Pirates Ahoy! ‘Pirates of Penzance’ debuts tonight at Campus Theatre See Insert Friday, March 5, 2010
News 1,2 Sports 3 Classifieds 4 Games 4 SCENE see Insert
Volume 95 | Issue 28
Sunny 67° / 48°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Experts differ on energy sources BY SHEA YARBOROUGH Senior Staff Writer
PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT BYNUM
The cleanup is the largest volunteer event hosted by Keep Denton Beautiful, Schmidt said. More than 1,200 people participated in the cleanup in 2009 and they collected more than 245,000 pounds of trash.
Denton volunteers clean up for pizza Residents flock to Denton cleanup BY LISA GARZA
Senior Staff Writer Denton residents w ill be get t i ng t hei r ha nd s d i r t y Saturday whi le pick ing up trash from the city’s streets and waterways as part of the Great American Cleanup. Volu nteers who meet at 8 a.m. at the Denton Civ ic Center can expect a city wide cleanup as well as activities for the kids and free pizza. “I think that it really resonates with people, because it gets them tied into their com mu n it y a nd t hey feel li ke t hey’re doing a lot of good t hings,” sa id Mendie Schmidt, event and outreach coordinator for Keep Denton Beaut if u l. “It’s a lso a way for groups, especially college groups, boy scouts and girl scout s to get com mu n it y service experience.” The cleanup is the largest volunteer event hosted by Keep Denton Beaut i f u l, Schmidt said. More t ha n 1,200 people participated in the cleanup in 2009 and collected more than 245,000 pounds of trash. “We’ve already had more p e ople pr e -r e g i ster t h a n we had show up last year,” Schmidt said. “We have about 1,700 people right now and are expecting up to 2,000 total on Saturday.”
Pre-registration has ended, but individuals and groups ca n st i l l sig n up Saturday morning. Participants sign a waiver during registration, then are assigned a site location and given a map, gloves, and recycling and trash bags. Schmidt sa id volunteers can pick their own site and t here are “quite a few still ava i lable t hat rea l ly need pick up.” José Chaidez, a social work senior, will volunteer Saturday with the group Social Work Students Association. “We need to help [Denton] out, it needs to be cleaned up,” Chaidez said. “People cannot simply ignore the env ironment that they live in.” A w ide ra nge of g roups pa r t icipates i n t he event, and sites are assigned with the group’s safety in mind, she said. “We have a lot of nursery school g roups t hat [clea n up] our pa rks because it’s safer for them and they are not on the streets,” Schmidt said. “Groups with older kids, col lege g roups a nd adu lts a re a ssig ned to neig hborhoods, streets or rural areas, where there tends to be a lot of dumping.” Un i v e r s i t y D r i v e , E l m St reet, L oc u st St reet a nd Loop 288 are some areas in t he cit y t hat Schmidt sa id do not often get the needed attention.
See DENTON on Page 2
Coal-powered energy has students and experts at opposite ends of the energy boxing ring. Denton leads the nation in wind power. However, 47 percent of the city’s energy source comes from coal at the Gibbons Creek Power Plant in Bryan, said Lisa Lemons, community relations manager for Denton Municipal Electric. “Hands down, coal is the worst,” said Nicole Cocco, a studio art senior. UNT uses the same power source as the city. “Texas leads the nation in wind energy,” Lemons said. “But the work horse of energy is coal.” Many experts said they favor wind power, but coal was the line in the sand. They agreed that coal is the most efficient energy source at this time. The meat of the argument against coal is about its use as a primary or “base fuel,” Lemons said. Because of the wind’s unpredictable nature, Denton uses a diversified power source, she said. “Coal is very successful as a base fuel,” Lemons said. “The wind could stop blowing on a cloudy day, but coal can always be shipped in and put to use.” Most environmentalists on UNT’s campus are against the use of coal as an energy source because of the greenhouse gases released by its use, said Sam Atkinson of the biology faculty. The problem is a lack of reliable alternative fuels that could do the job coal is doing now, he said. “If there was a switch I could flip to turn off coal use, I would,” he said. “But we currently have no alternative for the immediate future.” Outside of UNT’s campus, a different story is told about coal. More than 50 percent of the U.S.’s energy comes from coal, said Jan Horbaczewski, the mine, land and environmental manager for the Texas Municipal Power Agency. “Coal is the cheapest, most efficient and reliable
PHOTO BY DREW GAINES/PHOTOGRAPHER
Solar energy is at work outside of the Environmental Science Building. Sun-powered utilities may be a part of our energy future as researchers and engineers realize Texas’ bright potential for alternative energy. Texas is already the nation’s leading provider of wind energy and scientists say the state’s sunny climate makes it an excellent candidate for solar energy as well. Solar energy is not likely to replace coal as a base fuel because of its cost, experts said. source of energy at this point,” Horbaczewski said. “That’s not to say nuclear power won’t be tomorrow, and solar power is just the icing on the cake.” Sixteen miles east of College Station, the Gibbons Creek Reservoir thrives as a haven for multiple species of wildlife and serves as a recreational playground for residents in the area, Horbaczewski said. The land was once stripped by unregulated coal extraction. “Now, you can find alligators, spoonbills, pelicans and bald eagles at the reservoir that was once a strip mine for coal,” he said.
At one time in Texas, surface mining for coal — removing large masses of earth to get to the minerals underneath — was common practice, leaving the land environmentally devoid, Horbaczewski said. But the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 changed that. “We have to leave the land in a state equal to or better than the way it was found because of the 1977 act,” Horbaczewski said. “But people act like nothing has changed at all.” Today, coal is pulled out of the ground with extracting machines after 20 to 30 feet of earth is dug
away, he said. The hole left by mining is 150 feet wide and about a mile long. “Imagine trying to re-fill a huge hole in the ground,” Atkinson said. “But society is the one who makes that decision, not the scientists.” Cocco said she feels passionately about not using coal. Because of the death of family friends and the destruction caused by coal mining. “When you blow up a piece of earth, you can re-plant some trees, but that does not mean that it’s going to be restored to its natural state,” Cocco said. “The land should be preserved.”
Conference discusses Latin American media, democracy Center brings media experts, educators BY TIM MONZINGO Contributing Writer
A sy mposium by t he Center for Spanish Language Me d i a b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r med ia ex per ts a nd educators Thursday to discuss the effects of changing political systems in Latin America on news outlets. The conference, which was streamed live to Texas Tech and Texas State universities, focused on cha nges in t he governments of Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia and their effects on the media. “ W h at t h i s s y mposiu m is about is we are bringing i n n a t i v e s c h ol a r s f r om Venezuela, from Bolivia and a professor who work s i n Ecuador to ta l k about t he declining situation of a free media, a democratic media
who teaches at William Penn Un i v er sit y, a nd Bol i v i a n native Gonza lo Soruco, an instructor at the University of Miami, among others. Since Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez Frias’ election in 1999, the free press has been under attack, said Gibens. “President Chávez has been cracking down on the media for some time now, and he has also recruited or heavily i n f luenced t he presidents of the countries of Ecuador and Bolivia to do the same,” Albarran said. I n f luenc e by t he st ate has led to a decline in press freedom, López said. News services in Ecuador have been threatened by the PHOTO BY CLINTON LYNCH/VISUALS EDITOR government. They have been Alan Albarran, Gonzalo Soruco, Daniel Lopez, Guillermo Gibens and John A. Booth speak to students at a lecture titled told that if they continue to “ROGUES”, a symposium on the impact to media and democracy, Thursday afternoon in the Radio, TV, Film & Performing publ i sh c r it ic i sm s of t he government, t heir f unding Arts Building. w i l l be w it hd raw n, López said. López, dean of communicadirector for t he Center for in these countries and the “With this censorship, there tions at the Universidad de i mpact on t he decl i ne of Spanish Language Media. T he hou r-lon g c on f e r- Los Hemisferios, Guillermo is a loss of press freedom and democracy in t hese count ries,” sa id A la n A lba rra n, ence was attended by Daniel Gibens, a Venezuelan native the freedom of speech that
ever yone shou ld have,” he said. John Booth of the political science facult y sa id t hat a free press is necessary for the maintenance of democratic institutions. “T he problem a nd t he point is that in order to effectively defend one’s interests in a democratic system, the people a nd orga n i zat ions need i n for mat ion t hat i s available to them freely, that is not controlled entirely by the government regime. Now where do you get that information? ” Boot h sa id. “You need to have independent sources.” Si nce 2005, Chávez ha s de ep ene d r el at ion s w it h I r a n, a “U. S .- de s i g n at e d state sponsor of terrorism, by signing multiple economic a nd s o c i a l a c c or d s a nd publicly suppor t ing Ira n’s cont roversia l nuclea r program.
See POLICIES on Page 2
Mount Righteous, the nine-piece band from Grapevine, stops in Denton to play at Rubber Gloves on Saturday and next week for NX35. See Page 4
NORTH TEXA S DA
ILY, March 5 , VOLUME 95 , ISSUE
Graphic by Christapher McElheney
7
News
Page 2
Friday, March 5, 2010
T.S. McBride, Rebecca Hoeffner & Melissa Boughton, News Editors
ntdailynews@gmail.com
Exchange student organization searches for hosts BY A LEX CALAMS Staff Writer
The Council on International Education Exchange is seeking host families in Denton to provide housing for exchange students. T he cou nci l’s pr i ma r y purpose is pairing exchange students who are either entering or leaving the U.S. with host families. In addition to welcoming a student into their home, potential families must provide adequate living and sleeping areas, meals and transportation assistance. “The whole purpose for most exchange students is to come
over and further pursue education in the English language,” said Amy Larison, coordinator for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She said that all students are required to read, write and speak English fluently before attending public schools in the U.S. Adam Harold, assistant director of International Student and Scholar Services, manages UNT’s statistics on foreign exchange students. Harold said the university typically admits and sends exchange students for only a semester at a time, but occasionally for year terms. He said that UNT has 49 foreign exchange students
studying at the university. The students come from 13 countries, the top three being the United Kingdom with 10 students, Japan with eight and Mexico with five. Since 1947, the council has offered a variety of services for exchange students as part of its mission “to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world.” Larison said that the organization is open to just about any kind of lifestyle a potential host family may live. “We really don’t have a preference,” Larison said. “We just
try to find the best host families that we can. Sometimes that means they’re single. They could be married, male, female, have small children or grown children — really, anyone can help.” E xcha nge st udents a re required to have around $200 a month for personal expenses and also hold personal medical insurance. UNT is loosely associated with the council, said Valerie Borgfield, assistant director of the Center for Global Learning and Experience. “We use CIEE as a vehicle to send students abroad to other programs,” she said. “The university occasionally
Staff Writer
The conference, which was streamed live to Texas Tech and Texas State universities, focused on changes in the governments of Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia.
Policies could strain relations Continued from Page 1 President Chávez has also reached out to North Korea, Belarus and Syria, the latter a not her state sponsor of terrorism,” according the State Department. In 2009, Chávez also passed several laws that centralized major industries and parts of the country’s infrastructure, such as roads and air and sea ports. Booth and A lbarran said
Venezuela’s support of socialist policies could be detrimental to the U.S./Venezuelan relations. “The way the United States looks at the world, it doesn’t like communists in politics and pretty much in general, a nd w hen Hugo C h áv e z appears, all our diplomatic warning bells go off,” Booth said. A lba r ra n sa id t hat t he economic impacts of strained relations with the three coun-
Back pain?
tries could be devastating. “T he concer n about a n emerging block of the socialist nations in Latin America could be ver y devastating to the United States on many different fronts,” Albarran said. “We still import a great deal of oil from Venezuela, and Ecuador is also a key trade partner and so is Bolivia … to a certain extent, so there is the very real possibility that these countries may continue down this path and we may end up with a situation like we have with Cuba where there is no trade, there is no cooperation and really there is nothing but controversy between these nations.”
compared to what I learned in the classroom.” Larison has maintained contact with someone she met through the program. “The students come from everywhere — it’s an experience that gives the host a lot of worldly perspective,” Larison said. “I still talk with a particular student from two years ago that just so happened to call me today from Germany. It’s very rewarding to have maintained relations.” Interested students and families in Denton can investigate the Council on International Education Exchange further at www.ciee.org.
Environmental group launches drill proposal BY K RYSTLE CANTU
PHOTO BY CLINTON LYNCH/VISUALS EDITOR
uses the organization for this reason, but we don’t typically receive students from CIEE,” she said. Au m C homp o ot aw e ep, a 25-year-old law student at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa is from Bangkok, Thailand. He lived with a host family in Austin last year. “I first came here to learn better English to be better prepared for law school,” Chompootaweep sa id. “I quickly became friends with Americans, mostly through my host, but sometimes even from walking around. I learned a lot more from all of my experiences with people from the U.S.A.
Representatives for the Oil and Gas Accountability Project were in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to promote the project’s proposal to appease Texas residents upset by gas drilling in their neighborhoods. The four-page proposal can be found on the project’s Web site at www.earthworksaction.org. “It’s our platform for best practices that we would like to see implemented in the state of Texas,” said Gwen Lachelt, director for the project. “We definitely want to see protection of landowner rights, private property rights protection. We also want to make sure that water is protected when it comes to drilling and fracturing oil and gas wells, as well as protection of air quality.” It calls for changes in the way landowners are treated and addresses human health, environmental and public interest issues. The group hopes to protect and preserve landowner rights and the environment. The proposal would require gas well drills to be no closer than 1,000 feet from a residential area, among other things. Lachelt said the project has been working with people from Texas who have been directly affected by oil and gas activity. “There have been scary air quality impacts in Texas,” she said. “That’s just one example. We need to do a better job in reducing the amount of water that is used to drill wells. We need to do a much better job of managing the disposal of
produce water. We know that there have been six or seven reported earthquakes as a result of the underground injection.” Ed Ireland, an executive director for the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, said
“There have been scary air quality impacts in Texas.”
—Gwen Lachelt director, Oil and Gas Accountability Project
gas companies have already been complying with a similar set of standards to those proposed. “We’ve had very similar policies in place for three years now,” he said. “They’re throwing out a lot of things that don’t match the reality of what is already there.” Denton City Council member Jim Engelbrecht said he is happy more attention is being paid to this subject. “I’m very pleased that it has come light,” he said. “I think it’s helpful and new information keeps coming to light, and eventually we’ll have to make a decision.” He said the Council is working on this now and permit rights will be discussed in the Council around April or May. Engelbrecht doesn’t expect drilling to come to a complete halt because of the proposed requirements.
“As cities have increased their requirements across the Metroplex, the companies have continued to drill,” he said. “That hasn’t stopped them.” However, with Denton at the edge of the Barnett Shale, Englebrecht said it isn’t the prime target for drilling industries. Ireland said a list of requirements for energy companies can be found at www.bseec. org. These are current standards drilling companies must comply with. “I think to call for any particular setback is not needed. That’s what communities do,” he said. “Most towns have gaswell ordinances that they have written anywhere from one to four years ago.” Lachelt disagreed. “I believe that the oil and gas industry can do better,” she said. “That is something that they need to take a long and hard look at.” Denton residents Helen Keenum, 67, and Gera ld Keenum, 70, have lived in Denton for 18 years. The Keenums have never had a problem with drilling, but they are not opposed to safer precautions. They see gas as a necessity that must be obtained somehow. “I think it’s good,” Gerald Keenum said. “We got to have gas.” His wife agrees. “I just think we got to have gas and need to quit depending on foreign countries,” Helen Keenum said. “Do our own thing.”
Denton wants community help Continued from Page 1
that they’ll come out,” she sa id. “Wit hout volu nteers “There’s many areas in town doing community service and that are technically TxDOT putting in this time to pick up highways, and because of that, the litter, it would really be a they don’t get cleaned ver y problem.” Papa John’s Pizza is sponoften by TxDOT litter crews. It’s only once or twice a year soring a free lunch for volunteers around noon that will be hosted by Mayor Ma rk Burroughs. We are in need of canvassers/ appointment setters The City of Denton Facilities Ma nagement Depa r t ment (Marketing Assistants) for fast growing restoration company. will supply “The Bulb Eater,” Must be reliable and self motivated. Job consists of outside which will recycle fluorescent door-to-door appointment setting for our salesmen. bulbs of all shapes and sizes, Compensation is based on perfomance. Other MA’s in other eyeglasses, and cell phones. cities have made over 2K a week! How hungry are you? “They have a machine that Advancement opportunities available.EOE. If interested,
NOW HIRING - PART TIME - EVENING WORK
please forward resume to “MA position” afinityroofing@yahoo.com, or call 628-325-4004.
First Session FREE All Subjects 940.983.5850
crunches them up, and it’s kind of a fun way to dispose of them,” Schmidt said. Denton residents can also do their part to keep the city clean by dropping off their waste — most at no charge — from 7:00 a.m. to noon at the City of Denton Landfill. Any appliances containing Freon will be charged a $50 fee. Commercial and hazardous waste will not be accepted and proof of residency is required. Briscoe Tire will sponsor a tire-recycling event at the landfill, with a limit of four 20-inch tires per vehicle.
Correction In the Feb. 25 edition of the Daily, the article “UNT sees increased drug use, arrests on campus” incor-
rectly identified Maureen McGuinness. She is the assistant vice president for Student Development.
S C E N E
MUSICAL: Campus Theatre raids “Pirates of Penzance”
Page 3
RIGHTEOUS:
Mount Righteous sets its buoyant tone at two shows
Page 4
FOOD:
If you can’t make it to the Oscars, make these delicious Tuxedo Brownie Cookies
Page 5
OSCAR:
Will “The Hurt Locker” sweep? Or will there be surprises on Sunday night?
Page 7
ENTERTAINMENT: Tim Burton’s 3-D take on Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” looks to dominate the weekend box office
Page 8
Sports
Friday, March 5, 2010 Justin Umberson, Sports Editor
Page 3 ntdaily.sports@gmail.com
Sun Belt Conference Tournament preview
BY SEAN GORMAN Senior Staff Writer
After securing its first Sun Belt Conference West Division championship, the UNT men’s basketball team will travel to Hot Springs, Ark., to compete in the conference tournament. T he tou r na ment cou ld not come at a better time for the Mean Green (21-8, 13-5), who has won eight in a row and earned the No. 2 seed, the highest in Mean Green history. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the guys on this team,” head coach Johnny Jones said. “We’ve worked through a lot of early-season issues and gained enough confidence to have a great chance at winning the tournament this year.” UNT’s recent success was recognized this week when a school-record four Mean Green players were added to All-Sun Belt Conference Teams. While junior forward George Odufuwa made the second team, junior guards Tristan Thompson and Josh White and senior forward Eric Tramiel made the third team. “It’s a huge honor to be added to one of these teams and I appreciate the coaches voting me in,” W hite said. “That being said, it’s not really as important as the games we have to play this weekend in Arkansas.” Already guaranteed a spot in t he quarterf ina ls, UNT will face the winner of the L ou i s i a n a-L a f a y e t t e a nd
Louisiana-Monroe match-up, the two teams the Mean Green defeated in its last two victories. “It’s a completely different environment when you start playing games this late in the season,” Jones said. “No matter who you play in the tournament, you’re going to get the team’s best shot.” T h is tou r na ment cou ld be a coming out party for Thompson, who averaged 16.8 points per game and scored in double figures in all but one game against Sun Belt competition this year. “Hav i ng a g uy w ho is able to raise his game in the most important situations is outstanding,” White said. “He would have received my vote for the Sun Belt First Team.” The Mean Green isn’t the only hot team entering the tournament, as No. 4 seed Western Kentucky has won six in a row. “There’s now such a high level of credibility at Western that you can expect them to contend for the title ever y single year,” Jones said. “If we face off against them, we’ll have our hands full.” Efficient free-throw shooting could be an advantage for UNT, as the Mean Green leads the country in free throws made per game. “It’s especially important for us to get to the line and shoot well during the tournament,” Tramiel said. “There will be a couple games where teams’
Mean Green Sun Belt Rankings Category Scoring Scoring Def Margin Blocked Shots Assists Steals
Average 75.1 70.2 4.9 2.9 12.3 4.5
Rank 2 8 2 7 7 13
Mean Green vs. the NCAA Category Scoring Scoring Def Margin Assists Blocks Steals
Average 75.1 70.2 4.9 12.3 2.9 4.5
Rank 56 221 98 215 218 327
Sun Belt Conference Standings West Division
PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB/PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior guard Josh White drives for a shot against Louisiana-Lafayette last week. UNT begins Sun Belt Conference Tournament play at 8:45 p.m. on Sunday. ability to make free throws will make or break their chances at winning.” If the Mean Green wants to advance to its third NCAA Tournament, it will have to
play strong early on, as UNT is 17-0 when leading at the half. Sun Belt Tournament play begins Saturday night, but the Mean Green will tip off at 8:45 p.m. Sunday.
Team UNT Arkansas State Denver UL-Lafayette UL-Monroe UA-Little Rock New Orleans
Conference 13-5 11-7 10-8 10-8 6-12 4-14 3-15
Overall 21-8 16-13 17-12 13-16 11-18 8-21 8-21
Conference 13-5 13-5 12-6 10-8 8-10 4-14
Overall 19-12 18-11 19-12 14-15 16-14 7-24
East Division Team Middle Tenn. Troy Western Ky. Florida Atlantic South Alabama Florida Intl.
The Script: End of regular season awards for UNT Opinion
Most Valuable Player: Josh White With UNT having four players in the top 25 of the Sun Belt in scoring and a steady balance on offense, this was by far the toughest choice to make. Every member of the starting five has an argument for this and a collective M V P award for t he Mean Green “Reinforcement Line” wouldn’t be out of the question. That being said, I won’t take the easy way out by choosing multiple players for the award, so I have to go with White. One of three players in the Sun Belt to average at least 14.9 points per game and 3.6 assists per game, White is the key to this offense. When point guard Dominique Johnson suffered a season-ending injury to start the year, White showed his merit by becoming more of a pass-first player and still led the team in scoring. Close w ins over UT-Arlington and Denver can be attributed to the Louisiana native, who has played his best in the clutch all season. White is the leading free-throw shooter on a team that was No. 1 in the nation in free throws made per game and averaged four more minutes than any other UNT player per contest. UNT’s success in March will depend on White’s play.
BY SEAN GORMAN Senior Staff Writer
A s we st a nd t wo day s away from t he Conference Tournament in Hot Springs, Ark., there’s no doubt that
this season has been a special one for the UNT men’s basketball team. Winning its first division tit le, claiming t he highest seed in the tournament in school history and having four players added to the All-Sun Belt teams are evidence of
Most Consistent Player: George Odufuwa For starters, the guy was one of 22 players in the country to average a double-double a nd led t he Su n Belt i n rebounding. Odufuwa’s pure ability down low was shown at the season’s start against Cameron when he snagged 24 rebounds. Have no fear if you stopped whatever you’re doing when coming across t hat number, 24 rebounds is as rare as Tristan Thompson not scoring 10 points against Sun Belt competition (on to that in a minute). Odufuwa only had five games where he didn’t record double figures in points or rebounds and was a lock for 12 points and nine rebounds every night. The junior had 13 double-doubles this year and had a handful of games where he was one point or rebound away from more. He never lit anyone up or had a down game. The center simply went to work and got his stats almost every night.
one of the best seasons UNT has seen. While there is still much basketball to be played, for now it’s important to recognize the efforts of the Mean Gre en player s a nd ha nd out some end-of-t he-yea r awards.
Leading cause of headaches for Sun Belt coaches: Tristan Thompson A lw ay s a c apable scorer, t he A ng leton native played his best a l l sea son aga i nst in-conference opponents while finishing as the Mean Green’s second-leading scorer. Thompson scored in double figures in all but one of UNT’s 18 conference games, settling for nine points at home against UALR. At season’s end, the junior had laid siege to the Sun Belt with 16.8 points per game on 46.2 percent shooting. There is nobody more excited to play in the tournament than Thompson, as he is sure to play at least one team he has already dominated.
Reason for midseason turn around: Eric Tramiel If you think that Tramiel deserves the M V P, I tota lly see where you’re coming from. Since Tramiel’s return from a wrist injury, UNT is 11-2 and the forward has averaged 13.8 points on 58.9 percent shooting. While Tramiel can disappear from some games because of foul trouble, he is a force when he is on the court and has exhibited great leadership as the starting five’s only senior. Had the junior college transfer not missed five in the middle of the season with the injury, a No. 1 seed in the Tournament would have happened. There is a clear correlation between Tramiel’s resurgence and UNT hitting its stride. His ability to shoot the three pointer could be something to watch for this weekend in Hot Springs. Every player on this team is responsible for the Mean Green’s success, but these four guys have led the way for UNT all season.
MusicalSCENE
Friday 3.5.2010
3
‘Pirates’ capture attention with witty satire, lyrics By Lori Lee Staff Writer
At the turn of the 19th century, Gilbert and Sullivan operettas were a major part of American pop culture. The most frequently performed operas in history, they’ve inf luenced American culture for more than a century. One of the most famous Gilbert a nd Su l liva n operettas, “The Pirates of Penzance,” tells the story of a young man who has lived as an indentured pirate for 21 years. Freder ick, who m ista ken ly signed up as a pirate instead of a pilot because of a miscommunication, is due to be freed on his 21st birthday, but having been born on Feb. 29 during a leap year, there’s a question about the legitimacy of his freedom. The play, full of such absurdities, is a parody of the melodramatic operas of the times and a critique of society in general. The pirates in the story are rebellious and defy all the rules of the buttoned-up Victorian era. John Evarts, the director of the Music Theatre of Denton production, has directed several Gilbert and Sullivan plays over the years and knows them well. He said their humor remains relevant in society today, even after more than 100 years. “It ’s st i l l t he s a me ga me going on,” he said. “Nothing has changed in the way people act and interact in social and political situations.” Though the story takes place in 1877, for stylistic purposes, Evarts decided to move the play for wa rd 20 yea rs, bring ing it closer to the turn of the century and the advent of silent movies, thus moving it closer to American icons a nd st yles people w i l l understa nd a nd relate to, he said. Evarts, who fell in love with Gilbert and Sullivan at a young
age, said he loves their operettas, calling them extremely intellectual, witty and fun to perform because of t heir over-t he-top nature. Becky King, who directs the music, said the cast has had a g reat t i me work ing w it h t he play’s witty lyrics, though the quick wordplay can confuse the audience. For instance, early in the plot, Frederick, hav ing been at sea since the age of 8, has never seen a not her woma n’s face except Ruth, his nursemaid, played by M’Lisa Hansen. Fancying him, Ruth tries to win his affections by telling him she’s beautif ul, but Frederick soon catches on, opening up the show to a hilarious number “Oh False One, You have Deceived Me.” Terry Nobles, one of the pirates a nd t he president of Mu sic Theatre of Denton, said he was excited to return to a Gilbert and Sullivan production. He’d played the role twice before in the ’80s and 1998. He added that Evarts hand is
Photo by Martina Trevino/Photographer
Jaime Rodriguez (left), Michael Rausch, and M’Lisa Hansen rehearse a scene from Musical Theatre of Denton’s production of “Pirates of Penzance.” The classic Gilbert and Sullivan musical opens at 7:30 tonight at the Campus Theatre. bringing this one to life in a way he’s never has before. “I think John is beginning to paint more with a broad brush,” he said. “And I think this one is going to be the best one yet.”
To read stories about tonight’s Local Awesome show at J&J’s Pizza on the Square, Manned Missiles’ upcoming set at NX35 and a review of Citizen Cope’s new album “Rainwater,” visit ntdaily.com
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Friday 3.5.2010
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RighteousSCENE
Mount Righteous puts the ‘fun’ in fundamental By Christina Mlynski Staff Writer
Cultivated in Grapevine, Mount Righteous is composed of nine performers who provide a simple but optimistic atmosphere with an all-inclusive sound.
Mount Righteous will play at 9 p.m. Saturday at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios as a part of its ongoing tour. The band is thrilled to show people its new creation of songs and visit a venue that has been an integral part of its musical endeavor.
“I’m excited to hea r new songs and just have fun,� said Jenn Holmes, a fashion merchand isi ng sen ior said. “Everyone should go see Mount Righteous and support local bands.�
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In fall 2007, Joey Kendall and h is g i rl f r iend Kendall Smith were venturing Photo courtesy of Cory Graves back to Texas from their exploration Grapevine band Mount Righteous will play at 9 p.m. Saturday at Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, 411 E. of the West Coast. Sycamore St. The “anti-orchestra� group will also play a set at next week’s NX35 Music Conferette. It was there they lived atop a hill in a house infused to be defiant, prominent and high- because they love to, and they are making it with their friends because with the water, salt and sun of the energy. region. It was in this moment that Mount Righteous continues to it’s what makes them.� The music has grown with the their environment set the tone of push the boundaries by adding a their musical career. new element of vocal styling by using process of producing music for an As cymbal player and singer Zicole megaphones. These signature devices entire band instead of for a single Marxen and sousaphone player add an extra layer of originality to the person. With the upcoming release of its third album in April, Marxen said Mason Ponder put it, they brought band’s energy, Marxen said. the consistent theme of simplicity “surfer style� to the South. is still evident, but there are deeper Back in Grapevine, they decided themes to explore. the main component of producing “We do a lot of things, and we a musical collection in their favor wanted to explore things like was to be big, loud and engulfed with suburban life,� Marxen said. “It’s a friends who unsurprisingly became little bit more abstract now and it’s one family, Marxen said. feeling through it rather than just “It has a lot to do with friendship making an in-your-face statement.� and having a bunch of fun and having The interaction of the audience this huge thing that isn’t necessarily is an element of their music essenso serious,� Marxen said. “This is an Less is more opportunity for us to chill out and Mount Righteous approaches its tial to Mount Righteous’ continuous have a good time.� music with a much cheerier outlook growth. The band feels it has a factor than some gloomier Dallas bands. different from other musical acts The group relies on everyday things, that catches people off guard, but Rattling the walls Mount Righteous features more from getting a paycheck to mowing in a pleasantly surprised way, both than 15 instruments, including the lawn and ending the day with Ponder and Marxen said. “We love interacting with the audicymbals, trombones, drums and company of friends. “Listening to their music, it’s like ence, and that brings a lot of joy out melodicas, to name a few. Mount Righteous has been called I know them, like they’re immedi- of it for me,� Marxen said. “Jumping many things, but it chose to create its ately my closest friends,� said Chelsea out from the stage and dancing with own label: anti-orchestral. Ponder Bohrer, an astronomy sophomore. the crowd is something they don’t said the sole purpose of the music is “You can tell they make music expect.�
FoodSCENE
[ ] Food Snobs
The Emerald Eagle Ball 2010 Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center By Shaina Zucker and Melissa Boughton
Editor-in-Chief and Assigning Editor GRAPEVINE – The annual Emerald Eagle Ball had a lot going for it this year at its new location. The Gaylord Texan Hotel set the scene for a fourstar dinner and dancing. Swanky dresses and tuxes filled the Texas Ballroom with jewelry glittering at the candle-lit tables Saturday evening. The service for the night was
This Sunday, while many people snuggle on the couch in their PJs and fawn over the dashingly dressed celebrities at the Oscars, they might feel the nee to dress up, just not themselves. Dress up your dessert with this recipe for tuxedo brownie cookies. If you don’t like chocolate, these cookies aren’t for you, complete with brownie mix, cocoa and Hershey’s Hugs. The recipe, courtesy of about. com, makes cookies great for settling down in front of the tube with a glass of milk. The main ingredient for these cookies is brownie mix and it will initially flatten when you bake it,
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Gaylord Texan Hotel
exquisite. Servers danced circles around the tables, Cleanliness searching for empty glasses Service to fill. Affordability Dinner began with servers pouring a choice Atmosphere of white or red wine. After Food Quality that, a three-course meal started with a garden salad, a Hungry Man microwave meal. a classic choice. The crusted sea bass was clearly The green veggie appetizer was perfect. The dressing was just creamy the superior entrée. The fish was cooked perfectly enough and the croutons added just and had a smooth, buttery taste. the right amount of crunch. The main-course plate looked The portion was generous and the promising with a delectable pista- flavors were bold, which helped us chio-crusted sea bass, a hearty, to forget for a moment that our plates round cut of steak, whipped potatoes, were made in bulk for all 500 people crunchy asparagus, carrots and baby in the room. We both agreed that the potatoes squash. Although the menu sounded were divine. The softly whipped white delightful, it was poorly executed. The inconsistently cooked meat treasure didn’t even need gravy. Overall, the dinner seemed quite left one attendee with a burnt steak sitting next to another attendee with rushed, with one course following the a glowing red one. Even if the meat next even if someone’s plate wasn’t had been cooked perfectly, the gravy cleaned. Not less than five minutes poured on top of the steak gave it a after dinner, servers brought out cheap Salisbury taste reminiscent of dessert, a flourless chocolate cake.
[Cooking with Katie] Tuxedo Brownie Cookies
Friday 3.5.2010
Photo by Melissa Boughton / Assigning Editor
The main course served at the Emerald Eagle Ball included a black angus filet, pistachiocrusted sea bass, carrots, squash, asparagus and mashed potatoes. The rich dessert was garnished with fresh raspberries and a splash of raspberry sauce on the plate. The first bite was amazing, but the further into the dessert you delve, the richer it gets. As long as the raspberries could complement the chocolate, it was a great choice, but too sweet
without the fruit. The Gaylord is a beautiful hotel with a dazzling ballroom. However, the management should remember that each diner should feel satisfied after experiencing the Gaylord’s luxurious cuisine, rather than feeling like rushed cattle feeding at a trough.
Oscar Dessert
By Katie Grivna / Senior Staff Writer THERE’S NO CRYING AT SWEETWATER!
so don’t put more than three tablespoonfuls of batter onto the cookie sheet. Ingredients: 1 package of brownie mix ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa 2 eggs 1 package of Hershey Hugs ¼ cup of water ¼ cup canola oil Directions: Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Next, combine the brownie mix, cocoa, water, oil and eggs together in a large bowl. Stir thoroughly to ensure the brownie mix is distributed evenly throughout the batter. Drop spoonfuls of the batter on a cookie sheet coated in nonstick cooking spray. Two or three spoonfuls
Photo by Clinton Lynch /Visuals Editor will make a rounded cookie and keep them one to two inches apart. Bake for eight to 12 minutes, depending on how crunchy you prefer your brownie cookie. Make sure the center of the cookie is thoroughly cooked as well. While the cookies bake, begin unwrapping the Hershey Hugs. Remove from oven and let it cool for about a minute before pressing a Hug into the center of each cookie.
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Friday 3.5.2010
6
OscarSCENE
The Road to Oscar: Best Picture, Director Oscars hold no surprises—maybe Opinion BY K IP MOONEY SCENE Editor
“UP IN THE AIR” PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Our final picks for the Oscars BEST PICTURE “Avatar” “The Blind Side” “District 9” “An Education” “The Hurt Locker” “Inglourious Basterds” “Precious” “A Serious Man”
“Up” “Up in the Air”
KIP & AMBER’S PICK: “Up in the Air” BEST DIRECTOR Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker” James Cameron, “Avatar” Lee Daniels, “Precious” Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air” Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
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KIP’S PICK: Kathryn Bigelow AMBER’S PICK: Jason Reitman To s e e m u l t i m e d i a for thi s stor y, vi sit ntdaily.com
Like I mentioned last week, this year’s Oscar race has come across as easy to predict, perhaps too easy. W hat tricks will the Academy be holding up its sleeve when it hands out those little golden statues at 7 p.m. Sunday night on ABC? The supporting races are done deals. Both Christoph Waltz and Mo’Nique have yet to lose a major award for their performances as their respective films’ vicious villains. Don’t bet against either of them. The same can be said for the adapted screenplay category. Even if it gets shut out in the other categories, Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner’s “Up in the Air” script is the only guarantee for that film. The original screenplay race is a bit tighter. Mark Boal’s harrowing “Hurt Locker” is based on real events and won the Writers Guild award. But that’s only because Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” was ineligible. It still has a shot, especially considering it was written in four different languages. Mov ing to t he lead act ing classes, it seems a sure thing Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock will walk away with their first Oscars on Sunday night. They may face some trouble from George Clooney and Meryl Streep, respectively. But those two have Oscars already. Granted, that didn’t stop the Academy from robbing Mickey Rourke last year. In the big showdown, it’s what ever y article has dubbed as a cliché “David-and-Goliath battle”
between the tiny indie “The Hurt Locker” and “Avatar,” the highestgrossing movie of all time. Kathryn Bigelow has become only the fourth woman in history to be nominated for Best Director, a feat she shares with the likes of Jane Campion and Sofia Coppola. She’s especially well liked for crafting an action movie with a brain. And most of her competition — including ex-husband and fellow nominee James Cameron — have practically begged for the Academy to give the Oscar to her. It’s her race to lose. But here’s where it gets tricky: with 10 nominees for Best Picture, it’s anyone’s race. Well, not exactly anyone’s. The five nominees that didn’t get a Best Director nod should consider it an honor to even be nominated. So while “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker” duke it out, I predict the crowd-pleasing “Up in the Air” will sneak in and walk away with the award. Here’s why: t he t wo frontrunners have major detractors. “Avatar” has been criticized for its unoriginal stor y and weak dialogue. A lack of acting nominations seriously hurts its chances as well. “The Hurt Locker,” while universally praised, has the misfortune of being wildly unknown outside critics’ circles. It has only made $12 million and its producers are being reprimanded by the Academy for violating campaign rules. Plus, the Academy is still trying to fight claims that it’s out of touch with Joe Moviegoer. Is that reason enough to pick a more popular movie? Certainly not. But I’d personally like to see the better film walk away with the Oscar. And I think “Up in the Air” will.
OscarSCENE
Friday 3.5.2010
7
2010 Academy Award Nominations BEST PICTURE “Avatar” “The Blind Side” “District 9” “An Education” “The Hurt Locker” “Inglourious Basterds” “Precious” “A Serious Man” “Up” “Up in the Air”
BEST DIRECTOR Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker” James Cameron, “Avatar” Lee Daniels, “Precious” Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air” Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
BEST ACTOR Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart” George Clooney, “Up in the Air” Colin Firth, “A Single Man” Morgan Freeman, “Invictus” Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”
BEST ACTRESS Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side” Helen M i r ren, “T he L a st Station” Carey Mu l l iga n, “A n Education” Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious” Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”
“ The Hurt Locker” Photo Courtesy of Summit Entertainment Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air” Maggie Gyllenhaa l, “Cra z y Heart” Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air” Mo’Nique, “Precious”
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE “Coraline” “Fantastic Mr. Fox” “The Princess and the Frog” “The Secret of Kells” “Up”
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Mark Boal, “The Hurt Locker” A lessandro Camon & Oren Moverman, “The Messenger” Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, “A Serious Man”
Bob Peterson, Pete Docter and Tom McCarthy, “Up” Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche, “In the Loop” Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, “District 9” Geoffrey Fletcher, “Precious” Nick Hornby, “An Education” Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, “Up in the Air”
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM “Ajami” (Israel) “The Milk of Sorrow” (Peru)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Matt Damon, “Invictus” Wo o d y H a r r e l s o n , “ T h e Messenger” Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station” Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones” Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Penélope Cruz, “Nine”
“Precious” Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate Films
“Inglourious Basterds” Photo Courtesy of Universal Pictures “A Prophet” (France) “The Secret in Their Eyes” (Argentina) “The White Ribbon” (Germany)
“Take it All” from “Nine” “The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart”
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
B E S T D O C U M E N TA R Y FEATURE
“Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36”
“Burma VJ” “The Cove” “Food, Inc.” “The Most Dangerous Man in America” “Which Way Home”
Friday 3.5.2010
8
EntertainmentSCENE
[ In theaters today... ]
B K M / SCENE E / OPINION
“Alice in Wonderland” Although I think the world of Tim Burton as a director, there’s something about this project that makes me yawn. A lot of it has to do with the fact that this story’s been done to death, which isn’t to say Burton can’t inject new life into it. And while the 3-D feels like a gimmick here, those little plastic glasses will catapult this latest adaptation to $100 million this first weekend. Starring Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter Directed by Tim Burton
“Brooklyn’s Finest” Gritty cop dramas are nothing new, but Fuqua knows how to make shamelessly entertaining thrillers with broad political themes. He’s like Spike Lee Lite. Here, we’ve got three New York City cops in the midst of a corruption scandal: one on the verge of retirement (Gere), one deep undercover (Cheadle) and one barely making ends meet (Hawke). Will they take part in the shady dealings of their fellow officers? Starring Ethan Hawke, Don Cheadle, Richard Gere Directed by Antoine Fuqua
y a l P s s e r P
Songs with Misleading Titles
Compiled by Nicole Landry
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”Santeria,” Sublime ”Battlestar Scralatchtica,” Incubus ”Pull Out,” Killradio ”Angry Candy,” Autolux
”How Dirty Boys Get Clean,” My American Heart ”FMLYHM,” Seether
SUBLIME - SELF-TITLED
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”This is the Best Day Ever,” My Chemical Romance ”Tired of You,” The Exies ”Down on Me,” Juliana Hatfield ”Territorial Pissings” Nirvana