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VOLUME 97, ISSUE 25
Weather FRIDAY High 86, Low 58 SATURDAY High 87, Low 62
A SIDE OF NEWS
Happani leader killed A senior U.S. official confirmed that Janbaz Zadran, a top leader in the Haqqani militant network was killed on Thursday. This death comes just a few weeks after the U.S. decision to crack down on Haqqani insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Zadran was killed in a Haqqani stronghold in Miram Shah, an area in Pakistani that has been hit by American drones in the past. His death is a major blow to the Haqqani network, which is considered the most pressing threat in Afghanistan and has worked with al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Cell problems anger users Research in Motions announced that after four days of BlackBerry service related issues, all technical issues have been fixed. Starting on Monday, the intensive delay in emails and messages enraged BlackBerry users across five continents and resulted in angry comments in forums and on Twitter. Executives at RIM have not been able to explain the outage and fear this will cause customers to switch to the upcoming iPhone 4S which will be released on Friday.
Park removes protestors New York officials have mandated that Wall Street protestors occupying a private park need to move by Friday, even though the protestors have not broken any laws. Brookfield Properties who own the park, reason that it’s time for regular cleaning. A number of the protestors argue that this “eviction notice” is a ploy to breakup the growing protests. Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited the park to tell protestors they will be allowed to return after the maintenance work.
UK changes succession laws England is moving ahead with plans to change royal succession laws so that is Prince William and Kate Middleton have a daughter, she will be able to ascent to the thrown. Current laws state that is the couple’s first child is a girl but their second is a boy, the son would inherit the thrown over the daughter.
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011
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holocaust
finance
Survivor speaks on concentration camp rebellion
One man’s trash, another’s free credit line
By ANDY GARCIA News Director atgarcia@smu.edu
Standing before dozens in SMU’s McCord Auditorium, Philip Bialowitz recounts the events that lead to the revolt at the Sobibór death camp. The story of bravery takes the audience nearly 68 years into the past to a forest in eastern Poland where some 250,000 people were killed by the Nazis. For the audience, it is a glimpse into history; for Bialowitz, it’s a continuation of the opposition against the horrors of the Holocaust. “We did not only fight for our lives, we also fought for a better tomorrow,” Bialowitz said. Bialowitz spoke on the SMU campus Thursday evening discussing his experience at the Sobibór death camp. His lecture “An Evening with Philip Bialowtz” was sponsored by the Embry Human Right Program as part of the program’s effort to preserve the memory of the Holocaust. Sobibór was one of three death camps designed by the Nazi to eliminate the trace of the Jewish people. Of the approximately 600 prisoners at Sobibór, on Oct. 14, 1943, 48 people successfully escaped. Eight are alive today. “Its too easy to say he was lucky, the hand of god was upon him,” Rick Halperin, Embrey Program Director, said on Bialowitz survival. According to Bialowitz, a majority of the prisoners brought to Sobibór were murdered on arrival via gas chambers. At the age of 17 Bialowtiz was brought to the camp with members of his family. He said when they arrived his brother lied to the guards saying that he was a pharmacist and that Bialoiwtz
Per onal Finan e By PARTH SHETH Contributing Writer psheth@smu.edu
SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
Philip Bialowitz, a survivor of the Holocaust, told his story of the rebellion in the Sobibor death camp during a lecture sponsored by the Embrey Human Rights program Thursday.
was his assistant. Needing skilled labor, the guards kept his brother and him alive while their two sisters and niece were gassed. When new arrivals would come to Sobibór, Bialowitz was tasked with carrying their luggage and then sorting through it for valuables that could be used by the Nazis. Meanwhile, the prisoners designated for death were left under the impression they had been relocated and they would be able to write to their families about their new living conditions. However, they were told they would first need to have their hair cut and then take a shower. Bialowitz, who was also tasked with cutting hair, said the prisoners were not familiar with what was going to happen to them and were often optimistic. The women would ask him that their hair not be cut too short. “I am convinced they did not
fully realize the terrible truth until the first breath of poison gas,” Bialowitz said. Over time, talk of open rebellion started to circulate amongst the workers. When a number of Jewish Soviet Union soldiers were brought to the camp, the rebellion became a reality. Utilizing their new companions’ military experience, the prisoners developed a plan that would eliminate the camp’s officials, making it easier to escape into the surrounding forest. Bialowitz and other young prisoners drew “key Germans” away from the rest of the guards under the pretense of having found valuables during a recent sorting. When the officials came to look at the findings they were met by the Soviet Jews armed with knives and axes. Bialowitz remembers that when he saw the dead officers he
was pleased. “I said to myself this is for my sister[s] my niece and the thousands of others who perished in the gas chamber. While many of the prisoners were killed in the rebellion, both Bialowitz and his brother successfully escaped. Before the escape, Bialowitz said the leaders of the rebellion commanded the prisoners that if they survived the would “tell the world what happened here.” Bialowitz, who came to New York after the end of World War II, spent the last 20 years telling people about his time at Sobibór. For those who have listened, it is evident the Holocaust will not be forgotten. “I think with his story it makes it very clear it needs to be remembered,” Lauren Zielinksi, a human rights graduate student, said.
Imagine that you are looking at your checking account or credit card bill. As you go down the list of charges, you come across a couple that you do not particularly remember. Then you see a charge for an obscenely large amount of money that you are absolutely certain you didn’t make. You are now the victim of identity theft. Identity theft happens every day in the United States and, according to the Federal Trade Commission, affects 9 million Americans every year. It occurs when an individual uses your full name, social security number or credit card number without your knowledge or permission. Identity thieves can obtain this essential information in a variety of ways, so it is important to know their methods to protect yourself. The easiest way for a thief to gain your information is by dumpster diving. Thieves will go through trashcans in search of old bills, financial statements or even credit cards. You may think that cutting your card into a few pieces will deter thieves, but skilled thieves can easily piece these together. Instead, you should completely shred your documents, bills and credit cards, and spread the shreds over different trash bins. If you want to be extra vigilant, you can scramble the credit card data completely by running a strong magnet across the magnetic strip of your credit card before shredding it.
See FINANCE page 5
feature
Pedicab Company launched by former, current students By KATE GARDNER Contributing Writer kateg@smu.edu
Uptown is going to see some new wheels on the road this month. They won’t belong to the latest luxury car model. They’ll belong to an entirely new mode of transportation for the area: pedicabs. For those who are unfamiliar, a pedicab is essentially a bicycle-drawn cab that seats two people comfortably — three if you’re willing to squeeze in a bit. And if you think you’re seeing some familiar faces behind the wheel, it’s probably because you are. SMU alumn Robert Tobolowsky, Charlie Manning and Gordon Kellerman, along with current SMU senior Jefferson Parker, are launching Dallas Pedicabs, the first company of its kind in the Dallas market. The project, which was delayed this summer due to heat, has already generated a considerable amount of buzz. The company officially started operating on Sept. 30 with a launch party at the Katy Trail Ice House. While their primary focus will be on the Uptown area, the men are looking to grow their business outside of that market with opportunities like the State Fair of Texas, which began on Sept. 30. They will be the exclusive pedicab service inside the fair grounds this year. The fair is “something that the whole team kind of went together and formulated a business plan to get ourselves into, and it ended up working out,” Tobolowsky said. Texas State Fair President Errol McCoy is excited to see how customers will react to the pedicabs. “We like [the pedicab] because it’s such a unique
transportation medium,” McCoy said. “I think our customers will find it interesting and intriguing.” Dallas Pedicabs will provide general transportation and historical tours around the fair, as well as give customers the option to rent their own private pedicab for the day. McCoy said having the pedicabs allows the fair to promote its historical aspect, including the distinct art deco structures. “It’s going to be neat,” he said. Customers can pay to ride the pedicabs using fair coupons. Outside of the fair, the company also plans to make payment easy for customers by using a tip-based system rather than by charging a standard fare. “We’re going to have a sign on the pedicab to educate the customer on what he would have paid had he taken a taxi and also what we think is a realistic price for the distance or the time,” Tobolowsky said. Customers also have the option of paying with a credit card through the company’s mobile credit card processing systems, Square and Intuit. “That’s just one way,” Tobolowsky said, referencing Square. “Obviously you can pay cash. Or you could probably just give us a kiss on the cheek, and we’d let you go,” he added jokingly. Other opportunities the company would like to pursue include SMU game days, functions at the American Airlines Center, weddings and light display tours during the holiday season. Down the line, it would like to branch into areas like the Grassy Knoll near the Sixth Floor Museum in downtown Dallas. “We have actually talked with the City of Dallas about their ambition to kind of have a service like that, so
I think they want us to do that just as bad as we do,” Tobolowsky said. The men, who are also roommates, considered starting a business together after Tobolowsky conceived of the idea during a trip to Austin in March. “We all thought it was a great idea and started to seriously brainstorm how this idea could become a reality,” Kellerman, 23, said. “As we did more research and began thinking of routes, the idea really took off.” In May, Tobolowsky and Manning pitched their idea to the Dallas City Council and obtained the necessary permits to operate in various parts of Dallas, including the Uptown area. “We kind of leveraged a lot of our connections in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex, and we put together all of our ideas, formulated a business plan, and just essentially attacked,” Tobolowsky said. The four young entrepreneurs have already hired two SMU affiliated drivers and have another two potential drivers completing the permit process. They do, however, fully intend to drive the pedicabs themselves. “We’re definitely going to drive [the pedicabs] because it’s an easy way to get a little money, and besides that we obviously have to know what we’re dealing with being the principals of the company,” Tobolowsky said. With five pedicabs ready to debut, the team plans to differentiate themselves from traditional taxicab services by providing a unique customer experience. “We thought it was really important to have like fun, outgoing [drivers] that make it more than just some ride. Like they will ask you a random trivia [question] and say it’s for a free ride if you get it right,”
SPENCER J EGGERS/The Daily Campus
The Dallas Pedicab Services currently operate routes in Uptown, West Village, and Victory Park. They can also be seen at the Texas State Fair.
Manning, 22, said. While the group wants the pedicabs to have a uniform feel, they also plan to add speakers to stream music through and other various touches to see how customers react. “I want to do a karaoke pedicab. I think that would be hilarious,” Parker, 22, said. “People just riding down the street—imagine three girls sitting in the back just screaming their lungs out.” Targeting the Uptown area for its pedestrian friendly energy, the guys feel like they can fill a void that taxicab companies do not. “A lot of cab drivers don’t want to give you a ride if it’s really short because they don’t make any money
off it,” Manning said. “So one of the advantages is that we have the ability to cater to those people that are going short distances.” Uptown resident Jeff Masters agrees. If pedicabs were available in Uptown, he would ride them all the time. “Cabs can get expensive and the trolley usually won’t take me where I want to go, not to mention it stops running at midnight,” Masters said. Dallas Pedicabs plans to solve problems like that by sending out drivers five or six days of the week in two shifts: one from 5 p.m. to 9
See CAB page 5
2
Style
• Friday, October 14, 2011
The Daily Campus
TRENDS SPOTTED:
Fall
Retail Club event at
Piermarini Boutique
fashion
By SHELBY FOSTER Style Editor slfoster@smu.edu
SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
trend #1: trench coats Trench coats are a stylish way to stay warm on the (soon to be) chilly treks to class. The trench coat style has been popular for decades and was made famous by London designer Burberry in the 1800s. Today, several brands recreate the style in a variety of colors and price points. English label Religion created a draped coat with a wide, feminine
collar ($314, asos.com). Burning Torch’s trench coat is made entirely out of recycled twill ($401, shopbop.com). Or add sparkle to your outfit with a metallic version ($95, macys.com) Sophomore Kelsey Barnes styled her trench coat with dark wash jeans, suede brogues and cat-eye sunglasses for an Audrey Hepburn look.
Campus Events
trend #3: booties SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
trend #2: leopard Leopard is not just for Snooki anymore. It’s is making a big comeback for fall. The key to wearing leopard is to keep it minimal and only wear one piece at
Police Reports OCTOBER 9
FRIDAY
October 14 A Conversation with Gov. Mitch Daniels: interview and book discuss with Gov Daniels at 10:30 a.m. in Smith Auditorium, Meadows Museum
a time, like a scarf ($30, zara.com), belt ($77, shopbop.com). Sophomore Rebecca Marin completed her outfit with leopard belt over a black boyfriend blazer.
SATURDAY October 15
SMU v. UCF FSN at 2:30 p.m. at Ford Stadium
12:46 a.m. Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: East Campus/3500 Dyer Street. Two non affiliated persons were issued Justice of the Peace citations for underage drinking. Closed. 1:41 a.m. Possession of Fictitious License or ID: 3000 University Blvd. A non affiliated person was issued a University Park citation for possessing a fake ID. Closed.
10:35 p.m. Criminal Mischief: Morrison/McGinnis Hall/6004 Bishop Blvd. A staff member reported damaged ceiling tiles. Open. 10:39 p.m. Theft: Kappa Sigma House/3022 SMU Blvd. A student who is a member of the house report theft of their microwave. The theft occurred sometime on 10/8. Open
OCtober 10
No criminal or fire incident reports.
Ankle booties are the perfect partner for dresses this fall. Nordstrom has great options by Michael Kors and Stuart Weitzman ($195 and $495,
nordstrom.com). Junior Meagan McCormack paired her booties with a purple dress from Piermarini Boutique.
Sports
The Daily Campus
Friday, October 14, 2011 •
3
FOOTBALL
Mustangs take on Conference USA Champions UCF By JOSH YONIS Sports Writer jyonis@smu.edu
The Mustangs take on the University of Central Florida this Saturday in a crucial Conference USA matchup. The game is also a rematch of last year’s Conference USA Championship, in which UCF defeated SMU 17-7 in Orlando, Fla. The two schools have only met three times since SMU joined Conference USA in 2005. UCF has won all three games with two wins in Orlando and one in Dallas. The Mustangs will be playing without senior wide receiver Cole Beasley again as he is reported as doubtful for Saturday according to Collegeinjuryreport.com. The receiving core will be led by junior wide-out Darius Johnson who led the Mustangs two weeks ago against TCU with 152 yards and two touchdowns. In Joshnson’s last two games he totaled 278 yards and four touchdowns. Last season alone, Johnson had six touchdowns.
Senior quarterback J.J. McDermott has also showed improvement in scoring. In the first three games of the season, when the Mustangs were mainly dependent on the scoring of junior running back Zach Line, McDermott had only one passing touchdown. In the past two games against Memphis and TCU, he has thrown seven and passed for 706 yards. SMU is now ranked 12 in the nation in passing yards. Line has racked up 256 yards on the ground and averaged 6.25 yards per attempt with a season average of 5.9. The rising SMU offense has scored over 40 or points that raises their average to 32.8 points per game and ranks them 39 in the country. The Mustangs will face a strong Knight defense that has only allowed 10 points per game, ranking second in the nation behind No. 2 Alabama, who has only allowed seven per game. The Knights defense will look to combat Line’s six yards per attempt with a season average of only about three yards per
EMRY KELLY/Central Florida Future
Padron had two fumbles for the day, both recovered by Line, in SMU’s 17-7 loss to UCF.
attempt. UCF has also only allowed 100 yards in the air and the secondary has never allowed a single passing touchdown. As a whole, they have only
feature
percentage. SMU converted seven out of 15 attempts, or about 47 percent The Knights defense allows conversions on about a quarter of their opponent’s attempts. In the first half of all five of
history
Johnson staying focused on future By MERCEDES OWENS Contributing Writer mmowens@smu.edu
After catching the winning touchdown pass against TCU in overtime on Oct. 1, Jeremy Johnson is staying focused on what lies ahead. The wide receiver played in both the Northwestern State and Memphis games, but injuries led to Johnson earning his first career start during the Battle of the Iron Skillet. Johnson has been playing football since he was 10 and is a native of Tyler, Texas. While he hasn’t had much action on the field for the Mustangs, Johnson loves to compete. “If you try to out do me, I’m not going to let you do that,” said Johnson and that is exactly what fans saw during his last performance against the Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. During the game, Johnson had career highs of six receptions, 69 receiving yards and a 19-yard receiving touchdown setting SMUs victory over TCU with the score of 40-33. “To finally beat them [TCU] felt great, but now we’ve got to look past that at UCF,” Johnson said. “They’re defense is really good and they can hit really good,” Johnson said in regards to what their biggest challenge will be. As a result of their defense, the Knights have given up the least amount of points in Conference USA this year. In agreement with Johnson, SMU football head coach June Jones said, “They’re still playing very good defense.” The Mustangs will be hard at work but Jones has some tricks up his sleeve too, “They do what they do and they always have a few wrinkles for us,” Head coach Jones said. The UCF football teams NFL style defense does not intimidate Johnson. His prediction for Saturdays’ game is yet another SMU victory. The Mustangs and Knights are scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. at Ford Stadium. When it comes to playing football Johnsons’ personal goal is always to do everything he can and then some. “I try to do more than what I’m expected to do,” Johnson said, “I just want to go out there and win.” This attitude and determination to exceed expectations is part of what drives Johnson to excel and develop as an athlete. The 19-year-old wide receiver has future plans to play in the NFL and coach at the high school level after his career in professional football.
allowed 177 yards in total offense per game, a number that Line could reasonably put up himself. One number that the Mustangs had unusual success in against TCU was their third-down conversion
UCF’s games, they allowed a total of 13 points. The UCF defense is led by senior linebacker Josh Linam who leads the team in both tackles (28) and sacks (2.0) and also has an interception and a fumble forced and recovered. Linam is coming off one of his best performances last week against Marshall when he recorded six tackles, one sack and his fumble that he forced and recovered. The Mustangs are 4-1 on the season and are 2-0 in Conference USA. UCF is 3-2 overall and 1-0 in Conference USA. SMU is tied for first in the West Division with No. 25 Houston and UCF is atop the East Division with Southern Miss only a half game behind. The Mustangs will be looking to start a season 5-1 for the first time since 1986. The Mustangs will take on the Knights this Saturday at 2:30 pm at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. They also encourage fans to “Red Out” this game. If you can’t make it to the game, it will also be aired on Fox Sports Network.
Courtesy of SMU Athletics
Profiling Peruna: A look back at our mascot By CHRISTINE MEDRANO Contributing Writer cmedrano@smu.edu
Small yet ferocious, cute but deadly, SMU’s Peruna is the mascot that all other mascots fear. But even though he was ranked as the No. 10 Best College Mascot by America’s Best in 2009, the story behind the mascot is one that many students do not know. Peruna VIII, the current mascot, will be retired Saturday during halftime at the game against UCF.
But there is much more to this Peruna and the mascots of the past than just running across the football field and looking good for the cameras. The mascot must embody the SMU spirit and have his Shetland pony heart be as strong as a Mustang’s. Having a Shetland pony represent SMU was decided before an official mascot was selected. Peruna I was donated to the school by T.E. Jones, a racetrack owner, and Cy Barnes, who felt that the 150 lb. powerhouse embodied SMU. Luckily for him, “Mustangs”
won the student vote over “Bisons” and “Greyhounds,” making the school’s first mascot a wild horse, with the physical embodiment of a petite pony. Peruna I (1932-1934), the original, was known for his fiesty nature and had even travelled with the football team. He had passed away after being struck by a car on Halloween on Mockingbird Lane. Today’s Peruna, is experiencing a much less dramatic withdrawal from his career through retirement Peruna’s name was not
immediately chosen. In fact, it was not until a couple years after Peruna I, who was first named Parsons after the school of theology, that the student body decided the school mascot needed a more official and permanent name that would transcend the decades. The name “Peruna” was derived from a popular tonic during the Prohibition Era that was known for its high alcohol content. During the nation’s dry spell, this little pony would give the kick that the school needed.
4
Sports
• Friday, October 14, 2011
The Daily Campus
opinion columns
Who should really be starting for the Mustangs? contributor
The question probably has crossed your mind, “Who should be the starting quarterback, J.J. McDermott or Kyle Padron?” NICK If you don’t KARAGEORGE know about the quarterback controversy, Padron was starting quarterback at the beginning of the season. That didn’t even last a quarter. After Texas A&M defenders intercepted two of Padron’s first four passes, Coach June Jones put backup McDermott in the game. He completed 21 of 34 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, he didn’t throw any interceptions. In 2010, Padron played outstanding football. He set school records for passing yards, total yards, touchdowns, completions and attempts. However, he also threw 14 interceptions. Padron’s multiple interceptions may be responsible for Jones’ decision to go with McDermott as the starting
quarterback for now. In the following UTEP and Northwestern State games, Jones still played Padron in designated series. Despite throwing another interception, Padron played well in both games, but hasn’t played since. I can only speculate Padron was benched this season because of interceptions, but this should be expected with how much Jones likes to throw the football. The benching was unfortunate for Padron. Four passes doesn’t dictate the quality of a quarterback, especially when Padron threw for 3828 yards and 31 touchdowns the previous season. This is McDermott’s first season as starting quarterback. Padron has significantly more experience and, looking at the decision from the outside, it makes no sense. However, it seems to be the right decision for this 2011 team. The Mustangs are 4-0 with McDermott as the starting quarterback, and he has steadily played better every single game. While I don’t understand the decision to bench Padron, I have to congratulate McDermott on seizing the opportunity.
Cowboys and Aggies compare this season contributor
The Dallas Cowboys’ and the Texas A&M Aggies’ recent games had coincidental connections. Never having played a down in BROOKE football, I asked WILLIAMSON ESPN Austin’s Sean Adams what similarities he saw between the Cowboys and Aggies in their recent performances. “Mistakes, focus and leadership,” Adams said. Before defeating Texas Tech last weekend, A&M had two games where first-half leads ended in losses. A&M started out strong against both teams, leading 35 to 17 at the half against the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and 20-3 at the half against the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Cowboys. In both games, they lost momentum after halftime and let turnovers take control of their offense. They fell 3029 against the Cowboys and 42-38 against the Razorbacks. When the Dallas Cowboys faced the 4-0 Lions at home, Dallas came
out strong, just like A&M. The Cowboys led the Lions 20-3 at the half—sound familiar? Returning to the field, Dallas gave the Lions 31 points due to turnovers, ultimately falling 30-34. A&M’s mistake against OSU was turnovers in the third quarter, allowing the Cowboys back in the game. The same thing happened against the Razorbacks. The Cowboys had similar mistakes against the Lions. Tony Romo threw three interceptions. Cowboys’ head coach Jason Garrett said after the game, “Tony Romo made critical mistakes.” While many blame the loss on conservative play calling, referring to the decision not to go for it on fourth and short while A&M offense averages over seven yards per carry, the offense’s inability to keep control of the ball didn’t give head coach Sherman any confidence to go for it in these situations. When A&M traveled to Lubbock, they didn’t let any second half turnovers cause another collapse. In fact, A&M completed a game with no turnovers. “It seems like it’s been forever since we’ve had this feeling,” Sherman said after the 45-40 win.
Since 1951
Breaking down the BCS system contributor
The irony of the BCS, or Bowl Championship Series, was that it was a system that was created to eliminate confusion JOSH YONIS with splitchampionships in college football but resulted in a national fiasco that has been a popular topic of discussion among college football fans. What is becoming popular now is rapid conference realignment, resulting from fans’ desires for a playoff system and four, 16-team super-conferences. The moves started after the 2009-2010 season, when the University of Colorado and the University of Nebraska both left the Big 12 for the Pac-12 and the Big 10 respectively. Also, the University of Utah and Brigham Young University left the Mountain West Conference for the Pac-12 and the Independents respectively. Boise State University will leave the Western Athletic Conference to fill a spot in the Mountain West. The realignment continued before this football season when TCU announced they would also be leaving the Mountain West Conference for the Big East and Texas A&M announced they would be moving east to the Southeastern Conference. The latest change occurred when the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University declared they would be leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Conference. People are now asking what this means for the other 64 BCS schools and the other 111 schools that compete in Division I Football. The two least populous conferences, the Big East and the Big 12, are now looking to expand. The Big East presidents
met in Washington D.C. this weekend and declared they had eight schools in mind for their expansion, Memphis, UCF, East Carolina, Temple, Navy, Army, and Air Force. The eighth is Villanova, which is a member of the Big East in all sports except football. They play in the FCS for football. The addition of these teams would give the Big East 14 teams. The expansion is now imminent as TCU announced Monday that they would be reversing their decision to move to the Big East, pay the $5 million dollar fee to the Big East, and join the Big 12. TCU was looked over in the mid-90’s when the Southwest Conference dispersed and the Big 12 added four schools from the conference, but now they were a target of the declining conference. The move will provide them with more local matchups unlike in the Big East where their closest opponent would’ve been Louisville, which is about 750 miles away from Fort Worth. With TCU’s rejection of the Big East, it will put the conference at only six schools at the end of the year. To be a BCS Conference, they will have to add at least two schools. Their expansion should be in the news soon since the conference was authorized to add more teams yesterday. The Big 12 will have 10 schools at the end of this year with the departure of Texas A&M and the arrival of TCU. The University of Missouri is expected to make a decision on their status in the conference by today. The school was waiting on TCU’s decision. The Big 12 will most likely look to add two more schools.The schools that remain on their radar are BYU and Louisville or West Virginia if the Big East collapses. Some Conference USA schools, like Houston and SMU as well as Boise State, are some targets for the conference as well.
News
The Daily Campus
CAB: Ride and advertise Continued from page 1
p.m. and another from roughly 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. The men have also reached out to several Uptown area restaurants and bars, offering to display their ads on the pedicabs in an effort to generate more interest in the company. “Many of these restaurants and bars are excited about the idea of pedicabs and the aspect of mobile advertisements,” Kellerman said. The group will also heavily rely on social media for advertisement purposes as well as to perpetuate the “green” aspect of their company. “Whether it be through Twitter or Facebook, we hope to update our followers about current events or nightly specials,” Kellerman said. “By using these social mediums we will eliminate the need for paper advertisements that usually end up
ignored and trashed.” Dallas native Bo Killen agrees. Killen works at a local bike shop in Austin, where pedicabs are popular. He thinks that Dallas Pedicabs will feel right at home in the Dallas market. “Austin is super saturated with pedicabbing services right now. I think at any given point there’s four or five different companies operating simultaneously,” Killen said. “So it’s very competitive.” He believes that while Austin is more pedestrian friendly than Dallas, the company still shouldn’t have much trouble establishing itself here. “The fact that [Dallas Pedicabs] is going to be associated with the state fair is awesome,” Killen said. “That’s like a guaranteed good season.”
FINANCE: Verify charges Continued from page 1
Another type of identity theft that has increased dramatically in recent years is skimming. Skimming is when thieves use tiny credit card readers called skimming devices to obtain data from your magnetic strip. This can happen in bars, restaurants and even retail stores. Skimming devices can also be incorporated into ATMs to steal the data of those who are withdrawing money. These little machines, which often inconspicuously appear to be a part of the ATM or credit card reader itself, can collect thousands of credit card numbers in mere hours. While there is no easy way to protect yourself against skimming, you can find out if you are a victim of skimming by checking your statements regularly to verify all charges. Phishing, another type of identity theft, is when thieves send you emails that appear to be official messages from a bank, financial institution or website, such as PayPal. They then ask you to “update your account information” or to call a specific
number with an official-sounding automated message. The phone call then directs you to input your personal information, including social security numbers or credit card numbers. If you ever receive an email that seems suspicious, call your bank immediately using the phone number on the back of your card or from the bank’s official website to confirm if the email is legitimate. While these are three of the most common ways identity thieves gain access to your information, they could also resort to oldfashioned methods — by stealing your card from your wallet or purse. If this happens, you should immediately call your credit card company, inform them of the situation, dispute any unauthorized charges and cancel your card if necessary. You may even consider filing a police report, which will give you certain legal rights. While no one is immune to having their identity stolen, taking these steps can help you protect your financial well-being.
Friday, October 14, 2011 •
5
award
SMU Beta recognized nationally By ESSETE WORKNEH Contributing Writer eworkneh@smu.edu
SMU’s Gamma Omega Chapter of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity was officially recognized as a chartered chapter in July. The chapter was represented in Seattle at Beta’s 175th general convention by 10 brothers and was awarded the Francis H. Sisson and John Reily Knox awards. These awards are the fraternity’s highest honors and were based on a number of criterions including community and campus involvement, philanthropic contributions, chapter stability and growth potential. Beta joins other campus fraternities in their re-chartering and awards reception; according to Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Kristal Statler, Kappa Alpha Order was re-chartered last spring and Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) received a similar award this past summer. After predominately drug related infractions, Beta was removed from SMU in 2006 by the fraternity’s administrative office. In 2009 Beta was recolonized but still lacked the full
stamp of approval from the general fraternity. Recognition from SMU has no bearing on Beta’s standing within the national fraternity and chartering. The charter allows Beta to act more autonomously and qualifies them to receive more resources from general fraternity. According to sophomore Beta member Jeffrey Robillard, charter requirements include a clean risk management record, campus involvement outside of Beta alone, growing membership and fulfillment of 10 community service hours a semester. “Getting a charter means we are here to stay. Its a big deal losing it and an even bigger deal to get one,” Beta President Andoni Vossos said. This will allow us to focus on gaining ground at SMU and achieving many philanthropic and structural goals.” Currently standing at 75 members, Beta has almost tripled in the last two years. Vossos said the fraternity strives to stabilize with 80 to 110 members in the coming years. Though Robillard admits Beta has faced challenges with campus respect and recognition, he believes the fraternity has made great strides. “We want to be recognized as
ADRIANA OVAOLLE/The Daily Campus
Beta Theta Pi fraternity was officially recognized as a chartered chapter.
men of principle,” he said. We are proud to be gentlemen and want to be respected as being men of character, and as leaders at SMU and in our community.” Junior Alex Munoz has been a Beta member since Spring 2010 and was one of the representatives at the summer convention. “Beta is different from the other fraternities because we are involved in clubs and organizations outside of Beta,” Munoz said. “Our chapter is a diverse group of guys with many different interests, but we all have a common bond of being in Beta and
want the best for the fraternity.” Sophomore Olan Mijana agrees with Munoz’s sentiment. “I rushed Beta because I saw the brotherhood all the guys had during rush week and wanted to be a part of such a great group of guys,” he said. President Vossos hopes Beta will become a resource for others in the Greek community if needed. “Despite having many challenges, the group’s hard work has paid off,” he said. “Fraternities at SMU are a big deal and Beta is happy to be a part of the mix.”
News
The Daily Campus
CAB: Ride and advertise Continued from page 1
p.m. and another from roughly 9:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. The men have also reached out to several Uptown area restaurants and bars, offering to display their ads on the pedicabs in an effort to generate more interest in the company. “Many of these restaurants and bars are excited about the idea of pedicabs and the aspect of mobile advertisements,” Kellerman said. The group will also heavily rely on social media for advertisement purposes as well as to perpetuate the “green” aspect of their company. “Whether it be through Twitter or Facebook, we hope to update our followers about current events or nightly specials,” Kellerman said. “By using these social mediums we will eliminate the need for paper advertisements that usually end up
ignored and trashed.” Dallas native Bo Killen agrees. Killen works at a local bike shop in Austin, where pedicabs are popular. He thinks that Dallas Pedicabs will feel right at home in the Dallas market. “Austin is super saturated with pedicabbing services right now. I think at any given point there’s four or five different companies operating simultaneously,” Killen said. “So it’s very competitive.” He believes that while Austin is more pedestrian friendly than Dallas, the company still shouldn’t have much trouble establishing itself here. “The fact that [Dallas Pedicabs] is going to be associated with the state fair is awesome,” Killen said. “That’s like a guaranteed good season.”
FINANCE: Verify charges Continued from page 1
Another type of identity theft that has increased dramatically in recent years is skimming. Skimming is when thieves use tiny credit card readers called skimming devices to obtain data from your magnetic strip. This can happen in bars, restaurants and even retail stores. Skimming devices can also be incorporated into ATMs to steal the data of those who are withdrawing money. These little machines, which often inconspicuously appear to be a part of the ATM or credit card reader itself, can collect thousands of credit card numbers in mere hours. While there is no easy way to protect yourself against skimming, you can find out if you are a victim of skimming by checking your statements regularly to verify all charges. Phishing, another type of identity theft, is when thieves send you emails that appear to be official messages from a bank, financial institution or website, such as PayPal. They then ask you to “update your account information” or to call a specific
number with an official-sounding automated message. The phone call then directs you to input your personal information, including social security numbers or credit card numbers. If you ever receive an email that seems suspicious, call your bank immediately using the phone number on the back of your card or from the bank’s official website to confirm if the email is legitimate. While these are three of the most common ways identity thieves gain access to your information, they could also resort to oldfashioned methods — by stealing your card from your wallet or purse. If this happens, you should immediately call your credit card company, inform them of the situation, dispute any unauthorized charges and cancel your card if necessary. You may even consider filing a police report, which will give you certain legal rights. While no one is immune to having their identity stolen, taking these steps can help you protect your financial well-being.
Friday, October 14, 2011 •
5
award
SMU Beta recognized nationally By ESSETE WORKNEH Contributing Writer eworkneh@smu.edu
SMU’s Gamma Omega Chapter of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity was officially recognized as a chartered chapter in July. The chapter was represented in Seattle at Beta’s 175th general convention by 10 brothers and was awarded the Francis H. Sisson and John Reily Knox awards. These awards are the fraternity’s highest honors and were based on a number of criterions including community and campus involvement, philanthropic contributions, chapter stability and growth potential. Beta joins other campus fraternities in their re-chartering and awards reception; according to Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Kristal Statler, Kappa Alpha Order was re-chartered last spring and Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) received a similar award this past summer. After predominately drug related infractions, Beta was removed from SMU in 2006 by the fraternity’s administrative office. In 2009 Beta was recolonized but still lacked the full
stamp of approval from the general fraternity. Recognition from SMU has no bearing on Beta’s standing within the national fraternity and chartering. The charter allows Beta to act more autonomously and qualifies them to receive more resources from general fraternity. According to sophomore Beta member Jeffrey Robillard, charter requirements include a clean risk management record, campus involvement outside of Beta alone, growing membership and fulfillment of 10 community service hours a semester. “Getting a charter means we are here to stay. Its a big deal losing it and an even bigger deal to get one,” Beta President Andoni Vossos said. This will allow us to focus on gaining ground at SMU and achieving many philanthropic and structural goals.” Currently standing at 75 members, Beta has almost tripled in the last two years. Vossos said the fraternity strives to stabilize with 80 to 110 members in the coming years. Though Robillard admits Beta has faced challenges with campus respect and recognition, he believes the fraternity has made great strides. “We want to be recognized as
ADRIANA OVAOLLE/The Daily Campus
Beta Theta Pi fraternity was officially recognized as a chartered chapter.
men of principle,” he said. We are proud to be gentlemen and want to be respected as being men of character, and as leaders at SMU and in our community.” Junior Alex Munoz has been a Beta member since Spring 2010 and was one of the representatives at the summer convention. “Beta is different from the other fraternities because we are involved in clubs and organizations outside of Beta,” Munoz said. “Our chapter is a diverse group of guys with many different interests, but we all have a common bond of being in Beta and
want the best for the fraternity.” Sophomore Olan Mijana agrees with Munoz’s sentiment. “I rushed Beta because I saw the brotherhood all the guys had during rush week and wanted to be a part of such a great group of guys,” he said. President Vossos hopes Beta will become a resource for others in the Greek community if needed. “Despite having many challenges, the group’s hard work has paid off,” he said. “Fraternities at SMU are a big deal and Beta is happy to be a part of the mix.”
6
Opinion
• Friday, October 14, 2011
The Daily Campus
Finding the worth in teaching others A Publication of Student Media Company, Inc. Editorial Staff Executive Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Collins Editor in Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ashley Withers Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Kramer News Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bridget Bennett, Andy Garcia News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meredith Carlton Associate News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patricia Boh Arts & Entertainment Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Natalie Blankenship, Chase Wade Associate Arts & Entertainment Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Jonas Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E’Lyn Taylor Associate Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erica Penunuri Style Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shelby Foster Health & Fitness Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bethany Suba Politics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Huseman Opinion Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brandon Bub Chief Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tashika Varma Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meghan Sikkel, Katie Tufts Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spencer Eggers Associate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Henry Video Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summer Dashe, Sydney Giesey, Wesleigh Ogle, Ali Williams
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opinion
Teach for America offers valuable opportunity to serve As a senior, I often find myself wondering about the role I will play in the wider world upon graduation. This weekend, I had one of those precious ‘aha’ moments. I got to see the tremendous impact I could have as a teacher in one of our state’s highest-need regions. In the Rio Grande Valley, there are many students growing up without many of the basic necessities like electricity and running water that we at SMU take for granted, not to Jose Campos mention the additional challenges they face like immigration status, limited access to health care, and language barriers. Too often, these students don’t get the educational opportunities they deserve. In the Rio Grande Valley, I met numerous educators who are working to change this tragic reality. In spending a long weekend with Teach For America corps members and alumni, along with other local teachers and leaders, I realized that this could be me next year. These teachers, knowing that their students can achieve at the highest levels when given the right support, are a critical piece of the exciting efforts underway in the Rio Grande Valley to give our kids the excellent education they deserve no matter their family income. As a Texas native and a member of the Hispanic community whose parents immigrated to the Lone Star state from Mexico, the weekend trip proved insightful. While in McAllen, I had the opportunity to visit Teach For America corps members’ classrooms, attend panel discussions and meet with community leaders. Several Teach For America alumni who have continued teaching in the Valley after their two-year commitment, graciously hosted me in their home. I was inspired when talking with these committed leaders about their students’ potential and felt the passion they have for their work. My time at SMU has proved invaluable in shaping who I am as a scholar and a person. It has provided me with a launching pad to a fulfilling and meaningful career. As a Teach For America teacher, I could have the chance to partner with others across classrooms and communities to help a new generation of students have these same opportunities for success. The wide disparity in the quality of education available to kids according to their zip code or family income is the greatest challenge facing our state and it will take a generation of committed leaders to solve it. As members of the SMU community and future leaders in education, business, law, government and many other important fields, it’s imperative that we ask ourselves what role we’ll play in the broader efforts to expand educational opportunity. It is clear to me that Teach For America corps members are called to use their full potential in mitigating the crippling educational achievement gap found in our school systems. I hope many of you decide to be a part of this fulfilling and critical effort. contributor
Jose Campos is a senior majoring in political science and economics. He can be reached for comment at jrcampos@smu.edu
SUBMISSION POLICY What good is freedom of speech if you’re not going to use it? Would you like to see your opinion published in The Daily Campus? Is there something happening on campus or in the world you really want to say something about? Then The Daily Campus is looking for you! E-mail your columns and letters to dcoped@smudailycampus.com or to the commentary editor. Letters should not exceed 200 words in length and columns should be 500-
700 words. Submissions must be in either text format (.txt) or rich text format (.rtf). For verification, letters and columns must include the author’s name, signature, major or department, e-mail address and telephone number. The Daily Campus will not print anonymous letters. A photograph will be required to publish columns. The editor reserves the right to edit for length, spelling, grammar and style.
Just like many of you, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about where life is going to take me after college. As Brandon Bub a liberal arts major, I try to keep an open mind and consider all the different career options that college will afford me. There’s always the possibility of going to law school, but I also think about going to graduate school for journalism or doing PhD work in something related to English or political science. It’s certainly not an easy decision to make. But there’s also another option that’s high up on my list: teaching. I remember last year I was having a conversation with an acquaintance about how I think teaching would be a great career choice considering my past experience tutoring students of all different age groups. I’ll never forget what this person said to me: “Yeah, I guess teaching is Opinion Editor
great, but I would have thought someone like you would have bigger fish to fry.” That comment really stuck with me. I could tell in some ways he meant this as a compliment to me; after all, I do pretty well academically which will hopefully open a lot of doors for me when it’s time to apply for graduate school. But I really wasn’t very fond of the implications behind what he said. It’s as if he viewed teaching as a profession unworthy of me, like it’s a job whose field befits only the most unsuccessful of us. That’s a sentiment with which I definitely can’t agree. I will concede that in the world of public (as well as parts of private) education there are many people who might not be entirely qualified for their positions. However, I don’t believe that reflects an obligation for people like me to avoid the pedagogical world. I think just the opposite is true: this nation is in desperate need of good classroom instructors. Teachers are an essential part of this country’s
educational framework. We entrust our future generations to their tutelage, so I think we should be working particularly hard to make sure the instruction our students receive at the secondary level is at least competent. Not only that, but I know from experience that teaching can be one of the most rewarding jobs there is. If I were to become a teacher, I wouldn’t just want to help students do well enough on a test to get them into a college. The duty of a good teacher extends far beyond the classroom setting of drilling mindless and often remedial information into the heads of pupils ad nauseum. A good teacher helps a student learn to think. Anyone can memorize the date when the Constitution was signed or when an important Supreme Court case was decided in a high school government class; being able to outline why those events and happenings were important involves a deeper and much more refined analysis. Watching as students not only absorb
information but also understand what they’re learning as they become more passionate about academic subjects elicits a special feeling of accomplishment that few professions can match. I’m still not entirely sure where I want to go once I finish studying here at SMU. Like many students here, I will likely have a multitude of options before me, which is certainly a good problem to have. That being said though, is teaching a career that’s unbecoming of many of us students here at SMU? Personally, I say no. In fact, if anything, I think that right now teaching is a profession that I’m not worthy of, and I can only hope that one day after my years of studying here at SMU I’ll be academically fit enough to have the minds and futures of our next generation placed in my hands for molding. Brandon Bub is a sophomore majoring in English and edits The Daily Campus opinion column. He can be reached for comment at bbub@smu.edu
Professors: it all starts with you! contributor
Dear Professors, During my time at SMU, I have had so many wonderful professors that I don’t even Katrina Leshan know where to begin. You have helped shape me, develop my thinking and turn me into an adult. It all starts with you. When I walk into a classroom, ready to accept whatever knowledge you’d like to cast upon me that day, my mind is a delightful piece of damp clay, ready to be molded by your intelligence. So often, my mind becomes a beautiful piece of pottery by the end of a semester. This process is glorious, really. There are, however, some of you that take my piece of clay and stomp on it. You grab it harshly and dig your fingernails into it. You throw pieces of my clay brain against the wall, and put some other bits underneath your shoe while you stomp around the room with your antics. Professors, let me tell you something. I’ve done the math (Actually, my friend did the math during a class that has nothing to do with math, in between surfing the web and picking her nose, because she was so bored beyond belief with your “lecture” that she had to do SOMETHING to keep her brain occupied). It
boils down to this: if I am in your class for three hours per week, the cost of tuition means that I pay approximately $104 per HOUR to occupy a chair. Here’s the thing: If I want to occupy a chair and learn nothing, I will drag that chair to the tanning pool at Dedman Center for Sports and Recreation and listen to some of the conversations that take place there. If I pay to come to your class to get educated, please at least ATTEMPT to EDUCATE me! I know some people will read this and think, “Girl, college is what you make of it. If you want to learn something in classes where you don’t like the professor, make it happen for yourself. Engage somehow!” Well guess what? It’s a little hard to engage in learning when the person in front of the classroom is raving about the best meal they ate this week with their Chihuahua. (This has literally happened to me in a classroom setting). And if I go home with notes from the lecture to study and it includes things like, “Professor encourages us all to become his fans on Facebook,” I can’t say with anything resembling confidence that I’m going to be prepared for a test on the subject. At which point, yes, I will open up my textbook and learn the information from someone else that actually did research
and knows what he or she is talking about. But do I need to pay SMU $104 per day, three times per week, to read my textbook? I don’t think so. Another thing that you may do sometimes, professors, is discourage your students with the angry facial expressions you wear when students say something you disagree with. It may sound like a small thing, but hear me out: I can handle constructive criticisms that help me improve my writing. I can handle less-than-exceptional grades on papers or projects because I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. But I can’t handle a dirty look or a wince when I interpret poetry or music or what-have-you in a way that you don’t agree with. If your class is about something that is not always concrete, and a student comes up with an idea that is different than exactly what you had in mind, please at least try to encourage the fact that the student is thinking for themselves and challenging one of your ideas. Then help them to understand why their idea may not be correct. Embrace the idea that someone under your wing is confident enough to develop his or her own thoughts. If you discourage your students from challenging you, you are discouraging them from being able to develop the individuality that earns people jobs.
Cartoon
You are hindering their ability to think and speak with confidence. If you want your students to agree in a mindnumbing fashion with you and never ask a question or make a disagreement in regards to something that you said, go teach a classroom full of dolls or puppies. Better yet, buy a bunch of bobble heads and put them on your dashboard so that when you drive, you get what you want in the classroom: a bunch of people nodding in agreement with everything you do. Lastly, professors, please keep in mind the concept that everything really does start with you. Students don’t come to college for the parties, for the socializing or for the naps that they can uncomfortably take in a tiny desk. We come here because we are all striving for the same thing: knowledge. Yes, we want jobs, we want stability and we’d even like a little bit of money. But we aren’t here because we want to the fast and easy road to earning any of those things. We want to be able comprehend and question. If you create a classroom where in we feel we cannot meet any of these goals, we feel cheated and somewhat disheartened. Sincerely, A Student Katrina Leshan is a junior majoring in classical guitar performance. She can be reached for comment at kleshan@smu.edu
Arts & Entertainment
The Daily Campus
Friday, October 14, 2011 •
Film
Footloose remake as good as original
INTERVIEWS
Austin directors talk award winning feature documentary By CHASE WADE A&E Editor cdwade@smu.edu
Following perhaps the most controversial execution in Texas’ history, “Incendiary: the Willingham Case” spotlights the many downfalls of a trial bogged down by unreliable scientific evidence and the political turmoil that followed. The film’s directors, John Bailey Jr. and Steve Mims, talk exclusively with The Daily Campus about how the film came to be. Mims, who was Bailey’s professor at the University of Texas at Austin, recalls how the movie got started. “After deciding to make the film, we started collecting interviews organically,” Mims said. “The first interview was with Gerald Hurst, after his interview, we were convinced that there was enough story there to make a movie.” After Hurst, the Austin filmmakers collected scores of more interviews, craftily weaving the narrative into the movie leaving little to be speculated about the case. “The scientist got more screen time than they usually do in movies like this,” Bailey said.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Stars Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald kick up their heels in a fun, upbeat musical number of “Footloose.”
By CHRISTINE JONAS A&E Associate Editor cjonas@smu.edu
The highly anticipated “Footloose” remake hits theaters Friday, bringing a modern twist on the classic 80’s film. Both the original and the remake take place in a town where rock ‘n’ roll music and dancing are banned after a tragic accident. A young man from a big city moves to town, shakes things up and changes everything, revitalizing the town and its people. The new movie has some cultural and generational changes from the original to help people relate to the movie today, the way young people related to the original. “There is a tremendous amount of love for the original, but there is also an urgency to [make] a movie that had the ideals of the original “Footloose;” one that has the energy of the original, and give it to a new generation that, I think, is in need
of a ‘Footloose,” the new film’s director Craig Brewer said. One thing movie goer’s don’t have to worry about is losing the heart of the movie or the connection they had to the original. “You would be surprised how much of the script was actually [the same], like literally word for word,” Julianne Hough, the film’s lead actress, said. Kenny Wormald plays the iconic role of Ren MacCormack and Hough plays Ariel Moore, both in their debut roles as leading actors. It made a big difference for Hough who said that getting to work so closely with Brewer and having her input heard was really important for her as an actor and for her career. Brewer went into making the film with the desire for unknown actors. When he saw the original film, Kevin Bacon was totally unknown and he became a sortof hero for Brewer. Brewer wants audience members going to see the remake
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EMPLOYMENT ARE YOU DRIVEN? WANT A ON CAMPUS JOB THIS FALL? BEST JOB ON CAMPUS! The Daily Campus is seeking sales reps. This is an oppotunity for advertising, marketing, or business majors to aquire “real world” experience. Looks great in resume! Earn commision while learning outside sales. Flexible hours. Call Diana a 214-768-4111, come by HughesTrigg, or emailddenton@smu.edu
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to experience the same thing. “There’s a wonderful sense of discovery when you sit in the audience and you go, “who’s she?” or “who’s he?” said Brewer. “And it’s hard to do that more and more with big studio films because they need actors that people already know to sell the movie. So, the biggest star in ‘Footloose’ is ‘Footloose.” There were some hesitations about remaking the film, because the original was such a hit and was so loved. But once the studio and Brewer decided to work together to create the remake there was no stopping them. “I have been reading the reports of it playing around the world, and people love it,” Brewer said. “People feel like they got to celebrate the original again. People who’ve never seen the original said they want to go back to it, but there’s a whole bunch of people that have never even seen ‘Footloose’ and they absolutely love it.”
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By CHASE WADE A&E Editor cdwade@smu.edu
The whole premise for “Incendiary: the Willingham Case” started when John Bailey Jr., a law student at the time, took Steven Mims’s Production Two class at the University of Texas at Austin. Mims had just read a 30-page article in “The New Yorker” about the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, a Texas man who under questionable evidence had been convicted and eventually executed for the arson and murder of his three children in December of 1991. During the trial, the prosecutors relied on faulty evidence based on the Corsicana Fire Department’s arson investigation unit to convict Willingham of the murder. Curious as to how and why Willingham was convicted and executed under such weak evidence, Bailey Jr. and Mims set out to make a comprehensive and thrilling documentary that investigated Cameron’s case,
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“We wanted the film to be as objective as humanly possible.” With thousands of hours of interviews under the belts, the directing duo had to weave narrative into the movie as early as possible. However, the case began making headlines in January of 2010 after Rick Perry fired three key members of the commission overlooking the controversial case. “The story evolved from what we thought was an emotional retrospective on an issue into an ongoing and big, formal, conversation,” Mims said. While most documentaries get a bad wrap for being two hours of talking heads, “Incendiary: the Willingham Case” manages to stay compelling with interjections of aesthetically pleasing shots of fire and flames, exemplifying the motif of the feature. “While fire may be sometime hard to grasp in story. In film, fire is quite captivating an charismatic,” Bailey said. Bailey, who was a law student when he took Mims’s production class, was surprised that he never heard of the Willingham case, it wasn’t until Mims passed on a article in “The New Yorker,” that
it finally caught his eye. A major turning point in the film occurs when the documentary’s focus is shifted due to Ricky Perry and his controversial dismissal of three key members in the commission monitoring the case. Now that Perry is in the national spotlight in the GOP presidential race, the film could be used as political ammunition. “We set out to make this film with complete objectiveness,” Mims said. “We tried to be very careful to not make a film that preaches to the choir, we want people to draw their own conclusions.” Political quarrels aside, the film garnered a lot of attention at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival. Critics praised it as a token to true journalism and the directors ended up walking away with the Louis Black Award, one of the festival’s highest honors. “This story was really compelling to us,” Bailey said. “The case essentially makes science a matter of life or death.” “Incendiary: the Willingham Case” opens at the Angelika Dallas Friday.
Review: ‘Incendiary: the Willingham Case’
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By Michael Mepham
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and from there, “Incendiary: the Willingham Case,” was born. The documentary starts in the most modest way possible, simply explaining the science behind how a fire consumes a house as quickly as Willingham’s did on the day his three children died. By doing this, the movie not only engages its audiences with an interesting subject, but also provides them with crucial information needed to understand the rest of the 99-minute feature documentary. The remainder of “Incendiary” is a slow burn of interviews and segments that chronicles the aftermath of Willingham’s execution and the shady politics that soon followed. Bailey Jr. and Mims craft their story with precision and carefulness, strategically intertwining interviews with information segments that keep the story moving at a rather quick pace. To say that the two directors were thorough would be an understatement. The Austin filmmakers tackle the story
ACROSS 1 Mother of Horus 5 Cheap reads 10 Divulge 14 1959 British Motor Corp. debut 15 Last Olds 16 Ostrich cousins 17 Routing abbr. 18 Subordinate to 19 Give off 20 Milton Hershey, e.g.? 23 MPG rating agency 24 Millenniumending year 25 E. African nation 28 Fictional tree shepherd 30 Place to see an Audi 34 A.L. player whose team logo includes an Uncle Sam hat 37 Got in on a deal 38 Form often requiring an SSN 39 Extra, and this puzzle’s title 42 Master: Abbr. 43 Buck parts 45 Improve one’s bargaining power, in a way 47 Radar user 50 “Star Trek” sequel, briefly 51 St. crosser, on signs 52 Yahtzee score sheet row 54 Suffix with ranch 56 Segundo matrimonio result, maybe? 62 Imitation 63 Playgroup reminder 64 Reference work, usually 65 Curly coif 66 Austrian dessert 67 Thought 68 “It’s __ fun” 69 Malibu, for one
with a complete and udder objectivity that both sides of the Willingham case are represented in good manner. Perhaps the most interesting of the director’s interviews comes from Willingham’s own defense attorney who is so unsettled and almost vile that every scene he is featured in gives you goosebumps. “Incendiary: the Willingham Case” is a gripping real-crime documentary that grabs your attention from the moment it starts and never lets go. The movie uses its objective stance to present a story that shows just how corrupt politics can be. “Incendiary” uses science as a vehicle to move along its complex plot, an attribute that separates it from most crime documentaries today. Even though the documentary has trouble ending (mainly due to the fact that the event is still going on), “Incendiary: the Willingham Case” is still a landmark achievement for a movie that started as a conversation between a teacher and a student.
10/14/11
By Paul Guttormsson
70 Word avoided by optimists DOWN 1 Apple variety 2 Jedi nemesis 3 Involved with 4 From that time 5 “She’s a Lady” songwriter 6 Radius neighbor 7 Helped come about 8 Grooms 9 Frozen dessert 10 Body of brewing rules? 11 Gun shop stock 12 Wreck 13 Winter hrs. in N.J. 21 Not booked 22 Lover of Cal, in “East of Eden” 25 Put on the books 26 Blood __ 27 Therapy lead-in 29 Rocker Nugent 31 Comic unit 32 Jump on, as an opportunity 33 Beat by a bit
Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
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35 Ancient Germanic singer? 36 http://mit.__ 40 Man. and Minn. neighbor 41 What an apostrophe may stand for, in dates 44 Reinterpret, in a way 46 Brute
48 Is 49 Work on hooves 53 Pottery piece 55 Sight-related 56 Protected 57 Not corrupted 58 Madrid miss: Abbr. 59 Club __ 60 Comet, to some 61 Tidy 62 “Cool!”
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• Friday, October 14, 2011
Arts & Entertainment
The Daily Campus
Theater
‘Spring Awakening’ offers off beat musical for generation of misunderstood By ALEX HOSKINS
A&E Contributing Writer ahoskins@smu.edu
Frank Wedekind’s “Spring Awakening,” one of the most controversial shows of its time, premiered to the public in 1906. The play deals with controversial topics including sexuality, abuse and abortion, and wasn’t even shown uncensored in English until 1974. However, the La Jolla Playhouse took this taboo piece of theater in 1999 and transformed it into the eight-time Tony award winning musical that is considered the musical of this generation. “Spring Awakening” is not your typical Broadway musical. Sex is simulated on stage and there are themes of suicide, child abuse and even masturbation. WaterTower Theatre’s production, under the direction of Terry Martin, takes what some consider to be a crass and lewd show about depressed sexcrazed teens and transforms into a cutting, raw exposition of the no-holds-barred coming-of-age story. The story, set in a German town in the 1890’s, focuses on the relationship that develops between main characters Melchior (Jonathan W. Gilland), and Wendla (Erica Harte) as they question their bodies and the feelings they have for each other. Gilland’s voice is excellent; it truly seems to float effortlessly through the air. Harte tackles the role of Wendla quite well, taking on a demeanor of innocence while maintaining a constant underlying desire for the answers about where children come from and what sex is. She acts like a
student Jason Moody) in the audience, dressed as audience members. During songs, this hidden ensemble would pull out handheld microphones, sing along with the songs and sometimes join the rest of the cast on stage. Martin notes that “‘Spring Awakening’ reminds us that ignoring or repressing thought or desire does not make it go away…Every suicide, every ‘bullying’ act of violence, every tumble into despair at a lack of acceptance or understanding, is the voice of our youth crying out…If we reach out and understand, they can be better now.” “Spring Awakening” has reached its cult popularity status because of those who relate to the issues presented. Martin understands that this is a piece of theater for everyone and anyone who has ever felt misunderstood, conflicted, confused or alive. This musical is considered the musical of our generation Courtesy of WaterTower Theatre because it gives a voice to our Cast Members of WaterTower Theatre’s “Spring Awakening” perform a musical and dance number involving chairs and daring acrobatic moves. generation. If Martin’s goal was to reach out to others and put on terrific chemistry between the teenager, and Ernst (Joshua girl, but we see a fire in her eyes adds a melodramatic touch to his the production that speaks for of the woman she is meant to character that works very well Gonzales), Hanschen’s prey, are two, as long as both actors our generation, then he should become; the woman yearning to with the play’s themes. both also excellently cast for their remember to not let the caricature be very pleased. come out. It’s a quiet intensity His scenes with Gilland are respective roles. of “predator” or “prey” become “Spring Awakening” runs at that works very well for Wendla. rich, with Moritz physically Tolbert’s way of carrying the sole characteristic of the WaterTower Theatre from Sept. Melchior’s friend, Mortiz and metaphorically leaning on himself exudes a chilling, part. 30 through Oct. 23. (Adam Garst), takes life very Melchior for support. Throughout dangerous quality that puts you Certain other aspects of harshly. He sees pain at every the play. Mortiz struggles with on edge the moment he speaks, the show, such as the number chance he gets and eventually the growing sexual nature of his though sometimes it is too much “The Dark I Know Well,” were Head to WaterTower Theatre becoming overwhelmed and dreams and his desperate attempts for the audience. very well choreographed and Friday at 8 p.m. for a special depressed to the point of to be perfect for his father. Gonzales’s youthful voice performed. Other numbers, like SMU night complete with lends to the general sense of “Bitch of Living,” were hard to discounted tickets and free contemplating suicide. The song “Then There Were Garst is fantastic in this role. None” and Mortiz’s final scene vulnerability surrounding Ernst. understand. beer. One interesting aspect of the The level of dependence on are true highlights of the show. The combination of the Melchior he shows with every seduction and production was the placement of Hanschen (Matt Tolbert), Tolbert’s Gonzales’s innocence creates the somewhat predatory gay “Melchi” and angst-filled ballad the ensemble (including SMU ’12