2008_09_30

The Golden Eagles are gearing up for Fall ball. See page 8.

TOMORROW

TODAY

Want to get your student newspaper on your iPod? Subscribe to your Printz Radio News podcast now.

80 / 50

88 / 59

www.studentprintz.com

S P The

Serving Southern Miss since 1927

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Volume 93, Issue 12

Congress rejects bailout deal

From staff and wire reports Subprime mortgage? Toxic loans? Securitization?

As the U.S. Congress continues to grapple with how to deal with a massive financial bailout designed to save both the American and world markets, what’s a poor college student to do?

“Students shouldn’t worry,” said Sami Dakhlia, USM assistant professor of economic. “I think everything will be fine.”

In the short term, Dakhlia said students should take a “wait and see” attitude regarding the outcome of today’s volatile financial markets.

But to be on the safe side, Dakhlia said students should think hard before making those bigticket purchases. “Don’t get in

‘‘

The real thing to fear is a rise in unemployment rate, which is already up 2 percent...If a recession isn’t avoided, a lot of people just coming out of college will have a hard time finding a job because of a slow economy in general.”

-Mark Klinedinst, Economics professor

over your head,” he said.

So how did we get here?

The economy started to slump in 2003 and the Federal Reserve Bank lowered interest rates in hopes that more Americans would buy a home.

Lenders sweetened the deal by introducing new kinds of loans – adjustable rate mortgages and subprime loans -- which made buying a home easier for those with questionable credit.

’’

The result? Lots of people bought lots of homes. But banks need liquidity in their assets so they started a process called securitization, which is selling packages of mortgage loans to financial institutions like Lehman Brothers at a profit.

The banks would bundle good loans – those that are expected to be paid back – with not so good loans in the sales.

Because securitization is fast

and profitable for banks, there was more money available to give loans to more people.

Borrowers’ credit quality took a back seat to selling a higher quantity of loans.

As interest rates decreased and the number of buyers increased, houses were in high demand and prices rose. But all those borrowers could not pay for the houses they bought, thus creating a “bubble” in the real estate market. The bubble burst when lenders started foreclosing on houses that could not be paid off by the subprime borrowers. The demand in houses decreased, which dropped their collective value, and the value of the housing market collapsed.

Companies like Lehman BAILOUT continued on page 3

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN MISSISSIPPI

Friday’s debate starts discussion Students sound off on presidential candidates Andy Hess Executive Editor

OXFORD - Even though Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain left the Ford Center at the University of Mississippi late Saturday evening, students and citizens who came to watch the debate on the lawn at The Grove were weighing in on the evening.

The viewing party -- which was prefaced by a concert series featuring local favorites the North Mississippi All-Stars -- was half tailgating party, half a presidential debate with tents and booths set up by both Obama and McCain camps among others.

“I love the school’s set up and everything they had going on in the Grove,” said Kenneth Anderson, a civil engineering major from the University of Alabama. “It’s been great. An Ole Miss student let me sit on their blanket. They were all very friendly and it was a very loving environment.”

But the fun-loving atmosphere turned into a partisan event quickly as the sun set and the debate began. Cheers and boos could be heard throughout debate as Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain verbally sparred during the debate over foreign policy and the economy.

While the general consensus was that there was no winner, the debate helped shape the opinion

For more coverage • Photo galleries • Video • Exclusive stories Check us out online: www.studentprintz.com of indifferent voters.

“There were very strong in their opinions,” said Shane Russell, a junior computer engineering major from the University of Alabama. “They both brought up good points.”

“There wasn’t a clear winner, but I think McCain increased his image with the votership,” the 21-year-old added. “He came off as a very stoic veteran and approachable and human. Obama already felt like that and I think the test for Obama is if he can stand up against that experience.

I thought he faired pretty well.”

But that’s not to say there weren’t plenty of people who thought their candidate easily won in a landslide.

“John McCain just stuck to the talking points, while Obama answered the questions America wanted to hear,” said Dwight Mason, 41, of South Haven.

“I think McCain was much more confident in his presentation and came off as more of a leader and Obama was struggling to come up with things to

Sebe Dale IV, David Jackson, Patrick Laughlin/Printz

Top Left: Southern Miss alumni, now Ole Miss grad students, (from left) Nathan Wilson, first year law grad from Gulfport; Leslie Gaddis, first year pharmacy grad from Meridian; and Jaime McKercher, first year law grad from Vicksburg watch the 2008 Presidential Debate from The Grove on the Ole Miss Campus. Bottom Left: Camaron Robinson shows support for Sen. Barack Obama with a sign at the 2008 Presidential Debate Friday. Robinson said that she only wishes she could vote as a 6-year-old. Right: Students gathered inside the Power House watch as Senator Obama speaks at the presidential debate last Friday. The debate was shown by the USM College Democrats and the College Republicans.

say,” said Sara Balch, 20, a senior marketing major at the Unversity of Mississippi.

For others, the debate did not clarify policy and was nothing more than rhetoric.

“I personally felt that these candidates have been saying the same thing over and over,” said Asma Al-Sherri, 18, a doublemajor in political science and

public policy leadership. “I was one of the few students who was invited to the debate and I decided not to go because I felt it pointless to go.

“Honestly, they were both attacking each other and nothing was really discussed in the end other than a bunch of slandering.”

‘‘

Honestly, they were both attacking each other and nothing was really discussed in the end other than a bunch of slandering

’’

-Asma Al-Sherri, political science and public policy double major

Counseling center to increase awareness about suicide Candi Johnson Printz Writer

The University of Southern Mississippi Counseling Center will host Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, 2008.

The week will feature various events and a guest appearance by Ross Szabo, national speaker and author of “Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health, A Guide for Young Adults.”

According to a report by MSNBC. com, suicide is the second leading cause of death among college

students. The report revealed that more than half of American college students have considered suicide at some point in their lives.

Brandi Gunter, licensed marriage and family therapist of USM Counseling Center, said there are many different complex personal, environmental, social and cultural factors that contribute to a person’s risk for suicide. “In general, a person considering suicide may experience increased feelings of hopelessness and helpless, feelings of being a burden to others, and lacking a sense of purpose in one’s life,” Gunter explained.

‘‘

The purpose of the week is to remember those on our campus and in our community who have been affected by suicide and to bring awareness to the relevance of this topic on college -Brandi Gunter, USM Counseling Center campuses.

Gunter said it is important to address the issue of suicide on college campuses. “The purpose of the week is to remember those on our campus and in our community who have been affected by suicide and to bring awareness to the relevance of this topic on college campuses.” Gunter added that Dr.

’’

Joe Paul, vice-president of Student Affairs, would officially announce the beginning of Suicide Awareness Week on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. The announcement would signal the beginning of several activities to occur throughout the remainder of the week.

On Tuesday, Sept. 30 from 10

a.m. until 2 p.m., there will be an information fair held in the Thad Cochran Center. The fair will feature Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources, Pine Grove Behavioral Health, Student Counseling Services, Memorial Behavioral Health, Shafer Crisis Center and the Domestic Abuse Family Shelter. Kym Garraway, a local artist, is donating a painting to be given away in a drawing.

On Wednesday, Ross Szabo will present “What Happy Faces are Hiding: Talking about Depression.” Gunter said Ross will share his personal story of struggles

with Bipolar Disorder as a young adult and emphasize the danger of substance abuse, isolation, and untreated mental illness. Ross is currently the Director of Youth Outreach for the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign and began speaking about mental health at age 17. In the last 6 years he is the only person in the country who has spoken to well over half a million young people in high schools and colleges about mental health issues. He was named 2007 Best Male Performer of the Year

by Campus Activities Magazine which recognized him as one of

Page 2|News

Help Southern Miss go green by recycling this when you’re done!

www.studentprintz.com |Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Graduate Studies reinstated Bob Worth Printz Writer

Changing USM’s Graduate Studies Office back to a School of Graduate Studies provides a better “fit” for the future, Provost Robert Lyman said.

The name and format change, announced Wednesday by USM President Martha Saunders, reverses action that was part of a major academic restructuring done during former President Shelby Thames’ tenure in office.

“This fits very well with the president’s strategic plan,” Lyman said. “We’ve had thriving graduate programs” and the redesignation of the program as a school “will highlight the good things we’ve been doing.”

USM’s redeisgnated graduate school will be placed under the administration of a dean, which Lyman said will “enable us to have a better conversation about the needs of graduate programs.”

The change brings the USM

structure back in line with other research institutions that have extensive graduate programs, including Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The redesignation also comes after a resolution by USM’s Graduate Council that requested the change.

Placing graduate programs under the banner of a graduate school will raise the profile of the school’s graduate programs, said Susan Siltanen, USM’s graduate studies director. It also shows USM is “committed to graduate education,” Siltanen said.

“I’m really excited and I applaud the president, because I think it really helps clearly communicate her vision of a research institution,” Siltanen said.

David Histing, a guitar performance and music theory graduate student from Mobile, said from a student’s point of view, the redesignation “seems like a step in the right direction. There are lots of reasons to be optimistic about this.”

Awareness

continued from page one the top speakers in the country on the college speaking circuit.

“We invited Ross back this year because he is such an effective speaker and able to connect and relate to a college-aged audience,” Gunter said.

Ross will provide autographed copies of his new book, “Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health, A Guide for Young Adults,” at JavaWerks following his presentation. Gunter said the event, known as “Java Joiners,” will be an opportunity for students and the community to join together to enjoy music, mingle and to get additional information on suicide prevention. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening and JavaWerks will offer coupons for discounted coffee drinks, redeemable only during that night. A Candlelight Vigil for survivors of

suicide and those surviving someone lost to suicide will close the week’s events on Thursday. A short reception will follow.

All events are free of charge and USM Counseling Services hopes for strong student participation.

Gunter said Student Counseling Services offers free and confidential counseling for all enrolled students and can provide community referrals for those who are not comfortable seeking services on campus.

Those who are interested “I think it’s important for students to know that anyone can be affected by suicide. Sure some populations are considered to be more at risk than others but, no one is immune to feeling overwhelmed and as if they do not have the resources to cope with personal loss and emotional pain.”

www.studentprintz.com |News

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 | Page 3

Chuck Kennedy/MCT

The Capitol is illuminated under cloudy skies Monday as Congress works on a bailout for the American economy, in Washington, September 29, 2008.

Bailout

continued from page one

Brothers went bankrupt because several creditors -- including smaller banks -- defaulted on their loans to them.

The federal government has been trying to get Congressional approval for a bail-out program since the middle of September but was handed yet another defeat Monday.

The New York Times reported Monday a $700 billion rescue plan designed to avert further problems on Wall Street and Main Street was rejected in the House of Representatives, driving stocks downward and causing general concern throughout Washington.

While lawmakers continue to argue about rescue plan efforts, Mark Klinedinst, a USM economics professor, said even if a rescue plan is passed, it’s

hard to say what the outcome will be.

Klinedinst said if a bailout plan is passed and works, it could save the United States from a huge recession. For USM students, avoiding a recession means a higher availability of jobs after graduation, he said.

“The real thing to fear is a rise in unemployment rate, which is already up 2 percent,” Klinedinst said. “If a recession isn’t avoided, a lot of people just coming out of college will have a hard time finding a job because of a slow economy in general.”

Students often turn to graduate school if the job market picture at graduation is unpleasant. Dakhlia said graduate school can be a good op-

tion, but students should explore the job market in their field of study to make the best decision about their future after graduation.

“I think things will be fine,” Dakhlia said. “We’ll maybe have a deal by the end of the week.”

In the meantime, an article in this week’s Time magazine recommends keeping a maximum of $100,000 in any one bank, since this is the highest amount the FDIC insures. The article also advocates consumers keep a close eye on their credit score and not do anything to harm it.

-- Printz staffers Lesley Walters, Meryl Dakin and Bob Worth contributed to this story.

For a complete glossary of terms regarding the financial crisis in Washington visit us online. www.studentprintz.com

Opinions

Page 4 opinion@studentprintz.com

Help Southern Miss go green by recycling this when youʼre done!

Debate leaves questions When Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s Morning Edition, criticized Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Bob in a recent inWorth terview about Printz Writer his country’s restriction of ballot access to only state-approved candidates, Ahmadinejad came back with a zinger.

“Can anyone run in the U.S. without approval of the major parties?” he asked, and noted that there are only two legitimate U.S. presidential candidates, versus Iran’s eight.

Inskeep retorted that the Iranian candidates were “about an inch apart” politically, but after watching the Presidential debate in Oxford Friday, it’s clear that Ahmadinejad, unqualified as he is to question anyone’s democratic credentials, makes a clear and valid point.

Conventional wisdom would say the United States is a deeply polarized country facing dif-

ficult times. One would expect the political system to reflect that by producing two candidates with distinct policy differences, but Friday’s debate showed that hasn’t been the case.

The debate offered virtually nothing unexpected, clarifying, or informative. It presented a great deal of rhetorical conflict, but no substantive policy differences. In fact, the only thing the candidates seemed to differ on was who had the experience and skills necessary to effectively lead the country.

As expected, McCain adopted an alpha male stance, highlighting Obama’s limited foreign policy experience against his own extensive resume. Obama took it in stride, demonstrated his grasp of the issues, and tarred McCain with his association by virtue of party affiliation with the unpopular Bush administration Behind the lectern, the men differed tactically, but were all too similar in policy, to the point that Obama said that he agreed with McCain six times.

They agreed that Iran was a rogue state that needed to be diplomatically engaged, differing only on what was an appropriate level of engagement.

McCain called for workinglevel talks, while Obama said that he would meet with Iranian leaders personally.

The North Korean issue produced more of the same. Both men agreed that the state was a threat and needed reform, but gave no indication of how they would engage the country, if at all.

Despite moderator Jim Lehrer prodding them on how they would modify their spending plans to cope with the costs of the financial crisis, neither would admit that spending $700 billion on the economy necessitates spending less elsewhere. McCain said he would cut spending on pork, and Obama said he would raise revenue by taxing the rich, but both candidates appeared content with the deficit-financed status quo.

When Iraq came up, they of course attacked each other’s records. Obama chided McCain for his Senate vote for the war, and McCain called Obama out for having opposed the surge, but their plans for the future were chilling in their similarity. Both proposed withdrawal when Iraq was ready to stand on its own two feet; the only difference being that Obama thinks we can leave in 16 months, whereas McCain wasn’t committed to a time frame Obama and McCain bring different experiences, qualifications, and certainly rhetoric, to the race. But they don’t offer voters much choice on policy, much less ideology. By no means should we feel ashamed because an authoritarian nut like Ahmadinejad criticized our political institutions, but we would be wise to acknowledge his point, and that the current system has not given voters a real choice.

Bob Worth is a staff writer for The Student Printz. Comments can be sent to printz@usm.edu

Letter to the Editor

Before using chemicals, get educated In response to Jillian Etheridge’s article titled “Cleaning chemicals a cause for concern,” ignorance regarding common chemicals can be even more of a cause for concern. Quaternium-15 does, in fact, intentionally release very small amounts of formaldehyde as a means of protection against bacterial infection. For this reason, quaternium-15 is present in cosmetics for defense against bacteria such as pseudomonas opthalmia nonatorum, which can cause blindness in less than eight hours.

Furthermore, the company Etheridge cites in support of avoiding such ingredients sells products containing diazolidinyl urea, also a formaldehydereleasing preservative. Formaldehyde is a toxic chemical and can cause health problems.

However, it is also produced naturally in the human body and is necessary for biological processes. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Disorder is an acquired allergy to chemicals that can include formaldehyde or even caffeine or theobromine (found in chocolate/kills dogs).

In response to comments made about chemicals “apparently” being our friends in the medical world, advances in pharmaceuticals have greatly

improved our quality of life.

In fact, the “synthetic chemicals” that we must avoid in order to stay safe might not be so synthetic after all. Aspirin is a derivative of salicylic acid found in the bark of willow trees. Humans have long known that chewing on this bark relieves pain. Chemists slightly altered the chemical to be less harsh on our stomachs (by blocking the acid part), and today, aspirin is known to have many health benefits. Finally, the natural cleaners Etheridge recommends, while “natural”, are manufactured via industrial processes. There are no baking soda mines or vinegar springs. Instead, chemical engineers have designed a process to mass produce these materials by starting with chemicals that might raise unnecessary concerns for chemophobes.

In conclusion, be educated about what chemicals you are dealing with on a daily basis.

One way to do this is by researching a chemical’s Materials Safety Data Sheet. Look up some of your favorite chemicals and see what their MSDSs say about them. Chemical safety education can eliminate unwarranted stigmas concerning synthetic compounds and improve the overall quality of your life.

Justin Poelma

www.studentprintz.com |Opinions

Tuesday, September 30, 2008| Page 5

McCain lives up to his ‘maverick’ personality Ric McCluskey GOP presidential candidate John McCain lived up to his “maverick” persona Friday at the presidential debate in Oxford, MS. McCain came into the debate with a list of points he needed to highlight in order to point out the inconsistencies and inexperience of his counterpart, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

With the debate topic changing from foreign policy to the economy in light of the recent talk about federal bailouts, McCain reminded viewers of

Obama’s irresponsible spending during his tenure in the Senate.

McCain pointed out Obama’s $932 billion in ear-mark requests. He said these actions in the Senate were devastating to the budget and could be amplified if Obama won the presidency, perpetuating our economic crisis.

Obama continually attacked McCain, accusing him of being the next President Bush.

Obama’s dream, however, of a bloated government and out-ofcontrol spending is strikingly similar to the current administration.

The attacks on McCain partisanship are invalid because McCain has been overwhelmingly bi-partisan in his years in office.

He has co-authored legislation with Democratic Senators Russ Feingold and Ted Kennedy. He has also stood against his party in the past when his convictions did not align with his fellow Republicans.

Sen. Obama preaches change while Sen. McCain has demonstrated it by reaching across the aisle and working hand-in-hand with Democrats to pass bills he felt would benefit the American people.

One of Obama’s promises

was to cut taxes for 95% of Americans. There are two reasons why I have trouble believing this. The first reason is Obama’s voting record. In the Senate, Sen. Obama voted to raise taxes on people with an annual income as low as $42,000.

The second reason is Obama’s plan for Universal Health care and drastic tax cuts at the same time. It doesn’t take an economist to realize this is impossible.

The only way for this to happen is to tax businesses so heavily that it would force them to shut down or conduct business

in another country, leading to millions of lost American jobs.

I don’t think this is a price people are willing to pay to turn our country into the socialist utopia of Obama’s dreams.

McCain bringing forth these facts during the debate obviously had Sen. Obama on his heels. He spent most of the debate flustered, trying to find the vague rhetoric that got him this far. On two occasions, it seemed as if he couldn’t even remember Sen. McCain’s name.

Some people thought McCain appeared condescending and bully-like. What did this accomplish? It showed the coun-

try how Obama would react under the pressure of a stern and even defiant individual, much like those he would encounter while enacting his planned foreign policy as our president.

John McCain showed it will take much more than a charismatic and articulate candidate with a “rock star” status to run our country. When the election is over, ambiguous plans and broken promises do nothing. A man of action, a man like John McCain, will achieve the reform and demand the accountability the American people we so desperately need.

Obama demonstrated presidential qualities Sarah Coleman The question many asked after Friday’s Presidential debate was “Who won?” Republican candidate John McCain or Democratic candidate Barack Obama? No one may officially keep score at debates, but most will agree that one candidate always comes out with an advantage.

So, what does it mean to “win” a debate? One needs to address the key issues, offer realistic and positive solutions, conduct himself or herself in a dignified and pleasant manner, and essentially outshine the other candidate.

That being said, I’m going to come right out and say that I think Obama won by a landslide.

Before I get ahead of myself, let’s take a look at the polls taken after the debate. In a CBS News poll of uncommitted voters, a majority saw Barack Obama as the winner of the debate.

Also, when asked who they thought would make the right decisions regarding the economy, 66% favored Obama, while only 42% favored McCain.

On top of that, a CNN poll asked viewers, “Who did the best job tonight?” 51% of those polled indicated that Obama did a better job, while only 38% chose McCain.

That alone should tell you that Obama “won” the debate. But in cause you’re still not convinced, let’s talk about each candidate’s performance Friday night.

McCain’s overall tone throughout the debate was hostile. The only time the two candidates made eye contact was when they shook hands at the very beginning of the debate.

Obama repeatedly addressed McCain directly, looking him in the eye and calling him by name.

McCain responded by scoffing, rolling his eyes, and avoiding

eye contact like the plague.

As the debate progressed, McCain started to look more and more uncomfortable. At times it seemed like McCain was afraid to face his competition.

On the other hand, Obama wasn’t afraid to be confrontational. He looked right at McCain when speaking to him, and even admitted when he agreed with him on a particular issue.

Obama and McCain obviously don’t agree on a lot of things; that’s why they’re in separate political parties. That’s why it

showed leadership and negotiation skills when Obama wasn’t afraid to agree with McCain on a few fundamental ideas.

However, there were a lot of areas in which McCain and Obama definitely didn’t agree.

Obama explained his forward-

thinking ideas and plans about health care, the war in Iraq, the economy, and more. And let’s be real: all John McCain is offering us is more of President Bush’s policies, which he has supported most of the time during his career in the U.S. Senate.

The main reason I think Obama won the debate is because he acted presidential. He was dignified, respectful, and direct.

He clearly explained what he will do when he’s elected, rebutted McCain’s accusations, and successfully made his case for

Corrections/Clarifications

The Student Printz values accuracy and works diligently to check facts before publication. However, if inaccuracies occur, we want to know.

Please report errors to the editor at printz@usm.edu or by calling 601266-6431 or 601-266-4266.

Letters to the Editor

A letter to the editor forum will be open to the expression of fact or opinion that will be of interest or importance to The Student Printz readers. Letters which fit within the scope of First Amendment protection, and that meet other stipulations spelled out in this document will be published on a space-available basis as explained below.

Each edition of the paper will include a letters column if letters are available. Letter writers may expect prompt publication of their letters in the paper’s opinion section, as space is available. Letters of up to 350 words will be allowed. Published letters must be free of libel, since the publication is held legally accountable for all content. Although personal controversy will be tolerated, it is the responsibility of the editor to check statements purporting the facts. The editor is also responsible for making decisions as to the pertinence of the letter to the USM community.

Letter writers must sign all contributions and the editor must verify the signer and the writer are one in the same through personal conference.

Letters will not be published without the contributor’s name.

To send a letter to the editor email printz@usm.edu or send to campus mailbox 5088.

1 Month

FREE Campus Trail Apartments 2 Bed/2 Bath

601-296-0950 (off West Hills Road)

* * * * * * *

Convenient to USM W/D Connections All Electric Appliances Wired for High Speed Internet Located close to Rails to Trails Small pets allowed (pet deposit) Carpet/Tile or scored concrete flooring

NOW LEASING!

Entertainment

Page 6 entertainment@studentprintz.com

Drive-By Truckers to stop at BoCo ‘Parade’ opens tomorrow night Photo Courtesy of Drive-By Truckers

Drive-By Truckers play at the Bottling Company tonight at 10 p.m.

Tickets at the door, $20

Eric Nagurney

Entertainment Editor

Southern rock group DriveBy Truckers will play at the Bottling Company tonight.

The band from Athens, GA is returning to Hattiesburg for the first time since 2004.

This will be the second time the group has played in town, though ex-guitarist Jason

Isbell made an appearance at the Thirsty Hippo last year.

Since 2000, the Truckers have played in several cities in the state, including Oxford, Jackson, and Starkville.

In January of this year, the group released their 8th album, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark.

The record is significant in that it is the first since Isbell left the group last year and the first to

include singing/song writing contributions from bassist Shonna Tucker. The album was met with considerable acclaim upon its release, garnering an average score of 83, according to online review compiler Metacritic.com.

Along with writing and recording Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, the group spent last year collaborating

with other artists. The band was asked to play back-up on soul singer Betty LaVette’s new album. In doing so, they enlisted the help of soul guitarist Spooner Oldham, who also played on Creation’s Dark.

Tickets are $20. The show starts at 10 p.m.

Jillian Rochelle Printz Writer

The theatre department is beginning its season tomorrow with John Murrell’s “Waiting for the Parade.”

The play tells the story of five women in Canada during World War II who are struggling to keep themselves sane while their families are being torn apart by war. “It reveals the state women are in when they have to maintain normalcy when their way of life is threatened and turned upside down,” states Yolanda Williams, the director for the show.

Williams is a graduate student, working to get a Master of Fine Arts in directing.

Stage manager for the show, William Hatten, states, “ ‘Waiting for the Parade’ is both a poignant look into the past and a very real examination of contemporary women and families with loved ones at war.”

The show celebrates the diversity of all five women.

Catherine, performed by Shelby Cade, is dealing with

her husband’s decision to volunteer for the war effort.

Marta, performed by Sydney Blackwell, is struggling with Nazi accusations being held against her father.

The rest of the characters (Janet, performed by Ardice Cotter, Margaret, performed

by Ashleigh Hoppe; Eve, performed by Rebecca Chapman) all have their own troubles and discoveries about themselves and life during the play.

“Waiting for the Parade” is not only a great play for any history lover, strong woman (or a strong woman lover), but also a play for everyone to enjoy. “Come to laugh, come to cry, come to be touched by the story of these five women and all those going through the same situations in the audience around you,” said Hatten.

Waiting for the Parade will be in the Martha Tatum theatre October 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 9th, and 10th at 7:30 p.m., October 5th and 12th at 2 p.m. with a curtain talk before October 5th show. The curtain talk will begin at 1 p.m.

Force is strong with Unleashed

Brandon Morris Printz Writer

The Force is strong with Unleashed “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” was released September 16th, 2008 for the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Nintendo DS, N-Gage, iPod Touch, and iPhone. The game is the flagship of a LucasArts’ multimedia project which also features a novel, comics, toys, and a supplement to the Star Wars tabletop RPG. There are differences between each consoles’ versions of the game. I played it on the Xbox 360. This version is essentially identical to the PS3 version and similar to the Wii, PS2, and PSP versions. The Wii, PS2, and PSP feature levels not seen on the Xbox 360 or PS3. The Wii also features a multiplayer “duel mode.” The other systems are likely to be more dramatic departures.

The game follows the story of Darth Vader’s secret apprentice Galen Marek. His mission, to help Vader overthrow the Emperor, is the player’s experience. Full of both action and intrigue, the tale will more than satisfy Star Wars fans. However, the short cut scenes occasionally rush the narrative.

Fans have no need to fear that “TFU” dispenses with the Star Wars canon. The game manages to capture the feel of the original

trilogy well. While Marek becomes incredibly powerful, the same is true for all other force users in the game. It’s not a matter of story, but rather of presentation.

The gameplay is exciting and full of energy. I was worried at first, as the simplistic lightsaber combat from the demo paled in comparison to the depth of “Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.” After playing through the actual game, I see that the two titles are completely different animals. “Jedi Outcast” is a first person shooter, while “TFU’s” stylistic combat best fits into the genre of “extreme action” with titles such as “Ninja Gaiden” and “Devil May Cry.” “TFU” shines when the Apprentice is dealing with throngs of enemies or huge opponents.

Marek is one of those characters that is simply fun to control. The player feels powerful, but always challenged.

The presentation is generally top notch, but the menu system remains a leash that occasionally delays your fun. This and a few bugs occasionally crop up, but never break the experience.

The game lacks replay value as once you’ve seen both endings, there’s little to call you back.

However, its a great rental and a must play for Star Wars fans.

This is a column of opinion written

by Printz staff writer Brandon Morris Comments can be sent to printz@ usm.edu

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 | Page 7

www.studentprintz.com |Sports

USM assesses its C-USA standing Tyler Cleveland Printz Writer

As usual in Conference USA, there were a couple blowouts Saturday that helped separate the good from the bad in the conference.

With Southern Miss taking a weekend off, it gives Eagle fans a chance to sit back and grade how the other teams in the conference are progressing. Here’s a quick assessment of the other conference teams as we near the halfway point in the season.

Contenders:

Tulane (2-2, 1-1)

Tulane quarterback Kevin Moore passed for over 250 yards and a touchdown, and tailback Andre Anderson got loose for 219 yards against a terrible SMU defense to beat the Mustangs 34-27. The Green Wave have won two straight since falling by a narrow margin to Alabama on the road, which now looks like a quality loss (if there is any such thing).

Nobody gave them any credit going into the season, but the way they are playing, Tulane could be a sleeper for the Conferece USA title. The Green Wave defense has played well consistently and the offense has shown that it has some playmakers, which may be enough in the West if thy can get past Rice and/or Tulsa.

Tulsa (4-0, 1-0)

The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes, Conference USA’s only undefeated team, have yet to score less than 42 points in a game this season, but are another team that hasn’t really played anybody. Looking at Tulsa’s schedule, it’s not out of bounds to say that they could go undefeated. Their only real tests remaining are Rice this weekend, road games at Houston and Arkansas, and a home date with Tulane.

It’s a good thing Tulsa hung 62 points on Central Arkansas this past weekend, because they may have to score that many to beat Rice this weekend at home.

Rice (3-2, 2-0)

Holy cow, who saw his coming? Rice is 3-2 with their only losses coming at the hands of ranked teams (Vanderbilt and Texas), and wins coming against SMU, Memphis and North Texas. Even though the Owls haven’t played top-notch opponents, they have looked impressive in the wins.

Rice quarterback Chase Clement and receiver Jarrett Dillard have hooked up for 10 touchdowns so far this season, which is the most for a tandem in the country. The Owls will face their first conference test this weekend, when they travel to Tulsa.

Houston (2-3, 1-0)

The Cougars are sitting at 2-3 after blowing out East Carolina 41-24, and have to be wondering how they got there. The Cougars are a dangerous team on offense, and if you take out their game against a top-notch Oklahoma State team, they have only lost their other two games by a combined six points. With UAB and SMU next on the schedule, expect Houston to get back in the win column soon.

Houston quarterback Case Keenum has put up ridiculous numbers, compiling 1,920 yards in five games with 19 touchdowns. Keenus is cruising along with a quarterback rating of 150.3.

Marshall (3-2, 2-0)

The Thundering Herd are a team that is hard to put into a traditional category. They may have laid an egg against West Virginia in a 27-3 loss over the weekend, but with wins in both of their Conference USA games over Memphis and Southern Miss, the Herd are still in the drivers seat in the Eastern Conference.

Southern Miss fans know all too well what the Herd can do on offense with freshman quarterback Mark Cann, receiver Darius Passmore, tailback Darius Marshall, and tight end Cody Slate. What people don’t see is the Marshall defense, which is allowing over 25 points a game.

Tough to place:

Memphis (2-3, 0-2)

Okay, so maybe Southern Miss’ defeat of Arkansas State doesn’t look as good now that Memphis pulled it off too (2917), but don’t underestimate the explosive Tiger offense. Tiger tailback Curtis Steele went for 203 yards Saturday, proving the Tigers have another dimension besides their passing game, built around quarterback Arkelon Hall, who despite his name is cruising along with a 126.7 quarterback rating.

The Memphis defense isn’t anything to write home about, but they have managed to hold the Tigers’ last three opponents to under 20 points (one of those teams, by the way, was Marshall, who scored just 10).

East Carolina (3-2, 1-1)

Two weeks ago at this time, East Carolina was on top of the BCS-busting world. With wins over Virginia Tech and West Virginia and Tulane the Pirates were in the top 15, and cruising

Special to the Printz The Southern Miss softball team opened its fall exhibition season hosting a four-team tournament.

The Lady Eagles posted a 6-1 win over Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, before dropping a 6-4 decision to Nicholls State.

Southern Miss finished the day with 16 hits that included three doubles, a triple and one

home run (a Megan Hill grand slam). Defensively, the Eagles turned four double plays and committed just two errors.

The pitching staff allowed only one extra-base hit and four earned runs.

Southern Miss continues its fall season when the team travels to the Spring Klein Tournament, Oct. 4-5.

towards a Conference-USA title.

Two weeks later, Skip Holtz and crew are 3-2 with losses to a bad NC State team and a shalacking at the hands of Houston.

East Carolina is in free fall, and most of their problems center around the defense. The Pirate defense allowed a whopping 621 yards to Houston, with 220 yards coming on the ground, where East Carolina had dominated their first two opponents.

Write ‘em off:

UAB (1-4, 0-1)

The Blazers are 1-4, with their lone win coming against FCS opponent Alabama State. The Blazers have just three wins over C-USA teams since 2005, and the Blazers haven’t shown much signs of improvement this year.

UTEP (1-4, 1-0)

The UTEP Miners weigh in at number nine in this week’s ESPN Bottom 10 poll, proof that the Miner’s 1-4 record is as bad as it sounds. UTEP has allowed

34 or more points in three of its four games, and with Southern Miss, Tulsa, Tulane and Rice up next, it could be a long October in El Paso.

Central Florida (1-3, 0-1)

The Golden Knights started out strong, dominating South Carolina State 17-0 and played 17th-ranked South Florida almost to a stalemate in a loss.

But George O’Leary and co. are in big trouble after being blown out by Boston College and UTEP in back-to-back weeks.

The Knights may miss tailback Kevin Smith a lot more than they thought.

SMU (1-4, 0-2)

SMU, meanwhile, fell to 14 with the loss, and looks like they’ll need another year in June Jones’ run-and-shoot offense before they can be taken seriously. They beat Southern Miss last year in Hattiesburg, but this team is a far cry from the one that came to town that day.

Sports

Page 8 sports@studentprintz.com www.studentprintz.com/sports

Golden Eagles gear up for fall scrimmages

Maggie Sanford/Printz

The Golden Eagles baseball team practices bunting during Monday afternoon’s practice at Pete Taylor Park. The Golden Eagles will host a scrimmage game against William Carey College on Oct. 12 at 2 p.m.

Tyler Cleveland Printz Sports Editor

The Southern Miss baseball team scrimmaged for the first time this Fall on Sunday, and according to coach Corky Palmer, some tweaking is in order.

“It went alright,” Palmer said. “We had some guys play well, but we’ve got a ways to go get ready for the spring.”

But Sunday wasn’t without it bright spots. Palmer said Sunday he was most impressed with freshman Kameron Brunty, 18-year-old outfielder from Gulf Breeze High School in Pensacola, Florida.

“He can swing the bat well and showed us why he was brought in here,” Palmer said.

“He’s a good player who’s going to factor in this team in the future.”

Palmer stopped short of saying Brunty would start, but he did say that at some point “he would be a very good player.”

Palmer said that the pitchers were coming along well.

“I thought Moses Munoz and Cody Schlagel threw the ball well, and we’re catching better than we have been,” Palmer said. “We’re going to throw some runners out this season.”

“Corey Stevens had a good day,” Palmer said. “He hit the

“

Maggie Sanford/Printzz

Wade Weathers, a senior left-handed pitcher from Quitman, practices pitching Monday at Pete Taylor Park. The Golden Eagles had their first fall scrimmage Sunday.

Baseball

William Carey (scrimmage) Oct. 12th 2:00 p.m.

Pete Taylor Park

ball hard and played some defense.”

Junior college transfer David Archer hit a home run off of ace Todd McInnis, turning on a fastball and sending it screaming over the left field wall.

“He’s continually impressed me,” Palmer said. “He’s been by far the best guy so far. He adds power to the lineup, the ball jumps off of his bat and he

can go the other way. We’ve got a chance to get a great year from his offensively.”

In naming weekend starters to complement Todd McInnis, the Friday starter, Palmer said last week that he expects Panola Community College transfer Scott Copeland to be in the weekend rotation, but that he’s not sure of anything past that.

Palmer said that Kyle Lindsey, a junior transfer from Pearl River, has impressed him a lot, but that he’s not sure whether he’s a reliever or a starter.

“All he’s done is go out in throw strikes,” Palmer said.

“He throws all three of his

He can swing the bat well and showed us why he was brought in here...he’s a good player who’s going to factor in in this team in the future

pitches for strikes consistently and he’s been very competitive.”

On Monday, the team practiced as usual, but started the afternoon session with a dugout meeting to discuss what went wrong on Sunday.

After the meeting, the team started with defensive drills and bunting.

The team also announced Saturday that they will play

”

-Head Coach, Corky Palmer

a 12-inning scrimmage with local NAIA power William Carey, scheduled for Oct. 12 at 2 p.m.

“I think games against Carey are good for the community,” Palmer said. “Because of the way RPI works, we just can’t schedule them in the regular season anymore, but we have a lot of respect for that program and what they’ve been able to do. It should be fun.”

Favre throws for 6 touchdowns in win over Cards Special to the Printz EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Brett Favre ran to the sideline, holding out both arms to slap hands with anybody who wanted to slip him a little bit of skin.

Favre had just thrown his career-high sixth touchdown pass, tying the New York Jets’ singlegame record set by Joe Namath, the guy who was the last player to generate the kind of buzz Favre has for this franchise. Really, it’s a small upset that Favre could even lift both arms at that point.

Looking more like the gunslinger of his Green Bay heyday, Favre whipped the ball around Giants Stadium all afternoon, dissecting the Cardinals’ porous defense. He shook off an ugly early interception, bouncing back to complete 24 of 34 passes for 289 yards to guide the Jets to their commanding 56-35 pounding of Arizona Sunday.

“Throwing six touchdown passes was awesome,” said Favre, whose sore left ankle wasn’t much of a problem. “But that had nothing to do with how I felt like I played. I’ve played a long time and guys came up to me and said, ‘You mean it’s the first time you ever threw six touchdown passes?’ And yeah, it is. But it’s just one of those things. But more importantly, I felt like for the most part, just of the overall game itself, I managed it well.”

Eight players were on the receiving end of a Favre pass, showing he wasn’t just locked in on one target. Laveranues Coles was the biggest beneficiary of Favre’s best game in his short tenure as a Jet, catching eight

passes _ three for touchdowns _ for 105 yards.

“I just keep saying it: There is a lot of talent on this team,” said Favre, who threw touchdown passes of 12, 34, 2, 17, 40 and 24 yards. “As long as I play up to par at my level, I think a lot of these guys can make plays.”

Favre’s day began, though, with that uh-oh feeling. On the Jets’ second drive, his pass intended for fullback Tony Richardson was picked off by Chike Okeafor at the Cardinals’ 45yard line and returned to the Jets’ 16. Luckily for Favre, Kris Jenkins blocked Neil Rackers’ 37-yard field-goal attempt, so the turnover didn’t cost the Jets any points.

Plus, three touchdown passes in the Jets’ 34-point second quarter rendered that mistake moot. Favre tossed three more scores in the second half, one of which came on fourth-and-1 from the Cardinals’ 40, a little less than two minutes after the Cardinals closed within 41-28.

Favre hit Jerricho Cotchery in stride for a 40-yard score, helping the Jets take a 48-28 lead with 7:26 to go.

“He was dialing it up today,” Cotchery said. “Anyone he wanted to go to, he was saying, ‘You’re up next.’ Everyone was getting ready. He was in on those grooves.”

Rookie tight end Dustin Keller’s second career touchdown with 1:54 left capped Favre’s personal highlight reel and, for one week at least, showed the type of numbers the Jets can produce if everything falls into place like it did Sunday.

“Did I think we would score that many ... six TDs?” Favre said. “I think it shows the potential that this team has. I don’t

David L. Pokress/ Newsday/MCT

New York Jets Bret Favre thanks Shaun Ellis for a fine defensive effort against the Arizona Cardinals at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday, September 28, 2008.

think it’s any reason to go out and start buying playoff or Super Bowl tickets. We had just one good game. It’s a great start.

Once again, it showed we have a lot of potential. But I wouldn’t look into it any more than that.”

David L. Pokress/ Newsday/MCT

New York Jets Laveranues Coles catches a Brett Favre pass for a touchdown against Arizona Cardinals defender Dominique Rogers-Cromartie at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday, September 28, 2008.