dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
VOL. 113, NO. 62 • SINCE 1908
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
USC puts down new roots
Hannah Cleaveland / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Melissa Villasenor leaves a comedic ‘impression’
Courtesy of USC
Crews plant a 20-foot live oak on the Horseshoe where three paths intersect near the Osborne Administration Building.
20-foot oak replaces 150-year-old tree removed after lightning strike Natalie Pita
NEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
St udent s may not ice a new addit ion to t he Horseshoe the next time they pass through. USC arborist Kevin Curtis and his crew spent Wednesday planting a large live oak in its new home on the Horseshoe across from the patio behind the Osborne Administration Building where three brick paths converge. The 20-foot oak replaces an oak that was estimated to be nearly 150 years old, then the oldest tree on campus.
Greek council leaders chosen for next year Stewart, Jones to start as presidents Monday Paula Novacki
INSIDE
GREEK • 3
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ABC journalist talks politics Zeleny discusses state of national government
NEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Eighteen members of USC’s Greek community were elected to the fraternity and sorority councils this week. Third-year students Paige Jones of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and Andrew Stewart of Sigma Chi fraternity were elected to lead the fraternity and sorority communities as council presidents. “I hope to work closely with many student organizations on campus to i nc re a s e G re ek i nvol vement i n a w ide va r iet y of event s, wh ile a lso encouraging outside involvement for Greek-sponsored programming,” Jones, a marketing and management student, wrote in an email. Jones, along with eight other council members, w ill represent t he more than 3,000 members of the sororit y community. The council aims to plan community-wide programs, promote scholarship and uphold communit y standards. Stewart, a finance and marketing student, will represent the fraternity population, which consists of about 1,400 members. “I hope that this Fraternity Council will create an environment that inspires conversation about our community’s vision, supports our undergraduate students, recruits the highest quality of men and women and makes available
The original tree was stuck by lightning more than five years ago and suffered from continued cracking. It was removed because of concerns for pedestrian safety. The new tree, which measures 10 inches in diameter, will spread more than 16 feet across. It arrived from Orangeburg’s Shady Grove Nursery Wednesday morning, and Curtis and his crew spent most of the day planting it with the help of a mechanical tree spade. This oak is one of 1,200 trees the university has planted in the last year. The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized USC’s efforts by naming it Tree Campus USA school for four consecutive years.
Davis Klabo
NEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
National policy was in the spotlight Wednesday as A BC News senior correspondent Jeff Zeleny came to USC to discuss politics. Topics ranged from Ted Cruz to HealthCare.gov as Zeleny talked about the mechanics of Washington and the work of a political reporter. The topic of discussion quickly turned to Congress and the political gridlock that has recently gripped the country. “A f ter t he problems w it h t he A f fordable Ca re Ac t , t he most nervous people in Washington right now a re i nc u mbent Democ rat s running for re-election,” Zeleny said. “The Republicans only need to win six seats to gain control of the Senate, and they have a few locked down in states where longtime Democratic senators are retiring.” Zeleny elaborated on the problems Demo c r at ic c a nd idate s f ace i n traditionally Republican states. “The problem that Democratic candidates have is t hat in t hese tradit ionally red states,” Zeleny said. “They need to get votes for more than just Democrats. You can’t win Nort h Carolina just on t he
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Leah Grubb / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
ABC News senior correspondent Jeff Zeleny speaks to students and faculty Wednesday about political topics ranging from Ted Cruz to HealthCare.gov. Democratic vote.” Zeleny also talked extensively a b o u t t h e u p c o m i n g 2 016 presidential election, noting that while Hilary Clinton seems a clear front-runner for the Democratic Party, the Republican Party has a much muddier outlook. “The Senate has some of t he highest turnover I think it’s ever had,” Zeleny said. “It’s filled with
new faces, people like Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul. ... But Obama is the fi rst president to come out of the Senate since Nixon. You have to look at the Republican gover nors who have a bit more executive experience.” When the issue of the government shutdown was brought up, Zeleny
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Pinch owner Ryan Kay tells how he turn ‘Locals’ into a hot spot for Fireball shots and Bingo.
The South Carolina women’s soccer team will take on Stanford in the NCAA Tournament.
Editorial Board: An election amendment will level the playing field for candidates.
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
Individual cigarette sales could be banned The sale of individual cigarettes, also known as “loosies,” may be banned in Columbia, The State reported. Councilwoman Tameika Isaac Devine, who chairs City Council’s public safety committee, requested a ban on single cigarette sales. Maj. Melron Kelly of the Columbia Police Department told the newspaper that those sales cause issues like loitering and access to tobacco by minors. The sale of individual cigarettes is illegal under federal law, and stores that sell individual cigarettes are shirk ing federal taxes on cigarette sales, according to Jeanne Brooker, a city staff attorney. South Carolina does not have any cities or counties that prohibit single cigarette sales, but there are laws against it in other states that have held up in court challenges. A local ordinance would let city police cite store owners who sell individual cigarettes. Currently, only federal law enforcement can do so. The issue will come before the full City Council once Brooker has a drafted proposal.
Teen charged in shooting Man accused of robbing dead man’s house to be tried as adult The 16-year-old man accused of shooting a 14-year-old girl in north Columbia will be tried as an adult, The State reported. Raekwon C. Ford is charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a v iolent c r i me. A dd it iona l i n for m at ion led investigators to believe the Sunday night shooting was intentional, police said. Police Sgt. William Pegram earlier in the week called Ford a “known gang member.” The shooter is suspected of acting recklessly by brandishing a handgun and pointing it at the victim before the shooting. The 14-year-old was shot in the chest and is receiving treatment at a local hospital. Ford is being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. The shooting occurred in Latimer Manor, a public housing complex on Lorick Avenue, but neither the suspect nor the victim live there. — Emily Ready, Assistant Copy Desk Chief
— Emily Ready, Assistant Copy Desk Chief
Police say a Charlotte man stole items from a home in north Charlotte while the homeowner laid dead inside the house, according to The Charlotte Observer. Pressley Davis Jr., 20, is charged with burglary, larceny after breaking and entering, larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a firearm by a felon and six counts of larceny of a firearm. Bail was set at $445,000. Police say Davis targeted the home because of its too-full mailbox and the garbage can left at the curb. Police said the victim died of natural causes before the home was robbed. A 911 caller alerted police of several men leaving the home in the homeowner’s car around 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Dav is and anot her person were in t he car, authorities say. Police determined the other person had not committed a crime. Police think several others are involved in the robbery of the house and encourage anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. — Emily Ready, Assistant Copy Desk Chief
Revised election codes passed by senate ‘Soft’ campaign period to have restrictions Sarah Ellis
SELLIS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
St udent G over n ment elec t ion campaigns will now include a twoweek period of “soft” campaigning followed by a one-week period of “hard” campaigning after student sen ate pa s sed a muc h- debated, amendment-fi lled bill restructuring the election codes Wednesday night. Under the newly revised codes, ca nd idates ca n not d ist r ibute promot ional items such as cups, T- s h i r t s a n d f o o d d u r i n g t h e first two weeks of the three-week campaign period. They also are not allowed to hold campaign rallies or special events during this period of
“soft” campaigning. Du r i ng t he f i na l week before elect ion day, ca nd idates w ill be a l lowed to d ist r ibute items a nd host campaign events as part of the “hard” campaigning period. St udent senators who voted in favor of t he t wo-par t campa ig n period said it puts more emphasis on candidates’ ability to campaign on their platforms rather than their ability to pay for handouts. “People passing on Greene Street on ly c a re ab out t he g i m m ic k y promotional material and not the message the [candidate] has to say,” Business Sen. Andrew Kovtun said. “We should not appeal to the lowest common denominator in the way we structure our election codes.” S ome s en ator s were opp o s e d to rest r ic t ions du r i ng t he t wo -
week “soft” campaigning period, saying it could inhibit candidates’ oppor t u n it ies to reach out to a disinterested student body. “I don’t think we need to restrict our campaigning any more t han we already are,” Arts and Sciences Sen. Stacey Brown said. “I don’t feel like during our campaigns we really bombard the student body with stuff, because I never really k now t he elect ions are going on until people start handing me stuff.” Senators were heatedly divided over a fa iled amendment to t he elections code bill that would have required students to have no less than a 3.0 GPA at the time they fi le for an executive office. The amendment did not pass, and the current fi ling requirement — that students must be in “good standing” by their college’s standards — stands. The requirements for good standing vary by college.
The new election codes will be in effect for SG elections in the spring. Other senate notes: — Student Body President Chase Mizzell appointed William O’Shields as Elections Commissioner. — W it h t h e s w e a r i n g i n o f Business Sen. Campbell Hawk on Wednesday, senate is once again full. — Senators passed a resolution to create a comprehensive list of study abroad programs. — The house of delegates has created a facilitations committee to educate delegates on the legislative process, as well as a communications committee. The house will elect an interim speaker on Dec. 2 to replace its current speaker, Josh Snead, who is st udy ing abroad in t he in t he spring.
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
OMSA celebrates Native Americans Heritage month features variety of cultural events Natalie Pita
NEWS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Dr u m a nd da nce per for m a nce s, speeches from Native American chiefs, art exhibits and discussions on Indian mascots and nicknames are only some of the events honoring November as Native American Heritage Month. USC’s Office of Multicultural Student Affairs is hosting an event every Monday this month, but there are many other event s being hosted by t he cit y of Columbia as well. “With our office, we really wanted to do some things that are a little bit unique and different, I guess you could say, for this year,” said Nakia Strickland, assistant director of OMSA. “I really wanted to do some things that were kind of out-of-the-box.” The state of New York fi rst declared an “American Indian Day” in 1916, but
ZELENY • Continued from 1 was quick to dismiss further fears. “The stomach is not there for the Republicans to try another shutdown. They know the politics were bad the first time; they’re not going to risk it again,” Zeleny said. “What does concern me is entitlements. These fundamental problems do still exist; we can keep pushing t hese deadlines back, but something will have to be done eventually.” Before being hired at A BC, Zeleny previously had worked as national political correspondent for T he New York Ti mes, a position that involved constant
it was not until 1990 that November was selected as a month-long recognition of Native Americans and their history, culture and traditions. “I think this month is very important because it allows our students to really gain insight and knowledge about the history, the culture and the traditions of Native Americans,” Strickland said. “We definitely have a strong Native American presence in South Carolina, and so just bringing that to life for our students on this campus is just something that’s definitely very important.” OMSA kicked off Native American Heritage Month with a drum and dance performance by members of the Catawba Indian Nation from Rock Hill on Nov. 4. C h ief C h ad “Cor nt a s sel” Sm it h visited USC on Nov. 11 to speak about the need for native leadership and share his leadership lessons. Smith was the principal chief of the second-largest Native American nation in the U.S. from 1999 to 2011. On Monday, Courtney Lewis, assistant professor of anthropolog y, hosted a
discourse with Congressional of f ic ia l s a nd ser v i ng a s t he Times’ lead reporter for the 2012 presidential campaign. Z e le n y c it e d h i s mo v e t o broadcast journalism as a r e f le c t io n o f t h e c h a n g i n g dynamic of mainstream reporting. “I realized that the website was becoming the most important part [of The New York Times],” Zeleny said. “The fundamentals were the same, but the communication is faster. Since I think most people now read from their smartphones, online content is becoming more important. “How many people here would
discussion entitled “What’s the big deal with Indian mascots?” which addressed the prevalence of Indian mascots and nicknames among high-profile American sports teams. The event tackled the topic of how these cult ural rit uals for sports are actually symbols of disrespect to Native Americans. More than 115 professional associations have recommended banning the use of Native A merican mascot imagery because of the devastating effect they have on Native American children and adults. To f inish t his year’s celebrat ion, Multicultural Student Affairs will host “Honoring the Animal,” an art exhibit with 25 panels of text and photographs, in the third f loor hallway of Russell House from Nov. 25-29. The display will highlight Native Americans and their use of animals in Catawba and Cherokee pottery and oral tradition.
GREEK • Continued from 1 to them endless amount of opportunities that will create t he le ade r s ou r world s o desperately needs,” Stewart wrote in an email. Stewar t has ser ved as Fr ater n it y C ou nc i l’s v ice president of prog ramm ing since Januar y, while Jones ser ved as the Pan-Hellenic president of Alpha Chi Omega over the same period. “I had the opportunity to look up to the president of Sorority Council for advice and guidance,” Jones wrote. “It gave me a chance to be on the opposite side of things before stepping into this role, hopefully giving the position a fresh outlook.” There are currently about than 5,000 members in the f rater n it y a nd soror it y communit y, accounting for more than 21 percent of USC’s population. The 18 new officers will be installed Monday.
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read an actual print newspaper if it wasn’t free on campus?” Zeleny asked. Though only a few people raised t heir hands, Zeleny admitted more did than he expected. “The important thing to note is that journalists still have the responsibility and mission to put things into context. We have to explain why in addition to what,” Zeleny said. “Even on social media, there’s still responsibility. You’re just usi ng a d if ferent megaphone.”
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
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SG amendment ushers in encouraging change ISSUE The election season will be split into two periods. OUR STANCE The change shifts the focus to quality platforms. St udent senate approved an amendment to USC’s election codes Wednesday night that will establish a two-phase campaign, with two weeks of “soft campaigning” and one week of “hard campaigning,” when candidates will pull out the stops — and the freebies. The amendment aims to shift Student Government campaigns’ focus from handouts to platforms by gat i ng allowed promot ion strategies. Campaigns will have to begin in a “soft” phase where candidates can promote themselves in any way other than rallies, events and distribution of campaign items and paraphernalia. After that, they will be permitted to take advantage of those strategies for the week leading
up to election day. While we’re disappointed to learn our yearly resupply of cups and pens will be cut short, the amendment will provide many of the same benefits of a spending cap without the difficulties of keeping track of expenditures. Still, we have backed such a cap, and we continue to. Limiting campaign swag may dampen some of the excitement of election season, but the change is bound to attract more candidates to the political spectrum. The first phase should afford candidates with a limited budget
“The playing field should be more level, and qualified candidates will be able to better compete, at least before the inevitable onslaught of the second phase.”
the freedom to get their name and platform communicated before being drowned out by the sheer volume of other, better-funded campaigns. As a result, the playing field should be more level, and qualified candidates will be able to better comp ete, at lea st b efore t he inevitable material onslaught of the second phase. This is where the amendment’s f law comes into play. A huge por t ion of campus pays lit t le attention to SG elections until the booths are set up and the campaign pa r apher na l ia is d ist r ibuted. Naturally, by constricting this period of campaigning, interest could be limited, too. Never t heless, ca nd idates’ quality should be valued far more than their checkbook, and money become more and more important since SG removed its spending cap a few years ago. We’re glad to see a change that works toward returning to that end.
Studying abroad? Stay a while Du r i ng a n i nter nat iona l s t u d e n t m e e t- a n d - g r e e t i n September, I had a conversation with a fellow student who told me that he’d studied abroad as part of a Maymester for ten days. I’d never heard of a Maymester b efore a s it ’s s omet h i n g my home u n iver sit y i n E ngl a nd doesn’t offer. Bewildered, I said a polite goodbye and continued to mingle. For the rest of the day I couldn’t get rid of the thought t hat st udents part icipat ing in May mesters wou ld have been flying home for good by the time I’d unpacked, found a group of friends and got my head around t he fact t hat my new room in South Quad was going to be my home until May next year. I appreciate that everyone is dif ferent, and t he May mester might just suit some people more than others. But I struggle to see how any trip lasting the same duration as a Thomas Cook allinclusive holiday can be labeled as studying abroad. Having been at USC since mid-August, I’m a different person compared to when I stepped on t he plane, which wouldn’t have been t he case if I’d been here for less than two weeks. Rat her t han hav ing a short, sharp burst of exposure to another culture, students that study abroad for a summer, a semester or a year will notice the transition between feeling like a tourist and feeling like a citizen. When I fi rst arrived here I immediately assumed that everything I saw and heard must have been typically ‘American’. I wrote a blog post solely devoted to new phrases I’d learned and told all my friends at home that
‘this is how Americans speak’. I thought every single A merican university had outstanding Greek Life and that every single one had incredible football seasons, too. I was uploading grainy Instagram pictures of practically everything that I walked past because it all seemed so novel and obscure. But it wasn’t until a sunny day in my second month here that I was walking to Russell House and stopped in my tracks. It suddenly but surely occurred to me that I no longer felt like a tourist, and actually felt like I could call USC a second home. My initial judgments were based on t wo weeks of welcome meetings and partying, but being here for 16 weeks has forced me to really engage with and understand the American South. I’ve lear ned how to play volleyball and participated in the indoor and outdoor seasons. I’ve travelled to Charleston, Alabama and New York, and soon I will be seeing more of South Carolina while experiencing my fi rst ever Thanksgiving break. I’ve been canoeing on the Congaree River and learned how to rock-climb. T h e s e a r e j u s t s o m e of t h e incredible benefits of studying abroad for a whole yea r h a s afforded me, and others are sure to experience as well. While the fun, photo-worthy moments of my time in America will be taking pride of place in my photo album, there are a lot of memories from my time so far that can’t be caught on camera. I remember walking into Bank of America feeling like a small fi sh in a big pond, saying, ‘Hello, I’m from England and
I’d like to set up a bank account.’ I’ve bought a terrible secondhand phone that only works on loudspeaker and had no idea in my fi rst few weeks that I had to have my Carolina Card with me at all times to be able to do anything. Trying to get weekly food shops done without a car is a logistical nightmare and learning how to socialize without social drinking has taken some adjustment. Most of all, missing home is a feeling that no amount of Skype sessions can overcome. The hardest parts of st udy i ng abroad a re of ten the parts that have broadened my horizons and changed my perspective upon life the most. S o i f y o u ’r e t h i n k i n g o f studying abroad, do it. I’m yet to meet one per son who ha s regretted their decision to study abroad. But if you’re lucky enough to have the decision between a Maymester and a longer period, then take a courageous leap and go for a summer, a semester or a year. It may seem daunting, but the experiences that it will afford you are truly priceless and will begin the moment you step on the plane. — Evelyn Robinson, second-year English and history student
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Pentagon’s missing records raise troubling questions Department of Defense needs to improve poor bookkeeping The Pentagon has spent $8.5 trillion since 1996. We think. Reuters released an investigative article this week about the accounting done by the various parts of the Department of Defense, or rather, the lack thereof. It would seem that the Department of Defense doesn’t know where any of its money went. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates put the problem eloquently in a 2011 speech. “My staff and I learned that it was nearly impossible to get accurate information and answers to questions such as ‘How much money did [the departments] spend’ and ‘How many people do [they] have?’” These accounting errors (but can we really call them errors if the accounting just isn’t happening at all?) wouldn’t be much of an issue if we at least knew that the money was being spent properly. But the Ross evidence that we do have suggests Abbott the opposite. For example, the Second-year Army reports that over $5.8 billion business economics of supplies have “gone missing” student between 2003 and 2011. This kind of waste is unacceptable. Billions of our tax dollars are being spent on ... something; no one knows what. When I say no one, I don’t mean that the information is classified, that military officials know but the general population can’t be told. I mean that it’s simply not being recorded. Without some kind of accounting, we have no way of keeping track of what’s being purchased, how much it’s being paid for, who it’s bought from or where it goes from there. Not only is this lack of accounting a massive waste of taxpayer dollars, it’s also a threat to national security. The missing $5.8 billion in military supplies is enough to wreak some serious havoc; it’s more than twice what the Syrian government spends annually in the midst of a civil war. We have no idea where all those guns, bullets, bombs and other military equipment went. Even if a fraction of it falls (or has fallen) into the wrong hands, we’ve got a serious problem. And that’s just the waste we know about. With a total budget of $565 billion and no accounting system (and therefore no accountability), there’s enormous potential for theft and embezzlement within the Department of Defense. If a private firm with a budget even 1 percent as large as the Pentagon kept books as sloppily as they do, it’d not only make national news; it would also launch a massive investigation into its causes. It’s arguable that the public shouldn’t be allowed to know exactly what the military is spending money on for nat ional secu rit y purposes, but certainly someone should know where that money is going. After all, we’re told every year that the Pentagon needs more money, that our soldiers need more funds, that increased militar y spending is necessar y to keep our country safe. Instead of continuing to shovel more and more of our tax dollars into the black hole that is the Department of Defense, we should demand that they use the money they already have more efficiently.
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
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Impression expert gives lots of laughs America’s Got Talent performer Villasenor comes to campus Belvin Olasov
MIX@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Melissa Villasenor is the latest rising comedic talent to visit USC, with a unique talent for vocal impressions. She has a popular YouTube cha n nel, made it to t he s e m i f i n a l s o f A m e r i c a’s G o t Ta l e n t , h a s v o i c e d characters on the animated show Advent ure Time and is now touring as a stand-up comedian. “I started doing impressions when I was 12,” she said. “I just k new I wanted to be a comedian.” She put her impression skills to good use in her Carolina Productions show Wednesday n ight , st a r t i ng of f w it h a Mickey Mouse impression and sprinkling in Kathy Griffin, a n old S out he r n wo m a n , a chipper Japanese girl and more. But she’s more than just an impressionist, she said. “I still do voices and stuff in my bits, but now my standup is becoming stand-up,” she said. “It’s becoming about my life and world and the voices are definitely in the story. It just keeps growing.” Her show often has a selfdeprecating side. “I definitely like to pick fun at myself,” she said. “I don’t mind; I think I’m a joke. I think it’s fun, so I have a good time. It’s nothing mean. It just cracks me up.”
Wednesday’s performance was no different. Hannah Cleaveland / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
In an energetic Russell House performance Wednesday night, comedian Melissa Villasenor performs impressions of characters, including Southerners, Mickey Mouse and Kathy Griffin.
“Any creepy people in here?” she asked at the show, deadpan. “I’m getting creepier ever y
day. ... I was in a women’s restroom. Apparently I don’t like when moms bring in their little boys, so when the mom was in the stall I whispered in her son’s ear, ‘You’re not one of us.’” “I do a lot of weird a nd creepy things when I’m by myself,” she joked. “Especially w he n I ’m ho me i n m y apa r t ment , I t hought if a murderer were there waiting to kill me, he’d think twice. That’s how creepy I am. I sing creepy songs to myself as a creepy baby voice.” Villasenor is an engaging presence on stage, reflecting her passion for her work. “ I do love my job; I do love being a comedian and t ravel i ng,” she sa id. “I’ve grown so much just as a person and learned so much about myself, became my own best friend by traveling alone for many years doing shows.” She named Ellen DeGeneres, Chelsea Handler, and Maria Bamford as some of her comedic influences. Villasenor sang a diverse range of songs at the show, including a Japanese chant, Disney songs (the male part, for s ome of t hem), M a r y Poppins and more. She has singing chops, and she enjoys usi ng t hem. I n December, she plans to release an EP. “I’m prett y excited,” she said. “They’re not comedic song s, but t hey ’re a l it t le wacky and dark. I’ve always enjoyed singing and writing songs.” Channeling a diverse cast of characters and burst ing with energy, Villasenor gave USC a one-woman show to remember. DG
thirstyTHURSDA
Bar draws patrons with ’90s tunes, Bingo Pinch owner transforms his college workplace into popular destination Katie Cole
MIX@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
A sk a college st udent what bar t hey ’re goi ng to on Wed nesday nights, and many of them will reply, “I’m going to bingo at Pinch fi rst.” Pinch is a well-known bar nestled in the heart of Five Points and has done well for itself with a college aud ience. But l i ke most ba rs i n the area, it didn’t start out as the establishment most know today. It u s e d t o b e c a l le d L o c a l s , where t hen-USC st udent Ry a n Kay was work ing as a bartender. Kay described the establishment as his overall college experience, the place where he spent the most time working and partying. Kay worked at Locals from around 2002 to 2005, he said, and ventured into the business world for a few years. He burned out on corporate life, and he heard that Locals was going out of business. With the money he had saved up, he decided to buy the bar, renaming it Pinch. Pinch has done well since he took over, Kay said, but that’s not to say it always has. Its popular bingo night started off as trivia, and it wasn’t nearly as crowded as it is now. “The trivia demographic is very specific, usually older men and a bunch of guys come and play,” Kay said. “And the fi rst time we played bingo, a bunch of girls showed up, so we thought, ‘This is much better.’” Pinch is always packed Wednesday nights for bingo, and most weekend nights usually see a line at least 15 people deep waiting to get in.
Jeremy Marshall Harkness / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Ryan Kay, owner of Pinch in Five Points, turned his old workplace into a popular Wednesday night destination for students. Kay thinks Pinch’s music choice — hits from the ’90s, early ’2000s and today — has helped business, offering a bit of nostalgia. “[It’s] kind of what you guys grew up on and really technically what I grew up on,” Kay said. “Those songs have always been catchy. People love to sing out loud; they feel good when they sing out loud.” A nd on many nights, the whole bar will sing along to songs like blink-182’s “What’s My Age Again?” and Christina Aguilera’s “Genie In
A Bottle.” Kay’s work is varied most nights. He comes in around 10 p.m. and works as a bouncer, tends bar, emcees and pulls patrons on top of the bar for their birthdays, depending on the night. Pinch has a tradition of pouring Fireball shots in the mouths of folks celebrating birthdays. K a y, a s e l f- p r o c l a i me d spontaneous guy, says he plans on a tack y Christ mas sweater night soon, but that he hasn’t yet thought up many of his plans. The bar will
also adopt a family for Christmas, donating a portion of its sales to buy gifts for them. Whether patrons come for bingo or t he a mbia nce , K ay s a id t he community was what made Pinch so popular. “Everyone feels like they belong,” Kay said. “It’s more the environment and the feeling of being a part of something.”
DG
www.dailygamecock.com Takeout can eat up your savings. Pack your own lunch instead of going out. $6 saved a day x 5 days a week x 10 years x 6% interest = $19,592. That could be money in your pocket. Small changes today. Big bucks tomorrow. Go to feedthepig.org for free savings tips.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
EMPLOYMENT
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PHD • JORGE CHAM
THE SCENE
TODAY RIGHT TO FALL 7:30 p.m., $5 New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St.
HOROSCOPES
Aries
Leo
Sagittarius
There’s plent y to do at home. A little bit of cleaning and organizing b e n e f it s y o u i n t h e long run. Deliver your message: Tweet or post to your heart’s desire. Add your ow n clever touches. You have what’s needed.
Disagreement requires compromise. But don’t make promises you can’t keep. This one’s tough. You’re in charge. Your partner comes up with a good idea, financially or otherwise. Work it out. Communication is the key.
A g roup e x t e nd s a n i nv it at ion. C lea r up conf usion before pro c e e d i n g. C o s t s m ay b e h igher t h a n expected. Get another perspect ive, possibly f rom a f r iend who k nows you well. Consider t he bigpicture impact.
Taurus
Virgo
Less st r uct ure may me a n mor e c r e at i ve r e s u lt s . D o n’t p u s h within the group. Agree to disagree. You have no trouble getting your message across. Get the invitations sent. Don’t gamble. It’s not time to go yet.
Do you r homework at home or wit h friends. Romance may be d if f ic u lt , but not impossible, especially if you use the right words. Don’t be intimidated. Reveal your true feelings. Go with “authentic fool” and take pride.
Gemini
Libra
Your intuition helps with u n st able cond it ion s. Finish household chores. A rrive early to avoid stress. Devise a strong sa les pitch. Listen attentively. Good news arrives from far away. Go ahead and get crazy excited.
Technical diff iculties spur you to identify and surpass a major barrier. Add passion to your work (and to your romance). Gentle persuasion works better. Get creative in your attire. Your status rises.
Cancer
A s u r p r i s e d o e s n ’t necessarily have to be unpleasant. It’s all in how you look at it. You may even discover a treasure that’s hidden at f irst. Keep track of the money com ing in. I nt u it ion requires verif icat ion. Study the stats.
You’re up to big things and can’t do all of them alone. Get the family to help and gain more than you thought possible in areas you weren’t even c o n s i d e r i n g . Wo r k interferes with travel. Talk about what’s going on.
Scorpio
Capricorn Temporary confusion or d i s r upt ion c ou ld t h r ow y ou of f y ou r game. Don’t get lost in the day-to-day static. You have bigger a nd better fish to fry. Offer adv ice only if asked. Hold out for the best deal.
TODAY
TOMORROW
VISTA LIGHTS HOLIDAY SEASON KICKOFF 5 to 9 p.m., free Congaree Vista, intersection of Gervais and Lincoln streets
“WHOSE WORDS ALL EARS TOOK CAPTIVE” 8 p.m., $5 USC Lab Theatre, 1400 Wheat St.
POP ROCKS 7:30 p.m., $5 Conundrum Music Hall, 626 Meeting St.
GEM, MINERAL & JEWELRY SHOW 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., $5 Jamil Shrine Center, 206 Jamil Road
Aquarius Hone your powers of p er s u a s ion at work . But beware: Jealousies could er upt. Pay back a debt, qu iet ly. Unexpected news helps you in figuring out how to go farther. Suddenly you achieve results.
Pisces W hat you edit out is ju st a s i mpor t a nt i n t el l i n g t he s t or y a s what you leave i n. Being non-judgmental makes a difference in you r a nd t hei r l i fe. Your innocence is very charming, too.
Doodle in class? Like to draw? Email mix@dailygamecock.com about creating our daily comic.
11/21/13
1 2 3 4
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11/21/13
ACROSS 1 Soccer great Mia 5 Spider’s creations 9 “Beat it!” 14 Steinbeck’s Tom Joad, e.g. 15 Afghanistan’s western neighbor 16 Fabric with a repeated scenic pattern 17 National consensus 20 Metal playing marble 21 Sincere 22 Propelled with sculls 23 Camembert cousin 24 Malice 27 Cooks on a spit 32 Biol. or chem. 35 Burn soothers 37 Turn on a pivot 38 Deerstalker’s excitement 42 Grows darker 43 Clark Kent’s birth name 44 Sound of fan support 45 Garlicky shrimp dish 48 Ran at an easy pace 50 Not taken in by 52 Hairdresser Sassoon 56 “The Four Seasons” composer 60 Rock fissure 62 Dark, quiet period 64 Davis who was married to Ruby Dee 65 Word with pyramid or chain 66 Cut down on 65Across 67 Hymn of praise 68 Females with pig tails 69 Means’ justifiers DOWN 1 “In what way?” 2 Japanese canine 3 Long-distance runner 4 Brawls 5 Hi-tech airport connection
6 One-named Deco artist 7 Scroogean exclamation 8 Derisive look 9 More than mono 10 Masked critter 11 Ready for picking 12 “__ well that ends well” 13 Track competition 18 Longtime chum 19 Part of a poker full house 23 Bovine hybrid 25 Unwell 26 Stole 28 Volcanic output 29 Defamatory remark 30 Yellowfin or albacore 31 Fourth man 32 Norms: Abbr. 33 Fashionable 34 Culinary author Rombauer 36 WWII Normandy battle site 39 Doctrinal suffix 40 Cool, like a cat 41 Craps natural 46 Hay fever sufferer’s nemesis
For solutions to today’s puzzle, go to dailygamecock.com
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47 __-European languages 49 Split 51 Petty quarrels 53 “Bon appétit,” from mom 54 Was sore after a workout 55 Riga natives 56 Cognac bottle letters 57 “__ Small World” 58 Carpenter’s clamp 59 Et __: and others 60 Vittles
61 Cinncinati team 63 Also
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The Daily Gamecock
Thursday, November 21, 2013
SOCCER • Continued from 10 Teams that aren’t in the top four, including Stanford, do not receive a seed in the bracket. “They’re still a phenomenal team. Even t hough t hey ’ve d ropped a couple games this year that they maybe shouldn’t have, they’re still a great team, it’s just a more even playing field this year,” Romness said. “W hen we played them that fi rst time, they were the No. 1 seed, and this time we’re the No. 3 seed and they’re not even ranked, but that’s not to say that they’re not a great team.” Because it’s been two years since t he teams last faced, Smit h said South Carolina isn’t very familiar with this Stanford team, but that VOLLEY • Continued from 10 those matches, we’re getting them that experience.” I njuries have also cont ributed to the Gamecocks’ woes, as they recently got back Thévenin after she was sidelined for several games. “That had a lot to do with our losing streak. We also had some other players out,” Swanson said. “It’s been a little bit of bad luck and not a very good time to have that at the end of the season.” South Carolina will once again turn to Thévenin, an outside hitter, to carry the team in her fi nal contests as a Gamecock. She continues to dominate the conference in kills, registering 4.77 per set and is second nat ionally in career k ills among active players. A lt hough she h a s ea r ned her fair share of personal accolades, Thévenin said she hopes she will
she and her staf f have taken t he appropriate measures to prepare for the match. “We’ve looked at some video and have talked to some opponents that have played them and know them a bit better — not anyone in their conference, but teams that faced them in the regular season. We’ll gather as much information as we can and be prepared,” Smith said. “Just like them, it’s a new team; they haven’t faced us, and we’re not the same team we were two years ago either. I think it’s a great challenge, and it will be a very good match.”
DG
simply be remembered for bolstering South Carolina volleyball as a whole. “ I ’ v e p u t s o m u c h i nt o t h i s program throughout my four years,” Thévenin said. “I want people to remember me as someone who really cared about this program.” For a team that has been labeled as young throughout the year, Swanson has made a point not to understate the contributions his seniors have made this season. Sw a n s o n s a id he k now s how important Thévenin and Craft have been for the program, adding that South Carolina has been lucky to have them. “They’ve been awesome; they’ve been very loyal and have hung in there through some tough years, Swanson said. “It’s been crucial to have them here.” DG
Women’s basketball claims in-state clash It was anot her game, anot her blowout win for the South Carolina women’s basketball team. The Gamecocks , No. 19 in the AP poll and No. 14 in the Coaches Poll, dispatched Clemson 68-43 Wednesday for South Carolina’s fifth 20-plus-point win in as many games this season. Junior forward Aleighsa Welch was the leading scorer for South Carolina with her game-high 17 points. But t he G a meco c k s kept up with their trend of having multiple double-digit scorers on the final stat sheet. Sophomores Khadijah Sessions a nd Tif fa ny M itchel l and junior center Elem Ibiam also fi nished in double figures. Two Tigers scored in double d ig it s Wed ne sd ay, a s C hel se a Lindsay registered 12 points and
Charmaine Tay turned in 11. T he G a mecock s t u r ned i n a strong defensive performance as well, limiting the Tigers’ shooting to just a 29 percent from the field. Welch also led the way on the glass for South Carolina, hauling in 10 rebounds to register a doubledouble on the day. Her activit y on t he boa rds spea rheaded a n effort that saw the Gamecocks outrebound Clemson 49-27. M it c hel l prov ide d t he mo s t assists of any player, dishing out five helpers in the contest. T he G a me co c k s a re 5- 0 on the year, with a West Coast road trip on the horizon as the team prepares to face San Diego State and Southern California. — Compiled by Danny Garrison, Assistant Sports Editor
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Thursday, November 21, 2013 10
CALIFORNIA DREAMING Women’s soccer team takes on Stanford in NCAA tournament Connor Hazelton
SPORTS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Olivia Barthel / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Junior midfielder Andie Romness says the South Carolina women’s soccer team is out for revenge against the Cardinal after losing to Stanford in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
T
he South Carolina women’s soccer team will look to continue its dream season Thursday when the Gamecocks travel to Los Angeles to take on the Stanford Cardinal. The match is a second-round tie in the NCAA Tournament. In order to secure the date with Stanford, No. 14 South Carolina took a convincing victory over Furman in Columbia on Friday, with a score of 5-0. The last time the Gamecocks squared off with the Cardinal was in the 2011 NCA A Tournament, when South Carolina fell 2-0 to the eventual national champions. Ju n ior defender a nd m idf ielder A nd ie
Romness was a part of that team, and she thinks the 2013 squad will be better prepared. “We’re excited to go out there and play them again, because last time we played them, we lost 2-0 and didn’t really play that well as we could have,” Romness said. “This year, we want to go out and show them that we’re not the same team we were two years ago. We’re not the type of team that’s going to play the ball over the top and let one player be the star, because everyone on our team contributes in different ways.” Coach Shelley Smith said she believes her team will be up for the challenge of traveling out west.
“I think we match up well, with what I do know about them,” Smith said. “They’re a very good possession team with some quality players. We faced t he No. 1 team in t he countr y a couple years ago, but that’s not the same team that we’re facing. We’re the higher-seeded team this time. We’re excited about playing them.” The Gamecocks may have the higher seed entering the tournament, but Romness said she knows Stanford is still a quality opponent. South Carolina is seeded third in its region of the bracket, with North Carolina at No. 1, UCLA at No. 2 and Texas A&M at No. 4. SOCCER • 9
Volleyball set to make final road trip of season Gamecocks look for redemption in 2nd game against Arkansas Antoine Thomas
SPORTS@DAILYGAMECOCK.COM
Entering the final stretch of the season, the South Carolina volleyball team is look ing to fi nish the year on a high note. The Gamecocks will head to Fayettev ille, Ark., Friday to face an Arkansas team looking to earn a bid to the conference tournament. The Gamecocks will then ret urn to Columbia to match up against LSU on senior night in what will be the fi nal home game for seniors Juliette Thévenin and Lindsey Craft. “It’s defi nitely bittersweet,” Thévenin said. “I’ve had some ups and downs, but I’ve had a great time here with my teammates and the whole staff.” South Carolina (12-16, 3-12 SEC) will look to get revenge against Arkansas (14-12, 7-8 SEC) after suffering a 3-2 loss when the Razorbacks visited the Volleyball Competition Facility in October. Thévenin said focus will be key in the rematch. “We know we have what we need to win against this team,” Thévenin said. “We need to focus on our side of the net and go all out.” Bot h A rkansas and LSU (16 -10, 6 -8 SEC) are ahead of South Carolina in the conference standings, but with wins against the two sides, the Gamecocks will be within distance of jumping a head of t hem bot h. A v ic tor y aga i nst t he Razorbacks would end the five-game losing skid South Carolina has suffered while facing some of the top teams in the conference. Th ree of t hose losses have come aga i nst teams in the top 10 nationally. Head coach Scott Swanson said the team’s tough schedule and inexperience caused the losing streak, but he added that the experiences will pay off in the future. “A lot of it is just (t hat) we have a lot of inex perienced you ng players on t he court,” Swanson said. “Even though we’re not winning VOLLEY • 9
Olivia Barthel / THE DAILY GAMECOCK
Seniors Lindsey Craft (left) and Juliette Thévenin (12) have just two games left in their Gamecock volleyball careers.