Issue 59, Volume 79 by The Cougar

SPORTS

BASEBALL

OPINION

Cougars return premier players UH’s upperclassmen performance leaves team with high expectations. SEE PAGE 5

Can neglecting your teeth affect job prospects? Future employers turned off by not-so-pearly whites. SEE PAGE 4 JANUARY

CALENDAR CHECK: 20

Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Sit back, relax and enjoy your three-day break.

THE DAILY COUGAR

T H E

O F F I C I A L

S T U D E N T

N E W S PA P E R

O F

T H E

U N I V E R S I T Y

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Issue 59, Volume 79

O F

H O U S T O N

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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT THEDAILYCOUGAR.COM

CITY

Lecturer aims for bench Natalie Harms Managing editor

Law and ethics lecturer, UH Law Center alumnus and former judge Steven Kirkland is campaigning to return to the bench in hopes of becoming the judge of the 113th Civil District Court. After 20 years of practicing law, including 12 years serving in several judicial roles, Kirkland said he thinks he is a standout in the race. The Daily Cougar sat down with Kirkland to talk about his campaign and his work as faculty at UH. For more information about Kirkland’s campaign, visit judgestevenkirkland.com. Early voting begins next month, and the primary election day is March 4. The Daily Cougar: What has inspired you to dedicate your life to the bench, specifically for the 113th Civil District Court? Steven Kirkland: I’ve been involved

in public service pretty much all my life. Even though part of the time has been working in the private sector, I’ve always been engaged in community activism. At Texaco, I was working with groups and environmental support groups, and I was also involved in neighborhood empowerment projects. But I’ve had a lot of commitment to the community. The bench and serving as a judge is pretty much the most fun you can have when practicing law, and I did it for a lot of reasons. One, you don’t have to go chasing for it; it comes to you. Also, you don’t have a particular agenda. People and the law lead you to where the right answer is, and you find justice. So I guess your agenda is to allow the process to work. And what is most fun is that you’re helping people find a resolution to the dispute. Even in minor decisions ... you’re helping them find a resolution, and in criminal cases’

context, that’s helping them to accept responsibility. In civil context, you’re helping them find a balance. And that is really gratifying. TDC: What among your qualifications has most prepared you for the position? SK: My years of being a judge already. I’ve been a lawyer for 20 years now, and I’ve worked with a wide range of people — whether it be the taxpayers, which I’m doing now, or individual homeowners. And I’ve worked with an international company, so I’ve been on all sides of the courtroom. I have the professional experience to do that. I graduated cum laude at the UH Law Center. And my life experience: I have three years of activism — being out in the streets with real people — and I’m a recovering alcoholic for nine years now. BENCH continues on page 3

Former judge Steven Kirkland, a UH adjunct professor, is a candidate for judge of the 113th Civil District Court. | Courtesy of Steven Kirkland

UH SYSTEM

UH SUgar Land SHUttLe Service UH is beginning a pilot program to sHUttle stUdents from tHe main campUs to tHe sUgar land campUs.

$ Students can board the shuttle on the main campus at the bus stop in front of the University Center and can board the Sugar Land bus at the west entrance of the Brazos Hall building.

There is no charge for this service, but students riding the shuttle need to be enrolled in at least one class at the Sugar Land location and possess a UH Sugar Land student ID.

SHUttLe ScHedULe Departures

Main Campus

Arrivals

7 A.M.

Sugar Land Campus

7:35 A.M.

Sugar Land Campus

8:40 A.M.

Main Campus

9:10 A.M.

Main Campus

11:50 A.M.

Sugar Land Campus

12:20 P.M.

Main Campus

5:20 P.M.

Sugar Land Campus

6:35 P.M.

Sugar Land Campus Main Campus Sugar Land Campus

4:30 P.M. 6 P.M. 7:10 P.M.

Main Campus

*Shuttle service will not be available on student holidays. Infograph by Andres Garcia

8 P.M.

Digital media program leaves nest Channler K. Hill Editor in chief

The University’s digital media bachelor’s program has outgrown its home in the College of Technology and will be solely offered at UH-Sugar Land. President and Chancellor Renu Khator said that the UH System Board of Regents will consider transitioning UHSL from a regional teaching center to a branch of the main campus, according to the Houston Chronicle. “We will continue to make the transition in the early part of 2014,” Khator said to the Fort Bend County Chamber of Commerce. “We are hearing you loud and clear: You want to have a full presence of the University of Houston, with full rights and privileges that come with it.” Starting this semester, enrolled students can take shuttles to UHSL that will run throughout the day

from both campuses. All digital media faculty members have moved into offices in Fort Bend County, ensuring students’ access while in Sugar Land. Technology professor Jerry Waite, who oversees the program, said he received a call from College of Technology Dean William Fitzgibbon who asked him if he would be interested in moving to UHSL. “Since our entire college is growing rapidly, and since none of the current construction on campus benefits us, the only way we can grow without being strangled by lack of space to handle student demand would be to go to Sugar Land. It is important to note that sophomore digital media classes are still offered on the main campus, but that Wharton County Junior College, our partner at Sugar Land, also teaches the equivalent courses,” Waite said. “This will result in substantial

cost savings for students. However, first-time-in-college students who elect to study on the main campus can still do all their coursework from UH and just catch the shuttle for Sugar Land.” The program will be located in a new building at UHSL, equipped with the latest Mac Pro computers and a substantial amount of space to house the growing student demand. Assistant technology professor Monika Zarzycka has been involved in the transitioning process and said she believes its new home at UHSL is a good idea for the program and its students, most of whom responded positively to the news. “Since we will have newer and bigger facilities at UHSL, we will not only focus on perfecting our current digital media program but also on expanding into other areas of the MEDIA continues on page 3

2 \\ Tuesday, January 15, 2014

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+ GRAPHIC DESIGNERS + AD SALES REPRESENTATIVES APPLY ONLINE AT BIT.LY/APPLYCSM

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The Daily Cougar

CRIME REPORT The following is a partial report of campus crime between Dec. 31 and Wednesday. All information is selected from the files of the UH Department of Public Safety. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UH DPS at (713) 742-3333. Criminal Mischief: A visitor reported damage to her unattended, parked vehicle in Lot 16B. The incident occurred between midnight Dec. 31 and 11:30 a.m. Jan. 4. The case is active, pending new information. Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor: Six unaffiliated individuals were observed shooting fireworks on campus at Cullen Oaks Garage. Five of the individuals were cited for Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor. The incident occurred at 1 a.m. Jan. 1. The case is cleared by citation. Criminal Mischief: A security officer located a broken window and other damage at Bayou Oaks Apartments. The incident occurred between 2:30 a.m. and 12:16 p.m. Jan. 1. The case is inactive. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: A student reported his unattended secured vehicle was burglarized at Cullen Oaks Garage. The incident occurred between 7 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Jan. 5. The case is active, pending new information. Criminal Mischief: A student reported the doorknob of his apartment was damaged at Cullen Oaks Apartments. The incident occurred between midnight and 2 p.m. Jan. 5. The case is active, pending new information. Public Intoxication: An unaffiliated intoxicated individual was observed creating a disturbance at Moody Towers Grounds. The

individual was transported to the Houston Sobriety Center and released. The incident occurred at 2:16 a.m. Jan. 6. The case is cleared by exception. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle: A UH student reported her mother’s secured and unattended vehicle had been burglarized at Cullen Oaks Garage. The incident occurred between 12:20 and 12:40 a.m. Jan. 6. The case is active, pending new information. Theft of Service: A staff member reported an individual damaged a parking garage gate arm and left the garage without paying for service at the University Hilton Hotel. The incident occurred at 1:02 p.m. Jan. 6. The case is active, pending new information. Criminal Mischief: A staff member reported that someone “keyed” his parked and unattended vehicle at Lot 19B. The incident occurred between 7:30 and 9 a.m. Jan. 7. The case is inactive. Assault: A student shoved another, causing her to fall. The incident occurred at 12:12 p.m. Jan. 7. The case is active, pending new information. Traffic Offense: A staff member reported that someone struck and damaged his parked vehicle at Lot 12A and failed to leave the information required by Texas law. The incident occurred between 1:10 and 6:15 p.m. Jan. 7. The case is active, pending new information.

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Joshua Cochran

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Closing editors

Natalie Harms, Channler K. Hill

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. The Daily Cougar is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. studentpress.org/acp

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 // 3

The Daily Cougar

NEWS EDITOR

Amanda Hilow

news@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/news

RESEARCH

Professor earns nearly $1M to study bacteria Hadiya Iqbal Staff writer

Associate professor Timothy Cooper and his team of biologists were granted a five-year, $967,431 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to study the causes and consequences of evolvability in bacteria. The team wants to develop the ability to predict evolutionary winners and losers from the many variants that arise in any bacterial population and is trying to isolate a bacterial pathogen from a patient to predict the likelihood that it will become resistant to a particular antibiotic. “Scientists now see that populations are evolving before our eyes; we can observe that populations differ in the rate and form of that evolution,” said George Gilchrist, NSF program manager. “Cooper is using experimentally evolved populations of bacteria to examine both the causes of variation in evolvability and its consequences for those organisms.” Selection for the NSF CAREER award is based on two important criteria: innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology that is relevant to the mission of the sponsoring organization or

BENCH

continued from page 1

I have learned from personal experience that you can change your life. You can face extreme behavior and turn your life around. When I say I’ve been on all sides of the courtroom, I have. I’ve been before a judge, and I’ve been in custody. TDC: What sets you apart from incumbent Judge Michael Landrum, who is running for re-election? SK: Three things: One, I’m a Democrat, and he is a Republican. Two, he was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, which tends to be political. Three, my history of community

MEDIA

continued from page 1

digital media industry, such as animation and gaming,” Zarzycka said. “The future looks very promising for

agency and community service demonstrated through scientific leadership, education or community outreach. These awards foster innovative developments in science and technology, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, give recognition to the scientifi c missions of the participating agencies, enhance connections between fundamental research and national goals and highlight the importance of science and technology for the nation’s future. “We aim to develop an understanding of the genetic and physiological basis of evolvability in experimental populations of bacteria,” Cooper said. “We anticipate that this understanding will be relevant to fields such as vaccine and antibiotic design, where evolvability is something to be countered, and biotechnology, where evolvability will often be something to be exploited.” Using a combination of microbiology and molecular biology to address a basic evolutionary question, the team has already found that the factor that limits how quickly the bacteria can increase in fi tness seems to be a form of antagonistic interaction

service is far longer than his, and I’ve been a judge. TDC: What has been your experience teaching law and ethics to communication students, and why do you feel the class is important? SK: I have a blast teaching that class. Constitutional law is why most people go to law school, and there is no area more ripe with current controversies than the communication area. And there’s a new wave of technology. You take the First Amendment and try to apply the context in with communication and technology, and you get a really interesting result. news@thedailycougar.com

the digital media program, and I’m looking forward to its growth and expansion. “I’m thrilled to be part of this great program.” news@thedailycougar.com

From left, associate professor Timothy Cooper, doctoral candidate Rachel Staples and post-doctoral fellow Andrea Wünsche record the fluorescence of individual cells. | Courtesy of Chris Watts that occurs between the genetic changes that, by themselves, increase fitness. The product of these genetic changes is usually less than the sum of their parts. “We would like to extend our work to look for differences in the ability of natural isolates of bacteria to adapt to new environmental challenges,” Cooper said. “They gave me sincere feedback. I definitely feel more prepared now for real interviews.” Marble expects to conduct another event in the spring semester to provide more opportunities for students and alumni to practice and network with employers. “Some of the employers were using the event to field potential candidates,” Marble said. “I believe

Associate professor in biology Timothy Cooper was honored with $967,431 in grants from the National Science Foundation. | Photo Courtesy of Chris Watts this is positive and should be duplicated many times over. Anything that gives UH students a head start or advantage in the interview, I will

do all I can to contribute to the positive outcome.” news@thedailycougar.com

Looking for a job? Find it in the classifieds!

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4 \\ Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

EDITOR James Wang EMAIL

opinion@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/opinion

HEALTH

Brighter teeth means brighter job prospects

smile can be important at a job interview. Career advice books offer a multitude of tips on professional dress, makeup and interview skills. However, they ignore the impact of healthy teeth. Attractiveness is a valuable social Megan commodity. Kallus Countless studies have found that attractive people are perceived to be more intelligent and talented than their less attractive peers. Attractive people who benefit from these perceptions tend to be more successful in social situations, such as job interviews. A 2001 study published in the Journal of Social Psychology found that physical appearance even has an impact on the sentencing of defendants on trial. Healthy and even teeth play a huge role in social conventions of attractiveness. Celebrities shell out tens of thousands of dollars for expensive veneers in order to achieve that toothy movie star smile. Billboards and magazines are filled with toothpaste advertisements, and anywhere from 50 to 70 percent of American children will wear braces before the age of 18. Conversely, a whole slew of negative stereotypes are attached to bad teeth. Rotten, crooked teeth are associated with evil. “The Simpsons” villain Mr. Burns has a prominent overbite, and Gargamel from “The Smurfs” possesses a lone, yellowed snaggletooth. Poor characters usually have missing teeth, and hillbilly characters have buck teeth. At Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, researchers conducted a study on the social benefits of attractive teeth. A random sample of teenagers was photographed.

Researchers digitally altered photos, inserting either straight or crooked teeth. Separate groups of reviewers were shown photos of the same face, so that one group saw a photo with crooked teeth and another group saw a photo of the same face with straight teeth. The reviewers were asked to score the faces in categories such as intelligence and leadership. Faces with straight teeth were rated 10 percent higher than those with crooked teeth in almost every category. Bad teeth can be a major hit to social confidence, which is key to the job interview process. “Having unhealthy teeth absolutely affects social and employment opportunity,” said Dr. Brandy Bannister, a dentist at the UH on-site dental clinic. “If a person is not confident in their smile, they won’t be confident in an interview situation.” Low-income and unemployed people often cannot afford dental care and do not have access to insurance, as most dental insurance in the United States is provided through employer packages or private insurers. Employers are far less likely to hire candidates with bad teeth, especially to jobs in social services. Unfortunately, major dental care can be cost-prohibitive. “Quality ranges with care,” Bannister said. “A crown is about a thousand dollars, and implants can run from five to six thousand dollars.” Lack of dental care is a systematic barrier to economic upward mobility. The 2012 U.S. Senate Report on dental care in America estimates that 130 million, or approximately 42 percent of Americans, lack dental insurance. More than 30 percent of Harris County residents lack medical insurance. Public transportation in Houston is limited, so the few low-cost dental clinics in the area can be inaccessible to people

THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD Channler K. Hill Natalie Harms WEB EDITOR Jenae Sitzes NEWS EDITOR Amanda Hillow SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Shelton LIFE & ARTS EDITOR Monica Tso PHOTO EDITOR Fernando Castaldi OPINION EDITOR James Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS Laura Gillespie, Nora Olabi, Justin Tijerina, Andrew Valderas EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

David Delgado/ The Daily Cougar without cars. Medicaid coverage for dental work is limited. There is no federal minimum requirement for adult dental coverage. Under the program, states are free to determine medical necessity for dental coverage. Most states opt for limited adult dental coverage, and dental care is often one of the first coverage areas slashed when states must make Medicaid reductions. Even with insurance, dental care is expensive. According to SmartMoney, dental insurance payouts are usually capped at $1,000 to $2,000 per year. There are some low-cost dental care options in Houston. UH offers discounted dental services to students, faculty and staff. There are also private, nonprofit centers for low-cost dental care in the city of Houston, such as the San Jose Clinic and

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

the Community Medical Center. These clinics have income requirements similar to that of Medicaid. The San Jose Clinic, which relies on volunteer work and philanthropic support, offers specialized health care to uninsured patients. Affordable dental care can often be found at major dental school, like the University of Texas School of Dentistry in the Medical Center. Dental treatment can be life-changing. A University of San Francisco study offered free dental treatment to 400 welfare recipients in need of major dental work. Dental treatment dramatically increased employment prospects. Participants who completed treatment were twice as likely to gain employment and get off welfare as opposed to those who did not complete

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

treatment. Accessible treatment benefits not only individuals, but the economy as a whole. According to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 164 million work hours are lost per year to preventable oral diseases. Bannister recommended cleanings and checkups twice yearly. “Surface fillings are usually $180 to $190, which is much cheaper than thousands of dollars of major work,” Bannister said. Increased dental coverage and accessible low-cost dental clinics in the city of Houston would support workplace productivity and economic mobility. As long as dental treatment is out of reach, people with bad teeth face a major barrier to employment. Opinion columnist Megan Kallus is an English literature junior and may be reached at opinion@thdailycougar.com

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.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 // 5

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS EDITOR

Christopher Shelton

sports@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/sports

FOOTBALL

Cougars add Jeffery as outside WR coach The Daily Cougar News services Head football coach Tony Levine named Tony Jeffery as the program’s outside receivers coach on Monday. Jeffery replaces Brandon Middleton and comes to UH after spending the last four seasons as the receivers coach at UTSA. “I am very excited to add Coach Jeffery to our staff,” Levine said. “He has a wealth of knowledge, is an outstanding teacher and a rising Levine star in our profession. He is a tremendous addition to our program.” Jeffery helped launch a UTSA program that had a combined record of 19-15 in its first three years of existence, including a 7-5 record in 2013 as a member of Conference USA. Prior to his time at UTSA, Jeffery spent four seasons as a quality control coach at Texas. In his four years in Austin, the Longhorns played in four consecutive bowl games and recorded three top-10 finishes. Jeffery’s receivers, playing in one of the nation’s most-balanced offenses, combined for 177 receptions and 2,004 yards in 2013. Jeffery also oversaw the Roadrunners’ special teams units in 2011 as the group blocked six kicks. McDuffey transfers Sophomore receiver Larry McDuffey said he plans to depart from UH and transfer to Abilene Christian, according to his Instagram McDuffey account on Friday. McDuffey’s finished the season with 17 catches for 115 yards in a diminished role. In his freshman year, McDuffey was one of the more consistent wide-outs, hauling in 28 balls for 382 yards and four touchdowns and earning his name onto the C-USA All-freshmen team. sports@thedailycougar.com

With the return of all of their position players, the Cougars expect to top last year’s win total with an experienced roster. | File photo/The Daily Cougar

BASEBALL

UH hopes to breed a contender Matt Bodiford Staff writer

After the Cougars’ accomplishments last season, a lot of buzz surrounds the team. They ranked in the top 25, won 36 games — the most since 2008 — and had the third-best turnaround in the nation. UH tied for second with USF and Connecticut in the 2014 Preseason American Athletic Conference Baseball Coaches’ Poll and received a first-place vote. Head coach Todd Whitting said his expectations for his ball club this season are as high as ever. “We want to put ourselves in a position to be an at-large team in the

NCAA tournament,” Whitting said. “Hopefully once we do that, we can advance in the tournament.” For the first time since he became head coach in 2011, Whitting has experience returning, and he wasn’t shy talking about the importance of that. “Experience is invaluable. This is the first year in our program where we have more returners than newcomers. It’s nice to go out and see familiar faces every day. We have great core returners, and we return every position player starter from last year’s team. ” Along with the starters returning, the Cougars will get an added bonus with the return of seniors Casey

Grayson and Jacob Lueneburg. Both power-hitting lefties were sidelined last year due to injuries. Among those returning is AllAmerican Justin Montemayor, who has made the transition from playing first base to taking ownership of third. Montemayor said the transition has been smooth because he has experience at the hot corner. “I played third in high school, so I’ve had experience, and I played there a lot over there this summer, so it’s been good,” Montemayor said. Even though consistency seems to be the theme of this offseason for UH, there is one major change to the program. Cougar Field received a full makeover this winter. What

was originally a grass surface has now been replaced with FieldTurf. The only dirt that remains is on the pitcher’s mound. The dirt cutouts around the bases are now red turf, and there are two logos on the field: one with the UH emblem in center field, the other with the word “Cougars” written behind home plate. Senior catcher Caleb Barker said the new look gives the Cougars a home field advantage. “We plan on playing pretty fast and offensive. We believe it will play a huge role in creating a home field advantage.” sports@thedailycougar.com

TRACK

Three Cougars earn national honor Andrew Valderas Assistant sports editor

The UH track and field program continues to receive national attention, as three Cougars were included in the preseason rankings released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association on Monday afternoon. Sophomore Leshon Collins ranks third in the USTFCCCA Division I Preseason Rankings after recording a

6.60 in the men’s 60-meter dash open Saturday evening during the Indoor Opener. His time crushed the meet record and the school record set in 2004 by Stanford Routt. Collins continues to hold the collegiate national top mark, according to the Track and Field Results Reporting System. Collins said his success doesn’t add pressure on him. “I just feel like (I) go out there and do my thing regardless. If I was 100th in the nation and 50th in the world, it

wouldn’t matter.” Also in the ranks is freshman Cameron Burrell, coming in at No. 13 in the men’s 60m. He recorded a collegiate best of 6.67 to win the event during the first home meet last weekend. The duo’s scores placed the men’s team 43rd in the nation among other top programs. Senior pole vaulter Karley King finished on top with a meet record and a career high of 4.15. King’s mark

was the best in the nation by two inches, and two inches away from the school record. Head coach Leroy Burrell said consistency and balance is key for the Cougars this season. “We just need to be a well-rounded team. We’re off to a good start,” Burrell said. Additional reporting by Channler K. Hill. sports@thedailycougar.com

6 \\ Tuesday, January 14, 2014

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COMICS

ACROSS 1 Celebrity haunt of the Rockies 6 Mountain peaks 10 Drained of color 14 Sparkly stone 15 Ready for publication 16 Homecoming visitor, for short 17 Nintendo 3DS, for one 20 Passionate states 21 Arrogance 22 Dictionary subject 25 Smartmouthed 26 “No” voter 30 Headandshoulders sculpture 32 Friendly disposition 35 “Into the Wild” setting 41 Have no need for negotiations 43 Go around and

around 44 Went about aimlessly 45 “Do not open til ___” 47 Gullets 48 Santa’s reindeer, sans Rudolph 53 Like some indie films 56 Revered threesome 58 Not as knotty 63 Etsy offering, sometimes 66 Pointless Olympic event? 67 Kent’s beloved 68 Coin of Pakistan 69 NL Central team 70 Dermatological diagnosis, perhaps 71 Baseball card data DOWN 1 Turkish honorific 2 Brown meat 3 Diminutive lake 4 Taro root

5 Jacket named for an Indian leader 6 ___ Aviv 7 Not even 8 Fortyniner’s quest 9 Greek portico 10 Premarathon staple 11 “A Lesson from ___” (Fugard drama) 12 Whoppers 13 Manicuring material 18 Drivingexam curve 19 Xi preceders 23 Not incompetent 24 1990-91 hostilities 26 Culture medium gelatin 27 Cape Canaveral cancellation 28 Civil wrong 29 Mental germ 31 Mountain lake 33 Soaking 34 Goat seen

Telly by Tiffany Valle

Household Haiku by Marian Smith

Puzzle answers online: www.thedailycougar.com/puzzles

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on treks 36 Escorted 37 “May I have your attention?” 38 Gilbert of TV 39 Had down cold 40 Annexes 42 Kiln 46 Seaman’s “Help!” 48 “None of the above” 49 ___ myrtle 50 With prongs 51 “Alive” setting 52 Lacking in brightness 54 Meet, in poker 55 Bawls loudly 57 Rash treatment 59 Serve as an usher 60 Mozart’s Trojan princess 61 Once, in the past 62 Some shaggy rugs 64 Coast Guard officer below lt. 65 Boeing 747, e.g.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 // 7

The Daily Cougar

LIFE & ARTS

EDITOR

Monica Tso

arts@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE

thedailycougar.com/life-arts

EVENTS

Spring into action at Cat’s Back Janeka Porter Staff writer

Cat’s Back is kick-starting the semester with free food, fun activities and great prizes from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the New UC Ballroom. To hype up the spring semester, Pink’s Pizza, a new addition to the strip of restaurants on Calhoun Road, will cater the event, and numerous organizations will offer raffles. Students will have a chance to claim a Cat’s Back Cougar Trading Card and will be given a stamp card for visiting organizations. “Each student has a stamp card, and when they go around to each organization and fill their card up with stamps, they get to enter the raffle,” said Vanessa Roche, office coordinator for the Center for Student Involvement. About 75 registered student organizations have been approved for the event. All fee-funded organizations — including the Activities Funding

Board, Council of Ethnic Organizations, Frontier Fiesta, Student Program Board, Metropolitan Volunteer Program and Student Government Association — will also be attending. “All National Panhellenic Greeks will be attending Cat’s Back,” said health junior Riccy Ohen, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. “They may not see us wearing our letters, but we want to let them know we are here. If they want to talk to us about being Greek, we are here to answer any questions.” The University hosts this event each semester to welcome new and returning students back to campus. “My experience at Cat’s Back has been very exciting,” said nutrition junior Delynn Daniels. “There are lots of new faces, and I love how all of the organizations come together and have sign-up sheets for students to get involved and meet more people.” arts@thedailycougar.com

Students will meet the leaders of campus organizations and various administrative personnel at The Cat’s Back from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the New UC Ballroom. | Justin Tijerina/The Daily Cougar

MUSIC

Symphony welcomes new season Sara Samora Staff writer

Excitement arose among the audience in the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting–Channel 8 studio on Friday evening. The brass ensemble of the Houston Symphony Orchestra filled the room at the count of “one” for the live broadcast of the special night, the announcement of the symphony’s 2014-2015 inaugural season of designate music director Andrés Orozco-Estrada. The show, “Conducting Electricity,” was hosted by Houston

Public Media’s St. John Flynn, featuring executive director and CEO Mark Hanson and the man of the hour, Orozco-Estrada. The broadcast was the first for the Houston Symphony to be live and streaming around the world. The program provided a preview of upcoming shows, which include “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander, recording artists Ben Folds and Andrea Bocelli and Tony Awardwinner Bernadette Peters. A reception and viewing party at the Conrad N. Hilton College followed the live broadcast. Orozco-Estrada will be the

Houston Symphony’s 15th music conductor and its first Hispanic music conductor. Born and raised in Colombia, he began his musical studies with the violin. “What I always try — and it sounds a little bit too romantic — is try to identify with the piece I’m conducting in the moment,” Orozco-Estrada said. “The pieces I’m conducting for that week, such as ‘Zarathustra,’ are currently my favorite pieces.” He is also designated chief conductor at the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and the music director at the Tonkünstler Orchestra

in Vienna. “The universe is so big; it’s neverending, which is fantastic,” OrozcoEstrada said. “For example, the Houston Symphony is playing Mahler No. 8, ‘Symphony of the Thousand,’ at the end of this season, but this is one piece I haven’t done yet. I hope to conduct sometime a lot of symphony repertoire.” Moores School of Music affiliate artist Robert Johnson is an associate principal horn player of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. “Orozco-Estrada is the real deal. He’s incredible,” Johnson said. “It’s

so exciting, the amount of passion and energy he brings into the music. I have never seen anything like it before.” Johnson said there’s a lot of exciting music in store for audiences in the coming future. “He’s programming things the orchestra hasn’t played in a long time,” Johnson said. “He’s programming some favorites that we really desperately do want to play that we’ve also played in the last three years, so it’s exciting repertoire.” The symphony will also play Mozart’s final composition, the “Requiem,” and Dvorák’s “Symphony No. 7.” For Beethoven’s Fifth, Orozco-Estrada, who is also fluent in English and German, will speak only in Spanish. “These concerts that he’s doing all in Spanish are the greatest thing,” Johnson said. “He’s going to be talking to the audience completely in Spanish, and other music directors, they can’t do that. And with the audiences in Houston, it’s exactly what we need right now for the orchestra to grow.” arts@thedailycougar.com

On Friday evening, the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting-Channel 8 hosted a live broadcast of the Houston Symphony’s 2014-2015 season, inaugurating music director, Andes Orozco-Estrada. | Wikimedia Commons

For more information about the upcoming season and shows, visit houstonsymphony.org.

8\\ Tuesday, January 14, 2014

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