01.07.08

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Volume 45, Number 20

January 7, 2008

Serving USA SinCe 1965

Trustees approve NCAA Football Jason Shepard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF jason.shepard@comcast.net

http://www.southalabama.edu

Members of the board of trustees hold up footballs presented to them and signed by student leaders in a show of support for the development of an NCAA Football program at the University of South Alabama. The trustees unanimously approved the addition of an NCAA-sanctioned football program at the Dec. 6 board of trustees meeting.

The University of South Alabama board of trustees voted unanimously in favor of starting an NCAA Football program and marching band at the Dec. 6 board of trustees meeting.

USA President V. Gordon Moulton said the vote was a "critical decision" that will impact the University and community for many years.

The University hopes to play its first game in fall of 2009.

First-year costs are projected to be around $800,000 and will climb to almost $6 million during the fifth year of the program, according to the board of trustees' due diligence report on NCAA Football.

Year five is the year that the program is expected to make the jump to Division I Bowl Championship Sub-Division.

The "lion's share" of the cost will be supported by a $150 per semester student fee increase, according to Moulton. The fee increase will go into effect in the fall of X

see FOOTBALL, page 25

Dr. Walker named distinguished professor Hannah Skewes SENIOR REPORTER hks502@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Dr. Sue Brannan Walker, former chair of the English department, has the honor of being named the Stokes Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing. The position was named after Dr. Steven Stokes and his wife, Angelia.

The couple gifted the endowment that supports the Stokes Distinguished Professorship.

As distinguished professor of creative writing, Walker will conduct and direct activities at the Stokes Center of Creative Writing. The Stokes Center is meant to host seminars, readings and studies in the subject hosted by prominent authors.

“I am extremely proud and appreciative of the many contributions that Walker has made and will continue to make at USA,” said Dr. G. David Johnson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at USA. “Dr. Walker is truly deserving of the honor bestowed on her as the first Stokes Distinguished Professor.”

“Dr. Walker is a wonderful influential teacher,” said Dr. Pat Covey, vice presi-

Inside

dent of academic affairs. “She will be a great asset to the Stokes endowment.”

Walker was named Poet Laureate of Alabama in 2003 and received the honor of being First Lady of Mobile in 2007.

She has also received a Pulitzer Prize nomination. She has published 18 books, poetry pieces in 79 journals and seven short stories, as well as many literary critiques and numerous pieces published in anthologies. She also started and continues to run her own publishing company named Negative Capability.

Walker earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Alabama. She received two master’s degrees, Master of Arts and Master of Education, as well as a doctorate degree from Tulane University. She has taught at USA since 1980 and served as chair of the English department from 1997 to 2007. She stepped down being chair to fulfill the Stokes Distinguished Professorship.

“We are deeply honored that we could support the USA creative writing department, expressed Dr. Stokes. “Dr. Walker will do an outstanding job as the Stokes Distinguished Professor.”

Complete GMAC Bowl coverage see pages 14 - 15

http://www.southalabama.edu/publicrelations

Dr. Sue Walker, former chair of the English department, was named the Stokes Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing given by Dr. Steven Stokes and his wife, Angelia.

Lifestyles pg. 8 Fine Arts pg. 10 Entertainment pg. 12

The Vanguard P.O. Drawer 25100 Mobile, Ala. 36688 Newsroom - 460-6442 Fax 414-8293 Advertising - 460-6898 Letters, press releases, announcements - vanguard@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

USA awards its 60,000th degree at fall commencement Leigh Patton MANAGING EDITOR lwp302@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Courtesy of USA Public Relations

David Hughes hoists his degree in the air as he walks off stage after shaking the hands of College of Nursing Dean Dr. Debra Davis and President Moulton.

Hughes also was awarded the Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Student of the Year Award.

USA hosted its fall 2007 commencement ceremony Dec. 8, 2007 at the USA Mitchell Center and awarded its 60,000 degree. This brings the the total number of degrees awarded at USA to 61,234 in history.

USA awarded 886 bachelor’s degrees, 577 master’s degrees, 10 educational specialists and 34 doctorate degrees.

Dr. Glenn Sebastian, a retired geography professor at USA, was the guest speaker and addressed the students at the graduation ceremony. With his inspirational and “short” speech (“I wanted to keep it short,” Sebastian said), students listened and learned as he gave guidance to their next step in life.

Sebastian served40 years at the University and earned many awards in his years of teaching. In 1990, Sebastian received the Outstanding Professor Award from USA’s National Alumni Association. Alpha Lambda Delta Freshman Honor Society named him Outstanding Faculty Member that same year.

He was also chairman of the earth sciences department from 1981-2006.

Now that Sebastian has retired, he still teaches undergraduates geography on a parttime schedule.

USA President V. Gordon Moulton along with deans of the University colleges handed out degrees to all graduating seniors.

Sports pg. 16 Opinion pg. 18 Classifieds pg. 26

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January 7, 2008

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Center for Healthy Communities helps with disasters Leigh Patton

University of South Alabama’s Student Voice

MANAGING EDITOR lwp302@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

The University of South Alabama’s Center for Healthy Communities has put together an analysis to help the health care infrastructure to be effective and efficient during a natural disaster for patients. This plan was a lesson they wanted to learn after the effects Hurricane Katrina had on helpless patients.

The Center for Healthy Communities is working with the Morehouse School of Medicine’s Regional Coordinating Center for Hurricane Responses. They have studied together the effects of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and wanted to find ways to eliminate problems in health care after any storm.

They focused more on patients with chronic health conditions along the Alabama and Mississippi coast such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS. These are critical because most of these medications cannot be disrupted. “The Center for Healthy Communities is committed to helping individuals and organizations learn from the Katrina disaster and become better prepared for future challenges they might face,” said Dr. Harvey White, director of the USB Center for Healthy Communities. “To act on the lessons learned from Katrina will require education to improve disaster planning at the patient and provider levels, economic development to improve community resilience, further research on health disparities and enhance public health initiatives in each of

Mission The Vanguard, a student-run newspaper at the University of South Alabama, serves the student readership by reporting the news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

Submission and Editorial Policies http://www.southalabama.edu/publicrelations

At a press conference Dec. 17, Dr. Harvey White, director of the USA Center for Healthy Communities, right, discusses their plans for the next natural disaster. Standing next to Dr.White is USA President V. Gordon Moulton and Dr. Errol Crook, chairman of the department of internal medicine at the USA College of Medicine.

those areas.”

Many suggestions include patients stocking up extra supplies and carrying their information about their medicine and equipment they need. Health systems should help patients and the comX

see KATRINA, page 25

Dr. Hanks appointed chair of sociology Hannah Skewes SENIOR REPORTER hks502@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

WEATHER

Dr. Roma Stovall Hanks has been appointed as the new chair of the department of sociology, anthropology and social work.

She will serve these responsibilities starting with the new semester.

The department of sociology, anthropology and social work is a part of the College of Arts and Sciences.

“We are delighted that Dr. Hanks has agreed to assume this leadership position,” said Dr. G. David Johnson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, as quoted in the official press release.

Hanks is currently an associate professor of sociology and is also the coordinator of the master’s program in her respective

Send letters and guest columns to: Opinion Editor, vanguard@jaguar1.usouthal.edu or The Vanguard, University of South Alabama, P.O. Drawer U-25100, Mobile, Ala. 36688. Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication. Submissions should be typed and must include the writer’s name, year, school and telephone number. z All submissions become the property of The Vanguard.

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All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight during weekly Editorial Board meetings. z The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications. To report a mistake, call the Editor in Chief at (251) 460-6442 or email vanguard@jaguar1.usouthal.edu. z

subject. She served as director of the University of South Alabama programs in gerontology for more than 10 years. Hanks was appropriated to serve as the associate investigator of the Mitchell Cancer Institute in 2005. She has also served as president of the Alabama Gerontological Society, as well as the Groves Conference on Marriage and Family.

Hanks has been a part of many community-based and professional organizations and honor societies. She is a member of the American Sociological Organization, the Association of Gerontology in Higher Education and the Consortium of Intergenerational Programs. She has also assumed leadership roles in many research projects, some subjects including teen pregnancy, early retirement, youth at risk, decision making within X

see HANKS, page 22

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The Vanguard is published Mondays during the academic year, except for exam periods and vacations and is published twice each summer. The Vanguard is supported in part by an allocation from student activity fees and operates in the Student Media Department of the Division of Student Affairs. Issues are available at all University buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each.

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EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Jason Shepard Managing Editor: Leigh Patton Associate Editor: Anna Chapman Lifestyles Editor: Ashley D. McGee Fine Arts Editor: Ashley Gruner Entertainment Editor: Stephanie A. Hudson Opinion Editor: Matt Flanagan Sports Editors: John Kenny, David Hopper Senior Reporters: Hannah Skewes Photo Editor: Copy Editor: Jeremy Daughtry

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SPLC Statement: The Vanguard recognizes and affirms the editorial independence and press freedom of all student-edited campus media. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and consequently bear the responsibility for the decisions that they make.

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CAMPUSGRIPES To voice your campus gripes or praises, e-mail us at campusgripes@yahoo.com, or anonymously mail us at The Vanguard, U-25100, Mobile, Ala., 36688

It’s about time we got a team I am so excited we finally got a football team at USA. I’ve been waiting since since my freshman year here and now finally we get to see our Jags play on a football field.

Football is going to be a waste I am so glad I am graduating this spring. I’ll be out of here before the enormous waste of money called football will cause student fees to increase by hundreds of dollars a year. I feel bad for those students on fixed incomes that will have to make hard decisions regarding whether or not they can afford school, all because of a football program.

Hoping for reasonable parking Parking is always so crazy at the beginning of the semester. I hope I’ll be able to find a spot before my classes are over.

Looking forward to 2008!

2007 was a great year. I am looking forward to 2008. This really is a great time to be a student. HAPPY NEW YEAR! GO JAGS!

Library closures inconvenient Maybe a lot of students at South are not serious about their academic work, but I am. I always work on ongoing projects during semester breaks, but the limited hours the library was open during the winter break was extremely inconvenient for me. I wasn’t able to get nearly as much work done as I could have if the library was open normal hours.

Looking forward to semester I hate to sound like a total dork, but I can’t wait for classes to start. I always find it quite rewarding to work with a learn from our great professors and staff at our university. I am really looking forward to this semester.

January 7, 2008

Dr. Strada given permanent position as dean Devi Sampat STAFF WRITER dss608@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Dr. Samuel Strada joined USA in 1983 as a professor and chair of pharmacology and has now been appointed dean of the USA College of Medicine.

“I was pleased and honored that the University administration recognized my previous contributions and had enough confidence for me to continue on as dean of the College of Medicine,” Dr. Strada said.

Administrators initially showed their confidence in Strada when naming him senior associate medical dean for the USA College of Medicine in 1994. He also served as acting director of the graduate program in basic medical sciences, assistant dean for admissions, faculty athletics representative from 1990-1997 and acting chair of psychiatry. Since October 2005, Strada served as interim dean for the medical school. Using his previous job experience and positions, Strada hopes to strengthen many aspects of the medical school.

“We have had four new departments within the last three years, and I look forward to working with each of these chairs in recruiting new faculty and strengthening their commitment to the missions of the college in education, research and patient care,” Dr. Strada said.

As president of the South Alabama Medical Science Foundation, Strada has been instrumental in focusing and strengthening research to the medical community. He created the Office of Technology and Development, Office of Research Compliance and Assurance and the USA Technology and Research Park. Strada was also recognized nationally for his personal research on cellular signaling mechanisms and continues to promote research through 200 other article and abstract publications.

“I also look forward to expanding the involvement of our faculty in the activities of the Mitchell Cancer Institute and through our alliance with the Infirmary Health System,” Dr. Strada said.

“We also hope to develop some new centers of excellence modeled on the successes of our Center for Lung Biology, Center for

http://www.southalabama.edu/publicrelations

Dr. Samuel Strada accepted being the permanent dean for the University of South Alabama’s College of Medicine. Strada has been a professor at USA since 1983 and was interim dean since October 2005.

Healthy Communities, Center for Emerging Technologies and others.”

With his administration, Dr. Strada looks to broaden efforts in neuroscience at the College of Medicine by expanding basic and clinical related research activities such as new clinical programs in epilepsy, neuron-oncology and movement disorders.

“We also hope to enhance our nationally accredited stroke program and bring attention to the impact of our trauma and burn centers within the community,” Dr. Strada said. “Consideration X

see STRADA, page 22

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Engineering and Science Center funding still tied up T.R. Risner STAFF REPORTER wxman08@yahoo.com

A bill sponsored by Senator Richard Shelby that could bring more than $30 million to the University of South Alabama and the Mobile area met roadblocks on its trip through the House of Representatives. Parts of the bill had to be struck out or changed before the House would consider voting on the bill as a whole.

The $30 million for the new Engineering and Science Center remains Senator Shelby in the bill and was not changed. The proposed building has a price tag of $50 million. The federal government previously approved $10 million that will be added to the $10 million USA officials will add to get the $50 million total.

The new building would bring additional classrooms and office space to the fast growing engineering department.

“The College of Engineering has been growing, now having

more than a thousand students, so we need the additional classrooms and office space,” said Dr. John Steadman, dean of engineering.

The faculty would also be in one building, which will “lead to better communication, more interdisciplinary research and sharing practices in teaching,” according to Dr. Steadman.

The new Engineering and Science Center would house all the engineering departments, including faculty offices and laboratories. The facility would provide laboratory and research facilities for future engineers, scientists and researchers.

The fast growth of the technological and medical research fields in Mobile is one of the reasons Senator Shelby had no problem backing the bill that would bring funding to the University. According to Senator Shelby, “the expanding science and technology-based industry in Mobile will only demand more university- skilled workers for high-paying jobs in the future; the new center will allow USA to prepare students for the workforce.”

The bill that could help build the Engineering Center on campus also has additional funding for other programs at the University of South Alabama.

The $750,000 previously devoted to the Coastal Inland X

see FUNDING, page 22

New Wi-Fi hotspot located in Health Center April Kelso STAFF WRITER amk502@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

USA Student Health Center is now a new Wi-Fi hotspot This feature will make it easier task for students to study while they wait to see the doctors. “Many students have requested the WI-FI connection, and we are real into making sure the customers are happy,” said Beverly Kellen, practice director of Student Health Services. This was a one-time cost that they decided to get so that students can spend time searching the Internet or getting their studying done while waiting to see the doctor.

Kellen said that there have been several students that have

enjoyed the new feature. They have stopped her to even thank her for finally getting it so they can study while they are waiting.

“It is highly encouraged for students to bring their laptops so they can be productive with their studies or to just check out what’s going on in the world around them,” Kellen said.

Walk-ins are welcome and also encouraged to bring their laptops as well.

Paul Taylor, associate director of College of Medicine public relations, said he hopes that with this new feature students will be able to realize what kind of student health is available to students.

To learn more about the kinds of services the Student Health Center can provide, visit http://www.usahealthsystem.com.

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8 Just a thought ...

Ashley D. McGee LIFESTYLES EDITOR ladypoeticsoul@aol.com

Though a new semester, full of new challenges and new expectations, is upon us, the academic trials of the fall are not completely behind us. Successes and failures continue to linger with us from year to year while in college, in our memories, our hearts and in the haunting calculations of our grade point average.

Recently, I read a mass message sent out from a University employee which stated that a student’s grade point average unfortunately defines them in college. Though this statement was enclosed within an overall positive view point, a message that was geared towards encouraging students to stay focused and to always excel, that one sentence has been replaying in my mind ever since I read the words.

Everyone who knows me knows that I am always the one to question the things that others are comfortable with simply accepting them with no protest. This is one of those things I must pounce upon with my inquisitive nature. With all of the different races, genders, nationalities and personalities that are present in today’s colleges and universities, are administrative boards still naive enough to deduce a student’s value to the institute and to society to the cumulative average of their grades?

If this is true, if scholastics will overshadow sheer determination and drive demonstrated in extracurricular activities that weigh more heavenly on the individuals character than their ability to name each bone in the human body, then why are we constantly encouraged to get involved on campus?

So many collegiate situations thoroughly, and possibly damagingly, teach students to believe their grade point average makes or breaks the level of success they are able to attain while pursuing their degree.

The only answer I can come up with is that times have definitely changed and so have the people (humans capable of making rational decisions of how a person’s strengths outside of the classroom help make them an asset) who are in charge of our institutes of higher learning.

Personally, I have never taken my grades more seriously than I do the outside projects I take on, which are dear to my heart.

It is important not to fall short in the things that we are passionate about, to wholly dedicate ourselves to the things that pull at our souls and cause us to make sure every intricate detail is as close to perfect as possible, because success in this area fulfills a desire in us -- not because it fulfills a requirement for graduation.

I am writing this not to say to take away the importance of making good grades, but to acknowledge a group of students who are often ignored, because they don’t look ideal on paper.

Lifestyles

Ashley D. McGee Lifestyles Editor ladypoeticsoul@aol.com

January 7, 2008

Sticking to your resolutions: Tips on setting realistic resolutions for the new year Miranda Scorver CONTRIBUTING WRITER missscorver@aol.com

It’s 2008! To many it may seem like 2007 was just a blur, and the reality of new classes is just now settling in, but this is also the time of year when many people will find themselves making plans to make this year better than the last. It is a common practice and somewhat of a tradition to create a list of resolutions for the new year in an attempt to better oneself physical and/or emotionally.

These resolutions are known as New Year’s resolutions, as these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until fulfilled. Though most of these resolutions are centered around oneself and perceived as being quite advantageous, more socio-centric examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive or to become more economically or environmentally responsible.

The hard thing about these resolutions is that by Jan. 31, only a handful of resolution makers are still sticking to their pledges towards personal growth.

This is mostly because we usually set unreachable goals. Trying to completely stop doing anything that you do on a regular basis (that is not harmful to your body) cold turkey is usually a bad idea.

Individuals should say things like: “I’m going to slow up,” “cut back,” “do more” or “do less.” This way when and if you back-

slide, you didn’t say you were going to stop.

Below are a few steps that http://www. ehow.com gives to help make New Year’s resolutions that will not have you feeling guilty at the end of the year when you reached for the stars by promising to never reach for another brownie.

Step One: Be realistic by setting achievable goals. For example, becoming a USA Prowler might not be in your future if you know you have two left feat and do not have a hint of rhythm.

Step Two: Describe your resolutions in specific terms. The broader your resolution, the easier it will be for you to make excuses when you are not fulfilling them completely. If you want to exercise more, plan out what types of exercising you will do, such as walking to class instead of taking the JagTran.

Step Three: Break down large goals into smaller ones. If making straight A’s this semester is your dream, commit to studying three hours a days and set out a specific time and place to do so.

Step Four: Find alternatives to a behavior that you want to change, and make this part of your resolution plan. So you want to quit smoking, but you smoked to relax yourself ? Then http://www.ehow.com suggests you take a look at what other forms of relaxation are available to you.

Step Five: Above all, aim for things that are truly important to you, not what you think you ought to do or what others expect of you.

http://www.opto22.com

Crowds of people fill New York City’s Times Square to ring in the new year. Many people make a list of resolutions in order to better themselves, physically and emotionally, in 2008.

According to http://www.USA.gov, the most popular New Year’s resolutions are to “lose weight, to pay off debt, to save money, to get a better job, to get physically fit, to eat right, to get a better education, to drink less alcohol, to quit smoking, to reduce stress overall, to reduce stress at work, to take a vacation and to volunteer more.”

Simple and sweet dorm room treats Ashley D. McGee LIFESTYLES EDITOR ladypoeticsoul@aol.com

Sometimes, there is nothing like a warm slice of German chocolate cake or apple pie fresh from the oven. Unfortunately, deliciously sweet treats such as these are sometimes hard to come by when you are miles away from home and living in a dorm room without an oven. Luckily, there are several ways to satisfy your sweet tooth way beyond the pleasures of a simple bag of Skittles, without getting evicted from your room.

One of the simplest desserts a student can make in his or her dorm room would have to be pudding. All you need is a pox of pudding mix, a refrigerator and to simply following the directions on the back. If you

make it before you leave, it will be ready just in time to calm your nerves after a mind-blowing exam.

Of course, the Web is packed with Web sites that contain quick-and-easy dorm room recipes. This week’s featured recipe is for a fudge from http://www.helium.com is sure to amaze your friends, as well as your taste buds.

What you will need: 1 (12 oz.) pkg. milk chocolate chips 1 (12 oz.) pkg. butterscotch chips 1 can Eagle Brand milk 1 tsp. vanilla 1 c. walnuts or pecans 8x8x2 inch pan lined with foil Spray a large microwave bowl with nonstick spray. Add both packages of chips and Eagle Brand milk. Heat in microwave for 2-

Finance

2 1/2 minutes. Stir melted chips together with vanilla. After smooth, add nuts. Pour this mixture into a foil-lined 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan. Cool in refrigerator for 1 hour.

http://www.pagosacandy.com

Travel Lifestyles: The ideas are limitless.

Nightlife

Hobbies

People Food

Events Trends Technology If you’re interested in writing, e-mail the editor at Places

Fitness Health ladypoeticsoul@aol.com or call 460-6442.

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NPHC organizations kick off new year with founder’s day celebrations and more Latoria Cheeks STAFF WRITER ljc402@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

The National Pan-Hellenic Council will be having a Greek Informational on Jan.9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Student Center Terrace. All students who are interested in joining a sorority or fraternity in the NPHC are encouraged to attend this to obtain more information.

On Friday, Jan.11, the NPHC will be hosting a back-to-school party in the Student Center Ballroom at 10 p.m. The admission is $5 for students and free for all Greeks.

On Jan. 13, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated will be celebrating their founder’s day which will mark 95 years of national, as well as international, service for the organization. The sorority was founded on Jan.13, 1913, by 22 exceptional young women on the campus of Howard University. The Mobile, Ala., Iota Nu city-wide chapter was chartered at The University of South Alabama on April 23, 1972.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated will be celebrating their centennial of 100 years of service on their founder’s day , Jan.15. The sorority was founded by 16 intelligent women on Jan.15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Epsilon Upsilon

chapter was chartered at South on June 10, 1970, and was the first black greek letter organization to be established at the University. The chapter will be hosting a founder’s week between Jan.14 - 18.

Some of the events include a study seminar that Monday, a forum for women with guest speaker Pastor Linda Johnson on Jan. 17 in Student Center, room 222, and a Centennial celebration in the Student Center Ballroom on Jan. 18 at 10:08 p.m. All students are encouraged to attend these events to help celebrate 100 years of service to all mankind with the sorority.

The ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated will also be celebrating their founder’s day of 88 years of service on Jan.16, 2008. The sorority was founded at Howard University on January 16, 1920.

The men of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity incorporated will celebrate 94 years of service on their founder’s day Jan. 9, 2008. The fraternity was founded at Howard University on Jan. 9, 1914. The Mu Phi chapter was chartered at South in 1981. The men of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated will celebrate 97 years of service on Jan. 5, 2008. The fraternity was founded on Jan. 5, 1911, at Indiana University, and the Eta Nu chapter was chartered at South on May 17, 1974.

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Year of The Rat Patrick Senn STAFF WRITER thatguy1084@yahoo.com

http://www.southalabama.edu/campusinvolvements

On Jan. 9 the National Pan-Hellenic Council will be having a Greek Informational in the Student Center Terrace. All students who are interested in joining a sorority or fraternity in the NPHC are welcomed to the meeting to gather information about each Greek. Throughout this month, many sororities and fraternities will be celebrating their foundation and students interested in that Greek are welcome to come.

ON CAMPUS THIS WEEK

Monday SGA Budget meeting at 8 p.m. in Student Center Ballroom Tuesday Chi Alpha “Life Group” at 6 p.m. at the Daily Grind Wednesday Jaguar Productions “Midweek Nooner - Karaoke” from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Student Center Market; Circle K meeting at 5:15 p.m. in Student Center room 222; National Pan-Hellenic Council Informational at 6:30 p.m. in Student Center Terrace Thursday NPHC “Back 2 School Party” from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. in Student Center Ballroom Want your organization featured in this section?

Contact Lifestyles Editor Ashley D. McGee at ladypoeticsoul@aol.com, or call 460-6442.

2008 has finally come upon us, and the Chinese zodiac has rolled over upon itself and begun again with the year of the rat.

Chinese astrology places the rat as first on the 12-year cycle, traditionally associated with the hours being 11 p.m. - 1 a.m., as well as with the direction North, and the winter season and month of December.

The colors of the rat year are black, red, and white; the polarity is more of the yang.

According to Chinese astrology, a rat year is a year of renewal and activity. Some say that the year of the rat is a good time to look for long-term love, start a new career, get married or just make a fresh start on life in general. Chinese astrology warns that people seeking to begin new ventures during a rat year should be aware that it may be harder than normal starting out, but with hard work and perseverance, ventures begun in the year should pay off immensely in the long run.

People born in the year of the rat are generally leaders and pioneers; they have an immense ability to charm. These people are meticulous, cunning and at the same time are extremely ambitious and prideful.

Although sometimes they can be controlling, people born in the year of the rat are extremely loyal to those who have proven themselves to be trustworthy companions.

While being extremely gracious to their friends and family, people born in rat years are extremely vengeful people as well, and can be extremely cruel; they will not hesitate to exact revenge on those who they feel have harmed them in any way. Rats are fair in their dealings and expect the same from others in return. They are deeply offended and vengeful if they feel they have been deceived or that their trust has been abused.

It is said that two of the most valuable and hardest lessons for someone born in a rat year to learn is to avoid forcing their ideas upon others and also to set more realistic goals for themselves. As the years pass, instead of growing more conservative with age, often those born in a rat year will become more idealistic and tolerant.

According to Chinese tradition, rats carry heavy karma into their lives, making it necessary for them to work extra hard to achieve their already ambitious goals. It is also said that rats born at night have even greater suffering and hardships than those born during the daylight hours, although those born during daylight often face more than other zodiac animals. Many advise that rats guard themselves against drugs, alcohol and other hedonistic behaviors because of their disposition towards selfdestruction.

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The Arts

Fine Arts

Ashley Gruner Fine Arts Editor amarie588@gmail.com

January 7, 2008

Laidlaw prepares for ‘exhilarating’ spring Daniela Werner

Ashley Gruner FINE ARTS EDITOR amarie588@gmail.com

Welcome back, everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday break. I will be serving as fine arts editor for the remainder of the school year. I am very excited to have this opportunity, and I know it will be a great experience!

First, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I am originally from Rolla, Mo., but I have spent most of my life in Alabama. I graduated from Baker High School in Mobile and I am now a junior at USA. Go Jags!

I am currently completing a communications major and English minor, and I am considering a career in print journalism. I know that my duties as an editor will help me come even closer to accomplishing my goals and gaining the experience I need for my future career.

I began as a staff writer for The Vanguard in spring 2007, and I was senior reporter last fall. I am very involved in music, and I enjoy participating in the USA Symphony Band, the USA Percussion Ensemble and several other activities on campus.

I have played the piano for 13 years, and I love music, art and photography.

Music has been and will always be my passion. It is what I first turn to for entertainment, especially when I need just a few minutes to relax.

I am hoping this experience will allow me to further my knowledge and appreciation of the arts.

“The arts” includes a wide array of subjects, all which are equally important and should be equally represented. This section will focus on a variety of local talents, including dance, music, theater and art.

Also, I want this section to portray the many talents and interests of students and faculty at the University of South Alabama. Our school is blessed with so many talented students, and it will be my job to inform others of these abilities.

I am hoping that this position will give me the opportunity to spark a number of interested readers and their involvement in the fine arts.

I am really looking forward to this semester, and I know that with your help, it will be a great one.

Upcoming events Sumi-E: East Asian Brush Painting & Calligraphy USA Library, 3rd floor gallery, Jan. 3 - Feb. 28 Mardi Gras, Mobile & No Regrets photography exhibit Mobile Art Council thru Feb. 1

CONTRIBUTING WRITER danigirl6013@gmail.com

When searching for entertainment this semester, look no further than the University of South Alabama's departments of performing arts for exceptional shows.

An array of events awaits students and non-students alike at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center, which includes both the department of music and the department of dramatic arts.

Dr. Leon Van Dyke, chair of the department of dramatic arts, is extremely enthused about the two major productions this semester.

Sam Shepard's "Buried Child,” described by Van Dyke as a "haunting show,” is "starkly poetic, humorous and mysterious."

His excitement about this particular production is obvious.

According to Van Dyke, the play "gives us a view of a hugely dysfunctional family, which, in turn, is transformed into a symbol of America's loss of innocence."

The production is doubly symbolic, since it also represents "America's cutting-edge approach to realistic theatre with a twist,” Van Dyke explained. The play earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1979.

Alan Gardner, a new member of the drama department's acting faculty, will perform as the guest artist. "He will play the role of Dodge in the cast,” Van Dyke added.

Van Dyke boasted of Gardner's numerous stage, film and television credits of note. "It will be a distinctive experience for our students to be able to perform in the cast with him, and it should be an equally fun opportunity for any member of the campus community to be a part of the audience,” Van Dyke stated. The show will be performed Feb. 15-23.

VanDyke added that the drama department’s second major production, Shakespeare’s “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” will be worthwhile in numerous ways.

He described "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" as a classic story about leaving home. “It makes us aware that Shakespeare rejects the notion that all's fair in love and war ... that men must stay faithful to their declared loves,” he said.

The play is “at once romantic and comic in equal measure … a welcome escape from our modern fragmentary lives,” Van Dyke added. It will be performed April 11-19.

The music department’s upcoming concerts comprise the other half of the exceptional artistic performances Laidlaw has

Ashley Gruner / Fine Arts Editor

The Laidlaw Performing Arts Center is preparing for several exceptional shows this spring.

to offer.

Dr. Greg Gruner, chair of the music department, looks forward to numerous events including “many wonderful faculty and student recitals, as well as some excellent student ensemble concerts.”

The USA Faculty Trio’s performance is on Gruner’s list of most anticipated performances. The trio is comprised of Dr. Robert Holm, piano; Dr. Guo-Sheng Huang, strings; and Ms. Enen Yu, strings. This performance will take place on Jan. 17.

Gruner also excitedly mentioned the electro-acoustic concert that will be conducted by Dr. David Durant, the department’s music technology professor.

The concert held in late spring will consist of dynamic electronic pieces composed by Dr. Durant and his students of music technology.

“There are many performance opportunities for non-music majors in the department of music,” Gruner stated. “If they play X

see LAIDLAW, page 22

Library galleries capture work of great artists Amanda B. Johnson STAFF WRITER amanda_b_johnson@yahoo.com

The University of South Alabama's Library, home to one of the University's art galleries, has recently added to its permanent collection a variety of works from local artists. These include works of Josef Hascek, Susan Hales, Nikolia Polyushenko and Linda Hall. In addition to area artists, the library is now home to two works of the internationally known Dutch artist Rembrandt. These works include an etching, as well as a copy of a self-portrait.

The third floor of the library brings to life several mediums with a variety of styles. Josef Hascek offers a graphic feel; his work is composed of geometric shapes, each extending within and beyond the borders of the image. Reds, whites, blacks and grays make up the majority of his compositions, suggesting an almost Japanese feel.

Both Linda Hall, with her painterly abstractions, and Susan Hales, whose childhood dolls serve as interpretations of family stories, give vibrant color and bold expression to the libraries walls. Linda Hall's abstract expressionism, evident in her piece "Lost Souls," makes use of a large canvas with a mass of texture. Susan

Ashley Gruner / Fine Arts Editor

Linda Hall’s “Lost Souls” is one of the many works on display at the USA Library.

Hales’ work, however, embraces a feel of montage, combining a realistic interpretation of her dolls in a colorful and often cluttered environment. Nikolia Polyushenko takes a turn with her architectural graphite sketch.

The current exhibit offers an exciting opportunity to view the work of one of the greatest painters and printmakers in the history of art - Rembrandt. The etching,

"The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds,” portrays a heavenly vision that exemplifies a radiating light. Rembrandt's second work on exhibit, a self-portrait, is evidence of what Rembrandt is so well known for.

The third floor of the library often serves as a gallery space for local artists, including USA faculty and students, as well as area schools. The gallery was created in 2003 by Dr. Richard Wood, dean of university libraries. The provided gallery space proves a success, allowing art to both co-relate with literary endeavors, as well as enrich the lives of those at USA. Upcoming events at the library include an exhibit sponsored by the Marine Resources Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The first floor gallery will host "Conserving & Enjoying Alabama's Coastal Resources,” a show displaying work from children in over 40 of Mobile and Baldwin County Schools. The Marine Resources Division has sponsored the upcoming show for several years in hopes of promoting both awareness and appreciation for coastal resources. The exhibit will be on display from Jan. 2 through Feb. 28.

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Ensõ to perform at Laidlaw Amber-Marie Isenburg STAFF WRITER sumowrestlearehot@gmail.com

Music is considered a form of art by most. The creators and performers of music consider themselves artists. It can be agreed by all that some musicians have lost their “artistic” credibility and have become mock artists, giving actual musicians a bad name and demeaning the art of music.

The Ensõ String Quartet has surpassed these new standards for music. They will be performing at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center on Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Even the name “Ensõ” has an artistic flair; the name comes from the Japanese Zen symbol of a circle. The circle symbolizes perfection and imperfection, the oneness of life, beginnings and endings, enlightenment and strength, and it also represents the emptiness of voidness and the fullness of the spirit. Like this symbol, the Ensõ String Quartet brings all aspects of life into their music.

The members of the quartet are Maureen Nelson, violin; John Marcus, violin; Melissa Reardon, viola; and Richard Belcher, cello.

Maureen Nelson is an American violinist and a founding member of the quartet. She showed talent at a very young age and joined the Temple University’s Center for Gifted Young Musicians. She was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music at age 16 and debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1990. She has won numerous awards including an award from NFAA/Arts, victories at the 2003 Concert Arts Guild Competition and the 2004 Banff String Quartet Competition. She has also participated in several music festivals around the world.

http://www.ensoquartet.org

The name “Enso” originated from the Japanese Zen symbol of a circle, which symbolizes the oneness of life.

Amanda B. Johnson STAFF WRITER amanda_b_johnson@yahoo.com

-http://www.ensoquartet.org

Enso will be performing at Laidlaw on Jan. 10. Members include Maureen Nelson, John Marcus, Melissa Reardon and Richard Belcher.

John Marcus, a violinist hailing from New York, graduated from The Julliard School. He also received a post-graduate degree from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Marcus, like Nelson, had noted talent at a very young age. He gave his first public performance at the age of 9 at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and at age 15, he performed at the Lincoln Center as the winner of the Julliard Violin Competition.

Melissa Reardon’s first viola debut was at the Boston City Orchestra. She has won numerous awards and has traveled around the world for her music. She graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music. In 2002, she received the coveted Tourjee Award in her third year of graduate study.

Richard Belcher, a native of New Zealand, is also a founding member of the quartet. He has been said to be “spellbinding” and “musically melting.” Belcher is also a member of two other musical groups and has performed with numerous other artists. One of his most notable endowments was in 2001, when Patrick Shepherd wrote “Patrick Shepherd’s Cello Concerto,” which was dedicated to Belcher. Belcher graduated from Yale and the University of Canterbury with first-class honors.

The Ensõ String Quartet will be joined by pianist Joel Fann and promises a spectacular evening for an audience of all ages. A sample of their music can be heard on the Ensõ String Quartet’s official Web site at http://www.ensoquartet.org. Come and start off 2008 with a celebration of the gift of music with your fellow students and Mobilians.

Eastern Shore offers several art opportunities Ashley Gruner FINE ARTS EDITOR amarie588@gmail.com

The Eastern Shore is a great place to locally explore the cultural arts. With exceptional festivities, galleries, workshops and musical performances, this community gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy its vibrant culture.

The Fairhope Film Series, open to everyone in the community, resumes in February. It is located at the St. James Classroom Complex in Fairhope. The series provides an opportunity for locals to view a variety of films, without the hassle of visiting an overcrowded movie theater.

Theatre 98, a non-profit community theatre in Fairhope, will also be resuming its shows this spring. Its major upcoming production, Stephen King’s “Misery,” is an adaptation of the original classic thriller.

Visual arts has much to offer in 2008

Theatre 98 is a great way to become involved in your local arts. The theatre is always looking for fun and talented people to audition and volunteer.

The Eastern Shore is also home to the Arts & Crafts Festival, which has become one of the most prominent craft festivals in the Southeast. Artwork is showcased and sold by more than 150 artists every year.

Also in Fairhope, the Eastern Shore Art Center is home to five galleries with monthly exhibits. The galleries feature paintings, photography, sculpture and graphics.

A wide variety of classes are available for every age including drawing, sculpture, painting, figure drawing, ceramics and photography. Classes are offered throughout the year for adults and children, regardless of previous experience. The deadline for registration is Jan. 10. For more information

on classes, call ESAC at (251) 9282228.

ESAC offers monthly workshops that are taught by local, regional and international instructors. Upcoming workshops include “Build a Better Basket” on Jan. 12, “The Loaded Brush” on Jan. 18 and “Digital Camera Workshop” on Jan. 26. Other workshops include tips on restoring old photographs, drawing portraits with a modern twist and photographing artwork.

With the help of several local galleries, the art center also hosts the Fairhope ArtWalk, which is a tour of local galleries that takes place on the first Friday of every month.

Whether you are simply looking for a relaxing night of jazz or a weekend art walk, the Eastern Shore is always an excellent place to sharpen your artistic abilities and strengthen your appreciation of the arts.

The spring semester holds many exciting events for South Alabama's visual arts department. In addition to upcoming shows featuring student work, the department has made a few renovations and anticipates some new educational opportunities for its students.

Take 5, a juried exhibition sponsored by the Mobile Arts Council, will feature work by students at the area's five major colleges and universities.

These include Bishop State Community College, Faulkner State Community College, the University of Mobile, Spring Hill College and our very own University of South Alabama. Students may submit up to three pieces of work in any medium that were created while enrolled in any of the five schools.

Karoline Schleh, assistant professor of visual arts at Loyola University in New Orleans, will serve as the judge of Take 5. Seven prizes will be awarded, including Best of Show; First, Second and Third Place; and three Judge's Choice Awards.

Submissions must be received by Friday, March 21, along with a completed submission form and $20 entry fee. A CD of work in .jpg format can be mailed to the Mobile Arts Council at P.O. Box 372, Mobile, Ala., 36601. For further information, visit http://www.mobilearts.org.

South Alabama and the department of visual arts is also pleased to present a study abroad opportunity following the completion of spring semester. From May 10 through May 28, students will be given a chance to experience Spain and its extensive history of art and world heritage.

Students may register for up to six credit hours, typically consisting of one art history course, inclusive of Spain's architecture, and one studio course in any level of drawing, painting, photography or directed study. Non-art majors are also eligible to participate in the study abroad program.

Costs for the study abroad trip include tuition for six credit hours, round-trip airfare, transportation to and from specific excursions and international identification cards -- which include health insurance, museum entrance fees, daily breakfast, and a welcome and departure dinner. The trip is expected to cost $3900, with an additional $500 budgeted for individual expenses.

An application and $500 deposit must be received by Feb. 12 to secure a place for the Spain study abroad trip. Please visit the visual arts office for applications and further information. Financial aid can also be applied toward the study abroad courses.

For any questions pertaining to this opportunity, please contact Jason Guynes, chair of the art department, at jguynes@usouthal.edu.

Also during the spring semester, the Graphic Design Association will begin preparation for the Spring Graphic Design and Senior Packaging Show. This show should make use of the new art gallery, which was recently renovated from one of the department’s old studios.

A big event that has been underway since the fall is the premier of USA's fine arts review, The Oracle. Judging for The Oracle is set to take place at the beginning of the spring semester with publication of the works soon to follow.

The department of visual art has several important upcoming events which should prove not only beneficial for current students, but should also serve as incentives for future students.

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Entertainment

Stephanie A. Hudson Entertainment Editor stephanieahudson@gmail.com

January 7, 2008

Depp portrays another dark character Ashley Jones STAFF WRITER kaj401@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

In the latest concoction from the off-center imagination of director Tim Burton, Johnny Depp plays Sweeney Todd, a singing and dancing barber who plans to get revenge for having his family ripped out from under him — no matter how many people have to die.

Benjamin Barker suffered unimaginable pain when he lost everything he had and was shipped off to Australia.

After 15 years of plotting against Judge Turpin, the man who stole his wife and daughter, Barker comes back in a demented alter ego as Sweeney Todd.

His new look consists of paler skin and dark, silverstreaked hair resembling the “X-Men” character Rogue, whose streak resulted from having power sucked out of her body. Pretty soon, instead of getting revenge by slitting Judge Turpin’s throat, he wants to kill everyone he can to numb the enormous pain he feels. All this killing results in enough blood to supply a Red Cross center for a whole year.

Mrs. Lovett, the maker of the worst meat pies in London, is played by Burton’s wife Helena Bonham Carter.

Her raw and untrained voice is able to translate her character’s despair and loneliness beautifully. Mrs. Lovett comes into play as Todd’s killing partner. She stands idly by his side until she decides to put all the fresh human meat to good use. After cooking Todd’s victims in her pies, Mrs. Lovett becomes the greatest meat pie maker in all of London. She takes the idea of a “man-eat-man world” lit-

erally.

Mrs. Lovett falls in love with Todd and will do anything to be with him, but all Todd can do is slit throats and dwell in misery. Without giving too much of the ending away, Todd’s efforts to get revenge end in a giant pool of blood.

I guess the question on everyone’s mind is Can Johnny Depp really sing? Well, yes, but the seamless flow from singing to conversation and vice versa is really what makes his performance captivating. Normally, characters are hard to believe when they abruptly burst out into song, but if anyone can make a demon barber who sings to his razor blades believable, it is Depp.

Much of the aesthetic is borrowed from old horror films from the 1920s and 30s. The entire movie is in a sepia-toned color, except for a few comical scenes of Mrs. Lovett’s fantasizing about marrying Todd.

The transitions from dark and gloomy to brilliant contrasting colors are similar to Burton’s earlier film “Edward Scissorhands,” which also stars Depp. The fiercely talented costume designer Colleen Atwood is also responsible for creating the surreal visuals in both movies.

Metaphors run thicker than blood in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” With Tim Burton’s imagination, Johnny Depp’s acting, a set of razor blades and an endless amount of blood, you have a dangerous combination for an innovative and bar-raising film.

Fans should be aware that “Todd” could be considered more a musical on film than a movie with songs.. There is very little actual dialogue that takes place in the film so be prepared to listen to more singing than previews give away.

http://filmpeek.net

2007 reflects diversity of gaming consoles Jonathan Cashon STAFF WRITER perspicaciousguy@yahoo.com

Filled with high highs and low lows, 2007 was a crazy year for the video game industry. Controversy was present throughout the year and great games even more so. First-person shooters and casual games seemed to have dominated the market, while developers also brought innovation to another level. Also worth noting is that, according to a market research firm, the NPD Group, the United States video game industry is up by 50 percent and made around $18 billion, not including online subscriptions and casual games. Now let us continue with the biggest news stories of the last year.

The Electronic Entertainment Expo used to be a huge event in one building that showcased all the new video games and revealed games that would be released later. The idea was to shock and awe the audience.

However, in 2007 the newly renamed E3 Media and Business Summit took a bit of a detour. Targeted mostly toward people within the industry, the event did not live up to the lavishness of its predecessors. Spread out to various building in Santa Monica, E3 only revealed one big thing: that casual games are the next big thing for businesses.

This proved to be true as 2007 saw an explosion in the casual games market. From cell phones to the Xbox Live Arcade to the Playstation Network to, least surprising of all, the Wii, casual games dominated.

According to the Casual Games Association, the casual games market has grown at least 20 percent in the last year and managed to bring in $2.25 billion. This trend is likely going to increase as the Writer's Guild's strike brings more people away from boring reruns and into the glowing embrace of "Bejeweled."

Another trend of the last year was the introduction of multiple versions of video game systems. Microsoft got the year's bandwagon rolling with the release of the Xbox 360 Elite. The new system's only differences were a High-Definition Multimedia Interface slot, a black color scheme and a 120 gigabyte hard drive.

Later in the year, Microsoft released a “Halo 3”-themed 360 and an Arcade 360 that only featured a 256 megabyte memory card and five Xbox Live Arcade games (that are all casual titles). Along with releasing the Playstation Portable Slim, Sony jumped on the bandwagon, in a mind-boggling move, by halting production of its 20 and 60 gigabyte Playstation 3 stock, keeping units and instead introduced the inferior 40 and 80 gigabyte SKUs. The graphical capabilities are all the same, but the 40 does not fea-

ture backwards compatibility while the 80's backward compatibility is limited to only a few titles.

Nintendo did not release a new version of the Wii, but that is probably because they cannot seem to keep the current version on the shelves. 2007 saw a continuation of the ridiculous demand for the Nintendo Wii. The Wii is still in low supply.

The year's first big controversy began in July. Not surprisingly, it all revolved around developer Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take Two. It mostly began from attorney Jack Thompson's promise to have the sale of "Manhunt 2" banned. Looking to avoid further negative press after the Hot Coffee scandal of 2004, the Entertainment Software Rating Board gave "Manhunt 2" an Adults Only rating. This effectively sent a message to Rockstar, one that suggested censoring the game or having it banned. The game was censored, and in spite of its editing, still managed to cause a small bit of negative news, mostly in its reviews.

In other news, Bungie managed to yet again break records with the release of "Halo 3." "Halo 3" sold more than $170 million worth of copies, according to Microsoft. Eventually, Hollywood film executives would even blame "Halo 3" for the lack of movie ticket sales.

So, what were the other big games of 2007? Well, many critics are calling 2007 the best year as far as video games are concerned. The FPS genre seemed to tyrannize the year with high-quality releases such as the previously mentioned "Halo 3," "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare," "Crysis" and my personal favorite, "The Orange Box." Other great games of 2007 are "Super Mario Galaxy," "Crackdown," "God of War II," "Uncharted: Drake's Territory," the "Guitar Hero" games and "Rock Band."

Yes, 2007 was a great year, but what can we look forward to in 2008?

First, keep an eye out for Hilary Clinton and her gang of misfit parents.

Most likely she and others will continue to try to prosecute games for violence and sex, while ignoring the fact that both are prominently featured on network television. Okay, enough about politics.

Other things to look forward to are the Playstation 3's "Home," more downloadable titles on the Playstation Network, Xbox Live and the Wii's Virtual Console. Wii Ware is also expected to debut this year. Some games that I am looking forward to include "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots," "Super Smash Bros. Brawl," "No More Heroes," "God http://www.itreviews.co.uk of War: Chains of Olympus," the new "Mario Kart" for the Wii and "Brutal Legend." Here's to hoping we all have a happy new year!

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Feist brings Indie music to mainstream Amy McCoy STAFF WRITER amymccoy018@yahoo.com

"The Reminder" is Leslie Feist's third solo album, and the Canadian songstress delivers an album living up to its hype. Feist has quietly been an indie favorite for years, but with the release of "The Reminder" in 2007, the rest of the world finally took notice. This album quietly soaks into your consciousness, leaving an impression of time well spent.

Feist's lyrics may be ambiguous sometimes, but they are always intelligent and insightful.

Her melodic tunes meld with her hypnotic voice to produce an album that may not be perfect, but one that is innovative and engaging nevertheless. Along with playing instruments on most of the tracks, Feist wrote all the songs on this album, lending it a personal touch.

The album opens with the lovely, 1960s infused "So Sorry." This pleading and regretful tune is hard to resist. The second track, "I Feel It All," is an exceptional song with its upbeat, folksy tune. Feist also shows a little rocker edge with her confident delivery of the lyrics. One of the most original and irresistible tracks of the whole album is "My Moon, My Man." Its infectious beat is hypnotic, I dare you not to sing along, or at least sway to the beat. It is no surprise it was featured on a Verizon Wireless commercial for the LG Chocolate cell phone.

As much as I adore this album, it begins to drag in the middle with pretty-but-forgettable songs such as in "The Park" and "The Water." The chirping birds in the background of "The Park" are overdone and distracting, I wanted to look over my shoulder and yell at the birds to stop twittering. "The Water" has a nice melody, but it is so boring I guarantee it will be used in elevators. The tempo swings up with "Sealion," and its bizarre lyrics backed by a church choir. It conjures up an old spiritual, and whatever one's opinion of Feist, her taste for the eclectic cannot be denied. "Past In Present" delivers something fun and feisty, no pun intended.

Feist shows another aspect of her personality with this ditty, and it makes for great music.

"The Limit To Your Love" showcases Feist's ability to illustrate complete heartbreak through her vocals. Her beautifully melodic voice croons a song where soft accusations can be felt alongside the sadness of the lyrics."1234" may seem familiar to you since it was featured in a commercial for Apple’s iPod Nano. Its strange mix of nostalgic lyrics of teenage love lost and danceable banjo music make it standout. The next track, "Brandy Alexander," is a blend of the sweet and the wistful, just like the drink it is named for. "Intuition" is a bit more of the same, but its thoughtful lyrics such as "A destination known only by the one who's fate is overgrown" and "A love is not complete with only heat" save it from banality.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for "Honey Honey." The train whistle heard behind Feist's vocals are only part of the problem. Couple that with unoriginal lyrics, and you have a song that really has no place on this album. The Kings of Convenience's Erik Glambek Boe sings alongside Feist in part of "How My Heart Behaves." It is a shame that he is not featured more in this sometimes sappy, other times insightful song.

Feist's haunting voice, musical ability and her poetry like lyrics come together to make an album that hints at the greatness she possesses. Feist references water, sea and journeys quite

http://www.amazon.com

Leslie Feist’s third solo album, “The Reminder,” has brought more attention to the Indie music culture with her soft, poetic lyrics and upbeat rhythms. The CD is in stores now and available at http://amazon.com.

a bit in “The Reminder,” and a journey is an apt thing to describe this album. By turns brilliant and boring, one feels that Feist's immense talent will eventually lead her to whatever destination she chooses to go.

Radiohead’s ‘disc box’ is worth the wait Matt Flanagan OPINION EDITOR mlf302@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Back in October, Radiohead told the world they wanted to know how much their music meant to them. “The way we termed it was ‘our leak date,’” said singer/guitarist Thom Yorke in an interview with David Byrne of Wired magazine back in December. “Every record for the last four, including my solo record, has been leaked. So the idea was like, ‘we'll leak it, then.’”

As such, the band had created a pay-what-youwill price tag for their newest album, “In Rainbows,” allowing fans to spend as much as they wanted for the new record – whether it was $50, $500, or even $0. With every purchase came a code to download the new album in a MP3 format.

However, as an added option, fans willing to spend a hefty amount could buy the disc box edition of the album, released in December through the band’s Web site, http://www.inrainbows.com/, for approximately $82. This version of the album included a code for the download as well as copies of the album on both CD and vinyl, a separate disc including eight previously unreleased songs and a book of artwork by art director Stanley Donwood and Dr. Tchock (Thom Yorke’s artistic pseudonym).

Is it all worth $82?

I can say that, as a fan that has been exposed to the new material (my brother bought it, not me ... though I did give money to them through the orig-

inal download), I do find that I’d be willing to spend $82 for it.

The vinyl album comes much appreciated, since I’ve never personally listened to a vinyl record younger than myself. I know very little about the differences in sound quality between a vinyl record and a CD (or MP3 for that matter), though I know it does make a difference. Either way, the record would be greatly appreciated by any music lover, especially a fan of Radiohead.

I didn’t think the book of artwork was exactly essential. It would have sufficed if Radiohead had included files in .gif or .jpeg format, along with the download, but it was a nice added bonus. If you are an art lover, or at least a fan of Radiohead’s past artwork, you will be pleased when you gaze at the book: The front of the disc box depicts a fetus floating in space, seemingly an homage to the final scene of Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

Inside, you will find15 lucid pages of vibrant colors and shapes, representing every shade and pigment of the visible spectrum, in a style that such that Jackson Pollock would have wept for joy.

But, in the end, Radiohead is a band, and they mean to show their fans just that with their eight bonus songs.

Opening the new disc is a peculiar one-minute introduction song called “MK 1.” This song contains background music from “Videotape,” the last track on the first disc of “In Rainbows.” The familiarity of the keyboard and background vocals illusX

see RADIOHEAD, page 24

New year, new music Megan Reed STAFF WRITER mjr602@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

With every new year, there comes new music. And 2008 is going to be an amazing year of album releases by some new artists, but also by a lot of old artists. One of the most anticipated albums of 2008 is one that has been postponed three times. As most people know, The Cure was scheduled to release a new album in May 2007 but pushed the date back to October 2007; October came and went with no releases from The Cure. The new album is set to be released April or May 2008, and fans are more than ready to hear what this new album will contain and why it has taken so long to release.

Another anticipated album is Ringo Starr’s “Livepool 8” album, which is due to release February 2008. This will be Ringo Starr’s first album in 34 years. The former Beatle is going stronger than ever, and this album is expected to be a real treat to Ringo Starr fans.

Sheryl Crow is also set to release a follow up album to “Wildflower.”

It will be titled “Detours.” She claims that this album is very environmentally conscious, meaning

that she will be writing about current issues in the world today. If you want a taste of what is to come on Crow’s new album, her first single has been released on iTunes and is titled “Shine Over Babylon.”

The simple, though creative, Jack Johnson is set to release his fifth album in February 2008. This surfer and songwriter from Hawaii has been pleasing his fans since 2001’s release of “Brushfire Fairytales.” The new album, titled “Sleep Through the Static,” should be an impressive addition to anyone’s music library who enjoys the upbeat, happy songs that Jack Johnson always seems to produce.

Michael Jackson is among the older artists to be releasing an album in 2008. Jackson has been recording this album in Ireland and Las Vegas with collaborations from artists such as Will.i.am, NeYo, Akon and Kanye West. There is no set date for this album, but fans are ready to see what Jackson is going to come out with now.

The new year will also include albums by Lenny Kravitz, The Black Crows, Alan Jackson, Eminem, Madonna and more.

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GMAC Bowl 2008: Tulsa dom Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Bowling Green Falcons

63 7 John Kenny SPORTS EDITOR chevyracin382931@aol.com

Ashley Salley / Sports Photographer

Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith dives and falls short of the south endzone on Sunday night.

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane defeated Bowling Green State University on Sunday night in the 2008 GMAC Bowl by a score of 63-7 at Ladd Peebles Stadium. Bowling Green fumbled the ball four times in the first half, resulting in 28 unanswered points by Tulsa. Tulsa tacked on an additional seven points to close the first half of play 35-0.

“Turnovers, you can not turn the ball over four times in the first quarter against a great team like Tulsa,” commented Bowling Green head coach Gregg Brandon on the team’s turnovers. “We were out of it before we were in it.”

Though the Falcons were loose with the ball, sophomore quarterback Tyler Sheehan completed 14 of 19 passes for 141 yards.

Sheehan went down with 24 seconds remaining in the first half with an ankle sprain as he was sacked by Moton Hopkins.

Bowling Green’s lone score came with 12 minutes left to play as defensive back Roger Williams returned a kick for 78 yards.

Tulsa’s GMAC Bowl win was only part of the show, as the school set new NCAA records in multiple categories. Tulsa’s quarterback Paul Smith became the first quarterback in NCAA history to have 14 consecutive 300 yard passing games. Smith’s 312 yards of passing for the game helped wide receiver Charles Clay become the third receiver on the team to have 1000 yard receiving seasons, thus putting the 2007 Golden Hurricane offense as the first to have a quarterback with 5000 yards passing, a running back with 1000 yards rushing and three receivers with 1000 yards receiving.

“We are proud to be the number one offense in the country,” commented Tulsa head coach Todd Graham. “ Paul Smith ran a new offense. We were smart enough to design our schemes around the kids and talent we have, and it has been remarkable.”

Smith completed 27 of 45 passes for 312 yards and six total touchdowns. Smith struck first early with a 13-yard strike to Trae Johnson. Smith’s next connection was from 19 yards to running back Tarrion Adams. A 14-yard strike to Johnson was Smith’s third touchdown pass. Charles Clay was a favorite target for Smith as he caught 11 passes for 69 yards including a three yard pass at the begining of the fourth quarter. Smith’s final touchdown pass as a Golden Hurricane was

to A.J. Whitmore from six yards. Smith also made one score on the ground with a twoyard run in the third quarter.

Adams scored two more touchdowns with a 1-yard run and a four-yard pass to Kyle Grooms in the second quarter. Adams had 112 yards on 17 carries for Tulsa. Tulsa was in the red zone for a total of nine times, scoring on every appearance. BGSU was 03 in red zone success, including dropping the ball on their own three-yard line by Anthony Turner.

Tulsa’s offense was not the only side of the ball getting credit, “I am also really proud of our defense, we have done some great things defensively here and to go out there and shut out a team that puts up 32 points a game is absolutely incredible,” coach Graham added. “We wanted to take the issue to them because if you sit there, an offense like that will pick you apart.”

Coach Graham commented on the contraversial decision to leave the starters in and tally up the score, “Over 100 years of college football that is pretty important, we debated on it and realized we were only 11 yards short, I told the coach (Brandon) that I was not trying to run up the score, but that was something that was important to our kids.”

Paul Smith also spoke on Tulsa’s performance over the five year uprise of Tulsa.“I tried to not make predictions when I got here, but the sky was the limit,” commented Smith. “I felt, looking at the atheletes we had my true freshman year, it was amazing to have one more game,” Smith continued.

Tulsa’s 63-point tally also sets a record for the most points scored during this year’s bowl season. Tulsa ties a school record of 10 wins in one season with their fourth bowl appearance in the past five seasons. The Golden Hurricane end their season with a 10-4 (6-2) season record. Tulsa is now 1-0 in the GMAC Bowl, as this was their first trip to the port city.

Bowling Green ends their season with an 8-5 (6-2) record. Bowling Green is now 1-1 in the GMAC Bowl after defeating Memphis in 2004. After winning five straight GMAC Bowls, the Mid-American Conference has now lost two straight as Ohio lost to Southern Miss last year, and Tulsa defeated Bowling Green.

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minates Bowling Green 63 - 7 Tulsa Bowling Green 13 34 First Downs 34-46 39-238 Rushes- Yards 183 324 Passing Yards 20-27-0 29-47-0 Comp.- Att.- Int. 229 562 Total Offense 4-4 0-0 Fumbles- lost 10-221 2-46 Kickoff Returns- Yards 5-38.6 5-42.0 Punts- Average 4-37 3-25 Penalties- Yards 31:05 28:55 T.O.P 4 of 14 3rd Down Conversions 6 of 12 0 of 3 9 of 9 Red Zone Score- App. 7 63 Score

Key Players

Tarrion Adams

Team: Tulsa Position: Running Back Key Stats: 17 rushes for 112 yards two total touchdowns completed one touchdown pass for four yards

Tyler Sheehan

Team: Bowling Green Position: Quarterback Key Stats: completed 14 of 19 passes 141 passing yards left game in first half with ankle sprain

Paul Smith

Team: Tulsa Position: Quarter Back Key Stats: completed 27 of 45 passes six total touchdowns 312 passing yards

Ashley Salley / Sports Photographer

Tulsa receiver Trae Johnson plants one foot in bounds during the first quarter to put Tulsa up 14-0. The play was reviewed and confirmed. Johnson later caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Paul Smith.

Sports

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Vanguard

16

John Kenny & David Hopper Sports Editors vanguard@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

January 7, 2008

Jags top SBC standings T.R. Risner STAFF REPORTER wxman08@yahoo.com

The South Alabama Jaguars won eight straight games during the Christmas break - four of which were the Jag's first four conference games of the season. The Jags have grabbed national attention with wins over Mississippi State, Southern Miss and preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite Western Kentucky.

USA 75, USM 68 The Jaguars opened up the Christmas break with a 75-68 win over the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Dec. 5.

Dominic Tilford scored 22 points, while Daon Merritt led the team with 24. In the first period, South Alabama made 52.2 percent of their shots while holding Southern Miss to 33.3 percent. USA went into the locker rooms at halftime leading by eight points. The Golden Eagles started the second half off by cutting the deficit in half within the first two minutes. Bennett quickly found his shot from outside the arc to stop the Southern Miss rally. The Eagles kept pace with the Jags throughout most of the second half. In the final two minutes, the Jags increased the lead back out to double digits before Southern Miss fought back to

just a five-point deficit at the end.

Southern Miss kept the game close by dominating the Jags on the boards. South Alabama could only muster up 26 rebounds compared to the Golden Eagles' 42 boards.

Coach Ronnie Arrow said, “I think we did a good job boxing them out, but still have to go to work on the boards … Brandon [Davis] was good with 11 rebounds.”

USA 71, MSU 67 South Alabama welcomed Mississippi State to the Coors Classic at the Mitchell Center on Dec. 15, where the Jags went on to a 71-67 win. The game quickly turned into the “Demetric Bennett Show” as the Albany, Ga., native scored a career-high 39 points, including the first 20 points of the game for the Jags. Merritt added 14 points, while DeAndre Coleman added nine of his own. Mississippi State held a 13-point lead with just over 10 minutes left in the game when Merritt and Bennett took control of the game. The two seniors led an 18-1 run that gave the Jags a four point lead with just under four minutes left in the game. The Bulldogs fought back to tie the game at 67 with just 43 seconds left. Bennett missed his final shot from the field, but Ronald Douglas was there to tip it in to give the Jags the lead X

see BASKETBALL, page 17

Ashley Salley / Sports Photographer

Senior Demetric Bennett drives to the basket in USA’s monumental win over WKU on Saturday night.

Lady Jags continue to impress David Hopper SPORTS EDITOR dsh401@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

The South Alabama Lady Jaguars headed into the six-game stretch over Christmas break with much confidence and momentum after their impressive 8-1 start.

Coming off the heels of an exciting victory over Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on Dec. 4, the Lady Jags hosted Southern on Dec. 13. The Lady Jags defeated Southern 57-39 and were led by Patriece Brunner, who notched a double-double with a career-high 11 points and 11 rebounds. After shooting just 23.8 percent from the field in the first half, the Lady Jags cruised to victory by shooting a much improved 41.2 percent from the field in the second half.

USA 58, Troy 48 The Lady Jags opened conference play at the Mitchell Center on Dec. 19 with a 58-48 victory over Troy. Before the game, starting forward Ra'Shawna Sippio and guard Brittany Rochelle were declared academically ineligible for the rest of this season. The Lady Jags played tough defense in the win, limiting the Lady Trojans to 37.3 percent shooting while forcing 21 turnovers. The Lady Jags were led offensively by senior point guard Jeanette Tucker, who tallied 16 points.

Ashley Salley / Sports Photographer

Senior Patriece Brunner battles for the basket in USA’s 75-63 loss to the Lady Toppers of WKU on Sunday.

MTSU 80, USA 46 On Dec. 22, the Lady Jags were dealt their first loss in nearly a month as they fell at home 80-46 to preseason conference favorite Middle Tennessee. The loss to the Lady Blue Raiders snapped a six-game

winning streak. Middle Tennessee led by 20 at the half, and the Lady Jaguars were unable to cut into the large deficit. The Lady Jaguars committed a season-high 26 turnovers, which led to 26 Middle Tennessee points. “I thought we started the game exceptionally well,” said USA head coach Rick Pietri. “We haven't trailed many times this season, and tonight, I just didn't think we fought back the way I hoped we would have, and that was disappointing. This showed us that while I believe we are a good team, we still have a lot of work to do.”

UK 66, USA 56 The Lady Jags dropped their third game of the season when they lost 66-56 to Southeastern Conference opponent Kentucky on Dec. 30 in Mobile. Pietri said of the loss that USA was “miserable from both the free throw line and behind the arc.” The Lady Jags only made six of 26 treys taken and converted a mere 50 percent of their foul shots, going 10 of 20.

USA 72, FAU 62 The Lady Jaguars rebounded from two straight losses with a 72-62 road win over Florida Atlantic on Jan. 3. Five Lady Jags scored in double-figures with Shakira Nettles leading the way with 17 points.

“The fact that we were able to come in here and win this game and win it with so many of our players contributing positively is a good thing for us,” said Pietri. “We thought we pushed (FAU) away enough a few times in the second half, but every time we pushed them, they fought back. That's X

see WOMEN’S page 17

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January 7, 2008

Basketball X

from page 16

with just 22 second left. Bennett said, “We knew the press could get us back into the game … In the second half, my teammates really turned it up, and Daon Merritt sparked us.”

Bennett was named the National Player of the week by rivals.com for his 39- point game against Mississippi State, while he was the runner-up in Fox Sports' National Player of the Week voting.

USA 84, Troy 73 On Dec. 20, the Jags welcomed Troy University to the Mitchell Center to start Conference play. Bennett scored 26 points, Tilford had 18 and Coleman had 18 rebounds to get the 84-73 Sun Belt win. The game consisted of 20 lead changes while the teams tied seven times. Bennett hit a threepointer to give the Jags the last lead change.

The Jags ended the game with an 18-5 run, capped off by a couple of Tilford free throws.

USA 75, MTSU 61 Middle Tennessee came to the Mitchell Center on a historical Dec. 22 to face South Alabama. Jaguar guard Demetric Bennett scored 24 points, which made him the 13th player in South Alabama history to score 1,000 points in a career. The Jaguars won their second straight conference game by beating MTSU 75-61.

The Jags only trailed once during the game, but they could not pull away from the Blue Raiders. South Alabama went into the locker rooms with their biggest lead of the first half at 30-20, after a Bennett jumper.

Bennett came back on the floor in the second half lacking three points to reach 1,000 for his career. It only took three minutes and one second for Bennett to jump into the history books. The senior slammed in a dunk while being fouled. Bennett added the free throw to reach the historic mark as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. MTSU could only pull within nine points the rest of the game, before losing by 14.

“Daon [Merritt] and I have started

USA begins football coaching search Tiffany Griffin SPORTS REPORTER tlg501@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

The University of South Alabama has planned to have a coach named for the school’s first ever football team by February. USA has expressed interest in two former Conference USA coaches. Jeff Bower and Chris Scelfo.

Jeff Bower held the title of head coach at Southern Miss for 17 years until Nov. 26, 2007, when he resigned after the Papajohns.com Bowl which was played on Dec. 22, 2007 in Birmingham, Al. During his reign, the Golden Eagles held to a consecutive streak of fourteen straight winning seasons, which was the 5th longest streak in NCAA history.

B o w e r ' s Southern Miss teams have been to bowl games 10 of the last 11 seasons, including two wins in the GMAC Bowl.

Bower was 119-82-1 as the school's head coach. His most successful year of upsets came in 2000 when the Golden Eagles beat Alabama, Oklahoma State and TCU. Bower led the Golden Eagles to three Conference USA championships and one shared league title. He was named the conference's coach of the decade in 2004 and The

Vanguard

was coach of the year in 1997, 1999 and 2003.

Chris Scelfo was the head coach of Tulane for eight consecutive seasons.

Tulane went 4-8 during the 2006 season.

The 2005 season was challenging for Scelfo due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which forced the team to travel throughout the season, playing 11 games in 11 different cities, while finishing with a 2-9 record.

Scelfo's overall record was 37-57 with only one postseason bowl that resulted in a 36-28 victory over Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl during the 2002 season. Tulane went 7-5 that season.

Tulane's only other winning season under Scelfo occurred 2000, when the team went 6-5. While he coached at Tulane, Scelfo sent nine Green Wave players to the National Football League, including first-round draft picks Patrick Ramsey (2002) and J.P. Losman (2004).

The third name to pop up is Woody McCorvey, offensive coordinater of Mississippi State.

South Alabama will not field a team until 2009, being Bowl Sub-Division, Sun Belt Conference eligable by 2013.

gelling this year, but most of my teammates have been looking for me the past few games,” Bennett commented after the game. “Tonight I simply let the game come to me.”

USA 70, JU 57 The Jaguars defeated Jacksonville University 70-57 on Dec. 29 at the Mitchell Center. USA went into the game looking for its 10 win of the season, but they found the Dolphins prepared to upset the Jags.

South Alabama fell behind the Dolphins 7-0 to start the game. The Jags were not ready to lose at home as USA answered right back by outscoring Jacksonville 41-17 to end the first half.

Davis was the best Jag of the night with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks.

Coach Arrow said, “On the positive side, Brandon Davis played hard and nearly got a triple-double, and we won the game.”

Merritt added 13 points and Bennett scored 12 in the non-conference victory that made this year's team the first in school history to have 10 wins before New Year's Day.

Women’s X

from page 16

a credit to (FAU), but it's also a credit to our kids that we kept pushing them away and finished the game.”

WKU 75, USA 63 The Jaguars dropped another conference game against Western Kentucky, 7563, Sunday afternoon at the Mitchell Center. South Alabama had the advantage at half at 30-24, but the Hilltoppers charged ahead in the second half behind a scorching 62.5 percent shooting. “When you play a high quality team like Western Kentucky, and you're a team that is trying

Women’s SBC Standings

USA 66, FAU 55 On Jan. 2, the Jags traveled to Boca Raton, Fla., and defeated SBC foe Florida Atlantic 66-55. Tilford led the Jaguars with 20 points, 16 of which were scored in the last eight minutes of the game. The game remained close throughout its entirety, but South Alabama pulled away at the end with a 17-5 run near the end.

South Alabama ended the Christmas break with a 65-61 victory over Western Kentucky on Saturday, Jan. 5 in the Mitchell Center. Bennett led the Jags with 17 points, while the defense held WKU to 37.5 percent shooting from the floor. The game was close throughout the night as a crowd of over 6,500 witnessed Daon Merritt lead the Jags into the Sun Belt Conference lead.

The Jags will take their 12-3 record to New Orleans on Saturday, Jan. 12 to face Sun Belt Conference foe New Orleans at 7 p.m.

to prove yourself like our team is, you have to play virtually error free basketball for a long period,” Pietri said. “I thought we did that for about 25 minutes, but that's not 40. When you don't execute like you are supposed to over the full course of the game against a quality team, you're not going to win. That 15-minute stretch really cost us tonight.”

After the loss the Western Kentucky, the Lady Jaguars record stands at 11-4 overall and 2-2 in SBC play. Next up, the Lady Jaguars will travel to the Big Easy to take on New Orleans at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 12.

Men’s SBC Standings East Division

East Division Western Kentucky

10-5

(3-0)

South Alabama

12-3

(4-0)

Middle Tennessee

8-7

(3-1)

Western Kentucky

10-5

(2-1)

South Alabama

11-4

(2-2)

Troy

8-6

(1-2)

Troy

8-6

(1-2)

Middle Tennessee

5-9

(2-2)

Florida Int’l

5-9

(1-2)

Florida Int’l

4-9

(1-2)

Florida Atlantic

4-8

(0-3)

Florida Atlantic

4-11

(0-4)

West Division

West Division Louisiana-Monroe

9-4

(2-0)

New Orleans

11-4

(1-2)

Arkansas State

8-7

(3-1)

UALR

10-4

(2-1)

New Orleans

8-6

(2-1)

North Texas

9-4

(0-2)

7-7

(4-0)

North Texas

6-8

(1-1)

Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Lafayette

5-9

(1-2)

Arkansas State

7-7

(2-2)

UALR

5-9

(1-2)

Denver

6-8

(2-1)

Denver

4-9

(0-3)

Louisiana-Monroe

6-8

(0-2)

David Hopper

John Kenny

Susan Pruitt

Matt Weaver

Jason Shepard

T.R. Risner

(4-0)

(4-0)

(3-1)

(2-2)

(3-1)

(2-2)

LSU

Ohio State

LSU

LSU

Ohio State

LSU

Pick ‘Em Last Week Ohio State vs. LSU

Opinion

The

Vanguard

18

Opinion Editor

pufferfishx@gmail.com

January 7, 2008

OUR VIEW The Vanguard’s 2008 wish list

A

Matt Flanagan

FTER AN AMAZING year for the University of South Alabama in 2007, we expect the University to carry over this momentum and continue to grow and improve in 2008. As part of The University's growth and improvement, The Vanguard has put together a wish list for things it would like to see happen in 2008.

Continued expansion and improvement of quality of our graduate programs. We understand that there is always going to be a little give and take between accessibility and the level of educational rigor. We understand that accessibility is a key component of the University of South Alabama's mission statement. Accessibility not only includes keeping tuition rates as low as possible, but also opening doors for students that might not make it at more rigorous universities. The University must be commended for striking a reasonable balance between accessibility and rigor, especially at the undergraduate level.

But at the graduate level, we lack the breadth and quality that our instate “peers” offer. We do have a couple niches of excellence at the graduate level, but overall our graduate program is wanting. Specifically, we would like to see more research-orientated master's level programs that will allow our graduates to be competitive in their quest to move on to major research-oriented Ph.D. programs. A couple additions to our Ph.D. offerings would also be nice, but only if they were rigorous enough to produce scholars that could be competitive in their market of interest.

More competitive graduate aid. This wish may be more related to the previous point than most realize. If we want to attract the best students - the one's who thirst for rigor and excellence in their education - we have to be able to offer competitive aid packages. And frankly speaking, our graduate assistantship packages are comparatively weak, even after adjusting for the low cost of living in Mobile. At the very least, our grad school could offer additional fellowships to the most promising students, instead of increasing assistantships across the board.

However, it must be noted that many quality graduate schools offer both larger assistantships and offer additional support to their most promising students. We also realize that for many schools, the schools' foundations provide a key source of revenue for graduate funding.

Hopefully this year, our foundation will decide to open up more money to the University with the expressed intent of improving our graduate funding opportunities.

On-campus childcare. Many universities across the nation already have on-campus childcare facilities.

With our larger proportion of students with families than most other universities, it only makes sense that we would be included among the universities with on-campus childcare facilities, but we are not.

These facilities not only provide a convenient, low-cost childcare option for our families, but at many universities, these facilities serve as a training ground for students that work in fields related to young children, including early childhood education, childhood development, childhood speech pathology, etc. Additionally, funding for on-campus childcare facilities is available through competitive federal and state grants.

A good start for our football program. Although USA will not play its first game until 2009, a lot of important work lays immediately ahead. Finding a coach with the drive and ability to build a program from scratch is immensely important to the success of the program. Three names have thus far came up in various media reports: former Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower, former Tulane coach Chris Scelfo and Mississippi State offensive coordinator Woody McCorvey.

Recruiting will also begin within a short time. With the wealth of talent along the Gulf Coast, the University finds itself in the middle of a recruiting haven. Our football program cannot afford to miss out on any opportunities to attract local talent, along with talent from across the country. It is important that the University is able to recruit the best and the brightest. A good coach and a solid recruiting class will go a long way to getting our program off to a good start.

Your opinion matters.

Write a letter to the editor.

The

Vanguard

No interest in ‘special interests’ Remember five years ago, when the term “swift joined forces with these vets in order to fund his boat” merely defined the military vessel used by own floundering presidential campaign American troops in Vietnam? Remember how, a (Personally, I don’t find it improbable that we’ll year later -- during the swarm of attack ads that hear the term “flip-flopper” come back to describe usually come with each election year, funded by him in this context). some “special interest” groups whose only real While I’m not much of a big Republican Party interest in the campaign is to further “their” plat- fan (or most other parties spelled with a capital P), form(s) -- the definition of such a seemingly harm- I liked McCain when he seemed to be the only less object changed to define a group of Vietnam Republican willing to speak against Bush’s buddies veterans who had allegedly become disenchanted on issues that bothered me, rather than sucking at with John Kerry using his military record as a the proverbial “power teat” the way the rest of the means of garnering votes?

Republican candidates seemed Sounds like a lot of change to. He was like the breath of fresh for one year, right? air amongst the yes-men.

Well, in a completely selfBut his sudden fall into followMatt Flanagan precedented move, the Swift ing the same trend the Bush camBoat Veterans for Truth have paign followed -- that of receivOpinion Editor turned their sights once more ing financial contributions from onto the political process, funspecial interest groups like the neling thousands of dollars Swift Boat Vets -- is a dangerous into the race to fund candiand rather scary one to me. dates who will serve their cause.

The danger involved in this trend of special John McCain is, sadly, one of them. interest groups setting the political agenda is that McCain, according to reports by journalists at - especially with “attack politics” being the mouthThe Nation magazine, was the lone Republican piece by which all politics is presented to the pubcandidate joining the fight against these vets’ lic -- it creates an ugly, pessimistic image of the attack ads, calling them “dishonest and dishonor- politicians involved in elections and distorts them able” and “cheap stunts.” And why wouldn’t he? to become what the groups “want” the public to He fought alongside Kerry in Vietnam and see instead of simply what they truly represent. thought very highly of him. To hear these men Perhaps this explains why there’s so much apacome out with cheap shots at his service record thy toward voting in young people. If special interseemed too much for him to bear. est groups played less of a role, they might think of Evidently though, Aphra Behn was right in say- the president and Congress as the positions of ing “money speaks sense in a language all nations power they are, and not merely advertisements for understand.” In an unprecedented move, McCain special interest groups.

Take a stand against apathy, students!

As the election process rolls on, certain things actually stood up and made their voices heard, have become very apparent to me. The average politicians of all parties would have to start paycollege student can tell you more about what ing more attention to issues of concern to us, the party is going on around campus than they can college. We the students could become a focus, a about the issues facing them and the world. political force.

College students are supposed to be the leaders History has shown that vocal, organized, motiand scholars of tomorrow. College students are vated students can play a huge part in politics. For paying thousands of dollars, through one means example, in the 60s and 70s, some students risked or another, to be educated. They are supposed to their health and reputation to fight for social causbe the future doctors, lawyers and senators, and es. I believe students can be the most energetic yet many don't even know what a caucus is or how and motivated supporters you can acquire if you it works; neither can they tell you what the can get them back interested in voting and makElectoral College is or how it ing their voices heard. works.

College students need to We should be working to E. Karlos Roberts learn they do not just have the better ourselves. We need to power to change issues and learn what we came here for Contributing Writer social concerns but the country and become more educated itself. These are the intelligent, about the world around us. logical and educated people. So Armed with knowledge, who better to debate and fight maybe you, the college stufor issues? We have the power dents, can be the people that someday may to make a difference. There are issues that influchange the world, making it a better place. ence our economy (wages, jobs, student loans and Cool went out in high school; we are here in grants, gas prices, etc.) that affect crime. Whether college for significance and to better society. We you support the fight in Iraq or want the troops to have more people who know more about Greek come home, make your voice heard. We, the organizations and clubs than their own political younger generation, have the power to take process. There are more important issues out actions into our hands just by making a simple there that affect us all, such as tuition prices, loan vote. Don't gripe! Take action, and speak out! interest, school funding, gas prices, pay wages, Students need to register to vote; they need to social issues, health care, families fighting in Iraq, find the candidate that supports their issues and the support of the troops, the environment and push for them. Then that's when we will start to taxes. receive more attention and draw more respect These are issues complained about on a daily from politicians. That time is now. basis, yet no one wants to get involved.

I want the college students to know how much they matter in this country. If college students

19

The

Vanguard

January 7, 2008

POINT COUNTERPOINT Are New Year’s resolutions a good idea?

Resolutions are worthwhile endeavors

Hannah Skewes SENIOR REPORTER hks502@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Over the past few years, the cultural phenomenon of New Year's resolutions seem to be dwindling in popularity.

According to a Welch Media Article called " New Statistics: New Year's Resolution Usage Plummets from 88 percent to 45 percent - Are New Year’s Resolutions A Thing of the Past?" by Jeff Barge, people who actually make New Year’s resolutions have downsized in quantity by about 50 percent. This is based on a survey of a strange number of 1,012 United States citizens.

It would seem as though the population is becoming disenchanted with the notion that the first day of every year brings some sort of motivation-instilling magic to every person who wishes to utilize it. Maybe that is because people don't usually stick to their planned routines that they promise themselves every year.

According to the survey illustrated in the article, only 8 percent of Americans actually continue to stay true to their resolutions every New Year. The phenomenon seems to decrease with age as well, with 57 percent of Americans ages 18-24 continuing the tradition and only 32 percent of people over 54 who plan to set these types of goals.

Using New Year’s as an excuse to start over, although historically ineffective, might not be such a bad idea if people could actually find the ambition to stick to their turn-of-the-year intentions.

Most people make New Year’s resolutions based on losing weight or getting in shape, pertaining to their wallet or quitting a bad habit such as smoking. While these types of self-promises are great and

Resolutions can only deceive the mind

everything, maybe people should just try Amber-Marie Isenburg to better themselves on the whole or just STAFF WRITER sumowrestlersarehot@gmail.com enjoying the time they have free, maybe to spend more time with the kids when “I will quit smoking. I will lose 15 they get off work or to enjoy a meal with pounds. I will eat healthier. I will get a job. a loved one instead of scarfing down a I will change my attitude. I will make betburger from a fast food chain after a day ter grades. I will eat less.” at the office.

I will.

Making a resolution to keep a promise I will. to a daughter or to make one last road I will. trip before school is over I am already getting once and for all seems sick of the “I will’s,” and like it might be more now that New Year’s is a fulfilling. The point of week gone, I am already making these kinds of hearing the infamous “I promises to oneself on cant’s.”

New Year’s is to make While it is nice to set life better and to have new goals for the new something to look foryear, for the most part, ward to as the year people are merely setplows on past January. ting themselves up for So a chance to rework failure. People start setthe traditional resoluting unrealistic goals tion-making process that their bodies are not into something more ready for. worthwhile might be the This goes especially new chance that disenfor the “I will quit smokfranchised 55 percent of ing” resolution, which, I http://images.jupiterimages.com/ might add, is the resoluAmericans might be missing out on.

Ritually making a New Year’s resolution at tion that everyone I perSo instead of thinking the beginning of each year has both posi- sonally work with has that you’ll never get out tive and negative potential for everyone. decided to pursue this of Dodge because you year, and in some starkly won’t be receiving ironic way, this very fact enough leave until 2010; or that you may actually result in my picking up the won’t soon go back to college because you habit. have little time and money to spend on a A lot of resolutions pertain to physical degree; or even take more walks in the aspects of the body. And a lot of people park because of your busy lifestyle - find who make these resolutions are not menthe time to commit to a healthy change in tally ready for such a change. Two examhabits. ples of the most resolute resolutions are Take a chance and make that New smoking and weight loss.

Year’s resolution a good one.

People who want to drop smoking cold

turkey in one day are not mentally prepared to give up such an addiction.

Overweight or obese people who want to drop many pounds usually try to drop the weight fast, too fast. Both of these prime examples have bad outcomes that lead to unhealthier lives.

Those who resolve to quit smoking end up stressing themselves out so much that they pick the habit up and in the new beginning of this habit smoke more than they would on a regular basis.

Unfortunately the results of a weight loser’s bad resolution can result in more weight gain.

Smaller resolutions that do not affect mental addictions, such as making better grades or attitude/personality changes are resolutions and goals that should be set year round! Not merely at the beginning of a new year. When you hear the words “well, that’s my New Year’s resolution: I’ll quit/work harder then” you know that you will never see change from that person.

And while I understand and accept that some people are physically able to accomplish these goals cold turkey, it is important to remember that these freaks of nature are really the exception to the rule, not the source of the rule itself. Their achievements, though admirable, stem from a physical disposition to react in certain ways under certain stimuli, enabling them to be more adept at such drastic changes than the commoner.

So in a wrap up, harder to accomplish goals, such as smoking or weight loss, need to be done in a slow process, preferably with help from a doctor. Smaller, easy-toaccomplish goals should be implemented year-round. Thus, the need for a resolution at the beginning of a year is null.

Congressional probe continues for televangelists’ funding Angela Langster STAFF WRITER asl662002@yahoo.com

The concept of giving is often said to be a selfless and selfish manner that a person can do for others - selfless because the person is making someone else feel good and selfish because after the giving, he or she feels good about him or herself Thus the person giving also receives a substantial feeling of self-satisfaction from an otherwise selfless act.

The ethics behind giving, however, apply to all gifts, including those financial gifts made to charity organizations to further their particular mission.

Since November, six prominent televangelists have been under a Congressional investigation for their spending habits with money received by people giving to their ministries. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, a ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent letters to televangelists Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Creflo and Taffi Dollar, Eddie Long, Benny Hinn, Davi and Joyce Meyer, and Randy and Paula White requesting information on expenses varying from credit card statements, lists of all vehicles, domestic and/or overseas bank accounts and many more, which were all due by Dec. 6.

According to Grassley, the investigation stems from complaints from the public and news coverage regarding monetary practices at the six ministries and whether they are

abusing their status as being tax-exempt since they are churches to the live extravagant lifestyles. Some of examples of the accusations of these lavish lifestyles that are being led by the televangelists include a purchase of a $23,000 marbled topped toilet for the Joyce Meyer Ministries Headquarters, alleged cosmetic surgery charged on credit cards for Randy and Paula White, a pair of Rolls Royce’s for Creflo and Taffi Dollar apparently purchased by members of their church, and a $2 million dollar 40th anniversary in the ministry gift from various ministers to Kenneth and Gloria Copeland.

The response from individuals when the news of this investigation first arose was very livid and vocal from people giving their interpretations of Bible verses to justify why these televangelists are already guilty of misuse of finances.

Also, they basically stated that these people are on a path to hell. Let’s note here that these ministries have contributed to some charitable good whether it may be in their hometowns or on the international front using the finances, which are donated from their partners. Speaking of partners, these televangelists that are being investigated are mostly known for their teaching of the prosperity gospel which promises believers that if they sow a seed into a ministry (meaning “giving money” in this context), blessing in material form will come to them.

Often highly criticized for asking believers to give their

last dollars, the investigation is looking into whether this money is being used to live lavish lifestyles. This is easily understood because one does not want to be taken advantage of and find out that his or her money is being spent furthering such a hypocritical pursuit. Also most people like nice things and want to be surrounded by such, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with desiring that. But since this has to do with giving on religious terms, it takes on a whole other level due to accusations of abuse on the concept of giving.

On a personal note I would like to have been a fly on the wall that meeting on just who makes that decision to give a minister a luxury car or a toilet that costs more than some years’ tuition.

Anyway, until the investigation is over with, people should not be so quick to judge or give a final verdict because after all this is America and they are still innocent until proven guilty, even if what they are doing or not doing seems outlandish. If these accusations are proven true, then reform is going have to start among these mega churches. Also for the people that are giving their money to these ministries they have to be careful because there are various ways of interpreting the Bible, and the right path to salvation is not the same for every one person including the concept of giving.

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Palestinians and Kurds: A Brief Comparison Palestinians Similarities

Dr. Mir Zohair Husain SPECIAL TO THE VANGUARD zhusain@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Kurds

• The overwhelming majority of Palestinians and Kurds are Muslims and belong to the majority Sunni sect of Islam.

• Both groups have been victims of discrimination and oppression. The Palestinians believe their homeland of Palestine, where they had lived for centuries, was given by the Western Powers (and the Soviet Union) to the Jews who came from all over the world and established the Jewish state of Israel. The Kurds believe their homeland was taken away from them by the Turks, Iraqis, and Iranians.

• Both nationality groups have no independent and sovereign state.

• The majority in both groups have been struggling non-violently to realize their goal of an independent and sovereign state, while a minority of Palestinians and Kurds have resorted to guerrilla warfare and terrorism.

• Both groups have engaged in guerrilla warfare and, at times, even terrorism against their oppressors; the Palestinians against the Jewish State and the Kurds against the Turkish, Iraqi and Iranian regimes.

• Both peoples have several guerrilla organizations representing them. This has caused internal disunity in both groups and undermined their realization of independent states.

• The overwhelming majority of Palestinians and Kurds are Muslims and belong to the majority Sunni sect of Islam.

• Both groups have been victims of discrimination and oppression. The Palestinians believe their homeland of Palestine, where they had lived for centuries, was given by the Western Powers (and the Soviet Union) to the Jews who came from all over the world and established the Jewish state of Israel. The Kurds believe their homeland was taken away from them by the Turks, Iraqis and Iranians.

• Both nationality groups have no independent and sovereign state.

• The majority in both groups have been struggling non-violently to realize their goal of an independent and sovereign state, while a minority of Palestinians and Kurds have resorted to guerrilla warfare and terrorism.

• Both groups have engaged in guerrilla warfare and, at times, even terrorism against their oppressors; the Palestinians against the Jewish State and the Kurds against the Turkish, Iraqi and Iranian regimes.

• Both peoples have several guerrilla organizations representing them. This has caused internal disunity in both groups and undermined their realization of independent states.

Identify themselves as Arabs, and thus Semites; they speak, read and write Arabic, which is a Semitic language

Are non-Arabs and non-Semites; they are proud to belong to the Kurdish nation that has its own spoken and written language with several Kurdish dialects.

The majority lives in low-lying villages, deserts, towns, or cities in Israel or in the Israeli-controlled West Bank and Gaza. The second largest concentration of Palestinians is in Jordan.

The overwhelming majority lives in mountainous areas of Southern Turkey, as well as Northern Iraq and Northern Iran.

The geographical areas where Palestinians live are generally warm, and some of these areas become very hot during the summers.

The regions where most Kurds live become very cold during winter time.

Have a small, though significant, Christian minority that has represented them politically, diplomatically and, in some cases, even in guerrilla activity.

A Christian minority does not exist among the Kurds.

Differences Ethnic Identity Geographic Location Regional Climate Christian Minority Oppressors

Have been primarily discriminated and oppressed by their coreligionHave been primarily discriminated and oppressed by Jewish Israelis and some by their coreligionists when they settled in Muslim countries ists (fellow Muslims). outside their homeland in Muslim countries.

Education

A significant number of Palestinians are educated and are middle class professionals in many Middle Eastern countries, Europe, the U.S. and Canada.

A relatively small number of Kurds are educated, and relatively fewer are in the professional class.

Publicity of their Cause

• Their cause has received much publicity in the global mass media because Israel is their enemy and is opposed by most Muslim countries.

• They have an intellectual class that publicized their plight and lobbied in many Muslim countries, and lately even in the nonMuslim world.

Their cause has received little publicity in the global mass media because their adversaries are the influential Muslim governments of Turkey, Iraq and Iran. The 22-member Arab League and the 57member Organization of the Islamic Conference (Islamic bloc) does not want to alienate the three aforementioned governments..

Observer Status in the United Nations (U.N.).

Have Observer Status in the U.N.

Do not have Observer Status in the U.N.

The majority now belong to Islamist organizations that are made up of revolutionary and progressive Islamists (Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Islamic Jihad)

Only a tiny minority of them belong to Islamist organizations; no significant Islamist group has developed until now to challenge the predominantly secular nationalist organizations.

Are closer to their goal of an independent Palestinian state because most Muslims support their cause and have been trying to influence Western Powers to create an independent Palestinian state since Israel’s creation in 1948.

Iraqi Kurds have gained significant influence in post-Saddam Iraq.

However, because there is no consensus or pressure from the Muslim world, an independent Kurdistan is a distant dream.

Islamist Organizations Realization of an Independent Sate

22 Strada X

from page 4

will also be given to establishing residency training programs in emergency medicine, child and adolescent psychiatry and expanding our pulmonary fellowship program to include critical care medicine.”

Strada received his bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in pharmacy and pharmacology and his doctorate in pharmacology from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He completed his post-doctoral training in neuropharmacology at the National Institutes of Mental Health in Washington, D.C. “I’m most excited to work with each of our chairs of the departments of basic science and clinical medicine and continue strong working relationships between the College of Medicine administration and the vice-president of health sciences and vice-president of the health system,” Dr. Strada said.

The USA College of Medicine has awarded more than 1,800 doctorate of medicine degrees and now consists of more than 200 full-time faculty affiliated with the school.

Funding X

from page 6

Hurricane Monitoring and Prediction Program was changed to $611,000. This program seeks to acquire the ability to predict the intensity and potential damage of hurricanes that affect the Gulf Coast. The program will help prepare the public for future natural disasters by studying land-falling hurricanes. “This research will provide coastal communities a better picture of what to expect from tropical events so that they can be better prepared for these natural hazards,” Senator Shelby said.

The additional $300,000 for the USA Meteorology Department’s monitoring equipment was reduced to $258,500.

The funding will allow the USA Meteorology Department to place monitoring equipment along the Gulf Coast to provide a more detailed and complete understanding of the impact of the

The

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an instrument or sing, they should contact the ensemble directors for more information about participating.”

The ensemble choices for a musician at USA are plentiful: university chorale, choir, opera theatre, symphony band, jazz ensemble, percussion ensemble, flute choir, guitar ensemble, piano ensemble, brass ensembles and a few others. There is also pep band, the group that plays at all men’s basketball games at USA. The music department also has two music service fraternities at USA: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia for men and Sigma Alpha Iota for women. These fraternities welcome both music majors and non-music majors alike.

Next spring will be an exhilarating and lively semester at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. Students are encouraged to be a part of all that USA’s outstanding fine arts departments have to offer.

For more information on upcoming events, call the dramatic arts department at (251) 460-6305, or call the music department at (251) 460-6136.

various factors inside a hurricane.

The bill will also provide the Gulf Coast Exploreum with $235,000 to teach K-12 students more about science and technology.

The bill added $250,000 that will help fund the USA Mitchell College of Business Library and Career Center. The money would be used for the college’s new library, reading room and career resource office. USA has already raised $1.4 million in private donations for the new project.

The bill is part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 and will have to make its way through the House of Representatives before making a second trip through the Senate.

“The bill strikes an important balance between the competing priorities of law enforcement, terrorism, research and strengthening U.S. competitiveness through investment in science,” Senator Shelby said.

January 7, 2008

Hanks X

from page 3

families and intergenerational “service-learning.”

Hanks received her Bachelor of Arts degree from David Lipscomb College, a Master of Arts degree in clinical psychology at George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University and a doctorate degree in family studies with an emphasis on gerontology from the University of Delaware. She has authored six books and 18 articles and book chapters. Her book, “Connecting the Generations: Grandparenting for the New Millennium,” has been the basis for a series of nationally conducted seminars.

Hanks will replace Dr. Steven Picou who has served as the chair of the department for 20 years of work. Picou will continue to serve as a member of the faculty, even though his term as chair has ended.

Robinwood Apartments Casual, Convenient and a Cozy Place to Call Home •Affordable One Bedroom Apartments •Walking Distance to USA Campus •Now Offering Semester Leases

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trates that this song is meant to serve as a transition between the two discs. As it slowly fades, the new material begins.

“Down is the New Up” quickly begins with a slow piano/keyboard melody, with strings eventually filling in the space between the instruments. Thom Yorke’s beautiful vocals interrupt this introduction with stunningly bleak lyrics depicting the end of reason: “I shall now perform an Orwellian flip-flop/I shall now amputate, I shall now contort/Because down is the new up.”

The next song, “Go Slowly,” eerily recalls Radiohead from their “Kid A” days. Sad, somber whole notes in both vocal and piano parts move the listener while the acoustic guitar serves as a back up.

The fourth track, “MK 2,” serves as a “re-introduction” of sorts.

Using a slow, multi-layered, keyboard-based melody, this song reminds me of an old Miles Davis song (I think “Little Church”). It’s less than a minute long.

The fifth track, “Last Flowers,” is another one that the band’s been playing live for years. Originally titled “Last Flowers ‘til the

January 7, 2008 Hospital,” it begins with a soft piano melody, and Thom’s melancholy voice begging for relief from an unknown terror. “It’s too much/too bright/too powerful” is all the listener is directly told.

“Up on the Ladder” follows, using a driving guitar riff that recalls “I Might be Wrong” from Radiohead’s 2001 album “Amnesiac,” while the sad lyrics sound more like something from “The Bends.”

Following that song is a faster-paced, grinding guitar number called “Bangers + Mash.” The guitar riff in this song, along with that of “Bodysnatchers” from the first disc of “In Rainbows,” serve as a screaming reminder that no matter how somber or melancholy Radiohead can become, they are a rock band first and foremost.

Finally, concluding in a much different way than its previous disc, the second disc of “In Rainbows” ends somewhat ambiguously with a song called “4 Minute Warning.” Weak guitar/tambourines play along with Thom’s a capella lyrics declaring “This is just a nightmare/Soon I’m gonna wake up.” He paints another melancholy picture with this foreboding ending line: “This is a warning/4 minute warning.” We are left to wonder what he means, but the sound cuts off right at the four-minute mark, leaving only eight seconds of eerie silence.

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Football X

from page 1

2008.

Other sources of revenue will come in the form of ticket sales, travel guarantees, alumni donations and support from the city and county.

The city has expressed a willingness to provide rent-free use of Ladd-Peebles Stadium for five years, according to Mobile City Council President Reggie Copeland.

"Ladd Stadium will be home to the USA Jaguars," Copeland said. "The GMAC Bowl and the Senior Bowl will have to take a backseat to USA Football."

"Jags’ football has my undying support," added Copeland.

Moulton based his decision to recommend NCAA Football mainly on the basis of student life and alumni support.

Student leaders presented President Moulton with a petition on Nov. 10 during

Katrina X

from page 3

munity by making plans for staffing and volunteers, insuring the adequate amount of medications and supplies and prepare a detailed plan to sort and distribute incoming supplies and medications. Communities could help by supporting electronic medical records and gaining a large group of volunteers.

A grant of $50,000 funded from the Morehouse School of Medicine Regional Coordinating Center for Hurricane Response was funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health.

Vanguard the halftime show at the men's basketball game versus the University of West Florida.

The petition contained more than 2,300 student signatures in support of raising fees in order to develop an NCAA Football program and marching band.

The addition of NCAA Football and a marching band is expected to have a major impact on the University's music department, and the fine arts in general, according to Moulton.

The Alumni Association voted unanimously in support of football, pledging $50,000 to the University.

At the board of trustees meeting, Alumni Association President Andy Denny surprised President Moulton with the presentation of a "loaner" gift, an Indianapolis Colts championship ring belonging to Peyton Manning.

As Denny slid the ring onto Moulton's finger, he said, "Today you are a champion."

Dr. Errol Crook is the co-investigator in the study and chairman of the department of medicine at USB College of Medicine.

Crook said the major problems include inadequate pre-storm preparation; lack/loss of medical and prescription medication records; insufficient patient knowledge of their chronic disease medications; regulatory, financial and insurance barriers to medication purchase; inadequate and/or insufficient medication supplies; and lack of an effective structure to coordinate internal and external operations and support.

The USB Center of Healthy Communities hopes that in the next possible natural disaster, the Gulf Coast will be a little more prepared with our patients in need.

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The Vanguard is Now Hiring The Vanguard is currently looking for talented writers and reporters for most sections.

Qualifications: All students regardless of major or year are encouraged to apply. Students must possess strong writing skills, strong communication skills and must be reliable. Knowledge of AP style a plus.

The Vanguard offers a unique opportunity to build your resume, meet new people and have fun, all while receiving compensation for your work!

If interested in working for The Vanguard, please send a writing sample suitable for publication to jss310@jaguar1.usouthal.edu. Include a cover page with your contact info, major and year. Also notate which sections you are most interested in writing for.

Some writing sample tips: Suggested length should be 400 to 600 words.

If you know AP style, follow it! Attention to detail and thoroughness in a concise format scores big points. Please proof read for grammar and factual accuracy.

January 7, 2008

CAMPUS

IN BRIEF Student parking permits available Student parking permits will be issued from the Student Center room 212 beginning Jan. 4 at 9 a.m. Parking permits will be issued to those students who were not registered for classes in the fall 2007 semester. All students must have a copy of their spring 2008 class schedule, a valid student ID and vehicle information including correct vehicle license tag.

Returning students will continue to use their current permit they received during the fall 2007 semester unless they live off campus and need to change parking zones. The schedule is as follows: January 4 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

January 7 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

January 8 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

January 9 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

January 10 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

January 11 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Students living off campus will choose a parking zone that is most convenient to their classes and activities. Students living on campus (except Gamma residents who will be issued a Central permit) will receive a housing parking permit.

Grove residents will not receive a parking permit from Parking Services. They will be issued a resident permit from the Grove.

Students should come early to receive their first choice of parking zones. All students parking on campus are required to display a permit. For more information please see our Web site http://www.southalabama.edu/parkingservices.

USA welcomes new COM professor The University of South Alabama College of Medicine is pleased to welcome Dr. Joseph Brewer, associate professor in the department of microbiology and immunology.

Prior to joining USA, Brewer was a member of the molecular biology program and an associate professor with the department of microbiology and immunology at Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago.

Brewer earned his undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Auburn University and completed his doctoral studies with the department of immunology at Duke University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the department of tumor cell biology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Brewer’s special interests include immunology and cell biology, with a focus on B cells and how B cells make antibodies.

“My research investigates a new area of B cell biology which has developed in the last decade. There is a tremendous interest and need to understand how B cells work due to the ongoing health problems of autoimmune diseases and B cell malignancies like multiple myeloma,” Brewer said. “I’m excited about the opportunity to build something new in this department.”

Brewer’s current research is funded through a grant from NIH and is titled “Homeostasis of the ER in Differentiating B Cells.”

Jaguar Wellness Club begins Jan. 7 USA’s department of campus recreation is beginning their Jaguar Wellness Club beginning Jan. 7 and ending April 13. This is an incentive program designed to motivate you to exercise, Come to the Student Recreational Center and complete 1,400 minutes of exercise and receive a free T-shirt and a USA Bookstore coupon. For more info call 4607268.

COM professor receives award Dr. John Foster, professor of microbiology at the University of South Alabama, recently received the Robert G. Eagon Award at the Southeastern Branch of the American Society for Microbiology meeting, held recently at Auburn University.

Dr. Foster recently served as the chair of Division K, which includes microbial physiology and metabolism, in the ASM. The award is presented to the individual who has made notable and significant contributions in the area of microbial physiology and/or microbial genetics and resides in the geographical area of the branch.

The Robert G. Eagon Award was first given 1994 and was established in honor of microbial physiologist Robert G. Eagon. Eagon was Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at the University of Georgia and an active member of the Southeastern Branch of ASM.

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