March 8, 2016 Kscope

TUESDAY

SCOPE

03.08.16

Volume 49|Issue 37

FA C E L E S S r . A . S

Howdy Folks, We have a few things going on around campus this week, and it’s getting to be something cool. On page 13, we go and drop in on the March Quilt and the Bib and Tucker sew-op by extension. The theme for this month’s quilt is the gender wage pay gap. eIt seems fitting that in the issue about possible unfair compensation of RAs that we see people from all generations taking up the cause of improving wages for all. I write this letter in the aftermath of a democratic presidential debate where we saw two people go at it to prove which cares more about the plight of the workers in this country.

I’m sure by now you’re all neck-deep in memes about it, but it’s really interesting to follow the priorities of each party in the field with this election. People mock the GOP for being too fascinated with macho posturing, people mock the democrats for having goals that are too lofty. Whoever you’re mocking, just make sure you’re fair.

Despite the possibility of one candidate’s alleged former life as a zodiac enthusiast, be sure to form your opinion in the upcoming post on policy and platform as opposed to rhetoric and looks.

Pay gaps based on race, gender (or lack thereof) and physical ability is a social justice battlefield close to my heart. I hope that we can see real change in this facet of society, but one of the things that can contribute to real change is individual accountability. We have to be sure to hold whoever is elected responsible for our well-being going forward, or there’s no reason to vote.

STAFF Brandon Varner editor@insideuab.com Casey Marley managing@insideuab.com Thomas Baldwin art@insideuab.com Sarah Faulkner news@insideuab.com Jackson Hyde features@insideuab.com Stephanie Lockhart photos@insideuab.com Tamara Imam copyed@insideuab.com

Managing Editor Visual Content Manager News & Science Editor Features & Opinions Editor Photography Editor Copy Editor

Anna Sims digitalcopy@insideuab.com

Digital Copy Editor

Jackson Hyde socialmedia@insideuab.com

Social Media Editor

Melvin Griffin Chad Freeman Mark Linn Jared Chesnutt Jamie Thrasher Marie Sutton info@insideuab.com Justin Massey justinpm@insideuab.com

Physical Address Suite 130, Hill Student Center 1400 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35205 Mail HSC 130, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-1150 Phone (205) 934-3354 Web UABkscope.com Email editor@insideuab.com

Editor-in-Chief

Distribution Team

Advisor Production Manager

The Kaleidoscope is the official student newspaper of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Unsigned editorials and the opinions of the Kaleidoscope’s columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinions of individual student writers, editors, Kaleidoscope advisers or university administrators. Signed columns and letters reflect the opinion of the writer and serve as expressions of fact and opinion to Kaleidoscope readers.

Letter Policy: Letters to Kaleidoscope are always welcome. Unless otherwise directed, all letters will be forwarded to the editor. Letters must be no longer than 200 words and must be typed. A name and a phone number must accompany each letter. Letters will appear at the discretion of the editorial staff and can be sent by mail, fax or electronic mail.

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Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of the Kaleidoscope.

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Aura Artist Spotlight: Meryl Hall

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eryl Hall is a senior at UAB who decided to pave her own pathway.

M Inspired by an Introduction to Cinema course, Hall created an individually designed major in film after the head of the department, June Mack, encouraged

her to peruse and refine her talent.

Hall is currently in pre-production for a short film, written and directed by herself. She is also working on a crime thriller titled “Natalie.” This in-town project features musical influences from Bruno Mars, who has expressed interest in helping to promote the film once it is finished.

After graduating, Hall plans to move to Atlanta and get involved with the city’s growing film industry. Once she’s established herself there, she would like to move to a larger city in the Pacific Northwest to pursue independent filmmaking as a full-time career.

Hall participated in the 2015 Sidewalk Scramble competition, which is a contest that gives teams 48 hours to create a film with a specific theme. Hall and her team were tasked with writing, shooting and editing a music video for local band GT, whom they had never met. The film won the Best Art Direction and Audience Choice awards.

To view Hall’s awarding-winning film, visit https://vimeo.com/122260837.

- Allison Underwood Aura Staff Member

Student Leaders wanted

Meryl Hall, an aspiring filmmaker, contributed to this cycle of Aura Magazine.

Photo courtesy of Allison Underwood

UAB student media is searching for student leaders in each of its four departments, for more information on the positions, email info@insideuab.com

UAB TV: Executive Director BlazeRadio: General Manager Aura: Editor Kscope: Editor in Chief

Still from Meryl Hall’s film, “Heavy Dreams.”

Taken from Vimeo

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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

NEWS

UAB collegiate recovery program offers support for struggling students

Mark Linn Staff Writer quiaego@uab.edu ast fall, UAB joined colleges around the country in creating a recovery program for students struggling with alcohol and drug addiction or eating disorders.

This semester, the program has hosted numerous open discussions and is planning spring break activities to help students stay sober and stable. “Sober Spring Break 2016” is set to take place the week of March 21. The events are open to all UAB students and include a kayaking trip on the Cahaba River with the Recreation Center, a cookout at the UAB mini park and an introduction to equine therapy, which uses horses for mental and behavioral therapy assistance.

“The ultimate goal of [the] collegiate recovery community is to facilitate students in long-term recovery from various types of addictions - alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, stuff like that,” said Taylor Milam, College Recovery Program project assistant.

The UAB Collegiate Recovery Community, which began last September, is headed by the Student Health and Wellness Center Counseling Services and joins a growing number of similar recovery programs nationwide. As of 2015, 135 colleges and universities have recovery programs, up from 35 in 2013 and only 10 in 2005.

Substance abuse remains a significant problem among college students; however, according to a National College Health More information about the Recovery program can be found at the Student Health and Wellness Center.

Photo by Ian Keel Association survey conducted in 2014, only 4 percent of students According to Milam, there are typically two routes for students who take part with alcohol or drug-related problems will seek help. Additionally, in the recovery program. The first is geared towards students who are struggling the survey found that drugs or alcohol negatively affected academic with an addiction problem or eating disorder who have not yet sought treatment. performance for 4.1 percent of students within the past year.

Milam encourages those students to set up an appointment with a counselor, In addition, the survey found substance abuse is a major factor who will assess the student and, depending on the severity of the problem, may affecting student retention rates. recommend inpatient treatment with UAB Addiction Recovery, which partners with the collegiate program.

“After a person would go through initial treatment for their addiction what we would hope to provide is a safe place and a recovery community when they come back to school,” Milam said.

The other route is for students who are already involved in recovery in some put that recycling in the right bin form. For these students, UAB’s program hopes to provide an already established community of people in recovery for the arriving student to take part in.

The recovery program hosts a support group every Tuesday at the Health and Wellness center. These meetings alternate between student and counselor-led discussions, covering topics ranging from stress management to relationships.

Milam encourages those in recovery to be involved in the wider recovery community outside of UAB. “I encourage students to not rely strictly on UAB’s collegiate recovery program as the sole source of their recovery,” Milam said. “You have to have a grounding that’s outside of UAB’s walls because we’re not going to stay here our whole lives.”

The collegiate recovery program is currently located in the SHWC on campus, although they hope to eventually have an independent facility on or near campus.

“Being a new program, we’re kind of limited on the resources, but down the road our future goal eventually we hope to have our own building on campus that would serve as a meeting place,” Milam said. “A place they can go to where we have twelve step groups and support groups throughout the day. A place they can go to have a quiet place of study, a place that they can go to have access to computers and to printers to serve their academic needs, even a place just to go to chill out and sit on a couch and take a break from studying.”

Milam said that the program is already in talks with the university and looking for a nearby location. He said that his goal is to have an operating facility within two or three years, with the hope that a temporary facility separate from Student Health and Wellness could be found in the meantime.

“I would just encourage the student seeking recovery to talk to another recovering person and know that they can feel safe and not judged for their 6:30-9:30am situation, because we’ve all been through it,” Milam said.

3:00-6:00pm

L

we get out what you put in,

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Open for drop-offs Mondays

620 11th Street South (205) 996-9043

For more information: email UABRecovery@uab.edu or call (205) 934-5816

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Ongoing type II diabetes study at UAB calls for more diagnosed participants Mark Linn Staff Writer quiaego@uab.edu

U

AB is currently seeking patients with type II diabetes to participate in a nationwide study.

Researchers are working to determine the best combinations of interventions to treat the disease.

Patients will receive free medication, lab tests and other diabetes care at no cost.

UAB is one of 37 institutions in the U.S. participating in the Glycemia Reduction Approaches in Diabetes: A Comparative Effectiveness, or GRADE study. The study is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and seeks to recruit 5,000 study participants with a representative sample of different age groups and ethnicities. GRADE aims to determine which of four major diabetes medications works best for patients already prescribed metformin, which is a common drug used in the initial treatment of type II diabetes, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

“I think the easiest way to describe [the study] is it a comparative effectiveness study that is trying to answer the question what is the next best medicine for somebody with type II diabetes to take when metformin isn’t enough,” said Andrea L. Cherrington, co-director of the translation and prevention core at the UAB Diabetes Research Center and of the GRADE study at UAB. “Right now there are multiple drugs

out there on the market a doctor can choose to put a patient on if they have type II diabetes and they need a second medication. But there’s a lack of evidence around who would benefit most from what drug regimen. And that’s what this drug trial is trying to answer.”

Researchers at UAB have already recruited around 100 participants for the study since it began in 2014, and they hope to gain close to 60 more subjects over the next year. Participants in the study must have been diagnosed with type II diabetes within the past 10 years, have taken only metformin for their treatment and have an A1C result of 6.8 or greater. This test measures a person’s average levels of glucose, or blood sugar, over a period of three months.

Cherrington believes that UAB was selected to participate in the study because of the infrastructure for research at UAB’s Comprehensive Diabetes Center and the Diabetes Research Center as well as the extremely high rates of diabetes in Alabama. This state had the highest rate of diabetes in the nation in 2013, with around 12.7 adults out of every 100 diagnosed with the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The south is a confluence of all kinds of risk factors,” Cherrington said. “We see[..] high rates of obesity, low rates of physical activity, we see high risks of other cardiovascular disease conditions like heart attacks and strokes.”

The Shelby Biomedical Research Building is the site of UAB’s Comprehensive Diabetes Center.

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The researcher also cited the typical southern diet as another contributing factor, which is high in fat, salt, sugar and fried foods. Additionally, AfricanAmericans are at a higher risk of diabetes, being 1.7 times more likely than non-Hispanic whites to have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Cherrington said that one of the unique things about the study is that it is longitudinal. While most diabetes studies focus on short or intermediateterm problems related to diabetes, such as glycemic control, the GRADE study will last seven years and track long-term outcomes of diabetes treatment.

Recruitment for the study at UAB is expected to continue through the year, and possibly into February of next year. Cherrington hopes the size and length of the study will help inform treatment for patients with type II diabetes for years to come.

“I think this is a real seminal study because of how large it is and how practical it is,” Cherrington said. “It’s really trying to answer a real question that’s relevant to so many people. As diabetes rates go up there are more and more people who would be affected by the answers that we should get from this trial.”

Patients with type II diabetes who might be interested in participating in the study can contact Dana Golson at 205-9964015 or ccnrn@uab.edu for more information.

Photo from UAB News

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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

T

he UAB Commission on the Status of Women cordially invites you to a reception honoring

Julie L. Locher, PhD Demetria Scott Penelope Jester Rebecca Cantu, MD C. Melodi Stone Daniella Chusyd Michele Kong, MD Christy Swaid In celebration of

Women’s History Month and in recognition of

Outstanding Women Thursday, March 17, 2016 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

UAB Alumni House 1301 Tenth Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35294 There will be a brief presentation at 5:00 p.m.

For more information, contact uabwomen@uab.edu.

NEWS

UAB Students and faculty to compete for $2 million prize in Solar Decathlon The Hill Student Center utilizes solar panels for power.

Janvi Jani Staff Writer janvinj@uab.edu

U

AB, in partnership with University of Alabama in Huntsville and Calhoun Community College, has been selected as one of the 16 collegiate teams from around the world that will participate in the U.S. Department of Energy 2017 Solar Decathlon competition.

Students from various interdisciplinary teams from UAB will be working together to build a house completely powered by solar energy. They began the preparation earlier this year and will continue to work on the project over the next two years.

The house must meet several criteria in order to qualify for competition, like running all the usual appliances such as washers, dryers and heaters on solar power.

However, unlike modern houses that work on a conventional power grid, it has to generate its own energy.

Once the house is evaluated on UAB’s campus, it will be moved to the competition site. It will then go through a judging process that will evaluate the architecture, engineering and overall sustainability.

Additionally, for the first time in the competition’s history, the winners of the 2017 Solar Decathlon will get $2 million in prize money.

Students and faculty are currently working on the design of the house, and construction is set to begin in the summer.

UAB has a team of about 20 students that will be working with the faculty from different disciplines on campus.

“Students are needed to help craft the story of our house, from communicating the history of Alabama and its experiences with severe weather (our house will be tornado resilient), to discussing the technical aspects of the renewable energy sources chosen to best serve the needs of homes in our climate,” said Julie Price, the coordinator of UAB Sustainability, and Bambi Ingram, program administrator, in a joint email.

“Students will engage in making business

Photo by Ian Keel

and marketing plans for the home, and will also be called upon to design interior and exterior spaces that are pleasing to the eye and also functional.”

One of the project’s advisers and its principal investigator, Hessam Taherian Ph.D., is in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He will direct and supervise the student team constructing the house to ensure that it meets the Department of Energy’s requirements for the home to compete in the Decathlon. UAB Sustainability and the Collat School of Business are institutional collaborators.

Sustainability is offering financial support and fundraising assistance, as well as logistical and operational/facilities support in the form of a building site, construction expertise and tools.

According to Taherian, the construction of a solar house is like that of a regular house.

“The difference is in the amount of insulation applied to the wall, roof and floor,” Taherian said. “More insulation is needed to reduce the amount of electricity that is needed to run the house, which makes the construction more complex. The Decathlon project will give UAB students a hands-on opportunity to construct such a house, which will offer exposure to the latest technologies in insulation, solar power, and other eco-friendly construction elements.

The technology’s costs [for solar houses] are rapidly decreasing, and together with federal incentives make solar power cost-effective as a long-term utility asset.”

The competition will take place over the next two years. The team will draw in partners and resources from the community to create a house that runs just like a modern one. While the project mainly uses 20 students from Engineering and Architectural fields, the project members are still looking to engage more students from all fields of study to contribute.

Those interested in supporting the project are encouraged to visit www.uab.edu/solardecathlon/get-involved

SPORTS

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Sports-take: Women’s Basketball

Brittany Winborne (15) at the Feb. 11 UAB vs. Southern Miss game.

Steve Williams Contributor stevecedarcreek@yahoo.com omen’s sports, specifically women’s basketball, W is something that I am passionate about. This in no way discounts other men’s or women’s sports, but

that is the one I particularly follow. I think many of you would too if you would give it a chance.

In the ‘70s, I had become interested in both mens and womens basketball at UAB. At the time, all men’s home games were played at the Civic Center and in some cases, the games were preceded by the womens.

There was very little interest in women’s sports, but I found them quite entertaining. We had an AllAmerican on the team named Wanda Hightower who was the first great womens basketball player that I ever watched, and one of the greatest athletes I have ever seen.

Some people view women’s sports as inferior to men’s and, in my opinion, that sentiment cannot be further from the truth. Let’s just start with men’s vs women’s basketball. To me, they often feel like watching two different sports. The largest thing that differentiates the two from my perspective, in most or at least many cases. is the team concept.

The big difference, mentioned in the last section, is often the “team concept.” Although many people enjoy this, I personally do not enjoy a game where “teams” are competing and the individual athletes on each team and at the same time are competing against each other to see who can show off and dunk the most, rather than competing against the opposing team. Generally, in women’s sports, the young ladies

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Photo from UABsports.com

seem, in almost all cases, to be competing against the other team only and not amongst themselves.

In fact, at UAB, I have never seen a game where I felt that I was watching a team that was primarily playing against each other. I am not going to make a claim that this year’s Lady Blazers have a great record, however, they have already far exceeded my expectations for this year and are showing what is to come in the future since we are in a rebuilding year.

Eight of our players are returning, with most enjoying quality playing time and doing pretty well.

We even have a freshman that is shooting amazingly well on three-point shots and often hits from far outside the three-point line. In fact, we have several players that are doing well there, too.

Our inside play has also been improving quite a bit this year. The defense has been pretty darn good for the past seven years or so and even in an off-year are not doing that bad. Although we are losing a senior that is an amazing and unselfish dribbler and passer, we do have some young ladies stepping up in this role.

As I said earlier, women players seem to generally grasp the concept of a team and are not normally selfish players anyways, but this one is such a great example of being a team player that she stands out.

Our coaching staffs at UAB and any of our other conference teams are also doing well. Coach Norton and his staff are doing a very good job with the team he has and is doing an excellent recruiting job and ensuring that our younger girls are getting quality playing time. You are surely going to see some excellent and entertaining teams in the next several years. I am genuinely excited about what I

am seeing. Heck, they are entertaining and, as I said, overachieving right now.

I could go on and on about the current and prior teams, but we also have an opportunity this year to watch many good teams. Our Conference-USA basketball tournament is again at UAB, with the men’s games being at the BJCC Legacy Arena and most of the women’s games being held at Bartow Arena. There should be some exceptional games for both men and women. The UAB men are leading the conference and there are some excellent games. The women, whom I pointed out are rebuilding, have climbed from towards the bottom of the conference to about the middle, and they will hopefully do well in the tournament. Regardless, because Conference-USA women’s basketball has only a few of the 14 teams with overall losing records, we are quite competitive.

To sum all of this up: please do yourself a favor and come watch these young ladies play some time this year and next. If you do so, I have confidence that anyone that enjoys team sports will be a convert and will want to come to more games. For the football fans out there, supporting all sports, including women’s, is in my opinion the best way to show we have fan support while going into the next season.

Obviously, football support is going to be critical, but an extremely healthy women’s sports program will reinforce the need for football at UAB since Title IX works both ways.

Editor’s Note: Steve Williams is an “avid Women’s Basketball Fan and Admirer” who submitted this opinion as a letter to the editor.

Pierce Newman Staff Writer pnewman1@uab.edu ecoming a Resident Advisor at UAB is a highly competitive process at UAB. Promised free housing, a meal plan and a way to serve their fellow UAB students, prospective RAs are offered several benefits for going through the application process.

Edward Youn, an RA in the New Freshman Residence Hall, was motivated to become an RA when he was suitemates with his RA during freshman year.

Youn was able to see firsthand all of the ways he was able to help his residents.

“When it came time to apply I figured why not. I love talking to people, I love helping people,” Youn said.

Between the benefits coming from his position as an RA and through his scholarship, all of Youn’s financial needs are satisfied. In addition, being an RA grants Youn other intangible benefits.

“I honestly have so much fun working here, Youn said. “I love my staff and it’s great getting to be friends with them and working with them.”

The RA position has not been as kind to everyone involved in the process. Some RAs have misgivings about their place in the program that they have a hard time bringing to light because of fear of termination.

For these RAs, sometimes the position can be a real chore, one that gives them no outlet to air grievances.

“I feel that being an RA is equal parts frustration and tacit acceptance,” said an anonymous RA. “I mean they work us to death and the only people who ever really get it are the other RAs who you work with and we all love each other. [...] The administrators that run the buildings are often on power trips and as a whole they make more work for us than should be required.”

The RAs seem to agree on the importance of having a staff to rely on when the job gets a little tough. The community is a part of the job that the anonymous RA praised as one of the perks that they enjoy.

“There are some really great parts of the job and the best part of the job is the staff you work with,” said the anonymous RA. “There are few jobs around where you can walk into any building and know the person working the desk. The only way any RA gets through their job is with the help of the staff they work with.”

Youn considers being an RA as a part-time job, and it can be stressful at times to balance this with school work. He believes that the skills and sense of responsibility that this position has allowed them to develop are something that has spilled over into many facets of their lives, and they believe will benefit them in the future as well.

But to the anonymous RA, there seems to be a problem with the way the RA program is structured, and the amount of work that’s being done relative to the compensation that students are receiving.

“I absolutely feel that RAs are underpaid, especially the RAs in Blazer and Rast hall, who have to share with residents, I mean you don’t think about how little they pay you until you run out of food for the month because the meal plans they provide are some of the smallest and you only get $75 a month stipend,” they

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said. “The other thing that they do, which is wrong, is they discourage us from taking outside work and they officially say you can’t work more than 15 hours a week at the other job.”

The limit on how students are paid and the amount of money they earn can be a detriment to how valued the student workers in these positions feel. In a similar case, former student employees on campuses nationwide took their schools to court to force a reassessment of how profits were being distributed.

In O’Bannon vs. NCAA, a former UCLA basketball player, Ed O’Bannon, sued the National College Athletic Association over the compensation rights for players. In the suit, O’Bannon asserted his belief that student-athletes should be paid for the NCAA’s usage of their image after graduation. The NCAA countered that increasing the wages for players would violate their emphasis on “amateurism” by bringing money into the game, according to their president Mark Emmert, Ph.D. According to the Associated Press, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California decided in favor of O’Bannon. The

“I mean you don’t think about how little they pay you until you run out of food for the month because the meal plans they provide are some of the smallest and you only get $75 a month stipend...”

Attributed to Anonymous presiding judge over the decision ruled that the NCAA had to provide a full cost-of-attendance scholarship.

The judge also permitted schools to set up a $5000 trust for each year of a student’s eligibility to be paid out to the student later.

This case that drew national attention differs in scope and stature from the level of one school’s idea of proper compensation of RAs . However, it raises questions about how much work is worth when a student is not being paid a traditional hourly wage or salary.

Outside of the actual currency that RAs rely on to make a living, there is a question of the social currency that comes with the position. Depending on who you ask, students have different views of an RAs role in the dorm.

“I sometimes regret becoming an RA, but at the same time I needed to be an RA for financial reasons.

Because of being an RA you can’t go out to party, because you [should not] see residents out,” the anonymous RA said. “Being an RA also kills your social life mostly. It’s hard to spend time with your friends when you have to work weekend shifts or having every week mandatory meetings on Thursdays and making bulletin boards or door decorations or being on call at nights.”

The RA lifestyle may seem a little confined, but some RAs believe that their strict schedule and rules are meant to serve the students.

“When you look at our alcohol policy and our drug policy you may think, ‘oh these guys are just here to ruin my life,’ but all of that is for the best interests of our residents.” Youn said. He also cited the stringent regulations behind checking visitors into the dorms, and explained that all of these policies exist because residents are potentially at risk without them.

Another RA, John Strenkowski had a similar sentiment.

“Sorry, you can’t have seven people spend the night at your dorm,” Strenkowski said.”You have a roommate.” Both RAs find some personal difficulty with enforcing housing policy with residents, especially as they have grown close to them and gotten to know them better.

Youn wishes that the perception of RAs to change from being a group of people that are there to enforce rules to fellow students that are there to help them because that’s what he feels he is. This is mainly a time-related problem since residents are frequently away from their dorms and don’t have time to get to know their RA very well.

Brian Johnson is the Director of Residence Life at UAB, and has supervised RAs for over a decade now, and was an RA himself during three years of his undergraduate life.

“Here in Student Housing and Residence Life, we really value the role of the RA, the work that they do with students, and the services that they help provide for our office. We understand the amount of work that it takes to be an RA. They are front line workers for our office,” Johnson said.

He pointed out that UAB’s urban backdrop has both advantages and challenges for RAs. On the one hand, the city itself has many places to go to and activities to take part in that RAs can incorporate into their events, but it also means that residents will frequently not be around because they are out exploring the city.

This can stifle connections between RA’s and residents since “you can’t make connections with someone who’s hardly in their room.” Additionally, RA work combines one’s living arrangements with their workspace, blurring the line between when one is working or on their own free time. Johnson wishes that students would know this, and wants his RA’s to know, “how much we appreciate them for all that they do. I couldn’t do my job without them.”

As for the future of the program, starting next year there will be a focus on RAs getting to know each and every one of the residents on his or her floor.

They hope that there will be a move for students to reciprocate the effort, as student attendance at programs factors into RAs being reappointed.

Some students find themselves working for the school out of financial necessity. Though many find themselves happy in the position, a few find out that the position does not work for them.

TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016 OPINIONS 10 The socialist threat of the 2016 Presidential Election can, and will, be overcome, says AMAC Association of Mature American Citizens Contribution jpgrimaldi@verizon.net

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or years polls have shown that Americans have been losing trust in government and it’s no wonder when you consider the state of employment these days, the sputtering economy and the out-of-control national debt. We haven’t reached the crisis stage as yet, but we’re heading for it in a fast and furious manner,” according to Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens.

Weber said that it is easy enough to blame President Obama for the “mess we are in” but there is more to the story than that.

“Americans, in general, have always had a conservative, capitalistic outlook on life, but now we are seeing a disturbing flirtation with socialism.

Even such admired Democrats who called the White House their home in the past - people such as Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Jack Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson - had great respect for the nation’s heritage and traditions. They understood that workers need successful business leaders to provide jobs and that by going too far to the left leaves the nation at risk by making it harder to fuel the economy and to provide stability and meaningful employment.”

Weber said he was disturbed to learn of a new survey that came out recently indicating the millennial generation, young people under 30 years of age, is being swayed in large numbers by individuals such as Bernie Sanders who unabashedly promote a socialist agenda.

“It took the Soviet Union 70 years to be crushed was unacceptable. under the weight of progressive share-the-wealth As the Gipper famously put it in a speech to notions; you can bet that it would take less time the Conservative Political Action Conference in than that for the U.S. to succumb to the vagaries of 1988, ‘Those who underestimate the conservative Sanders’ Communist-like agenda.” movement are the same people who always But, the AMAC chief added, don’t give up. He said underestimate the American people’.” he believes the socialist threat that Sanders’ poses is “so scary” that it might just serve to reinvigorate the nation’s conservative base.

Remember, he noted, the failures in the past of socialist ideologues to foist their liberal agenda on voters, gives the base cause to become more active in the political process going forward.

A British political analyst, Nile Gardiner, perhaps put it best, Weber noted: “Conservatism is thriving in America today because liberty, freedom and individual responsibility are at the heart of its ideology, one that rejects the foolish notion that government knows best. And its strength owes a great debt to the conviction and ideals of Ronald Reagan, who always believed that America’s best days are ahead of her, and for Photo from wikimedia commons The Democratic Socialists of America march on New York. whom the notion of decline

Blazing red: A College Republican’s stance on healthcare Elizabeth Earwood Contributing Writer eearwood@uab.edu

Through the Affordable Care Act, private insurance rates have significantly increased. The Congressional Budget Office reported last month that the high and want everyone in these great United States to have rising costs for private health insurance should cause excellent healthcare that allows them to live well. concern. They predict that premiums will increase So, what is the best way for Americans to be healthy, 60 percent by 2025. Certainly this is not the only plan at any income level? that will allow for more people to have health care?

Allow citizens to use their liberty to make a choice Also, this plan is not benefitting those who need about health care and health it the most. When businesses insurance. The Affordable Care have to change their practices to Act does not permit this. Rather, accommodate the new government allowing competition among health mandates, it hurts the low-income care plans to provide portability and worker that the bill was intended savings accounts is a far superior to help. As long as the employer way. offers a plan that is less than 9.5% I care a lot about our of the employee’s income, they community’s health. Yet, I know the do not have to pay a penalty. Yet worst thing to happen for health a large plan is still too much for care is for government to take it some workers to pay. While the ACA away from the private sector. It’s intended to let more people able true, health care costs are rising to have excellent health care who and there are more people in need were formerly unable, it failed to of health care than ever. I believe effectively help those who needed it Americans should be able to pursue the most. this as they please, not through Furthermore, Dr. Carson, government requirements. The acclaimed neurosurgeon and moral obligation to care for our Republican nominee for president, fellow citizens is fulfilled, not expresses concern about disconnect through spreading money around, between patients and doctors. By but through allowing healthcare to regulating healthcare coverage, become better. the doctor-patient relationship Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Earwood is further separated. The most

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effective health care is administered when doctors and patient have relationships. Thus, as the Affordable Care Act restricts health care options and ability to see doctors and specialists, it is not really improving health care at all.

We need to re-evaluate these ways to improve health care costs, rather than allowing government to take it over. Republicans have offered other solutions.

First, encourage market-based, competition among providers. In ways that the government is limited, the free market is not. Competition forces lower prices and new innovation. Government bureaucracies, such as the one created by the Affordable Care Act, is only incentivized to get bigger. There is no incentive to innovate or improve standards. An element encouraged by market-based solutions.

Rather than empower government bureaucrats, we should empower the people to make their own choices. Promoting health savings accounts is another way to allow provision for healthcare costs. In this way, people would be able to save for their own health care needs. In addition, it would be helpful if health insurance companies had a plan for portability.

Currently, losing your job means losing your health insurance. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This empowers people, not the government.

It just a few years all of us not be on our parent’s health insurance plans. Legislation passed by Congress now will impact us very soon. My fellow students, let’s encourage our own legislators to make wise decisions on healthcare so both ourselves and our parents will be able to afford it.

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The Southern Vegan: Brownie cocoroons

Stephanie Lockhart Photo Editor photos@insideuab.com or this week’s Southern Vegan, we’re going to make Brownie Cocoroons! You can buy cocoroons at the store, but they’re so much better homemade. For this recipe, we’re going to be using cocoa powder, but you can put in anything from matcha powder to crumbled up cookies. This is a flexible recipe that gives a tropical twist on a European treat. It’s really up to you. Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cups coconut oil • 1/2 cups maple syrup • 3/4 cups cocoa powder • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt • 1 1/2 cups coconut shavings • 1-2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I like to use my hands, but a large spoon works well too. Once everything is combined together, simply roll them into balls and let them set in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Once they’re set, store in the refrigerator and enjoy!

Photo by Stephanie Lockhart

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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

FEATURES

BodyWorlds comes to Birmingham to show us what we’re made of Jackson Hyde Features Editor features@insideuab.com irmingham’s McWane Science Center has recently been visited by a traveling Plastination exhibit known as Body Worlds, featuring real human cadavers preserved by liquid polymers and posed by artists.

This specific showing of BodyWorlds focused on the vulnerabilities of the human body, featuring the donated cadavers of people who had been heavy smokers, or who had suffered severe diseases. UAB partnered with the McWane Center and BodyWorlds

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A woman’s body cut in half posed as if she were swimming.

to expose this controversial subject to the people of Birmingham and garner interest in medical fields to cure the diseases some of the exhibit’s subjects faced.

Luc Samblanet, a freshman biomedical engineering major who volunteered at the exhibit, said,“It’s just a one of a time kind of thing. I’ve never actually known what plastination was, I didn’t know they did this kind of thing. It’s just really cool, there’s nothing really like it.”

“What we learned in school is actually sitting there in front of me.”

- Kyle Fuller The process of Plastination was developed by Gunther von Hagens in the late 70s. A body is first pumped with acetone, a chemical that evaporates very quickly and effectively “dries” the fats and tissues. Then the body is placed into a vacuum and the evaporated acetone is sucked away and a polymer solution fills every cell in a process that Hagens calls “forced vacuum impregnation.” The result is a perfectly preserved cadaver.

Using Plastination to preserve remains is an excellent way to study systems in the body that would normally be difficult to view. The BodyWorlds exhibit at the McWane center displays isolated Plastinations of both the human nervous system and cardiovascular system, presented in three dimensions and laid out as if the person were still alive and fully intact.

There are also displays that highlight the muscles of the body, in one a man is posed as if he is about to throw a spear. The position he is in draws the muscles between his joints taut, and one can imagine the potential energy stored in the stance.

Additionally, BodyWorlds features Plastinations of body parts augmented with prosthetics to showcase

Photo by Jackson Hyde

solutions to conditions like arthritis that hinder our bodies’ movement.

For many attending the exhibit, seeing the bodies suspended in motion was an experience.

For every visitor, the most common question was “How did they die?”

Kyle Fuller, a freshman majoring in biomedical science, said “You don’t really get to see the insides of people. What we learned in school is actually sitting there in front of me.”

BodyWorlds attracted UAB students and more to the McWane Center in downtown Birmingham to marvel at exposed human anatomy and to learn about the advancements in modern medicine that treat and cure the conditions that afflicted subjects in the exhibit during their lives. The exhibit will continue to offer showings until May 1.

DATE WEDNESDAY,MARCH 9 TIME 4-8 P.M.

LOCATION COMMONS ON THE GREEN

The human cardiovascular system.

Photo by Jackson Hyde

PA I R E D F O R P E R F E C T I O N

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The March Quilts stitch together the wage gap with UAB Art Department Tessa Case Staff Writer tessmc@uab.edu

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nspired by a successful run in 2015, the Bib and Tucker Sew-Op decided to make the March Quilts an annual project. The 2016 theme is the gender wage gap.

The gender wage gap refers to women, on average, earning less income than their male counterparts. A white female typically makes 79 cents for every dollar a man makes, black females earn around 64 cents and Latina women earn 55 cents.

Lillis Taylor, co-founder of the Bib and Tucker Sew-Op, a Birmingham-based sewing cooperate “whose mission is to cultivate skills and community for those who sew or want to sew,” said she was inspired to start the March Quilts project because the organization is made up of women from all over Birmingham, across all demographics. A conversation with Bib and Tucker Sew-OP co-founder Annie Bryant inspired Taylor to begin the March Quilt initiative.

“She said to me one day how amazing it was that we could sit together in a room like this, how fifty years ago it would have been impossible,” Taylor said. “I got to thinking how lucky I am to exist in this world where people fought for equality.”

Taylor, who is also the co-founder and principal designer of Tre Lilli at UAB Art Play, decided then to use her connections to start the March Quilts program.

The 2015 project resulted in 461 quilt blocks that produced three quilts in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches.

“Rather than focusing on the same issue every year, the March Quilt was a great way to shed light on different civil and human rights annually,” Taylor said.

She emphasized that the Sew-Op wanted to choose issues that were important to them, and that many of the members were inspired by Lily Ledbetter, the namesake of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, who is from Jacksonville, Ala. The logo for the 2016 March Quilt was designed by UAB senior Lisa Nguyen who is graduating this spring with a BFA in graphic design.

“I did some research on the wage gap, and the different percentages of white women, black women, Hispanic women, all the different percentages inspired me to create the pie chart,” Nguyen said. “It was exciting for me to create a design that also meant something.”

“The city is alive right now, there are so many opportunities, change can happen right now.

I really encourage students to look in their own backyard for opportunities.”

- Lillis Taylor The turnout for this year’s sewing sessions was lower than that of 2015. Taylor cited possible mixed feelings or lack of knowledge on the issue as possible reasons, but she remains resolute in her determination to continue the project.

“We’re really lucky that the UAB art department, that they see community relationships as being important,” Taylor said. “It would not be possible for us to have had the success we had last year if it were not for the people who helped us last year.” Taylor gave particular praise to the involvement of Lake and Ragland.

She also expressed the importance of community relationships for students and extended the offer to get involved with the March Quilt as well as the general activities of the Sew-Op. The organization meets from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Tuesday, and encourages people of all ages, races and genders to come, according to Taylor.

“What makes an institution thrive is how connected to the community they are,” Taylor said. “The city is alive right now, there are so many opportunities, change can happen right now. I really encourage students to look in their own backyard for opportunities.”

Bib and Tucker Sew-Op is located in Woodlawn, at 4915B 5th Ave South.

For more info on the Sew-Op, go to bibandtuckersewop.org.

June Tucker, a member at Bib & Tucker, participating in March Quilts at AEIVA.

Photo by Lexy Davis

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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016

Weekly Wellness: What are the pros of probiotics?

Jared Jones Staff Writer jrdjns@uab.edu

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e’re all victims to binge-eating fast food, candy, sodas and other comfort foods on particularly stressful days. My vice? Ice cream.

But here’s the problem: while ice cream lifts my spirits – Ben and Jerry are seriously two of my best friends – the sugar can irritate my stomach, usually resulting in me feeling subpar the morning after a night of pigging out.

You see, everyone’s gut has bacteria, both good and bad, and a poor diet of sugary foods can throw off the body’s natural balance. No one wants to feel sluggish and weighed down.

Enter probiotics. Probiotics are the moniker for ‘live bacteria’ that are beneficial for your digestive system.

In fact, there are bacteria in your gut right now (they’re called ‘flora,’ by the way).

According to WebMD, probiotics help move food in your digestive track. Not a very pleasant thought, but if you’re having issues with regularity, you might want to give probiotics a try.

WebMD claims probiotics are okay for everyone to include in their diet, although there is speculation about their effectiveness, especially if you’re healthy.

I’ve noticed that I feel better after I eat probiotic-

rich foods, so I’m a true believer in them. Plus most probiotic-rich foods do double-duty on supplying you with crucial vitamins and minerals, so why wouldn’t you want to reap the benefits?

A Belly Full

I’ve compiled a list of some well-known, yummy foods rich in probiotics with the goal of taking out the guesswork for you. Thank me later.

FEATURES

Yogurt

Yogurt is arguably the most well known of probiotic foods, and for good reason: yogurt contains a wealth of gut-friendly bacteria.

Also available is kefir, a form of milk drink that contains a larger variety of bacteria than yogurt.

According to the American Journal of Dietetics, kefir helps soothe lactose intolerance – lactose intolerant friends, rejoice!

Sauerkraut

Usually generously slapped on a hot dog, this fermented cabbage contains beneficial bacteria.

But, be warned, as some sauerkraut (particularly pasteurized sauerkraut) will not have probiotics.

Kombucha

Supplementing probiotics helps ease stomach pains.

Photo by Jackson Hyde

A fizzy beverage reminiscent of beer, kombucha is a fermented beverage that combines tea with a colony of bacteria. It’s sour and not for everyone, but I love the taste. You can also brew your own at home, which I find pretty neat.

If you’re stuck on time or don’t have access to these foods, a probiotic supplement is a great addition to your multivitamin (that I hope you take regularly).

So if that late-night snack routine that no one knows about (your secret is safe with me) is causing your tummy major upset, it might be time to investigate some ways to amp up your probiotics.

BlazeRadio presents Red Planet Reviews: Santigold “99¢”

Jared Chesnut (DJ Red, Mondays @ 2) Staff Writer redc@uab.edu

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anti White, better known around the musical universe as Santigold, has been involved in the business for a minute, starting off in punk band Stiffed and producing and writing hits for other artists before getting into the game for herself.

Santigold used her influences and past experience in punk, pop and hip-hop to create music that doesn’t belong exclusively to one genre or another. It’s genrefluid, if you will. Her self titled debut album struck out of nowhere about a decade ago, with tracks such as “L.E.S. Artistes” and “Creator” earning critical acclaim and a bit of money via adverts from brands the likes of Cadillac to Budweiser.

Not long after, Santigold and a pre-“Paper Planes” Diplo got together and put out the “Top Ranking” mixtape, one of the hands down best dropped in the aughts, trading heavily in dub, reggae and rap, featuring everything from chopped up versions of her material to a rebuild of The Clash’s “Guns of Brixton.”

Back in the distant future of 2012, “Master of My Make-Believe” came out, and with it White raised the bar with solid tracks such as “Disparate Youth” and “Big Mouth,” once again bringing up an intelligent, thought provoking blend of pop and hip-hop, with elements of other styles such as samba mixed in. With her latest album, “99¢,” Santigold seems set on once again one-upping herself, expanding her boundaries while addressing the pitfalls and trappings that came with the journey and subsequent ascent to fame.

We get started with “Can’t Get Enough Of Myself,” a counterculture doo-wop anthem all about how culture’s warped us all into self centered, overly image-conscious muppets. To further drive the point home, there’s a music video and app where Santigold

walks to a diner with her designer dog, all the while using your smartphone or laptop camera to put your face in random bits of scenery, from billboards on the corner to the middle of a cheese sandwich. All the while it’s easy to miss the fact that, while you’re so focused on mean mugging for your selfie, the diner’s being run and patronized by Santigold clones. You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you.

Santi touches on being alone, not fitting into the It Crowd and whether people will remember the heart and soul she put into her work, that same wistfulness reflected in the video, a somewhat lonely evening in with exciting activities such as TV dinners and watching TV with a pint of ice cream. For an artist that has toured across the world and made waves, this is, in a way, a reflection on the very common human desire for acceptance and belonging. Kanye may be a god, but you’ll never see him get on this level of selfawareness and humanity.

Overall, “99¢” is a strong album, if not one with a slight identity crisis. The problem with reaching out in every musical direction is that it limits one’s length and strength somewhat. Many lesser talents usually seek that well-roundedness out for the sake of pleasing everyone, often seeing failure and derision as a result. For someone with such varied influences and tastes as Santigold, however, that balance definitely feels like a genuine article.

Rating: Pros: + Stylishly blends multiple styles and

Santigold’s “99¢”

Image from Santigold

Beyond that lies single “Chasing Shadows.” With Batmanglij back behind the board, the song is equal parts “Hard Knock Life,” Santi’s machine gun punk staccato and lamenting on how living the dream sometimes takes some time and detours.

genres into some one-of-a-kind music. + Individual tracks such as “Who Be Loving Me” and “Chasing Shadows” are strong. + Consistent lyrical theme. Deals with very common human emotions and interactions.

Cons: - Individually, there are several strong tracks on the album, but dissonance hurts the album as a whole.

- Multifaceted approach may not appeal to everyone.

Coins by Jackson Hyde

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SATURDAY|03.12 TUESDAY|03.08 International Women’s Day

UAB National Alumni Society House 12 p.m.

Deborah Deas, M.D., interim dean of the Medical University of South Carolina is giving a lecture on the strides women have made in medicine and the challenges they still face today. All School of Medicine faculty should RSVP to medevents@ uab.edu.

Miss Representation

HSC Theatre 6-8 pm The UAB Multicultural Council is hosting a showing of the Miss Representation film. This movie focuses on how media overlooks powerful and successful women. Free food and admission.

WEDNESDAY|03.09 UAB Women’s Basketball

Bartow Arena 11 a.m.

The team takes on Southern Miss in the first round of the C-USA tournament.

Joe Jack Talcum/Coolzey/ Sister Sniffle/ King Magnum

Syndicate Lounge 9 p.m.

Member of punk-rock band The Dead Milkmen comes to Birmingham on his acoustic tour with indie rapper Coolzey.

Admission is $10. 18+

THURSDAY|03.10 UPB Film Series presents Steve Jobs

Hill Alumni Theatre 11 a.m.

Student Involvement and Leadership is showing the 2015 film in an event meant to last until 1 p.m. Admission is free to students with their One Card, $2 for students without their One Card or their guests, and $3 for general admission.

UAB Men’s Basketball

Legacy Arena 12 p.m.

Number one seeded UAB Men’s Basketball will play its first game of the C-USA men’s tournament against either Western Kentucky or North Texas. Admittance is free for all UAB students.

Go to uabsports.com for more information.

2016 Honors College Spring Ball Hill Center Ballroom 7:30.- 11 p.m.

The Honors College is hosting its first ever Spring Ball which will include music, ballroom dancing and music. This is a free event for all Honors College students. Dress is formal and t-shirts will be sold to benefit Children’s of Alabama.

TedXBirmingham 2016

UAB’s Alys Stephens Center 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

This year’s city wide TedX theme is “Pure Imagination,” and will focus on how creativity can spark world change. Tickets are currently sold out, but the event will be broadcast online at tedxbirmingham.org for free.

FRIDAY|03.11 T. Hardy Morris & The Hardknocks with Water Liars and Looksy

Saturn 9 p.m.

T. Hardy Morris, an Athens, Georgia “shrill-wave” band will headline this Saturn concert series sponsored by Good People Brewing Company. The show is 18 and over, admission is free.

5th Annual AirWave Block Party Good People Brewing Company 2 p.m.

This free outdoor block party will host music from local indie bands and local vendors like Good People Brewing to benefit the Black Warrior, Cahaba and Coosa Riverkeeper societies. The event hopes to raise money and raise awareness to keeping these watersheds, the sources of much of Birmingham’s drinking water clean.

SUNDAY|03.13 2016 Festival of Ten Minute Plays Odess Theater in UAB’s Alys Stephens Center 7 p.m.

Sunday marks the first day of the thirteenth anniversary of this five day short play festival. Students, faculty and staff within the Theater Department will perform plays that range from a variety of topics. Viewer discretion is advised. Admission is $5.

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