INSIDE
Editor discusses tattoo experience
PAGE 4
Swimming and Diving dominates
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Movies to see in March
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How to prepare for a marathon
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MONDAY
FEBRUARY 23, 2015 MONDAY High 30, Low 27 TUESDAY High 39, Low 34
VOLUME 100 ISSUE 61 FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS 1915 - 2015
NEWS Briefs World JOHANNESBURG — A video purported to be by Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked rebel group al-Shabab urged Muslims to attack shopping malls in the U.S., Canada, Britain and other Western countries. KIEV, Ukraine— A bomb blast killed two at a march in east Ukraine on Sunday on the first anniversary of the ouster of the country’s Russiafriendly president, a gruesome counterpoint to the hopes spawned by a cease-fire agreement more than a week ago.
National GASDEN, Ala.— A prosecutor calls Joyce Hardin Garrard the “drill sergeant from hell,” a woman so mean she made her 9-year-old granddaughter run until the girl collapsed and died, all as punishment for lying about candy. SCHENECTADY, N.Y.— An upstate New York teen — who had a burst of fame last fall over his senior portrait depicting him, his cat and lasers — has died. Draven Rodriguez’s parents tell the TimesUnion of Albany their son committed suicide Thursday at their Schenectady home. He was 17.
Texas RAYMONDVILLE — Officers regained control of a South Texas prison where inmates had set fires and caused significant damage after taking over part of the facility, according to the private contractor operating the prison. About 300 of the 2,800 inmates were moved Sunday from the Willacy County Correctional Center to other federal facilities, said Issa Arnita, a spokesman for Management & Training Corp., the Utah-based company that runs the prison.
Skip the chocolate Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month isn’t sweet natalie yezbick Contributing Writer nyezbick@smu.edu February brings to mind love, chocolates, and bouquets of roses, making it the most romantic month of the year. But this month also stands as a time for possibly life-saving education about the dangers of dating. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention month, commonly referred to as Teen DV month, and it’s the college-age population that is often at risk. It’s hard to imagine anything as ugly as domestic violence occurring in the picturesque homes that surround campus, but domestic violence knows no racial, financial,
or geographic bounds. Just a few streets away from SMU, a mother was strangled to death with a lamp cord during a domestic violence dispute less than two decades ago. Stories like that are often told by teens, too. One in three young people will experience some form of dating violence, according to Break the Cycle. Break the Cycle works with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office to educate people on the prevalence of this specific type of violence. Schools have worked hard to take care of teens who have been victims of dating violence, but TeenDVmonth.org reports that more than 80 percent of school counselors said they were unprepared to handle stories of
abuse from students. This past month, SMUin-Plano hosted a Family Violence Symposium featuring writer Victor Rivas Rivers. He focused on men’s role in domestic violence. That role was ingratiated into the minds of students who went on an Alternative Breaks trip that helped domestic violence survivors. “For little boys, having a negative influence of a dad can often push them down the wrong roads themselves,” Junior Jayce Miller said. Dallas has led the country in starting the discussion on how men can stop the cycle of domestic violence. Mayor Mike Rawlings played a large role in creating Dallas
Courtesy of teendvmonth.org
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is February.
Men Against Abuse. As a part of the program, men can pledge to not only not partake in violence, but also to report others who may be hurting their families and to teach young people about the horrors of abuse.
WOMEN
Miller said this trip made him realize that abuse can happen to anyone and that mentoring kids makes a difference. “We can give them goals to strive for the creating of a better tomorrow for everyone, especially victims,” said Miller.
ME ADOWS
Vagina Monologues returns to SMU GENEVIEVE EDGELL SMU Live Contributor gedgell@smu.edu This year’s Vagina Monologues consisted of attention grabbing cleavage, a sex worker’s thigh slapping moans, and vulvas made of tissue paper that lined Hughes Trigg’s Theater. On Friday, Feb. 20, a woman in an “I Heart Vaginas” t-shirt shouted over a crowded room, “Peter, put up the vaginas” before the annual performance began at 8 p.m. Val Erwin, Program Adviser of the Women’s and LGBT Center, stood at the door sporting her bold t-shirt while selling tickets to about 80 attendees. The performance started with select students who took turns acting out a scripted monologue about someone’s experience with their vagina. All true, these stories came from interviews with women from all over the world – from New York City to Bosnia. The word vagina was spoken 89 times during the entire performance. Moving quickly from one script to the next, student Kara Synhorst walked up to the mic and boldly unzipped the front of her fitted leather dress. Her cleavage exposed the c-word written vertically in black marker. Her piece consisted of reclaiming the c-word. Next, another student walked up to the mic, squatted down and seductively slapped her hands on her fish-netted thighs, standing up as her piece spoke about a women’s life as a sex worker who “love[s] making women come.”
Courtesy of Jeremiah Jensen
Cast members of “The Sparrow” make a mad dash for ammo in the impending dodgeball fight.
Courtesy of Genevieve Edgell
Vulvas in pink, red and purple tissue paper lined the front of the stage.
She then acted out the different types of orgasms. One of which was the “college orgasm” that she expressed through moaning loudly while intermittently shouting, “oh I should be studying, oh oh I should be studying.” Although kept light-hearted, the event highlighted sexual violence. In between humorous stories (like how a woman first discovered how to orgasm at 72-yearsold after taking over an hour because of her arthritis) performers listed off disheartening statistics. “Those who are transgender experience
MONOLOGUES page 3
Courtesy of Genevieve Edgell
SMU first year Grace Cury performs a monologue about a woman’s first orgasm at 72 years old.
Behind the curtain Look behind the scenes at SMU’s production, ‘The Sparrow’ Jeremiah jensen Contributing Writer jejensen@smu.edu This story behind a story begins with a scene set in early February, Meadows School of the Arts, room B349. A troupe of actors gathers, not to rehearse, but to play, to make believe. On this night, the troupe is working out one of the musical numbers in their play “The Sparrow,” to be performed Feb. 25 through the first of March. Using everything from a guitar to a glockenspiel, the members of the troupe feel out a sprawling arrangement of Frank Sinatra’s song, “I’ve Got the World on a String.” In one corner of the room, a group splits off to practice the structure of the song. Two other members stand behind a table in the middle of the room, picking out a melody on their ukuleles. Three more, armed with pencils, tap away at a table, learning the percussion break for the piece. As each group of players and singers practices its part of the composition, the director does a gleeful jig in tandem with the music. The atmosphere is light and surprisingly free of stress. “There’s so much energy,” said Ariana Howell, the actress who plays the main character.
“The Sparrow” is a piece written, directed, and set by SMU students and alums, it is an SMU thoroughbred of a play. It mixes themes of grief and isolation with splashes of humor to tell the story of a young woman and a community scarred by a tragic accident. For every main-stage production, for every movie we watch, from Broadway to Bollywood, there is a saga behind the production we see. It is a well-known fact that the production of our entertainment is far from effortless. Directors and actors and crews work for months on end to perfect their piece. Rarely do we stop to appreciate the inner workings of the production. “I was just talking to our set designer, Darren Diggle,” said director Molly Beach Murphy, “and I asked him, ‘how many hours do you think we’ve spent talking about this play?’ and he said, ‘easily over a hundred.’” Murphy, a graduate of SMU’s department, and Juliana Dellasanta, a sophomore theater major, are collectively putting countless hours into the production of the show, coordinating creative desires and corralling schedules. The atmosphere they have created together is one of the defining parts of this play. The freedom Murphy promotes
CURTAIN page 3
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HEALTH
MONDAY n FEBRUARY 23, 2015
Running
Fitness
Tips, tricks to prepare for marathon compeitions Molly O’Connor Contributing Writer mcoconnor@smu.edu Signed up for a marathon and now wondering how on earth that decision was decided? Relax. It may seem daunting now, especially when running three miles proves to be a struggle, but the progress after even just one month of training will be remarkable. Follow these tips below for an even more successful marathon. 1. Become a morning runner No other commitments can come up simply because no one else is awake. When the dreaded alarm goes off at 6 a.m., hop out of bed and lace up those sneakers before your brain can register what is happening. 2. Electrolytes are key Electrolytes are lost due to the amount of fluids sweated out during a run, which causes the amount of electrolytes in your body to become unbalanced. Therefore, it is important to restore your electrolytes as soon as possible after your run, whether it is through a sports drink or electrolyte tablet. 3. Find a running plan and stick to it Running sprints before the sun rises may not be ideal, but when race day rolls around it will pay off big time.
Don’t skip out on anything during the week just because it seems unimportant; everything is a part of the training plan for a reason. 4. Make your foam roller your new best friend The majority of runners who train for a marathon will experience some sort of injury at one point or another, but foam rolling can help prevent these. Runners will most likely develop a love-hate relationship with this tool, but it’s good to keep in mind that they are especially good for knee injuries. 5. Find hills Unless the race is a completely flat course, find a way to work hills into your training regime. Your body will definitely thank you later. 6. Rest up for long runs Staying out the night before until 2 a.m. and then having to wake up at 6 a.m. for a twelve-mile run will not be beneficial in any way. Treat the long run as you would the actual race day; run your hardest and make sure to fuel up properly. 7. Don’t skimp out on the right running gear Invest in the proper running clothes. Breathable clothes made out of nylon and the right running shoes will improve results during both training and the race. 8. Eat the right calories An increase in calorie intake is
essential in order keep up with how much your body burns, but it is all about consuming a greater quantity of the right calories. Eating carbohydrates and protein will help your body gain back its strength and nutrients the quickest. 9. During the race take a drink at the first aid station and every single one from that point on Even though it seems early to get a drink, gulp down at least one cup of either water or Gatorade at that first station. Your body cannot keep up with how fast it will be losing liquids and you will get dehydrated faster than you realize. 10. Go hard at the end Save most of you energy for the last eight miles or so. If you get burned out at the beginning, the race will be much harder to complete. But if you store your energy up until the end, your adrenaline and time per mile will improve adrenaline pumping. Soon enough you will be standing amidst thousands of runners with your number pinned to your chest. Take the time to really care for your body during training and do not ignore any signs of potential injury. The sensation experienced after finishing the marathon will make all the tough work more than worth it and the pride felt will last forever.
Courtesy of Steven Pisano via lickr
Runners competing in a marathon
33RD SEASON
SMU TATE LECTURE
smu.edu/tate 214-768-8283 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram @SMUtate.
SERIES 2014 –15
Tuesday, February 24, 2015 DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer; best-selling author; presidential historian
TURNER CONSTRUCTION/ WELLS FARGO STUDENT FORUM 4:30 p.m. Hughes-Trigg Ballroom
Courtesy of Shannon Miller via Flickr
Running has shown to be good for the body and mind
Physical activity may be key to becoming smarter Shabnam Amini Contributing Writer samini@smu.edu After finishing his first semester at SMU last year, Syed Rizvi had finally learned how to prioritize his day: class, gym, library. “After I workout it helps me focus better,” said Rizvi, “I’ll have just enough energy to study and not distract myself.” Rizvi may be on to something. It is common knowledge that running miles on the treadmill can put a person on the path to a trim body, but adding more physical fitness and cardio to one’s daily routine may be the key to making an individual smarter and able to boost productivity. Researcher have found that specific molecules released during endurance exercise, like hormones and endorphins, improve cognition. Exercise has also been found to benefit outcomes in neurological diseases like depression, epilepsy, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. “All the research that has been done for years show that exercise and resistance training has positively affected cognitive thinking and learning,” said Kevin Cox, a personal trainer at SMU. Wellness experts recommend that you get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, the minimum that has been shown to have a positive effect on the body physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. According to Cox, studies show that exercise can make a difference in full grade changes, from taking a test and getting a C to taking a test and getting a B. “When someone regularly participates in exercise, it’s just as simple as having more blood flow to the brain, bringing all the nutrients that it needs,” said Kevin Kikugawa, assistant athletic trainer at SMU. “It just makes one more aware, alert
and overall more healthier.” Michael Andrews, law student at SMU, works out about six days a week. He has been going to the gym five or six days a week since the age of 12. “For me, working out is a stress reliever,” said Andrews. “When I get to work out, it is my alone time, if I need a break from studying for a long time, getting to work out really helps me to reset.” Exercise signals the release of several key hormones, including serotonin, a mood booster; dopamine, which affects learning and attention; and norepinephrine, which influences perception, motivation, attention and arousal. Recent studies show that Parkinson’s patients that engage in physical activity like boxing classes, tai chi and yoga, benefit from those exercises. Parkinson’s is marked by slow and rigid movements. The patients’ movements, after these classes, tend to be more fluid. “Helping patients who have Parkinson’s is just one of the few examples of how beneficial physical activity is,” said Ellie Odenheimer, lecturer in Applied Physiology and Wellness at SMU. According to Odenheimer, there have also been studies of children who need breaks of movement throughout their day so that their bodies and their brains can switch gears in order to better understand learning material. “For example, when you lift a dumbbell, your brain has to tell you to do it through the peripheral nervous system and then you lift it,” said Emily Field, Personal Training Supervisor at SMU. Rizvi recalls having conversations with the Mr. SMU 2013, Ali Asker, about working out before Rizvi started his own routine. “Ali did really well in school and now he is working for an energy company in Kuwait,”
said Rizvi. “He told me working out helped him keep his mind fresh and prioritize.” Matthew Brown, Olympic lifter and personal trainer at SMU, says there is a lot of research that has been done connecting mental health, wellness and physical fitness. The endorphins and the hormones that are released when you workout can give you a runner’s high, for instance. “You are more likely to stay healthy and not get sick as much,” said Brown. “You will also be able to sleep better during the night and not get as tired during the day, and that all ties back to mental wellness as well.” Physical activity not only improves cognitive thinking in a person, but it may also help someone become more spiritual and connect to their minds on a different level. While conducting research, Odenheimer talked to a teacher who taught yoga through a Christian perspective. The teacher talked about kinesthetic worship, when the body is physically in different positions. “For example, in the Muslim tradition, they face Mecca and bow down on a prayer rug and go through different physical motions as a form of prayer,” said Odenheimer. “Another example is in different Christian denominations, like Catholicism. People kneel to pray at different times during their services.” For some people, especially those who are kinesthetic learners, they can get to a spiritual place through physical activity. “Tons of studies have been done, especially on children, where the ones who were physically active made better grades,” said Field. “But the question is, is the activity making them smarter or are smarter kids choosing to workout more… there is always a correlation between the two, but which one comes first?”
An informal question and answer session. Free and open to all students, faculty and staff. Tweet your question for @SMUtate with @DorisKGoodwin to #SMUtate.
THE ANITA AND TRUMAN ARNOLD LECTURE 8 p.m. McFarlin Auditorium Students should come to the McFarlin basement at 7 p.m. First come, first served. One complimentary ticket per SMU Student ID. Limited availability. Business casual attire suggested.
ROSEWOOD MANSION ON TURTLE CREEK DALLAS
SUPPORTED BY: 570 KLIF News and Information Frost Bank Sewell Lexus
SMU Student Foundation The Weitzman Group & Cencor Realty Services
Courtesy of Jerryonlife via Flickr
Exercise can improve cognition
NEWS
MONDAY n FEBRUARY 23, 2015 EMPLOYMENT
CURTAIN Continued from page 1
Courtesy of Kasey Ruth
Students stay behind to ask questions about the presenation in Lyle.
Lyle hosts job search strategies session Thursday Kasey Ruth SMU Live Contributor kruth@smu.edu It’s Spring Semester here at SMU, which means students are off to the races to seek internships for the summer and jobs for those seniors who are about to enter the real world. Lyle School of Engineering hosted a Job Search Strategies session in the Caruth Building Thursday night to provide information and advice for students on the hunt for jobs. Linda Perez, Director of the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership led the session of nearly 30 students through a slideshow containing resume tips, job search websites, and career events to attend. Perez provided a list of what employers look for in a resume: 1) Involvement organizational groups
in
2) Work experience related to your major 3) The ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining academic obligations in good standing Perez urged students to have a resume that will stand out to
MONOLOGUES Continued from page 1
sexual violence 28 percent more than those who are not transgender,” said one performer. Just outside the theater, the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center (DARCC) had a booth set up. Monica Urbaniak, who works for the DARCC, said the center was invited by the Women’s Interest Network at SMU, the organization associated with the Women’s and LGBT Center who host the Vagina Monologues. “We have many volunteers from SMU. They help with our crisis line and hospital advocacy at Presbyterian.” Said Urbaniak Audrey Gaill, volunteer and executive member for the Women’s
managers and recruiters. Perez also stressed the importance of students being active in the job search. “Physically go online and search for jobs,” said Perez. She suggested that students be well informed on the company they are interviewing with prior to the interview. Perez provided students with many different websites to actively refer to while seeking a job or internship. Perez also shed some light to what each student’s future can hold by showing different companies that have hired students from Lyle. Chevron, Stryker, NASA, and Deloitte are only four of the many companies that were listed. SMU Master Student Alexander Moon left the session feeling confident on finding a job. “What I took away from this session is knowing that SMU has the necessary resources to successfully finding a job right after graduation,” Moon said. Upcoming events to attend include: – Feb. 25: Meet AT&T from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. – March 3: Quorum Business Solutions Info Session from 5 to 6 p.m.
Interest Network, explained why this event is important to the SMU community. “Raising awareness about violence against women, particularly on SMU’s campus, is extremely relevant because SMU is on that list,” said Gaill. The list Gaill refers to is the Title IX document released in December 2014. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “The Office for Civil Rights determined that SMU violated Title IX by failing to promptly and equitably respond to student complaints of gender-based harassment and sexual violence, including sexual assault, and to reports of retaliatory harassment.” All proceeds from the two-day event went to DARCC.
as a director is not lost upon the members of her cast. Sophomore theater major, Leslie Ballart, who will be playing one of the female leads in the show, said that the essence of acting is play and that one of the most important aspects of her role as an actress is to be open to and engaged with the creative drives of her colleagues. “It takes people to put on a production,” said Ballart. Murphy has created an atmosphere where a high level of collaboration is encouraged. More than one cast member said that after rehearsals Murphy liked to say, “thanks for jamming with me.” Murphy, however, gives all of the credit to her cast and the talents they bring to the table. And indeed, on this night, the troupe was jamming. Four part harmonies float forth from the finger-formed vocal chords of pig puppets, pencils click and clack against a table, and the ukuleles strum their jaunty air. According to the actors, one of the biggest and most rewarding challenges of playing a role is understanding the essence of their characters. “I think that theater is beautiful because you step into someone,” said Howell. Another theme behind the scenes is that of collaboration. For instance, Murphy said that Diggle sat through every rehearsal. She said that before rehearsals even began she and he spent hundreds of hours brainstorming ideas for the play. According to both her and the cast there is a lot of creative trial and error to be done before arriving at the final product. “It’s a lot of happy and accidents and intense planning,” said Murphy. Dellasanta said her favorite part of producing “The Sparrow” has been the
LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. – One is a businesswoman and an MBA graduate. Another is a corporate vice president. The third is a registered nurse. These three mothers – all of them educated, middle-class professionals – are among the vaccine skeptics who have been widely ridiculed since more than 100 people fell ill in a measles outbreak traced to Disneyland. Critics question their intelligence, their parenting, even their sanity. Some have been called criminals for foregoing shots for their children that are overwhelmingly shown to be safe and effective. “Contrary to the common sentiment, we are not antiscience,” said Michelle Moore,
Courtesy of Jeremiah Jensen
Director Molly Beach Murphy listens as her cast practices a musical number.
Theater students sing with their piggy props.
Courtesy of Jeremiah Jensen
‘American Sniper’ suspect’s ex-comrades mourn man they knew JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press STEPHENVILLE, Texas – For those who served with Eddie Ray Routh in the Iraqi desert, the man on trial for gunning down the famed “American Sniper” Chris Kyle and a friend is not the Marine they had come to know. “The Routh I knew looked up to people who did that kind of job,” said former Cpl. Ryker Pawloski. “He respected war fighters like you wouldn’t believe.” “It just doesn’t fathom,” agreed Corey Smalley, who shared a metal trailer with Routh at Camp Fallujah. “He wasn’t the picture-perfect Marine, even though that’s what he wanted to be. And the people he looked up to the most were people
Anti-vaccine mothers discuss their thinking amid backlash a businesswoman who lives in the affluent Portland suburb of Lake Oswego with her 2½-yearold twin girls. “I’m not opposed to medicine, and I think vaccines have a place. We think it’s a medical choice, and it should be researched carefully.” The backlash, much of it from people who fear unvaccinated children could infect their own kids, has been so severe that dozens of anti-vaccine parents contacted by The Associated Press were afraid to speak out. But a handful of mothers agreed to discuss their thinking. Moore, an MBA graduate who runs an agriculture-related business, traces her feelings back to the time she took Lariam, a supposedly safe anti-malaria medication. Instead, she said,
Courtesy of Jeremiah Jensen
Theater students gather to practice one of the songs in “The Sparrow.”
chris kyle
medicine
associated press
challenge of accommodating the, “crazy tech stuff,” in the show. Swinging ropes, set pieces with multiple uses, and things not yet revealed, all factor into the quest for a clean show. According to Murphy, one of the unique things about this play is that the, “theater magic,” is not hidden from the audience. This means that the cast members move the set with no pause between scenes. Tables become beds, desks become bleachers, and walls become gates. This presents an interesting challenge for the actors. They must be precise and quick so as not to disturb the storyline. Everything from the throwing of a ball to the rearrangement of the set must be meticulously timed and positioned, yet the troupe seems never to grow tired of their craft. One of the major themes within the cast is a sense of personal growth. Each member seems to be honing some specific skill or learning a new one to add to their repertoire. Ballart is mastering the art of understanding her character, Howell is conquering tough choreography, and Dellasanta is learning how best to manage people. “It’s really forcing me to expand my imagination,” said Howell. However, new skills are not all that the troupe hopes to gain from the show. Ballart said she hopes the performance leaves people with a sense of the importance of love among friends and family. And at the end of the day, when the curtain closes, Ballart says, “it could be good or bad. It could not work. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re willing to go out there and play.” “The Sparrow” will open at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in the Greer Garson Theatre, and hold its final showing there on the first of March. To get tickets, purchase them online, or visit the Meadows box office.
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the drug saddled her with multiple health complications. She questions whether the government knew about the risks at the time. Health officials now acknowledge Lariam can cause severe side effects, some of which can be permanent. That experience broke Moore’s trust in the medical establishment and launched her on years of research into how vaccines can affect people’s health. When she got pregnant, Moore and her husband delayed immunization for Sierra and Savannah. “It was not an easy decision,” she said. “The thought of something happening to them because we chose not to vaccinate is terrifying. But I have so many questions, and I do think it’s the right decision for our family.”
like Chris Kyle. He always wanted to be those people – be the people that Marines from now on will always be talking about.” Routh achieved that – but not the way he’d hoped. The 27-year-old stands charged with capital murder in the Feb. 2, 2013, slayings of the former Navy SEAL and his friend, Chad Littlefield. Kyle, who by his own count made more than 300 kills, volunteered with veterans facing mental health problems. Kyle and Littlefield took Routh to a shooting range after his mother asked Kyle to help her son cope with posttraumatic stress disorder and other personal demons. Routh’s attorney, Tim Moore, read a text message during the trial in which Kyle described Routh as
“straight-up nuts.” Family members have testified that Routh came back from his military service a changed man. He was hospitalized multiple times for mental health issues and had trouble keeping a job. “I noticed that he kind of lost his desire for life,” his uncle, James Watson testified. Moore said that when Routh killed Kyle and Littlefield “he was in the grip of a psychosis” so severe he didn’t know it was wrong and thought “it was either him or them.” Erath County District Attorney Alan Nash described Routh as “a troubled young man,” but said mental illnesses “don’t deprive people from being good citizens, to know right from wrong.” After the killings, Routh’s parents described a young man
haunted by what he’d seen in Iraq and earthquake-ravaged Haiti, and who sought relief at the bottom of a bottle. Many combat veterans say Routh exaggerated his experiences, and scoff at the notion that he saw anything that would cause PTSD. Men who served with “Routhy” in Combat Logistics Battalion 8 at Camp Fallujah in 2007-2008 concede he had a drinking problem, even before Iraq. And they don’t recall their unit suffering anything overly traumatic. But they say something must have happened to turn Routh from a gung-ho Marine into an alleged double killer. Shortly after the unit reached Fallujah, Routh was ordered to Balad Air Base, where he helped guard Iraqi prisoners.
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OPINION
MONDAY n FEBRUARY 23, 2015
lifestyle
holiday
A Valentine’s Day worth remembering
Courtesy of AP
Christina Perri arrives at Billboard Power 100 showing off her numerous tattoos.
Reflections on my first tattoo experience How much does a tattoo cost? Does it hurt? How long does it take? These are a few questions that I will answer as I share with you my first tattoo experience. Saturday morning, I woke up feeling spontaneous so I decided to get a tattoo. But you should probably take a day or two to think about your decision before getting inked. “Are you freakin’ serious, Nickson?” as some readers may say. No, I actually spent months thinking about my tattoo, drawing it on my forearm and consulting friends. I made sure that my tattoo would last a lifetime. Of course, I don’t expect to admire it in a decade or two, but right now I’m glad I got it. Moving on. Walking in to the tobacco smoke-filled tattoo parlor, I stumbled my way though the haze and found numerous artists with questionable tattoos and soberness. I flipped through a catalogue of tribal art and Chinese characters and asked for a combination of both. Okay, not really. The owner of the tattoo parlor I went to kept his shop sanitary, professional, and he functioned completely sober (I think). He educated me on the long-term consequences of getting a quote tattoo, how the ink would spread and appear as black blob. My anxiety worsened as the countdown to the needle ticked closer to zero. The sound of the tattoo pen pushed me over the edge. Moments before contact, I prepared for the pain, gripping the chair expecting the tattoo to feel like continuous flu shots for half an hour.
STAFF COLUMN
nickson chong Opinion Editor nicksonc@smu.edu
Once the needle breached my skin, I screamed and I squirmed and I thought, “I’m going to pass out.” But really, it wasn’t too bad. Getting a tattoo wasn’t as painful as I expected. It felt like a friend pinching you or a cat scratching you, all while vibrating and numbing your skin. Adrenaline kicked in and the process ended almost as fast as a disappointing one-night stand. The tattoo cost me $200. But if you’re concerned about the price, you should wait until you can afford a quality tattoo without having to worry how much it will cost. I primarily got a tattoo to rebel against my parents, to show them that they don’t control my life. After which, I felt a strong urge to start smoking and join a biker gang. Okay, not really. I got one to express myself and to serve as a reminder to remain steadfast in my commitment to aspire to loftier achievements. Ugh, I sound like a college essay. People also get tattoos to honor loved ones, for style, profit (selling parts of your body as advertisement), or to cover up scars. Whatever your reason may be, it is a personal decision that concerns you and only you.
At first, I hesitated to get one because what if other people discriminated me for it? Some people look at tattoos and judge that person of possessing immoral character or being involved in illegal activities. And I concluded that what those people think about me is none of my business. You know who you are and why you decided to get a tattoo in the first place. Be confident and have conviction in the tattoo you want so that when you’re older you can assure yourself: “No regrets.” Thankfully, there are ways to hide or remove a tattoo if you’re worried about professionalism in your career. First, the most easy and least costly way would be to cover it up with makeup. Second, you can receive laser tattoo removal treatment. Today’s laser tattoo technology cleanly and efficiently removes tattoos; search for before and after pictures to see for yourself. And by the time you resent your tattoo, the technology to remove it will be less costly, more effective, and less painful. Whether you get a tattoo that’ll last a lifetime or one you’ll regret in twenty years, tattoos imprint your fascinations and beliefs in time. And if you decide to remove your tattoo, you’ll always remember and reminisce about the ideals your younger self believed in.
Chong is majoring in
finance and economics.
Humans of SMU
“If you could be anything in the world what would you be?” “A pilot.” “Why?” “It would be so freeing. I could go wherever I want without anything holding me back.” -Junior Becca Zivin is majoring in English, psychologg, and philosphy.
”How did you meet?” “He was probably checking me out, squatting some mad weight in the gym.” “Yeah I was like with the weight this guy is putting up, I definitely want to join that fraternity.” Laughter “I actually don’t know.” -Junior Talbott Zink and Sophmore Felix Pasarow are majoring in finance. Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexis Kopp, Kelsea Rushing News Staff Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jaime Buchsbaum Sports Staff Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick Engel, Sebastian Keitel Staff Photographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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This year I did not get to give my annual rant about how stupid Valentine’s Day is because I spent all day at Moody Coliseum. Unless you were under a rock, you knew that ESPN’s “College Gameday” was in town to cover the SMU-UConn basketball game. This was a huge opportunity for SMU students to show the nation how crazy they really are, and they did not disappoint. When I heard our local lobster screaming his head off at 9 a.m. a Saturday, I knew it would be a fun day. Fans were respectful when the Gameday crew talked about the loss of two legendary coaches, rowdy when the cameras showed their clever signs, and don’t even get me started on how loud it was when Shameek Malviya made that half-court shot with one second left on the clock. It might have been because they were still pumped from Gameday, but some fans stuck around to watch the women’s basketball game. Although they are not as successful as the men’s team, women’s games are fun to watch, especially because of those funny guys who are always in section 100. I mean seriously, those guys need their own TV show. SMU fans are known for not showing up to games on time, but the students filled up Moody quickly for the evening edition of Gameday. The actual game started slowly, but the Mustangs got hot, and the game was pretty much over at halftime. However, staying to watch the second half was worth it because the Mustangs looked like they were on a mission to not only beat UConn, but to make them look worse than their football team. Moody on Saturday is ranked with the Cincinnati and Louisville games from last year as the loudest games in recent history (last year’s game against California is on an entirely different level).
STAFF COLUMN
Matt Sanders Associate Arts & Entertainment Editor
masanders@smu.edu
It was nice to finally see the Moody Magic that we remember from last year. It is a shame that it was so late into the season because if that crowd had been at the Arkansas and Cincinnati games earlier this season, the Mustangs’ tournament resume could look completely different. When Moody gets compared to Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, you know that the fans are doing something right. I just wish we had that kind of crowd for all of the games, no matter who the opponent is. With the season’s end rapidly approaching, all we can do now is cheer from our couches since the remaining games are on the road. However, if you’re in town during Spring Break, go to the game against Tulsa on March 8, because Tulsa fans will be in attendance and will want revenge. I would know, considering I willingly went to Oklahoma to watch SMU play. Lastly, for those people who will always find something to complain about (I’m looking at you, PonyFans), just keep to yourself and enjoy a successful team. Things could always be worse; you could go to TCU. Sanders is majoring in journalism.
politics
Courtesy of AP
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker giving a speech in London.
Governor Scott Walker’s lack of a college degree could cost him a presidential run Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s chances of becoming the next president of the United States are already over and the race hasn’t even begun – all because of a decision he made 25 years ago. In 1990, the spring of his senior year at Marquette University, Walker dropped out of college. The reason he withdrew from the university is still unclear. If this were the year 1945 this small infidelity on an otherwise flawless presidential resume would be a non-issue for Walker. In fact, former President Harry Truman was elected in 1945 without a college degree. But Harry Truman is the last man without a college education that has, or ever will, call the White House home. In Truman’s day college education looked much different than it does now. An article in The New Yorker titled “Live and Learn” highlights that private colleges like Harvard and Yale “were largely in the business of reproducing a privileged social class” and only about 1.14 million people attended public colleges. Today, more than 15 million students attend public colleges and about six million attend private colleges. The Lumina Foundation found that more than 40 percent of Americans currently hold college degrees and they expect that number to increase to 60 percent by 2025. Thus far Walker has had a tremendously successful political career. Excluding losing the race for student body president during his sophomore
STAFF COLUMN
Rebekah Tate SMU-TV Executive Producer
rtate@smu.edu
year of college, Walker’s election record is flawless. Since 1993, he has run 11 races for state legislature, county executive, governor, and he has won them all. But his hot streak is coming to an end. Although there are plenty of Americans, like Walker, who have excelled without a college degree, most notably Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, the majority of these successful men and woman aren’t making a run for the White House. Predicting Scott Walker’s political future is simple. This is 2015, not 1945. Americans value education more now than ever before. At the end of the day a college education trumps all the other impressive accolades a candidate may have. The GOP should cross Walker off their list of possible 2016 nominees because Americans today will not trust a man without a college degree to lead their country. Tate is majoring in journalism.
quoteworthy
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MONDAY n FEBRUARY 23, 2015
SPORTS
5
WoMen ’s Basketball
WoMen ’s Swimming and Diving
Lady Mustangs win 68-51 in Houston Demetrio Teniente Sports Editor @Demo36
Courtesy of SMU Athletics
SMU posted a team score of 797 in the six-team field to claim the conference championship.
The best around
SMU takes home conference championship Patrick Engel Staff Writer @Patrick_Engel94 The SMU women’s swimming and diving team won 12 events at the American Athletic Conference Championship in Greensboro, N.C., good for a first-place finish. Senior Isabella Arcila won three individual and three team events to lead the Mustangs to their 16th conference title in the last 19 seasons. Arcila also set a school and AAC Championship record for the 50-yard freestyle, while sophomore Tara-Lynn Nicholas did the same in the 100-yard breaststroke.
SMU posted a team score of 797 in the six-team field, with Connecticut (619) and East Carolina (595.5) taking second and third. Mustangs’ Head Coach Steve Collins was named the women’s AAC Coach of the Year. The next team meet for SMU is the NCAA Championships, which begin March 19 and are held in Greensboro. The divers’ next meet is the NCAA zone diving qualification on March 9-11 in Iowa City, Iowa. 12 events SMU won include: 50-yard freestyle (Arcila); 200-yard individual medley (Rachel Nicol);
200-yard breaststroke (Nicol); 200-yard backstroke (Arcila); 100-yard breaststroke (Nicholas); 100-yard backstroke (Arcila); 400-yard individual medley (Kirsty Mclauchlan); 100-yard butterfly (Marne Erasmus); 400-yard medley relay (Anna Volchkov, Erica Donadon, Adrienn Santa, Tiffany Sudarma); 400-yard freestyle relay (Nathalie Lindborg, Santa, Arcila, Erasmus); 200-yard medley relay (Arcila, Nicholas, Erasmus, Lindborg); 200-yard freestyle relay (Arcila, Nicholas, Erasmus, Lindborg).
SMU held Houston to just four second half field goals to pull away for the 17-point win. The Mustangs snapped their three-game losing skid with a 68-51 win over the Houston Cougars Saturday at the Hofheinz Pavilion. SMU shot a season-high 52.1 percent from the field and held Houston to only four field goals in the second half. Normally the Mustangs are led by Alicia Froling, but on Saturday it was her sister Keely Froling doing the heavy lifting- Keely scored 13 points and secured seven rebounds. Eleven of her 13 points came in the first half, which helped the Mustangs take a 35-25 lead into halftime. Houston held a 5-4 lead less than five minutes into the action, but Keely put SMU back in front with a jumper. The Cougars tied the game at 15-all with 9:10 to go in the first half, but freshman Aurmani DeGar nailed a pair of free throws that sparked a 20-10 run.
Courtesy of SMU Athletics
Keely Froling scored 3 points in SMU’s win over Houston on Saturday.
While SMU had one of its best shooting days, Houston only shot 28.3 percent from the field and were out rebounded 38-31. The Mustangs outscored the Cougars in the paint 2812. SMU’s Keely and Alicia Froling combined for 22 points while Destynee Hives-McCray added 10. Alicia also recorded three
blocks, and senior Raven Short made three three-pointers (for all nine of her points). Tyler Gilbert, who scored 10 points and seven rebounds, was Houston’s lone double-digit scorer. A home match up against Temple Wednesday is next for SMU. Tip-off is 7 p.m. at Moody Coliseum.
For more sports stories visit smudailycampus.com/sports
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Mustangs finish second in championship Patrick Engel Staff Writer @Patrick_Engel94 The SMU men’s swimming and diving team won 10 gold medals at the American Athletic Conference Championship, plus seven silvers and four bronzes. The Mustangs finished in a close second place, 34.5 points behind champion East Carolina. SMU led the meet after two days, but fell into second place on day three despite four wins. Freshman Christian Scherubl set a school and meet record in the 500-yard freestyle with a 4:18.23, six seconds ahead of the secondplace finisher. He also set a school record in the 200-yard freestyle by swimming a 1:34.89. His three individual gold medals helped him earn the AAC’s Most Outstanding
Courtesy of SMU Athletics
SMU finfished in second place- just 34.5 points behind champion East Carolina in the AAC Championship.
Swimmer award, while head diving coach Jim Stillson was named the conference’s Diving Coach of the Year. SMU won gold in the following events: 500-yard freestyle (Scherubl); 200-yard
free (Scherubl); 100-yard freestyle (Scherubl); 100-yard butterfly (Sam Straughan); 100-yard backstroke (Straughan); 200-yard backstroke (Straughan); 200-yard butterfly (Tyler Rauth); threemeter dive (Devin Burnett); one-
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START IMMEDIATELY Contact Candace Barnhill at (214) 768-4111 or cbarnhill@smu.edu.
To Play: Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.
Follow the sports staff on Twitter! @SmuSportsDesk, @Demo36, @Nikki Chavenelle, @Patrick_Engel94
Solution: 02/20/15
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meter dive (Burnett); platform dive (Burnett). Next up for the Mustangs is the American Short Course Championship in Austin, Texas. The three-day meet begins March 5.
Crossword Across 1 Thom __: shoe brand 5 Greek Zs 10 This, in Spain 14 Poi source 15 Motionless 16 Like spider webs 17 __ the Impaler: model for "Dracula" 18 One of a 1492 trio 19 Ritual flammable stack 20 They're juiced in Jacksonville 23 Anteater's sound in the comic "B.C." 24 Mobster's gal 25 Hawaiian wreath 26 Flood-control project 29 Garbage barge puller 31 Odorless gas 33 They're baked in Boise 37 Disaster relief org. 38 Put the kibosh on 39 Exec's "By yesterday!" 42 They're boiled in Bangor 47 Sets aside for future use 49 __ and improved 50 Barnyard home 51 Suffix with transit 52 "Green __ and Ham" 55 Knock sharply 57 They're shelled in Savannah 62 One-liner, e.g. 63 Make __: get rich 64 Dining table expansion piece 66 Degree recipient 67 Guts 68 Year-end clearance event 69 Office note 70 Deuce toppers 71 One-named Art Deco artist
Down 1 Network that once employed VJs 2 Muscle prone to cramps 3 Devastated Asian sea 4 Caffeinated pill
5 "Be quiet!" 6 Oklahoma city 7 Early brunch hr. 8 "Star Wars" droid, familiarly 9 Hollywood hopeful 10 "College Football Playoff" network 11 Crow's-nest telescopes 12 Deep serving bowl 13 Infant's bodysuit 21 __-Rooter 22 Voice above tenor 26 "What's the __?": "So what?" 27 Fruity cooler 28 "Li'l Abner" matriarch 30 Departed 32 Furnace output 34 Lukas of "Witness" 35 "Shop __ you drop" 36 Neural impulse conductor 40 Museum collection 41 Would-be social worker's maj. 43 "__ your pardon" 44 NFLer who plays at the MeadowlandsÑin NJ, ironically 45 Scolds but good 46 Ugly duckling, as it turned out 47 Lumber mill blockage 48 Bump from which cactus spines grow 53 Xbox enthusiast 54 Cathedral topper 56 Throb 58 San __, Italy 59 Jealous feeling 60 Rip
61 Word after sea or before Lake 65 Doctor's charge
Solution 02/20/2015
6
ARTS
MONDAY n FEBRUARY 23, 2015 film
re vie w
March movies to see or not to see will kastner Contributing Writer wkastner@smu.edu February is well underway, and as expected, the movies released were disappointing. Perhaps they were even more disappointing than expected. “Fifty Shades of Grey,” while busting the box office, managed to be even more awful than I originally expected. “Jupiter Ascending” tanked, which I can’t help but smile about. However, there were a few surprises this month that came in the form of “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and “SpongeBob: Sponge Out of Water.” Now, these movies were expected to draw viewers and rake in some cash, but I never saw it coming that they would receive decent critic reviews. Honestly, at the beginning of the month, February looked dismal from a moviegoer’s perspective, but it turned out to be a little better than it seemed. Anyway, here’s the good news. March is shaping up to be a much better month of movies. There are enough exciting movies on the horizon that I couldn’t list them all in the article, and I’m excited to see most of them. Enough of my rambling, here are the most compelling March movie releases. “Chappie” Director Neill Blomkamp writes and directs a very distinct type of sci-fi movie. Present in every movie he releases are robots/machines, stratification, violence, and blood –
tons and tons of blood. Gallons of blood. There is blood everywhere. Between “District 9” and “Elysium,” there were at least five scenes were a human body exploded into red mist and chunks of flesh. I expect as much in “Chappie,” and I could not be more excited. I love Blomkamp’s directorial style, and I love his go-to actor, Sharlto Copley. Regardless of the cheap blockbuster elements Blomkamp’s movies seem to have (over-bloodied violence), they haven’t failed to produce an amazing story that sets them high above the other indie, sci-fi films. “Run All Night” Alright, I know it was somewhat of a misnomer placing a Liam Neeson movie in a list of most compelling movies. In fact, there is nothing compelling about Liam Neeson’s films anymore. Anyone who walks into the theatre intent on seeing one of his movies should know exactly what they’re getting into. There is going to be shooting, running, Neeson’s menacing voice, and betrayal. That’s it. End of story. Honestly, in recent years there’s been very little variation on the theme (i.e. “Taken” 1, 2, and 3). “Insurgent” This movie makes it onto my list of most compelling films, partly because the series has had such financial success – both in literature and film. However, the main reason I find this movie so compelling is the fact that I had no freaking idea that there was a sequel to “Divergent.” When did that happen? Why did
that happen? Who decided that the first book/movie was good enough to make a sequel book/ movie? The obvious answer to that question is the financial success of the first movie, but honestly I don’t know if I can sit through another boring plotline and horrible acting performance. I had enough of teenfiction dystopia with “The Hunger Games.” I don’t want any more. “Get Hard” Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart together in a movie? That sounds pretty awesome. I don’t know much about “Get Hard,” but I do know I will end up seeing it one way or another. This movie has “Netflix by Summer 2015” written all over it. I cannot guarantee anything with the film itself. However, I can guarantee that your one friend who says, “Will Ferrell is hilarious!” will say it’s hilarious. Good grief people. Not everything he touches is gold. (I’m not bitter or irritated) “Serena” Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are one of my favorite acting duos. In my opinion – which I take the liberty to share, “Silver Linings Playbook” is the best romcom that has ever been made, and Lawrence and Cooper are to thank for that. However, the story line also bolstered the movie’s success. I speculate that “Serena” won’t achieve this same success. Set in the South during the Great Depression, the two actors seem slightly “out of their element.” And, for those two, expectations are high.
Courtesy of Facebook
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence star in yet another film together called “Serena.”
Courtesy of hottubmovie.tumblr.com
“Hot Tub Time Machine 2” fails to reach the level of comedy in the first film.
‘Hot Tub Time Machine 2’ disappoints riley coven Arts and Entertainment Writer rcoven@smu.edu With so many sequels being released in recent years, the bar for quality has dropped significantly. There are so many movies that were great as an original and then ruined by their unnecessary successor. The most recent in this line of filmmaking was Steve Pink’s “Hot Tub Time Machine 2.” While the first wasn’t exactly a revelation in the art of cinema, it was still enjoyable and had some genuine heartfelt moments as well as some hilarious laughs. Unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for the sequel. While the crude humor of the movie appeals to certain audiences, admittedly myself included, it wasn’t enough to save it from being a flat and uninteresting story with little to offer. The actual plot line was
very vague and seemed to just move the characters from one attempted funny situation to the next. As I said, I typically find this style of humor engaging, but there were too many moments of unnecessary shock value jokes that it just didn’t land. With that being said, the improvisational technique by leads Craig Robinson and Rob Corddry was entertaining to watch when they were allowed to work the scenes themselves. The moments in the movie where you could tell they were just having fun and cracking jokes together were the highlights of the movie by far. Some of the one-liners they had were genuinely funny and had the entire theater cracking up. Unfortunately that’s not enough to sustain a feature length movie and as soon as those moments ended, we were back to the scripted gross out humor that didn’t
really do anything for most of the audience. It’s also a little disconcerting that the film was missing John Cusack, the lead from the first film, and that he was mentioned very minimally. The writers attempted a few lines of dialogue to explain his absence but replaced him with Adam Scott, who admirably did his best with what little he had to work with, but was ultimately an odd and unwelcome transition. Similarly, Chevy Chase, who was a fairly main character in the first film, made one appearance in the second and was never mentioned again. The sudden moment wasn’t even so much a cameo as it was an unnecessary clip in the movie so they could add his name to the credits. In my opinion, the money spent there probably could have gone to better use. Hopefully they get it right next time, and with these movies, there’s always a next time.