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Cougars hope to come out on top as Bayou City’s best EAA
Cougars awarded by alumni, engineering professionals On Feb. 21, UH’s Engineering Alumni Association presented 55 students and four engineering student organizations with awards worth $44,000 in their eighth annual Engineers Week reception and program, said Cynthia Oliver Coleman, Engineers Week 2012 Chair. This year brought the Engineers Week award’s eight-year total to $210,000, said Coleman. Sponsors of the awards included ExxonMobil, British Petroleum, Hewlett Packard, Traffic Engineers, Inc. and the UH EAA. For more information on this event and EAA, visit its website at www.egr.uh.edu/eaa. — Cougar News Services
PHILANTHROPY
University to thank alumni, benefactors for donations UH will host Philanthropy Awareness Day from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today in the University Center. The event is to thank UH alumni and benefactors for donating money to the University, according to a UH press release. For more information, contact Liz Castro at (713) 743-8951 or lncastro@uh.edu. — Cougar News Services
CEO
UH’s Carnaval of Cultures to feature performances, food The Council for Ethnic Organizations will host the two-part event “Carnaval of Cultures” Thursday. The first half of the event will include food and performances from “all over the world” as well as carnival attractions. This will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Butler Plaza, Lynn Eusan Park and outside Cullen Performance Hall, according to the Council’s website. The second half will run from 6 to 9 p.m. inside Cullen Performance Hall and will feature performances by professional groups as well as cultural student organizations. The Council also invites students to participate in the performance. Students seeking more information can email ceocmd@ uh.edu. — Cougar News Services
February 28, 2012
Baptism beyond the grave goes too far
UNIVERSITY
UH eligible for funds University meets state requirements, will receive capital if audit goes well Ariana Benavidez
THE DAILY COUGAR UH and Texas Tech are the only two “emerging research universities” eligible to receive money from the National Research University Fund this year, according to a report by the Texas Higher Eduction Coordinating Board. Pending an audit by state auditor, UH is eligible to receive the funds, said Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund A. Paredes in a memo to the state auditor’s office, published online by the Texas Tribune. The two mandatory criteria for eligibility are to be an emerging research university and have restricted research expenditures, both of which UH has met. UH has also met the criteria in endowment funds, number of doctorate degrees awarded, institutional recognition of research capabilities and scholarly attainment and high-quality faculty — meeting the minimum four of six passes necessary to be eligible to receive the funds, according to the report. UH spent $57 million on restricted research in fiscal year 2010 and $53 million in
2011, according to the report, exceeding the required $45 million. The value of the institution’s endowment funds also has to be at least $400 million in each of the two fiscal years preceding the year for which the appropriation is made. In 2010 and 2011, UH spent $491 million and $591 million respectively. Also, UH met the criteria of high-quality faculty by having seven faculty members who had been awarded national or international distinction in 2010 and eight in 2011. If UH is approved for the funding, it will receive one-seventh of the total money allocated for distribution by the NRUF, plus an equal share — up to one-fourth — of the remaining money after the other eligible schools receive their seventh, according to Texas House Bill 1000. A boost in admissions is also expected because of the new status, as UH already saw a 12 percent increase in fall 2011 from the year before, said Shawn Lindsey, Director of Media Relations for UH. “It’s impossible to attribute that rise to any single factor,” he said. “But as the University of Houston’s profile and reputation as a Tier One, nationally competitive research university continues to rise it’s only natural to expect that so will the interest of prospective students.”
Issue 82, Volume 77
SGA ELECTIONS 2012
Student Government Association elections to continue through Thursday SGA president, vice president and senator positions are being voted on this week by the student body.
Where to vote: !!
www.election.uh.edu
When to vote: !!
7 a.m. to 11: 59 p.m. today through Thursday
Presidential (vice presidential) candidates on the ballot: !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !!
Cedric Bandoh (Turner Harris) Femi Jekayinfa (Josue Alvarado) Carl McGee (Tarek Haider) Michael McHugh (Mohammed Aijaz) Joy Ramirez (Amayrani Gomez) Markley Rogers (Camden Mahbubani) Jeff Syptak (Jack Wehman) David Williams (Ramon Montano)
Senatorial candidates on the ballot: !
!
Students can vote for senators to represent their college and for senators-at-large, who represent the entire student body For a complete list of students running, go to http://tinyurl.com/UHSGA2012
Results announced: !!
Noon Friday in the University Center World Affairs Lounge
Run-off election: !
7 a.m. to 11:59 March 5 to March 7
Run-off results announced: !!
Noon March 8 in the University Center World Affairs Lounge
news@thedailycougar.com Source: Student Government Association
UHPD
University police have new chief Hire is UH-D alumnus, worked for Houston Police Department Ariana Benavidez
THE DAILY COUGAR UH has hired a new chief of police, who started Feb. 20. “I am looking forward to working for this wonderful University with a very supportive staff,” said Chief Ceasar Moore, a UH-Downtown graduate. “I hope to make the Cougar community a safer place to work, live, study and visit.” Moore is a native Houstonian and started as a Houston police officer patrolling the streets surrounding UH in 1984. He was later married at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church across the street from the University. “My dad is a UH grad, my oldest daughter is a UH grad and I am a UH-D grad,” Moore said. “As you can see, I am tied to this area.”
UH Chief of Police Ceasar Moore s is excited by the opportunity to serve the University. | Courtesy of Ceasar Moore
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LIFE + ARTS
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The Daily Cougar
Sidewalk Style Students channel signature looks of Houston neighborhoods
EMILY CHAMBERS/THE DAILY COUGAR
HEIGHTS !" !" !" !" !"
Bag: ASOS Boots: Zara Shirt: Zara Cardigan: H&M Jeans: Levis
“I just like boots a lot, so it’s usually boots. And I like large knits. I guess I just wear what I like, what I see.” | Yashar Shirmohammady, pharmacy junior
EMILY CHAMBERS/THE DAILY COUGAR
WEST UNIVERSITY !" !" !" !"
Bag: Louis Vuitton Boots: Nordstrom Dress: Gianni Bini Cardigan: Express
EMILY CHAMBERS/THE DAILY COUGAR
“You don’t have much time in MONTROSE grad school so you just have to Bag: A’GACI go. I’m really eclectic so I like Shirt: Vintage Scarf: Vintage wearing pieces from all over Ring: Forever XXI the place.” | Monica Holtkamp, social work graduate student
“I just wear whatever looks good. I don’t really have a certain style. I guess I would just consider myself girly.” | Gina Kim, prepharmacy junior
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— compiled by Daniel Renfrow
CRIME LOG
Have information on these or other incidents of crime on campus? Call 713-743-0600
The following is a partial report of campus crime between Feb. 20 and Thursday. All information is selected from the files of the UH Police Department. The information in italics indicates when the event was reported to UHPD and the event’s location. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UHPD at (713) 743-0600. Theft: 10:35 a.m. Feb. 20, UH Hilton Hotel — A student reported that someone stole her unattended and unsecured wallet from the Hilton hotel. The incident occurred between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Feb. 17. The case is active. Traffic Offense: 2:20 p.m. Feb. 20, East Parking Garage — A student reported that someone struck and damaged his unattended and secured vehicle while it was parked in East Parking Garage. The striking driver failed to leave the information required by law. There are no suspects. The incident occurred between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Feb. 17. The case is active. Unauthorized Use: 4:37 p.m. Feb. 20, Bates Residence Hall — A faculty member reported that someone stole a UH-owned golf cart from Bates Hall. The golf cart was located at Law Hall with no damage. There are no suspects. The incident occurred between 4:35 and 4:44 p.m Feb. 20. Possession of Marijuana: 7:20 a.m. Feb. 21, Cougar Village — UHDPS was notified by Cougar Village staff that a student
was growing a marijuana plant in his closet and possessed drug paraphernalia in his room. Upon further investigation, the student was found with the marijuana plant and drug paraphernalia. The student received a Harris County citation and UH referrals. The incident occurred at 7:20 a.m. Feb.20. The case is cleared by citation.
Theft: 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, Lot 20A — A student reported that someone burglarized his secured vehicle while it was parked in Lot 20A. There are no suspects. The incident occurred between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Feb. 21. The case is active. Traffic Offense: 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Lot 12A — A student reported that someone struck his unattended vehicle and failed to leave the information required by law. The incident occurred between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 21. The case is inactive. Theft: 11:55 a.m. Wednesday, Butler Plaza — A staff member reported ten wire stakes stolen from displays in Butler Plaza. The incident occurred from 9:30 a.m.
and 3 p.m. Wednesday. The case is inactive. Theft: 7:39 a.m. Thursday, UH System at Sugar Land — A UHDPS security officer reported that someone struck a UH Sugar Land light pole and failed to report the incident as required by law. The incident occurred between 9:22 and 9:23 p.m. Wednesday. The incident is inactive. Theft: 11:06 a.m. Thursday, Philip Guthrie Hoffman Hall — A student reported that someone stole an unattended and unsecured UH-owned camera from the PGH breezeway. The incident occurred between 12:30 and 2 p.m. Tuesday. The case is active. Theft: 3:28 p.m. Thursday, Cullen Oaks Apartments — A student reported that someone stole his secured bicycle. The incident occurred between 8:45 p.m. Wednesday and 4:30 a.m. Thursday. The case is active. For the complete report and to view past reports, go to thedailycougar.com/crime
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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
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
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HONORS COLLEGE
CHIEF continued from page 1
The new chief of police brought 27 years of Houston Police Department experience to the University police. “I have a vast array of police experience — over 27 years,” he said. “I have several years of security experience as well. I bring passion, caring and respect to the position. I am excited and humbled by the opportunity. I will give the UH community my best.” Moore said he couldn’t have been happier to start the new position. “I thought the job at UH was perfect for me, that is why I applied,” he said. “This is the only policing job that I have ever applied for other than my Houston PD job. I have always had an affinity for academia and policing. As the police chief at UH, I am close to two things that I love.”
Economy, consumption discussed in lecture University of Wisconsin professor talks about causes of recession Romana Fatima
THE DAILY COUGAR Professor Menzie Chinn of the University of Wisconsin lectured about consumption and production in today’s economy at the UH Honors College Commons Friday. Sponsored by the Phronesis Politics and Ethics Program at the Honors College and Hobby
Center for Public Policy, the lecture focused his book “Lost Decades: The Making of America’s Debt Crisis and the Long Recovery.” “Big financial institutions were self-interested,” Chinn said. “There is an incentive if you want an institution to exist — you tend to take risks bigger than you otherwise would.” Americans consume more than they produce and our consumption has been high since 1980s, he said. “We are going to reduce consumption, increase savings
It’s difficult. Are the rich going to carry the burden or the poor? The economy effects everyone.” Wen Long, economics graduate student on the recession and in international context what that means is that we are going to export more,” Chinn said. “Essentially, everyone should work more and spend less.” In order to speed the recovery
of the economy, Chinn said students need to learn skills that are easily transferrable. “We want to be flexible to all sorts of jobs.” “Our economy is recovering, but very slowly.” Chinn said. Chinn blamed political institutions that are interested in keeping their money. “It’s difficult,” said Wen Long, an economics graduate student. “Are the rich going to carry the burden or the poor? “The economy affects everyone.” news@thedailycougar.com
news@thedailycougar.com
We " lots & lots of TO TH : ED AIL YC OU
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When?
: A TO E D TH
Feb 27 — March 1 General Election
ILY AR UG CO
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OU YC : L I O A T ED TH TO: THE DAI LY C O
March 5 — March 7 Run-Off Election How?
UGA
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IT’S FAST AND EASY! Head to election.uh.edu to cast your vote!
TO: AR THE DAILY COUG
E DAILY
COUGA R
Click on “Write a letter” at thedailycougar.com
Who?
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Be the change you want to see on campus! www.election.uh.edu
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
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OPINION THE DAILY COUGAR
EDITOR David Haydon E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion
POSTHUMOUS BAPTISM by Kathleen Kennedy
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS SPORTS EDITOR LIFE
& ARTS EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR COPY CHIEF
Daniel Renfrow Mary Baak Taylor McGilvray, Joshua Mann Joshua Siegel Jose Aguilar David Haydon Amanda Willow
STAFF EDITORIAL
Students turn to community colleges
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ccording to a 2011 study by Sallie Mae, 22 percent of college students from families who make more than $100,000 a year attended community colleges last year, a 6 percentage point increase from 2010. But what would attract middle class students to community colleges? When the economy tanked, the middle class did not emerge unscathed. With less money to spend on their educations, community colleges promise students transferable credits at a fraction of the cost. But that isn’t the only thing that is attracting middle class students to community colleges. Casey Carbill, the president of Raritan Valley Community College, told Inside Higher Ed that her suburban New Jersey community college has taken steps to create more of a “first year experience” for its students. This is the other piece of the puzzle. Cheaper classes are not enough to attract large numbers of students to community colleges. Many students want amenities like fitness centers and university-style dining halls. Traditionally, community colleges have been viewed as extensions of high schools. By focusing on improving student life on their campuses, administrators like Carbil have shown that they know what community college students really want — not to be reminded that they are at a community college. As the economy gets worse, more students will be turning to community colleges for respite from the rapidly increasing tuitions of 4-year universities. At the University of Houston, it seems the norm for students to transfer in from community colleges. The study from Sallie Mae indicates that this could soon become the norm for university students across the nation. If community colleges continue to focus on improving the content of their courses and the experience of students on their campuses, they will have little to worry about as they ride out the recession.
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 to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements 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.
Religious freedom after death Saving a soul without its owner’s consent crosses the line
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or years, posthumous proxy baptism, or baptism for the deceased, has been a regular practice in the Church of Latter Day Saints. Originally, the practice was intended to soothe converts to the Mormon faith. They feared that their ancestors, who had died before the church was founded, would not be saved. Church founder Joseph Smith told his followers they could posthumously baptize those ancestors, for the opportunity to move to higher positions in the afterlife. Emily Any member of the Brooks Church of Latter Day Saints can perform a posthumous baptism, so as to spare past ancestors — including Holocaust victims. Anne Frank has been posthumously baptized as a Mormon nine times. The Mormon establishment claims to have only discovered this practice in 1991, when they formally ordered members of the church to stop baptizing Holocaust victims. After another complaint in 1995, the Church removed hundreds of people from the lists of those posthumously baptized, and asked again that members refrain from the practice. They did not. Another complaint was issued in 2010 and ignored.
Last week, the issue came to a head. Mormons have posthumously baptized the parents of Holocaust survivor and activist Simon Wiesenthal at temples in Utah and Arizona. They have also added still-living Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel to their list of those to be baptized — when he dies. Wiesel himself has been a vocal critic of the practice for many years and has asked Mormon presidential candidate Mitt Romney to speak out against it. Romney has been silent on Wiesel’s current request, but when asked in a 2007 interview with Newsweek if he had ever participated in posthumous baptism, Romney said that he had, but not recently. Although Romney is a prominent Mormon figure, it is doubtful anyone would listen even if he did honor Wiesel’s request. The Church of Latter Day Saints has asked its members multiple times to stop baptizing anyone who is not an ancestor. If Mormons will not listen to the LDS establishment, why would they listen to Mitt Romney? Many claim that the Church of Latter Day Saints has not done enough to educate Mormons about posthumous baptism, though it is surprising that someone would have to explain that it is disrespectful to claim deceased members
of another religion as your own. Mormons may believe that they are helping to ensure a better position in the afterlife for those individuals, but the nature or existence of an afterlife is not known by anyone. We are entitled to our own beliefs in life, and those beliefs should be honored in our death as well. To attempt to retroactively change the religion of Anne Frank is particularly nauseating. Members of other faiths have been targeted as well, though the Catholic Church believes that the posthumous baptisms have no authority and they probably have a point as far as the afterlife goes. In this life, it is still an insult to the legacy of those who lived according to their chosen faiths. Religious freedom has been interpreted lately as the freedom to force one’s beliefs onto others, but the true spirit of the religious freedom is to practice your faith as you wish, while allowing others to do the same. Religious freedom is a two-way street. Members of the Mormon faith are entitled to their own beliefs about salvation and the afterlife, but they should respect others’ choice of faith in life and death.
since 1970. Against costly campus-edition textbooks. Against rising tuition and rising college executive salaries and bonuses. Against neglect of public school books, technology and infrastructure. Against varying quality of education by zip code. Against a $1 trillion+ student loan bubble fit to burst or cuts to financial aid. Some are walking out in support of underpaid, overworked, laid-off teachers and staff. In support of more Pell grants, more merit-based and need-based scholarships. In support of healthier school lunch food. In support of keeping physical
education and art as top priorities in K-12 schools. In support of abolishing student debt entirely. In support of free, quality public education regardless of zip code or income level. In support of more good jobs for college grads At noon wherever you are, walk out. Meet at your student center. Talk about the issues affecting you. Discuss solutions. Present demands to school boards, city councils, state legislators and members of Congress. Let’s take our education back. — Carl Gibson history senior
Emily Brooks is an economics senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
LETTERS Support the student walkout This Thursday, March 1st, K-12 students and college students nationwide are responding to a national call to action and walking out at noon. College students are meeting at student centers, and K-12 students are meeting at flagpoles. So why are we walking out? Some are walking out against budget cuts to public schools. Against teacher/ staff layoffs. Against being shackled with thousands of dollars to walk into the highest unemployment rate for college grads
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The Daily Cougar
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EDITOR Joshua Siegel E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports
TRACK & FIELD
Too comfortable Cougars blow 31-point lead Eduardo Venegas
THE DAILY COUGAR The UH men’s team blew a 31-point lead to fall one point short of their sixth consecutive C-USA indoor title, placing second to Tulsa. “The atmosphere was just too relaxing, we thought for sure that we were going to win,” junior sprinter
Errol Nolan said. The Golden Hurricane’s rally was solidified in the 3,000-meter run, they took six of the top eight spots for 34 points. The Cougars were down by three points heading into the final event of the meet, the 4x400m relay. UH took second, claiming eight points, while Tulsa took third adding six points, leaving the Cougars one
point short of the title. “We just had one too many people not running through the line at their races, just needed that little effort,” Nolan said. “We just needed that extra effort in another event.” Nolan set a new meet record in the 400m dash, as he won gold with a time of 46.74. He also took first in the 200m dash with a time of 21.01. Nolan was awarded Male Athlete of
the Meet. “I am excited to have the meet record and to be named Male Athlete of the Meet, it is just an honor altogether,” Nolan said. Freshman John Horton took gold in the men’s triple jump. Teammate Isaiah Sweeney won the gold medal in the men’s long jump. Sweeney’s 23 points also earned him High Point Scorer of the Meet.
The women’s team placed third with 74 points falling behind UCF and winner East Carolina. Megan Frausto captured gold for the Cougars in the women’s pentathlon, winning three of the five events. Karley King also took gold in the women’s pole vault with a mark of 4.06m. sports@thedailycougar.com
BASEBALL
Taking back the crown UH hopes to take out Owls and show they’re the best in town Gilbert Requena
THE DAILY COUGAR
The Cougars will try to avenge their 4-3 loss to Rice in last year’s Conference USA Championship game. The Owls have dominated the series all-time, winning 94 of the 164 meetings between the two schools. Junior college transfer Austin Pruitt will make his first start at UH as the Cougars try to defeat the Owls for the first time since May 1, 2009. | Catherine Lara/The Daily Cougar
The Cougars will try to do something tonight they haven’t done in nearly three years — beat Rice. The latest installment of the Silver Gloves series gets underway at 6:30 p.m. at Cougar Field where the Cougars (4-3) welcome the No. 5 Owls (8-0) for a mid-week matchup. Rice has dominated the series as of late, winning the last 15 contests dating back to 2009, 17 including Conference USA tournament. The last UH victory came May 1, 2009, when the Cougars beat the
Owls 7-4 at Cougar Field. Rice holds the all-time series lead 94-69. Despite the UH/Rice rivalry’s recent one-sidedness, the Cougars are confident that they can shoot down the Owls. “It’s an opportunity for us to play against a great opponent,” head coach Todd Whitting said. “You got a team coming in here that’s undefeated and is ranked in the top five. Year in and year out, it’s one of the best teams in the country. It’s a great test for us.” Taking the hill for his first start as a Cougar is Austin Pruitt. Pruitt has four-and-one-third innings of relief work this season and has done enough for the coaching staff to pencil him in as tonight’s starter, replacing last Tuesday’s starter Matt Hernandez in the
BASEBALL continues on page 6
TENNIS
Cougars take a split in Louisiana Albert Torres
THE DAILY COUGAR UH’s five-match winning streak was snapped this weekend as it split a pair of matches. The Cougars (5-3) played two away matches winning the first against Southeastern Louisiana, 7-0, and losing a heated contest against powerhouse Tulane, 5-2. Head coach John Severance made clear his expectations for the team after the close battle with Tulane (9-1). “From here on out we expect to win every match,” Severance said. “We have a chance to start another winning streak starting next week.” The Cougar’s top doubles tandem of Giorgia Pozzan and Bryony Hunter started out with an 8-2 win to open play against
Southeastern Lousiana (4-2), while the Liselot Koenen/Laura Ring combination clinched the doubles point for the Houston with an 8-3 win. UH swept the singles event with Celia Fraser earning her fifth straight singles win 6-2, 6-1, while Maja Kazimieruk improved to 6-1 in singles play with a 6-2, 6-1 win. “Today’s play was tough with windy conditions,” Severance said. “We now have to focus on our first Conference USA match against Tulane tomorrow and we expect an extremely physical, mental and vocal match.” Which is exactly what the Cougars got. “I’m proud of the way we played, it was the closest and TENNIS continues on page 6
The Cougars’ weekend split against Southeastern Louisiana and Tulane leaves them at 5-3 for the season. Senior Giorgia Pozzan has played a large role in their success. Pozzan has racked up seven singles wins and four wins in doubles contests. | Catherine Lara/The Daily Cougar
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BASEBALL continued from page 5
rotation. “It’s not that Matt did not throw good, it’s that Austin was really good,� Whitting said. “(Pruitt) is a very confident kid. He can give you long outings and can throw a lot of pitches. He’s very competitive. I’m anxious to see what he does on this stage.� UH enters the game having dropped its first series of the season
TENNIS continued from page 5
most emotional match we’ve played as a team,� Severance said of the 5-2 loss to Tulane. “We came together and played our hearts out but didn’t come out with the result we wanted.� The Cougars had lost the doubles event, but roared back in the singles event to almost pull out the upset.
to Texas State over the weekend. The team is getting solid starting pitching, but the offense has been lacking. “I think the formula so far has been pretty good, except there’s one key ingredient missing — timely hitting,� Whitting said. “We’ve played good defense, we’ve had solid pitching, we’ve been in every single game, but we haven’t been able to get the timely hit.� A win over a highly-ranked club early in the season could give the team the spark and confidence it needs to
play any team in the nation. Not to mention, finally beating Rice would be nice. “It would be huge for us to win this game,� Whitting said. “I’d be crazy to tell you that it doesn’t mean a little bit more, because it is Rice, and we do sit here and share the same city. Every win this season is paramount for our program and to be able to get one against a quality program like that would be huge.�
Pozzan and Bryony Hunter led the rally by winning their singles matches. Pozzan scored 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 which improved her record to 7-1 in singles play, while Hunter won her match 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. But the rally fell just short as the Cougars eventually lost. “We couldn’t finish off points in doubles play, but we were in four matches in singles against a team that’s going to be nationally ranked,� Severance said.
The Cougars are off this weekend, but play their next match at the John E. Hoff Tennis Courts Mar. 7 against Prairie View A&M. In the meantime, Severance said that the Cougars would continue to practice going into the match and he wants a rematch against the Cougars’ Conference USA rival. “I hope to play Tulane again this season.�
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ACROSS 1 Amazed exclamations 5 ___-Jo (1988 Olympics star) 8 Thing for the plus column 13 Lifebuoy rival 14 Hodgepodge 15 Lavender relative 16 1814-15 exile for Napoleon 17 Some Thanksgiving fare 19 Not in favor of 21 Tridentshaped Greek letter 22 Pitched enclosure 23 Lines that touch but don’t intersect 26 Discolor by burning 28 Angry feeling 29 “Chosen one� played by Keanu 30 Old Glory’s land 31 Nectar inspector 32 Diamond measure 34 Electromagnetic wave amplifiers 37 Fruity dessert 41 More sharp, as pain 42 “Love ___ Around� (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show� theme) 44 Accounting dept. employee,
perhaps 47 “7 Faces of Dr. ___� 48 .0000001 joule 50 Two-finger sign 51 Abate 53 Building castles in the air 55 Brewer’s kiln 56 Parker’s responsibility? 58 Cause of a run 59 Sexy photographs, informally 62 Calif. wine valley 65 Fauvist painter Matisse 66 Discharge, as radiation 67 Suffix meaning “land� in some country names 68 “Come in� command 69 ___ Luis Obispo 70 Congerlike DOWN 1 Homage in verse 2 2010 Gulf problem 3 Slow Cuban dance 4 It might not appear in the dictionary 5 Affliction formerly called the grippe 6 Hobbles along 7 “Clumsy me!�
8 “How ___ doing?� 9 ___ Domingo 10 Exceptionally good 11 To demonstrate clearly 12 Cut one’s molars 14 Express a viewpoint 18 Did more than just hugged 20 Arm of the sea? 23 ___ Tac (breath freshener) 24 Iraqi or Lebanese 25 Beefsteak or cherry 27 Buttoned sweater 30 Interest gouger 33 California’s Santa ___ winds 35 Gibbon, e.g. 36 “Boom-bah�
lead-in 38 Delicate difference 39 Handle the maps 40 Narrow, secluded valley 43 An April fooler might pull yours 44 Bell-shaped hat 45 “Proud� bird’s mate 46 Be agreeable 49 Adjust the chronograph, e.g. 52 1,000 liters 53 Acting major 54 Clerical quarters 57 Scores 100 on 60 Title of nobility 61 They’re all in the family 63 Trusted friend 64 Indefinite amount
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
2/27
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ARE YOU MARRIED? WANT $45 AND 15 HRS OF EXTRA CREDIT?
We are looking for married couples to participate in the Marriage and Health Project. Couples will complete measures in-lab and discuss a relationship topic in exchange for Target giftcards and extra credit. There are follow-up sessions 3 and 6 months later.
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EXPERIENCING ADULT ACNE? TRY OUR NEW SKIN CARE LINE AND EARN $400 FOR YOUR TIME!!!
We are seeking all ethnicities between the ages of 18-50 who experience blemishes regularly. We are conducting an upcoming study in the Galleria area in which you will receive a FREE 3-month supply of a new skin care line. If you qualify for the study, you will also receive $400! If you are interested, send your name, phone number, a full face photo WITHOUT MAKE-UP and close-ups of your trouble areas to acnehou@plazaresearch.com. We will contact you to determine if you qualify. Please respond quickly! Spaces are filling-up!
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Questions please call 713-840-9500
Project Chance is an online study that examines gambling behavior among UH students. You do not have to gamble to participate. We are recruiting UH students to participate in a 10 minute online screening survey in exchange for a $5 gift card and if you are eligible to continue, the potential to earn an additional $45 gift card. Look for an email invitation from ProjectChanceStudy@gmail.com to participate!
Office Assistant Needed
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5IF TFDSFU UP GJOEJOH B KPC 5IBUÂľT $MBTTJGJFE
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The Daily Cougar
!
EDITOR Jose Aguilar E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts
LITERARY ARTS THE PREVIEW TODAY
Tinkle me, Amadeus
Moores School of Music professor Timothy Hester will take audiences back in time with the help of a few special antiques during “The Amadeus Project: Bringing the Past into Focus,” at 7:30 p.m. in the Moores Opera House. Audiences will hear several of Mozart’s piano concerti just as they were rendered in the 18th century through his use of a replica of a 1795 fortepiano. The Amadeus Project Orchestra will join Hester for the performance. Tickets for “The Amadeus Project” are $15, or $10 for students and seniors. They can be purchased at the Moores Box Office and by calling (713) 743-3313. For more information, visit www.uh.edu/class/music.
THURSDAY
Series opens with a scream The Global Cinema Series begins its Spring 2012 run with the screening of a French film at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, in room 104 of the Science and Engineering Complex. The film “A Screaming Man” is about an aged former swimming champion and takes place during the civil war that ravaged the African nation of Chad. Julie Tolliver, UH instructional assistant professor of French, will introduce the film. The series is sponsored by the World Cultures and Literature Program in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages. For more information, visit www.uh.edu/class/mcl.
FRIDAY
Waxing poetic on first Friday Inprint presents the latest First Friday Poetry Reading event with Andre de Korvin. The event takes place at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Inprint House, 1520 W. Main, one block south of the Menil Collection in the Museum District. For more information, contact Robert Clark via email at houstonfirstfri@aol.com
SATURDAY
Poets wax at library Ryler Dustin, a MFA candidate in UH’s Creative Writing Program, will be a featured reader for the Houston Public Library’s Public Poetry Series. Dustin will read from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Park Place Regional Library, 8145 Park Place. Dustin was a finalist in the Individual World Poetry Slam and now teaches in the Writers in the Schools program. Other poets featured during the event are Hayan Charara, Marcell Murphy and Susan Wood. For more information, visit www.publicpoetry.net. —Cougar Arts Staff
Series provides ‘poison’ for penners Camila Cossio
THE DAILY COUGAR The back patio of Montrose bar Poison Girl was packed for the “Frebrurarryr” installment of the Poison Pen Reading Series. The readings are held on the last Thursday of each month and are hosted by Scott Repass — a man who, on this Thursday evening, was determined to yell “syphilis” into the microphone all night long. The featured writers for the evening were Steve Wolfe, a member of BooTown and special guest Karyna McGlynn. The atmosphere was as eclectic as one can expect a Thursday night in Montrose to be: Stringed lights hung low near walls covered with vines, professor-types with untucked Oxford shirts and grizzly beards congregated together, an actual Kool-Aid man statue stood stoically in the background and a creepy giantsized Cabbage Patch doll watched the audience with her weather-beaten eyes.
Steven Simeone, a creative writing undergraduate who moved to Houston from New York, found his niche through readings like Poison Pen. “It was [intimidating] the first couple of times I was here, but the writers they bring in are usually so glad to talk to you that the intimidation factor goes away after some time,” Simeone said. “They’re almost exclusively pretty awesome people.” Simeone heard about Poison Pen by word of mouth, first through creative writing professor Aaron Reynold’s listserv and then from friends who had recommended it. “There is a great community of undergraduate writers and writers outside of the school program,” Simeone said. “It’s cool to be able to hang out with them.” Simeone has been interning with Poison Pen for six months now and also works for Glass Mountain, UH’s undergraduate literary magazine. He feels drawn to Poison Pen because of the individuality of the reading series.
“This is going to sound like I’m saying something bad about it, but it’s a bit more crass and a bit more unpolished, but that’s not a bad thing. “It makes it more intimate, which is the primary thing that I’m looking for during a reading,” Simeone said. “The sterility of some of them can be off-putting, it makes it all seem very academic when I don’t think writing is necessarily about the institution.” Wolfe opened the reading with eight short pieces. He remarked that he has recently been practicing writing micro fiction as well as “tweet” stories — a genre of fiction distinguished by its brevity. Wolfe promised the audience he would read his work in less than ten minutes and succeeded. His piece, “Lunch with the Parents,” was lighthearted and sarcastic as Wolfe read in a calming voice, “Eat the enemy / Defeat him / Mom swallows a tongue sandwich.” POISON continues on page 8
CONCERTS
Harlem rapper ‘spits’ odes to Htown scene Alex Pechacek
THE DAILY COUGAR Amidst a standing, sold-out crowd, the rap crew known as the A$AP Mob, which has notoriously taken over music blogs, emerged under the venue’s lights in black attire and kneeled together in fellowship at the head of the crowd. Once the ceremonials were complete, the star of the night, A$AP Rocky, launched into his single “Pretty Flacko.” The Sunday night crowd at Warehouse Live swayed and leaned like a lazy mosh pit as
Rocky spit his lyrics over the track’s booming production. The Harlem-based rapper’s set consisted of a string of songs from his acclaimed 2011 mixed tape, “LiveLoveA$AP,” which features a bevy of talented producers whose beats are tamed by the confident rapper. Many of the songs he brought are definitively post-regional, incorporating much of Texas’ sound while utilizing historical aspects of other cities steeped in hip-hop culture. “I feel like it’s only right that we do the next song,” Rocky said to the crowd before jumping into his hit, “Purple Swag,” a woozy tribute to the Houston rap scene, “I’m Texas Trill, but in
NY we spit it slow.” Rocky worked the crowd and announced, “Houston is everything I am.” He then questioned his fans, “How many purple people out there, yo?” He was met with a roaring response. The recent surge of efforts like “Purple Swag” that pay tribute to the Houston scene brought about by artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Drake, has touched the city — giving Houston more reasons to revitalize its great hip-hop scene. In a way, Rocky has contributed to a buzz A$AP continues on page 8
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LIFE + ARTS
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
POISON continued from page 7
Besides his humor on- and off-stage, Wolfe also read poignant lines that felt even more dramatic through their simplicity, “I’m sorry / I know I always say that / But I
am sorry.” A member from Bootown — a non-profit organization founded by UH alumni that is dedicated to theater and storytelling — took the stage with a piece about a bad dentist experience, which ended with, “Because when you are in miserable pain, there is nothing
more comforting than Pauly Shore.” The wit was evident everywhere, after each reading the host returned yelling “syphilis” a joke that was slightly unclear but somehow became funnier as the evening progressed. UH alum Fujio Watanabe said he
The Daily Cougar
enjoys the readings because of the range of material he gets to hear. “I come to listen … there are some funny stories, some serious,” Watanabe said. “I like to hear new things from different writers.” arts@thedailycougar.com
A$AP continued from page 7
that has brought a critical eye to the city’s hip-hop scene — a scene that hasn’t been popularized since its commercial rise in 2005. The appeal of the rapper attracted a collaborative effort from Drake, who welcomed Rocky and fellow tour mate Lamar — who performed his own hit, “A.D.H.D.” — onto the ticket for his current Club Paradise Tour. Rocky wasn’t scheduled to perform in Houston, but traveled here before the collaborative tour reached Austin. After the A$AP performance, Houston’s Slim Thug took the stage to perform his verse from “Still Tippin’.” Apparently, the song was influential to Rocky because he raps “Tippin’ 4s since back in ’06” in “Purple Swag.” Close to the end of the show, Rocky accompanied fans in jamming to popular Southern rap hits. Soon after, fans rushed the platform and began crawling over the stage barrier. Although security attempted to ward them off, they succeeded in crashing the stage. But Rocky wasn’t bothered by them. He stood his ground in the middle of the crowd, as he performed, but was unseen once the music cut off. The packed stage and the rest of the fans continued to shout, “ASAP, ASAP, ASAP,” before finally dispersing. arts@thedailycougar.com
RECREPORT
DEPARTMENT OF CAMPUS RECREATION SPOTLIGHT
Fencing Club Lunges for the Lead
O
n February 18th the UH fencing club traveled to Texas A&M University to compete in a league tournament, SWIFA III. The club is governed by SWIFA, the South Western Intercollegiate Fencing Association, and includes stiff competition such as Texas State, Baylor, Texas A&M, UTSA, University of Texas Austin, North Texas, Rice University, and Texas Tech . Last year at this competition, the cougars fought to achieve 5th place honors through the Foil squad and 8th place honors through the Epee squad. Satisfied with their performance, vigorous practice session were endured to increase their efforts in a achieving a SWIFA championship.
information. Also like the Sport Club’s facebook page for team updates, events, and results.
Other Sport Club Results Climbing Richelle Hepler, 1st Place Women’s Basketball UH-34, HCC Northwest33
THE FEN NCING G CL C UB AT UH
Going into last week’s competition the cougars hoped their hard work paid off and looked to improve upon last year’s results. The Epee squad experience success as they attained 1st place honors out of 14 squads. The Foil
squad also showed signs of brightness as they walked away with 4th place honors amongst 16 other squads. Interested in joining the fencing club? Contact Club President Michael Harris at uhfencing@ yahoo.com. For more
The Rec Report is a paid advertising section for the Department of Campus Recreation.