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The Murray State News April 4, 2014

Vol. 88, No. 27

TheNews.org

University will see 1.5 percent budget cut instead of planned 2.5 Ben Manhanke Assistant News Editor bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Leaders from the Republican-controlled Kentucky Senate and Democratically controlled House reached a compromise on the biennial budget for the Commonwealth Monday night for the years 2014-2016. The final $20.3 million budget, if approved by Gov. Steve Beshear, restores funding to a number of universities’ construction projects removed in the

Senate’s draft of the budget and includes an across-the-board funding cut to state higher education. This compromise comes a week after the Senate released its counter-proposition to the House’s state budget. With funding for universities’ top priority projects being maintained, Murray State will be able to go forward with construction of the Engineering and Physics Building, a new Breathitt Veterinary Center, the replacement of Franklin Residential College and construction of a Madisonville Postsec-

ondary Education Center. The 1.5 percent budget cut to state universities, 1 percent less than what was proposed by Beshear in his education address in January, will cost Murray State approximately $720,000. The proposed state budget also includes an unfunded mandated pension cost of $1.5 million for Murray State, half of which will be reimbursed to the University’s base allocation from the state. President Tim Miller said that even with the cuts already made to Murray

State’s budget this year, additional revenue and cost reductions will continue to be sought following the release of the Senate and House’s budget. Miller did acknowledge that the University will have to raise tuition this year. However, Miller said he was happy with the decision to re-fund university projects. “We’re going to he able to replace Franklin, which is tremendous because I stayed there when I came to the University in 1963.” Miller said. “We’re out

there recruiting hard for students and we’ve got to have decent housing.” Miller said Murray State will have more construction projects than it’s ever had at one time. “We’re going to be busy and campus is going to be busy with construction next year,” he said. Miller said a final University budget for the Board of Regents will not be completed until the tuition cap for Kentucky universities from the Council on Post-Secondary Education is announced.

Campus shuts down, threat causes confusion Staff Report Campus was shut down and students were asked to stay indoors Tuesday night after reports of a man with a gun on campus flooded Public Safety and Emergency Management. Public Safety originally used University alerts to shut down campus at approximately 8:30 p.m. Campus opened again at approximately 10 p.m. after a University spokesperson said a suspect had been apprehended in connection with the reports to Public Safety. Brooke McCord, freshman from Murray, said she felt extremely illinformed on the situation. “I went downstairs and the residential advisers were sitting outside and told everyone to stay in; they didn’t go to our rooms or anything,” she said. Heather Raley, sophomore from Henderson, Ky., said she and her roommates heard a lot of screaming and officers yelling “put your hands up” and a door slamming. She said they saw about five cop cars outside of the 400 building at Campus Evolution Villages North. Vincent Burns, freshman from Murray, was in his apartment when officers entered and took custody of his roommate, Reyon Williams. Both live at Campus Evolution Villages North. “I went into my room to get my laptop, and all of the sudden I heard the police burst in and say ‘get on the ground,’” Burns said. “The officers asked me if Reyon owned a gun.” Wednesday morning, University communications said that the spottings on campus were of someone transferring a weapon from his shoulder to a vehicle in a “nonthreatening manner.” According to the University website, weapons and dangerous materials are prohibited on all property owned or controlled by Murray State.

Kate Russell/The News

Kayla Wall, senior and art education major from Mayfield, Ky., works in a Woods Hall art studio reserved for students.

National media says art degrees ‘aren’t worth the cost’ Ben Manhanke Assistant News Editor bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Colleen Bennet, senior art major from Louisville, Ky., said she looked at art programs at the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Berea College before ultimately deciding to attend Murray State. “I toured Murray State’s facilities and saw the work that was produced here and I remember thinking this

SGA names candidates for 2014-15 positions

place really took its program seriously,” Bennett said. “The professors especially take the program seriously and it is very intensive. Coming to Murray State was definitely worth the money.” In an article published in The Atlantic last Wednesday, receiving an art degree from Murray State was named “the biggest waste of money” and the least valuable major to pursue of any major offered at any university across the U.S.

Meghann Anderson News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

After three years with the same president, the Student Government Association will soon have a new leader. Michael Dobbs, junior from Winchester, Ky., is the lone candidate for the SGA presidency. “I am nervous to be following in the footsteps of a three-term president because after three years, he likely had the routine pretty well figured out,” Dobbs said. “Coming in fresh, it will be both nerve-racking and exciting to see how every-

The article used recent data gathered by PayScale, an online salary, benefits and compensation comparison company, which made predictions on students’ average earnings for the next 20 years based on trends in the past 20 years and self-reported earnings of an unspecified amount of polled graduates. Using this data, The Atlantic reported that the net worth of an outof-state art major from Murray State over the course of 20 years is approx-

thing works.” He said the first thing he would like to accomplish is a stronger interest in SGA and more involvement within the organization. “While being the only candidate for president is great and all, students should be clamoring for this position,” Dobbs said. “I love the Murray community so much and want so bad to help it be all that it can be. I know everyone won’t have the same passion, and not everyone should. But, I would like to see more students interested in SGA and what it does.” He said he doesn’t think students

imately -$200,000. Art majors paying in-state tuition also made the list of 23 universities and their corresponding majors that have the lowest net returns – Murray State ranking seventh worst, with a reported -$147,000 in net return. Bennett said it takes a long time for those working exclusively freelance producing drawings and paintings to

see ART, 2A

realize how powerful an organization like SGA can be and that it is the vehicle for student concerns and suggestions to the administration of Murray State. The two candidates running for vice president of SGA are Aida De La Fuente, junior from Louisville, Ky., and Grant Grissom, graduate student from Hickman, Ky. The vice president of SGA also serves as the president of the Campus Activities Board. De la Fuente said she has developed a vast love for Murray State

see SGA, 2A

15 to finish: A goal to graduate in 4 Rebecca Walter || Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Jenny Rohl/The News

SPRING WEATHER: Students enjoy warm weather in the Quad Monday by playing cornhole, studying in the grass and swinging in hammocks.

College is by no means a cheap endeavor and the faster students graduate, the less debt they will accumulate. In order to keep students on a oneway track to graduating in four years, Murray State has recently taken part in the 15 to finish initiative. The program is through the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and works to promote obtaining a college degree in four years. Barbara Cobb, coordinator of academic advising, said graduating in four years is beneficial for all students, especially in an economic sense. “It is important goal for all students, considering education costs and the

state of the economy,” Cobb said. Like the name suggests, 15 to finish encourages students to take 15 credit hours a semester to be able to graduate in four years. Taking 15 credit hours for eight semesters gives students the 120 hours they need to graduate. President Tim Miller said he realizes being a full-time student and taking 15 credit hours is not an obtainable goal for every student. “All students are different,” Miller said. “Some have to work to support themselves financially and simply cannot go to school full time as well.” Miller also said some students do not always know what they want to major in right away, which can set them back. He said in a financial sense, it is better for students to work to gradu-

ate as fast as they can so they will not have so much debt later on. “Being full time should be a target for students who are able to do so,” Miller said. To be considered full time at Murray State, students must take at least 12 credit hours per semester. Some stuMiller dents need more than 15 credits per semester to graduate, but the 15 to finish is a starting point in terms of thinking about the best way to complete a degree in the least amount of time, Cobb said.

see GRADUATE, 2A

WHAT’S

LOCAL RACES

OUR VIEW

CIT CHAMPIONS

DRAG SHOW

INSIDE

Students train for 5K, half marathon, 3A

Students should pursue art, regardless of money, 4A

Racers keep lead against Yale, take title, 1B

A college student perspective to a unique experience, 5B

The News

News

2A

April 4, 2014

ART From Page 1 be successful because you need to establish a name for yourself. She said sometimes an artist never becomes recognized by the public, but that she’d rather do work she loves and make less money than a job she doesn’t like which may be more successful. Zbynek Smetana, the chair of the department of art and design, said the article and data was “completely flawed” and it was “profoundly irresponsible.” He said the author of the piece, Derek Thompson, senior editor of The Atlantic, shouldn’t have published it without checking his facts. Smetana said he found the article’s data to be unreliable because the earnings were self-reported and the number of graduates who were polled are not mentioned. “This (data) is simply not factually based,” Smetana said. “Nowhere in that article does it even mention what the sample size of the study is. It’s disappointing to me personally.” He said he doesn’t think the department will suffer in enrollment or reputation and he hopes art majors at Murray State will recog-

GRADUATE From Page 1 According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 59 percent of first time undergraduate students who began their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at a four-year degreegranting institution, and eventually obtained it. Cobb said it is important for students to have an open line of communication with their advisers to see if they are on the right path. Retaking courses can also put students behind to graduate on time and can end up costing students more money in the long run.

Kate Russell/The News

A student uses one of the studios in Woods Hall to paint for a class assignment. nize that the methodology of the article is highly questionable. “Legally, (the article) probably is not considered libel, but the effect of it is similar,” Smetana said. “Even if I could make the editor retract his statement or publish an apology, that article is out there, it’s viral, traveling around, and

Cobb said when students chose to retake courses it can sometimes put them further behind. “Retaking a course will postpone graduation, for most students,” she said. “Sometimes retaking a course is necessary to raise (a student’s) GPA or to be accepted into a competitive program, but it is better to put the hard work in now and make good grades, as opposed to stretching out (a student’s) college career by one or more semesters.” Miller said although all students are different and on unique paths to graduate, it makes sense to graduate as soon as they can. Said Miller: “Do it as quickly as you can to obtain the least amount of debt.”

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there’s no way to get rid of it.” The University is engaged in its own self-study of graduates and their quality of life and satisfaction with Murray State postgraduation. Smetana said he will rely on this study, which is expected to be completed in September, to deter-

SGA From Page 1 since she became a student here. De La Fuente said since one of vice president’s main roles is to delegate the CAB meetings, her experience in the organization will be beneficial to her if she gets elected. “Like my slogan says: Mi casa es su casa; my home is your home,” De La Fuente said. “Murray State is our home for the three, four or five-plus years that it is, and I want to make it the best years I can. I want the student body to love the school as much as I do, and make the best college memories they can.” De La Fuente said she wants to be able to be someone the school can look up to, lean on and approach. “SGA is called the Student Government Association for a reason – the students are the center of their attention,” she said. “Through my campaign I hope to be able to effectively show the students how important they are. Whether

mine if any evaluation of the department is necessary. According to the PayScale’s website, only those who possess a bachelor’s degree and no higher degrees are included in their survey data and only graduates who are employed full-time with either an hourly wage or an annual

they are a Greek, athletes, international or agricultural students they should all know they are a direct reflection of the success of this University.” Grissom said his main reasons for desiring this position are due to his experience with the inner workings of the organization. “I want to encourage student participation through membership drives and advertisement for CAB chair positions and for general CABbie positions,” Grissom said. “My second main goal is to increase membership within the CAB in order to make sure it does its job as well as possible.” He said Murray State is diverse in terms of interests and he wants the activities that CAB puts on to match this diverse array of interests. “I want to know what all students want to see, not just a single group,” Grissom said. “If elected, I would make it a point to go around to multiple student organization presidents, all the while asking for input on what types of events they would like to see the CAB put on.” The other elected positions include secretary, treasurer, Residential College

salary – no self-employed or project-based or contract employees. On Murray State’s section of the website, 194 entries have been recorded for those who identify as having received bachelor’s degrees from the University, but it is unspecified how many of these reported salaries come from those with degrees in art. President Tim Miller said he isn’t concerned with the article or PayScale’s findings and said he doesn’t think it will have an effect on the art program. He said only five Murray State art program graduates’ reported salaries and are reflected in the website’s data. “You could make any university look bad by talking to five students that weren’t employed as soon as they graduated and write an article on that,” Miller said. “You can manipulate data to look good or bad and I think that’s what happened here.” Samantha George, art major and junior from Murray said she knows graduates from Murray State who have gone on to be successful in their fields and said she’d like to know from whom PayScale collected their data. “Before I even became an art major I was told (Murray State’s) art program was the best in the state,” George said. “I don’t know who all they asked.”

Association president, at-large senate positions and senators for the different education colleges. The two students running for secretary are Austin Gee, freshman from Pembroke, Ky., and Ava Jackie, junior from Pewee, Ky. Jackie is the incumbent secretary. The two students running for treasurer are Jared Bone, freshman from Louisville, Ky., and Luke King, junior from Burkesville, Ky. Natalie Sapp, the previously announced candidate for the RCA president, is no longer in the running for the position due to missing a mandatory candidate meeting. Thirteen students are running for eight at-large Senate positions. Senator positions for the colleges of education, humanities and fine arts, Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business, Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology, HSOA and nursing will also be voted on. Voting begins 12:01 a.m. April 14 and ends 11:59 p.m. April 15. Results will be announced at All Campus Sing on April 16.

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The News

News

April 4, 2014

3A

News Editor: Meghann Anderson Assistant Editor: Ben Manhanke Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

Police Beat March 27 8:1 1 a.m. A caller reported a suspicious package in the Howton Agricultural Engineering Building parking lot. Officers were notified and the scene appeared normal when they arrived. 8:29 p.m. A caller reported a suspicious vehicle near Alexander Hall. Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

March 28 5: 1 0 a. m . A caller reported a suspicious person near College Courts. Officers were notified and an information report was taken. 11: 39 p.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident without injuries by the Wellness Center. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

Photo illustration by Jenny Rohl/The News

Olivia Medovich, graduate student from Florence, Ky., runs in preparation for the upcoming Murray Half Marathon.

March 29 12:36 a.m. A caller on Olive Boulevard reported damage to Murray State property due to a drunk driver. Officers were notified and a report was taken. 8:01 p.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop on 14th Street and Olive Boulevard. A written warning was issued for disregarding a stop sign and not having a license in possession.

March 30 6:22 p.m. A caller at Elizabeth Residential College reported hearing gunshots. Officers were notified. It was discovered that the noise heard was caused by a soccer ball being run over. A report was taken. 7:0 8 p.m. A caller reported a theft from their dorm room in Hart Residential College. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

March 31 12:34 p.m. A caller reported suspicious activity in the dorm circle. Officers were notified but everything appeared normal. 10:42 p.m. Racer Patrol reported suspicious activity outside of the Industry and Technology Building. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

April 1 2 : 2 7 a .m . A caller from White Residential College reported suspicious activity in the parking lot. Officers were notified, but no contact was made with the individuals. 11:39 p.m. A caller reported a theft from their vehicle in the Hart parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

April 2 12:11 a.m. A caller reported a noise complaint in the 1100 block of College Courts. Officers were notified and an information report was taken. 6:30 p.m. A fire alarm was activated in Old Richmond Residential College. Officers and the Murray Fire Department were notified. It was discovered that the fire alarm activation was due to a mechanical malfunction.

Call of Fame April 1 - 4:56 a.m. A caller from Hart reported a raccoon in the stairwell. Officers and Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. The report was referred to another jurisdiction.

Motorists assists – 3 Racer escorts – 4 Arrests – 0

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

Students prepare for local races Rebecca Walter || Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

The adrenaline rush and sense of accomplishment is the motivation preparing Olivia Medovich to cross the finish line April 12. Medovich, graduate student from Florence, Ky., is training for the upcoming Murray Half Marathon, despite a full course load and work schedule. She said she sometimes finds it difficult to squeeze in long runs with her hectic schedule. “Finding time to get runs in can be tough, but it is a great way to relieve stress,” she said. Medovich has previously ran in one 5K, but said participating in this race will be different. After breaking her foot over the summer, she said she has had to work extra hard to be able to prepare for the upcoming run. “I consider myself pretty lucky that I am going to be able to run in this halfmarathon,” Medovich said. “It is just extra motivation for me to work harder.” She said one of her goals in life is to one day complete a marathon. She

Photo illustration by Jenny Rohl/The News

Students are taking advantage of the warmer weather by running outside. said she hopes the Murray Half Marathon will be the next step in reaching that goal. Medovich is just one of several Murray State students who will run in the Murray Half Marathon April 12. Joanna Schmidt, senior from Marissa, Ill., is also taking part in the race. She said finding the time to train has been challenging but she has

Panhellenic sororities hold feminine product drive

Mary Bradley || Staff writer mbradley9@murraystate.edu

With a female population of 60 percent, Murray State has many women who are in need of feminine products. The Panhellenic Council is helping women obtain that necessity. The Panhellenic Council governs the six sororities on campus, and the organizations are coming together to help Murray State women. The sororities will spend the month of April collecting feminine products such as pads and tampons to donate to the on-campus help office, Racers Helping Racers. Racers Helping Racers opened this semester, and the items donated to the pantry go back to students who are in need.

worked to make time in her demanding schedule. Schmidt has been running halfmarathons since high school. She has participated in runs in St. Louis, Mo., Nashville, Tenn., and Murray. Since she will soon be graduating, this will be her last chance to participate in Murray’s Half Marathon. Schmidt said because it’s her last

Megan Wagner, Panhellenic representative for Kappa Delta, said the items are collected to help women who may not have enough money to purchase the products and to help bring the sororities together through service. “If people don’t have money for food, then they obviously don’t have money for feminine products,” Wagner said. “That’s something that we are going to do collectively as Panhellenic to promote unity between all the different sororities.” She said the decision to collect feminine products is based on a necessity they can all identify with. “Since Panhellenic is all women, we can relate to that very well,” Wagner said. “We didn’t vote on it, but it’s something that we all decided.”

chance to participate she wants to make sure this one counts. Schmidt said she has not competed in a half-marathon since 2012 and is ready to get into the swing of things again. “I am looking forward to getting out there and doing those long runs,” she said. “It is something I have really missed.” Schmidt said she usually pushes herself to complete her personal best when she runs in half-marathons, and finish in good time, but the goal this year is to cross the finish line. “I am working hard and pushing toward that feeling you get when you cross the finish line,” Schmidt said. There is still time to take part in Murray’s Half Marathon. Those who are interested can get more information and register at www.murrayhalfmarathon.org. The race is 13.1 miles and starts at 7 a.m. April 12. Runners will start at Poplar Street and end the race at Murray-Calloway County Hospital. There is also a 5K, which is 3.1 miles, taking place the same day starting at 7:10 a.m.

Emily Conrad, a sophomore from St. Louis, Mo., said she believes the drive is a good idea since people have needs that extend past food. “It’s good that people do other things, for women especially, because we have this particular need,” Conrad said. “It’s good to branch out, because this is also involves women’s health.” Taylor Hamrick, member of Alpha Omicron Pi, said she believes the collection of feminine products is a great idea to target other women in need. “As Greeks, we love helping out the community in any way we can, but we do like a variety in what we collect,” Hamrick said. “Especially as sororities, we enjoy helping women on campus.”

Political strategist visits campus, offers insights Ben Manhanke Assistant News Editor bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Political strategist Jimmy LaSalvia was on campus Monday addressing America’s LGBT right movement and the future of the Republican Party from his viewpoint as a gay conservative. The event, “HOMOCON: A Gay Conservative's View from the Trenches of the Culture War”, was developed by Out Racer participant and gay conservative Alec Brock and held in the Curris Center. Brock said he wanted to bring LaSalvia to the University to help clear up misconceptions about being a conservative and gay, which many he said, think is a contradiction “Being gay is not something that should influence a person’s opinion on health care reform, welfare reform or education reform,” he said. “You’re political affiliation is not based on one thing, (such as) being gay, but on a multitude of issues.” The Out Racers program helps LGBT students develop leadership and management skills and part of the program is organizing an event on campus. LaSalvia is the former CEO and founder of GOProud: a national organization for LGBT conservatives, Republicans and their allies and the

only gay organization to endorse Mitt Romney in 2012. LaSalvia addressed the issues of same-sex marriage and anti-discrimination legislation, the chances of a Republican candidate being elected as president in 2016 and the party’s stance on LGBT rights. “Real life in 2014 includes gay people,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how good your tax plan or economic plan is, if you’re beating the drum against gay people and people think you hate their gay family and friends, they’re not going to vote for you.” In a blog March 24 , LaSalvia, a longtime Republican Party proponent, announced he would be leaving the party as he could no longer put up with his exparty’s refusal to stand up to bigotry. He said there are a few people who are holding the Republican Party back and until the party is willing to get rid of old and out-of-touch policies, then Republicans will be at a disadvantage in the polls. LaSalvia said much of his time in GOProud was spent trying to disprove the notion that conservatives are all anti-gay and homophobic and that just because you’re born gay doesn’t mean you’re born liberal. Among the students, faculty members and two local Murray congresswomen in attendance was Jody Cofer Randall, LGBT program coordinator

Jenny Rohl/The News

Jimmy LaSalvia, a political strategist, addresses the audience gathered in the Curris Center. and adviser for Out Racers. He said he was quick to support this program as the subject of being gay and also being a Republican or a conservative is not one that’s been discussed publicly on campus before. He said this issue is especially relevant in the South. Kyle Shupe, president of Alliance and

a member of Out Racers, said it was interesting to see discussion about how average voters’ political views are more related to each other than to either national political party. Shupe said: “I thought it was good that LaSalvia drilled home the fact some of the parties are becoming antiquated to what the reality is now.”

4A

April 4, 2014

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Carly Besser Phone: 270-809-5873

Our View

Article slamming Murray State art majors misguides The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

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Evan Watson/The News

When we enrolled, we had already heard how Murray State is ranked in Forbes Magazine or how the city of Murray is considered one of the friendliest cities in the nation. What we weren’t prepared to hear, however, is that art majors at Murray State have the lowest net return for the value of their degree in the country. According to the article in theatlantic.com, out-of-state art majors from Murray State have an average net return of $-197,000 while in-state art majors have an average net return of $-147,000. The data claimed that these are the lowest numbers for any college in the country. If the numbers are as candid as the survey shows, a high school graduate will out-earn a Murray State graduate by $200,000 in 20 years. The daunting results are in direct conflict with the University advertising itself as the best value for a good education. The fluctuating value of a college degree today has been a topic of national discussion, and there are certain factors that the survey did not take into consideration. The survey strictly reports numbers, with-

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out taking the earning potential of students before they step foot on Murray State’s campus into account. What is the typical demographic of an art major at Murray State? Did students who graduated with a degree in art get a job related to their major? These are things beyond the consideration of the survey. The survey also did not include self-employed graduates, which comprise a sizeable group in the art department. The other question raised is whether the art departments of America are losing their value or just the art department at Murray State. According to the survey, nine of the 23 worst reported net-return majors were art. The Atlantic also published an article in September 2012, discussing how liberal arts, as both an institution and a program, is failing American college students. It stated that we should dismiss the idea of a liberal arts degree as a degree of value, and our resources would be better spent teaching effective entrepreneurship classes at public universities instead. There is a notion that all majors are not created equal.

Students are faced with the decision to either study what they love or study something practical to make a good living or both. Engineering and accounting are majors that boast promising career outlooks for graduates with high salaries. The investment in college is a question that students face no matter what they decide to major in. Statistics are published every year about the lifelong value of a degree and whether the earnings of a college graduate make up for the years of debt. While it is our right to know the projected values of our degrees, no college experience is the same for anyone. The career path we go on and our financial success is manifested from our decisions, personal performances and ambitions. To banish all art majors at Murray State to the same fate of hopeless and inevitable debt would be impractical, naive and a sweeping generalization. The college experience is what you decide to make it, and these inaccurate self-reports should not discourage students to strive for a higher education.

Captain’s Log

G a r r i s o n : D o n’ t l e t p i l l s d e f i n e n o r m a l I’m sure all of you have heard the term, “It takes more facial muscles to frown than to smile.” Honestly, I never cared for the statement. Emotion really has little connection to how many of my muscles move when I make a facial expression. A smile is known as the universal symbol of happiness, but at the same time Zac Garrison I can hold a smile on my Junior from face and on the inside be ready to break down at the Franklin, Ky. utterance of a word. This is becoming more and more prevalent in the teen and young adult community. As depression and anxiety are on the rise, teen individuality is at an all-time low due to medication used to make them happy and keep them calm. Too many problems are being solved with pills and not by the people themselves. As a guy, it’s tough to admit that I cry to my friends. I do cry, albeit rarely. College will provide the best and the worst times of your whole life. The stress that a lot of college students go through can seem insurmountable once exams, jobs and future plans come into play. We, as a society, are teaching young adults to turn to medications for the answers rather than solving problems that will help them grow as a person. I’ve seen some of the most creative and unique individuals turned zombie-like because their parents thought they couldn’t pay attention in class. Obviously, Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse were the better answer to them. What message are we giving to the children of this generation and to future parents? We are providing these kids with drugs so

that they can mimic natural emotions. Once young kids become dependent on these medications to be “normal,” they never actually learn what normal is and never realize that normal is what you make it. Normal isn’t a static definition. You have the ability to make your own normal. I’ve talked to young kids on anti-depressants because they feel as if they can’t cope without taking them. So, is taking a pill that makes it easier supposed to help? Prescription medication is a temporary solution to a lifelong problem. I’m a firm believer that depression is a mental and physical disorder. I’ve seen my friends and family struggle from depression and I’ve also seen how the medication affects their natural behavior. It’s like putting an ice cube on a fresh burn. It curbs the original pain, but once that ice cube melts, you immediately remember how much it still hurts and all you can wish for is another ice cube. We need to make it a practice in society to cure the burn first without just trying to dull the pain for such temporary relief. Society made it possible for young people to think happiness can only be written on a doctor’s prescription pad. There are so many reasons to smile and be happy that I promise you don’t have to take with food three times a day. In my personal opinion, dependency on prescription medication is still considered a drug addiction, even if it is prescribed by a doctor. Once you begin to have to take a pill to feel normal or functional, you are at risk of forming dependency. Children that are heavily medicated are the primary victims of potential dependency. Some parents, instead of dealing with a child’s depression or their small attention span with productive confrontation, opt just to toss a pill to them two times a day and have

their problems solved. I wish I had all the answers. I wish I could post a detailed agenda of how we can solve the trend of over-medicating children. I’m not a psychiatrist, a medical doctor or a scientist, but I’m a young man with a lot of love for my friends and family. I hate seeing their beautiful personalities, senses of humor and individualistic quirks that make them unique be stripped from them by a 35mg capsule. My mother used Roundup weed killer in our yard a lot when I was a child, and I always noticed that the pretty green grass surrounding the weeds always died after she applied it. This made me upset. Why does all this green grass have to die because we are only trying to rid of the pesky weeds? Is this the only solution? Even though people think we are helping solve these kids’ behavioral problems with medications, we are inevitably killing the parts of them that are green grass. For anyone that follows my columns, you can probably see a trend in my support for being unique and being creative. I like looking at things from a different perspective and there are many things about me that most people would consider odd, but I love and embrace. I easily could have been heavily medicated at a young age. In grade school, I was constantly in trouble for talking too much and acting out. I was even sent to the principal’s office for biting a kid in fourth grade (that kid stole my Moon Pie, and he had it coming). I was also suspended for fighting in sixth grade. My parents could have taken the easy way out by medicating me, but they taught me this behavior can be channeled to become a more positive thing. These kids deserve a better chance to be themselves. Don’t ever let yourself be defined by a pill.

The News

Opinion

April 4, 2014

5A Did she really say that?

Letters to the Editor I nearly burst out laughing when I heard Secretary of State John Kerry say, about global warming, that, “We do not have time to wait for the next meeting of the Flat Earth Society.” This arrogant declaration comes from an administration that claims to be an authority on all things but actually is an authority on only a few: incompetence, corruption, stonewalling and demagoguery. This, however, does not mean that climate change is not worthy of discussion. Climate change, in the form of global warming, is said to be a serious crisis which threatens the continued existence of life if it is not reversed. This is due to the release of “greenhouse” gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels by humans. According to some authorities, hot weather, cold weather, wet weather, dry weather, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and droughts all are caused by global warming. The Earth has experienced climate change since the beginning of its history; this has consisted of alternating periods of warming and cooling. According to the Utah Geological Survey, an ice age is a long interval of time (millions to tens of millions of years) when global temperatures are

relatively cold and large areas of the Earth are covered by continental ice sheets. Within an ice age are multiple shorter-term periods of warmer temperatures when glaciers retreat (called interglacials or interglacial cycles) and colder temperatures when glaciers advance (called glacials or glacial cycles). There have been at least five ice ages, obviously meaning that both global warming and global cooling have occurred previously. The Utah Geological Survey website continues: “Glacials and interglacials occur in fairly regular repeated cycles. The timing is governed to a large degree by predictable cyclic changes by Earth’s orbit, which affect the amount of sunlight reaching different parts of Earth’s surface.” Records show that ice ages develop slowly, whereas they end more abruptly. Glacials and interglacials display this same trend. On a shorter time scale, global temperatures fluctuate often and rapidly. Various records reveal numerous, widespread climate changes over the past 100,000 years. Within the incredibly short time span of only a few decades or even a few years, global temperatures have fluctuated by as much as 15 de-

Don’t trash my degree

grees Fahrenheit or more. As Earth was emerging out of the last glacial cycle, the warming trend was interrupted 12,800 years ago when temperatures dropped dramatically in several decades. 1,300 years later, temperatures locally spiked as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit within several years. Sudden changes like this occurred at least 24 times during the past 100,000 years. In addition to eccentricity, obliquity and precession, variance in solar radiation, volcanoes and the oceans all can play a part in global climate change, and so can humans. To say that humans are the sole cause of climate change today is going too far. I cannot support the destruction of important American industries and the jobs they generate to achieve what may well be an illusory goal, especially when China and India are moving in the opposite direction without apology. I want someone to address the possibility that global warming might do more good than harm. The assumption is always that it must be more harmful. A recent article in the March 27 edition of The Wall Street Journal by Matt Ridley, “Climate Forecast: Muting the Alarm,” makes precisely that

point and says that the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as well as the Global Warming Policy Foundation both have retreated from their earlier apocalyptic prognostications of impending global doom. Show me. I want hard evidence, no doctored computer models, hidden emails or post hoc ergo propter hoc arguments that global warming actually is caused by humans and not by other phenomena. I want convincing evidence that global warming is caused by humans and not natural forces. This is far too important of an issue to rely on the ignorant pronouncements of the Obama administration. In spite of Kerry’s tacky remark, this is a legitimate and rational position. I haven’t attended a meeting of the Flat Earth Society in years but I have seen a lot of cold weather lately.

Winfield H. Rose Professor of political science

I’ve Got a Story for You

Valentine: What to unlearn before you go There is time enough to learn more before you graduate in May, especially if it’s not May of 2014. There’s also time to unlearn some things. That’s right: as much as we come to college to learn things, as we hit the interview trail seeking the job of a lifetime, there are a couple of things we might want to unlearn. Like a half-filled beer Robert Valentine bottle after a weekend Senior lecturer in party, not everything we advertising pick up at college is necessarily good for us. Here’s the list. 1. Unlearn the diet. Actual human food is quite nourishing and rarely comes in a “biggie size,” an aluminum can or a plastic cup capable of holding 32 ounces of anything. About the time you graduate, your body undergoes a natural change at which time it will stop metabolizing 3,000 daily calories of starchy carbohydrates and begin to store them as a survivalist stores canned meat and ammo. Embrace the apple and welcome yourself to the adult world. I don’t have this problem, much, although a few years out of college I started buying pants with a 36-inch waist. Now I find that pants with a 38-inch waist feel so good, I just buy 40-inch pants. Rather, my wife just buys them for me since she has pretty good taste in clothes. If you don’t have a wife, you’d better change the diet now. Besides, you’ll live longer.

Cheers and Jeers Cheers & Je e rs i s w r i tte n by t he Op i ni o n Ed i to r. Questions, concerns or comments should be addressed to cbesser@murraystate.edu.

Comics

2. Unlearn the snazzy ball cap. You might imagine that you look like a gangstah with that hat on, but not everyone in the business world will agree with you. Even worse: some people will absolutely agree with you. People who actually wear baseball caps on the job do not favor the clean hat with the straight brim worn at a 30 degree rotation to the left. People who work indoors will not appreciate the snazzy hat at a meeting with clients or customers. Hint: Do an online search for a photo of the Board of Directors of General Electric. See any hats?

Stick out your hand, say your name clearly and start making new friends. You’ve got nothing to be shy about: you are a Murray State Racer. - Robert Valentine, senior lecturer in advertising At least take it off for your wedding. The bride’s parents will appreciate it to no end. 3. Unlearn Facebook frankness. Many modern college students are warm, collaborative, friendly and trusting people. There are other kinds of people in the world, too. To that end, you might want to start cleaning up the ol’ Facebook page to diminish the occurrence of photos with you and your best friend, Jack Daniels. Shots of that oh-so-funny “costume malfunction” from the spring formal have probably

brought all the smiles they are going to create, so you might want to lose them, too. What you don’t want is some Human Resources director or hiring manager to visit that page and discover that you seem to be the kind of person who would embarrass their company with your wild and crazy behavior. I know you wouldn’t do anything like that after you graduate, and you know that, too. Now: where’s the evidence that you and I are correct? Hm? Clean it up. 4. Unlearn the shyness and find your last name. Sociologists tell us that Millennial generation folks don’t shake hands. They just nod or wave and say, “Hi, Jake.” Or, perhaps they give a smile and say, “I’m Sara — with no ‘H.’” After Dr. Miller hands you the diploma (it’s actually a rolled up piece of paper with your parking tickets totaled and rounded to the nearest $100) at graduation, you’re going to have to start identifying yourself. Clients and customers, especially those who are older than you, want to know your name. This includes your family name, because that’s what identifies you in the business world. Stick out your hand, say your name clearly and start making new friends. You’ve got nothing to be shy about: you are a Murray State Racer. There are always going to be things to learn and habits to break. Nobody waves a wand over you on graduation day, however. Things only change when you make them change. As Aristotle (he’s retired now) told his classes, “Excellence is not an act; it is a habit.” Good luck, and good habits. Editor’s note: This column is part one of a two-part series.

Cheers to ... The newly announced editorial board for The News Good editors have come and gone at The Murray State News. We’re excited to have some current editors return and new editors join us next year. Let’s continue to make a great paper!

Jeers to ... Kentucky and Louisville fans. We understand the rivalry between both teams is intense, but show a little sportsmanship. You didn’t win the game, the players did. Stop gloating and burning couches. It’s bad for the environment.

Jeers to ... The gunman on campus. Students were locked down on campus Tuesday night when a man carrying a gun was reported on campus. It was later reported that he was just transporting it to his car, but really? Use some common sense.

Cheers to ... The weather. Temperatures are rising, hammocks are hanging and students are studying and relaxing outdoors. It’s nice to be able to dress in one layer again. Let’s hope this isn’t a week of spring followed by another ice storm.

As both a college student and a journalism student, there are discouraging comments that I constantly have to deal with. College students are subject to hear Carly Besser about how useless their degree Opinion Editor is and how they are aggregating thousands in debt to end up jobless. Journalism students have to hear about how the news industry is dying and how there won’t be any upward mobility. I’m sure people who chose different career paths hear the same skepticism. Why get into criminal justice? All you can do is be a cop. Why go into education? Teachers make lousy paychecks. I used to let scenarios of joblessness and wasted time bother me years prior, but I grew to realize that your fate after college is a manifestation of your own efforts. My classmates who applied themselves in college by getting good grades, getting involved in extracurriculars and applying for internships went straight to work after graduating. It seems that we are blaming post-secondary education as an industry before taking a second look at what we are doing to prepare ourselves for life after college. Admittedly, the value of a college degree has gone down while tuition rates have risen, and even that isn’t the only factor working against us. As soon as we enroll, we are competing against everyone in the same department at Murray State as well as the same department at other universities. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 1.4 million bachelor’s degrees are given out every year. This should pressure us to set ourselves apart from the 1.4 million students who are competing alongside us. In a time where the college graduation rate was half of what it is now, a degree was enough to prove mastery of a subject. However, now that degrees are being given out like free samples at Costco, we have to consider what else we have to offer. We don’t harness the power of networking. It would be nice to have employers come to my door and beg to hire me after I graduate, but unfortunately that’s not the way it works. We have to find them. By find them, I don’t mean making a LinkedIn profile and updating it every eight months. It’s not my place as a current student to tell someone how to get a job after college. It’s also not my place to lecture other people on the things they’re doing wrong. However, it is my business when people who didn’t take the right opportunities blame college itself for their shortcomings and then actively discourage people from getting a college education. Deciding to become a college student speaks volumes about your sense of drive. It means you decided to invest in making yourself a more well-rounded person. To have that taken away by someone who had a negative experience is wrong, but it happens. Don’t crush the dreams of people seeking higher education by saying they’re wasting their money and time. A college education is still a valuable asset when it is coupled with effort and ambition. cbesser@murraystate.edu

April’s Fool By Katie Wilborn

The News

News

6A

April 4, 2014

Lori Allen/The News

Students celebrating the Holi Festival Saturday take a break from dancing and singing. Students threw colored powder to celebrate the holiday.

Holi Festival attracts students Mary Bradley|| Staff writer mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Lori Allen|| Staff writer lallen21@murraystate.edu Lori Allen/The News

Murray State students from all cultures found themselves covered in color Saturday due to the celebration of the Holi Festival. The Holi Festival is a traditional Indian festival of color, and students had the opportunity to participate in the fun by throwing paint, jumping through sprinklers, dancing to music and enjoying all types of foods, including traditional Indian dishes. Sriharsha Boinapally, graduate student from India, said the holiday comes from a traditional, religious story that has been passed down for generations. “We gather and sing songs and offer prayers and food to the gods and share traditional dishes,� Boinapally said. These dishes vary in different parts of India but may include things like thandai, samba and lemon rice. “India is very multicultural,� Boinapally said. “But everyone in India celebrates (Holi).� Although the weather was cold and cloudy, it did not stop the festival from being held. Niti Shah, president of the Indian Student Association, said the festival had more attendees than anticipated, which

A participant covered in colored powder dances at the Holi Festival Saturday.

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only added to the fun. “We had a lot of people come up, which was unexpected,� she said. “They danced a lot and enjoyed themselves.� Shah said the Holi Festival is one of two major Indian festivals - the other being the Diwali Festival. The Diwali Festival is also known as the festival of lights and the Indian Student Association celebrates it in the fall with firecrackers and fireworks. The Holi Festival is based on colors, but it symbolizes more than that to the Indian culture. “This festival is a lot of fun because you play with colors, but it’s about everyone coming together and having fun,� Shah said. “It’s about equality and unity.� While the festival is normally celebrated in Indian culture, other cultures were welcome to join in. Shah said she was happy to see the mix of cultures having fun together through the festival. Shah said international students want others to learn and know about their own cultures as well as other ones from around the world. Abhilash Kundur, graduate student from Andhrapradesh, India, said the Indian Student Association chooses the most important festivals to celebrate on campus because there are too many to celebrate them all. He said because there are so many typically celebrated in India, only the

Holi and Diwali Festivals are celebrated on campus, otherwise there would be constant festivals throughout the year. Shah said the Indian Student Association received a lot support from its members to help make the event successful. “Everybody turns out and they help for the event,� she said. “We have a lot of unity in our association. We don’t have to call anyone; they come all on their own.� Shah said the festival was such a success they quickly ran out of colors to throw on each other but everyone still continued to dance and have fun. The Holi Festival has influenced other cultural events including The Color Run, a 5K race where runners have color thrown on them. Norman Franklin III, junior from Nortonville, Ky., said he had no idea what to expect from the Holi Festival. “I knew color would be thrown and that was it,� Franklin said. “It was different because there was a lot more dancing than I was prepared for.� Franklin was one of several Americans among more than 50 students that gathered for the celebration. He said he had never heard of the festival, let alone celebrated it. Franklin said he thinks students should take the opportunity to experience the various cultural activities that are happening around campus. “I would tell them to definitely try it,� Franklin said. “See what the events are all about.�

Sports 75

April 4, 2014

The News

Section B

# of wins Steve Prohm has in three seasons as men’s basketball head coach

Sports Editor: Ryan Richardson Assistant Editor: Nick Dolan Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Racers send Fields out as national champion Ryan Richardson || Sports Editor mrichardson5@murraystate.edu

With 14 seconds to play, senior guard Dexter Fields walked off the court in the CFSB Center for the last time as a Racer. Less than a minute later, he was a national champion, as the Racers beat Yale 65-57 in the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament. He admitted missing out on the NCAA Tournament was disappointing, but winning the CIT on his home court was still a good way to end his career. “It feels great,” Fields said. “We worked hard for this, and I just want to credit my teammates for coming out here and laying it on the line for me.” When Fields lifted the trophy over his head, tears swelled in his eyes as the entire arena was filled with the fans’ chant, “Thank you, Dexter.”

“I had to hold it in,” Fields said. “These fans have been nothing but incredible to me.” He said he wouldn’t trade the experience in this tournament for anything. “Never underestimate the chance to be a champion,” Fields said. The Racers won the first game of the CIT on the road at Missouri State, which was the narrowest win for the team. Then, Murray State hosted and beat Omaha, Towson and Pacific to make it to the final game against Yale. In the championship game, the defense helped overcome a sloppy shooting performance to secure the win.

Read the full game recap and view our photo gallery online at TheNews.org.

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Top: Junior forward Jarvis Williams lays the ball in during the Racers’ win. Bottom: Senior Dexter Fields celebrates after the game during the trophy ceremony.

WHAT’S

TRACK RECORDS

TENNIS SENIORS

PICTURE PERFECT

POTATO DROP

INSIDE

Several team members beat school, person bests, 3B

Suga, Taylor play last matches on home courts, 4B

Students debate use of photo-editing apps, 5B

Lambda Chi Alpha to bag more than 45,000 pounds, 5B

The News

Sports

2B

April 4, 2014

ROAD TO THE With only one returning starter, the Racers had a shaky start to their season. The team struggled to find consistency in nonconference play, but when OVC play started, Murray State found its stride and won the OVC West.

The Racers lost the last game of the regular season in overtime, but they were still second in the OVC. Despite a disappointing loss to Eastern Kentucky in the semifinals of the OVC Championships, the season was not over for the Racers.

The team accepted a postseason bid to the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament, where it won the first game on the road at Missouri State. Murray State was stunned by Eastern Murray State hosted and won the next four games, Kentucky 86-83 in the OVC semifinals. including the championship game against Yale. Murray State’s season seemed to come to an abrupt end, until it accepted a bid to the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament. In the rivalry rematch with Belmont, the Racers lost 99-96 after missing a last-second shot.

Despite a close battle, the Racers lost their first game of the season 77-74 at Valparaiso.

Murray State fell 67-60 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for its first conference loss.

The team lost two more nonconference games before OVC play, where the Racers won their next five games.

• (10-7) •(11-8) • (9-7) • (10-8)

After a three-game losing streak, a winning season seemed questionable, but a 65-63 win over Evansville sparked the team.

• (8-7) •

• (1-1) • (0-1)

• (2-2) • (5-5) • (7-7) •(4-5) • (5-6) •(6-7) • (1-2) • (2-3) • (5-7) • (2-4) • (3-5) • (2-5)

LEGEND Nonconference play OVC play CIT play Graphic by Ryan Richardson and Jared Jeseo/The News Photos by Kate Russell and Fumi Nakamura/The News

• (23-11) • (22-11) •(21-11)

• (18-9) • (20-11) • (17-9) • (18-10) •(19-11) • (16-9) •(18-11)

• (15-9)

• (13-8) •(14-9) •(12-8) • (13-9)

Racers beat Yale 65-57 in the CIT Championship. Senior guard Dexter Fields ended his career with a win at home.

The News

Sports

April 4, 2014

3B

Suga honored, team still undefeated in OVC Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

After dropping its first doubles point in conference play Saturday, women’s tennis kept its undefeated OVC record with a pair of wins over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Eastern Illinois. The matches served as the Racers’ final two matches at the Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts for this season, and senior Carla Suga was honored before the match Sunday. Head Coach Olga Elkin said this weekend was important for the team’s upcoming road trip. “We knew this weekend at home was going to be big, and we got the job done,� Elkin said. “Winning 7-0 (against Eastern Illinois) is a huge confidence boost for us going into a big weekend.� While the Racers went 2-0 on the weekend, the matches were closer than the final score made them look. Suga, playing in her final four matches at home, said nerves got to her. “There were a lot of nerves, but I just wanted to win for myself and the team,� she said. After losing both of her matches on Saturday to SIUE, Suga and her doubles partner sophomore Megan Blue lost 8-3 to the Panthers Sunday. Facing a possible winless senior day, Suga took her place at No. 2 singles. She won the first set easily 6-2 and seemed poised to salvage a win. Her opponent had other ideas, putting Suga behind 3-4 midway through the second set. “I got tired in the second set and maybe mentally I got frustrated,� Suga said. “I had to calm myself during the set and pulled it out afterwards.�

Suga went on to win the final three games of the set to win her final match on the court she has called home for four years. After playing the match, Suga said walking off the court was emotional. “I can’t believe it, to be honest,� Suga said. “It is my fourth year, but it feels like I just got out here yesterday and was playing my first match.� Elkin said that while the season isn’t over for Suga and her teammates, she is proud of all of Suga’s success. “She is such a tremendous talent and has played really well for us,� Elkin said. “While I wish I could keep her around to play a few more years, I'm excited for her future.� While Suga was able to pull out only a single victory on the weekend, junior Andrea Eskauriatza went undefeated. “They were tougher matches compared to last week, and I was definitely tired,� Eskauriatza said. “Even though they look like easier matches based on the score, they could have been different if I had lost a few key points.� Her closest match was against SIUE Saturday. After winning the first set 63, Eskauriatza had to battle back from behind to win the final two games of the second set 7-6. Eskauriatza’s success wasn’t limited to singles, as she teamed up with sophomore Erin Patton in doubles. After beating SIUE 8-0 in No. 2 doubles, Elkin moved the duo up one spot against EIU. “We have been doing great at doubles, Erin and I,� Eskauriatza said. “I feel like we can compete well at No. 1 and No. 2, and we’ll do whatever we have to for the better of the team.� The move to the top spot didn’t

stop the pair, as they grabbed an early 5-2 lead. Their opponents battled back to 5-4, but the Racers came back to win the final three games and the match 8-4. The move to push Eskauriatza and Patton to No. 1 this weekend was only temporary according to Elkin, who said that freshmen sisters Eleonore and Verginie Tchakarova were moved down to keep up their confidence. “We talk a lot about doubles, and it is our strength,� Elkin said. “The twins have done a great job at No. 1, but we moved them to get them some confidence for this weekend.� This weekend the Racers head north to battle their stiffest competition of the season – Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky. The Racers and Colonels are both undefeated and atop the OVC standings, while the Eagles have one loss on the season. In the preseason, the Colonels were picked as the favorites to win the championship, so Elkin knows it will be a tough match. “Eastern Kentucky is a tough place to play,� Elkin said. “The environment is loud, but my message to the team will be to stay focused on our own position.� Eskauriatza said she is looking forward to the match against the undefeated Colonels and is confident in how her team will play. “The match (against Eastern) will be a key one, and I haven’t played them before and don’t know what to expect,� Eskauriatza said. “I feel like we are strong in every position, and I will try my best to get the win.� Women’s tennis plays Eastern at 10 a.m. Saturday and follows the match with Morehead State at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Lori Allen/The News

Senior Carla Suga prepares to hit a backhand in her match Sunday.

Taylor wins last home matches Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Lori Allen/The News

Senior Adam Taylor sets up to return the ball in his win Saturday.

Despite the men’s tennis team dropping a pair of conference matches at home, senior Adam Taylor made the most of his final games at the Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts. In his six matches during an extended senior weekend, Taylor went undefeated in both singles and doubles play. Head Coach Mel Purcell was impressed with Taylor’s play during his last matches at home. “Adam stepped up and is a really emotional player, and he refused to lose these final matches at home,� Purcell said. Taylor’s most difficult match was against Eastern Illinois Sunday on senior day. While the Racers lost to Eastern Illinois as a team, Taylor refused to let senior day end with a personal loss. “My level was down and I wasn’t bouncing on my feet and was waiting for the ball

Tracy D. McKinney, CIC Steven S. Dabbs, CIC

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to come to me,� Taylor said. “When I got down, I started moving more and got things going better for me. Being down 30 in the final set was tough, but I was determined to come back and give it my all.� Taylor rallied back to take the next six games for the win and to push his OVC record to 3-2. While the match was the longest of the day, Taylor said he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. “It felt pretty good to get the win,� Taylor said. “If I have to be on the court in the sun for two hours, I like getting a win out of it.� Before the match, Taylor and fellow tennis senior Carla Suga were honored as the teams’ only two seniors. For Taylor, it was a special moment due to his connection with Suga. “It was different because I got to share it with Carla,� Taylor said. “She is a big reason that I had the opportunity to

come play at Murray State.� After the matches concluded, Purcell spoke highly of his team captain. “We only got to have him for two years and we wish we could have him for more,� Purcell said. “He has been the team captain for those two years and pushes the guys on the team.� Sitting at 1-4 in conference play, this weekend the Racers must pull out a pair of victories to have an opportunity to make it to the OVC Tournament. Murray State will make the trip to Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State. “It is always tough to go to Eastern Kentucky and Morehead because of the amount of travel,� Purcell said. “I feel good about our team’s chances on the road because we need wins.� The Racers play at 2 p.m. Saturday against Eastern and 10 a.m. Sunday against Morehead State.

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The News

Sports

4B

April 4, 2014

Golf keeps positive attitudes Mallory Tucker || Staff writer mtucker11@murraystate.edu

The men’s golf team finished in 11th place at Florida Atlantic’s three-round Slomin Autism Invite in Lake Worth, Fla., March 28-30. Sophomore Jared Gosser led the Racers with rounds of 78-74-68, tying for 22nd place overall. Gosser previously shot his low round of 68 in backto-back first round scores in the fall at the Murray State Invitational and the Skyhawk Classic. “(Head Coach Eddie Hunt) has just been really great, and he’s very encouraging,� Gosser said. “That’s one of the reasons the team’s been improving each round. He doesn’t get upset. “He really encourages us and tried to get us to go out there and have a good time, and have fun. That’s what it’s all about, and that’s what I really did the last round.� Hunt said he believes the team was disappointed in its performance the first two rounds, as the wind proved to be a tough hurdle to overcome. “It was a great tournament and a really strong field,� Hunt said. “It was really windy and we just couldn’t respond to the wind that well. But Jared had a really strong round the last day, and we left there with a good feeling. It leaves us ready for the next tournament.� The University of Central Florida took first in the competition, and OVC competitors Jacksonville State and Morehead State earned fifth and 13th, respectively. According to Hunt, the team is working to find a fifth man, and he plans to use the two-week break in action to play qualifying rounds in order to do just that. “Over the past 10 years really, we’ve had an older, more experienced, dominant player at the number one position, and you can pretty much count on that score every time,� Hunt said. “We’ve got some good players, we’ve got some kids that can step up and do that, but they might be a year away from doing that. With inexperience and youth, especially in college golf, it just takes a while to be able to play more consistent.� The Racers are now off until April 14, when they compete in Tennessee State’s Men’s Big Blue Intercollegiate. It will be their last tournament before the OVC Championships. Hunt expects six or seven OVC schools to compete, and he hopes to see how his team stacks up within the conference. “We feel good about going into the OVC,� Gosser said. “Everybody’s starting to play a little better, and in all reality, OVC is all that matters anyway when it comes down to it. I think we can have a strong showing.�

Jenny Rohl/The News

Sophomore Lauren Miller jumps hurdles at the Marshall Gage Track in Roy Stewart Stadium in an outdoor practice earlier this week.

Team breaks school, personal records Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

No record was safe last weekend as the track and field team traveled to Nashville, Tenn., to compete in the Black and Gold Invitational hosted by Vanderbilt. Three school records fell during the two-day event, including two from junior Tonia Pratt and another from junior Brittany Bohn. Pratt, who set the school record in the hammer throw event a week ago in the team’s outdoor opener, broke her own record with a throw of 184 feet, 6 inches. The toss not only set a new Murray State record, but also shattered the previous OVC record of 176 feet, 7 inches set by Pratt at the conference championships in May 2013. The Michigan Center, Mich., native followed up the impressive performance a day later by breaking the Murray State shot put record with a throw of 49 feet, 3 inches. Pratt finished third overall in the event, but took the top spot among all OVC throwers at the meet. “(Pratt) is never satisfied, which is the key to being successful in anything,� Head Coach Jenny Severns said. “She walked away from that huge throw in the shot put mad. That’s why she’s so good. Some people will do something big and celebrate and be satisfied, but she’s never satisfied and she always wants to get better.� Bohn also posted her first record-breaking

performance of the outdoor season, posting a time of 7 minutes, 17.38 seconds in the 2,000meter steeplechase, breaking the previous Murray State record time of 7:29 set in 2012. Bohn’s time was the best of any OVC runner at the meet, and good for a fourth-place finish overall. “It was a huge first steeplechase for her,� Severns said. “Your first steeplechase of the season can often be kind of shaky. She went for it. She went with the leaders and those were some really accomplished girls who led that race.� Severns also said she was pleased with her team’s attitude and mental toughness. The second day of the meet was marred by bad weather, but the Racers found a way to push through and still post positive results. “The biggest thing I took from the meet is that I’m happy with their attitudes and where they are mentally,� Severns said. “You’ve got to be able to compete in bad weather like that, even when it’s miserable. In the past we would have had a lot of people complaining and it really would have made me mad, but there wasn’t any of that last weekend.� Sophomore Alicyn Hester overcame the wet and windy conditions and posted a personal best time of 2:22.67 in the 800 for a secondplace finish, and a time of 4:47.65 for a fifthplace finish in the 1,500. Other notable performances included Murray native Hannah McAllister, a sophomore

who set personal records in the 100 and 200meter dashes. McAllister placed second in the 100 and fifth in the 200. Sophomore Kiara Austin also posted a career best in the triple jump, with a mark of 12 meters. The performance earned her fifth place overall. The Racers are in for a third straight weekend of competition today and Saturday. However, Severns’ team will enjoy the comforts of home as Murray State hosts the Margaret Simmons Invitational. “Home meets are great because (the athletes) don’t have to worry about anything but competing,� Severns said. “A lot of families and friends and professors from classes will come and watch, so it’s just kind of nice for them to display what they do for people who don’t normally get to see it.� After this weekend’s competition, the Murray State team will have four weeks left before the season culminates at the OVC Outdoor Championships in Edwardsville, Ill., May 2-3. As the team progresses through the middle of its outdoor schedule, Severns said she wants to see improvement every week. “The biggest thing for us is just gaining momentum,� Severns said. “We don’t have to make huge improvements, just little improvements each week. That’s when they get their confidence and start getting excited. If we make those little improvements every week, then we’re doing what we need to.�

Sports shorts News in less than a minute

Kate Russell/The News

Freshman Jocelynn Rodgers hits a pitch in the win against Eastern Illinois.

Softball struggles, prepares for six-game home stretch

’Breds lose to Salukis, still near top in conference play

Staff Report

Staff Report

The 9-1 loss at Southern Illinois dropped the Racer softball team back below .500. The Salukis scored seven runs in the third inning to put Murray State in a hole it could not crawl out of. Only two days earlier, the Racers earned a home victory when freshman Jocelynn Rodgers hit a walk-off grand slam to beat Eastern Illinois 6-4. It was the only win of the three-game series against the Panthers, who won the first two games 7-1 and 3-0. The Racers have lost four of their last five games, and they have a 16-17 overall record. Murray State is currently tied for fourth in the OVC West with a 5-4 conference record. Next, the team has a chance to get its season back on track with a six-game homestand over a span of five days. Saturday, the Racers host Tennessee Tech, followed by games against Jacksonville State Sunday. Both of the OVC doubleheaders begin at 1 p.m. Then, the team has a Wednesday doubleheader matchup with Evansville starting at 3 p.m.

Murray State’s four-game win streak came to an end Wednesday with a 10-9 loss at Southern Illinois. The ’Breds got ahead early with five unanswered runs in the first inning, and they added another in the second. The Salukis slowly fought their way back until they tied the game at nine runs each after the end of the sixth inning. Southern Illinois scored another run in the seventh, but Murray State was unable to cross the plate again. The ’Breds’ streak actually began a week earlier when the team hosted the Salukis and Murray State came away with a 76 win after 10 innings. The team then traveled to Austin Peay State, where it swept the Governors with 7-2, 6-4 and 8-5 wins. It marked the first time the team has won all three games of a series in Clarksville, Tenn., and only the second three-game sweep in school history. Despite the loss, Murray State still sports a 13-12 overall record, and it is currently in fifth place in the OVC with a 75 conference record. The Racers will now prepare for a three-game home series against Eastern Illinois that starts at 3 p.m. today at Reagan Field.

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April 4, 2014

Features Editor: Hunter Harrell Assistant Features Editor: Breanna Sill Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

Features

Lambda Chi Alpha plans potato drops

Students debate use of photoediting apps

Katrina Yarbrough || Staff writer kyarbrough2@murraystate.edu

When it comes to the events hosted by organizations on campus, activities and games are planned to get the entire student body involved as well as raise money or collect items for their philanthropies. Lambda Chi Alpha will host a potato drop Saturday at 8 a.m. The event will take place on 1505 Main St., and is open for anyone who would like to participate. Lambda Chi is partnering with Feeding America to introduce this new spring event in order to better serve the community. According to its website, Feeding America is a national hunger-relief charity that strives to feed America’s hungry through food banks around the country. The group follows a Statement of Values that includes respect, stewardship and accountability, collaboration, urgency, service, integrity, diversity and inclusion. By partnering with this charity organization, the members of Lambda Chi take part in the goal to feed those who are hungry and in need. Each fall, the fraternity hosts an event to gather food for the various food banks in the Murray-Calloway community. “In the fall, we gathered 30,300 pounds of food,” said J.C. Aponte, junior from Clarksville, Tenn. “We wanted to continue to impact our community and the surrounding communities. The potato drop is the perfect opportunity to continue in the spring.” The potato drop is an event where a large tractor trailer full of potatoes, around 45,000-50,000 pounds worth, will be delivered from large potato companies. The potatoes will then be bagged into 10-pound bags. Once the event is finished, the potatoes will be delivered to the food banks in the area. Aponte said this is the first time the fraternity is doing the potato drop but it hopes to make it an annual spring event. Unlike some of the events that take place on campus, the potato drop does not require special rules or attire. There is also no fee to attend the event. Along with the brothers of Lambda Chi, students can also jump in and help because the sooner the potatoes are in the bags, the sooner they can be distributed. “I am really excited for this event,” Aponte said. “I think that this will highly benefit our community and the surrounding ones. Hunger is a large factor that impacts several hundreds of families in western Kentucky and I’m excited that we are doing something to help with the cause.” The potato drop has received positive feedback from the food banks in the area and is expected to have a good turnout, Aponte said. Though no potatoes will actually be dropped from high distances, there will be thousands of potatoes, bags for everyone, a good cause and hopefully a lot of sunshine. Aponte said he and his brothers have their fingers crossed. Whether it is pronounced potato or ‘po-tah-to’, the food banks of Murray and Calloway County will have plenty of potatoes to go around.

5B

The News

Madison Wepfer || Staff writer mwepfer@murraystate.edu Thanks to photo-editing apps, anyone can become a master photographer and have a face like a movie star in every picture. Apps and software give any Joe Schmoe the tools to change the way the subject of the photo looks. Photo editing for social media has become a trend according to recent app stores. Perfect 365 is an app that allows people to erase their facial flaws, add makeup and even change facial features. Other photo-editing apps include Adobe software like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign. “I use Photo Editor on my phone and InDesign on the computer,” said Emily Conrad, sophomore from St. Louis, Mo. “I use them for class assignments and to make myself look better.” Conrad also said that she uses photo-editing apps and software to change the contrast and tone of the background. Other people use color filters like the ones on Instagram to make the overall photo

look brighter or make the colors more vivid. Average people are moving toward using photo-editing apps and software to enhance their appearance while celebrities are fighting against it. Last week, Lorde made a statement saying that “flaws are OK,” according to the New York Daily News. She tweeted two pictures: one was Photoshopped, the other was her face without retouching. She also tweeted a picture of herself sitting in bed, no makeup and acne cream on her face to emphasize her belief that flaws are real and they should not be concealed. “I find this curious – two photos from today, one edited so my skin is perfect and one real. Remember flaws are OK,” she said in a tweet. Lorde is not the only celebrity speaking out against photo editing. “Pretty Little Liars” star Troian Bellisario posted an inspiring quote on Instagram about inner beauty. “I could care less about being ‘pretty’ or ‘perfect’ and we should all ask ourselves why in our society that is the ‘highest’ and most common compliment we are paying to our female friends,” Bellisario wrote. In today’s society, being “beautiful” is important to almost everyone. Editing photos makes the

average person feel more attractive because it is so easy to digitally put makeup on the subject and make his/her eyes bigger and brighter. Photoshop gives anyone in a photo the ability to look like a model. Photo editing can hide almost every flaw whether it is a pimple or a double chin. Occasionally, editing photos ruins the integrity of the photo once edited, according to Erin McCallon, sophomore from Kirksey, Ky. Some facial features like freckles cannot be edited out of photos, and getting rid of those features would completely change the look of the subject. “I don’t use photo-editing apps because I don’t feel like altering reality and altering a photo,” McCallon said. “If you over-edit a photo, it takes away from what the photo is actually trying to portray.” Editing photos can make people look better and make the background look more visually appealing, but sometimes photo editing can make photos look worse, according to Shelby Ray, freshman from Cape Girardeau, Mo. “I don’t think photo editing is necessary to use on every picture because some people use them to make themselves look like a completely different person,” Ray said.

see PHOTO, 6B

Picture Perfect Theater department presents ‘The Trojan Women’ Brandon Cash || Staff writer bcash1@murraystate.edu

Most students learn about the Trojan War in Greek mythology in high school, but those stories lack focus on the Trojan women. Thursday was the opening night for the theater department’s “The Trojan Women,” which will continue until the last showing Sunday evening. The play follows the widows of Troy 10 days after the Trojan horse incident. Hecuba, queen of Troy, and the other women are to be taken to Odysseus to become slaves. Due to the many fighting scenes choreographed by Tori Keeling, senior and assistant director from Dallas, the cast had to go through some physical training. “We had to do the dance of death,” said Katherine Summerfield, sophomore from Louisville, Ky. “It’s a Suzuki style exercise that is a 30-minute workout that literally works out everything.” Matthew Crider, assistant professor of theater, said the play is a presentational style show

that is different from what the audience is used to and is quick and emotionally charged. Summerfield, who plays Hecuba in the cast, was involved in another production of the play when she was in high school as the assistant stage manager. “There are multiple translations for this show, so I was nowhere near ready for this part,” Summerfield said. “I didn’t know how to portray this role without making Hecuba look like she’s crying all the time or like she’s hysterical, because she was the queen.” Summerfield said after this exercise the cast would do a viewpoint exercise where they would walk on a grid on the floor and create pictures of each other without speaking, thus creating a sort of group mind. Other preparations for the show included the theater department’s open auditions, held once a semester. For the “Trojan Women” show, students had to prepare a Greek monologue and a comedic monologue for their auditions.

Photo courtesy of Gross Magee

Cast members perform “The Trojan Women.”

Faces&Places

The Breakaway Lounge provides relaxing retreat for students

Katrina Yarbrough || Staff writer

kyarbrough2@murraystate.edu

After closing the textbooks and putting away the computers for the day, students are left with time to relax and to forget thinking about that biology test that is only two days away. Dec. 12, 2012, marked the opening of The Breakaway Lounge, a hookah bar and novelty shop in Murray. The lounge is normally open in the afternoon and doesn’t close until an hour or two after midnight. Owner Cody Howland said the lounge has appealed to college students and young adults due to their variety of items and the calm and relaxing atmosphere the staff works to maintain. One of The Breakaway Lounge’s main attractions is hookah, which is a water pipe that is either single or multi-stemmed. It is normally used for smoking flavored tobacco that is called shisha. The tobacco is passed through a vase of water before inhaled. The pipes normally come in a variety of colors and shapes in order to appeal to dif-

ferent people in different ways. In order to use or purchase the pipes, a person must be at least 18 years old because of the use of tobacco. “We offer hookah smoking as well as tobacco pipes,” Howland said. “Customers can either rent the hookahs and pipes or they can purchase them for home use. We have all of the accessories to go with them. We also have a novelty shop where we sell a number of things from posters to piercings.” During the week, the typical day of a student can vary depending on class and work schedule. For businesses, this could pose a problem when it comes to the amount of people who visit and purchase their products. “We’re normally busiest on Friday and Saturday,” Howland said. “It’s the start of the weekend and students need a place to relax and let go. They break away, so to speak.” The lounge has been open for almost two years and has managed to thrive despite the number of holidays and breaks that happen throughout the academic year. Managing a business in a place where the population can

fluctuate depending on the time of the year can slow everything down, according to Howland. “We have slow times during the breaks when classes have let out,” he said. “We get through those with the people who stay around and then business picks right back up when classes resume. We also get new people each time, so we end up with better business.” For Howland, owning and managing a business is something that can be rewarding yet stressful. Howland still prides himself in the relaxing atmosphere he provides students and community members. “We have a welcoming vibe and it sort of feels like home,” Howland said. “There are different people to meet and I get to learn different stories from each of them. We’ve moved around to various locations and it’s helped accumulate new people and gives me a sense of gratitude for being able to provide a quiet and calm place for students to hang out with friends or just study.” With the presence of hookah and a bit of silence, “forget yesterday and break away.”

Jenny Rohl/The News

Elisha Cherry, employee of The Breakaway Lounge, smokes hookah.

The News

Features

6B

THE

“Entertainment news sure to spice up your lunch conversation�

F

Hail to the Queens, Kings

lashback riday

Hunter Harrell || Features Editor hharrell@murraystate.edu

WATER COOLER Information and photos from The Associated Press Compiled by Breanna Sill

WILLIE NELSON’S ARMADILLO RETURNED Willie Nelson’s on-stage mascot has been returned to the country music legend after being stolen from a Las Vegas show. The stuffed armadillo, named Ol’ Dillo, disappeared while Nelson was greeting fans during a concert. The stuffed animal was returned outside the singer’s hotel when an apologetic fan drove up and handed it to a marketing director.

April 4, 2014

I am going to tell you about Murray State’s Fame Drag Show, but first, let me take a selfie. As I stood in line, I had second thoughts. I had never experienced a drag show and never really thought that I would want to. Each second leading up to the introduction I grew more nervous. I was just there to cover the event for The Murray State News, but how could I properly explain a culture I was not emersed in? I saw students, community members and LGBT members with pockets full of dollar bills flocking to the Curris Center Large Ballroom Thursday night for the Murray State Alliance’s biannual drag show. And finally, the show began. For the rest of the night, I sat and absorbed the high-energy performances. Six queens and four kings performed to popular songs like “Talk Dirty to Me,� “Drunk in Love� and “Let Me Take a Selfie.� The lights, the music, the performers and the crowd all brought a certain karisma to the room. Through the first half of the drag show, I wasn’t sure what to think, but as intermission came around, they invited those who had never been to a drag show on stage to dance. You know, I never pass up “The Cupid Shuffle.� I danced on stage and from there, I was more open to the experience. I even handed one of the lovely queens a dollar bill. Opening myself up to this experience was something I advise most people to do at least once in their life. Although this event was out of my comfort zone to cover, it taught me that there are microcultures we may not understand completely, but seeing the interaction can change a perspective. I have mad respect for the kings and queens who are comfortable performing on stage and to the crowd and LGBT community who joins together to have a good time.

Flashback to 2006! It was the year the infamous Bird Flu spread across Europe and Asia, Google joined forces with YouTube for $1.6 billion, iTunes sold its one-billionth song and MySpace was among the top websites in the world. It was a mile-marker for new age of online sharing, and of course, timeless pop music.

1

Bad DayDaniel Powter TemperatureSean Paul

3

2

PromiscuousNelly Furtado ft. Timbaland You’re BeautifulJames Blunt

5

4

Hips Don’t LieShakira ft. Wyclef Jean

Photos by Ana Bundy/The News

(Top) Kara Bell performs for the crowd. (Middle) Aubrey takes a dollar bill from Stephen Offut, senior from Madisonville, Ky. (Bottom) Natalie tries out different heels for her performance.

Compiled by Madison Wepfer

PHOTO From Page 5B “Some things you can’t edit out. It makes people look different than they are.� Other students at Murray State, such as Sydney Verrier, sophomore from Anchorage, Al, avoid photo-editing apps because they are confident with how they look and are too lazy to make an effort to change the photo. Regardless of how models look in magazines or on television, many students do not want to put effort into editing their face. “I don’t see the need to edit photos because I’m lazy,� Verrier said. “Some people will not post something unless it’s been edited. They’ll blur things in the background and change the colors.� Although some people do not edit photos because of laziness or lack of resources, a large chunk of people on social media still edit their face before posting pictures.

NBC ASKS GIFFORD NOT TO ADVERTISE HER WINE “Today� show host Kathy Lee Gifford is coming out with her own wine line, but she is not being allowed to promote it on her segment. NBC has asked the star not to plug the line, as they are in the middle of a big corporation takeover and do not want the publicity to interfere.

Soundbyte “That’s Jenny from the Block!�

- Harry Connick, Jr. after hearing Jennifer Lopez accidentally drop the F-bomb during “American Idol�

Tweets d e r u of the week t a e F

A compilation of Tweets that made us laugh, cry or scratch our heads.

This week’s topic: #murraystate

Mary Kate

Mike Filosa

@MaryKate217 So glad everyone in Murray is safe tonight! #murraystate #RacerNation 1 a.m. 2 April 14

@MrJaxonFlaxon I'm convinced it a conspiracy... #murraystate 9 :46 p.m. 1 April 14

Tyler J Crane

Justin Case

@TylerJCrane I feel like I'm watching cops live downstairs #murraystate 10:03 p.m. 1 April 14

@jwill27racer Well the suspect that was arrested has been released, so back to lock down. #murraystate 1:08 a.m. 2 April 14

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The News

Features

April 4, 2014

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’? TODAY

SATURDAY

• All day Indoor Outdoor Expo, CFSB Center • 7:30 p.m. Cinema International presents "Best of the 2013 River's Edge Film Festival," Curris Center Theater

• 8:30 a.m. AHT/Pre-Veterinary Club Mutt Strutt/5K/Dog Walk, 15th and Olive streets, Murray State gates

7B

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

SUNDAY • All, day Indoor Outdoor Expo, CFSB Center

MONDAY • 4 p.m. College Republicans Meeting, Curris Center, Ohio Room

• 9 a.m. Humane Society Yard Sale, Calloway County Library Community Room

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

• 7 p.m. 35th annual Harry Lee Waterfield Distinguished Lecture in Public Affairs, Curris Center ballroom

• 11:30 a.m. Oakley Dining Room Luncheon, 204 North Oakley Applied Science Building

• 5 p.m. Spring Faculty Development Banquet and Speaker, Curris Center, first floor Stables • 6 p.m. Sam Hadfield concert, Fidalgo Bay Coffee

Don’t Miss: Tomorrow: 7:49 p.m.

VS.

Movie Review

Photo courtesy of movieplots.com

Schwarzenegger stars in the action-packed movie “Sabotage,” which was released in theaters March 28.

Schwarzenegger is back and brutal John Gruccio || Contributing writer jgruccio@murraystate.edu

For quite some time, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been the go-to actor for action movies. From films such as “Predator,” “The Terminator” series and “True Lies,” Schwarzenegger has entertained us with bulky feats of strength and awesome action scenes. As the majority of us were kids when most of his better-known films came out, we all were a part of the Schwarzenegger generation. In his new film, “Sabotage,” the action is plentiful and even more brutal than usual. When it comes to crime, there is an elite squad of DEA operatives who puts the screws to criminals unlike any other. Led by their loyal commander,

“Breacher”, this team has excelled where others haven't. When the team takes down the safe house of a notorious drug cartel, a large stash of drug money is confiscated. Things start to get even more complicated when members of Breacher's team start turning up dead, leaving him to believe someone on his team is dirty. In order to save the rest of his team, as well as himself, Breacher must find the truth at all costs and do what he does best. As I mentioned previously, Schwarzenegger is a big deal when it comes to action films. However, in this film he plays a bit of a different action role. As the commander of the team, Breacher, Schwarzenegger not only

represents an older father figure to the team, but also plays his role with a level of vulnerability. When we first meet his character in the film, we can tell that he is a broken man who has led his hard life of law enforcement. It is a success due to Schwarzenegger’s faithful commitment to his role. Schwarzenegger, himself, is definitely getting older, but brings a brutal dose of action to this role showing that he has not lost a step in his older years. Also starring in the film’s impressive cast are Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello, Mireille Enos, Olivia Williams and Terrence Howard. The cast does well alongside Schwarzenegger, which is not a surprise seeing as all of these actors are well known for

their own great acting skills. Director David Ayer brings a surreal violence to the film. Through his vision we are really able to get inside the minds of the people who put their lives on the line everyday. I did enjoy the film, but the one thing this film suffers from is story placement. We are given details about the story, some in the past and some are yet to happen. Because of the periodic placement of these details, it is hard to keep in tune with the overall film’s progression. Instances like this are kind of a nuisance because they really can jerk you out of a film you are enjoying.

Celebrity Encounters

Music video madness You know that two truths and a lie game teachers always like to play as an ice breaker? I always include “I was in a Rascal Flatts music video,” as Breanna Sill a part of my Assistant Features truths, and I always stump Editor everyone. By some chance of fate I was lucky enough to find myself as an extra on a Rascal Flatts music video set in June of 2011. The band was filming the video for their song “Easy” featuring Natasha Bedingfield in downtown Nashville, Tenn., and my friends and I were more or less in the right place at the right time. Being an extra is hard work. Although we were not being paid for our time spent on set, we chose to stay for as long as possible because we knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. For those of you who have seen the video, my friends and I spent the first half of the night filming the beginning scenes with the red carpet arrivals of the stars. We were standing on the sides of the carpet playing the part of the crowd and the paparazzi. The whole experience was surreal. In between takes Gary LeVox, Jay Demarcus and Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts) would stop and take pictures with everyone and have conversations with us. Joe Don would always look to my friends after each take and ask us if we thought it was a thumbs up or a thumbs down performance. By the time the outdoor scenes were shot it was already midnight and we had been on set since 6 p.m. The crew gave the unpaid extras the choice to either stay for the rest of the night or head out early, and of course we all stayed. The rest of the video, the ballroom scenes for those who have seen the video, was shot from midnight until 5 a.m. the next morning. We were all supposed to be standing around tables and pretending to drink wine and act like we were having a wonderful time at a party. Somehow my friends and I were lucky enough to be placed at the table right next to where Natasha Bedingfield was standing. I was so exhausted by the end of the night, but the blisters and achy feet were completely worth it. I even made an appearance in the video from 2:07-2:10. Between takes Natasha would come talk to my friends and I and by the end of the night she told us we were her “new best friends.” bsill@murraystate.edu

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“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”

“Best Night Ever”

“Imaginary Enemy” The Used

“The Mark of Athena” by Rick Riordan

“Titanfall”

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