Update: Cone zones are here to stay >>See page 4
An unlikely venue brings entertainment to Knoxville >>See page 5
“The only person that can stand up for you is you.” >>See page 6
VOLS PULL OUT A WIN Tennessee has struggled closing out games this season. The Vols, however, reversed the script Saturday, holding off No. 24 South Carolina’s late surge to secure a 78-69 victory at ThompsonBoling Arena. >>>See Page 12
Hayley Pennesi • The Daily Beacon/Tennessee Athletics
Volume 131 Issue 6
utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon
Monday, January 25, 2016
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INSHORT
The Daily Beacon • Monday, January 25, 2016
Humans of Knoxville
THE DAILY BEACON STAFF
EDITORIAL
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“I’m a third-year architecture student. I have a passion for teaching and solving problems through design.” - Kae White, junior in architecture Akshata Dusa • The Daily Beacon
Bill would toss adoption preference for heterosexual couples Associated Press
Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@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.
PHOENIX — Democrats in the Arizona Legislature want a law that requires judges to give preferences to married heterosexual couples in adoption stricken from the books. The legislation introduced in both the Senate and House removes current language giving preferences to a husband and wife over others in adoptions. Backers say the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last year legalizing same-sex marriage bans laws giving preferences to heterosexual couple over gay couples. Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, also said single parents shouldn’t be given second-tier status on adoptions so the proposal completely eliminates preferences for married couples. He said single parents are just as qualified and sometimes more so to be good parents. He also points to the approximately 19,000 children in state foster care as a reason to change current law. “Anyone who would argue that it’s better off to leave a foster kid in a group home instead of in a loving family, even if it happens to be a mom and a mom or a dad and a dad, is arguing
out of their own ideological interest not out of the interest of the kid,” said Farley, the lead Senate sponsor. The Senate version, Senate Bill 1171, is assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee chaired by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix. She opposes Farley’s bill. Committee chairs can prevent bills from being heard by not placing them on hearing agendas. Barto said Thursday that Arizona lawmakers passed the law to ensure children can be raised by a mother and father. “These other decisions in law that our elected representatives have chosen to make, these changes preferring a man and a woman in terms of adoption and other things, those have not been addressed by the Supreme Court,” Barto said. “Those are still up to the states. And they should be based on the social science, which is what the original laws making them so were based on. “Until the social science indicates otherwise, a man and a woman, a mother and father, are the best place for a child to be raised,” Barto said. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona disagrees with Barto that the Supreme
Court decision doesn’t apply to adoption preference laws. “As confirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court last year, married same-sex couples must be treated equal to opposite-sex couples in all respects,” ACLU spokesman Steve Kilar said in a written statement. “We want to hear from any same-sex couples in Arizona who receive discriminatory treatment in adoption services because the law right now clearly prohibits that, even without the proposed amendments.” Phoenix attorney Stephen Dichter, who works with straight and gay couples on adoptions, agrees a preference for heterosexual couples is unconstitutional under the Supreme Court decision. He also said the law is just a guideline for judges that can be ignored, and he’s never seen it come into play. “What I’ve seen and sensed about these judges is that they are really happy to put children without a parent into a situation in which they have two parents,” Dichter said. “I haven’t seen a thing that suggests that they (cared) whether they are male, female, one of each or whatever.” The house version, HB2392, hasn’t been assigned to a committee.
CAMPUSNEWS
Monday, January 25, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
Anatomy lecture sheds light on human body Alex Harward
Contributor When it comes to human anatomy, even medical students could use the occasional refresher. This past Friday, Kirsten Brown from the George Washington University School of Medicine hosted an anatomy lecture: “Talking Bodies: Anatomical knowledge retention deficits and curricular responses to increase its transfer in the clerkship.” Brown is a specialist in human pelvic evolution and medical anatomy education. Her lecture delved into the subject of teaching methods for the improvement of anatomical recall for medical students. Brown’s lecture differed from the upcoming lectures due to the fact that it was focused on anatomy education, while all other talks will concentrate on anthropological research. The talk was split into two phases. Phase one assessed the problem by identifying the gap in medical students’ anatomical knowledge. The second phase discussed how to target and close the knowledge gaps with a curricular response. “The main objective is to develop and evaluate a web and laboratory-based curriculum to address deficits in anatomical knowledge retention, increase anatomy knowledge recall through repetition and application of clinical concepts
during the obstetrics and OB-GYN core clinical clerkships,” Brown said. Brown utilized her first-hand experiences, graphs, charts and pages of data to show the progress of medical students knowledge retention rates. Benjamin Auerbach, associate professor and acting curator of Human Osteology at UT, is the coordinator of the lecture series. It is a component of the graduate level gross anatomy course that is taught through the anthropology department. “The course is done primarily to give the students who are currently in the course, previously taken the course, or who are interested in taking the course, and give them perspective on how the anatomy they learn in the classroom can be applied to research, clinical practice, anatomical education, etc.,” Auerbach said. The 2016 anatomy lecture series is a valuable tool for the students in this particular field, as Auerbach feels its usefulness for future doctors cannot be understated. “This is a course that has practical application,”Auerbach said. “It is the most popular part of the course, everyone loves to see all of the speakers come in, it has always been helpful.” This talk was the first in a series of nine in the Special Topics in Anatomy Lecture Series 2016. All lectures take place in the Haslam Business Building, room 104, 2:30-3:40 p.m.
More people in Tennessee died from guns than car accidents Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — More people died from gunshots than car accidents in Tennessee during 2014. The Violence Policy Center, an organization dedicated to informing people about gun violence, has produced a study comparing gun and car deaths across the nation in 2014, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. The study found that Tennessee was among the 21 states that saw more gun-related deaths than vehicle-related deaths that year. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states 1,020 people in Tennessee died from gunshots during 2014. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, 906 people died that same year from car accidents. The statistics also reveal gun-related deaths in Tennessee have increased over the past decade. In 2004, there were 865 deaths from gunshots. During that same period, vehicle-related deaths dropped from 1,191 to 906. Trentyn Murrell, a sales associate at The Shooter’s Depot in Chattanooga, says there is a difference between gun- and vehicle-related
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deaths. “It is a privilege to be able to drive, but it is a right to be able to carry a firearm,” he commented. “Yes, crime is rising. But why? Don’t look at just the cars or just the guns. Why is crime rising?” Advocate for gun regulation, Ladd Everitt, the director of communications at the Coalition to End Gun Violence, countered by stating that the opposing trends prove that government regulation can make an industry safer without obliterating it. “Currently in the United States, over 90 percent of households own a car,” he said. “Only 32 percent own a firearm. That the death totals between the two are close at all to me is remarkable, given how many Americans drive versus how many handle a gun.” Kristen Rand, legislative director at the Violence Policy Center, says gun deaths have dropped since the mid-90s, but the center does believe gun deaths will decline further. She says she would like to see the federal government create standards to regulate guns’ trigger pull and size. She also hopes for a ban on particular subsets of weapons including rifles “designed to increase lethality.”
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CAMPUSNEWS
The Daily Beacon • Monday, January 25, 2016
2016 CHANCELLOR’S CITATION AWARD CATEGORIES You are invited to help the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, recognize deserving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the campus by nominating persons of extraordinary accomplishment for awards. Truly extraordinary service or accomplishment is the standard of selection for Chancellor’s Citations, and there is no limit on the number of persons who may be honored. Note: Undergraduate students nominated for the various citation categories should have senior standing.
Extraordinary Academic Achievement Given to undergraduate students for academic achievement. Persons wishing to nominate students for this award should submit a nomination packet to the academic dean of the college in which the student is enrolled by February 22. To be considered, the packet must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate academic dean. The academic college must forward all approved nominations by March 7. Extraordinary Campus Leadership and Service Given to graduate and undergraduate students for contributions to the university community through leadership and service. Persons wishing to nominate students for this award should submit a nomination packet to the Office of the Dean of Students by February 26, for review by a selection committee composed of students and professional staff. For more information, contact Danny Glassman, associate dean of students, at dglass@utk.edu. Extraordinary Community Service Given to faculty, staff, student organizations, and students. The recipient of this award exemplifies extraordinary community service to the UT community and beyond. This individual goes out of his or her way to contribute through volunteering, community service projects, and other projects outside the realm of his or her regular duties. Persons wishing to nominate students or student organizations for this award should submit a nomination packet to the Office of the Dean of Students. For more information, contact Danny Glassman, associate dean of students, at dglass@utk.edu. Faculty and staff nominations should be submitted to Jonathan Ramsey at jramse17@utk.edu or 230 Conference Center Building. The deadline for submission is February 26. Charles R. Burchett Extraordinary Contributions to Campus Life Given to student organizations for outstanding or innovative contributions to the university community. Persons wishing to nominate organizations for this award should submit a nomination packet to the Office of the Dean of Students by February 26, for review by a selection committee composed of students and staff. For more information, contact Danny Glassman, associate dean of students, at dglass@utk.edu. Extraordinary Professional Promise Given to undergraduate students for professional promise and to graduate students for professional promise in teaching, research, or other contributions. Persons wishing to nominate students for this award should submit a nomination packet to the academic dean of the college in which the student is enrolled by February 22. To be considered, nominations must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate academic dean. The academic college must forward all approved nominations no later than March 7.
Nominations may be downloaded online at honorsbanquet.utk.edu. All members of the university community (faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends) are invited to submit nominations.
The construction of Strong Hall, located next to Clement on Cumberland Avenue. Alex Phillips • The Daily Beacon
Construction while you were away Alahnah Ligon
Assistant News Editor It’s the second week after Christmas break and campus is already back in business, but for facilities services the work never stopped. The Daily Beacon sat down with Director of Design for Facilities Services Andy Powers to find out how the university’s many construction projects are progressing. Here are some of the things you might have missed while you were away: Academic Buildings Work on the Mossman Building, site of a former Victorian era Fort Sanders home, is on schedule and set to open in fall of 2018. 16th street was briefly shut down over break to allow a steam line to run from Hodges Library to Sophronia Strong Hall. The building is on schedule and is expected to open new laboratory space for students by spring of 2017. Additional improvements on the Engineering Quad near Estabrook occurred over break. Facilities Services is working to bring outdoor classrooms with compatible WiFi to the area. Student Union Work on the foundation of the new Student Union highlighted unforeseen geotechnical problems which is expected to delay the project by at least a month. The second phase is tentatively set to open in spring of 2018. Facilities Building Facilities Services continued their move from several locations on campus to one site on Cumberland Avenue. The move will bring
all facilities services operations under one roof, providing more space to organize and store materials. The move will lessen congestion on campus by providing parking for facilities service vehicles. Residential Halls and Parking Garages Construction on the former site of Gibbs Hall and Stokely Athletics Center continued over break, remaining on schedule for completion. The parking garage will bring 1,000 spaces in August of 2016 and the residence hall will provide housing for almost 700 students by January of 2017. Design for an additional parking garage went underway over break with a location set adjacent to the Lake Avenue parking garage. Testing of the foundation occurred over the break with positive results. Construction on the new garage will begin in May 2016 and should be ready for students by August 2017, providing approximately 1,000 new spaces. Neyland Stadium The university hired major architecture firm Populous to conduct renovation based research on Neyland Stadium to determine the future of the aging structure. Possible improvements could come in the form of widening the east and west concourses, expanding restrooms and improving restroom and concession areas. Other Projects The first phase of the campus signage project finished up over break, with general signs posted in front of most campus location. The next phase in underway to bring new road signs to campus, allowing visitors to immediately recognize common street names on campus. The full project should be ready by spring of 2016.
ARTS&CULTURE
Monday, January 25, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
Warehouse opening promises local art, music and good times Erin Schneider Contributor
A solitary warehouse in North Knoxville isn’t the most likely spot for finding an art gallery or music venue. However, the warehouse off of 1400 N. 6th Avenue just opened as a music and art venue that will host events twice a month this entire spring. This Friday, the warehouse opened with a variety of local artists and performers filling the space. Tracks from different local DJ’s were played, artwork was displayed and a local brewery was selling beer. The artwork followed no set medium or theme. Instead the works on display provided a glimpse into several different veins of local talent. The art wasn’t for sale; it was intended to provide publicity for the artists and conversation topics for the attendees. Patty Greer, the party host and a student at Middle Tennessee University, has been throwing events ever since she was 16, most often fundraisers that are staged as entertainment events. “I was never good at photography and art, but I know how to put on a good show,” Greer said. Judging from the attendance Friday night, Greer certainly seemed to be correct about that.
With the layout of the warehouse, there were plenty of rooms, allowing partygoers the option to either dance in the crowd or chat in the nearby sitting room. All throughout the venue, people mingled and viewed the artwork displayed by local artists. One photographer who writes for an electronic music blog, Sterling Martin, was at the scene as well. “No one (actually) asked me to be here,” Martin said. “I bought this camera with the last of my student loans, and it has been very useful since.” He later goes on to say that his goal is to work his way into the music and art industry. “I have a small group of friends, and the one thing we all have in common is a love for music,” Martin said. Despite the distance from campus, many UT students were part of the crowd. The night’s overall atmosphere may have helped these students feel more welcome with warm lighting filling the music space and crowds easily mingling over the DJ’s sets. The next event hosted at the 1400 is planned for mid-February. Most publicity surrounding the venue can be found on various social media, primarily Facebook.
TORCHBEARER NOMINATIONS The Torchbearer is the highest student honor conferred by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Torchbearers are seniors who have served their alma mater with overall excellence. It is awarded for academic achievement and outstanding commitment to others as demonstrated by the student’s various activities and significant contributions to the university and the community. Students chosen for this award embody the Volunteer spirit, displaying initiative and service in the best interest of both the university and their fellow students. Recognition as a Torchbearer reminds all students that those who bear the Torch of Enlightenment shadow themselves to give light to others.
Please encourage senior students to submit their materials at honorsbanquet.utk.edu. Completed forms must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on February 19. Please e-mail dos@utk.edu with any questions or comments.
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The Daily Beacon • Monday, January 25, 2016
Take care of your emotional stress
Kimberly Bress Real World Problem Solving
So far, we’ve made it three weeks into the New Year (if it can even be called “new” anymore). At this point, no one is asking what your resolutions are. Instead, the conversation has shifted to discuss if those resolutions are still alive. Resolution represents two sides of the same battle. In one sense, the concept of resolution can represent closure. However, in an entirely different context, it may also indicate a commitment to the future. As one struggle is put to rest, the war for self-improvement begins anew on some other frontier. Every day, we are engaging ourselves in a battle for our resolutions. Anyone who has attempted to sustain a New Year’s commitment knows that this battle is by no means metaphorical. Maintaining a resolution requires a valiant and perseverant fight against the desire to resign to what is easy and comfortable. Sticking to a daily exercise regime forces me to fight my own weariness as I finish a full day of classes. Following through on what I say I will do obliges me to fight unintentionally in my commitments. I am the enemy to my own resolutions, ironically battling my current self to preserve my future self. The top five resolutions for the New Year, according to the 2016 Statistics Brain Research Institute, are listed as getting organized, setting goals, healthy living, spending more time with family and friends and helping others. Coincidentally, this list is mirrored nearly identically by the top five suggestions for the alleviation of depression. Establishing a routine, setting goals, exercise, sleep, healthy eating, taking on responsibilities and spending time with family and friends are listed as the most effective activities for combating depression. Why do these lists parallel each other with such striking similarity? Just like the maintenance of resolutions, battling depression requires a relentless fight against the interpersonal and external enemies of happiness. In the niche of university life, college students are subjected to a variety of circumstances, which make them particularly vulnerable to the development of depression. In fact, research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that over 80 percent of students feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities. This feeling of overwhelming stress is not just reserved for the overcommitted campus involvement junkie. Separate from any other social or extracurricular, the act of idolizing or obsessing over grade point average will threaten a student’s mental health on its own. Fifty percent of students report that they have become so anxious that they struggled in school, finding themselves caught in a vicious cycle of stress and failure. The desire to be successful produces pressure that is counterproductive to effective learning. The need to be included in a particular social group produces anxiety that impedes the development of positive relationships. When a resolu-
tion is both the object of desire and the source of stress, it may seem that the resulting anxiety is unresolvable. The emotional tension of college life, when combined with poor eating habits, lack of physical activity and erratic sleeping schedules, can have catastrophic consequences for mental health. Depression is cited as
“No one else can fight your battle with depression, anxiety or stress. When it comes down to it, the only person that can stand up for you is you. ” the number one reason that students drop out of college. More seriously, it is also cited as the number one cause for student death by suicide. 1,100 suicides occur at colleges each year, making it the second leading cause of death for 16 to 24 year old young adults. When waged alone and silently, the battle against depression can be too difficult to sustain. So, in light of this kind of tragedy, what is our resolution? The lists of depression remedies and New Year’s resolutions are similar because they seek to accomplish the same goal. We fight to sustain a resolution, and fight against depression, because we are fighting for our happiness. This fight for happiness can be overwhelming because it is one we must do for ourselves. No one else can keep your resolutions. And, more difficultly, no one else can fight your battle with depression, anxiety or stress. When it comes down to it, the only person that can stand up for you is you. However, there are others who will stand up beside you and behind you, reminding you that you are not alone. Reminding you that you, and your resolutions, are worth the fight. Whatever circumstance you may find yourself in, or whatever season of life you may be struggling through this semester, please remember that you are not alone and that you are worth the fight. You might even want to make it your New Year’s resolution.
VIEWPOINTS
If you or someone you know is struggling with stress, anxiety or depression, please stop by the UT Counseling Center on the top floor of the Student Health Center. More information on the center’s hours and the support that they provide can be accessed at http://counselingcenter.utk.edu/. In addition, if you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline can be reached at 1 (800) 273-8255.
Kimberly Bress is a sophomore in neuroscience. Responses or thoughts on this article are welcomed at kbress@vols.utk.edu.
Columns 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.
VIEWPOINTS
Monday, January 25, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Look through a different lense
Thomas Carpenter
The Workshop
I’m about as white as they come. However, a couple weekends ago, it came up that I wasn’t completely white, much to the astonishment of several others. I admitted to being one-fourth Dominican, but what does that even mean? My mother did grow up in Puerto Rico, and while the latest generations on my mom’s side are definitely as white as I am, I can confidently say that at least part of my childhood was Hispanic-esque. However, for all intents and purposes, I am white. I look white. I act white. I listen to white music. It’s pretty fundamental to my being. You know, I thank God every day I was raised by liberals. Now, my parents aren’t tree hugging, pot smoking hippies. They’re pretty moderate actually, but in a world where there are still people that think you shouldn’t be able to get married to whomever you love just because “it ain’t natural,” my parents raised me to treat people differently than that. They were even Republicans at one point, but as that party has devolved into the political equivalent of cotton candy pudding, my parents saw the light, as did I. All in all, my family is pretty white, but this doesn’t mean that I grew up in a white bubble (okay, maybe a little). Having gone to grade school in South Carolina and then just outside of Memphis — public schools
in both places — I’ve grown up in diverse places, and I’m thankful for it. Knoxville, on the other hand, is not a diverse place. There are more white people here than a Coldplay concert. Because of this, the culture of Knoxville is very white. There is an exception, however, and that is our campus. Now, I’m not saying our campus is adequately diverse, but there are opportunities here that don’t exist five miles away in any direction. Between our events, classes, majors and organizations, our campus can be a diverse place, and believe me, the places that are diverse are because of the actions of students that made them that way. It wasn’t until 1961 that UT even considered desegregating, and that was only after a threat of a lawsuit. It has been an uphill battle ever since to diversify the population of this campus. Diversity has been a hot topic in America for decades with Supreme Court cases ruling on affirmative action and state legislatures calling for diversity programs to be cut — even on our own campus. I think that the people who don’t see the value in these programs simply haven’t experienced it. These middle aged white lawyers have grown up in their own bubbles in the not so diverse state of Tennessee, so that is the lens through which they see the world.
They are privileged in that they don’t have to worry about the same problems as their constituents. For example, they receive state funded health care while 800,000 of their constituents remain without it--- in 2016. It is clear that those in power want to keep the status quo. I mean, the status quo is what got them there in the first place, so they must be scared of losing what’s been given to them. I think that can be said of white people everywhere, including myself. As we move forward into a world that is no longer run by the Anglo-Saxon Protestant, our country will look different. Our television, internet, music and news will look different. This is a good thing. This is what democracy is all about, people. So, as a white student and a senior at UT, I’ve seen the benefits of diversity. It’s sometimes scary, sometimes exciting to experience something new, unfamiliar and different. But it is always valuable. I want to go to a school that looks more like the world I’m going to live in instead of the state I’m already from. Thomas Carpenter is a senior in Classics. He can be reached at ThomasCarpenter@utk.edu.
When facts lose their objectivity
David Garcia
Public Scientist
Facts and data are very strange things in that they have no obligation to be well-researched or even factual. Scientific publications get around this problem through the peer review process. This process demands that every publication be vetted by a group of experts before it is allowed to be published in a reputable journal. At that point, the research leaves the hands of the scientist and makes its way to the public, where everyone has access to it and may do with it as they wish. Unfortunately, due to the perceived objectivity of scientific facts, they are easy to manipulate as justifications for the ways we want to see the world. For instance, recent research conducted at the University of California, Berkeley has proven that the key to evolutionary success is keeping races genetically separate. If your immediate reaction was to agree with that statement, then kindly find the nearest wall and acquaint your head with it. If you were somewhat appalled by the remark, don’t worry. I can explain. When Professor Neil Tsutsui helped discover what amounted to a single colony of ants that stretched from California to Argentina, his thoughts centered around the excitement of the discovery. The fact that only one species of ant made up the entirety of the colony was mind boggling. Unfortunately for him, it turned out that his work became a popular topic of debate on white supremacists’ websites. These groups were using Tsutsui’s findings to justify white supremacy. Not surprisingly, he was taken aback
by the way his research was being used. To say the least, the research concluded nothing of the sort, and this was by no means the first time that the authority entrusted to scientific research has been used for personal and malicious gain. A more well-known example one would recognize in the 21st century is the “anti-vaccination” movement. The loose coalition defined itself based on a disproven and retracted 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield which claimed to have found a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and manifestations of autism and bowel disease. Even though the paper was proven to be falsified and Wakefield barred from practicing medicine, his “research” provided a veil of legitimacy to what would otherwise have been considered an undefendable position. To be fair though, both of these examples are a little extreme. A topic that may hit closer to home for many of us is that of organic food, and whether or not it really is better for us to eat. The benefits are obvious. It’s grown with no pesticides, no genetic modifications and is likely more nutritious. Those of you paying attention, of course, know this is a set-up. While there are certainly differences between organic and non-organic foods, there has been little to definitive research on the actual health value of organic products. The problem is that studies that claimed even a marginal increase in nutritional value are used to justify an entire multi-billion dollar industry for what could essentially be snake oil. The popularity of organic food for its benefits has
become such an ingrained fact, despite the lack of research, that the USDA has regulations on the use of the term “organic.” It’s a small example, but it shows the effects perceived facts can have. I am not saying organic products are bupkis, but given the extremely small amount of research on the topic, a very strong opinion one way or other implies that we are focusing only on the information we want to hear. For many readers, science and the articles produced therein provide justification for individuals’ beliefs and fears. Science’s supposed objectivity grants an air of authority that distances one from the resultant blame. However, science is subjective, and by its nature pits competing views against each other until evidence supports one over the other. Our natural inclination, however, is toward tunnel vision that focuses on the facts most closely fitting our preferences. We have to be willing to recognize in ourselves that we have the potential to be self-interested and blinded by the way that we want to see the world. Whether misappropriating scientific facts is done maliciously or because of a simple self-interest, a danger exists in misappropriation. The effects can have massive repercussions on human health or even become the talking points of horribly misguided racists. Science is ultimately just a tool, and as individuals, we decide if we agree with the way it is wielded. David Garcia is a first-year graduate student in energy science. He can be reached at dgarcia8@vols. utk.edu.
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ARTS&CULTURE
The Daily Beacon • Monday, January 25, 2016
NEW MUSIC MONDAYS
“Pawn Shop,� Brothers Osbourne Anticipation: 4/5 It’s been a long time coming. During: 4/5 There are too many great songs to choose from. Even familiar singles like “Rum� are just too fun not to mention here. However, “21 Summer� hit me right in the feels. Reflection: 4/5 This is a dynamite album. It’s hard not to pick up on catchy lines and fun grooves throughout this record. And “It Ain’t My Fault� is absolute fire. It seems the days of themed records are nearly obsolete in the country music realm. Artists like Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Merle Haggard are veterans of this storytelling practice, but the country duo, “Brothers Osborne,� are taking a crack at their first characteristically chronicled album. “Pawn Shop� is a modern meets alternative country record that leans less on the radio-ready side of the Nashville spectrum and more on the outlandish side of country music. The album is prefaced with “Dirt
Rich,� a song that embodies the idea of enjoying the less-than-wealthy life of leaky faucets and crooked mailboxes. It musically matches Brothers Osborne’s debut single, “Rum,� with a groovy melody and fun lyrics. In fact, most of this album is filled with fun tunes like the title track “Pawn Shop,� which is basically the country version of Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop� smothered in smooth slide guitar parts and a catchy chorus. There’s also the happy-go-lucky break up song “Greener Pastures� that hints at an old biblical expression while also mentioning marijuana often enough that Willie Nelson should have been featured on the track. As much fun as this album is, the brothers turn up the emotion on the nostalgic first love song “21 Summer� and the deeply country, whiskey-soaked duet with country queen Lee Ann Womack, “Loving Me Back.� Brothers Osborne offers beautifully low vocals that mesh well with Womack’s and blue collar love song lyrics such as, “It’s a binge, it’s a buzz, it’s a drunk I can’t find in no glass/ yeah I finally found somethin’ worth lovin’/ that’s lovin’ me back.� But in true Brothers Osborne style, the duo mixes it up with their flaming album closer, “It Ain’t My Fault.� The rocking album end sounds like “T.N.T.� by ACDC with a touch of accusatory lyrics and pulsating clapping in the pre-chorus. The album might not fix all of country music’s problems, but it’s a step in the right direction. It’s not a step backwards to the days of traditional country stars singing in rhinestone suits or a sidestep onto the monotonous tight blue jeans and tailgates path, but it’s a step toward somewhere in the modern, yet undeniably country, in-between road that Brothers Osborne would be wise to follow.
“Ceath of a Bachelor,� Panic! At the Disco Anticipation: 2/5 What do you really expect out of a pop punk band that’s trying to sound like a rock band and Frank Sinatra on the same album? During: 2.5/5 The fast-paced songs hit hard. They do exactly what pop songs are meant to do, but that’s the extent of it. Reflection: 3/5 One can appreciate Brendon Urie’s vocal smoothness on slower tracks, but overall this album didn’t feel like what Panic! At The Disco does best. Give me more punk rock. Time to panic — at the disco, that is. And that’s exactly what the pop punk band Panic! at the Disco’s latest album release, “Death of a Bachelor,� will make you do with quickened pop tempos and surprising downtempo tracks. The album is full of energy and high-strung lyrics and tempos that sound like one big party. The album opener “Victorious� goes from punchy and fast-paced to smooth and cool at the chorus with lyrics such as, “Oh we gotta turn up the crazy/ Livin’ like a washed-
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up celebrity/ Shooting fireworks like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Fourth of July/ Until we feel alright/ Until we feel alright.â&#x20AC;? There are really only two sides to this album; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an electric side and then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a slower-paced soulful side. Lead singer Brendon Urie describes the album as a mix of Frank Sinatra and Queen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which is a decently accurate description. While the Queen side of this album is more difficult to recognize, songs like the title track â&#x20AC;&#x153;Death of a Bachelorâ&#x20AC;? and one of the singles off the album â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hallelujahâ&#x20AC;? take a more Sinatralike approach with smooth, deep vocals. But suddenly when the choruses arrive, the songs shift suddenly onto a more modern, rap songlike path. But Panic! At The Discoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sound isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a complete change. In typical pop punk fashion, the song â&#x20AC;?Emperorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Clothesâ&#x20AC;? has a flare for the dramatic thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reminiscent of â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Write Sins Not Tragediesâ&#x20AC;? from 2005 with lyrics like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dress me up and watch me die/ If it feels good, tastes good/ It must be mine/ Dynasty decapitated/ You just might see a ghost tonight.â&#x20AC;? These more dramatic tunes are more in the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wheelhouse and are where the album comes across as most authentic. At the end of this wild ride â&#x20AC;&#x201D; filled with smooth vocals and erratic beats and excitement â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Death of a Bachelorâ&#x20AC;? closes with a piano Sinatra-style ballad, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Impossible Year.â&#x20AC;? From surprisingly convincing velvety vocals on the recordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slower songs to the party anthems ready to hit pop radio with an electric force, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Death of a Bachelorâ&#x20AC;? is a bit all over the place. It certainly has its strong points with catchy lyrics and pop melodies, and although it might not be the death of this band, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be the resurrection either. -Marina Waters, Staff Writer
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PUZZLES&GAMES
Monday, January 25, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Get Fuzzy • Darby Conley
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 1 6
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Monday, January 25, 2016
TENNIS
HOCKEY
Women’s tennis falls despite best effort Taylor Crombie Contributor
Despite hard-earned wins in singles by Brittany Lindl and Kim Kermet, the UT women’s tennis team lost its home opener against Wake Forest 4-3 at the Goodfriend Tennis Center on Saturday. “We came up just a little bit short,” Co-Head Coach Mike Patrick said. “Not for lack of effort, probably lack of execution more than anything else. We have to get better in a couple little places.” Lindl fought hard against Luisa Fernandez in two long sets that ended in tiebreakers to win 7-6 (3),7-6 (9). Last October, she defeated Fernandez 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (4) when the two faced off in the UT Fall Invite. “I was really not trying to go a full third set again,” Lindl said, referring to the last time the two met. “I felt like I was playing the key points a little bit better than I did in the fall.” Her coach thought the win showed her significant improvement since the fall. “She took a whole set off today, so it was a whole hour less than normal,” Patrick said. “So she must have improved
a lot since the fall.” Kermet came back strong after struggling in her first set against Anna Ulyashchenko to ultimately win the match 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 and give the Volunteers another point. Freshman duo Kermet and Ashley Bongart easily defeated Wake Forest’s Emma Davis and Samantha Asch 6-1 in doubles. Freshman Sadie Hammond and junior Eve Repic fought Ulyashchenko and Kimmy Guerin for a 6-4 win to secure the doubles point and give Tennessee a 1-0 lead going into singles. However, both struggled in singles. No. 60 ranked Hammond fell to Guerin 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 and Repic fell to Davis 6-3, 6-3. “I’m going to give it to Wake Forest, they’re a good team,” Patrick said. “We’ve got to get older, wiser and we’ve got to get a couple people to play up to their potential. The younger ones just have to get a little bit older, and there’s no way to do that but actually go through the process.” Sunday’s matches against Chattanooga and Lipscomb were canceled due to weather. Tennessee’s next matches are against Western Michigan and UT-Martin on Jan. 30 at Goodfriend Tennis Center.
Ekholm helps Predators beat Oilers 4-1 Associated Press EDMONTON, Alberta — Mattias Ekholm and the Nashville Predators just took a couple of steps in the right direction. Ekholm scored twice, Pekka Rinne made 23 saves in his 40th start of the season and Nashville defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 on Saturday night. Mike Fisher also scored and Filip Forsberg had an empty-net goal and an assist for the Predators, who had lost six of seven before winning their past two games. “It was a really good road win for us,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought our guys played hard. They played hard, they played smart and we were able to chip in some timely goals.” Those goals came at opportune times but they won’t make any highlight reels. “It wasn’t pretty. Both my goals weren’t really how we drew it up,” Ekholm said. “But we’ll take it in the position we’re in. When you shoot, sometimes you create some stuff and that’s what happened tonight. It was a greasy road win for us, a good road win for us, and we deserved the two points.”
Edmonton coach Todd McLellan thought not everybody was ready to go come game time, and that upset him. “We had some guys who really came and participated and we had some passengers tonight,” he said. “When you are as thin as we are right now, you can’t have that.” Edmonton got on the board first with a goal 12 minutes in as Draisaitl made a great individual effort to cut back on defender Shea Weber and send a backhand shot past Rinne. Nashville got that goal right back, though, as Ekholm was finally able to chip a puck past Oilers starter Cam Talbot after a scramble in front. The Predators took a 2-1 lead on the power play 1:48 into the second with an unusual goal. Ekholm’s shot hit defender Andrej Sekera, ended up in Talbot’s equipment and disappeared from view for a few seconds without the play being blown dead. The puck fell out and ended up in the net as Talbot was backing up looking for it. Nashville took a two-goal lead 52 seconds into the third when Weber made a bullet pass from the corner to give Fisher a tap-in goal. Forsberg added an empty-netter to seal the victory.
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Monday, January 25, 2016 • The Daily Beacon
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Despite early obstacles, Robles is shining as diver at UT Celeste Ritchason Contributor
Imagine a NCAA football coach handing out a scholarship to a quarterback he has never seen play. UT diving coach Dave Parrington, did exactly that. “He had high recommendations from other diving coaches,” Parrington said. “I wanted him.” Parrington’s interest came in the form of an email from an old friend, whose nephew was posting promising scores at international events. Without the benefit of a meeting or video, Parrington offered Mexico’s Mauricio Robles a scholarship. Robles arrived on campus months later. “When I first met him he was this huge guy and he gave me a huge hug,” Robles said. “I couldn’t even understand what he was saying, but I knew I was in the right place and he was going to be a coach for me.” The biggest obstacle Robles faced came away from the pool. He spoke no English. Parrington was afraid Robles wouldn’t pass his English test. “We took a chance,” Parrington said. “Sometimes you have to take a chance, and it certainly has proved to be a pretty good chance.” After a promising freshman year on the dive
team, Robles encountered a major setback. He remembers being tired the day it happened and admits he didn’t want to train. He also recalls lacking his usual focus. Robles was doing a routine dive, but when he jumped he knew he was too close. He hit the end of the platform and smacked the water. When an incident like this happens protocol usually calls for someone to go in after the injured diver on a backboard, but Robles got to the side of the pool so quickly that no one had time to do that. “In my thirty plus years of coaching, that was the scariest situation I have dealt with as a coach,” Parrington said. “Immediately we saw a lot of blood on his head. It was pretty freaky and scary at the time. “He stayed conscious through out,” Parrington said. “In fact even during the stitching process, they couldn’t give him a painkiller, but he did not flinch once.” Robles had over 20 stitches in his head. “I wanted to quit after that,” Robles said. “But I realized how important the team is and how much they care about me. I didn’t want to just quit because I was scared of the dive, I am going to train and get stronger and do the dive again.” Robles, with his team rallying behind him, was back in the water within a month of his injury. “From the time he started going head first
I’ve met so many people, accomplished things that I didn’t think I could and competed against the best divers in the world, it changed my life. ”
it was six months before he did that same dive again,” Parrington said. “And believe me I was nervous. “The most impressive part was his mentality during the process. Going from a devastating injury, that was highly possibly a career ending injury. His mental fortitude and toughness com-
ing back from that was a real inspiration just to me as a coach.” Robles has excelled at the university in and out of the pool. His first semester he received a 3.86 GPA. He was awarded three SEC Academic Honor Roll, All-American and All-SEC. “He has proved to be an outstanding student.” Parrington said. “How he has done in the class room, how he has done as a diver, and how he communicates with his teammates are all a testament of his incredible character.” With Robles in his senior year, he and Parrington are confident the NCAA Championships are a definite possibility. After graduation in May, Robles has dreams of becoming a coach. He enjoys working with people and obviously loves the sport. “He would probably be an outstanding as a coach,” Parrington said. “He is certainly a student of the sport.” Parrington’s leap of faith not only paid off for the diving team but it also opened doors for Robles’ future opportunities. “The best experience so far, it changed my life,” Robles said. “I never thought I would come to the states to study, keep diving, and learn another language. I’ve meet so many people, accomplished things that I didn’t think I could, and competed against the best divers in the world, it changed my life.”
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SPORTS
The Daily Beacon • Monday, January 25, 2016
BASKETBALL
Defense leads Vols to upset over No. 24 South Carolina Taylor White
Assistant Sports Editor
Senior Kevin Punter reached a new career high with 36 points this weekend against South Carolina. Hayley Pennesi • The Daily Beacon/Tennessee Athletics
Punter’s 36 pushes Vols to win over No. 24 South Carolina Troy Provost-Heron Training Editor
Staring up at the jumbotron, Kevin Punter started having flashbacks of two weeks ago. Much like Tennessee did on Saturday, the Vols (10-9, 3-4 SEC) held a 10-point lead against then-No. 21 Texas A&M on Jan. 9 with four minutes, 14 seconds left to play but suffered a 92-88 loss to the Aggies. UT rewrote that script against No. 24 South Carolina, though, overcoming a late surge from the Gamecocks to capture a 78-69 victory inside Thompson-Boling Arena. “I looked up at the clock with about four minutes left and I believe we were up 10 and I thought about that Texas A&M game,” senior guard Punter said. “I was just like there is no way we are letting this one go.” After a three-pointer by sophomore guard Detrick Mostella gave the Vols a 68-57 lead with 3:42 left, the Gamecocks (17-2, 4-2) scored on back-to-back possessions with a three by Duane Notice and a layup by Justin McKie to cut UT’s lead to six with 2:24. South Carolina wouldn’t come any closer, however, as Punter scored UT’s final 10 points, all from the free-throw line, to put an end to the possibility of a comeback. “I shoot free throws every day for situations like that, I guess,” Punter said. “Free throws are gimme points. Those are baskets where nobody is guarding you and you just have to make them.” Punter was a big reason for why the Vols held the lead in the first place. The Bronx, New York, native, who came into the game ranked ninth nationally in scoring average, tallied a careerhigh 36 points, 27 of which came in the second half.
Punter scored eight of the Vols’ first 11 points after halftime, including a three at the 16:16 mark, his second of five long balls in the final period. “KP was phenomenal,” UT coach Rick Barnes said. “He got into a flow and you could just see it from where we were that he was totally in control of what he wanted to do.” Michael Carrera led the way for South Carolina with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting and added eight rebounds. Punter’s hot streak proved to be contagious as the Vols shot 75 percent (9-of-12) from beyond the three-point line in the second half after hitting just one of nine in the first half. “This team is a really great shooting team,” senior guard Devon Baulkman said. “It didn’t surprise me. If everybody gets hot, it’s going to be a long night for the other team. If we get good looks, we need to take those shots when we can.” The teams had a combination of 90 points in the second half, but the offense didn’t show up in the opening period, as UT and South Carolina hit just 15 of their 46 combined shots (32.6 percent) and committed a total of 19 turnovers. Those struggles were reminiscent of the Vols’ late-game situations in their other two matchups versus ranked teams, Butler and Texas A&M, this season. This time, though, instead of faltering, UT finished, securing its first win over a ranked team since beating No. 19 Arkansas on Jan. 13, 2015. “(This game was) very important,” Punter said. “We had numerous ranked teams (on the ropes) and we pretty much blew it. For them to come to our home court and fight like they did and for us to handle it and pull out with a victory, that means a lot.”
After the game, Devon Baulkman said he knew this Tennessee team could score; that wasn’t the problem. Keeping their opponents off the board is where the Vols have struggled this year. That wasn’t the case on Saturday night. Tennessee held No. 24 South Carolina to 41-percent shooting, including 28 percent from behind the 3-point line on its way to a 78-69 redemption win in Thompson-Boiling Arena. “Everybody’s mind was on defense,” Baulkman said of the second half. “We have a lot of scorers, so we don’t have to worry about scoring the ball. Once we get this defense down, we can be pretty good.” The Vols honed in on Sindarius Thornwell, the Gamecocks leading scorer for the season. The junior guard averaged 12.1 points per game coming into Saturday’s event, but Tennessee was able to make him a non-factor throughout the game. His only two points came on a meaningless layup with under a minute to go in the game. The Vols harassed him with constant pressure to throw off his rhythm. He was 1-of-8 from the field, including 0-of-3 from behind the 3-point line. Tennessee constantly rotated its defenders, meaning that no one man was responsible for Thornwell, but the message remained the same: match the Gamecocks’ intensity. “We had so many guys in and out of the game that we would have different matchups,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “It was just different guys. We do a lot of switching and we scramble a lot on defense. Somedays guys just don’t make shots and things just don’t fall their way.” Spotlight: Kyle Alexander was only on the floor for eight minutes on Saturday afternoon, but that didn’t stop the 6-foot-9 forward from impacting the game. In those eight minutes he grabbed six rebounds — tying a career high — and pulled down three boards on the offensive end. Alexander hadn’t grabbed more than two rebounds in a game since Dec. 19 against Gonzaga, and any production he gives them is crucial on a team that doesn’t start a player taller than 6-foot-5. In the first half, he grabbed a missed shot from Armani Moore and went up over the defender, hitting the layup despite the foul for his only two points of the game. The Gamecocks play a physical brand of basketball and Alexander’s teammates were proud of the way the freshman responded to that physicality. “He played pretty good,” senior guard Kevin Punter said. “He get his hands on some balls and got some key rebounds. He fought. That’s what we know he’s going to do when he comes in. He’s going to fight you.” The other guys: With Thornwell struggling for most of the game, the Gamecocks turned to Michael Carrera for production. The senior scored 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to keep South Carolina in the game. He also led the team in rebounds with eight. Duane Notice added 14 points for South Carolina off the bench, including a couple of triples, and Chris Silva was the final Gamecock in double figures with 11 points and five boards. Outside the box score: Saturday’s matchup was the first time Tennessee has hosted a ranked South Carolina team since Feb. 7, 1998. This was the Vols’ first win against a ranked team since Jan. 13, 2015 when Tennessee beat No. 19 Arkansas in TBA. By the numbers: 40: South Carolina scored 40 points in the paint, compared to just 14 for the Vols. 94: Tennessee shot 94 percent from the free throw line, hitting 30-of-32. The Vols were 16-of-16 in the second half, with Punter connecting on 14-of-15 from the charity stripe. 75: After hitting 1-of-9 from 3-point range in the first half, Tennessee shot 75 percent from behind the line after the break, hitting 9-of-12 shots. Punter was 5-of-6 from deep in the second half.