6

As the newest addition to the UA Greek housing com-munity, the members of Alpha Omicron Pi are proud of their new, record-breaking home.

Even though the house took less than a year to build, anticipation made the wait seem even longer for some members.

“It seemed to drag by at first, but then suddenly every-thing seemed to come togeth-er,” said Lauren Haviland, a sophomore member of AOPi.

The AOPis went from liv-ing in the Phoenix House on Arkansas Avenue between the Farmhouse and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternities to their current house, which is the largest sorority house in the Southeastern Conference.

“It’s still a little surreal,” said Meagan Murphy, vice president of AOPi.

“It’s like night and day,” AOPi sophomore Amy Short said. “Nothing about the house is trivial.”

Short also said she liked the location because of its closeness to Old Main and other campus buildings.

Haviland compared the transition from one house to another as going from “peas-ants to queens.” She said that wguke the Phoenix House had felt like a traditional resi-dence hall, their new house feels like a home.

“We have all of the ameni-ties that we need,” she said.

The four-floor, three-balcony building can house up to 86 girls, though cur-rently only around 70 call it home, possibly because of the

university requirement that freshmen must live in resi-dence halls.

The house includes a small apartment for the house mom,

a library or study room, a combination of a workout/art room where members also can watch TV, and a balcony on the fourth floor that offers a wide view from Old Main all the way to the Washington County Courthouse.

A house chef cooks lunch and dinner for the AOPi

members on Monday through Thursday, with just lunch served on Friday. There also are breakfast items available throughout the week with a hot breakfast served on Monday.

Rooms in the AOPi house come as single, double and triple occupancy. AOPi, like many Greek organizations, decides who picks their room when based on a points sys-tem.

Murphy said that points system is based on various qualifications including grades, classification and attending different events, and she said members often try to live next door to their friends.

“It’s crazy to hear the talk about rooms now that it’s get-ting close to that time,” she

said, before adding that she was hoping for a triple rooms that has access to one of the two front balconies.

The AOPi house also has caught the attention of other UA students.

“I’m really impressed with the architecture; it seems like someone put a lot of effort into it,” student Brittany Rodgers said.

And Harrison Maddox, a UA junior, joked that “if the University of Arkansas was a Monopoly (game), the AOPi house would be Park Place.”

AOPi was established on campus in August 2006. The house took a little less than a year to build after the groundbreaking on Jan. 26, 2008, and cost more than $6 million.

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Lifestyles‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’premieres on UA stagepage 5SportsRed–white game Saturdaypage 7

Tea Party for taxes, round two

Across the country, Republicans and their conser-vative allies sought to ignite a grassroots rebellion against President Barack Obama on Wednesday, staging scores of Tax Day “tea parties” to demand tax cuts, lower federal spending and smaller government. But the effort came with a risk:

In the current econom-ic crisis, with half a million or more jobs vanishing each month, many Americans seem less concerned about how much Washington deducts from their paychecks than whether they will have a paycheck at all.

“Nothing is as pressing a concern as the economy,” said GOP pollster Whit Ayres, noting that even among Republicans the political salience of the tax issue is not what it once was. “The economy overwhelms everything else.”

Polls show Americans are more comfortable with what they pay in taxes than at any time in the last quarter-century. And Obama’s high approval ratings for handling the economy sug-gest that most people accept his argument that a major increase in federal spending is necessary to blunt the crisis.

At issue is whether the anti-tax, anti-government spending

message makes Republicans seem out of touch or tone deaf to present-day reality.

Obama has also sought to inoculate himself by build-ing modest tax cuts for most Americans into the massive stimulus bill, while talking continually about how today’s higher spending must give way to frugality and hawkishness on the deficit once the economy rebounds.

So far, Obama seems to be controlling the debate.

“A lot of the discussion has been focused on government spending, but the voters are still focused on one number: The unemployment number,” said David Winston, another prominent Republican pollster. “Anytime you are not talking about jobs, you are talking about topic No. 2 for Americans. Republicans need to translate the tax and spending issue into jobs.”

At least since the days of Ronald Reagan, Republicans have thrived on the anti-spend, anti-tax message – despite the fact Republican presidents have actually presided over major expansions of the federal deficit.

Today, however, the eco-nomic climate is far different, as evidenced by the November election in which the country

Marijuana initiative SAFER passes,

changes are considered

In the Associated Student Government election last week, the SAFER Referendum, which stated that marijuana offenses should not be punished by the university any harsher than alcohol offenses, passed with 67 percent of the student vote. The sanctions for marijuana possession and use have not yet been modified, but the changes will be discussed, said Daniel Pugh, vice provost for Student Affairs.

“Most of the students we see make the same poor decisions with marijuana that they do with alcohol,” Pugh said. “It’s not the usage itself that’s the bad thing.”

Proponents of the initiative are excited to meet with Pugh and other university officials to discuss where to go from here, said Robert Pfountz, campaign director for the initiative and a member of the campus chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana

$6 million sorority house opens this semester

STEFAN TRIM Staff Photographer

(Clockwise from top left) 1. Chancellor G. David Gearhart speaks at the opening of the Alpha Omicron Pi house. 2. A view from the outside of the recently completed development. 3. Looking down into the entryway filled with members and alumni of AOPi.

Jordain CarneyStaff Writer

“It’s like night and day; nothing about the

house is trivial.”— Amy Short, sophomore

LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

Fayetteville residents and UA students Wednesday participated in a peaceful protest against increasing taxes. Similar pro-tests were hosted throughout the country.

Jack WillemsSenior Staff Writer

Michael Onealand Janet Hook

Chicago Tribune/MCT

See SAFER on Page 2 See TEA TAX on Page 3

AOPi house now the largest sorority house in the SEC

Fayetteville takes part in nationwide tax protest

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.comPage 2 | FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009 NEWS

Amnesty International group to host speakers this week

The UA student chapter of Amnesty International will present three lectures this week. The last, a debate/panel discussion on Gaza and Israel, will be hosted 3 to 5:30 p.m. today in the Chemistry Auditorium 0132. For more information on that event, please go http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=54759298026.

Nursing students to host health fair

Seven graduating nursing students are hosting a health fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Rogers Heritage High School. Informative booths on drugs, smoking, drinking and the effects of each will be set up, as well as three tables with pamphlets, pictures, posters and other information.

Women’s giving circle to present 2009 grant recipients

The UA women’s giving circle will host a reception and check presentation event 5 p.m. Friday, April 24, to announce this year’s grant recipients. The event will be at the University House on campus. Last year, six pro-grams received grants totaling $60,000. The initiatives included a literacy program for the Marshallese commu-nity, a student Safe Ride program to provide protected transportation to and from campus, an Arkansas history curriculum initiative, a green roof experiment, a math remediation program for female students and a study of Arkansans who serve in the military.

Department of Music to feature student recitals

The Fulbright College Department of Music will feature students selected for this year’s Honors Recital in concert 6 p.m. Sunday, April 26, in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall. They will be performing a variety of pieces they selected to audition for a chance to perform in this recital.

This year’s Honors Recital students are Greg Battista, Jennifer Dolkos, Lynn Francis, Olga Greenhut, Emily Nelson, Maja Sevo and Chelsea Williams.

Free parking is available in the parking deck, which is located directly to the west of the Fine Arts Building. The admission is free and the recitals are open to the public. For more information, please call the department of music at 479-575-4701.

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Homer Simpson.That was how William

McComas, a professor of science and technology education at the UA, illustrated natural selection in pop culture during the Year of Darwin event in the Arkansas Union Wednesday.

“The order of events is essen-tially true,” McComas said of an introduction to the show of “The Simpsons” and the evolution of Homer. “Even the meteor com-ing in – there is evidence that an extraterrestrial impact occurred (in history).”

In celebration of Charles Darwin, the event, sponsored by University Relations and Research Frontiers, the UA’s research mag-azine, was commemorating the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and also the 150th year since publication of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species.”

McComas, who was one of two lecturers at the event, spoke on the life of Darwin, explained the dif-ference of scientific terms such as

“theory” and “law,” and clarified how evolution by natural selec-tion works.

“Scientists do not disagree about evolution,” McComas said. “They sometimes disagree about the mechanism of evolution.”

Peter Ungar, department chair of the anthropology department, was the second speaker.

Unger quoted Darwin and said that evolution is not debated.

“There are thousands upon thousands upon thousands of fos-sils that show human evolution,” he said.

Several campus departments had display booths around the lecture area, and a video about McComas and his research in the Galapagos Islands also was shown. The departments represented in booths included biological scienc-es, anthropology and geosciences.

One table was operated by a group in biological sciences called the Planetary Biodiversity Inventory of Eumycetozoa, or slime molds.

Katie Winsett, a doctoral stu-dent in cell and molecular biology, explained how the project related to Darwin and his “The Origin of

Species.” “We study the evolutionary

history and distribution of organ-isms and how they are related to other organisms,” Winsett said.

Kristin Krueger, a doctoral stu-dent, exhibited skulls of previous hominids for the anthropology booth.

“It gives people an opportunity to see fossils, even pick up a cast and look at it,” said Jessica Scott, a doctoral student in environ-mental dynamics and Krueger’s tablemate.

The University Bookstore and the University Libraries also were represented with selections of books by or about Darwin. Workers in Mullins Library recently discov-ered that one of the copies of the “The Origin of Species” in the library’s custody is a first edition.

Students seemed to enjoy the presentation and displays.

“I think it’s wonderful that they are doing a Darwin Day on campus,” said Ron Pursley, a senior anthropology major. “In an academic institution, I don’t think professors should cater to non-academic belief systems.”

For some students, the pres-

ent-day celebration tunneled their minds back to high school teach-ers.

Thomas Chester, a senior biol-ogy and psychology major, said he was taught science at a small school in Arkansas from a “very conservative teacher.”

“She taught the theory of evo-lution but stressed that it was only a theory,” Chester said.

The hesitation of agreeing with evolution comes from a misunder-standing of what evolution really is, he said.

“I’m not really interested (in the lectures),” said Brian Turner, a senior biology student. “But I don’t really debate the theory of evolution.”

John Shadwick, a research stu-dent for the biological sciences department, said he enjoyed the event.

“I like the way McComas lays out the concepts of science because sometimes it seems it is the vagueness of language that confuses people,” Shadwick said.

For additional UA information on events for the Year of Darwin, visit Celebratedarwin.net.

Jessica PowviriyaStaff Writer

Laws (NORML). A workforce composed of

law enforcement, professors, administrators and members of the SAFER campaign will discuss how to adjust the penal-ties, said Pfountz, who said he is optimistic that progress will be made because both Pugh and Chancellor G. David Gearhart seem open-minded.

Reducing penalties for mari-juana use is a way to curb binge drinking, which is involved in 90 percent of sexual assaults on college campuses and 95 per-cent of violent crime, Pfountz said. Alcohol encourages vio-lent behavior and contributes to 1,700 deaths on college cam-puses a year, he said.

Though they do not want to demonize alcohol, members of NORML maintain that it does more damage than marijuana, so the university should not punish people for choosing a safer alternative, Pfountz said.

“There is an epidemic across college campuses of kids being hurt very badly,” he said. “Some may scoff at promoting marijuana over alcohol, but we believe it is a matter of life and death.”

Not everyone agrees with that assessment, however.

“That’s in the eye of the beholder,” Pugh said. “Each of them is bad when abused.”

What the Student Affairs division sees most often are not students who smoke marijuana or drink alcohol in the privacy of their room, Pugh said, but usually students who become intoxicated and then make bad decisions.

Such students are assessed by a professional at a cost and then given sanctions such as community service hours, a fine that goes toward educa-tional programs, probation and parental notification, he said.

“What we normally see is not the student activist who supports SAFER,” Pugh said. “We see the student who smokes so much they pass out behind the wheel, or it is a group that is selling it.”

Also, because marijuana is illegal for everyone, not just those who are underage, the situation is different from that of underage drinking, Pugh said.

However, because Arkansas state law and university codes are two separate things, mem-bers of NORML believe that marijuana being prohibited by the law should not affect how it is punished on campus, Pfountz said.

Furthermore, universities like the UA publish studies all the time finding that marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol, he said.

The SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) cam-paign began two years ago, and since then, it has suc-ceeded in having lowest priority ballot measures approved in Fayetteville and Eureka Springs, in addition to having the initia-tive passed on campus, Pfountz said.

Students celebrate Year of Darwin2009 marks the 50th year since publication of ‘The Origin of Species’

SAFERfrom Page 1

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March and speak out against violence against women. co-sponsored by RESPECT and FNL

Join us for Friday Night Live in the Union afterwards.

A Sexual Assault Awareness Month Event http://respect.uark.edu

6:30 pm Gathering begins at Arvest Plaza on the Square 7:00 pm Opening Remarks 7:15 pm March to UA Union Mall 8:00 pm Speak-Out, Candlelight Vigil, Closing Events

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Razorfest and the UA red-white football scrimmage Saturday will offer free family activities and a preview of the 2009 football season.

Razorfest will run from noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by the red-white football game at 6 p.m. in Razorback Stadium. A pep rally will kick off the event at noon, and family activi-ties, like concerts, games and giveaways, will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Razorfest is presented by Champions for Kids, and will help “both benefit and celebrate youth organizations across Northwest Arkansas,” according to an information-al packet.

Rick Schaeffer, community relations director for Cham-pions for Kids, said there will be celebrities and former Ra-zorbacks at the events, which will be set up all around the stadium Saturday before the game.

“Don’t miss this year’s spring football game,” said Bobby Petrino, head football coach, in a promotional video for Razorfest. “There will be two teams, one football and plenty of hard-hitting action.”

Profits from Razorfest go toward grants, training, workshops, consulting and retreats, as well as support service for nonprofit orga-nizations that work with children.

This year, nonprofit organizations including The

Elizabeth Richardson Center, Arkansas Support Network, LifeSource International Inc. and others are participating in the event.

The events of Razorfest, especially the football scrim-mage, have caught the atten-tion of many UA students.

“It’s going to be exciting,” UA freshman Spencer Null said.

Champions for Kids at-tracted Razorfest sponsors – like the American Red Cross, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and the Fayetteville Fire Depart-ment – by promising “unique brand experiences” for more than 60,000 people and knowing that the companies would help generate more than $1 million in investment grants for nonprofit groups over the next five years.

Corporations who donated to the event were rewarded with their own tents at Razorfest and tickets to the hospitality tent, among other perks.

Lot 44, north of Razorback Stadium, must be vacated by 5 p.m. Friday because it will be used for Razorfest and parking for the red-white football game.

Any vehicles left in the parking lot after 5 p.m. will be towed to a different loca-tion.

Champions for Kids was founded by the current president of the organization, Adelaide Schaeffer, along with husband Rick Schaeffer, in 2003 after she attended Harvard University where she became involved in commu-nity organizing.

Jordain CarneyStaff Writer

Razorfest kicks off 2009 football

picked a do-more, spend-more presidential candidate over a do-less, cut-taxes candidate. And though Republicans insist the Obama budget will ultimately put upward pressure on taxes, for the present at least Obama is cutting taxes instead of raising them – albeit modestly for most workers.

The one element in the con-servatives’ message that poll-sters say could resonate down the road is the issue of gov-ernment spending. While most voters seem to support the idea of a surge in outlays now, there is strong underlying concern about defi cits stretching into the future.

“One thing you don’t want as a sitting president is a populist movement that dis-agrees with you,” Winston said. Whatever success the protests had Wednesday, he said, “The question is, what does this look like two to three months from

now.”In recent years, the April

15 deadline for fi ling federal income taxes has become an opportunity for political theater across the political spectrum. And Obama did not pass up the opportunity either.

Flanked by families and indi-viduals he said had already taken advantage of his package of pay-roll tax cuts and home-buying subsidies, Obama declared: “We start from the simple premise that we should reduce the tax burden on working people while helping Americans go to college, own a home, raise a family, start a business and save for retire-ment.”

In cities around the coun-try, meanwhile, thousands of tea party participants took to the streets waving signs with slogans like “I’m Not Your ATM” and calling for a stop to the headlong bailout spending that they feel will ultimately saddle the country with a heavy and growing tax burden.

Amid claims that the Republicans had orchestrated

the tea parties, Tim Phillips, head of American for Prosperity, insisted they represented a grass-roots uprising. The Republican Party, he told an interviewer on MSNBC, was “too disorganized and unsure of itself to pull this off.”

In a rainy Lafayette Park out-side of the White House, 56-year-old Virginian Laurie Isaacs said she was there to express her own outrage, not promote any politi-cal agenda.

“I’ve never protested any-thing in my life,” she said. “But we’ve got to send these idiots a message: Enough is enough.”

Republicans, however, did their best to leverage the tea party fervor for political advan-tage, offering visitors to the Republican National Committee Web site the opportunity to send teabag postcards to a host of administration offi cials, includ-ing Obama. Fox News commen-tators exhorted people to join the protests and conservative politicians like House Minority Whip Eric Cantor extolled the effort in Tax Day statements.

TEA TAXfrom Page 1

Family activities planned for attendees

And as the soft, pretentious mountains Glisten in the light of the trees

And all the flowers sing in D minor And the birds fly happily

We’ll be together once again, my love I need you back, oh, baby baby...”

– Kurt Cobain

This past week, Christians celebrated the holy resurrection of Jesus Christ … but not without the Easter Bunny.

I have never understood where this comes in. One might think a son of God coming back from the dead to save the world from impending doom would be cause enough for wild celebration and maybe even some overzealous rioting; for billions, it should be the greatest day of the year.

But this wasn’t enough. So we threw in the Easter Bunny, something that can mean fertility and pregnancy – i.e. get-ting sex batteries revved back up for the advent of spring.

How crucifixion, sex, a sacrifice for billions and Peeps flawlessly intertwine is beyond me.

Not that it really matters. I’m simply embracing the bunny, as it also signi-fies a lack of awareness and a call for more planning, thought and reflection … even if that reflection may seem thoughtless.

As we, pale and sickly from the bipo-lar hell of a rotten winter, peek out of our tiny, dusty caves and, blinded by the sheepish sun, inhale the ever-flourishing wind that now carries with it a curious warmth, we embrace change and the prospect of cleaning up certain aspects of our lives while vigorously tackling new assignments.

However, in the summer, we’re too busy daydreaming. Why else would sports like baseball and golf dominate the season?

In the fall, we’re too damn busy, and by the onset of winter, we’ve gained a little weight, we’re cold, drowsy and

penniless, and we’ve abandoned projects like picking up an instrument or writing a memoir, at least until spring when we’re inspired again.

Thus, spring isn’t a season; it’s a state of mind. We plan on getting things done while also enhancing our finer points. Most of it gets lost, and the cycle contin-ues, forever and ever, amen.

But I swear that when I cruise around with hideous $2 shades from EZ Mart, blasting The Vaselines and feeling the sun replenish and warm my skin’s whole milk pigmentation, I swear that I’m get-ting something done.

Taking a glance at the big picture and global events, I would be hard pressed to say I really am. In the grand scheme of things, it’s just another season, though we are determined to see it as the dawn of Newer and Better things to come.

This week, three pirates met their doom on the high seas, and no, this isn’t 1805. We believe ourselves to be more civilized and accomplished than our an-cestors, yet we not only still have pirates, but now Octomom clothing brands and the Jonas Brothers.

In London, cases of classic Victorian diseases such as typhoid, whooping cough and scarlet fever have exploded. No word yet on when the Black Death will make the sort of appearance you’d expect from aged rockers who just won’t quit.

Speaking of which, despite the Dalai

Bama’s rock star reception in Europe, grumblings have already begun in … wait for it … France, where Sarkozy cannot wrap his mind around Obama being given so much credit for not actu-ally doing anything yet.

The French are upset with us. This is news to me.

A Kenyan man this week dealt with a much more serious issue than overtaxa-tion with representation when a 13-foot python wrapped its coils around him and slithered up a tree. After an epic struggle, Kenyan police were able to save the man and put the serpent in solitary confinement, up until its escape. The police said they wanted to arrest the fugitive so it wouldn’t cause anyone else harm.

And speaking of fugitives, we’re now sending off in grand fashion illegal immigrants who were packed into two thimble-sized houses in Springdale, working 16-hour days for pay that never came. Going days without food, a rights advocate desperately called for help from the police … who subsequently called officials who rounded them up.

We’re still being spied on too much by the National Security Agency, our forces are stretched thin across the globe, we’re still spending the bulk of our budget on bullets and guns, there are still poor, there are still idiots, there’s still disease, and our taxes are still too high.

But we made it out of winter and we’re still alive.

We whine and moan, but if we looked at the finer things in life, maybe we’d re-alize that as long as we have the ability to shut up, listen and reflect, we could realize that when we’re alive and well to see the sun rise over the little Ozarks, that is a big deal.

James Baker is a columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Friday.

Last week, 14 percent of the student body voted in the Associ-ated Student Government executive elections and approved all three ballot initiatives – including the SAFER Referendum, which called for punishments of alcohol and marijuana offenses to at least be equal, citing that marijuana is “safer” to use than alcohol.

Despite the dismal participation and embarrassing Web site error that wouldn’t allow some eager young voters to even cast a ballot, the results remain unchallenged, and UA administrators – including Daniel Pugh, vice provost for Student Affairs, who wrote a letter to the student body prior to the election urging them to think twice before approving the referendum – are rightfully working to comply with the students’ wishes.

The SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) cam-paign, sponsored by the UA chapter of NORML (the National Orga-nization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), was well-organized and obviously effective, and we’re pleasantly surprised that the adminis-tration isn’t fighting – at least not openly – the referendum’s passage.

But that doesn’t quite mean that we agree with the 67 percent of voters – or, judging from the percentage of students who participated in the election, the little more than 2,000 students – who voted to approve the measure.

Members of NORML emphasized in their campaign that alcohol is responsible for thousands of injuries and deaths each year, and they lamented that college and university officials across the nation appear to be accepting alcohol use as a “social norm.”

NORML might be right. One hundred and thirty university presi-dents and chancellors, for example, signed the Amethyst Initiative, advocating a lower drinking age - which arguably makes evident their lack of commitment to enforcing the current drinking age of 21.

Underage alcohol consumption shouldn’t be promoted. But the UA has never advocated using alcohol over marijuana through its sanctions – it’s simply stayed in line with national law, treating marijuana as what it is: a completely illegal substance.

And the administration undoubtedly knows that marijuana’s not exactly “safe” to use, either. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana drastically heightens users’ risk of heart attack; is linked to depression, anxiety and schizophrenia; is, indeed, addictive; and could have an “adverse impact on learning and memory … for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.”

Regardless, the SAFER Referendum passed and punishments will be equalized.

But don’t misunderstand: marijuana is still an illegal substance, and until that issue is amended on Capitol Hill, there’s no reason that offenses for marijuana use and alcohol use should be punished equally.

IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY...

Online PollDid you vote in last week’s ASG election?

Vote online at thetraveleronline.comOPINIONPhone: 575.8455 | E-mail: traveler@uark.eduPage 4 | FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009 Editor: Kimber Wenzelburger | Managing Editor: Tina Korbe

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

Capt. Richard Phillips is alive because Navy SEALS made the wise, split-second decision that the time for talking had passed.

So as a Somali pirate point-ed an automatic weapon at Phillips, a team of snipers, act-ing on the orders of President Barack Obama, gunned down three pirates and freed the courageous captain who had allowed himself to be taken hostage to protect his crew.

It’s hard to write a more heroic ending. The good guys won – this time.

The cold reality is that there will be a next time. When pi-rates strike again, the world must fight fire with fire. Law-

abiding nations must step up naval patrols, arm cargo ves-sels, board suspicious vessels and even be prepared to blow pirate ships out of the water. It’s the only message the pi-rates will understand.

There is a precedent for a strong military response. In the 19th century, British war-ships employed similar tactics and even attacked slave de-pots along the African Coast to thwart human trafficking.

Late last year, the Indian navy swiftly responded to threats of piracy by sinking a suspected pirate “mother ship” and chasing off two smaller boats. The Indians made clear that lawlessness would not be rewarded.

No nation alone can solve this problem. The United States

has operated a special mari-time task force to patrol the east African coastline. Now warships from at least nine countries operate in the waters off Somalia.

But these ships are badly outmanned by pirates whose vessels are more nimble and who employ sophisticated satel-lite phones, global positioning systems and military hardware to stalk unarmed commercial vessels.

One of the largest anti-pira-cy units, the European Union’s “task force,” isn’t exactly an armada; it consists of four war-ships – from Britain, France, Germany and Greece – and one aircraft to patrol more than a million square miles of ocean.

All nations in the region must better police their waters,

deny sanctuary and perhaps confront the pirates in their safe havens on land. African Union troops, who are deployed in Somalia on a peacekeeping mission, also could take a big-ger role in ferreting out pirates there.

Likewise, shippers must stop paying ransom. It is esti-mated that Somali pirates last year coerced about $30 million in ransom – more than enough to allow them to acquire more dangerous weapons and con-tinue their maritime crimes.

Shippers must realize that payoffs embolden pirates and make the world even more dangerous.

Piracy will not end until the world presents a united front and takes the fight to these criminals.

The Arkansas Traveler welcomes letters to the editor from all interested readers. Letters should be at most 300 words and should include your name, student classification and major or title with the university and a day-time telephone number for verification. Letters should be sent to traveler@uark.edu. Letters appear in the order they were submitted as space permits. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse letters on the basis of length, accuracy, fairness, liability and sensibility.

EDITORIAL BOARDKIMBER WENZELBURGER | Editor TINA KORBE | Managing Editor BRIAN WASHBURN | News Editor JACLYN JOHNSON | Assistant News Editor

Observation Deck

JAMES BAKERjab23@uark.edu

A global effort needed to end piracy

Spring brings a new state of mind

GUEST EDITORIALThe Dallas Morning News

Marijuana might be ‘safer,’ but it’s still not legal

TEA PARTIES? TRY PATIENCEWhen the stock market dropped by more than 700 points

last September, we were unnerved. When Congress passed a $787 billion stimulus package in February, we were unnerved. When the Obama administration announced its $3.5 trillion budget, we were really unnerved.

We’re unnerved again now.Wednesday, thousands of demonstrators attended more than

750 Tax Day “tea parties” across the country to protest precisely those governmental decisions we’ve found so unnerving – and we find the protests equally unsettling. It’s easy to be a little antsy when shades of secession can be detected in a Texas governor’s speech.

We wish everybody would hear us when we say: please calm down!

That public disappointment – even outrage – at government spending would seek expression in the midst of an economic recession is completely understandable. And, because we ar-dently support and defend the right to free speech, we don’t find the tea party protests mockable. We view them, instead, as an important exercise of the sacred privilege to speak freely.

But we still wish governmental officials and demonstrators alike would recognize that, for this economic crisis, there are no quick fixes. A hastily passed stimulus bill won’t do it. But neither will fiery words or empty threats.

What will redeem our economy are those same traits that re-deem individual failure: hard work, patience and perseverance.

What we ask of those who scoff at the protesters is to reex-amine your own expectations of government. Maybe it’s not the government’s responsibility to fix every problem. Maybe we’re not entitled to all ease and no effort. Maybe this crisis will cause us to have to pinch - personally.

But what we ask of those who protest the decisions of elected officials is to recognize that taxes are essential to the function of government. Maybe there are some services only the govern-ment can provide. Maybe those services do require financial support. Maybe the current deficit won’t pay for itself.

In the meantime, it might be better for the economy if every-one - politicians and public demonstrators alike - would keep their heads down, work hard and, well, wait. Like we said, there are no quick fixes.

Walton Arts Center 2009-10Previewing next season’s highlightsMonday in Lifestyles

Phone: 575.7540 | E-mail: travlife@uark.edu Page 5 | FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009Lifestyles Editor: Anna Nguyen | Assistant Lifestyles Editor: Lindsey PruittLIFESTYLESTHE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

‘Scoundrels’ steal the stage at university

The musical comedy “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” based on the novel by Jeffrey Lane, will premiere today at the University Theatre.

The University Theatre pro-duction of the musical is the first on any college campus, said Amy Herzberg, director of the musical and professor of drama. The Broadway production of the musical is still running, and the production rights are usually not made available until it is done. The drama department, howev-er, was able to coax the owners to hand them over early, she said.

“I’m really excited for audi-ences to see this, because it’s a really funny and sweet show and also a little dirty,” Herzberg said.

The musical is based on the 1988 film about two men – one high-class con man named Law-rence Jameson, played by Mi-chael Caine, and the low-class swindler Freddy Benson, played by Steve Martin, who decide the French Riviera is not big enough for the both of them and enter into a competition for the thiev-ing rights of the territory.

Herzberg knew she was going to be directing a musical, and after hearing the music from “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” she decided it was the one to do, she said. The music and lyrics are by David Yazbek, an Emmy-winning American writer, musician, com-poser and lyricist.

“It delighted me every single time I listened to it,” Herzberg said. “It’s funny and smart.”

Herzberg cast this show like she does every show, she said. After establishing singing ability, she looks for an actor’s ability to catch the heart of the character, a capacity for self-revelation and the actor’s method for playing, she said.

Herzberg feels the actors she cast are “extraordinarily talent-ed and extra great to work with,” she said.

James Goza will play the American character of Benson.

“I think this is one of those instances of typecasting,” Goza said. “The character really fits a lot of who I am.”

Goza took his inspiration from a security consultant and entertainer called “Matt the Knife” who used to be a profes-sional grifter, he said. “Matt the

Knife” sees grifting, his preferred term for performing a con, as an art form, Goza said.

“It’s a friendly manipula-tion,” he said.

Although “Matt the Knife” came from a wealthy family and became a grifter because he en-joyed a challenge, Benson is do-ing it as a way to make money, Goza said.

Sean Phillip Mabrey will play the British character Jameson. Jameson has a home on the Riviera, which he got by charm-ing money out of rich women’s purses and into his pocket.

Mabrey’s grandfather, who recently passed away, had always wanted him to play this part, Mabrey said.

“When he heard that I was cast in this show, he was really excited,” Mabrey said.

Although he had seen the film many years ago, Mabrey made a conscious decision to not watch it again after being cast, he said.

“I don’t just want to be on stage doing a carbon copy of what Michael Caine did,” Ma-brey said.

As any actor, Mabrey feels he has something unique to bring to the part, he said. He studied

the techniques of actors such as David Niven and Fred Astaire to get the feel of men who carry themselves with confidence and class, he said.

“Traditionally, I’m more of the straight man, but in my scenes with Jim the comedy comes more from my character reacting to the outlandish, funny things Jim’s character does,” Mabrey said. “Lawrence has had more experience and is brighter than Freddy; Freddy never gets my goat.”

The characters build their chemistry from their first meet-ing: Jameson is more talented, so Benson manipulates Jame-son into teaching him his skills, Goza said. The two build a kin-ship, but there is still that edge of fun competition.

Goza and Mabrey have worked together before, and they respect each other’s talents, Goza said.

“It’s a unique chemistry we bring to the stage,” Goza said.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” will be performed at the Univer-sity Theatre in the Fine Arts Cen-ter 8 p.m. today, tomorrow and April 22-25, and at 2 p.m. April 19 and 26.

MAGGIE CARROLL Staff Photographer

The ensemble cast of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” gets into their characters at a dress rehearsal last night in the UA Theatre. The UA production of the musical is the first on any college campus.

Taniah TudorSenior Staff Writer

This week, I had every intention of writing a column about Mermaids. Instead, I’m going to give lucky you a little bit more than that.

Throughout the semester, I had received several raving reviews about Mermaids as being “so freaking awesome” or “the best place ever.”

Those things were all I needed to hear. And now, I can formally and officially dispel that omnipresent myth of Mer-maid’s being a strip club.

What was in the fine print of your recommendations (which I should have known about for a fish restaurant) was that Mermaid’s is a little bit too nice to walk into wearing flannel and corduroy. Also, it wasn’t mentioned that the cheap end of the menu was down (or up, depending on how you look at things) in the $12 range.

So what did we do?The infamous walkout.As embarrassing as it may have been to have a room full of

ritzy 60+ year olds watch our every step out of the door, it was worth it in the end.

You see, we still wanted fish, but we also wanted to be able to eat again this month.

This time, we went to a fishy Fayetteville favorite that this “restaurant connoisseur” was yet to try.

I am talking, of course, about the Catfish Hole.I know, I know; I claim to love Southern cooking, but I

hadn’t tried the city’s most popular catfish joint? How dare I.Trust me, I ate enough hush puppies and tuh-may-tuh rel-

ish, drank enough sweet tea, and scooped enough tartar sauce to make up for the last three years.

And the prices here are more affordable for the college-friendly range.

It actually worked out better that we made a stop at Mer-maid’s before we went to the Catfish Hole. From the moment we walked into Mermaids we felt out of place, both from the staff and the eyes of the elders.

The Catfish Hole was a completely different story.We hadn’t even walked in the door before people were smil-

ing at us and nodding their heads to say, “Hello, friend, enjoy your dinner.”

Catfish, and Southern food in general, seems to just bring the “friendly” out of people.

And how could you not be happy when, before you even look at the menu, a bowlful of fresh hush puppies awaits your taste buds?

The tomato relish here was different than what I’m used to, inasmuch as it was ever so slightly spicier, while I’m used to something a touch sweeter. But we had bigger fish to fry than to worry about the elemental tastes of the tomato relish.

I opted for the combo dinner with catfish filets, fried shrimp and french fries. And with that, I had myself a 100 percent fried dinner.

Call it a coincidence, if you wish, but that night I had the best dreams I’ve had in a while.

For those of you that try to be “healthy,” the Catfish Hole does offer a non-fried side of the menu, but I would like to pretend that that does not pertain to any of my readers.

The shrimp were, by my definition, just about perfect (yes, I have a definition for that). They were big, hot and delicious.

The catfish filets were almost to that “just about perfect” stage. My biggest complaint was that my catfish must have been on a diet before the fryer because the ratio of batter to fish was a little too high. Because you must know, the sweet tea was so good and sweet that it left you thirsty after every drink.

And the troop of servers did a good job of making sure your drinks and hush puppies were topped off.

One thing you must understand is that I usually channel catfish near the top of my list of favorite meals. Given that, the Catfish Hole had some pretty big shoes to fill.

And how did they do?A pretty darn good job, I would say.There is a reason that it has become a Fayetteville favorite.From the amusing, catfish-themed stained-glass windows at

every booth to the pictures of Razorback legends adorning the walls, the Catfish Hole is definitely a place for you to try.

For a nicer night out, I hear that you should definitely try Mermaids.

In either case, happy eating, everyone.

Robert Garner is a staff columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Friday.

A tale of two !sheriesHigh on the Hog

ROBERT GARNERrtgarner@uark.edu

ROBERT GARNER Staff Photographer

The columnist’s order of the combo dinner plate of catfish filets, fried shrimp and French fries at Catfish Hole. The seafood restaurant is located on 4127 W. Wedington Drive.

MAGGIE CARROLL Staff Photographer

The Boston Mountain Brassworks performs in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall Monday night. Formed in the fall of 2003, the UA faculty brass quintet per-formed works by J.S. Bach, Eugene Bozza, Steven Sacco and Vince Gassi.

UP TO THE BRASSES

Bluegrass is strongly rooted in tradition, which can make it a very constrictive musical genre. Chicago-based band Cornmeal

knows this better than most. Dur-ing the past nine years, the group has fought to bend the old-time rules of the genre without break-ing them.

“You’ll always have the old-school believers who want their bluegrass just the way it always

was,” said J.P. Nowak, the group’s drummer. “But,” he said, “a trans-formation has been going on for years,” even as far back as the 1970s.

“It’s taking this folk music and putting your own stamp on it,” he said. “With the new grass

revival movement of the 1980s, people like Béla Fleck and Sam Bush added a lot of jazz and funk to it.”

Cornmeal – also comprised of Kris Nowak on guitar and vocals;

CHICAGO-BASED BLUEGRASS BAND TO PERFORM AT GEORGE’S MAJESTIC LOUNGE THIS WEEKENDBrady Tackett

Staff Writer

UA THEATRE RESTAURANT REVIEW

LIVE MUSIC

See CORNMEAL on Page 8

BLISS | Harry Bliss HOROSCOPES | Linda Black

GIRLS AND SPORTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

ALL CHARACTERS ® © GIRLS & SPORTS COMICS, ANY REPRODUCTION OF GIRLS & SPORTS INCLUDING IT’S CHARACTERS OR

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COMPLETE THIS GRID SO EVERY ROW, COLUMN, AND 3X3 BOX CONTAINS EVERY DIGIT FROM 1 TO 9 INCLUSIVELY

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) TODAY IS A 7.A secret love had better stay that way for a while. This is especially true if it’s a crush on an older per-son. Don’t even tell your friends about it. Channel your affections toward them, instead. Miracles are more likely there.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) TODAY IS A 7.The policymakers don’t seem to have all the pertinent information. Don’t stand by in silence; speak up. Your experience, and that of your friends, needs to be shared with them.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 21) TODAY IS A 7.Don’t simply ask about the money; run out the numbers yourself. The others are likely to make it look much better than it is. You be the pragmatist. Let them be the dreamers.

CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22) TODAY IS A 7.Nerves are still a bit on edge. You wouldn’t be judged harshly if you simply took off somewhere by yourself, or with a very dear friend. If it’s during working hours, have a good business reason.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) TODAY IS A 7.The busier you stay, the more money you’ll generate. This is a wonderful thing. You’ll make some new friends, too, one of whom is es-pecially fascinating. Let this person take your mind off your troubles for a while.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) TODAY IS A 6.Concentrate on a challenging assignment. You can figure it out with the help of an expert who’s far away. It’s worth the long-distance call.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) TODAY IS A 7.Finishing the job shouldn’t be too difficult. Wrap it up so you and your sweetheart can celebrate tonight. Do something luxurious but inex-pensive, and make it fun.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) TODAY IS A 7.Give yourself plenty of time. As you well know, it’s rarely necessary to react emotionally. Stifle, temporarily, except for a personal relationship. Schedule that for later tonight.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) TODAY IS A 7.Identify what you don’t need and cross those items off your list. You’re very good at solving puzzles. This skill is quite useful now, and gets easier with practice.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) TODAY IS A 6.They say you’re a stern teacher. You don’t suffer fools gladly, but you can be compassionate and gentle. Offer a kind word to one who’s learning slowly.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) TODAY IS A 6.You’re being watched like a hawk to see if you make wise decisions. This is where all your planning comes in. The critics don’t care about reasons. Show them through your actions.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) TODAY IS A 6.Make sure you know what you’re after. Write down any numbers or codes you’ll need to identify it. You’d hate to get the wrong item, thereby wasting a trip to the store.

WEDNESDAY’S SOLUTION

WEDNESDAY’S SOLUTION

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SELL YOUR STUFF SEND TO

travclas@uark.edu

WONDERMARK | David Malki

N. Sherl Ave., 479.445.9249, $1950/mo.

FOR SALE

HUGE Yard Sale! Proceeds to benefit The Wesley Foundation. Saturday, May 2nd, 7 a.m., 730 West Maple Street

CAKE TICKETS! I have a pair (two) of Cake tickets for sale for the May 1st show at the AMP in Fayetteville. If interested, please call Brett at 479-285-6135

Two remote control trucks for sale. One is a Team Associated B2 electric. Other is a Traxxas T-Max 2.5 nitro. I have some parts and upgrades to go with the trucks. Will sell together or separately. Combined price is $250 OBO. Call Brett at 479-285-6135

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Needs a good home. Small (14 lbs) and very sweet female Jack Russell terrier mix. Found at Lake Fayetteville two weeks ago with no collar, no tags, no ID chip and very thin. We’ve tried to find owner with no luck. We would love to keep her but with three other dogs, we just can’t. Vet checked and she’s healthy. Call Katie at 479-640-5184

HELP WANTED

The ELC is now accepting applications for Tutors, SI Leaders, and Mentors for Fall 2009. 3.0 minimum GPA, 3.5 preferred. $8.25/hr starting pay. Apply online at http://elc.uark.edu

Large property management firm looking for qualified leasing agents for Fayetteville area community. Must have sales experience and be able to provide references. Weekend work is required. If you are interested in a full time position, please

e-mail your resume to jamesk530@hotmail.com

Northwest Arkansas Naturals Red Dirt Outfitters is looking for gameday help. Must be available nights and weekends. Customer service/retail experience is a plus. Contact Carley 479-927-4056

ROOMMATE WANTED

Male or female roommate needed ASAP. 3 bedroom, 1 bath house @2000 Lawson (off Sang). Pets okay. Large fenced yard, nice house in quiet area close to campus. Person needs to be semi-neat and responsible. I will be the only other roommate. Call Jacob 479-966-0882

FOR RENT

Room for Rent. $60/week. Immediate availability. Includes utilities, clean bed provided, large bedroom, plus room for desk. Prefer quiet female, between Grand and Rogers Ave. Available through summer. Phone 479-285-6991 or email shelrae@cox.net

Great view at Sunset Place! Two bedroom, one bath apartment

close to University. Water paid, lawncare provided. $465/month - ONE MONTH FREE RENT! $400 deposit, 12 month lease. Call 527-9557.

Two bedroom, 1.5 bath townhouse with washer and dryer, dishwasher and central heat and air. On UA blue bus route. $550 per month. $300 deposit. Call 479-856-1576

House for Rent: 3426 Essex in Fayetteville. 1,650 sq. Ft. 3 bedroom, 2 bath. All appliances including washer & dryer. Fireplace, fenced backyard. 2 car garage. Large, open, living and eating area. $975/mth, $700 deposit. Get some friends and share the cost. Call (479) 957-7708

House for rent, 330 S. Duncan, Fayetteville. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 3 blocks to campus. $550/month & $500/deposit. References required. 479-236-8549

House for Rent! Near U of A Campus. Large 3 or 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 2 living areas, bonus room, decks, ample parking, beautiful lot (maint. included), modern kitchen, new floors, 2-car garage, 2274

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DOWNTIME www.thetraveleronline.com|THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERPage 6 | FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009

SPORTSSpring ScrimmageHogs play annual Red-White gameMonday in Sports

Phone: 575.7051 | E-mail: travsprt@uark.edu FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009 |Page 7Sports Editor: Bart Pohlman | Assistant Sports Editor: Matt Watson

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERDid you know?

Former Razorback Felix Jones and NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus are among

the celebrities attending Razorfest.

With the NBA playoffs set to begin, it’s time once again for the Off the Foul Pohl

playoff predictions.We’re going to count down the

teams, from No. 16 to No. 1, based on the order they will be eliminated from the playoffs.

Without further ado…16. Detroit Pistons – This isn’t the

same Pistons team that upset the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals. In fact, it’s not even close. While Allen Iverson sits on the bench, pouting about practice and playing time, Detroit doesn’t stand a chance against Cleveland. The NBA…where crying happens.

15. Utah Jazz – The Jazz might be the NBA’s most unlucky team this season. Utah has dealt with injuries all season long, as has been without All-Star forward Carlos Boozer for much of the year. This team is better than a No. 8 seed, and is deserving of an easier first-round matchup, but either way, the Jazz won’t take down the Lakers.

14. Chicago Bulls – The Bulls are

one of the great stories of the NBA this season, thanks in large part to rookie point guard Derrick Rose, who carried Chicago into the playoffs. Depending on Kevin Garnett’s availability, the Bulls might be able to steal one or two games from the Celtics, but they won’t win the series. Either way, watching Derrick Rose vs. Rajon Rondo will be fun.

13. Philadelphia 76ers – Last year, Philly hung tough with Detroit in the first round of the playoffs before eventu-ally running out of gas. Expect more of the same this year. Philly will hang tough with Orlando before eventually

running out of gas. Hey, at least the Phillies won a championship!

12. Dallas Mavericks – Somehow, Dallas ended up with the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. The Mavs aren’t that good. It’s really surprising that they even made the playoffs. Dirk is becoming more and more of a stiff as his career goes on and he advances in age. If he has to guard Tim Duncan, he will be embarrassed.

11. Atlanta Hawks – The high-flying Hawks were the surprise of the playoffs last season, extending their series with the Celtics to seven games before falling short. This team is a year older and wiser, but too much Dwyane Wade will spell a first-round exit for Atlanta.

10. New Orleans Hornets – The Hornets are fun to watch, have the best point guard in the NBA in Chris Paul and have a legitimate shot at upsetting the Nuggets in the first round. If they are to have a shot at the upset, the Hornets will need more than Chris Paul, as good as he is. Without a supporting cast play-

ing well, Denver will win this serious.9. Houston Rockets – Yao Ming

will not win an NBA title. This will not change this year. End of story.

8. Miami Heat – With apologies to LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or any other player in the association, Dwyane Wade should be the NBA’s MVP. There, I said it. Without Wade, the Heat are the worst team in the league. Wade has carried the Heat all season despite not having any help whatsoever. (For the record, 30-year-old Jermaine O’Neal playing like 50-year-old Jermaine O’Neal does not count as help.)

7. Denver Nuggets – If the Nuggets escape the Hornets in round one, don’t expect them to get past the Spurs in round two. Injuries could play a factor in the series for San Antonio, but too much Tim (Duncan) and Tony (Parker) will send the Nuggets back to the Colo-rado mountains. At least the Rockies are still playing, right?

6. Portland Trail Blazers – The young Blazers have been a trendy break-through pick for the last several seasons.

This year, they finally managed to live up to the hype, securing the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Brandon Roy is as fun to watch as almost anyone in the league, and yes, Greg Oden still looks like he’s 40 years old. Regardless, the Blazers will eventually run into the Lakers, and that won’t end well.

5. Orlando Magic – The Magic were really good this year…until Jameer Nelson went down. Since Nelson’s injury, Orlando hasn’t been the same. The Magic are still good (they do have Su-perman, after all), but without Nelson, they won’t be able to beat the Celtics, even if Garnett is out for the playoffs.

4. Boston Celtics – The champs are going to do everything in their power to defend their title. With Garnett, the Celt-ics are the only team in the East capable of stopping the Cavs. Without him, they will play gritty and gutsy, but will come up short. It will be a valiant effort, but this time, anything is not possible.

3. San Antonio Spurs – The Spurs

Off the Foul Pohl

BART POHLMANtravsprt@uark.edu

How will the players perform on the biggest stage of the spring?

That’s the big question heading into Saturday’s Red-White game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and an event Arkansas coaches prepare their team for each time out.

“I’d like to see us come out there and play with re-ally great effort, have real good tempo in and out of the huddle, have no assignment mistakes and then just go make plays,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said. “We talk about showtime and making big plays, and that’s what we want to see.

“When the lights come on and the stadium’s full, that’s what it’s all about. That’s when you’ve got to ring the bell and have your best performance.”

Those undoubtedly looking for their best performanc-es are the ones trying to sure up starting jobs, like quar-terbacks Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson. The quarterback battle has been as competitive as any the school has seen

in recent memory during spring drills with still no clear-cut starter heading into tomorrow’s game.

Mallett, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Michigan, has worked with the first-team offense for most of the spring and has shown flashes of brilliance.

Wilson, a member of back-to-back-to-back state cham-pions at Greenwood High School, has worked with the second-team during the spring but has put up big num-bers in doing so. In Arkansas’ last two scrimmages Wilson has completed 58 percent of his passes for 695 yards and 11 touchdowns.

So what makes both quarterbacks effective? “They both like to stretch the field and make the de-

fense defend the whole field,” Petrino said. “They can both throw horizontally and vertically. It gives you more op-tions on how to attack a defense.”

Petrino noted that while Mallett has shown continued improvement throughout the spring, his short passing game needs to get better.

“He’s made a lot of big plays for us, but he’s got to get better with his accuracy, just consistently being accurate and get his percentage up higher,” he said. “He’s had a good spring – he and Tyler both have gotten better.”

Running injuries

Arkansas will be without two running backs in Sat-urday’s scrimmage after Brandon Barnett broke his right tibia in last Friday’s scrimmage.

“The doctors are very, very positive, I guess you would say, that he’ll be ready to go in August,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “It’s a shame because he was really doing a nice job, and he needs this. He needs to be out here. He’s had a tough break here lately, so he needs to be part of it and our players have done a nice job of really make sure we take good care of him.”

Barnett joins true freshman Knile Davis on the injured shelf after Davis broke his ankle earlier in the spring, the same injury that forced him to miss all-but two games last fall in his senior campaign.

“Knile is doing really well,” Bobby Petrino said. “With what we know now, we are encouraged with him being back in August, too. He’s coming along well.”

Other Arkansas running backs Dennis Johnson (foot) and Broderick Green (ankle) have suffered minor set-

More than two months since the last big invita-tional meet in Fayetteville, the No. 3 Arkansas track team will finally compete again this weekend in the Track and Field Capital of the World.

The 2009 John McDonnell Invitational will be the school’s first outdoor track meet without the legend-ary coach for whom the meet is named, and will be held at John McDonnell Field, which will also host the NCAA Championships in mid-June.

First-year Razorback head coach Chris Bucknam led the Hogs to a No. 1 ranking for parts of the indoor season and an SEC Indoor Championship. When the Razorbacks finished eighth at the NCAA meet, they made a commitment to slow things down to open the outdoor season and focus on staying healthy and peaking later in the season.

“I’ve always had the philosophy…that when you look at the indoor season, it’s the month of February when you really want your kids to have some quality performances. When you look at the outdoor season, it’s always the end of April – the Drake Relays, the Penn Relays and beyond,” Bucknam said. “I think what happened indoors a little bit, we went to a very competitive Washington meet, did some great things, but it scared me a little bit how fast we ran in Janu-ary.

“That’s the thing that we’re trying to temper this outdoor season a little more is slow everybody down a little bit, to make sure that hey – it’s about May and June,” Bucknam said.

Several Razorbacks competed at the Sun Angel Classic at Arizona State last weekend, where seven Hogs recorded regional qualifiers. The week before, Arkansas picked up two regional qualifiers, and four regional qualifiers at the season-opening Stanford In-vitational in late May.

Bucknam said he’s not worried about team fin-ishes on Saturday, just individual progress from each athlete. “It’s a collection of individuals peaking at the right time at SECs and nationals that make the great team, so we’re focused on individual development right now and hoping that our kids can make prog-ress and stay healthy in the meantime,” he said.

McDonnell Field will host a stout field that in-cludes three other ranked teams, No. 12 Nebraska,

FOOTBALL TRACK & FIELD

BASEBALL

Conference collision courseAfter feeling like the team didn’t have its normal

attitude during a Tuesday loss, Arkansas baseball head coach Dave Van Horn made it clear to the Razorbacks they are never out of a game.

Apparently, the message went through loud and clear.

After being down 4-1, No. 11 Arkansas fought back Wednesday to take a 5-4 lead over Louisiana-Monroe. Arkansas then allowed an unearned run in the ninth inning to tie the game.

But the Razorbacks didn’t give up. Senior shortstop Scott Lyons belted his third home run of the season to win the game 10-9 in the bottom of the 10th inning.

“It seemed like guys didn’t know if we could come back (on Tuesday), and that was disappointing” Van Horn said. “We emphasized that the next night – and maybe too much. But we didn’t quit (on Wednesday). We were down to our last outs.”

Van Horn said it was a win the team needed head-ing back into Southeastern Conference play against

No. 8 Georgia (29-7, 11-4 SEC).“If you have ever been apart of a team and you

have to travel as far as Georgia, it wouldn’t have been a fun trip,” Van Horn said. “They can relax now, take a deep breath and get ready to get back into it in the SEC and play better.”

Georgia, who lost to Fresno State last year in the College World Series, is a team that ranks in the top three in the SEC in batting average, runs scored, RBIs and walks.

“They are a strong, physical team,” Van Horn said. “They swing it good and score a lot of runs.”

Although the Bulldogs can open big innings offen-sively, the pitching staff, which has a conference-best 3.59 ERA, is capable of shutting down opponents, too.

“They have a lot of good arms – big kids that throw hard,” Van Horn said. “They come at you and say, ‘here you go, hit it.’”

Because of the increased velocity the Razorbacks will face, Van Horn said Arkansas has been taking fast-balls off geared up pitching machines.

“We have to be ready for the fastball,” Van Horn said. “We were working on that Monday and Tuesday

almost too much. But hitting velocity is what we will have to do this weekend.”

But sophomore Brett Eibner said the extra work will not only help the team against Georgia, but also for the rest of the season.

“I think it will help us a lot in the long run,” Eibner said. “We have been getting after it in the cages hitting some machines that are throwing harder. When we face teams like Ole Miss and the last part of the SEC, they have guys who throw hard.”

In a midweek game, Georgia fell behind early in an 11-6 loss against No. 12 Georgia Tech by allowing eight runs in the first three innings.

Georgia head coach David Perno said there is no margin for error against good teams.

“We pushed them as much as we could push them,” Perno said. “You can’t get down on a good team like that. It was disappointing, but our kids are accountable and they know that we just have to play better.”

The Bulldogs already have SEC sweeps over Mis-sissippi State, Tennessee and Kentucky. But Perno said the team now needs to win games against better con-

ference opponents.“There is some perspective on it,” Perno said. “I

don’t think Kentucky, Mississippi State or Tennessee will make the tournament. Nonetheless, we won all those games. There is a lot to be said for a team that wins games you are supposed to win.”

Both the Razorbacks and Bulldogs are atop their respective divisions, but Georgia holds a half-game lead over Arkansas in the overall conference stand-ings.

Arkansas projects to throw Dallas Keuchel on Fri-day and T.J. Forrest on Saturday. But Van Horn said it wasn’t determined who would pitch Sunday after Eib-ner allowed two earned runs and five hits over three innings against Louisiana-Monroe Tuesday.

“Eibner wasn’t real sharp,” Van Horn said. “He just wasn’t throwing strikes. At the end of three innings, he had 50 pitches. We told (Sam) Murphy to go down there and get hot. Eibner didn’t even make it out of that inning. That was disappointing.”

But Eibner – who is 6-for-16 with four runs, two

Harold McIlvain IISenior Staff Writer

Razorbacks prepare for ‘showtime’

Matt JonesSenior Staff Writer

Track Hogs host McDonnell Invite

Matt WatsonAssistant Sports Editor

The NBA playoffs...where something happens

SOFTBALL

Arkansas’ annual trip to Sher-wood was the perfect tune-up for a weekend trek to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Razorbacks faced off against Centenary on Wednesday in central Arkansas and came away with a 6-2 victory, improving their record to 25-17.

Arkansas is now 7-0 in games played in Sherwood, where Arkan-sas has played a game every sea-son since 2006.

“It’s always special to come down to Sherwood because it’s always a great crowd,” Arkansas head coach Jamie Pinkerton said. “It’s good to bring the team down here and let them see the apprecia-tion and support the Razorbacks have all around the state.”

Arkansas started off on the wrong foot with a three-base error in the outfield but made up for it with Miranda Dixon’s pitching and a balanced offensive output.

“We got off to a slow start with an uncharacteristic error in the outfield,” Pinkerton said. “But I like the way we bounced back to score in the second. Offensively, I liked the way we swung the bats tonight. We didn’t leave many run-ners on base.”

Senior Kayla Johnson made history Wednesday with her 3-for-3 performance at the plate, and her two runs brought her total to 120 over her career, making her Arkansas’ all-time leader in runs scored.

Dixon improved to 16-6 in the circle, pitching a complete game and giving up only two hits.

“Miranda did a great job pitch-

Arkansas to Tuscaloosa

Derek OxfordSenior Staff Writer

See POHLMAN on Page 8

COMMENTARY

See COLLISION on Page XX

See INVITATIONAL on Page 8See SHOWTIME on Page 8See SOFTBALL on Page 8

FILE PHOTO

Razorback receiver Jarius Wright will be a top target for UA quarterbacks.

have been banged up all season long, and Manu Ginobili is out for the season. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past several seasons, it’s to never count out this team. Whether Gregg Popovich looks like Tom Hanks from “Castaway” or not, he’s one of the best coaches of all time. Add to that Duncan and Parker, and you never know how far they could go.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers – For the second time in three seasons, the Cavs will make it to the NBA Finals. If they don’t, it will be one of the biggest choke jobs in sports history, joining the likes of the New York Mets, Jean Van de Velde and, most recently, Kenny Perry. LeBron is really, really, really, really, really good. We know that. We don’t know how his teammates will play when all the marbles are on the line. (On a side note, reason No. 1 for why LeBron shouldn’t win the MVP: Mo Williams. As great as LeBron is, without Williams, the Cavs aren’t the top seed and don’t make the Finals.)

1. Los Angeles Lakers – The Lakers will be back in the Finals for the second straight season, and this time, expect them to take the title back to Los Angeles. Pau Gasol has become one of the best big men in the league, and Kobe is still capable of dropping 60 on any given night. The Cavs can’t beat the Lakers in a seven-game series, even if the Cavs have home court advantage. The Los Angles Lakers…your 2009 NBA Champions.

Bart Pohlman is the sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Friday.

SPORTS THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.comPage 8 | FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009

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from Page 7

Chris Gangi on upright bass; Dave Burlingame on banjo and vocals; and Allie Kral on fi ddle and vo-cals – is a fusion band in the way that those artists were. Nowak, who joined the group in 2004, said that it’s been easier to explore different sounds as the band members have grown to know each other musi-cally.

“Nothing’s strict with us,” Nowak said. “We borrow from other kinds of music (especially reggae, disco and rock) and try to fi nd a window where it all clicks together.”

Cornmeal’s live show is a con-glomeration of these styles, and as with most bluegrass outfi ts, impro-visation is the bridge that connects them all.

“The crowd is a huge infl uence on how we play,” he said. “We’re very sensitive to that. If the crowd is looking bored, we’ll change our whole set list to get them excited.”

Diehard fans of the group know that Cornmeal hasn’t released an album since 2006’s Feet First, but they should also know the huge amount of songs the group has been storing up.

“We’ve got a huge pool of un-recorded material to mine from the last three years,” Nowak said. “The new record will be a synthesis of that material and newer songs,

because we also want to have fresh material for our fans.”

Even though these songs have been gestating for years, Nowak said that the studio still transforms the songs signifi cantly.

“The studio is a laboratory,” he said. “We do a lot of preproduction in the studio, like setting tempos and song lengths. There’s still room for creativity, but it’s a little stricter than the live setting.”

But Cornmeal isn’t letting live favorites go to waste, either. Fans should keep their new live album that Nowak said should be released soon.

Until then, fans can catch Corn-meal 7 p.m. tomorrow at George’s Majestic Lounge.

CORNMEALfrom Page 5

ing for us,” Pinkerton said. “She pitched with confi dence, didn’t get behind and I liked her presence out there in the circle. Overall, it was a nice win for us over a good Cente-nary team and it should give us a good boost going into Tuscaloosa this weekend against Alabama.”

Alabama is ranked No. 6 in the country but Arkansas shouldn’t fear the Crimson Tide after de-feating a pair of top-25 teams last week in Oklahoma and LSU.

The Crimson Tide (35-8, 13-6 Southeastern Conference) dropped two spots in the national rankings after a tough weekend at South Carolina, but rebounded Tuesday at home in a sweep of Kentucky.

“We were able to come home and get two good wins (Tuesday),” Alabama head coach Patrick Mur-phy said. “Kelsi (Dunne) obvi-ously bounced back and threw a stellar game for the no-hitter. We were able to get key runs when we needed them and put pressure on a very good Kentucky team.”

Sophomore pitcher Kelsi Dunne tossed a no-hitter – the third of her career – in a 2-1 tri-umph over the Wildcats.

Dunne is the reigning South-eastern Conference Freshman of the Year, after compiling a 26-6 record in 2008 with a 1.44 ERA.

Last week, she was National Softball Player of the Week, the fi rst time she has earned the honor.

“This is a great honor but one that I would not be able to achieve without my teammates and coach-es,” Dunne said. “My teammates made great plays behind me all weekend and put me in position to be successful.”

Arkansas will likely see her at least one time during the three-game set that begins Saturday with a doubleheader at 2 p.m. followed by one game on Sunday.

home runs and four RBIs in his last fi ve games – has stepped up at the plate for Arkansas.

“It was great to have Eibner get a couple of great at bats heading into the weekend,” Van Horn said. “It’s going to be a big series.”

No. 21 Northern Iowa and No. 25 Missouri.

“I think there’s going to be something for everybody. You’re gonna have some national-caliber kids competing in every event,” Bucknam said.

The meet starts with two events Friday, the hammer throw at 12 p.m. and the 5,000 meters at 9 p.m. Saturday’s fi eld events will kick off at 9:30 a.m., and running events at 12 p.m.

“It’s a great atmosphere on campus. You’ve got a track meet going on. You’ve got (Razorfest) and the (Razorback football) spring game,” Bucknam said. “I’m sure there will be a circus atmo-sphere, which will gravitate to the track as well, weather permitting.

“There will be a lot of activity on campus, which makes for a fun spring day.”

A live stream of Saturday’s events will be available at ar-kansasrazorbacks.com.

SOFTBALLfrom Page 7

COLLISIONfrom Page 7

INVITATIONALfrom Page 7

SHOWTIMEfrom Page 7

backs during the spring, but both will play Saturday.

Michael Smith, who led the team in rushing last season, has been limited in action because of a hamstring injury.