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Valentine’s not just day for sugarcoated films

No. 4 Lady Vols rally to defeat Vanderbilt

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Sunny with a 0% chance of rain HIGH LOW 58 37

Tuesday, February 15, 2010 Issue 24

PUBLISHED SINCE 1906 http://utdailybeacon.com

Vol. 116

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Paper Purge encourages competitive recycling UT competes in nationwide ‘RecycleMania,’ attempts to beat Florida in regional feud waste by 9.04 pounds. The University of Florida has a student, staff, and faculty population of 63,079 people, so its numbers would have to be higher because of more people on campus.

Emily Devoe Staff Writer Paper Purge Party Week is a week-long challenge that started Monday, encouraging UT staff and students to recycle.

Volunteers of the Paper Purge Party Crew with UT’s Facilities Service will go door-to-door in every building on campus to collect recycled paper.

“In the past year, I have seen so many more recycling bins and more teachers are going paperless,” Taylor Smith, junior in communications, said. “The more teachers that go paperless, the more trees we will be saving, and also the money saved can go to things like reducing tuition.”

In addition, Keep America Beautiful and the College and University Recycling Coalition (ALCOA) have donated recycling bins to all offices in hopes that the bins will clear out all unwanted paper.

Paper Purge Party is part of the RecycleMania Tournament, a nationwide, eight-week competition. Two pre-season weeks, which began Jan. 23, must be reported as well. Throughout these 10 weeks, schools will report recycling and trash on their campuses.

RecycleMania uses a per capita system of students that recycle to students that do not recycle, and the amount of recycled weight compared to trash weight, to determine which campuses are excelling. For example, UT has a student, staff and faculty population of 43,735 people, and last year, during the first week of competition, each person minimized

“

The most important thing for students to remember about

recycling is that every effort, no matter how small, makes a

difference and helps to improve

upon environmental issues.

– Cathy Strini, environmental awareness chair of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, on recycling

”

The competition looks for the largest amount of recycling per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per number of people or the highest recycling

rate to determine the winners.

Winners will be selected in the following categories: grand champion, Stephen K Gaski Per Capita Classic, waste minimization, gorilla prize and targeted materials.

Last year, the grand champion was Bucks County Community College. UT did not place in any category.

UT is becoming more recycling-friendly every year. Last year, during the RecycleMania competition, UT increased its per capita recycling rate from 10.29 percent to 10.58 percent.

“The most important thing for students to remember about recycling is that every effort, no matter how small, makes a difference and helps to improve upon environmental issues,” Cathy Strini, environmental awareness chair of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, said. “Furthermore, it is our responsibility to take care of our surroundings and ensure the protection of the planet for future generations.”

UT is having its own competition within RecycleMania against Florida. Last year, UT competed with the Gators as well and was “out-recycled” by Florida’s 10.61 pounds per person, compared to UT’s 7.03 pounds per person.

“The most essential thing UT needs to improve recycling would be to continue its efforts to raise awareness across campus,” Strini said. “Great progress has already been made due to the Make Orange Green movement, the Paper Purge Party and other such events. If we simply continue to educate UT students about the importance of recycling we could easily put UT at the top for recycling.”

For more information, visit http://www.pp.utk.edu/Recycle/default.asp.

Former Lady Vol, UT team up off court ously the program, one of the things we had to do was more community service,” Catchings said.

After tearing her ACL during her senior year One of UT’s favorite daughters returned to campus this week with an opportunity in hand. at UT, Catchings was rehabbing her knee durFormer Lady Vol basketball player Tamika ing her rookie season with the WNBA’s Indiana Catchings announced at a press conference on Fever. Catchings made it clear to the Fever Monday afternoon the partnership of her foun- coaches that her time off the court would not be dation, the Catch the Stars Foundation, with the wasted.

“I remember going to Indiana, and one of the UT College of Education, Health and Human things I told them was, ‘Look, I don’t want to be Sciences, as well as Knox County Schools.

Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt was on hand home, woe is me. I don’t want to be nursing my to introduce Catchings to gathered media at knee worried about myself,’” Catchings said. “I Thompson-Boling Arena’s media center, along want to be around kids, because kids make me with College of Education, Health and Human happy.”

In 2001, Catchings started her first basketSciences dean Bob Rider and I-LEAD Director ball camp, which celebrated its 10th year this and Professor Fritz G. Polite. past season. The response from local families “It’s a real pleasure was so strong in and honor for me to be Indiana that Catchings here today,” Summitt started her mentoring said.

“Tamika program. The partnerCatchings is not only a ship with UT will help great basketball player, bring the organizashe’s an even better tion’s mentoring and person.” leadership developThe Catch the Stars ment to Knoxville.

Foundation, which was Through the CEHHS, founded by Catchings Polite and Rider will in 2004, aims to prooversee the program. vide positive role modSummitt said els for youth in commuCatchings’ community nities. Catchings spearinvolvement comes as headed the union with no surprise to her forUT as a means of helpmer coach. ing at-risk high school “She was one of students in Knoxville. those people you Knox County Schools, always knew had her represented by school priorities in order,” superintendent Jim Summitt said. “When McIntyre, also joined Zac Ellis • The Daily Beacon you have your prioriin the partnership.

Catchings said Former Lady Vols basketball player ties in order, great growing up as the son Tamika Catchings speaks during a press things can happen.

“She’s a shining of former NBA player conference on Monday, Feb. 14. star and a great examHarvey Catchings helped spark her interest in community service. ple to all of us. What she’s doing here today “We started the Catch (the) Stars speaks volumes in that regard.”

For Catchings, the goal is simple: Make a difFoundation way back in 2004, but it actually started before that,” Catchings said. “Even as a ference in the future of every child possible.

“We want to make sure that with the girls small girl, I remember going out to do community appearances with my dad. That kind of and the boys, not only do we just offer the proshowed me that there are other people out there grams, but we want to make sure they learn something and that they’re able to move forto give back to.”

The former Olympic gold medalist, WNBA ward in life,” Catchings said. “For me, I had a All-Star and NCAA champion said a yearning to lot of mentors, a lot of people that helped me, a give back only increased when she reached lot of people who I could say thank you to.

“With Catch (the) Stars Foundation, my misTennessee as a student-athlete.

“I got here to the University of Tennessee, sion is always to empower. I’m really excited and being underneath Pat (Summitt), and obvi- about the partnership.”

Zac Ellis

Editor-in-Chief

George Richardson • The Daily Beacon

Daniel Cullen, emcee and guest performer for MAZE, performs card tricks in Smokey’s on Thursday, Jan. 20. MAZE, which uses magic tricks to convey a religious message, performed for a crowd of more than 100 in the Alumni Memorial Building’s Cox Auditorium.

2 • The Daily Beacon

InSHORT

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

George Richardson • The Daily Beacon

Nina Wong, junior in electrical engineering, sells roses and baked goods to students for The Society of Women Engineers on the Pedestrian Mall on Monday, Feb. 14.

Crime Log Feb. 11 A male UT student reported a theft that occurred on the basketball courts of the TRECS some time between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Feb. 8.

A female student reported a theft that occurred in Room 31C of the Health and Physical Education Building around 1:30 p.m.

A contractor employee reported a theft that occurred in Room 3E of Perkins Hall some time between 8:15 p.m. on Feb. 10 and 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 11.

Feb. 13 At approximately 2:52 a.m., a UTPD officer observed a male subject with watery, bloodshot eyes walking unsteadily in the Pilot Food Mart in the Pilot gas station. The suspect, a UT student, was arrested for public intoxication.

A female student reported that she had been assaulted around 3 a.m. by a male student in Volunteer Hall.

— Crime Log is compiled by Robbie Hargett

Compiled from a media log provided to the Daily Beacon by the Universty of Tennessee Police Department.

All persons arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. People with names similar or identical to those listed may not be those identified in reports.

1898: The Maine explodes A massive explosion of unknown origin sinks the battleship USS Maine in Cuba’s Havana harbor, killing 260 of the fewer than 400 American crew members aboard.

One of the first American battleships, the Maine weighed more than 6,000 tons and was built at a cost of more than $2 million. Ostensibly on a friendly visit, the Maine had been sent to Cuba to protect the interests of Americans there after a rebellion against Spanish rule broke out in Havana in January.

An official U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry ruled in March that the ship was blown up by a mine, without directly placing the blame on Spain. Much of Congress and a majority of the American public expressed little doubt that Spain was responsible and called for a declaration of war.

Subsequent diplomatic failures to resolve the Maine matter, coupled with United States indignation over Spain’s brutal suppression of the Cuban rebellion and continued losses to American investment, led to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in April 1898.

Within three months, the United States had decisively defeated Spanish forces on land and sea, and in August an armistice halted the fighting. On Dec. 12, 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed between the U.S. and Spain, officially ending the Spanish-American War and granting the United States its first overseas empire with the ceding of such former Spanish possessions as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

— This Day in History is courtesy of history.com.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Ready for the World Cafe serves up Valentine’s Day menu Chocolate, strawberries, raspberries: They’re natural aphrodisiacs and some Valentine’s Day favorites.

Diners will enjoy each of these yummy delights in the dishes at this week’s Ready for the World Café.

The menu includes strawberry and feta salad, hash brown casserole, orange chicken, white and wild rice pilaf, pepper-crusted pork tenderloin with chocolate sauce, grilled corn with limecilantro butter, and baked cod topped with raspberry glaze. The buffet also will feature a dessert table and a carving station.

The café is an international buffet operated by students in the advanced food production and service management class, Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism (HRT) 445 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The café is open from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each Monday through Thursday in the Hermitage Room on the third floor of the University Center.

Diners pay $11 for the allyou-can-eat buffet or $9 for a plate of food to carry out.

Aramark’s faculty/staff discount card can be used at the café.

Students in HRT 445 take turns planning the menus, marketing the café and working in the café. ARAMARK, UT’s provider of dining services, prepares the food.

This week’s café manager is Wes Surber, of Bristol, a senior in HRT. He is a front desk clerk at the Hilton Garden Inn in Knoxville and previously worked at the Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville. He would someday like to start his own business, possibly one that is tourism-related.

UT students, faculty, staff can apply for trip to China UT faculty, staff and students are being sought to participate in the 2011 English Summer Camp at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, June 22 through July 15, 2011.

This is the fifth year for the camp — the largest of its kind in the world — where 3,200 freshman Chinese students will take part in an intensive three-week English learning experience.

Tsinghua University requires all of its students to be proficient in conversational English by the time they graduate.

This is the fourth year UT has been invited to participate with a select group of other colleges and universities from the U.S., Australia and the United Kingdom.

UT’s Center for International Education administers this cross-cultural program which provides an opportunity for UT faculty, staff and students to travel to China and immerse themselves in the culture.

Faculty, staff and students interested in being part of UT’s group at this year’s summer camp must fill out applications that are forwarded to Tsinghua University officials who select the participants.

Faculty and staff applications are due Feb. 16, and student applications are due Mar. 8.

Teacher applicants must have doctorates, master’s degrees or currently be enrolled in graduate school.

At the camp, they work with Chinese teachers and Tsinghua graduate students

to conduct classes between 8:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.

Monday through Friday.

They also assist with activities from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day and with evening activities once a week.

Student volunteers teach classes, as well as lead games, discussions and competitions designed to promote the use of English.

Applicants should be flexible, outgoing, able to adapt to new situations, comfortable speaking to large groups and willing to work long days.

Public speaking, music and leadership skills are pluses.

Applicants should be in good physical condition. No knowledge of the Chinese language is needed.

Teachers and volunteers

The Daily Beacon • 3

NEWS receive free housing in airconditioned, Western-style lodging, meals and 80 hours of Internet connection during their stays. Teachers receive stipends of about $2,000 for the program; volunteers get about $450. Participants must pay their own airfare.

Teachers and volunteers will have weekends free for travel, shopping and sightseeing.

Tsinghua is one of the top universities in China, often compared to Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge and Oxford. Many of China’s current leaders, including China’s President Hu Jintao, are Tsinghua graduates. The campus is on the grounds of the Imperial Summer Palace of the Qing Dynasty in north-

west Beijing.

The Programs Abroad Office, located in the Center for International Education at 1620 Melrose Ave., will have an informational meeting about the Tsinghua Summer Camp program today at 5:30 p.m. in the International House dining room.

For more information, also see the Programs Abroad website at http://utabroad.org.

Knoxville to host fourth annual Mardi Growl Little Brown Dog — who touched the hearts of dog lovers close to home and around the world after being severely injured when her former owner dragged her

behind a pickup truck — will be the grand marshal when Knoxville’s Mardi Growl takes to the streets next month.

The fourth annual costume parade for dogs and their owners in downtown Knoxville is set for 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 5, beginning at the city’s PetSafe Downtown Dog Park. The park is located on the corner of Summit Hill Drive and Central Avenue. A festival on Market Square will follow from noon-2 p.m.

Parade prizes will be awarded to dogs with the best costume, the most volunteer spirit and canine congeniality. There is also a pet-owner look-alike prize and the “Naked Dog Award” for the

most handsome non-costumed dog. Last year more than 350 pets and their owners donned their Mardi Gras costumes and joined the celebration.

Knoxville’s Mardi Growl is produced by the City of Knoxville and YoungWilliams Animal Center, and event sponsors include PetSafe, WBIR-TV, B97.5 and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Mardi Growl aims to raise awareness of the pet adoption efforts of Young-Williams, and the event’s proceeds benefit Young-Williams.

All Knoxvillians are invited to come downtown to watch the parade featuring Little Brown Dog and join in the festivities on Market Square.

OPINIONS

4 • The Daily Beacon

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

StaffColumn Titans set mark for unrealistic expectations

Kevin Huebschman Chief Copy Editor I think it’s funny how spoiled the sports world has gotten.

Decades ago, professional sports was a losing venture. Owners bought teams, not because they saw a black bottom line, but because they were fans. Only the richest could afford teams, because only the richest could afford to lose the money.

Being a pro athlete was a part-time job. There were no multi-million-dollar or guaranteed-money contracts. You played your season out, then you went back to the real world, to being a regular-class working citizen.

Boy, how times have changed. Just try to find an MLB superstar content to sign a sub-$100 million contract or an NFL stadium worth less than a few hundred million. (Though let’s be fair: The cities’ taxpayers usually pay for those stadiums, many of which sit empty for more than 300 days a year. Makes sense, right?) Bet you can’t do it.

Of course, with the absurd riches are going to come the absurd expectations. Each pro league has one championship, which only one team can win. And yet, owners, and on down the line to coaches, become dissatisfied, or even downright furious, if their teams aren’t winning championships every year.

If you want proof, just look at our home-state NFL team, the Tennessee Titans. Jeff Fisher, until a month ago, had been the longest-tenured coach in the NFL. He’d compiled a 142-120 record, made the playoffs six times, won 10 games six times and took a 2-14 team to the Super Bowl in five years.

But that’s not enough. Yes, just more than one-third of all NFL teams make the playoffs each year; yes, every coach is paid millions with the expectation that he’ll do just that; and yes, the talent pool in the NFL is so dead even that every team has a shot of winning at least a few games each year (let’s not talk about the ’08 Lions, please), but that apparently doesn’t matter.

It’s, “Get us to the Super Bowl, or you’re out.”

I’m not saying Fisher was the best coach in the NFL or even that he deserved a contract extension.

But Fisher was and had been in a bad situation for

years. He wasn’t allowed to use a quarterback he wanted, he had to fight through years’ worth of backloaded and guaranteed salaries, and — this is a minor detail that many critics like to leave out — he spent the last 13 years coaching in the same conference as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Peyton Manning.

In the interest of your interest and my space, I won’t go into details on these, but that last one, the Manning thing, is kind of a big deal. The NFL ranks him as the eighth-best NFL player in its history, while in that span, Fisher has gone through Steve McNair, Billy Volek, Neil O’Donnell, Vince Young, Kerry Collins and Rusty Smith (and others I may have missed).

And most fans know just how much of a quarterback league the NFL is.

Yet Fisher wasn’t a flop. Not only did he make the playoffs and have 10-win seasons multiple times each, his Titans finished ahead of Manning’s Indianapolis Colts six times in 13 years. Almost 50 percent against the winningest active QB in the NFL? Not a bad job.

If that’s not travesty enough, though, Titans owner Bud Adams is replacing Fisher, and most of his staff, with Mike Munchak and Co. Munchak’s credentials?

Offensive line coach. Seriously.

Adams and the rest of the front office of the Titans want a championship, and they obviously thought Fisher was no longer the right man for the job. But as I said earlier, sometimes, you need to sit back and put things in perspective. No owner, no coach, no team can win a championship every year, or even play for one every year (except for the 1945-55 Cleveland Browns, but they’re paying for that now).

Yet Fisher had his teams, suffering though they were, in contention nearly every year throughout his tenure, and that’s something a lot of franchises would kill for — just ask any Bills, Lions or Raiders fan.

Maybe Munchak will turn out to be a diamond in the rough and everyone will praise Adams to his grave for his genius. But the far more likely outcome is that the Titans will slip back into the crowd that’s always playing for next year, while fans wistfully remember the days when they had a reason to buy tickets in January.

You still have a reason to reserve your seats, though, Titans fans. The middle of the road is a crowded place.

—Kevin Huebschman is a senior in journalism and electronic media. He can be reached at khuebsch@utk.edu.

The Great Mash Up • Alex Cline

The Great Mash Up• Liz Newnam

Columns of The Daily Beacon are reflections of the individual columnist, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or its editorial staff.

Center signifies latest step in LGBT equality T he Social N etwo r k by

Elliott DeVore Feb. 24 marks the first birthday of the LGBTA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Ally) Resource center. This represents a huge achievement in the struggle for LGBTA inclusion at UT. Faculty, students and staff alike have been struggling for decades to create a welcoming campus climate for queer people and their allies. The physical existence of a space on campus with LGBTA on the door is a permanent reminder of the hard work and struggles of the past, present and future.

Oppression experienced by LGBTA people is by no means a new cultural phenomenon, nor is it to say that the oppression of having an LGBT identity is the only source of cultural dissonance.

Imagine the estrangement some of your peers may feel arising from the intersection of multiple identities, whether they be racial, national, sexual, religious or any kind of identity.

In the early ’90s, UT saw its first LGBT student organization come into existence, and it was not without struggle. There was a lot of tension within the UT population as to whether the organization was appropriate or represented “UT values.” Let’s now jump forward to 2006 with the inception of the Chancellor’s Commission for LGBT people, established by Chancellor Crabtree alongside several faculty and staff members. The creation of the new commission was not the only victory for the LGBTA population; it also marked the year that sexual orientation and gender identity were added to the EEOC non-discrimination clause — better late than never (the University of Vermont added these identities to its university policies in 1987).

My freshman year, Fall ’07 and Spring ’08, the Princeton Review ranked UT No. 5 where “Alternative Lifestyles not an Alternative,” which specifically refers to the LGBT campus climate.

While on campus, I have been called a faggot to my face and have even been chased in a parking lot by a person driving a pickup truck, revving the engine and screaming at me, and I quote, “You like to take it up the a** don’t you, you f****** queer?!”

I will never forget that day. These should not be memories one has ingrained in one’s college

experience. At times, I have felt out of place and unwelcome in many spaces on campus. I did not feel a part of the “Volunteer family.” No person should feel uncomfortable hanging out in his or her residence hall floor or be afraid for his or her safety.

Early on, I felt like Lambda Student Union was the only safe space for my LGBTA peers and me. There were few places to feel secure and comfortable — but those places were compartmentalized and were not campus-wide.

During my tenure at the university, the Safe Zones initiative was created to educate people on the issues surrounding the LGBT experience. After your training, you are presented with the opportunity to receive a placard you can display to other faculty, students and staff showing your support of a welcoming environment for LGBT people. The Safe Zone program was a crucial step towards fostering a healthy campus climate. As amazing as Safe Zone is, the campus needed a permanent space where people could find comfort, camaraderie and, most importantly, a sense of pride and self-worth.

On Feb. 24, the hard work of many gave birth to a space of this very nature. The OUTreach LGBT & Ally Resource Center (an ally is a non-LGBT person who advocates against homophobia, transphobia and hetersexism) operates on a $0 annual budget and depends on volunteers, graduate student Andrew Morse and members of the Commission for LGBT People to stay open (none of whom are paid).

Since its opening, countless students have flourished in this queer-identified space. For the first time, there is a place to go and feel safe, valued and celebrated unconditionally. Whether it’s to enjoy conversation between classes, check out a book about an LGBT issue, attend the Ally Support Group or the OUT to Lunch series, or seek support, the center has made an immeasurable impact in one year on the collegiate experience of many, and I feel it will help serve as the catalyst of the culture shift needed at UT. Having the OUTreach Center does not mean we have arrived. There are still many obstacles to surmount and many people to educate. Moving forward, we must participate as a united volunteer family to create a fully inclusive atmosphere for our LGBT and Ally peers. Please come help us celebrate the The First Birthday of The OUTreach LGBT & Ally Resource Center in Melrose Hall F-103 on Thursday, Feb. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m.

—Elliott DeVore is a senior in psychology. He can be reached at edevore@utk.edu.

Acknowledging others goes long way For the Love. . . by

Ashleigh Disler

Zac Ellis

Ally Callahan

To report a news item, please e-mail the stories1@utk.edu or call the managing editor at 974-2348.

MANAGING EDITOR

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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Brandi Panter CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Kevin Huebschman COPY EDITORS

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ADVERTISING MANAGER

Ebony Jones Shannon Thomas Stephanie Wierwille Danielle Zimmer ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTISTS

Krystal Oliva Lindsey Shackleford EDITORIAL PRODUCTION ARTISTS

NEWS EDITOR

Brittany Coggins Emily DeLanzo Liz Newnam Wade Rackley

Blair Kuykendall

CLASSIFIED ADVISER

STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

XiaoXiao Ma

Tia Patron George Richardson

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

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

Advertising: (865) 974-5206 Classifieds: (865) 974-4931 Editor: (865) 974-2348 Main office: (865) 974-3231 Managing Editor: (865) 974-2348 Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 Newsroom fax: (865) 974-5569 Photo: (865) 974-5212 E-mail: stories1@utk.edu letters@utdailybeacon.com

Kristian Smith ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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Jake Lane Krista Lewis Sarah Smith

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesday and Friday during the summer semester. The offices are located at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 5 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year, $100/semester or $70/summer only. It is also available online at: http://utdailybeacon.com.

LETTERS POLICY: The Daily Beacon welcomes all letters to the editor and guest columns from students, faculty and staff. Each submission is considered for publication by the editor on the basis of space, timeliness and clarity. Contributions must include the author’s name and phone number for verification. Students must include their year in school and major. Letters to the editor and guest columns may be e-mailed to letters@utdailybeacon.com or sent to Zac Ellis, 1340 Circle Park Dr., 5 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The Beacon reserves the right to reject any submissions or edit all copy in compliance with available space, editorial policy and style. Any and all submissions to the above recipients are subject to publication.

I’ve had the opportunity in my life to be graced with the presence of some pretty amazing people.

One wonderful woman in particular has given me life quotes that frequently resound throughout my day-to-day. As if she couldn’t be more of a role model, she makes a conscious effort to pull her family together every night for “Happy Hour.”

Happy Hour is what her family calls its storytelling time, which is usually accompanied with great wine and great company and is never limited to just family; in fact, friends are welcomed with open arms. This makes them all the more amazing because everyone who visits truly feels like family.

The interesting paradox to this is that even while being a journalist, even while having a deep appreciation for the beauty of language, I’ve never consciously realized the aptitude of her words during these many happy hours (double meaning intended).

“People like to be remembered. People like to be around people that make them feel good, and more than that, people like to be remembered.”

I can’t even begin to discuss with you what the topic at hand was that night because I don’t even remember. All the while, I can still see her perfectly in my mind, swirling her wine around in her glass and giving emphasis to her words with perfect articulation and very subtle, appropriate hand gestures.

As I walked down Philip Fulmer Way, admiring the stadium and smiling at people passing by, this vivid image and her resounding words played in my head after I passed a former high-school peer. Never having been friends in high school, I certainly had no expectation of, “Oh my gosh, how have you been?” However, the moment she realized who I was, she quickly pulled out her phone and began to, I imagine, pretend to text, make a phone call, check a message, etc.

“People like to be remembered,” I thought in my head. Why is this not a universal, multi-cultured golden rule much like treating other people the way

you want to be treated? This, I thought, people can do much easier than treating other people the way they want to be treated. This, I thought, people can remember.

Without giving myself more credit than I deserve, I honestly don’t believe this person had any reason to dislike me. Even so, I often smile and greet people I really don’t like anyway. Isn’t it practically customary? Isn’t it silly to pretend we don’t know and remember far fewer faces than we actually do?

I don’t have to remember your name to remember your face, and I certainly shouldn’t have to have been great friends with you to be gifted with a simple hello or equally welcoming smile.

Merely because I think about things far longer than I should, I thought about this for the remainder of the day. Not the exact situation, but the paradox to it. I thought about how many people walk around campus making eye contact with people they very obviously remember but never greet. I continued to think about situations where I’d seen someone in passing whose name was brought up at a later date and I’d said, “I saw them the other day,” but had never let them, the subject, know that I knew who they were and certainly not that I had realized or recalled their face in quick passing. I began remembering instances of seeing mutual friends out who didn’t get the courtesy of a hello because they weren’t “my” friend.

The more I think about it, the more I trust that this is not a matter of not remembering. I think this is a matter of not realizing how important it really is to remember. I think this is more of an issue where we draw lifelines, except instead of our lifelines being polling the audience and calling a friend, our lifelines have become pulling out our phones or averting eye contact.

What, if I may ask again, is the issue of not remembering each other? I don’t ever recall a time that I was irritated after someone had acknowledged my presence, and I don’t believe I’m alone in this boat. All of this leads me to question our dependency on the familiar and comfortable. Among the things at question is also our ability to befriend new people and our reliance on old friends.

At the end of the day, all I can say is, for the love … people like to be remembered.

—Ashleigh Disler is a junior in journalism and electronic media. She can be reached at adisler@utk.edu.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Daily Beacon • 5

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Couples’ cripples NBC comedy night Sandler scores in ‘Just Go With It’ Robby O’Daniel Recruitment Editor Because of NBC’s questionable decision to turn its two-hour Thursday night comedy block into a three-hour one, new programming had to come from somewhere.

Thus “Perfect Couples” was born, and the entire block was brought down in quality.

The show, which began in January as a midseason replacement, centers on three couples.

Dave and Julia are the normal ones. Rex and Leigh are the ones who think they are relationship experts but are really just neurotic.

Vance and Amy are dysfunctional but have a vibrant sex life.

Like NBC’s other horrible new sitcom “Outsourced,” “ P e r f e c t Couples” basically runs on clichés. “Perfect Couples” does not rely as disgustingly on lowest- common-denominator humor as “Outsourced” does, but the only thing perfect about “ P e r f e c t Couples” is its cookie - cutter shape.

The basic premise is so rudimentary: Let’s have one rigid couple, one crazy couple and one couple in the middle. Perfect.

Only one problem: Everyone is so onedimensional. Imagine a couple that basically takes every character motivation from relationship articles in a women’s magazine.

Imagine what a bore they would be to even have as acquaintances in real life. That is Rex and Leigh.

Half the plot of the third episode, “Perfect Health,” is inspired by an article in a women’s magazine — the idea that guys need “man cave” time away from spouses.

These really are stories that anyone could write in college creative-writing classes. The third episode revolves around how all the 30something adults are just now realizing it is time to grow up. The party ends up getting smashed drunk on a weeknight, and most of them regret it later. How many times has that

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story been done?

And how does that even remotely gel with the overall premise of aspiring to some strange perfect adulthood in a perfect couple?

Then there is the “crazy” couple, Vance and Amy, who, of course, only sound crazy in the context of middle-aged suburbia. They fight a lot, but the aggressive energy turns into sex quickly! How zany! Sam and Diane from “Cheers,” they aren’t.

The second episode, “Perfect Proposal,” focuses on Vance and Amy’s impending nuptials. Of course the two agreed to get hitched in mid-fight, on a dare no less. How wacky!

They end up calling it off because, guess what, it is actually not healthy to get married on a dare. What a s o l e m n , important moral for the viewers! Only “Arrested Development” could ever hope to make such a joke work. In the context of “Perfect Couples,” it’s just another absurd brick in a house of kookiness.

The “normal” couple who the viewers are supposed to • Photo courtesy of nbc.com relate to, Dave and Julia, have storylines that will easily bore viewers to tears.

In “Perfect Health,” Dave has trouble with his cholesterol, so his wife mandates healthier living. It makes for riveting television. Will he or won’t he … eat those nachos?

Viewers cannot blame the acting for the show’s failures, though the acting is not much better. How could anyone possibly get over this stereotypical writing? It is absolutely amazing that “Perfect Couples” is on the same night and channel as the daring writing in “Community” and “30 Rock.”

“Perfect Couples” feels so much more like one of those formulaic CBS comedies. Perhaps the show’s only hope is if NBC takes out some advertisements for “Perfect Couples” during “Two and a Half Men” commercial breaks.

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Chassidy Doane Staff Writer “Just Go With It,” directed by Dennis Dugan, is in theaters everywhere now. The film, starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston and Brooklyn Decker, may look like just another dumb comedy about a guy doing really stupid things in order to score with a really hot girl, but it is much deeper than that and has a pretty good storyline.

The film starts out with a very young, naïve Danny Maccabee (played by Sandler), listening in as his fiancée confesses to her friends that she has been cheating on him throughout their relationship and is only marrying him because he’s going to be a doctor. Maccabee then goes to a bar, forgetting he still has his wedding band on and instantly attracts a cute lady friend because of it, and this is the basis of the movie.

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Palmer finds the wedding band in Danny’s pocket after a fun night and is devastated, because she thinks he’s married. Therefore, to avoid admitting he is just a dirty sleazebag who lies to sleep with women, Danny makes up an elaborate lie about how he is very unhappy in his marriage and is getting a divorce from his cheating wife. Katherine, the assistant, then gets sucked into playing the horri-

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ble ex-wife role, and her two small children, played by Griffin Gluck and Bailee Madison, are involved as well.

“Just Go With It” is an extremely nice break from the downward spiral of films Sandler has decided to partake in over the last couple of years. From the very publicized let-down, “Funny People,” with Seth Rogen to “Grown Ups,” Sandler has not had the best luck in movie choices over the last decade. However, “Just Go With It” might prove the next 10 years to be much better than the last for him, because it is the kind of comedy that one sees and says, “Yes, that’s what I’ve been waiting for.”

Aniston and Sandler have undeniable chemistry in this film, and she is just as much of a star in it as he is. The two are a great combination and they really shine together on the big s c r e e n .

Aniston’s attitude keeps Sandler in check and S a n d l e r ’s one -liners keep her from being too serious. It’s clear to see that these two need to do more films • Photo courtesy of Tracy Bennett in the future.

Brooklyn Decker has an amazing big-screen debut in her first major film. The 23-year-old fashion model has only appeared on television and in magazines until this role. It’s hard to tell that it’s her first time acting in film because Decker plays the part of Palmer so well. She isn’t just another pretty face. Palmer is strong-willed, witty and very selfless, even though she does have some moments that fit the stereotypical blonde-girl role.

This film is a must-see. It is nice to be able to watch a movie that actually makes the audience laugh out loud, and that hasn’t been around in a while. It is definitely worth the money and the time.

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6 • The Daily Beacon

THESPORTSPAGE

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Lady Vols rally to silence Vanderbilt Diving squads wrap up SEC meet Jamison Lanum Staff Writer Despite one of the worst first halves ever played under Pat Summitt, the Lady Vols rallied with a 50-point second-half performance to defeat the Vanderbilt Commodores 65-57 in Memorial Gymnasium.

At halftime, No. 4 Tennessee trailed the Commodores 28-15, tying its largest halftime deficit of the season at 13 points. Shooting a season-low 20 percent from the field produced its third-lowest first-half scoring output of all time.

“You know, unfortunately, sometimes this team picks and chooses when they are going to play hard, and you know as the head coach, it just baffles me, because they have great potential,” Summitt said.

Junior Shekinna Stricklen led the Lady Vols in scoring with 14 points and pulled down 9 rebounds, but it was freshmen Lauren Avant’s play in the second half that helped the Lady Vols pull within striking distance of the Commodores.

Avant played a career-high 20 minutes, 17 of which came in the second half.

“That was coach (Mickie) DeMoss’ call,” Summitt said. “She just said, ‘I think if you put in Lauren, it’s going to change this game.’ And she said ‘We need a true point guard.’ She is really the only, what I would call, true point guard, and she went in and just handled the ball and distributed the ball, and she got it moving.

“She had great communication in the hud-

dles, and it was by far her best outing, and I was really, really pleased with how she responded and how the team responded to her.”

Along with bringing defensive energy, Avant scored six straight points for the Lady Vols in the second half. Her spurt started at the 8:05 mark after completing a 3-point play and ended 32 seconds later after hitting a 3pointer, which brought the Lady Vols within one. Meighan Simmons capped off the run with a 3-pointer with 5:54 remaining, giving the Lady Vols their first lead, 44-42, since early in the first half. Avant ended the game with 11 points and four steals.

Glory Johnson also contributed to the team with her ninth double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Johnson now needs just 16 points to join the Lady Vol 1,000-point club.

With the win, Summitt is now 20-1 against the coach Melanie Balcomb’s Commodores.

Vanderbilt had success early, jumping to an 16-7 lead early in the first half, but the Commodores couldn’t keep their composure late in the game.

“I think once they got more aggressive again and came after us, we got on our heels defensively and didn’t do the job that we did (in the first half),” Balcomb said. “Then you get tight on offense because you can’t get the stops you were getting in the first half. ... The frustrating piece is until the last eight minutes, we were beating them and they’re the No. 4 team in the country, and there’s a lot to be said for that.”

The Lady Vols will host South Carolina Thursday at 7 p.m.

Andrea Stockard • The Daily Beacon

Glory Johnson discusses defensive position in a timeout during a game against Florida on Thursday, Feb. 10. The Lady Vols continued their domination over the SEC, improving to 12-0 in the conference with a 65-57 win over Vanderbilt.

Vols finish second in conference meet, Lady Vols take seventh Preston Peeden Staff Writer When it comes to swimming and diving, it seems as though the latter half of the sport is ignored. While people can spout out the names of several swimmers from memory — Michael Phelps, Ian Thope and Aaron Piersol are prime examples — few divers besides Greg Louganis and his famous hitting of the board come to mind.

However, in the SEC swimming and diving championships, diving is an integral part.

The competition takes place a week before swimming and can easily determine a team’s fate before it even touches the water. For the Tennessee men’s and women’s diving team, this weekend served not only as the teams’ own conference championships, but also as an opportunity to set the swim team up in the best possible position for an SEC crown.

Vols The men’s team came out of the gate on Friday in fine form. In the finals of the 1-meter, the Vols took not just first place, but also second, seventh and 12th. Senior captain Michael Wright led the charge by besting his own previous school record with a finish of 416.85 points. Junior Ryan Helms was a close second with 413.15 points.

“That was my strongest event,” Wright said.

“And Ryan Helms was my strongest competitor. It was kind of a confident strategy, just go out there and win and try and get the most points we could.”

Wright’s confidence was reflected after the meet in the reaction of his coach, Dave Parrington.

“Any time you can come home with a conference champion, you have to be happy,” Parrington said. “I am definitely pleased in that regard.”

On the second day of competition, in the 3meters the Vols’ fast start began to fade.

Helms was a bright spot for the Vols, able to secure another second-place finish. On the other hand, he was the only Vol to reach the finals.

Wright finished the event in 10th place.

“I missed my last dive,” Wright said. “And it was kind of devastating knowing that I wasn’t in that final round. … I was satisfied, not really happy.”

On Sunday, the meet’s final day, the competition

wrapped up with the 10-meter. While this event is not the forté for the divers, they did end up with a strong showing by placing three divers in the finals. Helms finished fourth, sophomore Jordan Mauney was fifth and Wright was sixth.

“To get three guys back in the finals of the platform was huge for this team,” Parrington said.

“Mike and Ryan have been in that final before, so it was good to see them back there. Jordan getting back into the final was a great effort on his part.”

Overall, the men’s team finished second to Auburn, with a score of 133.5 points. And while this definitely places the team in good overall standing for the rest of the championship, it does not reflect the strength of the men’s first day.

Lady Vols The story for the women’s team was the weekend-long performance of junior Gabrielle Trudeau.

For the entire championship, Trudeau placed seventh in the 1-meter, with a career-best score of 304.9 points, and fourth in the 10-meter platform.

“I feel really good about it,” Trudeau said. “It was really solid. I hung tight in there and bounced back on a not-so-good performance in the 3-meter on Friday. I’m really happy. It was my best SECs since my freshman year.”

“Gaby stepped it up in the finals after qualifying seventh in the prelims and to finish in fourth place,” Parrington said. “I’m excited for her, and now we’ll move ahead and get ready for the zone meet.”

Trudeau pointed out the oddity in Florida’s pool as an obstacle during the meet.

“The roof is a half bubble, and it’s not really straight, which throws you off,” Trudeau said. “But you just got to get up and dive.”

Regardless of the building’s architecture, the Lady Vols battled through and finished seventh overall in the meet, garnering 32 points.

The performances of both squads will go a long way in helping set up the swim teams in their SEC championship quest this coming weekend, something Mike Wright summed up.

“We set out to come here and give the swim teams a head start,” Wright said. “And we felt we did that. We did our part, and now it’s time for the swimmers to do theirs.”