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BU S T A MO V E The VolatomiX aren’t new to UT’s campus, but for the rest of Knoxville, this hip-hop dance group has just introduced itself. You may have seen them practicing in the Art & Architecture building, their favorite place to practice, or outside during nicer weather. The dancers have performed in several local concerts, most recently Halloswing this past October. Read more about some of the club’s veteran members and their current activities on page 7.

Volume 131 Issue 02

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Thursday, January 14, 2016

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INSHORT

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 14, 2016

DISPATCHES

THE DAILY BEACON STAFF

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief: Jenna Butz Managing Editor: Bradi Musil Creative Director: Katrina Roberts Chief Copy Editor: Hannah Moulton News Editor: Tanner Hancock Asst. News Editor: Alahnah Ligon Sports Editor: Jonathan Toye Asst. Sports Editor: Taylor White Arts & Culture Editor: Megan Patterson Asst. Arts & Culture Editor: Michael Lipps Online Editor: Cara Sanders Asst. Online Editor: Altaf Nanavati Multimedia Editor: Hayley Brundige Photo Editors: Esther Choo, Hayley Pennesi Design Editors: Lauren Ratliff, Justin Keyes Copy Editors: Trenton Duffer, Courtney Frederick, Jared Sebby Editorial Production: Laurel Cooper, Rachel Incorvati,Caroline Norris, Cameo Waters Training Editor: Troy Provost-Heron

ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION

Advertising Manager: Conner Thompson Media Sales Representatives: Chandler Condrone, Lauren Huguenard, Payton Plunk, Amber Wilson, Steven Woods Advertising Production: Rachel Elbon Classified Adviser: Jessica Hingtgen

Five suspects total in Istanbul bombing Four more suspects were detained Wednesday as part of an investigation of the suicide bombing in the historic center of Istanbul on Tuesday.

Ahmet Davutoglu, the prime minister of Turkey, reported the bombing was directly linked to the Islamic State group.

Ten German tourists were killed in the attack, but it is not clear whether Germans were the intended targets. A total of five people have been arrested in relation to the bombing on Tuesday.

CONTACTS To report a news item, please e-mail editor.news@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-2348 To submit a press release, please e-mail pressreleases@utdailybeacon.com To place an ad, please e-mail beaconads@utk.edu or call 865-974-5206 To place a classified ad, please e-mail orderad@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-4931 Advertising: (865) 974-5206 beaconads@utk.edu Classifieds: (865) 974-4931 orderad@utdailybeacon.com

LETTERS POLICY: The Daily Beacon welcomes all letters to the editor and guest columns from students, faculty and staff. Each submission is considered for publication by the editor on the basis of space, timeliness and clarity. The Beacon reserves the right to reject any submissions or edit all copy in compliance with available space, editorial policy and style. Contributions must include the author’s name and phone number for verification. Students must include their year in school and major. Letters to the editor and guest columns may be e-mailed to letters@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Editor, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314.

CORRECTIONS POLICY: It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to Editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206.

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Wednesday during the summer semester. The offices are located at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/ year, $100/semester or $70/summer only. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.

Iranian state television aired a video Wednesday showing an American sailor apologizing for entering Iranian national waters. The sailor, along with nine other American service members, were taken into custody by Iranian forces earlier this week and released in less than 24 hours. Secretary John Kerry has made a point not to apologize to Iran over the incident, likely in hopes of painting it as a diplomatic victory.

“It was a mistake that was our fault and we apologize for our mistake,” the U.S. sailor said in the video.

U.S. Central Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Ben Tisdale acknowledged that while the video appears to be genuine, the circumstances surrounding it remain unclear.

Mexican officials detained Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman this past Friday to the same maximum security prison from which he escaped six months ago.

This time, the Mexican government have Guzman under 24-hour wall-towall surveillance, moving him from cell to cell continuously with no specific pattern.

Government spokesperson Eduardo Sanchez said Guzman has moved a total of eight times since his capture on Friday, spending anywhere from a few hours to a few days in each cell.

Meanwhile, the White House is insisting upon Guzman’s extradition to the U.S., but Mexican officials report the process may take up to a year because of tight security on Guzman.

NAACP accuses Knox County Schools of discrimination Associated Press

Editor-in-Chief: (865) 974-2348 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com

Video shows U.S. sailors apolo- Mexico government to prevent gizing for Iran incident third El Chapo escape

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Knoxville branch of the NAACP is asking for a federal investigation into whether Knox County Schools are discriminating against areas with a high African-American population.

The NAACP tells local media it sent a request to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights in November asking them to investigate whether Knox County Schools built new schools that may have an adverse impact on students based on race.

The group says $70-$100 million has been spent on construction of Knox County Schools in areas with a 95 per-

cent white population, whereas there has been very little new construction in schools with an African-American population greater than 5 percent.

Schools spokeswoman Melissa Tindell says the district takes the issue “very seriously,” and that school leaders will be working with the Office as they investigate the complaint.

Housing Secretary discusses limited internet access in Nashville Staff Report Julian Castro, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, visited Nashville’s Stratford High School Wednesday morning to discuss the importance of internet availability in underprivileged Nashville neighborhoods.

Accompanied by Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, Carlos took the opportunity to take questions from local high school students on the relation between internet access and

education.

Operating under the Obama administration for the past 16 months, Castro has worked to promote the president’s Connect Home initiative, which aims to provide free or low priced internet access to public housing communities across the country.

“The access that our young people have to technology, to broadband and the internet, is so important to ensuring that they get a great educational experience,” Castro said.

Nashville is one of 27 cities part of the Connect Home initiative. Mayor Barry echoed support of providing web access to

the youth as a means of furthering education and opportunities.

“With that digital divide comes a lack of opportunity,” Barry said of the barriers to internet access.

Castro’s visit is the first of two Tennessee cities playing host to a member of Obama’s cabinet. Knoxville’s South College will host White House National Drug Council Policy Director Michael Botticelli Thursday evening to hold a forum on the treatment and prevention of heroin and prescription drug abuse.

CAMPUSNEWS

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

Chancellor pulls community colleges from privatization plan Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Thirteen community colleges and 27 colleges of applied technology have been removed from Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan for the massive privatization of the management and operation of nearly all state-owned buildings, including college campuses.

In a letter obtained Monday by the Knoxville News Sentinel and The Commercial Appeal, outgo ing Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan said that an internal analysis showed that each campus’ spending on facilities management fell well below the industry benchmarks identified by the state.

He also presented the Haslam administration with a list of concerns about the outsourcing plan. Some of the concerns include unforeseen costs and employee protection. He said the jobs of existing college and university employees would be outsourced to private building management companies.

Morgan also asked that the governor’s team running the outsourcing initiative work directly with the six universities to determine if it’s in their best interests to participate.

Morgan announced last Thursday that he will retire early by Jan. 31 in protest of the governor’s plan. He said existing staff must adapt to the possibility of a new governance system in higher education.

Haslam said colleges would be free to opt in or out of the outsourcing plan, which has not been finalized.

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Humans of Knoxville

Where is somewhere that you want to travel to, but have never been?

“There are a lot of places I would like to travel to. I think probably Africa or South Africa. I have been to Europe: Naples, Italy, and I loved it! I feel like Africa and South Africa would be really different so I would like to see just the difference in culture.”

-Mallorie Meneley, freshman in kinesiology Alyssa White • The Daily Beacon

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The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 14, 2016

North Korea says nuclear test shows it could ‘wipe out’ US Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — North Korea’s U.N. mission claimed Wednesday that its successful nuclear bomb test showed that it could now “wipe out” the United States, as the U.N. Security Council grappled with a response to the underground blast.

North Korea called it a hydrogen bomb and said the test “scientifically proved the power of the smaller H-bomb,” though the United States and others expressed skepticism that Pyongyang actually tested a hydrogen bomb for the first time. Nonetheless, whatever the North detonated underground will likely push the country closer toward a fully functional nuclear arsenal, which it still is not thought to have.

A Security Council diplomat said Wednesday that the U.N.’s most powerful body is working on a resolution that imposes tougher sanctions on North Korea to reflect the claim that it tested a more powerful hydrogen bomb, which is “a step change” from its three previous atomic test.

The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because consultations have been private, said all 15 council members agree that North Korea should be denuclearized, and this will be

reflected in a new resolution.

North Korea’s U.N. mission circulated a report from the country’s news agency saying the Jan. 6 test wasn’t to “threaten” or “provoke” anyone but was indispensable to build a nuclear force “to cope with the U.S. ever-more undisguised hostile policy” toward the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the country’s official name.

It said North Korean scientists and technicians “are in high spirit to detonate H-bombs ... capable of wiping out the whole territory of the U.S. all at once as it persistently moves to stifle the DPRK.” Hecker, who has visited the North seven times since 2004, said in an interview with Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, that the most worrisome result of the test is that North Korea “will have achieved greater sophistication in their bomb design.” He added that “at this point, what makes their nuclear arsenal more dangerous is not so much explosive power of the bomb, but its size, weight and the ability to deliver it with missiles.”

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the U.S. mission to the United Nations.

Humans of Knoxville

NEWS

What is your favorite memory?

“It was probably, honestly, since it’s my senior year, the Georgia game this year. Because it was the first football game I got to go to, and we won so it was like super awesome. I was really happy about that. Oh, and also at that game, my sister got engaged, and she was in from California, so it just made the whole day perfect. It was awesome, really awesome!” - Kelsey McBee, senior in communications Alyssa White • The Daily Beacon

CAMPUSNEWS

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

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Student play aims to explore Palestinian roots Heidi Hill

Staff Writer

A two meter high, barbed-wire fence has divided Israel and Palestine since 2002, but for Summer Awad, senior in College Scholars, this barrier serves as a symbol of Palestinian resistance and a link to her own heritage in Palestine.

A native of Knoxville, Awad will debut her thesis-turned-play, “WALLS: A Play For Palestine,” tomorrow as a finalist in the Henley Rose Playwright Competition for Women.

“I decided to submit it last minute, but there were 200 submissions from the U.S., Canada, Germany and Australia and I got to the Top 15,” Awad said. “I didn’t win for second or third place, but I thought it was a pretty cool accomplishment for my first play.”

Awad said her work is more of a reflection of her own journey in navigating between her American and Palestine roots — much like her play’s protagonist.

Rules against school dances, wearing two piece swim suits and dating were among the American culture clashes experienced by Awad that appear in her playwright debut.

“It was difficult growing up in between those two places, so the play is really an exploration of what it’s like growing up in the in between — which I think is an experience that a lot of people have, even if they’re not biracial or a second generation,” Awad said.

“WALLS” first developed during Awad’s sophomore year following her work on the production of UT’s annual performance of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.” It was Ensler’s format and first-hand interviews, Awad said, that jumpstarted a significant interest in penning a play for the Palestinian voices she felt were missing from mainstream media.

But after a trip to interview Palestinian refugees living in Jordan, Awad realized a personal touch was needed to give her work-in-progress the emotional weight it needed.

“I realized that what I’m good at is writing very personal things and I needed to put my own experiences as a Palestinian-American into the play,” Awad said. “So, the play turned out to be kind of an exploration of my identity, my relationship to Palestine and also my relationship to my Palestinian Muslim dad (while) raising awareness for the Palestinian occupation.”

To materialize the “in-between,” Awad turned to Amany Alshibli, sophomore in chemical engineering, to design the play’s backdrop by using images of the Israeli-Palestine wall from online galleries.

To Alshibli, the graffiti accumulated over the last decade was key in emphasizing the frustration experienced by Palestinians and Awad’s characters while drawing from her own memories.

“It was a privilege, really, to use those original art works because the designs weren’t original and were all from online,” Alshibli said.

“For me, this was a way for me to put myself in the shoes of the Palestinian people.”

Over Winter Break, Alshibli and Awad built the sets for three straight days, selecting specific images that connected the walls’ original graffiti to the fictional characters and lines in “WALLS.” But it was Awad’s dedication, Alshibli said, that helped her stay focused on the project by blending the written word with powerful visuals.

“It was incredible to hear Summer talk about her process and how she was able to use it to process to her situation and background growing up, and (for) me ... to express that visually and see how they depicted (the artists’) emotions or beliefs,” Alshibli said.

“It’s easy to get bogged down by the news and the injustice, but there’s a real joy when you get to process that in a visual manner and come to terms with what’s happening in the world.”

Awad said the wall represents both a physical barrier between Israelis and Palestinians and a psychological barrier for second generation immigrants, like herself, to connect with family members two continents away.

Such a disconnect, Awad said, is augmented by recent terrorist attacks and the United States’ traditionally pro-Israel stance when handling conflict in the Gaza Strip and Middle East.

“There’s this idea that Arabs and Muslims are completely different from the rest of the world, from the West,” Awad said. “One of the books I’ve been reading is called “The Question of Palestine” by Edward Saeed and he talks about how the West managed to view Palestine and Middle East as the “other” and make it seem like they don’t exist.”

Yet, Awad said her family’s support and accepted invitations to her play’s opening prompts hope for a stronger relationship with her father.

“I’ve told him that it explores what our relationship was like growing up, but I don’t think he fully understands what that means,” she said. “I’m trying to leave it vague enough so that he’ll come to the play.”

Still, Awad’s ultimate hope for the “WALLS” is for audience members to explore the traditional stance against Palestine and systemic fear of Islam, perpetuated by the “narrative that is given to them by the American media.”

“I want people to question their assumptions and just realize that Palestinians are humans.”

“WALLS: A Play for Palestine” will be performed in the Clarence Brown Lab Theatre on Jan. 14 – 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 17 at 2:30 p.m.

Performances are free and open to the public.

• Summer Awad

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The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 14, 2016

Don’t be comfortable, be challenged

Emily Moore

Day to Day

As we begin the new semester full of hopes and dreams for the New Year, I encourage everyone to add one thing to their New Year Resolutions.

Whether you have already decided to do more yoga and drink green smoothies, or your only goal is simply to make it through the semester without killing anyone (I’m looking at you, seniors. You got this!), I also encourage each and every one of you to open your mind and step out of your comfort zone this year.

Individually, we are held responsible for changing our little worlds. It becomes all too easy to fall into that little rut called the “comfort zone.” Of course we all love our comfort zones. They are warm and cozy, and change is never welcome, so there is never anything to really worry about.

Why even consider leaving it? Well, my sweet little Vol, let me give you three reasons you should not just leave your comfort zone behind this year but also never even consider visiting it again.

As I said earlier, it’s easy to fall into your comfort zone. And yes, it is warm and cozy and safe.

But in this regard, there is nothing good about safe. My first point is this: who in their sane mind would choose a life where every day consisted of the same routine, nothing ever changing, nothing ever challenging them until they perished? There

is a great big world out there, and you have but one life to see it all. Even the most fulfilled lives don’t get to see and experience everything. That’s how magnificent and ever-changing this world is.

Refuse to stand still and let life pass you by.

Secondly, though it is your individual decision on whether or not you will challenge yourself to leave your comfort zone, the fate of the world also depends on it. Now, hear me out on this.

If every person made the conscious decision to live outside their comfort zone the majority of their lives, where do you think the world would be right now? Not only would you be challenging yourself to maybe join that club you’ve been considering, pursue the major you have been too scared to for whatever reason, or say hi to a new person, but you’d be challenging others around you as well.

For all you know, your long lost best friend/ soul mate is right in front of you, but you are too shy to say hello. For all you know, you are this generation’s Nobel Prize winner but fear of failing or past mistakes have discouraged you from going after your passions. What grand adventures are you missing out on? In a world where it is easy to hide behind a computer screen rather than speak aloud, your voice can be hard to find

VIEWPOINTS right off the bat. Yet in this period of change that our country is currently going through, it is also time to have the courage to do just that, and to stand up and challenge everyone to do so as well.

Finally, in doing these two things, the world becomes a better place. Volunteer at a shelter, join a group that stands for a cause you are passionate about, help others become the person they have been struggling to find. Open your mind to the possibility of what could happen if you succeed rather than letting the fear of failing stand in your way. Learn from your failures instead of crawling back into your safety zone when things come crashing down. Help each other, not only as Vols on campus, but as people.

This year, I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and open your mind to all the possibilities that are out there. No excuses. No more waiting around. Be a go-getter. Be active in your pursuit of success, happiness and living.

Be aware of your fellow friends and strangers in their own pursuits and do not be afraid to help them as well.

Emily Moore is a sophomore in journalism and electronic media. She can be reached at emoore52@vols.utk.edu.

On the semester grind, educational inflation and doing your best

Clint Graves

If I’m Honest

And we’re back. Break was good.

Holiday functions are inevitably full of annoying questions for communication studies majors.

Questions like “What is that?” or “What do you do with it?” or “You’re going into broadcasting?”

If I had a dollar for every time I had to explain what a communication studies major is or does since last semester, then I’d have enough money to live comfortably as a philosophy major.

But break is over.

Ideally, we would arrive fresh off the rejuvenating holiday break ready to tackle the next chapter in our academic careers. Chipper. Energetic. Ready to go.

Ideally.

But, the grind of the semester is just that. A terrible grind. It’s tiring. It’s taxing. But that’s the point, isn’t it? We submit to terrible torture now for a payoff later. It’s called an investment.

I grant you, not everything we do during this time is terrible. The undergraduate flux, as I call it, suspends us in a cauldron of interesting people, ideas and opportunities. But I never lose sight of the fact that the whole experience could bankrupt a small nation’s treasury and, if done properly, isn’t easy.

So I ask: can we be so certain that our investment will pay off? The job market is incredibly saturated, as they say, with eligible candidates. Your comrades-in-academia, with their shiny resumes and fresh course work, will be gunning for positions in the same field as you.

Educational inflation, I’m afraid, is the term I must intrude. It’s a real problem brought on by an influx of students. That problem is caused by the perpetuated myth that college is the assured gateway to a comfortable job and secure livelihood.

Roughly, educational inflation refers to the lessening worth of a degree. This means the master’s becomes the new the bachelor’s. The bachelor’s becomes the new high school diploma. The high school diploma becomes the new awkward middle school graduation photo, which in turn becomes the uninteresting kindergarten macaroni art piece.

With that in mind, I look at my next semester’s worth of work and tremble. It looks rather difficult, arduous even. And when I account for educational inflation, the outcome seems all for naught. I’ll work incredibly hard to accomplish mountains of work as part of process that eventually yields a piece of paper I might as well have printed at home.

On the back of tissue. In crayon. If I go for the master’s degree, then I could use crumpled notebook paper and pencil.

But fret not. I’m here to deliver good news. A philosophy of sorts.

Doing your best. It’s simple yet difficult.

For just a moment, forget about educational inflation. Forget about the increasingly automated job market, which eliminates positions, which encourages more people to attend college, which exacerbates educational inflation. And definitely forget about any silly questions akin to “what’s your plan?” Look at the here-and-now for just one

moment. I have two questions.

Did you wake up this morning? Good. That’s the easy question.

Are you doing your best? Now, think before you answer.

By best, of course, I mean quite a lot. To me, doing your best is toiling dutifully and wearily into the night to finish a job the right way. Or listening to your partner recount their hard day for as long as they want if only to comfort them. Or spending long hours with good friends, oscillating between the highs of hysteric laughter and profound contentment.

It’s finishing a book for fun. It’s hitting the apex around a corner because you can. It’s writing an essay just to prove a point.

It’s hard work done intentionally and done well.

Do exceptionally well this semester not in service of some certain GPA or accolade. Do exceptionally well simply because you can – and for no other reason.

In doing so, you’ll extract as many skills and as much value out of these years spent studying as you possibly can. That way, even if you find that the end product isn’t worth as much as you might have hoped, you’ll at least have something to show for your time spent in the semester’s grind.

You know, probably.

Clint Graves is a junior in communication studies and English. He can be reached at bhr713@ vols.utk.edu.

ARTS&CULTURE

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

“

Dance group at UT shakes the campus norm with their moves Megan Patterson

Arts & Culture Editor

At UT, there is a group of guys whose pastime is jookin, tutting and gliding.

For other dancers, these terms will be familiar, but for those who have never experienced hip-hop dancing, they might as well be a foreign language.

VolatomiX formed to introduce campus to the culture of hip-hop dance and to form a community for those who share their passion. Although the history of the club is patchy, with school affiliation being on-again off-again, UT hip-hop dancers officially formed the club and performance group about two years ago.

The group said they have started seeing more recognition recently, but most of the dancers are still beginners. Even some relatively veteran members only joined a little more than a year ago.

Michael Ellison, junior in ecology and evolutionary biology, and Dustin Peek, sophomore in accounting, are two of these rookies turned leaders among the group.

Peek joined last fall as a freshman when he saw some members dancing outside of Hess.

“I was trying to see things, and I ended up seeing all these people absolutely killing it out there on the concrete,” Peek said. “I was like, ‘That’s awesome. I want to do that.’”

After joining the group that day, Peek recalled his rapid initiation into VolatomiX and hip-hop dance at a performance by the group at the 2014 International Festival at UT. “All I knew then was breaking, and I was completely awful. I had no rhythm,” Peek said. “They put me out there in front of everybody, and at that moment I was like, ‘You know, I think I can do this. I think I’m going to not embarrass myself next time.’”

According to Ellison, throwing newcomers right into the thick of things is sort of a tradition among the dancers.

After a friend invited Ellison to his first practice nearly two years ago, Ellison agreed to teach some VolatomiX members parkour in exchange for dance lessons. Within weeks, Ellison was practicing with the guys for an upcoming performance in which he was

given a 15-minute solo choreography.

“It really helps cement them in the group,” Ellison said. “It’s not like a make or break deal. Everyone usually ends up loving it because applause makes them feel great.”

Both Peek and Ellison emphasized the unexpectedness of their own dancing abilities.

“I had gone my whole life thinking, ‘Oh you either can dance or you can’t,’” Ellison said. “It’s not like I was a dancer in high school at all. I sat in a corner during prom.”

However, for Mike Kerr, junior in English as a second language education at Johnson University, dancing has been a central part of his life since “Britain’s Got Talent” and YouTube led him to first experiment with breakdancing early in high school.

Kerr used online tutorials to learn most of his early moves until a friend brought him to her dance studio for more advanced instruction.

“A friend invited me to go to her studio to learn more, and going to that studio I met a guy who would later become my mentor and personally train me,” Kerr said. “He had a lot of resources, a lot of knowledge, and his network was huge. He was like my Qui-Gon Jinn.”

Now all three dancers, Peek, Ellison and Kerr, make up some of the lead members of the group, which currently attends regional dance battles to compete and performs at local shows.

If your only previous image of breakdancing was guys standing in a circle bro-hugging and cheering, you’re not too far off.

This is the structure of many battles that the VolatomiX have attended.

However, this friendly atmosphere doesn’t mean the dancers don’t take the competition seriously.

For large groups, the competition begins with a round of preliminaries in which the dancers stand in a semicircle around a panel of judges, waiting for their names to be called. One by one the dancers give a 30 second showcase and wait to be judged.

Once the group of competitors has narrowed down to the top 16 or top eight, the dancers move into one on one challenges or three versus three crew battles. In these more intimate battles, the DJ plays a randomized playlist and the dancers take turns jumping

It really helps cement them in the group.

It’s not like a make or break deal. Everyone usually ends up loving it because applause makes them feel great.”

Wanting to test out some newly acquired break dancing moves? Here’s the perfect beginner’s playlist.

“B.O.B.” Outkast

“Rock the Bells” Michael Ellison, junior in ecology and evolutionary biology

LL Cool J

“It’s Tricky” Run—D.M.C

in to do their set.

According to Peek, staying relaxed is key to finding the rhythm in these battles, but he acknowledged that keeping calm can be challenging.

“It’s absolutely terrifying, especially when you rip your pants multiple times,” Kerr added to Peek’s comment.

The dancers are judged based on their musicality, difficulty and originality.

“The top thing is probably musicality though, which basically just means if you’re on beat to the music,” Ellison said. “It sounds weird but a lot of dancers will just hop out and start doing moves, like all their special moves but they’re completely off beat and not with the music.”

For Kerr, the most valuable thing VolatomiX has gained from going to battles isn’t the opportunity to win but the opportunity to learn.

“It’s also a place where people are open to give advice and open to take advice,” Kerr said. “That’s one reason why people who aren’t very good go to battles, to get better. They know they’re not going to win so they go for two reasons: they go to have fun and to learn from the best, from the winners.”

“Somebody’s Watching Me” Rockwell

“I.O.U.” Freez

“Candy Girl ” New Edition

“The Message”

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

“I’m a Player” $hort

“Juice” World Class Wreckin’ Cru

“When I Hear Music” Debbie Deb

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The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 14, 2016

Playboy Mansion for sale, Hefner included Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For $200 million, the Playboy Mansion, where risque parties have raged for decades, could be yours.

But you might want to think twice if you’re aiming to close escrow on the famous property that went on the market Monday and move in quickly, since Playboy Magazine founder and party master Hugh Hefner has often said he will never live anywhere else.

“A condition on the sale would be that Mr. Hefner be able to continue to work and live in the residence,” Playboy spokesman John Vlautin said.

Negotiations between the seller and buyer would determine whether the 89-year-old playboy stays for free or rents the place back.

The 5-acre property in Los Angeles’ exclusive Holmby Hills has seen thousands of celebrities and beautiful women pass through its doors.

It features 29 rooms, game house, home theater, wine cellar, gym, tennis court, swimming pool and four-bedroom guest house. It also comes with the notorious cave-like grotto where Playboy bunnies have long frolicked with guests.

Still, potential buyers have to ask if the twostory Gothic-Tudor home built in 1927 is worth $200 million, particularly when a 7-acre estate nearby sold last year for $59 million?

“Maybe $90 million. But $200 million? That’s absurd,” said Realtor Rory Barish, who has sold numerous properties in the area.

“But he can ask whatever he wants and there could be one freak out there, a trillionaire, who comes and says, ‘I have to have it,’” Barish quickly added.

High-profile Hollywood publicist Michael Levine, who has been to the mansion dozens of times, dismissed its price tag as preposterous.

“But there’s no downside to Playboy in cre-

ating a press release that says $200 million,” he added with a chuckle, noting that its party reputation could boost its value by a few million.

Playboy Enterprises appears to be counting on that.

“This is the right time to seek a buyer for this incredible property who understands the role the mansion has played for our brand and enables us to continue to reinvest in the transformation of our business,” Playboy Enterprises CEO Scott Flanders said.

Generations of celebrities have been guests at wild parties at the mansion.

“What is it like to go from unfancied teen thesp to object of lust for America’s hottest models at one of Hugh Hefner’s parties? Well, awesome, obviously,” Rob Lowe, describing his first visit to the mansion, wrote in Esquire magazine two years ago.

In a moment not of lust but anger, frequent mansion guest Bill Cosby sucker punched comedian Tommy Smothers at a 1976 party, according to Ronald L. Smith’s book, “Cosby: The Life of a Comedy Legend.’”

At least four women have accused Cosby of sexually assaulting them at the mansion. Two are suing him.

Hefner married his second wife, Playmate of the Year Kimberly Conrad, in a televised ceremony by the mansion’s fountain in 1989. For a time, when the couple’s two sons were young, visitors could see their toys in upstairs windows.

More recently word has surfaced that the mansion, just a year younger than its owner, is showing its age.

Former Hefner girlfriend Izabella St. James complained in 2006 that the frequent visitors and Hefner’s penchant for letting his pet dogs relieve themselves wherever they wanted had soiled the carpets.

“It’s not a house that has been kept up maybe as well as it could or should have been,” said Levine, who added he hasn’t been there in about five years.”

ARTS&CULTURE

Humans of Knoxville

If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what animal would you be?

Why? “I would be a penguin because they like others, and I really like people.

I like to get close and get to know people.”

-Lauren Beeler, sophomore in speech pathology Alyssa White • The Daily Beacon

PUZZLES&GAMES

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

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Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 1 8 15 16

I’m Not A Hipster • John McAmis

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Cartoons of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

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Tributes Yo-yo Jacket attachment Home of a Penn State campus Alberta city named after a quadruped Made good on a promise Finally come to Eliot’s “___ Vos Prec” Rwandan minority ___ Takahata, Oscar-nominated director of 2013’s “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” Unpleasant surprise from a worker Mediterranean restaurant staple 1950s runner’s inits.

Twerps The Hadean was the earth’s first one

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Four winds are featured in it Skylane maker “No prob” Distance light travels in 3.26 years Very light player Japan’s largest active volcano Many bottle washers “Non sibi ___ patriae” (Navy motto) Cut lightly?

Protest group?

N.Y.C.’s F.D.R. Drive, e.g.

Brand with a ProHealth product line Inflation fig.

Close-call cries Retro hairstyles New York natives Grant recipient Prerecorded Event near the end of a mission

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Actress who starred in the “It’s Pat” sketches on “S.N.L.”

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Cry from a handwaver in a crowd Deep Black Friday event?

Sound Highland lowland?

Wide shoe spec Chess necessity Aquafina alternative Dockhands’ grp.

Wrapper abbr.

Mustered Common knitting project

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“The Switch” co-star, 2010

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“Twilight” vampire ___ Hale

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“Eugene Onegin” heroine

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Warmly welcomed, say

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Alternative to Ho Hos

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Aggressively modern

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New York natives

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Creatures that can lick their own eyes

It tells of a trip to Ithaca

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No longer out?

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Ones who might be upset

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Like some ears and rules

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Case, for example: Abbr.

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Rose with many hits

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Hale telescope’s home

One more than bis, in prescriptions

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Oxymoronic lead-in to “then”

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The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 14, 2016

ARTS&CULTURE

Babalu isn’t just your usual taco joint Megan Patterson

Arts & Culture Editor The first time I went to Babalu Tacos & Tapas, it was finals week, and my dinner date and I approached the restaurant sporting sweatpants and below the acceptable personal hygiene standards.

One glance inside told us that our current garb wasn’t going to cut it. The grungy, grimy college style may fly at Taco Bell and even Soccer Taco, but Babalu, with a sleek, modern interior and an open kitchen, seemed to require some level of class. We turned away before entering the door.

The second time I went to Babalu, I was wearing real pants and entered the doors confidently. After a short wait, we were seated and our server, Gregg, came to the table. After deciding on coffees and water, my dinner companion and I struggled to decide where to even start with the menu. We decided that we couldn’t go wrong with tacos, but before we could finalize our meals, Gregg returned.

We each ordered a coffee, but we didn’t just receive a mug poured from the coffee pot in the back. Gregg placed two cups and saucers, a pot of hot water and two French presses on the table. He chatted while preparing our individual coffees and advised us on his favorite tacos: the redfish and the vegetal.

Feeling fully pampered, my companion and I ordered three tacos each, along with a starter of table side guacamole. I took Gregg’s advice and went with the redfish taco but branched on my own with the chicken taco and the duck taco.

Gregg informed us before leaving the table that our food may come out at different times since the restaurant doesn’t use heat lamps

and serves everything fresh immediately.

While awaiting the arrival of our guacamole, my companion and I took in our surroundings, happily sipping on our coffee and giddily looking forward to what promised to be a delicious meal.

Fresh fruit and vegetables sat in carefully chosen spots around the restaurant, backing up the claim that all the food is freshly prepared. Behind the hostess stand, “I Love Lucy” episodes ran continuously.

At the time, I thought that was simply an odd but quirky touch; however, I learned afterwards that the restaurant got its name from Lucy’s nickname for her husband Ricky — Babalu.

Our table side guacamole was carried over

by Gregg who proceeded to ask if we prefer our dip smooth or chunky. We asked for a mix of both, and he continued to scoop out the avocados and mash them in a decorative bowl along with red and green onion, salt, cilantro, lime juice and the ingredient that Gregg thinks distinguishes their guacamole: sundried tomatoes.

We munched on the house-made chips and continued to rave about Babalu before our food even arrived. After a trip to the restroom, my companion returned amazed by the mouthwash dispensers with mini plastic cups.

This place has class.

However, don’t be scared away. Despite the slightly upscale feel, the serving staff is friendly and welcoming, and the vibe remains informal.

I could go on raving about the tacos, but I’ll keep it short. They may have been small portions, but after the guacamole as an appetizer, I could hardly finish.

The third time I went to Babalu, I enjoyed it just as much and can’t wait to go again.

Rhythm N’ Blooms reveals final lineup Staff Report

After months of waiting, the full lineup for this spring’s Rhythm N’ Blooms festival has been released, and tickets are on sale now.

Mutemath, an alternative rock group from New Orleans, is now the first name that appears among the headlining bands atop the rest of the lineup. Joining them as a headliner are The Mavericks, a classic country band with a Latin twist, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, a family effort to blend funk, rock and rhythm and blues, The Black Cadillacs, a well-known Knoxville rock band, and

Old 97’s, an alternative country band from Dallas.

Another newly added act, Green River Ordinance, also holds a spot near the top of the lineup. The genre-bending band combines country, rock, pop and folk for a unique sound.

A number of local acts have also been added to the lineup, including Electric Darling, a soulful rock group that formed from the dissolution of The Dirty Guv’nahs.

Other local acts include Guy Marshall, Mic Harrison & the High Score, Jubal, Matt Honkonen and J-Bush.

For more information, including a look at the full lineup and ticket information, visit: www.rhythmnbloomsfest.com.

Assorted tacos and a side dish of fresh vegetables from Babalu Tacos & Tapas.

Megan Patterson • The Daily Beacon

SPORTS

Thursday, January 14, 2016 • The Daily Beacon

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Around Rocky Top

The team celebrates after their victory over Northwestern in Tampa, Florida.

Hayley Pennesi • The Daily Beacon/Tennessee Athletics

Frazier, Gaines power Georgia past Tennessee, 81-72 Associated Press

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — J.J. Frazier and Kenny Gaines handled almost all the scoring in Georgia’s decisive second-half run after trailing by nine points and the Bulldogs beat Tennessee 81-72 on Wednesday night.

Tennessee led 43-34 early in the second half before Georgia used a 25-6 run to take a 59-49 lead. Frazier, who had 28 points and Gaines, who had 23, combined for the last 23 points in the run.

After the Vols answered with five straight points, another jumper from Gaines pushed the duo’s streak to 25 straight points for Georgia.

Georgia (9-5, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) committed 18 first-half turnovers but protected the ball better in the second half to finish with 20.

Kevin Punter and Detrick Mostella each had 16 points to lead Tennessee (8-8, 1-3).

Tennessee, 8-1 in home games, fell to 0-7 away from Knoxville.

Georgia’s strong 3-point shooting in the first half wasn’t enough to overcome the Bulldogs’ 16 turnovers. Tennessee caused Georgia problems as it extended its perimeter defense, sometimes trapping the ball and forcing bad passes.

The Vols’ strong defense held the Bulldogs without a field goal for about seven minutes after a hook shot by Yante Maten gave Georgia a 19-18 lead. Tennessee took the lead during Georgia’s field-goal drought and led 35-28 at halftime.

Tennessee stretched the lead to nine points at 43-34 before Georgia answered with an 18-4 run, including the last 16 points from Gaines and Frazier, for a 52-47 lead.

Tennessee again had no starter taller than 6-foot-5. The Vols look bigger in the SEC statistics. Tennessee had a plus-6.3 rebounding margin in its first three SEC games to rank fourth in the league, but Georgia claimed a 43-28 advantage in rebounds and blocked five shots.

Sophomore Mercedes Russell blocks the ball during the game against the Auburn Tigers.

Hayley Pennesi • The Daily Beacon/Tennessee Athletics

Lady Vols wary of Arkansas’ tempo Shane Switzer

Staff Writer Coming off of a 79-52 win against Auburn, the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas for a matchup against the Razorbacks (6-10, 1-2 SEC).

The No. 13 Lady Vols (11-4, 2-1 SEC) enter the game having won two of their last three games while the Razorbacks have lost two of their last three. Against Auburn, the Lady Vols shot 59.6 percent, their highest of the year. Coach Holly Warlick said she is looking forward to carrying on what the team did well on Sunday versus Auburn.

“I thought we were clicking on all cylinders playing well together,” Warlick said. “I want to see it continue.”

Warlick mentioned that classes are now back in session and she wants to see how the team carries on from one game to the next.

Tennessee has dominated the series against Arkansas with a 26-2 all-time record but have had to rally to win in the last three contests.

“They’re athletic enough and talented enough to beat anyone,” Warlick said. “I know they struggled against South Carolina but they turned around and beat (Texas) A&M, and A&M is not a shabby basketball

team. I think you got to be ready, we got to be ready for their best because I think we are going to get their best. We always do up there, always.”

Red-shirt sophomore Mercedes Russell said the thing that stands out the most about Arkansas is its up-tempo style. It won’t be anything new, however, as most SEC teams like to push the pace.

Russell is averaging 11.2 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game and is looking to continue to help her team succeed and keep the momentum rolling after the win against Auburn.

“We didn’t let them do what they wanted to do,” Russell said. “I think our press really helped us, we sped them up and kind of forced them into a lot of turnovers. Then offensively I would say we really played together, we had 20 assists as a team, which is amazing.”

For one Lady Vol, it will be a busy weekend.

Red-shirt sophomore Diamond DeShields will travel to San Antonio, Texas as an SEC delegate for the 2016 NCAA Convention.

She will fly to San Antonio on Wednesday, Arkansas for the game on Thursday and then back to San Antonio for more meetings before again joining the team on Friday.

“Diamond is mature enough and focused enough to handle being away and coming back and being ready to play,” Warlick said.

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The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 14, 2016