THURSDAY JUNE 18, 2009
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A CART bus brings students to campus Wednesday afternoon. CART is sponsoring a "Dump the Pump" event Thursday with free bus rides, prizes, T-shirts and a concert held at Andrews Park at 6 p.m.
Transportation promotion offers free bus rides Residents can ride for chance to win prizes JAMES LOVETT The Oklahoma Daily
Norman residents can ride the city’s bus system for free Thursday as part of “Dump the Pump,” a national initiative promoting public transportation. The one-day event also will feature promotional giveaways, jugglers and performers at several bus stops; a date auction and a free concert at Andrews Park from Norman’s own hometown band Resident Funk. Dump the Pump is in its fourth year in Norman, and awareness of the event has grown tremendously since the first year, CART spokesman Kris Glenn said. “The first year was very new to CART, so it was not promoted as well as it is now,” Glenn said. “In the second year, there was about a 14 percent ridership increase, and CART realized for 2008 with the gas price increases, CART really needed to do something big, and that’s when we offered the free rides.” In 2008, 2,200 people rode the bus on Dump the Pump
David, the lead singer for Resident day, twice the average daily number Funk. of riders, Glenn said. Over the past “We’ve all found that riding the year, CART’s daily ridership has bus is a really economical way to increased 14 percent, he said. get to know someone, because no Dump the Pump is part of a one has to worry about driving,” national project from the American McKee said. “For students, you Public Transportation Association, can have a few drinks with a date and takes place annually on the Norman Dump the Pump Rally and get on the bus and not have to third Thursday in June. Those who Andrews Park worry about driving intoxicated. ride the bus during the day have 201. W. Daws All of the loops take you to great a chance to win $100, a Nintendo 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Thursday places in Norman.” Wii, a bicycle and a pair of OU Free CART rides, all day McKee said she thinks support football tickets to the game of for increased public transportation their choice. Kara Joy McKee, Norman Sustainability Network spokes- in Norman is gaining momentum, and Dump the Pump is the woman, said many people are unaware of how convenient major outlet for that support. “Looking at our Facebook group, there are many comthe CART system can be. “It seems like people don’t really realize how convenient ments from people both living in Norman and who used to and easy it is to ride CART until they try it,” McKee said. “We live in Norman who are really excited,” she said. “The only way to make the bus system better is to demonstrate there keep cheering ourselves on, saying ‘Get on the bus!’” McKee said this is the first year the event will feature is support for it, and the only way to expand is to increase a bus-date auction, which will include ride-oriented date ridership. I think the citizens of Norman are ready for that opportunities with several members of NSN as well as Chris kind of convenient economical mass-transit system.”
Gubernatorial candidate Brogdon pushes for smaller government RICKY MARANON The Oklahoma Daily
State Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, and his wife made a campaign stop in Norman Tuesday night to promote his run for governor in 2010. Before Brogdon spoke to members of Cleveland County Republican Women, he sat down to talk with The Daily. “I have a simple approach when it comes to government,” he said. “Government should be limited, efficient and very effective, and right now it is none of those.” Brogdon said because the government has taken on too many responsibilities, it has made itself inefficient, and is passing on debt “that we may not be able to get ourselves out of if we keep on spending without cutting back.” “There was a time in America during World War II when Uncle Sam would say ‘I need you,’ but now the tables have seemed to have turned and people look at Uncle Sam and say ‘We need you,’” he said. “The more government steps into our lives, the more it destroys our freedom.” Brogdon was said his Christian faith gives him a responsibility to help the less fortunate, but doesn’t think the government shares the same obligation. “I have a personal responsibility to help my fellow man,” he said. “Our communities need to be willing to help the less fortunate rather than just passing down the responsibility to a government agency. Government was never designed to be a crutch.” His wife, Donna, said there are benefits to serving the less fortunate personally, rather than relying on the government. “When you serve others personally, you
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get to see the smiles on their faces, and actually see the work being done,” she said. “If we leave it up to the government, we personally miss the blessings of serving others.” Sen. Brogdon said government does have some responsibilities, however. “I’m a constitutional conservative,” he said. “The government should protect us and the rule of law, my God-given rights, the right to free enterprise and our personal liberties given to us in the Constitution.” On the economy, Brogdon cites his experience as a businessman. He said he follows the examples of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, both of whom have declined to spend parts of the federal government’s $787 billion stimulus package, saying it will lead to future tax increases. “The stimulus package was the wrong thing to do on so many levels,” Brogdon said. “Not only can we not afford to pay for these things later, but the government is getting too involved in the marketplace. I have created good paying jobs with benefits as a businessman for over 30 years before I was involved state government, and I didn’t need the government’s help doing it. I know how to create jobs in a free-market society, and I have the personal experience and results to prove it.” When it comes to the stimulus package, Brogdon believes he has the edge over his opponent in the primary, Congressman Mary Fallin, R-Oklahoma City. “She is a strong conservative, but she voted for financial bailouts last year,” he said. “And, while opposing the stimulus package, has also said that Oklahoma should get earmarks in the package.”
Biochemistry professor on path to ‘atomic glory’ KYLE WEST The Oklahoma Daily
Biochemistry professor Ann West’s love for science started in a small suburb of New York when her father gave her a chemistry set. “There was a natural curiosity for how things work, and you’re interested in answering those questions,” she said. She is now an accomplished molecular biologist. Shortly after OU hired her in 1996, she became the chemistry department’s first woman to receive a full professorship. West currently is studying proteins in the signaling pathways of cells that will be used to design drugs of the future, and is the first person to see the structure of a specific type of protein at an atomic level. “You can physically imagine what this very small molecule is in its atomic glory,” she said. “To be able to be the first one to see it in all history was amazing.” West’s fascination with the structure of proteins consumes much of her research, she said. “Proteins are the workhouse of the cell, and there are many types that do many things,” West said. “To be able to dissect how they operate and function, that’s the most intriguing thing.” Studying the structure of proteins is often a prerequisite to learning how to combat cancer, she said. “Even though we’re not studying cancer specifically, learning how proteins turn and off is extrapolatable to cancer research,” West said. George Richter-Addo, West’s friend and colleague, said the chemistry department is
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very fortunate to have her. “She’s always available for someone seeking help for schoolwork,” he said. “She’s very interested in how students could be trained in the future.” Colleague Paul Cook has been friends with West since in 1996, and said he admires what she brings to the department. “She’s honest, she’s intelligent, her papers and research projects are always well-conceived, she’s open, fun-loving,” Cook said. Richard Cichewicz has worked with West for four years, and said she knows what direction to take her teaching and research. “She is always able and ANN willing to make time help WEST out fellow colleagues in need,” he said. “It would be wonderful if there were more people like her.” West said one of her favorite aspects about being a molecular biologist at OU is the interaction with her peers. “I love the hands-on aspect, and I love the mentoring aspect, to be able to learn from other people more senior than you,” West said. “Then when you’re more experienced, you mentor others.” West said she wishes there was a greater connection between faculty and students. “I think we have a lot more in common then we realize,” West said. “You only get to know that if you talk to your professors, if you get to know them.”
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