Vanguard The
Volume 45, Number 30
March 31, 2008
Meet the Horror Club see page 6
Serving USA SinCe 1965
Collins, Hendrich to face off in runoff Graduate aid Smith takes VP uncontested; Shepard defeats Fowler; Skewes is new CJ; McGee is AG Leigh Patton MANAGING EDITOR
Jason Shepard
lwp302@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Candidates running for the Student Government Association for the 2008-2009 academic year gathered in the SGA office March 28 to await the results for the winners. At 7:20 p.m. the anticipated Student Government Association candidates hovered around the window where the results of the winners were posted. Caitlin Collins and Mikey Hendrich will have a runoff for president because neither candidate reached the 50 percent accumulation of votes needed to win presidency outright. Collins received 493 votes, Hendrich 282 votes. Third-place presidential candidate Jeffrey Ryan Harris recieved 216 votes. Chapter 505 of the SGA code of laws states, “A majority of the total votes cast is necessary to win any of the elected SGA offices other than senator and student-atlarge.” “A run-off was definitely something I expected.” Collins said. “There were three strong candidates running, which made it really hard for any one person to get the majority of the votes. I'm just happy that I am going to have the opportunity to be one of the candidates in the runoff.” Jason Shepard won the seat for treasurer having 572 votes where his opponent Todd
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF jason.shepard@comcast.net
Marzieh K. Atigh / Photo Editor
Candidates running for the Student Government Association look on the results of the winners in the SGA office March 28. Collins and Hendrich will have a runoff next week.
Fowler had 346 votes. Shepard plans to focus his efforts on streamlining and simplifying the appropriations process along with communicating more effectively with the student body as a
whole. “I hope to affect immediate change,” Shepard said. “My biggest goal will be to work with the senate to immediately proX
see RUNOFF, page 22
University continues to vacate Hillsdale homes Jason Shepard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF jason.shepard@comcast.net
Leigh Patton / Managing Editor
The University of South Alabama is in the process of vacating 19 homes in Hillsdale to make room for a mulit-purpose storage and facility unit. Eventually South Alabama plans to get completely out of the single-family housing rental business
Inside
to increase
Lifestyles pg. 6
It has been the stated long-term intentions of the University to get out of the single-family housing business, and as the University continues to slowly move forward with this plan, some students are not happy. “We were told that we were being kicked out so the University could build a football stadium,” Mathew Wilkinson, a civil engineering student at USA and current resident of Hillsdale, said. “I am outraged.” Wilkinson is one of 15 residents who are currently being told that their leases will not be available for renewal. The University plans to use the land to build a multi-purpose storage and facility unit. An additional four already-vacated homes will also be demolished to make way for the new facility. “The University has no plans to build a football stadium,” Keith Ayers, University of South Alabama director of public relations, said. However, Ayers acknowledged that there might be some “kernel of truth” to the rumor.
Fine Arts pg. 8
X
Entertainment pg. 10
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
The University of South Alabama Foundation recently approved a proposal presented by Dr. Patsy Covey, University of South Alabama vice president for academic affairs, that will provide the University with an annual grant of $471,000 to support expansions in the University’s graduate aid program. Graduate assistanships and fellowships are usually provided to academically talented graduate students in order to allow these students to become fully involved in scholarship. “Graduate assistantships … are universally recognized as an essential component of graduate education,” Covey said. “They allow students to become immersed in the scholarship and professional activity.” Competitive graduate assistantships can also lead to great productivity and greater levels of research output by the various departments in a university, according to Covey. Of the $471,000, $246,000 will go towards the creation of 22 new USA Foundation Fellowships. The new fellowships include two fellowships for the University’s new interdisciplinary program in environmental toxicology, 10 new fellowships for the College of Engineering, two new fellowships for the School of Computer and Information Sciences, two for the College of Allied Health, and six new fellowships for the department of psychology’s recently approved Ph.D. program. The remaining $225,000 will go toward supporting increasing the stipend levels of 73 of the 132 currently offered assistantships. The University currently has approxamiately 1,800 full-time graduate students, according to Covey. “We can only support about 7.2 percent of our graduate students [with graduate aid],” said Covey at the Foundation’s board of directors meeting. “We have an insufficient number of assistantships and cannot be as competitive as we would like to be.” For example, prior to the approved increase, the University of South Alabama College of Engineering was only able to provide three total assistantships. These assistantships came with a tuition waiver and $6,000 stipend for the academic year. The national average for engineering
see HILLSDALE, page 19
Sports pg. 12
X
Opinion pg. 15
see GRADUATE AID, page 18
Classifieds pg. 23
Vanguard online The
http://www.usavanguard.com
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March 31, 2008
Dr. Riker gives free skin cancer screenings Sidra Rasool STAFF WRITER sr510@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
As the spring passes and the summer is quickly approaching, one of the last things on every pleasure-bent mind is going to the doctor. But in a society that relishes in the look and satisfaction of a healthy-looking tan, going to the doctor is something that should be considered unavoidable. A “healthy-looking” tan is quite literally anything but healthy, and the more often you seek the sun, the more likely cancer will seek you. Prevention is the greatest cure for any and all types of cancers. On March 29 during the 31st annual Azalea Trail Run, thousands of runners celebrated the benefits of exercise and disease prevention with free skin cancer screenings in the Mobile Civic Center downtown. The University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Cancer Institute provided the free screenings of all the runners and anyone else wanting a checkup. Dr. Adam I. Riker, chief of surgical oncology at the Mitchell
Sidra Rasool / Staff Photographer
Dr. Riker and his team from the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Cancer Institute gave free cancer screenings at the Mobile Civic Center March 9. Riker looked at anyone interested in checking his or her body for suspicious moles related to cancer.
http://www.usamci.com/spf90
There are five types of suspicious moles that should be looked at if they look like any of these. The first mole is as asymmetrical; the second one is irregular, ragged and blurred; the third one has different colors; the fourth one is more than 6 millimeters in diameter; and the last one is elevated from the skin. According to Dr. Riker, if any moles look unusual like these, then seeing a doctor is highly recommended.
Cancer Institute was on-site to screen patients and assist the volunteers and staff in screening patients. “The major thing to consider to be proactive in preventing skin cancer is getting yearly screenings,” Riker said. “Full-body, naked screenings is the only way to maintain healthy skin and to detect any suspicious spots or moles.” According to the American Cancer Society, these are the A,B,C,D characterstics of a “suspicious mole.” “‘A’ is for asymmetry; if one half of the mole does not match the other half. ‘B’ is for border; check for irregular, ragged, notched or blurred edges. ‘C’ is for color; the pigmentation is not uniform with different shades of brown and black, sometimes with patches of red, white and blue. ‘D’ is for diameter greater than 6 millimeters. ‘E’ is for elevation.” Skin cancer is 95 percent preventable, yet it is the most common type of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The surge in the use of tanning beds to create a golden “glow” gradually increases a person’s risk of cancer. The other approximately 5 to 10 percent of skin cancer cases are from genetics, so everyone is immune to skin cancer and should get screened as a precaution. “The highest demographic at risk are young, white females X
see CANCER, page 18
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P LICE BL TTER 02-29-08 Theft of Property A male student reported his music video player, valued at $250, stolen from a room in the Life Sciences Building. No suspects were identified, and an investigation is pending.
An electrician working for the University reported $300 worth of electrical tools stolen from the Springhill Avenue campus. The victim left the tools unattended on the floor for 30 minutes. Police do not have any suspects, but are investigating the incident.
03-01-08 Domestic Incident A female student was the victim of a domestic incident involving a male. The incident occurred at the Epsilon 1 dormitory.
03-06-08 Theft of Property A Dell laptop worth $1,500 was stolen from a conference room in the Student Center. No suspects were identified, but an investigating is pending.
03-02-08 Simple Assault – Domestic Violence A female student reported that her exboyfriend has been harassing her since they stopped dating in November of 2007. An investigation is pending.
03-08-08 Harassment Two female students were involved in an altercation in the Epsilon 1 parking lot. Police are investigating.
03-03-08 Theft of Property Theft – Article from Auto/Burglary of Auto A male student’s car was broken into while parked in the Beta 1 parking lot. Several electronic and other miscellaneous items were taken from the vehicle, including $50 cash. Damages totaled almost $700. No suspects were identified, but an investigation is pending. 03-04-08 Theft of Property A female non-affiliate’s wallet was stolen in the recreation center. The wallet contained $10 cash and an ATM card. An investigation is pending.
WEATHER
03-04-08 Theft of Property
03-08-08 Assault A male suspect struck a male student in the face at the Delta 2 dormitory. Five people witnessed the incident. An investigation is pending. 03-10-08 Theft – Article from Auto/Burglary of Auto An unknown person(s) burglarized a male student’s car while it was parked in the south Humanities parking lot. A GPS and an iPod were taken from the vehicle, and the window was damaged. Damages and losses together totaled $700. No suspects were identified, but police are investigating. 03-11-08 Miscellaneous Offenses A male non-affiliate reported that an unknown object was thrown at his vehicle in the Recreation Center parking lot. There was damage to the vehicle’s quarter panel. A
University of South Alabama’s Student Voice 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
white male suspect was identified. An investigation is pending. 03-17-08 Theft – Article from Auto/Burglary of Auto A male student reported his car broken into while parked in the business college parking lot. Losses totaled more than $1,400. An iPod, DVD player, Compaq computer and two 12 inch speakers in a custom speaker box were among the items taken from the vehicle. Police do not have any suspects at this time. 03-17-08 Possession of Marijuana 2nd A male was arrested on Aubrey Green Drive for Possession of Marijuana 2nd. The suspect also had two pipes and rolling papers in his possession. The suspect was booked into Metro Jail. 03-19-08 Theft of Lost Property Fraudulent Use of Credit/Debit Card A female student reported her student ID card stolen. An unknown person has been using the ID card to purchase food from various locations around campus. No suspects were identified. X
see BLOTTER, page 22
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. Unsigned letters will not be published. The Vanguard reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length and clarity. Letters will be limited to 300 words. Letters and guest columns are the opinion of the writer. z The Staff Editorial represents the majority of the Editorial Board, which is composed of the Editor in Chief, News Editor, Opinion Editor and Lifestyles Editor. 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
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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 Photo Editor:Marzieh K. Atigh Senior Reporters: Hannah Skewes, Devi Sampat Copy Editor: Jeremy Daughtry
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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
Should I continue to look on? Albert Einstein once said, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” Consider this when you pass Dr. Kline in the hall, and ask yourself ... should I continue to look on and do nothing?
As for the Hendrich ‘Facebook Scandal’ What motivation would Mathew Peterson have with accusing Mikey? Facebook groups hold no weight in the SGA elections. Is it something personal? As for The Vanguard, why did they even run the story? I find it sad that The Vanguard decided to print a story that could do nothing but hurt a candidate over a matter that has no bearing on the elections.
March 31, 2008
USACWH plans expansions Hannah Skewes SENIOR REPORTER hks502@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
The University of South Alabama board of trustees recently approved a $50 million expansion of USA Children's and Women's Hospital. The expansion will increase the size of USA's Children's and Women's Hospital by 150,000 square feet, increasing the hospital size by more than 60 percent, according to Dr. Becky DeVillier, USA Children's and Women's Hospital administrator. A new parking lot is to be included along with a new cafeteria and kitchen. The expansion of the hospital will move pediatric and infant care to the new wing of the hospital, which is projected to have three floors while the current building has five. The construction of the new branch of the hospital will increase serving capacity for women's services in the existing floors as well as child and infant caretaking. "[The expansion will] provide more separation of children's and women's services," DeVillier said, "It will provide more space to better care for our patients in all areas and also allow our growth to continue." Bob Lowry, senior associate director for hospital marketing and public relations for USA, told The Vanguard last year that the hospital projected seeing 3,000 births at the hospital in the year prior to expansion project entering the preliminary phases, which was twice as many as other hospitals in the areas. Lowry pointed out in April 2007 that more patients were choosing USA Children's and Women's Hospital and that the expansion was necessary. The expansion comes as the USA Health System and USA's Children and Women's Hospital continues to experience major growth from year to year. The hospital has seen more than a 25 percent growth rate in all areas of care in the past two years, according to DeVillier.
Courtesy of USA Public Relations
USA’s Children’s and Women’s Hospital is expanding the hospital by 150,000 square feet as approved by USA’s board of trustees in their March meeting. Above is the tentative plan for the expansion.
Construction plans have yet to be finalized. However, construction is projected to begin within the year and end in late 2010 to early in the year of 2011.
‘Scandal’ info was helpful I heard the rumors about Mikey’s fake profiles and hoped it wasn’t true. Thank you for doing the research and letting the student body know what was really go on with this fake “scandal.” Down with the haters. Up with Mikey!
USA Foundation recognizes Whiddon Scholars Sidra Rasool STAFF WRITER sr510@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Harris is still a loser Well, it looks as if the student body has officially rejected Harris’ sensational campaign to abolish the SGA. But now the only question is “Will this devestating loss wake up Harris and bring him to reality, forcing him to abandon his childish antics or will he continue being a loser pushing his selfish childish desires?”
USA campus showing beauty I just realized how beautiful our campus is during the spring time. We have a lot of azalea bushes near the dorms and buildings, and it really brings out the beauty of our campus. I think maintenance is doing a good job making our campus look great. Keep up the good work!
Baseball season a hit I’ve been enjoying attending the baseball games. I love that they are free too.
Holly Peek
The University of South Alabama Foundation recognized outstanding graduating students in the honors program and recipients of the Frederick P. Whiddon Scholarships. The honors program at USA is a program that invites some of the most academically talented and educationally motivated students in Mobile and abroad to study in a cohesive environment.
The Frederick P. Whiddon Scholarships for honors students praises the most academically motivated students and gives them up to $40,000 to finance their four-year education. About 60 to 70 incoming freshman this year applied for the scholarship, and based on interviews and other requirements, 28-30 Allison received the scholarship. Syklawer “The honors program is for students who seek to enhance and enrich their learning, due in part to smaller class sizes and multi-faceted courses,” said Dr. Robert Coleman, director of the honors program. About 120 students from freshman to senior level are currently in the program. One of the featured Whiddon Scholars graduating this year is Holly Peek, a communications major. The biggest impact that the honors program and the Whiddon Scholarship had on Peek's overall education was the opportunities they presented. “Being in the honors program gave me an advantage when applying to medical school,” Peek said. “It forced me to take challenging courses and create my own research thesis. This extra work closely resembles the extra work that I will be doing in graduate school.”
Conducting research and completing the required senior research thesis can be daunting. For Peek it is something that is challenging and time-consuming yet gives her the opportunity to watch a lot of television. “My research is focused on the analysis of how male and female physicians are portrayed in primetime medical dramas, particularly 'E.R' and 'Grey's Anatomy,'” Peek said. “I am comparing the ways the physicians are portrayed in terms of ethics, sexual behavior, interactions with patients and personality.” Most of the students that graduate with a degree in honors advance their education with graduate degree programs and professional schools, such as pharmacy or biomedical sciences. Of the graduating seniors this year, a majority of them are concentrated in science-related programs, with minors or majors in various fields as varied as art, philosophy or business. Allison Syklawer is another Whiddon Scholar who chose to concentrate in the field of psychology, and she is attending Midwestern University's School of Dentistry in the fall. She enjoyed many things about being an honor’s student “There are a lot of perks that come with being in the honors program, like registering for class early and also teachers going out of their way to help you,” Syklawer said. “You also are able to meet and cultivate relationships with various faculty members and others who support the program.” “I am going to have participants come into the lab and perform a simulated stock market game,” Syklawer said. “My hypothesis predicts that participants with higher NPI [Narcissistic Personality Inventory] scores should perform well in the bull market condition of the game and do poorly in the Bear condition; for example, they do not change their strategy to fit the current situation -- they do what they think is right and what has worked before.” Students like Syklawer and Peek are not only grateful that they will graduate from college virtually debt-free, but their experience gained both academically and socially progress into their professional school, the next phase of their education.
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SeCAPS gives insight to hurricane information T.R. Risner STAFF REPORTER wxman08@yahoo.com
Bill Proenza and Dr. Phil Klotzbach were the keynote speakers for the fifth annual Southeastern Coastal and Atmospheric Processes Symposium that was held on March 28 and 29 in the Student Center Ballroom. The agenda also included a panel discussion on “Public Perception of Severe Weather Warnings,� a poster session and an introduction that highlighted the 20th anniversary of the Coastal Weather Research Center. Dr. Bill Williams started the conference off with a look back on 20 years of the success of the CWRC. The center was started in 1988 and is “a self-supporting operation that uses the latest in radar and satellite data to provide forecasts and warnings to industries and governments all across the Southeast,� Williams said. “The CWRC also supports the meteorology program on campus that started in 1991when there was only one major.� After John Gordon gave students “a reality check on the tightening job market in The National Weather Service,� John Haynes of NASA spoke about ongoing research at NASA involving public health and coastal management. “The Earth is changing on all spatial and temporal scales,� Haynes said. “NASA’s purpose is to develop a scientific understanding of Earth’s system to improve prediction of climate, weather and natural hazards.� Patrick Gatlin spoke next about the use of a new radar design that could improve rainfall estimation across the Tennessee River Valley. The UAH researcher is attempting to find a new way the TVA to estimate rainfall in order to decrease the number of rain gauges in the area. The keynote speaker for Friday night was Bill Proenza, who is the director of the Southern region of the National Weather Service. Proenza spoke about the status of the NWS and the future for the governmental agency. The former National Hurricane Center director showed the crowd how the NWS has improved over the past years and what is in its future. The plan for new radars
Marzieh K. Atigh / Photo Editor
The University of South Alabama sponsored the annual Southeastern Coastal and Atmospheric Processes Symposium March 28 and 29. The agenda included a panel discussion on “Public Perception of Severe Weather Warnings.�
throughout the southern region was explained after Proenza displayed the new GIS capabilities of the NWS. Saturday morning started with the electrifying Gordon who spoke about the mission of the hurricane hunters and a review of the 2007 hurricane season. Gordon presented video and data from many of the 2007 cyclones, while explaining the rapid intensification of Hurricanes Dean and Felix. “Both underwent rapid intensification to become Category 5 systems, which made these storms historic,� Gordon said. Kris White from the NWS office in Huntsville, Ala. spoke about spatial trends in the tracks of hurricanes traveling through the Atlantic Ocean given discrete sequential sea surface temperature anomalies. “Hurricane tracks exhibit easterly tendencies as the sequential sea surface temperature anomalies in the Nino 1+2 region X
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see SeCAPS, page 21
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Lifestyles
Ashley D. McGee Lifestyles Editor ladypoeticsoul@aol.com
March 31, 2008
Just a thought ... Ashley D. McGee LIFESTYLES EDITOR ladypoeticsoul@aol.com
With the spring semester steadily reaching its end, it would be in every continuing student’s best interest to begin making registration plans for the upcoming semesters. Setting up an appointment with your assigned academic advisor can be a key factor in choosing the right courses and ensuring one doesn’t come up a couple of credit hours short when it comes time to walk across the stage. Advisors are supposed to be trained to assist students in staying on the right track to academic success, but it is no secret that some advisors have proven to be more of a hindrance that a help. “My advisor almost kept me from graduating,” stated one University of South Alabama alumna, who now works for the Mobile County Public School System. “She miscalculated the number of classes I had left to take, and I ended up taking 18 hours my last semester,” the student added. It is very important for students not to fully rely fully on their advisors when it comes to graduating. Students should be responsible enough to manage their own academic careers by logging what classes they have taken, adding those hours together and remembering how many hours their major requires them to have. The degree evaluation Web page available through PAWS is very helpful when trying to determine what courses a student should register for. Every student should look at his or her evaluation before going to see his or her advisor and should not be afraid to comment on the order an advisor suggests he or she takes classes. After all, no one else should have control over someone’s future other than himself. With registration time tickets scheduled to open very soon, it is time to “stop focusing on today, and to start looking towards the future.”
Is your student organization hosting an event? Contact Ashley D. McGee at ladypoeticsoul@aol.com or call 460-6442 (Please submit all events at least one week in advance, thank you.)
Student organization focuses on fear Horror Club, an alternative to traditional student groups Amy Collins CONTRIBUTING WRITER akc303@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
The USA Horror Club might seem pretty tough when it comes to the horrific, but even the most audacious members have something that makes them want to scream for mommy. Their common fears and love of horror is what brings them together on Friday nights to watch scary movies. “Some people argue that horror is simply relegated to the supernatural, like vampires, golems, werewolves, ghosts and even aliens,” Dr. Annmarie Guzy, associate professor in the English department and adviser to USA’s Horror Club, said. Her office, bedecked in Freddy Krueger memorabilia, speaks for itself about how she feels about horror. “But I would include the slashers, or human monsters such as Hannibal Lecter and Michael Myers, in the horror category as well.” Finding a proper definition of horror is one of the many ongoing debates between members of the Horror Club and students who get the privilege of taking Dr. Guzy’s EH 280 Horror class, which was most recently offered in the fall of 2007. Students and teachers interested in this genre all have their own definitions of how to describe this macabre world of literature and film (though some of them think the real horror is what happens off camera and out of the books.) “Horror is anything that provokes fear or anxiety in a person,” said Horror Club treasurer Beth Hunter, whose proper outer shell would never suggest that she may have a darker side and an unhealthy love for Tim Burton. Nikky Lee, probably the most excitable member and the one who talks so cheerily about blood and guts that you would think she was talking about cookies and flowers, has a different opinion than most.
“There are a number of things that draw audiences to horror movies ... people like to scream and then laugh.” - Dr. Richard Ward “Real horror is the stuff that the movies are based on. War, children being tossed off bridges, etc. Horror is something we all peek at because to honestly see it is too hard. We would rather see it from behind a camera.” Although members of the club have their own personal favorites in the horror genre, it seems that the consensus of what actually scares them are the unknowns and the possibility of something gruesome actually befalling them. “The more plausible the circumstances, the more real the terror becomes for me,” said Jeannie Holmes, one of the students who founded the club in fall of 2005. This thought of being faced with circumstances like in the movies the members
Marzieh K. Atigh / Photo Editor
University of South Alabama Horror Club advisor and horror class professor Dr. Annmarie Guzy poses with some of her horror film memorabilia, which brings life (and fear) to her office.The Horror Club holds its meetings every other Friday of each month in HUMB room 160 at 6:30 p.m.
watch, seems to be scarier to them than the gore in the torture films, like “Hostel” and “Saw,” that are so popular right now. “Losing control of the situation that you’re in seems to be the most frightening,” said Guzy. “You also don’t know whether the person sitting next to you is a homicidal maniac or not. In light of Columbine and Virginia Tech, these are serious concerns for college students. You really do have a legitimate fear of whether or not something like this is going to happen in your class.” Mike Zambrano, newly elected president of the club, chuckled and said, “Movies don’t scare me. People scare me.” This idea of humans being the monsters rather than the ones we make up in our heads seems to be the reason that people are so drawn to these types of films and books. The realness that draws people to them could also be the same reality that turns people away from them. “These films reaffirm to you that you would not react the way you see a character reacting in a situation,” Guzy said. “Whether or not you would actually act differently if faced with a horrific situation, you don’t know until it happens to you. But you can have the gratification that ‘I can survive that. I can live through this.’” “With the slasher genre,” Guzy continued, “you can get that sense of surviving your adolescent rite of passage. ‘I can defeat that Freddy, Jason or Michael Myers by running out the door instead of up the stairs.’ There is some redeeming value.” While Guzy also calls this genre an “emotional catharsis,” Dr. Richard Ward, film and video production professor in the communication department, believes there are psychological and even comedic reasons that we are drawn to horror. “There are a number of things that draw audiences to horror movies,” Ward said.
“On a psychological level, it tends to allow people to sort through their deepest fears of death and disease. On a more basic level, people like to scream and then laugh,” Ward said and laughed as a huge smile flashed across his face. “The vocal reaction that they have while watching a horror movie is almost the same as the one they have while watching a comedy. It brings people together, experiencing the same thing at the same time,” he said. These different views of what makes horror, horror, along with numerous jokes about demon babies and the safety of being a virgin is what makes the Horror Club the close yet dysfunctional family that it has become. When the members were asked why other people should join this club, they all had different and even bizarre replies. “We don’t simply sit quietly, watch a movie and then have an academic discussion,” Guzy said. “Movie viewing nights are extremely interactive and everyone has a good time. So, if you’re used to sitting at home and watching horror movies and laughing at them with your friends, come out to horror movie night and laugh with a big group of people who have the same interests as you and watch it on the big screen, with snacks.” “It’s fun,” said Zambrano. “The people you’ll meet there have a common interest in the macabre and Waffle House at 2 a.m.” “We have more fun than Freddy Krueger at summer camp,” Holmes said. The Horror Club’s meetings are every other Friday each month in the Humanities Building, room 160, at 6:30 p.m. They also have bake sales and frequent guest speakers from the genre, like last Halloween’s guest, Tom Savini, horror movie FX god. For more information, e-mail Mike Zambrano, president, at usahorrorclub@gmail.com.
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Does ‘South Park’ shape your perceptions? Hannah Skewes
Greek
SENIOR REPORTER hks502@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
On March 25, public speaker Matt Glowacki delivered a lecture on diversity in today’s society and the effects popular animated television shows have on the way the population perceives it. Sarcastically titled "Diversity According to “South Park” and “Family Guy,” the event was held in the Student Center Ballroom. Gloacki began the lecture by touching on political correctness, something these shows address and inherently tear apart comically. According to Glowacki, people tend to dwell too heavily on names and words, citing a situation with his friend hating the phrase “in a wheelchair.” “People ask what I want to be called. I say I want to be called ‘Matt,’” Glowacki said. Glowacki educated the crowd about television, emphasizing its influence in society and mass family life. According to Glowacki, the average home has more televisions than people residing in the house. Not only that, but the average child spends 30 to 50 hours a week watching television, while parents spend an average of 38.5 minutes with kids a day. “So who’s doing the educating? Television,” said Glowacki, after presenting the statistics. Glowacki used the two popular cartoon shows to explain social stigma as created by the Hollywood industry. He used two-minute abbreviated clips of episodes to illustrate issues brought up through the shows' use of parody and satire. Glowacki showed a clip from a “Family Guy” episode in which Peter Griffin tries to help his son, Chris, lose a substantial amount of weight. Obesity and a chronic desire to be thin is comically addressed in this episode, and Glowacki pointed out what he calls "lookism," or discrimination based on what a person looks like. He then addressed the fashion industry and the impact it has on the population's view of a healthy weight. "Fear plus uncertainty plus doubt equals money," Glowacki claimed. He also claimed that the population spends over $100 billion on diet products, $20 billion on cosmetics and $300 billion on surgery. He stated the current system used to measure how healthy a person's weight is, body mass index, or BMI, was created in Belgium in the 1820s. He also brought up the impact dolls can have on children, stating that if there was a life-size scale model with the original Barbie proportions of a 39-inch bust, a 18-inch waist and 33-inch hips, her spine would snap in half. He also stated that it is impossible to
Keeping you in tune with USA Greek Life
Latoria Cheeks STAFF WRITER ljc402@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
http://www.faniq.com/poll
Plublic speaker Matt Glowacki presented “Diversity According to ‘South Park’ and ‘Family Guy’” on March 25 in the Student Center Ballroom. The lecture touched on issed concerning diversity in today’s society, and the effects popular animated television shows have on the way the population perceives
have a natural waist size of 18 inches, because there would not be enough room for internal organs to function. He pointed out that the idea of the perfect size has gotten smaller in modern days, citing the fact that Marylin Monroe was a size 14 at the height of her popularity. He displayed before and after pictures of models being airbrushed and edited. "The images you compare yourself to are no more real than the cartoons we watch," Glowacki. The next segment, he showed another shortened episode of “Family Guy,” detailing Peter's attempts to aid his paraplegic neighbor and former police officer, Joe Swanson, in regaining his self esteem after not being able to catch the culprit of a robbery. Peter encourages him to participate in the "Special People's Games," a parody on the Special Olympics. Glowacki called the phenomenon of discrimination against people without certain abilities as "ableism." He talked about how people percieve people with "disabilities" as an inspiration or
CISO showcases exhibits Ashley D. McGee LIFESTYLES EDITOR ladypoeticsoul@aol.com
April 3-4 the Council of International Student Organizations will host its annual Cultural Exhibition in the Student Center Lobby from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., according to a press release. The event is apart of International Month which is celebrated in March at the University of South Alabama and is a favorite amongst international students. Once a year, the Cultural Exhibition transforms the Student Center into a walkthrough tour across the globe. Featuring over-the-top displays which create the culture of almost every continent, all students and community members are encouraged to visit each exhibit. Exhibits are designed and created by each cultural student organization who chooses to participate. “The idea behind [the exhibition] is just to allow every student to see other cultures,” said Vietnamese Student Association member Lan Vu. Vu feels, with the wide variety of nationalities at USA, it is important for students to learn about each others backgrounds and cultural traditions. Also on April 4, CISO will hold a talent/fashion show at 7 p.m. in the Mitchell Center. Each organization will compete in a talent competition intertwined with a stun-
This week in
Courtesy of USA Public Relations
Last year, Cultural Exhibition participants displayed their traditional dress during the Council of International Student Organization’s “International Month” celebration.This year’s Cultural Exhibition will be held April 3-4 in the SC Lobby.
ning fashion show. Throughout the festival, trophies and prizes are awarded to the top performers. For additional information, e-mail Brenda Hinson at bhinson@jaguar1.usouthal.edu, or call the Office of International Student Services at (251) 406-6050.
X
see SOUTH PARK, page 20
ON CAMPUS THIS WEEK Monday Student Government Association Meeting at 8 p.m. in the SC Ballroom Tuesday Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. presents “Zeta Kappa Probate Show” at 9 p.m. in the Student Center Amphitheater Wednesday Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Day at 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Student Center; Jaguar Production presents “Cheapdate: Drillbit Taylor” at 9:30 p.m. at Hollywood Movie Theatre Thursday Kappy Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. presents “Spring 2008 Probate” at 9 p.m. in the Student Center Amphitheater
The Epsilon Upsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. will celebrating their Skee Week, Seven Days of SophistAKAtion, this week from March 30 through April 5. Yesterday, EU chapter members attended church service together at Mt. Hebron Church Ministries in Trinity Gardens. This afternoon, the chapter will host a philanthropic event where they will give computer lessons to the elderly in an attempt to help them order necessary medications online. The ladies are very concerned with making sure senior citizens do not fall behind in the technological revolution. Later Monday evening, the ladies will be sponsoring an entertaining “Dating Game” event in the Student Center Ballroom at 6 p.m. The event will be hosted by University of South Alabama Southbound Orientation Leader Daniel Edwards and Springhill College student Natalyn Howard. Following the show, the Kappa Zeta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. will be hosting a probate show at 9 p.m. in the Amphitheater. On April 1, EU will host “A Lesson of Affection” with Hands of Love and a book drive in the Student Center Breezeway from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday evening will be an exciting forum called “Sex in the Dark” at 6 p.m. in room Student Center room 220. At this event, guys and girls will be split up to share their thoughts on relationships and double standards. “Karaoke Night” will be on Wednesday in the Student Center Ballroom at 7 p.m. followed by a “Ladies Night” Thursday at 7 p.m. also in the Student Center Ballroom. Here, ladies can relax, have girl talk and pamper themselves for a night of fun with the AKAs. Also, The Eta Nu Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. will be having their probate show that same night. The event will begin at 9 p.m. in the Student Center Amphitheater. On April 4, an “Evening of Beauty” will be hosted EU. At this event, the chapter will host a slumber party with the Girl Scouts of Mobile and teach them important things they need to know to get through their high school and college experiences. On Saturday night , the events re-center on the grown and sexy! The week-long event climaxes with the “pearlfic” ladies hosting a party branded “A Night of SophistAKAtion,” in the Student Center Ballroom at 10:08 p.m. There is no specified dress code, and a surprise show will begin at 11:08 p.m. The ladies guarantee you do not want to miss it! The chapter will also be collecting donations at the dating game and the party for its “Feed the Homeless,” service project. During “Feed the Homeless,” the ladies will volunteer at the homeless shelter in downtown Mobile.
The
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8
Fine Arts
Ashley Gruner Fine Arts Editor amarie588@gmail.com
March 31, 2008
The Arts
Remember the lost at Space 301 Amanda B. Johnson
Ashley Gruner FINE ARTS EDITOR amarie588@gmail.com
The Mobile Pops Band, under the direction of Greg Gruner, will be presenting another performance in its “Starbright Concert Series” at the Langan Park Performing Arts Pavillion on April 12 at 6 p.m. The concert, titled “Pops and a Movie in the Park,” features a selection of musical works that are sure to please the entire family. After the concert, a children's movie will be shown for the younger members of the audience. Opening selections include Bela Bartok's “Allegro Barbaro” and Alfred Reed's “Othello.” “Othello,” a symphonic portrait in honor of Shakespeare, establishes the tense atmosphere that is present throughout much of the play. The four-movement piece portrays Othello's rage, jealousy and his passionate relationship with Desdemona. The program will also consist of some well-known selections of John Philip Sousa and John Williams. Sousa's “Sabre and Spurs” was dedicated to the officers and men of the 311th Cavalry in 1918. It was one of the many marches that was completely devoted to the war effort, giving those affected by the turmoil of World War I a sense of inspiration. “Kitten on the Keys,” composed by Zez Confrey, reflects Scott Joplin's ragtime style for solo piano. Another upbeat piece, Frank Perkins' “Fandango,” takes the form of a Spanish dance, full of excitement and energy. “Foster's America,” a three-movement suite, features four original songs by American composer Stephen Foster. These songs include “A Penny for Your Thoughts,” Gentle Lena Clare” and “Beautiful Dreamer,” an audience favorite. The Mobile Pops has been serving the Mobile community for more than 30 years. Upcoming performances include two concerts at the Langan Park Performing Arts Pavillion on May 19 and June 30. For more information on the Mobile Pops, call their hotline at (251) 679-6030.
STAFF WRITER amanda_b_johnson@yahoo.com
Space 301 is now displaying the photographic-based exhibit “Among the Ruins: Re-Imagining Architectural Decay.” The exhibit, guest curated by Sarah Urist Green, portrays the interaction of contemporary artists with the dilapidating architecture of our world. “Works from 'Among the Ruins' serve as powerful reminders of places and times forgotten, dismissed or vanished,” said Green. These decaying reminders have evolved from a multitude of causes - from natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, to the violent conflict between nations. Many of the decaying locations still exist, untouched and unappreciated. Other areas have been cleared over time with a nostalgic remembrance that remains in the form of art. New York based artist Takashi Horisaki hits close to home with his 2007 series “Social Dress New Orleans – 730 days after.” In this series, Horisaki documents his three-month interaction with a home destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Horisaki takes a three-dimensional approach in portraying the aftermath of Katrina and its impact on New Orleans. Perhaps the most intriguing and conceptual piece was that of New York artist Caroline Voagen Nelson, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Nelson’s 50 x 50 image “Accretion” is comprised of several images taken over the course of two years with the use of several different cameras. The digital montage depicts demolished urban and natural locations, from the water damaged ceiling of Nelson’s childhood
home to the destruction of housing projects and the landscape of the Burren in Ireland. Each location meshes, forming one large organic form. The form “contrasts constructed areas with deconstructed areas," delivering a created world of existence in its present and past states. An anonymous art group based in Detroit, called Object X
see SPACE 301, page 19
MAC exhibits show ‘creative essence of Mobile’ Amanda B. Johnson STAFF WRITER amanda_b_johnson@yahoo.com
Three creative exhibits have made their way to the Mobile Arts Council. "More than Music: A Tribute to Jerome Shannon" is featured in collaboration with "Jack and Jill's Work," the exhibit by Cottage Hill Christian Academy students. The third exhibit, titled "Image Makers," is a photo contest sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Mobile, giving young artists the experience of a first time exhibition. Each room reflects the culture and creative essence of Mobile, making for an intriguing look at our city’s past, present
UPCOMING EVENTS Mobile Symphony Orchestra presents “The Story of Mobile” April 5, 8 p.m. Laidlaw Performing Arts Center USA Opera Theatre presents “The Elixir of Love” April 11, 13 Laidlaw Performing Arts Center “Bright Lights” April 1 - 30 Cathedral Square Gallery
Amanda Johnson / Staff Writer
The work of Takashi Korisaki is now on display at Space 301 in downtown Mobile.
Courtesy of Amanda Johnson
Garrett Cain’s “Stress” is a colored-pencil drawing in an abstract, expressionistic style.
and future inspirations. "More than Music" serves as a commemorative tribute to Mobile Opera's Director Jerome Shannon, who has served the arts community for more than 10 years. Along with members of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, Shannon served in creating the Larkins Music Center, which is home to Mobile's symphony and opera. The Mobile Arts Council has honorably exhibited images captured by the PressRegister within the past 11 years that are reflective of Shannon's contribution to Mobile and to the arts. Thomas B. Harrison, arts editor for the Press-Register, states that "because of him [Shannon], the bar has been raised and our expectations raised." "In my past visits to the Mobile Opera, I have always found Shannon to be cheerful, his eyes filled with energy and vigor," said Harrison. "Although I do not now Shannon personally, I can tell from his presence how much he loves providing for our community." While exiting the gallery, after reflecting on the efforts of Shannon, viewers find a room filled with works by Cottage Hill Christian Academy students. Kathie Stabler, art instructor for the creative students, remarks on her student's efforts: "Once they find their ideas, they work until the bell rings, wondering where the time went." I can remember that feeling - finding myself immersed in the creation of color, line and texture. Several works stood out to me, in particular that of Garrett Cain. Cain's colored pencil drawing titled "Stress" offers vibrant reds and greens in an abstract expressionistic style. The young artist's creativity stood out from the
Courtesy of Amanda Johnson
Natalie Johnson’s graphic “Untitled” piece is now on display at the Mobile Arts Council.
group, along with Jake Calvert's pen-andink piece "Castle" and Natalie Johnson's graphic "Untitled" work. When making the way to the Blue Room, viewers can see the talent and ability of the Boys and Girls Club's young photographers. Ranging from ages 6-13, the children worked in digital media, both black and white and color, depicting recognizable images from our city. Each child found a new way to view the world with the "Image Makers" series through the eyes of a lens. The Mobile Arts Council is continually working to provide for Mobile and its artists. A special exhibition featuring the work from local college art students, including students from USA, will be opening April 11. For more information on this and future exhibitions, visit the Mobile Arts Council's Web site at http://www.mobilearts.org.
9 Annual Helen Keller Art Show is inspiring The
Vanguard
March 31, 2008
Kathryn Garikes STAFF WRITER daffodilkg2@aol.com
The Helen Keller 2008 Art Show is now on display at the University Library. This show is an annual art show that displays artwork of Alabama’s visually impaired, blind or deaf-blind students. The art show is open to all ages in the Alabama public, private, residential, and home schools in the state. The goal and intention of the show is to provide the opportunity to present the special talents and achievements of these gifted students. The art pieces are unique with a focus on creativity, color and tangible media.
Kathryn Garikes / Staff Writer
Stacie Fincher’s piece, titled “Zinnias,” creates the image of textured and bold flowers.
This art show is a traveling one, exhibiting in museums and galleries across the state of Alabama through June. Each year the Helen Keller Festival Board selects one art piece to receive the Patty Johnson award. With the receiving of this award, the art work is hung in Tuscumbia, the home of Helen Keller, in a permanent gallery. This award is dedicated to Patty Johnson, Helen Keller’s niece. Patty’s nurturing nature, charisma and soft words created an atmosphere where the annual art show could flourish and prosper. The Colbert County Board of Tourism, UAB School of Optometry, UAB Special Education Department and the Eyesight Foundation of Alabama each select an annual purchase award winner as well. The student art works vary in media and style, but all are expressive and imaginative statements from each individual artist. Collin Parsons is a student from Birmingham who attends Burkett Center. He created a painting titled “The Big Game.” This art works represents Alabama vs. Auburn on the football field. The colors are bright and the canvas is textured. Reagan Green is a student attending Deer Valley Elementary in Hoover, Ala. In her piece, titled “Dancing Leaves,” the colors are vivid and seem to represent the fall season. Stacie Fincher is a student from Valley who attends the Helen Keller School. She created a piece titled “Zinnias.” The flowers are textured and appear fuzzy and three-dimensional with bold strokes extending as petals. Kayla Faith Wilson is a student residing in Hoover who attends Rocky Ridge Elementary. She created a threedimensional piece titled “The Mask.” Mason Barksdale, a student from Theodore, attends the Regional School for the Deaf and Blind. He designed a piece titled “Staying on Track” that contained two silhouettes outlined with radiating colors.
Kathryn Garikes / Staff Write
Jason Parsons’ piece titled “Twister” consists of tissue paper, paint and his own handprints.
Rachel Hyche created a piece of work titled “Snowy Feather Tree,” which consisted of a pink, flowing feathery boa and sequins. She is a student from Birmingham who attends North Shelby Baptist. Jason Parsons is also a student from Birmingham who attends Burkett Center. His work, “Twister,” consists of tissue paper, paint and his own handprints. Overall, the works are colorful, free-spirited and inspiring. For information on becoming a sponsor, entering the next art show or purchasing art work in this show contact Diane Pevsner at 1-866-975-0624 or visit http://www.pathfindersofal.org. This show is on display in the USA library’s first floor gallery until April 10.
Fairhope hosts first film festival
Second Annual Favorite Poem Poetry Reading
Daniela Werner STAFF WRITER
Sponsored by the USA English department and the Stokes Center for Creative Writing
danigirl6013@gmail.com
Movie junkies -- They waste away in front of the screen, only to accomplish what? Some would say nothing. Others would say everything. Maybe we all need to be movie junkies every once in a while, or at least for a couple hours. The power of films is not to be underestimated. To see someone else's viewpoint through a film they produced or directed is a moving experience indeed. In light of this new thought, the perfect opportunity for one to sample a few films is just a scenic drive away. On April 3-5, Option 3 Media will present the first official Fairhope Film Festival at the USA Baldwin County Performance Center, Theater 98 and Faulkner State's Centennial Hall. Besides showing films from around the world that center around the festival's theme, “Romance,” the event will have panel discussions with actors, writers and directors. Feature workshops and seminars will also be offered. An opening gala will be held on Fairhope beach as well as a closing night awards banquet at the James P. Nix Center. The festival will also host VIP parties. Various documentaries will be featured, including “Forgotten Coast,” which shows the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the people of Mississippi and Alabama. For local history buffs, “In the Wake of the Assassins” will be shown. This documentary, set in the 1950s, reveals the story of a lawyer who is assassinated after being elected attorney general in mob-controlled Phenix City, Ala. His son takes his place, looking to avenge his father. For those who are unable to attend the event, the two most popular films of the weekend will be shown after the festival on April 6. If the Fairhope Film Festival achieves its goal of becoming a well-known annual event, it will be the only film festival in the U.S. to focus on romance. Festival directors decided to place the festival in the city of Fairhope because of its charming storybook-likeness and pleasant, small-town warmth. It is no coincidence that
Welcoming by President Gordon Moulton
http://www.fairhopefilmfest.com
“In the Wake of the Assassins” is one of the many documentaries that will be shown at the Fairhope Film Festival in April.
Coastal Living Magazine deemed it as one of the top 10 most romantic destinations in the country. The citizens of Fairhope and surrounding cities have always participated heavily in the arts. Artists from around the country are drawn to Fairhope's annual art festival, which ranks among the top 25 art shows in the country. Festival expert and 15-year film veteran Jon Fitzgerald was selected to be the festival's consultant. Fitzgerald has had more than 14 years in the film industry, including working in studios, independent films and film festivals. His entertainment company, Right Angle Studios in Los Angeles, offers many venues of service including filmmaker consulting, film festival consulting and entertainment industry consulting. He has instructed several classes at the University of California at Santa Barbara including “The Anatomy of an Industry,” “Hollywood and The Business of Movies” and “The Independents and The Studios.” For more information concerning the Fairhope Film Festival, visit http://www.fairhopefilmfest.org or call (251) 377-2167.
Readings by Joey Jones, USA’s new football coach; Angelina Stokes, Patron of the Arts; Scott Speck, director of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, Geri Moulton, Dean Richard Wood, Stephen Hendrick, area elementary, high school and university students ... and many others. Laidlaw Performing Arts Center April 3, 2008 7 p.m. The program is free and open to the public. For more information contact the English department at (251) 460-6146
The
Vanguard
10
Entertainment
Stephanie A. Hudson Entertainment Editor stephanieahudson@gmail.com
March 31, 2008
On Television
Opening act outshines main attraction
‘Idol’ needs to take its own advice
Stephanie A. Hudson
Angela Langster STAFF WRITER asl662002@yahoo.com
Season seven of the FOX Network's hit show "American Idol" is underway and there is one criticism that the judges, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell, constantly give to contestants that can be applied to show--"American Idol" needs to raise its game. So far this season, viewers were promised talent superior to past seasons' talents and a new, bigger and better stage. The stage is awfully pretty, but there are more negative aspects than good. However, stated in Paula Abdul-like fashion, there are some positive aspects as well. During the Hollywood week, which has a reputation for its brutality, "Idol" showcased some strengths. Performers were allowed to sing and play instruments and the requirement for performers to sing as a group was dropped. Another plus of this season is the addition of past contestants, such as Kellie Pickler and Kimberley Locke, performing and giving updates on their careers since their duration on "Idol." The past contestants are replacing last season's "American Bandstand" feel, where guest artists performed. It just happened that last season's guests always seemed to have a CD about to release to the public. Now on to the Simon Cowell-like negative aspects of the show: The bad parts of the show are numerous. First, "Idol" has been on for six years now, and it is confusing at times to watch the judges commentary of contestants. The judges do not give contestants clear objectives for performing. Instead, comments such as “We are looking for the best singer in America” or “We are looking for the best talent,” and even “the winner has to be just as good or better than any recording artist on the radio” fill airtime, while offering no guidance to performers. Those vague pieces of advice about singing are of little use when the prize is a recording contract. Another annoyance of this season is the mosh pit near the stage. This addition blocks the at-home television audience's view of the stage, because the mosh pit crowd's arms take up two-thirds of the screen. In addition, Ryan Seacrest's promotion of the performers as the strongest crop of contestants ever is blatantly false. Too bad the FCC cannot fine "Idol" for false advertisement due to that statement. For example, early favorites Michael Johns and Carly Smithson have faded into the background,while David’s Archuleta and Cook are front runners. Meanwhile, everyone else seems to be playing it safe with his or her performances and are just there. Despite all of these defects, “American Idol" still brings in high ratings. However, to keep its place in the television hierarchy, "Idol" is in dire need of stepping up its game.
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR stephanieahudson@gmail.com
The swanky elegance of the Saenger Theater may not have been the best venue for Brian Regan’s dumbed-down comedy act. Don’t get me wrong, Regan was a hit with the audience at Friday night’s performance, but that did not make his act any sharper. He relied on simple and unintelligent jokes to bring in the laughs. Regan seems to build his jokes around his own ignorance – his dislike for reading, his lack of knowledge about art, his inability to speak another language, etc. Perhaps
http://www.comedycentral.com
Jim Collitan opened last Friday night for headliner Brian Regan at the Saenger Theater.
this strikes a cord with most of us because we really do not know much on such topics. However, Regan’s act has a great potential to turn away audiences seeking a more intellectually fulfilling type of humor. Regan also relies heavily on pantomiming and acting on stage. He does have a great ability to use his physicality to his advantage. He can keep a joke running for far longer than it is actually funny by acting out certain parts on stage or using overstated facial expressions. To his credit, Regan played the audience well; even phrases such as “reading is hard” and “these are some good bananas” brought roaring applause from the crowd. And, Regan did draw a better-than-decent crowd to the Saenger for his one-night performance. The crowd seemed to contain quite a few Regan fans who know the comedian from his stints on Comedy Central. For me, the highlight of the evening was the opening performance by comedian Jim Colliton. He was an unbilled guest at the theater; his name did not even appear on the programs handed out at the theater doors. In spite of his last minute addition to the show, he still managed to entertain the audience while the audience waited for the appearance of Regan. Colliton delivered more insightful comedy, with a focus on the humor found in his everyday life. His persona was also more likeable that Regan’s own dim-witted onstage presence. Colliton, who also appeared on Comedy Central, talked about topics such marriage, children and air travel. One particularly
Stephanie A. Hudson / Entertainment Editor
Regan put his acting skills to good use during the show Friday, earning laughter from the crowd.
chuckle-inducing joke discussed the seemingly illogical limits placed upon air travelers by airport security. There is just something funny and oddly ironic about being asked to check a nearly empty tube of toothpaste. Perhaps the funniest thing of all is that occurrences like that happen every day in airports across America. For more information on Brian Regan or Jim Colliton, visit http://www.brianregan.com and http://www.jimwhat.com or http://www.jimcolliton.com.
MTV film portrays stark view of Iraq Ashley Jones STAFF WRITER kaj401@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
If you think our country does not have a draft for the war in Iraq, you are wrong. “Stop-Loss” director Kimberly Pierce executes exposing the underhandedness of our government’s treatment of soldiers with a realness factor that has rarely been reached. When Sgt. Brandon King, played by Ryan Phillipe, returns home to his proudsmall hometown in Texas, he and his friends that fought alongside him try to reclaim their civilian lives. As happy and eager as they were to be back home, returning to life post-war proves more difficult than anticipated. The friendship between King and his childhood best friend, Steve Shriver, played by Channing Tatum, is in danger because of differing reactions to the war and ideas about duty. The soldiers portrayed by Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt face keeping relationships intact after being gone for so long. Going back to Iraq was the last thing King wanted to do, but the Army orders him to serve another tour through a loophole called stop-loss. Since there is no official draft and no continuous supply of soldiers, the government has devised a
way to keep cycling the same soldiers back to fight in Iraq. It is a sort of “Back Door Draft” the government is using to ensure there are plenty of soldiers to fight. In order to get out of the order, King travels to Washington, D.C. to see a senator who promised to help him in any way he could, but that was before he went Awall. Along the way, King runs into another soldier who has been stop-lossed. King tells the soldier his plan, and he replies King might as well write a letter to the editor while he is at it. Ryan Phillipe’s performance is striking and dead-on. He gives King a soul with something to fight for, which, ironically, is not the war. Abbie Cornish, who plays King’s Bonnie-and-Clyde-getaway partner and his best friend’s fiancée, reveals the pain faced by the girlfriends, fiancées and wives of the soldiers fighting the war. The fighting scenes are shocking and ruthlessly real. Children and families are being killed in their homes—finally, we see the war is being fought in the living rooms of the people of Iraq and not on a battlefield. Our soldiers and the people of Iraq have something in common; there is no escaping the war. Even when the soldiers leave, their lives, as well as Iraq, will never be the same.
When you go see this movie, and you must see this movie, do not forget the tissues. It is shocking and upsetting, but necessarily so.
http://www.stop-loss.com
Ryan Phillipe stars in a film with a strong message about the struggles of soldiers in Iraq.
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Vanguard
March 31, 2008
Local band creates unique, catchy sound all its own Megan J. Reed STAFF WRITER mjr602@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Alabama is no stranger to good local music. However, sometimes the local music scene seems to lack strong and dedicated local bands. It seems like talent and passion have been replaced with the number of breakdowns one song can have by different arttists. It is a fact that Alabama has good local musicians, but they seem to be overshadowed by the bands that lack the talent and drive necessary to make it big in the music business.
“There is just a point where you get into the music so much you just feel it.” - Michael Fortune, bassist of Syadica
Syadica, a band out of Foley, Ala., is made up of musicians with some evident raw talent. The band started about five years ago and consists of Travis Mulloy, drums; Ricky Williams, guitar; and Michael Fortune, bass. When asked why they began playing, Williams simply said, "It's because we have a love for the music." The style of this band defies the usual description. It is only accurate to say their music is experimental, groovy, funky. Bassist Michael Fortune explains their sound as a
mix between 70s rock and 90s grunge. Their music is quite different than anything else I have heard locally. When Syadica plays their music, it is evident that they let loose and block out everything around them. “There is just a point where you get into the music so much that you just feel it," Fortune said. The ambition that these three guys have makes their music that much more enjoyable. I appreciated their music the first time I heard it, because it was so different and actually required talent, but after sitting down with the band, I appreciate them on a new level. These guys are putting everything they can into this band. In their eyes, music is not just a random mix of melodic, harmonious sounds; it is pure art. All it takes is one listen to their songs, which include “Powerplant,” “Furious Society” and “Top of the Top,” to make a listener realize this band is striving to break out of the pop or general rock band mold. They achieve a sound that has just as much influence from Southern blues as it does from 70s disco and 80s-style synthesizers. Syadica has many different influences for their sound. So many, in fact, the band has an almost endless list of favorite bands. They seem to latch on to every unique sound that comes their way and integrate it into their own songs. Each member of the band attempts to bring something different to the mix. Mulloy looks to more classic rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. Williams looks more to metal bands like Megadeath and Iron Madden. And Fortune gets a lot of his ideas from bands
Jaguar Productions to present comedian Dan Cummins April 8 Stephanie A. Hudson ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR stephanieahudson@gmail.com
Local Event
The University of South Alabama Jaguar Productions will sponsor a performance by stand up comedian Dan Cummins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 8 at the USA
Student Center Ballroom. Cummins, 28, began his comedy career in August 2000 and has continued to tour in comedy shows across the country. He describes his comedy act as sarcastic, dark and intelligent while still remaining edgy enough to entice a wide audience. In 2007 alone, Cummins played over 90 college venues all over the country. His popularity on college campuses may have begun while he earned his college education at Gonzaga University in Washington state. His comedic routine includes subject matter from a wide variety of areas, including pirates, Internet dating and strangeness of celebrity worship in America. Cummins has played venues nationwide, including multiple television commercials, a stand up routine on “Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and multiple national comedy tours.He received strong reviews from Comedy Central as well as critics of the 2006 Las Vegas Comedy Festival. He is a contributor to the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom Show and was featured on Bob & Tom’s 2002 Best of CD Bob & Tom Gone Wild. In 2003, Dan was a national semi-finalist in the Comedy Central Laugh Riots competition. In July 2005, Dan appeared at the New Faces show of the Montreal Just For Laughs
Comedy Festival. He currently lives in Spokane, Wash. with his wife and son. For more information on the comedy act, contact USA Jaguar Productions at (251) 4607144 or http://www.southalabama.edu/jaguarproductions or visit http://www.dancummins.tv or http://www.myspace.com/dancummins.
such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Miles Davis. There is no doubt that Syadica has the talent and drive to succeed. These guys are doing all they can to make things happen, and with the undeniable talent they possess, they deserve your ear. For more information on the band, visit their Web site at http://www.myspace.com/syadica.
http://www.mysapce.com/syadica
Syadica is one of several up-and-coming bands from the Gulf Coast region seeking to enter the music industry.
Upcoming Shows in Mobile Tuesday, April 1 Banana Docks - Lisa Zanghi Blind Mule - Karmella’s Choice Bubble Lounge - Brett Lagrave Metropolitan Groove - Jon Maddox Wednesday, April 2 Bubble Lounge - Justin Simmons Soul Kitchen - Tea Leaf Green Metropolitan Groove - Justin Fobes Thursday, April 3 Boo Radley’s - Randy from Chronic Blues Chemistry - Rising Still Rising Grand Central - Dauphin Street Idol Metropolitan Groove - Peek
Friday, April 4 Bilotti’s - Jim Marshall Jazz Trio Boo Radley’s - Echoing Blue Grand Central - Jon Maddox Metropolitan Groove Marcus & Ebony Satori - Jeff McLeod Soul Kitchen - Will Hoge Saturday, April 5 Bilotti’s - Jim Armstrong Blind Mule - Roof Rabbit and The Royal Attire Boo Radley’s - Echoing Blue Grand Central - Jon Maddox Soul Kitchen - The Velcro Pygmies The Garage - Delilah Why Sunday, April 6 The Garage - Beau Roberts & The Port City All-Stars Tuesday, April 8 USA Student Center Ballroom - Comedian Dan Cummins
http://www.dancummins.tv
Dan Cummins will perform at the USA Student Center Ballroom on Tuesday, April 8.
Sports
The
Vanguard
12
John Kenny & David Hopper Sports Editors vanguard@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
March 31, 2008
Charging the mound
A dose of NASCAR
Jags sweep ASU
Matt Weaver SPORTS REPORTER punkbrokenlove@aol.com
Are you bored with the football offseason and spring training baseball? Are you not a golf fan, and hopelessly awaiting for the NBA regular season to segue into the always exciting playoffs? If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions, then NASCAR is the sport for you! Individually Yours NASCAR features the world's most competitive drivers dueling on North America's most draining circuits. The sanctioning body contains over fifty superstar champions, from all fifty states, and half a dozen countries all contesting for the prized Sprint Cup Championship. From resident bad-boy Tony Stewart to the ultra-GQ Jeff Gordon, there is an individual driver just for you. The once southeast based cult phenomenon has now gone worldwide, adding an international flavor to every race weekend. Good ole boys Richard Petty and David Pearson have given way to the likes of Columbian Juan Pablo Montoya and Scotsman Dario Franchitti. No matter who you are or where you are from, there is a driver you can relate to and follow. Worldwide Phenomenon The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing has single-handedly made closed wheel auto racing a global spectacle. This is no longer your daddy's bluegrass country slurred sport. With events previously held in Tokyo, currently in Mexico and Montreal and with future events planned for Europe going forward, the sport is growing. The downfall of American Indy-style and open wheel racing has led NASCAR into a new golden era: the Modern Era. Even with Nielsen Ratings and event attendance second to only the NFL conglomerate, there is still room for you on the NASCAR bandwagon. Blackout Restrictions Do Not Apply Mobile does not yet host a major professional franchise from any sport and the general consensus is that the booming metropolis will not have one for quite awhile. This poses numerous problems as many of you are caught having to purchase the NFL Sunday Ticket or the MLB Extra Innings cable package in order to watch your favorite out of market teams, such as the New England Patriots or the Florida Marlins. With NASCAR's overly simplistic television deal you will have the chance to see every team, every player, and every event no matter where you are, as long as you have access to FOX, TNT and X
see NASCAR, page 20
Ashley Salley / Sports Photographer
Junior pitcher Brandon Sage delivers his offering in USA’s loss to UNO to Stanky Field. The Jags now have a record of 16-12 overall and 5-4 in conference.
David Hopper SPORTS EDITOR dsh401@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
South Alabama completed their first series sweep since April 2006 Sunday afternoon at Stanky Field, edging out Arkansas State 8-7. With the win, the Jaguars improved to 16-12 overall and 5-4 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Indians fell to 14-13 and 5-7 in conference. “I'm really proud of them. They came ready to play all weekend and had a lot of energy. We're starting to play better baseball,” said USA head coach Steve Kittrell. The Indians got on the board first when they put up two runs in the first inning. Drew Benes drove in Derrick Coleman and Brandon Eller with a single up the middle. The Jaguars fought back in the bottom of the inning, evening the score with two runs on four hits. Ray Kruml started off the inning with a blooper single over the second baseman's head. Clint Toomey then singled through the left side, while Kruml was put out at second. Ryne Jernigan belted a twoout home run, his team-high seventh of the season, to score Toomey. ASU built a 4-2 lead in the third when Coleman hit a two-run bomb over left-center. The Jaguars answered with a run in the third on a fielder's choice RBI by Ryan Bohanan. Jaguar starting pitcher Chris LaGrow (1-0) struck out three batters in the fourth. LaGrow finished with five strike outs and gave up four runs in four innings pitched. In the fourth, the Jaguars tied it 4-4 after Jake Overstreet launched a home run to center right over the 400-foot sign. Miles Ethridge (2-0) came in to pitch for the
Jaguars at the start of the fifth. Ethridge earned the win, striking out four and giving up two runs and 3.1 innings. “We're confident. When we fall behind, we're swinging the bats and doing what we have to do. I thought the key today was Miles Ethridge. Today he gave us a chance to come back and win,” Kittrell said. The Indians did not score in the fifth. In the bottom of the inning, the Jaguars put up their last four runs of the game in the bottom of the inning, but it was all USA would need. The runs came during a twoout rally. After Sean Laird drew a walk, Bohanan singled up the middle to center and Coleman could not get a handle on the ball. The error allowed Laird to score and Bohanan to reach second. Bunky Kateon then batted in Bohanan with a single. Russell Harben followed it up with a triple to left-center to score Kateon. Harben scored when Overstreet laid down a textbook bunt down the third base line. With the Jaguars leading 8-4, the Indians made a comeback effort in the final two innings. ASU put up two runs in the eight on a homer to left field by Ryan Hudgins and tacked on another run in the ninth when Lawson Hipps scored an unearned run on a single from Murray Watts. Greg Johnson pitched the last 1.2 innings to get the save, his sixth of the season. Johnson struck out two with no walks and no earned runs. “We're 3-1 in one-run games. We're confident I think in a tight game, but you have to keep winning to keep that confidence,” Kittrell said. “It was a big weekend for us, one that we needed in the conference after starting so slow, but we still got a lot of work
to do. There's still a lot of games left.” Saturday game USA Saturday USA 10 ASU 4 It didn't take long for South Alabama pitcher Brandon Sage to get into a groove Saturday afternoon at Stanky Field. After allowing three runs in the first inning, the left-hander gave up just one more run in the eighth in the Jaguars 10-4 victory over the Indians. Sage pitched a complete game, his first as a Jaguar, striking out a season-high nine batters and walking only two. After falling behind 3-0 in the first the Jaguars battled right back in the bottom of the inning with five runs. Doss jacked a two-run shot over left-center scoring Toomey. Davis later crushed a three-run shot that barely whizzed fair of the right field foul pole. USA tacked on two more runs in the second thanks to three doubles. Ray Kruml got the things going with a double off the left field wall. Toomey then followed suit, crushing a double that sailed right over the outfielder's glove, hitting the left field wall while Kruml scored. Kruml led the Jaguars offensively, going 3-for-5. Jernigan drove home Toomey with a double to left. Following three relatively quick scoreless innings, USA scored a run in the sixth on Bunky Kateon's solo shot over left-center. The Indian's last run came in the eight on a homer by Guy Brown. In the eight inning, Lance Overstreet ripped a triple off the center field wall scoring Davis. Kruml then drove home X
see BASEBALL, page 21
13
The
Vanguard
March 31, 2008
Softball defeated in Boca Raton Staff Reports vanguard@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
The South Alabama softball team lost all three games against Florida Atlantic in their games over the weekend in Boca Raton, Fla. FAU defeated the Lady Jags 6-1 in the final game on Sunday after giving up four runs in the second inning. USA finally scored in the sixth with a Jenny Stevens double that scored Julie Morton from second base. Lady Jag pitcher Beth Pilgrim fell to 9-7 on the season after pitching just under two innings. In the two games played on Saturday, FAU won 4-2 and 3-1. In the first game of the day, South Alabama led 2-1 early, but FAU fought back to tie the game just a half inning later. FAU took the lead for good in the sixth with some help from two unearned runs. Pilgrim took the loss for the Jags, while Kelsy Donaldson was the top hitter for USA, going two for three. In the second game of the doubleheader, FAU took the early lead by scoring a run in the first inning. South Alabama fought back, but could not get overtake Florida Atlantic. Amanda Leggett took the loss for the Jags and fell to 7-4 on the season.
Christopher Rowe / Contributing Photographer
Senior outfielder Amanda Leggett swings for the pitch in USA’s double header win over Northwestern State University on Tuesday at Jaguar Field.
2008 Vannie Nominations The third annual Vannie awards is fast approaching. This year we are putting a twist into the mix. This year, you the reader will get a vote. Each Vanguard reader is encouraged to e-mail me, John Kenny, at chevyracin382931@aol.com, their votes for the five categories at hand. Your vote will be kept anonymous and the total number of reader votes will count as one of seven votes to determine the winner. Please title your emails 2008 Vannies. The announcement of the winners will be announced in the April 14 Issue. Deadline for votes is Saturday, April 12.
Male Athlete of the Year Demetric Bennet - USA’s leading scorer during the ‘07-’08 season, first team All Sun Belt Conference Daon Merrit - USA”s leader in score assists during the ‘07-’08 season, first team All Sun Belt Conference David Doss - Holder of USA’s leading batting average of , Preseason All Sun Belt Conference Jack Baker - ranked ninth in ITA’s Southeast Regional tennis rankings in December, finished ‘06-’07 season with a 24-3 record Micah Tirop - named outstanding track performer at SBC Championships,
Coach of the Year
Female Athlete of the Year
Ronnie Arrow - Men’s Basketball coach to 26-7 record, a USA high Mike Varga - Soccer coach to 9-8-3 record, appearance in 2007 Sun belt Tournament Jaco Keyser - Women’s tennis coach to 15-3, 52nd national ranking Rick Pietri - Women’s basketball coach to 20-11 record, near win in 2nd round of Sun Belt Conference Micah Tirop - named outstanding track performer at SBC Championships Ben Hannan - Men’s golf coach to numerous top five finishes during the 2008 campaign
Monique Jones - leading scorer in several USA games Michaela Babicova - top seeded player on USA’s 52nd ranked, 15-3 tennis team. Ranked 44th in singles and 28th in doubles Shundel Francis - named to second team All Sun Belt Conference for the 2007 soccer season Erin Kinnear -NCAA woman of the year nominee, school record holder for pole vault Evelyne Pare - Preseason All Sun belt Conference outfielder
Story of the Year
Team of the Year
Men’s Basketball gets an at-large bid to NCAA Tournament Men’s Basketball beats Mississippi State in Coors Classic South Alabama starts a football program Men’s Basketball wins 13 straight, in route to school record for wins Volleyball ends 23 game conference losing streak
Men’s Basketball - 26-7 final record, Sun Belt Conference season champs, NCAA Tournament appearance Women’s Basketball - 20-11 final record, 11-2 non-conference record Soccer - qualified for 2007 Sun belt Conference tournament Women’s Tennis - record of 15-3, ranked 52nd in the country Men’s Golf - numerous top five finishes during the 2008 campaign
USA vs. NWS (DH) The South Alabama softball team swept Northwestern State in a double header Tuesday night at Jaguar Field. USA won the first game 5-2. The Jaguars got on the board in the second when Corey Race hit a double down the left field line to score Amanda Leggett. The Demons took the lead when Brittany Card scored on a single from Cary Bruno. The two runs in the third would be the only time the Demons would score. The Jaguars reclaimed the lead in the sixth at 3-2 when Jenny Stevens homered to left. USA defeated NWSU 6-3 in the nightcap. In the bottom of the second the Jaguars took a 3-0 lead. USA added two more runs in the fourth on two RBI singles. NWSU put up thier only three runs in the fifith. USA put up another run in the sixth to make the score 6-3. Compiled by: Sports Editor David Hopper and Staff Reporter T.R. Risner
The Vanguard Sports Section is looking for writers to carry on the tradition and write for the 2008-2009 school year. If interested, contact John Kenny at chevyracin382931 @aol.com
14
The
Vanguard
STAFF REPORTS Staff Reports vanguard@jaguar1.usouthal.edu
Mississippi State routes Jags Mississippi State defeated the Jags 7-6 on Mar. 26 after Russ Sneed hit his first pitch from USA reliever James Dunning in the bottom of the eleventh inning. The Jaguars led 5-0 after the first two innings, but the Bulldogs fought back with USA assistance via three errors. The Jags took a 6-4 advantage after Russell Harben doubled and Ray Kruml singled. Down by two in the seventh, MSU fought back with a couple of solo runs in the next two innings to force extra innings. USA got close to winning the game in the ninth after getting a lead-off double by Sean Laird, but the next three batters were struck out to end regulation. Lance Baxter was the best pitcher of the night, allowing just one run on four hits in just over four innings. Travis Johnson pitched two scoreless innings, while Dunning took the loss for the Jags. Clint Toomey finished the contest going 3 for 4 with an RBI.
Men's Golf takes fifth at home The USA men's golf team ended the three-day Mobile Bay Intercollegiate with a team score of 895, and in fifth place, on Tuesday. Louisville won the tournament by shooting an 873 at Heron Lakes Country Club, while Adam Rainaud from Louisville was the best golfer at 215. USA's Daniel Burns ended the tourney tied for second by shooting a 217, while
Jonny Caldwell and Marc-Etienne Bussieres each shot a 227 to finished tied for 24th. Jack Hiluta and Greg Gowen each finished in 41st and assisted the Jags to the 5th place team finish. USA will head to the Ole Miss Intercollegiate on April 7 and 8.
Women's Tennis routes Marshall, falls to Tulsa
USA's women's tennis team defeated number 73 Marshall 6-1 on Thursday. The Lady Jags came out and took an early lead when they won two of the three doubles matches to take the point. In singles USA won five of the six matches including a 3-6,61,6-2 win by Michaela Babicova, a 3-6,6-2,64 win by Erica Krisan, a 6-4,3-6,7-5 win by Katie Welch, a 7-5,7-6 win by Sylvanie Spangenberg, and a 6-0, 7-6 win by Jelena Krivacevic. On Saturday, the 52nd ranked women's tennis team was defeated by 58th ranked Tulsa 5-2 in Tulsa, Okla. South Alabama took two of the three doubles matches to take that point, but they lost five of the six singles matches. Jelena Krivacevic was the only Lady Jag vicor when she defeated the Golden Hurricane 7-5, 6-4. USA's women's tennis team won four of the six singles matches against Witchita State to take the match 4-2. South Alabama's Adrianna Solarova won her sets 6-4,6-3, while Michaela Babicova won her matches 6-4,6-0, and Erica Krisan won 6-4,6-0. With the win USA is 15-3 in dual matches this year and will play Thursday against Troy. Compiled by: Staff Reporter T.R. Risner
March 31, 2008
SOFTBALL SBC STANDINGS Conference Record
Overall Record
1 Florida Atlantic
7-2
25-18
2 Florida Int’l 3 Troy
6-2 8-4
20-23 23-15
4 Louisiana-Lafayette
3-2
21-10
5 North Texas
7-5
17-20
6 Middle Tennessee
5-6
11-17
7 South Alabama
3-6
17-17
8 Louisiana-Monroe 9 W estern Kentucky
2-7 2-9
10-22 14-19
Team
BASEBALL SBC STANDINGS Conference Record
Overall Record
1 Florida Atlantic
6-1
16-6
2 Troy 3 Louisiana-Monroe
5-1 7-2
16-8 14-8
4 Arkansas State
5-3
14-10
5 Florida Int’l
3-3
9-17
6 Louisiana-Lafayette
4-5
10-12
7 New Orleans
3-5
14-8
8 Middle Tennessee 9 South Alabama
3-5 2-4
10-9-1 13-11
10 W estern Kentucky 11 UALR
3-6 1-6
11-10 4-17
Team
Opinion
Matt Flanagan Opinion Editor pufferfishx@gmail.com
March 31, 2008
OUR VIEW
I
Increased gradaute aid will greatly benefit the University
NCREASED GRADUATE AID is something that The Vanguard has pushed for the past two years, and now The Vanguard is proud to announce that this wish has begun to come true thanks to a grant of $471,000 provided to the University by the University of South Alabama Foundation. The grant will provide $246,000 for the creation of 22 new USA Foundation Fellowships and will provide $225,000 to help supplement 73 of the 132 currently offered assistantships. USA's level of funding for its various graduate assistantships and fellowships was well below the national average in just about every graduate program offered by the University. For example, USA previously funded only three engineering graduate students a year at a rate of $6,000 per academic year, plus tuition waiver. The national average for master's-level students in engineering is nearly $18,000 a year, plus tuition waiver. “The previous level of funding was far below that needed to attract the best graduate student in engineering,” Dr. John Steadman, dean of the College of Engineering, said. “It is common for other graduate assistantships in engineering to provide a stipend of $20,000 per year, plus tuition waiver. The GA's at USA were making it very difficult to attract really strong graduate students in engineering.” The University's level of graduate aid was not just well below national averages, but was also well below state
averages. The average graduate stipend at the University of Alabama was twice that of the average stipend provided to graduate students at the University of South Alabama. Even schools like Troy University and the University of Alabama at Huntsville provide higher levels of graduate aid. Competitive levels of graduate funding are absolutely necessary to improve the University's graduate programs and the University as a whole. The benefits that will come as a result of the Foundation's grant will be tremendous. As Dr. Covey put it, “Graduate assistantships … are universally recognized as an essential component of graduate education. They allow students to become immersed in the scholarship and professional activity.” Competitive graduate aid can also lead to greater levels of productivity and greater levels of research output by the various departments. However, it must be noted that even after the increases, USA remains well below national averages and will probably remain below state averages when compared to other doctoral-granting institutions. But the increases are significant enough to make graduate school at USA a viable choice for talented students looking for a good graduate program that is willing to support them in their scholarship and research. We only hope that The Foundation will agree to continue with their annual commitment to USA's graduate programs. Or better yet, hopefully they will agree to increase their commitment in the coming years.
Students are apathetic to sensationalist political tactics
P
ERHAPS THE LOW turnout in this year's SGA elections speaks to our student body's apathetic nature in general, but it is doubtful that a turnout of less than 1,000 ballots cast can be accounted for by general apathy alone. After all, nearly 2,000 students voted in this year's Homecoming elections, and approximately 1,800 students voted in last year's SGA. Yes, these numbers are low when you consider that even these “high” levels of turnout meant that well under 20 percent of our student population voted in these elections. But 1,000! That means not even 10 percent of the student population found time to check its Jaguar1 e-mail account and click the link to the ballot. No one can say the lack of attention was the cause of this year's low turnout. Campaign signs were everywhere, letting students know that it
was election time. Even the popular social networking site Facebook was flooded with campaign announcements letting all who frequent the site know how to vote and for whom to vote. Perhaps the number one reason why students decided not to vote was not the lack of attention the elections received, but rather the overdose of attention that certain candidates were giving to sensationalize the process and the SGA. Such sensationalist, negative attacks only serve to turn people away from the process, and that is exactly what happened. Of course, the sensationalist candidate will probably point to this lack of turnout as some kind of “proof ” that the student body does not care enough about SGA. More than likely, though, this more-apathetic-than-usual turnout is more of a sign that students are turned off by sensationalist political tactics and all the negativity.
The
Vanguard
15
The world needs the Beijing Summer Olympics
Poverty, genocide and civil warfare are current- neighboring countries like Tibet, but the ly tearing up several parts of Africa, namely Olympics Games are about the spirit of friendly Uganda and the Darfur region of Sudan. and honest competition. In these trying times, I Palestinian and Israeli forces have been at odds think it’s becoming increasingly important to stress for over 50 years with no apparent end in sight. to all nations and all cultures that we, as humans Earlier this month, the Tibetan Freedom move- have equal parts to play in this world of ours. Such ment had begun again with the 49th anniversary is the ideal of the Olympics. of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against the While the games don’t exactly fix our climate Communist Party, signaling protests around the change problem, or stop poverty or genocide, they globe along with violent strikes and mass looting. do illustrate an important facet of our nature as The U.S. continues its strughuman beings -- the ability to gle to fight terrorist organizaacknowledge the fact that our tions and insurgent forces in politics and our personal feelMatt Flanagan places around the world, ings toward other cultures just including Afghanistan and aren’t that important in the Opinion Editor Iraq. long run. That we are al We are facing an economic human beings in the end, and recession on a global scale, and as such, we all deserve equa our planet seems to be getting opportunities to prove our hotter and hotter by the day, as each carbon atom worth. If you look past the physical sporting events sent from our cars and factories into the atmos- of the games themselves, you will witness that very phere makes us one step closer to utter oblivion. fundamental truth about human nature. The world needs something that will unite its By the time this issue hits the stands, the peoples and celebrate their gifts, not tear them Olympic torch will have already been brought by away from families or censor their beliefs. relay from the city of Marathon to Athens Like the Olympics. Greece, and handed over to members of the The 2008 Summer Olympics will be held this Beijing Organizing Committee in Panathenaikon year in Beijing, China, starting on Aug. 8, 2008. Stadium. This ancient tradition of delivering the Though protests and riots have occurred during torch symbolizes the spirit of the games: that of past Olympic Games, the event has always fos- international cooperation. tered an attitude of welcome toward all countries This is the spirit of the Olympic Games and and cultures, regardless of political or national also the spirit that I wish to share with each of you ideals. Sure, the boycotts have already started in
‘Webaholism’ is just an excuse for bad choices
A few weeks ago I came across the story of a ing, but believe it or not, I do survive. lawyer who was gambling in Atlantic City. After I admit, when I do get to a computer, I am conlosing much of her own money, she proceeded to sumed for the next hour, but there are no shakes or use and lose $100,000 of her clients’ money to try cold sweats associated with my withdrawal, and it doesn't affect how I handle my responsibilities. I to cover her losses. She is now suing several Atlantic City casinos love to watch television, and sometimes I often put because she has a gaming problem and they didn't off doing what I should because there is a series I stop her from gambling. I wonder if this sudden just have to watch. Is that a mental deficiency? revelation would have come about if she had won. Should I threaten NBC with lawsuits because I It has become quite easy to take our bad judghave to see “The Office” on ments and slap a "mental disThursday instead of studying for order" label on them as justifia test? Or is it just me putting cation. The newest example: something I want to do ahead of “Webaholism.” Jennifer Horton my responsibilities? Dr. Jerald Block, of the If that is all it takes then most Oregon Health and Science Staff Writer of us should prepare to be University, is the latest in a deemed an addict and see what growing number of medical new drug is recommended for professionals who say that our particular illness. Internet addictions should be I am not saying that real addictions don't exist included in psychiatry's official handbook of menfor substances like alcohol and drugs, but how tal disorders. Fired from your job because you have neglected many vices can we excuse ourselves for by terming your work while surfing the Web? It isn't your them as "addictions"? And how long will we let fault. You have a mental deficiency which makes this list of vices grow before we fill our DSM-IV manuals with fluff ? it impossible for you to stay off of the Internet. Before long, society isn't going to have time for I completely understand what it is like to be "addicted" to the Internet. Every time I go some- anything else because we will be so busy attending where it isn't available, which is not often, I think our meetings: Gamers Anonymous, Shoppers about how much I miss it. All the things I could Anonymous and the newly formed Web Surfers be Googling, all the Facebook updates I am miss- Anonymous.
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The
Vanguard
March 31, 2008
POINT COUNTERPOINT Should Rev. Wright’s comments affect Obama? Obama’s actions speak louder than words Amber-Marie Isenburg STAFF WRITER sumowrestlersarehot@gmail.com
“Mr. Obama knows what it means living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich, white people; Hillary would never know that, Hillary ain’t never been called a nigger!” Yes, I am sure we have all heard it -- the now infamous words from Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Why is this important to us? Should it be important to us? Well, the media seems to think so, as that is what they are pushing. In a perfect world, this man’s words would have never affected anyone’s campaign, after all, people say stuff like this all the time, we just don’t happen to be best friends with a running presidential candidate. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world, and the company you keep does affect you in more ways than one, especially as a presidential candidate. Everyone that you have associated yourself with since the age of five will affect you in a politically driven career. I wish that I personally could look at Obama’s politics and beliefs and be done with it, because I do not believe that Wright's words should affect my vote. Though, in our daily lives even, we all judge and pre-judge people according to their chosen company. My mother always used to tell me to “be careful how I pick my friends.” I have never seen a better example of why we should be careful of whom we surround ourselves with. Whether Obama likes it or not, the world will judge him insensitively for this. I hate to say it, but he should have seen it coming. He knew Rev. Wright's politics and beliefs, and he knew that if his prac-
Wright’s comments point to larger issue
tices got out into the open, it would be a Angela Langster big deal. Yet he continuously identified STAFF WRITER asl662002@yahoo.com with him and called him his “best friend.” Politically, Barack Obama made the I have been taking an English course worst possible decision that he could. But, on black writers in America, and it is if we look at this from another angle, perinteresting to note that what we have covhaps ethically, he made the right decision. ered in that class is correlating with the After all, if, in the same situation, Obama recent events of this presidential election. backed off and said “no, I don’t know the Many of the African-American writers man, I hate the man, why would I be that we are covering in the course not friends with that guy?” only discussed their Obama would be in struggles of advancing way worse shape than in this country but also he had ever been if he shared their faith very followed that route. But passionately. his loyalty to Mr. Rev. Jeremiah Wright Wright, in my opinion, should have chosen his should be considered words more carefully in more of a factor than his sermons, which what he actually said to blamed people of his congregation. After European ancestry for all, if presidential candisome of the many probdate Barack Obama is lems that face Africanwilling to stand by a Americans today, like man who screamed the AIDS Virus, gov“God, damn America” ernment policy and from his pulpit, and drugs. There was much continue to be a loyal criticism over how Rev. http://graphics8.nytimes.com/ friend, would we not Wright’s sermons were want the same loyalty as Presidential candidate Barack Obama with conflicting with Senator American citizens? the Rev. Richard Wright, whose recent Obama’s message of This gesture shows so comments have caused controversy. bringing people of all much character in a way backgrounds together. that we never see anyFirst of all, the few more in the backstabbing world of policomments that Rev. Wright made were, tics. We should pay more attention to the yes, extreme, but does that make him actions of Obama, rather than the words entirely racist? Not exactly, because it is from his friend’s mouth. not like there’s a fully accessible archive of After all, Obama is the one running. all Rev. Wright’s sermons (however, I He should be represented by his actions don’t believe the problem of racism in the rather than those of his colleagues. United States can be blamed entirely on rich people with strong European ances-
try). Besides, where’s the outrage when other well-known ministers on the television screen make controversial remarks towards other races and cultural backgrounds just as outlandish and full of fallacies as Rev. Wright’s? The problem of racism in the United States involves everyone including myself. The supposedly most diverse country in the world either plays a major or minor role in perpetuating stereotypes that lead to racist comments or even subliminal gestures. And the most tragic part of it all is the prominent unawareness in which we are active participants. And the problem is leading us to drown ourselves further into quicksand until there’s no way out. The issue of racism is very deeply rooted into the historical fabric of this country, evidenced by the selections in the black writer class that I’m currently enrolled in. Writers such as Phillis Wheatley, Fredrick Douglass, Nella Larsen, and many others, who blamed their oppressors for the problems that occurred with they faced everyday, but they also were willing to put some blame toward racism against their own people. An example of this is when Charles W. Chesnutt wrote “The Wife of My Youth,” which showcased how AfricanAmerican members in blue-blood societies discriminated against their own people based on skin color. Why do I bring up these writers? The mistake that Rev. Wright made in those sermons was not choosing his words carefully. Yes, what was shown did move people, but for others who watched the broadcast, it rubbed them the wrong way. X
see WRIGHT, page 21
Question of the week: What do you think of Sally Cobb?
“I think she’s freakin’ fantastic!”
“She is a very strong advocate of student needs.” “She’s pretty great.” Michael Smith Junior International Studies
Christian Smith Junior Therapeutic Recreation William Egbert Freshman Physics
Kerri Tindell Junior Political Science
“I think she’s a very good example of campus involvement. She’s practically a student herself.”
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March 31, 2008
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18 Graduate Aid X
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assistantship stipends is $17,881, according to Covey’s proposal. “The previous level of funding was far below that needed to attract the best graduate students in engineering,” John Steadman, dean of the College of Engineering, said. “It is common for other graduate assistantships in engineering to provide a stipend of $20,000 per year, plus tuition waiver. The GA’s at USA were making it very difficult to attract really strong graduate students.” With the Foundation’s grant, the College of Engineering will now be able to offer 10 additional fellowships, which will come with a stipend of $12,000 for the academc year, plus tuition waiver. The stipend that accompanies the three existing assistantships will also be increased to $12,000. Steadman believes these increases will significantly improve all the college’s graduate programs in engineering. “Not only will we have more and better graduate students, but also those students will have the time to work with faculty in research and scholarship,” Steadman said. Engineering is not the only area in which USA lagged behind the national average. Students receiving assistantships in the College of Computer and Information Sciences received stipends of $6,000. The national average is
The
Vanguard $16,688. Students pursuing graduate studies in biology at USA also received stipends of $6,000. The national average for biology is $17, 481. The levels of stipends that accompanied graduate assistantships in allied health, English, business and management, education, marine sciences, and nursing were also well below national averages. The University of South Alabama Department of Psychology is another program that expects to greatly benefit from the Foundation’s grant. Prior to the approval of the grant, the psychology department offered five master’s level assistantships, which came
“Not only will we have more and better graduate students, but also those students will have the time to work with faculty in research and scholarship” - Dr. John Steadman, dean of engineering with stipends of $6,000 for the academic year. Because of the Foundation’s grant, the level of these stipends will increase to $9,000. The lower levels of funding made it “more difficult” for the department to recruit quality students, according to Dr. Elise Labbe-Coldsmith, graduate coordinator for the depart-
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from 13-25 years old, particularly because they are most susceptible to beach tanning or using tanning beds and heat lamps,” Riker said. According to the American Cancer Society, there are two major types of skin cancer: melanoma and keratinocyte cancer. The most common and is usually treatable type of skin cancer is keratinocyte cancer. The deadliest and least-common type of skin cancer is melanoma. This cancer is a more agressive form of skin cancer that first invades the outer layers of the skin by unnaturally increasing the production of melanin, or the natural pigments found in skin cells, and then proceeds inwards into the body when it grows, eventually attacking bodily organs and functions. This is why it is of vital importance that young people should get screened for skin
March 31, 2008
ment of psychology. Labbe-Coldsmith believes the higher stipend levels will help the department improve. The Foundation’s grant will also provide 6 USA Foundation Fellowships for Ph.D. students in the department’s just-approved Ph.D. program. The Ph.D.-level fellowships will provide stipends of $11,000. The creation of these new fellowships will greatly aid in making the new program a success, said Labbe-Coldsmith. Even when compared to Master’s level stipends at other Alabama institutions, USA fell well below average. The average stipend provided to graduate students at USA was $6,189 in 2007. The average at Troy University was $8,000, at University of Alabama at Huntsville $9,000 and at the University of Alabama $12,700. The Foundation’s grant is expected to make USA more competitive among its in-state peers. However, even after the increases, USA still lags behind national averages. The Foundation pledged continuous annual support for the new USA Foundation Fellowships. The Foundation pledged four years of annual funding for the stipend increases for the 73 existing assistantships. The 22 new fellowships are accompanied by full tuition waivers, which the University has agreed to fund. “I want to emphasize our gratitude to Dr. Covey and the USA Foundation for making this investment,” Steadman said. “I am sure that the investment will pay big dividends in
cancer as soon as possible, and not just because they see something that is suspicious. “You have to scare young people with the actual facts of what can happen to you if you don’t regularly keep up with the health of your skin,” Riker said. “We get over 200 cases a year at the Mitchell Cancer Institute of people in various stages of skin cancer, and in some cases, it is too late to implement any long-term treatments because they did not come in ahead of time.” So what can you do to preserve skin health? Slather on the sun block (SPF 15 or higher) is the first step. Staying out of the direct sunlight or even cloudy days between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. shields you from the damaging UV light rays. And although skin is always in when going to the beach, it is best to actually cover up from the sun to preserve not only your health but also your complexion. Prolonged sun exposure can cause more wrinkles on the face and neck. So although tan skin is quite popular, it is also important to realize that it is just a fad.
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“The plan to build the multi-purpose storage and maintenance facility at this location was approved by the board of trustees predating the discussions about football,” Ayers said. “[The facility] will temporarily be used for a football field house and possibly for the band.” The University's intent to get out of the family-housing business - and to rid itself of all its Hillsdale properties - was publicly announced in 2004, according to Ayers. All of the Hillsdale properties are eventually going to be used for something else. Even prior to the 2004 announcement, the University has considered ridding itself of all its Hillsdale properties. In a resolution passed in February 2001, the board of trustees approved to finalize negotiations to sell all the University's 700 plus Hillsdale properties to the Hillsdale Area Community Development Corporation, a non-profit organization formed to serve the Hillsdale community. After three years, due to complications in the finalization of the sale, the sale fell through. In late 2004, the University announced that it still planned to sell
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Orange, has taken found objects in the form of abandoned buildings and made them into art. The four artists of Object Orange use the Disney paint color, Tiggerific Orange, to coat the surfaces of buildings throughout Detroit. This series, titled “Detroit. Demolition. Disneyland,” has been viewed as controversial, with many city officials dubbing it vandalism. The group thus chooses to only work at night fearing prosecution. The shocking bright orange calls attention to the conditions of Detroit's urban architecture. Many of the efforts of Object Orange have been destroyed following their completion, proving that destruction is an inevitable part of life and landscape. Another artist, whose work is sometimes seen as destructive, is China’s Zhang Dali. Dali’s series “Dialogue and Demolition” offers photographs that each share a similar image: a spray-painted profile of a bald man. This figure, which appears on urban buildings, was first discovered in the mid-1990s along the streets
Vanguard all of its Hillsdale properties. In spring 2005, the University publicly announced that it would be re-opening bids for the Hillsdale properties. Since the re-opening of bids, USA has sold the vast majority of its Hillsdale properties. Ten years ago, USA owned more than 700 individual properties in the Hillsdale community. Today, the University owns 160 properties. “[The University] will be gradually not renewing leases,” Ayers said. “All Hillsdale property will eventually go to some other University purpose. We are getting completely out of the singlefamily rental business.” Sarah Walton and her husband are both students at the University and residents of Hillsdale. Walton has expressed concerns that if low cost on-campus housing does not continue to be available, they may not be able to afford to remain full-time students. “If they kick us out of our house we won't have anywhere to go,” Walton said. “One of us would most likely have to drop classes and work full-time to make ends meet. With family housing being so affordable, both my husband and myself are able to pursue our dreams of getting college degrees.”
of Beijing. Dali often painted this figure on buildings that were to be demolished. “After my graduation it was very difficult for me financially, so I couldn’t hide in the studio dreaming about things. I wanted to change reality into art," said Dali when describing his inspirations. He often uses the tag AK-47, a part of his art he claims to stand for the violence endured in the world. Dali hopes that one day his graffiti will allow the people of Beijing to express themselves more freely. As to whether Zhang considers himself a rebel, the artist respond, “I think I belong to the artists who raise questions, but do not solve them.” Each artist has offered their interpretation and experience of the decay of our surroundings. Whether influenced by politics, religion or economic struggle, each work has captured a moment in time that has ceased to exist. In experiencing “Among the Ruins," we are able to replace our pity for the abandonment of these forgotten locations with a newfound respect for what once was. “Among the Ruins” will be on display until May 4.
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Staying in touch has never been this family friendly. The Nationwide Family Plan
X
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ESPN/ABC. Drug Free Zone With baseball's performance enhancers and football's substance abuse problems, NASCAR stands as the only publicly clean sports organization. That is important to fans as evident from the outcry of disappointment stemming from the Mitchell Report and its contemporaries. Acting as the only sport without a player's union to divide and halt progress, President Mike Helton and his sanctioning body have been able to control substance abuse with an iron fist. Look no further than former
March 31, 2008 Nationwide Series standout Shane Hmiel as proof. Hmiel now watches the sport he grew up with from the comfort of his own home due to a lifetime ban from all NASCAR events after failing two drug tests for marijuana. Ask Adam 'Pacman' Jones and Ricky Williams if the NFL, bogged down with the players union, has the fortitude to do the same. NASCAR is not for everyone but if you still find yourself with a digging need to watch captivating rivalries over the otherwise slow spring then NASCAR is for you. Contact your local sports club if experiencing tediousness, boredom, or silence. When watched effectively, side effects are rare but may include loss of voice, uncontrolled excitability and broken remotes.
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New activation and two-year contract required. Phones and offers good for a limited time only. Nokia 2135 free, no rebate required. Motorola W385 $49.99, no rebate required. Motorola ROKR $99.99 after $100 mail-in rebate. Instant rebate available online. Phone pricing, availability and offers may vary by market. Certain restrictions, taxes and/or fees may apply. The Nationwide Family Share plan lets you share all minutes and features with the Nationwide Family plan. Up to three Nationwide Family Share plans can be added to the Nationwide Family plan. More than one Nationwide Family plan can exist on one account. Customers participating in this plan must reside in the Cellular South Network, which is defined as MS and generally in and surrounding Memphis/West Memphis, AR/nearby West TN, Mobile and Baldwin Counties in AL, and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties in FL. Fifty percent (50%) of all usage on these plans must be on the Cellular South Network. In the event that 50% of total usage for a three-month period is outside the Cellular South Network, Cellular South reserves the right to move customers to another plan with reduced geographic coverage or to a plan with a specified number of included Nationwide minutes of the customer’s choosing, or to terminate service if the customer fails to make an election of another plan with reduced geographic coverage or to a plan with a specified number of included Nationwide minutes within 7 calendar days of being requested to do so. Visit cellularsouth.com or see store for details. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. ©2008 Cellular South, Inc. All rights reserved.
South Park X
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abnormal in some sense. "I'm not inspirational. I'm normal," commented Glowacki. He stated that one third of returning veterans will or have claimed disability. The last issue addressed by Glowacki was racism. He illustrated this particular stigma with a clip from “South Park,” where one of the character's father is publicly chastised for saying the “N” word on a national television game show like “Wheel of Fortune.” Glowacki explained the political correctness woven into racial relations and painted a distorted picture of race being a societally constructed concept.
He pointed out that racism exist in all forms and within many minorities as well as the Caucasian majority. He told the audience that African-American leaders, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, were known antiSemetics and gained money by "shaking down" corporations with the wrong race ratios. He preached against ignorance, imploring the audience to not take a picture for more than it is worth. He left the audience with a challenge to "think." "When people come up and ask how something was. Don't just say 'it was okay' or 'it sucked.' Tell them why. Actually describe it. Start paying to the reasons you form your opinions about things," Glowacki said.
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Overstreet with a double. Both teams had 12 hits. Jacob Maggard of ASU received the loss. Maggard gave up eight runs and had no strike outs in five innings pitched. Friday game USA 17 ASU 9 South Alabama pounded out a seasonhigh 18 hits en route to a 17-9 win over Arkansas State Friday night at Stanky Field. The Jaguars scored at least one run in each of the first six innings, building a 15-0 lead before the Indians scored three runs in the sixth. Eric Gonzalez received the win, and Chase Ware got the loss. Gonzalez struck out 12 batters and gave up five runs in seven innings of work. The Jaguars broke the game open with a six-run third inning, after putting up one run in the first and second. Clint Toomey reached on an error to lead off the third. Toomey made it home with a RBI fielder's choice by Ryne Jernigan. McCrory hammered a hard line drive to the corner of right field to score Jernigan. Bunky Kateon
SeCAPS X
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become increasingly positive,” White said. Richard Henning, a consulting meteorologist, examined flight level, dropsonde and radar data to estimate the surface winds during Hurricane Katrina, when it made landfall. “Reconnaissance data, radar and radial velocity archives from the NWS sites in Slidell and Mobile were used to develop a method for estimating local wind maximums at several neighborhoods along the coast,” said Henning. USA professor Dr. Keith Blackwell spoke about how the perception of a hurricane’s structure at landfall can directly impact the preparation for and recovery from a storm like Katrina. Dr. Blackwell also presented some of his research showing how Katrina had a double eyewall structure at its time of landfall. Dr. Jay Baker from Florida State University, Gordon, Dr. Bill Williams, Alan Sealls, chief meteorologists from WKRG, and Dr. Kevin Kloesel from the University of Oklahoma participated in a panel discussion on the public’s perception of severe weather warnings. The participants discussed new ways that the public is getting warnings, and ways it could be made better. After a poster session, where students from USA, UAH, the University of South
Wright X
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Some might say we need to be more aware of what is said in predominately African-American churches. Okay, but how about those churches that are predominately white or black extend an invitation to each other’s services? It’s a start somewhere. Besides, as Sen. Obama stated in his rebuttal speech, “Sunday is the most segregated day in the United States.” Even with that statement, it is painfully sad that in the 21st century U.S. there are still segregated churches, schools, social societies, etc. And we are supposed to be progressing ahead towards tolerance. No one said it was going to be easy, but as
Vanguard drew a walk to load the bases, and then Jake Overstreet was walked to score Bohanan. The inning rally was capped by a three-run double to right-center by Ray Kruml that scored McCrory, Kateon and Overstreet. David Doss led off the two-run fourth with a home run over left field. Doss had the hottest bat of all, finishing 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. Jernigan and Kruml lead the Jaguars in RBIs for the game with four each. The second run of the fourth came when Jernigan slid under the tag at home after McCrory hit a sacrifice fly to right. The Jaguars had another big inning in the sixth with five runs, three of which were scored when Jernigan smashed a bomb over center. Trailing 15-0, the Indians finally got on the board in the sixth with three runs. The Jaguars added what would be their last two runs in the bottom of the inning to make the score 17-3. ASU put up runs in all of the remaining three innings, including two in the seventh, a run in the eight and three in the final inning. Michael Raia pitched the final two innings for the Jaguars, walking five and giving up four runs to go with one strike out.
Carolina and meteorologists from the National Weather Service presented their research on posters, Saturday’s keynote speaker Dr. Phil Klotzbach from Colorado State University took the stage to discuss the tropics. The researcher that has taken over the famed Dr. Gray hurricane forecast discussed the new predictors being used in this year’s forecasts. He also spoke about how hurricane seasons have been different from year to year. “The thermohaline circulation is the likely driver in multi-decadal variability in the Atlantic basin,” said Klotzbach. NWS employees Jeffrey Medlin from Mobile, Renee Fair from Little Rock Ark. and Jason Elliot from Huntsville Ala., USA student Blake Michaleski and ABC 3340 meteorologist Brian Peters from Birmingham Ala. each spoke on severe weather topics to end the conference. Severe weather topics ranged from the Super Tuesday outbreak in early February to vertical wind shear environments since 1996 along the Gulf Coast. “Forecaster experiences during this event will be offered as best practices for future warning events associated with tornadic outbreaks,” Fair said. The fifth annual addition of SeCAPS had a record number of participants with more than 130 meteorologists coming to Mobile for the two-day event.
a people we have to able to take responsibility for our actions and realize that we all have some degree of prejudice. Whether we as people are willing to admit to this, stop having the discussion and start moving towards action. Then, what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of can come true. The events and the aftermath that occurred just goes to show us that when W.E.B. DuBois stated in “The Souls of Black Folk” that the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color line, this problem is still relevant in the 21st century. When people will stop pointing fingers and start doing something, then we can truly state that the United States of America is the most diverse and tolerant country in the world.
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22 Runoff X
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duce new legislation aimed at simplifying and streamlining the appropriations process, while making the process more equitable.” Ideally Shepard would like to see the legislation enacted prior to the fall semester appropriations. Hannah Skewes will be the next SGA chief justice winning over Justin Simmons. “I'm actually very surprised that I won,” Skewes said. “I was hoping for it, but I know I had worthy opposition.” As chief justice Skewes will want to work with the other officers “about reviewing the constitution and making needed changes, nullifying obsolete articles and making the overall structure and outreach of SGA a lot stronger and healthier as well as a more positive experience for students as a whole.” Ashley McGee will be SGA’s 2008-2009 attorney general accumulating 713 votes where Mohamed Kamaludeen received 258 votes. “I plan to work very heavily with the rest of the executive council to increase student involvement on campus, and to ensure all Lowdown rules and regulations are followed when conducting all SGA business.” McGee said. Vanessa Hartley will be SGA’s student-at-large representative.
The
Vanguard For the College of Allied Health, the senators are Ashley Guy, Paige Perry, Daniel Reid and Amanda Willis. For the College of Arts and Sciences, the senators are Colin Al-Greene, Marc Anderson, Matt Burke, Levi Gardner, Zehra Husain, Kim Proctor, Peter Savill, Emily Waters and Jeff Wilson. For the Mitchell College of Business, the senators are Russ Allen, Gregory Bettis, Jon Garcia, Marina Kazimirova and Dathan Osgood. For the School of Computer and Information Sciences, senators are Jed Barbour and Amanda Whatley. For the College of Education, senators are Laura Jo Adams, Emily Fleming, Sara Hendrix, Samantha Rowell, Miranda Scorver and Christian Smith. Senators for the College of Engineering are Lew Childre, Natalie Sessions and Sean Ramsey. Senators for the College of Nursing are Cassandra Brown and Jessica Jones. The referendum for two at large senate seats were passed during the SGA elections, according to Michael Smith, SGA’s 20082009 vice president that ran unopposed. One of the senate seats will go to a transfer student and the other to a freshman. They are not elected positions, and the president at his or her discretion will appoint the senators.
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03-19-08 Theft – Article from Auto/Burglary of Auto A male student reported his car burglarized while parked at The Grove. An iPod and a CD player were stolen, valued at $650 together. No suspects were identified. Police are investigating. 03-21-08 Theft – Article from Auto/Burglary of Auto An unknown person(s) entered a female student’s car and stole her engagement ring, valued at $2,089.99. The incident occurred in the business college parking lot. The case was closed because it was unfounded. 03-23-08 Criminal Mischief An unknown person(s) damaged a female student’s vehicle at The Grove. Scratches on both the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle resulted in more than $8,500 in damage. Police closed the case due to a lack of prosecution. 03-24-08 Theft – Article from Auto/Burglary of Auto A female student reported her car burglarized near Stadium Boulevard and the Beta 4 dorms. The victim’s car stereo and purse were removed from the vehicle. The console, window and door were also damaged. Losses totaled $900. No suspects were identified, but an investigation is pending. 03-24-08 Theft of Property An unknown person(s) entered the University’s primate lab without force and stole several items. Three primate holding cages, six animal feeding boxes and one stainless steel cleaning tube were removed from the premises. The items are valued at $1,050 altogether. No suspects have been identified at this time, but police are investigating the incident.
March 31, 2008
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March 31, 2008
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CAMPUS
IN BRIEF Racquetball tournament April 2 Campus Recreation and Special Programs is hosting a singles racquetball tournament April 2 beginning at 6 p.m. at the Rec. Center racquetball courts. This tournament is designed to introduce you to other players with similar ability. The will take up to 16 players and place them in groups of four based on their self-rated ability. Each group will play a round robin, with each match one game to 15 points. New groups of four will be formed based on win/loss record and a second round robin will be played. If enough women enter, they will separate by gender upon request. The entry fee is $2 for USA students and $4 for USA faculty and staff. There will be no prizes. However, we will supply balls, and there will be free soft drinks and pizza for the players. You must be prepared to play from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Entry forms are at the front desk of Campus Recreation. Call Randy Hunter at 4606214 for questions.
USABC announces upcoming films USA Baldwin County announces their upcoming movies in the foreign film series. The films will be held at USA Baldwin County's Performance Center, corner of Summit and St. James streets. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the film starting at 7 p.m. A donation is accepted at the door. On April 11 the film “The Page Turner” will be playing A young and gifted piano player becomes a page-turner for a virtuoso pianist. The film is 85 minutes long and rated R. On April 18 they will show “House of Sand.” In the early 1900s, a woman is taken to a desert location by her husband. She lives there for the next 59 years. Performances are by Fernanda Montenegro and Fernanda Torres. The film is 115 minutes long and rated R. On April 25, they will show “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” The film 112 minutes long and raged PG-13. The film is directed by Jullian Schnabel and is about the nondepressing true biography of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who became paralyzed at age 43 and concerns the indomitable will to communicate. For more information call (251) 928-8133.
Southerners plan annual Oozeball The USA Southerners are sponsoring the annual Oozeball tournament and want you to be a part of the fun. This year will mark the 20th anniversary of the event. The Oozeball tournament will be held April 19 at 9 a.m. and played in its new location between the JagTran service building and The Grove. Parking will be at the Intramural parking lot. The event is open to all students, faculty, staff and alumni. Applications are available in the Alumni Hall, Student Center Information Desk and online. Turn in applications to the Alumni Hall by April 7. There is an $80 registration fee for each team. A mandatory captains meeting will be held April 15 at 5:30 p.m. on the front porch of Alumni Hall. For any questions, please contact the office of Alumni Relations at (251) 460-7084.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a committee of people, including students, faculty and staff from the University of South Alabama have put together some educational and fun events on April 2 in the Student Center to help raise awareness and promote prevention relating to sexual assault. Planned events include live music at the SGA courtyard (near the post office) Ingrid Felts and So Brown playing that you can listen to while you browse informational tables in the breezeways of the Student Center. They will also have self-defense demonstrations in room 214, run by the University Police Department. These will be at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. We will have a film festival in room 212 in the Student Center. They will also have free popcorn, sodas and cotton candy. So come learn and educate yourself for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Marketing club volleyball tournament The Marketing club volleyball tournament will be held on April 14 at 3 p.m. in the Student Government Association Pavilion. The cost is $2 per person and up to six people per team. There will be hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks available for anyone attending. For questions or more information contact Stephanie at (601) 508-4574.