| Summary: | The Kaleidoscope is the official student newspaper of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. UAB’s Official Student Newspaper December • 6 • 2016 Volume 56 • Issue 60 INSIDE THE ISSUE: 12 IT IS FINALLY FINALS WEEK CAT YOGA COMES TO B’HAM 6How to get your best grades and find the perfect balance between caffeine and sleep WORLD AIDS DAY PROMPTS TESTING Student and local groups come to campus to provide free, confidential HIV testing and awareness 4 The latest exercise trend curls up and purrs with the city at the Greater Birmingham Humane Society Physical Address Suite 130, Hill Student Center 1400 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35205 Mail HILL 130, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294-1150 Phone (205) 934-3354 Web UABkscope.com Email editor@insideuab.com e Kaleidoscope is the o cial student newspaper of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Unsigned editorials and the opinions of the Kaleidoscope’s columnists do not necessarily re ect the opinions of individual student writers, editors, Kaleidoscope advisers or university administrators. Signed columns and letters re ect the opinion of the writer and serve as expressions of fact and opinion to Kaleidoscope readers. Letter Policy: Letters to Kaleidoscope are always welcome. Unless otherwise directed, all letters will be forwarded to the editor. Letters must be no longer than 200 words and must be typed. A name and a phone number must accompany each letter. Letters will appear at the discretion of the editorial sta and can be sent by mail, fax or electronic mail. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2016 by Kaleidoscope and protected under the U.S. Copyright Laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of the Kaleidoscope. Sarah Faulkner sfaulkn2@uab.edu Tamara Imam managing@insideuab.com Corey Bright art@insideuab.com Tessa Case news@insideuab.com Surabhi Rao features@insideuab.com Ian Keel photos@insideuab.com Mark Linn copy@insideuab.com Chandler Jones chanj1@uab.edu VACANT Loren Gilbert online@insideuab.com Melvin Griffin Jared Chestnut Chad Freeman Marie Sutton info@insideuab.com Patrick Johnson plj3@uab.edu Creative Director of Student Media Managing & Sports Editor Head Illustrator News & Science Editor Features & Opinions Editor Photography Editor Copy Editor Visual Content Manager Social Media Editor Online Editor Distribution Team Advisor Production Manager Dear Kscope reader, STAFF 2 EDITORIAL TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 Online: uab.edu/kaleidoscope Twitter: @UABKscope Facebook: facebook.com/uabkscope Tamara Imam Managing Editor Regards, Excuse the cliché, but wow does time fly. It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming you back for the first week of classes for the Fall semester, and now we are just days away from the last week of classes — and many of you will roam UAB’s campus for the very last time as a student before crossing the stage in Bartow Arena to receive your degree. Congratulations, Fall 2016 graduates, you’re almost there! But the semester isn’t over just yet, and the dreaded time of year is upon us: finals. Final exams and papers can be a source of anxiety and stress for students, so we’ve got you covered on pages six and seven with tips from experts on campus on how to stay healthy, avoid excessive stress, get your best sleep and ace those finals. As an ode to the end of another semester, we collected just a few of the most interesting and impactful stories that we’ve had the pleasure of covering. If you take a look at page three of this paper, you’ll see snapshots of those stories, as well as which issue they were featured in. Now, to address our main story and the elephant in the room — Saturday night’s basketball game against Auburn. The outcome isn’t what we had hoped (or predicted), and pages eight and nine this week look at where we fell short to narrowly lose to the Tigers. Nonetheless, Saturday was a great day to be a Blazer. In the four years that I’ve been at UAB, I’ve never seen such spirit and enthusiasm for our amazing athletics programs as I did Saturday night, and on Saturday afternoon when I waited in line behind hundreds of students eager to get a spot in the student section of Bartow. And finally, a quick sign-off. For the past few issues, we have had a vacancy in the Editor-In-Chief position, and I’ve had the great pleasure of leading my incredible editorial staff to bring you the best product we can. It is with even greater pleasure that I announce our current Visual Content Manager, Chandler Jones, will officially take over as Editor-In-Chief starting in the Spring. We’ve got a lot in store for next semester, and we can hardly wait. Thank you, readers, for a wonderful semester and for your continued readership and support. Blaze on, always, and see you in January. NEWS 3 A look-back: This semester’s most impactful Molly Wilson, a true friend to stories, events every Blazer — Oct. 11, 2016 Panhellenic sororities break bid record — Aug. 29, 2016 ‘Hoops on the Green’: It’s Blockingham Season — Oct. 18, 2016 ‘Forever Blaze’ — Oct. 25, 2016 One final peek: Green triumphs over Gold in display of solid defense — Oct. 25, 2016 Eighty-five students received free, confidential HIV testing on World AIDS Day on Thursday, Dec. 1. Unite for Reproductive Justice and Gender Equity at UAB, the Black Student Awareness Committee and the Gender and Sexuality Union partnered with UAB’s 1917 Clinic and AIDS Alabama to host the event, which offered food, giveaways and HIV testing at no cost. An estimated 1.2 million people are living with AIDS in the United States, and approximately 35 million people are living with the disease globally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in eight people living with HIV are unaware of their infection, and the CDC reports that among young people aged 13-24 living with HIV, an estimated 51 percent of them were unaware of their infection in 2013. Donna Porter, Ph.D., the administrative director of the UAB Center for AIDS Research and an associate professor of medicine, said that people should get tested at least once in their lifetime, even if they do not think they have put themselves at risk. “HIV doesn’t discriminate and feeling and appearing healthy after engaging in high-risk behaviors doesn’t mean a person is not infected,” Porter said. “Safe and effective treatments are now available to restore health and prolong life and early treatment not only prevents the spread of HIV but may give an infected person many more years of healthy living.” According to AIDS.gov, HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, and the only way to know for sure whether one has HIV is to get tested. If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS. While HIV cannot be cured, it can be controlled with proper treatment and medical care. A person who is treated for HIV before it has advanced and regularly treated thereafter can live as long as someone who does not have HIV, according to AIDS.gov. AIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection, and those diagnosed with AIDS typically survive three years with treatment. In the U.S., HIV is most commonly spread through sexual activities and needle or syringe use. While HIV can be contracted through certain body fluids, it cannot be contracted from casual contact such as shaking hands or using public restrooms. Porter said that many students do not realize that substance abuse can also lead to HIV/AIDS both directly and indirectly. “Alcohol and the use of other drugs can lower a person’s inhibitions and alter judgment, making them less likely to engage in safe sex practices,” Porter said. “Injection drug use can be a direct route for HIV transmission if people share needles and other injection materials that come in contact with blood.” Porter said that the UAB Center for AIDS Research has been at the forefront of HIV/ AIDS research into effective prevention, treatment and care at the state, national and international levels since 1988. The UAB 1917 Clinic, which celebrated 30 years of HIV/ AID research on Dec. 2, is the largest HIV health care unit in the state with a current total patient population of about 3,000, according to Porter. “Given that the southern states currently account for an estimated 44 percent of all people living with HIV in the U.S., despite the South comprising only 37 percent of the overall U.S. population,” Porter said. “Continued research to strengthen prevention and care efforts is essential not only for the health of our area but to the nation’s success in ending this epidemic.” In 2015, only 44.6 percent of adults age 18-64 reported ever having an HIV test in Alabama, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation website, developed with CDC data. UAB students can schedule an appointment for HIV testing with Student Health and Wellness through the Patient Portal on BlazerNET. Destiny Hosmer Staff Writer drhosmer@uab.edu World AIDS Day prompts awareness, provides HIV testing 4NEWS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Brennan Green, Anna Kahn and Sunna Savani, members of Unite for Reproductive Justice, help facilitate free and confidential HIV testing. Photo by Mugdha Mokashi HIV doesn’t discriminate and feeling and appearing healthy. . . doesn’t mean a person is not infected. -Donna Porter, Ph.D. The three winners of the Blazer Innovative Challenge, which began in October of this year, have been announced. In addition to winning up to $5,000 in prize money, these students will have the opportunity to receive guidance from local executives and entrepreneurs in their respective fields. The three winners are Forrest Satterfield, Jeremy Mock and Rebecca Klang in first, second and third place, respectively. The challenge was launched in October by the UAB Innovation Lab and the Collat School of Business and sponsored by IBERIABANK. The purpose of the competition was to provide students who may have innovative ideas the resources and assistance they need to carry them out, while also bringing awareness to innovation and entrepreneurship opportunities on campus. The five finalists were selected out of a total of 26 participants. They competed with one another with video presentations and a live Q&A session with a team of Birmingham business leaders and entrepreneurs on Nov. 16, and the three winners were announced on Nov. 18. As the first place winner, Satterfield, a biomedical engineering major, was awarded $5,000 for his plan to develop a manufacturing system utilizing 3D printing to create braces for prosthetic and orthotic devices that use the same three sizes of motors for all products. “So what that does is, it suddenly means if I go in and need a brace for a sports injury that I've had, I would use the same product as if I were to go in and I was missing a hand,” Satterfield said. “That makes the market a lot larger, which also makes it a lot more affordable for people because we can mass-produce the motors at a much higher quantity.” He plans to use the prize money to purchase a new specialized 3D printer that prints with pure carbon fiber that Satterfield and his team plan to use to begin product testing. Jeremy Mock is an economics and international studies major who received second place for his proposal to create a web-and-app based system to allow patients to connect to subscribing medical providers in their region. “So they log on to the app, they set up their details, they type in their location and instantly they're given a list of primary care providers that are close by in their geographic regions," Mock said. "And similar to Uber, they've given a list of those providers with ratings they can choose from." The app will give patients the ability to directly book an appointment with a physician, and will also offer a telecommunication option for doctors who allow their patients to communicate with them electronically. Mock plans to use his $2,500 prize to begin developing a prototype of the app. Third-place winner Rebecca Klang, a business management major, submitted a proposal for an app that allows users to track grocery purchases and their expiration dates to help prevent waste. She plans to put her $1,000 prize into developing and marketing the app. Klang came up and submitted the idea as part of one of her classes and was encouraged by her teacher to enter her proposal to the competition. She encouraged anyone who might have a novel or innovative idea to enter the challenge. “I never dreamed that my random idea was worth anything and would have never pursued this had it not been for my teacher,” Klang said. “I can only imagine the wonderful inventions that could be among us today if only they had had the courage to pursue them.” Each winner has been paired up with one or more mentors, who are all experienced executives and entrepreneurs from the Birmingham area. The mentors will work with the winners to further flesh out their business concepts and help decide how to best utilize their prize money. “A big thing we're pushing them on is to identify areas where there are unknowns that they need to get answers to in order to be able to move forward so that they're not spending money on things that they shouldn't be doing,” said Joel Dobbs, Pharm.D., entrepreneur-in-residence for the Innovation Lab. Over the course of the spring semester, the winners will work with the Innovation Lab to further develop their business concepts. The students will be required to submit progress reports and at the end of the semester all three will do a live presentation on the progress they've made. Dobbs said that the Innovation Lab and the Collat School of Business plan to host the challenge again next year. “We certainly hope that this will become an ongoing annual event,” Dobbs said. “I think it's been very worthwhile for the students and I think it's really good publicity for UAB and a way to showcase how incredibly bright and creative many of our students are.” Dobbs encourages any students who might have ideas for a business, nonprofit or just an innovative solution to a problem to speak with him or Katherine Hamrick, the Director of the Innovation Lab. You can find their contact information or learn more about the Innovation Lab at uab.edu/ innovationlab. NEWS5 , Mark Linn Copy Editor copy@insideuab.com Forrest Satterfield, pictured right, was the first prize winner of the Blazer Innovation challenge and received $5,000. Photo by Julie Senter Students address unknown in entrepreneurial showdown BLAZER INNOVATION CHALLENGE 6 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 Your guide to: De-stressed success FINALS WEEK Finals week is almost upon us, and for most students it’s time to start hunkering down and cramming for tests. But there’s both an art and a science to preparing for finals, and that goes beyond just studying. Fortunately, The Kaleidoscope is here to help you end the semester on a high note. The weeks leading up to finals are also a busy time for the tutors and academic advisors at the Vulcan Materials Academic Success Center. Lisa Kerr, interim director of the VMASC, has some tips for students getting ready for finals. According to Kerr, preparing for finals should begin with sitting down to make a list of what the student needs to do to finish out the semester on a high note. “Now’s a really good time to make sure that you are identifying what needs to be done,” Kerr said. “Literally sit down and in one uniform space and identify what you need to do in order to complete the semester successfully. So list out every class, list out every assignment that’s necessary or final, just to pull everything that you have going on together.” She also said that students shouldn’t just focus on memorizing the answers to the questions that will be asked on the finals, but take the time to understand why the questions are being asked and understand the concepts behind them. “So before you just sit down and start reviewing, memorizing, cramming the material, take a moment to stop and think and reflect on what types of questions were asked in this class previously,” Kerr said. It’s also important to make sure that you can focus on studying without distractions. “Clear away your distractions, just get rid of them,” Kerr said. “So turn your computer off, put your phone away - I know that sounds absolutely crazy, but turn off your phone for 90 minutes and plan to study for 45 minutes, take a 5-10 minute break, study for 45 minutes and then check your phone.” One thing that might help and shake things up from your usual method of cloistering yourself in Sterne is studying with a group of friends or classmates. The key to group studying is making sure that your group is as committed to actually studying as you are — a focused and passionate study group can be a great help, but a group that would rather get together to watch funny cat videos probably won’t do much to help you prepare. “There are tons of benefits to studying with people in a group,” Kerr said. “You can really test each other, challenge each other, support each other. But it can also be drastically awful if you’re not focused. you’re studying with. Of course, finals are a stressful time no matter how much you’ve prepared, and a big reason for that is that finals week is akin to what clinical psychologist Josh Klapow, Ph.D., calls a “reverse holiday.” “You have a period of time a week that for all students most of the communication to them, most of what they’re focused on, most of their daily routine is Mark Linn Copy Editor copy@insideuab.com KALEIDOSCOPE STAFF’S GO-TO COFFEE CHOICES Grande, Gingerbread Latte Tessa Case, News Editor Tall, Americano with all extra shot of almond milk Surabhi Rao, Features Editor Tall, Iced Caramel Macchiato with light ice and extra shot of espresso Sarah Faulkner, Creative Director of Student Media Grande, Iced Coffee with toffee nut sweetener and cream Chandler Jones, Visual Content Manager Venti, Pike Place Roast with whole milk Loren Gilbert, Online Editor Tall, Caramel Macchiato Frappe April Oberman, Assistant Copy Editor Grande, Iced Caramel Macchiato Ian Keel, Photo Editor Venti, Chile Mocha Frappe Tamara Imam, Managing Editor It depends on the group that 7 now around being evaluated, taking a test,” Klapow said. “So what happens is for so many students is that wherever they look, most of their classes are review sessions, memorizing lots of information, making sure that their grades are good and they’re finishing everything up. When they all doing the same thing. So everything is focused on this evaluation process, so it takes on a life of its own .It creates more cues for stress than just the tests themselves.” One of the keys to managing the stress brought on by finals is acknowledging that you are stressed, and taking steps to make sure you aren’t overwhelmed. “Stress isn’t inherently a bad thing,” Klapow said. “It gets you focused, it gets the adrenaline going. It can put you in a position to study harder, to focus on what you need to do.” According to Klapow, one of the tricks to managing your stress is making sure that finals don’t swallow up all of your other daily habits. Don’t stop going to the gym or taking breaks and make sure you get plenty of sleep. “Sleep is absolutely essential for physical and mental well-being. Sleep deprivation directly impacts your cognitive functioning, including your ability to focus, retain information (e.g. study), reason and problem-solve,” director of counseling and student health Angela Stowe said. “Many students believe that staying up and studying will help them perform better on tests or exams. The research actually indicates that not only do students not perform better, but actually may perform worse. Additionally, pulling all-nighters can lead to increased stress and has also been linked to heart problems and depression.” If you need a little extra help de-stressing before finals, stop by the VMASC on Thursday, Dec. 8 from 7 to 10 p.m. for free pancakes and toppings along with other de-stress activities. Quiet study areas and tutors will also be on hand to help with the home stretch before finals. Stress isn’t inherently a bad thing. It gets you focused, it gets the adrenaline going. It can put you in a position to study harder, to focus on - Josh Klapow, Ph.D. Infographic by Sarah Faulkner talk to their friends, they’re 8 In front of a sold-out crowd of 8,728 people, the UAB men’s basketball team fell to Auburn on Saturday, Dec. 3 by a score of 74-70. This was the second of a four game series to be played by these two teams, which began with the season opener last year. “It’s been since 1998 since Auburn played in Birmingham. That’s just too long for us to be down there and not come up here,” said Auburn Head Coach Bruce Pearl after the game. Auburn found themselves victorious in the first two games, continuing to spur the renewed in-state rivalry. Last year, it was a one-point game as UAB’s Chris Cokley went up for the final shot, only for it to be blocked, sealing Auburn’s 75-74 victory. Saturday’s game saw Cokley, like the majority of UAB’s starting five, finding himself in foul trouble almost instantly in the first half. Even though Cokely, William Lee and Deion Lavender only played about six to eight minutes a piece in the first half, UAB took a four point lead to the locker room at halftime. Coming out of the half, the Blazers had a stagnant offense for a few minutes, leading to an Auburn run that put the Tigers up 11 points with about six minutes left in the game. “We got off to a good start and then got into a lull in the second half. They hit a couple of rhythm threes. [Danjel] Purifoy especially, I don’t know that he had hit a three in the first half, but he had four in the second half,” Head Coach Rob Ehsan said. “That was the outcome of the game. We tried to fight back. We had four starters with two fouls in the first half. This team is different. We have to continue to grow and develop as a team.” As this team moves forward, Ehsan expects to continue adjusting line-ups. With the foul trouble on their starters, Ehsan said he used a line up Saturday that he had never practiced together. That line up consisted of Tyler Madison, Tosin Mehinti and William Lee. “We were playing the three bigs. Tyler’s been playing the four and I had to play him in the three. Lee had to play at the three some,” Ehsan said. “They were just choppy. As a team, we are just trying to find this rotation. I think we take it for granted how seamlessly last year, you came out and knew what to expect from every guy pretty much every night.” The game started with momentum swinging UAB’s way, courtesy of Madison’s steal and dunk and some early, quick offense. According to Ehsan, the team “fed off the crowd’s energy early.” After the team settled in, the lead stayed in UAB’s favor for most of the first half. Toward the end of the first half, UAB had to transition into a 2-3 zone because of the early foul troubles. Blazers suffer a defeat ABOVE: UAB Pep Band performs during the game. CENTER: Hakeem Baxter dunks on Auburn. RIGHT TOP: Cheerleaders pump up the crowd. RIGHT CENTER: Dirk Williams dribbles down field. RIGHT BOTTOM: Chris Cokley, who fouled out of the game, looks on from the sidelines with his teammates. Photos by Ian Keel OUR READERS ON TWITTER: Story by Jack Ryan // Staff Writer // UAB struggled with referee trouble, resulting in 9 “They [UAB] were playing zone early and man late and we hadn’t seen that. That bothered us in the first half. In the second half, we ran some stuff to beat the man and zone,” Pearl said. As the game went on, UAB and Auburn both wound up in foul trouble, to the point where both teams were having to be separated by officials or warned for talking to each other. At the end of the first half, one official was in Madison’s face as he went to the locker room, and Ehsan had to come get between them to make sure Madison stayed out of trouble. “There was a lot of talking, probably too much for a game,” Pearl said. In the second half, UAB hit a lull on the offensive side, and Auburn picked up their defense: a couple of quick steals from Auburn freshman guard Jared Harper led to fast threes by Auburn freshman forward Danjel Purifoy. Cokley committed his fourth foul with eight minutes left in the game and then appeared to say something when the official gave him a technical foul, putting him at five and forcing him out of the game. “I am not sure what happened,” Madison said. “But Chris is one of our top scorers. He is a presence inside that everyone has to guard. Him going out hurt our team.” UAB began to close the gap late in the second half, getting the Auburn lead down to three, but a couple of missed 3-pointers and free throws left too many points on the floor for the Blazers to catch up. “We were right there. Just a few stops and free throws away from winning the game. We just came out flat at half time and it cost us the game,” senior guard Denzel Watts said. “Some days we knock threes down all over the day and today we just could not buy one of them.” Some UAB fans attributed the loss to another factor: the fact that the sold-out Bartow Arena contained a visibly large number of fans adorned in orange and blue. “Here’s what lost the game from the start: [The] crowd [was] 60 percent UAB, 40 percent Auburn. That’s where my disappointment stems,” UAB Bands Director Jess Taylor said. Multiple times after the game, Ehsan thanked students for the large turnout and for filling up the student section, noting that he hopes future home games will see the same level of enthusiasm and participation. UAB will hit the road twice this week. The team will travel to Nacogdoches, Texas to face Stephen F. Austin, who currently hold the third longest home court win streak in the NCAA, on Wednesday, Dec. 7. On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Blazers will face old conference rival Memphis. UAB will return home on Dec. 18 to face Southern University. defeat most foul // jackryan@uab.edu in a 74-70 loss against in-state rival Auburn OPINIONS 10 Ohio State University suffered a devastating attack to their community this In the span of only two short minutes, Abdul Razak Ali Artan hospitalized 11 students during his attack. While it is still trying to be ascertained whether or not the event was an actual terrorist attack, a look at his Facebook showed comments Muslims “killed and tortured,” according to reports from the federal law enforcement officials assigned to the case. Even though this attack going to ask the question: Why? Why would someone want to attack innocent civilians when they are not the ones making commands? Even though we have asked this question time and time again, there seems to be an esoteric difficulty of pinpointing an answer. As a matter of fact, it is more than likely possible that an answer is just never going to be within our reach. Even though the current understanding of terrorism is not fully developed, many psychologists have attempted to put together what they believe is reliable data. Make no mistake though, they realize their data on the complexities of terrorism are more of a theory than good science. It’s kind of hard to psychoanalyze someone who is already dead. According to the American Psychological Association, people who are most open to radicalization and terrorist recruitment generally exhibit feelings of anger and disenfranchisement. They feel their current political involvement does not give them power to affect real change. But probably the most important factor is the belief that violence against a nation or state is not immoral, and that action is the most important motive in change instead of talking out against the problem. Yet as psychologists attempt to understand the nature of terrorism, it becomes increasingly difficult. Of around 300 court cases analyzed by the New York Times, a mere 10 percent of terrorists were affected by mental illness, and only 11 percent had been incarcerated. Two of perhaps the most comforting explanations go out the window. As history is observed and current psychological data is compiled, it can be learned that the “why?” in terrorism may never be found, but the question “How are indoctrinated, how their beliefs are reinforced and how they are led to believe that the cause they might possibly die for is worth it. By understanding how, it might just be possible to prevent terrorist ideology from being spread to the people. Arie Kruglanski, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of Maryland. Kruglanski’s research has shown that from our understanding of how terrorist cults come to fruition, de-radicalization techniques may be possible. Through Kruglanski’s research, it may be possible to de-radicalize those who have been led to believe terrorism is an answer. Through an intellectual component, an emotional component and a social component, terrorists can to clerics of the Islamic faith on the true position of violence in the Quran. The group was given emotional support such as concern for their children’s education with the hope that good education would curb the possibility of propagating more terrorism. Even though terrorism is an atrocious act by man, we cannot simply disregard the issue once the perpetrator is dead. For anything to truly change, we must first garner an understanding for the cause of the problem and then seek to change it. The only thing that makes this difficult is the acts are not fully explicable, even by the perpetrators themselves, but perhaps one day we will have enough information to finally stop senseless violence. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 Aaron Stuber Opinions Columnist abstuber@uab.edu Students, faculty, administration and other valued Kaleidoscope readers, I’d like to take this small chance to introduce myself. I have the honor of being the new Editor-in-Chief for the Kaleidoscope. I have served as Visual Content Manager for the last semester. I went to grade school here in Birmingham, Oak Mountain High School and graduated with a Journalism degree from Auburn University. I have had several newspaper jobs over the years and hope to use the skills they have given me to provide you with best and most relevant product I can. I’ve learned huge amounts from the editors and reporters who I have worked along side this last year, and I am ready to see what we can do next. I’ve lived in Birmingham for most of my life. I love it here. I may be biased, but I’ve always believed in the magic of this Magic City. I love its edges, diversity and magnitude. I see it as a city on the precipice of innovation and acclaim. We are a community whose roots dive deep into history. We feed off who we were and that perspective will be pivotal as we look to a new year. We have a new president, a new school and a new mission. We choose what direction we go in from here. At the Kaleidoscope, my aim will be to keep a pulse on this. Next year, when you pick up the first edition of the semester, you’ll be holding a piece of history: we celebrate 50 years in 2017. I hope you will help us pave the way in the next 50. If you have any questions, concerns or would like to be a part of the Kaleidoscope, please reach out to any member of our staff or email me directly at editor@insideuab.com. I can’t wait to hear from you. Stay tuned, Chandler Jones LETTER FROM SPRING 2017 EDITOR past Monday, Nov. 28. of him being “sick and tired” of seeing fellow hasn’t been determined to be terrorism, people are still does one become involved?” can give us insight into the process of how people possibly enter society changed for the better. For example, Kruglanski’s work has been used in Egypt to stop the bloodshed and prevent any attacks by terrorist group Al-Gama’a al Islamiyya since 2003. By having their issues genuinely listened to, the group was more willing to listen Tragedy brings more questions than answers OPINIONS 11 We live in a world where bananas and apples are now wrapped in plastic to be sold in grocery stores. Believe it or not, peeled oranges can be found packaged in plastic containers. However, there are ways that all of us can help stop the madness. Most environmentally conscious people understand the importance of recycling, but there are many different ways to reduce waste and help protect the environment that may not be as obvious. While it is always best to abstain from buying plastic items that are not reusable, there are some important things to know about which types of plastic can be recycled. If you check on the bottom of plastic containers and bottles, there are numbers indicating the type of plastic. There are seven main classifications, and not all of them are very recyclable. No. 2 plastics are the easiest to recycle and can be used in many different products. Only about 20 percent of No. 1 plastics are recycled. Plastics labeled with numbers three to seven are not recyclable on campus or through the majority of curbside programs. Around 2.5 million plastic bottles are thrown away every hour in America, so consider that before your next plastic purchase. Recycling is not the only way to reduce plastic waste. There are a lot of different ways to help the environment that you may not have considered. Tips to get started 1. Use your dining dollars to buy a reusable cup at Starbucks and get a discount while you are at it. The plastic lids on the coffee cups there are No. 5, which most recycling programs do not accept. Starbucks gives you 10 cents off your drink order each time you use the reusable cup. 2. Use reusable cloth or mesh bags for buying produce. 3. Replace paper towels and napkins with a set of small cloth towels in the kitchen. Thirteen billion pounds of paper towels are thrown away each year. 4. Avoid chewing gum, since most gum is now made with synthetic rubber. 5. Buy products packaged in cardboard or glass as often as possible. Glass and cardboard are both easily recycled, unlike plastic. 6. Bring your own containers for takeout when you go to restaurants. Some styrofoam never biodegrades, and several cities have even banned the use of it. 7. Bring your own silverware when eating on campus instead of using plastic utensils. 8. Eat less meat. Animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation. 9. Rent a UAB garden plot with friends to grow some of your own food. 10. Turn out the lights in your dorm room whenever you leave. If it’s a sunny day, open the blinds instead. Heat and electricity account for a very large portion of greenhouse gas emissions. There are plenty of recycling bins around campus for paper, cans and plastic that are labeled either No. 1 or No. 2. The Alabama Environmental Council has a recycling center in Avondale where you can take products that aren’t as easy to recycle, such as glass and steel cans. There are people there to help you sort everything and let you know which materials can be recycled. “Help preseve the Earth. If not for yourself, then for future generations. After all, there’s only one Earth. It’s best not to waste it,” said Nicole Brown, the Green Initiative president on campus. Recognizing that our trash doesn’t disappear once it’s thrown away can lead to an entirely different perspective on the waste produced by the typical American lifestyle. Some of the products we throw away will remain in landfills or oceans for hundreds or even thousands of years, but there are plenty of ways to reduce our waste and make a positive impact on the planet. Simple ways to stay green Sarah Glover Contributor srglover@uab.edu —Nicole Brown, Green Initiative President Help preseve the Earth. If not for yourself, then for future generations. After all, there’s only one Earth. It’s better not to waste it. Pre-peeled oranges sold in plastic containers, as displayed above, are indicative of the kind of waste that should be avoided. Photo courtesy of Sarah Glover I am not what anyone would call a yogi through any stretch of my body or the imagination. I am what many would describe as a “crazy, cat lady,” which is how I ended up at my first cat yoga class. “Everybody wants to be a cat because the cat’s the only cat that knows where it’s at,” the speakers sang to me as I cursed and muttered my way through yet another “downward cat.” The lyrics were correct; the cats did know where it was at. In fact, a green-eyed beauty stared at me seemingly mockingly as she lounged and chewed on the edge of my yoga mat. The Greater Birmingham Humane Society is the largest and oldest humane society in Alabama, according to their website, and their mission is to “promote the humane treatment of people and animals through education, advocacy and services.” Their programs include animal cruelty investigations, humane education, adoptions, pet surrendering, disaster preparation and volunteer opportunities. The third Sunday of every month, they now also host cat yoga sessions. “We are always trying to brain storm ways we can get people involved in our organization,” said Courtney Underwood, the director of volunteers and community engagement at the GBHS. “A cat loving member of our community approached us about doing a cat yoga birthday party. We loved the idea so much that we wanted to keep the program running.” The cat loving member of the community is Carla Jean Whitley, a features writer for al.com, a certified yoga instructor and the owner of two orange tabbies: McCartney Jane and Harrison Vann. Whitley has a gentle voice and an elegant way of moving. Even cats weaving through her legs and arms didn’t deter her flow. The only distraction was when the allure of huge eyes and soft fur become too much, and she decided to take a break to play around with the cats while she instructed the class, who were also mostly just playing with the cats. “I’m a big birthday person, and this year I celebrated my 35th. The party had to live up to the importance of that number, so I solicited ideas from my Facebook friends,” she said. Picking a winner was simple for her. A friend of Whitley’s and a fellow yoga instructor, June League Hall, had the perfect suggestion. “Find a shelter or rescue where we can do a yoga class while the cats up for adoption move around. As ‘payment’ for the class, everyone should bring an item to donate to said shelter/organization. Then go get coffee at a few places or beer depending on the time of day . . . or BOTH,” the comment read. “Cats, yoga, coffee and beer are among my favorite things,” Whitley said. She e-mailed Underwood, who said the organization had already been thinking of having a cat yoga class. Whitley’s party served as the test group, and the following day she sent a proposal for the monthly classes. According to the American Osteopathic Association, yoga provides benefits such as increased flexibility, increased muscle strength and tone and improved respiration, energy and vitality. For the cats at the humane society, the yoga class offers something more: the opportunity to find a forever home. Underwood said the yoga class was so appealing because it serves as a way to socialize the cats, meet potential adopters and have people become more intimately involved in the organization. “I think the first cat café opened in Japan. Due to population and apartment size, most don’t allow pets making cat cafés a popular destination for young workers looking for companionship. Shortly after, cat cafés began opening everywhere,” Hall said, discussing her inspiration for the yoga class. “As for [cat yoga], I think it’s a perfect combination. In a cat yoga class, you are secretly hoping one of them will end up on your mat, and the more you ignore them, the more curious they are about you.” Spots are limited as the cat yoga trend continues to expand, garnering attention on sites such as CNN, NPR and New York Magazine. I suggest you book early, and don’t stress — no one expects you to do that much yoga. 12FEATURES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 Tessa Case News & Science Editor news@insideuab.com Animal lover meets yogi to introduce Cat Yoga Cat yoga brings new crowds to the human society every third Sunday of the month. Photo by Carla Jean Whitney In exchange for a donation of $15, participants enjoy a unique way to exercise and play with cats. Photo by Jeff Hamilton FEATURES13 BIRMINGHAM OUTREACH Step outside of any residence hall and you are immediately greeted by rows of parked and seemingly secured bicycles. Blount Hall in particular has many bikes adorning the bike racks. While this may come as no surprise, what does is the negativity surrounding the biking culture at UAB, even though the use of bikes on campus is on the rise. Last year, ZYP installed a bike rental station between Blount Hall and Rast Hall. This station serves as a way for students and Birmingham natives alike to rent bicycles for 45 minutes at a time, with various membership options. This allows people who may not have another means of transportation to travel more easily throughout the city. However, some students have expressed disappointment in the program. “I rent bicycles every now and then, but only for special occasions like visits to Pepper Place or for fun one night. There are no large grocery stores close enough for me to ride to, much less enough time to shop before I have to re-dock the bike,” sophomore biomedical engineering student Xander Thomas said. “I wish the membership options were different with ZYP so I could have more time to shop or to even sit down and have a meal without having to go re-dock the bike.” While ZYP provides options for people to get around the city, many students already own bicycles, with the primary reason being a form of transportation to class. “Personally, I think biking is the most efficient mode of transportation around campus. I ride my bike everywhere. I drive it to every class, it is just so much faster to get around campus compared to walking,” freshman pre-nursing student Madison Pruett said. “I am surprised by the very small population of students that ride bikes at UAB. There aren’t many accommodations for bikers besides the occasional bike rack which is almost always full.” However, not all students can enjoy the luxury of biking around campus even if they wanted to. Many people who once owned a bicycle have had their bicycles stolen from the very bike racks that are so full outside the residence halls. “Before my bike was stolen, I thought the biking culture was decent. [UAB] is a relatively flat campus, so biking was my primary way of getting around. However, I constantly had to find different routes to class that wouldn’t be pedestrian-heavy. It’s almost impossible to bike down a sidewalk filled with people, but it’s also terrifying to ride a bike in the streets of Birmingham,” junior neuroscience student Ally Middleton said. “I think this could be fixed by installing bike lanes. Other universities have already done this and have created a safe way for people to get around campus and to help the environment while doing so.” Other students haven’t experienced this first hand, but have known other students who have had their means of transportation stolen from them. “I have a couple of friends who have had their bikes stolen. It is just so sad to see that so many students have their bike disappear, leaving them without transportation. It is also quite disappointing,” junior neuroscience student Ingram Easter said. At first glance, UAB has a blossoming biking culture on campus. With the addition of ZYP bikes and many student bikes parked at the residence halls, it seems like it is booming. However, UAB’s biking culture is stricken with thievery and riddled with traffic. The next step is to figure out how to combat surrounding issues. Gavin Gilliland Staff Writer gjgill@uab.edu Biking culture puts the concrete at UAB to use Bike racks, ZYP bikes, and the concrete layout of UAB offers a suitable environment for biking culture and its problems. Photo by Giani Martin It’s tough to have a bike on campus, you don’t want it to get stolen. It’s inconvenient to run even the most local errands. —Xander Thomas, sophomore BME major Total time: 2 min Makes 1 serving It’s getting close to finals week, and the weather just keeps getting colder. In the rush to cram all that last minute material into your mind, you probably won’t have enough time (or money) to enjoy all the wintery treats that you’re daydreaming of. Fortunately, if you have just a couple minutes to spare, yummy baked goods are in your future. All you’ll need is a few simple ingredients, a spoon, a fork and a mug — no eggs or fancy tools. This cake recipe is quick and easy, and it’s perfectly mobile. No judgment if you take it to the library with you. The best part about this recipe is that you can customize it however you’d like to fit your fancy. You can enjoy this cake as is without any extra frills, or you can add in candy or other ingredients to suit your cravings. Ingredients - 1/4 cup flour (about 3 heaping spoonfuls) - 1/8 teaspoon baking powder - 3 tablespoons sugar (or to taste) - Pinch of salt - 1/4 cup milk - 2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil Directions 1. Combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar and salt) in a large mug and whisk with a fork. 2. Pour in the wet ingredients (milk and butter/oil) in the mug and mix until well combined. 3. Microwave for about 1 minute until cake is no longer wet in the center.* *Depending on the microwave, you may need more or less time. Keep an eye on your cake, and make sure it doesn’t rise and spill over. For chocolate cake, just add a couple spoonfuls of cocoa powder in with your dry ingredients. For vanilla, add 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract in with your wet ingredients. If you want to up your mug cake game, you can put in a spoonful of Nutella, peanut butter or some chocolate on top of your cake batter right before you microwave it. The ingredients on top will end up in the center of the cake. The extra ingredient makes your little cake even more moist and that much fancier. Recipe: One-minute, customizable mug-cake Isabell Moon Contributor isabellm@uab.edu 14FEATURES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016 HOLIDAY FOOD FOR THE DORM This mug-cake recipe is a way to personalize a sweet treat fit for the winter while saving time and money. LEFT to RIGHT: Step by step images of what to expect as you follow the instructions below. Photos by Isabell Moon Use a microwave to make “baked” goods fast, easy ANNOUNCEMENTS BY PHONE: 205.934.3354 BY EMAIL: masutton@uab.edu ONLINE: www.uab.edu/studentmedia Kaleidoscope publishes every Tuesday when classes are in session. Phone: 205.934.3354 Email: masutton@uab.edu Deadlines: Please place your ads by the Thursday prior to publication no later than 4p.m. LEGAL NOTICE — The Kaleidoscope, and its online affiliates, reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at its sole discretion. LEGAL WHAT’S UP15 Personal Maid Service- Basic house cleaning. Honest, dependable, licensed, bonded, flexible scheduling, competitive & local. Very professional with “NO”criminal background. Contact “Maid 2 Serve” at (205)356-2124 or email wisewoman911@gmail.com — Twin beds complete. $199 and up. Dressers/mirrors and chest of drawers. 205-910-0512. CLASSIFIEDS CALENDAR Dec. 6 - 12 TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Write for Rights 131 42st St. S. B’ham 7 p.m. Come help write letters to help support 12 human rights cases around the world. Information at write. amnestyusa.org/cases/. MONDAY BOLD Speaker Series James McClintock Avondale Brewery 5:30-7 p.m. UAB biology professor McClintock is an expert on climate change in Antarctica. “Last Stories and other Stories” Sterne 182 6-7 p.m. Come join UAB Booktalk the first Tuesday of every month to explore unique novels. Teen Engineer BHM B’ham Public Library 3:30-5 p.m. Come hang out with the School of Engineering mentors while they program a robot and more. DAAH Holiday Pop Up Sale HSC Lounge 12-5 p.m. Come check out and buy unique student artwork, t-shirts, pens and more. Relay for Life Holiday Dinner Spencer Honor House 7-10 p.m. Come enjoy a holiday meal and a screening of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” $10 admission. Women’s Basketball vs. FSU Bartow Arena 9 a.m. FINALS WEEK BEGINS Women’s Basketball vs. Samford Samford University 6 p.m. Discoveries in the Making Hoover Public Library 6:30 p.m. UAB grad students present cutting edge research. Harry Potter Holiday Ball Barnes & Noble Hoover and The Summit 7-9 p.m. A magical night of music, dancing and other activities. A Charming Seasick Christmas Seasick Records 7-10 p.m. Old fashioned Christmas party with DJ Paul Wilm, an ugly sweater contest and more. Host Committee Interest Meeting AIDs Alabama 6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn more about the Embody Progress Conference and join the local host committee. Jingle Bell Run Railroad Park 8-11 a.m. Come help raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation’s search for a cure. Tickets at jbr.org. “Polar Express” Alabama Theatre 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Part of the 2016 Holiday Film Series. Tickets available at ticketmaster. Wacky Tacky Lights Tour Avondale Brewing Dec. 11 - 5 p.m. Dec. 14 - 8 p.m. Buses start at 5:30 and run every 20 minutes until 8:00 p.m. $25 adults/$10 kids. Birmingham Ballet The Nutcracker BJCC Concert Hall 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec 10 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec 11 at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30.00 Sounds of the Season UAB’s ASC 3-5 p.m. Dec 10 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec 11 at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30.00 “It’s a Wonderful Life” Alabama Theatre 7 p.m. Part of the 2016 Holiday Film Series. Tickets available at ticketmaster. Opera Shots Buck Mulligan’s 7-9 p.m. New pop-up concert series breaking down the stereotypes of opera. Featuring members of the Opera Birmingham Chorus and guest artists. De-stress Fest Education 242 7-10 p.m. Come relax and de-stress before finals with pancakes and stress relief activities. Tutors and quiet study areas will be available.
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