The Crimson White - 3/5/09 by The Crimson White

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Thursday, March 5, 2009

Serving the University of Alabama since 1894

Vol. 115, Issue 98

Oliver wins close SGA race Oliver beats Key by 261 votes By Victor Luckerson Senior Staff Reporter Just before 1 a.m. this morning, two days of frenzied get-out-the-vote efforts came to a halt as Steven Oliver was elected president of the SGA. “I’m a little overwhelmed right now,” Oliver said immediately after the results were announced. “I’m excited to serve our student body because it’s going to be a great year. The student body has spoken in unbelievable numbers.” Oliver, a junior majoring in biology, defeated Kendra Key, a junior majoring in political science, by a total of

7,323 votes to 7,062. Oliver, a Tennessee resident, is one of only a few out-of-state candidates to be elected president in University history. Key, losing by 261 votes, said she did not regret any of the decisions she had made during the campaign. “I feel we did an adequate job reaching out to students,” she said. “We did a good job mobilizing students that had never been mobilized.” She said she felt some areas of the election were “unclean,” although she did not specify. “I feel our side remained optimistic,” she said. “We ran a

See OLIVER, page 2

Vegetarians struggle to ﬁnd meals on campus By Josh Veazey Senior Staff Reporter When Brian Hubble reaches for a salad at the Ferguson Center Food Court, he notices something peculiar — most of them actually have meat in them. “If I absolutely have to eat at the Ferg, I usually get a veggie burger from Burger King, or go [to Zoca],” Hubble said. “My options usually boil down to those two.” Today, he decides to buy a burrito from Zoca. Hubble, a New College senior, became a vegetarian five months ago primarily for environmental

SGA Election Results PRESIDENT: Winner — Steven Oliver: 7,323 Kendra Key: 7,062

VP EXTERNAL AFFAIRS: Winner — James Fowler Collin Taylor

VP ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: Winner — Tyler Reed Trey Johnson

VP STUDENT AFFAIRS: Steven Oliver

Kendra Key

Winner — Tyler Valeska Austin Creel

SOFTBALL RECAP

No. 1 Tide tops UAB 8-1

concerns. When he pays for the burrito, the cashier informs him that he’s used up all of his Dining Dollars, and Hubble says that now that he’s out, he will probably rarely eat here. “It’s kind of weird eating vegetarian here, because in the end, you’re still putting money into a corporation that deals largely with meat,” Hubble said. “It’s a corporation that doesn’t cater to my interest, who treats their workers poorly, and has a terrible record.” According to a 2008 study

See MEALS, page 3

CW| Babatunde Ajilore

Kelly Eubanks takes a swing in the Tideʼs win over UAB Wednesday night. By Will Barry Senior Sports Reporter

Whitney Larsen hit a grounder to the pitcher, who threw to home plate in an attempt to throw out senior Brittany Rogers, who The No.1/4 Alabama softball team darting home from third base. Rogers got stuck in a pickle before the defeated in-state rival UAB Blazers 8-1 at home last night in six and a half innings, catcher threw an error to third base allowimproving its record to 14-1 on the season. ing Rogers to score and give Alabama the The Tide started to roll early in the bot- 1-0 lead. Later in the inning on a double steal, tom of the first inning when sophomore

freshman Cassandra Reilly-Boccia stole second base, later advancing to third base on the throw, Larsen headed from third to home increasing the Tide’s lead to 2-0. Next, freshman Jazlyn Lunceford hit a RBI-single to right field allowing Reilly Boccia to head home from third base and

See WIN, page 7

Students ﬁnd easy ways to go green By Sydney Holtzclaw Contributing Writer CW | Katie Bennett Quick Grill on the strip offers a variety of vegetarian options.

UA weather

TODAY

INSIDE Today’s paper

Students prep to study abroad ....................3

Clear

Womenʼs Basketball: SEC tournament preview .6

68º/47º

Matthes looks to continue streak in Texas .........6

Friday

76º/50º

Visual arts exhibit starts tonight .....................8

Saturday

76º/54º

Underground cinema column ....................9

Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy

The Scene goes to the Opera ................... 12

P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-4116 | Advertising: 348-7845 | Classifieds: 348-7355 Letters, op-eds: letters@cw.ua.edu Press releases, announcements: news@cw.ua.edu

In the last few years, the green movement has exploded onto the scene, taking its place in everywhere from science to pop-culture. Last fall the greek community even got involved when Alpha Tau Omega turned their house “green.” “Working to preserve the environment is not a cliché or mainstream thing; it’s easy to think that with all of the ‘go green’ campaigns we hear about,” Mason Overstreet, a junior in New College and member of Alpha Tau Omega, said. “But, this is a serious matter that our generation needs to consider if we want our kids to have resources like we have today. We take a lot of things for granted, but we need to be aware that our non renewable resources are depleting and we need to do something about it now.” Overstreet has worked on several projects involved with becoming more environmentally friendly. One such project involved working to get his fraternity house to go green. Starting in the fall, ATO members began using environmentally friendly dinnerware such as biodegradable plates and cups, as well as energy efficient light bulbs. Since ATO’s change, Overstreet has received numerous phone calls from other greek organizations wanting to go green as well. “I think it’s great that everyone wants to make changes. It shows more people are becoming aware of the environment and our need to preserve it. And it’s a lot easier than people think, students living

CW | Drew Hoover Jacqueline Johnston, Will Coffman and Richard Sanders enjoy lunch at the Alpha Tau Omega house on Wednesday afternoon using environmentally friends cups, one element of ATOʼs new efforts to go green. in the dorms and apartments can do this too,” Overstreet said. There are five ways Overstreet suggests students can go green easily and effectively. The first thing he suggested students do to become more environmentally aware is to start recycling. If a student lives on campus their dorm has its own bins for paper, plastic and cans provided by the SGA. For those who live off campus, Overstreet suggests getting a trash can or a bag to collect recyclable items, which can be taken to several drop off locations around Tuscaloosa or placed

in a bin while a student is on campus for classes. “By recycling the amount of trash you have will decrease and will have a great impact on the environment,” Overstreet said. “I also suggest getting a reusable water bottle. They’re cheap and you can refill them so you won’t have to continue buying bottles of water.” Next, Overstreet suggested buying 100 percent recyclable paper towels and toilet paper. “A lot of people think going green is

See GREEN, page 2

PAGE Thursday

TODAY • Artrageous Riverfront Arts Tour — 5 to 9 p.m. • Visual Arts Achievement Awards exhibit opening reception — 5 to 6:30 p.m., Bama Theatre, exhibit through March 26

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

• History Graduate Conference on Power and Struggle — all day, AIME Building

• “The Environmental Family in a Changing World” presented by Saturdays at the Arboretum — 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., UA Arboretum

• UP presents Movies in the Ferg with “Cadillac Records” — 2 and 7 p.m., Ferguson Theater

• UA School of Music presents the opera “Pagliacci” — 7:30 p.m., Moody Music Building Concert Hall

March 5, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Send announcements and campus news to cwnews@sa.ua.edu

Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. will be hosting an informational meeting today at 7:30 p.m. in 13 Bidgood Hall for any women interested in learning more about the multicultural sorority.

QUOTE OF THE DAY “It’s one game and you’re out. You give it all you got, and if you don’t there’s no tomorrow.” — Women’s basketball head coach Wendell Hudson, on the importance of the SEC tournament tonight

BIRTHDAYS We want to list your birthday here. Send your name, birthdate, year and major to cwnews@sa.ua.edu. Put “birthday” in the subject line. And look for birthday greetings from us on your special day.

Students mentor on overseas studying By Margit Sample Contributing Writer The University’s newly-formed Study Abroad Connections program offers peer advising on studying overseas for students. Krissy Loveman, a senior majoring in international studies, is SAC’s president and said what makes this program different from any other is that it allows students to discuss studying abroad with other students who have gone through the process already. “The objective is to create a bridge between students who have studied abroad and those who want to study abroad,” she said. She said this personal peer-topeer interaction and networking has made SAC a success since it was created in Fall 2008. She said anyone, including graduate students, can contact SAC if they want to study abroad. She said SAC is an easier way for students to get information on studying overseas from those who have done it before. Eleanor Harper, a junior

GREEN Continued from page 1

THIS DAY IN U.S. HISTORY 1770: A mob of American colonists gathered at the Customs House in Boston and began taunting the British soldiers guarding the building. The protesters, who called themselves Patriots, were fired on by the British in an event that came to be known as the Boston Massacre. Source: history.com

THE CRIMSON WHITE EDITORIAL • Corey Craft, editor-in-chief, craft@cw.ua.edu, 348-8049 • Phil Owen, managing editor, owen@cw.ua.edu, 348-6146 • James Jaillet, production editor • Breckan Duckworth, design editor • Robert Bozeman, assistant design editor • Marion Walding, photo editor • RF Rains, assistant photo editor • Kelli Abernathy, chief copy editor • Paul Thompson, opinions editor • Dave Folk, news editor • Brett Bralley, news editor • Ryan Mazer, lifestyles editor • CJ McCormick, assistant lifestyles editor • Greg Ostendorf, sports editor • Ryan Wright, assistant sports editor • Eric McHargue, graphics editor • Andrew Richardson, Web editor

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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 weekly June, July and August, and is published four times a week September through April except for spring break, Thanksgiving, Labor Day and the months of May and December. 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 35403-2389. 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 © 2008 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.

going to be costly, but sometimes it’s actually cheaper or the cost is the same. You can buy recyclable paper towels for the same price as the regular ones and the toilet paper is actually cheaper,” Overstreet said. He also advised changing soaps. Biodegradable soap and laundry detergent, such as those manufactured by Seventh Generation and Method, are environmentally friendly cleaners that are designed to be effective yet safe for the environment. “Using these soaps and organic bath soaps won’t harm the streams and rivers the water we use for showering or washing or

majoring in finance and SAC’s vice president, said SAC has about 90 members and is still growing. “We have had about 100 contacts interested,” she said. She said SAC is always looking for people who want to get involved. Loveman said SAC offers mentors, a list of students who have already studied abroad and who can talk to students interested in studying overseas. She said students will get the chance to meet others, and possibly meet someone to go with. She said SAC has been working very closely with advisers, sponsors and supervisors from Capstone International. Brendan O’Farrell, an overseas study academic adviser for Capstone International, said he supports SAC. “SAC is good because students are normally intimidated about studying overseas and need encouragement from other students who have done it before,” he said. He said there have been similar groups in the past, but not

as student oriented or actively involved with the students personally. “SAC does activities outside normal hours for people interested, unlike other groups in the past,” he said. He said since there are students making up this organization, students are able to get together and talk about their experiences at their leisure. “This makes it much different from any other similar organization in the past,” he said. Sharon Ham, an overseas study academic adviser, said SAC gives a student perspective on studying abroad. Ham said students do not need to have studied abroad before or had any experience to join. “It is a great way to get involved on campus,” she said. Loveman said SAC’s next step is to get international students here to discuss studying overseas with UA students. She said SAC is working toward this interaction, so international students can help teach UA students about the culture in other countries before they decide where to

study and how to prepare. Harper said SAC hopes to not only get international students to help talk to UA students interested in studying abroad, but to become members of SAC. She said this would be a huge advantage for UA student’s to get advice from international students. Loveman said the best way to get in contact with SAC is to e-mail studyabroadconnections@gmail.com. She said SAC is always sending out e-mails on meetings and events. She said there is also a Facebook group with about 90 members already. She said SAC has only had one meeting, and the next meeting will be after spring break for whoever wants to come and get involved. Loveman and Harper have both studied abroad and said it was an experience of a lifetime. Ham said what makes SAC different is how organized it is. She said she thinks SAC will be a lasting presence on campus. “The bottom line is that students must study abroad. It is a wonderful experience,” she said.

clothes will eventually become part of,” Overstreet said. The final change Overstreet suggested was switching to energy efficient light bulbs, which last longer and use less energy to provide light. “But, don’t make the common mistake of buying all new light bulbs,” Overstreet said. “Make sure to use the light bulbs you have before changing them out for energy efficient ones, otherwise you’re still being wasteful.” Due to Overstreet’s efforts at the ATO house, Richard Sanders, a junior majoring in finance and economics, decided to go green at home as well. “Before Mason started working to make changes at the ATO house I wasn’t aware of all that I could do to help the environment,” Sanders said. “I started by

recycling and quickly switched to using recyclable paper towels and toilet paper. Most of the stuff is really easy to do and I feel like I am really making a difference.” Justinn Trott, Director of the Department of Environmental Concerns under the SGA is also working to show students how easy going green can be. “Right now, our main project is the Energy Conservation Campaign. This campaign is working with students living in UA dorms to cut their energy use by 10 percent compared to last year’s use,” Trott said. Several of the dorms involved include Riverside East, Blount, Byrd, Harris Hall and Lakeside West. All of the students involved are working to lower the energy use in hopes of winning a Wii or Xbox 360 for their dorms

community room. “Fifty percent of the dorm’s energy is spent running the heating and cooling system,” Trott said. “So, we’re really trying to encourage the students involved to keep their thermostats between 60 and 70 degrees in the cooler months and 72 to 74 degrees in the warmer months.” Other measures being taken by the students involved in the campaign are turning off lights, using reusable water bottles and working to raise awareness among friends. “I strongly encourage students outside of the campaign to make these changes as well,” Trott said. “It’s all about working to make a lesser impact on the environment.”

Alabama Supreme Court visits Law School By Patty Vaughan Staff Reporter

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the law students at Alabama to get a firsthand look at the The Alabama Supreme Court workings of the state’s top will be visiting the UA Law court,” said Aaron Latham, UA School this morning to give two spokesman for the Law School. The University has always oral arguments for students. These two cases that will had a strong connection with be discussed involve seat belt the Alabama Supreme Court, safety and the legislature on which makes sessions like this the right to protect agencies possible on campus, Latham said. from proration.

The first case is dealing with an issue over whether Alabama courts have jurisdiction in cases alleging seatbelt malfunctions, Latham said. The second case will be concerned with whether the Alabama state legislature has the authority to protect certain agencies from prorations if state cannot meet funding demands for all the state’s prorations. The session begins at 8:30 this morning and is in room 188 at the Law School. The first argument will be from 8:30 until 10:15 a.m. The second argument will be from 10:15 a.m. until noon. Students will not be allowed in the room unless it is before the first argument or between the two. People who attend may not bring book bags, laptops, cameras, camera bags or like materials into the room.

“We have done it several times over the last few years and it’s a unique opportunity and the partnership and the law school and the Alabama Supreme Court has always been strong,” Latham said. “This is just a way to give our students something different, and it’s ultimately something beneficial on top of all the other things we try and do for them.” Latham said this can really benefit students because it is truly a real world experience. “It’s really the difference between reading about cases and actually hearing cases.” Latham said. “It’s the difference between theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge, and you can see that when you get out of the classroom and in to the real world students are better able to understand how the things that they’re learning about apply in everyday life.”

OLIVER Continued from page 1

race of integrity, of character, and we will continue to represent the University of Alabama.” “There is a lot that remains to be reviewed,” Key said. “I have not had the opportunity to exactly assess the information at this time.” Oliver said he thought Key was a great opponent. “Kendra Key is a very talented person on this campus,” he said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to run against anybody else.” Votes totaled 14,469, by far the largest turnout in University history. Last year 5,240 votes were cast. “I think we were surprised and encouraged by the participation,” said Kelli KnoxHall, advisor to the Elections Board. She also said very few students complained of problems voting through the online system.

The Crimson White

NEWS

Thursday, March 5, 2009

MEALS Continued from page 1

by Vegetarian Times, only about 7.3 million people in the U.S. are vegetarians â&#x20AC;&#x201D; another 22.8 million follow a â&#x20AC;&#x153;vegetarian-inclinedâ&#x20AC;? diet. However, these people are often concentrated on college campuses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not easy to be vegetarian in Alabama, because of the history and culture of food in this state â&#x20AC;&#x201D; largely a meat and starch-based diet that dates back to colonialism in this part of the country,â&#x20AC;? said Jennifer Collins, an American studies senior who is president of student group â&#x20AC;&#x153;UA Vegetarians, Vegans, and Allied Community,â&#x20AC;? which has over 100 members. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be surprised how many people here choose a healthier and more ethical eating lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201D; maybe vegetarians, or maybe â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;flexitariansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;selectitariansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they eat meat, but they eat very little, and when they do, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an organic source.â&#x20AC;? Collins has been a vegetarian for 13 years for health reasons â&#x20AC;&#x201D; her family has a history of heart disease â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and for a number of ethical concerns. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This country cannot continue to produce [meat] on the level that it does. The same amount of land that it takes to agri-farm cattle or pigs could be used to feed hundreds of thousands of people,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Also, antibiotics and steroids do not cook out of meat â&#x20AC;&#x201D; no matter how hot the temperature. According to the American Pediatric Society, children in this country had a resistance to low-dose antibiotics because of the antibiotics they give cattle, chicken and pigs.â&#x20AC;? Collins said it is possible to eat vegetarian at the Ferguson Center food court, such as making a wrap or buying tofu, but options are limited. The best selection, she said, usually comes from large dining halls like Fresh Food. Collins said she has noticed dining on campus

CW | Katie Bennett TutĘźs is on the Strip and offers Greek and Italian options for vegetarians. has recently improved in many ways, including an organic section and more grab-and-go options for vegetarians, but she usually packs her own lunch, as do most of the vegetarians she knows. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By large, they do not cater us,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not every place offers a vegetarian alternative.â&#x20AC;? Holly Kennedy, a junior majoring in German and philosophy, said vegetarianism in Alabama is often about â&#x20AC;&#x153;making a meal out of side dishes.â&#x20AC;? Though vegetarianism is usually synonymous with healthier eating, many foods vegetarians have to resort to

are unhealthy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost nothing [in the dining halls] if you would prefer not to eat a plate that is just full of cheese,â&#x20AC;? Kennedy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing about vegetarianism â&#x20AC;&#x201D; people assume that you must eat tons of cheese and eggs to compensate. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not necessary â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of stuff vegetarians can do with greens and vegetables to appreciate it for what it is, not just douse it with cheese.â&#x20AC;? Collins said vegetarians often suffer from not getting enough protein in their diet, but the idea that meat and â&#x20AC;&#x153;faux meatâ&#x20AC;? are the only

significant protein sources is a misconception. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Protein can be found in nut butters, peanut butter, almond butter and things like that,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of dried beans and legumes have really high protein. A good example is black beans. They have as much protein or more than chicken or fowl.â&#x20AC;? Collins noted that several Olympic athletes have identified themselves as vegetarians or even vegan, a diet that excludes any animal product. For those who love the taste of meat, there is a vegetarian substitute for almost every kind. They vary in tastiness and in how much they taste like their meat counterparts, Collins said. She hates faux hot dog meat but thoroughly enjoys the beef jerky. Sometimes, she said, with the right amount of certain herbs and spices, you cannot tell the difference. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the key to a lot of vegetarian cooking, especially tofu dishes, is to divorce yourself from the idea that it should taste like meat,â&#x20AC;? Kennedy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good in its own way.â&#x20AC;? Kennedy said she frequents Hooligans for good meals, and

all three noted that a lot of local foreign cuisine, such as Indian, Thai and Chinese food, is largely vegetarian-based, because of their respective countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history of agricultural. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One hidden secret is LaiLai, the little tiny Chinese place on the strip,â&#x20AC;? Collins said.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;They make green bean tofu. They use whole green beans, garlic sauce and tofu, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not fried. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sautĂŠed. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really cheap.â&#x20AC;? According to the group, there are also several ways to eat more ethically besides jut refraining from animal products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For example, you can eat seasonally,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eat strawberries in January, because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re from South America. Your produce is traveling for three or four weeks on a freighter before it gets here, and that is a huge carbon output.â&#x20AC;? The student group is having an â&#x20AC;&#x153;all-day extravaganzaâ&#x20AC;? on March 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 2nd floor of the Ferguson Center, and several stations at â&#x20AC;&#x153;Earth Festâ&#x20AC;? on April 19 will be promoting alternative eating habits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to be vegetarian in this state, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not impossible,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all tend to have a network, and kind of know each other, and share information, so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support there if you choose to do it.â&#x20AC;?

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said he thought the administra- hearings on Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $3.6 tril- from tax increases on uppertion would be flexible on the lion tax and spending proposal. income earners. proposal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They want health Both faced tough questions WASHINGTON | President care reform as much as I do,â&#x20AC;? he about the tax package. Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget calls for setBarack Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal to told reporters. Geithner and White House ting aside $634 billion over the limit itemized tax deductions for high earners is running into budget director Peter Orszag next 10 years as a down payopposition from key Democrats returned to Capitol Hill on ment on health care reform. in Congress who worry that Wednesday for a second day of Half the money would come charities and the housing market would be hurt. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus questioned Wednesday whether the proposal was viable, a day after Croakie his House counterpart also with Lens Cloth expressed reservations. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said tax increases on families making more than $250,000 a year are necessary to make a down payment on health care reform and to limit future budget deficits. But, he said, he was willing to work with lawmakers on proposals w w w. t h e s h i r t s h o p . b i z they objected to. D o w n t o w n Tu s c a l o o s a â&#x20AC;&#x153;We recognize there are 5 2 5 G r e e n s b o r o Av e n u e other ways to do this,â&#x20AC;? Geithner told the Finance Committee. 752-6931 Baucus, a Montana Democrat,

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Guerilla reaches new low By Mary Katherine Alsip

get the valid information out in favor of squeezing in a series of one-liners. At one point, a man came onstage and proposed to his APO boyfriend, which was far more interesting than nearly any of the acts. Too drunk to function, the show left the tracks and, like a wrecked train over a bridge, went down in flames and smoke. No one knew who was supposed to come on next, and for 20 minutes the audience was confused as APO members took it upon themselves to reenact somewhat racist Internet clips and host a strange sort of tap off. It seemed like a bad, messed up dream that you get after eating an undercooked enchilada at Pepito’s. Finally, an original act came onstage. You know, the kind where they didn’t rip off another person’s work to showcase their (lack of) talent? While bad acoustics and lack of mics made some parts difficult to hear, the laughter in the crowd was the most reaction (short of the drunken heckling and “Oh my gosh we love you so-andso!”) I had seen all night. So I was shocked when two or three members of the crowd decided they had had enough and began rudely interrupting this act by screaming “Time!” until the actors were forced to leave mid-sketch. I assume this group was not APO as I had not seen any of them in the eight scenes preceding theirs and they had made efforts towards originality. Considering this a little less than classy, I started gathering my things to leave, but stayed just in time to hear the next act insulting the previous interrupted act. So, in sum, dear APO: drunk is not the same as creative. Inside jokes are for “inside” a group, hence the name. Butchering other people’s works is not art. Show respect to other acts that actually made efforts you clearly didn’t. I know theater and, APO, that was not theater.

I should first be fair by admitting that I have never been a fan of Guerilla Theater. It is, I’m sure, a great way to spend a lackluster evening and would be better than sitting at home and playing solitaire, but those were the only merits of my experience last Saturday night. Although I pre-gamed Guerilla in order to give it the full benefit of beer goggles, after the first few acts it became obvious that I should have snuck in a flask like many of Guerilla’s underage members had done. But alas I did not and had to sober up to the not- so-melodic tones and poor acting in many of the scenes, particularly the uninspiring rendition of one of my personal favorites from “Last Five Years.” It was pretty obvious the two drunken people singing it had no idea the show was about divorce and played it as a blissfully wedded couple. Sufficiently sober, I then suffered through more self-indulgent acts that seemed to star the same three or four barely talented people and reminded me of karaoke night at Big Al’s Bar: too much alcohol, not enough skill. Finally, the intermission brought me vague relief in the form of an excessively loud brass band and a strange, drunken mosh pit that overtook the stage. The second half of the show was when things really took a turn for the worst. I will compliment the APO (the organization running this event) in that their first act was for the most part efficiently run even if some of the acts wore on for what seemed like eternity. But I would not use those words to describe the second half at all. “The whole thing was such a horrible mess, no one seemed to notice or care,” an SNL quote, floated repeatedly into my mind. I’ve seen high school plays run by gym teachers that had more creativity and better singing in them than the “Rent” medley. The promotional skits called “Tweeners” referenced bad Mary Katherine Alsip is a graduinside jokes and mainly failed to ate student in communications.

MCT Campus

The campaign bus According to The Tuscaloosa News, you help pay $1.8 million for the 17 CrimsonRide buses to drive around in circles all day. Does it make you mad that those buses only worsen the problem that they were brought here to solve? How about the change from a $10 parking fine to a $50 punishment of an improper zone ticket? Does that crank your tractor? Darrell Skipper, of Skipper Consulting in Birmingham, was hired to study campus traffic and devise the plan that led to CrimsonRide and increased parking fines. “There was a lot of traffic congestion in and throughout campus, a lot of needless circulation on campus,” Skipper said in a statement to The Tuscaloosa News. Disobeying the parking rules is just as expensive as obeying them. Gina Johnson, director of auxiliary services was quoted in The Tuscaloosa News, saying, “Those heavy fines are meant to encourage students to park their cars and leave them, using the bus system to ferry from buildings

Jesse Heifner across campus.” Isn’t that magical? Any student who drives down Un ive r s i ty B o u l eva r d , Hackberry Lane and 12th Street knows that those streets are congested and, at times, resemble a parking lot. Students endure this only to park in a lot that’s overcrowded and remote relative to their class locale. Then the student waits for a bus that’s sitting in and contributing to those stagnate streets that the student just drove through. But we know the problem already, so how do we put that

$1.8 million to work in a way that doesn’t make us look like a Tennessee graduate runs our transportation services? Here’s my thought: Instead of keeping the buses circling around campus, how about taking on the problem directly? If we can keep people from driving their cars to campus in the first place, then we can eliminate the excessive fine problem, the congestion problem and the lack of parking spaces problem all in one action. “But how?” asks the Auburn grad. Simply send the buses out to pick up the students. In my opinion, the biggest provider of housing in Tuscaloosa for students is apartment complexes. If we can put an empty bus at University Village, University Downs, Campus Way and many other apartment complexes, then it is my belief that students with any financial sense will fill that bus and ride it to campus. All that is necessary is a plan be formulated where the bus arrives at a specified time, waits for a predetermined time, leaves the stop in enough time to compensate for traffic

and gets the group of students to campus before their next class. Of course there would be a return route bus waiting at a specified time to take the students back home. If only 1,000 students took advantage of this system, then 1,000 fewer cars congest campus streets. There would be a lot of work and logistics involved with the formulation of such a system, but any sensible person could see the benefits and decongestion that this system brings with it. I know it’s a little late for campaign platform inclusions, but Kendra Key, if you win, I believe this would be more sensible than any other of those trivial things on your agenda for parking. As for you Mr. Oliver, you haven’t done anything during your tenure in the SGA that’s helped us in a non-negligible manner, so, if you win, maybe you could start with this.

Jesse Heifner is a junior majoring in political science. He is a regular contributor to The Crimson White.

Recycle clothes, buy used stuff By Emily Roberson Change happens. Politicians are succeeded in office, shifty Alabama weather gives snow followed by warmth and aviator sunglasses are replaced with traditional Ray Bans. A 19th century writer by the name of Oscar Wilde once stated, “Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.” There’s a slight exception to his assertion — some people change styles faster than it takes to grind an issue of Vogue into

post-consumer waste. You’ll probably be stowing away your winter sweaters soon if you haven’t done so already. If your wardrobe is anything like mine, your threadbare warm-weather Tshirts aren’t going to make it through another season. It’s time to donate your tops and bottoms to Goodwill, recycle the dingiest as cleaning rags and replace them with (sort of ) new ones. Perhaps last year’s garb is still in tact, but you desire to sport something fresh for spring. You don’t have to have deep pockets to turn heads. In

of the only stores I know of where you can find Pokémon T-shirts, Phil Collins records and sets of mismatched wine glasses all in one place. Need to make money to spend money? Consignment shops like Déjà Vu and Twice as Nice, both in downtown Tuscaloosa on University Boulevard, will pay for “like new” clothing. fact, anyone who can afford Of course, I can’t advocate a meal on campus can afford buying recycled clothing withnon-new threads. out mentioning how fun it is to At America’s Thrift Store on sort through it all. Aside from Skyland Boulevard, you can buying staple clothing items, purchase an entire outfit for you can stock up on costumes. less than $7.88. It’s also one Shop at thrift stores and

consignment shops to round out your wardrobe with outfits from any decade. With a little effort, you’ll be set for any given ’80s night. For those without time to shop, the Mallet Assembly and the University of Alabama Environmental Council will be bringing an outdoor swapping post to you at Earthfest 2009, a pre-Earth Day event that will take place on the quad on April 19. Instead of throwing unwanted stuff in a dumpster while you’re Spring cleaning, you’ve got two options; you can donate them to a Goodwill

or a Salvation Army, or you can take unwanted clothing, sports equipment, house wares and other items to the Community Services Center in the student organization section on the third floor of the Ferguson Center. For someone with an altruistic attitude, a clean closet and a stock of different duds, change can definitely be deemed as something good.

Emily Roberson is a senior majoring in advertising, and is the vice president of the University of Alabama Environmental Council. Her column runs bi-weekly on Thursdays.

Sex is sex, and opinion is opinion By JT Schill M. Green has gotten her wish; she has certainly created a dialogue about sex on campus, though not one as nuanced as one may have hoped. Seeing many people’s responses shows one of the great things about sex: it can be many different things. It can be funny, as it is for Trey Irby. It can be a sign of commitment, as it is for Lauren Floyd. And if two people decide saving it for marriage makes it special, then it is, as it is for

Scott Vaughn. Sex can be all of these things, and I am willing to accept that everyone has a slightly different view of sex. However, I found Scott Vaughn’s article to be personally offensive. As someone who is sexually active, I found his tone to be holier-than-thou. Save yourself for marriage if you wish, but do not tell me that my sexual history cheapens sex. You may think it is special, but to me, sex is just sex. Why is there such an

arbitrary tie between sex and love? If you can love someone without having sex with them, then you can have sex with someone without loving them. When I find someone attractive, if I have the opportunity to pleasure them, and they to pleasure me, then why not go for it (assuming we both take the appropriate measures of safety)? Not only will both of us get something out of it, we’ll get health benefits, such as lowering stress levels and burning calories. Anal sex helps work

the sphincter muscles and, for men, lowers the chance of prostate cancer (although Vaughn appears to think that sex is only possible when a man and a woman are involved). Yet from Vaughn’s article, I feel attacked because I did not have “the strength to save my sexuality for the one person I am going to spend the rest of my life with.” This, of course, assumes that I am looking for someone to spend the rest of my life with, which may or may not be the case.

But let’s assume I am; how would my sexual history in any way lessen the bond I would have with this person? If I’m having sex with someone who I’m not in a relationship with, then it’s just sex. But if I’m having sex with someone I’m in a committed relationship with, it becomes something else entirely. Not only that, it tends to be better. With someone I’m dating, I’m much more comfortable telling them to tie me up, bite me, slap me, talk dirty to me

or any other sexual act I may be interested in without being embarrassed. As I said, sex can be many things to many people, and at varying times. Trying to give sex one definition cheapens sex, not premarital sex. But that’s my opinion. Disagree with me if you like, but please do not belittle my opinions by telling me that your opinion on sex is better than mine.

JT Schill is a sophomore majoring in history and English.

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Letters to the editor must be less than 200 words and guest columns less than 500. Send submissions to cwopinions@gmail.com. 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.

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NEWS

Asteroidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passing was a near-miss The Associated Press PASADENA, Calif. | An asteroid about the size of one that blasted Siberia a century ago just buzzed the Earth. The asteroid named 2009 DD45 was about 48,800 miles from Earth when it zipped past early Monday, NASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jet Propulsion Laboratory reported. That is just twice as high as the orbits of some telecommunications satellites and about a fifth of the distance to the Moon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was pretty darn close,â&#x20AC;? astronomer Timothy Spahr of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said Wednesday. But not as close as the tiny meteoroid 2004 FU162, which came within 4,000 miles in 2004. The space rock measured between 69 feet and 154 feet in diameter. The Planetary

Society said that made it about the same size as the asteroid that exploded over Siberia in 1908 and leveled more than 800 square miles of forest. Scientists at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia spotted 2009 DD45 and began tracking it in late February when it was about 1 million miles away. Spahr said he knew within an hour of that discovery that it would pose no threat to Earth. Of the known space rocks, the next time an object will get closer to Earth will be in 2029 when an 885-foot asteroid called 99942 Apophis comes within 20,000 miles, said Donald Yeomans of NASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Near-Earth Object Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Last year, the asteroid 2008 TC3 harmlessly burned up in Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s atmosphere over Africa 19 hours after it was discovered. Astronomers gave a sixhour notice warning of that fiery plunge.

NJ insurance workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; payout: $216M lottery win The Associated Press

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. | Robert Space got into work at the Chubb Insurance company at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, realized the lottery ticket he was holding matched the winning numbers, and fired off a one-line e-mail to his nine coworkers who had pitched in to buy it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We won the big one,â&#x20AC;? it read. The replies came back instantly: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hahahahaâ&#x20AC;? wrote one. â&#x20AC;&#x153;GREAT. Where do I pick up the cash?â&#x20AC;? joked another. Then they saw the ticket for themselves. Space and his colleagues hit the second-largest singleticket jackpot in New Jersey history, winning $216 million in the Mega Millions jackpot. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel incredibly blessed. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even absorb it,â&#x20AC;? Space said, surrounded by stunned colleagues and clutching the winning ticket during a news conference at their office in the central New Jersey town of Whitehouse Station. Space, with $5 from each colleague, said he bought 50

quick-pick tickets Monday afternoon at the Singin Oil gas station in the shore town of Toms River. Space stopped by the gas station again Wednesday morning to get a printout of the winning numbers to check the tickets. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I jokingly asked him (the attendant) if anyone had won and if it was sold here, but he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know,â&#x20AC;? Space said. So he stuffed the list in his pocket. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until an hour or so later that Space had time to review the numbers, scanning each row and growing increasingly shocked as first one, then two, then three â&#x20AC;&#x201D; then six numbers matched. He called his wife to make sure he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hallucinating, then sent out the e-mail. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It takes a lot of stress out of life,â&#x20AC;? Space said of the winnings. The 10 will split a $216 million annuity or a one-time payout of about $140 million. Lottery officials say no one has officially come forward to claim the prize yet. The 10 have not discussed when they will claim the prize but have a year to do so.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Court rejects limits on drug lawsuits The Associated Press WASHINGTON | The Supreme Court forcefully rejected calls Wednesday for limiting consumer lawsuits against drug makers, upholding a $6.7 million jury award to a musician who lost her arm to gangrene following an injection. The decision is the second this term to reject business groupsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; arguments that federal regulation effectively pre-empts consumer complaints under state law. Diana Levine of Vermont once played the guitar and piano professionally. Her right arm was amputated after she was injected with Phenergan, an anti-nausea medicine made by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, using a method that brings rapid relief, but with grievous risks if improperly administered. In a 6-3 decision, the court turned away Wyethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claim that federal approval of Phenergan and its warning label should have shielded the company from lawsuits like Levineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Next to getting my hand back, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best they could do and the least they could have done,â&#x20AC;? the 63-year-old Levine said. She now plays with one hand and sings. Levineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawsuit said she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sufficiently warned of the risks of using Phenergan. But Bert Rein, a Washington lawyer who represents Wyeth, said the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s label complied with federal law. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wyethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s labeling of Phenergan provided clear instructions and warnings about its use, including clear warnings about the very risk at issue in this case,â&#x20AC;? Rein said. He said the decision would affect how doctors treat patients. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The practical impact of this is going to be much greater cautionâ&#x20AC;? by doctors in deciding whether to use the most effective or least risky method of administering a drug, Rein said. Wyeth is in the process of being bought by rival Pfizer, Inc., in a $68 billion deal that is expected to close later this year. The central issue in this case was the absence of language in the federal law setting out regulation of prescription drugs that forecloses consumer complaints in state courts. Congress has included such language in other areas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unless Congress has spoken directly to the question, the court this term has said it is not going to favor broader arguments for pre-emption,â&#x20AC;? said David Frederick, who represented Levine and the cigarette smokers who won an earlier ruling this term allowing their lawsuits against tobacco companies to proceed. The Bush administration and business groups aggressively pushed limits on lawsuits through the doctrine of preemption â&#x20AC;&#x201D; asserting the primacy of federal regulation over rules that might differ from state to state. The Supreme Court had largely agreed, ruling last term that FDA approval shields medical devices from most lawsuits. That case turned on a provision of federal law prohibiting states from imposing their own requirements on the devices. The Levine case drew a lot of attention because the administration and Wyeth contended that, although the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act lacks a similar provision, drug manufacturers also are protected from most suits over federally approved drugs. A Vermont jury agreed with Levineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

AP Photo Diana Levine sits at her home in Marshfield, Vt. The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a $6.7 million jury award to a Levine, who lost her arm because of a botched injection of an anti-nausea medication. The court brushed away a plea that it limit lawsuits against drug makers. claim that Wyeth failed to provide a strong and clear warning about the risks of quickly injecting the drug into a vein, a method called â&#x20AC;&#x153;IV push.â&#x20AC;? Gangrene is likely if the injection accidentally hits an artery â&#x20AC;&#x201D; precisely what happened to Levine. The company appealed and, backed by the Bush administration, argued that once a drugâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warning label gets approval from the Food and Drug Administration, the label canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be changed without further FDA approval and consumers cannot pursue state law claims that they were harmed. Justice John Paul Stevens, writing the majority opinion, said Wyeth could â&#x20AC;&#x153;unilaterally strengthen its warning,â&#x20AC;? especially after it learned of at least 20 incidents before Levineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s injury in which an injection led to gangrene and amputation. Stevens said he was persuaded that until a recent change by the FDA, the agency â&#x20AC;&#x153;traditionally regarded state law as a complementary form of drug regulationâ&#x20AC;? because it monitors 11,000 drugs. Justice Clarence Thomas agreed with the outcome of the case, but did not join Stevensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; opinion. Justice Samuel Alito wrote a dissent

that was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Antonin Scalia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This case illustrates that tragic facts make bad law,â&#x20AC;? Alito said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The court holds that a state tort jury, rather than the Food and Drug Administration, is ultimately responsible for regulating warning labels for prescription drugs.â&#x20AC;? The FDA has approved the use of Phenergan by injection, including the method at issue in Levineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s case. The drug has been available for decades to treat nausea and when used properly, both sides agree it is safe and effective. Stevens said there could be circumstances where consumer lawsuits would not be allowed, including if the FDA had considered and rejected a stronger warning label. But that was not the case with Phenergan, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As we have discussed, the FDA did not consider and reject a stronger warning against IVpush injection of Phenergan,â&#x20AC;? Stevens said. Justice Stephen Breyer agreed in a brief, separate opinion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is also possible that state tort law will sometimes interfere with the FDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to create a drug label containing a specific set of cautions and instructions,â&#x20AC;? Breyer said.

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SPORTS

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Greg Ostendorf • Editor

crimsonwhitesports@gmail.com

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Tide prepares mentally for SEC tourney By Spencer White Sports Reporter For the Alabama women’s basketball team, the 2008-2009 season has been one of establishing a foundation. It began with the hiring in the offseason of head coach Wendell Hudson, extended with the breakout of All-SEC freshman team guard and Tuscaloosa native Ericka Russell and it will come to a head Thursday as the No. 12 seed Crimson Tide take on the No. 5 seed Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the SEC tournament in Little Rock, Ark. “We’re ready to play,” Russell said. “We feel that if we come out with high intensity, we can get a win.” “We’ve had two really good practices,” Hudson said. “[Today] everybody worked hard…it’s the way we should have practice.” Intensity was an issue in the Tide’s regular season

finale against Mississippi State, as a six point second half gave way in the wake of a 12-minute shooting drought. Hudson said he thinks his team has taken the hard lesson from that night to heart in this week’s practice. “I think everybody has done some soul searching and realized that we didn’t play that well [against Mississippi State],” Hudson said. “I could tell the way we practiced before the Mississippi State game what kind of effort we were going to give. We’ve had totally different practices since then.” As an aid to encourage the hustle and determination Hudson expects from his team, he has spent meetings with the team stressing the importance of the single elimination format of the tournament. “It’s one game and you’re out,” Hudson said. “You give it all you got, and if you don’t there’s no tomorrow.”

Russell, the second leading scorer on the team with an average of nearly 10 points a game, stressed that getting offensive rebounds would be crucial to the Tide’s success. The Tide has been consistently outrebounded all year long, especially in conference games. Against Mississippi State, the Tide was beaten at the boards 56-27, with only 9 on offense. Russell stated that second-chance rebounds would have to be converted into points against the Volunteers. “Being able to rebound and put it back in against [Tennessee] is important,” Russell said. “If we can do that, I think we can win.” “If you work hard and get that long offensive rebound, you’d be surprised what you can come up with,” Hudson said. “There are offensive rebounds out there. We’ve just got to go hard everytime.” Hudson indicated that the Tide would continue running

the fast-paced offense it has employed in the last half of the season in an effort to equalize the height advantage enjoyed by the Volunteers and take advantage of the Tide’s speed. “I think if we can get into a running contest, we can outrun them down the court,” Hudson said. Russell said she expects to see the Tide play with an effort she hopes will surprise the Tide fans. Alabama has never won the SEC tournament. “We have to come out strong from the beginning and play as a team,” Russell said. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. tonight.

CW File Dedrea Magee, right, battles for the ball with Tennesseeʼs Alex Fuller in February in Knoxville, Tenn. Magee and the Tide will get a rematch with the Vols today in the first round of the SEC tournament.

BASEBALL

Matthes looks to extend streak in Texas By Greg Ostendorf Sports Editor

“Everybody kind of jumped in there in the last game, but he has carried us. He has had game-winning hits on more than one occasion and gets big hits, too. “

To say that senior right fielder Kent Matthes is off to a hot start this season would be —Jim Wells, head coach a bit of an understatement. His current hitting streak has been nothing short of extraordinary and may be one rubber game against Southeast of the best all-time in Alabama Missouri State in the Tide’s first series of the year. Despite baseball history. In the Crimson Tide’s first losing 8-4, Matthes belted two eight games, Matthes is hitting solo home runs for his third .467 with seven home runs and career multi-HR game. Two days later, the senior hit 17 RBIs, but the numbers don’t even begin to explain what he for the cycle against Nicholls has done and how much he State to lift Alabama to an 114 win. Only four other players has meant to this team. “He has carried us here in school history have accomthrough the first part,” said plished that feat, but he wasn’t head coach Jim Wells after done yet. Matthes added to the list the the series finale against Illinois-Chicago. “Everybody next night by hitting a walkkind of jumped in there in the off home run in the bottom of last game, but he has carried the 10th inning to defeat the us. He has had game-winning Colonels 8-7. “This is actually a first in hits on more than one occa1301 University Blvd. sion and gets big hits, too. He back-to-back nights,” Matthes “On the Strip” said after the game. “I’ve never has done his part, for sure.” The streak started in the hit the cycle, and I’ve never 750-0203 had a walk-off home run. I’m really trying to just take it all in right now.” Over the weekend, Matthes went deep in each game of the doubleheader against UIC, including a go-ahead threerun bomb in the first game. Questions? 1800.424.8580 He finished the day 3-for-7 Now Accepting Applications for 2010/11 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Assignments in over 75 countries On Monday, he was named UA: APPLY ONLINE!! both the Louisville Slugger www.peacecorps.gov National Player of the Week

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UA Athletics Kent Matthes has belted a home run in each of the Tideʼs last six games — a UA record. In Alabamaʼs first eight games, Matthes is batting .457 and has hit a cycle and a walk-off home run. and the SEC Player of the Week. “It’s an honor for me and it was a great week for our team,” Matthes said. “It is always great to be recognized. It is a real honor for me.” Even the accolades couldn’t slow down Alabama’s leader as Matthes hit his sixth home

run in as many games during his first at bat against Troy Tuesday night. The Tide fell 6-2, but the long ball set a new school record for the most consecutive games with a home run. This weekend, Alabama travels to Corpus Christi, Texas, to compete in the Whataburger

Classic against Texas A&MCorpus Christi and Texas Pan American. The Tide will play three games in three days beginning tonight at 6 p.m. against the Islanders. All eyes will be on Matthes as he looks to keep up his torrid pace and extend both his hitting and home run streaks.

The Crimson White

NEWS

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Private search on for missing NFL players By Christine Armario and Mitch Stacy The Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. | Private boats and planes searched Wednesday for two NFL players and a third man missing for four days since their boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida, family members said. The Coast Guard called off the official search Tuesday for Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, who owned the boat, free-agent NFL defensive lineman Corey Smith and former South Florida player William Bleakley. But their families appealed for help to keep hunting. Two or three charters left in the late morning from a St. Petersburg marina and at least one had friends of the families of the missing men aboard, said Don Beggs, who owns one of the local docks. Three private planes also had searched, according to Cooper’s father, Bruce Cooper. A fourth man on the fishing trip, Nick Schuyler, was rescued Monday after crews found him clinging to the boat. His doctor said it’s a “miracle” Schuyler survived in the cold water for nearly two days after the boat

carrying the men on a fishing trip overturned in rough seas off the Florida coast Saturday. Dr. Mark Rumbak said the 24-year-old is in good condition but will remain in intensive care in case there are complications. Schuyler was in 63-degree Gulf of Mexico water for around 46 hours and probably could have lived only another five to 10 hours if he wasn’t rescued Monday, Rumbak said. “I think he is extremely fortunate having been in the water for 46, 47 hours and that he’s even alive,” Rumbak said. “I can’t explain it. Some divine providence, I really think.” The missing men’s families have set up an e-mail address for experienced pilots and boaters to contact them. Coast Guard Capt. Timothy Close said the agency wouldn’t prevent private searches, but discouraged them, saying they could be dangerous. He said authorities believed if there were more survivors, they would have been found. Free-agent defensive tackle Tank Johnson, a childhood friend and college teammate of Cooper at Washington, was taking a lead role in the renewed search. Johnson, who played for the Dallas Cowboys last season, said the family

has not given up hope that the men are still alive. “I truly believe he is out there somewhere being strong,” Johnson said. Even if the men aren’t found alive, it’s important to recover their remains so survivors can have closure, Johnson said. “This kid is going fight to the bitter end,” Cooper’s father said. “And so in my heart of hearts, I just believe he’s out there somewhere just waiting to be found, so that really gives me strength in this effort to find him.” Bleakley’s mother said Wednesday that Schuyler gave her a harrowing account of the men’s fight to survive after the boat capsized. Betty Bleakley said Schuyler told her the men swam back to the boat after being repeatedly hurled by strong waves. “To listen to Nick, they fought real hard to come home,” Betty Bleakley said. “Nick said that all of them fought, just fought to stay alive.” Bleakley and Schuyler, college teammates, managed to stick together for about 24 hours. She says they talked about how they would live their lives differently. “He said they huddled together, they just kept

AP In this still image taken from video, Nick Schuyler is taken from a Coast Guard helicopter to Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Fla. on Monday March 2, 2009. The Coast Guard says former University of South Florida player Schuyler was rescued Monday off the Florida coast. Authorities say Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, Detroit Lions free agent Corey Smith and former South Florida player, William Bleakley, remain missing. climbing back on the boat after getting knocked off,” she said. “He said they just kept fighting. They fought. They fought.” Betty Bleakley said her

son’s actions were heroic. She said he swam underneath the boat to get life vests for the other men and then used a cushion for floatation himself. “That was Will,” she said.

“Will was calm and levelheaded and would just try to think things through. “As painful as it was talking to Nick, it’s providing some closure for us,” she said.

Dreads locked: Ramirez to stay in Los Angeles that led to starts, stops, offers and subsequent rejections. At times, McCourt’s frustration with Ramirez’s agent Scott Boras surfaced, with the owner describing the agent as “challenging to work with.” All that was forgotten on a rainy late-winter morning when Ramirez surfaced in the Malibu mist to rejoin the team and city that embraced him after he left Boston at the July 31 trade deadline. “We got a great meeting,” Ramirez told KCAL-TV as he emerged from a mandatory physical in suburban Inglewood. “I’m happy to be here. We got some unfinished business, and

that’s why I’m here.” The Dodgers confirmed the deal shortly after Ramirez passed the physical. He is set to meet with the media Thursday morning in Phoenix. Ramirez gets $10 million this year, and $15 million in deferred money with no interest, payable in $5 million installments each Jan. 15 from 2010 through 2012. If it winds up as a two-year deal, he gets $10 million each season, with three payments of $8,333,333 each Jan. 15 from 2011-13. Ramirez has until November to decide whether to void the second season. Los Angeles’ original offer was for $45 million in guaran-

teed money, including a $4 million buyout of a 2011 option, and gave the Dodgers the ability to maintain control of Ramirez over three years. It also did not include the no-trade provision. Ramirez will make a $1 million commitment to the Dodgers Dream Foundation as part of the deal. “We are thrilled that Manny wants to be a Dodger and that he has made such a tremendous commitment to the Los Angeles community,” McCourt said in a statement. “We witnessed something very special last year in the way that our fans connected with him and the manner in which the team came together.

cleared the wall at left-center, cutting the Alabama lead to 3-1. In the top of the fifth inning, the Tide replaced freshman pitcher Amanda Locke with sophomore Kelsi Dunne after four and two-third innings. Locke gave up one run, six hits and struck out three. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tide got back on the board when Larsen hit a RBI-single to left field, advancing to second base on the throw while scoring senior Kelley Montalvo to give the Tide a 4-1 advantage. Next up, Reilly-Boccia got hit with a pitch to draw a walk. Following her, senior

Lauren Parker hit a RBI-single, advancing to second on the throw, to right field, scoring Larsen from second base and advancing Reilly-Boccia to third. Reilly-Boccia and Parker scored on a RBI-single from Lunceford who advanced to second base on an error making the Tide lead 7-1. After the bottom of the fifth inning, Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy got ejected for arguing with the home plate umpire after junior Jessica Smith struck out looking. In the bottom of the sixth inning, freshman Jennifer Fenton fed off the Murphy

ejection with a solo homerun to right-center field, extending the Alabama lead to what would be the final 8-1. “Whenever he gets fired up and he gets passionate it fires them up and it was exciting to see Jennifer Fenton come out and hit her first home run,” Habetz said. Dunne gave up no runs, one hit and struck out four batters in two and one-third innings of work. The Tide will return to action on Friday at 6 p.m. when it will take on the No.1/3 Washington Huskies in the first session of the Easton SEC/ Pac-10/Big 12 Challenge.

UCLA slipped to second place Tiffany Welcher captured SEC with 657 points and 13 first- Women’s Tennis Player of the in brief place points. USC garnered 620 Week honors for her perforpoints at No. 3 with Oklahoma mance against TCU on Feb. 28. State and Virginia getting 522 This is her first weekly recogWomenʼs golf points each. nition of the season. Alabama earned 508 points at “I’m thrilled that Tiffany was ranked fifth and No. 6 followed by Auburn (466) recognized as the SEC Player sixth in in seventh, Duke (457) at No. 8, of the Week,” head coach Wake Forest (436) at No. 9 and Jenny Mainz said. “She had a latest polls Georgia (430) 10th. significant win over TCU to put Alabama Sophomore Camilla the Crimson Tide in a position The Alabama women’s golf Lennarth led the team in scor- to earn the upset. Tiffany has team is ranked fifth in the latest ing during the fall with a 7.08 continued to elevate her game Golfweek/Sagarin Performance stroke average. Senior Kathleen each week and has been playIndex and sixth in the first Golf Ekey and newcomer Brooke ing quality tennis. She’s been World/NGCA Coaches’ Poll of Pancake each had two top 10 competing well.” finishes, tied for the team lead. Last week, Welcher picked the spring. Alabama opens up the spring up Alabama’s second point of Head coach Mic Potter’s Crimson Tide have been a season at the UCF Challenge in the match tying it with thenmainstay in the top 10 through- Sorrento, Fla. The tournament No. 21 TCU 2-2 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over 85th-ranked Macall out the season, earning top is slated to run March 8-10. Harkins. With the victory, five finishes in four of their extended her singles five tournaments. UA’s top finWelcher earns SEC Welcher win streak to three and helped ish came at the Cougar Classic Player of the Week the Tide to its best start in prowhere the Tide finished secgram history at 8-0. ond with a 1-under-par 863, the honors “Tiffany just made it incredsecond-lowest 54-hole score in ibly difficult for McCall to earn school history. A l ab a m a s o p h o m o r e points,” added Mainz. “I believe Arizona State, UCLA and Southern California were the consensus top three in both the Golfweek and the Golf World polls. The Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index ranks Virginia fourth with the Tide Cobb Theatres is NOW HIRING! fifth followed by Oklahoma Perfect part-time job for students. State at No. 6. The coaches’ poll We offer: Competitive Wages, Flexible Work Schedule, Free has Virginia and OSU tied for Movie Privileges, Snack Stand Discounts, Etc. Please apply fourth with Alabama sixth. Monday thru Thursday after 1pm. ASU received 659 points Call for Showtimes and 13 first-place votes to take over the top spot in the Golf World/NGCA Coaches’ Poll.

Tiffany’s best tennis is in front of her, and she’s on track for a promising season.” Alabama returns to the court Friday, March 6 when it opens SEC play against Arkansas at 3 p.m. All action takes place at the UA Tennis Stadium.

LOS ANGELES | The winter of discontent in Mannywood is over. Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers officially agreed Wednesday on a $45 million, two-year contract that keeps him with the NL West champions. The slugger can void the second season of the deal and again become a free agent. The stalemate was broken during a 6 a.m. meeting that brought the sides face-to-face at owner Frank McCourt’s Malibu home. The gathering came after weeks of protracted negotiations

WIN

Continued from page 1

push the Alabama lead to 3-0. “I think we came out, got up three [to] nothing and thought that might be enough and just coasted for a little bit and in the fifth inning realized we need to score some more. So we came out and put a few runs together,” associate head coach Alyson Habetz said. In the top of the second inning, the Blazers made some noise of their own when freshman Mandy Lowman hit a linedrive solo homerun that barely

SPORTS

Now, we focus our complete and undivided attention on our primary goal, winning a world championship.” The left fielder was believed to be seeking a four- or fiveyear deal that would take him through the end of his career. He turns 37 in May. But Ramirez found it tough going in a recession-plagued free agent market, with the Dodgers the only team to acknowledge pursuing the 12time All-Star.

March

Ramirez helped Los Angeles win the division by hitting .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he batted .520 with four homers, 10 RBIs, nine runs and 11 walks in eight games. “We all wanted the same thing and that’s what was apparent to me,” said Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who left spring training in Arizona with general manager Ned Colletti to attend the Malibu get-together.

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Visual Arts exhibit starts tonight By Kelsey Hendrix Contributing Writer Students, faculty members and people of the community with an interest in the arts can look forward to seeing a wide variety of local work beginning today at the Visual Art Achievement Awards Exhibit at the Bama Theatre’s Junior League Gallery. Presented by the Arts and Humanities Council of Tuscaloosa County, the exhibit will showcase the work of local middle and high school students throughout this month. The Arts Council, which is the umbrella organization for the arts and cultural groups in the

Tuscaloosa County and which manages the Bama Theatre, puts on this exhibit each year as a way to continue promoting and supporting the arts in the area. “The program is a part of the Alabama State Council on the Arts and has a two-fold purpose,” said Kevin Ledgewood, publicist for the Arts Council. “It provides local and state recognition of student achievements in the visual arts and is designed to offer encouragement to young artists through showcasing their work and offering opportunities for advanced training beyond high school.” During the annual spring

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exhibit, artwork from seven categories including all forms of visual media is displayed for the community to come enjoy. The process for choosing the art to be displayed in the exhibit begins early and is competitive for many of the students submitting work. “We begin the process by notifying the local art teachers in our district that the Visual Arts Program is about to begin again,” Ledgewood said. “The teachers then bring their artwork to the Arts Council for judging based on two age group categories and from there, a certain number of pieces are chosen to be brought in for the exhibit.”

For many, the process does not end there, as the pieces in the exhibit are once again judged and the winners from that level go on to the statewide competition in Montgomery at the ASCA Gallery. A select few are also chosen from the statewide level to then have their work go on to an exhibit in Washington. “While the competition side of the program is fun for many of the kids; even without winning, they are getting great encouragement for just being in the exhibit to begin with,” Ledgewood said. This evening marks the beginning of the exhibit as the students, parents and teachers

are honored during a reception at the gallery from 5 to 6:30 p.m. “The reception, which is part of Art Night through the Artrageous Riverfront Arts Tour, is designed to celebrate the work of the students which will be on display for the month,” Ledgewood said. “While it is mainly for family and friends, the public is invited to attend and encouraged to come see the work of the students at some point throughout the month.” The Junior League Gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. and during all Bama Theatre events. The gallery is

located on the second floor of the Bama Theatre. Admission is free. For more information call 205-758-5195.

If you go... What: Visual Art Achievement Awards Exhibit

When: Begins with reception tonight at 5 and continues throughout the month

Where: Bama Theatre’s Junior League Gallery

Wintzell’s comes to Tuscaloosa By Josh Hedrick Contributing Writer Going back home for the weekend or a break is a lot better for students from Mobile than those with landlocked hometowns. They have the beaches, warm weather and a tradition of fresh seafood that many students have never known. Mobile natives can have a taste of home anytime they choose now that Wintzell’s Oyster House has opened its newest restaurant in Northport in the building that was formerly Steamers Restaurant. “I had no idea they were even coming here, but I definitely am excited,” said Mobile resident Zack Jones, a junior majoring in criminal justice. Steamers, Tuscaloosa’s own seafood tradition for 13 years, was purchased in February by The Winston Group, the owners of the Wintzell’s restaurant chain. On March 1, the renovations that transformed Steamers into Wintzell’s were complete. The grand opening

was held the following day. “We’ve had [Steamers] in the family for 13 years,” Heath Wyatt said. “We got to a point when the family wanted out. That’s when the Winston Group approached us about buying it.” Wyatt served as general manager of Steamers and will remain GM of Wintzell’s as well. “It’s a great thing,” Wyatt said. “We see a lot of excitement in the customers, and the staff is excited too. I have 70-year-olds come in and tell me how they used to go to Wintzell’s in Mobile when they were kids.” A complete cosmetic overhaul and menu revamp accompanies the name and ownership change, Wyatt said. Now covering every mountable surface are signs of varying shapes with sayings of wit and wisdom written by the original J. Oliver Wintzell. One such sign offers the witticism, “Do you want to be remembered? Leave a lot of debts.” Students on a budget don’t

need to worry about breaking the bank buying beer and oysters at Wintzell’s, Wyatt said. “One of the biggest changes is going to be the new happy hour,” he said. “I think that is one of the things students will like best and would like to know about the change. It is known in Mobile for its happy hour.” Happy hour discounts include half-off oysters, $1 draft beer, $2 well drinks and half-price wine. Happy hour at Wintzell’s runs Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. “Of all the changes, our menu hasn’t really changed all that much,” Wyatt said. “One of the main things will be the oysters. They’re known for their oyster.” Oysters are served according to the restaurant’s longtime slogan, “Fried, Stewed or Nude.” “If you like traditional Southern seafood, it should be right up your alley,” Jones said. “It’s really good and usually really fresh.” The store also has a new

outside deck in the works, which will be completed soon, Wyatt said. Founder J. Oliver Wintzell started a competition at his restaurant to weed out the oyster lightweights and test the abilities of the folks who fancied themselves champion oyster eaters. To claim the prize, contestants have one hour to eat more oysters than the current record holder has eaten. The number has risen steadily over the past several decades, now standing at 403 oysters for the men’s division, set in 2003 by “Big Joe” Evans. The standing women’s champ record is 215 oysters, set in 1997 by Beth Larrimore. If someone is able to set a new record in the one-hour time limit, they are awarded a $25 check, their oysters eaten in the attempt are free, and their name will be immortalized on a champions display in each of the eight Wintzell’s locations. Wintzell’s is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

The Crimson White

LIFESTYLES

Thursday, March 5, 2009

COLUMN | UNDERGROUND CINEMA

‘Stalker’ bleak but beautifully shot Matthew H. Glasscock Contributing Writer

Damn, the Russians are a stoic and bleak breed of people. Now, don’t misinterpret me here. I am not making broad generalizations or revealing any xenophobic bigotry, I’m just saying that based on their cinematic output alone, they could really use some cheering up. The Russians seem to almost anticipate a lifetime of misery and despair. This is evident in their preoccupation with human suffering in most of the quality films to leave those frigid shores. I can honestly say I have never seen a Russian romantic comedy or a Soviet buddy-cop-action-film, and I really don’t ever expect to. There is nothing wrong with being cognizant of the futility of life or of recognizing how truly insignificant one actually is in the grand scope of the universe, but it would be nice to see them smile every now and again. “Stalker” is steeped in human suffering and its plodding, almost hypnotic pace accents this theme rather well. Yes, the script is permeated with existential musings and rhetoric, and the film does require something of an investment to watch (clocking in at about 2 hours and 45 minutes). However, it really doesn’t seem

that long. The film’s director Andrei Tarkovsky mixes enough artsy compositions into the film to distract the viewer from the Director: Andrei Tarfact that not much is happening kovsky other than people walking, sitting or talking. Original Release: From what I could gather 1979 from the film, the plot goes something like this; a meteorite has crashed into Earth, or more specifically, Communist mented extremely LONG takes, Russia. An investigation into the very subtle and deliberate camcrash-site reveals not a meteorera movements and the directoite, but instead a strange area rial choice that really stood out around the site simply dubbed for me was the sheer lack of any The Zone. At its innermost core, music. It was very interesting there is a room humans may how the tension was actually enter and have their deepest heightened by the long, silent desires fulfilled. Think of it like moments of the film. There is no a giant Aladdin’s lamp you can musical score to set the mood. walk into and by concentrating The musical vacuum works on hard enough, you will have your an entirely new and experimenwish granted. tal level. In order to get to The Zone, The real genius of Tarkovsky one must recruit a Stalker. The lies with his ability to work with Stalkers are an elite group of only what he has available to guides that assist visitors to him, no matter how minimal. The Zone by safely shepherding The lion’s share of the film them to the site, for a nominal is shot on location at derelict fee of course. buildings, flooded bunkers and The film’s main narrative is industrial graveyards. He takes a depiction of one of these treks. www.ucalgary.ca these preexisting locales and The Stalker has two new clients, brilliantly adapts them to his Writer and Professor, and he helps them traverse the dan- do some serious soul searching Tarkovsky has vehemently script. I understand most Soviet gerous and perilous path to the along the way and they walk and rejected the traditional use of directors had nothing but a shoeheart of The Zone. This journey talk, a lot. montage, and has instead imple- string budget to work with, but affords all three men the time to Tarkovsky manages to squeeze

FAST FACTS

Benicio del Toro meets Chavez The Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela — Socialist President Hugo Chavez met with a 21st-century incarnation of one of the world’s biggest revolutionary icons Wednesday: actor Benicio del Toro, who stars in the new film chronicling the life of Ernesto “Che” Guevara. Del Toro met with Chavez during a visit in which he also was mobbed by adoring fans and attended a screening of

Steven Soderbergh’s two-part, and a half hour film biography “Che.” The Puerto Rican-born, Oscar-winning actor said he sought the lead role in “Che” because he wanted to be part of a “totally Latin American” movie. Del Toro did not speak in detail about his meeting with Chavez, but said he had “a good time with the president.” “He’s nice,” the actor told journalists following the

encounter at the presidential palace. After his arrival on Tuesday, Del Toro attended the screening of the film at a bull-fighting ring-turned cultural center. Young women mobbed the 42-year-old actor when he entered, some of them pushing past bodyguards to give him a hug or kiss on the cheek. He also visited the staterun Cinema Town, a film production facility that Chavez inaugurated in 2006 with $13 million in government

funding. It was launched to help Venezuela produce its own films as an alternative to what Chavez calls Hollywood’s “cultural imperialism.” Chavez has hosted visits by various Hollywood stars including Sean Penn, Danny Glover and Kevin Spacey. Del Toro visited Venezuela along with Mexican actor Demian Bichir, who plays Fidel Castro in the film. “Che” chronicles the life of Guevara, an Argentine doctor who became a hero of the Cuban revolution and a global icon.

an abundant amount of usable footage from basically nothing. The film doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and as I mentioned before, nothing really happens. The Stalker is constantly alluding to all of the dangers and deadly traps that lie ahead of them, but seriously, nothing ever happens. Aside from that, the film is beautifully shot and Tarkovsky’s manipulation of color in the film is quite artistic. Sure, the film is awfully esoteric with its message, but it sure was pretty to look at.

10 Thursday, March 5, 2009

OPERA Continued from page 12

tragically announces “No more Rice Krispies!” Seay said. “This is one of the first arias I ever heard, one that I never thought that I was going to be able to sing,” he said. “Now it’s the aria that I use in all of my auditions because it fits like a glove and it’s a lot of fun.” He has studied the aria off and on for nearly four years, never feeling quite comfortable enough to be willing to perform it, or the role that encompasses it, until recently. “It’s a very heavy, dramatic role, and the singing requires a lot of energy and a full-bodied approach to sound,” Seay said. “Singers should never approach a role until they feel completely ready both in technique and in maturity as a person.” An important aspect of technique for “Pagliacci” is learning how to sing in a foreign language, as Perry Harper, one of three actors who play Silvio, learned firsthand. “I’ve studied the presentation of speaking languages, all of the diction, but actually putting it to use as a production language is completely different,” said Harper, a senior majoring in music

therapy. “You have to understand, react, comprehend what’s going on with the language so that you can act in character.” Enter an Italian vocal coach, brought in by Houghtaling. The vocal coach translated every word into English with the actors and tweaked their pronunciation with the smallest nuances to make it seem more realistic. “Because this was my first foreign language opera, it was definitely tedious to learn the language itself,” Harper said. “We wanted to make it sound like the native tongue, like actual Italianspeaking people as opposed to English people attempting to speak Italian. Each character portrays this all-too-real sense of liveliness and romanticism, providing depth and a definite human element to both operas. “The characters are human beings at every possible turn, not superheroes,” Houghtaling said. “It’s because of those frailties and vulnerabilities and passions that the composers have drawn music that is so gorgeous and richly expressive, to express the humanity of these characters and their lives.”

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The role challenges Bryant in that she is on stage for an unbroken 30 minutes, during which she sings an aria and three duets without a break for water or to regain energy. She described Nedda as a real person with actual feelings, as opposed to many of the onedimensional comic characters she has played. “Opera is over the top, so it’s interesting to try to find a balance between being honest as a human being and still communicating dramatically to the audience,” Bryant said. James Seay, a doctoral student in musical arts, plays the role of Canio, who he described as the clown or comedian of the work. He performs an aria called “Vesti la giubba,” which is the only of the composer’s arias that has received any acclaim. It remains a standard for wellknown tenors to sing and record this aria, which has been featured on an episode of “Seinfeld,” quoted in movies and provided the music for a commercial that

LIFESTYLES

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Lakeside Dining music series

continues tonight Lifestyles Reporter Tyler Deierhoi The next installment of the Lakeside Music Series will begin at 6:00 p.m. in Lakeside Dining Hall on Thursday night. The event will feature the music of “Southpaw Bandits” and “The Grenadines.” The series will be held in the upstairs of the dining hall and will be free of charge. The series started out as Fountain Music and was held in the Ferguson Center Plaza. Eventually, technical issues, such as a search for a better acoustical environment, encouraged a change in location. Discussion between the Creative Campus Initiative and Bama Dining led to the move to Lakeside Dining Hall. Creative Campus intern Paul Hanninen, a senior majoring in English, is now in charge of the series. One of the main focuses of the series is to give students a chance to hang out, grab a bite to eat and listen to music. “There aren’t a lot of venues in town that aren’t bars,” said Hanninen. “We’re trying to have a situation where students who are underage or don’t like going to bars can go out and hear good music in a comfortable setting.” Another main focus of the series is to showcase local and regional bands and then offer opportunities to play at a less traditional venue. It also gives bands a chance to play alongside other groups. “One of the goals this year is pairing up locals with artists from out of town and trying to give them that kind of exposure,” Hanninen said. The two bands chosen represent a local and regional sampling. The regional band playing Thursday evening is “The Grenadines.” The Birmingham band has a psychedelic indierock sound and has become well known in the state of Alabama. The group will soon be recording their first full-length album. Theopeninggroup,“Southpaw Bandits,” is a Tuscaloosa band with a blues, rock, country and garage sound. The band is primarily comprised of University

of Alabama students and features Ben Joseph, Sam Zeanah, Chase Childress and Matt Wurtele. The “Bandits” will soon be recording their first EP. “It’s going to be a great show,” Hanninen said. “‘The Grenadines’ are exceptional and this is a wonderful opportunity to see them for free. ‘Southpaw Bandits’ seem to be a pretty promising band as well.” Hanninen said he hopes the event will become a steppingstone in the growth and expansion of the series, eventually becoming a part of campus life. “I hope it’s not just a random thing, but a constant addition to campus,” he said. “I think it’s

important to have these opportunities on campus for students and give them a place where they can just listen to music and hang out.”

FAST FACTS What: “The Grenadines” and “Southpaw Bandits” When: Tonight at 6 p.m.

Where: Lakeside Dining Hall

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the

Scene

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Ryan Mazer • Lifestyles Editor

ryan.mazer@cw.ua.edu

Flicks to catch COBB HOLLYWOOD 16 •“Confessions of a Shopaholic” (PG) •“Coraline” (PG) • “Fired Up” (PG-13) • “Friday the 13th” (2009) (R) • “He’s Just Not That Into You” (PG-13) •“The International” (R) • “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience” (G) •“My Bloody Valentine” (R) • “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” (PG) • “The Reader” (R) • “Slumdog Millionaire” (R) • “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li” (PG13) • “Taken” (PG-13) •“Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail” (PG-13) • “Watchmen” (R) • “The Wrestler” (R)

Nightlife THURSDAY • Mellow Mushroom — Baak Gwai • Egan’s — Blacksmithz

FRIDAY • Egan’s — Losers Beat Winners • Mellow Mushroom — Bloodkin

SATURDAY • Mellow Mushroom — The Hypsys • Egan’s — Druid City Rockers, Adam and The Pinx • Little Willie’s —Randall Bramblett • Jupiter Bar & Grill — The Ray Brothers

By Kelsey Stein Senior Lifestyles Reporter “Opera is cool. Opera is cool. Please quote me, opera is cool!” said Paul Houghtaling, speaking directly into the voice recorder to further emphasize his point. Houghtaling, a professor in the UA School of Music, is the director of this weekend’s Opera Theatre production. The performance includes Giacomo Puccini’s “Sister Angelica” and Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci.” The performances will take place Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Choral-Opera Room at the Moody School of Music. Tickets cost $15 for general admission adults, $10 for seniors and faculty members and $5 for students. Houghtaling described the two works as compelling,

tragic stories about human relationships and drama that both involve death and human emotion in every form—rage, bitterness, jealousy, passion and compassion. “Opera is simply storytelling which happens to be sung with the background of glorious music,” he said. “Opera is just like MTV, but the music is a little different. There’s something to watch and something to hear, but most importantly it’s about the drama.” A “glorious excess of women” in the program prompted the decision to perform “Sister Angelica,” which features an entirely female CW | Norman Huynh cast, Houghtaling said. Leslie Procter, a sophomore majoring in vocal performance, He double-cast and even performs as a chorus member in “Pagliacci.” triple-cast many roles, including the role of Sister Angelica. Ashley Robinson, a student student studying vocal perfor- lump in your throat.” While “Sister Angelica” pursuing a master’s degree mance, will both play the part. Having multiple people cast will be performed in English, in vocal performance, and Kimberly Lavender, a doctoral for certain parts gives more “Pagliacci” will be in the tradistudents the opportunity to be tional Italian with accompanyon stage and showcase their ing supertitles. “I’m doing ‘Sister Angelica’ talent. Some of the roles can be difficult to sing for three con- in English precisely because secutive nights, Houghtaling the cast is made up of mostly undergraduates,” Houghtaling said. “Sister Angelica” takes said. “The language would place in a 17th century Italian become an obstacle for them convent, where the title char- when the important thing is acter has lived for seven years, the stagecraft, the characterseparated from her wealthy, ization and their ability to be comfortable in their developnoble family. “The character of Sister ing talents.” “Pagliacci” falls into the Angelica is just really lost,” Robinson said. “She’s sent genre of verismo opera, a late to a convent because she got 19th century, Italian-based theknocked up and disgraced atrical style. It requires heavyher family, and now she has duty singing and a certain no idea what’s going on in the power to the voice, he said. “As an educator, as an outside world.” One of Robinson’s biggest opera director at a university, challenges has been separat- I choose repertoire that is ing herself from the tragic going to teach and challenge, yet also not go beyond the stucharacter she plays. “At one of the rehearsals I dents’ abilities,” he said. “It’s started crying on the stage,” demanding, but we have the she said. “You have to think voices and the training to do about the story enough to play it.” He seized the opportunity to the part, but not too much. You’re singing high Cs, and present “Pagliacci” with a cast you can’t do that with a big of mostly graduate students, who are comfortable singing in Italian. The storyline of “Pagliacci” follows a traveling commedia troupe to a small village to What: Opera Theatre perform. It focuses on Nedda, production of Giacomo a gypsy girl who is married Puccini’s “Sister Angelica” to Canio, pursued by Tonio and committing adultery with and Ruggiero LeoncavalSilvio. lo’s “Pagliacci.” “After being held captive by this man who loves her When: Friday and Sat[Canio], Nedda comes to this urday at 7:30 p.m. and town and finds someone who Sunday at 3 p.m. truly loves her,” said Jennifer Bryant, a doctoral student in Where: Choral-Opera musical arts who plays Nedda. Room at the Moody Music “She tastes freedom and then Building doesn’t want to go back to the life she had before.”

FAST FACTS

CW | Norman Huynh James Seay, a graduate student in vocal performance, performs as Canio in the opera “Pagliacci.”

Rooftop Grand Re-Opening

Cost: $15 for general

admission adults, $10 for seniors and faculty members and $5 for students

See OPERA, page 10

Open for viewing on Saturdays!!

11:00- Monday, March 2nd Thru Friday, March 13th

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