---

Fish Wastewater Creates New Variety of Fertilizer

By Emily Clever/ Staff Writer | October 1

Fish wastewater contains nutrients that can replace fertilizer.Scientists and agriculturalists have used animal by-products such as bird and cow manure as fertilizer and energy sources for thousands of years.The technology and the system by which we obtain the by-products has changed to become more cost effective."When fish eat, they retain about 40 percent of the nutrients in the food," said Jesse Chappell, associate professor in the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures.The other 60 percent is excreted in the form of urine and feces.In all systems, the water must be treated or the toxins produced by the urine and feces will kill the fish.In most fisheries, the tanks the fish grow in have a biofiltration apparatus, an expensive and often complicated system that removes toxins from the water, Chappell said.Chappell and his team of researchers, including horticulture professor Jeff Sibley, found a way to eliminate the biofilter.Instead of treating the water, Chappell's system removes 1 to 5 percent of the water in the tank, depending on the biomass of the fish and replaces it with new water.That small percentage of fish wastewater is then used as a fertilizer for some plants.

9th annual BEST Robotics Mall Day held at Auburn mall

By David Crayton/ Staff Writer | September 30

You won't believe this, but Auburn was recently invaded by robots who were controlled by teenagers. Don't worry: they were just stopping through in order to showcase their robotic skills.Auburn's Village Mall was a host to the 9th annual Best Robotics Mall Day this past Sunday.George Blanks, executive director of BEST Robotics Inc., said this particular event is just practice for a competition that will be held at Auburn University's Student Activities Center October 10.

Elvis' music rocks through history, Jule Collin Smith Museum

By Lindsey Grubbs/ Staff Writer | September 30

They've both got rhythm, patterns, pitches and a sound that distinctively remise culture. They both are studied in schools, universities and enjoyed in homes across America. They are the literature written of our past in books and the songs that are sung by non-other than Elvis Presley himself.The Tuesday Sept. 29 lecture at the Jule Collin Smith Museum featured that of both literature and the rock and roll icon, Elvis, as they are both reviewed to be an essential element to understanding southern culture and how they broke boundaries to an decade that we know today.

Tiger Dining Hosts Free Cooking Class for Hispanic Heritage Month

By Jordan Dailey / ASSOCIATE CAMPUS EDITOR | September 26

Chef Roney Sorto whipped up guacamole and pico de gallo for students in a free cooking class hosted by Tiger Dining.

Strutting Duck, Bodega closing by month's end

By Natalie Wade / MANAGING EDITOR | September 24

Two local bars will be closing the doors on their current locations at the end of this month.Bodega and the Strutting Duck are closing because the landlords of both buildings will not renew the leases."I don't want to go into a lot of detail, and I'm not looking to bash anybody," said Neal Kelly, owner of the Strutting Duck. "It was kind of frustrating, but we just weren't able to work anything out with our landlord."

Fall athletics promote students' participation

By Theadoris Morris/ Staff Writer | September 24

University Program Council kicked off the Auburn football weekend with a tailgate on the Plains for students to promote fall sports.Students grabbed their Auburn paraphernalia and stood in line for free food, as UPC members' voices echoed around the building to catch students' attention on the second floor of the Student Center, where the event was held, last Thursday.

Book gives school, spiritual advice

By Blake Hamilton / Associate Campus Editor | September 24

Making the transition from high school to college can be daunting in many respects, especially spiritually.It's for such challenges that a member of the Auburn faculty has provided a guidebook of sorts.

Students leave their thoughts on bathroom walls

By Blake Hamilton / Associate Campus Editor | September 24

It's a scenario with which we're all familiar. One steps into a bathroom stall in Haley Center, sits down and is suddenly surrounded by a collage of Sharpie and ballpoint pen.Obscenities, anthropomorphic genitalia and reasons why one set of Greek letters is better than another can be found on the walls of public restrooms throughout Auburn.This is a common occurrence on many college campuses, but why students choose the latrine to launch personal attacks and display a lacking knowledge of the human anatomy remains a mystery to some."Restrooms are chosen because they are a public venue," said Greg Weaver, an Auburn associate professor of sociology.

Lyricist Lounge showcases poetic talents

By Justin Ward/ Staff Writer | September 24

Last Thursday night offered a chance for Auburn students to showcase their lyrical creativity.The event, co-hosted by Auburn's NAACP and BJPSA chapters, lasted just more than an hour and a half and featured the creative stylings of more than 10 singers, rappers, dancers, poets and performers.

Fabian Cousteau speaks out against water pollution, resulting problems

By Blake Hamilton / Associate Campus Editor | September 24

A member of the royal family of marine biology graced The Hotel at Auburn University and Conference Center Tuesday, speaking on the dangers of errant pollution of Earth's waters.Fabian Cousteau, grandson of filmmaker, conservationist and diving innovator Jacques-Yves Cousteau and son of Jean-Michel Cousteau, an explorer and environmentalist in his own right, visited Auburn with a presentation regarding his work and the condition of the world's oceans."We are lucky to be able to escape to a watery depth of discovery," Cousteau said.He began the presentation showing photos summarizing his life, titled "Growing Up With Gills." He related his first dive at the age of four, first voyage at seven and scraping barnacles off the hull of his grandfather's ship.From then on it was all business, as Cousteau detailed the level of pollution taking place in the waterways of the world.

CDS helps students compose better resumes

By Jordan Dailey/ Assistant Campus Editor | September 24

Compacting four years worth of collegiate activities and experiences into a single-page document may sound difficult, but Career Development Services makes it its job to help students with resume and other job-finding issues.The CDS resume Review Fair, near the Foy Information Desk, was an opportunity for students to speak to a career counselor about resume and resume building.

Speaker outlines slavery in Constitution

By Jordan Dailey/ Assistant Campus Editor | September 24

Slavery may have been made illegal in 1808, but our Constitution played a role in supporting the institution until 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.Kelly M.

Kellie Pickler rocks the Plains

By Mary-Glenn Smith/ Staff Writer | September 24

The rain didn't seem to deter Kellie Pickler fans from having a great time Friday night at UPC's fall concert.Auburn students packed the rained-soaked lawn outside the Student Center singing along to Pickler's hit songs like "Red High Heels" and "Best Days of Your Life."A former contestant on American Idol, Pickler kept the audience entertained with her popular chart-topping songs along with her latest single, "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You."Pickler even threw out "War Eagle" a few times while on stage to keep the screaming fans energized and involved with the show."She knows how to please a crowd," said Sarah McCullough, a junior in animal science product management from Clanton.Pickler welcomed fans by coming offstage during the show, walking through the audience, shaking hands, waving and talking to members of the crowd."The concert was amazing," McCullough said.

Hazing activities defined for greeks

By Jenn Huynh / STAFF WRITER | September 24

To some, hazing is a familiar word.Hazing is defined as any activity that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers them regardless of a person's willingness to participate.Researchers from hazingstudy.org found that 5 percent of students knew they were being hazed.For National Hazing Prevention Week, a webinar was hosted for universities around the country to define situations as hazing."The webinar was offered to support the education effort of Auburn University regarding hazing and to support National Hazing Prevention Week," said Paul Kittle, director of Greek Life.

Muslim Association celebrates Eid

By Michael Hansberry/ Staff Writer | September 21

Students from the Auburn University Muslim Association came out last Sunday to celebrate Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan.Ramadan is based on the cycles of the moon, and this year it placed the end of Ramadan on Sept. 20, two weeks earlier than the previous year.

Study Abroad Fair Provides New Opportunities for Students

By Helen Northcutt / INTRIGUE EDITOR | September 21

The Study Abroad Fair was held last Wednesday in the Haley Center Lobby. Multiple study abroad vendors, representing Auburn Faculty-Led programs, answered questions about studying abroad while encouraging students to experience different cultures across the world."Study abroad in general opens up a totally new world," Sarah Frances Webb, a spokesperson for Academic Programs International said. "You are not only out of your comfort zone, you are experiencing a new culture, a new language possibly and it really just puts the world in a bigger perspective. Being able to travel abroad and seeing different issues in other countries really changes student's lives."

SGA Sponsors Blood Drive

By Callie Garrett / Assistant Intrigue Editor | September 21

Auburn's Student Government Association held a blood drive Wednesday and Thursday with a total of 481 pints of blood donated, saving 1,443 lives.

Tailgating Vandalism on Campus

By Blake Hamilton / Associate Campus Editor | September 17

With the advent of "The Tailgate Guys" and other hands-free tailgating services on The Plains, independent pre-game festivities on campus are quickly becoming passe.It may be destruction of private property rather than the convenience factor that is causing this Auburn tradition to lose ground.