Issue 77, Volume 74 by The Cougar

THE DAILY COUGAR DiverseWorks to showcase ‘Mind’ over matter /LIFE & ARTS

Golden Eagles sink talons into Women’s Basketball /SPORTS

Friday, January 23, 2009

Issue 77, Volume 74

TODAY’S WEATHER

3-day forecast, Page 2

Hi 77 Lo 60 www.thedailycougar.com

BP donates buggy University of Houston has served as a prime pool for petroleum professionals By Holly Prevost The Daily Cougar

TONY NGUYEN THE DAILY COUGAR

Khator’s solar-utility vehicle, which she received from BP at Thursday’s basketball game, will be showcased as she drives it across campus.

BP America presented University of Houston President and UH Systems Chancellor Renu Khator with a “solar utility vehicle” and a $300,000 donation at halftime of the men’s basketball game on Wednesday in Hofheinz pavilion. The donation is part of BP’s initiative to contribute to student research. “Funding programs to get students involved and interested in energy science is important,” said Gabe Cuadra, BP manager of compliance and UH alumni. The funds will be disbursed among the Cullen College of Engineering, the College of Natural

Sciences and Mathematics and the Bauer College of Business. It will also be used to recruit and retain students with diverse research interests, attract National Merit scholars and support an internship program. “The University is a big source of recruiting for us,” Cuadra said. “We recruit almost 30 students a year and feel it is important to get students involved in energy research as early as their freshman year.” Cuadra presented the check to Khator along with two other UH alumni — BP chief commercial officer of power Gerald Balboa and BP compliance manager Lizzie Nguyen. The solar utility vehicle, which Khator will use to cruise the

campus, was placed on display in Hofheinz Pavilion during the game. The four-passenger all-terrain buggy is equipped with two electric motors with 30 horsepower and more than 170 foot-pounds of torque. It is one of the most powerful all-terrain vehicles available and includes four-wheel drive and a capacity of up to 880 pounds as well as a photovoltaic solar panel that augments the vehicle’s battery system. “BP is one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the world,” Cuadra said. “We are committed to protecting the environment.” BP’s contributions have gone to energy-related programs at UH for more than 30 years allowing it to become the most diverse research university in the country. see BP BP, page 3

UHD renamed to quell confusion By Jasmine Harrison The Daily Cougar

being the necessity of distinguishing itself from the University of Houston’s main campus. In an effort to distinguish itself “UHD is a separate university from other UH System branches, with its own budget, admission UH-Downtown administrators have requirements, degree programs and officially decided the university will tuition-and-fee structure.” undergo a name change, despite The similarity between the facing opposition from students and names of the two schools has led to faculty. confusion when it comes to potential “It helps when you’re able to donors. Those who mistakenly distinguish yourself to donors associate UHD for the main campus because they give to people and branch think that by giving to UH, things they’re interested in,” said Sue they are also benefiting UHD. Davis, executive director of public “When we go to foundations, affairs for UHD. we hear ‘we’ve already given’” Davis The Systems Board of Regents said. “But they gave to the University passed a resolution on Dec. 16 that of Houston and don’t realize there’s requested UHD’s name be changed. a separate organization they could The issue has come before the consider donating to.” board before, Mix-ups also but was always occur when set aside in lieu “It helps when you’re able students apply of more pressing to distinguish yourself to for admission. business. UHD said some donors because they give to Davis President Max students think Castillo has people and things they’re that admission lobbied to to the University interested in.” rename the of Houston — Sue Davis, UHD executive diretcor of D o w n t o w n university since public affairs means they will the beginning of his presidency, also be able to which is now in its fifth and final attend the University of Houston year. main campus. “There was a different leadership “Some people think it is a location and chancellor at the time,” Davis where University of Houston main said. “But it’s something (Castillo) campus conducts classes,” Davis has thought about many times, and said. “The Board of Regents realized now since he’s getting ready to retire the confusion creates difficulties for it’s something he wanted to address students.” again.” UHD officials think this Though Castillo will be stepping confusion keeps UHD from receiving down from his administrative the benefits and recognition for position, Davis said that the achievements of its faculty, staff and president plans to remain involved students. with UHD affairs. However, not everyone is on The UHD Web site lists reasons board with the name change. for name change, the first of which see UHD UHD, page 3

JONATHAN TRAN THE DAILY COUGAR

Candidates for UH-Downtown’s new name include Seguin State University, Texas Gulf Coast State University and University of South Texas.

Auditions open for Greek classic The Honors College translates tragedy through modern dance By Gordon Furneaux The Daily Cougar The Center for Creative Works in The Honors College is holding auditions for its debut production of The Children of Herakles Saturday in The Honors Collge Commons. The play interprets Euripides’ ancient tragedy about the plight of the displaced offspring of d e m i - g o d , g g Harvey Herakles for the modern audience. Rarely performed on stage, the play will be choreographed by Katelyn Halpern, who looks to reinvent the tragedy into a work of

motion and intrigue. “It’s nothing like trying to create new choreography for something like Chicago, which everyone has seen. I’ve got a real advantage in the freshness of this show, and I’m looking forward to creating an original choreographic score,” Halpern said. Seventeen available positions are open to all students and faculty who wish to audition. Those with a background in dance are encouraged to try out, as the performance will be choreographed-dance intensive. “I’ll be creating contemporary movement, so that the show will look like a hybrid between a play and a dance concert,” Halpern said. Sharing casting duties with Halpern will be Artist in Residence at The Honors College, John

Harvey, who along with associate professor of modern and classical languages Richard Armstrong, translated the version of the text that Halpern will direct. Harvey is a well-known decorated poet and playwright in Houston and co-founder of Mildred’s Umbrella, an experimental theater company known for its ability to shock an audience and stretch a dollar. In composing the new translation of The Children of Herakles, Harvey said he and Armstrong went to lengths to ensure they did not dilute the story. “Our translations embrace the strengths of poetry in the English language while relying upon the nuances of the original Greek and the grounding pulse of choral movement,” Harvey said. see AUDITIONS AUDITIONS, page 3

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Daily Cougar

CAMPUS BEAT FoRECaSt Saturday

63˚44˚

CaLEndaR

Sunday

61˚55˚

Monday

75˚58˚

» Send event information to

calendar@thedailycougar.com

today Moores School of Music Faculty Recital in honor of Fredell Lack will be performed at 7:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall. Mendelssohn, Korngold and Brahmn — Oh My! will feature Kyung Sun Lee on violin and Brian Suits on piano. General admission tickets are $10 and tickets for students, faculty, staff and seniors are $5. For more information, contact (713) 743-3313 or visit the Web site at www.music.uh.edu.

SatuRday the Lowe Family will perform from 7 to 9:45 p.m. at the Cullen Performance Hall. Direct from Branson, Mo., the nine Lowes offer an amazing blend of show-stopping classical, Broadway, Irish, jazz, bluegrass, old-time favorites, spectacular dance, six-part harmony, gospel, a stirring patriotic tribute and more! For more than 25 years, this high-energy, fast-paced variety show has left audiences breathless. Tickets are $22 to $37and discounts are available for large student groups. For more information, visit http:// www.ticketmaster.com/The-Lowe-Family-tickets/artist/1271969.

F L a S H B aC K

» Find these features and more at thedailycougar.com/campus_beat

2001: Inauguration Days past

his week in history on Jan. 22, 2001, The Daily Cougar’s Ken Fountain reported “after the most bitterly debated election in more than a century,” George W. Bush became the 43rd president of the United States. In his Inaugural address, President Bush stressed unity among Americans and echoed his campaign theme of “compassionate conservatism.” “Government has great responsibilities … Yet compassion is the work of the nation, not just a government. Church and charity, synagogue and mosque, lend our communities their humanity and they will have an honored place in our plans and laws,” Bush said. Fountain reported that government

officials on the losing side of the post-election division did well not to show their disappointment, including the smiling former Vice President Al Gore, “who won the election’s popular vote but lost the ensuing 35-day legal wrangle over the electoral votes of Florida.” However, not all citizens feigned acceptance of the results. “The good feelings evident at the Capitol were starkly contrasted afterward by the motorcade route down Pennsylvania Avenue, where hundreds of protesters jeered the new president,” Fountain wrote. “(Protestors) who felt that Bush’s victory in the election was unfair shouted and waved signs that read ‘Hail to the Thief.’”

Newsroom (713) 743-5360 n

Editor in Chief

Zaneta Loh (713) 743-5361 editor@thedailycougar.com Managing Editor

Signe Cluiss (713) 743-5362 me@thedailycougar.com news Editor

James Rincon (713) 743-5314 news@thedailycougar.com Features Editor

Sarah Krusleski features@thedailycougar.com Sports Editor

Matt Miller (713) 743-5303 sports@thedailycougar.com Life & arts Editor

Sarah Tucker (713) 743-5302 arts@thedailycougar.com opinion Editor

Shaista Mohammed opinion@thedailycougar.com Photo Editor

Justin Flores (713) 743-5304 photos@thedailycougar.com

Advertising (713) 743-5340 ads@thedailycougar.com Classifieds

Co R R E C t I o n S

» Accuracy matters. Report errors to editor@thedailycougar.com

(713) 743-5356 classifieds@thedailycougar.com

Business Office Phone (713) 743-5350

Sunday UH Women’s Basketball v. UCF will be played at 2 p.m. at the Hofheinz Pavilion. Students are admitted free with Cougar One card. For more information, call (713) 462-6647 or visit the Web site at http://uhcougars.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/sched/hou-w-baskbl-sched.html.

ABOuT THE COugAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at www. thedailycougar.com. The University seeks to provide equal educational opportunities

without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status, or sexual orientation. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. SuBSCRipTiONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to:

Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. COpYRigHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the written consent of the director of the Student Publications Department.

Fax (713) 743-5384

Mailing address

151 Communication Building Student Publications University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015

Tra·di·tion

An inherited, established or customary pattern of thought, action or behavior South Texas College of Law, established in 1923, has an 85-year tradition of producing well-prepared, successful professionals who make an immediate and long-term impact in their chosen fields. The college is located in the heart of downtown Houston and has an extensive, active network of alumni all over the United States to support you as you begin your career in law. Full and part-time applications for Fall, 2009 and full-time applications for Spring, 2010 are now being accepted. For information regarding enrollment call the Office of Admissions 713.646.1810 or visit the website at www.stcl.edu.

1303 San Jacinto • Houston, Texas

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

Womens basketball

Greg bohuslav The Daily cougar

Ashlee’ Joseph, pictured here against the Houston Jaguars, scored a season-high 16 points in the Cougars 74-65 loss to Southern Miss on Thursday.

Southern Miss scorches Cougars By Matt Miller THE DAILY COUGAR Southern Miss was hot and the UH women’s basketball team was not. The Golden Eagles (11-7, 4-1 Conference USA) used a scorching 48.4 percent shooting performance to top the Cougars (11-6, 3-2) 7465 at Reed Green Coliseum on Thursday, knocking UH out of a tie for first place in C-USA. “They were more physical than us,” UH head coach Joe Curl said. “They shot lights out, (so) it was a combination of those (things).” Southern Miss carried a 4331 advantage into halftime, and stretched its lead to 54-39 with 15:05 left in the second half. UH played effective defense to start the second half, but it was dominated on the boards and gave the Golden Eagles too many second-chance opportunities. “We didn’t compete with any physicality,” Curl said. “You can’t do that against a team that’s as big and strong as they are.” The Cougars finally showed signs of life when they used an 8-0 run, capped off by a hook shot by sophomore center Cobilyn Hill, to cut the Golden Eagles’ lead to 54-47 with 12:06 left. “Once we did (what we needed to do) in the second half, we came right back on them,” Curl said. After a Southern Miss timeout, UH had two opportunities to close the gap further, but it was unable to execute on the offensive end. Southern Miss survived the Cougars’ push, and went on an 11-2 run to push its lead to 65-49 with 6:51 left. This run effectively put the game away. “The game really came down to a couple of quick things,” Curl said.

AUDITIONS continued from page 1

Although the story originated in ancient Greece, the characters and conflicts are relevant to modern society. “The words ‘home,’ ‘refugee’ and ‘war’ resound through our translation. The Children of Herakles

“They were very physical, and we struggled to get them to miss shots.” The Cougars worked so hard to climb back into the game that they may have ran out of energy when they needed it most. Curl said the long road trip could have affected his players, but refused to use that as an excuse. “That’s possible, but I don’t think that was the real reason,” Curl said. “(Southern Miss) came out and hit a shot, got a steal and hit another shot. I’m proud of our kids. They played really hard.” UH was unable to recover from a nearly flawless first-half performance by the Golden Eagles. In that half, Southern Miss shot 56.7 percent and was perfect from behind the 3-point and free-throw lines. The Golden Eagles used their size and strength to out-rebound the Cougars 21-12 in the opening stanza. One positive note for UH was junior forward Ashlee’ Joseph, who scored a season-high 16 points on 8-13 shooting to lead the Cougars. “Ashlee’ stepped up and played as well as she has played,” Curl said. “We need her to continue to do that.” Three players recorded doubledoubles for Southern Miss, including junior forward Pauline Love, who had 20 points and 18 rebounds to pace the Golden Eagles. Junior center Stephanie Helgeson added 14 points and 10 rebounds, and senior guard Andrea Barber dished out 13 assists and scored 12 points. The Cougars will try to bounce back and maintain their undefeated home record when they host Central Florida (6-12, 4-1), another C-USA frontrunner, at 2 p.m. Sunday at Hofheinz Pavilion. sports@thedailycougar.com

addresses a continuing problem for civilizations — how to address the tensions between creation and destruction,” Harvey said. Interested students are also encouraged to bring a résumé, a head shot and be prepared to read form a short monologue of any genre and an a cappella song. news@thedailycougar.com

Friday, January 23, 2009 n 3

UHD

continued from page 1

“We share with BP a social responsibility to find better ways to develop safe, clean and sustainable energy for the future,” Khator said. “This new solar buggy to support our commitment to UH Green initiatives, the environment and renewable energy sources is a great example of social responsibility in action.” As one the largest producers of oil and gas in the U.S. and the nation’s largest energy investors, BP has become involved in finding renewable energy products and reducing environmental impact. “The environment is so important to all of us,” Balboa said. “BP was one of the first companies to recognize the issue of global warming.” Among other projects, BP has been involved in the Lone Star Wind Alliance. UH is the general manager of the LSWA and has come together with other universities, government agencies and corporate partners to begin a testing facility in Ingleside, Texas committed to advancements in renewable energy. BP’s donation is the second installment of a $750,000 pledge the company made in March 2008 to support student success and energy advancements through scholarships and research programs. “The students are the future and finding new sources of energy is essential for the future,” Khator said. “We are very grateful to BP for their generosity and vision.”

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle’s Jeannie Kever, UHD business senior Chris Lewis said that the university should have disclosed plans for the name change on his application. “I’ve yet to find a person who thinks the name change is a good idea,” Lewis said. Lewis has started a Facebook group of students against the name change. The group has more than 130 student members. Officials at the school have heard the complaints but still believe a name change is necessary for the growing university. “As schools grow and change they consider name changes. When Southwest Texas changed its

news@thedailycougar.com

name to Texas State, they met with considerable opposition. But if you talk to alumni who were students during the change they say as time progressed they saw it was a good decision,” Davis said. Before resorting to a new name, Davis said UHD employed other marketing strategies to make its independence apparent to no avail. University administrators find that many people tend to consider everything inside the Loop downtown. “People stop listening after they hear the University of Houston. It’s not clear it’s a distinctive institution,” Davis said. “While we’ve tried other things, people stop reading and listening when they get to the last word — Downtown — they just don’t see it, they just don’t hear it.” news@thedailycougar.com

“ those who profess to favor

freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want rain without thunder and lightninG.”

Frederick Douglass American abolitionist, Author, orator (1817-1895) This thought about free speech is brought to you by

THE DAILY COUGAR

Send letters to the editor to letters@thedailycougar.com Send guest columns to opinion@thedailycougar.com

For the Real World of Business...

Expand your career options with a Bauer MBA.

MBA INFORMATION SESSION: Wednesday, January 28 at 6:00 p.m. EXECUTIVE MBA INFORMATION SESSION: Wednesday, February 11 at 6:00 p.m.

Please visit www.mba.uh.edu. #1 Evening MBA program in Houston (BusinessWeek)

The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Daily Cougar

oPinion EdItoR Shaista Mohammed

E-MaIL opinion@thedailycougar.com

PRINT: Houston’s art scene bursts with renewed life in spring 2009 WEB: City of Houston response to Hurricane Ike insurance poll onLInE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

EdItoRIaL CaRtoon

THE DAILY COUGAR EdItoRIaL BoaRd Zaneta Loh, editor in chief Signe Cluiss, managing editor James Rincon, News editor Matt Miller, Sports editor Sarah Tucker, Life & Arts editor Shaista Mohammed, Opinion editor

StaFF EdItoRIaL

Report card: Obama off to good start, students OK

bISSAN RAFE THE DAILY COUGAR

Internet tax a misguided prospect Since the Internet’s inception, buzz has surrounded the prospect of a sales tax, but until the last few years, technology available made enforcement difficult if not impractical. Internet sales tax is likely an idea that will be implemented no matter how great Bill the opposition. Conant I don’t mind the idea, because I deal with sales tax everywhere else and plus I don’t buy much online. But I am generally opposed to new taxes because the ones levied against us are being misappropriated. By the same token, if this new tax were dedicated to only supporting new data infrastructure such as fiber roll-out, newer 4G networks for cellular companies and other technological expenses, it would be much more palatable. State sales tax is spent exclusively within the state, so why should an Internet sales tax be spent on anything but the Internet?

Before anything can be implemented, the powers that be need to figure out how to constrain these taxes only to U.S. citizens and residents. Although geolocation by IP address has improved, many Americans travel overseas and purchase items online while abroad. Geolocation also cannot account for proxy servers, international re-routing or intentional spoofing of an IP address. Until these ways to fool the system are resolved, there’s no feasible way of implementing this sort of taxation fairly without accidentally charging some poor person in Western Europe or Asia. In short, it’s a monstrously difficult task and isn’t feasible, which unfortunately means that some senator or representative will dream up the “perfect solution” in his or her pea-brain and get it passed as law. Now is not the time for a new tax, especially one so complicated in execution. If we need more money, then liberate revenue from useless programs and services already in existence. There’s plenty of money here, it just needs to be used intelligently.

Internet taxation will be impossible until it is treated like its own entity in an international government. Current consumers purchasing online pay sales tax if their purchase is a physical item (or taxable service) bought from a company in their state of residence — like any other sales tax. That’s easy enough, because it asks for your shipping address. But if you buy something that can’t be taxed anyway, there is no tax. If the Internet sales tax is in effect, you might have to pay tax on a normally non-taxable purchase. The whole thing is overly complicated in design and function, which brings far more complexity and discontent to an already overburdened codebase. It should be deprecated and thrown out like all inefficient code. I say there should be no tax until Internet users have a say in the process and can be assured of the proceeds’ proper use. As the founding fathers once yelled so defiantly, “no taxation without representation!” Bill Conant is a pre-business junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Privacy act imposes on freedoms Safety has always been a key aspect of the American dream. All people want to feel they are protected. For this reason, we have police, security and rules in place. Unfortunately, after the massacre Matthew at Virginia Tech last Keever year, students and parents have become wary of how safe college campuses around the country really are. In response to this, as well as the growing threat of identity theft on campus, the U.S. Department of Education released the new Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act guidelines, which will take effect this month. FERPA has been reformed as of Jan. 8 in response to these threats. ED spokesman Jim Bradshaw said that the new guidelines’ purpose is to clarify schools’ rights to release information on students thought to be threats to themselves or fellow students. ED wants institutions of higher learning to know they have the right to notify parents, law enforcement and school and health officials of potential risks. New student-privacy rules may make logging in, requesting transcripts and dayto-day computer usage more difficult.

Students can no longer use their campus identification numbers to access education records, except when coupled with other identifiers such as a social security number, date of birth or other authenticating factors. When one considers what is at stake, it seems a small price to pay for students to know that their hard work will remain theirs and not be stolen and used by someone with ulterior motives. However, FERPA’s new guidelines with concern to reporting “suspicious activity” seem foreboding. Similar to The Patriot

When one considers what is at stake, it seems a small price to pay for students to know that their hard work will remain theirs and not be stolen ... Act, signed into law in 2001 by former President George W. Bush in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, the question is, how far are we willing to go to keep our campuses

safe? Though seemingly an easy question to answer, students’ privacy, which is supposed to be what FERPA protects, may actually have been jeopardized. College is known to be a place of higher education and presumably a place which nurtures advanced thinking and free speech. It is hoped that a fear of an impending doom and the unknown does not inhibit students from freely expressing themselves. FERPA’s financial plans regarding these changes remain unclear. Operating budgets for schools are down and the U.S. is in a recession. To afford the campus Information Technology chiefs who will be making said changes, teachers’ salaries will decrease, funding for programs will be cut, or tuition will rise. UH already has an emergency warning system in place, which e-mails and text messages students important information, but not all areas of campus have cell phone reception. Protection from an unknown threat is important, but thoughtful protections require reflection in order not to cause more harm than they prevent. Matthew Keever is a communication sophomore and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

obama order to close Gitmo: aWhile the question of what to do with Guantanamo Bay is detainees remains, Obama’s first executive order to close the camp within a year sets a high precedent for the president’s fledgling term. Closing the camp is, without a doubt, the right thing to do. Even former President Bush expressed desire in the past for Guantanamo Bay to close, but he left the responsibility to his successor. Some critics argue that what is torture remains undefined, and others fear that this action may make the U.S. vulnerable to terrorist attacks. While there may never be a best way to close Guantanamo Bay, there isn’t a wrong way to do it. Torture is illegal, according to the U.N.’s Geneva Conventions, and if the U.S. is to remain a leading nation, it must adhere to international law. tdC student involvement: C This semester, The Daily Cougar newsroom is filled with an energetic new staff. UH students have stepped up to the plate to fill the roles of designers, editors and writers. But there are other ways UH students can help contribute to making the newspaper the best it can be. Do you have an opinion that you don’t see reflected in the Opinion section? The Daily Cougar wants to print it. Write a Letter to the Editor, or better yet, apply to be an Opinion writer. Do you know of a human interest story you’d like to share? Well, we’ve got a place for it in the returning Features section. If you are part of a student organization, visit The Daily Cougar newsroom to fill out a Campus Calendar form so we can inform other students about your activities — or perhaps even of your existence. If you don’t have time to stop by, our new Web site has simplified the process of getting your event made known. The direct Web address to the online Campus Calendar form is http://thedailycougar.com/campus_ beat/send_a_calendar_item. Here at The Daily Cougar, it is our responsibility and pleasure to bring you relevant and accurate University news; however, citizen journalists are essential to the process.

E d I to R I a L P o L I C y STAFF EDiTORiAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDiTOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 151, Communication Building; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTiSEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. guEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to Room 151, Communication Building; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

issue credits Copy editing Trae Browne, Newton Liu Production Aaron Alexander, Halimat Salami

ng n

adVERtISInG

The Daily Cougar

C.L . A .S .S .

Friday, January 23, 2009

Baue r C o lle ge

Useful tips: • check your PeopleSoft class schedule online • if you change your schedule make new payment arrangements • the last day for online class changes through PeopleSoft is Monday, January 26th by 11:59p.m.! Students using a manual ADD form to add closed CLASS courses must submit these forms to the CLASS Academic Affairs Center by 6:00 p.m. Monday, January 26th. Please remember that faculty approval and signature must be included in order to be added. CLASS Course s Only

Useful links:

The Academic Af f airs Ce nte r, locate d in room 320 Agne s Ar nold Building will be available on Sat urday, Januar y 24th f rom 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to add s t ude nts into close d CLASS course s. Again, ple ase remembe r an add form wi th f acul t y approval and signat ure mus t be prov ide d in orde r to be adde d into close d CLASS course s.

Students homepage www.uh.edu/students Campus advisors www.uh.edu/provost/stu/advisorlist.html Bauer College CLASS www.bauer.uh.edu www.class.uh.edu

LIFE & aRtS

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Daily Cougar

diverseWorks showcase ambitious Graney’s ‘House of Mind’ explores effect of memory on identity By Melanie Pang The Daily Cougar Three weeks have passed since the DiverseWorks Art Space began building the set for one of its largest projects to date. House of Mind, by world-renowned, Seattlebased artist Pat Graney, is both an exhibition and a performance that explores the complexities of memory and its dissolution, and stirs the thoughts and feelings of what one thinks about the past, memory and identity. “I think this is going to be one of the most unique experiences we’re going to have in performance,” said Sixto Wagan, co-executive director and performing arts curator of DiverseWorks. Media studies senior Cara Sarelli, DiverseWorks intern, shares Wagan’s excitement about the uniqueness of House of Mind. “It’s not too often something like this comes along,” Sarelli said. Walking through the unfinished set, objects from Graney’s past are organized to create an atmosphere of imagination. Lined with books stacked and glued together, the “Book Room” is a nice welcome at the art space’s entrance. The first room in the exhibition invites people into a bedroom in which an alligator tail sticks out from under a bed. A projection of a small child on the bed, memory books and report cards, compiled by local elementary school students, make up the stimulus for memories.

The “Button Waterfall” is a conglomeration of 100,000 glued pearl buttons that serve as a shimmering background for the cascading water running down it. DiverseWorks also hosted Craft Attacks, which brought people in to help with the button wall waterfall and to create a shoe art piece as well. “Because it is about memory, because it is about group process, (Graney) wanted to figure out ways to bring the community in and actually make this project also part of their memory and be able to see parts of themselves in the whole piece,” said Wagan. One room is adorned with large, 8-foot dresses that hang from the ceiling, followed by a room with red walls. The floor space is covered with sand. In the center of this room stands a tower of spraypainted gold shoes, donated and decorated by the community. “This is probably one of the most ambitious projects we’ve taken on,” said Shawna Forney, public relations and marketing manager for DiverseWorks. “We’re using our entire space, which we haven’t used before.” Commissioned by DiverseWorks with Dance Theater Workshop and National Performance Network (NPN), Wagan said he and Graney have been in dialogue about this project for two years, planning the logistics for a year and a half, and preparing for the installation for about a month. With six full-time,

two or three part-time and a lot of volunteer labor, it’s the largest installation DiverseWorks has done that he can remember. Graney, an artist as well as a professional choreographer, will also be flying in five dancers from her own dance company, based in Seattle. Performing within the installation itself and not in a theater, the performance won’t be what one typically sees in modern dance either, Forney said. Also on display will be a projection of interviews with Graney’s 81-years-old mother, Irene Dutcher, documenting her struggles with Alzheimer’s disease. Her experiences aided in adding to the motif of the dissolution of memory. “It changed the pathway of the piece,” Graney said. Graney hopes the installation will reach her audience in ways that invoke thoughts and feelings of their personal memories in order to reflect on their own identity. The stories display the passage of time as well as its disappearance. The installation will be available for free viewing during gallery hours Jan. 30- Feb. 21 and will host performances at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 30 and 31 and Feb. 5-7 in the DiverseWorks Main Gallery, Project Space and Theater. Tickets to the performances are $15 for general admission, $10 for members and $8 for students and seniors.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DIVERSEWORKS

Members of Pat Graney’s dance company perform at DiverseWorks for House of Mind.

arts@thedailycougar.com

CLASSIFIEDS E-MAIL classifieds@thedailycougar.com

Bulletin Board

Help Wanted

$$$EASY MONEY$$$- Need a job? Anyone can do this. CALL NOW 281485-7663 FT/PT FLEXIBLE PT MEDICAL SALES OPPORTUNITY within the aesthetic field. Please call at 281-773-9551

THE GREATEST SUMMER OF YOUR LIFE

MAKE UP TO 75 DOLLARS per online survey, www.cashtospend.com

Is coming to the University of Houston!

ADVERTISE IN THE DAILY COUGAR! CALL 713-743-5356 FOR MORE INFORMATION TODAY!

Help Wanted

CAMP PONTIAC

Located in NY State Camp Pontiac, a premier co-ed overnight camp in New York, is looking for fun, enthusiastic and mature individuals who can teach and assist in all areas of athletics, aquatics, the arts, or as general bunk counselor. Interviews will be held on Wednesday, February 11th, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM University Career Services 106 Student Service Center 1

Please e-mail: stefanie@camppontiac.com or call Stefanie at 516-626-7668 to set up an interview

Swim Sail Kayak Archery Rocks Ropes Art Pottery Office Photo Soccer Dance

June to August. Residential. Enjoy our website. Apply online TRIPP LAKE CAMP

for Girls:

1-800-997-4347 www.tripplakecamp.com WE ARE SEEKING:

a full-time or part-time Web Designer in the 610 Loop & Richmond area, with knowledge of PHP and e-commerce, and experience in Dream Weaver.

Merril Lynch

Are you curious about the financial industry? Well, here is a great opportunity for you to get a behind the scenes look. We are seeking highly motivated individuals for a part-time position associated with the marketing aspects of this business. Flexible evening hours. Contact: Darren Fenz @ 713.840.5997

ADVERTISE your job opening today and recieve interest tomorrow! 713-7435356 for more information!

Tennis Canoe Waterski Gymnastics Silver Jewelry English Riding Copper Enameling Basketball Field Hockey Softball Newsletter Lacrosse Theater Costumer

Please contact

713-527-9912

INTERVIEWERS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY!! ADVERTISE in The daily Cougar! A proven and effective way to get a message out to UH students!

No experience needed. Training provided. Weekday and weekends. Call for more info. 713-871-1748

rentals 1 BDRM GARAGE APT cross street from UH. Fully furnished. All utilities paid. Please call 713-418-0987

Males and females. Meet new friends! Travel! Teach your favorite activity.

APPOINTMENT SETTERS and career agents for Aflac Insurance. Flex hrs, no exp necessary, will train. Good benefits. Base+commission. Stable company. 713-240-7352

ADVERTISE IN THE DAILY COUGAR! CALL 713-743-5356 FOR MORE INFORMATION TODAY!

Help Wanted SUMMER IN MAINE

Help Wanted

STUDENT HANDYMAN to help remodel duplex apt. near campus. Must have own tools. 713-743-2734, 713-4659610

(713) 743-5356

ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/classifieds

!BARTENDING! up to $300 a day, no exp necessary, training provided. 18+ ok. 800-965-6520 ext.145

MONTESSORI school near Museum dist. Looking for PT/FT. Infant to EC teacher assistants. Call Tara 713-5200738

Place an ad today

BEAUTIFUL GARAGE APT in University Oaks. 2 blocks from campus. Furnished, cable. Ideal for international students. $450+deposit+electricity. 713-748-5064

PSY CLINIC takingg app from f enthusiastic nthusiastic individua individuals with some college credit who are interested in applied exp working with children. Hourly paid range $8-$16 depending on exp & qualifications. Email resume to: tdrake@drharris.org or call: 832-875-8927

WE ARE SEEKING a full-time or part-time International Purchasing Assistant in the 610 Loop & Richmond area, with strong organization, verbal, and written communication skills, and proficiency in Microsoft Office. This is a good opportunity for those majoring in International Business. Please contact 713-527-9912

FEW BLOCKS from UH,1 studio $310; 2- 11/2 $650; 4- 2 House $800; Appl W/D,fenced,quiet,parking lots. Call 713-834-4209. HOUSTON HEIGHTS. 30 minutes from the UH campus. 1 bedroom and 1 bath - $750; 2 bedroom and 1 bath - $950 713-682-7142 ROOM AVAILABLE IN TOWN HOME close to UH. $790/mo + utilities. Private bdrm and private bath. One spot in garage. 214-235-5372 STUDENT/STAFF SPECIAL: U of H AREA-$99. 1st mo rent. Minutes from campus. 1bdrm $429. & 2bdrm $529. with a 1 YEAR LEASE. 3629 MacGregor Way-Office 713-523-0225.

rooms for rent FURNISHED 1 BDRM located in house. 5 mins from UH. $450/mo including utilities. 713-748-0222 Leave name and number.

For campus news 24/7

www.thedailycougar.com

The Daily Cougar

CoMICS & MoRE

Friday, January 23, 2009

cOUGAr cOMIcS

TODAy’S crOSSwOrD

The Waves by Bissan Rafe

ACROSS

Dim Sum by Ho Yi Lau

Man Law by Chris Jacobs

1 5 9 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 26 27 30 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 42 43 45 47 48 49 50 53 54 58 59 61 62 63 64 65 66 67

Hen’s hangout Aspirin target Latch onto Kal Kan rival Ringlet Road rally Begin a hand London flashlight Gael republic Part of a pump Stipulations Short-order fare Dissolve Babysitter, often Heavy yellow paper Coy Huge-cast films Broadcast Libertine Jazz instrument Held on tight Bikini half Dry as dust Promising Cons Low-cost passage Most docile Ceilings Backpack Awesome! Morse signal H+ and ClBig ditch Goolagong rival Pointed arch Lap dog Music with a beat — Major Winter runner Aloha in Rome Cures, as cement’

DOWN

At the Hot Dog Stand by Mishele Lamshing

1 Heels 2 No-cholesterol spread 3 Silica mineral 4 Political tract 5 — the Hun 6 Video-game heroine Lara 7 Milady’s

21 24

9 15

64 66

35 38 41

43 44 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 57 60

67 ©

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

PC button More lush Complain Ranch measure Borscht veggie Smithy’s job Glove sz. Overhead railways Golden Butte cousins By itself Undeliverable mail Clicking device Greathearted Prowls Nutritional supplement Trudges Held tenderly Struck out

8 9 10 11 12 15 23 25

Loud thud Lacking reverence Estuary Heart, maybe Roughly Refs Caroler’s tune Long-handled tool — Arnaz Monstrous giant Plover’s dwelling Octopus habitats “Old” London theatre

2009 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

previous puzzle solved J O A B WO S E A R G U E B R E D

I B E X

N T HO S E A ROO K S S A S H E S T A N T WE I R S N R S E N I C S C E A R T H R E E E N A H A S E D A ROMA E R I E S T S C C A P C L O T T E D S O I T A C E L L S M I T T R E A T O S E S NO B S

A I R

A U F

S EM I H A Y S E S T A L T H Y L AWL S CO A T R U E A L D A L D E D P A B E D COR E A N N E S E EM

» Find answers to past puzzles at

thedailycougar.com/puzzles

TODAy’S SUDOkU (Difficulty: 5/5) How to play

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

previous puzzle solved

Limbo by Paulo Aninag

Sound like you? These symptoms could be more than just PMS — they can also describe PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). Baylor College of Medicine is conducting a clinical study of FDA-approved drugs ,YAZ and YASMIN, to determine if they are effective in relieving PMDD stress in women ages 13 to 20. Participants will complete a diary in addition to receiving medication in this study. Females between 13 and 20 experiencing these symptoms and comfortable with tampon use may be able to participate. Parental consent is required under age 18.

Call 713-798-5295 volunteer@bcm.edu

adVERtISInG

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Daily Cougar

Fashion conscious. Budget conscious. Plus, get a 20% faculty and staff discount. On monthly access on calling plans $39.99 or higher.

NEW! Samsung Omnia™

TouchWiz Touchscreen > 5 Megapixel Camera/Video Camera > Media Player with FM Radio

$19999

$269.99 2-yr. price –$70 mail-in rebate debit card. New 2-yr. activation on voice plan with email feature or email plan.

enV®2 by LG

Mini Messaging Center > Full QWERTY Keyboard > Fast email and Web access

$4999

$99.99 2-yr. price –$50 mail-in rebate debit card with 2-yr. activation.

High-Speed Wireless Internet USB175 Modem

Surf, check email and more!

FREE

$49.99 2-yr. price –$50 mail-in rebate debit card. New 2-yr. activation on Mobile Broadband Plan.

Switch to America’s Most Reliable Wireless Network.® Call 1.888.VZW.4BIZ

Click verizonwireless.com/getdiscount

Visit any store

VERIZON WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS STORES Open 7 days a week. Technicians available at select locations. GREENWAY PLAZA 3817 S.W. Frwy. 713-621-1391 RIVER OAKS 2017 Westheimer Rd. 713-522-2810 UPTOWN 1670 Post Oak Blvd. 713-960-8585

MA TRÍCULA

CONSULAR

BUSINESS CUSTOMERS

1-800-899-4249

Activation fee/line: $35. IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Customer Agmt, Calling Plan, rebate form & credit approval. Up to $175 early termination fee/line & other charges. Offers and coverage, varying by service, not available everywhere. Device capabilities: Add’l charges & conditions apply. Rebate debit card takes up to 6 weeks & expires in 12 months. Limited-time offers. While supplies last. Network details and coverage maps at verizonwireless.com. © 2009 Verizon Wireless. FCBC