Issue 124, Volume 76 by The Cougar

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Defense improves in second scrimmage

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

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Issue 124, Volume 76

Tuesday ®

Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.

NCAA BASKETBALL

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

COMMUNITY

Campaign focuses on eco-friendly ideas, reception Wednesday The “Showing Houston Going Green” photo awareness campaign will have an opening reception at 6 p.m. on April 6 at the Wortham Theater lobby in the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. The campaign is organized by Ecotone, a group focused on promoting eco-friendly ideas and sustainability in urban environments. The event will feature work from photographers who have captured images of the various green initiatives that have developed in communities around Houston. For more information about the event or Ecotone’s initiatives, contact Trent Jefferson at trent@ecotoneworld. com. — Julian Jimenez/The Daily Cougar

REGISTRAR

UH adapts summer schedule for high school students High school seniors are taking advantage of rescheduling summer sessions for 2011 at UH.

Husky-sized champions UConn wins national championship on shoulders of Walker John Brannen

THE DAILY COUGAR The road to the national championship ended at Reliant Stadium. Connecticut’s junior guard, Kemba Walker, was the best driver. The Huskies beat the Butler Bulldogs 53-41 Monday to become the 2011 national champions.

“It’s one game and you’re done,” Walker said. “Nobody wants to lose. Going into games we always say if you miss a shot it’s all right, but if you don’t play hard it’s not good enough.” “As long as we play hard great things happen for us.” After the Bulldogs went into halftime with a 22-19 lead, they had a scoring drought that lasted more than six minutes. UConn stifled Butler’s offense to a 6-of-37 shooting performance in the second half. “We all have confidence in each other,” junior guard Shelvin Mack said. “If you have a

UConn head coach Jim Calhoun said winning his third national championship Tuesday could be the happiest moment of his life. The Huskies won 11 straight games to capture the NCAA Tournament. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar wide-open shot, you might as well shoot it. They just weren’t falling tonight.” Playing in a non-traditional basketball facility could have played a factor in Butler’s

“UH changes the academic calendar dates to accommodate area high school graduation dates,” said Heidi Kennedy, Director of Academic Program Management, in an email.

offensive woes. To UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, prioritizing defense was the main reason for the Huskies victory. UCONN continues on page 6

COMMUNITY

Campus partners to build studio

Summer Session 1 begins June 6 and ends July 5. In this session, classes will meet Monday through Friday for four weeks. Summer Session 2 starts June 6 and finishes July 21. Classes will last seven weeks, Tuesday through Thursday. Summer Session 3 begins on May 31 and ends August 9. For 10 weeks, classes meet Monday and Wednesday, and Friday, or Tuesday and Thursday. Summer Session 4 lasts four weeks from July 11 to August 8. Classes meet Monday through Friday. — Tap Nguyen/The Daily Cougar

CORRECTIONS J

April 5, 2011

UH Sugarland joins TimeGate, mentors

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

Emily Holley

THE DAILY COUGAR

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EVENTS Piano Works The Moores School of Music is presenting piano works by Locklair, Hurnik, Musella. The event will be from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. tonight. Tickets are on sale for $10, $5 for seniors and students. The Damnwells, Harper Blynn, Howard Jennings The Damnwells are headlining at Fitzgerald’s tonight. Doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets cost $12.

FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT thedailycougar.com/calendar

Nacogdoches office and Thomas will be placed in Lone Star Legal Aid’s Galveston office. Both will receive a stipend to offset their living expenses for the summer. “I was accepted into the ATJ summer internship program,” Urfi said. “This program will provide a stipend for me to work at a non-profit provider of civil legal services located in an area without a local law school and a population filled mostly with underprivileged people.” The program encourages students to help address the civil legal problems of underserved individuals and communities and to educate future attorneys about

The Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council announced a partnership between the University of Houston System and TimeGate Studios to establish a state-of-theart motion capture studio at the Sugarland campus. The deal released on March 22 will include facilities, equipment and training for students with internships. “This agreement represents the beginning of a long-term relationship with UHS to develop a worldclass computer science and digital gaming simulation program right in our backyard,” said TimeGate’s Chairman Alan Chaveleh in a statement. “The relationship will provide mutual benefits to both TimeGate and UHS through, among other things, furthering TimeGate’s in-house development capabilities

LAW continues on page 3

STUDIO continues on page 3

Two law students from the UH Law Center will be participating in a summer internship program providing assitance to indigent areas. | Daily Cougar File Photo

LAW CENTER

Interns help underprivileged Program provides assistance to areas without law schools Ayesha Mohiuddin

THE DAILY COUGAR Two University of Houston Law Center students were selected out of 14 in the country to participate in the Access to Justice Summer Internship Program sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Commission. Paul Thomas and Nakis Urfi were awarded internships through the Texas Access to Justice Internship Program. Urfi will be placed in Lone Star Legal Aid’s

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Tuesday, April 5, 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 31 and April 3. 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.

You heard right. Buy your UH yearbook and you’ll be entered to win a FREE 16gb Apple iPad — surely the year’s hottest tech toy. More importantly, you’ll be investing in a keepsake you’ll cherish for a lifetime: your college memories encapsulated in the Houstonian Yearbook.

Learn more about the yearbook and our iPad giveaway @

21 st ANNUAL SPRING EGG HUNT Sponsored by UH Staff Council & Faculty Senate

Criminal Mischief: 4:18 p.m. April 3, McElhinney Hall — A UH DPS police officer observed some damage to the east side of the McElhinney building. The officer notified the building contact person and the Power Plant of the damage. Theft: 11:48 p.m. April 2, Cambridge Oaks Parking Lot — A visitor was arrested for the theft of a bicycle at Cambridge Oaks. The visitor was transported and released to the custody of Harris County Jail. The incident occurred at 11:48 p.m. on 4/2/11. Traffic Offense: 7:39 p.m. April 2, Lot 1A RHE — A student reported that someone struck and damaged his vehicle while it was parked in lot 1A. The driver of the striking vehicle did not leave the information required by Texas law. The incident occurred between 2 a.m. and 6 p.m. 4/2/11. Traffic Offense: 10:04 a.m. April 2, Lot 5C — A visitor stated that someone struck and damaged his vehicle while it was parked in lot 5 in front of Cougar Village. The driver of the striking vehicle failed to leave the information required by law. The incident occurred between 1:00 and 1:25 a.m. 4/2/11. Burglary: 9:52 p.m. April 2, Cambridge Oaks Apartments — A student reported that someone burglarized his Cambridge Oaks residence. There are no suspects. The incident occurred between 6:00 p.m. 4/1/11 and midnight 4/2/11. Public Intoxication: 10:40 p.m. March 31, Architecture Bldg. – Courtney — A student creating a disturbance inside the architecture building was arrested for public intoxication. The student received

DATE: Saturday, April 9 , 2011 TIME: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. PLACE: Lynn Eusan Park UH faculty and staff are encouraged bring their children and spend the morning at the park in the company of Mr. and Mrs. Bunny. Arts, crafts, games, and entertainment begin at 9:00 a.m., and the Egg Hunt (divided by age groups) will take place at 10:30 a.m. Light refreshments and goody bags full of surprises will be provided. To make a candy donation, volunteer, or to request additional information about this event please visit www.uh.edu/sc/ or contact a Staff Council Events Committee Chair: Audri Villalon at avillalon2@uh.edu or Linda Jauregi at ljauregu@central.uh.edu

For the complete report and to view past reports, go to www. uh.edu/police/home.html

Newsroom th

a Student Life Referral and was released to his legal guardian The incident occurred between 10:20 and 10:43 p.m. Credit or Debit Card Abuse: 12:39 a.m. April 2, Cougar Place Apartments — A student reported that someone used her credit card information to make unauthorized purchases. There are no suspects. The incident occurred between 12:01 a.m. 3/21/11 and 12:01 a.m. 3/23/11. Public Intoxication: 12:18 a.m. April 2, Moody Towers — A student, and resident of Moody Towers, violated the university’s drug policy by inhaling unknown substances while smoking a known drug. The student received a Student Life and Residential Life Referrals for violating UH drug policy. The incident occurred between 12:18 and 12:52 a.m. 4/2/11. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: 4:46 p.m. April 1, Lot 15D — A student reported that someone burglarized his secured and unattended vehicle while it was parked in lot 15 D. There are no suspects. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: 3:12 p.m. April 1, Lot 20C — A student reported that someone burglarized his secured and unattended vehicle while it was parked in lot 20 C. There are no suspects. Criminal Trespass: 9:23 a.m. April 1, Settegast Residence Hall — A visitor, on campus under a previous campus wide Criminal Trespass warning, was arrested for the offense and transported to Harris County Jail.

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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.

ISSUE STAFF ■

Copy editing

Bethel Glumac, Maria Toscano, Reesha Brown

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Production

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Closing editor

Cristi Guerra

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

STUDIO continued from page 1

and curriculum enhancement for UHS.” The relationship between the UHS and TimeGate, award-winning video game developer and publisher located in Fort Bend, began with several conversations between TimeGate’s Chaveleh and GFBEDC president Jeff Wiley. “Not many people are aware that Sugarland is home to one of the best and largest video game developers in the world,” Wiley said. “This will foster an educational and

LAW continued from page 1

those problems. “The Access to Justice Internship Program was established to provide law students with the unique opportunity to participate in an internship with nonprofit providers of civil legal services located in areas without local law schools,” said Hannah Silk Kapasi, program attorney with the Texas Access to Justice Commission.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

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entrepreneurial atmosphere that is mutually benefi cial for all parties involved.” Dick Phillips, associate vicechancellor for the University of Houston Sugarland campus in an arranged statement said students would work with experts in the field. “Students enrolled in UHS will have the opportunity to learn the latest technologies while being mentored by industry leaders. The end result will be a better-trained workforce for the industry and more recognition and opportunity for our graduates,” Phillips said. “We are very fortunate to have

programs already in place at the UHSSL campus, provided by System partner University of HoustonVictoria that can be adapted to meet the needs of companies like TimeGate. UHS will continue to work with our off-campus partner HCC Southwest for transfer students from their established program and our on-campus partner Wharton County Junior College as they develop their gaming program.” The University is set to pay for the motion capture studio, and TimeGate will provide the space and talent for the facilities. These studios are used not only in the production of video games but

television and film, as well. “It’s great. It’s a good idea for those programmers or computer science majors that are looking to program or design specifically in the gaming industry,” said network and security junior, Michael Beal, who attends the Sugarland campus. “Having an experienced gaming company work directly with students is advantageous. Students will not only be able to utilize great equipment and resources but will also be taught by professionals who have direct experience in the industry.” History senior, Kyle Komorita, hopes the video game industry will

get some acknowledgement due to the studio “The HCC video game program is in trouble, but I think it’s nice to see a more reputable company come in and train students who have been looking for ins into the industry,” Komorita said. “Now that it’s with a bigger educational system maybe the field will get some recognition, and its students an edge getting jobs. Every other field and industry I can think of has ties to higher education, it’s about time the video game industry has some of its own.”

“The goals are to encourage more students to help address the civil legal problems of low-income individuals and communities and to educate future attorneys about those problems. Each law student will receive hands-on training by working with accomplished lawyers and providing direct legal services to low-income clients, while learning about access to justice matters, legal decision-making, advocacy skills, attorney-client relationships and legal institutions.” Kapasi said that this is a good

opportunity for the Law Center to spread practical ethics. “By having two students selected to participate in the internship program, more University of Houston Law Center students will be exposed to practicing poverty law specifically and public service more generally,” Kapasi said. “The internships give hands-on experience that brings practical knowledge to the students, which can be shared with others. It also brings an ethic of public service. In turn, the local community will

become more exposed to the law school through the presence of these students.” Urfi said the program hopes that it will help the Law Center get more recognition by providing students with the chance to help those who are less fortunate. “The Texas Access to Justice Commission said that they will ‘advertise the internship program on a state and national level.’ This is just another opportunity to show that the UH Law Center has students who are committed to

providing legal services to indigent people in need,” Urfi said. “There are individuals that desire to get involved in public interest and UH has shown its support by making its students aware of public interest opportunities like this internship program, allowing public interest entities to come recruit on campus and by providing a public interest fellowship fund that harbors commitment to public interest.”

news@thedailycougar.com

WWW.UH.EDU/RECREATION 7 1 3 - 7 4 3 - 7 5 2 9

Aquatics & Safety

Intramural Sports

Adult Swim Lessons

Sport Entry Deadline

M W: April 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27 T Th: April 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 M W 11:15am-12:00pm T Th 11:15am-12:00pm M W 6:45pm-7:30pm T Th 6:45pm-7:30pm

Members: $40.00, Non-member: $55.00. All

Youth Swim Lessons M W: April 4- 27 T Th: April 5- 28

Parent Child – Level 1 M W and T Th 4:30pm-5:00pm Parent Child – Level 2 M W and T Th 5:15pm-5:45pm Pre-School – Level 1 M W and T Th 4:15pm-4:45pm Pre-School – Level 2 M W and T Th 5:00pm-5:30pm Pre-School – Level 3 M W and T Th 5:00pm-5:30pm School Age – Level 1 M W and T Th 4:00pm-4:45pm School Age – Level 2 M W and T Th 5:00pm-5:45pm School Age – Level 3 , 4, 5, & 6 M W and T Th 5:45pm-6:30pm School Age: Member $40, Non-Member $55

Lifeguarding Training

April 23 and 30; May 7 and 14

Leisure Outdoor Pool Mon - Sun Noon - 7:30pm 713-743-7946

4 on 4 Flag Football 4/4 Bench Press Competition 4/4 Tennis 4/4 Swim Meet 4/11 For additional information, please contact IM Sports at 713-743-8041 or visit the website www.uh.edu/recreation

U H 24th Annual

Faculty & Staff Golf Challenge The entry deadline is Friday, April 29th.

Monday, May 16th Herman Park Golf Course The shot gun start will be at 8:00am The cost is $60 for those with a membership with Campus Recreation and $75 for non-member. The cost includes green fees, cart, bucket of balls, polo shirt, goodie bag and lunch If you have any questions please contact Adam Finney at afinney@uh.edu or 713-743-9506.

Outdoor Adventure Trip Schedule Saturday, April 16 Farmer’s Market Bike Tour -- $10/$15 Explore Houston’s historic neighborhoods as we bike to several Farmer’s Markets, eat at a café & relax at Discovery Green.

Saturday, April 23 Beach Saturday in Surfside -- $25/$30 Take a break from the city as we travel to the local Gulf Coast to surf, kayak, play Frisbee, bocce ball & relax on the beach.

Friday, April 29 – May 1 Kayak and Hike Through the Big Thicket -$50/$60 (Mandatory Meeting 4/26 @ 5pm) Paddle down the cool water & take in Texas history, natural plant & wildlife, & camp on the riverbed’s gravel bar.

Tuesday, May 3 Lake Day-- $25/$35

Unwind & clear your mind before finals begin by spending a day at the lake, including activities such as: swimming, hiking, biking, kayaking, grilling, & relaxing.

Monday, May 16 – 21 Ozark Mountain Experience-- $200/$225 (Mandatory Meeting 5/10 @ 5pm) Unwind from finals with Outdoor Adventure as we head to Arkansas to explore the Ozarks. We will backpack, canoe the buffalo river, and climb in horseshoe canyon ranch.

Saturday, July 24-30 Southwestern Colorado Tour -- $300/$325

(Mandatory Meeting 7/12 @ 5pm) Spend your summer vacation in Colorado! We will be heading to four national parks to explore sand dunes, mesas, canyons and reservoirs. To top it off we will spend a day Whitewater rafting. Don’t miss this trip! All Outdoor Adventure trips are alcohol, and illegal substance free.

For more information contact Caleb Wells at (713) 743-0808 or stop by CRWC Room 1007

Fish Fry & Crawfish Boil Student Appreciation Week Thursday, April 28th 5 pm - 7 pm Leisure Pool

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Daily Cougar

opinion THE DAILY COUGAR

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

QUICK DECISIONS, LONG TERM SOULTIONS 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

Politics shouldn’t shade one’s greatness, legacy

dd The Daily Cougar to the list of publications that are totally befuddled in the fact that former head basketball coach Guy V. Lewis still has not been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Not one member of the editorial board was even alive during his 30-year tenure at UH, but that doesn’t matter. His list of accomplishments speaks for itself, and Lewis has certainly met the necessary criteria to become a Hall of Fame coach. Lewis made it to five Final Fours and won 592 games. He coached three players, Elvin Hayes, Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, that went on to become some of the greatest professional athletes ever. Other coaches are in the Hall of Fame with fewer Final Four appearances and fewer wins. When contradictions like this can be pointed out, it makes sense critics would suggest selection to the hall is nothing but political. Dick Vitale of ESPN has made a career out of being a flamboyant television analyst, and that somehow earned him a spot in the Hall. While sports analysis is necessary, it should not hold a candle to someone who was a groundbreaker for college sports. To borrow a page from Kanye West’s book of protesting award shows, the Hall of Fame loses credibility with each passing year it decides to leave Lewis out. We can take solace in the fact that Lewis is in the College Basketball Hall of Fame — he was inducted in 2007. Even if the various committees involved in the selection process can ever wake up and vote Lewis in, it will still be delayed. It will be like when Martin Scorsese finally won an Academy Award for best picture, it was just a make-up for all the other instances when he was snubbed. With Houston hosting the Final Four, there was some light shed on this injustice — time will tell if it was in vain or not. Regardless if Lewis is ever recognized by the Hall of Fame or not, the impact he made here can be seen to this day — the court at Hofheinz Pavilion is named for him.

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.

Obama keeps his promise in Libya

he fighting in Libya is far from over. As of yesterday though, the US military role switched from the lead offensive role to a support role. According to an article published on NPR.com, in Washington, Defense Department spokesman Navy Capt. Darryn James said U.S. activity will formally end at 6 p.m. EDT. The majority of the fi ghter jets and aircraft Andrew used to enforce the Taylor no-fly zone will now be primarily from other UN nations. The role switch for the US military is exactly what president Obama promised when addressing the nation two weeks ago. Also during the address Obama said, “We are not putting any ground forces into Libya.” The decisions that president Obama has made thus far are justified, and they’re in exact accordance with what the US

should have done. The president averted a situation that would have been exponentially worse without US intervention. The intervention — our airstrikes — was also exactly what the rebel troops were desperately calling for. Up to this point, the decisions made by Obama do not deserve the outright criticism that he is receiving from those on the right or left. Despite our airstrikes and the support of other NATO allies, Qaddafi remains a dangerous force and is still claiming the lives of Libyans every day. The airstrikes of our NATO allies must continue at full force in order to support the Libyan rebels. Arming the rebels however, would be a bad idea. The Obama administration has signaled that putting troops on the ground in Libya along with arming the rebel fighters is something that they’re not in favor of nor are there any plans to do so. In an article published in The New York

Times last Thursday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, “training and weapons is not a unique capability for the United States, and as far as I’m concerned, somebody else can do that.” France is the only country thus far to announce plans of providing weapons and training to the Libyan rebels. Arming the Libyan rebels and providing them with training on how to use those arms would require that US troops be placed on the ground in Libya. Due to the number of troops we have in Afghanistan and Iraq, our resources simply should not be used in other places. There is no need to place American forces in harms way when NATO airstrikes are still enforcing the no-fly zone. When asked directly about whether or not US ground troops would be deployed in Libya, Gates said, “Not as long as I’m in this job.” TAYLOR continues on page 5

Republican budget solution unrealistic

ov. Rick Perry agreed with the Texas House Appropriations Committee on March 15 to use $3.2 billion, or about a third of the Rainy Day Fund, for the state budget. This came right after Lt. Governor David Dewhurst set a committee to create $5 billion worth of revenue for use in the next two-year budget cycle, without involving taxes. David The reserve fund still Haydon won’t be used unless the Texas senate votes for it, making Lt. Dewhurst’s committee eager to find and create revenue. An example of non-tax revenue is the sale of government investments and real estate properties, which Dewhurst sees as a viable option, even though selling real estate in a buyer‘s market isn‘t going to make much profit.

Keep in mind this revenue is not going to be used to help close the gap between the budget and the deficit. The revenue will go straight into easing the current cuts to public education and healthcare. The deficit for 2011 is approximately $4.3 billion, while the two-year budget deficit is projected to be from $15 billion to $27 billion. Likewise, the money approved from the Rainy Day fund will only cover the 2011 fiscal year deficit and do next to nothing for the projected deficit. Dewhurst still hopes to close the gap, but the projected $5 billion, if found, will only go to cover the current costs of running the state. When politicians have to sell property to stay afloat, the state is in trouble. This is like living from paycheck to paycheck. When someone is out of money and looking to make quick cash by hitting the pawnshop or selling off assets, it’s usually viewed as

desperation, and this situation should be seen as no different. Dewhurst accurately says that we are in a fiscal crisis, and to his credit he is actively trying to deal with the budget. It’s good to know that the Lt. Governor is trying since Gov. Perry publicly thinks Texas isn’t even in a crisis, and Texas House Republicans think Texas simply needs to “live within it’s means”. As of Sunday, the debates in Austin have been predictable. The majority of Republicans don’t want to take more funds, saying that not using the Rainy Day fund will pay off in the long run, opposed to the smaller minority of Republicans and Democrats who live in what we call reality. Those who are for using the fund realize it’s no longer a choice, but a requirement to barely keep the state above the water. Even if the fund was used in its entirety HAYDON continues on page 5

OPINION

The Daily Cougar

TAYLOR continued from page 4

It is also too soon to be arming a force that doesn’t yet have an established identity. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has also echoed similar sentiments about arming and training a group that has so many unknowns. For now, the best thing to do is to remain the supporting role to NATO airstrikes and to nurture the relationship with the Libyan rebels. This is a civil war they must fight on their own when it comes to ground battles. While assisting them through the enforcement of the no-fly zone, we must maintain a high level of communication and intelligence gathering, something the US is already doing in conjunction with other NATO allies. Another criticism that has been present since the beginning is whether or not we should have intervened at all. In an article by Nick Kristof, published on Saturday in The New York Times, Kristof correctly called the critic’s fears possible. “Critics from left and right are jumping all over President Obama for his Libyan intervention, arguing that we don’t have an exit plan, that he hasn’t articulated a grand strategy, that our objectives are fuzzy, that Islamists could gain strength. And those critics are all right,” Kristof said. But Kristof then followed the confirmation of the critic’s with the most important part of the whole issue in Libya. “But let’s back up a moment and recognize a larger point: Mr. Obama and other world leaders did something truly extraordinary, wonderful and rare; they ordered a humanitarian intervention that saved thousands of lives and that even Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s closest aides seem to think will lead to his ouster,” Kristof said. The claims that US foreign policy is inconsistent are valid. Yes, there are other situations like Yemen, Iran, Darfur and others that are brutal and ugly just like Libya, but we must be aware that when intervening every factor must be considered before taking action. In his address two weeks ago, president Obama said, “the United States should not — and cannot — intervene every time there’s a crisis somewhere in the world.” In the case of Libya, there was wide support from other nations, and very little time to waste. While US foreign policy does often seem inconsistent in terms of military intervention, it is better to be inconsistent and sparse with force as opposed to consistent and often. Using military force is something that brings ugly losses in both life and resources, something every American should be learning from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s a good thing that Obama isn’t trying to intervene in every ugly situation around the world. Even if the US had the resources to do so, it wouldn’t be in our best interest. As Obama said when addressing the nation on Libya, “As Commander in Chief, I face no greater decision than sending our military men and women into harm’s way.” The president has stuck to his word and the US has reduced its military role in Libya. At the same time, he has demonstrated that as commander in chief, expecting assistance from other nations in order to spread the responsibility for situations like this one is something

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

that he plans to do. If Obama motivates other nations to take more responsibility in terms of humanitarian efforts by using this strategy, then his decisions thus far will be significantly greater than the critics make them out to be. Andrew Taylor is an economics senior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

HAYDON continued from page 4

that would cover $9.4 billion, and the shortfall could easily be three times as high. With this in mind it is obvious that the future budget will have to either increase cuts or increase taxes. If the former, cuts would range from every department of state government including, but not limited to low income programs, elderly programs, healthcare programs and of course, public education. All benefits for the elderly and poor would be reduced to nothing, tuition for college students would spike (ironically it wouldn’t be considered taxation) and students in elementary through high school would get crammed together, receiving a worse education than they already are. If the latter was chosen and taxes increased, businesses and corporations that benefited from Texas’ low tax system would pay their dues by returning to the system previous to the 2006 tax swap. Business taxes would revert back to normal, public school funding would gain the 33 percent in funding that was lost, and maybe, just maybe, Texas would be able to drag itself out of the negative. But most Texas politicians refuse to step on the toes of big business in fear of scaring them away. In all probability, the current status quo of desperately selling assets while punishing the future generation of Texas will be here to stay.

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 Wednesday, April 6, 2011

David Haydon is a political science junior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Daily Cougar

sports

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

overtime

NHAT V. MEYER/SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS/MCT

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Championship game set For the first time in school history, the Texas A&M Aggies are in the national championship. Tyra White’s go-ahead layup with 3.3 seconds left was enough to propel the Aggies (32-5) to a 63-62 win over Stanford on Sunday to advance to the finals. The Aggies will face Notre Dame (31-7). The Irish defeated UConn 72-63 on Sunday. The game will tip off at 7:30 p.m. at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. It will be televised on ESPN. — Cougar Sports Services

TENNIS

UH handles Southern Miss., win streak at six A slow start in doubles play did not prevent the Cougars from beating the Golden Eagles 5-2. UH recovered from losing all of its double matches to win 5-2. With the win, the Cougars improved to 13-6 and 2-1 in Conference USA. “Doubles play didn’t turn out exactly how we planned, but I give Southern Miss. a lot of credit, because they came out and took it to us,” head coach John Severance said in a release. “I challenged the team before we began singles play, and I’m proud with how we responded.” — Cougar Sports Services

FOOTBALL

Assistant coach honored The Black Alumni Association awarded offensive coordinator and former UH wide receiver Jason Phillips at their 22nd annual Scholarships and Awards gala Friday at the Hilton Americas. Phillips grew up in Houston and made a name for himself at UH as Heisman Trophy winning Andre Ware’s primary target. Among Phillips’ many achievements while at UH, he and teammate James Dixon became the first to both achieve 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. Phillips played eight seasons professionally. “This is a humbling experience,” Phillips said in a release. “I have been a Cougar forever. I grew up in Houston, loving the University of Houston. You never think, when you are in school, that your actions could have an impact. I just hope I am continuing to set a good example for the studentathletes who are here now. Everything I do is with them in mind.” — Cougar Sports Services

SOFTBALL

UH returns home The Cougars will take on Houston Baptist at 4 p.m. today at Cougar Softball Stadium. The Cougars (24-12, 8-4 Conference USA) have won their last six games and eight of their last nine. HBU is 22-17. — Cougar Sports Services

The Huskies received a shot of momentum after Jeremy Lamb deflected a pass, stole it and dunked it emphatically with 13 minutes and 40 seconds remaining in the second half. The score put the Huskies up 31-26, and they rode that wave of positive energy to the final buzzer. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar

UCONN continued from page 6

“Generally speaking I thought this is the best dome I’ve ever been in,” Calhoun said. “It was a magnificent facility, not because we won. It wasn’t a bad shooting gym per say. The rims are going to be a lot tighter, everything is new. It hadn’t been broken down so you need to understand that defense is really going to take you and hold you until your offense gets going. “The key ingredient on every timeout for us is what defensive things we were going to do. It saved us all the way through this tournament.” The Bulldogs were banking on Mack’s offensive abilities to keep them in the game. But UConn was having none of it, limiting him to 4-of-15 shooting for 13 points. His counter-part, Walker, dropped in 16 and was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine. “We tried to run him (Mack) off the 3-point line,” freshman forward Tyler Olander said.

“Anytime he was coming off a screen we had our big men hedge out a little more to make him step back so he couldn’t get a quick shot off.” Butler’s post players were manhandled, and could not mach the Huskies inside presence. UConn outscored Butler 26-2 in the paint. Ironically, the Huskies outrebounded Butler 53-41, the same numbers as the final score. “Our inside game was a little too much for them,” Walker said. “They gave them a tough time shooting the ball. We did a great job at just keeping them to one shot. There wasn’t too many offensive rebounds for those guys.” UConn dictated the pace after establishing a sizable cushion midway through the second half. The Huskies were able to hold onto the ball late into possessions and didn’t launch their attempts until the shot clock was close to expiring. However, the Huskies never felt as if they were in the clear. “Butler gave us everything that we could handle,” Calhoun said. “It was a tough physical game. We were up 10

points and it still seemed we were up one.” The Huskies capped off their season by winning 11 consecutive elimination games. Pulling off such a feat still remains hard to fathom for the Huskies. “I don’t think anybody believes it,” freshman guard Shabazz Napier said. “Everybody thinks we’re in a dream right now. For us to do this is remarkable. It’s one of those things you have to cherish for life.” “We all understand that this may not hit us, but a week or two weeks from now we’re going to realize what we’ve done.” Even if it’s brief, the Huskies can celebrate their reign as the kings of college basketball. “We’re on top I think, at least momentarily,” Calhoun said. “Recruiting starts in another day or two. Everybody will say ‘they really didn’t have that good a season, they have everybody coming back,’ something of that nature. So it begins again.” sports@thedailycougar.com

FOOTBALL

Defense steps up in second scrimmage Joachim Clarke

THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars were back on the gridiron Saturday, scrimmaging for the second time this season at Carl Lewis Field. Head coach Kevin Sumlin said he is pleased with the Cougars’ development through the first two scrimmages and 10 practices. “We ran a little over 100 plays in a little over an hour which is good for us,” Sumlin said. “We’re working on some tight zone goal line stuff currently and some new formations.” Defense stands out The Cougar defense showed up Saturday and continually caused problems for the offense. They ran full speed effectively shutting down receivers and making

It is the last week of the spring football season, with it capping off Saturday at Robertson Stadium at the annual Red and White game| Jack Wehman/The Daily Cougar tackles when called upon. Their efforts did not go unnoticed as Sumlin gave some praise to the defensive corps.

“I thought the defense did some things today,” he said. SCRIMMAGE continues on page 7

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

SCRIMMAGE continued from page 6

“We’re starting to get people in the right positions and we’re feeling comfortable with what we’re doing. Are we there yet? No. But we have another week and 20 days in the fall. So for me, I’m pretty happy with where we are right now.” Sumlin was particularly impressed by the performance of junior defensive back Jeffrey Lewis. “With our schemes and how we’re doing things, there has been improvement, J Junior cornerback and I think Jeffrey Lewis caught they are going the eye of his coaches to continue Saturday. to improve.” Sumlin said. “Jeffrey is a tremendous football player. He’s a player who can play a bunch of different positions. But we made the decision to just leave him at corner and let him play.” A defensive resurgence is good news for a UH team that gave up an average of 32 points per game last season. On the offensive side, the Cougars also have back-up quarterback Cotton Turner playing at full strength. Turner was under center for many of the snaps in the scrimmage Saturday, again sharing time with David Piland. Redshirt freshman DeAndre Perry caught four passes, and running backs Michael Hayes and Justin Johnson both ran in touchdowns.

Turner said that he has been working tirelessly this offseason to get back to game shape. “The bone has healed and I’ve been throwing for a while,” Turner said. “I just kept building it up. It got to the point in January when I was cleared to do whatever. “I started a full offseason

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

program and was throwing as much as I could.”

up Saturday. “I thought the defense played really well,” Turner said. “The offense needs to have more energy and just execute. “If we play fast and with enthusiasm then we won’t come out flat like we did today. We all love the sport so we’re trying to have fun.”

Offense looking for fresher start Turner said that the offense has to come out with a higher level of energy in order to be effective against the focused and determined defense that showed

The Cougars will have three more practices starting today, and the other two Wednesday and Thursday. The finale to the spring season will be the spring game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Robertson Stadium. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Daily Cougar

life+arts

EDITOR Mary Baak E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/arts

showtime

VANESSA LUA/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

BOX OFFICE

Will Smith joins son Jaden in upcoming M. Night Shyamalan sci-fi film Sony Pictures announced on Monday, April 4, that Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith are set to co-star in an untitled sci-fi film to be directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The story is set 1000 years on a post-apocalyptic Earth, where a young boy, Jaden Smith, and his estranged father, Will Smith, travel across this desolate landscape after their ship crashed onto the planet. “The chance to make a scary, science-fiction film starring Jaden and Will is my dream project,” said Shyamalan in the release. The screenplay was co-written by Shyamalan and Gary Whitta. Shyamalan, Will Smith, James Lassiter, Jade Pinkett Smith and Ken Stovitz are planning on producing the film. “Night is an outstanding filmmaker who has a tremendous vision for this science-fiction adventure story and we couldn’t be more excited to be working again with Jaden after our experiences on ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ and ‘The Karate Kid.’ We’re thrilled to have the two of them together on this project,” said Sony’s Doug Belgrad in a press release. Shyamalan, known for his most popular work “The Sixth Sense,” has dealt with some recent blows with his underwhelming “The Last Airbender,” based off the highly successful Nickelodeon animated television show.

COMICS

Steve Rogers returns in classic costume for upcoming film Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, was killed in March 2007, as fans of the man clad in red, white and blue will recall. As most comic book buffs know, just because a character has been shot, destroyed, drowned, smashed, etc. does not mean that they will stay dead. The same goes for Rogers who will return in costume for “Captain America No. 1” written by Ed Brubaker featuring art by Steve McNiven. Since his “death”, the anti-hero, the Punisher, was picking up the slack and dressing like the Captain. Then Rogers’s friend Bucky Barnes took his place. It was later revealed Captain America was not truly dead, but lost in time. He was eventually returned to the present and Rogers became head of America’s national security under his civilian name. McNiven said to Marvel, “Captain American has been a character I’ve wanted to work on in more depth since Civil War, a real icon of the Marvel Universe. “Not only do I get to run with Cap, but Ed Brubaker, a guy who has redefined the character at Marvel, is writing the books and he’s come up with an absolutely brilliant storyline that I can’t wait for folks to read.” The book, set for three variants and a movie cover, is set to be released in July.

The expense of healthcare without insurance has been the source of worry for students with pre-existing conditions after they graduate, but the Affordable Care Act grants them peace of mind by allowing them coverage from their parents’ healthcare provider after graduation. | Photos.com

HEALTH CHECK

Bill cures student’s concerns University of Nebraska student gives insight on the benefits of healthcare legislation Reesha Brown

THE DAILY COUGAR One year later, Americans are celebrating the anniversary of The Affordable Care Act, which is still deemed as one of the most vigorously debated laws passed by Congress. Among those thrilled by the milestone in health care reform were Democrats, who won the tug-of-war legislative competition against republicans and college seniors graduating in May who will be the first young adults to benefit from the law. United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said in a conference call Friday, with 50 campuses nationwide, including UH, now every young adult can stay on their parents’ health care coverage until the age of 26.

“The class of 2011 will be the first to graduate with this new option,” Sebelius said. “And we think there are about 1.2 million young Americans who could gain insurance coverage as of this year as a result. And that means you’ll have some more choices.” According to Sebelius everyone, including young adults, who joins a new insurance plan will receive key preventive care, such as immunizations and flu shots, without having to pay deductibles and co-pays. There’s also a new patient bill of rights outlawing the abuse of insurance companies. “Insurance companies are now prohibited from capping the dollar amount of care you can receive in a lifetime or dropping your coverage due to a mistake on your application when you get sick.” Lawmakers are also in the process of trying to end discrimination against people with preexisting conditions. “It’s now illegal to deny coverage to children under the age of 19 with preexisting health conditions. So, if you have younger siblings with asthma or a disibilty, they can

no longer be turned away by insurance companies. And by 2014, that protection will be extended to every American.” Emily Schlichting, a soon-to-be University of Nebraska graduate who was diagnosed with Becet’s disease, advocated in favor of the Affordable Health Care during the conference call. “My health care is really expensive,” she said. “I have spent multiple weeks in hospitals, blood tests on a regular basis, expensive medicine. It’s not something that I could ever really afford on my own, even with insurance, out of pocket, in a singleparent market, or individually would have just bankrupted me, especially as a young person. So when the Affordable Care Act was passed, a huge burden was lifted from my shoulders.” Schlichting suffers from a rare condition, which requires a lot of care by medical professionals and causes terminal illness. She was afraid she would be kicked off of her parents’ insurance once she BILL continues on page 9

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Houston restaurant is an unsung hero Jorge Porras

THE DAILY COUGAR A Houstonian culinary icon for almost 100 years, One’s a Meal, formally known as Brooks System Sandwiches, was the first in Houston to be open 24 hours a day and now resides at Westheimer and Montrose next to the police station. Today, One’s a Meal serves Mediterranean fare like stuffed grape leave, grilled octopus, pizzas, gyros, mousaka and pastas. Upon first glance, the restaurant looks like any plain eatery, but once the food

began to come to the table, “plain” is the last thing that comes to mind. I have had octopus many times and always had more or less the same experience, a slightly chewy and rubbery flesh with little flavor that relies heavily on some kind of a sauce or is always accompanied by some other protein, but this was something different. The bright explosion of zesty lime juice and light olive oil combined with the soft surprisingly tender flesh was amazing, paired with an assortment of tomato and cucumber the only thing that could help one enjoy such a dish would be an ice cold beer and an ocean view.

Though some may be hesitant to trying something from the sea that doesn’t have fins and gills, trust me on this, this dish will get you hooked on octopus. Those who have had it before will use One’s a Meal’s as a standard from here on out. After the appetizer was said and done, I was brought the dish that drove me to try this place, the Gyro Calzone; if stoners ever formed a nation, you will find the Gyro Calzone on their flag. Weighing in at over a pound of succulent lamb, fresh tomato, and onions all encased in a pizza roll baked to a perfect HERO continues on page 9

LIFE&ARTS

The Daily Cougar

Staff Picks

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

■

Sharing our Houston favorites

Which eatery has the best menu for under $20? John Brannen: It tastes like chicken

Andrew Taylor: Thai done right

Every area of Houston offers up an overwhelming amount of diversity. Being from Sharpstown, you can travel through several continents in the span of a few miles. My favorite place is a Colombian restaurant called Pollo Riko. They have three locations, but the only one I’ve frequented is at 7229 Fondren in Southwest Houston. While the chicken is the main attraction, their sides are just as flavorful. Fried yuca — which is basically like a french fry — and fried plantains (bananas) always complement an order of chicken. But the best side is the green sauce better known as aji. It is a mix of cilantro, jalapenos, vinegar among others. It goes well on top of all the items on the menu, but my favorite is to douse it with white rice.

TALK BACK

BILL continued from page 8

graduated because of her preexisting condition, but with the new law in place she will still be covered under her parents’ insurance until she gets a job that offers health insurance. “The second part of the law that really really helps me is the patients’ bill of rights,” Schlichting said. “Again, peace of mind, knowing that in three years we’ll not be able to be denied coverage because of an illness that I can’t control having. That should be something that was already in existence.” Another part of the law, which could potentially help recent graduates, is the health insurance exchanges between states, which provides coverage options for individuals and small businesses,

HERO continued from page 8

crisp brown, this will put you into a food coma unlike anything you have ever experienced, and you will accept it with a smile. The greasy goodness and warm thick bread exterior makes it a meal all on its own, while the flavorful lamb soaks into the bread and is accented by the fresh tomato and onions, the infusion of Italian and Greek staples have never complimented each other so well. Somehow after the onslaught I waged on the lining of my stomach there was still some room for dessert; unfortunately they were out of pie, which was apparently

My all time favorite place to eat for less than $20 is Jenni’s Noodle House on Shepherd. Their menu has plenty of vegetarian offerings to please whatever mood I may be in. Also, the staff over at Jenni’s Noodle House is almost always pleasant to deal with, and it has above average service when compared to other Thai eateries. Another reason that Jenni’s noodle house stands out among other Thai restaurants in Houston is because their menu and concept are completely original. They also offer two different types of pot stickers, fried or steamed. If the only potstickers you’ve had are the steamed ones, then go to Jenni’s noodle house and order the fried ones. Jenni’s noodle house seals the deal for me with their eclectic Thai offerings and laidback attitude.

Cristi Guerra: Subs so fast —and cheap — you’ll freak

Jose Aguilar: Tacos, a gift from above

For college students on a budget and on the run the best choice would be Jimmy John’s sandwiches. Their reputation of “Subs so fast you’ll freak” rings true, because by the time you pay and fill your drink, your meal is ready.

Brother’s Taco House, a taqueria located close to campus at 1604 Dowling St., is my fave place to go on the cheap. There is a menu of the tacos they offer, but you have to stop by to see what they have available for the day. The ones that are available consistently are the usual suspects: potato and egg and chorizo and egg for breakfast, or chicken fajita, beef fajita and asada for lunch. If you show up and they are offering chicken mole tacos or the chicken ranchero, definitely try them.

While they don’t carry any hot sandwiches, their cold sub selection can’t be matched. They bake the bread fresh daily, make their own homemade Italian vinaigrette and give you good portions of meat. Unfortunately, there aren’t any locations on campus, but those students traveling from the south can swing by the 59 and Kirby location. As for the rest, the location on Main Street is about ten minutes away from campus. For less than $9 you can get a hearty sub, chips and drink in under 5 minutes, the best combination for a quick meal before class.

Tacos range from $1.50 to $2, so you could get tacos for you and a friend for under 10 bucks. Go early because the taco house is only open til 3 p.m. during the week. As their slogan says, “Thank God for tacos!”

What do you think? Post comments at thedailycougar.com/arts in an effort to make insurance more affordable and accessible for people who do not have employer-based insurance. Once the entire health care bill has reached full implementation status, it will provide a hybrid of affordable insurance plans for young and older populations combined. “The Affordable Care Act for me is not only the guarantee of security that I’ll have access to health care and the peace of mind that that brings,” Schlichting said. “But I really think it is an investment in America’s future and in our entire generation.” The conference call was hosted by Campus Progress, an activist group based in Washington, which provides information for young people on their daily magazine website, campusprogress.org arts@thedailycougar.com

something they are known for. Instead, I went for the baklava, an endless layering of filo dough and honey with spiced chopped nuts. The dessert wasn’t anything special, but it was done right— something that most people take for granted. While most of the world has become jaded in search of incredible dishes, it’s the simple things that will take us back to a simpler time. This is truly an establishment that has stood the test of time and yet still seems to be an unsung hero among the Houston restaurant scene and something that must be experienced at least once; maybe not a Michelin Star winner, but a great place nevertheless. arts@thedailycougar.com

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The Daily Cougar

CAMPUS

Simulation spreads safety awareness, texting and driving Julian Jimenez

THE DAILY COUGAR UH had an opportunity to learn about safety as students took the wheel of a distracted driving simulator brought to campus on Friday at Lynn Eusan Park. The event was part of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talk. Text. Crash.â&#x20AC;? campaign, a joint effort between Nationwide Insurance and the Texas Department of Transportation that is focused on reducing the number of accidents that occurs from distracted driving. The UH Department of Public Safety worked closely with the

campaign to help spread awareness here on campus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to come out and let students know the dangers,â&#x20AC;? said Deidrea Samuels, a public information officer with TxDOT. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want students to know that your life is more important than updating a status on Facebook. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much safer to wait until you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t driving.â&#x20AC;? Many of the students who attended found the simulator changed their perspective on texting and driving. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had 50 to 100 people show up today so far. Once we ask

them about their experience with the simulator and the information we have here, many of them say they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t text or update statuses anymore. That means weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done our job.â&#x20AC;? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the percentage of accident fatalities that stem from driver distraction increased from 10 to 16 percent between 2005 and 2009. A study from TxDOT reported that nearly one in four crashes are associated with distracted driving. To help give people a more

tangible idea of just how seriously distractions can impede oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s driving ability, the simulator puts drivers in the seat of a Nascar vehicle and tasks them with completing several laps around the track. To bring the point home, drivers are then told to text to a cell phone belonging to one of the officials supervising the event while they try to complete their laps. Business finance sophomore Jullian Harvey was adventurous enough to give the simulator a shot. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know people whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gotten into accidents because of texting.

It was much more difficult to drive than I thought it would be. But still, I thought it was a fun game,â&#x20AC;? Harvey said. Abdul Alhanawi, a biology sophomore, was also waiting in line to try out the simulator during the event. He said that many students take unnecessary risks by texting behind the wheel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I see people looking down while driving all the time. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some crazy people driving,â&#x20AC;? said Alhanawi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people abuse it.â&#x20AC;? news@thedailycougar.com

COMMUNITY

Students marry friends and family through ULC monastery Emily Holley

THE DAILY COUGAR Do you have a friend or family member getting married soon? Do you want to be the one that marries them? The Universal Life Church Monastery, the largest federation of ULC ministries, would like the students of the University of Houston to know that they have the option of officiating the wedding of their loved ones. Regardless of religion, the ULC Monastery offers a free online ordination for people all over the world through their website. Those ordained through the ULC can also perform baptisms and funerals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best aspect of the ULC

Monastery ordination for college students is that it allows them to perform informal, fun and inexpensive weddings for their friends and family,â&#x20AC;? said Andy Fulton of the Monastery. At least 15 of the Monasteryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ministers are from the University of Houston. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ULC Monastery makes it possible for any given college student to become a minister to officiate the wedding of their best friend, roommate, etc.â&#x20AC;? Francisco Ramos, physics senior and practicing Catholic, is one of the students who chose to be ordained by the ULC Monastery. He found the organization to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;pleasant, welcoming.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The decision was made because I had some classmates who were going to be married, and I was asked if I would be the minister for their wedding,â&#x20AC;? Ramos said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I gladly accepted the honor.â&#x20AC;?

The ordination is a free process, but some states or countries might require wedding officiates to have authorization and to prove that they are legally allowed to perform the wedding. The Monastery offers the credentials to their ministers through their website, said Fulton. The ULC Monastery also offers a social network for their ministers to interact with each other and share experiences, as well as a blog and a forum, which are used to discuss all types of issues of political, social and religious natures, said Fulton. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because our online ordination registration process is free, there really isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any point in not visiting (our website) to become an ordained minister online,â&#x20AC;? Fulton said. Interested future ministers should visit www.themonastery.org for more information. news@thedailycougar.com

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RENTALS EASTWOOD DUPLEX APT 4714 Clay Street. 2 BDRM 1 bath. Living, dining kitchen, study. Central A/C. Excellent condition $750 713-961-7696 Lg 1 bdrm apt in nice neighborhood near UH. Like a small house. Grad student preferred. 713-743-2734

Smyser Kaplan & Veselka, L.L.P. downtown Houston law ďŹ rm is seeking a full time assistant to our paralegals. Requirements: degree, database, Excel, Word, Outlook skills. Prior law ďŹ rm experience not required. Competitive pay, excellent beneďŹ ts, professional challenging work environment. Pat Tilghman, 713.221.2322, ptilghman@skv.com

BARTENDERS/SERVERS New Heights bar/restaurant seeks fun intelligent staff. Focus on quality & hospitality. Please send resumes and cover letter to: downhousehouston@gmail.com MONTESSORI SCHOOL in Museum district. Looking for Subs/Assts. Flex hrs. Excellent for child dev, Education or Psy majors! Call 713-520-0738 *STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM* PAID survey takers needed in Houston. 100 percent FREE to join! Click on Surveys.

FIND YOUR NEXT JOB. Read The Daily Cougar classifieds every day â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in print or online.

THE DAILY COUGAR CLASSIFIEDS. Like Craigslist, only less creepy. THANKS for reading The Daily Cougar!

Experienced blogger needed for technical set up and administration of an exciting new blog using Wordpress called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why do I Have Problems using Fish Oil?â&#x20AC;? Must know how to generate trafďŹ c in all phases of operation. All content/articles are written. A great ongoing job.

Prof Brian Peskin, 713-298-8783 ENERGETIC FEMALE to attend 13 year old disabled girl evening or weekends, Bellaire. Swim, bike, grooming, meals. Must jog 1 mile. Child is sweet and toilet trained. $10/hr 713-628-6677 Will train.

Ă˛Ă´

RIVER OAKS COUNTRY CLUB

is accepting applications for the following job openings: CertiďŹ ed Lifeguards, Experienced Dining Room Servers, Experienced Baker, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivables. To apply email hr@riveroakscc.net fax 713-529-2579

Ă˛Ă´

Universal Life Church offers the opportunity to be ordained

PART TIME HELP WANTED 10$/hr, 30 hrs/week, email a_alamoministorage@yahoo.com or fax 713-862-3314

You saw it in the Cougar. Tell your friends. THE DAILY COUGAR classifieds ÂŽ

The Daily Cougar

COMICS & MORE

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

comics

crossword

Robbie + Bobby by Jason Poland

ACROSS 1 Philippine port 5 Horse-andbuggy users 10 Floor model 14 Receptive 15 Nouveau â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 16 Midterm or final 17 File folder label 18 Taj â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 19 Mouthful 20 Leggy swimmers 22 Sparkle 24 Moved quickly 25 Has the stage (2 wds.) 26 Islands claimed by Argentina 30 Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital 35 Orthodontistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gp. 36 Dosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; followers 37 Discharge 38 Tart pie (2 wds.) 41 Political thaw 43 Cherbourg shes 44 Homo sapiens 45 VI halved 46 Skims through 47 Volcanic glass 50 Pac-10 team 53 Pharmacist Lilly 54 Arctic mammal (2 wds.) 58 Close 62 Flapjack acronym 63 Godfatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group 66 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; mater 67 Ear part 68 Rectify 69 Diplomat Abba 70 Tool storage 71 Sri â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 72 Mild-mannered

Chili Fingers by Nam Nguyen

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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Catch a Falling Starâ&#x20AC;? crooner 2 Film spectacular 3 Optimum 4 Open the wine 5 One way to stroll (hyph.) 6 Woody ex 7 I, for Wolfgang 8 Layered haircuts

GET A

JOB Read The Daily Cougar ClassiďŹ eds every day and ďŹ nd that gig that will take you to the next level. Or at least help pay the bills. Check us out 24/7 at thedailycougar.com/classifeds â&#x20AC;&#x201D; now featuring Monster.com ads targeted to UH students!

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24 26

36 40

41 44

47 50 55

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34 39 40 41 42 44

29 31 32 33

26 27 28

21 23 25

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You there?â&#x20AC;? Society newbies Door Chess win Eclipse, to an ancient Sidekick Bayou or fjord Visa and passport Charlatan Astaire sister Derek & The Dominos tune Once called Epoch Wish granters Ancient Romeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s port Mug with a lid Escorted Hot topic Apply makeup Baja town Ostrich look-

9 10 11 12 13

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48 49 51 52 54 55 56 57 59 60 61 64 65

alike Percent ending Crown Bactrian beast Animal that hisses Monsieurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son Oops! (hyph.) Pajama coverer Lost no time Yokel Bonny hillside Pull hard Boggy lowland Sign

2010 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

Previous puzzle solved B E L L A T T A R P S S T

O L E O

A L E C

S A R A T L O C C E N E H E E A E S A P E T R E A T R OWE E A N E T S D S

M E R E S T A M N E S T Y

O L D X U R B A I GOR E D P A P R E I T A V O L A T B O L L E R U L E I C A GR C H D R E V E I L S A N T E OO L S A OU V E S T I E R E

Z U N I

E R I K

N A D A

I V I E S

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N U L L

N D A K

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THIS AINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T YOUR GRANNYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BINGO HALL!

$0.25 PITCHER OF BEER!! Thursdays at

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Check out The Daily Cougar Green Guide, coming April 20

THE DAILY COUGAR

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■

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Parking and Transporta on Services Service Desk: Welcome Center Parking Garage Mon-Fri: 7am-8pm

Web: www.uh.edu/parking

E-mail: parking@uh.edu

Phone: 713-743-1097

ADVERTISING

The Daily Cougar

You asked for a closer parking space.

We’re building you

2,301

We’re breaking ground this summer on a new 2,301 space garage near Robertson Stadium. When completed, it will provide student, faculty, staﬀ and visitor parking for 2,301 vehicles in a high-demand area of the campus. But first, we have to build it. Construc on starts August 1, 2011 with an an cipated comple on date of May 2012. During this me 1,100 spaces in parking lot 15D (Cullen @ Holman) will be unavailable for parking.

We have developed and are implemen ng prac cal and useful alterna ves. We’re expanding lot 16D and adding addi onal lots along Leek Street which will open before the fall semester starts. In addi on, any valid permit holder can u lize the lots at Energy Research Park (ERP). It’s a free, 15-minute shu le ride away and an excellent op on for mid-morning classes.

We know it’s going to be tough. But the payoﬀ will be worth it. And in the mean me Parking and Transporta on Services will con nue to help our customers navigate safely and eﬃciently through this project.

Be our fan on Facebook: UH Parking and Transporta on Services Follow us on Twi er: @UHParking

For more informa on on this, or other current and planned parking projects, visit www.uh.edu/parking.