DC 1/17/14

Page 1

INSIDE

The rise of cookie-cutter-Country

Keeping fit in winter weather

PAGE 2

A strong start for basketball

PAGE 3

“Bridgegate” won’t hurt Christie

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PAGE 6

Friday

January 17, 2014 FRIday High 57, Low 36 Saturday High 70, Low 37

VOLUME 99 ISSUE 48 FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS

Greek families grow

Politics

Dewhurst plans one final term Associated PRess

RYAN MILLER / The Daily Campus

The newest sorority women traditionally open their bid cards and race from Hughes-Trigg Student Center to their respective houses on Sorority Row, where current members and now sisters await with presents, jerseys and celebration. Often termed the “Bid Day Run,” it has been an SMU tradition for years.

RYAN MILLER / The Daily Campus

Delta Delta Delta sisters await their newest members on the front lawn outside their house on University Boulevard.

RYAN MILLER / The Daily Campus

Members of Kappa Alpha Theta anticipate the arrival of new recruits. Dance parties on the front lawns are an SMU Bid Day rite of passage.

Technology

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst says he plans to serve only one more term if re-elected in November, allowing him to return to the private sector and replenish a fortune depleted by years of expensive campaigns. The Republican businessman, who has held his post for 11 years, spent about $25 million of his personal fortune on a failed U.S. Senate bid in 2012 and millions more on five previous statewide campaigns. “I see myself as serving one more term,” Dewhurst told The Associated Press. “People advise ‘never say never,’ but I’m leaner today than when I started in politics. I need to go back and earn some money.” That he’s willing to stay in office again might come as a surprise to some. Dewhurst, 68, took more political dings over the last 18 months than most legislators could survive. He ran for U.S. Senate as the anointed candidate who had paid his dues on the state level, only to be outflanked on the right by upstart Ted Cruz. Cruz forced Dewhurst into a runoff, then beat him in one of the biggest upsets in Texas politics in decades. Soon after that defeat, one of Dewhurst’s trusted campaign advisers was accused of pilfering as much as $4 million from his state campaign accounts. Then came June’s spectacle of the Texas Senate filibuster over abortion restrictions, led

Courtesy of AP

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst

by Democrat Sen. Wendy Davis. Hundreds of noisy protesters disrupted the Senate chamber and derailed a vote. A bewildered Dewhurst and his Republican colleagues desperately tried to restore order but couldn’t. The bill passed a few weeks later, but the damage was done. The filibuster turned Davis into a rising Democratic star — she’s now running for governor — and almost immediately some Republicans pointed the blame at Dewhurst, who they called a failed leader who wasn’t strong enough to use the GOP majority’s muscle to smother Davis and the Democrats. The fallout was a line of challengers for his job. State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples and Sen. Dan Patrick all are running against Dewhurst in the March 4 primary. Their goal is to get Dewhurst into a runoff and “Cruz” him again. “It is crass political posturing to say I created Wendy Davis, a case of obnoxious amnesia,” Dewhurst said. “I’m pleased with our success.... [Voters] don’t care if we

DEWHURST page 5

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Alumni create smart doorbell Katelyn Gough Editor-in-Chief kgough@smu.edu Facial recognition software is a fast-growing advancement in the security technology field. Now reaching past the law enforcement aspect is an invention by a team that includes two SMU alums — and a doorbell system that uses facial recognition software, reported to be 99.3 percent accurate, to offer top-line security and convenience. Former SMU football player Shaun Moore and international student Nezare Chafni, both graduates of SMU’s class of 2010, both co-founded CHUI with two other colleagues to create “an intelligent device that employs facial recognition and machine learning to deliver social intelligence.” Moore spoke with The Daily Campus on CHUI and gave his advice to SMU students eager to put their education to competitive, professional practice within today’s global economy. “Businesses now function across time zones, cultures, and languages,” Moore said of his first months navigating as an alumnus. “Looking back, I am thankful for the international education I received at SMU, where I learned to work with students from numerous countries.” Moore explained that Chafni — originally from Abu Dhabi — and himself met while in Cox School

of Business, and their collaborative work during their time as students graduated with them as they created CHUI. The idea was initially born while the two were in Casablanca reminiscing about projects and habits they had had as undergraduates. “We discussed how convenient — and safe — it would be if a camera doorbell would have been at one of our houses, or even allowed entry into the many buildings on campus that lock during night hours,” Moore said. Moore and Chafni put their inspiration to work. Within a few months, the two had filed a provisional patent and committed themselves to “think more about the potential of using facial recognition software in any environment.” Most recently, they took their achievement to the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas — an event boasting more than 150,000 professionals from the industry attending the exhibit. At the event, the CHUI team honed in on their invention’s consumer uses, specifically in home security — their catchphrase of sorts has become that CHUI is “Always on the lookout.” “It will send a picture of who’s at your door instantaneously to your phone,” Moore said. “We provide [consumers] with an unfalsifiable record of visitors and the option to leave personalized voice greetings that are activated

once a visitor pushes a button.” The facial recognition system can be used to monitor not only homes and apartments, but classrooms and businesses as well. As an “opt in device,” any visitor can choose privacy by not pushing the button that activates the camera—allowing for collaboration between security and personal privacy. Moore attributed much of his success to the education he received on the Hilltop, and has seen many lessons he learned at SMU replayed out in the professional business world. “My number one piece of advice for SMU students is to take advantage of every opportunity you can while at the Hilltop, and be open to fields and knowledge you may have never thought you’d pursue,” Moore said. He explained that he came to SMU as a football player interested in his finance heritage, but graduated on a very different path after four years of exploration. “I would have never dreamed of founding a company and introducing new technology,” Moore said. “It was through meeting people that I could work with and applying the theory and practice SMU taught me.” Moore said the team welcomes any ideas from students, which can be tweeted to them at @Get_CHUI, or shared on their Facebook page. More information can be found on getchui.com.

CHRISTOPHER SAUL / The Daily Campus

President R. Gerald Turner walks with students during last year’s commemorative unity walk.

SMU to celebrate Dream Week Leah Johnson Assignments Desk Editor leahj@smu.edu SMU Band, SMU Spirit, along with SMU multicultural organizations and SMU Black Alumni will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Week 2014 from Jan. 18 to Jan. 23. The week long celebration kicks off Saturday. The city of Dallas will host its 32nd annual MLK parade. The parade will start at 10 a.m. at Dallas City Hall and proceed along Ervay Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and end at Fair Park. Monday, students and

faculty are welcome to attend community service with residents of the SMU Service House from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Potential participants are encouraged to meet at the Service House the day of the event. Students will have the opportunity to serve at the Nexus Recovery Center and Vickery Meadow Center, just to name a few. Breakfast will be provided. On Wednesday, the office of Multicultural Affairs in HughesTrigg will host Real Talk, where they will discuss the need for modern-day civil rights activists. The meeting begins in porticos BCD at noon, and lunch will be provided. Later that day and just

downstairs, there will be a screening of the movie “Standing on My Sister’s Shoulders” at 8 p.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center Forum. This Civil Rights documentary tells firsthand the stories of the Mississippi activists who fought for desegregation and the right to vote. Lastly, Jan. 23, President R. Gerald Turner and other students will participate in a commemorative unity walk around the Boulevard. The event will begin at noon by the flagpole. For more information on the MLK parade and campus events, visit www.smu.edu/StudentAffairs/ Multicultural/SignaturePrograms/ MLKDreamWeek.


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HEALTH

FRIDAY n JANUARY 17, 2014 e xercise

Winter proves a great time for sweating outside SARAH BICKNELL Contributing Writer sbicknell@smu.edu Shannon Canty, an SMU student and workout fanatic, runs almost daily, regardless of the weather. She throws on a running tank top and shorts one day, and bundles up in thermal tights and ear warmers to brace frigid temperatures the next. “It doesn’t matter how warm or how cold it is outside, I have to go for a run--it keeps me sane,” Canty said. “My entire day is thrown off if I don’t hit the Katy Trail or run a circuit through University Park.” Running outside during the winter might seem crazy, but it could be considered one of the best seasons to be a runner. The weather is cool and running paths like the Katy Trail and around White Rock Lake aren’t overcrowded. Duncan Cragg, a running enthusiast and kinesiology expert, had a few key tips and strategies for anyone looking to pick up running to stay safe, even in the harshest conditions. “The first tip is to warm up and stretch properly to avoid injury,” Cragg said. “Warm up indoors first, by doing jumping jacks or lunges to get the blood circulating, and since you’re already warm before you even

FRIDAY January 17

Intramural basketball registration, Dedman Center, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Men’s Swimming, Classic at SMU Day 1, Perkins Natatorium, all day.

MONDAY January 20

University holiday - Martin Luther King Day

step foot outside, the chance of overdressing is reduced.” Cragg also suggested runners dress in multiple thermal layers, so if you do overheat, you can easily peel away clothing during your run as you get warmer. Lightening your layers should also be a reminder to use your water bottle. “The second most important thing to remember is that your body sweats just as much during the winter as it does in the summer, but you don’t feel as thirsty,” Cragg explained. “Hydration is key. When you realize you need water, it might be too late.” During the winter months, daylight hours are shorter, making it more difficult to find time to run when it’s light outside. If students choose to run while it is dark in poorly lit areas, they should make sure to wear clothing with orange or yellow reflective markings so as to be easily recognizable to passing cars. “If you follow these basic tips, even the most inexperienced runner can make the most of running outdoors during the winter,” Cragg said. “Start with a short distance and work your way up.” Cragg said the benefits of endorphins earned outside isn’t something that can always be replicated inside a gym.

SATURDAY January 18

“Running outdoors isn’t an experience you can manufacture indoors,” he said. “It just makes you feel better mentally and physically, and you’ll be more in tune with the elements and world around you.” For those concerned about safety when running alone, there are numerous running clubs all experience levels available in Dallas — activities which not only promote good health, but also provide the opportunity to socialize while working out. Boot camps are group fitness programs designed to build strength and fitness through a variety of exercises, while promoting a social support system within the group. They also provide a different environment for people who get bored easily in gyms, making it an excellent outdoor workout alternative during the winter months. “Humans were made to be outside,” said Jonathan Pylant, coordinator of Camp Gladiator in Dallas. “When you exercise outdoors, you’re not restricted by walls and you have the creativity to use the terrain as resistance. It’s a more freeing experience than working out indoors and it gets people back to their roots.” Boot camps offer an intense workout, including both running and weight training--a benefit for

SUNDAY January 19

Men’s Swimming, Classic at SMU Day 2, Perkins Natatorium, all day.

Women’s Basketball vs. Louisiana, Moody Coliseum, 12:30 p.m.

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

January 21

Men’s Basketball vs. USF, Moody Coliseum, 7 p.m.

January 22

Standing on my Sisters’ Shoulders, a Civil Rights documentary, H-T Student Center, Ballroom East, 8-10 p.m.

individuals of all fitness levels. “I’m absolutely hooked,” said Stacy Burke, boot camp enthusiast. “Since it’s outside, the workouts are always different, so I never get bored. I’m always curious to see what the trainer has in store for us that day.” While exercising outdoors during the winter months boasts many positive side effects, there are some important things to keep in mind. “The human body doesn’t have the ability to adapt to cold temperatures,” explained Dr. Benjamin Levine, a cardiologist at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. “The body generates heat when working out, which warms the core. People who exercise outdoors in cold weather must wear proper, layered gear, in order to keep the heat that the body generates in, and protect their chest and extremities from the wind.” Additionally, Levine warned that sweat is water, and water reaches freezing temperatures. “We sweat just as much in the cold as we do in any other condition,” Levine said, “so it is important to wear fabrics that wick away sweat so the body doesn’t freeze.” If runners follow these basic tips and strategies, they can stay healthy and fit while exploring the great outdoors all winter long.

January 13 8:15 PM. An SMU student reported to Dallas police that he was robbed at gunpoint about 8:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, outside the 7-Eleven at Greenville Avenue and University Boulevard in Dallas, east of the main SMU campus. The victim said he was walking out of the store to his vehicle when the suspects, one armed with a gun and the other a knife, robbed him and fled the scene on foot toward North Central Expressway.

SARAH BICKNELL / The Daily Campus

Shannon Canty refuses to let frigid temperatures stall her fitness.

The two suspects are described as: •A black male about 19-23 years old, weighing 220 pounds, and about 5 feet 9 inches tall. He was wearing a blue and white striped hoodie. •A black male about 19-23 years old, weighing 150 pounds, and about 5 feet 11 inches tall. He was wearing black and red baseball cap with the letter “B” on the front. He had short, black hair. He was wearing dark jeans and a black shirt with long sleeves. This incident is being investigated by the Dallas Police Department.

WHAT’S YOUR BIG IDEA?

SMU BIG IDEAS. Provost Paul Ludden is giving BIG bucks for BIG solutions to improve the quality of life in BIG D. Undergraduate teams are each eligible for research grants up to $5,000. Proposal deadline is January 31. smu.edu/bigideas


SPORTS

FRIDAY n JANUARY 17, 2014 Men’s Basketball

3

woMen’s Basketball

Four players record a double-double in loss to Temple Samuel Snow Associate Sports Editor ssnow@smu.edu

Ryan Miller/The Daily Campus

SMU senior guard Nick Russell (12) had seven points, two assists and two rebounds in SMU’s 71-54 victory over USF on Wednesday Jan. 15, 2014.

Mustangs stomp USF 71-54 Demetrio Teniente Sports Editor dteniente@smu.edu Coming off a disappointing loss at No. 18 Louisville, SMU returned to the newly renovated Moody Coliseum on Wednesday to dominate the University of South Florida 71-54. SMU improves its record to 12-4 overall and 2-2 in the American Athletic Conference. “I had been miserable since Louisville,” SMU Head Coach Larry Brown said. “But [tonight] I was real happy [with the game] we got to play a lot of people and Nic Moore and Markus [Kennedy] played really, really well.” Kennedy led the way for the Mustangs, pouring in a careerhigh 18 points to go with a career-high 10 rebounds, for his first career double-double. He has been a consistent offensive weapon all year and Wednesday’s contest was his 10th game this season (and seventh straight) in double figures.

It was the sixth time Kennedy had led the team in scoring this season and the ninth time he has led the Mustangs in rebounds. Despite coming off the bench for the first 14 games, Kennedy is SMU’s second leading scorer. “[Kennedy] was great tonight,” said Brown. “ He defended, he rebounded, he ran the floor. He’s capable of doing this every night. And you know the great ones do it every night no matter who they play against. So, now he has spoiled me- he is capable of doing this [every night].” Moore added 12 points and six assists in 31 minutes of play. It was his 30th career game in double figures and his 13th this season. The Mustangs jumped out in front early and never looked back-scoring the first 13 points of the game and held a double digit lead for 36 minutes. The largest lead for the Mustangs came late in the second period when they were up by 26. “We’ve been trying to get our

guys to run early offense,” said Brown. “And I thought at times in the first half we really did it well.” One of the brightest spots over the last two games has been Shawn Williams: on Wednesday he scored 16 points with seven boards. He has only scored 10 or more points twice this season, but he has done so over the last two games. Also, all seven of his rebounds came in the first half. Offensive production aside, Brown said he was most impressed with Williams’ defensive efforts on South Florida forward Victor Rudd. South Florida was led by Zach LeDay who contributed 12 points in the losing effort. USF has been without junior point guard Anthony Collins for seven consecutive games. Collins is a three-year starter for South Florida; however, it’s unlikely that his presence would have made much of a difference against this rolling Mustang team. The Mustangs will travel to

Orlando, Fla. to take on UCF on Saturday. Tipoff is at 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on ESPNews.

Winter Break Results Here is a quick look at the results of SMU’s games played over winter break: SMU 62 — Wyoming 54: Markus Kennedy scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the win over Wyoming. Cincinnati 65 — SMU 57: Justin Jackson scored 17 points for Cincinnati in the first conference game for both teams. SMU 74 — No. 17 UCONN 65: Nic Moore had 20 points and six assists in the Mustangs’ first game in refurbished Moody Coliseum. No. 12 Louisville 71 — SMU 63: Luke Hancock’s careerhigh 23 points helped No. 12 Louisville hold off SMU.

The SMU Mustangs got 23 points from Keena Mays and a 10-point, nine-rebound effort from Akil Simpson against the Temple Owls on Tuesday. However, despite shooting a season high 50 percent, SMU lost 80-66 in Philadelphia. The Mustangs (11-5) were able to open the game with a 13-4 lead over Temple, but the Owls (8-7) were able to utilize a strong second half to upend SMU. The two teams played a perfectly even first half, as they entered halftime tied at 36. While shooting a sizzling 60 percent from the field in the first half, the Mustangs surrendered 33 shots compared to the 25 that they took. Because of this, Temple matched SMU’s first-half shot total of 15. The second half saw both teams shoot a lower percentage from the field. Temple outrebounded the Mustangs 4030 and made 15 free throws in the second half to SMU’s

seven, allowing the Lady Owls to outscore SMU 44-30 in the second half. Temple’s out-rebounding of SMU also allowed the Owls to outscore the Mustangs 12-4 in second chance points. It was more than a one-person effort for Temple, as they got double-digit scoring from four women. Natasha Thames, who scored six points, collected a game-high 12 rebounds and five steals. Another deciding factor in the game was turnovers. The Mustangs committed an unsightly 18 of them compared to Temple’s 11. In addition, SMU was only able to muster seven points off of Temple’s turnovers while the Owls more than tripled the Mustang’s effort with 22. Following consecutive losses on the road, The Lady Mustangs will return home to Moody Coliseum. Waiting for them is the daunting task of defeating the No. 5 ranked Louisville Cardinals who are undefeated in conference play. That matchup will take place Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

RECAP

Pony Pick’em final results STAFF REPORTS The winner of 2013’s Pony Pick’em is former Associate Sports Editor Matthew Costa, with a final record of 99-51. Managing Editor W. Tucker Keene was a close second with a record of 91-59. Christopher Saul made things interesting and put the pressure on Keene when he posted the only winning record in the final week of picks going 7-3 and finishing

with an overall record of 84-66. Former Staff Sports Writer Billy Embody went 5-5 in the final weeks of picks to round off his record at 81-69. Perhaps the greatest disappointment was Sports Editor Demetrio Teniente’s performance in the competition. Finishing dead last in the group with a record of 77-73. His picks were bad and he should feel bad.

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4

OPINION

FRIDAY n JANUARY 17, 2014

To respond to any pieces on our opinion page, tweet us at @thedailycampus with the hashtag #hilltoptweets.

politics

sports

A perfect weekend for football fans matthew costa Contributing Writer mcosta@smu.edu

Courtesy of AP

Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly, right, stands with Gov. Chris Christie, left, during a tour of the Seaside Heights, N.J., boardwalk after it was hit by a massive fire.

Christie’s scandal will be water under the bridge w. tucker keene Managing Editor tkeene@smu.edu Last week, in the largest, most significant political scandal since the great “Aqua Buddha” debacle of 2010 that famously cost Rand Paul the Senate election in Kentucky, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has had all his future political ambitions thwarted by traffic on a bridge. This is, of course, an oversimplification of the petty partisan plot to close down several lanes on one of the busiest bridges in America. That staffers could think it a good idea to cause unbearable traffic simply because the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee endorsed the Democratic candidate for governor instead of the Republican incumbent shows a level of callousness toward innocent residents that should not be taken lightly. The

fifth has already been plead by one of the staffers implicated in the scandal, and one 91-year-old woman died of a heart attack at the hospital, raising questions of her time running out due to traffic. While the scandal itself is no laughing matter, the media claims that this will doom Christie’s future attempts at elective office, which will likely include a run for president in 2016, are greatly overstated. Firstly, a caveat: If Christie is in any way directly implicated in the scheme or if anything he said in his marathon press conference can be proven to be deliberately misleading, he probably won’t have a good shot at the nomination in 2016. That would, rightfully, finish him. But so far there has been no evidence of this, and Christie appears innocent enough to be comfortable answering literally every single question reporters had

to ask him in a press conference that lasted nearly two hours. Further, the scandal has yet to have any noticeable effect on Christie’s political prospects. Sure, recent polling by Monmouth University indicates his approval rating within New Jersey dropped –to 59 percent. A majority of all political groups have long held net favorable opinions of Christie, and according to Pew Research, in light of this scandal, majorities of all political groups say their opinion of him is unchanged. What is most striking about this polling data is that it occurs only a week after the scandal broke. This is the crucial reason why this will have no effect on the race in 2016: If people don’t care while the story is hot, two years before the election will make them care even less. This scandal will be — pardon the inexcusable pun — water under the bridge by the time voters check off names on a ballot.

Most will have forgotten about it entirely, and it will be a tiny blip on the radar of those that haven’t. The media is making so much bigger a deal of this story than it truly is because frankly, the early weeks of January tend not to be very exciting. Rarely is there big political news to discuss until the State of the Union address toward the end of the month. Christie is a huge player in Republican politics. Americans hate traffic, and political retribution that makes life unbearable for innocent citizens who are unlikely unable to even name the mayor of Fort Lee is a big story. But it is irresponsible for them to blow the political ramifications of this example of politics at its worst into the careerending (and horribly named) “Bridgegate” some seem to want to report it as. Keene is a senior majoring in political science, economics and public policy.

quote worthy

“I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s time to pull the plug on the patient. It’s been brain-dead for a long, long time.” ­­—Jimmy LaSalvia, founder of GOProud, on leaving the Republican Party perspectives

An English major’s struggle with reading brandon bub Contributing Writer bbub@smu.edu A few weeks ago, some friends invited me to go see the new “Hobbit” movie. I had to pass because I’d already made plans to grab drinks with another friend for her birthday, but even without that excuse, I likely would have turned the offer down. Truth be told, the only thing to me that sounds more boring than watching one of the Lord of the Rings movies for three hours is spending an entire day attempting to slog through one of the books. My buddies have often chastised me for my snooty taste in writers. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling — all of them are good authors in their own right, but I’m certainly not a part of their intended audience. My indifference to fantasy series is not borne of a haughty sense of superiority (“Oh yes, these plebian sorts can enjoy their wizards and Orcs while I smoke

a pipe and read Camus”), but a fundamental problem with the way that I engage literature. Now, I’m not a “bad reader,” per se. Since high school I’ve consumed more novels, magazine articles, news stories, and poetry than I could ever hope to count. However, when my mind interprets the written word, it tends to leave a lot of blank spots. Conceptualization and abstraction have long been my strengths, but as soon as the task turns to understanding concrete details, it’s like my brain shuts off. Perhaps I’m like a blindfolded person navigating through an art museum. I can figure out pretty quickly where the walls are, which room leads to the next and how to make it to the exit, but I spend so much time trying to locate myself that the portraits on the walls are the least of my concern. Some print media do lend themselves to my reading style better than others. I’m an avid collector of comics, not just

Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katelyn Gough Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W. Tucker Keene SMU-TV News Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . Haley Thayer, Parminder Deo Assignments Desk Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leah Johnson Online Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Aguirre Associate Online Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Allison Zoranski Arts & Entertainment Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Arts & Entertainment Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Myca Williamson Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demetrio Teniente Associate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Snow Style Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelsey Reynolds Health & Fitness Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Food Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellen Smith Associate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Miller Opinion Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trevor Thrall Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christina Cox

because I think superheroes are amazing, but also because those books do all the perceiving for me, which saves me a lot of effort. Dialogue and conversations are the easiest elements of a story for me to follow. Moreover, it’s clear to me how my cognitive process has affected my taste in more formal literature. I should think it speaks volumes that one of my favorite novels as a teenager, “The Great Gatsby,” is a story in which very little happens. The story’s most visceral element, the party culture at Gatsby’s house, was the one part I tended to ignore in my readings; I was mostly concerned with themes of lost love, dead dreams, and the American frontier. A party is just a party — if I wanted to imagine one of those, I would have joined a fraternity. Perhaps I’ll never learn how to read the “correct” way. A few of my friends like to joke that I’m broken, an evolutionary anomaly if there ever was one. However, I tend to think that my brain is

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exactly what the human mind is tending toward. Ever since video killed the radio star, we’ve found ourselves inundated with more images than we could ever process. Even text messaging has become obsolete; people my age are far more likely to communicate their disgust about a flight being delayed via Snapchat rather than emoticon. For digital natives like me, “sensory overload” is a moot condition. I hate to hyperbolize and suggest that we’re heading towards an intellectual apocalypse a la Huxley or Bradbury. The written word has been with us for millennia and I don’t see it disappearing any time soon; however, visual and written media will no doubt continue to intertwine. What our pictures and paragraphs might look like 100 years from now is still anyone’s guess.

Could Roger Goodell have dreamed of a better end to this season? The short answer is simply no. There were only four teams at the beginning of the 2013 campaign that had every football fan frothing at the mouth for a chance to see them in the Super Bowl, and this weekend viewers get to see each of the them play against one another with just that shot. Two totally different games are on tap Sunday afternoon — the battle for the American and the National Football Conferences’ championships won’t just represent two different trophies, but two completely different eras of the National Football League. When CBS begins the broadcast of the New England Patriots matchup against the Denver Broncos, it won’t be long before America’s ears are worn off about the history of Tom Brady’s and Peyton Manning’s fierce rivalry. These two didn’t just excel at their sport, they dominated it. The sport of football in the 2000s and even now owes much of its incredible success to what these two old school pocket passers have done for it, creating a new rivalry that surpassed the drama of any other one in American sports. But Sunday could very well be the last time these two incredible figures of sportsmen get a chance to meet with anything meaningful on the line due to their age and diminishing health. In their place has come a new breed of quarterbacks; one that will define the game for the next 15 years most experts agree, and two of today’s best

will meet for the third time this year right after the Broncos and Patriots do. Fox will have the pleasure of showcasing the NFL’s two franchises who simply despise one another the most at 6:30 p.m. eastern time when the Seattle Seahawks host the ever dominant San Francisco 49ers. While the former game has historic meaning to it, this one will just be fun to watch a contrast in style from the first game. Seattle’s diminutive quarterback Russell Wilson will lead the team with the best record in the league this year against the defending NFC champions and its fleet of foot youngster, Colin Kaepernick. It is very possible the NFL health department may have to start up a fundraiser in order to deal with the amount of injuries that could come out of this meeting. These two inter-division squads don’t just want to beat each other, they want to send the other one home stripped of decency and limbs. Neither Kaepernick nor Wilson have even begun their third full season as NFL quarterbacks, yet both have a chance this year of winning a Lombardi trophy. It’s impossible to decide which of these games will be better than the other before they are even played, considering the incredible talent and toughness each of the four teams have. The short answer is who cares? The winner is each and every fan of football who sits down in front of their TVs on Sunday because they may never see a dream of a weekend like this again. Costa is a senior majoring in journalism.

firing line

Stretch your school spirit Here’s a news flash to the students that might be disappointed football season is over: School spirit shouldn’t just be limited to sporting events. The football games have great attendance, and the basketball games do too. So where are all of these students when other interesting things are happening like Meadows concerts or guest speakers and lectures? Other students work just as hard as the athletes do and deserve to be supported. Prominent figures take the time to come talk to us. If an event sounds interesting, attend it! Supporting not only the athletic program of the school but the other programs as well is a much better show of school spirit than just wearing red, white and blue and cheering in some stands a few days out of the school year. —Danielle Deraleau, SMU sophomore

cartoon

Bub is a senior majoring in history, English and political science. Courtesy of MCT Campus

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NEWS

FRIDAY n JANUARY 17, 2014 Student Life

5

Recovery from addiction at SMU: Is enough being done? Michael Murphy Contributing Writer mfmurphy@smu.edu With a water bottle in hand, SMU student Shannon Delehanty arrived at the Boulevard one weekend in 2011 ready to tailgate. But for Delehanty, this wasn’t the ordinary tailgating experience she was accustomed to. Striding through the crowd with confidence, she made her way to the fraternity tents. After politely refusing a beer, she was shocked at the response given. “‘You don’t drink? Wow. How do you have fun at the boulevard?’� a student asked her. After this encounter, Delehanty, who is now a senior, said she realized being sober on a college campus wasn’t the “coolest� thing to do. Despite this, she said, “I was determined to make it acceptable for others not to be afraid to do the same thing. If I wanted to be successful at SMU, I knew I had to live my

DEWHURST Continued from page 1

passed the bill on June 25 or July 11. They just want it passed.� Dewhurst insists he’s the most conservative candidate in the race with a track record to prove it. Since 2003, Dewhurst helped Republicans push through rugged redistricting efforts, limited damages paid in civil and medical malpractice lawsuits, passed

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program. But as of now, no one has stepped up to the plate. If recovered students approached the school and requested accommodations, SMU would be required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide them, so long as the request isn’t, as the law states, an “undue burden.� Texas Tech’s Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery has become the standard for schools that want to establish programs on their campuses. This is due to the program’s high rate of sobriety and its rapid expansion. The public university provides a dedicated building exclusively for recovered students. At any hour of the day or night, they can go shoot pool, hang out or do work in one of the study pods. Additionally, the school has a full-time academic advisor to help place these students in the same classes, which facilitates drug free study groups and a strong sense of community among

recovered students. Texas Tech is not the only school to provide such accommodations. Vanderbilt and the University of Texas at Austin, as well as many others, also provide a dedicated space for recovered students to use to study, socialize and hold 12-step meetings. “Students who don’t have a support system may suffer from stress or depression and tend to drink more heavily and relapse more often than those who don’t,� saidLisa Joyner, the assistant director of Health Education at SMU. Providing accommodations for recovered students not only seems like the right thing to do, it can also be a good business decision for universities. “A recovery program is a huge recruitment and retention tool,� McCutchin said. Based on a formula, which is publically available through Texas Tech’s Collegiate Recovery

Community’s curriculum for retention of students in recovery, a school of SMU’s size could retain approximately $3 million annually in revenue from tuition and fees if a strong recovery program were offered. This curriculum outlines exactly what must be done to establish an effective community of recovery on a college campus. However, according to McCutchin, one of the biggest problems with establishing a strong community among recovered students at SMU is getting them to recognize they need to step forward and organize. SMU graduate student Anna* gave the reason students are reluctant to come forth and unite. “Everyone knows everyone,� she said. “I think that’s the biggest problem with getting students to come out of the shadows.� During her undergraduate years at the University of Texas at Austin, “Anna� appreciated the

strong sense of community among recovered students and the resources provided. She knew many high school students who chose to attend the University of Texas at Austin for its recovery program, community and accommodations. Based on her undergraduate experience, she also emphasized the importance and potential benefits of a dedicated space for recovery at SMU. Delehanty offers this piece of wisdom to students who are still battling with drug and alcohol addiction. “My advice to individuals at SMU who are still struggling is to just try anything that is suggested to them. If you don’t try, you will never know if the program truly works,� Delehanty said. Students struggling with addiction are encouraged to contact Jan McCutchin at jmccutch@smu. edu. She can provide the information needed for recovery. *Name has been changed.

a voter identification law and tightened abortion restrictions and spending. Dewhurst also said he has the experience Texas needs in an election in which he’s the only incumbent seeking re-election among the major statewide offices. He said he consulted his wife on the campaign, running only with her blessing. Dewhurst once was organizing doll clothes with his 10-year-old stepdaughter when she complained that he’d been

away from home so much over the last two years. “Wow. Talk about take a [6-foot5] guy down to his knees in about a second.... I haven’t forgotten it,� Dewhurst said. “I love my family more than anything. I’d like to win this race in the primary and spend more of the spring and summer [at home].� If this is indeed Dewhurst’s last campaign, he certainly intends to win. The loss to Cruz taught him he needed to reconnect with voters

at the grassroots level and forced him to change his playbook. He has walked blocks in Patrick’s Senate district four times, knocking on doors and asking for votes. In Waco, he attended a tea party potluck dinner. He didn’t bring a covered dish — “I don’t cook� — but rolled up his sleeves to help clean afterward. “You’ve got to feel the mood of the people,� Dewhurst said as he used a knife and fork to eat a well-done salmon sandwich at an

Austin hotel. When asked if he’ll keep spending his personal fortune to win, Dewhurst, after a lengthy pause, said, “If I didn’t believe by a long shot I was the most experienced, most conservative and best candidate for Texans and the economic future and their ability to have opportunity and live the American dream, then I wouldn’t be running.� His determination is rooted in his past.

Dewhurst’s father was killed by a drunken driver when Dewhurst was 3. He played basketball at the University of Arizona before serving in the Air Force and going to work for the CIA in Bolivia. His first oil-field supply company went bankrupt, but he struck it rich when another of his companies, Falcon Seaboard, which had ventured into selling electricity to utilities and industrial users, sold three power plants for $226 million.

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Tutor Services ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE TUTOR. Voted “The Best� for 18 years. “College is more fun when you have a tutor.� Lee Lowrie, CPA, MBA cell 214-208-1112. SMU Accounting 2301, 2302, 3311, 3312, 6301, 6302 - Finance 3320 - Real Estate 3811 ACCOUNTING, MATH, CHEMISTRY, STATISTICS, ECONOMICS, FINANCE, ITOM, Physics, Rhetoric Tutoring. Learn to work smarter not harder. David Kemp Tutorial Services. Call 469-7676713 or david@dktutoring.com.

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life this way no matter how hard it may be.� It’s hard to deny that navigating college life presents challenges. These challenges are magnified for students like Delehanty who are in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Without a strong support program and recovery community on college campuses, it can be easy for these students to revert back to their old ways. This is detrimental and can sometimes be deadly. While some tools do exist at SMU for recovered students and those trying to get sober, according to a recovery expert, a much stronger program and tight knit community must be constructed for the university to keep up with the rapidly growing collegiate recovery movement. “If students initiated it, SMU’s administration would provide the necessary money and infrastructure for a recovery program,� said Jan McCutchin, a counselor for SMU’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention

Across 1 Like some tricks 6 Beatles nonsense syllables 10 Fighting 14 Sporty Toyota made until 2002 15 Met or Nat 16 Sneeze syllable 17 Police record listing 18 Unhappy parking lot discovery 19 Soupon 20 Franken and Yankovic, for example? 23 Gp. currently chaired by Obama 24 One-eighty 25 Song syllable 26 Union in D.C., e.g. 29 Silver-tongued speaker? 32 __ Men: "Who Let the Dogs Out" band 35 N.Y.C.-Quebec dir. 36 A dispersive one is commonly triangular 37 Carbon compound 38 Avian abode 41 "Pinocchio" goldfish 42 Numerous, informally 44 Longtime NBC staple 45 Viewer 46 "Sorry, the mayo is put on in advance"? 50 Wide shoe spec 51 Spanish bear 52 Trattoria suffix 53 A.L. West team, on scoreboards 56 "Heretics only" apartment building ad? 60 Abe or Dick 62 Emailer's "Then again ..." 63 Some kids 64 "The foundation of most governments": John Adams 65 Novelist Jaffe 66 Big name in printers 67 Designated driver's choice 68 Game in which the player is called the Stranger 69 Navigation hazards

Down 1 Airer of debates 2 Pitches 3 Protestant denom. 4 Buck tail? 5 Chanel No. 5 bottle word 6 At the start 7 Sharp cheese 8 Rope quantity 9 Joint: Pref. 10 Incentive for a warm bath 11 With great eagerness 12 Fluoride, for one 13 Little kid 21 Soprano Mitchell 22 Protective cover 27 "Nothing __ here" 28 Protective cover 29 Dip option 30 To the point 31 Not straight 32 Contradict 33 Make __ of: jot down 34 Breakfast option 39 Where Yankee Doodle's feather ended up 40 1985 Malkovich film 43 Shortly 47 Bit of forecast shorthand 48 Certain young lover, facetiously 49 Hang 53 Use temporarily 54 Bach's "The __ Fugue" 55 NBA and others 57 Poet friend of T.S. 58 A really long time 59 Slangy denial, and a hint to 20-, 29-, 46- and 56-Across 60 Rank below cpl. 61 Vintage roadster

Solution 12/11/2013


36

ARTS

FRIDAY n JANUARY 17, 2014 Music

Movies

Country lacks creativity W. Tucker Keene Managing Editor tkeene@smu.edu Nearly forty years ago, David Allan Coe’s hit single “You never even called me by my name” included a satirical fifth verse in which he proclaimed that the perfect country and western song must include a reference to “Mama, trains or trucks, prison or getting drunk,” and so promptly began to rattle off all five references in a verse completely unrelated to the rest of the song. It seems today as if, while the formula for the perfect Country and Western song has dropped the requirements Coe mentioned and replaced them with a requirement to talk about getting drunk while laying out by the river in the middle of nowhere with your girl in the bed of your truck. And she must be wearing jeans so tight they appear to be painted on. Coe was complaining about the formulaic nature of country music in the mid 70s, particularly the outlaw country movement of which he was a part, but compared to the cookiecutter country sound playing on the radio today, the music of Coe’s era would be a breath of fresh air. There is perhaps no worse offender in this cookie cutter pop country movement than Florida Georgia Line, who have turned this lack of originality into an art form. Their music is as redundant as it is inexplicably popular. The lyrics of their first three singles are strikingly similar. “In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit/would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it” they sing in their hit song “Cruise.” “I’m gassin’ up the Chevy/I’m gonna pick her up at 6,” they echo in “Round Here.” Yes, a reference to picking up a girl in their Chevy Silverado is made in “Get your Shine On” too. These themes all are popular within country music for a reason: People can relate to them, and so following the formula can make a

Courtesy of AP

“American Hustle” was nominated for 10 awards, including an Academy Award for best picture.

Courtesy of AP

The first three singles released by Florida Georgia Line all touched on similar themes, and each one topped the Country music charts.

country music star pretty quickly. Many stars resort to the formula to get some popularity early on before they branch off into more original content. Look no further than the similarities between country newcomers Eric Paslay, Jon Pardi and Cole Swindell and their songs “Friday Night,” “Up All Night,” and “Chillin’ It,” which have flooded the airwaves in recent weeks. Songs about the simple pleasures of country living have served this purpose for years. But they don’t have to be quite as mundane and cookie cutter as they seem to have become. The Zac Brown Band, who have never been accused of being lyrically unoriginal or derivative, started their stardom with “Chicken Fried.” Little Big Town got their first big hit with “Boondocks” which was stylistically and lyrically interesting despite being rather formulaic in its basic topic. Brad Paisley’s “American Saturday Night” provided a nice riff on the trope. While doing a song like this early on to establish popularity is acceptable, and even a rite of passage in some way, once a band gets that popularity, it’s a sign of an uncreative band when every follow up single is just as formulaic, when every new song panders to the airwaves instead of exploring a more interesting lyrical topic or style. What’s worse is when an artist who used to have interesting, unique songs and who gained popularity

with those songs, but who then resorts to this same pandering seen by emerging bands. Blake Shelton is perhaps the quintessential example of this. His debut single, “Austin” is one of the best country songs of the past few decades, and it was so popular that it even climbed the pop charts. An instant classic. Compare that early work to his recent “Boys ‘Round Here” and it is clear he’s sunk to a new low in pursuit of commercial success. Luke Bryan similarly has no excuse for “That’s My Kind of Night.” And don’t even get me started on “Truck Yeah” by Tim McGraw, the man who used to be responsible for masterpieces like “Red Rag Top.” Country artists shouldn’t be scared to take risks. They can pay off. Listening to contemporary, Nashville country music has gotten tedious, but it shouldn’t be. Following the formula mocked by David Allan Coe is not the only way to commercial success. Gary Allan has had countless number one hits, none of which mentioned getting drunk in the back of a truck with a girl wearing tight jeans. Four of the Zac Brown Band’s first five singles hit number one, the fifth made it to number two. They never pandered to the airwaves. Their musical talent spoke for itself. Creativity speaks for itself, and creative risk can be rewarded. Florida Georgia Line and others should take note of this before they start working on their next album.

‘American Hustle,’ ‘Gravity’ lead Academy Award race Chase Wade Contributing Writer cdwade@smu.edu It’s not often that we see some of Hollywood’s finest awake before the rooster, but in the early hours of Thursday, Jan. 16, not a restful eye was seen as actor Chris Hemsworth and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the nominations for the 86th Annual Academy Awards, the movie industry’s most prestigious trophy. David O’Russell’s star-studded crime comedy “American Hustle” and Alfonso Cuaron’s visually pioneering “Gravity” scored the most nominations with 10 a piece while Steve McQueen’s gripping “12 Years A Slave” was a close second with nine. All three films are up for the Oscar’s biggest award, Best Picture, along with “Philomena,” “Dallas Buyer’s Club,” “Captain Phillips,” “Her,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and “Nebraska.” Oscar-commonplaces like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and Leonardo DiCaprio each scored acting nominations. Streep and Roberts were nominated for their work in “August: Osage County” and DiCaprio for his turn as a slimy wall-street executive in “Wolf of Wall Street.” 23-yearold Jennifer Lawrence is looking to repeat last year’s Academy

Award win for Best Actress with a Supporting Actress trophy for her unforgettable role as Rosalyn in “American Hustle.” If Lawrence were to take home the Oscar, the young starlet would be joining a small list of actresses who’ve done so, including the likes of Audrey Hepburn. While familiar names pepper the nomination list, a slue of newcomers earned their first nominations as well, most notable being “12 Years A Slave” actress Lupita Nyong’o. Nyong’o was discovered out of Yale’s storied theater department and made her first film appearance in “12 Years a Slave.” While Nyong’o was an early front-runner for the supporting actress awards, Jennifer Lawrence’s Golden Globe win over the actress has made the race neck-and-neck. Other newcomers include Sally Hawkins for her supporting work in “Blue Jasmine” and Nyong’o’s castmate Chiwetel Ejiofor for his starring role in “12 Years a Slave.” Matthew McConaughey continues his career renaissance with a Lead Actor nomination for his work in “Dallas Buyer’s Club.” McConaughey, a former romcom mainstay, lost more than 40 pounds for the role of HIV-positive Ron Woodroof. McConaughey will need to beat DiCaprio to pick up his first Oscar, but the same can’t be said for McConaughey’s

costar Jared Leto. Leto will more than likely pick up the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his work in “Dallas Buyers Club.” As with all Academy Award nominations, this year featured a fair share of snubs. Oprah Winfrey, arguably the most powerful woman in media, didn’t get an expected nomination for her work in Lee Daniels’ “The Butler.” In fact, Daniels’ film was snubbed all together. Robert Redford, who was leading most Oscar predictions for Best Lead Actor, also got snubbed for his work in “All is Lost.” Tom Hanks was snubbed twice, one for his work in “Captain Phillips” and again for his turn as Walt Disney in “Saving Mr. Banks.” Hanks’ “Saving Mr. Banks” costar Emma Thompson also failed to make the Academy Award cut for her work in the film. However, the most interesting omission comes from the animated film category as Pixar’s “Monster’s University” failed to score a nomination for Best Animated Film. Pixar has won nine Oscars for its animated work since the category’s induction in 2002. However, the Disney camp can remain calm as the winter box-office juggernaut “Frozen” is slated to pick up this year’s trophy. For a complete list of nominations, visit www.oscars.org.


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