WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 31, 2012
Wednesday High 81, Low 54 Thursday High 82, Low 63
VOLUME 98 ISSUE 33 FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS
POLITICS
SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast Monday and could affect elections.
Hurricane Sandy could have electoral impact KATELYN GOUGH News Editor kgough@smu.edu SIDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH/The Daily Campus
Autumn at the Arboretum is a Halloween outing that features more than 40,000 decorated pumpkins.
The horror never ends
Dallas offers spooky, fun Halloween options BRIE STRICKLAND Contributing Writer astrickland@smu.edu Whoever said Halloween was for children has never experienced a frightfully fun time in Dallas. Young adults can celebrate without going door-to-door snagging mass quantities of sugary goodness from Highland Park families. Whether it’s autumn festivals to costume parties, to movies on the lawn, the city of Dallas has something for everyone. So don’t spend the week on the couch, go explore everything Dallas has to offer. For adrenaline junkies, visit Six Flags over Texas for Fright Fest. Shows, attractions and haunted houses take over the theme park when night falls This is the largest Halloween festival in North Texas, but hurry because the last night for this bone-chilling event is Wednesday. I Heart Cinema, an organization that connects movie lovers to screenings and film events, is
throwing a “spooktacular” viewing party at the Texas Theatre. The feature film will be none other than the classic film, Halloween. There will be a DJ from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and live music from Savage and the Big Beat following the film. For foodies, visit any Chipotle location dressed in costume after 4 p.m. on Wednesday and scare up a $2 burrito. All proceeds, up to $1 million, benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation. Patrons in costume can also enter the costume contest for a chance to win $2500. Costume parties can be a great way to celebrate Halloween. SMU Kappa Sigma’s Heaven & Hell annual bash has been ranked as one of the top college parties in the nation by Playboy magazine. Festivities will take place on Friday, Nov. 1. Busses leave from sorority park at 9:30 p.m. One can also go see the beauty of fall at Autumn at the Arboretum, which is going on until Nov. 21 at the Dallas Arboretum. A Sleepy
Hollow and Cinderella themed pumpkin patch will grace the festival. It’s the perfect location for a fall date or a night of family bonding. There are over 66 acres of more than 40,000 uniquely decorated pumpkins and gourds. The Arboretum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For those who love to be scared, there are dozens of haunted houses in the DFW area. The Cutting Edge is a favorite. Located in downtown Fort Worth, The Cutting Edge holds the Guinness World Record for the planet’s largest walk through haunted house. The attraction has also been featured on the Travel Channel and in the pages of Hauntworld magazine. Hangman’s House of Horrors is another great house thats donates more than $1.7 million to charity. If haunted houses are too contrived, take a local tour of paranormal activity. The Parker county tour looks at two cemeteries and a “glowing” tombstone, while the Arlington tour focuses on the
story of the “screaming bridge.” For those who fall into the 21 and up crowd, Dick’s Last Resort will host its second annual “Most Inappropriate” Halloween Costume Wednesday. A $1000 cash prize will be awarded to the most wildly offensive outfit. This event is not for the politically correct or faint of heart. House of Blues is rocking out this Halloween with its “Howling Halloween Party” featuring Back to Blue. The doors open at 7 p.m. and there will be a costume contest for a chance to win free concert tickets. This event is open to all ages and there is no entrance fee. No matter what students plan to do this Halloween, there are plenty of ways to make the best out of this spooky holiday. “I’m going to Kappa Sig’s Heaven and Hell this year because its been the best Halloween party since I was a freshman. It’s been ranked in Playboy and is always hoping,” junior Eleanor Rosler said.
LECTURE
Native Americans face environmental threats, experts say ALEXANDRA SPITZER Food Editor aspitzer@smu.edu Two Native American community members spoke to an audience of SMU students and faculty Monday night in McCord Auditorium. Environmental and cultural issues were the primary topics of discussion as the speakers stressed the need for contemporary people to help protect Native American habitats. Calvin Grinnell, a historian for the Tribal Historic Preservation Office of the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation, began his speech by sharing some of his tribe’s meaningful rituals. The mood quickly changed, however, when Grinnell introduced the 1910 Homestead Act—just one of the problems that his people have faced over time. The act opened the Northeast to white homesteaders and vastly impacted the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara Nation making
them the minority on their own reservation. Although it was a struggle to adapt to this abrupt change, Grinnell maintained a positive attitude when he proudly declared that for the first half of the 20th century his people were a self sufficient and prosperous tribe. While he mentioned various environmental issues such as truck traffic, oil and chemical spills, Grinnell focused his discussion on the changes that are taking place in order to preserve the land and his tribe’s culture. Grinnell also mentioned various groups that are taking action, including various oil companies who are forming focus groups and providing training in order to prevent oil spills. People are also working to protect water resources from being polluted. The issues that Grinnell presented and the actions that he discussed to prevent future problems and preserve the environment impacted students
in the audience and captured their attention. “It’s clear that we need to make a conscience effort to be more careful because our actions not only affect us, but they can also jeopardize the way of life for many people around the world,” freshman Sammie Oliva said. Kerry Thompson, assistant professor of anthropology at Northern Arizona University, spoke after Grinnel. She shared a less hopeful approach about the struggles she has experienced as a member of the Navajo Nation. Thompson discussed uranium mining, which first began on the Navajo reservation after World War II, as the primary environmental issue Navajos face. The mines have polluted their water, air and soil, and miners have become sick from radiation exposure. Although there have been several attempts, Thompson said her people have struggled to ban the uranium mines from their land.
No effective progress has been made and the Navajo continue to live with contaminated water. “It was interesting to listen to these tribal member’s perspectives because I feel like we take a lot for granted. They continue to face problems due to environmental issues and I think it’s important that everyone makes an effort to try and help,” sophomore Cameron Stratton said. Thompson stated that the Navajo people continue to live in substandard conditions with no access to water or electricity. She resentfully explained that they have had to release their lands to exploitative industries while simultaneously trying to preserve their culture and religious autonomy. “At every level, our environmental issues are also our cultural issues. The two cannot be separated. We’re often required to compromise our beliefs and values for much of the things our country takes for granted,” Thompson said.
Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast Monday night, just a week before the presidential election day. With both President Obama and Gov. Romney neck-and-neck in the current polls, the response the Obama administration shows in the coming days will play a critical role in the election outcome Tuesday. Cal Jillson, a professor in the SMU political science department, said the storm could benefit Obama and “leave the race where it is,” or it may knock him back in voter confidence. “We have a big storm and how the federal government through FEMA responds to that storm could affect the way people feel about President Obama,” Jillson said. “If the federal government looks like it’s on its game, that could benefit him a little bit, but more likely just leave the race where it is.” The Bush administration lost
a substantial amount of American support after many believed it failed to effectively respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. If Obama is also ineffective in responding to Hurricane Sandy quickly and adequately, it could secure a win for Romney, despite many analysts predicting Obama winning re-election as of Monday. “[Obama] has returned to Washington to oversee the response to the storm because he knows if the government is seen as being ineffectual he would be punished for that.” While the first priority is the safety and well-being of all those in affected areas on the east coast, Jillson explained that the election will none-the-less inevitably remain on the minds of both parties. “Both candidates hope that there will be several days of active campaigning after the storm hits and the initial response has been effective.” As of Tuesday at 5 p.m., there were at least 40 deaths reported by the Associated Press as a result of Sandy. Disaster relief efforts are in effect.
WE ATHER
Hurricane Sandy Aftermath: Storm Leaves Millions Without Power, Dozens Dead ASSOCIATED PRESS Millions of people from Maine to the Carolinas waited wearily for the power to come back on Tuesday, and New Yorkers found themselves all but cut off from the modern world as the U.S. death toll from Superstorm Sandy climbed to 40, many of the victims killed by falling trees. The extent of the damage in New Jersey, where the storm roared ashore Monday night with hurricane-force winds of 80 mph, began coming into focus: homes knocked off their foundations, boardwalks wrecked and amusement pier rides cast into the sea. “We are in the midst of urban search and rescue. Our teams are moving as fast as they can,” Gov. Chris Christie said. “The devastation on the Jersey Shore is some of the worst we’ve ever seen. The cost of the storm is incalculable at this point.” As the storm steamed inland, still delivering punishing wind and rain, more than 8.2 million people across the East were without power. Airlines canceled more than 15,000 flights around the world, and it could be days before the mess is
untangled and passengers can get where they’re going. The storm also disrupted the presidential campaign with just a week to go before Election Day. President Barack Obama canceled a third straight day of campaigning, scratching events scheduled for Wednesday in swing state Ohio. Republican Mitt Romney resumed his campaign, but with plans to turn a political rally in Ohio into a “storm relief event.” Sandy will end up causing about $20 billion in property damage and $10 billion to $30 billion more in lost business, making it one of the costliest natural disasters on record in the U.S., according to IHS Global Insight, a forecasting firm. Lower Manhattan, which includes Wall Street, was among the hardest-hit areas after the storm sent a nearly 14-foot surge of seawater, a record, coursing over its seawalls and highways. Water cascaded into the gaping, unfinished construction pit at the World Trade Center, and the New York Stock Exchange was closed for a second day, the first time that has happened because of weather since the Blizzard of 1888. The NYSE
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