Thursday, November 15, 2012
Serving the University of Alabama since 1894
Vol. 119, Issue 57
NEWS | LECTURES CULTURE | PERSONAL FINANCE
Freed death row inmate speaks at UA
Mint is a personal finance app. These percentages show the suggested amount of monthly income a student should spend, according to kiplinger.com.
Food
15%
Utilities
10% Housing
CW | Jingyu Wan Two activists spoke in ten Hoor Hall about capital punishment Wednesday night.
Saving
10% Transportation
10%
Gary Drinkard lectured on social justice perspective of legal system By Camille Corbett Contributing Writer The United States’ judiciary may not be as accurate or safe as citizens may believe. That was one of the main points capital punishment mitigator and University of Alabama School of Social Work faculty member Joanne Terrell and death row survivor Gary Drinkard made in a lecture titled “The Death Penalty from a Social Justice Perspective”on Nov. 14. The two activists spoke to a full audience in ten Hoor Hall on Wednesday night to discuss the unfairness of the death penalty within the state. Lending a personal perspective to the controversial subject, Drinkard recounted his experience of being wrongfully convicted for the robbery and murder of a junkyard dealer in 1995 and later sentenced to death. After writing numerous letters to organizations for help, Drinkard was able to assemble his own dream team of attorneys to prove his innocence. He received an acquittal in 2001. Drinkard said his case is a prime example of a person convicted of a crime they did not commit and the
injustices of the legal system in the state. However, it is not unusual. “His story is not unique to Alabama death row,” said Terrell, who also serves as a mitigator for indigent capital murder defendants. “[The legal system] doesn’t care who did it, they just want to convict somebody.” “At least 10 percent of people down in death row haven’t done it. It’s very discouraging,” Drinkard, who now acts as a lobbyist against the death penalty, said. “There have been 141 people let off of death row proven innocent.” Although the legal system can be proven faulty, Drinkard and Terrell explained that it is especially so for low income people who can’t afford an experienced lawyer and become stuck with one who doesn’t care or doesn’t know how to handle the case. Additionally, someone is 10 times more likely to get sentenced to death row if it is a blackon-white crime. “No rich person ever winds up on death row,” Drinkard said. “They have the money to get lawyers to get them out of it. The death penalty is racist and immoral.” SEE DRINKARD PAGE 5
Discretionary
25%
CW | Sarah Grace Moorehead
Students must make concerted effort to meet financial goals on a monthly basis By Courtney Stinson Staff Reporter
ongoing struggle and can be hard to master in addition to classes and a busy lifestyle. For many college stu- Whether saving for the future dents, managing money is an or budgeting from week to
week, many students are taking a pragmatic approach to finances, spending mainly on basic costs like rent and food and saving the splurges for special occasions. Paige Bussanich, a senior majoring in psychology and political science, is primarily
using her paychecks to save for graduate school. However, Bussanich has more than just the cost of graduate school in mind as applying for schools and taking the GRE is expensive in itself. SEE BUDGET PAGE 5
NEWS | TUSCALOOSA FORWARD
Businesses still facing rebuilding barriers Restaurants continue to come back after April 2011 destruction By Jordan Cissell Staff Reporter If there is one thing Evan Smith knows about rebuilding a restaurant from scratch, it’s that the process is not an easy one. “I’ll tell you what I’ve been telling everyone else about this stuff – I definitely don’t want to go through that ever again,” Smith, the general manager of Tuscaloosa’s Krispy Kreme
and a member of the family that opened West Alabama’s first location in 1960, said. “I know that for sure.” Following the destruction of its building during the April 27, 2011 tornado, Smith and Krispy Kreme set to work on reconstructing at the same location on McFarland Boulevard. After the year-long process, the store reopened on Aug. 21 of this year. Despite Smith’s arduous assessment of the rebuilding process, Krispy Kreme has not been alone in making its return.
CW File
Krispy Kreme was able to reopen in its original location more than a year SEE BUSINESSES PAGE 2 after being completely destroyed by the April 27, 2011 tornado.
NEWS | SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
Seniors with less than 96 hours didn’t receive SEC tickets Wednesday qualified Wednsday. The University received 16,000 tickets and 1,920 were allocated for students, UA Director of Media Relations By Alan Alexander Cathy Andreen said. Eighty Contributing Writer percent went to undergraduStudents who had 96 or ates and 20 percent went to more hours as of summer graduate students. Students who qualify can 2012 are eligible to purchase an SEC championship stu- buy their ticket online or at dent ticket, according to the Tide Pride ticket office an email sent to University located inside Coleman of Alabama students who Coliseum, open 9 a.m. through
Ticket office notified students via email
er • Plea s
er • Plea
ap
p
ap
e
cl e recy this
INSIDE today’s paper
5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Students must buy their ticket by 5 p.m. on Friday. The ticket office won’t officially charge student accounts until after the Iron Bowl on Nov. 24. The system for allocating the tickets is based off UA earned credit hours, meaning transfer hours were not calculated into total hours. Taylor Jones, a senior majoring in finance, said it makes sense
that the system only recognizes UA hours. “The students that have paid the most money to the University should receive the majority of the tickets,” Jones said. Although undergraduates received the majority of the tickets, some seniors won’t be making the trip to the Georgia Dome.
Briefs ........................2
Sports ..................... 13
Opinions ...................4
Puzzles.................... 13
Culture ......................8
Classifieds .............. 13
INSIDE
How much of the Georgia Dome will be occupied by students? How does this game’s ticket allocation match up to the Michigan game?
SEE TICKETS PAGE 5
WEATHER today
Wikimedia Commons
Partly cloudy
63º/43º
Friday 63º/39º Clear
cl e recy this p se
GO ON THE
Page 2• Thursday, November 15, 2012
ONLINE
ON THE CALENDAR TODAY
FRIDAY
What: Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market
Rainey, publisher of the Tuscaloosa News
Where: Canterbury
VISIT US ONLINE AT CW.UA.EDU
Where: Reese Phifer 222
Episcopal Lawn
When: 3 - 5 p.m.
When: 9 - 9:50 a.m.
What: Battle of the Branches:
What: Veteran and Military
Intramurals
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @THECRIMSONWHITE
Affairs Grand Opening
Where: Presidential Park
Where: 1 B.B. Comer
When: 4 - 8 p.m.
When: 2 - 4 p.m.
Beer Comedy Showcase
Where: Green Bar
calendar@cw.ua.edu
What: Saturday in the Park: Introduction to Native American Beadwork
Where: Moundville Archaeological Park
When: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. What: Women’s basketball vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Where: Foster Auditorium When: 5 p.m.
What: Shenanigans and Submit your events to
What: Breakfast with Jim
SATURDAY
What: Resident Advisor Interest Meeting
What: Erik the Red & The
Where: Paty Activity Center
When: 8 p.m.
When: 11 - 12 p.m.
P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845 Classifieds: 348-7355
Dudley do Right
Where: Green Bar When: 10 p.m.
EDITORIAL
ON THE MENU
Will Tucker editor-in-chief editor@cw.ua.edu Ashley Chaffin managing editor Stephen Dethrage production editor Mackenzie Brown visuals editor Daniel Roth online editor Melissa Brown news editor newsdesk@cw.ua.edu Lauren Ferguson culture editor Marquavius Burnett sports editor SoRelle Wyckoff opinion editor Ashanka Kumari chief copy editor Shannon Auvil photo editor Anna Waters lead designer Whitney Hendrix lead graphic designer Alex Clark community manager Daniel Roth magazine editor
ADVERTISING Will DeShazo 348-8995 Advertising Manager cwadmanager@gmail.com Tori Hall Territory Manager 348-2598 Classified Manager 348-7355 Coleman Richards Special Projects Manager osmspecialprojects@gmail.com Natalie Selman 348-8042 Creative Services Manager
LAKESIDE LUNCH Beef Burrito Farfalle & Sausage Alfredo Bake Roasted Pork Loin Chicken Tenders Garden Burger Southwest Garbanzo Bean Cakes (Vegetarian)
Chloe Ledet 348-6153 Keenan Madden 348-2670 John Wolfram 348-6875 Will Whitlock 348-8735 Amy Metzler osmspecialprojects2@gmail.com The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students. The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are on the first floor, Student Publications Building, 923 University Blvd. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published four times weekly when classes are in session during Fall and Spring Semester except for the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after Thanksgiving, and once a week when school is in session for the summer. Marked calendar provided. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2012 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.
Grilled BBQ Turkey Hamburger Fettuccine Alfredo Steamed Broccoli Garlic Mashed Potatoes Oatmeal Cookies Capri Vegetable Blend (Vegetarian)
BURKE
FRESH FOOD
LUNCH
DINNER
LUNCH
Steak Hamburgers Chicken Fajita Pizza Vegetable Soup Baked Potatoes Steamed Brussel Sprouts Southwest Garbanzo Bean Cake (Vegetarian)
Facebook apps to help users search for jobs From MCT Campus Facebook Inc. is launching a new application to help its users in the United States hunt for jobs. The free tool stems from a promise made a year ago by a coalition of government, employer and employee associations and Facebook to roll out an application that would help connect job seekers with open positions. The app gives users access to more than 1.7 million job postings in the U.S. that are culled from companies that list jobs on Facebook, including Branchout, Jobvite and Work4 Labs. The latest move has fueled talk that Facebook would enter the lucrative online recruiting market. For years, analysts have speculated that Facebook would harness its massive audience to enter that market and take on professional networking site LinkedIn and job-hunting sites
15th Street businesses doing well after rebuild BUSINESSES FROM PAGE 1 “In Tuscaloosa, 242 commercial structures were damaged, and 114 were destroyed,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said in an April 16 statement titled, “The Facts of Tuscaloosa’s Recovery,” on the Tuscaloosa Forward website. “Since April 27, [2011], 93 percent of the 242 commercial structures that were damaged have received repair permits, and 34 percent of the destroyed structures have received new construction permits.” City of Tuscaloosa Communication Director Diedre
such as Monster.com. That speculation has only intensified as Wall Street cranks up the pressure on Facebook to prove it’s more than a one-trick pony. A Facebook spokesman said the Menlo Park, Calif., company is simply trying to make it easier for Facebook users to find and share job listings on Facebook. Marne Levine, Facebook’s vice president for global public policy, said in a statement that the app is part of a “broader effort to help people use social media to find jobs in the U.S.” LinkedIn Corp. doesn’t view the new Facebook job-hunting app as a shot across its bow, a spokesman said. “We don’t see this as Facebook getting into the professional networking space,” the unidentified LinkedIn spokesman said. “Facebook is aggregating jobs from various Facebook apps and putting them in one place.” Stalnaker said she could not say for certain what percentage of the damaged or destroyed businesses operated in the food service industry. Both local institutions – like Hokkaido and Mike and Ed’s Bar-B-Que – and corporate chains – like Full Moon BarB-Que and McDonald’s – have joined Krispy Kreme in reopening for business. “It’s important to note that some restaurants have reopened in a different location, such as Hokkaido and Full Moon. Other restaurants plan to reopen with a different name – Mike & Ed’s will be Hoo’s-Q,” Stalnaker said. “Some restaurants have reopened in the same location, such as Taco Casa and McDonald’s.” Smith said family tradition
Smothered Chicken Grilled Chicken Salad Pepperoni Pizza White Rice Stewed Okra Orzo Soup Carrot & Raisin Salad (Vegetarian)
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Chicken & Andoulle Gumbo Meatball Pizza Beefy Mac Bake Mashed Potatoes Seasoned Corn Sun-dried Tomato Mushroom Risotto (Vegetarian)
ON CAMPUS
ON THE RADAR
Robert Clark 348-8742 Emily Diab 348-8054
DINNER
BURKE
Tide signs two four-star prospects on first day of early signing period By CW Staff The University of Alabama men’s basketball head coach Anthony Grant announced the signing of two prospects to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday during the first day of the early signing period. Center Jimmie Taylor and forward Shannon Hale are slated to join the Crimson Tide on the court for the 201314 season. “We are very excited to have Jimmie and Shannon sign National Letter of Intent’s with The University of Alabama today,” Grant said. “They are both outstanding young men who come from quality families. They also have a passion and excitement level for Alabama and our basketball program.”
played a very significant role in Krispy Kreme’s decision to return to its old location. “We were adamant about coming back to our same place there on McFarland, because that’s where my grandparents started it,” Smith said. “There was no question that we were coming back in that spot.” This adamancy on location ended up substantially delaying Krispy Kreme’s return. Smith said the length of time spent physically reconstructing paled in comparison to the months spent working out pre-build kinks. “When we started to try to rebuild, we found out we were in a flood plain, so we weren’t allowed to build. So we hired a water expert who did some research and proved to the city
Taylor is a four-star recruit and brings an inside presence for Grant’s squad next season. The cousin of former Tide standout and 2002 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year Erwin Dudley, Taylor is rated as the No. 6 center in the nation and No. 30 overall prospect by rivals.com. In March 2011, he was selected to the USA Developmental National Team and has twice been named as a 3A first-team all-state performer. “Jimmie will provide for us the length and athleticism needed to be successful in the SEC,” Grant said. “He is a perfect fit for our style of play and understands what it takes to be successful, winning two state championships at Greensboro High School.”
Similar to Taylor, Hale, a 6-foot-8-inch 200-pound power forward from Johnson City, Tenn., is another player who should help in the post next season. He is listed as a fourstar recruit by rivals.com and is ranked as the No. 19 power forward and the No. 93 overall prospect by the same website. In addition, ESPN.com lists Hale as the No. 6 recruit in the state of Tennessee and as the No. 26 forward in the nation. “Shannon provides great versatility for his size,” Grant said. “He has an ability to play inside and out and like Jimmie is the type of player we target for how we want to play. Shannon also plays for one of the premier prep school programs in the country.”
that we weren’t in a flood plain,” Smith said. “Then there was another delay because the State Department was considering buying land along McFarland to widen the turning lanes. Once that all got straightened out, we got the building completed in only about four months.” Smith said finances were not a significant factor in Krispy Kreme’s decision to rebuild, but the city of Tuscaloosa took measures to aid the return of restaurants for which money was an issue. “The city of Tuscaloosa is currently offering a Commercial Revolving Loan Program to assist businesses developing in areas hardest hit by the tornado, and restaurant owners are eligible to apply,” Stalnaker said. “The program is funded through
a FEMA hazard mitigation grant and offers recipients a zero interest loan, ranging in amount from $20,000 to $200,000.” As part of the Tuscaloosa Forward plan, the City plans to “create well-designed mixed-use corridors that serve as attractive gateways to the community and support the city’s retail and service needs,” according to the plan outline. The Plan highlights 10th Avenue, 15th Street and University Boulevard as major corridors affected by the tornadoes, but Smith thinks McFarland’s dense traffic flow merits its inclusion in the list. “You really couldn’t find a better location in town,” he said. Smith said decreasing, or at least more efficiently managing, traffic flow would probably prove more beneficial for restaurants and businesses along McFarland Boulevard, as congested driving conditions can discourage potential patrons. Stalnaker said Tuscaloosa’s high population and traffic flow serves as encouragement for business owners facing the rebuilding decision. “Heavy traffic and a large student population – high potential for customers – are all examples of incentives that could impact a restaurant’s decision to build or rebuild in the recovery area,” Stalnaker said. Smith echoed Stalnaker’s sentiment. He said the University’s large student population never hurts when one is in the business of selling donuts. “The City has been great, the University has been great, and all of the Tuscaloosa residents and students have been very supportive. And they have let us know it,” Smith said. “I’m just happy we’re past it all, and we’re glad to be open again.”
NEWS OPINION CULTURE SPORTS
NEWS
Page 3 Editor | Melissa Brown newsdesk@cw.ua.edu Thursday, November 15, 2012
Academic, greek ambassadors recruit students By Katherine Langner Contributing Writer Thousands of prospective students visit the Capstone each year, all arriving with curiosity to see if The University of Alabama will make the right future home for them. One way potential students can see if they will assimilate well into the University is through the use of college ambassadors. Ambassadors serve as student representatives of each college at the University and provide potential students insight into what the specific college is like. Some of those colleges with ambassador programs include the Honors College, the
Capstone College of Nursing, the College of Engineering, College of Education, Graduate School Ambassadors and the College of Communications and Information Sciences. Members of the Alabama Student Society for Communication Arts serve as the college ambassadors for the College of Communication and Information Sciences. “The group is composed by students of different majors from within the college,� Hannah Hook, a senior majoring in communication studies and current member of ASSCA, said. “We serve as guides for incoming students and parents when they visit Reese Phifer.�
Hook said the program also mentors current students through their Ask ASSCA program, maintains alumni relations and assists the school’s faculty with events hosted by the College of Communications and Information Sciences. “I wanted to join an organization where I could meet other students within the College of C&IS, while also getting to know faculty, staff, prospective students and alumni,� Hook said. Each spring, applications for ASSCA become available. From the application, candidates are then called in for interviews conducted by their faculty advisor, which determines acceptance. The Ambassadors of the
College of Engineering have responsibilities similar to that of ASSCA. They also host alumni events, assist the College of Engineering with events and conduct tours of the engineering facilities to prospective students. “Our main daily focus is recruitment for The University of Alabama and the College of Engineering,� Shelby Cochran, a junior majoring in aerospace engineering, said. “I normally have one to two lunches per week. On average, I spend two hours with a family while taking them to lunch and on a tour.� The application process for the Ambassadors of the College of Engineering requires applicants to submit an application with references and three essay questions. An in-person interview then follows.
“Our students join the program because they themselves were recruited and love the idea of giving back to the College,� said Tyler Mathews, a senior majoring in civil engineering, is president of ACEs. “I wanted to get more involved in the College and make sure we continue to recruit the best and the brightest in the country,� Mathews said. “The idea of being placed in a position to be able to talk with others about the opportunities and success the University has given to me was extremely exciting.� The greek community also has fraternity and sorority members that serve as representatives of the campus’ greek life to potential students through the Greek Ambassadors program. Greek Ambassadors shows students with a desire to learn
about greek life at the University. “The program is for high school seniors and juniors, who might be on the edge of wishing to rush, or for those who are still thinking about where to attend school when they graduate high school,� said Ryan Snyder, a senior majoring in communication studies and minoring in political science and vice president of administration for the organization. Greek Ambassadors gives tours of fraternity or sorority houses and explains the traditions and the day-to-day activities of a greek student. “The program is a great way for rising students to get a glimpse of greek life, and see a fraternity or sorority house as a high school senior,� Snyder said. “This excites them more about both greek life and college.�
Student organization raises diabetes awareness
CW | Margo Smith
Blue ribbons were on hand for many to show their support for World Diabetes Day.
CW | Margo Smith
Charts mentioning healthy food options were on handed out at World Diabetes Day on the Quad.
NOW Lea s g for Fall 201in 3!
Live Large. www.HAEDWARDS.com 205-345-1440
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡
%HGURRP $SDUWPHQWV $SSU[ VT IW *DWHG &RPPXQLW\ 3RRO 7DQQLQJ %HGV :RUN RXW )DFLOLW\ *UDQLWH &RXQWHUWRSV :DON LQ &ORVHWV $SSOLDQFHV ,QFOXGHG +LJK 6SHHG ,QWHUQHW /RFDWHG PLOH IURP 8RI$Ň‹V /DZ 6FKRRO
NEWS OPINION CULTURE SPORTS
OPINIONS
Page 4 Editor | SoRelle Wyckoff letters@cw.ua.edu Thursday, November 15, 2012
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
It’s time the smoke cleared on the rules of on-campus smoking
MCT Campus
UA, Aramark should let no UA student go hungry By Tray Smith Senior Columnist For years, I have mocked the idea of the hungry college student. Who is going to take on the expense of college and not have money for food? Conversely, if a student cannot afford food, why would he or she come to college? Then, earlier this week, The Crimson White ran a story about students who struggle to pay for meals. Associate Dean of Students Lowell Davis said his office deals with two or three such cases a week. That is an extraordinarily small number on a campus with 33,000 students, but it is still unacceptably high. Davis said he would like to see a fund established so the Division of Student Affairs can help students in need. Such a fund could go a long way toward solving the problem entirely, because it would not need that much money to resolve the small number of cases the Dean of Students office handles. However, the University would not need to tap its
financial reserves at all if Aramark, the corporate behemoth the University pays to provide food services, acknowledged a real sense of obligation to the community it serves beyond fulfilling its contract at the lowest possible cost. Aramark runs Bama Dining and, beginning this year, all freshmen are required to buy an unlimited meal plan at a cost of $1,525. That is an exorbitant burden on students already trying to pay tuition, and it limits students to vendors under Bama Dining’s control. Students with the means to occasionally eat elsewhere will do so, though, because no one really wants to eat at the dining halls for every meal if they can afford something better. That means Bama Dining actually profits more when its customers go elsewhere, because those customers have paid for an unlimited meal plan but aren’t using Bama Dining for all of their meals. Allowing a food service company to profit more when students reject the food it is serving is a strange way to
structure incentives on a college campus. However, if we are going to maintain this tremendously unfair and convoluted system, we should at least do so with an eye toward the needs of our most vulnerable students. The next best meal plan available covers 160 meals at a cost of $1,350. Freshmen cannot choose that option because of the unlimited meal plan requirement, but many of them will still eat fewer than 160 meals a semester. If those students were allowed to donate all of their remaining meals below the 160limit to struggling students, the hunger problem could be eliminated. Alternatively, Bama Dining could automatically roll those meals over into a special program for struggling students. Bama Dining would still be able to require all freshmen to pay $1,525 for an unlimited meal plan. For those that don’t even eat the 160 meals provided by the $1,350 plan, though, Bama Dining would have to make up the difference by giving those meals to other students. In the
end, Bama Dining would simply be providing at least 160 meals for every unlimited meal plan and could still pocket the $175 difference. Bama Dining also gives students 10 guest passes with most of its meal plans and could allow students to donate their unused guest passes to hungry students. Most college students are struggling financially because it is hard to attend class and maintain a steady, secure income. Some of us struggle more than others, though. I was wrong about hungry college students. They not only exist, but they have come to college to try to improve their skills and their prospects for success in life. We should not just help them; we should celebrate their drive and determination. We should make sure they don’t have to choose between books and meals. The University of Alabama is better than that. Tray Smith a senior majoring in journalism. His column runs on Thursdays.
Why are the living so obsessed with the living dead?
MCT Campus
By Tara Massouleh Staff Columnist Zombies are making a comeback. What used to be confined to horror movies played strictly in October can now be experienced year round. Classic movies such as “Night of the Living Dead” and “Dawn of the Dead” have made way for countless remakes as well as new interpretations such as 2009’s horror comedy “Zombieland” and AMC’s hit “The Walking Dead.” The American obsession with the supernatural, i.e. vampires, werewolves, ghosts,
and zombies, has been around for centuries, dating back to our very colonization, which was influenced by tall tales and legends. However, despite our natural inclination toward the extraordinary and disturbing, the real reason we are so hooked on zombie movies, shows, books and games has nothing to do with zombies at all, but rather the ordinary people who are left to deal with them. As with all good post-apocalyptic works, zombie movies are centered on the characters struggling to survive in the new world after civilization has been destroyed. And while
we all initially tune into a good zombie show or movie for the thrill and gore of moaning, dim-witted, half-rotted human corpses trying to eat people, we become devoted followers for a much different reason. We almost instantaneously become deeply invested in the characters that have been unceremoniously pushed into a world so depraved and raw that we find it almost unfathomable. And despite these characters’ impending doom, we root for them to somehow survive and find happiness in what can only be described as Hell on Earth. And it’s the same with literature. Acclaimed fictionists such as Mary Shelley and Edgar Allen Poe have been writing post-apocalyptic stories since far before the zombie fad came into existence. In Cormac McCarthy’s 2006 novel, “The Road,” the appeal is the same. We are simply fascinated with tracking the decisions and morality of these characters who no longer have laws, rules, government, or society to depend on for guidance.
We would like to believe that we would never turn to cannibalism, kill entire families for food, or partake in any other of the horrific incidents common to post-apocalyptic fiction. In other words, we all want to be the Ricks of “The Walking Dead” and never the Shanes. However, the small voice of doubt and paranoia reminding us that humans have been known to commit terrible deeds in times of desperation sparks our interest and makes up our obsession with zombie entertainment. Ultimately, it’s not the mindless, bloodthirsty creatures called zombies that scare us into coming back for more, but rather it’s the cunning and resourceful, but altogether desperate human survivors whom we should be afraid of as they reveal the potential for evil that lurks just beneath the surface of each of us overshadowed by years of tradition and societal conditioning. Tara Massouleh is a freshman majoring in English and journalism. Her column runs weekly.
Maybe I’ve been hoodwinked. Maybe I chose to attend The University of Alabama under the wrong impression. You see, out of my numerous acceptance letters to various universities around the country, I chose the University believing that the prestige of the students here, along with their levels of ethics and hospitality, were held to a high standard. But perhaps I was wrong. I learned the length of 1 foot very early in life: 12 inches, correct? A little later I learned about multiplication, so one 1 foot multiplied by 30 is equal to 30 feet, 10 yards, or (if you’re a metric fan) 9.144 meters. Assuming that the students here on campus know basic mathematics, can anyone explain why it is that I walk out of lecture halls, libraries and dormitories and directly into clouds of cigarette smoke multiple times every day? An email reminding students of the University’s smoking policy was sent out on Oct. 30 stating, “The University of Alabama’s smoking policy prohibits smoking in all campus buildings. In addition, smoking is not allowed within 30 feet of entrances to buildings.” So who or what is to blame? Surely it’s not ignorance, unless the vast majority of student smokers on campus are devoid of a crimson email
By Amber Patterson Staff Columnist I would simply like to start this article with a huge Roll Tide! After a devastating Saturday home game where we were handed our first lost (yes, it still hurts to mention), I am incredibly proud of my fellow students and their constant display of Southern hospitality and general kindness. I have noticed that on Gameday, our campus is a brighter place to be. I have been told constantly by opponents that have visited our school that we treat them with the utmost respect and generosity – before we typically run them into the ground. I would usually chalk up our carefree kindness to the fact that we are one of the top SEC football programs with 14 national championships under our belt; therefore, there is no need for us to be mean-spirited and tense. But after our heartbreaking loss, I knew that the University really was a school with a good heart. A Texas A&M player even stated that we as a school treated them like gold before and after the game. We are the true essence of Southern hospitality. From tailgaters who will kindly share their television, and maybe some food, to students with a kind smile, we are a very welcoming campus. With all of this being said, I will acknowledge that sometimes we do become a little rowdy after the game is over and all is said and done,
GOT AN OPINION?
GOT A STORY IDEA?
TWEET US AT
Will Tucker Editor-in-Chief
Submit a guest column (no more than 800 words) or a letter to the editor to letters@cw.ua.edu
cw.ua.edu/submit-your-idea
@TheCrimsonWhite
Alex Clark Community Manager Ashanka Kumari Chief Copy Editor SoRelle Wyckoff Opinion Editor Tray Smith
Stephen Hewlett is a freshman majoring in management information systems.
Showing hospitality in the face of loss is what makes Alabama special
EDITORIAL BOARD Ashley Chaffin Managing Editor Stephen Dethrage Production Editor Mackenzie Brown Visuals Editor Daniel Roth Online Editor
account. Are student smokers illiterate? Do they not know simple mathematics? Or do they simply not care? Any of these suggested explanations causes me to lose respect for some of the people here. The University’s campus either lacks the prestige and character I initially thought, or the vast majority of smokers here are collectively selfish. Granted, not all students here smoke. And of those who do smoke, not all are as inconsiderate of their peers as others prove to be. So I do not, by any means, intend to insult the intelligence or the integrity of the student body here. But why do the non-smokers and respectful smokers not have the zeal and audacity to speak up against those that are selfishly violating University policy? Why hasn’t the administration been following this issue and actually enforcing their so-called policy? Regardless of any rational explanations, the time is ripe for action. As student smokers continue to abuse the privilege offered to them, should the administration enact a smoke-free campus policy, or will student smokers learn to respect the “regulations” the University supposedly enforces?
The Crimson White reserves the right to edit all guest columns and letters to the editor.
“
True character is shown through adversity, and the fact that we were able to shake the hand of those who gave us a wakeup call says a lot about the character of our school as a whole.
usually to the opponents’ dismay. But that is in the spirit of sports and football. True character is shown through adversity, and the fact that we were able to shake the hand of those who gave us a wakeup call says a lot about the character of our school as a whole. But please do not get confused – we were not run into the ground as we do our other adversaries – but were given a slight reality check. The legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant said it best: “Show class, have pride and display character. If you do, winning will take care of itself.” As a student body, we embody this whole-heartedly. Showing character, when your world has been rocked to its core, separates the strong from the weak. As a team, I have no doubt that we will still come out on top because we are Alabama; it happened once – it definitely can happen again. Also, as a student, I am confident we will still show hospitality better than any school in the South.
Amber Patterson is a sophomore majoring in public relations and marketing. Her column runs on Thursdays.
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
Thursday, November 15, 2012 | Page 5
SEC Championship Seating Chart
Many students try to save for future BUDGET FROM PAGE 1 “In the graduate school process I knew how much I would need for each graduate application, so I would try to put a little bit away at a time,” she said. Though Bussanich’s main costs are practical ones like rent and groceries, she uses her credit card for purchases like shopping and the occasional splurge, but she still manages to spend responsibly. “I only buy something [on credit] if I know I can pay it off within a month,” she said. “So if I want to splurge or go shopping, I use my card for that, but I make sure I pay it off.” To keep track of finances, Bussanich suggests keeping a ledger for transactions, especially when paying with checks, which can take time to process. Bussanich has also taken advantage of budgeting apps and online banking to help her manage her money and keep tabs on
Of the 16,000 tickets given to The University of Alabama, only 12 percent of them were allotted for students. Students who received a ticket must have completed at least 96 UA hours as of summer 2012. 1,536 tickets were given to undergraduate students and 384 were given to graduate students. This compares to the season opener against Michigan, when UA was allotted 25,800 tickets and 1,600 were sold to students. However, only 800 of the student ticket holders received a seat in Cowboys Stadium while the other 800 received discounted standing room only passes.
y tne
rix
nd
He
hi
CW
University of Alabama
Some seniors won’t recieve Bowl tickets TICKETS FROM PAGE 1
Students finishing in four years or graduating early could be at a disadvantage, as students who have been at the University for five or six years are likely to have more hours under their belts. A fourth-year senior would need to have taken 16 UA hours for all freshman, sophomore and junior semesters to be eligible for a ticket. Chris Joiner, a senior majoring in biology, has completed 95 UA hours and has 111 hours total. In addition to entering the University with hours from dual enrollment, he took a 12-hour course load at the University for two summers. He only has 3 hours remaining to obtain a biology degree and complete the
UA student section
|W
University of Georgia
University Honors program, somebody else who has but he still missed the ticket already had these opportunicut. ties got a ticket.” Joiner said he’s worked With some undergraduhard to be able to graduate ates having a better chance in four years and is disap- of receiving tickets because pointed graduating on time of their longer time of enrollmeans he won’t get to enjoy ment, Joiner said the system the championship or certain needs to be re-evaluated to away games. level the play“ F i f t h ing field. He Fifth and sixth year seniors and sixth believes the disyear seniors tribution should shouldn’t benefit from their shouldn’t benbe based on circumstances, whether efit from their hours, but only because of failed classes or circumstancfor a period of changed majors. es, whether four years. because of “That gives — Chris Joiner failed classes everyone equal or changed odds, over 4 majors,” Joiner years, to have said. “They have now have these experiences,” Joiner the opportunity to go to the said. “We really do live footSEC championship and pos- ball here, and it would honsibly the national champi- estly mean something to me onship multiple times. I will to have an experience, such as leave the capstone know- an SEC championship, to culing I could never go to the minate the final football sesSEC championship because sion here at UA.”
“
{
Survivor speaks on death row conditions DRINKARD FROM PAGE 1 He also said the death penalty sends the message that some people have more value than others. In addition to the numerous holes within the morality and legal complications of the death penalty, the speakers recounted the first-hand stories of the inhumane conditions of the death row in prisons. Drinkard said often administrators and officials turn their cheeks from the needs of the inmates. “He said, ‘I can’t take it. It’s 103 degrees, I don’t even have any money to get a cold drink from the canteen. Last week someone died of a heat stroke, and the guards wouldn’t help
YOUR VIEWS IN RESPONSE TO:
her spending. Like Bussanich, Courtney Webb, a sophomore majoring in human environmental science, also spends most of her money on practical costs like gas and groceries. Webb takes a systematic approach to keeping track of her costs. “I have a sheet where I write down my rent and all the bills and I know how much I’m going to make each week, so I calculate to make sure I have enough to pay my bills on time,” Webb said. In addition to paying her bills, Webb also tries to set aside spending money and money to contribute to her church. “I try to set a certain amount of money aside that I can spend and I try to stay within that, so when I really want something I have to second guess myself and ask ‘Do I have enough money to buy this?’” she said. Though some students are only able to budget from month to month, senior interior design major Megan Jones is saving what she can to ensure her financial security after graduation. “I am saving for once I do
graduate, so in case for some reason I don’t have a job right off the bat, I will have some money saved up for a little while,” Jones said. “It depends on how much my bills are that month. Usually I put a third of each paycheck [in savings].” While it appears many students prioritize costs like rent and food before spending their money, organizational communication instructor Caroline Parsons finds that students’ mismanagement of money can signal poor management of other areas such as time and grades. To avoid this problem, Parsons stressed the importance of knowing the difference between needs and wants. “In the second half of the semester, people get into tight spots,” Parsons said. “If you don’t manage your money well, then all you’re resources suffer as well, your time, your friends and you’re nervous. There’s this underlying tension when you know you haven’t managed your money well, so it’s very important to work with your parents to make a monthly budget and stick to it.”
him,’” Terrell said one of her provided ways students defendants on death row should become involved in said to her before he gave up speaking against the death fighting his case and dropped penalty. all of his appeals. “You have to lobby Although Drinkard also Montgomery, there has to experienced the harsh reali- be an organized persistence. ties of prison Normal people on death row, don’t know how he did not give the justice sysup fighting for tem works until Normal people don’t know his innocence, it hits home,” how the justice system works although he Terrell said. until it hits home. admitted he “We need to considered find a way to — Joanne Terrell suicide. fund the justice “I distanced system across myself from the board for death row. I all people in wrote letters, watched TV I terms of socioeconomic abilhad penpals, and they would ity. Another thing is we need send me pictures, and I would to hold attorneys in both the project myself in their lives. prosecutor’s side and the It was my own world. But defense side accountable they knew me well there,” for misconduct. Because Drinkard said. the means do not justify the Drinkard and Terrell also end.”
“
}
‘A Yankee’s point of view: some Southern traditions are not worth holding onto’ “To say we are misinformed proves your ignorance. As an American we are entitled to our own beliefs and values… If an incoming freshman makes a conscious choice to be involved in these organizations, that’s his right.”
“As Americans, you are absolutely entitled to your own misinformed and ignorant beliefs and values. No question about that. But as Americans, the rest of us get to call you out on it. That’s what’s great about America. As to hazing… when one of these kids finally gets killed, their parents are likely to sue the school… so hazing is actually every student of the school’s (and every Alabama taxpayer’s) concern.”
– Chase Boyett
– Brad Erthal
$4200 S-XXL
$1 OFF Desert Bites this week!
Sunday 11-3 PM Downtown
525 Greensboro Ave.
205.752.6931
Monday-Friday 7-6 PM
Saturday 9-5 PM
Page 6 | Thursday, November 15, 2012
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
University helps children learn business skills Young Entrepreneur Academy teaches middle, high schoolers lessons about starting their own business By Sarah Elizabeth Tooker Staff Reporter
The Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration and the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce are partnering up to host the Young Entrepreneurship Academy, a course teaching middle and high school students how to launch a successful business. The Young Entrepreneurship Academy hopes to foster the ideals of entrepreneurship and innovation in young children in the Tuscaloosa community, as students work in close cooperation with local business leaders, Loo Whitfield, director of education and workforce development at the Chamber of Commerce, said. “The course is seven months long starting in November and meeting once a week for three hours in The University of Alabama’s AIME building,” Whitfield said. “We began recruiting students in
October, and this year there will be 12 students participating, representing both city and county public schools.” Two business professors on campus, David Ford and Rob Morgan, played vital roles in helping the program take off logistically, Whitfield said. Ford, who has personal experience with running entrepreneur camps at the University, helped arrange speakers and field trips for the program. “I have run a successful Entrepreneur Camp on campus for high school juniors for five years, and this seemed like a natural extension and refinement of that camp,” Ford said. “I cannot think of a better way to spend my time than helping young people envision the opportunities and rewards of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.” Ford also said the dean of the business school, Michael Hardin, provided financial resources to assist with getting the camp off the ground
in the first year. Morgan, whose daughter is a participant this year, said he was eager to contribute because he felt nothing represents the positive power of capitalism more than entrepreneurs. He arranged for the program to be held in the AIME building. “I have a lot of admiration for the person who has the work ethic, passion and backbone to start up their own business,” Morgan said. “I think it’s great that the young people in our community have an opportunity to get some exposure to that in such a well-designed program.” The Young Entrepreneurship Academy was originally founded in 2004 at the University of Rochester and is now in 23 different states with 59 locations. The course has a set curriculum developed for each different location to use to teach the program. It roots the students’ education in business theory, Gayle Jagel,
the CEO and founder of Young Entrepreneurship Academy, said. “We teach young people how to make a job, not just take a job,” Jagel said. “The program identifies a student’s passions and what they’re good at and sees how that can intersect with a business plan.” Whitfield explained the program ends with students applying for a business license in April and participating in an event called Investor’s Panel. “There will be local business men and women at the Investor’s Panel who will invest their actual money to help launch the students’ business and marketing ideas,” Whitfield said. “The students will have six minutes to pitch their business plan in hopes of receiving some funding.” This event has been a part of the program since it first launched, Jagel said. “It was just like Shark Tank met the Apprentice met
CW | Caitlin Trotter
Local business owner Lee Henderson volunteers once a week to teach a business and entrepreneur class for local kids on campus. American Idol,” she said. “I remember one child said, ‘My invention will change the world.’” Jagel said the Young Entrepreneur Academy, which costs $395 per student, is a nonprofit organization and credits much of its success and affordability to donations from national and local
Chambers of Commerce. “The United States Chamber of Commerce said ‘We love what you’re doing, so what if we provide funding for local chambers to run programs in local areas,’” Jagel said. “That funding really helps so the students can afford to take this fabulous class for far less than it actually costs.”
UA student veterans tell Athletic training program stories of service, sacrifice provides first-hand learning
CW | Caitlin Trotter
Grey Westbrook is a veteran of the Iraq war and after spending four years in the military, is now contining his studies at the University. By Adrienne Burch Staff Reporter As Grey Westbrook sat back relaxing at a table in the Ferguson Center, he resembled any ordinary University of Alabama student taking a break from a day filled with classes. But his experiences make him far from ordinary. At 18, Westbrook decided to forgo attending the Capstone and enlisted in the United States Army. Six years later, he has finally returned to the University. There are approximately 800,000 military veterans currently attending colleges across the United States, including many who attend the University. These troops are able to attend advanced schooling and earn a college degree free of charge as part of the G.I. Bill. For Westbrook, the college degree he is working toward was something he always thought he wanted. He was accepted to the University his senior year of high school, but over Christmas break he watched a movie that changed the course of his life. “It was ‘Fahrenheit 9/11,’” Westbrook said. “It made me realize the negative views of the military, and I thought maybe I can change that. Maybe I can make a difference.” Westbrook spent three years in Iraq as an infantry fire team leader. He worked 16 to 18 hour days, alternating between eight hour combat patrols, eight hours of tower guard and eight hours of rest. However, most of these rest periods were not spent sleeping,
but preparing equipment and getting his team ready to go on their next patrol. He said the most important thing he learned from his time overseas was not to take the small things for granted. “People take for granted that they get hot showers, hot food and eight hours of sleep,” he said. “We were lucky if we got these things on a regular basis.” Westbrook said it was the sense of camaraderie and the bond between troop members that made it all worth it. “I was in a lot of crappy situations,” he said. “But the guys you are with are what make it special. I may have been running drills out in Kentucky in the freezing snow, but I wasn’t the only one going through it. I knew the boy next to me was freezing his butt off too.” Westbrook is currently working for a degree in advertising but hopes to return to the military soon after graduation. “I’m going back in the military,” he said. “I loved what I did.” However, for other veterans, leaving the military and starting college represents a fresh start and the beginning of a new career. Zach Boyd, 25, is a Tuscaloosa native who enlisted in the United States Navy right out of high school in 2005. He was stationed on the U.S.S. Rhode Island submarine out of Kings Bay, Ga. For Boyd, joining the military was a way to get away from the real world for a few years to figure out what he really wanted to do. “You don’t have to pay bills or make any real decisions,” he said. Boyd discovered during his time
in the Navy that he was interested in finance, currently his major at the University, through serving as the command financial specialist. Boyd said being back at school has been pretty different. He compared life on the submarine to the movie “Groundhog Day,” where the main character experience the same day over and over again. “The same thing happens every day,” he said. “You don’t really know what day or what time it is or if the sun is out. I just knew when I started getting tired it must be getting close to the end of my watch.” Coming back to school, Boyd left behind many of his closest friends and lost a lot of the camaraderie he had built through his time in the service. He said he traded these friendships for time with his family, including his 2year-old son, who was born two weeks after he was discharged. For U.S. Army veteran Will Suclupe, the transition from life in the military to the University was difficult as well. Suclupe worked in the U.S. Army Medical Department serving two years in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He helped service members cope with the stress of combat and to better deal with traumatic experiences and mental health injuries. “I enjoyed my experience to serve my comrades and to minimize, as best we could, the injuries that come from the overwhelming, life-altering experience of serving in a combat zone,” Suclupe said. Suclupe returned from overseas in June 2009 and began attending classes at Wallace Community College in August. He then transferred to the University in January 2010 to pursue an undergraduate degree in social work. He said the transition from life overseas to life back in the states was difficult. “I was released from active duty fairly quickly and started college rather soon,” he said. “There was little time to adjust from being in Iraq.” Suclupe said it was difficult for him to relate to traditional students and he felt really isolated, but eventually he found help through the Campus Veterans Association. “The CVA was helpful in providing the opportunity to develop friendships, but more importantly, it gave me a cause to help veterans transition at UA. It provided me many opportunities to continue to share my passion for helping our comrades,” he said. The University of Alabama Office of Veteran and Military Affairs offers many resources to help assist veterans with the transition to University life. They will be opening a brand new office Friday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. in B.B. Comer Hall to celebrate the culmination of their Veteran’s Week.
By Madison Roberts Staff Reporter Although athletics stand at the forefront of The University of Alabama, many fail to recognize some of those working behind the scenes to make it all happen: athletic training students. The University offers a graduate program for health studies where students must work as an athletic trainer for a sport within the University in order to graduate, Tina Meyer, a graduate student in the program, said. Meyer works as the graduate assistant athletic trainer for the University’s track and field team while also pursuing her master’s degree in health studies. “I knew I wanted to get my master’s in a health-related field and to practice athletic training,” Meyer said. “I knew Alabama had a fantastic program, and who wouldn’t want to go to school here? It’s definitely a tough program. It’s very sought-after. It’s a lot of long hours, but we all enjoy our job and have fun doing it.” Meyer said her daily tasks as an athletic trainer require her to attend practice an hour before it starts and stay an hour afterward. She also evaluates injuries, participates in medical coverage in case of injuries and helps with athletic rehabilitation. “You have to be hyper-organized, definitely a people person,” she said. “You have to have the knowledge of anatomy and injuries. You have to be able to handle very real and immediate situations.” Athletic training is also
CW | Austin Bigoney
Student equipment managers aid in practice drills. an undergraduate major offered at the University through the College of Human Environmental Sciences. According to the College’s website, the Athletic Training Education Program selects students for admission each spring. ATEP applicants must be students from the general health studies major. About 20 students are selected to pursue the major each spring. While a 2.5 GPA is required to apply for the program, the average of students accepted into the program in 2012 was 3.51, according to the website. Trevyon Tellis, a freshman majoring in general health studies, is applying for the athletic training program in the spring and said although it is a very cut-throat program, he is not worried. “It’s a very competitive program because there is a lot you can do with an athletic training degree, but it doesn’t worry me because I know that I am capable of succeeding,” he said. Rita Polson, a freshman who is also planning to apply for the program in the spring, said she
is worried about the competitive nature of getting an athletic training degree. “It’s a super-competitive field,” she said. “I am worried about it because if I don’t get accepted, I don’t know what other major I would go into.” The six semester ATEP program requires students to accrue clinical experience. According to the ATEP website, students will do two semesters of experience at on-campus athletic training facilities and a minimum of one semester of off-campus training. “Every semester, the undergraduate students switch clinical sites,” Meyer said. “They work very closely with the team athletic trainers and athletes for first-hand, on-the-spot learning.” Tellis said he is excited to start his clinical experiences because the University has a great athletic training program, and he is thankful to be a part of it. “UA is a championship school when it comes to athletic training,” Tellis said. “Being in an environment where I would be working as an athletic trainer would just be unbelievable.”
WIN LIKE BAMA! BAMA’S WINNING MARGIN IS YOUR DISCOUNT! If Bama wins by 12 points, then your discount is 12%... If Bama wins by 30 points, then your discount is 30%... OFF OF EVERYTHING IN THE STORE! (Excludes “Sale” items)
Minimum discount is 5% and maximum is 30% . (SUNDAY ONLY)
Parkview center 758-1222
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
Thursday, November 15, 2012 | Page 7
Harry Potter club celebrates books, promotes literacy Alabama’s Muggles Spreading Magic part of international Harry Potter Alliance nonprofit organization By Jordan Cissell Staff Reporter For members of Muggles Spreading Magic, the mischief is never completely managed. Muggles Spreading Magic is The University of Alabama chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance, an international nonprofit organization devoted the J.K. Rowling’s beloved book series as well as to civic engagement. Founded in 2005, HPA uses parallels from the “Harry Potter” world to “educate and mobilize young people across the world towards issues of literacy, equality and human rights,” according to HPA’s mission statement. But why use Harry Potter to work for a cause?
“It really significance with makes it more the college-age That’s why I believe Harry approachdemographic. Potter works so well as a able,” Emily “Like a lot of model for charity work - the Bradford, a people my age, junior majorwe had the privimessages of Harry Potter of ing in English lege to not only friendship, love, hard work and and the head just enjoy ‘Harry acceptance, and the idea that of the club’s Potter’ but to it’s those ideas that truly show Ravenclaw grow up with it. good triumphing over evil. House, said, To me, it’s not “Especially just something — Monica Day for people that I enjoy but it’s may think volsomething that unteer work or is a big part of community service seems bor- my life. It is something that ing or like too much work.” transcends age, gender, sexualPresident Monica Day, ity, political affiliation and relia sophomore majoring in gion,” she said in an emailed social work and co-founder of statement. “That’s why I believe Muggles Spreading Magic, said ‘Harry Potter’ works so well as the popular novel series and the a model for charity work– the virtues of its characters hold messages of Harry Potter [are] near-universal influence and of friendship, love, hard work
“
and acceptance, and the idea that it’s those ideas that truly show good triumphing over evil.” Day said the aforementioned “evil” for UA HPA this year is illiteracy in West Alabama. “This semester we have focused largely on raising awareness for literacy,” Day said. “We’re in the works of throwing a rather large book drive and in talks with [the Alabama Department of Human Resources] to hold a panel for kids to present them with the idea of HPA and get them excited about reading and education.” The club will also host its first Yule Ball, named after a celebration featured in the series’ fourth book, on Nov. 30, with proceeds going to the West Alabama Literary Council and its efforts to stock Habitat for Humanity homes with books. Day called the Ball the club’s “largest and most ambitious event.” The group’s lofty goals belie its relative infancy. After making preparations since last year, Day and co-founder and vice president Noelle Brake officially founded the University’s HPA chapter at the beginning of this academic year. “I’ve always been a huge ‘Harry Potter’ fan, and in the summer of 2011 I went to LeakyCon, which is a ‘Harry Potter’ convention that was located in Florida at the time,” Day said. “I remember being astonished at the amount of people that where there and how passionate everyone was about this story. It was there that I learned about the Harry Potter Alliance, and it was that experience that inevitably led to the conversation that started this all.” Conversation is a crucial facet of Muggles Spreading Magic’s regular operation. The club meets every Tuesday at
CW File
Students dress up for the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 when it came out in the summer of 2011. 7 p.m. in 120 Lloyd Hall to discuss and formulate current and future projects, as well as participate in Potter-themed crafts and games, all with the aim of working more effectively together. Just like the magical world’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the club is organized into four houses, each with its own Head of House. “Each house is in charge of looking for and coordinating their own projects and presenting them to the rest of the club so we can all work together; they kind of work like committees within the bigger group, and are more specialized,” Victoria Nunnelley, a
sophomore majoring in economics and the club’s art director and treasurer, said. “We are also planning on eventually having house points as well.” The club’s work already holds the approval of every Potter fan’s ultimate Head of House: series author J.K. Rowling. “The HP Alliance is, without doubt, the purest expression of ‘the spirit of [Hogwarts headmaster] Albus Dumbledore’ yet to emerge from the ‘Harry Potter’ fandom, and I am honored and humbled that such great things are being done in Harry’s name,” Rowling said in a letter to HPA founder Slack displayed on the organization’s official website.
NEWS OPINION CULTURE SPORTS
CULTURE
Page 8 Editor | Lauren Ferguson culture@cw.ua.edu Thursday, November 15, 2012
Sophomore makes next-level Gameboy music Students take part in growing techno-music sensation, chipmusic starting to become more mainstream
CW | Jingyu Wan
Max Dolensky, a sophomore majoring in management information systems, uses a Nintendo Gameboy to compose music. By Becky Robinson Staff Reporter
Normally, when you see someone fiddling on a Gameboy, it is safe to assume they are revisiting their favorite childhood games. But not Max Dolensky. If you see him with his Gameboy, there is a good chance he is making music. Dolensky, a sophomore majoring in management information systems, said he started making music at a young age by figuring out the melodies of rock songs and video games. By the time Dolensky entered middle school, his interest in music expanded beyond traditional instruments, such as the tuba and trombone he played in high school. “I first got into electronic music when I was in middle school – I was really keen on playing NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and Sega games that I never had as a young child, and it coincided with my interest in band,” Dolensky said. “From there, I got into electronic remixes, then the process of repurposing the actual game consoles to create new music.” To make music on a Gameboy, users can buy an inexpensive software program called “Little Sound DJ” online. Additionally, users need a rewritable cartridge that will be plugged into a handheld gaming system. “The software itself looks like spreadsheet software,” Dolensky said. “Luckily,
everything is clearly labeled, Chipmusic, while still a so there isn’t a huge learn- mainly online form of music, ing curve. You are limited to is beginning to take hold in making four sounds at once, mainstream culture. Chip which challenges you as a artists have music festivals composer.” where they can showcase Chipmusic, a form of creat- their work and perform. ing music with vintage gamCu r t i s Wa r e , or ing systems like Gameboy or “Solarbear,” met Dolensky NES, has a popular online when Ware invited him to following. perform at a chiptune festiBrandon Hood, o r val he planned in Lexington, “President Hoodie” to his Ky., called BRKFest2012. online friends, is a friend “I’m really happy I [invitof Dolensky’s who recently ed him], since he had maybe became interested in creat- the single most entertaining ing chipmusic. performance,” Ware said. “What I’ve become known While Dolensky is busy for within the with creatchip commuing chipmunity is creating sic, he is also The software itself looks like and directing involved in spreadsheet software. Luckily, the Chiptunes other aspects = WIN projof traditional everything is clearly labeled, ect,” Hood music. He is so there isn’t a huge learning said. “ Th e involved with curve. You are limited to mak70-plus tracks four Alabama ing four sounds at once, which on the first two b a n d s , challenges you as a composer. releases have including the amazing and Million Dollar — Max Dolensky wildly varying Band, and is styles of chipminoring in music, from music. some of the most well known Beginning to create your artists in the scene to some own chipmusic is relaextremely talented up-and- tively inexpensive except comers.” for the few pieces of equipThere are many differ- ment needed online. But ent styles of chipmusic, if Dolensky has one piece although all of it has elec- of advice, it is to invest in tronic roots. Dolensky said rechargeable batteries. his favorite type of chipmu“Last year I nearly went sic to create is jazz, which broke buying batteries,” he does under his online Dolensky said. alter ego “the Bitman.” For more information “Sometimes I will do about chipmusic, go to cross-genre covers of pop www.noisechannel.org or and rock songs,” Dolensky www.chipmusic.org. For said. “I am currently in more information about love with everything bass- Dolensky’s music, go to heavy, but my favorite www.thebitman.bandcamp. genre is funk.” com.
“
CW | Jingyu Wan
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
Thursday, November 15, 2012 | Page 9
Students send supplies to Afghani children By Alexandra Ellsworth Staff Reporter Emily Baxter is proud to be the daughter of a United States Army soldier. It is evident upon meeting her that she loves her father, who is currently serving overseas in Afghanistan. “Not a lot of people are like, ‘hey, I am an army brat,’” Baxter, a sophomore majoring in early childhood development and special education, said. “But I wear it on my sleeve.” It is no surprise that, when Baxter’s father asked her to send some school supplies over for the children in Afghanistan, she immediately set to work organizing and gathering supplies with her friends. Baxter said her father and
his battalion work in an area where there are schools. He gets to interact and see the kids on a regular basis, she said. “He noticed that they don’t have the basics,” Baxter said. “They don’t have paper. They don’t have pencils. They don’t have pens. He asked me if me and my friends wouldn’t mind sending some stuff over, and he said he would send me the address.” Baxter immediately began thinking about the project, and recruited her friends to help. What started off as only Baxter and a couple of friends gathering supplies for her father sparked a much larger project, and resulted in the creation of an organization, Heart of School Supplies. “So that is really how it
got started, by him just asking if we could send things,” Baxter said. “And I really just started to think why just my friends, why not have others included as well? I know there are a lot more people on this campus with military backgrounds as well. My gears started turning, and I was like, we are going to do more than this.” Baxter wanted to keep the organization military-based and decided to go through Veterans Affairs at the University. She emailed them that night and has received a lot of support there, but Baxter’s biggest supporters and partners in Heart of School Supplies may be her friends who she first told her idea to, such as Estela Ceron. “It was around midnight, and she said she got a call
from her dad and was just like, ‘I have this idea,’” Ceron, a sophomore majoring in business, said. “And so we started putting something together, and then we were like, ‘hey, let’s just do it big instead of small.’ I mean, these troops do so much for us, and here they are still thinking about others. Anything we can do to help them we are excited about.” The next day, Brittany Sutton was on board with Baxter and Ceron, too. “I was just like, ‘sure, why not,’” Sutton, a sophomore majoring in nursing, said. “I mean, it would be a good thing for me to start. I got her back. It’s true though, we stick together and we are going to help Emily, help her dad, help the troops and help the other kids.”
Even if Heart of School Supplies does not become a University organization, Baxter said she would be satisfied with what they are doing. “If it doesn’t grown into what I call a ‘UA name-brand organization’ then it will still be the three of us, and maybe more people spreading the word about what we are doing and asking for donations,” she said. “And even if we have to send them on our own, I mean, we did all this in the span of three weeks to a month.” For Baxter, Ceron and Sutton it is enough to know they are helping others, even if it is mostly behind the scenes. “My dad just wants to get these kids on track,” Baxter said. “They are in school
and he talks to them about what is going on state-wise. Basically, the kids are sitting in school trying to absorb everything and it’s like, here we are taking notes and finding pencils on the street. We want to be the people behind the curtain who are helping the soldiers help the community.” Heart of School Supplies has a drop-off location in B.B. Comer at the Veteran and Military Affairs office. They will be taking all school supplies except retractable pens and scissors, although safety scissors are acceptable. All supplies must be generic and cannot have any UA insignia. The Community of Veterans Affairs has given full support to Heart of School Supplies and they will pay for shipping cost.
Bama Theatre hosts talent show to celebrate Diwali By Marcus Flewellen Contributing Writer Right now, hundreds of millions of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs all around the world are celebrating Diwali, a five-day Indian festival that commemorates joy, freedom, spiritual enlightenment and the triumph of good over evil. “Diwali is the last day of the Hindu calendar,” University of Alabama graduate student Gaurav Mehta said. “Diwali means ‘row of lamps’ in Hindu. It’s the festival of lights that’s marked by four days of celebration, which literally illuminates the country.” Mehta said during Diwali, they usually shoot firecrackers every night and people decorate their houses with fancy lights. “The illumination of homes with lights and the skies with firecrackers is an
expression of respect to the heavens for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace and prosperity,” he said. “Diwali festival is the only festival that unites the whole of India,” Abhay Lidbe, a UA graduate student, said. “All the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. While Diwali is popularly known as the ‘festival of lights,’ the most significant spiritual meaning is ‘the awareness of the inner light.’” For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. Drishti and Bollywood Groove will be bringing some of those festivities to the Bama Theatre this Saturday night. “Drishti-Bollywood
Groove Presents: Diwali – Festival of Lights” is a celebration event for the Indian New Year and Hindu culture. Several local musicians will perform at the event, as well as the Bollywood Groove dance studio, which is run by Drishti volunteer Dibya Singh. “Our Diwali show represents our New Year in the Hindu calendar,” Singh said. “We are celebrating for the first time with help from the Arts & Humanities Council of Tuscaloosa. I have a small Bollywood Groove studio, and we have prepared several dances.” Drishti is a charitable organization that reaches out to meet the needs of the Tuscaloosa community. Every year, they host “Tuscaloosa’s Got Talent!” a talent competition and fundraiser raising money for local charities. “Every year, we pick a
charity to send all of our donations to,” Singh said. For two years, Drishti sent their donations to the Brewer-Porch Children’s Center, a program helping special needs children and their families. This year, they sent the donations to Project Blessing, a nonprofit organization that helps victims of the April 27, 2011 tornado, and Authentic Renovation Ministries, a charity that renovates and repairs the homes of low-income families. “Every year, we have raised about $17,000,” Singh said. Drishti hosted this year’s talent show at the Bama Theatre in April. Some of the winners from the talent show will be performing at “Diwali – Festival of Lights.” “We have a wonderful budding artist, Eric Willingham, performing some pop tunes and a country singer, Chase
CW | Submitted
Diwali, the festival of lights, marks the last day of the Hindu calendar.
Evans,” Singh said. “We The show will begin at 7 invite everyone to come cel- p.m. Tickets for the event ebrate the Indian New Year cost $5, which includes a with us.” traditional Indian dinner.
Music fraternity to host karaoke contest, sell baked goods Thursday night’s proceeds benefit efforts to further local programs, Sigma Alpha Iota philanthropies By Megan Miller Contributing Writer The sisters of the Theta Delta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity invite University of Alabama students to participate in their third annual karaoke competition Thursday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. “Sigma Alpha Iota is a fraternity for women which promotes interaction among those who share a commitment to music,” Allison Jack, editor of the Theta Delta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, said. The Theta Delta chapter was chartered at the
University in 1994, and the fraternity has 116,317 initiated members worldwide as of August 2012. SAI at the University currently has 26 active members, majoring in music performance, music education, music therapy, advertising, telecommunication and film, women’s studies, biology, chemistry and more. The karaoke competition will be held in the Instrumental Rehearsal Room, Room 204 in Moody Music Building. It is $2 to watch the competition and $5 to compete, either as an individual or as a group. “Everyone is welcome to
attend, and all proceeds go toward our continued support of local music programs and SAI philanthropies,” Jack said. YouTube videos will be used for musical accompaniment and the lyrics will be projected onto a screen. Individuals can compete or sing in a group of two to four. There is no limit on song length or constraints on genre. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded. First prize is $30 in cash, and second and third prize will be a $20 gas gift card and $20 gift card to Mugshots. The second place winner will get
their choice from the two gift cards and the third place winner receives whichever one remains. Ballots will be passed around to audience members and the audience will cast their votes for the winner of the competition. “The Theta Delta chapter’s focus for the semester was to support music education, and this is one of the final fundraising projects of the semester,” Cindy Simpson,
president of the Theta Delta chapter of SAI, said. Jack said she hopes for a large number of participants. “The concert has always been a great time in past years,” Jack said. “We are hoping for our largest turnout yet this year and would love to have some new participants.” The chapter will also be selling Christmas ornaments and baked goods before the Hilaritas holiday concerts on Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 2
at 3 p.m. SAI sisters will be in the Moody Music Building lobby 45 minutes prior to the performances. Homemade baked goods can be purchased for 50 cents each, and ornaments, hand painted and decorated by SAI sisters, can be purchased for $2 to $4. All proceeds collected will go to support the Theta Delta chapter’s efforts to further music education across greater Tuscaloosa.
COLUMN
‘American Horror Story’ often trite By Asher Elbein Sloppy. Deeply self indulgent. Fascinatingly trashy. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s “American Horror Story.” The latest show from “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy has a simple set up. Each season, horrible things happen to a different group of people. In the first, a slightly unstable family moves into a haunted house, where various ghosts make their lives even more miserable. Over the course of the season, twisted psychosexual scenarios are played out, blood is spilled, and a gimp-suited maniac runs around alternately molesting and murdering people. The second season switches cast and location, centering in a horrible insane asylum, with all that entails. It’s all terribly thrilling. AHS’s anthology-style set up is the best thing about it. The writers burn through events at an absolutely reckless pace, throwing out plot twists like they’re going out of style. In fact, the show seems to be comprised entirely of plot twists. A
fire like that needs to be fueled, and so at any given time the plot elements shoveled into the boiler range from the strange to the insane. The current season alone has mixed demonic possession, serial killers, aliens and Nazis into a catch-all stew of American cultural fears, served piping hot and seasoned with dominatrix nuns. If any of the above strikes you as familiar, it probably should. Ryan Murphy has claimed in interviews that his show draws from a wide range of influences, which is something of an understatement. “American Horror Story” steals from classic horror cinema like a magpie steals shiny objects, and with about the same level of shame. It’s clear that the writers love scary movies, and they’ve been very diligent in picking through the last forty years of chillers looking for effective scenes. A lumpy stew of events does not make a story, though. If “American Horror Story” is unpredictable, then that comes less from clever set up than it does from arbitrary plotting.
There are parts of “American Horror Story” that feel almost aimless, bereft of the forward drive that makes a good story sing. Things do happen, occasionally even in sequence, but the connective tissue is missing. The series is perversely unwilling to play by any consistent set of rules, which makes it difficult to care about the events unfolding onscreen. Often, the only reason to watch is sheer curiosity about what’s going to get thrown at you next. To be fair, this very craziness makes for a fairly entertaining show. It’s helped that everyone involved knows their business, and the show’s cinematography and visual storytelling is very slick. The actors tend to chew the scenery, but given the material they’re asked to say, it’s hard to blame them. Watching “American Horror Story” is very similar to listening to a decent band play an endless amount of covers. At first you’re charmed to hear things you recognize, but after a while, you wonder when you’re going to hear something new.
Page 10 | Thursday, November 15, 2012
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Tide travels to NYC for 2k Sports Classic Championship Men’s basketball team will go to Madison Square Garden, scheduled to face Oregon State on Thursday
CW | Jingyu Wan
Alabama will face an uncharacteristically large crowd Thursday night. By Charlie Potter Contributing Writer The Alabama men’s basketball team will travel to Madison Square Garden in New York City to compete in the championship rounds of the 2k Sports Classic. The Tide will be joined in the Big Apple by the three other host teams: Oregon State, Purdue and Villanova.
Alabama will face Oregon State on Thursday, Nov. 15, and the game will be televised on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to go to New York and play in Madison Square Garden in a great tournament,” head coach Anthony Grant said. “We’re playing a very tough opponent in Oregon State. I’m really impressed with their team.
We’re looking at a veteran team, a very well-coached team.” With the game being played in the world-famous Madison Square Garden arena, there will be plenty of distractions for Grant and his players, but he has approached this matchup with the same mentality as any other game. “This is game three for us,” Grant said. “The thing I talk to our guys about is every court we play on is 94-by-50, and the rim is going to be 10 feet from the ground. We’ve got to focus on the things that we need to do to give us a chance to win.” The Tide did a poor job of rebounding in its last game against West Alabama. The Tigers out-rebounded Alabama 41-38, and Grant showed great displeasure in his team’s efforts on the glass. However, the Tide’s relentlessness on defense has picked up where other aspects of its game have left off. Senior guard Andrew Steele attributed the team’s physical, defensive mindset as a key to its early-season success. “The thing we try to work on is our defense,” Steele said. “I think that’s the biggest area we’ve improved on. Understanding how hard we’ve got to play. Understanding our defense is going to give us a chance to win every game.” Alabama will need its defense to play well when it faces Oregon
State’s Ahmad Starks. Starks, a junior guard, has averaged almost 26 points through the first two games of the season for the Beavers, scoring a career-high 33 points. “He does things to help their team,” Grant said. “He’s a guy, another veteran guy for their team, that we’ve got to do a good job of being aware of where he is, trying to prevent his opportunities.” The outcome of Thursday’s game will affect who, when and on what network the Tide will play on Friday, Nov. 16. If Alabama defeats Oregon State, it will play the winner of Purdue vs. Villanova at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2 in the championship game. If the Tide loses to the Beavers, it will face the loser of the other game at 4 p.m. on ESPNU in the consolation game. But Grant said he and his team are solely focused on the immediate future. “Our focus will be strictly on Oregon State,” Grant said. “Some of our assistant coaches will start preparations in terms of watching the other teams and being prepared for whoever we would face in the second game.” Some of the players on Alabama’s roster played in Madison Square Garden while competing in the NIT tournament two years ago, but for some, this will be their first experience in the storied arena.
Open Sunday 11-3pm
In 12 patterns
UPRISING TOUR
on
November 15
The Jupiter
Tuscaloosa, AL
New location. More Tasty Dishes. Same great food!
1 2 2 3 M c Fa r l a n d B LV D N E
D I N E I N | D E L I V E R Y | TA K E O U T
$17 ininadvance $17 advance
ticketweb.com
show $20$20 daydayofofshow
LARGE PIZZA $ 95
Cheese or Pepperoni
5
$
Delivery Available Minimum Order may apply
Specialty Pizza
CAMPUS AREA
1211 University Blvd. across from Publix
366-1500
10
Veggie, Howie Maui, Meat Eaters or The Works
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
Thursday, November 16, 2012 | Page 11
Saban, team responding well to loss in practice By Zac Al-Khateeb Staff Reporter After Alabama’s game against the Texas A&M Aggies, the freshmen on the team experienced something they’d never seen before at the Capstone: a loss. For Alabama head coach Nick Saban, it was imperative for his team that his older players, as well as the younger ones, were able to handle the loss appropriately and put in a good week of practice for Western Carolina. Saban said so far this week,
his team hasn’t had a problem with it and has been putting the right mental and physical energy into practice. “It’s about how everybody responds to looking forward,” Saban said. “I think players have certainly responded. They practiced well yesterday, actually did a good job today.” Senior tight end Michael Williams shared the sentiments of his coach. He said this week was one of the most energetic weeks of practice he’d seen so far this season. Williams also said this week
could provide some challenges to younger players who’d never experienced a loss and said it was the responsibility of the older players to make sure they went into practice with a good attitude. “Kind of more of a challenge to our leadership to come out and have team practice when you have a lot of young players who haven’t experienced a loss before,” Williams said. “We took it upon ourselves to come out, practice with high energy, and right now we’ve got three good days in.”
Players share mixed feelings about early start Another interesting factor that could play into Alabama’s game Saturday against the Catamounts is the early starting time. With kickoff set for 11:21 a.m., it will mark the earliest game start for the Tide since last year’s season opener against Kent State. Saban said he thought the early start wouldn’t have too much of an effect on his team, though it may change its pregame schedule some, such as moving a church service from
before the pre-game meal at 7:30 a.m. back to Friday night. “It’s a little different circumstance than what they’re used to, but maturity goes a long way in terms of how people adjust to their circumstances, and hopefully our team will show the maturity we need to play,” Saban said. Senior defensive lineman Quinton Dial said he didn’t know how the early start, the earliest he’s ever had for a game, would affect him on the field. “I don’t know man, it’s my first one at 11,” Dial said. “11 o’clock,
rolling out of bed and playing.” Despite this being the earliest game he’s played in, Williams said he didn’t expect too much of a difference in his own pre-game schedule, other than an earlier wake-up call. Williams said he liked the idea of getting in and out of a game earlier in the day. “You got to wake up; you get ready to play and you go into the game, and once you hit the stadium, anything about you being sleepy changes right there,” Williams said. “Me personally, I like it. You get to get up, play hard, get out.”
COLUMN
A brighter day to come in Los Angeles? By Jasmine Cannon It all started with Dwight Howard. Then there was Steve Nash. And Los Angeles Lakers fans were claiming their throne back atop the western conference of the NBA. The season started and Lakers fan’s smiles and optimism turned into frowns and constant complaints. It is true Los Angeles won zero games during the preseason, but most people don’t think of the preseason as a serious measure of what the regular season will be like. The regular season started and the Lakers continued their losing ways. They lost to the Mavericks, Blazers and Clippers before getting their first win against the Pistons. The Lakers then lost to the Jazz and two days later Lakers executives announced the firing of head coach Mike Brown. “Mike was very hard-working and dedicated, but we felt it was in the best interest of the team to make a change at this time,” said Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak. “We appreciate
Mike’s efforts and contributions and wish him and his family the best of luck.” The search for a new head coach began immediately and Lakers fans got excited once again when legendary coach Phil Jackson’s name was brought into the conversation. However, much to the chagrin of the fans, Jackson was not named the new coach and Mike D’Antoni was. “I really didn’t know what to expect, to be honest,” Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant said. “I think we are all thinking it was gonna be Phil [Jackson]. It probably caught Mike [D’Antoni] a little bit off guard, too. But I’m excited.” Jackson said he was heavily considering taking the job and was given the choice to let the Lakers front office know whether or not he accepted the position by Monday morning. He got a call Sunday night that they had chosen D’Antoni instead. D’Antoni has coached three different NBA teams in the last 10 years and has won zero championships. He did coach
new Lakers point guard Steve Nash, who won two MVP awards under his reign in Phoenix. He also led Phoenix to the western conference finals twice, but never to the NBA finals. It’s known that Brown is a defensive-minded coach, while D’Antoni specializes on the offensive end. It’s my assumption that the Lakers felt as if the lack of chemistry on the offense was subsequent to Brown’s coaching style, which hindered them from winning games. I’m not really sure if that’s the case, but I do know that the NBA season is long – a marathon, not a sprint. I also know that the beginning of the season can mean a lot as you try to observe how your team will be after the all-star break heading into the playoffs. I’m not a Lakers fan by any means, and their failures have not caused me to lose any sleep at all. Nash needs to get healthy, Bryant needs to be a team player, and Howard needs to be mature if the Lakers want to reclaim their western conference dominance. But in the mean time, go Thunder!
Page 12 | Thursday, November 15, 2012
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS
COLUMN
Wisconsin student journalist on Alabama Gameday: ‘Tide represents hope, joy’ By Sean Zak This past Friday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. – just like many other Fridays every fall – hundreds of thousands of people awoke from their work– or school– induced slumber. Not because the workweek had finally ceased, not because a beautiful, sunny weekend was in its approach and certainly not because Sean Zak was in town (although that’s a pretty good reason). It was because Alabama football was ready to host another home game, their fifth of the season. There were a few storylines leading up to the game, so a fair amount of buzz could stand as reason for the excitement. But it was just another SEC football game, after another week spent ranked No. 1 in the nation, so why did so many people suddenly rouse? Because football in Alabama isn’t just a fun event every other weekend where alumni bring their family or where students get disgracefully drunk and cheer cuss words back and forth. It’s way different. In Alabama, football is a way of life. Given an opportunity that few, if any, Wisconsin student journalists are offered, I jumped at the chance to take in a weekend immersed in Tuscaloosa for the AlabamaTexas A&M football game. I’m glad I did because it opened my eyes even wider to the world of college football, one normally limited to the 608 area code. I briefly met a pair of football fans in the airport who were traveling from Boston, simply out of respect from the rumors they had heard.
This pair, like myself, needed the place to be from Friday to verify the lore surround- afternoon to the early hours ing the tradition and prow- of Sunday morning. ESPN ess of Alabama football. Radio held it’s popular radio As soon as classes were show “College GameDay� out on Friday afternoon, there, and while it certainly the footballs came out on attracted quite the audinearly every front lawn ence, the masses of tents of the 26 fraternities that held even greater attraction. line the campus. Bryant– The University sponsors Denny Stadium– home to some tents, dressed to the the Crimson Tide football nines with flat screen TVs squad– may rest in just a showing, you guessed it, corner of campus, but there SEC football. is not a more important Other tents are set up by building to The University of the thousands of Bama fans, Alabama. consistently displaying their How could I tell? It was version of Southern hospitalguarded at each entrance ity with a beer or a plateful like the baby doll of a 6-year- of chicken wings, jumping at old girl. the first ounce of a conversaIt was only tion about the Friday aftervictory over noon, more LSU the prior It was only Friday afternoon, than 24 full weekend or hours from how bad rival more than 24 full hours from the start of Auburn is the start of the game, and there the game, vthis season. was already the feeling that and there There may everyone in town was waiting for was already have been a something. the feeling presidential that everyone election on in town was Tuesday, but waiting for the game that something, everyone was kickoff in particular. But waiting for, tailgating for, there was all Saturday morn- was the biggest spectacle in ing to wait too, and no tail- the state, just like it is every gate I’ve ever attended could week. As I took my seat in compare. the end zone of the stadium, On campus there is an it, and the countless number open park known as “the of fans, enveloped me like Quad.� The park is rarely Camp Randall never could. open because, normally, it’s The 101,000-plus fans– flooded. Take Bascom Hill, every one of them considflatten it out, multiply it by ered themselves as lucky as about 15 and litter it with myself to be on site, witnesshundreds of tents, loads ing Alabama football live. of food vendors and about They weren’t there to social100,000 college football fans. ize with roommates, see old Take everyone from Spring, friends or to enjoy the afterDayton, State, Johnson, noon. They were there to University, Randall, Breeze watch a football game, invest and Lathrop Street and in their lives, never miss a throw them into one area. play, and throw their heart That’s the “Quad.� into the air through cheerLocated directly adjacent ing, screams and delight. to the stadium, “the Quad� is Only the delight came in
“
extremely small portions. Alabama, ranked No. 1 in almost every poll imaginable, was facing Texas A&M, the new blood in the SEC that would surely falter at the sheer intimidation of Alabama football and Bryant-Denny Stadium. But A&M jumped out to a 20-point lead in the first quarter. If I was surprised– holding no allegiance to either team other than the Alabama sweatshirt I purchased the day before, simply to fit in– then everyone else was in utter shock. The Tide wouldn’t be denied its chance to rule as they crept back into the game, though failing to ever take the lead.
As the game wore on, it was glaringly visible how invested each of these people was in their Crimson Tide. A holding penalty was worse than a car accident; a touchdown rivaled Christmas morning. If I had to guess, many of these fans receive gifts of Alabama gear on Christmas morning. Eventually, too many critical mistakes in the most crucial of times cost the Tide, as they fell 29-24. My Alabama experience was over. Camp Randall and Madison are great, but in every way that Alabama was drastically different, it was equally just as amazing. Without a professional team within 200 miles of
Tuscaloosa, the Tide represents the hope, joy, elation or devastation of the lives of millions of people. Football is what they live for, and as Texas A&M did the seemingly impossible, the Aggies temporarily ruined the lives of millions. That is, until next Friday afternoon.
Sean Zak is a junior majoring in journalism and communication arts. He is also the associate sports editor at the Badger Herald at the University of Wisconsin. What do you think of Alabama football? Let him know by emailing him at szak@badgerherald.com or on Twitter @sean_zak.
Alabama Statewide Classified Advertising Network Ads SERVICES DIVORCE WITH or without children $99. Includes name change and property settlement agreement. Save hundreds. Fast and easy. Call 1-888-733-7165, 24/7. (R) IF YOU have HughesNet already upgrade to GEN4 today. Download speeds up to 10-15mbps. Call today 1-800-283-1057. (R) INSTRUCTION MEDICAL BILLING trainees needed! Train to become D 0HGLFDO 2IÂżFH $VVLVWDQW No experience needed! Online training gets you job ready ASAP! HS diploma/ GED & PC/Internet needed! 1-888-926-6075. (R) HELP WANTED DRIVERS 25 DRIVER TRAINEES needed now! Become a driver for TMC Transportation! Earn $750 per week! No experience needed! Job ready in 15 days! 1-888743-4611. (R) ATTN: DRIVER trainees needed now. $800 to $1000 ZHHN SOXV JUHDW EHQHÂżWV Home weekly or OTR available. No CDL? No problem. Will train you locally! Call today 1-800-TRUCKER (1800-878-2537). (R) ATTN: DRIVER trainees needed now. Company sponsored training available w/ Central Refrigeration. No credit check! Great pay $800 plus a week with benHÂżWV GD\ &'/ WUDLQLQJ Call today 1-800-TRUCKER (1-800-878-2537).(R) DRIVERS - CDL-A experience pays! Up to $5000 sign-on bonus. Tuition
reimbursement up to $6000. New student pay and lease program. Call or apply online! 1-877-521-5775 www. USATruck.jobs DRIVERS - CLASS-A ÀDWEHG +RPH HYHU\ ZHHNend! Pay $0.37/mi., both ZD\V )XOO EHQH¿WV UHTXLUHV \HDU 275 ÀDWEHG H[SHULence. 1-800-572-5489 x 227 Sunbelt Transport. Jacksonville, FL. DRIVERS CRST offers the best lease purchase program. Sign on bonus. No down payment or credit check. Great pay. Class$ &'/ UHTXLUHG 2ZQHU operators welcome. Call 1-866-250-8266. (R) DRIVERS - HIRING experienced/inexperienced tanker drivers! Earn up to SHU PLOH 1HZ ÀHHW Volvo tractors! 1 year OTR H[SHULHQFH UHTXLUHG 7DQNHU training available. Call today: 1-877-882-6537. www. OakleyTransport.com. (R) NEW CAREER - CDL training. Jobs available if TXDOL¿HG &DOO WRGD\ VWDUW tomorrow! WIA, VA, Post9/11 G.I. Bill & Rehab. ESD TDS, LLC. 1-866-4320430. www.ESDschool. com. (R) NEW OWNER Operator tractor program. $1.70 all miles. Call today for details 1-800-831-8737. Truckload & Expedite Tractors needed immediately! HELP WANTED-SALES WANTED: LIFE agents. Earn $500 a day, great agent EHQH¿WV &RPPLVVLRQV SDLG daily, liberal underwriting. Leads, leads, leads. Life LQVXUDQFH OLFHQVH UHTXLUHG Call 1-888-713-6020. (R)
HELP WANTED KITCHEN CREWS needed offshore in the Oil and Gas industry. Entry level positions start at $710 - $810 per week. Sign up now for training today. Call 1-850424-2600. MANUFACTURED HOMES FORECLOSED MOBILE home with land ready to move in. Great value. ApSUR[ VT IU %5 %$ Serious offers only. No renters. 1-205-289-8899. FOR SALE DISH NETWORK. Starting at $19.99/month plus 30 premium movie channels free for 3 months! Save! And ask about same day installation! Call 1-888-8168471. (R) NEED TO advertise statewide? ALA-SCAN can place your 25-word ad in 128 newspapers across Alabama for only $210 (additional words $7.50). Make one call to this newspaper (a participating ALA-SCAN member) or call 1-800-264 WR ÂżQG RXW KRZ HDV\ LW is to advertise statewide! SAWMILLS FROM only $3,997. Make & save money with your own bandmill. Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship. Free info & DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com. 1-800578-1363 ext. 300N. (R) MEDICAL SUPPLIES NEW AND used - stair lift elevators, car lifts, scooters, lift chairs, power wheel chairs, walk-in tubs. Covering all of Alabama for 23 years. Elrod Mobility 1-800682-0658. (R)
SPORTS
NEWS OPINION CULTURE SPORTS
Page 13 Editor | Marquavius Burnett crimsonwhitesports@gmail.com Thursday, November 15, 2012
COLUMN
An open letter to Lane KifďŹ n, USC Trojans; help keep the SEC’s streak alive By Billy Whyte Dear Lane Kiffin, I know it’s been a while since you’ve last heard from us. Last time we saw you back in 2009, your Volunteers would have ended our chance at an undefeated season if it weren’t for two blocked field goals by the great Terrence Cody. We know your time in our illustrious conference may have been brief, and there are still lingering feelings following your betrayal and subsequent fleeing of our fellow SEC brethren Tennessee. However, you have now found yourself in a peculiar position that will offer you a chance of
redemption in the eyes of the Southeastern brotherhood. As you already know, the SEC has won the past six national championships, a streak we hold very dearly here in the heart of Dixie. It’s not so much a showing of our dominance over the rest of the country, but a regional pride we hold over those smug Northerners and Midwesterners who used to continuously look down upon not only our football teams, but our society as well. With our loss to new conference fraternity member Texas A&M last Saturday, the SEC’s streak is not only on life-support, but completely out of our hands. This is where you and your
Trojans come in. In order for us to get back in the National Championship game, two of Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame have to lose. As much as we would love to believe Kansas State might lose at Baylor or against a surging Texas team, neither team has the overall talent or defense capable of taking down the Wildcats and Heisman front-runner Collin “Optimus� Klein. This leaves Notre Dame and Oregon as the two teams that have to lose. And coincidentally enough, your Trojans will play both of them (assuming you beat UCLA Saturday, whom we wholeheartedly believe you will crush).
MARKETPLACE
How to place a classified: For classified line ads visit www.cw.ua.edu and click on the classifieds tab. For classified display
ads call (205) 348-7355 or email cwclassmgr@gmail.com for a free consultation. The Crimson White is published four days a week (M, T, W, TH). Each classified line ad must run for a minimum of four days and include no less than 16 words.
HOUSING DOWNTOWN NORTHPORT Stately brownstone house, 3000 sq feet. $2500 plus 2 bedroom loft with huge deck $900 205-752-9020, 205657-3900 FEMALE SUITEMATE WANTED 4bd/4bath suite, full amenity complex near stadium. $550/mo plus electricity. Available Dec. 20. One month bonus. Email starpowerusa@yahoo.com or Call (512)264-9247 4BR/4B APT AVAIL JAN. 2013 AWESOME APARTMENT, GREAT LOCATION, Walk to Campus, 4 Blocks From Stadium, Plentiful Parking, Big Closets, Wash-
HOUSING er Dryer, New Appliances, Monitored Security System. Great Condition. Just Became Available. Amenities Close By. (404)580-8135
JOBS NOW HIRING LEASING AGENTS Enthusiastic, Creative and Outgoing Students Wanted! Take advantage of the opportunity to work at The Avenue at Tuscaloosa, a brand new student housing property being built for Fall 2013. Applicants must have: Ability to work evening/ weekend hours; Superior customer service and com-
JOBS munication skills; Must display strong leadership skills and the ability to solve problems; Strong internet, word processing, and spreadsheet skills. Send resume to: careers@park7group.com SEAMSTRESS NEEDED Local business in need of a highly skilled sewing room manager. Great pay with Àexible hours. (205)752-9661
ANNOUNCEMENTS CLASSIC COMICS AND ALBUMS: large collection of comic books, albums, movie posters, sports memorabilia, DVDs/CDs, beer signs. In Skyland Antique Mall, 311 Skyland Blvd, and Fifth Av-
Notre Dame we aren’t worried about. “Touchdown Jesus� may have been able to carry the Irish to a couple miraculous wins so far, but Notre Dame’s luck won’t be able to will them to another victory against your high-powered offense in the Coliseum. Notre Dame has an SEC-caliber defense, but their offense is only decent at best, and hasn’t seen anything like next year’s potential No. 1 overall pick Matt Barkley and the top receiving duo in the country, in Marqise Lee and Robert Woods. Beating Oregon will be a tough task. Their no-huddle offense and athleticism is nearly unstoppable. However, you
have already played one close game against them, and your familiarity with their up-tempo attack should give you a better blueprint than anyone else, and a chance at stopping them. And when push comes to shove, you have the only offense in the country capable of outscoring them. We both know that when it comes to the Pacific coast, Southern Cal is the true beacon of college football. It’s time to put those pesky Ducks back in their place. I know what you are thinking: What will you get by helping us out? Why is it important to help keep the SEC’s streak alive? For one, by beating Notre Dame and Oregon, you will
provide your team redemption after failing to live up to preseason expectations. You will also earn the respect and admiration of the most powerful football conference in the country. If there is going to be a usurper to the SEC’s hold on the BCS, we should at least be allowed a chance to defend it. Otherwise, we will have a new and potentially unworthy ruler this year that could send the college football landscape into chaos. Good luck, Lane Kiffin. Your USC Trojans not only hold ours and the SEC’s national championship aspirations, but the delicate balance of college football in your hands. Fight on Trojans.
RATES
Best Commercial Rates:
4-8 days is $.50 per word. 9 plus days is $.35 per word.
Student/Faculty Rates:
$.35 per word. You must register with a Crimson Mail address to get this rate. If you enter your ad under student rate without a Crimson Mail address your charge will be adjusted to regular price.
DEADLINES: Classified line ad deadline is the previous business day by 4:00 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENTS enue Antiques, Birmingham. Details on Facebook. NOW OPEN BEST RESULTZ STYLES Hairweaves, Cuts, Color & more Come meet Dre barber extraordinaire (205)792-4119 Sharonda & Ruthia stylist unique (205) 764-1269 SPECIAL!! Wash & Set or Flat iron $20.Student discount with ID. Ask for Ruthia (205) 737-5144 GRADUATE DEBT FREE at ucangraduatedebtfree.com HOW TO BECOME DEBT FREE at EZwealthsolution. com/?claretha
HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (11/15/12). Get your priorities straight, and the world is your oyster. Step into a bigger level game. Double-check travel arrangements, and send launch news after 11/26. New possibilities and perspectives unveil themselves after the Winter Solstice. Career rises steadily through next June, when an educational opportunity beckons. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Establish a new regimen. There are excellent party conditions, but you may have to wait. Compromise and careful word choice are required. Not everyone is ready to boogie yet. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Share, but don’t give it all away. You’ll need some later. Private time is more productive; gracefully minimize interruptions. Resist spending for the time being. Relax and recharge. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Get a feel for the balance of new tools. Make adjustments to your schedule, and accept a nice benefit. Controversy could arise. You’re gaining respect. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Schedule carefully. It looks good for a romantic excursion; go ahead and profess your love. Enjoy your surroundings. There is no shortage of benefits. Expand your field of vision. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Save more than you spend. See what you can do without. Get help from a strong partner. Adjust priorities. A female makes interesting dessert. Your popularity is growing.
FREE
$ 3$ 5 7 0 ( 1 7 + 2 0 ( 6
1, 2, 3 bedrooms • • • •
monitored security system gas log fireplaces fitness rooms 2 resort pools
CALL (205) 544-1977 3201 Hargrove Road East Tuscaloosa, AL
Sudoku
Changing Seasons
3$/,6$'(6 FREE
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- There is less than expected. The more you learn, the better you look. Avoid making an avoidable error. The end result provides substantial gain. Love grows, along with other benefits. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Don’t deplete reserves by staying up too late. Things don’t always go according to plan, but having a plan sure helps. Work with another on the next social gathering. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Creativity and patience is required. Handle correspondence. Check work orders for changes. Friends give you a boost. Recycle and repurpose to revamp your home. When you’re happy, everybody’s happy. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Do the work yourself and save. Learn about safe investment plans, and pick one. Enjoy sweet victory. Turn down a public engagement for a private one. Encourage your partner. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Avoid a fuss that doesn’t concern you. Do more research before launching. Plan carefully. Accept an upcoming increase in status, and more. Take the philosophical high ground. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Don’t believe everything you hear. Maintain objectivity, and wait for more data. You and a partner connect. If you must spend, pay bills or add to your IRA. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Put your feelings into the design. Love is everywhere you look! Add a touch of luxury, with elegant color. A smile dissolves confrontation. Invite for an intriguing possibility.
Text “chic�
to 71441 for Buy One Get One Half Off
palisadesapthomes.com 2VFFO $JUZ "WF t '# 7JOUBHF 7JCF #PVUJRVF
MONTH OF TANNING Text TANU to 71441 to win FREE Month of Tanning! 507 Hargove Rd. E.
758.6119
2300 McFarland Blvd. East (205) 758-2213
The Crimson White
Page 14 | Thursday, November 15, 2012
NEWS
OPINION
CULTURE
SPORTS