Issue 84, Volume 75 by The Cougar

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Issue 84, Volume 75

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UH, TSU strengthen relationship Memorandum opens opportunities for research improvement

By David Haydon The Daily Cougar UH and Texas Southern University have signed a memorandum of understanding in order to solidify the relationship between the two universities through collaborated research and

opportunities for their respective students. “For our purposes, a MOU is used to express mutual goals and a commitment to work together going forward,” UH Division of Research Communications Coordinator Amanda Hosey said. “By signing an official document, both institutions are solidifying their efforts to strengthen existing academic and research collaborations and seek out new opportunities.”

Although it is not impossible for two or more universities to work together without an MOU, the processes of research g g Birx collaborations, partnerships and sharing grants are simplified with the explicit agreement. “An MOU is important to funding agencies that are interested in

supporting research undertaken by faculty at one or more universities, which sometimes indicates the importance of the research,” TSU Associate Provost Elizabeth BrownGuillory said. “Sunny Ohia, provost and vice president for academic affairs and research at TSU, began discussions with (UH Vice President for Research) Donald Birx nearly a year ago to establish a formal relationship to partner on research projects between TSU and UH.”

The memorandum also allows either university access to resources such as grants with prerequisites that one or the other previously did not meet without the partnership of the MOU. “Our goal was to build a stronger long-term research relationship between two universities systems that are across the street from each other,” Birx said. “We have had and continue to see MEMORANDUM, page 3

Architecture dean begins tenure Oliver appreciates Houston’s diverse art, museums gg

By Michael Baerga The Daily Cougar

Voltaire Archelus The Daily Cougar

The UH chapter of The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was one of many organizations to hold relief efforts for Haiti. The group collected money, clothing and canned goods for the victims of the earthquake.

Community reaches out to Haiti Professor encourages people to send money instead of food, clothes

By Sarah Wiggins-Goff the daily cougar As teams around the city are working to send aid to victims of the Haiti earthquake, students and faculty at UH are coming together to figure out how they can help. Economics professor Thomas DeGregori is an expert on disaster relief, having written articles regarding Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and now the earthquake in Haiti. DeGregori points out that in many cases people are more inclined to send items such as clothing or canned food after a natural disaster occurs. However, he argues that the most effective way for Houstonians to lend a

hand to the victims of a crisis is actually just to reach into their pocketbooks and leave the decision-making up to the experts. In his Jan. 5, 2005 article entitled “Tsunami: Tragedy as a Teacher,” DeGregori wrote, “It is far easier, once a reputable organization is identified, to go to the Internet and give a donation using your credit card than it is to search through the house for items and then haul them off to a collection center, where they will likely collect dust and do little if any good … giving money is both easier and more effective.” Taking this into account, the Student Government Association has partnered with other student governments across the country in an initiative called “Stand With Haiti Fund Raising Challenge.” They are working with Partners in Health — a non-

profit organization that has had a presence in Haiti for over 20 years — to raise money for disaster relief. They aren’t the only ones to get involved. Organizations across campus are collecting donations to send to Haiti, including the Metropolitan Volunteer Program and the UH chapter of the Black Student Union. Music venues such as Warehouse Live and AvantGarden hosted Haiti benefit shows featuring local bands, with portions of the proceeds going directly to relief organizations. Many local area businesses donated portions of their sales on specific days, including Carino’s Italian and Sugarbaby’s Cupcake Boutique. Associate professor of world cultures and literatures Mariesee HAITI, page 3

The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture has named Patricia Belton Oliver the new dean of its academia. John Antel, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, announced that Oliver’s appointment would begin Jan. 20. “Each institution builds from its strengths,” Oliver said. “I hope to instill a school in which students may build a solid foundation to be well-equipped for any market place they wish. The key is to prepare UH students to be exceptional leaders, which I have seen (thus far).” In 2007, Hispanic Outlook on Higher Education Magazine gave the UH College of Architecture the highest recognition among other architecture programs in the country for awarding degrees to Hispanic students. In architecture, there are several different types of work. An architect can expect to be assigned to anything from basic commercial housing and strip mall projects to lavish and abstract avant-garde museums. “In the work force any type of problem (architectural project) can be anticipated. My goal is to prepare students for any type of problem big or small, because each problem in architecture is unique,” Oliver said. “In order to move into a place where architecture is not so formulaic, I strive to prepare students to consider the various characteristics that exist within the range of different assignments in their studies and in the workforce.”

Antel selected Oliver as dean of Architecture in December. “With her keen intellect and broad interests of architecture, design and literature, she is an amazing leader with viable skills needed to maintain and promote the tier-one status of our Architecture program,” Antel said. Antel said that Oliver coming from California, another diverse setting like Houston, makes her suitable for UH and this city. “I find inspiration for my work in all art forms music, visual arts, paintings ... I love Houston’s museums, they are fantastic,” Oliver said. Houston differs from sectioned California, where zones restrict such diversity in neighborhoods. “I find the little architectural gems and pockets in Houston unique to the city. One could drive through the neighborhoods of Houston and amidst new housing and developments there exists monumental and culturally rich structures that still stand, displaying they’re legacy to the city.” Oliver succeeds Joe Mashburn, who retired after serving as the dean of Architecture for 12 years. One of Mashburn’s achievements was the creation of The Burdette Keeland Jr. Design Exploration Center. Last year, students in the Graduate Design/Build Studio used the center to create an awardwinning outdoor stage for an elementary school. “I stepped down as dean to return to a life of designing and teaching,” Mashburn said. “I feel that much has been accomplished, that the college is in a good place. I wanted to leave at see ARCHITECTURE, page 3

2 n Tuesday, February 2, 2010

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NEWS

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ARCHITECTURE continued from page 1

the top of my game. I am currently working on a small house to be built in New Harmony, Ind., pursuing design research and exploring opportunities for the future.” Before arriving in Houston, Oliver served as acting dean of the California State Polytechnic University in 1988. Recently, Oliver chaired the American Institute of Architects Convention in San Francisco, while serving as a director on the National Architectural Accrediting Board. Oliver received her master’s of architecture degree in 1977 and was the recipient of the Dean’s Award for best thesis and for best overall student. She has worked alongside distinguished architects such as Frank Gehry, Hodgetts and Fung and Daly Genik. “Among my favorite architects,

MEMORANDUM continued from page 1

have ongoing collaborations, but there are programs that we cannot apply for that our partnership can. This is beneficial to both universities, the students and faculty.” These previously existing collaborations include grants the universities received from the Houston Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Partnerships and TSU’s NASA-supported Center for Bionanotechnology and Environmental Research. “TSU and UH also applied for a NOAA grant to create the NOAA Center Atmospheric Processes in the Coastal and Urban Environment for $12.5 million, but this was not funded. This was a partnership between TSU chemistry, math

Frank Gehry is at the top. I enjoyed working with him,” Oliver said. As previous senior vice president of educational planning and architecture at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., Oliver will bring to the UH Architecture program more than 20 years of award-winning t e a c h i n g experience and field practice. g g Oliver “The UH staff was terrific and welcomed me with open arms, aiding me in getting my feet wet on campus,” Oliver said. “I am thrilled to be here, and I am very excited to discover more about the college, its students and how we can work together in promoting the excellence of the university.”

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 n 3

HAITI continued from page 1

Theresa Hernandez has done extensive studying on the history of Haiti and mourns this natural disaster as being just one more tragic offense to the Western Hemisphere’s poorest and most disadvantaged nation. “Haiti’s problems have much to do with how the country was treated once it reached independence,” Hernandez said.

“For one, the church did not have a presence in Haiti for the first 80 years of the nation’s existence, so there were no priests or formal church services. The United States, England and France refused to recognize Haiti. They also established embargoes against Haiti. All this made it impossible for Haiti to develop as a country in the way other new nations did.” In the wake of the devastation, relief groups, including the American Red Cross, continue to

accept donations for the victims of the earthquake. “The country was not prepared for this type of disaster, and most of the buildings in (the capital) Port-au-Prince were not built to withstand earthquakes,” Hernandez said. “It is really tragic that Haiti would have been hit with this disaster, considering the type of problems the people have to constantly face over there.” news@thedailycougar.com

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and computer science with UH Geosciences,” Birx said. “We have submitted and will continue to submit proposals with TSU.” The two universities partnering in research is not new. BrownGuillory said that this concept was formed more than five years ago. “For example, UH’s College of Natural Sciences and Math and TSU’s College of Science and Technology share in a grant to improve education for STEM majors, including science, technology, engineering and math,” Brown-Guillory said. The benefits from the MOU partnership are not restricted to grants and research. “We may end up with additional UH-TSU joint research centers or other efforts in the future as a result of this MOU,” Hosey said. news@thedailycougar.com

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4 n Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

COMING WEDNESDAY: Are the NAACP’s ideals still applicable to modern society?

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

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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

Flying commercial just got a lot more personal

RICHARD HITE JR. The Daily Cougar

GOP needs to examine principles During his State of the Union address Wednesday, President Barack Obama asked Congress to pass pay-as-you-go legislation, which would require all government expenditures to be balanced by either tax David Brooks increases or budget cuts, as opposed to using borrowed funds. A “paygo” rule was in place during the Clinton administration and contributed to America’s first budget surplus in decades, but was allowed to expire in 2002. Reinstating paygo would be an important first step to reigning in out-ofcontrol spending and reducing the deficit. Given the Republican Party’s continued railing against fiscal recklessness, this should have been a measure they supported. However, in a vote on paygo requirements the day after the president’s speech, Republicans dropped all pretenses

of fiscal responsibility and universally opposed the measure, which passed on a 60-40 party-line vote. Dana Milbank wrote in his Washington Post column, Friday, that before a vote to increase the statutory debt limit Thursday, Republican Sen. Judd Gregg, a ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, rose in opposition, saying, “It is not responsible to raise the debt ceiling in this manner if you’re not going to put in place any responsible activity to bring under control the rising debt.” That’s right; the Republican Party’s most senior member on the Budget Committee spoke out against raising the debt limit without taking measures to reign in the debt mere hours after his party voted unanimously against doing just that. This is yet another in a long line of events demonstrating that the Republicans have abandoned any sense of responsibility to act as a loyal opposition in favor of

blatant obstructionism. They feel that it’s more important to prevent the Democrats from accomplishing anything (failures they can then use to their advantage in campaigns) than it is to work with the Democrats constructively to help the American people. It is understandable that members of an opposition party would not agree with everything the majority party desires, but there used to be a time where the majority and minority parties would come together with good intentions and work out compromises to benefit the American people. Though Republicans still claim to be willing to work with Democrats, their actions show otherwise as the latest vote on paygo. Similar obstructionism is evident on every issue Congress has faced in the see PAYGO, page 8

Haiti needs help from all nations Haitian President Rene Preval released a statement Wednesday confirming that approximately 170,000 people had been killed in the country’s January 12 earthquake that struck near Haiti’s capital, Alan Dennis Port-au-Prince. Officials within the Haitian government estimated that nearly 250,000 people sustained injuries and a total of 1 million people were left homeless as a result of the catastrophe. This tragedy claimed the lives of people from all walks of life. And yet, most of the stories that run in the news feature stories on what the U.S. is doing to help Haiti. President Barack Obama initially pledged $100 million in earthquake relief, but that number has since been raised to $379 million. More than 16,000 personnel from all branches of the U.S. armed forces have been sent to Haiti to aid in the recovery, as were a number of U.S. Coast Guard and Navy vessels. But other prominent nations have been

doing their part to help Haiti as well. Brazil has pledged $210 million to aid in Haiti’s recovery efforts, as well as a contingent of rescue workers. After announcing that it would match the donations of its citizens, Canada has thus far raised $150 million in funds. The Netherlands’ government pledged only $4 million, but a group of Dutch radio and television hosts held a one-day pledge drive and raised an additional $110 million (that’s right, the group of private individuals came up with 27 times as much money as its government). But after the United Kingdom’s commitment of $32 million, the list of who has given what begins to taper off. So what about China and Russia? To date, China has donated $8 million and sent approximately 100 workers, while Russia has provided four planes and some equipment for use. While the saying does go “It’s the thought that counts,” China and Russia may have been better served to simply send each person affected in this tragedy a “get well soon” card.

Talk about a Band-Aid for a bullet wound. It should be amazing that two-fifths of the United Nation’s Security Council members don’t seem to care about a tragedy of this magnitude, but the U.N. has almost no credibility, so it’s really par for the course. There is no excuse for two of the most supposedly developed nations in the world to sit back while everyone else does the work. Help doesn’t necessarily have to come in the form of funds. France, while not committing a significant monetary contribution, has sent a great deal of rescue workers to Haiti, along with a host of planes, helicopters and naval ships. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President Barack Obama and other heads of state need to call on these two superpowers to provide more assistance and support in this critical time of need. We all need to do our part to help. Alan Dennis is a communication senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

n light of the attempted bombing of an airliner in Detroit on Christmas Day, President Barack Obama has approved the use of special scanners at airports, which are lovingly nicknamed as “nude scanners.” Journalists who report to the general public haven’t figured out what they are going to do with the scanned image of a male person. So, most of us just don’t show it or talk about it, for that matter. But we’re going to talk about it. We would rather have But then someone see a monochromatic again, scan of our naked bodies than explode 30,000 feet in the air. no one is after this gigantic step, how forced to fly But far is the Obama administration commercial willing to go to keep us safe? Perhaps it will soon begin airliners. protecting us from ourselves. Many celebrities have voiced concerns over the scanners, saying that the pictures will inevitably be saved, sold and posted online for everyone to see. It seems ridiculous that celebrities expect to be held to a different standard than the rest of Americans, but their concerns are probably true. Someone would eventually post nude pictures of the celebrities we all wish would do nude scenes but don’t (sorry guys, but it won’t only be the women). Naked male celebrities will be posted everywhere. And what about the children? Should some random airport security personnel be allowed to see your child naked? But then again, no one is forced to fly commercial airliners. Also, most celebrities are rich, so if they don’t want their nude bodies on the Web, they should have to buy their own planes. It’s only fair. So is this proper to show on regular television? Does it depend on its importance? What about the legality and ethics (or lack thereof) behind it all? But, for the time being, if you want to fly in the U.S., this is the latest hoop to jump through. And if you’ve got nothing to hide, they’ll let you on the plan … and perhaps they’ll even let you know that that tumor you don’t know about looks malignant. Now, that’s what we call free health care.

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.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 n 5

The Daily Cougar

LIFE+ARTS EDITORS

COMING WEDNESDAY: Exploring fashion’s urban revival

Travis Hensley, Jarrod Klawinsky E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/life_arts

TECH TUESDAY

IdeaPad takes bite out of Apple By Amanda DeGroot The Daily Cougar Like the idea of the iPad, but aren’t too keen on the lack of a keyboard? Well before all the Apple hype, Lenovo had already announced its IdeaPad U1 Hybrid at the Consumer Electronics Show 2010 this past January. So, why the IdeaPad U1? The U1 gives the user both a Laptop and a Tablet PC all in one, and here’s how: When the screen is attached to the base, the computers work as one, a 3.8-pound laptop. In this form it runs Windows 7 with a CULV Intel Core Duo Processor. When the screen is detached from the base you get what is essentially an iPad. The 11.6 HD screen becomes its own entity, a 1.6 pound tablet that runs on Lenovo’s Skylight Linux operating system and uses a 1GHz Qualcomm ARM Snapdragon processor, and also has 3G embedded and 16GB of solid state memory. Collectively the specs for the U1 include 4GB of RAM (512MB in slate/tablet mode), two USB 2.0 ports, eSATA, VGA, HDMI, 4-in-1 memory card reader, and a 1.3-Megapixel camera. Both pieces of this Hybrid can

work independently; both have battery power for five hours of use. Although the base may seem useless without the screen, it can actually be connected to another display. Naturally, both pieces also work together, meaning that the base and tablet can share from their independent power sources when connected. Even though the base and tablet don’t share the same operating system, if you start a web browsing session when it’s together, and decide you want the tablet alone, it’ll still keep your current web session intact. In a way, the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 beats out the iPad, giving the user the power and full functionality of a laptop, while still being able to enjoy all the perks of a tablet. The U1 will be available June 1, 2010. The price is estimated to be around $1000, double the iPad’s price, but the U1 offers a lot more. As far as the U1 hybrid is concerned (price wise), it isn’t expensive for what you get considering the average cost for a laptop is between $600 and $800, while a tablet PC will easily cost consumers $1200 upwards. LENOVO GROUP LTD

arts@thedailycougar.com

The new IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, with keyboard, takes on the Apple iPad by giving users another choice when it comes to tablets.

Maher brings laughter to UH By Jason Ovalle The Daily Cougar

alberto tolot/hbo

Comedian Bill Maher brought his comedic take on politics, the economy and Snuggies to UH’s Cullen Performance Hall this past weekend.

The Cullen Performance Hall was rocking with applause and laughter on Saturday night for the stand-up comedian Bill Maher. He talked and joked about a range of issues including Sarah Palin, President Obama, the health care debate and the infamous Snuggie. Maher began his performance by talking about the U.S. economy and how it doesn’t produce much of anything anymore. He said all this country makes now are the TV products Snuggie and ShamWow. His opening commentary primed the audience for a night of laughs and expletive ridden jokes. Maher started his career as a stand-up comedian in 1979. Since then he has appeared in several movies and won several awards for his TV shows. His last movie Religulous, released in 2008, won the New Visions Award at the Catalonian International Film Festival for nonfiction motion picture, according to IMDb.com. “I think Bill Maher is a very insightful political comedian,” Eamon Briggs, UH Law student said. “I really appreciated the work he did on his show and some of his movies since then, such as Religulous and I am happy to finally see him in person. I’m looking to laugh, but what also makes him great is that he

can make you think along the way.” This was Briggs’ first time to see Maher live. At the end of the performance Briggs said that UH students could have gained a lot from coming to Maher’s show. Briggs said he would absolutely attend another performance by Maher. Maher spoke about the economy and the state of America. “There is no doubt that Obama has inherited a bigger mess than anybody,” Maher said. “He is definitely the maid after Led Zeppelin has been in the room.” This joke drew loud applause from the crowd, possibly the largest of his performance. Talk of conservatives in America comprised much of the show. Maher said, “I don’t wish America was stupid, but it is.” He also went on to say that he didn’t hate America and pointed out famous American historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mark Twain and Miles Davis. He then took a dig at former Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin, saying that she had never heard of these people. In one of his more controversial moments of the show, Maher said the right wing loves the troops. “Are you kidding me? The right wing loves the troops like Mike Vick loves dogs,” he said. He also complained that the political right is just giving the troops and the rest of America lip service.

The Iraq War and oil was another topic that Maher tackled. He said the next time the U.S. goes to war for oil, we should make sure we get the oil. In a recent article in the San Antonio Express-News, Maher had this to say about stand-up comedy. “Stand-up comedy is the kind of thing where you don’t want to screw around with people. You want to make them laugh really hard,” Maher said. “You want to make their face hurt. You want to make them jump out of their chairs at the end of the show and go, ‘Wow! That guy really brung it.’ ” In Houston, Maher brought it. He had the crowd laughing and the audience wasn’t at all tentative to his moves on stage, including a moonwalk he performed after his Michael Jackson skit. The show probably wasn’t aimed at a conservative minded audience, since most of Maher’s jokes were directed at that group. But if you came to laugh and your political ideology leaned to the left, then you would have undoubtedly had a good time. Maher’s show lasted approximately 80 minutes and was greeted by a standing ovation when he arrived and departed from the stage. According to a Cullen Performance Hall official, there were approximately 1,400 people in attendance. arts@thedailycougar.com

SPORTS | CLASSIFIEDS

6 n Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Fighting Words

Talking smack and sports

At issue: Does Kurt Warner have the credentials to be inducted into the Hall of Fame? Why or why not? gg

»»Jason Ovalle: Kurt’s got the goods I think there is no doubt that Kurt Warner is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. First, it must be noted that Warner went undrafted and was cut several times in the NFL before he caught on with the St. Louis Rams in 1998. In comparison to other modern era NFL quarterbacks already in the Hall, he has a higher career passer rating (93.7) than Troy Aikman, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Warren Moon, John Elway and Joe Montana, as well as other quarterbacks already in the hall. Warner finished the year with a 93.2 passer’s rating. He also passed for 26 touchdowns and 3,753 yards. In 2008, he led the Arizona Cardinals franchise to their first Super Bowl appearance. He led the

Rams to two Super Bowls, winning one, and was named Super Bowl MVP in 2000 and regular-season MVP in 1999. He finished his career with 208 touchdowns and 32,344 passing yards. Not only does he have the stats to be in the hall, but a great story as well. It’s a no-brainer that he will get in.

»»Tristan Tippet: But did he

have the consistency?

Kurt Warner has certainly had a unique career. He’s what comes to mind when you think of the underdog story. He was a good quarterback, who had some outstanding seasons. The 1999 season was perhaps one of the greatest single seasons by any quarterback. For that three-year period, you could argue

he was the best quarterback in the game. Nearly 10 years later, he’s resurfaced with the Arizona Cardinals and had a similar run. With multiple sterling seasons, three dramatic Super Bowls and a great story, he’ll probably be voted into the Hall of Fame. However, in my opinion, he’s more on the border than people might realize. Warner had problems staying on the field. From 2002-06, he missed a total of 45 games, his career totals took a hit, and he fell off many people’s radars. There are exceptions, but longevity and production are not mutually exclusive. Hank Aaron hit 755 homers because he stayed good for 24 seasons.

»»Brian Legrand: Is that a

serious question?

Of course he’s first-ballot Hall of Famer, no question. Kurt Warner is literally a rags-to-riches story. He went from stocking groceries and “clean up on aisle four” to NFL MVP to Super Bowl champ, to back on the bench in New York with the Giants, to being sent to Arizona to mentor Matt Leinart, then finally back to starter and Super Bowl quarterback. It’s a rags-to-riches-to-ragsback-to-riches story. Not only does he have the numbers he put

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It’s your turn. Write to us about what you think up over the last 12 years, but he also resurrected two franchises left for dead and turned them into contenders almost instantly. And he did it at the age when most NFL players are on the decline. He did it first at 27 with Rams, then again at 37, an age when most former players are still trying to get their memories back from getting knocked in the head too many times. If Warner isn’t first ballot, then someone must be getting paid in stacks to keep him out.

»»Judge Higgs: Going out on a limb there guys?

I know I’m new to the Sports desk here at the Daily Cougar, but was it really necessary to lob me such a “softball” argument to judge? Come to think of it, can you really call it an argument when there’s only one possible response? With Warner’s recent retirement, it makes sense that we’re covering the prospect of his Hall of Fame credentials, but really, what kind of argument can you make that he doesn’t deserve to be inducted?

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Verdict While everyone basically made the same argument, Jason actually added some stats to back up the feel good part of Kurt’s story, so he’s the winner this week.

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The only person who even took a stab at it was Tristan, and the quality of his explanation speaks for itself. Hank Aaron? Really? He probably wouldn’t have enjoyed such longevity if he had had 300-pound linemen looking to tear his head off. And if healthy seasons were the barometer of Hall of Fame worthiness, the list of quarterbacks in Canton would be exactly one name long — Brett Favre. Jason’s stats make for a good start, and I like Brian’s enthusiasm, but all you need to say is that the man owns spots one, two and three in all-time Super Bowl performances. That, and he took the Cardinals to the big game. Yes, the Arizona-freakin’-Cardinals!

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Dim Sum by Ho Yi Lau

today’s crossword ACROSS

Limbo by Paulo Aninag

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

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 n 7

1 Dressy event 5 Pooh-pooh 10 — Valley, Calif. 14 Irish islands 15 Ralph — Emerson 16 Med. plans 17 Aileron site 18 NBA name 19 Triumphant cries 20 Japanese scroll 22 Geisha’s attire 24 Actress — Bonet 25 Million add-on 26 Mermaid movie 29 Doting 33 Prompt 34 Orchestral instrument 36 Diner freebie 37 Each, slangily (2 wds.) 39 Fleur- — — 41 “Star Wars” princess 42 One drop, roughly 44 Respectful title 46 Taiga animal 47 Faux medicines 49 Chocolate dessert 51 Sea bird 52 Med. staffers 53 Noh alternative 56 Formal toppers (2 wds.) 60 Sharif or Bradley 61 Thin pancakes 63 Pizazz 64 Old Italian coins 65 Gnawed away 66 Unusual, to Pliny 67 Jarrett and Sparks 68 Threw a haymaker 69 Percolate

DOWN

1 Rubberneck 2 Opera solo 3 Long and lean 4 Jessica of “Murder, She Wrote” 5 Rushed by 6 Huge flower 7 Bread spread 8 Pharm. watchdog 9 Baez or Seeger

24 26

35 40 44 48

46 50

1 0 Outrageous 11 Texting acronym 12 Bellyache 13 Kid’s comeback (2 wds.) 21 Var. topics 23 Bargain bsmt. buys 25 Dodge 26 Rascal 27 Eye part 28 Mrs. Helmsley 29 Earthen pots 30 Curved moldings 31 Claws or talons 32 Duck mate 35 Awful car 38 Drawings 40 Tasting 43 Mild-mannered 45 Bonze or friar 48 Greases the palm of

41 45

51 53

30 36

39 43

29 34

50 Theater employees 52 Of flax 53 Rheinland city 54 Girlfriend in Cannes 55 Shakespeare nickname 56 In — (as found) 57 Winglike parts 58 Deli-scale word 59 Break suddenly 62 Decree

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Previous puzzle solved F E M A O A F A G O R A

L R O N

I NG K I L N I E E L E N E Y B E L T O S A L E S T E A S C C U R S WA L A N S L U N A R E T U R N MA RQU I S E T E S T L I B I S S UMU P S T E R A L GROU I GG M T N S D E E T A I S

O M S

J I B ME P A D F T C H B S L B E R I A OR T A D N D B O T GU

A N E A R

B I T T E

O O R T

X EW N E A S

C A T E

O L E S

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SPORTS | Opinion

8 n Tuesday, February 2, 2010

PAYGO continued from page 4

last year and Senate Republicans are threatening filibusters on everything. A loyal opposition is vital to the functioning of any democracy. It is needed to keep the ambitions of the majority party in check and to make sure the interests of all Americans

are represented in legislation. The minority party has a duty to work with the majority constructively to solve the many issues our nation faces. Republicans have abandoned this duty; they’ve demonstrated that they are unfit to hold office, period. Their obstructionism threatens the needed influence of conservative ideas in our political discourse and they are effectively destroying

conservatism. It is time for them to go. We need a new conservative party with ideas about how to address the problems our country faces today that is willing to work with others for the benefit of the American people. David Brooks is a communication senior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com

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Dynamo’s Holden heading to England Now that his four-year run with the Houston Dynamo has ended, midfielder Stuart Holden will make his second trip across the pond, where he will Gordon complete the season with Furneaux the Bolton Wanderers of the English Premiere League. After his first foray was cut short before it could begin (he was attacked outside a bar shortly after signing with Sunderland in 2005, and his injuries prevented him from making a first-team appearance for the club), Holden will have a second chance to play in what is widely considered the best soccer league in the world. MLS fans know Holden as a starter and major contributor for one of the best teams in the league. In 2006 and 2007, he helped bring the MLS Cup to Houston, with 88 appearances and 12 goals scored. In England, he will be just a foreign player who will have to make concessions and wait for his time to try and shape the game. Bolton is currently at the bottom

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of the table in the Premiership, but is inching its way out of the relegation zone. Their low place in the standings will not guarantee playing time for Holden. Manager Owen Coyle will have to strike a balance between relying on his veteran players and integrating Holden along with three other recent signings. In the EPL, it is not unusual for transfer players, especially free transfers from the MLS, to begin with little playing time. Fans watching his debut games should not expect to see Holden for more then 15 minutes, until he can prove his worth against stronger opponents. Holden would not be the first player to succeed in the EPL after coming from the American league. Clint Dempsey made the move to English soccer from the New England Revolution in 2007 and is currently the leading goal scorer for Fulham. Dempsey is an asset now, but he played sparingly in his first season and was used as a substitute late in games. While the signing came before the end of the open transfer window, the timing may prove problematic for his spot on the national team. The playing time and exposure Holden received playing for a title contending team in the MLS made him an obvious choice to go to South Africa when the team competes for the 2010 World Cup. If he does not fall off the radar completely, Holden must make the best out of what time he is given, or Bob Bradley, head coach of the U.S. national team, may reconsider his choice. Holden proved his worth at Houston and became known as a smart, hardworking player. Bolton will benefit from his presence, but the Dynamo is left without another key player. Houston will be busy evaluating both current talent and new players to replace Holden’s production. The Dynamo will no doubt miss him, but for Holden, his move to the EPL will hopefully lead to bigger and better things. sports@thedailycougar.com

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