NORTH TEXA S DA
ILY, Novembe r1
2012:
Cover by Patti Mayo
3, 2009 VOLU ME 94, ISSUE
Myth or Destruction? See Page 4
46
End of the world? Professors weigh in on 2012 theories Insert Page 4 Friday, November 13, 2009
News 1,2 Sports 3 Classifieds 4 Games 4 SCENE Insert
Volume 94 | Issue 46
Sunny 76° / 57°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Live video shows building progress BY MELISSA BOUGHTON Senior Staff Writer
Students no longer have to leave the comfort of their homes to find out what is happening on UNT campuses. UNT Dallas began a live webcast of the construction site for its new general academic building a few weeks after it began in August. “We want them to monitor the progress. This is their university,” said Gregory Tomlin, executive director of marketing and communications. “It is a university not just for Dallas but all of the North Texas region.” When the campus first opened in 2007, the school had more than 1,700 students. With 2,128 current students, the university wants to keep the community engaged in the process. The construction site is 100,000 square feet and is expected to be available for use in fall 2010. The building is the second for the 264-acre campus. Tomlin said the university does plan on using the webcast for future construction plans. “There is going to be building on this campus 30 to 40 years,” he said. “This is not going to be a small operation. This is going to be a major university.” Before UNT Dallas, Dallas did not have a four-year public university. A projection for the university is an enrollment of 16,000 students by 2030, Tomlin said. “We are looking to have a significant impact here and we will have to have the buildings
growing to keep up with that,” he said. Tomlin said he thinks the community will be much more likely to take an interest in the university’s operations and be supportive if they observe how fast the buildings are going up. The UNT Denton campus also uses webcams to monitor progress on building construction. Tim Christian, administrative assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said the cameras were first used on the building of the Pohl Recreation Center on the Denton campus. The UNT camera does not stream live, but instead feeds live images every 10 seconds. “They wanted to use it to fundraise and to generate awareness,” Christian said. “People are curious. They want to see what’s going on our campus.” The Denton campus is now using a webcam to monitor the Life Sciences Complex Building Project. Christian said the university is also talking about installing a camera to monitor the construction of the new Business Leadership Building. Evan Dykstra, a linguistics senior, said he thinks the webcams and live streams are beneficial to more than just students. “It’s a good thing for people to know,” he said. “It helps them know what’s going on and what it’s going to look like before they come in the future.” To access the UNT Dallas webcast, students can log on to www.unt.edu/unt-dallas.
PHOTO BY CRISTY ANGULO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Army ROTC Cadet Gary Adams, a criminal justice junior, leads his team to win the tug-o-war challenge on Thursday at Discovery Park.
ROTC branches vie for sword BY T.S. MCBRIDE
of hills once,” said Goodloe. “Those things are heav y.” This yea r, t he competit ions were a f lag footba ll game, a pull-up contest, a tire-rolling contest and an obstacle course. Teams from both branches took turns competing in a rotation. In past events, the hosting bra nch catered food. Starting this semester, the
two branches will share the ex pense of cater ing f rom Buffalo Wild Wings. So far, the Air Force has won every contest. Goodloe said that part of the Army’s losses is because the group has only existed on campus for three years. “ We’v e b e en her e for decades,” Goodloe said of the Air Force ROTC. “We have a larger student body to choose from.” Troy remained confident this year, however. “Within our curriculum, t here’s a n abu nda nce of physica l f itness,” he sa id. “Hopef u l ly today we ca n exhibit some of that physical prowess and be victorious.” This year, the Army ROTC has 50 cadets to choose from, bringing it much closer to the Air Force’s 74. Troy had a message for the Air Force. “Be ready. Be prepared. Because we’re going to bring everything but the kitchen sink to the table,” he said.
the students, Student Senate he said. will revisit the Carter has issue in future e n c ou r a g e d meetings. senator s to Students s pr e a d t h e can vote on the word through SGA’s Web site other organivia www.untsga. zations. com or w it h College paper ballots in of Public the SGA’s office A f fa i rs a nd in Union 320. C om mu n it y T he on l i ne Ser vice Sen. voting system M e g h a n w i l l open at Hudec is vice m id n ig ht on president of Mond ay a nd programclose at 5 p.m. ming for the Friday. Pa n hel len ic Students will Council. need to log in to S h e the system with has been t hei r EUIDs spreading the and passwords to vote on the PHOTO BY KAITLIN HOAG / PHOTOGRAPHER word through ballot. SGA will open voting for all UNT students on Monday, Nov. 16 to vote for whether same-sex couples are eligible to run the Greek Life community. T he quesfor positions on the Homecoming court. Students can vote online at www.untsga.com. H e r tion will read sorority, Alpha percent of the students, Carter every student organization he “ S h ou l d t h e can reach and will continue Delta Pi, will have laptops with Student Senate change the said. However, since the senate through the voting week, he the voting page set up outside SGA bylaws to allow same-sex of the weekly council meetings couples the ability to run for voted for the referendum, said. SGA members have posted to help members remember to the SGA members have been Homecoming Court?” fliers, made Facebook groups vote, she said. Turnout at student elections working to get the word out. L a st week, Ca r ter a nd Carter has been speaking to and sent out emails to reach is usually low, at about 4 to 5
School of Mercha nd isi ng and Hospitality Management Sen. Christopher Passafiume represented the SGA in a panel discussion ca lled “Gender Revolution” in McConnell Hall. A lt houg h Pa ssa f iu me said he felt the outreach was successful, it brought up some points that have not been widely considered. “It made me realize that the focus has been more so on same-sex couples,” he said. “That’s part of it, but everyone’s ignoring the fact that transgendered people and people who do not fit in the gender binary are being marginalized.” Passafiume said he thought that although there are not many people who identif y as gender neutral, they still should have the protections from a new bill in place. K au mud i Ma n ie de o, a pre-med freshman, said she planned on voting. “I am going to participate because I feel that if we have voting, it’s important that we do participate,” she said. “It’s your job as a citizen or as a student to be involved.”
UNT-Dallas Facts • UNT-Dallas is constructing its second building on the 264-acre campus • 2007 student population: 1,700 • 2009 student population: 2,128 • Number of students projected for 2030: 16,000 Students can access the webcast at www.unt.edu/untdallas.
Senior Staff Writer
The Air Force brought its record against the Army to 3-0 Thursday when it won U N T’s t h i rd Joi nt Forc e Olympics. The two branches of the UNT ROTC did battle in a variety of team-based competit ions at Discover y Pa rk. When the smoke cleared, the Air Force led 140 to 70. “Air Force is 3 and 0 and we hope to keep the tradition going and we had a great time,” said Chris Goodloe, undeclared junior and public a f fa irs of f icer for t he a ir force ROTC. “We’re looking forward to the spring.” The t wo groups du ke it out in games including tugof-wars or Ultimate Frisbee, with each game given varying point values. “O u r c a d e t s c om p e t e a ga i n st one a not her for bragging rights and, most importantly, a sword that the winner takes back to their headqua r ters,” sa id Maj. Herman Troy, chairman of
the military science department. The sword stays with the w inning bra nch unt il t he next Olympics, not unlike the Stanley Cup. The Air Force w ill be holding t he sword until the games resume in the spring.
In the fall semesters, the Air Force hosts the games. In the spring, it’s the Army’s turn. The challenges run from com mon compet it ions to more unusual ones. “We pushed a Humvee a hundred yards over a couple
“Our cadets compete against one another for bragging rights and, most importantly, a sword.”
—Maj. Herman Troy Chairman of the military science department
With each Olympics, the sword is engraved with the semester and the name of the winning branch. The field day started when the Army ROTC challenged the Air Force. Troy said the competition was a friendly one. “We both wear the uniform. We a re bot h defenders of America’s freedom, so we are brothers in arms,” he said.
Election on Homecoming issue to begin Monday Students to vote on same-sex controversy BY CAROLYN BROWN Senior Staff Writer
A f t e r a n g r y s t u d e nt s bomba rde d t he St udent Government Association for weeks with a protest and e-mails about the failed same-sex Homecoming bill, the controversy may end next week with a special election. From Monday to Friday of next week, students will have the chance to vote on whether same-sex couples will be able to run for positions on the Homecoming court. “I think any time that we have an election, it’s ver y important for students to express their opinions,” SGA president Dakota Carter said. “Especially when it comes to these controversial issues that people really feel one way or the other against.” If students vote “yes,” samesex couples can run for positions on the Homecoming court. A vote “no” means the
Friday 11.13.2009
2
CauseSCENE
Brooke Cowlishaw Scene Editor ntdailyscene@rocketmail.com
Local bands play for Habitat for Humanity By Graciela R azo Senior Staff Writer
Local musicians will tune their guitars, turn up their amps and get ready to play “Something Awesome� on Monday at Hailey’s. The Class Cause of 2012 is presenting the fundraiser — a benefit show for Habitat for Humanity in Denton County’s building fund — as its class project. The group hopes to raise at least $500 to give to Habitat for Humanity so it can buy materials needed to build homes around Denton County. Whiskey Folk Ramblers, Sans Soleil, RTB2 and Vortexas will get the crowd going with disc jockey yeahdef mixing between sets. Tonya Riley, coordinator of student success programs, said she and the coordinators knew a
music show would bring in a lot of supporters for the fundraiser. “UNT is a music society, so we thought we needed something students wouldn’t mind going to and all of us agreed on music,� Riley said. The show took about a month to plan, but getting bands to play for free was the most difficult part, she said. “The bands playing were willing to give of their time and services so we could help Habitat for Humanity,� Riley said. “They’re helping someone actually get a home.� Another band on the roster is multi-genre Denton band Billy Ratcliff and the Economy. Bassist Alex Gates said the band mixes folk vocals, jazz guitars and free-rock keyboards to make its live sounds.
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When the band was asked to play the “Something Awesome� show, saying yes was a no-brainer, said keyboardist Andrew Jordan Miller, a general studies senior. “It’s kind of a win-win situation for everybody,� Miller said, “for the people getting the houses, for the organizers and for us.� Attendees can expect a good time from the band’s set, as well as the feeling that they know they helped change a family’s life, he said. “They’ll probably find themselves wearing their dancing shoes all night,� Miller said. Sandra Monclova, office manager for Habitat for Humanity, said UNT students call the office nearly every day asking for ways they can volunteer, and this benefit show is just another way they can help. “As far as the fundraising initiative, I have to commend the UNT student body,� Monclova said. “They are so giving and so wonderful with their community spirit.�
Photo courtesy of Zachary Huggins
Billy Ratcliff and the Economy perform at a house show on Saturday in Denton. The band will perform with other local bands Whiskey Folk Ramblers and Sans Soleil at a benefit show for Habitat for Humanity on Monday at Hailey’s.
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Felix Tellez performs as part of Billy Ratcliff and the Economy at a house show on Saturday. The band will play on Monday at Hailey’s at the “Something Awesome� party, sponsored by the UNT Class of 2012 Cause to benefit Habitat for Humanity.
Page 2 Friday, November 13, 2009
News
Shaina Zucker & Courtney Roberts
News Editors ntdailynews@gmail.com
Organization raises money for African children BY A MBER A RNOLD Senior Staff Writer
Two members of the UNT community are using their initiative to raise money for underprivileged children in Africa who may not have the chance to go to school. UNT alumnus Ryan Schuette and Lindsey Bengfort started t he nonpr of it K r o o Bay Initiative organization two years ago after traveling to Africa. The g roup has recent ly obtained tax-exempt status. “We want to give people an understanding of other places around t he world,” said Bengfort, an international studies senior. “There are a lot people out there who need help and need us to stand up for them.” The organization will hold the first Education for Everyone 5K run on Saturday in hopes of raising $5,000 to help children in Kroo Bay, Sierra Leone, receive an education. Schuette graduated in 2007
Lindsey Bengfort
with a degree in international studies. He first experienced Africa when he visited Uganda in 2006. “It made me aware of the lifestyles and habits and the generally aw ful scene that confronts people in the slums on a daily basis,” he said. It was Bengfort’s trip to Sierra Leone and her visit to the Kroo Bay area that really sparked an interest in both students to create an organization. Beng for t a nd Schuet te v isited the Clinton Globa l Initiative and became one of t wo student organizations at UNT to receive a grant, Schuette said. They also relied on Doug Henr y of the anthropolog y faculty to help them file forms with the IRS and Texas and federal governments in order to become a tax-exempt organization. Since t he organization’s inception, Bengfort estimates that the organization has raised
Ryan Schuette
PHOTO COURTESY OF KROO BAY INITIATIVE
UNT alumnus Ryan Schuette and Lindsey Bengfort co-founded the Kroo Bay Initiative. KBI was established to help underprivileged children in the Kroo Bay slum of Sierra Leone go to school. about $2000 to help the Kroo Bay slum. The slum is home to about 6,000 people living in shacks that are inundated with sewage, Schuette said. So far, the organization has been successful with its limited money in providing students with school supplies, working with the local women’s vocational school and even donating eight water purification systems around the area.
“The next step is raising money and providing scholarships for students to go to secondary school,” Bengfort said. “We’re also looking at going outside of Kroo Bay to other rural villages to see what schools, if any, want or need our help.” Schuette said the biggest obstacle in trying to help a place that is so far away is trying to get money together for airfare. He was planning a
trip to Kroo Bay in December, which had to be canceled because it was too expensive. Although the organization can use money that it raises for travel, Bengfort said that they have decided against that. “With a lot of big non-profits, the money they raise first goes to administration costs and travel,” she said. “We just felt like we weren’t comfortable with that, and we believe that
every penny that we get should go to these people.” The Education for Everyone 5K run will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at South Lakes Park in Denton. Participants will help raise money by paying a registration fee of $15. The money raised will go toward creating educational scholarships for children in Kroo Bay. For more information, visit http://kbinitiative.org/.
Texas moves to clean energy DALLAS (AP) — While Texas maintains a firm grip on the dubious title of the nation’s most prol i f ic i ndu st r ia l polluter, an environmental group’s report Thursday found that wind power and other cleaner energy sources have helped cut emissions linked to global warming in the state. Env ironment Te x a s analyzed the most recent U.S. Department of Energy statistics that show the state is still the leader in carbon-dioxide emissions but cut such pollution by 2 percent between 2004
and 2007. In that same fouryear period, emissions around the country went up 0.7 percent and increased in 33 states, according to the report. “We can drive the economy without driving up pollution,” said Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger. “By moving to clean energy, we can cut pollution, help jumpstart the economy and create millions of new clean energy jobs around the country.” The group’s analysis covered 2004-2007, but emissions in Texas actually began drop-
ping in 2002, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Carbon dioxide emissions in the state have dropped 5 percent between 2002 and 2007. F i nd i n g t he b a l a nc e between the environment and the economy is a constant struggle in Texas. The state relies heavily on the energy industry and has more coalfired power plants, chemical plants and oil refineries than any other. And with a rapidly growing population, there’s always need for more power.
COURTESY OF COURTNEY PERRY/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT
A message of sympathy to soldiers, family and friends is posted on the bulletin board at the Casa Del Norte apartments in Killen, Texas, where Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan lived.
Fort Hood shooter charged with 13 counts of murder FORT HOOD, Texas (A P) — An Army psychiatrist was charged w it h 13 counts of premeditated murder in the Fort Hood massacre as he lay in a hospital bed Thursday, wh i le President Ba rack Obama ordered a review to determine if the government fumbled warning signs of the man’s contacts with a radical Islamic cleric. Maj. Nida l Ma lik Hasa n could face the death penalty if convicted. A rmy of f icia ls sa id t hey believe Hasan acted a lone when he jumped on a table w it h t w o h a ndg u n s la st week, shouted “Allahu akbar” and opened fire. The dead included at least three other mental health professionals; 29 were injured.
Additiona l cha rges were possible, sa id Ch r is Grey, spokesma n for t he A r my Cr i m i na l Invest igat ion Command. It had not been decided whether to charge Hasan with the death of the unborn child of a pregnant soldier who died, of f icia ls told The A ssociated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the case publicly. Meanwhile, Obama ordered a review of all intelligence related to Hasa n to determine whether it was properly shared and acted upon within the government. John Bren na n, assista nt to t he president for homeland securit y and counterterrorism, will oversee the review. The
first results are due Nov. 30. Obama also ordered the preservation of the intelligence. Members of Congress are pressing for a f ull investigation into why Hasan was not detected and stopped. A Senate hearing on Hasan is scheduled for next week. Rep. Peter Hoekstra, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, and others have called for a full examination of what agencies knew about Hasan’s contacts with a radical imam and others of concern to the U.S., and what they did with the information. Hoekstra confirmed this week that the U.S. government knew of about 10 to 20 e-mails between Hasan and a radical imam, beginning in December 2008.
FoodSCENE
[ ] Food Snobs
Friday 11.13.2009
3
Metzler’s Bar-B-Q
simplistic, down-home atmosphere. Cleanliness On the outside, Metzler’s Service looks like a gas station sans pumps, but with a Affordability step inside, patrons are Atmosphere greeted with the South’s Food Quality finest perfumes of goodold-fashioned barbecue: charred meat, original barbecue in his office. Metzler’s has counter-style sauce, beer and the pleasant ambient Metzler’s Bar-B-Q ordering. Patrons choose their meals sound of bubbling grease. 115 E. University Drive from a large menu spanning the wall A look around keeps the gas-station Denton atmosphere alive: walls lined with behind the counter, listing all the fridges stocked with cold beer and classics. BY CHRIS SPEIGHT & Our choices included a pulled-pork wine, fountain sodas and teas. But JEPH BURTON instead of aisles of candy bars and sandwich, chopped beef sandwich, Contributing Writers pork rinds, the shelves are loaded beer-battered mushrooms and the Metzler’s knows barbecue — with wine — anything from your “Appetizer of the Month” — Colby typical $8 grocery bottles to finer Jack and bleu cheese sticks. there’s no mistake. The cheese sticks came to the table One of two locations, Metzler’s wines such as Silver Oak. The dining area itself is a small and were an instant favorite. Deepat 1115 E. University Drive sits a fair distance from UNT and less than a nook at the front of the building that fried and served with a side of ranch quarter of a mile from Texas Woman’s has only a handful of tables chained dressing, these heart-stoppers wowed to the wall for extra security. However, us with their intense and amazing University. One of the most lovable aspects the limited seating does not mean flavor. The dark orange color attested of Metzler’s besides the excel- the kitchen is cold. A steady flow of lent barbecue is its unpretentious, take-out orders keeps the cook busy to a batter that was wholly different than your average cheese stick, while the mild bleu cheese smoothed out the sharpness of the Colby Jack. The texture was perfect, too, with an outside crunch that carried the creaminess of the inside to a whole new level. Beer-battered mushrooms are tasty indeed but were frankly no match for that sweet, sweet cheese. The crunchy texture of the beer batter hits the taste buds immediately, followed by a soft, warm mushroom. The pulled-pork sandwich came on a lightly buttered and toasted bun. A hefty serving of meat with only a dollop of barbecue sauce, the portions were just right for bringing out the full flavor of pork (but sauce addicts can relax — there’s a full bottle of it on every table). It doesn’t come with sides automatically, but a number of sides are available for a small price. Being in a barbecue joint like this demanded a chopped beef sandwich, always a classic. Same style as the pulled-pork, but PHOTO BY MELISSA BOUGHTON / PHOTOGRAPHER in beef version. Both the pork and A sliced or chopped barbecue sandwich at Metzler’s Bar-B-Que costs $3.45. For an extra beef sandwiches, among others, cost $1.95, patrons can get a side of fries. $3.65.
PHOTO BY MELISSA BOUGHTON / PHOTOGRAPHER
Metzler’s Bar-B-Q sells more than just ribs. The restaurant also carries groceries and a large wine and beer selection. Appetizers, including chicken pepper balls (chicken and jalapenos rolled in handmade butter) and hot sausage sampler, range between $3.95 and $7.95. Students who can’t make it home for Thanksgiving or those who don’t quite know their way around the kitchen can opt for Metzler’s to prepare their upcoming feasts.
Free Fruit Kolache To Go when you bring in this coupon
Turkey dinners, smoked ham, glazed ham and sides are all offered for a reasonable price. This local gem is just an all-around good choice for anyone. We definitely left stuffed, impressed and definitely eager for another visit. Metzler’s second location and original location is 628 Londonderry Lane in Denton.
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Friday 11.13.2009
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DestructionSCENE 2012:
Friday 11.13.2009
5
The end or another conspiracy?
BY JESSICA PAUL
network of telescopes that are looking for that,” she said.
Intern
The end is coming — or is it? The year 2012 and its rumored phenomenon of global destruction will be in the mind of anyone who attends the release of the aptly named film today. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film covers a worldwide cataclysm that brings the world to its end, with survivors struggling to continue in existence. The story spawns from a prophecy developed from Mayan culture. Because the Mayan calendar ends on Dec. 21, 2012, many interpret this as being the end of the world. But some professors say the film and such legends are just another wave of rumors.
Obsession with chaos
One could probably go through every culture and find distinct dates that could be construed as a beginning and an end, Luster said. With the increasing Internet hype over such events as Y2K, 06-06-06 and now 2012, he said, people try to assign meaning to something, whether it’s random or not. “With Y2K, the planes were supposed to fall out of the sky, and all these things didn’t happen,” he said. “Now the whole calendar has been brought into science and on the Internet, so there’s things that live forever, even past the civilization.” In the financial industry, many take advantage of people’s obsessions with chaos to sell products, he said. “Markets like hype because hype is an opportunity to sell things,” he said. “If you’re Hollywood and you want people to go to your movie, you want them to associate it with some real-life event.”
A common misunderstanding
Although the film will sell tickets, the year 2012 does not signify the end of the world, said Gene Luster of the anthropology faculty. “It’s just something that’s being hyped by Hollywood and people that write books,” Luster said. “When they talk about 2012 being the end, it’s also the beginning of a new era, and Hollywood wants to focus on the end.” Preston Starr, UNT’s observatory manager, said that the calendar ending in 2012 isn’t significant. The Mayans just need a new one. “It’s simply a calendar that hasn’t been reproduced yet,” he said. “The Mayans had a long cycle for their calendar. I’m sure if I was carving something in stone and I made a 4,000-year calendar I’d probably say, ‘The younger guys can do the next one.’”
Scientific theories
One rumor popularized by the movie suggests the earth’s magnetic poles will shift on this day, causing mass flooding. This pole-shifting is a recurring event in the planet’s history, Luster said. “The magnetic poles have switched hundreds of times as the Earth has been created,” Luster said. “North and south naturally switch because of the magma center inside the Earth that is moving around.” Cheryl Lawler of the physics faculty agreed, but she said the weakening of the poles is not significant because scientists think the magnetic field is
Hollywood rendition
mainly made deep in the interior of the planet. “Having a pole reversal in our modern age will disrupt us significantly because of all the interactions between the magnetic field and solar wind,” she said. However, she did not think this disruption would destroy the surface of the Earth. “It happens every 500,000 years on Earth, but we’ve never had a technological society,” she said. “Is it going to cause major explosions, disruptions and earthquakes? No, probably not.” Other 2012 theories include an asteroid or comet hitting the earth, but Lawler debunks this myth as well. “For a cataclysmic kind of thing, we think of being hit by a chunk of an asteroid or even a comet,” she said. “Those are the two things, astronomically, we would expect, but those are not predictable events necessarily.” If objects like those were seen early enough, she said, scientists could follow their paths and discover if they would cross Earth’s path. “That’s one of the reasons we have a global
Cody Mendoza, a music performance freshman, said he thought the movie looks realistic, and he would go see it. “I think it could happen because I think that the poles are going to switch,” he said. “It’s like a winter solstice kind of thing, and the last time this whole switch happened was during the last ice age.” However, Luster said Americans are very linear and don’t tend to see the big picture. “We’re focusing on this being the end of this era and not realizing this is just the beginning of another era because the Mayan calendar repeats itself indefinitely,” he said. Darian McBrayer, a freshman, has refused to give in to the hype and doesn’t plan on seeing the movie. “No, absolutely not,” McBrayer said. “It sounds just like another superstition. There are a million theories about how the world will end, and I don’t believe in one of them.” Luster said human beings tend to take threats against their security or their imminent disease a lot more seriously. “I think it’s just a power play,” he said. “People capitalize on fear.”
[ In theaters today... ] B K M / A L E / OPINION
“2012”
I doubt Emmerich (“Independence Day,” “The Patriot”) could make another movie after this, the two-and-a-half-hour apex of all his disasters. It’s not just Washington, D.C., L.A. or New York City getting destroyed this time. The whole world will end. I’m a huge Cusack fan, but I think this project may even be too ambitious for the king of disaster. Tidal waves crashing over the Himalayas, the Las Vegas Strip splitting in two, the Capitol rotunda rolling through the streets of Washington, D.C. The computer animation used to create these effects just comes off as fake. But a sprawling epic like this will be tremendous to watch on the big screen, and it will certainly be better than Emmerich’s last two efforts: the grungy, moronic “10,000 B.C.” and the utterly ludicrous “Day After Tomorrow.” Starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover. Directed by Roland Emmerich.
Sports
Friday, November 13, 2009
Page 4 Justin Umberson
Sports Editor ntdaily.sports@gmail.com
Week 10 NFL Pick ‘em
Sean 4-10
Eric 8-7
Justin 9-6
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB / PHOTOGRAPHER
Jamaal Jackson, a sociology junior, runs the ball down field against the University of Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday at Fouts Field. Jackson leads UNT with 50 catches for 506 yards and four touchdowns.
Football team hopes to avoid consecutive losses BY ERIC JOHNSON Senior Staff Writer
The UNT football team (2-7, 1-5) will attempt to avoid its 11th losing streak in the past five years when it travels to Miami to face the Florida International University Golden Panthers on Saturday at 6 p.m. UNT’s offense stalled out Saturday, but it plans to get back on track against FIU’s defense that has allowed nearly 500 yards a game this season. “We got contained last week, so these guys are really itching to get out there and show the kind of players they are,” head coach Todd Dodge said. “We have the mindset of craving a victory, and we have the talent and ingredients to go out there and put up some points and get a win.” After being held to 40 yards last week on 14 carries, running back Lance Dunbar, a sociology sophomore, will try to knife his way through the Swiss cheese that is the Golden Panther run defense. FIU (2-7, 2-4) allows nearly 250 rushing yards a contest, ranking 118 out of 120 in the nation. “Lance is so dangerous, I just don’t see him being stopped again,” said quarterback Riley Dodge, an arts and sciences redshirt freshman. “Our offen-
sive line has done a great job all year, and we trust them to open things up for the running game and really give us an advantage with their experience.” After throwing for 189 yards and three interceptions, the gutsy quarterback will have to bounce back from one of his worst performances as well. But with a deep and talented receiving corps full of players who can change the game with one big play, Riley Dodge will have no shortage of weapons in his aerial assault against FIU. “We have so many explosive players in this offense,” said receiver Darius Carey, a kinesiology freshman. “There is so much heart, intensity and passion on this team, and we trust each other and know that any guy is capable of making a play. That’s the kind of talent we have.” The Golden Panthers have a game changer of its own in receiver T.Y. Hilton. He will challenge a Mean Green secondary that has struggled over the last few weeks. “He is a phenomenal player, and he inspired us to go out and find guys like Jamaal Jackson and Darius Carey,” Todd Dodge said. “The big play killed us last week, and we have got to eliminate that this week by keeping his impact to a minimum.”
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For the second-straight week, UNT’s defense will be unsure of who it will face at quarterback. FIU’s Paul McCall missed last week’s game after hyperextending his elbow on his throwing arm but will attempt to make the start on Saturday. After getting consistent pressure on the quarterback for the first time in weeks, the Mean Green front seven could take advantage of an offensive line that has given up 31 sacks this season, which is the worst in conference. “That’s a match up that we have got to capitalize on,” said defensive end Brandon Akpunku, a biology sophomore. “We need to help out our guys in the secondary by bringing pressure and getting some sacks.” UNT has lost its last two meetings against the Golden Panthers and will try to erase the memory last year’s 42-10 loss with a victory Saturday night at 6 p.m. “No one is happy with how this season has gone, but no one is losing their confidence either,” Riley Dodge said. “We have had some things not go our way this year, but we are confident that we can win these last three games and end the season with some success.”
Jacksonville @ NY Jets Kansas City @ Oakland New England @ Indianapolis
Volleyball team ‘pumped’ heading into final games BY R EMINGTON BIRD Staff Writer
The UNT volleyball team (12-18, 8-8) hits the road for its last t wo games of the season aga inst A rka nsas St ate Un iversit y (20-10, 10-6) a nd t he Universit y of A rk a nsa s-L it t le Rock (14-13, 8-8), teams it faced two weeks ago at home. The Sun Belt Conference games will help determine UNT’s seed in the conference tournament, provided Troy University doesn’t win bot h of its matchups to knock the Mean Green out of the postseason. “ We ’r e p u m p e d u p because we know if we win both of them our seed will be higher, and I think we’ll feel more confident going i n to t he tou r na ment,” said libero Jessica Green, a general business senior. “We’re just tr y ing to get prepared mentally for the tournament, and to do that we need to be focused for these last two games.” The team’s last meeting with the UALR resulted in a win in four sets, and the next day the team dropped a heartbreaker to ASU in five. Head coach Ca ssie Headrick said the team is still motivated because the team’s entry in to the tournament depends on Troy’s performance this weekend as well. “It is not guaranteed until this weekend, so I think our focus is the same,” she said. “Right now, we have the goal of getting the sixth seed.” Defensive specia list Kelsey Robins, a kinesiology junior, said the team is still excited about Monday ’s
PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB / PHOTOGRAPHER
Defensive specialist Sarah Willey, a mathematics sophomore, serves the ball against the University of New Orleans on Saturday. w in over t he Universit y of Louisiana-Lafayette but needs to remain focused. “We can’t focus on what Troy has to do or what Troy doesn’t have to do, we have got to focus on winning some more games,” she said. The team did not express a ny concer ns about being on the road for its last two games after playing the last si x games at home, during
which the team won three. “We are playing rested, and we’ve got our rhy t hm a nd spirit back because we were home for a while,” Robins said. “Nothing is going to fire us up more t ha n k now ing we’re going to t he tournament and killing people on the way.” The team will face Arkansas State on Friday at 7 p.m. and UALR on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Friday 11.13.2009
6
EntertainmentSCENE
‘Pirate Radio’ sinks under too many storylines BY K IP MOONEY
Arts & Life Editor Despite being carried by a fantastic soundtrack, meandering storylines take the wind out of the sails of “Pirate Radio.” The year is 1966. With the government controlling the United Kingdom’s radio stations, the golden era of rock ‘n’ roll had no outlet on the airwaves. To cope, pirate radio stations began broadcasting from international waters, where an estimated half of the nation tuned in daily. None of this pleases sniveling government official Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh, clearly enjoying a reprieve from serious roles), who makes it his
pet project to get this “filth” off the air. Dormandy is a man so bent on tradition that he fires a subordinate because of his shaggy haircut. His replacement (Jack Davenport, “Pirates of the Caribbean”) is just the sort of kiss-up Dormandy loves. The running joke is that he shares a last name with British slang for genitalia. It doesn’t get funnier the more it’s repeated. Back on the boat known as Radio Rock, disc jockeys spin the best songs of the ’60s, from The Who and Procol Harum to Otis Redding and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. Despite having an absolutely terrific soundtrack made up of the gems of the era, it makes plenty of
painfully obvious choices when cuing songs up with some of the movie’s otherwise great scenes. It’s in these musical moments that the movie works its magic. Curtis is a master of light fare, but here he’s tried to bog down his movie with far too much story. A boy goes on a quest to find true love and his biological father. An American DJ (Philip Seymour Hoffman, great as always) spars against the lothario he replaced. The “nutty” DJ desperately tries to understand why no one likes him. Anyone who’s seen Curtis’ past works knows he can balance multiple storylines and wrap them up in neat little bows by the time the end credits roll.
Here, it’s just too much of everything. When the film came out in the U.K. in April, it was called “The Boat that Rocked” and ran 20 minutes longer. While I think it had a much better title, a longer run time wouldn’t have fixed its problems. The film does a good job of portraying the constant daze of life on the ship and gets its music right. It also leaves you feeling positively buoyant at times. But it misses many opportunities to make points about censorship, family and the transformative power of music. By the time it becomes a retread of “Titanic,” the ship had already begun to sink.
Model’s memoir shares stories of mental illness, rock life BY CHARLIE R ALL Intern
“Fall to Pieces” is the newly released memoir of Mary Forsberg Weiland, a former model and wife to Velvet Revolver and Stone Temple
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Pilots frontman Scott Weiland. In her book, Weiland recounts growing up in southern California amid other celebrities. As a young adult, she became addicted to heavy drugs while also dealing with severe bipolar disorder that went undiagnosed for years. Throughout the course of her marriage, both she and her husband were in and out of rehab several times for drug abuse. In 2007, she experienced an extreme manic episode in which she set fire to her husband’s wardrobe in the driveway of their Burbank home. The event was a tabloid media storm for the weeks to follow. After the inci-
dent, she was clinically diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began treatment to turn her life around. Weiland talks about her experiences and her new book: Q: What are you doing to promote the book? Weiland: In the past two days, I did 13 different radio shows. Those were really fun. I’ve never done that before, so it was a good time. Q: Why did you write the book? Weiland: Well, I’ve had a lot of crazy experiences in my life. Things have worked out really well for me, and I’ve had a really great life. I
wanted to give somebody else some faith that they, too, can have an awesome life and get the help that they might need. Q: Was it hard you to expose all this about yourself to the public? Weiland: Yeah, but I’m really open, so I don’t mind sharing. B u t s om e t i m e s people can be negative, and there’s a lot of negativity on the Internet — people that haven’t even read the book. I knew everybody wasn’t going to love it, but other than that I’ve been receiving really great feedback. People seem to understand the reason why I wrote it, and that’s awesome. Q: Who do you want to read this book? Weiland: Well, there’s a fun part, then there’s some celebrity silliness, and then there’s information on
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addiction. There’s some stories from backstage — from spending time with the band and then the mental illness side. I think there’s a lot for a lot of different people. Hopefully it won’t be just something that one group attaches itself to. Hopefully, I’ll branch out. Q: Why were you not diagnosed with bipolar disorder until later in life? Weiland: I was actually diagnosed originally in my early 20s. But because I was using drugs, I assumed that that was an incorrect diagnosis, so I ignored it. Not until I had a very horrible manic episode in 2007 was I diagnosed again. “Fall to Pieces” is in stores now.
To read the full interview, visit ntdaily.com
TheaterSCENE
Friday 11.13.2009
7
‘Plaid’ revives 1950s band in y a l P 3 s s modern-day Denton musical Pre 4 Music to Work Out to 5 6 1 2 7 8 9 10
”Break Stuff,” Limp Bizkit ”So What’cha Want,” The Beastie Boys
By Morgan Walker Staff Writer
Students can take a trip back in time and soak in music of the ’50s and ’60s at Denton Community Theatre’s production of “Forever Plaid.” The show, directed and choreographed by Robert Emery, opens at 7:30 tonight. The musical begins with four high school students — Sparky, Jinx, Smudge and Frankie — on their rise to fame starring in harmony group The Plaids. While on the road to its first big gig, the group is suddenly struck by a bus full of Catholic girls on their way to catch the Beatles make their U.S. television debut. The members of The Plaids are killed instantly but miraculously get the chance to come back and continue their careers during the modern-day era. “Basically, this is the show that they never got to perform,” said Jeff Petersen, a radio, television and film sophomore at North Central Texas College. Petersen stars as Francis, one of the four members of the group. “He’s sort of the leader of the group, I suppose,” Petersen said. “In the show, he’s the one that creates all the choreography and keeps everybody in line.” The humor of the musical is dry and razor-sharp, Petersen said. “I love that I can have four generations of my family sitting side-by-side who can all enjoy the show equally,” Petersen said. “There are not a lot of shows that can accommodate that.” This is the first show Emery has directed at the Campus Theatre. He said he jumped at the opportunit y to direct t his musica l and has seen about 18 different productions of the show.
”Feel Good Inc.,” Gorillaz ”Killing in the Name,” Rage Against the Machine
”Gonna Fly Now,” Bill Conti
”Rock Your Body,” Justin Timberlake
”Play Your Part (Part 1),” Girl Talk ”Smooth Criminal,” Alien Ant Farm
”All These Things That I’ve Done,” The Killers
Photo by Morgan Walker / Photographer
Alex Ross stars as Smudge in the musical “Forever Plaid,” which opens 7:30 tonight at the Campus Theatre. To see multimedia for this story, visit ntdaily.com “It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time,” Emery said. Because he ser ved as bot h director and choreographer, he said it was both difficult and easy handling the jobs. “I know exactly what the choreographer is thinking, and the choreographer knows what the stage director is thinking,” Emery said. This is also the first show at t he Campus Theatre for Jack Perl, a graduate of KD Actors Conservatory in Dallas. Perl plays Sparky, the “clown” of the show, and said it’s is a role much different than he’s used to playing. “Usua l ly I’m t he you nger, quieter, shy kind of person and
“Forever Plaid” Dates: 7:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 2 p.m.
Nov. 13-14 Nov. 15 Nov. 20-21 Nov. 22
Cost: $18 adults, $16 seniors, $10 students and children For more information, call the box office at 940-382-1915
in this one I get to be really outgoing and we get to dance with plungers,” Perl said. He wants audience members to walk out of the show singing and dancing with a sense of happiness. “That’s what this show is,” Perl said. “It’s four guys just doing what they absolutely love.”
”Good Life,” Kanye West
“Demon Days” - Gorillaz
Friday 11.13.2009
8
MusicSCENE
Phil Wickham releases ‘Heaven’-ly new album By K ip Mooney
Arts & Life Editor Phil Wickham is constantly evolving. On his 2006 self-titled debut, he showcased his singer-songwriter side with acoustic gems like “Divine Romance” and “I Will Wait for You There.” He expanded his sound on 2007’s “Cannons,” aiming for arenaf i l ling a nt hems. You’ve probably sung “True Love” in church. But unlike many Christian artists, who have yet to explore the mu sic a l w or ld beyond the 7-11 pat ter n (seven words repeated 11 times), Wickham is a true innovator. “Heaven and Earth,” which drops Tuesday, is the year’s best pop album. Regardless of your belief, the songs are undeniably catchy and uplifting, but they never veer into cheesy territory. The album begins with “Eden,” an utterly captivating track about Wickham’s yearning to fix a broken relationship. It used to be beautiful, but he messed it up. But Wickham is never one to stay down about anything. He’s resolved to restore the relationship to its original, glorious state. While many singer-songwriters appeal to listeners’ narcissism, hoping to elicit the response “It’s like he’s singing my life,” Wickham pulls off a rare feat: You can actually feel his passion in ever y song. When he sings how he’s “climbing the fences” and “crossing the sea” in the title track, you can clearly
picture it. These are love songs of the highest order. But occasionally, Wickham gets a little heated when people don’t get it. He calls out disingenuous people who are less than honest in their relationships. “You’ve learned every song/ Memorized the verse/ Took the bread and wine/ And even bought t he sh i r t,” he chastises on “The Time is Now.” But he’s not ju st goi ng to gripe about problems in the world. Later in the song, he encourages his listeners to “be the resistance” to this type of counterfeit love. It’s one of the few less-t ha n-joyou s songs on the album. Elsewhere, many of the songs on the album pair up perfectly. “Hold On” segues into lead single “Safe,” featuring Bart Millard from MercyMe. While both songs had plenty of opportunities to go awry, to lose impact, the earnestness of both singers shines through. It’s a trait that flows through the entire album, especially on the one-two punch of “In Your City” and “Your Arrival.” While deeply moving and magnificent tracks, they’re both just good songs period. This is an album with massive crossover appeal, and not because Wickham has sold out or watered down his message. It’s just his new batch of songs continue to prove why he should be a name everyone knows.