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Cougars look to continue hot streak against Golden Eagles STUDENTS
UH research day accepting undergraduate applications Undergraduate Research Day is fast approaching, and the office of Undergraduate Research is accepting applications The event, scheduled for Oct. 13, will showcase the work of UH’s undergraduate research students through poster presentations. Students who are interested can visit http://uh.edu/honors/ undergraduate-research/uhresearch/urday2011/index for an application. The deadline to apply is Monday. — Jennifer Postel
CAMPUS
Trivia, pictures to get Cougars excited about University Every Friday is Cougar Red Friday at UH as a part of the Keep Houston Red Initiative encouraging the community to show support for the University. Twitter Red Trivia is one way to keep that red spirit alive. Every Friday, UH will release a trivia question via Twitter at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The first person to tweet the correct answer with a picture of themselves wearing red to #UHRedFriday will win a gift certificate to the UH Bookstore. Students who spot Shasta can win a prize instantly by taking a picture with the mascot and tweeting the image to #UHRedFriday. For more information visit the Cougar Red Fridays page at http://www.uh.edu/features/oncampus/red-friday/index.php. — Jennifer Postel
FACULTY
Bowling league accepting members of all skill levels UH Faculty, staff and friends are invited to join in the university’s bowling league, meeting every Thursday at 6 p.m. in the University Center Games Room. A 9-pin no tap format, titled “Fast & Furious,” is also available and meets every Friday at 2 p.m. A weekly fee of $6 is required. For more information contact Tommy at 713-743-5321 or tamohwinkel@central.uh.edu. — Jennifer Postel
CORRECTIONS In Wednesday’s paper, we ran a feature photo saying UH’s entrepreneurship program was number one in the nation by Entrepreneurship Magazine. The magazine is actually Entrepreneur Magazine.
You are what you eat, so don’t eat this
September 22, 2011 Issue 19, Volume 77
BAUER
Business program top in nation Entrepreneurship at UH ranked number one in country by magazines Deisy Enriquez
THE DAILY COUGAR The audience rejoiced as the Bauer College of Business and the Greater Houston Partnership announced that the school’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program has been ranked first in the nation by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur
Magazine at an event honoring the distinction on Tuesday. Founded in 1993, the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, which offers the undergraduate program, also topped the list in 2008, and came second in both the 2007 and 2009 rankings. “We hoped something like this would happen, but I had no expectations,” said Bill Sherrill founder of the WCE. “This is the fifth year to be first or second, and we’re just very pleased to see that it’s
fundamentally a sound program — well taught and very useful to students. We’ve established enough years at that top that we clearly have a quality program. It really says that we weren’t just a flash in the pan, we’re really teaching something very basic that’s incredibly valued.” The Princeton Review, which ranked the 50 best graduate and undergraduate schools for entrepreneurs in the country from a pool of over 2,000, based their numbers on criteria such as academics and requirements,
students, faculty and partnership involvement outside the classroom. “The rankings are kind of a nice accolade on the whole thing. The real value actually comes from what we get working outside the classroom,” said WCE student Sol Richey. “We’re interacting with members of the Houston business community. We have a mentorship program that puts us in connection with someone that helps BAUER continues on page 10
STUDENTS
Alumna receives writing award Journalism graduate wins for religion coverage Zahra Ahmed
THE DAILY COUGAR Anam Ghias, a UH alumna with a bachelor’s in journalism, placed third in the Religion Newswriters Association’s 2011 national contest for her work covering Islam. The RNA is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve reporting of religion by the media. Ghias, who graduated in May, attended the annual RNA Conference in Durham, N.C., this past weekend where she received an award and $150 cash prize. “I still can’t believe it,” said Ghias. “Hundreds of people entered and I honestly didn’t expect to win.” Ghias began covering religion in journalism when she took professor David McHam’s reporting class, where student reporters choose a beat, or subject, to cover throughout the semester. Hoping to shed light on other religions as well as her own Islamic faith, she chose the religion beat. “The reason I started writing GHIAS continues on page 10
The materials lab in the architecture building gives students hundreds of samples to study, offering insight and helping them compare building materials for various construction projects they need to work on. | Paul Crespo/The Daily Cougar
GERALD D. HINES
University opens materials research library
College offers architecture students rare opportunity to access tools of the trade Imelda Vera
THE DAILY COUGAR This fall, the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture opened the doors of the Materials Research Collaborative, which is an outlet of Material Connexion, a database that has physical collection libraries in only eight other locations throughout the world.
The MRC was founded with educational value in mind, allowing free access to all University students. It provides a tangible, out-of-classroom experience for architecture students who are used to seeing just pictures of materials. The library includes over 100 materials that allow students to find materials by visual preferences or by criteria. They are able to feel the texture and how light or how heavy an object is. Materials are labeled in a way that makes it easy for them to find in the database, including even a
QR code that you can scan with a specialized phone app. Director and Associate Professor Donna Kacmar worked with the dean to bring the collection to the University. Together, they worked out a collaboration with area professionals that includes Page Sotherland Page, Kendall/Heaton Associates, Censler and Ziegler Cooper. “They are helping support the education of students who will come to the workforce with more ARCHITECTURE continues on page 10
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NEWS
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Daily Cougar
WE HAVE MOVED! ROOM N 109 COUGAR VILLAGE
It’s one month into the semester — how are classes going?
“Classes are pretty easy... It’s kinda like just a repeat of everything but it’s good — better easy than stressful your first year. I’m just really looking forward to starting my major.”
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“Things are pretty calming. Not so much work. Classes are fairly good and there’s always something to do.”
Counseling: Individual assessments and individual instructions in learning strategies
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“Pretty good. I just walked out of an exam, and I think I did OK. It’s looking good — this is a better semester.”
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CONSTITUTION DAY IN 2011
“They’re okay. They seem kinda easy now, but it’s starting to pick up.”
“Classes are stressful. The life of a student is always real busy.”
Ellen Bailes
Austin Loya
History Freshman
Digital Media Sophomore
The Divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs are joining efforts to promote the observation of this special day in the history of the United States.
U. S. Constitution Day Observance Did you know that every school receiving Federal funds MUST observe Constitution Day on September 17th (can be observed the week before, during or after), and provide a Constitution-related educational program? UH’s annual Constitution Day of observance is scheduled for Wednesday, September 21st from 11:30am to 1:00pm
Display tables and the distribution of US flags and miniature Constitution booklets will be located at the University Center, UC Satellite and Cougar Village lobby. Other exhibits and online lectures are scheduled and can be found at www.uh.edu/constitutionday
Voter Registration Application Voter registration applications will also be available at the three sites noted above and at the Campus Housing service desks, the Student Information and Assistance Center at the UC, the Dean of Students Office, and through the Student Government Association and online at www.tax.co.harris.tx.us (click on Voter Registration)
Things to remember on voting: Deadline - October 11, 2011 Early Voting Starts - October 24, 2011 Last Day of Early Voting - November 4, 2011 General Election Day - November 8, 2011
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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://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 Send 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.
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The Daily Cougar
Thursday, September 22, 2011
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CAMPUS
Wellness Center celebrates 20 years of helping students Lindsey Falcon
THE DAILY COUGAR This month the UH Wellness center celebrates 20 years of serving as an outlet for students campus-wide to better their social, intellectual, emotional, occupational, physical and even spiritual health. Specializing in prevention, the UH Wellness center has served its community in full-stride and continues to do so across virtually all dimensions of wellness. Director of UH Wellness Gail Gillan has been closely involved in the center’s upbringing since its creation in September 1991. He said that he wanted students to know the difference between medical information and wellness prevention. “I was here 20 years ago. At that time, the idea was to bring a substance abuse prevention program to campus,” said Gillan. “There’s been a health center on campus for a lot of years, but
wellness as a prevention on campus is relatively new. “ When we wrote the grant and brought wellness here, it was still a part of Counseling and Testing Services. There have been and still are other departments on campus that do some wellness promotions in some specific areas, but what’s unique about what we do is, it’s more comprehensive. We focus on prevention and promoting a healthy campus and involving students directly in the process of their own wellbeing,” said Gillan. Originally, Gillan and others saw substance abuse prevention as a part of wellness not so much in isolation, but in relation to other kinds of wellness issues, a perspective from which the original grant was written. Once completed, it became fully institutionalized on campus primarily through the training of peer education, Gillan said. “A lot of universities get grants to institutionalize programs, but they aren’t able to sustain them. We’ve had a lot of success,” Gillan
said. “The University was really supportive, and (the program) was sustained past the grant period, so it’s been here since.” UH Wellness specializes in prevention, but it also hosts informative workshops, collaborates with other departments to organize national awareness days and health campaigns, and offers a class for students with an interest in bettering their overall dynamic. “We do workshops on a variety of topics — everything from stress management to sexual health to healthy relationships,” Gillan said. “We also have a peer education program. We teach a class called HLT 3300, where we both train and recruit our peer educators. In addition to that, we offer a onehour lab where students who are interested in being peer educators can get addition training.” Through student voting, the Wellness Center was formally named STEPS but was modified within several years for a better fit.
“We started being more multidimensional, so we changed the name to Wellness Center because we wanted to see it as a comprehensive program. More importantly, we wanted the campus to see it as that,” said Gillan. Twenty years strong, UH Wellness has been recognized numerous times by prestigious institutions, including the U.S. Department of Education and The National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. Among the UH Wellness achievements, Gillan identified two that stood out. “We started as primarily a peer education program and we are very small, so really I think we have accomplished two things. One: we’ve become an integral part of campus life and the wellbeing of students –– and to me that’s extremely important,” Gillan said. “In doing so, we’ve also evolved into a program that’s really driven by research and evidence-based programming. We know we
will have a positive impact on students.” UH Wellness will be having a celebration Nov. 29 at its primary location in the University Center and will be offering cake to those who pass by. The following day, UH Wellness invites students, staff and alumni to partake in an open house commemorating their 20th anniversary. Festivities will be located at their secondary location in the CRWC Wellness office. “We are inviting our leadership as well as other peer educators, the administration, staff and faculty who have been involved in wellness over the years. They will be able to come by and see what we’re doing now and what we’ve accomplished in the last 20 years,” Gillan said. “We’re pretty excited about what we do here. We have some wonderful staff and great students.” news@thedailycougar.com
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NEWS
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Daily Cougar
GHIAS
BAUER
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about Islam is because Muslims are not fairly portrayed in the media,� she said. “It’s a religion that is not given a fair chance. I want people to learn about it from authentic sources.� In Fall 2010 and Spring 2011, she wrote several articles for The Daily Cougar about Muslims and the perception of Islam in America, touching on topics of Islamic customs, traditions and “Islamophobia.� In April, the former news editors for the Cougar, Jose Aguilar and Cristi Guerra, saw how Ghias’ stories reflected her passion and writing skills and persuaded her to submit her work to the RNA competition. After learning about Ghias’ win earlier this month, Aguilar said he wasn’t surprised. He had no doubt that she would place. “The award is a wonderful recognition of (Ghias’) hard work,� Aguilar said. “It fills me with a sense of pride to know that her writing has been recognized on a national level. “It also speaks to the caliber of the Cougar’s content and its staff,� he said. “The Daily Cougar, like the University of Houston, is definitely top tier.� Ghias is also happy about the
us develop our skills and helps us develop our ideas.� The announcement comes during a time when Houston has been continually ranked as a city with one of the best economies while most of country is suffering from a weak job market. Jeff Moseley, President and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership, said that “there’s a direct tie to work force development and the announcement.� In addition to basic classroom instruction, the WCE aims to prepare students in all aspects of entrepreneurship, from starting a
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Anam Ghias wrote stories for The Daily Cougar about Islam. Her articles, along with photos, can be found in the Cougar’s archives. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar award but is quick to hold back her excitement. She said because her articles are about Muslims, they get quite a few negative responses, but it’s something that she has to adjust to. Getting used to mean comments, she said, is similar to adjusting to the stares she gets while wearing a hijab, or headscarf. “I pray that at least one person will read (my articles) with an open mind,� said Ghias. “I don’t expect people to completely change their perspective about Islam just by reading what I wrote. I’m just hoping that I encourage them to learn about the religion first.� Often, Ghias finds comfort in
DUCE USE CYCLE
her family. “My husband and family always encourage me to write to make a difference,� she said. “It’s with my husband’s support that I’m able to deal with the not so nice comments.� Currently, the 23-year-old’s days revolve around caring for her family, but she plans to freelance at her own pace. The “bookaholic,� as her husband calls her, said she plans to write for as long as she can. “Words are a powerful thing,� she said. “I hope to use them to lessen the hate in this world.� news@thedailycougar.com
HELP WANTED
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knowledge of materials than they would otherwise have,� Kacmar said. “It’s a resource that increases the material literacy of our students.� Having the collection library can bring a positive exposure to both University research and
news@thedailycougar.com
Houston professionals. It raises the possibility and challenge of how we can become the next material innovator. “About ten years ago we thought of materials of how they look and what they cost; now with sustainability and environmental impact, people want to know more,� she said. “There is more responsibility.� news@thedailycougar.com
In addition to keeping you updated on the latest news, sports, arts and campus happenings, The Daily Cougar can also be used as a bookcover, a paper airplane or an umbrella for those rainy days. When you’re done, don’t forget to recycle.
CLASSIFIEDS BULLETIN BOARD
ARCHITECTURE
business to developing the confidence to run a successful entity on their own. “It’s not just business development, but it’s also the human development,� said Bauer Dean Latha Ramchand. “It’s about developing yourself, and when you develop yourself and become confident with who you are, that really contributes a great deal to the scale of the business. There’s a lot of nice things about this program, which makes it special in my opinion. We’re just delighted that the things we thought were special were also validated by an external agency, not just once, but five times in a row.�
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
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OPINION THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS SPORTS EDITOR LIFE
& ARTS EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR CHIEF COPY EDITOR
Jack Wehman John Brannen Taylor McGilvray, Julian Jimenez Joshua Siegel Mary Baak Daniel Renfrow Natasha Faircloth
STAFF EDITORIAL
Perry goes on offensive in new campaign video
T
he 2012 presidential race is looking to be as dirty a campaign as there can be. On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Perry released a video condemning President Barack Obama as president Zero (meaning that there have been no jobs created and that change has not come.)
The video looks like next summer’s Michael Bay movie. It has quick, jarring cuts, pundits talking over one another and choice out-of-context sound bytes of Obama. It will undoubtedly work wonders on apocalyptic right wing nutjobs, but will leave others in some sort of confused energetic state, the result of the atmosphere of the video, not the message. When Perry finally comes into play, about halfway through the commercial, the music changes into something that can only be described as heroic. The video packages Perry as some sort of cowboy superhero. The biggest problem — blatant propaganda aside — is that the video does nothing but trash Obama. There are no solutions posed by Perry, no rhetoric to back up the smack talk. He merely bashes the president as the video proclaims, “In 2012 America will discover a new name for leadership, an American who served for freedom, a president who will lead a nation.” That’s it. Then the Perry logo flashes on the screen. But Perry is not Superman. He isn’t even a new name for leadership — the man has been a governor for more than a decade, and he was in public office long before that. It’s sad, really. Not that Perry is going full throttle at Obama; that much is to be expected. But the current state of American politics being what it is, do we really need another attack ad? What’s ironic is that this ad is exactly what Perry does not need for his campaign. Instead of championing another politician’s weakness, why doesn’t he hammer Obama on the issues? A commercial offering realistic solutions for the problems the US is facing would do more for Perry’s campaign than anything else.
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 thedailycougar.com/opinion
GUEST COMMENTARY:
Fluency Students in immersion programs have easier time learning English
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here are various options a district and state can decide upon when dealing with foreign language speakers in the classroom. They can opt for bilingual education, which is where the school uses two languages, one of which is English, as mediums of instruction. They can also use Structured English Immersion (SEI) where English is spoken Alejandro a majority of time, and Caballero either there is no second language, or if there is, it is spoken very little. In 2000, Arizona passed a voter initiative requiring the use of SEI in their state. The abundance of research, however, yields no conclusive results. As of now, one cannot say that one is better than the other. Nevertheless, in Canada and in Louisiana the structured immersion model was used to teach French and was very successful, which is the main reason why I believe that immersion works best. The basis of the Rosetta Stone brand is immersion, and many professors of linguistics tell their students that they must surround themselves in the language they are learning in order to learn it the best. Being forced to immerse yourself in another language requires you to struggle to express the ideas you are trying to convey in that language. The main reason for the inconclusive results between the two methods might be because the SEI and bilingual models are often implemented incorrectly. The biggest hindrance to learning English is the simple fact that the student isn’t immersed in that language. Immigration
in the past and immigration today are two very different things. The laws dictating that English be spoken have changed little, but socially there was a pressure to learn English in the past that isn’t felt today. For example, Kelvi, a 19-year-old from Waller ISD, arrived to this country knowing very little English. He lived in a small town in Mexico when his family decided to move to the US. When he arrived in Houston, he was tested and placed in bilingual classes to help him learn English. However, his family had moved to a pre-dominantly Caucasian neighborhood and the bilingual teachers there were anything but. Nevertheless, Kelvi said this fact helped him learn English faster. He had to work a little harder to keep up with his class, and today he speaks English with a slight accent but is fluent nonetheless. Limci, 17, on the other hand, arrived to the US from Guatemala in 2006; she’s in a Cy-Fair district high school now and is in their ESL program. She takes regular classes, and for one period she is placed in ESL. Unfortunately, she hasn’t learned English as easily as Kelvi. Limci hasn’t been able to test out of ESL for the last 5 years. She tells me that her ESL class lasts one hour, her teacher is Hispanic, and he speaks to them in Spanish. Also, he lets them talk and do their homework for other classes. Sometimes he passes out worksheets and makes them do some English drills, but that’s rare. Her English is marked by a very heavy accent, and she said that she is often lost in English conversations
The basis of the Rosetta Stone brand is immersion, and many professors of linguistics tell their students that they must surround themselves in the language they are learning in order to learn it the best.” because she just doesn’t know the words. Denisse, 16, is an American-born student who was raised in Mexico until she was 14. When her family moved back to the US, she was placed in an SEI program at her Cy-Fair ISD high school. She admitted to me that the class she was placed in for the first year in the US was filled with Spanish speakers, and she didn’t learn much. She really began absorbing English only when she was placed in regular classes. There, she says, she was forced to write, speak and think in English. Kelvi and Denisse were, in reality, the recipients of an immersion model of teaching, and are now doing fine. Limci received a bilingual education and is still struggling. True immersion clearly and obviously played the biggest role in the success of Kelvi and Denisse. A bilingual education doesn’t truly work because students often fall back on their native languages. Alejandro Caballero is a creative writing junior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
Tuition hikes leave coogs with questions
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n today’s society, a solid education Here at UH for example, students saw students with scholarships that match has never been more paramount or a 3.95 percent tuition increase approved anywhere from their grade and major elifundamental in the hopes of achieving by the Board of Regents in February. gibility to how well they can write an essay, the American dream. Unfortunately, the UH students will likely continue to see showed in an article published in 2010 that ever increasing cost of that education tuition prices go up as there is yet another outstanding student loan debt, at the time is sending the opposite message to the proposal to increase costs for the board to of the article’s publication, exceeded total youth of America. determine for the 2012 fiscal year. credit card debt by at least $830 billion. Every year, millions It is fair to say that large hikes in tuition According to Mark Kantrowitz, who of students enroll in have many academics second guessing wrote the article, the debt is divided into colleges and universithe decision to pursue a diploma which “Roughly $665 billion in federal education ties nationwide. They may very well prove to not be worth it. So loans and $168 billion in private student go off with bright hopes where does the madness end? loans”. He also said that “New student loan Amanda and volume will exceed $100 Keenan Many students may wonder, if schools nationwide are billion for the first time in dreams of what 2010-2011.” increasing their tuition by so much and yet cutting their futures might hold. Many students may find budgets at the same time, where is the money going?” themselves wondering, What these scholars aren’t always aware of is if schools nationwide are the financial strain that they are potenNow, of course there are always increasing their tuition by so much and yet tially putting in their own paths and academic scholarships for those with the cutting budgets at the same time, where is the mountains of debt they will have to grades to qualify for them, grants for those the money going? inevitably repay. the government deems financially eligible, Should we have to pay so much to sit in According to an article on coland of course federal and private student over-crowded classrooms with desks that legeboard.com, “although the average loans for everyone else. But higher tuition are falling apart, or have non-functioning increase in tuition and fees at public fourmeans the need for more loans to make up equipment in the libraries? Every college year colleges in 2010-2011 was 7.9 percent the difference when you aren’t fortunate student will be waiting with baited breath in for in-state students and 6 percent for enough to have parents to pay for college. the hope that eventually the increases will out-of-state students, 19 percent of fullNo matter how reasonable the interest of cease. time students at public four-year colleges federal financial aid is, their private loan and universities attend institutions that counterparts have rates immensely higher Amanda Keenan is a public relations sophomore and may be reached at opinion@ increased their published prices by 12 and outlandishly ridiculous. thedailycougar.com. percent or more.” Fastweb.com, a website which pairs
OPINION
The Daily Cougar
Perry is right about the death penalty
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t’s telling when a crowd erupts into raucous applause and praise for a presidential candidate. It’s a showcase of how much they approve of the candidate’s policies, how they feel about their take on major issues, and overall just how much they like that candidate. But most audiences typically wait for the candidate to actually finish speaking before bursting into cheers. James During the Sept. Wang 8, 2011, Republican Presidential Debate, the crowd cut off NBC’s Brian Williams with candid approval over Gov. Rick Perry’s outstanding execution record. “Governor Perry, question about Texas,” Williams said. “Your state has executed 234 death row inmates, more than any other governor in modern times.” As soon as the record was stated, the studio audience stunned the usually stoic Williams with whistles and thunderous applause. They were absolutely ecstatic, as they should be. Texas is known for a great many things — from cowboys, to barbecue, to rodeos. But the one thing we should be known for the most in this modern era is how willing we are to stand our ground on important issues like the death penalty. In these modern times, the death penalty has been demonized by its opponents as uncivilized and obsolete. Indeed, with the exception of a few Eastern European nations, all of Europe, Australia, Mexico, Canada and parts of Southern Africa have completely abolished the death penalty in their countries, equaling 96 countries in total. Nine countries have abolished it for ordinary crimes, and 34 have abolished it at least in practice. Only 58 countries in the world today still retain their adherence to the death penalty; among them are a vast majority of the Middle East, Asia, and of course the United States. “Have you struggled to sleep at night with the idea that any one of those might have been innocent?” Williams asked after the audience had died down a bit and the anchor himself had regained a bit of his composure. There’s always that heavy moral implication that you just might have the blood of an innocent man on your hands. There is always going to be a chance that a man may be accidentally convicted of a crime worthy of the death penalty. However, in the US we have a fail-safe procedure in place to stop as many of those accidental convictions from occurring as possible. We have a highly refined, well-oiled and sharp-eyed justice department ready to catch any mistakes that happen to fall through. Just like with any major operation, whether it be for surgery or for a military maneuver, there will always be a chance for error. To regard a system as wholly perfect and as impossible to fail would just be naïve and outright foolish. There is always the possibility of death during surgery, but that is what medical school is for, to educate and prevent that from occurring. There is always the chance of civilian casualties in a combat
situation, but that’s why the military and the police drill relentlessly to prevent situations like that from happening. And that’s why there are so many systems of appeals for death row inmates, so many routes for them to go through, so that if they truly are innocent, as they claim, they can be cleared. Too often in these modern times we worry — fear, even, the ends. If it even seems risky, we shy away from it. A mistake in surgery or a mistake in combat can be instantaneously disastrous. A mistake in the legal system always has the chance to be caught. Instead of shying away from a gory proposition, hiding behind scant possibilities and hoping for another, easier route, we should be heading towards it with confidence in our ability to do things right. If we aren’t confident, then all that means is that we need to fix the means, not the end. Perry is an icon for this steadfast defiance in the face of doubt. He has full confidence in how our legal system works. “They get a fair hearing, they go through an appellate process, they even go to the Supreme Court of the United States if that’s required,” Perry said. The same can’t possibly be said for people convicted of the death penalty in China, who have for the last several years been one of the targets of choice for various civil liberties groups. Our criminal justice system, although not perfect, is truly held to the highest standard, and death-row inmates are always given the chance to appeal the fate that they deserve. But do they deserve it? Perry certainly thinks so. “In the state of Texas, if you come into our state, if you kill one of our children, you kill one of our police officers, you commit another crime and you kill one of our citizens, you will face the ultimate justice and you will be executed,” Perry said. Perry only needs to point to his impressive 234 person execution record to show how well he’s followed through on this promise. We need a steadfast man like Perry who is hard on crime and hard in his resolve to stand by his position on crime, as he showed earlier this year in his refusal to stay the execution of a Mexican national successfully convicted of raping and murdering a San Antonio teenager. Perry has a long campaign trail ahead of him. People will always try him on his beliefs, as we all are tried every day. People will try and bust him down, paint him as vile and evil for supplying justice to those too weak to do it themselves. Others will decry him as an uncouth monster with no regard of civil rights. But Perry should pay no mind to them. The rapists, killers, and terrorists of the world deserve to pay for their crimes. We cannot continue to let them believe they can escape their due. And with Perry at the helm, we can always be sure it will be paid in full. James Wang is a history freshman and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.
LETTERS UH blood drive alienates and stigmatizes LGBT coogs In the days following the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the military policy that banned gays, lesbians, and bisexuals from serving openly in the United States military, one of the last things I expected to see was a reminder of how the LGBT community is being kept from active participation in the betterment of our society. Boy was I wrong. Merely walking into the UC on Wednesday September 21 was enough to remind me that I am still a second-class citizen. What was this reminder? A hate crime? No. A person using derogatory language about gays? No. It was a blood drive. Homosexuals have been prevented from donating blood since the 1980’s because of the then high correlation between homosexuals and the AIDS virus, HIV. In today’s society it seems odd to think that in a world where every blood sample is being tested and much more is known about the virus that such a policy would still be in place. There are arguments against the legal discrimination against one group’s involvement in society. If gays are prevented from donating blood because of a once statistically high prevalence in the community, then why haven’t
Thursday, September 22, 2011
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Send yours to letters@thedailycougar.com other groups been targeted by a similar policy, such as the poor who are statistically more likely to have disease or African-Americans who have had a huge swell in the number of HIV infections since the 1990’s. No one advocates restrictions on these groups from donating, nor should they. They should merely evaluate the situation as it currently stands. Another argument that should be raised is that HIV is not the death sentence that it once was thought to be. I must admit, I have lost three friends to HIV/ AIDS but it was their own faults. Refusal to take the medications that would lengthen your life is the same as tying a noose around your own neck. I do have friends with HIV who participate regularly in society and have no visible signs of the virus. Some may say that if I really want to donate I should just lie on the donation questionnaire. My response: I don’t lie to myself or to anybody else because of who I am. Some might say that I just shouldn’t donate or raise a fuss because it isn’t a civil right or a civil liberty. I agree. Donating blood is not more a right or a liberty than voting or military service. It is a civil responsibility or duty that should be above discrimination. The final point I will make is
that I do not think it is appropriate for educational institutions to allow discrimination on their campuses. Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Keagen also agrees with this sentiment. In her time working as an administrator for Harvard, she booted the military off the campus because she cited the policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell conflicted with university anti-discrimination policy. Allowing blood drives on campus is endorsing discrimination which is against our university’s policy. I am not advocating that all people should not give blood or that others should be discriminated against, but I am arguing that it is inconsistent to allow discrimination on a campus that prides itself on its inclusion. If every college campus who had similar policies began booting blood drives from campus and explicitly stating why, the policy put in place by the Food and Drug Administration would be repealed in short order. I think every person should ask themselves, “Would I rather die because there is a shortage of my blood type or have the blood that has been tested and is clean of someone who may be a homosexual or bisexual male flowing through my veins?” — Derek Fuzzell, Economics Senior
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Daily Cougar
EDITOR Joshua Siegel E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports
FOOTBALL
Scoring early and often is priority in return to Robertson John Brannen
THE DAILY COUGAR When the Cougars take the field against Georgia State on Saturday, it will be the first time a game has been played at Robertson Stadium in 21 days. After dealing with abrasive crowds at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston, La., and Apogee Stadium in Denton, UH has good reason to look forward to a return to its home field. “I hope our fans are just as crazy on the opposing team’s sidelines as some of these other fans were to us these past few weeks,” senior quarterback Case Keenum said. “They were pretty riled up and rowdy.” The Cougars fell behind early, allowing their opponent to score first in their last two contests. Playing a full four quarters will be the priority against the Panthers (1-2). “We can start a little bit faster,” Keenum said. “That would be nice. Just getting going early. Offensively, we need to execute when the defense gets stops and gets the ball back. Staying on the field, converting on third downs and making first downs, we need to keep drives going.”
The Cougars lead the nation in passing yards with 421.7 yards per game through the air. UH’s four starting receivers — seniorsPatrick Edwards, Tyron Carrier, Justin Johnson, and E.J. Smith — rank in the top 13 in Conference USA in receiving yards. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar UH has been in a variety of different situations through three games. For a time, the Cougars had a comfortable lead in their win against UCLA, beat North Texas by 25 and didn’t lead against Louisiana
Tech until less than two minutes remained in the fourth quarter. “We believe we can win every game from the start, no matter what situation we get in,” Keenum said. “We can come through in any
situation that we need to. That’s big for confidence for a lot of guys to see that who haven’t been around. “When we needed to turn it on we did, let’s just learn to turn it on when we want to, not when we have
to. Let’s come on and flip the switch right from the start, and not necessarily wait around like we did.” UH is heavily favored to crush Georgia State — the Panthers may be the easiest game on the schedule. But as per usual, the Cougars have to worry about the obstacle in front of them, and avoid planning ahead too early for next week’s Conference USA opener against the UTEP Miners. “This is opportunity No. 4,” senior running back Bryce Beall said. “We’ve had three opportunities. It’s a great thing we won them, but this is another opportunity to go out there and show what we can do. “We aren’t going to look ahead. The only thing we know is we have 12 guaranteed games, it’s the fourth one coming up and we’ll be looking to get another W.” The previous two games were streamed via ESPN3.com, but the Cougars’ remaining nine games will be on TV. Saturday’s game begins at 7 p.m., and will be televised on Comcast Sports Southwest (Ch. 129), and will be broadcast on 790 AM. sports@thedailycougar.com
SPORTS
The Daily Cougar
Thursday, September 22, 2011
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VOLLEYBALL
UH to defend den against Golden Eagles Perfect home record to be put to the test Ricardo Rivera
THE DAILY COUGAR
Senior forward Jessica Zavalza leads the Cougars with five goals, connecting on 38.5 percent of her shots on goal. | Aaron Cisneros/The Daily Cougar
SOCCER
Top-ranked Tigers visit streaking Cougars UH tries for first win against ranked school Joachim Clarke
THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars open Conference USA play against No. 9 Memphis in the midst of a three-game winning streak. The Cougars (3-5-0) have scored 12 goals during the stretch, while posting shutouts in each match. The Tigers (8-0-0) have rolled through their non-conference schedule. The defending C-USA champions have scored 19 goals and conceded only four this season, with senior goalkeeper Jordan Boyle recording five clean sheets. Although the prospect of squaring off against one of the nation’s top programs might be daunting to some of the players, head coach Susan Bush said she expects a close contest Friday. “Memphis is on a hot streak right now,” Bush said. “It’s always a fierce game with them and we’re expecting nothing but the best from them. “We’re happy it’s at home but we know that it’s going to be a tough game and a tough weekend.” Playing hurt Freshman forward Kelsey Zamora — who took an elbow to the face in the second half against Louisiana-Lafayette — said that the team has been coming together over the past few weeks, and is looking forward to starting conference play. “I’m excited,” Zamora said. “Even with a broken nose.” Cougar goalkeeper Cami Koski was optimistic about the upcoming challenge from an undefeated Memphis squad. “Memphis is definitely going to be a tough game,” Koski said. “But we’re going to come out with a fire. We’re on our home field and looking for a win.” The match kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday at Robertson Stadium. sports@thedailycougar.com
Fresh off their three-set sweep of Rice on Tuesday, the Cougars will return home tomorrow to face Southern Mississippi. UH (8-3, 1-0 Conference USA) enters the match up on a four-game winning streak at the Athletics/Alumni Center, and as winners of five of its last six games. “Discipline for this team, right now, is understanding what your specific role is and then getting that job done,” head coach Molly Alvey said. “It’s two-fold: understanding and executing. I think we’re really growing into that idea as a team. “Our preseason has really paid off for us, and now we have to
focus on continuing to execute.” The Owls were the third consecutive opponent to fall to the Cougars in straight sets. At the forefront of the Cougars recent surge is middle blocker Lucy Charuk. Through 11 games, the senior has averaged a team-high .364 hitting percentage and racked 111 kills. Charuk has continually held the team together in tight moments, and appeared not only as UH’s most dominant offensive weapon, but also the strongest clutch performer. Southern Miss. turns it around All six of the Golden Eagles’ (6-6) losses have come on the road this season, but they will try to build on their recent offensive upturn in their C-USA opener. In recent competition at the Houston Baptist Invitational, the Golden Eagles won two of three
Since losing 3-1 to Kentucky on Sept. 9, the Cougars have not lost a set, sweeping their last three opponents. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar matches, defeating Louisiana Tech and Southern Louisiana in three sets each. Outside hitter Halie Ecker (3.19 kills per set) and senior middle blocker Lauren Sears (.321 hitting percentage) lead the Golden Eagles on offense. UH will try to combat them with an increased emphasis on detail. “We’ve talked a lot about big picture stuff,” Alvey said. “You’ve got to score 25 points, but the
smaller picture is that if we each do our job, and score little points where we can, the big picture doesn’t seem so big,” Alvey said. “Our job here on out is executing.” First serve against the Golden Eagles is set for 7 p.m. at the Athletics/Alumni Center. The Cougars will continue home court action 1 p.m. Sunday against Tulane. sports@thedailycougar.com
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Daily Cougar
EDITOR Mary Baak E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts
AROUND TOWN
Newest Houston lodging location to open doors this weekend
VIDEO GAMES
Nintendo game a massive hit Latest Kirby installment makes challenges, graphics bigger, better than ever Bryan Dupont-Gray
THE DAILY COUGAR
Jennifer Postel
THE DAILY COUGAR Weary travelers who venture through Houston will soon have an inexpensive but comfortable way to spend their nights when the Hostelling International USA’s new location opens its doors this weekend. The Morty Rich Hostel — located at 501 Lovett Blvd. in Montrose — will host an open house this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. to give away prizes and introduce the new 50-bed hostel to Houston and its residents. General Manager Grace Dodier, a Corpus Christi native and former assistant general manager of the HIUSA Austin location, hopes the new hostel will make visitors feel welcome as well as educating them on the importance of hostelling. “We are hoping to spread the word that hostels are another form of affordable accommodation,” Dodier said in a recent email. “The added bonus is that guests get the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.” The new hostel is associated with Hostelling International USA — an outlet of Hostelling International, which has over 4,000 hostels in over 90 countries. According to its website, HI-USA is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1934 and intends to promote understanding of the world through hostelling and operates nearly 60 hostels nationwide. The Morty Rich location is the first HI-USA location in Houston and takes over the former Lovett Inn Bed and Breakfast – once the home of Former Houston Mayor Joseph C. Hutcheson, Jr. The hostel — open 24 hours a day throughout the year — will house guests in shared dorms and private rooms and offers guests a self-catered kitchen and pool, and is within walking distance of many of Houston’s most popular restaurants, bars and museums. Employees who are acquainted with the city will attend to those visitors who are not accustomed to Houston. “Houston is a great city, but sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming to travelers,” said Dodier. “The staff’s job is to help break down the city and everything there is to do here, and make it accessible to people who might have never been to a city this large.” Morty Rich hopes to attract not only nationwide visitors but also entice travelers from around the world. Dodier believes — based on her time at the HI-USA Austin location — that the Houston location will attract many foreign visitors. “ I think that the Houston market for travelers could potentially have completely different demographics (than the Austin location),” she said, “I suspect that we will get many more travelers from the Latin American countries.” HI-USA’s new location joins the Houston International Hostel — located on Crawford Street in the heart of the museum district — as the only hostels catering to frugal visitors traveling through Houston. To attend the grand opening this Sunday please RSVP at hihouston@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HIHouston. To make reservations or to learn more about the Morty Rich Hostel, Hostelling International USA, and to become a Hostelling International member please visit www.hiusa.org/hostels/usa_hostels/texas/ houston/60150. arts@thedailycougar.com
TODAY'S FORTUNE Taking the easy way out pays off right now, but hard work pays off in the long run.
If out of nowhere an evil wizard comes to split you into 10 little copies of yourself, follow the example of Nintendo’s little pink mascot we know as Kirby. In “Kirby: Mass Attack” for the Nintendo DS, Kirby uses his misfortune to his advantage, setting his sights to take down the evil wizard Necrodious so he can return to normal. He’ll have to go through plenty of obstacles using copies of himself, which has proven
to be an innovative core appeal to the game. For starters, the visuals in this game are reminiscent of what Kirby is all about. The colorful animations in the background and the exquisite character design of Kirby, his friends and even his enemies are something to marvel at. There are a total of four worlds to explore — each with 11 different levels — and all of them are a must-see. Kirby is a character that begs to be adored just by his looks alone, so it’s only natural that the world he travels through emits the same kind of atmosphere. “Kirby: Mass Attack” plays very differently from other Kirby games as well, but this change is more than welcome. Kirby is able to make up to 10 copies of himself by eating fruits that are scattered throughout
the levels in the game, and the number of Kirbys you have greatly affects game play. Several levels require a certain number of Kirbys to be able to play. It can also cause the player to miss out on hidden items and even determine whether or not you’re ready to face enemies. In this game, one small Kirby can’t fight a boss battle alone. You’re going to need a hoard of pink little guys to force your way through each level and enemy. The number of Kirbys also determines how well you fare performing different tasks like pushing, pulling and breaking certain objects in the game. In addition to fruit, medals are also dispersed throughout levels. Collecting these NINTENDO continues on page 9
HEALTH CHECK
Apple a day might not keep the doctor away Study finds favorite fruits, vegetables contaminated with pollutants Reesha Brown
THE DAILY COUGAR A recently released report by the Pesticide Action Network North America and Commonwealth found that Americans can experience up to 70 daily exposures to residues of a class of toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), according to the organization’s website. The report analyzes chemical residue data collected by the US Food and Drug Administration and finds persistent chemical contaminants in all food groups, from your grocer’s baked goods and meats to fresh fruits and veggies. Here’s the problem: Exposure to POPs has been linked to serious diseases and developmental disorders, including breast and other types of cancer, immune system suppression, nervous system disorders, reproductive damage and disruption of hormone systems. In the US, many of the chemicals responsible for contaminating food supply have been banned. However, other countries continue to manufacture and use the chemicals that are still being transported to the US by air or by water. The report was released on the eve of the final negotiations of the terms of an international treaty that could officially put a global ban on the production of 12 of the worst of the chemicals, including DDT (a well-known pesticide) and dioxin (a toxic man-made substance). To paint a picture, let’s take the typical holiday dinner. The report says a typical Christmas/ Thanksgiving dinner menu of 11 food items can deliver 38 hits of exposure to POPs, where a hit is one persistent toxic chemical on one food item.
The Food and Drug Administration found that pollutants like pesticides and other chemicals have contaminated everyday fruits and vegetables. Avoid such contaminants by eating organic food and opt for snacks like domestic cantaloupe, sweet corn and watermelon. | Photos.com The study used an illustrative traditional holiday meal and sampled daily menus in four geographic regions of the country to show typical POP consumption around the world. They found that all food products contaminated with POPs that have been banned in the US. The report also found that it is not unusual for daily diets to contain food items contaminated with three to seven POPs. The top 10 POPs-contaminated food
items included butter, cantaloupe, cucumbers and pickles, meatloaf, popcorn, peanuts, radishes, spinach, summer squash and winter squash. Two of the most pervasive POPs in food are dieldrin, which is a very toxic pesticide that was banned in the US during the late ’70s and DDE, which was banned in the early ’70s. Recent scientific studies presented by the FDA have also discovered that exposure to small levels of POPs at crucial APPLE continues on page 9
LIFE+ARTS
The Daily Cougar
NINTENDO medals can also grant you access to specially intuitive mini-games that you can play when you want to take a break from saving the world. Players are likely to spend their time going through a certain level more than once to collect all the medals in order to unlock all the mini-games, which is a great way for the game to offer some replay value. “Mass Attack� is a heavily stylusbased game, so players won’t have to worry about using d-pad controls. While using your stylus, you’re able to lead a herd of Kirbys and make them move around. Pointing onto the bottom screen in a level brings
up a star for your Kirby army to follow. You can hold all the Kirbys together and drag them all, drawing a line from Point A to Point B. Flinging Kirbys has several uses, like taking down an enemy or mashing them all onto a block to break through. The challenge certainly lies in fancy stylus work and keeping your Kirbys in a group at all times, but this can get tedious and a bit overwhelming during certain levels where you have to pay attention to a lot more than your little pink army. Kirby’s ability to suck up enemies and copy their special techniques are absent in this game. While this makes sense because there isn’t just one Kirby, it does limit the amount of moves he has left in his arsenal.
APPLE
DIRTY DOZEN
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times in fetal and infant development can damage neurological and immune systems, as well as cause hormonal issues. How to steer clear of POPs Eat organic food. This is one of the best ways to avoid pesticides. The downside of buying organic food is you pay more for certain products. The Environmental Working Group’s annual list of the dirty dozen food list provides and up-to-date list of common fruits and vegetables that should be bought organic, based on the USDA’s pesticide residue-testing data.
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arts@thedailycougar.com
Apples Celery Strawberries Peaches Spinach Imported nectarines Grapes Sweet bell peppers Potatoes Domestic blueberries Lettuce Collard greens
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Onions Sweet corn Pineapples Avocado Asparagus Sweet peas Mangoes Domestic Cantaloupes Kiwi Cabbage Watermelon Sweet potatoes Grapefruit Mushrooms
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“
!!!! GOSLING MESMERIZES.�
– Peter Travers,
“THE COOLEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR.� – Stephen Lambrechts, IGN
RYAN GOSLING
THERE ARE NO CLEAN GETAWAYS LOCAL LISTINGS THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES NOW PLAYING IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE FOR CHECK
Thursday, September 22, 2011
This is somewhat disappointing to avid fans who are used to seeing this in every Kirby installment, and it would have been a nice touch to see the Kirby gang possessing different abilities all on one screen. “Mass Attack� has a knack for being repetitive throughout the game; however, it’s far from
annoying. Many of the levels become challenging if players try to go for all the hidden medals instead of just running through the level, but the feel of the game never becomes too frustrating or tiring. Anyone can pick up this game and enjoy playing it. It’s an innovative platform that successfully focuses
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on one aspect of the DS — the stylus — and turns it into a massively enjoyable adventure for kids and adults alike. “Kirby: Mass Attack� is hands-down a must-play for any user of the DS, DSi or 3DS, and especially worth it for Kirby fans everywhere. arts@thedailycougar.com
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The Daily Cougar
comics Blundergrads by Phil Flickinger
That Monkey Tune by Michael Kandalaft
sudoku How to play
Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.
Previous puzzle solved
COMICS & MORE
Thursday, September 22, 2011
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crossword ACROSS 1 Rabbit’s home 6 SF transit system 10 Union flouter 14 Video-game pioneer 15 Maintain 16 Jason’s vessel 17 Messy places 18 In -- (as found) 19 Zhivago’s love 20 Lean toward 21 Unfastens 23 Potter or glassblower 25 Victorian garment 26 Fishing float 27 Substantial 29 “The French Chef” 32 Profundity 33 TV band 36 Unctuous 37 Blender button 38 Sheik colleague 39 Util. bill 40 Get stuck 41 Cheerful 42 -- “the Body” Ventura 43 Cosmonaut’s lab 44 Familiarize 47 Like pop and beer 51 Hiker’s aid (2 wds.) 54 Moon ring 55 Diving birds 56 Fundamental part 57 After-dinner candies 58 Scallion kin 59 Draw with a laser 60 Tea variety 61 Me, myself, -- -62 Hockey feint 63 Piano size
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 22 24 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 40
Hertz rival Solar plexus Cut short Regular compensation Rocky ledges Come to terms Vaunt Pat on Roman Empire invader Pregrown lawn Enter traffic Touche provoker Fold-up bed Make tracks Under par Lemons Ballpark figure Place for a holster Fish cookout Put on airs Less genteel Late-night Jay
41 Whacked 42 Loud watercraft (2 wds.) 43 Janitor’s tool 44 Florida town 45 Joan of Arc site 46 Signed a contract 47 Enjoy the beach 48 Sri -49 “Rocket Man” John 50 Gave medicine 52 Habitual 53 Ridicule 57 Car stat
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
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