The Forum March 13, 2013

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The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Student Newspaper

Trojan spirit soars at Homecoming game, regatta

Howl no!

Jennifer Ellis

Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Film Forum artistic director Robert Walden, who was nominated for an Emmy in 1981 for his role as reporter Joe Rossi in TV series Lou Grant, is scheduled to be interviewed by Arkansas filmmaker Tim Jackson during a speaking event called “The Power of Film to Effect Change” [SIC] at the Clinton School of Public Service’s Sturgis Hall noon Friday, March 15.

The Arkansas Association for the Assessment of Collegiate Learning is scheduled to host its annual spring conference 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 in UALR’s Donaghey Student Center, during which Peter Ewell, vice president of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, will deliver the keynote speech and a lecture on the basics of assessment.

The UALR Institute of Race and Ethnicity is scheduled to host the 10th annual Racial Attitudes in Pulaski County Conference Thursday, March 28 in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Building, during which findings of the UALR Institute of Government’s 2012-13 crime and punishment survey will be presented.

Charles Hathaway, chancellor emeritus and Donaghey Distinguished Professor, is scheduled to receive the Fribourgh Award during a reception at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, for which tickets at $75 per person and will benefit the College of Science’s Leadership Endowed Scholarship Fund.

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Executive Editor

Members of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, who took home the trophy for most spirited student organization, cheer on the Trojans in a 78-71 victory over rival Arkansas State University at UALR’s homecoming game March 2. Donning the fraternity’s Trojan costume, James Bell won most spirited individual. Photo by Jennifer Ellis

Students elect challenger in student government race Jennifer Ellis

Executive Editor

Lauren McNeaill and “Trey” Joe Gibeault were elected Student Government Association president and vice president March 5, beating incumbents Rizan Mohsin and Ed Hernandez 172-145.

“I’m honestly just grateful,” McNeaill said. “I was out of state during both days of the elections, and I knew how important it would be to have a dedicated team. Trey, Aaron [Cantu, the team’s campaign manager], and the rest of the crew took care of business and

now we’re just looking forward to bringing this campus to life.”

Andrew Wideman and Aaron Lazenby were electMcNeaill ed Senators of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences with 22 votes each. Caity Nguyen received 19 votes and Geoffrey Bara had 14 votes.

Jarques Smith, who was the

only candidate for the College of Business, received 23 votes.

In the College of Science, incumbent Brett Clark was re-elected with 31 votes and Brian Michael Rayburn got 30 votes, defeating Saad Azam and Win Lubana with 25 and 14 votes, respectively.

Natasha Jaffar of University College received the highest number of votes in a senate race with 69; and Sana Khan was also elected to represent the college with 48 votes.

There was a 2.58 percent voter turnout with 320 students voting out of the 12,427 total potential voters.

A week’s worth of Homecoming events concluded with the Trojans win against rival Arkansas State University 78-71 in front of a pumped crowd of about 5,300 people at the Jack Stephens Center on March 2.

Painted chests and a relentless Trojan spirit helped to once again secure Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity’s win for the most spirited student organization.

At halftime, Bre’Anna Green, a senior journalism major sponsored by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was crowned queen.

Kappa Sigma fraternity paddled their way to victory for the second consecutive year March 1, in what has become one of the most anticipated events of the year, the third annual Homecoming Cardboard Boat Regatta in the Donaghey Student Center pool. Captain William Fortenberry, a sophomore international business major, and Cruz Eslick, a junior engineering major, manned their raft, the S.S. Rider.

The Office of Campus Life’s boat Peace, Love and Homecoming won the Pride of the Regatta, which was for the most creative design and best use of corrugated cardboard.

The Best Dressed Team went to Kappa Delta sorority. The Team Spirit Award went to the UALR Biology Club; and the Titanic Award for the most spectacular sinking went the Chancellor’s Leadership Corps’ Raft of Servitude.

Legislation to allow guns on campus, Chancellor opposed KenDrell Collins Assistant Editor

The Arkansas legislature recently voted to approve legislation that will permit trained and licensed faculty and staff to now carry concealed weapons at public educational institutions in the state.

House Bill 1243 was proposed last month by Republican Arkansas Rep. Charlie Collins of Fayetteville, who introduced the bill to for a third reading Feb. 25, noting that allowing concealed weapons would help deter crimes.

Following the reading, the bill cleared the House with a 70-11 vote and the Senate with a 31-4 vote.

Several measures were taken in crafting the bill to appease those who were reluctant to accept the legislation. For ex-

ample, the presence of firearms on residential campus areas is prohibited. An opt-out provision was also added to the bill for colleges that do not wish to participate. However, the decision to decline the measure is only effective for one year; the gun ban must then be readopted by the administration, if it chooses to do so.

“If the bill becomes law, we will consult our general counsel, the chair of our board of trustees and the leaders of the individual campuses before making a policy recommendation to the board that considers all aspects of the law,” said Ben Beaumont, spokesman for the University of Arkansas System.

One such campus leader is UALR Chancellor Dr. Joel Anderson, who said that he is opposed to allowing guns on the

Former provost candidate named UAPB chancellor Cameron Moix News Editor

A Florida administrator and former UALR provost candidate was appointed Feb. 28 by the University of Arkansas System as next chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Laurence Alexander, 53, who currently serves as a professor and administrator at the University of Florida in Gainesville, was approved for the position in Pine Bluff by the UA board of trustees late last month after being nominated

by UA System President Dr. Donald Bobbitt just days earlier.

Alexander is scheduled to assume the position July 1, according to a UA System release.

He will succeed interim UAPB Chancellor Dr. Calvin Johnson, who has filled the position since the retirement of the historically African-American school’s 21year Chancellor Lawrence Davis Jr. in May 2011. He has worked as UFL’s associate graduate school dean since 2006, and also serves as director of the college’s Office of Graduate Minority Programs and a professor of journalism.

After a nearly two-year national search for candidates, Al-

See UAPB, page 4

Little Rock campus.

“I don’t think it would make the campus safer. As a matter of fact, I think it would increase the risk of inju- Anderson ry or death by firearm,” Anderson said.

The chancellor discussed the issue of putting faculty in a position to respond to situations for which they are not adequately trained. “My concern is that people shoot the wrong person,” said the chancellor, adding that he has close friends that carry concealed weapons.

Anderson said that, in his opinion, the short training that car-

riers receive does not prepare them to the extent that police officers are trained.

The chancellor is not alone in his opposition to the bill. Every chancellor and president in the state opposed the legislation, particularly in its original form, he noted. "So I don’t think that anyone, any of the chancellors, will be for guns on their campus."

Anderson asserted that schools are among the safest places to be and that bringing guns on campus poses several problems. He quoted U.S. Justice Antonin Scalia, known for his conservatism, who stated in 2008 in D.C. v. Heller, “Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited.”

In the same discussion, Scalia characterized schools as being

See GUNS, page 3

All hail the queen

Bre’Anna Green, a senior journalism major sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was voted homecoming queen. Photo by Jennifer Ellis

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Opinions Staff Editorial

Strange girl, stranger world

SARAH DE CLERK

A veto’s futility

Illustration by Paige Mason

Attempt to police social media an archaic practice The Forum The Student Government Association presidential election has come and gone, however the election was met with a lot of head scratching and snickering.

The SGA Election Code says that its members and candidates cannot campaign off the premises of UALR. Page nine of the Election Code explicitly states: “The use of the Internet to campaign, with the exception of the one listed above (email), is prohibited. Candidates may not use Facebook, Twitter or any other media site to campaign.”

Students have to wonder, why would the SGA want to prohibit campaigning on social media?

All of our heads are aimed at the

ground when we walk to class, aimlessly surfing the web, tweeting and responding to texts. So, why would the SGA restrict themselves in its campaigning methods?

The main problem with this philosophy is that the SGA has attempted to control what goes out on the web and social media sites. The SGA even penalizes candidates if campaign material is found on the Internet.

A case in point: President-elect, Lauren McNeaill, was reprimanded for a photo someone posted on their personal Facebook account of a McNeaill flyer informing students the time and place in which they could vote.

McNeaill told The Forum in an email, “There was no way for me

to control the actions of others, especially when I may not even be friends with them [on Facebook].

She [Chief Justice Aisha Siddiqui] said we were still responsible and that she would let us off with a warning.”

McNeaill has a great point.

How can she, or anyone else for that matter, be in charge of mining the Internet to make sure no passersby take a quick photo of a flyer and post it on their various social media sites?

Another example: the SGA asked The Forum to remove our Facebook photos of the campaign materials we included in a series of photos documenting the election. We responded with an emphatic “No.” The Forum has every right to

post photos that were taken at a public place (UALR is a public institution)- a right guaranteed by the first amendment of the United States Constitution-which supersedes any rule or regulation created by the SGA. If members of the SGA draft a resolution amending the fact that Internet campaign is prohibited, perhaps it would draw more eyeballs to the campaign material and increase chances of boosting voter turnout.

According to statistics provided by the SGA, out of the 12,427 eligible voters at UALR, 320 people cast a vote- a 2.58% voter turnout.

Members of the SGA need to dust off their book of codes, rules and regulations and step into the digital age.

Even bright foe clings to expired logic Letter to the Frankly, my dear GEOFFREY BARA There’s been a lot of talk lately about a paper released by, among others, Sherif Girgis. Girgis is an extremely accomplished scholar, having graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton, only after winning prizes for best thesis in ethics and best thesis in philosophy for his senior thesis on sex ethics. After Princeton, he left the United States for Oxford, where he earned his master’s in moral, political, and legal philosophy as a Rhodes Scholar. He’s currently a student at both Princeton and Yale (so who the heck does he root for at football games?) working toward his Ph.D. and JD, respectively.

The paper I speak of is called “What is Marriage?,” and it’s admittedly the most intelligently worded defense of what most of America would call “traditional marriage”.

Much as I’d like to, I can’t call Girgis stupid, or poorly read, or even, if I were to resort to schoolyard tactics, basically unattractive. This makes him, to my mind, the worst sort of opponent.

The very existence of a man

like him serves to prove a lesson we all should learn and remember well: just because we disagree doesn’t mean one of us is stupid.

There is right and wrong, certainly, though it’s not as easy to identify in every argument, but someone can be wrong and smart, and right and stupid. These terms are none of them mutually exclusive.

So, yes, while I will agree that Girgis is very intelligent and academically skilled, in general, I have to say that while watching him on CNN, I was struck only by the hackneyed and trite nature of his arguments not just in favor of traditional marriage, but also against gay marriage.

There has yet to be a study produced that shows that children raised by same-sex parents do poorly in school, are unhappy, unhealthy, or in any other way diminished by the experience.

In fact, most research seems to indicate the opposite. Girgis’ ofttouted assertion that the institution of marriage is meant for reproduction primarily is out-dated and ridiculous. As usual, the argument neglects to allow for barren heterosexuals to marry, a union that I have never heard decried as against God’s plan, despite the fact that this union, too, will be as fruitless as a same-sex union without scientific or social intervention.

I am reminded of Cate Blanchett’s inspired portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the film

Elizabeth. Before ascending to the throne, the then Princess Elizabeth is questioned regarding her Protestant leanings, and she responds with, “my lords, why must we tear ourselves apart over this small question of religion?” Her description of religion as small was not well-received by the bishops and clerics who were questioning her, but I thought her answer to be marvelous. Marriage, like religion, is so personal, and really doesn’t affect anyone around you negatively or positively unless you wish it to.

The problem as I see it continues to come down to separation of church and state. These arguments exist only because people are unable to mind their own business, and are afraid of what they might see through my front door as I open it so they can better disturb my afternoon by proselytizing at me. I saw a wonderful quote by a fellow named Michael Shiller online the other day. It read: “Marriage equality threatens traditional marriage in the same way that abolishing slavery made freedom less enjoyable for white people.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard to so wonderfully or dryly put.

If Girgis is allowed to use patently obsolete cliche and argument and still come off as a genius, then I feel very comfortable closing with, “if you don’t want a gay marriage, don’t get one.”

EDITOR

Your support of raising the minimum wage is entirely predictable in a college newspaper. It is also totally wrong headed. Minimum wage legislation is, in fact, perverse because it disenfranchises the very people whom it purports to help: Entry level workers with marginal skills.

It does so by pricing them out of the labor market, hardly a rational; to say nothing of a compassionate; action. It is entirely typical of the leftist agenda which is to substitute feelings for rational discourse. Like the rest of the leftist agenda it is ultimately bankrupt.

If we can create prosperity by legislative ukase, why then are we debating a $10 per hour minimum wage?

Why not $50 or $100 per hour or: Fill in your own favorite number? Surely, by this perverse logic we should all be rich as Croesus.

J. Fred Hart Jr. Graduate student

Despite Gov. Beebe’s best efforts, Arkansas now has the strictest abortion ban in the United States. Beebe vetoed both the 20week and 12-week abortion bans, and both times he was overruled.

The democratic governor seems powerless to stop any decisions made by the republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives.

I would like to state that I do not have a proverbial case of “sour grapes.” Although I doubt the constitutionality of the bills, I am conflicted over the ethical implications of abortion. This is not a matter of morality, but of political process.

Is the governor’s veto an affective check on the power of the general assembly?

Legislators turned a deaf ear to Beebe’s concerns about constitutionality and possible legal fallout from the bill. The same majority that voted in the bill also voted to override the veto. In fact, the Senate overruled the veto on the 12week ban without discussion.

Only a simple majority is needed to override the governor’s veto.

A two-thirds majority is needed to override a presidential veto.

It occurs to me that stating my opinion about the checks and balances system is like yelling at a wall; scream all you want, but it will not change. The impotence of Beebe’s veto, however, raises further questions about the implications of a two-party system.

Because the general assembly is controlled by Republicans, who tend to be political conservatives, the Beebe’s veto is predictably pointless. Republicans vote pro-life and Democrats vote prochoice. Although there are shades of gray, people often vote along party lines with little persuasion.

The seemingly continuous stalemate between President Obama and Congress is also exemplary of the stagnation that occurs when the conflicting parties attempt to work together. It often seems that the two oppose each other on principle, leading to pointless arguments, months of waiting and wasted tax dollars.

If third parties were more relevant to the U.S. political system, I believe politics would not be as oppositional and contrary. Constituents could vote for the people that they believe could best represent them, not just those backed by their party. Legislators could vote for bills that they believe their constituents would agree with, not just those backed by their party.

I believe that this would renew people’s hope in the government.

The political process seems to be breaking down. With political stalemates, powerless governors and legislators running roughshod (yes, that is a jab at Sen. Rapert) over Roe v. Wade, it seems like political alliances may take precedence over democracy.

I, however, do not believe that democracy is a pipe dream. A democracy works for the people, not politicians and bureaucrats, and it is the people who must defend it. If neither side wants to grow up and compromise, that is fine; we do not have to vote for either.

The people are not forced to vote along party lines. We do not have to fall into the political dichotomy. It may be that, in their feuding, the Democrats and Republicans will not see the third parties who are eager to take their place. With the way things are going now, I think it is quite likely that we will see more of them next election.

Letters to the Editor The Forum welcomes letters to the editor on any subject as well as comments on our news coverage and editorial position.

Letters must include the author’s name, classification, major or position and a contact telephone number for confirmation.

Letters are subject to editing to meet space limitations.

Please limit letter to 500 words or less.

The staff will not alter the meaning of the letter, but will correct spelling and punctuation and edit to conform to Associated Press and news style.

All letters are subject to publication. The editor has the right to reject any letter especially those letters that are libelous,

News Editor Cameron Moix

Executive Editor Jennifer Ellis

Features Editor Sarah De Clerk

Adviser Sonny Rhodes

Entertainment Editor Liz Fox Sports Editor Jacob Ellerbee

obscene or incoherent.

Letters should be sent to editor@ualr.edu or

University of Arkansas at Little Rock 201J Donaghey Student Center 2801 S. University Ave. Little Rock, AR 72204

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The Forum is the official student newspaper at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Forum is funded in part by the student activity fee; members of the UALR community are allowed one copy per edition. When available, additional copies may be purchased for $1.25 by contacting The Forum’s business manager. Newspaper theft is a crime. Anyone who violates the single copy rule may be subject to civil and/or criminal prosecution and/or university discipline. The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the staff and contributing writers and do not represent the official views of UALR. Students enrolled in MCOM 3320 and other reporting classes sometimes serve as contributing writers for The Forum. Advertising inquiries should be referred to The Forum’s advertising office at 501-569-3319. The Forum is published 7 times in each of the fall and spring semesters, and once in the summer. The Forum’s executive editor can be reached at 501-569-3265. All material published in this newspaper is copyrighted.

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News

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

‘More Guns, Less Crime’ lecture takes aim at President’s stats

Police Beat Replica gun causes scare in North Hall Taron Donte Dunn, 21, and Basil Asim Rogers, 18, caused a disturbance in North Hall Feb. 27 by playing with two Airsoft guns, according to the department of public safety reports.

A 20-year-old female resident said she saw one man in the hallway, crouched down and holding what she thought was a real gun.

Police searched the suspects and their room, finding alcohol- and fire alarm-related housing violations.

Dunn was taken in for questioning and later released. He told police he did not intend to harm anyone.

Suspect arrested after snooze in stall Dean of Students Logan C. Hampton found Darrell L. Moore, 24, sleeping in a DSC toilet stall at about 8:30 a.m. Feb. 21, according to department of public safety reports.

Only workers were allowed in the building until 10 a.m., due to inclimate weeather. Moore told police he was a former student, did not know the building was closed and entered through an unlocked side door. Police found the suspect to have an active warrant and called the Bryant Police Department to take him into custody.

Emblem and grill removed from BMW On Feb. 24, a 19-year-old man told police the BMW emblem from the trunk of his car was missing. He said he knew the emblem was still there

3

Alexis Williams the night before. The man made a separate complaint days before when he found that the front grill from his vehicle was missing.

Student accused of trying to run over classmate A 27-year-old student told police Feb. 27 than his classmate, Dylan Noel Henry, 23, nearly ran over him while he was in a crosswalk.

The student told police Henry flipped him off as he drove by, and that he thought the incident was intentional. When the student confronted Henry in class, the argument became heated and classmates had to stop it from escalating to a physical confrontation, according to department of public safety reports.

Assistant Editor

Regardless of individual political stances, an audience of more than 200 people turned out for the lecture, “More Guns, Less Crime: Understanding Crime and Gun Control Laws” by Fox News Contributor John Lott.

The Clinton School of Public Service hosted Lott’s lecture, which outlined key points of his book, on Saturday, March 9 at noon in Sturgis Hall. This lecture occurs on the tails of recent Arkansas legislation, passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, which allows universities to decide for themselves whether or not to allow concealed weapons on their campuses.

Lott’s lecture argues against gun control restrictions in America.

“All of these laws [dealing with universal background checks] that we talk about have both costs and benefits. Often we hear about the benefits. I mean, everybody wants to keep criminals from getting guns,” said Lott. “I don’t think any of you would disagree with that. But these laws also have some costs too, and I think we need to talk about those a little.”

The speaker critiqued President Barack Obama’s January 2013 claim that, “it’s hard to enforce that law [concerning universal background checks] when as many as 40 percent of all gun purchases are conducted without a background check. That’s not safe. That’s not smart.”

Lott also mentioned Vice President Joe Biden’s issuing essentially the “same statement” as the president: “The consensus is that about 40 percent of the people who buy guns today do so outside the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).”

“Well, unfortunately,” Lott said, “these statements are not quite right.” He attempted to summarize his critique by citing a small study performed during the Clinton administration which revealed, he said, that 36 percent of gun transfers did not go through background checks systems.

“So what the president basically did, is he took the 36, rounded up to 40 percent… but that’s minor. The big thing was changing the terms ‘transfers’ to ‘sales’,” maintained Lott. “Because there a huge difference when talking about transfers between individuals and sales. In fact, the vast majority of transfers are within family gifts or inheritances.”

Guns, continued from page 1

Suspect threatens student over ride home from bar A 19-year-old student told police Feb. 27 that a man he knew as Jeremy had been asking him personal questions, and then threatened his mother.

The student ran into Jeremy at Flying DDs, and said the suspect asked him for a ride home. The student said he left without him because he could not find him. Later on, Jeremy confronted the student, revealing that he knew the student’s birthplace, mother and sister’s names, and mother’s address. He threatened the student and his mother, department of public safety reports said. The two were ordered not to have contact with each other.

among the “sensitive places” that prohibitions should not be questioned.

In response to the notion that guns will act as a deterrent, the chancellor dismissed that claim as an “undocumented hypothesis.” Although Anderson did not reveal what decision he expected the board will make, he affirmed that UALR will comply with whatever conclusion is made. Nevertheless, the bill does have a section that allows schools to restrict guns on certain campus locations.

“I think that provision of the law was in part for UAMS; where, like in the hospital, they would want to forbid the presence of guns. I suppose that, at something like an athletic event, you probably would like to forbid guns, for the sake of the referees,” Anderson joked.

The Office of Campus Housing mailed a four-question survey to some residents on March 4 in order to find out the general consensus of students on such a policy.

The responses have not been published yet, but the chancellor stated he has an interest in seeing the results. But he said the survey alone would not sway him against

his current opinion.

Anderson expressed his enthusiasm for the recently launched Green Dot program: “The thing I like about the green dot program is that it is in a sense an effort at the grassroots where you get members of the community realizing that as they live here and as they move around and work here, they can make a difference. They can be more than just a bystander as they see a situation developing. I think that’s good, very good."

Other steps have been taken to insure campus safety, he says, noting that the UALR's Department of Public Safety has 25 officers who were trained at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in Camden. Precautions such as increased lighting, gated entrances and enhanced alert systems are all part of insuring safety.

As for the signing of the bill, it was sent to the Office of the Governor on Feb. 26 and became Act 226 March 1. Governor Mike Beebe has expressed his compliance, saying that he will likely sign it into law.

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News

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

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Student government, organizations Alum plans to honor paint to help generate school pride Arkansas flag creator Alton Young

Jacob Ellerbee

Assistant Editor

The Student Government Association hosted the Paint The Town Maroon initiative Saturday, March 2, in which various student organizations volunteered to paint the windows of nearby businesses, emblazoning them with symbols of Trojan pride.

SGA and its members provided the student organizations with all the necessary supplies to participate in the event, in addition to arranging the painting locations, all of which are on or near University Avenue.

President Rizan Mohsin said she thought this event would help bring these organizations together to work toward a common goal.

“The whole point of this was to get the Student Government to get everyone together and have everyone on campus focus on their similarities, rather than their differences,” Mohsin said. “We, as the SGA, wanted to give an activity that all student organizations could be a part of — not just SGA doing something, but working with all the students on campus. We’re representing them and we want them to be a part of what we do.”

Various leaders from each of the student organizations said the event was important to build and establish a relationship between the Student Government, student organizations, the University and members of the surrounding community.

“We really wanted this go well and to have everyone participate because we thought it’d really bring school pride and involve a lot people,” she said.

Sen. Trey Gibeault, a junior finance major and member of Pi Kappa Alpha — a fraternity better known on campus as “the Pikes” — said this will help spark a partnership between the community and the capital city’s largest college.

“Mainly, the importance is

Author and UALR graduate Jason Irby is spearheading a campaign to honor long-ago Wabbaseka resident Willie K. Hocker, the woman who created the Arkansas state flag.

Irby is also from the small rural town, which is located a few miles northeast of Pine Bluff, and attended some of the same Wabbaseka schools at which Hocker taught decades before.

One such school, Willie K. Hocker Elementary, is the flag-maker's namesake.

The School of Mass Communications alumnus said he hopes to generate publicity for the woman, as well as for Wabbaseka, on the flag’s 100th anniversary. Because of the timing, Irby describes this as “a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Another reason behind the effort is Irby’s hometown pride, although he now lives in Little Rock: “That’s where I grew up, that’s my hometown."

Willie Hocker was born July 21, 1862 in Madison County, Kentucky. Her family moved to Arkansas in 1870 to the Dudely Lake Township near Wabbaseka, where her father was a farmer. After obtaining her teaching certificate in 1887, she began working in Jefferson County schools, becoming principal of First Ward in Pine Bluff in 1895.

Two years later, she went back to working in schools near Wabbaseka and stressed Arkansas history throughout her teaching career, which lasted for 34 years.

Hocker was a member of an organization called the Daughters of the American Revolution, which was tasked with the creation of a state flag in 1912, upon finding that none existed.

The discovery was made when then-new battleship USS Arkansas was to be commissioned with the Arkansas flag, only to discover that there was none.

A committee formed to obtain design submissions then chose Hocker’s among 65 others.

Sports Editor

Members of Brother’s Keeper, an African-American male initiative student organization, were among a number of students who helped paint local businesses windows with Trojan spirited designs in a student government lead effort to bring unity to the campus community. Photo by Jacob Ellerbee just kind of building that comradery with the community,” Gibeault said. “We’ve got a lot of spirited students, student organizations, faculty and staff, but we’re also trying to bring that spirit outside the campus to different businesses around here. I think this is a great opportunity to be able to get them involved with the campus spirit.”

Gibeault and his group helped paint the nearby Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Caroline Goodger, sophomore and member of the Kappa Delta sorority, said the initiative will help younger prospective students to start thinking about enrolling in and attending college.

“I think it’s inspiring for students to go to college,” Goodger said. “They see this and they want to get their friends together and come hang out and support our community.”

Goodger and her group painted the windows of nearby Subway delicatessen on Univer-

sity Avenue. Members of the Chi Omega sorority helped staffers from The Forum paint the windows of Arabica Hookah Café in the adjacent shopping plaza.

Natasha Jaffar, a freshman, said the initiative may be able to establish a tradition that people can look forward to each year.

“I think it brings together the entire community of UALR to actually be a family and support everything that we are all about,” Jaffar said. “Our school is so untraditional, but we can have traditions like this and make it traditional in that sense and we can kind of just make it family-like.”

Corrigan Revels, a sophomore with the Brother’s Keeper organization, said “Paint The Town Maroon” is all about building a family-like atmoshpere for the students at UALR. “It will build on the campus atmosphere and build a whole family atmosphere among the students,” Revels said.

Hocker’s design consisted of a simple red background with a large white diamond centered with a blue border around it.

The 25 stars in the border represent Arkansas as the 25th Union state. There were also three blue stars in the diamond itself, representing the three countries that have flown flags over the state: France, Spain and the U.S. The Arkansas General Assembly adopted the design, to which they added the state's name, in 1913.

After adoption, the flag remained unchanged until 1923 when a fourth star was added in the diamond for the Confederacy.

There is a small display about Hocker’s life and the story of her flag at the Jefferson County Historical Museum in Pine Bluff, as well as a historical marker that was placed in front of the Wabbaseka United Methodist church where she was a Sunday school teacher and longtime patron.

The marker was put in place in 2005 and notes the contribution of her flag design.

But that isn't enough for Irby, who has proposed creating a monument to honor both Hocker and the USS Arkansas in the Wabbaseka city park, pledging the first $500 to the project.

He announced his donation on Jan. 1 when he revealed plans for 2013 events, the first of which was in the park Feb. 26. Irby said he wants his hometown to be remembered and honored in the annals of Arkansas history.

There will be a public contest to design the monument incorporating the state flag, Hocker and the USS Arkansas. Design ideas and donations can be submitted at lovewhithinlife-jasonirby.com and by email at jirby@aristotle. net. Plans for a dedication ceremony later this year have not yet been made.

Hometown pride is something that Irby covers in his book, “Love Within Life,” in which he tells of his formative years in Wabbaseka.

“I walk, I write, I run in the footsteps of those who came before me,” Irby said.

Student crosses finish line at Little Rock Marathon Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

Applications are now being accepted for the 2013-2014

Executive Editor Applications may be picked up at the reception desk in Stabler 705, and should be returned no later than noon March 15.

An applicant for editor must: • • •

Have at least a 2.5 overall GPA. Have completed the MCOM 2350 and MCOM 3320.

Be enrolled in at least nine hours of coursework during each semester as editor for an undergraduate or six hours for a graduate student.

“To get an idea of how large it was, it took us 20 minutes to cross the start line to get going,” said Andrew Hall, a senior student at UALR majoring in mass communications, and a competitor in the 2013 Little Rock Marathon.

Hall was one of more than about 10,000 people participating in either the marathon, half marathon or 10 kilometer run March 3 in downtown Little Rock.

“It was almost 8:21 [a.m.] whenever we passed the start line. So there were 20 minutes of people standing to go before we even got to the start,” Hall said.

Hall said his family members encouraged him to participate in the annual event in which thousands of runners from all 50 states and several different countries around the world descend on Little Rock to compete in the 26.2 mile run.

“I have three older sisters,” Hall said. “They are all avid runners and they kind of urged me to do it.”

Hall said this was his first marathon run, but he’s had some experience running in the form of 5k (3.1 miles) races before deciding to run in the marathon.

“I had done little 5k’s here and there, but nothing as serious as a marathon,” he said. “But then, I discovered that endurance sports are kind of what I enjoy and like to do.”

Hall said the atmosphere was unlike

anything he’s ever experienced before.

“The spectators were great. You would go 200 feet before you’d see someone else clapping or yelling for you. It was super supportive.”

“Everyone was there, you know, just encouraging and it was a really good time.”

Hall ran in what is classified as the open corral, a slot reserved for runners expecting to finish the race in four hours or lonHall ger.

“I really didn’t have a goal in mind for time, I just wanted to finish because I had- never before that- never really ran for more than like 11 or 12 miles at a time,” he said.

Hall crossed the finish line after five hours, 19 minutes and 57 seconds- good enough for a 1600th-place finish. The overall winner of the marathon was Mark Chepses, a native of Kenya, who finished the marathon in two hours, 19 minutes and 45 seconds.

“This year I kind of put running to the wayside because I’m an avid cyclist, so I didn’t run as much as I should have,” he said.

Hall said he intends to train harder for next year and go for a faster time.

He said he’s also looking forward to getting back to cycling regularly and will explore competing in a triathlon.

UAPB, continued from page 1 exander was recommended for the position by Bobbitt during a special phone conference of the UA System Board of Trustees, according to the release.

“I’m pleased to nominate Dr. Laurence Alexander, who I believe has the right combination of experience and enthusiasm to help shape a positive, successful future for UAPB,” Bobbitt said in the release. “Dr. Alexander understands the important role that UAPB plays in the higher education portfolio of our state and in the Pine Bluff community. It’s a university that has grown and developed throughout the past two decades, and I am excited about the leadership Dr. Alexander will provide to help the campus and its students, faculty and staff achieve at the highest levels.

While we know there will be challenges ahead, I look forward to working with Dr. Alexander to ensure a successful future for UAPB.” Alexander graduated with his bachelor’s degree in drama and communications from the University of New Orleans, his hometown, received his juris doctor from Tulane University, also in New Orleans, and his Ph.D. in higher education from Florida State University.

“I bring a lot to the table,” Alexander told The Forum in January. “I bring a wealth of experience in higher ed and higher education administration; I bring experience at the graduate level; lots of experience with students and student affairs … externship programs … partnerships … and the alumni board….”

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Campus Life

Homecoming Week 2013 Photos by Jennifer Ellis

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

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Illustration by Byron Busling

The Uplifting Journey aims at improving lives Sarah De Clerk Features Editor

Life is a universal journey. Although all people approach life differently, no one is alone. With support from fellow travelers, people can chose to live their life in a way that is most fulfilling to them.

That is the mentality that led to the name of The Uplifting Journey, a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 by UALR graduate Christopher D. Smith. Its mission, he said, is to help people develop a more optimistic view of life.

Smith graduated from UALR in 2010 with a bachelor’s in political science. From 2009 to 2010, he served as president of the Student Government Association.

“I loved being SGA president,” Smith said. “I still love politics. I loved meeting people, talking to them and finding out what was important to students. Even if we couldn’t help, we were there to listen.”

Smith said he inherited his passion for service from his parents. “Growing up in Hope, Ark., my parents were all about service and helping other people. That really took root as I grew older,” he said. Smith said that he never planned on being a motivational speaker or starting a nonprofit; he just wanted to help people.

“We all need inspiration. We all need encouragement. I want to really make sure I do my part to change someone’s life for the better,” he said.

The Uplifting Journey aims at building people’s self-esteem and self-confidence, so that they can better their lives and those of the people around them.

“The biggest thing we bring across is no matter who you are – young, old, male, female, where you’re born – we all have an identity about ourselves.

Self-esteem depends on the value we attach to that identity,” Smith said. “If you feel like you’re not appreciated, your identity is not strong, which can lead, potentially, to not reaching your full potential.”

People with high self-esteem have

a more cheerful attitude, he said. Being happy with oneself can be a challenge, however. The media, among other things, tells people who they should be, how they should dress and what kind of music to listen to, he said.

“Various entities are pushing and pulling us, and it takes a strong individual to say ‘This is who I want to be,’” he said.

Life itself can be a challenge, Smith said. Unfortunate things happen to people; everyone has bad days.

“We all need inspiration. We all need encouragement. I want to really make sure I do my part to change someone’s life for the better.”

- Christopher D. Smith

“You can’t control what happens day to day, but you can control your response to it,” Smith said. “If we weren’t meant to win in life and equipped with the strategies to make it though the hard times, life wouldn’t deal us the blows that it does.”

Thinking positively about life and oneself can help people meet their goals and keep a bad situation from ruining their entire day, or life. “If you are positive, I believe that makes different things work out; if you are negative or down-and-out, don’t be surprised if life gives back bad situations,” Smith said.

Thinking positively is not enough to create change, however; you have to want it, he said. The hardest part of transforming one’s life is making the decision to change, he said, because people are afraid they might fail.

After making that decision, the process of change is much easier,

Visit us online.

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Smith said. “You commit to change, put forth the right action and remove yourself from situations that are not positive to your life,” he said. Change cannot occur overnight, however; people must progress one day at a time, he said.

The process is continual, Smith said, because people are constantly facing new challenges and learning new lessons. “You learn something new everyday and sometimes you learn something new about yourself,” he said.

The Uplifting Journey is not just about building oneself, it is also about helping other people, Smith said. “When you feel good about yourself, you want other people to feel the same thing. It’s all about paying it forward,” he said.

“We are all connected in one way or another,” he said. “Finding that relatable thread is what makes this project so much fun.”

Fun or not, members of The Uplifting Journey stay busy. Smith said that the members of the organization work “nonstop” and constantly multitask.

The Uplifting Journey periodically hosts family days, he said, in which families can get together for games, music, dancing and food. The purpose is to have fun and focus on the family, Smith said.

“That’s what adds to love in life – simple things. Sometimes, we overlook what’s most important.”

Smith said that The Uplifting Journey also partners with other organizations to participate in volunteer work. Working with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, they have spoken with people who have dealt with breast cancer, and cheered on participants at Race for the Cure, he said.

In September, Hunger Action Month, they organize a food drive, the donations from which go to the Arkansas Food Bank, he said. During November and December, he said they organize a clothing drive to support One, Inc., an organization that serves the homeless community.

“Really making a difference and putting forth action to help those in need builds up optimism,” Smith said.

One of the group’s largest projects is ReDEFINE Me: Youth Initiative, which began in October 2012. The program helps teenagers identify and eliminate stereotypes, Smith said.

Smith defined stereotyping as believing that you know all about a person just by looking at them.

“Stereotypes are a serious thing, particularly in today’s day and age. If individuals aren’t careful, they could hurt someone,” he said.

ReDEFINE Me tours schools, churches and youth centers and talks with young people, parents and counselors about the issues they face, he said.

“Each time we visit with the kids, they reveal something different that surprises us,” he said. “We reach young people where they’re at, talk with them and identify the true champion within them. We want to be seen as a big brother or sister that they can go to and talk about things with.”

Smith said that the group has also dealt with self-image and bullying.

They do different exercises, one of which is “Lies versus Truth,” in which they have participants write negative things about themselves on a piece of paper, then have their peers write positive truths to contradict the negative statements. Then they throw the lies away and keep the truths for later reflection.

“It helps the kids plant seeds of hope and positivity in each other without even knowing it,” Smith said.

The group also does role-playing games, which opens up a dialogue about stereotypes, but also instills in participants the confidence that they can speak in front of a group, he said.

“We work to plant that seed of positivity in their mind that will help them focus in school so they can grow up to be great leaders,” he said. “We can’t be with them every step of the way, and that’s where the community and positive role models come in.

They can push and drive them in the right direction so they will see other individuals care and want to see them progress.”

Smith also had some advice for college students.

“I believe in you,” he said. “Never give up. Take it one day at a time and before you know it, you’ll have a college degree and can move on to bigger and better things.”

“We are all connected in one way or another.

Finding that relatable thread is what makes this project so much fun.”

- Christopher D. Smith

“Be bold,” he added, “because we need more individuals that are strong and brave and willing to go into the world and find the cure for the latest disease or create a new vehicle.”

Smith said he has a few dreams for The Uplifting Journey. He said he would like to host a conference in which he would bring in people from across the country to talk about the importance of building the best possible life, and strategies to help people do so. He added that it would be great to have an event at the university, where they could “help create a community of great future leaders.”

Immediately, Smith said he would like to see the organization grow. At present, there are 40 people involved in the organization, he said. But they also have supporters in other states who send donations and encouraging words.

“We are looking to spread the message and grow our numbers, so that we can make a greater input,” he said. “We’re here to help. Everyone who wants to help is welcome.”

More information about The Uplifting Journey can be found on its website, TheUpliftingJourney.org.

ualr.edu/forum

That damned Ellis kid David Ellis

The ghost of Old Lady Armstrong In 1985, after years of fist fights, class disruptions, poor grades, visits to the principle’s office and conferences with teachers who simply refused to deal with me anymore, my parents decided it was time to take a different approach to my schooling.

Taking a suggestion from the principle, my parents decided that I would attend a boarding school. It was believed that a more structured and disciplined environment was what I needed. I can say now, looking back, that it worked; for the most part, my grades and attitude did improve. Still, I cannot say that I didn’t occasionally get into a bit of trouble.

Morris School for Boys was a Catholic boarding school nine miles west of Searcy. It was run by Franciscan monks at the behest of the Diocese of Little Rock. It was founded in 1921 by thenBishop John B. Morris, hence its name.

Like most old school campuses, Morris had its share of stories and legends about the people who owned the land before it was a school. As it turns out, Morris school sat on the site of what was once a health resort called Armstrong Springs, named after its owner and founder.

The resort operated during the 1880’s and was run much like the other resorts of Hot Springs. People would travel to the resort to consume or bathe in the waters of the springs, which were believed by the local Native American tribes to have healing properties.

One of the legends of the school centered around Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, whose graves were said to be underneath the dining hall floor. The Armstrong’s ghosts were said to haunt the campus.

Reports of sightings dated back to the beginning of the school. These tales were passed down by word of mouth through each generation of students and grew more exaggerated with each telling. As a twelve-year-old boy, I was both fascinated and frightened by these tales, and so was my friend Tomain.

If there was one thing a student at Morris could never complain of, it was boredom. The campus was equipped with sports fields, a tennis court and a gymnasium which boasted its own video arcade, canteen with vending machines and television room, but the coolest thing it had was an indoor pool.

Like most swimming pools, this one had rules. Coach Max enforced the rules.

Coach was burly man with a cop mustache, and often with a surly disposition.

One of the coach’s unwritten rules was that the last two boys dressing after leaving the pool had to take all the day’s wet towels across campus, in the dark, to the laundry room.

Did I mention it was dark? The campus had outdoor lights, but they were spread out, leaving some parts unlit.

When you are out in the country, miles away civilization, let me tell you it can get pretty dark.

It was December and Tomain and I were the last two boys dressing one night after swimming, so we got stuck with towel duty.

Making our way across campus, we began to converse on the subject of the ghost of Old Lady Armstrong. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I remember a moaning noise. I took it to be the wind, but it caused Tomain to look over his right shoulder. He screamed an expletive, dropped his side of the baskets and began to run, which startled me.

I dropped the baskets and ran like hell. I didn’t even look back to see what we were running from. If it was bad enough to scare Tomain, I sure as hell wasn’t sticking around to find out what it was.

The next day, we were confronted by an angry Coach Max. Not only did he not buy our ghost story; he also made us recover the frozen towels and help the laundry staff unthaw and wash them.

We caught all kinds of flack from the other guys about being afraid of the dark and leaving the towels out to freeze. It was a running joke for a long time. After that, Coach Max made us drop off the towels every night for the rest of the school year, whether we were swimming or not.

I learned a couple of things from that incident. One, don’t be the last guy dressing after leaving the pool. Two, you have to be careful about following other people, no matter how convincing they are.

You have to check things out for yourself or you might end up not only catching a lot of flack for being stupid, but with the proverbial “towel duty” as well.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Features

Twister Tips

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to keep students safe Sarah De Clerk Features Editor

Spring’s warm weather is known for bringing forth chirping birds, blooming flowers and violent tornadoes.

“More do occur in spring,” said Tommy Jackson, pubic information officer for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. “Tornadoes used to be considered a springtime phenomenon,” he said, “but you’re susceptible to them all months of the year.”

Tornadoes happen when cold and warm air clash, causing violent wind, he said.

“It’s a very frightening thing when they do occur,” he said, “they are unbelievably powerful.”

The worst tornado Jackson experienced happened in 2008, he said. At 5 p.m. Feb. 5, a tornado killed three people in Atkins before its 122-mile trek across the state, causing 13 total fatalities, the National Weather Service’s as-

sessment said.

The Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak, as it became known, included 87 tornadoes in nine states, it said. Half the people interviewed for the report said that they underestimated the storm because it was outside the perceived tornado season.

Students can minimize their risks in a tornado by planning ahead, Jackson said.

“One of the best things students can do is prepare by gathering enough emergency supplies,” Jackson said, including food, water, toiletries and medicine. He recommended students have enough supplies to live for 72 hours, in case first responders cannot reach them.

Keeping important documents in a secure, waterproof area can protect them during a tornado, he added.

“When a tornado does approach, anyone in its path should seek shelter indoors,” Jackson said. Basements and

interior, ground-floor rooms away from windows are the safest places, he said, and added that sheltering under heavy furniture or mattresses provides extra protection.

Tornadoes can suck up cars and mobile homes and toss them through the air, Jackson said. It is best to leave them if they are in a tornado’s path. If there is no shelter available, people should lie flat in a ditch or depression, cover their heads, and wait for the storm to pass, he said.

It is a good idea to have a tornado plan ahead of time, Jackson said. Students should know where to go in a tornado. They should also decide on a meeting place, in case they are separated from their friends and family, he said.

“So many of us tend to panic when a storm hits and forget everything,” he said. “The people who plan ahead are the people who are most likely to survive.”

Math made easier: advice from experts Hillary Perkins Staff Writer

Math can be a joy for some students and a headache for others.

Many students struggle with various kinds of math, including positive and negative number signs, fractions, factoring, graphing and word problems, instructors in the department of mathematics and statistics said.

In fall 2011, the success rate for college algebra, a core math course, was 59 percent, said Mellisa Hardeman, senior instructor in the department. The success rate dropped anther percentage point the following year, she said.

In fall 2012, 50 to 60 percent of precore math students had difficulties solving math problems, said Denise LeGrand, director of the Mac I math lab.

Ike McPhearson, math tutor, explained why students may have trouble comprehending math. One reason is that students may come from a home where education is not valued, he said.

A bad experience with an instructor can also change students' attitudes about math.

“You can’t take yourself too seriously as a teacher,” said Hardeman. Instructors can never give a student too much help passing math, she said.

Students who took a math course in high school before going to college are less likely to struggle with math, Hardeman said. Some students go to college years after graduating high school, however, and may forget everything they learned in their math classes.

Fortunately, there are a number of strategies that can help students overcome these challenges and develop a better understanding of math.

“In order to make math easy for students, show different ways of how to understand it,” said McPherson, who has tutored high school and college students. Another way of making math fun for students is to create different games, he said.

Illustration by Byron Busling

According to LeGrand, the most important way to become better at math is to practice math exercises for 20 to 30 minutes.

“They won't see the results right away,” said LeGrand, " but if they go to class and focus on work required, they will be successful and they will build confidence."

In addition, students can get help from tutors at the math lab. Each semester, the lab hires 12 tutors, LeGrand said.

For the math-impaired, there is a new math course called Quantitative and Mathematical Reasoning. The course was designed for students who are not science, technology, engineering or mathematics majors. It focuses on practical math, for example, currency exchange rates. The course fulfills the core math requirement, in place of college algebra.

Pre-core math courses, developmental math courses students take if they do not have the prerequisites for college math classes, are becoming more successful, said Tracy Watson, coordinator for pre-core math. The success rate for those courses rose to 77 percent in fall 2012, she said. Previously, the success rate was 37 percent for a 4-year period, she said.

This semester, there are 80 math majors at the university.

“We all like how math works because it all fits together,” Watson said.

“Students who major in math develop a sense of thinking and solving problems,” said Thomas McMillan, department chair.

Once students better understand math, they will have the confidence to solve not only math problems, but problems in everyday life as well.

“My grandma.”

“Music.”

Ericka Caldwell

Michael Bell

sophomore speech

junior human resource management major

pathology major

What inspires you?

“My mom.”

Jamie gardner freshman biology major

“My family.”

Krishondra Watson freshman chemistry major

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

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‘Tomb Raider’ revisits story of veteran video game vixen Archaeological explorer Lara Croft emerges with new garb, backstory in refreshing saga reboot Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

Famous fictional archaeologist Lara Croft makes a triumphant return in this year’s reboot of the acclaimed “Tomb Raider” series. Photo courtesy of fanpop.com

In what can be described as the biggest video game release of the year thus far, “Tomb Raider” brings the world’s most famous fictional archaeologist back into the spotlight after a five-year hiatus from gaming consoles.

It’s not often a video game features a female lead character, but “Tomb Raider” is noteworthy for this and a host of other reasons. The gaming experience, technique, musical score and cut scenes remind me of recent blockbuster hits such as those from the “Uncharted” series and the latest “Batman” saga. It has a very cinemati feel to it and utilizes theatrical sequences to drive the plot and create emotional ties between Croft and the player.

Like other installments in the series, the “Tomb Raider” reboot follows the story of Lara Croft (voiced by Camilla Luddington) and her search for finding the lost Japanese city of Yamatai. The game also explores the emotional struggles Croft faces in transitioning from a scared damsel to an independent, fierce fighter.

The game starts off at sea, where the ship carrying Croft and her crew is sinking during a torrential storm.

The crew is later dispersed and Croft finds her way to the shoreline, but she is suddenly blindsided after someone strikes the back of her head.

Many hours later, she wakes up in a cave, suspended in the air and wrapped in a cocoon-like structure.

It is at this point when players finally take control of the character, with Croft swinging from side-to-side in order to ignite herself by way of a nearby cauldron. After successfully breaking free, she falls to the ground and later finds a set of tools -- as well as shelter -- at an abandoned campsite.

After Croft finds a bow attached to a nearby corpse, it’s apparent she struggles with the reality of death and how she could end up just like said person.

But now that she wields a weapon (albeit a primitive one), she can hunt for food. The player later takes control, attempting to shoot a deer. It’s not long until the two-way radio begins to sound and Croft is able to rejoin her crew, but the task of finding help off the island and finding the underground city still take priority.

“Tomb Raider,” an action-adventure thriller, is a game that gives fans the opportunity to become immersed in the game’s nearly 15-hour solo campaign and emotionally invested into the bond established between players and the game’s protagonist.

History Channel pillages, plunders and perplexes with new miniseries ‘Vikings’ offers gritty, provocative take on legendary historical conquest with great effects and casting David Ellis

TV SERIES REVIEW

Staff Writer

The History Channel briefly steps away from its reality-based documentary programming with its newest drama series, “Vikings.” The series, which is produced by MGM television, was created by writer/producer Michael Hirst, whose credits include HBO’s “The Tudors” and the historical drama “Elizabeth.”

The show’s plot is based on the saga of King Ragnar Lodbrok, a popular Norse hero rumored to be a direct descendant of the Norse god Odin.

Lodbrok was a legendary commander who sailed southward from Scandinavia in 845 CE and led many raids into France and England -- so many raids, in fact, that he became known as the “Scourge of France and England.”

The series is shot on location in Ireland and its cast is made up of relatively unknown actors (aside from Gabriel Byrne, who plays Lord Jarl Haraldson).

But the status of the actors’ notoriety doesn’t affect the drama of “Vikings,” especially since they do an amazing job of bringing the saga to life. The show is also shot in a visceral style that draws the viewer into the story, the locations and scenes creating a genuine experience of legendary events.

“Vikings” is provocative, gritty and

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interesting with the right amount of violence and gore. Each episode is 45 minutes long, leaving the viewer craving more. Many critics are already pouring on the praise, with International Business Times stating that many already see “Vikings” as “ the next “Game Of Thrones.” The Hollywood Reporter also says the program lives up to lofty expectations, and The Washington Post proclaims it to be “an adroit and even elegant surprise.”

The series may play loosely with the facts, but it certainly delivers on entertainment. This program could easily mark a turning point in the History Channel’s programming, changing the way people look at the network. and securing the long-covered male demographic since it represents a welcome break in style. It has all the right elements: a good story, strong acting, and excellent cinematography. All in all, “Vikings” is television drama at its best.

History Channel’s “Vikings,” which centers on legendary Scandanivian figure Ragner Lodbrok, proves to be a tour-de-force in the middle of reality television programming. Photo courtesy of History Channel

‘Sound City’ documentary Alien abduction strikes revisits analog recording suburbia in new thriller Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

“Sound City,” a documentary by famed musician Dave Grohl, was a project taken on after purchasing the studio’s famed console soundboard -- the same console he and Nirvana band mates Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic recorded their groundbreaking album, “Nevermind.”

But as the film implies, “Nevermind” may not even be the most famous album that was recorded there.

Throughout its existence, Sound City Studios welcomed a slew of musical acts through its doors. Among them are Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash and industrial outfit Nine Inch Nails. Throughout “Sound City,” Grohl uses interviews with musicians who have recorded at Sound City Studios, archival footage and a selective soundtrack to transport the viewer into a time when recording took place without the use of autotune and similar technological methods. He goes on to explain that being perfect is not the most important part of making music. At one point, he says people should encourage kids to go D.I.Y. by purchasing a guitar, meeting up with their neighbor and jamming in a garage.

This is why Grohl and his contemporaries get together in the studio to prove to viewers that you can make great, quality music with analog equipment. The drummer and his bandmates assemble in their recording studio, Studio 606, with the newly-acquired Neve console to record original material with some of the finest musicians to ever walk the halls of Sound City Studios. The result is an album of 11 original songs recorded on the old Neve 8028, serving as the last hoorah for a con-

sole that has been in existence since 1972.

The music created from these sessions includes curious and historic parings, and they all seem to work. The documentary, released Feb. 1 to video-on-demand services, features the recording process and how some of the original music was conceived.

“Sound City: Real to Reel,” the name given to the album of the music created

by Grohl and his Sound City Studio alums, was released March 12. Perhaps the most noteworthy is a track called “Cut Me Some Slack,” which features the surviving members of Nirvana (Grohl, Novoselic and Pat Smear, a touring guitarist) and Sir Paul McCartney. The part in the film when Nirvana inserts McCartney as their frontman is a historic moment, as Nirvana has never played together since Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994. This moment alone, if nothing else, is worthy of seeing the film.

Grohl and McCartney really lock in as they go to work on the song. The group reportedly started from scratch and got all the way to a finished recording in about three hours. During the making of the song, Grohl looks to McCartney, smiles and says, “Why can’t it always be this easy?” McCartney shrugs slightly and deadpans- “It is.”

Without intent, Grohl, who most agree appeals to a Generation Y demographic and modern rock music enthusiasts, has introduced a variety of veteran musicians to a group of young people that may not have had the opportunity to discover when they were growing up.

This is a must-see film for anyone that appreciates music beyond a surface level.

It explores the deep emotional attachment that music creates between people and how keeping that feeling alive in the recording studio is important.

Minimal production and excellent casting make up for minor disappointments in ‘Dark Skies’ David Ellis

MOVIE REVIEW

Staff Writer

Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” It is this quote that opens the new sci-fi/horror film “Dark Skies,” a tale of a suburban family who suddenly experiences a series of disturbing events that escalate and lead to the discovery that they’ve been abducted by aliens.

“Dark Skies” was written and directed by Scott Stewart, who boasts five similar titles including “Priest” and 2010’s “Legion.” The film, which had particular styles of camera angles, lighting, and editing deliver the spook factor. The director knew just how to combine all those elements to heighten the suspense. There is a particularly disturbing scene in which Lacy Barrett, the family’s matriarch, wakes to find her husband in the backyard with his face frozen, his mouth agape in a look of terror. Still unresponsive, he walked into the house, finally waking to ask why he was in the kitchen.

These small parts were elements that easily delivered on the scares.

The film was also well-assembled because of its use of the movie-making process in driving the drama. But the one place it came up short was in the visual effects department, which

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is surprising since Stewart is known for just that. The aliens in this movie were cartoonish, poorly designed and only seen in full toward the end. With a budget of only $3.5 million -- as opposed to $50 million -- one can see that sacrifices had to be made.

Taken as a whole, “Skies” was a good movie. It was well acted, with Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton delivering excellent performances as the Barretts. Dakota Goyo and Kadan Rockett gave very believable performances as the Barrett children, and J.K. Simmons was excellent in his minor roll as alien abduction expert Edwin Pollard.

More importantly, the film brought the alien abduction phenomenon to suburban America, which is a scary notion. Regardless of one’s position on the existence of extraterrestrial beings or the alien abduction phenomenon, “Skies” was a good story of how a family can draw together in the face of overwhelming odds.

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Can you

By Sarah Melero

FIND the DIFFERENCES?

Horoscopes

By Taylor Hoffard

Pisces

Feb. 19 - March 20

Virgo

You naturally trust your instincts, Pisces. Keep this up and you will find new friends.

Aries

March 21 - April 20

You are the only one who knows how you feel, Aries.

Express your feelings in healthy ways to get your anger out. Keeping things bottled up isn’t good.

Taurus

April 21 -May 21

When something good happens this week, don’t let it go to your head, Taurus. You are worthy of praise, but you aren’t worthy of worship.

Gemini

May 22 - June 21

If you are wondering why you are the one cleaning up after others, Gemini, it’s because you have more integrity than others. Keep it up.

Cancer

June 22 - July 22

You may be worried that sometimes your best isn’t good enough, Cancer. Get out of this mindset and those As will be easier to earn.

Leo Find the answers at ualr.edu/forum under the Puzzle Solutions link

9

Entertainment

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

July 23 - Aug. 22

Does love really exist? You find yourself asking, and sometimes answering this question, Leo. Decide who is worth your devotion before pursuing love.

UALR’s Girl

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 A mistake you made has been holding you back, Virgo. Move on, and learn from it.

Libra

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

Don’t concern yourself with the odds of something happening, Libra. You control what happens in your life.

Scorpio

Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

You may be feeling antisocial today, Scorpio, and that’s okay. Everyone is entitled to their days.

Sagittarius

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

You can’t tolerate liars, Sagittarius. Yet you keep them in your life. Call people out on their fabrications, and you will find more honest people coming your way.

Capricorn

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

You are very head strong and determined, Capricorn. Take time to analyze what you are determined to do this week, and the answer will be more apparent.

Aquarius

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

Relationships are tough, Aquarius. If you feel like your relationship is dull now that Valentine’s Day is over, try finding a way to bring the spice back for a long term stay.

By Paige Mason

Dollar Bin Bargain

By Byron Buslig

Crossword Across

1- Cossack chief 7- Adult male 10- Trading center 14- Rebuke 15- Land in la mer 16- Skunk’s defense 17- Photographic device 18- Blink of an eye 19- Swing around 20- Capital of Utah 23- Wagons 26- TKO caller 27- Judges’ garments 28- Culture medium 29- Barrett of Pink Floyd 30- Fiddle stick 31- Before 33- Auction action 34- VCR button 37- Some MIT grads 38- It’s bottled in Cannes 39- Hot time in Paris 40- Highest mountain in Crete 41- “Michael Collins” actor 42- PC monitor 43- Hopelessness 45- Humble dwelling

46- Delivery room docs 47- ___’acte (intermission) 48- Take the role of 51- French vineyard 52- Fidgety 53- Given to gossiping 56- Receptacle for holy water 57- Man-mouse connector 58- Lubricant 62- Actress Russo 63- Not emp.

64- Hamper 65- Idyllic place 66- Fury 67- Bristly

Down

1- 1970 Jackson 5 hit 2- Beverage commonly drunk in England 3- Human limb 4- Conductor 5- Gillette razors 6- Oscar winner Patricia 7- Misguided 8- Shake like ___ 9- Bottle part 10- Capital of Russia

11- Go off-script 12- Path 13- Low cards 21- Audition 22- Wears away 23- Escapade 24- Concur 25- Mikhail’s wife 29- Begin 30- Seizes with teeth 32- Reject 33- It bites you in your sleep 34- Laughing 35- Prepares for publication 36- Transport 44- Overhanging 45- Hurry 46- Elaborately adorned 48- Actress Woodard 49- Whispered sweet nothings 50- 1,000 kilograms 51- Kitchen gadget 52- Lofty nest 54- Singer Amos 55- Sounds of disgust 59- Ruckus 60- Paris possessive 61- Before, once

Puzzle courtesy of bestcrosswords.com

View solution at ualr.edu/forum

10 Sports Trojans find heartache in Hot Springs Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

The UALR women’s basketball team could not make shots down the stretch against Middle Tennessee State University in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference tournament. MTSU began to chip away at UALR’s seven point lead with just under 12 minutes remaining in the game. At that point, MTSU went on a scoring barrage and ended the game on a 20-8 scoring run.

The Trojans hit a dry spell, knocking down only seven shots in the second half.

UALR scored near the 10 minute mark of the second half , but would not score another field goal until about the three minute mark of the game.

The scoring run by the Blue Raiders, paired with the shooting dry spell, proved to be too much for the Trojans to take on. The final score from Summit Arena in Hot Springs was 53-48, giving UALR its

ualr.edu/forum

“Both teams played extremely hard. It came down to being able to get it inside and draw more fouls. They beat us at the free throw line.”

- Head coach Joe Foley first loss since Jan. 19 when the team played at Western Kentucky.

“Both teams played extremely hard,” head coach Joe Foley said. “It came down to being able to get it inside and draw more fouls. They beat us at the free throw line.”

The numbers Foley is referring to would be the 20 personal fouls that were called against UALR. Five of them going against junior Taylor Ford, who fouled out of the game before the final buzzer sounded. Additionally, MTSU was able to get to

Freshman Carolee Dillard loses track of the ball during the championship game against Middle Tennessee. Dillard finished the game with four points, two steals and two blocks in 18 minutes of play. Photo by Jacob Ellerbee

The UALR women’s basketball team was left scrambling after its 53-48 loss in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament against Middle Tennessee on Monday March 11. Photo by Jacob Ellerbee the free throw line 25 times, knocking down 17 of them.

UALR went to the line just seven times for the entire game.

“We just let it slip away,” freshman Shanity James said. “They hit some major free throws. We had some fouls that we didn’t need.”

MTSU’s Ebony Rowe gave a rousing performance in the title game, finishing with 20 points-12 of which came off of made free throws- and 13 rebounds. Additionally, MTSU’s Kortni Jones, the Sun Belt Tournament MVP, scored 15 points and dished out four assists in the victory.

UALR had its fair share of premier performers, as sophomore Taylor Gault and teammate James were named to the All-Tournament team.

Gault provided 13 points (on 6 of 23 shooting) and three assists for UALR.

Three point barrage snuffs out men in SBC tournament Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

The UALR men’s basketball team could not contain Florida International’s Malik Smith and his near-historic night during the Saturday, March 9 game of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on the Convention Center Court.

Smith hit eight of 10 three-point shots against UALR, ending with a game-high 25 points by the time the final buzzer sounded.

The last time a player in the men’s tournament hit that many three pointers was during the 1997 tournament when John Knox of Jacksonville University hit nine three-point shots against Arkansas State University.

The Trojans had split the season series against FIU, but nothing can be predicted or anticipated when it comes to the conference tournament.

FIU got off to a hot start and began playing full-court man-to-man defense to rattle UALR and make it difficult for the youthful team to get into an offensive set.

“It’s relentless,” freshman John Gillon said of the FIU full-court press. “It doesn’t stop. Event after a timeout, after a made shot, they were still back in their press.”

FIU found multiple ways to get Smith the ball to fire away from the three-point line. FIU brought Smith off of staggered screens, pick-and-roll options and even passing him the ball to shoot a three pointer off of a fast break. Through the first eight minutes of play he was 3 of 4 from behind the arc.

With just under 4 minutes remaining in the first half, FIU had extended its lead to 16 points; however, UALR began to chip away at the score by going on a scoring frenzy.

UALR held FIU scoreless for the final two minutes of the half as they racked up enough points to cut FIU’s lead to 8.

Going into the locker room, it was FIU 34, UALR 26. The Trojans enjoyed the 11-point spark that freshman John Gillon provided off the bench during the half.

The Trojans were able to stay within striking distance for most of the second half; however, FIU was able to answer UALR on nearly every made

Freshman Josh Hagins looks to set up a play during the second half of a loss to Florida International University at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. Photo by Jacob Ellerbee basket, which made it difficult for the Trojans to get momentum and take control of the game.

FIU’s Smith made three more threepoint shots during the second half.

Each made three seemed to correlate with a deflation in UALR’s confidence to get back into the game. At one point during the second half, FIU extended its lead to 20 points over the Trojans.

“They played consistently hard throughout the whole game and we didn’t match it,” Gillon said.

Steve Shields, the head coach for UALR, conceded the defeat and said FIU was just the better team on March 9.

“We faced a better prepared team, a better coached team tonight and a team that played harder and played with more toughness and more passion tonight,” the coach said.

“When people get up in us, [that] is when we struggle. We’ve got to become a tougher-minded team where we handle pressure better,” Shields said.

The Trojans finished the season with a record of 17 wins and 15 losses.

This was the final game of the season for senior Ted Crass, who logged one minute of play against FIU.

“We just let it slip away. They hit some major free throws. We had some fouls that we didn’t need.”

- Freshman Shanity James After the game, Gault acknowledge her shooting struggles. “I couldn’t get the ball, I couldn’t see anything,” she said. Gault said MTSU’s Jones and Janay Brinkley were shutting her down on defense. “I told my teammates to step it up and make some shots, because I can’t see anything.”

Gault found help in the form of sophomore Kiera Clark and James as well.

James totaled 14 points

and pulled down seven rebound, while Clark finished the game by earning her first career double double. Her 17 rebounds nearly comprised half of the team’s 39 total rebounds. She also chipped in 11 points.

After the game, Foley said he’s looking forward to getting his young team back on the court to get more experience under its belt. Foley anticipates an invite to the National Invitation Tournament, which features 64 of the best teams not invited to the NCAA Tournament.

The Trojans will learn if and who they will play Monday, March 18.

This was the final Sun Belt Conference game for UALR senior Janette Merriex. The team ends its season with a record of 24-8, with hopes of playing at least one more game in the NIT Tournament.