Back-to-School Edition 2010 1C
Mark Potts, editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051
FILE PHOTO BY LILLY CHAPA / THE DAILY
Students walk across the South Oval on Aug. 24, 2009. The Campus Activities sponsors “Howdy Week” the first week of the fall semester to encourage students to get involved in campus life.
‘HOWDY WEEK’ WELCOMES STUDENTS TO OU CAC encourages all students to make campus connections, get involved in OU organizations HELEN DIRENZO-GRANT The Oklahoma Daily
As the fall semester steadily approaches, the long hot days of summer seem numbered. For some, the change of pace may even seem daunting. This is where the Campus Activities Council steps in to help rally the student body through the transition. CAC welcomes new and returning students with themed activities to help students get into the swing of campus life, said Valerie Hall, CAC chairwoman. With the theme “Man, I Love College,” this year’s “Howdy Week” runs from Aug. 23-27 and is open to all OU students. Hall said “Howdy Week” is important because it’s the first impression of campus that many new Sooners will experience. The event provides students with the opportunity to meet friendly faces and participate in free activities while getting used to college life, she said. “The Involvement Fair is a great way for students to find what they are interested in whether it is their first day or their fifth year,” Hall said. “‘Howdy Week’ is a resource for all students on campus to get plugged in or have some fun during the first week of the fall semester.” To welcome students back from the long summer break, the CAC “Howdy Week” committee members and volunteers will be on the South Oval every day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “‘Howdy Week’ this year has focused on being bigger and better than ever,”
FILE PHOTO BY ELI HULL / THE DAILY
Brooklyn dance-punk duo Matt & Kim perform in Meacham Auditorium in the Oklahoma Memorial Union during the 2009 edition of Howdy Week. said Ashley Zumwalt, C AC “Howdy Week” chairwoman. “Students don’t have to go out of their way to attend our events, for the most part, they are on their
FILE PHOTO BY AMY FROST/THE DAILY
The men and women of Beta Theta Pi and Kappa Alpha Theta perform April 7, 2009, at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center as part of “Sooner Scandals” put on by the Campus Activities Council. CAC encourages students to get involved in its many on-campus events.
way to class! So just stop by, grab a bite to eat, make some new friends and enjoy ‘Howdy Week 2010.’” Students can work on building their social networks through “Howdy Week” or other CAC events, said Quy Nguyen, CAC adviser. OU and student volunteers see Howdy Week as a way to help other students connect, he said. “Because if you don’t connect, it can make college life more difficult and a lot more lonely,” Nguyen said. “But if you can take that first step in meeting some friends, it can make your college experience a lot easier.” Sometimes new or returning students might be nervous to become involved in the activities OU has to offer, but Zumwalt said it was worth the risk in her opinion. She said getting involved on campus is how she met some of her best friends and people that she can turn to in any situation.” “College is one the most amazing times of your life,” Zumalt said. “Become involved in things that you are passionate about, step out of your comfort zone, and meet people that are different from yourself so that you can learn what you want out of life. Of course, remember to study hard, too.”
CAMPUS ACTIVITIES COUNCIL HOWDY WEEK 2010 Monday, Aug. 23 Sno-Cones South Oval, noon-2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24 Involvement Fair South Oval, noon-2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25 Popcorn Movie Night Couch Restaurant, 9-11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26 Midnight Breakfast Crossroads Restaurant, 11:30 - 1:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 27 BBQ Walker-Adams Mall, noon-2 p.m. A full schedule will be available on the CAC website, cac.ou.edu. Check the calendar on OUDaily.com for more information on events throughout the year.
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Back-to-School Edition 2010
UPB offers free Friday fun at union Union Programming Board one of few organizations without dues OSIZIMETE AKEN’OVA The Oklahoma Daily
It’s Friday night and you’re stuck on campus. You’re not 21 years old, so you can’t get the full bar-hopping experience. You’re bored. If only there were something you could do. That’s where the Union Programming Board comes in. The organization’s focus is to provide OU students fun and exciting activities every week, mostly on Friday nights, around the Oklahoma Memorial Union. “We have events every week,” said Rachelle Barteau, the co-vice president of the organization. “Sometimes a couple a week and you can guarantee there is always something going on in the Union.” The organization has a wide range of events it hosts, from concerts to movies to the annual Sooner Idol, where students sing and compete for the prize of best singer on campus. During the regular school year, students interested in the Union Programming Board can attend meetings every other Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. to plan events. UPB is one of the only user-friendly organizations with no membership dues. Members can come and leave as they please, and they can skip meetings without getting any sort of penalty. “This organization is aimed at students who want to get involved in whatever capacity they would like to,” UPB President Victoria Felder said. “People can just attend meetings, help out events or get involved by applying for the executive committee. There is no cost to them and they can be involved as little or as much as they’d like to be.” Although UPB executives organize most of the events, members are allowed and encouraged to help plan. ”Our events are organized by the executive committee with help from general members,” Felder said. “If any general member would like to plan an event, they are more than welcome to.” The range of events the students can plan are only limited by their imaginations and what they can do around the union. “One of my personal favorites, out of all our events, has been ‘Movie on the Lawn,’” Barteau said. “Hundreds show up to enjoy a relaxing night with friends and get to enjoy free movie snacks and a great movie. OU’s
FILE PHOTO BY NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY
Students at the Union Programming Board “Masquerade Bash Night” make masks for use during the rest of the event in this Oct. 2, 2009, file photo. campus is just always beautiful at night, and what a better way to experience it than at a UPB event one evening.” UPB says they are around strictly to help serve the students’ interests and keep events going on campus. “The Union Programming Board is important to the University of Oklahoma because the union is the living room of the university,” Felder said. “We give students a place to hang out and meet new people all at no cost to them. We like to give students options of things to do on Friday nights and we feel like they will have a lot of fun at any event they attend, especially because it’s free.” FILE PHOTO BY JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY
RIGHT: Vocal performance junior Leslie Cole performs during the first round of 2010 Sooner Idol on May 1 in Meachum Auditorium. Cole went on to win the title.
Back-to-School Edition 2010
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OPINION: Seedchuckers, stone conspirators, questionable boobs and more...
THE QUICK GUIDE TO CAMPUS SCULPTURE THE SEED SOWER (SOUTH OVAL)
There are two things all Americans hate: walking and art. Walking takes a long time. I can drive somewhere quicker, so what’s the point of walking? And art is just another name for pointless colors and shapes shifted into ridiculous forms and shoved down our collective throats by elitist Europeans or Euro-sympathizers (I’m looking at you, France). When you come to the OU, you are going to hear about the statues around campus. Apparently, they MARK are amazing works of art. But to see them, you will POTTS have to walk. And as I proved in the previous paragraph, walking is not an option. I present you a quick guide to OU’s top-10 sculptures. You can thank me later.
MESTEÑO/MUSTANG (FRED JONES JR. ART MUSEUM)
- Mark Potts is a journalism graduate student. PHOTOS BY MARK POTTS/THE DAILY
SPHINX (FRED JONES JR. ART MUSEUM)
Whatever name you give this, it does not represent how creepy it is. This photo is of it covered in plastic due to, what OU tells us, is construction on the museum. But I feel like the plastic is being used to try to keep in the evil vibes. But due to its bright, light-up red eyes, the devil pierces through the plastic at night. If I were Boren, I’d go out there and turn it around because right now, it points straight to his house.
This is the statue you see in every video ever made by OU, often shot with an overdramatic crane shot. According to the description, “This is our heritage, the traditional Sooner spirit.” Are we supposed to go around throwing seeds everywhere? Our landscapers do a fantastic job, I don’t think we should be ruining their work. If anything, we should have a statue of Joey Greco, the host of “Cheaters” because a Sooner is a cheater (and that show is awesome).
LUNAR WATCH (NORTH OVAL BY THE UNION)
THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC (FRED JONES ART MUSEUM)
What? The description tells me the statue “recasts the Biblical tale of Abraham’s offer to sacrifice his only son Isaac to God.” All I see is either a bull giving birth to a human head or an upside-down boy falling to the ground and wearing an interesting codpiece. This is what artists do — take something literal and turn it into a physical metaphor. A better statue would have been of a mad Abraham wielding an ax while chasing Isaac, who is running away and screaming. See? No explanation needed. THE GOSSIPS (THE UNION)
Three serious women stand close together touching, maybe about to kiss. One is holding a chicken in her hands. What is another name for a chicken? You know. She’s holding it as it is trying to get away. They aren’t looking at the chicken. They just want to control it, dehumanize it. Clearly this statue is about lesbian feminists out to destroy man. I’d like to rename it “The Ménage à Trois of Doom.”
I have an unquenchable hatred for this statue and I don’t know why. My first thought is, maybe it’s the eyes. There are no pupils, so this appears frightening. But that isn’t it. Then I thought it was the nails, which appear to be long and untrimmed for some time. But that wasn’t it either. Maybe it is the nipples? That could be it. Maybe it is the symmetrical and perfectly round breasts? Could be. Let’s be honest: this woman, with her size, would not have breasts like that. Even mine droop. It sends the wrong message to women: “Get implants so your breasts can be perfectly round and plastic.” Also, those wings couldn’t support that frame. That’s just science.
I think the artist took a piece of steel and said “I’m going to make a triangle and call it art.” So she did that. Then she said, “Hmm, not intellectual enough.” So she cut a hole in the middle. Then she stood back and said, “Well, that’s not bad. I can make up some BS about what this means. Wait! I could cut it in half and blow peoples’ minds!” So she did. And now I have to look at it while writing this description and try not to punch my computer monitor.
DONALD W. REYNOLDS (NORTH OVAL)
BIZZELL STATUE (BIZZELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY)
This statue is actually pretty cool. The guy is dapper. He is bald, but happy. He wears a vest and a nice jacket with a tie. But then, go below the waist and things get bad. He has no legs. Clearly, this statue was never completed. Here’s how I imagine things went: It’s the week before the statue is due. The artist is frustrated and wants to just relax. So he sits in front of the television and starts watching TV. He sees a “Cheaters” marathon is coming on so he grabs some Funyuns and Dr. Thunder, and watches “Cheaters” for hours. During the last episode, he sees an ad for “Halo 2” (this is 2004). He thinks it is awesome, but has never played the first. So he runs back to the store, gets an Xbox, “Halo 1” and a ton of Funyuns. He plays “Halo 1” for the next five days. The morning the statue is due, he wakes up in a haze of yellow Funyun dust to realize he only has 30 minutes to get the statue to campus. He panics. He has no time to finish it! Damn you, Funyuns and “Halo!” He is freaking out, but cannot do anything. Suddenly, he calms down. All he has to do is say the statue’s incompleteness makes it art and everyone will buy it. He arrives at OU, gives the statue away, everyone loves it because they think it’s art or whatever, and the artist goes home, smiling. But before he gets home, he stocks up on more Funyuns.
I’m only showing you the back in order to prove that there appears to be a large vagina growing out of his shoulders. UNKNOWN BLUE THING (ACROSS FROM DALE HALL)
I did extensive research on this (i.e. looked for a plate with the description) and could not uncover what the name is or what it’s suppose to be. It involves some half-circles and the color blue. If anything, I guess this could be the look of how blue balls feel.
PASTORAL DREAMER (NORTH OVAL)
I’ll acquiesce on this one. It is pretty awesome. But I’m not mad at myself for liking a statue because this one is as literal as they come on campus. He is asleep and dreaming, like the name says he is. This artist deserves the prize of “Least Likely to Be an Elitist Snob Who Loves French Food.”
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Back-to-School Edition 2010
COLUMN: Campus food guide
Freshmen, where to get your food fill LAUREN ABRAM The Oklahoma Daily
Freshmen, there are two things you will learn your first semester. One, if you happen to find a good parking spot, don’t let anything short of an emergency trip to the hospital move you from that space. Two, time and campus life do not necessarily mesh well, so before you know it, you’ll be starving and need food quickly.
Parking opportunities are few and far between on campus, so freshmen should probably take advantage of every opportunity within walking distance, especially if that place is catering to your please-notramen-again cravings. There’s always old faithful IHOP (2 miles west of campus), but by the time your legs get you there, you’ll be too tired to enjoy those ridiculously delicious pancakes. There are restaurants all around campus, some that stay open late as well (helpful when you need some
CAMPUS CORNER THE LIBRARY BAR & GRILL 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. daily Not to be confused with the library of books, go here to enjoy a variety of foods while admiring the scenery. Just look for the Christmas lights.
LOGAN’S ON THE CORNER 4 p.m. - 1 a.m. daily Logan’s cool, calm and collected atmosphere is a great place to chill while chowing down on wings and watching sports.
LOUIE’S 11 a.m.- midnight daily Don’t be fooled by the super-sleek look of this bar and grill. The kitchen throws out some mean deep-dish pizzas and happy-hour specials.
comfort food after late-night study sessions). The Oklahoma Memorial Union is the home of many eateries, including Crossroads Restaurant, the only 24/7, full-menu eatery on campus. Crossroads serves sandwiches, salads, hamburgers, sushi, donuts and a variety of other food. Here’s a few places — all within walking distance from the dorms — that are sure to help you achieve those precious “freshman 15” pounds. — Lauren Abram is a broadcast journalism senior.
SEVEN 47 4 p.m. - midnight daily Dress to impress when hanging around here because you will eat on the patio and end up burning it all off inside on the dance floor. FAT SANDWICH 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. Monday - Saturday Only here can freshmen conquer the Big Fat Ugly and have it be a good thing.
LAUREN ABRAM
NEW YORK PIZZA AND SUBS 10:30 a.m. - midnight Monday - Wednesday 10:30 a.m. - 2 a.m. Thursday - Saturday A quick solution when you are out and about. Good prices and huge slices. JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES 10:30 a.m. - 3 a.m. Monday Saturday They also have a delivery option, but come on, you can walk.
OKLAHOMA MEMORIAL UNION The union is home to Crossroads Restaurant (open 24/7) as well as a variety of other places to grab a bite.
TACO MAYO 11 a.m.-midnight Monday-Sunday Cheap, student-friendly and they serve Choco-Tacos. Enough said.
O’HENRY’S 10:30 a.m. - midnight Monday - Sunday For those low-carb sandwich and salad cravings, and also serves a dynamite Potato Soup.
BURGER KING Located on the first floor of Adams Center 7 a.m. - 2 a.m. Monday - Sunday Trust me; you will appreciate this have-ityour-way option once classes start. Lines can get long, but they move quickly.
OLIVER’S 7 a.m. - midnight Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - midnight Saturday - Sunday An almost all-day place plus hot breakfast bar equals awesome. MAP ILLUSTRATION BY OU
PAPA JOHNS In the Stubbeman Village shopping center on the West side of the Adams Center 10 a.m. - 3 a.m. daily If you’re on a budget, check out the specials because they’re always running some. After all, what’s college without an unhealthy obsession with pizza?
O’CONNELL’S IRISH PUB 11 a.m. - midnight daily Grab a burger and sing your heart out on karaoke nights or see who can scream “Roll that hopper” the loudest during bingo.
Back-to-School Edition 2010
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COLUMN: Fall movie preview
PHOTO BY JAAP BUITENDIJK/WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger are back in “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows — Part 1,” which hits theaters Nov. 19.
LOOK OUT FOR FILM FUN, FLOPS THIS FALL The fall is a strange time for Hollywood. You could call it the hangover from the party that was the summer of movies. Late August and all of September often contain movies that aren’t quite cut out for the summer (chick flicks, second-rate action movies, etc.), but sometimes have gems in the mix (“3:10 To Yuma,” “Miracle At St. Anna”). Nevertheless, I have compiled a list of nine films that I think will be moderately-to-very popular come autumn. Once you see the leaves turning and notice the temperature dropping, refer to this list for your movie-going FAQs.
CONVICTION, OCT. 15 Directed by: Tony Goldwyn Starring: Hilary Swank, Minnie Driver, Sam Rockwell, Melissa Leo, Loren Dean After her brother (Rockwell) is sentenced to life in prison on murder charges, Anne Waters (Swank) puts herself through law school just so she can fight for his innocence. Waters, an unemployed and single mother, spends well over a decade obtaining her law license and compiling evidence to overturn her brother’s sentence. Directed by Tony Goldwyn and based on a true story, “Conviction” promises to move audiences. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2, OCT. 22 Directed by: Kip Williams While no plot details are available, the trailer to the film has generated a lot of buzz around Hollywood. After the booming success of “Paranormal Activity,” Paramount wants to cash in on a quick sequel. What looks to be a high-end house (in the trailer) is haunted by an entity that has yet to be identified. Hopefully this installment of the series doesn’t kill the buzz that the first film generated, but I have a feeling it will.
GOING THE DISTANCE, AUG. 27 Directed by: Nanette Burstein Starring: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Ron Livingston Garrett (Long) is an aspiring music producer. His girlfriend Erin (Barrymore) is an aspiring journalist. They are perfect for each other, except for the fact that they live 3,000 miles apart. “Going The Distance” follows the two as they navigate through the endless walls that come with a long-distance relationship (doubters, other singles, temptation). This “chick-flick” of a movie should attract many-a-female. MACHETE, SEPT. 3 Directed by: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis Starring: Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal From director Robert Rodriguez comes another action-packed, comic, “Kill Bill”-ish thrill ride. Machete (Trejo) is set out on righting the wrongs that the corrupt Sen. McLaughlin (Robert De Niro) has committed. Employing such big names as De Niro, Alba and Seagal, “Machete” looks like it will be one hell of an action flick.
MORNING GLORY, NOV. 12 Directed by: Roger Michell Starring: Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Wilson After being fired from her former news station, driven TV producer Becky Fuller (McAdams) is hired by “Daybreak,” a failing morning show in New England. Having to deal with uncharismatic on-air hosts (Keaton and Ford), bad ratings and an unreceptive production team, Fuller must find a way to revamp not only “Daybreak,” but her life as well. “Morning Glory” looks like it could be 2010’s “Up In The Air,” just a little bit more on the comedy side. Whatever the case, I think that this movie will be quite pleasing. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS — PART 1, NOV. 19 Directed by: David Yates Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Nighy The first half of the final installment of the “Harry Potter” series looks to be extremely exciting. After the death of Dumbledore, the world of wizardry has broken out into war between forces for good and forces for Voldemort. As Harry (Radcliffe), Ron (Grint) and Hermoine (Watson) embark on their journey to find the everpowerful Horcruxes, the Dark Lord looms closer and closer, waiting for his chance to strike down Harry and become ruler of all wizards. - Woody Toms is a film and video studies junior. ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED
WarrenOklahomaGazetteReason9Ad.qxd 7/9/09 10:06 AM Page 1
LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE, SEPT. 24 Directed by: Zack Snyder Starring: Emily Barclay, Ryan Kwanten, Jay Laga’aia, Miriam Margolyes, Richard Roxburgh Based on the books authored by Kathryn Lasky, Zack Snyder makes his animation debut with “Legend of the Guardians.” Soren, a young owl who aspires to become one of the “Guardians” that his father tells him about, is put into an extraordinary situation when he and his brother are taken by a band of renegade owls. It is then up to Soren to fulfill his dream and fly to Ga’Hoole and join forces with the Guardians and save the Owl Kingdom. While the plot sounds insane and somewhat stupid at times, the animation looks solid and the flick should be, at least, a mildly entertaining movie.
Reason #9
The Biggest Screens!
THE SOCIAL NETWORK, OCT. 1 Directed by: David Fincher Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Joseph Mazzello, Armie Hammer Ever wonder how Facebook got started? See this movie. Eisenberg, Timberlake and Garfield play the three founders of Facebook in a film that could very well define our generation. Director David Fincher and writer Andrew Sorkin promise to produce a film that will hit very close to home for all Facebook users alike. JACKASS 3-D, OCT. 15 Directed by: Jeff Tremaine Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O Not much to say here. Knoxville and his lovable band of idiots are back and at it again, but in 3-D this time. Although it’s still in shooting stages, “Jackass 3-D” should be full of laughs and probably more than a few “WTF’s.” Hopefully the last “Jackass” of the series, this one really should bring audiences to their feet, generate five-star reviews and leave people crying as they leave the theater. Well, maybe not the last part.
Movie Line: (405) 703-3777
WarrenTheatres.com
Just South of 4th Street on I-35 in Moore
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Back-to-School Edition 2010