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Construction nearing completion after dusty start said. “However, the opportunity presented itself to undertake a more extensive renovation to East The new school year began Walker Hall and a complementary and the highly anticipated West major renewal of the Aquatic Kennedy Hall was finally ready for Center than the construction move-in, but the Aquatic Center time that the 14 short weeks of and North and East Walker Halls summer offered.” are still under construction. A leak in the swimming pool Onitiana Randrianavahy, a was identified, so construction sophomore and environmental in East Walker Hall and the pool science major, has been troubled enhancements were delayed until by the construction. the leak could be resolved. “I think the construction “Renovations of older facilities should have been done before provide challenges that in some school starts,” Randrianavahy cases cannot be identified before said. “It’s quite bothersome the work begins,” Ogorek said. because it’s dusty everywhere Students like Mackey are and the noise is just so loud, and waiting for the construction to I mean we don’t even know what end, but Mackey says that he’s they’re constructing.” excited for the end result. The student body anticipated “I think the construction the construction of West Kennedy, has been of annoyance to many but the rest of the construction Leah Beilhart/The Minaret people on campus, but once it only began this summer. The new Construction on the pool extends after the deadline, which interferes with students daily routines and schedules. is done, the campus will look residence hall was successfully so much better and people will completed by August. The 11-story went through renovations and was showers open when everything was appreciate it then.” building houses more than 500 students recently completed. It now houses the supposed to be done about three to “[The construction] is better said and includes activity rooms on the 11th Academic Advising Office and the four weeks ago.” than done, but they are still doing the floor that are available to all student Academic Center for Excellence and Richard Ogorek, vice president job and trying to maintain the place groups and organizations. Student Success. for Administration and Finance and a and keep it in order,” said Junior East Walker Hall went through The construction of the Aquatic member of the Planning and Budgeting Ignacio Escasena, a film and media some modifications over the summer. Center has been the most inconvenient Committee, explained the ongoing arts major. “They’re a bit late, but I’m The building use to house ROTC, but to students. construction. not gonna be judging them on that. now it includes classrooms, offices Jacob Mackey, a sophomore on the “The objective of summer It’s their job and they’re doing it, and and administrative space for Internet UT swim team, said, “As a member of construction projects is to have that’s what matters.” Technology services. Also during the swim team, it’s affected me by not them completed before classes of Valerie Lara can be reached at the summer, North Walker Hall having the locker rooms open or the the Fall Semester begin,” Ogorek valerie.lara@spartans.ut.edu By VALERIE LARA News Writer
Living at Home Quickly Becoming Social Norm By KHADIJAH KHAN News Writer
As students grow up, they are shown through media that living with their parents is an unpopular practice. To many it seems like they are not going through the natural cycle of becoming independent. Many believe if you are living at home you’re not achieving your full potential as an individual, but going back home is quickly becoming a social norm of the Millennial generation. Recent studies have shown an increasing number of students moving in with their parents after graduation,
In Other News...
I’m really lucky that my parents don’t make me do chores or anything like that. It makes my life easier so I can just focus on my studies and prepare myself for my career. -Vontesha Williams
and even during their college years. However, several students are saying now that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing–– and they’re being backed up by experts. In 2012, the number of college students and graduates living at home reached an all time high. According to the Pew Research Center, they are
3 UT Alumna Recognized for Her Early Success 7 UT Art Professors Showcased in Faculty Art Show
9 Innocent Celebrity Plays the Role of Famous Porn Star Lovelace 11 Affected by 9/11: Terrorists Stole My Phone Number
21.6 million strong and counting. More than 40% of what has been called “the boomerang generation” live at home, while less than a third of the baby boomer generation was already out of the house, according to a recent AARP survey. More than half of this group of 25 to 34-year-olds living at home don’t pay rent, according to a survey by Pew Social Research & Trends. The Pew survey found that more than 78% of Millennials living with their parents were satisfied with their living arrangements. While student loans have increased, it is only one of several factors causing students to move back home. With student loans rising, it causes
many students to come out of college without any money to put towards a place of their own. Many students do attempt to move forward, but with the lack of jobs in this economy it is becoming more and more difficult with the overall unemployment rate for recent college graduates at 7.9%, according to The Huffington Post. International student Jack McCluskey is a freshman international student from Scotland majoring in sports management. He gave his view when asked if more students in Scotland stayed at home or lived in dorms when they attend school. “In Scotland more students stay in
14 Women Can Pick Up the Bill Too 20 Pennant Races Rule September
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NEWS + FEATURES
Panhellenic RUSH: New and Old Members Reflect on Experiences By RACHEL BARANOWSKI News Writer
Formal recruitment is a busy time of the year for the Panhellenic community, which this year prepared for 374 women to potentially join the tradition. The information sessions held on Sept. 3 and Sept. 4 attracted many potential new members. Sophomore nursing major Olivia Daigle was excited to meet all the women from the organizations and was interested to see what recruitment was all about. “ I am ready to be more involved on campus and can’t wait to be a part of a philanthropy,” Daigle said. Taryn Mashburn, occupational therapy major, was shared Daigle’s enthusiasm about the Panhellenic opportunity to learn more about the greek community and recruitment. “I am going through recruitment to be more involved on campus,” Mashburn said. The six organizations under Panhellenic offer many opportunities for members including philanthropy work, community service, leadership positions, and networking to help women become more involved on campus. One of these opportunities includes working annually with Children’s Cancer Center which is the Panhellenic philanthropy. All five organizations together participated in Relay for Life raising $23, 257 amongst the five chapters. Another potential new member, freshman Miranda Remington, an English and secondary education major enjoyed being a part of the first night of formal recruitment held in Plant Hall. “I like how it’s a big family,” she
Alex Johnson/The Minaret
PNM’s line up to talk to the sororities to discover more about sorority opportunities.
said, “since I live far away that means a lot to me.” Her friend Daniele Frustaci occupational therapy major, was excited and ready to be a part of an organization that offered philanthropy and community service opportunities. Senior Aly Colvin, Vice President of Recruitment, remembers her recruitment time fondly. “I did not join my freshman year, and felt lost, but going through recruitment I found where I belong,” Colvin said. Colvin also said that through her experience being a Panhellenic woman she has had the opportunity to be a mentor for younger women who are aspiring to get involved. The Panhellenic creed says “We, as undergraduate members of women’s fraternities, stand for good scholarship, guarding of good health, for maintenance of fine standards, and for serving, to the best of our ability, our college community.”
“The reason I became a Panhellenic woman is because I wanted to effect someone, I wanted to say I was able to make a difference,” said President of Panhellenic, Mackenzie Bince. “Joining Panhellenic allowed me to find a place on campus and still keep all my values, also being able to share those values with my sisters. I guess becoming a Panhellenic women was simply taking the right step towards success.” Panhellenic, as well as the chapters within it, also hold their women accountable for their academics. To be a part of formal recruitment women must have at least a 3.0 GPA out of high school. As the graduating Seniors looked toward the next chapter of their lives, and they have high hopes for the future of Panhellenic. “I hope Panhellenic keeps growing in a positive way,” Reisman said. Rachel Baranowski can be reached at rachel.baranowski@spartans.ut.edu
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PHOTOGRAPHERS Taylor Sanger
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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
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The Panhellenic Council takes time out of their busy schedule to pose for a picture during the very anticipated RUSH week.
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
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UT Alumna Recognized for Her Early Success By KATHERINE LAVACCA Ast. News Editor
Recently, Creative Loafing, a Tampabased newspaper, released their fall edition of “25 Under 25 Promising Artists of Tampa Bay.” Gina Moccio, an alumnus of UT, was recognized for her creation of Travelogues and Vessel Collective. Moccio graduated from UT in 2011 with a BA in Communications and aspires to coordinate special events and programming for a museum. Since graduating she has been working to build her marketing and events experience by coordinating community projects such as Travelogues. Travelogues takes place during the first Friday of every month at Cafe Hey in
downtown Tampa. Each month, two new speakers share stories from two unique places. “We’ve had stories from all over the world, including France, Costa Rica, Antarctica, Kazakhstan and the United States,” Moccio said. She explains that she got the idea for Travelogues from an event she volunteered at in high school. “Senior citizens would gather in our auditorium to hear travel stories in the dark with a slideshow,” she said. “At the time I wasn’t interested in coordinating events, but I thought that gathering to hear travel stories was very cool.” Five years later Moccio drew from her experience in high school, and her own travel experiences during her semester
Photo courtesy of Gina Moccio Gina Moccio passes around some treats for the attendees of the first Travelogue session in 2011.
abroad in England to create Travelogues. Anyone with stories from their travels is allowed to step up and share, which has created a sense of community among the local travelers and artists. Moccio also attributes the success of Travelogues to her involvement as the events and public relations coordinator for UT STAND, a student-led antigenocide coalition, and her position as head coordinator for Vagina Monologues, a group that performs sections of Eve Ensler’s book that has the same name. The book and performances celebrate women’s sexuality. “You can accomplish so much more when you work with other people and organizations,” Moccio said. Another one of Moccio’s creations is Vessel Collective, a website where she posts interviews from travelers and local Tampanians that have stories to tell. Vessel Collective is also where information about the next Travelogue session or other events Moccio is coordinating can be found. Anyone can participate and contributors help keep Vessel Collective and the coordinated events full of fresh faces and captivating stories. Moccio shares her own favorite travel story from when she visited Stonehenge: “I visited Stonehenge twice during my stay [in England], the first time was in September, the second was in November when a friend came to visit. Since I had already seen the amazing sight, I didn’t need to take photos, but the difference was that the ground, ropes and stones had a light snow on them. I hadn’t seen
Photo courtesy of Gina Moccio Moccio shares her experience from Stonehenge.
snow since I was 6 years old, so I started gathering the bits of snow from the rope surrounding the stones to make a small snowball. Then, I started rolling my snowball along the ground until it was so big that a Japanese family borrowed it to take photographs. It was a lot of fun,” she said. Moccio advised students who have a vision for a project or business to stay dedicated. “If you have a vision, you should see it through; if you are honest and passionate, others will appreciate that and seek to help you. If something doesn’t exist, create it,” she said. Katherine Lavacca can be reached at katherine.lavacca@theminaretonline.com
From the August 26 to September 2 reports
My City Don’t Hold Me Down On August 20, A student refused to comply with instructions from a Tampa Police Officer and was in possession of a traffic road sign. Lost and Found On August 24, a student was reported missing, but was later found off campus.
Burnin’ the House Down On August 25, a student smoking marijuana inside a residence hall room activated the fire system.
Back It On Up On August 25, a charter bus driver backed into the stop sign at the intersection of UT University Drive and North B Street, and knocked it over.
Too Fast! And Fisty On August 25, a Yellow Cab was driving at a high rate of speed on campus endangering the saftey of people. He was ID-ed and tresspassed from campus due to his demenor. Reports compiled by Katherine Lavacca
The Fall Leadership Retreat! Be there if you want funding for your organization Saturday, September 28 9:30am-4:00pm Grand Salon Senate Election Update: Positions available: 2 freshman, 1 junior, 1senior, 1 campus-wide There is a mandatory meeting September 23 at 9pm You must be there in order to run! Men’s soccer team season opener this Friday at 7pm at Pepin Stadium: Be there! SG is giving away t-shirts, gift certificates and pizza! Need help with your club or organization? Go to the Event Planning 101 Workshop Wednesday September 18 7pm at Reeves Theater
4 SEPTEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
NEWS + FEATURES
Millenials cash in by staying home HOME, from page 1 dorms when they attend college than live at home. When they graduate a lot of students just get their own apartments,” the freshman sports management major said. “I think after college I will stay here instead of moving back home, there are way more opportunities here and nicer weather to golf in.” Commuters save anywhere from 1,718 to 4,954 dollars per semester because they don’t need to pay for housing, according to UT’s residence life, room and board page. Vontesha Williams, a junior and communications major, was able to
answer questions on why living at home and commuting was the right option for her. “The fact that I live close to here was a main factor of why I decided to commute,” Williams said. “I also saved close to ten thousand dollars a year because I don’t live in a residence hall. It’s nice coming home and seeing that your bed is made and that there is already a meal waiting for you, along with your family ready to talk about your day.” Many parents have certain conditions for their college students to abide by like doing chores around the house or even paying rent for them to get a sense of what living
in the real world is like. “I’m really lucky that my parents don’t make me do chores or anything like that. It makes my life easier so I can just focus on my studies and prepare myself for my career,” Williams said. As the years go by, studies show the amount of students who stay at home will continue to increase. With the economy in a rut and money being tight, moving back in with your parents seems as if it is a reasonable way to help save money which you can then put towards your future. Khadijah Khan can be reached at khadijah.khan@spartans.ut.edu
Casey Budd/The Minaret
Students get to relax at home without the worries of rent, or noisy roommates.
Graph credit to Becca Barton and Alyssa Hingre/The Minaret Graph information taken from a study by the Pew Research Center, which illustrates statistics concerning age, region, race, etc.
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
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What’s the history of the white schoolhouse? Why is it still standing and what is it used for today? Mia Glatter/The Minaret
The Historic Old Schoolhouse has a rich history that dates back to even before the Tampa Bay Hotel, which was built in 1891.
The Old Schoolhouse located directly behind Fletcher Lounge and facing the side of Sykes is often passed by and overlooked by students. Basically the reason it’s still standing is because it’s registered as a historical landmark. But tucked away in its corner of campus, the schoolhouse seems out of place in front of the towering minarets of Plant Hall. UT FYI took time to read the informative sign and did some extra digging to find out the story behind the schoolhouse. General Jesse Carter, a pioneer mail contractor who was in charge
of the state troops during the Third Seminole War built the Schoolhouse in 1855. He built the schoolhouse near his other estates for his daughter, Josephine, and several other children in the area. The first schoolteacher was named Mrs. Louisa Porter and the first class had 7 girls in it including Josephine. Later, after being sold, a baby was born inside the schoolhouse in October of 1875. In 1886, Henry Plant bought the property for the luxurious Tampa Bay Hotel. After becoming a part of the hotel, it was used as an apothecary
shop. The schoolhouse was presented to the DeSoto Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in 1931. The original location of the schoolhouse was actually down by in Plant Park closer to the river but it was moved to its current location at this time. The interior and the exterior of the schoolhouse have been restored but inside there are still relics of it’s historic past such as a piano and a spinning wheel. The schoolhouse was formally named to the National Register of
Historic places on August 28, 1975 and the historical marker in front was places on George Washington’s birthday in 1983. Today, the schoolhouse is used by DAR members to hold their meetings and occasionally the school will hold tours where people can look inside.
Want a question answered by UT FYI? Send your question about anything UT or Tampa related to ut.minaret@gmail.com
6 SEPTEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
Diversions
Sudoku
The Weekend Update Neon Inagural Event September 12
Vaughn courtyard 8 p.m. Free
Tampa Bay Fashion Week September 13
International Plaza and Bay Street 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Free
Maroon 5
September 13
Midflorida Credit Union Ampitheater 7 p.m.
$35.50 - $99.50
J. Cole
September 13
Carol Morsani Hall At David A. Straz Jr. Center For PrintableSudokuPuzzles.net
Picture
WEEK of the
Photo by Jessica Keesee/The Minaret Every angle of Plant Hall exudes an air of history from its brick walls to its exotic details and iconic minarets.
The Performing Arts 8 p.m.
$39.50 - $59.50
Student Productions Film Night The Great Gatsby September 13
Reeves Theater 8 p.m. Free
Depeche Mode September 14
Midflorida Credit Union Ampitheater 7:30 p.m.
$29 - $99
Lightning Fan Fest September 14
Tampa Bay Times Forum 8 p.m. Free
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers September 17
Tropicana Field 7:10 p.m.
Prices Vary
Spartans Abroad Fair September 19
Vaughn Center Lobby 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Free
Arts + Entertainment
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
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UT Professors Showcased in Faculty Art Show
By XELMARIE MEDINA Arts + Entertainment Writer
Last Friday, the RK Bailey Arts studio commenced the University of Tampa’s Art Faculty Show. The exhibit lasts until Oct. 26, 2013 and features works from Catherine Chastain- Elliot, Stephen Crompton, Santiago Echeverry, Kendra Frorup, Cory George, Lew Harris, Michael Ingold, Ina Kaur, Jack King, Brooke Sherer, Douglas Sutherland and Chris Valle. “This event happens every year,” said Douglas Sutherland, assistant art professor. “In fact, they alternate between alumni, full time, part time and adjunct professors showings.” Upon entering the showroom, to the right we see Chris Valle’s “packaged” series. At first glance, you’d think they were photographs, but they’re actually paintings that emphasize how women are portrayed in the media today. The series features women enclosed in plastic bags with a bar code stamped at the top. The females appear to be asphyxiated and each of the four paintings is named after a cut of meat. “All of my work is made in series, but they all vary, as far as the outcome of them, but they’re all rooted in the same concept that society constructs reality for the masses,” said Chris Valle, associate art professor. “We over consume and over-package everything and that’s what I wanted to portray in these paintings. In fact, the barcode in the plastic is what you’ll actually find in supermarket meat.” To the left of the “packaged women” are two more paintings also done by Valle that feature Calvin Klein advertisements and expose how society views branding and sexuality on media. Between Love and Madness lies Obsession and Get some CK Jeans feature fragmentation and layering techniques. According to Valle, the main idea with these pieces revolves around the fact that we are constantly bombarded with images but we really don’t understand what they are nor what they mean. “That’s why they are in fragments. Each layer is a painting in itself but it’s not whole,” Valle said. “I wanted to push that further and add graffiti and abstract paintings into one, combining
Leah Beilhart/The Minaret
Chris Valle, associate art professor, features his “packaged” series, which illustrates the concept of consumerism in society.
elements that wouldn’t be paired together in order to give that sense of disorganization… how we usually view images on a daily basis.” Then there is Ina Kaur’s piece, Transformation. Featuring nature and technology morphed into one, we see a tree branch hanging upside down, dangling in front of a digital projector. It’s full effect is complete as it casts a shadow against the image on the wall, enabling the audience to grasp what the piece is about; the fact that people have the ability to morph nature into whatever they want. Right next to this piece, we have Santiago Echeverry’s La Vie en Rose. This short experimental movie started off as ominous, yet it turned into a hypnotizing piece that plays with the idea of sexuality, specifically with same sex relationships. Created as a frame by frame animation using individual
images from Processing 2.0 and the Xbox Kinect sensor, the film focuses on “the way the LGBTI intimacy is interpreted by scared outsider,” according to Echeverry’s website. Following Santiago, we have Jack King’s pieces. He has different works throughout the showroom, and each has a unique vibe to them, not to mention different meanings and interpretations. For instance, the series called Birmingham Portal, Working in Opposition and Concordance (#12, #13 and #14) , featured three cast iron pieces. Even though iron is a very peculiar material to mold, these featured different shapes and designs, which made them visually appealing and striking. However, another one of his pieces, Never the Teacher’s Pet, Chasing False Dreams of Reason, features a dunce cap stabbed with multiple knives, which makes me
believe the message lies between the meaning of intelligence and the destruction of the false idea of stupidity and education. Across the gallery, we have Kendra Frorup’s works. They are colorful and incorporate different mediums, including patterned beading. In fact, the piece McAllen comes out of the case it is placed in. However, it is cleverly located and can be deceiving for first time gallery visitors. In fact, most of her pieces incorporate some sort of 3D component, making them original and distinctive. These are just a few of the many interesting pieces the gallery is displaying this year. Whether you are an art aficionado or artistically challenged, these pieces reflect the passion and dedication of the art professors at UT. Xelmarie Medina can be reached at xelmarie.medina@spartans.ut.edu
LEFT TO RIGHT: Xelmarie Medina/The Minaret, Leah Beilhart/The Minaret
Art pieces vary from photography and paintings to sculptures and graphics. Ina Kaur’s piece (right) “Transformations” incorporates nature and technology by using projectors and branches.
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SEPTEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
The American Comedy: A Rehash of Britcoms?
By CLAIRE FARROW
Arts + Entertainment Writer
Comedies are a major part of our television culture. From iconic shows of the 1970s and 80s, such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son and Three’s Company, to modern day spectacles such as Whose Line is it Anyway? and The Office, there is a wide range of different comedies ready to make you laugh. But, did you know that some of our most beloved and American comedies actually were originally British? Take, for example, The Office. Probably a fair amount of you are aware this show was originally a British incarnation, premiering in 2001. A few years later, the American staple debuted in 2005, and has just recently come to an end. The premise is very much the same—a documentary crew films the everyday office life in a mid-sized company’s regional office. In fact, both pilots, UK and US versions, are near word for word carbon copies of each other. Thus begging the question, are we just imitating the British? When talking about The Office, in a way, yes. Most episodes of both series center on things that make each society squirm and cringe. The difference, of course, comes in what is considered risqué by the society. “While I enjoy both the US and UK versions of The Office, I find myself laughing more at the American actors as opposed to their British counterparts,” said Samantha Stazko, a freshman business management major.
Whose Line Is It Anyway?/Facebook
Whose Line Is It Anyway?, originally inspired by a British show in 1988, returned this past July.
It should be noted that the UK version of The Office only lasted for two seasons, while the US version lasted much longer, for a total of nine seasons, thus allowing the plot to change and develop more than its UK counterpart. Another example is Whose Line is it Anyway?, also originally a British concept first created and broadcasted in 1988, a full decade before the Americanized version. The series lasted for ten seasons, until 1998. This original improv series consisted of a mixture of UK, Canadian and American
comedians. The premise, again, is basically the same—four competitors, normally a series of one to three regulars along with different guests, are playing for points during each show; in reality, however, they are merely entertaining us with their improvisation skills and physical comedy. The original host, Clive Anderson, was much more of the comedic straight man, and was more satirical and biting in the UK version. The tenth series was filmed in Hollywood, and often showcased the three regulars of the US version, Wayne Brady,
Colin Mochrie, and Ryan Stiles. In fact, both Colin and Ryan joined the UK series around the fourth season. Of course, when the series debuted in the US, Drew Carey took over the hosting job. His tenure hosting was seemingly more open, as home audiences could (and still can) see him often laughing at the performers right along with the studio audience. “I think the activities on the British version are more fun, but overall I find the American version funnier because of the people and the host,” said Alana Boyles, a freshman marine biology major. The US version took off and lasted for eight consecutive seasons, before leaving the air in 2006. However, on July 16 of this year, the series returned, with the original cast and a new host, Aisha Tyler. Overall, both US versions of The Office and Whose Line is it Anyway?, while clearly copies of their UK contemporaries, have Americanized each concept enough that they are, in a sense, original and independent of the other. Because both US versions of these two shows were very successful, it may be safe to say that a fair amount of Americans prefer their own humor over that of the British. “British comedy is much more stone-walled and tight lipped compared to the laid back Americans,” said Michaela Charlton, a freshman marine biology major. Claire Farrow can be reached at claire. farrow@spartans.ut.edu
Short Hair, Don’t Care: Celebrities Ditch Their Locks for New Style
LEFT TO RIGHT: Anne Hathaway/Facebook, fan1forever/Photobucket, Beyonce/Facebook, Ginnfer Goodwin/Facebook
Famous celebrities like Anne Hathaway and Beyonce can be spotted sporting short hair cuts, which can be worn spiked for a more edgy look or curled for a softer and more feminine look. By MADISON IRWIN
Arts + Entertainment Writer
Remember a time when luscious long locks were envied by every woman on the planet? During the ‘20s and even well into the ‘70s short hairstyles were worn by celebrities and everyday women. Audrey Hepburn in the ‘50s and Farrah Fawcett in the ‘70s are just a few of the trendsetters of this popular trend. Well, as times are changing, more and more women are choosing to go the short cut, literally. When I say short cut, I don’t mean the kind your mom made you get at some point during your elementary school years. I’m not talking about those angular bobs you see on a lot of women. I’m talking about those girly those girly and fashionable bobs. From a mohawk to a pixie cut, short hair can be edgy, sexy and an excellent way to make a statement. Short hair dates back all the way into the ‘20s, which was also known as the Roaring ‘20s. After the First World War, women wore much shorter dresses and shorter hairstyles as opposed to restricting corsets and floor-length dresses. During this time period, a new woman
was born. This ‘20s woman, also known as a flapper, took risks. She smoked, danced, drank, voted, wore makeup and cut her hair. This was how the famous bob haircut came to be. It was simply a blunt cut, leveled out below the ears all around the head and worn with or without bangs. As hairdressers became more skilled at cutting hair, other more sophisticated cuts were introduced. Women eventually wore their hair bobbed in waved or shingled styles. The shingle, or the “boyish bob,” was introduced in 1923 and featured hair which tapered into a Vshape at the nape of the neck with either waves or spit curls at the sides. Ever since then, short hair has been a popular trend, especially today. There are many different ways to style short hair. Just about any woman can pull off this look. It’s all about finding a cut that complements your face shape. A good hairstylist will take the time to help you achieve the right look. There are many benefits to having short hair, such as having the opportunity to expose the natural beauty in your face. You can create shape in your face, give a wide forehead softness, enhance cheekbones, etc. You can even make
your face appear thinner with the right cut. It can give thin hair volume, body and the illusion of thickness. It’s a great way to make a fresh start and get rid of those processed locks that have damaged your hair. And, most importantly, short hair is fast and easy to style. One very popular short hair trend would be the classic pixie cut. Audrey Hepburn was one of the first celebrities seen with pixie hair, and Mia Farrow popularized the look in the ‘60s. It’s been seen on various celebrities recently including: Emma Watson, Anne Hathaway and Rihanna. This modern pixie is very choppy and textured with longer bangs. It works best on women with thick and naturally wavy hair, as well as heart-shaped, square and oval faces. If you have a round face, make sure to keep the bangs long and style them forward or up to create the illusion of length. Then, there’s the unstructured bob, which is the much shorter and sleeker version of the regular bob. It’s messy and unstructured, so it has a bit of edge to it. This cut ends at the chin or just below it. Blunt bangs complement this edgy hairstyle very well. It works best on thin
to medium hair and looks great on anyone with a nice jawline and neck. The crop is always a nice cut if you’re going for a more feminine look, despite the fact that it’s a buzzed style you tend to see on guys. It’s closely shorn to the head all around with slight volume on top and delicate tapering at the sideburns and nape. And then there’s the pompadour, also known as the “fauxhawk.” This hot hairstyle trend for 2013 usually features shaved sides and a puffy teased top that resembles a rooster’s comb. It has become a popular choice to some celebrities like Pink and Miley Cyrus. Who can wear this cut? Anyone with guts, pretty much. This style is much more about attitude than your face shape. However, it works best on coarse, thick hair. If you have the personality for it, you will definitely rock this funky ‘do. The next time you are bored with your hair and crave a change in look, going the short route might just be what you need. And if you don’t like it, just remember that it’s not permanent. Hair grows back eventually. Madison Irwin can be reached at madison. irwin@spartans.ut.edu
9 Innocent Celebrity Plays the Role of Famous Porn Star Lovelace
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
By JACKI GUENTHER
Arts + Entertainment Writer
Recent controversy has risen in Hollywood due to the release of Lovelace, an American biographical drama film based on the true story of Linda Boreman, better known as Linda Lovelace, the famous pornographic actress. Even more surprising is that wholesome actress Amanda Seyfried will be the one to finally expose this sad story to the public. Lovelace continues to remain America’s best-known porn star even though, ironically, she spent a total of two and a half weeks working in the adult film industry. Lovelace covers the part of her life when she was “20 to 32” and married to husband, Chuck Trayner. Many people remember Lovelace as the woman who starred as herself in the 1972 film Deep Throat, a pornographic film with a selfexplanatory title. The film grossed over $600 million and soon became one of the most famous pornographic films in history. Shortly after, the sequel Deep Throat II was released with Lovelace as the star, but it was not nearly as successful as the first. What many people do not remember is the sad story behind Lovelace’s pornographic career. With her family-friendly roles in Mamma Mia!, Mean Girls and Dear John, the actress rose to fame as the typical girl-next-door. Although Seyfried has played risky characters in the past, like in the film Jennifer’s Body, she’s played mostly innocent roles in other films. This common image will no longer exist as she takes
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
on the dark and disturbing role of Linda Lovelace. “This is the riskiest thing that’s happening in Hollywood right now,” Seyfried said in an interview with the Sunday Times. “The first thing you think about is that it could ruin my career.” The actress contemplated whether to accept this dangerous role not only because she would be depicting the life of a famed porn star, but also because it involved various scenes with partial nudity. According to Vogue, it was Seyfried’s father who was her biggest supporter in taking on the role of Lovelace. Surprisingly, he helped her handle the darker aspects of her character’s life. The film summarizes the production and release of Deep Throat, showing how Lovelace became a world-renowned pornography actress. But what it really focuses on is the story behind the real Linda Lovelace who is used and abused by the porn industry at the behest of her coercive husband and manager, Chuck Trayner. Lovelace has openly admitted that he forced her into the porn industry after he beat and raped her and forced her into prostitution. It was hard for Seyfried to play this role knowing that it was Lovelace’s porn star image that corrupted her credibility in terms of the abuse. But this film portrays the real story in such a way that viewers will develop sympathetic Lovelace (2013)/Facebook feelings toward Lovelace and are able to Amanda Seyfried takes on risky role of famous porn star Lovelace in a new biographical drama. look past the star of Deep Throat. The film not only stars Amanda Deep Throat costar. Other names that you a limited release and on iTunes Aug. 9, Seyfried as Linda Lovelace but also Peter will come across in this film are Chris 2013. Sarsgaard as her husband, Chuck Trayner, Noth, Sharon Stone and Juno Temple. Jacki Guenther can be reached at and Adam Brody as Harry Reems, the Lovelace opened in U.S. theaters with jaclyn.guenther@spartans.ut.edu
Headed to the Movies this Week?
By SELENE SANFELICE Arts + Entertainment Writer
With the price of movie tickets at an all-time high, no college student can afford to see a dud. Here are some recommendations of what to see and what to skip for the films hitting theaters this week.
SEE IT
Wadjda: If you don’t mind a bit of reading, this coming of age story presents itself as beautifully uplifting and inspiring. 10-year-old Wadjda is a girl struggling to find and express herself in a suppressed Saudi Arabian world. It comes to theaters Sept. 13. Plush: With only its scandalous teaser
trailer released, Plush is sure to raise eyebrows when it hits theaters on Sept. 13. Emily Browning (Sucker Punch) plays a rockstar in a downward spiral after losing her brother and bandmate to a drug overdose. Insidious: Chapter 2: Although Insidious revealed itself as a disappointment to many viewers in 2011, it also received many positive reviews from critics. No matter how you felt about the original, Insidious: Chapter 2 will be sure to please in its frightening Friday the 13th premier. For those who loved the first movie and can’t wait to see the second, Muvico Centro in Ybor will be showing a double feature today at 8:00 p.m.
Short Term 12: Brie Larson (21 Jump Street) stars as a woman in charge of group home. While helping struggling teens to open up, she finds herself faced with the same issue. It’s sure to be the perfect feel good movie with an emotional edge. Coming to Tampa Theater on Sept. 13. Blue Caprice: Based on the true story of the 2002 Maryland Beltway Sniper, this psychological thriller has already received rave reviews from critics. Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy) and Tequan Richmond (Everybody Hates Chris) give stunning performances as the killers with a twisted father-son relationship. Coming to theaters Sept. 13.
SKIP IT
Jayne Mansfield’s Car: The “Classy Brits meet Hillbilly Hicks” storyline seems once again overdone in this film. It has already received many poor reviews from critics. Coming to theaters Sept. 13. The Family: This film boasts famous actors with many promising performances, such as Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones. However, the mobfamily storyline is overplayed. The same producer tried the “family with guns” bit in Taken 2, and The Family looks as if it will receive the same lackluster reviews. Coming to theaters Sept. 13. Selene SanFelice can be reached at selene.sanfelice@spartans.ut.edu
The things that made you smile this week and the things that made you cry all summed up in this week’s Love it or Leave it.
Great turn out for Panhellenic recruitment this past week
The ridiculously long line at the post office all week
The cafeteria having plums
Not being able to walk outside without sweating
John Mayer’s awesome concerte on Saturday
Everything is still not working in West Kennedy Hall
The guy on campus who has a baby duck
Miley Cyrus’ new music video for “Wrecking Ball”
10 SETEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
Actor on the Rise: Michael B. Jordan
By SAMMI BRENNAN
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Researchers Make Invisibility Cloak a Reality
a Trace, Bones, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Burn Notice and Lie to Me. He is Having the same name as a famous more commonly recognized for his role as celebrity comes with a price, especially Vince Warren in the Emmy-winning series if that celebrity is one of the most widely Friday Night Lights, which told the story of known athletes in NBA history. That being small-town Texas football players. said, Michael B. Jordan has shown over He emerged back onto the movie scene the years that his name is also one to keep after his part in 2012’s shakily filmed in mind. Currently, Jordan is headlining Chronicle. It documents the lives of newspapers and creating Academy Award three friends through a handheld camera buzz for his role as Oscar Grant in the after their exposure to a mysterious Sundance conqueror, Fruitvale Station. substance. Jordan stars in the Sundance At an early age, Jordan was featured in hit, Fruitvale Station. the television series Sopranos and Cosby Fruitvale Station retells the last day in as well as the film Hardball. It wasn’t until the tragic life of Oscar Grant and the night three years later when he played the troubled he was shot by a BART police officer on Wallace caught up in the Baltimore drug New Year’s Eve in Oakland, Calif. in 2008. trade on the critically acclaimed series The Jordan’s compelling performance has critics Berkely Lab/Flickr Wire that really put him on the map. Later enthralled and actors taking notes. Scientists have been working on creating a functioniing invisibility cloack, or “metascreen,” since 2006. in life, Jordan appeared on All My Children, Sammi Brennan can be reached at CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Without samantha.brennan@spartans.ut.edu However, researchers at the University By JORDAN WALSH Asst. Arts + Entertainment Editor of Texas at Austin have taken a huge step Researchers at the University of Texas at in actualizing the idea of a real “invisibility Austin have recently seen some success in cloak.” In March, it was revealed that the creating a functioning “invisibility cloak,” not researchers had created an ultra-thin version completely unlike the one featured in the Harry of what scientists are calling a “metascreen,” Potter series of movies and books created by which is currently capable of cloaking objects J.K. Rowling. In Harry Potter, the cloak leaves from microwaves. the wearer completely invisible to the naked (or However, according to ExtremeTech, even magical) eye, allowing rogue students to the same technology could conceivably wander through forbidden corridors at night. allow for the fantasy-like function of But before you take out your wands and spell cloaking visible light. books, it should be noted that this breakthrough While many of us would love to use this is not at all based in magic. Scientists have been “metascreen” to sneak out into the forbidden attempting to create a mobile and working forest at night, the technology is being invisibility cloak since 2006—but each attempt developed with military uses in mind. Fruitvale Station/Facebook has turned out bulky and only useful within the Jordan Walsh can be reached at jordan. Emerging from Chronicle, Michael B. Jordan gains stardom in the Sundance hit Fruitvale Station. confines of certain wavelengths of light. walsh@theminaretonline.com Arts + Entertainment Writer
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
Opinion
11
Affected by 9/11: Terrorists Stole My Phone Number By PAOLA CRESPO Opinion Co-Editor
Last year, my parents informed me over breakfast that we were personally affected and involved with the 9/11 attacks. As I sat frozen, fork suspended mid-air, they told me that some of the terrorists stole my mother’s cell phone number when we were on vacation in Florida and used it to make calls in the weeks leading up to and during the attacks on the Twin Towers. I was bewildered and outraged that I had not known about this sooner. My parents swore they thought I knew, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have forgotten that somehow, my family unknowingly played a part on that devastating September day. To be fair, I was only eight years old at the time and was relatively oblivious to what was happening. My parents had no idea that our phone number had been stolen until they received a bill from Cingular, now AT&T, on Aug. 26, 2001 for $5,826. The bill showed calls to Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Kansas, New Jersey, Texas and countless calls to Pakistan. My parents immediately called Cingular and said that they did not make those calls, and the bill was cancelled. At that point, it was only the end of August and the name Al-Qaeda was not being plastered all over the news. When Sept. 11 arrived and my parents sat on our couch watching the Twin Towers fall on TV, the phone bill was far from their minds. It was not until Sept. 15 when we received another bill from Cingular for $3,591.55 with similar phone calls that they made the connection. There were constant news reports of investigations about the suspected terrorists on TV. My father remembered hearing that people’s
phone numbers had been stolen. As the reporter read off the list of places these calls were made to, he realized that our bill had listed almost all of them. My parents told me that they decided to call my mother’s friend, whose husband worked for the FBI. They were told to fax the bills to a certain number and to never use that number again. They never spoke to the FBI agents directly but merely communicated through my mother’s friend. Then they got the call asking if they would mind if an FBI agent flew to our house in the Bahamas to ask them a few questions. By this point, I was completely dumbfounded and gaped at my parents over my by then cold pile of pancakes. The FBI at our house? My mother described how she had been shaking with fear but had agreed to let the FBI do whatever was necessary. She was mostly worried that they thought we were somehow involved in the attack and that they would investigate us. In the end though, it was not necessary for the FBI to visit. They had gotten all the information they needed from our faxed phone bills and by that time, other people were coming forward with their tales of stolen phone numbers too. Later, we found out that police had broken into the house one of the terrorists was occupying in Hollywood, Fla., only a block away from where we had stayed on our vacation that August, and discovered the instruments he used to intercept and steal cell phone numbers. Our phone bills, along with similar bills that other families turned in, helped to locate the house. I’m proud to say that we were able to help with the investigation in some way. Apart from this incident,
the horrors of 9/11 were far reaching and touched my family at home in the Bahamas. One of my mother’s friends had a son who was on the roof of the second tower waiting to be evacuated when it fell. An employee in my father’s bank was on the phone with someone in the first tower when the plane hit. We have a friend in New York who worked near the area and was able to get to safety after the first tower fell. It’s a shame that I was so
young at the time and unaware of the situation and the importance of what was going on. Now that I’m older and I understand the impact of that day, I am chilled to think how we were personally affected by those events. We still have the phone bills filed away at home, a reminder of the devastation of 9/11 and our little part in trying to help in its aftermath. Paola Crespo can be reached at paola.crespo@theminaretonline.com
Casey Budd/The Minaret We received phone bills for over $8,000 with calls to countless places, primarily Pakistan.
Concertgoers Overdosed, NYC’s Electric Zoo Music Festival Cancelled
By VANESSA RIGHEIMER Opinion Columnist
The third day of New York City’s Electric Zoo music festival was cancelled after two concertgoers died and four others were hospitalized due to what appeared to be excessive drug use. According to a statement released by city officials, “Definitive causes of death have not yet been determined, however, both appear to have involved the drug MDMA (ecstasy, or molly). The Electric Zoo organizers have worked with City officials to reduce health risks at this event, but in view of these occurrences, the safest course is to cancel the
remaining day of the event.” While the City may have found an immediate cancellation to be the quick answer to this problem, it still isn’t a successful solution in the long run. As college students, these deaths hit close to home seeing as the deceased were students and young graduates like many of our peers. As the popularity of summer music festivals begin to rise, it should be no surprise that the use of molly continues to climb as well. MDMA has been prevalent in raves and nightclubs since the ‘90s, with hospital visits rising from 461 in 1995 to 5,542 in 2001, according to Drug Enforcement Administration statistics. Molly was
lauraevertt/Flickr
There is an obvious drug presence at music festivals, especially during electronic dance music sets.
introduced as a more pure form of ecstasy. We are starting to see in recent events that this new drug used mostly by college-aged adults isn’t as safe as many assume. Just this August, Brittany Flannigan, a 19-yearold from Plymouth State University, died from an overdose at a House of Blues concert in Boston. University of Virginia sophomore Mary “Shelley” Goldsmith also passed away after taking multiple hits of molly at a popular nightclub in DC. All of these people had promising futures as they worked towards their degree in college. And though it is quite the tragedy that what was thought to be a night of innocent fun went wrong, it still leaves many to question whether or not Electric Zoo should have been cancelled. As a five year veteran of Lollapalooza, I can certainly sympathize with concertgoers who lost their money and were unable to see their favorite artists on Sunday. The drug presence at music festivals is quite obvious, and I can attest to being offered illegal substances on multiple occasions, most specifically during the electronic dance music (EDM) sets. After choosing to enjoy the music without said substances, I can imagine how unfair it must feel to have your concert cancelled because of the mistakes made by other concertgoers. My condolences go out to the families of the lost ones, but I do not believe canceling the show was the answer to this problem. If it had been something out of the concertgoers’ hands causing these fatalities, I believe the responsibility would have fallen on the music festival and a cancellation would have seemed necessary. Unfortunately, the
fault lies with the ones who consumed the drugs and the ones who distributed them. An argument can be made that EDM encourages drug use. For example, flyers have been found around Miami’s Ultra music festival asking, “Have you seen Molly?” At the same time, certain rap artists encourage gang violence and gun use, yet you don’t see many of the suburbanites rolling up to their concerts packing a Colt 45. We can bring in dogs to sniff out drugs which will become quite a hassle with thousands of people entering these festivals, but in the end, choosing to take molly or ecstasy comes down to the choice of one individual. Plain and simple, these drugs are illegal and the people that took them were old enough to know what they were doing. The most that authorities or club promoters could do is try to educate people more on the effects of these drugs. While pure MDMA is known for the most part to be harmless, if it comes laced with something else, otherwise known as a “bad batch,” it can become deadly. Seeing more cases like this in the news and media may provide some insight to people attending these concerts in the future. This March, Ultra, one of the most popular EDM festivals, will be returning to Miami. It will be interesting to see if the festival promoters will make any changes after these recent events, but I strongly urge that any UT students planning on attending should be well educated on the effects of molly and ecstasy and just be aware that some of the repercussions can be critical, if not deadly. Vanessa Righeimer can be reached at vanessa.righeimer@spartans.ut.edu
12 SEPTEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Samsung to Release Galaxy Gear Smartwatch By JAKE KONISZEWSKI Opinion Columnist
Have you ever watched a sci-fi or spy movie and wished you could own some of the technology from the film? Samsung’s latest device could fix that craving. On Sept. 4, Samsung introduced the Samsung Galaxy Gear, a watch with the same capabilities as a smartphone. You can swipe the face of the watch to access a variety of apps, including one that helps you locate your Samsung smartphone. The app would also work vice versa. You can make phone calls, take photos and of course, use it to check the time. The Gear also has a builtin pedometer so you can keep track of how many steps you have walked. This is pretty freaking cool. I would feel so high-tech if I was walking around with the Gear strapped to my wrist. I can see myself walking through Plant Hall, talking into my Gear like a secret agent on a mission while I watch all the peasants with their smartphones that are not attached to their wrists. Wristwatches can be a stylish accessory, but I rarely ever wear them. Why wear a watch when I have my phone, which can do a lot more than just tell time? Now I can call my friends without having to take my phone out of my pocket. According to huffingtonpost.com, “Next to the smartwatch, checking a smartphone seems downright cumbersome. It has to be fished out of pockets and purses, woken up from its slumber, unlocked and navigated.” I could question whether people have become so lazy that the act of pulling a phone out of a pocket is too much work, but I won’t. I think the point is accessibility. “I can see the benefitsbecause you don’t have to pull it out of your pocket,” said Christopher Novak, a Communications professor at the University of Tampa. “It’s something out of Star Trek.” Ever since people started carrying devices that told time, they have looked for better ways to access information. People gave up pocket watches in favor of
wristwatches. Then time went back into our pockets with cell phones and smartphones. Now, Samsung is trying to put time back on our wrists. Am I going to ditch my old phone and buy the Gear? Not exactly. From the videos I have watched online, they suggest the Gear is more of an accessory for your existing Samsung phone. Most apps consist of playing music from your phone, setting off an alarm to find your phone and so on. Another setback is the size. On one hand, the Gear’s 1.63-inch display makes it convenient to carry around. On the other hand, that does not leave any room for a keyboard for texting or typing something into a search engine. None of the videos I saw involved keyboards or texting. Voice-to-text programs could work, but the technology for it is far from perfect. Smartwatches will need an effective voice-to-text program and access to social media if they are going to stand out on their own and send smartphones down the path of CDs and pagers. According to huffingtonpost.com, the Samsung Galaxy Gear goes on sale this month for $299, but I am not paying that much for a
strap-on phone, at least until it not only matches but surpasses current smartphone technology. To be fair, this is only the first version of a smartwatch. The fact that Samsung could fit a camera into a wristwatch is impressive. If smartwatches take off, it is only a matter of time before new add-ons and features pop up. A few years from now, you could be talking to your friends through holographic projections on your smartwatch. Maybe you will be able to unlock your smartwatch with a quick retina scan. Also, I cannot be the only one who thinks the camera lens should shoot lasers. Everything is better with lasers. Another concern with a smartwatch is our continued obsession with looking at a screen. Nathan Jurgenson, a social media theorist and doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland, told the huffingtonpost. com, “The ability to put away a smartphone is a feature, not a flaw.” While smartphones stay in our
pockets and bags when we are not using them, a smartwatch is attached to our wrist like an IV drip. It will only increase the amount of time people stop looking at the world around them and focus on a screen. “It (the Gear) can be a hindrance because people will be looking at it and walk into a pole,” said Novak. “I dare you to text on your wrist in the car. It’s (the Gear) is a great idea, but it poses the same problems as a smartphone.” As much as I like to mess around with my phone, I do not need to spend more time in front of a screen. Smartwatches seem like a cool concept, but it will be awhile before they start looking less like a novelty and more like a necessity. Despite our screen addiction and my unwillingness to purchase the Gear, it does make me excited for future technological advances. How much longer do I have to wait for a hoverboard? Scientists of the world, do not keep me waiting. Jake Koniszewski can be reached at john.koniszewski@spartans.ut.edu
samsungtomorrow/Flickr
On Sept. 4, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Gear, a smartwatch. The 1.63-inch display is convenient, but it doesn’t seem to leave any room for texting.
Young Adults Increasingly Dependent On Parents By RICHARD J WHITAKER Asst. Opinion Editor
A question many college students ask themselves after graduation is: “What now?” Recent studies have revealed that a large percentage of young adults in the U.S. are choosing the easy route and taking up residence with their parents. According to The Wall Street Journal, 13.6 percent of young adults between the ages of 25 to 34 are doing exactly this, living with their parents. This isn’t to say that they do not have jobs that could allow them to sustain themselves. Rather, young adults are choosing to live at home for many other reasons: high insurance rates, college debt or simply the comfort of staying under their parent’s roof. It would appear that the age-old stigma that living at home is a sign of laziness and lack of success is no longer true. Successful young Americans enjoy spending their income on things other than living independently. This fact is frightening. Historically, parents have stressed to their children the importance of getting out of the house in order for them to build their own lives. It is not easy to establish a successful foundation for the future when you’re spending a large portion of the pivotal “self-enlightenment” years under your parents’ roof. Ryan Clabaugh, a cadet in UT’s ROTC program, joined to military to relieve any dependence on his parents.
[
“Through the Army I am able to get my school paid for, and I have the freedom of knowing that upon graduation, I will be sent somewhere in the world and be given the resources to remain independent of my parents,” Clabaugh said. It makes me wonder why more Americans do not strive to leave the comfort offered by their parents. America is known for being the land of opportunity. If these patterns continue, this motto could change to, “America, the land with the opportunity
former residences, and in the process, showed them the financial comfort of living in the old childhood room that their parents pay for. Who’s to blame? The children for not having the courage and ambition to tough it out on their own or their parents for allowing them back into their homes? The answer is a mixture of both. America is teaching its youth to freeload, and the parents are supporting it. My own parents repeatedly told me two things throughout my high school years: 1. Once you graduate college, we
]
In Romania and many European countries, being dependent on your parents [at this age] is not an option. to live off of your parents.” That sounds completely ridiculous, which is why it is frightening and becoming more so with each passing year. The recession has a part to play in this conundrum, but the recession is ending and the percentage of young adults living with their parents has increased from 13.4 percent in 2011 to 13.6 percent in 2012, according to studies done by the Census Bureau. To be more specific, the number of males living at home has jumped from 14% in 2005 to 19% in 2011, while the same statistic for females has risen from 8% in 2005 to 10% in 2011 according to Forbes.com. The recession seemingly forced fledgling adults back to their
the reason behind making money: spending and saving it. There is no better investment than investing in yourself. Tsuong and countless others like her are choosing to use their money elsewhere rather than on a place where they can thrive without their parents. This trend has to stop and it has to stop immediately. America has been at the pinnacle of what a nation should strive to be for the greater part of a century, but trends like these could alter this in the future. I spent the month of July overseas in Romania, a country in Eastern Europe that is still recovering from nearly a century of communist influence. This nation has a long ways to go before it will ever be anything like America, but one thing truly separates it from our beloved country: the ambition of its people. In Romania and many European countries, being dependent on your parents is not an option; you must go out on your own when you come of age. This is something that has been ingrained in their culture for hundreds and in some cases thousands of years. It is something that has stuck. Whereas in America, it seems to have been ingrained in the generations of our grandparents and, to a lesser extent, our parents but has since lost value. It is almost undeniable that we must take a note from our grandparents and our European neighbors: Living at your parents’ house as an adult is not okay. Richard J Whitaker can be reached at richard.whitaker@theminaretonline.com
don’t care what you do, and 2. once you graduate college, you’re not living at the house. This was never taken negatively. It simply meant that I was expected to get out in the world, be happy and rely on them no longer. These realizations only pumped up my motivation to be successful and independent. Due to my parents’ rules, I was excited to be on my own. Vivien Tsuong, 28 and living at home with her parents, said to The Wall Street Journal, “I can move out if I really wanted to, but given the situation with rent and gas, I feel like I can save more living at home.” Well, of course you can save more money living at home. Young Americans are failing to realize
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
OPINION
13
Scientists Make Advances on Cure for Down Syndrome in Mice By AVERY TWIBLE Opinion Columnist
An estimated one in every 800 babies is born with Down syndrome in the United States, according to huffingtonpost.com, and now scientists are one step closer to finding a cure. It is still a long way off before we will be capable of preventing Down syndrome in humans, but scientists have found a way to stop some of the effects of the genetic disorder in affected mice. Down syndrome in humans is a condition in which the individual has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the typical two, according to sciencedaily.com. Some of the effects include intellectual disabilities, distinctive facial features, potential heart problems and sleep apnea. The negative physical afflictions decrease quality of life, and attempting to find a cure to prevent Down syndrome would be a great thing for future generations.
One of the scientists behind the research, a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Dr. Robert H. Reeves said, “Most people with Down syndrome have a cerebellum that’s about 60 percent of the normal size.” The same was seen in the genetically engineered Down syndrome-like mice. In the experiment, the mice were genetically engineered to have Down syndrome, which meant they had about half of the extra genes on human chromosome 21, according to ABC News, and this led to a brain size much smaller than their normal counterparts. The affected mice also had difficulty navigating through a maze and showed little sign of remembering the maze after having gone through it before. In an attempt to cure the mice of their Down syndrome, on the day of their birth they were injected with a single-dose treatment which “appear[ed] to enable the cerebellum of the rodents’ brains to grow to a normal size,” according to Johns Hopkins
HerPhotographer/Flickr
Researchers were able to normalize cerebellum growth in Down syndrome mice.
Medicine. The organic molecule that is injected into the mice is known as a Sonic Hedgehog pathway agonist and is “designed to boost normal growth of the brain and body via the gene known as Sonic Hedgehog (SHH),” according to ABC News. The organic molecule was injected on the day of their birth because the cerebellum was still developing, so the drug does not cure an already developed Down syndrome cerebellum but appears to promote healthy growth when the cerebellum is still in its developmental stage. “We were able to completely normalize growth of the cerebellum through adulthood with that single injection,” Reeves said, according to huffingtonpost.com It is not exactly a complete cure for Down syndrome in mice, but it did in fact make the cerebellum grow to correct size instead of the 60 percent size normally seen in the cerebellum of Down syndrome individuals. These experiments on mice will hopefully help scientists one day create a similar treatment for humans. The experiment also had promising results which the scientists did not anticipate. “What we didn’t expect were the effects on learning and memory, which are generally controlled by the hippocampus, not the cerebellum,” Reeves said, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. It was also observed that after being treated, the mice performed as well as normal mice on the maze tests, according to ABC News. The extra chromosome 21 has more than three hundred genes coded on it, which makes it particularly difficult to cure Down syndrome. “Since the condition involves so many genes, developing treatments for it is a formidable challenge,” Reeves said. Scientists are hesitant to make larger strides for a human cure because of all the unknown factors. They cannot even fully understand the reason behind the success of this
experiment. The hippocampus was not expected to be affected in the way that it was. The examination of the cells in the hippocampus appeared unchanged, although they did in fact improve learning and memory in the mice, typically associated with the hippocampus. This is part of the reason that Reeves says much further research is needed to learn why the treatment works, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. According to ABC News, “Adjusting the treatment for human use would be complicated, since altering the growth of the brain could lead to unintended consequences.” There are unavoidable limitations when doing research on animals. The brains of humans and animals are not the same so there will come a point when a drug will need to be given to a human and we will only know the true effects of it after the fact. It is hard to say now but it is most likely that the injection, if one is ever created, will have to be given to a child upon birth, and when that day comes it will be dependent upon mothers willing to let their child be a tester for a new drug. If a single-dose injection could be used on the day of birth of a child born with Down syndrome, it could potentially continue the normal development of the cerebellum to a normal size instead of the stunted size. But we are far away from that happening, and at this point, it is impossible to even talk about hypothetical situations of using a similar drug on humans as was used on the mice. According to ABC News, “Down syndrome is very complex and nobody thinks there’s going to be a silver bullet that normalizes cognition,” Reeves said. “Multiple approaches will be needed.” Although we are far from figuring out the hard wirings of Down syndrome, this experiment is a step in the right direction. Avery Twible can be reached at avery.twible@spartans.ut.edu
14 SEPTEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
By PAOLA CRESPO & ANNABELLA PALOPOLI Opinion Co-Editors
The idea that men are breadwinners and women must be taken care of is still deeply ingrained in our society. Whenever a man and woman go out to eat together, it is usually assumed that the man will, and even has the obligation to, pay the bill. This mindset stems from a time when men were the only ones who worked a paying job while women stayed at home to take care of the house and children. In this case, it makes sense that the bill was handed to the man, as he was the one with the money. But now, women are immersed in the working world and there are countless single women and mothers out there working and paying for things themselves, so it is absurd to assume that the man will always be paying. This stereotyping is not only found in our culture here in the U.S. Over the summer, my parents and I went on vacation to Italy. For the first time, I was able to help pay for the trip by taking care of the food bill. After all the things my parents have done for me, I wanted to give them something special, so
Women Can Pick Up the Bill Too
I took them out to a rather fancy restaurant. I noticed that neither my menu nor my mother’s had prices listed on it, so I asked the waiter about it. He simply smiled at me and said, “Oh no, only your father has the menu with prices. You and your mother have the menus without.” I was taken aback, and when I asked him why, he said, “We
[
as well. If a man decides to take a woman out on a date and offers to pay, he could get screwed over if the woman unknowingly orders the most expensive meal on the menu. Although I wanted to angrily tell the waiter all of this, I restrained myself. I was, after all, in a different country with different customs. However, at the end of our meal, the
If women keep letting men pay for everything, this disgusting norm will never change.
give women menus without prices here.” Again, I was confused and asked why, and he responded, “Because women are more delicate and we don’t want to bother them with the prices.” I was extremely offended. Apparently I’m too “delicate” to know the price of the food I’m about to order. And of course they assumed my father was paying. I can’t believe the restaurant went out of its way to print menus without prices specifically for women. Why don’t we have the right to know? Not only is this sexist and disrespectful to women, but I think it’s unfair for men
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waiter obviously went straight to my father with the bill. When I told him it was me who was paying, he almost fell over from shock. Unfortunately, it might be pretty difficult to change the societal norm of men paying for women. Every weekend I hear comments about how great it is to be a girl because we don’t have to pay for anything. I’ll admit, it is nice to have your cab paid for and then just walk into a club for free while guys are paying up to $15 entrance fees. However, when you take a step back and think about it, the whole situation is incredibly misogynistic, based off the
OPINION
idea that women need to be taken care of financially. I’ve brought this up with some friends before, but for them, and for most women it seems, the benefit of having everything paid for outweighs their pride and respect for themselves. If women keep letting men pay for everything, this disgusting norm will never change. The gender that allows itself to be financially dependent in any way to the other is immediately in a subordinate position. So, when we let men pay for us all the time, it does not put us in a higher position because men are catering to us; it leaves us subordinate and pathetically dependent. The next time you go on a date, think about this: Girls, don’t be afraid to offer to pay or go Dutch. Guys, don’t assume you’re paying. To be clear, I’m not saying that men should never pay for women; it just should not be the assumption. Men and women are both equally capable of paying for themselves or choosing to treat the opposite gender. Annabella Palopoli can be reached at annabella.palopoli@theminaretonline.com Paola Crespo can be reached at paola. crespo@theminaretonline.com
Can ‘50 Shades’ Film Reduce Book’s Mysogynistic Tones? By BRITTNEY COX Opinion Columnist
Desperate housewives everywhere rejoiced on Monday, Sept. 2 with the news of an official cast for the 50 Shades of Grey movie. The horrendous New York Times Bestseller that surprised society by giving the aforementioned housewives unrealistic expectations of an abusive lover and completely bogus information about the BDSM community will now reach an even bigger audience on the silver screen. A congrats is in order for Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim, “Sons of Anarchy”) and Dakota Johnson (The Five-Year Engagement, 21 Jump Street), who nabbed the most sought-after roles in Hollywood, beating out fan picks like Matt Bomber and Alexis Bledel. This book is awful. The protagonist, Anastasia Steele, is one of those characters who is so boring and stupid that you almost want to throw the book out of frustration. Granted, I never threw the book, mostly because it was on my Nook, but the urge sat there, boiling inside of me. However, as much as I could rant and rave about this terrible attempt at an erotic novel, I’m really more curious about how an erotic novel will become a movie without being rated “X.” The question is not only how a novel based around the biggest nono in the movie industry will be made without being a full-on porno, but also how it will appease all the fans without setting society backward to when women were thought of as lesser human beings. The plot of 50 Shades revolves around introverted, awkward Anastasia Steele and her sexual awakening with the help of hot, billionaire Christian Grey, which sounds an awful lot like a bad fan fiction of Twilight. The book was criticized by conservatives for being too graphic and inappropriate for the public. Other criticisms included the lack of character development, the message of a necessary submissive female and the obvious glorifying of a relationship involving domestic violence. The movie is now making these themes readily available to the public in ways the novel did not. It
will be commercialized and absorbed by many individuals who will see these things and might think they are good and normal. However, the popularity of 50 Shades isn’t all bad. The idea that there are sexpositive books in the mainstream media is awesome. I’m really hoping that we, as a society, can move away from the biblical idea that sex is wrong and women aren’t allowed to enjoy it. Although, 50 Shades doesn’t completely fit the sexpositive idea because Anastasia is not a strong individual. She doesn’t really have a clear line of consent and she relies on a man that treats her not as an equal but as a subordinate. Nevertheless, it is a step in the right direction. The 50 Shades of Grey film not only has to try to recreate this novel in a way that is loyal to the book but also doesn’t perpetuate our misogynistic society. The movie should take the idea of sex-positivity that the novel attempts to pursue and make it healthy and natural. Give us the BDSM, the bondage and the sex faux pas, but let both Christian and Anastasia play both the dominant and submissive. Give the movie the flair of real characterization and tragic backstory as long as we don’t see the blurred lines of both consent and healthy relationships. Give us the sex, give us the erotica, but give it to us in a way that is both healthy for the characters and the audience. Even if it means they have to deviate from the book’s plot, it would make a better movie with a better message for society. As much as I yearn for all of this, I know it will never happen. Hollywood can’t and won’t show all that sex. Why? Censorship. In popular media the idea of female pleasure is taboo. Ryan Gosling once noted that his movie Blue Valentine was rated NC-17, which means it wasn’t going to be shown in mainstream theaters. This was because there was a scene showing oral sex being performed on a woman. Many other movies like The Social Network have scenes of oral sex performed on a male, but they aren’t rated NC-17 because of it; The Social Network was only rated a soft PG-13. This shows that female pleasure
is not only taboo but significantly less available to the public than male pleasure. So here’s the big problem Hollywood faces with this movie: do they recreate the book, keep with all the male domination, make it soft-core porn and rate it R, or do they take a shot at equality and attempt to accurately represent sex and hover over the uncertainty that it just might be NC-17?
No matter what the path the movie takes, consumers will eat it up. The movie is bound to be just as successful as the novel, but it really demands that the director and writers attempt to give society both what it wants and what it needs: sex positivity and healthy relationships. Brittney Cox can be reached at brittney.cox@spartans.ut.edu
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
OPINION
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16 SEPTEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
Sports
A Student Guide to Intramural Sports By GRIFFIN GUINTA Asst. Sports Editor
Wishing you could play sports in college without all the pressures of being an NCAA athlete? If so, have no fear. Intramural sports have started back up at UT. Intramurals are a great way to connect with the school community, strengthen your sports skills and have some fun while you’re at it. In most cases, intramural matches are played late at night, alleviating any worries of games conflicting with classes. Though it’s mostly just for fun and stress relief, there are steps that can be taken if one truly wants their team to conquer the intramural sports world. Step 1: Pick a Name A good name is vital to the overall image of your team. If you want your flag football team to be named the “Pink Ponies” then by all means go for it; but it is highly unlikely it’ll strike any fear into opponents. In my opinion, creativity is key. “Hit Me Baby One More Time, a volleyball team playing this semester (don’t steal their name), is a smart and catchy name. For one, it ties in volleyball terminology (hitting) with a memorable song lyric that all Britney Spears fans should know. Sometimes randomness can be effective as well. Just think of an obscure name that could easily double as the title
of a weird indie band (Intestinal Chicken Warriors, for instance) and you’ll be golden. Step 2: Recruit This is the step where you persuade your friends to commit to a sport that plays its games at 11:00 p.m. even though they have an 8:00 a.m. biology class the next day. Sure, they’ll hate you for a little while, but it’ll all be worth it when you hoist your prized plastic trophy at the end of the year, right? Step 3: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em If your friends won’t join you, you might as well jump on to a team that is already established. You’ll get the chance to meet new people, and you’ll skip the stress of trying to persuade your entourage to play pickup Ultimate Frisbee. In fact, after reading this you’ll ptr_crg/flickr essentially be an intramural sports guru Fields like this are used throughout the nation for intramural sports matches and events. and teams will be begging you to play for them. Trust me. in simultaneously. It may seem is more difficult than you might think. Step 4: Choose Wisely redundant to state, but in many cases Upperclassmen know their time in UT’s Campus Recreation offers a people commit to sports and regret college is coming to a close and want to wide variety of sports to choose from picking them after the fact. squeeze every ounce of sports glory out every semester. In the first half of this Step 5: Beware the Upperclassmen of their systems. semester, sports such as Flag Football, I wish someone had told me this when All in all though, be safe, have Volleyball and Soccer are offered while I was a freshman, but, alas, no warnings. fun and try your best. Winning is Frisbee, Tennis and Basketball start up Teams with seniors are scary. They’ve fun, but it’s not everything. Now get in the second half. been playing together for years, are very out there and go join a team called With that long list to choose large and know how the system works. “Pickled Mango.” from, it is vital to select a sport Now, I’m not saying freshmen can’t Griffin Guinta can be reached at that you can succeed and have fun hold their own against older foes, but it griffin.guinta@theminaretonline.com
THE MINARET | SEPTEMBER 12 2013
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Cross Country Team Ready to Run
Photos Courtesy of Tom Kolbe
Junior Courtney Ragan will aim to replicate her successes of last season, while senior Mike Zwijacz will be heavily relied upon to lead a men’s team filled with explosive talent. By JOSIAH KACHELMEYER
to get the season going, as she was sidelined with a stress fracture for almost all of last season. “I’m very excited about this team. With the new recruits we have on top of what we already have, I think we have the potential to be very good,” she said. Ehrhardt also added just how excited she was personally to be back and running with her team this year. “On a scale of 1 to 10, my excitement level is at about a million,” she said.
Men’s Team
the same high school as Brenner and knows he is capable of big things. Women’s Team Zwijacz said, “Lars and I were Following yet another successful teammates in high school. He was a season, which culminated in a 25th freshman my senior year, so to see overall finish at the NCAA Division him grow and become even faster is II National Championships last year, awesome,” Zwijacz said. “Getting to run the University of Tampa women’s with him at the next level is going to be cross country team is ready for an even great.” better 2013 season. Dennig is also optimistic about the Lead by senior Kelly Hagan (Sr.), incoming freshmen group. who won the 2012 NCAA South “All of the guys seem to know what Regional last year as a junior with a they’re doing when it comes to training, 6K time of 22:18.48, the Lady so we just have to make sure Spartans are eager to further they are smart and don’t do too improve upon what was already much,” Dennig said. “I’m pretty a successful 2012 campaign. confident that we can have a “I think the team this year strong season this year. As long definitely has the opportunity as no one gets hurt, I think we to improve,” Hagan said. “The can make a pretty good run with team this year is different this young talent.” from previous years because The Men’s team will start the we don’t have a super strong year as the sixth ranked team front runner that is really far in the south region, trailing out ahead of the rest of the top Sunshine State Conference foes seven.” Florida Southern (2nd), and Hagan will be joined Nova Southeastern (3rd). by a strong supporting cast The other teams ahead of including junior Courtney them in the region are AlabamaRagan (Jr.) and sophomore Huntsville (1st), West Florida Danielle Kissel (So.), who (4th), and West Alabama (5th). both also were top-10 finishers Only the top three teams in the at last year’s regional in Joplin, region advance to nationals at Missouri. In addition, there are the end of the season. Zwijacz several incoming freshman believes that the group they have who have already turned the this year is certainly capable of heads of upperclassmen on the doing so. team, including Hagan. “I really believe in these guys,” “All of the incoming Zwijacz said. “It won’t be easy but freshman this year have shown I feel the talent and potential for this so much promise,” Hagan team is through the roof for not only said. “I’m excited to say this year, but for years to come.” that all across the board this Both the men’s and women’s could be the most serious and teams next meet is the Mountain hardworking freshman class to Dew Invitational in Gainesville, Fla. Photos Courtesy of Tom Kolbe come to UT in a while.” Josiah Kachelmeyer Sophomore Tori Ehrhardt Senior Kelly Hagan is determined to take her team back to the NCAA Division II Championships later this season. can be reached at josiah. is also especially excited kachelmeyer@spartans.ut.edu Sports Writer
With what they’re they are calling one of their strongest recruiting classes in years, excitement is high surrounding the UT Men’s cross country team. The highly touted new recruits, including freshman Lars Brenner of Valrico, FLA., will join team leaders Mike Zwijacz (Sr.), Geremy DeWitt (Jr.), and Steven Dennig (Jr.) as the Spartans begin their 2013 season. Zwijacz, who finished 37th at the NCAA South Regional last year, went to
18 SEPTEMBER 12 2013 | THE MINARET
SPORTS
Pro Sports
Thoughts from Behind the Sports Desk By JORDAN LLANES Sports Editor
This year, The Minaret’s sports section is trying to engage our readers with more original content. Starting this week, assistant editor Griffin Guinta and I will be writing a weekly column about what’s going on in the sports world both around the world and at UT. With that being said, here’s what has been on my mind over this past week in a busy sports world. Just when we thought the Bucs would start off on a good note this season, Lavonte David has to go and screw it up, costing them a victory over a Geno Smith led Jets team in the Meadowlands. David’s shove of Smith when the latter was already out of bounds with fifteen seconds left in the game was a boneheaded move, and it cost the Bucs a victory that might be needed later on. With tough games against New Orleans at home next week and at the Patriots in Week Three upcoming, the loss is one that could easily make the Bucs stumble to an 03 start. This is the year for some great September baseball. The AL East, AL West and NL Central will likely go to the final days of the season. Even though the Red Sox have the AL’s best record, the Rays, Yankees and Orioles are right on their tails, with the Bronx Bombers making the most noise over the past couple of weeks despite the continued injury struggles of captain Derek Jeter. In the AL West, the Athletics and Rangers have the
makings of a great rivalry that matches the intensity of those in the AL East. Both teams are tied once again at the top of the standings, and each of them gets to feast on the lesser teams of the AL and NL. As for the Central, the Reds, Pirates and Cardinals are neck and neck as the season draws to a close. It will definitely be a fun finish for these three divisions. Kobe Bryant’s recovery from a torn Achilles tendon and Redskins Quarterback Robert Griffin III’s
back from major surgeries to perform even better afterwards is staggering. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (torn ACL), Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (Tommy John Surgery) and Broncos Quarterback Peyton Manning (neck surgery) have all been reborn after these surgeries to have career years. Colin Kaepernick is showing that last season is no fluke. He threw for a career high 412 yards and three touchdowns as he outdueled Green Bay Quarterback Aaron Rodgers in
Football Schedule/Flickr
Colin Kaepernick will aim to lead his San Francisco 49ers back to the Super Bowl this year.
return from a torn ACL are just two more examples at how far sports medicine has advanced in the recent years. Even though former NBA MVP Derrick Rose was out all of last season rehabbing a torn ACL, the amount of athletes who have come
Candlestick once again in a rematch of last season’s Divisional Playoff game. Kaepernick, along with fellow young gun quarterbacks Andrew Luck (Indianapolis) and Russell Wilson (Seattle), won on Sunday, by using not only the natural skills that let
them get by last season, but their new found experience and moxie to capture victories. A new wave of quarterbacking is upon us, and with star collegiate players such as Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater and Alabama’s AJ McCarron set to enter the pros next season, it doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon. However, Saturday proved that college football still reigns supreme when it comes to football in America. The mantra “any team can win on any day” proved true when Miami upset Florida, BYU stomped Texas and Washington State shocked USC. Even though the college game has its own share of stars such as South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney and Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas, upsets that happen every weekend show you that you have to have a great team and not just a couple of stars to win consistently in the turbulent world of college football. The sports world has plenty more to offer, and next week is no exception. In college football, top ranked Alabama is heading to College Station to try and avenge last year’s lost to Heisman trophy winning Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M on Saturday. Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather looks to retain his title belt and the ability to keep running his mouth against Canelo Alvarez on the same day. Good thing I asked off from work on Saturday. Jordan Llanes can be reached at jordan.llanes@theminaretonline.com
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Mike Pick/Flickr
Marlins Park is innovative and flashy, but has a hard time drawing fans to the stadium. Though the field is state-of-the-art, taxpaying Miami citizens are frustrated with the team’s excessive spending.
A Marlins Park Experience: Where are the Fans? down in Miami, but were there for a four game series, which happened to coincide on my birthday. Being born and raised in Los I couldn’t pass this opportunity Angeles, I am naturally a huge Los up, so four hours and a few stops later Angeles Dodgers fan. The stars aligned I was down in Miami to catch some this year, as the Dodgers weren’t only baseball. The first game I went to, and the only game the Marlins would win in the series, featured their 20-yearold ace Jose Fernandez up against Dodgers Korean rookie Hyunjin Ryu. My first take on the stadium is that it felt small. You could walk around the whole park in about five minutes. The electronics and jumbotron were really cool, and the view of downtown Miami from left field was breathtaking. The Marlins won the first game 6-2, and Keith Allison/Flickr Marlins’ mascot Billy the Marlin stands tall among the palm trees. that was the highest attended game of the By CONNOR ANTHONY Sports Writer
series with about 27,000 fans making the trip to see “The Fish” play. What really surprised me was how many Dodgers fans were there for the series. Being in Miami you wouldn’t expect a lot of Dodgers fans, but even more surprising was how many of the people that I talked to who were originally from California. Talking to the locals I got a little better perspective about the baseball atmosphere in the city. Many of the fans were understandably upset with the team and owner Jeffrey Loria, who convinced the city to use taxpayers’ money to help build the stadium, only to trade away his best players and reduce the team to the laughing stock of the majors. Marlins Park was built on the ground that used to be the Orange Bowl and was built to not only give the Marlins a more up-to-date stadium, but to also make it more convenient for fans to make the trip to see a game. The fans I talked to informed me that, in fact, it wasn’t much more convenient and as one man I was talking to put it: “No one lives in downtown Miami. It’s inconvenient to drive down here.” Think about the
problem that the Tampa Bay Rays are having with their stadium: It’s inconvenient to drive to, which leads to a lower attendance. A lot of the between inning entertainment reminded me of being at Tropicana Field. Spotting Billy the Marlin (like spot the cow), hat shuffles and having a themed race every game. The Rays do it with guys in soda costumes, while the Marlins races were people dressed in different “sea monster” themed costumes. The one thing I have to give credit to was that the Marlins have multiple parking garages right next to the stadium, which, besides paying 15 dollars to park, takes the hassle out of situating your car before going into the stadium. Overall, my trip to Marlins Park was interesting. It was a different kind of stadium and I can cross one more stadium to visit off my list. I can’t say I was entirely impressed with this brand new stadium, but it is a nice, relaxing and cheap atmosphere to catch a baseball game. Connor Anthony can be reached at connor.anthony@spartans.ut.edu
Beards, Dreads and Looks Define Sports Indiviualism
By KEVIN BARASIA Sports Writer
Fashion and sports go together more than the average fan might actually want to admit. Fashion, an expressive way of defying oneself, is a visual portrayal of one’s unique identity and belonging. Sports can define a person through neverending conflict and true grit. The constant amounts of persistence an athlete has to travel through can be very showing of one’s integrity and will, desire and drive. Troy Polamalu, James Harden, Brett Keisel and Brian Wilson all are notorious for their own, individualized fashion statements. Polamalu has his trademark long, black locks that flow over his shoulder pads as he delivers bone shattering hits, while Keisel, Wilson and Harden each have pointed, jet black beards that look like they came straight from ZZ Top. Polamalu and Keisel are Pittsburgh Steelers teammates; while Harden is a member of the Houston Rockets, and Brian Wilson is a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fashion tends to be thought of more as a feminine approach to individuality. Sports can be assumed as the male-ego, dominant,
alpha dog activity. The two mixed together prove just how intriguing the result can be and how vastly different what the public is ever used to knowing. The idea of Brett Keisel, a 6”5 295 pound Defensive End, rocking a beard all the way down to his jersey number (#99) isn’t as far-fetched as it once was thought to be. These four men share something so unique that it’s been worth noting for as long as they have arrived on the pro sports scene. The oddity of their “fashionable” and trendy facial hair statements make for not only great television but professionalism in sports. Wilson was a World Series champion back in 2010 for the San Francisco Giants. Harden was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year while with the Oklahoma City Thunder last year. Both Keisel and Polamalu are two-time Super Bowl champions (XL & XLIII) for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The point is that these four notable icons are not only presenting themselves as candid individuals, but they are also at the peak of their professional careers. Sports, nonetheless, can be a very telling reflection on any athlete in any sport. Ichiro Suzuki has probably the most unique, unconventional batting stance in the
history of Major League Baseball. Currently playing for the New York Yankees, he amassed reached the 4,000 mark for career professional hits earlier this season (between Japan & the US). Individuality drives people to play sports. Yao Ming, standing at 7”6, was a center for the Houston Rockets from 20022011. Nate Robinson and Dustin Pedroia are two of the smallest professional athletes in recent history to step onto the stage. Robinson, 5”9 175 lbs, and Pedroia, 5”8 155 lbs, are the NBA’s and MLB’s version of “the little engine that could.” Individuality isn’t always about a person’s appearance. It is the idea of expressing oneself to the nth degree. It could be the way they walk, talk, run, bat (baseball), shoot (basketball), strike the ball (tennis) or even the socks they wear (Redskins Quarterback Robert Griffin III). Only in sports do magical, neverbefore-seen, unorthodox images, behaviors, approaches, activities, personalities and unfashionable trends that become Keith Allison/Flickr fashionable overnight,galvanize millions Troy Polamalu is widely known for not cutting of people all over the nation and all over his curly mane of hair in years. globe, on the biggest stage yet. Kevin Barasia can be reached at kevin. barasia@spartans.ut.edu
MINARET
Cross Country [17]
UT’S SOURCE SINCE 1933
SPORTS
Marlins Park [19]
Pennant Races Rule September
By GREG PRAVER Sports Writer
September has arrived and it is an exciting time for Major League Baseball. Teams in playoff contention are competing to win divisional crowns as well as the two wild card spots in both the American and National League. Teams who have been eliminated are playing to spoil the chances of their division foes making it to the playoffs. The AL East features four teams in playoff contention. In first place are the Boston Red Sox, who hold the division lead over the second place hometown Tampa Bay Rays by a comfortable margin (The Rays also hold the second place wild card spot in the AL). In third place are the New York Yankees. The Yankees appear to be out of the running for the division title behind Boston but are on the heels of the Rays for the second wild card spot. Finally, the fourth place Baltimore Orioles are neck and neck with the Yankees and also within striking distance of the Rays for the wild card. Both the Yankees and Orioles have a chance to play in the wild card play-in game. This play-in game includes the better wild card team hosting the other wild card team, currently the Rays. This is one of the most exciting races in all of baseball. Praver’s Pick: The Red Sox have this division in the bag! Their young talent has impressed many fans around the league this season, including performances from starting pitcher Felix Doubront, who holds a 10-6 record, and third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who despite hitting an abysmal .234 average this season, has been exceptionally hot of late, hitting .348 AVG with 2 home runs and 7 RBI’s in his last seven games. The Rays are out of the running for the division crown, sitting too far behind Boston with 23 games left in the regular season. The AL Central division features the first place Detroit Tigers, who, similarly to the Red Sox, sit comfortably ahead of the second place team in their division, the Cleveland Indians. Behind the Tigers and the Indians are the Kansas City Royals, who hold the third place spot. The Tigers have won the division two consecutive years, mainly due to the fact that they have an incredible pitching staff and incredible hitting talent. Their team features Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, outstanding pitcher Max Scherzer, who leads the entire league with 19 wins, and MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera’s 2013 statistics include a .355 AVG,
which leads the AL, 43 HR’s, which is second in the AL behind Orioles’ slugger Chris Davis, and he leads the league in RBIs as well. If he passes Davis in Home Runs, Cabrera will repeat as a Triple Crown winner. Praver’s Pick: The Indians and Royals both do not have nearly the amount of talent that the Tigers have. Tigers run away with this one. In the AL West, currently in first place are the Texas Rangers, who hold a narrow lead over the second place Oakland Athletics. The Rangers are loaded with quality pitchers Yu Darvish, Matt Garza and Derek Holland. Darvish has a 12-7 record with an outstanding 2.91 ERA and leads the Major Leagues in strikeouts with 240. The A’s are also loaded with good pitching, including starters Bartolo Colon (14-6 with a 2.90 ERA); and Jarrod Parker (11-6 with a 3.57 ERA); as well as relievers Jerry Blevins (5-0 with a 3.57 ERA) and Ryan Cook, (6-3 with a very impressive 2.07 ERA). Praver’s Pick: These two teams are almost identical in talent. The team with the easier schedule for the remaining 22-23 games will win the division. The A’s have remaining games against the lowly Astros, Twins twice, Rangers, Angels twice and the Mariners. The Rangers, on the other hand, face the Pirates, A’s, Rays, Royals, Astros and Angels. With exception to Texas, the A’s are playing teams among the worst in the league. The A’s win their second consecutive AL West title. Now to the National League: In the NL East, the Atlanta Braves, who are well ahead of the second place Washington Nationals, have already won the division (not mathematically, but close to an elimination). Praver’s Pick: The Atlanta Braves. They are filled with talent, including first baseman Freddie Freeman, a NL MVP candidate, who is hitting .306 AVG, 19 HR’s and 94 RBI’s; third baseman Chris Johnson, whose .330 AVG is among the league leaders; outfielder Justin Upton, who has hit 24 HR’s; young pitcher Julio Teheran, who is 11-7 with a 3.01 ERA; and arguably the top closer in the NL, Craig Kimbrel, who has a league leading 44 saves and a 3-2 record along with an exceptional 0.94 ERA. This team has the right tools to go a long way into the postseason. The NL Central has the most exciting divisional race in all of baseball. As of today, the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have not had a winning season (82 wins) since 1992, lead the second place St. Louis Cardinals by 1.5 games and the third place Cincinnati Reds by 3 games. The Pirates made a splash this past week by acquiring
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Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera has a very high chance of winning his second consecutive triple crown.
two impact players, Marlon Byrd from the Mets and Justin Morneau from the Twins, both of whom are batting for high averages with the Pirates. The Cardinals, in addition to the Pirates, have a lot of depth in their lineup, including catcher Yadier Molina, second baseman Matt Carpenter and right fielder Carlos Beltran. The Reds, more so than the Cardinals, also have a lot of depth in their lineup, including second baseman Brandon Phillips, first baseman Joey Votto, center fielder Shin-Soo Choo and right fielder Jay Bruce. Praver’s Pick: Most of the nation’s baseball fans would like to see the Pirates reach the playoffs this year. This would be a great story for the MLB because this franchise has been the worst out of the 30 teams for the past 20 years. However, I do not think the Pirates will win the division––the Cardinals will. They have the easiest schedule of the three teams and after this weekend’s series against the Pirates, they are done with matchups against the Pirates and the Reds. The Pirates and Reds face each other for six games, and let’s figure that each team will win three games and lose three games against each other, which means that they will have gained nothing on St. Louis as their path to the end of the season is as easy as it gets. In the NL West, similarly to the Atlanta Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a large divisional lead. They are currently well ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Praver’s Pick: The Dodgers. They are rolling and will not lose many games in September. Since being called-up mid-season by the
Dodgers, Yasiel Puig has hit for a .350 AVG, 14 HR’s and 32 RBI’s. In addition, standout pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke have been dominant. Kershaw and Greinke both have 14 wins and 1.89 and 2.78 ERAs, respectively. Praver’s AL Wild Card Picks: The Texas Rangers will finish at the number one wild card spot and the Tampa Bay Rays at number two. In the play-in game, the Rays will travel to Texas to play the Rangers. This will be a tough game for the Rays to win on the road. The Rays lack big name hitters in their lineup that could hit well off of a Texas Ranger pitcher at home. The Rangers have a more reliable selection of hitters than the Rays do and will send them home to miss the postseason. Rangers move on to face the number one seed. Praver’s NL Wild Card Picks: The Pittsburgh Pirates will finish at the number one wild card spot and the Cincinnati Reds at number two. The Reds will travel to Pittsburgh right after the Reds host the Pirates to end the season. No matter who pitches for the Pirates, I think the Reds will outscore the Pirates due to their very loaded lineup. Votto, Phillips, Choo, Bruce and company will be too much for McCutchen, Alvarez, Byrd, Morneau and the rest as the Reds go on to face the top team in the National League. After all of these races end, October will have arrived. However, we must first enjoy the madness and excitement of baseball in September before thinking about the playoffs and the World Series. Greg Praver can be reached at gregory. praver@spartans.ut.edu
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RIGHT: The Baltimore Orioles are right back in the thick of the AL Pennant race thanks to strong offensive performances by Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. LEFT: Andrew McCutchen is a major reason why the Pirates may indeed make the playoffs.