LIFE AND ARTS
ORGANIZATIONS
FOOTBALL
City council member speaks to students
Former Cougar comes back
UH-D grad motivates Cougars to get active in local government. SEE PAGE 8
Oakland Raiders DJ Hayden comes back to Houston for a game against the Texans. SEE PAGE 7 OCTOBER
CALENDAR CHECK: 16
Actress Eva Longoria will visit campus for a banquet as a key note speaker
THE DAILY COUGAR
T H E
O F F I C I A L
S T U D E N T
Issue 47, Volume 79
N E W S PA P E R
O F
T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
O F
Thursday, November 14, 2013
H O U S T O N
S I N C E
1 9 3 4
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM
RESEARCH
Information hub to put cork in oil spills Olivia Schultze Staff writer
UH is establishing a virtual research center in collaboration with two other Texas universities in order to prevent another oil spill like BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident. The Ocean Energy Research Institute will act as an information-sharing
liaison between government, science, academic and industry organizations, as outlined by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and will be a joint project between the University, Texas A&M University and the University of Texas. A $5 million federal grant will enable these three universities to
research and implement offshore drilling safety and environmental protection during their five-year contract, according to BSEE in its grant proposal. Ramanan Krishnamoorti, chief energy officer and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is one of the co-principal investigators
who came up with the idea, drafted the plan and compiled researchers for the OER Institute, which will be virtual. He emphasized that all three universities are entering into this project equally and will serve key functions, though their specific roles are still being defined. “This is a huge task; not any one
Against the odds
The Student Government Association commemorated the memory of those who have served in continuation of the spirit of Veterans Day on Wednesday in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. Student service members and campus officials enjoyed lunch and listened to a special keynote speaker, the Veterans Education Coordinator at Texas Veterans Commission, Ralph B. DeVaul.
Former Cougar with disability shatters expectations, becomes entrepreneur Daniela Di Napoli Contributing writer
“The opportunity costs of export are too high. The one thing John and I can agree on: if you export, prices will go up. No matter what study you look at, they all agree on that,” Morrison said. “We’re four, five years into this energy revolution. Why are we so quick to now export this to our economic competitors?” Environmental science sophomore Margarita Reza said the debate
Alumnus Justin Farley came to UH with one thing in mind: He wanted to become an entrepreneur. His education at the C.T. Bauer College of Business led him to become the founder and CEO of his own company. Farley, who was born with cerebral palsy, said he was tired of people telling him he couldn’t do things because of his disability. When he saw that the domain name for UNlimiters. com was available, he and his father purchased it. “The name came from me not liking anyone to tell me I’m limited. I thought it was the perfect name for a store. I think people would like buying things that un-limit,” Farley said. UNlimiters is an Internet start-up that sells products such as assistive technology and wheelchair accessories to people with disabilities. These products are designed to help those who have limited mobility lead a more independent life.
DEBATE continues on page 3
LIMITS continues on page 3
Estaban Portillo/The Daily Cougar
SCIENCE
Liquefying debate stirs up concerns Staff writer
Exploration of liquefied natural gas was the main topic covered in a debate held by the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics as part of the Energy Symposium Series at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The debate was between chief economist of the American Petroleum Institute John Felmy, who has 30 years of experience in energy, economic and environmental analysis,
OIL continues on page 3
ALUMNI
Lunch with heroes
Lesley Saenz
institute or individual could do this. Together, we’re better at being able to communicate,” Krishnamoorti said. UT Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Department Chair and professor Tad Patzek sees a bright future for the OER Institute.
and Scott Morrison, the government affairs manager for the American Public Gas Association. Felmy and Morrison discussed the main concern with exporting LNG, which is natural gas that has been temporarily converted into a liquid, generally for storage and transportation purposes. Felmy debated that LNG exporting is a good idea for the United States He argued that exporting will increase supply and demand.
“If you look at the statistics and studies, they are supportive of this. It will help the whole economy, expand the natural gas export facilities and develop more natural gas and oil supplies,” Felmy said. “The key plea we have is to approve the projects and let the market work.” Scott Morrison and APGA opposed the export of LNG. He said digging a little deeper will help people understand why they choose to oppose the export.
The Daily Cougar
2 \\ Thursday, November 14, 2013
CALENDAR Today Men’s basketball: The Cougars will battle it out against the University of Texas at San Antonio at 7 p.m. at Hofheinz Pavilion. Students with their UH ID get in free.
Friday Speaker: KTRK ABC 13 meteorologist Casey Curry will visit campus to speak about the broadcast and communications industry as part of the UH International Association of Business Communicators’ Cougar Paws for the Cause campaign from 11 a.m. to noon at the Elizzabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion on the second floor of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. Lecture: Visiting professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong will talk about the intersection of science and ethics in “Does Neuroscience Undermine Responsibility?” from 3 to 5 p.m. in Philip Guthrie Hoffman Hall, Room 232. Theater: “Brick Wall,” a play about three stand-up comics at an Atlantic City casino, will premiere from 7 to 9 p.m. at the School of Theater and Dance in the Quintero Lab Theater. Student tickets are $10. Music: Internationally known
trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard will perform in “Jazz Orchestra: The Music of Terence Blanchard” from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Moores Opera House. Student ticket price is $7. Movie: CEO will screen the Bollywood movie “Bride and Prejudice” and have free food and henna at 6 p.m. at Lynn Eusan Park.
Saturday Games: UH Libraries will host “Game On, Cougars,” an afternoon of board and video games, including Xbox and Wii tournaments, with free food and beverages, from noon to 6 p.m. in the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion of the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library. Banquet: Actress Eva Longoria will be a keynote speaker at the 17th Annual Noche Cultural Scholarship Banquet from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Hilton College.
Saturday Music: Professor Nancy Weems will perform works by Bach-Busoni, Brahms, Schumann and other composers in a performance called “Bits and Pieces: Smaller Musical Treasures” from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Dudley Recital Hall in the School of Art. Admission is $7 for students.
If you would like to suggest an event for The Daily Cougar calendar, please submit a time, date, location and brief description to calendar@thedailycougar.com. The Cougar calendar runs every Monday and Thursday.
CONTACT US Newsroom (713) 743-5360 editor@thedailycougar.com facebook.com/thedailycougar twitter.com/thedailycougar
Advertising (713) 743-5340 advertising@thedailycougar.com thedailycougar.com/advertising
Student Publications (713) 743-5350 stupub@uh.edu www.uh.edu/sp Room 7, UC Satellite Student Publications University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015
Issue staff Copy editing Joshua Cochran
Copy chief
ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer and online at thedailycougar. com. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy is free. Additional copies cost 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 tips and story ideas to the editors. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@ thedailycougar.com. A “Submit news” form is available at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the consent of the director of Student Publications.
David Bryant
Closing editors Natalie Harms, Channler K. Hill, Jenae Sitzes
The Daily Cougar is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. studentpress.org/acp
Thursday, November 14, 2013 // 3
The Daily Cougar
NEWS EDITOR
LIMITS
continued from page 1
Health junior Diana Vega has a brother in the military, and she hopes, if he ever got injured, he would be able to still lead a life. “My brother is such an active man. If he got injured in some way, I would want him to be able to lead an independent life,” Vega said. “What Justin Farley is doing is great. He is helping people get rid of the disability stereotype.” UH played a big role in the
Laura Gillespie
news@thedailycougar.com
founding of UNlimiters. Farley always wanted to be an entrepreneur. Houston was the closest college with an entrepreneurship program, so he decided on UH. “I didn’t know it was rated number one until I was here for a year,” Farley said. “Then I learned it was top-rated, and I was excited. UH ... offered me a chance to be a part of the business plan team, and because they liked my plan so much, they wanted to use my idea to compete against different colleges. That business plan is what I used to start UNlimiters.”
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/news
Pre-nursing senior Leira Ortiz is glad someone is trying to break stereotypes about people with disabilities. “While I do know there are other companies like this out there, I don’t think I have heard of one being led by a person who has passion for people and business,” Ortiz said. “Most companies like this are run simply from the business end. What Justin is doing shows the world that just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you’re disabled.”
Let your next Apartment Complex
HAVE IT ALL! ALL UTILITIES PAID! s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s
news@thedailycougar.com
Close to campus 24-hour gate attendants Courtesy patrol Free covered parking Fitness facility Game room Video library 17 pools Jacuzzi Onsite minimarket 9 laundry facilities 75+ cable channels* Huge walk-in closets Brick accent walls Washers & dryers**
* Available ** Available In select units
For more info:
713.660.3000 5815 Gulfton Dr. Houston, TX 77081
Chief economist of the American Petroleum Institute John Felmy, and Scott Morrison, the government affairs manager for the American Public Gas Association, pictured, debated the topic of liquefied natural gas Tuesday at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar
DEBATE
continued from page 1
put things in perspective for her. “They both brought up good pros and cons about LNG export and the impact it would have, not just on the economy, but also on the environment,” Reza said. “I’m glad they talked about who would benefit more from this, the companies or the communities. My position right now is to
OIL
continued from page 1
“(The institute) will be a place to do cutting-edge research. The institute will not be a brick-and-mortar building — it will be a virtual institute run at the universities,” Patzek said in an interview with The Daily Texan. The Ocean Energy Safety Advisory Committee of the Department of the Interior said it began brainstorming about this institute during the cleanup of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill as it realized the need for regular information sharing. It has since conducted discussions
oppose LNG export, but I will do my research to back up my decision.” The audience was involved in the debate by asking questions on related issues, like where the issue will play out, who will decide what will be done, whether exporting LNG is easier or cheaper, and why we should export LNG. If hesitation occurs, Felmy said, a lot could be lost. “What it will mean if we develop this opportunity: We’re going to have
and eventually a recommendation that led to a grant proposal and applicant evaluation. A&M, UT and UH presented a joint proposal and won the national bid, which Patzek said was a big deal. The oil and gas industry is continually developing new technologies, prompting this need for increased communication among field experts and government regulators. With the rate that technology is moving, Krishnamoorti said the OESAC will provide the materials and structures for a rapidly adapting industry. The OESAC will publish quarterly reports, as outlined in its grant proposal, allowing all involved fields to
millions of jobs, trillions of dollars of investment and hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue. If we don’t act now in the case of LNG export, we can lose that bargain,” Felmy said. The College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics’ Energy Symposium Series will have two more debates held next year, one on Feb. 11 on climate change and the other on March 4 on renewable energy. news@thedailycougar.com
keep up-to-date on energy developments and risks. Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes sees this as a step toward the future of the oil and gas industry, where information sharing will continue to grow in importance. “As we continue to expand domestic energy production, this institute will enable all segments of industry, government, academia and other stakeholders to stay informed about and engaged in changes in offshore energy development as they occur,” Hayes said in an interview with BSEE. news@thedailycougar.com
UHV’s Second Degree BSN provides nursing opportunities for UH graduates
COFFEE continues on page 3
Are you interested in making critical-care decisions for sicker, frailer patients, and using sophisticated technology and health information management systems that require advanced analysis and synthesis skills? Are you interested in working in alternative health care settings, coordinating health care workers from a wide range of disciplines and helping patients manage chronic diseases? This is nursing today! If you answered “yes” and want to make a difference, then use your first bachelor’s degree from UH to propel Kathryn Tart you into the University of Houston-Victoria’s is the dean Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing of the UHV program. School of Nursing.
UHV’s Second Degree BSN is the only prelicensure nursing program in the UH System. The program is taught on the UH Sugar Land campus. Students are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN after completing the full-time, high-intensity program in just 12 months. The application deadline is Oct. 1, and accepted students start in January. The Second Degree BSN is fully accredited by the Texas Board of Nursing, and all of the UHV School of Nursing’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. For more information, contact an adviser or come to an information session. You can get more information at uhv.edu/nursing. We are here to provide innovative nursing excellence, leadership and quality. Come join the future of nursing at UHV!
The Daily Cougar
4 \\ Thursday, November 14, 2013
OPINION EDITOR James Wang EMAIL
opinion@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/opinion
CITY
GUEST COLUMN
Voter irresponsibility elects wrong man
Childhood hunger still plagues Texas
M
ost of our politicians lie. As a nation, we choose to allow most of our esteemed leaders a certain amount of leeway, a queue of how many white lies we’ll chalk up to the nature of the game before we start holding them accountable. Some politiCara cians go above Smith and beyond, crossing the line so severely that we’re forced to show ourselves a little self-respect and call them out on it. Impeach them. Leave them to the mercy of Perez Hilton. For one politician, the only way to win a local election was to convince his voters he’s a race that’s different from his own. It’s 2013, but based on the criteria too many people use to figure out who gets their vote, we might as well still be riding around in horse-pulled buggies. Dave Wilson recently won an election that gave him a seat on the Board of Trustees in the Houston Community College System. Dave Wilson campaigned by spreading around fliers implying that Ron Wilson, a former state representative and AfricanAmerican, endorsed him.
Relying on one flier provided to you by the guy’s that trying to get your vote, no less- is an incredibly insufficient methodology of determining who gets your vote.” Cara Smith, on the irresponsibility of voters who voted Dave Wilson based on information that could be proved false by Google
A
Wilson spread around flier after flier, suggesting to the voters in his majority black district that he was, in fact, a black man. No, he never outright said it. Taking a far more insidious route, Wilson instead pulled results from the Google searches I imagine consisted of things like “likeable, friendly black man” and “pretty African-American woman.” He covered his fliers in the images of innocuous African-Americans, and only African-Americans, with a slogan imploring the voter to support their friend. If you haven’t already figured it out, Dave Wilson is a white man, and if this isn’t one of the most frank lessons on how today’s political system works, I’m just not sure what is. According to KHOU, Wilson won the election instead of HCC’s incumbent for the past 24 years, Bruce Austin. Deceiving
EDITORIAL BOARD Channler K. Hill Natalie Harms WEB EDITOR Jenae Sitzes NEWS EDITOR Laura Gillespie SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Shelton LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Paulina Rojas PHOTO EDITOR Fernando Castaldi OPINION EDITOR James Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS Jessica Crawford, Nora Olabi, Justin Tijerina, Monica Tso, Andrew Valderas MANAGING EDITOR
VOTER continues on page 11
HUNGER continues on page 11
David Delgado/ The Daily Cougar
THE DAILY COUGAR EDITOR IN CHIEF
disclaimer at the bottom. Ah, and then there was part two of his experiment that, unfortunately, confirmed Wilson’s hypothesis — Wilson’s voters cared more about his skin color than they ever could have his principles. All it would’ve taken is a simple Google search of Dave Wilson to figure out that he’s not African-American. Relying on one flier — provided to you by the guy who’s trying to get your vote, no less — is an incredibly insufficient method of determining who gets your vote. Relying on the fact that somebody’s a particular race, however, is just downright despicable. The only reason, presumably, that Wilson won is based on the fact that his voters thought he was black. We’ll never know for sure,
ccording to the United States Department of Agriculture, 16.7 million children under 18 live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough nutritious food, which is necessary for a healthy life. To put it into perspective, Texas has the second-largest number of starving children in the nation. The saying goes, “everything is bigger in Texas,” and that includes childhood hunger. Childhood hunger is portrayed in the media as an international problem, yet many fail to realize the child hunger epidemic in our own backyards here in the state of Texas. My mother was a single mother of twins, and she worked multiple jobs to support our family. Despite all her hard work, sometimes she was unable to put food on the table. I’m sure many of you are thinking, “Well, don’t they feed children in schools?” Yes, some students are fed at school, since they qualify for school lunch programs. However, in order for a family of three to qualify for free lunch, they have to make less than $25,389 a year. So, for many low-to-middle-class families, they are stuck between a rock and hard place. They make more than the income eligibility requirement, but they can’t afford to send their children to school with lunch every single day or give them lunch money. Houston is a city of more than 100,000 diners, fast food chains and restaurants, yet “your next-door neighbor, fellow church member or your child’s classmate will go to bed hungry tonight,” according to David Nasby of General Mills. One in four children in the Houston area are food-insecure;
your voters isn’t something to be dismissed as an imperfect part of a grander social experiment — but then again, Wilson didn’t tell an outright lie by any means. Yes, there was a photograph of Ron Wilson on Wilson’s fliers. Yes, the photos featured a tagline, saying that Ron supported Dave. However, what some might not report is that there was also a disclaimer at the bottom of his fliers, which read, “Ron Wilson and Dave Wilson are cousins.” Ron and Dave aren’t related in the slightest. Dave Wilson just happens to have a cousin in Iowa that’s named Ron. “He’s a nice cousin,” Wilson said, according to KHOU. “We played baseball in high school together. And he’s endorsed me.” So, part one of Dave’s trickery is just as unacceptable as it is comical, excluding the racial undertones of his preventable deception — i.e. reading the
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. 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 limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 7435384. All submissions are subject to editing.
Thursday, November 14, 2013 // 5
The Daily Cougar
OPINION CAMPUS
UH in need of downtown bike rental system
Y
ou wouldn’t really consider Houston to be a bike-friendly city, with its aggressive traffic, but earlier this year, Houston became one of 14 cities to start the B-Cycle program. According to Catalina Florian Martin Campos from KUHF News, there was hesitation for Houston to start using B-Cycle, as it could seem unrealistic for the program to flourish in a downtown geared to the businessman. However, Martin wrote, “the model turned out to be quite successful. So successful that the program has now been expanded to 21 stations with 175 bikes from the initial three locations with a total of 18 bikes.” Houstonians are enjoying this new program that promotes a pollution-free and healthy way to travel around the downtown area. The only obstacle that will bring hesitation to the minds of many Houstonians is the fact that
Houston doesn’t have a law that requires drivers and bicyclists to share the same road. The B-Cycle program can be seen as a catalyst to change the driving laws in Houston in order to keep cyclists safe. The one place where a program like B-Cycle would be beneficial would be here on our Cougar campus. Many times we’ve been late to class, on the verge of losing attendance points on our final grade and just wish to hitch a ride one of those golf carts riding around campus. Or seeing the ever-so-popular student who always rode a unicycle to class, possibly always making it on time. I know for a fact that if a bike rental program were accessible on campus, I would definitely use it to get to class on time. Mechanical engineering junior Jaison Thomas is enthusiastic about a bike rental program on campus. “Lots of students park quite far away from campus. Bike
David Delgado/ The Daily Cougar rental would definitely benefit them. Getting around the campus would be a lot quicker on two wheels,” Thomas said. Since UH is a commuter school, there are numerous
x
parking lots spread all around the vicinity of campus, with students often parking as far as the Energy Research Park. A student would have an easier time making it to class on time on a bike rather
than waiting for a shuttle that is often packed with students. Organizational leadership and supervision junior Khyl Pena BIKE continues on page 11
x
YOU BE THE JUDGE Making the decision to attend law school is huge. You can feel confident and comfortable with the right choice. At South Texas College of Law/Houston you will find: x an exceptional faculty x
x
x
an advocacy program rated No.1 in the nation by the Blakely Advocacy Institute affordable tuition rates, as evidenced by a “Best Value” private law school ranking in The National Jurist magazine the Randall O. Sorrells Legal Clinic, which houses more than 10 direct-service clinics, academic externships and a vibrant volunteer pro bono program
x
an award-winning legal research and writing staff
x
a broad and flexible curriculum
x
a helpful and knowledgeable staff
x
x
more than 30 student organizations that provide a nurturing social environment and opportunities for community service a downtown location close to major law firms and corporations for enhanced job opportunities
Deadline for fall, 2014 admission is February 15, 2014
SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW/HOUSTON Houston’s Oldest Law School, 713.646.1810 t www.stcl.edu x
x
The Daily Cougar
6 \\ Thursday, November 14, 2013
SPORTS EDITOR
Christopher Shelton
sports@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/sports
Cougars go bird hunting against the Cardinals For the second straight week, UH will be on the road for a nationally televised game with conference implications. After dropping its first American Athletic Conference game, UH prepares for Louisville, which boasts a Heisman candidate at quarterback and a talented defense.
Freshman quarterback John O’ Korn, sophomore running back Kenneth Farrow and junior receiver Daniel Spencer have been instrumental in the Cougars’ success all season, combining for nearly 80 percent of the team’s offense. UH believes that establishing the running game with Farrow and sophomore running back Ryan Jackson will be instrumental to defeating Louisville on Saturday and is using practice to prepare. | Photos by Caitlin Hilton/The Daily Cougar
Thursday, November 14, 2013 // 7
The Daily Cougar
SPORTS BRIEFS
ANALYSIS
Hayden returns to Bayou City
Ground game key to upset bid
The Daily Cougar news services Former UH cornerback D.J. Hayden will make his way back to Houston for a contest against his former college quarterback. Hayden, who was selected as the 12th pick in the 2013 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, and his team will face the Houston Texans on Sunday at Reliant Stadium. The Texans have former UH quarterback Case Keenum piloting their offense. It will be the first time the two have faced each other since the practice fields at UH. It will be an Hayden interesting match to watch, said head football coach Tony Levine. “Case (will be) trying to throw the ball and DJ trying to defend it, but I know one thing about those two: They’re as competitive as two young men I’ve ever been around,� Levine said. “Before the game, they certainly have a lot to talk about; during the game, they’re both going to try and win it for their respective teams.� Cougars add basketball commit UH added Wesleyan Christian Academy point guard JaQuel Richmond to its 2014-15 signing class when he signed a National Letter of Intent, head coach James Dickey announced Wednesday. Richmond spurned recruitment by Tennessee, Texas A&M, Florida State and Creighton to join UH. “We are excited to welcome JaQuel to the University of Houston,� Dickey said in a statement. “He is an exciting, young player with speed and quickness. He is a very good leader and can score.� Richmond was ranked as a 3-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals.com and Scout.com and will compete as a freshman with the Cougars during the 2014-15 season. As a junior, Richmond led his high school team to a NCISA Class 3A state championship. “JaQuel is a fabulous kid and a fierce competitor,� said Wesleyan Christian Academy head coach Keith Gatlin in a statement. “He can score the ball, he is a leader and he is extremely fast.� sports@thedailycougar.com
Andrew Valderas Assistant sports editor
For UH, containing Heisman candidate Teddy Bridgewater will be tough enough, but its offense will also have its hands full against Louisville’s stout defense. UH will face a Louisville defense that is tied for first in the nation with Alabama in points allowed (10.6) and second in rush, pass and total defense, which will be the Cougar offense’s toughest this season. In their last five games, the Cougars have regressed from running the ball efficiently compared to earlier in the season. In their first four games, they had 5.2 yards per rush, 226 yards per game, 41 attempts per game and a 5-0 record. However, in their last five games, they had 3.2 yards per rush, 105 yards per game, 30 attempts per game and a 3-2 record. “Earlier in the year we ran the ball a little bit more; most recently, we have not as much. We need to get back to doing that,� said head coach Tony Levine. Levine said his offensive linemen have played their best football together of the season, and a lot of that has to do with the health of offensive linemen Rowdy Harper, a junior, and DeAnthony Sims, a senior. Both will need to play well to get the running game to its peak. “Even (against UCF), we had a couple wrinkles in there that we were successful with, probably didn’t run it enough, and that’s something we need to do not only to help our offense and take pressure off, but our defense as well, and have a little
After coming up short at UCF on the game’s final drive, sophomore running back Ryan Jackson and the Cougars seek to stay in the conference contention at Louisville this Saturday. | File photo/ The Daily Cougar more time of possession and let them stand on the sidelines a little bit longer than they have been,� Levine said. Louisville will attempt to win the time of possession contest. It has done an exceptional job of keeping its opponents off the field. Part of that is its offense steadily converting third downs — its offense tops the nation in third-down conversions at 60 percent. Their last five games have been against stiffer competition compared to their first four, but it’ll need to be significant to keep Louisville’s offense (38.4 points per game), which is just as high-octane as UH’s (38.1), off the
field and establish the run-and-take pressure off freshman quarterback John O’Korn. O’Korn has proved he can be the catalyst in a number of games including Rutgers and South Florida, but has struggled mildly in the Cougars’ close losses against BYU and UCF, games in which he combined to throw six interceptions and failed to win the game on the final drive. “We love blocking for (O’Korn) and Greg (Ward) too. Whoever we put back there, we know they’re both going to make plays,� senior offensive lineman Kevin Forsch said. “Whoever they put the ball in their hands is going to make plays. That
makes our job easy up front. We just give them a little bit of room and they find a way to make it happen.� Although Louisville is going to be the toughest opponent UH will face thus far, receivers coach Brandon Middleton said it hasn’t seen a team like his. “They haven’t played us yet. We respect their stats, but at the same time, they haven’t done anything to us,� Middleton said. “They still haven’t faced an uptempo team that presents the type of weapons and problems that we’re going to present.� sports@thedailycougar.com
! S G N N O I RIC I T I H S O P U T W NOHW E N N E E D T E U AT
IM
-T PART
ST
UNIVERSITY CENTERS IS NOW ACCEPTING EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS: 6$ (".&4 300. t 6$ */'03."5*0/ $&/5&3 t $3&"5*0/45"5*0/ &7&/5 4&37*$&4 $3. o &7&/*/( 8&&,&/% ."/"(&.&/5 "6%*0 7*46"- 4&37*$&4
"11-*$"5*0/4 /08 #&*/( "$$&15&% t "11-: */ 1&340/ "5 5)& 6$ */'03."5*0/ $&/5&3 300. 03 "5 5)& 6$ 4"5&--*5& (".&4 300. t "11-: 0/ -*/& "5 888 6) &%6 6$
The Daily Cougar
8 \\ Thursday, November 14, 2013
LIFE & ARTS EDITOR
Paulina Rojas EMAIL arts@thedailycougar.com
ONLINE
thedailycougar.com/life-arts
Houston City Council member and UH-Downtown alum Ed Gonzalez was a guest speaker at the UH Democrats meeting on Tuesday and spoke about growing up with an illiterate father. He also discussed getting involved in politics by regularly using social media to reach out to people. | Sabrina Lloyd/The Daily Cougar
ORGANIZATIONS
Politician inspires students Sabrina Lloyd Staff writer
Houston City Council member Ed Gonzalez spoke on Tuesday to the UH Democrats about public policy and his desire to get students involved in local politics. For political science junior James Thomas, hearing Gonzalez speak was a chance to engage in political discussion and get advice for his own political career. “I’d like to find out how he became a member of City Council. I have a small IT business in League City and want to find out how to make connections to run for office in my city,” Thomas said. “I enjoy meeting city leaders. In
this industry, it’s all about who you know.” Gonzalez received a bachelor’s degree from UH-Downtown and his master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas. Education is something he has always been passionate about and he is an advocate for literacy. “Growing up, my dad couldn’t read. I had to learn how to read very early, because it was my job to read the street signs as my dad drove,” Gonzalez said. “Education is so important to me, and I often speak in public schools to encourage young students to learn.” Gonzalez has helped pass several initiatives since being elected
to office, including the Houston Center for Sobriety. “A major concern for public safety is people who walk around the streets intoxicated. We let people who stumble from drinking go sober up and not go to jail or be charged with public intoxication. It is smarter and more effective.” Social media has played a large role in Gonzalez’s professional life. Among elected officials, he is known as the “technology council member” because he is active on Twitter and Facebook. “I do my own social media and have been active for a few years. I believe government is changing in many ways,” Gonzalez said.
“Constituents want more engagement to their elected officials. Social media is a great way to stay connected to the people, and it makes me seem more real and presentable.” Gonzalez prides himself on his open-door policy and encourages students to stop by the office and spend a day with him to see what actually goes on in a professional political setting. He is optimistic about Texas becoming a blue state and thinks that young voters are key to making that happen. “I really want to get young people active in local government. That’s why I am always inviting young people to stop by the office;
I think it inspires students to realize that government is good,” Gonzalez said. “We really need (young people) involved. We will never change if we don’t hear from young people.” Political science junior and UH Democrats President Catherine Tassin de Montaigu also strives for student involvement and encouraged students to attend a Wendy Davis for Governor event. “It is a great opportunity to meet her and talk with her in an intimate setting,” Montaigu said. “We want to make you guys aware of things in student government and get everyone involved.” arts@thedailycougar.com
MUSIC
Moores faculty performs classical viola pieces Diana Nguyen Contributing writer
The melodic sounds of the Moores School of Music Faculty Recital echoed through the Dudley Recital Hall Tuesday night as music professors performed works by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, York Bowen, Charles Martin Loeffler and Michael Haydn.
The concert started out with “Duet in G Major for Two Violas,” composed by Friedemann Bach — the son of Johann Sebastian Bach — and performed by Wayne Brooks, principal violist of the Houston Symphony, and Suzanne LeFevre, principal violist of Mercury Baroque. In addition to solo appearances with the Houston Symphony, Brooks,
a graduate of the Curtis Institute, has appeared in numerous chamber music performances with Joseph Silverstein and Lynn Harrell, served on the faculty of Japan’s Pacific Music Festival, toured Japan and Europe, recorded works of Webern and Berg and appeared at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival in 1996. Brooks currently serves as an
affiliate artist of viola at UH’s Moores School of Music and constantly inspires his students in their musical aspirations. “He is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet,” said music education sophomore Shelby Thompson, a student of Brooks. “He never tells you when he’s performing. He’s super humble and one of the most
inspiring people I have met in my entire life.” Thompson has been playing the viola for 11 years, receives lessons from Brooks every week and hopes to become a viola performer. The recital transitioned to Bowen’s “Phantasy for Viola and Piano, VIOLA continues on page 9
Thursday, November 14, 2013 // 9
The Daily Cougar
LIFE+ARTS
VIOLA continued from page 8
Op. 54,” performed by Brooks and pianist Timothy Hester, and then to Loeffler’s “Two Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola and Piano.” “Two Rhapsodies for Oboe, Viola and Piano,” composed in 1901, was based on the poems “L’etang” and “La Cornemuse” by the French poet Maurice Rollinat. The first poem, “L’Etang” or “The Pond,” describes an eerie scene of a pond inhabited by goblins, consumptive toads and the moon resembling “a death’s head” under “a near sky rumbling with dull thunder.” The second poem, “La Cornemuse” or “The Bagpipes,” speaks of bagpipes that sound like a wailing wind through the woods. In Loeffler’s composition, the drone of the bagpipe is evoked by open fifths and octaves. “Two Rhapsodies” reflect both the atmosphere of the poems and the relationship
He is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. ... He’s super humble and one of the most inspiring people I have met in my entire life.” Shelby Thompson, music education sophomore
between the melodies of the piano, oboe, and viola. Oboist Anne Leek said she felt honored when Wayne Brooks, the designer of the program, asked her to play Loeffler. “Because it is a virtuoso and physically demanding oboe part, I trained and practiced for it so I would have stamina to play the long phrases. We rehearsed several Brooks times over the last two weeks,” Leek said. The last piece, “Quintet in C Major, Op. 88,” composed by Haydn for two violins, two violas and a cello, was a crowd-pleasing favorite. Computer information systems senior Michael Pham, who has a background in piano, violin and guitar, came to the event for his music appreciation class. “The very last movement of the last song was really energetic. It really popped out to me,” Pham said. Pham was not alone in his admiration. “Besides the solo, my favorite song would have to be the last tidbit, just for the sole purpose that when they play together, you feel everything,” Thompson said. “It’s very musical, and balance-wise, they sound as if you can’t tell who’s playing what. They’re just so good.” arts@thedailycougar.com
CAMPUS
New organization to change perceptions Students unite to create club in order to inform their peers about true Afghan culture Matt Wyatt, Sean Floyd Contributing writers
The Afghan Student Association is one of the newest organizations on campus, as it has only been holding official meetings for the past month. There are about 14 members, but membership is expanding rapidly as ASA informs the public about Afghan culture. ASA is open to students of all ethnicities and cultures. “We open our doors up to people of all different walks of life,” said ASA president and political science junior Hakim Jan. “The ASA promotes awareness, tolerance and peace in issues related to Afghanistan. We believe direct education and cross-cultural understanding is more effective than what the media teaches about cultures.” Born and raised in Afghanistan, Jan formed the organization in an effort to reach out to the UH community and exchange cultural
knowledge. Jan said the depiction of Afghanistan as a conflict zone often misrepresents Afghani people. “We try to eliminate misconceptions about the Afghan culture, people and its history,” Jan said. The association is having its first event, a bake sale, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 21 on the first floor of the University Center. Mathematics senior and ASA member Gregory Malek hopes the bake sale will give the organization some much-needed exposure. “We are going to do the best we can to make ASA one of the more well-known organizations on campus,” Malek said. “ASA members are actively working to recruit new members and get the organization’s name out to the public.” ASA treasurer and graduate student Carlos Falcon, who has a Master of Science in accounting, said that ASA is a social organization where members learn from each other. “Every time we meet, we have a lot of fun,” Falcon said. “I enjoy every one of our meetings.” arts@thedailycougar.com
Houston Community College Southeast
Register now for Spring 2014 January 10 January 4 & 11 January 12 January 13
Last Day for 100% Refund Saturday Registration (9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) Last Day for Drop/Add/Swap/Registration Ends (online only) Classes Begin
The Daily Cougar
10 \\ Thursday, November 14, 2013
CLASSIFIEDS Find a home. Find a job. Find it here.
Help Wanted
Bulletin Board
ADS START AT $5/DAY
CALL 713-743-5356 Help Wanted
Help Wanted
Fertility Resources of Houston
Egg Donors Needed! Compensation $5,000-$8,000. Must be: non-smoker, healthy, BMI within normal ranges, and between 19-30 years old. Visit www.fertilityresourceshouston.com or call 713.783.7044 for more information and to fill out a preliminary application.
AFTER CATASTROPHIC BIOLOGICAL warfare, we may not agree on what nature is or what civilization is. WILDERNESS, a science fiction novel, is by Alan Kovski. Available via Amazon.com WHAT WILL WE BECOME, years from now? Better or worse? Fools, victims, fortunate souls, survivors in dangerous times? Remembering the Future, science fiction stories by Alan Kovski. Available via Amazon.com.
FULL & PART TIME TELEPHONE SECRETARY POSITION
Hiring Catering
DUTIES INCLUDE: Answering incoming calls on multiple lines, and taking detailed messages. REQUIREMENTS: Type 45 WPM, Positive attitude, and Reliable Transportation APOLLO IS AWESOME BECAUSE... UÊ7iÊ vviÀÊyiÝ L iÊÃV i`Õ ià UÊ7iÊ >ÛiÊ>ÊvÕ Ê> `Êv>ÃÌÊ«>Vi`ÊÜ À Êi Û À i Ì UÊ7iÊ«À Û `iÊ«iÀv À > ViÊL>Ãi`ÊL ÕÃiÃ°Ê iÌÊV «i Ã>Ìi`Êv ÀÊ doing great! UÊ"ÕÀÊÌi> ÊÀiVi ÛiÃÊ>ÊÌ Ê vÊ«> `ÊÌ iÊ vv]ÊiÛi Êv ÀÊ«>ÀÌÊÌ i
WAITSTAFF
BILINGUAL IS A PLUS. BUT NOT REQUIRED
Part-time, flexible schedules, mostly night and weekends. Pay starting at $12 per hour. No experience necessary. Paid Training.
CALL 713-863-4423 TO APPLY TODAY!
www.jacksonandcompany.com hr@jacksonandcompany.net
The secret to finding a job?
That’s Classified.
*STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM* PAID survey takers needed in Houston. 100 percent free to join! Click on surveys NEED A PART-TIME STUDENT that is knowledgeable of web design to work 20 hours per week at a car lot/wheel repair facility. Apply within at 7070 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074. TheDailyCougar.com/Classifieds
COMICS Cynical Ted by Francis Emelogu
ACROSS 1 Word attached to “one” or “your” 5 Bill of cowboy legend 10 Russian legislature 14 What air fresheners fight 15 Visibly stunned 16 Deputy on “The Dukes of Hazzard” 17 Big cheese in Greece 18 Protruding window 19 ___-free (without punishment) 20 Pen or pound 23 Revise 24 Discourage 25 Taco side 28 Prefix with “space” 31 Reproductive cells 32 Starsky to Soul’s Hutch 35 The other team 39 What a nice massage might provide 42 Black and white
snack 43 Show willingness to listen 44 Weeks in a Roman year? 45 Button on some outlets 47 Coin at an arcade 49 Put in office 52 Poker holding, perhaps 54 Absolutely positive 61 Cuttingedge product? 62 Strip of gear 63 Caffeine source, perhaps 64 Hebrides dialect 65 Child of Japanese immigrants 66 Organic necklaces 67 “... ___ the twain shall meet” 68 Tunes up for a bout 69 Spot in the distance
DOWN 1 Living room staple 2 Garden with a snake 3 French sailor and writer Pierre 4 Portrait holders 5 1777 Pennsylvania battle site 6 Florida bird 7 The first bad brother 8 “Black gold” gp. 9 Peddle 10 Menu heading 11 At the original length 12 Julianne or Demi 13 Late bloomer 21 “Haste makes waste”, e.g. 22 “To Autumn” or “To Spring” 25 Not great, not horrible 26 Affirm with confidence 27 Swimming pool division 28 $100 bill, in slang 29 Bark like
Story of Sam by Sam Mancuso
want more? Check out more Student-drawn comics online...
thedailycougar.com/comics Household Haiku by Marian Smith
Puzzle answers online: www.thedailycougar.com/puzzles
THE DAILY COUGAR
a dog 30 “Desperate Housewives” role 33 Some tennis shots 34 Without ___ (pro bono) 36 He’s incredible 37 New York canal 38 Lo ___ (noodle dish) 40 Bad speller? 41 Shenanigan 46 Airport posting (Abbr.) 48 Prophet at Delphi 49 Steel city of Germany 50 Filthy ___ (illicit gain) 51 Remove from the DVR 52 Overly inquisitive one 53 Athena’s shield 55 Phoenix roundballers 56 Use shears 57 __ Major (constellation) 58 Negative words 59 Radar echo 60 “Don’t overdo it!”
Thursday, November 14, 2013 // 11
The Daily Cougar
OPINION
HUNGER continued from page 4
therefore, they live with the constant threat of being hungry or not having access to enough nutritious food. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, it is of the essence to shine a light on the issue of child hunger not only in Houston, but all across Texas. In 2010, there were 400,000 children in the Houston area experiencing childhood hunger. Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign found that students who eat breakfast attended an average of 1.5 more days of school than their peers who did not have that advantage. The students who ate breakfast also received math scores 17.5 percent higher than their starving peers. Students who do not eat breakfast have a diminished capacity to be able to learn and
BIKE continued from page 5
works downtown for a major finance company and sees the B-Cycle program in use every day. “Houston does not have a very bike friendly city scene,” Pena said. “As someone who works downtown, I see the current rental stations for bikes, but I don’t see as many people using them. “Also, driving downtown, I don’t see many people on bikes, but when I do, it’s very difficult to navigate around them, and they
comprehend the material that is being taught. It is hard to learn when one is consumed with hunger. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, food is a basic physiological need. If that need is not met, it is impossible to have safety, esteem or selfactualization. No, food alone doesn’t account for children’s lack of ability to learn, but it will improve their ability to focus and hopefully begin to close the gap. Poverty-stricken students graduate from high school at drastically lower rates than their well-fed peers. Even lower rates of these children are able to pursue higher education. The food-secure high school graduates earn on average $10,090 more annually than their nondiploma-holding counterparts and are significantly less likely to experience hunger in adulthood. Because of the lack of
educational opportunities, famished students are forced to work low-wage jobs; therefore, they are living at or barely above the national and state poverty lines. This reality leads to these students continuing to experience hunger in adulthood, which then revives the cycle of hunger with their children. Some conservatives believe that it is the responsibility of the local and state governments to solve the problem of childhood hunger, not the national government. However, in states like Texas, a predominately Republican state, citizens are not likely to vote in favor of increasing funding to aid families and individuals who are destitute because of a lack of access to nutritious foods. They believe that more than enough taxpayers’ dollars are utilized by low-income families who are a continued burden on society. However, by funding programs
that feed needy children, they will be able to have the healthy sustenance that they desperately need, which will lead to better scores on assignments, increased rates of graduation and matriculation into higher education. Consequently, this leads to decreasing the amount of people in poverty and breaking the cycle
usually cause traffic slowdowns.” But Pena has used a similar program while visiting the University of Tampa in Florida. “I remember the program at Tampa’s university being pretty useful when it came to getting around campus,” he said. Thomas and Pena share the concern of student cyclists’ safety while navigating around UH campus, since many student commuters have been known to drive aggressively while searching for a parking spot. Psychology junior Katia Carmona, a student cyclist, said, “It’s dangerous cycling around UH and even on campus, because
pedestrian students are not very mindful of sharing the sidewalk. A lot of them just look down on their phones and don’t even pay attention.” A program like B-Cycle would be successful on campus, but the transition could be difficult. UH would have to improve the sidewalk, educate students about sharing the sidewalk, create bicycle lanes and enable the UH Police Department to enforce bike safety around campus and prevent theft of the bicycles.
VOTER
Opinion columnist Catalina Campos is an English literature senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
Childhood hunger is portrayed in the media as an international problem, yet many fail to realize the child hunger epidemic in our own backyards here in the state of Texas.” LaQuasha Burke, on the expansive presence of childhood hunger
continued from page 4
obviously, but KHOU reported that most involved in the HCC elections thought that Wilson’s victory “was almost certainly influenced by his racially tinged campaign.” However, Wilson is by no means innocent. He’s an antiLGBT rights activist and a fringe candidate who’s ran and lost for mayor, as reported by KHOU. Whether Wilson necessarily deserves the position he’s in is certainly up for debate, but this isn’t about political ideologies.
of childhood hunger. These benefits also include no longer being a burden to society, since they will be financially secure and independent, without a need for government assistance. It is blasphemous that in such a rich and developed country, 25 percent of our children do not have food to eat and have to constantly worry if and when their next meal will come. Child hunger is contributing to children’s lack of educational attainment and therefore thrusting them into a poverty-ridden adulthood and continuing this cycle into the next generation. If childhood hunger is not addressed, it will continue to grow significantly. Everything is bigger in Texas, and unfortunately, that includes childhood hunger. We must alleviate this issue now. LaQuasha Burke is a social work graduate student and may be reached at quinshell1989@yahoo.com
It’s about race playing more of a dominant role in our politics. Might as well forget about the content of someone’s character. Our vote is too important to not put in some homework. Always remember to read the fine print — Heaven forbid, you might wind up not electing a representative who complies with your racial beliefs. Wilson may have stolen his way to the vote, but it was all too easy when his voters left their windows open. Senior staff columnist Cara Smith is a communications junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
12 \\ Thursday, November 14, 2013
The Daily Cougar