Monday, February 13, 2012

Sooner hoops to ‘Pack the Place Pink’ for No. 3 UConn (page 3) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

M O N DAY, F E B RUA R Y 13 , 2 012

W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M

2 011 G OL D C ROW N F I N A L I S T

LectUre

impact of Darwin’s theory examined Professor defends natural selection’s connection to ethics

the nature of humans was the focus of an OU professor’s lecture Sunday night in the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History’s Kerr ARIANNA PICKARD Auditorium. campus Reporter Nearly 200 people Charles Darwin’s theory squeezed into the auditoof natural selection and what rium to listen to Piers Hale, evolution has to say about history of modern science

professor, celebrate Darwin’s 203rd birthday with a lecture entitled “Reconsidering Darwinian Ethics : From the ‘Origin of Species’ to the ‘Descent of Man.’” The lecture was a part of Darwin Day, an event held to commemorate Darwin’s insight and contributions to

natural history, Hale said. Hale said many people have debated how Darwin’s theory of natural selection applies to human morality. Some people say if natural selection works to preserve the human race, then humans are essentially self-interested and selfish, he said.

People have said these traits make natural selection something that shouldn’t be taught to children because it can lead to competitive individualism, Hale said. But he disagrees. In his book, “Descent of Man,” this was not Darwin’s interpretation — he wrote

that natural selection encourages the obligation to help and serve others, Hale said. Hale was the recipient of the 2010 General Education Award from OU and was recently elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, the world’s oldest active biological society.

arcHaeOLOgy

fUnDraiser

Bones found near river Mammoth tooth, jaw discovered on Oklahoma land PAIGHTEN HARKINS campus Reporter

meLodie LettKemAn/tHe dAiLy

Jordan Voth, left, eyes Boomer as evan troka jumps in the air near the finish line of the dance marathon doubles dash 5k on Saturday. Voth and troka, wearing their chiquita Banana costumes from halloween, won second place in the costume contest, judged by a family affiliated with children’s miracle Network.

Costumed race collects money for children $3,000 in funds raised by Doubles Dash to be donated to research JAKE MORGAN

campus Reporter

As a numbing north wind rolled along the Oklahoma Memorial Union, runners approached the starting line and braced themselves against the wind’s icy grasp. Dispersed among a sea of hoodies and beanies, members of the group outside the Union also were wearing tutus, Mario and snowmen costumes. In the cruel temperatures before the Doubles Dash 5K, noses were running long before the race began. Over the weekend, 98 students and Norman residents braved the below-freezing temperatures and participated in the inaugural event, hosted by the Campus Activity Council and benefiting the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Oklahoma. Through registration fees gathered before event, approximately $3,000 will be donated through Dance Marathon, and

At A glANce Doubles Dash 5K • 98 participants • More than $3,000 raised for the oklahoma children’s hospital foundation

Source: Nick Aguilera

the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation will match every dollar of the donation. The donation will help fund research and support families that can’t afford treatment. Nick Aguilera, programming director for CAC Dance Marathon, said the initial goal for the fundraising event was to break even, but registration for the event unexpectedly soared. “The real reason we wanted to do the 5K is to lay a foundation to become better and better in the following years,” Aguilera said. The race also was meant to raise awareness for the upcoming Dance Marathon on March 3, Aguilera said. “We were thinking of a unique event that could help us reach the greater Norman community and raise proper awareness for CAC Dance Marathon,” Aguilera said.

meLodie LettKemAn/tHe dAiLy

harmony hughes, left, and Sarah Romans skip across the finish line at the dance marathon doubles dash 5k benefiting children’s miracle Network on Saturday on elm Street. hughes and Romans won first place in the costume contest.

Although the Doubles Dash is a 5-kilometer race, it added an aesthetic element by encouraging participants to pair up and dress in accordance with a theme, Aguilera said. “We feel like we’re adding a fun twist to the usual 5K, and we hope it adds a lot more participation and excitement,” Aguilera said. “We’re also having a costume contest to

an incentive to encourage people to participate.” Sporting the characteristic blue hair and red attire of Thing One and Thing Two from the world of Dr. Seuss, University College freshmen Harmony Hughes and Sarah Romans said they quickly assembled their costumes in less than 10

OPiniOn VOL. 97, NO. 99

see ENERGY pAGe 2

An OU archaeological team is working with a Carnegie, Okla., land owner to locate and identify extinct mammoth remains. After the man located mammoth bones in a gravel bar near a river on his property, he contacted several agencies before eventually getting into contact with the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey and archaeologist Leland Bement. The property owner had discovered a partial mammoth jaw and tooth, Bement said. Bement probed the site to check for more remains, but none were found. Incomplete findings aren’t uncommon, said Nicholas Czaplewski, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. “You don’t find the entire skeleton or something like that — you usually get a piece,” he said. Partial findings are especially common in and around river systems because the water is constantly moving and changing directions, Czaplewski said. “They meander back and forth … They kind of scatter [the bones],” he said. The survey responds to about 10 to 12 calls per month to assist the public by identifying bones and other artifacts, Bement said. Most of the survey’s calls for assistance come during rainy seasons, when rivers and high streams wash the remains from their banks, he said. see ARTIFACTS pAGe 2

The Daily’s open record requests

Okla. House to consider pro-transparency bills

Requested document and purpose

Date requested

the bills would make it easier for the public to access state information — and ou needs to do the same. (Page 4)

spending records for UOsa, campus activities council, graduate student senate and student congress for the past three academic years —to monitor purchases and allocations made by four branches of uoSA.

Wednesday

nOW OnLine at

Life & arts

Wednesday

OU Paintball club headed to nationals

‘the Vow’ could be good or bad depending on you

cleveland county Health Department inspection reports of private food service groups that serve the 22 OU greek houses — to ensure private food service contractors are complying with state food service codes.

the club, founded in April by ou students, beat Baylor, 3-1, at a tournament Saturday in San Antonio. (campus)

two columnists debate whether ‘the Vow’ is up to par with other romantic comedies and worth seeing. (Page 7)

current contracts between OU and all food franchises on campus — to learn more about the terms and conditions of those contracts.

friday

Campus ........................ Classiﬁeds .................. Life & Arts ................... Opinion ...................... Sports .........................

2 5 6 4 3

miriAm meZZetti/tHe dAiLy

Students do the macarena at the pink and Black Ball on Saturday at the Sam Noble museum of Natural history. it was the eighth annual fundraiser, sponsored by the ou Women’s outreach center. (Page 6)

2

• Monday, February 13, 2012

Campus

Laney Ellisor, campus editor Kathleen Evans, assistant campus editor Chris Miller, assistant campus editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

energy: Cold weather did not hurt enthusiasm Continued from page 1 minutes. “We just put it together, but we are wearing three pairs of pants underneath,” Hughes said. Romans, who had never run a race before Saturday morning, said she considered finishing the Doubles Dash to be her New Year’s resolution. “I think our energy level is high enough to compensate for the fact that it’s freezing outside,” Romans said. “We want to entertain other people, too.” Hughes concurred, saying the event’s cause was worth putting up with the inconvenience of the cold. “It’s for the kids, and that’s why we’re acting like it,” Hughes added. When the race began and

Today around campus Student Success Series will hold a presentation by Donald Asher called “Finding Your Major” from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Meacham Auditorium. A separate presentation, “Finding a Job With Any Major,” will take place from 2:30 to 4 p.m. A class covering the history of the OU Documents Collection and teaching how to access government information will be taught from 2 to 3 p.m. in Bizzell Memorial Library, Room 149D.

“We were thinking of a unique event that could help us reach the greater Norman community and raise proper awareness for CAC Dance Marathon.” Nick Aguilera, programming director for CAC Dance marathon

participants began the dash, Romans and Hughes weren’t the only runners wearing costumes. Mario and Peach, a pair of Chiquita bananas and a Hershey’s chocolate and Kraft marshmallow couple sandwiched between two runners dressed as cardboard graham crackers all forged ahead against the 18mile-per-hour north wind. After 30 minutes, Romans and Hughes’ blue beanies could be spotted on the north end of the street. Hand in hand, they playfully skipped

across the finish line. “It was tough, but [Romans] kept me going,” Hughes said between labored breaths. Having earlier met a child named Kaycie with spina bifida, a developmental congenital disorder, Romans and Hughes said they found a reason to keep running. “Just seeing him... kept me going the whole time,” Hughes said. “We kept saying, ‘Who do we run for? Kaycie!’” Following the end of the 5K, the costume contest, judged by a group of children,

commenced. In the end, Hughes and Romans took first place. “We feel awesome,” Hughes said. “It makes us happy that the kids liked our costume.” Aguilera and Maddie Willis, another race coordinator, said many of the runners thoroughly enjoyed the course and the event went flawlessly. “This was for community outreach, and we definitely got community runners,” Aguilera said. “Still, we can... build upon what we’ve done this year.” The event wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of Willis and Jake Krysiak, one of the Doubles D a s h D a n c e Ma ra t h o n chairs, Aguilera said. “I think it’s going to be a good tradition from now on,” Aguilera said.

artifacts: Remains to be donated to museum Continued from page 1

Corrections

The survey helps identify a number of different objects, including bison remains, arrowheads, ancient tools and occasionally mammoths, Bement said. Though these are the most-noticed items, there were many types of nowextinct animals roaming Oklahoma’s landscape thousands of years ago, Bement said. “ T h e re w e re a w h o l e m e n a g e r i e o f t h i n g s ,” Czaplewski said. Big predators such as saber-toothed cats, giant shortfaced bears and dire wolves, a larger version of the grey

The Oklahoma Daily has a commitment to serve readers with accurate coverage and analysis. Readers should bring errors to The Daily’s attention by emailing dailynews@ou.edu. A page 3 story in Thursday’s edition misidentified the number of awards OU broadcast students won at a conference. Students won one-quarter of the awards. A page 3 story jumped from page 1 in Thursday’s edition misspelled OU professor Katerina Tsetsura’s name. An opinion column in Friday’s edition misspelled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s name.

wolf, were common to the area, Bement said. Horses, camels and different elephant-like animals such as the mammoth and the mastodon also were Oklahoma natives at one time. After the survey identifies the artifacts or remains, it is

up to the person who found it to decide what they do with them, Bement said. S o m e d e c i d e t o ke e p them, but others donate them to a museum or to the survey so others can learn from the remains. The man who found the

remains plans to donate them to the Kiowa Tribal Museum in Carnegie, Bement said. The Daily contacted the museum, but the landowner could not be contacted about the remains as of press time.

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SPORTS

The No. 19 OU menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis team knocked off No. 25 Indiana, 6-1, Sunday in Norman.

Greg Fewell, sports editor Kedric Kitchens, assistant sports editor dailysports@ou.edu â&#x20AC;˘ phone: 405-325-3666

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball

OU to host No. 3 Connecticut Sooners winless against Huskies in three contests

KEY OPPONENT Tiffany Hayes

KEDRIC KITCHENS

Assistant Sports Editor

The Sooners will try to carry on some momentum from a hard-fought victory Saturday when they host the No. 3 Connecticut Huskies at 8 tonight. The OU-UConn matchup has become a bit of an annual tradition for the two squads since tonightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game is the fourth-consecutive regular-season scuffle between the schools. Oklahoma has yet to notch a victory in the shortlived series, losing last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contest, 86-45, in Hartford, Conn. The Soonersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; three leading scorers this season â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sophomore Aaryn Ellenberg (15.6 ppg), junior Whitney Hand (12.6 ppg) and sophomore Morgan Hook (10.6 ppg) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all played in last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game with the Huskies and were held to just 16 points in a combined 79 minutes. The 23-2 Huskies have been a prolific power in the sport since coach Geno Auriemma took over the program 27 years ago, and this year is no different. UConn is coming off a slaughtering of No. 14

Year: Senior Position: Guard Hometown: Lakeland, Fla. Season stats: Hayes is averaging 15.6 points and 5.9 boards per game for the Huskies.

Georgetown. The Huskies held the Hoyas to just 38 points while scoring 80 of their own. The Huskies, similar to OU, have a guard-heavy starting five with three starters averaging double digits. They are led in scoring by senior guard Tiffany Hayes, who averages 15.6 points and 5.9 rebounds. Scoring has been at a premium for opponents of Auriemmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s squad this year, a trap the Sooners cannot afford to fall into. OU coach Sherri Coale is aware of the dangerous nature of the Huskies, but does not shy away from the challenge. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our RPI and our strength of schedule is already floating to the top of the bucket, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not going to go anywhere but up on Monday night,â&#x20AC;? Coale said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those

Sports Reporter

Chelsea Lott/the daily

Junior guard Whitney Hand blocks the passing lane in OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Feb. 11 victory over Missouri. The Sooners beat the Tigers 64-60 and will be looking for their second-straight win Monday against No. 3 UConn.

are situations that you put yourself in to grow.â&#x20AC;? Coale is trying to instill the same mindset into her team. The Sooners are aware of UConnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ranking and prestige. A certain amount of respect is demanded when dealing with a team of UConnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s caliber.

Oklahoma loses to No. 7 Illinois at National Duals Greg Fewell Sports Editor

melodie lettkeman/the daily

Junior Ben Bridell prepares to shoot in for a takedown against his opponent during the Soonersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Jan. 27 dual against Virginia Tech at Lloyd Noble Center.

sophomore Nick Lester recorded decisions in OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favor in the 141- and 149pound bouts to push the Sooner lead to 17-0.

However, Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s players are focusing on going into the game ready to take anything the Huskies can throw at them in stride . â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just want us to lose ourselves in the game,â&#x20AC;? Hand said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want it to be just a story of us fighting really hard together and having fun

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A m e r i c a n â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s o n l y t w o wins of the day came in the 157- and 285-pound matche s w h e re t h i rd - r a n k e d Ganbayar Sanjaa and topranked Ryan Flores earned falls over OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sophomore Matt Lester and freshman Kyle Colling, respectively. OU carried plenty of mom e n t u m i n t o S u n d ay â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regional semifinal dual. Unfortunately for the Sooners, though, Illinois had plenty of its own momentum. The Illini won the first two matches of Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regional semifinal dual to jump out to a 9-0 lead. The Sooners responded, though. Kendric Maple took care of business at the 141-pound spot, recording a 13-5 major decision to put OU on the board. Then, No. 13-ranked Nick Lester and No. 15-ranked

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and not playing scared. I really want it to be a dogfight. I want our team to show up and be tough enough to take it and give it back.â&#x20AC;? To n i g h t â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s g a m e w i t h the Huskies also will be Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Pack the Place Pink night to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Wrestlers fall in regional semifinal

put the Sooners up 11-0 with his technical fall over AUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corey Borshoff. No. 3 - ra n k e d s o p h o more Kendric Maple and

softball

OU begins season with success

wrestling

The No. 12-ranked Sooners wrestled their way into the regional semifinals at the National Wrestling Coaches Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Duals at Cornell University in New York on Sunday before losing to No. 7 Illinois. In the first round of National Duals, OU made short work of first-year coach Mark Codyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s previous team, American University, winning eight of ten bouts en route to a 35-12 victory. OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ninth-ranked junior Jarrod Patterson put his team on top early, pinning his opponent in 2:34 in the 125-pound bout. Then, 133pound senior Jordan Keller

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Matt Lester held on for close victories at the 149- and 157-pound spots, giving Oklahoma its first lead of the dual at 11-9. The 165-pound match proved to be a turning point. OU junior Bubby Graham trailed IUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twelfth-ranked Conrad Polz by one and needed just one takedown t o s e c u re O U â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s f o u r t h straight victory in the match. However, he was unable to get it. Polz held on to win 3-2 and regain Illinoisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lead. Illinois then closed out the dual by winning three of the final four matches, moving to 13-2 this season. The loss puts OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record at 13-4. Next up for OU is a rematch with No. 1-ranked Oklahoma State. The Sooners get their chance at the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top-ranked team at 7 p.m. Thursday at McCasland Field House.

The No. 5 Oklahoma softball team opened its season with a perfect 5-0 record at the Sportco Kickoff Classic over the weekend in Las Vegas, outscoring its opponents 40-3. Pitching played the biggest role in this weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success, including a record-setting performance on Friday by junior ace Keilani Ricketts. After OU won its season opener 6-0, Ricketts got the starting nod for the second game of Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doubleheader. The left paw got the 5-0 win and OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career strikeout record with 16 Ks in the game. OU continued its d o m i n a t- Keilani ing perfor- Ricketts mances in Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doubleheader, posting a 12-2 run-rule victory against Weber State. Junior pitcher Michelle Gascoigne earned the win and improved to 2-0 after pitching during the season opener. In four innings pitched, Gascoigne allowed two earned runs and one walk while striking out six. OU got the bats going i n Sat u rd ay â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s s e c o n d game, posting six runs on 12 hits. The Sooners battered Weber State 6-0 with Ricketts allowing just two hits and one walk. But it was Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s come-from-behind victory that really showed OUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s versatility. Kent State pulled ahead in the first inning, but the Sooners rallied in the final two to take the lopsided 11-1 victory and move to 5-0.

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Reader comment on OUDaily.com ››

OPINION

“I don’t think a university or anybody else should support a policy where people can choose to harm themselves.” (LL Bean, RE: ‘EDITORIAL: Gov. Mary Fallin overstepped with order to ban tobacco use’)

EDITORIAL

OU needs open records online Our View: OU should follow the state’s example with measures to increase transparency.

UPDATE Okla. transparency efforts

What’s new: Oklahoma’s House former will create a database Two bills approved by Oklahoma’s House for information about state Government Modernization Government Modernization Committee on debt. Committee passed two bills, Thursday would greatly increase the transparency HB 2379 and HB 2857, that will increase the transparency What’s next: The bills will go to of the state government and make it easier for citithe House floor for debate. If it of the state government. The zens to be informed and active. passes, it will then head to the former will make it easier to We hope the legislature adopts these measures request open records, and the Senate for consideration. quickly — and when they do, OU should follow in those footsteps. what the university is doing and how it’s spending The two bills would create openrecords.ok.gov money. and checkbook.ok.gov, web pages that would inThe website could even go further than the crease public access to government information. state’s proposed one, offering detailed informaThe former would streamline the Open Records tion about the university budget, how tuition process, by which citizens can request access money is spent and other financial issues importo public documents, by funneling the requests through one online form and making the request- tant to the institution. This information already must exist on a docued documents digitally available. ment of some kind, so it could be as simple as colThe latter would collect all the information lecting and posting these documents in one place about state debt, bonds, the debt repayment — if OU doesn’t have the resources or manpower schedule, higher-education master lease agreeto hand-gather the information and repments and historical debt data in one resent it in the most comprehensible easy-to-access database. The Our View As we’ve mentioned before, it can be difis the majority form. This would not only increase transparopinion of ficult and confusing for private citizens to The Daily’s ency considerably — and maybe even access this important information. nine-member get more Sooners interested in what the Open Records requests require one editorial board school is doing — but it would greatly reto know what kinds of records exist and duce the work load of OU’s Open Records which might hold the desired information. Office. Documents related to debt and bonds are currentBy posting the requested documents online, ly scattered and difficult to locate. the office could reduce the number of documents With these two new pages, citizens will have that must be supplied multiple times to multiple powerful tools to help themselves stay informed requestors. about what the state government is doing. And by filing and filling the requests online, OU An informed populace makes more effeccould cut down on the resources needed and the tive voters, and it’s the responsibility of all impact on the environment. Oklahomans to hold their government accountWe applaud the state’s efforts to increase transable for its actions — especially where money is parency and support freedom of information, and involved. we’re hopeful that we’ll see more such efforts in But the state isn’t the only entity that goes into debt, passes bond measures and deals with public the future — from Oklahoma and OU. documents. OU should set up similar resources to help the campus community stay up to date on Comment on this at OUDaily.com

GUEST COLUMN

Americans are free to speak up

I

am glad to be an American citizen. When I compare my quality of life to others around the world, I recognize how lucky I am to live in the U.S. I did nothing to earn such a privilege, since all rights of citizenship were bestowed upon me at birth. Nonetheless, I admit to feeling a surge of pride every time I meet someone who expresses envy of my country, for I agree it is beautiful in its vastness and rich in its history. Therefore, I consider it my civic responsibility to take a stand against all those who carry their devotion to country too far, warping their perspectives to the point they either are no longer capable of recognizing reality or are choosing to ignore it. In their fervor, they adopt a “my country, right or wrong” philosophy and insist that anyone who dares to disagree with the U.S. government and its policies is traitorous. This rampant nationalism turns citizens against one another and makes enemies of neighbors. It closes both mouths and minds because it leaves no room for debate. At best, it is nothing more than conformity disguised as patriotism. It is an unjustifiable position born out of a false sense of entitlement and rooted in ignorance. It is a self-inflicted wound that is destructive to our society because it either ignores our history or believes we should not be held accountable for it. It breeds colonialism, imperialism, nativism, racism, sexism and censorship. It leads us down dark paths to places we already have been; where we should never want to be again. American history is littered with examples of our fallibility. It would be an unpardonable offense for us — in the name of national loyalty — to minimize the impact of our mistakes, including slavery, child labor, Comstock laws, the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, eugenics, the American Protective Association, the Immigration Restriction League, the Espionage and Sedition Acts of 1917 and 1918, Jim Crow laws, the Red Scare, Palmer Raids, blacklists, Japanese internment camps, the Platt Amendment, the Bay of Pigs, government-sponsored biomedical experimentation on blacks, soldiers, prisoners and the mentally ill, or the massacres at Sand Creek, Wounded Knee and My Lai. We justified our use of weapons of mass destruction during World War II by claiming it was the only way to combat the ferocity and tenacity of Japanese nationalism. We were astonished and horrified to witness how German nationalism resulted in the Holocaust.

In the wake of all of these events, do we really want “Amerika Über Alles” to be our rallying cry today? Some of the greatest moments in our country’s history are due to those who fought against the established rule of law. Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to patriots who were once labeled rabble-rousers: muckrakers, suffragists, grass-roots activists, student protesters, feminists and civil rights marchers. OU is integrated today because people like Ada Lois, Sipuel Fisher and George W. McLaurin were willing to challenge Oklahoma’s “separate but equal” laws. We have them to thank for the fact that OU students are no longer denied admittance because of their race, or forced to sit alone at the back of a lecture hall behind a sign marked “colored.” True patriots are not chained to the idea that allegiance to one’s country requires indiscriminate acceptance of unjust policies or laws. I recently returned to college to pursue a second degree, and I notice many of the bright, young undergraduates in my classes are often reluctant to speak or express an opinion. If you are one of those students, I hope you will find your voice. I hope you will not be intimidated by those who would silence you by questioning your patriotism. In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that one of the greatest barriers to civil liberty was not the Ku Klux Klan or the Council of Conservative Citizens, but rather the white moderate “more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.” History is not limited to the actions of others who are now long dead. It is created by what we do today. The ultimate health of our nation will depend upon those who find the strength to question what seems wrong and to stand up for what seems right. Our country was founded by brave men and women whose primary aim was to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” They, and others like them, risked everything they possessed to transform America into the place it is today: a wonderful work in progress. Their legacy belongs to every American student on the OU campus today. You have a voice; you can make this nation stronger and better; you are an American. You are free.

Mary Stanfield, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

?

» Poll question of the day If the university hosted more financial data online, would you read it? To cast your vote, log on to GUEST COLUMN

United States should unite under patriotism

F

lags wave with admiration; the walkway is silent in anticipation. Hearts are heavy; a crowd waits impatiently around the opening of the tunnel. Suddenly, cheers erupt as loved ones reunite and embrace. People come from all around to welcome these patriots they have never met home from war. Patriotism is a devotion to one’s country, but does everyone have the same devotion to their country? I feel this country is lacking in pride for itself. There are too many people who are “fair-weather fans” when it comes to their pride for the U.S. These are the people who are only fans of our country when the going is good — but as soon as circumstances begin to go south, these fans throw up their hands and want nothing to do with the government. Whenever the going gets tough, the economy gets rough or the president makes a decision they do not agree with, they turn their backs on the U.S. People are too quick to point fingers at their country rather than defend it. How can we all have the same amount of patriotism if we do not have the same pride for our country? The one thing people of different political views should agree on is their love of country. Democrats and Republicans may have opposing views, but hopefully they agree with each other on why America is such a great country. Not everyone is going to be content with the president in office. It seems there is never a 100 percent approval rate in politics. They will criticize him for the decisions he makes and how it may or may not affect the economy or benefit the poor. Republicans and Democrats have opposing stances on most major arguments. Their solutions are usually not the same for most problems, either. It is not always as easy to fix the problems of our country as we would like to believe. I am not saying that having different opinions is bad, but I am saying that we need to be more aware of the fact that our problems don’t always have easy solutions. The country, as a whole, is too quick to jump on the back of the man who holds the power when, in fact, we are the ones who put him in office. We voted for him. Voting is a way to show patriotism. It displays a person’s affection for their country and concern for its future. It is our duty as citizens to voice our opinions. Those who do not take their vote and use it have no room to complain about the officials elected to office. They are not taking full advantage of the rights they are given for living in this country. Non-voters not only are doing a disservice to themselves, but they also are hurting other citizens around them. When this country stops caring about the officials they put into office, the voice of the people will no longer exist. I also see people complaining about the U.S. entering into wars. But where would we be if our country didn’t defend itself? I’m not saying that going to war is the answer for everything, but when our country is under personal attack, the country wants to retaliate against personal attacks against us. This is seen in both the terrorist attack of 9/11 and in Pearl Harbor. The country had fallen under attack and citizens were pressing for the government to do something about it. The president was given the power to protect our country by any means necessary, and both times found it necessary to counterattack to show the U.S. will not tolerate personal attacks. Where would we be right now if we would have done nothing about those attacks? It is very possible that there would have been many more attacks on American soil if we hadn’t shown the world not to mess with us. When I hear the word patriotism, my mind instantly flashes to this image of an American colonist running across a battlefield with a flag in his hand. I think of the same picture whenever I think of any soldiers or war. These men and women are my perfect example of patriotic people: selfless human beings laying down their lives for their country. Patriotism is not black and white, rather a varying depth of pride for country. So why are we wasting our time complaining about all we do not agree with regarding politics when there are men and women dying every day for us. It seems a little disrespectful to me that American’s aren’t showing the patriots the gratitude they deserve. Anna Ritter is a University College freshman.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13 MONDAY 13, 2012 Even though socially youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll express your individualism in as many ways as conditions permit in the year ahead, when it comes to your workaday world, you might need to Past experiences, both bitter and sweet, will aid you more than you ever imagined in the year ahead. Even though some of the lessons may have been harsh, they now will prove to be of immense help to you in handling some ticklish problems.

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Go out of your way to find some time to be with an old friend, because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give you a lift in a big way. Seeing him or her will be just what you need.

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PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Successful end results can be achieved through persistence and tenacity. Any early setbacks that you might experience can be transformed into victories. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -Regardless of what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working on, even if it is something new, results should be pleasant and copious. If you should need some advice along the line, it will be there. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- It may have taken more time than it should have, but that acknowledgement and compensation you deserve for something that had to be done the hard way will finally be there. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -Because you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be intimidated or taken for granted, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll manage to be practical about how you handle things. Seeing your job for what it is will really be a big help to you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in need of someone to confide in, be sure to seek out a practically minded recipient whom you can open up to without fear of reprisal. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re willing to be cooperative and to make some hard concessions, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll set the example for those youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dealing with. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll follow whatever script you write. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- A singleness of purpose and total dedication to your objectives will be the reason for your success. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re likely to accomplish things that others find impossible to do. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not likely to feel comfortable or effective when around individuals whose philosophy or standards donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t match yours. When you have parity in your party, anything is possible. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- A longstanding personal matter that has been hanging around your neck for far too long may finally be put to rest. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be concluded in your favor, but with a big lesson attached. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Go ahead and ask for that much-needed advice, but be prepared to receive some bittersweet counsel. Heed it, because the medicine will make you well. APRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Although there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any free rides offered, that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean your powers of acquisition will be totally impotent. Hard work is your ticket to success.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker February 13, 2012 ACROSS 1 Bowl-shaped roof 5 They prey every night 9 Turkish title 14 Not quite round 15 ___ En-lai (Chinese premier) 16 Lowest female voices 17 Bit of unusual weather 19 Poet William Butler 20 It may be brushed off by a barber 21 Cushiness 23 Not, to a Scot 24 Musketeer motto word 26 Source of after-hours cash 28 Cracker with a hole in the middle 30 ___ and bounds 32 Site for stained-glass windows 34 â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ and the Real Girlâ&#x20AC;? 35 Long, slender cigar 37 Target of many a shot 39 Bad weather for those behind the wheel? 42 Good hole card 43 State of adversity 46 Old-time oath 49 Practically touching 51 Color similar

2/13

to mouse gray 52 Well-to-do 54 Tierra ___ Fuego 56 Word with â&#x20AC;&#x153;luxuryâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;exciseâ&#x20AC;? 57 Help a market cashier 58 Do newspaper work 60 Bartlett or bosc 62 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hiâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;byeâ&#x20AC;? on Lanai 64 Strong current of air 68 Coins of Turkey 69 Task list heading 70 â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know who said itâ&#x20AC;? abbr. 71 Had a purpose in mind 72 Floristâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cutting 73 Method of meditation and exercise DOWN 1 Homer Simpsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shout 2 Biological eggs 3 California et al, to Hawaiians 4 â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ Enchantedâ&#x20AC;? (2004 fantasy film) 5 Band of eight 6 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Which person?â&#x20AC;? 7 Wisdom passed along 8 Some poisonous

shrubs 9 Check recipient 10 Hearty quaff 11 Poem division 12 Balloon filler 13 Left side of the balance sheet 18 Afflicted with muscle tremors 22 Clips, as sheep 24 High peak 25 Grazing land for sheep 27 African republic 29 City near Binghamton, N.Y. 31 Macyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event 33 Cuddly bamboomuncher 36 Tied, as the score 38 Playpen toys 40 Encircle or bind

41 Elementary particle with no charge 44 Place with curative waters 45 Questionnaire category 46 Prepare for mummification 47 Net minder 48 Mohaircoated goat 50 Authoritative decrees 53 Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s buy 55 Certain salt source 59 Homerhitterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pace 61 â&#x20AC;&#x153;And ___ we go!â&#x20AC;? 63 Solo in a space flick 65 Exalting poem 66 Eggy seasonal drink 67 Watson and Crickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lab material

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WHAT, NO SNOW? By Kathy George

6

Life&Arts

• Monday, February 13, 2012

Tomorrow ››

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Are you ready for the big day? If you need lastminute gift and date ideas, the life & arts staff has some Valentine’s Day suggestions for you.

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Fundraiser

Sooners dance for a cause

Students attend Pink and Black Ball for cancer awareness Dusti Gasparovic

Left: Veronica Hassink, University College freshman, and Katie Skonezny, Oklahoma State student, cover strawberries and marshmallow at the chocolate fountain Saturday at the Pink and Black Ball benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Life & Arts Reporter

Sooners danced the night away and raised money for a cause at an annual on-campus ball. The eighth annual Pink and Black Ball took place Saturday evening in the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History. There were over 500 pre-sale tickets, not to mention many more sold at the door, event coordinator K.C. Moore said. Overall the event raised more than $10,000, which will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, Moore said. This was Moore’s first year to plan the ball, which was called “The Pink Flamingo” this year, and it was a challenging time commitment, she said. Fellow coordinator Jennifer Lobaugh said the event takes months to plan. “We started planning the event in September,” Lobaugh said. The annual fundraiser is hosted by the Women’s Outreach Center and is always a success, Moore said. The 2012 Pink and Black Ball was no different, she said. Traditionally, the ball was held in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. This year, however, the event was moved to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History due to construction. The lighting was eyecatching from the street, and completely set the mood for the evening. Michael Giesecke, Union Programing Board graduate assistant and a team of about five volunteers worked to create the thematic pink lighting for the museum. University College freshman Adam Honore was one of the volunteers who helped design the lighting. Honore called it the prom lights he never had. “I like to make you feel

Bottom: John Gramlich, broadcast and electronic media sophomore, dips Lyndsee Mummey, public relations sophomore, at the Pink and Black Ball on Saturday. This year, the Women’s Outreach Center moved the ball to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History because the Oklahoma Memorial Union is under construction.

Photos by Miriam Mezzetti/The Daily

OUDaily.com Visit OUDaily.com to see a photo gallery from Saturday’s Pink and Black Ball. oudaily.com/life&arts

like you’re in another place,” Honore said. “I don’t want guests to feel as though they are in a museum, I want them to feel as though they are at a party.” The atmosphere was inviting and cozy. Couples were swing dancing in the hallways to the live jazz band during the early part of the evening, and breaking it down on the dance floor to the disc jockey later that night. Classy best describes this year’s Pink and Black Ball. From the minute you walked through the door there were greeters, a place to check in

your coat, raffles and endless Hollingsworth’s sentiments. buffets. “I had a great time at the There were three buffet- ball,” Bennett said. style food tables with a chocThe freshmen weren’t olate fountain and fruits, the only ones enjoying marshmallows, and sweets themselves. in the center. The crowd on The food was as the dance floor “I don’t want delicious as the was never sparse atmosphere was guests to feel as and the evening energetic. though they are was filled with The whole in a museum, I l au g ht e r t hat event seemed to echoed through run effortless- want them to feel the museum. ly, and student For those who as though they feedback added weren’t into are at a party.” dancing, there to its success. “I had an exwas a photo Adam Honore, tremely excellent booth with a tub University College Freshman time at the Pink of fun props such and Black Ball,” as boas, masks University College freshman and hats to create some fun Tandy Hollingsworth said. photos. She said it was her first time The event was started eight to attend the ball and the ex- years ago by the Women’s perience was memorable. Outreach Center in an effort University College fresh- to raise funds for breast canman Reilly Bennett echoed cer awareness.

I

magine the reaction from Christians if someone commissioned a sequel to the Bible. Now double that, and you’ll have the reaction of comic book fans when DC Comics announced it would publish a prequel series to the classic graphic novel, “Watchmen,” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It’s difficult to overstate the importance of “Watchmen”

to the comic book industry. Not only did it pioneer many storytelling techniques now used frequently in comics, but it garnered high praise from critics outside the comics bubble, proving to many people that graphic novels could be referred to as “art.” Less important is the fact that “Watchmen” has made a ton of money, but now I get the impression DC Comics would beg to differ.

Why else would the company publish the new series of issues known as “Before Watchmen?” Fans do not approve. More importantly, God — by whom I mean Moore — does not approve. Speaking to the New York Times, the writer called the project “completely shameless” and said it confirms that DC Comics is “dependent on ideas that [he] had 25 years ago.”

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Ignoring whatever hypocrisy might have hung over his comments— Moore once wrote a series that brought together Captain Nemo and Dr. Jekyll, old characters who I’m pretty sure he didn’t think up — I have to agree with him. DC’s revival of the classic comic series is a bad idea for several reasons. Of course, among these reasons is the possibility that the new issues might suck, but that’s actually less of a concern for me than one might think. In fact, if one could temporarily forget the holiness of the legend being handled, they might actually be excited to see the names

Romantic comedy causes fuss Movie’s acting disappointing, plot predictable

N

o Valentine’s Day weekend would be complete without a big-budget, star-studded romantic comedy. It happens every year, and whether you’re single or taken, you’ll probably go out to see it. As far as I’m concerned, this trend isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Movies like “27 Dresses“ (Anne Fletcher, 2008) and “No Strings Attached” (Ivan Reitman, 2011) came out around this time and accomplished the humor and romance needed while being a pretty entertaining, wellwritten, well-made films. On the other hand, we’ve also seen plenty of misses over the years. So as I prepared to see “The Vow” (Michael Sucsy) on Saturday night, my question was, which will this be? In case you’ve been living under a rock, “The Vow” is a romantic comedy starring Rachel McAdams (“The Notebook”) and Channing Tatum (“Dear John”). The story follows Paige (McAdams) after she is involved in a car accident and loses all of her recent memories, including her husband Leo (Tatum), who attempts to persuade her to fall in love with him again and return to

Continued from page 1

their life together. I have to admit I was not enthusiastic about seeing this movie in the first place. I tend to be skeptical of all romantic comedies, and I’ve yet to see Channing Tatum be anything but pathetic in his performances. Still, I figured I needed to see the movie before I could complain about it, so I shelled out the $7.50 and gave up two hours of my Saturday to pack into the near-full theater to see it. Truthfully, this movie was not as bad as I thought it would be. It was — incredibly — worse. I spent the evening smacking my forehead in frustration, shaking my head in disbelief and sitting in shock of how awful this movie is. I’ve already mentioned I dislike Tatum’s acting. His acting style basically consists of standing there, looking pretty, and delivering sappy lines with no feeling behind them whatsoever. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate looking at Tatum, but I have yet to see any of his characters as more than an attractive guy seemingly reading his lines off a cue card. His performance in “The Vow” is no different. He is not believable in any

Life & Arts Columnist

Steven Zoeller stevenv.zoeller@gmail.com

of accomplished writers like Brian Azzarello and Darwyn Cooke among those working on the project. So, no, I’m not worried “Before Watchmen” will be poorly written. I’m sure it’ll have a decent plot. My biggest problem is that it will be a prequel.

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It goes without saying Moore isn’t on board with this project, and if it was a sequel, that wouldn’t bother me so much either. It’s certainly not unusual in comics for one writer to continue another’s work—that’s how series like Batman and X-Men are still alive today. But this is different. The characters in “Watchmen” belong to Moore, maybe not legally, but to the extent that he dreamt up their personalities and fine-tuned them to a brilliant degree. Being a prequel, “Before Watchmen” will interpret each one. see money page 7

TODAY

Moore will have almost no say in his own characters’ back-story. That’s wrong. At least DC could have made a sequel. It would have taken Moore’s characters and sent them in a new direction, and it would’ve respected that everything leading up to the events of the original “Watchmen” was Moore’s jurisdiction. That DC Comics would take Moore’s characters, mess with their pasts and risk crippling them is a huge insult to him and fans of his work. Perhaps worse, the new books being prequels will destroy theories fans had about each character’s beginnings and their ability to speculate about the events leading up to “Watchmen.” While the new issues will likely be good, it can hardly be said they will match up with fans’ expectations or surpass what could have been if Moore had been involved. I’m not opposed to DC publishing additional chapters in the “Watchmen” saga. Really, I’m not; I understand this is how comic books work. That being said, what they’ve done by making the new series a prequel is overstepping boundaries. If anyone wants to know why comic books frequently aren’t considered art, it’s because of unnecessary, money-grabbing business moves like this.

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of his motives, whether it is his character’s passion for music or his love for his wife, which this movie is meant to center around. McAdams, on the other hand, has more than proven her ability as a great performer, both comedically and romantically, which is why I was confused and somewhat surprised to see her in the previews for this movie that looked so unpromising. I had hoped she might be able to pull the film on her own, but even she couldn’t save this train wreck. Her character, who is the only one who actually experiences an emotional change, is surprisingly unlikable for a majority of the film. McAdams plays her as snippy and immature, and rather than relating to her struggle to regain her memory and do what she thinks is right, we find ourselves turned off by her and wondering why Leo is even in love with her in the first place, besides the fact that she is incredibly beautiful. This movie claims to be based on a true story, but it obviously has been heavily adapted. It is set in the current day and the real couple’s experience happened at least 15 years ago.

It is hard to determine if the unbelievable and underdeveloped characters would have been more effective had they been acted well, but I personally don’t think that even the most skilled actors could have saved them. Despite how many things were wrong with this movie, the most shocking part of the evening for me was how many people in the enormous theater absolutely loved it. There were tears, and not just from one or two people, but from about five I could distinctly identify from those sitting around me, and I’m sure many more around the theater. Walking out, girls were raving about how emotional and romantic it had been, and even the boyfriends who had been dragged there were commenting that it “wasn’t that bad.” I would never recommend anyone see it, especially with all the quality options for romantic comedies on DVD this Valentine’s Day. Erin Wilson is a University College freshman.

‘The Vow’ shouldn’t be compared to films in its genre but still enjoyable

R

achel McAdams and Channing Tatum star in “The Vow,” a film inspired by a true story about young love and a moment of impact that changes everything. Overall, I enjoyed “The Vow.” It won’t go down in history as one of the greatest love stories like “Titanic,” “A Walk to Remember” or even “The Notebook,” but it was a great movie. The previews make it appear as though the focus of the movie would be on Leo, played by Tatum, trying to make his wife, played by McAdams, fall in love with him again after she suffers from amnesia. However, the majority of the movie is Paige (McAdams) trying to remember why she made all the decisions she had in life, including marrying Leo. This movie is definitely gripping and sad, but not enough to make you cry. The ending was too abrupt and didn’t answer all the audience’s questions. When the young couple finally did reunite and begin to find love again, the credits started rolling. The audience spends so

Life & Arts Columnist

Dusti Gasparovic dustikristine@gmail.com

much of the movie wanting Paige to remember her life with Leo that, when the movie started to turn around, we wanted more time to see them in love again. The acting was good, but the actors’ stereotypes are hard to break. Rachel McAdams forever will be remembered for “The Notebook,” and any love story she is in will subconsciously be compared it, and time and time again fall short. “The Vow” is definitely a great movie to watch if you’re in the mood for a “chick flick.” It probably won’t make you cry if you’re looking for a good ‘box of tissues’ kind of movie, but it’s not a waste of your time. Dusti Gasparovic is a University College freshman.

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Life&Arts

• Monday, February 13, 2012

Tomorrow ››

Life&arts

Are you ready for the big day? If you need lastminute gift and date ideas, the life & arts staff has some Valentine’s Day suggestions for you.

Lindsey Ruta, life & arts editor Mariah Webb, assistant life & arts editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

Fundraiser

Sooners dance for a cause

Students attend Pink Flamingo Ball for cancer awareness Dusti Gasparovic

Left: Veronica Hassink, University College freshman, and Katie Skonezny, Oklahoma State student, cover strawberries and marshmallow at the chocolate fountain Saturday at the Pink and Black Ball benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Life & Arts Reporter

Sooners danced the night away and raised money for a cause at an annual on-campus ball. The eighth annual Pink and Black Ball took place Saturday evening in the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History. There were over 500 pre-sale tickets, not to mention many more sold at the door, event coordinator K.C. Moore said. Overall the event raised more than $10,000, which will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, Moore said. This was Moore’s first year to plan the ball, which was called “The Pink Flamingo” this year, and it was a challenging time commitment, she said. Fellow coordinator Jennifer Lobaugh said the event takes months to plan. “We started planning the event in September,” Lobaugh said. The annual fundraiser is hosted by the Women’s Outreach Center and is always a success, Moore said. The 2012 Pink and Black Ball was no different, she said. Traditionally, the ball was held in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. This year, however, the event was moved to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History due to construction. The lighting was eyecatching from the street, and completely set the mood for the evening. Michael Giesecke, Union Programing Board graduate assistant and a team of about five volunteers worked to create the thematic pink lighting for the museum. University College freshman Adam Honore was one of the volunteers who helped design the lighting. Honore called it the prom lights he never had. “I like to make you feel

Bottom: John Gramlich, broadcast and electronic media sophomore, dips Lyndsee Mummey, public relations sophomore, at the Pink and Black Ball on Saturday. This year, the Women’s Outreach Center moved the ball to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History because the Oklahoma Memorial Union is under construction.

Photos by Miriam Mezzetti/The Daily

OUDaily.com Visit OUDaily.com to see a photo gallery from Saturday’s Pink and Black Ball. oudaily.com/life&arts

like you’re in another place,” Honore said. “I don’t want guests to feel as though they are in a museum, I want them to feel as though they are at a party.” The atmosphere was inviting and cozy. Couples were swing dancing in the hallways to the live jazz band during the early part of the evening, and breaking it down on the dance floor to the disc jockey later that night. Classy best describes this year’s Pink and Black Ball. From the minute you walked through the door there were greeters, a place to check in

your coat, raffles and endless Hollingsworth’s sentiments. buffets. “I had a great time at the There were three buffet- ball,” Bennett said. style food tables with a chocThe freshmen weren’t olate fountain and fruits, the only ones enjoying marshmallows, and sweets themselves. in the center. The crowd on The food was as the dance floor “I don’t want delicious as the was never sparse atmosphere was guests to feel as and the evening energetic. though they are was filled with The whole in a museum, I l au g ht e r t hat event seemed to echoed through run effortless- want them to feel the museum. ly, and student For those who as though they feedback added weren’t into are at a party.” dancing, there to its success. “I had an exwas a photo Adam Honore, tremely excellent booth with a tub University College Freshman time at the Pink of fun props such and Black Ball,” as boas, masks University College freshman and hats to create some fun Tandy Hollingsworth said. photos. She said it was her first time The event was started eight to attend the ball and the ex- years ago by the Women’s perience was memorable. Outreach Center in an effort University College fresh- to raise funds for breast canman Reilly Bennett echoed cer awareness.

I

magine the reaction from Christians if someone commissioned a sequel to the Bible. Now double that, and you’ll have the reaction of comic book fans when DC Comics announced it would publish a prequel series to the classic graphic novel, “Watchmen,” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It’s difficult to overstate the importance of “Watchmen”

to the comic book industry. Not only did it pioneer many storytelling techniques now used frequently in comics, but it garnered high praise from critics outside the comics bubble, proving to many people that graphic novels could be referred to as “art.” Less important is the fact that “Watchmen” has made a ton of money, but now I get the impression DC Comics would beg to differ.

Why else would the company publish the new series of issues known as “Before Watchmen?” Fans do not approve. More importantly, God — by whom I mean Moore — does not approve. Speaking to the New York Times, the writer called the project “completely shameless” and said it confirms that DC Comics is “dependent on ideas that [he] had 25 years ago.”

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Ignoring whatever hypocrisy might have hung over his comments— Moore once wrote a series that brought together Captain Nemo and Dr. Jekyll, old characters who I’m pretty sure he didn’t think up — I have to agree with him. DC’s revival of the classic comic series is a bad idea for several reasons. Of course, among these reasons is the possibility that the new issues might suck, but that’s actually less of a concern for me than one might think. In fact, if one could temporarily forget the holiness of the legend being handled, they might actually be excited to see the names

Romantic comedy causes fuss Movie’s acting disappointing, plot predictable

N

o Valentine’s Day weekend would be complete without a big-budget, star-studded romantic comedy. It happens every year, and whether you’re single or taken, you’ll probably go out to see it. As far as I’m concerned, this trend isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Movies like “27 Dresses“ (Anne Fletcher, 2008) and “No Strings Attached” (Ivan Reitman, 2011) came out around this time and accomplished the humor and romance needed while being a pretty entertaining, wellwritten, well-made films. On the other hand, we’ve also seen plenty of misses over the years. So as I prepared to see “The Vow” (Michael Sucsy) on Saturday night, my question was, which will this be? In case you’ve been living under a rock, “The Vow” is a romantic comedy starring Rachel McAdams (“The Notebook”) and Channing Tatum (“Dear John”). The story follows Paige (McAdams) after she is involved in a car accident and loses all of her recent memories, including her husband Leo (Tatum), who attempts to persuade her to fall in love with him again and return to

Continued from page 1

their life together. I have to admit I was not enthusiastic about seeing this movie in the first place. I tend to be skeptical of all romantic comedies, and I’ve yet to see Channing Tatum be anything but pathetic in his performances. Still, I figured I needed to see the movie before I could complain about it, so I shelled out the $7.50 and gave up two hours of my Saturday to pack into the near-full theater to see it. Truthfully, this movie was not as bad as I thought it would be. It was — incredibly — worse. I spent the evening smacking my forehead in frustration, shaking my head in disbelief and sitting in shock of how awful this movie is. I’ve already mentioned I dislike Tatum’s acting. His acting style basically consists of standing there, looking pretty, and delivering sappy lines with no feeling behind them whatsoever. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate looking at Tatum, but I have yet to see any of his characters as more than an attractive guy seemingly reading his lines off a cue card. His performance in “The Vow” is no different. He is not believable in any

Life & Arts Columnist

Steven Zoeller stevenv.zoeller@gmail.com

of accomplished writers like Brian Azzarello and Darwyn Cooke among those working on the project. So, no, I’m not worried “Before Watchmen” will be poorly written. I’m sure it’ll have a decent plot. My biggest problem is that it will be a prequel.

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It goes without saying Moore isn’t on board with this project, and if it was a sequel, that wouldn’t bother me so much either. It’s certainly not unusual in comics for one writer to continue another’s work—that’s how series like Batman and X-Men are still alive today. But this is different. The characters in “Watchmen” belong to Moore, maybe not legally, but to the extent that he dreamt up their personalities and fine-tuned them to a brilliant degree. Being a prequel, “Before Watchmen” will interpret each one. see money page 7

TODAY

Moore will have almost no say in his own characters’ back-story. That’s wrong. At least DC could have made a sequel. It would have taken Moore’s characters and sent them in a new direction, and it would’ve respected that everything leading up to the events of the original “Watchmen” was Moore’s jurisdiction. That DC Comics would take Moore’s characters, mess with their pasts and risk crippling them is a huge insult to him and fans of his work. Perhaps worse, the new books being prequels will destroy theories fans had about each character’s beginnings and their ability to speculate about the events leading up to “Watchmen.” While the new issues will likely be good, it can hardly be said they will match up with fans’ expectations or surpass what could have been if Moore had been involved. I’m not opposed to DC publishing additional chapters in the “Watchmen” saga. Really, I’m not; I understand this is how comic books work. That being said, what they’ve done by making the new series a prequel is overstepping boundaries. If anyone wants to know why comic books frequently aren’t considered art, it’s because of unnecessary, money-grabbing business moves like this.

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of his motives, whether it is his character’s passion for music or his love for his wife, which this movie is meant to center around. McAdams, on the other hand, has more than proven her ability as a great performer, both comedically and romantically, which is why I was confused and somewhat surprised to see her in the previews for this movie that looked so unpromising. I had hoped she might be able to pull the film on her own, but even she couldn’t save this train wreck. Her character, who is the only one who actually experiences an emotional change, is surprisingly unlikable for a majority of the film. McAdams plays her as snippy and immature, and rather than relating to her struggle to regain her memory and do what she thinks is right, we find ourselves turned off by her and wondering why Leo is even in love with her in the first place, besides the fact that she is incredibly beautiful. This movie claims to be based on a true story, but it obviously has been heavily adapted. It is set in the current day and the real couple’s experience happened at least 15 years ago.

It is hard to determine if the unbelievable and underdeveloped characters would have been more effective had they been acted well, but I personally don’t think that even the most skilled actors could have saved them. Despite how many things were wrong with this movie, the most shocking part of the evening for me was how many people in the enormous theater absolutely loved it. There were tears, and not just from one or two people, but from about five I could distinctly identify from those sitting around me, and I’m sure many more around the theater. Walking out, girls were raving about how emotional and romantic it had been, and even the boyfriends who had been dragged there were commenting that it “wasn’t that bad.” I would never recommend anyone see it, especially with all the quality options for romantic comedies on DVD this Valentine’s Day. Erin Wilson is a University College freshman.

‘The Vow’ shouldn’t be compared to films in its genre but still enjoyable

R

achel McAdams and Channing Tatum star in “The Vow,” a film inspired by a true story about young love and a moment of impact that changes everything. Overall, I enjoyed “The Vow.” It won’t go down in history as one of the greatest love stories like “Titanic,” “A Walk to Remember” or even “The Notebook,” but it was a great movie. The previews make it appear as though the focus of the movie would be on Leo, played by Tatum, trying to make his wife, played by McAdams, fall in love with him again after she suffers from amnesia. However, the majority of the movie is Paige (McAdams) trying to remember why she made all the decisions she had in life, including marrying Leo. This movie is definitely gripping and sad, but not enough to make you cry. The ending was too abrupt and didn’t answer all the audience’s questions. When the young couple finally did reunite and begin to find love again, the credits started rolling. The audience spends so

Life & Arts Columnist

Dusti Gasparovic dustikristine@gmail.com

much of the movie wanting Paige to remember her life with Leo that, when the movie started to turn around, we wanted more time to see them in love again. The acting was good, but the actors’ stereotypes are hard to break. Rachel McAdams forever will be remembered for “The Notebook,” and any love story she is in will subconsciously be compared it, and time and time again fall short. “The Vow” is definitely a great movie to watch if you’re in the mood for a “chick flick.” It probably won’t make you cry if you’re looking for a good ‘box of tissues’ kind of movie, but it’s not a waste of your time. Dusti Gasparovic is a University College freshman.

help is just a phone call away

9

number

crisis line

325-6963 (NYNE)

OU Number Nyne Crisis Line

8 p.m.-4 a.m. every day

except OU holidays and breaks

‘Watchmen’ prequel insult to creator, comic fans alike

7

Movie Point-Counterpoint

money: Series only created to gain profit

column

Monday, February 13, 2012 •

X Come see for yourself why everyone loves our cupcakes!

.

Tuesday-Saturday 8a-10p cuppiesandjoe.com 727 NW 23rd St Oklahoma City, OK 73103 405.528.2122

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Expires on May 31, 2012

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â&#x20AC;˘ Monday, February 13, 2012

OU Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball vs. Connecticut Pack the Place Pink Night Monday, February 13 at 8pm Lloyd Noble Center Doors open at 6:30pm

First 12,000 fans receive a Pack the Place Pink Shirt First 100 Students will receive a free hot dog/coke One Lucky student will win a $100 gift card courtesy of the Reserve on Stinson Free Admission for OU students with a valid ID

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