1-21-10 Edition

Under Construction

freshman balances music, school ARTS & LIFE: UNT Page 5 fun when dealing with creditors VIEWS: Having Page 8 basketball team upsets Jaguars SPORTS: Women’s Page 10

Students tire of construction projects Page 2

Thursday, January 21, 2010

News 1,2,3 Arts & Life 4,5,6 Sports 7,10 Views 8 Classifieds 9 Games 9

Volume 95 | Issue 3

Sunny 65° / 47°

ntdaily.com

The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas

UNT ROTC program welcomes new cadets

BY SHEA YARBOROUGH Staff Writer

New recruits have provided a competitive edge for UNT’s Army ROTC program since the beginning of last fall.

Since the program’s conception at UNT, the Army ROTC has recruited 56 cadets, a large jump from the three cadets who started in the fall of 2008.

The jump is significant for any ROTC program, but especially one as young as UNT’s, Sergeant Jeremy Link said.

“Most campuses have wellestablished ROTC programs and have the same numbers that we do — we are only two years old,” he said.

Increasing numbers led the way for UNT’s ROTC to compete in their first Ranger Challenge last fall. The national competition is broken down into regions.

Among UNT’s region are schools including Texas Christian University, UT-Arlington and Baylor University.

A co-ed team, composed of eight cadets, was sent to compete at San Antonio’s Camp Bullis near Fort Sam Houston.

R a nger C ha l lenge w a s conducted over a n entire weekend and required the cadets to compete in events like land navigation courses, a 10-kilometer-foot march with a

PHOTO COURTESY OF CADET SHELBY HENDERSON

Clint Lorance, arts and sciences senior, Maddison Craig, history freshman, Gary Adams, criminal justice junior, Shelby Henderson, political science sophomore, John Williams, John Stewart, criminal justice senior, Dallas Hopkins, kiniesology junior, and Brad Cesarone, arts and sciences senior pose for a picture after the weekend of training.

25-pound backpack and a handgrenade assault course.

“Their only requirement was to not come in last,” Link said.

If the competition itself wasn’t challenging enough for UNT’s newly formed Army ROTC, the cadets only needed to look around at the Army Rangers who were judging the competition, said Cadet Brad Cesarone, an applied arts and sciences senior.

“It was a scary feeling for me to see the special ops Army Rangers judging,” Cesarone said.

Shelby Henderson, a polit-

ical science junior, said she wasn’t as intimidated by the Army Rangers as she was by the monkey bars that snaked their way across the obstacle course.

“Even as a kid I couldn’t do the monkey bars,” Henderson said. “Not enough upper body strength.”

Being the first group from UNT to compete, the cadets said they felt anxious about the unknown.

The land navigation course proved most challenging for Cesarone, he said. He had to find his way through rocky

PHOTO COURTESY OF CADET SHELBY HENDERSON

(Down from the left) Dallas Hopkins, kinesiology junior, Gary Adams, criminal justice junior, John Stewart, criminal justice junior, (right) John Williams, Shelby Henderson, political science sophomore, and Brad Cesarone, arts and sciences senior, go through an obstacle course of securing a casualty to a bed to be carried away. terrain, holding on to his fellow cadets so no one would become lost or suffer a sprained ankle before he reached the end of the course.

“We had to break down large tree branches that were in our path just to get through the thick brush,” Cesarone said.

The obstacle course was to be completed in nine minutes and led the cadets through unsteady balance beams, a

rope swing, elevation changes, and for Henderson, the dreaded winding monkey bars.

Along the way the cadets had to stop and treat a 180-pound dummy for casualties, load it onto a stretcher, and carry it through the rest of the course to the finish line. “ We f i n i s he d i n f i v e minutes, but it felt like forever,” Henderson said. “I was proud we all survived.”

The cadets received either sixth or seventh place at the competition. The results were unspecified after second place,” Link said.

“But it wasn’t last and that’s all that matters,” said Cesarone.

The competition will take place during the fall semester.

“Everyone is going to have to be more competitive if they want a spot next fall,” Henderson said.

Local talk radio co-hosts continue UNT support

BY K ATIE GRIVNA Senior Staff Writers

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLIVIER DOULIERY/MCT

In December, UNT Risk Management Services organized a free H1N1 clinic at Discovery Park where more than 1,000 people received the H1N1 vaccine.

H1N1 threat remains

BY LISA GARZA

Senior Staff Writer The number of confirmed H1N1 cases may have dwindled since fall, but health officials continue to encourage people to get the vaccine.

Since Sept. 1, there have been 164 positive cases of Influenza-A confirmed by the Student Health and Wellness Center. Beginning today, the center is providing free H1N1 vaccines during specific clinic hours to the UNT students, faculty and staff.

More than 200 injection/shot vaccinations and about 50 intranasal mists were received by the center after the winter break, Reggie Bond, director of the Student Health and Wellness Center, said in an e-mail.

“We can order more as needed,” he said.

The Centers for Disease C ont rol a nd P re vent ion expanded the criteria of at-risk groups to include the majority of students enrolled.

“We’re taking the recommendations to still provide the vaccine to groups on campus that are considered priority by the CDC,” said Luis Tapia,

the emergency planning and management coordinator. “We want to make sure that they have the opportunity and the access to the vaccine if they wanted it.”

Last month, the Denton County Health Department collaborated with UNT Risk Management Services to organize a free H1N1 clinic at Discovery Park. 1,382 people received the H1N1 vaccine at the clinic, which was open to the UNT and Denton communities.

Vaccines were also administered to interested students on Tuesday at Kerr and Victory halls and Wednesday at Crumley and West halls.

Typically, the seasonal flu does not last until the spring but health officials reported confirmed cases of H1N1 lasting through the summer.

As of Jan. 9, one flu-related death occurred in Denton County, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The Dallas County Health Department reported its 24th confirmed death of an H1N1

related virus Wenesday.

“Knowing that H1N1 is still behaving the way it is, we felt it is appropriate to continue to team up with the county health department in offering H1N1 clinics on campus,” Tapia said.

Controversy over vaccine effectiveness On Dec. 7, manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur notified the CDC and the Federal Drug Administration that the potency in four batches of pediatric syringes, which were distributed across the U.S., had dropped below the pre-specified limit, according to a press release.

The strength of the vaccine’s active ingredient decreased from the time it was shipped by manufacturers.

“We are notified when a vaccine is recalled and work with our providers to give them the latest information from manufacturers,” said Carrie Williams, press officer for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

See H1Ni on Page 3

When George Dunham entered the lobby of West Hall his freshman year, he planned to major in business and make the men’s golf team.

After meeting Craig Miller, his plans changed.

Flash forward to present day where Dunham and Miller now co-host the Dunham and Miller morning show with Gordon Keith, from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on KTCK-AM, 1310, The Ticket SportsRadio.

“I just had a blast, I just loved my days at North Texas,” Dunham said. “That’s why I’ve really tried to stay around since I graduated.”

They met and studied radio, television ,and film at UNT and graduated in 1988.

Sunday will mark the pair’s 16th year of hosting the show together.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAY WHITESIDE

UNT alumni George Dunham and Craig Miller of Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket met while attending UNT.

Dunham and Miller started a sports talk show on KNTU every Monday night for 45 minutes.

Miller said that the two would trade off on who hosted the show while the other disguised his voice to make sure they always had callers.

Learning together “It was good experience. We The duo met when they figured out how to run a show and both lived at West hall.

“Only the best live at West, handle calls and talk to guests,” so that’s where we were,” he said. “I don’t think anybody ever listened but it was fun for Dunham said.

When he found out Miller’s us.”

Miller said he enjoyed his interests in studying RTVF, Dunham said a light went time at UNT and would stay on on in his head and said he campus during the weekends thought, “Wow, I can maybe while everyone else was going home. do that.”

“I just loved it,” he said. “I never Dunham grew up as a huge sports fan and listened wanted to leave.” to games on the radio often, and he said the major seemed 16 years later to fit him.

After graduating from UNT He soon began working at in 1988, Miller said he lived in KNTU-FM, 88.1, UNT’s radio Colorado for a year racing bicystation eventually doing play- cles. Later, he returned to Dallasby-play commentary at high Fort Worth and worked at KRLDschool games as well as helping AM, 1080, News Radio, where out at NTTV. Dunham also worked.

“I feel like I owe a lot to In 1994, they began the show North Texas because they on The Ticket. gave me the foundation for Miller said people continue to my career, my life that I have tune in them because they have now,” Dunham said. a natural chemistry.

“We were friends and roommates before we were co-hosts, so we had a naturally built in chemistry, that we knew each other and had the same sense of humor and that kind of thing,” he said. “We’re not like two radio people just put together in the same room and they told us to do a show.”

Miller said finding the right balance between serious sports talk and goofing around is also what makes the show important.

“I think if it was all goofing around, it wouldn’t be that entertaining to people, and if it was all serious sports talk, it probably wouldn’t be all that entertaining,” he said. “But doing both and finding that right balance, I think is what makes it listenable.”

While they might argue over sports, Miller said they continue to get along.

“For the most part, I think we’re like an old married couple and just kind of know how to deal with each other,” he said. “I don’t think we really get sick of each other, otherwise we couldn’t have done this show for 16 years.”

See HOST on Page 6

News

Page 2

01.21.2010

T.S. McBride, Rebecca Hoeffner & Melissa Boughton, News Editors

ntdailynews@gmail.com

UNT remembers hardworking professor

BY MORGAN WALKER Senior Staff Writer

The psychology department has begun work on scholarship fund in memory of professor Frank Collins, director of training for the Clinical Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine Doctoral Program.

Collins died of natural causes at Doctors Hospital in Dallas on Dec. 19. He was 58.

Once completed, the scholarship fund will be awarded to psychology graduate students, said assistant professor of psychology Jennifer Callahan,.

A memorial Web page with information on how to contribute to

the fund has been posted at the department of psychology Web site.

Collins’ colleagues in the department of psychology remember him as an influential figure with a gift for making friends. Callahan was not only one of those colleagues — she was his wife. She said she enjoyed working with her husband.

“I’ve heard people say that they could never work with their spouse, but we really liked it,” she said. “We got to have lunch together every day.”

Collins’ reputation in the academic community preceded, said John Ruiz, a psychology

professor.

Ruiz, who conducted research with Collins, said that he came to UNT because he knew of FRANK Collins’s repuCOLLINS tation and his record of success. He said that he and Collins collaborated well together.

“Frank was very dedicated to his work,” Ruiz said. “He was an expert in developing training programs, which is probably what he was best known for.”

Lee Cohen, a psychology professor and director of clinical training at Texas Tech University, worked with Collins for nearly five years. Collins influenced him to teach.

“I went into graduate school hoping to be a clinician and I’m an academic psychologist now,” Cohen said. “His influence really pushed me in that direction.”

His colleagues remember a man who was not just a professional who excelled in his career, but had an active personal life as well.

He was an avid collector of comics, music and Starbucks coffee cupsdepartment of Web

Callahan said.

“He had a collection of about 15,000 comic books at one time,” she said. “He also had a huge music collection — just some of the many things that he collected.”

“He was a very well-balanced individual,” Cohen said. “He worked hard but he also really believed in having a life outside of work.”

Collins was born in Charlotte, N.C., and obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Northwestern Louisiana State University. He held positions at Rush Medical Center and the University of West

Virginia before earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Auburn University.

Collins also served as director of clinical training at Oklahoma State University.

Kimberly Kelly, a psychology professor, worked on the doctoral program committee with Collins since he joined the university about two and a half years ago.

She remembers Collins’ easy way with people.

“He knew how to interact with a wide variety of people and made everyone feel very comfortable,” Kelly said. “He was a wonderful director and very student oriented.”

New buildings on campus bring high expectations

BY TIM MONZINGO Staff Writer

The beeping of forklifts and trucks, the clamor of hammers and the sight of cranes reaching for the sky have become familiar to students on campus.

The Business Leadership Building and t he nearly completed Life Sciences Building have dominated the campus skyline for months, bringing with them hopes for greater academic achievement and interaction with the greater Denton and Dallas area.

Marshall Gough, a history freshman, said that the construction has bothered his routine.

“My route from where I eat lunch at Kerr Hall to where I come to work was cut off,” he said. “It’s just annoying.”

Brian O’Mara, a journalism sophomore, said he has been concerned about the construction.

“It does seem kind of

connects to the dangerous,” O’mara c u r rent Biolog y said. “Last year Building and is the there was a whole basis for the Life bunch of ice and Sciences Complex, other stuff falling which Killam expects off the cranes to bring a wealth of when people were knowledge to the walking around.” campus.

Faculty and staff “It allows us to involved in the attract top-notch projects said they researchers to UNT, are excited about who will bring grant the new facilimoney with them ties, despite the from where they’re concerns. currently employed “I think everyone and give them high from our gradquality, brand new uate st udent s, research facilities to our faculty and cer ta i n ly t he PHOTO BY DANIELLE MURDOCK/PHOTOGRAPHER work in,” he said.

Killam said that ad m i n i st r at ion The new Life Sciences Building, connected directly to the Biology Building to undergo construction on the despite the cold and is eager to get it UNT Denton campus. rainy weather, the f inished,” sa id Finley Graves, the dean of the he said. “The faculty is all pulling construction is still on schedule Bob Killam, a faculty member in the biology department who College of Business, said it is an together, working together. It’s for completion this summer.

Graves said the new business has been working with architects exciting time for his department just a great place to work right building should be open to the now.” and constructions teams on the as well.

The Life Sciences Building 5,650 students in the college by “It’s just a great place to be,” new Life Sciences Building.

next year.

The building is intended to create a greater sense of unity in the college by consolidating it.

“The faculty will not be divided by departments,” Graves said.

“There will be an opportunity for greater interdisciplinarity.”

The business building is also striving to adhere to the environmental commitment of UNT. “It will be a green building,” Graves said, “In fact, were going for Gold LEED certification.”

Gold certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design means that the building will meet specific regulations on its environmental footprint, such as energy and water efficiency as well as sustainability.

Graves said he hopes the building will become something the university is recognized for.

“We certainly hope it will become an iconic building as well.”

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News

01.21.2010

Page 3

T.S. McBride, Rebecca Hoeffner & Melissa Boughton, News Editors

POLICE BLOTTER Tuesday Jan. 19, 2010 A UNT student was issued a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia at 1300 W. Eagle Drive at 6:47 p.m. by a Denton police officer. The student was released from the scene shortly afterward.

Two 26-year-old men were arrested after a traffic stop at 100 block of Avenue B at 1:16 p.m. One of the men had an outside warrant in Euless for failure to appear, failure to maintain financial responsibility and no inspection sticker. The other man was charged with possession of marijuana. Both men were taken to the Denton County Jail.

A ma le UN T st udent turned himself in to Denton authorities at the Sullivant

Public Safety Center at 1700 Wilshire St. After Denton police arrested him for a warrant of hazing at 1:15 p.m., he was taken to Denton County Jail.

Monday Jan. 18, 2010 Denton police responded to a reported fight with injuries at 2:43 a.m. at the Delta Sigma Phi House at 929 Maple St. In addition to an offense report, citations were issued to multiple suspects for disorderly conduct and giving alcohol to minors.

A 20-year-old man was arrested at 1300 W. Eagle Drive at 10:38 p.m., for a warrant issued in Fort Worth.

He was wanted for an expired inspection and failure to maintain financial responsi-

bility. He was taken to Denton County Jail.

H1N1 vaccine available to UNT students, faculty Continued from Page 1

Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010 A 26-year-old man was arrested for possession of a controlled substance at 308 Bradley St. on Sunday. The man was arrested at 6:50 p.m. and taken to Denton County Jail.

At 2:09 a.m., a Denton police officer stopped and arrested a 28-year-old driver for suspicion of drunken driving at 300 Welch St. The driver was taken to Denton County Jail.

A female UNT student was arrested for suspicion of public intoxication at 2:43 a.m. after police found her at 1379 S. Bonnie Brae St. The student was taken to Denton County Jail.

ntdailynews@gmail.com

Williams said the CDC immediately informs them of any issues that may occur regarding the vaccines.

“Any vaccination that has been recalled have already been pulled off the shelves and either returned or destroyed,” she said.

“There have been potency issues but no safety issues.”

Student recovered from flu Allison Wheeler, a 22-yearold literature major, said she became sick in November before Thanksgiving break. Wheeler said she most likely contracted the flu when she went to a movie with a friend, whose boyfriend transmitted it to her.

“I went to my doctor and he screened me for the flu,” she said.

“He told me I had the swine flu but it’s possible that it could have been the regular flu.”

W heeler said her doctor informed her that every positive test of influenza is treated as H1N1 so appropriate precautions are taken. It took a week and a half for Wheeler to recover.

During that time, she missed class and stayed in her room.

“It is really inconsiderate going to class knowing that you’re sick,” she said. “Everyone reacts to this differently, some people might have weak immune systems, that could lead to something super serious if they get it.”

Wheeler said despite her getting the flu, she will not be getting the vaccine.

“I’m not worried about it,” she said. “It really wasn’t as bad as the media was making it out to be, at least with me anyway.”

Getting Vaccinated Clinic hours: Mon-Thur 8 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. & 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Fridays 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. & 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Patients will need to make an appointment by calling 940-565-2333.

Open to UNT students and employees only.

Registration fees increasing for Texas pickup truck owners

BY A LEX CHEATHAM Staff Writer

Texas pickup truck drivers will pay more for vehicle registration if a plan to simplify the registration laws passes the state legislature.

Texas Rep. Joe Pickett plans to introduce legislation to a lter t he current reg ist rat ion code a nd put a n end to cheaper registration fees truck drivers have enjoyed for years.

Under t he cu r rent law, registration fees for pickups are an average of $4 less than

what car drivers pay.

“Most trucks pay less, and it’s not fair,” Pickett said.

Residents who ow n a ny t y pe of motor veh icle a re required by state law to pay a yearly registration fee. For passenger cars, the charge is based on model year.

Cars produced before 2004 cost $40.80. Those produced from 2005-2007 cost $50.80, and newer cars cost $58.80.

Conversely, light trucks are charged based on weight.

“T here a re hu nd reds of models, all based on weight.

These weights vary and the system is very complicated.

It would be simplified with a f lat fee,” Pickett said.

A truck must weigh more than 6,701 pounds before its registration cost equals that of passenger cars.

Steve Mossman, the Denton County tax assessor collector, was hesitant to endorse the plan until he knew more.

“The primary reason for the reduced registration prices on pickups is based on the truck being used for agricultural purposes. They receive

Jury convicts former Waco minister of murdering wife WACO, Texas (AP) — A former Texas minister has been convicted of killing his wife whose death initially was ruled a suicide.

Jurors deliberated more than seven hours before returning their verdict Wednesday night in the murder trial of 38-yearold Matt Baker. He faces up to life in prison.

Prosecutor Susan Shafer said during closing arguments that Baker had told a web of lies since his wife Kari’s 2006 death. Defense attorney Guy James Gray said the only reason Baker was on trial was because he’d lied about an affair.

The verdict comes a day after Baker’s ex-mistress testified he told her how he drugged his wife, smothered her, then typed a suicide note and rubbed her lifeless hands over the paper.

Baker has maintained his wife killed herself because of a deep depression.

Jurors in a minister’s murder trial found themselves at odds Wednesday over the testimony of his former mistress, the state’s key witness.

After more than five hours of deliberation, jurors sent the judge a note asking for the transcript of the testimony of Vanessa Bulls, who said Matt

Baker told her how he killed his wife Kari and faked her suicide note in 2006.

Ju rors sa id t hey were disagreeing over her testimony regarding “what went on” between her and Baker at his daughter’s birthday slumber party shortly after his wife’s death, and what she told investigators last year.

State District Judge Ralph Strother told jurors in a note that court officials would provide the part of the transcript regarding that issue.

Baker, who did not testify during the seven-day trial, faces up to life in prison if convicted.

these benefits, and rightly so,” Mossman, said.

This system was implemente d w hen Tex a s w a s more rural and trucks were used mainly for agricultural purposes. Now, because they have become a n ever yday driving vehicle, the system is outdated, said Pickett.

“They should base cars and tr ucks on t he sa me t hing, either year or weight. Cars a re sma ller, so you wou ld think trucks should automatically cost more,” said Alyssa D i x on , i nt e r d i s c i pl i n a r y

Correction In the Jan. 19 edition of the Daily, a photo caption misrepresented Chrissy Pay ne i n a f ront-page photo. Fa it h Pit t ma n, 12, ( lef t) spea k s w it h Rust y Comer, a DCTA employee.

Also, the Martin Luther King Jr. march was hosted by t he UNT chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the MLK celebration was hosted by t he Denton community.

studies freshman and SGA member.

T he revenue created from registration fees goes toward the construction and upkeep of highways and other roads.

“I have a feeling they’re just doing this to create more revenue. But i n t he end, there’s no way they can make everyone happy,” said Chris Goodloe, geography junior.

Increasing the fee for trucks will help because of a major shor t fa l l in state income, Pickett said.

“I’m su re t here w i l l be some conser vat ives hesitant to support the idea, but we have to show them how much easier this will make the system,” Pickett said.

The first meeting regarding the Registration Simplification Act will be on Feb. 1 in Austin.

After the introduction of the plan, it will be at least a year before registration fees will begin to rise.

“It’s not going to be an easy year trying to get Congress and Senate to agree,” Pickett said.

Page 4 Amber Arnold, Arts & Life Editor

Arts & Life

01.21.2010 amberm.arnold@yahoo.com

Recreation center takes on holiday weight

BY A SHLEY SIMPSON Staff Writer

It’s 6:15 p.m., and the Pohl Recreation Center is filled with people. Every piece of equipment is in use, and the arms of the elliptical machines are in motion.

New Year’s resolutions to lose weight are common, and putting on weight after celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas contributes to the desire to shed pounds.

“Students may realize that over the break they were eating rich foods, and now they feel like they have to cut back,” said Allen Jackson of the kinesiology faculty.

Jackson said that staying on track is a matter of changing behavior.

Students may start off with the intention of losing holiday weight, but after either reaching their goal or failing to reach it, they go back to the lifestyle they had before, Jackson said.

This, in combination with irregular dieting, can cause weight to fluctuate, he said.

UNT students have access to the state-of-the-art Pohl Recreational Center to get them back on track after the holidays.

Stuart Birdseye, assistant director of marketing and membership services, said he sees the increase in students working out at the center every spring.

“The start of spring semester is always our busiest time,” he said.

Although the numbers don’t exactly decrease throughout the semester, the hours become a little more fluctuated, he said.

“As exams come up and school progresses, students find that their schedules become a little tighter and they don’t have time to come in everyday,” Birdseye said.

A number of students come in

and work out on their own, but the center also offers programs like the Fit Camp Program that are very popular, Birdseye said.

“The Fit Camp Program not only helps members lose weight, but they can also stick to the healthy lifestyle that they plan with input from our personal trainers,” he said.

The Fit Camp Program is similar to a boot camp with a group of members who meet four days of the week with a trainer to discuss different workouts and nutritional plans.

The program has an initial fee of $45 and usually fills up quickly, Birdseye said.

In addition to programs, the center also offers personal oneon-one training daily at $24 per session.

Jamie Eaheart, an early childhood education senior, is going on a cruise in a few months and said she would like to get healthy before leaving for the trip.

PHOTO BY KAITLYN PRICE/PHOTOGRAPHER

Students work off holiday weight at the Pohl Recreation Center, which can be used by students, faculty and alumni.

‘Jurassic Park: The Musical’ strikes a chord with UNT

BY SUSAN MISKA Staff Writer

Dinosaurs walk the Earth again — but only to sing and rap about what chaos theory really is.

“Ju ra ssic Pa rk : T he Musical,” which includes a singing chorus and rapping velociraptors is the melodic baby of Max Brown, a former U N T mu sic st udent, a nd Ryan Cortez, an economics junior.

A f ter hea ring about t he hype from the musical, Zoë Spangler, a radio, television a nd f ilm junior, sa id, “No one could ever top the popu-

larity of the “Jurassic Park” movies, but this musical is an original and clever adaptation of what you wouldn’t expect. I have been in several musicals, and after reading this script I really want to be a part of this.”

Brow n a nd C or tez a re the main characters of the musical and were musically linked through their band, Savage and the Big Beat where Brown sings and plays piano and Cortez plays drums.

This two-man band found t hat t hey not on ly have a passion for music, but also for the “Jurassic Park” series,

“This is by far one of the funniest plays I have ever read, and I am really excited to be a part of this.”

—Sarah McCracken Early childhood education junior

they said.

Cortez said the idea for the musica l started about one year ago when he posted an update on his Facebook referencing “Jurassic Park.” Soon after, a woman joked about turning it into a musical.

Brow n sa id t he t houg ht st uck w it h t he ba nd, a nd fans and friends continued to encourage them to write some songs about “Jurassic Park.”

Though this project was sparked by a simple Facebook

update, it was set into full mot ion in t he su m mer of 2009.

They would watch “Jurassic Park” every week to make the script fit the way they envisioned it.

“It was a silly time,” Brown said.

Their two-act script is now completed and consists of about ten songs.

Brown and Cortez said they will be done by the end of the spring semester.

Their plan is to perform in small venues around Denton like Hailey’s to build attention, then to bigger places

like the Lyceum.

Cortez said the talk about a video is true, it will be videotaped at a performance from different angles.

“This is by far one of the f unniest plays I have ever read, and I am really excited to be a pa r t of t his,” sa id Sa ra h McCra ken, a n ea rly childhood education junior and singing velociraptors.

The list of props needed ranges from fake guns to large eggs.

For more information about “Jurassic Park: the Musical,” add its group on Facebook or Savage and the Big Beat.

01.21.2010 Amber Arnold, Arts & Life Editor

Arts & Life

Page 5 amberm.arnold@yahoo.com

UNT student soars in country music industry

BY GRACIELA R AZO Senior Staff Writer

When Maren Morris was 12 years old, she was enjoying her middle school years like most other children. However, unlike most of her peers, she was also hard at work recording her first full-length country music album.

Now, the undeclared UNT freshman has two solo albums and an upcoming EP with her newest rock band to her name, as well as a number of upcoming shows around Texas. “I really just sang to songs I heard on the radio,� Maren Morris said. “Then I started playing the guitar, then songwriting, and it was just a snowball effect from there.�

The Arlingtonexas native and her band have played at motor speedways and local bars and clubs.

Her most recent and biggest show was at the Washington County Fair where her band opened a show for country musician Pat Green to promote her latest album “All that it Takes.�

Morris is now taking her music in a different direction and playing synthesizers and singing in a new rock band called They Were Stars. “I’ve become completely immersed with the new band.

I will always love my solo music, but it’s been almost a decade of that,� Morris said. “I think it’s

healthy to venture out into new projects.�

Between two music ventures and going back into the studio to record songs for both, Morris said she is trying to make time for other parts of her life now that she is in school. “I just remember having gigs all the time in high school, which conflicted with normal high school events like football games. When I got to college, I wanted to experience it fully and put music on the backburner,�

Morris said.

Her father, Scott Morris, said his daughter never had a problem with juggling all of her responsibilities in high school with her music career.

Her priorities were straight and her grades never suffered, he said. “She always did well in school and made time for social activities with her friends,� her father said.

Scott Morris said his daughter was eight years old the first time he heard her sing karaoke at a friend’s house. He didn’t recognize the voice belting out a Leanne Rimes song, and was surprised to realize that it was his daughter. “It was amazing to hear that voice coming out of such a little person,� Scott Morris said. “It sounded so mature and powerful for someone so young.�

Graham Smith plays bass in

Maren Morris’s solo band and in the band, They Were Stars. He also toured with the singer for two and a half years.

The two are good friends and love playing together on stage, Smith said. “She’s awesome, and she’s really going to go far,� Smith said. “She’s the most talented 19-yearold I’ve ever met.�

As Morris begins the second semester of her freshman year, she plans to focus more on her studies but will not forget about her music career.

Her father said he will always supported her in whatever career path she decides to take. “I would hope that if she wants to continue down the road as an artist that she could make the right connections and take that up a notch and become world known,� Scott Morris said. “I’d like her to be success and to be recognized for the true talent she really is.�

To check out Morris’s music, visit www.myspace.com/marenmorris.

Performance Dates: Maren Morris at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Winstar Rodeo Roadhouse in Fort Worth.

They Were Stars 9 p.m. on Jan. 28 at the Cavern in Dallas

Testimony ends landmark California gay marriage trial SAN FR ANCISCO (AP) — Same-sex couples in some parts of the United States have been able to wed for long enough to conclude that expanding gay marriage to other states would not undermine traditional marriages, a University of Massachusetts economist testified during a trial on California’s same-sex marriage ban.

Lee Badgett’s testimony Tuesday finished off the sixth day in the historic trial, the first in a federal court to examine whether prohibiting gays and lesbians from marrying violates their constitutional rights.

Badgett, who also directs research for a gay-related think tank at the University of California, Los Angeles, took the witness stand on behalf of two same-sex couples suing to overturn Proposition 8, the state’s voter-approved ban. She cited statistics from Massachusetts, which has allowed gay couples to marry since 2004, showing that marriage and divorce rates for straight couples have not been affected. “I don’t think we need to wait any longer to see what the impact will be. I think we know,�

Badgett said. “Everything I’ve looked at leads me to the conclusion that there is no impact.�

Charles Cooper, a law yer for Proposit ion 8’s sponsors, spent several hours with Badgett trying to demonstrate that traditional male-female marriages suffered after samesex marriages became legal in the Netherlands in 2001. During her cross-examination, he introduced a number of charts showing divorce and single parenthood rates increased while marriage rates fell in the that country.

Badgett rejected the comparison, however, noting those trends were firmly established long before gay couples won the right to wed in the Netherlands and were unrelated to same-sex marriage.

In other testimony, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders recalled the “defining moment� of his personal and political life when he decided that denying gays and lesbians the right to wed was discriminatory. The change

of heart came about in part after he learned his daughter was a lesbian in a committed relationship. “I had been prejudiced,�

Sanders said. “I was saying one group of people did not deserve the same respect, did not deserve the same symbolism of marriage and I was saying their marriages were less important than those of heterosexuals.�

Pla i nt i f f s’ law yer s a re expected to wrap up their case this week. They are scheduled to present testimony Wednesday from a gay man who was forced

to undergo so-called “conversion therapy.� Ryan Kendall’s testimony is being used to argue that sexual orientation is not a choice and usually cannot be changed.

Maren Morris an undeclared freshman, performs at the Granada theater June 4.

PHOTO BY INGRID LAUBACH/PHOTOGRAPHER

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Page 6 Amber Arnold, Arts & Life Editor

Arts & Life

01.21.2010 amberm.arnold@yahoo.com

Host gives back to UNT Continued from page 1 Coming back to UNT Dunham became the playby-play commentator for basketball and football games on the Mean Green Radio Network in 1994 and still is the “voice of the Mean Green.� “It was a dream someday to maybe come back and broadcast the games — I’ve had a chance to do that,� he said. “I just absolutely love doing that.�

In the future, Dunham said he plans to organize a group of RTVF alumni to help fund the new athletic stadium.

Miller said he tries to attend UNT events and athletic games

when he can. “I find myself so busy down here, I don’t get back up there,� he said.

Once a year, Miller said he loads his bicycle into his car and takes a ride around Denton to look at all the changes and take a ride down memory lane.

Desmond Hunt, an interdisciplinary studies sophomore, said he listens to The Ticket whenever he drives in his car, especially after weekend and Monday night football.

Hunt said he didn’t realize Dunham and Miller met and attended UNT, but the fact that they did shows to him that UNT has a lot of opportunities. “It definitely shows a future

for a lot of students who really don’t know what they want to do or, if they do, shows them how far they can really go because The Ticket is a very big show,� he said.

Whenever he is driving with his guy friends, Hunt said he tells them to turn the radio to The Ticket, particularly if they are arguing about sports so they can see what the radio hosts think.

Hunt said that Dunham and Miller’s 16-year run proves they have a strong sense of determination. “Not only is it a great chemistry, but it shows that they have a great friendship and partnership,� he said.

PHOTO BY BONNIE WELLER/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/MCT

And you can’t beat the price of tuition. Vincent Evangelisti takes advantage of Yale’s noncredit courses online. More universities, including several in the region, are offering full, free courses.

Yale’s free online courses attract college students PHOTO BY ERIKA SCHULTZ/SEATTLE TIMES/MCT

Recycling coordinator Tyler Dierks, left, and Matthew Benedict work in the composting barn at the University of Washington in Seattle on Dec. 21.

West Coast schools go green SEATTLE — Need to get to Seattle University? There’s a green transit pass for that. Need to meet somebody when you’re there? Try the new eco-friendly gathering space.

Eating in the cafeteria? The disposable forks are biodegradable, made from corn. Leftovers?

There’s composting, both off-site and on. Trouble getting home?

Try car-pooling, van-sharing or something called maxi pool.

Seattle U. is typical of many universities across the country that are trying to win the hearts and minds and tuition checks of students by becoming greener than their peers.

Perhaps nowhere is the trend more apparent than in the Pacific Northwest, with its reputation for environmental awareness.

The move toward greener campuses is driven as much by the concerns of a new generation of students as it is by university

leaders. And it reaches beyond national organizations for the cafes and dorms into the its sustainability efforts and lecture halls. At the University of the extensive detail contained Washington, for instance, one of in its 73-page Climate Action the few departments expanding Plan.

In the plan, the school during a time of budget cuts is the fledgling College of the sets ambitious targets: a 15 percent reduction in greenEnvironment.

Local universities have been house-gas emission over the quick to crow about their green next decade, and the elimisuccesses. Just consider some nation of all net emissions recent news releases: “Western by 2050.

The university says it Washington University Students Sweep Awards at Environmental e x p e c t s t e c h n olo g ic a l Compet it ion,� reads one. improvements to account for “Princeton Review Chooses The some 60 percent of its energyEvergreen State College for Its reduction goals. Suggested ‘Green Rating Honor Roll,’� reads improvements range from the another. “Seattle University is mundane, such as reducing the greenest green campus in steam leakage from the pipes Washington state,� trumpets in its heating plant, to the fanciful, such as pumping a third.

ALLOY MEDIA & MARKETING the depths Beyond the hype, the univer- cold water from THAWKINS sities are laying down serious of Lake Washington to cool sc/rv plans for reducing carbon campus buildings.

The school hopes behavemissions. The University of Washington, in particular, has ioral changes, prompted been lauded by a number of by education and financial incentives, will account for another 20 percent of its goals.

Carbon offsets planting trees, for example would take care of the remainder.

The new and improved

The new and improved . . .

PHILADELPHIA — A stay-at- public. home mom in Maine. A physics While some worry such projteacher in an under-supplied ects are tantamount to giving school in Quito, Ecuador. A away perhaps a university’s food-service-supply salesman in most prized treasure its teaching Lancaster, Pa., laid up for months others say the projects fulfill a with little to do after a hang- mission to disseminate informagliding accident. And two out- tion widely. of-work West Philadelphia men Of the eight Ivy League schools, looking to take an intellectual Yale has been a leader, with 25 journey from their living room. free courses online and 11 more They are among millions coming this fall. around the world who have been “We wanted to share our attracted to Yale University’s free academic treasures more widely courses on the Web, complete with the world,� said Diana E.E. with audio and video lectures, Kleiner, a history of arts professor syllabi and supplementary mate- who directs the project. rials.

Since the Web site’s launch “It was such a great thing to me,� in December 2007, more than said Steve Ziegler, 40, of Lancaster, 2 million from 193 countries who during his recovery watched have viewed though not necesIvy League English-class lectures sarily completed courses, she on Cormac McCarthy’s novel said. Many others have tapped “Blood Meridian,� which quickly into the courses on iTunes and became one of his favorite books. YouTube, she said. Though these “I was able to get more out of are the same courses taken for something that I love because Yale credit by Yale undergraduates put these courses online.� on campus, they are noncredit More universities are begin- on the Web. ning to upload full-length, free The learning is self-directed. courses through iTunes, YouTube There are no grades, no feedback, and the international consortium no course credit and no classsite OpenCourseWare. time interaction with faculty.

The University of Pennsylvania Participants send e-mails to put up an environmental course professors, which some opt to and a psychology course on its answer. “openDAL020748B learning� site last year, with Some of Yale’s star professors 1/20, 21, 22/2010 plans to expand. take part, economics UNTincluding (North Texas Daily) 3.66 x 5 Eastern University in St. Davids, professor Robert J. Shiller, who 2 SIX9001 Pa., launched a Christian spiritu- wrote “Irrational Exuberance,� ality course and an urban soci- about bubbleli ke ma rket ology course, also in the last behavior. year.

The project is being funded by The University of Delaware a $3 million, four-year grant from started a page on iTunes last the William and Flora Hewlett month with courses currently Foundation. restricted to staff and students, One of the biggest challenges is but with some likely to become raising funds to add new courses, Kleiner said.

Such ventures can be costly.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2002 launched its OpenCourseWare site and eventually uploaded materials

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for all of the university’s 1,950 courses, said Steve Carson, external relations director for MIT OpenCourseWare. Thirty classes offer video.

It cost about $30 million all but $5 million funded by outside sources. The university spends about $3.6 million a year to maintain it, some of which also is funded from the outside.

The site’s popularity has grown. In 2009, 15 million watched courses, up from 4.5 million five years earlier, he said.

About 42 percent are students at other schools, 9 percent educators and the rest “self-learners,� he said.

The project has boosted relations with universities worldwide, improved teaching as professors evaluated themselves, strengthened ties with students and alumni, and helped with recruiting, Carson said. “About half of our incoming students said they have looked at the site,� with many reporting it influenced their choice, Carson said.

As more universities around the world began asking for help to do the same, the nonprofit OpenCourseWare Consortium was created that now includes about 13,000 free courses from more than 200 higher education institutions and associated organizations from around the world. Twenty-two are in the United States, including the University of California at Berkeley, University of Michigan, Tufts, Notre Dame and Johns Hopkins.

Professors say the project has been rewarding to them and a public service. “We can’t admit everybody to Yale, but we can give this to everybody absolutely free,� said physics professor Ramamurti Shankar.

Sports

01.21.2010 Justin Umberson, Sports Editor

Page 7 ntdaily.sports@gmail.com

Change is nothing new for UNT’s newcomer

BY SEAN GORMAN Senior Staff Writer

In the past three years of his life, junior guard Richard Thomas has seen it all.

After graduating from high school in Rosedale, New York, Thomas played for Garden City Community College in Kansas during his freshman and sophomore years.

Av er a g i n g 13.6 p oi nt s per game and leading t he Broncbusters to finish in sixth place at the NJCA A, Thomas impressed head coach Johnny Jones and the Mean Green staff enough to sign him in May of this year.

“Moving around like I have has been a good experience,” he said. “I have learned a lot by living in different places and have interacted with a lot of great people on the way.”

W hen de c id i n g w h ic h school to transfer to going into his junior year, Thomas said he felt that UNT seemed the most committed to helping him succeed.

“When I met the staff and the teammates, I knew this was a program where I could thrive,” he said. “I fit in with the teammates right away and have enjoyed my time here since I signed.”

Although Thomas started the season on the bench, he has found his way into the Mean Green starting five and has started 12 of the 18 games this year.

“Richard has the potential to be a really good wing player,” Jones said. “He has a great ability to shoot the basketball and is capable of defending bigger guards on

was assigned to help Thomas the perimeter.”

On a ba la nced of fense with the transition from his with four players putting up previous school.

“He’s a cool guy, a good more than 10 points a night, f r iend a nd a g reat T homas has had a tea m mate,” W h ite limited role and has s a id . “I h a d t he averaged a little more chance to host him than six points per when he first came game. However, the here and have gotten Mea n Green st a f f to know him really and players remain well since then.” sure that the sky is T he t ra nsit ion the limit for Thomas RICHARD from Junior College and he will continue THOMAS to the NCA A wasn’t to improve.

“He gives us so much more the only change for Thomas, when he’s on the floor,” senior who had to adjust from living guard Josh White said. “His in New York to Kansas, and ability is out the roof, he can then Texas.

“One thing that has stood shoot and defend on a very out to me since I’ve been here high level.”

Any doubts about the guard is what people wear,” Thomas not f itting in were erased said. “Everywhere I look I see when he first joined the team someone wearing boots and and gelled with White, who that’s not something I was

“As the season has gone on, I have realized that I can help this team out a lot in the future.”

—Richard Thomas Mean Green starting guard

ever used to seeing.”

W hen he get s t he ra re cha nce to have some free time away from basketball and school, Thomas is no different than the typical college kid, enjoying movies and eating.

“I t hought “Avata r” was awesome and I just saw ‘The Book of Eli,’ which was good, too,” he said. “As for my favorite food, I go to Chili’s whenever I get the chance.”

Finally feeling at home on a team that will need a boost

in the final few weeks of the season, Thomas could be a difference maker that elevates the Mean Green to a Sun Belt title.

“I see myself gelling on and off the f loor,” he said. “As the season has gone on, I have realized that I can help this team out a lot in the future.”

Thomas and the rest of the Mean Green return to action at 7 p.m. tonight at the Super Pit when the South Alabama Jaguars attack.

The Script: Mean Green tennis team faces high expectations Opinion

BY ERIC JOHNSON Senior Staff Writer

UNT Tennis head coach Sujay Lama is not shy about expressing his beliefs in his team, and with 30 wins in his first two seasons, he has reason for such lofty goals.

After falling just short in the Sun Belt Conference tournament semi-finals last season, the charismatic coach left no doubts about his expectations for his team in 2010.

“In April we expect to be in position to win the Sun Belt Conference and go on and make our first appearance in the NCAA’s,” Lama said. “This is a veteran and battle-tested

group of young women, and knows that she can compete they fully expect to play with with the best in the country. the top teams in the country.” If she stays healthy she has the opportunity for a UNT will return all national ranking. but one player from The rest of the team la st yea r’s 17-w i n will look to Catalina team and will be a Cruz, the team’s only more ex per ienced sen ior a nd ju n ior and prepared team.

Madura Ranganathan The Mean Green has for leadership. Cruz a solid singles lineup wa s na med tea m one through six and ERIC captain during the has numerous combi- JOHNSON fall season. nations that will be Cr u z’s ex per ience w i l l successful playing doubles.

Irina Paraschiv will return help ease the transition for as the team’s No. 1 player, and incoming freshman Barbora after a stand-out season as a Vykydalova, who joins the team freshman, she will have a huge from her native Šumperk, Czech impact on this team again as a Republic, and will be paired sophomore. After making a trip with Cruz for doubles.

Ranganathan has the talent to the ITA All-American tournament in the fall, Paraschiv to be the most dominant player

on the court and will likely challenge Paraschiv all season for the No. 1 position.

“There is a lot of experience and confidence on this team,” Lama said. “I think that we have the kind of leadership at the top of our lineup that can carry us through any kind of adversity or challenges that we face.”

While those three names are perhaps the most talked about, there are two players to really watch this season: sophomore Paula Dinuta and junior Amy Joubert.

Dinuta plays with a fiery intensity that is hard to match and is more comfortable after her first full season playing on American soil. Joubert is the most composed player on the court and plays with a

quiet confidence that makes her dangerous in singles, and her pairing with Paraschiv for doubles should be a dominant team.

The team has shown an unprecedented level of growth since Lama took over the program in 2007, which further ignites its confidence.

“We are very comfortable with each other, and I think that I speak for every one on the team when I say that we don’t want to play well, we want to win,” Paraschiv said. “We are a very deep team and we have really matured since last season, and we have a chance to have a special season.”

The Mean Green tennis team will face a challenging fall schedule, playing five teams

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ranked in the top 50.

That schedule includes an opening weekend test against the No. 14 University of Florida Gators, a midseason matchup with the No. 8 Georgia Tech University Yellow Jackets and showdowns with conference rivals, No. 39 New Orleans and defending conference champion Florida International, who are the biggest hurdles in UNT’s race to the conference championship.

“We want to be able to measure ourselves against the best teams in the country, because we feel like we have the talent to be a nationally ranked program,” Lama said.

“We were right there last year, and I think that really built our confidence.”

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CINEMARK AT DENTON - SHOWING FRIDAY *Adult Evening $8.00 *Adult Fri/Sat $8.25 *Child/Senior $6.25 *Adult matinee before 6 p.m. $6.25 *Student w/ID $6.50 EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES (PG) 11:30am 2:20pm 5:00pm 7:45pm 10:40pm

LEAP YEAR (PG) 11:55am 2:30pm 5:10pm 7:50pm

LEGION (R: I.D. Required) 12:00pm 2:40pm 5:20pm 8:00pm 10:45pm

SHERLOCK HOLMES (PG-13) 1:10pm 4:15pm 7:15pm 10:30pm

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Views

Page 8 Josh Pherigo, Views Editor

ntdailyviews@gmail.com

Obama needs GOP opposition

Participation should rise in teaching survey Editorial For the one in three students who chose to evaluate their professor’s performance last December, the results are now available … for faculty eyes only.

But beginning next fall, a state law will require public Web postings of university student teaching evaluations.

The law will finally grant students access to the historically secretive and mysterious academic world of their own critique of professors’ performances.

In an e-mail sent Wednesday morning, the UNT faculty was informed of the release of the results from the Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness Survey or SETE, which was conducted at the conclusion of the fall semester. The memo details instructions for faculty members to access the feedback that was collected from the 30 percent of participating students. That feedback, according to the UNT Web site, will be used by faculty to evaluate and improve teaching effectiveness. More than 129,000 SETE forms were completed in more than 3,900 courses last fall.

The editorial board believes that student evaluations of faculty are an effective tool to improve the quality of education at UNT. The board supports the continuation of such surveys and urges more student participation in future semesters.

Student feedback is an essential tool that faculty members use to refine and reform their practices and teaching techniques. Student participation must be high to ensure the accuracy of the results. Thirty percent is too low to ensure the quality of the anonymous survey. However, the administration has taken several positive steps to raise that number.

By placing the survey completely online, the process has been greatly simplified. Students are more likely to be assured that their answers are truly anonymous and therefore will likely answer more honestly, especially on the openended short answer portion (the results of which will be optionally available for posting if the professor so chooses).

The added incentive of student access to the results will also likely boost the level of participation as well.

By opening the results up for both faculty and students, participation in the survey should rise and professors will be accountable to their students for their in-class performance.

Teaching evaluations are crucial to the improvement of the quality of collegiate education and will only increase in effectiveness if more students take part.

Campus Chat

What is your New Year’s resolution and how much have you stuck to it?

{ { { {

01.21.2010

“Make scheduled study hours for myself. I have only had two days worth of classes, but so far have maintained my designated times.”

The Obama administration, after just one year in office, seems to be in serious trouble.

His approval ratings have lagged at or below 50 percent for several weeks, a rating that according to the Gallup Poll places him among the lowest for elected presidents entering their second year in office since Dwight Eisenhower. To make matters worse, Gallup’s average presidential approval rating actually declines by 5 percent in a president’s second year.

W it h t he ele c t ion of Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate, the Democrats will still hold commanding majorities in both chambers of Congress. But will this help President Obama, or hurt him?

In the past 40 years, there have been three other U.S. presidents that have also been in office when their party controlled the legislative branch: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. With the notable excep-

tion of Bill Clinton, one would have a hard time labeling either the Carter or Bush presidencies a success.

The Carter administration was plagued by stagflation, the Iran hostage situation and what has been described as an overall feeling of “malaise” that swept across the country. The Bush administration, as many of us should remember, was plagued by questionable and unending war, massive deficits, and eventually, deep economic problems of its own.

The noted exception of the Clinton administration would appear to show that a political party with control of the executive and legislative arms of government can in fact be successful — the ’90s were a period largely characterized by peace and prosperity.

However, Democrats only controlled the Legislative branch for Clinton’s first two years in office, where the electorate sharply turned on him for

setting an overreaching agenda and attempting an unpopular healthcare overhaul. Does this sound familiar?

After his first two years in office, public discontent fed a 54-seat Republican gain in the House of Representatives, relieving democrats of control in what was called the Republican Revolution. Only after Clinton moved to the center and began working with congressional republicans was his popularity renewed and legacy saved.

Is there a reason that one party rule seems to have less than ideal results?

Well, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

W hen t he republ ica ns controlled government during the Bush administration, many voters began to see them behave in a manner that was antithetical to their supposed principles.

Out-of-control deficit spending and pork projects became staples of the Republican Party

and were a main reason for their defeats in the 2006 and 2008 elections.

If no one party is in control, our elected representatives are forced to fight for their jobs.

They must prove their mettle to keep their power, or discontented voters will toss them aside.

Barack Obama is in many ways trapped with his current majorities in Congress. His liberal base demands policy that is often widely unpopular with the electorate, and with these majorities, he has little excuse for not coming through on their demands.

If the republicans were to take control of the House in the 2010 midterms, that just might give him the wiggle room to successfully lead our country down a more popular path.

Like countless people, I am in debt. I got a credit card when I was attending community college in Mesquite and did well with it for a couple of years. My credit limit went f rom $150 to $1,800 in 18 months. I quickly got in over my head and was only able to make the minimum payment each month.

The m in imu m pay ment on l y c over s t he i ntere st (if you’re luck y) from t hat month’s billing cycle.

Eventually, something automatically deducted from my account when I only had $5 left to spend and I went over my limit. This was unbeknownst to me and I accrued more fees for not being under the limit.

Then, my online payment took a little longer than I thought and I was hit with a late fee.

To put it bluntly, I was up K ickapoo Creek w it hout a paddle (Kickapoo Creek is real and is located near Tyler).

I was faced with a dilemma: pay my credit card and have no cash for rent and other essentials, or not pay the credit card

and continue liv ing in my home and eating food. I went with the latter and I still think I made the right decision.

My credit card company on t he ot her hand, not so much.

I now get daily calls from creditors and debt collectors wanting to spea k w ith me about the money I owe them.

I don’t think I’ve met a more tenacious bunch of people when it comes to collecting money.

I accidentally answered one of their calls at eight in the morning because everyone I know does not wake up before noon and I thought it was an emergency.

The woman on the phone was curt with me and understandably so. I am sure she dea ls w ith a ll sorts of sob stories, irate people and a myriad of crazies every single work day. I was inclined to be nice since this was my first time talking with them.

She interrogated me with lots of persona l questions, most of which I found intru-

sive and none of her business.

“Do you work? What do you spend your money on? When do you get paid next? Are you on drugs?”

Me: Yes, food and rent, at the first of the month, and no ma’am, I am not on drugs.

She then told me that if I did not pay them anything my account would become delinquent and it would greatly affect my credit score.

I took the wind out of her sheets by say ing I a lready owned my own car and home (that’s right, ladies — I am a home-ow ner). She t hen told me to stay on the line while she got her supervisor.

I assured I would be on the line when she got back and then immediately hung up the phone and slept till two that afternoon.

The next time I answered their call, I chose to be one of the crazies. I told them I already sold one kidney to pay of f a not her compa ny, I spent all of my money on fantasy sports leagues and I

once pretended to be an alien who had enslaved Ryan.

Sometimes, I would tell them I don’t have any money to pay them and would apologize, but then I would try to keep them on the phone. “My wife just left me. Do you have a wife? Tell me about them, please.”

Okay, maybe I didn’t do any of those things (YET!), but I’m trying to watch my minutes.

Those things ain’t free. Don’t worry, though, I’ll pay them off one day.

Thomas Flanagin is an international studies junior. He can be reached at ThomasFlanagin@ my.unt.edu.

Fun on the phone with creditors

Ryan Feuerhelm is a journalism senior. He can be reached at ryan.feuerhelm@unt.edu.

Kelsey Harkey

Development and family studies sophomore

“Be a better student. So far this semester has started of better than the previous one. And that is a positive.”

Devin Foster

Music freshman

“Get a real job before I graduate. I have not started looking yet, but it is the beginning of the semester and I am ready to get started tomorrow.”

Matthew Byas Marketing senior

“Study more this semester and to not get on Facebook as much.”

NT Daily Editorial Board

Elise Wagner Math freshman

The Editorial Board includes: Shaina Zucker, Josh Pherigo, Rebecca Hoeffner, T.S. McBride, Melissa Boughton, Amber Arnold, Kip Mooney, Abigail Allen, Sydnie Summers, Brianne Tolj, Clinton Lynch, Justin Umberson, and David Williams

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Sports

Page 10 Justin Umberson, Sports Editor

01.21.2010 ntdaily.sports@gmail.com

Mean Green dominates, stuns South Alabama

BY BEN BABY Staff Writer

After a trip to the Super Pit, the South Alabama Jaguars are no longer undefeated in conference play.

The UNT women’s basketball team pulled off the upset, defeating the Jaguars 78-66 on Wednesday night.

“It’s an incredible feeling to get the fruits of our labor,” head coach Shanice Stephens said.

Follow ing t wo consecutive losses, the Mean Green (6-14, 7-1) bounced back with the victor y, handing South Alabama (12-7, 7-1) its first conference loss.

After South Alabama took its first lead in the second half, UNT refused to fold. After steal by senior guard Brittany James, freshman for ward Jasmine Godbolt knocked down the basket that would put the Mean Green in front for the remainder of the game.

The Mean Green came out of the locker room strong, scoring the game’s first five points. UNT was dominant for the majority of the first half, holding a lead as large as 11 points.

South Alabama struggled offensively in the half, shooting a dismal 28.6 percent from the field. North Texas’ defense was constantly scrambling, forcing eight turnovers and allowing them to jump out to a comfortStudent Ad able lead.

“Our defense is what got 62 x 10.2 us there,” sophomore guard Tamara Torru said. “W hen everything else is falling apart, you can always play defense.”

Despite being in foul trouble for most of the game, James

had a teamhigh 20 points on a n ef f icient 8-of-13 shooting.

Godbolt had a not her solid performance, as the freshman had 19 points and 13 rebounds, w it h eig ht com i ng on the offensive glass. The victory was a much needed conf idence boost for a team that had st r ugg led in conference play.

“Everybody played hard,” Ja me s s a id . ” We ne v e r gave up, we played tea m ba ll, tea m PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB / PHOTOGRAPHER defen se. A l l t h e t h i n g s Freshman forward Jasmine Godbolt attempts a shot w e’v e b e e n against South Alabama on Wednesday. UNT upset the prew or k i n g on vious undefeated in conference Jaguars 78-66. t h is whole season it pa id of f, for t his Torr u sa id. “We needed to make a statement by beating game at least.”

Sophomore guard Tamara Sout h A laba ma, w ho w a s Torru was one of three UNT undefeated in conference, and players in to score more than that’s what we did tonight.

10 points. Torru was 4-of-4 Hopefully we can see us as a from behind the three-point team what we’re capable of, line, f inishing t he contest and capitalize on it. “ T he Mea n Green ret u r n with 15 points. Torru believes the team can use the victory t o t h e c ou r t a t 7 p. m . as a stepping stone for the Wed nesday w it h a t r ip to Bowling Green, Kentucky to remainder of the season.

“I think this is definitely take on the Western Kentucky something we can build on,” Hilltoppers.

PHOTO BY HOLLY DUTTON / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Sophomore Rosa Gentile swims the 100-meter butterfly during last year’s finale swim meet versus Texas Christian University.

Swimming and diving teams ready for final home meets

BY FELICIA A LBA Staff Writer

Nine UNT swimmers and divers will splash into the UNT pool for the final time during two weekend dual meets.

T he U N T s w i m m i ng team (7-4) starts its weekend matchups at 6:30 p.m. Saturday when the University of Houston Cougars invade the Pohl Recreation Center. Then at 11 a.m. for its senior day Saturday, the Mean Green will host the Rice University Owls on Saturday at 11 a.m.

“We are matched up pretty well with both Houston and Rice,” head coach Joe Dykstra said.

Houston proves to be stiff competition, especially with its star athlete, senior Anastasia Pozdniakova, who is a 16-time Conference USA Swimmer of the Week. She also boasts an Olympic silver medal in threemeter synchronized diving, which she earned at the 2008 Summer games.

“Houston has superior

depth,” Dykstra said. “We have a better chance against Rice but I expect us to do well against both teams.”

Senior Emily Floyd also expects her team to perform well against both teams. Floyd said that about this time of the year she feels comfortable with her team’s performance.

“Houston is a team that we really want to beat, and I believe that we are strong enough to accomplish that this year,” Floyd said.

Also leading the way for the Mean Green is sophomore diver Delia Covo, who recently broke the school record on the threemeter board with a score of 258.3.

The team will also look to senior Alicia Hale, who is Sun Belt Conference Co-Swimmer of the week. Hale racked up two individual wins and also placed second against Texas Christian University.

Dykstra said the team should match up well against Rice because of it has a lead before

the meet begins.

“We will already be up 32 points right off because Rice has no divers,” Dykstra said.

Saturday will be a bittersweet day for the team that is losing nine seniors who will compete one last time at home, including three of its most accomplished.

There is another special meaning for this weekend’s last home meets, aside from senior day for Dykstra.

“This is a really special class for me because it is the first time that I have seen my athletes through all four years,” Dykstra said.

The Mean Green swimming team is prepared and confident with its leaders at the helm to defeat both Houston and Rice, but Dykstra said it’s going to take everyone to be victorious.

“We really need 18 to 24 athletes to be contributing to a meet in order to win. It’s not about the individual, but the team,” he said.

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