themaneater The student voice of MU since 1955
Columbia, Missouri • Friday, December 4, 2009
Vol. 76, No. 26
Universities aim to up minority grad rates ZACH TOOMBS News Editor The UM system, along with more than 20 other university systems, announced a goal Thursday to increase the number of lowincome and minority college graduates by 20 percent before 2015. The 24 university systems participating in the initiative, known as Access to Success, educate almost 40 percent of undergraduates attending public four-year colleges and universities, according to a news release from The Education Trust, one of the organizations behind the initiative. Deborah Nobel-Triplett, the UM system assistant vice president for academic affairs, said the university is in the early stages of examining the data gathered from The Education Trust’s report on low-income and minority enrollment in higher education.
themaneater.com
Remembering Karen Kahler
LOW-INCOME STUDENTS
The UM system, along with 23 other university systems, revealed its goal to lessen the gap between the number of low-income students who graduate high school and the number of those who enter college. low-income
41%
low-income students graduating high school in Missouri
59%
students entering college in Missouri 16%
84%
low-income students not graduating high school in Missouri
low-income students not entering college in Missouri
Source: Access to Success KATIE PRINCE/GRAPHICS ASSISTANT
“One of the advantages of being a part of this initiative is access to data we wouldn’t normally have,” Nobel-Triplett said. “Previously, we had data for minorities graduating see EDUCATION, page 6
NICK SCHNELLE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Friends of recently deceased mother, MU student and Activity and Recreation Center instructor Karen Kahler, show their respect at a vigil Thursday night at the ARC. Kahler's estranged husband, James Kahler, was charged with her murder, as well as the murder of her two daughters.
MSA promotes bookstore savings Senior journalism student
wins Marshall Scholarship
MEGAN PEARL Staff Writer MU is attempting to save students money on textbooks, but the University Bookstore is concerned about relaying the different options to students. The Missouri Students Association’s Academic Affairs committee is looking to perform a “textbook blitz” to begin mass advertisement of the rebate and rental programs the University Bookstore offers. The textbook savings are new to MU as of this semester. MSA passed two bills acknowledging the new rental program at MU and announced MSA will put out flyers and utilize other modes see BLITZ, page 6
ZACH MURDOCK Staff Writer
SARAH HOFFMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Legislation for a "textbook blitz" project was introduced by the Missouri Students Association Academic Affairs Committee on Wednesday night in Stotler Lounge. The project's goal is to reduce textbook prices for students by allowing the rental of books, guaranteed buyback and certain rebates.
George C. Marshall, the program began in gratitude for the assistance the U.K. received from the The U.K. Foreign and U.S. after World War II in the Commonwealth Office named Marshall Plan, the office’s Web site senior Brian Pellot a member of stated. “I’m absolutely thrilled to the 2010 class of Marshall receive this award,” Pellot Scholars on Tuesday. said. “I was on the treadAccording to the office’s mill at Mizzou’s Rec Center Web site, the U.K. govwhen the Consul General in ernment has awarded Chicago called me to share 35 American students a the good news. I was out Marshall Scholarship since BRIAN of breath and surprised to 1953, giving exceptional PELLOT hear word so soon after American students the opportunity to pursue graduate the interviews, but ecstatic.” According to the office’s Web degrees at top U.K. academic and research institutions. see SCHOLAR, page 6 Named for Secretary of State
Feelings mixed toward Paul leaves MSA Senate with to-do list technology requirement MEGAN PEARL Staff Writer Missouri Students Association President Jordan Paul released a list of projects to jumpstart Senate action as a part of his final executive report. “It’s kind of a spark to get things moving for the young kids in Senate right now,” Paul said. “This way I can tell them how to do it, they find out how things work and they also get things done.” Paul said the projects origi-
Table of Contents
News................................... Outlook............................. Forum................................. Arts...................................... Sports.................................
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nated from the Big 12 Student Government Conference he and MSA President-elect Tim Noce attended last month. The list is comprised of ideas for student government action that has been successful at other schools. The list was handed out in the full-Senate meeting Wednesday. It was also Paul’s last full-Senate meeting as president of MSA. “I think the most important issue is representation or getting down in the trenches with student issues,” Noce said. “I believe that
the idea for an issue of the week survey and tabling one or two days per week by senate could dramatically improve this.” Baylor University’s student government practices the issues of the week idea, Paul said in his outline of the list. The student senators conduct paper surveys from a table on campus to figure out what is important to the student body. Paul said MSA has not practiced the tabling method in the past in see IDEAS, page 6
JARED GRAFMAN Reporter The School of Journalism plans to continue its trial run of requiring freshman journalism students to have a Web-enabled audio-video player through next year’s incoming freshman class, said Brian Brooks, associate dean for undergraduate studies at the school. Brooks said there is still some confusion about the requirement in regard to iPod touches and iPhones.
On themaneater.com
Candlelight vigil
Listen to The Maneater's Arts podcast for a discussion on the best (and worst) of 2009. Visit themaneater.com for additional stories and online-exclusive content.
More than 100 people gathered for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Karen Kahler, who was killed Saturday. Outlook, page 10
“It is not a requirement for students to have an iTouch or an iPhone but rather a device with the ability to play video and audio files and access the Web,” Brooks said. Although the J School doesn’t specify which brand of Webenabled audio-video player is required, its Web site states the “requirement is best met by purchasing the Apple iPod touch.” Brooks said the new technology requirement has been sucsee IPHONE, page 6
Cap and trade protests Student groups organized protests both against and for a recent letter from UM system President Gary Forsee. News, page 3
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OutTakes
Top Stories No. 1 — The Shack is back No. 2 — Column: Back to basics for Tigers No. 3 — Column: Put on some pants No. 4 — Letter to the Editor: Forsee's opposition of federal climate legislation disappointing No. 5 — Few students turn out for H1N1 vaccine
Weather Forecast
Mike Ziegler/Staff Photographer
A flag flutters in the wind over people protesting UM system President Forsee's comments against legislation that would limit greenhouse gas emissions Thursday outside University Hall.
Friday:
High 35, low 18; mostly sunny with a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
Saturday:
High 43, low 28; sunny.
Sunday:
High 42, low 33; cloudy with a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
Monday:
High 37, low 29; mostly cloudy with a 10 percent chance of precipitation.
Friday, December 4, 2009 themaneater
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Josh Barone, Editor-in-Chief Mary Daly, Managing Editor Zach Toombs, Krissy Tripp, Will Guldin, Lyndsie Manusos, News Editors Megan Stroup, Projects Editor Amanda Wysocki, Forum Editor Andrea Kszystyniak, Chase Koeneke, MOVE Editors Sean Leahy, Sports Editor James Vestal, Online Development Katie Currid, Photo Editor LeeAnn Elias, Production Manager Katie Moritz, Assistant Editor Theresa Berens, Production Assistant Katie Prince, Graphics Assistant Laura Swan, Copy Chief Lauryn Stallings, Theresa Berens, Amelia Bock, Gabs Roman, Copy Editors Spencer Pearson, Taylor Combs, Sam Kubota, Lauryn Stallings, Mike Ziegler, Luke Udstuen, Shaina Cavazos, Carter Parker Designers Ami Albert, Business Manager Kirstin Shew, Sales Manager Mike Razim, National Accounts Krista Meany, Promotions Manager Kristin Hogan, Graphic Designer Molly Paskal, Premiere Accounts Sarah Callen, Miranda Eikermann, Alex Witt, Carl Smith, Advertising Account Representatives Becky Diehl, Adviser
Friday, December 4, 2009
news
Reach Zach Toombs, U-news editor, at ztoombs@themaneater.com, Krissy Tripp, Organizations editor, at ktripp@themaneater.com
Mike Ziegler/Staff Photographer
MU College Democrats President Brian Roach marches in a protest Thursday outside University Hall. Various sustainability groups organized the march in protest of UM system President Gary Forsee's comments against federal climate legislation limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
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Mike Ziegler/Staff Photographer
MU College Republicans Chairman Brett Dinkins stands in a counter protest Thursday outside University Hall. The counter protest was organized in support of UM system President Gary Forsee's comments on legislation that would limit greenhouse gas emissions, citing concerns that it would impact an already tight budget.
Students divided on Forsee letter Megan Donohue and Victoria Guida Of The Maneater Staff Groups of opposing protests met Thursday outside of University Hall to support or contest UM system President Gary Forsee’s recent letter opposing cap and trade legislation. The bill, which has passed the U.S. House of Representatives, aims to curb green house gas emissions nationally. Campus groups, such as Coal Free Mizzou, Greeks Going Green and MU College Democrats, joined with national campaigns, such as Clean Energy Works and Repower America, which officially supported the gathering, to protest against the letter before marching to Speakers Circle. A little earlier, a group of roughly 20 MU College Republican members and other like-minded students met at Speakers Circle then traveled together to University Hall in a counter-protest to show Forsee they support his decision. In the letter to federal lawmakers, Forsee said he opposed the legislation on financial grounds. “As currently written, we have grave concerns and oppose this legislation for the detrimental impact it will have on the University of Missouri System,” Forsee said in the letter. “The proposed cap and trade model will significantly increase the energy expenditures for all four of our campuses.” Forsee said the energy budget for MU is $13 million, and the new requirements would cost $5 to $8 million initially and $1 to $2 million every year after that. “Given the impact of such unsustainable increases on the University’s already hard-pressed budget, we urge you to oppose these bills or ensure that specific exemptions are included,” Forsee said in the letter. MU College Republicans Chairman Brett Dinkins said those costs are going to be passed onto students. “What we were trying to focus on today is that the cap and trade bill will lower the quality of the education that we are receiving or raise the price that we are
THE FULL TEXT OF GARY FORSEE'S LETTER November 17, 2009
Dear Congressman Luetkemeyer:
I am writing in regards to the companion bills H.R. 2454 – the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 and S. 1733 – the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. As currently written, we have grave concerns and oppose this legislation for the detrimental impact it will have on the University of Missouri System. The proposed cap and trade model will significantly increase the energy expenditures for all four of our campuses. Implementation is expected to increase electricity costs up to 50 percent and coal and natural gas costs by 30 percent or more. Given the impact of such unsustainable increases on the University’s already hard-pressed budget, we urge you to oppose these bills or ensure that specific exemptions are included. The University of Missouri-Saint Louis and the University of Missouri-Kansas City purchase all of their electricity and use natural gas for heat. The University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) and Missouri University of Science and Technology use coal and natural gas to operate Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems to provide a majority of heat and electricity to their campuses. Within the cap and trade provisions, MU’s power plant is considered a “covered entity” and would be required to participate in the purchase of credits. This requirement could translate into paying,” Dinkins said. “They are going to have to do something to get that money and it will be coming straight out of our pockets through tuition.” Forsee’s use of the word “we” has drawn criticism and Tyler Hutcherson, Coal Free Mizzou events and grassroots coordinator, said it has a lot of people upset. “I hope to get across the message that when Gary Forsee writes letters and uses the term ‘we,’ he should actually consult with the people involved before he writes these letters because I personally don’t agree with what he said at all,” Hutcherson said. MU College Republicans member Chelsea Maltagliati said the “we” in dispute is not so out of line.
increased costs of $5M - $8M during the initial implementation phase and $1M - $2M each year thereafter. To put these costs in perspective, the current annual energy budget for MU is approximately $13M. The impact of a cap and trade proposal on the UM System could be minimized by including any of the following three items in the legislation: -An exemption for public higher education -A CHP exemption for facilities up to 100 MW -Allocating initial green house gas allowances at no cost based on historical rates rather than auctioning the allowances at an undetermined cost As a leader in this area for 20 years, MU already has reduced energy consumption by more than 10 percent per square foot and green house gas emissions by more than 12 percent per square foot. The University of Missouri System will continue to research and develop solutions to the energy crisis. Thank you for your service to the University of Missouri System. We remain committed to working with you to address our concerns and to mitigate the unintended consequences of the legislation. Sincerely, Gary D. Forsee President GDF:js “We were out there to show President Forsee that we support his decision,” Maltagliati said. “It was just create a tuition hike and no one can afford that now with the way the economy is going.” The groups that gathered to protest the letter hope their demonstration will remind Forsee to hold to the promise he made when he signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, Campuses Beyond Coal Organizer Ryan Doyle said. The American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment is a network of presidents who are leading their institutions to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions on their campuses, spokeswoman Gina Coplon-Newfield said.
The commitment also deals with teaching students to address climate change upon graduation. Maltagliati said there are other ways to reduce carbon emission, and perhaps more appropriate times to do so as well, and disagreed that the letter went against the commitment. “I don’t think it’s against the climate idea, it’s basically against cap and trade which is a horrible bill in what it will do to this country,” Maltagliati said. Maria Speiser, spokeswoman for Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said the bill is in its early stages in the legislative process, and significant changes will likely be made before it comes to a vote. “At this point, (McCaskill’s) focus remains on ensuring that costs aren’t unfairly passed onto Missourians, including its public universities,” Speiser said. “As far as the letter goes, she always welcomes input from constituents.” Columbia’s U.S. House Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Republican, has come out in support of Forsee’s letter, his spokesman Paul Sloca said. Luetkemeyer voted against the cap and trade bill in the House. “It’s going to cost the university, and therefore cost students and their parents more to implement this cap and trade legislation,” Sloca said. “That’s a very, very sound argument, and it’s an argument that Blaine has been making for months.” MU Chancellor Brady Deaton was unaware of Forsee’s letter, MU News Bureau Executive Director Mary Jo Banken said. “He thinks that this national energy policy requires ongoing discussion and thorough scrutiny,” Banken said. “We have been in discussions with our students about MU’s use of energy and the implications of our energy consumption.” Banken said MU is installing a new biomass-fired boiler that will eventually reduce coal use by up to 25 percent. “We take this important national issue very seriously and will continue our work to reduce energy consumption and develop solutions to the energy crisis,” Banken said.
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NEWS Christopher D. Huppertz, 19, of Laws Hall, on suspicion of possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana
POLICE
DEPT.
the BLOTTER The following investigations are in progress, and the following people were arrested or issued summons, according to police reports.
MU Police Tuesday, Dec. 1 Conrad N. Sansone, 20, of 1106 Hamilton Way, on suspicion of false identification and purchase or possession of intoxicants by a minor Richard L. Hudson, 20, of 601 Rollins St., on suspicion of false identification and purchase or possession of intoxicants by a minor Christina N. Meglio, 20, of 1616 Anthony St., on suspicion of purchase or possession of intoxicants by a minor Wednesday, Dec. 2 John M. Jansen, 19, of 111 E. Stewart Road, on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana Robert A. Martin, 21, of 2404 Lynnwood Drive, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated
— Armeen Mistry, staff writer
Columbia Police Monday, Nov. 30 Daemeisha D. Jackson, 18, of 612 Pennant St., on suspicion of third-degree assault Christopher R. Turner, 17, of 805 W. Prairieview Drive, on suspicion of disturbing the peace Tuesday, Dec. 1 Jessica R. Berilla, 22, of 1015 E. Broadway, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle in a careless manner Kelin C. Cobbins, 23, of 207 Bryant St., on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon Anna E. Bynum, 17, of 4104 Defoe Drive, on suspicion of theft Wednesday, Dec. 2 Robert W. Thomas Dye, 21, of 319 W. Stewart Road, on suspicion of armed criminal action, first-degree robbery and unlawful use of a weapon Hurlee A. McHenry III, 19, of 3714 Santiago Drive, on suspicion of armed criminal action, first-degree robbery and unlawful use of a weapon Patrick I. Onyenwere, 21, of 4701 Glencairn Drive, on suspicion of resisting arrest, armed criminal action, first-degree robbery and unlawful use of a weapon
Wendell A. Scale, 23, of Warrenton, on suspicion of firstdegree burglary, third-degree domestic assault and first-degree property damage Shyraah R. Brown, 21, of 708 Demaret Drive, on suspicion of disturbing the peace Freddie M. Clark, 27, of 307 Dean St., on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and second-degree trespassing Tavon L. Harris, 20, of 1550 Towne Drive, on suspicion of disturbing the peace Eddie L. Hollis, 19, of 1713 Hanover Blvd., on suspicion of second-degree robbery Richard A. Lewis, 19, of 1535 Audrain County Road, on suspicion of possession of less than 35 grams of marijuana Andre P. Mars Sr., 26, of 319 N. Garth Ave., on suspicion of resisting arrest, operating a motor vehicle with a revoked driver’s license, second-degree trespassing and operating a motor vehicle in a careless manner Robert Prince III, 19, of 708 Demaret Drive, on suspicion of disturbing the peace Shavona L. Wisley, 28, of 4263 W. Bethany Drive, on suspicion of theft
Friday, December 4, 2008
Columbia raises AIDS awareness
— Travis Cornejo, staff writer If you have information on these crimes, you may contact Crime Stoppers at 875-TIPS. All calls are confidential. If a court authority later proves innocence of a charge stated in the Blotter, contact The Maneater to request an updated entry.
Katie Currid/Photo Editor
Columbia resident Carl Bassinger and RAIN Operations Manager Kimberly Wright stand on the corner of Ninth and Broadway streets Tuesday for World AIDS Day. Organizations RAIN and Trail to a Cure, in addition to Columbia residents, came out to support research and outreach for AIDS.
the maneater 5
NEWS
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
Tiger Spot repair complicated by legal issues The spot has more wear and tear, despite being covered for two years. RACHEL KRAUSE Staff Writer Despite more than two years covered by a tarp, the 700-squarefoot mosaic Tiger Spot located outside Ellis Library continues to fall into further disrepair without a solution in sight. MSA Senate Speaker Amanda Shelton said any work on Tiger Spot has been put on hold due to complicated artists’ copyright issues that have plagued the mosaic piece since discussions of moving or repairing the piece began. “After speaking with (Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy) Scroggs and other individuals inside and outside MSA, it came to my attention that there are somewhat complex legal issues that are causing problems with fixing or removing the mosaic, because it was an artwork cre-
ated by someone and is governed by intellectual property laws,” Shelton said in an e-mail. “As a result, we have decided to put this project on hold to address more time-sensitive issues for students, but we will remain cognizant of the situation.” Constructed by artist Paul Jackson, Tiger Spot was originally made up of 300,000 1.5-by-1 centimeter Italian glass tiles. The mosaic piece was unveiled during Homecoming Week 2001, and within a year the piece began to break apart due to foot traffic, weather, vandalism and, as some argued, poor construction. Repairs to 10 parts of the mosaic piece were first made in October 2002 and $11,000 was spent on a new drainage system beneath Lowry Mall to prevent further water damage in 2005. In August 2007, Tiger Spot was covered by a tarp purchased by Student and Auxiliary Services and cost between $1,500 and $2,000, said MU Libraries spokeswoman Shannon Carey in a previous Maneater report. Scroggs said she has attended chancellor’s staff meetings on the
Movember raises money, awareness of men’s health Movember is a month-long event that both celebrates the moustache and raises awareness on men’s health issues. “Movember is a fundraising effort throughout the month of November,” said Ryan Morimura, Interfraternity Council public relations vice president. “It benefits men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer.” Morimura said throughout the month of November, men grow mustaches and when they are asked why he is growing a mustache, they can talk about Movember’s fundraising efforts. “The money goes to fund research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer,” Morimura said. According to its Web site, the Movember Foundation is a not-for-profit organization. Beginning with the 2009 campaign, the money raised will be donated evenly between the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Morimura said the men from the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity brought it to IFC’s attention and several IFC men participated in Movember. “This is an issue some of our fraternity men might deal with years in the future,” Morimura said. “This event changes the face, a much younger one, of prostate cancer.”
MAJOR MOVEMBER SPONSORS These sponsors helped Movember spread its men’s health message. Canadian Club Shave Dermalogica WAHL Pepsi Max Source: Movember Web site KATIE PRINCE/GRAPHICS ASSISTANT
Morimura said Phi Kappa Theta President John Tate helped organize the event. “We had speakers from the Wellness Resource Center that talked to us about different men’s issues, including prostate cancer,” Morimura said. “The men that talked to us from the Wellness Resource Center were Jesse Hirner and Kevin Bigham.” Hirner said he and Bigham talked about some of the other major health issues men face, such as heart disease, diabetes and living a healthy lifestyle, in addition to covering prostate and testicular cancer. “It’s important to start making the right choices and taking care of yourself now,” Hirner said. “Your choices now are going to affect your health down the road. You have to pay attention to what you’re doing to your body.” Morimura said Paul Castellano won IFC’s Movember Man of the Month. “Two men from the Wellness Resource Center and three men from the IFC executive board were judges,” Morimura said. “He won $100 donated to his Movember account.” Mo Space is a personalized homepage on which participants can track donations, download information and invite others to join Movember, according to the Web site. Morimura said IFC has money in its budget for an “IFC Man of the Month.” IFC used the money from October and November to donate to Castellano’s Movember Web site account. According to its Web site, Movember raised $47 million globally for men’s health issues since its beginnings in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia. It is the world’s largest charity event for men. — Travis Cornejo, staff writer
issue but has not been particularly active in the issue of Tiger Spot. Scroggs said artists’ copyright laws have been one of the obstacles to repairing or moving Tiger Spot. “We had some kind of agreement with the artist, and if we’re not going to keep it there then the artist may be able to take legal action against the university,” Scroggs said. There has also been confusion as to who is directly responsible for resolving the issue. MU Libraries Director Jim Cogswell said the libraries were not extensively involved in Tiger Spot decisions. “Even though the Tiger Spot is directly outside the north door of Ellis Library, it is not part of the library’s domain,” Cogswell said. “We have no decision to be made by the library affecting that particular part of the campus.” Scroggs speculates financial responsibility for the repairs might be an issue. She said if the university were willing to pay for the restoration costs, maybe Jackson would repair the mosaic. Cogswell, like many mem-
YOUNGRAE KIM/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Tiger Spot, located in Lowry Mall, has been covered with a tarp since 2007. The mosaic was created by Paul Jackson and unveiled in 2001 but was damaged over time due to weather, vandalism and foot traffic. bers of the campus community, remains uninformed about the state of Tiger Spot. “All I know is that for less than a year it was a viable and quite lovely piece of artwork and for whatever reasons, it started to disintegrate,” Cogswell said. “Everyone’s been pointing fingers at one another on who’s to blame for that. Instead what we need to
do is get some sort of resolution and it really has to be agreed upon by all the parties, and that is the problem.” Both Cogswell and Scroggs said Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services Jackie Jones is in charge of campus facilities and would know more about the status of Tiger Spot. Jones could not be reached for comment.
Stress wears down students during final exam week The Wellness Resource Center offers free help for this stressful time. LYNDSEY GARZA Reporter The weeks before finals have long caused problems for students not just related to grades. The stress brought on by finals also opens the door for sickness by weakening immune systems. “Down to the cellular level, stress creates all these hormonal changes in the body, but physically it makes you more tired and fatigued and more susceptible to getting sick, especially during finals,” said Alison Hays, health fitness specialist and wellness coach. “It just makes life that much more difficult.” The majority of students become sick during finals week due to the large amount of mounting pressure and anxiety, Hays said. To help students deal with finals and the struggle to stay healthy, the Wellness Resource Center is providing free wellness coaching in 30-minute sessions to provide organizational strategies to help students prepare for finals with a low stress approach. The sessions also encompass fitness and nutritional strategies to maintain good health. Hays said the goal of the center’s 10 wellness coaches, who are primarily graduate students, is to provide strategies tailored to each person to address time management in order to sleep, exercise and
WELLNESS COACHING
The Wellness Resource Center is providing free wellness coaching in 30-minute sessions to help students prepare for finals with a low-stress approach. The center’s wellness coaching focuses on three main points: • general wellness, • fitness, • nutrition consultations Source: Alison Hays, health fitness specialist and wellness coach SPENCER PEARSON/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
eat regularly while rigorously studying. “When they make the appointment and come in, we’ll sit down one on one and have a conversation about what kind of time obligations they have and what things really cause them the most stress,” Hays said. “Then we’ll come up with solutions together on how we can decrease their stress and make them more successful in a whole well being.” The coaching is divided into general wellness, fitness and nutrition consultations. Julie Tobias, a dietician and nutrition consultant for the program, helps clients establish their own personal nutrition and health goals and suggests ways to help sustain a healthy weight, diet and condition. “Unfortunately there’s isn’t a magic food that will protect you from stress,” Tobias said. “But really getting good plant based foods, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and those types of foods provide more than just vitamins and minerals. They provide vital chemicals that fight of cancer or heart disease or fight off some of the stress related effects your body can send.” During a fitness consultation, Hays will measure cli-
ents’ body mass index, body fat percentage, blood pressure and heart rate and will instruct basic exercises, such as squats and push-ups. Hays will create a fitness schedule and guide personalized to each client’s body, habits, goals and lifestyle. One really easy way to decrease stress during finals is to just go exercise, Hays said. A level of satisfaction and deviation of stress can result from exercise, allowing students to become more focused and energized for studying. “Whenever they’re feeling really overwhelmed with studying, or cramming for their tests, just take a break and go for a 10 minute walk,” Hays said. “Even if it’s even just up and down the stairs of their dorm or something like that. Just take a break and then go back to studying. That’s a great way to really refocus.” Wellness coaching is not only for the struggling student. The resource center also opens the coaching to faculty and staff. Hays said students interested in wellness coaching should schedule appointments as soon as possible. The organization and structure will be intact so the stress will not be, come finals week. “Get started early, and have an understanding of what things are expected, what are the expectations and what the requirements are,” wellness coach Jeremy Mims said. “And then set a plan of action of how you want to achieve and get those things down. Sometimes it’s just about breaking it down into smaller pieces so it’s not so overwhelming looking at the whole thing.”
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the maneater
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
NEWS
BLITZ: Store tries buyback guarantee EDUCATION: 24 SAVING MONEY systems in participation Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1 high school and entering college, but not for those from low-income families.” According to The Education Trust’s data for Missouri, minority freshmen students graduated with bachelor’s degrees at lower rates than other students, 50 versus 64 percent. Low-income students graduated at lower rates than other students, 49 versus 65 percent. “We’ll be examining what each campus can do to reach our goal and we’ll be looking at our retention practices for minority and low-income students to see what we can do differently,” NobelTriplett said. The Education Trust hosted a conference call Thursday between university system presidents and the media to discuss the research gathered for Access to Success. Charles Reed, National Association of System Heads President, took part in the conference call and said universities must do a better job of informing minorities of college requirements. “We have failed in letting students of color know what they need to do to go to college and succeed,” said Reed, who’s also the president of the California State University system. “So, we must focus on getting minorities and those from low-income families the information they need to move beyond a high school education.” University system of Maryland Chancellor William Kirwan said improving access to higher education is the backbone of improving
the nation on a larger scale. “If the U.S. hopes to continue to be the world leader in things that matter, they must be the world leader in making a college education available,” Kirwan said. In its research, the initiative focuses not only on minority enrollment in four-year colleges and universities, but also enrollment from low-income areas. “This is more than a competitive issue, this is a civil rights issue,” Kirwan said. “A child from the lowest quartile income has a one in ten chance at a higher education. This goes against what our country is all about.” Jennifer Engle, a co-author of the report, said the research did show higher minority enrollment in two-year as opposed to fouryear colleges. “The two-year systems are an open door for minority students, in fact they’re over represented,” said Engle, who serves as the assistant director of higher education at The Education Trust. “Many students begin at a two-year college in hopes of transferring. However, our research shows few minorities actually make the transfer.” Reed, along with several other university system presidents, said the goal to increase minority and low-income enrollment in higher education must weather the economic recession, despite sweeping budget cuts. “We have to take advantage of these tough economic times and look forward to a resurgence in investment in higher education,” Reed said.
SCHOLAR: Pellot to study at Oxford in U.K. Continued from page 1 site, with this award, Pellot joins more than 1,500 American students who have participated in the program, including Pulitzer Prizewinning author Tom Friedman and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. As a journalism student, Pellot has gained experience through several study abroad fellowships, working at the American University in Dubai as a Rotary Ambassador Scholar, covering Lebanon’s parliamentary elections and reporting for the Huffington Post in Egypt. Pellot said he built his application over several years. “The application process was rigorous to say the least,” Pellot said. “I began preparing for the Rhodes and the Marshall applications before moving to Dubai at the end of my sophomore year.” Pellot, who is MU’s first Marshall scholar in more than 25 years, said the award is a great honor and hopes more students will apply in the future. “Brian has outstanding personal accomplishments that make him a strong candidate for national awards, but he is also a dedicated applicant,” MU Fellowships Coordinator Vicky Riback Wilson said. “In each new application, he builds on the experience and skills gained
from previous applications.” Pellot and eight other Marshall Scholars have chosen to study at Oxford University. As a critical language scholar, Pellot studied Arabic and intends to enroll in Oxford’s Modern Middle Eastern Studies program. “They really emphasize learning the language, Arabic in my case, to the point of research proficiency so that I can draw upon primary documents for my thesis,” Pellot said. Pellot said he is planning on studying how religion affects politics in the region and likes the strength of the faculty for Maghreb and Lebanese studies, where most of his work in the Middle East has taken place. “All of the 2010 Marshall Scholars represent the finest and brightest young American minds across a dazzling educational waterfront,” British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald said in a news release. “I know that all these young men and women will be excellent ambassadors for the United States — and I hope they will draw on their British experience as they go on to highly successful careers and lives.” Pellot said he plans on working as a foreign correspondent for several years in the Middle East following his work at Oxford and beyond reporting, his interests involve working in U.S. politics.
of communication to inform students about the rebate program. “Despite the efforts of the bookstore in alerting students to the rebate opportunity, many students, especially new freshmen, do not know of the rebate opportunity,” the resolution on the University Bookstore’s Textbook Rebate stated. The rebates give the student a voucher for 5 percent of all the books purchased. “One of the more popular methods that has come into vogue recently is the textbook rental program,” Academic Affairs Committee Chairman Ian Krause said. “It’s quite a considerable amount of savings when you come down to it.” Student Auxiliary Services spokeswoman Michelle Froese suggested looking to the new options under used books. The newest option to MU is the rental program. “It’s a pilot and limited to a few titles,” Froese said. “There are about 50 titles under guaranteed buyback, a third option is special pricing on certain used titles
ON BOOKS
There are various ways to save money on books. Rebates Rental Buybacks
E-books Espresso Book Machine Printing
Source: Student Auxiliary Services spokeswoman Michelle Froese KATIE PRINCE/GRAPHICS ASSISTANT
because some of these editions are very old and we want to make that price better for students.” The rental program is facing opposition from professors who do not want to commit to the same book for multiple years in a row, Froese said. This issue applies to certain subject areas in constant development where new and better books have the potential to be published. Some used books could receive new pricing. Publishers set new prices on textbooks and then establish used prices based off of the price new ones, Froese said. The guaranteed buyback program offers to buy back the used books from students at the end
of the semester. “The book has to be readopted by the university for the next semester,” Froese said. “For example, ‘Rock Recall,’ for the music appreciation class, has a new price of $124.55 and the guaranteed buyback price on the sticker will say $62.25.” Another example Froese said was “Exploring Psychology” which has a new price of $84.55, and if it’s going to be used again it will be $42.25. The information will be on a colored sticker on the cover of the book. There are 800 titles listed on the buyback list for next semester, but the number is subject to change as professors submit their course requirements. E-books have been steadily increasing in price in response to the high demand for books online, Froese said. The University Bookstore is also checking into Espresso Book Machine printing, which prints public domain books and can sell them for around $2 instead of the usual $10 for a book. “The options are complicated, so communicating the special pricing is difficult,” Froese said.
IPHONE: Requirement could change Continued from page 1 cessfully integrated into the Career Explorations in Journalism course, despite a shaky start to the semester. “I think we bit off more than we could chew at the beginning of this semester, but everything’s pretty much smooth now,” Brooks said. “We had a lot of problems at the start of the semester getting students logged in, but we fixed them.” Professors implemented new curricula specifically for the Webenabled audio-video players. “We used an electronic textbook for the Journalism 1010 class and videos that could be viewed on the iTouch,” Brooks said. There are also additional videos available of guest lecturers that were not able to speak to the class due to the limited time of the course. “The additional videos allow students who are interested in learning more about a specific journalism specialization to watch the videos easily and conveniently,” Brooks said. In addition to the electronic
textbook and iTunes U videos, there is software being developed for the devices’ use in classrooms. “We’re working on an app for the iTouch and iPhone that will help freshmen acclimate with MU that will help with the common questions most freshmen have when coming to college,” Brooks said. A map for students to navigate campus will be among its features. The new technology requirement has caused mixed reactions from freshmen students taking the introductory journalism course. Freshman Felicia Greiff said she was not happy with the new requirement and has yet to use it in her class. “I think the iTouch is pointless for the class and it’s just another way for MU to incorporate Apple into their system,” Greiff said. Freshman Elise Oggioni said she found the device useful but didn’t think it should be a requirement. “The best part to having the iTouch for the class was being able to see what we were doing
MARIAH HIBBARD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A student uses an iPod touch to access the MU Web site Thursday. As of fall 2009, incoming journalism freshmen were required to purchase iPod touches or iPhones as a part of the School of Journalism curriculum.
from day to day,” Oggioni said. “It was a really big help in preparing for the class.” Brooks said the administration might consider changing the requirement to fit changing technology. “We are not sure about a long term commitment because of the pace that new technology is made available,” Brooks said. “For example, there is a rumor that Apple is coming out with a new tablet in the new year.”
IDEAS: Conference inspired plans Continued from page 1 his outline. One of the ideas adopted from Iowa State University is having a member of student government sit in on City Council meetings and keep up with local issues. “I am currently in the process of appointing a new CCRC chair, and I spoke today with that committee’s leadership about definitely having someone to go to city Chamber of Commerce meetings and City Council meetings,” Senate speaker Amanda Shelton said. “This will keep us abreast of issues of concern in the community that we need to address and will also be great experience for Senators.”
Paul said the committees have not been producing a lot of legislation this year. This could be partially due to the large turnover rate in committee chairperson this year. Four committee chairpersons have resigned so far this semester. The list has 17 options for Senate members to choose from. One of the projects listed is a suggested improvement on the wait list option on myZou that originated from Texas Tech University. “The wait list option on myZou so you don’t have to play a guessing game and you are automatically dropped into it,” Paul said. There is also an idea from Baylor and Oklahoma State University of a welcome event at
the beginning of the school year. The goal is to initiate students into learning about MU and the community in Columbia as they begin their college experience. Another suggestion is for student refunds for classes to extend for a week after attending classes and receiving a 100 percent refund if the class does not seem like a good fit for the student. MU refunds 90 percent after the first day of classes. The list recommends committees for each project, but anyone in MSA can take up a project. Paul credits Kansas State University with this idea. “Ideally they’ll just go out and do it,” Paul said about MSA’s ideas.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
Fees to know for the spring
•
Tuition,
Student Recreation Complex
Prepaid health
— $92.78 per semester This allows students to use the Student Health Center for basic health needs, which includes services such as annual checks and consultations. If you’re sick and you see a doctor, your prepaid health fee covers the cost. The fee does not cover certain services, such as allergy shots, pharmacy costs for prescription medicines and most travel immunizations. For example, the fee will cover your visit to the doctor, but usually not the cost of the prescribed medicine. This fee is required for all students enrolled in more than six credit hours.
Information Technology
— $12.20 per credit hour This allows the Division of Information Technology to set up services for students, including MizzouWireless.
Student activity
— $157.56 per semester This is a combination of sub-fees that fund various activities and services available to students, some of which include: Diversity fee: This helps to fund institutions and organizations on campus, such as the Asian American Association and the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center. Parking and transportation fee: All students pay this, which funds the shuttle system on campus. SFRC Vice Chairman Matt Sheppard said the committee has considered charging this fee only to students who use the system, but this setup would constitute too much of an increase in the fee for shuttle users. Student organizations fee: This funds the many student organizations on campus and allows each of them to be allocated a specific budget in order to function.
Catherine Rolfe, senior staff writer Design by Mike Ziegler
student fees
— $133.11 per semester
Students pay this fee as a kind of “membership” to the Student Recreation Complex. Along with fees for club sports and Columbia residents’ membership fees, this fee funds the recreation complex and effectively allows it to keep running. This fee is required for all students enrolled in more than six credit hours.
the maneater 7
FEATURE
Although MU tuition is frozen, fees might increase for next school year.
increase nationwide “Shame on you, shame on you,” California college students protested and chanted at UCLA this month, reacting to a 32 percent increase in their student fees. Although other college students might not be protesting as loudly, the University of California system fee hike is part of a larger national trend. Undergraduate student fees and tuition increased an average of 6.3 percent nationally in the last academic year. In the last four years, fees and tuition have increased an average of 29 percent. Compared to the national 29 percent increase, MU tuition and required student fees hit below the average percentage change during the last four years, coming in at 19.3 percent. MU students haven’t been affected as hard as other universities, but they’ve still been affected. There’s no telling whether these continued increases would subside with the economy now faring better. Gov. Jay Nixon’s agreement with major Missouri school leaders secured Missouri college tuition will again be frozen for the 2010-2011 academic year. This means students will pay the same tuition as they would have during the 2008-2009 academic year, after which the freeze was first implemented. Students might still see some change in the amount of money they pay for school. The freeze affects tuition but not student fees or room and board. Although about a third of students pay room and board for on-campus housing, all students are required to pay student fees. Student fees are part of all students’ bills from MU. They cover a variety of campus facilities and services, including the Student Recreation Complex and MizzouWireless. Fees are determined and approved by a variety of administrative bodies, but a student group actually holds the most influence over initiating the process. The Student Fee Review Committee is composed of both graduate and undergraduate
PHOTOS BY MARIAH HIBBARD AND MIKE ZIEGLER
The Student Recreation Complex, MizzouWireless throughout the campus and in computer labs and Student Health Center use are some of the several amenities and services paid for by student fees. The Student Fee Review Committee can create, increase and decrease student fees.
students and has the power to start the process of increasing, decreasing or creating any student fee. SFRC Vice Chairman Matt Sheppard said the group members act as representatives for their peers. “The university can’t really go to every single student,” Sheppard said. “So they come to our committee, made up of students who are fairly involved and have a really good idea of what’s going on, and we can kind of speak up for the
entire student body.” One integral part of the idea of student fees is everyone pays for everything. MSA Vice President Colleen Hoffmann said the student fee is beneficial in this way. “Depending on the kind of student you are, the kind of things you’re involved in, you might see more benefit from one area personally,” Hoffmann said. Regardless of whether a student goes to the Student Recreation Complex 10 times a
week or has never stepped foot in the building, he or she pays the same amount of money for it. “The combination of those fees allows one student to use the Student Recreation Complex and someone else to go to a different activity or utilize a different service,” MU spokesman Christian Basi said. “It allows everyone to participate in the activities of their choices. Without those fees, we would not be able to have any of these activities or services.”
HOW TO CREATE A FEE
Last year, SFRC used its unique influence to create the new sustainability office. The committee is required to go through a specific set of steps in order to jumpstart the process of creating a new fee. S T E P
1
SFRC responds to a demonstrated need in the MU community that could be fulfilled by a new student fee. (In this case, SFRC was made aware of MU's less than satisfactory "green" ratings.)
S T E P
2
SFRC holds a referendum, asking students to vote to show how they feel about the issue. Two-thirds of those voting must approve the fee in order for it to continue on to the next step.
S T E P
SFRC makes a recommendation to MSA in favor of the new fee.
3
S T E P
4
After MSA approves the measure, it sends the new fee to the Board of Curators for approval.
S T E P
5
The UM system Board of Curators approves the fee, and it is added onto students' bills. (Now, students pay a $1 sustainability fee per semester, which funds the sustainability office.)
Source: Student Fee Review Committee Vice Chairman Matthew Sheppard KATIE PRINCE/GRAPHICS ASSISTANT
Parking SPotS available
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Friday, December 4, 2009
outlook
Reach Will Guldin, city, state and nation editor, at wguldin@themaneater.com and Lyndsie Manusos, crime editor, at lmanusos@themaneater.com
The Right Stuff
Eric Hobbs Politics Columnist
Global warming the wrong focus As concerns about climate change and global warming increase, Copenhagen, Denmark, will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference. Nearly 200 nations will be represented for the 12-day meeting beginning Dec. 7, including two MU professors who are attending the conference as observers. What’s troublesome is the talks at this meeting will be about how to stop global warming, when in fact, what little global warming there was has already changed into global cooling. Although the UN, agenda-set scientists and Al Gore are running around in a panic spewing out nonsense about how the earth is getting too hot, all the evidence tells us our planet is getting colder, and we are beginning a period of global cooling. One would think the scientists and other experts researching the planet would want to put forth information that best serves earth and humanity. Instead, they care more about being right and are covering up the truth. Hackers recently dug up e-mails from global warming scientists, and the information in those e-mails is startling. These “experts” were scared to death because their research told them how wrong they are about global warming and they expressed their concerns about it to each other. Instead of admitting scientific evidence proves the earth is cooling and they all were in panic mode for nothing, those e-mails were deleted, information tossed out and global cooling advocates threatened. Scientists at the United Kingdom’s Climate Research Unit confessed to throwing out most temperature information on which their claims of global warming are based. Instead of being able to fact-check their claims, we have no choice but to take their word. At conferences and other meetings of the minds, the few scientists standing up for the truth are summarily excluded by the environmentalist nut jobs who insist global warming is going to kill us all. These clowns refuse to shake hands with or even acknowledge researchers who don’t subscribe to the global warming conspiracy, creating a scene reminiscent of middle school girls on the playground. If that wasn’t enough, the Environmental Protection Agency has launched a massive operation to make sure scientific evidence they don’t like is hidden and never sees the light of day. The Competitive Enterprise Institute completed a study earlier this year, but the EPA quickly silenced the results and the study’s author. According to internal messages released by the CEI, the EPA kept this research quiet which suggested the EPA’s information was outdated and inaccurate because it was feeling pressure from who else but the Obama administration. If you don’t think there’s anything fishy going on, also consider the CEI was finally able to release its report without the EPA on June 26, which is the exact day the cap-and-trade bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. Although scientists use evidence to warn us the earth is cooling (Victor Manuel Velasco Herrera of Mexico warns of what he calls a “mini ice age” in roughly a decade), fanatics are panicking about how their stance is crumbling and will do anything to stop it. Eric Hobbs is the MU College Republicans vice chairman. He can be reached at emhn75@ mail.mizzou.edu.
The Maneater 9
Father found guilty of murdering son Samantha Sunne Staff Writer Horace Johnson was found guilty of the murder of his 2year-old son Cortez Johnson on Thursday. Johnson pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. Cortez’s mother Keyonda Lumpkins was found guilty of the same charge and was sentenced to 24 years in prison in October. Johnson looked down at the floor when the guilty verdict was announced and later held his head in his hands. The jury members deliberated for less than an hour before returning their verdict. Johnson did not testify in the trial. In his statement to the Columbia Police Department, Johnson said he took Cortez and Lumpkins to University Hospital when he realized Cortez was having trouble breathing. Johnson said Lumpkins had whipped Cortez the night before and had tied Cortez’s hands behind his back with a belt contraption. Johnson claimed in the statement he had been unable to stop Lumpkins from beating Cortez because he was bedridden with a gunshot wound to the leg. Cortez’s unresponsive body was brought to University Hospital with multiple suspicious injuries, medical per-
sonnel testified. The cause of death was blunt force injury to the head, said Dr. Carl Stacy, Boone County’s chief medical examiner. The jury was instructed to find Johnson guilty of seconddegree murder if they found from the evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Cortez was killed as a result of Johnson’s perpetration of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. The state did not need to prove Johnson had ever struck Cortez, Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight said in his closing statement. They only needed to prove that Johnson had aided Lumpkins in keeping Cortez in a physically harmful environment, Knight said. “We have proven this case beyond any doubt whatsoever,” Knight said. “Murder cases do not get any stronger than this.” Public Defender Stephen Wyse, Johnson’s attorney, said there was no evidence Johnson had caused the head injuries which caused Cortez’s death. “The state wants you to focus on the emotions,” Wyse said. He asked the jury members to focus on the evidence rather than their feelings about the case or their dislike for Johnson. Knight displayed photographs of Cortez’s body at
Maneater File Photo
Keyonda Lumpkins bows her head Oct. 5 in the Boone County Courthouse after being sentenced to 24 years in prison for the murder of her 2-year-old son, Cortez Johnson. The father of Cortez, Horace Johnson, was also found guilty for the murder of Cortez on Thursday. the trial, showing multiple burns, cuts and bruises over his body. Some of the injuries were weeks or months old and some were inflicted within the last week, Stacy said. CPD Detective Joseph Jackson, who interviewed Johnson when he was arrested, said he doubted Johnson had been unable to stop Lumpkins from beating Cortez. Security cameras show Johnson walking through hallways in University Hospital without crutches on the day of Cortez’s death. This evidence showed Johnson was actually able to get out of bed, Jackson said. Johnson said in his
statement he argued with Lumpkins until she agreed to take Cortez to the hospital. He left the hospital a short time later because he did not think Cortez’s condition was serious enough that he needed to stay, Johnson said. According to a CPD news release, a month later, while Johnson was incarcerated for a parole violation, the prosecutor’s office issued a warrant for his arrest for seconddegree murder. A similar warrant was issued for Lumpkins, who was already incarcerated for first-degree child endangerment, the news release stated.
Red wreath encourages fire safety Rachel Allred Staff Writer Continuing a decadelong tradition, the Columbia Fire Department began Operation Red Wreath on Tuesday. Fire Marshal Steven Sapp said in an e-mail the program started about 10 years ago and was patterned off the project used by the Joliet Fire Department in Illinois. Assistant Fire Marshal Debbie Sorrell said the operation began with the purpose of keeping the community aware of fire safety and hazards. “It was started to remind everyone that the happiness of the holiday season can be changed in an instant by a fire,” Sorrell said in an e-mail. The event lasts more than a month, during which time a wreath with several dozen red lights is displayed at the fire station on Tenth Street, Sorrell said. “If there is a fire in Columbia between Dec. 1 through Jan. 4, a red light bulb is replaced by a white
light bulb,” Sorrell said. “The goal is to keep the wreath red.” Sapp said the wreath offers the community a visual aid to recognize the importance of fire safety. “The wreath is a visual indicator to show that if we all work together on fire prevention, we don’t have to change the color of any of the bulbs,” Sapp said. “Should a fire happen, it’s also a visual indicator of how many times lives have been affected.” Due to increased festivities during the winter season, Sorrell said the number of nationwide fires increases during this time. “There is an increase of fires in the winter,” Sorrell said. “The No. 1 causes are cooking, then heating, then candles. Around the holidays, we usually cook more. It’s winter, so we have the furnace running and many homes and religious events use candles in their celebrations.” Fires are especially hard to deal with during the holiday season, Sapp said.
Nick Schnelle/ Staff Photographer
A wreath decorated with red lights sits Wednesday outside of the Columbia Fire Department on Tenth Street. CFD hopes to raise awareness for the community by replacing red bulbs with white ones each time there is a fire.
“It’s tragic to have a fire anytime of the year, but around the holidays it always seems more tragic,” Sapp said. Sapp said Columbia hasn’t recorded a fire death during the holiday period in more than 10 years and the number of fires generally stays the same during the
winter months. “While Columbia has been fortunate enough not to see a marked increase in fires during the holidays in December and early January, the potential does increase,” Sapp said. According to a CFD news release, four fires occurred during the 2008-2009 Red Wreath Operation. Two of those fires were electrical related, and the other two were cooking related. During the 2006-2007 operation, three fires were reported, the new release stated. Sorell said it is hard to determine the effect the wreath has but said it encourages residents to be more cautious. “It is really hard to measure what could have happened,” Sorrell said. “The community seems to pay attention to the wreath, and I hope that means they are being careful.” The fire department hopes for a safe holiday season with no fire tragedies with the loss of life, health, home or possessions, Sorell said.
10 the maneater
outlook
Friday, December 4, 2009
Vigil held in memory of Karen Kahler and her daughters The mother of three was an MU junior and ARC trainer. Zach Toombs News Editor More than 100 people gathered Thursday outside the Columbia Activity and Recreation Center for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Karen Kahler and her two daughters, Emily and Lauren Kahler. Mrs. Kahler, who worked at the ARC and was enrolled as a junior at MU studying health sciences, was shot to death along with her grandmother, Dorothy Wight, and her two teenage daughters Saturday at the grandmother’s home in Kansas. Mrs. Kahler and her daughters died in the home; Wight was put in intensive care and died Tuesday. “We just wanted to do this vigil to honor Karen and her family,” said Shay Gann, a friend of Mrs. Kahler’s and a member of her boot camp class. “We felt like it was important to give the community a chance to do that as well.” The vigil included a message from Disciples of Christ minister Bill Ryan. “Sometimes all we can do is come together in remembrance and compassion,” Ryan said. “I just wanted to emphasize a feeling of community during this time.” Ryan said he found it difficult to make sense of the tragedy of the situation. “In the midst of tragedy, sometimes there’s no logical answer and people
have to realize that,” Ryan said. “But helping people find a way to respond to something like this is a way of coping with it.” Friends of the Kahlers held candles and huddled together in the 30-degree weather for both emotional support and warmth. “She started out my trainer but became so much more,” said Lysa Holmes, one of Mrs. Kahler’s clients at the ARC and a family friend. “She really meant a lot to me. I saw her two to three days a week since May.” Holmes said she saw the Kahlers outside of the gym as well. “We swapped recipes, she had planned to crewing with us in my husband’s hot air balloon,” Holmes said. “She hadn’t gotten to go up yet.” Several members of Mrs. Kahler’s classes at the ARC and fellow employees attended the vigil. “She had such an upbeat attitude and was just so strong,” said Tracy Jones, a member of Kahler’s class at ARC. “She had a very lighthearted laugh.” Gann started a blog to give the Kahler’s friends and relatives a place to share memories of the family. The blog, “In Memory of Karen, Emily and Lauren Kahler,” also uses the PayPal system to raise support for immediate financial needs and for the ongoing care of Sean Kahler, Mrs. Kahler’s 10-year-old son, who escaped from the home where the shootings took place. The blog also honors Wight. A funeral for Karen, Emily and Lauren Kahler is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Federated Church in Burlingame, Kan., where the shootings took place.
Nick Schnelle/Staff Photographer
A photo of the Kahler family sits at a table for friends to view at the vigil Thursday night at the Activity and Recreation Center. Karen Kahler, who was an instructor at the ARC, along with her two daughters Emily and Lauren, were killed Saturday.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2008
OUTLOOK
the maneater 11
NICK SCHNELLE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A Ponderosa Street bridge crosses a stretch of woods in between Brock Rodgers and Gans roads. A 200-foot section of copper wire was stolen from a service line located in the wooded area Monday, totaling to $15,000 in damages to restore telephone services.
Copper telephone wire theft under investigation Copper theft is common, considering the profit that can be made. NICOLE THOMPSON Staff Writer The Boone County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the theft of 200 feet of copper wire from a Columbia telephone line. Columbia residents began making calls at 5:30 a.m. Monday to CenturyLink telephone service reporting problems with their service, a Sheriff’s Department news release stated. A crew was sent to investigate and found a 200-foot section of copper wire removed from a service line in the area of S. Brock Rodgers Road and Ponderosa Street, the news release stated. The copper wire was removed from between two poles located in a wooded area between Brock Rodgers and Gans roads. The line was not removed from the ground, the news release stated. Sheriff’s Department Detective Tom O’Sullivan said the thief must have climbed up to the telephone wire to get it down. “Sounds like whoever did this was someone who was familiar with phone lines,” O’Sullivan said. “They would have had to use the ladder to access the phone lines.” The Sheriff’s Department is looking into a few leads but has not yet made any arrests, O’Sullivan said. The department has also spoken with residents in the area of the crime. No one seems to have seen anything suspicious, O’Sullivan said. The theft occurred sometime between Sunday night and 5:30 a.m. Monday, the news release stated. Service was restored Monday afternoon, CenturyLink Public Relations Manager Greg Gaffke said. He estimates less than 500 customers, both residential and business, were affected. The cost to restore telephone service is estimated to be $15,000, the news release stated. O’Sullivan said the telephone company would bear the cost.
CenturyLink bears the direct financial burden, but this crime might also affect customers, Gaffke said. “When we have to repair and replace stolen lines, that could have a domino effect down to the customer,” Gaffke said. “We may not be able to provide new equipment in the long run if that happens.” Copper theft is a common crime, O’Sullivan said. Thieves steal copper not only from telephone wires, but off of buildings as well. It is something criminals can profit from, O’Sullivan said. “Copper has always been fairly expensive,” O’Sullivan said. When copper wire is stolen from telephone lines, all services running through that wire are shut down, Gaffke said. This includes telephone, Internet and the ability to make emergency calls. “A lot of perpetrators don’t understand that when they steal copper they cut off phone services and cut off emergency services,” Gaffke said. If arrested, the perpetrator could be charged with property damage and theft in this crime, O’Sullivan said. Due to the large value of the stolen wire, both charges would be considered felonies. “The stealing would be a felony since it’s in excess of $500,” O’Sullivan said. “More than $750 of property damage in the first degree is a felony.” The Missouri State Senate passed legislation in August 2008 to help control copper theft. The law dictates stricter guidelines for record keeping and the purchasing of scrap metal. According to the law, unlawful purchases of scrap metal, such as copper from telephone lines, are defined as a class B misdemeanor. A similar incident occurred six to eight weeks ago, Gaffke said. Two sections of copper were stolen from telephone wires on the west side of Columbia north of Interstate 70 near Cosmo Park. More customers were affected in this instance than in Monday’s theft, Gaffke said. Gaffke also said he had no way to determine if the two incidents were related.
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12 The Maneater
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Friday, December 4, 2009
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Josh Barone, editor-in-chief — jbarone@themaneater.com Mary Daly, managing editor — mdaly@themaneater.com
Our Opinion Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Maneater Editorial Board.
MSA should focus externally In his final address to the Missouri Students Association as president, MSA President Jordan Paul urged them to focus more on external issues than internal ones. In the past semester, MSA has done nothing except focus on issues within the organization, such as figuring out who will be in charge of various committees. The entire point of MSA is to be the voice of the student body. We are sure the student body is not concerned with election bylaws and phrases in legislation. In fact, many students do not even know what MSA is or what it does. Less than 1,000 students voted in this year’s presidential election, which is pitiful considering there are around 30,000 students at the university. One of Paul’s ideas is to have MSA participate in Chamber of Commerce and City Council meetings. Although we support MSA getting involved with more community-oriented things, there are other places they could start. Getting more senators to attend Board of Curators meetings. MSA senators could get to know the state representatives from Columbia and lobby them for issues relating to the university. City government probably does not affect the university as much as the state does. For instance, when MSA lobbied in Jefferson City last April about the Access Missouri grant, that is an excellent example of the work MSA could be doing. Paul also talked about making changes to myZou, especially in the way the wait list feature works. He also wants to try to get students a 100 percent refund if they drop a class within the first week of class. Neither of those issues are anything with which students would disagree. Many of Paul’s ideas are really good, but one of the biggest things MSA needs to focus on next semester is exposure. Students need to know what MSA is. MSA senators need to spend time actually talking to other students in order to find out what the student body wants done. One of the few senators we have seen do this is sophomore Garrett Bergquist. He urges his classmates to vote in elections and goes around the halls of his residence hall talking to people about MSA. More senators could take Bergquist’s lead and get out there. Hosting a welcome week (one of Paul’s ideas) is not the way to go. There are already so many welcome activities on campus. We do not need another one. Senators just need to talk to students. This can be done throughout the year. There is no need for a specific week. Paul has said from the beginning of his presidency he wants to focus on stuff outside of MSA-specific legislation, but he could have stepped in sooner. We fully support him giving direction to his successor, Tim Noce, and the rest of MSA, but these issues should have been raised much earlier.
'We' didn't agree to anything UM system President Gary Forsee had no right to write a letter about cap and trade legislation on behalf of the UM system without consulting key members of the administration first. “We have grave concerns and oppose this legislation for the detrimental impact it will have on the University of Missouri System,” Forsee said in his letter. Who is “we?” When contacted Thursday about the letter, MU spokeswoman Mary Jo Banken said Chancellor Brady Deaton was “unaware” of the letter, so clearly the MU chancellor was not contacted. In addition, it appears the Board of Curators wasn’t contacted. As the governing body of the UM system, it’s important to contact the board before sending a letter like this. Perhaps other chancellors or university officials were contacted, but Deaton and the Board of Curators should have been also. With politicians and the student body so divided on this complex issue, Forsee should not be acting on his own. We realize, as Forsee said, this letter is addressing the financial problem cap and trade could potentially cause for the UM system. The estimated $5 to $8 million initial cost and $1 to $2 million cost every year thereafter is a large bill in addition to the $13 million we already pay in energy costs at MU. However, sending this on his own could make it look like Forsee has a political agenda and not a fiscal one. The point of cap and trade is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., and as Forsee cites, the UM system is making leaps in sustainability, but opposing sustainability legislation accomplishes nothing in that direction. This letter could also affect MU’s sustainability grants, which students have worked hard to gain. Earlier, Forsee signed the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment. He signed a commitment to eliminate global warming emissions but also signed a letter asking to oppose the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. Wait, what? He signed documents saying completely opposite things? The issue we have with Forsee’s letter is not about his stance on cap and trade legislation. It’s the blatant disregard to a previously signed commitment and the disrespect to all those he represents.
Letters to the editor must include phone numbers. Guest columns must be about 450 words and include e-mail addresses. All letters must be signed to be published. The Maneater reserves the right to edit letters and columns for style and length. Letters and columns can be e-mailed to forum@themaneater.com, faxed to 882-5550 or dropped off at N223 Memorial Union.
Letters to the Editor
Praising Forsee's stance against cap-and-trade Thank You President Forsee. I feel it necessary to write in and express my gratitude toward President Forsee, and the university, in offering their stance against the Cap and Trade legislation. Our University is viewed highly among other universities in our efforts to use clean and affordable energy. It is an honor to be at a university that puts the needs of their students first. Our power plant is one of the cleanest in the nation, running for the most part, on clean coal. Environmental extremists would have you believe that there is no such thing as clean coal energy, but that is simply not true. We need coal plants in America to keep energy costs low, and American jobs available. If this legislation would pass,
the university would be faced with two options. 1. They would be forced to lower the quality of education we are receiving due to the increased cost in keeping our campus “environmentally friendly.” 2. The university would be forced to raise the cost of tuition to meet the expenses forced by the Cap and Trade Legislation. Again, I commend President Forsee and the university in their efforts to provide us affordable, high quality education. Even more, I look forward to Governor Nixon voicing his stance against this legislation, to keep to his promise of not raising our tuition cost. — Brett Dinkins, sophomore
Trayless efforts could be enhanced by vegan food In response to your article (“Trayless trial saves resources,” Maneater, 12/1), I was delighted to hear that MU’s cafeterias are exploring the option of going trayless for the environment. However, there is an even better way to save the environment: adding more vegan food. According to a recent United Nations study, raising animals for food contributes more to climate change than all cars, boats, and trains combined. If we really want to make a difference, the first step is to cut out the meat. The amount of resources wasted on producing animal-derived products is staggering. We currently feed more than 70 percent of the grains raised in the U.S. to animals raised for food.
Similarly, nearly half of the water and 80 percent of agricultural land consumed in this country is used for livestock, rather than direct consumption by humans. Farmed animals produce about 130 times as much excrement as the entire U.S. population, much of which finds its way into our local waterways. Thankfully, it’s never been easier to find delicious and “green” meals, like veggie barbecue riblets and vegan pizza. For more information about the impact of animal agriculture on the environment, visit peta2.com. — Drew Winter, college campaigns assistant peta2.com
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
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FORUM
The opinions expressed by The Maneater columnists do not represent the opinions of The Maneater editorial board.
Good came out of bad this decade Lindsay Eanet lrebn7@mizzou.edu
The new meme in opinion writing seems to be, “Let’s talk about how awful the ‘00s were.” And it’s a fitting one. I mean, not a whole lot really changed. This decade started on a wave of unfounded anxiety and fear mongering propagated by idiots and conspiracy theorists (Y2K), and it is ending on a wave of unfounded anxiety and fear mongering propagated by idiots and conspiracy theorists (cable news). The TIME Magazine piece on the subject points to greed and too much emphasis on self-interest for all this decade’s failures. And yes, our generation will be left to years, possibly decades of damage control from past generations’ ineptness and greed that manifested itself these past few years. But it’s not like these misplaced cultural values are unique to this decade. We’ve had these economic problems before and the mantra of “greed is good” has been around since the ‘80s, and the idea long before. This decade might be deserving of TIME’s title, “Worst Decade Ever,” but we’d be remiss if someone didn’t point
out the good stuff. The idea of commonality has been a recurring theme in this column, and the decade has given us glimpses of how, even in one of the most divisive periods of our nation’s history, there are still moments where we are united. I’m talking, of course, about the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Watching Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte obliterate the competition during the 4x200m freestyle relay, even I couldn’t help joining in a fist-raised chant of “U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!” That? That was totally freaking awesome. But most of the aspects of the ‘00s that have been awesome manifested themselves most clearly in the arts and leisure (see sports, above). The creativity, innovation and good humor required to survive such difficult times also made them a hell of a lot better. A boy wizard and his British singlemom creator gave youth around the world a common shared literary experience and instilled an essential love of reading in millions of children in an age where books compete with video games and Disney divas for affection. “Arrested Development” happened. In fact, scripted television as a whole became good again and now includes shows with intelligent, witty women at the forefront. There’s a belief this decade’s overem-
phasis on cyber-communication (texting, tweeting, what have you) is dumbing us down. But there have been successful efforts at creating original art in the digital age. This summer, I wrote a feature about the youth poetry slam movement, long existing in other forms but exploding in the latter half of the decade (with the help of Russell Simmons) and saw how gives it young people an eloquent soapbox. And Twitter might be narcissistic and inane for the most part, but didn’t Billy Shakespeare say brevity was the soul of wit (@Polonius32 tweets: “Just got stabbed by @PrinceOfDenmark. Very painful. Gotta stop hiding behind curtains. @Laertes AVENGE ME.”)? We’ve had a few massive obstacles to face this decade. But we also have an array of new tools by which we can connect to the international community with ease and are coming into adulthood at a time when creativity and enterprise are such valuable commodities, and this combination can create some real positive changes. If we can continue to shift the emphasis toward the more positive aspects of this decade and the generation that came of age in it — especially creativity and an increased global savvy — then we can make the next decade (the ‘10s?) even more awesome.
Swiss minaret ban a result of fear mongering Phil Klopfenstein pkyt7@mail.missouri.edu
In a surprise referendum the people of Switzerland have voted in favor of banning the construction of new minarets within Swiss borders. That’s right, the European country most often associated with neutrality and tolerance has voted affirmatively for discrimination targeted specifically at their Muslim population. Let me break the situation down. Switzerland’s version of democracy (a questionable definition in light of this decision) allows for citizens to directly propose and vote on any referendum. The issue of banning minarets, the towers traditionally on mosques, was put forward and promoted by a far right political party. This party proceeded to spread posters that featured a woman in a burqa along with minarets shooting up like missiles covering the Swiss map. This effort meant to incite fear into people about the possible influence of Switzerland’s 400,000 Muslim citizens, a meager 4 percent of the total population. The Muslims facing this discrimination come from nearby former Yugoslavia and Turkey! But that doesn’t matter to the voters because many of the Swiss who voted in favor of this referendum have probably never met a Swiss Muslim. The majority of the pro-ban votes came from rural areas. The majority of Muslims reside in urban areas. The campaign put on by the rightwing party was an amazing success at fear mongering. They convinced a majority of the population to vote against a group with which most had no personal experience. It’s not like the Swiss people were looking around and saying to themselves, “Jeez, there sure are a lot of minarets springing up in this country. Pretty soon I’m going to be in the minority.” There are only four minarets in the whole country! So from
ILLUSTRATION BY CHELSEA MYERS where do these voters derive their opinions? From fear-mongering news and propaganda, of course. From exacerbated anxieties and allegations. Even France, which bans hijabs in public schools, took issue with the Swiss people’s decision. Of course, France put a ban on any religious symbol, such as wearing a cross on a necklace, thus equally affecting practitioners of any faith. But Switzerland has specifically singled out minarets and Muslims in a plain and clear case of discrimination. The issue is larger than minarets. Minarets are not required for worship. In efforts to quell the disapproval of both Muslim nations and their European neighbors, Swiss spokespeople have scrambled for explanations. Switzerland’s justice minister claims the result “reflects fears among the population of Islamic fundamentalist tendencies.” So fears of radical “Islamization” of
Europe, which would surely endanger prized European values and liberties is grounds for throwing away those same prized values and liberties? Does Switzerland aim to save itself from the erosion of ‘democratic values’ that opponents claim Islam invariably brings? So this traditionally tolerant country reacts to extremist threats from small groups far abroad with homegrown extremist fear mongering on its own soil. These tactics might fool some, but the UN Council on Human Rights joins governments worldwide as it authoritatively condemns the proposed banning of minarets as a violation of international law and human rights. The Swiss government makes claims the vote was “not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture,” but it is clear to Swiss Muslims and the observers around the world extremism and radical intolerance come from many sources.
Erica Zucco
ericazucco@gmail.com
Finances need to become a priority Before Thanksgiving break, CNN ran headline after headline about University of California students protesting raised costs for higher education. Students protested outside the budget vote confirming a 32 percent hike in undergraduate tuition fees. Their voices were heard, and they made a splash, media-wise, but they’ll still be paying $585 more in January and another $1,344 next fall. Around the same time, MU students got some news: Gov. Jay Nixon and university system presidents agreed to cut budgets in exchange for freezing in-state tuition for the next academic year. The announcement secured little comfort for graduate and out-of-state students, but it was better news than what coastal students heard. Student leaders have an awesome opportunity to put their organizational skills to work by bringing students together to address what we’re paying and see if there are possible ways to save. Administrators are open to student input — we just have to make the effort. Let’s get finance students involved at looking through budgets. Let’s make tuition adjustment a key goal of the Missouri Students Association’s new legislative program and of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri’s agenda. Let’s bring students together to do what they do best, whether it be researching, analyzing or communicating. It was awesome to see students come together to lobby Access Missouri — let’s continue that energy. Be conscientious about what you’re willing to pay outside of the classroom. You can get internship credit from involvement with a variety of on-campus organizations and activities. If you’re going to be involved in any on-campus activity that can offer you academic credit, be sure to think about both sides. Every hour you spend doing an activity is an hour you can’t spend academically, so if you aren’t going to get paid you might as well get academic credit for your work. Every credit hour you attribute to that internship is one you can’t use on another class, one that could also prepare you for your chosen career. As someone who has taken 18 credit hours each semester on top of student involvement, career preparation and a job, I know it isn’t always feasible to work with something time-intensive, but if you can make it work, consider it. In most departments, you’ll still be paying for that credit — so why not get the internship/involvement experience for free and use the money on another class, whether it be a personal finance course or something directly related to your major? Take use of what you are paying by going to class regularly. I remember my first day in the residence halls freshman year. There was a bright red bulletin board outside the elevators breaking down the cost of tuition to a day of class and showing how much money you waste by skipping a day or week’s worth of classes. I don’t remember the exact number, but it wasn’t small change. No doubt you’ll miss a day here or there, but be sure to sign up for classes you want to take so you aren’t tempted to skip often. If you think of every class period as a seminar in a subject you care about, you’ll want to go. Realize education is an investment in your future, as cliché as that might sound. And remember you get what you pay for — but not if you throw it away.
the maneater.
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The Maneater's weekly arts and entertainment section Open mic nights Local woman gives performers a chance to work the crowd | page 19
Diner diary MOVE spends a night at the Broadway Diner | page 17 Friday, December 4, 2009
MOVE 15
Reach Andrea Kszystyniak and Chase Koeneke, MOVE editors, at akszystyniak@themaneater.com and zkoeneke@themaneater.com
All I want for Christmas is you
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The MOVE staff compiled a list of holiday gift ideas for the picky people in your life.
e m y ing u b h to met so
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HAVE YOURSELF A GEEKY LITTLE CHRISTMAS Chase Koeneke | MOVE editor
“A Life Well Wasted” posters
Definitely not the best game of the year, but “Retro Game Challenge” The “This American Life” of video game will bring a smile to podcasts sells posters of various epi- any gamer's face with sodes. They’re excellent quality prints its old-school charm. that are well worth the price, consider- Spoofing on classic games, it’s a stellar ing the extremely limited run of each. title to take on the road with you this Price: $25 winter break, especially with its budget Available at ALifeWellWasted.com price.
Edge magazine subscription
Forget GameInformer, for those who like their gaming news tangible, Edge is the way to go. The UK-based magazine isn’t cheap, but the high quality paper and even better articles make it worth it. Price: $76 for a one-year subscription Available at Edge-Online.com
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS Taylor Combs | senior staff writer
Digital coin counting jar
If your dad is anything like my dad, he accumulates a lot of change. Mine keeps his in a large plastic jug that used to house cheese puffs, and I think it needs an upgrade. This jar lets the user know how much change is in inside, too. Price: $22 Available at: Amazon.com
Baconnaise
There are few things in life bacon does not make better. With Baconnaise from J&D’s you can add spreadable bacon flavor to just about anything. What dad wouldn’t like some bacon flavor on his burger? Mom will not have to worry about her diet, either, because Baconnaise contains fewer calories than some regular mayonnaise. It’s even vegetarian.
Price: $5.99 Available at: Hy-Vee
Whoever is always in charge of the remote at your house, distract the TV hog with this trivia book that features an electronic scoring guide. Featuring shows that go all the way back to “I Love Lucy,” your parents will feel like the masters of the TV universe.
Price: $29.95 Available: fredflare.com
The Coffee Cuff
Your mom might also appreciate a stylish way to protect her hands from hot coffee cups. The Coffee Cuff from Contexture Design doubles as a wooden cuff bracelet and a coffee cup sleeve. It’s a bit pricey but worth it for the looks of jealousy she will undoubtedly receive from the ladies at the office. Price: $68 plus shipping Available at: JunoandJove.com
OH COME ALL YE HIPSTERS
Madden NFL 10 video game
Mustache mask
This season, give the hipster you love his very own tinge of irony, even if he can’t grow facial hair. The mustache mask serves as both a cozy balaclava and a kitschy reminder of his indie cred. Price: $14 Available at American Apparel
Price: $9 Available at Amazon.com
Bostonian pipe
Some might say pipe smoking is the new ironic mustache. Get your favorite hipsters this classy briarwood pipe and watch them bask in a newfound pseudo-intellectual glow. Price: $52 Available at KioskKiosk.com
Ali Leather Medicine Ball/ Perfect Pushup
Dr. Cool & Dr. Hot packs
If the jock blood runs deep, your Christmas all-star will get the sports innuendos of No Mas tees. It’s all the fandom without the obvious logos. Price: $25 and up Available at NoMas-NYC. com
Price: $40 Ali Medicine Ball is available at Everlast. com
After an intense cardio session or a night out celebrating a big win, muscles can be tight and sore. Forget Icy Hot; Dr. Cool and Dr. Hot packs will do the trick. These IV-shaped bags are easy to use -- chill for cold, click for heat - and colorcoded. Buy them separately or as set.
Price: $16 each Available at UncommonGoods.com
FA LA LA LA LA, LA FASHIONISTA
Holgawood camera
Price: $48 Available at Urban Outfitters
Price: $12 to $20 Available at Threadless.com
No Mas tees
Price: $39.95 to $59.95 Available at EAStore.EA.com and your local game store
Ray Ban Wayfarers
Nearly every indie rocker you’ll meet has a soft spot for The Strokes, even if they did “totally sell out.” Now they can relive that sound, coupled with an ‘80s electronic groove, on Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas’s debut solo album. Even if you find the hipsters in your life constantly mock your taste, this is one gift they’ll adore.
Threadless has great shirts for everyone on your shopping list but especially for those who are a little nerdier. Keep in mind, the “Tetris” themed “Amazon Addiction” shirt is on sale this week for $12.
Not everyone can be so lucky to have a state-of-the-art workout facility at their disposal. The Ali Leather Medicine Ball is great for dozens of workouts (at home or in the gym) and the Perfect Pushup gives better results than the basic move, despite being an “As Seen on TV” product.
Justin Whaley | staff writer
Phrazes for the Young by Julian Casablancas
Threadless T-shirts
If your sporto isn’t much of a reader but still enjoys some entertainment off the field, pass them Madden 10. Awesome new visuals and playing modes make this a great buy for fun between practices. (Buyers tip: Double check the platform.)
John Gehringer | reporter
Love photography but find modern digital cameras tacky and impersonal? Didn’t think so, but I bet your indie chick friend does. Surprise her with this lovely, vintageinspired camera that takes beautiful photos with 120mm film. Just don’t expect her to shoot in anything but black and white.
Price: $20 Available at Amazon.com
JOY TO THE JOCKS Lauryn Stallings | reporter
'Obsessed with TV' trivia book
Retro Game Challenge game for Nintendo DS
Glorified badass shades, Ray Ban Wayfarers are the sought-after style for hipsters. Sure, they’re a little pricey for sunglasses, but Ray Bans ooze class and confidence. Dan Aykroyd, Tom Cruise and James Dean can attest that these shades do no wrong. Trust these guys. Price: $109 Available at Ray-Ban.com
Suede ankle boots
Urban and mod are the key words when looking for suede ankle boots. The feature of these boots is that they’re slim enough to follow the silhouette and shape of the leg. Tuck in your jeans or throw on a shorter dress with a pair of these suede stunners in a multitude of colors. Price: $22.80 Available at Forever21.com
Velvet jacket
Guys, nothing says debonair like a slick velvet jacket. In the form of a blazer or that of a military jacket with brass buttons, velvet gives off a sensual sense of unique style and class. Dress it up with a button-front shirt or dress it down with a solid tee and a bulky scarf. If you’re going for the suave “Bond” look, velvet is the way to go.
Price: varies Available at H&M
Holiday party dress
For the sake of Auld Lang Syne, wear a sexy dress for the holidays this year, especially New Year’s. Guys love seeing girls dressed to a “T”, especially if that “T” involves a curve-hugging playful ensemble. Pump up the volume of the dress with metallic and embellished patterns, sexy heels and a classic trench or pea coat. Price: $39.95 Available at H&M
16 the maneater
MOVE
Friday, December 4, 2009
Courtesy of Alpaca Radio
Alpaca Radio AKA Drew Wilson hangs out in Austin, Texas, during the South by Southwest festival. The DJ will open for BWAHA on Friday, Dec. 4 at Eastside Tavern.
Alpaca on the move Leland Bonner Reporter
lot of other cool stuff.
Alpaca and radio — two words you seldom see or hear in the same sentence, unless of course it’s referring to Drew Wilson, a local mixmaster DJ who goes by the alias Alpaca Radio. MOVE recently had the chance to chat with the 26-yearold disc jockey about everything from upcoming shows, his new mixtape and of course, alpacas. MOVE: Alpaca, what’s going on? Alpaca Radio AKA Drew Wilson: I’ve been working and promoting this new mixtape recently that was featured on a show called Rogue Dub Radio. It’s about a 45minute mix of my latest work. MOVE: Did you get the chance to work with other Columbia artists on this mixtape? Wilson: Yeah, actually it’s hosted by FSTZ and NMEZEE, two guys that have the same type of sound as me.
MOVE: Cool stuff like live alpacas on stage? Wilson: (Laughs) I don’t think so. We’re not getting that outrageous. MOVE: So what’s the most outrageous thing that has ever happened at an Alpaca Radio show? Wilson: Umm, I was doing a show at the Ragtag and my old roommate stepped on the cord and yanked it from my laptop. The computer screen cracked and I ended up finishing the show with a cracked screen but it was still a great show. MOVE: So what’s the story behind your name? Wilson: I just really like alpacas. They’re kind of a big deal in Central Missouri and they’re just cool, kind of a mix between a giraffe and a sheep, but on a larger scale. In the future I plan on having my own online radio show, so that’s where the radio part came from, but most people know me by Alpaca.
CONCERT PREVIEW
MOVE: So how would you describe your Who: BWAHA & Alpaca When: 8:30 p.m. Friday, sound? Dec. 4 Where: Eastside Tavern, 1016 E. Broadway Price: Free
Wilson: My sound is what we call dubstep. A type of sound that originated in the U.K. in 2002 and slowly made its way over here. I would say it’s a mix of synth pop, electro, and dance. MOVE: How’d you get started with the dubstep movement?
Wilson: It’s a funny story actually, but awhile ago I had went to a open mic night at Sapphire and kind of stole a mixtape with this type of music on it. A DJ outside of Chicago named Phaded really inspired me to start doing this. MOVE: So are there any others artists you’ve worked with recently? Wilson: Yeah, I’m opening up for BWAHA, who is a glitch hop artist, this Friday at Eastside Tavern. His sound is more of synth pop-rap, but it should be a great show to say the least.
Come to the Maneater/Four Front forum forum with MSA President-elect Tim Noce! Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m. in Allen Auditorium
MOVE: What should someone expect if they come out to the show Friday? Wilson: Good music, nice crowd and a lot of visuals. I use a projector screen during my show that shows a lot of pictures and clips, and we also use lights and a
MOVE: So it’s fair to say that alpacas are your favorite animals?
Wilson: (Laughs) Well, for now they are. MOVE: What was the best show you were involved in this year? Wilson: Definitely a recent show on Nov. 20 at the Necropolis. It was the Bassnectar After Party and it was just a great line-up of DJs and it didn’t end till about five in the morning, and best of all it didn’t get busted by the cops. MOVE: Sounds great, any upcoming events you would like to let the people know about? Wilson: Yeah, next week I’ll be on tour with two other Columbia DJs, Spankalicious and Atreus. It’s called The Road Through Connectorville Tour and we’ll be going through Lincoln, Neb., Des Moines, Iowa, Madison, Wis. and St. Louis. Just trying to get out on the road and take this dubstep movement to the next level. Be sure to check out Alpaca Radio and BWAHA for free at 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 at Eastside Tavern. His music can be downloaded from his Facebook page, www.facebook. com/alpaca.fm. Also visit the MOVE Web site to check out a mix Alpaca Radio made just for MOVE readers.
the maneater 17
MOVE
Friday, December 4, 2009
The many faces of Broadway Diner Reflections from an evening at the Broadway Diner. Mariah Hibbard Reporter Broadway Diner late at night means hot food, kitsch and a special kind of charm. It means intoxicated conversations, loud outbursts and a constant buzz from the jukebox. More than anything, it’s an experience — one many diners find unforgettable. The diner opened in 1949 and has since become an iconic piece of Columbia culture. Its small setting and inexpensive food draws customers inside, but its incomparable atmosphere makes it truly unique. Eleven years ago, owner Ed Johnson had the choice to allow the diner to close or to take it upon himself to save it. The diner thrives to this day, providing classic cuisine into the early morning hours. “Every community should have a good diner,” Johnson said. Patrons new to the diner quickly realize this is an incredibly social environment. Late at night, the diner is rambunctious like a warped middle school sleepover. The camaraderie among diners, though it might depart by morning, can’t be ignored. 11:30 p.m. I walked into the diner and took a seat at the bar. It was slow at the time, but I was hopeful. After a quick trip through the menu, I decided on a half order of French toast and a Diet Pepsi. I’d say it was a recipe for a good night. The French toast was heavenly. 11:55 p.m. The first signs of entertainment for the night stumbled in bringing the promise of a good time. They discussed the differences in various types of battleships as a part of what they referred to as “a cultural education” with several expletives. Meanwhile, a rather disheveled looking pair began an afterschool special-style argument. “I don’t even think I like you anymore,” one slurred to the other between drinks of water.
12:30 a.m. The battleship aficionados have moved on. The quote of the hour? “Anywho, dónde está were we?” — a question one patron asked after being sidetracked by free water. A waitress asked the group to use inside voices, which prompted an exaggerated whisper for a short time. Pan to the left, and the bickering couple appeared to have reconciled and ordered food with seemingly happy demeanors. For now. Meanwhile, I order a piece of chocolate silk pie. This was the best idea I’ve ever had. 1 a.m. The grill man is a true sight to see. His organization is impressive and his product is delicious. From the counter, you can see what this grill master is working with. I couldn’t help but stare as he tossed about a mountain of hash brown potatoes like it was nothing, keeping a cool, collected demeanor. This late-night rush is a way of life for the employees, who glide around the diner weaving in and out of inebriated patrons without missing a beat. A waitress brought a patron what is affectionately referred to as “The Stretch,” and the name fits well. The egg-chili-everything-else combo is bound to be a feat for the appetite of any person. This particular young man seemed to greet the challenge with fervor. His friends chanted, and his lady companion seemed disgusted. But try he did. Less than 10 minutes later, he was crying for mercy. A valiant effort indeed. 1:20 a.m. Another booth receives its food. They babble about how excited they were, until one raises his hands for silence. He closed his eyes, and said: “Dear Lord, please grant me a futon.” He paused. “And an internship.” He concluded and began to eat, looked at his friend across the table and asked, “Do you want to take a nap in a yard after this?” I found the foresight impressive. 1:58 a.m. A new wave of hungry diners pushes its way in. They quickly fire up the jukebox with a playlist comprised of Queen’s “FatBottomed Girls” and “Come Together” by The Beatles. They
Mariah Hibbard/Staff Photographer
Patrons have lunch Thursday at Broadway Diner. For decades, the diner has been a Columbia staple, day or night. let their heads bob to the beat, muttering mutilated renditions of the lyrics. What they lacked in memory, they made up for with enthusiasm. “Come togeeeether, right nooooow.....wait what?” 2:15 a.m. The rush is temporarily calmed down and the waitresses begin to clean up the mess. Many patrons left, but more were sure to come as
the night pressed on. As I walked out the door, someone behind me screamed “That’s a ballgame!” I couldn’t help but share his sentiment. Johnson said he has seen thousands of memorable customers. One year ago, he began to collect signatures from his customers. He estimates having about 2,000 in the collection. “I wish I would’ve started 20
years ago,” he said. “I would probably have 10s of thousands.” Johnson said many of his customers don’t forget their experiences at the diner. “I get e-mail from customers all over the world who have moved on to bigger and better things who still ask about the diner,” he said. “Alumni from 35 to 40 years ago come back looking for it. It’s a social experience to go to the diner.”
Re-watch: ‘Pulp Fiction’ freshly squeezed The classic cult thriller made an obsessive impression. LeeAnn Elias Associate Editor The first time I watched “Pulp Fiction” was just more than a week ago. I then re-watched it two days later. Three days after that, I watched it again. Last night, I tried to learn the dance routine from the Jack Rabbit Slim’s twist contest. I have yet to get it down, but when I do, there’ll be no stopping me. I’ll be breaking
those moves out at parties, just you watch. But back to the movie. After viewing it, I can’t believe it took me more than 15 years to finally sit down and watch it. “Pulp Fiction” has all of my favorite things rolled into one grungy little package: men in suits, good music and plenty of quotable dialogue that also makes excellent fodder for animated GIFs and Internet memes. Let’s get to the burning questions: What’s so great about this pop culture phenomenon? Why can’t I stop gushing over it? What does Marsellus Wallace look like? The best part of the movie is, hands-down, how mundane it just seems to be. (I use the term “mun-
dane” to mean “slow and uneventful at times,” in addition to “not unnecessarily fast-paced like an extended action movie trailer.”) “Pulp Fiction” moves at a snail’s pace, but still leaves you feeling like you’ve run a marathon at the end. Normally, I don’t like to equate myself with anything involving running, not even a shaky extended metaphor. I’ll make an exception here. Despite being completely entranced while watching this movie, I still felt, at times, like I was watching a scene out of my own life. I really thought, “I could see this happening — if I were a gun-toting hit man in the greater Los Angeles area, that
is.” Details, details. Think about this for a second. How many slightly awkward dinners at cheesy restaurants have I sat through? How many times have I had to deal with incompetent people? How many times have I spent some quality time in the bathroom reading a book? Get rid of Vincent Vega’s awful hairdo and fitted suit and you’ve got me. There’s no reason I can’t be just as badass. Frankly, I’d rather see something that is good when you just cut it down to the bare bones. This is the reason I mostly watch TV made in the previous century — the original “Star Trek,” “The X Files” and re-runs of “Law and Order.” I don’t want any special
effects. I don’t need to see the tectonic plates below California collapsing in meticulously rendered CGI. Give me characters. Have them talk. Make them petty and silly. Have them make mistakes. That’s all I need. Last, I can’t forget Quentin Tarantino. What a man. Forget that he wrote or directed the thing — any director who has the balls to put himself in his own movie in more than just a bit part, let alone who looks that adorable in a brightly-colored robe, is fully deserving of my admiration. I wish I drank coffee so I could have some of that real gourmet stuff with him.
The Scarlet Review
Katy Wagner Movie Columnist
‘Precious’ packs powerful punch Awards season can be a tedious time. Most films released after Nov. 1 are practically begging for any nomination they can scrape up. “Precious” is not one of those films. “Precious” does not struggle to hold your interest with overwrought monologues and teary revelations. Stark and heart wrenching, “Precious” commands your attention with its breathless portrayal of a savagely abused black teenager and the hellish world she lives in. Set in ‘80s Harlem, “Precious” tells the horrific but ultimately inspiring story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe). When we first meet Precious, she is 16 years old, illiterate, obese and pregnant with her second child. With her terrifying home life reaching a boiling point, Precious reaches out to an alternative high school program and finds the family she has been searching for. With the help of her teacher and her classmates, Precious is able to overcome her crippling past and gain hope for the future. What elevates “Precious” beyond the typical abused teenager storyline is not only the severity of the abuse, but the stunning performances each actor brings to the table. With no previous acting experience, Sidibe shows more talent than most seasoned actors have in their entire careers. Sidibe’s performance is a heartbreakingly subtle one. When playing a character, such as Precious, it’s easy to slip into stereotypes and the performance often feels forced and insincere. Somehow, Sidibe managed to glide past this obstacle with ease. Sidibe does not seem to be acting and actually becomes Movie: ‘Precious’ Precious. Director: Lee Daniels The person who has Featuring: Gabiurey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Mariah been turning the most Carey and Lenny Kravitz heads with this film Rating: R is Mo’Nique. Nothing Running Time: can prepare you for 1 hour, 50 minutes the way Mo’Nique 4.5 out of 5 tears the screen apart. Mo’Nique plays Precious’ mother, Mary, a vile woman who abuses Precious in every way possible. Mo’Nique gives a layered, unforgiving performance that transcends past the requisite film villain. Her performance is unwavering and nearly demands an Oscar. Sidibe and Mo’Nique are the stars of the show, but they are by no means the only contributors to the film’s quiet realism. Paula Patton, a relatively unknown actress, is completely endearing as Precious’ teacher Blu. Lenny Kravitz enters the film as a helpful male nurse, but the real surprise here is Mariah Carey. As social worker Mrs. Weiss, Carey plays a harsh, “unglamorized” woman with grace. These powerful performances would be for naught if it weren’t for the talented hand of director Lee Daniels. Daniels opted for a gritty, downplayed look that lets the story shine through. The one problem with “Precious” is when the main character slips into her own dream world to escape reality. These loud, garish scenes contrast with the rest of the film far too much and lessen the emotional impact of the film. But, Daniels balances the unrelenting horrors of Precious’ life with surprisingly lighthearted scenes. It is through Precious’ touching and often-humorous inner monologue that we learn who she truly is: a young girl who must learn to trust and love others. I don’t want to sugarcoat this. “Precious” is hard to watch. The starkness with which Precious endures her pain leaves little room to feel the trauma she is experiencing. Conversely, this allows you to feel relief, joy and hope along with her. If you give it the chance, “Precious” will inspire you.
MO V I E REVIEW
the maneater 19
MOVE
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2009
Open mic provides first chances EMILY WILLROTH Reporter As the lights dimmed at Mojo’s and open mic host Anna D’Agostino stepped off the stage, all attention turned to the performers. It was time to sink or swim. The neon sign outside the venue declaring the night an open mic event was a good indication the night would feature quite a few “sinkers.” No one knows this better than D’Agostino. On her fourth year and second venue as a host, she has seen it all. Although she has been present for the beginnings of many famous performers, D’Agostino doesn’t hesitate to point out not everyone will see the same success. She’s seen her fair share of bad performances. Recalling raunchy stripteases put to the tune of everyone’s seventh-grade favorite Nirvana, and musicians that make audience members cover their ears and scurry for an exit, D’Agostino knows never to expect a dull night. “We all jump on the same flaming ship until 1 a.m. together,” D’Agostino said. Air thick with the tension of stage fright and the crowd uneasy with anticipation, attending an open mic isn’t always a relaxing experience. To ease nerves between high intensity sets, D’Agostino lit up the stage with larger than life introductions and kitschy anecdotes. Because she ensures the audience’s night is as interesting as hers, seeing
D’Agostino perform between artists can be as entertaining as the featured performers. “You have to expect entertainment in whatever form it may be,” D’Agostino said. “You can have two acts back to back, one that is entertaining because they’re amazing or innovative, and one that makes you go ‘are you serious?’” The first time on stage for many of the performers, open mics allow budding artists to put their material to the test. For local comedian Bill Donald, they are the perfect testing ground for developing a successful comedy routine. “In order to see whether my material will fly or not, I have to pay attention to the laughter,” Donald said. “You have to sample a lot of different types of people to see who will respond the best, open mic nights allow you to do that.” The launching pad to many successful performance careers, open mics play host to performers of every genre and ability. They pair new performers with professional sound equipment, a sound technician and a live audience. “It changes everything, anybody can pick up a guitar and sit out on the sidewalk with a guitar case and get tips, but to be able to say you know how to use your instrumentation with a large sound system and can work hand in hand with a sound man, that changes your potential,” D’Agostino said. “You don’t know what you have until you get onstage
KATIE CURRID/PHOTO EDITOR
Anna D’Agostino times a rap battle for No Coast Battles on Sunday, Sept. 13 in downtown Columbia. D’Agostino has been hosting open mic events at various locations in Columbia for the past four years. and people respond, then a light bulb goes off and it’s like, this is what I should be doing.” Rarely moneymakers, open mic nights are bigger assets to their performers than to their hosts. “If there is an open mic night, it is because the
venue or the person who is in charge of it, somebody loves music and freedom of music, somebody is sacrificing,” D’Agostino said. Mojo’s and The Blue Fugue, located downtown, hold open mic nights most Mondays, starting at 8 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
Shoes should make a statement JUSTIN WHALEY Fashion Columnist Stomping through mud and muck is their specialty. They trudge through rain with ease. They endure treacherous temperatures and miles upon miles of rugged terrain. They flip, they flop and they don’t stop unless a dramatic blowout occurs. Shoes are essential for people, and style is essential for shoes. Their general purpose: cover the feet. Creatively speaking, shoes can unleash a person’s vivid personality and be the “icing on the cake” of a good outfit. Ladies, consider yourselves lucky in the shoe department. With thousands of styles, colors, variations and patterns to choose from, the possibilities are endless. Saying, “I can’t find any shoes to go with this,” should be a crime. Guys take a more sly approach to shoes. Rather than out-of-this-world colors and embellishments, good men’s shoes are more design-driven. We’re
guys. We don’t typically go bananas like Lady Gaga with our footwear. We play it cool and keep it masculine but chic. Basic sneakers are key pieces for day-to-day use, giving any outfit a cool, classic vibe. Wear them with sleek jeans, a cool shirt and maybe a bulky scarf and you’re set. Sneakers are a great go-to if you’re in a rush and need to dress casual. They’re great to help carry out the hipster image while remaining comfortable and not looking like you’re out to rule the office. Urban Outfitters has great online and instore selections of trendy sneaks, from basic Vans to toe-up Asics and classic Fred Perry’s. Although the days of scribbling away on your Converse All-Stars might be slowly fading away, Converse can do no wrong. Maybe sneakers aren’t quite your forte. It’s possible you also hate loafers and refuse to romp around in a thick pair of boots. Understandable. Oxford dress shoes are
right up your alley. Usually worn with a suit or a simple shirt and tie, Oxfords exude British preppy-ness and take a certain gall to execute. Don these kicks with selvage jeans and a sweater for the casual look, or match them with your sharpest printed suit and a bow tie. Modernly preppy is in. Say you’d rather dress like a badass than a dashing Brit. Chunkier boots are making a comeback for men, while sleek and form fitting ones return for the ladies. Matched up with a pair of slim slouch jeans, top and coat, boots save the feet from frostbite while making a statement. Buy them in brown, black, distressed leather or with fur around the top. Although a bit clunky, they make a modern statement and are a great choice when trying to balance out a classic outfit with something a tad more modern, rugged and with more volume. For the gals, mid-length suede boots that hug the silhouette of the leg with
tucked jeans are a great alternative to purple UGGS and the baggiest sweats you can find. Ladies, I think most men will tell you there is nothing sexier than a girl who can walk confidently in a great pair of heels. It takes poise, steady balance and probably some practice, but heels will make your legs look longer, will make you taller and can make you a little intimidating at times. Nothing wrong with that. Stilettos in a bold animal print or glimmering red pumps give the “come get me” vibe, all while still being classy. Find a great pair you’re comfortable in and work what you’ve got. The world of shoes is a vast wonderland of styles, colors and fabrics, and it can be easy to fall victim to the dreaded pair of unsightly “potato shoes” or even resort to wearing Nike Shox every day of your life. My advice is if you choose the right shoes, they’ll put you on the road to righteousness in style.
$4,000
sports
MU SPORTS SCOREBOARD
Friday, December 4, 2009
Football Record: 8-4 (conference 4-4) Last game: 41-39 win vs. Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium Next game: TBD Key player: Sophomore kicker Grant Ressel has made 24 of 25 field goals this year and is a perfect 38 of 38 on extra points.
Women’s Basketball Record: 3-2 (conference 0-0) Last game: 73-66 loss to Florida State on Nov. 29 Next game: Dec. 15 at Wyoming Key player: Senior forward Amanda Hanneman is averaging four three-pointers a game this season.
Men’s Basketball
Wrestling
Record: 4-2 (conference 0-0) Last game: 89-83 loss to Vanderbilt on Dec. 2 Next game: Oregon at 4 p.m. Dec. 5 Key player: Sophomore guard Kim English led Missouri in scoring with 20 points against Vanderbilt.
Record: 1-2 (conference 0-0) Last game: 19-15 loss to Purdue on Nov. 20 Next game: Nittany Lion Open on Dec. 6 Key player: Freshman Brad Wisdom is 7-0. He won the 125 pound Freshman/Sophomore title at the Missouri Open.
Reach Sean Leahy, sports editor, at sleahy@themaneater.com
Hunt's Hunches
John Hunt Sports Columnist
Giving thanks to sports Too often, I’ll sit down to write my weekly column and I’ll have the immediate urge to comment on how badly something went. My first instinct is often to pelt the paper with my thoughts on recent and pertinent aspects of sports about which I am passionate. More often than not, I get most passionate about some “great injustice” in the sports world instead of focusing on the positive side of things. Well, in honor of the recent Thanksgiving holiday, I’m bucking that trend this week. Although the topics of my columns might suggest otherwise, there are actually a great number of things in the sports universe for which I am, in fact, very appreciative, including fantasy football and tailgating, to name two off the top of my head. Here are a few more that I hope aren’t as terribly obvious. First, I am incredibly thankful for instant replay and review in professional sports. Missed the play? You’re in luck! Didn’t miss the play? Twice as nice! Although the official review or challenge does sometimes slow down the game to an extent, at the cost of more accurate calls, I’ll take that hit. Baseball, take note. Speaking of which, I am forever thankful for the ballpark. It generally caters toward one team making for a more personal and friendly feel than a convention center-style basketball and hockey arena. The traditionally cheaper pricing and frequency of games only make it easier to attend. Moving along, say what you want, but the NFL throwback jerseys are awesome. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ orange sherbet-colored explosion several weeks ago looks like its going to be the most memorable thing going for them this season and rivals only the powder blue and canary yellow jerseys the Philadelphia Eagles sported in 2007. Next, I cannot get enough of any type of playoff but especially elimination games or Game 7s. There is something special about “do or die” situations in sports when it comes down to the wire, an entire season on the line, either move closer to a championship or head to the off-season — nothing compares. It is at that point when the hot hand really matters more than ever and when you can most easily pick out the pressure performers from the goats. For better or worse, seasons are most often remembered for the end result, and elimination games are exactly where the most memorable situations are made. All that being said, all is not well and good in the world of sports. Far from it. There are still numerous things that irk me, boneheaded decisions that almost make me sick to my stomach. And to be honest, I am forever thankful for many of these negative aspects in sports. Everyone has an opinion and a side to the story, and it is a result of these varied views that friendly debates and discussions over dinner or coffee tables nationwide are often sparked. Often, someone’s negative is another’s positive and the awkward silence-shattering and conversation-inciting discussion ensues, all to the backdrop of sports. If that’s not good news, I don’t know what is. I’ll leave discussing the bad news for the rest of the school year.
The Maneater 21
Analysis: Alexander breaks records The senior makes a play for best wide receiver in MU football history. SEAN LEAHY Sports Editor When Jeremy Maclin left Missouri for the NFL this spring, he left behind a legacy of broken records and highlight reel plays. Although he doesn’t make people forget about Maclin, Danario Alexander at least makes them put the two in the same class. The senior wide receiver has spent this season breaking many of Missouri’s singleseason receiving records and establishing his campaign as one of the best any Tigers’ wideout has ever had. Alexander holds the Missouri single-season marks for receptions (107), yards (1,664) and touchdowns (13) and though the Tigers finished 4-4 in conference, Alexander brought out his best for Big 12 play. He finished the conference season with three 200-yard receiving games (Missouri had only four 200-yard receiving games in its history coming
LATE WORK
Senior wide receiver Danario Alexander put up big numbers in the last four games of the regular season, capping an historic campaign.
Receptions/Yds. TDs Game: 13/214 1 Nov. 7 vs. Baylor 10/200 3 Nov. 14 at Kansas St. 11/173 1 Nov. 21 vs. Iowa St. 15/233 1 Nov. 28 vs. Kansas SPENCER PEARSON/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
into the season) and caught a touchdown in six of eight games. He is averaging more than 200 yards over his last four games and had three touchdown catches more than 70 yards in Big 12 play. But, as they often do, the statistics hide Alexander’s intangibles. Whenever Missouri needed a big play, Alexander seemed to deliver on cue. His 68-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter against Kansas on Saturday gave Missouri its first lead of the game. As for the rest of that quarter, Alexander ended up compiling 181 receiving yards — more than the rest of Missouri’s receivers pulled in the entire game. The performance helped push Alexander to the highest average receiving total in the nation (137 ypg). Part of the reason why he has racked up those bigyardage games is his knack for finding open field. With Alexander, it’s after he catches the ball when the show begins. Showing the ability to stop on a dime and reverse direction in a blink, Alexander can evade defenders with ease. His gallop is deceptively quick and once he hits open field he is almost impossible to take down. Against Kansas State on Nov. 14, Alexander had his helmet popped off after fighting for more yards on a catch. He was finally brought down amid a hail of Wildcat defenders. Indeed, it usually takes more than one player to take down the 6-foot-5-inch,
KATIE CURRID/PHOTO EDITOR
Senior wide receiver Danario Alexander eludes the grasp of Kansas junior safety Philip Strozier last Saturday during the Border Showdown in Kansas City. Alexander holds the record for single-season receptions, yards and touchdowns at MU. 215-pound receiver. This special senior season has not gone unnoticed by the Big 12. Alexander is the first Big 12 wide receiver to win conference offensive player of the week twice in a season and, on Tuesday, he was named first team All-Big 12. After coming off two injury-plagued seasons, Alexander finally got the opportunity to show his stuff and he didn’t waste it. One list Alexander does not grace is the Biletnikoff Award, given to the coun-
try’s best wide receiver. The semi-finalists were announced in October, and Alexander had not yet gone on his record tear. Regardless, Alexander still has established himself as a top receiver in the country, one year after Maclin did the same. The term “Maclin-esque” was thought to be stored away after his departure from Missouri, but Alexander has taken it back out before it could accumulate any dust.
Off the bench, Bowers gets the job done EVAN GLANTZ Senior Staff Writer One of the constant questions surrounding coach Mike Anderson’s 2009-2010 Missouri basketball team is how it will replace the production and leadership of seniors DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence. The trio combined for 40.4 points per game, exactly half of the team’s game average of 80.8. Although there are many players capable of filling the void, sophomore forward Laurence Bowers has stepped up in the early going to provide the Tigers with some consistency. “Coming into this year, I knew that the departure of Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll took a load of our scoring away,” Bowers said. “So coach is going to need the forwards to step up.” Bowers has taken the challenge to heart. Through the first five games of the season, he is leading the
team with 6.2 rebounds per game and is second with 11 points per game. Although he has yet to start a game, Bowers logs the fourth-most minutes of any Tiger with 21.8. One of the staples of Anderson’s teams is a strong bench. Bowers has secured his spot as the top player off the bench. And though the season is early, he has earned Anderson’s praise. “Whether he starts or not, he’s going to be constant,” Anderson said. “He’s going to give it everything he’s got. Laurence has a toughness about him.” Due to the upperclassmen ahead of him on the depth chart last season, Bowers received limited playing time. But when he was on the court, Bowers showed promise. If there was a flashy play to be made, Bowers made it. Dunks, ally-oops, swatted shots — they were all part of his repertoire. Bowers said this season he is focusing on
EARLY RETURNS
Here is how sophomore forward Laurence Bowers has fared through five games this season: Reb. Pts. Play time Game Nov. 17 vs. 8 16 23:00 Tennessee-Martin Nov. 22 vs. 5 14 21:00 Texas Pan American Nov. 24 vs. 5 9 18:00 Chattanooga Nov. 27 vs. 5 8 18:00 Old Dominion Nov. 28 vs. 8 8 29:00 Richmond SPENCER PEARSON/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
trying to become a better allaround player. “I feel I’m more active this year, defensively and while rebounding,” Bowers said. “Every rebound I feel like is mine. I just try to be scrappy, a blue-collar kind of guy. We miss DeMarre, and I’m just trying to fill in the void that he left, and at the same time, try to be somewhat of a scorer like Leo was.” His teammates have noticed the improvement and evolution from last year. “He’s taken on a bigger role,” senior guard J.T. Tiller
said of Bowers. “He’s playing with a high intensity and has become that scoring ‘big’ for us right now. After last year, he saw what DeMarre and Leo did, and he’s following in their footsteps. I think he’s seen a spot that needs to be stepped into, and he saw the opportunity and took advantage of it.” At the South Padre Island Invitational, Bowers made his presence felt. Although Missouri fell to Richmond in the championship game Nov. 28, Bowers and fellow sophomore Kim English were named to the AllTournament Team. “The guy who has been the most consistent continued to be,” Anderson said. “I thought Laurence gave it everything he had. It’s encouraging. If you watch our defense, he deflects a lot of passes. He’s just got a tremendous feel for the game. It’s natural to him, and he’s taking advantage of the opportunity.”
22 The Maneater
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Friday, December 4, 2009
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COMICS Valerie Speck — vcsx97@mail.missouri.edu
Natalya Chernookaya — nc52b@mail.missouri.edu
Tinker & Bella
Out in left field
Zachary Callaway — zsctg2@mizzou.edu
Veronica Adams — vla3m4@mail.mizzou.edu
The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily represent the views of The Maneater editorial board.