Sunday kicked off Greek Week for USC’s social fraternities and sororities and will continue until Thursday.

All week long, Greek organizations on campus wi l l par t ic ipate in different activities to win the Greek Week championship and fundraise for Carolina Sunshine for Children.

Sorority Council Vice President of Programming Danielle Baker said this philanthropy was picked because the council wanted to do something for the communit y as a whole and promote greater community involvement. Teams will raise money through chapter donations and a week-long penny war .

Teams are made up of different g roup i ng s o f s oror i t ie s a nd fraternities and participation points, attendance and the amount of money raised will decide the Greek Week champions.

Baker, a third-year fi nance student , organized all of the events this year and said she wanted to make events more challenging and fun. Baker was on the Greek Programming Board last year and said she had a lot of fun helping.

“I had a lot of ideas to improve on things and get more people involved by having more physical activities,” Baker said.

Baker, a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, said she sees an improvement in this year’s Greek Week and said there has already been more participation than last year.

“We’ve had a greater turnout than ever before,” Baker said. “It’s different than it’s ever been and it’s a lot of fun.”

The week kicked off with Greek Awards, which gave out individual and chapter achievement awards and scholarships to different members of Greek organizations. On Monday, there was a banner competition and a water fun day .

Today ’s ac t iv it ies include a jousting tournament at the Strom fi elds . Team members will compete in the infl atable jousting tournament

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010 VOL. 103, NO. 117 ● SINCE 1908

dailygamecock.com

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

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The USC baseball team looks to begin a new winning streak tonight as it takes on conference leader Citadel at house.See page 7

R o m a n c e n o v e l i s t Nicholas Sparks spoke at the Koger Center Monday about the insp i rat ion for h is 15 books that take place around the Carolinas.

See page 5

The latest addiction to Ameri-cans may be coming straight from our own pantries ... and local drive-thrus.

See page 4

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Tell It Like It Is

Michael LambertFirst-year comparative literature student

Mix

Ever since she took her fi rst social work class as an undergraduate at Eastern Washington University , Rebecca Holderman knew that was her passion.

Now as a USC graduate student, her commitment to giving back recently led her to be named Graduate Student of the Year by South Carolina’s chapter of the National Association of Social Workers .

“There’s so many things you can do as a volunteer,” Holderman said. “I love seeing people be successful for themselves.”

After earning her undergraduate degree in social work, Holderman worked in Miami, Seattle and in the Eastern Caribbean with the Peace Corps before she chose USC for graduate school.

Her recent recognition was one of four awards that the NASW offers each year. According to a news release, the other awards are presented to an undergraduate student, a social worker and a citizen who exemplifies the values of social work . Holderman said she was nominated for the honor by peers from her classes and internship,

where she is an interpreter in the Center for Child and Family Studies’ HABLA Project . Staffed mainly by bilingual USC students, the Hispanic Assistance and Bilingual Access Project is a telephonic interpretation service for state agencies, the project’s Web site said .

Holderman said the clients she works with are mainly social service recipients, and she translates and interprets for them over the phone. Her favorite part of her work is how meaningful it is, she said.

“We believe in people and we believe in empowerment,” Holderman said.

Accord i ng to t he Web s ite , t he H A BL A Projec t prov ides interpretation and translation services for the SC Department of Social Services , the Department of Health and Environmental Control and other community organizations .

At USC , Holderman i s a l so president of the Black Social Work Student Association and a member of the Social Work Student Association and the social work honor society, Phi Alpha . She will graduate in May with a master of social work degree.

A nat ive of Chehal is, Wash., Holderman chose USC for her graduate studies after spending two years with the Peace Corps in St. Kitts in the Eastern Caribbean.

“I looked for opportunities through

Rebecca Holderman

Pastides, administration address concerns in loss of stimulus funds

National Association of Social Workers honors

graduate student

Sororities, fraternities fundraise for Carolina Sunshine for Children

Sara HartleySTAFF WRITER

President Harris Pastides and members of the administration spoke to graduate students Monday about how the budget crisis is affecting the school’s funding.

Pastides, who was joined by Provost Michael Amiridis, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Ted Moore and Interim Graduate School Dean James Buggy , called the current situation a “particularly nasty economic environment.” The University is expecting a 21 percent state funding cut for the next fi scal year, according to Moore.

Graduate Student Association President Alan Tauber hosted the dialogue, which brought about 10 graduate students to Gambrell Hall. Last year, the University cut over one hundred graduate assistance ships to respond to state funding cuts.

“We wanted to reassure graduate students that they’re still a priority,” Tauber said. “This was a great opportunity to increase the transparency of these budget cuts and how they affect graduate students.”

Past ides said he has had discussions with Tauber about the declining quality of graduate housing, health insurance and recruiting top faculty to the University.

“I am very sympathet ic to the situat ion [graduate students] are going through,” said Past ides, who credited his ascension to the presidency at USC to a supportive graduate program at a prev ious u n iversit y. “This University has become more dependent on graduate students than ever before. You are truly a pillar of this University.”

Funding for graduate students, along with other aspects of the University, had been aided by federal stimulus money during the last fi scal year. Without this money, Pastides said the University would have to make tougher decisions

than ever before. The next fi scal year will include what Moore

called a “cliff problem” — the loss of stimulus money that had sof tened the blow of the economic crisis. State funding will become the fi fth-largest source of income for the University, lower than it ever has been before.

“There are other states that are in the same situation as us,” Pastides said of the cuts. “But others, l ike Texas, are invest ing heavily in their research universities. We will not gain our rightful place as a top research University without top graduate assistants.”

Amiridis, who is in his fi rst year as the Vice President for Academic Affairs , said that despite the cuts, there is some good news for incoming graduate students.

The University started a new Presidential Doctoral Fellowship , which will raise stipends for 30 graduate students a year . The program, which will provide for $300,000 to $400,000

worth of stipends raises per year, is meant to groom graduate students for potential faculty positions.

In addit ion, Amiridis said he expects for minimum class enrollment requirements to relax. This year, classes in the College of Arts and Sciences were required to have at least seven students enroll to remain on the schedule.

Long-term commitments to st ipends or fellowships are also safe, according to Amiridis. The number of elective courses, which had taken a large hit during the budget crisis, will likely remain similar to what they were this year.

Pastides said that he hopes the state legislature will make higher education a larger priority after the budget crisis is over.

“I don’t think it is a time to be protesting this year, but next year it might be.

Courtesy of Rebecca Holderman / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Holderman works for the Hispanic Assistance and Bilingual Access Project, which interprets phone calls for state agencies.

Social ● 2

Scott Fowler / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Greek Week participants compete in a three-legged race on a fi eld at Strom.

Greek ● 2

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GIVEAWAYKara Apel & Jonathan BattagliaNEWS EDITORS

Jonathan BattagliaASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Grad students feel budget cuts

Annual Greek Week bringscompetitions across campus

Scott Fowler / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Alan Tauber addresses members of the University’s administration discuss budget issues Monday.

Comments on this story? E-mail sagcknew@mailbox.sc.edu

the Peace Corps,” she said. “This was sort of the best deal.”

Though she was accepted i n t o o t h e r g r a d u a t e programs with scholarships, Ho ld e r m a n s a id US C was still the best option. During her two years in St. Kitts , Holderman worked with youth in afterschool programs, empowerment a n d A I D S e d u c a t i o n . Though she said it was hard to be away from home at times, she enjoyed the work and the people.

“I was lucky to have a community that was really embracing,” she said.

Holderman said she has an interest in working with middle and high school students, but she has not yet decided what her next job will be after graduating.

“I’m pretty open as to what I’m going to do next,” she said. “For now I’m going to stay interpreting and job search for a few months.”

Social ● Continued from 1

at 3 p.m. and the last male or female standing will win. Students will also compete in a hot dog eating competition at the Gamma Phi Beta house at 8 p.m.

On Wednesday there is a Greek decathlon in which teams will compete in a timed scavenger hunt at 4 p.m. on the grassy knoll. Trivia Night will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Russell House Patio.

T h e We e k w i l l e n d Thursday with the Greek Week torch relay, a Shannon McArthur concert and a cookout at the Russell House Patio. The cookout begins at 4:30 p.m. and the concert st ar t s at 5:30 p.m. The winners of Greek Week will also be announced during that time.

For more information, visit USC’s Greek Week page on Facebook.

Greek ● Continued from 1

Comments on this story? E-mai l sagcknew@mai lbox.sc.edu

Comments on this story? E-mail sagcknew@mailbox.sc.edu

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QUIT SMOKING March 30!

In suppor t of Healthy Carolina, Campus Wellness of fer s a F R E E tobacco cessation class for students, faculty and staff. The class consists of six , one-hour s e s s io n s o n c a mpu s . A Freshstart facilitator from the American Cancer Society will help participants attempt to quit. The Freshstart approach i n c l u d e s m o t i v a t i o n a l activities, developing problem solving skills, social support a nd i n f or m at ion ab out medication and approaches to quitting. During one session, the campus registered dietitian will address part icipants’ concerns about weight gain. Other sessions will be devoted to physical activity and stress reduction. March 30, April 1, 6, 8, 13 and 15 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., Russell House Witten room (301). To register, call (803) 576-9391.

Small acts count! Nominate someone for USC Hero Awards by April 1.

Have you seen someone stand up for what’s right? Make sure a friend got home safely af ter a night out? Intervene in a situation when they didn’t have to? We consider these “accountable bystanders” heroes and want to know about them. No act is too small. Faculty, staff and students can nominate or be nominated. Visit www.sa.sc.edu/shs to nominate someone. We’ll honor heroes at an event April 6, . E-mail rossers@mailbox.sc.edu for more information.

Are you at risk for colon cancer? Find out this week.

Anyone can get colorectal

cancer, but certain people are at a higher risk. If you’re over age 50, African-American, diabetic, eat a high-fat, low-fiber diet, drink or smoke regularly, or have a personal history of colon polyps or a family history of colon polyps or cancer, then this is your opportunity to learn more. Join Student Health Services Campus Wellness and We Can! for “Colon Ca ncer My t h Buster s .” Sessions will be held in the Russell House room 205 March 31 from 5:15 to 6 p.m. and April 1 from 12:15 to 1 p.m. Open to all faculty, staff and students. Visit our table at the Healthy Carolina Farmer’s Market March 30, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the Russell House. Call (803) 777-6518 for more information.

Free faculty and staff health screenings April 6.

The Lexington Medical Center will conduct FREE

health screenings for faculty a nd s t a f f A pr i l 6 f rom 8 to 10:30 a.m. in Russell House room 203 . Test s include a prostate-specific antigen blood test, which is recommended as an annual test for men beginning at age 50, and earlier (age 40) for African American men and men with a family history of prostate cancer. Also offered is a lipid profile, which is a group of tests that can determine risk of coronary heart disease. An iron test will be offered to check iron levels in the blood and see how well iron is metabolized. Fecal occult blood testing wil l be of fered to check for intestinal conditions or colorectal cancer indicators. A glucose test will also be offered to measure the level of sugars in the blood. Call (803) 777-6518 for more information.

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I’m no saint when it comes to eating healthy. I, like many others, often gulp down whatever I can get in two minutes or less — be it hamburger, pizza or some greasy combination of the two. We’ve heard again and again about the evils of fast and processed food and how Americans are “tipping the scales” when it comes to childhood and adult obesity. I could honestly say that Americans have a real chance at changing the way they deal with food. Well, almost a chance.

A study by Paul J. Kenny, researcher for Scripps Research Institute, found that rats who consumed typical, 21st century food — hefty in fats and calories — overwhelmed the pleasure centers of their brains, causing them to change. The rats actually got high from this food, having to eat more and more as their tolerance steadily grew. Our food was their drug — they became addicts. My only question: can you look at a Burger King the same again? Or a Pizza Hut, or a Hardee’s? I certainly can’t because there will be the hollow voice of conscience saying — without any humor whatsoever — “You’re eating rat cocaine.”

Our food does not just mistreat our bodies — it mistreats our minds. We are tricked into thinking we control our appetites — after all, food is our most basic need — but we’ve given up that control long ago, sustaining our bodies

only long enough to get to work, to stay awake in class or to drag ourselves home. We think nothing of our food, but all the while the need for it grows within us.

But how does one avoid this drug-food of ours? I’m no dietician; I can only share my own anxieties and experiences. It seems that, going down the grocery aisle or past the drive-through menu, there are more chimeras than solutions. The chemical minefi eld that is our diet seems harder and harder to traverse, especially for those living in poor or rural areas, who start this food addiction and never look back. We have a bountiful nation. It’s just too bad that bounty is trying to kill us.

This issue could not more perfectly f it with the t imes. Here we are, shuddering under the weight of monumental health care legislation just as we endure the weight of our own expanding waist lines. The ultimate test of government’s muddling in health care should not be measured in dollar signs, but in philosophy — will we try to promote a more preventive system, a system

aimed at education and awareness rather than expensively cleaning up the mess our lifestyles leave behind? Will we begin to really understand the gravity of our food? Mark my words, food will become the health issue of our time. Only now are we grasping its seriousness. Again, as humorless as an old widow: rat cocaine.

If anyone doubted the unusual importance of athletics to USC, this past weeks events provide ample proof. As a controversy about the racial makeup of the school’s board of trustees threatens to infl uence football recruiting, it’s time to ask if USC’s obsession with sports has gone too far.

State Rep. David Weeks may have crossed that line on Wednesday. Weeks, who is head of the Legislative Black Caucus , announced that he and other black leaders were calling football recruits to tell them to reconsider their decision to attend USC. The problem Weeks sees is that University’s sole African-American trustee, attorney Leah B. Moody, may not have enough votes in the legislature to retain her seat on the board of trustees — leaving the 22 member board without a single black representative.

It should go without saying that this is a serious issue. Roughly 11 percent of the student population is African American and with a state population of 29 percent black , the number of

black students could rise in the future. Having zero percent representation on the board is not acceptable but neither is using sports to pressure lawmakers into selecting Ms. Moody.

The athletes are not involved in this issue and have no say in it, nor should they. The board

of trustees certainly concerns the school’s athletic programs, but its concern is ultimately for the entire University and its learning mission. If an appointment to the board is infl uenced by whether or not South Carolina will have a good football team, it sends a bad message about what the board’s priorities are.

Involving USC’s football team in this controversy could also stir up a beehive of racial issues that

sports already faces. HBO aired a documentary this month about the rivalry between Earvin Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 1980s. The program documented how many white basketball fans supported Bird because he showed a white player could compete in the NBA. Meanwhile, black fans deemed the Celtics a white team and rooted for teams with black stars, like Magic’s

Lakers. Bird and Magic were just concerned with winning championships and resisted being involved in a racial rivalry that had nothing to do with sports. We’ve come a long way since the 1980s, and the diversity in our sports teams makes it nearly impossible for a racist to prefer one team to another because of who its players are. Just as Bird and Magic wanted to be left out of a racial controversy then, it’s likely that Carolina football players want to be left out now.

Certainly, coaches have every right to speak out on issues they feel are important to the University. If people are more likely to pay attention to what Steve Spurrier says than a dean, so be it. But there’s a difference between a prominent fi gure in the school using his or her moral authority to endorse a position, as Spurrier did when he called for the Confederate fl ag to be taken down and tying school policy to the actual success or failure of a team in competition.

As much as Carolina fans love sports, the University has more important things to worry about than winning games. If it takes the fear of a bad football team to ensure there is diversity on the board of trustees, that doesn’t say much about our commitment to diversity in the fi rst place.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but the budget crisis is far from over for education. The South Carolina Department of Education expects even more teacher cuts within the next year. Even though South Carolina is expecting to receive close to $109 million in federal stimulus money, the S.C. House still expects $100 million in education cuts. So much for the extra help.

While the talk of the moment has centered around the upswing of what has been a long and trying recession, it comes as little surprise that South Carolina has plenty of struggles to come. Instead of seeing more secured jobs, aid from stimulus and replenished budgets, we will continue to hear of lost jobs and programs, which means increased strains on our students already suffering through this education system

(which, doesn’t look to be faring well among the top 16 states vying for Obama’s “Race to the Top” campaign for grants).

While it’s understandable that budgets must be tight and struggles dealt with in times of economic distress, it’s hard to believe that this situation was entirely unavoidable. Isn’t this where planning comes along? The last time funding was this low for the department was 1995 — ironic that it was just before an economic hightime? Because now it looks that all of the strides in prosperity are lost as our state it pulled back even further. It should come as a lesson for better preparation and mindful spending. If you spend what you have when times are good, what do you expect to supply your state when the economy runs back around?

It’s sad that it has come to this point and it will only worsen. The reason we are in this situation right now is because of improper planning. It’s time the education system in this school, from all levels, takes a lesson from the times (and past legislators) and steps up to serve its students best.

W h i l e r e s e a r c h i n g Sparkle Clark before our interview, I learned that she’s a nature photographer who specializes in birds. I was a bit curious as to what would make a female artist stand out and triumph over other candidates who specialize in business and law rather than nature. I soon got my answer: Clark is truly one of the most unique, friendly, outgoing and passionate people, the kind of person who could bring diversity and creativity to office. As a native to Columbia, Clark’s experience and love for the city makes her an optimal pick for mayor. Her platform focuses on bettering the local

env ironment, econom iz i ng the city’s budget and decreasing and preventing crime.

A f t e r l e a r n i n g about Clark’s o u t l o o k o n the future and listening to her thoughts, I am

conf ident that a vote for this non-partisan candidate will result in great success and advancements for the Midlands Region.

Clark has a passion for the environment. Over the years she’s witnessed the c om mer c i a l i z a t io n a nd dec rea se of C olu mbia’s greenery. Her main concern is that Columbia is falling behind the times and needs to modernize itself becoming a more environmentally friendly city. She has a vision to turn Columbia into a “green city” making its transportation, electrical and water systems m o r e e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y friendly.

Unlike the majority of the candidates, she’s part of the working class. Although she may not have the resources to fund a huge campaign, she’s rich in ideas. Clark is part of the greater Columbia community and knows what the blue-collar workers of Columbia want and need because she is one of them. She can relate, thus bringing a new perspective to offi ce.

Her na me say s i t a l l , Sparkle Clark truly has a radiant personality, as she is incredibly friendly, outgoing, and is genuinely concerned for the well being of others. She’s exact ly the k ind of person Columbia needs as their leader.

Vote for Sparkle Clark, a fresh face and glimpse of hope for the greater Columbia community.

PAGE 4 TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010

CORRECTIONS

The goal of The Daily Gamecock’s V i ew p o i n t s p a g e i s to s t i m u l a te discussion in the University of South Carol ina community. A l l publ ished authors are expected to provide logical arguments to back their views.

The Daily Gamecock encourages readers to voice opinions and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on dailygamecock.com.

Letters and guest columns should be submitted via e-mail to gamecockeditor@sc.edu. Letters must be 200 to 300 words in length and include the author’s name,

year in school and area of study.We also invite student leaders and

USC faculty members to submit guest co lumns. Columnists should keep submissions to about 500 words in length and include the author’s name and position. Guest columns are limited to three per author per semester.

The editor reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length and clarity, or not publish at all.

All submissions become the property of The Da i ly Gamecock and must conform to the legal standards of USC Student Media.

IT’S YOUR RIGHT

EDITORIAL BOARD

Managing EditorCALLI BURNETT

Viewpoints EditorMARILYNN JOYNER

Assistant News Editor JONATHAN BATTAGLIA

Assistant Copy Desk ChiefMICHAEL LAMBERT

Assistant Viewpoints EditorRYAN QUINN

Assistant Sports EditorJAMES KRATCH

Editor-in-ChiefAMANDA DAVIS

Budget crisis rooted in improper planning

Athletics should not clout University decisionsSports need not be factor as diversity

ultimately for betterment of entire school, learning mission

Sparkle Clark provides Columbia green perspective

LaurenHadleyFirst-year visual communications student

TELL IT LIKE IT IS Food: America’s real addiction

Unhealthy choices Big Mac, Whopper join ranks of alcohol, tobacco products

MichaelLambertFirst-year comparative literaturestudent

RichardWoodFourth-year history student

It’s hard

to believe that

this situation

was entirely

unavoidable.

Native gives city glimpse of prosperity

About The Daily Gamecock

The Daily Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. It is published daily during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in The Daily Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina.

Th e Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Daily Gamecock. Th e Department of Student Media is the newspaper’s parent organization. The Daily Gamecock is supported in part by student-activity fees. One free copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each from the Department of Student Media.

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Offices located on the third floor of the Russell HouseEditor: gamecockeditor@sc.edu

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Editor-in-ChiefAMANDA DAVISManaging EditorCALLI BURNETTCopy Desk ChiefSAMANTHA EDWARDSAssistant Copy Desk ChiefMICHAEL LAMBERTDesign DirectorMEGAN HILBERTAssistant Design DirectorBRIAN DRESDOWNews EditorKARA APELAssistant News EditorsJONATHAN BATTAGLIAJOSH DAWSEYViewpoints EditorMARILYNN JOYNERAssistant Viewpoints EditorRYAN QUINNThe Mix EditorJIMMY GILMOREAssistant Mix EditorKELSEY PACERSports EditorCHRIS COX

Assistant Sports EditorJAMES KRATCHPhoto EditorKERI GOFFAssistant Photo EditorSCOTT FOWLERMultimedia DirectorGEOFFREY MARSI Assistant Multimedia DirectorMILES MILLERPage DesignersBRENNAN WARE, KRISTYN WINCH, CHRIS BROWNStaff WritersSARA HARTLEY, CHRIS BILKO, DEREK LEGGETTE, TAYLOR CHENEY, NEIL HUGHES, COLIN CAMPBELL, RYAN VELASQUEZ Copy EditorsPAULINA BERKOVICH, SARAH NELSON, KRISTYN SANITO, CASSIE STANTON, LINDSAY WOLFE, LINA ROTMAN, SHANON GREENPhotographersDAVID WALTERS, JEREMY AARONPublic Relations Director

JESSICA SCANLONGraduate AssistantCOURTNEY GRAHAMStudent Media DirectorSCOTT LINDENBERGFaculty AdviserERIK COLLINSCreative DirectorEDGAR SANTANABusiness ManagerCAROLYN GRIFFINAdvertising ManagerSARAH SCARBOROUGHClassifi eds ManagerSHERRY F. HOLMESProduction ManagerC. NEIL SCOTTCreative ServicesDEMETRIOUS COOPER, KELLIE DUFF, LIZ HOWELL, MADDIE MCDOWELL, KAILEY WARINGAdvertisingJULIE CANTER, HANNAH COOK, CARLY GALLAGHER, NATALIE HICKS, PHILIP KISELICK, QUINCY ROBINSON, LAUREN SPIRES, MEGHAN TANKERSLEY JUSTIN WILT

In Monday’s column “Joe Azar will combat city’s debt” by Will Potter, Azar believes replacing property tax with city fees and not a sales tax, it would tax federal, state and nonprofi t because they use city services without paying for them. Move council meetings to 5 p.m. and change city elections to the fi rst Tuesday in November of the odd years. Also have a lockbox system for both insurance and retirement plans.

PAGE 5TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010

Comedy strikes successful balance

James KratchTHE DAILY GAMECOCK

Courtesy of Warner Brothers

Sandra Bullock’s performance in “All About Steve” won her a Razzie.

Courtesy of MGM EntertainmentThe movie follows three high school friends who are transported back to the ‘80s.

Apology for decade’s worst film serves as cautionary tale

of power struggle in Hollywood

Jimmy GilmoreTHE MIX EDITOR

Courtesy of MGM Entertainment

‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ turns a potentially disastrous idea into a successful comedy.

Romance fiction fans were in for a treat Monday night when New York Times best-seller author Nicholas Sparks spoke at the Koger Center for the Arts. Sparks was invited to talk about his 15 novels, six of which have been made into movies and all of which are based around the Carolinas.

Fans packed the front rows of the auditorium, holding copies of their favorite Sparks novels. Sparks was an excellent speaker with a persona that had people gripping their seats just as if they were turning the pages of one of his novels.

Sparks started off his presentation sharing information about his own life in New Bern, N.C. with his fi ve children and the wife with whom he has been married to for 20 years. Then he moved on, and the fi rst question he addressed was the one he said he got asked most often: “Did you know you wanted to grow up to be a writer?”

As it turns out, he didn’t always see this future for himself: “No idea. When I was 19

years old, I was a freshmen at Notre Dame on a track and fi eld scholarship,” Sparks said.

What spurred him to write was the fact that he received a running-related injury. Unable to run, he moped around his house, bored and depressed, and his mother spurred him to write a book. On a whim, he wrote a horror novel that was pretty good, as he said, “except for the writing.”

It was not until he was 28 that he had a sudden epiphany, or, “a life-changing moment, for those of you who didn’t do well on your SATs,” and quiet laughter followed.

In short, he had stopped chasing his dreams, and he then decided he would try writing again. This time he would be in the effort necessary to make it work.

The fi rst story of the night that he told the audience was the tale of his wife’s grandparents. Their story was the inspiration and really the tale of his first novel, “The Notebook.” Ironically, the grandfather told this story to him 12 hours after Sparks had married his own wife. He said the thing that struck him the most is that the grandfather “still held the same kind of passion and love for his wife after 60 years as he had for his after only 12 hours.”

Each story is based on a familiar aspect of Sparks’s personal life, from his younger sister, whose life was the inspiration for “A Walk to

Remember,” to the personal tragedy of the loss of both of his parents, which moved him to write “Message in a Bottle.” One could see the tension in his face as he recounted each story — whether they were happy or sad, you felt what he felt. It was as if each part of what he told listeners led into something else, narrating for his fans the life behind the development of his stories.

Audience members participated in a brief Q-and-A session at the end of the night.

Some fans wondered how Sparks felt about the film adaptations of his novels, and the process in which his written word is taken to the silver screen. When asked about his say in the script and if he got frustrated with the changes made in translation, Sparks said was understanding of the process.

“I get to work with the script and script development ... I think film is a different medium. It can’t match how you imagined the book.”

Sparks also discussed his inspiration for some of his other popular novels. For “The Guardian,” he said every writer needed a good dog story, and recent hit “Nights in Rodanthe” came to him after what he calls his own love at fi rst sight after meeting his wife.

Sparks left this bit of advice for aspiring novelists before heading off to meet and greet

with audience members and sign books.“Read. Read a lot. And don’t just read the

genres you like, read everything, because you never know what elements you need. Look at why authors do well. Read with an eye.”

The Golden Raspberr ies , or t he “Razzies,” as they’re more commonly known , handed out their awards for the Worst of the Decade in fi lm earlier this month. While Razzie recipients typically don’t show up for the awards ceremony — although Sandra Bullock came to accept her award for worst female performance for “All About Steve” one day before w inn ing an Oscar — screenwr iter J.D. Shapiro accepted the Razzie for Worst Movie of the Decade for 2000 abomination “Battlefi eld Earth.”

In his acceptance speech, he thanked both the studio for fi ring him for sticking to his convictions and Corey Mandel for rewriting the script in a way he “never ... could have imagined or conceived.”

Even weirder than Shapiro’s humorous remarks about how he recognizes the pure atrocity of the fi lm is an article he wrote in the March 28 edition of the New York Post, where he essentially apologized, in length, for “Battlefi eld Earth.”

He opened with a solemn line, “It wasn’t a s I i ntended — prom ise ,” before detailing one of the strangest battles for control over a train wreck in contemporary Hollywood history. Shapiro relates how he serendipitously had dinner with Scientologist John Travolta to discuss adapting one of L. Ron Hubbard’s books.

E v e n t u a l l y , S h a p i r o p i t c h e d “Battlefi eld” to MGM, developed a script and again had dinner with Travolta, who apparently called the script “The ‘Schindler’s List’ of sci-fi .”

Of course, somewhere along the way, things went backward. Shapiro received note after note about how to change his screenplay, facing pressure from Travolta – now attached as lead — and then-president of MGM Mike Marcus. He was fi red for refusing to comply, and writer Corey Mandel was brought in to rewrite the script.

At the end of his apologetic confession, he admits “the only time I saw the movie was at the premiere, which was one too many times,” going on to say “looking back at the movie with fresh eyes, I can’t help but be strangely proud of it. Because out of all the sucky movies, mine is the suckiest.”

Of course, whether Shapiro’s original draft would have made a better movie, or at least a mediocre movie, will never be known. What is fascinating and fantastic about his willingness to lay it all out in the New York Post is an illumination of an old axiom screenwriter William Goldman claimed of Hollywood: “Nobody knows anything.”

And if the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, so is the Hell of a box office f lop. While “Battlefield Earth” has fittingly been read as a film about Scientology, perhaps a conscious attempt on Travolta’s part to give his religion a more mainstream platform, it is still an

instance where a studio, a writer and a mega-star each competed for separate ideas about what a fi lm should be.

Executives, writers and actors like to think they know what an audience wants and what will make a great fi lm, but the kind of creative tensions that can erupt over a simple disagreement of tone can unhinge an entire film before a single frame is shot.

Moviemaking has fi ttingly been called a collaborative medium – how could it not be, with hundreds of people involved in every project — but Shapiro’s cautionary tale shows how Hollywood is all about grabbing power and exerting infl uence.

In h is apolog y, Shapiro remarks, regarding Scientology, “when it comes to orga n ized rel ig ion , a ny t h ing a person does to reward, threaten and try to control people ... is dangerous.” So too is Hollywood a game of control and promises, where battles waged in studio offi ces, on the phone and on the typewriter often have more to do with a fi nished product than the actual quality of fi lmmaker attached.

At lea s t Shapi ro apolog ized for “Battlefi eld Earth.” If only Mike Myers would follow suit and try to explain “Cat in the Hat.” That’s Entertainment.

On paper, it wou ld seem l i ke a potentially disastrous concept: take John Cusack, the guy who plays Darryl on “The Off ice,” Rob Corddry and the archetype dorky nephew and send them hurtling back to the ‘80s via a magical hot tub serviced by Chevy Chase.

But when all put together, Steve Pink’s “Hot Tub Time Machine” pleasantly and hilariously makes those concerns go away, striking a keen balance between period piece and modern-day kneeslapper.

Set in current-day Los Angeles, the plot revolves around three high school buddies living unfulfi lling lives. Adam (Cusack) has been recent ly dumped by h is umpteenth g irl f r iend, Nick (Craig Robinson) is controlled by his overbearing wife and works at an upscale spa for dogs and Lou (Corddry) is a down-on-his-luck alcoholic who almost kills himself by running his car in his closed garage.

After checking Lou out of the hospital, Adam and Nick, along with Adam’s geek y nephew Jacob (Clark Duke), decide to take Lou back to their old stomping grounds, Kodiak Valley, for a ski weekend. However, the resort town is a shell of what it once was, and the fi rst night is miserable, until the four jump into their cabin hot tub, and after a night of revelry and alcohol, wake up in 1986.

It is after the transition that the comedy starts to fl ow. Robinson’s ballyhooed line about what must have sent them to the past received a gargantuan amount of play in the trailers, and it is without a doubt one of the highlights of the fi lm. However, unlike a lot of gag comedies, the signature scene doesn’t stand alone.

Corddry and Robinson produce most of the funny moments, with Cusack and Duke both playing more of a straight man role — however, they have their times to shine as well. A good deal of the comedy is structured on traditional 1980s gags, but at the same time, the jokes are kept relatively fresh and paced out well, preventing overkill. On the other side, the serious storylines also avoid falling into “Sixteen Candles” mode, not sliding

into the stock teen drama category. Chase also is very ef fect ive in his

support ing role, providing a unique performance as the in-the-know hot tub repairman/mystical timekeeper in a portrayal that feels like Chevy Chase doing an impression of Chevy Chase playing a timekeeper, rather than Chevy Chase playing a timekeeper.

All in all, “Hot Tub Time Machine” is a very solid movie. It has its lulls and slow points, but for a potentially terrible idea, it turns out to be some sort of ... very enjoyable fi lm.

Nicholas Sparks shares inspirationsBest-selling author speaks to fans, answers questions at Koger Center

Katie CrockerTHE DAILY GAMECOCK

Comments on this story? E-mail sagcketc@mailbox.sc.edu

Comments on this story? E-mail sagcketc@mailbox.sc.edu

★ ★ ★ out of ✩✩✩✩✩

Director: Steve PinkStarring: John Cusack Run Time: 100 minutesRating: R

Hot Tub Time MachineNOW IN THEATERS‘Hot Tub Time Machine’

combines serious storyline, traditional gags, fresh jokes

Courtesy of Warner Brothers

J.D. Shapiro’s “Battlefi eld Earth” won the Razzie for worst fi lm of the decade.

Jennifer Thomerson / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Nicholas Sparks signs autographs after his talk at the Koger Center.

Comments on this story? E-mail sagcketc@mailbox.sc.edu

“I myself am made entirely of fl aws, stitched together with good intentions.”

— Augusten Burroughs

Inside the Box ◆ By Marlowe Leverette / Th e Daily Gamecock

Spurned ◆ By Jared Greene

Whiteboard ◆ By Bobby Sutton / Th e Daily Gamecock

HOROSCOPES1234567890-=

PAGE 6 TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010

Calendar of Events

The SceneTODAY

TIGERCITY, PARADES AND ARMIES 7 p.m. doors, $10New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St.

KONK PACK 6 p.m. doors, $5 studentsColumbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St.

PIRATES, PRIVATEERS & BUCCANEERS 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $7South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais St.

TOMORROWHAROLD VAN SCHAIK GUEST ARTIST BASS TROMBONE RECITAL 5:30 p.m., freeUSC School of Music Recital Hall, 813 Assembly St.

FAREWELL FLIGHT, VERSUS THE ROBOT, ABANDON KANSAS AND KEMP RIDLEY 7:30 p.m. doors, $7 New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St.

LAURENCE “LUCKYMAN” BEALL 9:30 p.m., $5The White Mule, 1530 Main St.

THE LAST STATION 5:30 and 8 p.m., $6.50 Nickelodeon Theatre, 937 Main St.

What: Carolina Creed Week When: 10:30 a.m.Where: Davis Field

What: NABA Fundraiser When: 10 a.m. Where: Greene Street

What: Daily Gamecock Online Registration Drive When: 11 a.m. Where: Greene Street

What: Colon Cancer Awareness Session When: Noon Where: Russell House, Room 205

What: Giving Back Project bake sale When: NoonWhere: Greene Street

What: Creed Diversity Speaker: Dr. Maura Cullen When: 6 p.m.Where: RH Ballroom

What: CRU When: 8 p.m.Where: Nursing, Room 231

What: VOX meeting When: 7 p.m.Where: RH, Room 309

SPORTS SCHEDULE

Softball North Carolina 5 p.m.TodayChapel Hill, N.C.

Baseball The Citadel 7 p.m. TodayColumbia, S.C.

ACROSS1 Fuzzy fruit5 Royal headgear11 “... __ an ill cookthat cannot lickhis own fi ngers”:“Romeo andJuliet”14 Viking war god15 Draw in16 Pictures on thewall17 Manhattan railhub19 Vert. opposite20 Lose support21 Go bad22 Ida of Hollywood24 “The MarchKing”27 British boardingschool28 First name inspydom32 Mattress support35 Like manynotebooks38 Unmoved39 Cherished44 Hi-tech greeting45 Dogpatchcartoonist46 “Hold yourhorses!”50 Highland toppers51 Part of BTU52 Fast partner?55 Social service?58 R.E. Lee follower59 Hef’s party wear62 Downed Russianorbiter63 1980s NellCarter sitcom,and a hint to thepuzzle themefound in the endsof 17-, 32-, 39-and 46-Across67 EducatorLeShan68 Worldwide69 Gutter site70 One of the statesof matter71 Summer ermines72 Oedipus’arrogance, e.g.DOWN1 “Keystone”bunglers2 Inventor’s

starting point3 Hospital section4 Quaint stopover5 “Star Wars”surname?6 Where to fi ndthree men?7 Firm pro: Abbr.8 CCLI x II9 Earth Day sci.10 List of options11 Island from whichthe Bounty sailed12 Attach, as apatch13 Able-bodied18 18-yr.-old highschoolers,usually23 Ideal25 What’s-her-name26 Car bar28 AOL rival29 Barbary beast30 Relative of Juan31 Rap sheetlistings33 Former Cubsslugger34 Sci-fi authorFrederik36 The Coasters’record label(coincidentally,

all its lettersappear in theirname)37 Bread knifetarget40 Like some toughtests41 Org. for drivers42 Tach no.43 “Decorates” withbathroom tissue,for short46 Nog spice47 New York tribe,city or lake48 Pageant winners’

wear49 Tried to rip open53 Shuts tight54 Recede56 Quiche base57 Pinball foul59 Ring out60 Joe61 Depict in abiased way64 Bovine bellow65 Wall St. exec’sdegree66 NFL whistleblower

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ARIES The more glam and glitter you apply, the more an older person appreciates your effort. Do it today and save the recipe.

TAURUS The more you can address problems at work, the happier you’ll be. This is not the time to complete projects. Imagine how to do it.

GEMINI You’re f a r busier than you’d planned. Cancel an appointment if necessary so that others get your full attention.

CANCER Choose your battles carefully. What you say could come back to bite you. Clarity trumps imagination on the home front.

LEO The chiming of a

cash register is music to your ears. A dilemma posed by your partner is resolved when the money arrives.

VIRGO Your self-esteem improves when others share data and use their energy effectively. It works because you made logical adjustments.

LIBR A A im to please yourself, and let others know what you want. Let them manage their own desires. Make time to be alone.

SCORPIO You make adjustments today that carry you forward, both at home and at work. Scheduling could be the issue. Take everyone’s opinions into consideration.

SAGITTARIUS The

stray you’ve recently adopted is the catalyst that brings everyone together to complete a task on time and on budget.

CAPRICORN To build a strong foundation, ideas and talent may not be enough. You need the materials. Make sure they suit your vision.

AQUARIUS You may want solid ground underfoot, but today’s more like a ride in a hot-air balloon. Your perspective shifts from minute to minute.

PISCES Co-workers make you proud of your work. You’d wondered if anyone really cared about your extra effort. Expect a bonus.

The USC softball team crosses the border today to face the Tar Heels. UNC has a record of 24-10 and is ranked No. 19 in the nation. South Carolina, on the other hand, has lost 18 of its last 20 games, sitting at 10-22 with an 0-13 record in SEC play.

In order for South Carolina to pull off the upset, the team will have to play better in crucial situations, according to USC coach Joyce Compton. “We have to make adjustments on hit and run,

swinging on a bad pitch,” Compton said. “That sets the tone right there.”

Compton said that the team performs well in practice, but, for some reason, it doesn’t during games.

“Somehow they’ve got to figure out how to carry it from a practice day into a game day,” she said. “If we can do that, we’ll be fi ne.”

The Gamecocks allowed 24 hits over the weekend against Auburn. They will have to fi nd a way to stifl e North Carolina’s bats if they are to win.

Hitting especially well for the Tar Heels is senior fi rst baseman Danielle Spaulding. She leads the team with a .351 batting average and 24 RBI.

The defense will also need to improve, as the last series featured a surplus of fi elding mistakes. The nine of Auburn’s runs were due to errors.

“If you don’t have the pitching, you’ve got to get your defense to make some plays for you,” Compton said. “Make them hit, make them earn their way on.”

The game is set for 5 p.m. in Chapel Hill.

PAGE 7

USC looks to start new streak

USC softball needs strong pitching, defense as it heads to Chapel Hill

in search of upset win against surging team

Chris BilkoSTAFF WRITER

Gamecocks to face off with Tar Heels in NC

Gamecocks take on in-state rival Bulldogs in midweek matchup

Corbin EnsmingerTHE DAILY GAMECOCK

Chris Keohane / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Sophomore infi elder Evan Childs and the Gamecocks have struggled of late, but they hope to turn it around against UNC.

Richard Pearce / THE DAILY GAMECOCK

Right hander Jose Mata and the bullpen have been crucial to USC’s hot streak.

Oregon’s search

for new coach

one insane joke

Attempts to lure big names with lucrative contracts failing hard for Ducks

Comments on this story? E-mail sagckspt@mailbox.sc.edu

I’d like to make an appeal to the good people who edit and produce Webster’s Dictionary: Please add “the search for Oregon men’s basketball head coach” to the list of defi nitions under “insanity.”

Just when you thought the good people over in Eugene’s embarrassment was limited to gaudy uniforms, frat house-burglarizing football players and Chip Kelly’s boggling of disciplinary issues, along comes an exploration for a new hoops coach that is so nuts, it’s sad and funny at the same time.

Now, I’m not blaming UO for pulling the plug on Ernie Kent after 13 years because, those two Elite Eight runs not withstanding, the former Duck standout was pretty much a model of mediocrity.

But the manner in which former athletic director Pat Kilkenny, who is leading the process in the wake of Mike Bellotti’s recent resignation to take a gig at ESPN, and UO booster/sugar daddy and Nike chairman Phil Knight

are handling this thing is ridiculous.

Basically, the plan is this: Go around to every big name coach in the country, one by one, and offer to give him more cash than the GDPs of some small nations.

The next name in this c ava lc ade of s t upid it y r e p o r t e d l y w i l l b e

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. Rumors are swirling that Oregon is preparing to offer him a contract, largely bankrolled by K night and his swoosh-adorned fortune, that would overtake Kentucky coach John Calipari’s as the richest in history.

And, like Billy Donovan and Mark Few, Izzo will say no — heck, he might even get to say no with his second national championship in tow, because, if you haven’t noticed, his (supposedly) inferior MSU job has him still coaching.

Furthermore, the hits will keep on coming for the Ducks; even if Kilkenny did get an interview done with Pitt coach Jamie Dixon, as is rumored, there is no way he’s leaving the Big East. Tubby Smith would likely be a good fit, but he’d be the clear umpteenth choice a la the Dave Odom situation at USC under Mike McGee if he got the gig — something that wouldn’t bode well for his prospects in the northwest.

I ’m not say ing t hat t he Oregon job is a bad one. It’s actually got a lot going for it. It’s in a major conference, there is a loyal fanbase (albeit one that needs a little TLC after some sagging attendance fi gures) and you always have the fanatical fi nancial backing of Knight and the Nike brand.

For a young, up and coming coach, it more than likely is a great spot to land. But for whatever reason, Oregon doesn’t want to go down that road.

Whether it is delusions of grandeur, K n i g ht ’s p ok i n g , p r o dd i n g a nd overconfi dence in the power of Nike on the basketball universe, a Lane Kiffi n-esque stunt for attention or maybe just some good old-fashioned irrat ional school spirit and superiority complex, the Ducks have decided that they are a premier job.

The thing is, they aren’t. If you’re a North Carolina or a UCLA, you can try and pull off something like this. If you’re a St. John’s, a program down on its luck but with something no one else can offer (home games at Madison Square Garden and a chance to become a God in New York City if the Johnnies rise up under your watch), you can try and pull something off like this.

Oregon isn’t either of those. It’s time for the Ducks to stop trying for the hole in one and just put it in the fairway.

JamesKratchSecond-year English student

@Visit usdailygamecock .com

Even after having its 13-game winning streak broken by Auburn on Sunday, South Carolina baseball is on a roll.

“We’re happy where we are right now,” USC associate head coach Chad Holbrook sa id Monday on 107.5 FM. “But we were a l it t le disappointed on the ride home because you only get 30 SEC games. So, while it’s nice to win a series on the road, we didn’t play particularly wel l on Su nday a nd that’s frustrating. But we did play well in the f i r st t wo games and won ag a i n s t a ve r y good SEC team.”The team is now looking to start a new win streak at home tonight against The Citadel. Carolina has been superb at home this season, with only one loss in the friendly conf ines of Carol ina Stadium.

The midweek game has also been good to this Gamecock squad. The team is 6-0 in midweek c o n t e s t s a n d h a s outscored its opponents 65-15 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The Cit adel i s no slouch, though. It is leading the Southern C o n f e r e n c e w i t h a

perfect 9-0 record and i s com i ng of f a b ig ser ies sweep aga inst Appalachian State. With his next win, legendary B u l l d o g s m a n a g e r Fred Jordan will be the all-time wins leader at the Citadel with 462 victories.

Leading the at tack for the Gamecocks is sophomore outf ielder Adam Matthews.

The Lexington native b r u t a l i z e d A u b u r n p i t c h i n g o v e r t h e weekend, going four-for-nine with a three-run homer and four runs batted in against the Tigers.

Mat thews has now amassed a .319 batting average on the season with 15 total RBI.

Not o n l y i s US C getting it done with its bats, but its gloves are a lso producing good numbers. The squad as whole has .972 fielding percentage, and Whit Merr i f ield, who is a jack-of-all-trades in the field, has no errors on the season.

The bullpen, which was much maligned after the 19-6 loss at home to Clemson, has been gett ing it done since then.

Sidearmer Jose Mata

has been one of the best of the bunch, amassing a 2.92 ERA and holding opponent s to a . 214 batt ing average in 10 appearances.

Freshman Matt Price has also done well in his debut season, holding opponent s to a .174 batting average.

“For the most part, our pitching staff has done a terrifi c job up to this point,” Holbrook said. “Out of 24 games,

we feel like we haven’t pitched well only two out of those 24. Our bullpen is deeper than it has been in the past. A lot of guys in the bullpen have contributed.”

F r e s h m a n r i g h t y Colby Holmes will start for USC tonight.

“Colby is a talented freshman with a good arm,” Holbrook said. “He has a great breaking ball. He deserves this opportunity. He pitched

very well al l fal l and into the early spring. He probably hasn’t had as many opportunities as he would have liked early in the year because we’ve had some depth on our pitching staff.”

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Carolina Stadium.

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PAGE 8 The Daily Gamecock ● TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010