November 12, 2012

VANGUARD

THE

VOL. 51, NO. 16

“If it matters to the USA family, it matters to us.”

NOV. 12, 2012

Physician Assistant studies receives grant

“Oh when the Jags go marching in”

INSIDE

By STUART SOX sgsox@att.net

T

he Department of Physician Assistant Studies at South Alabama recently received a grant of nearly $1 million from the Department of Health and Human Services for the purposes of training primary care physician assistants and helping veterans in their transition from military life to civilian careers as physician assistants.

Established at the University of South Alabama in 1996, the USA Physician Assistant Studies program is a Master’s Degree program for students who have earned a four-year degree of any kind.

The curriculum of the 27-month program prepares students to sit for the national Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam.

The program equips students with comprehensive medical knowledge, attitudes and skills, allowing them to participate in clinical practice.

According to Program Director and Chair Dr. Diane Abercrombie, there is a shortage of physician assistants working in primary care, making this course of study all the more attractive to students in a world where jobs can be scarce.

Administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration at the Department of Health and Human Services, this grant is part of an initiative to increase the number of primary care practitioners in the United States.

“We hope to have an impact on the populations we serve and provide physician assistants for the healthcare shortage,” Dr. Abercrombie commented.

Funding priority was reserved for universities that encourage strong reSee GRANT Page 4

USA Football returns to Ladd Point/Counterpoint on the electoral college and if it facilitates democracy.

See Opinion, page 12 SGA president does first TV interview with JagTV. Reveals thoughts on Greeks, Vanguard.

See Life, page 6

The USA Jaguar Marching band performed in front of over 75,000 people at the New Orleans Superdome for the Saints and Falcons game on Sunday. The performance was met with rave reviews from those in attendance.

Rec-center offers more than just workouts

By KALYN MCCLELLAN kbm1001@jagmail.southalabama.edu

T

he Student Recreation Center at USA is a valuable resource to students who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle while attending college. Not only does the rec center have state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment, they also offer many fitness classes through their SouthFit program.

SouthFit offers 19 different classes in four different areas. Cardio classes include Zumba, cycling, water aerobics and high intensity interval training. Strength classes include Body Sculpt and Warrior Fitness.

There are also classes offered that combine aspects of both cardio and strengthening.

find us on Facebook “Facebook.com/ TheVanguardUSA”

Cassie Fambro | Editor-in-Chief

Basketball wins big against #25 Florida State, See Sports, page 11

8 byte art surprises USA

In addition to these fitness classes, SouthFit also offers flexibility and relaxation classes, including meditation, Pilates and yoga. These classes offer a mental break from the strain of college, allowing students the opportunity to relax and clear their minds.

SouthFit classes are open to all members of the rec center. This includes all currently enrolled students.

All members or students can bring a guest age 17 or older to the rec center for $10 per visit. The guest fee includes access to the entire rec center, including SouthFit classes.

Class times vary greatly, beginning at 5:15 a.m. with classes throughout the day, the last class beginning at 7:30 p.m. A complete list of classes and class descriptions along with schedule See SOUTHFIT Page 4

Check out our digital edition thevanguardonline.com

JT Crabtree / LOC Editor

Mario, Princess Peach and Luigi appeared on campus last week. See story on page 4.

Life, Page 6

In this Issue: Sports, Page 9 Opinion, Page 12

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VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

facebook.com/thevanguardusa 4,000 people agree we’re the first resource for news at USA. Are you one of them?

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VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

PAGE three

“University of South Alabama’s Student Voice”

Weather for Nov. 12-17

Editorial Editor in Chief Copy Editor Life Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor Left of Center Senior Reporter Web Editor

Cassie Fambro Bailey Hammond Jake Howell Noah Logan Patrick Herring JT Crabtree Jayson Curry Naquita Hunter

Distribution Distribution Bobby Faulk Manager

Advertising Advertising Wesley Jackson Manager Advertising Mohammad Al-Zarrad Graphic Designer Rex McKay

Management Advising J. Sellers J. Aucoin Accounting Kathy Brannan

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 surroun ding areas.

The Vanguard strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

Send letters and guest columns to: The Vanguard University of South Alabama P.O. Drawer U-1057 Mobile, Ala., 36688.

Or editor.in.chief@usavanguard. com 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.

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.

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of the Editor in Chief, Copy Editor, Senior Reporter, and Opinion Editor.

All members of the Editorial Board have the same weight.

The Vanguard has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print any corrections or clarifications.

To report a mistake, e-mail editor.in.chief@usavanguard.com.

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 offcampus locations.

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VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach visit USA The Vanguard (VG) talked to a representative for the artists (AR) who spoke under the condition that they remain anonymous so that they aren’t faced with any ramifications for their artwork.

VG: Why did you decide to chalk these characters?

AR: One of the girls in the group had done it previously at her home and she thought it was a fun idea. The first characters that came to mind were the Mario characters, mainly because they are already pixilated and very well known.

and Mario was done later. Mario took about fifteen minutes because it was smaller and multiple people worked on it.

VG: What does it mean?

AR: It has no significant meaning, it was mainly just for entertainment.

VG: Were they afraid they would get in trouble?

AR: At first they were not worried because it is only chalk and it can wash off. However, after they realized it was a possibility to get in trouble, they decided they wanted to keep themselves anonymous.

VG: How much chalk did it take?

VG: Which characters did you choose and why? (We’ve seen Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach.)

AR: They only did Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach. These are some of the main characters in the game and they stopped at three because it used a tremendous amount of chalk.

VG: How was it planned?

AR: After coming up with the idea, the original girl gathered a group of friends who wanted to participate. They met at the Caf, planned the drawings and set out to start chalking.

VG: Do they appreciate the positive reaction?

VG: How long did it take?

AR: It took about an hour per character with two people per character, however, Luigi and Princess Peach were done at the same time

AR: They absolutely love the positive feedback. That is also a reason why they did it, so others could appreciate the work.

AR: They bought a rather large box of chalk but for each color used, they used up almost two large sidewalk chalk sticks.

VG: Anything else they’d like people to know?

AR: “We didn’t have black!

That’s why we had to use grey...”

-Male group member. “It was sort of scary being on the top of the Pepsi machine, especially writing “HELP!”. I had to stand on a door..

Haha.” -Female group member.

Southfit classes a plus for USA Continued from pg. 1 times are available at southalabama. edu/southfit.

According to Sarah Schrenk, some classes are more popular than others, as are some time slots.

“Our most popular classes are the dance classes, Zumba and Hip Hop Hustle,” Schrenk said.

“The average attendance for those is about 35 people per class, though attendance is significantly higher at the beginning of the semester than the end,” Schrenk continued.

Schrenk said other classes average 7-15 people per class. “We must have at least 5 people attending a class regularly for it to remain on the schedule, otherwise we cancel the class,” Schrenk stated.

The peak time is 5:30 p.m. and there is space enough for the rec center to hold up to four classes to accommodate the demand for classes at this time.

In preparation for the upcoming

holiday season, SouthFit will be participating in a fundraiser on Sunday, Nov. 25. On this day, the regular 5:30 p.m. Zumba class will cost $5 to attend.

SouthFit is raising money for Holiday Havoc, a rec center program that benefits the Boys & Girls Club of South Alabama. All money will go to Holiday Havoc, and all participants will either receive a reusable water bottle or workout towel (while supplies last).

All students and rec center members are encouraged to try out a SouthFit class that sounds interesting to them. The schedule is varied enough that there are many opportunities to get involved.

Other SouthFit services include personal training, nutritional services, chair massage and health screenings.

Information on these programs can be found on the SouthFit website.

USA receives $1 million grant Continued from pg. 1

cruitment, retention and education programs for veteran applicants and students, including academic recognition of medical training and experience during military service.

The fact that South Alabama received nearly $1 million in funds speaks highly of the quality of the program.

Out of twelve universities that received a percentage of this $2.3 million grant, the USA Physician Assistant Studies program received the

largest portion at $999,954.

“As the only primary care PA training program in Alabama, USA is poised to play its part in assuring an adequate healthcare workforce,” Dr. Abercrombie said.

If there’s something you’d like featured in The Vanguard, send us a tip.

Go to thevanguardonline. com and select “contact.”

Cycles for spinning in the rec-center.

Kalyn McClellan/Staff Reporter

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VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

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The giraffe is irrelevant.

VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

jagLIFE

Wishes come true at 47th annual Songfest

By SANDRA HUYNH sbh804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

O

n Nov. 9, the Beta Theta chapter of Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity hosted its 47th annual Songfest, an event that brings together student organizations on one stage in a friendly competition of song and dance to benefit their national philanthropy, the Make-A-Wish Foundation. “ [Songfest] is the longest running tradition at South,” says Andrea Pittman, a junior biomedical sciences major and member of Chi Omega.

Students, faculty and parents attend and participate in Songfest each year.

“This is my first time at Songfest,” said Jordan Harrison, a biomedical sciences major who performed with the pre-health professional honor society, Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED).

Other students, like Ashley Smith, a junior exercise science major who performed with Jaguar Productions, return year after year. Smith said that this was her third year attending Songfest, but it was her first year performing.

The performances ranged from Phi Mu’s heartfelt Lady Antebellum tunes to Kappa Sigma’s “Gaga” tribute.

There was something about a Kappa Alpha in a red sundress that made the audience chuckle, and Jaguar Production’s rendition of “Wobble” had every-

one wanting to join them onstage.

USA Dean of Students Dr. Mike Mitchell and Laventrice Ridgeway were the Masters of Ceremonies.

In the sorority category, Kappa Delta took home the first place trophy, with Alpha Omicron Pi placing second.

For the fraternities, Pi Kappa Phi’s rendition of One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” earned them first place, and the men of Sigma Chi brought home second.

The most entertaining award went to the gentlemen of Tau Kappa Epsilon. In the independent division, Alpha Epsilon Delta placed first, and Jaguar Productions came in second.

When asked about her thoughts on her first Songfest, junior civil engineering major Leeanne Bass commented, “I thought it was fantastic! Everything they [Chi Omega] do and everything they stand for is awesome, and I think it was very well put together. ” The organization of Songfest is a yearlong effort.

Rachel Stoner, a senior communication major and Chi Omega’s songfest chair, has been working to make this year’s event a huge success since the conclusion of Songfest 2011.

Stoner wanted to bring Songfest back to its heart: raising money to grant wishes for the children with life-threatening illnesses.

Rachel Stoner worked closely with the local Make-A-Wish chapter coordinator to develop this year’s theme, “Just Wish For It,” which gave the Make-AWish children an opportunity to become more involved with Songfest.

In addition to the students and community members, five Make-A-Wish children also attended the event with their loved ones.

“We had a lot of families today. It’s not just the kids that are affected; it’s the whole family that goes through the experience too,” Stoner explained.

The children of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Alabama played an even more crucial role in this year’s Songfest.

They chose the songs performed by the various organizations.

The children also gave new awards out this year in attendance. Each child chose his or her favorite performance of the night.

Pi Kappa Alpha, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Pi Kappa Phi and Alpha Gamma Delta all received these special awards.

Chi Omega pushed harder this year with activities to raise money for MakeA-Wish. Fundraisers included their 5th Annual Songfest Cookout, 1st Annual Walk for Wishes and a silent auction among others.

Without the help of the community and the student body, Chi Omega would

not have been able to more than double last year’s donations. The grand total for this year was $34,603.29.

This money will, according to the local Make-A-Wish chair Nora Banks, grant seven wishes.

Onstage, Banks thanked Rachel Stoner and the ladies of Chi Omega for their continuous efforts in supporting the children of Make-A-Wish.

Songfest 2012 had an even deeper meaning for the ladies of Chi Omega, especially for Jessie Houston, a senior biology and Spanish double major and the president of the Beta Theta chapter of Chi Omega.

This year marks the fifth anniversary since her own wish to meet the cast of NBC’s hit show “The Office” was granted.

“I have a personal connection to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Five years ago, my wish was granted by the local Make-A-Wish chapter. After enduring many months of treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, my wish introduced a new sense of hope that allowed me to defeat the mental and physical trauma of cancer. For this reason, I will be forever grateful to the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” Houston detailed in her speech onstage.

“It means a lot to me. It’s come full circle, and now I’m actually able to give back,” Houston added offstage.

JAKE HOWELL, JAGLIFE EDITOR life.editor@usavanguard.com

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WEEKLY LOWDOWN Tuesday, Nov. 13 ►6:30 p.m. - Preview of Ken

Burns’ documentary, “The Dust Bowl,” at Baker High School.

►8:30 p.m. - Cometry “A

Fusion of Comedy and Poetry” in the USA Library Auditorium. This is a free event.

Wednesday, Nov. 14 ►12:30 p.m. - What’s On

Wednesday – Career Services in the Dean of Students Conference Room, Academic Support Center.

Thursday, Nov. 15 ►6 - 10 p.m. - Laser Tag in the

Student Recreation Center.

Register for a time at the JP Ticket Desk. Liability Release Required.

Friday, Nov. 16 ► 6:30 p.m. - Indian Student

Association invites all USA students and faculty to the Festival of Lights event in the Student Center Mall.

►7:30 p.m. - USA Theatre

presents “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” in the Laidlaw Performing Arts building. For Ticket information call: 251460-6306.

► 7:30 p.m. - USA Opera and Musical Theatre presents “Scenes from Opera and Musical Theatre”in the Laidlaw Recital Hall.

Saturday, Nov. 17 ► 8 p.m. - “Beethoven & Blue Jeans,” performance by the Mobile Symphony at the Saenger Theater.

Want your event featured in the Weekly Lowdown? Email the name, date, time, price, place and a brief tagline (under seven words) to life.editor@usavanguard.com (PHOTO OF JESSIE HOUSTON) SANDRA HUYNH | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

JAKE HOWELL | JAGLIFE EDITOR

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VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV 12, 2012

Snakes slither their way into Life Sciences for Reptile Night

By ALEX WHATLEY

ajw701@jagmail.southalabama.edu

S

nakes are slimy. Snakes chase people. Pythons are taking over the United States. These are only a few of the many myths debunked at the Reptile Night held on Nov. 6, in the Life Sciences Building.

Led by Mike Casper, a member of the Southwest Alabama Herpetological Society, Reptile Night not only cleared the air on many negative myths about snakes, but also showcased several live species and even touted the benefits of these fascinating creatures.

Cooper, who started catching snakes at age 10, conducted his first field project at 15 and gave his first lecture at 18, shared some of his expertise on the leg-less creatures.

First and foremost, snakes are not slimy. In actuality, they’re very dry Rather than attacking people, snakes are like most wild creatures in that they are more likely to run away first.

“Their natural instinct is flight,” said Cooper.

He also pointed out that the majority of snake bites occur on the forearm and hand, a sign that most bites stem from people attempting to handle or agitate the animals.

Despite these facts, many legends about aggressive snakes reappear in different parts of the United States, often with very few details to back them up.

Most people’s first instincts are to kill snakes, and many see some species as a real threat, both physically and ecologically.

Take for example the appearance of the Burmese python, a nonnative species introduced to the Florida wild after Hurricane Andrew. Many fear the pythons will spill out of the Everglades and into more northern areas of the U.S. Cooper, however, explained that despite popular belief, the pythons aren’t handling Florida’s winters well.

The National Wildlife Service recorded about that 50 percent died in the winter of 2010, but Cooper said it is suggested up to 80 percent could have been killed off from it.

Tuesday’s presentation also pointed out that snake bites lead to very few deaths every year.

In fact, more people die from dog attacks, lightning and even buckets than from snake bites every year, a figure confirmed by the University of Florida Conservation Department.

Cooper also demonstrated what the best way to treat a venomous bite would be, on a very Ophidiophobic (snake fearing) Vanguard reporter: keep the tourniquet away and call 911.

Treating venomous bites also holds its own slew of myths, including the use of ice and tourniquets, as well as sucking venom.

“Tourniquets localize venom, and can lead to lost limbs, blood clots,

and infection,” said Cooper.

Putting ice on a bite also has the same effect, along with slowing down any anti-venom that may be injected for treatment.

Cooper also showed how complicated a snake-bite kit from Wal-Mart is to use in the heat of the moment, further suggesting a hospital as the best bet for treatment.

Besides Cooper’s informative, and humorous presentation, the audience was allowed a close look at Alabama’s six venomous species of snakes.

Three of those shown, the copperhead, water moccasin and pigmy rattler, are the three most common snake bite culprits.

Also showcased was the eastern coral snake, which hasn’t resulted in a death since 1967.

This event left a lasting impression of snakes as misunderstood and fascinating, but also very beneficial to humans.

Cooper explained snake venom’s potential for disease prevention.

He referred to studies that have linked copperhead venom to breast cancer prevention, and proteins in the venom of pigmy rattlers for treatment of acute coronary syndrome.

“These are the animals that hold the cure,” he said.

This breakthrough, along with their intrinsic value, can only lead to more awareness of what fascinating animals they really are.

ALEX WHATELY | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

(Top) Taylor Knighton, a USA student, holding a python which was only one of the species in residence at Reptile Night. (Below) Cooper discussing details of the various species of venemous snakes with the attendees.

Drama students impress in “A Dead Man’s Cell Phone”

ELLEN SUMRALL | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

“Dead Man’s Cell Phone” will have repeat performances Nov. 15 to 17 at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center.

By ELLEN SUMRALL carmalsum@aol.com

A

full house greeted students acting in the Nov. 9 production of “A Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” a dark com-

edy written by Sarah Ruhl.

The play stars Miranda Culpepper as Jean, a young woman sitting in a café one day when something unexpected happens.

A man sitting at a nearby table doesn’t answer his ringing cell phone and for a very good reason: he’s dead.

When Jean finally realizes that the man, sitting upright at the table, has died, she answers his cell phone and finds out his name is Bernard (Evan Wilson).

She then calls 911 and stays with him until the paramedics arrive.

After Bernard’s death Jean takes on responsibility of answering his cell phone and letting those calling know about Bernard’s death.

Jean meets Bernard’s mother, Harriet (Lauren Ashley Fussell), after the elder woman learns that Jean was with her son when he died. Despite the fact that she is a vegetarian, Jean accepts Harriet’s invitation to eat a big meat dinner with Bernard’s family.

At the dinner, Jean encounters Bernard’s widow, Hermia (Peri Anne Bush), and his brother, Dwight (Gray West).

Jean tells the family that she and Bernard worked together, and that he gave her messages to tell the family before he died.

Jean upsets Harriet, who has to go lie down, and Hermia goes to talk to her.

While they are gone, Dwight and Jean bond over a bowl of popcorn and their mutual love of stationary.

Hermia later calls Jean to tell her to meet her at a bar. Hermia proceeds to get very drunk and tells Jean about Bernard’s and her sex life.

Bernard finally makes an appearance as well when he has a conversation with one of the cast members--in Hell.

I had no idea that at University of South Alabama we had this level of talent! It’s exciting to know we are walking around with future stars of Broadway in our midst.

Michaela Welsford, a freshman ma-

joring in theatre, commented, “It was really spectacular. I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I liked the characters; it didn’t look fake. They did very well.”

Stephanie Sullivan, a freshman majoring in nursing, said, “I liked the bright colors and the makeup.”

During intermission, all types of treats from hummus and pita to carrot cake were being served along with sweet tea. The food was provided by Naman’s Catering, The Jerusalem Café and Monetego’s Caribbean Café and Bar. The refreshments were free, but donations were being accepted to fund students traveling to the Southeastern Theatre Conference, Regional Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and the Outdoor Drama Auditions The play will also be performed Nov. 15 to 17 at the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center.

Tickets, $10 for students, are available at the box office or by calling 460-6306.

HEY YOU JagLife, Opinion and Sports need writers, and you can email editor.in.chief@ usavanguard.com to find out how to get involved.

Build your resume.

Raise your voice.

Make a difference.

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VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

SGA President makes appearance on Jag TV

CASSIE FAMBRO | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Chastain being interviewed by Bradford during the taping of “The Colton Bradford Show.”

By STUART SOX sgsox@att.net

O

n the University of South Alabama’s Jag TV, “The Colton Bradford Show” is enjoying a very successful first season.

Colton Bradford, who has said that his greatest desire for the show is that

it be “the voice of the students,” has featured many interesting guests on the show, most notably Cassie Fambro, the editor-in-chief of The Vanguard, and Ariel McSwain, a radio personality on 107.3.

The latest guest of “The Colton Bradford Show” is SGA President Parker Chastain, who spoke with elo-

quence and a distinct air of professionalism in his first interview on Jag TV. According to Bradford, Chastain was invited onto the show to help USA students get to know their SGA President better.

“People don’t know you just yet, so I am going to help people understand you,” Bradford said on the show.

As many USA students may know, there was an abundance of controversy surrounding Chastain’s election as the Student Government Association president.

“Whenever you were campaigning for SGA President…the Greeks on campus felt that The Vanguard didn’t paint some of the candidates that were affiliated with the Greek system in a positive light. You are not in a fraternity and that sparked a lot of controversy,” Bradford said.

“Definitely this past year there was some division…people get angry and they want to find someone to get angry at…and unfortunately The Vanguard suffered from it,” Chastain responded.

Chastain’s main opponent in last year’s SGA elections was Zain Husain, a member of USA fraternity Kappa Sigma.

“How personal did it get between

the both of you and did you ever think about pulling out of the race?” Bradford asked.

“No, most of the things that were said came through third parties so I can’t judge anyone or hate anyone on anything that was said,” Chastain responded.

“Personal things definitely do hurt, but you gotta just let them roll off your back…especially in this position because many students hold you to a high standard,” Chastain added.

When asked how he felt about the Greek system, Chastain said, “I think the Greek system has some good aspects to it. But I also believe that we are going through some changes as a university and the Greek system needs to grow with those changes.”

As pointed out on the show, Chastain is the only independent (nonGreek) student on the officer board of the SGA. When asked if he ever feels like an outsider he said, “Sometimes it’s hard because you’re different…but my officer board is great. They really work well with me.”

Chastain answered every potentially controversial question with clever and articulate neutrality.

“You’re very politically correct…I don’t like that,” Bradford commented jokingly.

When asked about running for SGA President next year, Chastain said, “It’s definitely a tingling in my mind but I am hoping to go to graduate school.”

Chastain also confessed to having no intentions to run for any official political office in the future. He sees his position as SGA President as a “helping others” sort of job, which is fitting since he is actually a pre-med student.

“What is the best advice that you’ve ever gotten and from who?” Bradford asked.

“My mom has definitely been a driving force to who I am…she said ‘if you’re ever gonna hug someone, hug them so they know it. If you’re ever gonna shake someone’s hand, make sure that they know you mean business,’” Chastain answered.

To watch new episodes of “The Colton Bradford Show” tune in to Jag TV on channel 63 on Thursdays at 4 p.m. on the campus cable system.

To watch episodes of the show on demand visit the “jagtvusa” Youtube channel. Jag TV can also be viewed online at southalabama.edu/jagtv.

Past, present and future lives become reality in “Cloud Atlas

By KARIE FUGETT

kaf1104@jagmail.southalabama.edu

I

t has been two days since I saw the movie “Cloud Atlas” and I still can’t seem to pry my mind away from the film’s many complicated story lines and epic visual beauty.

The moment the movie ended, my mind started spinning as I attempted to make sense of what I had just witnessed.

“Cloud Atlas” is a movie adaptation of a book by the same name written by David Mitchell. The movie is difficult to describe as accurately as its creators do.

Instead, I will simply quote the synopsis directly from the “Cloud Atlas” website: “From acclaimed filmmakers Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, and Andy Wachowski, the powerful and inspiring epic drama ‘Cloud Atlas’ explores how the

actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present, and the future.

Action, mystery, and romance weave dramatically through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future.”

As someone who knows very little about the theory of past lives, I found this particular approach to it intriguing.

The way each “life” affects the next, and the way a soul progresses and improves through time gives a sort of importance to the average individual, as if a small decision made in the here and now could grow into something huge after we’re gone from this life.

One of my favorite quotes from the movie was, “What is any ocean but a multitude of drops.”

The movie was packed with both heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes that had me on a bit of an emotional roller coaster.

The movie was sometimes difficult to follow as they dodge from one story to the next.

They even took the time to create a language, loosely based off of English, which was very difficult to understand.

Despite having the moments of “what the heck just happened,” the quality of the picture was so beautiful and artistic that I found myself not caring.

Each “life” is inherently different and uniquely beautiful, beginning in the nineteenth century and ending in a futuristic land not even on this planet. Every detail from the buttons on the jackets to the fabricated futuristic city was impeccably and breathtakingly done.

The cast of “Cloud Atlas” could fill a

red carpet event in and of itself, the most famous of which include: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant and Susan Sarandon, though most will recognize others as well.

Each of them played multiple characters throughout the movie. The roles were played beautifully, though Tom Hanks’ role, to me, stood out.

His ability to switch from role to role in this movie was a treat for any Tom Hanks fan, essentially the many faces of Tom served on a silver platter.

I think this movie is going to be one that people either love or hate.

Those who enjoy art, love sci-fi, appreciate good acting and find pleasure in exploring new ways of seeing the world, will love this movie and contemplate it for days.

Those who don’t care for any of the above will most likely not appreciate it.

JAKE HOWELL | JAGLIFE EDITOR

The boundaries of life and death are blurred in this visually stunning film.

To me, however, this movie is a masterpiece.

www.facebook.com/thevanguardusa

SPORTS

PATRICK HERRING, SPORTS EDITOR sports.editor@usavanguard.com

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VOL. 51, NO. 16/ NOV. 12, 2012

Wide receiver Jereme Jones reels in a touchdown pass from Ross Metheny in the first quarter agains North Texas.

CASSIE FAMBRO|EDITOR IN CHIEF

Mean Green rides strong second half to 24-14 win The Jaguar offense scores early, but can’t get going in the second half

By PATRICK HERRING sports.editor@usavanguard.com

N

orth Texas shut out the Jaguars in the second half and scored 10 points of their own in that span to get out of Apogee Stadium with their fourth win of the season, 24-14.

The Mean Green (4-6, 3-3) only converted on two of 15 third down opportunities, held the ball for 6 fewer minutes than the Jaguars (28, 1-5) and gained less total yards than their opponent. They did win the turnover battle (two fumbles to one interception) and gained more yards in the running game—136 of which came on two plays—to notch the victory.

Head coach Joey Jones spoke about North Texas’ play in the second half.

“They dominated us in the third quarter,” Jones said. “We missed the field goal to go up 17-14, and then they drove down and scored, and dominated us from that point forward, really.”

South Alabama’s offense was led by quarterback Ross Metheny, who

went 23 of 45 for 233 yards and a touchdown. The 45 pass attempts were a school record and career high. He also rushed for 17 yards.

“After halftime, they started bringing more pressure and it really got to us,” Metheny said. “We just kept fighting and our guys up front did a great job all night long. We just gotta (sic) make more plays.”

For the first time since a 27-20 loss at Georgia State last season, running back Kendall Houston led the team in rushing with 42 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

On the Jaguars’ second drive, Metheny took the offense on a long drive from their 10-yard line. It covered 105 yards due to a personal foul penalty. The key play on the drive was a 26-yard run by Demetre Baker, which was extended by a broken tackle on a spin move.

After Metheny completed a 24yard pass to Corey Besteda down to the North Texas 4-yard line, Houston bounced around the left side two plays later to push it in for the score from 1 yard out. His first touchdown since opening weekend

put the Jaguars up 7-0.

USA later went for it on a fourth down on the last play of the first quarter on a carry by backup quarterback Trey Fetner, but he was stopped short. Two plays later, North Texas running back, Jeremy Brown, showed some highend speed on a 51-yard run for the touchdown. The score tied the game

“

They dominated us in the third quarter.

-Head coach Joey Jones

”

at 7-7. Brown ended up with 61 yards on the ground.

Metheny hooked up with Jereme Jones for a touchdown pass from 13 yards out two drives later.

“It was just one of those plays we worked on in practice,” Jones said.

“We just executed it. We saw what they ran and how they lined up when we were in that formation, and Coach (Jones) just put me on the

outside and let me win.”

On the drive, Metheny went 5-for-5 passing for 50 yards. The score put USA ahead, 14-7. Jones led the team with a career-high 72 receiving yards on 5 catches.

North Texas got the ball back at their 34-yard line after an illegal procedure penalty on USA. From there, quarterback Derek Thompson completed 4 of 7 passes to move the ball to the USA 14-yard line. The drive stalled there on fourth and 6.

However, immediately after the last completion, USA was called for a defensive delay of game. The penalty moved the ball to the USA 5-yard line, but it was still fourth and 1, so North Texas sent out their kicking team. South Alabama sent out one too many players to defend the kick, resulting in another penalty.

That penalty moved the ball to the 2-yard line and gave the Mean Green a first down. Thompson then completed a 2-yard pass to a wide open Drew Miller for the game-tying touchdown. The extra point knotted it at 14-14 going into halftime.

The Jaguars got the ball to start

the second half. They rode the running game for the majority of the drive, running nine times for 50 yards to move the ball to the North Texas 11-yard line. The drive stalled there, and Michel Chapaseaux was sent out to attempt a 28-yard field goal. The wind, which was blowing at gusts up to 37 mph, pushed the attempt wide left.

On the first play of the next North Texas drive, after the missed kick and a false start penalty, Brandon Byrd busted loose an 85-yard run for a touchdown. With the point after, North Texas took their first lead, 2114. Byrd totaled 109 yards and the touchdown on 15 carries.

Terrence Timmons fumbled the ball at the USA 46-yard line on the Jags’ next drive. North Texas’ Zachary Orr recovered at the 39.

The Jaguar defense held them to a field goal attempt on their ensuing drive, which Zach Olen hit from 33 yards out to extend the Mean Green lead to 24-14.

When North Texas got the ball back, Thompson threw a pass and See Football Football, Page 11

10

VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

Mike Varga out as head coach of South Alabama Soccer

BY JOHN ADAMS|USAJAGUARS.COM

Former soccer head coach Mike Varga

By JT CRABTREE

jtc804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

S

outh Alabama Athletic Director Dr. Joel Erdmann announced last Monday that head coach Mike Varga would not be returning next season.

Varga’s contract had expired following the Lady Jags 2-1 loss to Middle Tennessee State in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Varga had been the head coach of the Lady Jags for 14 seasons. He started in 1998 and led the team to a

share of the Sun Belt regular season title in 2000. He also managed the team to the championship round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament in 2005.

“We appreciate Mike’s service to the program and university,” said Erdmann of Varga.

The athletic department will begin searching for a new coach immediately.

“A national search is underway to find a new head coach,” said Erdmann. “The search will move as quickly as possible, but also at a pace which allows us to not miss highly qualified people who may still be playing in championship rounds.”

The Lady Jags soccer program had a record of 121-131-26 overall during the 14 seasons under Varga’s watch.

The 2012 squad finished with an 8-10-3 record, while going 3-5-2 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Lady Jags ranked seventh in the Sun Belt Conference.

Want live play-byplay tweets of USA football games and other sports info?

Follow @USAVGSports on twitter and like USA Vanguard Sports on facebook

The level of ratchetness on cinemagram is a level that has never been reached before Rush Hendricks @_RusHen_: Tight End I always see people on my timeline talking about how “sloppy they look today”; and I’m thinking: I dress like that everyday. #college Trey Fetner @Tfet16: Quarterback I didn’t vote because I saw Tim Tebow’s name no where on the ballot.... #TebowTime #QBfam Brittany Fowler @FowlerPower6: Outfielder

One-Five @CJbennett15: Quarterback

Editor’s Note: During the 2012 football season, we here at The Vanguard Sports Section will be doing weekly predictions of South’s football game, popular in-state games and one or two nationally significant games. We will keep a running tally of who’s “winning” the prediction game.

Patrick Herring Sports Editor (33-11)

USA vs.

Middle Tennessee

Chris May @CmayFive5: Offensive Lineman

In 14 years ill put in my bid for the presidency... #FOWLER2026

College Football Predictions

Week Three Season Totals in parentheses

Want us to follow you?

Tweet us @USAVGSports

You know your fat when you sweat trying to eat too fast

JT Crabtree

Jenna Hassell @jenna_rena: Defensive Specialist/Libero

Senior Reporter

Sports Editor L.O.C.

The moment I realized we were on the way to Miami and I forgot to put the new t swift cd on my iPod... #depressing

(31-13)

(29-15)

Jayson Curry

Last home game of the season for USA South Alabama struggles against and they want to get a home win for the Middle Tennesse at home. It’s close, home fans. They find a way to pull out the but the Jags lose 34-28. win over the Blue Raiders. USA 27-24.

The Jags are showing improvement every week since Ark St, but have fallen just short on a few of the games. The Jags have a tough task on Senior Night, but they win it 31-27.

Alabama vs.

Western Carolina

I’ll be surprised if McCarron plays after halftime. A tune-up before the tune-up against Auburn before they play Georgia in Atlanta. Alabama wins 56-6.

Alabama will get the win here. I don’t Yea, no. Bama kills them. 55-6. think there is any doubt. Alabama 56-3.

Auburn vs.

Alabama A&M

Auburn didn’t plan to play an A&M team that had won more games than them. But they are a SWAC team, so Auburn flexes its muscles against a lesser opponent.

Auburn 42-24

Auburn gets their third and final win of the season against the Bulldogs.

Auburn 38-23

Stanford vs. Oregon

If any team on the schedule can slow down the high-octane offense of the Ducks, it’s Stanford. But even they won’t be able to stop it. Oregon pulls away after halftime. Oregon 55-35.

Two high powered offenses going after The Ducks are really fast and really good. They don’t lose this one. Oregon each other. They’ll break 100 combined points, but the Ducks will take this one wins 51-27.

59-55.

I don’t know, Auburn is still pretty bad.

They aren’t that bad though. Tigers win 41-14.

Jake Howton @J_Howdy_86: Wide Receiver Somehow I forgot which room my class was in. I was that guy checking all the windows for my teacher.

Couldn’t find him..... FIFA anyone?

Ryan Onkka @Big_Onk Tight End When you take a nap and are still tired, you know its gonna be a long day #ihatetuesdays

@USAVGSports

11

VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

Men’s basketball stuns Florida State 76-71 on the road in season opener Allen’s clutch play from behind the arc downs the Seminoles

By PATRICK HERRING sports.editor@usavanguard.com

T

he first game of the season sets the tone for how any team in any sport will perform for the remainder of their schedule. A win can get momentum started and give a team confidence. A loss can shatter expectations and cause a slow start.

For Florida State, they scheduled the Jaguars of South Alabama to open their season at home. The defending ACC tournament champion Seminoles (0-1) probably weren’t expecting much of a fight from a team they took to the woodshed last season in an 80-39 victory.

The Jaguars (1-0) weren’t the pushover they were supposed to be.

Led by Antoine Allen, a former Miami Hurricane, and his 21 points off the bench, the Jaguars upset the #25-ranked Seminoles, 76-71, in

Tallahassee Friday night.

Allen, whose eligibility was in question until the NCAA cleared him to play the morning of the game, hit four of the team’s nine 3-pointers en route to the victory.

South Alabama was also helped by a double-double from Mychael Ammons, who totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds on the night.

The Jags were money from the free throw line, hitting 12 straight down the stretch, including three from Freddie Goldstein to give USA the lead with 12 seconds left in the game. Goldstein scored 11 points and dished out 4 assists.

It was the Jags’ first win over a ranked team since beating an eighteenth-ranked Florida squad during the 2009-2010 season.

The Jaguars return home to open their regular season schedule at the Mitchell Center against William Carey at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday night.

Tight end Greg Hollinger coming down with a catch against the Mean Green defense.

Football Continued from Page 9

Tyrell Pearson yanked the ball out of a North Texas receiver’s hands and ran it back towards the North Texas end zone. He fumbled at the 6-yard line, and the ball hit the pylon on the goal line. The play resulted in a touchback, which gave North Texas the ball right back. The Jaguar defense forced a three-andout to keep the score at 24-14.

Five Minutes with Basketball’s Dre Conner T

By JT CRABTREE

jtc804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

he 2012-2013 South Alabama Jaguars men’s basketball team has high expectations for the upcoming season, and they start with the newest point guard, Dre Conner.

Conner, a junior, transferred to South after playing one year at Towson University and one year at Labette Community College in Kansas.

In a recent season preview from Yahoo Sports, Conner was named the preseason Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, setting the bar high for someone who has never played a Sun Belt Conference game.

Conner recently talked with The Vanguard to discuss how he thinks his first season in a Jaguar uniform will pan out.

VG: What made you want to come down to South Alabama?

CHIP ENGLISH|USAJAGUARS.COM

Point guard Dre Conner holding the ball away from a Spring Hill defender.

DC: “The coaches were pretty good. They stayed on me in JUCO. We built a connection and a bond and I really liked it.”

CASSIE FAMBRO|EDITOR IN CHIEF

The fourth quarter was uneventful as a whole. The teams combined for just 4 first downs and 7 punts in the period, which ended with the Mean Green kneeling the ball to run out the clock after South Alabama turned the ball over on downs.

The Jaguar defense was paced by Bryson James and Alex Page, who each tallied 7 tackles. For Page, a career-high 2.5 of his went for a loss.

Linebacker Jake Johnson finished

with 6 tackles on the evening—a season-low for the senior.

Fellow linebacker Davin Hawkins had 4 tackles, with 2 behind the line of scrimmage. He hadn’t played a snap all season before last week’s loss to Florida Atlantic.

The Jags are back in action this weekend at Ladd-Peebles stadium, where they will host the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee in their last home game of the season at 2:30 p.m.

VG: What are some of the differences in playing at Towson and South Alabama?

DC: “We work really hard as a team everyday and we have our ups and downs, but we’re trying to get better every day. For me to be the Newcomer of the Year for the Sun Belt, it makes me feel really good because I feel like I can help this team a lot. With my abilities as a point guard, run the team, control the floor, and with all the other new guys on the team, we’ve just got to get rolling, we just have to play our roles and everything will come together.”

DC: “It’s a big difference. The coaching staff is a big difference. I give props to the Towson coaches, they were good. But as of right now, Coach Arrow is like one of my high school coaches. He’s really hard on the point guards because he played that position and he needs that position to play well so the team can play well.”

VG: Coach Arrow said you are most likely going to be the starting point guard going into the season, how does that make you feel?

DC: “It makes me feel pretty good knowing that I have his trust and the team’s trust and that they believe in me. I hope that I can make things happen for each and every one of them. I feel pretty good about that.”

VG: What are your expectations on this season?

VG: How are you all approaching the tough schedule at the start of the season?

DC: “We open with Florida State and the guys from last year said they didn’t like the way they played against them. We’re gonna give them a challenge. We’re not gonna be a pushover. We’re gonna compete as one of the top teams in the Sun Belt.”

Opinion

NOAH LOGAN OPINION EDITOR opinion.editor@usavanguard.com

12

VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

The Vanguard Viewpoint

Third time’s the charm?

Will Alabama ever remove the racist language left over in the state Constitution?

Stand up, be accountable and be truly thankful

A

ccountability is not an easy feat to accomplish.

We all have issues that drive us up the wall, whether it’s having bus drivers that get lost on the way to the airport after a footbal game or professors that won’t accept sources from EBSCOHost.

However, sometimes those irritating forces require us to dig deep within our already dry wells of patience and find the hidden reserves.

And sometimes those hidden reserves are not quite as large as we had hoped.

Moments like these remind us that we don’t have to be accountable for other people’s mistakes, no matter how much those people may insist you are.

The truth is: they are accountable for their mistakes.

They are the ones who need to buck up and go down with the ship (if it does indeed sink as they often fear it will).

The same thing goes for self-ac-

countability. If you do something wrong, own up to it. Don’t push the blame onto someone else.

For one thing, you’re only making a jerk of yourself.

For another, you’re not actually addressing the issue at hand.

Positive progress comes from taking control of your life and the impact you make on the world. Because believe it or not, you do make an impact.

It’s proportional to the amount of effort you put into living.

This month has been a month of thanksgiving. People have been posting statuses of what they are thankful for each day.

However, why does it have to be only one month a year that we openly acknowledge our thankfulness for the small things?

So here’s a challenge USA: Try to take personal accountability each day for being thankful.

By NOAH LOGAN

ncl1101@jagmail.southalabama.edu

F

o r the second time since 2004, an amendment to fix racist language in Alabama’s Noah Logan constituOpinion Editor tion has been voted down. On the outside, Amendment four looked like a no brainer for Alabama voters.

The proposed amendment was to remove language in our state’s constitution that applies to the desegregation of schools. The exact text of the constitution that is under fire reads as followed: “separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child of either race shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race.”

According to supporters of the bill and members of the press who are criticizing Alabama voters for the decision, the change in language refrained from making any changes in actual legal procedure. Sen. Arthur Orr said in an interview that the change in language was needed because it gives Alabama a “black eye”

JagPulse

With the communications department moving to the old engineering building in December, how do you feel parking will be affected?

Daniel Moran: UCOM averages around 30-60 cars usually. I don’t think it’ll be a big deal, but I’m sure if it is someone will be sure to let you know.

Zack Eichhorn: The business parking lot is the one behind the building by the the gammas and track field, I park there in the mornings and is generally empty by the building

JT Crabtree: I could see a problem if people have South parking just for UCOM. I guess they would just tell people to park at the Mitchell center and walk.

Brianne Thomas: Is this the parking lot that the old rec center (where the math labs are), the business building and Shelby Hall all share (South parking zone)? If so, I see that being a problem. Its really difficult to find parking in that zone.

Matthew Rhodes: People could always use that nifty thing called a JagTran that the university spends a lot of money on.

Eric Hadley: Parking already sucks. Probably want make much of a difference. They will jut have to walk further.

Eric Starling: Central is also the parking the lot BEHIND the building.

when competing for new industries to come and produce jobs in Alabama. However, an unlikely source of opposition came out in full force against the amendment, the Alabama Education Association and the Alabama Democratic Conference.

Yes, a Republican supported bill of removing racist language regarding education was shot down due to opposition from educators and a mainly black political organization.

After further inspections of the amendment, the reasons why become clearer.

What looks innocent enough on the outside actually holds implications that could result in far worse results for the state than a portion of text that hasn’t been legally enforced since Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. The proposed amendment would have removed the original text. However, in doing so, another amendment that was voted on by Alabama voters in 1951 that removes the right to public education from the state would have replaced it after sitting on the shelves since the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional.

This contains the text, “Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed as creating or recognizing any right to education or training at public expense.” Democrats and members of the AEA claim the amendment would essentially take away a child’s right to free education in Alabama.

“It has all kinds of implications in the future for the diversion of education funds and for the funding of education generally. That’s why we are opposed to it,” Montgomery attorney Bobby Segall said.

One thing worth noting is that both ALFA insurance and the Alabama Farmers Federation were major sponsors of the amendment. These same groups are notorious for trying to cut school funding and many people who were opposed to the bill point to those supporters as proof of the underlying intent of Amendment four.

In 2004, an amendment to take out the language was voted down as well because supposedly it implemented an unnecessary tax hike to fund education. The fact that our state cannot come up with a simple amendment to remove shameful, outdated language without also removing the right to a public education or adding unnecessary taxes is honestly sad.

We’re all familiar with the phrase “it takes an act of congress to get somebody to do something.” Alabama has now taken this to an entirely new level. It appears that it now takes an act of congress to get congress to enact an act of congress to remove a handful sentences out of an outdated and overly complex constitution.

Wrap your head around that.

EditorialBoard

The

Cassie Fambro > Editor in Chief Noah Logan > Opinion Editor Jake Howell > Life Editor Patrick Herring > Sports Editor JT Crabtree > LOC Editor

thevanguardonline.com

13

VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV 12, 2012

POINT COUNTERPOINT Is the Electoral College system the best for America?  To no one’s surprise, the Electoral College is under fire again after this year’s election. What are your thoughts on the Electoral College system and if you oppose it, what system would best work for voters to decide on the president?

Point: Electoral College has to stay

“

“

The Electoral College protects the voting power of minorities and political groups that are not in power in a state.

Ryan Wallace

I

Counterpoint: The REPUBLIC of America

t’s like clockwork. Every time a presidential election comes around, voters across the United States (usually liberals, but after last Tuesday night, more than a few conservatives as well) come out taking swings at the Electoral College and the “unfairness” of someone’s vote “going to waste” because it doesn’t count towards electing the President at a national-level aggregate.

The conservative bellyaching over the Electoral College can easily be explained as sour grapes. The same goes for any number of foolish ideas being thrown out by some on the right, from raising the voter age back to 21 (or even higher) or restricting voter eligibility to those who own property, which is an idea as antiquated as it is impossible to police.

The majority of the opposition to the Electoral College has come from the left side of the aisle, which is perhaps understandable in the wake of the 2000 Presidential election, which saw Al Gore lose the Presidency to George W. Bush despite gathering about 500,000 more popular votes.

Some of the hatred for the Electoral College, however, runs deeper than just a decade of sore feelings.

First, the Electoral College was set in place by the writers of the Constitution as the ultimate expression of the federalist model that led America to greatness, but is considered antiquated by many on the Left today.

America was founded not as a centrally-ruled nation, but as a collection of states bound together in a federation.

Thus, the President would be the candidate that could attract votes from many different regions of the country, and therefore a diversity of states.

This prevented power from being forever centralized in the more heavily-populated Northeast. By the same token, the Electoral College prevents

”

large cities and their metropolitan areas from dominating elections. This prevents a candidate from promising huge benefits or kickbacks to the large urban centers of the country in exchange for votes at the expense of the less-populous areas of the country.

Individual liberty, as it always was with the founding fathers, was at the forefront of the formation of the Electoral College. The Electoral College protects the voting power of minorities and political groups that are not in power in a state, “minorities” in this case referring not only to race but ideology, occupation or anything else that is in short supply.

We see this in practice all the time in the so-called “swing states.” How many times have you seen one or either of the candidates in a race (this year certainly included) appeal to one small niche of a population to secure votes?

In national popular vote, these votes lose their significance and become just one more of a national vote rather than having the effect of swinging an entire state over to one candidate or the other. This would make those voters truly feel (and be) less important than they were otherwise.

As I said at the beginning of this article, one criticism of the way we currently elect our President is that voters who are an ideological minority feel as if their votes are wasted; but by giving them the chance to sway a critical state or region, the Electoral College actually enhances their status.

The bottom line is that the Electoral College has served the United States well over the course of our nation’s history. Defending the way we elect our leaders is common sense for anyone who understands the unique focus our country’s Constitution places on the powers and rights that are reserved for the states and the individuals that define our shared history.

Connor Favreau

I

ELECTORAL COLLEGE RESULTS 2012

I would argue, it should return to the spirit of its republican roots, in which how much a person puts at stake into the government would determine his sway in elections.

f America desires democracy over republicanism, then America should disband the Electoral College and replace it with a pure popular vote.

Present America and its voting system profess the virtues of democracy: that everyone’s voice counts equally.

The Electoral College serves no purpose anymore and functions to suppress the choice of the minority in heavily-slanted states such as our own.

Ideally, however, America would not pursue outright democracy; instead, I would argue, it should return to the spirit of its republican roots, in which how much a person puts at stake into the government would determine his sway in elections.

Benjamin Franklin supposedly once said, “When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.” Right now, the country bears a $16 trillion deficit, and The Heritage Foundation reports that 62 percent of the 2012 budget consists of entitlement spending. According to the National Taxpayers Union, in 2009 the top 10 percent of American paid 70 percent of the federal income taxes, and the bottom 50 percent paid 2 percent.

The country nears the point of no return with its debt, but those who contribute most to revenue have the same voting power as those who actually cost the government money. The system favors mob rule, where those who offer nothing to the government vastly outnumber those who do fund the government and its entitlement programs.

Of course, we obviously should not go back to the days where only white, male landowners can vote; however, I would propose a system of weighted voting based on what percentage of income (including capital gains) a person gives to the government. So, a person who makes $1 million a year and gives $200,000 to the government would have the same voting leverage as one

”

who makes $50,000 and gives $10,000.

This system would defuse mob rule; if a person wants a say in his government, then he must contribute.

The debt would also become more manageable, because people could not vote to secure wealth or entitlements without contributing. Moreover, people would have greater incentive to give to the government so that their vote will matter.

Rather than paying for lobbyists and advertisers, the rich might invest in their own vote, adding to revenue. In fact, people would compete with each other to secure the most influence, and the wealth dispensed in this competition would flow directly to the government.

One final point, weighted voting would lead to a significant decrease in voter apathy and ignorance. Those voting, having actually invested in it, would desire to make their vote count as much as possible.

I acknowledge that such a republican-inspired system is not perfect. The rich can afford to give a greater percentage of their wealth than the poor can for sure. Perhaps a weighting limit could be imposed for incomes higher than a designated amount. For example, those making, say, a million dollars and above could not receive any more vote weighting beyond that which they would receive for giving 40 percent of their income.

Regardless, I believe this system would fare better than a democracy in terms of sustainability and without sacrificing too much freedom. If we must face reality, though, in which a reversion back to republicanism is now impossible, then we should abolish the Electoral College. The College is a relic of a dead political system, serving only to obstruct the spirit of democracy and yet now devoid of the spirit of republicanism.

LEFT OF CENTER

JT CRABTREE, LOC EDITOR jtc804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

14

VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

Away games being shown

By JT CRABTREE

jtc804@jagmail.southalabama.edu

I

Members of the 2012 USA Quidditch Team

COURTESY OF JENNIFER TRAN

Brooms Up - Quidditch comes to USA South Alabama’s Quidditch team is the newest sport on campus

By JENNIFER TRAN jtt1001@jagmail.southalabama.edu

Q

uidditch (you read that right) is one of many new and exciting sports to have graced South Alabama.

USA Quidditch made its first appearance last fall as one of the newest Alabama teams to have joined the sport, right behind University of Alabama.

As part of the IQA Southern Region, USA Quidditch competes against forty Florida teams, six Mississippi teams, six Georgia teams and eleven Tennessee teams. As part of the ICBA (International Confederation of Broomstick Athletes)’s Gulf Coast Conference, expect to see matches against the likes of LSU, Loyola, University of New Orleans and Southern Miss.

They’ve also heavily participated in IQA Southwestern Region tournaments held by Texas A&M, Sam Houston State University, LSU, Rice University, University of Texas and Baylor University. Some of their members have traveled over to the Western Region and have participated in tournaments hosted by UCLA, USC, Stanford, Oregon, Utah and Cal Berkeley.

The sport has come a long way since 2005, when a Middlebury College student named Xander Manshel adapted Quidditch from book to reality. Since then, Alex Benepe has taken over as commissioner for the International Quidditch Association (IQA), which is in charge of every team in the world.

As of last year, there are more than

two thousand teams worldwide. Name a renowned university and you can believe they are fielding a strong Quidditch team.

The sport made its first international debut at the Olympics this past summer with teams from Australia, UK, Canada, France and the US competing for the very first Olympic Quidditch gold medals.

The beauty of Quidditch is its diverse membership. Amongst the diehard bookworms and “Potterheads” are also dedicated athletes. Some have read the books, some have seen the movies and some have never even heard of Harry Potter. It’s grown from being a closeted sport played by students in capes to being on the table for NCAA approval. From art students to football players to TKE Chapters across the country, Quidditch has reached out to MVP’s in both sports and book clubs.

The game itself is a simple concept to grasp: three Chasers and one Keeper (similar to a soccer goalie) are in charge of scoring the Quaffle through any of the opponent’s three hoops. Two Beaters run a defense with Bludgers in a game of dodgeball, and one Seeker is off-field, trying to find and catch the Snitch. All this is done with brooms (that the game mandates) clutched between the players’ legs.

When all the players are on the field towards the end of a match, Quidditch will appear to be a clusterfluff of madness; there are Chasers and Keepers charging the Quaffle up and down the

field, tackling any and all who oppose them, Bludgers are flying and hitting faces and body parts in every direction, and Seekers are playing a desperate game of flag football and wrestling with the elusive Snitch, hoping to catch it and end the game.

Players spend months upon months recruiting, training and strategizing with hopes and intent of taking home trophies and, more importantly, leaving behind a legacy worthy of the title of Quidditch World Cup Champions.

On Nov. 17, USA Quidditch will be attending their first ICBA National Championship Collegiate Cup in Olathe, Kansas to finish off a strong semester.

On the table for next semester’s tournament-heavy lineup is their February IQA Southern Regionals in Augusta, Ga. and Mardi Gras Carnival Cup (hosted by LSU), South’s very first March Madness Quidditch Tournament on March 16

(taking place on our Intramural Fields) and the famous Quidditch World Cup April 13 in Kissimmee, Fla. to wrap up the year-long season.

If you’d like to see the sport in action, you can find the Varsity team practicing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the Intramural Fields from 5 to 7 p.m. Intramural players join in every Wednesday for a weekly scrimmage.

From the tattered pages stemmed from J.K. Rowling’s powerful mind to this year’s upcoming Quidditch World Cup, who knew that Quidditch of all sports would grow into such a huge phenomenon? Who knew that childhood dreams all over the world have now come into fruition?

One thing can be sure – Quidditch is no longer a myth. It is here to stay, and you’d best have a broom at your side when it comes knocking at your door.

South Alabama fans watching the UL-Monroe game on Oct. 27.

f you are looking for a place to watch South Alabama away games while grabbing a bite to eat, Montego’s has become that place. It is also becoming the unofficial home for all Jaguar away games, football and basketball.

Montego’s has aired every Jaguar away football game this season, and also started featuring Jaguar basketball games last week, as fans were able to watch South Alabama upset defending ACC champion Florida State last Friday night. Montego’s also offers drink and food specials specifically to Jag fans.

While some games are free on ESPN3, most of the games are on PPV, but Montego’s has generously covered all fees, allowing patrons to watch the game for no extra charge.

Montego’s is the only local restaurant that has shown every South Alabama away game, and fans are starting to notice. For the airing of the UL-Monroe game on Oct. 27, the restaurant was so packed that chairs were brought in from the outside patio in order to fit more Jag fans. Several others decided to leave due to the large, rambunctious crowd.

Montego’s recently opened its doors this year as a Caribbean Café & Bar. Montego’s is located in a vacated Starbucks across the street from Wintzell’s Oyster House, in front of Providence Hospital. Their menu consists of burgers, pizzas and a variety of sandwiches, among other items.

CASSIE FAMBRO / EIC

VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012

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VOL. 51, NO. 16 / NOV. 12, 2012