The Oklahoma Daily by OU Daily

THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA’S I NDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE

VOL. 94, NO. 118 FREE — Additional Copies 25¢

Fertility clinics see rise in egg donors as economy wanes

WHAT’S INSIDE The addition to Gaylord Hall is almost complete. See what Phase Two will include on page 2.

LIFE & ARTS “This Week in Comics” features the work of My Chemical Romance’s lead singer, Gerard Way. Check it out on page 9.

Need some ideas on how to decorate your dorm room for the spring? See page 12.

• $5k payment attractive to college students JAMIE BIRDWELL The Oklahoma Daily Clinics report the number of young women interested in donating eggs has increased significantly due to the current economic crisis. Karen Johnson, coordinator at the Bennett Fertility Institute at Integris Baptist Hospital, said although interest is increasing, not all applicants are becoming donors because of the strict requirements to donate. “People are looking for a new way to subsidize their income,” Johnson said. Former donors also are interested in donating again,

said Joan Reese, director of the Egg Donation of Dallas. Reese said she estimated about 15 percent of previous donors have decided to donate again recently. Because of high tuition costs and the flailing economy, the average $5,000 payout for an egg donation becomes an alternative for young college women to make money, Reese said. “The biggest attraction is the money,” Reese said. “It’s Karen Johnson, Bennett Fertility a lot to do and the commitment better be worth the time Institute coordinator and effort!” The donor also has all medical and travel expenses paid for by the egg recipients, said Michelle Starkey, a to be more intelligent, which makes them attractive to nurse at OU Physicians Center for Reproductive Health. recipients, she said. Egg donation clinics actively pursue college-aged Allie, an OU student who asked not to be identified women because they are the ideal donors, Reese said. due to the anonymity of the egg donation process, has College women are young, which means they produce more eggs which are generally healthier than older womFERTILITY Continues on page 2 en’s eggs, she said. College women are also perceived

“People are looking for a new way to subsidize their income.”

Economic pinch hits student organizations SPORTS

The women’s basketball team moves on to the Sweet 16 after taking down Georgia Tech Tuesday night 69-50. Page 7.

• Rising costs complicate group activities CADIE THOMPSON The Oklahoma Daily

AP photo

The men’s basketball team faces off against Syracuse Friday night in a Sweet 16 match up. For more details on how both teams got there, see page 8.

The economic tsunami has hit more than just local businesses; it has also stormed OU student organizations, leaving some groups to scrounge for cash to put on events. “It’s just a tough time economically for everyone,” said Brett Stidham, UOSA budget chairman. “I’ve heard several instances where groups have had to downsize or cancel events because of costs.” All $6,000 of the emergency funding set aside by UOSA to assist student organizations lacking money for events has been allocated this year, and an additional $1,500 has been added to the emergency funds as an absolute last resort for groups in need. Stidham, international business sophomore, said one reason the funding has been exhausted is because there was less funding this year. UOSA didn’t distribute all of the $8,000 it had available for emergency funding last year, so the amount was decreased for this year. There will be $9,000 to $10,000 allocated for the funds next year, Stidham said. But some student organizations that received emergency funding are still feeling pinched for funds this year. Vinay Singh, India Student Association president, said the organization has seen a reduction in funding and an increase in operational costs.

Zach Butler/The Daily

CAC College Bowl chair Mallory Gladstein (center), junior communications major, helps two contestants who are dressed for the “Ace in the Hole” theme for the CAC College Bowl Tuesday evening in the Weitzenhoffer Room of the Oklahoma Memorial Union. The early rounds of the College Bowl were held in the Sooner and Heritage Rooms in the union, and the later rounds will be held in the Will Rogers Room. Singh, whose organization received $450 in emergency funding, said sponsorships have gone down this year, including sponsorships from the President’s office. Last year, the group received $2,500 from the President’s office, but this year it is only receiving $1,000, he said. Jay Doyle, university spokesman, said sponsorships from the President’s office are given on a case-by-case basis as a last resort for funding.

Sarah Shutts, International Advisory Committee president, also said the amount of funds given by sponsorship are down this year for the group but said it received more sponsorships this year. International Advisory Committee received $625 in emergency funding from UOSA but still made small cuts, like using disposable instead of china dishes, to the group’s annual event, Eve of Nations, which is set for April 3.

But it’s more than just lack of funding that is stressing the student organizations; it’s also the cost of renting facilities to put on events and host meetings. Singh said India Student Association paid $6,500 for one day at the Lloyd Noble Center for their cultural event Friday. The cost for rental was the same amount the organization paid for two days last year.

ORGANIZATIONS Continues on page 2

The baseball team remains perfect at home this season after the Sooners cruised past the Central Arkansas Bears 12-6. Page 7.

Elizabeth Nalewajk

$5M in federal stimulus money coming to Norman • CART set to purchase five new buses

TODAY’S INDEX Campus Notes 11 Classifieds 10 10 Crossword Horoscope 11 L&A 9, 12

News 3, 5, 6, 11 Opinion 4 Police Reports 7 Sports 5, 6 Sudoku 9

LEIGHANNE MANWARREN The Oklahoma Daily

WEATHER FORECAST

TODAY

LOW 37° HIGH 63°

20%

THURSDAY

LOW 41° HIGH 68° 30% Source: Oklahoma Weather Lab James Cornwell/ The Daily

CART buses wait to pick up students just south of Adams Hall on the South Oval. Norman is giving its $1.8 million in stimulus money to CART.

The City of Norman and Cleveland Area Rapid Transit will receive millions of dollars of President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s first round of funding for transportation. $1.8 million will go to CART to be used for the enhancement of the fleet as part of transit improvement. Theta Dempsey, CART administrative director, said CART plans on using the funds to purchase five compressed natural gas buses. “We already have three compressed natural gas buses and the three of the five will be used to

replace our diesel buses with the other two being additional for the fleet,” Dempsey said. The OU Board of Regents is expected to vote on the purchase in today’s meeting. “Since it is a university purchase, it must be approved by the regents,” she said. “After that, we need approval from [the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments] and Federal Transit before we can move forward.” Dempsey said CART anticipates getting the buses by fall 2010. Stimulus funds coming to Norman will be administered for road and bridge improvement. “We have received about $3.2 million distributed by ACOG which we plan to use for road improvements, specifically road resurfacing,” said Shawn O’Leary, Norman Public Works director. O’Leary said the funds will be

STIMULUS Continues on page 2

EVEN

ODD

News

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Fertility Continued from page 1

donated eggs three times in the last two years. She heard about it from a nurse while working at Integris Baptist Hospital one summer who told her she would be a good candidate for egg donation. “I was really excited,” she said. “The money was great, but I was going to be able to help someone.” Before the procedure, Allie had to give herself daily injections to prepare her body. Post-procedure, Allie said she almost never thinks about the fact that her eggs have been given to someone else. “I have so many [eggs],” she said. “I don’t really need them.” The application process begins with an interview and staffers compile a detailed profile of the donor for prospective recipients, Reese said. Donors must pass very detailed psychological and background checks before being approved. Prospective recipients apply for egg donations usually because they either have fertility problems or the mother has inheritable traits that she does not wish to pass on to a child, Reese said. “These are people who have tried all other options,” she said. Although adoption is an option for people in this situation, many couples want to have a biological link with the father, Reese said. The recipients review profiles to find a donor who has similar traits with the mother, she said. Although rare, there are some side effects to donating eggs, Johnson said. “While complications aren’t common, we discuss them in length to our donors,” Johnson said. There is a risk of infection and bleeding and possibly damage to the ovaries, Johnson said, but none of the donors at the Bennett Fertility Institute have ever been hospitalized for problems with the procedure. Although the process is extensive, most donors say they would do it again, she said. “It’s a win-win situation,” Reese said. “The women are grateful to be pregnant and it’s phenomenally rewarding for the donors.”

Restaurant raises money for clean water This week, Victoria’s Pasta Shop on Campus Corner is participating in a nationwide project raising money to help the world’s children get clean water. According to a press release, the restaurant is asking people to donate $1 or more for the tap water they usually get free. The proceeds will be donated to the second annual Tap Project, set up by the United Nations Children’s Fund. Victoria’s will accept donations until Saturday, the release said. Last year, more than 2,300 restaurants raised more than $855,000, the release said. Griffin Miller, a server at the restaurant, said the family of the owner of Victoria’s has supported UNICEF for a long time, and because the Tap Project involves restaurants, they thought it seemed like a good opportunity to get involved. According to the press release, more than 4,000 children die each day because they are not able to get clean water. — WILL HOLLAND/THE DAILY

Zach Butler/The Daily

Students participate in the early rounds of the 2009 CAC “Ace in the Hole” Campus Bowl Tuesday evening in the Sooner Room in the Union.

Organizations Continued from page 1 Emad Alabbad, Saudi Student Association president, said he has also encountered problems with the costs of renting facilities. Alabbad, petroleum engineering senior, said the organization struggles

to find funds to hold meetings. Although some rooms in the Oklahoma Memorial Union are free of charge for student groups, he said it’s hard to find available rooms on short notice to hold executive meetings, and

his group cannot afford to rent one of the rooms that have a fee. Stidham said the cost of renting facilities not only hinders student organizations, but the OU community as a whole.

Stimulus

“I just don’t believe groups should be charged so much when they are trying to enrich campus life, which is the goal the OU campus prides itself on,” he said.

Gaylord addition nears completion

Continued from page 1

immediately put to use. Norman and ODOT hope to take project bids in June and begin construction in July. “While it is great that the stimulus package will probably create more jobs, my concern is do we have enough resources to get the work done in such a short amount of time?” he said. O’Leary said future stimulus opportunities for Norman include water treatment, improvements for the police and fire departments and green info structures.

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. CORRECTION The Daily misquoted Lesleigh Owen in the Feb. 2 article about retail discrimination against fat people. The quote in the final paragraph should read, “Fatness should never be viewed as a means to judge someone, to deny them rights, or to make assumptions about their health or lifestyle.”

Amy Frost/The Daily

The statue of Edward L. Gaylord faces the rear of the new edition of Gaylord Hall.

Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on Gaylord Hall Phase Two and the building will be ready for classes by next fall. The new addition will feature space for a larger broadcast studio, an auditorium with studio capabilities that will allow filming of speakers and events, and an area for graduate and doctorate students, said Celia Perkins, Gaylord communications director. Phase Two will maintain aesthetic continuity with Gaylord Hall, keeping the woodwork and marble flooring consistent in the new space, but students can expect a new vibe on the second floor of the addition, she said. “It’s going to be a completely different feel to what’s existing in Gaylord Hall,” Perkins said. The new facility also will host a student-run advertising and public relations agency with an adjacent computer lab on the second floor. Movable furniture, new work stations in the computer lab and oversized ottomans will also add a different feeling to the new space in Gaylord Hall, Perkins said. “There will be bright colors on the walls, there’s red walls, yellow, green; it will be very creative and stimulating,” she said. —RENEÉ SELANDERS/THE DAILY

ERROR SUBMISSIONS e-mail: dailynews@ou.edu phone: 325-3666

CHINESE RESTAURANT 364-2100 • 722 Asp Ave. CAMPUS CORNER

Daily Lunch Buﬀet

All You Can Eat

$4.88 • 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. • Sunday-Friday

CLIMB FOR KOMEN 2009 Event Times March 24........3:00 p.m. March 26........3:00 p.m. March 30....... 6:30 p.m. April 1.............6:30 p.m. April 3............ 6:30 p.m.

• To reserve your spot, e-mail the Women’s Outreach Center at woc@ou.edu. Register quickly! Each day is limited to ten participants. • The $5 registration fee includes a T-shirt and 1 hour of training on the Huston Huﬀman Rockwall. • All proceeds beneﬁt Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. For information or accommodations on the basis of disability, please call the Women’s Outreach Center at 405-325-4929.

EVEN

ODD CYAN

MAGENTA

YELLOW

BLACK

Nijim Dabbour, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu phone: 325-3666 fax: 325-6051 For more, go to oudaily.com.

Campus News

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Library database gives instant access to history â&#x20AC;˘ Millions of British government documents available online KATE CUNNINGHAM The Oklahoma Daily Students can now access centuries-old reproductions of British government documents from home. Bizzell Memorial Library is expanding its collection of primary source online documents this semester to provide better resources for student and faculty research, said Karen RuppSerrano, librarian and associate professor of collection development. OU is one of the first universities to purchase State Papers Online, an online database that includes million of pages of British government documents. Among them are 380,000 reproductions of manuscript documents that are linked to fully searchable calendar entries of documents produced by the government of Great Britain between 1509 and 1714, according to a publication produced by the databaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s developer, Gale Cengage Learning. The database also contains scanned images of the documents produced by the government of Great Britain. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the past, we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had access to this

STATE BRIEFS Oklahoma personal income posts fourth-quarter growth TULSA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal income grew just 0.1 percent from the third to the fourth quarter of 2008, but that was still enough to rank it sixth nationally as most of the country continued to see the eďŹ&#x20AC;ects of an economic downturn last year. The estimates, released Tuesday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, also showed that Oklahoma ranked 28th in per capita personal income levels at $36,899 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; slightly less than the $39,751 national average. But Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s per-capita income still ranked higher than other states like Oregon, Michigan and Georgia.

kind of primary source material,â&#x20AC;? Rupp-Serrano said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can read [these documents] for yourself and draw your own conclusions.â&#x20AC;? The database, which is accessible to anyone online, also has helpful tools like guides to Latin and paleography, which helps students read archaic script, as contemporary readers might not be familiar with the material, RuppSerrano said. The database also has a feature that allows students to make their own notes and save them for their next log-in. The database cost OU more than $50,000, but many professors and students say the resource is well worth the cost. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know that the price seems high, but in my view it is absolutely worth it,â&#x20AC;? Roberta Magnusson, professor and director of undergraduate studies for the history department, said in an e-mail. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have already used it for my own research ... and was able to track down more information in a single afternoon from the comfort of my home computer than I could have found in weeks spent at a library housing the printed collection.â&#x20AC;? Magnusson also said she appreciates that the database is easily searchable. But the database isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always easy to find the first time around. Taylor Krebs, international and area studies and economics sophomore, said she had some trouble navigating through LORA to find State Papers Online while researching for her Irish history class. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even with an interest in the history of

Personal income, deďŹ ned as the total income received by all persons from all sources, including salary, topped $135 billion in Oklahoma in the fourth quarter, which lasted through December. Nationally, the change in state personal income ranged from a 0.9 percent increase in Alaska to a 1.8 percent decline in North Dakota. But even with its 0.1 quarterly growth, the data indicate a slowdown in Oklahoma, which posted growth rates of 1.2 percent, 3.1 percent and 0.5 percent in the ďŹ rst three quarters of last year. The energy industry continued to help buoy the state, even as the rise in oil prices peaked in the middle of 2008. Some economists predicted the worst might be yet to come for Oklahoma, as the national recession ďŹ nally catches up with the state.

the geographic area, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to find what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for,â&#x20AC;? Krebs said. Finding the database might have taken her some time, but Krebs said it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep her from using it in the future. She said users need a working knowledge of English history to navigate the database but the tools are very helpful. She said tools like the monarch timeline and money converters put historical figures into modern terms and helped her put history in perspective. OU Libraries plan to make the databaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second, third and fourth installments available when they are released later this year and in 2010. Students and faculty will have access to hundreds of thousands of foreign and domestic British historical documents once the collection is complete. The database will be most useful to history, religious studies and English students, Rupp-Serrano said, but also will help science students with the addition of the Cold Spring Harbor Protocols, a source of classical biological research techniques. To access the database, log on to http:// library.ou.edu/eresources/LORA and search â&#x20AC;&#x153;State Papers Online.â&#x20AC;? Photo Provided by The British Library Board

This engraving plate of Queen Elizabeth I from â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Booke of Kings,â&#x20AC;? published in 1618, is part of a British archive available online through the OU Libraries.

House committee clears nuclear power bill OKLAHOMA CITY â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Legislation that would streamline the review process for nuclear power plants in Oklahoma was sent to the ďŹ&#x201A;oor of the state House Tuesday, but critics said the measure does little to protect consumers from onerous rate increases that would be needed to help pay for it. The House Energy and Utility Regulation Committee voted 17-4 for the Senate-passed measure as Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy and representatives of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two largest electrical utilities, Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co., monitored the billâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress. Murphy said she wants to be sure that lawmakers give the bill â&#x20AC;&#x153;thoughtful considerationâ&#x20AC;? and that the commission, which regulates util-

ity rates and the oil and gas industry, is involved in its development. The measureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s author, Rep. Scott Martin, R-Norman, has said it is intended to oďŹ&#x20AC;er incentives to power generators to consider building a nuclear plant, which would cost between $5 and $10 billion and take a decade to build. They include allowing utilities to pass on some of the cost of the plant to ratepayers during construction.

Former sheriff gets 79 years for abusing female imates OKLAHOMA CITY â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Former Custer County SheriďŹ&#x20AC; Mike Burgess was sentenced Tuesday to 79 years in prison for sexually abusing female inmates and drug court defendants in a case that a prosecutor said sends a clear message for public oďŹ&#x192;cials â&#x20AC;&#x153;not to use their position to the

disadvantage of others.â&#x20AC;? Burgess, 56, was also ďŹ ned $15,000 by Associate District Judge N. Vinson Barefoot during a hearing in which Burgess apologized to two of his victims but maintained that he was innocent of allegations that he had also abused others. Burgess was found guilty in January on 13 felony counts, including ďŹ ve counts of seconddegree rape. But jurors acquitted him of 23 other counts that included charges of forcible sodomy and rape by instrumentation. Defense attorney Steve Huddleston said an appeal is planned. Besides ďŹ ve counts of second-degree rape, Burgess was convicted of three counts of bribery by a public oďŹ&#x192;cial; two counts of forcible sodomy; and one count each of kidnapping, sexual battery and engaging in a pattern of criminal oďŹ&#x20AC;enses.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AP

NEED MORE HOURS? HOW ABOUT SOME FUN? 5 DAYS IN CLASS, 3 HOURS CREDIT

Honor Ă&#x152;

Integrity

Ă&#x152;

Respect

Membership Applications Now Available

,QWHJULW\ +RQRU 3OHGJH

Âł2Q P\ KRQRU , DIILUP WKDW , KDYH QHLWKHU JLYHQ QRU UHFHLYHG LQDSSURSULDWH DLG LQ WKH FRPSOHWLRQ RI WKLV H[HUFLVH Â´

:H DUH ORRNLQJ IRU GHGLFDWHG VWXGHQWV ZKR XQGHUVWDQG ZK\ DFDGHPLF LQWHJULW\ LV LPSRUWDQW IRU VWXGHQWV DQG WKH XQLYHUVLW\ 7KH +RQRU &RXQFLO HGXFDWHV WKH VWXGHQW ERG\ DERXW WKH 6WXGHQW &RGH DQG DGYLVHV WKH 3URYRVWÂśV 2IILFH RQ WKH $FDGHPLF 0LVFRQGXFW V\VWHP 0HPEHUV RIWHQ VLW RQ PLVFRQGXFW KHDULQJV

*RDOV RI WKH +RQRU &RXQFLO x $)),50 WKH DFDGHPLF LQWHJULW\ RI WKH VWXGHQWV DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 2NODKRPD x $63,5( WR DQ HQYLURQPHQW

RI LQWHJULW\ FUHDWHG DQG XSKHOG E\ WKH DFWLRQV DQG YDOXHV RI VWXGHQWV

x 5(&2*1,=( WKH QHHG

IRU D FRPPLWPHQW WR DFDGHPLF LQWHJULW\

x 5(62/9( WR PDNH

DFDGHPLF LQWHJULW\ D VRXUFH RI SULGH IRU WKH VWXGHQWV RI WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 2NODKRPD

Applications available at

ZZZ RX HGX KRQRUFRXQFLO

RU LQ (YDQV +DOO RQ WKH 1RUWK 2YDO ZHVW ZLQJ IURP 'U *UHJRU\ +HLVHU RU 0V %UHHD %DFRQ RU LQ WKH &RQRFR 3KLOOLSV /HDGHUVKLS :LQJ RI WKH 8QLRQ

'HDGOLQH IRU VXEPLWWLQJ DSSOLFDWLRQV LV )ULGD\ $SULO UG

May 2009 Intersession Environments in Fiction (Univ4000/Grad 5003) Class meets May 18-22, 2009

Neuromarketing, Coercive Advertising, and Autonomy (Univ4000/Grad 5003) Class meets May 18-22, 2009

Fall 2009 Islam & the West After 9/11 (Univ4000/Grad5003) October 7-11, 2009

The Hacker Ethic (Univ4000/Grad5003) November 4-8, 2009 Special permission & application required 3 hours upper division/graduate credit For additional information: www.oslep.org 325-4309.

Opinion

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

OUR VIEW

STAFF CARTOON

Ray Martin, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu phone: 325-7630, fax: 325-6051 For more, go to oudaily.com.

Matt Reed — broadcast and electronic media senior

Facility fee increases limit student groups Funding for UOSA student groups isn’t increasing. But prices for the facilities where student groups hold their events are. A student group that recently reserved the Lloyd Noble Center for an annual event paid as much this year for a one-night as it did for a two-night event last year. Students who want to bring notable speakers to Catlett Music Center have to pony up hundreds of dollars just for the space. Events that require more seats in bigger venues are thousands more. Groups that wish to meet in the Union have to pay for space if the few free rooms are occupied. See page one for more details. Student groups should be encouraged to host events, including lectures, debates and concerts. But in order to do so, they need money. Most groups receive funding, but few receive enough money to stage events that appeal to, or can accommodate, large

numbers of students. If more funding for student groups is out of the question, as we understand it’s likely to be, given the current economic climate, places like the Lloyd Noble Center, McCasland Field House and the Union should stop increasing their rental prices. It’s not entirely up to OU to provide the means for groups to host events. They should strive to raise funds on their own, from sources outside the university. But doubling prices for rental facilities makes it much more difficult for students to organize the types of events that make OU a great university. If OU is to remain a marketplace of ideas, it needs to create an atmosphere in which its students are encouraged to create, debate and disseminate these ideas. And it should be financially possible for students to do so without sacrificing an arm and a leg.

GUEST COLUMN

Column misrepresented libertarian ideals Many self-righteous intellectuals in all levels of media propagate all kinds of popular but dishonest myths about libertarians, and have done so for decades. However, as many people get much of their information from newspapers, it is worthwhile to examine these bold claims more closely. Staff columnist Max Avery asserted Monday that, “historically, when countries enacted the type of extreme free-market economic principles advocated by libertarians, there have been popular uprisings, rapid economic decline, corrupt government, dictatorships and civil ERIC wars.” None of these claims are STAIB supported by actual history or facts. First, and most important, is the absurd idea that free-market principles lead to “rapid economic decline.” It is obvious from this statement alone that Avery is a political science major and not an economics major, because the latter type of student knows the exact opposite is true. For example, in Southeast Asia, there are a large variety of politico-economic systems, from near-complete socialism in North Korea to nearcomplete libertarianism in Singapore and Hong Kong. Though Southeast Asian countries are,

for the most part, similarly endowed with natural resources and other factors, countries like South Korea, with greater economic freedom, outperform regulated and controlled economies nine times out of 10. What is true for Southeast Asia is true for literally every region in the world. In an annual study, the Heritage Foundation found that those countries with fewer regulations and greater freedom in trade, business and labor have much higher standards of living, and countries that remove laws and restrictions see consistent increases in GDP per capita and standards of living, with rapid declines in poverty. Unfortunately, as is the case with many dogmatic pro-government demagogues, Avery relies more on his own unsubstantiated ideas than proof or facts. Next is his claim that libertarianism leads to corrupt governance and dictatorship. This idea is so ridiculous that it is almost not worth the time to address. Libertarianism is a political ideology based on respect for personal liberty and minimal government, and as such, any type of dictatorial or kleptocratic government cannot result from a true libertarian movement. The abuse of government power necessarily requires the existence of powerful government – which, of course, is antithetical to everything

for which we libertarians fight. Certainly, a corrupt government can call itself libertarian or can even limit the scope of its theft and coercion to a few oppressed regions or industries, but that does not make it libertarian. Avery should have seen this glaring hole in his argument. His claim that businesses are the most truly authoritarian institutions on Earth is a myth that, unfortunately, has gained traction recently. This is due to a misunderstanding of power. The only truly authoritarian institution is one that can use force and violence against its subjects, and the only such institutions are governments or those businesses whose violence is encouraged by government. Microsoft and Wal-Mart are often said to be more powerful than many governments, but this is patently untrue. Each and every transaction undertaken by these and all private corporations are done with people who willingly exchange labor for wages or payments for products. Certainly, Wal-Mart can fire employees who slack off at work, but to compare this to even a small government’s power to jail its citizens for refusing to comply with tax laws or other laws is fallacious at best and intellectually malicious at worst. In his claim that consumers lose faith in lib-

ertarian markets, Avery again demonstrates that he is neither an economics major, nor has he been tracking the Dow Jones and Co. average, which has fallen precipitously since President Barack Obama’s announcements of his various spending and regulation schemes. Nor has Avery been tracking statistics of business activity, which has continued to slow. Avery also must be unaware that, while President George Bush and Obama both declared all kinds of spending and laws in an attempt to stimulate credit and capital markets, it has come to a painful halt because banks and other businesses are unsure of their chances in a political environment downright hostile to their activities, from screaming about small bonuses to threatening to block foreclosures. While Avery’s column may have made pleasant fodder for those who already agree with his viewpoints, and while he does give our ideology a back-handed compliment at the end in an attempt to seem fair, his claims are both unsubstantiated and plainly untrue. Perhaps he ought to more thoroughly research his claims before he passes himself off to the student body as any kind of political and economic historian. Eric Staib is an economics sophomore and member of OU Libertarians.

STAFF COLUMN

It’s time to worry about declining birth rates

I N D E P E N D E N T

S T U D E N T

lion off its 2050 global population estimations. The consequences of a “babyless” society are only now being recognized. The very real threat of aging baby boomers is going to be a painful and extremely expensive wake-up call for Americans. The largest generation in our country is retiring, and we are going to be paying the Social Security and Medicare bills. This wouldn’t be as much of a problem if there were more of us. However, it really isn’t surprising why many haven’t heard more about this problem. It isn’t a politically correct issue. As the numbers and data continue to rack up, statistics are showing us that the traditional family structure is the most effective and ideal setting for high fertility rates. In a society with rising divorce rates, sexual promiscuity and a generation that is becoming ever more interested in being entertained rather than being parents, it is no surprise why demographers are starting to see a pattern. Beyond fertility rates, though, the implications of increases in divorces have begun producing disturbing fig-

V O I C E

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

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

Senior Online Editor Multimedia Editor Sports Editor Life & Arts Editor Editorial Adviser Advertising Manager

O F

160 Copeland Hall 860 Van Vleet Oval Norman, OK 73019-0270 phone: (405) 325-3666 e-mail: dailynews@ou.edu

T H E The Fine Print

T H E

remains relatively unaware of the serious implications that are about to hit the entirety of the western world and even beyond. The two magical words in all of this are “replacement fertility,” and it’s something in which the developed world is lagging behind. A fertility rate is basically the average number of children born to a woman during her child-bearing years. That means in a woman’s lifetime, she would have to give birth to 2.1 children to replace the current population (the 0.1 represents birth mortalities and inequalities in gender populations). Not a single country in Europe is above replacement level. The U.S. barely hits the mark, and even Mexico is predicted to drop to 2.1 by 2015. For those complaining about Mexican immigration, be careful what you wish for. You might think this drop in fertility is a good thing. After all, haven’t we been told our entire lives how the global population has been drastically increasing and that soon there won’t be enough room and food for everyone? Think again. The U.N. has already cut 1 bil-

Among the waves of popular crises currently bogging our minds, declining fertility rates seem to be one of the lesser known. We are all aware of global warming, dense urbanization and worldwide economic concerns. These things are constantly emphasized in the media and in the classroom to remind us of our assumed responsibilities as the next generation of Captain Planet kids. Obviously, some of these issues are serious problems we will inevitably face, TUCKER there are many probCROSS lems not receiving proper attention. The recent documentary “Demographic Winter” addresses the issue of declining fertility rates. Over 40 years of accumulated demographics from around the world, hundreds of interviews with everyone from sociologists, demographers, and even Dr. Gary S. Becker, who received the Nobel Prize in economics in 1992. Many in these fields are aware of the problem, yet outside of their own professions the general public

Haven’t we been told our entire lives how the global population has been drastically increasing and that soon there won’t be enough room and food for everyone? Think again. ures. According to sources spanning the U.S. Census Bureau to the Family Research Council, a child living with a single parent due to divorce or a child living with two cohabitating parents (parents who aren’t married) is less likely to obtain a high grade point average, more likely to commit a felony, less likely to marry and, if married, more likely to divorce compared with children coming from a traditional household. Am I saying that children with divorced parents are going to be criminals? No, and I do believe there are many justifications for divorce in many circumstances. Yet it is also true that divorce rates

U N I V E R S I T Y

The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum and OU’s independent student voice. Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and should be fewer than 250 words, typed, double spaced and signed by the author(s). Letters will 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. Authors submitting letters in person must present photo identification. Submit letters

O F

have been surging dramatically over the last 40 years, partially because of fewer societal pressures on spouses to maintain their relationships. Perhaps the irony in all of this, as we celebrate Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday this year at OU, is that the demographic groups in the world most likely to have children are those of fundamentally religious backgrounds. Secular families with high income are some of the lowest. It would be quite bizarre if those most friendly to Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection become the ones who eventually go extinct. Tucker Cross is a letters sophomore.

O K L A H O M A

Sunday through Thursday, in 160 Copeland Hall. Letters can also be submitted via e-mail to dailyopinion@ou.edu. Guest columns are accepted at editor’s discretion. ’Our View’ is the voice of The Oklahoma Daily. Editorial Board members are The Daily’s editorial staff. The board meets Sunday through Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall. Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are not necessarily the opinions of The Daily Editorial Board.

Nation

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Meltdown impact extends to abortion, birth control • Couples reconsider family planning in light of financial hardships DAVID CRARY AND MELANIE S. WELTE Associated Press The pregnant woman showed up at the medical center in flip-flops and in tears, after walking there to save bus fare. Her boyfriend lost his job, she told her doctor in Oakland, Calif., and now — fearing harder times for her family — she wanted to abort what would have been her fourth child. “This was a desired pregnancy — she’d been getting prenatal care — but they re-evaluated expenses and decided not to continue,” said Dr. Pratima Gupta. “When I was doing the options counseling, she interrupted me halfway through, crying, and said, ‘Dr. Gupta, I just walked here for an hour. I’m sure of my decision.’” Other doctors are hearing similarly wrenching tales. For many Americans, the recession is affecting their most intimate decisions about sex and family planning. Doctors and clinics are reporting that many women are choosing abortions and men are having vasectomies because they cannot afford a child. Planned Parenthood of Illinois clinics performed an all-time high number of abortions in January, many of them motivated by the women’s economic worries, said CEO Steve Trombley, who declined to give exact numbers. Abortions at Planned Parenthood’s St. Louis-area clinics were up nearly 7 percent in the

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Nurse practitioner Sharon Spiller, left, and physician’s assistant Tiernie Garbers, right, work in a lab at the Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa, Tuesday, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jenifer Vick, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa, says there’s been a sharp rise in the number of women who need help paying for birth control. second half of 2008 from a year earlier — ending a stretch in which the numbers were dwindling. Planned Parenthood said it has no up-to-date national abortion figures, nor do other private or government agencies. However, Stephanie Poggi of the

National Network of Abortion Funds, which helps women in need pay for abortions, said calls to the network’s national helpline have nearly quadrupled from a year ago. “A lot of women who never thought they’d need

help are turning to us,” Poggi said. “They’re telling us, ‘I’ve already put off paying my rent, my electric bill. I’m cutting back on my food.’ They’ve run through all the options.” Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said her organization’s helpline is receiving many calls from women who postponed an abortion while trying to raise money to pay for it. Such delays often mean riskier abortions at even higher cost — the price can double in the second trimester. Among the women recently obtaining financial aid was Lalita Peterson, 23, of Painesville, Ohio, who in a thank-you note described the partial subsidy of her abortion at Cleveland’s Preterm clinic as “probably the only relief I’ve felt during this very lonely time.” Peterson, who is studying cosmetology and has a 3-year-old daughter, learned in February that she had become pregnant despite using contraception. “I thought, ‘I totally cannot afford another child,’” she said in a telephone interview. “I knew immediately what I had to do.” Peterson said she is a single mother, unable to collect child support from her daughter’s absent father and struggling to get by with the help of food stamps. Her financial situation, she said, “is tighter than tight.” Sometimes, the decision goes the other way. Brooke Holycross, 25, of Port Orange, Fla., was offered financial assistance for an abortion and went to the clinic this month, but changed her mind after seeing a sonogram of the 15-week-old fetus. Holycross already has three daughters, and her common-law husband was laid off. “We’re in a spot where we’re scared,” she said. “Babies are expensive. ... I’m just praying to God I did the right thing.”

Wall Street gives up some ground after it receives huge gains • Dow, S&P post biggest percentage gain since Oct. 28 TIM PARADIS Associated Press NEW YORK — Wall Street gave back some of its gains Tuesday as investors reassessed the market’s strength a day after its biggest advance in five months. Some pullback was to be expected after the Dow Jones industrial average jumped 498 points, or 6.8 percent, on Monday. Investors extended a two-week rally as the government detailed a plan to take over up to $1 trillion in bad mortgage securities with the help of private investors. An unexpected rise in home

sales also lifted traders’ moods. With little economic data to go on, investors will again be looking to Washington for direction. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are making a rare joint appearance at a congressional hearing to testify over bonuses at American International Group Inc. They are also expected to face questions on details of the bad debt plan and are seeking greater power to safely dismantle big financial companies like AIG that pose risks to the economy. Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors in New York, said investors are pleased by the moves out of the Treasury and Fed but that they will need to see more signs that the economy is improving for the market to hold onto the gains. He said renewed worries about trouble spots

like unemployment could shake investors. “I can absolutely expect some profittaking here,” Orlando said. “We are treating this cautiously as we recognize that there are still some storm clouds on the horizon.” In midmorning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 33.69, or 0.4 percent, to 7,742.17. Broader stock indicators also fell. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 5.90, or 0.7 percent, to 817.02, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 13.21, or 0.9 percent, to 1,542.56. On Monday, the Dow and the S&P 500 posted their biggest percentage gains since Oct. 28. The market’s reaction to the announcement was a departure from last month, when stocks tumbled after Geithner announced the bad asset program but offered few details about how it would work. Stocks tumbled at

$1,000 Fellowship to Study WIND ENERGY! Accepting applications for the 2009-2010 Mark Coleman Fellowship on the Environment “Wind Energy: The future for Oklahoma?” Many experts are predicting that wind generated electricity will be the next major growth opportunity in the Oklahoma energy industry. • What are Oklahoma’s assets that drive this prediction? • What are the obstacles to the growth of the wind industry in Oklahoma? • Who are the winners as this industry develops? • Are any stakeholders losers in this process? • What is the potential role and economic niche for distributed vs. centrally generated electricity? Hands-on Experience in Environmental Decision Making Both semesters of the 2009-2010 academic year will be spent researching the history, regulatory context, ecological, economic, and political aspects of wind energy. The project will culminate in one or more public presentations on the work and submission of a 20-page paper. Money and Academic Credit, too! The Coleman Fellowship carries a stipend of $1,000 plus reimbursement for three hours of tuition & fees at the in-state rate (one credit hour in Fall and two credit hours in the Spring), supplies, and travel associated with the research. Who Can Apply? Any full-time, regularly enrolled, undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma, who is planning to graduate no earlier than May 2010 and no later than May 2012. For application information, please email ipe@ou.edu or call 325-0595.

Application Deadline: April 8, 2009

that time, sending the Dow down by more then 380 points. The retrenchment wasn’t surprising Tuesday as part of the normal ebb and flow of the market but some analysts warn that stocks could find it harder to extend their gains now that they’ve risen about 20 percent from March 9, when the Dow and the S&P finished at their lowest levels in about 12 years. Earlier advances, like a 20 percent rise from late November to January, eventually fizzled as fresh worries about the economy dogged traders. In the latest run, large financial stocks rose 54.5 percent from their lows only two weeks ago. For the recovery to continue, investors will be looking for further signs that banks could begin to patch holes in their balance sheets. Traders are looking to the government’s plan to help vacuum up much of the corrosive debt.

“I can absolutely expect some profittaking here.” Phil Orlando, chief equity marketing strategist

But many analysts also say some stabilizing in the overall economy is necessary for banks to regain their footing. There are still plenty of worries: The unemployment rate sits at 8.1 percent, the highest level since the punishing recession of the early 1980s.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

World News

White House intensifies anti-cartel border fight • Combat efforts effective thus far DELVIN BARRETT AND EILEEN SULLIVAN Associated Press Writers

Afghan TV station under crackdown • Freedom of speech challenged by government HEIDI VOGT AND AMIR SHAH Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of federal agents, along with high-tech surveillance gear and drugsniffing dogs, are headed to the Southwest to help Mexico fight drug cartels and keep violence from spilling across the U.S.-Mexico border, Obama administration officials said Tuesday. The border security initiative, which expands on efforts begun during the Bush administration, is aimed at drug traffickers who have wreaked havoc in Mexico in recent years and are blamed for a spate of kidnappings and home invasions in some U.S. cities. The plan was announced as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton prepares to travel Wednesday to Mexico for the start of several weeks of high-level meetings between AP Photo/Guillermo Arias the two countries on the drug violence issue. A Mexican marine stands guard along the U.S.-Mexico border in Tijuana, Mexico, Wednesday, March 18, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano 2009. The administration of President Barack Obama is preparing to send federal agents to the US-Mexico and Attorney General Eric Holder are expected to meet with Mexican officials in early April. border as reinforcements in the fight against Mexican drug cartels. The Obama administration’s multi-agency plan includes nearly 500 agents and support R-Texas. million that Congress has already approved to personnel. However, officials did not say where Authorities said they will increase the num- support Mexico’s efforts to fight the cartels. the additional agents would come from or how ber of immigrations and customs agents, drug Officials said President Barack Obama is long they would stay at the border. agents and antigun trafficking agents operating particularly concerned about killings in Tijuana Napolitano said officials along the border. The gov- and Ciudad Juarez, and that he wants to prevent were still considering whethernment also will allow fed- such violence from spilling over into the United er to deploy the National eral funds to be used to pay States. Guard to the Arizona and for local law enforcement Among the moves the government is makTexas borders with Mexico, involved in southwestern ing: which the governors had border operations, and send —Sending about 350 additional personnel requested. more U.S. officials to work from the Homeland Security Department for a Deputy Attorney General inside Mexico. host of border-related work, including doubling David Ogden said the comProsecutors say they will the border enforcement security teams that bined efforts of the U.S. and Janet Napolitano, make a greater effort to go combine local, state and federal officers. Mexican governments would after those smuggling guns —Adding 16 new Drug Enforcement “destroy these criminal orgaHomeland Security and drug profits from the Administration positions in the southwestern nizations.” U.S. into Mexico. region. DEA currently has more than 1,000 Napolitano acknowledged agents working in the region. Rep. Lamar Smith, the Secretary that the fight against the drug —Sending 100 more people form the Bureau senior Republican on the cartels is not just in Mexico of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives House Judiciary Committee, but in the U.S. where the to the border in the next 45 days. said he was happy to see the —Boosting the FBI’s intelligence and analysis administration getting more aggressive with the drugs are sold. “This is a supply issue, and it’s a demand work on Mexican drug cartel crime. cartels, but he worried about what would see issue,” she said. To address the demand, she —Increasing the inspection of rail cargo less attention in the U.S. “I am concerned that when you’re taking cited funding set aside for drug courts in the heading from the U.S. into Mexico and putting almost 500 law enforcement agents from one recent stimulus package. She said these drug X-ray units in place to try to detect weapons place to another, wherever place they’re leaving courts “have been very effective in reducing being smuggled into Mexico. Napolitano said her department has already is going to be understaffed and will mean that recidivism among drug offenders.” The administration is also highlighting $700 seen success with stepped-up efforts. some laws are not being enforced,” said Smith,

“This is a supply issue, and it’s a demand issue.”

YOU ARE INVITED! Public Master Class

Marilyn Horne Former Star of the Metropolitan Opera, praised by critics as having “the greatest voice of the 20th Century”

7 p.m.

Friday, March 27

Pitman Recital Hall Catlett Music Center

KABUL — The manager of an Afghan television network who refused to censor images of women dancing in short skirts and plunging necklines was arrested in what appeared to be a new sign of the government’s struggle to define the role of Islam in a country once led by extremists. The government has previously censured television stations and taken others to court, but the arrest of Emrose TV’s Fahim Khodamani on Monday was the first for airing overly salacious content, the Afghan deputy attorney general said Tuesday. The debate over television in this conservative Muslim country heated up after U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban in 2001. The militant group, which practices an extreme version of Islam, banned television and other forms of entertainment that it deemed un-Islamic when it ruled the country in the 1990s. It also required women to cover themselves under an all-encompassing burqa. Since the Taliban fell, television stations have flourished, pitting the issue of freedom of the press against conservative norms in a country where most women wear clothes that cover everything but their face and neck. The issue has become even more complicated with the resurgence of the Taliban in southern Afghanistan in the past few years — gains that President Barack Obama hopes to counter by sending an additional 17,000 U.S. troops to the country this year. Afghanistan’s culture minister has warned that the Taliban use racy broadcasts like those on Emrose as a tool in their culture

war — recruiting villagers who feel that the government is too influenced by Western morals. Aggressive Afghan government attempts to censor TV programs could be part of a strategy to temper conflict with the Taliban. Or it could be an attempt to siphon support from Afghans drawn to the Taliban’s conservative style of Islam. Many Afghan TV stations cut or blur scenes with women showing more than their face or neck, taking a conservative stance to avoid violating a vague government law that prohibits media content that is not “within the framework of Islam.” Khodamani was arrested for refusing repeated requests to pixelate or otherwise obscure images of women dancing in short skirts or outfits with low necklines, said Deputy Attorney General Fazel Ahmad Faqiyar. The videos are relatively tame by Western standards, but manny do feature women in tight outfits or showing off cleavage. In one typical video, an Indian woman emerges from a pool of water with a thin dress that clings to her body. Afghanistan’s media oversight commission repeatedly reproached the channel for the amount of bare skin on its programs, and for airing pop music videos during the Islamic holiday of Ashoura in January, according to Faqiyar and the station’s owner, Najibullah Kabuli. Kabuli confirmed that Khodamani refused to edit or censor the programming, saying it was station policy to air unaltered programs. He said the demand and Khodamani’s arrest were “against freedom of speech and democracy.” Kabuli, who also is a member of parliament, said the arrest may have been masterminded by his political enemies. The arrest came days after Afghanistan’s top Muslim clerics called on the government to block stations from “airing prohibited and hypocritical anti-Islam programs and immoral scenes and movies.”

Sports

Steven Jones, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu phone: 325-7630, fax: 325-6051 For more, go to oudaily.com.

Women’s Basketball

OU handles Tech, 69-50 • Sooners heading to OKC for Sweet 16

Charlie Neibergall /AP Photo

The Sooners are back in the Sweet 16 after a dominating 69-50 performance Tuesday night against Georgia Tech in Iowa City. Georgia Tech played a full court press the entire night, but OU managed to handle the pressure from the beginning. Freshman guard Whitney Hand had the first 8 points for the Sooners and outscored the Yellow Jackets 8-6 for the first 10 minutes. Georgia Tech struggled from the floor as OU went on a 9-2 run early in the first half. It looked like OU would run away with the game, but OU lacked intensity at the end of first half and head coach Sherri Coale decided to pull junior forward Amanda Thompson, who had been resting a foot injury, off the bench. OU and Georgia Tech headed into the locker room knotted up at 29. The Sooners picked their game up in the second half and their guards continued to roll by shooting from outside and driving to the basket in transition. Georgia Tech, just like the Sooners, is a team that relies on strong post play, but the Yellow Jackets were not able to work the ball underneath. Senior forward Ashley Paris struggled to score, but led the Sooners when senior center Courtney Paris rode the bench with four fouls. Ashley Paris had 17 rebounds. Hand proved that she is healthy with her best performance since her finger injury on Feb. 21, as she ended the game with 15 points. Sophomore guard Danielle Robinson led the OU offense with 17 points and six assists. With this win, OU enters the Sweet 16 and heads home for the next round in OKC. OU and Pittsburgh will meet Friday at the Ford Center for a chance at the Elite Eight.

Baseball

Sooners stay perfect at home, win 12-6 CLAIRE BRANDON The Oklahoma Daily

ANNELISE RUSSELL The Oklahoma Daily

Senior center Courtney Paris reacts during OU’s second-round women’s NCAA college basketball tournament game against Georgia Tech, Tuesday night in Iowa City, Iowa. The Sooners won the game, 69-50, and advanced to the Sweet 16. Paris scored 9 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the game. The Sooners will next play Pittsburgh Friday.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The baseball team extended its home winning streak to 13 after Tuesday night’s 12-6 win over Central Arkansas. The Sooners showed patience at the plate when Bears’ pitcher Reece Cross allowed four walks in the first inning. After three consecutive walks, the Sooners got off to a hot start. Freshman third baseman Garrett Buechele took advantage of a bases-loaded opportunity by hitting a grand slam, the first home run of his career. Then, senior second baseman Matt Harughty gave the Sooners another homer and gave them a 5-1 lead after one inning. In the second inning, shortstop Bobby Pritchett hit the ball out of the park to record the first Bears’

homer of the night. A double by junior first baseman Aaron Baker brought sophomore left fielder Casey Johnson home. Baker was thrown out trying to extend the hit to a triple. By the third inning, the Sooners had pulled away from the Bears and had an eight-run lead, 11-3. Starting pitcher Garrett Richards was relieved by C.J. Blue after five successful innings, excluding a wild pitch early in the first. In the seventh inning, pitcher Stephen Porlier struck out two batters in his first appearance on the mound since 2007. Surgery on Porlier’s throwing shoulder kept him out in the 2008 season. The Sooners will host Nebraska this weekend in a threegame series to continue the Big 12 schedule. The first game will be at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

Elizabeth Nalewajk

Junior pitcher Garrett Richards (26) pitches Tuesday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park against Central Arkansas University. OU won, 12-6.

Softball

Sooners look to extend winning streak against North Texas this evening AARON COLEN The Oklahoma Daily The softball team is scheduled to close out a four-game home stand tonight against North Texas. Junior infielder Amber Flores, Big 12 Player of the Week, hit .600 as the Sooners went 3-0 last week. OU outscored its opponents 26-7 over those three games. “We’ve been spending a little extra time in the cage and putting in a lot of hard work,” Flores said. The Sooners have never lost to North Texas, having gone 15-0 against the Mean Green in the all-time series. Flores said the Sooners cannot

take North Texas lightly, however. “We need to make sure we go out there with energy,” Flores said. OU comes into tonight’s game on a four-game winning streak. The team has gone 9-2 since

GAMES TO AIR ON ESPN OU announced Monday two Sooner softball games will air on the ESPN family of networks this season. The Sooners home finale against Texas A&M at 1 p.m. on April 19 will be broadcast on ESPN. Also, OU’s final game against Oklahoma State, which will be played at 7 p.m. on April 29 will air on ESPNU. — DAILY STAFF

struggling in The Preview presented by Worth at the beginning of the month. “We had a tough, tough schedule,” Flores said. “We got a little bit of time off and everybody just regrouped.” The pitching rotation has benefitted from the return of senior pitcher D.J. Mathis, who won against Iowa State on March 21 in her first start since Feb. 22. “D.J. is an awesome pitcher. She’s a beast on the mound,” Flores said. “We’re so happy to have her back.” After the game against North Texas, OU will return to Big 12 play for the next 12 games, starting with a series this weekend in Austin, Texas, against Texas. The Sooners are currently 4-0 against Big 12 teams this season.

Eli Hull/The Daily

Junior shortstop Amber Flores slides into first base during OU’s game against Northwestern on March 7.

25 Feaver-MacMinn th

Anniversary

Adopt - An - Area Area Ratings For This Week ALFA Flight

Delta Tau Delta

Phi Beta Sigma

Air Force R.O.T.C.

Delta Upsilon

Phi Delta Theta

Alpha Chi Omega

Gamma Phi Beta

Phi Gamma Delta

Alpha Gamma Delta

Engineers Without Borders

Phi Kappa Psi

Alpha Kappa Alpha

Phi Kappa Sigma

Alpha Kappa Delta Phi

Hispanic American Student Association

Alpha Omicron Pi

Iota Phi Theta

Alpha Phi Alpha

Kappa Alpha

Alpha Phi Omega

Kappa Alpha Psi

Alpha Tau Omega

Kappa Alpha Theta

Beta Theta Pi

Kappa Delta Chi

Catholic Student Assoc.

Kappa Kappa Gamma

Chi Omega

Kappa Kappa Psi

Delta Chi

Kappa Sigma

Delta Delta Delta

Lambda Chi Alpha

Delta Epsilon Psi

Non-Traditional Student Assoc.

Delta Gamma

Okla. Student Volunteers

Delta Phi Omega

Omega Delta Phi

Delta Sigma Theta

Omega Psi Phi Our Earth

Way To Go!

Phi Mu

Public Lecture

The World Food Crisis: Its Roots to the Future Date: Time: Location:

Pi Beta Phi Pi Kappa Alpha RUF/NEK Lil Sis Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Lambda Gamma Sigma Nu Sigma Phi Epsilon Zeta Phi Beta Adams Cate Couch Sooner

Thursday, March 26, 2009 7 p.m. Dick Bell Courtroom, University of Oklahoma College of Law 300 Timberdell Rd., Norman, OK Reception to follow in the Sneed Lounge

Speaker:

Robert L. Thompson, Ph.D. Gardner Endowed Chair in Agriculture, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Thompson is active in the global trade debates of the World Trade Organization and will share his thoughts on the world food crisis. He holds an in-depth perspective on the world food economy and its predicted demand and supply, and the effects of national and world exports and imports of agricultural food and dairy products. As an international expert, he has lectured, consulted or conducted research in more than 90 countries worldwide, while carrying on projects in rural development with a focus on food productivity and distribution.

Walker

Keep Up the Good Work!

Volunteer u Programs leadandvolunteer.ou.edu Strengthening Our Traditions through Service to State and Society The University of Oklahoma is an Equal Opportunity Institution. For accommodations on the basis of disability, call 325-2340

For additional information visit:

www.ou.edu/cls/fm A Tradition of Excellence in Scholarship Sponsored by the College of Liberal Studies The University of Oklahoma

Sports

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Men’s Basketball

STAFF COLUMN

Dissecting OU vs. the Orange

Upsets lacking in NCAA tournament

• Take a closer look at OU against Syracuse

ERIC DAMA The Oklahoma Daily

NO. 3 SYRACUSE

How they got here The Orange cruised past No. 14 seed Stephen F. Austin 59-44 in the first round and then pulled away from No. 6 seed Arizona State in the second half to finish with a 78-67 victory.

Team MVP

James Cornwell/The Daily

Sophomore forward Blake Griffin (23) drives past Michigan’s Zack Gibson in OU’s 73-63 second-round win over the Wolverines Saturday night. With the win, the Sooners propelled themselves into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003.

Sophomore guard Jonny Flynn. Flynn is averaging 17.3 points and 6.7 assists per game this season. Earlier this week, OU head coach Jeff Capel said Flynn is one of — if not the — best point guards in the country. The talented sophomore is the No. 1 reason Syracuse made it to the Big East tournament championship game, even after playing seven periods of overtime along the way.

NO. 2 OU

Watch out for... Eric Devendorf. The junior guard has scored at least 20 points in four of the Orange’s last five games. Shooting 40 percent from 3-point range on the season, Devendorf is one of two players — along with junior guard Andy Rautins — the Sooners will have to watch out for on the perimeter.

Must overcome The Griffin brothers. The Orange has had significant trouble this year against teams with prominent big men. Four of their seven Big East losses — to Connecticut, Pittsburgh and twice to Villanova — were because they were overwhelmed down low. Throw junior guard/forward Juan Pattillo into the mix and Syracuse may have big problems come Friday night.

Notable Syracuse is 9-2 all-time as a No. 3 seed and won the championship as a three-seed in 2003.

t wasn’t that long ago when the tournament was intriguing and upsets were likely to take place at a vast rate. You could almost be certain to see an array of different seeds in the Sweet 16. Now, it just seems like picking the favorite in every game all the way to the championship game is the way to go for a high-percentage bracket. For instance, someone in a bracket pool I entered picked the favored teams all the way through the bracket, and I was disappointed with the lack of effort in the thought process. But somehow that person is in the lead. The talent gap between top teams and mid-majors now is bigger than it has ever been. I mean other than Gonzaga and Xavier – who are arguably powerhouses regardless – there aren’t any mid-majors that can even compete with the top seeds. Sure, there are those few games where an upset surprisingly happens – like Cleveland State taking down Wake Forest or Sienna beating Ohio State – but it usually doesn’t happen past the first or second round. Last year was history. It marked the first year in which all four No. 1 seeds consumed the Final Four. And that could very likely happen again this year.

Watch out for... Freshman guard Willie Warren and senior guard Austin Johnson. The two guards have shot a combined 9-20 from three and scored a combined 51 points in the Sooners’ first two tournament games. Syracuse runs a 2-3 zone on defense, so you can expect both Warren and Johnson to have plenty of open looks Friday night.

Must overcome How they got here The Sooners destroyed No. 15 seed Morgan State 82-54 and then held off a late surge by 10th-seeded Michigan for a 73-63 win.

Team MVP Sophomore forward Blake Griffin. What, you were expecting Ray Willis?

SOONER SENDOFF See the Sooners oﬀ as they leave tomorrow for Memphis, Tenn. for the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. The team will be leaving at 4 p. m. today from the South tunnel at Lloyd Noble Center. Be there to see the team oﬀ before they play Syracuse on Friday.

Syracuse’s zone defense. As just mentioned, the Orange’s defensive scheme will give OU’s perimeter players lots of shot opportunities, and they’re going to have to make those if OU is going to advance. The Sooners overcame Michigan’s 1-3-1 zone in the second round with solid outside shooting, but Sooner fans have seen them also shoot themselves to a loss (see: 3-19 from three in Big 12 tourney loss to Oklahoma State).

Notable This is the Sooners’ first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2003. Then a No. 1 seed, OU went on to lose in the Elite Eight to... you guessed it, Syracuse.

See tomorrow’s paper to learn more about Syracuse, OU’s Sweet 16 opponent.

Yeah, Davidson shocked the world by making the Elite Eight last year, but there isn’t a team that can excite us beyond the top seeds this season. There is no Cinderella this year. No Davidson, MJ We s t e r n K e n t u c k y, CASIANO G e o r g e Mason, or any underdog for fans to cheer for. Arizona is as close as it gets, being the only doubledigit seed remaining, but the Wildcats are from the Pac 10. I hardly call them being here still a shock since they have one of the best historical basketball programs in the nation. I expect each No. 1 seed to be challenged on route to the Final Four, but I ultimately don’t see it any other way than dominance from the one seeds this year. And since the committee is recently doing a terrific job selecting accordingly, the dominance could stay this way for years to come. If only football could be this way. MJ CASIANO IS A BROADCAST AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA SOPHOMORE.

JOIN OU DAILY’S LIVE CHAT What: A live chat with The Oklahoma Daily’s sports staﬀ during the men’s basketball’s Sweet 16 game against Syracuse Where: OUDaily.com When: Beginning 6:27 p.m. Friday Log on to OUDaily.com Friday night to participate in the conversation.

Luke Atkinson, L&A editor dailyent@ou.edu phone: 325-5189, fax: 325-6051 For more, go to oudaily.com.

Life & Arts

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

EDITOR’S NOTE: This week, The Daily’s Katie J. Parker and Tyler Branson answer questions about spring break’s loose ends. If you would like to submit a question, join our Facebook page, OU Daily Advice.

I really hit it off with this girl during spring break. We’ve been talking on Facebook and I’m thinking of visiting her in New Hampshire. Should I? Katie: It’s important to remember while you may think you really know someone, you might not. I’d say wait at least two more months and continue to talk to her. If things haven’t fizzled and the criminal background check came back fairly clean, consider it from there. Tyler: Don’t listen to her, it’s not serious and it never will be. Don’t kid yourself. These things never work out. Especially if “getting to know her” included tequila and a disco-tech. You may expect a romantic airport kiss and a “When Harry Met Sally” reunion, but the actual conversation will be awkward and contrived. “So, um. Hey. How are you?” “Good.” Silence. Then you’re stuck in New Hampshire. My advice, take it for what it was and move on. Spring break can never be recreated. She’s probably not as interesting as you remember anyway.

UMBRELLA ACADEMY: DALLAS #5 After killing their captors, Séance, Spaceboy and Kraken go back in time to 1963 to stop “Number 5” and “The Temps Aeternalis” from assassinating J.F.K. in Dallas. Though it sounds a little far-fetched, but readers of this series know this type of whimsical plot is normal in the Umbrella Academy universe. The witty style and oddball characters of Gerard Way, the lead singer of My Chemical Romance, keep readers entertained in this highly creative book. I’m not really used to Gabriel Ba’s (of Casanova Volume One) clean and smooth style of illustration in a superhero comic, but it works very well, especially when he does “splash” pages.

CROSSED #4 The survivors of the “Crossed Outbreak” disease find themselves hunted by a group of the infected that are now growing smarter and organizing. The source of the disease still cannot be found and our heroes are quickly running out of supplies and options. For Garth Ennis fans who are used to his disturbing and explicit writing style, this is his most twisted and horrific book to date. Despite the gore, he is still able to deal with each character’s personal problems amidst this great catastrophe. Some might argue that the art by Jacen Burrows is too simple and lacks a lot of detail, but pairing this style with the grizzly subject matter of the book is magnificent and creates something amazing to read. OSIZIMETE AKEN’OVA IS A FILM AND VIDEO STUDIES JUNIOR.

A rumor has been circulating that my boyfriend had “more than just a good time” during his spring break. How should I confront him about this alleged infidelity? Katie: It’s important in these instances to check your sources before confronting him. However, it’s still something you should talk to him about. Find a time when he isn’t rushed. Remember to be willing to listen to his side, but also be assertive about what information you do know. Tyler: Well, if everyone knows except you, then he probably did cheat. It usually works out that way. I would say there are two ways to handle the situation. You either have a no-tolerance policy and tell him to get lost, or you forcefully block it from your memory forever. Each mechanism has its benefits. Ultimately though, what were you doing dating a guy who didn’t take you on trips with him anyway? Seems like you’re the loser who fell for the “I need some me time” trick. TYLER BRANSON IS AN ENGLISH SENIOR AND KATIE J. PARKER IS A JOURNALISM SENIOR.

ARE YOU GRADUATING? Do you have your Commencement rain location tickets? In the event of inclement weather, Commencement will be held at the Lloyd Noble Center. Graduates and guests must have a Commencement rain location ticket in hand for admittance. Please visit ou.edu/Commencement for complete Commencement rain plan information. The deadline to pick up your Commencement rain location tickets is

Wednesday, April 1 Tickets are available for pick-up 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Graduation Ofﬁce Lissa and Cy Wagner Hall, Suite 203. ou.edu/Commencement

Congratulations Class of 2009 The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

PLACE AN AD Phone 405.325.2521

E-Mail classifieds@ou.edu

Classifieds

Announcements SPECIAL NOTICES Hookah Bar! Grand Re-opening at 117 N Crawford Live Belly Dancer every Saturday! Next Door to Opolis 321-0826

Fax 405.325.7517

Office Copeland Hall 149A

Mail The Oklahoma Daily 860 Van Vleet Oval, 149A Norman OK 73019-2052

DEADLINES Line Ad. . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 a.m. Place your classified line ad by 9 a.m., Monday-Friday to run in the next issue.

C Transportation AUTO INSURANCE

Auto Insurance Quotations Anytime Foreign Students Welcomed Jim Holmes Insurance, 321-4664

Services PROFESSIONAL SERVICES We solve DUI problems affordably. Call O’Quinn & Nelson Law Office, 290-1441

Display Ad. . . . .3 days prior Classified Display or Classified Card Ad are due 3 days prior to publication date.

PAYMENT s r

Payment Payment is required at the time the ad is placed. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express; cash, money orders or local checks accepted.

Credit Accounts Businesses may be eligible for credit in a limited, local billing area. Please inquire with Business Office at 405.325.2521.

RATES Line Ads Rates are determined by the price per line, per day. There is a two line minimum charge; approximately 40 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation. 1 day ............. $4.25/line 2 days ........... $2.50/line 3-4 days........ $2.00/line 5-9 days........ $1.50/line 10-14 days.... $1.15/line 15-19 days.... $1.00/line 20-29 days.... $ .90/line 30+ days ..... $ .85/line

Classified Display Ads Rates are $16.00 per column inch, per day with a minimum of 2 column inches.

Classified Card Ads Classified Card Ads are $170 per column inch with a minimum of 2 column inchs and run 20 consecutive issues. Ad copy may change every five issues.

Employment HELP WANTED SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Instructor/Lifeguards $8.50-$9.50 per hr Lifeguards (Water Slide) $7.25-$8.25 per hr Pool Maintenance Workers $7.25-$8.25 per hr Pool Cashier (AM or PM) $7.25-$9.50 per hr Baseball Supervisor $8.50-$9.50 per hr Little League Umpires $10.00-$15.00 per game If you are interested in any of these positions, please call our job line or access our website to find out the minimum qualifications. Selected applicant must pass physical exam, drug screen, and background investigation. Obtain application at: 201-C W Gray, Human Resources Department CITY OF NORMAN (405) 366-5482 JOB LINE (405) 366-5321 Web: cityofnorman.com EOE/AA CAYMAN’S seeks part time Sales Associates. Must be motivated, fashion-driven, self-starter with excellent customer service skills. Some Saturdays and holidays required. Apply in person 2001 West Main.

Deputy Marshal (Part-Time) Municipal Court Graduation from college and currently attending law school. Valid OK Driver’s License and satisfactory motor vehicle record. Knowledge of courtroom proceedings and practices. $8.00 per hour. Work Period: 15 hrs a week maximum. Approx. 10 hrs in the courtroom on Tue, Wed, and Thu afternoons and 5 hours serving processes. Selected applicants must pass a background investigation and drug screen. Application Deadline: Open Recruitment. Obtain application at: 201-C West Gray, Human Resources Dept., City of Norman, (405) 366-5482. Web: NormanOK.gov EOE/AA Now hiring lifeguard, swim instructors, and AM pool managers. Apply at the Cleveland County Family YMCA, 1350 Lexington Ave. EOE. GREAT STUDENT JOB Part time leasing agent, M-F Rotating Sats. Pay based on experience. Must be friendly & detail oriented. Apply at 2900 Chautauqua Or call 360-6624 for more info. THE MONT Now accepting applications for the following positions: SERVERS-must be available for day shifts beginning at 10:30 am, experience preferred HOSTESS must be available nights and weekends. Apply in person M-F, 2pm to 4pm, 1300 Classen MERCURY POST & PARCEL needs p/t customer assistant. Apply at 121 24th Ave NW. STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in Norman 100% FREE to join. Click on Surveys.

HELP WANTED P/L Now for Summer & Fall! $99 Deposit! No Application Fee! Models open 8a-8p Everyday! 7 Locations to Choose from! Elite Properties 360-6624 or www.elite2900.com $99 1st MONTH/$99 DEPOSIT* Immediate Move-Ins Only Prices Reduced / 2 beds Available! Pets Welcome! Large Floor Plans! Models open 8a-8p Everyday! Elite Properties 360-6624 or www.elite2900.com

CONDOS UNFURNISHED Summer Rent Slashed in 1/2! Leasing 1-4 bdrms, amenities galore, The Edge Call Iris, 303-550-5554

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

Housing Sales

CONDOS Edge Condo, 4 bd/ 4 bath, $126,900 - 1st time homebuyers: $8000 tax rebate Call Carol Lindley 401-0246 - Dillard Group

oudaily.com

HOUSES UNFURNISHED

SeekingSitters is open in the Moore/Norman area, and is looking for qualified, reliable sitters to work flexible hours. FT, days, nights, and weekends available. If you are interested apply at seekingsitters.com. Bartending! Up to $250/day. No exp nec. Training provided. 1-800-965-6520, x133. Eskimo Sno NOW HIRING for ALL locations Fun & Energetic people for Spring/Summer Full/Part Time. Must be able to work weekends and have reliable transportation. Summer Bonuses available. Call 321-SNOW or come by Eastside store @ 867 12th Ave NE

$5,000-$45,000 PAID. EGG DONORS for up to 9 donations, + Exps, non-smokers, Ages 19-29, SAT>1100/ACT>24/GPA>3.00 Contact: info@eggdonorcenter.com

J Housing Rentals APTS. FURNISHED $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 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.

915 W Lindsey, NEAR OU, 1/2 bd, 1 ba, NO PETS, $500 per mo. 1104 Grover Ln, NEAR OU, 2 bd, car garage, CHA, W/D, stove, refrigerator, microwave, compactor, NO PETS, $800 per mo. Contact: 329-1933 or 550-7069 817 Birch - Short walk to campus! 3bd/2ba 2 car garage. Remodeled kitchen & master bath. W/D & lawn service included. $1200 mo. Call Steve Gray 214-455-4508. 322 S Lahoma, 2/3 bdrms, 1 bth, CH/A, w/d, dw, no pets, $700/mo + security dep. 719-748-5141. 4 bed/3 bath/2 car garage + study in Norman. All bills paid. Available NOW. $1600/month, $1200 deposit. Call 366-0074. 3 bdrm, 2 bath, 1 mile east of campus!New carpet and paint, fridge, w/d included. Pets okay, $825/mo. Call 637-7427. AVAILABLE IN MAY A short walk to OU, 1-5 blks west of OU, nice brick homes, wood floors, CH/A, w/d, disposal, good parking. 3 Bdrm $750-$1500 2 Bdrm $600-$800 1 Bdrm $420-$460 MISTER ROBERT FURNITURE 9-4 pm, Mon-Sat, 321-1818 Clean 3 bdrm, 1 bath near campus, big yard, fireplace, basement, $800/mo. 447-8313. 805C Cardinal Creek Condo’s, 2 bdrm, 2 bth gated community, pool, weight room, on-site washer/dryer, close to campus, nice enviroment to study, overlooks OU golf course $585/mo. Call (580) 763-4278

TOWNHOUSES UNFURNISHED 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

Previous Solution

5 3

2 6

4 8 1

4 8 3 1 4 7 5

6 2 8 3 4 6 5

5 4 9 6 5

2 8 7

6 8 1 9 5 2 7 3 4

7 9 5 1 3 4 6 2 8

2 4 3 7 8 6 5 9 1

9 6 8 2 7 1 3 4 5

5 2 4 8 6 3 1 7 9

3 1 7 4 9 5 8 6 2

8 5 9 3 4 7 2 1 6

1 7 6 5 2 9 4 8 3

4 3 2 6 1 8 9 5 7

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

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.

Make up to $75 per online survey, student opinions needed www.cashtospend.com. BILL’S RESTAURANT Now hiring part time servers. Apply in person. 1101 Elm St. 364-2530.

Universal Crossword

Traditions Spirits is seeking a motivated, energetic, and personable Bar Supervisor for Riverwind Casino. The ideal candidate must: have at least 1 year experience in high volume club, hotel, or resort; be skilled in staff management; be knowledgeable of wine and spirits, and have open availability. Apply in person at 2813 SE 44th, Norman or email resume to michelle.snider@traditionsspirits.com 405-392-4550

Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 25, 2009

ACROSS 1 Optimistic, as an outlook 5 Curb queuers, sometimes 9 Predicted 14 Plane alternative 15 Clay crock 16 Sticky stuff 17 Helen’s home 18 Symbol of craziness 19 “___ when?” 20 Bring-a-dish event 23 Animal’s breadbasket 25 Earthquake relief, e.g. 26 Standard of perfection 27 Tillable 29 Hard-toswallow verbiage 31 Microwave’s foil? 32 Hunger sign 33 Brief current matters 37 Informal event 40 Celebrated Wimbledon winner 41 Charity do 42 Mediterranean gulf 43 Alaskan cape 44 More minuscule 45 Printer type 48 Boat, pronominally 49 Word with “doctor’s” or

Game Sponsorships Classified Display Ads located directly above the following games/puzzles. Limited spaces available – only one space per game. 2 col (3.792 in) x 2 inches Sudoku ...........$760/month Boggle............$760/month Jumble ...........$760/month Horoscope .....$760/month 1 col (1.833 in) x 2.25 inches Crossword .....$515/month (located just below the puzzle)

POLICY 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 405.325.2521 before the deadline for cancellation in the next issue. Refunds will not be issued for early cancellation. Errors not the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted. 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. Help Wanted ads in The Oklahoma Daily are not classified as to gender. Advertisers understand that they may not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion or gender unless such qualifying factors are essential to a given position. All ads are subject to acceptance by The Oklahoma Daily. Ad acceptance may be re-evaluated at any time.

J Housing Rentals

FOR RENT Here is your chance! Blu Fine Wine and Food is now accepting applications for waitstaff and experienced cooks. Must be 21. Apply in person between 2-4 pm M-F, at 201 S Crawford. 360-4258.

Employment HELP WANTED

Employment

R.T. Conwell, advertising manager classifieds@ou.edu phone: 325-2521, fax: 325-7517 For more, go to oudaily.com.

“greens” 50 Pregame get-together 54 Openceilinged rooms 55 The rial world? 56 Intents and purposes 59 Belgian treaty city 60 A ___ and a promise 61 Heal, like a broken arm 62 Bog plant 63 They’re pushed in before driving 64 Like meringue DOWN 1 Unpopular singer? 2 “… the winter of ___ discontent” (Shak.) 3 One’s featured on “60 Minutes” 4 Fluctuate 5 Flock watcher 6 Orally 7 Group that votes alike 8 Went to the bottom 9 Abutting 10 Add one’s two cents 11 Summer or Mills 12 Do a bangup job 13 Decorator of Easter eggs

21 Running total 22 Australian wild dog 23 Venomous black snake 24 Sectors 28 Endure a hot spell 29 Serve, as stew 30 Peruvian of yore 32 Baby buggy in Hyde Park 33 Cut from the same cloth 34 Altering 35 Reduce to mush 36 It may be glassy 38 Greek marketplace 39 Wickerwork willow 43 Make ineffective 44 They’re given in

November 45 Bat maker’s tool 46 Broadcast 47 It supports the cast 48 Maneuvering room 50 Price holders 51 Arcade foul 52 Buffalo shore 53 Give partner 57 Fighter plane 58 Place to wallow

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

“EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY” by Carrie White

True Sooners Don’t Haze. Report Hazing.

325-5000 All calls are anonymous. The University of Oklahoma is an Equal Opportunity Institution.

Previous Answers

Details

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Tax my beer and cigarettes? Not without a fight • Sin tax hikes ignite protests ROGER ALFORD Associated Press Writer LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. — Faced with huge budget holes, states from Connecticut to Arkansas are eyeing higher taxes on cigarettes and booze, infuriating consumers who say the goods are the last vices they’ve got to help cope with lost jobs, a deepening recession and overall economic misery. In Pittsburgh, protesters dumped beer and liquor into a river after county officials approved a 10 percent tax on poured drinks. Patrons in Oregon bars downed brews while writing lawmakers to oppose a proposed beer tax increase. And in Kentucky, protesters poured bourbon on the Capitol’s front steps to demonstrate their opposition to a 6 percent sales tax on all booze. “The way things are going right now with the economy, the first thing people want to do is go get a bottle or a beer, and soak their sorrows,” said Jack Weaver of Louisville, who gathered with other Teamsters in a union hall last month to rail against Kentucky lawmakers who voted to raise the taxes as of April 1. Sin tax increases to help balance budgets are nothing new, but the economic meltdown has legislators proposing them even in states like Kentucky, where alco-

CAMPUS NOTES TODAY CAREER SERVICES Career Services will host a lunch with OG&E at noon in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. CHRISTIANS ON CAMPUS Christians on Campus will host a Bible study at 12:30 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. CAREER SERVICES Career Services will host an interviewing workshop at 2:30 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. OKLAHOMA UNDERGRADUATE INDIA SOCIETY Oklahoma Undergraduate India Society will host an India themed festival at 6 p.m. in Holmberg Hall.

hol and cigarettes have long been sacred cows. After all, it is famous for its bourbon whiskey and is a leading producer of tobacco used in cigarettes. “Sin taxes have quickly emerged — as they did in the last recession — as one of the popular tactics that states have adopted to bring in the extra revenue in an environment where raising most other taxes are still pretty politically radioactive,” said Sujit Canagaretna, a senior fiscal analyst for the Council of State Governments. Faced with an unprecedented $456 million revenue shortfall, Kentucky ignored protests and raised the taxes. Arkansas increased its cigarette tax this month, and other states considering it include Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina and Oregon. Other states — including California, New York and Hawaii — are also considering raising taxes on alcohol products. The federal government has already increased the cigarette tax by 62 cents a pack to $1.01, and Kentucky doubled its state tax to 60 cents a pack. Together, the taxes will push average prices for name-brand cigarettes to as much as $44 a carton, a $10 increase. “It’s a little extreme,” said Scott Harper, 63, a former helicopter mechanic now living on Social Security and Veteran’s Administration benefits. “I’m going to quit. I’ll have to.” Harper was trying to buy a carton of Swisher Sweets at Bo’s Smoke Shop last week, but he had to settle for a pack because smokers have been flooding state tobacco stores to stock up before the tax increases. Though some smokers and drinkers are angry, public health groups see it as an opportunity to convince people to give up their bad habits. “This was an extremely popular public health initiative,” said Tonya Chang, advocacy director for the American Heart Association in Kentucky. “When combined with the federal tax increase, we believe this will prevent more than 50,000 Kentucky children from becoming smokers and will help thousands of Kentucky adults who want to quit.” But opponents in both the legislature and the alcohol and tobacco industries say they’re afraid the tax increases could lead to huge

CAREER SERVICES Career Services will host an internship workshop at 1:30 p.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. OKLAHOMA UNDERGRADUATE INDIA SOCIETY Oklahoma Undergraduate India Society will host an India themed festival at 6 p.m. in Holmberg Hall.

drops in sales, costing jobs and disappointing lawmakers with lofty revenue expectations. “Ultimately, we all have limited budgets,” said David Ozgo, chief economist for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. “And if government is taking a greater share, that reduces what you can spend on yourself.” Even in years when states are flush with cash, Ozgo said, alcohol is a popular target for tax increases. But he said they sometimes backfire when people facing higher taxes drink less. Records from the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau show that a 1991 federal excise tax

increase created a slight bump in revenues in 1992, followed by four years of decline, from nearly $3.9 billion to $3.6 billion. State Rep. David Floyd, R-Bardstown, said the taxes could devastate Kentucky’s alcohol and tobacco industries, which together employ some 6,000 people. Tobacco farms are seemingly everywhere in Kentucky, and bourbon distilleries dot the state’s Bluegrass region. “It’s really easy for lawmakers to understand how giving tax breaks to an industry will help that industry,” he said. “Why is it so difficult for them to understand that increasing taxes on an industry will hurt that industry?”

The College of Law will host a public lecture about the world food crisis at 7 p.m. in Coats Hall. SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT The sociology department will host a public lecture about America and immigration at 7:30 p.m. in the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

WITH HAIRCUT • $49.99 WEAVE OR FOIL ADD $10.00

HAIRCUT • $10.99 Non-Requested Stylist Only

Open 7 Days A Week!

The Works $15.99 Shampoo/ Cut/Blowdry

Must present this coupon

116 S. Main, Noble 127 N. Porter 872-1661 360-4247

129 N.W. Ave. 1215 W. Lindsey 360-4422 364-1325

HOROSCOPE By Bernice Bede Osol

POLICE REPORTS

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Names are compiled from the Norman Police Department and OUPD. The reports serve as a record of arrests, not convictions. Those listed are innocent until proven guilty.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC ACCESS

Daniel James Paine, 19, Muldrow Tower, Monday, also possession of drug paraphernalia and cultivating marijuana

During the Regular Meeting Of

MUNICIPAL WARRANT Blake Lindsay Boswell, 22, 2200 Classen Blvd., Monday Nathaniel Alan Straight, 20, 2600 W. Lindsey St., Monday, also public intoxication Chris Alan Stroup, 42, 1403 McKinley Ave., Monday Jerry Dale Walker, 36, 242 Hal Muldrow Drive, Monday

The University of Oklahoma

PUBLICATIONS BOARD 2:00-3:00 p.m. FRIDAY Copeland Hall, Room 146

COUNTY WARRANT COLLEGE OF LAW

HIGHLIGHTING OR COLOR

POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA

THURSDAY

Ed Reinke / AP Photo

Mike Wood walks out of the Red Dot Liquors store with a case of beer as a sign urging patrons to call their legislators over the alcohol tax bill is posted by the door in Frankfort, Ky., on March 9. On April 1 Kentucky will begin imposing a 6 percent sales tax on all alcohol sales and double the sales tax on cigarettes to 60 cents per pack. Faced with huge budget holes, states from Connecticut to Arkansas are eyeing higher taxes on cigarettes and booze, infuriating cash-strapped consumers who say they can’t afford to pay more in tough economic times.

Dwight Tilford Davis, 44, 1333 E. Lindsey St., Monday

ANIMAL CONTROL VIOLATION Joseph Parker Pinkerton, 25, 2301 Natchez Drive, Sunday

Students, staff, faculty and others in the community are invited to express their views concerning The Oklahoma Daily or Sooner yearbook to the Publications Board.

BE A PART OF OU HISTORY.

(AND SHOW THEM THAT YOU MADE IT.)

100

SOONER yearbook

SCHEDULE YOUR

LAST FREE SENIOR CHANCE! PORTRAIT

Call (405) 325-3668 Final round begins April 6 Sooner yearbook is a publication of OU Student Media in the division of Student Affairs. The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Pay attention to your hunches or intuitive perceptions because they could be extra sharp. You shouldn’t have any trouble figuring out how to use what they are telling you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- An off-the-cuff comment or spur-of-the-moment offering from a friend will serve to forge the relationship. At the very least, it will warm your heart in a way that only a pal can make happen. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Your mind is sharp and your muscles strong, so don’t let your industriousness go to waste on useless activities. Aim for achieving objectives that demand excellence of purpose. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- The ability to make potential prospects want to deal with you may come more easily than normal. It’ll be that special way you display talent and knowledge that makes you desirable. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Troubling conditions may do a sudden turnabout, so be alert for fresh opportunities you didn’t expect to happen -- especially when it comes to dealings of a monetary nature. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Because you will be sharper than usual with regard to details, this is an especially good day to enter into any kind of significant agreement. Finalize anything you have in the works.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Do not put reins on your imagination because it is capable of unusual deductions and formulations. There’s a chance you might conceive a much better way of performing important work. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- A chance meeting may introduce a new friendship that will prove to be exciting and stimulating. This relationship might turn out to be one of your more fun associations. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Once you take aim at a target, you won’t toy with alternatives because your focus is sharper than usual. Desirable results are in the making as long as you keep your eyes on the prize. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Although a strong emotion or sudden feeling may dominate your desires, it won’t cloud your judgment when analyzing what situations can provide the greatest happiness and success. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -Now is the time to expand upon and develop situations that could be meaningful to you in material ways. You are sharper than usual in these areas, and you’re likely to generate substantial returns. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Don’t hesitate to go it alone if others don’t see things as you do. Your drive and foresight are particularly in tune, and you could derive large benefits from your actions right now.

Life & Arts

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

REDECORATING YOUR

Dorm Room L

Want to spice up your room this spring? The Daily’s Laura Peden gives you a few décor pointers so you can have the coolest pad in the tower.

amps are great for lighting your room, but get original and make your own! Put a light ﬁxture on the top shelf of an organizer like this and surround it with thin, decorated paper.

t doesn’t have to be Christmas time to put up lights. String lights can brighten up the mood of the room with multiple colors. If you want to stick to something easy – and sometimes classy – use regular white lights.

oomer Sooner! Flags are a great way to show your school spirit and take up blank wall space. You can get them as big as you need them to be to liven up that boring wall.

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

usical instruments aren’t just handy for wooing a love, they can also be used as decoration. If you have an elaborate instrument, use it as a centerpiece to catch the eye of your visitors.

▲ illustration by Luke Atkinson/The Daily

Amy Frost/The Daily

osters are the easiest way to spruce up a room quickly. Show oﬀ your favorite witty sayings, bands or movies. Nothing says “Welcome to my room” like a picture of Scarface with the text “Say hello to my little friend!” underneath him.

OU Summer in China

In one summer, travel 6,800 miles to experience 5,000 years of history.

Journey to China May 24 through June 26 During this ﬁve week study abroad program, students will travel to four different Chinese universities: • Xi’an International Studies University, Xian • Yunnan Normal University, Kunming • Peiking University, Beijing • Fudan University, Shanghai For more information, contact Alice Kloker at kloker@ou.edu.

Intensive Chinese Language Program May 31 through July 25 Designed for learners at all levels, the eight week Intensive Chinese Language Program will focus on the Chinese language also known as Mandarin. The course work will be at Yunnan University in Kunming, China and will be transferable to OU as foreign language credit. The OU course equivalents will be established by the Chinese language faculty at OU based on the level of language proﬁciency acquired. For more information, contact Ming Chao Gui at mgui@ou.edu or visit china.ou.edu.

Summer Session in China June 29 through July 24 During this four week session at Yunnan University in Kunming, students will attend two classes taught in English by OU faculty members Karl Rambo and Gus Palmer. Students enroll as part of the summer session at enroll.ou.edu, beginning April 6, and pay tuition through the OU Bursar’s Ofﬁce. Classes offered are: ANTH 2613 - Native Peoples of North America,

Non-Western Civilization ANTH 4623 - Approaches to Cross-culture Human Problems,

Non-Western Civilization upper division general education For more information, contact Karl Rambo at krambo@ou.edu or visit china.ou.edu.

over up the dorm’s ugly tile ﬂoor with a colorful rug. Not only are they decorative, but they are also much nicer on the feet than the hard cold ﬂoor.