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(04/25/14 9:00pm)
When I first tell people I am a journalism major and write for the school newspaper, the general response is something along the lines of, "Good luck finding a job."
It's an easy line of thought to fall into.
Spending the past year writing for the community section, however, has allowed me to expand my response about what my future looks like.
I still can't tell people what magazine or what newspaper I plan to write for after I graduate. I can't even tell them with all certainty if my favorite magazines and newspapers will still be printed by the time I graduate.
I can tell them I will be telling the stories of the common person, like I do every week for the community section of The Plainsman.
In my first month on the job, I was assigned to do a profile story about the owner of U&I Boutique, Maya Ozokur. She is a Bosnian refugee and escaped from an internment camp at the age of six with her family.
It was a heavy subject. It took me more hours to write than I would like to admit; partly because I was still new to writing stories, and partly because the burden of asking about and telling the story behind someone's most personal life experiences was something I was still uncomfortable with.
Then, after the story was published, I saw that people were interested in it. Most importantly, Ozokur was interested in it.
I got faster at writing and better at gathering the right information with each passing week, but those new skills weren't the best part of writing for The Plainsman.
There is something about seeing your story and pictures printed on a newspaper, or posted on a news website that brings a genuine smile to the subject's face.
I got to see that smile on a clown-puppeteer turned entrepreneur, the daughter of a famous Boston boxer who had been on the run from the mafia and a bail bondsman who helps bail out Auburn students.
I've gotten to tell the story of the underground skateboarding culture fighting to make their mark on Auburn.
I've attended city council meetings and informed the public about those in power.
While working for the community section I developed a reputation. I became the person people came to for information. Even if I wasn't the person reporting on the story, I knew things other people were curious about.
That's what writing for The Plainsman, and writing for any newspaper or magazine, is about.
I don't write, or want to write, for money or fame. I'm not entering the journalism field because it's a growing job market. I do it because people need to know what is going on around them and who the people in their community really are.
By writing for the community section this past year, I grew up. I learned every person has their own private story that is truly amazing. I learned the Auburn community is small in size, but everyone here has a unique past.
Most importantly, I learned how critical it is to follow the news and learn about the people around you, because if it wasn't for The Plainsman, getting stuck in the Auburn bubble would be too easy.
(04/25/14 4:00pm)
People often question the validity of modern artwork and wonder what exactly makes a piece of art have value and a place in the art world.
This is particularly true for minimalistic pieces, like the work of Ellsworth Kelly or, for abstract pieces, Jackson Pollock.
I am neither an art historian or an artist, but merely someone who has an appreciation for the history, ideas, practices and people behind art. I'd like to present a few ideas to those who wonder why some art is considered art.
Consider Fauvism, a style of art that emerged in the early twentieth century characterized by strong color palettes and painterly strokes. (Think of Henri Matisse.)
Critics wrote the artists off as "fauves," which translates from French into "wild beasts." If you can manage to transport yourself back to that time, from 1904-1908, this criticism makes sense. Patrons of the art were used to looking at the more moderate impressionistic works of Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, so the bright coloring of Fauvist work was jarring.
This sort of criticism happens all the time in everyday life. People are naturally averse to change and radical ideas.
To cite an example from history, Europeans initially mocked Orville and Wilbur Wright for their innovations in flight. Streaming online video was at first ignored by many, but now Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Instant Video have closed down traditional video rental stores, such as Blockbuster.
New ideas and techniques are the cornerstone of the art world, pushing it forward to create something that is entirely new, because who wants to look at the same thing over and over again?
Perhaps it might be helpful to think of art not in just terms of aesthetics, but in terms of emotion as well.
I like to apply Ernest Hemingway's iceberg theory with art: what you see at the surface is only a small part of what lies underneath. The tip out of the water is what you see - the painting on the wall, the sculpture in the garden - but what lies beneath the water is much more.
It consists of the story behind the work, the life of the artist, the world at the time, the emotions of the viewer.
Art isn't something you just look at. It's like a novel in that you enter a world that is altogether unique; a place with history, culture and characters.
Don't just look at the tip of the iceberg. Art, in any form, is the most beautiful and complicated combination of aesthetics, history, politics, skill and culture.
(04/24/14 8:45pm)
Cliches are cliches for a reason. They're overused because they're true. So when I incorporate the cliche "blood, sweat and tears" to describe the effort we put into producing The Auburn Plainsman this year, I incorporate it because it's nothing short of the truth.
We've sacrificed regular sleeping hours, our social lives and, many times, our grades to create the best product we could. But, this isn't about us. It's about you, our readers.
All of the work we've done (and will continue to do) is done to serve the Auburn community. Take Tuesday, April 15, for example. We didn't care about sleeping, getting our school work done or putting the print product of The Plainsman together when news broke about a threat to our campus.
We cared about providing our readers with as much information as we could get our hands on. That night, I knew we would work until there was nothing left to report, and that our readers would follow us through that process.
So, while this year's staff deserves my overwhelming gratitude for putting their all into The Plainsman, you deserve my deepest thanks for supporting our work.
Thank you for reading what we write. Thank you for caring enough to stay informed. And thank you for letting us know when you think we could be doing a better job.
I've learned more from serving one year as editor than I have in the first three years of my college career combined, and your feedback has been a vital part of that.
I hope our work here has helped you learn something you didn't know either.
My time at The Plainsman is coming to an end, but The Plainsman itself is not. This newspaper is powered by the strength and talent of Auburn students who take their responsibility as Plainsman staffers seriously. Part of our duty is to challenge Auburn in hopes of bettering it.
I encourage all of you to join us in that challenge. Challenge yourselves, challenge each other and challenge us to perform at a level of excellency.
If nothing else, challenge yourself to stay informed about what's going on at Auburn University through The Plainsman.
It's only through this constant challenging that we'll truly foster a spirit that is not afraid.
The saying goes to leave a place better than how you found it. I'm not sure if I've succeeded in this at The Plainsman, but I've sure enjoyed the hell out of trying.
(04/23/14 9:00pm)
Readers beware. Spoilers are coming. HBO's Game of Thrones continues to deliver in Season 4 with a healthy balance of drama and action.
In this week's episode, "The Lion and the Rose," karma seems to be the overall theme. First, when watching this episode, we must remember Cersei's famous warning in Season 1, "when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die", but to be frank she missed the mark a little bit.
What the warning should have been was "when you attend a wedding in Westeros, you wine or you die".
While everyone may be singing "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" none have seemed to put much thought into the career hazards of the position.
At this point in the series, no king yet has kept a firm grip on the crown or their head, especially when they attend a wedding. Jeoffrey is the latest casualty in the matter of royal murder. We can just add him to the list of Robert Baratheon, killed during a "boar hunt;" Rob Stark, killed during the Red Wedding by musicians with impeccable aim; and Renly, who was killed by his own brother, to name a few.
In this show, growing attached to any one character is almost as dangerous as the impending battle with the Wildlings, due to George RR Martin's rather sick fascination with killing off everyone.
It is nice to finally see the show's most villainous character get offed. With Jeoffrey's psychopathic ways and sick need to torture for almost four seasons now, it was high time he literally choke to death on wine at his own wedding. Fortunately for Margaery Tyrell she didn't have to consummate the marriage with the psychopath, a stroke of good luck if any.
However, as it often is in life, all good things come with a price. In this particular instance, it is Tyrion who is taking the fall for the murder, thanks to big sister Cersei.
As he stands there holding the goblet from which Jeoffrey was poisoned, it doesn't look good for our friend, and neither do the circumstances leading up to the event. With Jeoffrey's public humiliation of him and his demanding that Tyrion bring him his wine, it doesn't exactly seem far-fetched that he might have pulled the trigger, figuratively speaking of course.
While beyond the walls of the Purple Wedding, the name of the latest wedding with a murder, the stage is set for our other houses as well.
We get a brief look at Theon Greyjoy, who quite frankly has had the worst transformation of any character this series has seen by far.
Lord Bolton's bastard son Ramsey Snow has now taken the role of "evil bastard", making Jeoffrey look like a singing Disney character, however the confrontation between the two in which Lord Bolton reveals Ramsey has screwed the pooch by flaying Theon like a catfish, in ways that will be revealed later.
Lastly we get a look at Bran who is still making his way north. Not much to report on that, but we do get some good foreshadowing with his visions.
The cinematography, visual effects, acting, and all other facets of the show have taken on a life of its own and season 4 continues to become a must see. Game of Thrones airs all new on Sunday at 8 central time.
(04/18/14 11:02pm)
Ah, spring.
It's time for warmer weather and even warmer takes about the upcoming college football season.
After their unbelievable run to the final BCS National Championship Game last season, Gus Malzahn's Tigers will most likely start this season as SEC and national title contenders.
The pieces are there--breakout quarterback Nick Marshall received a full offseason of extra practices, a majority of Auburn's offensive starters are back and an athletic defense has another campaign of experience.
Sure, the Tigers will have to find replacements for Heisman finalist Tre Mason, potential Top-5 NFL Draft selection Greg Robinson and Senior Bowl MVP Dee Ford.
However, Auburn returns senior running backs Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant, along with a constantly impressive Peyton Barber as part of the nation's top rushing attack.
Teammates say Shon Coleman, a potential for Greg Robinson at left tackle, is as twice as strong as one of the most physically dominant players in this year's draft class.
Auburn's defensive staff rotated along the defensive line last season, and former blue-chip recruits Elijah Daniel and Carl Lawson could be important edge rushers in place of Ford. The Tigers have also worked on an intimidating all-defensive tackle set known as the "Rhino" package.
While these new starters could be strengths in 2014, there are still some question marks surrounding them.
Unlike in 2013, Malzahn's team will not take anyone teams by surprise in 2014. New rival coach Bret Bielema already has his Arkansas Razorbacks game-planning for their season-opening trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Tigers will now have the targets on their backs.
Auburn will also have a tough schedule in 2014. While LSU and Texas A&M come to the Plains this season, the defending SEC champions will go through the "Amen Corner" stretch of Georgia and Alabama away from home--not to mention a Thursday night clash with Big 12 contenders Kansas State in the Little Apple of Manhattan, Kan.
Do I think the Tigers will make it back to the first College Football Playoff this season? Absolutely. Auburn has impressive talent everywhere on offense and a reloaded defense with something to prove from its bitter end at the Rose Bowl in January.
Do I think the Tigers will pull off the perfect season? No.
There are just enough question marks surrounding this team and a tougher schedule--which would include an extra game in the new playoff system, if Auburn makes it that far--to keep the team away from the tough task of perfection.
However, one SEC loss and an Iron Bowl win could put Auburn back in Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game and another shot at the national title. I predict the Tigers will be in line for a repeat next season.
Will it be enough to push them to Jerry World in North Texas? Only time will tell, and if recent seasons are any suggestion, there will be plenty of drama on the Plains this season.
It's time to buckle up once again, Auburn.
(04/20/14 12:00pm)
I've lived in Germany for three years.
I tell people that, and they begin firing typical questions at me. For the most part, the first question asked is if I speak German.
I learned enough German to say I don't speak German.
The next question, if it isn't the first question, is, "What was it like?" This varies from person to person. They ask me about castles and forts. Some ask me about the food. If they're brave, they'll ask me about WWII history museums or Nazi concentration camps.
All the questions boil down to things a tourist would ask, what a tourist would experience, what a tourist would do.
No one asks about everyday life. No one has ever approached me with questions that are framed outside the context of a few months. No one asks about buying groceries or gas. No one asks me about what it was like for me, as a child, to play outside there. No one asks about interacting with locals beyond ordering food.
No one asks about walking down the street every morning in a country that doesn't speak English. Sure, many of them know English, but for the most part, it was easier to agree not to communicate beyond formal greetings.
Living in Germany was a pleasant experience. In hindsight, it was the best three years of my life thus far.
However, I began to see changes in the local children my age after a year of living there. I normally saw them playing with one another, just like I would with my friends, but they would grow silent when I walked past them to get to my bus stop in the morning.
Then one day, they spoke to me. "Hey, come here," the fat one said in broken English. "Psst!" the others hissed. I stopped walking and looked at them. I thought about going over there. I thought about trying to communicate with them, perhaps leading to some sort of beautiful friendship where we could play games without needing words.
But then the fat one spit in my direction.
I walked away.
When I lived in Germany, I did it wrong. I spent three years in a foreign land and failed at obtaining a real cultural experience. I saw the castles and ate the food, but I did not learn the language and communicate with the locals as a guest in their homeland. I didn't take the time to get to know them and communicate with them as people, not as Germans.
We as Americans are privileged. We like to look abroad and experience the culture of foreign lands, but little time do we take to interact with the people who make up that culture.
We act as if going to a big church or some castle Hitler spent his weekends at is enough to make us cultured; thinking they have experienced all that a foreign land has to offer. It's not. Those are history lessons given out by tour guides. History is an important element that defines culture, but people misinterpret that as THE culture.
The best way to experience a culture is to share in it with the people who make up that culture. Not drinking buddies, not a tour guide, not a study abroad group. But we think it is, and we wonder why the rest of the rest of world doesn't like us when we turn their world into a vacation hotspot.
(04/18/14 4:00pm)
As a journalist, I have learned that I will be spending a lot of my time throughout my career doing things that most people would feel too awkward or pushy doing. To get the news, and to keep the public informed, journalists may have to put themselves in uncomfortable situations to get to the bottom of a story, and to ensure that the truth is the only thing printed.
Interviewing someone after they have had a death in the family may seem insensitive, and asking a politician about their latest marriage scandal may produce awkward silences or result in an angry politician, but that's part of the job. Just like it's not uncommon for a journalist to have to track down a source, or call and email them to the point of being obnoxious if they are an important part of the story.
Without journalists, the public would either have to stay uninformed or rely on whatever information they could get from the Internet, which may or may not be true.
So to me it's frustrating when I hear people say that we are in the business of "ruining people's lives," or that we are twisting the truth to get a better story.
Not only does twisting the truth harm whomever the article is about, but it also harms the journalist's credibility, which is arguably the most important credential that a journalist can have, and one that we don't want to lose.
Sometimes, printing the truth isn't enough, and sources still feel that they have been poorly represented or taken advantage of.
I wrote an article last week on Katherine Webb and AJ McCarron having a reality show for their upcoming wedding. I interviewed three members of the Webb family. They were all aware that I was a reporter, and that I intended to publish my article through The Auburn Plainsman.
Once the article came out they had a change of heart and asked if we could take the article down, because they realized that they had made a mistake in discussing the reality show with a reporter so soon.
This put me in a tough situation because I had no intention of causing any problems with the Webb family by writing the article, but I also didn't feel like it should be taken down just because they changed their minds.
Journalism is not the business of pleasing everyone. It is the business of informing the public, staying honest, having full disclosure with your sources, and getting the news out as fast as possible.
I can't control what happens after one of my stories is published. All that I can do is make sure that my facts are correct, that my quotes are accurate, and that the message is clear.
Sometimes an article gets a different reaction from the public than a source thought it would. This is not a valid reason for the source to blame the journalist, or to feign ignorance and say that they didn't realize that the article would be published.
Before I even begin an interview, I always make sure my source knows who I am, who I work for, when the article is set to be published, and what exactly it is about. I do this to prevent confusion and to ensure that a source isn't caught off guard when they read the article.
There are biased and corrupt journalists in the field, just like there are corrupt workers in any field, but there are also journalists who have a passion for reporting, investigating, and informing the public in the most honorable way possible.
(04/17/14 8:45pm)
All right, Tiger Fans, get your hands up for "Game of Thrones!"
This past Sunday HBO's 10-time Emmy-Award-winning-show "Game of Thrones," based off of George RR Martin's book series, "A Song of Fire and Ice," premiered for its fourth season, and it made the yearlong wait well worth it.
Taking place after the events of the Red Wedding, Season 4 opens with lots of action, lots of adventure and lots of dragons. Daenerys has now assembled herself a slave army, and her dragons have gone from the size of a coffee table to the size of semi-trucks. In King's Landing, it is good to be anyone with blonde hair.
Although it is a time of celebration for the Lannister clan, there are many problems to be confronted.
Jamie has now returned and Cersei has turned cold toward him for his time away from her and his disfigurement (spoiler alert for those who haven't watched the show yet).
Joffrey is as terrible as ever, and Tyrion is caught between a rock and a hard place with his new wife, Sansa, who is grieving for the loss of her slain Stark family, and her housemaid, Tyrion's real lover, who fears Tyrion and Sansa may start to develop real feelings for each other.
Meanwhile, Arya, the not-as-dead-as-they-think Stark child, and the Hound are still on the run, and Arya is out for blood.
At Castle Black, John Snow has some explaining to do about his time with the Wildlings.
With the fourth season still trying to tie up some loose ends from book three and segue itself into book four, Game of Thrones has done an exceptional job of taking elements from books three, four, and five in order to deliver a show well worth watching.
Due to the incomplete presentation of the third book in the past season, we are not introduced to a wide array of new characters as we have in the past. However, we do have two characters who are out for Lannister blood, Oberyn Martell and his traveling companion Ellaria, delivering a message to the Lannisters they have more to worry about than their internal strife.
The visual effects have somehow managed to become increasingly more impressive, from the creation of a million-man army to larger-than-life dragons.
Some thoughts on the premiere: first and foremost, we have two new locations to admire in the impressive opening credits, the rugged Westeros castle Dredfort and Meereen. However, it is unclear as to whether or not these are places we will be visiting this season or just simply placeholders on a map.
The introduction to Oberyn, played by actor Michiel Huisman, was fun to watch and very "Legend of Zoro" in his portrayal. This mysterious new character gives us much to look forward to this season.
Also, Sansa finally gets a moment in the sun when she shows kindness toward the Knight-turned-fool Dontos, who she saved a few seasons ago. Lastly, no Bran this episode. Thoughts on this: Hodor.
Stay tuned for next week for another review!
(04/17/14 1:00pm)
When people find out that I work for The Auburn Plainsman, they always ask me what I do. Then comes the follow-up, "What does being a reporter even mean?"
It means a myriad of things to multiple people.
To my section editor, it means being responsible and reliable. Dependable and dedicated. My section editor is the closest thing I have to a boss at this point.
When I switched over from the intrigue section in December, I really didn't know what I was getting into.
I was visiting a friend when I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. It was my new section editor calling me.
All I could gather from the brief phone call was that she talked fast and loud, wanted to meet as soon as possible and had already given me a story that would be due the next week.
To say I was a little intimidated would be an understatement.
Throughout the semester, the intimidation lessened, but I still get a little nervous when I see her name pop up on my phone.
To the people who read the community section, being the reporter means having the facts and getting them out there as soon as possible.
The Plainsman readers are accustomed to speedy and reliable information. They want the whole story, and with the rise of technology and the many outlets to gain information, the story needs to get to them fast.
Getting the whole story doesn't mean just calling one person and being done.
Multiple people have different facts and viewpoints you can use to fill your story out. And it has to be well written, or else you just look stupid.
I need to be ready to go after a story when it happens, that's what's expected from a reporter, even if it's late at night or early in the morning after Rodeo.
It's pretty much a 24/7 job, and that's what it means to work at The Plainsman.
The responsibility taught me to grow up. Of course I grew up in my years here at Auburn, but school and The Plainsman taught me that deadlines are real.
If you don't deliver, people who were depending on you will be let down. If I were to not do my part on The Plainsman, they would fire me, and I would be devastated.
I've become a part of a little family, and The Plainsman office is always a place I can go to get some peace and quiet on this loud campus. I've met some of the greatest people working here and working the community section.
I've gotten to be on a first name basis with city council members, and I call the mayor and city manager on a weekly basis.
I've learned how to compose an important email, speak intelligently to adults and go to meetings that last an hour.
I can now walk into a last minute interview and think of questions off the top of my head.
I talk to the most interesting people and learn more about this town that I love so much.
I've found the coolest hole-in-the-wall places around town and found amazing organizations that benefit the community here.
So, when I'm asked what being a reporter means, the answer is too long and complicated for a friend or passerby.
I just tell them it's my job to talk and listen to people and tell their story, and I love doing it.
(04/16/14 4:57pm)
As I was walking around campus the other day I couldn't help but notice the amount of faces glued to their cell phones.
I could literally watch people I know walk by me without even looking up to notice me.
I will admit that I fall into this cell phone, crazed category, as well.
I too have walked into a few walls from time to time, because I have been utterly attached to looking at the screen of my phone.
It got me thinking about all the electronics that seem to consume our worlds.
iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, along with their social apps and websites, allow us to connect with one another without even having to see each other.
I feel as though these new technological advances have greatly distorted the meaning of verbal communication.
Although, don't get me wrong, these new innovations have their positives too.
I don't know how I would remain in contact with some of the people I've met over the years if it wasn't for Facebook, or how I would be able entertain myself through a boring class without texting a friend.
The truth is, we are too obsessed about missing out.
It seems every year Apple comes out with a new iPhone product that offers more perks and every year people are foaming at the mouth to get a hold of them.
Not only has the iPhone become today's main form of communicating but it has also developed into a way of living.
Cell phones can tell a lot about one's personality and motivations.
Going through one's cell phone would be like reading their journal.
Their texts, phone calls and recent Internet searches could reveal so much about what kind of social crowd they run with and the type of things they do.
People can create identities for themselves, the way they want others to perceive them, through apps such as Twitter, Instagram, Yik Yak, Tinder and even Snapchat.
They allow us to premeditate any conversation we have with someone, which can be a good thing at times, but isn't reality.
With all that said, I do see why I people ignore face-to-face contact when one could communicate to someone exactly how they want to, by means of a single cell phone.
Not to mention, it can be more convenient.
However, I believe there is something more meaningful about a conversation in person.
For me personally, I feel more in tune to what the other person is saying and feeling when I am talking to them from across a table.
Their body language, touch and non-verbal cues can tell me so much more about where the conversation is heading than an emoji in a text can.
I think there is something to be said about two people sharing words with one another in person.
It shows an effort to take the time to meet with them and is a sign of respect for that person.
(04/09/14 6:00pm)
As a senior, one of the many questions people ask, besides the ever-more-enjoyable "What are you doing after you graduate?" and "When are you getting married?" is "Did you do everything you wanted to do?"
The bucket list for an Auburn student could go on and on: roll Toomer's, go to the top of the Samford clock tower, cheer at the Iron Bowl, take a picture with Aubie, pull an all-nighter in RBD.
On top of the Auburn bucket list, the Internet also holds a vast number of lists of things I should have accomplished in every section of my life. From "20 Things to do in Your 20's" to "10 Things you HAVE to do as a Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior," to the more controversial "20 Things to do Instead of Getting Married," the lists of things I'm supposed to be doing to enjoy my time in college and life in general has gotten to be quite long.
But why do I need to follow the ever-growing lists?
I'll admit that I've never been hiking in Chewacla. I've never been to the picture-perfect sunflower and pumpkin patches everyone has posed in. This year will be the first (and last) time I attend Rodeo as an Auburn student.
On a larger scale, I've never done many things the Internet list-makers would have me believe every typical college student or twenties-aged person needs to.
I haven't studied abroad. I haven't visited New York, nor do I have any desire to live there for an extended period of time. I haven't casually dated many people, and the thought of dating someone "totally wrong for me" just to do it sounds, quite frankly, incredibly stupid.
Does not doing these things mean I'm not happy with the things I have done and how I've spent the last 21 years of my life?
I don't think so.
If you have done these things and enjoyed them, that's wonderful.
But I'm tired of people thinking everyone needs to have the same experiences. What one person finds exciting and fun may be pure torture to another.
And if we're all following the same lists, if we're all convinced the way to figure out who we're supposed to be and how to have a good time is to travel to the same places and make the same mistakes and see the world the same way, how are we ever going to function when someone's not telling us what to do? Or what are we going to do when we realize we don't like the experiences we've had?
I think I would rather have a well-lived life than a checked-off list.
So, no, maybe I haven't done everything I've wanted to do. But I have done many things I wanted to do, without thinking of whether I was checking them off a list or not.
I think we could all do a little less list reading and a little more living.
(04/04/14 2:45pm)
It seems like the phrase "teach the controversy" has become a popular response nowadays for those who disagree with popular scientific theories.
If I'm allowed to have an opinion on topics in sports, politics and religion, why can't I do the same in science?
Unfortunately, that's just not how science works, and teaching kids to think that way is harmful in more ways than one.
A population of scientifically illiterate individuals allows for the spread of fantastic and dangerously misleading ideas, some of which can be fatal.
Take, for example, the not-so-recent debate between Ken Ham and Bill Nye.
Ham, a Young Earth Creationist, used the platform to portray evolution as an embattled theory in the scientific community. He even had a variety of scientists, some with Ph. Ds in microbiology from esteemed universities, on film endorsing his arguments.
These highly educated and peer reviewed scientists were the cornerstones for his idea that there is somehow a "controversy" that needs to be taught on the subject of evolution.
Though it's a fallacious idea, it's an easy tactic to bring in "scientists who doubt said theory" to show there is a controversy. Yet, it is easily outdone.
In response to a list of 700 scientists who denied evolution, Project Steve was founded in 2003 to show just how small the percentage of evolution deniers was in the scientific community.
The light-hearted list, which is only composed of scientists named Steve, has collected 1,328 signatures over the last decade, a significant feat considering "Steves" are only representative of approximately 1 percent of the scientific community.
Despite the overwhelming evidence and support, a recent poll showed that 33 percent of Americans still do not believe in evolution.
That's about 99,000,000 people, equivalent to the entire population of the Philippines, who do not believe in a basic tenet of biology.
So, why should all this scientific literacy stuff matter to you? I mean, a lack of knowledge about evolution and science isn't actually fatal, right?
Directly, it's not. But if a third of our country's population is still in denial about one of the most widely supported scientific theories or like the one involving vaccine use in children?
Despite little to no evidence (except from the Jenny McCarthy, of course), the idea that vaccine use causes autism still lingers, prompting some families to forego critical vaccines in children for illnesses like measles, the flu and hepatitis.
People who think vaccine use is linked to autism are certainly in the minority, but since 2007, 1,375 deaths from vaccine-preventable deaths have been reported to the CDC.
Science is a forum for argument, skepticism and tinkering. No theory is safe from future research that could turn our understanding of a process upside down.
But "teaching the controversy" on topics that have a solid scientific consensus isn't just bad for scientific literacy, it creates a mindset of distrust about the methods and discoveries of hard working scientists who work to fix the variety of dangers facing humanity.
There's nothing wrong with holding unpopular opinions on a subject, but when it comes to science, there's generally a reason those opinions are in the minority.
(04/03/14 5:00am)
It has come to my attention how obsessed college girls are with being tan. Through this seemingly never-ending cold weather Auburn has endured, I have embraced my paleness.
In my hometown, there were three or four people in my high school that went to the tanning bed, but, other than that, it was fairly unheard of. The few tanning salons we did have were not in the best area of town, and it was considered not very classy for girls to go to the tanning bed.
People who went would be embarrassed if someone saw their car parked outside a tanning bed, and it was a joke that sometimes people would park next door and walk over.
Freshman year of college, I remember being very confused as to how half of the girls at Auburn were still extremely tan in the middle of December. The amount of people that use the tanning bed is much higher than I ever would have anticipated.
Before coming to college, I got one spray tan before prom and immediately regretted it because instead of the "glowing" tan I was promised, I ended up looking slightly orange, a look that clashed terribly with my green dress.
I also despised having to wait six hours after the spray tan before I could shower. I had never gone to the tanning bed because for years my mother had told me it was the worst thing for my skin and I would look like I was 50 when I was actually only 30 if I started going.
I never felt the need to go to the tanning bed because everyone else was pale like me in the winter.
This is not the case for college students. With the warmer weather, pools are starting to open and girls are panicking over their paleness. I have overheard multiple conversations in the Student Center and walking around campus where girls are stressed over their paleness.
This year, I caved in and went to the tanning bed twice before formal because I think I was actually glowing from how pale I was. The experience was a disaster.
I went to one of the tanning beds you can stand up in, because the idea of laying down in a small confined space sounds terrifying to me.
I went for ten minutes the first time, and ended up getting sunburned instead of tan, and then went for 8 minutes the second time.
It made very little difference. I had some color in my face for about a day but by formal day, which was only a day later, I was back to my normal color. And I was now $20 poorer.
The whole time I was in the tanning bed, I was picturing my skin turning to leather and half expected to have aged 15 years after I stepped out.
Other friends of mine took the spray tan route, but many of them went to the tanning bed or attempted to lay out the week before even though it was windy and fairly cold to be wearing only a bathing suit.
Finally, as a junior, I have learned that if there is one thing college girls are more obsessed with than over-sized T-shirts or Starbucks, it is being tan.
(04/01/14 5:00pm)
This past November, the Student Government Association tabled a bill that would change policy within Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium. The policy, which would make Jordan-Hare Stadium a No-Hate Zone, aimed to address concerns of offensive speech and slurs within the stadium.
At this senate meeting, many students spoke out on the positive effects of making the stadium a No-Hate Zone, citing beliefs that hate and disconnection poison the lively Auburn community. Many of the students who spoke said passing the bill would bring Auburn together as a whole.
While I do believe hate and disconnection do indeed harm the Auburn community and we should stand together as one student body, I do not think making Jordan-Hare Stadium a No-Hate Zone will solve the hate and discrimination within the stadium. There are many reasons why this policy would not work.
First, I do not think we should implement a policy to fix an on-campus moral problem. If there is hate or discrimination happening on campus, the University needs to look for a way to bring its student body together. Students should be able to walk through campus without the thought of being discriminated against crossing through their heads or even the thought that another student might want to say something hateful.
Although the policy has good intentions, the University should focus on fixing a problem if there is one present, rather than just implementing a policy and sweeping the problem under the table.
The second reason I do not think we should implement a No-Hate policy within the stadium is because many of our chants and battle cries are host to a curse word or two. If we implement the No-Hate policy within the stadium, we are throwing away years of tradition, something Auburn is known to value.
I'm not saying hate and discrimination are a part of Auburn's tradition; rather, I am saying that Auburn values tradition. If we rid our stadium of the chants and battle cries that have been screamed in there many times a year for many years, we are throwing away part of Auburn tradition. Other than parents with small children and sometimes not even those parents, I don't see many fans getting upset over the curse words used in our chants such as "War damn Eagle" or "Weagle weagle," so why throw them out?
On any given Saturday, if you ask a fan from an opposing team what they think of our fan base, they typically respond with words similar to "very respectful." What kind of message would we be sending opposing fans if they hear about the No-Hate policy prior to arriving in Auburn? They would more than likely think that Jordan-Hare, and maybe even Auburn as a whole, are hate-filled places with hate-filled people, possibly causing them to cancel their original plans. What happens when less people visit the campus? Odds are that the number of student applications and possibly even enrollment will go down.
The third reason I do not believe Jordan-Hare should be a No-Hate Zone is because it would take University dollars to fund some sort of No-Hate police or security. While this is a good idea, I find that it would be quite difficult to monitor every mouth inside the stadium - 87, 451 mouths to be exact. Also, what kind of message would Auburn be sending if it only took action on some of the reports, as the University would probably receive more reports in one day than it could handle during one game.
For example, let's say someone reports that a fan made a discriminating remark towards another fan and then a second person reports that a fan made a hateful remark towards the other teams fan base as a whole. What if the No-Hate police were unable to respond to the hateful remarks towards the other fan base but are able to handle the discriminatory remarks made in the first report? Auburn would be sending a message that we only care about certain remarks.
Overall, it would be a very difficult task to stop hateful speech or remarks within Jordan-Hare Stadium and if the policy comes as a way to curb hateful speech on campus, the university should find a way to bring its students together rather than making them act like they are together.
(03/28/14 7:45pm)
A typical college student's concerns mostly involve having to juggle schoolwork, finances and a social life. For most, it's difficult to imagine what life would be like if a small child was added to the mix.
According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, in the United States, about 25 percent of college students pursuing higher education have dependent children.
Among these students is Kendal Brooks, sophomore in education, who sees providing for her 2-year-old daughter as motivation for striving toward her degree.
Brooks said while most people take one day at a time, she seems to take each minute at a time.
"It's definitely a full-time job that I'm trying to complete," Brooks said. "It's more than that actually; it's meant for two people. I'm trying my best to make it possible with one."
Times can be tough, as most of her days are filled with working and going to school full-time while meeting the needs of Lilah, her daughter.
Despite her demanding schedule and feeling as though she is missing out on a normal college experience, she prays for strength everyday and sees it all as a learning experience.
"I really appreciate what she does," said Brooks' boyfriend, Tyler Kelly, junior in pre-journalism. "I just try to help out by watching Lilah when I can and try to give Kendal a break."
The need for more time and money can't be expressed enough by the majority of college students.
It goes without saying that single parents who are attending school have to work even harder to manage these, as well as a multitude of other challenges, while caring for a child at the same time.
However, students such as Brooks prove the task isn't impossible, and experts say these students may even be ahead of their peers in some aspects.
"Students who are raising children typically improve their time management and learn to be more well-organized," said Jamie Sailors, Ph. D., director of internships in human development and family studies. "There is much less free time when taking care of a child. The limited time to get things done, such as study, is usually not wasted."
Childcare, baby clothes and baby food are all added expenses for students taking care of small children.
Not to mention, there are no breaks of being a parent.
For students who are single parents, the use of financial aid, coordinating a functional day-to-day schedule and having a caring support system are all factors that can help contribute to earning a degree.
It's not an easy role to take on being both a single parent and a student, but there are those who manage to do it everyday.
"I had to make a choice at a very young age to grow up and take care of another human being," Brooks said. "You are no longer the only one in your life that is depending on you. You give up everything you have for them. It's not something that I've done easily. I've made mistakes, but every day I'm given a chance to show the world that I may have been a statistic when I was 18 and pregnant, but watch me beat it."
(03/28/14 2:45pm)
Let me preface this by saying I have nothing against supermodels or celebrities. I watch the Victoria's Secret fashion show and applaud their beauty and superbly toned bodies like any other 21-year-old college girl.
I don't even have a problem with models. They work to have those bodacious bods and more power to them. I congratulate their genes and the blessings nature gave them.
I used to go on Pinterest every single day beginning my freshman year at Auburn. I'm in a sorority, and it was something I was introduced to.
I didn't see anything wrong with the girls wearing the clothes that fit just perfectly, and I didn't even notice that they didn't have a single line, wrinkle or dimple on their impeccably tanned skin.
The cute clothes and fabulous eyeshadow tutorials blinded me.
Now, whenever I log into Pinterest, or shop online, something tugs at me.
I don't get as excited as I used to because all I see are "thinspirations," tiny meal recipes and women who are skinnier than the average middle schooler.
It's sad that my generation's perception of beauty has now come to desire a thigh-gap, and the definition of 'eating healthy' is barely eating at all.
I personally want to throttle the woman who thought to herself, "Hey, let me make myself so skinny that when I stand up I look like a prepubescent 12 year old."
That's not beautiful, and it's not hot. It's sad and unhealthy.
It's unnatural to see your bones, but it's now become a sense of pride in young women to see how long they can go without eating. I can't count how many times I go around campus and hear a girl complaining about her weight only to see that she's already tiny.
Girls are starting to try and mold themselves into who they see modeling online or in magazines. Some girls don't even have the body to be stick-and-bones, and they feel like a failure when they can't achieve it. It's all about looking like a tan Skeletor.
Even online brands are adding fuel to an already raging fire.
Recently, websites such as Target and Old Navy have gone under attack for photo shopping thigh gaps onto online models.
The worst was Target and the bathing suit. It was so noticeable and shows how big of an impact this bad fashion trend has.
I'm a huge supporter of campaigns that tell girls that "zero is not a size," or refuse to Photoshop and airbrush their models.
That's huge, and it makes a statement.
Maybe if girls saw actual models or celebrities without the Photoshop and airbrushing, then they wouldn't be so hard on themselves.
When I go on Pinterest now, it's hard for me not to feel the hit to my ego.
Then, I remember that I'm in college. I can't go run at the Recreation Center every single day for hours. I will eat my occasional McDonald's meal because I don't have time to cook for myself every day, and I have a rigorous class schedule.
So, Auburn women, don't be so hard on yourselves.
Step away from the Pinterest-palooza, put a bikini on and drink a margarita by the pool.
Don't let thinspirations and thigh gaps get you down, and if you make it to the Rec Center this week, maybe I'll see you there.
Maybe.
(03/27/14 3:45pm)
Personally, I just want to have a childlike wonderment about the world I live in, but maybe I need to love more things for that to happen.
Who knows? I'm young, I don't know everything, but I don't mind giving things a try.
I ate seeweed for the first time the other day.
It was OK, but I don't love it, so I probably won't go out of my way to eat it again. But at least now I can say that.
And, thankfully, I came to that realization immediately and won't have to go around for years wondering whether or not I love it.
Having goals and doing what you love should go hand-in-hand. Not too long ago, I was doing something that I didn't love.
I was a freshman working to major in something that I thought I could do based on what other people said I was good at, which sent me into a cave of doubt, then self reflection.
It was comforting to look back at my childhood because I felt so carelessly happy with everything leading me to become lackadaisical as a young adult.
But, from that realization, I found what I love and cherish to this very day, which wasn't much, but at least I know that I need to focus on that so much more from now on.
For me, it's peace, creativity and progress.
I know that seems broad, but at least I started the journey to find out who I really am because I did something that was hard. I realized that I wasn't who I wanted to be.
When I was a kid, it seemed like everything would just work out in the end thanks to my mom and dad, but these days, I'm just not sure.
I've seen people work hoping to make enough money to chase their dreams only to get a stupid driving ticket that sets them back a few months.
I have a friend who wants a camera, but his bills outweigh his paycheck, leaving him with just enough to get by. It kills me to see that because I look up to him.
The discussion I always bring up with him is to do what he loves instead of working a job that doesn't pay well, or even make him happy.
He is at an age where he still needs to have hope and assurance that he can change the world, which I think he can if he puts his effort into it.
Truthfully, I think everyone is changing the world one-way or another, whether they know it or not.
My friend is changing the world doing something that makes his goals and self-esteem worse, and you could say that is a selfless way of life, but he can do so much better.
For some reason, I feel like a lot of people can relate to stories like this on a personal level, and I think the reason is because the world has taken a sharp turn for the worst, or maybe it's because we're all getting older.
The older I get the more reality sets in, and right now, reality for me is minimum wage work, unpaid internships, and school work. To sum it up, Ramen noodles every night.
There seems to be no time for relaxing, and when there is, anxiety quietly tickles me out of my enjoyment.
Luckily for me, I am working toward doing the things that I love and hoping everything comes together soon.
So, to my friend, I hope that you are true to yourself and start doing what you love, because I know that it will help you to reach your goals.
(03/20/14 8:30pm)
I can't afford to pay my rent anymore.
It was a shocking discovery. It has been humbling and humiliating. And the hardest part of it all is that this is the best roommate situation I've ever been in. I had to call a roommate meeting like a diplomat and break the news to two of the nicest, coolest people I have ever met.
"Break the news" is a solid phrase. "Breaking news!" It's like someone took a sledgehammer and smashed the words into bits.
Deepening the lines around my mouth that fossilize the frowns and the sighs I had been wrestling. Breaking like the breaking of a home. Like a home-wrecker. Broken-up, like a spoiled love.
And then I felt selfish. Like I should be able to handle it. Magically pull time and energy and money out of the air, as if no one had thought to do that before. Conjure the groceries I need and the medicine to keep me going. My heart castigated itself for making my friends worry and for tearing apart our perfect balance of dishes-garbage-dishes, because girls do dishes and boys haul trash.
Hauling the trash from my brain, I wanted to scream, "This is not my choice!" I wanted to yell, "Never mind!"
I wanted to shout and break the numb silence that swirled around our living room, freezing the spiraling paisleys of my busy rug, wilting the stiff roses in her vases on the counter.
I don't want to go. I don't want to fill my gallery room with an anonymous sub-leaser and risk vacuuming months of Himalayan cat fur blotting out all evidence of my being there.
I don't want a more intrepid or wealthier tenant to sequel my presence and win my friends with late night confessions in front of a muted television and baked goods--because I can't cook at all, it's embarrassing. I don't want them to like her more. I don't want her to light Anthropologie candles or quote The Lord of the Rings or beat everyone at Cranium. Because that's my job.
And I know I'll still be in the same town, within the same circle of acquaintances, but when you live together, you are a clan. You are united and any sociology book could tell you that you form a special bond. Any psychology book could tell you that breaking up the family core cause stress and trauma and vast amounts of uncomfortable adjustments.
And now, what is there to do except to swallow my pride? Swallow my 4.0-gpa-with-two-part-time-jobs-and-a-killer-apartment arrogance and move on and move out? Because to live here, I have to work more. To work more, I have to study less. To study less, is to scrape by. To scrape by is to lose momentum. To lose momentum is to miss out. To miss out is to fall behind. To fall behind is to fail, and failing is swallowing my pride anyway.
Maybe it's okay to be selfish? Maybe I shouldn't call it selfish at all. What do you call it? Self-preservation?
(03/21/14 7:30pm)
The NFL draft is quickly approaching, and teams everywhere are constantly scrutinizing on which player they think can either turn their franchise around or help continue their success.
Without a doubt, the most talked about player in the upcoming class is former Texas A&M quarterback, 2012 Heisman winner Johnny Manziel.
That, for the most part, is due to his style of play, but also has a lot to do with his near celebrity status.
Let me start by saying that I love mobile quarterbacks. They are an absolute blast to watch and a real treat for football fans who love offense.
Quarterbacks who can run like a wide receiver are the biggest of defensive headaches on a college football field, but that doesn't mean Nick Marshall is the next Peyton Manning.
I don't think Manziel is either.
To back this up, take a look at some of the recent running QBs who took a shot at the bigs.
When you think about running quarterbacks, you most likely immediately think of Michael Vick.
Vick was a trailblazer for mobile quarterbacks everywhere, and he certainly saw substantial success in Atlanta running around making defenses look incredibly confused before he went to jail.
Where is Vick now? He's riding the bench behind Nick Foles, who looks like he's the got the starting job in Philly locked up for a while.
Next, there's Vince Young.
In college, Young was the engineer of what was the greatest pre-2013 Iron Bowl college football game of all time, a 41-38 win over Reggie Bush and USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl for the BCS National Championship.
During his time at Texas, Young ran through defenses as if they weren't even there. NFL scouts salivated as they thought they had discovered the next Vick.
Like Vick, after he was drafted third overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2006 draft, Young saw some success, but it was limited.
Sure, he won some games and was even named to the Pro Bowl following his rookie season, but two years later, he suffered a season ending injury and watched from the sidelines as career-backup Kerry Collins led the Titans to a 13-3 record.
Young remained on the bench the following season and he was gone by 2010. He's out of the league now and probably won't be coming back anytime soon.
There's plenty of other examples, such as Tim Tebow of Florida and Matt Jones of Arkansas.
Of course there are success stories like Auburn's own Cam Newton, but Newton is a once-in-a-generation athlete.
I'm not saying for certain that Manziel won't pan out in the NFL. I'm just saying it's not likely.
One of my biggest reasons for my hesitance to be sold on Manziel is his tendency to throw a ball up for grabs.
There have been plenty of times where Manziel, in a scrambling situation, will just launch the ball into the air, hoping some Aggie will come down with it. You can't do that in the NFL; just ask Brett Favre, the league's career leader in interceptions.
As far as the character issue everyone loves to harp on so much, I don't see it as an issue.
If you really think about it, Manziel is doing the same sort of things any college student would do. He's just doing it on an exponentially larger budget.
I think Manziel can be a decent NFL player, but I don't see him as a top 10, or even first round pick.
If I'm an NFL general manager, I'd take Manziel in the third or fourth round. Put him on the Aaron Rogers system. Let him learn from your starter for a few years, and then when it's his time, he'll be ready.
(03/21/14 2:30pm)
It's one thing to compliment a woman, and it's another to yell vulgar and sexually offensive phrases at a woman across the street who is waiting for the pedestrian light.
Compliments are polite and positive. Catcalling isn't meant to be flattering. It's negative and meant to show dominance and power. If you think catcalling is appropriate behavior toward women, then it's appropriate for you to get punched in the face. It's disgusting, it's inappropriate and it shows what little respect the caller has for women and how it affects them.
Like many women, I've experienced my fair share of catcalling.
This time last year, a man sitting in a lawn chair yelled "How much?" as I waked on the opposite side of the empty street on my way to campus.
I didn't understand why. I wasn't dressed provocatively. I was wearing jeans, a crew neck tee shirt and sneakers. The two words he yelled across the street made me feel disgusting and humiliated, as if I needed to shield my body from the public eye.
Several weeks ago, I was in downtown Opelika taking pictures for a class assignment. A guy in his early twenties, and a boy, maybe eight years old, turned down the street I was on, and walked past me on the sidewalk.
I stopped to take pictures of the landscape. Moments later, I heard the guy say loudly, "Hey girl, you want my number?" I ignored him as I focused my lens and adjusted the aperture. I glanced over at him for a brief second. He continued to repeat himself while watching me as he and the kid walked down the street, away from me.
I ignored him again while I worked to compose my picture in the viewfinder. He yelled, "Bitch!" I heard him mumble several other things, but they weren't as loud.
Let's be real for a moment. Calling me a "bitch" by yelling it down the street isn't what he did wrong.
What he did wrong was expecting that I was going to stop what I was doing and "want his number."
He felt sorry for himself because I ignored him, refusing his attempt to be dominant. If he had stopped and talked to me like a decent person instead of passively catcalling with the hopes of getting some attention from the opposite sex, then perhaps he would have gotten a response as opposed to being ignored.
This instance didn't humiliate me, it frightened me. It didn't take long for him to become verbally aggressive. What if the next time I, or any woman, ignore someone's catcalls someone becomes aggressive, not just verbally but physically?
Catcalling is a gateway behavior. I myself have been followed on two separate occasions. Both instances had evolved from catcalling.
No woman should be treated like meat or objectified as some sexual object. Catcalling is intimidating, irritating and unnecessary. Any man who tries catcalling as a means of "getting some," in my opinion, isn't worth the time of day.
