The Daily Beacon

Mostly Sunny with a 0% chance of rain HIGH LOW 89 69

Kiffin names Jonathan Crompton Vols’ starting quarterback Wednesday, August 26, 2009

PAGE 10 T H E

Issue 06

E D I T O R I A L L Y

PUBLISHED SINCE 1906 http://dailybeacon.utk.edu

Vol. 112

I N D E P E N D E N T

S T U D E N T

UT school of music brings concerts to campus for fall semester

N E W S P A P E R

O F

T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

PAGE 8 O F

T E N N E S S E E

Students seek jobs at Part-Time Job Fair to add to resume, cash

Alumnus funds new building on the Hill

Amanda Crider

Donation will bring together electrical engineering and computer science

Staff Writer In addition to doing well in classes, making friends and keeping off the freshman 15, many students have another important thing to worry about: finding a parttime job.

The reasons for wanting a job can be varied. Ryan Adams, undecided freshman, said he would like to find a job to earn a little extra money while he is at school.

“I like to be able to go out to eat with my friends, go to a movie, etc., and I need a job to do that,” Adams said.

“I don’t have the time, though, to work 40 hours a week and still do well in my classes. I’m new at UT, though, so I’m not really sure where to begin looking.”

Unlike Adams, students like Jennifer Wilham, sophomore in accounting, don’t need any extra money but still would like to find a parttime job this semester.

“I want to start building experience in the workplace before graduating,” Wilham said. “That way, after I graduate, I’ll have something to put on my resume in addition to my classes and extracurricular activities.”

Whether students are like Adams, Wilham or have their own unique situation, the Part-Time Job Fair held by UT Career Services on Wednesday is the place for students to speak to local employers and hopefully find employment that will work with their schedule.

Joann Jeter, assistant director for Part-Time Student Employment, said this year there will be almost 30 employers present at the fair.

“Some employers off-campus that will be there include Emerald Youth Foundation, Kaplan, Target, Office Depot, the Army National Guard and Clayton Homes/Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance,” Jeter said.

“For students who would like to work on campus, the employers include OIT Lab Service, UT Telethon, UT Police Department, Thornton Athletic Center, and the Education Advancement Program.”

Jeter said no matter the reason students are looking for employment or what types of jobs they are looking for, they all need to come similarly prepared.

“My suggestion would be for the students to be business casual,” Jeter said.

“They’re not required to bring resumes, but it is recommended.”

The Part-Time Job Fair is open to students of all majors and ages, and Jeter said she recommends it for anyone trying to earn some money or get work-related experience while going to school.

“I think it is a great opportunity for students to meet employers, who are willing to work around their schedules so they can continue their education,” Jeter said.

The job fair will take place Wednesday in the UC Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, contact Career Services at 974-5435 or visit its Web site at http://career.utk.edu.

Will Brewer Staff Writer Electrical engineering and computer science students have a lot to look forward to as they enter their next few years of study. This excitement is largely thanks to an icon in the world of global positioning technology, GPS. Min Kao, the CEO and cofounder of Garmin Ltd, an alumnus of UT, donated $17.5 million to UT after contacting his former UT adviser and mentor, Jim Hung.

Kevin Tomsovic, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, said that Kao was looking for a way to give back to the engineering world, preferably close to his home in Kansas City.

Fortunately, Hung recommended that Kao direct his donation towards UT’s engineering department. The money is now going to construct the Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building.

Tomsovic said that, while Kao is not in on the day-today decisions, he is frequently informed on the progress of the building by UT faculty.

“I have visited Dr. Kao at his home, and we frequently update him on the status of the building,” Tomsovic said. “Dr. Kao likes to stay informed because he cares about the success of this building.”

Although the building is estimated to cost $35 million, various sources of state funding will cover the remainder of the cost.

Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building has been under construction since its groundbreaking ceremony last May and will likely be completed by August 2011.

Bill Dunne, associate dean of research and technology in the College of Engineering, described the construction process as having two main phases. The first phase of framing and foundation was completed this summer. The rest of the construction consists of building labs and classrooms. Middle Way Drive, the road circling The Hill, has been temporarily closed due to steel work that is currently going on.

Dunne said the building will consist of 94,000 square feet of academic usage. This does not include restrooms, closets and janitorial spaces.

Scott Martineau • The Daily Beacon

Workers continue construction on the Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building on The Hill Tuesday. The Min Kao building is slated to be completed in August 2011.

and computer science departments together from two different locations, under the same roof,” Dunne said.

The fusion of classroom and lab space for these two departments will be important since the electrical engineering department operates outside of Ferris Hall, and the computer science department operates out of Claxton Complex. The programs already work in tandem as the Min H. Kao Department of E l e c t r i c a l Engineering and Computer Science.

The Kao Building is planned to be the first LEED-certified Scott Martineau • The Daily Beacon building on campus.

A worker smoothes the floor of the Min H. Kao Electrical Engineering and Computer Science The LEED certificaBuilding being constructed on The Hill. tion measures the “The Min Kao Building will have 10 classroom and 13 laboratories, but, more importantly, it will bring all faculty members from both the electrical engineering

energy efficiency and sustainability of a building.

George Richardson, junior in electrical engineering, said he is looking forward to the building’s opening.

“I think the Min Kao Building will give electrical engineering and computer science majors a chance to learn and research in an amazing facility,” Richardson said. “Its location on campus makes it a focal point for those entering campus, and having such a great facility shows how committed UT is to its engineering programs and students.”

Tomsovic is also excited about the many new prospects that the building has to offer.

“This building will provide a nicer environment for students, and a more positive environment will ultimately help studying to be more productive and enjoyable for all of our students,” Tomsovic said.

Clinic advises students on swine flu Amanda Crider Staff Writer For the past several months, the news has been full of stories of the spread of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu. Now several students at UT are coming in direct contact with the virus that was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

Jim Boyle, director of Student Health Services, said there have been somewhere between 40 to 50 cases of the H1N1 virus on campus.

“Some of the symptoms include cough, sore throat, slight body ache and headache,” Boyle said. “It’s like a mild seasonal flu.”

Boyle said one of the reasons the H1N1 virus seems to be spreading so quickly on campus is sick students are not staying home.

“One of the problems is because so many people are getting out and about,” Boyle said.

“Stay home, get better and stay hydrated. If you have some of these symptoms, don’t go out and spread it around.”

Because of all the media coverage, Boyle said many students have some misconceptions about the virus that need straightening out.

Kate Hale, undecided freshman, said she has heard many rumors about the virus.

“People have told me the swine flu is so much worse than the regular flu,” Hale said.

“I’ve heard that, with the strain going around right now, you vomit uncontrollably and have a high fever.”

Boyle said, contrary to rumors, the H1N1 virus is typically milder than the seasonal flu. It

only lasts about three to four days, and students who believe they have the virus should not visit the Student Health Services Clinic on campus.

“Most people won’t need a medical provider unless they have a rapid heart rate or a high fever,” Boyle said. “I want to stress we don’t need students to come here or any other medical facility. They’re swamping the medical facilities, and people with severe symptoms can’t get help.”

Boyle said students should also not expect Student Health Services to issue them a note excusing them from class.

“Instructors should not be asking for notes for missed class from us,” Boyle said. “Students will have to work out missed class with their instructors.”

Boyle said another misconception students have is that people with H1N1 can spread the virus well after they stop experiencing symptoms.

“In reality, 24 hours after they have their last fever, they should be OK,” Boyle said. “So, if the last time they have a fever is 5 p.m., then by 5 p.m. the next day, they should be alright.”

Student Health Services will offer a seasonal flu clinic on Sept. 16, and it will cost students $20. Boyle said, although the seasonal flu doesn’t usually hit until December, students should get the shots earlier to build up immunity against the virus.

Boyle said there is no vaccine for the H1N1 strain available, but, when it does become available, Student Health Services will offer another flu clinic, though this one will be free of cost to students.

Katie Hogin • The Daily Beacon

Head coach Lane Kiffin supervises a play during practice Tuesday afternoon.

CAMPUS CALENDAR

2 • The Daily Beacon

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

InSHORT

?

What’s HAPPENING AROUND CAMPUS

Aug.26 - Aug.29,2009

Wednesday, Aug. 26 —

• Student football ticket sales for the Western Kentucky game begin. Go to http://bigorangetix.utk.edu for information on student football tickets and guest ticket opportunities.

• 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. — The Part-Time Job Fair gives students the opportunity to speak with a variety of employers about their opportunities both on and off campus.

Thursday, Aug. 27 —

• Last day to return books to the UT Book and Supply Store if not dropping the course.

• 3:40 p.m. until 5 p.m. — Ned A. Porter, chemistry professor at Vanderbilt University, will lead a Chemistry Department Seminar titled “Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and 7-dehydrocholesterol as targets of oxidative stress” in Room 415 of Buehler Hall.

Friday, Aug. 28 — • Last day to register, add, change grading options for or drop a full session course without a “W.” • 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. — CPC Film Committee will show the film “Star Trek” in the UC Auditorium.

Entrance is $2 with a UT ID and $3 without.

Scott Martineau • The Daily Beacon

Undecided Freshman Travis Pruett and junion Accounting major Jake Baron get a drink at Beta Theta Pi’s tiki-theme rush activity Tuesday evening at Fiji Island.

THIS DAY IN

THE CRIME

HISTORY

On this day in 1939, the first televised Major League Baseball game is broadcast on station W2XBS, the station that was to become WNBC-TV. Announcer Red Barber called the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, N.Y.

LOG

Monday, Aug. 24 • 12:01 p.m. — Bicycle reported stolen at Gibbs Hall • 5:20 p.m. — Elevator stuck in Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Saturday, Aug. 29 — • 8 a.m. — The 5K race, part of The Man Run for prostate cancer awareness, starts at 8 a.m.The one-mile Fun Run/Walk begins at 8:30 a.m.To register, visit http://www.edgereg.com, event name The Man Run, or call 3058577.

At the time, television was still in its infancy. Regular programming did not yet exist, and very few people owned television sets. There were only about 400 in the New York area. Not until 1946 did regular network broadcasting catch on in the United States, and only in the mid-1950s did television sets become more common in the American household.

• 9:55 p.m. — Theft reported at G7/N7 at Andy Holt Garage parking lot

Tuesday, Aug. 25 • 1:47 a.m. — Suspicious person investigated in White Avenue parking garage

— Courtesy of History.com

• 2:54 a.m. — Domestic trouble investigated on White Avenue

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

STATE&LOCAL

The Daily Beacon • 3

Bodies found in barn after police standoff The Associated Press

The Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A retired South Carolina state employee who spent $2 on the lottery last week is the winner of a $260 million Powerball jackpot.

Solomon Jackson Jr. of Columbia refused Tuesday to say much about himself or his plans, including whether he will take his winnings annually over three decades or in a $129 million lump sum.

Jackson did reveal he was an assistant supervisor for the state Revenue Department who retired in 2000. He says he is married but would not say how many children he has.

Jackson did say he doesn’t think the money will change him. He bought his winning ticket and one other at a gas station after shopping at a nearby Walmart in Columbia.

Powerball is played in 30 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — VH1 will not air the reality shows with a contestant who was found dead Sunday of an apparent suicide at a Canadian motel.

Both shows featured Ryan Jenkins, the contestant sought in the killing of his model ex-wife.

A network spokesman said Monday that both “Megan Wants a Millionaire” and “I Love Money 3” have been canceled.

Jenkins had been one of 17 wealthy bachelors vying for the love of former “Rock of Love” contestant Megan Hauserman on “Megan Wants a Millionaire,” which the network pulled off the air after three episodes.

Jenkins was also a participant on the not-yet-aired “I Love Money 3,” a series featuring contestants from various VH1 reality shows competing for cash.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A newspaper poll says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid faces formidable opposition next year when he seeks a fifth term.

A survey of 400 registered voters for the Las Vegas Review-Journal released Sunday paints the Democratic incumbent as an underdog when matched against either of two possible Republicans rivals in the election.

The poll, taken last week by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc., shows Reid lagging by as many as 11 percentage points against Danny Tarkanian. He had 49 percent to Reid’s 38 percent.

Tarkanian is a real estate professional and former UNLV basketball player.

A separate matchup gave Nevada Republican chairman Sue Lowden 45 percent to Reid’s 40 percent. Lowden has yet to commit herself to a race.

The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus five percentage points.

NEW YORK (AP) — An actor who pleaded guilty in New York City to a Social Security number scheme will appear in at least the first several new episodes of the teen television drama “One Tree Hill.”

CW network spokesman Paul McGuire says it’s unclear what will happen later in the show’s seventh season following Antwon Tanner’s guilty plea.

“One Tree Hill” co-stars Tanner as high school basketball star-turned-coach Skills. It’s in production in Wilmington, N.C. It returns Sept. 14.

The 34-year-old Tanner also appeared with Samuel L. Jackson in the 2005 movie “Coach Carter.” He admitted in a Brooklyn federal court Friday he sold more than a dozen Social Security numbers for $10,000. He’s expected to get as much as a year in prison at his Nov. 20 sentencing.

His lawyer hasn’t returned telephone and e-mail messages sent Tuesday seeking comment.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal prosecutors who accused a financial adviser of running a Ponzi scheme say they don’t believe the three NFL players who partnered with her did anything wrong.

An indictment charging Mary Wong of Omaha with stealing $3 million from eight victims was unsealed on Monday.

Demorrio Williams of the Kansas City Chiefs and twins Josh Bullocks of the Chicago Bears and Daniel Bullocks of the Detroit Lions were partners with Wong in Williams & Bullocks LLC. All three played at the University of Nebraska.

Jan Sharp of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Omaha said Tuesday there’s no indication Wong’s partners acted improperly.

Sharp declined to say whether Wong’s partners were victims in the scheme, and court documents identify her victims only by initials.

Authorities were investigating a possible murder-suicide on Tuesday after three people were found dead in a barn in rural northeastern Tennessee following a standoff with police.

The bodies were found by officers around dawn after a 10-hour standoff that started Monday night. The deaths initially appeared to be a murder-suicide, said Kristin Helm, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

District Attorney General Berkeley Bell Jr. told the Citizen Tribune newspaper in Morristown that those found dead were Darran Blevins, his ex-stepfather, Dennis Christian, and Christian’s live-in girlfriend, Brandy Seal.

Both Blevins and Seal were in their 20s and Christian was in his 60s, Bell said. He said authorities had been called to the residence before to settle disputes between Blevins and Christian.

According to property records, Dennis and Holly Christian own the barn and a neighbor, Laura Fugate, 76, said the couple had lived there for years until recently. The couple were going through a divorce and Holly Christian and Blevins, her adult son, had moved out, but lived close by, Fugate said.

Fugate said no one has told her the identities of the victims found inside the home, but she said she saw Holly Christian talking with police outside the home on Tuesday.

Hawkins County Sheriff ’s Detective Randy Collier said two men and a woman were found dead with gunshot wounds inside the barn but would not confirm any relationships among the victims.

The deputies responding to a domestic call arrived around 8 p.m., he said.

“Upon arrival, deputies heard voices inside and heard several gunshots,” Collier said.

Around midnight, deputies entered the lower level of the two-

Hunter Museum director shifts to O’Keeffe Museum The Associated Press The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum announced Tuesday it has hired Robert A. Kret as its new director.

Kret, currently the director of the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tenn., will begin the job Oct. 26.

He succeeds George King, who left last month after 11 years to head the New Yorkbased American Federation of Arts.

The Santa Fe museum, a top tourist attraction, has the largest collection of O'Keeffe's paintings, drawings and sculptures in the world, nearly 1,200 pieces.

It also has a research center for the study of American modernism and owns O'Keeffe's former homes and studios in the northern New Mexico village of Abiquiu and in a rural area nearby.

"From my perspective, it seemed like a nice combination of the visual arts as well as ... historic preservation," Kret said in an interview.

Kret, 48, has been director since 2000 at the Hunter Museum, where he oversaw an expansion and renovation project that was part of a broader, public-private waterfront redevelopment effort.

Kret said the museum on a riverside bluff had been "discon-

nected, physically and sort of intellectually" from the community.

The expansion roughly doubled the number of visitors, the size of the staff and the museum's operating budget, and the museum's education programs have made it a more integral part of the community, he said.

Before the Hunter Museum, Kret was director at the Miami University Art Museum in Oxford, Ohio, and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wis. He also was executive director of the Ella Sharp Museum in Jackson, Mich., and director of museums for the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in Boston.

O'Keeffe, one of the foremost American painters, lived for almost 40 years in northern New Mexico. She died in Santa Fe in 1986 at the age of 98.

The museum is dedicated to perpetuating her legacy, and museum officials recently got into a flap with Georgia O'Keeffe Elementary School in Albuquerque over what the museum viewed as possible trademark infringement because of the use of the artist's name on school-related items.

The differences were resolved, and the museum plans to work with the school on art projects for students.

story barn and found the bodies of a man and a woman, Collier said. The deputies retreated after they heard movement in the upper level of the barn, a loft that had been converted into a living space with a bed and a computer.

Collier said, following the discovery of the bodies, a man appeared in a window in the loft and fired a weapon. It was not clear whether he was shooting at someone or if he shot himself, Collier said.

Throughout the evening, Collier said they were unable to contact or establish communication with anyone inside the barn. Just before dawn on Wednesday, deputies went back inside and discovered a third body of a man in the loft.

The barn is in an isolated area near Tennessee Valley Authority property north of the community of Mooresburg, about 50 miles northeast of Knoxville.

Helm said the state agency was asked by Bell to open an investigation into the deaths.

4 • The Daily Beacon

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

OPINIONS

Our

View

Students should get involved, passionate Wake up! Take your iPod headphones out of your ears for two minutes, and listen. If you only give your attention to one thing today, let this be it.

Stop going through the motions. Stop living your life as a step-by-step plan predetermined by your parents, our “success”-oriented culture or even yourself.

Care about something. Anything. Please. It’s so disheartening to see you stumbling through your days, hungover from the night before. Yeah, some classes are boring. But, if you dig deeply enough, you’ll be pretty hard-pressed not to find something of interest in every field.

Oh, hey, and stop texting constantly. It detracts from your interactions with others. Yeah, yeah, multitasking. Whatever. If you’re too busy typing to some entity on the other end of a cell phone signal, then you obviously don’t care about the people right in front of you. You care, don’t you? You must.

We all care about something, right?

Doesn’t something excite you, upset you or otherwise incite you? Do something about it. Spread the word. Tell others why you’re so passionate about it. You’re wasting your life if you aren’t truly taking action against the things that enrage you and sharing the things that excite you.

Don’t you care about yourself enough to live your life passionately? You know the old saying: “You can’t love anyone until you love yourself.” Dive into your mind, discover what matters to you, act upon it and, by doing so, value your own opinions. As a result, your newfound enthusiasm will spread to those around you and inspire them to pursue their own passions.

We’re certainly not perfect and are most likely guilty of texting too often and not always giving our full attention when we should. We just wish everyone at UT (who hasn’t already) would listen to the message of Welcome Week — get inVOLved.

This is not a blanket criticism. We’ve met some amazing, passionate people at UT. This group is a minority though. If you attend major events around campus, you’ll see the same group of about 200 faces at all these events. (Also, maybe you didn’t know, but you’re paying for most of these events on campus. Your student activities fees fund the committees who bring the speakers and performers. So, since you’re essentially a sponsor, it wouldn’t hurt to attend a few campus events.)

Everyone else — Where are you? What are you doing? Sitting in your dorm room, watching ESPN’s commentary on UT’s upcoming football season, while primping for that party and/or pre-gaming with your contraband alcohol? It’s great to be a devoted Vols fan, but, honestly, unless you’re an athlete, your only role on campus should not be that of UT football devotee.

Also, this is not ageist. Many people older than college-age simply go through the motions, living meaningless, passionless lives. They don’t realize, or maybe they don’t care, that their actions affect others. These apathetic adults have served as poor role models for our generation, but that doesn’t mean we should sit back and blame our upbringings, or more largely our culture, for our own apathy.

Don’t be a nameless, faceless entity who blends in with all the other do-nothings of this world.

Make yourself known; make your voice heard.

Vanquish apathy. Live. For your own sake.

SUPER BROCCOLI • Sumter & Starnes

DOONESBURY • Garry Trudeau

Health care plan to aid population control C ome On! S e r i o u s ly ? by

Gabe Johnson Fellow students, we must act quickly. Currently the most important legislative act Congress will concoct in our lifetimes is in danger. I know this is shocking, but the Democrats’ universal health care bill might not pass.

Normally my philosophy is the less government the better, or in the immortal words of President Ronald Reagan, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’” There has never been an efficient, government-run bureaucracy. (Never mind that the world’s best and most efficient military is government run. I think we all agree a ragtag group of private mercenaries would be more effective at protecting us than a professional army.)

After all when has the government ever done anything in our best interest? When have we ever trusted them to keep us healthy?

While some people who lean a little too far to the left for my liking might say, “Gabe, what about the FDA? Don’t we trust our lives to a government bureaucracy by having them insure the food we consume is not contaminated with any impurities that could be harmful?” Yes technically this is true; I, however, think even Upton Sinclair would agree we were better off before he wrote that book. I personally think a little lead in one’s diet is good.

It builds character.

I know that Conservatives have labeled this legislation as communist as well as called it a Nazi health care plan. (I was 80 percent sure communists and Nazis were at opposite ends of the political spectrum and thus incompatible.

Then again, what do I know? I’m just a history and political science major. Conservatives must be correct here; we do call them the “right” for a reason.)

Just because this is a plan Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler would both support doesn’t mean we have

to toss the whole thing. We could keep the most important parts like how the government is suddenly going to control Medicare. I stupidly thought this was already the case. Isn’t Medicare funded by the government? Wikipedia says it is, but any English 101 class will tell you, because it is on Wikipedia, this is actually evidence to the contrary, so I guess not.

The most important part of the plan, however, can be summed up in two words: death panels.

What a great idea these were. Just imagine giant death factories where we would herd gaggles of old people as soon as they became useless (around age 60 or when they get close to retiring, whichever comes first). Inside these factories would be a panel of unknown, faceless and soulless government agents whose only purpose is to relieve us of what I like to call the “senior problem.”

Imagine all the money we would save by no longer needing to feed, clothe and house old people. I’m sure it’s a huge drain of funds. More importantly, think of how much smoother the roads will be now that we won’t have grandpa clogging up the fast lane. What a great plan.

Himmler would be proud.

Of course all the “news” stations have already declared these death panels a myth (except for one very “fair” and very “balanced” channel).

They claim the bill would only “allow Medicare to pay doctors for voluntary counseling sessions that address end-of-life issues. The conversations between doctor and patient would include living wills, making a close relative or a trusted friend your health care proxy, learning about hospice as an option for the terminally ill, and information about pain medications for people suffering chronic discomfort.” Thankfully, however, we have Conservatives like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck to tell us the truth.

The death panels are real, people (despite all the evidence to the contrary), and we must help the Democrats clean our streets and remove the Young Man’s Burden. Getting rid of old people is why we elected Obama in the first place, and he knows it. (As a side note, this might put places like Shoney’s, Cracker Barrel and Ryan’s out of business.)

— Gabe Johnson is a senior in political science and history. He can be reached at gjohns13@utk.edu.

People should question assumptions C ommon S e n se by

Kel Thompson

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Jenny Bledsoe MANAGING EDITOR

Nash Armstrong ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

Flora Theden CHIEF COPY EDITORS

Robby O’Daniel Theresa Parrish DESIGN EDITORS

Krista Lewis Patrick Relford PHOTO EDITOR

Katie Hogin ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Scott Martineau NEWS EDITOR

Katie Freeman STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

Kristian Smith ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Katharine Heriges SPORTS EDITOR

Brad Merritt ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Zac Ellis RECRUITMENT EDITOR

Jenny Ratledge

ADVERTISING MANAGER Matt Nielsen CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Sarah Fadule ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Ally Callahan, Scott Crump, Devyn Downey, Lynette Williams

To report a news item, please e-mail the newsroom@utk.edu or call the managing editor at 974-2348.

To place an ad, please call retail advertising at 974-5206.

To place a classified, please call the classified manager at 974-4931.

SENIOR ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTIST Geneva Hill

If you think something has been reported incorrectly, please contact the managing editor at 974-2348.

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTIST Sara Wagner

Advertising: (865) 974-5206

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION ARTISTS

Classifieds: (865) 974-4931

Faith Barger, Jenna Cross, Jake Lane

Editor: (865) 974-2348

COPY EDITORS Kevin Letsinger, Krista Lewis, Brandi M. Panter, Chauntele Scarlett

Main office: (865) 974-3231 Managing Editor: (865) 974-2348 Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 Newsroom fax: (865) 974-5569

CARTOONISTS

Photo: (865) 974-5212

Josh Schendel, Ben Sumter,

E-mail: newsroom@utk.edu

Enoch Starnes

letters@utk.edu

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Friday during the summer semester. The offices are located at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 5 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: http://dailybeacon.utk.edu.

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. 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@utk.edu or sent to Jenny Bledsoe, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 5 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The Beacon reserves the right to reject any submissions or edit all copy in compliance with available space, editorial policy and style.

I posed an interesting question to my roommate this past week. I asked, “How do you know Harry (the roommate’s cat) is a boy? ... You’ve told me that you’ve never seen his penis.” Question asked, I waited for his response.

“I guess I don’t,” he replied. He stated that he’d had him neutered, but, when questioned if he was sure the cat had been neutered and not spayed, he could not produce a definite answer.

Over the proceeding two days, a decent amount of discussion happened between us over the gender question — whether Harry was a male or female.

This discussion was accompanied by haphazard attempts to turn the cat over and find the presumably remaining mark of his masculinity. It was not found.

Finally, after much speculation, I was able to finesse the cat into a position where the phallus was perceivable. The problem had been resolved.

Harry did, in fact, have a penis. We could stop pursuing the question of whether or not to rename the four-year-old feline.

And so, of all the things I’ve seen, heard and done over the last few days, why is this particular anecdote the one my mind grabbed hold of while searching for a column topic? Because it touches on a larger, more important theme from which all can benefit.

I hope that all of us (being collegiate-level scholars) are aware, on at least some conscious level, that consensus beliefs and accepted worldviews change with the times. I believe that we can all agree that the world was once believed to be flat and is now widely regarded as spherical.

I choose not to say “now known to be spherical” to make my point a little more obvious and meaningful.

What I am alluding to is that all of us (some more than others) are guilty of assuming things as true when we have not acquired sufficient self-evidence

to prove these things either true or false. At some point or another, we’ve all named a cat before making sure of his or her gender.

This said, can we take for granted that the Earth is round? I think not. We can agree that it is what we believe right now, given our collective knowledge. We cannot, however, presume that even a notion as basic as the shape of our planet won’t be proven wrong (or as evidence misinterpreted) in years to come. After all, it’s happened before.

I do not mean to say that everything we have ever learned is useless. A certain amount of assumptions must be made and taken for granted in order for human beings to cope with and navigate the world. For example, I could pose the question: “Is it really better to drive on the right side of the road (in America at least)?” Of course it is because everyone drives on the right side. But is that answer the truth? I cannot believe so.

The statement that it is better to drive on the right side of the road is not true, but neither is it false. If, in this country, one were to drive on the left, they would soon find themselves in trouble.

However, the decision to have automobiles travel on the right is purely an arbitrary one. If everyone chose to drive on the left, it would work equally well. So while some assumptions must be held for convenience sake, it does not necessarily make them true or factual.

From the Crusades to World War II, many of history’s greatest conflicts boil down to simple differences of assumptions, which can usually not be proven true or false. Bearing this in mind, I ask that we all try to become more tolerant of others’ assumptions, even those we consider to be immoral or foolhardy, because chances are that nobody is completely right or wrong. Perhaps eventually, if the vast majority of people assume that their beliefs — no matter how true they may seem — may or may not be correct, we will no longer have any reason to be violent toward each other.

So do not be afraid to question the things you’ve absolutely known to be true for however long, for whatever reason. That’s how better explanations come into existence. Now let us all tolerate and be tolerated, and together begin to fix this mess of a world.

— Kel Thompson is a junior in creative writing.

He can be reached at kthomp28@utk.edu.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

The Daily Beacon • 5

NATION&WORLD

Man convicted in Tenn. slaying case The Associated Press A Kentucky man was convicted Tuesday of murder in the brutal carjacking, rape and murder of a young Tennessee couple who were snatched while they were on a date in 2007.

Letalvis Cobbins, 26, of Lebanon, Ky., is the first of four defendants charged with participating in the attack on Channon Christian, 21, and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, 23. Cobbins admitted taking part, but he denied on the stand last week that he was a killer.

The jury found him guilty of multiple counts of first-degree and felony murder in the death of Christian but opted for lesser charges of facilitating murder in the slaying of Newsom. They also convicted him of rape, kidnapping and robbery, charges that can carry sentences of 15 to 25 years in prison.

Cobbins slightly shook his head no as the jury read guilty verdicts on 33 of the 38 counts. He showed no other emotion.

Relatives of the victims wept.

The sequestered jury from Nashville was to

TUTORING www.VOLMATH.com MATH TUTOR 113, 119, 123, 125, 130, 141, 142

Help From Expert Tutors Call: (865)414-8005

EMPLOYMENT After school homework help and transportation needed for 12 year old triples. $10/hr. plus gas. Fax resume (865)675-3199.

Audio Visual Tech. P/T. 5:30pm - 9:30pm. Mon Thurs. $10/hr. LMU Law School, 601 West Summit.

E-mail resume to employment@ISITN.com.

Childcare Needed. Looking for PT babysitter for school pick up/ after school activities. Good hourly pay.

(865)671-3345.

Do you need extra cash?

Want to have fun at work?

Need to work flexible hours?

-Desk Clerks -NightAudit -Culinary -Bartenders -Servers -Maintenance -Bellman Please apply in person between 9:00AM-4:00PM Monday-Friday at: Knoxville Marriott 500 Hill Avenue S.E. Knoxville, TN 37915 G. Carlton Salon is looking for an energetic, people loving salon coordinator on Wednesdays and Fridays answering phones, booking and greeting clients, and other duties to help the smooth flow of the salon.

Call Mary Alice at 865- 584-3432 or apply in person at 6718 Albunda Dr. Gynecology office seeks student for PT clerical work Monday through Saturday.

Fax resume to (865)637-7195.

Help needed for lawn mowing and other outdoor chores. Call for hours and pay. 637-3600.

Now hiring a part time file clerk for our Knoxville Corporate Office. Please send resumes to jobs@nfc1.com.

begin the sentencing phase Wednesday and consider whether to sentence Cobbins to death.

“I have been saying that we were going to get him and the rest of the animals that he was running with,” Gary Christian, Channon’s father, said outside the courtroom. “I can’t even tell you what all those guilties were, but he raped my daughter and he is responsible for her murder. ... Tomorrow is going to be the nail in his coffin.”

“They considered each point, and they took their time and I think they did a fine job,” said Newsom’s mother, Mary Newsom.

Christian, a University of Tennessee student, and Newsom were on a date Jan. 6, 2007, when her sport utility vehicle was carjacked at gunpoint by several people in Knoxville.

The attackers blindfolded and bound the couple and took them to a rundown rental house. Police concluded Newsom was soon taken away, sexually assaulted, shot in the back of the head, set on fire and left beside some railroad tracks.

Christian was beaten and repeatedly raped

over the next 24 hours. An autopsy said she died of suffocation after she was choked, wrapped in plastic bags and dumped in a trash can.

Cobbins’ brother, Lemaricus Davidson, 28, of Knoxville, has been identified by investigators as the ringleader in the attack. Davidson, Cobbins’ friend George Thomas, 26, and girlfriend Vanessa Coleman, 21, both of Lebanon, all are in jail awaiting trial. Another person, Eric Boyd, is serving a federal prison sentence for being an accessory.

Cobbins testified against his attorney’s advice, telling the jury he helped with the carjacking. He said Christian asked him to help her the day after the kidnapping, offering oral sex if he would persuade the others to let her go. He said she was tied up, and he admitted orally raping her.

But Cobbins said he didn’t set Christian free because he was too scared of his brother.

He denied killing either victim. Experts testified that Newsom was killed with Davidson’s gun, and Cobbins said he saw his brother choke Christian.

“I am sorry. I am so sorry,” Cobbins testi-

fied. “I deserve to be punished for what I did.”

Defense attorney Scott Green acknowledged to the jury that Cobbins was a “coward,” rapist and liar but argued that prosecutors “haven’t shown you he is a killer.”

Assistant District Attorney Takisha Fitzgerald told jurors that Cobbins changed his story several times and could have driven away or called police but didn’t “because he was part of it.”

Cobbins began the trial by pleading guilty to lesser counts of facilitating the kidnapping, stealing the SUV and raping Christian. He faces multiple sentences of eight to 12 years on those guilty pleas.

Some conservative Internet commentators and white supremacist agitators accused the national media of reverse discrimination by failing to give the case involving white victims and black suspects the same attention paid to white-on-black hate crimes.

Investigators said the attack wasn’t a hate crime, just a carjacking that went terribly wrong. Local media and The Associated Press have covered developments in the case since it began.

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

FOR RENT

HOUSE FOR RENT

ROOMMATES

CONDOS FOR SALE

Holston Hills Family seeking part-time morning child care for a toddler. Pay negotiable. Must have work experience and character references. Call (865)806-6467.

Sports minded students wanted for non paid internship with national sports management agency. All majors welcome. Please send resume and cover letter to a3interns@a3athletics.com

1BR, LR, kitchen, private parking and entrance.. Walking distance to campus. $400/mo.

Call (865)522-3325.

Eastowne Village Apts.

1 and 2BR vacancies. On site laundry, W/D connections, firplace units, pool, jacuzzi, workout room. 6 or 12 month lease. Move In Specials. Call 522-2120.

3BR house, 2.5BA. Walking distance to campus. 2103 Highland. Central H/A, W/D connection, private parking, dishwasher, living/ dining room. Pets allowed. Avail. now. $1300/mo.

(865)522-3325.

Female roommate wanted.

Grad student preferred.

New house in good subdivision. 3 min. from UT. $300/mo. Includes all utilities, cable TV, cable internet WiFi. Call after 5PM 566-3623.

CONDOS FOR SALE NEAR UT SullinsRidge #109/#208, CandyFactory #14, RiverTowne #309 plus all UT listings at www.RobertHolmesRealtor.

Robert Holmes, com.

RE/MAX Real Estate Ten Commercial, (423) 586-1770.

Household help, organization and cleaning. West Knoxville. 4 hours a week.

Flexible hours. $10/hr.

(865)691-2125.

Kids Place, Inc. is looking for enthusiastic, creative, hard working employees to work with children in our after-school programs in Knox Co. Schools. Many locations available.

Good pay & no weekends!!

If this is you or anyone you know- please call our main office at (865)933-7716 to schedule an appointment or pick up an application. You may also fax your resume to (865)933-9663.

Local catering company looking for on-call servers.

Shifts available weekdays or weekends. $8/hr. 522-5552. rbjonescaterer@aol.com.

Now hiring for after school childcare center in West Knoxville. PT positions available Tues. and Thurs. 2-6PM. Call Robert 454-1091.

Now hiring PT counter positions. Please contact Brian or Sherry at Crown Dry Cleaners. (865)584-7464.

PT CLIENT CO-ORDINATOR POSITIONS Where: Jenny Craig WLC/9307C Kingston Pike.

Duties: Greet & schedule weekly clients; answer phone; Ring up, pull, check, and bag client food orders; stock food room; Close register at end of day. Salary: $8/hr. Hours to cover: T & Th from 8:45 - 6:15; occ. Sat. from 7:45A -1:00 pm . Contact: Jo Vaccaro at (865)531-3353 or email resume tocvw8loss@yahoo.com, Start: ASAP

Telephone Surveys University of Tennessee.

Conduct telephone surveys to collect environmental and recreational data. Pay is $8 per hour. Work in a relaxed environment conducting telephone interviews with other college students.

Night and weekend shifts available. Call April at 974-6864 THE TOMATO HEAD KNOXVILLE Now hiring for dish, kitchen and food running. No experience necessary. Apply in person 12 Market Square or apply online at thetomatohead.com.

USA Security your authorized ADT dealer. Expanding territories. Full and part time positions.

Make $500-$1500/week. No experience necessary.

Call 924-8111 ask for Greg.

Yard work. Weeding, planting, digging and mowing, etc.

Saturdays AM, 4 hours. $10/hr. 588-8371.

UNFURN APTS 1 and 2BR Apts. UT area. $450-$550.

(865)522-5815.

Ask about our special.

KEYSTONE CREEK 2BR apartment. Approx 4 miles west of UT on Middlebrook Pike. $485. Call (865)522-5815. Ask about our special.

WEST TOWNE MANOR 1BR and 2BR apartments.

(865)584-6271.

FOR RENT $199 Move in special. Limited time only. Convenient to downtown, UT area. 2BR apartments available now.

(865)573-1000.

1.5 miles to school. 1BR $450/mo. Partial pay on utilities. 691-1970.

1BR, Gated Community.

Walking distance to campus.

No. pets. For more information call (865)789-3703.

2BR 2BA Condo. $750/mo.

30 min. from campus. Pool.

691-1970.

2BR condo. Cherokee at Westcliff. Pool, club house and tennis court. $800/mo.

West, close to campus.

(865)523-1198.

3BR 1BA apt. in larger house (will rent as 2BR at reduced price). C H/A, carpet, off street parking, W/D connections, updated kitchen. No pets.

1813 1/2 Forrest Ave. Price flexible. 389-6732.

3BR, 3BA townhouse The Woodlands. Private bath. $500/BR. We will cover the first month utilites bill.

(615)969-4797.

4th AND GILL Houses and apartments now available. Please call Tim at (865)599-2235.

5 min. walking to campus.

1BR apt. Swimming pool.

Free WiFi. 24/7 security. $448/mo.

Call (650)388-8992.

Apartments in Victorian house located on Forest Ave. Private parking, water included, one year lease. Deposit and references required. 1BR $400/mo. 2BR with private deck $700/mo.

1BR house with WD $550/mo. 3BR house on 16th St. WD. $1100/mo. Armstrong Properties 525-6914.

CAMBRIDGE ARMS Just 4 miles west of campus.

Small pets allowed. Pool and laundry rooms. 2BR at great price! Call (865)588-1087.

Cedar Ridge Apts.

1BR vacancies. Huge apts. close to campus. On site laundry and pool. 6 or 12 month lease. Move In Specials. Call 577-0680.

Downtown Living jfgflats.com 2 and 3BR. Why live in the Fort when you can live downtown? 971-3137.

Rent 1BR condo in secure building. 2 blocks off strip.

New carpet and paint. $600/mo.

Call Larry (865)604-3090.

HUNTINGTON PLACE UT students! Only 3 miles west of campus. We have eff. to 3BR. Hardwood floors. Central H/A. Pets allowed. Call (865)588-1087.

Ask about our special.

LUXURY 1BR CONDOS 3 min. walk to Law School. $480R, $300SD. No app. fee.

865 (4408-0006, 250-8136).

On Golf Course Condos for rent or sale. 2BR near UT, Downtown, and Pellissippi Parkway. $750/mo. Call Ginger Hall (865)755-5777.

West Gate Terrace Apts.

2BR vacancies. Newly renovated. Onside laundry and pool. 6 or 12 month lease.

Move in Specials. Call 584-9651.

HOUSE FOR RENT 2BR 1BA walk/ bike to UT/ Downtown. Stove, fridge, W/D included. Fenced yard, wood/ tile floors. $600/mo.

(865)776-8983.

2BR 1BA house. North Knox.

Stove, fridge, microwave, lawnmower included. $595 deposit, $595/mo. rent. Prefer graduate student. Outdoor pets only. 405-1110.

3BR, 2BA very close to campus. H/A, W/D, stove and refrigerator provided. Ideal for 2. Large lot with fence.

Pets welcomed. $700/mo.

(865)523-2615.

HGTV renovated. North Hills 5 room, 2BR, 2 levels. W/D, Grad students and professionals only. Available ASAP. zmoede@tmail.com.

UT Fort area. Walking distance campus. 2BR, 1BA, 1628 1/2 Forest Ave. No pets.

Lease. $620/mo.

(865)938-1922.

ROOMMATES Christian seeking female roommate. Beautiful lake view setting. 10 min. to UT. In area of upper priced homes. $275/mo. plus utilities. 556-8963.

Condo. West Knoxville. $450/mo. Utilities split. Furnished appliances, nice neighborhood, 15 min. to UT. nfanta@utk.edu (615)948-4045.

Roommate male or female.

In 4BR Apt. 5 min. walk to campus. $360/mo. plus electric. (615)400-2090.

Roommate male or female.

Alcoa area. $300/mo. plus cable. 983-7186.

FURNITURE

Roommate wanted to share 3BR house. Share utilities.

W/D, Air, great parking, storage, 10 min. to UT. Deposit and references. $340/mo. (423)283-9355 or (423)534-3741.

MATTRESS SALE Student discounts, layaway available. Twin size starting at $79.99, Full $109.99, Queen $139.99, also carry Futons. Call (865)560-0242.

Woodlands roommate wanted. Need 1 female roommate for 4BR/ 4BA. Privately owned condo, main rooms furnished with beautiful furniture. $489 plus utilities/ month. No pets PLEASE! Interested? Email kbeacham7@yahoo.com.

Diamond ring. .92 GH I-2.

Round, laser ID. Pretty ring, still in box. $1600. 983-7186.

MERCH. FOR SALE Good As New Appliances.

Reconditioned appliances as low as $75 with warranty, can deliver. 1726 East Magnolia Ave. (865)637-1060.

CONDOS FOR SALE $133,400 new condos.

8 miles from campus.

Visit www.cherrybrookvillas.com Dabney Hansard Realty Executives Associates (865)693-3232 (865)300-3668

AUTOS FOR SALE 100+ vehicles $5,995 or less. Specializing in imports. www.DOUGJUSTUS.com

Condo 4/2 upscale townhouse. Set up to rent with separate entry to lower level. $155,000. 206-3222.

Good car for school. ‘87 Mercedes 300-E. 4 door, silver, sunroof. $2800.

983-7186.

Looking for a campus condo visit www.knoxcondotours.com.

Dabney Hansard, Realty Executives Associates.

693-3232.

This space could be yours. Call 974-4931

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz Across 1 It’s found in chambers 5 Moves quickly 10 It was dropped in the ’60s 14 Just watch TV, say 15 Historic San Francisco theater, with “the” 16 Dame ___ Everage (Barry Humphries character) 17 Olympic boxing gold medalist of 1964 19 It may be down at the heel 20 For the nonce 21 Was in a no-win situation?

23 Under the table 24 King in “Jesus Christ Superstar” 25 Hero of Super Bowl III 27 Run out of gas, say 29 Tooth trouble 30 47th U.S. vice president 35 Cheri of “Scary Movie”

38 Abrasive soap brand 39 While away, as time 42 Trampled (on) 43 Wipe 45 Oscar winner of 1990 47 Pockets of dough?

50 Light hair color 51 Singer on day three of 1969’s Woodstock 54 Handy 59 Scand. land 60 “No, mein Herr” 61 Egyptian god with the head of a jackal 62 “’Tis a pity” 64 School cafeteria fare … and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 66 Commend, as for outstanding service 67 More sick, in dialect 68 Bibliophile’s suffix 69 Archie or Veronica 70 Winter Palace figures 71 Canine order Down

R A R E R

K I W I

I C E R

I R O N O N

R O C K F A F O B E R E D D

S L A W

H O R A T E I D O I N S A M A O R R T G Y

L U L L S

T A L K B A C K

E L A I N E

I G L O O S

O R E O

M A G N U R M E I D G O N P A L M R I O N N E

S T A M P S S T E L A

E X L P O O A T R H E L T I A C I N K T I E L D O

A B A N D O N S E M I L I O

2

3

4

5

14

6

17

9

10

18 22

25 27 31

32

52

62

41

45 48

49

54

55

64 67

68

70

71

1 Jewish leader?

13 Title before Sidious or Maul

O N I T

A G E S

6 Cartoonist Chast

A N D O R

O D E T S

10 1950s political inits.

4 “___ the races!”

5 Disney World transport 7 Nitrous ___ 8 Steering system component 9 Composed 11 Sound system staples 12 Indigenous Canadian

58

65

69

3 Paramount

56

61

66

R P O X D S

57

42

50

60 63

37

46

53

59

36

23

35 40

44 47

13

29 34

39

43

12

26

28

33

38

11

19 21

24

51

8

16

20

30

7

15

2 Roger who played the same role seven times

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE I M A M S

1

41 Wedding reception hirees 44 Neighbor of Slough 18 ___-wip 46 Like the 28-Down of 22 Steve Martin’s underage drinkers birthplace 48 Gets 100 on a test 25 Cherokee, for one 49 Learned things 26 Certain finish 51 Pass 28 Bouncers check 52 Half of Brangelina them, briefly 53 ___ Gay (W.W. II 30 Cheer for a matador bomber) 55 Some apples 31 Candy holder 56 W.W. II menace 32 Disappear 57 ___ College, north 33 Meat-and-potatoes of Albany, N.Y. 34 Three-time Keanu 58 Lamb piece Reeves character 61 Loan figs.

36 “Arabian Nights” 63 Committee bird member, maybe: 37 Uganda’s ___ Amin Abbr.

40 By 65 Word in a price

6 • The Daily Beacon

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

NATION&WORLD

N.Y. considers law to ban shackling inmates The Associated Press For nearly four hours before she gave birth, Venita Pinckney had a chain wrapped around her swollen abdomen. Her ankles were shackled together, and her hands were cuffed.

The 37-year-old was in a maximum-security prison for violating parole. An officer told her the use of restraints on pregnant inmates was “procedure.”

“I'm saying to myself, 'I feel like a pregnant animal,'” said Pinckney, who was taken from the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility to a hospital for the birth of her boy last year.

At state prisons around the country, jailed women are routinely shackled during childbirth, often by correctional staff without medical training, according to civil rights organizations and prisoner advocates. The practice has been condemned by the American College of Obstetricians and

Gynecologists for unnecessarily risking women's health, and court challenges are pending in several states.

Federal prisons and five states largely ban shackling pregnant women in prison.

Gov. David Paterson is expected to sign a law this week that would make New York the sixth state to do so.

“A woman giving birth to a child is hardly the first person that is going to be thinking of trying to escape or create any kind of problem,” the governor said last week.

Correction departments and unions have argued that any broad-stroke policy that bans shackling could put medical staff and correctional officers at risk.

“We certainly use a common-sense approach regarding shackling, whether it’s females or males,” said Donn Rowe, the president of the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, which represents 23,000 state employees. “A blanket policy ... doesn’t fit all cases with something of this nature when

you’re dealing with some possibly dangerThe use of restraints, she said, “dependous inmates.” ed on which correction officer was on duty.”

Erik Kriss, a spokesman for New York’s Trevor Lippman, an attorney with the Department of Correctional Services, said ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project, said the state law would put staff at risk, noting that his organization still hears of cases the inmates are even in states with written policies limiting felons. the use of restraints.

“They can coordiSeveral lawsuits challengnate on the outside ing the practice are pending e certainly to facilitate an throughout the country. escape. We have to be vigIn Washington, former ilant about those kinds of use a common-sense prison inmate Casandra things,” Kriss said.

Brawley sued in June saying It isn’t clear how many she was shackled by a metal approach regarding inmates nationwide are chain around her stomach affected by the practice. while being transported to The federal Bureau of and then fasshackling, whether it’s the hospital, Justice Statistics said 4 tened by a leg iron to percent of state inmates a hospital bed and 3 percent of federal through hours of females or males. inmates were pregnant in labor. It was only – Donn Rowe, 2008 when they were first because a physician president of New York incarcerated. Data weren’t objected to the State Correctional Officers & available to indicate how restraints during an emerPolice Benevolent Association many women delivered gency Cesarean section that babies in prison or were restrained while they were removed, the suit said. doing so.

The Washington Department of Malika Saada Saar, the executive direc- Corrections has a policy prohibits shackling tor of the Washington, D.C.-based Rebecca in such cases, but there is a “disconnect in Project for Human Rights, said her organi- state policy with the prison policy itself,” zation is researching state-by-state data. said Brawley’s attorney, Sara Ainsworth.

Kriss said 43 New York inmates gave birth The agency has said that it would investiin 2008, and that, according to the depart- gate Brawley’s claims. ment’s records, none of them were In Nashville, Tenn., a woman accused the “mechanically restrained.” county sheriff ’s office of improperly The bill awaiting Paterson’s signature restraining her before and right after giving would ban restraints on inmates giving birth to a son in July 2008. The sheriff later birth, except when needed to keep a woman agreed to stop restraining inmates, unless from injuring herself, medical staff or cor- they posed a danger. The woman, Juana rectional officers. In those cases, women Villegas, filed a federal lawsuit in March. would be cuffed on one wrist while being Four former Cook County, Ill., inmates taken from prison to the hospital. filed suit in June against the county sheriff ’s Similar laws exist in Texas, Illinois, department saying they were shackled to California, Vermont and New Mexico, their hospital beds during labor. according to the American Civil Liberties Pinckney, of New York City, gave birth to Union. Legislatures in Massachusetts and her son, Savion, in November while serving Tennessee are considering bans, too. a two- to four-year term for violating parole Advocates say the bans haven’t led to any on a 2001 drug conviction. She says she was escape attempts. kept in shackles during the entire trip from Tamar Kraft-Stolar, who works for the the prison to the hospital — until she was Correctional Association of New York, has placed in a hospital room where guards lobbied for a law banning shackling. She could oversee her. said her organization had helped interview “I think that’s just too much,” Pinckney 15 to 20 current or formerly jailed women said. “That’s too much to bear.” who said they were shackled during labor, Since being released from prison in delivery or recovery from childbirth in state December 2008, she has been living with prisons in 2008 and 2009. her son at a re-entry program in Queens.

“

W

”

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

NATION&WORLD

U.S. seeks crackdown on smuggling The Associated Press When rail cars idle on side tracks in Mexico to be loaded with legitimate cargo and shipped to the United States, drug smugglers scan for places to hide their own loot and if no good place is apparent, they make one.

Marijuana and cocaine can be concealed above rail car axles or behind false undercarriages made of plywood.

Bolder smugglers sometimes weld a false wall into a car or sabotage trains to stop them and quickly stow their contraband on board before the train moves on. Cars are then tagged with graffiti or other markings so the dealer in the U.S. can spot his delivery.

Drug smuggling by rail “is something that for years may have gone under the radar,” said Mayor Chad Foster of Eagle Pass, which is expected to become by next year the busiest rail crossing on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Creative smugglers, he added, “don’t miss a stroke.”

Thousands of pounds of drugs arrive in the U.S. by freight train every year.

Now the federal government says it’s time American rail companies cracked down on their Mexican business partners to keep the drugs from reaching the border.

Drugs shipped by rail still represent only a fraction of the drugs seized along the border. But the volume of illicit cargo is growing in some places.

Last year, customs officers in Nogales, Ariz., seized more than 650 pounds of marijuana on three different trains in just one week.

In the previous six months, they had seized about one-and-a-half tons of marijuana, compared with only 367 pounds the year before. In Calexico, Calif., a particularly problematic crossing, four-and-a-half tons were seized between 2001 and

“

2006.

Smugglers have “been very opportunistic, and they have very good intelligence,” said Scott Carns with Duos Technologies, a Florida company that has sold security systems to railroads and the government for use on the border.

Because American rail companies have an ownership stake in the two largest Mexican railroads, U.S. law enforcement is pressuring rail companies to crack down on smuggling.

If they do not comply, U.S. railroads risk massive fines. If the railroads improve security, trains could get quicker border inspections.

Earlier this year, the Justice Department sued Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific in three states to collect $37 million in fines for drug seizures made on its trains.

“Failure to comply with reasonable security measures leads to vulnerabilities that are simply unacceptable,” the agency’s acting commissioner, Jayson Ahern, said when the lawsuits were filed.

Armando Torres, a Mexican transportation consultant, said security by the railroads and Mexican law enforcement has been steadily improving since rail lines went private in 1997.

But drug smugglers still manage to move their shipments, and part of the problem is corruption, negligence or fear among rail workers, according to experts.

The U.S. gove r n m e n t ’s approach to the problem is illustrated by the case of U n i o n Pacific railroad and its Mexican p a r t n e r , Ferrocarril Mexicano, or Ferromex, the largest railroad in Mexico.

Union Pacific, the busiest railroad crossing the U.S.-Mexico border,

Union Pacific

cannot be expected to achieve what neither the American nor

Mexican governments

could accomplish, “and it should not be

punished,” the railroad said.

”

refused to pay the fines because it said it could not police rail cars before they enter the U.S. Court documents suggest that the government really wants Union Pacific to use its 26 percent stake in Ferromex to pressure that company to improve security.

Last year, the U.S. government offered to cut one penalty against Union Pacific to 10 percent of the original $4.1 million, in exchange for cooperation and a promise that it specifically address drug smuggling on its railcars crossing the border at Calexico.

The same day the government sued Union Pacific, Ferromex issued a statement outlining its security investments.

The government’s strategy appears to conform with its broader strategy of extending U.S.-style security measures south of the Rio Grande.

After the government sued, Union Pacific said it had “urged Ferromex to take action, but it views the Mexican military as having primary responsibility for drug interdiction in Mexico.”

Union Pacific cannot be expected to achieve what neither the American nor Mexican governments could accomplish, “and it should not be punished,” the railroad said.

Ferromex says it spent more than $15 million in 2008 on security measures, including fencing in rail yards, installing surveillance cameras and hiring drug-sniffing dog teams.

Ferromex spokeswoman Leonor Torres Duenas wrote in an e-mail that the company would take the same measures with or without U.S. pressure.

“Security is a constant concern for Ferromex, and we work to improve it because of the consequences it represents for our costs and the service we provide our clients, not for external pressures,” Torres wrote.

Union Pacific says it has cooperated with Customs and Border Protection by donating border inspection buildings to the agency and providing K-9 training for government inspectors among other things.

Julian Bianchi, head of security services in Latin America for risk consultant Kroll Inc., said even the best security programs can be thwarted by “a person who can be influenced, bribed or threatened.”

The Daily Beacon • 7

US missile strike kills Taliban leader in Pakistan Associated Press DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) — After weeks of denials, two Pakistani Taliban commanders acknowledged Tuesday that the group's top leader, Baitullah Mehsud, was dead — claiming he died 18 days after a U.S. missile strike and disputing reports that the al-Qaida linked movement he left behind was falling apart.

Pakistani officials have said the Taliban were in disarray after Mehsud was killed in a CIA missile strike earlier this month and that his would-be successors were locked in a bitter power struggle. Some unconfirmed reports said two contenders — Hakimullah Mehsud and Waliur Rehman — had been killed in a shootout during a meeting to choose an heir.

Mehsud's death is a victory for the U.S. and Pakistan.

Pakistan considered him its No. 1 internal threat because of the numerous attacks he staged on its soil, while the Americans saw him as an unacceptable danger to the stability of a nuclear-armed ally and to the war effort in neighboring Afghanistan.

In a joint phone call to The Associated Press, Rehman and Hakimullah Mehsud confirmed an earlier Taliban announcement that the latter was the new Pakistani Taliban chief.

Hakimullah Mehsud, 28, is considered a hotheaded, ruthless militant who might have problems keeping the Taliban unified, but Tuesday's call signals he's solidly in charge for now.

U.S. and Pakistani officials have said they are near-certain that the Aug. 5 missile strike in South Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan, immediately felled Baitullah Mehsud. The militants insisted for weeks that the 30-something militant leader was alive, but never offered proof.

That fueled speculation the movement's commanders were

trying to shore up morale as they tried to decide who would succeed Mehsud. On Tuesday, however, Rehman and Hakimullah Mehsud said they were calling together to dispel any reports of disunity. They handed the telephone back and forth to each other at an undisclosed location.

Baitullah Mehsud "got the wounds in a drone strike, and he was martyred two days ago," Hakimullah Mehsud said, a claim Rehman later repeated.

"Our presence together shows that we do not have any differences," Rehman told the AP reporter, who has interviewed both men in the past and is familiar with their voices.

The two said Rehman would head the movement's wing in South Waziristan tribal region.

Pakistan considered Baitullah Mehsud its main internal threat, and his death was a significant blow to the militancy. Unlike other Taliban militants who focused on Afghanistan, Mehsud targeted the Pakistani state. He and his network were suspected in dozens of suicide attacks, including the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

His death was also a boost for U.S. efforts to take out militants in Pakistan's wild northwest, where al-Qaida leaders including Osama bin Laden are suspected to be hiding out and where Taliban from both sides of the border are believed to have plotted attacks on U.S. and Afghan forces in Afghanistan.

Mahmood Shah, a former security chief for Pakistan's tribal regions dismissed the militants' claim Baitullah Mehsud had only recently succumbed to his wounds, saying he had very likely been dead all along.

"This is just a public relations exercise to satisfy themselves," he said.

But he said it appeared Hakimullah Mehsud, known to be a temperamental type, had won any infighting over succession.

8 • The Daily Beacon

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

ENTERTAINMENT

School of Music brings concerts to students Jake Lane Production Designer As another year begins at the University of Tennessee, any number of annual events reboot across campus.

One of the more distinguished among these is the UT School of Music’s guest appearance concerts.

A standard practice for a number of years, the UT School of Music hosts students, faculty and guests from around the world to put on special, intimate performances, mostly free of c h a r g e .

“Last year we put on over 180 shows free of charge,” said Donna Hundley, a

publicist in the School of Music. “Some special events have a charge. Our opera shows have a fee, and there are events like Jazz for Tots that are fundraisers.”

The majority of events are centered on performers from the School of Music, from junior and senior recitals to master’s compositions, students can be heard rehearsing any given day in the music building. From vocal solos to jazz ensembles, no shortage of variety or high caliber is to be heard from inside Music Hall Auditorium.

“The performances are always high quality,” Hundley said. “These are their masterpieces, the culmination of years of work.”

As far as faculty is concerned,

Hundley referred to all instructors as “world-class musicians.” This quality of talent gives them not only the ability to play abroad but also to draw a plethora of foreign performers to the university.

In the past there has been a TurkishIslamic dance troupe and one man from the Netherlands who mixed rap and classical music into an avant-garde gumbo.

When asked how the faculty is able to bring in these performers, viola professor Hillary Herndon said, “That’s the great thing about having a such a diverse staff. Our professors go all over the country in the summer. Some people who come are people they went to school with or just happen to have

met.”

When they aren’t further honing or passing on their skills, the faculty also gives free performances to the public.

One of their special programs are the tri-annual installments of the Faculty Chamber Music Series. These events revolve around a themed performance by three or more members of the School of Music’s faculty.

“They perform quite often solo, but it’s a treat to get three or more together,” Herndon said.

Chamber players are given a theme, and sometimes perform prescribed pieces but generally pick their own selection that ties in with the appropriate motif. Last year’s theme was “Time

to Travel,” and included themes such as “Far Away Places,” “Animals of the World,” and “Returning Home.” The first of this year’s Music of the Ages series, “An Age of Elegance,” will unveil Sept. 13.

Upcoming features include guest pianist Willis Deloney, University of Arizona viola professor Nancy Buck for a piano and viola demonstration and jazz-fusion act Mercury Trio. Though not adherent to any particular schedule of regularity, these shows occur quite frequently. For an up-to-date schedule of performances, visit http://www.music.utk.edu/events or call the School of Music Concertline at 974-5678.

Painter hopes to share beauty of UT Gardens Ben Whiteside Staff Writer When one becomes immersed in the bustle of campus life, sometimes it may be easy

to forget that the University of Tennessee doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

UT has contributed in a major way to the growth and culture of Knoxville and is looked upon as a source of pride by those living in proximity: drama lovers visit the Clarence Brown Theatre, athletes use the campus facilities, organizations convene in the ballrooms, and local artists — well, what do they do?

Diane Hamilton, a local pastel painter, finds inspiration and subject matter in the famed UT Gardens, which are located on the west edge of campus. Her exhibit “UT Gardens: A Knoxville Treasure,” a collection of eight pieces that either deal with the gardens directly as a subject or find inspiration in them, is on display at the Hanson Gallery in Bearden.

“The University Gardens are one of Knoxville’s finest treasures,” Hamilton said.

“Painting there is always a pleasure for me. As I stroll

through the garden, I notice my favorites — the large marble heart, the herb garden, and, of course, all the brightly colored flowers.”

Those flowers are the subject of several of her pieces, including “A Stroll Through the Garden” and sister paintings “Perennial Garden” and “Gazebo In the Garden.” The latter two, while the smallest of the eight pieces, are some of the most pleasing because of their astute sensitivity to the smaller details and interesting, threedimensional sense of perspective.

“A Stroll Through the Garden,” however, is easily Hamilton’s weakest effort. With no depth of field, the painting looks nearly flat and lifeless, while the limited color palette and precious title do little to encourage viewers to engage their mind in anything beyond a superficial manner. Hamilton usually succeeds in transcending the simple subject matter of her paintings, but, in “Stroll,” she makes the mistake of embracing banality.

Sister paintings “Garden Sunset” and “Last Light” are a good example of Hamilton’s ability to instill her landscape paintings with a sense of poignancy: “Garden Sunset” looks very much like it sounds, a dimly lit vantage with brilliant colors bursting from beyond the mountains.

“Last Light” is a vivid depiction of that final, fleeting moment before all light completely disappears and night begins. While they are beautiful images in and of themselves, the sensitivity and thoughtfulness with which she paints them lends the pieces a formidable amount of emotional weight.

“It is an intuitive process for me, the less thought the better,” Hamilton said. “The immediacy of mark-making combined with the use of vibrant colors makes painting, for me, an act of living in the present moment and appreciating the beauty that surrounds us.” Sounds a bit like Monet and the impressionists, no?

Hamilton’s best piece, “Cherokee Sunset,” employs these tactics to radiant results. The vivid colors in extreme juxtaposition — blues, reds, purples, yellows and more — and the sweeping, occasionally swirling brushstrokes echo old landscape masters such as J.M.W. Turner or even Monet himself.

“My garden paintings celebrate the beauty of nature,” Hamilton said. “It is my hope that, through the paintings, I can share the happiness I feel in that moment with others.”

“UT Gardens: A Knoxville Treasure” will display in the Hanson Gallery in Bearden until Aug. 31.

Exclusive back-to-school savings for University of Tennessee-Knoxville students.

5% MONTHLY DISCOUNT ON QUALIFIED CHARGES PLUS 100 FREE TEXTS.

> Bring this ad and your student ID to an AT&T store and mention FAN #2719485 for offer or visit: att.com/wireless/utstudents.

PANTECH MATRIX PRO™ PANTECH MATRIX™

AT&T STORE: 3001 Knoxville Center Dr., Knoxville, TN 37924 *AT&T imposes: a Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge of up to $1.25 to help defray costs incurred in complying with obligations and charges imposed by State and Federal telecom regulations; State and Federal Universal Service charges; and surcharges for government assessments on AT&T. These fees are not taxes or government-required charges. $36 per line Sponsorship Fee may apply when enrolling your account to take advantage of corporate discounts.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Limited-time offer. May require a 2-year agreement on a qualified plan. Other conditions & restrictions apply. See contract & rate plan brochure for details. Subscriber must live & have a mailing addr. within AT&T’s owned wireless network coverage area. Equipment price & avail may vary by mrk & may not be available from independent retailers. Purchase of additional equipment, services, or features may be required. Not all features available on all devices or in all areas. Early Termination Fee: None if cancelled in the first 30 days, but up to $35 restocking fee may apply to equipment returns; thereafter up to $175. Some agents impose add’l fees. Unlimited voice services: Unltd voice svcs are provided solely for live dialog between two individuals. No additional discounts are available with unlimited plan. Offnet Usage: If your voice or messaging service usage (including unltd svcs) during any two consecutive months or data service usage (including unltd svcs) during any month on other carriers’ networks (“offnet usage”) exceed your offnet usage allowance, AT&T may at its option terminate your svc, deny your contd use of other carriers’ coverage, or change your plan to one imposing usage charges for offnet usage. Your offnet usage allowance is equal to the lesser of 750 mins or 40% of the Anytime mins, the lesser of 24 MB or 20% of the MB incl’d with your plan, or the lesser of 3,000 messages or 50% of the messages included with your plan. AT&T will provide notice that it intends to take any of the above actions, and you may terminate the agreement. Monthly discount: Available to qualified employees of companies and/or government agencies and qualified students and employees of colleges/universities with a qualified business agreement (“Business Agreement”). Service discount subject to corresponding Business Agreement and may be interrupted and/or discontinued without notice to you. Service discount applies only to the monthly service charge of qualified plans and not to any other charges. A minimum number of employees, minimum monthly service charge for qualified plans, additional AT&T services, or other requirements may apply for discount eligibility. Discounts may not be combined. Offer subject to change. Additional conditions and restrictions apply. If you have a question about available discounts and/or your eligibility, you can contact your company’s telecommunications manager. Excludes iPhoneTM plans. ©2009 Pantech, Pantech Matrix, and Pantech Matrix Pro are registered trademarks of Pantech Wireless, Inc. All rights reserved. Screen images simulated. Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. ©2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. Service provided by AT&T Mobility. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo, and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Cowboys’ projection screen sparks questions, concerns

The Daily Beacon • 9

SPORTS

Defensive end impresses Kiffin

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

The punter who will be kicking more in the new Cowboys Stadium than anyone else isn’t bothered by the huge video display boards looming over the middle of the field.

“Our game plan is to kick to the sidelines. So, for myself, it’s not in my mind,” Cowboys punter Mat McBriar said Monday. “I know it’s there, obviously. But it’s not something that catches my eye as much as guys who are kicking straight down the field.”

The 60-yard-long high-definition screens, one facing each sideline, are only 90 feet above the field and can become easy targets.

“We’ve worked closely with the league establishing the height of the video board,” Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said. “We believe in a competitive game situation the height of the board will not be a factor.”

McBriar said there is no reason to make any changes or raise the video boards because one punt in one game hit them.

Tennessee rookie A.J. Trapasso punted a ball into the screens in the third quarter of the stadium’s first NFL game Friday night, forcing a do-over once the officials realized what happened. That punt didn’t count, but there were 12 punts — six by each team — that weren’t affected by the screens.

Trapasso and Titans veteran punter Craig Hentrich both punted several balls into the video boards during pregame warmups.

McBriar, a 2006 Pro Bowler, said he could boot punts into the video boards “probably 50 percent of the time” if that was what he was trying to do.

Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher, the co-chair of the NFL’s competition committee, said the height of the boards “is an issue.” The NFL has said it will monitor the situation.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has said he’s comfortable with the boards, wasn’t available for comment Monday when the team returned to practice at Valley Ranch.

Stephen Jones, the owner’s son and team vice president, talked to reporters in the hallway after practice about several subjects but declined to answer questions about the video boards.

Among the things Stephen Jones did address were contract negotiations with Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who led the NFL with 20 sacks last season. Jones said the Cowboys remained hopeful of getting a new deal done, though there have been no discussions with Ware or his agent since training camp opened last month after both sides exchanged several proposals.

Coach Wade Phillips believes the massive video boards could provide an edge for his team’s kick returners as they get used to the nearly $1.2 billion stadium.

“It might even be an advantage for us to work in there enough to where we have a feel for where the ball is and seeing it with the screen up there and all those things,” Phillips said.

Cowboys returner Patrick Crayton muffed his first punt return in the new stadium Friday night. He refused to blame that on the screens, though acknowledged he needed to adjust to them.

“It’s a little different because the lights are at different angles, too,” Crayton said. “You’ve just got to kind of watch the ball the whole time, because it will almost like it’s going to hit every time.”

Daniels said work done on the video boards over the weekend was the installation of equipment to lower them even closer to the stadium floor to maximize their use for other events. When the boards are raised to accommodate the stage for a U2 concert Oct. 12, they will be disconnected and inoperable.

“Following U2, the boards will return to the standard height of 90 feet above the playing field,” Daniels said.

Tennessee defensive end Gerald Williams has worked his way up from the bottom of the Volunteers’ depth chart to a starting position.

It’s exactly the kind of effort coach Lane Kiffin has been looking for from his new players.

“I love the story of Gerald,” Kiffin said.

“Probably not a lot of people may have had hope for him. He didn’t give up. He worked hard, and he’s starting for us right now.”

The 6-foot-4, 248-pound junior from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., earned the respect of his coaches by playing well consistently through fall camp. Kiffin moved Williams to the firstteam defensive line after he found him to be unblockable as a backup.

Williams has shown a knack for batting down passes at the line of scrimmage and pressuring the Vols quarterbacks. He made significant plays at the line every day during practice for nearly a week after earning his starting assignment.

Williams said he was confident he had a shot at winning the job even as he found his name listed with the third-string team.

“I just wanted to continue pressing on and working harder,” he said. “As we all know, it’s a competition.

We’re all pushing each other back and forth and working hard at it that way.”

Williams didn’t plan on playing on the defensive line. He was recruited in 2005 as a linebacker and spent two seasons at junior colleges racking up tackles as he worked through eligibility issues.

Defensive tackle Dan Williams — no relation to Gerald — laughs when mentioning the accolades his fellow lineman earned as a linebacker.

“I’ve always known Gerald has this in him,” Dan Williams said. “Gerald has always had a knack for the ball. In juco, he had 150 tackles as a middle linebacker, so he knows how to get to the ball. He has a nose for the ball, and he knows how to make plays.”

The former Tennessee coaching staff moved him last year to the defensive line, which was suffering from a serious lack of depth, with the promise he could move back to linebacker in the spring.

Kiffin’s staff instead chose

to keep him at the line.

Williams acknowledged that he had a lot on his mind when he thought he was going back to linebacker. He split his mental efforts between the two positions without giving either enough effort.

“It was pretty tough, but it was the best move for the team, for me,” Williams said. “I’m going to keep going hard every time. It was the best move for the team, and I’m going to adjust to it now.”

Offensive tackle Aaron Douglas has noticed the adjustment after lining up across from Williams a few times.

“He’s doing a great job,” he said. “He’s making me better every day.”

Titans welcome back injury-plagued players to preseason practice The Associated Press Several Tennessee Titans players who have missed time with injuries are practicing again.

Linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who has been out with knee tendinitis, did individual work, and safety Nick Schommer returned Sunday after missing time with a hamstring injury.

Also, nickelback Vincent Fuller increased his workload to include some team drills. He is recovering from a groin injury.

Receiver Mark Jones fielded punts but did little else as he makes his way back from a hamstring problem.

10 • The Daily Beacon

Recycle Your Beacon

THESPORTSPAGE

Brown waits on NCAA ruling David Wells Staff Writer With a week and a half until the season opener against Western Kentucky, freshman Bryce Brown’s

status is still up in the air.

The running back’s eligibility has come into question in recent weeks over his affiliation with his adviser Brian Butler, who may have raised money for him during his sophomore year of high school.

Head coach Lane Kiffin said that Brown’s eligibility status diverts focus from the freshman’s work on the field.

“I think it’s a gigantic distraction,” Kiffin said last week after practice. “I think it’s very unfortunate.”

Last week, the NCAA handed down its initial ruling, which the team is appealing. Various reports said Brown would be suspended for one or two games.

NCAA regulation states that a player intending to play in college or who currently is playing in college may not have a sports agent. Butler has claimed that he did not function as an agent.

Senior tailback Montario Hardesty said it was important for Brown to stay focused on football during the process.

“I went and talked to (Brown) about it one time when it first happened just to make sure that his head was in the right place,” Hardesty said. “All he can do right now is come out and work. And I think he is handling it well.”

Rivals.com named Brown the No. 1 running back recruit in the country last year. He committed orally to Miami before Lane Kiffin was hired as head coach. He later switched his commitment to Tennessee, announcing his intentions to sign with UT in a press conference

on March 16, more than a month after National Signing Day. Since arriving in Knoxville, his talent has impressed the coaching staff.

“He’s physical,” Recruiting Coordinator Ed Orgeron said. “He’s a big back with speed. He reminds me of LenDale White over at USC.” Orgeron said Brown is faster than the Tennessee Titans running back.

Hardesty said that, while Brown’s loss will hurt the Vols’ depth for a couple of games, neither he nor the other running backs feel any additional pressure.

“I’m not sure if it’s any added pressure for us,” Hardesty said. “We’re not even thinking about that.

That will work itself out.”

Throughout the NCAA investigation, Brown has not seen fewer repetitions and has been limited only by a minor hip injury. At Saturday’s scrimmage, he rotated in regularly during the second half and was still practicing with the team on Monday.

After the second scrimmage, Kiffin commended Brown’s efforts to get better at his position. “(Brown) has really studied a lot, has really studied his playbook,” Kiffin said. “He’s making very little mental errors.”

With everything that has gone on, sophomore Tauren Poole said the team has a responsibility to Brown.

“As a running back, you do have to protect your team,” Poole said. “We just got to step up as upperclassmen and encourage him everyday just to put it behind him.”

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Crompton beats out Stephens, wins starting job at quarterback

Katie Hogin • The Daily Beacon

Senior quarterback Jonathan Crompton waits for the snap during practice Tuesday afternoon.

Staff Reports UT head coach Lane Kiffin tabbed senior Jonathan Crompton as the Vols’ starting quarterback for the 2009 season following Monday’s practice. Crompton and junior Nick Stephens battled on the practice field all offseason for the starting job, and Kiffin said the competition was a close one.

“It really came down to Jonathan was a little bit more accurate,” Kiffin said after Monday’s practice. “Both guys made a number of plays during camp, both protected the ball very well with very low interception numbers, (and) very good numbers in general in all preseason games combined.”

Kiffin said, despite Crompton taking the starting position, Stephens had an impressive offseason.

“It’s weird to say it, but if you listed the five most improved players from spring, Nick would be one of them, even though he didn’t win the starting job,” Kiffin said.

Kiffin admitted he felt safe with the Vols’ No. 2 option at quarterback.

“If something were to happen to Jonathan, I feel very confident that Nick would come in and do a great job for us,” Kiffin said. “I think we’ve got two really good quarterbacks.”

New Receiver In light of receiver Gerald Jones being sidelined for three to six weeks with a high ankle sprain, Kiffin announced moving redshirt freshman Rod Wilks over to receiver in order to boost the depth in the receiving corps. Wilks previously practiced as a defensive back in the secondary.

“There’s no free agency to go to or trades, so we made a deal with the defense and went to Rod Wilks,” Kiffin said after practice. “We made a deal with the defense and brought him over.”

Center of Focus Kiffin said senior center Josh McNeil missed practice to treat a knee injury suffered last week. McNeil’s injury could give way to fellow senior and former walk-on Cody Sullins, who may step into the starting lineup.

“We’ll see how Josh comes back from his injury and then make a decision,” Kiffin said. “Hopefully we’ll have good news, and (Josh) will be able to play for us.”

UT will hit the practice field again Wednesday afternoon at Haslam Field.