Issue 132, Volume 75 by The Cougar

1934 – 2009

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Issue 132, Volume 75

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NSF Center makes move to UH Cougar News Service The National Science Foundation’s National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping recently moved research operations from the University of Florida to UH. Most of the staff was brought to Houston, and they will now operate the center along with the University

of California, Berkley. Unlike other centers at UH, this is the first center completely supported by the NSF. Usually, the University sets up centers using funds or grants. Since the center opened in 2003, Ramesh Shrestha, the center’s director, has focused his work on laser scanning technology and

airborne laser swath mapping. “With the center, we have brought laser mapping’s uses to the forefront and expect to continue to have this impact in our new Houston home,” Shrestha said in a press release. “We plan to establish curriculum catered to this specialty and eventually add a graduate degree in geosensing systems engineering. This is in

addition to carrying out research far surpassing what is capable in laser mapping to date.” UH research professor Bill Carter, who worked with Shrestha in the ’90s and helped establish the NCALM, said he is happy to see the center is being brought to Houston. “Together, we saw its potential to far exceed what was possible with

many traditional methods, such as airborne photogrammetric mapping that uses cameras to detail terrain,” Carter said in a press release. “Laser mapping has the ability to work day or night, as well as generally map areas even though they were covered by forests and other vegetation where photogrammetric methods couldn’t.” see AIRBORNE, page 3

Magazine receives national award By Ashley Evans The Daily Cougar The 2009 edition of Transitions magazine was awarded Best Orientation Publication at the College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc., national convention in March. Transitions is a freshman and transfer student orientation guide put together by the Department of Student Publications and distributed via direct mail in the summer. The 2009 issue featured cover stories on the new Calhoun Lofts and the University’s movement towards flagship status, student organizations and a brief history of UH. Matt Miller, who served as editor in chief of Transitions in 2009, said working on the magazine was a positive experience. “Having six weeks to work on the magazine as opposed to the fast paced turn-around of the Daily Cougar really allowed for us to sink our teeth into the project,” Miller said. The 2009 issue also included information about things to do and places to eat around Houston to supplement the regular admissions and parking stories. Transitions, a full-color, 80-page spread, is not the average welcometo-campus handbook. It is a detailed how-to guide with a variety of helpful hints on parking, campus safety, student services, and city life. “(The goal of Transitions is) to make an interesting magazine,” Print Production Manager Matt Dulin said. “Not some handbook that you would toss out without a second glance.” The magazine includes straightforward advice about beginning an academic career at UH see TRANSITIONS, page 3

travis Hensley The Daily Cougar

Pre-finals mania

t’s normal to be stressed out this time of year. With finals quickly approaching, many students are trying to get all their projects completed before they begin studying for their exams. Three weeks before finals week, which begins May 10, post-baccalaureate art student Emily Connor puts the final touches on her class projects.

Librarians look for ways to improve By Morgan Creager The Daily Cougar In honor of National Library Week, UH librarians are surveying the faculty and students about what they love about their library. The survey will help librarians celebrate their success and find areas the UH libraries can improve on. “I’m hoping we get a lot of helpful feedback from our students,” Architecture Librarian

Catherine Essinger said. “We want to give them the best services that we can, and to do that, they have to tell us what those services are.” Throughout the week, a survey will be available for faculty and students to provide feedback about the library’s services. The UH librarians have set up booths around various campus locations to give away prizes and answer questions that faculty or students may have about their library services.

“We need to know what people really want so we can expand (our) services,” Essinger said. Booths will be available at the UC Satellite on Thursday and Friday “(This) is a good week to think about (your) library,” Essinger said. All together, UH libraries own more than 2.5 million volumes, 81,000 journals and serialized literature, 20,000 electronic books and 387 computers for students to

use. The M.D. Anderson Memorial Library has also renovated its Learning Commons, providing students with more computer access and the ability to obtain any software needed, such as Adobe design suite, AutoCAD and more. “I would hope that our vision for the library (would) closely align with the needs of our students and see LIBRARY, page 3

2 n Friday, April 16, 2010

The Daily Cougar

THE DAILY COUGAR presents ®

CAMPUS BEAT FORECAST Saturday

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CALENDAR

» Send event information to calendar@thedailycougar.com

TODAY Census on campus: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., UC Satellite, University Center and the Center for Public Policy (Heyne Building, Room 104). Census on Campus/Census representatives and CHIP interns will provide assistance and resources about the 2010 Census at various information tables. For more information, contact Mike Angel at 713-743-3976 or mangel2@uh.edu

What are the best places to eat, hang out and study around Houston? You tell us!

2010 School of Art Masters Thesis Exhibition: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., The Art Museum of UH. Each year, Blaffer Gallery presents an exhibition showcasing works by graduating Master of Fine Arts students in the School of Art. This year, 11 students are featured in the exhibition. The MFA candidates are Debra Barrera, Nancy Douthey, Geoff Hippenstiel, Sura Khudairi, Robyn Lehmer, Grant C. MacManus, Richard Nix, Anne J. Regan, Keijiro Suzuki, Tala Vahabzadeh, and Vanessa VanAlstyne. Admission is free, and refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact the Blaffer Gallery at kveneman@uh.edu or the Web site blaffergallery.org

CO R R E C T I O N S gg

Enter your picks for a chance to win an iPod, free movie passes or freebies at several Houston-area restaurants such as Domino’s, Wing Stop and It’s Just Good Soul Food. Enter today! Limit one entry per person.

Best shopping: ___________________________________________________________ Best bar/club: ____________________________________________________________ Best place to study: _______________________________________________________ Best place to be entertained: _______________________________________________ Best place to hang out on campus: __________________________________________

Return the entry form to Room 7, UC Satellite. Questions? Call 713-743-5340. Responses will be tabulated by Daily Cougar staff and the winning picks will be featured in Houston’s Top Spots, which hits the stands on campus and around town on June 1.

Find an electronic version of this survey at

Dangerous Liaisons: 8-10 p.m., Quintero Theatre, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. In pre-Revolutionary France, an elegant temptress and her ex-lover conspire to corrupt a recently married woman. When bets are made, intrigue and seductive games follow close behind. This elaborately costumed play brings us through passion, cruelty, innocence and revenge. Playwright Christopher Hampton won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1988 for the screen adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $15 for UH faculty, staff and alumni and $10 for seniors and students.

MONDAY Honors College Career Night: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Honors College Commons (second floor of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library). Are your professional communications all they should be? Communications and etiquette expert Sally Reynolds presents this session on netiquette and the art of conversation to assist students as they embark on professional lives.

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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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Closing editor Ronnie Turner

NEWS

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Friday, April 16, 2010 n 3

Service trumps wins for university group

LIBRARY continued from page 1

business management sophomore said the community service the UHFS is involved in builds character. “It’s about achieving humility and reaching out to the community,” Khan said. Alongside Arnold, Walker and Khan, junior Chris Hunter serves as senior captain, and freshman Maria Alfaro and junior Allison Kerlegon are co-captains. Together the cocaptains manage the society, while each captain has a specific area that he or she is in charge of. The organization plans to cap their membership at 400. Arnold said that all someone has to do to join the society is show up. “All you have to do is walk in,” Arnold said. “Just come in with a good attitude and we’ll teach you the rest.”

our faculty,” she said. To further celebrate National Library Week, librarians from UH are attending the Texas Library Association’s Annual Conference in San Antonio on Wednesday through Saturday. The event is being held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Conventer Center. The conference is an event that librarians from around Texas attend to promote and improve library services throughout the state. This year, they will have the opportunity to hear from NPR correspondent Scott Simon and Julie Powell, author of Julie & Julia. Throughout the conference, librarians will be making presentations covering topics such as developing library collections, budgeting, library instruction, special collections and electronic resources. According to Essinger, UH librarians generally want to use this week to plan for the future by growing individually and listening to the requests of faculty and students. “We want our priorities for next year to be the students’ and the faculty’s priorities,” she said. “We’re public servants, so (we) have to just listen.” Those wishing to participate in the online survey can visit w w w. s u r v e y m o n k e y. c o m / s / lovethelibrary

news@thedailycougar.com

Team’s director says championships not as important as reaching out to community

By Aimee Buras THE DAILY COUGAR The University of Houston Forensic Society has won 12 national debate championships since its revival in 2002 after a four-year absence due to a lack of funding. Professor and UHFS Director Michael Fain attributes this success to the team’s indifference towards winning. Fain said that his approach to directing the organization has been to devote less focus on competition and more on reaching out to the community. He said that helping others fosters a team environment that results in champions. “If I can teach the organization to be a team first, the winning will come. And it has come,” Fain said. The organization has 312 members, only 32 of whom compete in speech and debate competitions. “We are the largest organization of our nature in the nation, possibly in the world,” Fain said. Fain is the only coach for the team and is helped by six co-captains. In the 2009-2010 school year the UHFS has judged 22 events for elementary, middle and high schools, hosted 14 events for low-income children on campus and competed in 16 championships. “We literally have an event every six days,” Fain said.

TRANSITIONS continued from page 1

from the student’s perspective, including where new Cougars are likely to run into headaches. Dulin said allowing the staff to be more objective in their writing style helps to create an honest introduction to UH. The challenge the staff faces each year is to find a new way to tell the same stories, since the content is generally the same from one edition to the next. The team brainstorms about different page layouts, graphics, and cover stories in order to find a unique combination that makes their issue stand out from the rest. Advertising in the magazine is equally important. Advertisers see the magazine as a great opportunity to reach both new students and parents. Ads range from local businesses and restaurants to ads for the Army. Advertising sales are what drive

TO: THE DA ILY

Since January, the team has placed in several national competitions, including fourth place in the Pi Kappa Delta National Convention and Tournament and fifth place in the Novice Nationals collegiate championship, competing against some of the top debate teams in the nation. Fain said after its establishment in 1951, the UHFS won only six national championships in its first 28 years. In the eight years since Fain restored the organization after it was stopped in 1998, it has doubled that number. “The difference is I don’t care if we win,” Fain said. “I care more about the kids whose lives we touch.” Political science sophomore and co-captain Lee Arnold agrees that with success comes the responsibility to help others. “We are not just a competitive team,” Arnold said. “Yes, we win trophies, but that’s not really the important thing. We are more concerned with an opportunity to reach out to our community.” In addition to hosting and judging school debate competitions, the organization volunteers at shelters and orphanages and hosts day camps at UH during the summer. In the camps, UHFS members teach speaking skills, hold speech and debate contests and help the children perform for their parents on the last day of the camp. Arnold said that

the magazine, and students are responsible for the ad layout and design. “It really helps when editors coordinate with advertising because it creates a more fluid product,” Advertising Manager Delores Crawford said. The magazine is an opportunity for students to showcase the best of their writing, layout, design, and photography skills. The magazine has won a number of awards over the years, mostly for its design. The staff of Transitions is made up mostly of writers, editors and photographers from the Daily Cougar, and the students have full control of everything from pictures and articles to ads and page design. The editor in chief is chosen on a contract basis and given a budget and a timeline. The magazine is currently looking for an editor in chief for the 2010 edition. Applications

aimee buras The Daily Cougar

(From left) UH Forensic Society team captains Kamil Khan, Lee Arnold, Joe Walker and director Michael Fain said their work with young children is more important than winning championships. their mission is to supplement the education children get in school. “We are trying to bridge the gap,” he said. Fain said a child should not be excluded from the activities because he or she cannot speak English. He said that UHFS hosts Spanish competitions as well and doesn’t plan to stop there. “Next year we are going to offer Spanish, English and Vietnamese contests,” Fain said. “No one else does this. This is unique to us.” Human development and family studies sophomore Joe Walker said he believes their efforts are far reaching. “The impact we’ve had over the years has reached many children,” Walker said. “We are exposing them to a higher education environment, which I think is more important than anything.” UHFS Co-Captain Kamil Khan, a

AIRBORNE continued from page 1

uh.edu

The 2009 edition of Transitions Magazine was awarded Best Orientation Publication by College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc. Several editions of the magazine have also won awards, mostly for design. can be picked up at the Daily Cougar offices. news@thedailycougar.com

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Carter and Shrestha developed mapping techniques that minimize errors. Their equipment now maps as many as 167,000 points per second, compared to the 3,000 they were able to achieve when they first started. Because of their developments, they have changed how erosions on Florida’s coastline are monitored. According to a press release, the NCALM team hopes to also explore the possibility of using Light Detection and Ranging to map glacial movements and the migration of penguin colonies in Antarctica. This would also reduce the air time needed to collect information and would be the first time shallow water depths would be infiltrated. “In coming years, our group plans to develop a next-generation LiDAR system. The unit would be less expensive than commercially available systems and allow for

courtesy of UH.Edu

The National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping Director Ramesh Shrestha decided to move the center from the University of Florida to UH. some of the most accurate, highestresolution observations possible in laser mapping,” Shrestha said in the press release. “We want to develop a system like no one else has developed. It would really change what could be done with this technology. It would have new features, be faster (and) smaller and capture more during each flight than we can today.”

we love letters. Send us one. Click on “Write a letter” at thedailycougar.com or simply e-mail editor@thedailycougar.com

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4 n Friday, April 16, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

ONLINE: Follow the Opinion section on Twitter at @TDCOpinion

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 Alan Dennis, Opinion editor Jarrod Klawinsky, Special projects editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Workers should appreciate their jobs, respect students

Jason Poland The Daily Cougar

Sony falls short with update to PS3 Following Sony’s release of the PlayStation 3 in 2006, the entire gaming scene underwent a massive overhaul. The PS3’s Blu-ray capability allowed for video game discs to store an unprecedented Patrick Levy amount of content, and it was set to become to mainstream format of not only high-definition gaming, but movies as well. As is done with most devices, Sony has continuously released system updates that make revisions to the PS3’s operating system and firmware, adding features such as Life with PlayStation. Sony’s most recent update, firmware version 3.21, seems to take a step backward, however, and is causing unrest in the PlayStation community. The update removes the option in older models to install an alternative operating system such as Linux, which enables the PS3 to perform tasks such as word-processing and viewing Web browser-based video. Little consideration has been given to

those who would like to retain this feature. If owners choose not to install the firmware, they lose access to the PlayStation Network and will be unable to download any new content to their units. This includes subscription-based services, in addition to demos and game add-ons. Even worse, games that are multiplayeronly are effectively rendered useless without network access, and users will lack the ability to update their game despite developer updates to fix glitches and expand support. Games released in the future that require this firmware upgrade will also be rendered useless unless the user obeys. Amazon.com issued a partial refund to a European PS3 owner after he claimed the feature on his unit had been removed. Consumer law in the U.S. doesn’t cover as wide a scope as it does in Europe, but a possible class-action lawsuit may force Sony to reinstate the capability. The issue isn’t that users are losing the ability to install Linux on their machines,

but whether a company can remove a feature after purchase. Owners must agree to what is called an “End User License Agreement” upon purchase, which explicitly states that revisions to the firmware are expected; if the agreement also says that Sony can engage in some nefarious baitand-switch scheme, though, the agreement can be challenged in court. When a person previously purchased a PS3, they had the ability to install an alternate operating system on their consoles. Removing a built-in system feature after the point of sale is unacceptable — especially when such a feature doesn’t adversely affect system performance. Sony sold its customers a product with a specific set of functions. With this update, however, it is replacing that product with a different one lacking the same functionality. Patrick Levy is a communication freshman and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

Facebook should be used properly Over the past six years, Facebook has become one of the largest social networking sites on the Web. What was originally created to be a networking site for Harvard students has become a dominant means of Erin Rampy communication for people of all ages. The epidemic of Facebook users and abusers has immeasurable effects on numerous facets of our society; it has permeated higher education and has emerged as a prevalent component of college students’ lives. Facebook is a very versatile tool; it’s fast and efficient, and it can make information available to massive amounts of people. Consequently, many college students and various groups they represent have turned to Facebook to promote events and organizations. Many organizations at UH have Facebook groups to aid in their planning and success. While some University groups still use more conventional means of advertising,

this technologically advanced measure of communication adds to their ability to promote. Facebook has morphed from a tool used casually to keep in contact with friends and family to many people’s primary foundation of socialization. When on Facebook, people have the opportunity to network with virtually anyone. Unfortunately, this overwhelming access to people all over the world has been harmful to many Facebook users. Not only does depending on cyber communication eventually hinder our ability to personalize and interact face-to-face, but it also becomes an addictive, alternate reality for many users. Instead of visiting with friends in the real world, people can now simply log on to Facebook. The more online friends one has, the more likely they are to engage in less personal interaction. UH student David Lagua summed it up aptly when he said, “Our group of friends

will sit around a table, all be logged into Facebook and not say a word to each other for a good five minutes.” While the network is designed to aid in communication and relations, it has become ultimately a very independent practice for many people. Many users get caught up in an alternate, digital reality; some go so far as to treat their Facebook page as a representation of themselves, spending time creating and modifying their digital identity. This superficiality complex can result in a frivolous Facebook experience, with people concerning over trivialities such as the number of “friends” they have or laboring over their next profile picture. Facebook is a great tool when used properly. Users should try to balance Facebook with the rest of their lives without giving it too much importance. Erin Rampy is a UH student and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

n an economy in which nothing is certain, people should be appreciative for the jobs they have, even if they aren’t dream jobs. Unfortunately, at our University, a lot of workers simply aren’t. And they make that very clear to our student body. Firstly, we would like to acknowledge that many of them are grateful. We at The Daily Cougar are on campus late hours, and we see many of the staff members on a regular basis. Some of them are great  hard-working people with good attitudes who have good and bad days just like the rest of us. We appreciate everything they do. But there are others who don’t even make eye contact with us, or any other students for that matter, and even go as far as to be blatantly rude to us when we’re waiting in line or ordering. Two weeks ago, one member of the editorial board went to Chili’s Too. After ordering chips, queso and hot wings, all of which are appetizers, he sat down at the bar and waited … for 35 minutes. When his food was finally brought to him, they had forgotten the queso. Mistakes happen, so he politely reminded them that he needed the queso then waited another five minutes. He didn’t complain or make a scene. He just waited. When the queso was brought to him, an employee told him that it might be a little cold. Not even an apology was offered. It’s this kind of attitude donned by workers that makes UH a not-so-friendly place for students. What must visitors think when they visit us? You’d think everyone would be appreciative of their jobs because someone out there would be more than willing to take their place, probably for less money and with a better attitude. We at The Daily Cougar all appreciate the opportunities we’re given. We’re aware that many universities no longer have school papers, so we work hard and try to earn our keep. It’s a privilege to work, not a right. Students, workers and everyone with roofs over their heads should be thankful, too, because it could be much, much worse.

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.

Friday, April 16, 2010 n 5

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS

COMING MONDAY: See how the UH baseball team fared in its three-game series with Conference USA rival Memphis

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

BASEBALL

UH jumps back into C-USA fray By Tristan Tippet The Daily Cougar The Cougars rediscovered their winning ways when they beat Texas-San Antonio 14-8 on Tuesday, snapping their three-game losing streak and pulling back to within three games of .500. The next task for the Cougars (1417, 2-4 Conference USA) will be to build on that victory and climb back into the C-USA picture when they take on the Memphis Tigers (15-18, 5-4) this weekend, beginning at 6:30 p.m. today at Cougar Field. The Cougars got off to a great start in conference play when they took two out of three against UCF at Cougar Field on March 26-28. Rice then swept the Cougars a week later at Reckling Park. As a result, UH is only one game ahead of Southern Miss’s last place in C-USA. Against Memphis, the series will feature two teams who have struggled all year on the mound. The Cougars’ team ERA is 5.54, while Memphis’ team ERA is 5.94. Just last Tuesday, against UTSA, UH’s pitchers gave up eight runs, including five in the fourth inning, after being staked to a 7-0 lead. Still, head coach Rayner Noble was proud of his pitchers. “You take away that fourth inning, and I think our pitchers really pitched the ball well,” Noble

said. “I was proud of the job our pitchers did, and that’s what we need. We need guys to come out and throw with conviction, and that’s what they did.” The story of the game was Austin Gracey’s three-homer, seven-RBI performance, but the understated performance award goes to lefty Ty Stuckey. Gracey hit a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning, but in the bottom half William Kankel gave up two runs and the score was 10-7 UH. With runners on third and first with two outs, Stuckey struck out Tyler Carpenter to end the rally. “I thought it was big because they had a lot of momentum at the time, and Ty was fabulous. I think what I’m probably going to do is start him Sunday,” Noble said. “That would be nice if Ty can slide into one of those weekend slots. I mean, he’s definitely got the stuff to do that. Tonight he pitched three innings, gave up two hits and struck out six. He had quite a bit on the ball, which was very encouraging.” The Cougars will go up against a Memphis team featuring Chad Zurcher, hitting .414, and Tyler Huelsing, hitting .370 with 11 homeruns. The UH pitching staff’s main issue has been walks, and Memphis doesn’t draw many. The Tigers are last in the conference with 113, but

newton liu The Daily Cougar

Michael Goodnight and the Cougars look to climb the C-USA ladder when they host Memphis for a three-game series this weekend. they can swing the bat with a .305 team batting average. Noble said the key is keeping the ball down in the strike zone, particularly with runners in scoring position.

“We just need to understand that when we pitch, if we keep the ball down, we’ll be fine,” Noble said. “I mean we got hurt Tuesday only because the pitches were elevated, and it just happened to be

with runners in scoring position. So we’ve just got to do a better job of pitching with runners in scoring position.” sports@thedailycougar.com

Tennis

Cougars aim to end season with win By Joachim Clarke The Daily Cougar

NEWTON LIU THE DAILY COUGAR

Laura Ring and the Cougars play their final regular-season match this weekend, hoping to finish on a high note against Conference USA rival UAB.

After posting a 4-3 win over McNeese State on Wednesday, the Cougars will now take on Conference-USA rival UAB in their final match of the regular season at 11 a.m. Sunday at the John E. Hoff Courts. In Wednesday’s contest against McNeese State, the Cougars battled back from a slow start and took both of the final matches in three sets each to secure the victory. Head coach John Severance was pleased with the manner in which the team battled back in the face of adversity. “We squeaked out a win,” Severance said. “We had to be fairly resilient and win both matches that were the last two on, both in three sets. That was a good thing. It showed that we can come back.” Severance said that he thought the team had been too confident entering into Wednesday’s match, but was happy with the final result. “I think they underestimated McNeese a little,” he said. “But with that being said, I have told them time and time again that there are no easy matches.

McNeese was playing on senior day. They had a lot of emotion. They came out firing and set the tone by winning the doubles point so we had to fight back all day. I’m proud of the way that we fought back.” With Sunday’s match coming against a league rival it tends to take on added importance. Severance explained that there are many factors that will make for an exciting match on Sunday. “It means a lot for a few different reasons,” Severance said. “One, it’s our last match of the year. Two, it’s our last home match of the year. It is a conference match and how well we do against UAB can determine our seeding (in the C-USA tournament) so it’s very important. UAB has beaten a few teams that have beaten us this year so we’re going to have to play well.” Severance said that weather might be a factor in the outcome of Sunday’s game. “There’s a little chance of rain on Sunday, so there’s a chance we might go indoors,” said Severance. “It might be an eventful Sunday.” sports@thedailycougar.com

LIFE & ARTS

6 n Friday, April 16, 2010

The Daily Cougar

Japanese games play major role for most gamers By Jeff Jost The Daily Cougar In the world of Japanese roleplaying games, one name stays on the lips and minds of everyone, Final Fantasy. And with the new Final Fantasy XIII now available and players already clamoring over the beta versions of Final Fantasy XIV, I think we are all missing a few unsung gems of the JRPG franchise. One such gem is the Shin Megami Tensei franchise. Some may know SMT as the small subtitle to the recently popular Persona games that came late in the life of the PlayStation 2 to revitalize Persona for a few hardcore JRPG fans. Persona 3 was a PS2-exclusive Japanese game that combined social simulation storytelling with dungeon crawling RPG grinding and a mature, dark overtone. It received great critical acclaim and was moderately popular among fans of Japanese anime and RPGs. It was followed up quickly with a similar sequel, Persona 4, which garnered a similar reaction. But these titles are just a small part of the Persona series, which has been around since the original

PlayStation and is just a part of the SMT franchise, which has existed for even longer. SMT is a series of RPG video games placed in a loosely defined universe, each with different characters, stories, locations and game play styles, similar to the Final Fantasy franchise. The difference is that most SMT games are rated Mature and feature dark storylines about humans crossing over to the world of spirits and demons. It is targeted at an older audience, something players can generally tell. Most SMT games have stories with varying degrees of moral ambiguity, violence and occult references that constantly separate them from the sparkly anime sensibilities of most other JRPG series. One of the mainstays of the series is its slew of demons and spirits that prevail through each game. These are all based on the spirits, demons, ghosts and gods of mythologies from around the world. Simply scrolling through all of these imaginative and creative looking creatures and reading their backstories is a fascinating and long-

Aeria Games

The series Shin Megami Tensei brings players who enjoy games like Final Fantasy new options for Japanese role-playing games.

lasting amusement in each game. In most games, players find themselves fighting against these creatures. In some, the players become the creatures they fight, and in others, the fighter must persuade the creatures to join and fight along side the gamer. SMT has had some success in the U.S., mostly with its recent Persona games, but in Japan it is consistently held as the third-biggest RPG series, just behind Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. The franchise has spawned nearly 40 different games,

many of which are not available in the U.S., over countless consoles and platforms as well as multiple manga and anime adaptations. It’s a massive series, and one with a distinct flair and copious amount of originality. If you are interested in seeing what SMT is all about, there are countless U.S. releases of SMT games for the PS2. Persona 3, Nocturne and Digital Devil Saga are all standouts of the SMT franchise’s stint on the PS2. Also, those with a Nintendo DS can check out Devil

Survivor and the recently released Strange Journey, both critically acclaimed strategy and RPG games for the Nintendo DS. There is also a free-to-play online SMT game, known as Imagine, which, although flawed, is quite a fun alternative for MMORPG gameplay. If you consider yourself a serious fan of JRPGs, than you owe it to yourself to play some Shin Megami Tensei. And if you are new to JRPGs, give it a try; you just might become a fan. arts@thedailycougar.com

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COUGAR COMICS

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Robbie and Bobby by Jason Poland

today’s crossword ACROSS

Hot Dog Stand by Mishele Lamshing

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

Friday, April 16, 2010 n 7

1 Cow’s bellow 5 Bubble — 9 — Dench of films 13 Ottoman title 14 Readied the bow 16 Camelot lady 17 Archeologist’s find 18 Laissez- — 19 Dinner beverage 20 Showroom model 21 Teleflora rival 22 Summits 24 “Damn Yankees” vamp 26 Europe-Asia range 27 Think highly of 30 Mildness 34 Gallup finding 35 Perceptions 36 Cartoon chipmunk 37 Mammoth entrapper 38 Mubarak predecessor 39 Kipling novel 40 Machu Picchu builder 42 Tax pros 43 Irk 45 Male stylist 47 Without warning 48 Word processor choice 49 Opposed 50 Attic 53 Pollen spreader 54 Stoolie 58 Numerical prefix 59 Wipe out a disc 61 Qom’s country 62 Comet, to an ancient 63 Benefactor 64 Pigeon coop 65 Oktober ending 66 Kitchen meas. 67 Sufficient, in verse

DOWN

1 Minstrel 2 Malaria symptom 3 Passing fancy 4 Skin softener

21 24

Wednesday 1.00 Dom draft/2.00 well

64 66

4 1 Offend 43 — on the dog 44 Large building 46 Catwoman, to Batman 47 Villains’ smiles 49 Early moralist 50 Blunder 51 Pinnacle 52 AAA suggestions 53 Censors 55 Tailor’s need 56 Its HQ is Brussels 57 Was in on 60 Compost

2009 United Feature Syndicate INC.

Previous puzzle solved D E AM M I P R F A T H A T A M P

C O C O

K F RO R R U P E I D E M I S E L A B E L I N E S X ON E A S I A F I T M L R E B S S UME S MA V R I P P E D U D I R A P L L E S L A E E R E I D

N E A P

D S A G E A G A L L E G A GOD A Y OO B E A N B A E D S I D G RO A R A C R NO T C H E U K E K NO T T E I D OO Z T E NOR E R E L A

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9-week beer pong tournament Win a vacation for 2

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E R O S G E N E S D E A N

SPORTS

8 n Friday, April 16, 2010

The Daily Cougar

Softball

Cougars head to Tulsa in search of happy trails By Chris Losee The Daily Cougar The Cougars are traveling to Tulsa, Okla., this weekend for a threegame Conference USA series against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. This weekend’s series will kick off with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex. The final game of this weekend’s series will start at noon on Sunday. Coached under John Bargfeldt, the Golden Hurricane posted a 40-17 record last season. This year Tulsa (22-17, 6-3 C-USA) sits sixth in league standings, but is coming off a loss to No. 9 Oklahoma State on Wednesday. The Cougars have won nine out of their last 13 battles with Tulsa. “Tulsa is at the top of the conference (in talent),” said UH head coach Kyla Holas. “I think they have real solid pitching and probably the best offensive player in the conference.” Tulsa’s Lauren Lindsay, whom Holas referenced, comes in batting .444 with 17 homers and 44 RBIs. On

Monday, she was awarded the Co-CUSA Hitter of the Week. The Cougars are coming off of a five-game homestand, in which UH (23-19, 8-7) outscored its opponents 46-4. Designated hitter Reina Gaber joined Lindsay as Co-C-USA Hitter of the Week and freshman righthander Bailey Watts was recognized as the C-USA Pitcher of the Week. With a 0-11 road record, the Cougars are looking to prove they can succeed away from home. “So far, we have not traveled well,” Holas said, “so we are going to have to deal with why we do not travel well and we are going to have to deal with what TU is going to bring.” The Cougars have had a week to prepare for this weekend’s road trip. During practice, they concentrated on defense and pitching drills, but the main focus was hitting. “We need to work on some of those offensive situations,” Holas said. “So that we are executing all the time, not just a few people.” sports@thedailycougar.com

DUCE USE CYCLE

KENDRA BERGLUND THE DAILY COUGAR

The Cougars will swing for the fences when they travel to Tulsa, Okla., for a three-game set against the Golden Hurricane. UH is looking for its first road win of the season.

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