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Issue 75, Volume 75

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Sumlin receives new contract Contract calls for changes to stadium, incentives for building winning team

By Phillipe Craig THE DAILY COUGAR UH football fans who watched the national coaching carousel heat up in recent weeks while wondering if head coach Kevin Sumlin would be the next to take a ride on the (un)merrygo-round can now breathe easier. UH athletic director Mack

Rhoades announced Monday a restructured contract extension that will keep Sumlin at UH through 2015. The new deal includes $6.8 million in guaranteed compensation and several incentives based on wins per season and other accomplishments from the team. The deal also calls for a $600,000 buyout should Sumlin leave prior to Jan. 2, 2013, a figure that decreases to $400,000 if he leaves between Jan. 3, 2013 and Jan. 2, 2014, and $200,000 in the ensuing year. The buyout drops to $50,000 if Sumlin leaves between Jan. 3, 2015

and Jan. 2, 2016. Sumlin, who made $700,000 last season, said Rhoades and UH President Renu Khator have played a major role in building a lasting legacy for the athletic program and in making his decision to enter a longterm agreement an easy one. “There were key elements brought by the University administration and leadership that really speak to the future of not only the football program but the University of Houston. I’m excited to be a small part of that,” Sumlin said. “All of those things have brought us to where

UH? There’s an app for that

see UH APP, page 3

see SUMLIN, page 7

THE DAILY COUGAR ARCHIVE

UH head football coach Kevin Sumlin enters 2010 with a new degree of job security after signing a deal that keeps him at UH through 2015.

Prof. honored for literary work By Michelle Reed THE DAILY COUGAR

By Darlene Campos THE DAILY COUGAR With technology growing more every year, UH now has its very own app for students who own an iPhone or iPod Touch. Created by UH computer science undergraduates Kaleb Fulgham, Andre Navarro, Nick Prescott and Hussain Abbasi, the new app will provide maps as a guide to get around campus, routes to eateries and shuttle buses, announcements for campus events, updates on the weather, campus photos and Twitter updates from UH President Renu Khator. “We have pledged to provide our students with an educational experience that is top tier and to offer them training that is globally competitive,” Khator said. “The development of this application is a wonderful example of innovative thinking and creativity that supports top-tier student success and achievement. I’m pleased, too, that this application will help us further engage members of the university community, while also providing a host of useful services.” The UH app is the product of a semester-long project for Ubiquitous Computing, a UH computer science course. New features will be added throughout the semester. “We will be constantly adding

we are today, and, hopefully, those things will continue into the future. That all starts from the top, and that’s the reason I want to be here and look forward to great things in the future.” One of those key elements involves a commitment to moving forward with stadium improvements, be they renovations to Robertson Stadium or construction of a new stadium. Sumlin’s new contract calls for the buyout to decrease by $100,000 should UH not break ground on a

ZUHAIR SIDDIQUI THE DAILY COUGAR

Everybody to the circus

inding your way around campus can be hard, especially during the first day of school, but political science junior Shannon Conway (above left), English junior Monroe Thompson (above right), hotel and restaurant management freshman Austin Baker (below right), math education junior Shannon Harrison (center) and education junior Meaghan Mengler took advantage of campus directories to find their classes’ respective buildings.

Cullen Chair for UH’s Creative Writing Program and nationally recognized author Antonya Nelson was one of 50 American artists named a 2009 United States Artists Fellow in December. She was honored for her literary works. “I was stunned and deeply grateful to learn that I’d received an award. I feel lucky to have been selected,” Nelson said in an e-mail. This isn’t the first time Nelson has won an award for her work in literature. Nelson has received awards for several short stories, including the 2001 O. Henry Award for “Female Trouble,” the 2003 Pushcart Prize for “The Lonely Doll,” the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, the Nelson Algren Award and a PEN Syndicated Fiction Award. Nelson also achieved recognition for her 1996 novel Talking in Bed, which received the Heartland Award in fiction, and five of her novels have been named New York Times Notable books. Nelson’s also received a National Endowment for the Arts grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship. “The University is proud to have an esteemed writer on faculty. She is a prolific author,” media relations representative Mike Emery said in an e-mail. Director of Creative Writing James Kastely said that Nelson’s recent award will help support the growth of UH’s Creative Writing Program. “Nelson’s award enhances the reputation of both the Creative Writing Program and the University of Houston. It is

just one more reason for the best graduate students in the country to seek admission to UH. Our undergraduates are being taught by one of the best writing faculties in the country,” Kastely said in an e-mail. To become a USA Fellow, an artist must be nominated. Artists who are nominated are then highly encouraged to apply online with a submission of their work to the USA Foundation. “The work that I sent to the USA Foundation was a short story, Soldier’s Joy, and I explained in my application that I felt especially impassioned about being a practitioner of the short story,” Nelson said. “I love to teach the short story as an art form. I love to read short stories. I love to write them. Perhaps my enthusiasm about the form itself had some sway with the judges,” Nelson said. Artists who have been nominated must go through a peer review in which art experts examine the nominees’ applications. The selected finalists are invited to attend an awards celebration, which for 2009 was held December in Santa Monica, Calif. “What impressed me the most was the extraordinary diversity of the artists on display, people whose work — whether music, buildings, dance or crafts — clearly manages to be excellent on its own as well as inspire others,” Nelson said. “The degree to which the work I saw (in a wonderfully staged multimedia presentation) was so eclectic (that it) was awesome.” USA Fellows each receive a see NELSON, page 3

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

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TODAY

UC Big Bend Rm. 279* — University Center 2nd Floor *The Big Bend Rm. is a new meeting space formerly occupied by the Cougar Card Office.

Sponsored by the Division of Student Aﬀairs and the Student Government Association Monday, January 25, 2010 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, January 28, 2010 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

RecycleMania Kick-off Pep Rally: Noon, UC Satellite. RecycleMania is a fun and friendly competition between colleges and universities nationwide that encourages green initiatives through measured recycling and events that promote sustainability. Participation is free. For more information, visit uh.edu/af/ recyclemania Men’s basketball team game: 7 p.m., Hofheinz Pavilion. The Cougars will face off against the Central Florida Knights in an important Conference USA matchup. UH is 10-7 overall and 3-1 in C-USA. General admission is $10, and students get in free with their Cougar Cards.

THURSDAY Bauer College Alumni Association Honors Mr. Hackett: 7 a.m., Houston City Club. To kick off the spring Monthly Networking Breakfast series, the Bauer College Alumni Association is honored to host James T. Hackett, chairman, president and chief

CO R R E C T I O N S J

executive officer of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Attendance costs $30. For more information, visit bauer.uh.edu/alumni/events.asp Foundation for Modern Music’s “Musique Artistique”: 6:30 p.m., Blaffer Gallery. The White Oak Trio is a Houston-based professional music ensemble formed by three musicians: Steven McMillan, violin; Meryl Ettelson, piano; and Barrett Sills, cello. Blaffer Gallery will remain open through the duration of the concert. Tickets are $20 ($10 for students). For more information, contact Jeff Bowen at jbowen2@uh.edu

FRIDAY Fusion Friday: 7:30 a.m., UH SBDC, Suite 200. The UH Small Business Development Center network is hosting some of Houston’s brightest entrepreneurs for workshops led by the National Association of Professional Organizers. Breakfast will be served. Registration is required. For more information, visit sbdc.uh.edu

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ABOUT 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 http://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. the first copy of the Cougar is free; each additional copy is 25 cents. 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. NEWS TIPS Direct news tips and story ideas to the News Desk. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@thedailycougar. com or fax (713) 743-5384. A “Submit news item” form is also available online at thedailycougar.com. 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.

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RECYCLES

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Tuesday, January 19th Thru Friday, January 22nd

COURTESY OF ANTONYA NELSON

Cullen Chair for the Creative Writing Program at UH Antonya Nelson was among 50 artists named a 2009 United States Artist Fellow.

Tues & Wed: UC Arbor Thur & Fri: UC North Entrance

in the country,” Kastely said. Kastely also said he believes the presence of important writers who are also excellent teachers is one of the reasons the UH program is special and will continue to grow. “It’s a reason to do graduate and undergraduate work in creative writing at UH. It’s one of the resources that enrich the larger intellectual and cultural life on campus. The University has an important obligation to ensure that this program thrives,” Kastely said.

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UH APP points of interest to the map, which will update automatically on the app. We will also be integrating more real-time information, such as estimated arrival times for UH shuttle buses and METRO city buses at each stop, in addition to the real-time parking lot capacity statuses, which we currently have,” Navarro said. Navarro said the app benefits freshman students the most, since it will help them easily locate buildings and eating places. “Our next priorities are a complete course catalog from PeopleSoft and a student/faculty directory search. We also want to integrate more social networking features with Facebook and Twitter, as well as UH events, news, sports, etc. We are currently in talks with the University on how we can continue to do all that we have in mind,” Navarro said. Development of the app, according to Navarro and Fulgham, required the entire fall semester. “Most of the time was dedicated to actually learning how to use the program for the iPhone. We dedicated a lot of time and effort to this app, especially towards the end, with long nights in our 24hour access computer science lab. The Cougar pride has really started to grow exponentially, and we wanted to be part of that,” Navarro said. The group plans to continue its work this semester. “We really want to continue developing this app during the upcoming semester and also make the necessary tools and documentation to pass it onto somebody at the University once we graduate, to ensure that the app doesn’t go stale,” Fulgham said. To download the app, which is free of charge, visit the iPhone App Store. More information about the application can be found at http:// uhcamp.us.to/blog/. news@thedailycougar.com

art • music • film • photography • vintage • humor

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NELSON $50,000 unrestricted grant. Nelson said winning this award will help provide a financial cushion for her life as an artist. “I plan to spend the money I received in the ways I always do, helping support the family who lives with me: my daughter, who is a painter; her fiancée, who is a poet; my son, who is a chemist and poet; my mother-in-law and my husband, who is also a writer. In this way, the USA foundation is supporting a whole colony of artists, which to me seems like an ideal situation,” Nelson said. Kastely said the growing reputation of UH’s creative writing faculty sets a challenge for the University to support the Creative Writing Program as a nationally competitive program. This means increasing literary resources and adding more programs for young writers. “This is a serious challenge, and it requires the University to ensure that the program has (the) resources that will allow it to achieve its potential and continue to be one of the premier programs

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

HELP QUAKE VICTIMS

The Black Student Union and the Council of Ethnic Organizations have teamed up in an effort to help aid the people of Haiti from the recent tragedy. The ﬁrst three events are an opportunity for students to drop off non-perishables and other items of aid.

January Wednesday 20th The Zeta Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma presents Hump Day: Hump for Haiti Location: The North University Center Patio Time: 11:30a – 1:00p

Thursday 21st

February

Martin Luther King Panel Discussion Council of Ethnic Organizations & the Eta Mu Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity Inc. Purpose: An opportunity for students to discuss Martin Luther King’sdreamthrough an open dialogue with the panel. ‘What does the Dream mean for You?’ Location: COUGAR DEN Time: 1130a-1p.

*Black History Month* Wednesday 3rd Asian Festival Purpose: To bring in the Asian New Year and appreciation of our Asian organizations. Time: 1130a-1p. UC ARBOR

Saturday 6th Good News Gospel Choir 30th Anniversary Purpose: Celebratory Event of the organization’s existence on the UH Campus. Time: 6p. UC Houston Room

Monday 8th The Web of the Black Widow: Purpose: Jeanette Lee, Asian Pool Player, to close out the Asian Festival event. Time: 11:30a – 1:00p (UC Arbor) Time: 7:00p-9:00 pm (UC Arbor)

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION EDITOR Alan Dennis

E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com

COMING THURSDAY: Have the University’s efforts to save money in the current economic climate gone too far?

ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD Ronnie Turner, Editor in Chief Matthew Keever, Managing editor Hiba Adi, News editor Patricia Estrada, News editor Phillipe Craig, Sports editor Jarrod Klawinsky, Life & Arts editor Alan Dennis, Opinion editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Sumlin’s contract a good move but far from last step

COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

GUEST COMMENTARY

King’s legacy more than academic This is the second in a series of essays about Martin Luther King Jr. written by University staff members in celebration of his lifetime of accomplishments. I never knew him. I was born 10 years Larry after his last breath. Hill However, there remains in my soul a desire to know him better; to walk as he walked; to profess as he professed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to the masses as well as to individuals — even to his enemies. He professed simple truths of justice and love. He shined light into the dark places of men’s hearts. To the oppressor, he did not shy away from the call of swift repentance, leading lawmakers to put down the reprehensible drug of gradual change. To his followers, he lifted up his voice and declared meekness as the path to victory against the violent. To “all of God’s children,” he rebuked every pretense, every injustice, every nonloving action and every favoritism that divided mankind.

His example is worthy of our imitation. Doctoral degree in hand, King chose to apply his knowledge to the greater problems of society. He freely chose to work in the bloodstained, segregated streets of the South. An embodiment of higher education, he chose not to confine himself within the heavenly, ivy-covered walls of any university. Instead, he emptied all the knowledge he gained from Morehouse College, the Crozer Theological Seminary, the University of Pennsylvania and Boston University directly into the community. From Crozer Theological Seminary, Michael King (his birth name) received his Bachelor of Divinity — a degree scoffed at by many academics. Nonetheless, it produced, at least in part, a man worthy of our respect. Carefully study the life of King and get to know his academic and theological excellence. Review his speeches and scholarly

writings. Seek where he merges theology and academic knowledge and you can find how he translates it into simple solutions to solve the world’s most complex social issues. Listen to audio of King’s sermon “The Drum Major Instinct.” Note the references to Jesus Christ, Alfred Adler, Edward Gibbon, Aristotle, Plato and Albert Einstein. Something happens as you listen to him speak. We can use physiological explanations for the tingling, warm sensations and goose bumps, but what explains the other part of your experience? What academic terms can you use to explain away the deep churning and stirring in your innermost being — a place as touchable as the ocean’s mystical horizon? What explains the awakening, the clarity to do what is right or the resolve to see justice prevail? Can academia fully account for those see KING, page 5

Football coach Kevin Sumlin kept his commitment to the University by spurning potential job offers from bigger programs after the Cougars’ season ended. The University returned the favor in a big way, rewarding Sumlin with a new six-year contract that will pay him $6.8 million in base compensation. The deal was announced Monday and is pending approval from the UH System Board of Regents, which is expected to sign off on the contract at a special meeting on Friday. Sumlin’s contract is another solid step forward in the University’s quest to produce a football program that can compete for national prominence and elevate the stature of its athletics program over the next several years. The deal also should make Sumlin think a little harder about sticking around when other programs with head coach vacancies come calling next winter. But, as the administration surely knows, this is somewhat of a small step in the grand scheme of the situation. A lot more work remains before UH can begin making serious strides toward joining a major conference. One major issue to resolve is the future of Robertson Stadium. The University has plans to upgrade the aging facility but hasn’t decided how to proceed. The school could decide to renovate Robertson or build a new facility. Either way, the University has to upgrade its facilities to make its athletics program more attractive to big-time recruits and major conferences. It also would help if other premier sports, such as men’s basketball, won Conference USA championships and went to the postseason on a more consistent basis. Fans and alumni also have to play a role, too. After all, major conferences aren’t going to give much thought to a program that struggles with attendance in nearly every sport, especially football. Give credit to the University. UH President Renu Khator has made a commitment to improving the school’s athletics program, and fans seem to be a little more enthusiastic than they’ve been in previous years. That enthusiasm should bode well as the University prepares to make even bolder steps to elevate its athletics program.

Perry decides to sit this race out In an election year, it can be difficult to tell when an incumbent makes a decision strictly motivated by desire to serve his constituency or when they act with an eye to possible effects on the polls. In Gov. Jared Rick Perry’s case, he Luck always seems to be campaigning. Up for re-election in November, Perry announced last Tuesday that Texas would not submit an application to be considered for up to $700 million of federal stimulus money through the U.S. Department of Education’s new Race to the Top program. The move is clearly intended to appeal to conservative Texans who are fed up with federal government spending and what they see as attempts to spread Big Brother’s reach. As Perry put it, the program “smacks of

a federal takeover of our public schools.” This was not the first time Perry publicly clashed with the federal government. In April 2009, at an anti-tax tea party, his suggestion that Texas should secede from the U.S. was reported across the country. The notion of secession is ludicrous, but Perry’s goal was to please his audience, which he did. As a staunchly red state, the move against accepting federal aid will probably be another popular move, but for good reason this time. While the stimulus money might enable some reforms at schools around the state, once the funding ceases in four years, any programs begun under Race to the Top will likely become the financial responsibility of local communities. But the most inconvenient truth of the

matter is that throwing money at public education problems won’t solve anything. Perry is right to suspect that changing laws to qualify for stimulus funds would force Texas down a slippery slope where parents and teachers have diminishing power to determine how and what their children are taught. There is no basis to thinking that adoption of a national curriculum would make Texas schoolchildren any smarter or better prepared than a state-determined curriculum. The only reasoning behind a change would be uniformity — a goal that would do more to harm education than promote it. However, one provision of the Race to the Top program should be adopted by Texas: using students’ test scores in their see PERRY, page 5

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 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 7435384. 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 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

OPINION

The Daily Cougar

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

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Red Raiders unfairly forced Leach to walk plank Former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach was fired Dec. 30, after the family of receiver Adam James claimed that James had been Travis mistreated by Hensley Leach while suffering from a concussion. The timing of the dismissal was suspicious, as Leach would have been owed an $800,000 bonus for taking the team to a bowl game had the claim come out a day later. The controversy surrounding the issue has divided Texas Tech fans — sort of. Supporters of the embattled

KING continued from page 4

experiences? Such solutions are seldom taught within classroom walls. Can today’s universities mold men and women into the likeness of King? If so, does the academic culture support this work without excluding his study and application of theology? Let us celebrate the fullness of Dr. King — academic and theologian. Larry Hill is an adjunct professor in the Graduate College of Social Work and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

PERRY continued from page 4

teachers’ evaluations. Thursday, the HISD board voted in favor of allowing schools to fire teachers if their students’ standardized test scores are continually low. Under the policy, teachers will be evaluated on three to four years of data, giving them sufficient time to improve on one or two years of poor student test scores. This should provide a system to treat the disease, not just the symptoms. Despite debate regarding how accurately standardized tests measure a student’s knowledge, they should be the basis for evaluating teacher performance. It is perfectly acceptable for teachers to be held accountable for their students’ progress, and teachers who can’t perform at an acceptable level should be terminated; it’s that simple. That is how the rest of the professional world operates, and the teaching field should be no exception. While using these tests to measure a teacher’s effectiveness is a good idea, Texas does not need to turn over the reins of its education system to the federal government to institute such a policy. As Perry put it, “If Washington were truly concerned about funding education with solutions that match local challenges, they would make the money available to states with no strings attached.” Well said, governor. Jared Luck is a communication senior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

coach formed a 60,000 memberdeep Facebook group called Team Leach, while there are two Team Adam James groups, both with just over 30 members. Team Leach Facebook members all seem to have a fantastic sense of humor about a pretty serious event that had costly consequences. They are passionate in their support for the Texas Tech football team and Leach. On Thursday about 500 members of Team Leach met at Memorial Circle on the Texas Tech campus in Lubbock to protest their hero’s firing. This clearly marks the ineffectiveness of protesting. If 500

protesting pirates cannot get answers or results, then what hope is there for anyone else? But there is an issue in this debacle more devastating than the loss of a great football coach: the university rushed to judgment before all the facts were available. The administration may have fired Leach with the best interests of the players in mind, but it seems there was no real investigation performed, smacking of a hidden agenda. Add in the impending payout of Leach’s bonus and all that we can assume is that the school did not want to fulfill its end of the contract.

It appears as though the university was more concerned with money and not the welfare of the players. Of course, that would be jumping to a conclusion. The truth is that the facts surrounding the incident have not been properly investigated or made public. James’ specific injury and Leach’s actions seem to be a mystery to everyone not directly involved. No matter how many times you read or hear an official statement from the administration, the events seem confusing. The only thing we know for sure

is that Texas Tech’s head coach was obsessed with pirates. Other schools need to learn from the controversy at Texas Tech. When something goes wrong, it should not take a student protest to find out the truth. Administrations need to be open and accountable to their students. It’s unfortunate, but at this point, it doesn’t matter if Leach was right or wrong; the only way he’ll set foot on Tech’s campus again is if he’s picking up his last paycheck. Travis Hensley is a communication senior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

OPINION

The Daily Cougar

Republicans using terrorist for political gains The failed Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 thrust terrorism back into the national spotlight, and seeing a political David opening, some Republicans Brooks pounced. They accused President Barack Obama of being soft on terror, of not

caring enough, of failing to treat the incident like a war, of failing to protect us, etc. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani made headlines last week with his claim that we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any domestic attacks under President George W. Bush. He must have meant after Sept. 11, right? What few people noticed was

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that Dana Perino, the former White House press secretary under Bush, and Mary Matalin, a political consultant to the Republican Party, have made the exact same claim. Matalin went so far as to claim that Bush inherited Sept. 11 from former President Bill Clinton. Many Republicans have used the failed terrorist attack to further their political goals. It could be argued that the actions of those who seek to benefit from the attack are terroristic, as the goal of terrorism is to scare people into submission. But you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t blame Republicans for trying. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re politicians and think it will help them politically. They might be right. The media certainly didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to fuel the fires of hysteria. MSNBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chris Matthews spent an entire day scaring himself to death over an imaginary kung fu terrorist. There was plenty of criticism that Obama wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t taking the issue

seriously, and his administration was excoriated for missing numerous warning signs. Of course, in the rush to panic, nobody bothered to make sure that what they were reporting was, you know, correct. It took nearly two weeks for the fact that the suspect bought a roundtrip ticket, not a one-way ticket, to surface, and it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t nearly as widely reported as the original story. The way so many people reacted, you would have thought there had been a successful attack that had killed hundreds. But instead, in an attempt to blow up a plane, a guy lit his crotch on fire and ended up being detained by a Dutch film director. What should be taken away from this incident is that the terrorists who are so intent on killing us are apparently incompetent. Granted, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not good that the terrorist wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t picked up sooner, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impossible to expect perfection. Terrorism is not going away any

time soon. Reasonable measures should be taken to protect Americans, but people also need to recognize that nobody is perfect and eventually someone will slip through. It may be something to be concerned about, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no reason for mass hysteria. A personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chances of being struck by lightning are greater than their chances of dying in a terrorist attack. People need to keep terrorism in perspective, especially given the fact that the main goal of terrorism is to create fear. We shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be panicking over a failed attack. And if we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t panic, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no way for the terrorists to win. Instead of letting terrorists succeed even when they fail, we should be showing them that they fail even when they succeed. David Brooks is a communication senior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

In the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resource Center Room 279A, Second Floor, University Center

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NEWS

The Daily Cougar

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Contact Lens Experts at the University of Houston

THE DAILY COUGAR ARCHIVE

UH head football coach Kevin Sumlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new contract calls for the University to make improvements to Robertson Stadium or build a new venue before Jan. 2011, or his buyout decreases..

SUMLIN continued from page 1

stadium project by Jan. 3, 2011 and another $100,000 each year if the delay extends through Jan. 2, 2013. If UH breaks ground between Jan. 3, 2014 and Jan. 2, 2015, the buyout would be only $100,000, and only $50,000 if construction starts between Jan. 3, 2015 and Jan. 2, 2016. Rhoades said the unique inclusion of a timetable involving upgrades to facilities â&#x20AC;&#x153;simply says that we are making a commitmentâ&#x20AC;? and is integral to making all parties involved feel confident about the direction of the program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you look to the future of our athletics program, there are some critical elements involved in it,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kevin and continuity at the head coaching position is part of that. It is important that if we asked Kevin to be here, we need to show our commitment to upgrade facilities within the next three years.â&#x20AC;?

Under the terms of the contract, which still has to be approved by the UH Board of Regents, Sumlin is due $1 million per year for the 2010 through 2012 seasons and $1.266 million for the 2013 through 2015 seasons. Should UH reach certain win thresholds, Sumlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pay would increase accordingly, with an increase of 5 percent for eight regular-season wins, 7 percent for nine and 9 percent for 10 or more wins. Another incentive is a $200,000 bonus for Sumlin if UH participates in a bowl game. Sumlin said he is excited to continue UHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earlier progress. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot more we can accomplish,â&#x20AC;? said Sumlin, who is 18-9 in two seasons at UH. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are just getting started, and we love it here. My family and I love living in Houston. It is very exciting to be a part of this program that has an athletics director and president with such a vision.â&#x20AC;? news@thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

EDITORS

The Daily Cougar

Travis Hensley, Jarrod Klawinsky

E-MAIL

arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/life_arts

The Target effect J

Designers’ cheap but chic collections

By: Jarrod Klawinsky THE DAILY COUGAR Back in November, fashion designer Zac Posen announced that he would be releasing a capsule collection under Target’s Go International series in April. Now, following the great success of Rodarte’s collection for the retailer in December, we have a first look at Posen’s line, which is due in stores on April 25. The collection is 100 percent Posen, made for the girly girl who likes to dress up. Mostly dresses, the collection’s highlights include a ’60s-inspired yellow raincoat, a halter cocktail dress with removable skirt, a very Posen-esque red flouncy dress and a series of bathing suits that evoke the ’40s and ’50s. While Posen’s collections typically run from $900-$12,000 with custom designs coming in at around $20,000,

items on the line for Go International will fall reasonably below $200. Posen is a favorite of some celebrities and this collection for Target has been met with praise by online bloggers. But before Posen’s line hits racks in April, another famed designer will release a collection through Target’s Designer Collaborations. French couturier, Jean Paul Gaultier, renowned for his outlandish designs, will release a collection for select Target stores across America and Target.com on March 7. “Gaultier’s collection will pay tribute to the American women, celebrating the forces of style both past and present in American pop culture,” the retailer said in a release. For photos of both collections go to thedailycougar.com arts@thedailycougar.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

A look from Zac Posen’s Spring 2010 collection presented at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York.

STYLES FILES

Are fashion bloggers harmful to the name game? Explicit or not, fashion bloggers are taking over the fashion industry. These aren’t the stereotypical kind who Shaziya lounge around their homes Bandukia in pajamas, flipping through channels on their TV to find an appealing topic. These bloggers are out and about, seated almost front row at top-of-the-line fashion expos, next to social icons such as Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue. Magazines such as Vogue have to wait an entire month to publish details of fashion weeks, whereas trendy bloggers can easily release information, via their iPhones or BlackBerrys, on personal blogging Web sites just minutes into a show. In a recent blog, Filipino blogger BryanBoy claimed, “I’m not delusional to fool myself into having aspirations of being an esteemed editor,” after he discovered that many commenters on a Brazilian blog were putting him and other fashion bloggers against some of the industry’s heavyweights. BryanBoy has stated that his sole reason for blogging is to entertain his fellow readers and put his two cents into the world of fashion, rather than to be compared to or even take the place of the editors of big-time magazines. Taking a look at his blog, one might notice that not only does

he attempt to keep his readers up-to-date with new trends, but he also provides cheaper alternatives. He is a bit popular around town, so he’ll occasionally share published articles of him in various magazines around Europe, including some insights into his more personal life. ch as Although some brands such nnels Prada do have YouTube channels to stream their fashion shows live, hion BryanBoy also records fashion shows and posts them on his Web sight site to give his readers an insight into such VIP events. nly a From a boy blogger, it’s only bit more surprising to know that gger, there’s also a 13-year-old blogger, Tavi. aight Tavi is not one to post straight from fashion shows. Rather,, she hion is one to flip through old fashion hem, magazines, take pictures of them, and post them on her Web site ntage to show her favorite vintage styles. She includes many photos hotos of runway shows and entire ntire magazine pages, so it’s fun n to click on these images, be directed ected straight to Flickr, and selectt “all sizes” to fully observe and take ake a closer look at the images on each page. Tavi’s sense of style seems to emerge from vintage stores and magazines from a decade ago, rather than the newer trends. This is easily noticeable through photos of herself, in which she’s decked head-to-toe with printed see STYLES FILES, page 9

PHOTOS OF TAVI GEVINSON COURTESY Y OF TAVI PHOTOS OF BYRAN BOY COURTESY OF BRYAN RYAN BOY

Bloggers such as the 22-year-old Bryan Boy and 13-year-old Tavi Gevinson have made a major impact on fashion journalism. No longer do readers wait for the next month’s issues of Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar to see new styles and trends; nds; they simple follow the blogs. Even designers like ike Marc Jacobs (pictured above) have accepted bloggers oggers as the new wave of fashion journalists.

LIFE & ARTS

The Daily Cougar

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

■

‘Nine’ unoriginal, not worth viewers’ time or money

PHOTO COURTESTY OF THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

‘Nine’ has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture, and boasts a bevy of stars, such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Judy Dench and Fergie. The film, however, seems to lack purpose. Kalani Man THE DAILY COUGAR From horrible casting to awkwardly placed musical numbers and flat characters — not to mention the film’s utter lack of purpose — Rob Marshall’s Nine is a contrived flop of emulation, not so much an homage to as a parody of Fellini’s 8 ½. If Nine is an homage to anything, it’s to Rob Marshall. It invokes similar, unoriginal themes seen in Chicago such as the influence of the media, glamour and glitz, while having made unwise casting choices as seen in Memoirs of a Geisha and incorporating poor transitions which have become characteristic of Marshall’s films. Somewhere in the misguided process of adapting Fellini’s classic to play, from play to stage musical, stage musical to what Wikipedia calls “stage musical with book” and finally from stage musical with book to Marshall’s re-adaptation to film, somehow most traces of the original — along with its complexity, poignancy and inventiveness — were lost. Fellini’s seminal 8 ½ chronicles the creative struggles of semiautobiographical director Guido Contini’s harried attempts to find the inspiration for his ninth film (the half is for a film co-authored). Despite whatever Fellini’s actual artistic crisis, the managed film manifestation is a cinematic masterpiece. Whether Marshall had a similar crisis in creating Nine, his film gives the impression he’s mired in an un-artistic malaise of indecision and unimaginativeness. “We’d all like to live in an Italian movie,” says one of the characters. Truth. But given the frenetic cinematography and absence of smooth flow to the film, it’s a good thing this isn’t an Italian movie — the epigram would prove contradictory otherwise. To that point, perhaps the

STYLES FILES continued from page 8

skirts, different-colored tights, and loose t-shirts. It’s quite interesting to see such a young girl so knowledgeable in vintage fashion, but at least it’s a big relief for Vogue, since she isn’t publicizing current trends before the magazine is able to get to it. Although some of these bloggers really do have the ability to release photos, videos and other information quicker than labels and magazines would

most surprising aspect of this arrantly, uncreative un-adaptation is the casting. Although the list of actors includes an impressive array of Oscar winners, only one of the principal actors is Italian, Sophia Loren, and her character lacks dimension. Surely Loren was added to allay criticisms of filling roles with ticket-selling Hollywood names instead of actors genuinely befitting characters (not that she fits her character, but at least hers has an Italian name). It seems Marshall learned nothing from the uproar following the casting of his film (adaptation) of Memoirs of a Geisha, which surged upon notice that most of the actors portraying the Japanese characters were Chinese. But there is no shortage of Italian actors, let alone ItalianAmerican actors, let alone actors of any sort of Italian who can at least carry a tune. Ever imagine Daniel Day-Lewis belting a musical number? Yet Day-Lewis stars as Contini. It’s not like John Travolta is overbooked with movie projects. The only other cast member familiar to Italian cinema is Pénelope Cruz, who learned Italian for her role in the 2004 film Non ti muovere. Interestingly, her performance in Nine as a pill-popping, treacle mistress of Contini seems a reprisal of her role in the Italian film, in which she played a helpless waif and rape victim. Maybe for this reason Cruz’s portrayal in Nine is bland and unbelievable. It’s not just that these performances are bland. Some of the characters, like Loren’s, are absolutely unnecessary. Why is a busty Dame Judi Dench in Folie Bergère bustiere prancing about a Parisian stage singing in French to a child version of Contini? The story shows that character grew up not in Paris, but in a religious institution in Italy and probably doesn’t speak

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like, they have no intention of sabotaging their names. Their only intentions are to entertain and to publicly voice their opinions, and there can be no harm in that. Besides, what better way to get free recognition for these almost unaffordable labels than through these various blogging Web sites? All the big-time magazines can finally get off their high horse and give these bloggers a chance to do what they do best: show off their styles and bring in more fabulous followers. arts@thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS EDITOR Phillipe Craig

E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com

COMING THURSDAY: See how men’s hoops fared against UCF. ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports

MEN’S BASKETBALL

FOOTBALL

Cougars to take on C. Florida

Kingsbury receives promotion

By Phillipe Craig THE DAILY COUGAR

leading scorer at 25.0 points per game, has improved his game this season while adjusting to several new teammates. “He’s improved in every area of his game,” Penders said of Coleman. “He’s overall taking better shots. He’s a better defensive player. He’s a smarter player, and he trusts his teammates more, but he also (has) the courage to take over when it’s crunch time and the game is on the line.”

Cougar Sports Services The recent departure of assistant coach Dana Holgorsen to Oklahoma State left the Cougars with yet another opening on their coaching staff. Head coach Kevin Sumlin wasted no time in naming a replacement, promoting offensive quality control assistant Kliff Kingsbury to full-time assistant coach on Monday. As for the specific duties Kingsbury will inherit, Sumlin declined to elaborate and will make that announcement after Feb. 3, National Letter of Intent Signing Day. While his duties may still be unclear, what is clear is that Kingsbury is looking forward to the challenge. “I am really excited about this opportunity,” Kingsbury said in a statement released by the University. “This is where I want to be. I just feel this is a huge opportunity for me, and I am very thankful that coach Sumlin believes in me and is giving me this opportunity.” Kingsbury, 30, was a four-year letterman at Texas Tech under Holgorsen and set 39 school records, 16 Big 12 marks and 17 NCAA records during his career. He joined Sumlin’s staff in the spring of 2008 and prior to that spent the 2007 season in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue

sports@thedailycougar.com

see FOOTBALL, page 11

After suffering a deflating loss at home to Tulsa on Jan. 9, the Cougars rebounded with a home victory over UTEP and a 19-point win at East Carolina to put them back in the thick of the Conference USA title race. UH (10-7, 3-1 C-USA) can take another step toward establishing itself as a legitimate contender to capture the C-USA crown when it takes on Central Florida (9-8, 1-2) tonight at 7 p.m. at Hofheinz Pavilion. The Knights come in as losers of two straight and six of their last eight games but boast a talented scoring backcourt of Isaac Sosa and A.J. Rompza, who are averaging 20.6 points per game combined. Sosa, who participated in this past summer’s FIBA U19 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, averaged 9.6 points as Puerto Rico finished sixth out of 16 teams. That exposure, along with an increased role in the Knights’ offense, has made Sosa a leader on the court this season. “With Sosa, you have to guard him,” UH head coach Tom Penders said. “He’s a good player and a good shooter. They run a lot of good stuff, and they’re not easy to defend. They run a real team-oriented offense, and

JUSTIN FLORES THE DAILY COUGAR

Reigning C-USA Player of the Week Aubrey Coleman, pictured here against Troy, will be called upon to provide his usual scoring punch tonight against UCF. you’ve got to know where Sosa’s at. He’s capable of getting 25 or 30 (points), and he doesn’t take bad shots.” Getting Sosa and the rest of the Knights to take bad shots will be job No. 1 for the Cougars. In UCF’s last two losses, Sosa was held to a combined 5-of-14 from the field for a total of 15 points. Those performances included a combined 1-of-8 effort from behind the arc, a surprising departure for Sosa considering he excelled during the summer’s international competition,

Fighting Words

Talking smack and sports

At issue: Would you vote for Mark McGwire to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame now that he has admitted to using steroids?

» Keith Cordero Jr.: Come on; just let him in already I believe that, because steroids were not tested for at the time he took them,, all of McGwire’s ho home runs and p power numbers should be considered legitimate. OK, so II’m in favor of him getting into the Hall gett of Fame because I want my favorite player of all time – Barry Bonds and his 756 home runs – to get into Cooperstown as well. McGwire’s home run chase with Sammy Sosa will never be forgotten and really put baseball on the map. Now that he has admitted to using steroids, it’s time to move on. It was a wrong decision on his behalf, and McGwire deserves a lot of credit for telling the truth. McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Rafael

Palmeiro and Roger Clemens – just put them all in the Hall. It was a rough time in baseball with all these steroid users, and let’s just give them credit for being able to hit that baseball as far as they did.

» Tristan Tippet: He’s a great hitter but not HOF material Mark McGwire was never a contact hitter and, therefore, rarely hit for a high average. True, McGwire’s career average was a paltry .263, but when he did put the bat on the ball, he hit it over the fence. When I think of the prototypical pro power hitter, h I think of Mark McGwire. Even without steroids, McGwire is i probably the purest pu home run hitter I’ve seen. He had a long, loopy swing that produced soaring

hitting at a 46.2 percent clip, good enough for 10th-best in the tournament. Rompza, on the other hand, has elevated his game over the last week, shooting 55 percent and averaging 15.5 points over his last two games. He also combined to connect on 50 percent of his 3-point attempts, helping to offset Sosa’s struggles. UH will have to rely on its own talented backcourt, namely reigning C-USA Player of the Week Aubrey Coleman. Penders has noted that Coleman, the nation’s

flies that carried well over the fence. McGwire had the strongest wrists I’ve ever seen, which is crucial if you want to be a prolific home run hitter. However, the unfortunate part for McGwire was that he had injury troubles throughout his career. He never played 160 games, even in Oakland with the designated hitter. From 1993 to 1995, the period in which he claimed to use steroids, McGwire played 178 games with Oakland. You can’t hit home runs if you’re not on the field. McGwire took steroids to help him return to the field. Without steroids, he wouldn’t have made it to 500 home runs, which makes you a lock for the Hall of Fame. Take that away and McGwire is not a Hall of Famer, just a terrific home run hitter who broke down.

» Salomon Fuentes: Eventually, everyone will forgive and forget On stats alone, McGwire should be in the Hall. True, Tristan, his career average won’t be confused with Tony Gwynn’s, but you forgot about the almighty ba bases on balls. By tthis measure, McGwire’s .394 onbase percentage trumps Gwynn’s .388, .3 and there’s a good d argument to be made that McGwire was therefore more valuable.

It’s your turn turn. Take the poll at thedailycougar thedailycougar.com/sports com/sports Thing is, those strong wrists you’re so fond of were aided by steroids, as you touched on. Baseball has almost prided itself on keeping miscreants such as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and Pete Rose out of the Hall of Fame. If the Hall lets McGwire in, it might as well start telling the kids it’s wrong to gamble and allegedly fix games, but a little bit of steroids never hurt anyone. I’d be surprised if eventually players such as McGwire, Clemens and Bonds aren’t allowed into the Hall, though. Baseball writers may for now punish McGwire, but factoring in his apology and the fact that writers are generally a forgiving bunch (unless you’re a gambler!), I’m sure McGwire will have his day. It doesn’t mean we have to like it.

» Judge Phillipe: Who are we to judge? Right off the bat, I have to agree with the points made by Tristan and Salomon. As for Keith, saying that you would vote for him just so Bonds could stand a chance at making it is ludicrous. As a baseball writer, you have to remove yourself from the fandom you subscribed to in the past and develop a set of standards.

Tristan’s assertion that even his purported use of steroids for their healing properties goes to the core of the argument. If the steroids did didn’t help him hit the h home runs, they at least got him into the batter’s box to have the opportunity. It’s lik like saying that someone who lied about credentials to get a job and subsequently excelled at said job should be forgiven since the ends justify the means. Salomon also raises an interesting point: Who’s to say which crimes are forgivable? For someone like Pete Rose to be excluded for actions after his playing days were over is laughable when allowing known cheaters in by the bunches. If you let certain dogs out of the pound, you have to open the gates for all the mutts.

Verdict Tristan wins for seeing through McGwire’s claim that health concerns were the only ones at play.

Face Time: Break up the Charlotte Bobcats.

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

■

CONVENIENT TRUTHS

Denying McGwire does fans disservice Prior to starting his job as the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals last week, Mark McGwire went public with the admission that he used steroids for most of his illustrious Major League Baseball career. The announcement Alan Al didn’t come Dennis as a shock to anyone who follows baseball, as McGwire had been under media scrutiny since news of his androstenedione use first surfaced in 1998. McGwire claimed that he only used steroids to recover from injuries and that the drugs did not help pad his home run numbers. The confession came days after McGwire failed to gain entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame for the fourth consecutive year, which means that for four years now, a deserving Hall of Fame candidate was snubbed. To gain entry into the Hall of Fame, a candidate needs to receive 75 percent of the total votes cast from either the Baseball Writers Association of America or the Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee. Players have 20 years (with one election held each year) to gain entry. If they fail to do so, the Veterans Committee will either make a player a special selection to the Hall of Fame or permanently drop him from the ballot. In the four years he has been nominated for entry into the Hall of Fame, McGwire has garnered 23.5% (2007), 23.6% (2008), 21.9% (2009) and 23.7% (2010) of the total votes. Many voting members of the Hall of Fame have openly shunned McGwire, saying they would never vote for someone who cheated and tainted baseball. Those same people also say they

won’t vote for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez or any other player caught using performance-enhancing drugs. The problem with that is, assuming the aforementioned players do not gain entry into the Hall of Fame, it’s possible that 20 years from now baseball’s unofficial museum of record won’t contain any mention of at least six of the best (statistically) players in the history of baseball. Throw in the fact that players such as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and Pete Rose weren’t inducted because they were banned from baseball and the Hall of Fame becomes a complete farce. The BBWAA needs to realize that its pious actions aren’t protecting the fans from history but are instead cheating them out of it. It should be noted that players such as McGwire and A-Rod who took PEDs before 2006 — when the steroid ban was written into the collective bargaining agreement — did so at a time when it wasn’t illegal to do so. But even if PED use had been illegal, players who used them are still intertwined in the fabric of baseball. If the baseball writers want to blame anyone for tainting the game, perhaps Commissioner Bud Selig, who failed to work a PED ban into MLB’s collective bargaining agreement for 14 years, would be a better target. Acting as though McGwire or Bonds or even Rose never existed is an epic failure on the Hall of Fame’s part. Put an asterisk on PED users’ plaques; let people know their numbers might be tainted; do whatever. The BBWAA needs to let even the disgraced legends into Cooperstown.

FOOTBALL

Kingsbury said. “I grew up in this offense in college (Texas Tech), and I have seen other offenses while I was in the NFL and CFL, so I feel pretty good in my overall knowledge of wide-open offenses.”

continued from page 10

Bombers after spending four years in the NFL. “Hopefully, my knowledge of this offense will help us get even better,”

sports@thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

SPORTS

GET WEIGHT WATCHERS TO WORK FOR YOU

The Daily Cougar

Basketball icon opens restaurant number two FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Weight loss and January seem to go together! We want to start our Weight Watchers meetings here again on campus! Want to join us in January?

Contact the Women’s Resource Center at (713)-743-5888

Yao Restaurant and Bar is located in the Houston Pavilions at 1201 Fannin Street in downtown. Yao offers a fine dining experience at a moderate cost. Most entrees range from $10 to $15. The restaurant is an ideal place for a date. While the environment of the restaurant is nice, the real reason to go is for the food, which contains no monosodium glutamate (MSG). The entrees are meticulously plated on rectangular dishes, with the option TTravis i of white or brown rice placed in a Hensley circle on the right-hand side of the plate. The food is perfectly cooked, but the particular part of the meal that really stands out is the freshness. This is not Chinese food that has been sitting in a buffet under a heat lamp for an hour. The food makes up for any of the other problems with the experience of the

restaurant. This is the second restaurant opened by Houston Rockets’ Yao Ming. The new location in downtown Houston offers some difficulties that should be added to the price when considering whether to go. Mainly, finding and paying for parking at the Houston Pavilions is somewhat tricky. Many of the bottom-level spaces are reserved, so you have to keep driving until you find a parking place—sometimes pretty high in the garage. Typical time for dining will cost you about $8 in parking, unless you linger longer than usual. However, paying for parking allows you to park inside the structure so that you have the added benefit of being able to take the walkway over Polk Street, instead of having to fight your way across that street in downtown traffic. The restaurant itself is easy to locate inside the Pavilions. Once inside, you are greeted by the hostess and taken to your seat relatively promptly. The seating itself offers booths that run along the outside walls and tables that are tightly packed inside. The closeness of the other patrons is probably the main problem with the restaurant. That closeness is compounded by the noise of talking and the bad acoustics that carries throughout the restaurant. An additional problem is the booth closest to the wait station, which has the equipment that runs the wait computer intruding into it. Try to avoid that booth at all costs. These problems, however, are all to be expected in a restaurant of this size, which is so small. Yao’s offers a kind and professional wait staff, more than willing to show you through the menu and answer questions about the food. The menu itself is very comprehensive and offers a wide variety of sushi made fresh at the sushi bar, in addition to traditional Chinese dishes such as the delicious sesame chicken. The restaurant has no dress code, but if your dress is too casual, you will feel out of place in the midst of those shopping at the Pavilions and those on a business lunch.

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NINE continued from page 9

French, let alone have the means to get to Paris. In Fellini’s film, an integral character (curiously missing from Marshall’s adaptation) acts as critic, asking Contini about his movie, “What is the meaning of such-and-such?” Apparently, there was no one to ask Marshall such questions. What is the point of Dench’s character and her wildly inappropriate seductress song, both of which, for obvious reasons of consistency, do not appear in 8 ½? Nine is no clever turn of the original and nothing to provoke further consideration. Its songs are not catchy but derisible, its talented cast forced into overacting or trite objectification so that audiences are left restless and bored. The extra half isn’t worth it. arts@thedailycougar.com

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

RESERVATION FOR SIX

USC’s Kiffin latest example of hypocrisy In what may qualify as the understatement of the year, Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton described Lane Kiffin’s time as head football coach as “brief”. Kiffin recently bailed on the volunteers for KKeith ih the sunnier Cordero Jr. pastures of Southern California to take over the Trojans’ program, furthering the perception that college coaches’ contracts aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. To date, Kiffin hasn’t impressed as a head coach, and for him to leave a Southeastern Conference power program after one season is a selfish move. Kiffin, a former USC assistant-then-offensive coordinator under Pete Carroll from 2001-2006, leaves a Vols program that had some great recruits coming in next season, and with five years left on a six-year deal that compensated him nicely. As far as where this leaves Tennessee, one word comes to mind – embarrassed. A team that was only a blocked field goal away from beating eventual-champion Alabama had room to improve under Kiffin and had reason to believe it could make a run at the SEC title, dethroning Alabama and Florida in the process. In his two stints as a head coach, Kiffin has posted a 5-15 record with the Oakland Raiders in just over a season and a one-and-done 7-6 season with Tennessee—hardly material that warrants one of the most coveted jobs in college football— but that’s a mistake that falls on the heads of USC officials. It seems to me Kiffin only cares about himself, and, truth be told, he basically piggy-backed his way to college and pro coaching positions

by way of his father Monte Kiffin, who was a longtime defensive coordinator in the NFL. So now he heads to USC, where the weather is great and the schedule is easier in the Pac-10. His father, along with assistant coach and recruiting front man Ed Orgeron, will also go with Kiffin to USC in hopes of returning the Trojans to the elite in college football. I know the new head coach at Tennessee, Derek Dooley, will do a great job, but it’s just not fair to Hamilton and that fan base to have a coach bolt for another job after one season. What makes it particularly unfair is the way the Tennessee administration supported him after he repeatedly stirred up controversy in such a short time. I know that part of the business of hiring a “ladder climber” coach is that he could leave for another job, but isn’t Tennessee a good job? Kiffen’s sudden departure shocked everyone and didn’t go over well with players and alumni who were again excited about a football program but now have to start over. Does Kiffin not have any feelings or respect for the people of Knoxville and the administration that went to the mat for him? I don’t like what he did to Tennessee, but give the guy credit – he can recruit with the best of them, and he is a great fit at USC, with good pieces already in place. Kiffin won’t ever hear the end of it from the people at Tennessee, and he deserves that. It has been a dreadful 2009-2010 at Tennessee. NCAA violations and player dismissals in football and basketball, arrests, gun possessions and Kiffin’s departure weren’t the New Year’s resolutions the Vols were looking for. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

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nter) University Ce l, e v Le r e w o (L

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BULLETIN BOARD

• • •

•

ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/classifieds

BULLETIN BOARD

HELP WANTED

OFFICE CLERKS: Part-time. Galleria area. Upscale customers. Spring/Summer semester. Permanent Positions Morning, early afternoon. Immediate opening. Call: 713-780-9222 Fax: 713-780-0191 11:30 to 6 pm

Textbooks bought and sold, new & used, online buybacks. Buy, sell, rent at

Egg Donors Needed!

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Compensation $5,000-$7,000. Must be: non-smoker, healthy, BMI within normal ranges, and between 19-30 years old. Visit www.fertilityresourceshouston.com or call 713 783 7044 for more information and to fill out a preliminary application.

Questions? Call (260) 399-6111.

!BARTENDING! up to $300 a day, no exp necessary, training provided. 18+ ok. 800-965-6520 ext.145 CHILDCARE 4 AVAILABLE SPACE 713641-5171 2 rooms for rent. Includes cleaning service 713-641-5171 SURVEY TAKERS NEEDED. Make $5 to $25 per survey. www.getpaidtothink.com TI-83 GRAPHING Calculator for 59.97 per semester. Retail price $109. Visit www.halfpricecalculators.com

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For Español call (212) 380-1763. For Urdu/Hindi/Punjabi call (713) 429-4981. See our website for other support lines.

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Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. Bible Class 10:30 a.m. Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

RENTALS 1 BR TOWN HOME $480 pm. $195 move in. 843 sq ft. Call Brad at (713) 392-3248. 4714 1/2 CLAY EFFICIENTLY APT. Bdrm, bath living rm, kitchen. Central A/H. $425/mo. Tenant pays gas and electricity. 713-961-7696 ADORABLE GARAGE APT. Quiet nbrhood 1/2 mi from UH. Hardwoods, new appliances. $535/mo. 713-349-0936 LARGE 1 BR Apt in nice nghbrhd near UH. Like a small house. Grad stud preferred. (713) 743-2734 SEVERAL 1 BDRM APTS 5 MIN from UH. $550 per month. 713-928-8900 5 MINS FROM UH. Furnished. $400 mnth. Call Rene 713-928-5370 from 9am- 9pm.

Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church 3826 Wheeler Avenue Houston, Texas 77004-2604 713.748.5240 Worship Services 7:15a.m.,9:00a.m., 10:45a.m. & 12:45a.m. Wednesday, Bible Study: 12 noon & 7 p.m. Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, Pastor Rev. William A. Lawson, Pastor Emeritus Sunday Services via webcast: www.wheeleravebc.org

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ATTENDANT FOR 12 Y/O girl w/ Autism eve +/- wknds. 10$/hr, Prefer student w/ interest in Psych, ABA, Speech, Spec. Ed. 713-628-6677 will train. FLEXIBLE PT MEDICAL SALES OPPORTUNITY within the aesthetic field. Please call at 281-773-9551 *STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM* PAID survey takers needed in Houston. 100 percent FREE to join! Click on Surveys. MONTESSORI SCHOOL in Museum district. Looking for Subs/Assts. Flex hrs. Excellent for child dev, Education or Psy majors! Call 713-520-0738

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Contact (713) 206-1565

Family in West University is looking for reliable and kind after school help for their two children, 11 and 13. Educational major or experience is preferred. Car required. For more information contact Claire 432-230-2485. AFTER-SCHOOL CHILD CARE WANTED Bellaire family needs babysitter for two elementary school children from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every school day.† Please call 713-890-5130.

FIND YOUR NEXT JOB by reading The Daily Cougar Classifieds.

COMICS & MORE

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COUGAR COMICS

Find more daily strips at thedailycougar.com/comics

Name of Cartoon by Firstname Lastname

TODAY’S SUDOKU 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

■

1 He played Obi-Wan 5 Hits the brakes 10 Ear cleaner (hyph.) 14 Wyo. neighbor 15 Insert mark 16 Pakistan’s language 17 MGM cofounder 18 Pseudopod possessor 19 Van Gogh’s medium 20 Straightens out 22 Large digits (2 wds.) 24 P.O. service 25 Rapper Dr. — 26 Goalies’ concern 29 911 responder 32 Whodunit award 36 Castaway’s refuge 37 Daze 39 Spike or Ang 40 Popular fast food 43 Vase 44 Jaguar cousin 45 Stick around 46 — salts 48 Sheriff ’s asst. 49 Heredity factors 50 Chaperoned girl 52 — Kan dog food 53 Craftsperson 57 “Gunga Din” writer 61 Inspector Kojak 62 Dynamite inventor 64 “Iron Man” Zatopek 65 Cafe handout 66 Valentine or Silkwood 67 Costa — 68 Mare’s morsels 69 Boutiques 70 Mushroom part

DOWN 1 Freedom org. 2 Minnesota bird 3 TVA supply 4 Fellow employee 5 Hot water burn

52 56

Escapes Taconite, e.g. Friday portrayer Dull Repeated word for word 11 Musical ensemble 12 Loafing 13 “— in Boots” 21 Maybes 23 Inexperienced 26 Miff 27 Take unlawfully 28 Big families 29 Was mistaken 30 Sugarbush tree 31 Eavesdrop 33 Gather bit by bit 34 Falcon’s home 35 Hits the hammock 37 Gumshoe 38 Sever 41 Heavy reading?

6 7 8 9 10

33 39

24 26

42 Residents 47 Detestable 49 Blank space 51 Loan arrangers 52 Brick bakers 53 Sphere starter 54 Carla, on “Cheers” 55 Kind of caterpillar 56 Flood survivor 57 Hang on to 58 Not orig. 59 Friendly 60 — rock (music fad) 63 Certain sib

2009 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

Previous puzzle solved C O N J

I D E A

R O P Y

B R A B OO S A K D I T E M P T

E X I L E

A C T O R

C R S A L B I R C T C E S R S I R S L I P A G MA E P T T O T N A I

MP H P OGO HO A R D S R E S B I T K OD A F I L L S A T T Y K E S F E D R E R MUM QU E U N U S R E A T S T D

R S V P

I H E A R

N O R S E

K O A L A

U F O S

T A R R A ON

E A T S

D I O N

U S N A

The Women’s Resource Center

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has moved to the UC!

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Same great services

The Daily Cougar and Houstonian

Same helpful resources

yearbook, in continuous publication since

Same enlightened programming

Same phone number, website, mail code

New physical location:

1934, have relocated to new oﬃces in the UC Satellite. We may have moved, but our mission never changes. You can count on Student Publications to deliver an awardwinning daily student newspaper and

University Center, Second Floor, Room 279A (Space previously occupied by the Cougar Card Ofﬁce)

yearbook day in and day out, year after year. Phone:ÊÇ£Î Ç{Î xnnnÊÊUÊÊE-mail: wrc@uh.edu URL: www.uh.edu/wrcÊÊUÊÊMailcode: 4014

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years

Looking back. Leading forward.

TODAY’S CROSSWORD ACROSS

Name of Cartoon by Firstname Lastname

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

K E A T S

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

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