Issue 138, Volume 75 by The Cougar

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Labor issues with farmers in Florida leads to law implementation

By Michelle Villarreal The daily cougar UH food service provider Aramark buys 90 percent of its tomatoes from Florida, where a controversy of labor abuse has generated. On April 1, Aramark signed a nationwide contract to work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, agreeing to abide by fair labor laws in the tomato fields and to increase pay by at least 1 cent to benefit farmers. “Most workers must pick two and half tons of tomatoes in a 12hour work day to make $50, which is impossible … they are making about $27 a day,” Fair Labor Action Committee co-founder Brendan Laws said. “So instead of getting 40 to 50 cents for a 32-pound bucket, the agreement ensures that they get almost double that. “This means at grocery stores the tomatoes may be 99 cents; well, the increase would be up to a dollar. Not a huge difference, but to the farm workers, it makes a huge difference because that almost doubles what they make.” The agreement also addresses the growing problem of labor abuse. “Modern day slavery is still a prevalent issue in Florida,” Laws said. “Since 1997, there have been seven convicted cases of slavery in Florida, and the latest was convicted in 2008 where men were chained inside a panel truck, brought out during the day to work and then chained again at night.” Laws said that some farmers take extreme measures to free themselves. “One man had to break a hole through the roof of a panel truck, escape, go get a ladder to help the others get out and then went to the coalition office to get help where they were able to protect the workers,” Laws said. The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, a council of major landowners that grow tomatoes in Florida, has several companies that agreed to the pay increase. Some did not comply with the implementation because they felt uninvolved in the decision-making. “Big landowners in the past have see FARMERS, page 3

WEATHER » hi

85 Lo 58

Forecast, Page 2

Issue 138, Volume 75

UH food provider signs contract

years

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Professors dissect energy UH named the most ‘environmentally stable’ university gg

By Neal Dasgupta The daily cougar The 14th annual Scholarship and Community Conference was held Friday at the UH Hilton Hotel, where scholars discussed the future of energy. The scholars presented plans to meet the demand for energy in the future and discussed traditional energy sources, as well as possible alternative energy. Geology professor Janok Bhattacharya talked about his company, Deltaic Systems, and stated that new technology will not hinder the importance of energy sources. “Despite all the importance of new technologies that will be

required, they will never replace (energy sources),” Bhattacharya said. “They will simply augment our continued reliance on fossil fuels, coal and natural gas.” Chemical and biochemical engineering professor Michael Harold discussed ways to improve traditional energy sources by increasing utilization of diesel. “We’ve been working with the diesel center for about three years, and that spawned from a grant from the city of Houston and then a larger grant from the state of Texas,” Harold said. “Diesel fuel has not been an alternative energy source, but it’s a good energy source. It’s more efficient, and our role is to develop new technology to make it cleaner.” While most of the scholars agreed that the current energy sources are valuable, several scholars said they believe that alternative and more efficient energy sources could be

Neal dasgupta The Daily Cougar

The 14th Annual Scholarship and Community Conference was held Friday at the UH Hilton to discuss the future of energy in Houston. utilized. Allan Jacobson, the director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity and the Center for Materials

Chemistry, presented plans that will make superconductivity a focal see ENERGY, page 3

NASA plan to assist UH research By Sarah Raslan The daily cougar

the Kukulcan program, but have not been comfortable sending students to Monterrey, for instance.” The Kukulcan program is located in Cuernavaca, where the killing of the leader of the Beltran Leyva cartel has caused a power struggle. Sol Education Abroad is one of the companies affiliated with UH that offers study abroad programs. Sol Director Esteban Lardone

President Barack Obama’s recent proposal for the space program not only effects NASA, but also UH researchers. “The proposal that President Barack Obama has put on the table to emphasize developing deep space exploration technologies, with a goal of going to Mars, is right up our alley,” physics and electrical and computer engineering professor Edgar Bering said. “This is potentially a real benefit to our project.” Bering and the UH Space Physics Group are attempting to build the world’s first commercial highpowered deep space motor. Their goal is to create a deep space motor that uses a different scheme than chemical rockets. The motor would be used for shipping bulk cargo, such as steel and water, to outer space. “For space flight beyond low Earth orbit, particularly if you are going to the moon, chemical rockets are the way to get there fast,” Bering said. “If speed is not a problem, like for shipping cargo, then you really want to use a different scheme. For deep space beyond Earth orbit altogether, you will definitely need to use a different scheme.” NASA stopped funding this project in 2006 when NASA Administrator Mike Griffin cut off all funding for

see PROGRAMS, page 3

see NASA, page 3

Clayton prime The Daily Cougar

Dodging for a cause Tau Kappa Epsilon sponsored “Dodge Balls, Not Bullets,” a dodge ball tournament on Saturday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center to help the “Kelsey Buzzanco Memorial Scholarship Fund” that members set up to educate the UH community about suicide prevention and danger of guns. Their prospective goal is $10,000, which will allow an endowed scholarship of $500 per year to any Greek council fraternity or sorority.

Program halts trips to Mexico By Jared Luck The daily cougar Escalating gang violence in Mexico has some Texas universities canceling study-abroad programs and field trips to the country. Mexico is on pace to make 2010 it’s most lethal year since a military crackdown on drug cartels began. UH Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Studies and Programs Jerald Strickland said that while his

department will certainly discourage students from traveling to Northern Mexico, the school would not restrict study abroad programs farther south. “Until recently, and to the best of my knowledge, nothing has gone on at all down south of Mexico City,” Strickland said. “So we did not recall our student who was in Cuernavaca, but rather he returned at the end of the program on April 15. “Until now, we have been comfortable sending students to

2 n Monday, April 26, 2010

The Daily Cougar

What’s hot on thedailycougar.com BLOGS »»Entry Name: How the health care bill will reform U.S. meals Just as dining out was a much different experience four, three, even a single decade ago, very soon the grazing grounds will drastically change in America yet again, though this time for the better. President Obama’s lengthy health care reform, signed into law in March, mandates that restaurants with more than 20 locations must post the calorie counts of foods on their menus, preferably next to the items’ prices. The requirement also applies to vending machines, which could result in better nutrition choices for kids in schools and cubicle workers whose idea of “eating out” is walking down the hall to grab a single-serving cheap treat. The idea was not fostered from reform mastermind Obama, as an overhaul in nutritional health policy has shadowed the awareness of legislators for years. The restaurant industry has resisted the changes, making only smaller degrees of improvement possible until recently. “The historic legislation that President Barack Obama will

sign will do so much to give more Americans access to health care, but it also does much to help prevent disease in the first place,” said Center for Science in the Public Interest nutrition policy director Margo G. Wootan. “Menu labeling at restaurants will help make First Lady Michelle Obama’s mission to reduce childhood obesity just a little bit easier.” Some resaurants have already posted nutrition facts prior to the landmark reform bill due to the public’s increasing hunger for easily accessible information.\ infocus.thedailycougar.com

»»Entry Name:

“Stationary”: A look at the city This year’s Houstonian is capping off at roughly 300 pages, only 32 pages of which will be produced in color. To celebrate our photography staff’s use of color, we’re working on a photo essay which we hope both embodies Houston’s cityscape in 2010. The expansion of the Houston’s light rail in the coming years will continue to reshape our city’s image, with mass transit corridors slated to run through Houston’s Third Ward, East End and northwest neighborhoods. Read more at yearbook. thedailycougar.com

COMMENTS

CAMPUS BEAT FORECAST

Re: “Apple right to reject Adobe Flash” —

“Seriously? Of course, Apple wants to control it’s own market so it can make more money. Why is making money a bad thing all of a sudden? That’s how they stay in business.” — Daily Cougar User “Esk3” Re: “Perry used inappropriate forum to criticize Obama”—

“It’s called politics. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Kindly please shut your grotty trap, Daily Cougar, if you don’t like a taste of your own medicine. You clearly established that you’re of a Democratic agenda. If that’s how Perry wants to campaign, then let him do as he will …” — -Daily Cougar User “Zed”

Tuesday

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TODAY Don’t Stress: It’s Only Finals: 10-11 a.m., Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, Room 1038. These are workshops offered through UH Wellness, a department of Learning and Assessment Services in the Division of Student Affairs. They promote various dimensions of wellness and are offered to support student development, increase retention and provide students with skill-building opportunities throughout the semester. For more information, contact Gaylyn Maurer at gmaurer@uh.edu Rockwell Lecture: 6-8:30 p.m., Hilton UH. With sweat streaming down his back and thorny shrubs shredding his arms, Dr. Nathan Wolfe has stalked viruses through the jungles of Malaysia and the deserts of Sub-Saharan Africa. As founder and director of the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative, an acclaimed research institute monitoring outbreaks in Africa and Asia, Wolfe focuses his research on discovering new threatening viruses where they first emerge, in the belief that knowledge about diseases origins will lead to a cure for the next pandemic

CO R R E C T I O N S gg

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health threat. The event is free, but space is limited. Please RSVP by calling 713743-2255.

TUESDAY T-Mobile Movie Night: 5-9 p.m., UC Cougar Den. T-Mobile presents the movie, Zombieland. Social Hour will be held from 5-6 p.m. During the social hour, students can network with T-Mobile employees from multiple business lines and learn about T-Mobile, the devices, services and opportunities to jump start their career. T-Mobile will be providing refreshments, food and a chance for a student to win a HTC HD2. For more information, contact T-Mobile at christine. mann@t-mobile.com 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

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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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Monday, April 26, 2010 n 3

track

Burrell honored at Penn Relays for prestigious career By John Brannen The Daily Cougar The Cougars had a productive weekend at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, competing among the nation’s best teams in front of an audience of 54,310 Saturday. It was also homecoming for head coach Leroy Burrell, who was honored at the meet. Meet officials announced Friday that Burrell would be inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame based solely on his past performances at the meet as an athlete. Burrell competed at the meet in high school,

ENERGY continued from page 1

point of energy sources. “UH is involved in our plans through the Superconductivity Center and because we have a major effort in the (center) to advance high power cables using superconductors that were discovered here to transmit large watts of power on the electricity

PROGRAMS continued from page 1

said the company believes its Mexico program based in Oaxaca to be very safe for students. “Oaxaca City is over 1,500 miles away from the border, where all the violence is going on,” Lardone said. “A lot of the citizens of Oaxaca don’t even know that there’s a drug war going on.” Lardone said he blames the media for blowing violent incidents

FARMERS continued from page 1

said they agree to the terms, but they profit off the low wages of the workers,” Laws said. “When the farm workers are involved, it is in their best interest to get paid higher because they want the best for the people in their community.” Though Aramark is legally bound to buy tomatoes only from companies that have signed the contract, they also have to enforce an ethical code of conduct that ensures no slavery, violence and workers abuse and involves worker’s participation with wages.

NASA continued from page 1

electric propulsion in 2005. His plan was to have the Mars mission in 2035 and start funding the research again in 2020. It’s currently funded by the Ad Astra Rocket Company, with resources provided by private investors. “He needed the money for constellation … (which) was the eggplant that ate Chicago. It was eating every other resource,” Bering said. “Franklin Chang-Diaz had already privatized the project at that point. It became a private company, the Ad Astra Rocket Co. in 2005. It has been funding my research ever since.” Obama’s space plan makes deep

as a Cougar and as a professional after leaving UH. With family and friends present, Burrell said he was proud of the induction. “I’ve had some really special moments here and to be honored for that is special,” Burrell told the Delaware County Daily Times. “Anytime you get an honor in your hometown, where people are familiar with you and feel that you deserve some recognition, that’s special.” As for this year’s meet, several UH athletes had strong showings. Whitney Harris advanced to the

finals of the 100-meter dash and placed sixth with a time of 11.60 seconds. The women’s 4x100-meter relay team won its section with a time of 44.29 seconds. The team consisted of Christie Jones, Whitney Harris, Quin’shundolyn McPherson and Grecia Bolton, who anchored the relay. The Cougars were fractions of a second away from the meet record of 44.24 set in 2005 by Texas. Burrell has said he feels the women’s 4x100-meter relay team can be competitive at the upcoming NCAA Championship meet. The women’s 4x200-relay finished

fourth with a 1 minute, 32.69-second finish. Kalyn Floyd replaced McPherson on this relay. The women’s 4x400-meter relay placed 19th out of more than 75 teams but failed to advance past the preliminaries, running a split of 3 minutes, 41 seconds. The men’s 4x400-meter relay team finished fourth in 3 minutes, 9.46 seconds. Errol Nolan was the first leg, followed by Joseph Irabor and Garret Hughey and anchored by Doug Kelley. The Cougars got to share the track with the sport’s most recognized athlete, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. Bolt

anchored the Jamaican 4x100-meter relay team, running the leg in 8.79 seconds. The Jamaicans finished in 37.90 to beat the U.S. team, which placed second in 38.33 seconds. The Cougars will now begin preparing for the championship portion of the season. The Conference USA Championships will be held May 13-16 in Orlando, Fla. Afterward, the Cougars head to Austin to compete in the NCAA West Regional on May 28-29 in hopes of advancing to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore.

grid,” Jacobson said. “That’s the biggest thing that we’re involved in.” Jacobson said that the center plays an even more significant role in energy development for the future. “Four years ago, we set up a separate division in energy research, and we brought in a number of other programs into that area outside of superconductivity,” Jacobson said. “Most recently,

we started something called the Applied Research Hub, which is designed primarily to advance applications of high temperature superconductors. It’s also set up in a way that will advance applications of other energy areas in conjunction and cooperation with industry.” The conference featured a speech by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who commended UH President Renu Khator and discussed

Houston’s importance as a top energy provider. “Here we are in Houston, the energy capital of the world, because we have people here who really dedicate their lives in the pursuit of energy. Not only here in the U.S., but around the world,” Dewhurst said. UH Assistant Vice President for University Services Emily Messa said that UH also looks to be an energy giant because of its recent

success of receiving high marks as an environment-friendly campus. “UH, I am proud to say, was named among the nation’s most environmentally responsible universities by the Princeton Review this week,” Messa said. “So, I am proud to say that the future of UH looks green, and we will continue to be a leader in sustainability and energy.”

on the U.S.-Mexico border out of proportion, citing a report by the State Department saying only 669 of the 45 million Americans to visit Mexico from the time period of January 2005 to December 2007 had died “non-natural” deaths, a survival rate of 99.9 percent. However, on April 12, a confidential State Department report given to lawmakers and obtained by the Associated Press revealed that from January to March of this year, 3,365 people have been killed in drug-related violence. Since 2006,

more than 23,000 people have been killed. And while the border region is where the majority of the violence occurs, southern states like Oaxaca are not completely protected. The Latin American Herald-Tribune reported that on March 25 in Tuxtepec, a city just 130 miles north of Oaxaca City, nine people, including seven civilians, were killed in a shootout between gunmen and the military. Mexico has joined Kenya, Mali and Nepal, three countries UH also offers

as study abroad destinations, on a list of countries with travel warnings published by the State Department over the last 12 months. “India is on the State Department travel warning list; we travel in India all the time,” Strickland said. “Regarding the alerts and even some of the warnings on the Department of State Web site you’ll find countries that will surprise you. But there are sections of these countries that you’d consider safe, and others where it’s not so safe.” Ultimately, Strickland said

he and the international studies department “don’t control the lives of students,” and that though students are free to travel wherever they wish, they may not be allowed to enroll through UH in courses taken in a location the university does not endorse. “All you can do is get the best advice you can and make your own decisions,” Strickland said. “But as far as university sponsorship, we’re very, very careful.”

FLAC based a recent campaign around tomatoes because the CIW is specifically involved with tomato farm workers. “This is a way to help farm workers and is an area that has been very successful,” Laws said. “It is similar to the United Farm Workers movement in California in the 60s and 70s behind Cesar Chavez, where the tomatoes are just one aspect of the consumption that can help farm workers and part of the larger scheme of things. “If these farm workers are helped, it sets an example for other farm workers. If these farm workers can make a better change for themselves, then other farm workers can be

inspired and do similar things.” Aramark and Compass Group have agreed to the food service campaign, so FLAC is now focused on its grocery store campaign, which targets the second largest grocery store retailer in the country, Kroger. Members said they are continuing to fight for human rights and towards a fair food industry by joining the Farm Workers March in Florida. “We are trying to get grocery stores to make the same agreement,” Laws said. “We just want Kroger to do the right thing, like they should be doing already.”

space exploration a priority, but does not include taking man back to the moon. “One of the applications of our engine would be a commercially built lunar transport tug to take cargo from the Earth orbit to the moon,” Bering said. “That particular business plan may suffer from Obama’s plan to not go back to the moon, because there would be a whole lot less need to take cargo to the moon.” Obama’s plan also encourages private exploration of space and to get as much as possible done by the commercial private sector. With all the attention on deep space, there are discussions of NASA funding the project again underway. “It’s exciting right now because what we have done for years has become the top priority,” Bering

news@thedailycougar.com

said. “There is a lot of interest in what we’re doing, and all of a sudden, we’re getting a lot of focus.” The Ad Astra Company and the UH Space Physics Group are scheduled to fly a test version of their engine on the International Space Station in 2013. “At that point, we will actually be in a position to sell our engine,” Bering said. “I’m not going to comment on the president’s decision, because there is a lot of emotion in that area and a lot of people who are very angry and upset in this community. But at the same time a lot of us can see that there is a lot to be said in favor of the president’s decision, and our project is going to benefit.” news@thedailycougar.com

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Teaching Opportunities in Pasadena ISD Plan to attend our Career Choice Seminar:

SATURDAY, May 1st 2010 @ 10AM at the Beverly Hills/Challenger Location:

11111 Beamer Houston, TX 77089

The Pasadena ISD Alternative Teacher Certification Program is offering Career Choice Seminars for anyone interested in becoming a Texas certified teacher. Potential candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or above by May 2010 and must have an overall GPA of 2.5 on the 4.0 system in ALL semester hours attempted or a 2.7 GPA in the last 60 hours attempted. The application deadline for the 2010-2011 academic year is May 14, 2010 The seminars will provide an opportunity for potential candidates to learn about our program and the areas of certification offered.

For more information, please call:

(713) 740-0029

also, visit our website at: www.pasadenaisd.org/atcp

4 n Monday, April 26, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

COMING TUESDAY: Why does no one care about radical Muslims threatening to kill South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker over their depiction of Muhammad?

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

Stopping air travel not good enough answer to eruptions

W Dick Hite Jr. The Daily Cougar

Online job sites provide little help With only a few days left in the semester, thousands of soon-to-be college graduates are eagerly looking forward to finishing college and securing full-time jobs. It’s no secret that job opportunities are even Callie rarer now than they Thompson were only five years ago. Students seeking those few open positions need to be wary of companies that sound too good to be true. When I first realized I needed to get on the hunt for a true career and leave behind the three part-time jobs I have so thoroughly enjoyed throughout my college career, I didn’t truly know where to begin. So I did what most college students do — look for answers on the Internet. After several days of searching Yahoo Jobs and Craigslist without much success, I decided to try a new approach. I went to Monster.com and created a personal profile, which ended up being more of a hassle than I wanted to deal with because the profile page had multiple sections where I was supposed to give information

regarding my past work history, hobbies and character traits. Despite the inconvenience, I went ahead and filled out most of the profile sections, uploaded my resume and then waited to see if I would get any job offers. There was even a box to upload a picture of myself and a counter that kept track of how many “employers” had viewed my resume. At this point, I thought I was all set. Employers would come to me and I would soon have a job lined up. Well, employers did contact me. I quickly realized, however, that the only ones responding to my resume were life insurance companies. I have never and will never work for an insurance company or any other type of commissioned-based sales employer. I am much more apt to be a pushover than a pushy person. Not only that, but the e-mails from these companies were going directly into my spam mail folder — a direct indication that they shouldn’t be trusted. The companies love to throw out big income numbers. Sure, if you’re a really

successful workaholic, you might be able to gross more than $75,000 a year, but in the case of an insurance company, that would mean you’d have to sell a ton of policies. Even though I’m now able to spot these “non-jobs” upon seeing them, I can’t seem to get rid of the e-mails. At the bottom of each one is a message that states something along the lines of, “To avoid future updates from us, please go to our output link.” The phrase “output link” is written in blue as to indicate that it contains an embedded Web site link. But when I scroll my mouse over the words, nothing happens. So now I’m left with the hassle of trying to figure out how to make them stop. Posting my resume on Monster.com seemed like a good idea at first, but now I’ve grown to regret it. It causes people who are simply looking for sources of income to become victims of dishonest companies. If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Callie Thompson is a communication senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

Abstinence nothing to brag about Many people like talking about sex, be it a group of girls giggling in the library or a married couple in the privacy of their home. Squeaky-clean celebrities such as Liz Price Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus aren’t only famous for their mediocre television shows on the Disney Channel. They too like to talk about sex — how they’re not having any. These celebrities flaunt their purity rings and talk openly about their faith as legions of little girls hang on to each and every word they say. Expressing a personal decision about whether to stay pure until marriage isn’t a new phenomenon, either. When many of us were teenagers, Britney Spears ruled the pop world. Every little girl knew each and every word to “Baby One More Time,” and although they may not have known its meaning, they all

knew that Spears was resolved to stay a virgin until marriage. As we all know now, that didn’t quite happen, as she got caught in her trailer with future-husband Kevin Federline. Celebrities are people too; they make mistakes. But at the end of the day, it isn’t appropriate for people to talk about their sexual choices publicly, even if it’s a choice society applauds. Making the choice to abstain until marriage is a true commitment, one most consider admirable, but there is nothing worse than breaking one’s word. Nobody likes a hypocrite. When a person flaunts their sexual escapades — or lack thereof — in such a public way, it makes them and what they standing lose credibility. As a Christian college student, I constantly see my peers join purity groups on Facebook and openly flaunt their morality, only to get drunk over spring

break and lose their virginity. After this happens, their purity rings become signs of failed missions. Or, worse, they continue to wear their rings so as not to openly reveal their failures to family or church members. This is not to say everyone should throw their rings away; wearing one represents a person’s promise to themself. People shouldn’t, however, commit to things they can’t realistically commit to. The choice to abstain should be a personal choice between a person and God or a person and their significant other, not between a person and society. Just as it’s inappropriate to brag about sleeping around, it’s equally inappropriate and self-promoting to brag about not doing so, especially if you’re not going to follow through. Liz Price is a communication junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

ith the volcano eruption in Iceland leading to the shutdown of thousands of flights in Europe each day, the issue has been raised of whether society is overreacting — which it tends to do in times of natural disasters — or if the right steps are being taken to protect passengers. Many people are thinking twice about traveling regardless of the availability of flights. Some are comparing the reactions to air travel with those of terrorist attacks or threats. After Sept. 11, it took some time for fears about air travel to subside. Others, however, are ready to get back in the air because they have business to attend to. People who planned vacations in Europe are more than likely eager to take them and are simply waiting until travel is allowed. The mixed feelings of whether people are willing to fly leads to the ultimate thought of how people should react when it comes to natural disasters. Our society has become used to being in control, but when it comes to natural disasters, there’s really no option to take but the wait-andsee approach. Fear inevitably arises when people don’t know how bad such a disaster is. People tend to overreact. Look at how Houstonians approach hurricanes. When Rita was bearing down on the city in September 2005, Mayor Bill White encouraged everyone to not wait and evacuate immediately. Traffic was mayhem, and gas was sold out across the city. Rather than considering how bad the hurricane would be, news stations centered their attention on previous strong-category strikes in Houston decades ago. Instead of assuming the worst, it’s important to examine every situation separately instead of over dramatizing things. This is exactly what’s happening with Iceland’s volcanic ash; airlines should simply use alternate routes and avoid those regions rather than shutting down completely. Although it may in fact be better to be safe than sorry, it’s also better to learn from experience and attempt to effectively deal with naturally hazardous situations.

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.

Sports

The Daily Cougar

Monday, April 26, 2010 n 5

red & white game

football

Onobun drafted by Rams

UH gets defensive in spring game By John Brannen The Daily Cougar The Cougars accomplished their main objective of getting through the annual Red & White game with zero injured players. As for the game itself, they may have achieved a more impressive goal of flexing some of the defensive muscle they spent the offseason toning. The White team, which consisted of defensive players, was victorious over the offensive Red 72-52 on Saturday at Robertson Stadium. Utilizing a scoring system drawn up by head coach Kevin Sumlin, which awarded points to the defense for anything from turnovers to three-and-outs, the Red team led by as many as 20 points in the first half, but the White team rallied to take a 47-35 lead at the half and never looked back. The Cougars’ defense was the most criticized unit last season, but after 15 practices, two scrimmages and the Red & White game to cap off the spring season, the defense looks to be on the rise. Sumlin said that while improving defensively is the top priority, he wants the team to improve as a whole. “Hopefully we’ll improve across the board. We have to improve on defense obviously, we have a

new scheme and a bunch (of) new people and new coaches,” Sumlin said. “We’ve only had 15 practices, so we still have a bunch to do when it comes to fall camp, but hopefully we can take what we’ve done this spring and get better.” The Cougars ran a 3-4 defensive scheme most of the game while the offense ran plays exclusively from the shotgun formation. Quarterback Case Keenum was 11-of-18 for 164 yards and exited after the first quarter. The Cougars’ offense is known as a pass-happy one, but with the development of running back Charles Sims, a consistent running game will be a focal point for Sumlin next season. Sims finished with 18 rushing yards on three attempts and two receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. The standout on offense was receiver Kierrie Johnson, who finished with six receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Sumlin said he hopes Johnson can become a more consistent performer so he can be utilized properly in the offense next season. Johnson said he hopes his success in the spring carries over to the regular season. “It’s my last spring game, so I just wanted to go out with a bang,” Johnson said. “I think it’s going to be a great season for me. I’m just going to work hard through

By Phillipe Craig The Daily Cougar

somebody leaves more upset,” he said. “We were opportunistic and our guys competed. I think that competition level creates a better team. I’m pleased with our team’s speed, and I think it shows up in how we’re playing.” The Cougars will now prepare for summer workouts before kicking off the 2010 season at home against Texas State on Sept. 4.

In professional sports, there are countless tales of athletes who claim they were better at something other than the game in which they make their livelihood. Be it a running back who was an all-state point guard in high school or a first baseman who was a starting quarterback in college, pros often have to make a decision as to which sport will carry them to the next level. For former UH tight end Fendi Onobun, that moment came after a four-year basketball career at Arizona. Onobun had a contract to play basketball overseas waiting to be signed, but he also had an itch to give football another shot. It was also a risk that culminated in Onobun being selected by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft on Saturday. “I’m a big believer that God orders steps and that ever since Day 1 my steps have been ordered,” said Onobun, who admitted he hadn’t gotten much sleep in the 24 hours since being selected. “I’m just thankful.

sports@thedailycougar.com

jairo razo The Daily Cougar

John McIntyre and his defensive teammates on the White team enjoyed their time on the field in the annual Red-White game, coming away with a 72-52 victory over the offense. summer and, when the season starts, roll off fast. “I’m not going to make any predictions. I’m just going to work hard and whatever happens, happens.” Sumlin said it is difficult to gauge the team’s progress when teammates face off against each other, but he was optimistic because of the overall speed on the team. “When you play yourself,

baseball

Cougars’ pitching woes continue By Tristan Tippet The Daily Cougar This weekend’s Conference USA series between UH and Southern Miss in Hattiesberg, Miss., turned out to be a pitching nightmare for the Cougars. The Golden Eagles, who prior to the series were in last place in C-USA, scored 31 runs off the Cougars’ pitching staff. The Golden Eagles swept the Cougars, who have dropped five of their last six games and fallen into last place in C-USA. Sunday’s 8-5 defeat left UH at 16-22 overall and 4-8 in conference play. “We really struggled on the mound all weekend. That’s really been our Achilles’ heel of late, and it continued to show up,” head coach Rayner Noble said. “We didn’t have one starting pitcher go out there and really give us much of a chance.” Noble said the pitchers have

been up in the strike zone and the result has been multiple extra-base hits. “We’re just getting everything elevated, and what killed us was we gave up home runs,” Noble said. “We just give up too many doubles, triples and home runs. We just need pitchers to start getting the ball down.” Lefty Taylor Hammack started Friday’s 10-9 loss, allowing two runs in the first inning. UH responded with one run in the second and two in the third to take a 3-2 lead. It didn’t last long, however, as Southern Miss scored three runs off Hammack in the bottom of the third to take a 5-3 lead. Hammack lasted only 2 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on eight hits. But the Cougars answered with two runs in the fourth to tie the score at 5. Southern Miss (21-17, 5-7) scored a run in the fifth inning off reliever Mo Wiley to move ahead

6-5, but the Cougars answered in the sixth inning with four runs to take a 9-6 lead. That would be the last time the Cougars would score though. The Golden Eagles scored a run in the sixth and three in the seventh to pull off the comeback win. Michael Goodnight made his team-leading 11th start of the season Saturday, but it would be his worst. The Golden Eagles scored six runs in the third inning off Goodnight, who lasted only 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits and four walks and suffering the loss in the Cougars’ 13-4 defeat. The six runs were the most allowed by Goodnight. James Conlee replaced Goodnight and was even worse. Conlee gave up four runs in the fifth, and UH trailed 10-0 after five. UH finally got on the board with three runs in the sixth inning, but

justin flores The Daily Cougar

Michael Goodnight and his mound mates took their lumps in a three-game sweep at the hands of Southern Miss over the weekend and now find themselves in last place in Conference USA. Southern Miss scored three more in the bottom of the sixth to squash any chance at a comeback. Matt Creel, who usually comes out of the bullpen, started Sunday in hopes of helping UH avoid the sweep, but he struggled, too. Creel gave up five runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. UH cut the deficit to 5-4 on a three-run homer by Joel Ansley in

the top of the fifth, but Southern Miss scored two in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead back to three. The Cougars scored only one more run as Southern Miss went on to complete the sweep. UH moves on to face Sam Houston at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Huntsville. sports@thedailycougar.com

softball

Cougars raid Pirates’ loot in final C-USA home series By Chris Losee The Daily Cougar After splitting Saturday’s Conference USA doubleheader against the first-place East Carolina Pirates, the Cougars went on to take Sunday’s finale 4-2. In Saturday’s opener, the Cougars (26-22, 10-10) fell 1-0 before

bouncing back to take the nightcap 4-3. Sunday’s contest was also the last regular-season home game for the Cougars. Head coach Kyla Holas said this weekend’s success came down to situational hitting. “We finally hit with a runner at second — that was our key situation that has been plaguing us all year,”

she said. “It was one of those things that when we were able to score with a runner at second, we would start winning some games.” Freshman pitcher Bailey Watts (12-9) took the mound on Sunday and fanned six batters while allowing five hits on the day. She started off the first inning by walking two batters and allowing a run.

The Cougars answered in the bottom of the first by scoring two runs off the bats of Melissa Gregson and Reina Gaber. The duo teamed up again in the bottom of the third to produce another run, extending the lead to 3-1 after Gaber doubled in Gregson. The Pirates (31-16, 10-5) closed the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth.

Gaber answered back in the bottom frame by singling up the middle, scoring Holly Anderson. The Cougars made the 4-2 advantage stand up the rest of the way. The Cougars return to C-USA action this weekend with a road series against Marshall. sports@thedailycougar.com

LIFE & ARTS

6 n Monday, April 26, 2010

The Daily Cougar

Houston celebrates its international roots By Donnia Nasseri The Daily Cougar Over the weekend, Houstonians converged at the International Festival. For the past 20 years, this festival has highlighted a different region, with this year’s event paying tribute to the Caribbean. Many streets in downtown Houston were blocked off for the mass of tents and booths to celebrate the different countries and cultures. The International Festival fosters good will with other countries in an effort to stimulate international trade. Houston’s diversity makes it a natural catalyst for trade. The International Festival is run by a non-profit organization. The proceeds from ticket sales go directly back to the festival, helping it to improve annually by bringing in more culturally focused exhibition every year. The first thing that hits you when you enter the festival is the smell of the amazing food. The air was cut with the smell of savory national delicacies. From Chinese and Mexican food to Greek and Caribbean food, there was no way that someone could be there and not try the food. When people were not shopping, they were eating. As if the smell of the food wasn’t enough to catch your interest, the creative booths set up all down the street had something that would catch your eye. Cooking shows let you in on the secrets of everything from national dishes to foreign

luxuries. Commodities included items such as belly dancing scarves to authentic African clothing. The Latin booths had special items such as handmade finger puppets, purses and instruments that gave a feeling of immersion into the culture. The festival included a Caribbean-themed zone to help Houston youths appreciate and learn more about the culture. The zone included an interactive playground with Bob Marley portraits that had famous sayings such as “One love” and “None but ourselves can free our mind.” There was also a historic castle and boat that the kids could go inside and play while reading random facts on the wall. While walking around, patrons were greeted with different music that was played by locals in between the different sections while enjoying the sights. Along with the food, came entertainment. Several stages were set up to display the different types of music along with the culture attached to it. The main stage, which had a Caribbean theme, featured special guest Kira, who was a member of the group Soul Sisters. Her upbeat attitude and inspirational music had everyone shaking their hips. Music and food were also accommodated with the different arts from different countries. There was a definite difference between the art from different cultures. arts@thedailycougar.com

jack wehman The Daily Cougar

Thousands of people showed up this weekend to the International Festival to take in the food, music and artwork of different cultures in Houston.

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Driver’s License Training School near campus has required DPS program. 713-227-4409 at 4009 Polk. Fertility Resources of Houston

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T HE M AGN OL I A is currently seeking individuals for the following positions:

Front Desk Agent Restaurant Server Banquet Server PT All positions require proof of work eligibility upon hire date. Magnolia Houston performs criminal background checks and is a drug free workplace. Apply in person at 1100 Texas Avenue. HR hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, from 11am to 1pm. Email resume to sferoze@magnoliahotels.com or applications can also be filled out online. AA/EOE

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Looking for receptionist • Full time summer job • Hours from 7:30am to 4:30pm • Clerical work, such as: • Answer phones & take messages • Type bids • Ship parts • Run errands • Paid holidays • Medical insurance available

call 713-782-6776 Tutors Needed For Fall

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rentalS ONE BDRM APT Medical Center $525/ mon. One Bdrm Apt Medical center $660/mon. One Bdrm Apt Medical Center $752/mon with Washer/Dryer. 713-505-4548 REMODELED ONE BDRM APT. At Greenway Plaza, hardwood floors, new A/C, covered parking $780/month 713444-0710 900 sq feet. Cable ready. Full wash/dry and Dishwasher. Central air and heat Lawn maintenance included! Ready for move-in lmeyer@lucasgroup.com FIND YOUR NEXT BACHELOR PAD. Read The Daily Cougar Classifieds.

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COMICS & MORE

The Daily Cougar

COUGAR COMICS

Find more daily strips at thedailycougar.com/comics

Robbie & Bobby by Jason Poland

Monday, April 26, 2010 n 7

today’s crossword ACROSS

At the 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

1 Scribble down 4 Wind up 9 Exhausts 13 Arizona city 14 Strung along (2 wds.) 15 “En garde” weapon 16 College credit 17 A funny Murphy 18 Chess win 19 Millionaire maker 21 Took on again 23 Of durable wood 25 Larder 26 Players 29 SAC headquarters 31 Knights’ tournament 32 Steel- — boots 33 Invitation addendum 37 Mare’s morsel 38 Most arduous 41 Whisper sweet nothings 42 Eye shade 44 Ale ingredient 45 Puts out heat 47 Thin pancake 49 Orbit extreme 50 Less defined 53 Car deals 55 Vast 57 Woolly clothing 61 Fed a line 62 Roughly 64 “La — Bonita” (Madonna tune) 65 Periodic table info (2 wds.) 66 Vex 67 Torte 68 Goneril’s father 69 Twig-and-mud homes 70 Grads-to-be

DOWN

1 Roman goddess 2 Skip past 3 Arm decor 4 Store workers 5 Tint again 6 Tote up 7 Roulette color

23 26

31 38

43 47

30 33

41 46

54 57

8 Ice-hockey gear 9 Study group 10 Discrete 11 Mr. Jennings 12 Like watermelons 13 Mongkut portrayer 20 Picard’s planet 22 Villain’s cry 24 Chow mein base 26 “This is — — for Superman!” 27 Anthracite 28 Dance wear 30 Keep an appointment 32 Mouse catcher 34 Guzzle 35 November word 36 Ask a question 39 Part of AKC 40 Portable home 43 Andes country 46 Tile murals

2009 United Feature Syndicate INC.

Previous puzzle solved

4 8 Toon Chihuahua 49 On every occasion 50 Not shy 51 Urgent 52 — Davis of film 54 Racetrack or tie 56 Film 58 Industrial giant 59 Wapitis 60 Charlotte of “Bananas” 63 HMO staffers

M O C S E S S A Y L E G S

A G H A

L E I F

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B O A R D L E R O Y G E T

E J O A AM S WO I B O EMO R A N C T E A R C E S T L EM I E T I A C RO S K O E E Z D E

G O R P

S S T S

I S A A C

D E B T S

S O R E

S L A M

ter) niversity Cen U l, e v Le r e (Low

Partially funded by SFAC and your UC Fee.

r o o l F n u F C U e h t n o k e e W s i April 26 - May 2 Th

T-Mobile

Movie Night Presents

Monday 4/26 FIFA 2010 Videogame Tournament 6:30PM

Get a chance to win an HD2

Schoolʼs Out 9 Ball Pool Tournament 6:30PM

Take a Study Break with T-Mobile Movie Night

6:00PM to Closing Billiards $2 per hour, per table *With UH Student ID

University Center Cougar Den Room 12 Tuesday, April 27th

$2 Billiards

Take a study break and join us for an evening as T-Mobile presents the movie Zombieland. Social Hour will be held from 5:00pm and 6:00pm. During the Social Hour students can network with T-Mobile employees from multiple business lines and learn Cougar Bowling Club about T-Mobile, the devices or services, and opportunities to jump start your career. T-Mobile will be providing refreshments, Star Pizza 7:00PM and a chance for you to win a HTC HD2!!!!! Learn about how a technology career can flourish and what it means to drive your own destiny in large corporations. Bring questions with you – don’t miss out! Questions: Contact Christine Mann christine.mann@t-mobile.com

Thursday 4/29 Faculty/Staff Bowling League 6:00PM

Friday 4/30 SPB Fridays

30% OFF with UH Student ID & SPB Tag

Friday 4/30 Glow Bowling & Saturday 5/1 9:00PM - 1:00AM

Rolling Back the Prices!

For a limited time only, Day and time restrictions apply!

*With UH Student ID Only

$1.00 per game for Bowling! $2.00 per hour/per table for Billiards! Shasta’s Now Accepts Cougar Cash!

Start Writing your story. Be part of ours. www.tmobile.jobs

Tuesday 4/27 UC Arbor, Room 32D 713/743-2777 www.uh.edu/ucaf HOURS OF OPERATION Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Sunday 2:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Cash, Checks, Credit Cards, and Cougar Cash accepted.

SPB & UCAF Presents...

Too College Nights at ChiliʼsJoin

the conversation. NBA 2K 10 Video

Tuesday 4/20 Comment on any article at thedailycougar.com Game Tournament 6:30PM - 8:30PM

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Small coffee for only $1!

Friday 4/30

Free 2nd Scoop Friday

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Free 2nd scoop upgrade w/ purchase of a single scoop waffle cone/bowl Buy 1 sundae, get 1 of equal or lesser value for FREE!

Try our new coffee roast! “Katz’s Best” (now on a rotating basis)

See YOU on the UC Fun Floor!

HOURS OF OPERATION Monday - Friday 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Sunday 4:00 p.m. - 9:00p.m.

UC Lower Level 713/743/4947

8 n Monday, April 26, 2010

LIFE & ARTS

The Daily Cougar

‘The Losers’ come out as winners in must-see movie By Ryan Pohpam The Daily Cougar The Losers is a hard hitting, nonstop, witty and hilarious thrill ride with an all-star cast that consists of intense action scenes, smart humor and a sense of wanting more by the time it ends. Based off of a comic book series by Robert Kanigher, the story follows a CIA black ops team that is betrayed and subjected to a failed assassination plot. This leads the team onto a continuous rollercoaster ride of revenge to reach the top of the people who were behind the scheme. Each character has his or her own special caliber of a personality that, when added with bizarre action violence, can lead to feelings of unpredictability for what’s in store next. This makes the movie extremely enjoyable and fun as the story unfolds. If Guy Ritchie made a comic book adaption action flick that was a blend of The A-Team, Smokin’ Aces and The Usual Suspects with a James Bond theme, you’d get a movie a lot like The Losers. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen, The Accidental Husband) stars as Clay, the aging leader of the pack who still has a tough-as-nails, honorable and dedicated charisma that keeps the other parts of the team in check. Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek) stars as Aisha, the sexy and

treacherous spark plug chick who is not to be trusted. Chris Evans (Not Another Teen Movie, Cellular) provides most of the comedic relief in between tense moments and thrills as Jensen, a geeky, woman-chasing charmer. The rest of the team includes Idris Elba (Obsessed), Columbus Short (Armored) and Oscar Jaenada (Che: Part Two), who all include their own dynamic archetypical character. Jason Patric (The Lost Boys, Narc) practically steals the show as Max, the maniacal and extremely comedic villain bent on changing the map with a dangerous weapon. Director Sylvain White adds to one of the strangest aspects of the movie. The last film he directed was Stomp the Yard. A director like Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) seems like a more obvious choice for the film. But it is a good thing that producers went with White because he does lovers of comic book-based movies proud. This is an impressive movie for White, who is in the early stages of his career. All perfectly fitting acting and directing elements aside, The Losers entertains from start to finish with never a dull moment. Slow motion scenes, a clever storyline and adrenaline rushes make this one a must-see. arts@thedailycougar.com

The Daily Cougar

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Travis Hensley

ravis Hensley is a communication and philosophy senior. He has worked at The Daily Cougar since last summer and has been the Life and Arts editor since January. In his spare time, he likes to write lists of songs he likes and hopes that no one ever finds out that it is the Life and Arts editor who puts together the mix tapes.