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The Murray State News TheNews.org

Oct. 11, 2013

Vol. 88, No. 9

An overnight stay

All-nighters: examining effects, health concern Rebecca Walter Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Photo illustration by Lori Allen/The News

(Above) Two students are shown in a bed in a residential college. Many students are upset by a new visitor policy, which prohibits students from having overnight visitors during the week.

Kate Russell/The News

(RIght) David Petrie, junior from Belleville, Ill., checks in Lee Clark Residential College resident Claire Scott, sophomore from St. Louis. Scott checked in her friend, Lyndsey Milligan, sophomore from Carbondale, Ill.

Meghann Anderson || News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

For many students, college is the step toward freedom and independence. But with recent changes to the visitor policy in the residential colleges, some students feel like a freedom has been taken away.

David Wilson, director of residential life and housing, said the rule that overnight guests are not allowed in the halls has been in place for as long as students have had the residential college system on campus.

“Last year, we had some questions with the policy and the policy against cohabitation, so we put a committee together to revisit our visitation and cohabitation policies, and to make suggestions on what we could do to improve these policies,” Wilson said. “The committee was charged with looking at policies from other schools in Kentucky and to present a policy that would be less ambiguous than the policy that we

had in place.”

Wilson said the crux of the issue was what constitutes overnight.

“We had no definitive time frame and it basically came to the judgment of the person dealing with the violation,” Wilson said. “It was also difficult to explain our policy to parents when they would call to question our policy.”

Thus the committee was put into place to revisit the policy that was in place at the time.

The committee was composed of two full-time staff members, one college head, one residence director and four student leaders.

The committee met for part of the fall semester and into the spring semester.

It presented its recommended revisions to the policy to Wilson and Vice President of Student Affairs Don Robertson.

The committee recommended two changes to the policy. The first was to provide a quantifiable time frame for

over·night adverb • students can have guests during a sixhour time frame between 9 a.m. and 9 a.m.

• with the approval of a student’s roommate, visitors can stay overnight on weekends.

see OVERNIGHT, 2A

All-nighters seem to serve as a rite of passage for many college students.

With balancing time between the demands of academics, extracurricular activities and work, many students find it hard to accomplish everything in a 24hour period.

According to a study conducted by St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., two-thirds of college students pull at least one allnighter per semester.

Mackenzie Schmitt, junior from Ridgway, Ill., said she has had her fair share of sleepless nights in college.

“Even when I’m not staying up all night I usually only get about four or five hours of sleep a night,” Schmitt said.

“I use my weekends to catch up on the sleep I missed during the week.”

According to The University of Georgia Health Center, the average college student gets only 6 to 6.9 hours of sleep per night, and needs at least eight hours.

Schmitt said she finds it hard to balance school with work and the extracurricular activities she is involved in, which can affect the amount of sleep she receives.

According to the latest U.S. Census report, 71 percent of the nation’s 19.7 million college undergraduates work a job in addition to school. Of them, one in five work at least 35 hours per week.

Judy Lyle, interim associate director of Health Services, said the lack of sleep which results from staying up all night to get everything done can be damaging to a student’s overall health.

“The immune system goes down when the body is deprived of sleep, making it more likely to pick up infections that the body would not ordinarily pick up,” Lyle said.

She said a student’s academic performance can also suffer along with the overall health of the student.

“When a student stays up all night it can affect their overall ability to concentrate,” Lyle

said. “All of the studying the student is putting in during an all-nighter ends up not being as effective.”

According to the St. Lawrence study, students who had never resorted to pulling an all-nighter had an average GPA of 3.1.

Students who continuously relied on staying up all night to study had an average GPA of 2.9.

Weight gain can be another side effect students can experience from repeated allnighters.

This is due to the two important hormones which are altered when the body does not receive the sleep it needs: ghrelin and leptin.

Ghrelin is the hormone that alerts the body when to eat, and leptin tells the body when to stop eating, according to the study.

When the body suffers from sleep deprivation, it produces more ghrelin and less leptin, which can lead to weight gain.

According to a study done by the University of Texas, college students can overestimate their ability to concentrate and perform academically when lacking sleep.

The study supports the conclusion that students can avoid the effects of sleep deprivation by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day – including weekends.

It recommends students exercise regularly and avoid it close to bed time, which makes it harder for the body to fall asleep.

Lyle said students should not use medicines to stay awake, or use sleep aides to fall asleep.

According to the University of Texas study, students should also avoid stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes late at night due to the sleepiness they could possibly cause.

Lyle said students the main way students can avoid staying up all night is to not procrastinate.

Said Lyle: “(Students) have to plan out their time and have a consistent routine and stick with it.”

Speed safety signs cheapest option Meghann Anderson News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

Lori Allen/The News

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE: The CFSB Center was packed Thursday night with students and local fans ready to hear Colt Ford and Florida Georgia Line. Check out page 5B for the full story.

Earlier this year, the University and the city completed a study on 16th Street and the safety of its pedestrians and drivers.

Students were entering the crosswalks without checking for traffic and drivers were involved in vehicular accidents due to frequent, sudden stops.

The City of Murray Public Safety Committee, which commissioned the city to compile data relating to the use of the road, brought the issue of increasing safety precautions along 16th Street to the city’s attention two months ago.

Ron Albritten, street superintendent of Murray, said the city did a traffic engi-

neering study earlier in the year to see what could be done to lower the accident toll and near misses on 16th Street.

“We wanted to increase awareness of traffic and pedestrians and make them more aware of each other,” Albritten said. “The first and cheapest things the engineers recommended was the installation of the street signs in the crosswalks. They have a pedestrian and trafficcalming affect.”

The awareness signs cost the city about $3,500. The signs were the cheapest option recommended by the street engineers. These signs are also not specific to Murray; speed awareness signs are being used across the nation to attract attention to drivers and pedestrians.

Albritten said 97 percent of

Jenny Rohl/The News

Jessica Reedy, freshman from Paducah, Ky., crosses one of the many crosswalks with traffic awareness signs on 16th street. people who are crossing 16th Street use the crosswalk.

While he said this is a good sign of people using them correctly, Albritten said 47 percent of people using the crosswalk never look before

entering the street.

“We’ve got to get their attention, too,” Albritten said.

He said the city has to wait six months to see how effec-

see SAFETY, 2A

WHAT’S

OUR VIEW

BULLY PREVENTION

MAKING HISTORY

MILEY CYRUS

INSIDE

New overnight residential college policies are absurd, 4A

Campaign designed to educate students, community, 6A

Powell, team break multiple football records, 1B

‘Bangerz’ receives criticism, positive reviews, 7B

News

2A

Arrest made SAFETY on local arson case From Page 1

Staff Report Murray Police and Kentucky State Police officers made an arrest Wednesday in connection with an arson and attempted arson, which were in close proximity to Murray State’s campus last week.

The arson occurred on Hamilton Avenue, located approximately a half a mile off of the University’s campus near the College of Education.

The Murray State Police released a statement Tuesday informing students of the off-campus fire and provided a number of safety tips for both what to do if there is a fire in your home and what to do if you observe a suspicious person around your home.

The statement urged students to not engage suspicious persons, but rather be good witnesses and develop an accurate mental picture of the person in question.

A subsequent press statement was released Wednesday by the Murray State Police informing the University community that an arrest had been made by the investigating agencies.

tive the street signs are, and if the signs are making a difference in the number of incidents.

“Hopefully we can get both parties, the drivers and the pedestrians, to be aware of the other,” Albritten said. “Most pedestrians think they have the right-of-way, when really if the traffic is too close they are producing a hazardous condition and lose that right.”

He said often pedestrians do not look before they enter a street, because they think just because a crosswalk is there, it makes it safer.

“We experience one vehicle-pedestrian accident per year on average,” Albritten said. “Along with that, we have five or more vehicle accidents.

16th Street has one of the highest accident potentials in the city.”

He said the rate of pedestrians crossing the street at 16th Street is one of the factors in the high number of accidents.

“The drivers are seeing the pedestrians at the last minute or the pedestrians are not looking before

walking into traffic and this is causing panic stops,” Albritten said.

Matt Mattingly, city administrator, said an average of 7,200 vehicles travel along 16th Street per day and he said it is the third most used road by cars in Murray and the most used road by pedestrians.

“We’re trying to heighten awareness and education,” Albritten said.

Interim President Tim Miller said he received several emails from faculty members reporting the danger of the situation and their concern about students and drivers.

“Students are crossing wherever they can,” Miller said. “The students need to be careful because of the drivers and the drivers need to be careful because of the students.”

Along with findings from the 16th Street data, the Department of Highway Safety is also looking into the scarcity of crosswalks on 15th Street.

Over the summer, road crews repaved the road, leaving no crosswalks for pedestrians.

Since 15th Street is a city-owned street, the University has no control over the lack of crosswalks, but a study was completed to see what the best option was for reinstalling crosswalks.

At the beginning of the semester, hoses were laid across the street

October 11, 2013

Jenny Rohl/The News

New safety signs have been installed on the 16th Street crosswalks near campus. counting cars, their speed, direction of travel and other data to be used for the traffic engineering study to determine if, and how many, crosswalks would be placed on 15th Street.

“I know there are going to have be some safety improvements to the sidewalk,” Albritten said. “One of the biggest problems over there is

OVERNIGHT From Page 1 what constitutes an overnight guest, which was deemed a six-hour time frame between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. and this would be in effect Sunday through Friday mornings.

The second recommendation was to allow, with the approval of the roommate and suite mates, overnight guests to stay from Friday at 9 a.m. until Sunday at 9 p.m.

The old rule allowed 24-hour visitation, but guests were not suppossed to spend the night. They were only allowed to be awake studying or hanging out.

Austin Fields, sophomore from Bartelso, Ill., said he thinks residential college advisers and administration should allow students to make their own decisions.

“We are supposed to be adults and talk to our roommates about a problem we have,” Fields said. “If they feel like the significant other is staying over too much they should be able to talk to them. If not, the RAs

are being paid to handle situations like this.”

Fields voiced his opinions to the Student Government Aassociation last week, in hopes it would pass a resolution to work on the new pol-

icy. Wednesday, the group decided to bring its concerns to the Housing Office and the Residential College Association. From there, the group will look into the policy to see if there are any problems with it.

T U D E N T O V E R N M E N T S S O C I A T I O N

G A

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“It isn't fair if a significant other is living in the same residential college because they can still stay over without penalty,” Fields said. “The RAs say we can check out at three in the morning and walk back to our own room, but I don't want my girlfriend walking back at that time of night.”

Fields said an alternative to this housing rule would be allowing the resident to choose two nights a week when their significant other may stay.

“The RAs could enforce this by keeping another log at the check-in desk, for over-night guests,” Fields said. “The log would be as simple as writing the resident’s name down on a day of the week and when they want to stay for a second night that week, you would be able to see that they have already stayed once.

Once the two days are up they can't have any guests, including weekends.

This way allows residents to at least have some kind of freedom back,” Fields said. “My friends can't come from out of town for concerts and other things because they can't stay in the room I pay to live in. It’s not fair.”

Voting Ends

S

Kate Russell/The News

Grecia White, junior from Fort Rucker, Ala., checks in students at Springer Residential College.

there no safe harbor for the pedestrians at the end of the crosswalk.”

He said the crosswalks that were placed on 15th Street had some problems with placement. He thinks more crosswalks will be implemented on 15th Street, but does not have an exact date on when pedestrians can expect to see them.

Thursday, October 17 th at 11:59 p.m.

Tuesday, October 15th at 12:01 a.m.

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October 11, 2013 News Editor: Meghann Anderson Assistant Editor: Ben Manhanke Phone: 809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

MAP-Works helps retention

Police Beat Oct. 3

Oct. 7

1:59 a.m. A carbon monoxide detector and fire alarm were activated in Hart Residential College. Officers and the Murray Fire Department were notified. A report was taken.

9:00 p.m. A caller reported two students stuck in a Curris Center elevator. Officers and Central Plant were notified. A report was taken.

5:30 p.m. A caller reported a fight in Regents. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

10:48 p.m. A caller reported damage to a vehicle in Hart’s parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken for criminal mischief.

Oct. 4 9:10 p.m. A caller reported a car with its gas cover open in the Regents Residential College parking lot. Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

9:18 p.m. An officer reported a medical emergency at the William “Bill” Cherry Expo Center. Murray-Calloway Ambulance Service was notified and a report was taken.

Oct. 5 1:23 a.m. A caller reported a potential threat of fire in Old Richmond Residential College. Officers and the Murray Fire Department were notified. A report was taken.

2:42 p.m. A caller reported an alcohol complaint in the 200 block of College Courts.

Officers were notified and a report was taken.

Oct. 6 12:38 p.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop near The Olive parking lot. A written warning was issued for having an expired plate.

9:50 p.m. A caller reported vandalism to a vehicle in the 1000 block of College Courts. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

3A

Oct. 8 3:23 p.m. A caller reported the smell of gas in Winslow Dining Hall. Officers and the Murray Gas Company were notified. A report was taken.

4:04 p.m. A caller reported the smell of marijuana in Hart. Officers were notified and a citation was issued.

Alex McLaughlin Contributing writer cmclaughlin@murraystate.edu

On Oct. 3, the Racer Retention Office hosted its MAP-Works fair in the Curris Center Ballroom.

The MAP-Works fair was intended to bring new students, prospective students and faculty together to explore student interest in various majors and exchange information intended to help students get an idea of what degree they would like to seek during their time at Murray State.

The program identifies “atrisk” students from data collected through surveys and provides the retention office with the information they need to help these students and keep them in the hunt for higher education. It takes in factors such as performance and expectations, behaviors and activities and test anxiety. From this in-

formation, the Retention Office can design personalized plans for each individual student.

James Mantooth, director of Retention Services, said he wanted to take a proactive approach to student retention at the University and has embraced the MAP-Works program.

The program has been used at more than 1,500 universities nationwide. Since its implementation in 2012, the Retention Office has reported positive results.

Renae Duncan, associate provost of undergraduate studies, said by identifying these at-risk students, they are able to make sure they receive the support they need to be successful.

“When students take the MAPWorks survey, they receive an individualized report which shows their personal strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “The report also tells students where to

find help on campus that will help them address those areas of weakness.

Duncan said although MAPWorks has only been at Murray

State since 2012, there have already been positive results. She said more of last year’s freshmen returned as sophomores than in previous years.

Alliance works to boost community visibility

Oct. 9 10:24 a.m. A caller reported damage to a vehicle in the 100 block of College Courts.

Officers were notified and a report was taken.

6:23 p.m. A caller reported the theft of property from Franklin Residential College.

Officers were notified and a report was taken.

Staff Report

Call of Fame Oct. 9- 9:19 a.m. A caller reported the theft of the no parking sign from in front of the Biology Building. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

Motorists assists – 4 Racer escorts – 1 Arrests – 0

Ben Manhanke, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

Kate Russell/The News

Retention specialist Ben Stinnett awarded Spencer Ray, freshman from Evansville, Ind., the MAPWorks award for a $1,000 housing scholarship.

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: Chris Cox of Mount Pleasant, S.C., picks up dried leaves he raked near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Wednesday.

Cox has taken it upon himself to mow and clean up the grounds around the Lincoln Memorial during the government shutdown.

Even as Alliance members raised awareness and spread support for National Coming Out Day in the Curris Center Friday, Jody Cofer randall, LGBT program coordinator, said members kept their eyes on the prize: Homecoming.

Cofer randall said due to limited resources and people, Alliance chose to use more of its energy preparing for its Homecoming Parade next Saturday.

Alliance has participated in Murray State’s Homecoming parade and at tent City the last few years.

'Being in the Homecoming Parade is important because it raises awareness to a different community,” Cofer randall said.

“At Homecoming you have a lot of alumni coming in and a lot of people who don’t normally attend the events that Alliance does so it’s a great opportunity to

raise visibility.”

He said that Alliance’s minimalistic approach to National Coming Out Day is not to lessen the impact of the day, but because the group tries to go to where the audience is.

Visibility is especially important for Alliance at this time, he said, because its annual drag show had to be delayed into November.

Cofer randall said participating in non-Alliance-sponsored events on campus like the Homecoming festivities and others shows the community that there is nothing wrong or different about the LGBT community.

“We walk in the parade, we sell chili at tent city … we’re trying to de-stigmatize and normalize our community as part of Murray State,” he said. “We’re going to move more hearts and minds on the 19th than on the 11th.”

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October 11, 2013

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Devin Griggs Phone: 809-5873 Twitter: MSUNewsOpinion

Our View

Students should not ‘cohabit’ with lack of housing options The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

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Since the semester began, Murray State has been cohabiting with a confusing and just plain stupid policy as far as having visitors in the residential colleges is concerned.

In order to avoid the thorny issue of actual cohabitation between students of the opposite sex, a special committee met to determine what should be done last fall and concluded its work in the spring semester.

The committee recommended limiting guest visits to a six hour window between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

It decided to allow overnight guests on the weekend, beginning 9 p.m. on Friday and ending 9 p.m. on Sunday, provided there is a roommate agreement.

If you live in the residential college system, you are well aware of these changes, which went into effect when the semester began.

So, what’s our beef with this policy, anyway? Isn’t this just a reasonable solution to an issue with the potential to cause a lot of headaches?

That’s how the administration would like to sell this issue, but that line of argument conflicts with reality.

It limits the overall freedom of

students to have guests over by taking it out of their hands and turning it over to residential advisers.

First and foremost, is this policy really going to prevent students intent on cohabiting from doing so?

In some cases, yes; in other cases, no. If a couple lives in the same residential college and can find out a way to switch rooms without the residential adviser taking notice or getting the residential adviser to give a green light to the move, you are going to have cohabitation, six-hour rule or not.

What about same-sex couples?

They can share a room without any worry about whether or not they are going to be engaging in any funny business.

The administration has thus designed a policy that discriminates against opposite sex couples who wish to spend the night over or co-habit.

What is the big deal with cohabiting between young men and women anyway?

If a couple or even just friends of the opposite sex who feel more comfortable with one another than they do anyone else and want to live with one another, why should Murray State prevent them from doing so?

Why should the administration have the right to decide how long outside visitors can stay?

Shouldn’t that be between roommates?

If roommates can agree on who will clean what, one assumes they would likewise be able to come up with a solution concerning how long guests would be allowed to stay in their rooms.

The administration, for its part, seems to be responding to complaints from parents concerned about students cohabiting in the dorms.

Which raises the question as to whom the administration is more afraid of – the students, who in theory this institution is run to educate, or their parents, who have far less say in what a student takes course-wise and what they do when they are away from home.

Students at Murray State are not children.

The administration has no right to treat us as such or cave into demands from mommies and daddies back home to make sure that we’re not doing anything that might make them upset. We are all adults here. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t be here in the first place.

If anything, the administration

should be catering to the oft-heard demand from students that there should be more, not fewer, housing options on campus.

One of those options should be a residential college that allows for cohabitation between male and female students. This is not a radical concept.

The administration is, of course, terrified of the prospect of losing dollars from parents upset about the prospect of funny business going on behind closed doors.

Unless students get organized and get up in arms about the lack of housing options on campus for couples, nothing will ever get done about the situation.

Students who want to change housing policy on campus might take a page out of the government shutdown playbook and withhold tuition payments until something gets done about the lack of housing options on campus, cohabitation friendly or not.

The University can more easily fend off upset parents than it can stand to have large numbers of students stop paying their tuition.

If students want to have more options, they have got to fight for them or quit complaining.

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Zingrone: ‘There is no Muslim physics, Christian chemistry ... science unites’ “New discovery will completely revise ... ” “Scientists have to rewrite …” “Science wrong again.” Those headlines may grab the eye, but they are incorrect and grossly overstated.

New or better data don’t often make exWilliam isting data and description of Zingrone phenomena wrong. I’d Associate professor wager that more than of psychology 90 percent of the theory and details which precede a new discovery remain intact after whatever significant discovery is reported.

We get better data, better estimations, a clearer perspective than we previously had, which constitutes an update, not a rewrite nor a correction, but an advance, a refinement, not a refutation nor an overturning.

Although our popular reporting frames new findings in science as if they necessitated a major revision, a complete upheaval, connoting that science is usually wrong, in fact for some time now science has usually been right.

Science seems to be proceeding primarily by refinement and addition of data.

I contend that science, in the main, has never been characterized predominantly by Kuhnian paradigm shifts; overturning of old world views and wholesale jettisoning of existing data and theory.

Such shifts did happen at the beginning of modern science; i.e., the Copernican revolution, phlogiston, Aristotelian mechanics replaced by Galileo and Newton for example, but since then, since Lavoisier and Priestley, Faraday and Maxwell, since Darwin, since Virchow and Pasteur, Broca and Wernicke, Einstein and Bohr, Watson and Crick; science has been overwhelmingly a more cu-

mulative endeavor than one of revolution and replacement.

We are witnessing an exponentially expanding wealth of data and new theories without a wholesale rejection of existing data and prior theory in any domain. Science is now a phenomenal success of addition and refinement; 99.99 percent of the data and theory we have now isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

At the fringes of new discovery there are lots of discarded hypotheses; lab work on the details is tough, excruciatingly complex, and regularly ends up in dead ends, falsified hypotheses and failed procedures. Science at the cutting edge may be regularly wrong.

Scientists get used to being wrong about the “new stuff ”, but the great wealth of what has been previously learned, what is in the textbooks, the world view we have painstakingly assembled, the “old stuff ” ... isn’t found to be hopelessly wrong and rejected thereby, despite sensationalist headlines.

The theories of gravity, evolution, atoms, plate tectonics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, the germ theory of disease, cell theory, heliocentric theory, the big bang, the gas laws, the Fibonacci series, Maxwell’s equations, the structure of the DNA molecule and on and on, aren’t going to be overturned and thrown out wholesale.

Ain’t happenin’ this week, and not next week either.

To get some flavor of what I am talking about, a bit of a broader perspective on what we know about our world, visit the iTOL website or Scale of the Universe website. Scroll through these websites for a few minutes, a few hours or take a few weeks maybe and access just a sampling from these marvelous interactive compendiums of the oceans of data and explanatory theory we have accumulated about the intricacies of the physical universe and the biological menagerie in which we find ourselves.

There is a wealth of verified information that we know about how the world works, and it is not likely to be proven wrong.

The second marvelous thing about science is that it is the most universal and democratic of undertakings; egalitarian and accessible to all, not dogmatic, not authoritarian.

Einstein was wrong about wanting quantum physics to be deterministic. Despite his unparalleled theoretical advances in establishing modern physics, his view of subatomic physics was incorrect and was not automatically accepted just because he was stupendously right in other ways (no scientist is infallible like the Pope nor unquestionable like Chairman Mao).

Pick up any textbook, in any science domain: chemistry, physics, biology, psychology, history, paleoanthropology, etc., etc., and peruse through the few dozen pages of references in the back (usually numbering in the thousands) and check out the names of the thousands of researchers that produced and published that science.

Male, female, black, white, yellow, brown, every nationality, every ethnicity will be represented there, from all walks of life, from all levels of scientific accomplishment.

The lowliest grad student can refute the findings or challenge the hypotheses of the loftiest professor.

Anyone from anywhere can and does undertake science. And we arrive at the same data and theory precisely because science is a description of the world as we all find it. Science transcends all boundaries of geography, nationality, ethnicity and ideology.

As the writer Sam Harris put it: “We all generate our electricity the same way.”

There is no Muslim physics, Christian chemistry, Jewish biology, Buddhist paleontology.

Science unites as a species. One species, one tribe.

The News

Opinion

October 11, 2013

5A

A Professor’s Journal

Derided Kentucky oath of off ice may be needed now more than ever One of my life-long dreams was fulfilled last Thursday evening when I was sworn in as a member of Murray’s Architectural Review Board.

Now, that might not mean much to most of you, but to me, it meant that I was able to actually participate in a duty – a rite – Duane Bolin that Kentucky’s 1891 ConProfessor of stitution has deemed necessary for every elected history and appointed Kentucky official; and that is be sworn in by repeating an oath that declares that I have never to my knowledge fought in a duel or been a second – an assistant – in a duel.

This was indeed a dream come true.

Here is the oath that I uttered in trembling voice last Thursday evening: “I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky so long as I continue a citizen thereof, and that I will faithfully execute, to the best of my ability, the office of

Now, however, as we seem to have re-entered the 19th century, a new dark age, perhaps the oath and its clauses on dueling are needed more than ever.

- Duane Bolin, professor of history

board member of the Architectural Review Board according to law, and I do further solemnly swear that since the adoption of the present Constitution, I, being a citizen of this State, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this State nor out of it, nor have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as second in carrying a challenge, nor aided or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God.” For years now, I have taught this oath to a gig-

gling gaggle of History of Kentucky students here at Murray State.

How quaint, you think. How out of touch we are here in the Bluegrass State.

When, after all, will we Kentuckians enter the 21st century?

Why, we have yet to enter the 20th century.

These are my thoughts as well as your thoughts.

At least, they used to be.

Now, however, as we seem to have re-entered the 19th century, a new dark age, perhaps the oath and its clauses on dueling are needed more than ever.

It was not that long ago that Georgia congressman Zell Miller – “Give ‘em hell, Zell” – challenged MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to a duel during an interview on “Hardball” in 2004.

Back in 1857, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts was almost caned to death in the United States Senate Chamber by South Carolinian Preston Brooks following Sumner’s speech, “The Crime Against Kansas.”

It would really not surprise me for similar violence to break out any day now in Washington, D. C., in the challenge of a duel or otherwise.

Such violence would really take the lustre off my oath the other evening.

But it sure was fun while it lasted.

Letters to the Editor Constitution Day has come and gone and certainly no one can say we did not fulfill our legal obligation to observe the day appropriately. The day, and our observance of it, however, leave me with a profound sense of unease. I say this for two reasons.

The first is that, campus-wide, so few people participated. The bulk of the turnout was by students and faculty in two departments, political science & sociology and history, and the rest of the campus showed little interest.

This was especially true of the excellent evening lecture given by Dana Nelson of Vanderbilt University, and was in spite of Duane Bolin’s column in The News urging attendance and participation.

Evidently, most people are simply too busy or too uninterested to concern themselves with the past, present and future of their country. A sad commentary indeed, one for which a price will be paid.

The second cause of my unease is that I am very apprehensive about the future of our country. Our body politic suffers from multiple maladies.

In my column published in this newspaper Oct. 12, 2012, I identified these as (1) the unwillingness to face reality in both domestic and foreign policy; (2) the degradation of political discourse to the level of blood sport; and (3) the abdication by the mass media of its role as objective watchdog over our political system, resulting in the election in 2008 of an incompetent, dishonest and highly di-

Recently William Zingrone encouraged us all to investigate the historicity of the Bible, and for once, I agree with him.

I totally disagree that the Bible “gets a pass” from scholarship as Zingrone says.

In fact, I believe the Bible is unfairly criticized. For example, scholars do not doubt the authenticity of ancient texts like Caesar’s “Gallic Wars,” Tacitus’ “Annals of Imperial Rome” or Josephus’ “The Jewish War.” However, the evidence for these ancient works is much less reliable than for the Bible in terms of the number of ancient manuscripts available and how close those manuscripts date to the ac-

Cheers and Jeers Cheers & Je e rs i s w r i tte n by t he O p i ni o n Ed i to r.

Questions, concerns or comments should be addressed to dgriggs@murraystate.edu

Comics

visive demagogue as president.

The intervening year has seen a worsening of the situation. Not only have the above problems continued, the demagogue was re-elected, thereby giving him another term to wreak his havoc on the country.

In the past we have had ineffective, dishonest and incompetent presidents, but never before have we had one who combined so many bad traits into such a toxic and destructive administration.

Thus, the question is what if anything, does not only the election, but the re-election, of the pied piper of Chicago say about the Constitution of 1787?

It could be said that the Electoral College should have been left to operate as the Framers designed it.

It could also be said that the 12th or 17th or 22nd or 23rd or some other amendment should not have been added.

It could even be said, as Woodrow Wilson did in 1887, that our presidential system should be replaced with a parliamentary system.

On the other hand, I agree with Tocqueville that in a democracy, character is more important than constitutional structure, meaning that good people will overcome a bad structure but a good structure cannot overcome bad people.

That is where we have now crossed the continental divide. We have more people riding the wagon than pulling the wagon. We have extended the role of government as servant and protector of basic

tual events.

Also, reasonable people can choose to not believe the Bible, but the archaeological evidence alone firmly places it above the “myth” category.

There are numerous verifiable details mentioned in the Bible that have been confirmed by secular archaeology (the destruction of the city of Jericho, King Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem, the military campaigns of King Ahab of Israel just to name a few).

Even liberal New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman would tell you that Jesus of Nazareth was no myth.

Furthermore, most supposed Bible

rights to be the provider of multiple and costly wants.

We do not want to pay the taxes to pay for those wants, so the government borrows and prints more and more money to pay for them.

At the same time, we have created a huge bureaucratic monstrosity that is so complex we are inundated with daily reports of incompetence and corruption. And now this monstrosity is in charge of health care!

I do not therefore, believe that Barack Obama’s reelection says nearly as much about our 1787 Constitution as it says about the American people themselves.

People get the kind of government they deserve, and when we elect a stubborn demagogue whose leadership style is insult and conquer, it is because we want such a person as president.

And, if we live in a despotic nannystate, it is because that’s where we want to live or because we lack the guts to get rid of it.

The wretched predicament we are in is not because of the Constitution; it is in spite of the Constitution.

contradictions are easily refuted once the critic applies the original Biblical languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek) and understands that some words are homographs. In the case of Jesus’s ascension to Heaven, this hardly even qualifies as a supposed contradiction since the Gospel accounts never directly contradict the time frame given in Acts.

The language in each passage easily allows for reconciliation.

Finally, as a former atheist who converted to Christianity in college, I agree with Zingrone that everyone should study these issues with integrity.

I believe that after careful study, de-

Winfield Rose Professor of political science

spite Zingrone’s best efforts, it’s more than reasonable to believe the Bible and Christianity.

Todd Broker Director, Center for Economic Education

EMAIL US! letters@thenews.org

Cheers to ... “Saturday Night Live.”

Miley Cyrus’ hosting job was one of the best episodes not featuring Justin Timberlake in quite some time.

Now if we could just bring Bill Hader back ...

Jeers to ... a New York judge who ruled that unpaid interns do not have the right to sue their bosses for sexual harassment because they aren’t paid employees. You’ve got to be kidding us.

Jeers to ... crosswalk signs on 16th street, but still no crosswalks on 15th street. You’ve got to be kidding us!

How is it cheaper to produce and put up all those signs than it is to paint a line on the pavement?

Cheers to ... “The Walking Dead.” The zombie apocalypse springs back to life Sunday just in time for Halloween and just in time to give us an excuse to stay inside.

Born in the U.S.A.

Forgetting Flint It has been a little more than a week since the Republicans shut down the federal government in an attempt to delay Obamacare, and they show no signs of letDevin Griggs ting up, as of Opinion Editor this writing.

Why should they? The Republican leadership, unlike the president, knows its history.

Nothing makes this more obvious than President Barack Obama’s comments on the matter Monday at a White House press conference.

“I was at a small business the other day and talking to a bunch of workers, and I said, you know, when you’re at the plant and you’re in the middle of your job, do you ever say to your boss, you know what, unless I get a raise right now and more vacation pay, I’m going to just shut down the plant; I’m not going to just walk off the job,” the president said. “I’m going to break the equipment – I said, how do you think that would go?”

Obama might ask that question to the men and women who took over the General Motors plant in Flint, Mich., in December 1936 and held out until January 1937. What happened to the famed Flint sitdown strikers, who wanted the right to form a union after they shut down the GM plant in Flint?

Did they just get fired, and management continue business as usual, as Obama suggests would be the end result of any such attempt by folks like you and me to “hold up” the day-to-day operation of where it is we work?

Actually, no, they didn’t. The Flint sit-down strikers held out and got what they wanted – the right to form a union and negotiate with management for better pay, shorter hours – the whole shebang. General Motors had to live with it, and has continued to live with it since.

The notion that the proper way to address your concerns is to sit down and negotiate with your boss one-onone, and that will lead to progress for all, is a profoundly conservative idea with no basis in reality.

No big, dramatic change has ever come from two sensible groups of people negotiating to make it so.

Conflict, and only conflict, can drive change.

The Republicans understand this and are willing to shut down the federal government to get what they want; the Democrats do not understand this, and thus blindly stumble along as the Republicans direct the country toward enacting its agenda.

They may not get Obamacare delayed, but the shutdown might be a tactic to cut into Medicare or Medicaid, which the president has, time and time again, indicated he is willing to do.

Negotiations may yet happen, but negotiations never happen between equals; they always happen when one party has the upper hand and wishes to get what it can before overreaching.

Republicans will break ranks to negotiate only when they are assured they will get at least some part of what it is they want.

The fact that the left cannot articulate an idea that is profoundly radical – holding out until your demands are met – is a sad reflection on just how bankrupt it has become.

Devin Griggs is president of the Murray State College Democrats. dgriggs@murraystate.edu

True Stories I Made Up

By Carly Besser

The News

News

6A

October 11, 2013

Student running for national office Mary Bradley || Staff writer mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Since her early involvement in agriculture, junior Chelsea Daugherty has lived and breathed FFA for years.

FFA is a national organization dedicated to the education of agriculture students nationwide.

Daugherty, an agriculture education major, has been involved in FFA since seventh grade, beginning with various competitions.

Since her start with FFA, Daugherty has been involved throughout the state and country.

As a state officer for Kentucky during 2011 and 2012, Daugherty helped lead an international leadership seminar in Argentina with other FFA members from around the U.S. However, Daugherty is looking to take her involvement to the next step in Indianapolis, Ind., the home of National FFA headquarters.

FFA holds a national conference every year during the last week of October, and on the last day elections for national officers are held. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m eligible for one of six offices,â&#x20AC;?

Daugherty said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;President, Eastern region vice president and secretary.â&#x20AC;?

Daugherty, who will attend the conference as a national officer candidate, said the elections are a long, in depth competition including personal, agricultural and FFA knowledge interviews.

If elected, Daugherty will move to Indianapolis after the end of classes and finals and would have to take off the next two semesters to serve her term as a national officer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Officers are only home for about 60 days for the entire year,â&#x20AC;? Daugherty said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I do have potential to visit every state along with Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.â&#x20AC;?

As an officer, Daugherty would also have an opportunity to travel abroad to China or Japan to teach agricultural practices, which is something she aspires to do after her graduation from Murray State.

Her ultimate goal outside of the elections is to attend Oregon State and receive her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in agriculture and teach those practices to others in different countries.

To do so, Daugherty said she hopes to become involved with FFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GO: Africa

program, which selects six upper-level collegiate members to learn about lifesustaining development work that Catholic Relief Services and its partners are doing throughout the country.

Daugherty does also want to go to different counties through Baptist Ministries. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would go as an agricultural missionary,â&#x20AC;? Daugherty said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And this would allow me to go and teach agriculture but be able to spread faith.â&#x20AC;?

Daugherty, who is a collegiate FFA member, does maintain her involvement with chapters in Calloway and Marshall counties through various workshops and events.

However, Daugherty does more than just FFA. She is involved with Alpha Gamma Delta and is the alumni chair for her sorority. She maintains her involvement with Mt. Vernon Church and does local community service at a nursing home.

For now, Daugherty has her eyes set on being elected to a national office, which are available to only six candidates nationwide.

Daugherty said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any one of those would be a huge honor.â&#x20AC;?

Torrey Perkins/The News

Junior Chelsea Daugherty is running for one of six national FFA offices.

City tackles bullying Ben Manhanke Assistant News Editor bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

As part of the nationally designated Bully Prevention Month, Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bully Free Community Education Campaign is planning a number of events for the month of October designed to educate community members.

The Bully Free Community Education Campaign, which officially kicked off in January, is teaming up with various organizations to promote a bullyfree environment in Murray with the ultimate goal of establishing a local ordinance against such acts.

Jody Cofer Randall, chairman of the Human Rights Commission in Murray which established the campaign, said the group has worked with business leaders and faith leaders and now are in a position of evaluating where its campaign should go next.

Randall said one of the ways they are moving forward is by teaming up with the Character Counts Coalition of Murray-Calloway County and its chair Linda Avery to establish a pledge which Murray businesses and schools could take showing their support for the groupsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; efforts.

Avery and Cofer Randall as well as a number of other representatives from their organizations collaborated in and were present at the signing of a proclamation last week by Calloway County Judge-Executive Larry Elkins and Mayor Bill Wells declaring October as Bullying and Character Counts Month.

Cofer Randall said while the Character Counts Coalition does not focus on bullying alone, both organizations endorse similar character traits and so it made sense for the two organizations to partner.

While the Character Counts Coalition already has an established pledge for businesses, Cofer Randall said they are currently in negotiations for establishing a pledge against bullying and a

Kaycee Ranney/The News

COLLEGE RODEO: Murray State held its home rodeo last weekend at the William â&#x20AC;&#x153;Billâ&#x20AC;? Cherry Expo Center. Events at the rodeo included calf roping, barrel races and bull riding.

Professors talk Obamacare Staff Report Since the implementation of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, U.S. citizens have been trying to decipher what happens next.

Ann Beck, associate professor of political science, spoke to a group of students and community members about the act last week. Beck, who moderated the event, explained what impact the act has on Kentucky. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Currently in Kentucky, there are over 600,000 people who lack health insurance of any kind,â&#x20AC;? Beck said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This law will hopefully reduce that number by at least half. Kentucky always ranks at the bottom of the health indicators.â&#x20AC;?

Most students who are on their parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; coverage are protected until they reach the age of 26.

While many of those without health care in Kentucky do not include Murray State students, there is always an exception.

Sophomore Rikki Crayton is no longer on her parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; coverage and lost her Medi-Care coverage after her move to Kentucky.

Beck explained the Medicaid coverage applies to most uninsured students like Clayton, who make less than $15,856, are single, not claimed on parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taxes, and are

not covered under employers. Medicaid insurance has no monthly premium and no deductible.

Beck said the intention of the act was to make health care affordable to the average person and to provide the same basic benefits to all people, whether the insurance providers were public or private.

Many students are not impacted by the law because they are already covered through their parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; insurance.

Junior Becca Schimmel said that she does not know much about the law because she is already insured, however, she said she thinks it could be a good thing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know many people are mad about the fines,â&#x20AC;?

Schimmel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I think in the long run it could really help a lot of people get health insurance and make it affordable for them.â&#x20AC;?

Schimmel is one of many students who do not know the details of the Affordable Care Act, but believes that more students should know about the act. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obamacare is the reason that the government has been shut down since they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t decide on a budget,â&#x20AC;?

Schimmel said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a big deal and students should know what is happening with our government even if they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t directly affected by it.â&#x20AC;?

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standardized emblem which could represent both causes.

The Bully Free Community Education Campaign has also recently entered into a partnership with Paul Bubb, the Associate athletic director for External Affairs and Murray Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s athletic department.

Cofer Randall said they will shortly begin filming a commercial to be played during the half-time of basketball games, featuring Murray State basketball players who are standing up to bullying.

Cofer Randall said while the Bully Free Education Campaign will not continue forever, it will leave lasting marks on Murray.

One of these marks he would like to see come out of this campaign would be the passing of a local ordinance against bullying.

He said they are still working on figuring out what would be in any ordinance they propose, but perhaps it would allow for a fee to be levied against businesses and individuals caught in violation of the ordinance.

Cofer Randall said they have been working with the city attorney carefully on the wording of the ordinance so it will be able to hold up in court. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We certainly donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to do anything which infringes on somebodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s protected rights,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But at the same time, there are some things we could likely do with an ordinance that would mandate whether bullying is in our schools or our businesses and what certain kind of actions would not be tolerated.â&#x20AC;?

He said this type of municipal legislation would be the only of its kind in Kentucky and surrounding counties have been drawing off of and using Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bully Free Education Campaign as inspiration for their own local campaigns.

Said Cofer Randall: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know bullying is happening so why sit around and complain about it when we can actually fix it?â&#x20AC;?

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October 11, 2013

Section B

The News

Sports

Sports Editor: Ryan Richardson Assistant Editor: Nick Dolan Phone: 809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Off-color Commentary I seem to have one thing in common with almost every 18 to 22year-old female on campus – October is my favorite month.

However, it is not because of yoga pants, the Nick Dolan availability to Assistant order pumpSports Editor kin-spiced-anything-you-want or a certain sports writer’s birthday (it's the 15th so don't be afraid to get me something). It’s because of loaded sports schedules.

But to be fair, yoga pants and my birthday aren't far behind.

Being a native of the St. Louis area, this month has always been special to me.

The Cardinals are usually still playing for a chance at another World Series, the Rams are in the heart of their schedule and the Blues begin their year with the eternal hope they will finally capture a Stanley Cup. And as of Tuesday, all three of my teams are still playing.

I know everyone can't be from one of the greatest sports cities in America, so I'll give you some reasons to enjoy the month of sports starting with baseball.

Whether you love or hate it, the beginning of October marks the start to the end of the season.

You can hold your breath pitchby-pitch, like I do, and enjoy the drama of playoff baseball or you can count down the days until this "boring" sport runs out of games.

It's up to you, but if you're not a baseball fan there is always football to keep everyone from falling into depression.

The NFL starts to hit its stride, running through weeks five to nine.

Peyton goes back to Indy. Surprising teams like the Chiefs try to remain unbeaten and fantasy leagues everywhere take shape.

I’m on the losing end of my league thus far, but that's a completely different column.

Not only are NFL and fantasy teams in full swing, but college football's main story lines start to emerge as the month comes to a close.

Although rivalry week is saved for November and conference championships for December, land mine-riddled conference schedules and potential upsets create some of the best atmospheres in all of sports.

If you still aren’t convinced, the NHL and NBA both begin their seasons as well.

The NHL opened up at the beginning of the month to a highly anticipated comeback, while the NBA tips off at the end with marquis match-ups like Clippers and Lakers or Miami and Chicago on day one.

Both leagues have seen increased attendance and TV ratings over the past years – trends that don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

If that's not enough to quench your thirst, NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup has four races in October with the series finale in mid-November.

Can you see why it's my favorite month now?

Hopefully with school and midterms piling up, the stacked sports schedule this month can help keep you sane. ndolan@murraystate.edu

Jackson out for season with ACL tear

Making history

Beautiful October

Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

Photo illustration by Lori Allen and Ryan Richardson/The News

Walter Powell (No. 9) broke the modern-day touchdown record Saturday. With one punt return and two receiving touchdowns, Powell now has 30 career total touchdowns for the Racers. His 26 receiving touchdowns are tied for the most scoring receptions hauled in by a player.

He helped lead the Racers to their first 2-0 conference record since 1998.

Walter Powell sets records, Murray State 2-0 in OVC Ryan Richardson || Sports Editor

I’m always excited from the sideline. I already know they’re going to make some big plays. They came a long way from game one, and I can’t wait to see them get better and better each game.

mrichardson5@murraystate.edu

It may not have been a pretty game for most of the team, but senior Walter Powell shined like the star he has proven to be.

Powell led Murray State to a 3524 win over Tennessee Tech to propel the Racers into a tie for first in the OVC. The win gives Murray a 2-0 record for the first time since 1998, giving them a share of the lead with Tennessee State.

In an even bigger feat, Powell recorded three touchdowns to break the modern-day record for most career touchdowns by a Murray State player.

He now has 30 total touchdowns – only 6 games into the season. He is currently tied for the most receiving touchdowns with 26.

Powell said he was aware he was approaching the benchmark, but he was more focused on a team win than a personal record.

Howard ties record, team earns third place

- Walter Powell, senior wide receiver “I heard about it last week but I didn’t pay it no mind,” he said. “I was just trying to do what I had to do to give my team a victory.”

Head Coach Chris Hatcher said Powell scores when the team most needs it.

Mallory Tucker || Staff writer mtucker11@murraystate.edu

The men’s golf team placed third out of 16 teams at UT Martin’s Skyhawk Fall Classic Tuesday, but the standout of the tournament came from Murray State’s gold team.

Sophomore Chasten Howard shot the lowest round of the tournament, finishing the third round with a score of 66 and breaking 70 for the first time in his college career.

This score ties an all-time tournament low, matched only by Tyler Shellnet of UT Martin in 2012.

“I’ve worked really hard this year,” Howard said. “I’ve struggled a lot mentally in a lot of these tournaments, so being able to really perform at that level was a huge honor.”

Howard said he hit the ball well the first day, but his putting game was not working as well

“We know what kind of player he is,” Hatcher said. “Unfortunately, we can’t get him the ball enough. He wills himself into the endzone.”

Hatcher said this was a game he had been worried about all week.

Coming off a big win at Jacksonville State, he said he was not sure if his team had the right mentality.

The Racers were slow out of the starting gate, but a sluggish offense received assistance from Powell and the special teams unit when he returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown for the first score of the game.

“That first punt return (Powell) had, that was kind of the spark we needed,” Hatcher said.

While Powell stood out for Murray State, the defense was another crucial part of the victory.

The defense added a touchdown of its own at the start of the second half when senior Josh Manning scooped up a Tennessee Tech fumble and carried it 22 yards into the

see HISTORY, 2B

as he wanted. He said he knew if he found the ability to putt again he would be able to shoot a low score.

Howard said his goal for the tournament was to shoot even, so he was happy with the results.

Howard carded scores of 72 and 74 during the first two rounds of the tournament and accompanied teammate Jordan Smith with a score of 212 for seventh place out of 87 competitors.

Head Coach Eddie Hunt said he thinks Howard deserves a spot in the next tournament.

“We’ll take a couple of individuals to see how they play in the same conditions,” Hunt said. “I think by the last tournament of the fall we should have a set lineup to take us into the spring season.”

Howard said as his coach continues to search for his five-man lineup, the team works to constantly be at the top of its game.

“It is tough,” Howard said. “It’s kind of like

The men’s basketball team will be without sophomore guard Zay Jackson for the entire 2013-14 season.

Jackson suffered a torn ACL during a practice last Saturday and the severity of the injury was confirmed by an MRI Monday morning.

Jackson was expected to start at point guard for the Racers.

The injury will require surgery and several months of rehabilitation before Jackson will be able to return to the court. “(Jackson) will have surgery in a couple of weeks on his ACL,” Head Coach Steve Prohm said. “We’ll repair it and he’ll start rehabbing it and we’ll get him back and get him healthy.”

Prohm said the Racers will now turn to freshman Cameron Payne to run the offense. The 6-foot-2-inch athlete was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Tennessee, averaging 20 points and 10 assists during his senior season at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tenn.

Payne was rated the 41st best point guard in the class of 2013 by ESPN.com and is one of the most highly touted recruits in the incoming Murray State recruiting class.

“We were going to start (Payne) off the ball this year,” Prohm said, “but I’m very encouraged about what he can do. He’s got great character and great intangibles and IQ for the game so I’m excited about the kind of season that he can have. I have a lot of confidence in Cam.” With the start of the season just three weeks away, Prohm and his team will look for several freshmen and junior college transfers to step into more significant roles.

“We’ll get through this as a team and stay strong and focused,” Prohm said. “We’ll have faith and handle ourselves in the right way. That’s why we’ve been successful not just the last two years, but since I’ve been part of this program. That’s why we’ll continue to be successful.”

As for Jackson, it will be his second straight season away from the court. He missed all of the 2012-13 season due to legal issues stemming from an altercation in a Walmart parking lot.

“I’m going to continue to encourage (Jackson) because he has a bright future,” Prohm said. “I know he’s been through a lot of trials and tribulations with the situation last year, his father recently passed away and now this. I love Zay and we’ll support him.”

Unlike last season, however, Jackson will be a part of the team. He will travel with his teammates and serve in a coaching role during practices.

“Zay will be an encourager and mentor to the younger players,” Prohm said. “What he can do is help the younger guys and teach them and kind of be like another assistant coach. He’ll do a great job in trying to build these guys up.”

The Racers will prepare for an exhibition against Freed Hardeman Nov. 2 before kicking off the season with a road game against a Valparaiso team that defeated the Racers at the CFSB Center a season ago.

you’re under a constant surveillance, but at the same time it keeps you in check, and you know you have to do well to have a shot at the next tournament.”

Howard said it gets competitive between teammates, but they are all happy if one player does well. He said they are all good friends.

According to both Hunt and Howard, there is no lack of talent on the team, but perhaps a lack of experience.

“If we actually find a set of five that can perform really well, I don’t think there’s any limit to what we can do,” Howard said. “We all have a lot of talent. I just hope that if I am in the five that I perform the way I know I can.”

The next tournament for the men’s team is Oct. 14-15, when it travels to Hopkinsville, Ky., for the Austin Peay Intercollegiate, where the Racers will see more of their competition within the conference.

WHAT’S

TENNIS TWINS

OVC WIN

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Women’s team boasts duo of freshmen twins, 3B

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HISTORY From Page 1B

Lori Allen/The News

The men’s basketball team officially started practice last week. An already young team will be forced to play another freshman as Zay Jackson (No. 10) suffered a season-ending ACL tear in practice on Saturday.

Get Pitch Slapped keeps undefeated season alive Nick Dolan || Assistant Sports Editor ndolan@murraystate.edu

Get Pitch Slapped’s bats stayed hot despite the cool Tuesday night.

After a sluggish one-run victory Monday night, captain Jay Ford was happy to see some life out of his team as they beat The Thoroughmeds 16-0 to end the regular season undefeated.

“It's good to see us play like this,” he said.

“After winning 1-0 (Monday) night and falling to second in the power rankings it was nice to see us put some hits together and build momentum before we go into the playoffs.”

His team came out swinging.

The men put up five runs to start the game.

They were able to take advantage of two defensive miscues that led to two runs and played small ball with a sac fly before a twoRBI double to right center capped off the top of the first.

“It was good to string together hits because we haven't been able to do that all season,” Ford said. “That first inning we got our first couple guys on base and the hits just started coming in from there.”

The Thoroughmeds got two on in the bottom half but couldn’t produce, something Ford said was a problem for Get Pitch Slapped against the team last season.

“In the bottom of the first we got through it unscathed,” he said. “We weren't able to do that against them last year. That's when we could really start putting everything together.”

Get Pitch Slapped put up three more its second time up, with all their runs coming off a big home run that cleared the wall by 10 feet.

Both teams failed to create any real threat after that, only reaching first base until Get Pitch Slapped broke through in the fifth inning. After a leadoff groundout the eventual victors found their stride again.

They put together hit after hit and added eight more runs to their total before being set down.

“In that fifth inning we just started hitting holes,” Ford said. “Once you start doing that you force them to field the ball, and we put a lot of pressure on them with our speed all throughout the lineup. That will put a lot of pressure on the defense and force them to make plays.”

Even with the drop in playoff seeding Ford said Get Pitch Slapped's performance Tuesday is a good sign of things to come.

“Only getting one run (Monday) night really hurt us in the power rankings,” he said. “It made it a little bit tougher road but definitely getting a lot of hits and scoring a lot of runs is huge momentum going into our game on Monday night for the second round.”

endzone. “(The defense) put us in a position throughout the course of the evening to really score a lot of points,” Hatcher said.

“They kept getting the ball back to the offense time and time again.”

The Racers have forced at least one turnover in every game thus far this season. The turnover differential has been the key in a few games already, and the win over the Golden Eagles was no different.

“We forced some big turnovers down the stretch,” Hatcher said. “Even though we didn’t capitalize on them offensively, we ate a lot of clock up.”

Hatcher is not the only one who enjoys the improved defense. Powell recognizes the change and welcomes it.

“I’m always excited on the sideline,” Powell said. “I already know they’re going to make some big plays. They came a long way from game one, and I can’t wait to see them get better and better each game.”

In addition to the fumble recovery, Manning also intercepted his second pass of the season Saturday. He said the defense seems to always be in the right place at the right time, something that was a problem last year.

The Racers now turn their sights to a Southeast Missouri team that has yet to record a win this season.

Murray State has won the last two matchups against the Redhawks. Last year, the special teams for the Racers helped earn the win as Powell returned a punt 100 yards for a touchdown and Duane Brady returned a kickoff 85 yards late in the fourth quarter to break the tie.

A win will mark the first 3-0 start in the OVC for the team since the 1997 season, when it finished 5-2 in the conference.

The Racers play at 1 p.m. in Cape Girardeau, Mo., Saturday.

Follow us to SEMO The News will provide live-game coverage Saturday. You can follow us on Twitter @MSUSportsNews.

RY RICHARDSON RYAN J.T.AN WASZKOWSKI HOST, HOOF BEATS SPORTS EDITOR, THE NEWS

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Tennis twins taste success Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

Eleonore and Verginie Tchakarova have been inseparable from birth.

The two newest members of the women’s tennis team, Eleonore and Verginie, are twins from Bulgaria, who have just begun their tennis careers in America at Murray State.

“The longest we’ve been separated is like one school day,” Eleonore said. “We pretty much do everything the same.”

Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Eleonore and Verginie began playing tennis when they were three years old. Their family moved from Morocco to Bulgaria while the girls were still young.

The young girls constantly pushed each other to get better growing up. Though they often played as doubles partners, they would also play matches against each other.

Those matches, Verginie said, were the toughest ones.

“There was always a little competitiveness growing up,” Verginie said. “When we play matches against each other, they’re always the longest matches of our lives – like three hours.

One time she wins, the other I win; we’re pretty evenly matched.”

As the sisters began to get more serious about tennis, they started playing in international junior tournaments.

The twins first came to America in 2007 to play in the Junior Orange Bowl Cup in Coral Gables, Fla. The then-13-year-old girls knew they wanted to come back someday to study and play tennis.

“We just fell in love,” Verginie said. “We knew we wanted to study here so badly.”

The twins learned English in high school so they could take the SAT and have the chance to attend an American university.

As they began contacting schools about potential tennis scholarships, they both received limited interest.

Finally, Murray State Head Coach Olga Elkin emailed the twins about a potential offer. Excited by the opportunity to play tennis in America and become Racers, Eleonore and Verginie accepted the offer without ever setting foot on campus.

“We started searching for universities, and that’s the funny part because we sent applications to like 20 universities and only had two that answered,” Eleonore said. “Coach Elkin sent us an email and we didn’t even write to (Murray State).

After we reviewed the site and the coach and everything, we liked Murray State so much we accepted it.”

Lori Allen/The News

Freshmen twins Eleonore and Verginie Tchakarova bring a unique flair to the women’s tennis team.

Eleonore and Verginie were quickly immersed in American culture as their first day on campus was spent moving into White Residential College and making the routine Walmart run to gather all the dorm room essentials.

Overall, they said the transition from Bulgaria to western Kentucky has been easier than expected thanks to their coaches and teammates.

“It wasn’t that hard to adjust because the older people are so friendly, and the coaches and players just made us feel like we were at home,” Verginie said. “Coach Elkin is just great. She’s so into her job and she’s always there for us. Whenever we have any problems she always helps us.”

It has taken no time for the twins to adjust on the court as well. In their first tournament with Murray State, Eleonore and Verginie claimed the doubles title at the Austin Peay Open.

They defeated a duo from UT Martin 6-3 in the

championship match.

Verginie also advanced to the championship match in singles competition, dropping the hardfought match in a third set tie breaker.

Eleonore advanced to the finals the next week at the UT Chattanooga Steve Baras Fall Classic, coming from behind to defeat Carolina Faught of Alabama-Birmingham, 2-6, 6-1, 4-1. The championship match was called a draw as teammate Carla Suga also advanced to the finals.

Though Eleonore and Verginie have only been in America for a few months, they’ve already experienced success both on and off the court.

At the end of the day, however, the Tchakarova twins are just happy to be playing tennis together in America.

“We always knew we wanted to play together,” Elonore said. “We just love it here and it’s already so much fun.”

Freshmen help rifle earn high marks Staff Report The rifle team is showing promise as it opens regular season matches.

The rifle team came into 2013 ranked No. 9 in the country by the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association. The Racers posted a fourth-place finish in last year’s NCAA qualifiers.

This season, they have four new faces in freshmen Jack Berhorst, Katarina Bisercic, Sam Harris and Keri Marlin. The squad only lost one senior from last year’s roster.

So far, Racer rifle finished fourth at the Ole Miss Invitational and then scored 15 points behind UT Martin in its second match.

The squad was split in two groups of six, with each group traveling to a different match.

Head Coach Allan Lollar told Murray State Sports Information he is pleased with all of his shooters so far, and he split the team so he could gauge how they fared under match conditions.

At Ole Miss, the Racers finished with an aggregate score of 4,636. They shot

2,288 in smallbore and 2,348 in air rifle.

Berhorst led the way in smallbore with a 576, good enough for an 11th-place finish overall.

Senior Bill Harvey and junior Kelsey Emme followed with scores of 574 and 572, respectively.

Lollar said it was good to see the group’s potential to compete at a high level of play.

At UT Martin Monday, the Racers didn't get the same results, but Lollar told Murray State Sports Information he was happy with his young shooters.

Murray finished with an aggregate score of 4,550, but fell just shy of UT Martin’s score of 4,565.

The Racers won smallbore but lost in air rifle.

Freshman Keri Marlin led the way in smallbore with a 576, followed by junior Marisca Mozeleski at 570.

Burzynski was first for the Racers in air rifle, shooting a 578.

Rifle has a break before taking on Morehead State and Columbus State in its first tri-match of the year Oct. 20 at Pat Spurgen Rifle Range.

Kate Russell/The News

Double Coverage

Pink should be the new black It’s incredible to see the Tennessee Titans’ stadium covered with the color pink.

Admittedly – seeing NFL players wear pink socks and gloves is a little Lexy Gross odd, but the meaning behind Editor-in-Chief the color erases all abnormalities.

Throughout the month of October, athletes of all sports and ages wear something extra to help raise awareness, celebrate survivors and remember the victims of breast cancer.

My brother, who is as tall as me and weighs an additional 60 pounds in muscle, wears as much pink as possible to every McCracken County Mustangs football game.

Levi doesn’t wear it because he has to - in my family, pink is a very important color.

From a young age, I remember questioning my grandmother and her new purse with the phrase, “save the ta-tas” across it.

She happily explained what it meant, and from then on, I knew what every pink ribbon, blanket and sticker stood for.

My Mama Jane was diagnosed at 29 years old with breast cancer and soon faced a bilateral mastectomy.

After her successful recovery, she joined the organization Reach to Recover, where she began counseling other women faced with the same grueling decision – whether or not to lose both of their breasts.

She told me the youngest woman she ever counseled before surgery was 18 years old.

Twelve percent of all American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, according to The American Cancer Society.

In 2013, the ACS predicts that nearly 40,000 women will die from the disease.

But the 2.8 million survivors in the U.S. hold a type of strength incomparable with any other kind.

Many times, these survivors have lost their hair, their confidence and the physical symbolism of being a woman.

The strength they have, to consistently want to help others and raise awareness, is staggering.

It is only appropriate that sports be tied to this serious health condition.

Sports represent vigor and perseverance – even when the road ahead looks dark.

As more players nationwide dress in pink and survivors fill stadiums with proud smiles across their faces, I’m sad to say I notice a lack of pink at Murray State.

At a school where so many philanthropy and community service events are held, why aren’t our stands, courts and fields riddled with pink?

Why don’t we see the pink balloons and the banners honoring those who have had more courage than any athlete could possibly imagine?

I know players may buy gloves on their own time and even with their own money.

But I want something big – I want to see those smiles, the tears and the appreciation of flawless strength. cgross2@murraystate.edu

Freshman Katarina Bisercic practices in the Pat Spurgen Rifle Range.

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Soccer beats Tennessee Tech for OVC win Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Soccer earned its first conference win of the season against Tennessee Tech Sunday after losing at Belmont in a choatic final of minutes two days earlier.

Head Coach Beth Acreman said she was proud of the resiliency of the team, overcoming a loss to the Bruins with a win days later.

“The result against Belmont with such a controversial ending was definitely motivation for (the team) Sunday,” Acreman said.

The Racers fell behind Belmont in the 13th minute as the Bruins scored with a header off a corner kick.

“Set pieces are still an area (we need) to continue to work on,” Acreman said. “We have trained hard to clean them up, but it still is an issue for us.”

The Racers rallied before halftime as senior midfielder Natasha Merritt found freshman Lauren Frazier to tie the game 1-1.

The Racers continued their aggressive play and scored again as junior Julie Mooney found sophomore forward Megg Hudson in the 75th minute to give the Racers the go-ahead goal.

With the Racers leading 2-1, chaos occurred that cost the Racers their first OVC victory. Belmont played the ball up on a counterattack toward their forward, who fell after contact with a Murray State defender.

The play earned the Bruins a free kick. Belmont then had a player advantage as sophomore defender Halle Pinkham was given a red card

and ejected from the game with two minutes remaining.

“I’m not sure how the official made his decision against Halle,” Acreman said. “With such little time remaining and to be given such a harsh decision, it was hard for our team to recover from it.”

With a free kick just outside the penalty box, the Bruins shot the ball under the Murray State defensive line and tied the score 2-2.

As time wound down, Belmont mounted one more attack and drew two Murray State yellow cards in the final minute.

With such little time remaining and to be given such a harsh decision, it was hard for our team to recover from it.

- Beth Acreman, soccer head coach

With overtime looming, junior Pavlina Nepokojova was given a yellow card for delay of game and caused the clock to stop. With three seconds remaining, Belmont scored before the final buzzer went off.

Acreman and the team said they did not think the ball was in before the buzzer.

“The clock ran out and the goal went in,” Acreman said. “An awful call and end to a great game.”

Softball re m a i n s u n d e fe a te d i n fa l l ba l l

With the loss in the final minutes, the team used the situation as motivation for its game against Tennessee Tech.

Murray State came out aggressive on offense, taking nine shots in the first half. The scoring opened up in the fifth minute as Mooney’s shot hit off the goalpost, but senior Rebecca Bjorkvall was there to tap in the first goal.

The Racers doubled their lead two minutes later as Frazier crossed the ball into the middle of the box and found Mooney, who put it past the Golden Eagle goalkeeper for the 2-0 advantage.

Murray State kept up the aggressive play and in the 31st minute, Merritt placed a header into the lower right corner of the net for a 3-0 Racer advantage at halftime.

Tennessee Tech gained momentum in the second half with nine shots but couldn’t score, and the Racers left Cookeville with their first conference victory.

“We are really happy with our performance,” Acreman said. “Not only did we get three goals from three different people, but we also got the shutout.”

With the team sitting at 1-3 in the OVC, Murray State returns to Cutchin Field for a pair of conference games against SIU Edwardsville and conference leader Eastern Illinois this weekend.

“Every game is crucial for us, so we will be training hard this week to prepare,” Acreman said.

The team plays at 3 p.m. today against SIUE and then at 1 p.m. Sunday against Eastern Illinois.

Taylor Crum || Staff writer tcrum3@murraystate.edu

The Racers continued to hold a perfect record for their fall season after winning a double-header against Kentucky Wesleyan on Friday.

Head Coach Kara Amundson said the Racers have looked good on the field this season and continue to improve.

“Our pitching staff has just done an incredible job in coming out and being efficient attacking hitters early in the count, which is something that we preach all the time,” Amundson said.

She said the defense behind the pitchers has also been solid. So far, the team has only made one error. With it being so early in the season, Amundson said the strong play is impressive.

Amundson said the team played well in its last game, but there is one thing she saw upn which the team needs to improve.

Lori Allen/The News

Junior forward Pavlina Nepokojova fights for possession in a game against UT Martin.

“We did a great job in getting hits and working counts, but we swung at some pitches that we probably don’t need to be swinging at,” Amundson said.

She said the team made good adjustments throughout the game, but that is the area they need to focus on.

To go along with their talent, Amundson said the Racers have incredible attitudes out on the field – something she said is her favorite part about the season so far.

“They love getting out there and competing,” Amundson said. “Everyone has a positive attitude, and they are working really hard which is what you want to see at this time of the year.”

She said if the team can keep its chemistry and continue working hard, the things they need to do will fall into place by the time they get to the spring schedule.

The Racers’ last competition of the fall season, aside from the alumni game, was

Young team, inexperience lead to disappointing loss

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Taylor Crum || Staff writer tcrum3@murraystate.edu

The volleyball team was swept in all three sets against Morehead State on Saturday, giving the team its third loss in a row and reducing its overall record to 11-7.

Head Coach David Schwepker said the game was not the team’s best effort.

“We just had a couple girls that had really bad games,” Schwepker said. “It was probably the worst game of our season.”

Schwepker said after watching this game, there are many things the Racers need to improve, including passing, hitting, blocking and the team’s defense.

The last three games for the Racers have all been OVC losses.

Schwepker said he thinks the team is more threatened by conference game play than any nonconference team it has faced this season.

“I definitely think they play differently,” Schwepker said. “I think the girls put more pressure on themselves and forget about what we’ve been working on. They psych themselves out before they even get out there and play.”

The Racers are a young team composed of all freshmen and sophomores except for the lone senior on the roster, Katlyn Hudson.

Schwepker said many of the issues that the team has goes along with being a younger team.

“When you have this young of a team, they don’t know how to handle themselves in these kind of pressured situations,” Schwepker said.

Up next for the Racers are back-to-back conference games against Southeastern Missouri University and UT Martin. Both teams are conference rivals for the Racers.

Despite the rivalry, Schwepker said he never looks at how the Racers have competed against these teams in the past. He said he and the Racers only worry about their own side of the court.

“All we try to do is get ourselves better,” Schwepker said. “Bottom line is we have to get out there and we have to do our thing.”

The Racers have traveled to their last three losing matches. This time, they will have home court advantage where they will face UT Martin at 7 p.m. tonight and SEMO at 2 p.m on Saturday both in Racer Arena.

a doubleheader Thursday against Lakeland.

Amundson said before the game that the Racers would end the season on a high note as long as they keep playing the way they have played all season.

“Lake Land is a pretty solid team and will definitely give us a good test to see where we are at right now in the fall, but I think if we keep playing our game and keep playing controlled the way we have, we’ll do just fine,” Amundson said.

Overall, Amundson said she is excited to see what the spring season has in store for the Racers.

She said she is still trying to figure out where everyone will play on defense, but she is ready for next semester and a new season.

Said Amundson: “We have a ton of very talented players this year, and I’m just really looking forward to seeing how they continue to develop in the spring.”

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Exhibit recognizes victims of domestic violence Katrina Yarbrough || Contributing writer kyarbrough2@murraystate.edu

In honor of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Murray State Women’s Center hosted B.E. S.A.F.E. week from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4.

The week introduced what is known as the Clothesline Project.

From Sept. 16 to Oct. 2, students and faculty were given the opportunity to visit the Women’s Center and create a T-shirt to express their own stories of domestic violence or to honor someone they know who has been affected by domestic or relationship violence.

The shirts were then hung in the Curris Center for public viewing and will continue to be shown until Oct. 31.

According to the Domestic Violence Project, Inc. website, the project was originally started in Hyannis, Mass., in the fall of 1990 where 31 T-shirts were created for public view.

Since then, the project has been recognized and participated in globally.

“The Clothesline Project is something we at the Women’s Center have been doing for several years now at Murray State,” Stephanie Smith, senior from Murray, said.

“It’s also something that is done across the country. People who have been affected by any sort of interpersonal violence including rape, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking can create a T-shirt to express their own stories.”

The color of each T-shirt holds a special meaning, Smith said.

To honor a woman who has died due to some type of violence, a white T-shirt is used; yellow or beige for women who have ever been the victim of battery or assault; red, pink or orange for women who have been raped or sexually assaulted; blue or green for women who are survivors of incest or child sexual abuse and purple or lavender for women who have been attacked because of their sexual orientation.

“When we hang (the T-shirts) up, one thing some may not notice is, they’re all touching,” Smith said. “This shows the women and everyone else viewing them that we’re all in this together.”

The Women’s Center on campus hosted the event in order to reach out to women of all ages and backgrounds, and encourage them to speak out about domestic and other types of violence.

Smith said according to The Women’s Center as well as the Domestic Violence Project, Inc. website, the Clothesline Project is used to bear witness to the survivors and victims of violence.

It helps aid in the healing process of the people affected, educates and raises the awareness of the issue of violence in today’s society, she said.

“By organizing this event, we are able to give women their voices back,” Smith said.

The process of creating the T-shirts wasn’t long or difficult. Shirts as well as paints, dyes, glitter and other decorative supplies were provided by the Women’s Center. The creator was then able to decorate the T-shirt in any way they chose.

According to the Domestic Violence Project Inc. website, naming the perpetrator is an important step in the healing process.

Names of perpetrators could be included on the shirts as long as it was only the first name or the initials of a person.

Full names were not allowed to be on the shirts.

Drawings, iron-on photographs and quotes were popular in the storytelling of the women.

“The experience is therapeutic in a way,” Shamika Stiles, junior from Murray, said.

“It let the women leave their burdens behind and to release what they’ve been holding in. It also allowed them to be a part of something bigger and to encourage other women to tell their stories.”

According to the Women’s Center website, some type of domestic violence affects an estimated four million women each year.

Nearly one in every three women experience physical assault during adulthood and approximately 3.3 million children are exposed to domestic violence each year.

Only one-seventh of all domestic assaults are brought to the attention of the police, according to the Women’s Center.

Lori Allen/The News

Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line perform at the CFSB Center Thursday night. More than 7,000 people were in attendance.

Florida Georgia Line fans fill CFSB Performance combines lights, country music for impressive show McKenzie Willett || Staff writer mwillett2@murraystate.edu

Lines wrapped around the CFSB Center as country music fans waited patiently to see Florida Georgia Line perform its first headlining show at Murray State.

Florida Georgia Line was preceded by two close friends as opening acts: Dallas Smith and Colt Ford.

Each act performed a 30-minute set to warm up the crowd as Florida Georgia Line waited for their turn to take the stage.

This is the second time the band has performed on campus.

“I saw them here last year at the Lovett Auditorium,” Mikayla Oster, sophomore from Jackson, Mo., said. “I loved every minute of it and I’m a huge fan. I loved the song ‘Cruise’ they did with Corey Smith last year.”

The majority of students waiting however, had never seen the duo before last night.

“I haven’t seen them in concert before but I expected them to play ‘Cruise,’ which is my favorite song,” Dasha Tuck, freshman from Bowling Green, Ky., said. “I have their current album, ‘Here’s To The Good Times,’ and I’m a big fan.”

“Here’s To The Good Times,” was released Dec. 4 of last year.

Other fans couldn’t wait to hear their favorite songs in a live setting.

“I expect a great show from them,” Anna Denny, junior from Cordon, Ind., said. “My favorite songs are ‘Dayum Baby’ and ‘Party People.’ I hope they are as good live as they are on the radio.”

Some students, parents and children traveled near and far to see their favorite country stars.

“I traveled an hour from Tennessee to get here, but I’ve been looking forward to this for a while,” Savannah Pratt, freshman from McKenzie, Tenn., said. “My favorite song would have to be ‘Stay.’”

Florida Georgia Line opened its act up with an extreme lighting show and an exciting backdrop to reveal themselves. The opening number was a fan favorite, “What We Do,” followed by “Party People.”

One of the special effects uti-

lized was the LED screen as the stage’s backdrop.

The band played its music videos for the hits “Stay” and “Cruise” as it performed the songs live.

The crowd got particulary involved during “Get Your Shine On” by holding up their lit-ip cell phones. The illumination from the phones lit up the stadium.

Aside from playing its hits, the band remixed some songs like “In Da Club” by 50 Cent and “Young, Wild & Free” by Snoop Lion (Snoop Dogg) and Wiz Khalifa.

As Florida Georgia Line said its goodbye’s, it honored the crowd with an encore that included “Tell Me How You Like It” and “Cruise.”

The show sold more than 7,000 tickets. Murray’s own Froggy 103.7 FM radio introduced the three artists at the beginning of the concert.

Tattoo parlor inks Murray from head to toe Faces & Places is a weekly series that profiles the people and places of Murray and the surrounding areas.

Every person and every place has a story. Let us tell it.

Breanna Sill Contributing writer bsill@murraystate.edu

For many college students, leaving home is all about gaining a sense of freedom. Some students choose to use that freedom to express themselves through unique tattoos and piercings.

In most cities, finding a tattoo shop is just as easy as finding a McDonald’s. However, in Murray it is difficult. My Reality Tattoo ‘n’ Piercing was voted last year by students as being the best tattoo par-

Ana Bundy/Contributing photographer

Stash, owner of My Reality Tattoo ‘n’ Piercing, has been tattooing since age 15. lor in town as a part of Best of Murray. The shop offers the lowest prices in town and is one of the cleanest studio settings, Stash, the owner of My Reality Tattoo ‘n’ Piercing, said.

Stash began tattooing when he

was 15 years old, then began an apprenticeship when he turned 18.

Stash then worked as a tattoo artist in Las Vegas and Los Angeles where he tattooed everyone from celebrities to models and rock stars.

“Some of the famous people I tattooed were cool and some were jerks,” he said. “I would have to say that Angelina Jolie was the biggest bitch that I’ve ever met. I gave her a private piercing while she was married to Billy Bob Thorton.”

My Reality Tattoo ‘n’ Piercing has three tattoo artists, Stash, D.J. and Nick, who all prefer to go by their first names. D.J., who has been with the shop for almost 10 years, is also the studio manager. In addition, she is the only female body piercer in Calloway County.

Nick is the other tattoo artist.

“The reason I enjoy tattooing is because I want to create something that someone can fall in love with and enjoy for the rest of their

see TATTOO, 6B

Professors discuss gender roles, binaries Brandon Cash Contributing writer bcash@murraystate.edu

Ana Bundy/Contributing photographer

MINERAL SALE: Kitty Lastrapes, sophomore from Cape Girardeau, Mo., examines the rocks and minerals the Geosciences Club sold Wednesday in Blackburn Science Building to benefit the club.

Last Tuesday, two professors held a combined presentation that covered two very different topics.

Danielle Nielsen, assistant professor of English, opened the presentation by reading narratives written by women from the mid-Victorian era.

The narratives described what it was like for British women during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

“It is this really fine line between British women that are

colonizers and yet, at the same time, they are working against what people at home think about them,” Nielsen said.

These women described being trapped in cities attacked

by Indians as well as their experiences living in those cities.

But, at the same time, they struggled to wield their own power in a society where gender roles were strict.

“The first speaker brought up women, and it was gender (related), not the sex,” Hope Marshall, freshman from Madisonville, Ky., said. “It kind

see PROFESSORS, 6B

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“Entertainment news sure to spice up your lunch conversation”

WATER COOLER Information and photos from The Associated Press Compiled by Savannah Sawyer

PANETTIERE ENGAGED TO KLITSCHKO “Nashville” star Hayden Panettiere confirmed on Wednesday’s “Live with Kelly and Michael” that she is engaged to Olympic boxer Wladimir Klitschko. The longtime couple have yet to set a wedding date.

FILM CRITIC KAUFFMANN DIES AT 97 The film critic Stanley Kauffmann, who reviewed movies for “The New Republic,” died Wednesday.

Kauffmann died of pneumonia in Manhattan, New York at the age of 97.

Throughout his life, he also wrote his own plays, fiction novels and helped discover classic movies.

Sound Bite "I feel like that was a good time for me to kind of show people kind of that I don't just twerk and lick stuff. I can sing.

And I can act a little bit, too!"

–Miley Cyrus

TATTOO From Page 5B days,” he said.

Stash said the name My Reality Tattoo ‘n’ Piercing came from his idea that he wants people to feel like whenever they get a tattoo there, it’s “their reality.” He wants his customers to bring their own ideas to the drawing table and create their own reality in the form of a tattoo. The shop has been open since 2000 and is the only shop in western Kentucky that has had to expand three times, and it is about to expand into the building next door.

On average, around 15 to 20 Murray State students frequent the shop daily.

“Some students are repeat guests and some of the students are new,” Stash said. “We even get people who are repeaters who bring along new people with them.”

While several customers, mainly females, get ideas for things like tattoos or piercings from websites like

October 11, 2013

Pinterest or other social media sites, those are not always the tattoos My Reality Tattoo ‘n’ Piercing sees regularly.

Infinity symbols, feathers, anchors and wording, Stash said, are the most popular requests that come in.

“Anchors and wording are normally more popular with the guys, but here lately there have been a lot more girls wanting anchors,” he said.

The shop gets just as much business for its piercings as it does for tattoos.

Belly buttons and all different parts of the ear are the most popular places customers want pierced.

“The most unique piercing we have had a lot of lately would be corset piercings,” D.J. said.

A corset piercing is a piercing that is done in a zig-zag pattern with lace strung through it.

The tattoo artists at My Reality Tattoo ‘n’ Piercing pride themselves on great customer service.

“Some artists say it’s distracting to have customers bring friends along into the rooms,” Stash said. “But for me, it is easier to do my job knowing my client is comfortable.”

PROFESSORS From Page 5B of bothered me a little bit, how they enforced the feminine idea of being a woman, like you could have that pseudomasculine feeling but you’re still a woman at the end of the day.”

Continuing the presentation was Scott Byrd, assistant professor of humanities and fine arts, who discussed gender binaries. He did research in Brazil and spoke about the difference between American and Brazilian sexual cultures.

“Brazil has a totally different way of viewing sexuality, and that sex is not biological to most Brazilians; it’s actually about what you do, so it is defined by how you do it,” Byrd said.

As opposed to the U.S., which he referred to as having a rigid form of sexuality, a sort of gender binary as he called it, where women are feminine and men are masculine.

He also discussed how the gender pay gap has been getting worse over the past 20 years and how the government shutdown affects women more than men. The number of elected women are declining, and 40 percent of single mothers are below the poverty line. Also, anti-gay hate crimes are on the rise.

“I thought the gender binary was an interesting concept because I hadn’t heard it before,” Stephanie Mellar, freshman from Clarksville, Tenn., said. “I thought it was interesting how he talked about different gender roles in different countries and how the U.S. has a much different one, how he called it a rigid gender structure.”

d e Tweets r u t Fea of the week A compilation of Tweets that made us laugh, cry or scratch our heads.

on the Oct. 8 episode of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”

Megan Godby/Contributing photographer

Stash tattoos the word “Brotherhood” on customer, Gregory Jones’ bicep.

s e r u eat ista n o i h as

F

It's time to dress your best Murray State! The Features section is looking for the best dressed person on campus. Each day we will be posting a new photo of a different fashionista on campus on Facebook and Twitter. Vote by liking or favoriting the photo and pick up a paper Friday to see who received the most votes.

The basics: Jesse Carruthers, junior from Paducah, Ky. Q: Who is your style icon?

A: Henry Watkins, Mariano Di Vaio, Kanye West and Pharell Williams.

Q: What inspired you to wear this outfit today?

A: I just use the idea of keeping it simple and throwing a little personality to my outfit for everything. That’s why I named the four people I named earlier; they have a unique style that reflects their personality.

Q: What are some of your favorite and least favorite trends this year?

A: I like the drop crotch sweats, also denim shirts, ‘happy’ dress socks and you can never go wrong with a plain white V-neck. The worst trend I think, shorts with blazers. The only reason I’d wear something like that is for a fashion photo shoot, that’s about it. The camo trend is starting to fade as well.

Compiled by McKenzie Willett

Simon Pegg

Zach Braff

@simonpegg That tiny pang of emotion you feel when you see the lights on your children's shoes flash? That would be envy.

11:52 a.m. Oct. 6

@zachbraff You guys, I just chased a waterfall. Don't do it.

3:26 p.m. Oct. 9

Lena Dunham

Jimmy Fallon

@lenadunham A cab driver just called me Sir 10:50 a.m. Oct. 7

@jimmyfallon One of our writers starts off every date by asking the girl who her favorite Harry Potter character is. #whyimsingle 3:52 p.m. Oct. 9

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October 11, 2013

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’?

TODAY •6 p.m.

Bull Blowout, William “Bill” Cherry Expo Center • 7 p.m.

Volleyball vs. UT Martin, Racer Arena • 7:30 p.m.

Senior Recital, Colton Burge, string bass, Performing Arts Hall

S A T U R D A Y

• 7 a.m. - noon Downtown Saturday Market, Downtown Square • 9 a.m.

Festival of Champions, Roy Stewart Stadium •11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

BARKtoberfest, Central Park

SUNDAY • 1 p.m.

Soccer vs. Eastern Illinois, Cutchin Field

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If you would like an event to appear here or on thenews.org, email us at features@thenews.org. Please submit events by noon Wednesday for consideration.

• 10:30 a.m.

Evidence Based Best Practices in Clinical Healthcare, Curris Center • 11 a . m .

Breast Cancer Awareness Information Tables, Curris Center • 5 p. m.

PRSSA meeting, Wilson Hall, room 115

• 4 - 5 p.m.

Boot Camp, T Cardio Wellness Center, U Aerobics Room • 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.

E Zumba, Wellness Center, Aerobics S Room D • All Day PhotograA Proofs phy Exhibit, Y Robert O. Miller

MONDAY

Conference Center

W • 10 a.m.

Career Fair, E Curris Center • 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. D Beginners’ Yoga, Wellness N Center, AeroE bics Room • 7:30 p.m.

S Writing New Legal Histories D of the South, A Curris Center, Barkley Room Y

THURSDAY • Noon Paint Me Pink, Curris Center, Dance Lounge • 4 p.m.

Department of History and Research Forums, Faculty Hall room 505 • 5:30 p.m.

A Taste of the Arts Dinner and Auction, CFSB Center, Murray Room

Photo courtesy of theblueprintmagazine.com

Miley Cyrus released her fourth studio album, “Bangerz,” Tuesday to a slew of positive reviews from various media outlets.

Cyrus breaks out of her Disney shell Savannah Sawyer Features Editor ssawyer@murraystate.edu

I would be lying if I were to say I never watched an episode of “Hannah Montana.” I would also be lying if I were to say I didn’t watch the show every week while it was on air.

I never really considered myself a fan of Miley Cyrus, but I also never disliked her. In fact, I always seemed to have an admiration for Miley without actually fawning over her.

When she first started acting out, I was just as shocked as the next person, but I’ve grown to admire her confidence in who she is and what she wants to do.

When looking back over the course of the past few years, you can tell she was trying to break out of her Disney Channel shell. First, it was the June 2008 cover of “Vanity Fair” where she appeared partially nude at the young age of 15. Then she was dancing on an ice cream cart strip pole at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards show. It was downhill from there.

With her new album, “Bangerz,” in stores now, it’s safe to say she has definitely broken away from her squeaky-clean Disney counterpart.

Many people criticize Miley for not having a good voice. While I agree that her voice is certainly different, it’s not horrible. If you have not al-

ready, take a look at The Backyard Sessions on YouTube where she sang covers of songs from “Jolene” to “Lilac Wine.”

When Miley puts her voice to the test, something really special can emerge. Sometimes, however, she just doesn’t know how to use it to its full potential – something understandable, considering how young she is.

Throughout the course of this album, there are parts where Miley is very in tune with her voice and other times have me questioning what she was even thinking.

The album itself has no flow to it.

Each track is completely different from the last.

The album starts off with this slow and sultry song (“Adore You”) about finding the one you love and how, when you find that person, your life completely changes.

The song, good in itself, gave a false start to the album. This song and “Wrecking Ball,” another soulful song on the album, made me think that Miley found her way and really listened to what her voice was and was not capable of.

As soon as I made it to the second track, I realized that was not the case.

The second track, “We Can’t Stop,” which most of us have heard by this point (hello MTV Video Music Award performance), is a pop song that is about living your life and not letting

others influence you otherwise.

The upbeat song reminds you of something that would be played at a big, drunken, college party – one that you wished you could attend.

After hearing that track and the next, “SMS (Bangerz),” which features another former teen pop star gone cuckoo and now sane, Britney Spears, I started to get the feeling this album would be more pop than soulful.

But then I got to the fourth track, “4X4.” The song has a country hoedown vibe and features rapper Nelly. The song is catchy, but that doesn’t mean it’s not weird. It reminds me of her “Hoedown Throwdown” song as Hannah Montana, then Nelly comes in and it reminds me of “Ride Wit Me.” The entire album seems to follow this format – a song where she raps then a song that nearly brings you to tears followed by a song that you just want to blast the whole way through.

I am pleasantly surprised with the artists she worked with on this album.

Everyone from Britney to Big Sean to Future were all featured on “Bangerz.”

Miley really had a lot to say and she did a good job of conveying it through a few of the songs such as “FU,” “#GETITRIGHT,” “My Darlin’” and “Drive.”

She and ex-fiance Liam Hemsworth went through a drawn-out breakup

this year, which can’t be easy on the girl. As a listener, you can tell she put everything she had into this album.

“Bangerz” could have made a great concept album, but alas, that is not the case. She could have taken what she experienced and what she has gone through in the last year and made a great piece of art.

While the album is great, it seems to be lacking the fine tuning it needs to make the album a masterpiece.

Facts & Tidbits Artist: Miley Cyrus Album: “Bangerz” Release Date: October 8, 2013 Genre: Pop, Hip-Hop Similar to: Britney Spears, Selena Gomez Interesting Fact: Miley collaborated with everyone from Britney to Ludacris on this album.

Download Now: “We Can’t Stop,“ “My Darlin’,” “FU” and ”#GETITRIGHT”

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Comfort Re-Zoning Each and every day, we are faced with routine tasks.

We have the choice, the freedom, to step out of the monotony. We have the ability to think, act and Hunter respond differHarrell Assistant Features ently to situations. But the Editor majority of the time, we don’t.

As students, we all can have hectic lives and often choose to live in our comfort zones. We don’t stray from routine, and we would not intentionally put ourselves in an awkward situation. We stray from the nervous feelings and changes, but have you ever thought this could hinder your college experience?

Based on personal experience, I can tell you succeeding is much more difficult if you aren’t willing to put yourself out there, even a little bit.

One short year ago, I was sitting in my residential college lounge, researching universities with journalism programs closer to home. I was one of those miserable freshmen who could not find any enjoyment in college life. I just wanted to go home. I felt like the transition from a graduating class of approximately 90 students to a University with more than 10,000 students was entirely too much.

In the beginning, it was a culture shock. There were different people from all walks of life here in what I thought was a small country town.

When I had visited Murray, I felt like it was similar to my home, a place where people pass each other and wave because they know each other, not just to be friendly.

Despite loving journalism and the program at Murray State, I loathed the unfortunate reality that I lived outside my comfort zone.

I longed for home every single day or even the slightly less comfortable, but a work-in-progress dorm room.

Even the smallest casual encounters such as talking to strangers in classes and on elevators made me uncomfortable and nervous. This was the first time that I had been around strangers, in general.

I also grew increasingly tired of other students and professors lecturing about “getting involved,” because I came here to earn my degree and hopefully write for the college newspaper, end of story.

Though I refused to “get involved,” I remained true to my goals of writing for the newspaper and slowly, but surely everything fell into place.

During the summer, things started to become a little more clear about what I wanted to do with my degree after graduating.

Since then, I learned I have adapted to the change better than I expected. Choosing to go to a school three hours away from home made me finally step out of my comfort zone, talk to people and experience life outside my hometown.

Transitioning from high school to college is never easy. It’s like learning to ride a bike for the first time. If you want to walk your whole life, that is okay and you will get places. However, if you step out of your comfort zone and learn to ride the bike, you will be able to get there much faster. hharrell@murraystate.edu

Out This Week

See It “Captain Phillips”

Buy It “The Conjuring”

Hear It “PAX AM Days” by Fall Out Boy

Read It

Play It

“Revealed” by P.C . Cast, Kristin Cast

Cabela’s African Adventures

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