Issue 151, Volume 76 by The Cougar

life+arts

sports

More preseason hype for Cougars

Toy Boys get Fatale

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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UNIVERSITY SERVICES

Human Resources Benefits Fair to offer visitors information, freebies The University will be hosting the 5th Annual Human Resources Benefits Fair today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Houston Room, located on the second floor of the University Center. This year’s event celebrates the theme “Navigating Through the World of Benefits.” Visitors will have a chance to talk with benefit representatives and UH department represntatives and have any of their questions answered. Visitors will also be able to register for prizes and receive a number of freebies, including a 2011 Benefits Fair T-Shirt. For more information about this event, contact the Human Resources Service Center at (713) 743-3988 or email at CSC@ uh.edu.

SPORTS

Voting for the UH All-Decade Football Team continues The votes keep racking up as the University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics poll for the UH All-Decade Football Team continues throughout July.

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Clayton State dean wants to focus on campus input to shape student affairs Ryan Rockett

THE DAILY COUGAR UH held an open forum for students, faculty and staff to question vice chancellor/ vice president for student affairs candidate Dr. Brian Haynes in the University Center Bayou City Room. Haynes, who is the current vice president for student affairs and dean of students

at Clayton State University, addressed the concerns of the room by tackling a variety of subjects, ranging from the educational budget cuts to reform on the administrative level. “I think it’s always important in any new endeavor to listen, absorb and learn as much as possible,” Haynes said. “I appreciated the HAYNES continues on page 3

The Building Coordinator Program, an initiative created to provide primary and secondary contacts within each university facility, will begin today with the kick-off of the Facilities Services Center. The program is expected to go live on Monday, July 18. The range and diversity of the University’s numerous programs and activities requires the help of coordinators to ensure things run smoothly. The new program is expected to facilitate communication, support facility capital planning and represent user needs. Intended to streamline efforts and improve overall efficiency, the Building Coordinator Program is expected to improve the campus experience given currently allocated resources. For more information about the program and its goals, visit www.uh.edu/plantops/about-us/committees/building-coordinator-program/Building_Coordinator_Program_Outline.pdf.

CORRECTIONS !!

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

Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.

Miami administrator draws from 29 years of experience, collaboration with colleagues Julian Jimenez

THE DAILY COUGAR UH’s search for a new vice chancellor and vice president for student affairs continued as candidate finalist Richard Walker made his case at an open forum interview Thursday in the University Center Lone Star Room. “I believe my progressively responsible professional

experience in higher education, at both public and private institutions, over the past 29 years makes me a well-qualified candidate for the position,” said Walker in his resume. Walker, currently serving as the associate vice president for student affairs at the University of Miami, also holds a doctorate in education from the school. In his resume, he said that WALKER continues on page 3

STUDENTS

Theater program helps uncover mystery UH produces, re-enacts crime for CBS ‘48 Hours Mystery’

CBS worked with the UH’s theater and dance program to produce an episode of “48 Hours Mystery.” Steven Wallace, the department head and four students worked with professionals from the entertainment industry for two weeks to conceptualize and construct the set for the episode, which was more abstract than the show’s usual documentary style. “This is the first time they went a more theatric way of presenting the story. Quite frankly, the reason was that they couldn’t get into the house legally,” said Wallace. Wallace and his team were asked to recreate the scene. “They tried to base (the set) on a floor plan that was presented in the first trial,” he said.

EVENT

Issue 151, Volume 76

VP prospects speak to UH

Cougar fans have a chance to vote for the players that deserve to be recognized for their efforts in football. The All-Decade team will consist of 25 players — 11 defensive positions, 11 offensive positions, a kicker, punter and a return specialist.

Building Coordinator Program starts July 13 and July 18

STUDENT AFFAIRS

Joshua Mann

Fans can vote until Aug. 1 for their favorite players at UHCougars.com.

July 13, 2011

The poll will honor a team of players from the years 2001 through 2010 during the upcoming football season.

Fifty percent of the votes will come from Cougar fans. Thirty percent will be determined with a media poll and 20 percent of the votes will be decided by a panel of UH administrators.

Wednesday

SUMMER EDITION

thedailycougar.com

THE DAILY COUGAR

UH crews worked with show producers for a more theatrical take on the crime than usually depicted in the program due to legal constraints. | Photo Courtesy of Steven W. Wallace/School of Theater and Dance Among the students asked to assist with the project was Jacob L. Davis, a recent graduate from the program. “We had to run with a minimal crew,”

said Wallace. “I needed someone who really knew our lighting system, and that MYSTERY continues on page 3

RESEARCH

Improved vision for nearsighted treatment Dean receives award for an innovative new contact lens Darlene Campos

THE DAILY COUGAR UH College of Optometry’s dean was rewarded for creating contact lenses that decrease the development of myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, in children. Earl Smith was presented the Donald Korb Award of Excellence, which is given to researchers who have created scientific innovations in contact lenses, at a ceremony held by the American Optometric Association, according to a press release.

“I’ve been actively studying the factors that influence refractive development for the past 15 years. I was inspired to study myopia because high myopia is one of the leading causes of permanent vision disability,” Smith said. Contrary to former vision treatments for myopia by use of contact lenses, Smith and his researchers discovered that if an image is shifted to the retina, placing the peripheral image behind the retina, the person’s eye extends. The eye extension is what causes an increase in nearsightedness. Using this knowledge, Smith’s contact lenses will shift the peripheral image in front of the retina to give the eyes clear MYOPIA continues on page 3

College of Optometry Dean Earl Smith has been on UH faculty since 1978. He became dean of the college in 2003. | Photo Courtesy of Lisa Merkl

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

CRIME LOG

Staff Council Elections July 19 and July 20, 2011

How to Vote: s Vote Online at www.uh.edu/sc/voting from 6:00am on Tuesday, July 19 to 5:00pm on Wednesday, July 20 s Vote at the polling sites on July 20 from 9:00am to 3:30pm s Must know your employee ID s Must be benefits-eligible staff member (50% FTE or greater)

Polling Sites: General Services Building – Training /Conference Room Ezekiel W. Cullen Building – First Floor Lobby

Questions? Contact Leslie Pruski at 20949 or lpruski@uh.edu University of Houston Staff Council 273 Cullen Performance Hall Phone: 713-743-1578

THE DAILY COUGAR

Invite you and a guest to a special advance screening of

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

crime log

The following is a partial report of campus crime between July 4 and July 7. 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.

Warrant: 7/4/11, 09:14 a.m. – University Hilton Hotel — University Hilton Hotel maintenance workers reported that a visitor was acting suspicious on the eighth floor of the hotel. The visitor was arrested for an outstanding warrant out of Comal County and was transported to the Harris County Jail. Theft: 7/4/11, 3:49 p.m. – Cullen Oaks Apartments — A student reported that someone stole his secured bicycle from Cullen Oaks. There are no suspects. Theft: 7/5/11, 09:55 a.m. – South Park Annex — A staff member reported that someone stole several items from a UH building. There are no suspects. Theft: 7/5/11, 12:25 p.m. – Cullen Oaks Apartments — Two students, brothers and roommates at Cullen Oaks Apartments, reported that someone stole their bicycles from the staircase outside Cullen Oaks building 1. There are no suspects. Theft: 7/5/11, 2:19 p.m. – Cullen Oaks Apartments — A student reported that someone stole her unattended and secured bicycle from the bike rack outside Cullen Oaks building 1. There are no suspects. Theft: 7/6/11, 12:12 p.m. – Philip G. Hoffman Hall — A student reported leaving an unattended and unsecured UH issued laptop computer on a desk in an office used by PGH teaching assistants and later discovering that someone stole the laptop. Theft: 7/6/11, 3:43 p.m. – Cullen Oaks Apartments — A student reported that someone stole her unattended and secured bicycle from the bike rack attached to the

first floor staircase at Cullen Oaks. There are no suspects. Criminal Mischief/ Criminal Trespass: 7/6/11, 10:51 p.m. – M.D. Anderson Library — A former student attempted to remove four books from the library by ripping the covers off the books. The former student received a verbal criminal trespass warning for M.D. Anderson Library. Criminal Trespass: 7/7/11, 08:16 a.m. – Lot 13 A — A homeless visitor was observed sleeping in a UHowned bus shelter. When instructed to leave campus, the visitor refused and was arrested for Criminal Trespass. The visitor was transported and released to Harris County Jail. Theft: 7/7/11, 12:30 p.m. – Fine Arts Bldg. — A College of Fine Arts staff member reported that someone stole unattended UH property. There are no suspects. Traffic Offense: 7/7/11, 4:53 p.m. – Lot 9 C — A student reported that someone struck her vehicle while it was parked in lot 9 C. The striking driver failed to leave the information required by law. There are no suspects. Theft: 7/7/11, 8:39 p.m. – Campus Recreation and Wellness Center — A student reported that someone stole her unattended and secured bicycle from the Recreation Center bicycle rack. Assault, Domestic Violence: 7/7/11, 9:02 p.m. – Cougar Village — A visitor reported that her mother physically assaulted her at Cougar Village Residence Hall.

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

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HAYNES continued from page 1

interaction during open forum.” Haynes, who obtained a doctorate in college student personnel at Ohio University, said it was an honor to be one of the hopefuls, but he also feels that his prior experience and skill set separates him from the other candidates. “I’m very excited about possibility of working at UH. I think that it affords a great opportunity for whomever is selected,” Haynes said. When asked about the current issue of education budget cuts during the forum, Haynes said that a focus on efficiency helped Clayton University continue to gain additional resources in spite of cuts across the board. He feels this approach will best address the issue that remains on the minds of many Texas students.

WALKER continued from page 1

his work contributed to the University of Miami’s rise in the U.S. News & World Report ranking to 47th from 67th in student experience. “I am definitely a student affairs educator who is student-centered; to me it is about enhancing the student learning experience through curricular and co-curricular opportunities which support the academic mission of the institution,” Walker said. At the forum, Walker discussed the University’s role as a residential campus versus a commuter school. He stated that student satisfaction with available housing is key to improving student involvement, and explained that the programs, services and environmental structures available to

MYSTERY continued from page 1

was Jacob.” Davis originally was brought in just to facilitate things and get the project running. But when CBS made it clear that they wanted a more theatrical style, Davis stayed on set. “I started with building the scenery and from day one, I was always there,” He said. “It took a little bit more (time) than I expected. I think I ended up putting something close to 60 hours into it over the course of about a week.” Working in a sound stage like the one at UH provided some unforeseen advantages to the crew from CBS. “These camera guys out of Florida were blown away by how quickly these LED fixtures that we have were able to change color,” Davis said. The program’s director agrees with Davis. “They’re used to an hour setting up another lighting look. We could literally give them a lighting look in a minute,” Wallace said. But even though UH’s equipment was better than what the film crew was used to working with, Wallace said that the University is still far behind the technology curve. “Part of my mission is to not just train people for theater, but to train people for the entertainment as a

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

“We are at a unique point in history as it relates to higher learning,” Haynes said. “There is a call for greater accountability and greater efficiency. We have to find a way to respond to both. We will meet the challenges.” Another issue addressed by Haynes was the question of how to further engage commuter students in on-campus activities. Haynes said that he, as well as the staff at Clayton, are constantly pursuing new ways to engage students via Twitter and Facebook, as well as implementing and improving commuter-focused programs at the school which, like UH, has a majority of its students commuting to campus. “We formed a focus group of the population and asked them what they like to see,” Haynes said. “We are mindful that one size does not fit all, and students have individual needs.” Haynes believes that one of

his biggest accomplishments at Clayton was helping to establish a diverse faculty and culture, which was ranked by U.S. News and World Reports as having the most diverse student population among colleges in the Southeast. Haynes is also responsible for diversity programming and is the team leader of the University Diversity Team. “I have a personal interest in social justice and respect for others,” Haynes said. While Haynes had to leave after the forum for another appointment, he did tour the campus earlier in the day. He said he enjoyed his time on campus and expressed his excitement at the possibility of being on the UH staff. “I see a lot of growth here,” Haynes said. “This is a beautiful campus and an excellent environment.”

residential students will play a huge role in changing the school’s attitudes toward housing. These plans, in conjunction with efforts geared toward smoothing the division between students and faculty, would make the school a better place for students. “Are we asking students what they want?” Walker said. Walker also took time to detail his plans for UH, explaining that, if chosen for the position, he’d try to be strategic about the budget cuts by protecting staff and exploring decisions concerning school programs based on their impact on the campus. In addition, Walker revealed that he is a veteran in dealing with emergency situations that affect the campus. Noting the University’s experience with Hurricane Ike in 2008, he explained his experience with Hurricane Andrew, a category 5 storm that struck southern

Florida in 1992. After closing the University of Miami and sending students home, he was chosen to serve on his university’s emergency committee, where he trains the school’s student affairs staff to deal with such situations. Walker believes that his teamcentered approach makes him a strong candidate for the position. He said a collaborative effort between departments, faculty and students will bring success to the student affairs office. “I lead by example and expect no more from others than I am prepared to give myself. Much of my success as a student affairs educator and leader can be contributed to my ability to develop strong collaborative working relationships with students, faculty, staff and alumni,” Walker said in his resume.

whole. For us to stay up to snuff, we’ve got to move into the technology world,” he said. “The kind of equipment that our students are working with just can’t be 20 years old. It can’t even be 5 years old.” Wallace said that he thinks an upgrade would attract more networks like CBS, giving UH a boost in reputation and providing networks with an affordable, high-quality sound stage. “It’s a business; it’s all about how much it costs,” Wallace said. “If they had shot this in New York, it would have cost them easily 10 times more.” And Wallace said that he is willing to work hard to make a good impression. “I wanted them to leave thinking ‘this is a Tier One operation.’” Does this mean that theater and dance students can expect to have the opportunity to work with CBS and other networks during their college career? Wallace said that he certainly wants the University to do more projects like this, so that the facilities aren’t left unused during the summer semesters. “I think universities need to reinvent what they do in the summer,” said Wallace. “(They should be) reaching out to the profession, having professional workshops, and bringing corporations in to do stuff.” news@thedailycougar.com

MYOPIA continued from page 1

vision. “It will probably take 2-3 years before the lenses are formally released in the US, of course, depending on the results of clinical trials,” Smith said. “Our experimental designs specifically manipulate peripheral vision in a manner that we believe retards axial growth of the eye. Central vision is corrected in the usual manner.” Nearly 30 percent of the US population are affected by myopia, according to the AOA’s website. “It is a huge public health problem and the prevalence of myopia

is increasing,” Smith said. “There is probably not one cause (of myopia). We have learned a number of things about how vision can influence eye growth, both in a positive fashion and a negative fashion.” Smith and his colleagues will be working with researchers from the Brien Holden Vision Institute of Sydney, Australia, to properly construct the special contact lenses. This research team has developed glasses that have been shown to slow nearsightedness growth in children previously. “There are still many unanswered questions, and we hope to be able to improve our proposed lens designs,” Smith said. news@thedailycougar.com

news@thedailycougar.com

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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Daily Cougar

opinion THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS SPORTS EDITOR LIFE

& ARTS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR

Jack Wehman John Brannen Taylor McGilvray, Julian Jimenez Joshua Siegel Mary Baak Daniel Renfrow

STAFF EDITORIAL

Voters ignored; red light cameras running again

he red light camera situation in Houston has become nothing less than a catastrophe over the past few months. In November, voters passed a referendum to remove the red light cameras, and the City Council complied.

However, American Traffic Solutions — the company that the red light cameras are contracted to — has a deal that extends for at least three more years. If the cameras are shut down (as they were in November) then the contract is not being honored by the city, and ATS is owed damages. To make matters worse, US District Judge Lynn Hughes ruled in June that the referendum was unconstitutionally placed on the ballot. That means that the vote was invalid in the first place, and that the red light cameras should be turned back on. They already have been turned on — as of 6 p.m. Saturday, the cameras have been taking pictures once again, although no fines are being distributed yet. There is a problem with the cameras being switched back on. Is it the voters’ fault that there was a referendum placed on the ballot improperly? No, that decision was made squarely by the city council. But, improper or not, the city spoke, and the results clearly say no more red light cameras. Now the city finds itself between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On one hand, the voters — whether validly or invalidly — have said no more cameras. On the other hand, the city will owe millions of dollars to ATS and lose millions more in ticket revenue by shutting off the cameras. It’s not an easy decision to make. But we believe the correct decision would be to honor what the city says it wants. If the city council asks voters what they want, they are obligated to follow suit. If that means legal ramifications down the road, so be it. But asking the voters how they feel and then going completely against their will is not the correct way to go about city business.

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.

EDITOR Daniel Renfrow E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

Arab summer heats up the Middle East

he arab revolution erupted seven months ago and took the rest of the world by storm. People across the globe watched breathlessly as the protests spread, and governments scrambled to make sense of their foreign policies in light of the upheavals. When the first two dominoes, Mubarak and Ben Ali fell, the media felt it had exhausted the American attention span and moved on. But the revolution is Dana far from over. In Egypt, El Kurd a military council holds control and continues with its predecessor’s tradition of human rights abuses. On June 29, the army clashed with peaceful protestors in Tahrir Square, injuring more than a thousand people. Meanwhile, the fight against authoritarianism continues in Yemen, Libya, Syria and the rest of the Arab world as well. Clearly, the road to democracy is full of obstacles. Elite political networks are one of them. How have elite networks managed to hang on, even though their figureheads have been toppled? The answer can be found in the policies of so-called “developed” nations. Fearing a change to the status quo, which would endanger their unjust balance of power and profit-making opportunities, developed countries and the international organizations that represent them have attempted to co-opt these homegrown revolutions. At this year’s G8 Summit, member nations offered conditional aid to the Arab world to ease debt burdens and, at the same time, offered a way to further indebt them through more loans. The

International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, international organizations often blamed for the corruption and abuse of power found in Arab governments, also promised these loans and aid packages. The problem with these seemingly altruistic gestures is that they allow the lender a way to impose conditions on the struggling new governments. Such conditions may include increased privatization, which could eventually enrich the same elites that swindled their countries the first time. Conditions may also include a cut to subsidies and state programs in a region living largely in poverty and desperately lacking in development. These loans will likely not be spent innocently on infrastructure, health, or services; rather, they will energize the familiar networks of privilege and offer them a way to continue controlling the country and profiting from its people. Of course, the picture is not all bleak. Egyptians are camping out in Tahrir Square once again, in what some see as a continuation of the revolution. The Egyptian government, unlike some of its neighbors, has even rejected a World Bank loan on the grounds that it was not in the interest of the Egyptian people. Despite the persistent efforts of foreign governments and international organizations, the Arab world is on the path to true self-determination. Although you wouldn’t know it by listening to our media, the revolution has been sparked again. Hopefully, Houstonians will soon get an excuse to wave their flags in support.

spending and subsidizing they have long dreamed of. No longer does an investment have to be targeted spending on a project that will yield a predetermined level of return over a set period of time. It magically became anything that money could be spent on in the present that might yield some benefit to someone somewhere down the road. Over the course of his one-hour Twitter Town Hall, the President used the word “invest” or “investment” an astounding 24 times, only one of which was a reference to private companies making real investments. The rest were targeted attempts to take the broken, ill-conceived concept of central economic planning and make it sound sunny and essential to America’s material wellbeing. What better way to frame the debate between spending cuts and tax increases than to claim that nearly all of government spending is an “investment” and therefore cutting it would be a foolish idea? Unless the President and his political party are prepared to offer us the payback period, rate of return, and net present value of their so-called “investments,” they should stop using the term as a ploy to borrow $40,000 every second of the day, leaving us indebted for senseless spending that will never yield anything that could rationally be considered a return on our tax money. Steven Christopher is a first-year graduate student in C.T. Bauer College of Business and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Marcus Smith is a creative writing sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Dana El Kurd is a senior political science and economics major and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

Obama mistweets on deficit

UH should consider improving services he University of Houston’s smiling banners and website tell me we’re Tier One. And, with overflowing Cougar spirit, I am more than ready to believe and accept that fact. The added respect and prestige is a bonus that any Cougar Marcus could appreciate, Smith and it increases the University’s good qualities. We have a clean and beautiful campus, a state of the art recreational center, a myriad of dining choices and we are the second most racially diverse university in the nation. But of course, we don’t stop at what we have achieved because, there is always more to be done for a Tier One university — like the little things. However, there are many aspects of university life that students, with all the positives in mind, have seen as a source of anguish for many years. PeopleSoft is among them. It is clunky, visually unappealing, poorly designed and more than one student has found themselves angry after forgetting their password — a password that changes at what seems a minute-to-minute basis. UH websites are consistent. The University’s poor design choices extend to many of its online resources. On the bright side, no honest student can complain about the efficiency of the University’s payment system. Handling business online, while annoying at times, is no doubt better than waiting in long, spirit-oppressing lines to handle another mistake made concerning your financial aid. And, it is much less stressful then searching for parking after 9 a.m. Waiting sometimes weeks for error corrections is an art in which many UH students can proudly profess to be masters. The elephant on campus is the unavoidable crime, in which our best efforts are put forth to mitigate. The weekly crime reports promise variety, from the odd to the violent, the misdemeanor to the felony, the car robbery to the dorm break-in, and normal to the perverse. The criticisms of our Tier One university have, for some, grown tiresome and pointless. But the constant criticisms are not without merit, and there are problems that many students are aware of. This is only the case because most of the criticisms have been unanswered, mildly addressed or led to unsatisfactory results. It is only reasonable to expect higher tuition fees that properly reflect our new status, but it would very nice if it went to fixing the little things.

IN FOCUS: INVESTMENTS

resident Barack Obama began his Twitter Town Hall last Wednesday by tweeting, “In order to reduce the deficit, what costs would you cut and what investments would you keep ?” To hear him tell it, everything the US government spends money on is an investment, and in that case, we should all be expecting some mighty fine returns on our tax money these days— Steven but don’t count on it. Christopher When people in private business use the term “investment,” it has a very specific meaning. Operationally, it is the setting aside of money that could be used for consumption in order to purchase assets that increase its productive capacity and allow for a greater amount of consumption later. Before it is undertaken, cost estimates are laid out, future cash inflows are forecasted, and the possibility of costly side-effects from a myriad of risks are carefully brought into consideration. Knowing that a company’s stakeholders are also its financiers, managers reasonably and respectfully provide their investors with estimates of the net present value of the project, along with its rate of return and payback period. Never missing an opportunity to subtly propagandize through the manipulation of everyday language, politicians, particularly Democrats, have slowly began using the word investment in order to pitch the gratuitous

TIER ONE

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Daily Cougar

sports overtime

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

ATTENDANCE

Bott knows how to fill seats Chemistry prof boosts attendance, encourages student participation Joachim Clarke

THE DAILY COUGAR FILE PHOTO/THE DAILY COUGAR

FOOTBALL

Cougars earn preseason honors; all-decade team in fan’s hands Two more Cougars joined quarterback Case Keenum on preseason watch lists for major national awards this week. Senior center Chris Thompson was named the to the watch list for the Outland Trophy and senior wide receiver Patrick Edwards was added to the list for the Biletnikoff Award. Thompson and senior linebacker and defensive captain Marcus McGraw were named to the Rotary Lombardy Award watch list on Tuesday. The accolade is given to the best linemen or linebacker who lines up five yards or less from the line of scrimmage. McGraw was a second-team Conference USA selection in 2010 and was the Cougars leading tackler last season with 110 tackles, seven which were for a loss. The Lombardy award ceremony will be hosted at Reliant Stadium from Dec. 6-7. This season, Thompson will slide to the middle of the line to play center after starting at guard the past three seasons. This is Thompson’s first appearance on the watch list for the Outland Trophy. Recently, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine named him to the All-Texas Offense First Team. The Outland Trophy winner is given to the top offensive or defensive lineman in the nation and is selected by the Football Writers Association of America. Edwards led the Cougars in receiving last season as a junior with his second straight 1,000-yard performance. He finished ninth in the nation with 13 touchdowns and 15th in yards per game with 91.7.

UH football fans may have to squeeze in closer together this coming season at Robertson Stadium. The Cougars are finding success with programs from the athletics department like Seat Em’ Up Coogs, but also because of professors like Dr. Simon Bott. “Seat Em’ up Coogs is a drive by the UH athletics department to sell season tickets for football,” Bott said. “Obviously one would want attendance to all events on campus sold out, but football is the most visible part of the university.” Bott, who has been a chemistry professor at the University since 1997, is a football enthusiast and attends every home game. But he also sees the games as the best vehicle to promote a sense of community on campus and bring the University together. “Outside of football games, the only thing on campus where you can get more than a couple of thousand students is the Cat’s Back or Frontier Fiesta,” Bott said. “It brings together the alums and some of the faculty, though not nearly enough. It’s a big community thing. It’s a good focal point. “I have a lot of enthusiasm for UH. It’s a diamond in the rough. Dr. Khator has done a good job of pulling that rough away. It’s such an amazing university and so few people realize. So what I would try to do is more than anything is get students involved in the University so they realize that it’s not just a large junior college – there’s so much going on here.” Bott encourages attendance at sports games and other events on campus by

Chemistry professor Simon Bott’s impact on getting the student body to come to UH events extends to students outside of his classroom with Cougar Cards. At nearly all UH events, attendees can pick up different trading cards and then redeem them for prizes. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar offering his students extra credit if a certain percentage of the class attends. “I don’t care whether the students go to football games, concerts, plays, or tiddlywinks clubs,” Bott said. “Athletics are a lot easier to push than other things. If a student just comes here and goes to class and doesn’t do anything else, then they’re doing themselves a disservice. “I know I’ve encouraged some students to go to things who would never have gone otherwise. That has gotten a few of them into being more involved. I do think there’s a few more people wearing red because of me.” Seat Em Up for success In addition to Bott’s success getting students in the stands, the athletics

department has experienced great success with its Seat Em Up Coogs program that helped UH grow its season ticket sales by 80 percent in the program’s first year. For the 2009 season, the Cougars only sold approximately 6,300 season tickets. The Seat Em’ Up program was intended to spread Cougar football to a larger number of football fans in the greater Houston area and get alumni back to Robertson. While most Conference USA schools experienced dips in their season ticket numbers in previous seasons, UH saw a spike to over 11,000 season-ticket holders in the program’s first year. sports@thedailycougar.com

COMMENTARY

The Biletnikoff Award is given the nation’s top receiver and decided by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation.

NCAA could capitalize off lockouts

All three players are also on the ballot for the UH AllDecade Team in recognition of the top Cougars from 20012010. There are 56 days left until the season opener. UH will host the UCLA Bruins on Sept. 3 at Robertson Stadium.

With NFL and NBA owners locking out their players, fans are dreading the prospect of shortened seasons — or none at all. In businesses dependent on public support, the disagreements between owners and players minimizes the fan’s John contributions — filling the Brannen seats and paying the bills. Some angry fans vow they are “going to find something else to do on Sundays,” or boycott the league when it does return. But do people really want to abandon beloved Sunday traditions? Bitterness aside, fans know they’d rather be spending Sundays with their eyes glued to a TV. The NCAA could intervene in its own way and provide the remedy to America’s pigskin blues. If schedules were modified, there would be more than enough games to make college football a weekend-long experience. Rivalry games or matchups with top-25 schools could be saved until Sundays. It would only be a temporary solution, but a way to take advantage of the situation. Schools from the Southeastern Conference play on CBS. ABC and ESPN air games from nearly every other conference and Lesser-known teams could take Saturday’s

— Cougar Sports Services

VOLLEYBALL

Alvey continues her summer coaching tour Head coach Molly Alvey continues her globetrotting summer this week with a trip to Europe to serve as a coach for the A2 Junior National Team. Alvey will head to London for a training camp starting tomorrow through Saturday. From July 18-21 the U.S. squad will be competing in the European Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia. Alvey’s squad will be one of six from the US that will compete against teams from Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Montenegro, Romania and Slovenia. She will be joined on the coaching staff by Oklahoma head coach Santiago Restrepo of and Georgia head coach Brook Coulter. — Cougar Sports Services

television slots, which would reserve a few primetime meetings for Sundays. Casual fans would be satisfied watching Big 12 or SEC teams slug it out if the option existed. The NFL appears to be nearing a resolution, but the NBA losing an entire season is a legitimate threat. March Madness is always a monumental attraction, but the college game is not an appropriate replacement. College hoops cannot match the popularity of the NBA, but should receive an increase in followers. The NBA plays 82 games in a regular season followed by at least two months of playoffs. Division 1 schools play approximately 30 regular-season games, a conference tournament and finish with a postseason tournament if eligible. The longer NBA season allows for more storylines, which means more fanfare. NCAA basketball is not void of drama, but the NBA’s star power causes the masses to flock to Toyota Center instead of Hofheinz Pavilion. It’s difficult to follow a college team if it isn’t a powerhouse. In 2010, CBS and Turner Sports signed a contract to televise NCAA Tournament games on four different channels. During the regular season only schools from high-profile conferences are broadcast on the major networks.

However, it will be just as difficult to keep track of NBA players who opt to play in Europe during the lockout — Euroleague games won’t be accessible in America. But if the NBA can’t get over its collective greed, college basketball will certainly gain new followers. Unlike football, basketball games don’t have designated days, they’re a daily occurrence. Given the quantity it would be unreasonable to televise big games once a week. The novelty of a limited season is what keeps fans engaged for its entirety. The NCAA has already started to make college football a weeklong event, sometimes starting the week’s slate of games on Thursdays or as early as Tuesdays. But adding Sunday as a game day is an unlikely move. It would cause too many logistical problems at this point. Schedules are already set in stone, and aren’t rearranged unless something unforeseen like inclement weather comes into factor. Though it’s an idea worth considering, it won’t happen. The NFL But NFL Comissioner Roger Goodell won’t let the NCAA steal his audience. sports@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

LIFE&ARTS

The Daily Cougar

playlist »

Greatest pop songs of all time

n light of Britney Spears, the true queen of pop herself being in town tonight, it would only make sense to dedicate this playlist to all things pop. We could’ve easily made a list composed solely of music from the 90s, which produced some of the best (and worst) pop music of all time. Instead, however, here’s a hot, steaming list of the songs that have topped the charts and will continue to make your toes — and the toes of generations to come — tap for years to come. — Mary Baak Thriller Michael Jackson

Oops, I did It Again Britney Spears

After her EP, “Show Me Your Tanlines” was released on June 14, Jessie Malakouti of Jessie and the Toy Boys will be opening for Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj as part of the Femme Fatale tour at Toyota Center tonight. | Photo courtesy of PMK*BNC

MEET THE MUSICIAN

Bye, Bye, Bye N*Sync

Jessie and the Toy Boys ‘Own the Night’

Dancing Queen ABBA

Singer talks dreams, music and Britney Spears I Want It That Way Backstreet Boys

Like a Virgin Madonna

Tiny Dancer Elton John

Bohemian Rhapsody Queen

Knocking on Heaven’s Door Bob Dylan

She Loves You The Beatles

Mary Baak

THE DAILY COUGAR With the Femme Fatale tour coming through town tonight, Houston can expect to be rocked by a trifecta of blonde bombshells. Opening for Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears, California-native Jessie Malakouti of Jessie and the Toy Boys is sure to bring as much charm as she does catchy, electronic pop beats to the stage at Toyota Center this evening. She got her start playing piano in her home and found her calling in making music. Malakouti left home for Los Angeles at 16 to pursue her career in music and has

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never looked back. “I literally left the day I got my driver’s license,” Malakouti said. “To be honest, I was ready to leave my whole life and pursue a career in music because I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do.” It wasn’t easy for the young musician to live on her own in the City of Angels, she never gave up on the dream and did everything in her power to make sure it would come true. “I didn’t know anyone, and even though Los Angeles was 60 miles from where I grew up, it was a completely different planet,” she said. “After a while, I just started shaking hands, meeting people and getting involved with anything that I could. “I danced in music videos and was even an extra in a lot of music videos just to learn how they were

made. I started a band called Shut Up Stella and we began playing up and down the Sunset Strip, and that was the beginning of my career in music.” From there, she left the band, packed her bags and moved to the UK to return to her roots as a dancer. She began writing songs for British pop acts like Kylie Minogue, but then returned home to pursue her own career. “I never wanted to be a song writer for other people,” Malakouti said. “That’s why this tour means so much to me. It’s really the first opportunity I’ve had to give life to my material on stage and it’s the best feeling in the world.” When she heard that Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears were looking for JESSIE continues on page 8

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The Daily Cougar

comics That Monkey Tune by Michael A. Kandalaft

Robbie + Bobby by Cartoonist Name

sudoku How to play

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Previous puzzle solved

COMICS & MORE

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

crossword ACROSS 1 Cottage-cheese bit 5 Knoll 9 Hot spring 12 John Glenn’s state 13 Run — of (cross) 15 Holly, to a botanist 16 Fixes corn 17 Loan-sharking 18 Freighter hazard 19 Torrents of rain 21 Moonstruck 23 Tip one’s hat 25 Granary, often 26 Hypo units 29 Brown songbird 31 Wine server 35 Stadium noise 36 Calcutta attire 38 Sedaka and Diamond 39 During 41 Famished 43 Dele’s undoing 44 Slanting edge 46 Scatter carelessly 48 Prompter’s hint 49 Lathered 51 Arizona town 52 PM units 53 Carefree escapade 55 Have it — 57 Summary 61 Vitamin B component 65 Burglar’s take 66 Hissed and hooted 68 Pajama coverer 69 — meridiem 70 Tomato prop 71 “Now hear —” 72 Youth org. 73 Malamute’s load 74 Large number DOWN 1 Ticket givers 2 Klutz’s cry (hyph.) 3 Mellow 4 Gave medication 5 Herr’s spouse

44 49

55 61

11 14 15 20 22 24 26 27 28 30 32 33 34 37 40 42 45 47

68 71

Contingencies Blaring Artificial flies Steel-mill refuse Big name in soccer Pink-slipped Type of poem Tunes out Ski lifts Chester — Arthur Terrarium plants Finds fault Walk-on Hindu god Cool! Gee follower Flower, to Yvette — Park, Colo. Antivenom Exhaust Insisted on Table extender Dry

74 ©

6 7 8 9 10

51 54

32 38

9 15

20 23

watercourse 50 — and drabs 54 Tangles 56 Third from the sun 57 Spill the beans 58 Reagan and Howard 59 Tiny speck 60 Aim 62 Variety of salmon 63 Sacred bird of the Nile 64 Twig shelter 67 Use sparingly

2010 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

Previous puzzle solved P U R R

O R E O

P E P S I

R U I N S

F O P S

A M A H

O S L O

H A Y MY OU OW L R E C S A C K S U E R E I R P N I G E E D

I N C A N C E L L O H E A P S WH E E R S A D Z I NG R ME R Y A S E OU L RO K E R MON A A L N AM L A Y A T R A C E A G L OW R E E S E

C O R L E O N E

A L A I

R E N E

P O D S

MA I M M I I S R C H E G A T AWE L O A E L L

N A T T Y E D N A

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The University of Houston Children’s

Toddler Spanish Language

Learning Centers: Now enrolling children

for summer and fall

2011

Immersion Class Starts Aug. 22, 2011 @ Cameron Location Enroll Now: Space Limited

Two convenient locations on the University campus Open year-round Monday-Friday; 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM

(except on Holidays and Early Dismissal Days)

Serves children ages 3 months to 5 years old Follows the UH Staff Holiday schedule Snacks provided/Catered lunch option available Center tours available by appointment

3859 & 4200 Wheeler Houston, TX 77204 832.842.0500 www.uh.edu/clc

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

LIFE&ARTS

The Daily Cougar

AROUND TOWN

Young performers rock the Buddy Holly Story Michelle Leigh Smith

SPECIAL TO THE DAILY COUGAR The intimate sense of community fostered by theatre groups like Upstage Theatre deepens with The Buddy Holly Story. Two 19-year-olds, Stephen Krosecz and Christine Gibson exhibited rare talent and promise that did not disappoint the crowd at Lambert Hall on Heights Blvd. Krosecz, a Cy-Woods High graduate brings a commanding presence to the role of rock-androll legend Buddy Holly. He defies orders by a Nashville producer to not wear glasses while performing and in fact, trades in his thinner frames for what soon became the bolder Holly signature. He brings great depth and vibrance in the role of the entertainer who was gone all too soon at age 22. Christine Gibsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice has the timber of a young Jennifer Hudson. She is a sophomore

HCC Southeast is the right choice

HCC Southeast College offers these programs

studying music at Houston Baptist University and she began her singing career at St. Pius X. Her iridescent midnight costumes for the trio performing at the Apollo theatre are also beautiful. Brian Chambers (Ritchie Vallens and drummer Jerry Allison) and Todd Greenfield (Cricketsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bass player Joe B. Mauldlin) put in terrific performances as the Crickets. Their strong rhythm acoustic and slap bass had the audience rocking. In a scene at Hollyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last concert at The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Chambers portrays Vallens, who also died the next morning in a plane crash with Holly and the Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson. Norris Thompson is also a standout as the lead entertainer at The Apollo, where Holly performed in 1957. Sonia Kronberg, of the Kronberg Flags and Flagpoles, nails the role of Vi, Norm Pettyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talented wife. Kronbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband, Ron, is a UH School of Architecture alumni and Kronberg is a life member of UH Alumni. The props were realistic, thanks to Oleta Porter and the Doc Porter Museum of Telephone History and Katâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guitars. Many of the musicians in Upstage are UH alumni, bass player Tom Mann has three degrees from UH and trombonist Joe Slusser is also a UH grad. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buddy, the Buddy Holly Storyâ&#x20AC;? written by Alan Janes and directed by Arnold Richie and Sean K. Thompson plays through July 30. For tickets, visit www.upstagetheatre.org. arts@thedailycougar.com

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JESSIE continued from page 6

a support act this summer, Malakouti jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the Femme Fatale tour. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought that it would be the most perfect platform for my music,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I focused on it every day for the next couple of weeks and so did my team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working my entire life for something like this and here it is â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m about to take the bull by the horns and ride.â&#x20AC;? And of course, touring with a tandem like Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj is a huge accomplishment for Malakoutiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spears is so incredible. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really inspiring â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a superstar,â&#x20AC;? Malakouti said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Same with Nicki Minaj â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such an inspiring performer, musician and lyricist. Her music is so intelligent.â&#x20AC;? With the willingness to succeed that Malakouti harbors, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little reason to doubt that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll make a splash. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to spread my music around the world,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t write music so it can stay on my computer, to not be shared with anybody. The whole point is to share it with the world because after all, music is the universal language.â&#x20AC;? arts@thedailycougar.com