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July 11, 2012 Issue 120, Volume 77
Barnes donates large sum to College of Optometry Alumni shows his appreciation via $5 million gift to his alma mater; research center to be built with state-of-the-art facilities Alexandra Doyle
THE DAILY COUGAR Douglas Barnes, who earned his UH doctorate in optometry in 1975, pledged to donate $5 million to the UH College of Optometry in order to aid development of the new Health and Biomedical Sciences Building. As a result of the Texas Research Incentive Program, Barnes’ donation may be matched by the State of Texas. “I hope our gift helps advance the profession of optometry to a higher level, as well as lift the educational process at the University of Houston,” Barnes said on UHCO’s alumni profile website. Barnes’ desire to donate to the college stems from his gratitude for being accepted into the program. “With this investment, I wanted to show our appreciation for the College of Optometry for accepting me and educating me years ago,” he said. BARNES continues on page 3
J. Davis Armistead Building will not be the only building for optometry students to use after the Health and Biomedical Sciences Building is built. The first two floors will be named after Douglas and Molly Barnes. | Hendrick Rosemond/The Daily Cougar
CORRECTIONS
RESEARCH
In the July 3 issue of The Daily Cougar, the page 4 column, “UH fails to justify rising cost of housing,” suggested that residents of Calhoun Lofts would pay more than other on-campus housing buildings during next year’s rate increase. This is incorrect, and all building will equally increase five percent, whether to a semesterly payment or a monthly one. The column indicated that the Lofts would use the increased rate on exclusive improvements. The increase is actually “necessary to maintain and operate the building,” said Don Yackley, executive director of Residential Life and Housing in an email to The Daily Cougar. — Cougar News Staff
College of Technology goes for a loop Student-led research team creates a device that will improve safety for endoscopic procedures Ashley Anderson
THE DAILY COUGAR Two University of Houston College of Technology Engineering undergraduate students developed improvements to current endoscopy technology. Amir Ali and Zainab Kassem developed the iLoop, an endoscopic procedural device that will be safer and easier for the patient and the doctor by allowing the doctor to externally trace the endoscope while it navigates the upper digestive tract. An endoscope is a long flexible tube mounted with a camera and a light and is inserted for diagnostic purposes into a hollow organ such as the esophagus.
The students participated in the Manufacturing Division of American Society for Engineering Education and Society of Manufacturing Engineers third annual Design and Manufacturing competition, said Mequanint Moges, associate professor and undergraduate program director of computer engineering technology at the College of Technology. The students were asked to develop a medically and environmentally safe endoscopic device addressing the need for the detection of loop formations while the endoscope is inside of the patient. “Our objective was to create a system that would be able trace the orientation of the endoscope while it was inside a patient, along with (creating) a graphical user
interface for the operators to help them visualize potential loop formation,” Ali said. With enhanced sensing capability, the iLoop addressed a need of safety by avoiding the contact with organs if the endoscope should form a loop. “I feel like this is a great step into tomorrow’s medicine,” Kassem said. “It will not only help with cancer detections, but it will also be able to help with a variety of patients.” While it increases safety standards, the iLoop also improves performance for current endoscopic devices by giving a better visual representation of the endoscope while inside LOOP continues on page 3
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
NEWS
The Daily Cougar
CRIME LOG
July 14th - Band Featuring In Your Face
Where do I get the latest UH news? www.thedailycougar.com
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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 June 12 and Sunday. All information is selected from the files of the UH Department of Public Safety. The information in italics indicates when the event was reported to UHDPS and the event’s location. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UHPD at (713) 743-0600. Evading Arrest/Public Intoxication: 1:35 a.m. July 4, 4800 Gulf Freeway — A visitor evaded police while under the influence of a controlled substance after a traffic stop. A warrant has been obtained for her arrest. The passenger was issued a Harris County citation for public intoxication. The case is active. Driving While Intoxicated: 1:01 a.m. Thursday, 4900 MLK — A visitor was arrested for driving while intoxicated and transported to Harris County Jail. The case is cleared by arrest. Traffic Offense: 11:16 a.m. Friday, Bayou Oaks Apartments — A student reported someone struck her unattended vehicle and failed to leave the information required by law. The incident occurred between 11:00 p.m. July 4 and 9:45 a.m. Thursday. The case is active. Forgery: 3:30 p.m. Friday, University Center — A former student reported that someone stole his checkbook and is forging checks. The incident occurred between June 23 and July 3. The case is active. Assault/Driving While Intoxicated: 2:37 a.m. Saturday, Energy Research Park — A visitor was arrested for assault and driving while intoxicated and released to Harris County Jail. The case is cleared by arrest.
RETI REMENT
ENROLL
Public Intoxication: 6:35 p.m. Saturday, Robertson Stadium — A visitor was arrested for public intoxication, issued a Harris County citation, and released to a responsible adult. The incident occurred at 8:33 p.m. Saturday. The case is cleared by citation.
Public Intoxication: 9:00 p.m. Saturday, Robertson Stadium — A visitor was arrested for Public Intoxication and released to Harris County Jail. The case is cleared by arrest. Criminal Trespass: 9:39 p.m. Saturday, Robertson Stadium — A visitor was arrested for Criminal Trespass, issued a Harris County citation and released. The case is cleared by citation. Driving while Intoxicated: 2:36 a.m. Sunday, Texas Spur 5 at University — A visitor was arrested for driving while intoxicated and released to Harris County Jail. The case is cleared. Burglary of a Building or Habitation: 2:23 p.m. Sunday, Cullen Oaks Apartments — A student reported that someone burglarized his secured and unattended apartment. The incident occurred between 3:30 p.m. July 2 and 1:30 p.m. Friday. The case is active. Theft: 12:58 p.m. Monday, Garrison Gym — A student reported that someone stole her personal property. The case is inactive. Theft: 2:08 p.m. Monday, Melcher Hall — Two visitors reported that someone stole their unsecured and unattended electronic equipment. The incident occurred between noon and 1:00 p.m. Monday. The case is active. Harassment: 4:18 p.m. Monday, Fleming Building — A faculty member reported receiving a harassing voicemail message from a former student. The incident occurred at 1:30 p.m. Monday. 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
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
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PARKING
Lot 1A to shut in late July Parking spaces to be reallocated after the impending closure for garage construction; students to share spots with members of faculty, staff Ellen Goodacre
THE DAILY COUGAR Student parking Lot 1A, located directly across from Moody Towers, will be closing July 27 to begin the construction of the 1A Parking Garage, which is scheduled to be completed July 2013. This new, five-level garage will hold 1,500 vehicles, but until it is completed, students, faculty and staff who park in Lot 1A will be displaced. “There were only 58 commuter spaces in the lot so it should have little effect on (commuter students),” said Robert Browand, director of Parking and Transportation. “As for the residents, we are holding spaces in the Welcome Center Garage for the first 500 residents that sign up on the Welcome Center Garage Resident wait-list.” Displaced commuter students may park in Lot 4A, the
lot adjacent to Bayou Oaks apartments or Lots 20A and 20C outlaying the East Garage. Faculty and staff with ungated permits will be able to obtain a Welcome Center Garage parking permit valid in the student section. Though the completion of the 1A Garage will add parking spaces on campus, displaced students are still concerned with the limited space as well as the cost of garage parking. “If I didn’t live on campus it’d be impossible (to find a place to park),” said supply chain management junior Joshua Bailey. “Depending on where you are, it can take up to 30 minutes to park between 10 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon. Even though they’re reserving garage spots for students, they need to make it more cost effective. ... Garage parking costs almost $300.” Parking and Transportation knew the decision would cause
parking issues but said there were very few alternatives. “It was necessary to allocate spaces in the student area for faculty and staff,” Browand said. “There are no other faculty/ staff parking lots in that part of campus and the faculty/staff parking at the Welcome Center Garage is small. The only parking lot available in the area would have been Lot 4A which would have displaced students too.” While this transition may cause some difficulties for students, there are other available parking solutions in addition to relocating to the designated lots. “The Stadium Parking Garage is now open and parking is still available,” Browand said “We still have the temporary parking lots on north campus that were put in last year to compensate for the Stadium Garage construction, and parking is available at Energy Research Park.” news@thedailycougar.com
STUDENT LIFE
Housing wants students to comment on its status Residential life installs feedback boxes for residents in dorms and offices Joe Fisher
THE DAILY COUGAR Residential Life and Housing is implementing a new customer service program this summer to make life more enjoyable for oncampus residents and housing tour groups. RLH will place feedback cards at every desk in the Housing office and their other administrative offices so students can give feedback on whether they are having had a good or bad experience living in or visiting the dorms. According to Customer Service Supervisor Rachel Goodlad, the goal of the program is to increase student satisfaction with customer service. “(We want to) revamp the way our department handles customer service,” Goodlad said. “My whole job is to look at the way our department gives customer service and how to improve it. “So when you call us, do we give you the right information right away? When you email us, do we answer right away? That has not always been the case, so my job is to improve any kind of service that you get.” Since students will be able to give feedback to the resident halls, these boxes will need to be checked often. “Right now (the boxes) are going to be checked once a week. If they are being used more often than that then we will check them however often they need
to,” Goodlad said. “Then I will address whatever issues we see in the box.” Students will be able to give “cougar cudos” to the residential staff if they believe they are doing a great job. This sort of system is especially helpful if a residential advisor goes above and beyond what was required from them in their ordinary duties. Architecture sophomore Dominic Wood, after a conflict with his roommate, says he feels it is actually these advisers that make the difference at the school. “I think the RA’s are very helpful, and in my experience, responsive to the students needs even when it’s over something trivial,” Wood said. “I think the strength of the housing system doesn’t lie in the bureaucracy, but in the RA’s. Without the RA’s, I would have so many negative things to say, but overall I’m pleased with my stay in the dorms.” Despite how he is pleased with the result of his situation, Wood is not optimistic about how the feedback boxes will pan out. “(The boxes will be effective) only if people use them, and they will probably only use them if they have something to complain about,” Wood said. The boxes will also serve an alternate use to communicate new services to campus. Literature sophomore Sara Balabanlilar said the boxes will actually be effective in improving
student life in the dorms. “I think residents at UH need to be more proactive about bringing ideas and complaints to the authority’s attention, and therefore getting things fixed,” Balabanlilar said. “By installing comment boxes, it’s that much easier for everyone to put their two cents regarding the pros and cons of living on campus.” They will also be allowed to provide feedback to the residential halls if they have an idea and want it to be used, but the timetable on when these ideas will be used varies. “It depends on what the ideas are, if somebody says I want to have a super bowl party or something then that will happen,” Goodlad said. “If it is something that would take a lot of work, then that would not be able to happen instantly or by next week.” These feedback cards will also give the students the option to remain anonymous or be directly contacted by the Housing office for a follow-up on their idea or their complaint, such as to why they were given wrong information or any other questions they may have. Goodlad hopes this option will close all the gaps on customer service problems. “I want anybody that works for me or works in the department; I want (students) to think that (the department) gave them great service,” Goodlad said. news@thedailycougar.com
Lot 1A will be closed July 27, and parking spaces will be relocated to the Welcome Center Parking Garage. | Hendrick Rosemond/The Daily Cougar
LOOP
BARNES
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continued from page 1
of a patient, which currently includes a camera that can only see in front of it. “Currently, there are no such devices that can detect a loop formation from the exterior of the patient,” Ali said. “If a loop is detected the patients have to maneuver very uncomfortably to unloop the device.” The endoscope is designed with sensors and the GUI gives the operator live feedback of its movement through the digestive tract. The GUI will display the loops formation and location inside the patient and have a voice feedback system that alerts the operator of the proximity to the organs so that said organs will not be harmed via looping during the procedure. In addition to Moges, Luca Pollonini, a research associate at the College of Technology, helped advise the students as they developed the device. The next move for the iLoop, according to Pollonini, is to improve on the initial design, giving it more sensing ability for better guidance. “We are identifying potential sources of funding aimed to move this project forward by integrating more sensors to achieve an improved guidance of the endoscope within the upper GI tract,” Pollonini said.
Barnes also said he wants to give respect to UH president and chancellor, Renu Khator, along with Dean of UHCO Earl Smith. “The University is very fortunate to have them as leaders,” Barnes said. Smith expects the donation to help in the progress of otherwise delayed research and study at the school. “The Barnes gift allows us to equip our new labs and clinical facilities with simply the best instrumentation available,” Smith said. “The key point is that the gift ensures excellence. Instead of waiting possibly years to outfit aspects of the building, we are moving forward now. The important point to note is that when this building is complete, the College of Optometry will have the finest optometric research, teaching and patient care facilities in the world.” The first two floors of the HBSB will be named the Molly and Doug Barnes Vision Institute to commemorate their gift and its effect on the UHCO. The other floors of the HBSB will be used by optometry researchers and scientists from other areas of study such as psychology, computer science, engineering and biology. While Doug and Molly Barnes’ gift puts the UHCO well on its way to state-of-the-art facilities, there is a constant need for funds in the growing University. Vice President for University Advancement Eloise Dunn Stuhr said that often progress comes from the donations from a few generous individuals. “We need more philanthropy in the future to help the University achieve the vision for national competitiveness in all areas,” Stuhr said.
news@thedailycougar.com
EVENT What: Student Government Association senate meeting When: 7:30 p.m. today Where: Rockwell Pavilion- M.D. Anderson Memorial Library Open to: All students, faculty and staff
news@thedailycougar.com
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The Daily Cougar
OPINION
EDITOR Lucas Sepulveda E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion
THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR LIFE & ARTS EDITOR OPINION EDITOR
Joshua Mann David Haydon Julie Heffler Andrew Pate Allen Le Lucas Sepulveda
STAFF EDITORIAL
Grant funds language teacher training course
T
he Monday kickoff luncheon for the STARTALK Texas Teacher program at the A.D. Bruce Religion Center may have a Tex-Mex menu: carne asada, grilled chicken, flour tortillas and green salsa, but the program consists of teaching Chinese as a second language. The 20 enrolled Chinese-language teachers (chosen from 50 applicants, all with bachelors degrees) intend to become capable instructors ready to be certified for teaching Chinese in Texas. It’s no secret that students who want to learn a language in Texas (that isn’t English or Spanish) are out of luck unless their parents can afford private school. According to the CIA World Factbook, only 2.7% of the US speaks a language from east Asia, and Chinese Americans naturally make up a vast portion of these speakers. That’s borderline unacceptable. The STARTALK Texas Teacher program intends to fix that. The graduate course (CHNS 6371 on Peoplesoft) focuses on development, implementation and evaluation of instructors’ abilities to teach Chinese to their students. According to the information on the $100,000 grant UH received for the program, the teachers in the course receive a scholarship that covers tuition & fees, instructional materials and part of the housing cost (for non-commuters) if they complete the program. Teachers who develop a quality project after the program and can share it with the public also get awarded $400. The demands are high. The course began Tuesday and ends July 20, for a total of 70 hours. Since there are no live pupils for the teachers to practice on during the course, the instructors will participate in follow-up sessions on October 13 and November 3 for evaluation. There are sure to be a few skeptics that fear this is a conspiracy, that China intends to take over the US as a communist superpower via language, but hopefully no one will take these thoughts seriously. These are only dedicated Texas teachers learning how to instruct students even more effectively, and The Daily Cougar could not be more pleased with that.
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.
Lack of blood donors sparks urgency
N
o one’s saying that it’s cheap; the cost of your blood — not in the allegorical, story-telling sense, but the nutrient-flowing, metabolic waste eliminating liquid goop — is probably priceless. If you disagree, try Bryan pressing your mother, Washington brother or significant other for some of theirs. You’ll likely find that you aren’t the majority. Even the wildest quadrupeds, living in Siberian ice mounds, underwater caverns or suburban trash bins, share our cultural bias for the costliness of life’s elixir. In fact, the notion is less cultural than essential; it’s just one of the burdens of living. With this in mind, the idea of a blood shortage isn’t exactly implausible. After June’s storms in the Eastern and Midwestern parts of the country, The American Red Cross erected something of a white flag. Donations were stalling, and the organization needed help. It’s run through the social networking gamut, local news dives and university circuits, which explains why the same four nurses appear in front of, behind and inside of your department’s building simultaneously. They’re trying, and they’re making waves; but the results just aren’t tipping the bar. The nonchalance about sharing is causing a dangerous problem. Because the Red Cross supplies about 44 percent of the nation’s blood distribution, there’s reasonable cause for wariness at any sign of a letup. A month’s lows might not sound imperative, but it’s not the sort of rationale that would click with someone awaiting triple bypass surgery or the
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
amputation of a multi-appendage limb. And while it’s fortunate that The Daily Cougar’s average reader is not following along on an operating table, a preconceived distance from circumstances eliciting a transfusion, be it major or minor, is subject to the sort of lack of empathy resulting in a shortage. To put it in perspective, imagine driving to work with only 54 percent of a functioning car engine. Or typing an essay with 7/12 of a keyboard, or enjoying lo mein with 8/20 of a chopstick. Nothing’s impossible, but they have to be at least a little unpleasant. And if the delicacies are crippled from scarcity, imagine the impact it could have on a living organism. Donating blood is important, and we need to pay more
attention during times of urgency. Fluctuations in the Red Cross’ stocks aren’t completely unheard of, the country’s blood stocks tend to mirror its stature as a whole, both politically and physically. Natural disasters don’t seem fruitful, nor do socioeconomic grievances. But in their basest sense, each and every factor is driven by human determinants. In the end, we’re the ones that choose to supply, and we’re the ones that choose not to. And if there’s any chance of reducing the shortage, we’ll have to become a little more adept at adopting shoes that aren’t our own. Bryan Washington is a sociology sophomore and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
Voter ID laws distort the bigger picture
O
ur country has a lot of problems, but despite what Republicans have been saying, voter fraud isn’t one of them. And even if it were, that’s not what they’re worried about. Lucas What Republicans are Sepulveda actually worried about is losing. It used to be just a suspicion. Now it’s pretty clear. Requiring voters to show photo identification sounds completely acceptable. It would appear that every American should have a state-issued photo ID, but for whatever reason, many don’t — 21 million, in fact. It’s important for everybody who is capable of obtaining a photo identification to do so, but sometimes it’s not that easy. For example, 81 out of 254 Texas counties don’t have public safety offices that allow citizens to obtain a government-issued photo identification. This makes it much harder for the elderly and poor minorities, who are statistically less likely to drive a vehicle, to make it to their closest DPS office. It’s not required by law to carry a photo ID, and therefore, it shouldn’t be a law to show one in order to vote. Voting is one of our most basic rights, and we should be encouraging new people to vote, not discouraging the voters we already have. It would be a different story if we had reason to believe that voting fraud was actually distorting our elections. A report
released last year by the Republican National Lawyers Association showed there were 400 nationwide prosecutions of voter fraud between 2000 and 2010. No state had more than four convictions of voter fraud during the 10 years, and 30 states had less than three convictions. It’s hardly an urgent issue. Why then are Republicans so adamant on tightening up voting laws? It seems, since there’s no serious voter fraud issue, that there has to be some other reason. It turns out that many of those affected by the voter ID laws, specifically minorities and young students, tend to vote Democrat. This could be a big game changer come election time, and Republicans know it. In Pennsylvania, for instance, a major swing state, there are more than 750,000 registered voters that don’t have state-issued photo identification. A Pennsylvania win is vital to a victory for the Obama administration, and it’s more than likely that a large chunk of those 700,000-plus voters leaned left. However, unlike Texas’ proposed law, Pennsylvanian students are able to use their student IDs to vote, which will surely drop that number considerably. It’s also worth noting that there hasn’t been a Pennsylvania voter fraud conviction in the last five years. But that’s all just speculation. Assuming that Republicans are conspiring to disenfranchise a major portion of
Many of those affected by the voter ID laws, specifically minorites and young students, tend to vote Democrat.” America’s population is just as presumptuous as Republicans assuming that voter impersonators are infiltrating our voting system. At least, it would have been, if it weren’t for Pennsylvania House Republican Mike Turzai, who proudly — and perhaps too comfortably — claimed the voter ID law would “allow Gov. Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania.” It doesn’t get much clearer than that. It’s time that Republicans stop this horribly unconvincing illusion of being the “defender of the vote.” It’s common knowledge now that the truth is quite the opposite. It’s sad because that kind of desperation isn’t necessary. It’s clear now that Mitt Romney is not going to be the underdog everyone thought he was. Democrats have no reason to feel comfortable during this upcoming election so play fair, Republicans, and keep political agendas out of the legal system. Lucas Sepulveda is a senior creative writing major and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The Daily Cougar
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EDITOR Allen Le E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts
COMMENTARY
MUSEUM DISTRICT
Disney Emperors invade exhibition films profit in times of recession Trend points out that Americans look to heartwarming, positive messages during economic downturns Nick Bell
THE DAILY COUGAR Pixar’s “Brave” debuted No. 1 at the box office its opening weekend, setting another round of records for the Disney subsidiary. The achievement comes on the coattails of “The Avengers’” incredible box office performance that set the film as the third highest-grossing of all time (and counting). The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1923, a few years before Black Tuesday threw world economies into turmoil. Around the Depression era, Disney produced some of its hallmark films (“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Pinocchio,” “Fantasia”) that helped build the company’s repertoire in the world of fantasy storytelling, and it has recently seen a resurgence of high-grossing films. The archetypes of the hero and underdog have always played a huge role in American cinema. Disney specifically has taken its qualities a step further into imaginary worlds and has mastered formulaic works of escapism for almost a century now. Economic downturns have given way to some of Disney’s staggering success in the movie business. The top-grossing Disney films of all time, with a few exceptions, were made either around the time of the Great Depression or within the last few years after the housing bubble. Entertainment companies would love to be as stable as Disney has been in the doldrums of our fiscal crises. This antithetical prosperity begs the question: what do you sell to the masses during gloomy economic outlooks? You sell them dreams. Disney and its subsidiaries have set the bar very high for family entertainment, and recent box-office blockbusters have only confirmed that notion. The fairytale-themed stories and fantasy worlds have repeatedly revealed the need for a catharsis in today’s society. One-third of the top-15 grossing films of all time have been distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and all of them within the last five years. If the film isn’t based off of one of its theme-park rides or a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, chances are it’s a story of hope whereby an abject protagonist rises to fulfill his potential. In modern society, where the importance of many things is based on monetary value, it’s nice to see that stories of hope are still a hot-selling item. Reality doesn’t sell in times of trouble, and recent trends have shown that Disney appears as if it’s recession-proof. The company’s movies in particular shed light on our society’s desire to have our concerns wrapped up in a pretty bow. Cynics might view this as Disney utilizing a philosophy of denial for profits, but in reality Disney hasn’t ramped up the number of films it puts out per year. Plenty of full-grown adults came back to theaters for “Toy Story 3” 15 years after the original was released. Disney isn’t benefiting on a new phenomenon — it is just a trusted purveyor of comfort. If “The Avengers’” foreign influence (Thor, the Nordic superhero), ingenuity (Iron Man), patriotism (Captain America) and muscle (Hulk) combating evil forces as one doesn’t sound like a sales pitch to a downtrodden generation, I don’t know what does. arts@thedailycougar.com
Houstonians have less than eight weeks left to view the “Warriors, Tombs and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy” exhibition. | Courtesy of Houston Museum of Natural Science
Darlene Campos
THE DAILY COUGAR The Houston Museum of Natural Science is currently hosting “Warriors, Tombs, and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy,” an extension of the famed 2009 exhibition “Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China’s First Emperor.” “The objects in the exhibition are drawn from three of the greatest and most important dynasties in Chinese history: Qin, Han and Tang dynasties,” said HMNS Curator of Anthropology Dirk Van Tuerenhout.
“This exhibit displays objects from three, rather than one, dynasties. The time period covered is therefore also more extensive. Instead of reviewing 20 years of history, this exhibit spans 1,100 years. Moreover, some of the Qinera Terra Cotta Warrior statues shown in “Warriors, Tombs and Temples” are recent discoveries; they were excavated while our previous show (“Terra Cotta Warriors”) was here.” “Warriors, Tombs and Temples” has four never-before-seen Terra Cotta Warriors straight from the mausoleum of Emperor Qin, the first emperor of China. Fearful of death, Emperor Qin
ordered the construction of a Terra Cotta army for his mausoleum to serve as protection for his unknown afterlife. Emperor Qin’s mausoleum is so unique to history that it is named the eighth wonder of the world. One of the warriors currently on display has a feature none of the previous Terra Cotta Warriors had — a face with green paint still intact after more than 2,000 years. In addition to the army of Emperor Qin’s mausoleum, the exhibition also contains Terra Cotta Warriors from the tomb of Han Dynasty Emperor Gaozu. The statues of Emperor Gaozu’s warriors are not as tall as the warriors of Emperor Qin, but they do contain distinct details in their facial features as well as battle armor. With three dynasties being presented, the exhibition contains over 200 artifacts, including simple, everyday items from ancient China to lavish statues of Buddha and his reliquary from the Famen Temple that is believed to contain his finger bone. There is also an interesting painting which outlines the actions of a game of polo, showing how the Western World was playing a part in the Far East. “Warriors, Tombs and Temples” is an exhibition that presents not only Terra Cotta Warriors and Buddha’s influence in China, but also the lives of the ancient Chinese elite class to the commoners.The dynasties of China are long gone, but their history is still very much alive. “Warriors, Tombs, and Temples: China’s Enduring Legacy” will be on display until September 3. For more information, visit www.hmns.org or call (713) 639-4629. HMNS recommends purchasing tickets in advance due to the extreme popularity of this exhibition. HMNS is located at 5555 Herman Park Drive. arts@thedailycougar.com
CINEMA
Cartoonish acting in action thriller R-rated film about druglords, marijuana grosses $16.2 million in opening weekend Edgardo Aguilar
THE DAILY COUGAR Director Oliver Stone returns to the big screen with a new gritty, sexual and violent film. Adapted from Don Winslow’s book of the same name, “Savages” takes you into the world of two California drug dealers who are unaware that they are involved in a love triangle with their shared-girlfriend as the three take on a powerful Mexican cartel. Stone offers up a decent film that reminds viewers of his past efforts like “Natural Born Killers.” While the story line is interesting, the real problem comes down to the three young leads that are overshadowed by the veteran supporting actors. Ex-Navy SEAL Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and his peace-loving hippie friend Ben (Aaron Johnson) are living an extravagant lifestyle by selling designer marijuana. Life is perfect until the head of the
Baja Cartel, Elena Sanchez (Salma Hayek) decides to move in and demands a partnership. When they refuse her offer, Elena sends her enforcer Lado (Benicio Del Toro) to kidnap their girlfriend Ophelia or O (Blake Lively), as she prefers to be called. With the help of corrupt Drug Enforcement Administration agent Dennis (John Travolta), Chon and Ben go head-to-head against Elena to rescue O. Much of the two hour-long film’s plot is explained via O’s voice-over. She not only explains what is going on, but also elaborates on the characters since there is no real in-depth exploration of them because of what seems like a lack of interest on behalf of the three screenwriters. The script also lacks simple explanations like how Chon, Ben and O’s relationship formed, how the boys came into contact with Dennis and how Elena knew about the boys. As the film continues, the focus
transitions from the three main characters to the supporting cast. Kitsch and Lively’s performance seem flat and they try to do what they can with their characters, but there is no real intent to make them grow. Johnson is left to do most of the heavy dramatic lifting, as his character is the only one with some complexity. He sets aside his peace-loving ways and is forced to become ruthless to rescue O. The better performances come from Del Toro, Hayek and Travolta. Travolta interjects some humor with his sometimes-manic agent, Del Toro easily plays a diabolical hitman while not going over the top, and Hayek’s Elena plays a powerful, merciless woman with a soft side. Even though the three antagonists may come off a bit cartoonish a times, they are still far much more interesting than Kitsch, Johnson and Lively. arts@thedailycougar.com
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
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Rooms for Rent Childcare part time exchange for housing! You would provide daily transportation for two children to school (7:15 a.m. & 7:45 a.m.) and sometimes from school (3:00 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.). About 10-15 hours childcare per week and in exchange you may live in our home. There is private access to one bedroom and one bath in rear of our home. Use of pool and all bills included. You must be able to share the kitchen, although a mini fridge at your expense would be acceptable. No overnight guests permitted. Email erickalomaxdeleon@ hotmail.com
HOUSE FOR RENT 2 bedroom 1 bath. New stainless steel kitchen; hardwood & travertine floors. Washer & Dryer. High fenced yard. Pets welcome. 4 minutes to U of H. $800 per month, plus refundable deposit. Far more house and value than the $800 per month suggests. Must see to appreciate. Call Jack @ 832-212-0436 or email rushlegal@aol.com
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Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, Senior Pastor Rev. Willaim A. Lawson, Pastor Emeritus 3826 Wheeler Avenue Houston, Texas 77004 713-748-5240 WWW.WHEELERBC.ORG
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Tutoring In-Home Galleria Area Tutoring. We are looking for dependable, caring academic tutors to work with students grades 1-12 one-on-one in their homes (in the galleria area) during after school hours and possibly on weekends for the 2012-2013 school year. Compensation is $25/hour. Please send resume and unofficial transcript to hometutoring@aol. com or call 713.572.3533 for more information. SELL YOUR STUFF. Buy a Classified ad and reach thousands of potential buyers in the UH community.
Bulletin Board Basic IT and network support for local based Houston business, Discover Gymnastics. resolve basic IT issues that come up day to day such as installation and maintenance of software programs, basic wifi networking, maintenance and update of our website, and other ad-hoc tasks. special projects within the business such as rolling out Google Drive/Docs to the general staff and assisting them with any queries. If you are able to take over the technical management of our social media initiatives (Blog, FaceBook, Constant Contact, etc) then we can negotiate a higher rate. Some of the work can be done remotely from your home/office but at least 10 hours should be on location.Email dawn@ discovergymnastics.com
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
SPORTS
The Daily Cougar
EDITOR Andrew Pate E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports
FOOTBALL
VOLLEYBALL
Sims named to Maxwell Award watch list
New players gear up for last season in C-USA
Houston running back Charles Sims, known for his bursts of speed and electrifying play-making ability, has earned a spot on the Maxwell Award watch list. The list, which is put together by the Maxwell Football Club’s selection committee, evaluates past performance and future potential and has been awarded to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate football player dating back to 1937. After redshirting in 2010, Sims rushed for 821 yards on just 110 carries (7.5 yards per carry) while catching 51 passes for 575 yards last season on top of being named a C-USA First Team All-American in 2011. The junior has compiled more than 2,300 total yards and accounted for 23 touchdowns since his freshman season. This is the fourth consecutive season UH has been featured on the list, the previous three seasons being highlighted by former quarterback Case Keenum. SMU running back Zach Line is the only other C-USA player featured on this year’s list. Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Oct. 29, and three finalists will be unveiled on Nov. 19. On Dec. 6, the winner will be announced at the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show. — Andrew Pate
As a freshman last season, Caitlin Ogletree appeared in 29 matches, earning C-USA All Freshman honors while leading the team in aces (30) and assists (1215). | File photo/The Daily Cougar
Ricardo Rivera
THE DAILY COUGAR Head coach Kaddie Platt will welcome four new additions to the UH volleyball team for the 2012 season. Transfers Abby Simmons (Utah), Cortney Warren (Alabama) and Kaiti Waters (Houston Baptist) will join freshman Shelby Vance as incoming student-athletes for the Cougars in their final season in C-USA competition. Given that UH lost All-American Lucy Charuk and outside hitter Ingrida Zauere — two major offensive weapons in the past several seasons — to graduation, the eight returning Cougars hope to utilize the incoming players for a more up-tempo style offense. “These girls are really used to a face pace of play,” returning setter Caitlin Ogletree said. “Given that our pace of play is going to be a
lot quicker than last year now that we’ve lost Lucy (Charuk), it’ll really be great for these girls to step in and not miss a beat.” At middle blocker, Houston Baptist University transfer Kaiti Waters brings much needed experience under first-year head coach Platt, who spent 17 seasons at HBU before accepting the job at UH. In her freshman year, Waters was an integral part of HBU’s net game and helped lead the Huskies to a 22-9 overall record and third-place finish in the Great West Conference. “Kaiti has stepped right in and knew what was expected,” Ogletree said. “She’s spent time with coach Kaddie at HBU, so she understands what coach is pushing here with this team. I think in the long-term it’ll be great to have someone who understands the system and has a lot of experience playing under this staff.” Setter Abby Simmons, who has been nominated three times to the
Mountain West All-Academic Team, joins the Cougars from the University of Utah. Simmons will look to compete for the starting setter position with Ogletree, who earned the starting nod from former UH head coach Molly Alvey in her freshman year. Although she racked up impressive numbers and earned three C-USA Setter of the Week awards in the 2011 season, Ogletree does not assume her position is locked for the 2012 season. “I think everything is up for grabs right now,” Ogletree said. “She brings in tough competition, and with the system changing a little, I hope I can push her and she can push me. I’m excited to compete again and really dig in with these new girls.” UH will open the 2012 season August 24 at the Sports Import Classic at Ohio State. sports@thedailycougar.com
FILE PHOTO/ THE DAILY COUGAR
MLB
Bourn’s second career All-Star Game appearance highlights successes for Cougars in major leagues Former UH star Michael Bourn made his second appearance in the MLB’s All-Star Game Tuesday, this time representing the Atlanta Braves for the National League. The outfielder is having the best offensive season of his career, hitting .311, including a career-best seven homeruns during the first half. Bourn’s first appearance in the midsummer classic came in 2010 with the Houston Astros when he became the fourth former UH player to make the All-Star squad. Woody Williams (2003, St. Louis Cardinals), Doug Drabek (1994, Pittsburgh Pirates) and Tom Paciorek (1981, Seattle Mariners) round out the list. Four other Cougars have seen action in the major leagues this season, including catcher Chris Snyder (Houston Astros), pitcher Jesse Crain (Chicago White Sox), catcher Rob Johnson (New York Mets) and pitcher Brad Lincoln (Pittsburgh Pirates). Lincoln has served as a well-rounded asset starting and in the bullpen for the first-place Pirates, compiling a 4-2 record and 2.98 ERA in 55.1 innings pitched. In Chicago, Crain battled with stints on the DL because of his right shoulder but has been superb in his time on the mound with a 2.38 ERA in 22.1 innings pitched. — Andrew Pate
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Wednesday, July 11,Cougar 2012 ■ 8 The Daily
Hamilton joins men’s basketball Former Tulane assistant brings decade of coaching experience, excellence in recruiting to Houston Christopher Shelton THE DAILY COUGAR The UH men’s basketball program added another coach into the fold — assistant Ronnie Hamilton from Tulane, Head Coach James Dickey announced. Hamilton, known for his ability to recruit and plan, comes to Houston after spending two seasons at rival Tulane. “I’ve never wanted to be pigeon-holed or labeled as one role – as a recruiter or as a Xsand-Os guy,” Hamilton said. “I’ve always wanted to do everything because ultimately I would like
to be a head coach.” hands-on experience right away, In fact, the Duke graduate which helped early in my coachwas in charge of ing career.” (Hamilton) has the aforemenAs a tioned tasks at former cola lot of contacts North Carolinalege football in different areas player, HamPembroke, his first coaching so I thought that he gave us a ilton said he stop, where he different dimension. He’ll be a understands was a graduate the pressures assistant from great mentor and role model of being a stu2003-2005. dent-athlete for our players.” “I got to do and can relate James Dickey, on the hire of new coach to the balanceverything,” Ronnie Hamilton from Tulane ing act, which Hamilton said. “I was the strength has paid divicoach. I was dends in his the recruiting coordinator. I did ability to recruit talented players. workouts. It allowed me a lot of Dickey recognized Hamilton’s
talent while he was on the other side of the floor. “We knew coach Hamilton because we competed against him at Tulane and we’ve obviously been very impressed with the players that he helped Coach [Ed] Conroy bring in,” Dickey said. “He is a quality person, a relentless recruiter, a very good basketball coach (and is) extremely dedicated to the profession.” Entering the Big East offers UH the opportunity to become a more nationally-recognized program. As a member of one of the
best college basketball conferences, UH will have the appeal of national exposure to offer talented players who might not otherwise consider the UH program. Hamilton, through his ties across the country, brings new opportunities to land talent in areas once foreign to UH’s recruiting inroads. “(Hamilton) has a lot of contacts in different areas, so I thought that he gave us a different dimension,” Dickey said. “He’ll be a great mentor and role model for our players.” sports@thedailycougar.com
SUMMER 2012 Learning Support Needs Student tutors Math & Science Skills is a plus! Apply online at: www.las.uh.edu
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FREE TUTORING Learning Support Services Room N109 Cougar Village (Building # 563) Schedule available at www.las.uh.edu Mon and Tue 10:00 am - 7:00 pm Wed and Thu 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Friday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: N112 Cougar Village (Building 563) Length: 50 min. Please be on time. No admittance after 5 min. past the hour. Register:“Workshop Signup” at www.las.uh.edu/lss On-line registration is necessary to optain a spot
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Making connections on campus
T6/5 @4pm; Th6/7 @2pm
The Challenger Program
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Time management
T6/12 @11am; F6/15 @1pm
The Challenger Program is designed to assist you in every way possible to complete a post-secondary education at UH.
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College level reading
M6/18 @2pm; Th6/21 @11am
4
Note Taking
T6/26 @2pm; W6/27 @4pm
5
Studying in the Natural Sciences
M7/2 @2pm; F7/6 @10am
6
Overcoming Procrastination M7/9 @10am; W7/11 @1pm
7
Improving memory
T7/17 @9am; W7/18 @3pm
8
Critical Thinking
T7/24 @12pm; F727 @2pm
9
Time Management
T7/31 @4pm; F8/3 @4pm
9
Improving Concentration
M7/30 @11am; Th8/2 @2pm
10
Goal Setting
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