Issue 120, Volume 76 by The Cougar

life+arts

Mexico's mysteries on display

sports

Owls deliver another UH loss

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

THE DAILY COUGAR thedailycougar.com

@thedailycougar

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Issue 120, Volume 76

Wednesday ®

March 30, 2011 Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.

TIER ONE

newsline Got news? E-mail news@thedailycougar.com or call 713-743-5314

CAMPUS

Turkish festival provides food and traditional activities The Turkish American Student Association will host the third annual Turkish Student Festival 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at Butler Plaza. “This is a great opportunity for students to experience Turkish culture,” said Tayfun Tuna, president of TASA. “They will have a chance to take pictures in Turkish traditional costumes and enjoy Turkish food like Baklava, doner and Turkish kebap.” DNR Turkish Grill and local Turkish families will provide the food, some of which will be free. Turkish art, music and water marbling will be featured. TASA will give away t-shirts, early bird prizes and more. For more information, visit http://www.uh.edu/~tasa/index.html. — Edgar Veliz/The Daily Cougar

Guidebook recognizes UH Out-of-state exposure could lead to increase in oncampus living Ashley Anderson

THE DAILY COUGAR UH has been named one of the best colleges for undergraduate students by the Princeton Review, a first-time achievement for the university. UH will be featured in the Princeton Review’s “The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition,” which will be released in August. The guide provides categories used

nationally by parents and future students choosing colleges. “The Princeton Review’s acknowledgement of UH’s excellence in undergraduate education underscores the fact that we continue to make progress,” Richard Bonnin, UH director of media relations, said. “This is an exciting and welcoming place that prepares students to succeed in the global economy.” In a letter sent through email to students, UH President Renu Khator discussed what the recognition means to students and the University as a whole. “Since we are striving to achieve overall excellence, this recognition by the Princeton Review is one more important indication

that we’re making great progress,” Khator said. “This is the first time our school has been included, so it’s gratifying to know our efforts at improving student success are starting to show real results.” Khator cited reasons for the recognition, which includes research initiatives, improvement, construction upgrades of campus facilities and quality admissions standards and staff. The Princeton Review recognition is based on student surveys; 122,000 students were used to determine the quality of UH. “A lot of it has to do with the academic performance, but also the student PRINCETON continues on page 3

SCHOLARSHIP GREEN UH

Student travels abroad for novel

UH needs help with voting for Recyclemania video contest UH is a finalist in the National RecycleMania Video Contest, and to win the school must receive the most “likes” on Facebook by 3 p.m. on April 4. Green UH will provide laptops from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in the UC Satellite for students to login and “like” the video. The video, “Love of Recycling,” is posted on RecycleMania’s facebook page. The winner will win $500 for next year’s competition. Students can vote by first “liking” RecycleMania on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RecycleMania, and then “liking” the video, which is listed under the video tab. It can be reached directly at http:// ow.ly/4kXNa.

Moniqua Sexton

THE DAILY COUGAR

The “likes” only count if they are made on RecycleMania’s page, therefore UH Green asks students not to repost the video.

spring and also the destruction of the demoness Holika. According to Hindu myth, Prahlada, the son of the great king of demons, worshiped the Lord Vishnu. This angered his father, so he ordered his sister to burn Prahlada. This attempt proved to be unsuccessful as Holika, who had a boon to remain unharmed by the fire, was set ablaze while Prahlada survived. “Holi is celebrated to prove that good wins over evil — always,” Desai said. As music blasted through the park, students danced, enjoyed the food and even played a game of tug-of-war. Although this was the first Holi experience for many students from different backgrounds, they were no strangers to Holi. History freshman Abish Turnblom and her boyfriend Gregory Cobbs, a Trinity University graduate, had a basic understanding of the festival and were looking forward to the celebration.

A fourth year UH graduate student is the first to be awarded the Tagore Passport Operating Scholarship, sponsored by the Tagore Society of Houston. Sruthi Thekkiam will use the $5,000 scholarship to travel to Bharati, India, for a novel she is writing titled “These Amorphus Lives.” “I was, of course, thrilled about the scholarship,” Thekkiam said. “And I am excited to travel to a part of India I’d never been to, and to study Tagore, an author I admire.” The scholarshop namesake, Rabindranth Tagore, was a poet, novelist and playwright. He was also a painter, social reformer and educator. The Tagore Scholar Passport Operating Scholarship supports one semester of research or creative work and study that will advance the understanding and appreciation of the intellectual, artistic and spiritual legacy of Rabindranath Tagore, according to the English department’s website. Thekkiam will be focusing her novel on Tagore’s ideas about multiculturalism. “I first became interested in Tagore’s ideas about nationalism and internationalism through reading his novel ‘Home and the World,’” Thekkiam said.

HOLI continues on page 3

TAGORE continues on page 3

— Tayor McGilvray/The Daily Cougar Students celebrated the beginning of spring on Sunday by throwing colored powder and water balloons at each other to symbolize unity and brotherhood. | Naheeda Sayeeduddin/The Daily Cougar

CORRECTIONS J

Report errors to editor@thedailycougar.com. Corrections will appear in this space as needed.

CAMPUS

Colored festival launches spring 71 LO 56

today

Another cloudy day...

THU TH HU

FRII FR

SAT SA AT

SUN SU

80/61 80/ 80 /61

82/61 82/ /61

82/67 82/ 82 /67 67

84/70 84/ /70

EVENTS Piper Kerman: Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison Author Piper Kerman is giving a reading on her new book about prison life at the Brazos Bookstore at 2421 Bissonnet. The event is free and begins at 7 p.m. Lil’ Keke B-Day Bash The native Houston rapper is performing along with Slim Thug, Bun B, ESG, Big Pokey, JDawg and Lil Flip at the House of Blues tonight. Doors open at 7 p.m., and ticket prices range from $32 to $50.

FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT thedailycougar.com/calendar

Naheeda Sayeeduddin

THE DAILY COUGAR A display of color and unity spread across Lynn Eusen Park as students celebrated the start of spring and the Hindu festival, Holi, on Sunday. The festival, hosted by the Hindu Students Association in conjunction with the Indian Students Association and Graduate Indian Students Association, drew out a crowd of over a hundred students who threw colored powder, or “rang,” and water balloons at each other. “The colors symbolize unity and brotherhood,” said Disha Desai, pharmacy graduate student and HSA president. “It breaks all the barriers of discrimination, because everyone looks the same when he or she is fully colored.” In accordance with the Hindu lunar calendar, Holi is celebrated on the last full moon day in the month of Phalgun, which typically falls during February or March. It is a celebration that signifies the start of

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

CRIME

The Daily Cougar

crime log

Have information on these or other incidents of crime on campus? Call 713-743-0600

The following is a partial report of campus crime between March 25 and March 26. All information is selected from the files of the UH Police Department. The information in bold indicates when the event was reported to UHPD and the event’s location. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UHPD at (713) 743-0600.

“I

AM THE

ONE I ALWAYS WANTED

MARRY”

MILDRED GERESTANT A ONE-WOMAN PERFORMANCE

Performance and Q&A March 31, 6:30-7:30 PM University of Houston, Dudley Hall Haitian-American and internationallyknown MilDred (aka DRED) is an actress, lecturer, and workshop presenter best known for her mystical one-woman shows. MilDred questions the naturalized binaries of gender and sexuality, while highlighting the performativity of gender and sexuality.

WOMEN’S RESOURCE

Theft: 11:52 p.m. March 26, Cougar Place Apartments — A student reported that someone stole his unattended bicycle that was secured outside his Cougar Place dorm room. There are no suspects. Assault, Domestic Violence: 1:16 p.m. March 26, Cullen Oaks Apartments — A student was arrested at his Cullen Oaks Apartments residence after a Residential Assistant reported she witnessed the student assaulting his girlfriend in the Cullen Oaks Residential parking lot. The incident occurred between 1:10 p.m. and 1:16 p.m. 3/26/11. Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: 2:11 a.m. March 26, Taub Residence Hall — A UH DPS police officer responded to a report of an unconscious female at Taub Hall. After an investigation, the woman was found to be an underage student and heavily intoxicated. The student was released to Harris County Jail with Student Life and Residential Life Referrals. Disorderly Conduct: 12:55 a.m. 10:32 p.m. Nov. 5, Parking Lot 9C — A UH DPS police officer responded to Cambridge Oaks Apartments regarding a report of a possible disturbance. A field investigation determined that an intoxicated student and Cambridge Oaks resident shattered his own window. There are no injuries. Traffic Offense: 9:20 p.m. March 25, Cullen Oaks Parking Lot — A student reported that someone struck and damaged his unattended and secured vehicle while it was parked in Cullen Oaks’ south lot. The driver of the striking vehicle did not leave information as required by Texas law. There are no suspects. The incident occurred between 1:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. 3/25/11. The case is Active.

Traffic Offense: 9:20 p.m. March 25, Cullen Oaks Parking Lot — A student reported that someone struck and damaged his unattended and secured vehicle while it was parked in Cullen Oaks’ south lot. The driver of the striking vehicle did not leave information as required by Texas law. Weapon, Carrying Prohited Places: 9:31 p.m. March 25, Gremillion — A visitor was found in possession of a firearm on the university campus. The suspect was determined to be a decommissioned security officer from a private company. The suspect was arrested and released to Harris County Jail. Credit or Debit Card Abuse: 7:20 p.m. March 25, Athletic Alumni Bldg. — A student reported that someone used his debit card for numerous transactions on and off campus. The student advised that his debit card was stolen from a football locker room at Athletic Alumni Building. Weapon, Carrying Prohibited Places: 5:40 a.m. March 25, Melcher Hall — A UH security officer stated that a friend of his, a UH student, has a professor that is carrying and has displayed several weapons, primarily pistols, to his students during classroom hours. Criminal Mischief: 1:49 a.m. March 25, Lot 19D 9:46 p.m. Tuesday, Hofheinz Pavilion — A UH DPS security officer recognized a chair belonging to ninth floor lounge of Calhoun Lofts. The chair was damaged and it appears someone threw the chair from the lounge. For the complete report and to view past reports, go to www. uh.edu/police/home.html

Newsroom

(713) 743-5360 ■

Editor in Chief

Jack Wehman (713) 743-5362 editor@thedailycougar.com ■

Layout Editor

Christopher Losee closee@thedailycougar.com ■

Multimedia Editor

Newton Liu (713) 743-5361 photo@thedailycougar.com ■

News Editors

Sports Editors

John Brannen Joshua Siegel (713) 743-5303 sports@thedailycougar.com ■

Life & Arts Editor

Mary Baak (713) 743-5302 arts@thedailycougar.com ■

Opinion Editor

Andrew Taylor opinion@thedailycougar.com ■

Web Editor

Matthew Keever webeditor@thedailycougar.com

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Business Office Phone (713) 743-5350 Fax (713) 743-5384 ■ Mailing address ■ ■

Room 7, UC Satellite Student Publications University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015

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.

CENTER

ISSUE STAFF ■ ■

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Copy editing Production

Bethel Glumac, Julian Jimenez Nine Nguyen

Closing editor

Jack Wehman

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

TAGORE continued from page 1

“It is set in early twentieth century India during the fight for independence from the British. Through this novel, Tagore argues that the home is inextricably linked to the world, and warns against the dangers of narrow nationalism that aims to divorce the two.” Thekkiam relates how we speak of a “globalized world and hybrid societies” to how Tagore spoke about the idea a century ago. “It was striking and surprising to me that Tagore more than a century ago voiced ideas that have gained popularity only in the last 30 years or so,” Thekkiam said. “So this is what I want to explore further when I’m at the VisvaBharati University in Santiniketan: Tagore’s essays on politics, philosophy, and culture that elaborate his position on nationalism and

HOLI continued from page 1

“I knew that I would have a chance to hurl colorful (powder) at a crowd of people. This was pretty much all I needed for motivation to come out and give it a shot,” Cobbs said. English literary studies senior Sarah Anderson, who had heard about the festival from her friends, was eager to come out and celebrate. “I like to put myself in positions where I can be part of the minority because I think that it is an important experience for me as a current citizen and a future teacher,” Anderson said. “I love the chance to experience new

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

inter nationalism. think a quality they I’m also interested share is affection and in the links between empathy for their his creative work characters, despite and the ideas he their characters often espoused in his being difficult to love essays and talks.” and understand.” Thekkiam is a Her next steps fourth-year doctoral after completing her candidate in the novel are not yet set department of Engin stone. lish’s creative writing “It’s hard for me J Sruthi Thekkiam won a program. to plan beyond the She says that the scholarship to travel abroad to novel right now,” C r e a t i v e Wr i t i n g help her write her novel. she said. “But what Program was perfect I’d like to do is keep for her. writing.” “I enjoy writing and reading, and Applications for the 2011-2012 the Creative Writing program gives award should be submitted to the me the opportunity to do both,” Office of the Chair, Department she said. of English, Rm. 205 Roy G. Cullen Some of her favorite authors Building, University of Houston, by that immediately come to mind are April 1, 2011. J.M. Coetzee, Alice Munro, Edward For more information, call Judy P. Jones and George Saunders. Calvez at 713-743-2935. “I like their work for different reasons,” Thekkiam said. “But I news@thedailycougar.com

things that are influenced by such rich religions and cultural histories.” This is the inaugural year for HSA as an organization at UH, and the first time it has organized a Holi festival for UH. The last time Holi was celebrated on campus was 2009. Desai was impressed with the turnout this year and hopes to turn this event into an annual celebration at UH. “Being a new organization and hosting Holi for the first time, we were able to put up a successful and fun event,” she said. “I am very proud of my officers and we promise to throw an even better and a bigger Holi next year.” Cobbs enjoyed his first Holi

experience and said it will definitely not be his last. “The festival itself was amazing,” Cobbs said. “Everyone in attendance was wonderful and welcoming of the non-Hindus who came out to participate in the festivities.” Anderson expressed excitement at seeing people of different religious and cultural backgrounds celebrating together. “It is a wonderful thing for people to come together in such respectful and joyful context,” said Anderson. “This festival was a perfect picture of the culture that the University of Houston has cultivated.”

Presents:

Diversity Institute 2011

Learning from the Past, Uniting our Present, Creating a Better Future Friday, April 1, 2011 M. D. Anderson Library, Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion

9am to 4pm 9:00am 9:30am 9:45am

Check -in and Breakfast Opening Remarks: Dr. Elwyn Lee, VP for Community Relations and Institutional Access

Learning from the Past Panel Discussion with UH Faculty and Staff

11:00am 12:30pm 1:30pm 2:30pm 3:30pm

Uniting our Present Keynote Address by Dr. Tyrone Tillery, Professor, UH History Dept. Lunch

Creating a Better Future Panel Discussion with UH Student Leaders Heritage Quilt Activity led by CAPS Pre-Doctoral Psychology Interns Closing Ceremony: Performance by UH Good News Gospel Choir Please join us for the full program or stay for a few events! This event is FREE!!! Food Provided!!! Cougar Cards Available!!!

Open to UH Students, Faculty & Staff

Please Register via Email by March 28, 2011: Dr. Dominique Broussard, Multicultural Postdoctoral Fellow Email: dbroussa@central.uh.edu C.E.U. Credits Available: Psychologists, Professional Counselors, Social Workers & Marriage & Family Therapists (6 credits for full program attendance) This event is co -sponsored by:

#HECK OUT 4HE $AILY #OUGAR ON YOUR SMARTPHONE 3NAP THE 12 CODE TO TRY IT OUT

news@thedailycougar.com

THE DAILY COUGAR.COM

PRINCETON continued from page 1

environment outside the classroom,” said Michael J. Lawrence, interim vice president for student affairs. “Also, we deal with a lot of research since it is a major research institution.” The University has been working towards becoming a Tier One school, and the initiatives taken have been successful in gaining the recognition. As the news comes to UH, officials expect good things are in store for the

University’s reputation. “I believe that our inclusion in the Princeton Review will mean greater exposure for the University to families and students from across the US as well as worldwide,” said David B. Small, associate vice president of student services. “As a result, we may expect UH’s student population to become even more cosmopolitan and diverse. Also, more out-of-state students will create a greater demand for campus housing. These are positive outcomes.” news@thedailycougar.com

April 30 is coming up fast. Are you taking the Praxis I® tests? Prepare with online, interactive study materials and practice tests co-developed by ETS,® authors of the Praxis exams, and Pearson, the world’s leading teacher education publisher. For more information, ask your bookstore about Pearson Praxis Tutorials, or visit www.praxistutorial.com

Only ETS ® and PEARSON give you

Feedback. Practice. Results.

To promote service to the University of Houston by recognizing students for their outstanding contributions to the quality of campus life through service, leadership and spirit. Online applications are available on the Dean of Students website at: www.uh.edu/dos For more information, call 713.743.5470 Criteria include: demonstrated leadership and enthusiasm; a minimum 2.5 GPA; enrollment in at least 9 hours; Junior or Senior classification at the University of Houston.

Application Deadline is Thursday, April 6, 2011

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Daily Cougar

opinion THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITOR Andrew Taylor E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

US NUCLEAR CONSENSUS MELTDOWN 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

Think twice before texting behind the wheel

family practitioner from Orcutt, Calif., is on a solo bicycle trek across the country in order to raise awareness of the dangers that texting and driving creates.

Dr. Robert Okerblom set out on his journey after his 19-year-old son, Eric Okerblom, was killed by a driver who was texting behind the wheel in July 2009. After returning from his first year at UC Berkeley, Eric Okerblom was riding his bike east of Santa Maria, Calif., when he was struck from behind in broad daylight. A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that the use of a cellphone alone while driving is equivalent to the risk of drunk driving. In comparison, texting and driving increases the likelihood of getting into a wreck 23.2 times — that’s 5.7 times greater than the risk of drunk driving. Because of the threat distracted driving poses, there have been at least 10 bills addressing the issue introduced for Texas Legislature’s 2011 session that will restrict or even prohibit the use of cellphones in automobiles. Most students fail to see the danger associated with texting and driving, but around 450,000 people are injured and 6,000 people die each year on US roadways as a result of distracted driving, according to the US Department of Transportation. The most unfortunate part of Eric Okerblom’s death is that it was completely preventable. While behind the wheel, it is imperative that you focus your attention on just that. No text message or phone call is worth putting your life — or anyone else’s life, for that matter — at risk, regardless of how important it may seem at the time. Know the risk that you’re taking when you take your eyes off the road, because tragedy can result from a mistake that takes less than a minute to make. Dr. Robert Okerblom began his journey in San Diego on Feb. 28 and is set to pedal through Houston on April 5.

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.

Respect the right to free press, ideas

ately at The Daily Cougar, we have seen more than our usual amount of negative comments and more accusations of not representing both sides fairly. This is not due to any agenda but simply a result of how the cards fall. As the editor of the opinion section, I am committed to publishing the opinions of the writers on staff. To those lucky and skilled enough Andrew to be published, it can Taylor be a great thing. Like any job there are pros and cons, but having your opinion in print far outweighs the drawbacks. Having an opinion is something that many people struggle with, and it is often a challenge for most people to boldly offer their thoughts. This is what separates

writers from commenters — writers work hard to inform us while at the same time offering up their opinion on the issue. The reward is being able to call something your own and to be proud of a self-made product. When I started writing for The Daily Cougar, I quickly realized that being published was satisfying in ways that I hadn’t expected. The feeling of seeing someone reading work you have done is something you cannot understand unless you’ve experienced it. You can only gain a respect for what writers do once you’ve been published. The opinion section is a place that allows students to voice their thoughts in the form of print journalism. If you’ve got an opinion on something, you should be proud of it. If writing is your strong suit, then send us your opinions. But hiding behind a

computer screen and keyboard to attack those who do have opinions does nothing to further your point. It doesn’t add anything meaningful to a civilized debate on the pertaining issue. If you’re interested in sharing ideas with your fellow peers, being a writer is a great start. Having the chance to tell the whole university a story is something that The Daily Cougar offers to those who are interested. Taking an active role in important debates is what opinion writers do, and the impact can be significant. If you would like to be heard, then come in and apply to write for us. Otherwise, respect the ideas of those who do write, because that is what the 1st amendment is all about. Andrew Taylor is a economics senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Sweatshop practices still court with disaster

ast Friday marked the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. factory fire in New York City. This was an apparel factory — the same kind of place people have called a sweatshop for a long time. Not only were workers subjected to near slave Brendan wages and painfully long Laws working hours, but basic safety measures were not taken to ensure people’s well-being while they worked. When a fire broke out, the workers were trapped inside — the factory owners routinely locked the doors to the fire escape to maintain a separation from the outside world in order to keep people working long hard hours. The building was also designed precariously, and flammable materials were routinely allowed to build up to dangerous levels. Some died in the fire, while others jumped from the top of the building to avoid burning to death. The disaster claimed 146 lives. The fire was a terrible accident, but the

systemic oppression was the deeper problem and is the main issue that turned the accident into a tragedy. The horrible working conditions were symptoms of a drive to squeeze as much profit out of a business at the cost of exploiting the most vulnerable people involved. The tragedy served as a catalyst for workers’ rights and the labor movement, and in the next decade the US saw the largest unified mobilization of workers of any point in the country’s history. The fruit of this movement came in the form of many basic rights almost all US workers benefit from today, such as child labor laws, a minimum wage, the concept of a 40-hour work week, overtime and workplace safety laws. This movement also brought higher pay, pension plans, employer-provided health insurance and many other benefits. Unfortunately, the same drive to maximize profits at all cost that lead to the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. fire has driven companies to move factories off US soil and exploit people overseas. In fact, last

December there was a similar fire in a Bangladeshi factory that manufactured clothes for US companies. The tragedy killed 25 and injured over 100. This hurts our workers too, because the good jobs they fought for in this country have been turned into low-cost exploitation in other countries. In the early 1900s, most of the clothing in the US was made in sweatshops, and in the early 2000s that situation remains the same. However, we also still have the ability to change the situation. Many workers around the world are fighting to stop sweatshop conditions, and people here and abroad can be a part of the solution. It’s time to look at and follow the amazing work that has been done to bring about the rights that we enjoy here — for both the good of the world and ourselves. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Brendan Laws is a sociology junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Daily Cougar

sports overtime MEN’S BASKETBALL

Former Cougars to honor legendary coach As a coach, Guy Lewis took UH to five Final Fours, putting the University in a tie for the eighth-most appearances. He was at the helm of the program from 1956-1986, recording 592 wins. His efforts will be celebrated Friday at the John O’Quinn Great Hall in the Athletics/Alumni Center. Among the guests will be former players Otis Birdsong, Clyde Drexler, Elvin Hayes and Michael Young, among others. Tickets are available to the public for $5, and can be bought at www.houstonalumni.com. The event starts at 11:30 a.m. — Cougar Sports Services

GOLF

UH finishes 15th at Border Olympics Out of 19 teams, the Cougars landed in the bottom five Saturday at the Laredo Border Olympics, ending up with 15th place. UH had a team score of 879. The top performer was freshman Jesse Droemer who hit a 220, finishing four strokes over par and in a tie for 44th place. Close behind was sophomore transfer Will Dusenbury and freshman Bryn Flanagan, finishing five over par for a score of 221. Dusenbury hit a 75, 74 and 72, while Flanagan hit an 80, 69 and 72. They tied for 62nd place with Branden Dalton of Washington State. Though dissatisfied with the Cougars’ performance, head coach Jonathan Dismuke remained positive. “I was pleased with the way that we improved our score with each round,” Dismuke said in a release. “This certainly wasn’t our best effort, but we will regoup and learn from the lessons this week and try to carry that into next weekend’s tournament.” Arkansas won the tournament with a team score of 832. The top individual performer was Michael Whithead of Rice, with a score of 197. The Cougars’ next competition will be April 2-3 at the Administaff Augusta State Invitational in Augusta, Ga. After that, the Cougars will have just one more tournament before the Conference USA Championships. — Cougar Sports Services

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EDITORS John Brannen, Joshua Siegel E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports

BASEBALL

Rice shows dominance against Cougars Owls take 2-0 lead in Silver Glove Series; UH batters held scoreless, pitchers rocked Patricia Estrada

THE DAILY COUGAR Rice dominated the Cougars a week ago, and the time away made no difference. The Owls’ pitchers limited UH to two hits and pulled a shutout, winning 7-0 Tuesday at Reckling Park. The loss puts the Owls two games ahead of the Cougars (12-14) in the battle for the Silver Glove Trophy. “Both sides of the ball game weren’t really good tonight, this wasn’t us tonight,” head coach Todd Whitting said. “For us to be successful we have to show up and play Cougar baseball, and we just didn’t show up.” The Owls drew first blood in the second inning with four runs, two coming on walks. With one out in the inning, center fielder Daniel Gonzales-Luna got the first RBI of the game with a hit to right field, scoring Ryan Lewis. Codey Morehouse walked the next three batters he faced, giving the Owls two more runs. Taylor Hammack came in to relieve Morehouse. He walked the first batter he faced, loading the bases. The Owls (17-11) tacked on another run in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly from Anthony Rendon. Rice would put another run on the board in the fifth courtesy of GonzalesLuna, who singled to center field to bring home Shane Hoelscher. Hoelscher started the inning hitting a single to left field off Chase Dempsay. The runs kept pilling in for the Owls in the seventh, when pitcher Dakota

For the second time in as many weeks the Owls were too much for the Cougars, as pitching coach Jack Cressend talks strategy with pitcher Codey Morehouse and catcher M.P. Cokinos. UH allowed the same run total as last week to the Owls, and was shut out on offense. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar Dill walked Keenan Cook with the bases loaded to score right fielder Ryan Lewis, who had also walked earlier in the inning. Cougar pitching finally settled down in the 7th, but this came a little too late, as the Cougar offense did not show itself at all in the game. Despite the loss, Whitting remains optimistic as the Cougars gear themselves for the Conference USA schedule. “Although this is a game against one

of our competitors inside the city and the state, this game doesn’t mean anything,” Whitting said. “This does not make or break our season. What matters is how we play in conference play down the road.” The Cougars will travel to New Orleans to play against Tulane for a three-game series starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday. sports@thedailycougar.com

We’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts, opinions, cheers and jeers with the Cougar and the campus: letters@ thedailycougar.com

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LIFE&ARTS

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Daily Cougar

CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS

Students create shock waves at competition Ellen Goodacre

THE DAILY COUGAR The UH American Institute of Chemical Engineers team placed second this past weekend at the AICE Southwest Regional Conference held at Texas A&M. They also finished first in the poster competition for a display of information about the cars that each team builds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The car ran on a zinc and oxygen battery,â&#x20AC;? said Chem-E Car team captain Walter Brata. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the same as the battery used inside a hearing aid, but scaled up. The electricity generated from the battery runs a motor.â&#x20AC;? Each team is required to build a car that runs on a chemically-based system. The system allows the cars to travel between 50 and 100 feet, carry between 0 and 500 milliliters of water and fit into a shoe box. Each car from the six competing schools was required to travel 65 feet in only two minutes, carrying 400 milliliters of water. The UH Chem-E Car Teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vehicle was powered by electricity, earning the nickname â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Shocker.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It started off as kind of an inside joke among the team,â&#x20AC;? team member Tanya Rogers said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While building

the car, we would jokingly warn each other to be careful. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so powerful and strong it will shock you; the name just happened to stick.â&#x20AC;? Each team was also required to make an informational poster about their vehicle. The UH AIChE team placed first in this competition. The teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s victories were not easily won, as all of the teams experienced problems before the run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had to make a special request for ice to cool the freshly prepared lye solution for the battery, which is absolutely critical for the proper operation of the cell,â&#x20AC;? team member William Payne said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We received the ice only about five minutes before we had to make our run, so it was still a bit warm.â&#x20AC;? Despite the complications they faced, the team still received second place. They will be traveling in June to the National American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference to compete in Minneapolis, Minn. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m most looking forward to winning,â&#x20AC;? Rogers said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The team has been wonderful and worked exceptionally hard on developing this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to see our car defeat the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best.â&#x20AC;? arts@thedailycougar.com

The Aztec Calendar is comprised of a series of symbols that represent both a year and day count and is based on a 52-year rotation. The calendar was adapted from the Mayan calendar, which dates back to at least the 5th century BCE. | Miguel Cortina/The Daily Cougar

TRAVEL

Museum shines lights on Mexico Miguel Cortina

THE DAILY COUGAR Much of Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture and history can be seen in one place: The Museum of Anthropology. The museum is the most-visited in Mexico. Located in Chapultepec, the anthropology museum contains artifacts, jewelry, masks, weapons and carvings that were used in Mexico through many empires. A huge fountain located just after the entrance made the atmosphere different in the museum. The amount of history inside the

exposition rooms is rich. Upon entering the Aztec room, the cultural impact of the empire is on full display. Visitors actually get to see the Aztec Calendar, a piece that UH students had been studying before we made the trip. Its size and can leave one entranced for minutes. The materials used by the Mayans were equally impressive. The jade masks and jewelry reveal how innovative their empire was. In the underground part of the museum, there is a replica from one of the tombs used by the Mayans for their rulers. The intricate detail in the stone carvings and the elegant

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COMICS & MORE

The Daily Cougar

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

comics

crossword

Must Be Something in the Water by Brandon Alexander

ACROSS 1 Above the horizon 6 Plus 10 Actress Tyne 14 Kind of physicist 15 Well, to Yves 16 Nadelman or Abel 17 Winter precip 18 Fix up 19 1492 vessel 20 Chick 22 Wields a machete 23 Stalemated 24 K2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s superior 26 Joanne of films 29 Broken-down horses 31 Shogunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s yes 32 Frozen Wasser 33 Sprouted 34 Plumps the pillows 38 Write on glass 40 Weaken gradually 42 Type of survivor 43 Century plant 46 Leaf part 49 Mauna â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 50 Whiskey grain 51 Ms. Fitzgerald 52 PC key 53 Ordinary 57 Handed-down stories 59 Where Asia begins 60 Grant 65 Basketball team 66 Ale ingredient 67 Strongman of myth 68 Rip open 69 Doing nothing 70 Auditions for a role 71 Woes 72 Within reach 73 Nervous

The Fishbowl by Thomas Hernandez

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

DOWN 1 Impulsive 2 Cuba, to Castro 3 Prooferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s word 4 Upright

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40 44

41 47

57 61

73 ÂŠ

10 11 12 13 21 22 25 26 27 28 30 35 36 37 39

62 67

8 9

Zero Shortens Claim on property Papyrus is one The Plastic â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Band Centurianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coin Tea-party crasher Connects up Fermenting agent Nonsense verse writer Be a doctor Channels 2-13 Regard as Hayworth or Rudner SOS receivers Wet lowland Double over Big chunk of ice Apply caulking Track-and-field

5 6 7

35 42

50 53

31 34

competitors 41 Greenpeace target 44 Young falcon 45 Hankering 47 Coalition 48 Long-lost flier 53 Civilian dress 54 An archangel 55 Of ships 56 Dodge, as taxes 58 Helena rival 61 Earthen pot 62 Lerner or Ladd 63 Brief crazes 64 Latin I verb 66 Hr. fraction

2010 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

Previous puzzle solved G A S P E T T A O V E N A A RM B R E A E GG S A UG R E AM D R E I R S A F A QU I C F E L L T R E E

P O S C H I E D S T

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Perfection

FILM SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION IN THE PACIFIC ROOM UNIVERSITY CENTER UNDERGROUND THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2PM - 3:30PM Discussants will include the ďŹ lmmaker and counselor from the Counseling and Psychological Services Center (CAPS) California ďŹ lmmaker KAREN LIN made a short ďŹ lm called PERFECTION which addresses students with parents who have very high expectations for them, for their school work, and career. These pressures were also recently highlighted in the controversial memoir, BATTLE HYMN OF THE TIGER MOM.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Daily Cougar

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