Issue 127, Volume 76

life+arts

sports

Believe that Yellowcard rocks

Cougars welcome UAB to Houston

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

newsline

facebook.com/thedailycougar

Issue 127, Volume 76

Friday ®

April 8, 2011

Sign up for daily e-mail alerts

Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.

STAFF

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

Honors College takes on familiar familial story at Wortham Aeschylus’“Agamemnon” will be premiering at 8 p.m. April 8 in the Wortham Theatre as part of the Honors College’s Dionysia events.

“It’s one of the major stories in western civilization on just how horrible families can be,” said Dr. John Harvey, performance translator, about his version of the unhappy and bloody homecoming of the Greek leader from the Trojan War. The play takes part of the larger Dionysian events, which will include an Ekphrastic Art exhibit and an opening night Agora at the Honors Commons starting at 6:45 p.m. There will also be a performance of “Klytamnestra”, an opera dance, on April 15 and 16 at the Divergence Theatre.

These events are meant to recreate the traditional, ancient Greek celebration for the god Dionysus.

Council to take on guns Resolution calls for a review of official opinion on proposed legislation Nick Ragan

THE DAILY COUGAR UH’s Staff Council voted to explore a resolution that would oppose guns being brought onto University campus at a meeting on Thursday.

A resolution draft submitted to the council by Committee Chair Rebecca Szwarc would make the council’s opinion on the issue of whether or not guns

should be allowed on college campuses known to the public. As a body of UH, the council cannot petition against any specific state legislation, but they can make their views on the issue known to the Texas Legislature.

The council called for a special meeting to be held so that there is time to review the draft before it is sent to Austin.

Last month, the Faculty Senate voted to reaffirm a similar resolution, which it had passed in 2009, in opposition to the proposed handgun legislation that is expected to pass soon.

In other business, Staff Council officer Joe Papick reported that the stadium parking garage will be completed ahead of

its projected December 2012 completion date. The garage is expected to be finished in May of 2012 and will open in time for the fall semester.

Papick said overall security has been increased at Moody Towers, with more frequent security officer checks and a revision of protocols for desk and residential assistants.

The increase in security comes after a student living in Moody towers reported being fondled in her dorm late February.

A suspect in the case was arrested in early March.

Like the Faculty Senate, the Staff STAFF continues on page 3

ADMINISTRATION

Performances of “Agamemnon” will run until April 10 at the Wortham, and one show will be held at Khon’s Bar on April 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets are free but must be reserved through the School of Theater and Dance at (713) 743-2929.

New committee aims to connect UH services

— Anna Gallegos/The Daily Cougar

Second opera in Spanish writer series presented this weekend The Moores Opera Center and the Moores School of Music present the first US production of the Spanish opera “Il Postino” at the Moores Opera House today through Monday.

Administration hopes to increase student productivity, graduation rates

The opera, written by Daniel Catán, is based on the film and novel set in Italy where famed poet Pablo Neruda befriends an illiterate postman.

Darlene Campos

THE DAILY COUGAR

Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 students and seniors.

Call 713-743-3388 or visit www.music.uh.edu/opera/currentseason.asp for more information.

CORRECTIONS !!

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

today

89 LO 72 HI

Morning clouds with a clear afternoon....

SAT

SUN

MON MO

TUE TU UE

88/72 /

87/66 8 /66

84/61 84/ /61

83/67 83/ 83 /67 67

EVENTS Instructor-Led Training Class Training courses are available to faculty, staff and students. There will be a free class introducting Share Point from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 110L of the Social Work Building.

Dionysia 2011 presents Agamemnon The Honors College and the Center for Creative Work is presenting the production of Aeschlus’ Agamemnon. The production will be from 8 to 10 p.m. The event is free.

Signing up for campus living

R

epresentatives of UH’s Residential Life & Housing department were on hand Tuesday to provide information on the various campus living options available to students next semester. Students who weren’t able to attend can visit www.housing.uh.edu for more information. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar

FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT

thedailycougar.com/calendar

At any college or university, student success is a great concern — and UH is no exception. So in order to bolster the graduation rate, UH has established the Student Success Team Administrative Review, or S-STAR. “The Provost (John Antel) has been leading a series of meetings to examine our admissions and enrollment data, and to develop programs to promote retention and graduation,” Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance Carl Carlucci said in an email. “As part of this, we are trying to pull in all of the student support services so that they work in a coordinated way.”

According to a UH news release, the S-STAR is essential for UH to become a residential campus instead ! ! Vice President of commuter campus.

Studies have shown that students Carl Carlucci adwho live on campus are more likely dressed UH’s Staff to participate in University activities, Council leading to a positive outlook on college and, eventually, a higher graduation rate compared to those who commute.

UH is aiming to have at least 8,000 beds on campus by the fall of 2013.

The S-STAR will also scrutinize the University’s organizational development, including academic, business and facilities planning, and will also develop an integrated business plan.

“By developing the S-STAR committee, the University will coordinate its entire community on reaching the next level of excellence and provide the supportive culture throughout the campus to help our students reach their full potential,” Executive Director of Media S-STAR continues on page 3

2

!

Friday, April 8, 2011

NEWS 101

The Daily Cougar

Headlines from around the world, so you can sound like an informed person.

news 101 BRAZIL

Gunman kills 13, injures 20 at school A school shooting occurred in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, killing 13 students and injuring 20 others, officials said.

The gunman, who was identified as 23-year-old Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, began firing on children on Thursday inside the Tasso da Silveira Municipal School. Menezes de Oliveira was armed with two handguns. The 20 injured included 12 boys and six girls of different ages.

Agencia Brasil said that there were reports circulating that Menezes de Oliveira had left a letter behind informing that he had HIV. Police arrived on the scene after a military officer was approached by a student that had been shot in the face. Mezezes de Oliveira was shot in the leg by police before he committed suicide.

MARYLAND

Police search for man who glued toilet seat Maryland police are searching for a suspect that was involved in an April Fools’ Day prank that left a 48-year-old man glued to a toilet inside a WalMart restroom.

After responders arrived, it took them 15 minutes to remove the man from the toilet. He left with only minor injuries.

JAPAN

Earthquake extends evacuation zone Radiation standards for the areas around the Fukushima Daiishi Nuclear

THE STUDENT PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF

EDITOR IN CHIEF

of The Daily Cougar for Summer/Fall 2011 — AND — of the 2011-12 Houstonian yearbook APPLICATION DEADLINE:

5 P.M. APRIL 21

ELECTION: 4 P.M. THURSDAY, APRIL 28 TO REQUEST AN APPLICATION, VISIT ROOM 12, UC SATELLITE OR CALL 713-743-5335.

The SPC meets monthly during the school year to hear updates from the department’s units, to give a forum for public comment and to elect the editors in chief of The Daily Cougar and Houstonian yearbook. For more information, visit www.uh.edu/sp/committee

The strong quake triggered a tsunami warning, but there are no reports of damage from the quake that struck off the coast of Miyagi, Japan, which is about 41 miles from the Sendai.

A top government official said Thursday that the Japanese government may extend the evacuation zone for those who might endure long-term radiation effects.

HOUSTON

HPD arrests suspect for death of Katy student Houston police arrested an 18-yearold man early Thursday in connection with the killing of 17-year-old Bridgett Frisbie.

The suspect, Alexander Samuel Olivieri, was arrested at 2:30 a.m. Frisbie’s remains were uncovered by a group of teenagers riding four-wheelers in a wooded area in northwest Harris County.

Frisbie was a junior at Raines High School in KISD.

HOUSTON

Student/teacher relationship unfoils A Fort Bent Independent School District teacher was arrested after she was accused of being in an inappropriate relationship with a female student by police.

Terrie Rhodes was charged with indecency with a child. Her bail was set at $30,000, according to police.

Compiled by Christopher Losee

contact us: Sports Editors

Newsroom

!"

(713) 743-5360 Editor in Chief

!"

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

!"

Christopher Losee closee@thedailycougar.com Multimedia Editor

!"

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Power Plant could be extended several kilometers after Japan was struck by a 7.1 maginitude earthquake – the strongest since March 11.

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

Jose Aguilar Cristi Guerra (713) 743-5314 news@thedailycougar.com

Advertising

(713) 743-5340

ads@thedailycougar.com Classifieds

!"

(713) 743-5356 classifieds@thedailycougar.com

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.

ISSUE STAFF Copy editing

Natasha Faircloth

Production

Ben Muths

Closing editor

Jack Wehman

!" !" !"

Friday, April, 8, 2011

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

ACADEMICS

!

3

UH ABROAD

UH, Rice collaboration Violence in Mexico affect schools, provides master talks families, even campus community Julian Jimenez

THE DAILY COUGAR Students from UH and Rice University had a rare opportunity to get a master’s perspective on poetry as renowned poets Timothy Donnelly and Susan Stewart visited the city to give a collaborative craft talk and reading on Monday and Tuesday.

Both Donnelly and Stewart are famous in the literary world for their work as both poets and critics.

Donnelly is a professor at Colombia University and works as the poetry editor for the Boston Review.

He has written two poetry collections that have both been critically acclaimed in the literary world: “Twenty-seven Props for a Production of Eine Lebenszeit” and “The Cloud Corporation.”

The UH Honors College hosted his “The Captivation of the Maker” talk on Monday.

Stewart, similarly, is an English professor at Princeton University.

Her extensive list of works has garnered numerous commendations, including receiving the National Book Critics award and being a recipient of the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship.

On Tuesday, the UH Department of English held a Q&A session with Stewart, while her “Freedom of the Maker” talk took place in Rice’s Fondren Library.

Both poets concluded the visit with a reading at the Jung Center on Tuesday evening.

Kevin Prufer, an English professor at UH and one of the organizers of the talks, said that he hopes to make the collaborative effort a yearly event.

STAFF continued from page 1

Council is looking to increase the number of awards its members receive from the Center for Measuring University Performance Top American Research Universities.

The CMUP publishes the “Top American Research Universities” annually, and UH ranks in the top 50 in five categories.

Last year the Staff Council received seven awards, more than doubling what they received the year before. Council members are aiming to continue that trend by

S-STAR continued from page 1

Relations Richard Bonnin said in the news release.

With the eventual transition to a more residential campus, Assistant Vice President for University Services Emily Messa said it’s important for the University to “begin looking at core services in different ways.”

“By having all of the administrative team around the table in support of Academic Affairs,

“We’ve teamed up with people at Rice University to bring two renowned poets to Houston,” Prufer said. “This is the first talk of its kind, and we’re hoping to make it an ongoing thing.”

Organizing the readings and craft talks wasn’t an easy endeavor.

Prufer said that bringing the event to life meant finding the right speakers and finding the means to make it happen.

“We needed people who were both important critics and poets, so I sat down with my colleagues at a coffee shop and talked it over for a few hours until we came up with good names for the event,” Prufer said.

“The poetry world is pretty small, so it was easy to network and contact the people we wanted to talk to. The tricky part was coordinating between UH and Rice and getting the grants,” he said.

All in all, Prufer said he was optimistic about the various events, because he felt the writers were lively, interesting and accessible.

“The writers we chose are good with people. They’re unafraid to really engage the students with their craft,” Prufer said.

Stuart Hadley, a creative writing graduate from UH, was present at the Donnelly talk. He said that while some of the discussion about poetry meter and structure was fairly advanced, the event was a great experience.

“He explained how those elements work to strengthen the poetry. It was complex and abstract — very intellectually challenging. I ended up really enjoying it,” Hadley said. news@thedailycougar.com

increasing the number to at least 15.

The Staff Council still isn’t certain about the extent the budget problems at UH will affect their departments.

Approximately 100 staff positions have been terminated over the last three years, and more are expected.

“If you’re going to pay attention to what’s going on in Austin, this is the year to do it,” Staff Council President Carol Barr told the council. “Now is the time to get involved.” news@thedailycougar.com

we ensure that as we transition, we are all connected,” Mesa said.

“That (way) our services can align with and support the University’s academic mission.”

Melissa Rockwell, executive director of Facilities Management agreed with that statement.

“This is an opportunity to support the Research and Residential model that will allow us to begin to strategically align the support services with the overall academic mission,” Rockwell said. news@thedailycougar.com

Jesus Acevedo, Miguel Cortina, Louis Casiano and Jorge Porras

THE DAILY COUGAR As the continued violence in Mexico begins to draw closer to home, students from both sides of the border are also affected.

For some students, the violence has made it difficult to visit family in Mexico and has turned what was once a routine trip into a gamble for their lives.

“It’s keeping us away from our family, our friends and from the lives we used to know,” said Arianna Martinez, a UH alumni who graduated in 2009.

“It’s been a struggle because we want to be with our family, but at the same time you begin to think about all the things that could happen if you go to Mexico.”

For Martinez, the violence in Mexico hit close to home last August when her brother-in-law was kidnapped after a gunfire battle in Monterrey, Mexico.

Martinez’s brother-in-law, a bodyguard for one of the CEO’s of the Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery, was mistaken for a drug cartel member and was kidnapped along with another bodyguard. Martinez’s brother-in-law was off duty at the time.

Two days later, Martinez’s brotherin-law was found.

“He was in a car stranded in one of the neighborhoods along with the other bodyguards,” Martinez said. “He was pretty beaten up and was in the hospital for five days.”

M a r t i n e z ’s brother-in-law regained his health and has begun the process of applying for a residency in the US, in part to be away from the violence and to rejoin his wife and baby girl.

Mexicans attempting to leave the violence behind have applied for asylum. According to the US Department of Justice, in 2010 there were 3,231 asylum requests from Mexican nationals, but only 49 percent of them were granted.

The violence in Mexico has no restrictions or boundaries and has found itself on the doorsteps of the Monterrey Institute of Technology, a prestigious private university in Monterrey.

Last March two students from the university, Javier Arredondo and Jorge Antonio Mercado, were killed when they were caught between the crossfire of Mexican drug cartel hitmen and the Mexican army, the Monterrey Institute of Technology said in a

statement last year.

“The violence has changed me in that now I am more careful,” said Jacobo Gómez, a mechanical engineer sophomore at the Monterrey Institute of Technology.

“I avoid going to known dangerous areas and luckily I have yet to come face-to-face with any violence.”

Gómez can also count on the increased secur i t y m e a s u re s the institute has Arianna Martinez implemented.

“The univerUH alumna, 2009 sity has made several safety tips programs,” Gómez said. “It has also increased security personnel, and put a new system at the entrance where you can only enter by scanning your university credentials.”

The violence in Mexico has been ongoing for a couple of years now and has left some residents jaded.

“There are so many reports on shootings, deaths and road blockages that I’ve noticed people see it as a common thing now,” Gómez said.

“That’s not to say that we get accustomed to living with violence, but we hear it so often that the news begins to all sound the same after a while.”

It’s been a struggle because we want to be with our family, but at the same time, you begin to think about all the things that could happen if you go to Mexico.”

news@thedailycougar.com

4

!

Friday, March 8, 2011

The Daily Cougar

opinion THE DAILY COUGAR

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

ROLLING OUT PRODUCTS EVERYDAY by 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

The outlook on Texas Education is depressing

I

t is no secret that with the current economic climate, state funding for education is being slashed across the board.

The Houston Independent School District trustees voted to cut 277 jobs to help ease the strain the expected decrease in funding will cause, the Houston Chronicle reported Thursday.

It has also been reported that trustee Mike Lunceford suggested cutting the salary of those who earn more than $100,000 a year in order to further cut spending.

However, the proposed cut is only 3 percent, and that doesn’t account for much — that’s only $3,000 per teacher if they’re making only a little more than the cutoff amount when it comes down to it.

Though they’re projected to save HISD about $400,000, it will likely do little in the long run, because symbolic pay cuts mean little when officials have yet to project how many teaching jobs will be lost because of the loss of state funding.

More than anything, if Texas wishes to be educationally competitive with the rest of the United States, cutting state funding and eliminating teaching jobs isn’t the way to go about doing so.

Texas is already 45th in the nation when it comes to education. If education is cut any further, we’re only going to fall lower on the list.

Why is it, then, that funding for schools is the first to go when faced with a budget crisis? HISD projects that it will also cut spending by about $275 per student in the next year to make up the deficit, according to the Chronicle.

We can’t sacrifice jobs and the quality of education if Texas is to be nationally competitive, especially when there are other programs that can be cut to account for the loss in funds. For example, when it comes to capital punishment, Texas is the busiest state, and that costs about $2 million per inmate.

If Texas is in dire need to save money, legislators should look elsewhere. The future of our state depends on education — something that has long been a core value of the Texas government.

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.

Texas: the fastest state in the US T

he Texas department of Transportation is considering raising the speed limit to 85 miles per hour on certain stretches of Texas highway.

According to a Reuters article by Jim Forsyth, published on Thursday, Andrew the speed Taylor limit increase would be part of a bill that has already passed in the House, and there’s currently a similar bill in the Senate.

If the speed limit were raised to 85, Texas would then be home to the highest speed limit in the world.

According to Forsyth’s article, “eighty-five miles per hour would be the highest posted speed limit in the United States and the second-highest posted speed limit in the world,” Forsyth said.

As for the highest speed

limit, “a speed of 140 kilostretch of interstate 10 that meters per hour, or about runs between Kerr county 86 mph, is posted on some and El Paso county. motorways in Some Texans are Poland,” Forsythe against increasing said. the speed limit to In the US, Texas the levels. and Utah are the But is 80 miles an Traveling at only two states hour really unsafe if that allow drivers the flow of traffic is high speeds to travel legally at moving smoothly? is something speeds of 80 miles The quality and per hour. width of some highthat many Most of these ways tends to make drivers feel high-speed zones 80 miles an hour are not a part of quite easy. they can do many people’s A numerous well, but in daily commute. amount of Houston reality the Unless you drivers have made live near Dallas my speed of 75 faster you or another city in miles per hour travel the less look sloth-like on West Texas along Interstate 20, drivtime you have Interstate 45 during ing 80 could result my commute to to react.” in a pretty burdencampus. some citation.

Making our Your only other highways faster isn’t shot at driving an easy decision, 80 miles an hour though. legally right now is if you’re According to Forsyth’s headed to a farm or ranch article, “under the legislation, located somewhere along the the Texas Department of

Transportation would have to conduct engineering studies before any highway could be certified for an 85 mph speed limit,” Forsyth said.

Increased speed limits and poorly focused motorists could be a recipe for disaster.

Many drivers, and not just teens, are driving distracted.

Cell phones, whether it’s calling or texting, eating, tuning a radio or messing around with any of the other countless possible distractions can lead to dangerous conditions at almost any speed.

Traveling at high speeds is something that many drivers feel they can do well, but in reality the faster you travel the less time you have to react.

For this reason alone, numerous studies should be conducted to make sure that any stretch of road that increases in speed limit is suitable for normal drivers.

Andrew Taylor is an economics senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

views How do you feel about raising the speed limits to 85?

Photos and quotes compiled by Andrew Taylor

85 miles an hour is really high. When I speed I don’t even go 85 miles per hour. Maybe on the outskirts of town this might be OK, but still that is a really fast speed.

Sherry Huang undeclared sophomore

Raising the speed limit to 85 would be a good idea because it would decrease the time people spend on the road. Also, it would make traffic conditions better and car engines would run for shorter amounts of time, therefore decreasing emissions.

Raising the speed limit to 85 makes the speed limit too fast. People who speed generally go over the posted limits anyway, so if they’re going over 85 to speed they’ll be going too fast.

Pedro Ferreira

Ami Patel

The positive benefit would be that fewer people would receive speeding tickets or get arrested. However, 85 is a fast enough speed that it may make slowing down and other driving aspects unsafe.

Media production sophomore

Sebastien Serimontrikul

CIS sophomore

English freshman

Friday, April 8, 2011

The Daily Cougar

sports overtime

VOLLEYBALL

Lamar visits for tune-up The Cougars will have their last home competition of the spring tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in the Athletics/Alumni center when they host the Lamar Cardinals for a scrimmage.

The spring season will end next weekend when the Cougars head north for Dallas to take on Mississippi, SMU and Oklahoma.

Tomorrow’s scrimmage is free and open to the public.

— Cougar Sports Services

TRACK AND FIELD

Cougars in Austin for Texas Relays UH will be one of the many talented units participating in the 84th Annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. The meet features the best high school, collegiate and professional athletes from around the nation.

The action started off Wednesday for senior decathlete Wesley Bray. He placed 10th in the 100-meter dash, finishing in 10.98 seconds, scoring him 865 points. He collected 736 more points after running the 400-meter dash in 51.75 seconds, good for 12th place.

Thursday he placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, scoring 874 points. In the discus throw he placed 13th, with a toss of more than 100 feet, scoring him 605 more points. He had his best performance in the shot put, with a heave of more than 467 feet, notching 733 points. Bray sits in fourth place overall with 5,413 points.

In the heptathlon, sophomore Megan Frausto placed 16th in the 100 in 14.52 seconds, scoring 866 points. She placed 11th in the 200-meter dash in 25.65 seconds, garnering 866 points. Overall she is in 10th place with a total of 4,335 points.

In the 5,000 meter run, Starla Garcia placed 12th in a time of 18:22.

In the 800-meter run, Ciera Johnson finished in 2 minutes, 10 seconds to earn second place. For the men’s team, Doug Kelley also earned second in the 800 with a time of 1:52. In section B of the 1500-meter run, Erica Hanneman placed fourth with a split of 4:42. In the men’s event, Drevan Anderson placed 10th with a time of 4:04.

The meet continues tomorrow and will conclude Saturday.

— Cougar Sports Services

SOFTBALL

UH heads to El Paso The Cougars will head west this weekend to take on the UTEP Miners. UH is coming off of a 6-0 win Saturday against nonconference opponent Houston Baptist.

The Cougars (25-12, 8-4 Conference USA) are in fourth place in the conference standings and will look to make a jump against the ninth-place Miners (16-23, 1-8). The first game of the three-game set will begin at 2 p.m. at Helen of Troy Field.

The series concludes at 1 p.m. Saturday.

— Cougar Sports Services

5

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

FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Small roster creates challenges THE DAILY COUGAR

players out there and by practice 15, you’re still working on some things to get it done.”

Things just aren’t what they used to be.

For head coach Kevin Sumlin and other programs across the country, spring football can be more of a thorn in the side than a crucial developmental phase of the season.

“I know for fans the spring game can be frustrating, but there are a lot of schools out there not even having spring games because of the depth situation,” Sumlin said.

“It’s not like the old days where you have over 100 guys. We’re waiting on the signing class to get here, and we only have 85 scholarship guys. You have limited

Checking up on Keenum’s health Quarterback Case Keenum will not be playing at the annual Red and White Game on Saturday, but his absence during the spring season should not be cause for concern. His role is similar to what it was after his injury last season, serving as something between a player and assistant coach.

“Case spends a lot of time with me and he doesn’t do much of anything at practice,” Sumlin said. “We have 84 other guys that need to get better. Can Case get better? Sure, but there are a bunch of other guys who have a lot further to go

John Brannen

FILE PHOTO/THE DAILY COUGAR

!

than he does. We have plenty of time to get him ready. He’s doing some 7-on-7 and some other throwing drills. He’ll keep rehabbing through the offseason and he’ll have plenty of time to be ready.

“He is spending a lot of time out there with David (Piland) and Cotton (Turner).

He’s out there in the huddles with them and that helps him stay involved with everything. I think he’s on track to be back. Everyone knows what kind of kid he is. If anything we have to be careful that he doesn’t try to do too much.”

Scoring system for spring game On offense all regular scoring rules will be applied, but the defense will have FOOTBALL continues on page 6

BASEBALL

Conference schedule resumes with UAB UH will try to keep record spotless in C-USA during three-game home series Gilbert Requena

THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars will continue their conference schedule this weekend as they welcome UAB to Cougar Field for a threegame series.

UH (16-15, 3-0 Conference USA) stumbled in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to Lamar, but has won four of its last five games, including its first three games of the C-USA schedule.

“Our biggest thing right now is looking too far ahead and not really focusing on the game that we’re playing at the time,” junior infielder and pitcher Matt Creel said. “We weren’t underestimating Lamar, but a lot of us were looking forward to this weekend. We weren’t really worrying as much about the game at hand.

“The coaches always stress taking it one game at a time, going the next 200 feet, but like any plan, you stray from it from time to time. The coaches reminded us after our last game what our focus should be, so I think that we’ll get it back right.”

What has plagued the Cougars thus far is a lack of consistency. The team has had big wins against ranked opponents, but they have lost games that they believe they should have won.

“Until we all understand and play against Lamar and UTSA with the same aggression and passion that we play with against Texas A&M, TCU and Ole Miss, we’re going to stumble,” head coach Todd Whitting said.

“I think that this team has trouble dealing with success.

“The hurdle we’ve got to cross now is that we’ve got to learn that when we win three or four games or win games against big teams, instead of patting ourselves on

Through 31 games, the Cougars have been a difficult team to figure out. After upsetting No. 5 Texas A&M on Tuesday, the Cougars fell 5-2 at home to an unranked Lamar on Wednesday. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar the back about how great we played the day before, we have to focus on what’s going on today.”

Whitting and Creel believe the Cougars have the ability and talent to succeed but that they must use patience in critical situations.

“I think that we’ve played well,” Whitting said. “Our pitching staff is coming together. Offensively, we seem to always get our hits, it’s just a matter of scoring runs sometimes.”

UAB (16-12, 4-2 C-USA) comes to Cougar Field having lost two games in a row, but prior to those losses they reeled off a four-game winning streak that included a sweep of C-USA foe East Carolina.

UAB is led by center fielder Jamal Austin and third baseman Patrick Palmeiro.

Austin leads the Blazers in runs scored (19), hits (44) and batting average (.393).

Palmeiro leads the Blazers in slugging percentage (.469), RBI (19), doubles (9) and home runs (3).

The last time the two teams faced each other UH was victorious, extinguishing the Blazers 2-1. The Cougars lead the alltime series against UAB 35-13.

The games start at 6:30 p.m. today at Cougar Field. The Cougars will take the field at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m.

Sunday. sports@thedailycougar.com

!

Friday, April 8, 2011

SPORTS

FOOTBALL continued from page 5

plenty of opportunities to cash in.

A stop is worth a point for the defense. A stop on fourth down or a sack scores two points. If the kicker misses a field goal, or the defense forces a three-and-out, it will be worth three points.

Causing a turnover will score five points, and scoring a touchdown off a turnover will be worth nine points.

The offense will be the red team, the defense will wear white. Fans

may enter through gates one, four and seven. All fan seating will be on the west side of the stadium.

Admission is free to all and concessions will be available. Following the game will be the 2011 Cougar Youth Experience. Students from kindergarten through 8th grade are welcome to join the Cougars on the field for a football clinic and autograph session.

The spring game will start at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Robertson Stadium. sports@thedailycougar.com

EMPLOYMENT

SEMINAR FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011 2-5 PM

170 Melcher Hall C.T. Bauer College of Business For International Students, Scholars & UH Staff Âť Work Options Âť Practical Training ( CPT/ OPT) Âť The Job Search Âť H-1B Visas Âť Employment Based Immigration Âť Immigration Lawyer Sponsored by the International Student & Scholar Service Office

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Former player stays on the move Lewis trots globe to keep professional hopes alive John Brannen

THE DAILY COUGAR After making a run to the NCAA Tournament a year ago at UH as a senior, Kelvin Lewis has been swept into a whirlwind. He took his game to Europe and all the way back home again.

After playing in the Houston Rockets’ summer league in 2010, Lewis decided he would have to travel abroad to keep pursuing his hoop dreams of playing professionally.

He signed with a Greek team, Kavala BC. Kavala is located in northern Greece and has a population of approximately 60,000 people.

He learned a different style of the game, but he said he always felt as if he had an advantage over European players. “The European game is a lot different,� Lewis said. “It’s about skill, and the rules are a little different. I felt I had a lot more athleticism and a little bit more speed than other guys. “A lot of European guys use more skill and angle because they’re not as fast as Americans. It was different, and it took me awhile to adjust — but once I made the adjustment, I was comfortable.�

A native of Fort Worth, Lewis was expecting a culture shock when he arrived in Greece, but was surprised to learn there were no language barriers.

classifieds BULLETIN BOARD

HELP WANTED

The Daily Cougar

HELP WANTED

A little more than a year ago Kelvin Lewis was playing at Hofheinz Pavilion. Since then he’s worn three different jerseys besides red and white. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar “Greece was pretty Americanized,� he said. “A lot of people spoke English. It was perfect weather. It was a really rustic atmosphere and like a resort city, it was right by the water.�

But his time in paradise was short-lived. He spent September 2010 there, but his playing time was brief as the Greek league went on strike, and it was time for Lewis to part ways with the team to try his luck in the states.

He returned to Texas two days before the National Basketball Developmental League draft, and was selected by the Texas Legends, an affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. “I didn’t know where I was going to go when the draft was happening,� Lewis said. “I figured I would be associated with the Rockets, but when the Mavericks association chose to make that move, it was a great opportunity and a blessing.�

But the unpredictable life of a semi-professional athlete involves the possibility of being moved any given day. In March, Lewis was traded to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, an affiliate of the Rockets.

Regardless of what team he plays for, Lewis is not quitting on his aspirations to play in the NBA. “It’s not even my first year out of college,� he said. “I still have a lot to learn.�

Lewis earned his degree in health education at UH, and he plans on following the path of many former athletes by not leaving the sport altogether. “A lot of people say it, but my dream after playing is to be a college head coach,� he said. “I want to help young guys accomplish their dreams and goals after basketball.� sports@thedailycougar.com

jobs, housing, services & more 713-743-5356 classifieds@thedailycougar.com thedailycougar.com/classifieds

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED )JSJOH $BUFSJOH

LOW COST INSURANCE

8"*545"''

Liability from 38, auto*, home, business. Buy and Pay by phone Call today for Great student discount: 281-498-3133, 713-484-7707

1BSU UJNF GMFYJCMF TDIFEVMFT NPTUMZ OJHIU BOE XFFLFOET 1BZ TUBSUJOH BU QFS IPVS /P FYQFSJFODF OFDFTTBSZ 1BJE 5SBJOJOH

Egg Donors Needed. Ages 21-32.

Earn $5,000+, High demand for Asians.

Surrogate Mothers Needed.

Earn $25,000+, Ages 21-39.

BLOG DEVELOPER NEEDED

(713) 771-9771

www.cooperinstitutearm.com email : ivf@cooperinstitutearm.com

Fertility Resources of Houston

Egg Donors Needed!

Compensation $5,000-$7,000.

Must be: non-smoker, healthy, BMI within normal ranges, and between 19-30 years old. Visit www.fertilityresourceshouston.com or call 713 783 7044 for more information and to fill out a preliminary application.

FOR SALE EYE CARE PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR SALE 25K. 713-816-1443

HELP WANTED HELP WANTED!!!Montessori preschool in the heights. Afternoon caregiver 3-6pm. Contact 713-861-4112

SELL YOUR STUFF. Buy a Classified ad and reach thousands of potential buyers in the UH community.

MONTESSORI SCHOOL in Museum district. Looking for Subs/Assts. Flex hrs.

Excellent for child dev, Education or Psy majors! Call 713-520-0738

NEED A JOB? WE’VE GOT ‘EM RIGHT HERE.

*STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM* PAID survey takers needed in Houston. 100 percent FREE to join! Click on Surveys.

THE DAILY COUGAR

ÂŽ

Smyser Kaplan & Veselka, L.L.P. downtown Houston law firm is seeking a full time assistant to our paralegals. Requirements: degree, database, Excel, Word, Outlook skills. Prior law firm experience not required. Competitive pay, excellent benefits, professional challenging work environment.

Pat Tilghman, 713.221.2322, ptilghman@skv.com

PART TIME CAREGIVER NEEDED

Female needed to assist partially disabled wife during the mornings and some weekends. Days off to be arranged. Must be able to assist with showering, dressing, driving to store, moving from wheelchair to seat etc.

Galleria area apartment.

Call Brian 713 298 8783

IT’S HARD TO FIND GOOD HELP these days, but not with The Daily Cougar Classifieds. One ad can reach thousands! Call 713-743-5356.

Green Internship: Houston green recycler needs non-CDL truck driver/ paid-intern, seeking entry level greencollar practical experience. Entry level success can lead to ground-floor entrepreneur start-up opportunity building and managing franchise model for Texas expansion. Flexible work schedule. Gritty physically demanding labor.

6 years of driving experience required; 8 years preferred. Flawless driving record for last three years required. Email resume/cover letter to internship@ WVOManagement.com .

5IF TFDSFU UP GJOEJOH B KPC

5IBUÂľT $MBTTJGJFE

Part-Time Child Care Great part-time position for student! 6-9 hours weekly - $12/hr. Childcare/homework help needed after school, Monday and Friday from 3:25 pm to 6 pm for 12 year old boy, 6th grade. Our home is located in West University. Male or Female, with references. Helen M. Schilling, MD; day: 281-586-0542 or Email: helenmschilling@hotmail.com. Email medina@ whitepinephysicaltherapy.com Earn $1000-$3200 a month to drive our brand new cars with ads placed on them. www.AdCarDriver.com BUY YOUR NEXT CLASSIFIED AD in your pajamas. Log on to thedailycougar. com/classifieds to begin posting online and print ads, 24/7/365.

Experienced blogger needed for technical set up and administration of an exciting new blog using Wordpress called “Why do I Have Problems using Fish Oil?� Must know how to generate traffic in all phases of operation.

All content/articles are written.

A great ongoing job.

Prof Brian Peskin, 713-298-8783

PART TIME HELP WANTED

10$/hr, 30 hrs/week, email a_alamoministorage@yahoo.com or fax 713-862-2218

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.

Off campus?

Online. thedailycougar.com/ classifieds

HELP WANTED

òô

RIVER OAKS COUNTRY CLUB

is accepting applications for the following job openings: Certified Lifeguards, Experienced Dining Room Servers, Experienced Baker, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivables.

To apply email hr@riveroakscc.net fax 713-529-2579

òô

6

RENTALS

1 BD Loft w/ private Patio and AC, 1 Bath ,5 min from UH,550$/ month,200$ deposit , Contact Blanca 832 457 4093 , 281 686 9052 2 BD, 1 Bath w/ large Living room and Dining room, w/ car-wash and Washateria,5 mins from UH, 625$/ month,Contact Blanca 832 457 4093 , 281 686 9052 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 FIND YOUR NEXT ROOMMATE. Read The Daily Cougar Classifieds.

COMICS & MORE

The Daily Cougar

comics

Friday, April 8, 2011

7

crossword

Pepe by Felipe Campos

LIMBO by Paolo Aninag

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

ACROSS 1 Beauty’s companion 6 Green — 11 Truck floor 14 Courtyards 15 Scuttlebutt 16 The Plastic — Band 17 Puts in the post 18 Slack-jawed 19 Morticia’s cousin 20 Ex-frosh 22 Valuable holding 24 Avoids 28 Dry cell 30 Addison’s partner 31 Gourmet coffee 32 Ends of the earth 33 Gullywashers 36 Zero, in a rugby score 37 Free-for-all 38 Big League event 40 Is on fire 43 Cantata singers 45 Fixes, as lipstick 46 Cave 47 Ankle injuries 50 Detested 51 Fewest 52 Metro area 53 Web site clutter 54 Low scores 57 Fragile layer 62 Knock politely 63 Merman or Waters 64 Basilica parts 65 Loop trains 66 Upscale cookie 67 Where stars are DOWN 1 Ka-pow!

2 SFO info 3 “Exodus” hero 4 Part of RSVP 5 Fez danglers 6 Pitfalls 7 Hefner or Downs 8 Emma in “The Avengers” 9 Swab 10 — easy (relax) 11 Gem State capital

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

14

15

16

17

18

19

20 24

25

26

21

22

27

28

30

29

33

36

34

37 40

41

48

42

43

44

57

58

50

51

52

53

54

62

63

64

65

66

67

55

56

©

25 26 27 28 29 31 33 34 35 37 39 41 42 43 44 46 47

39

46

49

Sign up for Eccentric Run up a tab Sax man Getz All-sports channel Unflinching Orchestra member Half a bray Elicits a yawn Large lot Loses hair Auditions Canine, maybe Hotel offering Unstable lepton Crushed grapes Execs’ degrees Rushes the quarterback Kids’ markers Very popular Understood Metamorphic

35

38

45

12 13 21 23 24

13

31

32

47

12

23

rock Organ feature Rough files Cotton thread “Fargo” director Common abbr.

Letter after pi Use a remote Fish-to-be Toshiba competitor 61 Vane dir.

48 49 50 52 55 56 58 59 60

59

60

61

2010 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

Previous puzzle solved B L A S T

O A T E R

F O A S D U S T O L E

T A L E S

O R O N O

R S U E N E D O P W I U N T K S E D B E E R E RO T I O E K S E

F E R A E R J U N E D T A L E ROG E L I L L S O C A R KWA E RG D Y E

T I N G

A D E L A G I N D U E S O AM D S I O S

FEED

KCAB HELP US SEE THINGS FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE — YOURS. We thrive on feedback and we take it in a number of forms: ONLINE

E-mail editor@thedailycougar.com Twitter @thedailycougar Facebook.com/thedailycougar

ON THE PHONE Call 713-743-5362 to speak to the Editor in Chief.

IN PERSON

Come by our office, Room 12, UC Satellite to talk to someone.

THE DAILY COUGAR

!

®

CHECK OUT PHOTOS AND DOWNLOAD AN ORDER FORM AT HOUSTONIANYEARBOOK.COM

B A N E G L L L E S F A R HO A S T R I A L H Y

A N E Y E

J I M M Y

A L O S S

A L A U E L GO T S H A D E

E A T E N

D I A N A

8

!

Friday, April 8, 2011

LIFE&ARTS

The Daily Cougar

HONORS COLLEGE

Progressive Forum hosts oceanographer Bethel Glumac

THE DAILY COUGAR Many students have heard the names of the current top contestants on American Idol or Dancing with the Stars vying for a shot at fame, but not the names of the hundreds of sea animals in jeopardy because of the BP oil spill.

They may have also heard of Charlie Sheen and his latest way of gaining attention, but not the name of Sylvia Earle and her recent attempt to inspire people everywhere to be better informed about the ocean and how it directly affects them and how it will affect future generations.

Earle is a world-famous oceanographer, and at her recent visit to the Progressive Forum at the Wortham Center in Houston she shared her knowledge of the mysteries of the sea. Earle presented her findings in an effective and eloquent manner, and and even used her ability to imitate whale callings to capture the audience’s attention.

“Science has, for the last ten years, been looking at life in the sea, discovering that most of what is there is yet to be discovered,” she said. “We know enough to know

that it is teeming. But the fact that we really don’t understand this part of the universe — our life support system — is a shocking discovery.”

Her life’s work, especially as a female, is impressive. She was formerly the chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association and is now an explorer-in-residence for National Geographic. She was also the first “Hero for the Planet” in Time Magazine. Throughout her career, she recorded over 6,000 hours under the sea, and still holds the record for the deepest untethered solo dive. She has lived underwater nine times.

Her understanding of underwater exploration is extensive and garnered her a nickname for being the “Carl Saigan” of the ocean. Not only does she know about it, she actively cares about the welfare of the animals and plants living in the sea. Earle believes that the ocean as a system directly affects humans as a whole.

“This planet rocks,” Earle said.

“We have to have water. There may be water without life, but there is not life without water.”

The average person does not know the beauty that lies beneath the immediate surface of the water,

but Earle emphasized the large amounts of life that live miles underneath the ocean.

In the question and answer session after her lecture, Earle talked about the BP oil spill and its longterm effect on the Gulf of Mexico, what she considers her “backyard.”

Even though she agrees that the consequences of the spill will always be present, she also believes there will be reconstruction.

Earle communicated that people can become involved with ocean life—on their dinner plate. The amount and kind of seafood we eat can show our opinion about the ocean.

“Everyone can vote with forks or chopsticks,” Earle said.

In the end, she urged the audience to become, if nothing else, careful and more knowledgeable about how the ocean sustains life.

Think of what is important about it and try to become more involved.

Earle also introduced her movement, called Mission Blue, which works to support nature conservancies. It works to set up parts of the ocean to be treated like national parks.

Yellowcard came off of a 2-year hiatus to release a new album, “When you’re through thinking, say yes,” and toured through Houston for the first time in 3 years. | Adam Elmakias/Reybee

MUSIC

Yellowcard brings violin to House of Blues Jack Wehman

THE DAILY COUGAR arts@thedailycougar.com

www.thedailycougar.com Stay in touch.

Even without an encore, Yellowcard brings the heat. They may be a bit older than most pop-punk bands — they’ve been around since 1997 — but the House of Blues didn’t seem to notice. It was packed full of screaming fans of all ages, from 50-year-olds to kids just hitting puberty. And even though it was only a 9-song setlist, fans still screamed like it was a day-long show.

They started the show off strong with the title track off of “Lights and Sounds,” and the audience immediately responded. Ryan Key knows how to work a crowd — his fist-pumping was quickly emulated and held strong the whole night.

Yellowcard only played two songs off of their new album “When you’re through thinking, say yes,” and it was the low point of the night.

“Hang me up” isn’t a bad song, but the crowd didn’t know the words, and a few people left by the time the band was done with it. “For you, and your denial” was the same

way; Yellowcard’s strong suit is their catalogue of hits — the new material just isn’t in the same league.

The band seems to know this, too, as most of the setlist was from 2003’s blockbuster hit “Ocean’s Avenue.” When violin player Sean Macklin started the intro riff to “Believe,” everyone in the House of Blues started cheering. It may be an old record, but Yellowcard knows it’s still their biggest draw; they played “Ocean Avenue,” “Only One,” “Way Away” and “Breathing” in addition to “Believe,” making up the meat of the show.

At the best times, the concert felt like being in middle school again.

Key hasn’t lost any of his vocal talent, and the rest of the band knows how to perform for a live audience; there was plenty of jumping, shouting and audience baiting Thursday night.

Key said that it had been about 3 years since Yellowcard had been in Houston, and he promised it wouldn’t be that long until they returned. Houston seemed to hope that was the case. arts@thedailycougar.com