The Oklahoma Daily by OU Daily

FRIDAY MARCH 12, 2010

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Spring breakdown: wn: Sooners share their heir plans for the next xt week. e See page 2.

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Norman city councilman enters state House race Tom Kovach maintains he has adequate experience to face challenges

from personal relationships with fellow residents — the people I’ve grown up and worked with,” Kovach said by e-mail. “We must meet our challenges without sacrificing those qualities that make Norman such a great place to live.” Kovach said his many years of local involvement on a wide range of important community issues have given him the necessary background and experience to successfully meet the challenges he would face representing District 44. Kovach said he got involved in his community at just 15 years old when he addressed the Norman City Council about local flooding issues.

CAROLINE PERRYMAN Daily Staff Writer

The race for the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 44 just got bigger. Norman City Councilman Tom Kovach announced he plans to run to represent the State House district that represents OU. Having lived in the district for more than 40 years, Kovach said he understands the character and values of the community. “Preserving those requires the knowledge of this community, the experience that comes

In 2008, Kovach was elected to the Norman City Council and has focused on issues such as public safety, flooding and improving water quality. Kovach also ser ves as the Council’s representative to the Citizen’s TOM Oversight Committee on Wastewater and is a KOVACH member of the Council Oversight Committee and the Transportation Committee. He coordinated with local agencies and jurisdictions to launch Citizens Against the Financial Exploitation of the HOUSE CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

St. Patrick’s Day blowout at O’Connell’s could be the last Future of restaurant’s location depends on word from OU, owner says CHARLES WARD Daily Staff Writer

Irish men and women, Irish-Americans and the Irish-for-a-day will converge Wednesday at O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille for the Norman restaurant’s annual St. Patrick’s Day blowout. However, not even owner Jeff Stewart, knows if this party will be the last green-themed bash at the bar’s original location on the southeast corner of East Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue. While Stewart owns the business, OU owns the property on which his bar has sat since 1968. The university bought the land and buildings on that corner in January 2007, according to information obtained in an open-records request. Stewart’s lease expired in October of that year, and the purchase agreement stated all leases, save one, were to be concluded by December 2007. The lone outlier was Subway’s lease of part of the building adjacent to O’Connell’s. That agreement concluded in August 2009. However, the sandwich shop still occupies the space at 1301 Jenkins Ave. One tenant, King Kopy, moved from the lot to Boyd Street. O’Connell’s was set to follow suit, Stewart said. He even went so far as to open a new location on Campus Corner, in anticipation of the need to move out of the original location. Moving day for Stewart and O’Connell’s has yet to come, though the location on Campus Corner remains. Stewart said his lease at the original spot is now month to month. “I was kind of apprehensive about that relationship to begin with, but it’s been a very good relationship,” he said. Stewart said he anticipates being able to keep his Irish pub open in its original location for the remainder of 2010, though he said there have not been any guarantees from OU in that regard. He said he’s asked for a 90-days’ notice from OU before having to leave. “I’m pretty confident it will be [here] through football season,” Stewart said. “Again, that’s not definite, but I’m pretty confident it will be.” O’Connell’s’ existence catty corner to Oklahoma ST. PATRICK’S CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY

Elmer City natives Bryan Pickett and Keena Hayes enjoy a game of pool Monday night at O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille. The warm, inviting atmosphere of the pub is what attracts the couple to make the hour-and-a-half drive about once a week.

Controversial Bill Passes State Senate Law ‘intentionally’ leaves out protection for sexual orientation, gender identity, activist says RICKY MARANON Assignment Editor

The Oklahoma State Senate passed a bill Thursday that would limit what authorities can do when prosecuting hate crimes. The bill would prohibit local and state law enforcement agencies from sharing information about hate crimes with federal authorities if the state of Oklahoma did not recognize the crime as a hate crime by its own statutes. The Oklahoma Gay , L e s b i a n , Bisexual and T r a n s g e n d e r STEVE community condemned the bill’s RUSSELL passage. The bill would leave LGBT Oklahomans with no legal recourse if they are victims of hate crimes, Laura Belmonte, vice president of The Equality Network, said in a press release. “Not only does the state hate crimes law exclude sexual orientation or gender identity, but SB 1965 also prevents law enforcement officials from asking for federal assistance in enforcing the LGBTinclusive federal hate crimes law,” Belmonte said. Belmonte said the bill does not seek to repeal federal or state hate crimes protections accorded on the basis of race, national origin, religion or disability. Instead, it intentionally excludes only hate crimes perpetrated on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, two categories added to federal hate crimes law by the U.S. Congress in October. According to the Senate’s billtracking Web site, Russell’s original bill, Senate Bill 2156, died in the Senate Judiciary Committee, but Russell’s bill was revived as Senate Bill 1965 after it was stripped of its title and contents and the original language was replaced with the language of the then-dead bill, Senate Bill 2156. According to the State Senate’s bill-tracking Web site, the original SB 1965 was a bill to provide oversight to the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association, but the Senate Committee on Education replaced the original language with Russell’s bill. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 39-6 and now moves on to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

President, vice president candidates outline plans for UOSA reform Forum held Thursday to give presidential, vice presidential nominees chance to answer student questions KATHLEEN EVANS Daily Staff Writer

The eight UOSA presidential and vice presidential candidates met under one roof Thursday evening in Walker Center to answer student questions and talk about reforming UOSA. The four pairs running for president and vice president, respectively, include: Jess Eddy and Jay Kumar, Ally Glavas and Zac McCullock, Nick Harrison and John Surles, and Franz Zentano and Cory Lloyd. About 30 to 40 people attended the discussion, ranging from current UOSA members to dorm residents.

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The forum was hosted by the center staff and the faculty-in-residence, Josh Landis, associate international and area studies professor. Landis said as a faculty member, he was impressed how good the candidates were. “I think this forum will create momentum and energy in students and let them see who the candidates are and go out and tell people,” he said. A major topic of discussion was how each duo plans to change UOSA to make it more effective for the student body. Everyone agreed reform was necessary but differed on approaches. “Most people are not aware that they are a member of UOSA,” Eddy said. “Everyone in this room is a member of UOSA by attending this university.” Eddy and Kumar said they intend to focus on increasing voter participation and on FORUM CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI / THE DAILY

From the left: UOSA President and Vice Presidential candidates Franz Zenteno, Cory Lloyd, Zac McCullock, Ally Glavas, Jess Eddy, Jay Kumar, Nicholas Harrison, John Surles answer questions Thursday in Walker Center during a presidential forum. The campaigns will ask people to vote for them throughout March. One group will become the next UOSA president and vice president.

VOL. 95, NO. 116

2 Friday, March 12, 2010 Caitlin Harrison, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 325-3666 • fax: 325-6051

House Continues from page 1 Elderly) in Cleveland County. Kovach said he is running for the Oklahoma State House to continue his service as an outspoken advocate of the public and open government. “Sometimes government produces ideas that in the light of day lack common sense. I have always been willing to speak out on those occasions, as the voice of the people, and I remain so,” Kovach said. “Throughout my years in Norman, I have worked with people from all walks of life, helping them to find solutions to the problems they faced. I have done so as a union leader, a small business owner and now as a local business executive. “I accomplished those things through honesty, respectful communication and a willingness to hear all sides of an issue — the same qualities that will mark my service as your next state representative.” Kovach w ill face off against two OU students also seeking the Democratic Party nomination. Emily Virgin, first-year law student, and Isaiah McCaslin, public policy junior, announced their candidacies earlier this year. District 44 covers much of Norman, including the OU campus. It stretches from Tecumseh Road in the north to Highway 9 in the south, I-35 in the west and Porter Avenue and Classen Boulevard in the east. The Democratic Party primary election is July 27, and the general election vote is set for Nov. 2.

MOVE THAT BUS The “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” episode filmed in the Norman area will air on ABC this Sunday at 7 p.m. Ideal Homes, a Normanbased homebuilder, was picked by the show to help build the house. Ideal Homes and the University of Central Oklahoma will host a private watch party with the Skaggs family, Peggy Sealy, Ideal Homes spokeswoman, said. Steve Shoemaker, Ideal Homes marketing director, said he hopes volunteers and fans will host watch parties. “‘Extreme Makeover : Home Edition’ has thousands of dedicated fans in the Oklahoma City area,” Shoemaker said in a press release. “We hope they will get their friends together for watch parties, too, and then send photos from their parties to us.” Sealy said there was a large number of OU students that volunteered with the project, but she didn’t know of any watch parties occurring on the OU campus. Fans holding watch parties can send their photos to pix@ Ideal-Homes.com, and Ideal Homes will put them on its Web site. -Audrey Harris/The Daily

OUDAILY.COM OUDAILY.COM »» OUDAILY.COM » GO ONLINE TO WATCH FOOTAGE FROM AN EA SPORTS EVENT.

SOONER SAMPLER “I might be going to Disneyland for my birthday. I’d go with my family and my little cousin. I want to be a big kid on my 21st.” —Adrianna Hicks, musical theater junior

“I’m going to Dallas for a Muse concert with some friends. We’re bumming around and staying in a car. It should be fun. It’ll be an adventure.” —Philip Nguyen, University College freshman

The Daily asked students what they are doing for spring break

“I’m going home to Coweta, Okla. I’m going to see friends and work in my vegetable garden.” —Sarah Dill, University College freshman

“I’m staying in Norman chilling out. Everyone is getting together and eating a lot of Iranian food for the Persian New Year.” —William Freeman, international area studies graduate student

“I’m having surgery on my nose because of my allergies. It’s a three-hour surgery, so the doctor told me to rest for a week.” —Carmen Alvarado, University College freshman

St. Patrick’s

Forum

Continues from page 1

Memorial Stadium beyond the close of the calendar year is even less certain, Stewart said. OU’s plans for the O’Connell’s property remain up in the air. OU plans to build a new facility to replace Wilkinson, Jones and Jefferson Houses, said Jay Doyle, university spokesman. Those structures are directly east of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium across Jenkins Avenue. Right now, they are used as dormitories JEREMY DICKIE/THE DAILY for athletes and other students, Shelese Moaning, pre-nursing junior, enjoys a plate of cheese fries while waiting for Doyle said. The land on which her entree Monday night at O’Connell’s Irish Pub & Grille. Moaning said she frequents O’Connell’s now sits may be used the pub about once a month with friends from OU and Oklahoma State University. for part of that project, Doyle said. teams along with other photos that be the most likely location for anThe land also may be used for additional university parking, Doyle line the walls of O’Connell’s, Stewart other O’Connell’s, though Stewart said nothing is definite yet. said. However, neither one of those said. However, Stewart said he has No new location or continued projects are likely to proceed until Oklahoma’s economic situation fielded requests for just about any- business success will make a pothing related to the bar that opened tential last day on Lindsey Street improves, Doyle said. Stewart does have a plan for the in 1968. Someone even wants to buy any easier. Stewart said he realized day when and if that notice comes the bar itself to put into a renovated that when he spoke to another forbasement, Stewart said. mer Norman business owner who from OU. “We’ve had people who just closed his doors. When Stewart began making wanted a set of tables and chairs for “He said the hardest thing you’re plans in 2007 to close, inquiries going to have is walking out of here came in from former and current their den,” he said. And the success of the two-lo- the last time,” Stewart said. “And, patrons who wanted to secure a cation system has Stewart thinking he’s probably right. That probably piece of memorabilia from the saabout even further expansion, he will be one of the toughest days of loon. The most popular requests have been for the pictures of softball said. North Oklahoma City would my life.”

improving the quality of educating by creating a new center to bring students and faculty together to learn about topics and get advice. Academics also are a focus of Glavas’s and McCullock’s campaign, who said they plan to revise the academic advising process to become more efficient. “If you aren’t advised properly, you can lose thousands more than you would have and things can get messy,” Glavas said. “We always hear about how great the advisers are in [the School of International and Area Studies]; what are they doing right that everyone else isn’t?” They want to start an adviser evaluation problem to find out what advisers are doing wrong and to make sure advisers in each college are getting the resources they need. Harrison and Surles emphasized bringing together everyone who has a say in the university — students, faculty, administration, alumni and donors — with a new University Communications Council. “It’s easy to want to eliminate student government when all they can do is get condom machines and bike racks,” Harrison said. “You can get a job at the Physical Plant and do the same thing.” Other universities, such as Princeton University and Brown University, have a similar council to that proposed by Harrison, which would allow all stakeholders to bring ideas together and decide as a whole what the university should do. For their platform, Zentano and Lloyd talked about their involvement with campus and what it means to them. To help students, Zentano said he wants to create a better Web site with all student organizations, as well as personal testimonies from students. Nick Lopez, multidisciplinary studies sophomore, said he knew a lot about the candidates and their campaigns, but wanted to see them in person. “I was mainly assessing character and presentation,” Lopez said. “I got pretty much all I needed to know from this.”

CAMPUS EVENTS

POLICE REPORTS The following is a list of arrests and citations, not convictions. The information given is compiled from the Norman and OU Police Departments. At times, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department and the Oklahoma City FBI will contribute to these reports. All those listed are innocent until proven guilty.

MUNICIPAL WARRANT James William Calico, 48, 1008 N. Flood Ave., Wednesday, also county warrant, public drunkenness, possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substances Ira Doyle Hagerty, 25, 5100 E. SH 9, Wednesday, also unspecified other warrant Elizabeth Ann Hedrick, 32, 210 W. Gray St., Wednesday Marido Aloysios Murphy, 27, East Main Street, Wednesday

UNLAWFUL USE OF A DRIVER’S LICENSE

The following is a list of events posted on our Web site that will take place throughout the week of spring break.

Miguel Guevara Martinez, 23, North Berry Road, Tuesday

WEDNESDAY

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE William Seth Barnett, 22, 200 E. Boyd St., Wednesday Kimble Dwight Barsh, 43, East Constitution Street, Tuesday Christina Jenise Warden, 33, 11200 E. SH 9, Wednesday, also driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and transporting an open bottle

COUNTY WARRANT Georgio La’Torris Harris, 20, 1111 Wylie Rd., Wednesday Robert Allen Lumley, 37, 15700 E. SH 9, Wednesday

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCURACY The Daily has a long-standing commitment to serve readers by providing accurate coverage and analysis. Errors are corrected as they are identified. Readers should bring errors to the attention of the editorial board for further investigation.

CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST Campus Crusade for Christ will meet from 9 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday through May 26 in the Santee Lounge on the fifth floor of Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Joshua Boydston, L&A editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 325-5189 • fax: 325-6051

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Watch the latest “Rant!” on Tilikum at OUDaily.com

COMI NG TO

The Daily’s Dusty Somers reviews a trio of movies coming to theaters today.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

“REMEMBER ME”

“OUR FAMILY WEDDING”

“Remember Me” is a film drunk on its own self-seriousness, but somehow, that seems to matter less and less and it progresses. The presence of Robert Pattinson is probably enough to divide potential audiences into two extreme camps with just a glance of the poster, but his pop culture persona doesn’t come into play much here. Pattinson stars as Tyler Hawkins, a New York City college kid still reeling from his brother’s suicide. He meets cute with Ally Craig (“Lost’s” Emilie de Ravin), who saw her mother murdered as a child. The potential for obviousness is in almost every scene of the film, but it somehow manages to skirt it most of the time, opting to allow the viewer to make at least some of the connections — increasingly rare in mainstream film, and one would think impossible in a Pattinson vehicle. The two are caught up in a whirlwind romance, which gives us some of the film’s more drippy moments, like repeated shots of Pattinson gazing broodingly out the window or a goldenhued, Sigur Rós-scored sex scene, Still, director Allen Coulter allows these only to be beats in the larger tale, which incorporates a number of fleshed-out characters, including Tyler’s roommate Aidan (Tate Ellington) and his little sister Caroline (Ruby Jerins). The fathers of Tyler and Ally (Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper, respectively) are framed by cliché, but emerge as real human beings nonetheless. Pattinson and de Ravin make for an engaging onscreen couple, but this film’s not really about the thrall of young love or even the perils of romance. “Twilight” fans will likely only enjoy it if they miss the point. Rather, “Remember Me” is a rumination on tragedy. Some may be put off by the film’s tone and its denouement admittedly strains credulity, but in a larger world context, it works. Tragedy can tie people together just as easily as it rips them apart. A mainstream film that allows for the recognition of something universal beyond its own all-consuming internal world seems rare, and is enough to qualify “Remember Me” as a welcome surprise.

Sure, it relies on tired tropes and a series of forced and Spectacularly unfunny, “She’s Out of My League” wants desunfunny gags, but the fact that Carlos Mencia doesn’t perately to be taken seriously as an Apatow-style comic totally derail “Our Family Wedding” has to be conextravaganza, but it lacks just about everything to get sidered a win for this fairly good-natured film. there. Painfully unfunny comic Mencia keeps the mugStar Jay Baruchel sort of has the pedigree — he played ging to a minimum, restrained perhaps by the much the awkward, Canadian roommate in “Knocked Up” — more imposing screen presence of Forest Whitaker. but the rest of the production has a relentlessly amateur Both play fathers surprised by the upcoming nupquality, from the dingy photography to the jokes that tials of their children to each other (America Ferrera, seem tailor-made for 30-second commercial spots. Lance Gross). Whitaker is the permissive single dad Baruchel stars as Kirk, a TSA agent who has a chance who’s bedding ladies the same age as his son’s fian- DUSTY encounter with gorgeous blonde Molly (Alice Eve). She cée, while Mencia gets the overprotective role. takes a seemingly inexplicable interest in him, much to SOMERS A trio of screenwriters paints the characters’ difthe disbelief of Kirk’s misfit band of friends (T.J. Miller, ferences in broad strokes, giving the film ample opMike Vogel, Nate Torrence). As they see it, she’s a hard portunity to trot out lazy ethnic stereotypes and seek to wedge 10 — perfect in every way — while he’s at best a 5. in some class conflict too, despite both seemingly occupying Still, she continues to enthusiastically date him, undeterred some segment of the moderby Kirk’s hick family (the inimiately affluent middle class. table Debra Jo Rupp is wasted SHOWTIMES The formula is well trodden, as his mother) and his psycho and the less-common permuex (Lindsay Sloane). Of course, Hollywood Theaters- Spotlight 14 Warren Theatre tation of a black family and a 1100 N. Interstate Drive, Norman 1000 S. Telephone Road, Moore there’s the possibility it might Mexican one doesn’t make it all be too good to be true. any more surprising when evEve is appealingly cute “Remember Me” “Remember Me” eryone discovers that they’re as Molly and Baruchel has 1, 4, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. 12:50, 4, 7:05 and 9:55 p.m. not so different after all. a modest amount of geeky The culture clash matecharm, but there’s not enough “Our Family Wedding” “Our Family Wedding” rial seems fresh pinned up there to make for a convincing 1:15, 4:20, 7:25 amd 10:15 p.m. 1:25, 4:05, 7:05 and 9:45 p.m. romantic comedy. The film’s against wedding cake gags and a Viagra-eating goat, but when only hope lies in its raunchy “She’s Out Of My League” “She’s Out of My League” the film settles down to its inevhumor, which consistently 1:05, 4:10, 7:15 and 10:05 p.m. 1:50, 4:30, 7:25 and 10:15 p.m. falls flat on its face. There’s not itable ending, it’s hard to hold anything against it. Were you a single memorable sequence expecting irreconcilability in a that could drive the film into romantic comedy? sleeper-hit territory, even Ferrera and Gross have solid chemistry as the altruistic though there are attempts involving pube shaving and pants young couple, and Whitaker shows himself to be passable jizzing. with comedic material. Moviegoers looking for an artifi“She’s Out of My League” is nowhere near a 10; it’s not even a cially induced half-smile in fewer than 90 minutes should be 5. A ticket to it means you’re settling. satisfied. Dusty Somers is a journalism senior.

“SHE’S OUT OF MY LEAGUE”

THE STRIPES GO ‘UNDER GREAT WHITE NORTHERN LIGHTS’ FOR CONCERT DOC You can say what you will about Jack White — common complaints include the contrivance of his live shows, bizarre aesthetic and his seemingly despotic rule over bandmate (and ex-wife) Meg White — but he will hear you, and he will pack up his things and leave for Canada. Wait, what? An eager Oklahoma City Museum of Art crowd of about 100 was treated Wednesday night to an advance screening of “Under Great White Northern Lights”, simultaneously the Detroit band’s first live album and documentary (set for release this coming Tuesday), which follows Jack and Meg through Canada in the summer of 2007, culminating in their MATT tenth anniversary show in CARNEY Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jack answers the question, “Why Canada?” early in the doc by expressing his desire to play out-of-the-way towns for their uniqueness and as a way of hand-delivering his music to people who would otherwise rarely get to hear it. To do so, they devised the oddball plan of playing to every province of our northern neighbors, including sleepy Inuit towns that packed the house each night to see the Stripes play. Propelled by The White Stripes’ (read: Jack’s) propensity for the bizarre and manic, blistering live performances, “Under Great White Northern Lights” is a tremendous, resounding

success of a rock doc. It’s got plenty of nods to live coverage previous (Led Zeppelin-esque shots of the band and road crew exiting their touring planes), playful footage of the band playing spontaneous day shows (they blast songs from a boat in Charlottetown, a bowling alley in Saskatoon, a flour mill in Arva) and does well to mix the sparse Canadian landscape with White’s well-known color scheme fixation. Ditching vapid stage banter and gimmicky planning, the Whites cut right to business, shredding their studio work to pieces before screaming fans. Their 1998 debut single “Let’s Shake Hands” and “Black Math” from 2003’s masterpiece “Elephant” initially set the mood at crazed as Jack transforms into a human tornado, whirling around onstage to the raucous sounds of his inhuman blues-garage guitar riffing. The film alternates between black-andwhite and color filming, though the latter tends to restrict itself to the Stripes’ preferred red, white and black. Jack emerges from the shadows while Meg sings “In the Cold, Cold Night”, and disappears again, save perhaps for glints of his pale skin. The duo visit with Inuit elders to exchange tunes (Jack schools them in southern blues and they share a traditional accordion square dance) inducing smiles and foot-taps despite the natives’ lack of English. They share “We’re Going to Be Friends” with a group of schoolchildren and “The Wheels on the Bus” on a public transit bus in Saskatchewan. Malloy tosses in some ‘aboots’, color-scheming kilts and black-

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and-white shots of sparse landscapes to satisfy the Canada element, which he blends nicely with footage of post-show exhaustion, wine-swigging (Jack) and cigarette binging (Meg), characteristic of any great rock documentary. The band marches out “Seven Nation Army” for the big finish, a song so massively heavy that it casts a shadow over the entire project itself. Meg’s kick drum resounds deep through the crowd, opening up the stage for her counterpart’s heavily distorted guitar to steamroll over the audience, flattening all those who dare to stand in its path. The instrument shrieks like a wounded animal but stomps like a pack off elephants. After a last flag-waving salute alute to the crowd, one final performance mance awaits. Jack and Meg share an offstage piano bench, wheree the former tenderly sings “White White Moon”, inducing tears from the latter. It’s a powerful partingg image that testifies to the awesomee influence of the pair’s creation, even ven over themselves. Matt Carney is a professional writing ng junior junior. PHOTOS PROVIDED

Friday, March 12, 2010

Max Avery, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

COMMENT OF THE DAY »

In response to Thursday’s Our View on open records requests: YOU CAN COMMENT AT OUDAILY.COM

“Here is a better question, why did the Daily Oklahoman file an open records request of ALL STATE EMPLOYEES? Its not to research something, its just another power play. Its sadi that just because the J-School is bankrolled by the Oklahoman and friends that you are a mere puppet. Articles like this give the MEDIA a bad name, it all about exploiting privacy of people. There are pictures of sex offenders on the website I think that is enough ID to make sure you have the right person. This whole is issue is because the press is LAZY!” -grhm

OUR VIEW

Prevent needless tragedies — don’t drink and drive Julia Gilbert’s autopsy revealed Wednesday that she died of acute alcohol intoxication and multiple blunt force trauma. Gilbert had been at a BCS National Championship watch party at a friend’s house about five miles away from her parents’ home in Edmond when she drove home around 3 a.m. Jan. 8. Her body was found in her overturned car Jan. 10, nearly 18 miles in the opposite direction of her parents’ house. Gilbert had ethyl alcohol concentrations of 0.14 percent in her liver and 0.24 percent in her brain, according to the autopsy. Every week several OU students drink and drive. A few of them are caught and appear in our police reports.

This is terribly unfortunate; we are supposed to be the best and brightest, yet we’re not smart enough to call a cab or walk. We know you’ve heard this a thousand times: Don’t drink and drive. But we have to report on the effects of students driving drunk. This means we still have to say it. It’s still a problem. We still need to be told not to drive drunk, not to risk our lives and others, not to take this risk that could cause unnecessary harm. Don’t drive, don’t let your friends drive, plan designated drivers, drink somewhere within walking distance of where you’re staying or call a cab.

Over winter break, many OU students lost a close friend, and this was a tragedy that could have been prevented. Another week of freedom is upon us and will no doubt include students drinking. But we urge you to do so responsibly. We urge every OU student to watch out for one another — and that means stopping each other from driving drunk or drinking too much. If you still aren’t convinced, close your eyes and try to imagine your best friend, brother or sister or a family member gone in an instant because of something that could have been easily prevented.

STAFF CARTOON

AJ Stafford is a psychology senior.

STAFF COLUMN

Teach for America not as good an idea as some graduates believe Many students at OU might be considering whether or not they should apply for Teach for America. Teach for America is a program which takes recent college graduates and places them in schools in poor communities. The idea is that doing so will somehow better education equity in these poor communities which will have long-term impacts on the success of the pupils. Students with some desire for social justice consider joining the program to help decrease poverty by creating better college opportunities for poor children. The problem is that there is no compelling reason to think that Teach for America helps do this at all. Let’s look at the underlying premise of the program: if we take well-off college kids and put them in low-income public schools, this will help the students in that school do better. There is absolutely no reason to suspect this would be the case. This idea rests on the assumption that students in poor communities do poorly because of bad teachers and the assumption that recent undergraduates are somehow better than traditional teachers. In reality, the reason why students from poor MATT communities do poorly goes way beyond teacher BRUENIG performance. Poverty causes havoc for home situations. Impoverished communities are more prone to drug abuse, crime and many other distracting conditions. In addition, schools in poorer communities have less funding which decreases the number of instructional tools they are capable of acquiring. In short, it is the conditions of poverty that lead to low student achievement, not teacher quality. In addition to this fact, why would a recent undergraduate from OU be a better teacher than any other teacher? Of course some recent undergraduates might be better than some teachers, but if Teach for America is to serve any real purpose, it should be the case that, on the whole, recent undergraduates are better than traditional teachers. There is no compelling reason to suspect that recent OU graduates would be better teachers than any other teacher. The empirical studies on the efficacy of Teach for America teachers are split, but even the studies that show a positive impact, only show very slightly positive impacts. A study conducted in 2004 found that Teach for America teachers had no effect on students’ reading levels and only a slightly positive effect in students’ mathematical literacy. But even if Teach for America did somehow significantly increase the quality of education and even if this did somehow

mean all of the students involved were able to go to college and get degrees, what would be the impact of this? Some narrowthinking individuals have this idea that what causes poverty is poor educational opportunities. Those who can go to college and get degrees make more money than those who do not, so surely if we just made it so that everyone could go to college, poverty would be solved! The problem with this kind of logic is obvious. Ending the cycle of poverty does not end poverty, all it does is redistribute it. So long as there are more people than jobs, there will be poverty. So long as there are jobs which do not pay a living wage, there will be poverty. Increasing educational opportunities does not do anything to solve these actual problems. Those who are thinking of participating in Teach for America with a social justice mission in mind should consider this. Although a far more daunting task for sure, those really interested in social justice should consider ways of solving problems like unavoidable unemployment and low-wage jobs. On top of failing to make a dent in poverty, Teach for America actually detracts from social justice by hurting real teachers. Teach for America students take low, entrancelevel pay while also receiving a government subsidy for their salary in the form of Americorps stipends. Schools lay off teachers and then hire Teach for America teachers to fill positions that real teachers would otherwise be filling. Teach for America teachers are undercutting the wage needs of real teachers and causing them to be laid off as a result. Imagine this: a well-off college student takes a subsidized teaching position at an impossibly low wage and displaces actual teachers who might already be struggling to get by — all for social justice! For anyone who has any concern for labor rights, this is extremely abusive. Not undercutting wage demands of often unionized workers is rule number one of how to be a serious social justice advocate. In sum, Teach for America is not nearly as good of an idea as it first sounds. It has a limited effect on the poor students it reaches, does nothing to solve systemic problem which cause the poverty it is trying to combat and causes the unemployment of real teachers who might need a job. If you choose to do Teach for America, do it to build your resume, not out of a concern for social justice.

You did it. You really did it. You voted for bread. This is about the abortion columns isn’t it? I know. I know. We overdid it. And believe me, most of us are pretty upset about it too. But only you, our readers, in your abundance of wisdom, could have come up with such a twisted example of poetic justice. When the results came in, I sat there in abject horror trying to figure out what this meant. And then it hit me: this was revenge. It was the only thing that made sense. I and my fellow writers, were being punished. We’d sinned against our loyal audience, and were now facing retribution. With this new knowledge, I had to MARY ask myself what could possibly drive STANFIELD our esteemed readers to this act of revenge? What could we have done to warrant such torture? The answer was evident in the very premise of the poll. It was all those abortion columns last semester! We knew it was getting ridiculous, we knew nothing good could come of it, but we couldn’t stop. And now, we’re paying the price. Because you’re getting what you wished for, oh wise readership. Starting the day we get back from spring break, we’re running at least one column about bread a day for a week. I hope you’re happy now. You got exactly what you wanted. But just know, I’m on to you. I’ve figured out your little plot. You chose bread just to torment us. Come to think of it, how did bread even get on the poll? I mean, why would the opinion editor let that topic get through? Oh. My. God. You got to him, didn’t you? The opinion editor must be in on this. It’s the only possible explanation — a conspiracy. I wonder how high up this goes. Did you get to Boren too? For those of you who voted for other topics, those of you who aren’t in on the plot, don’t let them suck you in. We’re in this together. I know the opinion writers have messed up in the past, but have some compassion. We’re trying to atone. And for those of you in Operation: Torture the Columnists, you win this round. But beware. Now that I’ve exposed your motives, we’ll be watching. We know all about your little plot, and all about our editor’s involvement. And, next time, we’ll be ready for you. Until then, I suppose I can just be happy that you didn’t vote for abortion.

Matt Bruenig is a philosophy junior.

Mary Stanfield is a philosophy sophomore.

COMMENT ON THIS COLUMN AT OUDAILY.COM

T=: O@A6=DB6 D6>AN Jamie Hughes Caitlin Harrison Ricky Maranon Lisa Phan Max Avery Michelle Gray Marcin Rutkowski

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Friday, March 12, 2010 5

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Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

HOROSCOPE By Bernice Bede Osol

Friday, March 12, 2010 PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- This could be a good time to ask for another person’s help in order to accomplish something you’ve worked hard on but haven’t been able to complete on your own. It won’t hurt your image or pride. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You could find yourself in a unique position serving as a conduit for bringing two unrelated factions together to achieve something that would be beneficial for everyone. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- It will pay to be imaginative because in order to achieve a regular objective, you may have to put a different spin on your methods or tactics. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Your popularity with friends is a great asset. The proof of this is that several of your pals are likely to do things for you that they wouldn’t consider doing for anyone else. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Two different but rewarding developments could occur with regard to involvements you have with two friends. Luckily, you should be able to benefit from each relationship. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- It isn’t likely that you’ll have any trouble finding solutions for two vexing problems. The only frustration is choosing between too many good answers. Previous Answers

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Several important and long-neglected tasks will be completed because of the amazing productivity you’ll show at this time. Keep pushing forward. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- You may have to divide your time between two valued friends who are both bidding for your attention. You’re certainly clever enough to do it in considerate ways. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -Many times, the best results are accomplished by getting out of your own way; try to hang back and let events run the show. You can always jump in when necessary. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- This will be an excellent day to catch up on your communications with others, both personal and work-related. Some exciting news is likely to be discovered. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Take the time to check your budget because there’s a good chance you’ll find several ways to trim some waste out of it. That extra money will quickly add up. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Important personal matters should not be left to the whim of another. Make your needs known, and discuss what you expect to come from the proper handling of things.opening for someone to take advantage of you.

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ACROSS 1 Big blowout 5 Not firm, as recently poured concrete 10 Office communication 14 Toast-topping option 15 Take game illegally 16 Awestruck 17 A drawbridge may span one 18 Bantu language group 19 You can make one for yourself 20 What our secret should be 23 Make modifications to 24 Road Runner’s scenery 25 At no cost 28 Ballpark beverage 30 Shade of green 31 First wrecker of Ruth’s homerun record 33 ___-o’-shanter 36 Where a fox hunt may go 40 TV attorney Matlock 41 Kind of legend or renewal 42 Bemoans 43 Iowa State’s home

44 Courtroom rendering 46 Mexican muralist Rivera 49 Port city of ancient Rome 51 In custody 57 Cut at the mill 58 Prefix with “national” or “personal” 59 “Chariots of ___” 60 Make leg warmers 61 Take the wheel 62 Longest bone above the waist 63 Cap. Hill 100 64 Tot’s training site 65 Balance sheet deduction DOWN 1 Broadway turkey 2 African succulent 3 Board membership 4 Big trouble 5 Angers 6 “If a tree falls in the forest and ___ ...” 7 Womanchaser 8 Reverberation 9 Scriptural pronoun 10 Way of doing things 11 “Goodness

gracious!” 12 “Throw ___ From the Train” (1987 film) 13 Double-S curves 21 Football player Manning 22 Revise for the better 25 Large amount of whipped cream 26 Split asunder 27 Shout in church 28 All-___ (Kellogg’s cereal) 29 1,000,000,000 years 31 Mass robes 32 ___ carte 33 Fully stretched 34 Baldwin of “30 Rock”

35 Interlock, as gears 37 It’s good for a laugh 38 Fury 39 Dire 43 FBI employees 44 Like the Milky Way 45 They’re all in the family 46 Twilight times 47 Absurd 48 Reagan’s attorney general Meese 49 Band of eight 50 Shooting at clay targets 52 Speak like Daffy 53 “I’m ___ your tricks!” 54 2.2 lbs., approximately 55 Diving eagles 56 “For” votes

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

PLACES, PEOPLE! by Jill Pepper

Friday, March 12, 2010

Aaron Colen, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Sooner gymnasts attempt to bounce back from loss Men’s gymnastics team heads to Ohio State University to square off against the Buckeyes RICKY LY Daily Staff Writer

Looking to rebound from its first loss of the season, the No. 2 OU men’s gymnastics team hits the road Saturday to take on No. 5 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. The Sooners (9-1, 4-1 MPSF) head into St. John Arena after taking their first loss Sunday against No. 1 Stanford in Lincoln, Neb. While the Sooners were able to salvage a win against No. 8 Nebraska, OU dropped its second-consecutive contest against the Cardinal in a rematch of last year’s NCAA Championships. OU will be led by junior Steven Legendre and freshman Jacob Dalton, who have combined to win five allaround titles so far this season. Freshman Alex Naddour posted his best all-around score of the year with an 88.350 to finish second behind Legendre in Lincoln, but won the individual event title on pommel horse with a 14.900. The Buckeyes (7-5, 3-3 Big Ten) are coming off a win against No. 9 California last weekend and look to send the Sooners to their second-straight loss on Senior Day at Ohio State. While the Sooners look to claim their seventh top10 victory, the Buckeyes are aiming to earn their thirdconsecutive victory and first against a top-five opponent after going 0-3 to begin the season. The top-five matchup begins at 4 p.m. NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY

Carlee Roethlisberger, junior forward, tries to move the ball past an opposing player as the Sooner women matched up against the University of Nebraska on Feb. 24 in Lloyd Noble Center.

Sooners begin Big 12 Tourney ANNELISE RUSSELL Daily Staff Writer

of the playoffs, 72-65 “I thought Baylor looked really good without her,” Coale said OU women’s basketball faces the best of the Big 12 this But OU is going to be ready down the weekend at the Big 12 Conference stretch, even if it does get tiring. “I think we’re going to play Championships. The Big 12 Conference wears on playThe first test for OU will be tonight our best basketball down the ers and coaches because there is never a against the Baylor Bears, a team the night off, Coale said. stretch, I really do.” Sooners split two games with this The Sooners are coming off a big win season. Sunday over Bedlam rival Oklahoma Baylor is a challenging team that HEAD COACH SHERRI COALE State, who is also still alive in the OU will have to contest with, thanks to tournament. the return of freshman center Brittany OU can take that momentum and use it for the rest of the Griner. tournament play Griner had been sidelined for two games with a suspen“I think we’re going to play our best basketball down the sion due to a punch she threw during a game against Texas stretch, I really do,” Coale said. Tech. The Sooners and the Bears take to the court at 7:30 toBut even with Griner on the sidelines, head coach Sherri night in Kansas City. The game is broadcast on Fox Sports Coale said Baylor is a formidable opponent. The Texas team Network. came back to beat a streaky Colorado team in the first round

TRACK AND FIELD

Qualifying athletes head to championships GEORGIA BASORE Daily Staff Writer

Tw elve OU track and field athletes reached the automatic or provisional qualifying marks necessary compete in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships today and Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark. Three athletes automatically qualified for the competition with outstanding performance marks and earned Big 12 titles. Junior Ronnie Ash qualified in the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Mookie Salaam qualified in the 200-meter dash and freshman Karen Shump qualified in the in the shot put. Ash received the title of U STFCCC A Midwest Regional Athlete of the

Year this week. He will attempt to defend his 2009 NCAA Championship title in the 60-meter hurdles this weekend. Ash is ranked first in the event with a time of 7.59. His closest competitor is senior Omo Osaghae from Texas Tech with a time of 7.63. Ash’s time is ranked sixth among national AllAmericans. Also this week, head coach Martin Smith was named the USTFCCA Midwest Regional coach of the year. This follows the Big 12 Coach of the Year award he won last week. The men’s 4x400 relay team is the only OU relay to attend the Championships. The team is ranked 10th nationally with a season best time of 3:07.76.

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The relay team includes junior Remuro Henry, senior Jarell Warren, junior Eric Bailey and senior Zach Dawson. Junior Scottesha Miller is the only OU athlete to qualify in more than one event. Miller will compete in the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash. She holds the fifth-best time in the nation and is a four-time AllAmerican. This weekend, 568 athletes will compete this at the NCAA Championship meet. ESPN360.com will air portions of the Championships

at 8 p.m. Friday and 6:10 p.m. Saturday. The coverage is not live. The NCAA Championships are hosted at the Randal Tyson Center at the University of Arkansas. The Sooners will begin preparation for the outdoor season after the Indoor Championships. The first outdoor meet is the Tulsa Duels beginning March 20 in Tulsa. The Sooners host two collegiate meets : The John Jacobs Invitational on April 17 and the Sooner Invitational on April 24.

Women’s rowing looks to make waves in second year Sooners open second-ever season with competition on the Oklahoma River JORDAN MARKS Daily Staff Writer

The OU women’s rowing team will look to build its program as it goes into its second season, beginning with the OU Invitational this weekend. The Sooners are led by senior Chelsea Moore, junior Meagan Harrell and sophomore Lauren Price, all of whom competed with the Varsity Four last season. The team also will be joined by a host of freshmen — 28 in all — some of whom placed highly in national competitions. OU will have a handful of meets to compete in as they prepare themselves for the Big 12 Championship in May. Over the next month, head coach Leeanne Crain will be able to see how her Sooners handle the pressures of the season, and test out different lineups as they will have three meets back-to-back-to-back, in which they will race at least 10 times. The Sooners will then turn right around the first weekend in April and compete in a head-to-head duel with Alabama and Old Dominion. Oklahoma will finally take a week off to rest before competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship, which will further prepare the team for the second annual Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City. Last season, the Sooners finished strong with two first-place finishes and a second-place finish in the conference championship, while Varsity Four and First Novice Eight finished fifth and sixth place respectively at the NCAA South/Central Regionals.