Partly Cloudy with a 10% chance of precipitation HIGH LOW 55 34
Summitt, Lady Vols go for SEC Championship Thursday.
PAGE 6 T H E
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 Issue 38
E D I T O R I A L L Y
I N D E P E N D E N T
PUBLISHED SINCE 1906 http://dailybeacon.utk.edu
Vol. 110 S T U D E N T
N E W S P A P E R
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T H E
Hip-hop poets Rhea Sunshine and Black Atticus shine in Writers in the Library. PAGE 5
U N I V E R S I T Y
O F
T E N N E S S E E
Program to suffer from professor’s departure Saxophone students to leave with professor; economic crisis prevents search for new teacher Bridgette Orten Staff Writer University-wide budget cuts have hit the School of Music. Connie Frigo, a saxophone professor at UT School of Music, is leaving UT to take a job at the University of Maryland, and she is taking the majority of the saxophone program with her. Although the normal response would be a national search, the money for such a search does not exist. “There are no concrete candidates at this point and unfortunately because of the budget crisis, there is not money enough to pursue a search,” Ben Robinette, senior in saxophone performance, said. Robinette said many of the students in the saxophone studio
solely based their decision to come to UT to study with Frigo. “Some of the people who were going to be remaining here solely for the reason of studying with Connie are now suddenly faced with the decision of following her to go somewhere else or take their chances and stay here,” Robinette said. There are currently less than 20 students in the UT saxophone studio. Only two students are remaining in the studio at this point as others are either graduating, transferring with Frigo or going to other schools. One of those two students, Frank Zimmerer, junior in music education and studio music and jazz, said he is worried about the saxophone program. “The biggest concern is where the saxophone students
will be next year,” Zimmerer said. “Are there going to be enough saxophonists to play in the ensembles, the quartets or to even be a studio?” Recruiting students for a program without a professor at this current time is highly unlikely. “Who would come here and not know who the teacher is? No serious student would do that,” Jane Marsilio, graduate student in the saxophone studio, said. Frigo has been the drawing factor for the program for the past four years, her students said, and without her, the program is expected to drop off sharply. “The band program is going to be really zealously recruiting for the saxophone, but without Connie here, I can assure you that efforts are going to be in
vain for the most part,” Robinette said. “The name of Connie Frigo is as widespread as it gets in the saxophone community largely because of her immense pedagogical abilities, and she is cited as one of the finest saxophone teachers worldwide.” Many of Frigo’s students were devastated to hear she was leaving. However, the University of Maryland will offer her the opportunities she deserves, Marsilio said. “It’s definitely a better deal for her,” Marsilio said. “She’s really pro-active, and Maryland is going to give her more opportunities for things she wants to do.” Frigo is known for having a strong work ethic and an incredible drive for accomplishment,
Robinette said. “Not only has she forged all of us into fine performers and fine rehearsers and fine technicians, but she has also provided us with entrepreneurship skills, the ability to market ourselves, the ability to get other people excited about the music that we are playing and the contributions that we are making in the artistic community,” Robinette said. Frigo’s influence extends beyond the walls of her studio at UT and into her students’ personal lives, Zimmerer said. “Dr. Frigo was not only a great saxophone teacher but a great life counselor, a great teacher in other aspects of music or just to talk to her and be inspired by her, her life and her career,” Zimmerer said.
Fire department claims arson in local elementary school fire Kate Greer Staff Writer Captain D.J. Corcoran from the Knoxville Fire Department confirms the fire at Thackston Branch Elementary School at 901 22nd St. was arson. Firefighters arrived on the scene at 7:15 a.m. on Feb. 21 and began dousing the flames. They found a “foreign substance” that was sent to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in Nashville for testing. TBI declared arson based on the evidence. Mike Sherrell, executive director of UT Facilities Services, said, “It’s pretty much gutted — a total loss. The worst damage is in the middle on the backside of the house.” That is where Sherrell thinks the fire started. “It’s a terrible loss,” Sherrell continued. “One of those things you never guess would happen.” Corcoran said he thinks that anyone could have started the fire for a number of reasons, from mentally disturbed people to pyromaniacs who enjoy watching things burn. He said, however, that Thackston Branch Elementary School is an unlikely candidate for a normal arsonist. Corcoran said the state regulates the fire safety codes in buildings. “Just from what I saw while I was over there … I’m assuming that they had all the codes met,” Corcoran said. Corcoran said the school lost everything inside the two houses that combined to form Thackston Branch Elementary School. Judy Wright, owner of the school, had sold the property to UT as of April 2008. Since then, she has leased the property with plans to move to another location, Sherrell said. Her original plan was to relocate by the end of July. “That is obviously out of the question now,” Sherrell said. The school has received an outpouring of donations since the fire, such as books, toys and other needed supplies. The students’ mascot, a bearded lizard named Elliot, died in the fire. He has been replaced by Elliot Jr., another bearded lizard donated by the Critter Barn pet store. If one would like to donate to Thackston School, the donation line is (865) 689-3016. Corcoran said this is an ongoing investigation and encourages anyone who may know of any leads in capturing the arsonist, please call Knoxville arson bureau at (865) 637-1386.
Michael Gratton • The Daily Beacon
Freshman softball pitcher Cat Hosfield from Murfreesboro threw against Boston College during the game on Tuesday, Mar 3. Hosfield was chosen as one of the top 19-under pitchers in the nation by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
OIT to offer Google blog training course Sarah Waldrip Staff Writer UT’s Office of Information Technology is adding a new class designed to teach students about Google blogging. OIT Technical Trainer Steve Chastain will be teaching this class, which is free to all students. He said the OIT Training Team hopes that more students will start participating so that even more classes can be offered, such as podcasting, which Chastain said OIT hopes to add soon. Chastain is also a professional photographer, and he said he understands the importance of students learning to use the Internet to their advantage in their careers. “Unfortunately, many students don’t discover the benefits of training classes until graduate school or just before graduation when they’re looking for jobs,” he said. The OIT training team offers a wide range of classes in six different categories: Quick Classes, Creative Design, Web Design,
Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite and Research Computing. This “Blog It” course is found in the Quick Classes category. According to the OIT Training Team Web site, this class can help students learn places to get free blog accounts, how to set up a blog, how to post blogs using different applications and more. Adam Deitz, a sophomore working for OIT Customer Technical Support, said, “Lots of people are blogging. It’s really popular, and there are also lots of classes that require you to learn to use programs like Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint for certain assignments.” Deitz added, “The problem is that the students aren’t learning how to use the programs for helpful, every day, common uses.” The OIT Customer Service Manager Bruce Delaney said he is excited about the new class. “All of our classes, including this one, are very hands-on,” Delaney said. “The students are going to receive excellent instruction with all the necessary tools provided.”
Deitz said the classes are usually relaxed and not too long, and that they always try to focus on what will help students the most. “Our instructors are fantastic,” Deitz said. “They are just so much fun to be around. And you don’t need any prior knowledge, because there are classes for both beginners and experienced users.” Delaney said students are a very large part of how and why these classes are created. “With all the classes we teach, there is a survey,” he said. “On the survey, one of the questions we ask is ‘What would you like to learn how to do?’ Our surveys have shown that we receive a 3.8 on a four-point scale of satisfaction from our customers after they have completed one of our courses.” Course registration is online, and the classes are staggered in order to accommodate students’ schedules, Delaney said. More information, including schedules, can be found on the OIT Technology Training Web site at http://web.utk.edu/~training.
2 • The Daily Beacon
THIS DAY IN
InSHORT
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
HISTORY
In 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression, Franklin Delano Roosevelt is inaugurated as the 32nd president of the United States. When he took office, most banks had closed, farms were suffering, 13 million workers were unemployed and industrial production stood at just over half its 1929 level. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” legislation, although criticized by the business community, helped the economy and would lead to his reelection in 1936. — Courtesy of History.com
CAMPUS CALENDAR Wednesday, March 4
of Hodges Library.
• 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. — Career Services and Arts & Sciences Advising are holding a workshop designed specifically for students in the College of Arts & Sciences to learn about how to prepare for and find a job in today’s job market. The workshop will be held in the Career Services office at 100 Dunford Hall.
• 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. — The Student Photography Club will hold an interest meeting is Room 104 of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building. All skill levels are welcome.
• 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. — “Monkey Trial” will shown as part of the Biology Nights at the Library film series. The documentary focuses on the Scopes Monkey Trial that took place in Dayton, Tenn. A discussion will follow the event, which will be held in Room 253
• 7 p.m. — The I-House and AC Entertainment will present the film “Throw Down Your Heart.” Béla Fleck and director Sascha Paladino filmed the documentary that explores the origins of the banjo in Africa. Fleck will introduce the film and take Mark Vives • The Daily Beacon questions after the screening. Freshman Jesse Morgan, Pre-Med (biology), makes a purchase at the Sweet Shop located in the UC. The event will be held in the McClung Museum Auditorium and is free and open to the public.
NEWS IN BRIEF
THE CRIME
LOG
Okla. honors Flaming Lips by naming state rock song
“and everything else is just extra. We’re in this just to have fun, and we wind up winning.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A song by the alternative rock band The Flaming Lips has been given a big statewide kiss in Oklahoma. The band’s tune “Do You Realize??” was named the state’s official rock song, beating out more famous songs written or recorded by Oklahomans such as “Heartbreak Hotel,” cowritten by former Oklahoma school teacher Mae Boren Axton, and recorded by Elvis Presley. “We have an official state folk song and a state country song. With as many outstanding rock artists as we have in Oklahoma, it was time to recognize this music as well,” Sen. Mike Schulz, RAltus, said. More than 21,000 voted online from a list of 10 songs selected by a panel of experts. The winner was announced Monday in the Oklahoma Senate. “I never gave it that much thought,” Wayne Coyne, the lead singer of The Flaming Lips, said of winning the competition in what many considered an upset. He said it was an honor to have been picked in the Top 10
Former golf course worker skims 250,000 in green fees
• 9:54 a.m. — Attempted suicide at Aconda Court.
CHATTANOOGA (AP) — A former $10-an-hour employee at a city golf course in Chattanooga has pleaded guilty to skimming greens fees for years and scoring about $250,000. James Robert Simmons pleaded guilty Monday to one count of theft. A judge sentenced him to eight years of supervised probation and ordered him to fully repay the city. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported that court records show the 37year-old pro-shop clerk at the Brainerd Golf Course attributed the theft from 2001 to 2007 to his “small salary.” Simmons declined comment as he left the courtroom. Stan Sewell, city audit director, said an investigation showed Simmons had purchased a $262,000 home in 2006 and a second $300,000 home, while making about $17,000 in some years.
• 1:33 p.m. — Vehicle accident on Phillip Fulmer Way.
Monday, March 2 • 9:43 a.m. — Officer took theft report at Facilities Planning.
• 10:32 a.m. — Officer took theft report at Police Building.
• 3:43 p.m. — Report of a suspicious person in Hodges Library.
— Compiled by Rhonda Link
Compiled from a media log provided to the Daily Beacon by the University of Tennessee Police Department. All persons arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. People with names similar or identical to those listed may not be those identified in reports.
NATION&WORLD
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Daily Beacon • 3
Obama aims to better Russian relations The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Tuesday he told Russia that reducing Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon would in turn lessen the need for a U.S.planned missile defense system in Eastern Europe that Moscow has opposed. But Obama said he sought no “quid pro quo” with Moscow. The new president also said it is time for the United States to “reset or reboot” its relationship with Russia, a nod to the increasingly tense relations of recent years. Answering questions at a picture-taking moment in his meeting with visiting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Obama was asked about a letter he sent to
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev regarding a series of mutual security concerns, including U.S. plans for deploying U.S. missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic. “What I said in the letter is the same thing I’ve said publicly, which is that the missile defense that we have talked about deploying is directed towards not Russia, but Iran,” Obama said. “That has always been the concern — that you have potentially a missile from Iran that threatened either the United States or Europe.” Obama disputed a published report that said he characterized his letter as “quid pro quo” with Russia, which has opposed the missile defense system. He said it was simply “a statement of fact.” He said lessening Iran’s com-
mitment to nuclear weapons “reduces the pressure for, or the need for, a missile defense system.” But that, he said, does not diminish his own commitment to ensure that Poland, the Czech Republic or other NATO members enjoy full U.S. support with respect to their security. More broadly, Obama said he has had a good exchange with Russia’s leadership. “I’ve said that we need to reset or reboot the relationship there,” Obama said. “Russia needs to understand our unflagging commitment to the independence and security of countries like a Poland or a Czech Republic. On the other hand, we have areas of common concern.” The president said he wants a constructive U.S.-Russia relationship “based on common respect
Accused murderer pleads for death The Associated Press WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A man accused of beheading and cannibalizing a fellow passenger on a Greyhound bus in Canada apologized to police when he was arrested and begged officers to kill him. The details emerged Tuesday as Vince Li pleaded not guilty at the start of his murder trial. “I’m sorry. I’m guilty. Please kill me,” Li said, according to an agreed statement of facts read in court. The Chinese immigrant is accused of the second-degree murder last summer of Tim McLean, a 22-year-old carnival worker who was killed in what passengers described as a random, horrific attack. Li’s lawyers are not disputing that he killed McLean, but they will argue Li was mentally ill and not criminally responsible. Three dozen passengers were aboard the bus as it traveled at night along a desolate stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway in western Canada. Witnesses said Li attacked McLean unprovoked, stabbing him dozens of times. As horrified passengers fled the bus, Li severed McLean’s head and displayed it to some of the passengers outside, witnesses said. A police report said an officer at the scene saw the attacker hacking off pieces of the body and eating them. The statement of facts read in court said Li attacked Tim McLean “for no apparent reason,” and McLean fought to escape before he died. The statement said Li tried numerous times to leave the
bus, but he was locked inside, and he returned to McLean’s body and cut it up further. Li eventually escaped through a window and was arrested. Police said McLean’s body parts were found throughout the bus in plastic bags, although part of his heart and both eyes were never found. The victim’s ear, nose and tongue were found in Li’s pocket. McLean’s family and friends, many wearing T-shirts with his picture, wept as the details were read. The victim’s mother, Carol deDelley, said she wants the law changed so anyone found not criminally responsible for a crime still serves
prison time. Li, who immigrated to Canada in 2004, pleaded at an earlier hearing in August for someone to “please kill me.” Canada does not have the death penalty. A court-ordered psychiatric evaluation had declared him fit to stand trial. His former wife said Li, who became a Canadian citizen in 2005, took unexplained bus trips and sometimes rambled. He was hospitalized briefly but never sought medical attention. Before he left on the bus trip, he left his wife a note: “I’m gone. Don’t look for me. I wish you were happy.”
and mutual interests.” Medvedev said he had talked with Obama over the phone and exchanged letters with him, but added that there was “no talk about some kind of trade-off, or quid pro quo.” “No, issues haven’t been put that way, it would be unproductive,” he said at a news conference Tuesday, which followed talks in Madrid with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Medvedev reaffirmed a strong opposition to the previous U.S. administration’s plan to deploy a battery of missile interceptors in Poland and a related radar in the Czech Republic, saying the move would hurt security in Europe. Medvedev said that Russia was encouraged by Obama’s administration’s readiness to discuss
Moscow’s complaints. “Our American partners are ready to discuss this problem, and that’s already positive,” he said at a news conference. “Several months ago we were hearing different signals: The decision has been made. There is nothing to discuss. We will do what we have decided to do.” “Now I hope the situation is different,” Medvedev added. “But no one is linking these issues to some kind of trade-offs, particularly on the Iranian issue. We are already working in close contact with our U.S. counterparts on the Iranian nuclear issue.” Obama and Medvedev are expected to meet at the G-20 economic summit of advanced and developing nations in London next month, according to senior administration officials.
4 • The Daily Beacon
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
OPINIONS
LettersEditor to the
Columnist uncovers false conspiracies in Oscar winners I’m writing in response to Gabe Johnson’s Feb. 25 column decrying the Oscars. Does Johnson write articles like this one on the Oscars in order to get a rise out of readers (admittedly he got one out of me), or does (he) just not have any indication of how utterly ridiculous (he) sounds? This column was completely ludicrous, and instead of coming off as some sort of a person qualified to write this column, he came off as (quite frankly) intensely scary and repellent, with some assertions that truly shook me to the core. I’d like to address one specific aspect of Johnson’s foolishness specificially. “Anyone who actually cares about this country voted for Mickey Rourke,” he wrote. What is there to say to something like this? I don’t read The Daily Beacon regularly, but maybe he’s in an office bet to see who gets the loudest and most disgusted response? I happened to see both “Milk” and “The Wrestler” this Oscar season and was floored by the brilliance of both performances. But if pressed to choose, I’d have chosen — you guessed it — Sean Penn. And I’m un-American for making that choice? In what way? I didn’t have my liberal politics in mind when making that decision, just as I’m assuming Johnson didn’t have his conservative politics in mind when making his. But alas, it’s quite likely I give him too much credit. Is it really possible that he’d have supported Penn’s performance, whatever his opinion, if it actually was? I have a feeling, for whatever reason, that no matter how he’d felt about his performance, he’d have reduced his win to nothing more than politics. And that’s really a shame. Oh and by the way, it’s time for a quiz. Estelle Parsons, Peter Finch, Al Pacino, Chris Sarandon, John Lithgow, Marcello Mastroianni, James Coco, Robert Preston, Cher, Bruce Davison, Tommy Lee Jones, Jaye Davidson, Greg Kinnear, Ian McKellen, Kathy Bates, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Julianne Moore, Felicity Huffman, Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal and Judi Dench. What do these people have in common, or did Johnson not bother to do his research before he decided to spew? ALL of these actors were nominated for playing gay roles. You want to know what else they share in common? They all lost the Oscar for that specific role. But the Academy just picks and chooses when to exert their “Commiewood politics” right? Grow up. There aren’t conspiracies everywhere. Stop digging. Phillip Brogdon Freshman in statistics FAST LIKE TREE • Andrew Laskowski
THE DAILY BACON • Blake Treadway
DOONESBURY • Garry Trudeau
Citizens of nation’s capital denied rights The foundation of American democracy is based on the notion of equal representation under the law. To satisfy this, the founding fathers set up a republic in which people would vote for who would go make laws and enact policies on their behalf. At first the average person could only directly vote for members of the House of Representatives, with the Senate and president chosen by state legislatures and the Electoral College respectively. Though this was limiting at first, gradually over time people gained the right to directly elect their senators, too. With the amount of importance placed today on the popular vote for the presidency, it is rare to see someone win one without the other. In effect, the nation as a whole has made significant gains in the democratic process. There is one place in this nation, however, where the people are grossly underrepresented. It’s a place few would expect to be left out of the democratic process everyone else in the nation enjoys. Almost no one across the nation realizes the people living in the District of Columbia are deprived of their rights as Americans. Washington, D.C. was established because the founders believed the nation’s capital should not reside in any state. To this end, Virgina and Maryland both seceded land to the new government to create a city between the two states. The Constitution originally gave complete control over the new city to Congress. In effect, the people of Washington were not the ones who voted for who would rule them. People living all over the nation did. States as far away as California and Alaska had more say in how Washington was run than the people who lived there. Also the Constitution did not allow
Gabe Johnson Columnist those living in the nation’s capital to vote for the president. Even though, in theory, none of us actually vote for the president (unless you are lucky and are a member of the Electoral College), our vote does play a role in who the Electoral College members from our state choose to vote for. Originally, Washingtonians did not enjoy this luxury. In fact the city was worth zero electoral votes, giving them no say in who will be the next president. Furthermore, the Constitution provided the people of Washington, D.C. with no representation in Congress. They had no representatives or senators, yet were somehow subjects of Congress. The people of Washington, D.C. were subject to all federal taxes but were not represented in the body that created these taxes. Ironically, that is what the revolution was fought over, “taxation without representation.” Yet somehow the people of the nation’s capital had equal, if not more, representation under the rule of King George III than they now had. We have come a long way since the Constitution was ratified, and the first two problems have virtually been fixed. The first was not fixed until 1973 when the District of Columbia Home Rule Act was passed through Congress. Now Washingtonians were allowed to elect a mayor and
a city council to run the city, but anything the local government does can be overturned by Congress. Even though the new government was still subservient to Congress, it has enjoyed a great deal of autonomy. The problem with the Electoral College was fixed in 1960 when the 23rd Amendment was ratified. This permitted the nation’s capital to have the same number of electors as if it was a state, but the city could never have more electors than “the the least populous state.” Now all that remains is granting the people representation in Congress itself. Presently Washington, D.C. has one non-voting member in the House of Representatives, Eleanor Holmes Norton. Essentially she can draft legislation and do all other things a congresswoman can do, but she can not vote for the legislation. So Washingtonians still have no say in the federal laws imposed on them. Few people across the nation would accept a government that was elected by people hundreds of miles away, yet the people of Washington, D.C. are forced to do it every day. There is hope, however. As it has been shown in the past by allowing the establishment of a city government and allowing the city to have electors, it is possible to reverse the tyranny our founders unknowingly unleashed upon our capital. Unfortunately, the limited amount of space means you will have wait until next week to find out what different measures have been tried and what is the current method to try and fix this. On the bright side, however, I do not have to come up with another idea for a column next week. — Gabe Johnson is a junior in political science and history. He can be reached at gjohns13@utk.edu.
Solo outings aid in female independence
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Apparently, in this society, there’s this notion that young women can’t be alone, not in a romantic sense (although there’s that, too), but in general. They shouldn’t go places alone, even from an early age, girls take girlfriends or female family members to the bathroom and hold hands along the way. They can’t travel long distances alone. They get hit full-force with statements like, “Oh, no, what if something were to happen? You poor, poor delicate little daisy! What are you doing venturing out in this big, big world all by yourself with no big strong man to help you? There are scary, bad things out there, so you don’t need to go getting your pretty little hands all dirty in these big adventures! You would do better to avoid situations that don’t involve laundry and a stove.” It’s taboo for a woman to go to a big, busy music festival like Bonnaroo or Lollapolooza by herself, and a college-age woman expecting to go alone can expect to catch some grief or complete opposition to it. There seems to be this antiquated mentality that a young woman can’t do anything adventurous on her own, and therefore must be kept under lockdown for her safety. That should have died out a long time ago, but it’s 2009 and the mentality is alive among many people. I used to drive long distances to concerts (nothing the size and scope of Bonnaroo, but I would gladly go by myself if society would allow it). Just from personal experience, when I traveled alone, people would speak to me with a “there, there” tone or ask me incredulously, “Are you all by
Arika Dean Columnist yourself, young lady?” when I checked into a hotel or sat down by myself in a restaurant. When men check into hotels by themselves, they are not usually interrogated. I posted on music-related Internet communities and casually stated my intentions to fly solo to those concerts, but most people couldn’t register that. “Whoa, I’ve never heard of a chick going by herself! Well, hey, if you want to hang out with us so that you won’t be alone ....” I was dumbfounded by these comments from my peers. People from my generation are supposed to be more forwardthinking individuals. Part of the problem is that these old views keep getting perpetuated, and so even young women my age aren’t all that willing to do things by themselves. In fact, for something so seemingly outlandish, they probably haven’t even given it a thought to go solo. While I was in line for a concert, I did not see one woman alone. I was the only one not clinging to anyone, and, therefore, I was standing out brighter and louder than the marquee sign I was standing underneath. Could the situation I observed relate more to a
woman’s preference to go with friends? Perhaps. But I think that something is at work on a more subconscious level, as well. This is not just for something pretty risque like a concert. This applies to almost every place or event. I’ve been noticing this phenomenon for a long time, and many other women have too. Women get flack for their lone adventures because, according to their adversaries, “Young girls shouldn’t be doing (fill in the blank) by themselves. They’re just too vulnerable.” I understand safety issues, but just as it is sexist to assume women are too delicate to venture out into the world by themselves, it is sexist to believe that men are out to rape women. While women should take safety precautions on trips by themselves, they should play it safe all the time. Don’t assume that every man is dangerous, but don’t be foolish, either. And why the lack of paranoia about sons and brothers going places alone? Does the world completely disregard assault against men? It does happen. To the women out there, there’s only one way to make people realize that we can be adventurous by ourselves. Go to concerts in other cities. Go skydiving. Go to the beach. Go on long road trips. Most importantly, do these things alone, even if it’s just once or twice. It’s the only way to get people to realize that women can be independent adventurers. That way, perhaps society won’t give women any more grief. — Arika Dean is a senior in linguistics. She can be reached at arikadean@gmail.com.
ENTERTAINMENT
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
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What’s HAPPENING IN
Poets give charged performances Apollos Gause
ENTERTAINMENT
March 5 - March 10, 2009 Thursday, Mar. 5 — Bela Fleck w/ Shortwave Society and Arthur Godfrey 12 p.m. The Square Room
Friday, Mar. 6 — The Streamliners 8 p.m. The Square Room $10 - $12 Soulfinger 8 p.m. Baker Peters Jazz Club
Saturday, Mar. 7 — Deek hoi w/ Uke of Spaces Corner 10 p.m. The Pilot Light $5
Monday, Mar. 9 — Mudvayne w/ Nonpoint and In This Moment 8 p.m. The Valarium $30 * ALL SHOWS FREE UNLESS PRICE IS LISTED
The Daily Beacon • 5
Copy Editor One of the most widespread forms of popular poetry, performance poetry has had a following since the mid 1980s. The Writers in the Library series, sponsored by the Creative Writing Program and the University of Tennessee Libraries, presented an evening of performance poetry featuring local hip-hop poets Rhea Sunshine and Black Atticus. The pair of talented young poets, who double as musicians, have performed all over the state and at various poetry slams. They also work together as founders of Black Sunshine Arts & Entertainment, a local alliance of hip-hop artists who carry a social message to poetry slams across the country and who use poetry to touch the lives of young people. The first thing one might notice is the amount of energy used during each performance. The poetry is not just read aloud to an audience. It is truly a full performance as there is movement and song along with words in order to provide the audience with a better picture. The audience actively participates by clapping and even saying words whenever necessary. As Sunshine sings and recites her poem “My Soul Cries Out,” the audience can feel her pain and emotion because the performance is so high-energy. Atticus, who doubles as a rapper, also uses his rhyme and voice in order to keep the audience into the performance. The two work together in good harmony to keep the program going. It allows the poems to come to life before the viewers eyes. Andrew Bart, junior in sport management, said he was impressed by the energy in the performances. “As a fan of Kanye West, I like highenergy performances, so I was pretty
New host Fallon delivers high energy in ‘Late Night’ show
impressed by the energy in the poems,” Bart said. “It really added to the performance.” Another thing that may be noticed while in attendance is the subject matter. Going into topics ranging from sex to poverty, the poems appealed to the audience. While the subject matter was mature, it allowed the audience to relate to the poets. The best performances of the night came during the character portion. During this part of the set, the poets introduced different characters they had created. Particular favorites were an insane drill sergeant who taunted his subjects by threatening to slap them and an educated black man who held a grudge against some black people for treating him differently as child. Although the poets announced that they were still critiquing the characters, it seemed as if they were already perfected as the execution was flawless. The characters were very entertaining and kept the audience into the show by feeding off of our reactions. Some of the poems also allowed the viewers to sympathize with the poets. During a poem called “Blue Shoes,” Black Atticus told of growing up and being made fun of because of his second-rate shoes. Anyone who has grown up in some kind of poverty can identify with wearing clothes that are not exactly in the best condition. Chris Franklin, junior in geography, loved the different elements involved. “I was really surprised they added the hip-hop elements to the show,” Franklin said. “It added to the performance.” Black Atticus will be appearing later this spring as a part of the “Evolution of Rock-n-Roll” series. He also will lead the discussion after the screening of the film, “Rap, Race, and Equality,” on Tuesday, April 7, at 7.p.m. at the Lindsay Young auditorium of Hodges Library.
The Associated Press NEW YORK — As Jimmy Fallon prepared to debut as host of NBC’s “Late Night,” he found his predecessor, Conan O’Brien, in his dressing room, still packing up. “I’m about to start my first show,” Fallon told him eagerly. “Oh, is that tonight?” O’Brien replied. “I was gonna TiVo it, or something.” A new era began Monday in the time slot commonly known as “12:30” (more accurately, 12:37 a.m. EST) as Fallon arrived with a new-era version of “Late Night,” flush with his wired-up personality, a classy, comfy set and a super-cool house band, the Roots. After the O’Brien bit, Fallon stepped on stage with a brisk, if forgettable, monologue, followed by a cleverer “Slow Jam” presentation of the news (bluesy and romantic, as accompanied by the Roots). After that came a comic tribute to the show’s designated target demographic: Blonde Mothers. A possibly recurring game-show spoof, “Lick It For Ten,” invited three “contestants” from the audience to lick something — a lawn mower, a photocopier and a bowl of goldfish — for a $10 prize. And all that was before the first guest, Robert De Niro, who was game to play off his reputation as a difficult interview. “I wrote some questions with one-word answers,” said Fallon helpfully. Consulting his list, he asked De Niro, “How are you?” “I’m OK.” “Are you happy to be here?” “I don’t know yet,” De Niro replied. Fallon did his De Niro impression and got De Niro to do a Jimmy Fallon impression. Then they appeared in a sketch together. Justin Timberlake came on next and plugged a new reality series with a film clip that seemed like yet another spoof, but is actually for real. Finishing up was Van Morrison, who performed a song amid a huge band of his own. And that’s how the hour went. Whew! No one could say the pace ever dragged or the energy lagged. It certainly didn’t with its hyper host. Fallon, a former cast member of “Saturday Night Live” with several films to his credit, has tapped a longtime “SNL” hand, Michael Shoemaker, as his producer. Co-producer is Gavin Purcell, who ran “Attack of the Show,” the daily Net-centric news hour on cable’s G4 channel.
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21 Frolicking
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40 Billy Joel’s “___ to Extremes” 5 Record store section 41 Come to mind 9 “Natch!” 13 Puzzlemaker Rubik 43 It’s handed down
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49 Leader deposed in 1955 54 Rescuer of Odysseus
60 Bearers of a phrase suggested by saying the starts of 17-, 24-, 38- and 49-Across 62 Kick back
33 Parade honoree, familiarly
63 Safe place
37 Ring around the collar?
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T F S U 1 E I T S 2 S R Y E T A S E R 3 4 E N T R O B O T S O K S 5 T R I P 6 M A N E S 7 A N G T O P S 8 O R R O W O U R N E 9 M I Z E S N I P 10
11 Zellweger of “Nurse Betty” 12 Neatening tool
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59 Writer O’Flaherty
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56 ___ Palace (French president’s home)
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55 1960s role for Diana Rigg
23 Blanc who voiced Porky Pig
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15 Plumber’s tool
39 Copy cats? 42 Like a ghostwriter 44 Dickens lad 46 Nut producer
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18 Cheesy entree
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48 Rock’s Lofgren
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24 Major chipmaker
49 Molded fare
“Blue Moon” composer
25 Symbol of goodness
50 Eskimo boat
26 It may be D.C.
51 Totally wow
Roe source
27 Prefix with center
Galley need
31 Way back when
Men in blue
32 Wrap in a roll
Rimes of country music
34 “Layla” has one
Any character in Clue
36 Deep-six
Take forcibly
35 Totally wowed 38 “The Sound of Music” family name
52 Dry out, in a way 53 Place for pimiento 56 Novelist Ferber 57 One who’s “just looking” 58 Latin 101 verb 61 Rent out
6 • The Daily Beacon
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
THESPORTSPAGE
UT to play Tide in 1st SEC tourney game David Wells Staff Writer For the first time since 1997, the Lady Vols (20-9, 9-5 SEC) will compete in the opening round of the SEC tournament. UT will play Alabama, a team with only one victory in the conference, on Thursday. UT already defeated Alabama 80-61 on Feb. 12 in Knoxville. Despite Alabama’s inability to win in the conference, UT freshman Glory Johnsonsaid that victory will depend on staying consistent. “For me, it’s kind of the same with every team,” Johnson said. “We all have to bring our A-game, because teams play completely different against other teams than they do against us. You never know how a team’s going to play. You just have to put everything out there.” UT enters the tournament ranked No. 19 in The Associated Press poll, its lowest rank-
ing since the 1980s. Tennessee began the season ranked seventh, but key losses to Oklahoma, Duke, Auburn, Florida and Vanderbilt have kept the Lady Vols out of the top 10 since Jan. 26. With 11 underclassmen dominating the roster, it has taken the team a while to gel together. Despite the ranking and the team’s youth, coach Pat Summitt said that UT’s main focus is to win the tournament and not to watch the polls. “What matters is that we go to this tournament ready to play,” she said. Summitt also said that freshman center Kelley Cain, who scored 15 points in UT’s 7566 victory against Vanderbilt Sunday, will have to play a big role in the tournament if the Lady Vols are going to be successful. “Right now, Kelley Cain — she’s a real force for us,” Summitt said. “She’s going to get a lot of touches, and I’m sure she’s going to draw a lot of defense as well because just
her ability to catch and score at the rim.” UT will also rely heavily on freshman Shekinna Stricklen, who averages 13.1 points per game, attempts more field goals on average than her teammates, and plays 31.3 minutes per game. Against Vanderbilt, Stricklen put up 18 points. Fifteen of those points came in the second half, prompting her to re-evaluate her effort on the floor. “I feel like the last couple of games I’ve only been playing the second half,” Stricklen said. As for Alabama, they won six straight before hitting a wall in conference play on Jan. 8. since then they have lost 11 straight games, leaving them winless for more than a month. The Crimson Tide’s SEC opponents have outscored them by an average of 15 points per game; whereas, their opponents out of conference play only outscored them by three points per game on the year. “Well, I think what my team has done so far during this season is we’ve played awful
hard,” Alabama head coach Wendell Hudson said. “And that’s what I’d expect this team to continue to do, is to continue to give that maximum effort.” If UT beats Alabama, then it will have a rematch with Florida on Friday in the second round. The Gators beat the Lady Vols 66-57 in their first meeting in Gainesville. UT sophomore guard Angie Bjorklund said her team looks forward to playing teams they lost to earlier in the season. “We want to get back at every team we can,” Bjorklund said. “That’s how it was last year. We were pumped when we had the opportunity in postseason to play teams we lost: Stanford, LSU... “I think it’s just making the adjustments and going all out, which is fun.” Tip-off for Thursday’s game is at 7:30 p.m. at the Alltel Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. The Daily Beacon will have full coverage from North Little Rock in both Friday’s and Monday’s paper.
Track wins Indoor Championship David Wells Staff Writer On Sunday, the Lady Vols track team won its third SEC indoor championship in the last five years in Lexington, Ky. UT’s 4x400 team of Chanelle Price, Brittany Jones, Kimarra McDonald and Phoebe Wright, secured the title in the second heat of that event with the meet’s top time of 3:39.57. They needed to finish no worse than fifth to clinch the title meaning LSU couldn’t overtake them, even if they won the final. “We dug in and got it done,” UT head coach J.J. Clark said. “LSU didn’t just die and fold, they did some great things.
We’ve battled them before, and we’re just happy to come out on top in such a great conference.” Along with its 111-point first place finish as a team, UT also had five individual championships, two of which were won by senior distance runner Sarah Bowman. She accumulated 22.50 of their points in the meet. Bowman won her first championship of the meet on Saturday in the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:21.66, her third straight championship in that event. Her teammate Jackie Areson finished second with 9:24.34. Bowman claimed her second title Sunday afternoon in the mile run, posting a four minute, 41-second finish. It was also her third straight title in the mile. In addition, she anchored the first place distance medley team after legs by Rolanda Bell, Ellen Wortham and Ramzee Fondren. “I really just wanted to come out here and leave everything on the track,”
Bowman said. “It’s my last goaround at SEC Indoors, so I just wanted to have fun and go for it (the win). I am really proud to be able to accomplish that.” Wright, who went from walk-on to distance medley champion her freshman year, and senior runner Celriece Law claimed the other two individual championships in the 800-meter and 600-meter, respectively. In the field, sophomore thrower Annie Alexander finished second in the shot put 16.60 meters and seventh in the weight throw with a throw of 16.05 meters. Meanwhile, the men’s track team finished third at the conference championships with 78 points and four individual event winners of its own. “We finished third in the toughest and most competitive conference in the nation, and I’m proud of our guys for that,” coach Bill Webb said. Three of those event champions came on Saturday, with senior shot putter Nick Panezich winning his first
indoor title with a throw of 18.55 meters. Saturday’s other two champions were Michael Ayers, who won the heptatholon, and high jumper Brenard Wilson. “Anytime you can crown three champions in one day, you have accomplished something,” Webb said. “Bernard and Nick both did a great job of establishing themselves early in their competitions and putting pressure on their opponents. Michael fought and battled for two days and finally put the heptathlon away in a pole vault.” Pole vaulter Joe Berry claimed UT’s last individual title Sunday afternoon with a 5.26-meter vault barely ahead of vaulter Brad Holtz. Ayers placed fourth in that same event. Runner Joe Franklin had the Vol’s only top three finish with a third place effort in the 800meter final. Franklin had won his preliminary on Saturday before running a 1:50.43 in the finals, 1.06 seconds behind Arkansas’ Alex McClary, who won the event.