Issue 81, Volume 75 by The Cougar

1934 – 2009

t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s pa pe r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s to n s i n c e 1 9 3 4

THE DAILY COUGAR Apple captivates the staff with disappointment OPINION »

Students hope to get Good Samaritan law passed LIFE & ARTS »

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years

WEATHER » hi

68 Lo 61

Forecast, Page 2

Check out this semester’s entire lineup of comics and online exclusives Thursday, January 28, 2010

Issue 80, Volume 75

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Obama addresses US President defends first-year decisions, admits mistakes gg

By Salomon Fuentes The Daily Cougar

Courtesy of Gettyimages.com

In Wednesday’s State of the Union address, President Barak Obama focused on the economy and defended the decision to bail out the banks with the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

In his inaugural State of the Union address Wednesday night, President Barack Obama pushed back against mounting criticism and pressed forward with promises of a new jobs creation bill to counter unemployment, as well as a federal spending freeze effective

in 2011 to fight the federal deficit. Taking a humble approach, Obama readily admitted to making mistakes in his first year in office, but took a resilient stance on the congressional healthcare reform bill, which he has backed, and stood by the decision to bail out banks as necessary to prevent a depression. “When I ran for president, I promised I wouldn’t just do what was popular — I would do what was necessary,” Obama said. “And if we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system,

unemployment might be double what it is today. More businesses would certainly have closed. More homes would have surely been lost. “ While realizing the bailout, and subsequent bonus payouts by bailed out firms such as AIG, have hurt his administration’s credibility, the president hoped to use $30 billion in money recovered from banks to extend credit to small businesses, in addition to proposed small business tax see OBAMA, page 10

UNICEF to raise money at banquet Organization hopes to educate students about world hunger

By Neal Dasgupta The Daily Cougar The UH chapter of UNICEF will spotlight world hunger at its banquet Friday. The banquet will feature UH accounting professor Saleha Khumawala, who will speak about the state of world hunger and children who suffer from malnutrition around the world. “The startling fact that every five seconds a child dies from hunger related causes means that we have to spread awareness in order to understand this huge inequity and combat it,” UNICEF President Charlene Nguyen said. “We believe every child should have the tools in order to survive. With malnutrition and hunger being the second leading cause of death for children, we want to educate in an experiential, interactive role-playing banquet where people can learn together.” Nguyen said that the banquet will utilize each audience member’s five senses to give them the feel of going hungry, before they get to eat the food. This, she said, will leave a lasting impression on the audience that world hunger is a problem that requires immediate action. The banquet’s proceeds will all go to UNICEF, which will use the money to buy food, medicine, clothes, and other essentials for Haiti. The entrance fee will be $8 for UH members and $10 for all others. “We want to support Haiti in this dire time of need because any amount of money counts, and it’s been stated as the biggest humanitarian crisis of our lifetime,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said the banquet is also being held to educate the student body about UNICEF’s mission. “Another goal is to increase the prestige and presence of UNICEF at UH,” she said. “We’re backed by an international body that has so much clout in the countries they operate in; we feel that our see UNICEF, page 12

NEWton liu The Daily Cougar

Metro officials held an informative session Wednesday to address concerns on the two new rail lines that are to be built near the University.

Light rail on track gg

Plans for construction and precautions laid out in four phases

By Ben Mauldin The Daily Cougar

etro detailed its plans for the Southeast Light Rail Line and the University Light Rail Line in an information sharing session Wednesday at the Rockwell Pavilion inside the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. The session was sponsored by the UH Faculty Senate, Staff Council and the Student Government Association. The Southeast Line will follow Scott Street and will have 10 stations, including stops near UH at Elgin Street, Cleburne

and Wheeler/Martin Luther King Boulevard. The University Line will roughly follow Richmond Avenue and Wheeler and will have 19 stations. Construction projects have been divided into four phases. The first phase includes redirecting or removing utility lines that run underground along the roads, with completion of this project expected in spring of 2011. During the second phase, streets will be widened on both sides. The third phase calls for traffic to be diverted to the outer lanes so work can begin in the middle, where the new light rail will run. “We’re using a very different construction method this time,” said

Kimberly Williams, Metro’s associate vice president of corporate programs. “Now, construction is construction. I’m not going to say that it’s not going to be inconvenient.” The fourth and final phase will test these systems and finalize everything in preparation of the opening of the rail lines. Metro officials said precautions have been taken to minimize the impact the construction will have on traffic. Metro officials also said they will be working to maintain communication with the communities they will work in to assure they address all possible concerns. The stations will be located around see METRO, page 12

2 n Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Daily Cougar

CAMPUS BEAT FORECAST Friday

Saturday

57˚36˚

52˚36˚

CALENDAR

Day one © 2010 Ernst & Young LLP. Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member ﬁrms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member ﬁrm located in the US.

and you’re giving back Day one and your job is more than a job. It’s an opportunity to do your part. That’s why Ernst & Young opens up lots of ways to make a difference. So you can feel good about our green workplace, tutor grade school students or get involved with our entrepreneur network. You can even find a cause on our company volunteer match site. And that makes coming to work even better. Explore your career options in assurance, tax, transaction or advisory services.

What’s next for your future? To learn more, visit ey.com/us/dayone and find us on Facebook.

TODAY

www.uhcougars.com

Women’s basketball: 7 – 9 p.m., Hofheinz Pavilion. The Cougars look for another in-conference win when they take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Students get in free with their Cougar Cards. For more information, visit www. uhcougars.com Research and reading workshop: 5 p.m. – 6 p.m., M.D. Anderson Library, 114 University Library, Room 10-F. Intimidated by literary classics? Are you looking for a way to expand your every day reading experience? This workshop will help students use the library’s resources to make whatever they want to read accessible and satisfying. There is no charge for admission.

FRIDAY

CO R R E C T I O N S gg

54˚43˚

» Send event information to calendar@thedailycougar.com

Swimming and diving meet: CRWC Natatorium (Inside on-campus recreation center). Anastasia Pozdniakova leads the Cougars in their first home meet of the Spring semester. Pozdniakova was named the C-USA Diver of the Week by the league office on Tuesday. For more information, visit

Tuition and Fee Forums

Sunday

Track and field-Houston Indoor Opener: Yeoman Fieldhouse. The UH track and field team hosts the Houston Indoor Open. For more information, visit www.uhcougars.com Lecture on human rights: 1 p.m., The Honors College Commons. Nadia Hijab, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies presents “What would a 2-state solution do for Palestinian human rights?” For more information, visit www.uh.edu/honors Opera: 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m., Moores Opera House, Moores School of Music. Long before The Lion King, the Circle of Life was celebrated in this winning tale of the forest and its inhabitants – The Cunning Little Vixen. Adults and children of all ages will be delighted by Janáček’s colorful and enchanting music that captures the wonder and joy of being alive. General admission is $15. Students and seniors get in for $10.

» Report errors to editor@thedailycougar.com

Corrections will appear in this space as needed.

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

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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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4 n Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

COMING FRIDAY: Why are so many women obsessed with plastic surgery?

EDITOR Alan Dennis E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITORIAL CARTOON

editorial B oard Ronnie Turner, Editor in Chief Matthew Keever, Managing editor Patricia Estrada, News editor Hiba Adi, News editor Phillipe Craig, Sports editor Robert Higgs, Sports editor Travis Hensley, Life & Arts editor Jarrod Klawinsky, Life & Arts editor Alan Dennis, Opinion editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Gadget unveiled turns out to be rotten Apple after all

T ho yi lau The Daily Cougar

Court decision hurts individuals “The Government may regulate corporate political speech through disclaimer and disclosure requirements, but it may not suppress that speech altogether.” This statement, Michael delivered by Justice Padon Anthony Kennedy, supported the majority opinion of the Supreme Court in the case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The decision will allow corporations to spend unlimited sums of money on political advertisements. Oddly enough, the case was brought about because of the film Hillary: The Movie, which the Washington, D.C. District Court had already ruled “susceptible of no other interpretation than to inform the electorate that Senator Clinton is unfit for office, that the United States would be a dangerous place in a President Hillary Clinton world, and that

viewers should vote against her,” in an April 3, 2008 decision. This ruling does not mean corporations are allowed to contribute unlimited amounts of money to a single candidate’s campaign; that cap is still in place. What the decision means is that corporations are now allowed to spend whatever they want on “electioneering communication.” This term is defined, according to a 2007 decision by the Supreme Court in Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc., as advertising that is “susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than as an appeal to vote for or against a specific candidate.” Many people have been wondering how this is different from direct campaign financing. Disclosure rules still apply to broadcast political advocacy in lieu of more comprehensive speech regulations, but

now the Court has decided that “First Amendment protections do not depend on the speaker’s ‘financial ability to engage in public discussion.’” It seems that the Court’s opinion is rooted in the understanding that freedom of speech is somehow being obstructed and that corporations are entities, like individuals, and have the same rights under the Constitution. Yet, the reality of the situation is that corporations may say and do as they wish within the bounds of the law. In the case of Hillary, the film, as stated by the Court, “is a feature-length negative advertisement that urges viewers to vote against Senator Clinton for President.” Furthermore, there is no ban on the freedom of corporate speech. Corporations are allowed numerous channels of communication with the public, including advertizing through see COURT, page 5

Rally shows proper way to protest On Jan. 18, thousands of people participated in a silent pro-life march to protest the construction of Planned Parenthood’s newest facility in Houston. The clinic, which would be Planned Zachary Nunn Parenthood’s largest facility at 78,000 square feet, contains a wing that will provide late-term abortions. Critics have pointed out that the organization built the facility in a lowerincome area populated mainly by black and Hispanic families in an area 10 minutes from the University of Houston’s main campus. Lou Engle, founder of the pro-life advocacy group The Call to Conscience, organized the rally, calling the building “an abortion supercenter.” Also participating in the protest was Abby Johnson, former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic. The march illuminated what the true church should be doing; no picket signs, no screaming chants, no finger pointing;

instead silent, peaceful, orderly, loving prayer and action. UH junior DeEdra Branch was inspired to attend after having an abortion of her own, and said the procedure was the “most painful experience of my life; mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.” Branch said it was by “the grace of God I made it through and it has changed me so much as a person and with my outlook on life.” These events are not new to this millennium. Pharaoh and Herod from the Bible (the books of Exodus and Matthew, respectively) both ordered the mass slaughter of innocent blood in fear of the coming greatness of God. Both of these men feared the power of a single baby among the Jewish race enough to commit mass murder. This protest supported the Biblical view of the church — that the church is not a building with four walls and corners, but rather a body of Christians who live,

love and act under the direction of Jesus Christ. Most Americans today are turned off by the physical manifestation of the church, which in turn leads people not to believe in Christ. This phenomenon is epitomized in the words of Gandhi, who once said, “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians.” After this protest, that excuse has lost some of its validity, as the event was reflective of Christ — unapologetically honest, loving and peaceful. To reject the church in this instance is to in fact reject Christ. Joshua Gray, UH Student Government Association senator at large No. 2, said “(at) the silent march, I, along with thousands of others, were able to be a part of love in action—Houstonians loving the community, just as Jesus Christ loves the church.” Zachary Nunn is a consumer science sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com

ech-savvy geeks across the globe celebrated Wednesday as Apple held a press conference to announce its new iPad tablet. As has been the case with every major product unveiling during his tenure, Apple Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs gave the address. “You can change the background screen, the home screen, to personalize it any way you want,” Jobs said of the iPad. “You can browse the Web with it; it is the best browsing experience you have ever had.” Right off the bat, Jobs made it clear that the iPad would shatter the public’s perception of what computers are able to do. “(We) built in a calendar; you can see your month’s activities or your day’s activities and everything in between,” Jobs said. “(We) built in a great address book for your contacts.” That’s good, because we all know that calendar and address book applications were inadequate before Apple almighty’s intervention. “It’s a wonderful way to share your photos with friends and family,” Jobs said. Has your mind been blown yet? Wait, there’s more. The iPad will come equipped with a rare piece of state-of-the-art software. “We have the iTunes store built right into the iPad,” Jobs said. Unbelievable. Obviously, the crack staff at Apple went all out to revolutionize the way people think about technology. We’re no geniuses, but we came away from the press conference with the crazy notion that the iPad was a low-end laptop with a great publicist. Millions of people around the country awaited the unveiling of what turned out to be a glorified iPhone. There are more important things going on in the world than Apple’s latest overhyped creation. Unemployment, health care and a stagnant economy are some of the issues people should be paying attention to. But I would bet more people followed the iPad conference than watched President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Wednesday night. Americans need to wake up and focus on what’s important, because we all want the country to be a better iPlace.

E D I TO R I A L policy 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

Thursday, January 28, 2010 n 5

Politicians held to higher standard, but is it fair? In light of recent scandalous news of extra-marital affairs, the question of what measures a political figure is spiking the interest of many. In 2008, presidential Liz Price candidate John Edwards admitted he had an affair with Rielle Hunter — a former campaign worker — behind the back of his dying wife. Thursday, Edwards issued a press release stating that he had fathered Hunter’s child. Political scandals happen with such frequency that there are a host of Web sites devoted exclusively to covering them.

COURT continued from page 4

virtually every medium, funding of their own political action committees, fundraising for political candidates (with limits) and public endorsements. As Justice John Stevens said, the media is an exception to these corporate limitations “in recognition of the unique role played by the institutional press in sustaining public debate.” In the Court’s decision, the majority opinion also said, “It is irrelevant for First Amendment purposes that corporate funds may ‘have little or no correlation

In 2006, Tom DeLay was indicted by a grand jury for mishandling campaign funds. Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina was caught running off to Argentina last year to engage in an affair with someone he met at a dance. And, of course, President Bill Clinton may very well have been one of America’s favorite presidents, but it doesn’t change the fact that he lied in front of his country about his affair. Now, the famous quote “I did not have sexual relations with that woman” makes us giggle, but there was a time when people in this nation were very hurt and disappointed by Clinton’s actions.

to the public’s support for the corporation’s political ideas,’” despite the international nature of these businesses. The Court has opened a window to allow the opinions of international shareholders to influence the process of American government, in which they have no right or privilege to do so. Stevens, in dissenting with the Court’s opinion, said “the Court’s opinion is thus a rejection of … a need to prevent corporations from undermining self-government since the founding.” It is not right to allow a multibillion-dollar, international corporation the power to push its own agenda on so many people,

Politicians are real, flawed people like anyone else. It’s often easy to recognize them only for their talents and contributions. But at the same time, we expect these public figures to be good role models and keep our best interests at heart. When people vote an official into office, their needs should be the elected representative’s first priority. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. These days, more news stories surface about politicians misbehaving then doing something productive. Politicians such as Delay, who deliberately break the law, are subject to criminal punishment.

thus potentially subverting the opinions of individuals. Corporations can be seen as giant factions, and as James Madison said in The Federalist No. 10, “Among the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of (a) faction.” The possibility of corporations creating their own collective oligarchy is now out there, and we will see if that is their plan in the coming mid-term elections. Michael Padon is a computer engineering sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

But what about politicians who simply behave immorally? Remember, Clinton wasn’t impeached for having an affair — he was impeached for committing an obstruction of justice. Do we still want these people running our political affairs? Are they still qualified? Even the founders of our country engaged in their own illicit trysts, but fortunately for them,

they lived in a time before camera phones and TMZ.com. These days, politicians who engage in any kind of political scandal are making a terrible mistake. If their actions are illegal, their political rivals seek to vilify them in the press. Oftentimes, politicians resign see SCANDALS, page 7

Scholarships

to study abroad?

yes, they’re here at UH!

Spring 2010 Scholarship Session Wednesday, Feb. 3rd, 2010 11 a.m. -2 p.m. in The UC Cougar Den Learn where the funds are, how to get them, and what to fill out.

Brought to you by The Office of International Studies and Programs 501. E. Cullen, Room 501F www.uh.edu/studyabroad 713-743-9167

2010-2011 College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences SCHOLARSHIPS Available Scholarships for CLASS students include: E. Virginia Barnett: Scholarships for any majors in CLASS who have outstanding academic performance. Eligible students must also have received another UH scholarship for Fall 2010 – Spring 2011. Debra Danburg: Scholarships for any majors in CLASS who are enrolled in at least 9 semester hours and who have demonstrated leadership ability and civic involvement. Robert A. Eckels: Scholarships for any majors in CLASS who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, demonstrated leadership skills, and who are enrolled in at least 9 semester hours. Dr. Ronald S. Lepow: One scholarship for a student in good academic standing and declared their major in anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, or sociology. Don A. Sanders: One scholarship for any major in CLASS with a determination to succeed. Student must have a demonstrated financial need. Social Sciences Undergraduate: Scholarship for students with outstanding academic performance and with majors declared in anthropology, economics, political science, psychology or sociology.

PLEASE NOTE: Students must have completed a minimum of 60 semester credit hours before Fall 2010. Want more

INFORMATION?

Please visit our website – http://www.class.uh.edu/scholarships - for complete details on eligibility and requirements. Applications available in 315AH (Academic Affairs Center), 402AH (CLASS Dean’s Office), the department of your major, and online. Students only need to submit one application to be considered for all available scholarships.

The deadline for all applicants is FRIDAY, March 26th, 2010.

Apply Now!

Point. Click. Promote your event. Use the Campus Calendar at thedailycougar.com

weekend

6 n Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Daily Cougar

29FRIDAY

LIFE+ARTS

On Campus At the Moores Opera House, the opera “The Cunning little Vixen” by Leos Janáček begins at 7:30. Ticket prices are $15 general admission and $10 for students, seniors. For more information go to www.music.uh.edu

Around Town Houston Arboretum at Night: Owl Prowl. 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 713.681.8433 or visit www. houstonarboretum.org.

At the movies Movies opening Friday include Edge of Darkness (R) with Mel Gibson; When in Rome (PG-13) with Kristen Bell.

30SATURDAY On Campus At the Moores Opera House, come see the Moores School of Music’s first production of “The Opera Don Giovanni” by W.A Mozart at 7:30. For more information go to www.music.uh.edu

Member of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy were out in full force trying to recruit support for a petition to create a Good Samaritan law.

At the Cullen Performance Hall, An Evening with Bill Maher at 8 p.m. For tickets and information go to www. ticketmaster.com

Group challenges drug policy

Around Town

By Travis Hensley THE DAILY COUGAR

Artopia – The Houston Press celebrates Houston’s best artists, musicians, fashion designers, culinary masters and cocktail creators. Enjoy complimentary food, wine, cocktail and beer sampling. Entertainment includes three musical performances, three fashion shows and live performance art. Saturday from 8 p.m. to11 p.m. at Winterstreet Studios (2101 Winter Street). Comedians Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy. 7 p.m. Saturday at the Toyota Center. For tickets and information go to www.houstontoyotacenter.com

31SUNDAY On Campus At the Moores Opera House, the opera “The Cunning little Vixen” by Leos Janáček begins at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $15 general admission and $10 for students, seniors. For More information go to www.music.uh.edu At the Moores Opera House, come see the Moores School of Music’s first production of “The Opera Don Giovanni” by W.A Mozart at 7:30. Ticket prices are $15 general admission and $10 for students, seniors For More information go to www.music.uh.edu

Around Town The Houston Rockets take on the Phoenix Suns at the Toyota Center. 6 p.m. tipoff. For tickets and information, go to go to www.houstontoyotacenter.com The Houston Rockets invite fans to participate in the Rockets Run 2010 at Toyota Center. 8 a.m. For tickets and information, go to www.houstontoyotacenter.com Compiled by Life & Arts staff

Travis Hensley The Daily Cougar

Members of students for Sensible Drug Policy were collecting signatures at the University Center on Tuesday, attempting to get a Good Samaritan Law approved by the Student Government Associate Senate. “Our immediate goal is to get a Good Samaritan Law passed and to encourage the students to get involved,” said political science senior Michael Blunk, founder of the UH’s SSDP chapter and member of the National Board of Directors. “Beyond that, we just want to promote any sort of policy that is going to help the students and keep them out of harm’s way.”

SSDP is an international grassroots network of students who are concerned about the impact drug abuse has on communities, according to their Web site. They formed in response to the belief that “the War on Drugs is failing our generation and our society.” Blunk said that the UH group is part of a network of 120 nationwide units, with 300 expected to be formed by the end of this year. SSDP mobilizes and empowers young people to participate in the political process, pushing for sensible policies to achieve a safer and more just future, while fighting against counterproductive “Drug War” policies, particularly those that directly harm students and youth, according to its Web site.

“Really, the great thing about SSDP is that we work on any drug policy issue that affects students,” Blunk said. “So, where the U.S. may have some of the most restrictive policies, we’re trying to just emphasize public health issues, preventing students from overdosing and dying.” Blunk says UH does not have a set punishment for some of the issues that concern his group. He says most of the decisions are made by the assistant dean of students, who typically is considerate of those brought up for discipline. “Our dean is actually quite favorable usually. They follow the merits of a Good Samaritan policy anyway, but we want to see SAMARITAN, page 7

COUGAR SUTRA

The Sutra in need of student input By Travis Hensley the daily cougar I have almost exhausted my personal stories that are printable so, like most of my generation, I turn to the one thing that has never let me down, the Internet. I log onto my e-mail account to see if there is anything of a sexual nature, marking the first time I have ever wanted spam mail in my life. There was nothing asking me if I want a bigger penis, no offers to become a member of a Web-cam site, and there were no sexy singles in my area. Is Houston the only city that does not have sexy singles? If so, that would just add to the evidence that I am, in fact, not sexy. I could only mange to find two things that made me want to read more: Female Viagra and John Mayer’s love of masturbation. As I read through a Rolling Stone article, I find out the guy who sings, “Your Body is a Wonderland” is really into porn. Maybe the song should have been titled, “Your Body is a Pixilated Image on My Computer Screen.” Strangely, I started

to feel a little bit better about myself. I may not be a famous musician, but at least I don’t look at porn before breakfast. Porn is a purely “after lunch” thing for me. I know nothing about being famous, but I bet porn looks different when people who look like Jennifer Aniston are willing to date you. It just appears to cheapen and ruins the dream of being a celebrity. The next thing I found was an advertisement for the next great new great drug, “Female Viagra,” which is called Niagara. I like to write from personal experiences and I don’t really have the money for it, or would want to put my body through that hormone rollercoaster. I also don’t want to run around campus asking different people to try a new drug, mainly because I don’t condone the use of prescription drugs for recreational use, also because I don’t like being slapped. I have been slapped a few times for the dumb things I have said. Each time reinforces for me that I am not as funny as I think I am. After reading the emails and thinking

about the times that I have been slapped I came to the conclusions that I need to find somewhere else to get stories ideas; the Internet has let me down. I am only aware of the things I can find, which is incredibly limited on such a broad topic. With your help, that can change. The Internet has let me down, but with your help it can be redeemed. There is a web address at the bottom of every article in the Daily Cougar — the one for this column is arts@thedailycougar. com. You can also go to our website, thedailycougar.com, and post a comment under this story telling me what you want to read about. I must warn you, this is a school newspaper, and I like not having the administration of UH mad at me, so, sadly, there will be some things that I just can’t write about. But if you have an interesting story, or if there is an issue that you think needs to be talked about, just send a message and I will get back to you. arts@thedailycougar.com

LIFE & ARTS | OPINION

The Daily Cougar

SAMARITAN continued from page 6

codify it and make it formal,” Blunk said, adding that currently it is not clear what will happen if a student is caught on campus with drugs. His group wants to have the policy spelled out for students so there is no uncertainty. “We can’t control what the police do. But, most of the time, when an EMT comes into an overdose situation, they’re not

SCANDALS continued from page 5

out of a desire to protect their families from the torture of the public’s scrutiny. If they do survive the media firestorm, their fate generally is sealed during election time. But in the case of sex scandals, does the punishment fit the crime? Yes, it is inappropriate to sleep with your aide or your best friend’s wife, but does that disqualify people who are otherwise good public servants? Is it an abuse of power to engage in these kinds of acts while in office? Those who break the law should be punished. If someone sends inappropriate text messages to underage boys, sleeps with a prostitute or pays someone who works with them for sex, then consequences should follow. They are not only breaking the law; they are also taking advantage

Thursday, January 28, 2010 n 7

going to have the police come in right away because they are concerned with getting students the help they need,” he said. “What we can do is make sure the dean of students doesn’t double punish a student. Because if someone is already facing a criminal fine or prison time, there is no reason they should face a University fine, too, or possible dorm expulsion or campus expulsion,” he added. arts@thedailycougar.com

of people’s trust. But imagine if everyone in the U.S. who cheated on their spouse lost their job. More than 50 percent of married couples in America engage in affairs; it’s inevitable that some of these people are political figures. If a person comes out of the closet while in office, does it make them less qualified to perform their job? Perhaps the greatest crime of all is not the activities these men engage in, but the fact that the media spends more time focusing on their bad behavior than the real issues. If our leaders are doing something that is hurting their constituents, then yes, we should step up and demand change. But if they’re only hurting themselves, that’s a whole other issue. Liz Price is a communication junior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

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8 n Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS

COMING FRIDAY: Swimming and diving teams try to make waves in their first home meet of the spring

EDITORS Phillipe Craig, Robert Higgs E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

TRACK

Cougars aim for home win

UH trying to sustain success By Keith Cordero Jr. The Daily Cougar

Curl & Co. look to reverse recent trend

at 17.1 points per game, and the frontcourt combination of Taylor and forward Leslee Mason to contain Williams. Taylor and Mason, who are averaging 9.9 and 9.6 rebounds per game, respectively, will be charged with forcing Tulsa to rotate the ball to the perimeter and away from Williams. After tonight’s matchup, the Cougars continue their homestand when they host SMU at 2 p.m. Sunday. The game will be part of a men’s-women’s doubleheader against the Mustangs.

Coming off a well-rounded performance at the New Mexico Cherry and Silver International last weekend, which included five of the top performances in UH history, the Cougars look to carry that momentum into the Houston Indoor Opener on Friday and Saturday. In addition to the school records, there were also three personal records and three provisional marks set last weekend. Juniors Chris Carter and Christie Jones and freshman Errol Nolan each earned provisional marks. In the men’s triple jump, Carter posted a 15.87-meter leap, and in the 60-meter dash, Jones had a 7.44-second finish and Nolan ran it in 6.76 seconds. Jones and Nolan also notched top UH performance marks. Head coach Leroy Burrell is eager for better performances from his team, despite a quality showing by the Cougars in New Mexico. “We’re really satisfied with those particular athletes, but we really feel like we have fallen short of a few goals,’ Burrell said. “I feel like our women’s 4x400-meter relay should put up a provisional mark.” The women’s 4x400-meter relay team of Whitney Harris, Tara Prier, Kalyn Floyd and Alysha Cook finished second, in 3 minutes, 46.45 seconds. “We’re just a little bit behind on the women, and that’s going to be our goal this weekend to get some of our athletes who have had opportunities, but have missed them, to hit those opportunities this weekend,” Burrell said. Carter continues to perform at a

sports@thedailycougar.com

see TRACK, page 9

By Phillipe Craig The Daily Cougar The Cougars return home today after a successful, albeit short, road trip. UH (10-7, 4-1 Conference USA) handed then-first place UAB its first conference loss by claiming a 63-62 decision in front of a national TV audience Sunday. Tonight’s matchup against Tulsa (6-10, 0-5) should be less of a challenge for UH, as the Golden Hurricane come in on a five-game losing streak with the last three coming on its home court. Tulsa has a 1-6 record on the road and, not surprisingly, finds itself in second-to-last place in C-USA. The Cougars, however, will try to reverse their trend of being too accommodating of hosts. Since topping North Texas on Dec. 2 at Hofheinz Pavilion, UH has dropped five consecutive home contests. A common theme during their recent struggles has been the Cougars’ inability to sustain leads and hold off late runs. Even in their win over UAB, the Cougars nearly blew an 18-point lead midway through the second half. Still, head coach Joe Curl was pleased with how his team responded, especially since it was unable to do so against Marshall in the previous game. In that contest, they were up by 19 points at halftime, before losing in the second half. “They’re a really good basketball team,” Curl said. “(UAB) kept their poise and just hung in there, and they crawled

daily cougar file photo

Guard Porsche Landry and the Cougars will try to reverse their trend of winning on the road and losing at home when they host Tulsa at 7 p.m. today at Hofheinz Pavilion. back into it. We showed some poise and guts to pull it out and get a win out of it.” Joining the club Along the way, UH junior forward Courtney Taylor became just the 19th player in school history to surpass the 1,000 career points mark with her 16-point performance against the Blazers. Senior forward Larrissa Williams leads Tulsa in scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, good for fourth-and fifth-best in the conference, respectively. Also a force on the defensive end, Williams

Ask the athletes

“That’s a good movie. I’ve seen it, but my favorite movie is My Sister’s Keeper.”

has accounted for half of the Golden Hurricane’s 78 blocks on the season. In Saturday’s loss to Marshall, Williams recorded her 37th career double-double with a team-high 16 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard Kara Vaughn chipped in 12 points, but Tulsa’s downfall resulted from a 13-minute scoreless stretch in the first half. For the game, the Golden Hurricane shot a putrid 25.7 percent, well below its season average of 38.1 percent. Take it outside The Cougars will again rely heavily on guard Brittney Scott, who leads the team in scoring

Is Avatar the best movie ever? If not, what’s your favorite movie and why?

“Year One, because it’s hilarious.”

— Charlissa Foster, Throws, Junior

THE DAILY COUGAR.COM

— Kiara Pulliam, Throws, Junior

“Déjà vu. It kept my interest throughout the movie.” — Tatiana Miller, Hurdles, Sophomore

“Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself. It has meaning.” — Tai’shea Reese, Jumps/Sprints, Sophomore

“I haven’t seen Avatar. The best movie I have seen would be out of Training Day and I am Legend.” — Chris Carter, Jumps/Hurdles, Junior

VIDEO: Check out the video interviews with this week’s UH athletes on our Web site.

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Thursday, January 28, 2010 n 9

TIP’S TIDBITs

Rockets’ fortunes hinge on big man The dynamic of the Houston Rockets changed immediately when they lost Yao Ming to a stress fracture in his foot in last year’s playoffs. Yao’s loss meant the Rockets had free reign to speed up their Tristan style of play for the 2009-10 Tippet season. The Rockets are 24-21 and sit in fourth place in the crowded Southwest Division. For the most part, the Rockets have exceeded expectations. They are battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and have managed to stay in contention for a majority of the season. They’ve had quality wins against the elite teams. At the start of the season, their offense might have struggled, but they’ve gone on to average 100.8 points per game, which is 12th in the league. Yet, as the midpoint of the season approaches, the Rockets’ problems are starting to show. They defeated the first-place Dallas Mavericks, 97-94, on New Year’s Eve at Toyota Center, giving them their best record of the season at 20-13. Since then, they have gone 4-8, and over that span, have allowed 104.1 points per game. It’s no coincidence. The Rockets have struggled because as their focus on defense has lapsed, they’ve had to play more in the half court. When the other team scores, they are forced to take the ball out of bounds and walk it up the court, instead of getting out on the break, where they are most effective. The Rockets have young but talented players, who have

TRACK continued from page 8

high level, while teammate Lamar Delaney landed a 15.35-meter jump for third place and hopes to duplicate his fellow leaper’s success. “It gives me something to work for, a good foundation,” Carter said. “It sets the tone for me to come here and do well this weekend. (Delaney) looked OK, and I know he can improve.” Nolan also continued his success, as he became the second Cougar of the day to earn both a provisional mark and post an all-time topfive performance, joining Jones. His finish of 21.20 seconds in the 200-meter is the fifth-best mark in UH history. Isaiah Sweeney added a personal top performance with a time of 21.32 to finish in third place. “Errol’s a natural born leader and an extremely talented young athlete. I think we’re going to see some really good things out of him, but he’s not the only one,” Burrell said. “Cameron LaCour, we opened him up last weekend. He’s an AllAmerican coming out of high school, so we expect big things from him.” sports@thedailycougar.com

improved and should continue to improve. But none of them are go-to scorers that can take over a game when the rest of the team isn’t scoring. They rely on speed and athleticism to score, which is why the Rockets try to run on every possession. Teams are recognizing that the Rockets can’t stop penetration, and have no shot blocking force down low. The Rockets lack an inside presence defensively, and teams are taking advantage. However, the trade deadline is Feb. 19, and the Rockets can still make a trade if they choose. With the falling out of Tracy McGrady, the Rockets have been in trade talks to move his $23 million expiring contract. Teams like the 76ers and Knicks have shown interest. If the Rockets decide to pursue a deal, it is imperative they receive a big man who can rebound and alter shots around the basket. They don’t need a scorer; they need somebody who specializes at the defensive end so the Rockets can get more stops. The Rockets still may not make the playoffs, but a defensive specialist would help their fastpaced style. The Rockets also must face the possibility that Yao may never return, and if he does, he may not be the same. So the Rockets would still need a viable big man for the future. Players like Samuel Dalembert, Jordan Hill, or perhaps Joakim Noah, could provide the defensive presence the Rockets so sorely need. Either way, time is of the essence and the rest of the league won’t be standing pat. sports@thedailycougar.com

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NEWS

10 n Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OBAMA

Republicans when referring to the stalled energy bill and global warming, as well as when he challenged GOP leadership to cooperate in the Senate. “We cannot wage a perpetual campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most embarrassing headlines about their opponent — a belief that if you lose, I win,” Obama said, adding that the American people cannot wait on such politics. The president addressed foreign policy by saying he and the American people would stand by the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, while emphasizing a pullout in the former and issuing a warning to Iran’s government should it continue to ignore the international community on its covert nuclear program. Toward the end of his speech, Obama touched on domestic issues with a pledge to end the controversial “Don’t ask. Don’t tell,” military policy regarding gays in the military, and a renewed push for an “equal pay for equal work” law for women in the workplace. The Republicans used their opportunity to respond by enlisting newly-elected Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell to issue a rebuttal to the president on issues ranging from the deficit to healthcare. “All Americans agree that we need health -- health care system that is affordable, accessible, and high quality,” McDonnell said. “But most Americans do not want to turn over the best medical care system in the world to the federal government.”

continued from page 1

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credits for hiring new employees or raising wages. “I think he’s held his coalition together (along with some independents) temporarily,” UH assistant professor of political science Brandon Rottinghaus said of the president’s speech via email. “But all presidents face this problem: their coalition attenuates over the course of their time in office. “The President’s strategy is to try to keep his electoral coalition intact for long enough to get his core legislative agenda passed and situate himself positively for the 2010 elections,” he said. Rottinghaus also added that having the president wait until the middle of his speech to mention the health care debate reflected the administration’s confidence that the bill could pass without a full push from the White House. Obama also used the evening as a chance to promote education reforms, including plans to make college more affordable for students. “To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that go to banks for student loans,” he said. “Instead, let’s take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase Pell Grants.” The President also encouraged both Republicans and Democrats to work together on bills, and received a mixed response from

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COUGAR COMICS

Find more daily strips at thedailycougar.com/comics

The Fish Bowl by Thomas Hernandez

today’s crossword ACROSS

Banana Planet by Jamie Woody

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

Thursday, January 28, 2010 n 11

1 Aquarium fish 6 Part of the range 10 Feline foursome 14 Serviceable 15 Doggie treat 16 Adams or Brickell 17 Make void 18 Cement section 19 Dutch colonist 20 Skimpy 22 Dig frantically 24 Si, to Jacques 26 Postponed action 27 Punk hairdos 31 Furtive 32 Forebodings 33 Fortunate 36 Dot-com dream 39 Hi’s comic-strip wife 40 Physicist Nikola — 41 Harsh criticism 42 June bug 43 Search party 44 Designer — Simpson 45 Pol. party 46 Vegged out 48 Quays 51 Barbecue extra 52 Gold Rush phenomenon 54 Equipped 59 Isolated 60 Put up shingles 62 Propeller arm 63 Date in March 64 Genuine 65 Hold sway 66 Library sound 67 Reply to a schoolmarm 68 Wheel shafts

DOWN

1 Pacific island 2 “The — Reader” 3 — colada 4 Advantage 5 Some pastels 6 Dict. notation 7 Tenn. gridders 8 Pass a law 9 Kearney’s place 10 Stony 11 Mud brick

21 24

22 25

51 53

54 61

1 2 Use, as power 13 Arid 21 Hearty laugh 23 With skill 25 Capri and Skye 27 Give shape to 28 Melville title 29 Immediate successor 30 Ques. response 34 Seagoing initials 35 Ring up sales 36 Holly shrub 37 Bleached-out 38 Approved 40 DJ’s countdown (2 wds.) 41 Rx monitor 43 Freighter destination 44 Math course 45 Most plucky 47 Brain scan, for short 48 Teak and oak

4 9 Whets 50 Pledged 52 Brief interruption 53 We, in Cannes 55 Mr. Trebek 56 Locomotive must 57 Perimeter 58 Cub Scout groups 61 Gender abbr.

2009 United Feature Syndicate INC.

Previous puzzle solved D E L L S

O C E A N

E C C E

R T E S

P V T S

R I O T

C H A S E

K MA O OG R P R E R S A K H NO P E G S OR N NO A S E D T E E S K E I E S S U R C I B O RO I N U N E S

G L A R E

M E D A L

B RM R U D N S E I S L E S E

A B D U O F R E F E N A C L G L O A E S A B A R U B A N E T T E S R

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L A D D

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S I T U

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N A I V E

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S A Y S O

NEWS

12 n Thursday, January 28, 2010

FOOTBALL,

FUN&FOOD!

Your sports Headquarters

METRO continued from page 1

the perimeter of the campus, instead of near areas such as the University Center, where there is a high student density. This reduces the functionality of the light rail lines to students. The Southeast Line will be traveling through an already hightraffic area, possibly co-opting parking areas. The stations on Wheeler will not be near any existing campus entrances. Entrances on Scott and Wheeler will be partially blocked by the new lines. The Southeast Line could also

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presence on the campus of UH should be similarly felt. We want everyone on campus to know about the great life-saving work we do for children.” Nguyen said UNICEF expects to raise at least $800, but hopes to raise even more with a huge turnout. UNICEF was originally created by the United Nations on Dec. 11, 1946 to provide emergency relief to children whose home countries had been destroyed during World War II. The organization receives most

The Daily Cougar

partially cut off parking, the UHPD station and the University Child Care Center. The lines could also present some problems for students with disabilities who live on campus. Many will have to cross the lines to reach on-campus apartments. Williams said Metro is taking all of these issues into consideration as it continues to address the University’s concerns. “We do have these issues on the table, we are looking at them and evaluating them. We want to work very closely with the university to address these,” Williams said. Several members of UH at the information session expressed concern about construction blocking

traffic and hindering students and staff from getting to class or work. Williams said Metro has learned much from its Main Street Line, and the new phased construction plan will help traffic continue in a similar fashion as before. “There will be times when it will be inconvenient,” Williams said. “(But there’s) no progress without some pain.” Metro official John Walsh said pedestrians will be able to cross with signaled crosswalks to insure their safety to and from the light rail lines. “Construction was contracted to maintain pedestrian crossing as well as traffic,” Walsh said.

of its support from government funding and private donors. It has established programs all over the world to promote the health and well-being of children. Athletes such as LeBron James and Steve Nash are UNICEF supporters. The National Basketball Association’s “NBA Cares” program partnered with UNICEF to promote a global campaign against HIV/AIDS. UNICEF’s reputation and prestige has been well documented throughout its existence. The organization won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1965. The organization’s main office of administration is based in New York, where relief efforts are

planned and executed. Unlike most non-profits, it is an intergovernmental organization, which serves 190 countries. This provides a huge network, allowing governments to send relief to different countries without resistance. UNICEF also promotes artistic creativity with its program, Art in All of Us. The goal of this program is to promote the universal language of art in different U.N.listed countries. UH has a diverse student body, which could help UNICEF recruit more members throughout this year.

news@thedailycougar.com

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