big birthday thumbs up. They were spun around with eyes closed and then staggered as they tried to “pin the feather on the Spartan” and made colorful banners to support the team. At the game, Amy McClellan, a UT freshman from Boulder, Colo., commented on the school spirit effort. “It’s great to have events like where the students can get together and just have fun. So many of the people I talk to complain that there’s nothing to do on campus... They should do things like this more often.” During the game, people in the bleachers let loose as they messily tried to stuff as many red velvet cupcakes with gold and chocolate frosting into their mouths in a cupcake eating contest. Fans blew up balloons, built foam pizzas and threw foam swords as they competed in a relay race for prizes. “Everyone
Archive Justin Davis/The Minaret
Spartacus can be seen with students during most events on campus.
went home a winner,” said Roccapriore. Freshman Haylie Moeller from Illinois said, “I didn’t even know that this was going on until my roommates made me come, but now I’m glad [I went]. It’s nice to feel like I’m a part of the school besides going to class and frat parties.” And no birthday party would be complete without goody bags with stickers and college necessities such as pizza hut coupons.
Fans dressed in their best UT-themed clothes hoping they would go home with the title of “best UT birthday suit.” For the kicker, the men’s soccer team went home victorious and joyous, best birthday wish that could have come true. Roccapriore stated, “The hope is that not only SOS, but other organizations at school get involved in athletics.” Brittany Moulden can be reached at brittany.moulden@ spartans.ut.edu.
Internship Program Creates Summer Break Options By DANI CARPENTER News Reporter
For some students at UT, summer is reserved for family vacations, amusement parks and much appreciated time off from college courses. While for others it is a chance to earn more college credit and gain more experience in the workforce. Dream Careers, a guaranteed eight-week summer internship program, caters to those students striving to get ahead. Offering internships through a wide array of companies allows the organization to adapt to countless of students, regardless of their intended major or personal qualifications. Through the Dream Careers internship program, students are given the opportunity to work firsthand with media moguls both nationally and internationally in places such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Barcelona, London and Hong Kong. If interning during the summer months does not seem appealing, students have the option to intern during the spring and fall
semesters as well. In addition to offering hours of college credit after a completed internship, this program also features room, board, transportation and weekend sponsored events, which are included within the advertised tuition price. One Dream Careers representative and senior at UT, Breanne Gill, shared her experience with the internship program in on-campus sessions aimed at fellow students. Gill recently spent a summer in Los Angeles as an intern for 3D Management, a music managing company that houses mainstream artists, such as Coldplay and My Chemical Romance. In regards to the value of the internship, she said she learned that “[In the workforce] it’s who a person knows, not what a person knows. Don’t get me wrong - college is important, but this internship can really help a person get their foot in the door.” Gill supports the idea of students participating in Dream Careers over the summer because the program can help students be more self-assured in their chosen
major or career path along with getting to network with prominent people in their desired job field. In her own words, Gill suggests, “it’s one thing to be doing work in a classroom, it’s quite another to be out there doing [the work] hands on.” Her positive experience with the organization made her feel more supported, more confident in her abilities as an employee and more in touch with an accurate perspective of the real world. After the program is completed, Dream Careers attempts to help their interns find jobs by networking to other companies, writing letters of recommendation and being an addition onto any resume. Breanne Gill, UT’s campus representative, has requested that if anyone has questions, comments or concerns with the Dream Careers program or wants to know when the next informational session is scheduled, she can be reached at bgill@ spartans.ut.edu. Dani Carpenter can be reached at danielle.carpenter@spartans.ut.edu.
Administrative Changes Aimed at Serving Students By BRITTANY MOULDEN News Reporter
Dean of Students Stephanie Russell Holz has been making quite a few changes around the University of Tampa, something her colleague Megan Frisque described as a “fresh approach to student engagement.” Among these changes includes placing Tim Harding in the newly created role of Associate Dean of Career Development and Engagement. This position came as a result of a reorganization of Student Affairs by Russell Holz. “Tim’s years in the field of higher education coupled with his passion for working with students makes him the perfect choice for this position,” Russell Holz said. “Tim is well-respected by faculty, staff and students. He has the knowledge base, enthusiasm and student-centered
philosophy that we need to connect leadership, community engagement and career services together to create the best environment for student learning at UT.” As the Associate Dean of Career Development and Engagement, Harding will facilitate a methodical and philosophical approach that blends the departments of Career Services and Student Leadership and Engagement. “This holistic approach is very cuttingedge in Student Affairs,” Harding said. “Several other colleges are pursuing like models, though UT is one of the more aggressive ‘pioneers’ in this work.” Harding heads the UT-HIRE program, as well as Internship and Career fairs, and leadership trips. The position of the associate dean and director of the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement were dissolved, which allowed the creation of this new position
since both positions were previously associate and assistant director roles. The reorganized portion of Student Affairs will bring focus to the natural relationship between community engagement and service, leadership training and career development. The management team for this new cooperative area of Student Affairs consists of three directors: Mark Colvenbach, Director of Career Services; Megan Frisque, Director of Community Engagement and Kim Northup, Director of Leadership Programs. Frisque commented on the change by saying, “I believe that it will create intentional connections between our offices so that we can best provide opportunities for UT students. It is my hope that we can serve as a role model for student organizations to collaborate more often.” Brittany Moulden can be reached at brittany.moulden@spartans.ut.edu.
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
Hit and Runs in Garages Distress Students By MIA GLATTER News Reporter
There have been ten reported hit and run accidents that took place in the garages so far this semester, eight in West and two in Thomas, but only one has been resolved. Sophomore Stef Crocco’s car was the victim of one such accident in West. “I made the mistake of parking next to a truck in the second floor of West last Thursday and come Friday my friend and I noticed black scratches and missing paint on the back end of my bright yellow Ford Fiesta near the taillight,” she said. “It looks like the truck must have backed out and swiped my car, but they didn’t leave a note or anything.” These incidents are considered “hit and runs” when they choose not to take responsibility for the damage and drive away without leaving contact information. Another victim of such a crime is freshman Melissa Guarino who discovered that her car had been damaged in West Garage, but how it was damaged remains a mystery. “I thought someone backed into my car or something but then my friend was looking at it last weekend and he said it looked more like someone hit it then backed into it, which is probably right since it’s just a smaller dent in the middle of my trunk and not the whole trunk smashed.” After she discovered her damaged car, Guarino decided to talk to security and see what could be done to solve the issue. As the frequency of these accidents increase, students like Mackenzie Hill are finding that security has not been able to provide the closure they are hoping for. “All security did for me as take down the information and then take pictures of where my car was hit,” Hill said “They said I could pick up the report when it was looked at and put through the system.” When a student enters The Security Office with a complaint of a hit and run accident, they are told to complete a report
for a motor vehicle crash. Security will take the report and try to use the garage security cameras to identify the vehicle that caused the accident and then attempt to track it down. If found, the owner of the vehicle would be referred to student conduct. Director of Campus Safety, Kevin Howell says that anyone who is the victim of a hit and run should consider their options. “If you got your car hit and the person didn’t leave insurance information you have the opportunity to call law enforcement because a hit and run crash in the state of Florida is a criminal offense.” Howell said. Guarino, like many, hoped that security tapes would be helpful in identifying when and who had damaged her car. “I went to the security office and told them and they wrote a report and said they checked the tape and they didn’t see anything,” Guarino said. Victims have found that this result has been the most disappointing, but Howell says that unfortunately, this is usually the case. “The video cameras that are put into the garages are not set up to give [a quality view] of a tag so even if we can see the vehicle doing it, more than likely we are not going to see specific information,” he said. “What we’ll do is look at the vehicle and then try to identify it over time as it’s coming and going. Because more than likely it’s going to be a student, whether residential or commuter.” The poor quality of the cameras is, according to Howell, a campus wide issue and officials are aware that the cameras are in need of an update. The problem, as Howell explained, is not necessarily money, but how to allocate money in the best ways possible. “It’s not that we can’t get the money, but in order to do, say West Garage, cameras could cost maybe five or six hundred thousand dollars to replace the equipment that’s there,” Howell explained. “I’d rather try to obtain funds and use them for personal
Samantha Battersby/The Minaret
Freshman Mackenzie Hill displays the results of a hit and run that occured in the West Parking Garage.
safety around to further the personal safety side for the students. I would rather have a thousand cars damaged every day than have one person be a victim of something. Cars can be fixed and replaced, the people can’t.” Even if the school were to update the security cameras, they would still only record footage. There is not an officer or a person watching what the cameras record from a screen room somewhere. Howell says that he does not have enough manpower for that to happen. “There are 200 plus cameras on campus and we’d have to have four or five people watching them,” he said. “We use them more as an investigative tool to go back when something is reported and see if it’s in our field of vision for that camera because even in the garages not every inch of campus is covered. It’s impossible to accomplish that. We try to cover the largest area that we can. The garage cameras are designed to look at a specific area, such as the blue light phones.” Although the cameras play a role in the small number of hit and run cases solved, other factors play a large part as well. When a student realizes that their car has been
damaged, a large contributor to whether it will be solved relies in when was the last time they saw their car without damage. “We’ve [sometimes] got a whole range of dates and we have no idea when it would have happened,” Howell said. “It becomes very time intensive to take someone out of the manpower rotation for that shift to sit them down and say you have four days [of video] and you can’t zip through it because it moves so fast that you almost have to move at live pace to find when they park and then there’s so much traffic. It’s very time consuming. I wish it were easier, but it just isn’t.” Guarino and Hill, who both went to security with their reports, have heard no resolution to their accidents at this point, and Hill was not particularly pleased at the result. “Unfortunately the university isn’t responsible for anything that happens to your car while it’s parked in the garage so I will have to pay for all the damage my self,” Hill said. “It’s a pretty sh**ty situation.” Mia Glatter can be reached at mia. glatter@spartans.ut.edu.
Representative Aims to Repeal Dwarf-Tossing Ban By CHANNING HAILEY Asst. News Editor
In an effort to create jobs, Florida State Representative Ritch Workman is attempting to repeal a bill passed in 1989- one that put a ban on the sport of “Dwarf-Tossing.” Explaining his initiative, the Republican from District 30 said, "I'm on a quest to seek and destroy unnecessary burdens on the freedom and liberties of people. This is an example of Big Brother government. All that it does is prevent some dwarfs from getting jobs they would be happy to get," he said. Workman does not plan on personally gaining from the initiative. "I would never force anybody to take this form of employment or pay to watch it," he told The Palm Beach Post. He went on to call the activity “repulsive and stupid,” but continued by saying, “It's none of the state's business if somebody wants to do this." The proposed bill has already garnered public disapproval from some of Workman’s constituents. David Dodge, a Florida advocate for the Little People of America, said, "The possibility of getting paralyzed is high, and then to be used as an object for people's amusement is very degrading." Former president of Little people of America, Robert Van Etten, has spent years
From the Oct. 3 to Oct. 9 reports Hobos Need Salsa Rico Too At 8:17 p.m. on Oct. 3, security responded to a report of a homeless person in the first floor food court of Stadium Center. The person was trespassed from campus. Take the Case; Leave the Computer At 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 4, a student reported a computer case stolen from the inside of his room in the Howard Johnson Hotel. bloodshadows/Flickr
If the dwarf-tossing ban is repealed, new jobs will be created for little people across Florida.
working with his wife to spread awareness of the dangers of dwarf tossing. He has spoken out against the proposed bill saying that it is a step backward, giving legal validation to the mockery of little people. "It's something that brings out the worst element in some people, and it's focused on people who are the most vulnerable," the 3foot-5 Van Etten said. Channing Hailey can be reached at channing.hailey@spartans.ut.edu.
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Point the Blame At 6:13 on Oct. 4, security responded to a report of a student with a broken finger at the basketball courts of the McNiff Fitness Center. Ruff Times in Brevard At 6:13 p.m. on Oct. 5, security responded to a call in reference to pets in a room. Cheaper Than a Taxi At 9:08 p.m. on Oct. 5, security responded to a report of a student that wanted a ride to the hospital.
Why They Call it Window Pain At 1:44 p.m. on Oct. 6, security responded to a call in reference to pets in a room. Say Goodbye to Your Housing At 12:42 a.m. on Oct. 7, alcoholic beverages, fraudulent I.D.’s, and synthetic cannibis were found during a room search on the third floor of Brevard Hall. The students were referred to the judicial board. Call Me McLovin At 5:55 p.m. on Oct. 7, a wallet containing a a fake Pennsylvania drivers license was found in Vaughn Center. The student was referred to the judicial board. We Needed Salt Shakers At 4:30 p.m on Oct. 8, security responded to a report of a theft from the Vaughn Center Cafeteria. Reports compiled by Channing Hailey.
4 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
NEWS + FEATURES
Maddan takes heat for filing motion of no confidence
From TOP STORY, Page 1 Provost McNew, CSSME Dean Anne Gormly, CAL Dean Haig Mardirosian, and all criminology faculty attended the meeting, along with local attorney Mike Malfitano. The meeting, which Maddan noted “was recorded and lasted approximately nine minutes,” centered on confidential information regarding alleged faculty harassment. According to Maddan’s grievance, “Those interviewed would not be permitted to bring witnesses or have their own counsel, and the interviews would be recorded.” Maddan objected strongly to the presence of a lawyer; the perceived denial of legal counsel for faculty; the use of audio recording in a situation in which it is “not specified” for use by the faculty handbook; and that “no person [had] been identified as the object of the grievance.” He also objected to the armed security guard nearby. “It was an intimidation tactic, period,” Maddan said later in an interview. However, Evan Chipouras, an associate biology professor and president of the faculty senate, said he believed Maddan’s complaints regarding the armed guard were not substantial. Instead, Chipouras felt this specific criticism was designed to “get a rise out of the faculty about ‘how mean’ [the] administration was.” Chipouras said he was “disturbed by [faculty] violations of confidentiality” in the disclosure of information regarding the meeting. He also regarded some of this information release as “intentionally incomplete,” presented to the senate to influence the no-confidence vote. Maddan said much of the “incompleteness” was due to the fact that he attempted to work within the university’s confidentiality rules. “In fairness, the material was confidential,” he said. “I mean, understand, that the motion of no confidence, the grievance against the provost, I mean,
I had to walk a very tight rope on crafting those things [into the motion of no confidence] to where I wasn’t giving off confidential information. I know I’m right there on the edge and in some cases probably stepping right over that line, but it’s not that it’s intentionally vague.” Some sources with knowledge of the meeting have indicated that the provost installed the armed guard simply as a safety precaution against possible violence, as suggested by the nature of the alleged harassment. The move was also apparently a reaction to the then-recent shooting at the University of Alabama-Huntsville in which a professor fatally shot three colleagues and injured others after being denied tenure. Maddan said those concerns were not explained to faculty attending the meeting. He also questioned, if the administrators feared possible violence, “Why put us all in the same room in the first place?” Emilio Toro, an associate professor of mathematics, seconded Maddan’s motion to discuss a no-confidence vote against McNew. “That motion that Dr. Maddan made seemed to be an opportunity to discuss some of the members of the administration,” Toro said in a recent interview. “What is it that they are doing for the university, and how are faculty relating to them? And what is faculty’s opinion of these members of the administration? So, in making that second at that moment, I didn’t intend to turn that into an antagonistic relation, but an opportunity to discuss.” Toro said that seconding the motion should not be seen as an indication of whether he would have ultimately approved Maddan’s specific cited violations. Maddan, scheduled to re-introduce his motion of no confidence at a mid-May faculty senate meeting, abruptly withdrew it. Maddan said — in part due to his involvement in a separate confidential grievance brought against him — he was fatigued with grievance processes and decided he would rather leave the university. “[The motion of no confidence] could have stimulated quite a bit of change, but I was taking a lot of heat,” Maddan said. “For me, the fight wasn’t worth it. . . . I basically was like, ‘Whatever, fine, keep it. I’m going to get a new job starting next year and start searching.’” He compared voicing concerns with administrators to “trying to fight Hulk Hogan or something with two legs and one arm tied behind my back.”
Some faculty perceived the no-confidence motion to be too personalized and vindictive. “Obviously it had to have a personal tinge to it,” Maddan said in response. “There’s no way around that. But it also had a larger meaning for the rest of the faculty. At least when I was senate exec still, I was like, ‘I can’t let another faculty member have to go through this crap. I can’t let another faculty member come into a closed meeting with an armed guard at the door.’” Maddan maintains his disdain for McNew, calling her “an authoritarian leader,” and saying, “UT started to change when she showed up, and not in a good way.” Faculty senate president Chipouras called the behavior of some criminology faculty during the time period in which the proposed no-confidence motion and subsequent grievances were put forth, “the most juvenile, unprofessional, ugly situation I’ve seen in my entire career. It’s almost unfathomable to me that colleagues treat each other the way they do.” He also said, “The reason I’m angry about . . . the larger situation is it has wasted an incredible amount of administrative and faculty time.” Mikey Angelo Rumore can be reached michealangelorumore@gmail.com. Richard Solomon can be reached at richard.solomon@ spartans.ut.edu.
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THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
Students Gear Up for Homecoming Celebrations By BECCA POWELL AND CHELSEA DAUBAR
News Writer and Asst. News Editor
Homecoming returns this year at the University of Tampa, starting Friday, Oct. 14 and running through the following Friday, Oct. 22. Beginning at 8 p.m. in the Vaughn courtyard (or the Vaughn lobby, in the case of rain), the festivities begin with a toga contest. Members from student organizations will be donning their most gorgeous and glam ancient Greek get-up, in hopes of impressing a panel of student judges. Individuals that are not a part of an organization can also participate by filling out a participation form, which can be picked up in the Student Productions Office. These forms are due Friday, Oct. 14 from everyone, including all student organizations, in order to be a part of the events for the week. Elyse Fulton, a member of the Homecoming Committee who has been helping to plan the kick off since February, remembers that last year’s toga contest was a fun night for students. Along with the contest, there will be even more fun around the courtyard with a photo booth, henna artist and a performance by DJ Dayve. DJ Dayve is David Wistocki, a 19-year-old senior. He went to high school in Naples, Fla. and has been a DJ for six years.
Excited to be the event’s DJ for the third year in a row, he said, “Homecoming at UT is always an amazing experience for me to live out.” Prizes throughout the night, include free t-shirt giveaways and food offers from Pita Pit, Wendy’s, Five Guys and Chipotle. Continuing with the festivities through the week, Thursday, Oct. 20 brings the annual Casino Night. The Florida Casino Company will be taking over the Vaughn Lobby by donating everything from custom Las Vegas grade equipment to professional dealers. Casino night is also a chance to win up to $2000 in prizes and DJ Dayve will be returning for a second night. On the 21st, the spirit will continue at Walker Hall at 5:30 pm, students can gather to cheer on floats put together by student organizations. One of the floats will carry the Homecoming Court. DJ Dayve will MC the event, from the Plant Hall Veranda with alumni in attendance. “In the years past, UT tends to fall short on participants for the parade so this year I’m looking forward to announcing the best UT has to offer and providing an engaging, lively environment for everyone to join in on,” DJ Dayve said. Immediately following, students can move over to Stadium Center for a tailgate. Set up on the intramural field will be corn
Archive Photo Kara Wall/The Minaret
The first night of official team practice brings hundreds of screaming fans to Midnight Madness.
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Archive Justin Davis/The Minaret
Last year’s homecoming kick-off was a perfect time for students to show off their Spartan spirit.
hole, face painting and tables for Athletic Marketing, Team Chaos, Watch Your B.A.C and the alumni office. Sodexo will be catering Bar-B-Que for the students. Headlining the event is an acoustic cover band, made up of UT alumni, called Northern Country Boys. Friday is set to go out with a bang, as the UT women’s volleyball team will go up against Barry University in the Martinez Gym at 7 pm. After the game, Homecoming royalty will be crowned with flowers and sashes, by last year’s king and queen, Elbin Keeppanasseril and Daniella Fusari. Homecoming Court is comprised of Kelsey Thomas, Heather Park, Ashley CK Kearny, Amber Molidor, Jason Hepperly, Darren Anderson, O’mard Alexander and Mike Rafter. On Saturday, Oct. 22, an alumni event will be held from 11 am to 2 pm, in the Sykes building. Select students from student organizations along with alumni will be attending. There will be alcoholic drinks, so wristbands will be given to those over 21 and “X”’s will be marked on the hands of those underage. The two final events of the week will also take place on the 22nd. Students can watch The Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Buffalo Sabres, where The St. Pete Times Forum has set aside an entire UT section. Students can pick up vouchers for tickets to the game in Vaughn lobby, until Thursday, Oct. 13 at 4 pm. These vouchers will be exchanged for tickets on the night of the game. A bus will leave campus at 5:45 pm for students attending the game. It will also have a UT inspired half-time show, as the Homecoming King and Queen ride across the ice on the Zamboni. Students are encouraged to wear black and red to show their school spirit.
Homecoming week will wrap up with an open concert directly after the game in front of the forum. A shuttle will be available from 5 pm to 12:30 am for students that didn’t attend the game but wish to see the concert. Headlining this concert will be The Graham Colton Band. American singer-songwriter Graham Colton started writing music straight out of high school and created the band just a few years later. Since then, The Graham Colton Band has preformed with John Mayer, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson and Dave Matthews Band. They will be playing original songs including “Pacific Coast Eyes” and “Our Story.” Students can get wristbands, to enter the UT section of the concert, at the Vaughn lobby beginning at 7 pm and will be driven over to the forum. This is the first year UT will be having a fall concert and the committee hopes to make it an annual event. While there are festivities new to the Homecoming calendar this year, the returning favorites keep school spirit and tradition alive. “I think it’s really exciting to start new traditions on campus for homecoming week.” Fulton said. Junior Chantell Rivera feels that certain events pump up the students for the rest of the week. “At Midnight Madness you can feel the school spirit. [Students] are pumped about what’s going on and you get to see the new basketball players.” Students are encouraged to attend as many events throughout the week as possible to unite the student body and keep school spirit alive throughout the year. Becca Powell can be reached at b.powell40@gmail.com. Chelsea Daubar can be reached at chelsea.daubar@spartans.ut.edu.
UT Study in Seville, Spain May 10 -Jun 25 2012 HIGH QUALITY FACULTY LED PROGRAM MUCH MORE FOR YOUR MONEY THAN OTHER PROGRAMS OFFER:
- Roundtrip airfare - Lodging & 3 meals daily (6½ wks. in a private Spanish home) - Cultural excursions led by professors - 6 Hrs. UT credit: Spanish lang., culture or lit. courses - Mentoring/assistance by UT professor in Seville
Prerequisite: SPA 202 or equivalent skills
Contact: Dr. M. Favata PH 242 mfavata@ut.edu
6 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
Diversions
Crossword
Lynn Lempel / Will Shortz ©New York Times Across 1. True-blue 6. Toy gun poppers 10. Smooch 14. "Good Night" girl of song 15. Arthur ___ Stadium in Queens 16. Peak 17. River triangle 18. Signify 19. Horn's sound 20. Logic 23. ___ capita 24. Buffalo's lake 25. Money in the bank, e.g. 30. Declare 33. Seizes without authority 34. Old what's-___-name 35. George W. Bush's alma mater 36. Michael who starred in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" 37. Snorkeling accessory 38. Wolf calls 39. Broadway hit with 7,000+ performances 40. With it 41. Immobilize 42. Swelling reducer 43. Highway stops 45. Ritzy 46. Little rascal 47. Question of concern, with a hint to 20-, 25and 43-Across 54. Corner square in Monopoly 55. Den 56. Unsophisticated
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Horoscopes By Linda C Black / Tribune Media Services
The Weekend Update Book of Days
When: Thursday, Oct.13 - Sunday Oct. 16, 8 p.m. each night with Sunday 2 p.m. matinee. Where: Falk Theatre What: Book of Days presents the conflicts that arise in a small presentday Missouri town when one of its leading citizens dies mysteriously in a supposed hunting accident during a furious tornado. Admission: Free for UT students
Family Weekend
When: Friday, Oct. 14 - Saturday Oct. 15 Where: Various Locations What: Keep your eyes and ears open this weekend for a myriad of events such as massages in Vaughn Center, the Minaret climb, and a special haunted tour of Plant Hall. Admission: $5 per attendee
‘Pirates’ IV Movie
When: Friday, Oct., 14 8 p.m. Where: Reeves Theatre What: Enjoy a screening of Pirates of the Carribean 4: On Stranger Tides, sponsored by Student Productions, the campus programming board. Free popcorn will be provided! Admission: Free
Spartan Challenge 5K
When: Saturday Oct. 15, 7:00 a.m. Where: Pepin Track/Soccer Stadium What: Join The University of Tampa’s Board of Counselors and cross country team for the annual Spartan Challenge 5K. Run through UT’s historic campus and experience an adventure style race with some fun challenges along the way – tires, hay bales and cargo netting. To register, or for more information, please go to http://www.ut.edu/spartan5k/ Admission: Free
Aries (March 21-April 19) You’ve got the advantage, and you’re looking good. Things are lining up in your favor, so go ahead with a delicious scheme. Finish the old job while planning the new.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Focus on how you want to contribute for the greater good. You’re not alone. Many others share your ideals. Get organized, and stay positive. Complaining makes no difference.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Go ahead, get completely lost in your thoughts. Don’t put off what’s important, though. Your deadlines may seem like they come faster than usual, so be prepared.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) The impulse is to work and make money now. Don’t sacrifice your health to increase your income. Avoid being a borrower or a lender, too. Relax, to keep a balance.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) You’d much rather play... but a little focus gets a lot accomplished. Avoid an argument by cleaning up something. An unexpected change requires nimble thinking.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Abandoning a preconception could clear the way for new romance. There’s no reason to be nervous. You really are in control. You could just have fun with it.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) Consider new opportunities in your career and passions. There’s room for error. Practice makes perfect. Keep going for it, even if you don’t see the money. It will come.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Get into functional changes at home. Fix a leaky faucet or clean up something that’s been slowing you down. A quiet family night revives everyone.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Focus on love more than money now. It’s not a good time for gambling. New opportunities show up, as long as you’re willing to see them. When you pursue a passion, hidden profit appears. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) The hardest part is to stay in the game. Don’t give up, and remember: it’s just a game. Play to win, but coming in second place is no shame.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Your capacity to study and concentrate are especially keen, as is your connection to siblings and peers. Use this to forward a professional aim. Stay flexible and conserve resources. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) A stroke of genius opens up the previously unimaginable. You’re in the eye of the storm, and there could be a test. Stay energized by taking frequent thinking breaks.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Arts + Entertainment
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
7
Red Bull Flugtag Flies through the Convention Center
Melissa Guarino & Sophie Erber/The Minaret
Clockwise from top left: A group at Flugtag gives their flying machine a go, but it nosedives into the bay; A parrot flying machine glides through the air; A couple of members from the Oompa Loompa group strike poses for the camera; and Barry Potter brings back the series in a big way with his Harry Potter and Voldemort dueling float. By SOPHIE ERBER
Arts + Entertainment Columnist
This Saturday, Harbor Island hosted the much anticipated Red Bull Flugtag, German for “flying day”. Red Bull’s Flugtag travels throughout the country and invites people to build flying machines and launch them off piers and ramps. The last time that Tampa hosted this 19-year-old competition originally founded in Austria was back in 2008, when the city’s own Team Tampa Baywatch took home the grand prize with a 109-foot flight. This year, the grand prize went to four little orange men. “What’s short, round and orange all over? And no, it’s not your favorite Jersey Shore character,” said Kevin Riley of his team. Riley was Willy Wonka’s Amazing Flying Flugtag Adventure’s team leader. Most in the 100,000 plus crowd had no idea that Riley, Dave West, Keith Humphrey and Christopher Elmore were the men of Team Tampa Baywatch three years ago, making this their second consecutive Tampa Bay Flugtag win. Second place went to Adventure Team BigStuff, third was U.S.A. team and the people’s choice award went to Stumble Force-Android Wings. The winds were strong but the rain held off, and all 39 teams tested their wings as they made the leap off the 30-foot high launching pad. Inevitably, all ended up in the Harbor Island waters. Before each launch, a skit and sometimes a dance were performed. The crowd seemed to enjoy these pre-shows
more than some of the flights or rather, the failed flights. Judges scored based on these skits and the overall creativity of the craft, in addition to the flight itself. There were flying guitars, anchors and sharks. There was even a flying pink bra, fitting for breast cancer awareness month. Although the bra itself didn’t go too far, the pilot did, and in this competition, that’s what counts. A common misconception with Flugtag is how the flight is actually judged. Of course it helps if the float itself goes far, but it’s the distance of the human flight that matters. In many cases, the flight machines were simply there to propel the pilot and fling them farther across the water. Spectator Sarah Shiveley made the trip down from Ocala to support her friends’ team, Pirates of the Care Free Being. She said she was “thrilled with how it turned out” despite the trouble they had getting off the launching pad. The crowd was amped up, cheering as the pirates pushed the craft down the runway until it swerved and had to relaunch. Like many crafts in the competition, Pirates’ was built almost entirely out of donated materials from various airports. The University of Tampa’s own Sigma Chi attempted human flight with their Techno Teletubbys Styrofoam craft. Christian Priskos, Matthew Brault, Breenan Aman and Gabe Windschauer were the brothers in disguise. You might’ve seen Dipsy around campus before, but it was something else to see the Teletubbys flying off the flight deck.
“Flugtag was awesome!” said nursing major Caitlin Oline. “I didn’t realize it was going to be that big of an event.” Although I personally expected more flight to take place, the floats themselves were impressive. Oline echoed this response. “I couldn’t believe how good all those floats were,” Oline said. “I mean, clearly some were not going to make it that far, but it was fun to see them try. My favorite craft was the First Basemen. I loved how they were raising breast cancer awareness.”
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“It was fun for the first five or six,” said UT student Steve Guarino. “Then it got repetitive.” Even the competition’s announcer voiced disappointment with a few floats. Team Shake It Off shaped their craft like a giant Shake Weight. The dumbbell broke off from the wings prematurely and the pilot was left to make the plunge with only a small glider still intact. He jumped anyway. “What the frigg, O.M.G. … that pretty much sums that one up,” said the
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“I loved Barry Potter and the Deathly Shallows. Their characters were fun and I can’t believe they came all the way from the UK. That’s dedication.”
“It’s so cool to see all the crafts after the teams have been working on them for months,” said UT student Gia Puopolo. “I loved Barry Potter and the Deathly Shallows. Their characters were fun and I can’t believe they came all the way from the UK. That’s dedication. I guess they really love Red Bull.” The lack of significant flight didn’t seem to bother communications major Jeff Fiore. In fact, it was quite the opposite. “I loved watching all the teams crash into the water!” Fiore said. “I wish I took a kayak out to watch everything up close. That would have been awesome. But some were less entertained than others, and the routine of song, dance and crash got old quickly.
-Gia Puopolo
announcer. The absence of free Red Bull was a problem for others. Although there were stations where Red Bull was handed out, there definitely wasn’t enough for the whole crowd. “I feel like that’s a problem,” said UT student Nick Lorusso. Other UT students left Flugtag feeling inspired to build their own flight machines. “I feel like I could’ve made it farther than all those guys,” said UT junior Dan Leyden. Until then, the world record for a Flugtag flight stands at 207 feet in St. Paul, Minn. Red Bull really can give you wings, even if it’s only for a few seconds. Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@ spartans.ut.edu.
8 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
DIY: A Fresh-faced Make-up Routine By TARA TEMKAR
Arts + Entertainment Writer
Good morning! It is time to get up for class again, and the effects of sleep deprivation are starting to show. Fortunately, there is a way to mask it with minimal make-up, and it only takes about five minutes. Kelly King, a make-up artist at the International Mall location of Sephora, recommended the following products for this quick and easy look: concealer, eye primer, an eyelash curler, mascara, cheek tint or blush and lip gloss or lip tint. If you find that you have a few extra minutes to spare, you can also apply foundation for a more matte look, and liquid eyeliner to accentuate your eyes and make them look larger. These steps, though, aren’t necessary. Concealers combat dark circles by hiding that unattractive blue-ish tinge and brightening the tender skin under the eye area. They also cover up zits and redness that often appears around the corners of the nose and mouth. The concealer I’m using in this tutorial is Sephora’s Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Concealer in #355 Honey, which is available at Sephora for $28.
With the combined power of eye primer, an eyelash curler and mascara, eyes instantly look bigger and more alert no matter how many hours of sleep you got the night before. The eye primer I used for this look, Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Greed, costs $19 at Sephora and has a creamy texture with a shimmery golden color. This particular primer is ideal due to its rich, thick color, which both makes it appear a lot like eyeshadow as well as complements all skin tones. Also, the shimmer creates an illusion of higher eyebrows by reflecting light when the primer is applied to the brow bones. Eyelash curlers and mascara help awaken those tired eyes by curling the lashes so that your eyes appear bigger. Any mascara will work, but I recommend mascara that amplifies the volume and length of eyelashes such as Maybelline Volum’ Express: The Falsies, $6 at drugstores. Blush can rid the dull appearance of sleep-deprived skin by enhancing the cheekbones and giving cheeks a pop of color. For this DIY tutorial, I used M.A.C.’s A Little Bit of Sunshine mineralized blush, $22 at Mac Cosmetics. The brush I used was M.A.C’s 168 Large Angled Contour
brush, $35 at Mac Cosmetics. A useful product King recommended was Benetint, $29 at Sephora. It doubles up as a lip and cheek tint so it’s not only a money saver, but also a time saver. When choosing either a blush or a cheek tint, be sure that it contains pigments that match your skin tone for a more natural look. With these handy tips and tricks safely stored away in your make-up pouch, you’ll be able to catch up on those Zzz’s and still easily freshen up your face in 5 minutes or less. But just to save a little more time, be sure to keep your make-up and tools in one place so you know where to get it when you need it.
Step-by-Step: 1. Apply a moisturizer and sunscreen to your face. Never skip applying sunscreen to your skin. Even if you don’t burn easily, the UV rays from the sun can do extensive damage to the DNA in your skin cells, which can either cause skin cancer or early signs of aging. 2. Apply concealer to these key parts of your face to help brighten them up: under the eyes, around the corners of the nose and mouth as well as over any blemishes. If you
What You’ll Need Sunscreen Concealer Blush or cheek tint Eye primer Eyelash curler Mascara Lip balm Lip gloss or lip tint Tara Temkar/The Minaret
Tara Temkar demonstrates how to properly curl eyelashes and how to swirl blush on the cheekbones.
use your finger to blend in your concealer be sure to use your ring finger, as it applies the least amount of pressure. Applying too much pressure, especially to the thin skin around the eye area, can cause premature wrinkles. A handy trick I use to conceal my dark circles completely is to tilt your head down while applying concealer around the under eye area. This makes it easier to find your dark circles. Finish up by concealing any blemishes. 3. It is time to add color to your cheeks. If you decide to use blush, be sure to smile! Smiling exposes the apples of your cheeks, and this is where the color appears the most concentrated. Be sure to swipe the blush with a brush all the way up to your temples, so that the color defines the outline of your cheekbones, giving the illusion that they are higher. For cheek tint, apply one dab to your cheek and three dabs along the ridge of your cheekbone. Gently blend in the color with your fingertips in a circular motion. 4. Now we have to wake up those tired eyes. First, add eye primer by dabbing it gently onto your eyelids and your brow bones. Now blend away using your ring finger, and be sure to blend a little into the corners of your eyes for that additional highlight. 5. Next, curl your eyelashes. A trick I use to curl my lashes completely is to start at the base of my lashes and squeeze the curler gently for about 5 seconds. Then, I release the curler and squeeze the middle part of my lashes and hold it for another 5 seconds. And finally, I’ll release the curler again and curl the very tips of my lashes. Lastly, add mascara. Wiggling the wand helps to evenly coat the mascara and prevents clumps while lengthening the lashes at the same time. 6. The last step is to finish up your lips. Moisturize your lips with lip balm, and add a swipe of your favorite lip gloss or lip tint. Tara Temkar can be reached at taratemkar.minaret@gmail.com.
Osteria Natalina: True Taste of Italia By MELISSA SANTELL Arts + Entertainment Writer
“Strozzapreti is a funny word because it means priest choker,” said Spartaco Giolito, with a reminiscent grin. For all the non-Italians scratching their heads, Strozzapreti is actually homemade corkscrew pasta consisting of only flour and water, a star dish at Giolito’s Italian restaurant, Osteria Natalina. The search for authentic Italian cuisine in South Tampa stops at 3215 S. Macdill Avenue in the small niche of an Lshaped coral building. Sandwiched between Yoko Sushi and a quaint bakery, Osteria may be Tampa’s best-hidden gem. Framed memories line the restaurant’s rustic walls, telling the story of Osteria Natalina Vino E. Cucina. Vino E. Cucina means wine and kitchen in Italian; in other words, a night full of hospitality and laughter. Osteria means “tavern” in Italian, and Natalina was the name of Giolito’s mother. Giolito explained the different forms of the word tavern. “If you want to be casual, you can say trattoria. If you want to be even more casual and emphasize good food, you say osteria, derived from ost—a place that’s run by family,” Giolito said. Specializing in pasta dishes, the layered seafood lasagna is a house favorite. It consists of ricotta cheese smothered in between layers of lasagna with bits of
shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari, topped with a pink sauce. This signature dish runs at $12 a plate. If fried calamari is typically your menu-must, you need to jump on Osteria’s calamari appetizer. Instead of the traditional fried cuisine, try the L’Insalata di Calamari. For $8, you’ll receive juicy, grilled calamari steaks on a bed of greens and other vegetables marinated in lemongarlic oil. Traditional specials, such as sacatini pasta purses stuffed with four-cheeses and pear, finished with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce are available as an appetizer or main course. Specials typically range anywhere from $10 to $26, depending on the portion. The Strozzapreti dish is in high demand, combined with a red or white seafood mix including clams, calamari, shrimp and mussels. At the cost of $18.50, this spectacular homemade recipe is worth every penny. Of course, any request not listed on the menu is always an option as well. Skipping out on dessert would be an unforgivable mistake. Roasted banana gelato, sinful chocolate cake and tiramisu are just the beginning. If food wasn’t enough to keep customers coming back, the hospitality and ambiance would be. The personable staff, comprised of the owner, one server and one busboy,
ensure that your hunger’s every need will be met. Dinner by candlelight enhances the gold and red hue of the walls, setting the perfect scene for a romantic first date. At a 42 person maximum capacity, the atmosphere is charming and warm. The hours of operation make this infatuation bittersweet. You won’t be dining here for lunch; Osteria opens its doors at 5:30 p.m. and says buona notte around midnight. Also, don’t drop in on a Monday; this Italian joint takes pride in long weekends. Osteria does not take reservations, and no one likes to play the waiting game. The best time to indulge is around opening or after 8 p.m. If you make an appearance during standard dinner hours, you’re dancing in the danger zone of a possible hourlong wait. The size of the restaurant is a definite setback, leaving no room for hungry customers waiting to be seated. Your best bet is to plant yourself outside the entrance on a white lawn chair and request a glass of house wine. If life leaves you without time to dinein, call 813-831-1210 for take out. If you do that though, you’ll miss out on the authentic experience and, of course, the freshly baked bread and homemade Photos Courtesy of www.osterianatalina.com olive tapenade served before your meal. From top: The dining area of Osteria Natalina; an Melissa Santell can be reached at array of pasta and meat entrées; and the entrance msantell@spartans.ut.edu. to Osteria Natalina.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
Thespians Embrace Their Inner ‘Party’ Animal By SOPHIE ERBER
Arts + Entertainment Columnist
Auditioning: the continuous, vicious cycle that requires you to sing, dance and act your heart out in front of a panel of complete strangers. Sounds great, right? Most would run fast in the other direction, but actors are forced to embrace this ritual. All performers must go through the necessary and sometimes nervewracking auditioning process in order to be cast in a production. But for University of Tampa thespians, this process is slightly less daunting due to the good-natured professors who direct the productions. The first round of musical auditions takes place in the Ferman Music Center in front of the director, stage manager and musical director. “I feel like the auditions here are very relaxed as compared to a professional audition because not only do you know the professors, they want you to succeed,� says sophomore performing arts major Ally Hanskutt. “It’s still nerve-wracking,� Hanskutt says, “but I don’t feel as stressed out as I would if it were somewhere else.� In community and professional theatre productions, many first round auditions take place on the big stage. At UT, the auditions are held in a much smaller room and are far less unnerving. “Its definitely a lot more intimate than any other audition I’ve been on,� says UT freshman Kaleb Lankford. However, Lankford also feels performing for a small group in a room can be even more intimidating than being up on a stage in a large auditorium. “There’s an added sense of pressure
since its only in front of about three people,� Lankford says. “But at the same time,� Kaleb continues, “its more comfortable to know that you don’t have a crowd watching your every move.� Veteran members of the UT Speech, Theatre and Dance community are known for helping underclassmen feel at home. “I feel like for the most part the upperclassmen have been really helpful and they’ve made it a lot easier to adjust to everything here,� says UT freshman Elisha Sayed. Walking into the room, the student is told to stand in front of the panel. For a musical audition, the student must supply their own sheet music to a song of their choice; however, the song cannot be from the musical itself. After singing about 16-20 bars, the vocal audition is over. For a drama audition, there is no singing involved. Instead of a song, the actor prepares and performs a monologue. “The only difference between auditioning for a play and auditioning for the musical is that in a musical,� says Hanskutt, “you’re expected to not only act, but sing and dance as well.� After the first round of auditions is over, the callback list is posted, usually on the door of Falk Theatre. But call backs are a whole different ball game. These are held on the Falk Theatre stage and all of the actors perform in front of each other. “At a callback, you’re usually given a dance combination first and then if they want you to stay, you sing a song or two from the musical. For a play,� Hanskutt explains, “you first audition with a
monologue and then at callbacks, you only read scenes with other people from the play. No singing or dancing at all.� For this fall musical’s call back, the students fill the front three rows of seats. A low hum of nervous chatter filling the air until the director, Michael Staczar, calls everyone’s attention. “It is not my intention to upset you this evening,� began Staczar. With this disclaimer, callbacks for the Fall 2011 musical production of “The Wild Party� began. “There is little to no dialogue in this show,� Staczar continued. “It is virtually, entirely song. Hence we’ll be doing a lot of singing this evening, which means you’ll be doing a lot of dun dun dunnn...� he said with a drum roll, “sight-reading!� Groups of four were called up on stage and then paired off to sing a duet. After each run the students watching clapped and cheered them on. That’s the other unique thing about the UT theatre community--it really is a family with a strong support network. Of course, everyone there wants a part but watching the callbacks, you could feel the sense of camaraderie radiating from the audience. Staczar, like an encouraging father, told the students that the callback “should be a glimmer of what you’re capable of doing in performance. “Don’t be shy, don’t hold back,� he told them. “You may not get a second chance.� Senior David Bevis has only positive things to say about the program. He’s been auditioning and landing roles in UT theatrical productions since 2008. “I think it’s very diverse and it’s full of unpredictable opportunities,� says
Chelsea Michaelson/The Minaret
Director Michael Staczar shows choreography that will appear in the musical, “Wild Party.“
Bevis, a musical theatre major and a communication minor. “I feel like I’ve been blessed with opportunities here,� Bevis says, “and that I’ve taken advantage of the resources.� Because of the high level of professionalism that UT students encounter when going through the audition and performance processes on campus, they are well prepared to go out into the world and audition for professional productions and companies after graduation. To all UT performers, present and future, “break a leg�. Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@ spartans.ut.edu.
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Howl-O-Scream is a separate-ticketed night event. Savings based on advance purchase. Thursday four-pack walk-up admission price is $39.99 per person plus tax. Valid for four or more admissions on Thursdays, September 29 and October 6, 13, 20 and 27. Some restrictions apply. Event dates and times are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Parking is not included. No costumes allowed. Š 2011 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Warning! This year’s event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore and blood.
10 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Rowling Concocts Post Potter Depression Remedies By NATALIE HICKS
Asst. Arts + Entertainment Editor
On any given day, herds of people can be seen shuffling through the faux Diagon Alley at Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter, anxiously awaiting to ride The Forbidden Journey and perhaps buy a chocolate frog or two. Harry Potter fans all over the world have mourned the end of an era, but the fun doesn’t have to stop just because the books and movies have. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando has proven to be a hot spot since the day it opened in June of 2010. Now Hogwarts can be experienced firsthand, not just with a strong imagination. Rides such as The Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge are just a few of the attractions at this section of Islands of Adventure. Theme park-goers can also sip a few rounds of butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks, meet Ollivander of Ollivander’s wand shop and explore the shelves of Honeydukes Sweetshop. There have been rumors that Universal is expanding the Wizarding World due to sightings of little orange construction flags near the back of the park. Although, Universal Media personnel were unable to confirm any of these rumors. In other wizarding news, registration for the Pottermore website, which is a virtual continuation of the wizarding world, will open at the end of October. Viewers can create their own potions, learn more about magical creatures, post artwork and further explore all things Harry Potter. It is more of an online community, where Potter fans
can unite under one virtual roof and discuss Potter gossip together. “The site is very interactive,” said Sarah Brick, a freshman communications major who was a Beta tester for the site. “It’s divided by books, then chapters. Each chapter has its own games and activities. J.K. Rowling also appears in several videos, explaining things that maybe people were left wondering about in the books.” In August, a small number of siteviewers were asked to be Beta testers to scope out any issues the website may have before the site is completely open to the public. In order to become a Beta tester, these hardcore fans had to wake up at the crack of dawn, get their email account into the system, then refresh the web page over and over to ensure that they would get a set position as a tester. So many people tried to do so that the website became too crowded, and many people were not able to receive early registration. Upon getting their email accounts on the exclusive list, they had to complete the Magical Quill Challenge. For an entire week, a new question was posted each day, and if all the questions were successfully answered, only then could one become a Pottermore Beta tester. “My friend and I had to wait for the page to refresh practically every 15 seconds. We were on the computer for nearly seven hours before we finally got our emails onto the site around six in the morning,” said Brick. Unlike many other Potter-based websites that fans created, J.K. Rowling herself played a huge role in helping to produce Pottermore. “The digital generation will be able
Samantha Battersby/The Minaret
Even though the Harry Potter book and movie series have come to an end, it doesn’t mean the magic has to. The Hogwarts Express continues to take HP fans on plenty of adventures.
to enjoy a safe, unique online reading experience built around the Harry Potter books,” said Rowling during her promotional video for Pottermore. “I will be sharing additional information I have been hoarding for years about the world of Harry Potter.” Rowling and Scholastic have also published a few supplementary books. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages were books that Harry read during school at Hogwarts, mentioned in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, but now they are available in bookstores for anyone and everyone to buy. They feature fictional drawings and notes on the sides of the pages that Harry, Ron and Hermione wrote, giving the books a more personal touch. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a
collection of children’s stories mentioned in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is another fictional book that Rowling decided to publish. It highlights famous children’s stories of the wizarding world, such as Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump and The Tale of the Three Brothers. Even though there will not be any more midnight book releases or movie premieres, Harry Potter still generates a sense of wonder. The wizarding world will never seize to allow muggles into its magical realm. “I’m thinking about getting an ‘expecto patronum’ tattoo,” said Brick. “I just feel like I can relate everything in my life to Harry Potter somehow. It truly is a way of life.” Natalie Hicks can be reached at natalie. hicks@spartans.ut.edu.
Picking the Perfect Perfume Distinguishing Your Scent By KATELYN EDWARDS Arts + Entertainment Writer
Now that we’ve addressed the UGG issue, which has delightfully incited indignation, I think it is time to address yet another pertinent issue of many adolescents: you smell. Yes, you. An unreliable source, i.e. the kid living down the hall, conjectures that “perfume was created by French people to mask their body odor, because they never bathed.” Nevertheless, no one wants to admit that they have body odor, but it turns out that biology is against you: thanks to propionic acid and your sebaceous glands, you smell. Your creepy chemistry partner, your mom and your professor all have body odor. Don’t feel bad; get perfume. Ladies, Victoria’s Secret Love Spell is the scent of the promiscuous; you’re trying too hard. Gentlemen, Febreeze is not considered cologne; try harder. To improve humanity, every human being with sweat glands needs to invest in an expensive perfume. The benefit of not buying from Bath and Body Works? The scent lasts substantially longer, as it is more distilled and, thus, more fragrant per drop. However, do not confuse longevity with simply smelling obnoxious. Wiser than he appeared, an archetypal pothead once told me that “perfume should be discovered, not announced.” I concur. Discreetly spray perfume on your collar bones, wrists or clothes (where it will last the longest). Be there a tropical breeze, I should smell a whiff, not a tidal wave, of your Burberry Brit. To avoid appearing too eager to impress, don’t overload the perfume. Now, to choose one. There are always the classics for
us women. Marc Jacobs Daisy and Juicy Couture are undeniable staples of adolescence. Boyfriends take heed. These are the go-to birthday gift por su novia; they may seem pricey at $90 a bottle, but your girlfriend will adore it and kindly compensate you in the bedroom. However, I urge you ladies to branch out a bit and experiment with the new designer scents introduced this fall. If you like to go clubbing on week nights and like pink, I suggest Oh, Lola by Marc Jacobs ($88, Bloomingdale’s). It has great floral notes, similar to its younger sister, Lola, but less frilly. If you like sunscreen and Mediterranean men without shirts, Elie Saab’s La Parfum
is reminiscent of both. Blending cedar wood and white flowers, the perfume evokes a European sense of comfortable refinement that we Americans so eagerly try to emulate. If you like tweed jackets and curling up with a Jane Austen novel, have daddy pick up the newly introduced Chanel N’19. Rather than the traditional N’5, N’19 is much more fresh. As Coco’s personal perfume, it was “once reserved only for herself and a few intimate friends who could meet its inimitable style.” The fragrance was released to the public shortly after her death in 1971 and has recently been reintroduced to the world. The scent is unabashedly floral and green, inlaid with a base of woody vetiver to give it a sense of
An assortment of perfumes to choose from when it comes to finding the perfect scent.
Graphic by Rebecca Morales
Parisian je ne sais quoi. If you wish you were Rosie HuntingtonWhiteley and enjoy rainy afternoons, I suggest the new Burberry Body. Opening with fresh top notes such as peach and green absinthe, the perfume rests in a blend of vanilla, amber and warm sandalwood, an attractive blend to the male gender. Men, to avoid smelling arrogant, please refrain from wearing Axe. Instead, I believe the sexiest male cologne is Acqua di Gio Pour Homme ($59, Bloomingdale’s). I can guarantee you will get 10 times more action than you did previously sans cologne. Some tips to keep in mind when buying perfume: upon entering the mall, first head to the perfume counter. Spray each wrist and inside of the elbow with a different perfume. Go shop with your mom for an hour, allowing the scent to cool and lose its alcoholic smell. As the perfume warms with your skin, it will smell perceptively different in comparison to that unnecessary paper perfume sample. In between smelling different perfumes, cleanse your olfactory palette with sniffing coffee beans located on the glass perfume counters. Choose your two favorite and come back and try them another day. Ninety dollars is a lot to spend on a perfume that actually smells awful. And don’t drown yourself in perfume; you’ll get a migraine. Also, remember that although the women at the perfume counters may appear intimidating, it’s their job to make you happy. So sample as many perfumes as you want. Whether you’re a smelly Parisian or a smelly lax bro, there’s no downfall to smelling good. Just do it. Katelyn Edwards can be reached at katelyn.edwards@spartans.ut.edu.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
11
Rapper J. Cole Rises to Stardom By TEVIN CHRISTOPHER Arts + Entertainment Writer
Steve Jobs’ Certainty of Innovation By MIKEY ANGELO RUMORE Arts + Entertainment Columnist
Last week, as you will no doubt have heard, Steve Jobs, the brains behind Apple Computers, died at age 56 from an uncommon form of pancreatic cancer. The widespread outpouring of condolences, the kind reserved only for losses of the greatest magnitude, reveal just how influential Jobs had been for people all over the world. It’s almost as if the public held a subliminal, but deep-seated appreciation for Apple’s tycoon, an appreciation that rose to the surface upon news of his death. secretagent007/flickr.com For me, Steve Jobs’ passing puts a human face The iconic apple was altered this week for Jobs’ death. on devices that shaped me more than I realized. I’m no expert on Jobs’ life. I do, however, response to his death has been so vast. remember my first iPod. Okay, it was my People rightly fear that the uncommon friend’s iPod: the older, bulkier model. It values that Steve Jobs represents will held 20 GB, which felt like an unlimited disappear with him. And that would be a amount of music at the time. iPods now loss on top of a loss. hold up to 160 GB, but at the time, 2005 Finally, speaking as an English major, or so, it felt like the iPod’s design couldn’t Steve Jobs is a corporate mogul that even get better. I’d borrow my friend’s iPod a liberal arts student can love. In class last while he was in class—his specifically Friday, Professor Dan Dooghan relayed a because we had the same taste in music. piece of Steve Jobs folklore that reveals I remember strutting down the halls Jobs’ eye for aesthetics. As the story goes, of my high school as I pumped Jimi Bill Atkinson, an enterprising graphic Hendrix riffs into my brain. I probably designer discovered during Apple’s early looked ridiculous, but I didn’t care. I felt years, created a code that allowed Macs to sorry for the Walkman generation, who draw circles. At the time, this represented could only listen to one CD at a time, or quite a feat. Steve Jobs, always looking everyone that was forced to sit in front a step ahead, asked Atkinson to take of a bulky record player every time they the circles to the next level: rounded wanted to get the Led out. The iPod made rectangles. “Rounded rectangles are music truly portable and, as a result, I everywhere,” Jobs said, according to lore. went mobile to the beat of my friend’s After some convincing,Atkinson complied music collection. I can thank Steve Jobs and cracked the “RoundRects” code. for that. That and my hearing problems. Knowing this, I ask the Apple faithful to But, Steve, it was worth it. pull out their iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, Beneath Jobs’ notorious perfectionism etc. You’ll see just how the concept of lies a business philosophy that underscores “rounded rectangles” has factored into Apple’s uniqueness as a company. Jobs, the design of Apple’s products. It looks always with an eye to the future, never sleek, doesn’t it? I bet you never even played the game of short-term profiteering noticed. I certainly didn’t. Steve Jobs’ that has come to symbolize the worst genius is one of vision, imagination, aspects of large companies. Jobs drew reflection—of reading the world and rethis distinction when, speaking on Apple’s imagining it in his own image. The loss of competitor, Dell Computer Corporation, Steve Jobs goes beyond the man, because he said, “Pretty much, Apple and Dell the man lived a life that doesn’t allow us are the only ones in this industry making to separate him from his creations. In an money. They make it by being Wal-Mart. era of corporate short-sightedness, it’s We make it by innovation.” Jobs strived clear that we will miss Jobs’ certainty of to be transformative, and the companies innovation. Jobs’ life was so influential he founded, Apple and Pixar, cannot be that we’re all worse off without it. described as defenders of the status quo. Mikey Angelo Rumore can be reached Jobs’ drive to innovate is why the public at michaelangelorumore@gmail.com.
Who is J. Cole? For being signed to a major label like Roc Nation and headed by rap veteran Jay-Z, the buzz for the notso-new artist is one that has been years in the making, but catching on much slower than expected. Have no fear, though. Since being signed to Jay-Z’s label in 2009, he has been steadily working in the world of the Internet, releasing multiple mix-tapes that have reached their own successes and etched their permanent place in many rap enthusiasts’ favorite playlists. The wait was worth it, because the two years that fans were forced to wait patiently served as much-needed time for Cole to explore his talent. The end result of what he found is his skillfully in-depth and personal debut album, The Sideline Story. It chronicles his story and rise to mainstream acceptance. The album focuses on J. Cole’s awareness of his sideline role, after being signed by rap’s main player, JayZ, and struggle to finally secure a release date. However, the promotional trail for the album was sidetracked by a string of under-performing singles, which halted the development of the album. While many rappers have been discouraged and had their albums shelved, J. Cole did not falter, but instead captures his brave attempts to make it, crafting an admirable effort. This honest and reflective depiction is what works to transform his esteemed flashy persona, baby-mama issues, childhood neglect and contemplative ramblings into an album that is packed with boisterous repetitive hooks as well as relatable and insightful rhymes. In the opening tracks “Intro” and “Dollar and a Dream III,” where his usual superstar
persona is shrunk to the ego of a real-life, average person, his reflective style excites his hard to resist hooks. The inability to control a head-bobbing response to this music ensures one thing—a rap superstar is born. J. Cole’s style is almost too intelligent for mainstream, but too trendy for underground rap. His style is executed well in “Lost Ones,” which deals with the dilemma of abortion faced by a young father, and on “Never Told,” a melodic recount of his intuition as he tries to save an ex-girlfriend from being hurt. Other memorable songs include “Nobody’s Perfect” featuring Missy Elliott, which blasts as a radio-friendly tune to celebrate his accomplishments. He brags, “Look mama, I made it.” The Jay-Z mentored “Mr. Nice Watch” blends dubstep and electronic production to create another possible radio single. Even the inclusion of current chart regulars like Trey Songz, Drake and JayZ, J. Cole is still able to hold his own and remain in the main focus sure to be hit in the hit singles. Drake accompanied in “In The Morning,” a lovers-recap of the very intimate act they engage in that becomes a repetitive start to great mornings. After his influential narration of his “Sideline Story,” J. Cole proves why he deserves to be the main player he strived to be years go. In this song, he realizes that he has created a stature for starving, young rap artists to look up to. Now as the main player, The Sideline Story is nothing short of an exceptional capture of a journey and a cementing of an authentic image that is currently being embedded into the music industry. The underdog finally got off the sidelines. Tevin Christopher can be reached at tevin.christopher@spartans.ut.edu.
Photo Courtesy of Jcolemusic.com.
J. Cole lays down some rhymes in the studio for his new album, Sideline Story.
12 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
Opinion
Twiggs is the New Wall Street: Downtown gets ‘Occupied’ By ALEX CARABALLO Columnist
Every time I see protests erupting in London or France I always wonder why Americans never start major protests anymore or have a movement that completely changes the political discourse. The truth is most Americans are completely apathetic towards government and civic engagement. The Occupy Wall Street protests that have attracted hundreds of thousands of protesters is a uniquely American protest that is gaining momentum and turning into a movement. What started as a few dozen college students in a park in New York has evolved into the Occupy Wall Street movement that has moved hundreds of thousands of people to protest. They are protesting what they view as the tremendous inequality of the distribution of wealth in the United States. The people that comprise these protests are from all backgrounds and there is no single label that can be used to describe them. The protests also spread to Tampa on Oct. 6 at Lykes Gaslight park. Over 600 people showed up to use their rights to peacefully assemble and protest. I have been to quite a few protests but never one so well organized or of this size in Tampa. After reading about potential arrests for holding a protest in Lykes Gaslight park without a permit, I showed up expecting a large crowd and dozens of police surrounding them. What I actually saw was very far removed from that. The event was a very peaceful gathering
with only a few police in the neighboring area monitoring the protest. The Tampa Police Department even let protesters use the restrooms in the police headquarters across the street. The protest was broken down into several divisions that participants volunteered to run. Each division had separate goals that helped the entire group as a whole work. The several divisions were legal, medical, nonviolent direct action, media, social outreach and artistic expression. Legal consisted of lawyers who advised protesters what we could do and what we couldn’t do and observed the events to ensure that no rights were violated. The rest of the divisions did the following: medical treated anyone who became ill or was injured, nonviolent direct action led the marches, social outreach helped to organize the events, media put well spoken protestors to articulate our views to the news media and artistic expression helped create the posters and signs. There was a sense of the surreal when the general assembly occurred at noon. Contrary to almost every sense of our social understanding there was no direct leader. Everyone had the chance to speak and every action was decided by consensus, there was no one who decided for everyone what the group would do. The entire event was entirely grassroots; there were no large corporate funded organizations such as Freedomworks or Americans for Prosperity organizing the event, which is a very common occurrence in Tea Party events. An aspect of the protest that struck me immediately was the diversity of the group. Contrary to the media’s opinion
that these protests were composed entirely of liberal college students; almost every age, race, ethnicity and creed were represented. The leader of nonviolent direct action was a very inspiring older woman who had been involved in Channing Hailey/Minaret dozens of protests The self-proclaimed 99 percent brought the “Occupy Wall Street” protest to in the 1960s. Tampa. The media narrative of the protests has been a condescending one; many The mantra that is often repeated by the have questioned the purpose of the protests movement is “we are the 99 percent” which and the character of the protesters themselves. is used to imply that the top one percent who Some pundits have dismissed the protests as control 40 percent of this nation’s wealth un-American while simultaneously holding are rigging the system in their favor. The the Tea Party protests as patriotic. Protesting, donation by JP Morgan Chase is an example regardless of the content and views expressed, of them trying to rig the system. is the most patriotic thing an American can The Occupy Wall Street movement is not do because they are using the rights given about any particular political ideology but to them by the constitution and defended by rather the belief that everyone should have countless soldiers who sacrificed everything. an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of Wall Street has responded to the protests who you are. by attempting to buy the police. JP Morgan It is also about the belief that the middle Chase donated $4.6 million to the New York class is the foundation that this country is Police Department Foundation on Monday, built on and the rising wealth disparity is Oct. 3. This was the single largest gift ever destroying the middle class and turning given to the NYPD in one donation. The day America into a nation of the impoverished after the park where Occupy Wall Street was and the wealthy. held, was barricaded and the entrances to the Alex Caraballo can be reached at park were limited to the corners. acaraballo21@gmail.com
without using taxis or having a male drive. Consequently, the great success of the new law for women was shadowed by an event that took place only two days later. In July of 2011, a woman only identified as Shema was found guilty of driving a car in Jeddah. On Tuesday, Sept. 27 she was sentenced to ten lashes as punishment for her crime. This created outrage from the public as protests were made and angry opinions were given on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The irony is that although women have now been given the right to vote, a woman will be brutally punished for simply driving a car. It feels like such a great step was taken forward only to have a step taken back. Fortunately, on Wednesday , Sept. 28, King Abdullah revoked the punishment and Shema will no longer be flogged. Despite this being good news, it still stands that although Saudi women can now vote, they cannot drive to the voting polls in order to place their ballots. In the face of injustice of the driving ban, Saudi women are taking a stand for their rights. Women have been getting behind the wheel and rebelling against the law since June of 2011. Women2Drive, an organization run by Saudi women’s rights activists, has begun campaigns attempting to convince the government to give women the right to drive. On June 17, 2011 Women2Drive organized a demonstration where women drove around Jeddah in protest of the law. Nearly 60 women responded to the call by women’s rights activists to collectively defy the driving ban, according to a tally posted at #Women2Drive, the campaign’s Twitter page. This small number and a weak turnout of drivers since then, has disappointed many women including biology professor Aziza Yousef at King Saud University.
of women to speak up is important. A lot of Saudi women want to drive…I think a decision by the king is the best way to go with this just like the decision made in the 60’s about women’s education and now 60 percent of enrollment in universities, even more than men, are women. The whole region is impatient and we want change but nevertheless we are optimistic.” Progress is indeed being made in the Arabic region. A collective group of consecutive protests have been made since Dec. of 2010 in several countries including Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Morocco, Israel, Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan and Syria. These countries have taken part in civil resistance involving strikes, demonstrations, marches and rallies as well as using the media to create awareness of the repressions and censorship their governments have imposed upon the citizens. It has become so significant that it is being called the “Arab Spring.” This “Spring” has not been necessarily peaceful, but it has shown the resolve of the citizens of these countries in their attempt to gain their rights. These rebellions and fights for civil rights are signs that more democratic ideals are now being spread in that area. The law in Saudi Arabia giving women the right to vote is a reflection of this. At last the women in Saudi Arabia are seeing change. They are now allowed to make a difference in their communities and have more responsibilities. Granted, they still face certain obstacles such as the driving ban, but progress is definitely being made. I hope that such progress continues and that sooner rather than later, women in suppressive nations will enjoy the same rights as men. Paola Crespo can be reached at pollycrespo@hotmail.com
Saudi Women Win Right to Stand Election and Vote By PAOLA CRESPO Opinion Writer
On Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011 King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia announced that Saudi women now have the right to serve as members of the Shura Council, the appointed consultative council that advises the king, and are allowed to run as candidates and nominate candidates in the next set of municipal elections which will be in 2015. This new law will make a historic change in the role of women in Saudi Arabia. This is an important event as Saudi Arabian women have been struggling for the chance to vote for years. In a CNN news interview, Saudi women’s rights activist Manal Al-Sharif expressed her joy over the king’s announcement. “It’s thrilling. We weren’t expecting it. [The King] surprise[d] us [by saying] you can vote, you can stand for election and you can even be a member in the council which is the legislative body of the country.” The White House also hailed King Abdullah’s announcement, saying, “These reforms recognize the significant contributions women in Saudi Arabia make to their society and will offer them new ways to participate in the decisions that affect their lives and communities.” Overall, I feel that this new law is a success for women in their struggle for equality as not only are they allowed to vote for candidates but run as candidates themselves. And yet, they may be allowed to run, but they still can’t drive. There is a law that states that women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive motor vehicles. This law has been in place for decades and has prevented women from being able to freely maneuver around their country
Eric Lafforgue/Flickr.com
Saudi women are striving for political equality.
“I expected more to drive,” she told the Global Post. “But I know there are a lot of ladies waiting for the others to make the initiative…they don’t want to be the number one. They will follow.” Campaign organizers, who say they intend to press on with their effort, are calling the June 17 event a success because there were no arrests or major incidents. In light of this, there is a prominent leader representing hope and change in the world for Saudi Women, Princess Ameerah. The princess has made a positive impact in the world for Saudi women as she makes visits to various countries around the world, attending speeches and discussions and speaking about the injustices that women face in her country. She made an appearance on Pierce Morgan Tonight on CNN on Sept. 22, 2011, only three days before the king’s announcement, and spoke, amongst other things, about the driving ban. “Building civil society and building communities
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
OPINION
No Life, No Pizza: Texas Mulls End to Last Meals By ANNA WESTERHOLM Opinion Writer
You’re chained up to a pickup truck and being dragged along a bumpy road. You’re thinking about how your life is going to end after just a few more minutes of torture. After you’re dead and your attacker has gone to jail and been given the death penalty, he or she has until the day of their civil death to choose what their last meal will be. The above is what happened to James Byrd Jr. in Texas over a decade ago. I am using this travesty to illustrate another injustice that gives criminals the opportunity to request a decadent last meal after waiting in prison on death row. Lawrence Russell Brewer, executed Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011, requested for his last meal “two chicken fried steaks, a triple-meat bacon cheeseburger, fried okra, a pound of barbecue, three fajitas, a meat lover’s pizza, a pint of ice cream and a slab of peanut butter fudge with crushed peanuts,” prison officials in Jasper, Texas said. “He did not eat any of it.” This horrible incident prompted all Texas prisons to abolish the last meal policy completely. On one side, a killer’s life is being ended, and one last request is not hard to accommodate. On the other side, the person is still a killer! Why do they deserve a last request? His or her victim sure did not get a last request. “Every state should have the last meal policy,” Alissa Stark, a UT senior majoring in business management, said. “There should be no limit. The death penalty is fair, but too long of a process. It is expensive to keep people in jail.” I am not unreasonable. A person is still a person apart from the fact that they may
not have a conscience. A better idea than calling the whole last meal policy caput would be putting a limit on how expensive a meal can be. Florida’s limit is $40. “I would want the choice,” m a r i n e Nathaniel St. Amour/Minaret biology major Texan prisons are discussing the end of last meals for inmates on Death Row. Shelby Strunk, a UT junior, said, “but other states should Brewer, and I’m sure many others, take follow Texas.” advantage of the last meal privilege because I would want the choice of a last meal their lives are ending in a matter of hours. also if I knew my life was about to end, but Freshman, Lindsay Pellegrini, would I deserve it? undecided major, said, “Prisoners should This is the big question here. The death get a last meal if the prisoner or their family penalty is not taken lightly. People on death pays for it.” row are there for a reason; they committed This poses an interesting point. The hateful, vicious crimes! question stemming from there would be, The fact that Brewer, Byrd’s murderer, should the family be able to prepare it did not touch a morsel of the gluttonous themselves? Should they be able to bring meal he requested shows he may have been take-out? trying to stick it to the prison. Should the meal be mandated to be “It is extremely inappropriate to give a from the prison kitchen? Any subject person sentenced to death such a privilege,” touching the death penalty is sticky, but Sen. John Whitmire, chairman of the Senate do criminals deserve rights? Prison is a Criminal Justice Committee said. place to punish wrongdoers. Rights and On a similar note, Claire Handville, privileges, meaning last meal requests, freshman with an undecided major, said should be rare. “It is not necessary to reward criminals for Texas has the second highest population heinous crimes.” out of the 50 states following California. While there are other people on death California, Florida and Texas have row who may embrace their last meal, executed the highest number of prison
13
inmates compared to the rest of the 50 states. While the source could be solely related to the large populations, being in the south definitely plays a part in the number of those executed in these highly occupied states. With the amount of violence, theft, murder, rape, robbery and assault skyrocketing in the US over the past couple years, there is a higher need for space in prisons. This is not to say that states are being more lenient about putting offenders to death, but it can be rightfully insinuated. On the other hand, prisoners spend a lot of time in prison before they receive their lethal injection. The US has stopped the use of the electric chair and gas chambers for civility reasons. The US is not perfect, but it is the safest, most free place to live. While injustices occur all the time, this is true of any place in the world. The death penalty is just one controversial aspect of the US government. I think the death penalty is necessary as long as there is not a shadow of a doubt that the person is guilty. However, if someone is in prison for life, I see it as doing that person a favor by executing that person, instead of wasting his or her life away behind bars. The solitude and violence in prison could also be seen as part of the punishment for those in prison for life. While murder cannot correct another murder, certain people are hazardous to a peaceful community. In order to live in peace, Americans must find a way to feel safe and see justice prevail. Anna Westerholm can be reached at anna.westerholm@spartans.ut.edu
Give Them Church or Give Them Death: Serve Your Time in Mass By RICH SOLOMON Opinion Editor
When I think of the punishments that exist for committing a crime, I don’t count attending church as a possible consequence. Death? Sure. A fine? If it’s a misdemeanor, then probably. Years of prison rape? Well that’s a given. But a new proposal in Bay Minette, Ala., could offer an even harsher penalty than prison rape. Operation ROC (Restore Our Community) is being pushed by the local police as a means of alternative sentencing. Instead of paying a fine and being sent to jail, offenders can choose to attend church services for a year. This would only apply to misdemeanors, which are the less serious offenses in our criminal justice system. To enforce the required church attendance, police would monitor Sunday services to make sure you’re getting your weekly dose of Jesus and presumably not stealing from that hat that people put money in. Surely the police are crossing a line though? Police are supposed to protect us, not monitor our souls’ status, right? Police chief Mike Rowland said the program is mainly a cost-saving measure. So this is less about eternal damnation and more about saving money. Bay Minette spends $75 a day on each prisoner, which is all the motivation needed to seek alternative forms of sentencing. Not everyone is on board with the plan, and the proposal is currently being stalled. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) called it “unconstitutional” and asked for an immediate end to the program. Olivia Turner, Alabama’s ACLU executive director, told the Press-Register that, “It
violates one basic tenet of the Constitution, namely that government can’t force participation in religious activity.” Turner went on to say that, “When the alternative to going to church is going to jail, the so-called ‘choice’ available to offenders is no choice at all.” “I’m wondering if the folks who designed the “Restore Our Community” program in Bay Minette, Ala., ever heard of the Constitution, let alone the First Amendment,” said Dr. David Krahl, a visiting assistant professor of criminology. “The First Amendment to the Constitution is pretty clear on this one,” said Dr. Krahl. “The city of Bay Minette, in its attempt to implement cost-savings strategies, has given persons convicted of misdemeanors the option to pay a fine, go to jail, or go to church. Unfortunately, this alleged costsavings strategy is a blatant violation of the principle of separation of church and state. It’s even more troublesome and problematic since law enforcement officers who are agents of the state will be used to monitor attendance at church which is the embodiment of religious beliefs and practices.” Alright, but choosing between religion and jail, that’s not exactly the worst thing ever (see “slavery”). Still though, I’m not thrilled with this idea. If I have to talk to a Rabbi once a week for a year just because I stole aOh wait, this program only applies to churches. 56 churches have voiced support for the proposal, but no mosques or synagogues are involved because apparently there are none in the area. The choice is between a year’s worth of Sundays in church, or a prison sentence with an attractive roommate named Nelson.
Bobtom84/Photobucket.com
Church should be an alternative to prison.
Robert Gates, one of the 56 pastors that support the program, told a local Alabama news station, WKRG, that, “You show me somebody who falls in love with Jesus, and I’ll show you a person who won’t be a problem to society.” Dude, I’ll show you like five people who are all about loving Jesus. Charles Manson. The KKK. The Westboro Baptist Church. Pope Pius V. John Wayne Gacy. Guess what? They all fell in love with Jesus, and they are all absolutely problems to society. The idea of replacing prison or jail with church service is both impractical and unrealistic. Let’s ignore that Sunday is a holy day in some religions, so if you’re not Christian you’d be going against your own religion by attending a different place of worship. Let’s gloss over that whole “separation of church and state” thing. Let’s even not look into just how many
criminals are already religious (in case the argument is about moral fiber rather than legal rights). Like Turner said, a choice between church and prison isn’t a choice at all. Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Buddhists, those folks with that flying dinner plate, the invisible pink unicorn, they’d all have to compromise their own beliefs, which is unacceptable. And how did Bay Minette settle on one year? Is one year of church the spiritual equivalent of three to five years in prison? Seriously, is there some spiritual calculator I’m unaware of that can convert prison rehabilitation to church service? I hope it has a graphing function, I’d like to see the exact moment my soul stops having a chance at salvation. Dr. Krahl summed it up well. “I don’t think that there’s a whole lot of constitutional gray area on this issue. I’m pretty sure that this is the very kind of thing that the framers of the Constitution were trying to avoid… If Bay Minette really wants to save 75 dollars a day, there are certainly other, more practical ways to accomplish that objective. Other jurisdictions have found a way to do it without trampling on well-established principle of the separation of church and state.” To combine the two is reprehensible. This isn’t about rehabilitation or justice; this is a cost-cutting measure that will infringe on the rights granted to us in the First Amendment. And out of all the Amendments, that’s probably the worst one to breach. Maybe I’m way off base though. In that case, don’t yell at me; just make me go to church.. Rich Solomon can be reached at richard. solomon@spartans.ut.edu
14 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Westboro Baptists Target Steve Jobs’s Funeral By ANNABELLA PALOPOLI Opinion Writer
Westboro Baptist Church. Ring any bells? They’re the religious group known for their extreme stance against homosexuality and their picketing of funerals, carrying signs such as, “God Hates Fags” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.” Upon investigating the Westboro Baptist Church website (www.godhatesfags.com), many appalling examples of the radical views of this church can be found. These include the beliefs that the Holocaust was God’s punishment on Jews, Pope Benedict XVI is “The Godfather of Pedophiles,” and “the only true Nazis in this world are fags.” This hate group, which consists mainly of the Phelps family in Kansas, is currently in the spotlight after threatening to picket the upcoming funeral of Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs, the incredibly innovative cofounder of Apple who died on Oct. 5, is the next target of WBC because he “gave God no glory & taught sin” (according to the Twitter of Margie Phelps, daughter of the church’s founder). Rachel Hockenbarger, one of the members of WBC, is quoted as saying, “Steve Jobs didn’t do squat. Man did not create technology. God created technology. He gave it to us [as] a gift and tool to preach to the world... but Steve Jobs taught people to pursue their own interest, he did not tell people to use technology to spread the word of God.” If not doing squat means helping to design, develop and market one of the first commercially successful lines of personal computers as well as pave the way in innovation and product design of modern technology, then I would sure as hell be
impressed to see what constitutes doing Phelps, by default, would be supporting sin squat. Furthermore, Jobs is not to blame by supporting his products. for what people do with the technology he Fortunately, the funeral of Jobs will created. Jobs did not promote or “teach” reportedly be held in private. WBC admits sin with his products. In fact, he did not that they can only picket public funerals, tell the public to do anything specific with but they still plan to “protest Steve Jobs’ his products. According to Hockenbarger funeral via iPhone.” and Phelps, his sin was manifested in not telling people to use his products to spread God’s word. \ If sin is doing anything that is not theologically centered, then I’m sinning right now. And I was just sinning a few minutes ago brushing my teeth. I was also sinning when I ate breakfast. Ironically, the tweet from Margie Phelps saying that, “Westboro will picket [Jobs’] funeral” was posted via Twitter for iPhone. When accused of being hypocritical K763/Flickr.com for embracing the The Westboro Baptist Church has become notorious for picketing technology of the man funerals and announcing that deceased public figures “are in hell.” she condemns, Phelps tweeted, “Rebels mad cuz I used iPhone to tell you Steve Jobs I do appreciate passion for and is in hell. God created iPhone for that commitment to one’s beliefs, but WBC purpose! :).” Even if Phelps believed it was takes it a little too far by outwardly God who created the iPhone and not Jobs, attacking almost everyone in America. One the company she is supporting by using of their slogans is “God Hates America.” the iPhone is Apple. I don’t understand America, they insist, is “doomed” because why the WBC would support and give it is a nation that supports homosexuality. money to a company they thought taught The FAQ on WBC’s website says that sin. If Jobs was sinning with his products, they only preach hate because “the Bible
preaches hate.” Their extremist views that “God’s hatred is one of His holy attributes” and that they should thank God for “everything He does,” including killing soldiers and carrying out 9/11. Although WBC does not go so far as to physically harm anyone, they emotionally harass people every day. As for my personal experience with the WBC, I was tweeted by Megan Phelps, granddaughter of the founder of WBC, this past spring. She, after seeing a post about my being bisexual, stated that I am going to hell. I guess the WBC will be at my funeral singing, “God Hates Who You Are” (their “We R Who We R” by Ke$ha parody, which is only one out of many.) Part of me believes that some of what WBC does is just for attention. It may be that they find ways to condemn the most currently talked about celebrity in order to become a topic of discussion in the media. In any case, their disrespectfulness never fails to make me sick to my stomach. It would be okay for WBC to share their beliefs, as in America we have freedom of speech, if not for the medium through which they do so. I would consider their pickets and hateful messages a form of harassment. Anyone who knew and loved Steve Jobs is most certainly offended by this unnecessary punishment. As for me, I am sad for the loss of such a brilliant man as Steve Jobs, without whom I would not be typing this on my beloved MacBook. I guess “Phelps mad cuz I used MacBook to tell you WBC is disrespectful. Jobs created MacBook for that purpose! :)” Annabella Palopoli can be reached at annabella.palopoli@spartans.ut.edu
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
OPINION
15
Denmark Imposes Fat Tax: Higher Cost on Fatty Foods By DAVID ADAMS Opinion Writer
Fatties beware, if you are planning to travel to Denmark, you better make sure you have saved your money. The European country has just imposed what has been termed a “sin tax” on foods that are high in saturated fats. Foods like hamburgers, butter, sausage and oils with a saturated fat content higher than 2.3 percent are now being held to a fat tax which will raise the price. The price is set to increase at $1.29 USD per pound, or $2.90 per kilogram (2.2 lbs.), according to the Los Angeles Times. The price increase will take into account how much saturated fat is used in the manufacturing of an item, not in how much fat the final product contains. The government has imposed the tax hoping that it will reduce obesity and heart disease. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has also stated that they believe the tax will also increase life expectancy by three years over the next decade, according to the LA Times. The current government has been labeled by The Associated Press as “conservative,” and this was just one of many sin taxes the prior health minister, Jakob Axel Nielsen proposed. Other items that have incurred tax hikes are ice cream, chocolate and sweets, with consumers being charged an extra 25 percent in July of 2010. According to ABC news reporter Olivia Katrandijan, Denmark has also raised taxes on tobacco, alcohol and soft drinks above the European Union-established minimum levels. Denmark has also banned the use of trans fat and products that contain it.
While the government has increased the price of these foods, Denmark is not considered a country with a high obesity rate. According to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, only “10 percent of Danes are considered obese,
should the government decide how much fat we eat? They also want to increase the tobacco price very significantly. In theory this is good — it makes unhealthy items expensive so that we do not consume as much or any and that way the health system doesn’t use a lot of money on patients who become sick from overuse of fat and tobacco. However, these taxes take on a big brother feeling. We should not be punished by taxes on items the government decides we should not use.” I believe that the fat tax is ingenious, and I hope that the United States takes a long look at the newly imposed taxes by the Danish government. We as a nation are fat, and Victoria DeLone/The Minaret something like this would Introducing Denmark’s blubbery new revenue source: fat taxes. do one of two things for our country: 1). It would cause compared to about one-third of adults (33.8 a huge reduction in American’s average percent) and approximately 17 percent (or weight, which would be good since I don’t 12.5 million) of children and adolescents appreciate the negative stereotype that we age 2—19 years in the United States.” are all fat, stupid, loud assholes. While Denmark is the first country to While I may be stupid, loud and an impose a fat tax, other European nations a-hole, I am definitely NOT fat, and are said to be considering the increase eliminating one of four sounds good to me. in prices of certain foods. The increase If the fat tax doesn’t help Americans slim has not caused widespread complaints down then 2). It will be a good source of by Danish people, but some are not very revenue for the United States. happy about what the new laws mean for We all know the US can’t afford to freedom. operate its own government, which has ABC news spoke with Alisa Clausen, been entangled in two separate conflicts for a South Jutland resident, “Denmark finds almost the last decade. every sort of way to increase our taxes. Why Two wars combined with countless
EDITOR LETTER
Crime
The Minaret recently covered a story on three students from the University of Tampa who were robbed at gunpoint on the 18th of September. The reaction of students and faculty was hardly noticeable after the occurrence of this crime. Was this crime just another story that was destined to be forgotten about without any remorse? I like to think that the history of violent crimes on and around our campus would suggest otherwise. How is something like this avoided? Is there enough being done to ensure the safety of our students and the integrity of our University? If it was to be my decision on creating a safer environment for our students, I believe there would be much work to do. North Boulevard in recent years has become a hotspot for criminal activity. Unfortunately, it is also a party destination for some UT students. Campus property stretches to the corner of Cass St and N Boulevard, which is only a short distance from a bar located on Cass St that seems to be popular with UT students. It is obvious that this portion of campus is in need of increased security. While there have been efforts to strengthen the security around campus, crime is still an issue for UT. There doesn’t seem to be a clear cut plan to help keep this part of campus more secure. UT security patrols campus on a daily basis and there is a shuttle system for students to use around campus, however these are only effecting people already on campus. It is critical to the safety of our students that we implement broader security enforcement. While it may
TO THE
not be required for the University to provide security in an off campus location, action can still be taken to reduce the number incidents that often occur on our doorstep. It would not be out of the question to insert video surveillance to parts of campus that are in high risk. At the very least, this could help provide knowledge of how crimes are being committed and a method to prevent them. The family and friends of former UT cross country standout Ryan McCall might know how to explain the seriousness of this problem. On August 19th, 2009, McCall was robbed at gunpoint and fatally shot at the base of the same bridge where the robbery on September 18th occurred. The seriousness of this heinous crime has not been forgotten for those that knew McCall. The college experience is something that should be rewarding and unique for every student. Several students from around the world chose UT because of its academic excellence and tradition. However, upon arrival, they are often oblivious to the area and often do not know the layout of the environment surrounding UT. According to the dean of students, after the robbery, a global message was sent out to all students that intended to provide safety reminders for off campus activity. However, The Minaret article then says that all students who were interviewed about the e-mail, did not recall receiving the message. To the school board and head of UT campus security: I urge you to provide a safer environment as well as a knowledgeable foundation for the students at UT. Knowing is half the battle. - A concerned Student.
national crises like Katrina in 2004 and the 2008 collapse of the housing markets have put our country in a crater of debt, primarily with our largest rival, China. If Americans can’t stop shoving McBurgers in their chubby, loud mouths, then at least we will be able to start paying China back, who I think are going to start calling for their tab soon. Does the United States of China have a nice ring to it? On the more serious side, I feel that the country would benefit from taxes like this. I consume a lot of oils and butter, which I use a lot of when I cook, but I feel that the country could use the extra money at this point in time. A tax like this would definitely force me to be more health conscience, and when I break down, which would probably be often, then I will donate money to the United States of America. I believe that the increase would result in both health and fiscal benefits for our country, and although I am not rich by any means, I feel that with the mountain of debt we as a country find ourselves in it is every one’s responsibility to repay. I’m not sure about you, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let my parents run up the check and then stiff me with the bill. The US should consider this increase seriously, as well as the higher taxes on large corporations the talking heads on TV are always cackling about. I feel like this tax makes the most sense, because ultimately I will benefit from it too. I hate spending money and a fat tax would force me to eat healthier. This is one of the few taxes that actually helps the people paying it, so we should think about it. David Adams can be reached at dadams@spartans.ut.edu
16 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Tea Pot, Meet Kettle: Occupy Wall Street a Celebration of Democracy By KELSEY ALLAGOOD Opinion Writer
The specter of the 1960s has returned to haunt us. The Occupy Wall Street protests and their various forms across the country have been going on for almost a month, and show no sign of stopping. Commentators are calling the protests unorganized, ineffective and stupid. The protesters themselves have been called freaks, hippies, anti-American, socialists and “aligned with Lenin.” Conservative politicians from Michael Bloomberg to Mitt Romney have called the protesters “mobs” who are “waging class warfare.” Members of the media, including the prestigious magazine The Economist, seem puzzled by a lack of concrete demands from the protesters, and implore the protesters to “actually [take] part in the system they’re trying to take down.” These criticisms are just plain wrong. A protest does not call for a written bullet list of demands. That is called lobbying, which is one of the Washington practices that worry many protesters. Protests, or “peaceful assembl[ies],” as they are called in our Constitution, are one way for citizens to express frustration when they feel that their government has become unresponsive to their needs. There seems to be quite a few assumptions coming from critics of Occupy Wall Street, the most common of which is the gloating statement that all the protesters are pot-smoking, drum-beating hippies between the ages of 18 and 29. Oh, wait: you’re thinking of the 1960s. The Economist implores the protesters to go vote, rather than air their grievances publicly. It is true that only 24 percent of people aged 18-29 voted in the 2010 midterm elections. But that is exactly the problem: many young people feel that they’re voting for the same party regardless of whether they check the box beside “Democrat” or “Republican.” Despite all the populist “we’re for the average American” blather coming out of Congress today, both parties have proved ineffective at handling the economy, passing legislation, or saying “no” to the powerful ultra-rich that really pull the strings in Washington.
Photo Courtesy of _PaulS_/Flickr
Class warfare or democracy? Political factions debate over the “Occupy Wall Street” movement.
Anyone who says they don’t understand what the protesters want is deliberately being thick. Their demands aren’t new. In fact, Americans have been trying to vote the problem away since the 2008 elections. That was when our economy tanked the first time, and President Bush signed the first stimulus package. After President Obama was elected, he signed another stimulus package. Congress has switched from a Democratic super-majority to a stalemate between the two parties in which no piece of legislation supported by the president can pass. In 2010, Americans voted out hundreds of incumbents in a desperate hope that someone, anyone, could bring change to Washington. We can’t vote away this problem. The problem is the system itself. This isn’t about “sticking it to the man, man.” It’s about those 18-29 year old students who try to get ahead by taking on $80,000 of debt, only to be tossed into an economy with a 9.1 percent jobless rate. This number does not include the number of college grads working as servers
at IHOP, or in other jobs that don’t require a degree. It’s about the fact that corporate profits, which largely benefit the wealthy, are at their highest since 1950, but the incomes of middle- and lower-class citizens are stagnating or even dropping. It’s about the level of influence lobbyists have in Washington, especially those like Grover “Anti-tax” Norquist, whose nonew-taxes pledge was signed by nearly every Republican member of Congress, and almost forced government shutdown this summer thanks to the Republicans’ inability to say “no” to Norquist’s lobbyists. And young college dropouts aren’t nearly the only people protesting. There are business owners, professional economists, grandparents, professors, the unemployed, the underemployed, and yes, quite a few college students with extra time on their hands (probably because they can’t find a job). Don’t underestimate the power of a disgruntled populace. The conservative Tea Party protesters were also called a “silly fringe group” when they first organized in 2009, and now the movement has thrown its support behind
electing candidates and holding them responsible for their actions. The Tea Party has already been, and will undoubtedly be, a deciding force in the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. It is very difficult to know which protest movements will fizzle out and which will become major players in politics. When did it become anti-American for citizens to express their discontent through peaceful protest? It appears that the ultrarich still tremble at the sight of average Americans questioning the source of their wealth. Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain called the protesters “jealous” of wealthier Americans, and “anti-capitalist.” The wildest fear probably came from Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who told Fox Business he was afraid the protesters would think, “Well, gosh, those nice iPads through the window should be mine and why don’t I throw a brick through the window to get them because rich people don’t deserve to have them when I can’t have them.” Fear-mongering over “class warfare” and Communism should have been over with the Cold War, but it appears the right can’t quite let go of their irrational fear of a failed economic system from the 19th century. But I suppose that, by striking fear into the hearts of the powerful, the protests are accomplishing what they set out to do. Protests don’t need immediate results to be legitimate. The Boston Tea Party (you know, the one that a certain conservative movement is named after) had no immediate impact until Parliament responded one year later, and it took another year for the American Revolution to even begin. It’s not up to protesters to draft legislation to present to Congress. That is, in fact, the job of Congress. It is also up to Congress to ensure the protection of American citizens, not the ultra-rich. And stop trying to make it seem like the protesters believe that everything will be okay if we all subsist on hugs and rainbows. These are real people, with real worries over their own livelihoods. They are us. It’s time to take them seriously. Kelsey Allagood can be reached at kallagood@spartans.ut.edu
Mexico Aims to Lower Divorce Rate with Two-Year Marriages By DOMINIQUE BARCHUS Columnist
“Until death do us part”. Traditionally, that is what is supposed to happen once two people decide they want to get married. Do things always turn out this way? No. Divorces or separations are increasing more and more as time goes on. Is this because these people are not as in love as they thought they were or does it just mean the marriage was rushed? I think it’s a little of both. There are so many people that get married for the wrong reasons or don’t think things completely through before they make such a huge commitment. Getting married is not like asking someone to be your boyfriend or girlfriend. Yes, they are both commitments, but on entirely different levels. Getting married to someone means sharing and continuing your life with that person and committing yourself to only him or her forever. In some ways, it is similar to any boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, except it’s legally binding and not as easy to get out of if you decide you want to go your separate ways. Mexico took notice of this difference and decided to come up with their own plan of action. According to CNN, Mexican
legislator, Leonel Luna wants to make it easier for couples to call it quits if they decide to get married. He proposed a bill to grant newlywed couples a two-year marriage contract that can either be renewed or put an end to once that time period is up. Luna stated, “Almost 50 percent of couples in Mexico City end up in divorce. What we’re trying to do is acknowledge reality and create a mechanism that will allow couples to end their marriage without going through the additional pain and suffering of a legal battle.” Many of the Catholic church affiliates in Mexico were enraged by this proposal stating, “Mexico is suffering very serious problems precisely because we’re losing family values. Instead of creating all kinds of comfortable rules for political purposes, legislators should focus on promoting strong marriages and family values.” Mexico has the second largest Catholic population; therefore, many people in Mexico are opposed to the passing of this bill. However, the probability of this bill being passed is in favor of Luna. There are 66 legislators in Mexico City and 34 of them belong to his party (Democrat). Also, Mexico City is far less conservative than the rest of Mexico being that they have legalized gay marriage. This new marriage bill has only increased Mexico City’s efforts
Samantha Cossum/The Minaret
Mexico has instituted a new marriage option.
in pushing the controversy envelope. If this opportunity were available in the U.S. it would be bittersweet. On the one hand it gives couples the chance to test out married life and easily get out if it is an unsatisfactory situation. Yet, it completely contradicts what marriage stands for. What if divorce wasn’t an option? Here’s a crazy thought-what if you actually had to spend the rest of your life with the person you vowed to spend the rest of your life with? Less people would get married and marriage would be looked at more seriously and as more of a privilege. I’m not saying that divorce should never be an option; some situations call for it, but the sanctity of marriage needs to be honored more. Homosexual couples have been fighting for the privilege to get married. Regardless
of how much they love each other or how many decades they have been together, the government refuses to grant them this desire. Yet, there are heterosexual couples that don’t even stay married for a year; they divorce and easily marry again. The vows are “Until death do us part,” not, “In two years I‘ll see how I feel.” No one should enter into a marriage with the mindset that it is possibly going to fail. First off, if there is any doubt in you or your partners’ mind that your marriage may not work out, then you shouldn’t be getting married. When you ask someone to marry you or you accept a marriage proposal, the intention should be to stay with that person from that point forward. If two people want to figure out if they could be happily married, they should test that theory out before they actually get married. They should live together, split financial responsibilities and take on marital roles. Give that a few years, if that works out and they feel as if the situation they are in is the only place they want to be, then get married and continue thriving on that level. Contradicting a lifelong commitment with a two-year contract is not the way to go. Dominique Barchus can be reached at dominique.barchus@spartans.ut.edu
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 13 2011
Sports
17
New Assistants Bring Youth, Experience to Lacrosse Staff
By MICHAEL PAONESSA Sports Writer
The first ever lacrosse program at the University of Tampa will get underway in the Spring of 2012, and two newly added assistant coaches are ready to make sure the team’s inaugural season at UT is an instant success. Mike Ryder and Michael von Kamecke have been added to the UT lacrosse coaching staff to serve as the defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively, under Head Coach Rory Whipple. Ready to make a contribution, Ryder and von Kamecke bring to the table valuable playing and coaching experience that will serve beneficial to UT lacrosse. Ryder and von Kamecke both attended Salisbury University in Maryland and played lacrosse under the winningest lacrosse coach in NCAA history, Jim Berkman. Ryder, who is in his mid-20s, graduated SU in 2008 and played lacrosse there from 2005-2007. With both Ryder and von Kamecke already fitting into the program, coach Whipple believes that the selection process for both of them were successful. “We went with Mike Ryder because he came from a successful lacrosse program with an outstanding coach so I felt comfortable with Mike with his background to be defensive coordinator,” Coach Whipple said. “Also, he had the opportunity to be a head coach at Colorado and that gave him a lot of experience dealing with people and everything it takes to be a head coach” As for von Kamecke, the decision to hire him came from his roots and success during his college career. “I had a lot of good candidates for the offensive job but I went with [VK] because coming from Salisbury as well I thought that would add a lot of continuity to our coaching staff having two guys playing at the same lacrosse program,” Coach Whipple said. “I liked him being a local person out of Orlando and he is certainly one of the best lacrosse players to come out of Florida. He
Photos by Samantha Cossum/ The Minaret Michael von Kamecke (left) and Mike Ryder (right) both attended Salisbury University and played under Jim Berkman, the winningest coach in NCAA lacrosse history.
also excelled at the Division-III level and won multiple national championships.” Ryder’s biggest coaching experience was in Boulder, Co., as he packed his bags and headed west to be the assistant coach the University of Colorado’s lacrosse program. Although CU plays at the club level, the club level lacrosse programs in the west, according to Ryder, is known to be the best in the country. After six games in his first season, CU fired its head coach and promoted Ryder to the head coach position. In his head coaching debut, CU defeated number one ranked Michigan, ending the Wolverines’ 49-game winning streak. With college coaching experience in his possession, Ryder believes his time at CU helped shape him to be a valuable coach here in Tampa. “I came here knowing how I would like to run things while taking bits and
pieces of what I learned there to help UT lacrosse succeed,” Ryder said. “The clublevel teams are very good out in the west so I was able to get a lot of great head coaching experience and also surround myself around great guys to get valuable experience off of.” Ryder will serve as the defensive coordinator as he has been working with the long-stick defenders helping the Spartans out with the individual skills while also helping the midfielders and the defense work together as a team. With a couple weeks at UT under his belt, Ryder couldn’t be happier to be in Tampa. “I’m really excited,” Ryder said. “For me, this is my second collegiate job and the fact that I am at the NCAA level now working for a coach like Coach Whipple is very exciting. “I’m glad to be in Tampa out of all the places to coach and ready to help the firstyear program succeed.”
On the other side of the ball, UT lacrosse welcomes Michael von Kamecke to serve as the Spartan lacrosse offensive coordinator. Also attending Salisbury, von Kamecke shined with their lacrosse team as he won two national championships and earned honorable Division-III All-American honors twice. Graduation SU in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in athletic coaching, von Kamecke leaves his impressive college lacrosse playing experience to start his coaching career. Before his college success, he grew up in Orlando where during high school von Kamecke was a three-time lacrosse AllAmerican as he recorded a total of 288 points in his four years at Bishop Moore High School. Although von Kamecke does not have any college coaching experience, he believes that playing for Coach Berkman at SU served as valuable experience to learn the trade of coaching. “It was a great learning experience having him as a coach and he still remains a close contact to me today,” says von Kamecke With von Kamecke being back in his home state, it’s an honor for him to be part of a brand new college program and happy to be back in Florida. “Being back in Florida to see the growth of lacrosse and the start of a new program is exciting and a big honor for me to be a part of,” said von Kamecke. Von Kamecke has worked with the offense in his time at UT developing the Spartans’ shooting skills. He also coaches the midfielders and the attack men. With Ryder and von Kamecke settling in nicely, Whipple couldn’t be happier to start the season with the two assistant coaches. “It’s been great, we are real fortunate to have them both,” said Coach Whipple. “They are doing an outstanding job and our team’s play will reflect their effort and coaching.” Michael Paonessa can be reached at mpaonessa@spartans.ut.edu
Big Market Teams Come Up Small When it Matters Most By TIM SHANAHAN Sports Writer
The ALCS and NLCS are looking marginally different than people in the Northeast had expected. The Red Sox, Yankees and Phillies were all ousted from the playoff picture before they could get their celebration on. The teams with the top nine payrolls do not appear in the final four. The Tigers, Rangers, Cardinals and my preseason prediction, the Brewers, are the teams who stay afloat. Let’s start with the Boston Red Sox. They went a miserable 7-20 in September to blow their nine game advantage over the Rays, standing as a top collapse in baseball history. In the final game of the season, Boston held a lead in the final innings in which they blew. The Rays were down 7-0 in the final innings of their season and mounted an impossible comeback. Boston didn’t make it out of the season to play another day.
The New York Yankees finished the season with a 97-65 record, good for second in the league. The hotter hitting and pitching Tiger team outmatched New York. Guys like CC Sabathia, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez were unable to step up. These players who have been notorious for being heroes in the past, didn’t come close to sniffing that title. Tiger’s outfielder Delmon Young provided a vast spark for their middle of the lineup. It stands as arguably this season’s best mid-year trade to get his bat in front of phenom Miguel Cabrera. Young gets first pitch strikes to rope in gaps because no one wants to face the dude in the on-deck circle. Justin Verlander outpitched Sabathia and proved why he deserves the American League MVP vote. The Philadelphia Phillies held a Major League best record of 102-60. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels lead one of the most dominant pitching staffs in the history of baseball. This was all to no avail. The Phillies staff showed up for the series. However,
Philadelphia’s bats swung to an average of Yes, there will be a new winner this .226 in the five crucial games. season, but the markets and fan bases are I would consider the Phillies the biggest smaller. No matter what Nyjer Morgan disappointment out of all the favorites. says, people will care less. They were the overwhelming lock of the Tim Shanahan can be reached at National League for the entire playoffs. tshanahan@spartans.ut.edu. Fans were confident they would be sporting Phillies championship gear from the local Sports Authority. Like the Red Sox and Yankees, the Phillies team will be watching the final four teams play from the comfort of their leather couches. The theme of the hot team advancing to and through the playoff bracket has held true. The Cardinals and Tigers were scorching to finish the season. Both squads lost their first game of the divisional series, but bounced back to beat overwhelming favorites. Ratings will take a blow since the major market teams are eliminated. Casual fans suffer. Bars suffer. Boston, New York and Philadelphia fans will not be going to their local supermarket to hj_west/ Flickr.com purchase multiple cases of beer to watch Ryan Howard batted .105 in the playoffs as the Phillies failed to score runs for their pitchers. the Tigers play.
18 OCTOBER 13 2011 | THE MINARET
Soccer Wins Consecutive Games By ANALISA TRSTENSKY Sports Writer
While the season started out slowly for the University of Tampa men’s soccer team, October proved to be a pivotal turning point. The Spartans (2-6-1, 2-2 SSC) defeated both Lynn University (7-3, 3-1 SCC) and Florida Southern College (46, 1-4 SCC). Stakes were high as the Spartans took the field against Lynn’s Fighting Knights on Oct. 1. “It was our first big home game of the season,“ said senior goalkeeper Clete Goddard. “Lynn is our big rival, and from there on out, it was do or die for our season.” There was no more room for mistakes in conference play as these games lead to the conference and regional finals and help decide seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Midfielder Dominic Cutrofello explained, “Our major goal is to be conference champs. A loss to Lynn would have hurt our chances for the playoffs.” Cutrofello, a junior transfer from Florida Atlantic University, helped the Spartans get one step closer to this objective. He scored the only goal of the game, giving the Spartans their first win of the season and ending the Fighting Knights seven game winning streak. “This was a huge win for us. It was a sigh of relief and gave us our confidence back,” Goddard said. This confidence translated into another victory for UT against the Florida Southern Moccasins on Oct 5. Senior Ryan Griffin earned his fourth goal of the season from a penalty kick late in the first half. Griffin closed the half by scoring another goal off of an assist from senior David Gulec. During the second half, Florida
Southern’s Zach Hofstetter scored a goal, but junior Brian Fekete responded with a goal of his own, giving UT a 3-1 finish. “We took control of the game,” Goddard said of the two victories. “Unlike with our losses, our foot never came off of the pedal. We played hard for the full 90 minutes.” With six games left in the regular season, and four of them being conference games, Goddard has high hopes for the rest of the season. Rae’shaun Washington, a freshman, believes that the wins helped to solidify the team. “We’re a pretty young team. We weren’t used to playing with each other. The team has definitely come together lately, and it showed on the field.” Cutrofello added, “We have a good team. These past two games proved that we have the ability to win big games. September is in the past.” Analisa Trstensky can be reached at atrstensky@spartans.ut.edu.
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Young Quarterbacks Revitalize Losing Teams
SteveWainright/ Flickr.com Last year’s Heisman winner, Cam Newton gives Carolina fans a reason to care about football. By JOE BEAUDOIN Sports Writer
This NFL season has been filled with young quarterbacks who have both stepped up and lived up to the high expectations. That’s no easy thing to do. The successful quarterbacks in the NFL usually sit out a couple of years and learn from proven starters. Look at Aaron Rodgers who learned from Brett Farve, Philip Rivers who was groomed by Drew Brees and Tom Brady
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@ The Bucs traveled to San Francisco last Sunday only to be drubbed 48-3. The 45-point deficit tied their largest ever as Tampa Bay looks to rebound on Sunday at 4:15 p.m. against the Saints.
who took the ropes from Drew Bledsoe. This is why it is so surprising that younger quarterbacks such as Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Mathew Stafford and even Josh Freeman have had such great seasons so far. All of these players were thrown into the starting role and it looks like they will be there for a while. Newton, the first pick of the 2011 draft, has had a tremendous season so far. Although the Panthers are 14, Newton has excelled. In five games, he has thrown for over 1,600 yards and has a total of seven touchdowns. Newton has also thrown for over 400 twice this season including his first ever game as a professional quarterback. He ranks fourth in the league in passing and he also has the 14th most passing touchdowns out of the NFL quarterbacks. Not only can Newton pass, he can run the ball like a freight train. He has 160 rushing yards along with five touchdowns on the ground. Newton is an all-around player and is very reminiscent of Donavon McNabb in his prime. Dalton is probably the most surprising player in the NFL. Everyone thought that the Bengals were going to be garbage this season, but the opposite has occurred. The main reason is Dalton. He was just thrown into the starting role when Carson Palmer decided that he would rather retire than play for the Bengals. It is very surprising that he has been this successful without a mentor or a normal preseason.
The NBA and its player union couldn’t agree on a labor deal, even after a lengthy Monday meeting. The season, originally slated to begin Nov. 1, has been pushed back at least two weeks.
@ The Lightning opened their season last Friday with a win over Carolina. After a pair of losses, they play Thursday at 7 p.m. in New York. Martin St. Louis leads the team with two goals.
UT OCTOBER SPORTS SCHEDULE Friday, Oct. 14
Saturday, Oct. 15
Volleyball vs. Valdosta State, 9 a.m.
Athletics News Spartan 5k Challenge 8 a.m.
M. Soccer Thomas, 4:30 p.m.
Swimming at Flroida Southern, 11 a.m.
W. Soccer Florida Southern, 7 p.m.
Volleyball at West Florida, 1 p.m.
Cincinnati sits at second place in the AFC North with a 3-2 record. Dalton has 1,047 yards this season with six touchdowns. The rookie out of Texas Christian has helped the Bengal fans forget about the Palmer drama, and if he continues to play like this, Cincinnati may not have to consider this season a transition year.
The next standout young quarterback is third year star Matt Stafford. His first two seasons were a wash due to injuries, but this season has been a complete turnaround. He has led his team to a 5-0 record. This is the first time that Detroit started the season 50 since 1956. Stafford has 1,217 passing yards with 11 touchdowns. He has become the face of the Lions and it looks like they are for real this season. This team has come a long way since they went 0-16 four seasons ago. There has not been this much hype about the Lions in over ten years. Josh Freeman is in his third season
and is bona fide franchise quarterback for Tampa Bay. Freeman took the starting reigns three seasons ago and he has not looked back since. Freeman did not have a star quarterback that trained him and showed him the ropes. This is probably the best example of a quarterback that has been able to thrive under the pressure of the NFL. Freeman may have played horrible on Sunday, but that does not take away from the great job that he has done this season. Tampa is in second place in the NFC South and the chances of them making the playoffs are very high. He was a great pick by the organization in 2009 and from that day, he has become a leader.Whether it was during the off season when he organized player practices or during regular season games when he leads the team to a come-from-behind victory, Freeman has become one of the best young quarterbacks in the game. It seems as if college quarterbacks do not need to have a proven quarterback train them into a successful NFL quarterback anymore. This is mainly because college systems are becoming very similar to pro ball. Sure, the speed of the game is not as quick in college, but the play is becoming more and more competitive. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues as the season progresses. Joe Beaudoin can be reached at jbeaudoin@spartans.ut.edu.
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Women’s Soccer Plays Through Peaks and Valleys
By GREG SPRACKLIN Sports Writer
The University of Tampa women’s soccer team has endured several highs and lows this season, yet none of the momentum swings have seemed substantial enough to jar them off track. They started 0-2 after a trip to the City of Brotherly Love, losing to Philadelphia University and West Chester University. They recovered with a few keys wins against non-conference opponents. And the last two conference games against Rollins College and Lynn haven’t been so successful, either. On the other hand, they’re over .500 at 6-4-1. Also, Coach Lucey hit the milestone 100th win on Sept. 30th. “The milestone was a result of the team’s success,” Lucey said. “All of the rewards of that are because of the team.” Lucey was humble about his milestone, and perhaps rightfully so. A milestone like a 100th win can look great on a coaching resume, but a season defined by a mediocre record does not. True, there have been some tough losses so far. The losses in Philadelphia were frustrating, and Lucey and his players cited the long grass as the difference. Long grass can slow the game down, which plays into the hands of a team that may be more tactically sound, whereas they may lack the physical prowess of their opponent. “8-1-1 would be a better reflection of how we’ve played. Unfortunately, the surfaces in Philadelphia with the long grass did not suit our style of play,” Lucey said.
Four wins in a row right after that have shown that the team means business, though. They looked strong and they worked together in their wins over Webber International, Mercy, Valdosta State, and Georgia College. The Spartans outscored their opponents 27-2 over those four games. Their camaraderie has been on full display, mainly in terms of their record. Despite being 6-4-1, the Spartans are 0-2 in conference play. They face an improved Florida Tech team on Oct. 9. Tech boasts an 8-2 record overall, and they’re 22 in the conference. The Sunshine State Conference is a tough conference to be in, because teams are always beating one another equally, all records aside thus far. “The conference has nine teams, eight of which can beat any other on any given day,” Lucey said. Lucey’s right. So far, most of the teams in the conference have played four games. Rollins is the only team that hasn’t gone without winning. The Spartans only have two conference games so far, both of which they have lost. But they have the opportunity to turn it around on Sunday against Florida Tech. That game will best show the Spartans to how they measure up in the conference. “Florida Tech is a tough team,” Lucey said. “They knock around the ball pretty well. It will be a good matchup.” The Spartans have a long road ahead, but Lucey believes they have the right pieces to build a winning team, and a team that can go deep into conference tournament play.
Imani Cruz/ The Minaret Jazmin Perry (right) fights for a ball during an 11-0 blowout win over Mercy college. Perry leads the Spartans with eight goals scored for the season.
“Gabby Russo has been a good player for us,” Lucey said. “She’s a freshman and she’s already seen a lot of playing time.” Russo played her high school ball in Masconomet, Ma. She was the Cal League Most Valuable Player and she was AllState. Her promising career in high school made her a prime candidate for landing a starting spot in the lineup. She has yet to disappoint. She has three goals and eight assists already, and believes that every component of the team has been clicking. “I think everyone who steps out on the
field makes an impact. I think Shannon Walisch is doing great keeping our defense organized, as well as Sam Kay who continuously works hard,” Russo said. “Offensively I think Marta Bertsos, Brittan Spence and [Jazmin] Perry are big contributors, most of them have been together for four years so they click real well together and create good scoring opportunities.” The Spartans are showing some promise this year. They just have to stay consistent. Greg Spracklin can be reached at gspracklin@spartans.ut.edu.
Program With High Hopes, Lacrosse begins Season First year sport brings more than meets the eye
By REBECCA CASEY Sports Writer
With the new school year comes a brand new addition to the University of Tampa’s Division-II athletics department. Coach Rory Whipple makes UT his fifth head coaching job and his third school to start a lacrosse program from scratch. Whipple was a lacrosse player himself, a face-off man, and brings years of experience to UT’s team. In the state of Florida alone there are 160 high schools with lacrosse teams, five division II colleges and one Division I college. “I don’t see this as a first year program,” Whipple said, emphasizing that the team is not just made up of freshman, and actually has upperclassmen, transfer students and players from all over the country on it. He is so confident in the talent of his new team that he believes they will be contenders for the conference championship. Greg Khanzadian, a graduate student who transferred to UT from Syracuse, N.Y., to spend his last year of eligibility playing for UT said he is, “looking forward to winning, making waves and hopefully winning the conference.” Khanzadian is a midfielder and a faceoff specialist for the team and sees his role as more of a leadership position. “If I can help give some guidance to these younger guys through my experience, and score a few goals at the same time I
think it will be a good season,” Khanzadian said. The new team seems to be defenseoriented according to their coach; he sees that as a strength of the team and a place for them to build from. Trevor Calleja, a freshman, came to UT specifically for lacrosse after being recruited by Coach Whipple. Calleja is a face-off man from Long Island, N.Y., a state Coach Whipple said he recruited from quite a bit. “Getting cut up is the hardest part of my position,” Calleja said, and judging by his cut up knees he pointed to, it’s not exaggeration. Jasper Gantick, a transfer from Rochester, New York said his love for the game is a pretty simple. “I like playing lacrosse because it is basically football with a weapon,” Gantick said. “It’s a physical game but there is also an aspect of finesse that goes along with the physicality.” Gantick is a long stick midfielder, and when asked what he thought about going to school in Florida, he said the sunshine is a great place to be. Adam Dickson, a transfer from Ontario, Canada also said he enjoys playing lacrosse because, “it’s a fast paced, physical game.” Dickson also is loving the sunshine and said he spends a lot of his free time at the local beaches. Dickson plays defense and agrees that the team should be very competitive this season, crediting that to the talented
coaching staff they have working with them. The team gets its first chance to show off its talent this weekend, Saturday, October 15 at 1 p.m. in Pepin Stadium during parent’s weekend. They will be scrimmaging Florida State University and will have a few more scrimmages this fall before their season officially starts with their kick-off game February 10 at 7 p.m. at home against Florida Southern College. FSC is Coach Whipple’s former team,
so that should add to the excitement and an intriguing storyline to the game. Whipple added that UT is the best school he has coached so far and can really feel the excitement on campus. To get ready for their season in the spring, the team is practicing three to four days a week and doing strength training three days a week. They are shaping up to be an exciting group of players with a lot of talent and potential. Rebecca Casey can be reached at rcasey@spartans.ut.edu
Samantha Cossum/ The Minaret The UT lacrosse team, led by Coach Rory Whipple, has been practicing four times a week.