April 11, 2011

Vanguard

Serving USA students and the University community since 1963

The

April 11, 2011 |VOLUME 48, NUMBER 28

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University of South Alabama’s student newspaper

Jump to Success

Japanese students raise more than $3k

By Carey Cox SENIOR REPORTER

USA’s Japanese Student Association (JSA) has raised $3,270 for relief efforts in Ichihara, Japan, since the 9.0-magnitude earthquake rattled the city March 11.

Just one day after another earthquake, JSA set up a donation table and informational boards about Ichihara at the Spring Festival in the Student Center April 8. Students were able to donate cash, purchase a wrist band or buy a colorful T-shirt with “love” written in Japanese on the front.

The Mobile Ichihara Sister Cities As-

see FUNDRAISER | 4

inside

Opinion | page 6 Colin McGee | Photo Editor

Junior Lindsay Schwartz, from Watertown, Wisconsin, sets her personal best and nabs a first place finish on the high jump Saturday with a height of 1.68 meters (5’06”). Lindsay set another personal best and won another first place finish in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.52 seconds.

Presidential election heads into runoff

Former candidate Alan Waugh appeals, demands recount after failing to make runoff.

By Alex Whalen MANAGING EDITOR

The winners of the SGA elections for the 2011-12 academic year were announced Wednesday and, as expected, we have a run-off for SGA president.

Current SGA Vice President Colin AlGreene is the clear frontrunner with 459 votes.

Coming in second is SGA Chief Justice Troy Shephard with 348 votes. Alan Waugh did not make it into the run-offs, trailing Shephard by only 10 votes.

According to The Lowdown (505.2), “The two candidates receiving the highest percentage of the vote will participate in the fun-off election.” It is on this basis that Waugh is protesting the election results.

Waugh told The Vanguard that he filed the protest with the SGA office on Friday night, so the protest won’t be reviewed until this week.

“When the results came out, I was cordial.

But I couldn’t help thinking something wasn’t

IPolice Blotter p. 2

See full SGA elections results on p. 5.

right,” Waugh said.

During a conversation with some people in the State Attorney General’s office in Montgomery, Waugh said he was told that he should protest such a close margin of 10 votes.

But Waugh said he wasn’t as concerned with the number of votes as he is about the percentage. “The rules in The Lowdown say percentage, and that’s what I’m going by.”

Waugh’s protest is based on the election results that were posted on the SGA office door, which showed him and Shephard each with 30 percent of the vote. Thus, according to this printout, there is no basis for eliminating him over Shephard because they had an equal percentage of the votes.

Waugh acknowledged that a higher number of votes wouldn’t necessarily entail a higher percentage of votes. In reality, Shephard received a little over 30.39 percent of the votes and Waugh received just under 29.52 percent.

My issue is that they posted 30 percent for both of us,” Waugh said. “They shouldn’t have rounded it off.”

Waugh is also concerned that a number of Happenings p. 2

students told him that they never received the elections e-mail. “They didn’t have SGA e-mails or Zoomerang surveys blocked, and they voted in Homecoming elections,” Waugh said.

The elections committee can not give an official response until the protest has been reviewed, but SGA President Kim Proctor told The Vanguard that she didn’t think there were grounds to uphold the protest.

According to The Lowdown, should the Election Rules Committee deny the protest, the decision can be appealed to the SGA Supreme Court. This appeal would be problematic, since Waugh’s opponent, Troy Shephard, is the current Chief Justice who would hear the case.

The potential source of bias would disqualify Shephard from hearing the case, as well as the Attorney General Cameron Macon, who is Shephard’s fraternity brother. It’s unclear right now who would hear the case.

In the meantime, the two remaining candidates now have to work to pick up those votes left for Waugh and hopefully get some more voters involved. “You have three quality candi-

Campus Pulse p.6

see ELECTIONS | 4

Distractions p.18

Facebook-Depressed Doctors have begun to notice a trend in depression linked to Facebook.

Etc. | page 8 IRS Student Tax Credit You might be able to get money from the IRS just because you are a student.

Arts & Entertainment | page 12

Shenanigans at O’Daly’s Great specials, great bartenders and a great night on Dauphin Street.

Sports | page Softball Going Strong Despite a recent four-game losing slide, the players are coming back. Winning is reality.

JagLife p.19

2

NEWS

April 11, 2011

Vanguard The

University of South Alabama’s Student Voice Mission The Vanguard, the student-run newspaper of the University of South Alabama, serves its 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 Send letters and guest columns to: Editor-in-Chief, editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com or The Vanguard, University of South Alabama, P.O. Drawer U-1057, 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.

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.

The Staff Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Editorial Board, which is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Associate Editor, Copy Editor, and Opinion Editor. All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight during weekly Editorial Board meetings.

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 251460-6442 or e-mail editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com.

The Vanguard is a member of Collegiate Presswire and U-Wire, which syndicates to a national audience.

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 most University buildings and select off-campus locations. The first copy is free. Additional copies are $1 each.

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Daniela Werner Managing Editor: Alex Whalen Associate Editor: Cameron Adkins Associate Editor: Genny Roman Senior Reporter: Carey Cox Opinion Editor: Cassie Fambro Etc. Editor: Brett Williams Sports Editor: Matt Weaver Photo Editor: Colin McGee Webmaster: Nick Griffith DISTRIBUTION Distribution Manager: Johnny Davis ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager: Wesley Jackson Advertising Representative: Mohammad Ammar Al-Zarrad Graphic Designer: Brittany Hawkins MANAGEMENT Adviser: Jim Aucoin Accounting: Kathy Brannan Website: http://www.usavanguard.com Mailing Address The Vanguard University of South Alabama P.O. Drawer U-1057 Mobile, Ala. 36688 Phone Number (251) 460-6442 Article XIV, Section 8 of The Lowdown: The editors of the student publications shall be free from any type of censorship and shall be responsible for the form, content and staff of the publication.

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

POLICE BLOTTER 3/31- Burglary, 3rd Degree A Dell laptop was reported stolen from the Engineering Classroom Building.

The item was valued at $1,000.

4/1- Criminal Mischief, 3rd Degree Two doors were vandalized by unknown persons at the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house. The damages were estimated at $300.

4/1- Possession of Alcohol, Marijuana Four male students were sent to University Disciplinary Committee for alcohol violations and admission to possession of marijuana.

4/2- Receiving Stolen Property, 3rd Degree, No Liability Insurance A traffic stop was made because of a stolen license plate. The suspect was arrested, issued two citations and transported to Mobile Metro Jail.

4/2- Criminal Mischief, 3rd Degree The passenger side window of a vehicle was broken in the Delta parking lot. The damages were estimated at $300.

4/3- Recovered Stolen Vehicle A stolen vehicle was recovered in the Hillsdale area.

4/4- Warrant- Possession of Marijuana, 2nd Degree A non-affiliate was arrested at the ROTC tower on an outstanding warrant with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.

4/5- Theft of Article from Auto A textbook, iPod, Camelbak, hammock and prescription pills were reported stolen from a vehicle at the Instructional Laboratory Building. The items were valued at $292.

4/5- Resisting Arrest, Disorderly Conduct/Disturbing the Peace A suspect was arrested during an attempt by a District Attorney’s Office official to serve a subpoena at the Student Recreation Center.

4/6- Property Damage A USA employee slung a piece of debris through the side wall of a residence at 6205 Fontaine Dr. on a University riding lawnmower.

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I have qualms with the legitimacy of the year’s SGA elections. I waited during the elections period for an email, but I never received a ballot. My roommate Kathleen didn’t receive hers until the final morning of elections at 11:32 AM. She wasn’t able to vote because she couldn’t check her email until after class at 3:49 PM. In her email Kathleen stated, “Because of the tardy distribution of said email, I was not able to vote. My roommate did not receive the email at all. We both had wanted to vote and are unhappy with this unfair circumstance. We also wonder if maybe other students have had the same issues. If so, the election results will not show the correct opinions of the student body. I hope that something can be done to rectify this situation.”

I don’t feel that the SGA elections are valid if a large portion of the student body didn’t get to vote. The elections may not be properly representing the popular majority. The voting period should have been longer. Everyone should have received a ballot. Finally, they should have emailed everyone the first day of elections. This is unprofessional and unacceptable.

I approached Sean Ramsey Wednesday at 4:00 PM with my complaint and he immediately set about trying to address the issue. He asked me to recheck for an email from SGA or Ceclia. I checked each of my

folders including my trash. The only email I received from SGA announced when the Bell Tower Ceremony was to be held. Sean agreed to echo my complaint to the president if I was sure I didn’t receive the email. Thank you Sean! You have been an excellent senator and representative for engineering!

My roommate and I also emailed SGA Wednesday at 3:55 PM. They responded to me Thursday morning stating that I sent my email at 1PM and that I had had plenty of time to vote! Obviously not! I sent them a print screen image of my sent folder with the actual time. I believe that this interaction was simply a misunderstanding and do not hold it against SGA. It was simply a paws error.

Unfortunately, these interactions came too late. Elections went through and at least two potential voters were neglected. For every student that stepped forward with a complaint, there may be countless others who said nothing. I should have emailed them sooner with my own complaint, but the facts remain.

This should have been addressed before the new senators and officers were announced Thursday.

A disgruntled student, Sarah Naylor.

The

Vanguard

happenings The BP Oil Spill, One Year Later

What: A year after the BP Oil Spill, a panel of expert researchers will discuss what we know about oil spill recovery that we didn’t know a year ago, what we have yet to discover and what it means for the Alabama coastline.

Where: Battlehouse Hotel, Moonlight Room A When: April 13 at 10 a.m.

How much: Free For more info: Contact Ben Brown, Communications Director, Coastal Recovery Commission of Alabama at (828) 508-5002.

Renowned Astrophysicist to Speak at USA

What: Renowned theoretical astrophysicist Michael S. Turner will present “Cosmic Acceleration and Dark Energy” and “How Many Universes.”

Where: Instructional Laboratory Building room 250 When: April 14 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively How much: Free For more info: Contact the Department of Physics at (251) 460-6224.

ANNOUNCEMENT The Vanguard won four awards at the Region 3 Mark of Excellence Awards banquet put on by the Society of Professional Journalists earlier this month.

Photo Editor Colin McGee won first place for sports photography for four-year university with his photo “Jags Still Undefeated.” Similarly, former Photo Editor Simon Reinert won first place in breaking news photography for four-year university with his photo “Car Slams Into Campus Bookstore.”

Former webmaster Rodney Thompson won second place for best affiliated website for four-year university. The Vanguard placed second in the best all-around non-daily newspaper for four-year university.

CORRECTION In last week’s Our View, The Vanguard cited former SGA presidential candidate Alan Waugh as having been disqualified from last year’s senate race. He was actually disqualified from senate elections the year before last. The Vanguard apologizes for this error.

The

NEWS

Vanguard

April 11, 2011

3

Gamma 9 Weather Research Center

Forecast for April 11 - 17

Patrick Bigbie Student Meteorologist

We are going to start off the school week with some showers and thunderstorms on Monday, with highs around the low 80s and overnight lows around the upper 50s.

Tuesday and Wednesday will improve with mostly sunny skies and highs around the low 80s and lows around the mid 50s. Thunderstorms return for Thursday and Friday and temperatures should remain the same with low 80s for highs and mid 50s for the lows.

Looking at the weekend, we should have mostly sunny skies and highs around 80째 and lows around 60째.

For more local weather information, visit facebook.com/ stormteam4gamma9wx or follow Patrick on Twitter: @metwxpatrick.

4

Health care plan will cover older students

By Carey Cox

SENIOR REPORTER

College students no longer have to scramble to find a job with health benefits once they graduate or search for an individual health plan when they turn 23. The recently passed federal health care reform laws extend coverage for students who wish to remain on their parents’ health insurance until they turn 26.

“In the current job market, a lot of students are struggling to find jobs, and this alleviates pressure students have,” Student Health Center Director Beverly Kellen told The Vanguard.

Until now, health plans were able to remove enrolled children usually at age 19, sometimes older for full-time students, according to healthcare.gov.

“That is the single largest thing as far as health care reform goes,” Kellen said.

For students who are older than 26 or whose parents don’t have insurance, the Student Health Center offers plans that cover its services. The plans start at about $817 per year, according to Kellen.

Christian Smith, a 24-year-old USA graduate student, said she was kicked off of her parents’ insurance when she turned 22.

Smith said she struggled finding a suitable plan to meet her health needs, because she has asthma, which is considered to be a pre-existing condition. She enrolled in United Allied Health Insurance right after being dropped from her parents’ policy, she said.

Under United Allied Health, Smith had to waive her right to using insurance when

The

NEWS

April 11, 2011

she went to receive a breathing treatment “Unless you have excellent insurance, at the Student Health Center. After this in- such as the kind I have been allowed to go cident, she dropped her insurance and en- back under with my parents having insurcountered the same problem with another ance and not having insurance has been insurance company. the same … I am extremely fortunate to be “I stayed uninsured for a couple months; at the age where healthcare reform has althe only difference between no insurance lowed me to return to my parents insurance and insurance at this point was the price of since I am still in school and do not have prescriptions,” Smith said. “I was still pay- a job where I can receive my own,” Smith ing outrageous co-payments with insurance said. to see the doctor.”

According to healthcare.gov, your plan Since Smith left her parents’ federal is required to provide a 30-day period—no health insurance plan, later than the first day she has not taken her of your plan’s next asthma medications “plan year” or “policy because of the high year” that begins on don’t know about you, costs, even under an or after September 23, individual insurance but as a college student having 2010—to allow you plan. She also avoided to pay almost $50 to see a to enroll your adult going to the doctor unchild. Your plan must less she was “gravely doctor to get sinus medicine is a notify you of this enill” because her co-pay rollment opportunity was in upward of $50, little ridiculous. That’s a week’s in writing. she said.

Some students are worth of groceries for me.”

“I don’t know about still waiting for the you, but as a college open enrollment time -Christian Smith student having to pay to be able to rejoin USA Graduate Student almost $50 to see a their parents’ plans. doctor to get sinus Student Aaron Mumedicine is a little rinoz has not been able diculous. That’s a week’s worth of groceries to rejoin his parents’ Tricare plan. Tricare’s for me,” Smith said. premium costs will be announced prior to The Affordable Care Act that was passed start of enrollment later this spring, accordSeptember 2010 made it possible for stu- ing to a news release. dents to rejoin their parents’ insurance. “[It] would be nice if they said exactly Smith went back to her parents’ insurance when I could enroll in this instead of ‘later in January 2011, but some students have yet this spring’ though,” Munoz said. to attain coverage because some employers’ contracts have yet to be renewed.

“I

Vanguard

Fundraiser from page 1

sociation created the shirts to raise money for the city.

Radiation leaking into Japan’s water is Japanese students’ main concern.

“We like fish and sushi, if the fish get affected and we eat the fish, we get affected,” Kazuhiro Kishikawa, JSA president, said.

Kishikawa said that Japan is all too familiar with radiation because of the atomic bomb that was dropped in Nagasaki during World War II. “We know how scary it is,” Kishikawa said.

“I don’t even want to imagine that.”

JSA members said they plan to have a bake sale fundraiser once a week for the rest of the semester.

The next bake sale will be Tuesday April 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Humanities Building. Facebook users can get more information about upcoming fundraisers by searching for the group “Donate to JAPAN from University of South Alabama.”

Elections from page 1

dates, so I expected a run-off,” Shephard told The Vanguard. “Honestly, I didn’t know I’d make it [to the runoffs].”

Al-Greene echoed this sentiment. “With three people it’s hard to get a majority,” he said.

With the field narrowed, the remaining candidates aren’t going to dramatically alter their campaigning strategy. “I’m doing the same things I’ve been doing to campaign, just more of it,” Al-Greene said.

Editor’s note: We will continue to follow this story and post updates on The Vanguard’s website as more information becomes available. For a complete list of election winners, see p. 5 of this issue of The Vanguard.

The

Vanguard

NEWS

2011 SGA Elections Results President: To be determined this week in runoffs; see p. 1 to read more and visit www.usavanguard.com to see the candidates’ campaign information. To vote, open the elections e-mail in your Jaguar1 account April 13-14.

Vice President: Jessica Byrd Treasurer: Nick Lawkis Chief Justice: Coleman Wolf Attorney General: Jean-Pierre Arditi Student-at-Large: Jason Cord Fallon Allied Health Senators: Parker Chastain, Andrea Pittman, Brittany Ward, Kacie Watson Arts & Sciences Senators: Trey Alvey, Andrew Augustine, Michael Beckenridge, Christopher Hames, Zac Kirkpatrick, Justin Kennedy, Elizabeth McDonald, Logan Mitchell, Katie Reeves, Miranda Tevepaugh College of Business Senators: C. David Mann, Zach Milwee, Jacob Weatherly, Nathan Wisner Computer & Information Science Senator: Stephen Purnell Continuing Education Senator: Eric Beovich Education Senators: Brandon M. Caten, JaMarkus Coleman, Sarah Kirby, Matthew Wilt Engineering Senators: Andrew Adams, Riley Davis, Jacqueline Gayton, Sean Ramsey Nursing Senators: Sarah Malone, Stephanie Pelonia, Savannah Swindle, Nina Wilson

April 11, 2011

5

Opinion

6

April 11, 2011

The

Vanguard Cassie Fambro, Opinion Editor opinion.editor@usavanguard.com

www.usavanguard.com/opinion

OUR VIEW EDITORIAL BOARD >>editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com

A

STAFF EDITORIAL Daniela Werner | Editor-in-Chief Alex Whalen | Managing Editor Cameron Adkins | Associate Editor

Genny Roman | Associate Editor Cassie Fambro | Opinion Editor Carey Cox | Senior Reporter

This is your chance to make a difference

ccording to the Zoomerang survey results, approximately 10.5 percent of USA students voted in this past week’s SGA elections. That’s an optimistic way of looking at it.

What this number really means is that just more than one in 10 students voted for at least one person, and many of those votes are probably based on the person, rather than the candidate.

Given the sheer number of candidates and available positions to keep track of, however, this situation is understandable.

But it’s down to the wire now, with a run-off for the next SGA president. Here’s where we would say that your vote is important, but it’s not if you’re just going to vote for a name.

The SGA doesn’t need just voters; it needs informed voters. You only have two

Spotlight:

Bailey Hammond

“Twitter-pated” Social networking sites have taken over the world.

They’ve aided in rebellions (Egypt, anyone?) and there is even a movie about the most well-known site, Facebook, called “The Social Network.”

The biggest question about social networking via the Internet deals with safety.

Parents are concerned that their children are being bullied, and we’ve seen the horror stories in the news about those cases that ended in tragedy.

What can you do to protect yourself from stalkers, identity thieves, child molesters and the like? And can you do anything?

Well, you can always set your privacy to weed out the undesirables. It doesn’t hurt to be selective about who you choose to let view your profile, and it’s best to keep personal information to a minimum just in case someone hacks into your account.

As it is, Facebook is kicking out an average of about 20,000 underage users a day in order to prevent people admin consider

candidates to learn about, and all their platform information is available on The Vanguard’s website this week at www. usavanguard.com/opinion.

Next year is going to be rough – there are a lot of experienced leaders leaving and a lot of first-time senators coming in.

They’re going to need leadership that is highly motivated, has realistic goals that benefit as many people as possible, and can facilitate future SGA projects.

Use the critical thinking skills you should have developed in your college career and help decide the future of USA. Check your Jaguar1 account for the e-mail inviting you to vote.

The runoffs will happen April 13-14.

too young to be sharing personal details from doing just that, according to CNN. To be a Facebook member, you have to be at least 13 years old, but there isn’t any real way of determining if someone is lying about their age, since the individual selects birth year when signing up.

To add to the already bad juju surrounding the Facebook phenomenon is the recent news about “Facebook depression.”

Apparently, some doctors are starting to see a trend in youth depression related to Facebook usage.

According to Lindsay Tanner of the Associated Press and her article about Facebook depression, the trend is worrying to the ” doctors who recently wrote the new American Academy of Pediatrics social media guidelines.

“Researchers disagree on whether it’s simply an extension of depression some kids feel in other circumstances or a distinct condition linked with using the online site,” Tanner wrote in the article.

But what about the newest craze on the social networking scene, Twitter. Is it better or worse, and should it really be compared?

Twitter is what I call the espresso shot among social media coffee drinks. It’s a short burst of 140 characters, a Tweet, that is sent out to be read by followers and sometimes people who have never met you.

Tweets can be re-tweeted and passed along from Twitterer to Twitterer.

“Trends” are the hot topics on Twitter, and those change daily.

If you’re new to Twitter, it can feel overwhelming. There are constant updates from the people you follow, which go into your feed.

Like Facebook, Twitter is a social networking site, but unlike Facebook, Twitter is geared more toward conversations and actual connections than bulky profiles and oodles of information.

Twitter is quick and easily addictive if you’re one of those communication junkies.

Twitter is handy for staying on top of certain topics, and if you need information about something, it’s a solid bet that someone who follows you or somehow saw your Tweet will have the answer you seek.

“Doctors are starting to see a trend in youth depression related to Facebook.

see TWITTER | 10

How do you feel about the recent SGA Elections?

Emily Deas Nursing Junior

Not everyone received their ballots on time before the election actually ended. The SGA or those who handle it need to find a better way to get them out, perhaps not in waves but all at once.

It’s not so much that two days isn’t enough time to vote, but rather the question needing to be asked is, are two days enough for people out of the loop to realize it’s going on, that they haven’t gotten their ballot? (A problem since we’re always told “it’ll come, just wait” because it may take a day of waiting before you’re even confident something is wrong beyond ballot-lag), and have had time/knowledge find out who to talk to, to address the issue and then get it fixed.

I believe the elections committee is doing a wonderful job. I do wish that the vandalism would cease, it’s kind of immature and rude to the candidate to vandalize their signs, etc.

Sean Ramsey SGA Senator Engineering

Stephen Purnell Computer Sci. Junior

I tried to read The Vanguard about the candidates but I couldn’t get past the guy who is running who wants the fresh food thing to stay open forever, or something like that!

Sarah Kalaba Psychology Senior

The

OPINION

Vanguard

April 11, 2011

7

POINT COUNTERPOINT Should the U.S. have involved itself in Libya’s affairs?

Editor’s Introduction: Libya has been in a state of unrest for some time now. The debate over this issue stems from U.S. involvement in foreign affairs. Are we the “world cops” who should go and defend the defenseless?

Are we just in it for the oil? Or, do we have a moral duty to protect the protestors that are being victimized

by Libyan government? Some argue that this is simply not our fight and that we’re involved in so much already that we’ve stretched ourselves too thin. Writers this week debate both sides.

America Should Be Involved

We Can’t Afford Involvement

Arab States, the European Union, The United States’ involvement No one will disagree with the and infrastructure throughout the and NATO. in this conflict has been relatively fact that Muammar Gaddafi is a nation. There would need to be new In fact, it was the Libyan opposilow key, with emphasis directed mad man. schools built, hospitals constructed, tion that called for a no fly zone, to the roles of the North Atlantic No one will argue that he is farm and timber works revamped so the claim that the U.S. entered Treaty Organization (NATO) and a force of tyrannical control, and grain depositories constructed. this fight merely because of oil is the United Nations rather than a mad man, and an ineffective We would also need to make sure preposterous. overt U.S. dominance. leader. He should be removed things such as water, electricity, and If it was merely over oil, why did As with the past few military from power. sewer systems were up to code. the U.S. decide to attack a regime interventions by the United He is oppressive and stands in Gaddafi has ignored the basic James Colin that was finally opening up to WestStates, opposition has been raised the way of his country progressfunctions of government for years, Fulford ern oil companies? Ultimately it is by those who are wary of U.S. Al-Green and as a result, many of the basic ing in the 21st century. Libya, preposterous. involvement in the affairs of other however, national resources are shoddy at best. to think that this is a nation states. is not our An undertaking of this kind would colonial adventure.

Three key arguments have been raised country, and we cantake years to finish and would, more than At first glance it against U.S. intervention in this conflict, all not afford the resourc- likely, have a price tag in the billions. seems like the isolationof which are traditional arguments against es that it would take We simply do not have that kind of ist viewpoint is credible. military intervention. to become a force of money to spend on other people at the Considering that there Anti-colonialists have claimed that this is occupation. moment. are plenty of nasty merely a front for taking over Libya’s natuThe task of removWe have a national deficit in the trillions. dictatorships throughral resources rather than a genuine human ing Gaddafi would be We are currently involved in two other out the world, why rights issue. the easy part. Once wars. Our main economic partner was just intervene in this one Isolationists on the other hand claim it’s he is out of power, a hit with a massive tsunami and earthquake. and not the others? not in the interests of the U.S. to involve substitute government One could of course make the argument This is missing the itself in the affairs of other nations. would have to be that we have a moral responsibility, as a ottawasun.com point. Libya has in the Finally there are those who claim that world superpower, to help less fortunate Protestors in Libya wave Libyan and American formed. past been a bad neigh- flags. This is symbolic of some Libyans wanting in this time of economic hardship the last Would it be the countries. bor, with Libyan intelli- American involvement to help to assist them rebel forces? Would it thing we need is another long and costly That it is our duty to protect democracy gence operatives used to in their plight. intervention in the Middle East and should be an Allied coalition wherever it is threatened. While in a norassassinate anti-Gaddafi instead focus on ourselves. government? Would mal economic situation; I would of course exiles in various nations Libya is not a colonial adventure by it be an entirely new say we have this obligation. throughout the world. the U.S. by any reasonable stretch of the entity?

But, what we have to remember is this; Assassins have also hit the government of imagination. If oil was the goal of the Once we set up this new government we if we get involved in this endeavor, then Saudi Arabia, and in the 1980s and1990s Libyan intervention, then why didn’t the would then need to make sure it was up there may be something later on down the the Libyan military was involved with the U.S. intervene during the Green Revoluto the challenge of governing. That would line when, because of worsened economic civil war in Chad. tion in Iran? require training police and military forces conditions, the decision is made for us.

Libya has also lashed out against the President Obama has also formed a and establishing security.

Could you imagine a time when we canUnited States twice in the past, both times coalition of a wide variety of nations.

We would also have to re-establish utility see AFFORD | 13 see INVOLVED | 10 Included in this coalition are the League of

Cassie Fambro Opinion Editor

SMOKE ON THE WATER

Children’s Mental Health Always Matters America prefers a blind eye to the mental health of our youth. Whether it’s the excuse of coddling or giving too much power to parents, we need to take a more vested interest in the mental health of our future.

Recently, an eight-year-old boy was pepper-sprayed by police during a violent outburst at his school in Colorado. This was the third time police were called on this child, and teachers were so scared of the

boy that they hid from him.

He allegedly wielded a sharp piece of wood and threatened to stab teachers, cursing them and using the “f-word.” Publicly only known as Aiden, he admitted that he wanted to hurt the teachers.

Many people across the country reacted generally negatively to the situation and blamed cops for overreacting. What those people don’t realize is that this is the same district that holds Columbine High School.

They’re paying attention to him because they learned the hard way in 1999 and know that violence in schools cannot be tolerated.

Aiden screamed at the teachers that he would kill them; teachers and police both felt that the boy was completely capable of stabbing them with that piece of wood. (I would like to know where Aiden picked that up, personally.)

Sitting with his mom, Aiden told Meredith Viera of The Today Show that he had already dropped the wood when police

first hit him with pepper spray. His mother is upset because she feels the police should not have pepper-sprayed her child.

He has since been enrolled in a school specializing in behavior disabilities, but Aiden’s mother also says that therapists have been unable to diagnose him with anything psychologically. In fact, she says, he only acts violently at school and not at home or with a baby sitter.

This raises several red flags to me. I want to know if the mother is lying, and I think social services should want to know, too. He could be acting out because of abuse.

He learned this unacceptable behavior somewhere. If there is a trigger at school that invoked that degree of rage within an eight-year-old, then his teachers need to be thoroughly interrogated because the abuse might have occurred at school.

A child is not born violent. At eight, Aiden is not a genetic anomaly and destined to be trouble for life. Something has enabled him to know this behavior and act in an

antisocial manner. The video of Viera interviewing Aiden is chilling; in it, he seems cold and almost bemused. Not showing any remorse in his actions, it makes me think the interview could become part of a news reel in ten years when he’s on trial for murder.

So why can’t his therapists see it? Perhaps we are so accustomed to child violence and bullying in modern times that we are too jaded and desensitized to respond to it.

It’s normal to get suspended or fight, and it’s nothing but a phase right? Not for Aiden.

He is headed toward becoming a criminal and perhaps a psychopath. It will be interesting to see if he follows the signs of psychopathy and is perhaps later arrested for arson or animal abuse.

To address the larger issue of being perceptive to children’s mental health, I worry about the desensitization of society. The kids that you see but avoid at Walmart besee AIDEN | 13

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April 11, 2011

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Vanguard Brett Williams, Etc. Editor etc.editor@usavanguard.com

www.usavanguard.com/etc

Students Faculty, students pioneer new way to learn eligible for

By Nick Griffith IRS tax credit After their field trip to a national park in Georgia, some USA Earth Sciences students and faculty are advocating for more major-specific trips to enhance the USA educational experience.

WEBMASTER

Simply being a student is one way you can get money from the IRS.

By Brett Williams ETC. EDITOR

There are a lot of benefits and breaks to being a student: software discounts, food discounts and “free” access to South Alabama football games.

There are all sorts of institutions that cut students breaks just for being students, but did you know that the IRS was one of them?

The IRS offers students what is called an American Opportunity Credit when filing taxes during the first four years of school.

The credit is a $2,500 tax credit for which most students can easily qualify.

Although what the IRS offers as credit to students isn’t necessarily a “break” in the same sense as food discounts, it’s definitely a good thing for students who have burned through their refund checks despite my advice.

Most students are eligible if they fulfill a certain criteria, which I will briefly explain.

First, the applying student must be actively “pursuing their undergraduate degree or some other recognized educational credential,” according to the IRS’s Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education. Students are only eligible for the first four years of postsecondary school.

In 2009, the credit was widened from the first two years of postsecondary school to include students who had been enrolled for the first four. Also, the tax credit is available each year of postsecondary school so a student may qualify as a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior provided they meet the rest of the criteria.

Second, the student’s yearly wages must not exceed $90,000 if filing single or $180, 000 if married and filing jointly.

This one doesn’t require much clarification, so we’ll move on. Third, students must have paid for “qualified education expenses” during 2010 or anytime within the first three months of 2011.

Qualified education expenses include tuition primarily, but can include related costs students incur like fees related to classes. However, gas and mileage probably wouldn’t be included. The last major qualification is that the same expenses that the student is seeking to use to apply for the credit have not already been covered by a scholarship, grant, GI bill or by an employer. So, if you didn’t actually pay anything, you don’t qualify. see TAXES | 9

USA has finally established a school legacy.

The University is slowly developing into a clone of other campuses boasting striking architecture, like the University of Alabama.

Grandiose brick portals, the masterful Moulton Tower and the innovative Student Rec Center are pushing more money into renovation projects for the our school’s image.

The end of the past decade has shown USA’s tendency to emulate major Southeastern schools with the establishment of the football program and, more recently, the ecofriendly bicycle project.

USA’s copycat trends suggest an effort to transition to being a more traditional four-year school and recent SGA candidates’ platforms show this growing momentum to develop campus community and school traditions.

Alma Mater anthems and game day tailgating are commonplace customs among most universities, but any unique tradition that facilitates a campus-wide community is painfully absent from this campus. Fortunately, the students and faculty are pioneering a solution that could distinguish the University of South Alabama from other colleges in the region.

Geography, anthropology, geology, meteorology and biology disciplines, to name a few, are undertaking a hands-on approach to education in lieu of administrative support for study abroad programs.

“The University has several foreign studies options, with many disciplines, which are poorly supported by the administration and frequently incorrectly regarded as unaffordable by students,” Earth Sciences Professor Dr. Lary Dilsaver said. “If one qualifies for a student loan, it can be applied to such a program. In the big picture, $4,500 for a multiweek trip abroad while you’re young is a small price to pay.”

Dilsaver advocated the learning experience of study abroad programs, but, similar to other faculty members, he has resorted to leading field trips for his students; he and his class embarked on the annual three-day trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore March 31, of which I was in attendance.

My experience surpassed any preconceived expectations, both educationally and culturally. A true eye-opener, this geographical venture applied the theories and lectures from inside the classroom.

The breathtaking natural scenery of the park and Dilsaver’s expert knowledge delivered the most beneficial and complete educational experience of my degree. I consider this field trip a miniature study abroad program, and junior German exchange student and fellow Cumberland Island adventurer Toby Maier affirmed the same.

As a Geography major, Maier has participated in study abroad programs in Australia, Costa Rica, Panama, Italy, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Greece and Ireland to name a few.

When asked about his thoughts concerning the field trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore, Maier said, “The trip’s participants were amazing; the atmosphere was great. see TRIP | 11

Photos courtesy of Cumberland Island trip students

A view from Cumberland Island National Seashore maritime oak forest overlooks the salt marshes of the national park.

Above: Cumberland Island adventurers (from left to right): Marine Karapetyan, geography; Gavin Carter, meteorology; Robert Spinetti, Meteorology; Toby Maier, Geography; Tela Vincent, geography; Nick Griffith, geography; Vanna Chmielewski, meteorology; Amanda Nelson, meteorology; Marcus Doucet, meteorology.

Left: The historic ruins of Dungeness as part of the Carnegie Estate.

A boardwalk sign guides nature adventurers through the exotic interdune scrub ecosystem to the pristine beaches of Cumberland Island National Seashore.

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No diving into oyster industry; Water’s too shallow In a Blog post with the same title, South Alabama Biology major Catharine Weber expresses her concerns about the drastic revenue plummet in oyster farming over the past five years after conducting research on environmental policy, oysters and state practices.

By Brett Williams ETC EDITOR

While working with Auburn’s sea lab on Dauphin Island, junior Biology major Catharine Weber learned about how much of Alabama, like many states along the Gulf Coast, depends on the possibilities for employment that can come from jobs like oyster harvesting. When Weber dug a little deeper, however, she learned that it wasn’t as easy as dropping a line or a bucket into a body of water.

Weber spoke frankly in our interview and expressed her concerns about all the red tape surrounding trying to rejuvenate oyster farming in Alabama. Oyster farming brought in about $3.5 million in revenue to Alabama in 2005, according to Weber, before the state stepped in.

Weber’s blog, “theoystercolumn” cites “uncontrolled harvest, drill predators and a desire to use shells for concrete decimated the productivity of the public beds.”

Alabama spent $1.6 million attempting to regulate and control harvesting. The state used that money to move oysters from where they grew naturally to the mouth of the Mobile Bay where it had noticed better growing conditions. Weber says that was a missed opportunity to bring jobs to the bay area as well.

Last year, Alabama reported that oyster harvesting brought in only $76,000 in revenue according to Weber’s blog.

“The state has continued to foot the bill for an oyster industry instead of increasing the economic freedom index on private oyster rights.”

Aside from moving the bivalves, Alabama has in place an extensive permit process for oyster harvesting that Weber says “isn’t encouraging.” However, Alabama may just be afraid to go beyond what similar states like Texas and Maryland have done to promote oyster harvesting. In Maryland, their extensive harvesting permit process has made news when U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) described it as needing to be “streamlined.”

Weber says she feels as though the state should be cultivating individuals’ interest in oyster farming instead of making it so much more difficult to harvest because harvesting has “more upsides” than negatives. Senators Cardin and Mikulski told Army Corps of Engineers in Maryland something similar in a letter written in March.

“Harvesting oysters creates jobs,” Weber said. “The farmer sells the oysters to local markets and then markets can buy them

greenascot.com

Grown in a hatchery at the bottom of Mobile Bay, these oysters were mentioned as "the best Gulf oysters I've eaten lately" in a food blog written and published on www.robbwalsh.com, a website that chronicles the blogs of food critics from Texas.

and sell them to customers. Weber says she likes the senators “one-stop shop” system idea that would allow farmers to go directly to the state to obtain all the permits they’d require including their general permits because Alabama has a similar system that is full of the proverbial hoops to jump through.

“We believe that oyster [harvesting] has the potential to yield numerous benefits in the Maryland portions of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal waters,” wrote Cardin and Mikulski.

In Alabama, the rules are complex. In order to become an oyster farmer, applicants must lease water bottoms or have the rights to grow oysters in an area conducive to farming. There can’t be any underwater vegetation. Prospective farms can’t be built on sea grass beds. Plus, the prospective land must be surveyed which costs thousands of dollars. The thousands of dol-

One Day Without Shoes campaign explained

USA’s participation was part of a worldwide movement to help millions in underprivileged countries stave off injuries from walking barefoot.

Taxes

from page 8

By Brett Williams ETC EDITOR

How effective the “One Day without Shoes” campaign was on campus is something that’s subjective to students, but it’s entirely objective when you look at which students helped by simply walking barefoot for a day. The website behind the One Day without Shoes campaign, www.onedaywithoutshoes.com, gives us a look into the campaign.

The site talks about Maria, a 10-year-old Guatemalan girl, who has never owned a pair of new shoes. Her feet were exposed to possibly contracting infectious diseases, intestinal worms and other illnesses.

The goal behind the “One Day with Shoes” campaign was for people around the world to experience just one day of what Maria’s life was like trying to farm on mountainous landscapes and rugged terrain.

The campaign centered around Ethiopia, where in some areas just wearing shoes is a strong preventative measure to protect from fatal illnesses. Illnesses contracted such as podoconiosis, which causes swelling of the feet and legs due to prolonged exposure to irritant soil, could be prevented by just wearing shoes to keep street children from stepping on broken glass and sewage.

lars alone serve as a deterrent to potential farmers. Then, they still have to buy the gear needed to farm.

Aside from the obvious economic implications, oysters are also filter feeders that remove nitrogen, phosphorous, and carbon from the water which makes the water less green. So, the more oysters the better. This is a hidden economic benefit of harvesting oysters, Weber said: “It affects tourism.” It also helps the environment because it prevents more algae blooms in the water.

Oysters also act as reef systems by creating structures that become habitats for fish hatcheries, crabs, lobsters and other water creatures. Right now, farming’s costs and hassle outweigh its potential benefits however and until that changes Alabama may miss out on a million dollar industry year after year.

Colin McGee | Photo Editor

Sophomores Andrew Bradshaw (left) and Brian Egan (right) chalk out awareness for children without shoes next to the Humanities Building Tuesday.

Students who take out loans for school do qualify, but must not have received a refund of all their expenses. However, the credit is good for up to $2,500 so it’s my understanding that partial credit can be received if scholarships and grants only covered a part of a student’s tuition expenses.

Moreover, students seeking to claim the credit must not attempt to use the same expenses as deductions elsewhere in their tax document otherwise they won’t qualify.

Other noteworthy qualifications include that you not file your taxes as married filing separately and that you are not a nonresident alien who did not elect to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes, but it’s best that you speak with whomever files your taxes to explain these criteria.

Failing to meet just one of these qualifications means that you are unable to claim the American Opportunity Credit, but it’s a worthwhile venture this year if you haven’t already filed your taxes.

If you have, then try again next year.

10 April 11, 2011

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Vanguard

Twitter

Involved

For one, Twitter is chiefly a business site. Why business?

Well, it is fun and easy to use, but it makes self-promotion so easy. That’s why so many actors and musicians are on Twitter.

It allows them to connect actively with their fans—thus making the fans feel special—and keep everyone updated on their new movies, CDs, etc.

When Charlie Sheen finally lost his last marble, Twitter blew up like it was hit with a bomb.

Something interesting that I found while trolling the blogosphere was a video on technabob.com of a Mercedes Benz engineer, Werner Scherenberg, actually controlling a car with Tweets.

Mercedes Benz is working on a project where cars can be controlled via Twitter and the company even hosted a “Tweet Race” in February won by Team S. The entire race can be viewed at mbtweetrace.com.

It’s insane to think that 50 years ago, we were communicating mainly via home phones, and the Internet was some sort of vague government conspiracy that was supposed to control minds.

These days, we thrive on the networking sites available to us and communicate in so many ways that it’s easy to see how Facebook can cause depression and cars can be controlled with 140 characters or less.

It’s not just the communication though, that makes the networking sites attractive.

It’s the ease of using them.

It’s just too easy to stay in touch these days. That’s a good thing.

directing its attacks towards targets of questionable military value.

The April 5, 1986, bombing of a West German discotheque and the December 21, 1988 Lockerbie bombing were both directed against U.S. civilian and military targets.

Combined with the fact that Gaddafi’s regime has open fired upon those who protested against him and would massacre the rebels if he won, the U.S. has a vested interest in seeing that he does not achieve in his goals.

Financially, war is never in the vested interest of a nation. Forget the myths you were told in history class, World War II was costly in resources and manpower for every nation involved in it.

Instead of producing consumer goods or getting people back to work, the war merely delayed the continuing effects of a global economic downturn.

Interventions like the one in Libya should never be turned down merely because of fiscal costs.

If the regime of Gaddafi had been allowed to successfully destroy the opposition forces, the U.S. would have to once again spend money and resources monitoring a regime that has shown great abuse towards its citizens.

Allowing Gaddafi to stay in power would shift the financial burden onto a future generation at a greater cost in both money and human rights.

All three arguments also ignore the fact that from the very beginning of the conflict

from page 6

from page 7

the U.S. had openly backed the anti-Gaddafi protestors in Libya.

We had called for restraint by the Libyan dictatorship and had demanded that they respected the human rights of its citizens.

Time and again the Libyan government ignored peaceful demands by the U.S. and other nations, leading to an inevitable choice for those opposed to such senseless violence.

UN Security Council Resolution 1973 was not the first option we took, but it was the only option we had when Gaddafi continued to ignore the international community.

Ultimately, the U.S. has approached Libya properly given the circumstances involved. Outright intervention was thrown out, and a UN Security Council resolution was sought instead. U.S. intervention is both internationally legal and a moral necessity at this time.

Imagine if we had allowed the Libyan rebels to be massacred after publicly supporting their resistance against such a heinous regime.

Imagine the tarnish on our international reputation and image, and imagine how future dissidents would view U.S. statements of solidarity if we had allowed the regime to brutally slaughter its own people without retaliation.

Fortunately for the U.S., it has chosen the right path.

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April 11, 2011

Tournament kicks off week of Sexual Assault Awareness events with crowd at Intramurals

Brett Williams I Etc. Editor

Dozens of teams took part in the friendly, double-elimination kickball tournament Saturday hosted by the Rape Crisis Center of Mobile.

By Brett Williams ETC EDITOR

Remember the good ole days, when you could leave all your frustrations with the referee for making a bad call? Well, Campus Intramurals subjected its staff to your gripes and complaints Saturday morning.

While engaged with the Intramural staff, I found it appropriate and slightly comical that they were getting so much animosity from teams of people who had signed up to participate in a tournament meant to help stave off violence.

Teams gathered from all over the city in costume and some also in guise to take part in this year’s first Sexual Assault Awareness Event sponsored by the Rape Crisis Family Counseling Center of Mobile.

It was all in good fun. Because of some early morning confusion, several teams were made to forfeit their games without even stepping foot on the fields because they either didn’t know where they’d be playing

or had no idea it was their turn. However, it was probably hard to take many complaints seriously when the guy complaining was wearing Aztec face paint or a pair of pink and yellow long stockings.

So, they left their frustration with Intramural staff as opposed to leaving it on the field. Still, eventually everyone played because in a double-elimination tournament, even the losers can win.

Last year’s champion, the Inferno, returned and was victorious in their first game, but the losers didn’t seem to mind.

“Great game! You guys won even though you lost,” one Inferno member shouted as the two teams shook hands after the game.

Others came to spectate and cheer on their family and friends. The games began at 9 a.m. and continued through Saturday afternoon until around 4 p.m.

Student Services and the Student Government Association provided food and water for participants and the Rape Crisis Center gave participants a free T-shirt.

Brett Williams I Etc. Editor

The Grasskickers and mascot Juno caped and cowled before finding out that their first tournament opponent had forfeit.

Shockwave engine becomes reality

By Gabe Grimes STAFF WRITER

Do you hate pistons and camshafts, but love driving automobiles? Do you wish the explosion that your automobile’s engine uses to create propulsion could be a little more awesome?

Well, it seems people at Michigan State University (MSU) have worked out a motor that utilizes shockwaves to accomplish all those things you’ve been dreaming about.

NewScientist magazine reports that Dr. Norbert Müller, one of the developers of this engine, claims that this new design could make a vehicle 20 percent lighter and more fuel-efficient by removing some mechanical parts.

MSU said the engine would use 60 percent of the fuel to move the vehicle

forward, compared with 15 percent that a normal vehicle uses.

The new engine is designed to be used in hybrid cars, as it uses fuel to generate electricity.

So don’t expect to see this engine at drag races or monster truck rallies any time soon. Sorry.

The heart of the new engine is a rotating disc called a “rotor,” which has curved fins radiating outward from the center.

Around the disc are two curved metal pieces that serve to block the escape of gases. These metal pieces don’t completely encircle the rotor, so gases are allowed to escape at certain points.

The way it works is pretty simple: the air-fuel mixture enters the rotor disc through an inlet, and the rotor spins to cut off the escape of said mixture.

This causes the mixture to be com-

pressed, which creates a shockwave that moves from the outer edge of the rotor disc toward the center.

Just as the shockwave is about to reach the center or the rotor disc (where the inlets are located), the rotor spins to close off the inlet.

The compressed mixture is then ignited as the rotor spins to open the escape area, and the escaping gases push on the curved fins as they leave, causing the rotor to spin and generate electricity.

Air-fuel mixture comes in, rotor spins, mixture gets compressed, shockwave, rotor spins, mixture gets ignited, explosion turns rotor.

Like most internal combustion engines, this engine isn’t overly complex once you see how it operates.

11

Trip

from page 8

“I’d say that field experience is irreplaceable.

As much as we’ve learned and studied in class, it is of greater worth if combined with the experience of our field trip,” he said.

Educationally, Maier said he believes study abroad programs provide an unparalleled experience beyond classroom education; the ultimate benefit of his travels are the community he develops with his peers, and my personal experience reflects Maier’s sentiment precisely, he said.

“There is no comparable educational experience,” Dilsaver said. “Seeing the reality, the issues, the landscapes of any place, especially with someone who can explain the story behind the scenery, far outweighs lectures, readings and any other classroom experience.”

Dilsaver was right. The park experience was incredible, and he would know – he wrote a book about it.

The eccentricities we experienced of the four habitat mixtures were bizarre: maritime oak forest, interdune scrub, salt marsh, and sublime beaches were emotional to witness first-hand. Exotic Spanish Moss, an epiphyte, swung lackadaisically from the branches of every live oak tree as far as the eye could see. Native Sabal palmetto flourished across the forest floor, bursting upright into fully matured trees near the interdune and beach ecosystems. Wild horses trotted throughout the maritime oak forest, venturing down the untouched beaches of Georgia’s largest barrier island.

The historical ruins of Dungeness, built by the immediate family of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, are beautifully preserved in complement with the remains of the Carnegie Estate.

And the unique legislative situation of Cumberland Island National Seashore exemplifies the national values that compete against laws of ecological management, historic preservation, and recreation policy governing the nation’s national park system.

The park’s overwhelming beauty and uniqueness has improved my benefit from class lectures and has ignited new friendships within my discipline.

Each student participant developed a close friendship during the trip, and we continue to be friends. This fresh community of Earth Science majors highlights the lacking unification between USA students. No prevailing USA tradition currently connects all students of any discipline to other South Alabama Jaguars.

From my affiliation as an Ole Miss alum, there is no experience like football game day on the Oxford, Miss. campus. School tradition mingles thousands of Ole Miss students in a massive tailgating experience that leaves social barriers behind; a tradition that bonds all Ole Miss Rebels.

Last week, numerous SGA candidates campaigned to facilitate these types of student traditions that could unify every South Alabama Jaguar into a connected college community.

Hopefully, USA administrators and newly elected SGA officers will listen closely: disciplinary-based field trips and study abroad programs can incorporate hands-on education and community development that will allow USA to offer a unique school experience.

Heed the advice of Professor Lary Dilsaver, “I believe that field trips can be used in most departments in the university if constructed to demonstrate and reinforce other forms of education. It already happens in the international programs.”

Study abroad and associated programs should be facilitated to give every USA student a complete education. The administration should transition these minor research trips into an integral part of USA education -- for the sake of school tradition, campus community, University credibility, and our future.

Arts & Entertainment

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Vanguard Staff editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com

April 11, 2011

Concert Choir revisits local symphony

By Timothy Borland STAFF WRITER

USA’s Concert Choir performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra at Mobile’s historic Saenger theatre to an enthusiastic crowd April 9 - 10.

This pairing of professional and collegiate talent occurred for the first time at the Holiday Pops Concert last December; and last weekend’s well-received performance may further solidify this collaboration as an annual tradition.

Many USA students and alumni are not aware of the crucial role USA has shared with the preservation of Mobile’s historic Saenger theater. J.H. and A.D. Saenger of New Orleans commissioned renowned architect Emile Weil to design “Alabama’s Greatest Showplace.”

The building took over a year to construct and cost half a million dollars. When the Saenger opened Jan 19, 1927, the elegant design inspired many to bestow the title “the most beautiful playhouse in all of Dixie” upon the building.

By the early 1970s, this “movie palace” was destined to become a parking lot until USA purchased the landmark on the eve of its demolition to function as a recital hall for the University’s various performing arts.

On Oct. 1, 1999, the City of Mobile purchased the Saenger Theatre from USA and created the non-profit org Center for the Living Arts, Inc to operate the facility and perform a nearly $6 million-restoration partially funded with donations from the local community.

The Saenger is now a world-class performance venue hosting notable recording artists such as Wilco, Robert Plant, and Buddy Guy. Robert Cray was so impressed by the venue that he filmed his first DVD there Feb. 21 2010.

For upcoming events and ticket info, visit SaengerMobile.com. The box office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 251-208-5600.

Events Calendar April 12:

2nd Tuesday feat. Underhill Family Orchestra (presented by 92 ZEW) The Blue Gill Restaurant 6 p.m.

Free Spring Gala: USA Percussion Ensemble & World Music Group Laidlaw Performing Arts Center Recital Hall

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Shenanigans await at O’Daly’s Whether you seek a reasonably priced car bomb or conversation with friends on comfy bar stools, O’Daly’s Irish Pub in downtown Mobile offers a welcoming social atmosphere where you can escape campus for a while.

By Colin McGee PHOTO EDITOR

As the last exams of the semester pile up, term paper procrastination builds, and final exams loom, we students feel the need to release a little bit of stress.

Some people have different ways of doing this, but most normal college kids - at schools other than South - generally find themselves unwinding in a bar (Buffalo Wild Wings & the bar formerly known as Fabacher’s do not count).

This week, if you feel the need to drop some money on liquid courage, I feel you should head to O’Daly’s Irish Pub on lower Dauphin Street - diagonal from Wintzell’s Oyster House, in between Warren and Cedar streets.

This bar has it all: hot, well dressed bartenders (that includes you too, Snead), great beer on tap, comfortable bar stools, intimate settings, $4 car bombs all the time, an indoor no-smoking atmosphere, and a back patio area where you can smoke, drink, and play cornhole.

Every week they come up with inventive drink specials or parties.

They have repeating nightly drink specials as well. For instance, Thursdays are pint nights, where if you are kind and drink enough, you can keep your pint glass.

For those of you in the service industry Tuesday is your night, with half off

7:30 p.m. $8 for USA students

April 13:

Les Hall + 1 The Blue Gill Restaurant 6:30 p.m.

Free Beer, Bands, and Bingo (presented by 92 ZEW) Tacky Jack’s on the Causeway 7 p.m.

Free Cary Laine Band Felix’s Fish Camp 6:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Matt LeMond, O’Daly’s co-owner.

For a good time, head out to O’Daly’s in downtown Mobile, diagonally located across from Wintzell’s Oyster House.

for those in their work outfits.

Another great fact about this bar is that it is a “membership-only” bar.

Which, as most any downtown frequenter knows, they can stay open until as late as they want. The specials and bartenders are not the only aspects that give this bar the spotlight this week.

The second you walk in, you are greeted by a rich smell of hops and an air of dark, masculine hardwood - O’Daly’s is planked in dark hardwood which covers every wall and the bar itself.

The bar may be intimate, but it is not necessarily small.

This intimacy is achieved from the relatively narrow, continuous long hall that spills out into the back patio.

For those non-aesthetic needs, black, plush bar stools are provided, and a few

Free Sugarland & Matt Nathanson Pensacola Civic Center 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $21.50

April 15:

James Gregory “The Funniest Man in America” Saenger Theater 8 p.m.

Tickets start at $20 Doug Benson Seville Quarter in Pensacola 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are $15

flat screen televisions entertain you in the corner of your eye when that girl/ guy you are talking just isn’t that interesting.

Depending on the night, you can usually be prepared for either some kicking Irish drinking music, a bartender/ patron’s playlist, or if it is the weekend one of the favored local artists playing up front.

You can usually find me there, drinking an Abita Andygator or Sweetwater Blue on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

These days, however, I am a good student, and I won’t be going out until after exams.

Drink up, study, and enjoy.

April 16:

Less than Jake Seville Quarter in Pensacola 5 p.m. $15 St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus Crawfish & Bluegrass Extravaganza St. Mary’s Catholic School 4 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at event

April 17:

Fitz & The Tantrums Soul Kitchen 7:30 p.m.

Tickets cost $9.21 in advance, $13 at the door Crawfish & Cocktails Alabama Music Box 5 p.m.

Free

Now through May 27: "Giants Insects" Gulf Coast Exploreum

Editor's note: These listings were compiled

by Staff Writer Madison Murphy.

The

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April 11, 2011

Aiden from page 7

ing screamed at and beaten are also fighting in school.

Violence breeds violence, hitting causes hitting, and screaming leads to more screaming. Teachers and schools may want to promote a privacy policy of not asking the tough questions, but for the future of America’s children I sincerely hope that we all recognize that we need to start asking how they got those bruises and speaking up at Walmart.

Aiden is only eight years old and already cursing and threatening adults with murder. Many other children display behavior problems at this age no where near as severe and they permeate throughout their school careers, maybe leading to expulsion.

Addressing the issues early with preventative psychological intervention such as anger management and other counseling is key to curbing much of the violence in our culture today.

Afford from page 7

not repair our interstates because we are financially insolvent?

Will governmental offices have to go to a four-day workweek because we cannot pay the power bills?

Or, will we continue to borrow and print money until our dollar is of such poor quality that it takes a barrel full to buy a loaf of bread?

Write for The Vanguard!

Send Writing Samples to Editor.in.Chief@ USAVanguard.com

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April 11, 2011

Matt Weaver Sports Editor

CHARGING THE MOUND

Barber Motorsports Park LEEDS, Ala. -- I like race cars and motorsports. I don’t even try to hide it. Maybe it’s my Southern heritage and love of paint schemes.

Regardless of why, I found my Shambala this past week while in Birmingham for the IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Alabama.

It’s called the Barber Motorsports Museum and it’s located just off the grounds of Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Ala. Home to the world’s largest collection of motorcycles, the Barber Museum is a celebration of life through motorsports.

Opened in 2003, the museum was developed alongside the 2.38-mile road course just off downtown.

The track itself has been called the most beautiful course in North America and the museum follows its example. The rear of the museum sits just off turns 8 and 9 of the race course and offers a stunning view of track action when cars are turning laps.

Despite all of that, the motorcycles are still the top draw.

The museum features machines from every era of development and is even the home of a replica of the original Harley Davidson manufacturing plant – a one room shed that produced bikes for over 15 years.

A second-floor room mimics the high banks of Daytona International Speedway and displays all of the track’s most famous race-winning machines. Ducati, Honda, Suzuki and many other makes are appropriately hung on a 30 degree-banked wall.

Another floor celebrates motorcycles in World War II and how its technology helped win the war for the Allies.

The bottom floor even acts as the restoration floor for the damaged and donated cars and bicycles.

An eclectic group of employees and volunteers spend hours a day, restoring these vehicles to their former glory. Afterward the cars are rented out and put on parade before the track’s multitude of events.

Barber Historic Museum also hosts a large number of Lotus race cars. Lotus, a British nameplate, has an extensive history in Formula One and IndyCar, most recently with Lotus Renault and KV Racing Technology respectively.

George Barber envisioned the facility as a part botanical garden and animal sanctuary, and his dream looks fantastic.

No trip to Birmingham or the race track would be complete without a visit to this amazing building. The IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of Alabama was won

by Team Penske’s Will Power (29 years old) and celebrated the future of the motorsports.

Juxtaposed against the history of the motorcycle museum, Power’s victory and the promise of racing’s future completed this writer’s weekend.

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Vanguard Matt Weaver, Sports Editor sports.editor@usavanguard.com

www.usavanguard.com/sports

Softball Prepares for Tournament Run

South Alabama Concluding Best Season in Program History

By Jake Wasdin SPORTS REPORTER

Becky Clark always had high hopes for this year’s softball team and it’s showing on the diamond this year.

Clark, who stated in a previous interview, “This may be the best team I’ve coached since I have been here,” has lead South Alabama to its best record in program history so far this year.

Despite the four-game losing slide, the Lady Jags are making a strong surge toward the end of the season. The Lady Jags have posted a steady (27-11, 7-6) record this season, which has the Jaguars sitting in the fourth spot of the Sun Belt Conference.

The Jaguars posted a 15-game winning streak this season including wins over Louisiana-Monroe, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, and Florida A&M. The Jags, even with their 27-11 record, have 13 more games left in the regular season, 11 which are Sun Belt Conference games. These 12 games left in the SBC could put USA higher in the SBC Tournament rankings.

The Jags are led by Meghan Collins and Brittany Fowler offensively this year.

Collins hitting a team best .427 at the plate generating 41 hits, three home runs, 19 RBI’s, and scored on 26 runs.

Fowler, USA’s second best percentage hitter, is hitting .402 on the season. Along with a great hitting percentage, Fowler has also hit seven home runs, 43 hits, 45 RBI’s, and has scored on 30 runs.

The team as a whole look to be clicking together.

usajaguars.com

The South Alabama softball team dropped a series to Sun Belt leading Louisiana-Lafayette at Jaguar Field. Despite the losses, the Lady Jags are still 27-11 and 7-6 in conference play.

“The girls are all business when it comes to the game,” Clark said.

The Lady Jags have come together this season to hit 38 homeruns, scoring 239 runs, and have come away from the season with 310 hits.

As the regular season is only a couple weeks away, look for the Lady Jaguars to

keep a strong work ethic and snap their losing streak.

USA looks to finish strong in the Sun Belt with 11 more conference games left to earn a top seed in the SBC Tournament which begins May 11.

Commentary

Bandwagon-jumping plagues sports

By Ryan Franklin SPORTS COLUMNIST

greenascot.com Bulls guard Derrick Rose has garnered a lot of support in leading his team to the top seed.

Remember when Kobe Bryant was the leading NBA Most Valuable Player candidate?

And Lebron James? And then Dwayne Wade? Me, too.

Derrick Rose is the current hot choice among those with an opinion to share. While Rose has done an incredible job in leading Chicago to the number one seed, his choice selection is part of a larger problem in the world of sports: Bandwagon jumping.

I have no problem with people making their predictions about who the MVP will be at the end of the season, or those who predict the Super bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, etc., but it really drives me insane when people hop on the bandwagon when a team is doing well and neglect them when they lose.

It’s even worse when people all of a sudden become fans of a team because a certain A-list player joins the roster.

A perfect example was when Lebron James and Chris Bosh joined Wade in South Beach.

Their fan-base increased tenfold overnight.

Fans wanted nothing to do with the Heat fol-

lowing their 2006 NBA Finals Championship.

They were washed up and mediocre as evident by their first round playoff exit in 2007.

And the following season was more of an embarrassment, with the Heat winning only 15 games and losing 67.

The next few seasons were par for the course, barely making it over .500. Fans were nowhere to be found in the always-busy Miami entertainment scene during their team’s hard times.

Following the addition of James and Bosh, fans began coming out of nowhere claiming their lifelong loyalty to the Miami Heat and Dwayne Wade. Such bandwagon jumpers are a joke and an eyesore to professional sports.

I wish people would stop lying to themselves and just admit they are only a fan because their team is winning.

Another bandwagon incident was in the NFL when Randy Moss was unceremoniously booted off the New England Patriots roster and traded back to the Minnesota Vikings.

People who were dismissing the Vikings after a slow start all of a sudden praised Moss as the key to getting Minnesota back into the playoff picture. see WAGON | 15

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Sports Briefs

from page 14

That didn’t happen, and Moss failed to stay with Minnesota for even a full month. He was later traded to Tennessee, and we all know how that turned out.

Speaking of the NFL, who could forget the infamous duo of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco.

When the Bengals signed Owens, analysts and bandwagon jumpers were quick to predict a Super Bowl ring for the Bengals.

They completely missed the fact that Carson Palmer is still quarterbacking that team. They’ll never win a championship as long as he’s under center for Cincinnati.

The Bengals finished that season with a measly record of 4-12.

Either you like a team or you don’t. Not saying it is wrong to give credit where credit is due, but stay with your team if you’re a fan and stay with your initial prediction if you’re a pundit.

Get off the bandwagon, be a true fan and stick with your team through thick and thin.

Follow the Vanguard Sports Section on Twitter @ USAVGSPORTS

Louisiana-Lafayette Sweeps South Alabama Softball

Colin McGee | Photo Editor

South Alabama shortstop Logan Kirkland tosses the ball to second baseman Trey Sorrels to attempt to turn a double play. The Jags lost to Florida Atlantic, 12-10 on Sunday.

The University of South Alabama softball team fell Sunday afternoon in the series finale to Sun Belt Conference leader Louisiana-Lafayette 10-2 in five innings at Jaguar Field.

With the loss, the Jaguars are now 27-11 overall and 7-6 in conference play.

With the series sweep, the Ragin’ Cajuns maintain their lead in the conference and improve to 32-6 and 10-2 in the league.

“We had a tough weekend,” USA head coach Becky Clark said. “When games like this happen, you make adjustments and I know what adjustments that need to be made. My job is to figure out what we need to differently and work on those things. This is a very tough conference and you have to be tough with it.”

ULL junior pitcher Ashley Brignac (18-3) was credited with the win after going five innings in the circle, striking out six and walking only two.

South Alabama Baseball Drops Drops Two to Florida Atlantic

NCAA Men’s Basketball

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Connecticut Denies Butler, 53-41

Bulldogs Shoot Just 18.8 Percent in Men’s Basketball Championship

What a bummer?

What began as a defensive masterpiece by both teams quickly turned into a low-scoring blowout. How is such a thing even be possible?

I’ll tell you.

Butler shot just 18.8 percent from the floor.

In their previous five games, Butler had shooting percentages of 40.7, 46.2, 42.2, 40.0, and 35.6.

Not that Connecticut shot any better in victory -- they only managed to shoot 34.5 percent.

The end result was the third-lowest shooting percentage in NCAA Championship history and one of the least dramatic contests of recent memory.

Bummer.

-Matt Weaver, Sports Editor

March Madness came to an end on April 4, but it was hardly a finish worth waiting for.

Most disappointing was that the game began with promise, but fell apart from the start of the second half.

This was due to a terribly low score caused by an extremely low field goal percentage from both teams. Butler made only 12-of-64 shots, which may be the worst championship statistic that I have ever seen.

Connecticut’s Kemba Walker still managed to score 16 points – gargantuan by Monday’s standards. His teammates’ defense stifled Butler throughout the contest. UCONN had their way on offense.

Maybe next year’s Final Four, already full of promise, won’t repeat as such a bummer.

-Ryan Franklin, Sports Reporter

There would be no magic and no redemption for Butler following last year’s one-shot championship loss to Duke.

Butler again found themselves in the National Championship but were unable to upstage Connecticut, getting outscored 34-19 in the second half of Monday’s championship finals.

Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun fought his team back from an early deficit, moving Kemba Walker and his Huskies in the second half as if they were chess pieces.

While I predicted a UCONN victory, I expected Butler to pose a greater threat.

The game was a complete disappointment from both competition and entertainment perspectives.

-Jake Wasdin, Sports Reporter

Florida Atlantic used a six-run second inning and added multiple runs in the fourth, seventh and eighth innings to defeat University of South Alabama baseball 1210 Sunday afternoon at Stanky Field.

FAU (19-13, 7-5 SBC) took a 6-0 lead in the top of the second inning with the big blast coming in the form of a three-run homer off the bat of Colby Gratton.

The Owls added three runs earlier in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Sean Bukovich and RBI singles by Mike Albaladejo and Andy Mee. Florida Atlantic added two runs in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single

by Mee and sacrifice fly off the bat of Gratton to extend its lead to 8-0.

Alvarez (4-2) earned the win in five innings pitched for the Owls, allowing six runs on seven hits while striking out three and issuing one walk. Hugh Adams pitched two innings and allowed one run on three hits with a strikeout and a walk to earn his third save of the season.

Hook (1-3) suffered the loss in 1 2/3 innings, and allowed six runs on five hits while issuing one base on balls.

Power Wins IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of Alabama Will Power extended his lead in the final laps and finished 3.38 seconds ahead of Scott Dixon on Sunday to win the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama in Birmingham.

Dario Franchitti was third on the 2.38mile road course at Barber Motorsports Park.

The Australian Power became the first IndyCar driver to lead wire to wire since Franchitti did it at Sonoma’s in 2009.

Power dominated in practice and qualifying rounds the past two years at Barber, and stressed how badly he wanted to win after a pit strategy backfired and cost him the lead in 2010 — and perhaps the IndyCar points championship.

-Wire Reports

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April 11, 2011

Distractions

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Vanguard Vanguard Staff editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com

www.usavanguard.com/distractions

Caption Contest

Do hilarious things come to mind when you see this photo? E-mail your funniest caption to editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com. The winner will be published in the next edition!

Caption Contest Results

Winner: “Wilsoooooon!”

-Marie Claire

Sudoku Sudoku puzzles brought to you by USA’s Student Health Center.

To make an appointment, call 251-460-7151.

Rules: Fill each row, column, and square of nine boxes with the numbers one through nine without repeating any. Answer keys provided at www.usavanguard.com/distractions.

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Jag Life

April 11, 2011

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