the
Mitchell helps lead Tide’s success
procrastinates
Scene Thursday, February 17, 2011
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Serving the University of Alabama since 1894
Vol. 117, Issue 86
Greeks look Counties to increase loosening inclusivity alcohol laws By Hannah Mask Assistant News Editor hannah.r.mask@gmail.com
In response to the racial slur that targeted graduate student Justin Zimmerman Feb. 4 and the subsequent campus chalkings, an idea for a new organization comprised of fraternity and sorority members was implemented, said Christy Boardman, a junior majoring in French and economics. Greeks for T.I.D.E, or Greeks Together for Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement, seeks to encourage the greek community to promote a more unified and engaged campus environment through an outward sign of solidarity. They held their first meeting Wednesday night, and about 35 people representing around 15 greek organizations attended. Though Greeks for T.I.D.E. held their first meeting in
response to recent events, Boardman, who is a member of Alpha Chi Omega, said the idea has been in the making for a while. “This idea really cannot be credited to one person,” she said. “It has come out of numerous conversations between members of varying fraternities and sororities.” As the floor opened for discussion, attendees shared similar sentiments, agreeing that the way many view greeks at the University contrasts with the pledges they took when they were oriented into their respective organizations. “We came to college and joined organizations and unintentionally segregated ourselves,” said Savannah Bass, a member of Delta Delta Delta.
One week after joining Capstone Men & Women, former UA student McKaye Whiteside said she found herself being targeted by the group’s administrative advisers because of a tattoo located on her foot. “My tattoo was first seen after I was accepted into Capstone Men & Women,” Whiteside said. “Us girls were getting fitted for our suits and the administrative adviser saw my tattoo. At the time she said nothing. I received a phone call the next day asking for a meeting with me. When I arrived in her office she asked me a little bit about the tattoo. She asked me what it meant and why I got it. She then asked me to sign a contract saying that if it was seen during a Capstone Men & Women event I would be immediately released. So, it had to be covered at all times.” Whiteside said she got the
tattoo, a Tibetan script that means “love and compassion for all living things,” in memory of her deceased grandmother. She said she offered multiple ways of covering the tattoo up to Becky Fowler, the group’s adviser, such as tights, Band-Aids or makeup, but Fowler said she thought the only alternative that was acceptable was to put makeup over the tattoo. “She told me I had hidden the tattoo from them on purpose during the interview process, and I was being evasive in order to get in,” Whiteside said. “The interviews are during the winter months, so I wore pants one time. The other time, I wore a dress and my shoes actually revealed parts of my tattoo. If I thought that I would be asked to resign because of this, I never would have applied in the first place.” Whiteside said she asked the adviser if she could call
See CAPSTONE, page 5
Submitted Photo McKaye Whiteside was asked to withdraw from Capstone Men & Women because her tattoo conflicted with the organization’s rule book. le this
Marion
City/County Baldwin Co. Greene Co. Jefferson Co. Lee Co. Lowndes Co. Macon Co. Madison Co. Mobile Co. Montgomery Co. Perry Co. Wilcox Co. Auburn Opelika Phenix City Prattville Sheffield
Morgan
Marshall
DeKalb Cherokee
Cullman
Winston
Etowah Blount Lamar
Walker
Fayette
Calhoun
St. Clair
Birmingham Tuscaloosa
Pickens
Jefferson
Cleburne
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Sunday Sales Present
Shelby
Clay
Bibb
Randolph
Wet County (Mon.-Sat.) Dry County
Coosa
Greene
Hale
Tallapoosa Chambers
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Chilton
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Perry
Elmore
Autauga
Exception
Lee
WET CITIES IN DRY COUNTIES
Sumter
Montgomery
Dallas Marengo
Lowndes
Montgomery
Macon Russell
Albertville Aliceville Arab Athens Brent Bridgeport Carbon Hill Cedar Bluff Centreville Chatom Clanton Collinsville Decatur Elba Enterprise Fayette Florence
Bullock
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Choctaw
Wilcox
Clarke
Barbour Pike
Butler Monroe
Crenshaw Henry
Washington
Location Specific cities Dog Track County-wide County-wide County-wide County-wide County-wide County-wide County-wide No Municipalities County-wide City-wide City only City only City-wide City only
Talladega
Tuscaloosa
Conecuh
Dale
Coffee Covington
Escambia
Geneva
Mobile
Houston
Ft. Payne Geneva Guin Guntersville Haleyville Jackson Jasper Jemison Monroeville Moulton New Brockton St Florian Scottsboro Stevenson Thomasville Town Creek
Source: ABC Board
Mobile Baldwin
By Taylor Holland Senior Staff Reporter tlholland1@crimson.ua.edu Churches may soon not be the only locations serving wine to their patrons on Sunday afternoons. On Feb. 22, Tuscaloosa voters will have the opportunity
to allow Sunday alcohol sales between noon and 9:30 p.m. in a countywide vote scheduled for that day. According to an article published in USA Today, Sunday alcohol sales are on the rise in the U.S., as 36 states now allow Sunday liquor and alcohol sales and dry towns across the
country are changing fast. In November 2009, Cullman, Ala., a traditionally dry location, voters passed a law that ultimately turned the previously dry location into a wet one.
See SUNDAY, page 3
Iconic Toomer’s Corner trees poisoned Tide fan claimed responsibility during January radio show From Staff Reports After the oaks surrounding Toomer’s Corner were deliberately dosed with an herbicide designed to kill trees, it is doubtful that they will survive, Auburn University reported Wednesday. Toomer’s Corner is most notably known as the epicenter of celebration after AU victories, and during these celebrations, fans line the trees — which are believed to be more than 130 years old — with toilet paper. The city of Auburn Police Division is investigating the
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SUNDAY SALES Jackson
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situation. The application of this herbicide, known as Spike 80DF, or tebuthiuron, is also governed by state agricultural laws and the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a release on Auburn University’s website. In January, a man called The Paul Finebaum Show, a nationally syndicated radio show based in Birmingham, and said he had dosed the trees with the herbicide. The caller expressed anger at a Cam Newton jersey appearing on Paul “Bear” Bryant’s statue during Iron
See TOOMER’S, page 3
Photo courtesy of Auburn University Toomer’s Corner is typically rolled with toilet paper by Auburn fans after football victories.
INSIDE today’s paper
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Plea s
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Huntsville
Colbert
ap
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Limestone e
See GREEKS, page 2
University ambassador cut for tattoo By Taylor Holland Senior Staff Reporter tlholland1@crimson.ua.edu
Lauderdale
P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 | Advertising: 348-7845 | Classifieds: 348-7355 Letters, op-eds: letters@cw.ua.edu Press releases, announcements: news@cw.ua.edu
Briefs ........................2
Sports .......................6
Opinions ...................4
Puzzles......................9
Lifestyles....................7
Classifieds .................9
WEATHER today Clear
72º/49º
Friday
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Partly Cloudy
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ON THE GO Page 2• Thursday, February 17, 2011
EDITORIAL • Victor Luckerson, editor-in-chief, editor@cw.ua.edu • Jonathan Reed, managing editor, jonathanreedcw@gmail.com • Brandee Easter, print production editor • Daniel Roth, multimedia editor • Will Tucker, news editor, newsdesk@cw.ua.edu • Kelsey Stein, lifestyles editor • Jason Galloway, sports editor • Tray Smith, opinions editor • Adam Greene, chief copy editor • Emily Johnson, design editor • Brian Pohuski, graphics editor • Drew Hoover, photo editor • Brian Connell, web editor • Marion Steinberg, community manager, outreach@cw.edu
ON THE MENU
ON THE CALENDAR
LAKESIDE Lunch Chicken Fried Pork Chop with Onion Gravy Macaroni and Cheese Linguine with Roasted Red Peppers Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry Broccoli Quiche (vegetarian) Dinner Italian Marinated Chicken Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup Roasted Red Potatoes Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry Mozzarella Garden Burger (vegetarian)
BRYANT Chicken and Broccoli with Mushrooms Mexican Beef Fajitas Flatbread Tomato Pesto Beef Pot Roast Four Tomato Basil Penne (vegetarian)
BURKE BBQ Smoked Turkey Legs Pasta Lovers Trio Cornbread Dressing Spinach Vegetarian Fajita (vegetarian)
What: Student Recital fea-
• Drew Gunn, Advertising Coordinator, 348-8044 • Hallett Ogburn, Territory Manager, 348-2598 • Emily Frost, National Advertising/ Classifieds, 348-8042 • Jessica West, Zone 3, 348-8735 • Courtney Ginzig, Zone 4, 3488054 • Robert Clark, Zone 5, 348-2670 • Emily Richards, Zone 6, 3486876 • Amy Ramsey, Zone 7, 348-8742 • Brittany Key, Zone 8, 348-8054
Spring Concert
Where: Moody Music
Where: Morgan Audito-
Building
rium
When: 5:30 p.m.
When: 5:30 - 8 p.m.
SATURDAY What: Celebrating Black History Month - Black Americana Collection from the A. S. Williams III Americana Collection
Where: Gorgas Library Pearce Foyer and Williams Room
What: Blues Guitarist/Vo-
What: Research Forum on
calist Tinsley Ellis in Concert
When: 9 a.m.
Teaching in the Disciplines
Where: Bama Theatre When: 7:30 - 10 p.m.
Where: Carmichael 221 When: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
What: Faculty Recital featuring Jubal Fulks, violin
What: Balfour Official Ring
What: Wheelchair Basketball Tournament
Where: Student Rec Center When: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Week
Where: Moody Music
Where: Ferguson Center
Building
Lobby
When: 7:30 p.m.
When: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
FRESH FOOD Buttermilk Fried Chicken Turkey Noodle Soup Squash Medley Herb Roasted Red Potatoes Stewed Tomatoes and Okra (vegetarian)
Submit your events to calendar@cw.ua.edu
ON CAMPUS
UA professor wins Kennedy Center award Donna Meester, associate professor in the department of theatre and dance, was awarded the Kennedy Center Golden Medallion for her service to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Meester judged student work for the festival while
serving as vice-chair of design and design chair for the region. Meester has also served as a guest lecturer for festival events. The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is a national program that involves more than 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide. The festival includes more than 600 colleges and universities across the country. Meester received her
bachelor’s degree in apparel technology from Purdue University and her master’s in stage design from Southern Methodist University.
GREEKS Continued from page 1
Momma’s Love Cheese Sandwich Turkey Delite Nachos N h Have you had these cravings late night?
Momma’s now going until 2 am! Friday & Saturday • Tuscaloosa Only
• Will DeShazo, Zone 55, 3488041
mommagoldbergs.com | (205) 345-5501
• Kelly Sturwold, Creative Services Manager, 348-8042
Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her master’s and doctorate from Cornell University.
Johnson named head of department Womenʼs Resource of management and Center, School of marketing Library and InformaDiane Johnson, associ- tion Studies to Host ate professor of management, has been named head Geraldine Bell of the department of management and marketing in the Culverhouse College of Commerce. Johnson had been serving as the department’s interim head for six months.
• Nikki Amthour, Zone 44, 3486153
The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students. The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are on the first floor, Student Publications Building, 923 University Blvd. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published four times weekly when classes are in session during Fall and Spring Semester except for the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after Thanksgiving, and once a week when school is in session for the summer. Marked calendar provided. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 354032389. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2010 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.
What: Dance Alabama!
turing Sharla Bender, piano
ADVERTISING • Dana Andrzejewski, Advertising Manager, 348-8995, cwadmanager@gmail.com
FRIDAY
TODAY
through education. During homecoming week, several greek organizations pair up with other organizations that are traditionally comprised of students whose race differs from their own. Jack Heflin, a junior and a member of Phi Gamma Delta, said he appreciated the opportunity to work with another fraternity, but the idea fell short when the fraternities failed to do anything together. “It’s like a group project,” he said. “You can get the work done but get nothing out of it. It’s important to take advantages of partnerships.” Heflin said as of late, he’s no longer proud to be greek.
The Women’s Resource Center, the School of Library and Information Studies and Gender and Race Studies will honor African-American Heritage Month and host
“I want to get back to finding pride in being greek,” he said. “I want to feel like I’m doing something good. I can see why people don’t like us.” Ideas, such as holding a candlelight vigil, getting people involved in Greeks for T.I.D.E. by visiting other houses and organizing a walk to raise awareness about the problem of segregation, were discussed at length. “We could start [the walk] at the fraternity house where [Zimmerman was insulted], and walk down sorority row and end at Foster as a solidarity or unity movement,” said Lindsey Smith, a graduate student who is an alumna of Alpha Gamma Delta. “You’re the people who can spur friends to do something,” she told the group.
Week Specials Thursday 2/17 Fusion presents:
DJ Winship
City of Tuscaloosa
Sunday Alcohol Sales Special Election Tuesday, February 22 Tuscaloosa voters will decide whether to allow restaurants, bars, and stores to sell alcohol between noon and 9pm on Sundays. Polling places are the same as the municipal elections. The city has sent postcards to residents indicating where to vote.
$3 Wells $2 Kamikazes
No Cover Until 11:30
Friday 2/18 Badstick
$1 Natural Lights & $3 Soco & Limes
Saturday 2/19 DJ Pete $1 Well Drinks
www.dixieonthestrip.com *Please Drink Responsibly
1307 University Blvd. 205-248-6611
Geraldine Bell, a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama. Bell is bringing her collection of quilts and will talk about the history of the quilters and the town of Gee’s Bend. UA Career Center Hosting General Interest and Business Career fair today Students of every major are encouraged to attend and gain valuable information about future job opportunities. “The career fair is really for students who are serious about the job search,” said Susan Cowles, a consultant at the Career Center. “The employers attending will be looking to fill full-time, postgraduation positions, as well as internships.”
J.D. Stapleton, a member of Zeta Beta Tau, said the best way to move past the stipulations that are placed on greeks at the University is to separate oneself from the past. “If everyone speaks up and has respect for your house, respect for yourself and respect for the University, there can be change,” he said. However, race isn’t the only issue that keeps greek organizations segregated. Cameron West, a member of Sigma Lamda Beta, said it’s necessary to remember to respect others’ religious views and sexual orientations. Boardman presented attendees the opportunity to sign a pledge through The Birmingham Pledge Foundation. The pledge, which may be viewed in full at birminghampledge.org, states that those who sign believe everyone, regardless of race or color, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Similarly, every act of racial prejudice is harmful to oneself, as well as others. “I will treat all people with dignity and respect; and I will strive daily to honor this pledge, knowing that the world will be a better place because of my effort,” the pledge concludes. Nancy Hogan, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha who is also the president of the Black Student Union, said rendering the word “hate” is vital. “This needs to be something on campus the students want, not the administration,” she said. “It needs to start in the greek community, because we’re seen as the forefront of the University.” Though Greeks for T.I.D.E. is still looking for opportunities for funding, Boardman said they are working toward being recognized as a nonprofit organization so that donations can be made tax deductible. Boardman said she was excited by the turnout and especially encouraged by the fact that so many people were willing to talk. “It shows that people really do want a change,” she said.
The Crimson White
NEWS
ROTC trains at Westlawn Middle School By Anna Kate Delavan Contributing Writer The University of Alabama Reserve Officers Training Corps first and second year students are getting an opportunity to use Westlawn Middle School for training exercises. According to ROTC Cadet Kirby Thornton, the city of Tuscaloosa was planning to tear down the facility, so the ROTC is now able to use the school for training purposes. This is the first year ROTC students have had the opportunity to train in this type of setting. “The city opened its doors to us,” Thornton said. The ROTC paid nothing for the facility. The training teaches the cadets the rules of engagement, as well as who and what to target, he added. During their training, the cadets will act out several scenarios including room clearing, target rooms and trick rooms. During these scenarios the cadets have a time limit of three seconds to “clear” the room, making sure no enemy is spared. “It’s something you have to know when you’re over in Iraq or Afghanistan,” Thornton said. The ROTC will use dummy rifles and paintball guns. The trick and target rooms are set up so the soldiers do not know if the targets are “no shoot targets” or enemy targets. Some of the rooms have both “no shoot targets” and enemy targets. The targets are printed posters of terrorists aiming guns. They have to decide within the threesecond time frame whether to shoot or not to shoot. Thornton said the rooms
and training are comparable to what a soldier might encounter in Iraq or Afghanistan. The cadets were also graded on their performance. Grading was based on items like correct formation, preparation, avoiding friendly fire, how well the room was cleared and teamwork. The grade is part of their class, but also significant in their training for overseas deployment. Incidents like “flagging”, carelessly pointing a rifle and firing at another cadet, can cost cadets points on their grade but lives on the front lines. “It’s a death that can be prevented,” Thornton said. The Tuscaloosa Police D e p a r t m e n t ’s Special Response Team supervised the training exercises. The Special Response Team and the ROTC have similar jobs, such as room clearing and using similar equipment. The Team brought equipment relevant to the ROTC training program and demonstrated how the equipment should be used. Among the pieces of equipment were cameras and weapons to name a few. Cary Baisden, member of the Special Response Team, said the team is also observing and offering training tips. The training can be beneficial to both sides. “It’s always an opportunity to learn something or gain something,” Baisden added. Among the ROTC students and the Tuscaloosa P.D.’s Special Response team, Paul “Bear” Bryant Jr. made an appearance. He said he thinks it’s a positive experience for the students to be able to practice their drills in a realistic setting.
SUNDAY
Thursday, Februay 17, 2011
3
next day, we just thought we could go ahead and start selling alcohol and that wasn’t the case.” Up until November, Cullman, unlike Tuscaloosa, did not allow any alcohol sales to take place in the county. The law voters passed that day called for legalized sales of alcohol every day of the week except Sundays. “It was a long, drawn out process,” Townson said. “Today, we’ve got about 25-30 stores that are waiting for the state to approve them. I expect we’ll be selling alcohol within the next 10 days though.” As of November, 12 counties and five cities across Alabama
have legalized some form of Sunday alcohol sales. Of all the cities across the state, Tuscaloosa is the largest to not currently allow Sunday alcohol sales. In an e-mailed statement in March 2010, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said that in addition to being equitable, the passing of this bill would afford revenue from tourism for Tuscaloosa. “This piece of legislation would significantly enhance our tourism industry,” Maddox said in the e-mail. “Today, 22 cities in Alabama, plus every major city, possess the right to seven-day sales, and this is used against our community in
recruiting conferences. If we want to dramatically improve our hotel and restaurant industries, this legislation is critical.” Like Maddox, Townson said the passing of alcohol-related bills will help economically. “I think the timing of Cullman’s vote really impacted voters,” Townson said. “With the economy being the way it is, it ensured that Cullman residents who do consume alcohol would not have to drive out of the county to get it. It helps keep tax dollars in Cullman.” The bill, having successfully passed through both the state House and Senate, now awaits the move of Tuscaloosa voters Tuesday.
“We will take every step we can to save the Toomer’s oaks, Continued from page 1 which have been the home of countless celebrations and a Bowl weekend last year. symbol of the Auburn spirit “Let me tell you what I did,” for generations of Auburn stusaid the caller, who identified dents, fans, alumni and the himself as Al from Dadevile. community,” AU President Jay “The weekend after the Iron Gogue said. Bowl, I went to Auburn, Alabama and I poisoned the two Toomer’s trees…they’re not dead yet but they definitely will die…roll damn tide.” Following the claim, the soil surrounding the trees was tested for the poison, yielding positive results. Gary Keever, an Auburn professor of horticulture who is also a member of the Auburn Tree Preservation Committee, said the extent of the damage is being assessed. “We are also focused on protecting the other trees and shrubs in Samford Park,” Keever said. “At this level, the impact could be much greater than just the oaks on the corner, as Spike moves through the soil to a wide area.” Rectifying the situation involves digging trenches and absorbing the herbicide using activated charcoal, which also serves to block its progress, according to al.com.
“It is understandable to feel outrage in reaction to a malicious act of vandalism. However, we should live up to the example we set in becoming national champions and the beliefs expressed in our Auburn Creed. Individuals act alone, not on behalf of anyone
or any place, and all universities are vulnerable to and condemn such reprehensible acts.” Those with information regarding the attack can anonymously contact the Auburn Police Division at 334-501-3110 or text the tip line at 334-2461391.
Continued from page 1
“For over 70 years, voters came out and always voted this law down,” Cullman Mayor Max Townson said. “Back during the war, women would come out and vote it down when their men were at war. It was surprising to me to see that, in this vote, it passed. The economy must have played a big impact in the vote.” Townson said he didn’t know what to expect the day after voters legalized alcohol sales in Cullman. “There was no ordinance on the books,” he said. “So the
TOOMERʼS
cw.ua.edu
OPINIONS
Transmission harbinger of autopocalypse By John Davis
MCT Campus
Embracing insults makes no sense
Thursday, February 17, 2011
By Kingsley Clark
Editor • Tray Smith
At what point does a name become a title? At what point does letters@cw.ua.edu that title become an insult? And Page 4 how is that insult reclaimed by its victims? From “bitches” to “rednecks” to the detestable “N word,” name reclamation has profoundly reached and impacted a widespread population, stirring up any YOUR VIEW trouble in its path. Over the past century, women have made leaps and bounds in TWEET OF THE the ways of, well, everything but WEEK using the bathroom upright. Little girls everywhere hum “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Gone are the days when women went WHAT’S YOUR to the offices of their “Mad Men” to refill their vodkas and OPINION ON SUN- bosses light their cigarettes all day. DAY ALCOHOL Rather, today yields a very different scene when it comes to SALES? positions of women in office. Men, being the symbols of ego historically, have seemingly given labels to the power-hungry, multi-facet“Indifferent but Iʼd vote ed, big-breasted super humans in yes cause the $ Tuscathe running for their jobs. loosa loses to Jefferson These women, having taken on Co. Especially on sunday many characteristics of men, are not rejecting their insulting stigevents like the superma. They are owning it, and even bowl.” - @_i_heather_ running with it. It is not uncomHeather Estes, graduate stumon to hear a group of females in a pub addressed (and claimed) by dent, civil engineering another peer as her “b----es.” “Call a dog a cat for so long and he’ll start to meow.” This phrase applies to the reclamation of “Iʼm indifferent..I mean, words. Fifteen years ago, a “b----h” Tuscaloosa has pretty was perhaps the most insulting much every desirable description for a woman. Now, the term is seemingly empowering to chain restaurant, so it a woman, giving her justification wonʼt really bring that for her actions and the confidence much in.”-@eckitchens to behave in an “anything but Ethan Kitchens, junior, account- ladylike” manner. The women on MTV’s “Jersey ing Shore” not only address one another by “b----h,” but also by far worse names involving their “Sunday is no excuse for personal levels of promiscuity. But the women of Da Shore do not not having sales. People deny these insults, and in fact give are able to drink anylife to the name-calling. “He bought me drinks all way, Sunday sales just night…of course I slept with him,” allows more money to is just one of the shocking quotes ttown.” -@thereal_walkJWoww is recorded saying in the erd second season. It isn’t just women,
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Walker Donaldson, junior, political science
Victor Luckerson Editor Jonathan Reed Managing Editor Tray Smith Opinions Editor Adam Greene Chief Copy Editor
WE WELCOME YOUR OPINIONS Letters to the editor must be less than 300 words and guest columns less than 800. Send submissions to letters@ cw.ua.edu. Submissions must include the author’s name, year, major and daytime phone number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. For more information, call 348-6144. The CW reserves the right to edit all submissions.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the most fascinating realm of study, in my opinion. Perhaps my interest in this topic is deeply rooted in my childhood, spent in New Orleans, which remains one of the most invisibly segregated places in America. I grew up in a non-racist home, but sadly I was not naïve when it came to the meaning and impact the “N word” had and still has. My mother always told us never to use the word, no matter what, ever. She said there was never any reason for it and that she wished that it would simply go away. Now at the age of twenty-one, I wish the same. What happened last week concerning the “N word” was disgusting. How loudly sickening the ignorance, how blatant the hatred screamed across our airwaves. Such disgraceful behavior reinforces the pathetic mentality some white people cling onto for dear life: that the white race is superior to the black race. In the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement, one major push was to change the common reference of an African-American person from “negro” to “black,” a neighborhood from “ghetto” to “community.” With the help of symbolic realignment, protestors may actively change the definitions of the movements they are, well, moving. It seems, however, that after much advancement and progress black people have made, some are now reclaiming the “N word,” just as women claim “b----h” and rural dwellers claim “redneck.” Sadly, I often hear young black classmates of mine greet one another with this word, and even in rare cases, refer to people of their own race as such. If everyone stopped using this disdainful piece of American diction, it would eventually cease to exist, at least in common conversation. My wish is that we can someday claim this word as a relic solely to be studied in history.
The idea behind the minimum wage is to help low income workers by using the power of the state to threaten to imprison people who create a labor contract with a wage lower than whatever the government deems appropriate. This is supposed to help workers by raising their wages. Of course, it doesn’t work. All the minimum wage does is create unemployment. The problem is that the minimum wage ignores the way wages are determined in a market. Wages are determined by the marginal productivity of workers. That is, if an hour of a worker’s labor creates $10 of revenue for an employer, that worker will make slightly less than $10 an hour. It is slightly less rather than much less because of competition among employers. Employers want to pay their workers as little as possible, but workers want to be paid as much as possible. If one employer was paying a worker $5 an hour for $10 an hour of work, then another entrepreneur could make a profit by offering that
worker $6 an hour to work for him instead, and so on until the wage nears the marginal productivity of the worker. So what happens when the government sets a minimum wage? Obviously, a government declaration can’t make workers more productive for their employers, so the marginal productivity of workers remains the same. If someone’s labor was worth $4 an hour to an employer before the minimum wage, he would make about $4 an hour. Since the minimum wage doesn’t make that worker’s labor worth more, if a minimum wage above $4 an hour is enacted, he’ll lose his job. A business won’t lose $3 an hour by paying him $7 an hour— they’ll just fire him. While the minimum wage can’t help the poorest workers, it can help some people. Often, jobs can be done either by many unskilled workers or a few skilled workers. If a job can be done by either three unskilled workers or two skilled workers, and the market wage for unskilled workers is $4 an hour, and the market wage for
The issue today is the mindset that the car is an appliance – a method of getting from one place to another. The vast majority of the population wants as little to do with that process as possible, and that’s a problem.
skilled workers is $10 an hour, a business will hire the 3 unskilled workers. But if a minimum wage is set at $7 an hour, the unskilled workers would cost $21 an hour. Therefore, the employer would hire the two skilled workers instead. This is why unions advocate minimum wage increases. Unions represent skilled workers who don’t make minimum wage or anything near it, so increasing it will not destroy their jobs. But by not employing unskilled workers, the minimum wage will increase the demand for skilled workers, raising their wages. Wal-Mart supported the minimum wage increase a few years ago for similar reasons. Their workers make above what the minimum was going to be set to, so it didn’t affect them. But it did affect the small businesses Wal-Mart competes with. They couldn’t afford to pay their workers as much as Wal-Mart, so many of them went out of business.
compensated for any wheel spin, you find yourself in a skid and your electronic saviors aren’t working. Do you know what to do if you’re car is over-steering? What about under-steering? Do you even know what those two words mean? The issue today is the mindset that the car is an appliance – a method of getting from one place to another. The vast majority of the population wants as little to do with that process as possible, and that’s a problem. Being in the South, many of you are familiar with firearms by way of hunting, and I imagine those of you who do have an immense amount of respect for them, because you were taught at an early age the power and implicit danger of a gun. Now imagine if you were taught that an automobile had that same power and potential danger – would you drive in the same manner? Would you accept a passive role while electronics controlled everything? (In most new cars the steering wheel is drive-by-wire, meaning the steering wheel emits an electronic signal as opposed to physically moving the wheels through mechanics and pneumatics. The same goes for pedals under the name “drive by wire.”) So what’s the solution for problems like unintended acceleration? David Champion, head of auto testing for Consumer Reporters, had this suggestion: “The one thing we could do would be to ban automatic transmissions altogether and sell only manuals.” (One can only dream.) Of course this is wishful thinking, but it’s a step in the right direction: as anyone who drives with three pedals can attest, having to shift yourself does wonders for driver concentration. The real answer is better driver education. Today, a test consists of parallel parking, emergency braking and other mundane tasks. There is nothing on car control, nothing on automobile maintenance, nothing on driver attentiveness beyond remembering to stop at a stop sign. I’m sorry, but you can drive as defensively as you want; if your engine explodes because you didn’t know to change your oil, you’re endangering yourself and everyone driving around you. Sadly, the responsibility to educate a young driver beyond the standard driver’s education rests on the shoulders of parents. I encourage – nay, plead with – each of you to take a car control class. Teach your children what you learn. Don’t be the driver who doesn’t know what to do.
Michael Annes is a freshman majoring in mathematics.
John Davis is a junior majoring in Ikea furniture construction. His column runs on Thursdays.
Kingsley Clark is a junior majoring in communications studies and creative writing.
Demystifying the minimum wage By Michael Annes
EDITORIAL BOARD
though; name reclamation stretches from the female sex to the rural areas of the United States. Behold, a doublewide trailer covered in overgrown weeds, hidden in the mossy cloak of oak trees in the backwoods of Walker, Louisiana. The poorly planned rock driveway employs an old truck, which utilizes a garbage bag for the passenger’s window. The lawn, dead grass and crushed cans of Tab, somehow houses a dog attached to six feet of chain and an empty cereal bowl. Beyond this plot lies a trailer, in all its weather-battered glory, complete with a Rebel flag, older than the structure upon which it haphazardly rests. Behold, this is God’s country. Within the confines of this trailer does not sleep a southern gentleman, but a redneck. You might be a redneck if you pictured your grandparents’ home in the previous paragraph or if, before Blue Collar Comedy, you took offense to the term “redneck.” Before the days of Jeff Foxworthy and the gang, country folk lacked a concrete reference to embody themselves. They didn’t see humor in their way of life. They blissfully saw racism, a flirty relationship with poverty and Billy Ray Cyrus’s video for “Achey Breaky Heart” too many times. With the unveiling of Blue Collar Comedy, suddenly the stigma of being a redneck became in vogue, and people began to celebrate those ideals and traditions for which they had been criticized for so long. The men of Blue Collar Comedy did a segment on the most recent edition of their tour in which old photographs of their upbringings were projected while they did their comic banter. As the slideshow progressed, one might have inquired, “Is that real? That can’t be real. Those people are in our country?” This reaction from the American population only loaded more ammo into the gun known as Southern pride, and rednecks everywhere started changing their screen names to include the word.
Earlier this month the federal government found that in the majority of cases involving unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, driver error was the root cause. The drivers were literally hitting the wrong pedal. According to the Department of Transportation, “NASA engineers evaluated the electronic circuitry in Toyota vehicles and analyzed more than 280,000 lines of software code for any potential flaws that could initiate an unintended acceleration incident.” Michael Kirsch, principal engineer at the NASA Engineering and Safety Center, goes on to state, “NASA found no evidence that a malfunction in electronics caused large unintended acceleration.” There were incidents of sticking accelerator pedals and poorly designed floor mats, but in most instances of unintended acceleration, it was simply an issue of the driver not realizing what pedal he or she was applying pressure to. This is not a column about Toyota, NASA, or even poorly designed floor mats. This is a column about, as the automotive blog site Jalopnik puts it, “the beige-ification” of the modern automobile. Once upon a time, driving a car was an engaging process. There were no electronics, no computers, and mechanically they tended to break down. The owner of an automobile needed to be familiar with his machine simply out of necessity. Today, though, everything is done electronically. One doesn’t need to know when to shift, because the transmission does it for him; one doesn’t need to know how fast to take a turn, because the stability control nannies will compensate for excess speed. When should one change lanes? When the lane departure system says it’s ok, of course. The question nobody seems to be considering is what would happen if any of these electronics failed. We are talking about software, after all, and as anyone with a computer can attest, it doesn’t always work as intended. Those of you paying attention are probably pointing out that I just said Toyota’s problems were not software related, and you’re right. The point I’m getting at, though, is that those affected wanted to blame the software and not their own inability to drive. For instance, if a car is suddenly accelerating – whether the pedal is stuck or not – how many new drivers out there were taught to put the car into neutral? Imagine yourself driving down a wet road when all of a sudden your car loses traction; whereas before the stability control would have
The Crimson White
NEWS
Thursday, February 17, 2011
5
Auction generates more than $10,000 By William Evans Senior Staff Reporter wjevans@crimson.ua.edu Students packed the North End Zone of Bryant-Denny Stadium Wednesday night to attend the third annual Date Auction, sponsored by the Student Government Association and the UA chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Twenty-five auctionees marketed themselves to a floor full of students who raised a total of about $10,500, whereas last year’s auction raised around $6,000, said Mark David Kennedy, SGA treasurer and one of the auctionees. “I’m very happy with the results tonight,” he said. “I really wished we would have raised more money, but it is a significant increase from what we did last year.” Seventy-five percent of the proceeds will go to the
CAPSTONE
Continued from page 1
mother and come back the next day to sign the contract, but was told that if she left without signing the contract, she would be removed from the group. “I started to get upset and cry, but she did not change her mind,” Whiteside said. “I signed the contract.” “Once membership is obtained in the group, all members must comply with Capstone Men and Women Guidelines,” said Cathy Andreen, UA director of media relations. Whiteside said she first heard about the group through her sorority and, upon doing research and talking to other students on campus, decided it was an organization she would like to join. “The interview process was a little intimidating but the farther along I got, the more excited I was to join such a prestigious group,” she said. “I knew about all the connections and resources this opportunity would provide.” According to the group’s website, Capstone Men and Women function as the official ambassadors for the University. “In that capacity, we give campus tours to prospective students and assist the University president, administration, and trustees with numerous events throughout the year,” according to the website. Whiteside said she thought the issue was over once she signed the contract, so she proceeded with her Capstone requirements, including shadowing student tours of the campus. According to Whiteside, she shadowed two tours and her tattoo was never visible. She said that because she had to buy items for the organization, she wanted to first e-mail Fowler to make sure that everything was all right. “The next day, the morning that I went to shadow my third tour, I received a phone call from Becky stating that the group had collectively decided that I was not an accurate representation of the organization as a whole,” Whiteside said. “I was asked to resign because I was told the entire group was unhappy with me. I resigned. After I resigned, I talked to a few members of the group. None of them had been told why I was asked to resign. In fact, they all thought it was completely my decision. I e-mailed the administrative adviser and asked for written verification of why I was released from the group.” Whiteside said a letter was sent to her mother, but it did not give a clear indication as to why she was dismissed. She said she immediately e-mailed the group’s advisor, who referred her to Pam Parker, the vice president of University advancement. After getting in touch with the Parker, Whiteside said she was more upset about the situation and felt it necessary to contact the dean of students. “He was very surprised to hear about what was going on, but nothing was done to rectify the situation,” Whiteside said. Rather than going back to Parker and Fowler, Whiteside said she asked her mother to call for her. “I was not comfortable going
FAST FACTS • James Fower: $400
• A.J. McCarron: $500
• Ashley Getwan:
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Endowment Fund for student scholarships, while the other 25 percent was awarded to students who attended the auction. SGA President James Fowler was the master of ceremonies for the event. Along with the $5 entrance fee came a raffle ticket for each student who attended. In between auctioning off dates-for-pay escorted to the bidding stage by a Chick-fil-A cow mascot, prizes such as gift cards to Chick-fil-A, Cold Stone Creamery and Moe’s Original Barbeque were raf-
fled off to students. Changes to this year’s auction included the raffle tickets, using crimson LED lighting and an increased number of auctionees, said auction director Garrett Dorris. “The Date Auction went well the first year and then it slacked off the second year,” he said. “For this year, we took what happened last year and improved it a lot more.” Several $500 scholarships were also awarded to students with lucky ticket numbers. Local businesses contributed to the funding for the scholar-
into the office to discuss the situation in person,” Whiteside said. “I felt attacked the last time I had a conversation, so much so that it brought me to tears. I was not going to put myself in the same situation so I asked my mother to call or e-mail and talk to Parker.” Whiteside said her mother exchanged e-mails with Parker, but could never reach Fowler, who, according to Whiteside, never returned her phone calls. In response to the claims, Andreen said [Whiteside] was given every opportunity to stay in the group, but was not willing to comply with the guidelines. Not long after her incident with Capstone Men and Women, Whiteside left the University and returned to her home in Wisconsin. “Many different factors affected my leaving the University of Alabama,” Whiteside said. “However, Capstone Men & Women just really showed me that I would never be truly accepted or feel completely
comfortable at UA. There are many great things about the University but diversity and acceptance are not qualities that are valued, in my opinion. Uniformity and conformity are much more common.” As for her feelings about the group, Whiteside said she had mixed emotions. “The students involved are all wonderful people and treated me very well,” she said. “They were friendly and accepting. In my opinion, the administration involved with the group is unprofessional. They made me feel attacked, vulnerable, uncomfortable and insecure. “I was the recipient of a Presidential Scholarship, had a 4.2 GPA, was involved in other activities and made it through the interview process. I was more than qualified to be involved in this group. The reason I was released was superficial and judgmental. It was completely unfair and everyone I talked to agreed, students and adults alike.”
ships. “We phone blitzed all the different businesses around here to ask for donations for our raffle,” Dorris said. The auction concluded with the awarding of three special prizes. The first was a tour with Athletics Director Mal Moore through Bryant-Denny, the second was a one-on-one dinner with University President Robert Witt and the third was an iPad donated by the University Supply Store that would otherwise cost $830. Cole Carter, a junior majoring in finance, said he paid to see the auction with the hope of finding a few laughs. “I just came for a good joke,” he said. “I thought it might be funny and having the chance to win an iPad isn’t bad.” Latasha Lewis, SGA direc-
CW| Sara Beth Colburn Students bid for their dates during the date auction held in the Zone at Bryant-Denny Stadium Wdnesday night.
“It’s a great cause and tor of outreach and a sophomore majoring in public rela- they’re raising a lot of money,” tions, said she felt proud of the she said. “It makes me proud to be part of the SGA.” results of the auction.
SPORTS
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Tide’s Mitchell puts up big numbers By Laura Owens Assistant Sports Editor crimsonwhitesports@gmail.com
Page 6 • Thursday, February 17, 2011 Editor • Jason Galloway crimsonwhitesports@ gmail.com
One of the defining moments in Tony Mitchell’s basketball career came before college, before high school, even before he was six feet tall. From PE to the SEC, Mitchell has been dunking a long time. “It was in PE playing around,” Mitchell said. “We were just playing five on five, and it came out of the rim, and I jumped and touched it, put it back in and touched the rim. At that time, I was like 5’8”. I wasn’t as tall as everyone else. I was the smallest in my grade.” The sophomore out of Swainsboro, Ga., has scored 20 points or more in four straight games for the Crimson Tide. For those four games, his scoring average is 22.3 points per game.
For the whole season, he’s averaged 15.8 points per game. In the Southeastern Conference games, he’s elevated his play and has averaged 17.4 points per game. “My teammates are able to find me in good spots more as I get out,” Mitchell said. “I just try to help my team as much as possible, being open in transition and shots getting tipped in.” In his freshman year with the Crimson Tide last season, he averaged 9.2 points per game. He said last year he was trying to figure out how playing in college worked. Head coach Anthony Grant said Mitchell has gotten more comfortable every game with what he can do to impact the game. “I think Tony got great experience last year as a freshman,” he said. “We have to remember he was one of
Tenn., earlier this month when he scored 24 points. He went into the overtime period with 22 points, and with two free throws in overtime, he outscored his previous high of 23 set the game before. Grant said Mitchell has been an asset to this team not only in scoring but also in rebounds. “There’s a lot of talk with the scoring he’s had for the last four games, but I think that he’s rebounded the ball consistently for us,” he said. “There’s been times over the course of the year that he’s led us in several other occasions,
the league’s top freshmen last year in a league that was somewhat dominated by freshmen.” But now with a year of experience under his belt, Mitchell has more confidence to play at a higher level. “Now I know what it takes to get wins and play hard and score the ball for my team,” Mitchell said. “It gives me more confidence knowing that I know more about the team and that I have the ability. My athletic ability helps me a whole lot, too.” His career-high was against Tennessee in Knoxville,
so I think he’s having a very good sophomore season.” Junior JaMychal Green said one of Mitchell’s biggest improvements from his freshman to sophomore has been his jump shot. “He’s knocking down a lot of jumpers this year,” he said. “They help us. They open up the lane for me. They give him a chance to penetrate.” After a win this past Saturday against Ole Miss, the Tide will take on the LSU Tigers tonight in Baton Rouge, La. The game will be televised on ESPN with tipoff at 8 p.m.
TRACK AND FIELD
Impressive performance in Seattle puts Tide in top 25 By Mike Albanese Contributing Writer Th e Un ive r s i ty of Alabama’s men’s track field squad has vaulted into the top 25 for the first time all season after an impressive outing in Seattle. The Crimson Tide competed in the Flotrack Husky Classic in Seattle, Wash., Feb. 11-12, where the team captured seven top-10 finishes and numerous personal and school-best performances. With its performance, the Tide jumped from 34 to 19 in the latest United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll. “It was certainly a positive meet; we jumped 15 spots due to our performance,” head coach Harvey Glance said. “It played in our favor and what we’re trying to do for the program.” In a strong field, the Tide had numerous standouts. Senior Fred Samoei automatically qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 800 meter with a time of 1:47.41. While this was his first attempt at the 800 meter this season, he set a new personal best and ran the second fastest time in school history. Continuing his stellar
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debut season, freshman Kamal Fuller finished first and set a new personal best in the long jump, measuring 24-11.75 feet as well as finishing seventh in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8:22. Fellow freshman Dwayne Extol finished seventh in the 400 meter with a time of 48:58. The high jump witnessed two Tide competitors finishing tied for fifth. Freshman Jonathan Reid and junior Tyler Campbell both cleared 6-9.5 feet. Capping off the weekend, the Tide 4x400 relay squad Joel Rop, Julius Bor, Samoei and Kirani James missed the NCAA qualifying mark by less than two seconds. Although they did not qualify, they won the 4x400 meter relay and posted the third fastest time in school history at 9:33.81. Heading into a crucial section of the schedule, Glance noticed his team progressing and improving each week. “We’re learning how to compete and learning how to run in traffic,“ he said. “They’re not being threatened by people around them and they’re staying poised. “We’re more aggressive now than we were the first meet of the season. In order
to be the best, you have to run with the best.” While the trip to Seattle was a successful one, Glance said it was indeed a hard trip and sees the coming bye week as a time to regroup heading into the SEC Indoor Championships. Glance said he gave his squad Monday off and continued their workouts in the middle of the week. He said he will use next week to address maintenance work. Looking ahead to the Indoor Championships, the Tide will field a team that is capable of making noise and challenging some of the powerhouse programs in the SEC. “For the first time in a long time, we have a good chance of finishing in the middle of the pack,” Glance said. “It’s a tough league top to bottom and we want to be respectful.” Glance added that this squad, due to its depth, will be a better national team than it is a conference team. Following its bye week, the Tide will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the SEC Indoor Championships Feb. 25-27 at Randal Tyson Track on the campus of the University of Arkansas.
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LIFESTYLES
Thursday, February 17, 2011
7
Visiting poet gets students out of the classroom By Alex Cohen Staff Reporter accohen@bama.ua.edu
Tonight from 7 to 9 p.m., Cecil S. Giscombe will give the University community a taste of a lost art — poetry — with a reading of his own work in 205 Smith Hall. Giscombe is the latest featured writer of the Bankhead Visiting Writers Series, an initiative of the University’s English department that brings world-renowned writers to Alabama’s campus. The program has given English graduate students opportunities to expand their creative horizons. “Picking the minds of these
great writers has been invaluable,” said Curtis Rutherford, a creative writing graduate student concentrating in poetry. “In a creative enterprise like poetry, you benefit most in an environment where ideas can be bounced around, so it’s good to talk to people.” Giscombe, a professor at the University of California Berkeley, has spent the last two days teaching Alabama graduate students. Field trips — perhaps a method of learning forgotten by most college students — are integral parts of his teaching. “You have to leave the safety of the classroom,” Giscombe said. “You never know what will
IF YOU GO ... • What: Poetry reading by Cecil S. Giscombe
• Where: 205 Smith Hall
• When: Tonight from 7-9 happen during an open-ended field trip. Disasters can even happen.” Giscombe uses field trips primarily as a tool for retracing the steps of past writers. While he and his students at Berkeley were reading “The Dharma
Bums” by Jack Kerouac, they traveled to Yosemite, retracing the steps of Kerouac and Gary Synder. “Going over there to the mountain was an homage to Kerouac and Snyder,” Giscombe said. “It was worth doing then; it’s worth doing now.” This week, Giscombe and his new Alabama students visited the Tuscaloosa Amtrak Station. He said he believes public transportation is an interesting source of inspiration for creative writers. “Trains come with a lot of sexual stuff — a lot of racial stuff, too,” Giscombe said. “People are in close proximity, and it’s a slow trip to their destination.”
As a poet and professor, Giscombe is a strong supporter of liberal arts education. He said economic forces have pushed our country’s educational focus in a direction away from our literary past. “Our desire to keep up with China has us training students to pass exams and be proficient in technology,” Giscombe said. “In doing so, I think we bypass the humanities.” Though disappointed with the current system, he isn’t calling for a reversion back to the days of Longfellow. After all, times are simply different, whether for better or worse. But Giscombe said he believed people need to create
cw.ua.edu
Freshman named first Bama Idol By SoRelle Wyckoff Contributing Writer
Last night the Ferguson Center Ballroom sat in silence awaiting the announcement of the first-ever Bama Idol winner. With a title, an iPad and a Flip camera up for grabs, the night came to a close as the finalists waited on stage and the winners were announced. Freshman Jenna Simandl won the title of first place in the Bama Idol competition. Second place went to Robert Dixon and third place to Jonathan Bell. The ten finalists each took the stage and performed a song of their choice in front of three judges and an audience of more than two hundred students, faculty and staff. The judges offered insight and opinion after each performance, but the audience, via text message, chose the winner. “I was impressed by the competition,” said Will Wallmeyer, one of the hosts of Bama Idol. “It was much better than I thought it would be.” Bama Idol was set up through the Housing and Residential communities, and based on the
@ cw.ua.edu
Jenna Simandl, a freshman majoring in civil engineering, sings "There's More to You" Wednesday night during Bama Idol. Simandl won the competion by recieving the most votes via text message.
To see video of the performers, visit cw.ua. edu.
Fox television show, American Idol. “Getting a chance to be Simon for one night was a lot of fun,” said Robert Hayes, one of the three judges. Hayes said being a part of Bama Idol was a great new experience. “Some people may think Bama Idol is a small thing, but it is not,” he said. “I want to see Bama Idol grow every year that it is up and running. And what a way to start with the first ever Bama Idol. We had ten contestants and all were strong.” Simandl stood out to the audience though, and took home the first place prize. “I love to sing, and I haven’t really had a chance to, performance wise,” Simandl said. Many of the competitors saw Bama Idol as a chance for them to perform, but said they did not limit themselves to Bama Idol only.
CW | Margo Smith Robert Dixon, the second place winner, said he has found other outlets at the University to continue singing. “I love energy from the crowd and performing,” Dixon said. “On this campus I’m involved with the Afro-American Gospel choir.” Like Dixon, another performer, Zoie Rigsby also sings with an on-campus group. “I love just being on stage, and I’m in the Resonance show choir right now, and it’s a lot of fun,” Rigsby said.
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With the success of the firstever Bama Idol, the chance of a second seems likely, according to both the judges and competitors. “There is so much talent on campus, and it shouldn’t be hidden from the world,” Hayes said. “The winners should use this title and represent UA in the best way. Bama Idol will grow as long as the UA students support it and are willing to get out of their comfort zone.”
new means for poetry to find pedestals. Proficiency in technology may be the art form’s savior. “There is no cash value for the best stuff in the world — like poetry,” Giscombe said. “And a lot of it’s on the Internet.” The professor does his part in making poetry widely available by giving “Mixed Blood,” one of his publications, away to libraries. Increasing poetry’s accessibility and encouraging young people to read it may help teach forgotten lessons. “Poetry encourages us to understand that life is very complex,” Giscombe said. “It ain’t simple; it’s messy. Poetry wallows in that.”
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Today’s Birthday (02/17/11). This is the time you’ve been waiting for. Assisting those less fortunate empowers you. Perhaps you join a non-profit organization or you start your own. You discover how much this actually contributes to your happiness. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -- The sun shines for you, even when skies cloud over. Others look to you for ideas and creative inspiration. Go ahead and share. There’s more where that came from. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 6 -- You may have an urge to gossip today. Control it, as it won’t serve you well. Silence is golden. Take care of your nest. Enjoy it, and read a good book. Gemini (May 21-June 21) -- Today is a 7 -- If you wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, write it down, then go back to sleep. After resting, go out and exercise to revive nocturnal brilliance. Cancer (June 22-July 22) -- Today is a 7 -- You start thinking about a weekend adventure. There’s still work to be done. Focus on new income-generating opportunities and cost-savings measures. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- You may disagree with someone significant to you. Watch your power here. This offers an opportunity for personal growth. Wisdom emerges from your subconscious.
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LIFESTYLES Page 10 • Thursday, February 17, 2011 Editor • Kelsey Stein kmstein@crimson.ua.edu
Don’t you have homework to do? By Kelsey Stein Lifestyles Editor kmstein@crimson.ua.edu Reading about these websites could greatly diminish your productivity. The average websavvy college student already knows about Facebook, Twitter, FML and Texts From Last Night, but not the various other websites out there that are just as entertaining and addictive. Sure, you should probably work on that midterm paper or study for your 8 a.m. exam instead of surfing the web. Who are you kidding? You know you’ll procrastinate as long as possible anyway, so start clicking.
Flicks
to catch
COBB HOLLYWOOD 16 • Just Go With It (PG-13) • Justin Bieber Never Say Never 3D (G) • The Roommate (PG-13) • The Eagle (PG-13) • Gnomeo & Juliet 3D (G) • The King’s Speech (R) • No Strings Attached (R) • Justin Bieber Never Say Never (G) • True Grit (PG-13) • Sanctum 3D (R) • The Rite (PG-13) • The Mechanic (R) • The Green Hornet 3D (PG-13) • The Dilemma (PG-13) • Tangled (PG) • Yogi Bear 3D (PG)
Stumbleupon.com
Sporcle.com
StumbleUpon is the mother of all timewasting websites because you can access a litany of random sites simply by clicking “Stumble.” It’s a discovery engine, as opposed to a search engine, that recommends pages to users based on personal preferences. Initially, users choose these interests from a list of nearly 500 topics, and StumbleUpon’s content is increasingly relevant the more you stumble and “like” pages.
It’s easy to spend hours on Sporcle battling the clock (and mental roadblocks) while trying to answer random questions correctly. Sporcle tests your knowledge of geography, entertainment, history, sports and just about anything else you could think of, feeding your ego every time you get one correct.
awkwardfamilyphotos.com Family photos are generally awkward, but the ones featured on this site transcend the usual matching outfits and ungainly props. All of the photos are real family photos submitted by users. From granny in only her underwear to full-on Star Trek regalia, the nearly unendurable awkwardness won’t disappoint. Check out the AFP Hall of Fame for the most painfully awkward photos of all.
Night
awkwardfamilyphotos.com
life
freerice.com
THURSDAY
Answer trivia questions on a variety of subjects, from basic English vocabulary to chemical symbols to famous paintings. For each correct answer, FreeRice will donate 10 grains of rice to programs aiming to relieve world hunger. The United Nations World Food Programme runs the site, using ad revenue to fund the food.
• Phi Sigma Pi Wii/Xbox night: 7 p.m., Ferguson Center Game Room • Heathens & Belles: Top Shelf
FRIDAY • The Cancers: Bo’s Bar • Heathens & Belles: CopperTop • Bad Stick: The Dixie • Brass Bed, The Howlies & Baak Gwai: Egan’s • Jonathan Stephens & The Stoplights: The Filling Station • Druid City Band: Innisfree
freerice.com
survivingtheworld.net
guessmylife.com ssmylife.co om
This website’s mission is to provide “daily lessons on science, literature, love and life” with a combination of knowledge and humor. The photocomic is a one-man operation with nearly 900 entries, or lessons, to date.
If you like e making assumptions about people based solely on looks, this site is for or you. It provides one photo, submitted tted by a user, and you answer six questions about the person. Questions ns include “What is my income?,” “Att what age did I lose my virginity?” and nd “What do I think of ObamaCare?””
postsecret.com
damnyouautocorrect.com uautocorrect.com
PostSecret allows you to delve into other people’s everyday thoughts and problems. The website publishes postcards mailed in by users wishing to bare their souls and share their deepest secrets.
For a good laugh, visit damnyouautocorrect.com, m, where r embarrassing, trouble-causing ing texts abound. This website logss the not-so-successful attempts of Auto-correct features to fix typos, often en getting texters into a lot of trouble.
RES RESPONSES SPONSES
• The Original Snake Charmers vs. The Supreme Gents: Egan’s
Polyvore.com – Nikki Davis UniversalSports.com – Jacob Tygielski Cakewrecks.com – Sara Elizabeth Matthews Etsy.com – Alison Smith Peopleofwalmart.com – Brittany Fossett 2leep.com – Thomas Loyd Coiner reddit.com – Mike Zhang dearblankpleaseblank.com – Jillian Lyle
cracked.com Cracked has columnists and “craptions” in addition to articles and videos, covering a wide variety of topics. Among the most popular hits are “17 Images That Will Ruin Your Childhood,” “10 Creepy Plants that Shouldn’t Exist” and “6 Plot Threads Famous Movies Forgot to Resolve.”