Issue 153, Volume 75 by The Cougar

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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Issue 153, Volume 75

Faculty discuss budget, furlough By Ashley Evans The daily cougar The faculty and staff discussed the upcoming issues on their agenda for the year at Tuesday’s staff council meeting. Head of the staff council Ann McFarland opened the meeting by giving a brief overview of the new forum and the main issues to be implemented. “We would like to keep things moving in a positive way,” McFarland said. “We are here to discuss the challenges we are facing and also to celebrate the positive things.” At the forefront of the meeting was the University’s continued movement to flagship status. UH President Renu Khator opened her remarks by thanking everyone for their service to UH and their continued support. “Outside of the students, you (the staff) make up the largest population of the University,” Khator said. “If this University has gone anywhere, or is going anywhere, it is because of what you have done.” Khator praised the staff for the increased enrollment and research numbers, and also the increase in private fundraising. Funding and support has increased from $38 million to $75-$85 million. The increase in private funding was credited to the community’s belief in the University’s goal. This was evident primarily with the increase of alumni engagement from 5 percent to nearly 13 percent over the last year. When the floor was opened for questions, many staff members expressed concern about furloughs and budget cuts. The expected budget cuts for UH in the 20102011 fiscal year are at 10 percent, as opposed to the 20-30 percent budget cuts seen in states such as Florida and California. President Khator said that although we are expected to experience budget cuts and inevitably some layoffs, the staff and faculty need to synchronize their efforts in order to be successful in the overall goal of the university. “Our goal of reaching (flagship) status is so important,” Khator said. “It will not only benefit the University, but also the community as a whole.” news@thedailycougar.com

WEATHER » hi

97 Lo 77

Forecast, Page 2

thedailycougar.com

Scholarship awarded to student Elite foundation awards a UH graduate student for the first time in history

By Amanda Trella The daily cougar The Ima Hogg scholarship from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health was awarded to second-year Master of Social Work student, Ashley Montondon. The $5,000 scholarship was awarded to only ten graduate social work students from Texas and Montondon is the first student ever chosen from UH. “The Hogg Foundation is an integral part of mental health funding in Texas and over the last several years has devoted much energy to giving funds to advocacy efforts of families and survivors of mental health

trauma,” Montondon said. “I knew about the scholarship from hearing about all the work the Hogg foundation does, but some colleagues reminded me of the annual competition and encouraged me to apply. “ Montondon became interested in social work during his last year as a psychology undergrad at Lamar University and decided to focus his career in both Texas and Virginia in different parts of social services, such as juvenile probation, family services and now mental health. “Once I saw first hand what kind of effect mental illness can have on family and friends, I became even more committed to helping improve support, treatment and education for individuals and families,” Montondon said. “(For) the last four years I have been working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, developing

courtesy of ashley montondon

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health awarded a $5000 scholarship to social work student, Ashley Montondon, who is the first ever UH student to receive it and one of ten in Texas. recovery education programming for people with mental illnesses around Houston communities and speaking to groups about mental

health recovery.” After receiving

master’s

see SCHOLARSHIP, page 6

Camp, fun provided for cancer stricken children By Sarah Raslan The daily cougar

engage the public in the project. “The FTA’s decisions affirms the NEW METRO approach to working with Houstonians for the best regional transit solutions. It also validates years of hard work, reaching out to communities and institutions like the University of Houston trying to find the best approach to mobility,” President & Chief Executive Officer of METRO George Greanias said. The University light rail will

Texas Children’s Hospital Cancer Center is taking its young patients out beyond the hospital walls for a funfilled week of Camp Periwinkle from Aug. 1-7 at the barrier-free Camp For All site near Brenham, Texas. “It really changes the children’s lives forever, because for this week they are not children with cancer, they are just children,” Medical Director of Camp Periwinkle Zoanne Dryer said. The camp is primarily for children who are going through chemotherapy, but children who have finished their chemotherapy sessions are also welcome. Children are allowed to bring a sibling to accompany them. The camp has been holding the summer program for 27 years and welcome both patients as well as counselors. There is a total of 180 campers between the ages of seven and 15 at Camp Periwinkle this year. “It is a very motivating week for the staff and campers because people become very close to each other and the kids often form life long friends,”

see METRO, page 6

see CHILDREN, page 6

Kendra berglund The Daily Cougar

The final approval on University light rail line was announced by METRO when they had received a Record of Decision, the final phase needed to go ahead with the 19-station project.

METRO officially UH-bound By Amanda Trella The daily cougar The Houston Metro received a federal Record of Decision concerning the University light rail line’s environmental review process, the final green light of approval for the 11.3-mile project. The approval allows Metro to go forward with its plans for matters such as pre-construction and utility coordination of the project. “The ROD allows METRO to

continue with design, which will refine details. The basic alignment of the route is finalized as defined by the (Final Environment Impact Statement),” senior media specialist for METRO Solutions Margaret O’Brien-Molina said. “METRO will continue to work with communities along the corridor to make specific refinements as the engineering and design advances.” The Federal Transit Administration will be renewing community outreach programs in an effort to

2 n Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Daily Cougar

STILL LOOKING FOR FALL CLASSES? Find online classes that fit your schedule and classes at one of our convenient offcampus teaching sites, including the new UH Northwest Campus.

CAMPUS BEAT FORECAST Thursday

Friday

97˚ 79˚

CALENDAR

» Send event information to calendar@thedailycougar.com

TODAY Ridley Pearson: In Harm’s Way: Murder by the Book located at 2342 Bissonnet, 6:30 p.m. Ridley Pearson is a suspense and thriller novelist from New York. His new book In Harm’s Way was released Aug. 2 and once again prepares readers for an intense and spellbinding tale of crime. Come join him and his fans for a reading and signing. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.murderbooks.com.

THURSDAY

Visit us at distance.uh.edu

713-743-3327

Aerosmith, Sammy Hagar and The Wabos: Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 7 p.m. Prepare to rock as hard rock band Aerosmith hosts their Cocked, Locked, Ready to Rock Tour joined by hard rocker Sammy Hagar and indie band The Wabos at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Don’t miss this show, as this is the last leg of the tour and will wrap up in September ending in Canada. Tickets start at around $30. For tickets and more information, visit www.woodlandscenter. org.

FRIDAY

Campus Jobs for Coogs Are you looking for a job on campus?

CAN HELP! Join us and connect with UH staff seeking student workers:

August 11, 2010 1pm-4pm

UC Houston Room For more information, visit www.career.uh.edu/careerfairs/cjc/2010/ or email Jessica Campbell @ JCampbell11@uh.edu or Patty Tamez at PTamez@uh.edu

Sponsored by:

Saturday

Dax Riggs and The Bourgeois Gospels: Walter’s On Washington located at 4215 Washington, 8 p.m. Dax Riggs is a blues-

CO R R E C T I O N S gg

95˚ 77˚

rock singer originally from Louisiana known for fronting sludge band Acid Bath back in the ’90s. Riggs will be joined by gospel rock band The Bourgeois Gospels who hail from Houston, but are based in Hollywood, Calif. Tickets start at $14. For more information, visit www. pegstar.net.

SATURDAY Houston International Jazz Festival: Discovery Green, 4 p.m. The Houston International Jazz Festival celebrates its 20th season. More than 10,000 jazz musicians and jazz lovers are expected to show along with singer Rachelle Ferrell and jazz-fusion band Hiroshima on the Aug. 7 gathering. Plenty of food and drink vendors will also occupy the event. Tickets start at $20, $30 at the gate. For tickets and more information, visit www. ticketweb.com.

SUNDAY UME, O’ Brother and Giant Battle Monster: Mango’s located at 403 Westheimer, 8 p.m. Experimental punk band UME will by joined by indie band O’ Brother and crunk band Giant Battle Monster. UME is a trio of punk rockers based in Austin whose sounds utilize explosive guitar riffs. For ticket prices and more information, visit www.mangoscafehouston.com.

» Report errors to editor@thedailycougar.com

Corrections will appear in this space as needed.

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about About the Cougar The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://www.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 Direct 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.

issue staff n

Copy editing

Moniqua Sexton, Phillip Tran

Production

Sarah Neill

Closing editor Matthew Keever

SpOrts

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Wednesday, August 4, 2010 n 3

Track

Nolan reflects on breakout season Sprinter looks to take career to greater heights in upcoming season

By John Brannen The Daily Cougar If you claim to be a fan of Houston sports, then Errol Nolan is a name you need to know. Inside the Athletics/Alumni Center is the UH Sports Hall of Fame. Located behind two glassplated doors is a statue of Carl Lewis, along with trophies and memorabilia of the biggest names in the history of UH Athletics. Nolan said he feels confident he will leave a legacy worth remembering behind those doors. “I’ll be in there one day,” Nolan said. “They’ll have a statue of me.” In his freshman season, Nolan continued to run provisional times and has added his name to a long list of elite UH sprinters. He has the second fastest 400-meter time in school history — 45.59 seconds — and hopes to break Chris Jones’ 1997 record of 44.92. He was the Conference USA champion in both the 200 and 400-meter dash. Nolan went on to win the outdoor conference championship in the 400. “I got a personal record almost every meet or close to it, so it was a different experience. It’s something to get used to. I enjoyed it,” Nolan said. One of the few disappointments for Nolan was June 9 at the NCAA Championships when he failed to advance past the preliminary stage in the 400. But a chance for redemption came three weeks later at the USA Track and Field Junior Championships. Nolan breezed by the competition in the 400 and qualified for the IAAF World Junior Championships in Canada. After a preliminary round and

a semifinal, Nolan made the cut for the final eight in the 400. In the final he placed third, finishing as the top American. But the highlight of his trip came when he ran the mile relay with his American teammates. Nolan and his teammates cruised by the competition en route to becoming the Junior World 4x400meter champions. After winning the race, Nolan and his teammates could be seen celebrating with American flags draped on their shoulders. In several photographs Nolan showed some Cougar pride, giving the “Go Coogs” hand symbol. “Just don’t forget where you came from,” Nolan said. Nolan said he expects to wear the U.S. uniform again. He has his sights set on running in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and beyond. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be there,” he said. After the progress of his freshman season, he said he is contemplating going into the professional circuit sooner than later and that he hopes to get more chances to run the 200. “I am actually thinking about it. We have to see how it plays out the rest of this year and next season,” he said. “The 4 is my race, but I think I can be a good 200 runner as well, so I am going to be going back and forth.” The guidance of head coach Leroy Burrell, a former Olympic gold medalist has also worked in Nolan’s favor. “He’s been a lot of help. We have a closer relationship, more understanding of what I need to do and what I need to improve on next year,” Nolan said. Perhaps it’s Burrell’s coaching that has inspired Nolan to pursue the same career when his running days are over. Although he is majoring in mechanical see TRACK, page 8

Uh Notebook

Cougar signs deal with Turkish team Cougar Sports Services Aubrey Coleman will take his talents to Turkey to play with Aliaga Petkim, as reported by Hurriyet Daily News. In the NBA summer league, Coleman played for the New Orleans Hornets. He averaged 11.4 points in five appearances. He hopes his time in Europe will get him an opportunity in the NBA. During his senior season Coleman led the NCAA in scoring, averaging 25.6 points per game. Track coach wins African championship Former UH hurdler and graduate assistant coach Seun Adigun won the 100-meter

hurdles at the Confederation of African Athletics Championship last Thursday. She finished in 13.14 seconds, good for her best mark of the season. As a Cougar, Adigun placed third at the 2009 NCAA Championships. She currently coaches sprinters and hurdlers on the UH track team. Outfielder captures All-Star game MVP Caleb Ramsey put up an impressive performance at the Cape Cod Baseball League Allstar game. Ramsey was two for four at the plate and stole a base. Although his team the East lost to the West 5-0, he won the MVP

John Brannen The Daily Cougar

Nolan accomplished his goal of making his family proud by winning a bronze and gold medal at the IAAF World Junior Championships.

You deserve a factual look at . . .

The Deadly Threat of a Nuclear-Armed Iran What can the world, what can the USA, what can Israel do about it? Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has declared publicly – not once, but repeatedly – that Israel must be “wiped off the map.” That effort, the destruction of Israel, seems to be the main goal of Iranian policy. When Iranian missiles are paraded through the streets of Tehran, the destination “to Jerusalem” is clearly stenciled on them.

What are the facts?

destroyed. The IAF (Israeli Air Force) accomplished that in a daring and unprecedented raid. Iraq’s nuclear A death wish for Israel. Ahmadinejad and the capability was eliminated in one stroke, never to rise ayatollah who is the “supreme leader” have publicly up again. Israel had done the world an enormous mused that one or two nuclear bombs would obliterate service. Had it not been for Israel’s decisive action, the Israel, but that, though it would cause devastating Iraqi conquest of Kuwait and, without question, also of damage and millions of casualties, Iran would survive Saudi Arabia and its enormous oil fields, and, for that Israel’s retaliatory attack. Iran is a huge country, with matter, of Iran, could not have been prevented. Saddam about 60 million inhabitants, so they are probably Hussein would have been the ruler of the world. correct. And who can doubt that those religious The solution to the deadly threat that Iran poses to fanatics would not hesitate to allow the destruction of the world is obvious. Of course, diplomacy and much of their country and persuasion, threats and to sacrifice a third or even promises, sticks and one-half of their “An attack on the Iranian nuclear carrots – every possible population in order to eliminate the hated Jewish installations would fall under the heading means short of military state? When our country of “anticipatory self-defense,” recognized action – should be used was entangled with the and sanctioned by international law and until it becomes clear even to the most obdurate that Soviet Union in the bitter by common sense.” nothing can deviate Iran 40-year long “cold war,” from its chosen path of with both sides having becoming a nuclear power and to dominate the Middle sufficient nuclear weapons to destroy the opponent’s East. country and its people, things were kept in place by There is reason to believe that the people of Iran, MAD – Mutually Assured Destruction. However “evil” especially the young people, oppose the oppressive and the leaders of the Soviet Union (the “Evil Empire”) may theocratic regime of their country and are hostile to have been, there was one great consolation and the mullahs who control everything. But the assurance: They were not crazy. But the Iranians and government has the tools of power firmly in its hands. other Muslims are crazies, as we understand the It controls the instruments of coercion – it can kill concept. Because they take instructions directly from people and it controls the oil money. While it would be Allah, who tells them to kill the Jews and other infidels, most desirable and in the interest of the world to be whatever the cost. able to foment an overthrow of the Iranian regime, Israel has no problem with Iran. They share no that is an unrealistic and unattainable prospect. borders and have no territorial dispute. In fact, they Regrettably, there is only one solution to the terrible face common Arab enemies and should be natural dilemma confronting the world, the unacceptable allies, as they indeed were under the Shah. Iran’s death danger of a nuclear-armed Iran. The terror, the wish for Israel is based entirely on religious fanaticism. destruction and the 60 million dead of World War II In contrast even to the intractable North Koreans, the could have been prevented at several times during the determination of the Iranians is immutable. It cannot Nazi regime. But the Allied powers, under the be changed by persuasion, by diplomacy, by sanctions leadership of Britain’s prime minister Neville or by threats. Chamberlain, opted for appeasement and for “peace in Once Iran is in possession of nuclear weapons, it will our time.” We cannot afford to make that same mistake not only be a deadly danger to Israel, but to all of the again. The world must give Iran an ultimatum: Desist Middle East and to virtually all of Europe. The flow of immediately from the development of nuclear weapons; oil from the Middle East, the lifeblood of the if you do not, we shall destroy the facilities that produce industrialized world, would be totally under its control them. There still is a window of opportunity to do that. and so would be the economies of all nations of the That window may close very soon. But who would do world, very much including the United States. the job? The United States would be the obvious choice. What is to be done? In 1981, then prime minister of But if the United States were in accord, Israel could do Israel Menachem Begin, being aware of Iraq’s nuclear it, just as it did the job in 1981 in destroying Iraq’s ambitions and looming realization of those ambitions, nuclear potential once and for all. decided that its nuclear reactor at Osiraq had to be An attack on the Iranian nuclear installations would fall under the heading of “anticipatory self-defense,” recognized and sanctioned by international law and by common sense. Nobody really knows for sure how far Iran is from reaching its goal — six months. six years? The experts disagree. But if Iran is not stopped now, it may well be too late not very long from now. This message has been published and paid for by

Facts and Logic About the Middle East P.O. Box 590359 ■ San Francisco, CA 94159

Gerardo Joffe, President

FLAME is a tax-exempt, non-profit educational 501 (c)(3) organization. Its purpose is the research and publication of the facts regarding developments in the Middle East and exposing false propaganda that might harm the interests of the United States and its allies in that area of the world. Your tax-deductible contributions are welcome. They enable us to pursue these goals and to publish these messages in national newspapers and magazines. We have virtually no overhead. Almost all of our revenue pays for our educational work, for these clarifying messages, and for related direct mail.

109

see NOTEBOOK, page 8

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4 n Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION

ANDREW TAYLOR SAY: I like Sarah Palin. See you in the Fall!

EDITOR Andrew Taylor E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITORIAL CARTOON

editorial B oard Matthew Keever, Editor in Chief Newton Liu, Managing editor Hiba Adi, News editor Jose Aguilar, News editor John Brannen, Sports editor Christopher Losee, Sports editor Travis Hensley, Life & Arts editor Andrew Taylor, Opinion editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Shed your predispositions and enjoy diversity

M JASON POLAND The Daily Cougar

Texas needs to comply with EPA The state of Texas is at it again – wasting its energy and our tax dollars this past week on suing the Environmental Protection Agency once more, this time on Texas’ flexible permits program. Paulina Lam EPA officials announced in May that Texas was violating several Federal Clean Air Act requirements. The issue heated up after the EPA took authority over two state-issued permits in mid-June, causing the two industrial plants involved to seek new permits from the EPA to continue their operations. Among Texas’ industrial facilities, 122 have been operating under the flexible permits of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The federal government’s intervention on the TCEQ’s unforced regulations will help Texans breathe cleaner air as well as put our tax dollars to better use. Texas’ flexible permit program calls for refinery and plant facilities to meet an overall emissions cap but doesn’t specify how to go about this requirement. Federal regulations, however, require that certain

pollutant emissions be limited from each specific source of an industrial facility. This flexibility in state-issued permits allows Texas refineries and plants to emit an unaccounted-for amount of additional emissions than are permitted by the federal government. The EPA has decided earlier this month that Texas’ flexible permit program was a no-go. Instead of letting the decision go unapproved, the state issued a lawsuit for reconsideration this week. Reconsideration on the state’s flexible permits will go up to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The U.S. Court of Appeals’ decision will impact the industrial refineries and plants significantly. Whether the decision will favor these companies or the EPA, a devastating amount of damage will result. If the U.S. Court of Appeals favors Texas, our air quality will remain the same, possibly becoming filthier. Polluted air will promote an increase in respiratory health problems for Texans. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, alleges that the EPA’s new air quality findings are questionable. The state’s lawsuit claims

that the findings to cut down on pollutant emissions are based on junk science. When there’s growing evidence that carbon dioxide emissions create these hazardous problems, this is not junk science. In an interview with KERA, public television and radio for north Texas, EPA’s new regional administrator Al Armendariz shared his views. “We are home to approximately 35 percent of the industrial carbon dioxide emissions in the country, so we need to be leading the way and not fighting through litigation,” Armendariz said. Evidence also suggests that Texas has, once again, wasted our tax dollars on filing unnecessary lawsuits. We have a right to breathe clean air and the state has disregarded our health by defending a flexible permit system that will leave our air further polluted. If the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit cares for the health of Texans, they will favor the EPA and disapprove the reconsideration. Paulina Lam is a print journalism junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

Jailbreaking legal, clients unfazed Once you buy a smart phone, it is yours. There is no reason not to download any legally purchased applications or use that phone with a different carrier. Manufacturers should Casey have no right to completely control Goodwin how consumers use their devices. Thanks to a new ruling passed by the Copyright Office, it is now legal for owners to use their “wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications” by circumventing the built-in security measures designed by the manufacturer. It is also legal to use wireless telephone handsets on other cell phone carriers, as long as the owner makes that change himself. Tech savvy friends, competing cell phone carriers and outside companies cannot jailbreak your phone for you; the jailbreak has to be commercial and

nonprofit. It may not sound like a big deal, but for owners of iPhones it is. Since the first generation of the iPhone, users have been altering the phones to allow them to use applications not sold through Apple’s App Store. Many have also unlocked their phones in order to keep their existing provider instead of AT&T. Until last week, iPhone owners could only legally use AT&T and applications purchased through Apple’s iTunes. There is no reason Apple should be able to force that much control. Admittedly, this ruling is unlikely to change anything significant right away. There will be no surge of current smart phone owners jailbreaking their devices, since most people who want to do so already have. The people who have already jailbroken their phones will not have to deal with legal action. It also means that people

who buy smart phones in the future will not have to be limited to just the phones their cell phone company offers. Every smart phone on the market that is applicable to being unlocked is open to legal jailbreaking. Despite the fact that it is legal, jail breaking still voids the iPhone’s warranty and the warranties of many other smart phones. Because of this undeniable downside, it is unlikely that more than a small, technologically-savvy fraction of smart phone users will take immediate advantage of the new ruling. As time passes and the computer-wise smart phone users refine the jailbreaking process into something simple, elegant and basic, there is a good chance that many smart phone users will leave their phones untouched. Casey Goodwin is a mechanical engineering sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

any wondered if the election of Barack Obama could signal an end to racism. To some this could have been an overall sign of the end of racism, but surely anyone who is in touch with the outside world would find this to be false during their daily routines. Even the president himself was aware that racism could not be eradicated by his presidency. Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naïve as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacyparticularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own,” Obama said. The fact of the matter is that racism exists in every culture and cannot be eradicated without unification between them. There must be a willingness to practice empathy with everyone, including those with major differences. Understanding racism also requires an emotional understanding to the feelings and experiences one feels through racial prejudice. Many feel that racism and the behaviors that further racist mindsets are a cultural phenomenon. Oppression, neglect and a lack of expressed love, however, are factors that transcend cultures and race. The circumstances and makeup of one’s surrounding through the crucial development years are where minds and hearts are led astray. The link between culture and racism comes from the belief that culture precedes racist mentalities. The fact that communities are not usually uniform in race or culture is one thing to consider in contrast to the former common claim. Also, the combination of neglected communities, low socioeconomic status and poor education perpetuate and contribute to the hardships that can breed racism. History provides us with evidence that oppressed cultures and people have often led to racism that progresses over time. To imagine that racism will dissolve is equal in divinity to everlasting love, and the absence of greed, suffering and hatred. So as the Fall 2010 semester begins, embrace the diversity around you at our University and be proud that you walk the hallways of one of the most diverse campuses in America.

E D I TO R I A L policy 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 them to (713) 7435384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published 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.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010 n 5

The Daily Cougar

LIFE+ARTS EDITOR

TRAVIS HENSLEY SAY: Man who drop his watch in toilet have sh*tty time.

Travis Hensley E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/life_arts

Movie review

Dinner not worth the price The movie made schmucks of everyone who made the mistake of going to see it

By Travis Hensley The Daily Cougar “Wait for this movie to come out on DVD,” is the best advice anyone can tell the potential viewers. It’s a great “nothing better is on” movie in the same way Bio-Dome is watchable. At home it would be amazing; people could get so much done. They can leave for 15 minutes and come back not missing a single joke or interesting plot development, and they could do this at any point in the movie. Sadly, this movie is in theaters and people are spending 114 minutes of their lives watching it straight through. Based off the French film Le dîner de cons (The Dinner for Dolts), a film written and directed by Francis Veber, making this one more movie for the summer of unoriginality. The English version finished in second at the box office with over $23 million. Inception came in first with over $27 million in the number one slot for the third week in a row. The plot of this movie is simple; Tim (Paul Rudd), a finance executive, desperately wants a promotion to impress his girlfriend (Stephanie Szostak) so that she will finally say yes to his proposal for marriage.

NEED FOR SP

To do this, he has to impress his boss during a secret dinner where co-workers see who can bring the biggest idiot. Tim finds his idiot by chance when he runs into Barry (Steve Carell) with his car. Barry is a really strange guy who works for the IRS and uses stuffed mice to make works of art, which makes him the perfect date for dinner. All of this can be figured out by watching the first few seconds of the trailer. Zach Galifianakis is in very little of the movie. Jemaine Clement (from The Flight of the Conchords) has a lot of screen time (too much for his character). The dinner is not a big part of the movie; the time on-screen is about 10 minutes. Most of the conflict comes from Tim’s girlfriend leaving and Darla (Lucy Punch), a girl that he slept with three years ago, coming over after Barry gives her Tim’s address through online chat. The actors did a decent job; both Carell and Rudd can’t be blamed for this movie. They worked together before in The 40 Year Old Virgin, and had great chemistry on that movie. On this movie, they did the same roles that made them famous. Carell was weird and Rudd is the cynical straight man with relationship problems. Director Jay Roach’s most notable

projects includes the Austin Powers series and the Meet the Parents movies. His direction style falls into the category of just standard comedy. In the Austin Powers movies, the feeling was there is room for Mike Myers and the rest of the cast to run free. This was not in this movie. Everything felt as though it was being read from a script. All of this could be done to make sure that the film

received its PG-13 rating. But overall, the look of the movie was good. So, the people that should be blamed are writers David Guion and Michael Handelman; their last project was the terrible The Ex starring Zack Braff and Jason Bateman. They managed to turn those two unfunny and they have done the same with Carell and Rudd.

arts@thedaily.com

IN REVIEW Dinner for Schmucks Rated: PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity Starring: Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Zach Galifianakis, Jemaine Clement Verdict: Not worth the money.

Jack’s Facts

EED

Drag u la / R o b Zom bie K il li ng in t h e N ame / R age A g a in s t H igh way t o t h e M ach in H e ll / AC/D e C Wh e n Wo r ld s C o ll ide / P o we r m a n 5 Du H a s t / R 000 amms te in Fire s t a rt / Th e Pro dig y Th e Do p e Sh o w / M a r il yn Manson Pa n am a / V a n H a le n Af te r li fe / Ave nge d S e ve n f o ld Ame r ic a n L o ve / H a s te t h e Day

mix tape:

Road ragin’!

Paramount pictures

Barry (Steve Carell) showed off his stuffed mice in one of the few funny scenes of the movie Dinner for Schmucks.

ome songs just make you drive fast. It’s not good, but if you have to get somewhere fast just put this mix tape in and drive until your knuckles become white with speed. This could also cause a car accident and the realization that Powerman 5000 is a terrible band.

Apps to save the day for phone By Jack Wehman The Daily Cougar Android is quickly becoming the dominant smart phone platform. It’s now (by some reports, at least) the dominant smart phone operating system, spanning across multiple phones on every major carrier. With that in mind, here are a few apps that will help you take full advantage of the cute green robot — and for all the cost of nothing. The most important app — and the one that will save you the most battery — is a good task killer. I use Advanced Task Killer, but there are many others on the Marketplace that do the same job. Every time you open an app on an Android phone, it stays open until you quit. However, just going back to the home screen does not close an app; for that, you need a task killer. Without one, all the open programs on your phone will eat up your battery fast. Be sure to only close apps you don’t use often, though — because if you keep opening and closing the same app, you actually waste more battery than if you just went back to the ‘sleeping’ app. The goal of most apps is, ironically, to take what the phone does already and make it easier to use. For easily finding WiFi

hotspots, WiFinder will show every network around, and give the strength of the network as well. What makes WiFinder work better than the default wireless settings panel is you can set it to automatically search for (and join) open networks. One of the most indispensable apps around is Where’s My Droid. With it, you’ll never lose your phone again. Just send your phone a specific text message (you choose what to say) and it will instantly turn on high ring volume for a full minute until you find it. It’s saved me numerous times, and is one of the most useful apps on the Marketplace. If you’re a commuter, download the Houston Traffic Map immediately. It shows the entire Houston highway map, color-coded to show traffic patterns. People who use real-time traffic maps save an average of four days every year by avoiding congested roads; use your phone to your advantage. Another great thing about Android phones is the ability to impress your friends. If there’s a song on the radio that no one knows the name of, use Shazam to find out near-instantly what it is. The app takes a sample of the song, and within 10 seconds you know

the name of the song, the artist, and the album it appears on. It works with almost every song, too — even obscure indie bands. Trying to impress a girl? Whip out your Google Sky Map and instantly know every constellation in the sky. Now you can know for sure whether it’s a star or a planet — or even a galaxy. People trying to learn another language should definitely download Google Translate. It can take just about any language and, of course, translate it into any other. It’s not always a perfect translation, but it’s definitely better than nothing. An app that is handy in case of emergency is First Aid. It describes what to do in just about any basic medical emergency. Whether it’s a burn or a broken arm, First Aid will help you keep calm and maybe save a life or two. With over 75,000 apps in the Marketplace, this list barely scratches the surface. There’s an app for just about every conceivable situation — and most of them are free. With a little bit of searching, you can find apps to turn your smart phone into a voracious app machine. arts@thedailycougar.com

NEWS

6 n Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Daily Cougar

CHILDREN

METRO

SCHOLARSHIP

continued from page 1

Dreyer said. The children will enjoy a wide range of activities such as paint ball, dances, arts and crafts and a variety of sports, campfires and dirt biking. The children will also partake in cooking activities. Local restaurants go out to the camp and provide cooking lessons and dinner for all the campers. Pappasito’s was at the camp last Saturday. Johnny Carrabba from Carrabba’s restaurant also comes and cooks for the kids. Most of the faculty and staff at Camp Periwinkle are former cancer patients who attended the camp. “One of the girls here as a counselor was my patient when she was younger,” Dreyer said. “I diagnosed her when she was two years old.”

stretch between the Hillcroft and Eastwood Transit Centers, including a stop at UH — one of the 19 stations included in the transit plan. Other stops include Greenway Plaza, the University of St. Thomas and Texas Southern University. The University light rail line is part of a five line rail plan that includes the North, East End, Uptown and Southeast lines. While the Uptown line is in the design phase, the North, East End and Southeast line are under construction. “The University line will serve as a critical link in the future of this campus as it brings students and faculty together for the purpose of education,” Greanias said. “We at NEW METRO can’t think of a better way to serve the community.”

news@thedailycougar.com

degree, Montondon hopes to continue his training as a clinician by working with those affected by mental illness and life’s adversities. “I want to refine my therapeutic skills to help create more effective interventions, programming and education materials, and improved advocacy for our community,” Montondon said. Created in 1956 by Ima Hogg, The Hogg Foundation Scholarship Program awards scholarships to graduate social work students in the field of mental health services. To mark its 70 anniversary, the foundation doubled the amount of scholarships given out this year, giving out $50,000 in special scholarship awards — Montondon’s included. “I am very grateful to win such

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a notable scholarship, which will help me plan ahead for the continued professional training I will need as I move into a higher level of the work field as a licensed MSW, but I am especially honored to be a part of the UH Graduate College of Social Work,” Montondon said. “I would not have received the scholarship without the wonderfully kind references from GCSW Professor Luis Torres and my friend Cheryl Amoruso, who is the director of the UH Center for Students with Disabilities.” Recipients of the scholarship must attend an accredited Texas graduate social work program or one of pending accreditation. “I am very proud to attend such a great graduate program and getting recognized for my efforts and potential is the cherry on top,” Montondon said.

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COMICS & MORE

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COUGAR COMICS

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A.D.D. Circus by Chris Jacobs

Robbie and Bobby by Jason Poland

today’s sudoku How to play

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Previous puzzle solved

Wednesday, August 4, 2010 n 7

today’s crossword ACROSS 1 Ocean fish 5 Hormel product 9 Uppity folks 14 Mars, to the Greeks 15 Urn homophone 16 Olympics prize 17 Dusting powder 18 Pedro’s wine 19 Actress — Papas 20 Watching closely (2 wds.) 22 Sprinkled 24 “The Velvet Fog” 26 — Beta Kappa 27 Walk briskly 30 Occasional obligation (2 wds.) 35 “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” singer 36 Space lead-in 37 Royal honorific 38 Gray-clad soldier 39 Theft 42 Ms. Peeples of TV 43 Hertz rival 45 Metro area 46 Following 48 Precise details 50 Works clay 51 Agree silently 52 Lairds’ daggers 54 Hull stabilizer 58 Shares top billing 62 Curved moldings 63 The Emerald Isle 65 Wading bird 66 Apparition 67 TV host Jay — 68 Skirt slit 69 Brash 70 Dawdles 71 Antlered animals

24 27

35 39

42 47

50 52 57

53 58

DOWN 1 Cheerio! (hyph.) 2 Siberian river 3 Jodie Foster film 4 Cowl wearer 5 Harsh 6 Rainbow maker 7 Ms. Jillian 8 Kitten’s plea 9 Anvil’s place 10 Sea nymphs 11 Frankfurt’s river 12 Nuisance 13 Toboggan, for example 21 Matterhorn echo 23 Chef’s attire 25 Bailed out 27 Get out fast 28 Fountain in Rome 29 Worm seeker

32 37

51 54

31 Nobel chemist Harold — 32 Rockies range 33 Made an effort 34 Birthday count 36 Soprano’s piece 40 Alkali opposites 41 Jerks 44 Cloudy 47 Merry 49 Nice and warm 50 Father of Zeus 53 Sweet topping 54 Marshlands 55 — Khan 56 Many August people 57 Confide in 59 Director — Ferrara 60 Hockey arena 61 Former JFK arrivals 64 New Deal org.

2010 United Feature Syndicate INC.

Previous puzzle solved B I D E D

A D O B E

B L O B S

D A F OR L M F A S K L C A C R S A

O R A L

E E R P L C E H B O E Y A I D G A U P A T N E A D

M E R I N O R I D G E

D R I F T C E D E S H A M

S E R I K E Z E P E H E T E A P R A T O E D S L A Y E D B D WE L I B S O S O U S H P L E E U S S

We can’t hear you. Mostly because we’re a newspaper and we don’t have ears. But we would love to get your voice heard. Send us a guest column, around 400-600 words on a topic of your choosing, to opinion@thedailycougar.com.

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TRACK

 

continued from page 3

 

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



20%

University of Houston Student Discount

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NOTEBOOK continued from page 3

honors for his team. The Cape Cod League playoffs begin August 6 and will conclude August 14. Football team set to begin practice Members of the football team will report back to campus Thursday, followed by media day Friday. Afterward the Cougars will have their first practice Friday. The football season will kick off September 4 at Robertson Stadium as the Cougars take on Texas State. 2010 Home Schedule September 4-– Texas State September 10 – UTEP September 25 – Tulane October 9 – Mississippi State November 5 – UCF November 13 – Tulsa sports@thedailycougar.com

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

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engineering technology he said his experience as an athlete has led to an interest in becoming a coach when he is done competing. “I just want to see someone succeed and excel like I did.” Nolan turns 19 later this month which likely means his best days are still ahead of him. After graduating high school roughly a year ago, he will get a chance for some much needed rest, an unfamiliar concept to him. “I really don’t know how to take it,” Nolan said. Nolan and the Cougars will resume fall training in September, with the indoor track season beginning in the middle of December.

Where do I get the latest UH news?

8 n Wednesday, August 4, 2010