March 12, 2012 by Arkansas Traveler

Women’s Basketball Awaits Seating PAGE 1

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Vol. 106, NO. 86 UATRAV.COM

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

ASG Names New Executive Officers

In This Issue:

News

Today On The Hill Check out events happening around campus today.

News

Students might see prices for e-books drop following a possible lawsuit against Apple.

Page 3

Features

E-Cigarettes Although smokeless, electronic cigarettes are prohibited by campus policy.

Features

Page 5

NWA Fashion Week is a Smash Hit The first-annual Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week was the place to be this past weekend.

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Track is NCAA Runner-Up Sports

by SABA NASEEM Editor-in-Chief

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E-Reader Textbook Prices Could Drop

Arkansas Men’s Track Team finished runner-up to Florida by five points at the NCAA Indoor Championship.

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MIKE NORTON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

It was all smiles for Tori Pohlner Friday afternoon. The results of the ASG Executive Elections were announced with Pohlner’s ticket taking it all by winning the offices of president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. by SARAH DEROUEN

Kony 2012—Have You Done Your Research? Opinion

Amid Middle East Revolts, Support from the UA

The Traveler editor discusses the impact of social media in regards to the Kony 2012 film and the importance of fact checking.

Page 4

Staff Writer

Next year’s Associated Student Government executive officers will be President Tori Pohlner, Vice President Bobby Pennington, Secretary LauRon Smith and Treasurer Blake Hirschman. “I’m so thrilled. I couldn’t be more excited. I think next year, we’re going to make an impression on some people for the things we are going to do,” Pennington said after the announcement Friday on Old Main lawn. Michael Norton was also named

Staff Writer

Last week, Twitter administrators began to release archived data to two marketing research companies, Gnip and DataSwift. Most students said they didn’t appreciate their data being shared with companies. “It’s not very ethical,” said Emily Wernsdorfer, senior anthropology major. “Potentially, there are a lot of uses for those tweets.” Grace Colly, freshman apparel studies major, agreed. “I think it’s a violation of our privacy,” Colly said. Others said they didn’t mind the release of archived data. “Most posts on Twitter and Facebook are random and pointless so I don’t think it is useful,” said Emerson Taylor, freshman German major. The release of this sort of data is inevitable with

globalization, said freshman Kyle Hallam. “People will sell anything,” Hallam said. “I think it’s just a part of increasing globalization. When everything is consolidated like that, it enables fewer people to control other people, or their data, through connectivity.” Though many Americans are suspicious of privacy settings on popular websites such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, they continue to be some of the most used websites, according to a USA Today article. Three-fourths of people surveyed said they didn’t like search engines and websites — especially Google —sifting through their information for advertising purposes, according to a survey by Pew Internet & American Life Project. Conversely, the survey

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012 VOL. 106, NO. 86 8 PAGES UATRAV.COM

see TWITTER on page 3

WEATHER FORECAST

Fewer students voted in this year’s ASG election than last year’s, according to polling results. This year, 3,838 students voted, down more than 700 from the 4,561 students that voted last year, said Rudy Trejo, ASG advisor. The number of students who voted this year represents 16.5 percent of the entire student body. Students also voted to change certain ASG policies, including an RSO reform and moving senate and chair of the senate elections to the spring. The changes won’t go into effect until approved by the chancellor.

see REVOLTS on page 2

Students Learn Art of Tintype

Twitter Sells User Data to Marketing Research Groups by JANNEE SULLIVAN

Chair of the Senate. Current ASG President Michael Dodd said he was happy to hear the results. “I’m really excited to work with them. I have known Tori since she was a freshman,” Dodd said. “Tori really has the capability to be a great president.” Pohlner said she will first focus on the internal mechanics of ASG, including a reform of the ASG cabinet. Pohlner said she wants to have the cabinet selected within the next month so that members can begin preparing for next year.

The chant, “The people want to overthrow the regime” echoes throughout the Middle East, from street vendors in Tunisia to jails in Syria. Governments, once ruled by dictators, crumble at the hands of the people, united under one cause— their freedom. This unification does not stop at the borders of countries, yet unites all Egyptians, Syrians, Libyans and Tunisians across the globe. Those who are not home to protest for their freedom are fighting in spirit and through what means they have available. The revolution began in Tunisia after Mohamad Bouazizi set himself on fire Dec. 17, 2010. Protests ensued, demanding economic, social and political justice. Twenty-eight days later, Ben Ali, the president of Tunisia dissolved his government and fled the country. The protests spread to Egypt, where they began on a large scale Jan. 25, 2011 and eventually led to the fall of the government Feb. 11 with President Hosni Mubarak’s stepping down. Other countries such as Libya, Syria, Yemen and Morocco began to see the protests spreading to their countries. Libya’s revolution, in comparison to Tunisia and Egypt, was long and bloody, from protests in February turning into a civil war that ended in October with the death of Muammar Gadaffi. Today, the protests in Syria continue, almost one year after they began on March 12, 2011. The Arab Spring may be oceans away from the UA, however, international students from the countries affected feel the desire for freedom and the strength of their people. Wherever they may be, they are proud to identify themselves as Arabs—from Egyptians to Syrians. Egypt Explosion, fear, blood, screams and scattered bodies. Chaos.

KRIS JOHNSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Photography professor Mike Peven’s face appears in the window of a tintype camera during a demonstration Thursday given by visiting artist Keliy Anderson-Staley. Anderson-Staley uses the same techniques used more than a century ago to bring attention to social imagery in photography. Photography students got the chance to create their own tintype portraits during the demonstration.

TODAY 63°

TUESDAY 68°

WEDNESDAY 67°

THURSDAY 64°

FRIDAY 62°

SATURDAY 61°

NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

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TODAY ON THE HILL B ABOUT THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER C

The Arkansas Traveler, the student newspaper of the University of Arkansas, is published every day during the fall and spring academic sessions except during exam periods and university holidays. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Traveler. The editor makes all final content decisions. One copy of The Arkansas Traveler is free to every member of the UA community. Additional copies can be purchased for 50 cents each. Mail subscriptions for delivery within the continental United States can be purchased for $125.00 per semester. Contact the Traveler Business Manager to arrange.

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Janice Yoes’ Studio Recital of German Lieder

The public is invited to attend and admission is free. 5:30 p.m. Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall Fine Arts Center

Sculpture Student Installations

Nine student art projects will be on display through storefront windows located at the Garland Avenue Retail Spaces during the month of March. Garland Avenue

Arkansas Premiere of “The City Dark”

The Honors College will present the Arkansas premiere of the award-winning feature documentary, The City Dark. 5:30 p.m. Verizon Ballroom Arkansas Union

CONTACT

Public Lecture on Ancient Greece by Harvard Professor

“Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Interpreting the Paintings of the West House at Thera (Sanorini)” by Gloria Pinney, professor emeritus of classical archeology and art at Harvard University. 7- 8:30 pm Old Main

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REVOLTS from page 1

This is how Demas Soliman’s new year began. Soliman, a senior mechanical engineering major from Alexandria, Egypt, went back to his country for winter break. The day he arrived in Egypt, Dec. 31, 2011, he went to church to celebrate New Year’s Eve with his family and friends. “I was excited to be home,” he said. “The night I got there, I put on nice clothes and went to church to pray and celebrate.” At 12:15 a.m., an explosion shook the church. “People usually do fireworks, but this did not seem normal,” he said. And as he soon found out, it was far from normal. Someone had left a 35-kilogram TNT bomb outside the church. “There was blood everywhere. People were running around looking for their families, people were coming from downstairs to upstairs. We didn’t know what to do. We couldn’t stay inside, but we were too scared to go outside,” Soliman said. “The priest was chanting Ma Takhfoosh (Don’t be scared) but no one was listening.” They finally decided to leave from the back door. “Going out you’d step on someone’s hand...on someone’s head. There was blood everywhere,” he repeated. “There were no police around the church.” Although this was 25 days before the Egyptian revolution officially began, the mistrust, the chaos and the lack of government protection was already obvious. “We never thought about anything happening, but I guess once you lose your safety, you have nothing else to lose,” Soli-

Taher changed his profile picture to the Egyptian flag and would post photos of the martyrs on pages in support of the revolution. Feb. 11, 2011 is a day that Taher will never forget. “At first I didn’t believe it. I didn’t think [Mubarak] would step down,” he said. He went to campus that day, and received many congratulations. “It felt like a wedding day as if I was the groom,” he said. “People were hugging me and congratulating me.” On the bus that day, the radio was broadcasting about the revolution and Taher remembers the bus driver say to someone, “You know what? I told you they’re [Egyptians] gonna do it. And they did it.” “At that point, I just wanted to jump up and say, ‘That is my country and I am Egyptian,’” Taher said. “I was so proud.” Syria Rasha Elendari, a UA graduate student and a Syrian native, arrived in Syria the same day the protests did. March 15, 2011 is a day she, or any other Syrian, will never forget. Elendari who is pursing a Masters in archeology went to Syria to prepare an excavation site for the summer of 2011. However, she soon discovered there would be no trip there. Elendari’s first reaction to the protests was, “Is this really happening?” she said. She had not expected the revolutions to spread to Syria. Bashaar Al-Assad, the president of Syria, has been reigning for 12 years, having assumed power after his father’s 29-year reign ended. He had

threatened to use force to quell the protests. “During its decades of rule, moreover, the Assad family developed a strong political safety net by firmly integrating the military into the regime…In fact, the military, ruling elite and ruthless secret police are so intertwined that it is now impossible to separate the Assad regime from the security establishment,” according to an analysis of Assad’s rule in an article in the Foreign Policy magazine. People who had been living under a regime of fear and oppression were finding their voice. Elendari was able to participate in two demonstrations in Syria. “They were peaceful demonstrations. We were holding candles and singing the national anthem in support of the atrocities happening in Daraa,” she said. On March 25, 2011, thousands of protesters had taken to the streets of Daraa, but security forces opened fire killing more than 30 people, according to a CNN report. Two weeks after it all began, Elendari was booked to return to the U.S. to continue her masters degree at the UA. She reluctantly came back. “I didn’t want to leave. This [revolution] is my dream. I’m really sad that I’m not there,” she said. The first couple of weeks back for Elendari were very difficult, she said. Internet was cut off in some cities and for two weeks she was not able to communicate with her parents. “I couldn’t concentrate on my studies. I was crying everyday,” she said. She became and continues to be active in the protests, even from more than 6,000 miles away. Social media is the key to this connection. Facebook was the fuel that turned the sparks to flames all over the Middle Eastern region. The protests in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya were all organized through Facebook events. Elendari is constantly on Facebook, whether updating her status or reading the news. She is posting images of prisoners or reposting articles about police brutality. One night, as she was looking at her newsfeed, she saw a post that had a name of a woman and said, “She just got married and she was just arrested.” That woman was her sister. “I collapsed. I couldn’t walk,” Elendari said. She was in shock. “I started thinking I may lose my sister…my mom’s friend got beaten. I don’t trust them [police].” Her sister is a famous journalist in Syria; however, she was released at the end of the day because she is a woman from a minority religion. Around Elendari’s wrist is an orange rubber bracelet etched with the phrase “Free Syria” and the Syrian flag. She speaks with passion mingled with pain. “If I could, I would be there… and die for my country,” she said.

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IMAGERY © 2012 ARKANSAS GIS, DIGITALGLOBE, GEOEYE, STATE OF ARKANSAS, USDA FARM SERVICE AGENCY, WASHINGTON COUNTY, MAP DATA © 2012 GOOGLE, DESIGN BY ERIK NORTHFELL man said. Soliman was back in Fayetteville, Ark. with his friend Mohamed Taher, the night the revolution began. Taher, an Egyptian student from Cairo, Egypt was studying computer engineering at UA for a year, through the Near East and South Asia Undergraduate Program. “The night of the Jan. 25, Demas and I were both sitting together at his apartment, discussing the Facebook event calling for Egyptians to protest at Tahrir Square,” he said. At that time, the Egyptians had two demands: to get rid of the emergency laws and to get rid of the minister of police, Habib Al-Adly. The next day, when Taher and Soliman heard that thousands had gone to the protest, they thought to themselves, “We should be there.” The 18 days of the revolution completely changed their daily life. “I would stay awake all night because from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. [Fayetteville time] was when all the protests were going on in Egypt. I was constantly calling my friends and family and following the news,” Taher said. For the first five to six days, Taher said the American media, such as Fox News, CNN and the New York Times, undermined the protests. The U.S. government had supported Mubarak’s regime before the revolution started, and so for the first week, they backed Mubarak, he said. Taher and Soliman both did what they could from Fayetteville to “be a part of this change,” they said.

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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.

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HAVE A TICKET? CALL 575-7275 TO RESOLVE IT

The Transit and Parking office handles parking permits and passes and transit for students, including bus routes and GoLoco Ride Sharing. Students with parking violations can contact the office to appeal their citation.

NEED A RIDE AT NIGHT? CALL 575 - 7233

Otherwise known as 575-SAFE, the mission of the Safe Ride program is to provide students with a safe means of transportation from any uncomfortable or inconvenient situation. Safe Ride brings you home safely.

NEED TICKETS? CALL 1-800-982-4647 Don’t forget to call early and reserve your student football tickets for the 2012-2013 season. The ticket office is located on Razorback Road next to Baum Stadium.

PAGE 3

NEWS

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

Special Traveler Beat

TECHNOLOGY E-Reader Textbook Prices Could Drop Following Apple Lawsuit by JANNEE SULLIVAN Staff Writer

Students looking to buy textbooks through tablets or e-readers may see prices decrease following a government investigation and possible lawsuit against Apple and several electronic book publishers. The Justice Department has been investigating Apple and five of the top publishing companies for collusion, or conspiring to raise prices and limit competition, and violation of federal antitrust laws, according to a New York Times article. The charges say that Apple was working with these publishing companies to increase prices and push Amazon out of the top spot in e-book sales. Apple denies that it was involved in any illegal pricing collusion. When Apple first partnered with textbook pub-

lishers in January, the idea was that the price would be lower than buying a hard copy of that same textbook. But that hasn’t necessarily been the case. The price to buy e-textbooks from Apple’s iBooks can actually be higher than buying traditional textbooks, according to Education Week. In the first few weeks of January, Apple sold 350,000 e-textbooks through iBooks, according to Global Equity Research. Amazon now sells more copies of e-books through their Kindle than physical books. Experts say this could soon be the future of textbooks, according to Amazon. Although e-books are catching on nationwide, they aren’t as widely used on the UA campus. Most students prefer a physical textbook. A University of Washington study showed that

three-fourths of students polled preferred physical textbooks to e-textbooks, even if they are cheaper and more convenient. “It might be a good investment, you could get textbooks for $15, but I’m too old-school. I have to have a hard copy,” said freshman Kyle Hallam. “I can see the advantage of buying e-textbooks though.” Having a physical textbook is preferable to owning an electronic version, especially if they’re the same price, said freshman German major Emerson Taylor. “I would consider buying the e-textbook if the class didn’t use the book very often,” Taylor said. “I like having the physical book in front of me when I’m studying instead of a screen.” The University of Washington study found that

students thought it was easier to highlight or take notes with a physical textbook, and many thought traditional textbooks were worth the higher price. Traditional textbooks also last substantially longer. Some classes have used the same textbook for years. Technologies such as e-readers can become obsolete through the years in the wake of a newer, more modern device. Still, other students have converted to the e-reader trend. “I prefer e-books because they are better for the environment and once you have read it, you don’t have to find a place to put it. Instead, it is all stored on one small device,” said April Ortiz. While the federal lawsuit could push e-book prices down, UA students may still choose to buy traditional textbooks. Courtesy Photo

TWITTER from page 1

also found that 83 percent of those surveyed ranked Google as their preferred search engine. That survey also found that users would rather not be the target of customized ads because they didn’t want their web activity to be monitored and shared. For years, Gnip and DataSwift used social media to learn more about customers. The recent sale of Twitter archives makes it even easier to sift through user data, according to CNN. Gnip and DataSwift can

now sell the data to advertisers interested in using the tweets for marketing research. Gnip and DataSwift will then share part of those profits with Twitter, according to CNN. Google and Facebook have also made changes to their privacy policies, allowing data about their users to be harvested and used more efficiently, according to CNN. Sites claim these changes can only improve user experience. For example, recent changes to Google’s policy allows the company to collect data and streamline advertising along different platforms, such as Gmail, web

searches and YouTube. This can allow for ads that are more relevant to the user, according to Google. “It should be up to the individual because it’s their data,” said junior psychology major Evan Center. While Twitter, Google and Facebook affirm that there are ways around the new privacy settings - such as certain ways to erase browsing histories and deleting old tweets - most users say they are not well enough versed in these websites’ complex privacy policies to know about these options, the Pew survey found.

OPINION THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

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EDITOR: SABA NASEEM MANAGING EDITOR: MATTIE QUINN

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

FROM THE BOARD

ASG Voting Over, New Officials Bring Big Ideas Last week was a whirlwind of free hot dogs, stickers and ASG outreach for the 2012-2013 Associated Student Government elections. This week, we can sit back and congratulate the new officers who will serve the student body for the upcoming year. Tori Pohlner, Bobby Pennington, Blake Hirschman and LauRon Smith will be serving as the upcoming year president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, and we, at the Traveler, are excited to see what the next year in ASG will bring. After interviewing the candidates about their platforms for office, we look forward to what the new officers will bring to our campus and student life. The “Experience to Lead, Passion to Achieve” platform has some exciting changes for our UA campus, some more realistic than others in the yearlong time frame, but all positive changes that could come. Yet, whatever our new ASG officials do for the UA student body, we feel that these students will work towards the best possible outcome to benefit all students and faculty on our campus. Whether you voted or ASG officers last week or didn’t take the opportunity to cast your vote, our student body can look forward to what we believe will be another successful year in UA Student Government. Our new officers have a passion and an enthusiastic attitude to better our campus and student body, whether it’s through Safe Ride reform, student involvement or creating new ways to communicate on our campus, and experience to make these changes happen. Taking part in Associated Student Government is a tough job, as we depend on the students involved to voice what we think is important to administrators. They are the force behind many of the changes that we see on campus, and we look forward to seeing more of these in the next year. Congratulations to the new officers for winning the student vote in the ASG elections. As a student body, we await the changes we wish to see on our campus and look forward to the work that will be done in the upcoming year.

Upcoming School Year Brings New Student Media Leaders Every year, the student media board chooses new officials to lead the Traveler, The Razorback yearbook, UATV and KXUA. We would like to congratulate Chad Woodard from the Traveler, Aaron Pryor from UATV, Zeek Martin from KXUA, and co-editors Sydney Hoffmans and Cali Elliot from the Razorback yearbook who will head the 2012-2013 school year. We are excited, as a staff, to see the changes our new media leaders will bring in the coming year. Whether it’s expanding the online yearbook, increasing Traveler readership or getting more student involvement in UATV and KXUA, it’s sure to be another great year for our campus media. We hope next year’s leaders will build upon the foundations we have established this year as editors and station managers. Being an editor or manager is a demanding job, takes dedication and love for your work. We are extremely confident in the abilities of these new student leaders, believe they will take our media outlets to new heights and wish them the best of luck for next year.

Traveler Quote of the Day “We never thought about anything happening, but I guess once you lose your safety, you have nothing else to lose.” -Demas Soliman, senior mechanical engineering major from Alexandria, Egypt, “Amid Middle East Revolts, Support From the UA,” Page 1.

EDITORIAL EDITOR Saba Naseem MANAGING EDITOR Mattie Quinn OPINION EDITOR Emily Rhodes 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.

HEBRON CHESTER Staff Cartoonist

Kony 2012—Have You Done Your Research? From the Editor

by SABA NASEEM Editor

If you are on Facebook or Twitter, or an active news reader, then you have probably heard of Joseph Kony. In fact, you are probably one of the 70 million who has watched the movie. We’ve talked a lot about the importance of social media and we’ve seen the impact it can bring. We recently saw it with the revolutions in the Middle East. The youth in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria created protests through Facebook events. Thousands responded from all around the world to support the call for freedom. Once again, we see the impact of social media through

Kony 2012. The video was uploaded on March 5, 2012 and has now reached more than 71 million views on YouTube. The 30-minute video, narrated by Jason Russell, is part of a campaign by the non-profit group Invisible Children to bring awareness to the crimes of rebel leader Joseph Kony. Kony is the head of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a militant group that is known for its actions against African countries including Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Sudan. He is responsible for kidnapping more than 30,000 children in the past 26 years, “turning the girls into sex slaves and boys into child soldiers... and he forces them to kill their own parents,” according to the video. The purpose of the video is to make Kony famous. The film’s narrator talks about the atrocities of Kony and the need to bring him to justice. And he tells us exactly how we are going to do that— by targeting 20 “culture-makers” such as Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg and Ryan Seacrest and 12 policy makers. The video also calls for action on April 20, 2012 when people will “blanket the streets”

with images of Kony. People have started to create Facebook events for April 20. Students have changed their profile photos or cover photos in support of Kony. Twitter is now trending with #Kony2012 and #StopKony. The film claims that 99 percent of the planet does not know who Kony is. Well, we all know that figure is no longer correct. I could easily claim that 99 percent of my friends have now heard about Kony. However, the question I ask is, do all these 70 million people really know who Kony is? All these people who are tweeting, retweeting, liking the film, sharing the link, becoming part of this cause— have they taken the time to research the cause? I think it’s a great idea to use social media to bring awareness for a cause. Truth is, I didn’t even know who Kony was before I watched the video. But this is about more than just “liking” the video or changing your profile to support the cause, it’s about doing your research about Kony and justifying your support with more than just a 30-minute video. It’s about fact checking the information presented in the film.

The film is a tear-jerker. Almost too easily, it can make you believe that Kony is out there right now, in northern Uganda, kidnapping children. The film only makes one short reference to the fact that Uganda is relatively safe, according to an NPR report. The fact that one video can influence so many minds is a bit frightening. Many people now think that Kony has an army of 30,000 kids and is still going around wreaking havoc, when that is far from reality. The reality is that the LRA hasn’t been in Uganda since 2006 and the group is believed to be down to hundreds of fighters, according to an article in the New York Times. I am glad that people are gaining awareness about some of the atrocities that happen around the world and I hope this awareness doesn’t end with this one cause. So while I believe that yes, Kony should be brought to justice for his crimes, I also believe that we have bigger issues at hand-- for example, Syria. Saba Naseem is the 20112012 Traveler editor. Her column appears every other Monday.

Wisdom Down the Totem Pole

Rocket Science

byJOE KIEKLAK

Traveler Columnist

In the last year, Razorback students have been lucky to hear great speakers. We all throw that word around, “great,” when we simply mean good, or enjoyable, but these speakers have been truly great. UA has heard the Dalai Lama, Aron Ralston and most recently Professor Elie Wiesel. Wiesel, who is the author of 57 books including “Night,” drew a record-breaking crowd at the Walton Arts Center Wednesday. Not only did the auditorium fill, but the overflow pushed people out of the lobby and outside to the front of the building, where equipment was used to amplify his message to all who would listen. Wiesel, who appeared in a pressed suit with nothing out of place but his wild, white hair never sat down, and captivated an audience of more than 1000 people. His message was

interesting, to say the least. What struck me the most was his idea that the world will never change. To that idea, Wiesel spoke of a story 2,500 years ago, when Jewish people were persecuted, creating a parallel between that story and the Holocaust. He discussed that while the world will never change, it doesn’t mean that we ought not do good - we should do so primarily through forgiveness. While discussing the persecution story before the Holocaust, Wiesel mentioned that Jewish people were vengeful and violent towards their oppressors after they had been liberated. He then noted that God was never mentioned in that story and could not have been anywhere in that story, as vengeance would never be the creed of God. Wiesel did the unthinkable - he forgave those whom much of the world thought deserved no forgiveness. This is an important message for all of us, especially in college, where the next friend we make could be a husband or wife, a business partner or a lifelong friend to count on. Yet, we will never have these things without forgiveness. It’s easy to offend someone. The words feel so good coming out, but they can never be put back in. We’ve all gotten into some kind of fight or argument, and many of us

may hold a grudge. Why are we doing this though? When we look at what Wiesel forgave, it seems simple - we need to find in ourselves what he found, we all must forgive. Wiesel also spoke of the importance of asking questions. Answers shut doors, he said. Questions are so important because they make one go on a “quest” to learn new information or enlighten one’s self. Wiesel is absolutely right, the day we stop trying to enlighten ourselves is the day we shut our own doors. Though Wiesel posited that the world would never learn from its mistakes, he also believed that we could all do great things. The only way we can do so is through a quest for knowledge like Wiesel spoke of. After Wiesel’s speech, he answered questions for about half an hour. One question stood out to me the most. A little girl who looked to be six-years-old walked up to the microphone from about 20 rows back, amid a crowd of young and middle-aged adults. She asked Wiesel what is was like to be without his family. Wiesel paused. “Imagine,” he said, and then paused again, “I think about them every day.” This question was beautiful. It showed true inquiry

and innocence from the little girl. So many questions asked seemed to be those that just wanted to hear themselves over the microphone, but this girl really wondered. Not all audience members shared my sentiment regarding her question, though. As the lights came back on and people were exiting the auditorium, I heard things like, “That girl should be beaten,” one woman said. I think some were embarrassed over the question. While it may seem obvious to some how losing one’s family would be, to many, including that little girl, it’s unfathomable. Wiesel spoke of the beauty of questions. In no way was he angry or upset that the girl asked him that question. That was probably one of the first times Wiesel was able to comment on the loss in a long time, since it’s most likely not a question many feel comfortable asking. We should all be more like the little girl - constantly search for knowledge through true inquiry. We all need to learn to take Wiesel’s message to heart, a message that is important especially now. We all must forgive and never stop searching for enlightenment. Joe Kieklak is a Traveler columnist. His column appears every Monday.

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THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

FEATURES PAGE 5

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

FEATURES EDITOR: LAUREN LEATHERBY ASST. FEATURES EDITOR: KELSI FORD

by SHELBY GILL & MATTIE QUINN Special Projects Editor & Managing Editor

Hundreds of people mill about in cocktail attire, squeezing into every crevice of the room, craning their necks to get a better view. Loud music starts pumping and the lights dim to an inviting glow. As the faint pounding of stiletto pumps falls into a rhythmic pattern, a screen in the middle of the room lights up to reveal what the commotion is all about: Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week. The weekend featured three nights of fashion shows, lighting up the Fayetteville Square’s multiple local boutiques’ designs each night. UA Apparel Studies: Most of the outfits at this show could work in day-to-day life, but a few touched on haute couture fashion. Reflecting UA style with toned-down colors, most looks were complete with a practical accessory like a purse or a backpack. “We were super excited and honored to receive this amazing opportunity to take part in the NWA Fashion Week,” said Olivia Merritt, vice president of Apparel Studies Student Association. “We have five designers showcasing their talent and designs tonight. This is a big opportunity of the UA ASSA to get recognized on a bigger scale. Most people don’t know about the Apparel Studies group or even the major at the University, so getting the chance to show our talent to the community is a great opportunity that we will not take for granted.”

Art Amiss: This show utilized darker colors paired with bright and chunky jewelry. The Art Amiss show really portrayed the art behind fashion with its concentration on small details. “It’s so heartwarming to have the boutiques come out and support one another,” said Melissa Arens, art director of Art Amiss and owner of Mayapple Salon and Boutique. Savior-Faire: If there was one theme to take away from this new store located in the Town Center, it was consistency. Many, if not all, of the outfits stuck with one theme. If a model had on a top with a pattern, you can bet that her bottoms had a different pattern. While this may seem like a fashion faux-pas, it somehow worked. Another outfit featured a yellow top with a bright pink skirt. The same worked with neutrals. If a model walked out with a black top, you can bet her shorts were a tan color. The consistency was definitely refreshing, and definitely gave Savior-Faire an identity of its own. Grey Dog Boutique: If you didn’t know that Grey Dog was a store that sold mostly vintage items, you would quickly figure that out by watching their show. The spirit of the ‘70s was alive as models walked down the glitter catwalk. There was an abundance of crop tops, especially paired with high-waisted shorts and pants. Tribal prints were also in abundance throughout the show. But perhaps the centerpiece and the thing that set Grey Dog apart from the other stores was the accessories used. Almost every outfit featured a statement belt and/or necklace that made the outfit pop. “We had been working all week, and I think it came together really smoothly that night. There was definitely a sense of community with the models, and we got a lot of positive feedback from the crowd. That definitely made us who work for Grey Dog feel good,” said Laura Mullins, sales associate at Grey Dog. Lola: The first thing to note about Lola’s show were the puppies. Yes, live puppies. Lola’s charity was “Strut for a Mutt,” which is an organization that aims to act as a platform for animal rights. Each model walked out with a live puppy, which was a fan favorite with the crowd. As far as the clothes were concerned, bright colors and statement necklaces were featured consistently throughout the show. Most outfits featured a sherbet color of some kind, paired with an eye-popping necklace. Spring has definitely arrived at Lola boutique. Riff Raff: This show focused on bright and contrasting colors accented with chunky jewelry. Most of the dresses and shirts had unique and playful cut outs in the back to reveal a little skin. Girls strutted down the runway in neon block-color heels and wedges. “I’ve been participating in charity fashion shows in Fayetteville since I was about 15 years old,” said Elizabeth Knight, a model for the show and UA student. “This year all of the shows are packed into one week which I think is so exciting. It’s fun to see all the cute clothes that the town has to offer, but it’s really unique to see the community come together. I’m so happy to be apart of such a big event.” Maude: Color also played a big part in this show, but bright colors were contrasted with matte pastels, as well as a large incorporation of spring-inspired patterns. PHOTOS BY: BEN FLOWERS PHOTO EDITOR

E-Cigarettes—Although Smokeless—Prohibited by Campus Policy by EDDIE GREGG Staff Writer

Despite technically being smokeless and tobacco-free, e-cigarettes, which have become increasingly popular during the last few years, are prohibited on university property due to UA tobacco and smoking policy. By state law, smoking and use of tobacco products is illegal on property owned or operated by the UA. Those convicted of violating the law can be fined up to $500. E-cigarettes—battery-powered devices that simulate the process of smoking by allowing users to ingest controlled amounts of nicotine and exhale water vapor—are not included in that law. University policy, however, prohibits e-cigarette use on UA property, according to Scott Flanagin, director of communications for Student Affairs. Flanagin said that he is not person-

ally aware of any students using e-cigarettes on campus. “But I imagine there are some that are using them,” he added. One student, though, recently approached Student Affairs to find out if e-cigarettes were allowed on campus, Flanagin said. The student was disappointed to find that the devices are prohibited, he said. The student was then invited to a meeting hosted by FRESH, the university’s tobacco-free campus group, but the individual did not came to the meeting. The student could not be reached for comment. According to the policy, students caught using e-cigarettes on campus “will be referred to the University’s student disciplinary process.” Gary Crain, a lieutenant with UAPD, said that he has not encountered any students using e-cigarettes on campus either and that UAPD has no record of any student being referred

to the Office of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct, which would deal with violators of the policy. But Crain said that he has caught non-students using the devices at sporting events on UA property. “Those individuals did not realize the activity was prohibited and graciously put away the devices or left campus,” he said. Catching students using e-cigarettes on campus could be more difficult than catching students smoking traditional cigarettes since the devices emit water vapor that quickly evaporates rather than strong-smelling smoke. Manufacturers and sellers of e-cigarettes tout the devices as healthier than traditional cigarettes because the gadgets eliminate thou-

sands of the cancer-causing carcinogens found in tobacco and allow users to determine the amount of nicotine consumed. Proponents also promote e-cigarettes, which are available in both disposable and reusable forms, as a more affordable long-term alternative to cigarettes. Prices vary for the devices, but high-end ones can cost more than $100. Health experts and detractors of e-cigarettes cite the fact that the devices facilitate the consumption of nicotine, a highly addictive toxin, that, when consumed in high volumes can be lethal. Many also

C O U R T ESY

P H OTO claim the nicotine cartridges for e-cigarettes—which come in a variety of flavors—are being targeted at young people. Management and employees from multiple Fayetteville businesses that sell e-cigarettes declined to go on the record for this article. The university’s complete policy on smoking, tobacco products and e-cigarettes can be found at: http://fresh.uark.edu/

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

DOWNTIME PAGE 6

Comics, Games, & Much Much More!

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

LAUGH IT UP

SUDOKU

Q: Why did the tomato blush? A: It caught the salad dressing. Q: Why was the cat afraid of the tree? A: Because of its bark! Q: What do you get when you cross a cobra tamer and a playwright?

A: William Snakespeare.

Difficulty:

Q: Did you hear about the marketplace where everything cost twelve and a half cents?

TODAY’S SOLUTION

A: It was a bit bazaar. Q: What’s yellow and 1454 feet tall? A: The Empire State Banana.

WELCOME TO FALLING ROCK

Josh Shalek

THAT MONKEY TUNE

Michael A. Kandalaft

BREWSTER ROCKIT

Tim Rickard

BLISS

Harry Bliss

CALAMITIES OF NATURE

CROSSWORD ACROSS

DOWN

1 Flies high 6 Taking things wrong? 11 Work on hems 14 Enthusiastic about 15 Espionage double agents 16 “Double Fantasy” artist Yoko 17 TV’s Della Street for nearly 40 years 19 GI morale booster 20 Disorderly sort 21 How fries are fried 22 Basic earring 23 Space-saving abbr. 25 V-shaped slits 27 School assignment that may elicit groans 32 Old Prizm automaker 33 Trait transmitter 34 “That stings!” 36 Tab-grabber’s words 38 Alabama march city 41 Small songbird 43 Quite a distance off 45 Honored guests’ platform 47 Seasonal sprite 48 Symphony venue 52 Visits unexpectedly 54 RV connection? 55 Isn’t up to snuff 56 __-press 59 Home run hitters’ hitters 63 __ chi: martial art 64 Theme of this puzzle hidden in 17-, 27- and 48-Across 66 Sci-fi creatures 67 Church doctrine 68 Senator Hatch 69 One of the 64-Across 70 Secretly watch 71 Trans Am roof options

1 Second-stringers 2 Fall birthstone 3 Woodstock hair style 4 Burglar 5 Majorca Mrs. 6 Mtge. fraud investigator 7 Bit of seasonal laughter 8 “Seinfeld” woman 9 Chap 10 “The Waste Land” poet’s monogram 11 TV setting for “M*A*S*H” 12 Happen next 13 Links selections 18 Wealth 22 Twisted fastener 24 Follow (along), like a little brother 26 Common Christmas gift 27 Self-esteem 28 TV princess with a sidekick named Gabrielle 29 Silly 30 Half and half 31 Pinochle combos 35 In good health 37 O.K. Corral brothers 39 Yoga class need 40 Respiratory cavity 42 Cowboys’ org. 44 Coke alternatives 46 Used a rocker 49 Rap genre 50 Couch potato’s lack, evidently 51 Lyndon’s 1964 running mate 52 Socially active sort 53 Ranchero’s rope 57 San __, Italy 58 Not the least bit nice 60 Prefix with dynamic 61 Ballroom blunder 62 IRS data 64 QB’s scores 65 Fresh from the oven

Crossword provided by MCT Campus

SOLUTION

Tony Piro

SPORTS THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

PAGE 7

Scan here to go to the Sports section on uatrav.com:

SPORTS EDITOR: JIMMY CARTER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR: ZACH TURNER

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012

Selection Monday

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Razorbacks ready to find out NCAA seed, opponent

by MONICA CHAPMAN Staff Writer

Arkansas can finally shift into tournament mode. The Razorbacks will find out their NCAA Tournament seed and opponent tonight when the bracket is unveiled at 6 p.m. on ESPN. “You work hard for a good seed,” Arkansas coach Tom Collen said. “We’re optimistic we can get a good seed. It would be nice to not play an opposing team on their home floor.” As of Sunday night, ESPN projected Arkansas as a No. 6 seed playing No. 11 seed Gonzaga, a seeding Collen said he would agree with. “I think we’ve played a great schedule,” Collen said. “We’ve got six wins over top 40 teams in the country.” Little Rock is one of the sites for NCAA regionals, but Arkansas has no control over where it gets sent. “You don’t get much choice,” Collen said. “You never know what the committee is going to do. The vast majority of the host sites are teams in the tournament.” The Razorbacks crushed SIU-Edwardsville on Thursday 75-37 to cap off their regular season behind senior guard Lyndsay Harris and sophomore forward Kiera Peak, who both had 12 points. “I think we’re pleased with

TRACK

Track Gets Second UA MEDIA RELATIONS

With the help of a pair of NCAA event titles during the weekend, No. 2 Arkansas’ men’s track and field team turned in a national runner-up finish at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships on Saturday at the Jacksons Track in Nampa, Idaho. The Razorbacks finished the two-day meet with 47 points to their credit. In the final event of the weekend, Arkansas won the 4x400-meter relay to cap its weekend. The second-place performance is its highest under head coach Chris Bucknam and the program’s second top-five national indoor finish during his tenure. Arkansas finished fifth at the 2010 meet. In addition to the Razorbacks’ victory in the 4x400-meter relay, the Razorbacks’ other NCAA title of the

the momentum we’ll be taking into the NCAA tournament,” coach Tom Collen said. “We prepared for it. We played really well.” Arkansas will be healthy entering the tournament. Sophomore forward Dominique Robinson missed the

SIU-Edwardsville game with an injury, but is expected to be ready by the first round game, Collen said. This will be the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for any of the Razorbacks players. “I think they’re excited about it,” Collen said. “They’ve

played against quality opponents. They know they’re going to play against quality opponents. I don’t think they’re content just being in the tournament. They want to advance in the tournament. I think my team is hungry to play and win.”

LOGAN WEBSTER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas junior pole vaulter Andrew Irwin won the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championship title for the Razorbacks who placed second overall as a team.

BASKETBALL

Swept in Short Order Arkansas wasn’t able to produce big home runs and power hitting in the late game of its Saturday doubleheader. The Razorbacks still won. The Hogs used timely hitting and a sharp pitching effort from junior Randall Fant to beat Binghamton 6-0 in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader, completing a three-game sweep in two days. “The second game today was a different type of lineup,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “It was more of a line drive/bunt hit and run type lineup with the exception of maybe a couple of guys. Arkansas (14-2) hit seven home runs the first two games of the series, but its power hitters –– third baseman Matt Reynolds, right fielder Jimmy Bosco and left fielder Sam Bates –– didn’t play the final game after hitting four of the home runs the previous two games. “We played two different types of ballgames today and that’s something you have to do to win,” Van Horn said. Fant (1-1) threw six shutout innings in his longest outing of the season to earn the win against the Bearcats (0-6), his first win of the season.

“I just battled all day and today I was good enough to get the win,” Fant said. “Our pitching staff is really good and there’s a lot of friendly competition.” SATURDAY –– Arkansas 5, Binghamton 3 - Game 1 Reynolds, Bosco and Bates each hit home runs to account for the five runs during Arkansas’ 5-3 win in the early game Saturday. Reynolds and Bates hit back-to-back homers in the first inning and Bosco’s tworun shot in the fifth gave the Razorbacks the lead for good. “We have some power and we know that, but we can’t rely on that,” Van Horn said. “It’s good to see.” Junior right-hander DJ Baxendale (5-0) earned the win despite struggling at times and allowing six hits and three runs, two earned, in five innings. “Today I didn’t have it,” Baxendale said. “I just found a way to get through five and give our team a chance to win.” FRIDAY –– Arkansas 4, Binghamton 0 Junior left fielder Derrick Bleeker hit two solo home runs to lead Arkansas to a 4-0 win in the first game of the series.

see BASEBALL on page 8

COMMENTARY

The NBA: Decline and Rebirth

Arkansas tops Bearcats three times in two days Sports Editor

see TRACK on page 8

LOGAN WEBSTER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas coach Tom Collen and the Razorbacks will find out their NCAA Tournament seed and opponent Monday night when ESPN televises the selection show.

BASEBALL

by JIMMY CARTER

weekend came from Andrew Irwin in the pole vault Friday. The program now has 55 NCAA indoor event titles. “I couldn’t be prouder of this team and our coaches,” Bucknam said. “We’ve put in a lot of work to get back to the top of the mountain and it’s really paying off. I’ve said all year that our guys don’t just run, they race. They competed hard all weekend and performed at the highest level. We lost to a very good Florida team but I’m very happy with how we’re building. We have the NCAA meet back in Fayetteville next year so we hope to do even better in front of our home crowd.” Arkansas’ win in the 4x400meter relay is the first NCAA title in the event in program

Going for it on 4th

HARRISON STANFILL hstanfill@uark.edu

RYAN MILLER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Arkansas freshman guard BJ Young led the Razorbacks and Southeastern Conference freshman in scoring this season with 15.3 points per game. Young also averaged 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in his first season as a Hog.

Season in Review: Growing Pains Anderson’s first squad has ups, ends on downslide

by JIMMY CARTER and ZACH TURNER Arkansas had two seasons within coach Mike Anderson’s first season. The Razorbacks were 16-6 and with wins against three ranked opponents at the end of January. They were garnering mention as a potential NCAA Tournament team by national prognosticators. The Hogs finished 2-8 with five losses by 11 or more

points, missing postseason play for the fourth consecutive season and ending the year with three straight home losses after a 17-0 start in Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas lost junior forward Marshawn Powell –– the most experienced player on the roster –– to a torn ACL before the third game of the season. Anderson had just eight healthy scholarship players available for five

No Postseason for Hogs by JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor

For the fourth consecutive season, Arkansas will not play in the postseason. The Razorbacks weren’t selected to the field for the NCAA Tournament, NIT or LOGAN WEBSTER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER CBI on Sunday. The Hogs Arkansas junior outfielder Derrick Bleeker went 4 for 7 in the Hogs weekend sweep of Binghamton including a multi-homerun haven’t played in the postgame on Friday in the Hog’s 4-0 win. season since advancing to

the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2008. Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt and Alabama will represent the Southeastern Conference in the NCAA Tournament, while Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and LSU will participate in the NIT.

of the final 12 regular season games, including four freshmen. Nonconference play –– 12-3 For the most part, Arkansas won the games it was favored in and lost the games where it was the underdog. The Razorbacks did suffer an 87-78 loss at Houston the day after Powell’s season-ending injury, but, other than that, took care of business against non-power conference opponents. Road losses to Connecticut and Oklahoma showed Arkansas’ inexperience, but the Razorbacks did step out of Southeastern Conference play to earn a 66-64 win against then-No. 19 Michigan on Jan. 21. Conference play –– 6-10 Arkansas began conference play with an upset, taking down a ranked Mississip-

see BASKETBALL on page 8

The 2003 draft class was one of the best draft classes in the history of the NBA. The top five picks contained three superstars (Lebron, Wade, Melo), one guy who two of the superstars liked (Bosh) and one bust (Darko). This ultra talented draft class was the downfall of the NBA. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh were the worst thing to happen to the league. Your goal as an athlete is to win a championship and to prove yourself to your peers. That is what Jordan did, that is how Bird did it, that is how Magic did it and that is how Kobe did it. The prototype for a champion was you had to beat the best, but somewhere along the way this transformed from “beating the best” to “joining the best to beat the rest”. I have no problem with the idea of aligning yourself in a better situation to win a championship. That is part of the game. If Lebron really wanted to win a championship, though, he wouldn’t have taken a pay cut to play with Joel Anthony and Mike Miller. He would have taken a pay cut to play with Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer in Chicago. Kobe had Shaq, Jordan had Pippen, Magic had Kareem and Bird had McHale. Sure these superstars had their help, but Kareem was at the end of his career,

see COMMENTARY on page 8

SPORTS from BASKETBALL on page 7 pi State team, but then it was downhill from there for the Razorbacks. The Hogs began their conference trend of winning the home conference games and losing the games away from Fayetteville, but the trend came to an abrupt end after getting slaughtered in the worst loss in Arkansas’ history at Bud Walton Arena, a 30-point loss to Florida. Although the Razorbacks dropped their last three conference homes games, the team

did pick up its only road win of the season February 25 at Auburn, but made it four consecutive years of getting knocked out in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Tipping point –– 98-68 loss against then-No. 14 Florida Arkansas had lost three of its last four going into the game, but was 17-0 at home and had a chance to beat a fourth ranked opponent in Bud Walton against the Gators. Florida took control early and stretched the lead throughout, though, handing the Razorbacks the worst home loss in program history. Adding to

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 2012 insult, former Hogs coach and current Gators assistant John Pelphrey had a front row seat to the beat down. Best win –– MICHIGAN What was being called the biggest football recruiting weekend in Arkansas history, also proved to be big for the hardwood Hogs too. Arkansas welcomed Big Ten opponent Michigan, which came into the game ranked No. 19, for a Saturday afternoon CBS nationally televised game. The Razorbacks took the most of the opportunity, downing the Wolverines 66-64 to extend their home-game winning

streak to 14-0. Arkansas shot 50 percent for the game, including making its first 11 shots to start the game en route for the program’s biggest win under coach Mike Anderson. Worst loss – 81-59 at Georgia, Feb. 8 Arkansas almost picked up its first road win the game before in a 71-65 loss at LSU and Georgia entered the game tied for last in the SEC. The Bulldogs buried the Razorbacks, though, shooting 56 percent and building a 19-point halftime lead. Georgia made nine 3-pointers, a weakness in

PAGE 8

the Hogs’ defense that would be exposed down the stretch of the season. MVP –– BJ YOUNG Anytime a freshman leads, not only a team in scoring, but the Southeastern conference’s freshman in scoring, that is a big deal. Guard BJ Young did just that in his first season as a Razorback, averaging 15.3 points per game primarily coming off the bench. Young showed up in the Hogs biggest games, dropping 28 in the loss to Connecticut and a career-high 31 in the beat down by Florida. Young scored in double figures in 15 of 16 SEC games, including scoring more than 20, four times in conference play. In addition to leading the team in scoring, Young averaged 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists. Biggest area to fix –– Post play Arkansas’ minus-3.8 rebounding margin easily ranked last in the Southeastern Conference, almost doubling the minus-2 margin for South Carolina, the No. 11 team. Without Powell, the Razorbacks had to rely on two senior role players, two freshmen and walk-on quarterback Brandon Mitchell down low. The Hogs struggled against most teams, outrebounding just three SEC opponents and getting outrebounded by at least eight in seven of 16 conference games. Arkansas’ post players also struggled to contribute offensively. No inside player averaged more than 5.7 or shot better than 45.7 percent from

the field. Looking forward –– Numbers on the way Arkansas appeared to wear down as the regular season wound down, a likely result of having just nine healthy scholarship players. From a numbers standpoint, Anderson and the Razorbacks will be much more suited to play up-tempo next season. Three recruits signed letters of intent in November and the coaching staff has said they want to sign two more in the spring, a necessary step because the Hogs graduate forwards Michael Sanchez and Marvell Waithe, while none of the three early signees are post players. Mitchell will continue to walk-on after football season ends, he said. Next year, he will be joined by Mekale McKay, a 6-foot-6 receiver who was committed to play basketball at UTEP. From a talent standpoint, Young will return as a proven scorer and Powell, if healthy, is a low-post threat. The other players will have had a year in Anderson’s system and the current signees fill roles. Anderson went 22-10 and led UAB to the Sweet Sixteen in 2004, his second season as Blazers coach. In 2008, he went 16-16 and missed the postseason in his second season at Missouri, one year before leading the Tigers to the Elite Eight. Next season, he will have the numbers needed to have success with his style. Whether he will have the talent remains to be seen.

from TRACK on page 7

clocked a time of 7.70 for the program’s highest indoor finish in the hurdle event since Michael Thomas finished fourth in 2003. Cross established a personal-best time of 7.67 in Friday’s semifinal. The Razorbacks’ first points of the day came from the duo of Kevin Lazas and Gunnar Nixon in the heptathlon. Lazas finished in third place overall with a personal-best score of 5,930 points while Nixon was eighth overall with 5,859 points in his NCAA Championships debut. With his finish, Lazas improved upon his 14th-place finish at last year’s national meet. Lazas posted personal bests Saturday in the 60-meter hurdles (8.62) and pole vault (5.20m/17-0.75). Lazas finished the weekend with three personal bests having established a new mark in the long jump (7.45m/24-5.5) on day one. Nixon closed out his competition with a personal-best time of 2:39.08 in the 1,000 meters, good for third place in the event. He also set a new best on day one with this performance at 60 meters (7.09).

history. The foursome of Marek Niit, Akheem Gauntlett, Ben Skidmore and Neil Braddy combined for a time of 3:04.92. With their effort, the Razorbacks established a new facility record for the Jacksons Indoor Track. Arkansas’ time was the second fastest in the NCAA this season, trailing only its own 3:03.76 run during the Tyson Invitational. The Razorbacks were the only team to dip below 3:05.00 during the indoor campaign. Earlier in the day, Niit secured five points for Arkansas with his fourth-place finish in the final of the 400 meters. He finished second in section one and ended up as the fourthfastest competitor overall. Niit ran to a season-best time of 46.04 in the event final. Running in the first NCAA final of his career, Caleb Cross turned in a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles for the Razorbacks which added three points to the team total. The Newport, Ark., native

from BASEBALL on page 7 Bates and center fielder Jacob Morris also homered as the long bombs accounted for half of the Razorbacks’ eight hits. “We needed some production from our outfielders and today we got it,” Van Horn said. Sophomore right-hander

from COMMENTARY on page 7 Kobe won two without Shaq, McHale was at the end of his career and Pippen and Jordan were just a dynamic duo. I doubt that Jordan ever even thought about going to Utah and playing with Stockton and Malone or going to Seattle to play with Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. Not everyone can be like Jordan. That is just a fact. As soon as Lebron put on that No. 23 and started calling himself King James, though, he opened himself up for the comparisons and criticisms that come with that kind of top spot. Hey, Bron Bron, MJ scored 38 points with flu. The least you can do is shake the hands of the Orlando Magic after you pass up every shot in the fourth quarter of Game 6 and get beat. There is a chasm that is forming in the NBA and it is the best thing for the league since Michael Jordan laced up his first pair of Nikes. The young talent of the NBA is not buying into this

Ryne Stanek (4-0) was dominant in seven innings, striking out six and allowing just two hits and two walks. “(Stanek) had an outstanding breaking ball and had some velocity on his fastball,” Van Horn said. “I thought he was impressive. He threw a lot of strikes and had a plus breaking ball going today.” buddy system that has been portrayed by the talent of draft class’ past. Kevin Durant turned down an invite to Lebron James’ birthday party because they had a game the next night. Derrick Rose refused to participate in the silly song and dance the Eastern Conference all stars did during All-Star Weekend. John Wall was completely insulted that Charles Barkley thought there were 13 better players than him. This class of young talent represents the NBA’s past as well as its future. They are a reminder of how basketball used to be played and show the promise of what the league can look like in the future. The NBA turned to the draft class of 2003 to save the league. In some ways it did. It showed later classes that it takes more than 40 shots a game and a clap of powder to win an NBA Championship. Harrison Stanfill is a staff writer for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Monday.