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Punxsutawney Phil shows his face
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Students encouraged to serve community at volunteer expo The Bauer College of Business is hosting a volunteer expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today in Melcher Hall. The event will have 20 different nonprofit organizations that will provide students with information about their organizations and ways to serve the community. “We have a lot of connections with nonprofit organizations through the various companies or other programs,” Stephanie Krauss, director of business student activities, said. “This is an opportunity for the organizations to come and showcase all their volunteer opportunities and tell students how to get involved.” This is the second year that Bauer is hosting the event. — Miguel Cortina/The Daily Cougar
SGA to hold session for students interested in running for election The Student Government Association is holding an information session at 7:30 p.m. today in the Rockwell Pavilion for students interested in running for election this year. The filing period for running in the student election started on Feb. 2. As representatives of the student body, the SGA can provide input on policies that make the University run. General information about what SGA does and the election procedure will be discussed at the meeting. “Run for the SGA elections,” Jeff Syptak, the executive chief of staff, said. “If you win, you will not regret the information and experiences you gain from serving.” For more information about running in the election, visit uh.edu/sga or contact the election commission at sgaelectioncommission@uh.edu. — Julian Jimenez/The Daily Cougar
CORRECTIONS !!
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EVENTS Research Career Information Fair A day of potential research opportunities, internships, summer and academic programs and career paths. The event will be held at the UC Houston Room from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Tokyo Police Club The indie artist will be headlining at Warehouse live with a lineup that includes Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Roky Moon & BOLT. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $15 and up..
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Issue 86, Volume 76
Thursday ®
February 3, 2011 Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.
IRS provides free filing Informal survey shows many students still trying to understand tax forms, laws Elize Najm
THE DAILY COUGAR With tax season in full swing, the Internal Revenue Service announced its ninth year of free online tax preparation services for taxpayers making less than $58,000 a year, which should apply to the majority of the student body. The IRS partnered with a group of tax software companies to form the Free File Alliance to offer low-to-moderate income taxpayers access to online software.
In an informal survey of the UH student body conducted by the Daily Cougar, 50 percent felt they had a general understanding of federal and state tax laws, with 23 percent stating they would be able to successfully file taxes without help. Recent architecture graduate Melvalean McLemore looked over her paperwork three times before filing. “Why did I spend so much money and time on an education, yet I find myself clueless when it comes to the most universal aspect of living in America — paying taxes?” McLemore said. The Job Creation Act of 2010 installed a number of unemployment aids but also established new tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the American
Opportunity Tax Credit, both of which are intended to alleviate the burden for working families and students with college tuition. “The payroll tax cut will benefit any working student who receives wages and thus pays Social Security taxes,” US Treasury Spokewoman Sandra Salstrom said in an e-mail. The informal survey of 60 UH students found that 75 percent of those surveyed, which included recent graduates, reported that they live on their own and are selfsupporting, with 87 percent reporting that they work either full- or part-time. “Those student workers will see more money in their paychecks this year,” FREE FILE continues on page 3
CONSTRUCTION
Building to house research cluster Neal Dasgupta
THE DAILY COUGAR Construction is underway for the new Health and Biomedical Sciences Center building that will be located next to the J. Armistead College of Optometry. According to a UH news release, the center has been designed to facilitate collaboration across many colleges at UH. “The new facility has been designed for delivery of state-ofthe-art patient eye care and research to strengthen the current services provided at the University,” UH Executive Director of Media Relations Richard Bonnin said. The building plan includes an ambulatory surgical center, the laser center, specialized research laboratories, animal care facilities, clinical facilities, along with labs, offices and classrooms, Bonnin said, adding that the new facility will provide great improvements for research. “The Complex Systems Supercluster, a new research institute at UH, will include vision scientists, neuroscientists, biomedical engineers, computer scientists, and cognitive, developmental and physiological psychologists,” Bonnin said. The Supercluster program will bring researchers from across CENTER continues on page 3
Elementary school students from across the US came to the University Saturday to plan a mission to Mars, including building a prototype Mars Rover. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar
CAMPUS EVENT
Rovers bring schoolchildren over Engineering competition in its ninth year aims to promote science literacy, excitement Julian Jimenez
THE DAILY COUGAR The next generation of astronauts and engineers converged on UH Saturday as children from around the country gathered for the ninth annual Mars Rover Celebration. The competition, aimed at elementary and middle school kids, tasks students with creating a mission to Mars. “If you go in there and look around, you’re looking at Cougars 10 years from now,” physics professor Edgar Bering said. “As far as we have contacts, every student who participated in the first Mars Rover Celebration has gone to college.” Bering is the sole remaining member of the committee that created the Mars Rover
Celebration nine years ago. He said that one of the main goals of the event is to promote scientific literacy and interest among youth. He credits the competition as the kick-in! Bering the-pants that motivates many participants to pursue careers in engineering later in life. For the competition, students must plan an expedition, decide upon a mission goal and build a concept model rover to be used for the trip to the red planet. The team presents its plan to judges at the competition, who select winners based on how well the students have prepared for the trip. Six hundred and twenty students participated in the event this year, and the competition included entrants from Texas, ROVERS continues on page 3
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Thursday, February 3, 2011
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online TOP DISCUSSIONS
1. Arab students face racism, prejudice 2. Reinterpretation of laws is rational 3. Guns on campus 4. Power struggle seizes Middle East 5. The solution to our deficit is taxing 6. Wal-Mart not welcome, says Heights community
FEATURED COMMENTS Re: Power struggle seizes Middle East “What is really sad is the lack of coverage when the protest were happening in Iran and then squashed faster and more ruthlessly. Yet no one complained about that totalitarian government that Iran is, but get themselves in a tizy over an authoritarian that is a key player in middle eastern peace that isn’t wanting and trying to wipe a group of people off the map. Just sad.”
— user “Mac” Re: Power struggle seizes Middle East
SCREEN GEMS PRESENTS A VERTIGOMUSICENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION “THE ROOMMATE” ALY MICHALKAPRODUCEDDANNEEL HARRIS FRANCES FISHERWRITTENAND BILLY ZANE EXECUTIVE MUSIC BY SONNY MALLHI BY DOUG DAVISON AND ROY LEE SUPERVISION BY MICHAEL FRIEDMAN BY JOHN FRIZZELL PRODUCERS BEAU MARKS SONNY MALLHI DIRECTED BY CHRISTIAN E. CHRISTIANSEN
“So it is America’s fault for the problems happening in Egypt, eh? Is it also America’s fault that after WWII and the Marshall plan that Germany and Japan became great nations? Let’s face it, it is Islam’s fault that every single Islamic country is a repressive theocratic or despotic country. This is how Mohammed ruled when he was alive and very little has changed since then. Quit blaming us for your selfinflicted problems. Change the problem, i.e., reform Islam, assuming that is even possible. What is really sad is the lack of coverage when the protest were happening in Iran and then squashed faster and more ruthlessly. Yet no one complained
about that totalitarian government that Iran is, but get themselves in a tizy over an authoritarian that is a key player in middle eastern peace that isn’t wanting and trying to wipe a group of people off the map. Just sad.”
— user “The Truth” Re: The solution to our deficit is taxing “Texas has been cutting the budget for essential things for a very long time. If anyone believes that there is 27 Billion in fat that can be cut from our government there is something wrong with them. As the state population goes up and the cost of services goes up how can we continue to cut taxes or freeze taxes and maintain a balanced budget with no service cuts or cuts to essential programs? It is not possible. FYI for those that feel cutting social programs will work. Texas currently ranks dead last in its social spending. There are states with much smaller populations that spend more than us in actual dollars on social programs. I hope these cuts makes everyone realize that maybe we should be investing public wealth. It helps us in the long run.”
— user “Nick” Re: Being single isn’t as bad as you think “We need to quit stressing about not being in a relationship and celebrate it instead. When you’re single, you’re so busy worrying about how you’re going to meet “the one” that you forget that you should be enjoying life.”
— user “Jeannie”
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continued from page 1
Salstrom said. “As a result of the payroll tax cut, leaving them with more money for day-to-day expenses while the economy continues its recovery.” The American Opportunity Tax Credit is another tax relief measure that was extended by the year-end tax cut package that benefits students, Salstrom said. “It provides a tax cut of up to $2,500 a year to pay for the cost of college tuition and other related items such as books,” she said. “It’s available for up to four years of college, providing up to $10,000 per student.” With the ever-changing tax laws, it can be difficult for even experienced taxpayers to feel confident when preparing this year’s returns. Of the students surveyed, 78 percent said they would attend a free seminar on filing taxes if offered. “I just got married six months ago, but my dad still files my taxes for me,” recent graduate Rachael Eckert said. “My husband and I both have degrees, but I guess only accounting majors learn about (taxes).” For more information on the IRS Free File, visit www.freefilealliance. org.
Engineering Career Fair SPRING 2011 Wednesday, February 9, 2011 10 a.m. — 4 p.m., UC - Houston Room Professional Business Attire and UH I.D. Required Platinum Sponsors: Cameron | CenterPoint Energy | Halliburton Schlumberger | Technip | Valero Sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Coordinated by Cullen College of Engineering Career Center
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ROVERS continued from page 1
Massachusetts, California, Vermont and Colorado. “Kids experience what it’s like to be a part of a research and education institution like UH, which has strong ties to NASA,” Ioannis Konstantinidis, a research development officer with the competition, said. “It’s never too early to get them excited about engineering problems that capture the imagination.” Many students in the competition were eager to be participants, some going so far as to don goggles and lab coats or alien costumes. They huddled around poster boards and model rovers, gesturing excitedly as they explained their ideas to the judges. “We learned a lot about Mars and the rover and space,”said Kaitlyn Blechstock, a fifth grader from Valley Ranch Elementary in Border, Texas, said. “Most of it we don’t call work, we just call it fun.” news@thedailycougar.com
CENTER continued from page 1
campus who are supported by the National Institutes of Health into a single building to “stimulate and improve biomedical research,” Bonnin said. Construction of the six-story, 165,000 square foot building is expected to be completed by Fall 2012. For safety purposes, the construction area has been enclosed with fencing and directional signs have been posted by the contractor. The total estimated cost of the project is $70 million. news@thedailycougar.com
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The Daily Cougar
opinion THE DAILY COUGAR
EDITOR Andrew Taylor E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion
BIRD DEATH, DEBT, DESTRUCTION Courtesy of USBICEF
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITORS NEWS EDITORS SPORTS EDITORS LIFE
& ARTS EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR
Jack Wehman Newton Liu, Christopher Losee Jose Aguilar, Cristi Guerra John Brannen, Joshua Siegel Mary Baak Andrew Taylor
STAFF EDITORIAL
Parking tickets don’t seem to help the students The University clearly doesn’t always have the interest of students in mind. There is clear evidence behind this; the proof lies in the department of Parking and Transportation Services. Within a span of less than two hours, the department issued more than five tickets to the same few unlucky cars — ticketing some cars more than once in an hour. Who drove these cars? Well, it just so happened to be students engaging in University-associated activities. Now, here at the editorial board we believe that those who knowingly break University rules should be held responsible for their actions. But what we don’t believe in is picking on those students who are not causing a problem but are contributing to the quality of UH. This was the case Wednesday night, and many other frustrated students all over campus have also repeatedly brought it to our attention. Another example of the University’s lack of student interests is made clear by their nonexistent sense of urgency when it comes to solving parking problems. The visitor lot at the front of Lot 16A is almost always out of order. When a visitor arrives at campus and attempts to enter the visitor lot, their $4 is useless because the machine that accepts the toll fee is broken. Visitors are then left with fewer options, like using the meters along Holman Street or by purchasing another $4 temporary parking pass from the visitor booth located in front of the Alumni and Athletics center. The visitors then have to compete with the students who are already facing a shortage of parking capacity on campus. Last night the tickets that were excessively handed out after campus peak hours had ended — at night when temperatures were below freezing — and were a direct assault on students who were doing nothing wrong. The University needs to address these problems soon. If they don’t, students and visitors will be left with the impression that the employees who distribute these tickets are nothing more than troublemakers who are paid hourly and solely employed for the purpose of generating revenue at the expense of students.
E D I TO R I A L P O L I C I E S 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) 743-5384. 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.
Jack, Meg were bound to pack it up
W
ednesday marked the end of one of the most significant rock groups in music history. On Feb. 2, The White Stripes announced on their website that the band, which is made up of Jack and Meg White, will no longer be performing live or recording new music. Their reasons weren’t specific; in fact, the band mentioned that the decision was not due Andrew to one single factor. In Taylor a manner that showed humility and respect for what they had accomplished, the White Stripes said, “It is for a myriad of reasons but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way.” Calling it quits in order to preserve the accomplishments and status of a critically acclaimed career could not have been an easy decision for Jack and Meg. The band’s career spanned over 13
great years. In a little over a decade, the band received album reviews and ratings that ranged from lousy to legendary, depending upon who was writing. Despite what critics wrote, fans showed up to concerts in droves to witness the incredibly unique act of musical talent and soulful passion. Jack White brought a diverse instrumental skill set every time he performed live. Depending on the song, apart from being the lead vocalist, he would switch between acoustic and electric guitars, a marimba, different types of pianos and bagpipes. To some, Meg played a lesser role, but she was in fact the heartbeat of the band. As with any musical group, something must provide the beat or rhythm to create a backbone. For this, Meg White deserves to be considered among the greatest. Her drumming rhythms were not known for being complex; in fact, they were designed
purposely to represent a level of purity. If Meg had been any more ostentatious in her drumming, the whole beauty of The White Stripes would not have existed in the magical way it did. Both Jack and Meg remark in their last statement that they hope to not upset their fans with this decision. “The White Stripes do not belong to Meg and Jack anymore. The White Stripes belong to you now, and you can do with it whatever you want. The beauty of music and art is that it can last forever if people want it to. Thank you for sharing this experience. Your involvement will never be lost on us, and we are truly grateful,” Jack and Meg said. When the things that you love come to an end, comfort can only be found through cherishing the moments that led you to fall in love in the first place. Andrew Taylor is a economics senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.
Generation Rx leads substance abuse
O
fficials in four counties in Florida have recently come out and deemed 2011 as the year for a Safe Rx Campaign. The campaign is aimed at targeting the abuse of prescription drugs. Vicodin, Oxycontin, Adderall and Vyvanse Cougar are all prescription Editorial drugs that have recently Board become popular among college students and thieves. “A combined $300 billion was spent or lost in 2009 on health care, lost productivity, premature death, crime and auto accidents related just to alcohol and drug abuse alone,” according to reports published on SAMHSA.gov, the website for the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Aministration. The report also found that “people ages 12 to 25 have among the highest rates of prescription drug abuse. Parents
and others often underestimate teens’ abuse of prescription drugs.” Drug abuse is one of the fastest-growing problems among college students. They may begin taking these substances in order to deal with low levels of sleep or a dire need for pain relief from stress and migranes. Either way, the consequences that arise are really only found by the time it is too late. The withdrawal symptoms of these drugs can be as intense as those of illegal drugs. Symptoms can include severe stomachaches, loss of sleep, impaired motor skills, reduced brain function and a built up tolerance. All of these symptoms can lead to terrible consequences, including fewer options for doctors who need to administer pain relief. Other signs of addiction that are caused by desperation can include stealing and extreme behavioral changes.
On Monday, $100,000 dollars worth of OxyContin was stolen from a CVS store in Phoenix, according to azfamily.com. Arizona police are still looking for the three suspects that robbed the pharmacists. The suspects stole approximately 5,200 tablets, most of which were OxyContin, and carry a street value of more than $100,000. The problems that these drugs create must be approached in a careful manner. They have important functions in medical science and should not be weakened by people whom abuse them. Instead the focus needs to be switched to educating those most susceptible to addiction on the dangers that abuse can cause. Margarita Campos contributed additional information to this article. She, along with the editorial board, may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The Daily Cougar
sports overtime
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EDITORS John Brannen, Joshua Siegel E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports
SOFTBALL
UH aims to build on early hype Gilbert Requena
THE DAILY COUGAR
Reka Kovacs won the 200-yard IM in 2 minutes, 3 seconds. She was victorious in the 400-yard IM as well, finishing in 4:22.
With all of last season’s starters and pitchers returning, the Cougars are the preseason favorites to win Conference USA. The Cougars were voted preseason number one in C-USA by conference officials after finishing 30-24-1 (12-10-1 C-USA) and in fifth place in C-USA last season. While head coach Kyla Holas is pleased with the acknowledgment, it is no guarantee. “To get that nod early has no indication of what the season is going to be, but it’s nice to know that it’s out there,” Holas said. “That’s always our goal, when we sit down at the end of the year and the beginning of the season, we write our goals down and that was one of them, to make sure that we’re number one.” Led by preseason All-C-USA picks pitcher Donna Bourgeois, utility player Reina Gaber and outfielder Ashleigh Jones, the Cougars are expecting to have a good season. This year’s team will have experience and depth with all of last year’s starters returning. “We still consider ourselves pretty young, but we have a really good group,” Holas said. “We have a lot of depth that we can go to, we’re excited about our options. We have high expectations. Not getting a regional bid last year left a sour taste in their mouths, so they’ve got a lot to prove.” Holas said she expects the team to make a big run in C-USA to earn a berth in postseason play. The addition of Bourgeois will add strength to the pitching staff. The senior transfer from Louisiana-Lafayette brings a 69-24 record with her to UH. Her presence should help the team raise their pitching numbers after finishing sixth in C-USA in 2010. “She’s a very mentally tough person,” Holas said. “Anytime you can get a 20-game winner in, as a staff you get excited.” The Cougars ranked fifth in fielding and in team batting in C-USA last season with the help of power hitters Brooke Latahan and Melissa Gregson. “We want to focus on offense, because this year we actually have one of the most talented hitting groups that we’ve ever had,” Gaber said. “As long as we get our mental game down, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
Kovacs was the runner-up in the 200-yard backstroke with a split of 2:02.
PLAYER PROFILE
FILE PHOTO/THE DAILY COUGAR
FOOTBALL
Cougars ink 22 recruits The Cougars will have 22 new faces in the locker room next season after finishing National Signing Day with commitments from 16 high school players and six junior college transfers. The Cougars’ haul included three players ranked within the top 100 at their positions by Rivals.com: Quarterback– Bram Kohlhausen (30), Athlete – Daniel Spencer (64) and linebacker Derrick Mathews (74). The signing class features 12 defensive players, eight offensive players and two athletes. Only two signees, Zachary Johnson of Norman, Okla., and Lloyd Allen of Baton Rouge, La., are from out of state. Eight of the recruits are from Houston. Sixteen of the prospects are three-star recruits. “I am very excited about this class,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said in a release. “We really feel like we met the needs of our football team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. “There are many players that we feel can have a big impact on our program both in the short term and in building a foundation for the future. The best thing about this group of young men is that they are all passionate about being Cougars.”
— Cougar Sports Services
SWIMMING & DIVING
Solid performances gain more C-USA recognition For its efforts at the dual invitational meet at LSU, the UH swimming and diving program was awarded the Conference USA Swimmer and Diver of the Week for the second time in as many weeks.
She placed fourth in the 200-yard butterfly with a 2:06. Kovacs was also the first leg on the 400-yard medley relay that placed second. Diver Lacey Truelove won the 1-meter dive with a mark of 303.5 points. She also earned the gold in the 3-meter event with a score of 327.4 points, setting an NCAA “A” qualifying mark. — Cougar Sports Services
SOFTBALL
Senior transfer receiving national attention Pitcher Donna Bourgeois was put on the Top-50 watch list for the USA Softball Player of the Year Award. Bourgeois is a transfer from Louisiana-Lafayette, has a career record of 69-24 and a career earned run average of 1.37. — Cougar Sports Services
With returning pitchers Baillie Lott, Amanda Crabtree, Bailley Watts and the addition of transfer Donna Bourgeois, the Cougars are hoping to bring the heat to opposing offenses. There were no departures on offense either, so the team is expecting a more balanced attack. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar The Cougars will play their first nine games at home and host No. 8 Michigan to kick of the season in the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational, which runs Feb. 11 – 13. The team will also face Southern Illinois, Ohio and Stephen F. Austin during the first weekend of games. The action will continue with Houston Hilton Plaza Classic on Feb. 18 - 20, as Houston faces Oklahoma State, Nicholls State, LSU and Southern.
With UH hosting both tournaments, performing well on the homefield is essential to establishing a strong start. “It’s really important to get off to a good start,” Jones said. “We should win all home games.” The Cougars will face four others ranked in the Top 25: No.22 Oklahoma State, No. 19 Texas A&M, No. 16 LSU and No. 15 Texas. sports@thedailycougar.com
Brown sees promotion in senior season Jesus Acevedo
THE DAILY COUGAR Adam Brown struggled to free himself from the Nevada defense, as it seemed every time he came off of a screen there was already a Wolfpack defender waiting with a hand in his face. Rather than force up contested shots, Brown refocused his efforts towards other areas of the game, grabbing 10 rebounds and sinking the free throws that would clinch the Cougars’ 64-61 victory. Head coach James Dickey was proud after the game, acknowledging Brown had grown into a much more mature player than the one he had seen at the start of the fall practices. “I’ve chomped on him a little bit because I knew he could score,” Dickey
said. “But I also told him that I’m not sure that he could guard any one of the coaches when we first started. I’ve been really hard on him about his defense. “The biggest ! " Adam Brown thing I have been leads the team in impressed with scoring, averaging is how he has 14.5 points a game accepted the constructive criticism defensively. In all due respect to him, we put him on the toughest wing player on the other team in every game. So I am not surprised. I’m pleased for him and for our team.” Brown now plays a leading role in the
UH offense after coming off the bench last season. He leads UH with 14.5 points per game and has been a dead eye from deep, converting on 41-of-89 (46 percent) of his three point attempts. “Since I was little I was always a good scorer,” Brown said. “Coach Dickey draws up some good plays. I love his system. I’m an IQ guy, so I like coming off screens, curls, slicing through the lane and I can do that. So he really highlights my game.” After his senior season, Brown would like to continue playing basketball at the professional level, even if it means playing abroad. “Basketball’s my love,” Brown said. “I’ll follow her wherever she takes me.” sports@thedailycougar.com
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LIFE&ARTS
The Daily Cougar
Valentine’s Day is a time for ...
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Place your message in a special feature in The Daily Cougar for Valentine’s Day! Use this space ace to write your message (15-20 words), clip it out and bring it to Room 7, UC Satellite (behind Starbucks) between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Questions? Call 713-743-5350.
DEADLINE: 11 a.m. FRIDAY, FEB. 11 Messages print MONDAY, FEB. 14
The Inner Circle of Punxsutawney, Pa., celebrated Groundhog Day with Punxsutawney Phil on Wednesday. The groundhog didn’t see his shadow when he emerged from his home, which means that warmer weather is coming our way. | Wikimedia Commons
CULTURE
No shadow, early spring promising
Sound like you?
Travis Alford
These symptoms could be more than just PMS — they can also describe PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). Baylor College of Medicine is conducting a clinical study of FDA-approved drugs ,YAZ and YASMIN, to determine if they are effective in relieving PMDD stress in women ages 13 to 20. Participants will complete a diary in addition to receiving medication in this study. Females between 13 and 20 experiencing these symptoms and comfortable with tampon use may be able to participate. Parental consent is required under age 18.
Call 713-798-5295 volunteer@bcm.edu
THE DAILY COUGAR Members of The Inner Circle of Punxsutawney, Pa., said Groundhog Day’s biggest star, Punxsutawney Phil, didn’t see his shadow Tuesday morning when he reluctantly stood atop his home (a large stump with a double door cut out of it) indicating an early spring. The Inner Circle — often seen wearing top hats — made their way through a brisk crowd in predawn darkness with a police escort and gathered around the stump, Phil’s home. A firm tap on his door with a walking stick rattled through the cold air. “We want Phil!� said various
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members of the croud. The lights were turned off and the stage was lit for Phil to do his work. He emerged and relayed the forecast in Groundhogese — a language specific to the ground hog and members of The Inner Circle. Once the message is passed from the groundhog to the men in black, it is then passed on to the rest of the world. “Did you ever have a spiritual passage of thought?� asked Groundhog Club President Bud Dunkel. “Phil communicates his prediction to the Inner Circle telepathically.� The tradition of Groundhog Day originated in the 18th and 19th centuries and is a widely
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Spectrum of Hope employment opportunity available for intelligent, dedicated, mature, committed, purposeful individuals who have the desire to change the lives of children & their families living with autism. Great experience for individuals with Psychology, Social Work, Education and Speech communication majors. Contact KJ Whitman at 281-894-1423 or spectrumofhope.com
celebrated event throughout the US and Canada. The most notable celebration, however, occurs in Punxsutawney, Pa. The townspeople of Punxsutawney have been taking care of Phil since he first started making predictions in 1887. Every summer Inner Circle members feed Phil green groundhog punch that adds seven years to his life. According to a study by the National Climatic Data Center, Phil has a 39 percent accuracy rating, though The Inner Circle claims an accuracy of 75 to 90 percent. Either way, this far exceeds any weatherman — the only individual that is paid to be wrong.
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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
COMICS & MORE
Thursday, February 3, 2011
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crossword ACROSS 1 Unstable lepton 5 — -ski party 10 Dull pain 14 Mr. Moto’s reply (2 wds.) 15 Coal deposits 16 Layered haircut 17 Extremist sect 18 Out of commission 19 Rocket housing 20 Horror flicks 22 Faint traces 23 Wolf’s call 24 So-so grades 26 Rustic home 29 Most delicious 33 Winery process 34 Flu bugs 35 Minuscule 36 Twinge 37 Ford or Fielding 38 Theater companies, briefly 39 Disencumber 40 Daddy’s sis 41 Promotion basis 42 Badge 44 Emerson opus 45 Microwave 46 Lady’s shoe 48 Pie serving 51 Think about (2 wds.) 55 Petty or Loughlin 56 Gaucho’s rope 58 Yield, as territory 59 Settled 60 Common phrase 61 Make a sweater 62 It turns litmus blue 63 Edible lichen 64 Building lot DOWN 1 Apple computers 2 Nope (hyph.) 3 Fjord port 4 Gunslinger’s practice 5 Crooked 6 One of a strand 7 Knocks firmly 8 Cassowary kin 9 Former JFK
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arrival St. Francis’ home Lower jaw Stop Freud’s I’s The simian King Bottom edges Pungent spice TV statuette Blue Grotto isle Now’s partner Predicaments Busybody Washstand items Brown pigment Peevish Wish granter Fox’s dream date Updates inventory Malaria symptom Ground corn Foment Fold-up mattress
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2010 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.
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Valentine’s Day is a time for ...
Words
from the
A Va Valentine lentine ntinee treat ffor only
4 heart $
DEADLINE: 11 a.m. FRIDAY, Feb. 11
Place your message in a special feature in The Daily Cougar for Valentine’s Day! Use this space to write your message (15-20 words), clip it out and bring it to Room 7, UC Satellite (behind Starbucks) between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
8
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Thursday, February 3, 2011
LIFE&ARTS
The Daily Cougar
MUSIC
Mango’s hosts night of sweet music
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great location on campus + individual leases + fully furnished apartments
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!"#$!% #%&'" !"#$!%(#%&'" &" 713.748.3707 | 4600 Cullen Blvd | Houston, TX 77004
Julian Jimenez
THE DAILY COUGAR Music lovers will be treated to a concert to be remembered, as five of Houston’s underground bands converge for one party at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5 at Mango’s, located at 403 Westheimer. The show will include performances by local bands Darwin’s Finches, Somosuno, Clockpole, The Busy Kids and Fun Boys. The show is advertised to be $5 at the door, but Joe Ortiz, a member of the band Clockpole, said there’s a
good chance it will end up being free. “We charged last time we had a show there, but people just kept walking in and we just said ‘forget it’,” Ortiz said. “It’s about the music. We want to have a good time.” That carefree attitude and love for the music says everything about the concert’s style. As a collaborative effort between the bands, the concert will explore a wide range of sounds, stretching all the way from the more meat-and-potatoes rock of Darwin’s Finches to Clockpole’s more chaotic experimental fusion. The eclectic combination of genres that will
perform at the concert bespeaks the hugely varied music culture that’s thriving in Houston. “Houston’s music scene is the best it’s been in a decade,” said Nikki Seven, one of the lead members of The Busy Kids. “There’s a strong sense of community. It’s like being family. I’m in three bands, and everyone’s crossing over and helping each other out. It’s not a big scene, but it has a lot more love than others.” The underground music scene here in Houston has been growing steadily in recent years, with shows like this popping up all around the city. More often an excuse to have fun and appreciate music than generate profits, the shows are driven by a passion that the band members believe is lost in most popular music today. “You look at bigger artists and people admire them because they write their own music,” said Austin Rhoads, the drummer for Darwin’s Finches. “Since when was writing your own music a big thing? It’s a factory. They find musicians that can play whatever the producers write. It’s selling an image, but we’re trying to be artists.” Regardless of their approach to crafting their music, all the bands seem to agree that the show is much more about enjoying themselves than making money. “These shows are like our version of religion. This is our mass. This is our way of connecting to other people,” said Fernando Alojandro, a guitarist and singer with Somosuno. “You can do so much with music.” arts@thedailycougar.com