Nov. 4, 2009

Page 1

VOL. 104, NO. 12 | Single Issue Free

University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark.

LIFESTYLES

Professors, students prepare travel plans for Spring Break page 6

SPORTS

Adams’ return sparks Hogs page 11

New York journalist Marjorie Rosen hones in on NWA. See her perspective online today. UATrav.com

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Page 1|WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

About you. For you. For 104 years.

UA GREEK CHAPTERS PLAN FOR RENOVATIONS Katherine Dawson

Contributing Writer Fraternities are spending millions of dollars to build and perfect their houses to attract new members and accommodate more students at one location. Alpha Gamma Rho’s house, which was located across from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, was demolished last month. Lambda Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha and Phi Gamma Delta are planning major renovations to their houses. The UA began demolition of Alpha Gamma Rho’s house two weeks ago, after Housing discovered a faulty foundation under the house, said Reggie Houser, assistant director for Residential Facilities. “They took the house from us on account of some debt we owed the university,” said Nathan Sullivan, president of Alpha Gamma Rho. Ashley Tull, associate dean of students for Campus Life, said Alpha Gamma Rho owed the UA about $513,000. “Housing assessed that it would cost about $260,000 to fix the house,” Houser said. “The house wasn’t worth it. There were infrastructure problems that couldn’t be corrected. If you don’t replace plumbing and heating, it’s not habitable anymore.” Alpha Gamma Rho is interested in building a new fraternity house on campus. “Their plight is not much different than our plight of maintaining and building new places to live,” Houser said. “They were having discussions about the

Construction on UA Greek houses The following Greek houses on campus are among those undergoing or considering construction. The Alpha Gamma Rho house was recently demolished.

Alpha Gamma Rho Lambda Chi Alpha Pi Kappa Alpha Phi Gamma Delta Sigma Pi PHOTO ILLUSTRATION Original photo by Larry Ash

The Lambda Chi Alpha house is one of several Greek houses that will undergo major renovations or construction to attract and accommodate members.

empty gravel lot between the Phi Delta Theta house and Lambda Chi Alpha house.” The UA’s Facilities Management Planning Group, which plans all landscape, transportation and housing developments, has no plans to build on that property. “Right now, it’s faculty and staff parking,” Tull said. “It likely won’t be used for a fraternity housing in the future, according to the master plan.”

Phi Gamma Delta plans to spend about $2 million on renovations beginning in early 2010. The fraternity has hired an architect and is designing a new floor plan, Houser said. “Their lack of bed space limits their growth,” he said. “They are planning to build another 30 feet on each end of the house, which will lengthen the hallways. They will build a new octagon-shaped addition to the front of the house. That will be their dining area,

UA students pursue political careers April Robertson Staff Writer

The UA political science department and law school produce many future politicians, including some who might be in the spotlight years from this very day: Election Day. But the common ground of going to the UA, attending lectures by the same professors and living in the same town doesn’t always produce students with a unity of goals, views and itineraries. Jonathan Woehr, a political science major, said he hopes to run for a position in the Legislature someday. And Woehr already has a rough layout of the path to legislator planned: In 2007, he started making contacts and forming more concrete ideas for his career after he was offered a position on a campaign staff in Arkansas. As a state legislator, Woehr said he would focus most closely on the fiscal responsibilities of the local and state governments. In that position, Woehr said he thinks it is important for officials to “remember that it is not your money in the first place.” This would drastically change the way money is spent on the state level, he said. Woehr decided to pursue a political career over attending law school because he feels there are enough lawyers in this world and that he could serve better elsewhere. Woehr said he intends to finish his education first by completing his political science major and possibly a

Middle Eastern studies minor. Then, Woehr plans to earn his master’s degree in a more fine-tuned area of political science. He said he would like to teach at some point in his career, though the chronology of his plans is not set in stone. “A lot of people think (the job as a politician) is a power trip, but that’s not why I’m getting into it,” he said. “I’m tired of people complaining and not doing anything about it.” Woehr said financial aid is one of the most relevant political topics for students to become involved in. “It’s sad that there are more loans than grants,” he said. “Loans pile up so much that they become (like) a second mortgage.” Woehr was also disappointed in the student involvement during the last presidential election. He said many students were apathetic, even though the election was designed to rein in students. His suggestion for a solution begins with authority figures, rather than students. “It starts with parents, teachers and campus news,” he said. “It is their job to inform (students) and find a way to make them want to get involved.” Tyler Tarnasky, a communications major, plans to attend St. Thomas Law School in the spring semester. Eventually he would like to become a public defender, though the scope of career opportunities is widening as he continues his higher

education. And Tarnasky has kept the ambition of public defender despite its less handsome benefits. “Most people (in law school) don’t choose this; it’s not glamorous, you don’t get paid as much and you work long hours,” he said. But Tarnasky feels that by helping those who can’t afford it, he could serve the public in a rewarding way. “Everyone is entitled to defense,” Tarnasky said. Another of his career possibilities is working with medical malpractice law, where doctors are the main clients. “My dad is a doctor and both of my grandparents are doctors, so it is an area that interests me,” he said. Tarnasky thinks that students are not very informed about political issues, which directly influences their involvement in elections. However, he said he thinks that students were more involved in the most recent presidential election, even if many of them might have been single-issue voters. In his opinion, the problem starts with a narrow base of knowledge, limited information shared by one particular teacher or parent. Tarnasky encourages college students to become more aware of the issues with unemployment, national debt and health care, as they will impact students in very direct ways after college. “We should learn about health care now while we are See

POLITICS on Page 3

chapter room and place to entertain guests.” During their renovation, Phi Gamma Delta members plan to live in Gladson-Ripley, Houser said. Pi Kappa Alpha plans to spend $3.5 million on renovations, President Tom Jenson said. “We’re gutting the house, adding a floor and making the rooms into Maple Hill-style suites,” Jenson said. Pi Kappa Alpha is raising

money, mainly from alumni, to fund the renovation. The fraternity is using the help of Pennington & Co., a fundraising firm from Kansas, Jenson said. Lambda Chi Alpha members are also raising money to renovate their house. They have begun the process of selecting an architect to design the renovation. “Lambda Chi Alpha wants an See

GREEK on Page 3

University officials weigh merits of health care reform Adam O’Hern

Contributing Writer Concerns about the adverse effects that the Baucus bill could have on student health care have been mitigated after the American College Health Association communicated its worries directly to the Senate Finance Committee last week, according to a letter sent to ACHA members. “There was a clause in the bill that did not address student health insurance plans, so the ACHA went to the Hill, and they talked with the finance committee and they feel reasonably sure that the college health group will be covered,” said Mary Alice Serafini, the assistant vice provost for student affairs at the UA and director of the Pat Walker Health Center. Before talks with the Senate Finance Committee, none of the health care reform stated that the definition of group insurance would include college- and university-sponsored student health insurance and benefit plans. There was also a question about whether colleges and universities would be able to continue to collect health fees or allocate a portion of tuition to fund college health programs, said Jim See

BAUCUS on Page 3

FALL FOLIAGE FRAMES OLD MAIN

LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

The fall colors of the arboretum frame the towers of Old Main. Students have still had time to enjoy this week’s beautiful fall weather as they walk to and from classes.

MORE NEWS. LESS PAPER. UATrav.com

Page 2 |WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

BRIEFLY speaking

NEWS

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | UATRAV.COM

UA STUDENTS AND FACULTY ENJOY CAMPUS COLORS

Register to win free textbooks Students may register to win free textbooks for spring when they pick up their free copy of the 2009 Razorback yearbook from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 4 through Nov. 6 at the Connections Lounge.

Seminar about serotonin and platelets hosted tomorrow Fusun Kilic, of the UAMS Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, will present a seminar entitled “Impact of Plasma Serotonin on Platelet Function� at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in Room 604 Science Engineering Building. Refreshments will be available at 3:30 p.m. prior to the seminar in Room 502. For more information, contact Douglas Rhoads at drhoads@uark.edu.

Economic development: locally, nationally and globally David Rothwell, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Social Work at National University of Singapore, will present a case for asset-based interventions based on his research findings from an Individual Development Account (IDA) program with indigenous peoples of Hawaii from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Giffels Auditorium in Old Main. Refreshments will be provided.

LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

A Buddhist monk walks through the last blast of fall foliage on campus late last week.

La Verdad Sospechosa production set for Nov. 11 to Nov. 12 Spanish470V will present the Spanish production: La Verdad Sospechosa/The Liar at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, and Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Arkansas Union Theater. It is a comedic play about a man that doesn’t know when to stop lying and learns a hard lesson. This play will be performed by Spanish students and sponsored by the Multicultural Center. Admission is free.

Officials to present poultry science lecture Heather Paxton of the Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom, will present a seminar entitled “Locomotor Design Constraints and Musculoskeletal Compromises in the Broiler Chicken� at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Room A-211 of the Poultry Science Building (the second floor auditorium in the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science). Coffee and cookies will be provided at 3 p.m. in the second floor atrium. Faculty and students are invited.

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CORRECTIONS The Arkansas Traveler strives for accuracy in its reporting and will correct all matters of fact. If you believe the paper has printed an error, please notify the editor at 575.8455 or at traveler@uark.edu.

CONTACT INFORMATION 119 Kimpel Hall ! University of Arkansas ! Fayetteville, AR 72701 479.575.3406 [main line] ! 479.575.3306 [fax] traveler@uark.edu ! www.uatrav.com TINA KORBE

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THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

the rooms and causing mold. It would cost $4 or $5 million to make it decent to live in.� Houser explained that UA Housing would not be able to pay the debt created if it tried to fix the problems in these buildings. He added that rent would be so expensive that students would not want to live there. Houser said that Housing sold the buildings to the university, and officials are putting “educational centers� in them. “According to the university master plan, they could one day be fraternity sites,� Tull said. LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

BAUCUS

This is what is left of the Alpha Gamma Rho house: nothing. Several Greek houses at the UA are currently undergoing construction or renovations.

GREEK

from Page 1 upgrade of their house, and they have made some strong progress where they are comfortable proceeding in the renovation process,� Houser said. “They would have to move out, much like Phi Delta Theta did into BuchananDroke. They are targeted to move to Gladson-Ripley.� Tull explained that Lambda Chi Alpha originally wanted to build a new house, but the fraternity has decided to build an addition onto its current house. He added that the fraternity is unsure of when renovation will begin, but members and alumni have been brainstorming renovation plans for at least a couple of years. Sigma Chi spent $6,000 on improvements to its house last summer. Members added new furniture and painted the walls.

from Page 1

“Like a house, a fraternity has to maintain upkeep because not only do guys live there, but we want it to be nice when alumni come back and see it,� President Andrew “Vu� Ritchie said. Sigma Pi is raising membership and reconnecting with alumni so it can begin raising funds for a new house, Houser said. Sigma Pi is currently renting Buchanan-Droke from UA Housing. “Housing is in favor of the Greek system on campus,� Houser said. “Some may say we’re not, but we are. It’s important to us that they live as a community and a brotherhood. Being in a fraternity provides excellent leadership opportunities.� The Wilson Sharp House, the Bud Walton Hall Complex and Darby Hall, located across from the stadium on Stadium Drive, have been vacant for three years. “It outlived its usefulness,� Houser said. “It is not handicap accessible. It was overcooling

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Mitchell, the director of student health services at Montana State University, in a press release for the Lookout Mountain Group. “These student health care plans cover a lot of people,� Serafini said. “We have about 1,800 people a year who enroll in student health insurance plans.� If student health insurance were not covered under the Baucus bill, the UA would have a serious problem because it has several students that do not have employee-based health insurance, and covering rising health care costs on their own could very well put those students out of school, Serafini said. “There’s more of a concern right now because we’re seeing more uninsured students this year than ever before, which implies less employee-based health insurance,� Serafini said. To receive the same level of benefits that they currently receive, student could be expected to

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pay up to a 130 percent increase on student health care plans, said Pam Delaney, the student health insurance representative at the UA. Although ACHA members have met with the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee, there is still a concern about special interest groups lobbying against student health insurance plans. “We don’t know if there are some people trying to destroy student health plans, and there could very well be people who think that they can make a buck trying to destroy student health plans,� Serafini said. The current university student health insurance plan costs $1,037 a year, and it covers both preventative and catastrophic care. “The student health insurance policy covers anything done at the Pat Walker Health Center. It covers the X-ray, the lab and the pharmacy. It also covers visits to community doctors for catastrophic care,� Serafini said. Two options for students that are covered by the Baucus bill are an exchange plan and the “young invincible� plan for those 25 and younger. Exchange plans are similar to what Washington employees have, where a purchaser can choose between varieties of health insurance plans, but there are concerns that this type of plan would significantly increase student costs, Serafini said. The “young invincible� plan provides catastrophic care, but would require students to pay their own preventative costs. “Let’s say you come to the health center and you need a lab test and a prescription,� Serafini said. “Under the ‘young invin-

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009| Page 3 cible’ coverage, you’d have to pay for that. This type of plan goes against everything we teach. We think the most responsible thing is to have health insurance that covers acute illness and injury in addition to catastrophic care.� The Baucus bill passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on Oct. 13 after more than a year of preparation, and it is now passing to conference where it will be merged with other Senate health care reform bills, according to a Committee on Finance press release. “I am very pleased that our common-sense, balanced bill to improve and expand health coverage for tens of millions of American families passed the Committee vote,� said Max Baucus, Montana’s senior senator, according to his Web site.

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POLITICS from Page 1

still young and healthy,� he said, “because one day it is very likely that you will need health care.� Despite his view of student participation, Tarnasky thinks that college students definitely have the capacity to become involved in political issues enough to make a difference. For starters, he suggests students simply focus more on issues and news. “As long as you are thinking and picking things up, it’s a good thing,� he said. Tarnasky suggested students join Young Democrats, College Republicans or other political groups on campus, as well as regularly read the news. Newspapers are easily accessible on the UA campus, and this is something Tarnasky enjoys – especially because newspapers are available in front of every building. Curtis Schube is a thirdyear law student who plans to work in public issues. His career plans are centered on particularly Christian-oriented issues, such as reinstituting prayer in schools, banning abortion and preventing gay marriage by law. In his opinion, undergraduate students are not involved in political issues, but should do research and watch news before forming opinions. He echoed Woehr with sensing a strong pattern of “apathy in youth.�

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OPINION THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

Page 4 |WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

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Editor: Tina Korbe | Managing Editor: Kimber Wenzelburger

Phone: 575.8455 | E-mail: traveler@uark.edu

Letter from the Editor

Keep the change

Remember this time last year? Students sported campaign T-shirts with rising sun symbols, chalked sidewalks with “Change You Can Believe In” and celebrated when their unprecedented efforts to promote a presidential candidate proved successful. But now? On the surface, campus seems quieter. Fewer students seem to be interested in activism – and even fewer exhibit an interest in student government, as UATrav.com blogger Adam Roberts continues to make clear. Nationally, though, the collegiate age bracket continues to clamor for policy adjustments. Youth organizations like Rock the Vote, Campus Progress, 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs, Energy Action Coalition, United States Student Association and Y.I. Want Change tweet the verdict: Many 18 to 29-year-olds think Obama “must pass #hcr w/ #publicoption,” “meaningful climate legislation,” “jobs bill for young,” “#SAFRA,” “#dreamact,” and more. On the other side, America’s Future Foundation and the Leadership Institute work to mobilize young conservatives to fight against the same policies so many of their peers are promoting. Some – like ACORN whistleblowers James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles – have answered the conservative call legendarily. It’s evident that now is not the time for apathy. And, upon closer inspection, it’s clear that UA students haven’t descended into it. This issue of the Traveler highlights the achievements of student political organizations on campus, from the Young Democrats and the Young Republicans to the Campus Greens and the recently founded Young Conservatives. But, if politics makes you want to bury your head in the sand, be sure to check out the Lifestyles section: Its “Travel” theme will tell you the best beaches to visit to do just that. Cheers, Tina Korbe Editor

Sen. Lincoln, that’s senseless Arkansas politicians don’t always make us proud. Sen. Mark Pryor appeared in the Bill Maher film “Religulous” with the all too ironic remark “You don’t have to pass an IQ test to be in the Senate.” Gov. Mike Huckabee passed sweeping health care initiatives for Arkansas that were meant to make school children choose healthier lunch time drinks and snacks, but the law ended up eliminating milk and juices from vending machines, making soda the primary beverage available. Former President Bill Clinton was impeached - and, apparently, was unclear about what the definition of “is” is. Now, Sen. Blanche Lincoln is also making waves, but not in a good way. And we’re actually not talking about health care. A letter Lincoln wrote to a constituent regarding the Employee Non-Discrimination Act was published on Arkansas Blog on Oct. 26, and the firestorm began. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would provide basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The letter from Sen. Lincoln reads, in part: “As the youngest woman ever to serve in the United States Senate, I understand how important it is that the principles of equality and opportunity apply to all Americans. I feel Congress has a duty to ensure that discrimination does not prevent anyone from realizing their full potential. “However, equal rights should not become special rights, and I appreciate you taking time to share your thoughts with me on this important issue. You can be sure I will remember the concerns you raised if this or similar legislation is considered in the U.S. Senate.” Although Sen. Lincoln’s office maintains that she has no current public position on ENDA, her words speak for themselves. And if she has no opinion yet, why would she write this dumb letter? If and when ENDA passes, it will not be providing a “special right” – it will be preventing the unacceptable brand of hatred that has kept people from getting jobs and moving up in the workplace. It will be supporting and furthering “the principles of equality and opportunity” that Sen. Lincoln herself claims, “apply to all Americans” and are the foundations of this country. What she said doesn’t even make sense. Many more pages and editorials and blog posts could be written in preponderance of what Sen. Lincoln might have been trying to say, but, in the end, it is pure ignorance to say there is any reason not to support legislation to provide equal rights and equal punishments for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. This may be the third strike against Blanche Lincoln – protests, new Web sites and angry tweets and facebook statuses have been all over Northwest Arkansas in the last week. Maybe Sen. Lincoln will get the message – maybe, but probably not.

EDITORIAL BOARD TINA KORBE | Editor KIMBER WENZELBURGER | Managing Editor BAILEY MCBRIDE | News Editor The Arkansas Traveler welcomes letters to the editor from all interested readers. Letters should be at most 300 words and should include your name, student classification and major or title with the university and a day-time telephone number for verification. Letters should be sent to traveler@uark.edu. Letters appear in the order they were submitted as space permits. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse letters on the basis of length, accuracy, fairness, liability and sensibility.

REMEMBER COMMUNISM? LET’S NOT TAKE ITS LESSONS LIGHTLY On Monday, the world will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the toppling of the Berlin Wall and the beginning of the end of communism. Many commentators have pointed out that the 40th anniversary of Woodstock – a pop culture event with few lasting effects – has gotten a lot more press this year than the fall of one of the most oppressive empires in human history. It seems the only time the mainstream media discusses the U.S.S.R. and its 60 million victims is when Glenn Beck hosts Hyperbole Hour on Fox News. The right wing has turned the horrors of the Soviet Union into a joke. Last year’s anti-Darwin film “Expelled” attempted to link the theory of evolution with communist Russia. Opponents of universal health care have turned reductio ad Stalinum into an art form. Every time someone sings a song about President Obama or talks about any sort of tax increase, the nutjobs on the right act like the Red Army is on the move. The left wing hasn’t been any better. Anti-Nazi dramas are always rewarded at Oscar time, but I can count the number of anti-Soviet Hollywood releases I’ve seen on one hand. Even James Bond is more likely to sleep with a communist than to kill one. I watched all the movies, tallied the number of times 007 is pitted against loyal agents of a communist government, and got a total of two. And both times, Bond was really after a diamond smuggling capitalist. People my age can be forgiven for thinking McCarthy was a bigger enemy than Stalin. The left minimalizes Soviet horrors because it agrees with a lot of what Marx had to say. He was right about the abuses of corporations. A society where everyone is treated fairly and poverty is abolished is a vision we all hope for.

Notes from Underground

ADAM CALL ROBERTS adamcr@uark.edu

Leftists see the way the rightists take their concern for the poor and conflate it with the creation of Gulags. So, they commit the sin of silence about Stalin. Communism has been proved to fail in every country on every continent its been tried, but there’s a broader lesson to be learned beyond economics. There’s no movement, no ideology, no system of ethics that doesn’t have the potential to lead to disaster. I challenge you to find a single major religious or political crusade that hasn’t been responsible for murder in its service. The history is pretty clear. We’ve got Buddhists killing other Buddhists killing Hindus killing Christians killing Muslims killing atheists killing Buddhists... you get the idea. Its really hard to get more absurd than committing genocide in the name of people like Jesus and Buddha, but hey, that’s what happens. It’s the same story every time. A group of people comes up with a vision of a better society. They usually have some really good ideas. But when everyone else doesn’t get on board with the plan, they bend the rules. They harass, intimidate, vandalize, terrorize and eventually murder to advance the cause. And it doesn’t matter what this cause is - 5,500 Britons killed each other in 1549 during a dispute over which version of a prayer book to use. There is no safe

ideology. It’s tempting just to give up on ideology altogether, but I’m not sure that’s possible. It’s certainly not desirable. There are a lot of good ideals to advance. The trick is to remember that noble ends don’t justify all means. If the Soviets are history’s ultimate bad example, we’ll use Martin Luther King Jr. as a counter. King fought for social justice and equality boldly and bravely. He broke the law when appropriate and spoke out angrily against those in power. However, he didn’t allow his commitment to civil rights to conflict with his commitment to other values. He preached peace and attempted to reach out in love instead of aggression. He asked people to sacrifice themselves for the cause – he didn’t force them to. It can be very difficult to notice when those on our own team cross the line. We don’t like to admit it when the “good guys” to do bad things. When the abuses at Abu Gharib and Guantanamo Bay were uncovered, it was shocking how many Americans openly shrugged it off. Rush Limbaugh compared the rape and torture at Abu Gharib to a fraternity prank and the Gitmo prison camp where innocent people were held without trial to Club Med. Most Americans still support the deaths of thousands of children in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the deadlier firebombings of Tokyo during World War II. Having good intentions doesn’t make you immune from moral responsibility. We used to have a wall to remind us of that. Now it’s gone. Adam Call Roberts is a columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. He also blogs regularly for UATrav.com.

CUBAN TRAVEL BAN WAS LIFTED ON SWINE FLU, TOO We finally got ‘em. After vehemently attempting for fifty years to dismantle and otherwise infiltrate the Cuban government, the mission has been accomplished. We tried everything, too. There was the Bay of Pigs, a U.S. sponsored military invasion of the communist island 90 miles from our shores. Disaster. We tried to economically isolate them with trade embargoes and travel bans. Castro just laughed and started selling his sugar and cigars to Mother Russia. We’ve tried to assassinate the man (more than 638 times!) with plots including a fungalinfected scuba-diving suit, an exploding cigar and a mafia-style shooting. Hell, we even tried to sneak a chemical into his cigar box to make his beard fall out. But of all the things, who knew that lifting the travel ban between the U.S. and Cuba, ostensibly an act of good-will, would be the coup de grace to bring the little country to their knees? Former president Fidel Castro (who are we kidding, that guy still runs the show), lounging in an Adidas jumpsuit, told the press on Monday that he blames the surge of swine flu in Cuba on the United States and Barack Obama. Obama recently lifted the travel ban on Cuba to allow Cuban-Americans to visit their homeland. Apparently, they all had the swine flu because cases of H1N1

The Laughing Cavalier

SAMUEL LETCHWORTH sletchw@uark.edu

in Cuba spiked from near nothing to 800, including 7 deaths. “We had the strange case where the United States on one hand authorized more trips for a large number of people carrying the virus, and on the other prohibited us from obtaining equipment and medicine to combat the virus,” said Castro. Well Fidel, we finally gotcha. It’s been a long time coming. It’s our own little Muriel Boatlift. Instead of unknowingly importing ships full of criminals from Cuba in the ’80s (“Scarface,” anyone?), we used Castro’s hilarious little tactic against him and exported ships full of disease-ridden refugees. The Cubans never even saw it coming. They should have known better when Cuban-Americans started handing

out blankets to unsuspecting natives. There was a CIA mission back in the ’60s called “Operation Northwoods.” It was basically a brainstorming think-tank outlining how the United States could sabotage the Cuban government and take Castro out. Such plans they hatched, which were only released for public record a few years ago, included blowing up a U.S. ship in Guantanamo and blaming it on Castro (remember the Maine?), attacking Cuban refugees on American soil and blaming it on Castro – even shooting John Glenn out of the sky, to be blamed on Castro of course. Well, John Glenn is just fine and Cuba has never been framed for attacking America. Those particular tactics just weren’t very feasible. But why have we only just now figured out this failsafe Trojan Horse: to engineer a disease in Mexico, infect the Cuban-American population with it and then send them all over?!? It is nothing short of brilliant. Eisenhower couldn’t do it, Kennedy couldn’t do it, the Dulles brothers couldn’t do it. But Barack Obama did it. This…is a great day for democracy. Joe McCarthy would be proud. Samuel Letchworth is a columnist for The Arkansas Traveler.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

POLITICS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009| Page 5

College students and political movements: UA students find their place in the nation Young Democrats Bailey Elise McBride News Editor

The UA chapter of the Young Democrats is active both on campus and off, providing an opportunity for students interested in learning more about the Democratic Party and its ideals to get involved. “Our activism here on campus is a mixture of representing the issues of the national party and representing local issues and political interests,� said Will Watson, president of the UA Chapter of the YDs. The Young Democrats of America has been the official youth arm of the Democratic Party since 1932. Open to anyone under the age of 36 who affiliates with the Democratic Party, YDA is a nationwide grassroots organization with more than 43,000 members consisting of high school students, college students, young workers, young professionals and young families. The goals of the Young Democrats of America are to elect Democratic candidates, encourage youth involvement in the Democratic Party, support the ideals of the Democratic Party at all levels of government, in-

still young people with the values for which the Democratic Party stands and provide young people with the skills and experiences they will need to lead the nation. Traditionally, Watson said, Young Democrat chapters have trouble maintaining a solid membership in off-years without a large number of big elections. “This year, we’ve really tried to turn that trend around by having an active chapter and having opportunities with local and state politicians,� Watson said. “We’ve had an activity almost every week so far this semester.� These events have included speakers such as Sen. David Pryor and Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, and voter drives on campus to try to encourage more students to be politically active. The UA Young Democrats chapter has around 30 core members, Watson said, but the group averages around 45 people at every meeting. The group also started a program this year to allow nonstudent members to become a part of their organization. This has allowed two potential candidates for Lindsley Smith’s Sen-

ate seat in 2010 to begin to get to know students and the issues important to on-campus voters. This fall, the UA chapter of YDs hosted the state fall conference, bringing students from across the state to the UA campus. Chris Burks, president of the Young Democrats of Arkansas, is a law student at the UA. The treasurer of the state organization, Eric Bell, is also a UA student. “We’re just trying to provide an opportunity for our students to stay tapped in on all levels,� Watson said. “It’s a different environment with a Democratic president and Congress – it’s a different environment for issues.� Two big issues facing the party now, according to Watson, are the health care reform going through Congress and environmental issues such as capand-trade policies. “Young Democrats is an organization that represents the values of the Democratic Party on campus,� Watson said. “You know, it tends to attract people that have a good time getting involved, and we haven’t had a single event this semester where we didn’t have a blast.�

College Republicans Kimber Wenzelburger Managing Editor

The 2008 presidential election presented a disappointing loss for the UA College Republicans – but it also fueled members of the group to fight harder to maintain a presence on campus and work to uphold traditional Republican ideals. “Conservatives would seem to be a minority on campus, but not as small as one might think,� said Alex Sitting, chair of the UA College Republicans. “(We’re) all about solidifying our voice and being heard.� The UA College Republicans – part of a group of state chapters that compose the Arkansas Federation of College Republicans – are active on all levels of politics, from local to national, and were particularly involved in the 2008 presidential election, Sittig said. Though some of President Barack Obama’s policies don’t

sit well with group members, they’re focused on moving forward. “I think many of us saw it as a wake-up call,â€? Sittig said. “To be honest, I think the presidential loss was something we needed to get our act together.â€? Tom Norsworthy, UA student and chairman of the Arkansas Federation of College Republicans, said the UA group is anticipating a future revival of Republican values. “A lot of college students I know voted for Obama and are having serious buyer’s remorse, especially when it comes to health care and spending,â€? he said. “I think 2010 will be a big year for conservative principles and a big blow to the president’s liberal policies.â€? Other than working on local, state and national elections, the primary purpose of the UA College Republicans is to “reach a generation with the values and concerns of the Republican Party ‌ with the message of a

responsible government, energy independence, lower taxes and traditional values,� Norsworthy said. Jenna Kienbaum, UA student and executive director for the Arkansas Federation of College Republicans, counted fiscal conservatism as one of those issues that affects college students directly. “I think (fiscal conservatism) is important because we are all going to college to earn a good living, and we just want to be sure when it’s over when we have real-world jobs that we get to keep the money we worked hard for,� she said. The UA College Republicans meet 6 p.m. every Thursday in Walker Hall to voice concerns, get involved, hear from Republican leaders and prepare for upcoming events. “It was tough (after the presidential election) because everyone was so involved in the election and it didn’t go our way,� Kienbaum said. “However, I think Obama’s victory gave (us) more motivation for the 2010 and 2012 elections.�

Campus Greens Samuel Letchworth Staff Writer

The Green Party is aptly named: Green is the color of grass. Not that kind of grass, although the Greens do support marijuana reform. The Green Party is “grass� as in “grassroots.� “There are three parties in the United States,� explained Jacob Holloway, president of the Campus Greens. “There is Corporate Division ‘R’ and Corporate Division ‘D.’ Then there is the people’s party: the Green Party. “The philosophy of the Green Party is bringing politics back into the local arena and working to fix broken and corrupt systems from the bottom up,� said Holloway, who converted from the Democratic Party to the Green Party when he became disillusioned by “the inability of the Democrats to change and progress.� The American system, insist Holloway and other Greens, is broken and corrupted. “America is a corporocracy� is the phrase former Green Party congressional candidate Abel Tomlinson turns for the current system. “This is evinced by the candidate who has more money winning elections over 90 percent of the time,� Tomlinson said. “This money comes from the wealthy

and from corporations who want their interests protected.� Greens generally identify themselves politically as being liberal-progressive. Their major criticism of Democrats in Arkansas is that their actions in Congress are more along Republican lines than Democratic ones. Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s opposition to a public health insurance option, for example, is an indication to liberals that Arkansas Democrats have moved farther to the right. “Mike Ross, Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor – these are all Democrats who actively work against the people of the state in the interest of large corporations,� Holloway said. “If this is how we’re going to do things, then let’s just have a real Republican instead of a Democrat acting like a Republican.� The goal of the Green Party is to represent progressive values and throw a proverbial wrench into the extant political system. By challenging all federal and state-wide offices, the Greens hope to remind America of what it means to be liberal. The problem with third parties like the Greens is that thousands of signatures are required to get candidates on ballots. “We have the money to get signatures,� Holloway said, “but that money would be better spent on candidate campaigns. If the Democrats and Republicans had to spend money and time to get

signatures for their candidates there might be a more even playing field.� Part of what the Green Party does, these representatives said, is hold institutions accountable. One of the issues concerning the Greens of late is the new coal plant in Hipstead County, right next to a place called Hope, Bill Clinton’s hometown. “It’s dirty energy,� Holloway said. “The energy from the plant doesn’t even go to Arkansas, anyway. The plant is near a nature reserve, a place frequented by duck hunters and naturalists. Arkansas is supposed to be ‘The Natural State,’ but no one in Congress or the governor’s office did anything to question it.� The distinction between liberals and conservatives, according to Abel Tomlinson, is protecting public interest over special interest, respectively. “This country is funded by special interest groups who have put Republicans and Democrats in their pockets,� said Tomlinson, who is considering running again as a Green for Congress but has not yet announced his candidacy. “There are too many politicians in those parties. There’s a big difference between a leader and politician.� Bernard Sulliban, one of the founders of the Campus Greens, put it like this: “The idea is inclusion, tolerance and action instead of passivity.�

LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

Hillary Clinton greets UA students during her visit to Fayetteville last year.

Young Conservatives Tina Korbe Editor

When conservative activist Matthew Cummings approached UA students this fall to form a Young Conservatives group on campus, at least one was immediately receptive. Nick Pianalto, a junior political science major who thinks the conservative cause is more important now than ever, made a natural ally for Cummings, a field representative for the Leadership Institute, an organization that supports conservative student groups and publications on college campuses. Pianalto eventually became the president of the UA Young Conservatives. Now, he hopes a conservative presence on campus will remind his peers that an additional ideological option exists. “It seems like the Republican Party doesn’t really stand

for anything right now,� Pianalto said. “I think it’s important that we let college students know there is another option.� More than 50 students are already on the Young Conservatives e-mail list-serv, and Pianalto thinks the group will continue to grow as more and more students learn what conservatives actually believe. “If we educate enough people about the platform of the conservative party, we can get a lot of people involved,� Pianalto said. What is that platform? “It all starts with personal responsibility,� Pianalto said. That message resonates with freshman criminal justice major Michael Thrasher and sophomore journalism major Brady Holzhauer, at least. Thrasher’s concerned about gun control and the war effort, while Holzhauer is worried about the economy and health care – but they both believe the

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personal and private approach is more effective than the governmental and public. “The best way for the government to handle the economy is to get out of it,� Holzhauer said. “The people are the ones with the money and we’re the ones who need to teach ourselves how to handle our money.� Because they identify so strongly with the core conservative value of smaller government, neither Thrasher nor Holzhauer hesitated to join the Young Conservatives – but they recognize that now is not exactly the political era of “Less is more.� “Whether it’s housing or banking,� Holzhauer said, “there’s so much red tape nobody can get anything done anymore.� Not even the Young Conservatives can escape red tape, though: The group is still in the process of becoming a Registered Student Organization.

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LIFESTYLES

Overseas Activities THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER Entertainment in the military Wednesday in Lifestyles

Page 6 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

Lifestyles Editor: Brian Washburn | Assistant Lifestyles Editor: Lindsey Pruitt E-mail: travlife@uark.edu|Phone: 575.7540

What happens in Florida stays in Florida Mille Appleton

Contributing Writer Junior Garrett Davis sums up Spring Break in one phrase: “times you’ll never remember with people you’ll never forget.” Weeks before Spring Break begins, students daydream about a week of fun in the sun – a week of partying until the sun comes up, and even after that. Though the ultimate Spring Break might be in Mexico or Europe, the UA vacation hotspot is Florida. “Everyone has these grand ideas of going somewhere else, but once you get down to it, it costs too much,” junior Amanda Banwarth said. “And if you went to Mexico you would have to deal with passports and the government.” Having fun on a budget is what college students aim for, and Florida provides that with two destinations: Destin and Panama City. “Destin is usually pretty cheap,” junior Jenna Lee said. “You can drive, a lot of people can go and there are a lot of people your age there to hang out with.” Traveling with a group of friends greatly reduces gas and hotel expenses. Also, most hotels offer Spring Break deals for students, and through Web sites such as Student City and Smarter Travel, students can book vacations and get a package deal. Florida is home to two of the largest Spring Break cities in the United States, but each city boasts a unique experience. “If you’re single, you go to Panama. Otherwise, you go to Destin,” Davis said. “Panama is craziness 24/7 – you don’t have the option of just going out one night.” Panama City has been named the Spring Break capital of the United States. Not only does it have beautiful white beaches, but it is also home to the largest beach clubs in the world: Spinnaker, La Vela, Sharky’s and Harpoon Harry’s. Students from all over the country come to this party destination for MTV’s infamous Spring Break events – beach concerts, wild contests and massive parties.

Top 5 Spring Break destinations

1.Cancun, Mexico... because we’re all legal. Enough said.

2. Panama City Beach, Fla... because partying with MTV and embarrassing your parent on TV makes for good memories.

Padre Island, 3.South Texas... COURTESY PHOTO

However, Panama City does have a reputation for maintaining a greater population of patrolling police than in Destin. Students often get charged with public intoxication and driving under the influence. “(In Destin,) the only thing that has happened to me is they told me to pour out my drink,” Davis said. “But on the strip in Panama it’s a lot worse. The city needs to decide whether they’re going to have Spring Break and be more relaxed with the police, or just not let anyone come.” Though Destin is a little less crazy than Panama, there is no

Professors party, too UA professors make plans for Spring Break travel Trish Byron Staff Writer

It’s easy to forget that professors are people, too. Yes, real people with children, spouses, pets and, believe it or not, an actual life to live outside of grading papers, tests and assignments. But while students cause a ruckus on Spring Break, what will professors be doing? Just as many students have relocated to attend the UA, some professors have done the same to teach; hence, their extended families live in different cities or even states. And although Spring Break is a distant thought these days, it’s a safe bet that some faculty members plan to see family over the holiday. “I actually have no idea what I’ll be doing over spring break,” Sarah Kent said. “I will probably be traveling to visit family, though.” Likewise, associate professor Cathy D. Lirgg has plans to take a trip with her middle school son and their two dogs to visit her mom. “We usually go to Ohio to see my mom for the break, which we have again planned

Traveler Top 5

for this year,” she said. “We’ve done other things periodically, but this is the usual. Once we went to Disneyland ... a lot more exciting than Ohio.” However, as fun as family is, Spring Break provides an excellent amount of time to grab some friends and get away to visit an exotic land ... or just get away. “It is still very up in the air, but myself and a few other professors and others are discussing a girls’ week,” Amanda Grimes said. “Where is to be determined. All we know is, somewhere warm and fun.” With Web sites like Studentuniverse.com, which offers cheap travel deals for students and professors, traveling is becoming a likely option for both faculty and students. However, it always helps to have a significant other who travels for work. “My Spring Break plans vary, but generally I travel with my husband, who is a professor in the civil engineering department,” Natalie Hall said. “The break gives me an opportunity to go with him,” she said. “I’ve been able to See

PROFESSORS on Page 7

shortage of partying and fun. Students have the option of driving to Panama for a night because it is only 45 minutes away, but there is also plenty of nightlife in Destin. Whether students are in Panama City or Destin, the daily rituals are very similar. Drink on the beach and hide it from the cops, sober up a bit before going out to dinner, and then hit the bars and clubs, Lee explained. “You could really sum it all up with eat, sleep, drink,” Banwarth said. “Not everyone is hammered, but for the most part, that’s what goes on.”

Florida is not only the premier Spring Break location for UA students, but it is also packed with students from all over the South. “It’s a great place to meet people,” Banwarth said. “Destin has tons of students from Alabama and Ole Miss. We hung out with Ole Miss boys the whole time; that was the most fun just hanging out and going out with them.” Whether in Florida or at another dream destination, for most students the party never stops – and what happens on Spring Break stays on Spring Break.

Hog Haus: a charming brewery/gourmet-comfort food restaurant The Trough

ERIN ROBERTSON errobert@uark.edu

It was a Thursday night and I was hungry. The hems of my jeans were damp, I was cold and I wanted something warm and comforting to soothe my irritation at the constant rain. The only criterion for that evening’s dinner choice was that it had to be within walking distance of the Walton Arts Center, where I had parked my car in advance for the university choir concert. Hog Haus Brewing Company exuded just the right amount of golden warmth from where I stood at the crosswalk, so my boyfriend and I headed over, huddled under the protective shelter of the umbrella he was so sweetly carrying. Shaking off the stray droplets as we opened the heavy double doors, we were greeted by a rather sour-faced hostess, who very carelessly escorted

us into the main dining room and left us to our own defenses. Thankfully, a more cheerful waitress quickly came along to take our drink orders. As we waited for our drinks, BF and I assessed our level of hunger versus the cost of the meals. Some of the fare was pretty expensive – like the salmon fillet for $21, or the “Moldy Fungus” burger (don’t worry, only bleu cheese and mushrooms) for $9 – but we managed to find what would fit our palates and our pocketbooks in a barbecue sandwich with sweet potato fries and a bowl of basil pesto pasta with grilled chicken. While we waited for our food, I took in the surrounding atmosphere of Hog Haus, a charming brewery/gourmetcomfort food restaurant. Paneled entirely with cinnamon-colored oak, the place takes on the aura of a cozy mountain lodge. The restaurant plays a mix of mellow rock music, combining Aerosmith with Sting and making sure to keep the volume low. Several plates of highly tempting food waltzed past See

HOG HAUS on Page 7

because everyone from old men at hot dog stands to college kids playing beer pong are getting down.

4. Destin, FLa... because classier partying, tastier restaurants and more upscale nightlife makes for a nice flip side of Florida.

5.Breckenridge, COlo... because hot tubs and snow are a cool change from beaches and sand.

Check Traveler Top 5 next week for the top 5 war movies.

“It taught me so much. I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears. That was the level of media chaos that happened the next day.” -Rihanna in Glamour Magazine about being assaulted by singer/boyfriend Chris Brown and the media aftermath.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | UATRAV.COM

LIFESTYLES

Exhibit provides more than mere visual enjoyment

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009| Page 7

PROFESSORS

HOG HAUS

visit many places both in the U.S. and out of the country to Norway and England with him through work. Spring Break is also a good time to get caught up on classes and to do yard work for spring.� And while some will be relaxing and basking in the suns rays, not everyone catches a break during the week off. With a baby on the way, Irene McMullin, assistant professor of philosophy, will not, for the third year in a row, be lounging on the couch during Spring Break. “The past two years I have not taken a vacation – I spent Spring Break catching up on grading, course preparation and research projects, but since I’m having a baby next semester things will be somewhat different,� she said. “Although I am not teaching, however, I am still expected to advise master’s and Ph.D. students, sit on departmental committees, attend faculty meetings and commit significant amounts of time to my own research and writing in an effort to get my work published. “So, this Spring Break, I will be trying to figure out how to be a mom while also working on these other duties,� she said. No matter the age, a break is a break, and professors could use one, too. Whether it’s to play catch up or have some fun, Spring Break serves as a last hoorah before the home stretch to finals and summer vacation. While students are out gallivanting in Cancun or Panama City, there’s a chance a professor could be spotted doing the same. No worries: They’ll be back in business just in time for class on Monday.

our table before our meals arrived: a mushroom pizza, Cobb salad, a steaming rack of ribs and mashed potatoes kept us salivating. The wait wasn’t a long one; rather, the rapidity with which our waitress brought out our food pleasantly surprised me. We immediately dug in. My pasta was a delightful shade of lime through and through, with a few intermittent chunks of red tomatoes and pewter mushrooms. The basil and cream combination in the sauce was a little overwhelming at first, but once I got the proportions of pasta-chicken-sauce down, I couldn’t be stopped. The mushrooms were definitely the highlight of the entire dish: Bursting with flavor and moisture at every bite, they added a savory touch to the light and verdant dish. I wished there had been more tomatoes to make up for the rather dry and tasteless chicken, but I accepted defeat in that department and moved on to sample BF’s food. His barbecue sandwich was a deep, dark chocolate color, with rich sauce oozing from underneath the bun. The first bite hit me hard with the strength of smoke in the meat, but was soon balanced by a sweet flavor. This may have been the best barbecue I have ever had, and I’m quite certain that I uttered an audible sigh of pleasure. His sweet potato fries were not as good as those my mother makes, yet offered more flavor, vitamins and nutrients than the original fried variety. (Who am I kidding, nothing is ever as good as the dishes from Mom’s kitchen.) An older couple at the table next to us ordered after we got our food and were soon presented with their plates of fish

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and chips, huge and fried to a perfect golden shade, and a heaping side salad that verily overflowed from its bowl. Various eccentric characters – a photographer with a huge backpack and a British man discussing C.S. Lewis – sat at the bar and added lots of quirk to the surrounding conversation. The rain pounded on the sidewalk outside of the door and drenched the passersby who sought refuge in the pleasant interior with a tall pint of micro-brew beer. Hog Haus does indeed have enough quirk of its own without the interesting patrons. The brewery is visible from the restaurant, and produces seasonal beers as well as the traditional ones most always on tap, like their “Razor Bock� or Hog Haus India Pale Ale. Their selection of artisan beers is diverse, with unusual flavors like “Fat Boy Blue,� a blueberry-infused wheat beer, or the “Java Porter,� a brew with infusions of chocolate and coffee. One of the only places in Northwest Arkansas to serve beer to-go on Sundays, Hog Haus has a definite attraction for those looking for something interesting to go along with their meal. No beer included, our tab came to $27, which was a little pricey for my constrained budget, but it was less than I expected and filled me to the brim. We left Hog Haus fully satisfied, with a generous tip left on the table and a smile for even the hostesses, and crossed the street to go to the Walton Arts Center. It was starting out to be a great evening. Hog Haus Brewing Company is located at 430 W. Dickson St. and operates 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday with brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Visit the Verizon Wireless booth and get the lowdown on our amazing career opportunities!

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Erin Robertson Staff Writer

What is it that truly constitutes art? Conventionalists would throw around the words “beauty� and “ascetic appreciation,� but artist Shaurya Kumar would probably be one of few to include the word “mistake� in the mix. Kumar’s exhibit “The Lost Museum: The Fate of World’s Greatest Lost Treasures� is in residence at the UA Fine Arts Gallery now through Wednesday, Nov. 18. Set apart from most of the gallery’s exhibits, this collection features only eight prints of what could easily be called a giant screw-up. The plaque at the gallery’s entrance describes the origin of these prints, with excerpts from Robert Adams’ book “The Lost Museum.� Several decades ago, art enthusiasts became greatly concerned over the amount of artwork lost to the destruction of disagreeing governments, wars and other conflicts. In the 1980s, The Council for Documentation of Lost Art and Cultural Heritage was formed to compile records of lost or destroyed works into an electronic database. In the process of recording the information, the records somehow changed and became unrecognizable, producing the prints available for viewing in the gallery. Characterized by jumbled pixels, intermittent

with scraps of the photographs, these prints are rich in color. Sometimes with a lemon theme – as with “Bodhisattvas and Deities on the West Wall of the Ceiling,� a seventh- to eighth-century mural painting from Bamiyan, Afghanistan, and destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001 – or a prominent color scheme of midnight blue and gold – such as in “Remains of a Mural,� a ninthcentury mural from Nalanda University in Bihar, India, and destroyed during a Turkish invasion in 1193 – these are more than boring screens of static snow. Kumar’s exhibit is for more than mere visual enjoyment, but serves to remind viewers both of the cruelty and the failure of human beings. There is a strange type of beauty present in the prints that seems to mix a haunting surrealism with ‘80s neon patterns. At first glance, the exhibit is unimpressive. The eight prints barely fill the already tiny gallery, and the computer screen-like patterns in the prints don’t easily draw in the eye. However, upon further investigation, the complexity and the historical significance of the prints become apparent. An inexplicable human error transformed what was once highly lauded artwork into these prints, now their own form of art that mingles the ancient past with the technology of the present.

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LIFESTYLES

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | UATRAV.COM

MUSIC COMMENTARY

Techno craze hits George!s B a s s n e c t a r

Brian Washburn Lifestyles Editor

G a l a c t i c COURTESY PHOTOS

Electronic/hip-hop/experimental act Bassnectar, Jazzfusion band Galactic and hip-hop techno act Pretty Lights highlight a busy month of concerts at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville.

The Fayetteville music scene has several treats in store this November for those who thrive off attending local concerts. But while pop music gurus (especially those nostalgic for the late ‘90s pop-rock scene) will be thrilled when long-time teen movie soundtrack staple Third Eye Blind rolls though Barnhill Arena in mid-November, there’s a new excitement surrounding these November concerts that has Fayetteville music fanatics going into a frenzy. It might be the addition of Wakarusa to the area. It might be the growing college population and students’ desire for jam music. Or it might just be genres merging, redefining themselves and then giving the masses something new, elaborate and more creative than they have ever heard before. No matter what it is, the new jam, techno and dance phenomenon sweeping underground college scenes throughout the nation seems to have snatched listeners by their ears, minds and legs and has them on the dance floor, raving to funky beats accompanied by glow sticks and frantic fans. And Fayetteville’s funky fans will have the opportunity to see four of the most prolific techno/jam bands in the underground music scene just in the month of November. Beginning on Nov. 8, Fayetteville fans will have the chance to see jazz, funk and electronic band Galactic. Though the band has been around since the mid-’90s in New Orleans, they are now finding success in the Wakarusa crowd since they ditched their lead singer a few years ago and now tour as an instrumental group. Galactic’s unique blend of New Orleans jazz with funky bass lines and electronic interludes has really hit a niche with those in the Wakarusa musical genre loved around the area. Even though Galactic have been favorites of the Fayetteville area, two

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bands getting most of the attention for their journey into Fayetteville in November look to blow the roof (and possibly the majestic) off George’s Lounge. Maybe the most popular (the show is close to selling out) of the lot is Colorado electronic, hip-hop set Pretty Lights, who recently released their new album for free on their Web site. While the band is the work of producer Derek Vincent Smith, he is accompanied live by drummer Cory Eberhard. The non-traditional hip-hop mixed with the smooth techno loops make for an interesting listen and one hell of a live show. This new style of hip-hop, jam music (made especially popular by Girl Talk) has risen to underground stardom in the past year. The popularity has especially risen in the Northwest Arkansas and Ozarks area, where Pretty Lights performed at Wakarusa this past summer to a packed tent. And while the festival featured many talented and intense live shows, Pretty Lights proved to be one of the crowd favorites throughout the entire weekend, which is being expected at George’s on Nov. 12, as well. The hip-hop/techno fad does not end there, though. San Francisco DJ Bassnectar (aka Lorin Ashton) will bring his electronic, experimental techno set to George’s on Nov. 19. Bassnectar has performed on such stages as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and much more. While Bassnectar’s hip-hop fusion is much more experimental than most of his peers, it has still hit quite a niche with fans of this particular genre. While George’s and the city of Fayetteville have definitely hit a pulse in the concert crowd for the month of November, it is not only for fans of the techno genre. From Third Eye Blind to Pretty Lights, as well as local rock, metal and hip-hop acts taking the stage this month, Northwest Arkansas should keep their eyes and ears open and have their bodies ready to move to the music.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | UATRAV.COM

LIFESTYLES

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009| Page 9

Getting to know the real Michael Jackson Adam Call Roberts

Contributing Writer Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” is comprised entirely of footage from rehearsals of Jackson’s scheduled concert series. The concept seems like something that belongs on a DVD release bonus feature, but the controversial move of putting it in theaters pays off. The cynical have accused AEG Live of releasing the footage as a feature film just to profit off Jackson’s death. There’s probably something to that. But a concert isn’t something that can be experienced well on a home television. Even with Blu-ray and a big screen, home theaters lack the “immersiveness” of a real cinema packed with lots of other people. Jackson wanted his concert to be a huge spectacle, and that’s the sort of thing that can really only happen at the movie theater. “This Is It” made me appreciate Michael Jackson both in talent and as a person. He knows every beat of every note of every song. He seems to be very much in control of the entire production. He has an almost frenetic creative energy, but it is harnessed. I don’t know how much you can tell about a person’s character from two hours of heavily edited footage, but Jackson impressed me. Most obsessive artists come across as pretentious and snobby, but Jackson appears to lose himself completely in the performance. He makes no unnecessary changes and focuses entirely on the music instead of looking important for the camera. For the same reasons, I came to like choreographer Kenny Ortega a lot less. At a couple of points, Jackson stopped the music and made a suggestion. Ortega, using the falsely authoritative voice popular among vice principals and office workers of all types, repeated Jackson’s suggestion back to him and the crew several times, apparently trying to make it seem like he understood completely and that perhaps it was really his idea all along. Jackson gracefully

COURTESY PHOTO

thanked Ortega with a single word and then went back to dancing. Jackson performs most of his big hits, including “Smooth Criminal,” “Billie Jean” and “Beat It.” A special 3-D video was being shot for “Thriller,” complete with zombies and ghouls. We see both

the behind-the-scenes and the finished version. Most poignantly, Jackson sings “I’ll Be There” as a tribute to his family, which he thanks and prays for by name. There are some humorous scenes, one in which a ballet instructor teaches the dancers

CD REVIEW

DEL THE FUNKY GETS GOOFY Brady Tackett

Assistant Lifestyles Editor When Del the Funky Homosapien raps, “We can modify the hymns that lifted you higher,” on his new album, Parellel Uni-Verses, it doubles as a boast and a mission statement. The record, a collaboration between Del and New Jersey rapper Tame One, aims to glorify and expound on the dusty hip-hop of the genre’s soulful origins. Nostalgia aside, no one can really accuse Del’s work of being a retread; everyone knows his verses on “Clint Eastwood,” by Gorillaz, one of the most unconventional outfits of the last decade. The rapper got his start as the cousin of Ice Cube, whose renowned gangsta rap gave way to an (unfortunate) acting career. Parallel Uni-Verses pays its dues to Ice Cube and other masters of the genre and scorns the emcees of today.

Not to say that Uni-Verses is preachy or overly serious. The record’s best beats sound like ghetto lounge music. Goofy throwaway verses are also the album’s most endearing, like “Slayed the 10th grade on mushrooms, writing raps in Grandma’s front room,” from jazzy highlight “Before This.” The threats often sound ironic, like when the Beastie Boys threaten to egg your house. “I bet you think you special, well, ‘eff’ you nephew,” goes the chorus of “Special.” The psychedelic production, courtesy of Parallel Thought, serves as the antithesis to the record’s lyrical shenanigans. There are horns, twinkling xylophones, stand-up basses and echoes COURTESY PHOTO of Flavor Flav. It’s the trippy, futuristic hip-hop that Kid Cudi promised but never delivered. Not quite an essential listen, Uni-Verses is consistently enjoyable.

how crotch-grabbing is “Russian.” Jackson is excited to ride the cherry-picker again, and is disappointed when Ortega wants to test it out for safety before he can start dancing on it. There are a lot of cheap ways to make a buck off a dead celeb-

rity, and Jackson’s image is one that will stick around for decades. “This Is It” offers a genuine, tasteful way to pay tribute to the artist. He wanted people to see his concert, and I think he’s happy we can get close. “This Is It” is playing at AMC

Fiesta Square 16, home of $4 movies and $5 unlimited popcorn and soda Monday through Thursday. “This Is It” runs 1 hour and 52 minutes. It is rated PG for “some suggestive choreography and scary images.”

Page 10 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

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GIRLS AND SPORTS

WONDERMARK | David Malki

ALL CHARACTERS ÂŽ Š GIRLS & SPORTS COMICS, ANY REPRODUCTION OF GIRLS & SPORTS INCLUDING IT’S CHARACTERS OR LIKENESS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TO GIRLS & SPORTS COMICS

BLISS | Harry Bliss

HOROSCOPES | Linda Black ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) TODAY IS AN 8.

CROSSWORD

Group activities move forward in unexpected ways. Your insight guides each person’s effort through careful choice of words. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) TODAY IS AN 7.

Footloose and fancy free? Your mind takes you to imaginative locales. Planning a trip? GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 21) TODAY IS A 8.

You find yourself changing your mind on something you were so sure about. That’s OK. Go with the flow CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22) TODAY IS A 7.

Your mood changes today and your logical thinking takes on a new direction. Adapting to circumstances takes very little effort. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) TODAY IS A 9.

You change your mind big-time today.You probably wonder what took you so long.You’ll get used to it. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) TODAY IS A 7.

SUDOKU

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Creative projects move forward much faster than anticipated. Earlier limitations give way to clear communications. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) TODAY IS AN 8.

An associate delivers some difficult news. It’s not over ‘til it’s over. By tomorrow, you may see how to repair the damage.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) TODAY IS A 7.

Are you questioning what you’ve been told? Now is a good time to research the facts and draw your own conclusions.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) TODAY IS A 5.

LEVEL: EASY COMPLETE THIS GRID SO EVERY ROW, COLUMN, AND 3X3 BOX CONTAINS EVERY DIGIT FROM 1 TO 9 INCLUSIVELY

LAST WEDNESDAY’S SOLUTION

Reasoning keeps pace with imagination, bringing ideas into practical form.Work now, talk later AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) TODAY IS A 6.

More dreams point you in the right direction. Imagine yourself traveling the path you want, then go there. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) TODAY IS AN 7.

The cobwebs clear out of your mind and you see the future clearly. Share your vision with those you want to take along.

LAST WEDNESDAY’S SOLUTION

SPORTS THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

Hog Hoops Arkansas basketball season preview Next Wednesday in Sports

Phone: 575.7051 | E-mail: travsprt@uark.edu Sports Editor: Matt Watson | Assistant Sports Editor: Harold McIlvain II FOOTBALL

Adams’ return sparks Razorbacks after stroke

JONATHAN GIBSON Staff Photographer

Sophomore Joe Adams missed three games after suffering a mild stroke. The wideout came back with a bang, scoring two touchdowns in the Eastern Michigan game Saturday.

Jimmy Carter

Assistant Sports Editor Arkansas receiver Joe Adams caught a pass over the middle from quarterback Ryan Mallett, turned upfield and took a solid hit from Eastern Michigan linebacker Andre’ Hatchett and cornerback Chris May. The sophomore quickly bounced back up and trotted back to the Arkansas huddle following what would’ve been an ordinary play with any other player any other time. In reality, the play was anything but ordinary. The 21-yard catch showed that the 5-11, 182-pound speedster was back and had no ill effects after suffering a mild stroke prior to the Auburn game Oct. 10 and missing the Hogs’ next three contests. “Its always good to get the first hit of the game so you get those jitters out,” Adams said. “I knew I was going to get hit so I just had to take it.” Adams went on to snag three passes for 109 yards, including touchdowns of 10 and 78 yards, in Arkansas’ 63-27 homecoming win over Eastern Michigan. The sophomore’s presence provided a spark for an Arkansas offense that struggled at times without him. Mallett went 24-of-61 for 478 yards and two touchdowns without Adams in the lineup against Florida and Ole Miss – two of the Hogs’ three contests with 20 points or less this season. The sophomore signal-caller said Adams’ bigplay return wasn’t surprising. “Nothing with Joe surprises me,” Mallett said. “When he’s covered man-to-man I don’t think anybody can stop him, and he can run after the catch. He’s a dynamic player.” Senior linebacker Wendel Davis said getting Adams back provided a boost for the defense, too. “It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Davis said about Adam’s big night. “Joe Adams is big time. Joe Adams will make you say ‘ooh’ sometimes –

he’s just a big-time excitement guy. It’s good to have Joe playing for us (again).” But for Adams, the ordeal left him with a new look on life and an eagerness to help his football family once again. “It changed my outlook on life, period,” Adams said. “You never can take life for granted, because one day you can be playing and the next day you couldn’t be here with your family, and I didn’t want to see my family go through anything like that.” Watching the Razorbacks fall to Florida and Ole Miss from the sidelines without his contribution was difficult for the Little Rock native. “Its always difficult for anybody that’s sit-

“

I appreciate life more, just in general,” Adams said. “It’s a great feeling to be blessed to get back on the field and play the game that everybody loves play. I knew I’d be back.” — Joe Adams ting out that’s a part of an offense or a defense or a part of a team to sit out and watch the team play and not be able to come up with the win,” Adams said. “You think that maybe you could have had a part in (winning).” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino saw the longing to return to the gridiron in Adams’ eyes. “You could see it in his eyes, particularly when we had a couple hard losses,” Petrino said. “He knows that could have played a big part in helping us win the game. It’s been hard on him, not being able to be out there. He’s done a great job with his attitude over the whole ordeal. He’s a great competitor and anytime you’re a great competitor and can’t participate it’s hard.” The sophomore flew to Little Rock for tests and met with doctors in the effort to not only

get him back on the playing field quickly, but also to ensure his long-term well-being. While sidelined from action, Adams worked to stay in shape so he’d be ready once the doctors gave him the OK to play. “He did a great job with his attitude; in his meetings he was very alert, very learning,” Petrino said. “The last few weeks he’s been able to participate in individual deals and run around and catch the ball. He did a nice job with our training staff on the sideline during practice, making sure when he was cleared that he was physically ready to keep going. “You can’t say enough about how he handled the whole situation. I’m very proud of him.” While sidelined, Adams said his teammates were supportive of him, but he was more intent on cheering his team on. “They were supportive,” Adams said. “I was more supportive of my team, because I want to see my team win, even if I’m not out there. Me on the sideline jumping around for the defense or offense, I knew it gave them some kind of swagger about their game.” Adams was cleared to play against the Eagles on Wednesday and immediately felt a wave of relief. “It felt like a burden had been lifted off my chest,” Adams said. “Not being able to play (was the hardest). When I came to practice, I can’t practice but I have to know what the offense is doing, so I’ve got to stay in tune and know what we were doing for that game.” Despite the serious nature of the injury, Adams never had a doubt he would return to action and said the experience taught him a lesson that reaches beyond football. “I appreciate life more, just in general,” Adams said. “It’s a great feeling to be blessed to get back on the field and play the game that everybody loves play. I knew I’d be back.” Razorback players, coaches and fans are no doubt as overjoyed he is.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009 | Page 11

FOOTBALL

Finding D.J. Williams Harold McIlvain II

Assistant Sports Editor The productivity in the passing game from tight end D.J. Williams has been puzzling to Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino all season. After a break-out sophomore campaign when the Little Rock native finished with a team-best 723 receiving yards, Petrino was expecting big things from Williams. The junior set a school record for catches by a tight end with 61 and ranked sixth nationally in yards among all players at his position. But through eight games this season, Williams only has 170 yards and 16 catches, compared to 420 yards and 35 catches at this point last year. Petrino said plays are being called with Williams as the target, but the tight end still isn’t getting many touches. “That’s something I’m having a hard time with,” Petrino said last week. “We call plays for him and he isn’t getting the ball. It doesn’t seem like the relationship between (Williams) and (quarterback) Ryan (Mallett) isn’t good enough as far as how open Williams is going to be open.” The coaching staff has emphasized getting the ball to the tight end position by setting aside more time than ever to build a chemistry between the two positions. But Petrino said the results just haven’t shown yet. “It’s something we are struggling with right now,” Petrino said. “We need to get D.J. the ball. He is a great playmaker who is hard to tackle after he catches it.” However, chemistry hasn’t been the only issue. Petrino said that

Williams hasn’t gotten great releases off the line of scrimmage at times and hasn’t gotten sufficiently open. Even with the increased practice time between Mallett and the tight ends, Williams only has nine yards and two catches in the last three weeks. The Central Arkansas Christian product focused on his blocking skills in the offseason in anticipation of the extra defensive attention after last year’s breakout season, but he said he did expect to be more involved in the offense than he has been. “I’ve been blocking more this season,” Williams said after the Auburn game. “And I’m getting less balls my way. It seems like they forgot about me a little bit.” Despite his overall numbers being down compared to last year, Williams started the first three games by hauling in 104 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, he built on that performance with a season-high 57-yard, six-catch performance against Auburn. Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said the Auburn game plan was to get the tight end the ball more – but it really hasn’t translated since that game. “We are scripting more plays for D.J., almost forcing it a little bit,” Petrino said. “We did it going into the Auburn game. I think we have to force it into practice so it happens in the game.” But Bobby Petrino said Williams’ contributions blocking have made him a better all-around player. “He’s playing better than he was at any point last year,” Petrino said. “He’s blocking extremely well See

D.J. on Page 12

JONATHAN GIBSON Staff Photographer

D.J. Williams was on the pre-season Mackey Award watch list for the best tight end in the country.

COMMENTARY

Start of basketball should bring relief to everyone The Arkansas basketball team lost 14 of its 16 conference games last season. There are three true freshmen who will have to make significant contributions, a year after seven freshmen saw action on the court. The Razorbacks returned all five starters from a season ago, but two of them were missing in Monday’s exhibition opener. And the Hogs play one of the toughest schedules in the country this season. These are just a few of the problems facing the 2009-10 Arkansas basketball team and third-year coach John Pelphrey. But the on-court obstacles are a welcome distraction after a tumultuous offseason that left multiple players departed from the team, others facing suspensions and a lot of headaches for a lot of people who had nothing

Swinging for the Fences

MATT WATSON mrwatson@uark.edu

to do with basketball. The Friday night tip-off next week will shine the bright lights of the public eye on the hardwood for the first time in seven months, and it couldn’t come any sooner. With a Red-White Game and one exhibition against an NAIA team in the books, the Hogs have another tune-up Thursday before a week off to gear up for the regular season opener against Alcorn State. Attendance at the first two scrim-

mages, both at Bud Walton Arena, hasn’t been anything to write home about, but Pelphrey said with the team playing earlier than they ever have before, right in the middle of the Razorback football season, he’s not surprised. But when Bud Walton is filled for a real game that counts and Michael Washington throws down his first dunk or Courtney Fortson dishes his first no-look pass, everyone will forget about all the drama that dragged the (historically) good name of Arkansas basketball through the mud once again. Maybe not forget altogether, but at least be distracted for a while. Two weeks ago, I said the Razorbacks needed to win right away to put all of the nonsense behind them. A week from the regular season start, I don’t even care if they open the year with a 10-game losing

streak, I’ll just be glad to be talking about basketball and not frat houses or drinking and driving or academic issues. It’s time to put the “sports” back in the sports section, and the lead-up to the basketball season has been long and kind of painful. If they haven’t won a game by the end of December, well, at least there will be plenty to talk about again. But there’s no way this team doesn’t do some serious damage to the tough teams on its schedule because they got all of the big contributors back from the team that upset Oklahoma and Texas in a matter of days, and added a few impact freshman who should provide the depth that was sorely lacking last season. After last season, the Razorbacks will know how to better finish the season instead of peaking around New Year’s Day.

In his third year at a major program, with his second full recruiting class in place, Pelphrey should have a better grip on what’s been an up-and-down tenure. Next week The Traveler will go all out with its basketball preview, which will focus on the names and faces that will be contributing to the Arkansas program this upcoming season, not those that have taken away from the luster in seasons past. Check back next Wednesday for a comprehensive look at those who will represent the university this season, and we’ll finally get to talk about some real sporting news. Matt Watson is the sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Wednesday.

Page 12 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009 OLYMPIC SPORTS NOTEBOOK

SPORTS

Hogs cross country prepares for Regionals Jimmy Carter

Assistant Sports Editor Fresh off a runner-up finish in bog-like conditions at the Southeastern Conference Championships, the Arkansas men’s cross country team has a week off before heading to Waco, Texas, for the NCAA South Central Regional. The No. 22 Razorbacks finished with 61 points, a mere five points behind conference champion Alabama. Dorian Ulrey’s second place individual finish led three Razorbacks in the top 10. “I thought we ran a good race,” coach Chris Bucknam said. “I was particularly pleased with how we finished the race, the last couple kilometers. We gave it a run. We’re obviously disappointed when you sit there and look at the results, you can find some points. But I think our kids left it on the course. “We’ve had some adversity with some injuries and we have to be able to absorb that. We have to be able to take some lumps and put a conference championship team out there.” Because of heavy rainfall before the meet, rumors that the race would be canceled were flying around, Bucknam said. “The course drained a little bit, but it was a very sloppy track – no question about it,” Bucknam said. “I never mentioned to our guys that they could change the time. We had enough on our plate. We just assumed the race was going to go at 10 a.m. and we would have dealt with any delay at that point. There was discussion (about post-

D.J.

from Page 11 and the aggressiveness he’s playing with is better this year than last year. He’s a big part of our football team.” Paul Petrino said it hasn’t been easy to throw to Williams because teams were paying attention to him more this year – even after noticing the declined statistics. Add to that the nature of the Arkansas quarterback change from a game-

poning the race), but we didn’t talk to our guys about it. “We just tried to keep as much off their plate as we can so they can focus on running.” The Hogs will head to the Waco regional and face a field that includes Texas, Texas A&M and Lamar, with the top two teams advancing to the Nov. 23 NCAA Championships. “We have to go in there and take care of business,” Bucknam said. “We can’t think about nationals right now.” Ulrey’s fourth-place finish at the Chile Pepper Festival and runner-up at the SEC’s has provided a boost for the Hogs. “I was very pleased with Dorian and his race,” Bucknam said. “Lane Boyer and Solomon Haile (ran well). Solomon was the top freshman in the race and got tenth. Those kids really ran well.”

our best foot forward and competed well. Florida is a very, very powerful team and I think they should get a trophy this year.” Arkansas’ NCAA hopes will be bolstered by the return of senior Megan Jackson. Jackson missed the last two races with severe tendinitis in her foot. “We saved Megan Jackson,” Harter said. “We decided not to race her to be careful. What we’re dealing with is severe tendinitis. That is something the medical staff can take care of in a relatively brief, aggressive moment and she’ll be back on the training tomorrow.”

FOOTBALL

First look at South Carolina

Volleyball gears up for LSU game

Considering the conditions, Arkansas coach Lance Harter was happy he didn’t lose any runners in the mud and rain at the SEC Championships in Oxford, Miss. The Razorbacks finished third with 87 points, behind meet-winner Florida’s 24 points and Tennessee’s 80. “I’ve never seen such hostile conditions as there was at the Ole Miss golf course,” Harter said. “By the time we finally got out there we were hoping that we wouldn’t lose people like Miranda Walker; she’s relatively short, anyway. But we put

Arkansas volleyball gets a rare one-game conference weekend, hosting 19th-ranked LSU for a CSStelevised Sunday showdown. The Razorbacks will face the Tigers after dropping home matches to No. 12 Kentucky and Tennessee over the weekend. “It’s a little bit of a longer week than we’re used to, so we’ve just got to manage it a little bit differently and get ready for a good LSU team,” coach Robert Pulliza said. “Jasmine Norton picked up her fourth SEC Freshman of the Week award after totaling 41 kills and 27 digs in the Razorbacks’ two losses. “Kentucky and Tennessee are known for their physicality and their blocking and for her to put up the kind of numbers she did against two physical and very good teams was definitely impressive,” Pulliza said.

manager like Casey Dick to a gunslinger in Mallett, and the decrease in yardage could just be the signalcaller’s preference for certain targets, Petrino said. “Sometimes a quarterback gets comfortable with certain people and he feels for them,” Petrino said. “Casey always looked at D.J. all the time.” Bobby Petrino said Williams has to capitalize on every chance he gets. He has had big-play opportunities, like during the Homecom-

ing win against Eastern Michigan when he had two catches for nine yards. Quarterback Tyler Wilson nearly connected with the tight end on two different passes that could have led to touchdowns. “He had a couple passes that just barely hit off the end of his fingers on Saturday,” Petrino said. “We love D.J. as a receiver. We called a lot of plays for him. We’ve definitely made an emphasis of trying to get him the ball and that’s something we’ll keep doing.”

Women’s XC coming off third place SEC finish

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | UATRAV.COM

RICH GLICKSTEIN The State/MCT

South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia is thriving in his first season as the full-time starter.

Clint Linder Staff Writer

Passing Offense:

With the second-best passing offense in the SEC, the South Carolina Gamecocks have one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the SEC in sophomore quarterback Stephen Garcia. Last season, Garcia split time with former quarterback Chris Smelley, but Garcia returned this season as the only QB on the roster with game experience. Garcia leads the SEC in completed passes with 176 in 307 attempts (57.3 completion percentage) for 2,094 yards, matched with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions including a quality performance against Georgia, when Garcia threw for 313 yards. The success in the air, however, has not necessarily translated into points for the Gamecocks, as the team is next to last in the SEC in scoring offense with just more than 21 points per game. South Carolina ranks eighth in total offense with 366.2 yards per game. Garcia’s favorite targets are freshmen Alshon Jeffery, Tori Gurley and senior Moe Brown. The 6-3, 217-pound Jeffery has hauled in 28 catches for 497 receiving yards and five scores while averaging an impressive 17.8 yards per catch. Brown follows behind in yardage with 378 and three touchdowns, and Gurley is the only other receiver with more than 300 yards receiving with 368 and one score. Junior running back Brian Maddux also has a pair of receiving TDs. GRADE:

A-

Rushing Offense:

The potency of the rushing attack for the Gamecocks falls well short of that of the passing attack. Ranked 11th in the SEC ahead of only Georgia, the Gamecocks’ leaders in rushing yards are freshmen Kenny Miles and Jarvis Giles, who have 466 yards and 284 yards on the ground, respectively, while averaging 5.3 and 5.5 yards per carry apiece. Each player has one touchdown. Brian Maddux has bulldozed for 179 yards and three scores, while Stephen Garcia has tucked the ball and run for 275 yards and three rushing touchdowns himself. As a team, the Gamecocks only average 129.2 yards per game and have accumulated eight rushing touchdowns. The most rushing yards one player has gained in a game was only 113 yards by Jarvis Giles against Florida Atlantic University. GRADE:

C+

Rushing Defense:

The Gamecocks fall into the lower tier of the SEC for rushing defense ahead of Auburn, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. The best performance against the Gamecocks was Mark Ingram running wild in Alabama’s 20-6 loss three weekends ago. The team is led in tackles by sophomore linebacker Shaq Wilson who has 58, including 31 solo stops, while 6-1, 252-pound senior linebacker Eric Norwood leads South Carolina with six sacks. The All-American and Lombardi and Lott Trophy

candidate also has 54 tackles. Junior defensive end Cliff Matthews has also added five sacks and 39 tackles. GRADE:

B

Passing Defense:

The pride of the South Carolina team revolves around the team’s terrific secondary. Ranked second in the SEC behind only Florida, the Gamecocks allow only 141.3 yards passing per game on just 5.5 yards per pass. The Gamecocks held Jevan Snead and then undefeated-Ole Miss to only 10 points and 109 yards passing in the team’s 16-10 victory. The leaders of the secondary are junior free safety Chris Culliver and senior strong safety Darian Stewart. Culliver has piled up 49 tackles and Stewart has added 39 more. Linebackers Wilson and Norwood have hauled in one and two interceptions, respectively, and sophomore cornerback C.C. Whitlock has also picked off a pass. GRADE:

A

Special Teams:

Kicker Spencer Lanning has gone 14-16 on field goals with a long of 47 and 20-21 on PATs. The Gamecocks rank second to last in the SEC for kickoff returns and eighth for punt returns. For kick returns, safety Culliver handles most of the duties. He has 585 return yards while averaging 22.5 yards per return with a long of 61. Last year, he had a 41-yard return against the Razorbacks. For punt returns, freshman Stephen Gilmore has 118 yards (14.8 average) with a long of 35 yards. The Gamecocks have not returned a punt or a kickoff for a touchdown this year. On the coverage team, South Carolina ranks last in the league with 35 return yards allowed per kickoff. GRADE:

C-

Head Coach:

Well known in the SEC for his success at Florida during the 1990s when he won SEC coach of the year in 1990, ‘91, ‘94, ‘95 and ‘96, head coach Steve Spurrier has accumulated multiple awards and victories during his time as a head coach in college football. After going to the NFL to coach the Washington Redskins in 2002, Spurrier returned to college football in ‘05 after failing to succeed in the pros. As Gamecocks head coach, Spurrier, a Heisman Trophy winner in 1966 at Florida, has gone 32-23 including trips to three bowl games. While the success at South Carolina has not been as it had been at Florida, Spurrier remains one of the top coaches in the SEC. For his career, Spurrier has gone 174–63–2 with one national championship, one ACC championship and six SEC championships over stops with Duke University, Florida and currently South Carolina. GRADE:

A

TRAVELER SPORTS SEC POWER RANKINGS 1. ALABAMA SEC 2. FLORIDA POWER RANKINGS 3. LSU 4. TENNESSEE 5. SOUTH CAROLINA 6. AUBURN 7. GEORGIA 8. OLE MISS 9. ARKANSAS 10. MISSISSIPPI STATE 11. KENTUCKY 12. VANDERBILT

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THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | UATRAV.COM SATIRE

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009 |Page 13

Traveler to adopt headline-only, Twitter-like format The following story is satirical in nature with fictitious quotes and opinions. It is meant for entertainment purposes only and not to be taken serious. Seriously. The Arkansas Traveler, student newspaper of the University of Arkansas for more than 100 years, has gone through significant changes in 2009 to adapt to the changing newspaper industry. Both the struggling national economy and the demographic change of the average reader have affected the way The Traveler and other newspapers operate, and The Traveler has been open and willing to not only embrace the changes but also pioneer in today’s technologically driven field of journalism. The UA student paper adopted a weekly print publishing schedule in August 2009 but began publishing online daily with Webexclusive content for the first time, assuming the slogan “More News. Less Paper. Today’s Traveler.” But The Traveler is now ready to take the next step. Extremely unscientific research done across the country shows most newspaper readers have probably already stopped reading this story, and every word typed from here on out might just be a waste of ink and paper. Add to that the growing popularity of the social networking site Twitter, which allots users just 140 characters to express themselves – are you thinking what The Traveler’s thinking? After 104 years of quality journalism, The Traveler is going to be the

first newspaper in the world to print just headlines – no stories – to appeal to those readers who don’t actually like reading. “We’ve got a new motto now. ‘Less news. Less paper. More time for crosswords, movie-watching and trips to Golden Corral,’” sports editor Matt Watson said. While Traveler editor-in-chief Tina Korbe refused to comment on or even acknowledge such a stupid concept, Watson said the sports section of The Traveler would gradually introduce the headline-only format, much like its weekly satire column “Swinging for the Foul Pole,” and just hope no one notices it until it’s been in print for a few weeks. “People want a more Tw i t t e r e s q u e Traveler,” Watson said. “Especially if there’s alliteration or you’re just making stuff up and printing it. I mean how many people are still reading this story, 330 words in? That’s about 325 words too many.” Journalism typically utilizes the “inverted pyramid” style, with the most important facts at the top of an article so that readers who skim through a newspaper can read the first few lines from each story and get most of the news. The Traveler is going to completely cut out the part of the pyramid no one’s reading anyway. “We call it ‘the inverted trapezoid.’ And if the phrase ‘inverted trapezoid’ doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will,” Watson said.

SWINGING FOR THE FOUL POLE

MATT WATSON Sports Editor

The Traveler’s new headline-only paper will be introduced slowly, starting in the sports section. Hopefully no one notices.

COMMENTARY

Hoops Hogs face treacherous schedule

The 2009-10 Arkansas basketball schedule sure missed the memo about helping cool down John Pelphrey’s hot seat. A year after finishing 2-14 in the Southeastern Conference and going one-and-done in the SEC Tournament, Arkansas’ schedule this season is no walk in the park. The Hogs’ schedule features six opponents ranked in the Associated Press preseason poll – including No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Kentucky and 10th-ranked Tennessee. “There’s some sleepless nights on there, no question, getting ready for those games,” Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said. “I think this is about as challenging a schedule as I have ever been a part of – and I’ve been fortunate to be around some good schedules.” Pelphrey played on Kentucky’s 1992 Elite Eight squad dubbed “The Unforgettables.” He was an assistant under Billy Donavan during Florida’s run to the National Championship game in 2000. He knows a tough schedule when he sees one. After tipping off the season against Southwestern Athletic Conference foe Alcorn State, the Hogs head to St. Louis to take on 19th-ranked Louisville in the Hall of Fame Showcase. The contest against the Cardinals is the first of several high-profile non-conference matchups for the Hogs. Arkansas travels to Norman, Okla., to take on the No. 17 Sooners on Dec. 2. The Hogs face Baylor in North Little Rock on Dec. 30 and play host to the Longhorns on Jan. 5 in Fayetteville. Missouri State – who beat Arkansas 62-57 last year – and UAB also visit Bud Walton Arena before the Razorbacks open conference play. “It really excites me,” sophomore guard Rotnei Clarke said. “We’re going to have to go in with the same mindset in every single game, but knowing that we have those type of caliber teams on our schedule, some especially in the non-conference is really exciting.” For the five Arkansas newcomers, the Hogs’ marquee games early in the season will

be their first national television exposure. “That’s exciting because I always dreamed about being on TV,” junior college transfer

Extra Points

JIMMY CARTER jicarter@uark.edu

Delvon Johnson said. “That’s a big step from junior college to being on ESPN.” After last year’s abysmal conference season, perhaps the thinking is that an even tougher non-conference schedule will better prepare the Hogs for SEC play. “Arkansas has always played a very challenging schedule,” Pelphrey said. “That’s going to continue, it’s no different.” Johnson thinks the Hogs have a chance to shock the college basketball world, much like they did last year when they toppled fourth-ranked Oklahoma and No. 7 Texas in the span of one week. “I feel if we just play our game, stick together and play like we’re supposed to play, we should be able to beat those teams,” Johnson said. “We should have no problem beating them.” This season’s non-conference schedule is undoubtedly tougher than 2008-09, though, and the Hogs will again be breaking in a bevy of newcomers. How long it takes sophomore forward Michael Sanchez to be healthy enough to play effectively is also an important piece of the puzzle. Sanchez gives the team toughness and experience in the low post and – along with Johnson and athletic freshman Glenn Bryant – would provide quality depth for senior firstteam All-SEC center Michael Washington and highly-touted freshman Marshawn Powell. His prompt return is much needed, as the Hogs play six games in

November and nine in all before final exams will be distributed. “It’s interesting with the schedule – and this is all of us – I believe we’ll play six games and not even be out of November,” Pelphrey said. “Its like we’re playing more games and there’s less time. When you start factoring in all the holidays and the breaks, and you can’t really do anything during finals, it’s amazing where the schedule has gone now with playing more games in less time. “Some of these will come at you pretty fast and we’re going to have to be ready.” The Hogs jump headfirst into SEC action against 18thranked Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are a heavy favorite to win the SEC West after adding stud freshman Renardo Sidney, who comes in at 6-10 and 260 pounds. Sidney will form a fearsome one-two punch with reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Jarvis Varnardo. Arkansas will also face Tennessee and Kentucky. Bruce Pearl has the Vols set to contend on a national stage and new Kentucky coach John Calipari has the Big Blue faithful talking national championship after signing one of the highest-rated recruiting classes of all-time to go alongside future first-round draft pick Patrick Patterson. “We’re going to have to play well in our non-conference schedule, and obviously our league is as good as anybody in the country,” Pelphrey said. “It’s one day at a time. You play one game at a time. You worry about your two most important games, which are your last one and your next one. We all know that it’s a long year and how things can spin out of control – either positively or negatively – really quick.” At least Hog fans can take solace knowing that even if their team doesn’t turn out to be any good, chances are the team they’re playing probably is. Jimmy Carter is an assistant sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.

also not

IN THE NEWS MLB Desperate for highaverage hitter, Red Sox sign guy who took swings at Ted Williams’ frozen head. #BostonTheo Tony LaRussa regretting Mark McGwire hire after “How to bat .260” speech while teaching the art of the uppercut swing. #STLCardinals

NBA

@KingJames, Nike confiscates video of LeBron James being dunked by 5-year-old son in family swimming pool.

NFL

Brady: “I don’t know which uniform to wear for throwback night anymore. They had us wearing our high school jerseys last week.” #TerrificTom

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Page 14 |WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

SPORTS

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER |UATRAV.COM

One-on-One

with a Razorback Arkansas senior offensive lineman Mitch Petrus fielded some questions from Traveler assistant sports editor Harold McIlvain II about life as a former fullback, how he relaxes off the field and how it was like to make 39 tackles in a high school game. You were a fullback at one time at Arkansas. How has that transition been for you now you are on the offensive line? I came here as a walk-on, so I was trying to do anything I could to get on the field. It required me to gain weight and lose weight. I played a bunch of positions in high school, so that helped me out. If they ever need an extra fullback, I’m still here. You were named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. Does that mean much to you at all? I really appreciate it. It’s good to know that someone is noticing your hard work. But I’m old enough to know that the season isn’t over. And that doesn’t sum up my career here at Arkansas. What did the offensive line do over the summer to cut back on the sacks this year compared to last year? We just didn’t want to give up all those sacks again. We didn’t give up many sacks last game, but we are facing better teams than that. It’s important to not give up the sacks. The biggest thing is we are all friends on the offensive line. You are only as good as the guys around you, so you have to communicate with everyone. We understand each other. With only a couple of Fayetteville home games left, have you thought about playing your last game at Arkansas? You just never see that game coming. It’s one of

mitch petrus Carlisle, Ark. 6’4” 315 lbs Redshirt senior

those deals where I will think about it when it is over. But I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself playing in my last game. Time marches on. I can’t believe it has been five years. During your junior year in high school, you broke a state record for tackles in a game with 39. What do you recall from that game? I remember we lost, and I was really tired. Not to take away from what I did, I was playing AA football. The talent level wasn’t like it is in Dallas or other areas. That would be unreal. But it still takes some effort to go out there and do it. That was just going out there and playing hard. I knew it was a lot. I thought the coach didn’t know who to give credit for the tackles. What are some of your hobbies off the field? I’m a huge fan of music, and I play a lot of guitar. (Fullback) John Durmon and I play together Thursdays. I play three or four times a week. I’m in a band, Sledge Hammer Band. We make our own music at our house because I have the equipment to do it. That’s what I do during my free time. It seems like playing an instrument allows a person to escape a little bit from regular life activities. Does it seem that way? When I start playing that guitar, I lose myself. You have to shake me because I don’t pay attention. You need something like that because it is so stressful at this time of the year. What is your go-to song while playing? It would be “Darfur Blues” by the Brethren. They are from Warren, Ark., and it is a great song they have. They go pretty hard with some blues-rock and a little harmonica.

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