North Texas Daily - 10/13/2016

Celebrating 100 Years of Journalism Excellence VOL. 108 No.7

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016

NTDAILY.COM

Denton to change council, improve city appearance

By Madison Wilie

BRING ON THE PUNCHES Denton boxing gym provides hope and escape for Flint native

By Austin Jackson Detached from the beige brick of an unused stripmall, a sanctuary of sweat called Jimenez’ Old School Boxing Gym hides behind the shadow of Duffy’s Auto Service shop and a Chevron where food stamps are accepted and their slot machines, according to the clerk, are to “win fun only.”

A step from the asphalt to the concrete slab brings the unique nostalgia of eighth grade P.E. rearing back before it punches you right in the face. But after taking a few steps inside, the smell, like the skill and strength that produced it, grows on you.

The gym, built by Joe Jimenez and operated primarily by his son, Ben, a 22-year-old computer

science junior at UNT, is a home away from home for many.

“They call boxing a poor man’s sport,” Ben said. “Most people who box are kids that go to get off the streets. In Denton, you get the occasional rough house one, but most come here on word of mouth.”

SEE BOXING ON PAGE 7

Boxer Corey Richards warms up at the gym with the punching bag at Jimenez’ Old School Boxing Gym in Denton. Originally from Flint, Michigan, Richards came to Denton and refound his passion for boxing. Sara Carpenter

Campus UNT’s claim to Norah Jones is trivial at best After a weekend of covering Norah Jones, a writer opens up carry brings little change

By Kyle Martin

After campus carry debates, this semester has seen few problems

Incase you weren’t aware, Norah Jones, the brilliant and acclaimed jazz singer, musician and Texas native, is a UNT alumna.

She attended UNT for a short time to study jazz in 1997, and left Texas for

By Kayla Davis Editor’s Note: Some sources in this story are anonymous due to the contentious nature of the campus carry law and for their own protection.

As midterms are approaching, students are in the thick of the semester.

But this semester is not like previous ones.

UNT joined seven other states on Aug. 1 in allowing concealed handguns onto their university campuses. And despite the heated debate from faculty, staff and students on the campus carry policy, UNT seems pretty quiet so far.

A criminal justice graduate student received their license to carry in May and has been carrying a handgun on campus since August.

“I guess the only difference now is that I now have peace of mind if something was to go awry,” the criminal justice student said.

Though the graduate student participates in campus carry, they said they would only pull out their gun as a last resort, relying on verbal communication and stunning techniques first.

“Even if there was a situation where I needed to draw my weapon, I don’t keep a bullet in the chamber,” the student said. “So as a last defense mechanism,

SEE CAMPUS CARRY ON PAGE 3

Norah Jones performs in front of hundreds for Oaktopia 2016 Sept. 23 in Denton. Kyle Martin

New York City in 1999. By 2003, she was a Grammy award winner in “Record of the Year,” “Song of the Year” and “Best Female Pop Performance” for her single “Don’t Know Why,” written

by American singer-songwriter Jesse Harris. Jones met Harris during her time at UNT after giving him and a few of his band members a ride in her 1971 Cadillac.

From there, her career took off and she became everything that she is today with her roots grounded in Texas.

But is she really as grounded in the university as she is played out to be?

When she was in town for Oaktopia, I covered her closely. I saw her interactions with UNT administrators, the press and locals closer than most people that weekend.

That week, she was invited back to

campus. Jones attended a lecture wherein a packed, standing-room only recital hall was filled with students and faculty for a question-and-answer seminar over Jones’s career. Those in attendance got some of Jones’s insight on her time in the music industry, what it means to be a musician, her influences as she rose to fame and even a little about her time at UNT. At the event, UNT President Neal Smatresk presented her with a Presidential Medal of Honor, the most prestigious award the president is allowed to give out.

The Presidential Medal of Honor, and all it’s esteem, has only been awarded to one other UNT student. George Dunham, a 1988 graduate who worked in radio broadcasting and commentary

The Denton City Council launched the early stages of the process to review the city charter on Tuesday.

In a previous work session, the council held a discussion regarding potential revisions to the charter and requested a resolution be prepared for Oct. 11. The charter has not been revised since 2009 and the conversation was originally spurred by citizens’ call for a formal ethics ordinance to be adopted by Denton local government.

But with only one vote for a change to the charter every two years, the prospective changes include more than provisions relating to ethics.

“We’re dealing with a wholesale rewrite,” Mayor Chris Watts said.

“Potentially, on the charter, on some very, very important decisions.”

First assistant city attorney Aaron Leal presented the seven areas for possible modification to the current charter discussed during the prior meeting.

Currently the mayor and two members of the council are elected at-large, meaning they can be voted for by all citizens of the city. Potential alterations will see the makeup of Denton city government change, with six proposed single-member districts and one at-large mayoral district.

But in order to make changes to the city charter, each council member must appoint three Denton citizens to a review committee. The 21 nominees will then be broken into sub-committees of seven and asked to reflect over changes formally prepared by the council.

Council members also discussed the progression of recruiting a city auditor and the process of hiring a city manager.

Over the next months, the council will meet with staff and give direction over a series of candidates for both positions.

The brochure for the city of Denton was approved and will pursue adequate candidates for the position of city auditor.

The city auditor finalists will be chosen and interviewed by the council in early January.

The Downtown Reinvestment Grant Program, a program that provides cash reimbursement grants to businesses for improvements to buildings in the downtown area, will also see changes.

Improvements may include new awnings, signs and utility upgrades for certain businesses. The council will continue to deliberate over whether the grant should be extended to any small businesses on Fry Street, Dallas Drive and on the Interstate-35 corridor.

@MadisonBWilie

SEE NORAH JONES ON PAGE 5

‘Locker room talk’ video dominates second presidential debate

By Julia Falcon The second presidential debate Sunday evening was a slugfest between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump courtesy of the moderators, CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, of ABC. It’s heralded as a political game changer.

Though there was some conversation about the humanity crisis in Syria and equality in the United States, much of the hour-and-a-half town hall debate focused on the character of the candidates, Trump hitting Clinton with the deleted emails and President Bill Clinton’s sexual scandal, and Clinton jabbing Trump on the recent discovery

of a video which shows him making lewd comments about women.

Clinton and Trump did not shake hands in the beginning of the debate at Washington University in Saint Louis. But by the end of the exchange, the two complimented each other, only when prompted by a question, ending the debate on a positive note.

The video was mentioned in the beginning of the debate. Trump summarized it as “locker room talk” and reminded the nation he would destroy the Islamic State.

“I’m not proud of it,” he said.

“I apologize to my family. To the

SEE DEBATE ON PAGE 2

Photo Contributions | Gage Skidmore Graphic Illustration | Tomas Gonzalez

IN THIS ISSUE NEWS

Special Care pg 3 The United States Supreme Court is hearing a case about special education rights across the nation. A story inside details how the law affects Denton County.

ARTS & LIFE

The Dose: ‘Birth of a Nation’ pg 5 Preston Mitchell went to see “Birth of a Nation,” which fell short of becoming a masterpiece. But, he said, director Nate Parker has a lot of promise in his career.

SPORTS

Midseason, Football Is Improving pg 6 As Mean Green football reaches midseason, sports writer Clay Massey reflects on the season so far, and offers an explanation on how the team is improving.

OPINION

More About Trump’s ‘P----y’ Talk pg 8 The editors of this newspaper do not approve of Trump’s lewd video. But more importantly, the reaction to the video is a big problem for Republicans and their leaders.

NEWS Page 2

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016

NTDAILY.COM

‘Locker room talk’ video dominates second presidential debate

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

CHARGES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Iran-aligned Houthi rebels fire on U.S. Navy cruiser again News broke Wednesday of a failed missile attack from territory in Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels, the second such attack this week, according to Reuters. This new attempt to target U.S. military in the region will add pressure on the U.S. to retaliate, which would represent the first time the U.S. takes military actions against the rebels in Yemen’s conflict. According to Reuters, the Pentagon said it would respond “at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner.”

Wells Fargo’s chief executive John Stumpf steps down Wells Fargo’s CEO John Stumpf resigned Wednesday amid the company’s scandal over its sales practices, the BBC reported.

According to the BBC, the bank is investigating how two million accounts were opened without customers’ permission. The bank’s current president and chief operating officer, Timothy Sloan, will succeed him.

Terrorist who planned a bomb attack in Germany commits suicide in jail cell Terror suspect Jaber al-Bakr took his own life Wednesday in his Leipzig prison jail cell, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported.

Spokesman Jörg Herold of the Saxon Ministry of Justice said the 22-year-old hanged himself. He was arrested Monday in his Leipzig apartment where authorities found plans for a bomb attack in Germany. The Syrian was turned in by his compatriots after attempting to escape from police.

U.S., Russia to hold new diplomatic talks on Syria

American people. Certainly, I’m not proud of it. But this is locker room talk,” Trump said.

“When we have a world where you have ISIS chopping off heads, where you have frankly drowning people in steel cages, wars, and horrible, horrible fights all over — so many bad things happening. Yes, I’m very embarrassed by it. I hate it. But it’s locker room talk and it’s one of those things. I will knock the hell out of ISIS. We’re going to defeat ISIS.” Trump then pushed one

of the moderators, Anderson Cooper, to “get on to much more important things and much bigger things,” like Clinton’s email scandal.

“Well, like everyone else, I spent a lot of time thinking over the last 48 hours about what we heard and saw,” Clinton said. “I said starting back in June, that he was not fit to be president and commander-in-chief. And many Republicans and independents have said the same thing. What we all saw and heard on Friday was Donald talking about women.”

The candidates paced back and forth throughout the debate,

with a crowd of undecided voters sitting behind them.

Sitting in Trump’s family box were four women who accused Bill Clinton, Hillary’s husband, of sexual abuse.

As she did in the first debate, Clinton told the crowd to go to her website and fact-check everything she and Trump said.

“You can fact check him in real time, last time at the first debate, we had millions of people fact-checking, so expect we’ll have millions more fact checking,” Clinton said. “It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the

law of our country.”

Trump replied with, “because you’d be in jail.”

The final question from an undecided audience member was, “would either of you be willing to name one positive thing you respect in one another?”

Clinton praised Trump’s children, while Trump admired Hillary’s drive.

The next and final presidential debate will be held at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 19.

@falconjulia22

New student publication opens on campus

By Lauren Gordon Wavelenght Weekly, a new student-run digital magazine, premiered last week, offering UNT student an online platform to express themselves while discovering shared interests.

On its website, the magazine declares how it will stand out from other blogs.

“For the average millenial, we provide informative topics and engaging photography for topics that are usually shied

away from,” the site reads.

Wavelength is not an official club at UNT, but its staff is comprised of several students from the Mayborn School of Journalism, along with other students who share common interests in writing, editing and photography.

“We hadn’t really seen something like us happening in Denton, so we were all wanting a safe place to write without too many restrictions,” said Amir Salim, the online magazine’s

editor.

The online magazine will cover topics ranging from news to student life in Denton, staff members say. They want the magazine to be an online destination for students wanting to discover new fashion trends, humrous articles and even politics.

Abigail Pfaff, a photography sophomore, works as an assistant photo director and staff writer for Wavelength.

She’s helped created content for

the magazine for more than a year.

“I am most excited about working with so many creative and intelligent people,” she said. “I love brainstorming about future articles, photos and events because our staff brings so much to the table.”

The magazine is currently searching for new writers and photographers.

Carl Bernstein and P.J. O’Rourke talk politics in UNT appearance

According to The New York Times, Russia and the United States will hold talks on Saturday in Switzerland, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday. They will be the first talks between the two powers since efforts to revive cease-fire negotiations fell through more than a week ago when Americans suspended scheduled talks. The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement said participants would include “a number of key countries in the region to consider possible further steps to create conditions for the settlement of the Syrian crisis.”

North Texas Daily Editorial Board Dalton LaFerney | Editor-in-Chief Adalberto Toledo | Managing Editor Kayleigh Bywater | Managing Editor Reece Waddell | Managing Editor Preston Mitchell | Editorial Page Editor Tomas Gonzalez | Visuals Editor Colin Mitchell | Deputy Visuals Editor

By Bina Perino Journalist Carl Bernstein and writer P.J. O’Rourke were on campus Wednesday for “A Funny Thing Happened In the White House,” a Distinguished Lecture Series talk.

Political science professor Kimi King, the moderator, asked Bernstein and O’Rourke questions about the presidential election and future of American politics.

“Our election isn’t about the candidates, but about where we are as a country,” Bernstein said.

Bernstein is an investigative journalist, widely known for his part in exposing the Watergate scandal that pressed President Richard Nixon to resign in 1974.

Bernstein called this year’s

election the “election from hell.”

He took time to discuss the problems with both candidates.

His outlook was not optimistic.

“We had Clinton, Sanders, Johnson, Cruz and Trump,” said O’Rourke. “That doesn’t sound like a list of candidates, it sounds like a bad law firm.”

O’Rourke is a political satirist and author who writes about current political issues.

He is a frequent panelist for National Public Radio’s game show “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” and a columnist at The Daily Beast.

When talking of Hillary Clinton, O’Rourke made several jokes about the e-mail server scandal. Bernie Sanders, O’Rourke said, is the “Donald Trump for people who live in

their parent’s basements.” And Gary Johnson “thinks Aleppo is a brand of dog food.”

“Younger generations have the opportunity to solve the problems left by our generations,” Bernstein said.

Bernstein mentioned that despite all the remarkable revolutions and movements in the past, regarding the rights of all races, genders and sexualities, his generation broke the system.

“Politics is growing in size, scope and expense,” O’Rourke said, “The government is being tasked with too many responsibilities and has too much power.”

Bernstein added onto O’Rourke’s point, describing the United States as a meritocracy.

The issue, he said, isn’t just about the elite, but an oligarchy of multi-millionaires.

King: “What perceptions of our candidates are real, despite the media?”

O’Rourke: “The media will cover a circus.”

He mentioned the media are following Trump because he’s entertaining. But to that point, “you are the media.” The information is out there in the open, but it’s up to the public to make informed decisions.

Bernstein: “Hope resides in young people. The reality this generation faces creates attitudes that can change the system.”

@binazahara

The democratic process at work

Production Team Hannah Lauritzen | Design Editor Jillian Lim | Deputy Design Editor Linda Kessler | Copy Chief Chelsea Watkins | Designer/Copy Editor Evan McAlister | Designer/Copy Editor Samuel Wiggins | Staff Illustrator

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To pitch a story, please email pitch.ntdaily@gmail.com A Denton County Democratic Party worker rushes to register students to vote Tuesday inside the University Union. Tuesday was the last day to register to vote in Texas. Dalton LaFerney

TRENDING @ntdaily @thedose_ntdaily @ntd_sports

#JanetJackson

In an interview with People magazine, Janet Jackson, 50, announced she is pregnant. “We thank God for our blessing,” the pop star said.

#KardashianLawsuit

Popular culture star Kim Kardashian filled a lawsuit Tuesday against MediaTakeOut.com, which claimed she staged her robbery that happened last month.

#CoverBoy

COVERGIRL, the makeup company, selected, for the first time, a man to model-spokesman for the company. James Charles, 17, was chosen.

#ObamaToMars

The U.S. president joined the likes of Elon Musk in delivering a plan to get humans to planet Mars by 2030.

He detailed his plan in an op-ed for CNN.

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 3

So far, no issues reported with controversial campus carry law CAMPUS CARRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 I would chamber my bullet so my aggressor understands the situation they’ve put themselves into.”

UNT chief of police Ed Reynolds said the day-to-day operations of the university have not changed because of the law and so far there have not been any reported violations.

But this change has not been welcomed by all.

Associate professor in the Mayborn School of Journalism, Tracy Everbach, a leading opponent of campus carry, thinks the law could keep students from sharing

in classes because they’re intimidated.

She even included a section in her class syllabus stating students should report if they see a classmate violating the law by not concealing their weapon.

“It’s not conducive to a learning environment,” Everbach said.

English professor Deborah Armintor has voiced similar opinions over campus carry.

She changed her syllabus to oppose the law inside the classroom - something that garnered controversy this summer.

Chair of the political science department

A student enters the Business Leadership Building for class Tuesday afternoon. Dalton LaFerney Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha doesn’t see the added value in having campus carry at UNT. “A good rule of thumb is the status quo should change if there is a problem,”

Eshbaugh-Soha said. “I didn’t see a problem.”

Not all faculty share the same beliefs though. Other staff members have joined

with students and have begun bringing their handguns onto campus as well.

“I think it really hasn’t made any notable difference,” said a staff member in the political science department. “There are a few states where it’s been in place for a while. I know some people who teach at these institutions and they say nothing has really changed for them.”

Though the professor was against campus carry at first because of the effects it could have in an educational environment, so far they have not seen hesitation on classroom discussions.

“Campus carry is something I opposed in principle, but I can also see the reasons in favor [for it],” the political science professor said. “So for those reasons, as long as it’s legal, I participate.”

@kaylajeann19

Here’s what you need to know about Denton’s battle for ethics reform

By Madison Wilie In Texas, local government is not required to provide a code of ethics beyond what is drawn out by the state. Despite this, cities such as Fort Worth and San Antonio have enacted ethics ordinances, further expanding on the moral standard of not only government officials and members of the council but also all employees of the city.

Denton is one of many cities that has not adopted an ethics ordinance. But with a growing population and a near billiondollar budget, citizens have discussed tightening the ethical standard of their local government.

Community and council members have advocated for a review of the current ethics policy and the

adoption of an ethics ordinance for the past 10 months, but the idea has met resistance.

Opponents of reform argue state law is sufficient enough to maintain a high standard of ethic on the local level.

“State standards go all the way to felony status,” council member Kevin Roden said. “So if we’re talking about having strong teeth when dealing with issues that the city would have, the state guidelines are stronger than anything we can do as a city.”

When he was the state attorney general, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott published a document, titled, “2012 Texas Conflict of Interest Laws: Made Easy,” in which he asked and answered 28 questions with the intention of breaking down the conflict of interest policies provided for local government by the state.

As Abbott pointed out, the local government code does not apply to personal matters of a member of a governing body. It also notes that the code does not outline the moral standard of the city staff.

The latter has been driving a push for an ethics ordinance amid a recent investigation into the alleged misconduct of two city staff members.

According to the Dallas Observer, assistant building official Chris Lanzi was required to go to sexual harassment training after a city employee filed a harassment complaint.

Further investigation revealed that Lanzi was additionally involved in a relationship with his boss, Denton’s director of development services, Aimee Bissett. Bissett was also accused of making a business deal with a friend when she did not have the

power or authorization to do so.

The Observer said she willingly resigned with a severance package worth more than $91,000.

Denton’s current ethics policy is not specific about situations like that of Lanzi and Bissett because it does not apply to city employees.

“When you compare what we have with what we need, it’s day and night,” Wazny said.

Councilwoman Kathleen Wazny is one of the leading campaigners for the implementation of an ethics ordinance. Since her election in January, she has pushed for its consideration at city council meetings, but the idea was shelved numerous times.

While Denton does currently have an ethics policy in place, the guidelines lack intricacy.

The policy, council member Roden admits on rodenfordenton. com “reads a bit more like the

As Supreme Court hears special education case, UNT education professor weighs in

Boy Scout Oath than it does a substantial set of laws governing the behavior of public officials charged with overseeing a city of 120,000 with a budget nearing $1 billion.”

The City of Denton Ethics Policy, which can be found on the city council’s webpage, names the required attributes of an ethical government employee in a list.

The list calls for members to be service-oriented, fiscally responsible, communicative and cooperative. But the simplicity of the policy is one of the reasons Wazny believes an ethics ordinance is necessary.

“We have a very watered-down ethics policy,” Wazny said.

The councilwoman admires tougher codes like San Antonio’s.

San Antonio’s 38-page ordinance is intricate in defining the duties and ethical responsibilities of all

Two staffers visit Discovery Park

By Steven Payne

In 1982, Amy Rowley, a deaf student, was about to start kindergarten in Peekskill, New York. Her parents, wanted to give her the best education they could provide, wanted a full-time sign interpreter, but the district did not comply. The case went from docket to docket until it got to the Supreme Court which agreed to the school district, saying that the district did its job to provide her with free and appropriate education -- a minimal bar was set.

Thirty-four years later, the Supreme Court has decided to hear a case regarding special education programs on Sept. 29 after a Colorado family pulled their kid out of public school and placed him in a private school in order to receive “better educational opportunities.”

After a diagnosis of autism, Endrew Joseph’s parents believe that their son’s education was not progressing at Douglas County Schools and decided to take them to court.

Seeking tuition reimbursement, Douglas County Schools denied them, and said Endrew did receive some educational benefits. The circuit court also sided with the school and cited the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), saying the

act set up opportunities for kids with special educational requirements to obtain such education, but it did not specify to what extent. Not satisfied, Endrew’s parents, Jennifer and Joseph F, petitioned for their case to be heard at the supreme court level.

Though a primary catalyst for change, Endrew’s parents said that IDEA did not highlight specific special education requirements for public schools.

“Resolving the conflict among the circuits will ensure that millions of children with disabilities receive a consistent level of education,” Endrew’s parents wrote.

Since 2004, Texas’ education policies have systematically pushed enrollments in special education classes down to the minimum required of 8.5 percent though the national average is 13 percent. And some districts, such as in the Dallas area, serve even fewer kids with special educational needs.

“It is very disturbing,” said Estes, an educational psychology professor at UNT. “It goes against federal law [and] it appears that Texas may be out of compliance.”

The top five biggest districts in Texas have seen enrollments for special education programs go up.

Denton ISD has reported that enrollment has increased by 1,295 students, and a 2.5 percent growth will occur in the next 5 years.

There have been six districts in Denton County that have seen in a

loss of special education enrollment: Argyle ISD, Aubrey ISD, Krum ISD, Pilot Point ISD, Ponder and Sanger ISD. Though Texas does have full inclusion in general education, this program is nationwide.

The Houston Chronicle initially uncovered unequal education standards across the state and published their findings early September, then notified the Department of Education which then ordered Texas to show proof that all students got the attention they needed.

“I knew that there were fewer and fewer students being served in Texas,” said Estes.

After talking to an elementary school principal in Arlington, Estes said she discovered that out of 800 students only 26 were identified for special education because she was having trouble identifying the kids that need the program.

When Estes taught in Arlington, she said a population of 500 students had three special education teachers with 26 students on each of their rosters. Estes said generally in Texas, there is no shortage in special education teachers but the enrollment cuts will decrease the teacher ratio.

“I was shocked,” Estes said. “It was the first inkling that I received that Texas wasn’t serving the amount of students they used to.”

To be identified as needing special education, there are

numerous tests, including a meeting in front of a board of teachers where diagnosticians, educational psychologists, counselors, speech pathologists, and an assessment specialist, all sit down and review the diagnostic test.

By putting a cap on the number of students admitted, Texas has set a higher bar that would qualify kids for special education.

“I think they did to save money, that’s my own opinion, and they were very successful,” Estes said.

The Houston Chronicle found out that by setting the 8.5 percent enrollment, The Texas Education Agency was able to save billions of dollars.

Since 1982, the standard has been set with the Rowley case, which brought forth that the nation has to provide free appropriate education.

Later the IDEA act was passed and has only been amended twice since then. Now the recent case from Colorado, brings up all mass inequality that has built up since the Rowley standard was placed, thus placing much more significance to this case. If overturned, the case could potentially overturn the Rowley Case.

“I am glad they are ruling on this case,” said Estes. “Every kid deserve free, appropriate education.”

@SadiaSaeed97

@MadisonBWilie

Want to work for Google?

Children play outside of Wellspring Christian Academy on 1919 N. Elm St. Jake King

By Sadia Saeed

employees of the city, from getting gifts to the timeliness of filing reports.

The City of San Antonio’s ethics code says that “by prohibiting conduct incompatible with the City’s best interests and minimizing the risk of any appearance of impropriety, this Code of Ethics furthers the legitimate interests of democracy.”

To adopt an ethics ordinance, council members must have the majority vote. In spite of Wazny’s advocacy, the votes still lean the other way. There has been some progression, however. On Tuesday, a resolution was released stating that the council is calling for a review of the City Charter. After this review, the ordinance will be considered.

Two Google software engineers from the Mountain View headquarters in San Francisco came to UNT Discovery Park this past week to share insights with computer science students interested in a future working for the company.

Allen Calderwood, from Virginia Commonwealth University, and UNT alumna Cassie Chin volunteered to travel to Texas and Virginia to find talent for the company and offer new opportunities for budding technical engineers soon to graduate.

“Monday we had two seminars, the first one being a talk about what opportunities are available for juniors, seniors, and master’s students, as well as what Google is looking for and how [graduates] can apply,” Chin said. “We also did a short presentation on resumes, and how to build a resume. [Tuesday] we did a presentation for freshman and sophomores for Google Internship opportunities, and we also presented over how the interview process at Google works.”

The seminar over the interview process drew the most attention, with students working together in groups to work computer science problems similar to ones they might encounter during interviews with Google recruiters. The interview itself is unique, because most candidates who apply to Google don’t have the means to simply fly or drive to San Francisco from around the country.

“We want to get the students familiar with what makes them a good candidate, and hopefully, over the coming years, UNT will produce more students that are ready to apply to Google and bring in more engineers,”

MAKE HISTORY.

Calderwood said.

“Google recognizes that there are great engineers at schools other than ones such as MIT or Harvard.

You don’t have to go to an Ivy League to be an engineer; every school has its top ten, and I believe that they are definitely just as competitive as other schools, and Google feels that way as well.”

Calderwood works as an engineer on the Android phone app, while Chin helps maintain the company’s YouTube channel.

“What will happen is that candidates will send in their application for a specific job, and if Google thinks you’re someone they’d want to hire, then someone will reach out to you for a phone screening,” Chin said. “If you get past that stage, there will be a series of phone interviews, and then you’ll be asked for an onsite interview if you’re coming full-time. If you’re an intern, you might not be required for on-site interviews.”

During the phone interview stage, candidates will be connected with the interviewer over Google Docs and solve problems to show their skills during a 45-minute session.

Chin and Calderwood explained that Google interviewers try to find out how a candidate thinks, their leadership skills, their rolerelated knowledge, and their “Googleyness,” a unique quality about a person’s personality which makes them a fit for the company.

“The main thing I learned was to definitely learn more coding languages,” computer science freshman Alexandra Triampol said. “Every good computer science major should always know how to think on their feet and problem solve. I wish I had seen more hands-on activities other than the coding, but that’s mainly what being a coder is: knowing how to code.”

More information internship opportunities with Google such as Engineering Practicum, Engineering Internship, and Engineering Residency can be found here.

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application deadline: 10/28/16 by 5 p.m. email: NorthTexasDaily@unt.edu to apply or call 940-565-4265

ARTS & LIFE Page 4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016

NTDAILY.COM

Seniors Sonja Pizzini (left) and Jenna Erben (right) model hats from their organization, Love Your Melon, here at UNT. Their organization’s goal is to raise awareness about pediatric cancer and raise money for research. Katie Jenkins

Love Your Melon aides in cancer research and awareness

By Kyle Martin Love Your Melon began as a simple idea of putting a hat on every child battling cancer in America. The organization, founded at the University of St. Thomas, was an entrepreneurship class project created by two students who wanted to develop their own business. LYM has since then grown to become a national organization, with one of its recent chapters, comprised of 11 UNT students, making a start in Denton.

Captained by biology senior Austin Hendren, the UNT chapter of the business made it onto campus after Hendren saw one of the the LYM products on the

Instagram of one of her friends at Texas Tech University. Shortly after, she decided to put together a “campus crew” of her own.

“As a crew, our goal is to just create a little piece of happiness for the children and get their mind off the treatments that they may be undergoing,” Hendren said.

Once enough credits are earned, crews are allowed to expand their numbers in the organization and take on events like household donations. With household donations, the crew gets assigned a family to donate LYM time, resources and products to in an attempt to alleviate stress from the family going through pediatric cancer treatment.

“The household donation events are just to get the children’s minds off of the treatments they may be

battling with at the time and just to therapeutically help them through this journey of battling cancer and overcoming something that has latched onto them that they didn’t even see coming,” Hendren said.

The Campus Crew program has reached over 11,000 members nationwide at 736 different educational institutions. The LYM website says that the organization as a whole has donated over 75,000 hats and raised over $1.1 million to go to their partners in pediatric cancer research, including organizations like CureSearch and the Pinky Swear Foundation.

Half of all net proceeds are donated to nonprofit LYM, in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Prices for products range from $5 for a LYM koozie to $215 for a cashmere baseball cap. Beanies,

one of their most popular products, are $30.

September was pediatric cancer awareness month, and, Hendren said, the organization spent time spreading awareness and handing out flyers to help bring attention to the issue of early-childhood cancer.

Hendren said that last year the organization sold about 175 products and this semester they have sold 19. She and her crew set goals for the organization to reach, like getting social media traffic to their Facebook page and the organization’s websites, as well as reaching enough credits to do housing donations and hospital donations.

Jenna Erben, a speech pathology and audiology senior, and Sonja Pizzini, a biology and

spanish senior, are two of the 11 members in the organization who help to spread awareness toward pediatric cancer and sell LYM products.

Pizzini got involved with the group after meeting Hendren on a study abroad trip to Costa Rica last year. After learning about the organization, she joined their crew and has been helping ever since.

“When we’re out here raising awareness and money for [pediatric cancer], we know that helps, but then actually getting to be there to see how it’s affecting people,” Pizzini said. “I think that’s the best part.”

Erben said that one of the goals they are currently working toward is becoming a formally recognized organization on campus.

The organization is currently

allowed up to 20 members and Hendren said that they are looking to expand. Every day, 43 children are diagnosed with cancer, and one out of eight will not survive, according to CureSearch.org.

Erben is looking to help curb those numbers with her involvement with LYM, and she said being able to help out is a reward all it’s own.

“Just getting to see a kid smile when you give him the hat is awesome,” Erben said. “And it also just lets them know they’re not alone. They have an army of people cheering them on and helping them through it.”

@Kyle_Martin35

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NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 5

UNT’s claim to Norah Jones is trivial at best NORAH JONES CONT. FROM PAGE 1 Network from 1994 to 2014, was the other lucky recipient.

Dunham has had heavy involvement in UNT affairs and dedicated himself to his work for the university.

The same cannot be said for Norah Jones, however, which says more about the value of the award to the university than anything else. It seems as if it’s all just a publicity stunt. It was an attempt, by the administrators, to capitalize on Jones’ success.

Why would UNT give a Presidential Medal of Honor to a student who didn’t even graduate from UNT and left at the first opportunity she could? Are there not other students and alumni more deserving of such an award? What about the school’s engineering students who built storage space for Habitat for Humanity in 2009? Or Dr. Cheng Yu, an associate professor in the College of Engineering, for his book and research regarding cold-formed steel construction? Or the students who competed (and won) in a NASA fall

2015 design challenge? What about awarding any of the philanthropy work done for the Denton community

by Greek organizations on campus?

The arguable point up for thought is that UNT is quick to siphon off fame and publicity by using Norah Jones’s name, be it on their “Notable and Famous Alumni” page in the campus publication “The North Texan,” her photo in the Kerr Dining Hall or with the UNT’s sudden involvement in Oaktopia this year.

UNT was sure ready to jump on the opportunity for publicity once Norah Jones’s name hit the ticket. However, if you try to find instances of Jones speaking highly of her time in college or UNT, it’s not easy.

“Waiting for inspiration isn’t always ideal because sometimes you’ll be waiting for a while,” Jones said to students and faculty that September afternoon during her guest lecture. “Find what works for you. Everyone is different.”

Jones didn’t wait around in Denton for inspiration, which is evident in her sudden uprooting to New York.

Objectively, there’s a lot of gray area where her time at UNT is

concerned. She attended UNT for two years, where said she learned a lot. This is rightly so since UNT has a Grammy award winning jazz program and a music school with an abundance of accolades. Despite that, Jones was meant for a different world of music outside of her collegiate endeavors. In reality, she was to move on to bigger and better things that she wouldn’t find in Denton.

“I try to just stay excited about music and that’s what I’m trying to accomplish,” Jones told the recital hall.

Mentions of UNT are short-lived in many interviews with Jones, from a 2003 interview with Oprah for O Magazine, to her recent interview with the Texas Monthly, published this month, UNT is no large part of her inspirations.

UNT has a world-renowned music program, as is shown by our history of awards and the accomplishments of a more-than-capable faculty. There are great reasons to come to UNT, reasons just as great to study music here. However, what can be argued is that moving to New York City and collaborating with renowned

artists like Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and so many others, as well as being raised by parents like American concert producer Sue Jones and famous musician Rahvi Shankar, must have had a more significant influence on Jones than her abbreviated stay in Denton.

The fact of the matter is that the life and career of Norah Jones had little to do with UNT, but UNT makes a large claim to her anyways.

All of this taken into account, what she did find during her time in Denton and at UNT was her connection to the music industry through Jesse Harris. This could be the redeeming part of her entire UNT affiliation, but arguably, this alone could not be enough to make such a significant claim to her name. She was involved with performing acts in the music program and had her own musical groups she was a part of, but otherwise, Jones didn’t have too much involvement with the school.

As a reporter, it is good practice to stay around after coverage of an event and get input and dialogue from whatever subjects you are covering.

So, as a *weathered* journalist, I

stayed after to interview Jones and her band. While I waited around for half-an-hour outside of her backstage trailer for her to come out, shmoozing her tour manager and kicking rocks, I couldn’t help but be excited. I couldn’t wait to interview the famous Norah Jones that I’d heard on the radio, seen on TV and just watched live onstage, not even 20 feet from me. This was to be one of my most memorable interviews of my student media career.

And so it was. All 30 seconds of it.

Understandably, Jones was headed to wherever Norah Jones goes to after a music festival performance, and she was rushed, by her [horribly rude] entourage-lady-friend and just by a want to leave. I thought for sure though, being that this was such a massive welcoming back for her in the town she once stayed, she’d want to talk to her old university paper.

As she was walking away, she assured me one question. I asked three. This was my exchange, after introducing myself as student media: Me: “What did you think about the fest and how was your time here?”

Jones: “It was super fun and I love

it.”

Me: “That’s awesome.”

Jones: “Yeah.”

Me: “And you got that medallion, what do you feel about that?”

Jones: “I did. It was fun but, you know, mostly it’s just fun to hangout.”

Me: “Awesome. What are you going to do with the rest of the time you’re here?”

Annoyed entourage lady: “That’s three questions you’ve asked now!”

Jones: “Answer one more question and then turn my brain off.” *end exchange* Perhaps the most trivial part of this entire ordeal is that UNT treated her time back in Denton as some massive “homecoming,” but did Norah Jones really feel as though this was actually coming home? Onstage for Oaktopia, she performed beautifully and mesmerized hundreds in attendance.

However, this may speak more on her talent as a world-famous musician and performer, and less on her excitement to be back in Denton.

@kyle_martin35

The Dose: ‘The Birth of a Nation’ tells the story of Nat Turner

By Preston Mitchell You would think with all of the controversies and hoopla surrounding it, “The Birth of a Nation” would be one of the year’s finest films. Tainted by rape charges from his college years, writer, director and actor Nate Parker (“Beyond the Lights”) has a lot to prove with his ambitious epic, a passion project about the life and times of resistance leader Nat Turner.

All of the requisites of brilliant filmmaking are present and accounted for, including stellar performances, beautiful cinematography and a perfect music score. But despite all of those factors, “Birth of a Nation” falls short of excellence.

In the film, Parker stars as Nat Turner, a man born into slavery but given the privilege to read and study the Bible. Once Turner grows up, he’s taken across the country by his master (Armie Hammer), who profits from Turner preaching select passages – and

ignoring others – to make working slaves more obedient. During this journey, Turner is exposed to hardships that eventually entice him into leading the infamous slave rebellion of 1831.

The most interesting aspect of “Birth” is its approach to the historical genre. Unlike “12 Years a Slave,” which brutally and audaciously portrayed the violence and mental degradation of servitude, “Birth” details America’s perversion of religion for the purpose of conquering an entire race. The film cites scripture from start to finish, delivered in ways that are meaningful, bleak or a mixture of the two.

Under Parker’s watchful eye, impressive for a first-time director, the themes and brutality are tackled with the caliber of a tenured Oscar nominee. The way the camera takes in plantations, fields and houses paint canvases throughout the film. Parker’s approach to slave violence is more minimalist than vicious. Focusing on

the aftermaths rather than the methods of cruelty proves to be more disturbing than ever.

As much as I want to praise this film implicitly and call it an instant classic, this is one of those rare films that should’ve been 30 to 40 minutes longer. Clocking in at a meager two hours, it spends most of the time on Turner’s childhood, marriage and relationships with other slaves. While Turner is fleshed out and supremely performed by Parker himself, there’s too many times where scenes abruptly switch at pivotal points, leaving several supporting characters criminally underdeveloped.

Even though Turner’s wife (Aja Naomi King) plays a major role initially, she’s barely alluded to for a huge chunk of the movie, making me question her relevance for a long time.

Also, the film gingerly builds up to its war-heavy climax – the selling point of every trailer – and ends too fast to be

resonant. Worst of all, Parker spent so much time on the plight of enslavement that he failed to humanize any white characters.

As crucial as it is to portray racism from black perspectives, “12 Years a Slave” and “Selma” both benefited from realistically showing different ideologies of the opposite side: racist and unprejudiced. Steve McQueen and Ava DuVernay made modern masterpieces on African-American rights that didn’t shy away from the hypocrisies and flaws of their subjects, as well as the character development of other races.

“Birth” falters in that approach, pigeonholing its actors into good and evil archetypes and killing them off without enough on-screen evolution to create earned emotions.

Lastly, Parker clearly watched “The Revenant” and made Alejandro Iñárritu’s mistake of having surreal visions interrupt the story at random

points. While I appreciate artistic expression, all of these instances were corny and gave incongruity to an otherwise realistic film.

Although its problems disappointed me, “The Birth of a Nation” is still a good movie. There’s enough superb direction and narrative importance

for me to recommend seeing this in a theater. While it’s not as classic as it could’ve been, it does make me curious to see what else Nate Parker will direct.

Hopefully, the training wheels will come off next time.

@presto_mitch

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SPORTS Page 6

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016

NTDAILY.COM

CHANGING THE CULTURE AT NORTH TEXAS

By Clay Massey When Mike Ekeler was playing linebacker at Kansas State University under Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder in the early 90s, he set a record.

But you won’t find his name scribbled in the NCAA history books anywhere.

“When I played a hundred years ago, I set the NCAA record for having more fun than anyone,” Ekeler said.

“When I got into coaching, I said I was going to enjoy it more than anybody.”

From high-fiving players to running up and down the sidelines, Ekeler’s antics have caused just about everyone to take notice — including his boss. Head coach Seth Littrell knows the excitement Ekeler brings to the field and summed it up in two words.

“Energy and passion,” Littrell said.

“He’s very sharp. He understands what he’s looking for and understands the scheme.”

Without Littrell, Ekeler would not have come to Denton. The hiring of Littrell is one of the main reasons Ekeler decided to call North Texas his new home.

With a resume that has coaching gigs at the University of Southern California, Oklahoma University, Louisiana State University, Indiana University, Nebraska University,

and most recently, the University of Georgia, there is little doubt Ekeler could have landed just about anywhere in the country he wanted to go.

But coaching is a job for a people person, and Littrell knew just the person to call to fill his defensive coordinator void.

His former colleague was sold — and ready to join the Mean Green.

“I’m 100 percent standing here today because of Seth Littrell,” Ekeler said. “I think he’s an unbelievable football coach and a great person. I believe in the guy.”

Despite a powerhouse pedigree featuring some of the most renowned football programs in the nation, one thing mattered above all else to Ekeler.

“I’ve worked at some of the greatest schools history-wise in the game,” Ekeler said. “But what it boils down to is people. You can be at the University of Georgia and be miserable if you’re working with shitty people. I really enjoy my work environment and the players here.”

In just six short weeks, Ekeler has turned what was the eighthworst defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision last year into a stone wall in the red zone.

The Mean Green rank 79th in total defense in the FBS, with opponents averaging 418.8 yards per game. And compared to 2015, the Mean Green defense has cut its opponent’s points

per game total almost in half.

But the red zone is where North Texas shines.

Inside the 20-yard line, the Mean Green are tied for 38th in the country with Duke University, Appalachian State University and No. 7 Louisville in red zone defense. The energy Ekeler brings to the defense is a big part of the turnaround.

And the players feed off it.

“He’s always jumping up and down and never letting us get our heads down,” senior defensive end Jareid Combs said. “Don’t let him slap your hand after a big play. He’s going to hit you hard.”

At the same time, Ekeler gets his buzz from his players.

“I feed off their energy,” Ekeler said. “These guys are out here loving it. They’re having a blast. We’re just having fun together.”

While relationships and fun are a massive part of coaching, Ekeler does not let that get in the way of what he hopes to accomplish, which is teaching his players.

Most of his fun comes from watching his players grasp a new concept.

“That’s all we are – teachers,” Ekeler said. “I enjoy teaching. When the guys get it, and understand it and come together to play for each other, it’s fun to watch that come together.”

In six games this season, junior defensive back Kishawn McClain

has run rampant, setting a new career high in interceptions with three. He is also tied for the team lead in tackles with 41.

Part of that is thanks to Ekeler focusing on the fundamentals.

“He’ll coach you on what you need to do,” McClain said. “He’s a mentor, a teacher and a coach all in one. I look up to him and I really respect him.

He’s given me a lot of knowledge on

Defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler yells from the sidlines during a defensive possesion against Marshall. Colin Mitchell

the field and off the field. I really like that about him.”

Relationships are important to Ekeler, and the relationships he has built in his short time in Denton have helped in the overhaul of football culture at the university.

And even though having fun and winning are his top priorities, Ekeler ultimately knows what all of his players need.

“They don’t need an old man like me to be a friend,” Ekeler said.

“They need somebody to be a mentor.

They need somebody to teach them, somebody to develop them. In my opinion, we’ve got a bunch of great teachers on this coaching staff, and we’re going to get it done.”

@Clay_FC

Defensive coordiantor Mike Ekeler stands on the sideline during the Middle Tennessee State University game.

Ekeler spent the first two seasons as inside linebackers coach at Georgia. Colin Mitchell

COLUMN

North Texas football showing drastic signs of improvement

By Clay Massey It’s the middle of October, which means we’re at the halfway mark for a few things.

For one, the semester is halfway over and midterms are lurking over students like hawks. On a more

positive note, North Texas football is at the halfway point of its 2016 campaign. Just as I predicted at the beginning of the season (I didn’t), the Mean Green are sitting pretty at 3-3 with a 2-1 record in Conference USA. So, unlike last year when North Texas had the dreaded and inexplicable week one bye, the Mean Green now get a muchneeded week off in the heart of their three-month trudge, which gives us time to answer the following question.

What the heck is happening in Denton, and are we actually seeing #NewDenton?

Yes, yes we are.

The numbers are pretty convincing. In 2015, the Mean

Green scored 182 points all year.

Through six games in 2016, North Texas scored 155 points.

Go back and read those last two sentences. Really soak it in, because that is absolutely incredible.

The offense is night-andday better. The Mean Green are averaging 25.8 points per game this season, 10.6 points higher than their 15.2 average from last year.

True freshman Mason Fine was called upon in week one to lead the offense and has been sublime. Fine has only coughed the ball up twice in six weeks, throwing an interception at Florida and fumbling last week against Marshall.

You can’t ask much more from

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your freshman quarterback, who is probably worried about his English 1310 midterm this week.

And while the offense has improved by leaps and bounds, the real story of this team is the defense.

Under first-year defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler, North Texas’ defense is holding opponents to 28.7 points per game.

Last year, opponents averaged 41.2 points per contest. When you cut your opponents scoring almost in half, you’re going to win some football games.

Even though the wins have come against schools with a combined record of 1-13, each victory counts exactly the same as North Texas pushes for its first bowl game since 2013.

Junior defensive back Kishawn McClain has stepped up into a leadership role and has gone above and beyond. He has been crucial to the defense’s success and leads the team in interceptions, with three.

In fact, the defense has been what has kept them in a majority of games. Against Middle Tennessee State University, the Mean Green thwarted the Blue Raiders for nearly an entire half before surrendering a slim sevenpoint lead.

Against Marshall University, the defense forced the Thundering Herd to settle for field goals, which

were missed on both occasions.

The offense then went out and strung together a few scoring drives that put them in the driver’s seat, and the defense sealed the deal with a pick-six.

Hallelujah. Light the tower, because that is how you win games.

I said before this season, this team would take some time to come together. It has taken time, but it’s happened quicker than I expected. In the win against Marshall, North Texas looked like a football team poised to make a bowl game.

All with a true freshman quarterback at the helm.

At the halfway point of the season, the Mean Green has arrived. Whether you look at the

strong defensive play, the 3-3 record or performances by certain individuals, there is plenty to get excited about.

Almost one year ago to the date, North Texas was 0-6 with an interim head coach after getting utterly and historically embarrassed on homecoming 66-7 by Football Championship Subdivision Portland State University.

Those days are long gone.

Get used to what you’re seeing from this Mean Green squad because the new regime is here.

@Clay_FC

North Texas junior running back Jeffery Wilson (26) runs toward the endzone.

Wilson had two touchdowns against Marshall. Colin Mitchell

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 7

UNT club hockey back on the ice following suspension

By Courtney Anderson In the fall of 2015, the UNT club ice hockey team was grounded by Rec Sports following a probation violation.

Originally, the suspension was slated for an entire year, but after an appeal, the team had it reduced to Jan. 1, 2016.

The team was suspended after the former club president failed to file paperwork before a scrimmage, according to assistant coach Nick Henderson.

Following the suspension, there was miscommunication about the process of refunding students their money who had paid in full at the beginning of the season.

“When we got suspended, our dues got cut,” Henderson said. “But there were guys that paid their dues fully upfront. Once the season was over, they got their money back.”

Henderson is determined to not make the same mistake twice.

“It’s not an easy club to run,” Henderson said.

“Even with the three

or four guys we have put in charge now. We started a new conference and we have to get all the logistics taken care of and paperwork for that as well so it is a lot.”

Garrett Nall was the club president when the suspension was handed down last fall, and assistant coach Kevin Speicher said he

had a flaw that proved to be costly.

“The last president just tried to do everything himself,” assistant coach Kevin Speicher added. “He never asked for any help.”

Both Henderson and Speicher will enroll at UNT in

the spring, so they are unable to play for the club until then. Since they are not currently UNT students, they are also not seen in the eyes of Rec Sports as the president and vice president.

To counter the problem, the duo run the team as coaches.

One of the main struggles both men agree on is funding.

North Texas forward Brett Oland gathers the puck in during a practice at the Irving Dr Pepper StarCenter. Dylan Nadwodny

The club set up a GoFundMe account about two weeks ago and set a goal of $5,000. As of Wednesday afternoon, the club has raised $1,450.

The account is set to close Friday.

“We had a budget allocation presentation for Rec Sports,” Henderson said. “They give us money each year and when we did our budget for the entire season we included the individual cost of player gear, driving out here, ice time,

everything.

Overall, what this team costs out of pocket is about $65,000.”

Aside from ice hockey, Henderson said most expensive club sport at UNT is lacrosse.

The difference, Henderson said, is lacrosse practices on a campus field whereas hockey must travel 35 minutes twice a week to practice on ice.

The team also has two games almost every weekend. When everything is tallied up, ice time and referees cost nearly $1,600.

Since Rec Sports cannot cover the entire budget necessary to keep the club operational, costs like these usually come out of pocket.

Speicher said the team is still feeling the effects of the suspension, even though it has been almost a year since.

Though they started last season with 18 players on the roster, many quit after the suspension was handed down.

There were people that showed

up to this season’s tryouts but have yet to show they are fully committed to the team.

“There are tons of people that go to UNT that play hockey,” Speicher said. “But none of them want to come out because they don’t think we’re a legitimate program because of the suspension I guess.”

Finance junior and team captain Bradley Harley said he believes the recruiting process has been the biggest obstacle for the club this year.

A full roster for a game is 22 players, and UNT started the season with only eight – which presented a major problem.

“We have been fighting hard to find players to grow our team,” Harley said. “This year we’ve been really focused on recruiting and making sure we have everything in line. Now that we have the [suspension done with], we feel like finding hockey players at UNT should be easier.”

Although UNT has joined a new conference just created this season, the club has failed to produce a single win so far.

The new conference UNT joined is the Texas Collegiate Hockey Conference that includes eight teams split into two divisions: north and south.

The north division is made up of Texas Tech University, Texas Christian University, Dallas Baptist University and UNT. The south division includes the University of Texas at Austin and at El Paso, Texas State University and Texas A&M University.

While all three men agree they are looking to finish out the season with hopes to making it to the playoffs in the spring, some just wish they received more recognition on campus for who they are and what they do.

UPCOMING GAMES

Friday • Soccer @ UAB starting at 7 p.m.

• Volleyball at home vs.

UTEP starting at 7 p.m.

Saturday • Cross country Pre-National Invitational in Indiana.

• Swimming and diving meet in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Sunday •Volleyball at home vs.

Florida Atlantic starting at 1 p.m.

MEAN GREEN QUICK HITS Football North Texas does not have a game this weekend, as the team is on its bye. With a record of 3-3, the team resumes action next Saturday when it travels to take on Army.

Soccer The Mean Green lost its first Conference USA match of the season on Sunday, 3-0 at UTSA. They are currently 1/2 game behind Western Kentucky for first place in C-USA.

Volleyball North Texas returns to Denton from a three-game road trip for a threegame homestand. The Mean Green have a record of 9-11, and will look to improve to .500 over the weekend.

@CPaigeA23

Denton boxing gym provides Mean Green soccer adjusts after hope and escape for Flint native unexpected injuries BOXING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 People come to the gym for various reasons.

From the light feet and slender frame of Denton-Guyer junior Yessy Valdez, 17, prancing in silence as he boxes the shadows, envisioning his first official fight coming in the next few weeks, to Junior Pizarro, a 25-yearold truck driver with a devastating right hook that sends the punching bag reeling back and forth in between his back and forth trips from Waco.

Pizarro said he’s here to box and has lost nearly 60 pounds – dropping from 429 to 373 was just a bonus.

All this activity comes hard for one member of the gym’s family, seen holding a trophy from his 2011 Golden Glove tournament on the gym’s front desk. After three years spent in the shadows of his professional boxing career, Corey Richards, 32, is undertaking the challenge of teaching what comes so naturally to him.

After the gym clears out past the 8 p.m. closing time, Richards stands toe-to-toe and teaches a wordless lecture to 22-year-old Brian Flowers — correcting the whiff of an overly aggressive haymaker with a pop, pop, thwack counter combination.

He doesn’t say much to Flowers in the long sessions stretching into the twilight hours, mostly teaching by example.

But when he does speak, Flowers is all ears.

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Flowers came to the gym with 325 pounds on his 5’8” frame. Now four years later, he fights competitively at 165 pounds.

“Coming in at 325, you see [everyone else] working,” Flowers said.

“You know you’re nowhere near where they are, and it’s like ‘okay, let me see what I can do and learn.’”

His mentor, Richards, was one fight away from qualifying for the Olympic trials in 2012 and fought professionally until 2014. He said the life of an athlete comes at you fast and, now 32, he struggles with the reality of his normal job as a warehouse manager at Health Tack Rx, a toxicology distribution and testing facility in Denton.

Richards first learned to box with his wrestling teammates and childhood friends, Andre and Anthony Dirrell, who are both professional fighters. Their grandfather, Leon Lawson Sr., a former sparring partner of Muhammad Ali, used to drive them to the gym. It was there Richards learned the work it takes to be great.

But instead of boxing, Richards focused on football.

Originally from Flint, Michigan, Richards’ unsatisfied hunger, fight and love of boxing were forged in the rough Maple Avenue neighborhood on the North Side of a city notorious for using water and bullets to fill its residents with lead.

Richards said the weather and poverty make people cold-hearted, and all many want to do is get out.

At the age of 18, Richards had his shot to leave via a scholarship to play football at the University of Charleston in South Carolina. Richards said the warmth and southern hospitality, a term he described in juxtaposition to Flint’s culture of minding your own business, was a welcome shock.

After his freshman year, the hardhitting safety from Flint overtook the starting spot, reeking havoc over the middle of the field just hoping quarterbacks would make the mistake of throwing his way. After graduating and spending a year abroad professionally for the Aix-EnProvence Argonauts in France and being told he wasn’t fast enough, the cocky athlete was sent home hobbled and humbled with a torn meniscus and a degree in Sports Management.

“I was a graduate with a degree and I couldn’t get a job,” Richards said.

“It’s different. [Flint] is almost like a ghost town, man. Lots of abandoned buildings. Even my elementary school closed down. The whole neighborhood is wiped out.”

After mourning his career as a football player and facing the harsh reality of Flint’s economy, Richards called a friend and, in 2010, took off for the economic opportunity of Denton.

“I was just trying to get out,” Richards said. “I bought a one-way ticket and I’ve been here ever since.”

After finding a job, Richards also found Jimenez’ gym, and under Joe’s wing, he soon made his new dream of becoming a professional boxer a reality.

“I had a mentality where I expected to win,” Richards said. “I was a little cocky. I worked for it.”

Richards went to visit his family in Flint last week and said going back is always eye opening. The intervals of blight around the city just keep encroaching around his home.

His high school, Flint Central High, had been in the heart of Flint since the 1800s, but now joins the list of over 20 schools that lie vacant.

“When I go back now, It’s heartbreaking,” Richards said. “My high school closed and the middle school I went to closed down as well.

Sometimes it feels like I don’t have any history.”

Richards said being a Flint transplant is complicated. He misses his family left behind and misses his home, but the reality of making a life in such a bleak environment is something he can’t envision.

“It’s my history,” Richards said.

“It’s where I grew up. When I go home I look at my city and it’s crumbling down to pieces. I can’t say I’ll move back there, but I miss it.”

Back in the secure comfort and warmth of Denton, Richards continues his routine, working early mornings until 3 p.m. and then training four to five nights a week, imparting wisdom and keeping the dream of fighting again on life support.

“Just recently I had the urge,” he said. “I want to fight again.”

@a_jack17

By Matt Brune A few weeks ago, North Texas soccer was in first place in

North Texas sophomore goalkeeper Brooke Bradley (1) handles the ball affter a save against Abilene Christian.

Bradley is currently out with a hand injury. Dylan Nadwodny

Conference USA and comfortably hitting its stride.

That is, until two key players went down.

Devastating injuries struck the soccer team two weeks ago in successive practices, as sophomore keeper Brooke Bradley and senior defender Alexsis Cable both fell victim to the injury bug.

“It sucks not being in and playing,” Bradley said. “It’s really hard for me to sit here and watch from the sidelines.”

Cable is out with a knee injury for the remainder of the season, and Bradley is out with a broken pinky with no timetable set for her return.

The two girls being tasked to fill in are freshman keeper Miranda Schoening and junior defender Tori Phillips. While these two players offer different skills to the team, assistant coach Daniel Dobson said the overall approach has not changed.

“It’s basically just next player up,” Dobson said. “We have full confidence in Miranda coming into goal and Tori at center back. We won a conference championship with Tori at center back her freshman year, so nothing changes.”

Tactically there have only been minor changes to accommodate each player’s skill set. For example, Schoening struggles with goal kicks, while that is perhaps Phillips’ greatest strength. She can send a ball over 50 yards at will, pushing the team forward quickly.

Sophomore defender Carissa Sanders is going through adjustments of her own as she attempts to merge with Phillips’ style of play.

“Tactically, [it changes] just a little bit,” Sanders said. “[During goal kicks] I would have to come back and take Tori’s spot which didn’t help with offside traps. But, [Miranda] has fixed it, so we should be fine for the next game.”

Being injured does not change that fact that both Cable and Bradley have always been team-first type players and remain that way. They have helped aid the defense in

making these small adjustments.

And although she’s only a sophomore, Bradley is happy to mentor a wide-eyed, yet talented freshman Schoening.

“Before Miranda’s first game against Western Kentucky, I pulled her to the side and talked to her before the game and tried to encourage her,” Bradley said.

Cable and Bradley have been reliable and at times crucial components for North Texas. The two have averaged over 82 minutes per game through 11 matches this season.

Throughout the year, the coaching staff and girls have stressed depth.

This has created belief that every player on the roster can come in and contribute regardless of the situation.

“Having two of the best players out, we have belief in the two players coming in,” Phillips said. “People believed in me coming into that role, and we believe in Miranda coming in for Brooke. As long as we believe in each other we’ll be perfectly fine.”

As the team moves forward, leadership will become an emphasis while Mean Green approaches the home stretch of their 2016 campaign. “[Leadership] starts with the seniors,” Dobson said. “They help lead this team with their confidence.

And that Western Kentucky game, getting the 2-1 victory, helped the rest of the team gain the confidence.

I think the girls did a good job responding [to the injuries].”

Five regular season games remain for North Texas before the C-USA tournament begins. And even though they’re sidelined, Cable and Bradley attempt to attend most practices, knowing their spirit alone will help the girls end the season strong.

“I’m here for my team,” Bradley said. “I like to be here and do as much as I can to support. I talk to everybody, try to keep the team happy, and keep the atmosphere the same.”

@mattbrune25

OPINION Page 8

NTDAILY.COM

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016

Credit card chips only increase problems

By Morgan Sullivan If you’ve used a credit card in the past couple of months, you’ve experienced the havoc that chip readers have instilled in consumerism. Although the cards are supposed to be more secure, their confusing nature leads to longer processes.

First off, some of the machines equipped for chip reading don’t work. You psych yourself up to shove your card in that awkward little slot under the keypad, only to look like a babbling idiot when the cashier mumbles, “Oh, we don’t do the chip reader,” like you’re supposed to know that already.

There’s no point in spending the extra money for the machines if you’re not

going to use them. It’s confusing to give consumers a new way to pay for things without properly introducing it.

Stores need to choose one way of paying and stick with it. With some places offering chip readers and some not, you’re always on the fence about what payment option to use. Perhaps this is a very minimal, trivial thing, but the annoyance is enough to ruin your day. Stores need to sit down and all agree: are we using the silly chip reader or not? I’m tired of trying only to be let down, again and again.

The new readers also tend to take up far more time than the normal swipe method does. You insert your card. The machine tells you to wait and not remove your card. You wait around awkwardly.

You think about making small talk with the cashier, but you’re unsure of what to say. The weather hasn’t been so nice lately. It’s too short of a period to ask about politics or anything of substance. So instead, you wait in stunning silence with bated breath as seconds pass by.

How long has it been? Five, 10 seconds? An entire minute? The waiting period is just the right amount of time to begin selfloathing and overthinking your purchases. The whole endeavor could make one into a very anticapitalistic individual.

Finally, the machine beeps angrily at you and allows you to remove your card. It will not destroy the

capitalist system today. Maybe chip readers would be better if they gave you motivational speeches or beeped happily instead. I’d certainly spend more money if I heard Tom Haverford from “Parks and Recreation” telling me to treat myself rather than a machine beeping at me angrily.

On top of consumer annoyances, the new chip cards force more nuisances on retailers.

On Oct. 1, 2015, outlets that hadn’t upgraded their systems became liable for any fraudulent Visa, MasterCard or Discover purchase.

American Express put this liability on retailers Oct. 16 of that year.

Putting a liability on retailers to have chip readers is pretty daunting, considering the machines only went mainstream in the states within the last six months. By practically forcing retailers to get these machines, card companies are putting those customers who don’t at risk. Thieves will target non-chip machines because they are much easier to get information from.

Changes are necessary and added security should always be welcome. Chips won’t solve everything, though.

Online purchases are still incredibly susceptible to security problems.

More and more people buy goods and services online.

Security comes at a price, but don’t expect chips to save the world.

@sadsquadch

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How Trump’s video makes Republicans look bad The Editorial Board If one man has split the Grand Old Party in two, it’s Donald Trump. It’s no secret the man’s publicized, illiterate antics have made him an antihero of sorts to a subculture of conservatives.

In house, however, Trump has become more controversial than he appears to be on the outside.

Friday saw the release of a 2005 video, in which Trump describes forcing himself upon women through sexually aggressive means, which has created controversy across the nation toward Trump, Republicans and the very nature of gender relations.

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan condemned the video, saying he was “sickened by what [he] had heard” that day and would no longer defend Trump’s actions.

Instead, he seeks to use the next four weeks to maintain the party’s congressional power.

In response, Trump fired back at Ryan and like-minded conservatives on Twitter. Not only has he called Ryan a “weak” and “ineffective” leader, but Trump rebelliously declared “shackles have been taken off” him so he “can fight for America” in his own way. Within this tirade, Trump also called out Republican Sen. John McCain for pulling out his endorsement, claiming he

“wouldn’t want to be in a foxhole” with McCain and his kind.

As we wrote about last week, many Republicans’ views of both presidential candidates will not change congressional disagreements in the future. At the same time, Trump’s reckless persona (both on and off the small screen) has plagued the GOP enough, creating division and issues that will plague the party for years to come.

First off, the criminalizing video doesn’t just hurt one man’s reputation. It makes the Republican Party look bad in general.

Until this past weekend, few Republican officials spoke up against Trump’s negative comments against blacks, Hispanics and women. Very few challenged his plans to build an anti-immigrant wall, which would simply raise new taxes to generate revenue. Conservatism, as a philosophy, has long been rooted in the promotion of a stable economy, and creating a desirable work force of Americans — including Hispanic and Latino Americans. After everything that has been reported about Trump and his contestable opinions, it makes little sense how one single video would be the tipping point for the GOP. Trump’s wallbuilding proposals and hatred for immigrants should’ve been

enough for party-mates to block him from being the official candidate.

But no, it took a single video to do the inevitable and tear a longstanding group apart. While it’s sad how long it took for the party to take a stand, the video’s content is even more disheartening upon subsequent glances.

By saying he’s a “star,” so women will let him do anything from kissing to grabbing them “by the p---y,” Trump typified the problem with today’s silver spoon culture. Thanks to Republicans letting this same man into their politics, they’ve perpetuated a man hiding behind his celebrity to justify sexual assault. The same man who’s already notorious for misogyny. The same party which is already has blocked the progress of middle class Americans through their congressional grip.

As shady as the Democratic Party has become, and as idiotic as Gary Johnson is all the time, neither face such a threat to their philosophies like Republicans are doing right now. Whether Trump wins or loses, the puppeteers behind each GOP action will have to eventually compromise on various discussions to maintain their party’s mere existence.

Judging by the polling numbers, they’re not reclaiming the White House anytime soon.

How has Obama impacted your life?

From The Editor When Barack Obama was first elected as president, I was a middle school student in East Texas. One student, I remember, planned to use her small allowance to move to Canada. One teacher cried (in fear) as she told us of the change about to happen to our country.

That student is currently enrolled in Texas A&M University, and the teacher is still teaching English in Texas.

Spaces filling fast for Fall 2017!

But a lot has changed.

For me, some of that change has been positive. Obama and his administration has made it clear that the rights of gay people are the rights of all people. I have seen, however, the Affordable Health Care Act impact members of my family in a negative way, forcing their premiums to increase.

Whatever your perception of the Obama years, I want to hear from you. From now until the election, we will be reading and writing opinion columns from

young people exploring their experience through the Obama years.

As the future of our country hangs in the balance, share your thoughts on the last eight years.

So send me a letter, 500 words, to my email, laferneyd@gmail. com.

I hope to hear from you.

@daltonlaferney

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