Friday, October 26, 2012
Issue 44, Volume 121
Trading orange for pink
David Cobb Assistant News Editor At a dinner with student leaders Tuesday, Vice Chancellor for Student Life Timothy Rogers affirmed Greek life by reminding students that UT’s fraternities and sororities raised nearly $500,000 last year through philanthropic work. The Zeta chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha contributes to that figure through the funds it raises in the fight against breast cancer. In combating a disease that killed an estimated 39,520 American women in 2011, the women of ZTA also donate something else — their time. Yaz Ahmed, junior in political science, serves as the philanthropy chair for UT’s ZTA chapter. “Particularly during the month of October, for my chapter, what we do is a series of events that are sponsored by
my chapter and co-sponsored by another organization, and we do ‘Race for The Cure,’” Ahmed said. “So that’s our month of October.” Each of ZTA’s 160-member chapters will volunteer for at least eight hours at various events throughout the month, culminating with Knoxville’s rendition of the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure on Saturday morning at World’s Fair Park. “I’ve never been in a group of women so passionate about wanting to give back, and wanting to raise awareness and kind of say, ‘Hey we’re a safe place, we’re here for you, and we want you to be a survivor from day one,’” Ahmed said. That passion has been on display each Friday on Pedestrian Walkway during the month in an effort to “keep the campus pink.” In that effort, ZTA sisters hand out ribbons and cards to remind women to perform regular self-examinations.
“It’s a private way of reminding you on a piece of paper that has stickers on it for you to put (it) on your agenda, or on your calendar, because we’re all about early detection and being properly informed,” Ahmed said. The awareness effort has expanded to include the fraternity ranks as well, with Sigma Phi Epsilon assisting with the handouts on the Walkway. “They (Sigma Phi Epsilon) have put aside any predispositions about handing out reminder cards about, well, pretty much feeling yourself up,” Ahmed said. Blake Hollis, junior in mechanical engineering and president of Sig Ep, said that breast cancer is an issue that actively affects the families of many of his fraternity brothers. “Breast cancer really affects everyone, I’m sure you know people who have had it in the past. As a chapter, all of us are helping the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation.” The Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation is a
national organization for breast cancer awareness and education, meaning that ZTA chapters at campuses across the country are fighting the disease in similar ways to those of UT’s chapter. “The Zeta Tau Alpha foundation is really one of the best foundations I’ve seen that actually gets the awareness out there in ways that people remember,” Hollis said. For Ahmed, it’s a fight that hits home. Her grandmother passed away due to breast cancer, and her aunt struggled with it as well. “October is very emotionally charged for us, because all of us have the same goal,” Ahmed said. “We’re all on the same page about what we do, and it’s thinking pink and raising awareness in Knoxville. And the cool thing about it is that if you were to step out of Knoxville and go to Athens, Baton Rouge, or Starkville, it is the same for every Zeta Tau Alpha chapter.”
Friday, October 26, 2012
2 • THE DAILY BEACON
News Editor RJ Vogt
CAMPUS NEWS
rvogt@utk.edu
Assistant News Editor David Cobb
dcobb3@utk.edu
Zombies help Clinic Historian to lecture Vols, Red Cross on Virgin Mary “Anything that helps to get me in the Halloween spirit while benefiting a worthy cause is worth my time,” said Katrina Roberts, Zombies will be taking over Pedestrian undecided freshman. The Clinic Vols are a student organization Walkway tonight at 6 p.m., for a good cause. The Clinic Vols are holding their annual that helps to staff clinics for over ten elemen“Clinic Vols Friday Night 5K” event to raise tary schools in the area. Miller told the story money for the Red Cross. The 5K is open to of how this event came to be at UT. “The Friday Night 5K started as a way to any and all people interested. Registration for students, which includes a T-shirt, is only $18. fund our clinics in 2010,” Miller said. The event is intended to draw the Knoxville This is the third appearance of the “Clinic and UT communities closer while also helping Vols Friday Night 5K” on campus. “The past two years have not had a theme, out a cause. The Clinic Vols staff members undergo training at so we decided to the Red Cross, switch it up a litinvolving a three to tle this year,” four hour session said Caitlin that includes the Miller, the basic first aid that organizer of this may become necesyear’s event. sary at the many This year’s clinics they serve. changes are According to the intended to creClinic Vols website, ate a larger parthe mission of the ticipation on organization aims campus. The “to let Knoxville addition of zomknow we really care bies as a theme about our communiis expected to ty and want to progenerate more mote public health.” involvement Getting students among the stuinvolved in the comdent population. • Photo courtesy of Clinic Vols munity is one of the The rise in the appreciation of Clinic Vols is hosting a “Zombie Run” theme main ways they their zombies with for their annual Friday Night 5K on the accomplish TV shows such Pedestrian Walkway. For more information goal. Each Clinic Vol must dedicate at as “The Walking visit zombierun2012.edgereg.com least one hour per Dead” and other popular shows has helped this to become more week to working at one of the numerous elementary school clinics. than a cult classic type of interest. Information about becoming a Clinic Vol “Just come dressed as your best zombie to can be found by visiting the organization’s celebrate the Halloween season,” Miller said, welcoming participants of all experience levels website at clinicvols.org. All participants should either register and ages to the event. Students are excited about the chance to online at zombierun2012.edgereg.com or at dress up, especially with the upcoming holi- the on-site registration table, which opens at 4:30 p.m. day.
Cody Woodside
Graham Gibson
Contributor
Contributor On Friday, a lecture on the Virgin Mary will be held at 4:00 p.m. in the Lindsay Young Auditorium in Hodges Library. Historian Amy Remensnyder of Brown University will deliver a lecture entitled “La Conquistadora: A Tale of Two Seas, The Virgin Mary, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Indians,” which will examine the role of the Virgin Mary as an icon of military conquest and spiritual conversion during the early periods in ways that shaped — and continue to shape — religious, political and ethnic identities on both sides of the Atlantic. Dr. Remensnyder’s lecture will be the ninth annual Riggsby Lecture and sponsored by UT’s Marco Institute for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. The lecture will last approximately one hour and will include a short question and answer session. The event is free and open to the public, and a reception will follow in the library galleria. Dr. Jay Rubenstein, professor in history and medieval historian, thinks very highly of Remensnyder, who is a specialist in medieval history and culture with an expertise in areas regarding the Iberian Peninsula and Muslim and Christian relations. “Dr. Remensnyder is a highly respected scholar, and a highly creative one, too,” Rubenstein said. “Her current research builds bridges between the medieval and modern world,
• Photo courtesy of Paula Lerner
Amy Remensnyder, professor of history at Brown University, will lecture about how the Virgin Mary shaped the identities on both sides of the Atlantic on Friday, Oct. 26. and it addresses questions of religion and warfare that are of fundamental importance in the current political climate.” He believes the lecture will not only be interesting and engaging, but also that the topic is one of importance. “There is no more important topic today than trying to understand the ways in which different religions and peoples interact with one another, and we as human beings have no more important duty than to try to understand these processes of cultural engagement,” Rubenstein said. “The problems at the heart of Dr. Remensnyder’s talk are the problems at the heart of the most difficult issues we face today.”
Rubenstein also believes students and other attendees will learn much from this lecture, saying that they “will learn to see the Virgin Mary, colonialism and the discovery of the New World in an entirely new light. They will also learn about (how) imagination, dreams and storytelling are shaping historical events.” Dr. Heather Hirschfeld, associate professor of English and Riggsby Director for the Marco Institute, agrees with Rubenstein in thinking the lecture will be an eye-opening one. “The exciting thing about Dr. Remensnyder is the way in which she casts her work on the early periods as relevant to contemporary concerns about religious and racial identity,” Hirschfeld said. “I would expect students to emerge with a fresh understanding of the use of the figure of the Virgin Mary several centuries ago which helps us make sense of our own investments in religious iconography today.” Stuart Riggsby, former dean of UT’s College of Arts and Sciences, and his wife, Kate, endowed the Riggsby Lecture series in support of the Marco Institute and in honor of their special interest in the medieval Mediterranean. Every fall, the Riggsby Lecture brings a prestigious scholar of the medieval Mediterranean to speak on campus. Recent lectures have featured experts on Spanish archives, Muslim-Christian relations and the cultural and economic exchange of luxury goods in the Mediterranean.
Friday, October 26, 2012
THE DAILY BEACON • 3 News Editor RJ Vogt
CAMPUS NEWS
rvogt@utk.edu
Assistant News Editor David Cobb
dcobb3@utk.edu
Crime Log October 20 3:33 a.m. While at Phillip Fulmer Way and Cumberland Avenue, an officer observed a black Oldsmobile with occupants appearing to match the descriptions of attempted armed-robbery suspects from October 19. He observed the vehicle commit a traffic violation and affected a traffic stop. The driver was arrested for Driving on a Suspended Driver License, Simple Possession of Schedule IV, Simple Possession of Schedule VI, and for outstanding warrants. A passenger was arrested for outstanding warrants. 3:39 a.m. An officer was dispatched to Sigma Chi fraternity house in reference to an active fire alarm. There were no signs of fire or fire damage. 4:00 a.m. While assisting a UTPD officer with a traffic stop at Phillip Fulmer Way and Cumberland Avenue, an officer came into contact with a male subject. Upon making contact with the subject, the officer detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage about his breath and person. The subject’s eyes were bloodshot and he spoke with mumbled, slurred speech. The subject was arrested and taken into custody for public intoxication. 4:10 p.m. An officer assisted the Collegiate Licensing Enforcement Department with a confiscation on the corner of James Agee and White Avenue. 4:35 p.m. An officer assisted the Collegiate Licensing Enforcement Department with a confiscation on Cumberland Avenue in front of the Krystal’s parking lot. The male subject was selling two types of T-shirts using the Tennessee Vol name and logo. The subject was told he could be selling merchandise using a registered trademark by the University of Tennessee. Mr. Crocker was reluctant and was very argumentative with the licensing staff about turning
his merchandise over. He was told several times by this officer that his merchandise was being confiscated and if it was necessary a citation would be issued to him. The subject became louder as a crowd grew around his table. The officer advised him that he needed to calm down because his items were being confiscated. When he saw that his tactics to draw attention were not working any longer he began to say comply. He started ripping his signs off his table and throwing everything into boxes. Once Mr. Crocker calmed down, the officer explained to him that if he wanted to go to court and present his evidence of why his product was not related to UT then he could be given the citation so he could appear in court. Mr. Crocker stated he did not want to go to court and he would not be selling his shirts in Knoxville again. The merchandise was confiscated, and Mr. Crocker was given information to contact UT Licensing Department. 8:58 p.m. An officer was notified by KFD paramedics concerning a possibly intoxicated person at the Sigma Chi fraternity house. He made contact with the suspect, and the suspect was arrested. 9:10 p.m. While working at Neyland Stadium near Gate 21, an officer made contact with two complainants. Both complainants had been involved in a disturbance located inside the stadium at Sec Z-11, seats 16 and 17. Officers, due to an altercation, had removed both subjects from their seats. The officer spoke with Complainant A inside the first aid station at Gate 21. A medic was treating him for a small laceration above his left eye. He stated he was sitting in his seat while a person in front of him complained of Complainant A’s knees hitting his back. Complainant A stated he explained the limited space between the rows of seats to this person. Complainant A stated that shortly after his explanation he was punched in the face, receiving the injury to his left eye. He stated he did not hit this person back during the altercation.
Around Rocky Top
While gathering information from Complainant A, the officer noticed the odor of alcohol coming from his person. He had also admitted to drinking alcohol prior to the game. He stated he was interested in charges against the person that had hit him. The officer explained to Complainant A that due to the altercation taking place outside an officer’s presence, he would be responsible for pursuing charges himself. However, due to drinking prior to the game, he was advised to wait until a later date to do so. The officer also spoke with Complainant B standing outside the first aid station. He stated he was sitting in front of Complainant A during the game. Complaint B stated the person seated directly behind him was continuously kneeing him in the back. He stated when confronting the person behind him, it was a female sitting with Complainant A. He stated that Complainant A had changed seats with the female after he complained to her about her knees. Complainant B stated after Complainant A had sat down, he thrust his knees hard into his back, knocking him from his seat. He stated that he stood up and punched Complainant A in the face with a closed fist. Complainant B stated that he took no further action after hitting Complainant A. 9:32 p.m. An officer was dispatched to a report of a stolen purse at the lower concourse of Section G. The suspect, an 18-year-old female, was found in possession of the stolen property and placed under arrest for theft. 10:15 p.m. An officer made contact with a colleague who stated that an intoxicated individual had stumbled into him. The subject was placed under arrest for public intoxication. October 21 1:35 a.m. Two officers were walking through the common areas of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity
Staff Writer Every week, students passionate about writing have the opportunity to work on their writing skills by participating in UT’s Creative Writing Workshop Club. The Creative Writing Workshop Club is a constructive environment for writers to improve their writing skills in a warm and friendly setting. Although small and relativity unknown, it has existed at the university for many years, and for many of its members there is absolutely nothing in the world like writing. Nathaniel Berger, senior in computer engineering and the current president of the club, hopes that writers gain confidence in their writing skills by participating in the meetings. “I hope it encourages people to write and then get their work out when they do write, and encourage (people) to become comfortable with peer reviews (and) constructively criticizing works,” he said. Before the meeting, members submit their stories for review, and then they are sent out to the group. Members review the stories before the meeting, and then at the meeting they share comments with the author in a constructive manner. Samantha Warchol, freshman in psychology, had one of her stories as the subject of the last meeting. “Everyone is very friendly about individuals’ submissions ... hearing good feedback about my story was my favorite thing,” she said. Nate Crilly, sophomore in food science and technology and first time attendee, stated that he plans to continue participating in the club. “Being able to collaborate with a group of stu-
Tom Henderson, from Chattanooga’s News Channel 9, speaks with student Matt Wegzyn, senior in journalism and electronic media, at the Communication Jobs and Internship Fair on Oct. 24.
4:46 a.m. An officer was dispatched to Cumberland Avenue and Circle Drive in response to a report of a male subject who appeared to be unconscious on the sidewalk. Upon arrival, the officer discovered the male, who was upright but showed obvious signs of intoxication. Further investigation led to the arrest of this subject for Public Intoxication. 8:43 a.m. An officer received a call in reference to two suspicious males near Clarence Brown Theatre. One suspect was arrested for public intoxication. October 22 11:30 a.m. A UTPD officer responded to the Melrose Place side of Hodges Library in reference to a theft. The victim stated that someone stole her red and white twenty-four speed Trek Mountain bike from the bike rack on the west side of the Alumni Memorial Building. 2:12 p.m. An officer was dispatched to the lobby of UTPD to take a forgery report in reference to UT football tickets. 5:12 p.m. A UTPD officer was dispatched to UTPD lobby for a theft report. The victim stated that his iPhone 4S had been taken without his permission. — Crimelogs are compiled from records of the University of Tennessee and Knoxville police departments. People with names similar or identical to those listed may not be those identified in reports. All persons arrested are presumed innocent until proved guilty in a court of law.
Workshop encourages writers skills Samantha Smoak
Katlin Fabbri • The Daily Beacon
house. They encountered a 19-year-old individual in possession of rum and issued a State of Tennessee Misdemeanor Citation for Underage Consumption of Alcohol.
dents to examine and break down a story (was the best part). I enjoyed being able to ... talk with the other writers, and I plan on using the club to help edit my own work,” he said. Both Warchol and Crilly think that others should consider attending the meetings. “I would encourage others to come if they love to write ... the group will only get better with more people being involved and giving feedback for people to improve,” he said. Crilly agreed, pointing to the positive atmosphere. “If they enjoy writing or reading short fiction, (they should come). The club is a great way to get independent feedback and enjoy yourself,” he said. The club meets at 7 p.m. every Thursday at the Panera Bread restaurant on the Strip. All majors are welcome to participate. The club encourages all types and genres to be submitted, including but not limited to fiction writing, creative nonfiction, poetry and screenplays. Excerpts of novel writing also are welcome. For more information, students can join the Facebook group called “Creative Writing Workshop Club at the University of Tennessee.”
Friday, October 26, 2012
4 • THE DAILY BEACON
Editor-in-Chief Blair Kuykendall
OPINIONS
bkuykend@utk.edu
Contact us letters@utdailybeacon.com
Going
Somewhere... Hopefully New policies represent voter suppression Preston Peeden Associate Editor It’s nearly election season (technically it started last week with early voting periods opening), and with Decision Day just around the corner, voters are getting geared up to cast their ballots for their candidate of choice. Election season is like the Little League Baseball of politics — ideally everyone is treated kindly and gets to participate. But in Davidson County, some voters are in store for a rude reminder when they go to the polls this year. According to a recent article from The Tennessean, Davidson County (which is where our state’s capital rests) poll workers have been instructed through a computer slideshow to use the “Challenge the Right to Vote” procedures if they’re unclear of a voter’s citizenship status. So essentially, if someone has the outward appearance of being “foreign,” then the poll worker is instructed to make the person sign a pledge affirming their citizenship. If the potential voter refuses, he or she cannot vote. Outwardly, this instruction tries to base itself in preventing voter fraud by curbing illegal immigrants’ ability to get to the polls. But shouldn’t a person’s citizenship already be determined when they register to vote? I may not be a voting expert, but I do remember registering and being asked in the first question whether or not I was a citizen. If I have a voter registration card, shouldn’t that be more than enough proof for any poll worker that I have the constitutionally protected right to vote? There’s been a lot of talk recently about voter suppression, and for the most part I’ve been hesitant to label some actions and restrictions as such. But when I look at this procedure that’s happening in my own state, I can’t help but be disgusted. This is a huge infringement into people’s lives and rights. How do you judge someone’s citizenship by their appearance? If I have an accent, does that mean I’m not a U.S. citizen? Or if I wear a turban, do you assume I’m not an American? What if I’m excessively tan —
am I an illegal immigrant from Mexico? It’s asinine, arbitrary and racist. This is just the rehashing of the same undercurrent that took Arizona when it passed its 2010 immigration reforms, where the state suspected people who “looked illegal.” This does nothing but make new citizens (who are recent immigrants) not want to vote. It doesn’t protect the supposed “sacrality” of voting, it dissuades people from voting. As Americans, we like to tell ourselves the “melting pot” myth. We created a national identity where we view ourselves as immigrants coming to this country for the legal protection in rights. This is great in theory, but we don’t actually live up to these ideals in practice. We were a nation founded by Anglo-Saxon protestants who had slave labor for two centuries and passed countless immigration acts to curb the influx of “undesirable people” (including the Immigration Act of 1924 and its strict racially driven quotas that were left untouched and unaltered until 1952, and not completely done away with until 1965). Throughout its history, America has had racial motivations in, according to the U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian, “protect(ing) the ideal of American homogeneity.” Policies like these do nothing but promulgate the widely-held belief in a truly “American” way of appearing, acting and doing things. And what happens to people that don’t (or can’t) conform to these limited ideals? They have their citizenship questioned, their privacy violated and at the very worst their right to vote blocked. The right to vote is just that, a right. Policies like these aren’t really geared toward protecting that right, but rather toward limiting it. Anyone who is registered to vote is a citizen of this country. That’s what matters, and that’s the only thing that should matter. Voting rights and citizenship aren’t (and should never be) caught up in outward appearances, because that’s the same justification our nation used a century ago with Jim Crow laws. We are past that (or at least we tell ourselves we are). Our nation is run by the democratic process of mass voter participation. Policies like this do nothing but curb that. They hurt our citizens and they hurt our nation. — Preston Peeden is a senior in history. He can be reached at ppeeden@utk.edu.
SCRAMBLED EGGS • Alex Cline
Palm Trees & Fishbowls • Anna Simanis
Columns of The Daily Beacon are reflections of the individual columnist, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or its editorial staff.
Public intellectual sparks discourse Chao s Theory by
Sarah Russell The fall semester at UT is always filled with visits from exciting guest speakers (we had a Supreme Court justice here just last week!), and this upcoming Thursday is no exception. The Chancellor’s Honors Program will be hosting the “Third Annual Anne Mayhew Lecture Series,” named after UT’s very own Dr. Anne Mayhew, who was the first woman to serve as the chair of the Department of Economics ,and also served as the Dean of the Graduate School and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This year, the featured keynote speaker is Dr. Theda Skocpol, a well-respected author and professor at Harvard University. Dr. Skocpol’s name might not be familiar to most students at UT, but she is widely recognized in academic and political circles. Last year, she and another Harvard professor published a highly acclaimed book entitled “The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism.” Her next academic project will revolve around the successes and failures of the Obama administration. She is considered to be one of the top scholars in political science and historical sociology — she has written multiple books and articles on a wide range of topics, and she frequently gives lectures and participates on panels. In short, Dr. Skocpol is the epitome of a public intellectual — someone who can “bridge the gap” between the often inaccessible academic sphere and the public. Being a public intellectual may not seem like a difficult task, but anyone who is acquainted with academia can understand the difficulties that arise when scholars try to explain or discuss their work with people unfamiliar with their topics. It is easy for academics to get caught up in the theories,
methods, and jargons of their fields; it is just as easy for the general public to not understand these scholars’ research or to feel condescended upon by these scholars. Making esoteric and detailed scholarly research accessible to the public is a skill that few possess, and Dr. Skocpol stands out among them. Her discussions of current political events in a compelling but academic manner make her research both appealing and comprehensible to the general public. Furthermore, her willingness to speak publicly about her research in forums outside of academia demonstrates the extent to which she serves as a public intellectual. It is becoming increasingly important in today’s world to make academic research accessible to the public. As scientific research becomes more detailed and complicated, as research in the social sciences delves into previously unexplored topics and the humanities explores new works of literature or art, it is more difficult than ever to distill complex research into something that the general public can understand and appreciate. And just because academic research is becoming more specialized and detailed does not mean it is any less relevant. The key for any academic is to take their research and apply it to a larger problem — global warming, understanding other people and cultures, expanding humanity’s horizons. Sometimes it is difficult for an academic who has spent his or her career wrapped up in detailed research to articulate these connections in a meaningful way to the public, and that is why the public intellectual is so important. I hope to see more academics make public intellectualism a priority in their research and overall careers. Academic researchers are undoubtedly the most qualified to discuss the methodology and results of their research, so the burden is on them to articulate these to the public. UT is fortunate to have the privilege of Dr. Skocpol’s visit, for there is much she can teach about being a public intellectual. — Sarah Russell is a senior in history. She can be reached at srusse22@utk.edu.
Finding common ground in politics Bur den o f I n fa l i b i l i t y by
Wiley Robinson
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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,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. 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@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Blair Kuykendall, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 11 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. Any and all submissions to the above recipients are subject to publication.
Though it’s always uncomfortable to admit for anyone who considers themselves to be above being wooed by the song-and-dance of political media, watching these past three debates has made more even explicit the nagging realization of not being in complete control of emotional responses to political symbolism. The polarized color scheme is effective, sure. The repeated arguments and ideas that have become iconic inside jokes in just the past few weeks, yes. But most of all, for me, it was Mitt Romney’s face. It was a problem I’d noticed to a lesser extent in the other debates — when one would be talking, the camera angle would sometimes include his opponent staring attentively at him with that same inscrutable, beguiling smile. For me it’s always the most uncomfortable part of the show, much worse than when they’re trying to spam each other with contradictions to avoid looking weak — there’s no real phrase that conveys the awkward childishness of what those two men had to do when they didn’t have enough time to counter-argue some point of their opponent’s that generally didn’t amount to more than name calling — but their response couldn’t amount to more than damage control, the desperate repeatings of “nope, not true.” The knowledge that I’m witnessing rabble rousing tripe did not make those moments easier to endure out of sheer empathy for the candidates. But if looking at Obama’s face in idle response to a Romney rebuttal made me uncomfortable, Romney’s face genuinely stressed me out. However much I want to objectify this process and break down this shameless cult-of-personality for the shill that it is, the faces brought out that primal response in me. And the networks know what’s up — as if to escalate the personal drama of it, and also to deliberately torture me. The last debate had each candidate’s head fixed to one half of the screen, so you could see every moment of their face in response to their opponent’s words. It got to the
point where I wanted one of those TV stands with the shutters because it got that stressful to look at either face for that long. Studies show that the brain is hypertuned to reading facial responses — much of that reading process is emotional, and so instinctive as to be impossible to control or contradict with any other part of your brain. Realizing that this choice of camera work had involuntarily revealed an embarrassing politicalemotional bias of mine, I sought to counteract it by trying to find more prominent conservatives who I liked and agreed with. And I quickly found David Frum — speech writer from the Bush Administration, admitted future Romney voter, and otherwise educated person who was politically conservative. Here’s Frum in a random dialogue: “The biggest problem in the decline with religious affiliation is (important) not (for) what it means to the Republican Party but because of what it means for America. The loss of the experience of participating in an organized religious community — it’s a terrible loss. That experience is so valuable that I would hope that even people who have doubts would say, ‘I am going to participate in this community as a community,’ because what you can get from that is so deeply meaningful. It strengthens your marriage, strengthens your family, it makes you more deeply involved in your community, it causes you to do more work for charity, it brings you a sense of humility and it’s a constant reminder of the blessings and not the burdens in your life. So, it’s a loss.” He goes on to strongly advocate for the depoliticization of religion in American politics. In a country where one’s most automatic personal community often ends up being religious — as well as the constitutional dishonesty of relying on politicized cultural-religious zealots as a major voting base — I couldn’t agree more. I heaved a sigh of relief, and looked forward to meeting a thinking conservative in the future, with the caustic ideas surrounding the imprint of Romney’s unthinking smirk in my head fading comfortably away. — Wiley Robinson is a senior in ecology and evolutionary biology. He can be reached at rrobin1@utk.edu.
Friday, October 26, 2012
THE DAILY BEACON • 5 Arts & Culture Editor Victoria Wright
ARTS & CULTURE
vwright6@utk.edu
Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Rob Davis
rdavis60@utk.edu
Swift brings new sound Brandy back with new album a world where country or pop artists write very few of their own songs, it’s refreshing to Assistant Arts and Culture Editor see that Swift writes most, if not all, of the Taylor Swift’s latest studio album, “Red,” lyrics for “Red.” Swift sings two duets on the album. One debuted on Big Machine Records this past song is “The Last Time” with Gary Lightbody Monday. While Swift came out as a pop singer dis- of Snow Patrol. The two artists blend perfectguised by twangy country on her first three ly. The song could just as easily appear on a albums, she has now virtually thrown off that Snow Patrol album, that’s how well Lightbody disguise in “Red.” The singer seems to have and Swift are able to blend their styles. The gone almost completely pop, although her other song, “Everything Has Changed,” features Ed Sheeran. The song country influence can be has an intimate, acoustic felt in songs such as feel. Sheeran provides great “Treacherous” and “I backup vocals for Swift and Almost Do.” Apart from a has a verse that also blends few songs on the 22 track incredibly well with Swift’s deluxe album, Swift’s style style. seems to be like that of “Red” features many any other current pop emotional ups and downs. singer. Hints of some Songs like “22” and “Holy (surprisingly enough) Ground” have up-tempo dubstep can even be felt in styles that will have listensongs like “I Knew You ers dancing. And just like Were Trouble.” The that, Swift brings out “Sad album has a lot of songs Beautiful Tragic,” detailing that are upbeat and will the downfall of a wonderful get stuck in your head. relationship that is disFor those who thought solved because of distance. Swift had finally gotten it Going over the CD for right and was now happy the first time, I didn’t think in all of her relationships, much about “State of don’t give up hope. Once • Photo courtesy by Marcin Winchary again, song after song Taylor Swift recently released Grace.” However, the details relationships that her new album, “Red.” It is acoustic version on the seemed so perfect but expected to sell one million bonus CD is phenomenal. The song was written by came to an end for some copies in its first week. Swift and is a perfect examreason or another. A great ple of her vocal improveexample of this can be found on one of the singles from the album, “We Are Never Ever ment, as well as her ability to write. The only knock I have on the album is the Getting Back Together.” While the subjects of many of the songs can subject of the songs, and even at that, the seem to be the same, Swift has matured in her album is fantastic. The instrumentals, lyrics vocal performance. In addition to phenomenal and vocal performances all lead to a very well vocals, the song writing is on point. While put together album. The HendersonvilleSwift may have been thrown into the pop native is at the top of her game and the release arena, she has a leg up on her competition: she of “Red” only corroborates this notion. I would never break your heart, T-Swift. wrote or co-wrote every song on the album. In Give me a chance?
Rob Davis
• Photo courtesy of two RCA/Chameleon Records
“Two Eleven” is the first album from Brandy Norwood, featuring a diverse group of songwriters such as Frank Ocean, Chris Brown and Sean Garrett. His appearance serves to attract more pop listeners, with its recent popularity evident through the near continual play on the radio. “Put It Down” seems destined to become a much played hit in clubs and cars across the country. Brandy’s distinctive alto, coupled with piano, forms the ballad “Wildest Dreams.” It reminds listeners of the singer’s previous songs from her heyday. The song is produced by The Bizness, who has worked on well-known tracks such as Young Money’s “Every Girl” and Young Jeezy’s “My President (Is Black).” The single holds a steady beat with some jazz influences. She sings on the joys of unexpected true love. The singer also addresses the healing nature and comfort received from genuine feelings (“You came in my life and help me heal /Just in the knick of time”). A theme of love for the person is present as well — it’s hard to imagine such feelings, even in your wildest dreams. Other songs compliment the singer’s voice and style, such as “Let Me Go” and “Without You.” The tracks on Brandy’s album display her musical talent, but not much variation is apparent. It’s important to appeal to her core fan base, and she does so in “Two Eleven.” Perhaps after appeasing her neglected fans after a lengthy hiatus, she’ll move to expand her brand and style of music.
Rebecca Butcher Contributor R&B singer Brandy has returned to the music scene with her new album, “Two Eleven,” released October 16. The title signifies the singer’s birthday, but also represents the death of the late Whitney Houston. This is Brandy’s sixth album and she stays true to the genre that proved successful for her in the 90s. As a top Billboard R&B/hip-hop album, her fans have widely received the work. Even from the first look at her cover album, the singer begins to revive images of the earlier R&B days, with her piercing glare and black attire. The intro is reminiscent of a James Bond theme and of Brandy’s earlier hit, “Full Moon.” It works to inspire the listener to continue enjoying the album. From its 14 tracks, the most widely recognized is the popular single “Put It Down,” featuring Chris Brown. It has a repeated hook conventional of many popular songs. Brandy croons about being old school in wanting a chivalrous guy. The message is simple, but works well. As long as the male in the song “puts is down,” things run smoothly and the female will fall in love. Brown plays a little with the double entendre punning on “brandy,” the liquor and the singer.
EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
TRAVEL
UNFURN APTS
CONDOS FOR SALE
HOMES FOR SALE
HOMES FOR SALE
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NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz ACROSS 34 With 11-Down, bugging no end 1 Gremlins of the ’70s, 35 Aperture in some e.g. drills 5 Logic problem 37 Used bikes 9 Neighbor of Lydia 38 It prompts tipping 14 ___ Capital in a bar (investment firm) 40 Accessory near a 15 Q7 maker basin 16 Like a national flag 41 Relative of a man with a sword on it crush 17 Rising star? 42 Calls from a 27-Down 18 One blatantly disobeying traffic 43 Reluctant wearer of laws a cap 20 Pitcher Bedard 46 “I’m not upset, really” 21 Tropical aquarium plants 52 Classic covered walk 22 Like small potatoes? 53 24 Greven who wrote the 2008 best seller “How to Talk to 54 Girls” 55 25 Holy higher-ups 28 “All in the Family” exclamation 32 Cell group 33 Creep’s peep
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9 Hull of the Constitution 10 Propulsion gear 11 See 34-Across
DOWN 1 ___ J. Mikva, White House counsel under Clinton 2 Much-tattooed people 3 What a mayor tries to instill
12 Flash d’inspiration 13 Isn’t fine 19 Shakespearean title character 23 First name in ’50s TV 26 Into-the-stands homer, say
32 Boat stem 34 2009 Grammy winner for “Crack a Bottle,” briefly 36 Hit the dirt? 39 Start to tank 42 Bill of fashion 44 Italian for “baked” 45 Flip chart supporter 46 “Law & Order: SVU” co-star
4 Carver of Hells Canyon
27 Mohair source
47 Move before taking off
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28 “High Fidelity” star, 2000
48 Vexation
6 It’ll help you get a bite
29 Like a diva
49 1943 U.S.-vs.-Japan battle site
30 W competitor
50 ___ Taylor, old sitcom character
7 Flatter to a fault 8 Flexibility
31 First character seen in “Zelig”
51 Believe
October, Friday 26, 2012
6 • THE DAILY BEACON
Sports Editor Lauren Kittrell
SPORTS
lkittre1@utk.edu
Assistant Sports Editor Austin Bornheim abornhei@utk.edu
Vols attempt to end three-game skid Matt Gray Staff Writer The Tennessee Volunteers (3-4, 0-4 SEC) head to Columbia, S.C. this weekend to take on the No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks. The Vols head into their fourth consecutive game against a ranked opponent coming off a 44-13 loss from the hands of top-ranked Alabama. Head coach Derek Dooley said South Carolina’s recent bout with SEC teams has put the two teams in a similar position. “South Carolina is a good football team and they played three good ones in a row. They strapped Georgia pretty good and had LSU beat but didn’t pull it out, and then they made a bunch of mistakes against Florida,” Dooley said. “That is what happens when you play these good teams.” The Vols’ offense won’t receive any breaks this week, going up against a defense that ranks in the top 15 in the nation at points allowed and third in sacks. Dooley said that the Gamecocks’ front four are probably the most disruptive front four the Vols will play all year. “Defensively it starts with their front four, extremely talented and disruptive,” said Dooley. “They play with incredible energy and fly around to the ball.” The leader of that fearsome front four is sophomore defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney, a highly touted recruit out of high school, is currently tied for tenth in the nation with 7.5 sacks, only two off the leader. “Clowney is a defensive end and he is probably the best defensive end in the country in the last decade or so,”
said sophomore left tackle Antonio Richardson. “He is athletic and brings a physical presence with him. We have to get in there and watch the film, watch the film, and get better.” Starting quarterback Tyler Bray comes into this week with mounting pressure from both the fans and coaches. Bray has thrown at least one interception in each of the last five games, and Dooley said his leash is shortening. “If he is loose with the ball, he is coming out of the game and we are going to play (Justin) Worley,” said Dooley. “That’s the way it is. We can’t win, we can’t beat these teams turning the ball over. There are going to be inevitable turnovers in the game, so when there is one, make them make a great play to get it, not serve it up to them, which is what we do.” Junior right tackle Ja’Wuan James said that regardless of who is behind, whether it be Bray or Worley, it doesn’t matter. “When Justin’s in, we don’t miss a beat. He’s just as good of a quarterback as Tyler (Bray),” said James. “We have a bunch of good guys. It’s great that we have depth now and an opportunity to do stuff with it.” South Carolina is the final ranked team on Tennessee’s schedule and Dooley wants the team to make the most of it. “We have one more good shot against a top ten kind of opponent. We have to keep believing in our abilities and believing in what we are doing, because I believe in our guys and believe in what we are doing,” said Dooley. “Then when it is time to play we have to go compete and play like we are capable of.”
Tara Sripunvoraskul • The Daily Beacon
Sophomore running back Marlin Lane streaks through a hole in the Alabama defense on Oct. 20.
Friday, October 26, 2012
THE DAILY BEACON • 7 Sports Editor Lauren Kittrell
SPORTS
lkittre1@utk.edu
Assistant Sports Editor Austin Bornheim abornhei@utk.edu
Gamecocks return home to face Vols Matthew Keylon Staff Writer
• Photo courtesy of Beth Revelle/The Daily Gamecocks
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney rushes after Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel on Oct. 20.
No. 13 South Carolina (6-2, 4-2 SEC) is coming off a disappointing loss to the No. 2 Florida Gators (7-0, 6-0 SEC). The Gators jumped out to a 21-6 halftime lead due to three first-half turnovers by the Gamecocks. While Florida had only 29 yards in the first half, the turnovers put them in a commanding lead on the way to a blowout win, 44-11. After falling behind in the division race, the Gamecocks turn their attention to the Tennessee Volunteers (3-4, 0-4 SEC) this weekend. The Gamecocks will look to get back to their ground game after having only 70 yards rushing in their past two games. Junior running back Marcus Lattimore looked to be slowed in the Florida game by a bruised hip he suffered in the LSU game. He had career lows in carries (three) and yards (13). “I think he’s okay now,” said head coach Steve Spurrier. “He was probably pretty close to 100 percent last Saturday. Fumbles got us behind. We thought it would be smart to rest him for another day. Rest him for the next battle. He should be ready.” Another question mark for South Carolina is at the quarterback position. After junior quarterback Connor Shaw was benched due to a poor performance against the Gators, Shaw is looking to bounce back. Shaw started out with a 131 record in games he started before the team’s two consecutive losses. “Certainly he hasn’t performed as well as he was earlier in the year,” said
Spurrier. “We don’t have all the reasons for it. We’ve had games we’ve attempted to pass more than we intended to. This is his game. If he skunks it up the first half, he’s going to skunk it up the second half. This is his game. Dylan was sick yesterday and didn’t show up. I’m sure he’ll be okay by the weekend. We’ll try to play to Connor’s strengths and give him the opportunity to be successful.” Special teams are a major concern after some key fumbles by junior wide receiver Ace Sanders and sophomore wide receiver Damiere Byrd. Senior kicker Adam Yates also missed a field goal in the loss. “Unfortunately, we worked on ball security before we fumbled them,” special teams coach Joe Robinson said. “They happened and you can see on film why they happened. We’ve got some guys that really want to make plays. They’ve made some plays, and when they made plays earlier in the year the ball was loose, and that’s our fault for not getting that corrected. Ball security is number one. There are fundamentals of ball security that we teach and they were not followed. The ball was too loose. Eventually it’s going to cost you and eventually it did cost us.” The defense is as stout as ever, giving up only 16 points per game and 282 yards per game. While Florida did score 44 points, the Gamecocks’ defense only truly gave in on one drive, a 59-yard drive to start off the second half. The defense is looking forward to the challenge of taking on Tennessee’s receivers. “The good thing about this game is that our preparations remain the same,” secondary coach Grady Brown said. “The same things apply, you have to be able to line up properly and recognize formations.” Kickoff is at 12 p.m. EST on ESPN.
Friday, October 26, 2012
8 • THE DAILY BEACON
Sports Editor Lauren Kittrell
SPORTS
lkittre1@utk.edu
Assistant Sports Editor Austin Bornheim abornhei@utk.edu
Ultimate UT coaching staff FIRST PLACE Emily DeLanzo Managing Editor Tennessee 17 - South Carolina 28 Texas Tech - Kansas State Mississippi State - Alabma Florida - Georgia Notre Dame 23 - Oklahoma 17
Overall: 29-11
SECOND PLACE Austin Bornheim Assistant Sports Editor Tennessee 17 - South Carolina 38 Texas Tech - Kansas State Mississippi State - Alabma Florida - Georgia Notre Dame 20 - Oklahoma 24
Overall: 28-12
THIRD PLACE Preston Peeden Associate Ed. Tennessee 13 - South Carolina 27 Texas Tech - Kansas State Mississippi State - Alabma Florida - Georgia Notre Dame 17 - Oklahoma 7
Overall: 27-13
FOURTH PLACE Lauren Kittrell Sports Editor Tennessee 20 - South Carolina 24 Texas Tech - Kansas State Mississippi State - Alabma Florida - Georgia Notre Dame 34 - Oklahoma 31
Overall: 26-14
FOURTH PLACE Casey Lawrence Ad Sales Tennessee 23 - South Carolina 21 Texas Tech - Kansas State Mississippi State - Alabma Florida - Georgia Notre Dame 16 - Oklahoma 29
Overall: 26-14
DEAD STINKIN’ LAST David Cobb Assistant News Editor Tennessee 17 - South Carolina 37 Texas Tech - Kansas State Mississippi State - Alabma Florida - Georgia Notre Dame 21 - Oklahoma 17
Overall: 25-15
David Cobb Assistant Sports Editor
Disregard my standing in pick em’ and ... flip through the staff section of the 2012 UT football media guide and note the background of the coaches. In case you don’t have one handy at all times, I’ll break it down for you. No two members of this year’s staff graduated from the same university. Running backs coach Jay Graham is the lone UT alum. None of the others even served prior stints as assistants here. I’m not insinuating that UT ties automatically translate to success. Nick Saban doesn’t have any ties to Alabama, but it certainly couldn’t hurt to have a few guys that bleed orange coaching the boys in orange. Since I’ve already brought up Alabama, and because UT has resigned itself to a role as the Crimson Tide junior varsity team by hiring Dave Hart, Derek Dooley and Sal Sunseri, we’ll start there. Mal Moore is the athletic director in Tuscaloosa. He is 72 years of age and could realistically retire soon after a lifetime of positive contributions to his alma mater. Dave Hart is also an Alabama graduate, having played basketball for the Tide. He was the Executive Director of Athletics for Alabama, assisting Moore prior to his arrival at UT. He would be the natural candidate to replace Moore. Here’s where the magic begins and the dominoes start falling. Peyton Manning makes a call to the Scarabbean Senior Society at UT, gets them to pull a few strings, and lifelong Vol Phillip Fulmer gets appointed as the AD. As a UT loyalist and staunch supporter of the UT brand, Fulmer, a former player, assistant and head of the Vols program, begins asserting his new power. Head Coach: David Cutcliffe. He has improved Duke from the Kentucky of the ACC, into the leader of the conference’s Coastal Division. Turning UT into a top
25 academic institution is an easier task than that. At the age of 58, he’s not the long term solution, but Fulmer brings him in to provide much needed stability — but of course only until Peyton’s playing days are over. Tennessee Ties: assistant coach — 198298, 2006-07 Offensive Coordinator: Tee Martin. He may not quite be ready yet, but Cutcliffe hires away his former player from Lane Kiffin at USC to orchestrate Tennessee’s offense. He exceeded expectations on the field, winning a national championship in the footsteps of Peyton, so who says he won’t exceed expectations in the press box as well. Tennessee Ties: quarterback — 1996-99 Defensive Coordinator: John Chavis. With the persuasion of his former colleagues, Chavis leaves Baton Rouge and a stout LSU defense for a return to his alma mater. After all, he’s got to be sick of having a boss who eats grass. Tennessee ties: player — 1976-78; assistant coach — 1989-2008 Quarterbacks Coach: Andy Kelly. He threw for over 800 touchdowns in his professional career. Granted, it was in the Arena Football League. Kelly is a Rhea County boy, and currently works on UT football radio broadcasts. He has shown interest in coaching in the past. Tennessee ties: quarterback — 1988-91 Receivers Coach: George Quarles. The Maryville High School head coach has experienced an astronomical amount of success down the road in Blount County. His team appears on its way to another state title in 2012. He played receiver at Furman in the 1980s after attending high school in Jefferson County. Tennessee ties: Geographical, though he did interview for a position on Fulmer’s staff in 2008. Running Backs Coach: Jay Graham. As the lone remnant of the prior staff, Graham would serve as a liaison between his players and the new coaches. The improvement of Rajion Neal has been noticeable under Graham in 2012. Tennessee ties: running back — 1993-96; assistant coach — 2012
Linebackers Coach: Kevin Simon. He was a force at linebacker under Chavis and Fulmer as a part of two SEC East champion teams (01, 04) and is most recently believed to be working as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys. Who knows if he can coach, but why not find out? Tennessee ties: linebacker — 2001-04; graduate assistant — 2007-? Special Teams Coach: James Wilhoit. His 51-yarder in 2004 sealed UT’s last win against Florida. He’s developed an independent career as a kicking coach. Tennessee ties: kicker — 2003-06 Defensive Backs/Recruiting Specialist/Assistant Head Coach: Trooper Taylor. Would you believe he’s 42? The former Vol is onboard a sinking ship at Auburn. He played defensive back at Baylor in his playing days. Fans loved him during his first stint. Tennessee ties: assistant coach — 200407 I’ll leave the rest of the personnel decisions up to Fulmer and his staff. Is this scenario feasible? Absolutely not. It’s not realistic, even remotely, to think that UT would consider any of these coaches, except maybe Martin in a lesser role down the road. And that’s a shame because I have a feeling this hypothetical Volunteer squad could make a lot of people proud. Mike Hamilton was a fundraiser, not a football mind, and when he let Fulmer go, he let UT football slip headlong into something stereotypical. He turned football exclusively into a business venture, abandoning many of the things that made it so great at UT. It’s different from when Johnny Majors was forced out. Back then there was a beacon of hope in the form of an up-andcoming coach on the sideline who knew nothing else aside from Tennessee football. Unless this season takes a turn for the better, the only hope will be that the third time is a charm with Jon Gruden. — David Cobb is a sophomore in journalism and electronic media. He can be reached at dcobb3@utk.edu.