Burst Bubble
Food Snobs approve of fried food, not bubblegum Arts & Life | Page 4
Title Trio
Mean Green wins three championships in New York Sports | Page 5
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
News 1, 2 Arts & Life 3, 4 Sports 5, 8 Views 6 Classifieds 7 Games 7
Volume 98 | Issue 27
Cloudy 80° / 63°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Lysteria illness kills 2 in Texas A NN SMAJSTRLA Staff Writer
An outbreak of listeriosis traced to tainted Colorado cantaloupe has led to two deaths in Texas and has hospitalized 17 people, said Carrie Williams, a press officer for the Texas Department of State Health Services. Cases of listeriosis linked to the cantaloupes have been reported in 24 states where 109 people have been infected and 21 have died, and the death toll is still rising. Listeriosis is an infection caused by eating food containing the bacterium listeria monocytogenes, said Rance Berg, UNT Health Science Center professor of biology and immunology. “People become infected after eating contaminated food products, primarily soft cheeses and processed meats, but obviously fruits and vegetables can also be contaminated,” Berg said. The most common symptoms of listeriosis are fever, muscle aches, diarrhea and vomiting. If the infection enters the central nervous system, Berg said, it can lead to meningitis, and the symptoms are headaches, stiff neck, confusion and seizures. Those most susceptible to listeria are pregnant women, infants, the elderly and adults with weakened immune systems, Berg said. Listeriosis can be treated with antibiotics; however, even with prompt treatment, some listeriosis cases result in death. About 20 to 30 percent of clinical cases of listeriosis result in death, Berg said. “It’s not something that we should concern ourselves with, but it’s still pretty sad to hear about,” English senior Michael Collins said. T he Fo o d a nd D r u g Administration’s website, foodsafety.org, advises that consumers check the site frequently once a mass recall of food is announced.
PHOTO BY JAMES COREAS/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The football team shows its eagle claws to fans in celebration of Saturday night’s game at Apogee Stadium. The Mean Green finished the game with a 31-17 victory against Florida Atlantic.
Mean Green notches first Sun Belt win PAUL BOTTONI
Senior Staff Writer The UNT football team earned its first Sun Belt Con ference w i n of t he 2011-2012 season Saturday, defeating Florida Atlantic 31-17 on a cool and blustery night at Apogee Stadium. The Mean Green (2-4) shut out the Owls (0-5) in the first half, but FAU rallied with 17 points in the second half. However, the game was out of reach and the Mean Green victory sealed. “There were plent y of mistakes and things we have to get fixed as coaches,” UNT
“But in the end, when you are plus-three in turnovers, you normally have a good chance to win.”
-Dan McCarney UNT head football coach
head coach Dan McCarney said. “But in the end, when you are plus three in turnovers, you normally have a good chance to win [the game].”
Fewer Mean Green fans than usual witnessed the victory, as a season-low attendance of 13,142 was seen at the start of the game. Tur novers shaped t he
game’s outcome. The Mean Green scored 21 points off three Owls giveaways. The UNT defense entered the game ranked last in the Sun Belt in pass defense and had made three interceptions in five games. The Mean Green matched that total against FAU, including back-to-back third-quarter interceptions returned for touchdowns by senior defensive backs Royce Hill and Steven Ford. “I was playing in the flats and the quarterback just didn’t see me,” Hill said. “I got a chance to get my hands on the ball and just stayed
with it. I made the interception, broke a tackle and from there I was just looking at the end zone.” Not to be outdone, Ford made a pick six of his own during the next FAU offensive possession. “After I saw Royce get his, I said, ‘Man, I got to get me a pick,’” Ford said. With the wind howling, the UNT offense relied on the ground game. The Mean Green finished the night with 43 rushing attempts.
See FOOTBALL on Page 8
Banks to implement monthly debit fees NICOLE BALDERAS Senior Staff Writer
PHOTO BY JAMES COREAS/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Bill Bragg, the voice of Big Tex, takes time off to meet fans and pose for photos Monday morning at the Texas State Fair.
State Fair security amps up surveillance R EBECCA RYAN Staff Writer
Dozens of new surveillance cameras are making it possible for Dallas Police and security to keep an eye on every inch of the State Fair of Texas grounds.
The project is this year’s installment of an ongoing plan to expand security at the fair. “In the ‘80s, we began developing a broader plan for security,” said Sue Gooding, vice president of public relations
for the State Fair of Texas. “Incidents on the midway in 1979 and 1983 sparked the movement for better security. Our current president took over and began expanding security.”
The project to improve security was developed in 1988 when Errol W. McKoy was elected State Fair president, Gooding said.
See FAIR on Page 4
Bank of America’s decision to start charging customers a $5-a-month fee for the use of their debit cards has pushed A mer ica’s la rgest ba n k ing chain into the spotlight. T h e D o d d-F r a n k Wa l l Street Reform and Consumer Protect ion Act, wh ich President Obama signed into law July 21, 2010, imposed a cap on the amount in fees banks can receive from businesses that use debit cards. The Federal Reserve capped debit card swipe fees at $.21 starting Oct. 1, causing banks to take in less revenue. “They’re a corporation, and any time t here is a loss of revenue, they need to make it up some way,” said Dave Ragan of the finance, insura nce, rea l estate a nd law faculty. The amount of money banks can collect from businesses is now capped at 50 percent of what the average was a year ago, Ragan said.
The Dodd-Frank Act highlights some of its goals as creating a sound economic fou ndat ion to g row jobs, protect consumers and prevent a not her f i na nc ia l c r i si s, according to banking.senate. gov; however, some Bank of America users aren’t feeling very protected. “I think I might switch to a bank that doesn’t charge fees,” said Elizabeth Sosa, an English literature senior. “My debit card is really essential; I use it for just about everything. I could stop using it, but it would make my life difficult.” Other banks such as Wells Fa rgo have beg u n implementing fees on a trial basis in certain states in the U.S., though Texas has yet to be added to the list. The fee is $3 a month and is incurred when a customer has used his or her debit card within a billing cycle. If the card is not used, the fee is not be charged.
See BANKS on Page 2
Inside Students cope with credit card debt News | Page 2
Filmmaker talks about profession Arts and Life | Page 3
Soccer team rained out after win Sports | Page 5