Issue 93, Volume 77

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Candidates challenge disqualification Students claim the Student Government Association Election Commission did not follow the Election Code when making its decision Taylor McGilvray

THE DAILY COUGAR The Student Government Association Court of Appeals will decide whether or not to uphold the Election Commission’s decision to disqualify four candidates at 8 p.m. today in the Large Conference Room in the University Center Underground. Michael McHugh and Mohammed Aijaz, who ran for president and vice president, filed separate appeals from Laxmi Ramana and Brandon Balwant, who ran for Natural Sciences and Mathematics senate seats, on March 21. Both appeals claimed the Commission did not adhere to the Election Code when disqualifying the candidates and said the students be reinstated to the position they

!3129-:; Election Commmission disqualifies candidates on the basis of election fraud

were elected to in SGA. McHugh and Aijaz filed their appeal through Houston attorney Jolanda Jones, in which they said the Election Commission violated six clauses of the SGA Election Code — including the timeliness of the registration of the complaints and exclusion of the names of the complainants. The Court of Appeals has one class day after the hearing to file its written ruling with the Election Commission, the SGA President, the Speaker of the Senate, the appellant and the complainant, according to the Election Code. The SGA Advisor will implement the rulings, according to the Election Code. The candidates were originally disqualified when the Election Commission found them guilty of using other students’ personal

!3129-:< McHugh, Aijaz, Balwant and Ramana filed appeals

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Reasons the SGA Election Commission disqualified the four candidates

information to vote in the SGA elections, according to the Election Commission’s decision. “Few members from the McHugh-Aijaz party were approaching students with a ‘petition’ that was ostensibly for a request to fix the faucets in the library,” the decision said. “A student who filled out the petition which asked for first name, last name, people soft, birthday, classification and college that they are enrolled in which is the same information as needed to cast a vote in the SGA election.” McHugh and Aijaz said the decision did not follow the Election Code. “The impact of the Commission’s decision undid a lawful election and denied the Appellants Due Process. The appeal is based

!3129-:: Preliminary hearing of the appeal bythe chief justice of the SGA Court of Appeals

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What: SGA Court of Appeals hearing When: 8 p.m. today Where: Large Conference Room in the University Center Underground Decision: The Court of Appeals will decide whether or not to uphold the Election Commission’s decision to disqualify four canddiates

on frivolous allegations and violations of the Election Code by unknown complainants and other co-conspirators, all of whom have political agendas and motives against the Appellants,” said McHugh and Aijaz’s appeal. The Election Commission and appellants declined to comment. news@thedailycougar.com

!3129-:= Hearing of the appeal conducted by the SGA Court of Appeals

The Commission cited the following clauses from the Election Code in its decision:

Article IX section 1 clause 6 ! ! “Complaints shall include: a. Name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and student number of the complainant. b. Name of the person against whom the complaint is filed. c. Action about which the complaint is filed. d. Alleged injury to the complainant. e. Adjudication asked for by the complainant.”

Article V section 10 clause 2 ! “Candidates found guilty of election fraud by the Election Commission will be subject to: a. Disqualification”

Article IX section 1 clause 7 ! ! “Within one (1) class day after receiving the complaint the Commission shall post at the Student Government Association Office the complaint and the action they have taken.”

Article III section 3 clause 4 ! ! “Candidates who are members of a Party are held individually accountable to the provisions of this code, although parties as a whole may be held accountable to the provisions of this code.”

Article IX section 1 clause 5 ! ! “Any complaint filed by the Commission with the Student Government Association Court of Appeals must be in the same form as required for general complaints. The Commission may allege that the Student Government Association is aggrieved.”

Article XI section 1 clause 3 ! “A candidate who has not met all the requirements of the Election Code shall not be certified by the Commission as the winner of a race. In addition, no winner of a race shall be certified by the Commission until all allege violations in the position have been vindicated.”

Article IX section 1 clause 4 ! ! “Each complaint shall be assigned a number by the Administrative Secretary at the time of receipt. The receipt given to the complainant shall reflect the time of submission.”

The Student Government Association Election Commission disqualified Michael McHugh, Mohammed Aijaz, Brandon Balwant and Laxmi Ramana on the basis of election fraud for using students’ personal information to cast votes without their consent during the general elections, said the Commission’s formal complaint.

McHugh, Aijaz say the Election Commission violated the following clauses of the Election Code Article IV section 12 clause 1 ! ! “If no complaints or appeals are registered by 4:30 p.m. within two (2) class days of the announcement of the Run-off Election results, all election results shall be deemed final.”

Article IX section 1 clause 9 ! ! “The Chief Election Commissioner shall provide copies to the Student Government Association President, Speaker of the Senate, Chief Justice of the Student Government Association Court of Appeals and the candidate(s) against whom the complaint has been filed. a. There shall be one (1) copy posted at the Student Government Association Office. b. The candidate against whom the complaint was filed must obtain a copy of the complaint from the Election Commission.” Sources: SGA Election Commission’s 2012 D Complaint and McHugh and Aijaz’s appeal

!3129-:> The deadline for the SGA Court of Appeals to make a decision. The Student Government Association Court of Appeals is empowered with the following sanctions or remedies: a. Cease orders b. Disqualification or denial of certification c. Ordering of a new election with the original candidate or such candidates who have not been disqualified to run d. Denial of permission to a candidate to continue any form of campaigning until such time as there shall be compliance with SGA Court of Appeals orders e. Change of certification of election results” Article IX section 7 clause 1 of the SGA Election Code

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UH receives grant funds to host summer camp Focus to be alternative energy sources, their practical application Chelsea Whiting

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ExxonMobil awarded an $80,000 grant to University of Houston’s teachHouston program — a program the gives college students who want to be a math or science teachers guidance and support — so that underrepresented middle school students can attend the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. This is the third consecutive year in which the highly competitive grant has been awarded to University of Houston. “Universities all around the country put in proposals to ExxonMobil, and then decide which university would be the most successful in hosting the camp. There are only 20 camps held per year,” Camp Director Paige Evans said. This year, the camp’s focus will be on the need for alternative energy sources due to our reliance on fossil fuels. The camp will accept 48 students who are entering the sixth, seventh or eighth grade by Fall 2012, scored well on math and science standardized test scores and received two teacher recommendations. The deadline to sign up for the camp is Thursday, April 5. The campers will spend two weeks living in Cougar Village, going to the recreation center, attending presentations given by the top teachers in the math and science fields, visiting the Texas Learning and Computation Center, and various other excursions

The camp is a chance for middle school students to get a taste of college life as well as gain more knowledge in the field they are interested in.” Joey Casto, on the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp around campus. Campers will also get to meet a number of professionals who are interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. “The camp is a chance for middle school students to get a taste of college life as well as gain more knowledge in the field they are interested in,” Evans said. The students will also construct a home using alternative energy like wind, solar, nuclear, thermal and others. Robots, cars and other objects will also be constructed as the students experiment with the various forms of energy. Students are also expected to take several trips off campus during their two-week stay. They will be visiting NASA, the Health Museum and the ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company Technical Training Center. “Our job is to cultivate the next generation of innovative thinkers,” Evans said. Six junior counselors who are previous camp attendees will oversee the camp, and the 12 other counselors are students involved in the teachHouston program. news@thedailycougar.com

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://thedailycougar.com. The University seeks to provide equal educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status, or sexual orientation. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. the first copy of the Cougar is free; each additional copy is 25 cents. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. NEWS TIPS Send news tips and story ideas to the News Desk. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@ thedailycougar.com or fax (713) 743-5384. A “Submit news item” form is also available online at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the written consent of the director of the Student Publications Department.

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The Daily Cougar

Monday, March 26, 2012

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eft: Shasta VI rested in a tree after exploring the lower level of his new home. The enclosure was refurbished about a year ago. REBEKAH STEARNS/THE DAILY COUGAR

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Shasta makes debut at Houston Zoo Alexandra Doyle

THE DAILY COUGAR A sea of albino white and scarlet red swarmed the cougar cages at Houston Zoo Saturday to welcome the first incarnation of UH’s live mascot since 1989: Shasta VI. The 7-month-old cougar was released into his new enclosure after speeches from UH Alumni Association President and CEO Mike Pede, Houston Zoo Director Rick Barongi and UH President Renu Khator. “This is great because now we have a live mascot like many other major universities,” UH graduate Joey Casto said. “It’s also nice that it’s staying at the zoo ... This is a way to connect our University to the public, and it’s easy to find for outsiders who want to see Shasta — easier than trying to hunt down a mascot enclosure in the middle of a confusing campus.” Shasta VI was initially shy, but with some coaxing from handlers,

he was enticed into his new home. Unfortunately, he has good reason to be skittish; his mother was illegally shot by a deer hunter in Washington in fall 2011, and he was separated from his two brothers, both of whom now reside at the Nashville Zoo. The UH Alumni Association — in conjunction with the Houston Zoo — has been a major part of the project to regain a live mascot for the University. Present at the unveiling were many alumni, including several members of the original Cougar Guard — an organization that handled live mascots in the past, beginning with the initial Shasta. The alumni of this organization said they have fond memories of taking Shasta for walks and taking her to away games by either airplane or station wagon. Shasta even had a one-night stay at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas on the way home from a game. Students are also grateful for Shasta’s return. Wey Tan, a UH

This is a way to connect our university to the public, and it’s easy to find for outsiders who want to see Shasta — easier than trying to hunt down a mascot enclosure in the middle of a confusing campus.”

Joey Casto, on UH’s new mascot being at Houston Zoo senior, said he was excited that this is occurring just before his graduation. “I think it’s awesome that I’ll get to have my ring blessed by Shasta VI before I graduate. This is perfect timing.” Graduate student Luis Rodriguez said having a live cougar would “fuel school spirit and pride, as well as keep UH’s market brand in the public eye.” news@thedailycougar.com

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Cougars compete in MIT challenge John Loner

THE DAILY COUGAR Four UH engineering students are competing in the semi-finals of the MIT Clean Energy Prize, established in 2008, and this is the first time a team from UH has been involved in the competition. The competition helps students develop energy entrepreneurship skills and awards the winning team with a $200,000 grand prize. “The competition, more or less, teaches you how to get your product to market,” said UH mechanical engineering student and competitor Eduardo Jasso. The UH team, named Envir Energy, is also the only one made up of undergraduates. “We initially saw the purpose of the competition for us as undergraduates, a way to network jobs,” team member Mario Laposse said. All teams are required to enter into one of three categories

— Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Deployment & Infrastructure — in which the winner receives $20,000. The UH the engineering students choose to compete in Deployment & Infrastructure. The competition requires all semi-finalists to become incorporated and publicly traded by April 29 — when the competition is to be judged — to be eligible for the grand prize. The team was originally comprised of eight members: two MBA students and six mechanical engineering students; however, over time, the team dwindled to its current size. “We had been developing a business plan since August, and we conducted a feasibility analysis with all of our ideas, and this had the most potential for us to do well in the competition.” Laposse said. The group came up with six different ideas for the competition, but choose to focus it’s efforts on carbon sequestration.

“Burning natural gas to generate electricity, we are looking at capturing the CO2 and storing it underground,” Jasso said. Having secured a spot in the semi-finals, Envir Energy will be matched with three mentors, each mentor coming from a different background: legal, entrepreneurship and engineering. All three mentors have extensive experience with carbon sequestration. “We are focusing on natural gas plants,” said UH team member Andres Paez. “Natural gas generation is cheaper right now, and forecasted to stay cheaper. We tailored our carbon capture system for that.” The four students are in the process of starting their own clean energy competition in the mold of MIT’s called Clean Energy Initiative “We saw the need for students to get real life experience, unless you get an internship,” Jasso said. news@thedailycougar.com

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bove: A sign describing Shasta VI’s journey to the Houston Zoo, as well as short summaries about the previous live mascots.

EXPERIENCE EXCELLENCE SALES CAREER FAIR Thursday, March 29, 2012 NEW TIME: 3 – 6 p.m. University Center – Houston Room

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Monday, March 26, 2012

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OPINION Questionable spying EDITOR David Haydon E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion

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Daniel Renfrow Mary Baak Taylor McGilvray, Joshua Mann Joshua Siegel Jose Aguilar David Haydon Amanda Hilow

STAFF EDITORIAL

Men raise awareness of violence through walk

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group of male students from Western Kentucky University recently learned what it was like to walk a mile in a woman’s shoes. In an event organized by WKU’s Intrafraternity Council, more than 50 WKU men donned red stilettos Wednesday and walked a mile around their campus in order to raise awareness about sexual abuse against women.

“Instead of just saying oh yeah, we’ll support them or something, we’re actually showing a physical movement that you know, we will stand up and fight for our women,” said Student Activities Graduate Assistant John Sanders to WBKO news. Through their efforts, the men were able to raise $1,000 for Hope Harbor, a Kentuckybased sexual trauma recovery center. “To see a bunch of guys wearing red high heels for such a good cause, to raise awareness, I think it’s fantastic,” said Jessica Mattingly of Hope Harbor. Although that might have been the most painful mile those men have ever walked in their lives, they took their pain in stride to send the message that sexual violence against women is unacceptable. According to a recent study by the Department of Justice, one in four college women will be the victims of rape or attempted rate before graduation. The results of the study also reveal that the incident of rape or attempted rate is four times higher for women between the ages of 16 and 24. It is encouraging that these men have taken such a strong and open stand against sexual violence because it is such a serious issue for college women. Fraternities at UH should follow the example of the men who participated in the walk at WKU and hold a similar walk at UH. With increased awarerness, hopefully we can change that one in four statistic.

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.

Domestic surveillance of Muslim students proves profiling is dubious

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arlier this month, word emerged that the New York Police Department was keeping tabs on Muslim students. Among the monitored was Adeela Kahn, who’d attended college in Buffalo. After finding a flyer for an upcoming Islamic convention in Bryan Washington her inbox, Mrs. Kahn took it upon herself to forward the message to some friends she thought might be interested. At the time, she probably didn’t think her gesture would catch the eye of a cross-state intelligence analyst. She probably didn’t think that a simple invitation would land her name, with emphasis on the Kahn, in the commissioner’s office. She probably didn’t think that it would all lead to her being listed in an official report, in a file labeled “SECRET” in an office over 300 miles away, but now she knows better. Eye-opening as it was, her case isn’t exactly special. NYPD has been trailing students in over 13 universities in the Northeast, from Yale to the University of Pennsylvania to Rutgers. While they’ve claimed the groups aren’t chosen because of their religion, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists, Mormons, Unitarians, and Rastafarians don’t seem to have made the cut. Apparently these spying practices are not only completely legal, but necessary in order to “protect the public.” Commissioner Raymond Kelly has pointed to the student groups as being potential breeding grounds for terrorists, several of which they claimed

to have caught as a result of the surveillance. Besides, indiscretion isn’t ground-breaking; watchdogs have been around since the colonies. It’s one big mess, but it serves as another “opening shot” on a matter we tend to dance around — the reason for all of this snooping. Even though the big question, the morality of it all, is the one that everyone wants to answer, it’s the little ones that really strike a nerve. By asking which groups should be policed, you’re asking why they’re being policed in the first place. If you address this fear, you’ll have to acknowledge that their difference is what sets them apart. And if we draw this assumption, then you can’t help but wonder if — as a country that’s

MEET THE SPY byDavid Haydon

Commissioner Raymond Kelly has pointed to the student groups as being potential breeding grounds for terrorists, several of which they claimed to have caught as a result of the surveillance. Atheists, Mormons, Unitarians, and Rastafarians don’t seem to have made the cut. “ made it our business to inflict equality upon the world — we’ve reached the threshold that we deem necessary for everyone else. The answer to that one is “no.” If it sounds like an issue, that’s good, because it is. Each party’s left with one of three options: bending to the pressure, retaliating in spades or cooperating. The first would be typical, but it’s the last thing we need. The second would only confirm what NYPD has claimed is “obvious.” The third just would be difficult. It’d take time; it’d require concessions from both sides, giving what they can, establishing parameters and putting their feet down once those boundaries have been crossed. But if we’re willing to make the effort, the payoff would be astronomical with less files in hidden drawers and more discussions towards a viable solution. Bryan Washington is a sociology freshman and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

Massacre masks the grand scheme Unjust deaths and atrocities make a case to end overall conflicts

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rmy Staff Sgt. Robert Bales has been all over the news recently following his alleged killing of 17 Afghan civilians, including Lucas four men, four women, two Sepulveda boys and seven girls. Eleven of those killed were members of the same family. It’s now been reported that Robert Bales will be charged, and rightly so, with all 17 counts, along with six counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault in the wounding of six others. However, it won’t take too much time scrolling through the comments section of any American newspaper’s website to find a surprisingly large number of people defending his actions, blaming it on the mind-altering pressures of war which I don’t deny exist. But just take a moment and imagine if the tables were turned and 17 of our own were the ones killed, including women and children. Add in the idea of Afghan citizens defending the incident, blaming it on the pressures of war. Now, how do you think we would react? It would be total pandemonium. It would be chaos. Compared to how we would have handled the situation, the

Afghans seem to be taking the news relatively mildly. It was wrong; there’s really no other way to put it, and none of those people deserved to die. However, there’s more to all this than simply a madman who went on a killing spree. The question isn’t, “Should Bales be responsible for the killings or not?” It is, “Who, or what, should be blamed as well?” This incident is a reminder to everybody of the harsh realities of war. If it’s true that this act was completely out of Bales’ character, as his wife says, then this just goes to show what the war is really doing to the minds of our soldiers, and for what? Although Bales should be punished, because in no way should anybody from any country get away with the killing of innocent people, that’s just one part of the problem, and in the grand scheme of things, the only way to prevent incidents like this in the future, is obviously ending the war. The killings have gained media coverage from all around the world, which will hopefully turn out to be a good thing. Although there would be no way of knowing other than being involved in it, I’m

Although there would be no way of knowing other than being involved, civilians only hear about a fraction of the horrible incidents that occur throughout war. The fact that this one is getting attention will maybe open some eyes.” sure civilians only hear about a fraction of the horrible incidents that occur throughout war. The fact that this one is getting attention will maybe open up some eyes. The result of Bales’ case will be an interesting yet sad one, no matter which way it turns out, and the pressure is on America to handle it in a way that satisfies the people of Afghanistan so that any problems that could further damage an already unstable relationship will be hopefully avoided. Lucas Sepulveda is a creative writing and media production junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Monday, March 26, 2012

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

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Cat fight favors Coogs Cougars sweep Tigers, building win streak to eight behind strong pitching efforts of Outon and Watts Joshua Siegel

THE DAILY COUGAR

Sophomore pitcher Bailey Watts picked up her eighth and ninth wins this weekend over Memphis. She is tied with Lacey Middlebrooks of Tulsa for fifth in Conference USA. Watts went seven innings on Saturday, striking out six and then followed that by striking out six in four innings of relief on Sunday. | Hendrick Rosemond/The Daily Cougar

Whatever kind of funk the Cougars were in to start March, they’re long past it now. “I know that we had enough of losing and I think we’ve had a mind-set of ‘that’s it, let’s put your foot down, it’s time to stop,’” sophomore pitcher Bailey Watts said. The Cougars (18-13, 7-2 Conference USA) have bounced back from losing eight of nine to win their last eight games, including a dominant sweep of Memphis (7-26, 0-9) this weekend where UH out-scored the Tigers 23-1 over three games. Two of the Cougars’ three wins were decided by run-rule. “Hitting is one of those things that’s really streaky and hard to predict, so you just try to ride it as much as you can when you have and deal with it when you’re struggling and try to get it back,” head coach Kyla Holas said. The Cougars polished off the Tigers on Sunday with a seven-run fourth inning sparked by Holly Anderson’s three-run home run to give UH an 8-0 run-rule win. “I was expecting to see an outside pitch again,” Anderson said. “So I was ready and looking for it. I felt really confident going into my at bat and taking advantage of it.” Haley Outon followed that with an RBI double, and pinch hitter Kayla Holland crushed her first career home run to cap the inning. Watts finished the game by striking out the side and earning her second win of the series and ninth of the year. Watts also earned the win in the Cougars 5-1 win to open the series. Sophomore Diedre Outon followed that by no-hitting the Tigers — her first career no-hitter — on Saturday. Outon struck out eight and allowed no walks. Watts and Outon combined to surrender just seven hits in 18 innings against the Tigers. “I hope for them that they’re getting confidence and understanding what it takes to win ball games,” Holas said. “We have a very tough road ahead of

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Diedre Outon

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Bailey Watts

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After combining to allow just one run and seven hits across three games to Memphis in UH’s sweep of the Tigers, Diedre Outon and Bailey Watts rank sixth and seventh in Conference USA in ERA.

us. We still have Tulsa, UAB, UCF and all of those top teams in conference still on the schedule. Right now we can’t afford to lose any more ball games.” Watts feels that the Cougars’ pitching staff has turned a corner. “I think we definitely struggled as a staff early in the year,” she said. “And we’ve been working very hard at practice and putting in extra time just to make sure that we’re doing out part as a pitching staff and making sure that we’re backing up our hitting and our defense because that’s what’s important — when you have it all you don’t have to worry.” Pretty in pink The Cougars are back in action on Wednesday against No. 6 Texas to host the sixth annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Game. The Cougars and Cougar Field will be decked out in pink with game-used jerseys and helmets later being auctioned to benefit Susan G. Komen For the Cure. Last season, the Cougars raised nearly $11,000 for the cause. “I am very excited; the cause itself is a great thing,” Watts said. “I have a family member that battled and survived breast cancer, so this is a huge thing for me. “And we get to look pretty in pink.” sports@thedailycougar.com

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UH offense MIA in Mississippi Gilbert Requena

THE DAILY COUGAR The Cougars find themselves somewhere they didn’t want to be this early in the conference schedule — at the bottom of the standings and looking up. The Cougars got completely demolished in their first two Conference-USA games to Southern Miss. losing 8-0 and 17-2, respectively, before pulling out of their offensive funk to salvage the last game at 10-5. The Cougars (10-12, 1-2 C-USA) managed to get 11 hits in the opening night shutout, but they were unable to string those hits together

and produce any runs. Friday’s starter, Jordan Lewis, had a rough outing, going 2 1/3 innings in which he gave up three hits and five runs, four earned. UH’s relief corps managed to give up only one run after the third inning, but the offense couldn’t get a handle on the Golden Eagles’ pitching. Southern Miss starting pitcher Andrew Pierced went seven innings, allowing no runs, seven hits and struck out 15 UH batters. Saturday was another game to forget for the Cougars. The Golden Eagles (14-10, 2-1 C-USA) used a 13-run fifth inning to power past the Cougars. The UH offense was once again inept and only managed to

push across two runs in the contest. Starter Codey Morehouse only lasted 3 1/3 innings, giving up three runs, two earned, and six hits. The tides finally turned in the Cougars’ favor on Sunday as the offense rose from its slumber to save the last game of the series. The Cougars pounded out 10 runs on 17 hits and held the Golden Eagles’ offense in check. Starting Pitcher Austin Pruitt regained his form and shut down the Golden Eagles. He pitched sixand-two-thirds innings, giving up three runs on four hits to go along with six strikeouts. sports@thedailycougar.com

Jordan Lewis was one of several UH pitchers who did not fare well against Southern Miss. UH surrendered 30 runs in three games to USM. | Catherine Lara/The Daily Cougar

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COMICS & MORE

Monday, March 26, 2012

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ACROSS 1 Atkins regimen 5 Overhang’s underside 11 Wood-cutting tool 14 Jessica of “Fantastic Four� 15 City in Ohio or Spain 16 Fertility clinic specimens 17 Residences that roll 19 Calf’s place 20 “___ Goes the Weasel� 21 Kind of tape 23 “America the Beautiful� color 26 Pile up debt 28 Honer’s goal 29 Tomatobased sauce 31 Grew rigid (with “up�) 33 Second sequel’s number 34 Using precise wording 36 Pathological egotists 41 Corrective measure 42 Persian Gulf commodity 44 Entitled groups 47 What drinking too much beer may cause 50 1492 trio member 51 ’60s counterculture hallucinogen 52 Big dipper 53 Nazi secret

police 56 Cranberry’s home 57 “Much ___ About Nothingâ€? 58 It contains DNA and RNA 64 Beauty salon goop 65 Add more ammo to 66 “ ___ on Down the Roadâ€? 67 Palindromic poetry preposition 68 Follows as a consequence 69 Yuletide decoration holder DOWN 1 Beaver achievement 2 UN body dealing with workers’ rights 3 Go out from the shore 4 A Chinese capital 5 “That’s one small ___ for ‌â€? 6 “Aah!â€? accompaniment 7 “Aliceâ€? character 8 ___ fatale (siren) 9 It may be bright or novel 10 ___ and turn 11 Some billiard balls 12 Exact punishment for 13 Emulated an

excited dog’s tail 18 Ending for “for� or “love� 22 African country 23 Ethel Waters’ “___ Blue?� 24 Badly injure 25 Certain French cheese 26 Blackand-white munchies 27 Pregame routines 30 A two-dimensional world 31 Palindromic principle or doctrine 32 Samuel’s judge 35 Indian lute 37 Try to make clear 38 “Butterflies ___ Free� 39 Case of the sniffles 40 Cat’s perch

43 Common name for sodium hydroxide 44 Interlock, as gears 45 German classical songs 46 Cushiony part of a shoe 48 Common interest group 49 Young bird of prey 51 Acts like a couch potato 54 Farmland parcel 55 Ball-___ hammer 56 Blossomsto-be 59 Mr. Gehrig 60 “Sorry, laddie!� 61 Where the smallest human bone is 62 “___ only as directed� 63 Get an eyeful

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Monday, March 26, 2012

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7

EDITOR Jose Aguilar E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts

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Students froth over artists, coffee at event

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Artists rock the UH Frontier Houston rapper, rap group headline Frontier Fiesta’s traditional hip-hop night

Deunbra Ivory

Alex Pechacek

THE DAILY COUGAR

THE DAILY COUGAR

Houston may not be your instant go-to city for an evening of poetry and hip-hop, but an on-campus event was able to highlight what Houston and even Dallas have to offer in the lyricist’s realm. Barnes & Noble, the Nigerian Students Association and the Residence Hall Association sponsored “Lyrics and Lattes” on Wednesday evening inside the Oberholtzer Hall Ballroom. The event featured two singers, two hip-hop acts and five poets who lit up the ballroom with passionate performances. Tro’Juan Soule, a traveling Dallas poet, tweeted, “This U of H show was dope. Houston showed love.” Other featured performers, such as SECOND, a Christian hip-hop group, and songstress Patrice State from Texas Southern University, graced the mic with their impeccable musical ability. “Lyrics and Lattes” was a very tasteful affair that actually featured latte cups dressed in branded UH coffee sleeves. A mix of hip-hop music from well-respected artists such as Jesse Boykins, Common and De La Soul was filtered through the ballroom’s sound system before and after performances. Barnes & Noble products were disseminated throughout the night. The company sponsored the event as a way to promote the NOOK Study, its free eTextbook application. Students who attended the event jumped at the opportunity to receive free iTunes gift cards and other products. It was truly a wonderful evening. The event was free and open to the community.

As Frontier Fiesta has featured numerous hip-hop acts in the past, Friday night followed in the tradition and welcomed some local rap talent. Two of Houston’s burgeoning hiphop acts, Doughbeezy and the Niceguys, held prime time slots in the lineup. Doughbeezy, a Southeast Houston resident who claims the title “the Southeast beast” is considered by many to be one of the most interesting new rappers within city limits. Per usual, Doughbeezy owned the stage with confidence when he stepped onto it, grabbing the audience’s attention with a high-energy a cappella verse. He followed up with his two biggest hits, the original “Light You Up” and his “Pass The Swisher” freestyle. Both tracks which are off of his mixtape “Reggie Bush And Kool-Aid,” are responsible for the majority of the buzz surrounding Doughbeezy. His winning talents, a quick flow and ability to raid instrumentals with a seizing mic presence, were showcased on the two hits. As a performer, the rapper holds an attitude as straightforward and entertaining as someone who’s been rocking stages for years. The night’s final act, the Niceguys, stormed the stage with the four members ready to go, enthusiastic and primed. The four-man posse is comprised of three producers, one of which who also

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Local Houston rap outfit, The Niceguys, closed Frontier Fiesta on Friday to an energetic crowd. The night also featured local rapper Doughbeezy. | Jamaal Ellis/Courtesy of The Niceguys DJs and is an MC. The group is hot on the heels of performing at South by Southwest and being chosen for the XXL Magazine Freshman official showcase. The Niceguys, who met at UH, sure seemed at home, having fun performing their song, “Married to the Mob.” The MC of the group, Easy Yves Saint, sporting a zebra bucket hat, was all over the place while on stage and had the help of his stage men to fill in words. In addition to their songs, the group took instrumentals from popular songs and added their own zing, giving accessibility to those unfamiliar with the group. Eventually the Niceguys swept into “Toast,” the soaring party track featuring big horns and a jamboree of drums lent from their album, “The Show.” The track

is an ode to accomplishment and an enjoyment of hard work, a positive sort of track off of which many of their songs vibe. The Niceguys weren’t short of friends. At one point a crowd of around 15 men were on stage — many of whom caught up in dancing. While a momentary mob on stage is characteristic of a hip-hop show and can be exciting, in this instance it became overblown and overwhelming. It was like they were enjoying their songs so much they forgot to attend to the crowd, unconcerned with their reception. But, by the end of the performance, the rappers were going into radio hits, building further crowd participation. arts@thedailycougar.com

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LIFE+ARTS

Monday, March 26, 2012

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Band’s bassist talks labels, collabs Christopher Lopez

THE DAILY COUGAR Lucero, the alt-country outfit based out of Memphis, released its ninth studio album, “Women and Work,” earlier on March 13. Bassist John C. Stubblefield took a moment from the band’s current tour for an interview with The Daily Cougar. Stubblefield elaborates on the band’s label switch, the new album and his dream artist collaboration — someone along the lines of rapper Yelawolf.

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The Daily Cougar: The last record was done under Universal, and now this one is under ATO. What was the change from the two companies? Stubblefield: With ATO being independent, they seem to understand us as a touring band and kind of where we are coming from. So, it’s a lot of a family kind of feel with everybody at the label and everything, instead of lost in the shuffle with a larger label … it seems like the start of a good relationship. TDC: With this album you guys worked with Ted Hut as a producer. Did you choose him or was he assigned by ATO? Stubblefield: He actually produced our last album. We kind of met him through Universal; he was one of the producers that they suggested. They said, “You could go to New York and work with so and so, or go to LA and work with so and so,” and we were, like, “Are you kidding me?” We have a world-class studio right here in Memphis. Ted Hut, on our latest album was like, “I would love to come to Memphis and produce a record for you guys.” That is kind of how we met on the last record, and then he got familiar with the city and the studio.

In mid-March, alt-country band Lucero released “Women and Work,” its ninth studio album that, according to the band, is a love letter to their hometown of Memphis, Tenn. | Courtesy of Lucero/ATO Records After the initial relationship, we had him back, so there you go. TDC: You did the Warped Tour and also did some shows in Europe, how was that compared to doing shows here in the South? Stubblefield: Not to sound too hippy, but no matter where we go or what the situation is, whenever we are on stage it’s our spot and the song is our place and our home — so the place doesn’t really matter to a certain degree. We try to transcend the moment through our songs. TDC: With that new album, like you said, you have been working with different sounds, are you planning to expand that on the next album or are you sticking to what you have right now? Stubblefield: I don’t know, because we are just kicking this tour off, but I am sure it will progress in some way. It’s what keeps us going, you know? Reinvention to a certain degree. TDC: You guys worked with different people on this album,

but what artist would you like to work with? Stubblefield: Actually, while we were recording the last album, Ben actually collaborated with a rap artist on a couple of his tracks. He had him play on a couple of his tracks, which were live construction tracks that we play at shows, and he was rapping over it. It was pretty fun actually. I would love to work with, as crazy as it might sound, work with a progressive southern rap artist like maybe Yelawolf or somebody like that. We could do the backing of southern rap artists, which would be awesome. TDC: Kind of like Blakroc, with The Black Keys working with Mos Def? Stubblefield: Right, exactly, I would love to do something like that because it’s just so different and it would take us out of our element. Just do something crazy off the wall. arts@thedailycougar.com

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