Issue 57, Volume 77

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December 1, 2011 Issue 57, Volume 77

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Students to vote on fee SGA passes bill sending athletics hike for facilities to University referendum Joshua Mann

THE DAILY COUGAR The UH Student Government Association passed a bill calling for a fee increase to be sent to student referendum after it had a narrow one-vote majority following a speech promoting the hike given by Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades. The $45 per semester increase would help to pay for a new football stadium and renovations to the

facilities in Hofheinz Pavilion and would be in place for the next 25 years, Rhoades said. Robertson Stadium, built in 1941, is in dire need of retirement, and crumbling concrete will make the stadium unsafe for use in 18 months, he said. According to Rhoades, Hofheinz is structurally sound, but desperately needs to renovate its facilities in order to compete with the facilities of other schools in the Big East conference. Engineering Senator Kennan Stuhr pointed out that the cost of the improvements could be covered if students were charged $25 for

admission to football games, so the facilities would be paid for by the students who use them, but Rhoades said the money had to be guaranteed by student fees. If the Athletics Department receives more than the projected $75 million in donations, it would work to decrease the student fee so students would not have to pay. Current students, who would have pay the fee during the two years of construction, could be reimbursed through a discount on the price of season passes after they graduate, Rhoades said, although SGA continues on page 14

UH Athletics Director Mack Rhoades spoke at the SGA meeting on Wednesday to tell the senators and students in attendance why the Athletics Department needs student fees to increase $45 per semester. | Paul Crespo/The Daily Cougar

STUDENTS

Cougar creates his own business

Snow in Houston

T

he University Center North Patio was covered in snow as the Student Program Board hosted its third annual Winter Wonderland on Wednesday. Cougars grabbed sleds to slide down a snow-covered hill. The event featured free hot chocolate, funnel cakes and a gingerbread house contest. Students were also given free T-shirts and cups to decorate. Check out more photos on page 12.

NBA championships give student inspiration to start bottled water company Alexandra Doyle

THE DAILY COUGAR

professional education programs,” Antel said. “I feel really positive about where we are going.” With the momentum of success behind graduate programs on campus, Antel sees this as a

Between balancing aspirations for medical school and an upcoming acting role on the Student Video Network, it’s hard to think that anyone would have the time to study, much less run a business. But when opportunity knocked, biology sophomore Xavier Price decided to take a chance. “When the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Championship last season, a vision came to me,” Price said. The vision? A logo that combines the names of the cities of all three professional basketball teams in Texas, each of which now has at least one NBA Championship win under its belt, above an

SENATE continues on page 3

STUDENT continues on page 14

| Taylor Cox/The Daily Cougar

ADMINISTRATION

Faculty Senate discusses admissions UH to increase number of graduate students Jennifer Postel

THE DAILY COUGAR In preparation for the future, UH leaders gathered at Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting and

took a moment to reflect on the school’s recent successes and the challenges that lie ahead. Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost John Antel first addressed the audience of faculty senators with stories of the University’s recent achievements, which includes the

graduate student program exceeding expectations and churning out over 210 doctorates, well surpassing the goal set in 2010. “We are hatching a lot of other good plans about continuing to build support for the doctoral programs and other master’s programs, and continuing

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NEWS

Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Daily Cougar

How are you preparing for finals week?

“Well, classes are going to be over, basically, for me by Friday, so, since last week, I’ve been studying every day, staying up late. Starbucks is my best friend. Really just reviewing and practicing. I barely get any sleep.�

“I’m just going to reviews that the TAs are holding. I’m getting study groups together. I’m not as worried as I should be, but I feel like I worked hard enough during the semester that I know the material. I just gotta review a little bit.�

Shenelle Gomez

Rechard Tan

Geology Sophomore

Biochemistry Sophomore

“Well hopefully I won’t have to take my finals, but if I do have to take them, I’ll start early and try to remember what was on old tests we have taken earlier in the semester. That’s all I can do, really.�

“Actually I don’t have finals, just term papers, so I’m just writing a lot. So I’m just in the library, in the quiet sections, because all the other floors are too loud to work in. Just working on those.�

Parnaz Adibian

Mohit Bangia

Biology Senior

Political Science Senior

What do you think?

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“What I’m doing right now is just relaxing, making sure I have some downtime for myself after a long semester. I’ll probably start studying in about a week.�

Let us know by commenting on thedailycougar.com.

Sinuhe Parraga Kinesiology Freshman

Compiled by Julian Jimenez

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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.

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

Thursday, December 1, 2011

3

NEWSLINE ADMINISTRATION

on Monday in the UC Pacific Room.

— Cougar News Staff Student Affairs to host open forums for Health and INTERNET Internet service disrupted Wellness position for UH main campus, UH The Division of Student Affairs Downtown is hosting open forums for Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs — Health and Wellness candidates. The position was created when Vice President for Student Affairs Richard Walker reorganized his office earlier this year. The person who holds it will be in charge of Campus Recreation, UH Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services and UH Wellness. Gail Hudson-Gillan’s open forum will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday in the University Center Mediterranean room. Floyd Robinson’s open forum will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

SENATE continued from page 1

valuable opportunity to expand the University’s focus in this area. Antel said the school would try to make a “return to where we started, when we were much more a graduate institution and much less an undergraduate institution.” But he stressed that though the school has shifted some of its focus, it will have no negative effects on the number of undergraduates the school will be willing to accept. “This does not mean we will take fewer undergraduates; we will take in more graduates,” Antel said. “We will probably grow the graduate programs faster than the undergraduate programs, but the undergraduate programs will grow too.” Turning the discussion toward the future of the undergraduate program at UH, Antel recognized the progress the school is making

UH, along with UHD, lost Internet access on Wednesday afternoon. At around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, Internet service was returned to the UH main campus. According to a post on the University Information Technology website, “The UH network connection to the internet has been cut on the vendor side and has disrupted our services to and from campus.” The release states the vendor, AboveNet, is responsible for the outage. It also confirms a restoration crew is currently working on

toward new freshman admission standards that will be implemented beginning Fall 2012. These standards, which were unanimously approved by the UHS Board of Regents in May of 2010, will automatically accept freshmen that graduate in the top 15 percent of their class — currently UH automatically accepts students in the top 20 percent — as well as raising the SAT and ACT requirements for students who do not graduate in the top 15 percent. “Things are looking up,” Antel said. “ We have received a lot more applications and a lot more quality applications. We are looking forward to serving everybody, but we want to attract students that can actually finish our program.” With these new freshman admission standards, the hope is that the University will be able to enhance its lagging graduation rate — which stands at 46 percent, 7 percent behind the national average — by attracting students who are better prepared for its programs.

FACULTY

Professor honored for writing history book Juliana Olarte

THE DAILY COUGAR Monica Perales, winner of the Kenneth Jackson Award, will be honored at the Urban History Association biennial conference which will be held in New York City in October 2012. Perales, an associate professor at UH, was named the recipient of the Kenneth Jackson Award for Best Book in Urban History for her book, “Smeltertown: Making and Remembering a Southwest Border Community”. Her book is based on the history of the MexicanAmerican working community in the American Smelting and Refining Company of El Paso. Smeltertown was demolished in the 1970s after city officials declared it a health hazard. “Smeltertown is a fitting winner of the Kenneth Jackson Prize, which recognizes the best book in US

urban history for 2010,” Martin V. Melosi, a UH history professor, said. “The award, given annually by the Urban History Association, is the most prestigious in the field, which speaks to the high scholarly achievement Dr. Perales has attained.” For Perales, the story of Smeltertown is personal because her friend’s grandparents were among the workers who lived in the community, which its residents called La Esmelda. Perales had the opportunity to talk to her friend’s grandmother, drawing upon some of her childhood memories for the book. Perales earned a degree in journalism in 1994 and a master’s in history in 1996 from the University of Texas at El Paso, continuing her education to earn a doctorate in history from Stanford University in 2004. She has also received various fellowships, including the 2009

the issue and expects service to be restored “around 11 p.m. this evening (Wednesday).” — Cougar News Services

day at www.voteobrien.org. The fan vote counts for 5 percent of the decision, and the selection will be made by The O’Brien National Selection Committee. — Cougar News Staff

FOOTBALL

Case Keenum one of three finalists for national quarterback award The finalists for the Davey O’Brien award have come down to a trio of Texas quarterbacks. UH quarterback Case Keenum, Baylor’s Robert Griffin III and Stanford signal-caller Andrew Luck are the only candidates remaining after the field was narrowed down from more than 35 players. Griffin leads Keenum by a slim margin, and fans may vote once a

According to UH Chancellor and President Renu Khator, the school is taking steps in the right direction by implementing this program. “I am happy to graduate more students,” Khator said to the faculty senators. “I am happy to start honing our enrollment so we have the right profile to find the students who should be in your classrooms, not those who do not come prepared. “It matters that they (students) are academically prepared and that they are motivated to get a degree from the University of Houston.” The goal, Khator said, is to “own the city by becoming the first choice school for any Houstonian seeking higher education. “We have an enormous opportunity,” Khator said. “To be the model of a modern university where you will have in the system one university which is truly, truly globally and nationally competitive.”

to the public. For more information, contact the Moores School of Music at 713743-3313. — Estíbaliz García

PERFORMANCE CONCERT

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts to host dance concert

Moores School of Music to perform ‘Latin Christmas’ at Opera House UH’s Concert Women’s Chorus along with the University Men’s Chorus and University Women’s Chorus will perform “A Latin Christmas: Glorias, Carols and Lullabies” from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Moores Opera House. The event is sponsored by Moores School of Music and is free and open

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts will have its annual dance concert 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday. Tickets for this event are $10 for students, $15 for UH faculty and staff and $20 for the general public. For more information, contact Michelle Robinson at mlrobinson2@ uh.edu. — Estíbaliz García

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Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

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

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

& ARTS EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR COPY CHIEF

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

STAFF EDITORIAL

Thank you for a great semester, happy holidays

A

s the semester winds down, The Daily Cougar has also reached the end of another printing schedule with today being our last day of production.

Though the newspaper will be working at reduced capacity during the holidays, we will still be offering coverage on our website before the start of next semester. But our next print edition will not be until the first day of school — Jan. 15. This has been a semester of accomplishments for The Daily Cougar. Based solely on website traffic, our readership is continually increasing; a recordbreaking number of more than 100,000 visitors visited www.thedailycougar.com during the month of October. An increased social media presence on Facebook and Twitter is largely responsible for this increase in interest. Our staff is continuously trying to find new ways to reach people who are interested in the UH community. It is more than articles and editorials — our website has featured multiple photo galleries and videos as a new twist on telling the story. We were also awarded the 2011 Online Pacemaker Award from the Associated College Press. There are no plans to do away with our print edition, but we realize the changing dynamic of journalism requires media outlets to place a focus on an Internet presence. Our goals are far from achieved, though, and we need your help to make us better. We are always in need of good editors, photographers and writers. Cartoonists and videographers should also apply if they are interested. The Daily Cougar office is located in the UC Satellite, but there are a variety of ways you can reach us if you are interested in criticizing our work, sharing ideas or working with us. The Cougar would like to wish all UH students the best of luck on their final assignments and exams — and the same to the professors who have to grade them. We would also like to congratulate those who are graduating during winter break. Enjoy your time off, be safe in your travels and happy holidays.

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.

Anthropology senior Jamie Lancaster enjoys a piece of chocolate in The Daily Cougar newsroom. Due to the Ivory Coast’s recent export ban on cocoa beans, Lancaster will soon have to pay a pretty penny to get his chocolate fix. | Emily Chambers/The Daily Cougar

Chocoholics beware Ban on cocoa bean export is only a small part of the cost of chocolate

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f you’ve been to the UC convenience store lately, or even glanced at one of the often empty vending machines on campus, you may have noticed the rising cost of a chocolate bar. The 2008 recession is partially to blame for the rise in food costs, as is the price of fuel for transporting it, but there is a larger problem for chocolate: Cocoa bean David exports have been cut. Haydon Tensions in the Ivory Coast, the West African nation that grows a third of the world’s supply of cocoa beans, have led to a ban on cocoa exports. Cocoa beans from the Ivory Coast are still arriving in ports — for now. It’s the age-old economy line of supply and demand. The demand for chocolate is never-ending. The supply of cocoa beans is decreasing. The result is more expensive chocolate. This is something chocolate producers like Rick Mast, the co-founder of Mast Brothers Chocolate, already know. “It is, in my mind, a bit absurd to expect chocolate to be at every gas station for a buck, where here it is, this exotic product that’s only grown around the equator,” Mast said in an NPR interview. “It’s not grown in Iowa, you know what I mean? It should be thought of as an affordable luxury, as something that’s

decadent.” So, as the chocolate producers point out, the rising cost of production will filter down to consumers. In a nutshell, we’re going to have to pay more for chocolate. Even if Ivory Coast’s export suddenly lifted, the problem with cocoa wouldn’t be solved. Cocoa supply depends mainly on backbreaking work — usually in the form of child labor. Cocoa beans are produced mainly near the equator, in Africa and South America. Cocoa beans as a result should cost far more than they are bought and sold for. Alternatives to the unfairly-produced cocoa, like fair-trade sustainable cocoa beans, cost double or triple the price of normal cocoa beans. That would still mean chocolate would cost as much as caviar. A growing alternative to the cocoa crisis is to change chocolate bars into chocolate flavored bars. Milk chocolate has to have cocoa in it, but putting a pinch of cocoa butter mixed with plenty of vegetable oil and flavoring saves money. The Hershey Company has been doing this for years. The problem is that the FDA doesn’t allow The Hershey Company to call those products milk chocolate. As a result, companies like Hershey get away with saying the product is chocolate favored, made with chocolate or chocolaty. The practice is underhanded but

Chocolate is a perfect example of the unfair exchange between first world nations and underdeveloped countries. The rising cost of production will filter down to consumers. In a nutshell, we’re going to have to pay more for chocolate. “ completely legal as long as the packaging doesn’t say the product is made with cocoa butter. Another tactic involved changing the definition of chocolate to include lesser ingredients, but the FDA rejected the proposal. Chocolate is a perfect example of the unfair exchange between first world nations and underdeveloped countries. Our clothing is inexpensive because of sweatshops. Our electronics don’t cost much because of underpaid workers in China. We get our chocolate for cheap because someone else suffers for it. Chocolate is catching up to the times. The loss of the 50 cent chocolate bar may be lamentable, but consumers should ask if cheap chocolate was worth the cost. David Haydon is a political science senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

OPINION

The Daily Cougar

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Holiday shopping spurs growth

T

his year’s Black Friday kickoff to the holiday shopping season has left many retailers and economists optimistic about the next few months. The National Retail Federation estimates that total Black Friday sales were up 16 percent from last year. For those of us with no desire to brave the crowds, sales were also up Emily significantly for Brooks online retailers. According to IBM’s research division, Coremetric, online shopping sales numbers were up 24.3 percent from 2010. Black Friday doesn’t appear to have stepped on Cyber Monday’s toes, either. Monday saw another 18 percent increase in online sales from last year. Holiday shopping can be overwhelmingly hectic — it’s no surprise that many shoppers are taking their business online where they can take time making decisions and not have to worry about crowds or parking. I myself have done the entirety of my holiday shopping online for the past several years. Unfortunately for brick and mortar retailers, online shopping means fewer impulse buys. The term Black Friday was initially coined in Philadelphia prior to 1966, likely by employees dreading the big shopping day. Despite its notorious reputation, Black Friday no longer refers to the unfortunate workers schedules. In the mid-1980s, the term shifted to refer to profits. Black Friday is the day that retailers go into the black. This is

accountant-speak for making a profit, instead of being in the red, or in debt. Many retailers make more of revenue in the last quarter of the year than the previous three

Whether we like it or not, the holiday season is economically driven — no matter which holiday one celebrates. And the increase in consumer spending in the last two months of the year can carry many businesses through the next ten.” quarters combined. While Black Friday is infamous for bringing out the worst in American consumers, like pepper spraying shoppers and police tasings, it is an encouraging economic indicator, which our economy could use more of. Based on a pre-season poll, the NRF projected that total holiday sales would be up 2.8 percent to $465.6 billion. With the success of Black Friday, it is possible that sales could be even higher. Despite these encouraging predictions, before the recession, holiday spending rose 3 percent annually. While we may be quite a long way from returning to pre-recession spending, the stock market’s performance is encouraging. Retail stocks have been rising steadily, pulling the S&P out of a

weeklong slump as well as injecting life into the NASDAQ. The holiday shopping season is also good for employment — at least temporarily. The NRF also reports that in addition to the 100,000 workers hired by retailers since August 2010, stores will hire between 480,000 and 500,000 seasonal workers this holiday. Many of these seasonal workers are hired full time if sales can sustain further employment. However, despite the promising sales numbers both online and off, analysts warn against too much optimism. While Black Friday numbers can generally be a good indicator of the holiday spending season, it is difficult to tell if the momentum will carry over. In the past, holiday spending has often been in the form of credit card debt, which Americans are less willing to acquire these days. Whether we like it or not, the holiday season is economically driven — no matter which holiday one celebrates. When 70 percent of our nation’s economy consists of consumer spending, increases during the holiday season have a large impact. The increase in consumer spending in the last two months of the year can carry many businesses through the next ten. Black Friday can be a dark day indeed, but our economy needs the activity and consumer demand that only the holiday season can provide. Emily Brooks is an economics senior and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

EGG DONORS NEEDED!

Progressives fall for siren songs

T

he great irony surrounding today’s anti-capitalists, evident in many of the Occupy protests, is that the system they rail against is one of their own ideological making. Even though we have edged closer to their socialistic ideal for years, they seem to be highly unhappy with the results. To them, the negative outSteven comes that follow Christopher each step taken do not represent logical consequences of the perversion of a voluntary, market-based economy. Instead, they represent further proof that the underlying capitalist system is to blame and that further reform is needed. But to call our current system capitalism, and refer to current markets as free is at best ignorance, and at worst a deliberate and utter aberration of the truth. The creature that is our current social and economic system is a product of more than a century of increasing government meddling, control, intervention and redistribution. In fact, using the term capitalism is really only valid in that it retains an essential property that the left has not yet been able to demolish — a price system that

Go To: conveys information and coordinates goods in an economy. But even that function has gone haywire in some industries where market forces have become so perverted by state intervention that it no longer works correctly.

But to call our current system capitalism, and refer to current markets as free is at best ignorant, and at worst a deliberate and utter aberration of the truth.” Read: health care, housing and finance. But rather than realize what central planning and government dictating has done to the market system, its enemies prefer to characterize our crippled, cartelized, quasi-private markets as being unfettered and recommend more robust government regulation and control. And by robust, they usually mean unlimited. A look at a few of the most notable activities of the national government will reveal a system that in no rational sense of the term could be described as a free market. Today, the national government spends over $3.5 trillion

annually. This comprises over a quarter of the nation’s economy. It gives cash subsidies to all manner of businesses and businessmen, loans taxpayer money to failing automobile corporations, and has multiple agencies tasked with overseeing every sector and industry of the economy imaginable. It forces its citizens into a lousy, pyramidal pension scheme and forbids its seniors from declining to join its socialized old-age health care system. It mandates that every adult citizen of the country purchase health insurance from a private corporation whether or not they would freely choose to do so, and that insurance policy must meet standards defined by an unelected official within the federal bureaucracy. Finally, its central bank manipulates and counterfeits the medium by which individuals exchange goods and services, and loans trillions of dollars to companies without taxpayer knowledge or consent. The same bank oversees bank lending across the nation and requires even your local credit union to make affordable housing loans to individuals — regardless of the likelihood that they will pay it back. CHRISTOPHER continues on page 6

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OPINION

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CHRISTOPHER continued from page 5

Then the loan will get passed to a government entity that will package it and guarantee it with the taxpayer’s purse. Everything mentioned above is a scheme that has been highly criticized by free-market Conservatives and Libertarians, yet tirelessly advocated for by Progressives and Interventionists who scream that the sky is falling when it is suggested that such programs and institutions should be eliminated. Why else would the left tirelessly seek more revenues if not to cover the costs of these hugely expensive social engineering and redistribution schemes that are far too sacred to ever do away with? It is for these reasons that we have found ourselves in a time when the size and cost of government continues to grow, even as our economy and our liberty continue to deteriorate. I find it chilling that the progressive solution to our malaise rests in giving even more power to the monopoly of the state. Although its siren calls have repeatedly told us that if we just give a little more liberty we can have fairness and prosperity, the truth is, in doing so — we have found ourselves with neither. Steven Christopher is an economics alumnus and graduate finance student in the C.T. Bauer College of Business and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

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Call us, e-mail us, contact us on Twitter or Facebook — make contact early and often and tell us about the event you’d like covered or the story you want looked into. Call 713-743-5462 to talk to the editor in chief.

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AWARD continued from page 3

Women’s Studies Faculty Summer Fellowship and the 2006-2007 Summerlee Fellowship in Texas History at the William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies at Southern Methodist University.

Perales is currently working on a manuscript that explores the multiple meanings of Mexican motherhood on the border during the Progressive Era. Her investigation explores issues of race, gender, nationality, community and identity on the border. news@thedailycougar.com

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SPORTS

Thursday, December 1, 2011

SEPT. 3 vs. UCLA W 38-34

SEPT. 10 vs. North Texas W 48-23

SEPT. 17 at La. Tech W 35-34

SEPT. 24 vs. Georgia State W 56-0

SEPT. 29 at UTEP* W 49-42

OCT. 8 vs. East Carolina * W 56-3

OCT. 22 vs. Marshall* W 68-23

The Daily Cougar

OCT. 27 vs. Rice * W 73-34

NOV. 5 at. UAB * W 56-13

NOV. 10 at. Tulane * W 73-17

GAMEDAY

NOV. 19 vs. SMU* W 37-7

NOV. 25 at Tulsa 48-16

Biggest challenge yet awaits Cougars

Sumlin faces tough decisions

Southern Miss presents dynamic offense

Coach has helped raise program to elite levels

Head coach Kevin Sumlin just can’t get away from Larry Fedora. “When I was at Oklahoma, he Joshua was at Oklahoma Siegel State,” Sumlin said. “So the same thing keeps going on. As a matter of fact, his wife sent my wife a text Saturday night that said, ‘It’s on girlfriend.’” The battle on Saturday for the Conference USA Championship between the two familiar foes will feature teams that stack up well against each other and will provide the No. 6 Cougars with their biggest challenge in a season where they’ve seemed untouchable. The No. 24 Golden Eagles rank 15th in the NCAA in points scored (36.9) and 25th in points against (20.5). The Cougars’ schedule has climbed in difficulty each week since their initial matchup with UCLA, and each week the defense has gotten better. Southern Miss will be the Cougars’ greatest challenge yet by far. We’ve said in this very space before, ‘Watch out, this week is going to be a challenge,’ and then watched UH roll to victories by 40 or more, but this week, seriously, this is going to be a challenge. It comes at good time, though. The Cougars have held their last four opponents under 20 points and seem to finally be hitting on all cylinders as a unit. With such an influx of new players on defense and a 3-4 system that returning players were still adjusting to, it took 12 games for the defense to finally look like a winner. “These two, Marcus (McGraw) and David (Hunter), have been playing awesome,” sophomore cornerback Zach McMillian said. “They’ve really been stepping it up and leading us defensively and we’ve been really talking it out in the secondary. “I feel like we’ve been playing a lot better through just talking. Everybody is on the same page and understands the defense. That’s why I feel like we’re playing with a lot more energy and excitement.” The Cougars’ depth has been

Not every team is lucky enough to still have its season alive. Several head coaches have been fired, John opening vacancies Brannen in schools ranging from the Big 10, Pac-12 Conference or the SEC. Given the notoriety of the No. 6/7 Cougars (12-0, 8-0 C-USA), athletic directors will look at head coach Kevin Sumlin as the man to restore their respective programs. His leadership in making a team from a non-automatic qualifying conference dominant is just another milestone in a young but accomplished coaching career. He has proven to be a coach who has a solid relationship with the media, and he shows class no matter how successful his team is. When UH is dominating an opponent by 30 or more points, Sumlin does not put the offense into high gear — the tempo slows down, and the Cougars do not run up the score or keep their starters in for the whole game. A successful season like this will make high school players want to play at UH, and being recruited by Sumlin and his staff could become something that local kids will dream about. Just realize that he might not finish his coaching career draped in red and white. Some offers are too hard to refuse, and fans should not feel too betrayed if he bolts for a better contract — you would probably do the same thing too in your profession. There may be talented recruiting classes coming in, but interview offers are likely to be a reality very soon for Sumlin. Art Briles was heavily criticized because he left for Baylor in 2007 after four seasons. But that is what people do when they are given a chance to perform the same duties for an even higher salary — they look to greener pastures. The Athletics Department needs to do whatever it takes to keep Sumlin at the University. Giving a raise to the talented group of assistant coaches around him should also be a priority. Co-offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is also likely to receive

FOOTBALL continues on page 9

The Cougars’ defense has held its opponents to under 20 points in four straight contests. It has jumped from being ranked 96th in the NCAA last season in points allowed per game to 30th this season. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Points per game

Yards per game

Points allowed/game

52.7 (1st)

36.9 (16th)

613.3 (1st) 20.9 (30th)

52.7 (1st) 20.5 (25th)

Points per game

Yards per game

Points allowed/game

Sophomore Zach McMillian has been a part of a secondary that ranks third in Conference USA in passing defense and passing defense efficiency. The Cougars have picked off 16 passes this season. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar

SUMLIN continues on page 9

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

FOOTBALL continued from page 8

In just four seasons, head coach Kevin Sumlin has become the second winningest coach in UH history. Sumlin has led the Cougars to the best record in program history at 12-0 and could help the Cougars see their first BCS bowl with a win Saturday. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar

BY THE NUMBERS

Year-by-year results

2008: 8-5, 6-2 C-USA 2009: 10-4, 6-2 C-USA 2010: 5-7, 4-4 C-USA 2011: 12-0, 8-0 C-USA

Yards per game

2008: 2nd 2009: 1st 2010: 11th 2011: 1st

SUMLIN continued from page 8

interest from other schools. His play-calling abilities have helped guide UH to the top of the NCAA in passing statistics. Given his young age, he will likely be considered head coaching material in just a short matter of time. The other offensive coordinator — Jason Phillips — and defensive coordinator Brian Stewart have also made themselves assets by developing their personnel. Perhaps it is a sign that something is wrong with today’s society that college football coaches can become so vilified (see: Joe Paterno and Penn State). But if he chooses to stay, Sumlin could have all the spoils of being the biggest man on campus. Buildings and statues named after him would adorn the University if he keeps UH on the path it appears to be headed in. If Sumlin sticks around, he could have what every coach desires — a dynasty. If he takes the job at Ole Miss or UCLA, he will have a huge payday, but he will also have a short time to make significant strides before he gets put in the hotseat. He could be what Bill Yeoman and Guy V. Lewis were to the

UH coaching leaders 1. Bill Yeoman - 160 2. Kevin Sumlin - 35 3. Art Briles - 34 4. Harold Lahar - 24

University. A long, successful career at the helm of the Cougars would make him like UH royalty. Arizona State, Illinois, North Carolina and UCLA are all potential suitors for Sumlin, and of course there is the chance other coaches will get the axe as well. The Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday that Sumlin and Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades have already entered preliminary discussions to renegotiate Sumlin’s contract. This is a promising start. But Sumlin’s name on the college football coaching carousel comes at an inconvenient time. Sumlin and the Cougars are preparing for the biggest game of the season — the C-USA Championship against Southern Miss on Saturday. He would tell you that is his top priority at this minute, not out-ofstate job opportunities. If UH wins, it will be in line for a BCS bowl. During the crucial weeks of extra bowl game preparation, the rumor mill could continue to grow, and one can only hope those distractions are kept at bay. And if Sumlin does choose to leave Houston, it is not a doomsday scenario for UH — this program has shown plenty of resilience before. sports@thedailycougar.com

an enormous help this season, particularly to a secondary that resembled a M.A.S.H. unit in midseason and upfront. “Dominique Miller, we just didn’t have any depth before him,” Sumlin said. “He and Scypion, Zeke Riser, Braswell, David Hunter. When you’re only dealing with three defensive linemen, you’re able to rotate a little bit more and keep those guys fresh.” Senior quarterback Austin Davis and the Golden Eagles’ offense will keep the Cougars on their toes with many different looks and a diverse, dynamic attack. “Larry’s going to force you to defend the whole field,” Sumlin said. “Stretch you vertically, give you some option, give you some quarterback read-run, some designed runs for the quarterback, then they’re going to take Tracy Lampley and force you to play a perimeter game if they want to screen you, a speed sweep, a reverse, get you running back and forth. There’s no doubt they’ve been able to move the ball in just about every way.” Davis has completed 63 percent of his passes for 3,052 yards and 24 touchdowns, and has also been a threat in the run game, rushing for 285 yards and four touchdowns. “It will be another great challenge for our defense,” Sumlin said. “Really, there will be some carryover from Tulsa, in terms of

Thursday, December 1, 2011

we had to face a little bit more quarterback run game than we faced against SMU. “But I think looking at it overall, perimeter-wise and speedwise, they’re probably a step faster than Tulsa. They’ve got some excellent skill on the outside, some big wideouts.” Senior receivers Ryan Balentine and Kevin Bolden lead the Golden Eagles in receiving, each catching six touchdowns and over 600 yards, but Lampley has been a dynamo for the Golden Eagles. Lampley has caught 37 balls for 424 yards and one touchdown, while gaining 379 yards on the ground on 70 carries. Lampley is also one of the top returners in C-USA, returning 45 punts for 342 yards and one touchdown and 17 kickoffs for 369 yards. Junior cornerback D.J. Hayden’s ability to cover man-to-man will be helpful in allowing the Cougars to switch up their coverages. “If we can put him on an island with whatever receiver he’s covering, everybody else on the other side can mix up the defense and mix up their looks coverage-wise,” McMillian said. If the Cougars’ defense continues to play as it has for the past four weeks, the Golden Eagles will not be able to keep up with Cougars. Southern Miss has won 10 games and defeated many of the same teams as UH, but has not done so in such emphatic fashion, and has even dropped games to Marshall and UAB — two teams that the Cougars handled with ease. The Cougars should be wary

9

of the Golden Eagles’ attack, but it would not be shocking if the Cougars win by a wide margin. Southern Miss has a strong offense, but it isn’t nearly as explosive as UH’s. If it turns into a shootout, Southern Miss won’t be able to keep up. Second Senior Day Having a better record than the Golden Eagles has its benefits. The Cougars get to play at Robertson Stadium. “It’s another senior day,” senior quarterback Case Keenum said. “It’s going to be awesome. That’s one pretty cool thing about this conference is that the championship game is played at home. I know a lot of guys are really excited about that. I think it adds to the hype of the game that we get to play here.” Also a treat for the Cougars, the telecast has been moved from ESPN2 to ABC for 11 a.m. on Saturday. “I know we’re not on network television, or we haven’t been in a long time. We play on Thursday nights or Friday mornings on different channels, and we love any time we get a chance to play on any type of TV, but is obviously a chance to play on a little bit more of a national stage,” Keenum said. “It’s good for our whole school and we’re looking forward to it.” If the Cougars win, they will advance to a BCS bowl for the first time in school history. A loss would most likely send them to the familiar Armed Forces Bowl. sports@thedailycougar.com

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Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Daily Cougar

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

HOLIDAY

BEST OF

FILMS

1. Mickey’s Christmas Carol: The timeless Dickens classic gets a Disney facelift, and the result is one of the best “A Christmas Carol” interpretations of all time. Kids love it; if you have to watch a cheesy holiday movie, at least make it a cheesy Disney holiday movie.

2. Home Alone: Not only is it one of the topgrossing movies of all time, it is also one of the more endearing stories on the list. A little kid gets forgotten by his family then has to defeat two robbers bent on stealing his house bare? Classic. It has a little bit of everything that makes a good Christmas movie — a cute main character, heartwarming story, and a solid dose of comic violence. 3. It’s A Wonderful Life: If you don’t tear up at the end of “It’s A Wonderful Life”, you may want to see a psychologist. Jimmy Stewart gives the performance of a lifetime, the script is fantastic, and it has enough twists in it to stay fresh. Although it originally bombed because it’s such a dark story, once cable picked it up it has only gained popularity year after year. 4. Die Hard: Not only is it the best action movie ever made, it’s the best Christmas movie, too. Want to remember what the holidays are truly about? How about watching Bruce Willis wreak havoc on bad guys and have little to no worry about doing anything but saving hostages, personal safety aside? Plus, no other Christmas movie has professor Snape as the bad guy, and that’s always bonus points. 5. A Christmas Story : Nine-year-old Ralphie is in an endless quest for the best Christmas gift of all time: the Red Ryder BB Gun — much to the dissent of his parents, teachers and even the mall Santa Claus. All hope seems lost on Christmas morning until he unwraps the last gift under the tree. “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

ALBUMS

1. “Merry Christmas” – Bing Crosby (1945) : Falling second in sales only to Elvis Presley’s “Elvis’ Christmas Album,” “Merry Christmas” is one of the best selling Christmas albums of all time, selling more than 15 million copies worldwide — and rightfully so. With classics like “Silver Bells” and “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” Bing Crosby easily earns the award for the best Christmas album of all time. 2. “A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra” – Frank Sinatra (1957): When it comes to Christmas, Frank Sinatra’s music is timeless because he turns classic songs into smooth serenades. That said, this album is one that will likely always be in frequent rotation everywhere during the holidays. 3. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” – Vince Guaraldi Trio (1965): Accompanying “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” this record is one of the most famed Christmas albums of all time. Whether it’s on the tube or on the air, the tunes on this record are easily as legendary as the television special itself. 4. *NSYNC – “Home for Christmas” (1998): Following the release of their debut album and the beginning of international pop-stardom, this boy band released one of the most acclaimed Christmas albums of the ’90s. With pop-injected covers of traditional Christmas songs and Justin Timberlake singing sappy love songs, what more could you want? 5. “The Ventures’ Christmas Album” – The Ventures (1965): The concept for this album is an interesting one. These surf-rock instrumental kings take popular songs from the 1960s and spin them into Christmas hits. Putting this record on is always a party hit because it becomes a guessing game in figuring out which ‘60s single will morph itself into a Christmas classic.

Mary Baak

THE DAILY COUGAR

A

s the semester comes to an end and the most wonderful time of the year begins, we decided to add a little holiday cheer to the last print edition of the year.

Whether there’s a week or two keeping the stress of finals at bay or you’ve been locked up in the library for the last few days because your tests begin sooner than later, remember to keep your spirits bright. We wish you the very best in the coming weeks — from the final round of tests to graduation and the much-needed break that follows. Here’s a compilation of a few of our seasonal favorites. Happy holidays from all of us at The Daily Cougar. arts@thedailycougar.com

TELEVISION SPECIALS 1. “Ludachristmas” – 30 Rock (2007): During their annual celebration of “Ludachristmas,” office members are excited for wild evening, but their plans are interrupted by Kenneth’s push for the true meaning of Christmas. Meanwhile, Liz Lemon’s family dinner is going smoothly until Jack Donaghy’s mother shows up to dinner and rains on the Lemon family’s optimistic parade — which is in typical form and fashion of “30 Rock.” 2. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965): “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a classic holiday television special. If you’ve forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown and his friends are sure to jog your memory. From the sprig tree with only a single ornament to the kids humming “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” this Christmas special is timeless. 3. “Christmas Party” – The Office (2005): As the first Christmas special for “The Office,” this episode is easily the best. A sometimes selfish but well-intentioned Michael Scott proposes turning the office game of White Elephant into Yankee Swap after someone else gets the iPod he bought for his favorite temp, Ryan. It might veer from the spirit of Christmas, but it certainly showcases the spirit of Michael Scott and his quest for being the greatest boss of all time. 4. “The Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” – The Simpsons (1989): In the first full-length episode of “The Simpsons,” Marge dips into the Christmas gift fund to pay for the removal of Bart’s tattoo. All hope seems lost when Homer loses his earnings from acting as a mall Santa Claus when he bets on Santa’s Little Helper in a race and loses. 22 years and over 490 episodes later, the Simpson family is easily one of America’s favorites.

5. “The Strike” – Seinfeld (1997): In an attempt to take commercialism out of the holidays, Frank Costanza invents Festivus — an entirely new holiday that entails the Airing of the Grievances, Feats of Strength and the Festivus pole. As such, it’s a “Festivus for the rest of us” that would rather celebrate the holiday season in a manner that’s out of the ordinary for more traditional December holidays.

The Daily Cougar

LIFE+ARTS

Thursday, December 1, 2011

RECIPE

I

s there anything more pleasant that drinking something hot to offset this awesome cold front? I think not, especially when it is hot chocolate. It is something that will take anyone back to when they were kids and your mom or dad would make you a nice hot cup on winter days like these. And trust me when I say that you are never too old for hot chocolate.

Chef Jorge’s Special Hot Chocolate:

1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup cocoa powder A pinch of salt 1/3 cup hot water 4 cups (1 qt.) milk 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (Optional) 2 oz of coffee liquor

GET SOME DAILY

Instructions:

& TWEET SOME DAILY

Bring water to a boil, or microwave for 1:20 and stir in salt, vanilla, sugar and cocoa powder. Microwave the milk for about a minute and whisk or buzz in the blender to get to foam carefully add the milk to your cup to not break up the foam, then pour in chocolate mix (optional) add in the coffee liquor, stir, and enjoy.

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Special Notes:

You could substitute the cocoa for a chocolate hazelnut spread (4 tbs) to change the flavor profile, but only use Âź cup of sugar and add mint extract. For those not worried about calories, use heavy whipping cream to get a much more frothy and silkier product.

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PHOTO

Thursday, December 1, 2011

The Daily Cougar

Cougars’ white Christmas A a group of students on sleds look on as another climbs back uphill, rubbing her head after being hit with a snowball.

Photos by Taylor Cox

Courtney Brown and Miranda McNeal show off some of their Cougar pride at the Winter Wonderland. Student Program Board volunteers helped facilitate the festivities by passing out free T-shirts, cups and funnel cakes.

Students try to get their balance on sleds as they prepare for a trip downhill on the snow.

Students grab fistfuls of snow as to ready another volley of snowballs against their friends.

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STUDENT continued from page 1

image of the state itself, for use as a brand for bottled water. Price said that he has big plans for the new business. “(My goal is) for Texas Big 3 State water bottles and other items to be sold across the state and country, especially at Mavericks, Spurs and Rockets games,� Price said. An active student at UH, Price has some business experience already as an accredited real estate representative with Keller Williams Realty. He also has leading roles in both the upcoming film “Check, Please!� and a TV sitcom that will begin airing on the Student Video Network in March called “The

Show,� which portrays the behindthe-scenes reality of a television talk show. Even with all of this on his plate, Price still focuses much of his efforts on his business as he explained the significance of the logo. As the only state in the country with three NBA championship winning teams, Price said the brand is meant to symbolize the pride that all of Texas can share for our basketball teams and bridge the gaps that so often occur between intrastate teams, and to serve in part as a reminder that, while we compete with one another, we still have the same star and stripes on our state flag and the same pride within us. Price also gave credit to his parents for shaping him into the entrepreneur he is today, stating that they were his motivation and

The Daily Cougar

SGA continued from page 1

Xavier Price has big plans for his Texas basketball-themed brand of bottled water. | Courtesy of Lisa Marie Hansen are “the best parents in the world.� news@thedailycougar.com

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Stuhr pointed out that this does little good for students who aren’t interested in athletics and is really just “an opportunity to pay more money.� “Our goal as a University is to have not just more students but better students,� Stuhr said. “And good students (don’t decide what school to attend) based on a Saturday afternoon commercial.� Due to limited seating in the stadium, less than 15 percent of students paying the fee would be able to utilize the facilities the fees will pay for on any given day, Stuhr said. The bill calls for a vote by the entire UH student body to decide whether or not the fee will be implemented. “Give the students who elected us to these positions the opportunity to vote on an issue that affects (every student on campus)... If

students really care, as we know they do, they will turn out (to voice their opinion),� College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Senator Lee Arnold said, speaking in favor of the bill, although some other senators questioned student ability to access and utilize the information necessary to make a decision. “Our voter turnout is between 9 and 12 percent,� Business Senator Sebastian Geser said, which is not enough to accurately show the opinion of the student body. By voting to pass the referendum, the senate would not merely be allowing the students to make the decision, they would be providing “shadow endorsement� to the fee increase, Stuhr said. The proposed plan for the new stadium would allow for efficient expansion should it become necessary at a later date, but Rhoades said that students would not be asked to pay for additional expansion. news@thedailycougar.com

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HOUSE FOR RENT

Westbury Church of Christ 1024 Hillcroft

713-729-7880

www.westburycocc.com

Sunday Worship 9:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. Bible Class 10:30 a.m. Wednesday 7:00 p.m.

THE DAILY COUGAR ÂŽ

The Daily Cougar

COMICS & MORE

Thursday, December 1, 2011

comics

crossword

Blundergrads by Phil Flickinger

ACROSS 1 Shampoo directive 6 Mason’s Gardner? 10 Mimics 14 “It’s been ___ pleasure” 15 Utah park 16 Sound of a defective faucet 17 Oxymoronic group 19 Bygone Chevy 20 He’s a deer 21 Feed-bag bit 22 More prevalent 23 Out of sorts 25 Enticing ads 27 Oxymoronic seclusion 32 Water container? 33 Nevada gambling haven 34 Moist 37 Compass reading 38 Predominant, as a ruler 41 Scare word 42 Hallmark product 44 Common street name 45 Rand McNally book 47 Oxymoronic “perhaps” 50 Tummy scrunchers 52 Rep.’s counterpart 53 Carroll’s adventurer 54 Hawaiian food staple 56 Uptown blowout 60 Exit the springboard 61 Oxymoronic physical description 64 Odd’s counterpart 65 Speak angrily 66 Mountain nymph of Greek myth 67 Cram-session cause 68 Catch ___ (understand) 69 Fritter away

The Fishbowl by Thomas Hernandez

sudoku How to play

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

Previous puzzle solved

DOWN 1 Reckless 2 “___ La Douce” 3 Close by 4 Cracker type 5 Right-angle joint 6 Cornell or Pound 7 Event in a prison movie 8 Daily temperature extreme 9 Cease 10 Did some counseling 11 Rather 12 “The ___ Sanction” (Clint Eastwood film) 13 Gaff and boom

DAY DAY MON MON

THU THU RSD RSD AYAY

15

© 2011 UNIVERSAL UCLICK WWW.UPUZZLES.COM

18 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 35 36 39 40 43 46 48 49 50 51 54 55

Revolver inventor “Go team!” cheer Sinister look Landlord’s supporter Alma mater of Prince William Baldwin of “The Cat in the Hat” Chanteuse Horne Fifth gears, often Church instruments Really smart people Lot’s land Raise, as a question Send out matter Make the wild mild Mountain climber’s return Lutelike instrument of Asia Payment for services Cut and splice Citadel student ___ branch (peace offering) Confined (with “up”) ___ von Bismarck

TUESD TUESD AYAY

FRIDA FRIDA Y Y

57 58 59 61

Piles on birthdays Chair-back part Jekyll’s alter-ego ___-am (kind of golf tournament) 62 Took off on foot 63 “Ouch!” relative

Previous puzzle solved

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY

AYAY URD URD SAT SAT

DAY DAY SUN SUN

16

Thursday, December 1, 2011

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