The Daily Gamecock 1/12/10 by Garnet Media Group

dailygamecock.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

VOL. 103, NO. 68 ● SINCE 1908

Graﬃti attacks black candidates

Tuesday 47°

24°

Wednesday 51°

27°

Columbia City Hall vandalized during winter break

Thursday 30°

56°

Jonathan Battaglia

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Winter Break Recap T he me n’s basketball team goes 4-3 in seven games but loses two key players.

See page 14 Josh Dawsey / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Student Body Treasurer Ebbie Yazdani looks ahead as he walks across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The bridge was the site of the “Bloody Sunday” protest, where 50 activists were hurt by state troopers.

Sleepy Selma awakens students to injustices Top 10 Books of 2009 “ T h e L o s t S y m b o l ,” “The Age of Wonder” and “Have a Little Faith” among the best pageturners of 2009. Check out the top 10 on Page 10.

See page 10

Stop living in the past Students need to forget high school glories and focus on their future at Carolina

See page 9

Mix

Dan Solley Fourth-year pre-law student

(803) 777-3914 (803) 777-7726 (803) 777-7182 (803) 576-6172

Horrors of slavery come to life in tour guide’s violent reinaction

CITY ● 5

Josh Dawsey

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

— Eds: Note Content — SELMA, Ala. — Before all the passengers were even off the tour bus, tour guide Afreyi Wekandodis was in the street screaming. “You niggers get on the wall, you’re already 15 minutes late,” she yelled. “And, it’s raining. I don’t wanna deal with you people.” Shock washed over the faces of 27 USC students. This isn’t what they signed up for. “Spread your legs, spread your legs out on the wall,” Wekandodis yelled, before telling students how many could enter the building at a time. “Keep your heads down, and you niggers better not miscount. You miscount, someone dies. You’ll cost someone their life.” The students were expecting another museum visit complete with plaques and exhibits, with a narrated tour. Instead, for the next 45 minutes, they experienced several facets of a slave’s life, complete with racial epithets and horror stories. “I was told ahead of time what to expect, but I decided to not tell the group so I could see their reactions,” said Rodrick Moore, the trip’s director. “This was excellent. She did such a wonderful job.” After a peaceful, reflective day of touring in Montgomery, day two of the civil rights tour

Josh Dawsey / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The second day of the civil rights tour took 27 students to three museums in Selma, Ala. turned intense quickly in Selma, Ala. The students saw a re-enactment of slaves ripped away from their children, slaves killed when caught escaping and slaves on the deadly Middle Passage from Africa. And on a day with light snow in Selma, the 27 students crawled through tunnels, stood in freezing, dark dungeons and saw nooses used for lynchings in the 1800s. Wekandodis also

Sara Hartley

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Te l l u s y o u r m o s t embarrassing, awk ward and hilarious stories in 100 words or fewer and you might see it in The Daily Gamecock.

Online @

www.DailyGamecock.com

SELMA ● 4

Josh Dawsey/ THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Columbia City Hall was the site of racist graffiti Dec. 30. Police are searching for suspects

Financial literacy counts in new program New USC resource hopes to teach students to manage money, pay bills on time, budget, use credit cards responsibly

Winter Break Stories

Mayora l ca nd idates a nd cit y cou ncil members were quick to respond to racist graffiti found on the side of Columbia City Hall over Winter Break. The graff iti, which was found by cit y officials early Dec. 30, featured the words “No n----r mayor die” in 18-inch red spray paint, according to The State newspaper. Attorney Steve Benjamin and retired Army Col. Gary Myers, who are both black, are among five candidates running in the April 6 election. If either man is elected, he will become the first black mayor of Columbia. In a statement released later that day, Benjamin said he was “disgusted” by the vandalism. “This incident was clearly designed to frighten and intimidate but it has had the opposite result,” said Benjamin, a 1991 USC alum and former student body president. “This is exactly why we need a new leader who can unify all of us behind a new vision for Columbia, and I am now more than ever dedicated to that cause.” Benjamin, who set a city council record by raising $102,475 in his fi rst full fundraising quarter, said he hopes the graffiti doesn’t steer the political debate away from the issues. “We’ve got to be focused on creating jobs,” Benjamin said. “Anything that draws away our attention from real priorities in the city is unfortunate.” In a news conference held Dec. 30, 2009, current mayor Bob Coble called the vandalism an “unfortunate and isolated incident.” “This is not what Columbia stands for,” Coble said. “We are a city of the new South, a diverse city that embraces everyone in our

Budget rest rict ions are keeping USC f rom i mplement i ng a comprehensive f inancial education center, but the new Fi na nc ia l Liter ac y E d u c at i o n P r o g r a m i s another resource now on campus for students. Two years ago, USC’s Retent ion Com m it tee recom mended t he f u l lsca le center on ca mpu s to help st udents become fi nancially literate. Budget

problems prevented t he development of this idea, but Susan Weir, director of t he St udent Succe s s Center, said the need for a resource still remained. So when u n iversit y ad m i n ist rators met last su m mer to disc uss a n a f f ord able , s m a l l- s c a le solution to this problem, t he Fi n a nc i a l L it er ac y Educat ion prog ram was designed. “The program provides

financial information for students that is centralized, up-to-date and accurate,” s a i d E r i c Fr i e d m a n , a graduate assistant who is the program’s coordinator. The goal of this program is to help students improve t hei r f i na ncia l l iterac y, d e f i ne d b y We i r a s “a work i ng u nder st a nd i ng of f i n a nc i a l pr i nc iple s a nd be st pr ac t ice s t hat enable all people to become fiscally responsible citizens.” “Skills such as budgeting, debt management, re sp on sible c red it c a rd use and related topics are important for students to have,” Weir said. “Students who do not manage their money wel l a re at h igh risk for dropping out of

college.” Working with Friedman is Beth Scull, an adjunct f ac u lt y memb er i n t he Moore School of Business who serves as the program’s subject matter expert and consultant. In a presentation created for the Division of Student Affairs last October, Scull said that only 59 percent of young adults ages 1829 pay bills on time every month. She also identified a lack of parental guidance i n st udent s’ f i na nc ia l affairs. Housed and funded by the Student Success Center, the program started in Fall 2009 and offers financial advice for both st udents and parents. One of t he resources already available

to st udent s a nd t hei r families is the program’s Web site, wh ich ca n be found at http://www.sa.sc. edu/ssc/flp. “The Web site covers m a n y t o p ic s i n c lu d i n g budgeting, taxes, credit, identity protection, student loans, insurance and more f rom gover n ment a nd not-for-prof it sou rces,” Friedman said. To continue expanding t he prog ra m, Fr ied ma n said they plan to instill a process to t rain st udent mentors this semester. “Ideally starting in the fall of 2010, this program would allow st udents to meet with a peer mentor one-on-one or over t he MONEY ● 5

TWO

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

CALENDAR What: MLK Proj-

ects When: 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Where: Greene Street What: Graduate Stu-

dent Association When: 5:30 p.m. Where: Health Sci-

ences 114 What: National Stu-

dent Exchange Info Session When: 5:30 p.m. Where: Russell House 205 What: RHA Senate When: 7 p.m. Where: Sumwalt 305 What: Hillel Weekly

Meeting When: 7:30 p.m. Where: RH 303 What: Garnet and

Black Interest Meeting When: 8 p.m. Where: RH 304

SPORTS SCHEDULE MEN’S BASKETBALL Wednesday vs. LSU Colonial Life Arena 8 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday vs. Kentucky Colonial Life Arena 7 p.m.

TRACK Friday Virginia Tech Hokie Invitational Blacksburg, Va. 7:30 p.m.

LOCAL & WORLD NEWS LOCAL

House plans Sanford rebuke A rebuke of Gov. Mark Sanford is expected to come up in the House Tuesday, as legislators return eager to close that chapter and begin work on mending a massive hole in the state budget. House members expect to quickly deal with a censure of Sanford, who disappeared in June to Argentina and returned to admit having an affair with an Argentine woman. A House resolution castigates Sanford for “dereliction in his duties of office, for official misconduct in office and for abuses of power while in office that have brought ridicule and dishonor to himself, the state of South Carolina and its citizens.” House members don’t want the rebuke to delay efforts to deal with $563 million in budget cuts expected to hit schools, colleges and social service programs the hardest. But the censure resolution is going to stall in the Senate, where a single objection of a senator means the effort can be sidelined. Sen. Jake Knotts said Monday legislators need to take more time looking at what Sanford has done. Passing a censure resolution may close the door to dealing with possible charges from the State Ethics Commission, as well as details first lady Jenny Sanford reveals in a memoir to be published next month.

NATIONAL

Palin to star on Fox News ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, will return to her broadcast roots and take her conservative message to Fox News as a regular commentator, the cable channel announced Monday. “I am thrilled to be joining the great talent and management team at Fox News,” Palin said in a statement posted on the network’s Web site. “It’s wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news.” Fox said that according to the multiyear deal, Palin will offer political commentary and analysis on the cable channel, as well as Fox’s Web site, radio network and business cable channel. She also will host occasional episodes of Fox News’ “Real American Stories,” a series debuting this year that the network said will feature true inspirational stories about Americans who have overcome adversity. “Governor Palin has captivated everyone on both sides of the political spectrum, and we are excited to add her dynamic voice to the FOX News lineup,” executive vice president of programming Bill Shine said in a statement. Palin, 45, is hugely popular with conservatives and has more than 1.1 million Facebook followers.

INTERNATIONAL

China says technology works

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PIC OF THE DAY

BEIJING — China announced t hat its militar y intercepted a missile in mid-flight Monday in a test of new technology that comes amid heightened tensions over Taiwan and increased willingness by the Asian giant to show off its advanced military capabilities. The official Xinhua News Agency reported late Monday t hat “grou nd-based midcourse missile interception technology” was tested within Chinese territory. Monday’s report follows repeated complaints in recent days by Beijing over the sale by the U.S. of weaponry to Taiwan, including PAC-3 air defense missiles. These sales are driven by threats from China to use force to bring the island under its control, backed up by an estimated 1,300 Chinese ballistic missiles positioned along the Taiwan Strait. Communist-ruled China regards Taiwan as part of its territory. Beijing has warned of a disruption in ties with Washington if the sale goes ahead, but has not said what specific actions it would take.

— The Associated Press

Dustin Glenndinning / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

A group of friends sit together to watch USC in the Papajohns.com Bowl against the University of Connecticut. USC lost the game 20-7.

WEIRD HEADLINES Hundreds strip for ‘no pants’ donors, and it’s good for the participating businesses as well. subway stunt NEW YORK - Hundreds of New Yorkers rode the city’s subway trains in their underwear on Sunday. They stripped down to their undies for t he nint h annual No Pants Subway Ride. The idea is to act like nothing unusual is going on. Participants met up at six locations throughout the city. They formed groups and dispersed to subway stations to catch trains. Once inside the subway cars, they began calmly removing their pants and folding them up. Most people read magazines or chatted with their companions like any other straphangers. The event started in 2002 with just seven people. It has spread to other cities.

Boy 12, robs store with toy gun DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. - A 12-year-old boy was arrested after pointing what turned out to be a toy gun at a convenience store clerk in northern Florida, authorities said. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said that the boy walked into the store Thursday, pointed a wood-barreled, long gun at the clerk and demanded money from the cash register. After handing him an undisclosed amount of money, the clerk told deputies the boy said thank you and left. A deputy later arrested him.

Wash. bloodmobile of fers Funeral home puts head in beer to blood donors bag

TACOMA, Wash. - A Washington state blood center is offering donors a deal: Give a pint of blood, get a pint of beer. Cascade Regional Blood Services in Tacoma says its “Give blood, get beer” promotion has worked so well that it’s being expanded. The News Tribune of Tacoma reported Monday that donors who are at least 21 years old are given a coupon for a free pint of beer. Participating pubs and restaurants must wait at least four hours after the blood drive ends before donors can collect their free pint. Cascade’s director of donor resources, Dan Schmitt, says it’s a fun way to get more

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - Members of a fam ily are su ing a f u neral home, claiming their mother’s brain was sent home in a bag of personal effects given to them after her death. The lawsu it f iled on behalf of fou r family members in state District Court in Albuquerque says the discovery was made the day after interment, when relatives smelled a foul odor coming from a bag they received from DeVargas Funeral Home and Crematory of the Espanola Valley.

TODAY IN HISTORY 1876: Jack London, the illegitimate son of an astrologer father and a spiritualist mother, is born in San Francisco.

1879: The British-Zulu War begins as British troops under Lieutenant General Frederic Augustus invade Zululand from the southern African republic of Natal.

1900: The Detroit Automobile Company finishes its first commercial vehicle, a delivery wagon.

1919: The day after British Prime Minister David Lloyd George’s arrival in Paris, he meets with representatives from the other Big Four nations— Prime Ministers Georges Clemenceau of France and Vittorio Orlando of Italy and President Woodrow Wilson of the United States— at the French Foreign Ministry on the Quai d’Orsay, for the first of what will be more than 100 meetings.

1932: Ophelia Wyatt Caraway, a Democrat from Arkansas, becomes the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate. Caraway, born near Bakerville, Tennessee, had been appointed to the Senate two months earlier to fill the vacancy left by her late husband, Thaddeus Horatio Caraway.

1954: In a speech at a Council on Foreign Relations dinner in his honor, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles announces that the United States will protect its allies through the “deterrent of massive retaliatory power.”

1969: In the most celebrated performance of his prolific career, quarterback Joe Namath leads the New York Jets to a stunning 16-7 victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, held in Miami, Florida.

1984: An international panel overseeing the restoration of the Great Pyramids in Egypt overcomes years of frustration when it abandons modern construction techniques in favor of the method employed by the ancient Egyptians.

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 4 SELMA ● Continued from 1 used mental tricks to turn the students against one another. “One little, two little, three little niggers,” she chanted gleefully to the huddled, freezing group as she menacingly strode past them. About every five students, she’d tap one. The tapped students were the ones she’d trust. And they would decide who lived and died. They made t heir decisions, s i mu l at i n g t he de at h s of t he i r classmates. And then, using a technique made famous by notorious slave master Willie Lynch in the 18th century, she blasted them, too. “Now I don’t t r ust any of you niggers,” she said. “You turned against your own people. How could I ever trust you?” Then, when her intense, hands-on tour was over, Wekandodis looked each group member in the eye as if to remind them their freedom was bought by their ancestors. She told t hem she k new t hey’d be offended when the n-word was screamed so violently at them. She’s been giving the tour for five years, and she has seen people run out of the museum and hide on tour busses. And then she opened the floor up to members of the group. “I switched over to survivor mode in there,” said Myra Wearing-Cochran, a graduate student. “I could hear your feet moving all over the place.” Thomas Tucker, a third-year athletic training student , said he felt for the mother wailing and slapping the floor after losing her child. “I could see my mom doing that, as much as she cares for me,” Tucker said. He continued by saying he’s going to stop using the n-word. So did fourthyear management student Qutevia Weaver and many others in the group. Using the n-word is one of the worst things that blacks can do to themselves because it makes others believe the word is acceptable, and it takes away the vitriolic hate the word symbolizes, Wekandodis said. The visit to the museum was the most emotional part of the day for the group, but it was sandwiched between visits to two other museums. Before leaving Montgomery Thursday morning, the group took in Troy University’s exhibit to honor Rosa Parks. The museum is an interactive walkthrough that tells the story of her life and clarifies many misconceptions about her. Usi ng ma ny h istor ic doc u ment s, it show s how her courageous stand on a Montgomery bus sparked the entire Civil Rights movement. “You felt like you were on the bus with her,” said Monica Ragin, a secondyear biology graduate student. To get to the last stop of the day, the National Voting Rights Museum, the group chose to walk over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the freezing rain. The bridge became known as an important icon in the Civil Rights movement, as it was the site of the Bloody Sunday Massacre. Angered over the murder of civil

JOURNALIST’S NOTEBOOK

Debate escalates as election nears Students choose candidates in race for state’s top office Taylor Cheney

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Selma is a small, sleepy town in Alabama. Unlike Montgomery or Birmingham, there are no major tourism attractions here. It sits on a quaint river. It feels dead. The biggest attraction the town has to offer is its vitriolic past. Tour groups from across the country and world visit the town, stopping to see the Slavery and Civil Rights Museum on one side of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Then, in flocks, they cross the bridge and stop for a memorial and a museum on the other side. They typically don’t spend the night in the town, though, as there aren’t many hotels. Many of the businesses are shut down for good. There aren’t any major economic drivers. Neither of the museums in Selma are world-class or high-tech. They consist of artifacts, black-and-white pictures, newspaper clippings and old, worn buildings that could stand a revamping. But at least to me, Selma was the best stop of the tour. The little town was a bastion of protest in the 1960s, as citizens congregated to stand up for their rights. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledged their efforts by moving his headquarters to the town. It was the place for the showdown, the place to see whether or not vicious, white segregationists could continue in protecting the “Southern way of life.” The citizens of the town weren’t necessarily the best-trained in the ways of fighting against injustice. But their passion for the cause and inequality was as strong as it was anywhere in the Deep South. The lack of high rises and industry make it a special place. It’s sad the town no longer has any major business and that most visitors are tourists. But because the town hasn’t really progressed, you can almost feel the fight of the Civil Rights Movement. The Edmund Pettus bridge — site of the Bloody Sunday massacre where dozens of activists were injured while peacefully marching — is considered by many one of the turning points of the Civil Rights Movement — still sits practically unchanged almost five decades later. You can walk across the bridge, and if you wait until there’s no traffic, you can stand in the exact spot where many of the activists were billy clubbed by Alabama state troopers. In its small downtown streets, it’s easy to imagine a small town unwilling to lose its ways, or as it was said often in the era, its customs. — Josh Dawsey, Assistant News Editor

rights activist Jimmy Lee by a state trooper, thousands vowed to march from Selma to Montgomery. They were stopped on the Pettus bridge by Alabama state troopers who used nightsticks and tear gas to thwart the protest. Bloody bodies were left on the bridges, and national news outlets showed footage of the tragedy. The group came back two days later under the auspices of Martin Luther King, Jr., but troopers were there again. The protesters were finally successful two months later after Judge Frank Johnson issued an order to protect the marchers. Selma turned into military rule to protect the marchers, museum tour guide Sam Walker said. Walker would know. He was arrested twice here in Selma as a child for picketing the

courthouse for voting rights. “Selma turned into the heart of the struggle, the headquarters of the entire mission,” Walker said. His museum’s goal is to honor the protestors of the movement who previously didn’t get recognition. Many of their footprints are in the museum, and pictures of the march and its bloody chaos are displayed prominently on the walls. The day’s experiences led Dominique Grate , USC’s NAACP president, to address the group of students. “It’d be a shame if you came here and saw all this and didn’t change your life,” he said. “Tell someone about it, do something about it.” Comments on this story? E-mail sagcknew@mailbox.sc.edu

The start of the school year brings a new semester, a new schedule and in 2010, a new governor. South Carolina will elect its next governor on Nov. 2. As of today, the announced c a nd idate s for t he spot include Republicans Gresham Barrett, A ndre B a u e r, L a r r y G r o o m s , Nik k i Haley and Henr y M c M a s t e r. D e m o c r a t c a nd idate s r u n n i ng a re D w ig ht D r a k e , Rob er t Ford, Mullins McLeod, Jim Rex and Vincent Sheheen. From tak ing sides in the elect ion to just learning more about the candidates, USC students are getting involved. Chelsie Paulson , v icechairman of College Republ ica ns, suppor t s Lieutena nt G over nor Andre Bauer in this year’s election. “One pressing issue that faces our state is the economy,” the third-year publ ic relat ions st udent said. According to the United St ate s Bu reau of Labor Statistics, South Carolina’s unemployment rate is at a record-high 12.7 percent. “College students like me are and should be concerned about t he sk y rocket i ng u n e m p l o y m e n t r a t e s ,” Paulson said. “Bauer wants to ent ice businesses and manufacturing companies to Sout h Carolina by eliminating corporate taxes to companies that adhere to green initiatives, and I believe this is a great way to draw long-term investment to SC and will begin to pull us out of the recession.” Although not a member of a ny p ol it ic a l g roup, f i r s t-y e a r a c c ou nt i n g st udent Daniel A nt hony i s s upp or t i n g A t tor ne y General Henry McMaster. “I admire his plan to rev it a l iz e t he st ate’s economy a s wel l a s t he a d a p t i v e n at u r e o f h i s poi nt s i n response to future changes and shifts

t he st ate a nd t he Sout h are ex periencing at t h is t i me,” he sa id. “ I don’t think students on campus are involved enough in the upcoming election, both South Carolina residents and non-residents alike. Not ma ny people I’ve s p ok e n w it h ab out t he elect ion have even been able to tell me even one candidate’s name.” S a m a n t h a Wa t s o n , a f i r s t-y e a r p ol it ic a l science st udent , said she is uninformed about t he candidates but would like to learn more about their stances. “Probably my bigge st issue is having so many nat ionally-r u n organizat ions,” she said. “I t hink if t hings like education were controlled by the state, it would make things more effective.” Most Democratic c a nd id at e s a re f o c u s e d on pick ing up the pieces f rom Sa n ford’s t i me i n office. Dwight Drake said his priority is to get South Carolina working again. “T he past eight yea rs h a v e b e e n w a s t e d , a nd S out h C a r ol i n a i s now first in unemployment in the South. Mark Sanford made a lot of news when he disappeared this year, but he’s been AWOL on jobs since t he day he took off ice,” Drake said, according to his web site. S e c o n d - y e a r i nter nat iona l st ud ies student and Vice President of Col lege Democrat s Ca rol i ne At wood holds women’s r ight s to b e a major issue but has not yet decided whom she is choosi ng i n November. A t w o o d d o e s , h o w e v e r, admire Jim Rex’s political stance. “He is a ver y educated man and is all about education. Being a student, that really appeals to me,” she sa id. “I t h i n k more t ha n a ny t h i ng what t he University needs, though, is someone who is willing to fight so we can get as much funding as possible from the government.”

Comments on this story? E-m a i l s a g c k n ew @m a i l b ox. sc.edu

Josh Dawsey/ THE DAILY GAMECOCK

The Alabama River connects the town of Selma to the rest of the state. Pictured above is the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Continually voted one of the best salons in Columbia!

$5 off your woman’s haircut $3 off your

men’s haircut David Walters / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

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USC President Harris Pastides and his wife Patricia speak with gubernatorial candidate Vincent Sheheen last month.

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 5 CITY ● Continued from 1 community. This incident is not reflective of our city.” If the culprit is caught, the maximum penalty for va nda l ism wou ld be 30 days in jail or a $500 fine, according to Coble. This is not the fi rst time racial tensions have flared in Columbia. In June 2009, Republican ac t iv ist Ru st y DePa s s likened an escaped gorilla from the Riverbanks Zoo to one of Michelle Obama’s ancestors in a post on his Facebook page. The debate over whether to keep flying the Confederate flag, held by some to be a symbol of hate and racism, outside the State House also remains a hot-button political issue. Todd Shaw, an associate professor of political science a nd A f r ica n-A mer ica n studies , said the graffiti is not a positive sign for race relations in South Carolina. “There are t hose who wa nt to stoke racial fears in order to take us backwards,” Shaw said. “I can understand why there’s some general concern in the public.” Despite the fear caused by the graffiti, Shaw said he believes Columbia, a city in which over 45 percent of the registered voters are black, is ready for a black mayor. “It’s dif f icult to arg ue that an African-American would not be capable of ser ving as a great mayor of Columbia,” Shaw said. “ It ’s ju st a que st ion of whet her we’ve been able to get beyond some of the old barriers of race and create this coalition to elect an A f rican-A merican as mayor.”

Comments on this story? E- m a i l s a g c k n ew @m a i l b ox. sc.edu

MONEY ● Continued from 1 phone t hat would f ac i l it ate a s sist a nce with personal financial matters,” Friedman said. A not her resource to be developed is a n i nterac t ive on l i ne module for classes and groups. Weir said that the online Financial 101 module was purchased l a s t f a l l a nd w i l l b e used with the Personal Finance course as well as for other student groups. So far, Friedman said t he program has been pre sented to f ac u lt y, staff and one University 101 class. The response was posit ive, a nd t he goal is to promote the program more t his spring. “ We h a v e s t a r t e d conducting sur veys to determine how satisfied

st udents are and what topics wou ld be of t he mo s t i nt e r e s t t o s t u d e nt s ,” Fr ie d m a n sa id. “ We encou r age suggest ions and ideas from students and their families.” St udents can c o nt a c t t h e S t u d e nt Success Center on the mezzan ine f loor of Thomas Cooper Library for more information. “We do not currently have a ‘drop in’ location for students interested i n le a r n i n g m o r e o r needing assistance, but lo n g t e r m w e w o u ld like to see that happen,” Weir said.

Comments on this story? E-mail sagcknew@mailbox. sc.edu

10 Daily Financial Tips: 1. Consider e-textbooks or rentals (www. chegg.com is one source). 2. Ask stores if they have student discounts. 3. Keep soda and snacks at home to take to class rather than buying from vending machines. 4. Make your own coffee and take it with you in an insulated cup. 5. Shop with coupons for foods you buy regularly. 6. Order water in restaurants instead of

sodas or tea and save $2 a meal. 7. Ride a bike. You’ll get to sleep later if you don’t have to look for a place to park. 8. Stop smoking. You’ll live longer, save thousands of dollars and smell better, too! 9. Read the fine print on credit card applications, bank accounts and leases. 10. Pay attention to small fees like ATM charges, parking tickets and overdraft charges. They add up over time.

Eric Friedman, (program coordinator)

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New Jersey OKs medical marijuana Bill aims to ease cancer, AIDS patients’ suffering Angela Delli Santi The Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. — The Legislature on Monday approved a bill that would make the state the 14th to allow chron ically i l l pat ient s access to m a r ijua n a for med ica l reasons. D e mo c r at ic G o v. Jo n Corzine supports t he legislation and could sign it before leaving office next week, making it law. The bill allows patients with ailments such as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis to buy up to two ounces of marijuana a month at statemonitored dispensaries. Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, a Pr i nceton Democrat, was a co-sponsor of the bill and pushed for it for years. He said medical m a r iju a n a c a n a l le v i at e suf fer i ng a nd t here’s no evidence it increases overall drug use. “I don’t think we should make criminals out of our very sick and terminally ill,” he said. I nc om i n g R e publ ic a n Gov. Chris Christie, a former

federal prosecutor, said he supported the concept of the bill but remained concerned that a loophole could lead to abuses. A compromise bill was worked out after some other lawmakers expressed similar concerns. For example, a provision allowing patients t o g r ow m a r ij u a n a w a s removed. Driving while high would continue to be against the law. T he ot her st at e s t h at per m it med ic a l u se of ma r iju a na a re A la sk a, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Mont a n a , Ne vad a , New Mex ico, Oregon, R hode I s l a n d , Ve r m o n t a n d Washington. New Jersey’s legislation authorizes the Department of Health to issue to patients with “debilitating medical cond it ion s” reg ist r y I D cards t hat allow t hem to use marijuana. Patients with specified diseases such as cancer and glaucoma must a lso demonst rate severe or chron ic pain, nausea, seizures, muscle spasms or wasting syndrome to qualify. Pat ient s w it h reg ist r y cards would be immune from arrest or prosecution for the medical use of marijuana. Gusciora said the leg islat ion, t it led t he

Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, would be the nation’s strictest such law. L a w m a k e r s s a id t h e y wanted to make sure New Je r s e y d i d n’t d u p l i c at e California’s liberal marijuana laws, which they said border on decriminalization of the drug. “We have learned from the mistakes of other states,” Senate co -sponsor Nick Scutari, a Democrat from Linden, said after the vote. The Senate vote was 2513; the Senate previously approved a less restrictive version. The earlier Assembly vote was 48-14. Advocates and patients, who had waited for hours for the final vote, cheered the outcome. Nancy Fedder, a 62-yearold multiple sclerosis sufferer who lives in Hillsborough, gets around in a scooter and said she has used marijuana for years to reduce pain. “I’m in heaven,” she said after the Senate vote. “It mea ns I a m no longer a criminal in the state of New Jersey.” Roseanne Scotti, director of Dr ug Pol ic y A l l ia nce New Jersey, an organization that says it’s dedicated to making the state a leader in drug policy reform, thanked lawmakers for voting their consciences.

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Public overly obsessed with Hollywood

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief

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Celebrity woes should not dominate news, general interest

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KERI GOFF

University rushed into e-mail change With USC’s previous e-mail system, Outlook Web Access, students came across many problems like having to delete messages one at a time when their inbox reached its limit, or getting cut off when writing a long e-mail then pressing send when the page goes back to the login. The old e-mail system was tedious and annoying when it came to those issues, but the new Microsoft Outlook Live system seems to be more organized. Some fuel for thought, why did the university decide to switch us over right before spring semester and why didn’t they choose Gmail instead? Over winter break, we all got The new e-mail numerous e-mails about the new system and notices to change our system is organized VIP passwords in order to update the new e-mail before the time and efficient, but expired. I am sure many of us scanned over these obnoxious it was thrown on e-mails and went on without giving them much thought. A f t er c h a n g i n g t he V I P students. password, it takes a while to process before one can actually log in. However, some students still can not log in even when they wait for the new password to go through. Also, students are not getting their e-mails from the previous system forwarded to the new one. They are losing e-mails left and right, due to the quick switch right in the midst of the back to school rush. Outlook Live does have perks, though. Even though Gmail is a popular e-mail system, the University chose Outlook Live because it allows people to stay logged in days at a time. Many students receive e-mails on their phones now. This system is compatible with cellular devices and provides instructions on how to set those up. This new e-mail system is very organized and will be great once students get used to it; however, the transition has been rushed and overwhelming. It has caused lots of stress for students who are not receiving their e-mails and for those who can not even log in. Yes, this is something students have been asking for, but next time, USC needs to take things slow so that every student is satisfied.

UNCAGING THE DANIMAL

Students should focus on future Those who wear high school paraphernalia need to move on from past, gear towards what’s ahead They say high school is the best four years of your life. W hoever came up w it h t hat statement must have died hours after the commencement speech was given. Too much occurs after high school that leads to more excitement and opportunity in our lives. However, during my time here, I have noticed that many students have decided to bask in the glory that is high school and simply refuse to mentally graduate. For instance, many fi nd it necessary to wear t heir footba l l let ter ma n jacket s wh i le eat i ng at t he Russel l House. I do not know what they are trying to prove, but the fact that someone was once an all-star quarterback means nothing Dan now t hat he is st u f f i ng Solley Forth-year his face w it h W hoppers pre-law and milk shakes between student classes. Rest assured that his inappropriately worn outerwear may keep him warm during the frigid months, but it will not help him score — those days are over. S ome p e ople wer e a f f orde d t he

opportunity to attend prestigious private schools and are overly proud of that fact. One particular alumnus of such an institution has decided to decorate his vehicle with a bumper sticker depicting the stature of his high school. But, why? His overpriced education has placed him in the exact same boat as me — a student at the University of South Carolina, and I paid nothing for my public school education. I guess the joke is on him. College is not the time to rest upon your laurels. Instead college gives you the opportunity to develop mentally, socially and physically. No potential employee is going to take you seriously if your resume points out accomplishments such as: All-American Lacrosse Player, voted Best Hair, or Student President of PTSA. We should take the little amount of time we have here as Gamecocks and try to advance. This semester, I challenge you to stop reminiscing about the past and see what you can do to become a better student and a better person. The past is the past. It is over. It is time to focus on your future.

Senator’s remarks in book cause controversy ‘Game Change’ highlights politician’s racist comments towards the president Talk about bad timing. Facing a tough reelection race in Nevada, the last thing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needed was a big scandal. So the upcoming publication of the book “Game Change” by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, and the apparently racist remarks made by the senator the book records, are putting Reid in a world of hurt. The authors quote from a private conversation in which Sen. Reid said that Barack Obama could win the presidential election because he was “lightskinned” and had “no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.” Sen. Reid has of course apologized for these remarks, publicly to the American people and privately to the President. In typical politician fashion, however, the apologies seem disconnected to what was actually said. “I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words” said the senator. Poor choice of words? Sen. Reid seems to be saying that what was offensive was not what he

said, but the way he said it. But in reality it is the sentiments he expressed which are the issue. And they’re nasty on more than one level. A frican-A mericans were justifiably proud of the election of Barack Obama. But Sen. Reid suggested t hat precisely what was appealing about Obama was that he is somehow unlike other African-Americans, which is a huge slap in the face to the whole black Richard community. Wood Fourth-year Or if the senator meant not that he history was prejudiced against dark skinned student blacks but that the American people are, then he has accused a huge portion of the electorate of racism. It’s hard to imagine what words the senator could have chosen to make these opinions less noxious. Perhaps he could have credited Obama with not possessing an “African-American dialect.” But then he would have to explain what exactly that is. Does he mean Obama does not have an identifiable accent like a South Carolina accent, or is it the way the Harvard Law graduate projects intelligence when he speaks that is somehow uncharacteristic of an African-American?

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These are not poor choices of words; they’re poor choices of opinions. If he accidentally said a swear word while giving a speech, that would be a poor choice of words. But these statements were made in private. It’s not unfortunate that he said what he said, but that he thought it. Yet Democrats have been eager to defend Sen. Reid. Eric Holder, the first ever African-American Attorney General, has said he does not believe Senator Reid is prejudiced and that he has “done an awful lot in his leadership position to advance the rights of people of color in this country.” That may be true, but it’s not enough. Because you can love someone without respecting them as your equal. To say that Sen. Reid cares about the welfare of African-Americans is fine, but his comments suggest he does not respect them. In an age of black presidents and attorney generals it’s time for politicians to abandon their condescending attitude towards minorities. It’s good that they want to work on behalf of the interests of minorities, and that much should be expected of them. But we can’t have real equality until the best compliment a white senator can give a black senator is something other than “he looks and talks like me!”

I a m get t i ng t i red of hearing about the downfall of celebr it ies such as T i g e r Wo o d s , K a y n e West, Charlie Sheen and Li ndsay L oha n. I don’t understand why there can’t be something new to talk about. Come on, what d r i ve s p e ople t o w at c h these celebrities and obsess over them? Last time I checked, they weren’t curing t he ill or solving world hunger. Is it becau se t hey a re good at their job? W hile they may be good at what t hey do, when it comes to t heir personal drama society wants to see them fall instead of rise. For example, and please don’t get upset for hearing a b o u t T i g e r Wo o d s ’s persona l l ife over a nd over again, Tiger Woods i s k now n t o b e o ne of if not t he best golfer of all time. However, a few week s ago he became known as a stupid cheater. A ll of the women he was having affairs with are now coming out and now he is losing sponsors because of his mistakes. Next Charlie Sheen, from CBS’s show “Two a nd a Half Men,” supposedly tried to kill his wife. I would like to know if he was drunk when he tried to kill his wife, because I t hought he had gotten Trevor he lp f o r h i s Gilchrist First-year drink ing broadcast problem when journalism he went to student rehab. Like I said earlier, I don’t understand why there can’t be something new to talk about. Yes, I am guilty for bringing up the subject of Tiger Woods, but what d r ives u s to cont i nue t o t a l k a b o u t p e o p l e’s personal lives and watch a celebrity fail? We should be discussing something that is really important. We s h o u l d d i s c u s s subject s along t he l i nes of healt h care, t he war, education, poverty or issues that really matter, which we should be trying to fi x. We should not talk about how many women Tiger really slept with, the next celebrit y Kanye is going to take t he m ic f rom to say Beyoncé deserved the award or if Charlie Sheen is going to rehab for beating his wife.

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Offices located on the third floor of the Russell House Editor: gamecockeditor@sc.edu News: sagcknew@mailbox.sc.edu Viewpoints: sagckvew@mailbox.sc.edu The Mix: sagcketc@mailbox.sc.edu Sports: sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 777-7726 Sports: 777-7182 Editor’s Office: 777-3914 Fax: 777-6482 The Daily Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. It is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in The Daily Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina.

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“Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren’t very new at all.” — Abraham Lincoln

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 10

Top 10 Books of 2009 6.

“Await Your Reply” by Dan Chaon Three separate tales resembling classical horror tales include a man searching for his lost twin after years of taunts and an orphan high school girl who runs away with her history teacher. Chaon blends the anguish of running away and recreating yourself withunfortunate, unforeseen outcomes.

Heartfelt stories, mysteries, histories top this year’s reads

Katie Crocker

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

7. “Lords of Finance” by Liaquat Ahamed A longer read and not the book to crack open before going to bed at night.

“Have A Little Faith” by Mitch Albom W hat divides people often brings them close than they ever thought possible. Albom explores this theme through the true stories of a rabbi who, at 83, had lost his faith, and an inner city reformed convict-turned-pastor who tried to keep the faith alive in his run-down church. The stories explore the frailty of human nature, keeping faith in harsh times and understanding that you are a part of something bigger than yourself.

2. “The Scarecrow” by Michael Connelly Print journalism is not the only thing dying in this novel, which follows the adventures of newspaper reporter Jack McEvoy, a veteran crime journalist who fi nds himself out of a job in a few days, stuck training his younger replacement. Following one last lead takes him on a harrowing journey to find a serial killer that has evaded detection by police and the FBI.

3. “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett A novel set in the deep south of Mississippi in 1962 that revolves around three ordinary women who have decided to change their world. Stockett portrays strong characters, each with their own history, and gives them circumstances in which they must choose between doing what is right for themselves or sacrificing their hopes and dreams to keep the boundaries of their small town in place.

The book follows the world’s four most powerful bankers in the 1920s and examines how they became famous and their implications in the Great Depression.

8. “This Where I Leave You” by Jonathan Tropper In this dark comedy about a family and the skeletons in their closet, an outspoken widow and her four grown children are brought together through the passing of their father. Its central character Judd deals with the grief by cracking underhanded comments while observing his screwball family in action.

4. “The Age of Wonder” by Richard Holmes W hen t he roma nt ic age was end i ng, t he sc ient if ic age had only just begun. Unlike the usual approach most poets took to science, the romantics embraced it with an unsurpassed vigor. Holmes takes a new look at the age of science, where groundbreaking discoveries happened every day and eroded old views.

“The Natural History of the Unicorn” by Chris Lavers A re unicorns really a thing of my th? Perhaps a unicorn exists in Africaunder a different name. Laver’s book examines how different descriptions of animals combined with different religious folklore and beliefs to evolve the universally known species of the unicorn.

“Let the Great World Spin” by Colum McCann New York City has always been a place of wonder and a picture of the ever-changing times. McCann’s book offers another view of New York and the lives of its people, including a young Irish monk living in the Bronx alongside whores and a 38-year-old grandmother trying to make ends meet. Through dirt and grit, their lives are transformed into something extraordinary of the 1970s.

10. “The Lost Symbol” by Dan Brown The epitome of all the pop fiction and mayhem one author can create, Dan Brown rekindles the conspiracy theories of the Templar’s hiding in a basement. Brown delivers his typical heart attack-inducing writing. Anything lacking in character development is made up for in the adventure.

Comments on this story? E-mail sagcketc@sc.edu

Simon to exit ‘Idol’ Cowell leaving to focus efforts on ‘X Factor’ Aaron Barnhart MCT Campus

Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

Science fiction at its best, with Sharlto Copley in TriStar Pictures’ sci-fi thriller “Distrcit 9.”

Sci-fi, fantasy struck back in 2009 Jimmy Gilmore THE MIX EDITOR

Many have said that one of the best features of movies is their ability to visually realize one’s imagination. W hile t hey can capt ure reality, they also have the unique abilit y to present an alternate and fantastical real it y i n f lu id mot ion. Ever since innovative and prankish directors such as Georges Melies got their hands on cameras at the turn of the 20th century, fantasy films have seemed t o i nt er m it t e nt l y pu s h cinema into new bounds, be it in “The Wizard of Oz” or “Star Wars.” It is odd then that notable science fiction and fantasy films seem so few and far between. W hen we look back at 2009 however, many of the most memorable fi lms will belong to these genres that are so often regarded as inferior. According to industr y

analysts, 2009 has been t he most prof itable box office year in the history of movies, and it’s not hard t o s e e w hy — — Ja me s Cameron’s sci-f i ef fect s e x t r a v a g a n z a “Av at a r ” has already grossed $1.34 billion worldwide in just four weekends to become the second highest-grossing movie ever made. The reboot of “Star Trek” amassed $257.7 million and alien film “District 9” took in $115.5 million on their respective U.S. box office grosses. Aside from the financial success of these and ot her entries to t he gen re, t hese f ilms have also gotten considerable awa rds at tent ion a nd critical recognition from organizations that usually prefer drama to act ion. The Producers Gu ild of A merica, for instance, nominated all three of the aforementioned films for its prestigious award.

It’s not hard to imagine any of them could land on Oscar’s best picture lineup — the f irst time a sci-f i or fantasy film would be included in that list since “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. For a country struggling through a massive economic re ce s sion , it m ay seem strange that this has been such a financially successful year for Holly wood, but mov ies have of ten made the most money at times of economic strife, such as the Great Depression. Their success is only a reaffirmation of the public’s desire for an escape, for an immersive experience filled with jaw-dropping sights. Unlike most throwaway science fiction films though, the past year’s offerings have a lso been t hought provok i ng a nd so c ia l ly releva nt . “Dist r ic t 9 ” director Neill Blomkamp That’s ● 11

Simon Cowell is leaving “American Idol,” but he’s not going anywhere. The person many viewers say is the reason they tune into TV’s No. 1-rated show will help launch another show he produces, “The X Factor,” in the United States beg in n ing in t he fall of 2011. He will be a judge on the show as well as executive producer. “A nd because of t hat, this will be my last season on ‘A mer ica n Idol’ t h is year,” Cowell said. “I can barely get away with doing ‘American Idol.’” A ha ndshake deal was reached Monday about one hour prior to when Cowell appeared before TV critics at t he i r a n nu a l w i nt e r

g at her i ng i n Pa saden a , Calif. Then, as a ballroom of t he media looked on, Cowell signed his contract on stage (or at least, a piece of paper purporting to be a contract). “The X Factor,” which Britain’s ITV designed as a replacement for “Pop Idol” — the show that spawned “A mer ica n Idol” — is a t a lent compet it ion t hat fi nds new stars in a variety of entertainment fields, not just music. It has no age limit and groups are allowed to apply — for the most recent cycle in Great Britain, a quarterm i l l ion people appl ied, Cowell said. A not her w r i n k le on “Idol” is t hat t he “ X Fac tor” judge s a re a lso responsible for mentoring the talent. “The judge is judged as well as t he singer,” said Peter Rice, the chairman of Fox ’s ent er t a i n ment division in the U.S.

Courtesy of MCT Campus

Simon Cowell will leave “Idol” to judge “The X Factor.” Cowell said the el i m i nat ion of a n age ceiling appealed to him. “Susa n Boyle is t he b e s t e x a mple of w h y I love doing ‘Britain’s Got Talent,’” he said. Cowell al ready does “Britain’s Got Talent” and Simon ● 11

‘Avatar’ riles conservatives James Cameron’s sci-fi hit has right-wing critics fuming over undertones Patrick Goldstein MCT Campus

It seems as if the more money “Avatar,” which is now the second-biggest-grossing film of all time makes at the box office, the more incensed its critics on the right become. The best example? Die-hard right-wing blogger/columnist /ant i-Islam cr usader Debbie Schlussel has now weighed in on the Jim Cameron blockbuster, which managed to drive her so around the bend that she ended up comparing it to the writings of Noam Chomsky and the speeches of Hugo Chavez. If you’re a regular reader of Schlussel’s

fulminations against pop culture, you’d k now t hat contempt for Holly wood is standard fare for her. I n c a s e y ou’d f or g ot t e n , s he’s t he conservative fanatic who attacked Oprah as “a supporter of Islamic terror,” mercilessly bashed Ed Zwick’s “Defiance” claiming that “Hollywood loves the dead Jews but they hate the live ones” and told parents that they were “morons” if they took their kids to see “Watchmen.” So you can imagine what she had to say about “Avatar,” which is v iewed in conservative circles as a vapid, left-wing celebrat ion of pr i m it ive peoples, t he environment and anti-military attitudes. So what’s her take on “Avatar?” She calls it bloated, highly overrated, an incredible waste of time and “just like a million diatribes from Daily Kos, Democratic Underground and Avatar ● 12

used South Africa’s struggle against apartheid as the basis for the racial undertones of h is hu ma ns vs. al iens conflict. “Avatar,” recognized most for its st u nning mot ioncapt ure tech nolog y, also i ncor porates a stor yl i ne about colon ialism a nd settlement. Other films like the small feature “Moon” are more contained and cerebral, posing moral and existential questions about humanity. L ook i ng at ou r world t h rough a heightened sense of imagination was importantly not limited to science fiction in 2009. It even extended to war fi lms, where Quentin Tarantino prov ided a delirious alternative history for World Wa r I I i n “ I n glou r iou s Basterds.” For the first time in years, sci-fi and fantasy have been e le v at e d b a c k t o p r i me status thanks largely to a diverse group of visionary filmmakers who delivered unique visions both thrilling and reflective. If one of the cinema’s best pleasures is in experiencing the world as it could be or as it may be, 2009 was an incredible year to get lost in someone else’s vision of the world. That’s Entertainment.

“X Factor.” The prospect of doing two shows in the U.S., he said, was too daunting. “I want to leave ‘Idol’ bigger and better than it was before,” said Cowell. “American Idol” will be missing one of its original judges, Paula Abdul. Ellen DeGeneres is stepping in to join the panel. And in 2011, the show will be missing two original judges.

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Avatar ● Continued from 10 every other far-left outlet about how we invaded Iraq for oil ... yes, cinema for the hate America crowd.” After spewing out a host of other barbs against the fi lm (she describes the Na’vi as smurf-like natives who “looked like Jar Jar Binks with arrowheads,” she ends with this coup de grace: “Why drive to the movies, pay for tickets and spend hours in a dark room when you can just as easily read Noam Chomsky or the speeches of Hugo Chavez in the comfort of your own home and couch? Same difference. ‘Avatar’ is an intelligence test. If you fell for it, you failed.” It’s Schlussel’s favorite rhetorical tactic - if you liked a movie she loathed, you must be a moron. Sadly, like so many ot her conservative critics, she fails to even make an attempt at explaining why if “Avatar” is filled with so much left-wing extremism so many tens of millions of Americans have flooded the multiplexes to see the film, many of them more than once. The obv ious a nswer is t hat , u n l i ke Schlussel and other conservatives, most Americans are enthralled by the film. As for its themes, my guess is that people eit her f ind t hemselves in agreement maybe it is a bad thing to destroy a pristine primitive culture - or manage to ignore the message altogether. Unfortunately, today’s conservative pundits can’t ignore even the faintest whiff of a political message in a movie or TV show - they view everything through a partisan political lens. “Avatar” is a great movie, and most of America knows it, which is why it’s breaking box-office records everywhere. Back in the ‘80s, it was liberals who were so blinded

Wanted . . .

Courtesy of MCT Campus

James Cameron directs a scene during production of his latest film, “Avatar.” by their ideology that they were unable to see that Ronald Reagan was a formidable, incredibly popular president. They underestimated his appeal and paid the price for it. Today, it’s conservatives who are viewing pop culture through ideological blinders. If they want to bash “Avatar” the same way they’ve bashed Barack Obama, they’ll end up paying a big price for it too.

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The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 13

Inside the Box ● By Marlowe Leverette / The Daily Gamecock

The Scene USC THE CRIES OF W/ TYLER MELASHANKO 7 p.m., $5 The White Mule, 1530 Main St.

Spurrned ● By Jarad Greene

TODAY LIONESS 6 p.m., $6.50 Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main St.

PhD ● By Jorge Chan

THREE DECADES OF JEFF DONOVAN 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Free Gallery 80808, 808 Lady St. FAMILY NIGHT AT EDVENTURE 5 p.m., $1 EdVenture, 211 Gervais St.

TOMORROW NEW MUSIC NIGHT W/ LOVECRAFTS, HIGH SOCIETY, BURN THE WHITED SEPULCHER AND MINIMUM WAGE 7:30 p.m., $5 over 21, $8 under 21 New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St. RENT 7:30 p.m., $25 Trustus Theatre, 540 Lady St. LA DANSE: THE PARIS OPERA BALLET 3, 5:30, 8:15, $7- $7.50 Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main St.

HOROSCOPES

01/12/10

1234567890-= ARIES You’re surprised at how little you get done in the morning. You had big plans and thought you had everything you needed. The final pieces soon arrive, and you can move forward.

LEO Time spent behind the scenes works wonders to solve complicated questions. What seems logical to you doesn’t work for someone else. Quiet conversation produces a third choice.

TAURUS W hatever you believe you can do is possible. Inspire yourself with heroic stories from the past. Then, spring into action.

V I R G O Spend as much time as possible with people you really like. Their ent husiasm feeds you r productivity. Bring a surprise home with you.

GEMINI A peer offers i mag i nat ive solut ion s to a problem you thought was secret. Take the advice and run with it. CANCER A surprise arrives from an unexpected source. But you love surprises! Use caution when opening packages. Contents may have shifted.

LIBRA Ideas come from nowhere and affect recent decisions. Some problems are best solved behind closed doors. Share outcomes late in the day. SCORPIO Spend time with a female who understands the basics. This is no time to focus on details. Instead, work with theory and practice to

get things done.

S AGI T T A R I U S Independent effort gains a lot of ground today. You know exactly where you want to go. Avoid distractions and you’ll get there.

CAPRICORN The effort you put into activities today will be worthwhile. Love ever y minute of the process, and share results with family, particularly children. AQUA R IUS Draw people into your circle with logic and reason. You may feel emotional about the topic, but that doesn’t help anyone. Balance feelings with insight. PISCES Employ your talents on someone else’s problem. Innovation produces results, with minimal effort.

01/12/10

Solution from 01/11/10

ACROSS 1 Coffee, slangily 5 Exchanges 10 Tapestry machine 14 Actor Arkin 15 Explorer Sebastian 16 Gumbo ingredient 17 “Affirmative!” 19 Fanny 20 Poetic preposition 21 Pay careful attention to 22 Vocal cords locale 24 Mountain climber’s return 26 Like many bathroom floors 27 “Affirmative!” 29 Spanish gold 32 Like an inspection 35 Poses 36 Singer __ Rock 37 Hair style for Marie Antoinette 38 USA neighbor 39 “Didn’t you get the __?” 40 Driveway covering, perhaps 41 “Good buddy” 43 Nightly ritual for many 45 “__ Loves You”: Beatles hit 46 “Affirmative!” 48 Rubbish 50 Place for an Eggo 54 ’60s United Nations secretary general 56 Scold, with “out” 57 Big Band __ 58 Switchblade 59 “Affirmative!” 62 Window part 63 Like a Stephen King novel 64 Excursion 65 Exit indicator

66 Tire pattern 67 Easter egg decorators DOWN 1 Made fun of 2 Like a lot 3 Bouquet receptacles 4 “__ dreaming?” 5 Physics, for one 6 Greet from across the street 7 Not up 8 D.C. go-getter 9 Salon worker 10 Peter who played Mr. Moto 11 “Afﬁrmative!” 12 Algerian seaport 13 Comedy’s __ Brothers 18 An alarm may deter it 23 Pub offerings 25 Salon do 26 Cereal with a spokesrabbit 28 Computer operators 30 Frosty coating 31 Skunk’s defense 32 Chooses (to)

Solution for 01/11/10

33 Biblical boat builder 34 “Afﬁrmative!” 38 Stocking material 39 Actresses Clarke and West 41 Greenish-blue hue 42 Wisest choice 43 Searched for prey, lion-style 44 King’s domain 47 Appennini locale 49 Poe’s one-word bird 51 Not dry-eyed

52 Singer Tennessee __ Ford 53 Coarse ﬁles 54 Daily delivery org. 55 Asian cuisine 56 In the buff 60 “__ out!”: ump’s call 61 LAX datum

PAGE 14

Carolina weathers losses over break While most students traveled home for the holidays in need of a n overdue vac at ion f rom classes, the men’s basketball team was staying busy practicing and competing in seven games over the break, going 4-3. The Gamecocks k icked off their break by hosting the Richmond Spiders. Down early, Carolina was able to put together a 24-6 at the end of the second half to win the game 76-58. Guard Devan Downey led all scorers with 18 points while forward Sam Muldrow added 13 and forward Johndre Jefferson contributed 12. C a r ol i n a t he n t r a v e le d t o Wofford in what many thought would be a relatively easy win. However, the Terriers had upset on t hei r m i nd a nd were able

to snap t hei r 21-ga me losi ng streak in what turned out to be a 68-61 victory for Wofford . In a relatively poor showing from Carolina, the Terriers were able to outrebound the Gamecocks 43-33. The team responded well to the loss, and got back on track in the friendly confi nes of the Colonial Life A rena with an easy 81-57 victory over Furman . Freshmen Ramon Galloway and Lakeem Jackson performed at their best as they each contributed 15 points. Ne x t , C a r ol i n a he a d e d t o Chestnut Hill, Mass., for what was considered one of its toughest non-conference match-ups of the season against an enigma of a Boston College team that had previously lost to Harvard and Rhode Island . The Eagles were able to build a 21-point lead at halftime to essentially close out the game early as they downed Carolina 85-76 , despite senior Downey’s 29-point and sevenassist perfor mance . Th is loss pushed the Gamecocks’ record against ACC teams to 0-3 this

Wednesday, January 13th Home 8 p.m.

Saturday, January 16th Home 6 p.m.

Wednesday, January 20th Away 9 p.m.

year, with losses to Miami and Clemson earlier in the season. Com i ng of f t he loss to t he

Kara Roache / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

After falling behind 7-0 early, Carolina rallied behind Downey’s 10-point first half performance to take a slim 32-29 lead into the locker room at half. Coming out st rong in t he second half using the f ull court press, the Gamecock s st y mied Auburn’s offense late and went on to win their SEC opener 80-71. Downey fi nished the game with 33 points for the Carolina team that shot a phenomenal 44 percent for the game from beyond the arc. Bad news also came over the brea k for t he tea m a s it lost t wo starters for the remainder of the season. Standout forward Dominique Archie, senior, will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury, and forward Mike Holmes, junior, was dismissed f rom t he team for a repeated violation of team policy.

Kara Roache / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Eagles, Carolina was looking to get back on track at home against a tough Baylor team out of the Big 12 Conference. The game was back and forth early, but the Bears were able to use an 18-2 run that spilled over into the second ha lf to dow n t he G a mecock s 85-74 despite Jackson tallying a career-high 19 points. W it h t he sea son look i ng somewhat g r i m com i ng of f back-to-back losses, Carolina needed a spark to get back on track. That spark came at home ag a i nst Long wood on Ja n. 5. T he G a me c o c k s b u i lt up a 23-poi nt ha lf t i me lead a nd never relinquished it , as forward Evaldas Baniulis dropped 15 and Downey added 18 of his own to lead Carolina to an easy 88-58 victory. The next game against Auburn on the road to open SEC play turned out to be quite the back and forth battle down the stretch.

Down two starters, USC shakes off prior defeat to win league opener Justin Wilson

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Devan Downey has been crucial for USC over the past few weeks.

Evka Baniulis scored 15 points at Auburn in USC’s 80-71 win.

MENS HOOPS

RECORD...

10 - 5

UPCOMING GAMES...

Lakeem Jackson had a career high 19 points versus Baylor.

Comments on this story? E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

Lady Gamecocks split vacation games Women’s basketball finds success on SEC, in nonconference wins Ed Neuhaus

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

T h e G a m e c o c k w o m e n ’s basketball team was busy over the winter break, playing eight games in which they went 4-4. The stretch started off with a home contest against N.C. State. junior guard Samone Kennedy fi nished with 18 points and hit an important three pointer with 19 seconds left to put Carolina up by two possessions as USC earned a big 74-71 non-conference win. Carolina next faced off against another ACC opponent, Wake Forest.

T he G a mecock s defeated the Demon Deacons 62-52 on 18 points by sophomore guard La’Keisha Sutton. Sutton played 37 minutes and shot 50 percent from the field. The Gamecocks next traveled to My r t le Beac h to f ace of f against No. 9 North Carolina in the 2009 Carolinas Challenge. Ca rol i na hu ng w it h t he Ta r Heels all night and closed the gap to four points with just under t hree minutes remaining, but North Carolina won 93-85. C a r ol i n a ne x t t r a v e le d t o Philadelphia for the Saint Joseph’s Hawk Classic. The Gamecocks were upset by Boston University 68-67 in the initial game of the Zack Plum / THE DAILY GAMECOCK tournament. Junior guard Valerie Nainima fi nished with 29 points La’Keisha Sutton had a very for Carolina in the losing effort. strong break for the Gamecocks. Freshman center Kelsey Bone

WOMENS HOOPS

RECORD...

8-7

UPCOMING GAMES...

Thursday, January 14th Home 7 p.m.

Sunday, January 17th Home 3 p.m.

Thursday, January 21th Away 7p.m.

Zack Plum / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Valerie Nainima was an alltournament player in Philly.

Samone Kennedy led the way for USC against N.C. State.

also grabbed a career high 15 rebounds for Carolina. The Gamecocks took out their frustration the next evening on Brown, who Carolina pummeled 73-46. Nainima earned a spot on the all-tournament team by scoring 17 points in the win. Carolina ret urned home for their conference opener against No. 11 LSU. Highly regarded senior Allison Hightower scored 23 points for LSU, who defeated Carolina 70-58 in Columbia. The win was LSU’s 13th straight over USC. Nainima led the Gamecock effort with 13 points in the loss. Carolina then traveled up to Thompson—Boling A rena in K noxville to face Pat Summitt and the No. 4 Tennessee Lady Vols. Carolina lost 79-62 despite Nainima’s 16 points. Tennessee led by 14 at halftime. Bone and Sutton each added 10 points for Carolina.

The final Carolina basketball game over break came on Sunday as t he Gamecocks traveled to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama. Carolina earned their fi rst SEC win of the year by having five players score in double figures as the Gamecocks won 80-68. Bone fi nished with a double—double, scoring 14 points and collecting 13 rebounds. T he G a meco ck s were able to spread out their scoring by c ol le c t i n g a s e a s o n-h ig h 19 assists, and got their first SEC victory since they beat Alabama l a s t y e a r i n C olu mbi a . T he win improved the Gamecocks’ record to 8-7 overall, 1-2 in SEC play. Carolina returns home on Thursday to face Kentucky.

CHECK US OUT! TWITTER.COM/TDG_SPORTS

Comments on this story? E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 15

Contrite McGwire deserves forgiveness

James Crisp / The Associated Press

John Calipari was quick to give kudos to Tennessee after UT’s upset over No. 1 Kansas.

AROUND THE SEC EAST SEC coaches speak on media teleconference Staff Reports

THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings is in favor of several proposed recruiting policy changes, including a rule that program-run summer camps can only hire enrolled students or men’s basketball coaches to work. “I like the intent of that, which is not hiring someone and pay them money so you can get their kid. I guess I would be in favor of that so we can eliminate the shenanigans that are going on relative to that. Flor ida coach Billy Donovan feels the key to Kentucky’s 16-0 start is the backcourt. “I think obviously ( John) Wall and (Eric) Bledsoe are terrific players. They really are playing with two point g uards more or less, and I think the way, at least on f ilm, their chemistr y and cohesiveness has probably been something that’s a very strong trait of their team.” South Carolina coach Dar r in Hor n t hink s a road win at Auburn to open conference play was huge for his team. “It’s great to get off to a good start in conference play, and to be able to win on the road for our team, I think maybe even for our program. For the first time since the early 90s, to open up league play on the road with a win was something that was really good for our team.” G e or g i a c o a c h M a r k Fox thinks that Thursday-

www.tdgsportsblog. wordpress.com

Saturday game weeks are a necessary evil. “It’s not ideal, but as I think other coaches have already said, it’s a sacrifice you have to make. We would all be complaining if we didn’t have the t.v. deal. It’s a great advantage for our league.” Kent uck y coach Joh n Calipari was highly complementary of Tennessee’s upset of No. 1 Kansas. “Cong rat u lat ions to Tennessee. I didn’t get to watch the game, I saw the last couple of minutes, we were practicing, but what a terrific win for their program, for the SEC.”

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl g ives credit to h is role players for keeping the shorthanded Vols competitive. “I don’t k now if we can sustain it or not. I do know there’s no margin for error. The lesson here is that when opportunity knocks, are you going to be ready? We’ve had three or four kids who weren’t playing a lot for us…who are now being put in the situation where a lot more is being asked of them. They deserve a lot of credit.” Comments on this story? E-mail sagckspt@mailbox. sc.edu

Mark Humphrey / The Associated Press

Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings is in favor of placing restrictions on how basketball camps can be staffed.

available at

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•

Mark McGwire did something yesterday he should’ve done five years ago -- he set the record straight. “I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come,” the former slugger told the Associated Press. “It’s time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used James steroids during my playing Kratch career and I apologize. Second-year English student To d a y, w e s h o u l d d o something we should’ve done a while back as well. Forgive him. In sports, there is constant pressure on athletes to perform. As a corollary, there’s constant pressure to be able to perform. Playing hurt is celebrated; sitting out of competition is often considered blasphemy. For mo st of h i s c a reer, Mc Gw i re struggled to stay on the field. In fact, struggled might be an understatement. “During the mid-’90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years,” McGwire said. “I experienced a lot of injuries, including a ribcage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle.” Wanting to play, but not being able to because of his body, he made a decision. “It was defi nitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster,” he said. “I thought t hey would help me heal and prevent injuries, too.” I’m not condoning what McGwire did. I’m not defending what McGwire did. What I am saying is that this isn’t a blackand-white issue. It’s something grey and much more complex. We know that McGwire did steroids. We also k now he was blessed with an extraordinary ability to hit a baseball. We know he used steroids during his record breaking 70 home run season of 1998. We also know that he hit 49 home runs as a rookie in 1989 – a season that, according to his statement on Monday, was before he first experimented with steroids. With or without drugs, we knew the man had the ability. “I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn’t take any and I had bad years when I didn’t take any,” McGwire said. “I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad

years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.” More or less, the case is closed now. McGwire will hold a press conference when he arrives at spring training to begin his new job as hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, and he’ll face the toughest questions that the cream of the national media can come up with, and deservingly so. He’ll answer them, and we’ll all move on. “I can’t wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in Saint Louis. I’ve always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach,” McGwire said. “I’m going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.” Will McGwire win that respect? I think he will. There was a reason why he was loved – he was a big kid that brought joy to all of us every time he took a mammoth hack at a fastball and sent it hurtling towards the heavens. W i l l he go to t he H a l l of Fa me? Doubtful. In my book, he deserves it, as are all the others who took performanceenhancing drugs, because that was the way the game was played during the era we just exited. If that someday becomes the prevailing consensus opinion, than he’ll get to Cooperstown. I don’t think it ever will. W hat he can achieve though is our forgiveness. There has never been an indication, from either McGwire or those close to him that have spoken on the matter over the years, that he took steroids with dollar signs in mind or a malicious intent to break records and thrust himself into the game’s lore, but rather to just have the ability to play the game. It was a bad decision made with good intentions. Did he cheat? Most definitely. It doesn’t matter what the bylaws of Major League Baseball said, what loopholes ex isted and what was (and what wasn’t) deemed a “steroid.” By putt ing t he unnat ural substances in his body, he violated the sanctity and fairness of the game. However, he never meant to cheat any of us. Comments on this story? E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2010

PAGE 16

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