02.21.2013 edition of The Auburn Plainsman by The Auburn Plainsman

The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID ThePlainsman.com

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Vol. 119, Issue 33, 16 Pages

And then there were two…

Online

Chelsea Crooks and Harrison Mills in runoff to determine 2013 SGA president

Campus A4

Sports B4

KATHERINE MCCAHEY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Chelsea Crooks would be the third female president in the history of Auburn SGA if she wins the runoff election Thursday, Feb. 21.

Harrison Mills is running against Chelsea Crooks in a runoff election to determine the SGA president.

Staff Report

THE PLAINSMAN POLL

This week’s question

The runoff for president will be between Harrison Mills, with 38.5 percent of the vote, and Chelsea Crooks, with 33.89 percent. The other candidate for president was Eric Savage. With neither candidate for presidency reaching the required 40 percent, the 2013 presidential election resulted in a runoff, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 21 with results announced at 10 p.m., between Chelsea Crooks and Harrison Mills. Crooks received 33.89 percent of the vote and Mills receive 38.5 percent. Crooks’ campaign violations resulted in a loss of 750 votes. She was 395 votes behind Mills. “I’ll be campaigning for the next few days, same as before,” Crooks said. “The same sanctions are applied,

but the 750 votes won’t be taken away.” Campaign violations are brought before and decided upon by the Elections Board, a group of influential students seeking for the betterment of Auburn. All four of Mills’ violations were brought forth by students and two of Crooks’ three violations were brought forth by Elections Council. which was responsible for her 750 vote deduction. Just two percentage points shy of a win, Mills said he’s excited to continue his race for SGA president. “There are two great candidates that are running,” Mills said “I think we have equal amount of support. I think we’re going to continue our friendship, and I think we’re going to do our best. I’m very excited.” Without Crooks’ 750 vote violation she would have

Olsen wins VP, McManus earns his ‘dolla’ with SGA treasurer

Vote online at

ThePlainsman.com Last week’s question MCMANUS

Staff Report

Amy Anne ran, and won. Olsen, junior in finance, was named the 2013 vice president of SGA Tuesday, Feb. 19 at callouts on Cater Lawn. Olsen received 3,978 votes, or 48.57 percent. “It was a total surprise,”Olsen said. “I wasn’t

OLSEN

prepared for that. I’m so blessed and thankful to have won.” Olsen, who has three years of SGA experience under her belt, said expanding collegiate reading programs, improving late night transportation and making sure students’ money is being

effectively used as plans for her term in office. “It’s been unbelievable,” she said. “This has been such a fun week and it’s all thanks to my supporters and everybody that came out, wore my T-shirt and cheered me on. I’m so excited to serve this year, to serve senate and

ELECTION COVERAGE landed 355 votes ahead of Mills, or For live coverage of the runwith 42 percent of off election, visit ThePlainsthe vote. man.com Thursday night, “I don’t even know Feb. 21. how to feel about it right now,” Crooks said. “I’m really humbled by the opportunity to have a second chance. Looking forward to running a clean campaign the next two days.” Mills said he still plans to campaign on the concourse. “I’m honored to make the runoff and I’m very excited…We’re going to continue,” Mills said.”

to serve the student body. I couldn’t be happier. My opponents are both great guys, so it was such a fun week and I’m proud of both of them.” Opponent Wesley Clendinen, junior in animal science, placed second with 2565 votes, or 31.31 percent. “The student body voted and they elected the individual they thought was the most qualified for the position,” Clendinen said. “That’s the reason we have democratic elections. “Any candidate who did not win today should see this opportunity as a way to expand and expel upon their beliefs and move on and change the campus in a way that they may not have thought they would before.” Cody Sanders, junior in political science, followed Clendinen with 1647 votes. “I’m very proud of the campaign that we ran, it was a great experience,” Sanders said.

» See ELECTION A2

“

This has been such a fun week and it’s all thanks to my supporters and everybody that came out, wore my T-shirt and cheered me on.” —Amy Anne Olsen SGA VICE PRESIDENT

VOTING TOTALS Vice Presidential Candidates 8,190 TOTAL VOTES

Amy Anne Olsen

3,978

Wesley Clendinen

2,565

Cody Sanders

1,647

Treasurer Candidates 8,040 TOTAL VOTES

Will McManus

5,048

Wilson Yeilding

2,992

Jones votes flood poll ‘Tara for Water’ Jones named Miss Auburn Campus Staff

INDEX Campus Opinion Community Sports Intrigue

A2 A6 A7 B1 B5

Tara Jones’ hard work paid off and was elected Miss Auburn 2013 after raising over $7,500, for the water crisis, during campaign week alone. “It doesn’t feel real, this is so amazing,” Jones said. Jones hopes to continue the work her campaign began this week. “I want to get the whole university behind the platform of the water crisis and get the university on board and make our university one of the leading voices in stopping the wa-

ter crisis,” Jones said. Kate Hughes, one of the other Miss Auburn candidates will still support Jones. “I worked with them a little on the water purifier, so I will definitely help her with her campaign,” Hughes said. Andrea Howard, another Miss Auburn candidate, also said she is supportive of Jones. “She is not only Miss Auburn, she is a War Eagle Girl now, so we’ve all got her back,” Howard said. Emily Jordan, another Miss Auburn candidate, is thank-

ful for all of her supporters, regardless of her loss. “I think I’ve just taken away that we go to an incredible school and the Lord is sovereign and I have just been so blessed by this campus and just coming to love Auburn even more,” Jordan said. Jordan said she will help Jones in any way she can. Jones found support in her friends, family and faith. “The Lord can provide exceedingly more than you can ever dream or hope,” Jones said.

RAYE MAYE / PHOTO EDITOR

Tara Jones celebrates with Mathew Richter after being announced Miss Auburn for 2013.

Campus A2

The Auburn Plainsman

DUI ARRESTS IN THE CITY OF AUBURN FEB. 14 – FEB. 20, 2013 ■ Christopher Greene, 36, Auburn Thursday, Feb. 14, 2:40 a.m. on College Street ■ Gregory Thompson, 54, Auburn Friday, Feb. 15, 11:18 p.m. on South College Street ■ Cory Abercrombie, 19, Mobile Saturday, Feb. 16, 2:05 a.m. on South College Street ■ Courtney McClendon, 24, Scottsboro Saturday, Feb. 16, 2:49 a.m. on East Thach Avenue ■ Willie Owens, 42, Auburn Sunday, Feb. 17, 4:22 p.m. on North College Street

Thursday, February 21, 2013

CRIME REPORTS FOR FEB. 14 – FEB. 20, 2013 Feb. 14 – Auburn University Second-degree theft of a laptop, backpack, notebooks, textbooks and a planner between 12:20–12:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15 – Webster Road Third-degree theft of hubcap centers between 6 p.m. Feb. 14–6 a.m. Feb. 15

■ Michael Smith, 32, Auburn Monday, Feb. 18, 11:02 p.m. on South College Street

Feb. 15 – East University Drive Left the scene of an accident between 11–11:30 a.m.

■ James Cowart, 23, Auburn Tuesday, Feb. 19, 4:33 p.m. at West Magnolia Avenue and North College Street

Feb. 16 – Opelika Road Third-degree assault between 2:18–2:20 p.m.

Feb. 16 – South College Street Second-degree robbery of a debit card and U.S. currency between 5:45–5:5 p.m.

Feb. 19 – Gatewood Drive Third-degree burglary of a television and jewelry between 7:45 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 – Beard Eaves Court Third-degree theft of an iPhone between 8:30–9 p.m.

Feb. 19 – Gatewood Drive Second-degree burglary of an iPad between 7:45 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 – Shug Jordan Parkway Harassment report

Feb. 19 – Rick Drive Third-degree burglary of four televisions and checking account information between 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 – East Longleaf Drive Third-degree criminal trespass between 1:20–1:40 p.m. Feb. 19 – South College Street Third-degree theft of U.S. currency between 11:10–11:30 a.m.

— Reports provided by Auburn Department of Public Safety

ELECTION » From A1

I think students are going to be appreciative there’s going to be less people on the concourse so we can really tap into some of the student population.” Crooks said it is important to her to make sure everyone is 110 percent within election codes the next few days, and she said she’s feeling motivated. Eric Savage, who came in third with 1,412 votes, said he ran an honest campaign. “It’s not about cheating… This doesn’t change how I present myself to the student body,” Savage said. “It’s just being honest and being for the students, as I believe I represented this week through not having a campaign with violations, through running a clean campaign and through interacting with students and asking their opinions and not going up and harassing the student body.” Josh Magruder, who withdrew his candidacy for president, received 176 votes.

RAYE MAY / PHOTO EDITOR DANIEL ORAMAS / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Harrison Mills with friends after hearing the announcement for a runoff, Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Tara Jones is surrounded by friends after being named Miss Auburn Tuesday, Feb. 19.

KATHERINE MCCAHEY / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Cater Lawn was filled with students during SGA election callouts Tuesday, Feb. 19. The runoff callouts will also be held on Cater Lawn Thursday, Feb. 21, at 10 p.m. CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONS In our Feb. 14 issue, SGA treasurer candidate Wilson Yeilding’s name was misspelled. The article “Students selected as finalist for Gates Cambridge Scholarship “ by Michael Hill was printed in publication unedited.

COURTESY OF EMILY FRAZIER

The correct version of this story is available online.

Chelsea Crooks, middle, Caroline Dunklin, left, and Tucker Helms, talk at SGA kickoff on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at Kappa Alpha fraternity.

We apologize for these errors

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Campus A3

The Auburn Plainsman

Small bookstore in library now open Kailey Miller Campus Reporter

No longer will students have a panicking feeling when they get to the library and realize that they have left all the most important things that they need at their dorm. AU Bookstore has brought the Study ER to the RBD library. The Study ER is stocked with paper, scantrons, pencils, books and even food and drinks for students to utilize in case of an emergency study session. “I’ve noticed we need some type of a supply store,” said Dillon Nettles, sophomore in political science. “Those vending machines we used to have

would run out so I use it all the time.” Nettles has worked at the writing center in the library for a year and said that he utilizes the bookstore when he is studying and quickly needs to grab something. The planning for the new bookstore started in August, said Leigh Ann Rowell, supervisor of the Study ER. “It took us about a month to prepare it to open up,” Rowell said. “Mainly it’s up there for when the college kids have projects to work on; we carry poster boards, index cards, testing supplies and snacks and also drinks up there.” Approximately eight employees run the Study ER and

the RBD library staff were the ones that requested the bookstore bring the Study ER to the library. The hours of operation for the Study ER stretch beyond that of the regular bookstore. They are open on Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. They plan to extend their hours during exams. “Once we got it up there the college kids were like ‘oh my God we’re so glad’ you know, getting the scantrons and the bluebooks,” Rowell said. “It’s been a really good response.” As for the unique name

of the new bookstore, there was a contest for students to give their input on what they thought the name should be. Brianna Gorman, freshman in communications, thinks that the Study ER was a good addition to the library. “It’s easier to use if you just want a drink or something because Caribou (Coffee) usually has a long line,” Gorman said. “I don’t think they took my TigerCard, which that was the only thing I didn’t really like.” The Study ER is located across from Caribou Coffee where Copycat used to be, on the second floor of the RBD library. “If I were just at the library and I got bored one day, I

Art minors now offered to all students Kailey Miller Campus Reporter

Auburn University has recently decided to provide an art minor option for students from all majors. Although some students are already taking classes that will be included in the art minor, it will not be officially offered until fall 2013. “It’s something that has been under discussion among the art faculty for the past couple of years and it was the curriculum committee within the department that began to develop a concrete proposal,” said Gary Wagoner, associate professor and chair of the department of art. “We’ve had a steady stream of inquiries over the years, but for a long time most all of the art classes in the department were only available to art majors and graphic design majors.” Wagoner has been at au-

burn for 32 years. The curriculum includes 18 credit hours of classes, including 2-Dimensional and 3-Dimensional design, painting classes, drawing classes, photography, ceramics and sculpture. Students in all majors have to have a fine arts requirement and there have been students who have expressed interest in taking more classes, said Christopher Johnson, administrative associate for the art department. “They had a lot of questions about job opportunities after they leave and that discourages a lot of people from majoring in art,” Johnson said. “So the minor kind of catered to people who were interested in taking more art classes, learning more about art, but not devoting their whole time in college to art.” Depending on how many

students decide to take the art minor, additional instructors may have to be added, but currently Wagoner said there is enough space for the students. Some students however, are not yet aware that the art department will be providing this as a minor. Nina Noreika, junior in zoology, and Forrest Cortes, junior in wildlife ecology and management, had not heard about the art minor. They both said they would not be interested in taking any art classes. “But I know a lot of people who would be interested in it,” Cortes said. Jennifer Norton, freshman in nursing, said that she did not know about it, but now that she does, she would be interested in taking some of the classes. Students can complete the minor by either focusing on

one certain category of art like photography or drawing, or by taking a few classes in each category. “There’s a lot of other careers that value having a visual art background,” Johnson said. “Like art therapy in psychology with a minor in art.” The art department will not officially know how many students will enroll in the minor until next fall, but Wagoner predicts that they will have 20 to 30 minors based on the interest that he has heard. The department currently has an art history minor that some students take to learn more about art, but they were really interested in studio art. “A lot of students have expressed interest in that,” Johnson said. “We get calls all day asking what the requirements are and asking to give out paper work to prospective students in the minor.”

raye may/ photo editor

Study ER bookstore’s grand opening was held Monday Feb. 11.

might just go in there and see what books and stuff they have, or if I wanted maybe paper or pens,” said Hannah Mat-

til, freshman in horticulture. “People can buy books and stuff, so it’s good and supplies that maybe they forgot.”

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People Power Phenomenon, Cathy Harris speaks Corey Arwood Campus Writer

As a whistleblower, community organizer, author, motivational speaker, business owner and coach, tonight’s speaker in the Business of Diversity Speakers’ Series would be hard to profile. And in 1998 profiling was what Cathy Harris spoke out against, earning her the nationally recognized whistleblower status. “She’s going to be the inaugural speaker in our new Diversity Initiatives Speaker Series,” said Dr. Sarah Stanwick, diversity officer and associate professor in the College of Business’ School of Accountancy, and coordinated tonight’s event.

Harris, at the time a Senior Customs Inspector, exposed the use of racial profiling, unlawful practices and human rights violations by the U.S. Customs Service, now known as Customs and Border Protection, at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. “I will talking about whistleblowing, what happened to me and why they also need to look at blowing the whistle as they travel through life and witness things that they don’t feel comfortable with. Why everybody needs to become whistleblowers,” said Harris. Her testimony of what she witnessed resulted in an investigation by the Government Accountability Office, and

subsequent change to Federal Legislation and Customs regulations. Since her initial exposé “Flying While Black: A Whistleblower’s Story,” Harris has written 18 books on varying topics but with similar themes of empowerment, a theme that does not end with her writing. Her empowerment company, Angels Press, is the business front for her services of lectures, seminars, workshops, teleseminars and also her radio show, “The Cathy Harris Show.” The event is tonight at 7 p.m. in Lowder, Room 125A, Harris will be speaking to students seeking their CPA. For more information visit the plainsman.com.

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Tiger STRIPES are student-employed recruiters that build relationships with prospective and enrolled students and their families over the telephone. Minimum Qualifications: Sophomore status as of Fall 2013 2.2 GPA or higher Excellent communication skills Basic knowledge of computers Applications are available in the Office of Student Involvement (Student Center Suite 3130), or contact Sam Armstrong at ARMSTST@auburn.edu or 334-844-7182.

Applications are due at the front desk of the Quad Center by 4:30pm on Friday, March 1st, 2013.

Campus A4

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Million dollar donation given to the ‘Spirit of Auburn’ Alumna gives $1 million to marching band’s indoor facility fund, totaling $2.7 million Becky Hardy Campus Editor

The Auburn marching band, received a $1 million donation from an Auburn alumna for their indoor practice facility. Meredith Birchfield, class of 1971, donated $1 million that she earned from past investments. Birchfield has always been a fan of the Auburn marching band since she frequently attends football games. “I just think Auburn’s band is just fabulous, not just the marching band, but also all aspects of it,” Birchfield said. “They are so committed and it’s so wonderful to see their commitment. I just think what they put into it should be rewarded.” Birchfield said she has always had a charitable heart, especially working with war veterans in Illinois and wanting to start an equine therapy program here in Auburn for individuals with special needs. The donation brought the band’s total money raised up to $2.7 million. The band’s goal is to raise $5.5 million. The University will cover the rest of the cost to build the $11 million facility. “Potentially people who were unaware that the band was trying to raise money to have a facility, now know how they could meet the needs of their band program,” said Vivian Langley, director of development for the College of Liberal Arts. “Hopefully it will spur someone else or lots of other people to give to the band as well.” The athletics department has also donated

$1.5 million to the band program. “A lot of people have been giving and they continue to give,” Langley said. “The thing that I emphasize always is that if people want to give, say $500 or $1,000, they can pledge it out over five years.” Donations can be made over a five-yera period. A $500 donation paid out over five years breaks down to $8.38 a month or 28 cents a day. “When you look at wanting to help the future of the band program it seems extremely affordable,” Langley said. “It’s about participation. If everybody gave what he or she could, obviously we would move toward that $5.5 million really quick.” The band program has an outdoor practice pavilion to practice in now, but it does not provide adequate shelter for the band members during inclement weather, so the prime concern right now is safety, said Rick Good, director of bands. Another concern for the marching band is places to store their instruments and uniforms, as well as, finding a place to change into their uniforms that does not involve pressing their faces up against the inside of a car window. “They have a wonderful practice field now, but it’s not close enough to our building where they can go back in forth,” said Sara Lynn Baird, chair of music department. “They need a place where they can assemble and use separate rooms to work on sectionals, for example when the trumpets go in one room, the trombones go

Raye may/ photo editor

The marching band pratices in a pavilion, but hopes to build an indoor facility in the end zone of the field.

in another room, so they can practice to come all together on the field.” The indoor facility will also be used for the concert ensemble, like the concert band, symphonic band, percussion ensemble and potentially the orchestra. Most of the fundraising for the indoor practice facility comes from Auburn alumni and marching band alumni. Auburn’s marching band also has to compete with other universities who already have an indoor practice facility for their band, Good said. Compared to other universities, LSU, Alabama and Georgia, which have music schools, Auburn does not.

Because Auburn does not have a specific music school, many of the band members are various majors. The largest majority of majors are in engineering, Good said. The band, as well as, the whole music department cannot thank the marching band alumni, parents of students and alumni in general, who have donated already, enough. “What these students do for the band department, the University and the athletics is amazing,” Good said. “They work very hard with hardly any recognition, but having people donate money the students are very excited that people are noticing them and contributing to building them a new home.”

South Donahue residence hall on track for fall semester

contributed by kim trupp

The new residence hall at the corner of South Donahue and West Samford Avenue offers many of its residents view of Plainsman Park and Jordan-Hare Stadium. The new residence hall will also feature an interior courtyard for its residents to enjoy.

Jherrica Luckie Writer

The construction that has been taking place on South Donahue for the last year and a half will soon come to an end. Kim Trupp, director of housing and residence life, said the new South Donahue Residence Hall is being built on

the former site of Sewell Hall, which previously housed male students and male student athletes since the 1960s. The South Donahue Residence Hall currently being built in its place will house 49 percent student athletes and 51 percent students. “When the decision was made to demolish Sewell plac-

ing a new residence hall which would house male and female student athletes as well as male and female students in general on that site, it made sense because of its proximity to the athletic facilities and Student Development Center,” Trupp said. “The site is also a relatively short distance to the academic core and the Stu-

dent Center.” When it opens on the first move-in day of the fall semester of this year, the residence hall on South Donahue will house 418 Auburn students in two and four-bedroom suites. All undergraduate students qualify to live in South Donahue Residence Hall. Trupp said the residence

Lying to get the job just got harder Psychology professor develops fool-proof test for employers to gather honest interview answers. Corey Arwood Campus Writer

Faking the results on a personality test might be more difficult now, thanks to a professor in the department of psychology and his research team. Applying for a job generally consists of filling out an application, submitting a resume and taking a slew of “what-if,” “strongly agree or disagree” and “rate yourself from 1-to5” tests. And it is not commonly thought that employers will be fighting over potential employees who provide brutally honest self-assessments. Dr. Jinyan Fan, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, said that he knows this. “I’m in the opinion that somebody (who) just faked on the personality test, does not mean that person is a liar,” Fan said. “It’s very (situational).” Whether the test is being taken by someone for an inter-

nal promotion or who is seeking an entry-level position; personality tests are becoming more pervasive within the job market. “Recent research has shown that personalities are quite predictive of job performance in the workplace,” Fan said. “And that’s why in the past decade personality tests have been increasingly used in selection contexts.” The tests are easy to administer, cheap and quick to take. And in general they make an assessment of universal personality traits known as the Big Five: neuroticism, extroversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness and agreeableness. However, they can quickly become a waste of time and money if the applicant is dishonest. “In personality tests there is no right or wrong answer, tems are very transparent,” Fan said. “Which makes it very easy, and the applicants see

the need to ‘fake good’ and if you ‘fake good’ that destroys the purpose of the test. What I do in my research, I am trying to (understand) the faking behavior itself and more importantly I’m interested in can we manage that? From the organizations perspective, can we limit faking behavior, can we mitigate faking behavior?” Through his research Fan has developed a method to dissuade dishonest self-representations during online testing. An applicant will be allowed to complete nearly 25 percent of the test. The results from the completed portion of the test will be assessed and if they are obviously too high, reflecting an overly positive self-representation, a warning message will appear. From this point the applicant will be allowed to retake the test, with a potentially higher degree of honesty. “The beauty of my proce-

dure is it’s a one-time deal,” Fan said. “You don’t have to physically call people back. And you don’t have to have them retake the entire thing.” Fan left a tenured position at Hofstra University in New York, and came to Auburn, where he also has been granted tenure, because of the higher degree of research opportunities the University offers. “As a national university, a research school, you will receive the kind of research you need if you really wanted to advance your research agenda,” Fan said. “Here you have a lot monetary support, reduced teaching load and very competent graduate students. And because the school gives them financial support you may actually work with them.” Dr.Dan J. Svyantek, Psychology Department chair and professor, said Fan has had a positive reception by both faculty and students. A graduate teaching assistant and also one of Fan’s stu-

hall will be fully occupied this fall. Current students have already made their request to live in the hall and incoming freshman can make their request on their housing application. Trupp said the two bedroom units will cost each student $4,800 per semester and the four bedroom unit will cost each student $4,300 per semester. “It has a premium price tag, but it’s a premium residence hall and we’ve had more request from students who want to live there than we have beds,” Trupp said. Brad Easely, project manager, said the project is on schedule to be ready for students to move in this fall. Each suite includes a 42inch flat-screen television in the shared living room, a washer and dryer, queen-sized beds, quartz countertops and tiled bathrooms and showers with a glass door. Each student living in the residence hall will be given the opportunity to purchase a parking permit for the parking

dents, Ning Hou, said that Fan has a clear teaching method with his undergraduate students on complex issues such as statistics. As a graduate student seeking her master’s in IO Psychology, Hou said that Fan’s graduate courses promote open discussion in the classroom that is grounded by Fan’s knowledge and experience of the field. Svyantek and Fan both specialize in the area of industrial and organizational psychology, which loosely focuses on improving experiences for both employers and employees. “He’s come up with a pretty new twist to the whole area, which is informing what we’re doing in the whole area of IO Psychology, trying to address on how bad faking is and how we can control it,” Svyantek said. Fan received a 2013 Jeanneret Award for Excellence in the Study of Individual or Group Assessment because of his research. The annual Jeanneret Award is given to an author of a work that is determined to have the greatest capacity for advancing understanding of group or individual assessments specifically relating to the diversify-

garage currently being built across the street. Trupp said the first floor of the building will not have units, but will have a common space and a convenience store. “The building surrounds a courtyard that I think would be a great place for the residents to relax, socialize and play,” Trupp said. Easely believes the best features of the new residence hall are the lushly landscaped courtyard and the quality of the interior finishes. “There are many features of the residence hall that make it a remarkable facility,” Easely said. Hayley Robinson, sophomore in pre-communication said she would like to have seen the money spent on renovating the dorms on the Hill instead of building the new South Donahue Residence Hall, but that she thinks the new residence hall does have positive aspects. “It will provide more spaces for students to live so Auburn doesn’t have to warn students that housing is first-come, first serve,” Robinson said.

yan

ing work areas, according to the Society for Industrial and Organization Psychology, Inc. The research team members were: Sarah Carroll, Professional Examination Service; T. Siva Tian, University of Houston; Dingguo Gao, Sun Yat-Sen University (China); Felix J. Lopez, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.; and Hui Meng, East China Normal University. Along with the award, which was presented by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, the team’s work was published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Both studies were conducted at Sun Yat-Sen University at Guangzhou, in the Guangdong province of the People’s Republic of China.

Campus A5

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Different cultures united through sports tournament Michael Hill WRITER

The International Student Organization is having a soccer tournament previously scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 23, will now be postponed because of weather, at the intramurals fields. Club president Subin Haba said that the tournament consists of eight teams, four groups and there are seven players on each team. “It’s just to have a better interaction between the different countries and it’s just a friendly match; an outdoor activity,” Haba said. “It’s just basically for a good friendship.” There will be three awards given out after the tournament: Champions, Runner-Up and Man of the Cities. The first two are given to the best overall teams and the last award is given to the individual who played the best in the tournament. The tournament is based on a knockout playoff system where the winner in each group will advance to the next round until there are two teams left. Haba says that although registration has already passed, students wanting to join the tournament can join a team if anyone is injured or a team is short a player. There are about 200 students at any given event said,” Charus Campbell, Multicultur-

al Programs Advisor. The International Student Organization host events each semester and aims to unite students from various countries. In the fall, the International Student Organization has a peace dinner and a world fair and has an indoor and outdoor sports tournament in the spring and an awards banquet in April. “This is more of an academic recognition banquet for students with a good track record,” Haba said. The International Student Organization is looking to have its indoor tournament next month and basketball will be the sport played. The organization’s mission is to improve multinational understanding and promote relationships between people of different cultures and also helps to ease the adaption of international students. Actively promoting diversity and beneficial interaction between the international students and American students is another big mission of the organization. The organization also has social hours on Fridays from 4-5 p.m. and serves as a way for students to make new friends and interact with students from other counties and learn about their cultures. “For social hour, international students feel comfort-

CONTRIBUTED BY SUBIN HABA

ABOVE: With much success in 2012, the International Student Organization thrives by hosting the sports tournaments and other culturally diverse events. BELOW: For those who prefer less sports related events, the organization holds peace dinners and world fairs

able coming here because we are all international students; it’s like our activity, but I would like to see more interactions with Americans,” said Ning Hou, International Student Organization vice president. Hou said that she knows a lot of the international students and has learned a lot about different cultures from being a part of ISO and said that she enjoys that the organization gives a platform for all of the international students to get together and know each other. The social hours on Fridays are considered to be the weekly meetings.

Physics professor, Stuart Loch highlights Final Lecture Austin Lankford CAMPUS REPORTER

The Student Government Association candidates were not the only ones on the ballot this week. When spring elections come around the candidates for the Final Lecture are also voted on by students. Collier Tynes is Chief of Staff of the Student Government Association and explained the process as, “A selection committee will go through the nominations, rank them and the top professors will go on the election ballot Feb. 19. Students are able to then vote for

the professor they wish to give the Final Lecture.” Dr. Stuart Loch, associate professor in theoretical Atomic Physics, was elected as this year’s winner Tuesday night. “I am excited, pleased and honored,” Loch said. “It is so special that it is student voted and that’s what means the most to me. Dr. Joseph Kicklighter, professor of history for 38 years and the history department undergraduate program officer, was the first faculty member to receive the honor. Kicklighter said SGA came to him in 2008 and told him

they were trying something new and that he was being nominated to give the Final Lecture. “It was a real gratifying experience,” Kicklighter said. “I said in my lecture I could not imagine any honor that I could be prouder of since it was voted on by students themselves.” Kicklighter said most of his remarks were made toward the seniors who attended the lecture. “I tried to communicate to them things that I learned throughout my career,” Kicklighter said. “That is what I wanted to pass on to the peo-

ple at the lecture so they could take that and hopefully learn from it.” Dr. Lawrence Wit gave the Final Lecture in 2009. Wit retired in September after 36 years at Auburn as a professor and dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. “Any time a faculty member is honored by the students I think it is the highest level of compliment,” Wit said. “It was a great opportunity and a terrific honor.” Wit, like Kicklighter, said he also chose to do something reflective that was geared toward the graduates.

“I told them the five or six things I wish I had been told the day I graduated,” Wit said. “I remember being anxious the day I graduated college, so I wanted to be encouraging to the ones about to step away from Auburn.” Wit said it was special to have students who he had taught present at the lecture. “I have been blessed to have won other teaching awards, but that’s right there at the top,” Wit said. “It is really one of the most special things I have won.” Matthew Kearley, biology professor, was awarded the Final Lecture in 2011.

“I knew I had been nominated, then they had the vote during SGA elections and no one told me I won for two days,” Kearley said. “I think it was one of my students who first told me congratulations.” Kearley said he attended the Final Lecture when Wit gave it. “He did a fantastic job and it was cool to hear him then be able to do the lecture too,” Kearley said. “It is the biggest single honor I have had since I’ve been here,” This years’ Final Lecture is scheduled to be on Tuesday, April 9 on Cater Lawn.

Opinions Thursday, Februrary 21, 2013

A6 ThePlainsman.com

Greek gods of the SGA SGA elections have a tendency to divide people on campus. For non-Greek students, or anyone who doesn’t have some kind of organizational or personal investment in the elections, the whole process is an annoyance. Greek students appear to be on the other end of the spectrum – with their gaudy T-shirts and loud antics on the concourse. We want to take this opportunity to explore this division, a split that even permeates the Plainsman staff. Most of us just spend this week in February trying to ignore the campaigners the best we can and go about our business. When we do complain, it’s usually just a snide comment on Facebook or Twitter or a spiteful word to our friends. Non-greek studetns see the SGA elections as an event by Greeks for Greeks. But, as we have been told by our Greek staff members, Greek dominance of the SGA is just an unintended consequence. Anyone who puts the time and effort

into working up the political structure of the SGA can run for office. Freshman are encouraged to participate in Tiger Tuesdays, now called Freshman Leadership Programs. However, the majority of the candidates that apply are still Greek. Is it a lack of interest or something bigger? We think it’s both. Greek students have a ready-made campaign at their fingertips. They can usually rely on their fraternity or sorority kin to stand on the concourse and accost passers-by or donate some money. Non-Greek students have to operate on more of a grass-roots level, working harder to drum up support among their small group of friends and hoping for enough monetary donations to buy some shirts and posters. It’s like a bipartisan election except one of the parties is relatively unknown and has a severe lack of resources. We want to encourage non-Greek students to become active in the SGA, but we understand why they wouldn’t

want to. Going up against the Greek system is a tall order, especially when you consider how exclusive they are. Yet, we think for the SGA to truly represent the Auburn student body, the Greek dominance, whether it’s intentional or not, needs to be broken up. So much more could be achieved if the SGA fought for us instead of halfheartedly placing a few amenities around campus. A unified body speaking for the legitimate concerns of students would be a powerful force for change. Imagine organizing a protest for food that doesn’t empty our bank accounts or a protest for lower tuition on Jay Gouge’s lawn. These are extreme examples, but some of the problems at Auburn are that bad. Greek or not, any student has the power to bring change to this campus and the community. However, this power should be used for issues that matter instead of some of the gimicky, alliterative slogans being tossed around the concourse with the fun-sized candy and fliers.

Letter to the editor

What to roll: history of the tradition Dear Auburn, My intention is to bend the ear of enough of you or the right one so that the Tradition of rolling Toomer’s Corner is taken back to its purist form. The tradition that at the beginning contained the correct decorum and spirit of a good time..And it is not about throwing Toilet Paper in any living tree. I attended Auburn from 1975 till actually graduating in 1987. In 1975 the tradition of rolling Toomer’s Corner was still in its purest form. No one every really knew if the event was “Roll” worthy. If you wanted to go to Toomer’s Corner and roll it then you did. On the way you would go into McD’s and steal the TP from the stalls. And maybe on the way to the Corner you’d wrap a little around parked cars rearviw windows and the wiper blades, but it was considered poor form to target the trees or the campus. That was done by people that didn’t have an appreciation for the campus. Toilet Paper didn’t improve it. Sometimes only 10 people would show up...and fewer than that rolls of TP... There was no rhyme or reason. I showed up once after a victory and there was little going on so I left and three hours later the traffic lights were barely visible. I missed it. But in the beginning the spontaneous nature was part of the coolness. And became part of the reason that the tradition became bastardized into rolling those old oak trees. That happened because of the poor behavior of the students, and the short-sighted veiw that the City of Auburn decided to inact to stop this tradition. The reason the city had to take

some action was that there were many occassions where a few students went way out of bounds. In 1975 we’d go down to Toomer’s and roll the street lights and it’d all be done in 30 minutes... if a car wanted through the intersection it’d be able to get through but it would have to drive slow. But then about 1978, the tradition was too big. It was almost impossible to drive through the Corner during the celebration. If you tried students ignored you, and eventually people celebrating would climb on a complete stranger’s car. And other participants thought it was appropriate that once there was a haystack of tp hanging on the lights to take their cigarette lighters and burn it. Yep, imagine the fear that shop owners had of seeing lit TP floating into the air over their tar and rock roofs on a dry breezy Autumn Saturday where hundreds of students would block firetrucks. So because of the unbridled behavior of the mob the damaged car owners and the local business owners lobbied the city to stop the Tradition. And in the normal short-sightedness of government the plan was to put cops at Toomer’s Corner and threaten to arrest students if they attempted to break the law by littering. I was there the first time they attempted to stop the tradition. First they told us of their intention so we just stood around cheering. When we didn’t dispers they told us they were going to arrest us for loitering. So I got the brigh idea that we would walk around the intersection. We’d all cross when the light changed and then stood

on that corner waiting for the light to change so we could continue “not loitering.” Whooo did “the pigs” hate that, but they couldn’t do anything till one of em said we were unlawfully gathering... So then we had to take sanctuary on Auburn University’s Campus.. and that led to the rolling of what was avaialble... the Oaks. Rolling those oaks was always a low point to those of us that used to enjoy clogging the intersection. The Oaks looked attractive without TP in them and even the day they were rolled they looked festive. But it wasn’t doing any favor for the Oaks, and it was creating an eyesore for some time after the rolling. If the tradition is to be kept it should be students roll the traffic lights or cables put up to duplicate where the old cables that held the lights were. Once a few strands caught they provided an anchor for the next thrown roll to catch, and all the rolls were quickly hanging from the lights. Driving through that intersection was cool for the next day or two, if no one torched the TP with a lighter. It was unique. It was ours. When you went by it later with friends that were visiting you got to tell them why it was done. So please, bring back the tradition of rolling Toomer’s Corner, not some tree the short-sighted actions of the City of Auburn’s Police Department forced on us. Sincerly, Luke Frisbee ‘87 Luke Frisbee Alumnus ‘87

Letter to the editor

What is your philosophy? Philosophy is defined colloquially as one’s lifestyle and outlook on life derived from a consideration of the traditional branches of philosophy: moral, metaphysical and natural. As it were, it is the colloquial use that I would like to discuss. Whether you subscribe to a theological, mystical, or secular ideology, it most likely defines your everyday choices. It may make you who you are, or at the very least, mask your inherent ‘philosophy’ (and I use philosophy in quotations to indicate that I am speaking about the colloquial definition). Perhaps you use God as your foundation of philosophy, or subscribe to an idea of some mystical idea of positive and negative energy. Perhaps you only take in to consideration the empirical and the metaphysical. Have you ever actually examined your ‘philosophy’ closely? For what basis do you hold your beliefs? Are they constructThe Editorial Board

ed from rational thought or emotion? Or, are you lethargically partaking in them out of convenience? (An example would be remaining Christian out of a fear of a loss of friends and family, even though Christianity may not fit your philosophical subscription). Many avoid any kind of thinking that might lead them to an existential crisis, and then there are many who fully embrace it. Whether you currently hold onto an idea of divine providence or a nihilistic approach, you should fully embrace a level of pragmatic skepticism and apply it to your current belief. Does there really need to be a set meaning to existence for one to enjoy life? (I would argue absolutely not). How is your ‘philosophy’ affecting your life, and how is it affecting others’ lives? It’s necessary to scrutinize your thoughts- to question whether or not you are choosing to live your life based solely on a lack of thought, a delusion,

something with no logical basis. However, some may take away that I am criticizing ideas that cannot be logically examined; but, I would further emphasize the necessity to examine things with logic first then emotion, and not with a complete lack of emotion altogether. All-in-all, take in to account exactly how you are coming to your conclusions. Live your life with a level of healthy skepticism and inquiry. Don’t bend to convenience or fear of judgment. Be rational. Be emotional. Be human. Practice deep thinking— real deep thinking, not some kind of pseudo-questioning of life. Find your own sense of morality, meaning, love, trivial pursuits. Taylor Lawler Sophomore English Literature

Opinions Her View

RIP American Dream Raye May photo@ theplainsman. com

We start preschool when we’re three or four years old. We go to elementary and middle school to prepare for high school. We go to high school to prepare for college. We go to college to prepare to enter the ‘real world.’ We spend eighteen years or more simply getting ready to go into the workforce, and upon graduation we have these expectations and high hopes of finding work relevant to our major. For about 50 percent of us, though, that won’t be a reality. To quote a recent article from The Chronicle, “According to a report on the study, “Why Are Recent College Graduates Underemployed? University Enrollments and Labor Market Realities,” out of 41.7 million working college graduates in 2010, 48 percent— more than 20 million people— held jobs that required less than a bachelor’s degree. Thirty-seven percent held jobs that required no more than a high-school diploma.” The immediate reaction to statistics like those for many people, including myself, is a scrambling panic to choose a major that will make me more marketable. It’s the sickening realization that for people like me—people without rich parents or high-up connections—there might not be a market. My name is Nobody, Auburn University Class of 2014, and unless I do something extraordinary, I’m going to be one of millions of more Nobodies on job applications all across the country. So what are we to do? I have

cynicism at war with idealism in my mind. One side says to take the path most likely to get me hired. Be a business major, a doctor, a lawyer, an architect. Do something useful with your life. In a world of uphill battles that lead to glass ceilings, it’s naïve to believe that art majors get an equal shot. It sounds like a solid plan in theory, but that 50 percent doesn’t exclude ‘practical’ majors. The idealist side takes that statement and makes it something hopeful: that 50 percent doesn’t exclude ‘practical’ majors. Nobody is immune to it, unless you’ve got a bad case of “it’s cool bro, my dad owns a dealership.” If we’re screwed either way, why not do what we love? If we have to go to Hell, why not go in a hand basket? It’s cliché, but we have this one life. Do you want to spend it miserable, wishing you’d chased your dreams when you had the chance? Maybe you end up one of the lucky half who gets a job. But if you get it doing something you aren’t passionate about, what’s the point? Is it worth it? I would rather live my life doing what I want to do, not what I feel like I have to do. Of course there are obligations nobody likes— that’s a part of any job. But what are all these sleepless RBD nights and cups of coffee for, if not chasing your dreams? I’m officially finished spending money on college to prepare for a career I have no interest in pursuing. If I end up a broke, starving artist, so be it. At least I’ll be an artist. I’ll be proud to say I went down with a smile on my face. The American Dream is dead. Stop pining after it and go chase down your own.

Her View

T.V. an unhealthy dose of non-reality Elizabeth Wieck intrigue@ theplainsman. com

The lines between reality television shows and our everyday reality have long been blurred. It’s not a secret that scenes in popular shows are often scripted, centering around creating drama and action that will bolster number of viewers and network ratings. The original intrigue of reality shows was that they’re about candid, ordinary people like us. Portraying relatable people was the capitalizing concept, the way to connect on a more personal level with viewers. They go through breakups that are real, have fights that are real and go to parties that are real. What used to be a refreshing dose of hilarity or entertainment has become a contrived and often pretentious genre of television that has little to with real life. Fact versus fiction questions often come into play when watching a show that is supposed to be about real life. It’s easy to watch any of the Real Housewives series and wonder, “Do people really live like this?” While it may be wildly entertaining to watch a group of faux friends run around town, drink and shop, it’s difficult to believe people really act like this with-

out prodding from show directors. But think about it: would your life be a primetime reality show without the added element of staged events? Shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Lost are, despite their ridiculous and unrealistic plotlines, at least not generally perceived as real by viewers. They film on the set and have a planned script, plot, actors and characters. We can separate Patrick Dempsey from his character, Dr. Derek Shepherd, because one is real and one is fictional. Recent developments have become hard to relate to. TLC is debuting a show about residents of a trailer park called Welcome to Myrtle Manor. The network also launched a spinoff to My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding called Gypsy Sisters that centers around four gypsy women living in West Virginia. Shows like these are giving us a contorted sense of reality. We don’t live our lives going to opulent balls every weekend, buy thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes on any given day or constantly confront enemies. It’s not realistic to think life can be lived like that. Life is not set up in a script format. We must make our own decisions and own up to our mistakes. While it’s funny or captivating, it’s not real. Wasn’t the whole point of reality television to relate to real people?

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Community

Police Academy teaches public The 12th Citizen’s Public Safety Academy applications are now available online and at the Public Safety Office. George Nunnelley WRITER

RAYE MAY / PHOTO EDITOR

Auburn MMA members get their exercise by fighting friendly during the classes offered at the gym. Classes include MMA, Brazilian Jui Jitsu, fitness kickboxing, female fitness kickboxing and Muay Thai.

Auburn MMA does more than kick butt, it builds character Sydney Callis COMMUNITY EDITOR

It doesn’t teach you to wax on and wax off. There’s no Mr. Miyagi offering life lessons and advice, but Auburn Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, is about more than technique. Founded in 2008 by Randall Phillips and Keith Johnson, Auburn MMA, which teaches classes on MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, kickboxing, Muay Thai, wrestling and Judo, offers the opportunity to build character, according to Phillips. “For the kids, you learn respect, respect for authority, respect for technique, respect for those who have fought hard,” Phillips said. “For the adults, you learn how to be consistent, so engage your mind and learn a technique that’s new to them. This is not the easiest sport to learn, for the kids that are wanting to learn self-confidence this teaches them that sometimes they have to stick with things before they get promoted. Just knowing a martial art will teach you selfconfidence.” Phillips said there are benefits for everyone that comes in to train. “Our youngest student is a 3-year-old kid, and our oldest student is a 68-yearold man,” Phillips said. “I would say half of our members are ladies, and a lot of them are college students, but not all of them.” Johnson said it is important to people to come into the classes with an open mind. “Don’t have any preconceived notions about what we’re about,” Johnson said. “Just show up and be willing to learn.”

“

The best thing you can do is come in and meet the folks that run Auburn MMA and train here.” —Andy Roberts TRAINER AT AUBURN MMA

Coming in to training with an open mind can help progress quicker, said Andy Roberts, who joined Phillips and Johnson at Auburn MMA shortly after its opening in 2008. “You can be stubborn and be closeminded about it and progress very slowly or you can come in open minded and progress very rapidly,” Roberts said. However, Auburn MMA isn’t just about the fighting. It’s a place that provides an outlet for people to socialize and compete. “I fell in love with the competition,” said Shane Mills, trainer at Auburn MMA. “At my age, I’m 36, it’s still wanting to be competitive at that age, and it’s a good outlet for that.” Johnson said the competitiveness of MMA interested him the most. “I’m not a fighter, but I’m a competitor and I love to compete at anything, from chess to throwing a rock the farthest,” Johnson said. “I knew once I got my hand raised that there was no better feeling than that.”

Mills has been training at Auburn MMA for four years and also teaches one of the children’s classes. The social aspect of the training and classes at Auburn MMA is what Mills said he likes most about MMA. “When you work as hard as we have to work and when you train as hard as we have to train to be good at this it builds a strong bond between the two of you,” Mills said. “Even though this is an individual sport, per se, the guys you train with, it’s just like a team. They’ve got your back and you’ve got their back. It’s a beautiful thing really.” Andy Roberts, who joined Johnson and Phillips shortly after Auburn MMA was founded, said that, like Mills, the camaraderie built through training is his favorite part. “High intensity training tends to develop a camaraderie and a teamsmanship that you see stronger than in sports that you don’t have to train as hard,” Roberts said. “It’s almost like enduring any sort of pain and torture and sacrifice, like guys, for example, that go to war together, you endure those things together and grow tighter as a group.” All four men said training, requires a lot of hard word and dedication, but that it’s something that has its benefits. “The best thing you can do is come in, meet the folks that run Auburn MMA and train here,” Roberts said. “The tough-guy, meathead mentality that people associate with MMA is not at all what you’ll find here. What you’ll find is a bunch of good, hardworking, athletic folks.”

Looking for Somethin’ Sweet in town? Sonya Lovejoy FREELANCE MULTIMEDIA

Owners Jerrod and Kristy Woodham have opened a new sweet spot at 3051 Frederick Road in Opelika, right next to Momma Goldberg’s. The husband and wife team wanted to provide the Auburn and Opelika area with Italian ice, soft serve ice cream, cupcakes, muffins, cookies and delicious oatmeal cream pies. “We are going to try and make anything sweet that someone would want,” Jerrod said. The Woodhams have been living in Auburn for three years after moving to the area from Ozark. “We absolutely love it here,” Jerrod said. Somethin’ Sweet is their first sweets store and was inspired by their love of the Italian ice trend. Somethin’ Sweet was born out of their desire to bring Italian ice to the area as well as sweet treats that are both home cooked and from scratch. While several area bakeries offer cupcakes and cookies, Italian ice is one of the more rare dessert items on the Somethin’ Sweet menu. Italian ice is a sweetened frozen dessert made with fruit or other natural or artificial food flavorings. Italian ice is not flavored shaved ice as

Do you ever get that uneasy feeling when you’re walking down the street alone after dark? Well, as with every town, crime does occur here in Auburn, and the authorities are always trying to find ways to minimize it. The Department of Public Safety and Capt. Tommy Carswell are hosting the 12th Citizen’s Public Safety Academy since its origins in 1995. The academy was started based on the efforts of the Orlando Police Department, which had come up with a similar system a few years earlier and had begun to see the benefits, Carswell said. The academy begins on Feb. 28 and will meet every Thursday at the Public Safety building located at 161 North Ross St. There will also be two occasions where members will meet on Saturdays – one at the firing range and one at the fire department. During the gatherings, the academy will be informed on issues such as crime prevention, fire prevention, firearm safety and a plethora of things that people can do to protect themselves and become safer, according to Carswell. The academy will conclude on May 2 with a graduation ceremony. It is hoped that a group of people with an overall better understanding for their community’s public safety efforts will emerge. “We allow graduates to provide feedback on what they thought of the academy,” Carswell said. “We will tweak some things based on what they said and try to figure out what subjects work well with each other.” At the conclusion of the academy, participants also have the opportunity to continue their efforts and join the alumni association, headed by President Jeri Earnest. “The association seems to

“

It gives citizens a basic understanding of the people who work in the department and what we do as a whole.” —Bill James PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR

be a good thing for the members,” said Bill James, public safety director. “It gives citizens a basic understanding of the people who work in the department and what we do as a whole.” They also do a multitude of things to help show their appreciation to both the police force and the fire department, according to Earnest. “Just today, and for the past three days for that matter, we were delivering bags of Valentine candy all over town,” Earnest said. “We took them to the fire departments, police stations and administration buildings.” The association also hosts luncheons for the authorities, who tend to be on call 24/7 during certain events such as the Alabama and Georgia football games. They also provide safety education during the weeklong D.A.R.E. program. Each summer, a number of elementary school students are invited to participate in the program that advises youth to resist drugs and alcohol. Anyone wanting to apply, over the age of 18, may do so at no cost. Applications are available online at www.auburnalabama.org or you may pick one up at the Auburn Public Safety building. For more information, contact Carswell by calling (334) 5013122 or emailing tcarswell@ auburnalabama.org.

Citizen worried over tax increase Abigail O’Brien COMMUNITY WRITER

RAYE MAY / PHOTO EDITOR

Jerrod and Kristy Woodham own Somethin’ Sweet, where Kristy bakes everything by hand.

some may assume. It is made by the same process used to make ice cream, which freezes the ingredients while mixing them together. Somethin’ Sweet also offers gelati, which is a combination of Italian ice and soft-serve ice cream. Somethin’ Sweet has been open for almost three weeks and serves creative items such as their peanut butter and jelly cupcake or their cinnamon streusel muffin. The current fan favorite item is the oatmeal cream pie, although customers seem to appreciate the fresh quality of all of the sweets. “What sets us apart is we

bake our goods fresh daily and have a wide assortment of Italian ice,” Jerrod said. “If you aren’t in the mood for a cupcake, you have other options such as cookies, cream pies and Italian ice.” Somethin’ Sweet also offers several discounts. If you buy five cupcakes, you get the sixth free. They also boast Tshirt Tuesday, where you get a free small Italian ice when you wear or purchase a Somethin’ Sweet T-shirt. Additionally, if you buy five oatmeal cream pies you get the sixth free. All Auburn students get 10 percent off of their purchase by showing their student ID.

The biggest challenge the Woodhams have faced has been getting the Somethin’ Sweet name out to the public. “Everyone needs Somethin’ Sweet in their life,” Jerrod said. The couple would like to eventually own and operate another store in the area but for now strive to supply the area with Somethin’ Sweet and satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. Somethin’ Sweet is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. The Woodhams invite the community to stop in and experience their motto, “keep calm and eat Somethin’ Sweet!”

Among other news presented during the Auburn City Council meeting Tuesday, Feb. 19, James Grider, a local retiree spoke up concerning a recent bill put forth by Rep. Pebblin Warren that would affect a mill increase in conjunction with new school funding. Grider said he recently completed a phone survey concerning funding for a new high school. Later, he saw that Warren’s bill called for a 14 mills increase. “At nine mills, with what we pay in state taxes, federal taxes and county taxes, that would mean a 16.7 percent increase in my property tax,” Grider said. “At 14 mills, that would be over 20 percent of my property tax.” Grider was alarmed by the 14 million increase and asked the council whether bonds were an option considered. “In previous years, in other places that I’ve been, when the school or the city needed

money, they put out bonds,” Grider said. Charles Duggan, Jr., city manager, said that the bill’s terminology made it confusing. “It’s actually a nine mill increase,” Duggan said. “For that special school tax, there’s already five mills levied, so it takes it to a total of 14. So they’re adding the five that are already there plus the 9nine that are proposed to be voted on by the voters for a total of 14 in that one count.” Duggan also said that bonds would play a part in the bill. “And approximately $90 to $100 million dollars is anticipated will be borrowed through bonds,” Duggan said. “And so bonds will be issued and right now, probably, they’ll have a 30 year pay-out period. So it’ll be 30 years in the future until they’re paid off.” Grider said he was still concerned that he didn’t know when the cap would be implemented

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Eighth & Rail rocks downtown Opelika with sushi and music EVA WOGHIREN WRITER

Eighth & Rail, a downtown Opelika bar that also serves sushi, gives the Auburn/Opelika community a different scene than the typical bars in Auburn. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Almost all the bars in Auburn are geared toward the college crowd so I saw that as an opportunity to offer something for a more mature crowd,â&#x20AC;? said Mike Patterson, Eighth & Rail owner. Patterson took over the previously owned bar and reopened it mid-September of 2012. Patterson decided to add the sushi aspect to the bar to bring in more than just the usual bar customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With food you are going to keep customers a little bit longer, and there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really anybody offering sushi in Opelika besides a couple Chinese buffets,â&#x20AC;? Patterson said. Pattersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultimate goal was to fill a void in the market and attract the downtown traffic and businesses to the bar. The venue, described as laid back and friendly by its sushi chef Cory Pacheco, hosts several different bands every week. Tuesday nights are jazz night and the Jane Drake Trio performs that almost every week. Patterson said he welcomes any area musicians to play and sit in with the trio. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thursday, Friday and Saturday I have a local piano player play for the guests who takes requests,â&#x20AC;? Patterson said. Dylan Brabham, Joe Bagley, Eight Track Rewind and Stevie Monce, from Nashville who makes frequent appear-

12/31/12 9:48 AM

RAYE MAY / PHOTO EDITOR

Located in downtown Opelika, Eighth & Rail serves sushi, desserts from The Cheesecake Cottage and martinis. It is also host to weekly concerts of a variety of artists from all over.

ances at Sky Bar CafĂŠ, also have played at Eighth & Rail. The genre of performers range from southern rock and jazz to country, acoustic and alternative rock. When you walk through the double doors of the downtown bar your eyes must adjust to the dimmed lights which guide you into the dining area filled with round tables with seats for three or four at each. At the end of the room is the stage, set for any performer and includes a grand piano. The bar also has three grey couches giving the customers the lounge aspect. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have not been here since they reopened, and I wanted to try the sushi,â&#x20AC;? said Michael Mardis of Auburnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Enrollment Services Department. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I originally heard about the reopening through Facebook, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had some friends that

have eaten here, and I know they enjoyed it.â&#x20AC;? The bar connects with the community using its Facebook page as well as its Twitter, @EightRail. Pacheco said that one thing that is really encouraging is the locals, people that keep coming back because they like it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot of regulars, but every week new faces do show up, the people that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize Eighth & Rail had been bought and reopened,â&#x20AC;? said Kelly Rollins, bartender. Pacheco has been working at the bar for almost two months and said that it is a fun and exciting atmosphere especially with the live music playing in the background as he serves guests. Everyone he has come in contact with has been really welcoming he said. Eighth & Railâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main specialty is martinis, but they

also serve coffee, shooters and cocktails. On their most popular nights, Fridays, Patterson said that they could see anywhere from 50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;110 people enjoying the food and live music. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a large capacity, but after the dinner crowd clears around 7:30 p.m. the bar crowd rolls in and stays till around 11:30 p.m. or midnight,â&#x20AC;? Patterson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We do have the stragglers that stick around with us until close at 2 p.m.â&#x20AC;? Along with sushi the venue does carry small desserts from The Cheesecake Cottage, a local bakery just around the corner. Patterson thought the timing was right and knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to bring something new to the community, so he bought the building, kept the name and made it his own.

Sports

B1 ThePlainsman.com

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sports

Courtesy of TNT

Charles Barkley with a bandage on his head on TNT’s Inside the NBA Thursday, Feb. 14.

Charles sparks up controversy, again Andrew Yawn / Sports Reporter

Attendance at Jordan-Hare Stadium dropped 3.7 percent last season after Auburn’s SEC West-worst 3-9 record.

Getting the fans back in the stands Andrew Yawn Sports reporter Sports@ theplainsman.com

Auburn’s 2012 season will forever be remembered as one of the worst (if not the worst) football campaigns in the program’s prestigious history. Many are trying to forget that Auburn went winless in an eight game conference schedule for the first time and narrowly avoided the worst Iron Bowl loss ever. So who can blame those who were not there to witness it? According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, Auburn’s average attendance in 2012 dropped 3.7 percent from 2011. Approximately 85,792 fans were in Jordan-Hare Stadium each home game in 2011. In 2012, there were 3,000 less shakers being shook and 6,000 less hands going up and staying there. With advancements in technology and ticket prices, attendance at college football games has been collectively declining with more fans deciding to stay home and watch the game on televisions nearly as large as Pat Dye Field. The Auburn Athletics Department attempted to avoid this by promoting Gameday Weekends this past season with the idea being more fans would come to watch the game if there was more to do than just, well, watch the game. While the additional activities, lectures, concerts and dining op-

Year 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

Attendance 82,646 85,792 86,086 84,614 86,915 84,689 85,063 84,161 83,085 85,203

tions were probably enjoyed by those who went, the fact remains that not enough people showed up to the game. In addition, of those who did show up, many were noticeably missing at the beginnings of the second halves. That’s because, at the end of it all, fans care about winning. While attendance the past 10 years has fluctuated around the same range, each person counts, and to Auburn, each person’s money counts even more. The decline this past year is not shocking, but it is concerning. The good news is, Auburn’s attendance should be on the rise in 2013. Granted, in Gene Chizik’s first year as head coach, attendance dropped, but this can be attributed to the fans dislike of the hire as much as the 5-7 record the year be-

Record 3-9 8-5 14-0 8-5 5-7 9-4 11-2 9-3 13-0 8-5

fore. With the addition of Gus Malzahn and a bevy of top recruits, Auburn fans who have forgotten what it feels like to beat an SEC opponent should jump at the chance to see a remodeled Tigers team eager to prove last season was a fluke. If Malzahn can rebuild Auburn into the SEC powerhouse it can be, the allure of the games is sure to draw fans off their couches. In order to get the bleachers filled again, Auburn has to return to to the top of the SEC. It’s not about events, autographs or deep fried treats. It’s about winning and winning consistently. Why else should attendance go up this year? Because when you’re at the bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up. Hopefully.

Charles Barkley made fun of alleged criminals on the Alabama football team on TNT’s Inside the NBA Thursday, Feb. 14 John Burns Sports Editor Sports@ theplainsman.com

Charles Barkley is an Auburn man to the core. Did anyone see him on the TNT’s Inside the NBA Thursday, Feb. 14? In case you missed it or the numerous videos online, allow me to break it down for you. As the show began, Barkley was shown with a large, bloody bandage around his head that could have come straight out of Band of Brothers. Of course, his co-host Ernie Johnson mockingly asked what happened to him and Barkley, being the comedian that he is responded. “You’re not going to believe this,” Barkley said. “Being the Auburn guy that I am, I want to be first class. I went down to the University of Alabama to congratulate the Crimson Tide on winning the BCS Championship and I got mugged.” Barkley then raised his voice and said, “I got mugged in Tuscaloosa, Ernie, and my credit cards are missing!” The talking heads struggled to keep it together, but still insisted that he should leave the “kids” (alleged criminals) alone. “What?” Barkley said, “It’s my fault they’re mugging people?” Ok, so here’s the back-story. Last Monday, Feb. 11, four players on Alabama’s football team were indefinitely suspended by coach Nick Saban for being arrested. Three of the players were charged with two counts of second-degree robbery. Why? Because they allegedly robbed (mugged) two students on Alabama’s

campus in separate incidents, and then bought snacks from a vending machine with the money. Oh, I almost forgot, they knocked one of the people out. Now, I know that Barkley was alluding to the victims of this apparent crime, which I personally don’t condone because no one wants to see someone injured, especially at the hands of another human being, but Barkley calling Alabama out on national TV was just hilarious. I’m not saying Auburn is perfect either. Nearly two years ago four Tiger football players were arrested on similar robbery charges. We took a lot of grief for that, and everything else from Alabama fans, so what do I consider what Barkley did on TV last week? Payback. Many people have been jumping at Barkley, saying he shouldn’t be making fun of an alleged crime, or alluding the victims, but Barkley wasn’t making fun of those people. I mean he was, but he was just using the crime as a vessel to get at the heart of his point. He was just making fun of Alabama. We all know we haven’t had much of an opportunity to talk trash about the Tide. Let’s face it, they dominate the college football world right now, and think they’re infallible. So when something like this happens, I say as an Auburn fan that we should take full advantage of it. Because who knows? This might be the last time in a while that Auburn fans have a real reason to jab at Alabama, and everyone is fully aware that they would jab endlessly at us if the roles were reversed. So what’s my point in all of this? Well, mainly I want to congratulate Sir Charles on an excellent joke, but I also want people to lighten up, because that’s all it was: a joke.

No time to rest, Malzahn is on to 2014 recruiting Ethan Brady Sports Reporter

After securing the No. 9 ranked 2013 recruiting class in the nation, Gus Malzahn and his staff is already diligently working toward building a deep 2014 class for the Tigers. This upcoming Saturday, Feb. 23 Auburn will host its annual Junior Day for potential 2014 recruits. Some of the nation’s top players are expected to be in attendance following some earlier visits by top recruits this past weekend to the Plains. “We’re real excited for the talent coming in this weekend,” said Weston Awtry, an Auburn Athletics Tiger Host responsible for touring athletic recruits. “We can’t wait to see what these players can offer to Auburn’s 2014 recruiting class.” Earlier this week, President’s Day

allowed for some visitors to campus including Elisha Shaw, the No. 3 defensive tackle and Rivals.com No. 34 overall player from Tucker High School in Atlanta. The 6-foot-6, 299-pound Shaw moved Auburn into his top three college choices after favorites Alabama and Georgia. “This visit put Auburn in my top three. Auburn is a nice school. They have people that keep your head on straight,” said Shaw to Rivals.com. “They aren’t just a football school, they focus on academics. It’s nice out here.” If it wasn’t obvious by their success with the 2013 class, assistant coaches Dameyune Craig and Rodney Garner are one of the country’s greatest defensive recruiting duos. The coaches continued to impress many recruits this week.

“Coming and checking out Auburn was really good. They have the two best coaches in Coach Craig and Coach Garner, those are my top coaches,” said Shaw. “It really put Auburn up there.” Shaw’s teammates at Tucker High School Detrik Dukes and Dominick Sanders also made the visit to Auburn Feb. 18. The pair is soon to be heavily recruited, already securing offers from Auburn and schools like Louisville, Connecticut and Indiana. “My visit was great, I was excited talking to the coaches. I loved the experience,” Dukes said. “I grew up liking Auburn, always been fan. I grew up younger and liked their mascot, then they have players like Cam Newton and Bo Jackson. It’s a great place.” Though the official list has yet to be solidified for Junior Day, a good por-

tion of Auburn’s 24 offers are expected to make the event. The nation’s No. 9 overall player, five-star defensive end Larenzo Carter from Norcross, Ga. is expected to visit along with two highly recruited teammates. Myles Autry, the No. 128 ranked player in the nation, is listed as an athlete with offers from nearly every major collegiate program in the country. While Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio State are interests for the Norcross running back, Auburn just recently offered him and hopes to impress on Saturday. A third Norcross prospect, Kevin Mouhon, a linebacker and the No. 240 ranked player in the country recently received an offer from Coach Garner and the Tigers. Mouhon is apparently close with 2013 JUCO signee Ben Bradley and gives Auburn a slight

edge in his recruitment. Local Opelika High School stars tight end/defensive end Jakell Mitchell and cornerback Stephen Roberts will be in attendance on Junior Day. The pair has already received offers from Alabama and Florida, but recent interest from the Tigers will bring the defensive standouts to Auburn on Saturday. The successful recruiting staff for the Tigers continues to put in long hours for Auburn’s upcoming 2014 class. Though these players still have their entire senior seasons to be evaluated, the prospects visiting this weekend are some of the best in the country. Auburn’s momentum from National Signing Day has carried over into early interest from the class of 2014, putting them on an early road to a potential blockbuster signing class.

Sports B2

The Auburn Plainsman

Courtesy of Todd Van Emst

Niclas Carlsson at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships third round on Thursday, May 31, 2012.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Courtesy of Todd Van Emst

Auburn’s Jordan Ebert makes the throw to first in the fifth inning against Maine on Sunday, Feb. 17.

A week of Auburn sports Men’s Basketball:

The men’s basketball team went back to their losing ways with an eight-point home defeat against Arkansas Wednesday, Feb. 13 and a 31-point away blowout against Florida Saturday, Feb. 16. The Tigers were always a few buckets behind the Razorbacks, but could simply never find the extra spark to mount a considerable charge. Auburn was defeated 83-75. Against Florida, however, Auburn never stood a chance. The Gators took control of the game early, and never looked back, winning 83-52.

Baseball:

The Auburn baseball team began their season strong with a four-game home sweep of Maine. Each of Auburn’s victories were comeback wins. The Tigers are 4-0 for the first time since 2008. Preseason All-American Ryan Tella hit .357 for the weekend, while the team posed 12 doubles, 2 home runs and had a .312 batting average.

Women’s Basketball:

The women’s basketball team defeated arch rival Alabama Sunday Feb. 17, 70-53 in the Auburn Arena. Senior Blanche Alverson had a massive impact on the game, scoring 22 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Alverson moved up to 24th all-time in scoring at Auburn with 1,109 points. This victory snapped an eight-game losing streak and allowed the Tigers to improve to 14-11 (3-9 SEC).

Women’s Tennis: The women’s tennis team improved to 7-1 after

sweeping both Alabama State and Troy in a doubleheader Wednesday, Feb. 13 at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The team did not drop a match all day, and were highlighted by the afternoon play of freshman Pleun Burgmans and senior Plamena Kurteva who destroyed their doubles opponents 8-0.

Gymnastics:

The No. 14 women’s gymnastics team fell to No. 4 rival Alabama Friday, Feb. 15. The final score was 197.650-196.575 in favor of the Tide. While coach Jeff Graba was not pleased with the result, he did say that the Tigers delivered a “B” performance against Alabama. The team recorded only the third score of more than 196 in program history, but were just slightly edged by the Tide.

Men’s Golf: The No. 22 men’s golf team won its second victory of the

year by shooting 3-under at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate at the Magnolia Grove Crossings Course Tuesday, Feb. 19. All-SEC junior Niclas Carlsson picked up the individual victory. It was Carlsson’s third victory of his career. All-SEC senior senior Michael Hebert aided the team victory by posting his second top-five finish of the season.

Softball: The Auburn women’s softball team continued with its impres-

sive early season form last week, as the team improved to 10-1 overall. The Tigers won five games last week, but just fell short to Chattanooga Sunday, Feb. 17. Before their game against Chattanooga the Tigers were 10-0.

Equestrian: The No. 2 Auburn women’s equestrian team narrowly de-

feated No. 4 South Carolina 10-9 Thursday Feb. 14 in their last home meet of the season. The team improved to 6-1 (3-1 SEC).

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Chris Denson reaches for the basket while being defended by Florida on Saturday, Feb. 16.

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sports B3

The Auburn Plainsman

The next week in sports February 21

Men’s baseball vs. College of

Swimming & Diving, SEC Championships,

Charleston, Auburn, 1 p.m.

Day 3 prelims and finals, College Station, Texas at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Men’s basketball at Ole Miss,

Women’s tennis vs. Texas Tech, Auburn, at 11 a.m.

Women’s basketball at Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., at 6 p.m.

February 22

Swimming & Diving, SEC Championships,

Oxford, Miss., 4 p.m.

Women’s equestrian vs. Georgia and Delaware State, Athens, Ga.

Track, SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships, all day, Fayetteville, Ark.

February 24

Day 4 prelims and finals, College Station, Texas at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Men’s tennis vs. Georgia Tech,

Softball vs. Kansas and Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Baseball vs. Indiana State,

Men’s tennis vs. Clemson, Auburn, at 2 p.m.

Baseball vs. Middle Tennessee State, Auburn, at 6 p.m.

Women’s gymnastics vs. LSU, Auburn, at 7 p.m.

Track, SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships, all day, Fayetteville, Ark.

February 23

Auburn, at 1 p.m.

Auburn, at 2 p.m.

Women’s basketball vs. Missouri, Auburn, at 2 p.m. Women’s golf, AllState Sugar Bowl Invitational, English Turn Golf Club, New Orleans, La. Track, SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships, all day, Fayetteville, Ark.

February 25

Women’s golf, AllState Sugar Bowl Invitational, English Turn Golf Club, New Orleans, La.

Courtesy of Todd Van Emst

Tre Mason carries the ball in the first half against Alabama Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012 in Tuscaloosa.

Softball vs. Southern and New Mexico, Corpus Christi, Texas, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

February 26

Swimming & Diving, SEC Championships,

Auburn, at 3 p.m.

Day 5 prelims and finals, College Station, Texas, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Men’s basketball at Alabama,

Women’s tennis vs. Tulane and UAB, Auburn, at noon and 6 p.m.

Baseball vs. Kennesaw State,

Tuscaloosa, at 6 p.m.

Women’s golf, AllState Sugar Bowl Invitational, English Turn

Eguae aids local community When he’s not hitting the quarterback or studying, senior defensive lineman Nosa Eguae takes time to help children learn how to read Staff Report When Auburn senior defensive lineman Nosa Eguae isn’t busy hitting the books or taking the field, he can be found volunteering his time at The Pine Hills Literacy Project, an after school program designed to develop and enhance reading skills among kids, grades one through six, in the Lee County area. “I found myself with a little bit of free time and I decided that I needed to do something wise with it. I needed to do something that would help somebody,” Eguae said. Inspired by a message heard in church, Eguae decided that Pine Hills Literacy was the perfect outlet to use his time wisely. “In church a few weeks ago the minister was talking about using our platforms to impact others,” Eguae said. “I was blessed with many platforms and I have a passion for kids and families, and reading and education is such an important part of life so volunteering here has really been special.” Eguae, 22, from Mansfield, Texas says his tight-knit family also influences his drive toward making a difference.

'I grew up with two older brothers and an older sister, and I was always running around with them,” Eguae said. “I am so blessed to have come from such a positive family but I know that a lot of people aren’t blessed the way I was. So if I can be that positive role model for someone, I’m not going to pass up that opportunity.” Amy Brinkerhoff and Samantha Holland, teachers for Pine Hills Literacy, paired Eguae with third and fifth graders. “One of the main goals at Pine Hills Literacy is to get the kids to learn to love reading,” Brinkerhoff said. “And Nosa really seems to get that message across to them. He’s a huge help to us.” “He is especially great with the boys,” Holland said. “He is such a calming person and he helps keep the kids calm and focused which is a hard thing to do at that age.” Although the time commitment is small, Eguae has a big message he hopes to get across to the children. “At the end of the day, I want them to know that they can do anything they put their minds and hearts to,” Eguae said. “That’s ultimately what I’m aiming to teach them.”

Auburn’s options at running back Will Gaines Sports Reporter

Over the past few years no position has been more consistent at Auburn, at least statistically, than the running backs. Auburn has produced at least one 1,000- yard rusher every year since Ben Tate in 2009. He was followed by Mike Dyer in 2010 and 2011 and Tre Mason continued the streak this past season. Auburn will look to continue this streak in 2013, and we could see some new faces doing it. One major emphasis for Gus Malzahn and his staff this recruiting season was adding depth to the running back position. After losing Onterio McCaleb and Mike Blakely, only Mason and Corey Grant were on the roster. Mason finished the 2012 season with 1,002 yards on 171 carries. Mason has been questioned in the past as a running back because he is undersized for his position, especially in the SEC. Instead of letting the criticism get to him, Mason became one of the few bright spots on Auburn’s offense last season. Grant saw limited action last year as he only had 29 yards on 9 carries all season. Auburn was able to sign

three running backs in junior college transfer Cameron Artis-Payne, Georgia native Peyton Barber and in-state back Jonathan Ford. Artis-Payne played this past season at Allan Hancock College in California. He finished with 2,048 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns in 10 games. Artis-Payne’s 5-foot11 210-pound frame and play making ability should help with the physical style of play that coach Gus Malzahn wants to bring back to Auburn this season. Artis-Payne is already enrolled at Auburn and is able to participate with the team in winter conditioning and spring practice. Because of this, he stands a good chance of making an immediate impact in Auburn’s offense. Peyton Barber was a late addition to the Tiger’s 2013 signing class. After previously being committed to Ole Miss, Barber flipped to the Tigers after a last minute visit to Auburn. Barber played last season at Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga. and was the high school teammate of fellow signee Carl Lawson. During his senior season at Milton, Barber rushed for 1,980 yards and 25 touch-

downs. Like Artis-Payne, Barber will bring size to the position and most importantly add much needed depth. Jonathan Ford was also a late signee for the Tigers. The New Hope running back chose Auburn over Tennessee on signing day after previously being committed to Vanderbilt. In his senior season Ford rushed for 1,669 yards and 27 touchdowns. Ford will need some time to develop his size and speed, but could be a quality running back for Auburn down the road. And it’s always nice when you can sign instate players. Considering Tre Mason’s success last season, and his familiarity with Malzahn’s offense, he is expected to be the man to beat for the starting running back position when the season begins. But Artis-Payne’s size and collegiate experience will definitely earn him a lot of playing time this fall. Barber and Ford have great potential and could surprise some people, but they need time to develop. However, with depth issues at running back, both of these young backs could, and probably will see a limited role early in their careers as Tigers.

Carlsson, Tigers victorious Will Gaines Sports Reporter

Courtesy of Auburn Athletics

Niclas Carlsson holds his indivicual trophy in front of the leaderboard at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate at Magnolia Crossings Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Niclas Carlsson earned his thirdcareer victory on Tuesday Feb. 19 at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate at Magnolia Crossings. “It’s always fun to win both individually and as a team,” Carlsson said. “It’s just proof of your hard work and it’s a very rewarding feeling.” Carlsson went into the final round in first place at 2-under and birdied three of his first five holes. After making the turn, Carlsson moved to 7-under after back-to-back birdies on Nos. 13 and 14, but bogeyed Nos. 15, 18 and 2 to finish the day for a 70. “I had a one-shot lead going into yesterday and played really well the first 12 holes or so and then I made three bogies coming in,” said Carlsson. “But since I played so well I had a little gap between the guys that were behind me.” Not only did Carlsson have a good day, but the team as a whole had a good day as well. The team earned its second victory of the year, and its 10th under coach Nick Clinard after beating No. 12 LSU

by four strokes. “It’s a great win for both me and the entire team,” said Carlsson. “My teammate Micheal (Herbert) finished third and David (Zickler) shot the low round for the team and shot 69.” Also Micheal Johnson tied for 16th, his fourth top-20 finish of the year. Dominic Bozzelli, who was named SEC men’s golfer of the week on Wednesday Feb. 13 after winning the Amer Ari Invitational in Hawaii, tied for 27th, and David Zickler tied for 35th. With the Tigers ranked No. 22 in the country Carlsson believes that some of the best things for this team are still to come. “We kind of had a slow start last semester, but now we’re starting to play better and yesterday was proof of that,” said Carlsson. “We’re looking forward to the SEC and NCAA championships that are coming up. We feel good about our games. We are just going to try to win as much as we can. That’s our main goal. We still have a lot of work to do, but we’re positive about the future.” As an individual player Carlsson

doesn’t concentrate much on result based goals. He’s just focusing on improving his game and becoming the best player he can be. “My individual goals are just to play and practice as good as I can,” said Carlsson. “I’ve just started working with my coach here in Auburn. I had a coach back home in Sweden, but now I’ve decided to start working with my coach here.” Carlsson a junior is originally from Enebyberg, Sweden. After playing in some American events in Florida and Arizona he began to receive interest from American coaches. “My coach recruited me from Sweden actually,” said Carlsson. “He went over there to watch the European Boys Team Championships where I played for Sweden. He emailed me and we talked a couple times, and then I came and took my official visit. I really liked it from the start. I had a few other options, but this was really the best one.” Carlsson and the Tigers will return to action March 4-5 at the Samford Intercollegiate at the Hoover Country Club in Hoover.

Sports B4

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sophomore scores $5,000 at halftime Lance Davis SPORTS WRITER

“

If Stephen Bass looked confident standing under the basket before his attempt at $5,000, it’s because he was. Bass, an Auburn sophomore from Murfreesboro, Tenn., was selected by random drawing before Auburn’s game Wednesday, Feb. 13, to participate in the Golden Flake Tuition Shootout. He had the entire first half to think about this opportunity. All he had to do to win $5,000 was make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot in 24 seconds. “I wasn’t nervous,” Bass said. “I watched the game, but for the most part, I was thinking about (the contest). I told people I wasn’t nervous because I knew I could get to the half-court shot. And not to sound cocky about it, but I just knew I’d make the layup. I thought I’d hit the free throw the first time.” And he did. Bass made the layup and free throw on the first attempts. The 3-pointer gave him more trouble than anticipated. “I thought I could make the 3 in two shots,” Bass said. “That didn’t work out, but luckily I hit the third.” The announcer began counting down from 10 as Bass missed his second 3-point attempt. He swished his third try as the announcer made it to four. Bass didn’t have enough time to turn around and launch a half-court shot, so he improvised and heaved it toward the other basket. And he buried it. “I’m not gonna say the last shot was much skill, but I knew I could get there and get it close,” Bass said. “And then it worked out. I looked up and saw the camera man and the guy under the goal and thought, ‘I’m probably not supposed to do this, but here goes nothing.’ I let it fly. It was great.” There was some confusion about whether he had won the $5,000. Was his foot on the line? Did he get it off in time? Is it against the rules to shoot on the op-

I’m not going to say the last shot was much skill, but I knew I could get there and get it close.” —Stephen Bass Contest Winner

posite goal? “I kind of realized when Jay Jacobs tweeted about me that I didn’t think they could take it back after it had become so big,” Bass said. “I kind of realized that would look even worse if they took it back.” In addition to receiving a tweet from Jacobs, Bass also did interviews with the Rick & Bubba Show, a local radio show called The Drive, a news station in Nashville, the War Eagle Reader and Eagle Eye TV. His video was played on ESPN shows Around the Horn and SportsNation. Articles were written about him on USA Today, Mashable and Bleacher Report. The YouTube video of his performance has exceeded 70,000 views. He’s also getting plenty of attention on campus. “Every day since then, several people have come up,” Bass said. “People gave me hugs the day after. I’ve gone and ate at Momma Goldberg’s a few times, and all three times since then people have been like, ‘Are you that guy?’ And they’re random people.” After hitting four shots, including a half-court prayer, in 24 seconds, a case could be made Bass deserved more than $5,000, but he’s appreciative for his prize. “Someone else said that was the worst difficulty-to-prize ratio they’ve ever seen,” Bass said. “But I’m very thankful to Golden Flake for the $5,000 and I’m happy with the prize. For me, I’m just thankful for what I have.”

Courtesy of Todd Van Emst

Stephen Bass gives the Auburn crowd a fist pump after sinking a half court shot Wednesday, Feb. 13 at the Auburn Arena.

Intrigue

B5 ThePlainsman.com

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Intrigue

Burn City Rollers cruisin’ for a bruisin’ Local roller derby team prepares for the fast-moving and competitive spring season on the track

KELSEY DAVIS / INTRIGUE WRITER

Amyn Atcha explains to the derby team how to incorporate a new blocking tactic, in which they will prevent the jammer from breaking through the line of five blockers on the Skate Center’s track in Opelika.

Kelsey Davis INTRIGUE WRITER

Tattoo clad girls wearing fish net tights, shoving each other to the ground as they race around a skating rink may be what first comes to mind when the words “women’s roller derby” are brought up. But there’s far more to this sport than what meets the eye. As the bout (competition) begins, two teams of five women line up on the track to compete. Four of the five women are in charge of blocking the fifth woman, called the jammer, from getting through them. If the jammer gets through, she becomes the lead jammer, and can start scoring points from there. Each girl she passes on the opposing team is a point she scores. To stop the jammer from getting through, the blockers will try to knock her out of bounds. “You’ve got to be quick on your thinking (as a jammer). You’ve got to look for your way out,” said Vile Vixen. Vile Vixen, like all the other team members, goes by her derby name and not her actual name. These names are printed on the back of all the girls’ jerseys, and receiving them is no light matter. “You earn it. You don’t just automatically get to choose it. You can say your name is something, and we’ll start calling you that, but you don’t get it on a jersey until you passed your safety test and some other stuff. It’s almost a right of passage,” said Ziggy Bloodlust. Along with receiving a name, learning how to fall properly and getting injured are other rights of passages into the world of women’s derby. Though there are strict rules on exactly how hit-

ting and blocking can occur, roller derby is a contact sport. The girls talk about their injured knees, cuts requiring stitches and broken bones. Bazinga Betti even spoke of having to be rushed into surgery and have pins placed in her arms after a match. “I don’t think it would have been that bad if she hadn’t have kept playing after she broke it though,” said Amyn Atcha. The sport is aggressive and competitive, but most of the women get something deeper out of roller derby than just that aspect. “There are so many things I like about it,” Bazinga Betti said. “You make life long friends, it builds your confidence and it’s very empowering. You’re constantly challenging yourself.” Building confidence is a continuing theme that runs throughout this sport. “One thing I love about it is that your size and shape does not matter at all. I’ve seen girls almost 300 pounds skate with such grace, and some tiny girls hit harder than you’ve ever seen. I love it. I never thought I would be this passionate about something, and it’s given me so much confidence,” said Roberta Murphy, who has yet to earn her derby name. As important as the confidence building is to many girls, most say their favorite part of being on the team is camaraderie and the bonds they form. “I really like that you can come to the team and commit yourself, and you automatically have 15 best friends and somebody to call. I mean, it’s not all roses and stuff, but I feel like we’re just a really tight knit group,” said Sabri-

KELSEY DAVIS / INTRIGUE WRITER

The Burn City Rollers put their moves to motion in a scrimmage, in which they practice blocking and jamming within the appropriate bounds.

na Str8 Razor. For this reason, many roller derby teams are populated by military wives who are continuously having to move. “I move around a lot, and it’s hard not having friends. The first time I moved, I didn’t have anybody because I didn’t do derby. It was depressing. I love the friendships I’ve gotten to make with these women,” Vile Vixen said, a military wife. The derby girls don’t fit the norm. Their sport

is fierce, their uniforms are unorthodox, but they have something to offer everyone. “We really want to be able to reach out to the community,” Ziggy Bloodlust said. “Anyone and everyone who comes out, no matter what kind of person they are, always has a really good time. They always come back. If we can get you to come to one bout, you’ll come again.” All are encouraged to attend the Burn City Rollers’ first bout of the season at the Skate Center on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m.

Futurebirds to rock at Bourbon Street Bar Saturday Anna Claire Conrad WRITER

Bourbon Street Bar will host a night of psychedelic country music and high-energy performances on Saturday, Feb. 23, when Futurebirds takes the stage. Straying from the typical disc jockey blasting remixes of America’s Top 40 hits that flood pop radio stations and Auburn bars alike, Futurebirds incorporates rhythmic percussion, pedal steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, acoustic and electric guitars, and vocal harmonies to piece together the music of this indie-rock band hailing from Athens, Ga. According to the band’s lead singer, Carter King, this is where the band members met each other and decided to make music together. “We all ended up going to school there in Athens for the most part, and we just kind of got together and started playing,” King said. “There’s no real aim in there to play any kind

of music. We just play.” And although Georgia will be on his mind when he and his band members play at Bourbon Street on their way home to Athens, King said they are excited to return to the Plains. “We’ve played Auburn a few times before, and it’s always been really good crowds,” King said. “It’s always a fun time. So, why wouldn’t we come back?” According to King, this will be the third time Futurebirds has performed at Bourbon Street. “There’s always been energetic, young spirits that come out for each show,” King said. Isabel Guerra, freshman in biomedical sciences, said she’s looking forward to something different to listen to while partaking in downtown Auburn’s nightlife. “I enjoy going out with my friends, but a lot of times you hear the same music everywhere you go,” Guerra said.

“Futurebirds seems to be different, and they seem like a band you can actually listen to and enjoy instead of just the kind of music that acts as background noise.” However, a refreshing change in music genre isn’t the only thing bar patrons should be looking forward to. According to King, people should come to his show ready to have a good time and get off of their feet. “People should expect to experience a lot of crowd surfing,” King said. “(They) should bring their crowd-surfing shoes.” King also said Saturday’s performance will be one all its own. “We try to keep every night, every performance different,” King said. “Each performance is unique.” Although she said she’s not a fan of crowd surfing, Jade Dwelley, junior in psychology, said she’s hoping to make it to the show.

COURTESY OF FUTUREBIRDS

Futurebirds released an EP called Exhume, a sampling of their early works, a demo and a live track.

“I don’t know about the whole crowd surfing thing, but from what I’ve seen about Futurebirds online they seem like a lot of fun,” Dwelley said. “I’d like to see them perform

and have a chance to listen to them live.” King also said Futurebirds will be taking a week off in Athens after performing at Bourbon Street before they

hit the road again for a couple shows in Texas. Futurebirds will start playing at 9:30 p.m. Saturday night, and will also be accompanied by New Madrid.

Intrigue B6

The Auburn Plainsman

Pro’s and con’s to pulling an all-nighter Kelsey Davis INTRIGUE WRITER

Midterm season is back in action. That means one thing for students: the return of the notorious all-nighter. Most of us have had to pull them here and there, maybe even two back-to-back if you’re a real badass. Word on the street indicates that some students are still skeptical of this time-honored practice. To make a more wellinformed decision on whether to commit to an all-nighter, examine the collected data below: Con: That uncomfortable moment when birds start chirping at 3:30 a.m. Pro: A delightfully bizarre state of delirium that becomes your personality for the entire next day until you go back to sleep. Con: That even more uncomfortable moment when you watch the sun rise from a pile of textbooks that you’re hiding under. Not studying, hiding under. Pro: Big Tymers’ “Still Fly” has never had more swag as when you make it the background music for this mo-

ment. Con: That song’s swag wears off after 15 seconds. Pro: Said newfound bizarre personality puts some hilarious tweets out there around 6:30 a.m. Con: In reality, those tweets are only funny to you. Pro: It’s more than appropriate to soberly eat a combination of cookies and leftover Chinese at 3:30 a.m. Con: The cookie-Chinese combination is not sitting well. Other con: You realize you’re probably not eligible to operate heavy machinery. One more con: You go to put the heading on your paper and you have absolutely no idea what year it is. Pro: I’m not really sure which of these are pro’s and which of these are con’s anymore Con: See above pro. Pro: Did I mention that I wrote this the morning after pulling an all nighter? *Critics say the con’s outweigh the pro’s. I disagree. Look at the list, numbers don’t lie.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Student hopes to provide to women in need Anna Beth Jager INTRIGUE REPORTER

For a lot of Auburn students, graduation is just around the corner, leaving most with big questions about the future and very few answers. But for Auburn senior Anna Kate Mullinix, the answer to what she wants her future to hold is clear. The dream is Imperfection Bakery, a suiting name for a bakery that will not only produce delicious treats, but also restore the self-esteem and self-worth of women who have suffered from human trafficking. The idea started in her kitchen, a simple conversation with her mom over what Mullinix planned to do after college graduation. “What it kind of boiled down to is that I love two things: I love people and I love baking,” she said. “My mom and I had a conversation and somehow combined those two loves. Whether it’s through hunger, not having clean water or human trafficking, social justice issues are great passions of mine.” The idea of Imperfection Bakery revolves around, as the website puts, “Loving people. Doing good. (And) baking treats.” Mullinix hopes to reach out to women who have been victims of physical oppression in order to help them get

their lives back on track after experiencing such physical and mental anguish. Faith also plays a big role in Mullinix’s life, and is a big reason behind why she has decided to start the bakery. “As a Christian, I am commanded to seek justice for those who are oppressed, and this is a way of using the talents that I’ve been given to do that,” she said. Mullinix said she hopes that Imperfection Bakery will have the ability to teach women new and necessary skills that will help them with future employers. This program would give women the resources to get their lives back to a good place, all the while restoring their self-esteem and self-worth after enduring such a tragic past. According to the website, “Imperfection Bakery would take in classes of 8-12 women for a given period of time, teach them things like pastry and baking skills, how to cook, how to garden, waitressing, how to manage finances and how to work with others while restoring their humanity, dignity and value.” Mullinix plans to reach out to women who are recovering in transitional living homes across the United States. These homes take women in right after they have been rescued from slavery and are the first step in the healing process. Im-

“

Whether it’s through hunger, not having clean water or human trafficking, social justice issues are a passion of mine.” —Anna Kate Mullinix SENIOR IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAMILY STUDIES

perfection Bakery hopes to continue the fight for the mental, physical and spiritual rehabilitation that these women will have to endure once they have been rescued. With a healthy environment and lots of love, Mullinix hopes to change these women’s lives forever. “I have been raised to believe that my purpose in life is to love and care for others, no matter what their past,” she said. “As a hunger studies minor and someone who has had a great deal of experience working with people who have experienced physical oppression, I know that I don’t want a conventional job. I want to make a difference.”

App of the week: Sleep Cycle alarm clock Elizabeth Wieck INTRIGUE EDITOR

As a college student, getting enough sleep is a nightly struggle. A good night’s rest is always losing to the ever–present power struggle with classes, studying and extracurricular activities. But did you know there’s an app for that? Enter Sleep Cycle, which according to the app’s developers, Maciek Drejak Labs, is a “bio-alarm clock” that wakes you up during your lightest phase of sleep by tracking your sleep patterns. Students who have taken a psychology class know that human sleep patterns register in waves; we are constantly oscillating from light sleep to deep sleep throughout the night. By utilizing the iPhone’s movement–sensing accelerometer, Sleep Cycle can determine your sleep patterns for the night by measuring how much you move while you sleep. In order for the Apple–only app to catch your movement, you must place your phone face down on the bed by your pillow. But what does calculating sleep movement have to do with feeling more rested? Before you go to sleep, you select a 30–minute time frame in which to be woken up the next morning. By tracking

movement throughout the night, Sleep Cycle can define when your body is most awake in the morning and wake you at that point during your selected time frame. According to the Sleep Cycle’s App Store front, waking up while in your lightest sleep phase is the “natural way to wake up feeling rested and relaxed.” I can certainly appreciate the waking up problem Sleep Cycle is trying to tackle. Parents, siblings and friends can attest that I’m notoriously terrible at waking up. When my alarm goes off, all I can think about is hitting snooze until the last second, no matter what productive plans I have. But does it actually work? As with many things, the answer is unclear. When I first started using Sleep Cycle, I was actually looking forward to waking up to see if I’d found my new miracle worker. After those few days though, the excitement wore off and I was again dreading my early morning wakeup calls. However, my 99 cents spent in the App Store was not lost. Since Sleep Cycle keeps track of your sleep patterns, it records the data of how many hours you sleep per night. While it’s easy to simply calculate hours slept by looking at a clock before you go to sleep and when you wake up, Sleep Cycle incorporates a few features that make knowing longterm sleeping patterns useful. Before you set your alarm, you can add “sleep notes” to the night, which will

tag each night with activities that might promote or reduce sleep. Possible sleep notes include “drank coffee,” “took a nap,” “consumed alcohol” and “stressed out,” although you can tailor your own to personal preferences. After consistently tagging nights, Sleep Cycle creates numerous graphs that can be quite useful to anyone who is lacking sleep and wants to know what a possible cause might be. Perhaps you’ll discover those four–hour nights of sleep are due to an afternoon cappuccino.

FILE

The statistics screen of Sleep Cycle calculates various data sets.

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Intrigue B7

The Auburn Plainsman

Auburn paintball team splatters opposition Daniel Cannaday WRITER

In the early 2000s, paintball was a recreational activity. Groups of friends might go to the woods or a local course and play every so often, but competition was limited to what those groups could create. Some players, however, found themselves inextricably drawn to the seductive hiss of high-end markers firing and the gratifying pop of paintballs covering a target in neon-colored paint. For these players, paintball became somewhat of an obsession, leading to the creation of worldwide tournaments and a sport that today is fast-paced, exciting and extremely competitive. The new-look Auburn paintball team is a collection of these individuals who simply can’t get enough of the game, and that dynamic is leading to success on the competitive tournament field. Last weekend they placed third in the Aces tournament, an event that boasted the best Southeastern region paintball teams in its field. “We were actually first going into the last round of the tournament. I think we were ahead by over 100 points, actually,” said Brad Lugar, senior in industrial engineering and team captain. Given that the most points a team can score in any game is 40, that’s an impressive lead. “And we did it all without a single practice,” said Lugar. In fact, most of the players had not even met before last Sunday. Lugar blames former leadership and the economic downturn for the previous lack of organization and interest in the sport at Auburn, but given Sun-

MICHAEL DAY / PHOTOGRAPHER

Chris Kay gets down to business in full protection and gear during the Aces competition.

day’s result he cannot complain too much. “Look, we went through that and got here. Can you imagine what we’ll be able to do after an hour and a half of practice?” Lugar said. Perhaps the defining characteristic of the team is that with only a weekend under their belts, the players have developed a surprising rapport. At their weekly meeting on Tuesday, players gathered in Lugar’s home and discussed organization and tac-

tics while joking about the previous weekend’s missed plays and mistakes. “I’m just awesome,” said Chris Kay, junior in architecture, of his performance on Sunday. This statement was followed by several groans and chuckles from the surrounding players. “We talk smack to each other in the middle of the week, but when the ref says 10 seconds, you know, we’re ready to go,” said Payton Howle, junior in environmental science.

Another critical element to the team’s success is Victoria Hart, sophomore in public relations, the team’s manager, coach and number one fan. “Whenever we called (a play) Victoria was probably the loudest one screaming,” said Lugar. She also gave a power point presentation at the meeting, highlighting the need for more preparation before the games begin. In Speedball, the game of choice for Auburn’s team and most profession-

al paintballers, players start at opposite ends of a field dotted with inflatable obstacles known as bunkers. The object is to make it to the opponent’s side, grab their flag and return it without getting hit. Because of the general lack of cover, winning the game becomes dependent on withering cover fire from “back” players, and turning the enemy’s flank with speedy forward players darting between bunkers. “It’s the fastest-growing sport in the world,” said Lugar. He backs up this statement by showing a picture of Cam Newton in full paintball regalia, clearly about to start a game. “Man, if he came out with us one weekend, that’d be awesome,” said Lugar. So if Superman is reading, the gauntlet has been thrown down, and the paintball team would like to see if he can dodge paintballs as well as he does NFL linemen. Lugar also extended an invite to Auburn students who would like to try the world’s most popular extreme sport. “We don’t have tryouts, and if you’re dedicated, we can find you a spot on the field come Sunday no matter your experience level. I mean we love to win, but honestly it’s all about having fun and loving the game,” Lugar said. One thing is certain; the paintball team at Auburn is poised to have an excellent year, and they are proud to be representing the school. “Once we started winning, and people started coming up to us like, ‘Hey, War Eagle,’ that’s when I realized we were doing something bigger. It’s a great feeling to be doing something for the school,” said Lugar.

Behind the scenes with Auburn’s very own Tweet-elite student 17-16 bartender Twitter accounts with cult followings reveal Caitlin Wagenseil INTRIGUE REPORTER

At the beginning of her senior year, Deanna Nguyen enjoyed spending nights downtown with friends at 17-16. Fast-forward a few months, and she now stands behind the downtown bar serving up drinks to the many bar-goers in Auburn. Nguyen, senior in human resource management, said she chose to work at 17-16 because of how well she had gotten to know the bartenders and bouncers there, and that they had made her feel very welcome. “The group of people that work there is such a close-knit group, almost like a family,” Nguyen said. “I knew that was the type of environment I wanted to work in because everyone was just so personable.” Nguyen started bartending at 17-16 toward the end of December and into early January of this year. She was given a list of mixed drinks and shots to memorize when she began working. Additionally, Nguyen said the training process was very hands on. “They let me practice making drinks on the first night, and I just learned things as I went,” Nguyen said. “I only started working a few months ago so I’m still learning a lot. There are still a few drinks people will order that I’m not familiar with, but I usually just ask them what’s in it or I’ll just ask another bartender.” She has come to enjoy being behind the bar serving her friends. “It was a bit strange bartending for my friends at first because I was so used to being on the other side of the bar with them,” Nguyen said. “Now it’s more comforting to see familiar faces and it’s easier to practice making drinks for them.” Interacting with her friends while at work has also proved to be her favorite thing about bartending. Additionally, Nguyen said she enjoys learning new skills as a bartender. While bartending can be fun, it does require a lot of hard work, dedication and patience. “The most challenging part is trying to accommodate to everyone’s orders as quickly as possible in such a fast paced environment; but I’m learning to get faster,” Nguyen said. The busiest nights typically fall on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Nguyen said that while these nights may be the busiest, they can also be the best shifts to work. “Drink specials are actually my favorite nights because the drinks are relatively simple and the nights go by faster when it’s busier,” she said. “I know how

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details of running an anonymous handle

I love everyone I work with, and it’s almost like I have another family. Everyone gets along, and I feel like I’m surrounded by friends, not just co-workers.” —Deanna Nguyen SENIOR IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

to make most drinks, but if I don’t know something I just ask another bartender. Everyone is so nice behind the bar so everyone is willing to help out.” There are times when someone ordering a drink has reached a point when they don’t need to drink anymore. “If someone appears to be too intoxicated, I usually try to find a manager to address the situation, and typically we’ll try to work with the person or just give them water,” Nguyen said. She said there have been some instances when someone needed to be cut off, but Nguyen said she has yet to personally experience having to do that. As for why she started her bartending gig, it was simply to make a few extra bucks. “Girl’s gotta pay the bills,” Nguyen said. She added that bartending was something she had thought about doing a semester before she actually began working. “I had always had a job, and wanted a new challenge,” Nguyen said. Her shifts at the bar normally consist of two to three nights per week, depending on the schedule. “My shifts can range from about seven or eight hours, and I usually leave around 3 a.m.,” Nguyen said. Nguyen grew up as an Auburn fan, and knew she wanted to later attend college here. She plans on bartending until she graduates in December in order to save money for after college and to have spending money until she can get settled into a new job. Nguyen said she wants to remain working at 17-16 until she graduates because of the wonderful people she is always around at the bar. “I love everyone I work with, and it’s almost like I have another family,” she said. “Everyone gets along, and I feel like I’m surrounded by friends, not just co-workers.” After graduation, Nguyen hopes to find a job in the field of human resources, preferably in a corporate setting.

Anna Beth Jager INTRIGUE REPORTER

Anonymous University Twitter accounts have become increasingly popular throughout the past couple years at various schools around the country. The idea is usually to post witty, generalized references about basically anything and everything interesting to college students. Auburn has a wide variety of anonymous accounts, ranging from classic Auburn woes from @Auburn_Problems, a spinoff of the popular “Bad Luck Brian” joke from @BadLuckBrianAU and even @bama_jokes. Every account is used as an outlet to post things that relate to the Auburn student body. But who are the geniuses behind these accounts that continue to grow in popularity with every new retweet? We’ve talked to @Tiger_Makeout, and now it’s time to talk to a few of the creators of some of the most popular Auburn anonymous Twitter accounts among Auburn students, @AuburnGirlProblems, @War_ Srat_Eagle and @AUGirlStruggles. While every account has its own unique reason for when and why it started up, the general consensus is that these accounts allow the creators to say what everyone else is thinking, but not actually saying out loud. For @War_Srat_Eagle, it’s about tweeting things with a biting humor that may be too inappropriate to put their name on. “Due to career aspirations, as well as my sorority’s standards board, I was never able to tweet without a filter,” @War_Srat_Eagle said. “But, of course, the funniest things I have to say are generally also the most inappropriate.” Which makes sense, because it’s unlikely future employers will see the hilariousness of most of the @War_Srat_Eagle tweets, such as “Pretty bored lately. Thinking about picking up a coke habit.” Followers may laugh, but a potential boss who recently returned from rehab because of a cocaine addiction probably wouldn’t find it as hilarious. “You know when you have a class where you know absolutely no one?” @War_Srat_Eagle said. “And you think of some re-

ally funny commentary for what the teacher is saying or the stupid questions that one boy always asks? And you just want to share that hilarious quip with some, but you’re not comfortable enough with any of the other students, but you just have to tell someone or you’ll explode? War Srat is that kind of outlet for me.” That is what most anonymous accounts are used for, and while every Auburn student has a different reason for following them, the relevant, day-to-day material these tweets consist of keep all entertained. @AUGirlStruggles uses its Twit-

COURTESY OF TWITTER

ter not only to vent and say what’s on its mind, but also to relate to other students. “Most of my Tweets or ‘struggles’ are relative to all Auburn students, like being harassed on the concourse or having lives threatened by rude bicyclists,” @AUGirlStruggles said. “Being relatable is key. Honestly, who wants to follow someone that they have nothing in common with? Not me.” @AuburnGirlProblems also has an incredible amount of followers, ranging up to more than 3,000. “I think it’s totally awesome that all these people find us interesting enough to be on their timelines,” @ AuburnGirlProblems said. It’s not easy to keep followers, but these accounts do it well and continue to grow on a daily basis. “The best way to develop a fan base is by creating content people want to read,” @War_Srat_Eagle said. “I aim to do so.” Every account owner also has their own personal Twitter account that is used interchangeably. @AUGirlStruggles said which Twitter account it uses depends on its mood. “If I feel like being a diva or complaining, I usually go to my anon(ymous) account,” @AUGirl-

Struggles said. Which makes sense, right? Because there is always that one chick from high school who fills up timelines with ridiculous subtweets, causing us all to mentally cringe while simultaneously giving each anonymous account new material to work with. Take for instance, @AuburnGirlProblem’s tweet that read, “There are some people who I am only friends with on Facebook so I can be reminded how amazing I am doing.” But with Tweets like these, angry feedback from negative onlookers seems almost inevitable. “Every once in a while we’ll get somebody that says something (negative), but we honestly don’t care...after all, it’s just the Internet,” @AuburnGirlProblems said. “I have on occasion received negative feedback,” @War_Srat_ Eagle said. “One hundred percent of the time it’s from someone who just simply did not get the joke. Sometimes people are unable to grasp the direction I am attempting to come from and they get their panties all in a wad.” While each account has had negative feedback, it is unlikely you will ever see them in trouble for targeting specific organizations on campus in their tweets. “I don’t target anyone specifically and I never have,” @War_ Srat_Eagle said. “Why make people upset and hurt feelings when you can instead make them laugh? WSE has never been a platform for me to air my own personal vendettas against specific people or groups.” @AuburnGirlProblems and @ AUGirlStruggles feel similarly, both pointing out they have never purposefully tried to call out or insult any fraternity, sorority or any other on-campus organization. While these anonymous accounts aren’t willing to reveal their identity, they did have a few messages for the student body. “I love you Cam Newton and War Damn!” @AUGirlStruggles said. “Trent Fisher....call me,” @AuburnGirlProblems said. “My Tigercard is pretty low on money, so if anyone wants to buy me taco truck I have a break MFW at noon!” @War_Srat_Eagle said.

Intrigue B8

The Auburn Plainsman

Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Guitar Shoppe hosts multi-genre playing session Locals play a sampling of music from various genres, including blues, jazz and R&B on the drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass and piano Kelsey Davis INTRIGUE WRITER

Tunes ranging from the down home acoustic pops of bluegrass, to varying forms of rock, to some of the most soul-filled blues, jazz and R&B you’ve ever heard floated from a back room of The Guitar Shoppe last Saturday, and will continue to for Saturdays to come. The Saturday jam sessions that The Guitar Shoppe has begun to hold are catered to fit any type of musician and instrument. The shop hosted bluegrass sessions from 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m., rock sessions from 1 p.m.3 p.m., and jazz, blues and R&B sessions from 3:30p.m.-6 p.m. Most players bring their own instruments, but they’re welcome to come in and try any new instruments that interest them. As the schedule for what type of music was to be played at what time changed, mandolins were swapped out for electric basses, keyboard rifts were cycled in and out, amps shook with noise, almost anything was acceptable. With the range of music being so wide open, there’s room for any type of musician, or even just a lover of music looking for a live and unedited music fix. “My overall vision is for this to be a place where people can come and hang out, try something new and just have fun,” said store owner Tom O’Shea. O’Shea’s vision is not far from what took place on Saturday, as musicians of all variety drifted in and out of the jam sessions. Throughout the day, the room transformed and molded around the music that was being played in it. At the end of the bluegrass session sat three local men, strumming on different acoustic instruments and reminiscing about their vibrant lives as musicians. “Back in 1968 I started playing gui-

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My overall vision is for this to be a place where people can come and hang out, try something new and just have fun.” —Tom O’Shea GUITAR SHOPPE OWNER

tar,” said Elijah, whose voice imitates the style of Jimi Hendrix. “I started playing when I was 6,” responded Tommy Leonard, 23. As the bluegrass session fades out, and the rock session fades in, electric guitars replace acoustic ones and a drum set is assembled. The guys play everything from electric spin offs of Tool songs to their rendition of country singer Hunter Hayes’ songs, acoustic style. “When I hear songs being played on the radio, I hear the style that it could be, the style that I could make it, not what it is,” said Greg Jones, 26, after playing his personalized version of Hunter Hayes’ “Wanted.” The room fills when it becomes time for the blues, jazz and R&B session - the drummer takes his spot behind the drum set, guitarists and bassists find available seats in chairs, on amps or standing, someone sits at the keyboard that’s tucked back in the corner, and then the magic begins. As the music starts up, the vibe becomes palpable. All heads are nodding, even customers who wander back to take a peek. The guys smile while playing, so absorbed in their music that they become completely oblivious to outside observers. After they finish, they’ll sometimes

KELSEY DAVIS / INTRIGUE WRITER

Musicians collaborate with drums, the keyboard, bass guitar and electric guitar in the blues, jazz and R&B session.

start to laugh as if they’ve all been told a joke that spectators couldn’t hear. There of course is no joke, it’s just an expression of the pure joy that playing like this brings them. “I really needed this, to be honest with you,” Leonard said about Saturday’s jam session. But the day had to come to an end. “I hate cutting in on something so good, but we’ve got to call it a day,” said O’Shea at around 6 p.m. Conversation turned immediately among the musicians to returning the following Saturday. Along with maintaining the Saturday jam sessions, The Guitar Shoppe would like to begin nights for those playing band instruments, as well as a series of workshops such as “how to get the most out of your guitar amplifier,” “use of pedals” and more. “We have, I hope, a feeling of openness for everything,” O’Shea said. “That’s what I really want, so people can feel comfortable and happy enough just to come in and sit down a while.”

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KELSEY DAVIS / INTRIGUE WRITER

Greg Jones and Chris Souter jam during the rock session on electric and acoustic guitars.

RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, October 9, 2012

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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

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39 Novelist Waugh 42 Lisa of “A Different World” 43 2005-’07 attorney general Gonzales 44 Nebraska neighbor 45 Broadway fare 48 “I insist!” 49 Trojan War epic 50 Miniature 52 Nail file material

54 Mariners’ pronouns 56 Volcanic flow 57 Sitter’s handful 58 Hit the ground 59 Powerful wind 61 Word that can precede either part of each starred clue’s answer 62 Animation frame

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

10/09/12

Sudoku

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Solution to last Sunday’s puzzle

10/28/12

Complete the grid so each row, column and

DOWN 1 Baby bleater 2 1966 N.L. batting champ Matty 3 Protective floor coverings

9/11/12 9/10/12

10/09/12