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11// 13 // 2013 E D I T O R I A L LY INDEPENDENT
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Emily West >> Editor-in-chief
Amanda Gambill >> Managing editor
Stacy Busch >> Online Editor
Chris Bishop >> Online Director
Mamie Nash >> News Editor
Sinclaire Sparkman >> Assistant News Editor Daniel Jansouzian >> Assistant News Editor Bailey Robbins >> Features Editor
Maranda Faris >> Assistant Features Editor
Claire Osburn >> A&E Editor
Noel Heath >> Assistant A&E Editor
Lauren Mandrell >> Assistant A&E Editor Sam Brown >> Sports Editor
Connor Grott >> Assistant Sports Editor Quint Qualls >> Opinions Editor Christine Craft >> Designer
Cat Murphy >> Online Photo Editor Kyle Bates >> Print Photo Editor
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Leon Alligood >> Adviser
NEWS
Departments transitioning to new locations across campus The evolving face of campus is leading to the exodus of many departments and shuffling of homes by the end of 2014. Campus Planning is reaching the fulfillment of the current master plan, that was written in 2008. The master plan contains intentions for construction and demolition across campus to maximize space productivity. With the construction of the Student Services Building next to the Health, Wellness and Recreation Center, financial services and academic advising departments will be moving out of the Cope Administration Building, freeing up the space for offices. The occupants of the offices in Cope are yet to be decided. The vacated McFarland Building will become the new location for the photography concentration. “It’s pretty special that the photography program has always had its own building. It makes for a
OPINIONS
much tighter culture among students. Fortunately, we’ll be able to take that with us when we move into the new building,” said Billy Pittard, chair of the electronic media communication department. Photography faculty has been working with Campus Planning and architects to make the most out of the new space. Digital photography will have space in the new building. Studios for photography work will be more spacious, and classrooms more plentiful. “When you put the new photo building together with all of its improvements, and the new digital facilities, and the new Baldwin Photo Gallery opening in three months and our great faculty, our photography program is poised to take a quantum leap forward,” Pittard said. After the move, the Photography Building will be demolished to open a green area in front of the new science building. “It’s kind of sad to leave the old
building. We have so much history there. Sure, the building has seen its better days, but it has served us well,” Pittard said. Facilities will also remove trees recently planted in front of the Photography Building. According to Facilities, these trees were planted for short-term use to keep the soil in front of the building from being destroyed by golf cart traffic. Forty new trees will be planted by Facilities by the end of next semester in spaces across campus including the space in between the Student Union Building and the large parking lot on the north side of the building. With the completion of the science building in January 2015, the biology and chemistry departments will move out of the Davis Science Building and Wiser-Patten Science Hall, leaving space for the geosciences and physics departments to take over. The master plan included plans for 15 new academic spaces, six parking structures and one new campus
housing area. Additions to the James E. Walker Library and the John Bragg Mass Communication Building are included in the plan, as well as three greenhouses near Greenland Drive. Demolition of the E.W. Midgett Building, Ezell and Abernathy Halls, Forrest Hall, the Tennessee Livestock Center and current greenhouse are also included in the plan. Renovations laid out in the master plan are for Kirksey Old Main, Cope, the Keathley University Center and the Alumni Memorial Gym. The plan is long range and ever evolving, but students can expect to see continuous changes to campus as the years go by. Sinclaire Sparkman //Assistant News Editor Photo by Matt Masters.
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NEWS
Students drink their way to an A
A class worth considering during registration By Alex Beecher // Staff Writer As students register for spring classes, a wine appreciation class may seem a good way to blow off steam. The course, where students learn the fundamentals of all things wine, applies to agribusiness and agriscience majors, but any student of legal drinking age can take advantage of the class as a general elective.
Photo by Cat Murphy. “I haven’t had one student who comes back from a trip without it changing them,” said Tony Johnston, an agribusiness and agriscience professor who teaches the course.
“Overall I really enjoy the class,” Cline said. “I have learned how to properly enjoy wine and what good wine actually is. My new favorite wine is La Vielle Ferme. It’s a rose and a French wine.”
In the class, students have the opportunity to taste 30 different wines and learn how to correctly judge them. The course also includes how to interpret wine labels and make informed purchasing decisions in an overwhelming liquor store.
For Johnston, wine is a passion, and it should be appreciated the same way as art in a museum.
The course, listed as ABAS 2500 in the course catalog, is offered every semester. Priority registration for the spring semester started Nov. 8, and students are allowed to start registering for classes after their assigned time.
“I have such a busy and stressful schedule, so I took it as kind of a break from the rest of my classes. However, it has been a little more work than I thought,” said Lena Cline, a senior electronic media journalism major. “We have actually learned about wines and their qualities, and tested over our knowledge rather than it just being a class where you just sit and drink wine and talk about it.”
Johnston enjoys teaching his students how to take it easy and enjoy themselves while wine tasting.
An affordable study abroad component is also offered to students, who can spend four to five days in Eastern Canada visiting wineries and soaking up Canadian culture. In one trip, students tasted 125 different wines.
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“If you want to learn about wine, take the class. I will introduce you to every major style of wine that is made,” he said.
“I get upset at people who race through their glass of wine. Slow down, and enjoy life, you only get one. Don’t worry. Just enjoy it. Every bottle of wine is a piece of art,” he said. Johnston said that no students have left his course without finding their favorite bottle. As an exercise early in the semester, he asks students to write down their favorite wine on a slip of paper and keep it until the end. Johnston said the majority of students change their minds after being exposed to so much variety.
“At first I thought the wine appreciation class was going to be a simple elective where we taste wine and not much else,” said Jared Adams, senior political science major. “I quickly realized it was much more than that. While there are wine tastings almost weekly, the lessons Dr. Johnston teaches us are much more holistic. Sense perception along with a new appreciation for the wine-making process are abound in this experiential course. I couldn’t have chosen a better elective course to finish off my final semester.” Emily West, editor-in-chief, contributed to this report.
OPINIONS
Paying our dues Why we have to work unpaid If you’re planning on getting a job after graduation, you will need to do an internship no matter what your major is. Employers are looking for people with both a degree and experience, and it’s a great opportunity to make contacts and get your foot in the door. But are unpaid internships ethical? A lot of positive things are to be said about unpaid internships. Many provide valuable work experience and contact with major industry players. However, a systemic problem exists with the idea of the unpaid internship — they end up costing you money. You don’t exactly pay to work, but you suffer a loss of income
you might otherwise have. Lower income students may find it difficult to break into their respective industries as a result of this policy. I am a veteran of an unpaid internship, but I had the resources to make it work. A lot of students won’t have the same experience. Unlike the common narrative of “the plight of the intern,� I didn’t spend my time running pointless errands and brewing coffee. Actually, it was fulfilling. My editors gave me the opportunity to cover interesting stories, and I was treated like any other reporter in my newsroom. I learned a lot, and I made connections that have lasted. However, the term “intern� differs from “employee� in that you can legally work for free if you’re receiving compensation in the form of college credit, and a recent court ruling in California marked the first time a judge has condemned the practice. A federal judge ruled in June that Fox Searchlight Pictures’ unpaid internships were illegitimate. “They worked as paid employees worked, providing an immediate advantage to their employer and performing low-level tasks not requiring specialized training,� U.S. District Judge William Pauley wrote in his ruling.
around suing your employers, though. A lawsuit would likely not help you get a job after graduation. Interns at The Nation took a more reserved approach and wrote their editor a letter demanding fair pay. They are now paid minimum wage. But as a result of the court ruling, some employers are ending their internship programs, such as the leading American magazine company Conde Nast, which recently announced it will no longer offer any students a chance to work for Vanity Fair or Vogue. Compensation would be nice, but few choices exist as an alternative. Internships are more of a rite of passage now, and they’re one of the most important parts of the college experience. If you don’t do one, good luck. I guarantee that your future job search will be anything but easy.
Quint Qualls //Opinions Editor
NECESSARY ELEMENTS OF INTERN PROGRAMS 1. Training is similar to that which would be given at a school. 2. Training is for the benefit of the trainee. 3. Trainee does not displace regular employees, but works under close observation. 4. Employer derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainee and on occasion, the employer’s operations may actually be impeded. 5. Trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the completion of the training period. 6. Employer and trainee understand that trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training. –United States Fair Labor Standards Act.
This doesn’t mean you should go
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FEATURES
Living with lenses by noel s. heath assistant a&e editor
Carefully labeled boxes of film and digital prints stacked floor to ceiling form the skeletal foundation of the office occupied by campus’s adored overall-wearing photography professor, Jonathan Trundle. The vast collection of slides, reels, equipment and literature pertaining to photography’s past and present seem to levitate between trinkets and artwork, forming an ideal haven for fellow “light sculptors.” Wearing faded yellow high-top Converse and denim overalls over a tie-dye T-shirt, Trundle commented that he does, in fact, perform optimally in a “cluttered” workspace. “I do know where everything is,” he assured softly and with a grin. “It’s perfect.” Artistic Beginnings Even in high school, Trundle exhibited artistic curiosity. He held a position with his high school newspaper and worked on the yearbook staff. Talents in drawing and painting formed a foundation that would later become a lengthy and successful career. His interest in photography began later in the fall of 1996 when he was just 17 years old. 6 SIDELINES | Nov. 13, 2013 | www.mtsusidelines.com
Photo by Matt Masters.
Upon enrolling in his first photography class at the University of Chattanooga, he quickly fell in love with the medium and its capabilities for expression. He later transferred to MTSU in 1999 to pursue a degree in photography, with minors in art and theatre. Ever since, it has become in large part a way of life. Sculpting His Own Light Throughout graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art and on through his current work, Trundle has been influenced and inspired by movement in imagery and playing with the quality of light. “It’s something about the way it wraps around trees, people and objects,” he said with a passionate gleam in his eye. “[My work is about] whatever gets you out of the bed in the morning singing a song.” He illustrates these fascinations through his ongoing work with slit scan photography. The slit scan process involves removing the shutter and “rolling” film through the camera manually. Instead of creating multiple frames on a single roll of film, slit scan creates one long continuous image that encapsulates the blurred effect of movement.
FEATURES Camera modification in itself has become a valued part of his work. The involvement necessary to construct cameras “to work well beyond the factory-established frame” in itself is an art. One of his projects in progress is with vinyl records where he seeks to portray music through imagery. The images showcase records, namely the Beatles, manipulated and distorted into shapes resembling waves of sound. “I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of portraying music through images,” he said as he flipped through the various prints with nostalgic eyes. Throughout the period of his education and career, Trundle has acquired between 300 and 350 different cameras. Among the vast collection are several 35mm film cameras, holgas, Polaroids and digital.
space and a more prominent student gallery. A small lounge area will also be added and cinder block walls will be no more. “It’s going to be a very visually stimulating space with the opportunity for students to have work on the walls almost every place you look,” Trundle said. “This is going to be a big win for MTSU, the [electronic media communication] department and photography in general.” While some have suggested that the photography concentration’s move may represent a priority to the sciences over the fine arts, Trundle feels differently. “I don’t think the move says anything about the priority of sciences over the arts, but more of supply and demand to house the number of students and facilities for those students. It’s definitely time,” he said.
“If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be the 35mm Hasselblads,” he said.
As the program progresses, Trundle would like to see a growth toward more contemporary trends in digital while still holding on to and maintaining the history of the medium. Film, though underrated, is still relevant and has a strong presence in the creative world even if it may have dwindled in professional and commercial use.
Though Trundle has many projects currently in progress, one of the more prominent includes his rosy-cheeked, seven-month-old son, Arlo, as the main subject.
“There’s a lot you can do with digital that you could never do with film, and there’s a lot you can do with film that you could never do with digital,” Trundle attested. “It’s limiting in both directions.”
“He’s been quite the inspiration,” Trundle said with a warm smile. He has taken a photo of his wife, Liberty, and Arlo under a tree in their backyard at the end of her pregnancy, when Arlo was a newborn and then six months old. He intends to continue this project in future age milestones for his son.
Five years from now, Trundle would still like to be teaching his favorite subject. He wants to watch the university’s photography program to develop into a much larger and more robust program that creatively enriches the students he thoroughly enjoys teaching.
“It’s something about the way it wraps around trees, people and objects. [My work is about] whatever gets you out of the bed in the morning singing a song.” Aside from photography, Trundle enjoys extracurricular pursuits in woodworking, screen printing, camera modification and collecting vinyl records. “I have many hobbies, [but] photography definitely takes up the majority of my time,” he said. New Location and a Bright Future In the classroom, Trundle speaks to his students as if they were friends. He shares several of his collected cameras and equipment from history to use as examples while carefully explaining the future assignment. Trundle has spent the majority of his career in the current Photography Building. He is both saddened and excited for the program’s upcoming move to the McFarland Building. “There’s a wonderful opportunity for evolving the program and building it into something extremely strong and unique. It’s a wonderful thing,” he assured. The new building is smaller in size, but will be renovated to use the entire space for productivity, including a larger studio, a designated digital workSIDELINES | Nov. 13, 2103 | www.mtsusidelines.com 7
COVER
ankards ith the T A Talk w
Murfreesboro’s newest reality show stars A family that prays together stays together. Or is it, a family that’s stars together stays together? The Tankard family does both. After Ben Tankard, pastor of Destiny Center Ministries on Memorial Boulevard, uploaded videos of his family to YouTube, they were approached to star in their own reality TV series, “Thicker Than Water.” The show premiered on Bravo Nov. 10. While the trailer of the show focuses on the family’s wealth, the show is actually about the importance of family, the Tankards said. Seeing their mansion, seven cars and two airplanes might distort the view of the Tankards, but the moment Ben and his wife Jewel’s children Cyrene, 18, and Benji, 22, walk into a room that impression quickly fades away. The Tankard siblings laughed their way through stories about their close-knit, blended family. “We have a really, really big, crazy family,” said Cyrene, the baby of the family. This is evident from the
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COVER show, which displays an array of actions such as bickering, love and forgiveness. “Everything you see is actual reality,” Benji said. “I know its gonna be a hit because it’s actually how our life runs. It’s nothing added, nothing extra, there’s nothing scripted about it. From the planes to the cars to the house to us arguing back and forth to all the jokes and name-calling you’re going to hear, its gonna be real-life stuff.” The show is shot primarily at the Tankard’s mansion, where the immediate family resides. This includes Benji and Cyrene’s sisters, Brooklyn, 25, and Britney, 23, as well as Benji’s wife Shanira, 24, and Brooklyn’s daughter Diamond, 10, and, of course, Ben and Jewel, co-pastors at Destiny Center. Ben’s career as a gospel/ jazz musician and producer brought him to Music City 13 years ago. He has produced award-winning gospel artists like Yolanda Adams and Fred Hammond. Since then, he and Jewel started their church in Murfreesboro. “Let’s get this straight — my dad was a millionaire before he was a pastor,” Benji said, speaking of the controversy surrounding the show after the trailer was released. In the show’s trailer, Ben
and Jewel said that it was God’s destiny for them to be wealthy. Jewel was a president of a company called Ardyss International and had already earned $2.5 million before joining Ben. “Everything that comes from the church is basically put back into the church,” Cyrene said. “I can say that just from being around my mom because you can’t escape the business side of it. So when people are like, ‘You’re not suppose to be rich because you guys are Christians,’ who made that rule? Where is that in the rule book?” After a billboard with Ben’s picture on it was displayed in front of Destiny Center, community members responded negatively, some even sent hate mail. “We don’t have a mega church,” Benji said. “People don’t know about church offerings. [The offerings] don’t do much. People barely pay church offerings, let’s be honest. Ten percent, they say; they don’t even pay that.” Since being on camera, their own family issues have been brought to the table. “We have to have meetings after every single scene,” Cyrene said. “It kind of helps you to resolve that issue with that person because you have to. You might not have wanted
to, but you have to now.” Every Sunday, Bravo mails the Tankards the next week’s episode. On Monday, the family watches it together. Growing up, Cyrene said watching TV wasn’t allowed in their house. Instead, the Tankard clan was taught to read books and work hard. For Cyrene this means developing her own nail polish line, Cyrene Lovette Lacquers, which is going to be part of a larger collection that features products from all the Tankard women.
for domestic violence and Ulcerative Colitis and activities in their church. They also help those in need with holiday food drives, and they just participated in the Nashville Breast Cancer Walk. “My parents, I wouldn’t say they’re hard on us, but yes, they’re hard on us,” Cyrene said. “They definitely want us to strive for success and be ambitious. The grind does not stop.” Claire Osburn //A&E Editor Daniel Jansouzian //Assistant News Editor
After tying the knot with Shanira last year, Benji strives to be even more successful than his father through developing his skills as a disc jockey under the moniker “DJ Richie Rich.” Shanira is a fashion consultant and model. The couple is also working on a book, “Love vs. Lust: Fighting for Young Relationships.” Brooklyn, the oldest of the Tankard children, is currently managing her own hair line, Queen Brooklyn’s Virgin Hair, while Britney enjoys the normalcy of a nine-to-five job at a communications company.
Photos Provided.
Apart from their business endeavors, the family is involved in various charities. This includes raising awareness SIDELINES | Nov. 13, 2013 | www.mtsusidelines.com 9
SPORTS Whether one is sitting on the metal bleachers in the stadium or the other is playing on the field, Lance and Niki Campbell are never far apart. The siblings have grown up together through sports, traveling through the state and the Southeast with a pairs of cleats and cars full of equipment. The 5-foot-10-inch Niki and Lance, her 6-foot-3-inch brother, became Blue Raider student athletes, she in softball and he in football. Unfortunately, knee injuries have sidelined Lance’s playing time.
A n o t- s o s i b l i n g r i va l r y 10 SIDELINES | Nov. 13, 2013 | www.mtsusidelines.com
Lance played on the Blue Raiders’ as walk on for the offensive line until he suffered anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in both of his knees, effectively ending his college football career. His sister, Niki, helped him through the recovery. “We’ve always kind of been there for each other,” Lance said. “We’ve always been able to talk to each other about any kind of feeling and kind of doubt.”
SPORTS With his playing career finished, Lance now interns in the Blue Raiders’ weight room, where he helps out the team with weights with assisting strength and conditioning coach, Jason Spray.
“We’ve always kind of been there for each other.� “It’s an interesting experience,� Lance said. “It’s what I wanted to get into. I’m going to graduate in May with a degree in exercise science, so this is just more experience for me.�
Playing close to home The siblings enjoy attending the same university because they have a strong desire to stay close to their family, who live about 30 miles down the road in Manchester.
Their parents happen to be their biggest fans, making it a point to go to each of their games. “When he was playing football – even now that he’s not playing football – they go to all the games,� Niki said. “They got a motor home just to go to the games. They’re traveling constantly because football is in the fall and softball is in the spring. And since we’re close to home, they can see us whenever, so they’re living it up right now.� The family has been watching them play since they were both learning to throw and catch a ball. Both their mom and dad helped sponsor and coach their youth teams. The brother-sister duo played for Coffee County Middle and Central High School. Lance started as a lineman for the Red Raiders, while Niki
only had to change the color of her uniform.
started for the Lady Raider softball team at first base. She also played volleyball and was on the track and field team. “If something happened to me sportswise, and I needed someone to talk to, he had already been through it, so he could give me advice,� Niki said.
“If something happened to me sports-wise, and I needed someone to talk to, he had already been through it, so he could give me advice.� Lance graduated in 2010 and enrolled at MTSU, Niki soon followed after graduating in 2012. Continuing the tradition as a Raider was a no brainer. She
“Of course, he was playing football before I got here,� Niki said. “I knew I wanted to be close to home, and I knew he was here. I kind of wanted to have somebody here, because I’m a big family person.� Niki is a surging first baseman on the softball team, and she attributes much of her success to her brother. “We’re very close,� Niki said. “We tell each other everything. Of course, like every brother and sister, we have our arguments, but still, he’s kind of my supporter.� She will start her second season with the team this spring. Ritchie Simmons //Staff Writer Emily West, editorin-chief, contributed to
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A&E
G A M E R e V I E W COD disappoints in campaign and multiplayer
>>
John Mueller>>Staff writer
Maranda Faris>>Assistant Features Editor
I was incredibly underwhelmed by the plot of the single-player campaign in “Call of Duty: Ghosts.” I’m not overly enamored with the single-player campaign in “Ghosts” because of how much I compare it to its predecessor, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.” The comparison isn’t really all that fair though, as “Black Ops 2’s” campaign is the best in the incredibly popular series.
Every year, I wait for November to play the latest game in the “Call of Duty” series. Granted, I’m not the best at first-person shooter games online, but I still enjoyed the multiplayer maps on previous games. I can’t say the same for “Ghosts.”
The plot of “Ghosts” isn’t particularly enthralling. Most of the missions nothing more than a typical run-and-gun, first-person shooter, and that’s not something I expect or appreciate from a game with such prominence. Little strategy is involved, and it’s easy to get turned around and confused during game play. The “Call of Duty” series is known for its set pieces. In previous games, these have involved snowmobiles, assaults on underwater bases and the like. In this regard, “Ghosts” does not disappoint. The game opens with a gun battle in space and makes its way back there eventually. Some really enjoyable underwater gunfights occur in between. Each “Call of Duty” game tries to add something new to the franchise, something that previous games didn’t have. In “Ghosts,” certain missions provide players the option to control a trained German shepherd via camera. This new aspect is enjoyable, but it is underutilized at best. The ending is awful. Of every video game campaign I’ve ever finished, “Ghosts” left me with the worst feeling. It legitimately might be my least favorite video game ending ever. The campaign of “Ghosts” should not be a factor in purchasing the game. If anything, it should dissuade you from buying it and instead purchasing a cheaper copy of “Black Ops 2.”
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I was disappointed in multiplayer. The maps for the new game are not what I expected after “Black Ops 2.” Rather than having mid-size maps, every map is either the size of “Nuketown” or so large it’s virtually impossible to find anyone – even your own teammates. The graphics on “Ghost” are hit or miss. Depending on which multiplayer level is chosen, graphics go from roughly the same level as the “Modern Warfare” series to almost painfully grainy. However, I was impressed with the variety of multiplayer options. “Ghost’s” multiplayer has basically the same levels as previous games by both Infinity Ward and Treyarch, with a few new levels and some classic multiplayer combinations. My personal favorite option is “Infected,” presumably added for those players still a little upset by the absence of “Zombies.” With “Infected,” players try to be the last man standing. This level is basically the ultimate game of war zone zombie keep away. If you choose a random map for multiplayer, I suggest you cross your fingers and hope for the “Flooded” map. While this is one of the larger maps, enough blind spots exist to keep players searching for snipers and hoping your soldier can swim through the flooded office building. The variety of games and locations available for “Ghosts” multiplayer is worth buying the game and spending all of Thanksgiving break attached to Xbox Live, blaming lag and controllers for failed kill streaks.
A&E devour a large one-topping pizza for only $7.99. Split it between friends, or eat the whole thing alone — no shame in your game. Sir Pizza offers 10 percent off all orders. Delivery is available after 5 p.m.
MurfreeSboro Student DiscountS unlock savings and fun Natalie Shipley // Staff writer With a student ID, access to discounts and freebies becomes a lot easier. With one flash of that blue card, you can find yourself having free access to a treadmill, a ticket to a play or homecoming event or even a laptop to use in the library. However, any broke student can agree the best perk of the card with your freshman-year picture is usage for awesome discounts off campus. Pizza, a major food group in college culture Domino’s offers a discount on all pick-up orders. Students can
Sonic, America’s Drive-In, gives a whopping 20 percent off a meal and/or any insane choice of beverage you can make with its never-ending flavor combinations.
Hungry Howie’s Pizza allows students to enjoy 10 percent off any regular priced item, delivery or pick-up.
Aspen Leaf reminds students to never neglect a sweet tooth by offering students 10 percent off. With a self-serve bar of toppings, any long night of studying can end on a sweet note.
Mexican food, because everyone needs a fiesta
Take a break from stressing about finals
Camino Real offers 10 percent off meals at both locations. Even though the discount excludes alcohol, burritos are still awesome. Save money on food to feel less guilty when downing that margarita.
The Wax Strip offers 10 percent off all of its waxing services because everyone deserves good looking eyebrows. Pass the eyebrow exam even if you fail your anatomy final.
Blue Coast Burrito also takes 10 percent off your order and allows students to creative with their meals. The build-your-own style ordering gives students a unique dining experience with every visit. Get your grub on at other various places Koji Express, a Hibachistyle Japanese restaurant, may intimidate every college student’s wallet. But Koji is the answer to affordable hibachi-style meals. Students receive 10 percent off when dining in or grabbing a meal on the go via the drive thru.
Make A Break offers 10 percent off to students looking to break glass, relieve stress and have fun experiencing something new and out of the ordinary. Carmike Wynnsong, located on Cason Lane, offers student discounts every day of the week. For example, student tickets cost $7.75 on Friday and Saturday nights, while a normal adult ticket costs a wallet-unfriendly $10.50. Grab some friends or your beau for date night. Whatever you’re craving, make sure to bring your student ID It could be worth your while.
Maple Street Grill, on the Square, offers 10 percent off because college students deserve a nice sit-down meal every once in a while. Treat yourself; you deserve it. SIDELINES | Nov. 13, 2013 | www.mtsusidelines.com 13
A&E
infinity
cat
recordings Infinity Cat Recordings began in a Nashville basement on the night of July 20, 2002, when the then 14 and 16-year-old Orrall brothers sold their first albums for just $5 a piece. Now known nationally and across continents as the two-piece rock band JEFF the Brotherhood, Jake and Jamin Orrall have been cranking out tunes and touring hard ever since
between working with the record label and their own music. Sons of successful songwriter and producer Robert Ellis Orrall, who is known for his work with artists like Taylor Swift, the duo has music in their blood. Jake and father now collectively operate Infinity Cat as a team, while Jamin focuses on the music itself. The patriarch handles
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daily operations and acts as general manager. Jake, now in his mid-20s, is Infinity Cat’s chief executive, though they try to stay away from formal titles (or anything formal really). The label began as an outlet for Jamin and Jake to release their own and friends’ music and has had little ambition beyond keeping those aspirations alive. They take on
young artists with creative drive and a sound worth hearing whenever possible. In 11 years, Infinity Cat has signed 15 unique indie-rock artists, such as Be Your Own Pet, Heavy Cream, Hell Beach and Diarrhea Planet, who go on tour and produce extensively, including of course, JEFF the Brotherhood.
A&E
Come and like it now with us.
The benefit of keeping the label on the small side is their ability to react quickly to the market, as well as offer a local/DIY vibe that keeps up with rapidly changing trends. Larger labels also lose the interpersonal qualities that Infinity Cat retains. Despite its scale, Billboard named it one of the top 50 indie labels in the nation in 2010, and it can boast being one of the
few vinyl-centered record labels still existent. What started out as the dream of head-banging teenagers has become nationally recognized, and as the brothers continue investing in the Infinity Cat name, they plan to keep it independent. D. Boone the cat is also a crucial
member of the team as the label’s official mascot and pet. His wish is to have more music lovers follow him at dboone_infinitycat on Instagram for daily updates on the label and selfies. The Infinity Cat "Cathouse" is located at 467 Humphreys St., Nashville. Customers are welcome to stop by during visitor’s hours
to snag exclusive records and merchandise. As the label’s slogan insists: "Come and like it now with us." Noel S. Heath // Assistant A&E Editor
SIDELINES | Nov. 13, 2013 | www.mtsusidelines.com 15
OPINIONS
Suck it up, you’re an adult now
I hear a symphony of crybabies. I’m not in a day care center. I’m in a college classroom, and the students who skipped the previous week just lost out an extra credit opportunity for a quiz. Some people whine about how they were sick while others decide to cop an attitude. I guess complaining and crafting ear-bleeding excuses when a professor offers the chance to raise a bad grade is a logical solution, right? Wrong. It’s time to get a grip.
By Bailey Robbins Features Editor
Look, a professor isn’t supposed to pat your back and wipe your tears away. Your professor exists to teach you a subject. That is it. So what is it with people spewing petty excuses and hoping that it will sway someone else’s opinion? In the end, no one cares about why you spilt the milk, just clean it up and don’t do it again. This isn’t just a college trend though, it’s everywhere. A couple years ago, my mom introduced a campaign to her office called “A Complaint Free World” because she wanted to create a more positive, productive environment. The creator of the workshop, Will Bowen, had a simple vision to keep people from complaining for 30 days: wear a purple bracelet. Each time someone complained, he or she would reset the 30 days by switching the bracelet from one wrist to the other. By the end of that complaint-free month, Bowen’s hope was that the world
would have become a little more peaceful and a bit more prosperous. Though my mom’s employees became more conscious of how often they complained, no one ever actually completed the challenge. So, yes, believe what you will, but you gripe a lot more than you think. My point isn’t that we need buy ourselves an armful of purple bracelets but that we should start thinking about why we are grumbling so we take some action against it. Sure, it’s easier to talk trash about your professor after class, but that’s not going to change the fact that you failed a quiz. So swallow your pride, move on and study harder next time. Only one person didn’t try their hardest, and that’s you. Enough crybabies and government shutdowns exist in the world, so I think it’s time we start acting more like adults and less like children who didn’t get their favorite toy.
“In the end, no one cares about why you spilt the milk, just clean it up and don’t do it AGAIN.”
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