The Oklahoma Daily

WEDNESDAY APRIL 15, 2009

THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE

The football team concludes spring practice, the Daily’s Jono Greco examiness which questions the Sooners’ answered for the fall.

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B Bedbugs are back in numbers unseen since World War II, but si pesticide restrictions pe have left EPA officials ha scratching their heads. sc PAGE 3 PA

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Klosterman claims authenticity waning Author encourages students to focus on their strengths in search for careers ADAM KOHUT The Oklahoma Daily

Author and pop culture journalist Chuck Klosterman revealed his writing rituals Tuesday night to a nearly full Dale Hall classroom.

In his lecture, “Life Through the Prism of Pop Culture,” Klosterman explained what he tries to do when he writes his books.

Klosterman is the author of five books – a sixth is slated for an October release including “Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs,” a collection of pop culture essays on subjects like “The Real World” and “Saved By the Bell.” Klosterman said his goal is to find the person behind the celebrities he interviews.

Despite having interviewed celebrities like Britney Spears, Val Kilmer and the White Stripes, Klosterman said he has never really met them. An interview is a completely “inorganic” experience, he said, one in which the person behind the celebrity is hidden behind an attempt to market a particular product, like an album or film.

“I’m trying to look for glimmers, for little bits of the person’s personality that seem real,” he said. “I never feel like I’ve met any of these people.”

But finding those bits can be difficult, he said.

Klosterman said Jack White of the band The White Stripes gives opposite answers on purpose. “[And] Meg White smokes cigarettes,” he said. “That’s all she does.”

Klosterman said he also tries to write as literally as possible – something he hasn’t always done.

“It’s almost as if we concede authenticity doesn’t exist,” he said. “The idea of things having a literal meaning is almost totally gone.”

He also revealed what could be called his writing ritual, but said he doesn’t really have much of a system.

“When I have an idea, I sit down and write it,” he said. “End of ritual.”

Klosterman said his book, “Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs,” was the one that put him on the map.

But even though it’s the book that allows

HISTORIAN LINKS DARWIN TO MARX, WAGNER A historian of science and professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. will be giving the lecture, “Darwin and Marx and Wagner” Thursday at the Sam GARLAND Noble Oklahoma ALLEN Museum of Natural History.

Garland E. Allen’s lecture will discuss the similarities between Charles Darwin, Karl Marx and Richard Wagner. Besides all three dying within a year of each other (1882-1883), all three were philosophical materialists, evolutionists and dialectical thinkers, according to Allen.

“All three reflect and contributed to the cultural events of their time,” Allen said.

Allen’s research is in the history and philosophy of biology with an emphasis on genetics, embryology, evolution and their relationships, according to the History of Science Dream Course Speakers Web site.

Allen has published widely in the scientific, economic and social history of “eugenics” which was defined in the early part of the century as “the science of human improvement through better breeding,” according to the Web site.

The lecture is open to the public and will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday in the main auditorium at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

—Hannah Rieger/The Daily

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AMY FROST/THE DAILY

Chuck Klosterman, author and columnist, speaks in Dale Hall Tuesday night on subjects ranging from pop culture to sports and today’s media. One of the first things Klosterman said was, “Is Blake Griffin here?”

“I’m trying to look for glimmers, for little bits of the person’s personality that seem real. I never feel like I’ve met any of these people.”

CHUCK KLOSTERMAN, AUTHOR him to speak at campuses like OU, he said he thinks it is the worst book he’s written.

“I accidentally tapped into what my aesthetic for criticism is [in ‘Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs’],” he said. “I’m more

interested in the audience for art, than I am art. I believe that people want to consume art that ... defines the way they think about the world.”

Klosterman also had a less traditional career searching message for the audience.

He told the audience not to look for what they love in searching for a career but to focus on something they’re good at doing.

“Being good at something will make you love it,” he said.

Klosterman also has written for publications like The Washington Post, and his media knowledge is one of the reasons he

was asked to speak at OU. The Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications Ambassadors were instrumental in bringing Klosterman to campus.

“He was a near unanimous choice among our group, and we are delighted he accepted our offer,” Baxter Holmes, journalism senior and former Daily editor, said in a press release . “He is extremely bright, perhaps the most analytical and thought-provoking critic of American media practice, as well as one of the most well-versed media professionals with experience in all fields.”

STUDENTS SEEK TRANSPARENCY IN UOSA Student body reps aim to relax policy on records requests LEIGHANNE MANWARREN AND CADIE THOMPSON The Oklahoma Daily

The UOSA records policy might become more relaxed to accommodate the student body at large.

In response to The Daily’s story about the UOSA records, Nicholas Har r ison, member of the Graduate Student Senate, sent Student Affairs Vice President Clarke Stroud an email voicing his concerns over the “restrictive” UOSA records policy.

“If there is no free access to those records, regular students and even students participating in student government have no way to make informed judgments ... only a select people will know what is going on,” he said.

Harrison said when he tried to attain a copy of the previous Superior Court opinions to write an “amicus curiae” brief about the elections, he was directed to the university’s open records office.

“Before then I had no difficulty

getting records from UOSA, but whenever they told me that I had to go to the university open records office, I knew I wouldn’t have gotten the information in time to have the brief in for the Superior Court hearing,” Harrison said.

In an e-mail conversation between Harrison and Stroud, Stroud said he would be “more than happy to work with UOSA to create a system that provides access to these kinds of documents.”

“The UOSA code has a very rigid timeline for appeals and hearings,” Harrison said. “If students have to go through the open records office, it will be difficult to impossible for them to meet those deadlines in time with educated arguments.”

Stroud was unavailable for comment.

Matt Gress, Student Congress representative, said Tuesday at the Student Congress meeting he plans on introducing legislation that would make documents pertaining to UOSA elections more readily available.

“I have to chuckle a little when I hear about open records requests flying to and fro to get access to low level student government documents,” he said. “I

© 2009 OU PUBLICATIONS BOARD

understand we are an arm of the state, but seriously, this is student government, we don’t have a monolithic bureaucracy.”

It’s unacceptable for the press and members of UOSA to have to file open records requests for student government documents, Gress said.

He said the current “red tape” is keeping the student body in the dark.

“With the CAC Election, one of the most visible student leadership positions on campus teetering on the brink of uncertainty, it is imperative that the student body be fully informed on the most current status regarding that race,” Gress said.

It isn’t right for the press or UOSA leaders to be denied “speedy access” to student government documents, Gress said.

Gress said he and other Student Congress representatives plan to meet with Student Affairs to devise a system that allows more transparency.

He said he plans to propose a plan that will automatically send all documents regarding UOSA Elections, court documents, executive proclamations, all election communications and Congress appropriations to The Daily without an open records

UOSA PASSES BILL APPROVING BUDGET UOSA Student Congress passed a bill Tuesday night allocating more than $200,000 to 166 student organizations for next year’s budget. Kurt Davidson, Undergraduate Student Congress chairman, also swore the 82nd Student Congress into office.

Nominations for next year’s Student Congress chairman, vice chairman and secretary also were made. Current Undergraduate Student Congress Secretary Brittany Pritchett was nominated for secretary again; Matt Gress, social sciences representative, was nominated for vice chairman and John Jennings, current Undergraduate Student Congress vice chairman, and Forrest Bennett, a University College representative, were nominated for chairman. request.

“We are not representatives of Student Affairs,” Gress said. “We never have been and we never will be.”

VOL. 94, NO. 133

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Wednesday, April 15, 2009

CAMPUS BRIEFS Geneticist to discuss modern controversies of today, tomorrow Science has changed drastically in the past 200 years, and advances like stem-cell research, gene mutation and cloning have quickly turned into controversial subjects.

The OU College of Arts and Sciences along with the zoology seminar series will be hosting a public presentation to discuss hot topics in genetic science at 4:30 p.m. today in Gaylord Hall room 123.

The presentation, “Mendel’s Legacy: The Use and Abuse of Genetics,” is open to the public and free. Professor Garland

CAMPUS NOTES TODAY

Allen from Washington University in St. Louis will be the guest speaker.

Allen, an expert in genetics, embryology and evolution, received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and is currently exploring the institutional base for eugenics.

“The history of eugenics provides a number of insights into the interrelationships between science and its social context,” Allen said. “And it raises many issues of ethical, legal, and social importance that are surfacing today in the midst of the Human Genome Project.”

For more information about the presentation call the department of zool-

ogy at 405-325-4821.

Allen is also set to headline the next part of the “Darwinian Revolution” History of Science Dream Course Thursday with a speech about the similarities between Charles Darwin, Carl Marx and Richard Wagner at 6 p.m. at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

— Daniel Martin/contributing writer

Firefighters golf convention to kick off with a bang A shotgun start and a four man scramble sounds like the beginning of an 800 meter race at a track meet.

However, shooting a gun and having four men scramble across a golf course will kick off the 2009 Oklahoma State Firefighters Convention Golf Tournament.

The tournament will begin June 3 at the Cherry Springs Golf Course in Tahlequah.

Tee offs are set for 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and registration begins one hour prior to tee off, said Ray Hammons, a Tulsa Firefighter in charge of the tournament.

Entry is $60 per player and the deadline to register for the tournament is May 20, Hammons said.

OU College of Law leads bar examination results

— Amy Grimes/contributing writer

— Staff reports

Goldwater Scholar aims high in research

CHRISTIANS ON CAMPUS

Junior hopes to help create alternate tissue technology for patient surgeries

Christians on Campus will host a Bible study at 12:30 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

JAMIE BIRDWELL The Oklahoma Daily

LAB THEATRE

OU Lab Theatre will present “The Dada Play” at 8 p.m. in the Old Science Hall.

OU LIBRARIES

OU Libraries will host a research seminar at 8 p.m. in Adams Center.

THURSDAY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

The School of Music will host an OU Jazz Bands performance at 8 p.m. in Catlett Music Center.

LAB THEATRE

OU Lab Theatre will present “The Dada Play” at 8 p.m. in the Old Science Hall

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.

With 93 percent of first-time examinees passing, OU College of Law graduates topped the list of successful new lawyers set to become new licensed attorneys.

The overall passing rate for first-timers was 64 percent, and includes other in- and out-of-state graduates, according to a press release.

Other results listed include University of Tulsa, 67 percent; Oklahoma City University, 44 percent; and all out-ofstate applicants, 64 percent.

JAMES CORNWELL/ THE DAILY

Erica Brown, chemical engineering junior, was recently named a Goldwater Scholar. Interested in biomedical engineering and research, Brown does research as an undergraduate and has presented her research at a biomedical conference in St. Louis.

One OU student has taken tragedy in her own life and turned it into a passion and career, something that recently helped her gain national recognition.

Erica Brown, chemical engineering junior, was recently awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, a prestigious research award given to students pursuing careers in science, mathematics and engineering.

At an early age, Brown began making hospital visits to friends and family facing problems ranging from cancer to blood clots. The constant visits, she said, helped her develop an interest in biomedical engineering.

“I was frustrated,” she said. “I just wanted to solve the problem and leave [the hospital].”

But Brown’s hospital visits didn’t end when she found a passion.

On March 31, one day after she found out she was named a Goldwater Scholar, she learned her mother had breast cancer. She now feels the urgent need to do biomedical research more than ever, she said.

She said her mother may undergo a mastectomy, the total removal of a breast.

Brown had already explored different ways to solve the problem without being so invasive.

During her freshman year, Brown began working with Vassilios Sikavitsas, chemical, biological and materials engineering professor, to create a biodegradable nanofiber mesh for tissue engineering so patients needing operations, like hip replacements, could have an alternative to artificial parts being placed in their bodies. She said instead, the body’s own tissue would be used.

Sikavitsas said although it’s common for undergraduates to do research, it’s rare for a student to conduct research on Brown’s level. He said Brown’s largest asset is her organization and her careful experimentation, which makes for a great medical researcher.

Brown said she’s overly ambitious. In addition to her research, she is a Chevron Phillips Scholar and mentors freshman and sophomore engineering students. She also is the exterior vice president of OU’s American Institute of Chemical Engineers chapter.

Brown said she hopes to attend graduate school at Rice University and eventually become a researcher and professor but wants students at OU to view her as a positive example.

“I want them to be passionate,” she said.

“Keep chasing! I had to apply for everything. You can get what you want if you have a lot of initiative.”

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

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Somali pirates go on hijack spree Kenya estimates Somali pirates raked in $150 million last year ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY Associated Press

MOMBASA, Kenya — Somali pirates were back to business as usual Tuesday, defiantly seizing four more ships with 60 hostages after U.S. sharpshooters rescued an American freighter captain. “No one can deter us,” one bandit boasted.

The freed skipper, Richard Phillips, will return home to the United States on Wednesday, after reuniting with his 19-man crew in the Kenyan port of Mombasa, according to the shipping company Maersk Line Ltd. The brigands grabbed more ships and hostages to show they would not be intimidated by President Barack Obama’s pledge to confront the high-seas bandits, according to a pirate based in the Somali coastal town of Harardhere.

“Our latest hijackings are meant to show

that no one can deter us from protecting our seriously, but “we’re very well prepared to waters from the enemy because we believe in deal with anything like that.” Mullen, chairdying for our land,” Omar Dahir Idle told The man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke on Associated Press by telephone. “Our guns do ABC’s “Good Morning America.” not fire water. I am sure we will avenge.”

After a lull at the beginning of the year On Monday, Obama vowed to “halt the because of rough seas, the pirates since the rise of piracy” without saying exactly how end of February have attacked 78 ships, hithe U.S. and allies would do it. jacked 19 of them and hold 16 vessels with The pirates have vowed vengeance for five more than 300 hostages from a dozen or so colleagues slain by U.S. countries. and French forces in two “We’re very well prepared to Pirates can extort $1 hostage rescues since million and more for deal with anything like that.” each ship and crew.

Friday.

“The recent American Kenya estimates they operation, French navy MICHAEL MULLEN, U.S. MILITARY raked in $150 million attack on our colleagues OFFICER last year. or any other operation A f l o t i l l a o f w a rmean nothing to us,” ships from nearly a said Idle, 26, whose gang dozen countries has holds a German freighter with 24 hostages. patrolled the Gulf of Aden and nearby The pirates say they are fighting ille- Indian Ocean waters for months. They gal fishing and dumping of toxic waste in have halted many attacks but say the area Somali waters but have come to operate is so vast they can’t stop all hijackings. hundreds of miles from there in a sprawlThe Gulf of Aden, which links the Suez ing 1.1 million square-mile danger zone.

Canal and the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean, The top U.S. military officer, Adm. Michael is the shortest route from Asia to Europe and Mullen, said he takes the pirates’ threats one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes,

crossed by more than 20,000 ships each year.

The alternative route around the continent’s southern Cape of Good Hope takes up to two weeks longer at huge expense.

In an unusual nighttime raid, pirates seized the Greek-managed bulk carrier MV Irene E.M. before dawn Tuesday. Hours later, they commandeered the Lebaneseowned cargo ship MV Sea Horse.

On Sunday or Monday, they took two Egyptian fishing trawlers. Maritime officials said the Irene carried 21 to 23 Filipino crew and the fishing boats 36 fishermen, all believed to be Egyptian. A carrier the size of the Sea Horse would need at least a dozen crew, although the exact number was not immediately available.

NATO spokeswoman Shona Lowe said pirates in three or four speedboats captured the Sea Horse off Somalia’s eastern coast.

The Irene, flagged in the Caribbean island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was sailing from the Middle East to South Asia, said Noel Choong of the Malaysia-based International Maritime Bureau, a piracy watchdog. The Irene carried 23 Filipino crew.

EPA SEARCHES FOR SOLUTION TO BEDBUG RESURGENCE Recent bedbug outbreak biggest since WWII DINA CAPPIELLO Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. — “Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”

Doesn’t seem so bad in a cheerful bedtime rhyme, but it’s becoming a really big problem now that the nasty critters are invading hospitals, college dorms and even swanky hotels.

With the most effective pesticides banned, the government is trying to figure out how to respond to the biggest bedbug outbreak since World War II. Bedbugs live in the crevices and folds of mattresses, sofas and sheets. Then, most often before dawn, they emerge to feed on human blood.

Faced with rising numbers of complaints to city information lines and

increasingly frustrated landlords, hotel chains and housing authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency hosted its first-ever bedbug summit Tuesday.

Organized by one of the agency’s advisory committees, the two-day conference drew about 300 participants to a hotel in Arlington, just across the Potomac River from Washington. An Internet site notes that the hotel in question has had no reports of bedbugs.

One of the problems with controlling the reddish-brown insects, according to researchers and the pest control industry, is that there are few chemicals on the market approved for use on mattresses and other household items that are effective at controlling bedbug infestations.

Unlike roaches and ants, bedbugs are blood feeders and can’t be lured by bait. It’s also difficult for pesticides to reach them in every crack and crevice they hide out in.

“It is a question of reaching them, finding them,” said Harold Harlan, an entomologist

PHI BETA KAPPA the premier honorary society for the liberal arts and sciences is pleased to announce the seniors & juniors elected to membership for 2008-2009 Saniya Ahmad Lindsey Allgood Brent Arens Amanda Arnold Jian Bolourian Amanda Baldwin Lauren Ballinger Amanda Barkley Savanah Barrett Emilie Blanchard Katherine Blohm Chase Bollig Kelsey Bourm Angela Bowen Everett Bowline Elizabeth Bradford Nathan Brooks Matthew Brown Melissa Bugg Gina Bullock Matthew Burris Erin Byrnes Michael Cagle Kate Callahan Aimee Canavan Justin Chacko Mark Chandler Whitney Coleman John Colson Eric Combs Christopher Conrad Thomas Cooke Kallie Cope Rachel Craddock William Cunningham Christopher Czapla Jay Dalto Heather Daniels Jamel Daugherty Munim Deen Lindsay DeGuilio Maria Do Jessica Dodrill Emily Duda Allison Endicott Katherine Evatt Matthew Fenwick Christopher Folmsbee John Gawey Shaneen Gilson David Gleason

Lindsey Goodnight Bryan Gorman Ryan Grabowski John Greenert Lindsey Haecherl Kristin Hale Sarah Hampton Taylor Hansen Nathan Hardy Elizabeth Harris Amanda Harris Megan Heald Elizabeth Hendrix Michael Hesseler Emily Higgins Jeffrey Higley Allison Hochstein Amanda Holloway Baxter Holmes Paige Hoster Leslie Hotte Derek Hottle Robert Hulse Caitlyn Hutchison John Ice Jay Jamison Charles Jones Sahar Jooshani Tyler Kallsen Lydia Kao Melissa Karner Lacy Kelly Cassandra Ketrick Samira Khan Seth Kinast Casey King Jessica Kintigh Danielle Kramer Kayla Krittenbrink Christopher Krycho David Larson Samuel Lee Nanette Light Logan Lockhart Jordan Lohmeyer Bradley Long Vivek Mahale Vibitha Mani Lauren Markham Stafford Marquardt Adrian Maurer

Nicole McMahon Brandon McClung Beth McDow Sarah McGuffee Rachel McMurray Lauren McPhee Melissa Mercer James Metelak Addison Miller Shannon Miller Joe Mitchell Ashley Moore Amber Mounkes Whitney Mullins Christopher Murray Mark Nehrenz Lam Nguyen Sarah Norris Faith Oldenburg Sneha Patel Preseta Paul Michael Perry Vien Pham Teryn Piper John Portman Casey Prammanasudh Bryan Putnam Celia Quang Erin Rapp Courtney Rau Larissa Reames Samantha Rhodes Nathan Rhodes Keshia Rogers Heidi Rogers Benjamin Russell Neema Saraiya Kjell Sawyer Courtney Scarpitti Albert Schilthuis Stephanie Schmidt Sally Schupack Garrett Schwab Diana Scroggins Kathryn Sensenig Palak Shah Kelly Sheline David Sherman Christopher Shilling Sarah Shutts Anne Sickles

Lauren Sielert Sarah Simon Anant Singhal Anne Siska Sidney Smith Candace Smith Brendan Smith Kelsey Snapp Sarah Snyder Alisha Solomon Nicholas Southerland William Spain Kameryn Stanhouse Sarah Steece Nicholas Stockdale Carl Swart Sarah Thompson Michael Tinsley Daniel Tippin Kim Tran Michael Tran Valerie Truong Claire Turmelle Jennifer VanDyck Jalal Vargha Emily Virgin Kristyn Wagner Jennifer Wallace James Ward Alexander Warren Amanda Waters Kristin Weed Jessica Wells Preston White Katie Wilder Jessica Wilkin Elwood Williams III Royline Williams William Wood Kevin Woodson Ke’Yonna Wynn Scott Young JUNIORS Amy Boyd David Burget Elizabeth Cooper Christina Jensen Jensen Mecca Veronica Sauer Christopher Schroeder Kelsey Seale Richard Swearingen

Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary, and the University of Oklahoma’s chapter, Alpha of Oklahoma, was chartered in 1920. For over two hundred years, election to Phi Beta Kappa has been a recognition of intellectual capacities well employed, especially in the acquiring of an educaion in the liberal arts and sciences. Phi Beta Kappa — recognizing OU’s excellence. For more informtion, please contect Jason Houston at jason.houston@ou.edu or Craig Hayes at rchayes@ou.edu.

AP PHOTO/TIM MCCOY

This photo provided by Virginia Tech Department of Entomology, taken in 2008, shows mother and child bed bugs. The federal government is waking up to what has become a growing nightmare in many parts of the country - a bed bug outbreak. The tiny reddish-brown insects, last seen in great numbers prior to World War II, are on the rebound. They have infested college dormitories, hospital wings, homeless shelters and swanky hotels from New York City to Chicago to Washington. who has been raising bedbugs for 36 years, feeding them with his own blood. He has the bites to prove it.

The EPA, out of concern for the environment and the effects on public health, has pulled many of the chemicals that

were most effective in eradicating the bugs in the U.S. At the same time, the appleseed-sized critters have developed a pesticide resistance because those chemicals are still in use in other countries.

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COMMENTS OF THE DAY »

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

In response to a Tuesday news story about a proposal that would allow classes to meet during unscheduled closings.

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

YOU CAN COMMENT AT OUDAILY.COM

OUR VIEW

We’re all for using referendums to give student government officials insight when they consider possible policy changes.

But we think the recent referendum on whether smoking should be banned on campus failed to paint an accurate picture of how the majority of the student body actually feels about the issue.

The results of the referendum are deceiving.

Of the approximate 2,400 students who voted, 1,200 said they wanted smoking banned on campus.

Of the other 1,200 votes, 700 said they would support a partial ban on smoking and 500 said they wanted no ban at all.

At first glance, the vote seems to overwhelmingly

Matt Reed - broadcast and electronic media senior.

support a ban.

But consider this: there were just as many students who voted against a complete ban on smoking as there were who voted for the ban.

And don’t forget, only a small fraction of the student body voted in the election.

Numerous student organizations, including, unfortunately The Daily, didn’t do a good job of letting students know the smoking and other referendums would be on the UOSA election ballot.

But student leaders should consider what a small sample this is if they think about putting restrictions on campus smoking.

Smoking is something that rarely affects people on campus other those with

cigarettes in their mouths.

People can’t smoke in campus buildings or within 25 feet of their entrances.

There is no evidence that smoking is problematic to the point that it warrants taking away the freedom of those who choose to smoke.

We think banning smoking on campus is a preposterous idea, one that would unnecessarily take away personal freedom from students, faculty and staff members and anyone else who walks on this campus and desires to smoke.

We don’t know if UOSA leaders will act in response to the referendum. But if they do, students — smokers and non-smokers alike — should be the first to protest.

STAFF COLUMN

Oklahoma hospitality on display in wildfire response Last Thursday was a pretty normal day.

After getting home from a lab, I turned on the TV to watch the news before my fitness class. Little did I know the news hour would turn my Thursday into a living nightmare.

Just after 5 p.m. my mom called on her way home from work, worried about fires in Midwest City.

I told her the news said it was five miles from our house, so she really had nothing to worry about.

But she informed me the news was wrong.

My dad had called her from their house saying the neighbor’s yard was burning.

My family and I have ELISE lived in Oklahoma my JOHNSTON entire life.

We don’t get worried when tornados are reported two miles north of our neighborhood, and likewise I didn’t get too worried when a fire was across the street.

Life experience has taught us that mother nature tends to take one house and spare the one next door.

But in the middle of my fitness class, my mom called me crying. My family, along with countless others in my hometown, were evacuated through thick smoke and flames.

In her frantic phone call, my mom said they thought we were going to lose the house, and that they couldn’t even see across the road through the smoke.

It’s was truly a nightmare that so many families went through that evening.

If you’ve ever thought waiting days to see a test grade would kill you, try waiting into the early morning hours to know if your home would still be standing.

Somehow, my family got lucky.

Besides smoke damage, the only issues we have to deal with are burn spots in the yard and sink holes from the fire trucks that were sitting in the front yard.

But there are so many families that weren’t so fortunate. Sunday morning I drove through parts of Midwest City and Choctaw to see the damage.

It’s utterly devastating to see more than half of your junior high bus route demolished. Street signs were burnt until the blue enamel peeled off.

A beautiful house with a winding brick chimney that I always loved is nothing but that chimney now.

As I drove by the intersection closest to my parents’ home, I could see smoke and small flames, even through the rain.

Calling the fire department on Easter morning is something that will stay with

contact us

Internet doesn’t mean that I will be in the same condition.

And meeting 10 minutes earlier for the next two weeks, I know a lot of students run very tight schedules. I can see 10 minutes earlier working out for night classes but not a lot of day classes.

- RICFLAIR

STAFF CARTOON

DID UOSA VOTE GO UP IN SMOKE?

Meredith Simons Nijim Dabbour Jamie Hughes Mack Burke Ray Martin Zach Butler

“What if I don’t have a computer at home and instead use campus computers for all my assignments and papers?

If campus is closed how am I expected to attend an online session with no computer?

What if I don’t have internet or power due to the weather?

Just because my professor has

me forever.

But through all the devastation, I am hopeful. After all, this is Oklahoma.

We have seen the incredible generosity and support from citizens of this great state following a natural disaster numerous times.

After these devastating wildfires across the state of Oklahoma, citizens were banding together to assist one another yet again.

Neighbors were helping each other sift through rubble, churches are opening their doors to those who have lost homes, civic groups are passing out food and water to families and firefighters.

As communities begin to pick up the pieces, news stations are reporting stories of people who found out via a neighbor’s phone call they could not go home from work.

We’ve also heard the stories of neighbors that rescued people’s pets or knocked on their doors to get them out of their houses.

It’s just another example of classic Oklahoma hospitality. So many of us have been here before.

Too many people in the state have experienced ice storms, tornados and wildfires.

Yet we always see citizens pouring out their support immediately, from donations of money and supplies to lending a hand to clean up the mess left behind.

Where else in the nation do you hear of neighbors having each other’s phone numbers and calling to inform them of evacuations?

Where else can you hear about churches passing out homemade sandwiches and bottled water to families as they sift through their burnt homes?

One of the most heartwarming stories to me was when my mom told me that Midwest City Councilman Richard Rice was actually in our neighborhood helping firefighters in his slacks, tie and dress shoes.

When my mom thanked him for helping, he said it was nothing, but joked that the neighborhood residents owed him a new pair of shoes since his were now melted.

Oklahoma citizens set an incredible and inspiring example for America.

All citizens should aspire to have the open communication, friendliness and willingness to help those in need that Oklahomans exhibit after each and every disaster that strikes.

We are a survivor state because of our wonderful citizens.

From a Choctaw resident, thank you.

And good job, Oklahoma.

Elise Johnston is a psychology junior.

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Assistant Managing Editor Night Editor Opinion Editor Photo Editor

Dane Beavers Whitney Bryen Steven Jones Luke Atkinson Judy Gibbs Robinson R.T. Conwell

160 Copeland Hall, 860 Van Vleet Oval Norman, OK 73019-0270

phone: (405) 325-3666

STAFF COLUMN

Moral judgments bar scientific progress The gravest threat to scientific progress is the moral value attached to scientific studies. Many people cannot separate fact from value judgments. Ideas like the Earth being the center of the universe are not moral judgments, but rather a testable empirical hypothesis. As I will show, attaching moral significance to scientific findings is a logical fallacy and harmful to scientific progress.

Ever since the beginning of modern science, some philosophers and religious leaders have objected to scientific advances on moral grounds. For example, the dispute between Galileo and the Catholic Church.

If Earth is not the center of the universe, then it is not as perfect as once thought and God would not create an imperfect world. For the Catholic TARRANT Church, passages in the CARTER Bible that alluded to the fixed, unchanging nature of the Earth were proof that God’s creations on Earth were perfect. Therefore, Galileo’s claims were heresy because the Earth is not inferior and subordinate to the sun. So empirical truths about reality are supposed to be ignored because of somebody’s twisted morality? Thank God more reasonable and objective people looked at the empirical evidence and withheld moral considerations.

Take another issue, like homosexuality.

People still continue to conflate science and morality.

Gallup polls for the last few decades show an increase in the moral acceptance of homosexuality as well as an increase in the belief that homosexuality is an inborn trait. Just because something is inborn doesn’t make it morally acceptable, however, some people just don’t get it.

The logical error made time and again with morality and science is the naturalistic fallacy. These are arguments that draw ethical conclusions from empirical facts. The philosopher David Hume pointed out that just because something is a certain way in the physical world doesn’t mean it should be that way.

The naturalistic argument is flipped on its head with studies that show violence, rape and murder have strong genetic links. Does this mean we should morally accept violence, rape or murder? If we attach moral judgments to scientific studies we have to reject

these studies, not on the merits, but because they do not fit our paradigm of the world.

However, the answer is, clearly, no if we ignore preemptive value judgments because morality has nothing to do with the naturalness of the act.

The other logical fallacy contained in naturalistic arguments is the moralistic fallacy. This fallacy perhaps is more damaging because it uses morality to decide what is true about the empirical world. It starts with the premise that something is good and then concludes we should find it in nature.

The Catholic Church’s objection to the heliocentric theory of the universe is a clear example. The sun cannot be the center of the universe because it would imply the moral imperfectability of Earth’s creation. In this argument, moral implications trump reality.

The moralistic fallacy is not limited just to the Catholic Church. Many feminists and those on the academic left employ it when attacking biological theories of human nature. They argue that because men and women are morally equal, they must be biologically equal.

Evidence is mounting in both evolutionary psychology and behavioral genetics that men and women are in fact different in many significant ways, including brain chemistry. But according to these academics this cannot be true because our moral paradigm determines the empirical evidence.

If we fail to distinguish facts from value judgments, we face the predicament of rejecting the true picture of reality like the Catholic Church did 400 years ago. God’s creation is not diminished because the sun is the center of our solar system. Neither are objections to the moral acceptance of homosexuality diminished by genetic links to homosexuality. Also, women are not inferior because they are not biologically equal to men. It is entirely unnecessary to invoke the natural world in order to argue against murder, rape and inequality.

Philosophers, theologians and academics need to test their moral assumptions whenever possible. or we will not be able to talk about things like possible biological differences between races and sexes. Our knowledge will be constrained by an inflexible moral code that does not apply to the real world.

We need to take our ethical blinders off and separate morality from scientific advances.

Tarrant Carter is a philosophy and psychology senior.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR VOLUNTEERING ESSENTIAL With National Volunteer Week approaching from April 19-25, I have researched several organizations that do great charitable work that benefits Americans and people worldwide.

I have always thought of volunteering as a way to improve my community and to contribute something to the well-being of its residents, but I had never thought about the national significance of volunteerism.

Recently I have had the opportunity to represent Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cleveland County in order to bring attention to their need for adult male and couple mentors. The time I have spent representing them has revealed to me the value of mentoring programs and the incredible impact only four hours a month can have in shaping a child’s life. Although I have

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volunteered my time for other organizations in the past, Big Brothers Big Sisters is different, and it pains me that they are struggling to fulfill their mission, despite the worthiness of their cause.

Greatness starts at home, in our communities, with our children. It takes individuals who care about the future of our children to tip the scales in favor of greatness once again. We need to cultivate that sense of civic engagement and responsibility that institutions of higher learning attempt to instill in their students.

We, as a community, need to see more professors, students and professionals engage in the activities that will propel the current of national service forward forever. I believe mentoring a child is a good place to start.

Rashida Douglas, public relations senior

The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum and OU’s independent student voice.

The opinion page is produced by a staff of columnists and cartoonists who are independent of The Daily’s news staff.

Letters to the editor are welcomed.

Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and should be fewer than 250 words, typed and signed. Letters may be cut to fit. Students must list their major and classification. OU staff and faculty must list their title. All letters must include a daytime phone number. Submit letters to dailyopinion@ou.edu or in person Sunday through Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall.

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Columnists’ and cartoonists’ work is representative of their own opinions, not those of the members of The Daily’s Editorial Board.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

5

Va Tech families struggle with loss Two years after shooting, some find it painful to attend campus for anniversary events SUE LINDSEY Associated Press

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Jerzy Nowak acknowledges he’s not yet comfortable in the peace center he helped to create at the site of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

His wife, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, was teaching French in Virginia Tech’s Norris Hall when she was gunned down on April 16, 2007. Troubled graduate student Seung-Hui Cho killed two people in a dorm and 30 others in the second-floor classroom wing where Couture-Nowak died before fatally shooting himself.

Two years later, victims’ families and survivors are still trying to make sense of what happened. Classes will be canceled on the anniversary Thursday, and events will include an open house at the peace center, a candlelight vigil and a memorial ceremony.

For some, a trip to campus is part of working through their grief. For others, it’s still too painful. “I went for a visit yesterday,� said Nowak, the center’s director, who will move into the building later this month. “Honestly, my heart sank.�

But the former horticulture department chairman said he pushed to create the peace center because it will help families heal. The

AP PHOTO/CASEY TEMPLETON

In this April 17, 2007 file photo, a Virginia Tech student stands by a cardboard “VT� that was part of a makeshift vigil placed on a drill field at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., to honor the victims of the shootings on the campus. center is already working on violence prevention for at-risk youth.

Nowak’s resolve was strengthened by an email from a woman who had never planned to visit the building where her daughter died. “But now that she has learned that a portion of it is dedicated to peace, she is considering going,� he said. “This is so encouraging to me.�

Others, like Michael Pohle of Flemington, N.J., and his wife, still find it too painful to come to campus for the anniversary events. Instead he says they plan to

visit the cemetery near their home where their son, Michael Pohle Jr., is buried.

Some families have made their own peace with what happened that day, but the Pohles are among those who have lingering animosity toward administrators and feel they’ve never received an adequate explanation of officials’ actions the morning of the shootings.

President Charles Steger convened a meeting with top administrators after Cho killed two students in a dormitory, but more than two hours passed before an e-mail informed the campus of those shootings.

By then, Cho was chaining the doors of Norris Hall shut in preparation for a bloodbath that had students cowering under desks and jumping from windows. Officials still don’t know why Cho, a loner who had attracted little attention, killed so many people.

Virginia State Police never found two pieces of evidence that might have provided clues to Cho’s motive — his cell phone and the hard drive to his computer. The investigation is still open but winding down, spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.

Steger said in an interview this week that the policy chiefs did what they thought was best at the time. “That doesn’t mean you’re happy with the outcome,� he said. “We were certainly traumatized by the outcome.�

Pohle is unhappy that administrators who are not trained to deal with crimes made decisions about the school’s response to those situations. He said he’d like to sit down with Steger for a “true, open, private discussion� but hasn’t asked for such a meeting. “We just want to know the truth,� Pohle said. “If you don’t know the truth, there is always going to be this hurt.�

Steger has met with some family members and said he would sit down with any who wants to see him. “I’ll do anything I personally can to help any of them, regardless of how they feel about me,� he said.

University spokesman Larry Hincker said the school had been criticized for “not connecting the dots� on Cho but added, “Sometimes the dots just weren’t there.�

INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS N KOREA BOOTS INSPECTORS, RESTARTS REACTOR AFGHAN TALIBAN KILL WOMAN, MAN FOR ELOPING

FIDEL CASTRO CALLS US CHANGES POSITIVE

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Tuesday it was restarting its rogue nuclear program, booting U.N. inspectors and pulling out of disarmament talks in an angry reaction to U.N. Security Council condemnation of its April 5 rocket launch.

Pyongyang ordered U.N. nuclear inspectors to remove seals and cameras from its Yongbyon nuclear site and leave the country as quickly as possible, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

North Korea told the IAEA it was “immediately ceasing all cooperation� and “has decided to reactivate all facilities and go ahead with the reprocessing of spent fuel,� according to a statement from the U.N. agency.

HAVANA — Fidel Castro said Tuesday the Obama administration’s softening of sanctions is “positive although minimal,� and criticized it for leaving in place the embargo that bars most trade and travel between the two countries.

The White House announced Monday that Americans will now be able to make unlimited transfers of money and visits to relatives in Cuba. Under Bush administration rules, Cuban-Americans were eligible to travel here only every three years and send up to $300 to relatives every three months.

Monday’s action eliminated those limits in the hope that less dependence on their government will lead Cubans to demand progress on political freedoms.

KABUL — A Taliban firing squad killed a young couple in southwestern Afghanistan for trying to elope, shooting them with AK-47s in front of a crowd in a lawless, militant-controlled region, officials said Tuesday.

The woman, 19-year-old Gul Pecha, and the man, 21-year-old Abdul Aziz, were accused by the militants of immoral acts, and a council of conservative clerics decided that the two should be killed, officials said.

The two had hoped to travel to Iran, which borders their home province of Nimroz, but their parents sent villagers to bring them home, said Sadiq Chakhansori, the chief of the provincial council.

Once back home, the pair was either turned over to the Taliban by their parents or the militants took them by force, the officials said, providing slightly varying accounts.

—AP

Iranian group in Iraq part of high-stakes politics control, the MEK is no longer protected by national laws or international conventions and must leave.

He dismisses claims of maltreatment and says Camp Ashraf residents are exKATARINA KRATOVAC tremists who have been “brainwashed�

Associated Press by about 15-20 of their most militant BAGHDAD — The Iraqi government is leaders. The U.S. has tried to defuse the stepping up efforts to pressure Iranian ex- tensions but without much success.

The MEK has a long history in Iraq. iles into leaving the country, pushing an Founded by Iranian leftists, it opposed obscure group to the forefront of Baghdad’s relations with Washington and the Obama Iran’s U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and took part in the 1979 Iranian administration’s overtures to Iran.

At stake is whether Iraq can resolve revolution that brought the Islamic rethe fate of 3,500 members of the People’s gime to power. Members were implicatMujahedeen Organization of Iran without ed in killings of Americans and the U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran — reasons damaging its ties to both the U.S. and Iran.

In recent weeks, leaders of the People’s that put them on the U.S. terror list.

But their blend of Marxism and secular Mujahedeen, known by its Farsi initials MEK, claim the Iraqis blockaded their Camp Ashraf Islamism pitted them against the mullahs north of Baghdad, allowing in only limited and they eventually settled in Iraq, where they fought alongside Saddam food and water shipments.

Hussein’s forces during the And earlier this month, they “It’s like somebody say, the Iraqi guards prevent- comes and tells you to 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

During Saddam’s time, ed Iraqi surgeons from enterleave the only home M E K members staged ing the camp to treat critically military parades at Camp ill patients — although the you’ve known for the Ashraf, marching in uniIraqis ultimately relented. past 20 years.� forms and flaunting an imTo outsiders, the MEK may pressive arsenal, and carried seem a strange cult-like group MOHAMMAD MOHADDESSIN, out deadly raids into Iran to that bans sex and family life — attack their sworn enemy — an image the MEK attributes A SENIOR OFFICIAL AT MEK Tehran’s clerical regime. to “demonization� by the They transformed Camp Iranian government.

Ashraf from a barren desert Both the U.S. and Iran constretch in the heart of the sider it a terrorist organization.

The Iraqi government makes no secret it volatile Diyala province, and only 50 miles wants the MEK out of the country in order to from the Iranian border, into an oasis of well-kept gardens, sprouting water founimprove relations with Iran. “Remaining in Iraq is not an option,� tains and palm trees along marked-out said national security adviser Mouwaffak streets.

The fenced-off 30-square-mile comal-Rubaie. “They have existed in Iraq solely to overthrow the government of a neighbor, pound houses 3,418 residents, including 900 women. Men and women obey a strict Iran. That past permissiveness is over.�

Iran has pressed for years to close the regimen, sleep in segregated, barrack-style camp, but the issue came to a head after Iraqi quarters, and are said almost to deify their forces took over security for Camp Ashraf on Paris-based leader, Maryam Rajavi. The Jan. 1, under the Iraq-U.S. security pact. The camp has mostly been off limits and the government gave the Americans assurances government rarely allows media visits.

Al-Rubaie says hundreds of the resithey would not force the exiles back to Iran, dents hold documents linking them to a where some face prosecution.

U.S. officials in Baghdad have declined to third country. There are five U.S. citizens, 11 Canadians and some European and comment publicly on the MEK issue.

But the U.S. has a stake in the issue be- Australian dual nationals.

Baghdad has tried to get those councause the U.S. military signed an agreement with the militia after the 2003 U.S.- tries to accept them, and promises MEK led invasion, promising members would members Iranian passports, a one-way be treated as “protected persons� under ticket to a third country and $1,000 in the Fourth Geneva Convention. pocket money, al-Rubaie said.

Al-Rubaie says that with Iraqis in But Camp Ashraf residents refuse to go.

Exiled Iranians blockade themselves in clut-like camp

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« BASEBALL See the full story from the game against TCU online.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

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

OUDAILY.COM

FOOTBALL

SPRING FOOTBALL ANSWERS QUESTIONS The Daily’s Jono Greco discusses what issues OU addressed in spring practices The end of the 2008 football season left a lot of questions for the upcoming year.

But now that spring practices have concluded, many of those questions have been answered.

Here are a few things we have learned about the Sooners coming out of the spring practices:

THE YOUNG RECEIVING CORPS CAN REPLACE LAST YEAR’S BIG THREE Even though the loss of receivers Juaquin Iglesias, Manuel Johnson and Quentin Chaney will be evident once September rolls around, the young receiving corps led by sophomore Ryan Broyles should be ready by the time the Sooners will attempt to make a national championship run.

Broyles has become more diverse, moving from the slot to the outside allowing junior running JONO back Mossis Madu to take some snaps from the slot GRECO position, and has stepped up as a captain within the young group.

Broyles led all receivers in the Red-White game with four receptions and 59 yards.

Also, senior receiver Adron Tennell has emerged as one of the top players coming out of spring practice. In the spring game, he had one catch that was good for a 23-yard touchdown.

THE O-LINE SHOULD BE BETTER THAN IT WAS IN THE RED-WHITE GAME Even though OU’s offensive line got manhandled during the Red-White game, it has controlled the line of scrimmage for the better part of the spring.

Many of the major plays in practice have come via the running game against a defensive line that is predicted to be one of the best in the Big 12.

Senior offensive tackle Trent Williams is the only returning starter on the line from last season as the Sooners graduated four starting linemen.

But, with the help of senior tight end Jermaine Gresham in the blocking game — and having junior tail backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown in the backfield — the offensive line should be in decent shape when the season starts.

ELI HULL/THE DAILY

Junior running back Mossis Madu (17) tries to break a tackle from senior linebacker Mike Balogun (10) as he approaches senior defensive back Brian Jackson (2) during the Red-White scrimmage Saturday at the Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

The only question that still remains is whether or not the line will be able to protect junior quarterback Sam Bradford and give him enough time to find his receivers down the field.

THE DEFENSIVE LINE MAY BE THE BEST OU HAS SEEN IN YEARS It will be difficult for opposing teams to slow down the pass rush and rushing attack

by OU’s defensive line when it is completely healthy. The Sooners are returning junior Gerald McCoy, senior Auston English, junior Jeremy Beal, sophomore Frank Alexander and junior Adrian Taylor from last year’s team.

Those five combined for 32 sacks during the 2008 season.

Once you add the talented linebackers to OU’s pass rush and rush defense, the Sooners’ defense has the potential to be deadly enough to assure the offense has plenty of support to win games by doubledigits in 2009.

SPORTS BRIEFS BRADFORD, OTHERS RECOGNIZED AT SCHOLAR-ATHLETE BREAKFAST Junior quarterback Sam Bradford and other athletes were honored Tuesday morning at the Max Weitzenhoffer Scholar-Athlete Breakfast.

Bradford took home one of the Athletics Director’s Leadership Award and was honored as one of the Dan Gibbens Outstanding Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Junior track and field athlete Amy Backel also won big, taking home three awards.

A list of all the athletes honored follows: Volleyball: Senior Lacy Barnes, sophomore Francie Ekwerekwu Women’s gymnastics: Senior Haley DeProspero, junior Kristin Smith Men’s gymnastics: Senior Jacob Messina, senior Russell Czeschin, junior Reed Pitts, senior Chris Brooks Men’s basketball: Sophomore forward Blake Griffin Women’s basketball: Senior guard Carolyn Winchester, sophomore guard Danielle Robinson, junior forward Amanda Thompson, sophomore guard Jenny Vining, freshman guard Whitney Hand Football: Bradford, junior defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, senior running back Derek Gove Baseball: Sophomore outfielder Elliot Blair, senior pitcher Stephen Porlier Softball: Senior outfielder Jeannie Douglas, senior first baseman Samantha Ricketts Soccer: Junior forward Ashley Farrand, sophomore defender Claire West Track and field: Backel, junior thrower Mikaela Johansson, senior jumper Franklin Green, sophomore distance runner Kelly Waters Women’s golf: Junior Andrea Spellmeyer, senior Ellen Mueller Rowing: Junior Monquie Gaines Men’s tennis: Freshman Andrew Oatman Multiple coaches and staff members also were honored.

— Daily Staff

Go online to see a full slideshow from Saturday’s RedWhite spring game.

OUDAILY.COM THE SPECIAL TEAMS MAY STILL BE OU’S WEAKEST LINK There were countless times last season when the special teams gave Sooner fans reason to moan and groan, and from what was shown at the Red-White game, there is no reason for this to change.

Redshirt freshman kicker Tress Way had problems on punts and kickoffs Saturday. He averaged 37.6 yards on 13 punts and struggled getting kickoffs past the 10-yard line.

Neither Way nor sophomore kicker Jimmy Stevens attempted any field goals, but they were five-for-five on extra point opportunities. Way has a stronger leg than Stevens, so OU may use him on kicks of 40-or-more yards and use Stevens on field goals on shorter attempts.

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The kickoff and punt coverage will have to improve from last year if the kickoffs and punts remain short. The Sooners can’t afford to give up good field position and touchdowns in the special teams game if they want to keep up with conference opponents.

BRADFORD IS IN TOP FORM, BUT BACKUPS NEED TO IMPROVE In both practice and the Red-White game, Bradford looked as good as ever, but both redshirt freshman Landry Jones and freshman Drew Allen looked off the mark during their elongated time.

Combined, Jones and Allen completed nine of 26 passes for 131 yards. Several of their passes were dropped by defenders or nowhere near their intended receivers.

Even though Jones and Allen have looked good during practice, their game performances showed they are not ready to back up Bradford and take control of the reins if he were to be sidelined.

Jono Greco is a journalism sophomore.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

7

STAFF COLUMN

BASEBALL

OU SLIDES BY TCU, 7-5 Sooner pitchers record 15 strikeouts to claim win over ranked opponent CLAIRE BRANDON The Oklahoma Daily

LM OTERO/AP

Starting pitcher junior Garrett Richards reached a career high of eight strikeouts to lead the Sooners to a 7-5 win over TCU Tuesday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

In his eighth appearance of the season, Richards (4-1, 6.67 ERA) allowed three runs and five hits on 86 pitches before junior pitcher Jeremy Erben relieved him in the sixth inning.

The Sooners’ pitching staff had 15 strikeouts, the eighth time they were able to post double-digit strikeouts this season.

The Sooners’ season-high was 16 strikeouts on April 8 against Wichita State.

After a scoreless inning in the first, the Sooners tallied five hits and four runs in the second to take the lead, 4-2 over the Horned Frogs.

Junior shortstop Bryant Hernandez was able to give OU a 7-2 lead with an RBI single in the fourth inning.

Freshman outfielder Chris Ellison went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Freshman infielder Cameron Seitzer and senior second baseman Matt Harughty added one run and one RBI each. Harughty went 3-for-2 and Seitzer went 2-for-4.

TCU made the game interesting in the final innings of the game, scoring a single run in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings to bring the game to 7-5 after the top of the eighth.

However, that would be as close as TCU got, as sophomore closer Ryan Duke sent the Horned Frogs down in order in the top of the ninth inning to seal the win for the Sooners.

The game against TCU was the start of a big stretch for the Sooners where three out of four of their opponents are ranked. Next up for the Sooners are the No. 9 Texas Longhorns (24-8) on the road this weekend. The three-game series is set for April 17-19 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

SEE THE FULL STORY ONLINE AT OUDAILY.COM

Texas Rangers’ second baseman Ian Kinsler, left, is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians in Arlington, Texas, Thursday.

Hoping for an unpredictable ending for Rangers

T

JAMES CORNWELL/THE DAILY

Junior pitcher Garrett Richards lets a pitch fly toward the plate in OU’s game against TCU Tuesday evening. Richards threw five innings, giving up three runs and striking out eight batters. The Sooners won,7-5

PLAYERS OF THE GAME »five innings pitched » three earned runs

GARRET RICHARDS

» 2-for-3 hitting » two runs scored » two RBI

» three walks

» two put outs

» eight strikeouts

» no errors

MATT HARUGHTY

he start to the Texas Rangers’ 2009 season has greatly resembled the hit television show “Lost.”

The Rangers started off the year doing everything right – hitting, pitching, fielding and everything in between – just like “Lost” did by capturing viewers’ minds and making them crave to see more.

But then, as time moved on, everything changed.

In “Lost,” it only took a majority of the main characters getting off the island MJ and back to their homes. Since then the CASIANO show has not answered questions, but only extended them. Now, it’s uncertain if they want to stay or leave the island. It’s almost like the show started off 3-0, and has since completely flopped and gone 0-4.

Sound familiar? I think so.

Rangers’ fans have grown accustomed to seeing the team looking good, only to drop out of the playoff hunt, late. Or in May. The first series against the Indians, the Rangers averaged nearly 10 runs a game while only giving up fewer than three runs.

Since then, they’re earning about 4 1/2 runs per game and giving up almost nine.

Obviously, these stats prove both the hitting and pitching has been lacking in the last four games. Something has to change. Just like how the mindset that everyone on “Lost” is content on the island, has to change.

If Sawyer can get Juliet, it proves anything can happen.

Therefore, it seems possible that the Rangers can get some pitching and consistent run support every once in a while.

Now don’t get the wrong impression; I love both the Rangers and “Lost,” so I have hope that the ending can always be good despite a few rough patches.

Hopefully, these rough patches fade away quickly so everyone can enjoy the two best things America offers, again.

MJ Casiano is a broadcast and electronic media sophomore.

SOFTBALL

Sooners play host to OSU this afternoon AARON COLEN The Oklahoma Daily

No matter which sport is being contested, whenever it is between OU and Oklahoma State, the rivalry is intense.

Tonight at Marita Hynes Field, the competition is softball, as 28-14 OSU travels to Norman to face the Sooners.

OU is coming off a split in its series against Big 12 foe Kansas over the weekend, winning 8-0 in the first game before losing 4-2 in the second.

The team will be looking to find some consistency, as the Sooners have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games during an up-and-down stretch.

The Sooners need to get strong performances from a pitching staff that has been inconsistent of late. Senior pitcher D.J. Mathis is still working through an arm injury, and freshmen Kirsten Allen and Allee Allen have been asked to take a heavier load.

OSU enters the game against the Sooners after losing two straight games at home in a series against Big 12 leader, No. 11 Missouri.

As regular season play winds down, it is important for both teams to play well and improve their rankings within the conference.

OSU is 4-6 and OU is 8-4 in Big 12 play.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the OU Softball Complex.

The game will be broadcast in the Oklahoma City area on Cox channels 3 and 7.

TENNIS BRIEF MEN’S TENNIS FACE WICHITA STATE TODAY The No. 38 men’s tennis team only has two games left in its regular season before beginning the Big 12 Championships April 24, and is looking to go into the tournament on a positive note.

The Sooners will play their last non-conference match of the year against Wichita State University at 2 this afternoon at the Headington Family Tennis Center in Norman.

A key for the Sooners could come in doubles play, as they have the No. 42 ranked doubles team in the country. The team is comprised of last week’s Big 12 men’s tennis player of the week senior Sergey Avdeyev and sophomore Ionut Beleleu.

The Sooners, who are currently 11-8 on the year, will face a Wichita State team that is 9-10 overall on the season. The Shockers are a very streaky team, going on big winning steaks or big losing streaks.

Currently the Shockers have won four out of their last five matches.

Admission to today’s match is free.

— James Roth/The Daily

AMY FROST/THE DAILY

Senior left fielder Jeannie Douglas bats against Arkansas.

MORE SPORTS ONLINE Go to OUDaily.com for full coverage of OU sports.

Today, check out the full baseball story, and a slideshow of photos from the game.

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Now hiring lifeguard, swim instructors, and AM pool managers. Apply at the Cleveland County Family YMCA, 1350 Lexington Ave. EOE.

$5,000- $45,000

PAID EGG DONORS up to 9 donations, + Exps, non-smokers, Ages 19-29, SAT>1100/ACT>24/GPA>3.00 Contact: info@eggdonorcenter.com Positions working with individuals with developmental disabilities. 7.50/hr to start, paid training. Call Panhandle Opportunities 942-4822 or fax resume 942-4993.

1 bedroom near campus, $400/mo plus electic, $200/dep, no pets. Call 8866709. $400, bills paid, efficiency LOFT apartments, downtown over Mister Robert Furniture, 109 E Main, fire sprinkler, no pets, smoke-free. Inquire store office.

APTS. UNFURNISHED FREE RENT or up to $300 off First Mo! Student and Military Discounts Models open 8:30-5:30 M-F; 10-4 Sat 1-2 bedroom apts/townhomes with washer/dryer hookups in 2 bedrooms.

Pets Welcome! Free Tanning! Immediate Move-in!

Two locations: Apple Creek and Hillcrest Estates Call us at 329-2438 or 360-2048 or look us up online, apartmentguide. com Post Oak Apartments 1-2 bed apts available! Newly renovated. Visit postoakliving.com - 364-3039, 705 Ridgecrest Ct. P/L Now for Summer & Fall! *Free Membership at Steel Fitness! $99 Deposit! No Application Fee! Models open 8a-8p Everyday!

Elite Properties 360-6624 or www.elite2900.com

J Housing Rentals

J Housing Rentals

J Housing Rentals

APTS. UNFURNISHED

HOUSES UNFURNISHED

TOWNHOUSES UNFURNISHED

1 BLK FROM OU, very nice 4 room apt, 800 sf, wood floors, 1016 S College, Apt 1, $295/mo. Call 360-2873 or 306-1970.

JUNE RENTAL 850 S Flood - $475+bills. 212 S Flood - $600+bills. Smoke-free, no pets, 1 year lease, security dep. 360-3850

CONDOS FURNISHED 4 Bed/4 Bath Condo for Rent Norman - The Edge Less than 1 mile from Campus. Furnished Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, W/D, Hi-speed internet. $350/Mo + utilities - pdawson. pd@verizon.net

HOUSES UNFURNISHED Clean 3 bdrm, 1 bath near campus, big yard, fireplace, basement, $800/mo. 4478313.

Available 4/18 1700 Jackson Dr. 3/2/2 $950 Available 5/1 428 Hanging Elm 3/2/2 $900 Available 6/1 1413 Peter Pan 3/1.5/2 $950 140 Alameda Plaza 3/2/2 $1000 1801 Burnt Oak 4/2/2 $1190 321 Waterfront 4/2/2 $1260 Contact Wendy at KW, 473-6832

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1 5

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Senior Accounting Clerk Looking for dependable, sharp, detail oriented individual with an accounting background or degree. Automotive accounting experience is preferred but not necessary. Please email your resume to jryan@normannobody.com.

MetroShoe Warehouse now hiring energetic persons for FT/PT sales and mgmt trainees. Hrly + comm. Apply at 1732 24th Ave NW, Norman.

9 8 7 2 8 1 4 9 1 8

8 9 1 8 3 4 6 7 7 1 9 5 4

Previous Solution 8 1 5 7 6 4 2 9 3

9 2 6 1 5 3 7 8 4

7 4 3 8 9 2 1 6 5

4 8 1 9 3 7 5 2 6

6 9 7 4 2 5 8 3 1

3 5 2 6 8 1 4 7 9

2 3 4 5 7 6 9 1 8

5 7 8 3 1 9 6 4 2

1 6 9 2 4 8 3 5 7

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

3

Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker April 15, 2009

ACROSS 1 Cry a river 5 Highchair hazard 10 No-loss, no-gain situation 14 A psychic may see it 15 Gift bags from pledge drives 16 Bird played it 17 Difficult spot 20 “Pease Porridge ___” 21 “Boola Boola” belters 22 Source of annoyance 23 Shake hands for the first time 24 Famous Irish stone 26 Make an appearance at 29 Pirate treasure 30 “Cannery Row” character 31 Spiral-shelled gastropod 32 Word ending many company names 35 Words after “Well, ain’t that” 39 Something to do for the camera 40 Hack’s passengers 41 Comes to

1 col (1.833 in) x 2.25 inches Crossword .....$515/month (located just below the puzzle)

POLICY

All ads are subject to acceptance by The Oklahoma Daily. Ad acceptance may be reevaluated at any time.

NEAR OU, privacy, $250, bills paid includes cable, neat, clean, parking. Prefer male student. Call 329-0143.

216 S. Lahoma 2 bd, 1 bath, all new inside with w/d included, no pets, $750/mo. 405-208-3303, Southwest Properties.

Mystery shoppers wanted for easy tanning salon assignments! National market research company seeks individuals to complete assignments for a local tanning salon chain and other retailers. tanning session reimbursed for completion of online survey. Please apply at www.bestmark.com

2 col (3.792 in) x 2 inches Sudoku ...........$760/month Boggle ............$760/month Horoscope .....$760/month

Help Wanted ads in The Oklahoma Daily are not to separate as to gender. Advertisers may not discriminate in employment ads based on race, color, religion or gender unless such qualifying factors are essential to a given position.

ROOMS FURNISHED

NO PETS, References Required.

Contact: 329-1933 or 550-7069

Contact an Acct Executive for details at 325-2521.

The Oklahoma Daily will not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religious preference, national origin or sexual orientation. Violations of this policy should be reported to The Oklahoma Daily Business Office at 325-2521.

SHORT WALK TO OU 1-5 blks west, nice brick homes, wood floors, CH/A, w/d, disposal, good parking.

4 Bdrm $1,800-$2,000 3 Bdrm $750-$1,500 2 Bdrm $600-$800 1 Bdrm $420-$460 Bob, MISTER ROBERT FURNITURE Mon-Sat, 321-1818

NEAR OU, 915 W Lindsey - 1 or 2 bd, 1 ba, $500.

NEAR OU, 707 Juniper - 3 bd, 2 ba, CH/ A, W/D, carport, garage, $975.

NEAR OU, 1415 McKinley - 2 bd, 1 ba, garage, W/D, stove, ref, CH/A, $675.

911 Nebraska - 2 bd, CH/A, W/D, ref, stove, $650

Classified Display, Classified Card Ads or Game Sponsorship

The Oklahoma Daily is responsible for one day’s incorrect advertising. If your ad appears incorrectly, or if you wish to cancel your ad call 325-2521, before the deadline for cancellation in the next issue. Errors not the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted. Refunds will not be issued for late cancellations.

Taylor Ridge Townhomes 2 Bdrm, 2.5 Bath, Fully Renovated Townhomes near OU! Pets Welcome! • Call for current rates and Move-in Specials!!!

Taylor Ridge Townhomes (405) 310-6599

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• •• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Save a Life.

the rescue 42 Worked diligently 43 Respectful gesture 45 Rabbit ears, e.g.

48 Towel word 49 Incline 50 Gilbert of “Roseanne” 51 Hardwood variety 54 Equally unattractive choices 58 Piece of fencing?

59 Take-home pay 60 It might wind up on a lake?

61 Geeky guy 62 Clear the board 63 Klein of fashion DOWN 1 Party with pizzazz 2 Biographical beginning?

3 An order of the court 4 Fond du ___, Wisc.

5 Didn’t merely cut 6 Put forth 7 “___ a far, far better thing …”

(Dickens) 8 “___ it Be” (Beatles) 9 Shaq’s alma mater 10 Diluted 11 Not terrestrial 12 Franklin

invented one 13 Winniethe-Pooh’s favorite nosh 18 Finelysharpened 19 Absence of passion 23 Malicious 24 Stocks’ partner 25 Off one’s trolley 26 Rodin sculpture 27 Bean curd food 28 Math course, for short 29 Thanked the audience, in a way 31 Nuclear reactor parts 32 Quarter deck?

33 Race track figures 34 Meddlesome 36 Some score

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

© 2009 Universal Press Syndicate www.upuzzles.com

“PROBLEMATIC” by Oscar Lyndley

Call the Hotline at

325-5000

to report hazing, illegal or unsafe drinking.

All calls are anonymous.

The University of Oklahoma is an Equal Opportunity Institution.

Previous Answers

notes 37 Signal, as a cab 38 Galley gear 42 Held to the mat 43 Cherry red 44 Asian range 45 Drained of color 46 What running mates do?

47 Not as well-done 48 Charon’s locale 50 Multigenerational tale, e.g.

51 Writing on the wall 52 Last word in Bibles 53 Leafy green 55 IOU component 56 Kind of cry 57 Period of time

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

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

9

« THE DOC IS IN OUDAILY.COM Questions about going green?

Check out OUDaily.com for this week’s advice from the L&A writers.

Zombies make Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ a better read

WOLVERINE NOIR #1

100 BULLETS #100

This new series sees Wolverine as a private eye in 1930’s New York along with his brother Dog at the P.I. firm, “Logan and Logan.”

True to noir style, as soon as the mysterious Mariko Yashida asks for their services, Logan is thrown into trouble, which causes him to explore his dark past.

Other books in the Marvel Noir series – which includes other X-Men and Spiderman books – have received positive reviews from fans.

As with all mainstream comic book series, it’s always interesting to see an alternate take on our favorite characters. The artwork

by C.P Smith (The Programme) works well with the gritty noir elements that are present in the book.

After nearly a decade, the highly acclaimed and multi-Eisner Award winning series by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso comes to an end.

The first issue of this series came out in August 1999 and concluded the ‘90s stereotypically unnecessary over-the-top comic book violence and bland character development, by adding interesting and extremely damaged characters.

This modern day noir has entertained us with its violence, black humor, entertaining conspiracies and nods to everything from Raymond Chandler books to “The Usual Suspects.” It’s sad to see such a great series come to an end, but it was only a matter of time.

This is a must read for comic and noir fans.

Osizimete Aken’ova is a film and video studies junior.

Anyone who has wallowed through Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” probably found it quite contrived and utterly without action. Now, the famous story of “I hate him, I love him, nope more hate, happy loving ending” has SARAH become infinitely DORN more tolerable thanks the Seth Grahame-Smith, who added zombies.

“Pr ide and Prejudice and Zombies” contains almost all of Austen’s original text, but is suddenly readable when someone’s grandmom might pop out of the ground any minute and eat a Bennett’s brain.

As the book opens, we find the Bennett’s discussing the arrival of a new available bachelor to town, and find out that a strange plague has been affecting the British countryside for years now. The infestation has become so terrible, Mr. Bennett sent his girls at a young age to train in the art of Oriental fighting, Katanas and all.

As the book progresses, a reader finds that a skill such as this is in high demand, and highly valued in young women. In fact, Mr. Darcy is first attracted to Elizabeth because of her superhuman fighting chops.

Other characters display similar skills with varying levels of success. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Collins is worthless to do anything but faint at the mere thought of a zombie.

If zombies aren’t enough to entice you, I have one word: ninjas. Yes, just when this book couldn’t get any

more appealing, Grahame-Smith threw in ninjas, the embodiment of awesome, as bodyguards for Lady Catherine.

What’s scary about this book is how the original novel and the zombie additives mesh so seemlessly, almost as if Austen wrote the novel so someone would insert zombies later.

Surely there is some greater social message to be reaped from this book, but if so, Grahame-Smith probably didn’t intentionally sow it.

Whether or not you read it to interpret the deep social problems clearly implied by the readership’s acceptance of these scenarios, don’t miss the mock discussion questions ‘PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES’

by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith $13 at Barnes & Noble

in the back, which are as amusing as the book, and address some issues original “Pride” readers have long asked. Namely, number seven: “Does Mrs. Bennett have a single redeeming quality?”

Even fans of the Austen’s unadulterated text will love this version, despite the addition of “ultraviolent zombie mayhem” to their beloved tale.

No matter why you pick it up (and at a mere $13, why wouldn’t you?), “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” will be the most entertaining book you read this year.

Sarah Dorn is an English junior.

10

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

OUDAILY.COM »

Check out a slideshow from the Pops store at OUDaily.com.

Arcadia store ‘Pops’ and fizzes Soda shop offers more than 500 carbonated drinks AJ LANSDALE The Oklahoma Daily

ABOVE: Pops’ iconic 66-foot-tall soda bottle sculpture stands along historic Route 66 in Arcadia. At night the bottle glows a wide array of colors.

LEFT: Bottles of soda line the walls of Pops. The store sells more than 500 different brands of soda.

“There is a little new, a little old, since we planned on getting all sorts of different customers here.”

JESSE STUMAN, ASSISTANT MANAGER OF POPS, THE SPECIALITY SODA STORE IN ARCADIA

If you don’t really have the space to carry large quantities of soda back home with you, there is a soda kiosk in the store where you can have quantities of soda shipped back to wherever you’re from. I came very close to ordering a few cases of Jones Root Beer and Dublin Dr. Pepper, but the reality of being a poor college student got the better of me.

If there’s a rare soda you like, but you don’t want to drive to find out whether they have it, visit Pop’s Web site (pops66.com) which lists its entire soda selection, as well as hours, directions and other interesting facts about the area.

If going to on a journey to find your ultimate flavor of soda sounds like fun to you, make a trip to this gigantic soda emporium.

And make sure to try the Dublin Dr. Pepper. It’s my favorite.

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UPGRADED FITNESS CENTER • UPGRADED BASKETBALL COURT amenities subject to change

Pay Zero Down PLUS, WIN FREE RENT FOR A YEAR

405.321.8877 • COMMONSONOAKTREE.COM 405.292.4044 • NORMANSTUDENTHOUSING.COM TEXT ‘COMMONSOAK’ OR ‘GREENS’ TO 47464

see office for details

ELI HULL/ THE DAILY

Everyone loves soda.

Most people know the main brands: Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper and the other flavors under the brand umbrellas. But have you ever heard of sodas like Rat Bastard Root Beer or Leninade Soviet-Style Soda?

You can find these and more among the hundreds supplied by an Interstate 35 gas station.

Pops is a convenience store that doubles as a soda shop, located in the city of Arcadia on State Highway 66, 35 miles north of Norman.

Arcadia is also home to the Round Barn, a Historic Route 66 museum and Arcadia Lake, making Pops an even more useful stop to buy drinks for a day of swimming or picnicking.

Driving toward Arcadia from Edmond, I immediately noticed the 66-foot-tall soda bottle sculpture in front of Pops.

The gas pumps outside are tucked under a 100-foot-long canopy. The building has a unique look and feel, which reminds me of the architecture in “The Jetsons.”

Jesse Stuman, assistant manager of the soda store, described how the owners came up with the style.

“They just wanted to go with something different,” Stuman said. “There is a little new, a little old, since we planned on getting all sorts of different customers here.”

Inside the building, I was greeted by empty soda bottles glistening in the windows and soda coolers lining the walls. In the middle of the store were the normal convenience store items, as well as various souvenirs including wooden soda cases.

Beyond these items, I saw a restaurant that looks like a ’50s diner, with shake machines to boot.

I ordered a Dublin Dr. Pepper and— at first sip — I noticed something was different. My server explained that the soda is made with pure cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.

High fructose corn syrup is 25 percent

water, which makes sodas taste less sweet.

Most soda companies use the corn syrup in their mixes, because it’s cheaper than pure sugar, she said.

Pops boasts the selection of more than 500 sodas. It has foreign versions of sodas like Coke and Pepsi, and — for you Root Beer lovers — more than 43 different kinds of frothy root beer.

I was overwhelmed with what to try.

Stuman commented on his favorite sodas.

“I like cream sodas, and one of my favorites is Sioux City Cream Soda,” he said.

“I also like Orange Crush, things like that. I haven’t gotten anywhere close to trying all of them, though.”

Among the massive quantities of liquid, I noticed a lot of bizarre sodas, besides the Rat Bastard and Leninade. One of the sodas that stuck out was a blue raspberry and pineapple mixture. This odd flavor combination had a picture of President Obama on the bottle and was called “Barack O’Berry.”