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THE DAILY TEXAN Hems up, heels high for spring fashion Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900
By Shabab Siddiqui Daily Texan Staff President William Powers Jr. told faculty members that the University is working with the UT System to address the letter from Gov. Rick Perry’s office that asks state agencies to prepare a plan to cut 5 percent of their state-provided budgets. The Jan. 15 letter, signed by Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus, requires the UT System and other state agencies to submit a prioritized plan of potential cuts by Feb. 15. The state budget for the 2010-2011 biennium, which was set by the Legislature in the summer of 2009, is expected to face a deficit by the 2011 legislative session due to insufficient sales-tax revenues. All faculty members were invited to attend Monday’s general faculty meeting with Powers, which was followed by the semester’s first Faculty Council meeting. The council is the faculty’s elect-
ed, representative body. Powers said that the letter does not ask the University to cut 5 percent of its total budget, but instead, 5 percent of state general revenue. In 2009-2010, state general revenue made up about 30 percent of the University’s academic core budget. The academic core budget primarily covers faculty and staff salaries but also includes scholarships, utilities, maintenance and operation. The University received $333 million in recurring state general revenue this school year and expects to receive a 1-percent increase for each of the next two years. Powers said a 5-percent cut in general revenue from the 20102011 biennium would amount to a $29 million cut from the University’s budget. Spokespeople at the UT System said the Regents, the chancellor and presidents from UT System schools were working to figure out the letter’s intention during a meeting Monday, but refused to comment on precise meeting details after it had concluded. Powers addressed pre-submit-
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Mary Kang| Daily Texan Staff
Jon Olson, an associate engineering professor, listens during a Faculty Council meeting Monday afternoon.
Faculty Council applauds decision to keep field lab Board of Regents agrees to keep Brackenridge lab out of redevelopment By Shabab Siddiqui Daily Texan Staff The Faculty Council passed a resolution — to a rare round of applause — during its first meeting of the semester, thanking the Board of Regents for unanimously agreeing to keep the Brackenridge Field Laboratory at its current location. “The field lab is an incredible opportunity,” said Janet Staiger, radio-television-film professor and the Council’s chairwoman. “By working on the field lab, the students in bio-sciences have this incredible academic resource.” The Dec. 22 decision to keep the lab was made by a special advisory committee composed of Regents Janiece Longoria, Printice Gary and Eugene Powell. “After several discussions, it became clear that UT-Austin’s Brackenridge Field Lab is an integral part of the College of Natural Sciences and its mission to provide an outstanding academic experience for students, faculty and researchers,” Longoria said in a
statement. The approximately 500-acre Brackenridge Tract was donated by Col. George W. Brackenridge to UT in 1910. Along with the lab, the tract boasts the Lions Municipal Golf Course and graduate-student housing. The lab was created in 1967 and remains as a center for biodiversity research at the University. It houses hundreds of species of plants, insects and birds and more than a dozen types of animals. It is used frequently by UT students and faculty for research purposes, and it serves as a center for workshops and field trips. In 2006, the Regents’ Brackenridge Tract Task Force hired Cooper, Robertson & Partners, a New York-based architecture and urban design firm, to create a plan for the 350 acres of undeveloped land. The firm submitted two proposals in June that would turn the land into commercial and residential areas, bringing revenue to the University. One plan would reduce the size of the Brackenridge Field Lab, while the other would relocate it. Both plans would eliminate graduate housing and the golf
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Up in smoke
Kari Rosenfeld | Daily Texan Staff
A firefighter emerges from the smoke during the planned burn of a grassland near the intersection of MoPac Boulevard and Interstate Highway 45 on Monday. The burn is part of a plan to restore the land and improve the quality of the water that flows from the grassland to Barton Springs.
INSIDE: Read more about the grassland fire on page 9
Online texts lower costs for French, German students By Priscilla Pelli Daily Texan Staff With the help of a grant recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, students enrolled in the University’s introductory German and French foreign language classes will pay less than $20 for their textbooks. The Texas Language Technology Center of the College of Liberal Arts received a $263,000 grant in October to create online instructional materials, which will provide alternatives for students who are required to have textbooks for French and German
classes each semester. The instructional materials are published online and allow open access to students for a fraction of the price of commercially published textbooks. Carl Blyth, director of the Texas Language Technology Center, said the materials are more dynamic than regular textbooks because professors can add information to keep the instructional materials up to date. The online textbooks can encourage more students to enter higher education by reducing the amount students have to spend
each year on textbooks, Blyth said. The popularity of online textbooks has affected the conventional textbook industry. Since the 2010 fall semester, there has been a 10-percent drop in textbook purchases due to the availability of textbooks online, said University Co-op President George Mitchell. “A lot of data shows that students spend about $900 to $1000 a year on books alone,” Blyth said. “It keeps people out of the market when entering higher education.” Karen Kelton, senior lecturer in the Department of French and
Italian at the University, said she uses the online instructional material to show her class videos of students’ experiences in France to help them learn French visually. “Basically, for motivation, it can’t be beat because we’re using our students [and native speakers] as models of teaching a language,” Kelton said. Other higher-education institutions across the state, including Rice University, Texas Christian University and the Lone Star College System, will collaborate to keep the instructional materials current.
Business school applicants decrease nationwide McCombs sees reduction in applications but stays constant in enrollment Julie Bissinger Daily Texan Staff A recent, nationwide trend that shows a decrease in applicants to business schools across the U.S. can also be seen at UT. The percentage of freshmen applying to business schools nationwide fell from about 17 percent in 2008 to more than 14 percent in 2009, according to a survey released Sunday by the Higher Education Research Institute. According to the survey, the economic recession of the past few years played a hand in the numbers, since the study found a correlation between the current applicant pool and applicants to business schools in 1974. This was the last time the numbers were so low and a year that also experienced an economic recession. McCombs saw a 6-percent decline in the number of freshmen applicants from 2008 to 2009. More than 6,700 students applied to McCombs during the summer and fall of 2008, while about 6,400 students applied during the summer and fall of 2009, said Augus-
Students converse in front of the stock ticker inside the McCombs Business School on Monday afternoon. McCombs has experienced a declining rate of freshman applicants which echoes the nationwide decrease of business majors.
Mourin NIzam Daily Texan Staff
tine Garza, deputy director of admissions. Despite the drop in business applicants, the number of students enrolled in McCombs has remained relatively constant, about 800 students, since 2006. Eleven percent of those admitted to the University during the summer and fall of 2009 declared business as their major, according to statistics from the Office of Information Management and
Analysis. This number had hovered at 12 percent during previous semesters. Information management professor Prabhudev Konana said he hasn’t noticed much change in the number of students enrolled in his classes. “There hasn’t been a decrease in the number of students, just more sections with smaller classes,” Konana said. “There is a continued demand for
[classes].” Business freshman Jackie Kreda said that the economy did not have an influence on her choice of major. Interested in commercial real estate, she said she applied to McCombs because of the finance department’s real estate concentration option. “People talk about how the economy is bad, but nobody really says that it’s affecting their major,” Kreda said.
TPAC Open Forum Who: The Tuition Policy Advisory Committee What: open forum Where: The Avaya Auditorium, Room 2.302, of the Applied Computational Engineering and Sciences Building When: Today at 1 p.m.
Why: The committee proposed in December a 3.95-percent tuition increase per year over the next two years. The Regents, responsible for setting tuition, will vote on the proposal in March. TPAC is gathering student, faculty, staff and community feedback about the proposed tuition increase, and President William Powers Jr. will attend the forum to hear attendees’ opinions. Source: Viviana Aldous
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Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Jillian Sheridan (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Ana McKenzie (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Web Office: (512) 471-8616 online@dailytexanonline.com Sports Office: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Photo Office: (512) 471-8618 photo@dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classifieds@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.
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Emergency workers wait on 24th Street after responding to fire alarms triggered by an electrical motor failure in the Geography Building’s east staircase on Monday.
UNIVERSITY BRIEFLY Motor failure triggers fire alarms in Geography Building staircase At about 2 p.m. Monday, firefighters re-
sponded to fire alarms triggered by an electrical motor failure in the Geography Building’s east staircase. There was no fire reported in the building, but its staircase was full of smoke, said building manager Dee Dee Barton. The electrical failure originated in a vacant space within the building’s walls through which piping, vents and wiring run. Nine
fire trucks responded to the building’s alarm, and firefighters evacuated the building for at least 30 minutes. By 3 p.m., people were allowed back into the building as classes resumed. “I was alerted by the elevator people that smoke was coming out of the air vents,� Barton said. The building is at least 50 years old, and
Barton said she was not sure if the building’s electrical wiring had ever been replaced. The building’s elevators are undergoing renovations near to the location where the failure started. “You should have been there,� Barton said. “It was comical. Heaven only knows why they sent nine trucks.� — Pierre Bertrand
BUDGET: Inquiries remain regarding gender equity From page 1 ted questions about gender equity at the Faculty Council meeting from the Council’s Executive Committee. The council wanted to know if the fall 2009 semester’s faculty salary increases had addressed the concerns of gender equity. The 2008 Gender Equity Report found female professors made $13,000 less than their male counterparts. “There was a certain amount of money put into that fund, and
only about a third of the faculty received merit increases,� said Janet Staiger, radio-television-film professor and chair of the Faculty Council. “We wanted to know if this merit increase reduced the differences between male and female salaries.� College deans selected the faculty members who received raises. Provost Steven Leslie said it was not yet possible to determine if the merit increases helped close the gap because raises were given not only to improve equity
but also to level salaries and to retain top faculty. Leslie said all three criteria applied to women during consideration for salary increases. Of the faculty members who received raises, 51 percent were women and 36 percent were men, Leslie said. After a faculty member questioned the unaccounted 13 percent, Leslie said more specific data will be provided when the “University receives payroll information.� In addition to discussing the University budget, the Council
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Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Priscilla Pelli, Julie Bissinger, Audria Choudhury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nihas Wagal, Henry Uribe, Kathleen Sanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deborah Briscoe, Shannon Kintner, Mourin Nizam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kari Rosenfeld, Sameer Bhuchar, Rishi Daulat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joshua Avelar, Dave Player, Gabriella Fontes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ashley Morgan, Caitlin Billings, Martina Geronimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Simonetta Nieto, Alexa Hart, Gabe Alvarez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sammy Martinez, Emory Ferguson, Claudine Lucona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brianne Klitgaard, Connor Shea, Victoria Elliott
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Director of Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jalah Goette Retail Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Brad Corbett Account Executive/Broadcast Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Campus/National Sales Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Bowerman Assistant to Advertising Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.J. Salgado Student Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathryn Abbas Student Advertising Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Ford, Meagan Gribbin Student Account Executives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anupama Kulkarni, Ashley Walker, Any Ly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cameron McClure, Daniel Ruszkiewkz, Lauren Aldana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laci Long, Tommy Daniels Classified Clerks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa Lai Special Editions, Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Watts Web Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danny Grover Special Editions, Student Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kira Taniguchi Graphic Designer Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Thomas, Lisa Hartwig The Daily Texan (USPS 146-440), a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78705. The Daily Texan is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, federal holidays and exam periods, plus the last Saturday in July. Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX 78710. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591) or at the editorial office (Texas Student Media Building 2.122). For local and national display advertising, call 471-1865. For classified display and national classified display advertising, call 471-1865. For classified word advertising, call 471-5244. Entire contents copyright 2009 Texas Student Media.
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asked Powers questions about the revenues and finances of the athletic department after Texas head coach Mack Brown received a $2 million salary increase. On Dec. 14, the Council voted to pass a resolution condemning Brown’s salary increase by a margin of 2315. The resolution was unofficial because a quorum was not present at the meeting. “We all know that athletics is a profit-making program,� Staiger said. “We just wanted to know more about the income and the disbursement of the income by the athletic program so we could all have the right statistics.� Powers said the athletics program provides the University revenues through its licensing, as well as through contingent additional funding from profit at the end of the year. The current licensing agreement gives the University 10 percent of revenues from all Longhorn merchandise sold, while the rest goes to the athletic program. Powers left the meeting before its conclusion to meet with the chancellor and the Regents’ chairman regarding Perry’s letter.
TSM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING Friday January 29, 2010 3 p.m. The University of Texas HSM 3.302 2500 Whitis Avenue Austin, Texas 78712
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urges land be undeveloped for students From page 1 course. Faculty members strongly opposed any changes to the lab, and because the lab will stay at its current location, the proposals must be modified. While the field lab will remain, other commercial developments of the land will continue to be explored. “It will be very difficult to add academic value to the tract,� Staiger said. “We just know it’s the field lab that they [are] not going to disturb for the time being.� David Hillis, integrative biology professor and Faculty Council member, said any change to the facility would hurt the students. “It’s used extensively in undergraduate courses,� Hillis said. “We have over 400 students who use it. The alternate site would have limited its uses.� Hillis said there should be a renewed effort to increase resources at the lab and to develop the land for academic purposes. He said the Texas Memorial Museum could relocate its resources to the tract, which he said would give it better access to the public and provide more classroom space on campus. “There’s still a question of other programs that need additional space, need additional resources, and there are questions in regard to how we can do that,� Hillis said.
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Iraq’s ‘Chemical Ali’ hanged after gassing thousands By Brian Murphy The Associated Press BAGHDAD — Even in Saddam Hussein’s ruthless regime, “Chemical Ali� stood apart, notable for his role in gassing 5,000 people in a Kurdish village — the deadliest chemical weapons attack ever against civilians. Ali Hassan al-Majid was hanged Monday, leaving a notorious legacy that stamped Saddam’s regime as capable of unimaginable cruelty and brought unsettling questions about Iraq’s stockpiles of poison gas and whether it could unleash them again. The poison gas clouds that struck the village of Halabja began what would become an about-face by Washington — which had supported Saddam
during the eight-year war against Iran’s new Islamic state in the 1980s, but soon became his archfoe and protector of the Kurds in their northern enclave. “I want to kiss the hangman’s rope,� said Kamil Mahmoud, a 40-year-old teacher who lost eight family members in the March 16, 1988, attack in Iraq’s Kurdish region. Photos taken after the Halabja attack showed bodies of men, women, children and animals lying in heaps on the streets. Al-Majid, 68, was executed about a week after he received his fourth death sentence since facing Iraqi courts after the fall of Saddam. He was one of the last high-profile members of the former Sunni-led regime still on trial in Iraq.
Fernando Llano | Associated Press
University students shout slogans against Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez during a protest in Caracas on Monday. Police fired tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse students protesting Chavez’s decision to force Radio Caracas Television, or RCTV, critical of his government, off a cable television system.
Anti-Chavez TV spurs protests
By Fabiola Sanchez The Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela — Police fired tear gas and plastic bullets at thousands of university students on Monday, breaking up a protest after President Hugo Chavez’s government forced an opposition cable TV channel off the air. Demonstrations broke out after cable companies, under orders from the telecommunications agency, dropped the anti-Chavez channel Radio Cara-
cas Television Internacional early Sunday. RCTV had defied new rules requiring cable channels to carry mandatory programming, including some of Chavez’s speeches. Authorities fired tear gas as protesting students tried to approach the headquarters of the state telecommunications agency, where several hundred Chavez backers had gathered to support the government’s action. Some were seen throwing rocks and bottles at anti-Chavez protesters.
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speech and due process rights. Prison officials instigated the Dungeons & Dragons ban among concerns that playing the game promoted gang-related activity and was a threat to security. Singer challenged the ban but the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld it as a reasonable policy. Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures, often working together as a group, with the help of complicated rules. Singer, 33, has been a devoted player of the fantasy role-playing
US inmate loses lawsuit over ban of Dungeons & Dragons MADISON, Wisconsin — A man serving life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide lost his legal battle Monday to play Dungeons & Dragons behind bars. Kevin T. Singer filed a federal lawsuit against officials at Wisconsin’s Waupun prison, arguing that a policy banning all Dungeons & Dragons material violated his free
At least five students suffered asphyxiation or minor injuries, said Enrique Montbrun, director of health services in the capital’s Baruta district. A journalist also suffered minor injuries. “Freedom of expression is a right that we all embrace, and it must be defended,� said Alejandro Perdomo, 19, who accused Chavez of attempting to silence his critics. Students in the crowd chanted: “It will return, Radio Caracas will return!�
game since he was a child. After the ban went into effect, prison officials confiscated dozens of Dungeons & Dragons books. Prison officials enacted the ban in 2004 after an inmate sent an anonymous letter expressing concern about Singer and three other inmates forming a “gang� focused around playing the game. Department of Corrections spokesman John Dipko said the department will continue to enforce rules that are designed to maintain a safe environment. — The Associated Press
Everybody counts on having safe, effective medicine for anything from the common cold to heart disease. But making sure medications are safe is a complex and careful process. At PPD, to help evaluate medications being developed – maybe like you. You must meet certain requirements to qualify, including a free medical exam and screening tests. We have research studies available in many different lengths, and you’ll find current studies listed here weekly. PPD has been conducting research studies in Austin for more than 20 years.
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The government says RCTV violated recently approved regulations that require two dozen local cable and satellite channels to televise Chavez’s speeches whenever he deems it necessary. The channel, which has been fiercely critical of Chavez for years, did not transmit the president’s speech Saturday to a rally of supporters. Five other channels were also dropped from cable, but none of them were as widely viewed as RCTV.
Darko Vojinovic | Associated Press
Saddam Hussein’s cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid listens to prosecution evidence during the Operation Anfal trial in Baghdad on Jan. 8. 2007. Iraq’s government spokesman reported that Ali Hassan al-Majid was executed on Monday.
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OPINION
4 Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Editor in Chief: Jillian Sheridan Phone: (512) 232-2212 E-mail: editor@dailytexanonline.com Associate Editors: Jeremy Burchard David Muto Roberto Cervantes Dan Treadway Lauren Winchester
T HE DAILY T EXAN
OVERVIEW
GALLERY
COUNTDOWN TO FILE TO RUN FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT
14
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? I see a Marxist looking at me. There’s been a surprising development in the State Board of Education’s crusade to whitewash American history and develop a social studies curriculum that paints over the less savory aspects of the nation’s founding. The board has banned the children’s book “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” from the state’s third-grade curriculum. In a hilarious, egregious — and frankly, unsurprising — oversight, board member Pat Hardy, R-Weatherford, called for the book to be stricken from the curriculum because its author has penned another novel that contains “very strong critiques of capitalism and the American system,” according to The Dallas Morning News. The other novel in question was “Ethical Marxism: The Categorical Imperative of Liberation,” written by Bill Martin — but not the same Bill Martin who authored the children’s book. This Martin is a philosophy professor at DePaul University. There are (at least) three strands of absurdity here, the most obvious being the board’s willingness to ban books. But let’s not gloss over the board members’ complete and utter failure to research and the fact that political affiliation is apparently an author’s most relevant characteristic. This latest embarrassment only serves to highlight the board’s incompetence and bad decision-making. The members should focus on their actual job — developing a curriculum — and forget about their perceived duty to impose their ideology on Texas school children.
Capping repayments of student loans In his State of the Union address Wednesday, President Barack Obama will announce a proposal to cap federal loan payments for recent graduates at 10 percent of their income. The plan is projected to cost $1 billion. Under the new system, loan payments would be structured by taking into account how much money a graduate is making rather than requiring a blanket payment every month irrespective of income. If a graduate is laid off, for example, the amount of his loan repayment would be decreased. This would help curb loan defaults, which can take a toll on credit scores. As the cost of higher education rises exponentially, more and more students are taking on substantial debt. According to a recent survey by the Higher Education Research Institute, two-thirds of freshmen are somewhat or very worried about paying for college and are increasingly relying on loans. Obama’s program may be able to quell financial fears and help students afford an education. Though the proposal is laudable, it only combats the rising cost of college from one side. There’s another struggle to be had when it comes to state governments adequately financing public institutions. We’re looking at you, Texas Legislature.
GALLERY
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Easing the burden By Joshua Avelar Daily Texan Columnist Last week, President Barack Obama reached the one-year mark of his time in the nation’s highest office. Needless to say, his popularity has taken a slight hit since his historic inauguration, so his first State of the Union address — to be delivered Wednesday night — may set the tone for the rest of his term. Part of that address will include an announcement of a plan that could yield substantial benefits for current and prospective university students. Obama will propose an initiative to cap the amount that recent college graduates are allowed to repay for federal student loans at just 10 percent of income above basic living allowance. Some may feel that Obama has done enough spending in his first year as president and that additional initiatives are much too costly to be passed at the moment. But putting kids through college is one aspect of American life that desperately needs as much help as it can get. The National Survey of Counseling Center Disorders released data indicating that 10.4 percent of enrolled students at more than 302 colleges and universities in the United States sought some sort of counseling in 2009. Only 9 percent of students sought counseling the year before, according to insidehighered.com. A study conducted by Jean Twenge, a San Diego State University psychology professor, also reaffirmed concern for student mental well-being. Her data showed that more students today suffer from anxiety than ever before, as reported Monday in The Daily Texan. It is obvious that the classroom provides students with much stress. College work has
long been known to provoke mental strain, but students of the past did not have to deal with the financial struggles that students face today. The average American family income rose 29.1 percent from 1979 to 2008, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. But the average rate of tuition and fees at a public, four-year college or university rose 197 percent between the 1979-1980 academic year and the 2008-2009 academic year, according to the College Board. Parents may be willing to help, but there is only so much that they can do, even to put one child through college. A great chunk, if not all, of the financial burden of attending college falls on students themselves as they rush to take out loans to pursue their educational dreams. Though many potential students are kept from attending four-year institutions because of family financial concerns, those who actually find themselves in college have much more to be concerned about than fighting for that extra plus sign on their final grades. With a 3.95 percent tuition increase per year over the next two years likely on its way at UT, we can all see the need for more graduate-friendly loan practices. This proposed cap could benefit current UT students’ wallets and, ultimately, their mental health. It’s also important to note that the tuition statistics discussed earlier were of public institutions — places that are supposed to provide the populous greater access to education. But their cost over time has far exceeded many students’ means. The anxiety we face as students may follow us into post-grad life if regulations such as these are not passed. Investing in the financial security of soon-to-be college graduates will help secure a decent future for the country.
Have something to say? Say it in print — and to the entire campus. The Daily Texan Editorial Board is accepting applications for columnists and cartoonists through Feb. 4. We’re looking for talented writers and artists to provide as much diversity of opinion as possible. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to apply. Writing for the Texan is a great way to get your voice heard. Our columnists’ work is often syndicated nationwide, and every issue of the Texan is a historical document archived at the Center for American History. President Barack Obama may not be a reader, but a copy of the Texan runs across UT President William Powers Jr.’s desk each day, and opinions on this page have potential to affect UT policy. If interested, please come to the Texan office at 25th and Whitis streets to complete an application form and sign up for an interview time. If you have any additional questions, please contact Jillian Sheridan at (512) 232-2212 or editor@dailytexanonline.com. You can be a Daily Texan columnist or cartoonist.
THE FIRING LINE Concealed carry confusion The Daily Texan editorial staff used Thursday’s gun firing as a chance to promote a ban on guns from being carried into the Capitol. The front page article said the following: “Under Texas law, any person with a concealed weapons license is permitted to carry a handgun in public buildings, including the state Capitol.” Fausto Cardenas, the man who wielded a gun at the Capitol, did not have a permit to carry a concealed handgun, state officials have said. If you want to ban concealed carry, please use examples of people with concealed weapons licenses violating the law and acting violently. Cardenas does not represent law-abiding gun-toting citizens. Perhaps you could call for better enforcement of current concealed carry laws, or you could summarize a study of the effect of gun bans on violence across the country. Either would be a better use of space compared to yesterday’s editorial.
Avelar is a government and journalism senior.
— Grant Rauscher Business honors and government senior
Lessons from the ‘Jersey Shore’ By Dave Player Daily Texan Columnist
LEGALESE Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.
SUBMIT A FIRING LINE E-mail your Firing Lines to firingline@dailytexanonline. com. Letters must be fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity and liability.
SUBMIT A COLUMN The editorial board welcomes guest columns. Columns must be between 200 and 700 words. Send columns to editor@dailytexanonline.com. The Texan reserves the right to edit all columns for clarity and liability.
RECYCLE! Please remember to recycle this copy of The Daily Texan by placing it in a recycling bin around campus or back in the burnt-orange stand where you found it.
Four days before a national day of rest marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an estimated 3.6 million viewers tuned in to MTV and got a glimpse of a post-racial America, where there is no white, no black, no brown — only spray-tan. Unless you spent the holiday break in a cave without basic cable, you’ve heard of the overnight sensation “Jersey Shore.” The show follows the lives of eight young Italian-Americans spending the summer at a beach house on the south shore of New Jersey. The show’s cast members are self-described proponents of the “guido” lifestyle, an aspect that has drawn numerous criticisms from Italian-American groups and backlash from the local community. Several sponsors have already pulled their ads from MTV over the show’s questionable content, but ratings have continued to boom. Perhaps the most enticing bit of controversy in the show’s short history occurred in the fourth episode, when cast member Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi was punched in the face by a man after a verbal confrontation at a bar. MTV originally planned to make the punch the highlight of the episode, featuring it prominently in trailers prior to it airing. But after widespread backlash over MTV’s
perceived glorification of male-on- woman hitting a man. Some social female violence, the show’s produc- commentators have even suggested ers chose to pull the questionable that it was sexist to censor the clip, footage, citing that the assault rep- as it implies that women should resented a crime they considered be treated by a different standard, “extremely disturbing.” The show even when it comes to assault went as far as to air a public service and battery. announcement after the episode deAdditionally, some have criticized crying violence against women. MTV for linking the episode to doSuch actions would show a de- mestic violence in their public sergree of social revice announcesponsibility from ment when the the show’s proincident was ducers — if they clearly between were not so exstrangers and tremely hypocritnot by definiical. Instead, the tion “domestic.” The show has show has made Regardless of made drunken drunken violence MTV‘s motivaviolence its bread its bread and buttions behind reter, with trailers moving the clip and butter, with frequently high— in relation to trailers frequently lighting an upthe show’s typcoming fight in ical content — highlighting an the next week’s it shows that a upcoming fight episode. Whethdouble standard er at their “Shore certainly exists. in the next week’s house” or a loBeneath the episode. cal bar, cast memgender issues bers continually lie a more subconfront apparent tle contradiction. strangers with the While purporttypical result being to engage in ing a cast member a guido lifestyle, throwing punches. the cast members of “Jersey Shore” However, those incidents have all exhibit a carefree and spend-hapconsisted of male-on-male violence, py routine that consists of lounging female-on-female and, in one case, around their beach house and frefemale-on-male. Yet MTV chose to quenting bars and dance clubs. air and even promote those scenes; To facilitate that lifestyle, cast apparently the network’s feelings members are given jobs at a boardof disgust and legality do not ap- walk T-shirt store, hardly believply to same-sex violence or even a able as a significant source of in-
come on par with their lavish spending habits. Americans have found themselves living on tighter budgets and spending less. An estimated 45 percent of Americans have some amount of credit card debt — not surprising after years of economic surplus and excessive spending. Seemingly every television commercial, be it for auto insurance or fast food, reminds Americans that cheap is in. At the same time, viewers are introduced to a show featuring young twentysomethings spending their days lounging on the beach, hanging out in the Jacuzzi and terrorizing nightclubs for bottles of Patrón and Grey Goose. Viewers catch glimpses of the cast’s seemingly endless hedonism before the show breaks to commercials that warn them to maintain their credit reports or risk ruin. If we are entering into a new American age of fiscal responsibility, then the cast members of “Jersey Shore” are certainly the villains. It’s still unclear whether there will be a second season of “Jersey Shore.” Its cast members have become overnight celebrities, making promotional appearances while still seemingly unaware the whole country is laughing at them. Meanwhile, Americans continue to cut back on personal spending, but at least they retain the weekly comfort of watching young spendthrifts make fools of themselves. Player is a Plan II junior
5 UNIV
5
NEWS
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Texas Exes plan to fund merit-based scholarship Alumni group celebrates anniversary with widely available student funds, big research endowment
Mary Kang | Daily Texan Staff
Patrick Vuong, one of local business Juicy Tart’s three owners, works behind the counter Monday afternoon at the frozen yogurt store, located on 24th and San Antonio streets.
Austin ranked first for small businesses By Audria Choudhury Daily Texan Staff Keeping true to its “Keep Austin Weird� mantra, the city ranked first out of 100 metropolitan cities for providing the most favorable climate for starting a small business, according to a January study by Bizjournals, the parent company of several community business newspapers. The cities were evaluated based on the number of small busi-
nesses per every 1,000 residents and how much that number has changed over the last year. The study also monitored the change in a city’s population over five years and the number of people employed by private businesses. Austin’s population grew by 270,000 people between 2003 and 2008, and the number of jobs increased by about 16 percent between 2004 and 2009, according to the study. The city also increased
its number of small businesses by about 6 percent. Austin stood out because the number of small businesses grew by a much larger margin than that of small businesses in the nation as a whole. Trey Salinas, vice chairman for small business for the Austin Chamber of Commerce, said Austin may have ranked higher than other metropolitan cities such as Dallas or Chicago because of the city’s unique characteristics.
“You get all the synergies of quality of life, a friendly business environment and the University of Texas,� Salinas said. Colin Pope, editor of the Austin Business Journal, a branch of Bizjournals, wasn’t surprised by the outcome. “For the most part, this validates what [Austin] already assumed — we have a strong entrepreneurial environment,� Pope said. “The quality of life
and being a young, cool, hip city is what entrepreneurs are looking for.� He said that small businesses in Austin are willing to support each other, which makes it easier for new businesses to thrive. “We are a very tight-knit group, [so] you don’t have to go at it alone,� he said. “There is a strong labor pool, [which attracts] people from other parts of the country.�
Professor outlines standards for managing climate change Speaker recommends UN preserve wildlife, raise taxes on exports By Nihas Wagal Daily Texan Staff A Princeton University professor presented his thoughts on managing climate change to more than 40 people at the LBJ School of Public Affairs on Monday evening. For the past 20 years, governments have struggled to create comprehensive regime complexes — strong, integrated regulatory systems — for managing climate change, said international affairs professor Robert O. Keohane in his speech titled, “The International Regime Complex for Climate Change.� Instead, government efforts often produce a varied array of narrowly focused regime complexes, he said. Keohane said that comprehensive regimes are unlikely to be agreed upon by all levels of government. “There are a multitude of initiatives underway that aren’t organized in a hierarchical way, and there isn’t going to be one unless different approaches are taken,� Keohane said. He said it is important to learn how to create and maintain regime complexes that meet certain standards. “Evaluation criteria for regime complexes need to fulfill six factors for it to be successful: coherence, effectiveness, determi-
nacy, sustainability, accountability and epistemic quality,� Keohane said. The main concern of most countries is the production of climate-warming gases, he said. These gasses, which include carbon dioxide, have been shown to have a direct correlation with weather and storm patterns. “Although only about 15 countries account for 85 percent of climate change, this is a global matter,� Keohane said. In December 2009, the United Nations held its climatechange conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. The meeting succeeded in endorsing the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement held by 37 industrialized countries and the European Community to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they produce, but was largely unsuccessful in forming any legally binding agreements for countries’ approaches to climate change. “We should not be deterred by the Copenhagen meeting,� Keohane said. “It was expected, but a regime or regime complex can be built from what we learned [from Copenhagen].� Keohane outlined three basic steps to creating a successful plan to addressing climate-change issues: The U.N. must increase the price of carbon to deter other countries from using this resource; preserve the wildlife and forests, which would show that the plan is beneficial; and must
Kari Rosenfeld | Daily Texan Staff
Robert Keohane answers a question during a lecture at Sid Richardson Hall. Keohane, a highly influential academic in the realm of international affairs, spoke Monday about an international regime complex for climate change. enforce border tax adjustments for countries that don’t use price increases on carbon. He said countries that aren’t a part of the U.N., such as China,
are not going to be in agreement with these policies, which is why it is important to enforce tariffs to minimize the use of carbon. “The climate change is a glob-
al problem and an intergenerational problem,� Keohane said. “We can’t rely on altruism as a global response. We need to take the initiative.�
By Frank Morris Daily Texan Staff The Texas Exes, UT’s alumni association, will establish a new $1.25 million endowment and a large merit-based scholarship program to celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2010. The Student Opportunity Endowment will provide a University-wide fund for students to draw from for study-abroad travel and research projects, said John McCall, associate vice president of the University Development Office. The fund is the first of its kind in terms of size and availability to all students at UT. There are 164 programs that provide similar types of incidental funding, but these are operated by different schools and colleges, not the University as a whole. “We do not really have anything comparable to what the Exes are setting up,� McCall said. He said that in 2009, the University created 112 new student-support endowments totaling $8 million. Endowments at the University create funds by operating as principal in an investment. The interest earned on that investment is then made available for grants, scholarships or a variety of other initiatives. The principal, however, is held permanently by the University. Accumulation of the endowment funds will be driven primarily by member donations beginning at $125. The Texas Exes were unavailable to comment on a timeline for the completion of the fundraising or when students will be able to apply for funds. T h e a l u m n i o rg a n i z a t i o n has also recently announced its plans to award 10 full merit scholarships to incoming freshmen in 2011. The 40 Acres Scholars Program will help the University recruit top students from all over the country, according to Texas Exes spokeswoman Eleanor Moore. The scholarships will also include full studyabroad funding. With the recent discontinuation of the National Merit Scholarship Program, there are fewer opportunities for merit-based aid for University students. Moore said that increased merit-based aid would improve the University’s ability to recruit top students. Student Government President Liam O’Rourke said he was pleased with the direction the Texas Exes are taking, especially since affordability is becoming a rising concern for students. “I like where their head’s at,� O’Rourke said. “They could be raising money for a lot of other things. I like that they’re raising money for scholarships.�
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All students, faculty, staff, parents and the public at-large are invited to attend an open forum with the Tuition " !
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at http://www.utexas.edu/news/tuition. then take questions and feedback from the audience. President Powers will be in the forum audience to listen to all comments offered. This is the second of two Public Hearings that the committee will host.
6 S/L
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NEWS
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Study shows texting helps literacy By Audria Choudhury Daily Texan Staff A 2009 study conducted by U.K. researchers found that texting improved literacy and had no negative effect on the spelling capabilities of children aged 10 to 12. Researchers from Coventry University instructed 88 children to text about different pre-selected topics. After analyzing the texts, they found no serious damage to the subjects’ conventional spelling. “The more exposure you have to the written word, the more literate you become,� said lead researcher Beverly Plester to the BBC. “We tend to get better at things that we do for fun.� Kathleen Tyner, a UT radio-television-film assistant professor and expert in technology and commu-
nication, said literacy is the ability to evaluate and produce communication in a variety of forms. “Texting could contribute to al-
Government sophomore Mela- er than the whole words.� nie Lopez said she texts often and But she also admits that texthinks texting has negatively im- ting carries a personal style pacted language. that may not reflect someone’s grammar usage or ability to communicate. “It depends on who you text,� Lopez said. “I have some friends that I don’t think there’s too much truth to texting are grammatically correct. With other people, I can shorten words [and created a new language. You hear more people be less grammatically correct.]� saying ‘O-M-G’ rather than the whole words.� Horacio Villarreal, an undeclared liberal arts freshman, said — Melanie Lopez, government sophomore texting has provided a way to better remember spelling and to communicate more effectively. “It sounds lame, but [somephabetic literacy, but that’s not the “I don’t think there’s too much times] I practice punctuation and only kind of literacy,� Tyner said. truth to [the conclusion made by grammar,� Villarreal said. The study was published in the She said the misspellings of- the study],� Lopez said. “Texting ten found in text messages do not created a new language. You hear British Journal of Developmental necessarily affect literacy. more people saying ‘O-M-G’ rath- Psychology last year.
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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A motivational speaker who led a sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona that turned deadly said he feels horrible about what happened but declined to comment on whether he was responsible for the deaths. In his first interview about the incident, James Arthur Ray instead refers to letters drafted by his attorneys that state he was not criminally negligent. His comments were made to New York Magazine for a story published Sunday and later confirmed by his representatives. Ray led more than 50 people in a sweat lodge ceremony Oct. 8 at a retreat he rented near Sedona. About halfway through the twohour ceremony, participants began feeling weak, vomited and some passed out in the 415 square-
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Leader of sweat lodge claims he’s not responsible for deaths
foot structure. Three people — Kirby Brown, 38, of Westtown, N.Y.; James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee; and Liz Neuman, 49, of Prior Lake, Minn. — died and 18 others were hospitalized. Authorities in central Arizona’s Yavapai County have focused a homicide investigation on Ray, though no charges have been filed. Many participants have said Ray could have done more to ensure their safety. Ray countered that he wasn’t aware that anyone was experiencing medical problems until the ceremony concluded, though many participants said he ignored pleas for help inside the sweat lodge. Ray said he made sure 911 was called afterward, held people’s hands and talked with them, stroked their hair and held IVs for paramedics. “I was there the entire time doing whatever I could to help until I was detained by the detectives,� he told the magazine. — The Associated Press
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Sports Editor: Blake Hurtik E-mail: sports@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2210 www.dailytexanonline.com
7
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
T HE DAILY T EXAN
Player reflects on path to her success By Sameer Bhuchar Daily Texan Staff Erika Arriaran cannot bring herself to watch the sport she loves on television without getting worked up. “I don’t really try to model my game after anyone professional,” said the UT senior guard. “I don’t even watch sports. I get way too competitive watching them that I get mad. I’d rather just not turn them on.” Most of the time, she just ends up watching reality shows like “The Real Housewives of Orange County.” Though Arriaran doesn’t model her life after any of the women on Bravo’s hit show, she does have the same Southern California roots. Arriaran grew up in Norco, Calif., where life for her was not always easy. Her college career at Texas hasn’t been, either. “As a kid, I was really, really sick. It was bad,” she said. “My doctor said that I had to move around to get better. So my grandfather bought me a Playskool basketball hoop, and so that’s what really started it all.” The fact that her grandfather selected basketball for her to play only seems fitting. Arriaran comes from a long line of athletic family members. Her father Jim played football at the University of Oregon. Her sister Nastasia played basketball at California Baptist University, and her other sister Samantha currently plays collegiate volleyball at the University of Connecticut. In her three years on the Norco High School varsity squad, Arriaran virtually wrote the record books. She is Norco’s career leader in assists and freethrow percentage, second in points and fifth in steals and rebounds. Being the sharp shooter she is, Erika averaged an unheard-of 52 percent behind the arc her senior year. When it came time to put Norco behind her, she left a legacy that most
NCAA Men’s Top 25 No. 7 Georgetown 56 No. 4 Syracuse 73 Missouri 65 No. 2 Kansas 84
NBA Indiana 109 Philadelphia 98 LA Clippers 89 Boston 95 Cleveland 92 Miami 91 Orlando 94 Memphis 99 Atlanta 102 Houston 95 Chicago 98 San Antonio 93 Charlotte 93 Denver 104 Phoenix 115 Utah 124 New Orleans 98 Portland 97 Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff
Longhorn’s guard Erika Arriaran attempts to drive past Iowa State’s defenders in Saturday’s 73-71 loss. Arriaran has overcome two major knee injuries in her college career to be one of Texas’ biggest offensive weapons. high school players can only dream of. She was rated the nation’s No. 1 recruit in 200405 by All-Star Girls Report and Basketball Today. Things were falling right into place for Arriaran, and when it came time to select a college, Texas was a no-brainer for her. “I loved the University,” she said. “It seemed like a perfect fit.” Her good fortune continued through her freshman year. Arriaran was named to the five-member, Big-12, AllFreshman Team. She led the team in three-pointers and free-throw percentage.
Things took a turn for the worse during her sophomore year when she suffered a season-ending injury to her ACL. During the following season, Arriaran reinjured her knee and missed that entire year, as well. Arriaran was devastated. “I feel like I’ve wasted my years at this school,” Arriaran said in 2008. The sentiment, though heartbreakingly candid at the time, is one that Arriaran has since tried to change. The road of second chances began during the 2008-09 season. Arriaran worked tirelessly to get back into top form. In
FOOTBALL COLUMN
Longhorns remain unable to stay out of legal trouble fore being slowed by injury, an-
ment complex in his path, while
ring to Arizona over the weekend, and plenty of teammates will be joining him on the next bus out of town. This is a blow to an already underachieving receiving corps that could hardly cope after the aforementioned Brandon Collins, also a sophomore wide out, was kicked off the team under accusations of aggravated robbery in January. Over the past two seasons, 11 Texas football players have been busted, mostly for drug and alcohol-related crimes. The guilty parties have ranged from the unknown (Marcus Davis, DUI and drug possession resulting in a suspension from the team) to the irreplaceable (star defensive tackle Lamarr Houston, DWI last year). And lest we forget, All-Big 12 defensive end Sergio Kindle avoided arrest, but not the apart-
There are certain allowances to be made for young, tremendously gifted student athletes in a college setting. But, after 12 incidents in two seasons, coincidences give way to trends. Fool me once, maybe. But fool me 12 times? So, questions have to be asked. Is the University, which prides itself on education, integrity, the biggest scoreboard around and the most financially successful athletics program in the nation, willing to let a few bad apples drag its name through the less savory parts of Austin? Is head coach Mack Brown, who seems to possess a golden touch in most things related to football — and money — taking a tough enough stand on disciplinary issues?
fact, she was the Longhorns’ leading scorer off the bench with 7.5 points per game and second on the squad with 39 3-pointers made. This season, her intensity and strong work ethic are paying off. She has started 16 of 18 games and on Saturday, she had the best shooting day of her college career. Arriaran shot a staggering 64 percent from the field and achieved a new career high of 28 points. Nineteen of those 28 points came in the second half alone. She currently holds the Texas record for the most 3-pointers made in a Big 12 game.
Her success has bred a newfound swagger. “After moving back to the point guard position, I feel so much better out there,” she said. “It feels like I create opportunities for my teammates and myself.” But maybe the biggest impact the injury has had on her has been in her unwavering faith. She feels like God is ultimately responsible for her success. “After going through the things I’ve gone through, I feel like God gave me a second chance at life. You know, any-
SUCCESS continues on page 8
INTERNATIONAL SOCCER
Michael Sherfield nounced he would be transfer- driving and texting last summer. Daily Texan Columnist
With a press release and a couple of appropriately remorseful quotes, another Texas football player has been kicked off the team and out of school. This time, it was promising wide receiver Brandon Coll...uh, make that Dan Buckner, whose trip to College Station earlier this month went about as well as the Texas defense’s on Thanksgiving. Not that it should be any surprise for those who followed the Texas football team the last few years that a night out for a football player should end with a handcuffed ride to the nearest police station. Buckner, a sophomore wide receiver who scored four touchdowns early in the season be-
SIDELINE
ARRESTS continues on page 8
Lauren Gerson | Daily Texan Staff
Former Texas wide receiver Dan Buckner elected to transfer to Arizona. The decision comes a week after being arrested in College Station.
NHL Pittsburgh 3 New York Rangers 2
AP Men’s Basketball Top 25 1. Kentucky 2. Kansas 3. Villanova 4. Syracuse 5. Michigan State 6. Texas 7. Georgetown 8. Duke 9. West Virginia 10. Purdue 11. Kansas State 12. BYU 13. Gonzaga 14. Tennessee 15. Temple 16. Wisconsin 17. Pittsburgh 18. Mississippi 19. Connecticut 20. Ohio State 21. Vanderbilt 22. Georgia Tech 23. New Mexico 24. Baylor 25. UAB
SPORTS BRIEFLY Akira Suemori | Associated Press
Leeds United’s Jermaine Beckford celebrates with his teammates after scoring his second goal in a 2-2 tie against Tottenham.
Leeds United earns tie after upsetting ManU By Rishi Daulat Daily Texan Staff This Cinderella story just keeps getting better. Three weeks after slaying Manchester United, 1-0, Leeds United drew against Tottenham, 2-2, forcing a replay in two weeks’ time. Despite not even being at the top of English League One, Leeds has, in successive FA Cup matches, won at Old Trafford and drawn at White Hart Lane. Such a feat is thoroughly impressive when considering that Manchester United and Tottenham are currently first and fourth in the English Premier League, respectively. Leeds’ incredible, improbable run through the FA Cup continued only because Tottenham defender Michael Dawson conceded a foolish penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Blazing striker Jermaine Beckford, who is being targeted by a host of Premiere League clubs, was once again the hero as he blasted his penalty kick past Tottenham keeper, Heurelho Gomes, the second goal of the day for Beckford. Beckford ensured another matchup between the two teams next month with his game-tying goal, but this time, Leeds will
be the home side. Beckford was the hero at Old Trafford three weeks ago when he scored the only goal of the match to topple Manchester United. Beckford’s first goal against Tottenham came at the perfect time. Peter Crouch gave the Spurs a 42nd-minute lead when he had an easy rebound shot into an open net. In the 52nd minute, after a mad scramble in front of the goal off a corner kick, Beckford, in the middle of multiple Spurs defenders, was somehow the only one to make contact with the ball and squibbed it right by Gomes into the goal. Roman Pavlyuchenko regained the lead for the Spurs after a beautiful one-two that culminated with him bouncing his shot past Leeds goalkeeper Casper Ankergren. Beckford’s dramatic penalty came in the dying seconds of the fixture. The replay will be held on Feb. 2 at Leeds’ Stadium, Elland Road. The biggest match of the soccer world this weekend was in Italy, yet once again, it was onesided as Inter Milan smashed their city rivals, AC Milan, 2-0.
ITALY continues on page 8
Cowboys’ Romo and Jenkins named Pro Bowl replacements IRVING, Texas—Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is going to his third Pro Bowl, while Dallas cornerback Mike Jenkins will go for the first time. The Cowboys announced Monday that Romo and Jenkins had been added to the NFC roster as injury replacements. Dallas has seven players going to Sunday’s game in Miami. Romo replaces Minnesota’s Brett Favre, who pulled out of the Pro Bowl after hurting his ankle and taking numerous hard hits in the NFC championship game loss at New Orleans on Sunday. Romo this season set Cowboys’ single-season records by completing 347 of 550 passes for 4,483 yards while taking every snap. He had a career-low nine interceptions. Jenkins will take the roster spot of Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield (foot). Jenkins, a second-year player, led Dallas with five interceptions and 23 pass breakups.
Patriots’ Brady will not need surgery for injured rib or finger BOSTON—Tom Brady said Monday he won’t need surgery for rib and finger injuries that bothered him for much of the season. The New England Patriots quarterback described his ailments as “just bumps and bruises” that all players deal with. “I’m feeling good. I really am,” Brady said at a commercial appearance. “I’m excited I don’t have to have surgery this offseason. A year ago at this time, there were all these concerns about whether I was going to play this year. It’s nice to be in an offseason where I really feel I can get started right away.” — Compiled by the Associated Press Reports
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SPORTS
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
SUCCESS: Guard wants to play overseas
ITALY: Inter Milan gets
best of cross-town rival
From page 7 time I would get frustrated, I was forgetting who brought me here. I forgot about [God] a lot,” Arriaran lamented. “But when my knee was messed up, I remembered that I just had to turn everything over to him, let him take care of things.” Looking forward, Arriaran hopes to continue playing basketball professionally overseas while putting her rough times behind her. “I want to continue playing. International basketball has been something I’ve been interested [in],” she said. “I’m interested in a new start, a new beginning.” For now, though, Arriaran has more pressing issues to worry about, like leading a sinking Longhorn team through the rough seas that are the Big 12. But with her competitive nature and renewed sense of leadership, perhaps there is no one better for Lauren Gerson | Daily Texan Staff the job. “I finally feel like I’m back,” Erika Arriaran is averaging nine points a game this year for the Longhorns. The fifth-year senior is coach Gail Goestenkors’ most dangerous threat from behind the three-point line. she said.
Top-ranked Australians fall at Open Roger Federer hits a forehand to Lleyton Hewitt in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Mark Baker Associated Press
By John Pye Associated Press Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Stosur faced the best in the business and can be excused for wishing they had skipped work when a half million other Aussies took a day off. Roger Federer and Serena Williams ended local hopes of breaking a three-decade drought at the Australian Open. The topranked Federer beat former No. 1 Hewitt 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 Monday night at Rod Laver Arena. Federer said he’d been playing Hewitt since they were 14 and that they were old friends and rivals, but it didn’t stop him from beating the Australian for a 15th straight time. Williams, ranked No. 1 and the defending champion, defeated No. 13 Stosur 6-4, 6-2 in the previous match on center
court at Melbourne Park. Williams lost to Stosur in their last meeting and decided from the start to make sure the fans were not a factor. She kept everybody quiet, conceding only seven points on serve in the 65-minute match. “It’s important when you’re playing a local girl to not let the crowd get too involved, or else they’ll kill you,” Williams said. The main evening news broadcast broke into the Williams-Stosur coverage. The match was pushed back because Nikolay Davydenko’s win over 2009 semifinalist Fernando Verdasco went to five sets. And so, the marquee matches featuring the Aussies’ last two hopes for their first winner since the late 1970s fizzled the night before Australia Day, a national holiday.
throughout the match. Goran Pandev scored off a beautiful free-kick in the 65th minute to put Inter ahead by two. Inter were even reduced to nine men just before the five minutes of final stoppage time as Ferreira Lucio earned his second yellow card and was sent off for a controversial handball in the box. AC’s Ronaldinho, however, missed the ensuing penalty kick after Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar guessed right and made a superb save. Inter are now nine points clear atop the table in Series A.
From page 7
Inter won the first Milan derby early in the season, 4-0, and like the first match, the defending champions asserted their dominance early as Diego Milito scored with his left foot from a tight angle to put Inter ahead, 1-0, in the 10th minute. In the 27th minute, Inter midfielder Wesley Sneijder was shown a straight red card aftera dispute with an official. Although Inter played twothirds of the match with 10 men, they still created more legitimate chances on goal than AC
ARRESTS: University should look
for better way to punish players dents. Brown, on the heels of an incredibly successful season on the field and an eventful one off it, received a huge raise, making him the highest paid coach in the nation. It’s a raise he’s no doubt earned (no matter what a few vocal dissenters say) for guiding Texas to the national title game and to a level of success unmatched since the 1960s. But as the police reports and the transfers keep piling up, one can’t help but wonder who is really paying the bill.
From page 7 Texas is in the business of winning games, and suspending star players doesn’t really help that cause. But, at some point, the University needs to decide if its student athletes are more than just a means to the end of winning games and take some steps to keep them out of jail. Of course, we might have already found out just how much the school cares about those little inci-
Peter Franklin | Daily Texan Staff
Freshman D.J. Monroe returns a kick against Louisiana-Monroe in the Longhorns’ 2009 season opener.
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Say a little prayer for me
Mary Kang | Daily Texan Staff
Social work senior Pamelagrace Okeke, speech graduate Justin Christopher and Spanish and French graduate student Akpene Torku gather as a Fusion Group at the Campus House of Prayer, located on 25th and San Antonio streets. Fusion Group, consisting of different campus min1 istries at UT, meet every Monday to pray for the UT campus and the city of Austin.
C with smoke Controlled ‘wind fires’ greet drivers LASSIFIEDS
day, month day, 2008
Campus
Water company enacts burning toRclear ISE brush, VE T DENT D A encourage grass growth R STU N! TIO YOUBy Nihas IZAWagal N A G ORDaily Texan Staff
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vent erosion.� The Austin Water Utility is working with UT’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center to utilize similar preservation techniques to protect the endangered plant species in the area, said center director Steve Windhager. The center aims to restore and maintain the country’s native plants and landscapes. The center developed the plan of prescribed burns in 2001. “These burns are part of a safe and effective ongoing process to promote tall grass plants,� Windhager said. “These plants can act as a sponge and filter for the water by removing hydrocarbons, nitrogen, phosphorus and other chemicals before the water flows into the aquifer.� The type of burn that took
place Monday is known as a wind fire, where the fire moves slowly with the wind and where all the naturally flammable material is removed so that the fire continues in only one direction. Boundaries, including roads and other man-made barriers, were used to contain the fire. “We needed to be careful with the wind direction because we don’t want smoke blowing all over MoPac,� Thuesen said. The burn was conducted in the morning because wind fires require certain climate conditions, Windhager said. “The weather, dew point and wind conditions were favorable [today],� he said. “In actuality, we’ve been ready for many weeks in advance, but there are only one or two days that actually work out right.�
CORKBOARD
Black plumes of smoke wafted in the sky Monday morning as motorists approached the intersection of MoPac Boulevard and Texas State Highway 45. But the flames were harmless, as the city was using a routine, controlled fire to clear small trees and bushes. Austin Water Utility conducted a routine burn on the Upper Bear Creek Unit of the Water Quality Protection Lands, which equals about 37,000 acres of private land reserved for aquifers and reservoirs. Water Utility is restoring the area to
UNS AD IRNE FOR ONL
grasslands and savannas, using different methods to maintain the lands and the aquifers’ water quality. “Typically, we like to conduct these prescribed burns on six to eight units per year [for] upkeep purposes,� said Kevin Thuesen, program manager for the Water Quality Protection Lands. Monday’s was the unit’s third burn, with the most recent conducted about three years ago. The burn reduces the density of brush and encourages the growth of native grasses, Thuesen said. After the burns are complete, the city plants grass in the area. “These native grasses allow more waterfall to flow than wooded lands,� Thuesen said. “They also prevent sediment from leaving the land and pre-
Industry leaders speak up about future city planning By Audrey White Daily Texan Staff An outspoken group of leaders in Austin’s cultural and arts industries met Monday night to offer their voices to the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, a city program seeking input on what Austin should look like in five, 10 and 25 years. The 36 attendees were broken into small groups to discuss Austin’s strengths, challenges and future. Many participated in the development of the Create Austin plan, a project started in 2007 that examined the status and progress of arts in the city. The Create Austin plan will be developed and executed over the next 10 years. Janet Seibert, the city’s civic arts coordinator who led the event, said that because Austin has such a wide range and quantity of arts, it is necessary to give the community a voice in city planning. “Our arts community now understands what cultural planning is, and we want to make sure they have a voice in the comprehensive plan,� Seibert said.“They know about planning and what it takes to get the word out, and we want to make sure they can continue that conversation.� The meeting was modeled after the city’s “meeting-in-a-box� kits that provide the materials, including information sheets and brainstorming supplies, necessary for individuals to host planning sessions in their own homes. Garner Stoll, the city’s assistant director of planning and development review, said over 150 boxes have
been distributed so far. He said the city will examine what each group considers the most important areas of change for Austin and then try to establish a consensus among the respondent’s goals. “Hopefully, the vision for the future will flow out of that consensus,� Stoll said. Lynn Osgood, an architecture graduate student and member of the Create Austin planning team, said group discussions are much more valuable than individual discussions, especially for people in the arts community who frequently work in collaboration. “It’s great to see that spark when someone has a really great idea,� Osgood said. “Then we can take that spark and build on it until we come up with something truly amazing. That is how the arts work, and that is how planning works.� Because the plan is in its infancy, Seibert said there is no way to be certain how the eventual Imagine Austin plan will affect UT. However, she said she encourages UT students to host their own meetings-in-a-box and contribute to the plan by filling out an online survey available through the City of Austin Web site. “[Students] are going to be adult citizens when this plan is eventually realized, not just students,� she said. “We want them to carry on with what makes Austin great and be aware of what needs to be improved. If there are students who are interested in how to make a city better, this is a way to get started.�
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Henry Uribe | Daily Texan Staff
A group of local artists met Monday evening at the Mexican American Cultural Center to discuss the future of art and culture in Austin.
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LIFE&ARTS
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Football player’s Artists take chances on albums Super Bowl spot faces controversy CD REVIEWS
There is Love in You Four Tet
The problem Kieran Hebden of Four Tet faced in 2005 was comfort. Since the early days with his group Fridge, Hebden has been pushing against commercial dance trends in order to find his own identity. His previous album, 2005’s Everything Ecstatic, felt like a forced progression limited by Hebden’s repetitive sound bank and technique. Since then, he’s released a couple of albums with legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid, collaborated with U.K. dubstep icon Burial and deejayed around London. Apparently, he’s grown a bit tired of his sound, too, and has chosen to take an admirable plunge into the unknown. There is Love in You is the result — an album that comes from naturally formed influences born out of many nights spent spinning records for a new generation of club-goers. “Angel Echoes� opens the album with a murky vocal loop freed from its cage into a world of textual sound. Instrumentation such as a xylophone, a harp and electronic squeaks make for an un-
likely upbeat opener. The following track and first single, “Love Cry,� is the album’s most deliberate club track. Slow-building with a foundation of acid-jazz percussion, techno pulses and house vocal manipulations, the song eventually gives way to a black hole — bringing to mind a Four Tet circa 2003 fiddling with their Eastern instruments. Like most of the tracks on the album, it manages to maintain Four Tet’s minimal mind-set while exhausting a large number of influences and sounds. The album’s finale, “She Just Likes to Fight,� finds Hebden rediscovering his toys: pots, pans and guitar, resembling his earlier days with Fridge. It seems unfitting in concept, but these elements make up a pleasant melody and rhythm that serve as a great reminder that, despite the album’s more intensive writing process, There is Love in You is just as much of an abstract collection of memories and emotions as his early releases — except now, you can dance to them.
Grade: B+ — Allistair Pinsof
Teen Dream Beach House
Like a faded photograph with its edges curling upward or the old sweater ridden with holes hiding at the back of your closet, sometimes the most beautiful things are the ones that evoke emotion in their imperfections — and Baltimore band Beach House knows all about imperfection. On Teen Dream’s standout track, “Norway,� an organ bends its pitch as singer Victoria Legrand’s vocals channel a 1960s-era Nico — sultry and dark — echoing across negative space. “You let us in the wooden house/to share in all the wealth,� Legrand sings with haunting intensity as Alex Scally provides a Phil Spector-ish wall of sound at intervals. It’s the aural equivalent of a seance — mysterious and classic, spooky and taboo. It’s the image the band wants to project, maybe (look at the video for last year ’s “Gila� for more proof), but still, it’s highly effective.
But what the album as a whole demonstrates is the duo’s ability to compose cohesive LPs, not an album with two or three hits and 10 duds. On this, its third fulllength album, there is evidence of a more mature band — darker than ever, yes — but more complex, richer with arrangement and style, and more soulful. Album opener “Zebra� demonstrates that perfectly, and though it’s one of Beach House’s few “happy� songs, it no less imposes an impact, using swirling guitar work and airy percussion to accentuate Legrand’s brackish vocals. Beach House has avoided a sophomore slump with Devotion, and this album only solidifies the duo’s status as legitimate music makers and not flavor-of-the-week dream poppers.
Grade: A+ — Francisco Marin
By David Crary The Associated Press NEW YORK — A coalition of women’s groups called on the CBS network on Monday to scrap its plan to broadcast an ad during the Super Bowl featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, which critics say might convey an anti-abortion message. The ad — paid for by conservative Christian group Focus on the Family — is expected to recount the story of Pam Tebow’s 1987 pregnancy with a theme of “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life.� After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim, who went on to win the 2007 Heisman Trophy while helping his Florida team to two college football championships. The New York-based Women’s Media Center was coordinating the protest with backing from the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups. CBS said it has approved the script for the 30-second ad and has given no indication that the protest would have an impact. A network spokesman, Dana McClintock, said CBS would ensure that any issueoriented ad was “appropriate for air.� “I know some people won’t agree with it, but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe,� Tebow said. “I’ve always been very convicted of it (his views on abortion) because that’s the reason I’m here, because my mom was a very courageous woman. So any way that I could help, I would do it.� Thirty-second commercials during the Super Bowl are selling for $2.5 million to $2.8 million. Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Focus on the Family, said funds for the Tebow ad were donated by a few “very generous friends� and
did not come from the group’s general fund. Schneeberger said he and his colleagues “were a little surprised� at the furor over the ad. “There’s nothing political and controversial about it,� he said. “When the day arrives, and you sit down to watch the game on TV, those who oppose it will be quite surprised at what the ad is all about.� The protest letter from the Women’s Media Center suggested that CBS should have turned down the ad in part because it was conceived by Focus on the Family. “By offering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will damage its reputation, alienate viewers, and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers,� the letter said. However, Schneeberger said CBS officials carefully examined Focus on the Family’s track record and found no basis for rejecting the ad. CBS was criticized for rejecting that ad — and perhaps might have worried about comparable criticism from conservatives if it had rejected an ad featuring such a charismatic and well-known figure as Tebow. CBS noted that it had run some advocwacy ads in recent months, including spots taking conflicting sides in the debate of a national health care overhaul. A columnist for CBSSports.com, Gregg Doyel, also objected to the CBS decision to show the ad, specifically because it would air on Super Sunday. “If you’re a sports fan, and I am, that’s the holiest day of the year,� he wrote. “It’s not a day to discuss abortion. For it, against it, I don’t care what you are. On Super Sunday, I don’t care what I am. Feb. 7 is simply not the day to have that discussion.�
Outstanding Student and Cactus Goodfellow Awards
Apply This Semester
The Cactus Yearbook is soliciting nominations for their Outstanding Student and Cactus Goodfellow Awards. For your convenience, we have placed the nomination forms on the Cactus web page:
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http://www.cactusyearbook.com All rules and instuctions are included, so all you have to do is either print the nomination form from our web page or pick up one at the William Randolph Hearst Building (HSM), 25th and Whitis Ave., Room 3.304. The deadline for nominations is February 26th, so send us your applications today. Please call 471-1084 for more information. Recognizing extraordinary UT students for over 75 years.
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Well then, you may want to apply for Texan editor ))%" -"(', ' %",- ( *. %" " -"(', & 2 )" $ .) +(& -! Office of the Director, HSM 3.304 %"' (+ ))%" -"(', ' %% ,.))(+-"' & - +" %, Noon, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 ))%" '-, 0"%% +-" " 2 -! ( + ( ) + -"' +.,- , (' Friday, February 5, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. ((&
12 LIFE
LIFE&ARTS
12
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Life&Arts Editor: Ben Wermund E-mail: lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2209 www.dailytexanonline.com
T HE DAILY T EXAN
Floral prints spring into style Happy-hour joints
let you eat, drink, be merry in Austin Restaurants offer some of city’s best deals with low-priced menu options
Photos by Mary Kang | Daily Texan Staff
Above, Zephyr Jarmon, an international relations freshman, wears a navy-blue floral, mini vintage dress and lace tights. Below, A re-emergence of ‘90s fashion includes floral patterned Mary Jane slip-ons, tights and jumpers.
Retailers predict ’90s revival, vintage trends as season heats up By Kayla Freeman Daily Texan Staff Although the calendar may say it’s still the middle of winter, the recent blessing of Texan sunshine and balmy temperatures shout spring’s awakening. It’s time to put away the cozy — but unflattering — uniform of sweatpants and UGG boots and explore the emerging fashion trends for the new season. Malinda Ballard, a retail merchandising senior and employee at the Buffalo Exchange clothing store, predicted that heavy floral patterns as part of a ‘90s revival will gain popularity. Hemlines, as well as eyebrows, will raise while everything mini, including skirts and dresses, will remain staples of a fashionable wardrobe. Students who are fond of the flower trend can find fashionable pieces like floral patterned Mary Jane slip-ons, tights and jumpers at close-to-campus locations like Urban Outfitters or American Apparel on the Drag. Because of their classic nature, shoppers can find miniature-length skirts and dresses of both solid and printed varieties in nearly every apparel store in every price range from Savers to SoLa. When asked about her thoughts on the emerging ‘90s revival trend, Cathy Casias, a former UT student and sales associate at Cream Vintage on Guadalupe Street, said fashion is frequently inspired by popular bands, like Sonic Youth. “Everyone will always be into the Kim Gordon style,” Casias said. “Especially girls with alternative tastes.” Casias predicted sized-down
vintage dresses will also be popular, referencing a greenand-blue floral print sleeveless dress that had been bought and altered by Cream Vintage to a shorter, more flattering silhouette. “One-of-a-kind, reconstructed and redesigned pieces are cool,” she said. To recreate an authentic 1990s look, you can visit vintage stores such as New Bohemia, located on South Congress Avenue, or Cream Vintage, which has an additional location there. These stores often feature authentic vintage clothing reconstructed to be more flattering and attuned to modern style. Not only are reworked fashion items one of a kind, they also become economical and environmentally friendly by reusing old clothing instead of throwing it away.
If you’re searching for a rewarding challenge, try shopping at thrift stores such as St. Vincent de Paul on South Congress Avenue or one of the various Goodwill locations located on Lamar Boulevard and in the Lake Austin area. With a little bit of time and effort, you can find a plethora of authentic ‘90s pieces donated from closets rivaling those of the kids on Melrose Place. Unlike the vintage boutiques with in-house design teams like New Bohemia and Cream, you must make any alterations yourself when vintage shopping at thrift stores. However, it is worth the extra effort because the prices at Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul are garage-sale cheap, and a portion of every purchase will be used to fund charitable causes in the Austin community.
Some of these trends have already been spotted around campus as the spring semester commences. Zephyr Jarmon, an international relations freshman, sported a blue floral mini dress over lace tights Monday that channeled Courtney Love circa 1991. When asked about which fashion trends she was most excited about for the upcoming season, Jarmon said, “I want to get some really lightwashed baggy jeans from the ‘90s, turn them into shorts and then wear them with girly floral shirts.” It’s a new decade, a new semester and a new season. Students in Austin are becoming inspired to be both creative and environmentally conscious as they recreate the 1990s fashion era of grunge-rock, acid wash and girly florals.
219West is slightly upscale for a casual drink after class or work. But the delicious and innovative mixtures — the Chocolatini, a smooth blend of creme By Julie Rene Tran de cacao and chocolate vodka, Daily Texan Staff and the Elixir, a fruity mix of A sip of a half-priced, ice-cold Stoll Strasberi and Red Bull — cocktail and a mouthful of tasty make the extra effort of dressing appetizers can bring a pleasant up with a pair of heels or a blazending to a bad day. But in a city er worth it. And since 219West populated with bars and restau- takes great seriousness in its rants, most with a happy hour, drinks, categorizing the food finding the best deals can be menu by the drinks they go best a never-ending process. Chips with, formality is only fair. and salsa and small drinks with The American tapas are not no kick don’t seem to suffice to die for when eaten alone, but and some of the more expensive they liven up when paired with locations don’t offer the quali- their respective drinks. Try the ty found in their regular menu. Longhorn Iced Tea, a mixture of So to help you find your new Bacardi rum, Finlandia vodka, stress-free hangouts, we’ve cre- Triple Sec and orange juice, with ated a list of some of the cheap- the Gulf seafood beignets for a est and tastiest happy hours delicious combination. There are Austin has to offer. other choices of tapas to accommodate the Longhorn Iced Tea, including mini blackened burgKenobi ers with chipotle remoulade and jumbo lump crab cakes. But the Restaurant and Sushi Bar combination of the crispiness of Kenobi’s Monday Madness the beignets comoffers one of the bined with the best deals with coolness of the select cocktails, iced tea brings sushi rolls and ultimate bliss. Two bucks at appetizers priced During hapat $2 from 4 p.m. Kenobi can buy a py hour, which until closing at California roll, six is from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 9 p.m. on weekLocated in the crispy pork gyozas, days and 5 p.m. Arboretum, Kena glass of zesty to 8 p.m. on Satobi serves up a urdays, appetizKenobi lemonade happy-hour seers are half off lection that alor a pair of savory and martinis and lows even those cocktails range skewered chicken pinched for cash from $5 to $8. yakitoris. to have a taste Even though the of fresh seafood drinks are more flown in daily expensive comfrom global lopared to those of cales like Japan most happy hours, it only takes and Australia. one to bring a happy buzz. On Mondays, two bucks at Kenobi can buy a California roll, six crispy pork gyozas, a glass of zesty Kenobi lemonade or a pair J. Black’s Feel Good Lounge of savory skewered chicken yaJ. Black’s, located in the West kitoris. While Kenobi does offer Sixth Street District, is the pera flavorful selection of $2 sushi, fect middle ground between some of its best-tasting rolls are sophistication and informali$4 or more. These specialty rolls ty where one can enjoy delecare, unfortunately, only slightly table, contemporary American discounted during happy hour, cuisine and chug a beer at the but overlooking them because same time. of frugality can be a regrettable Happy hour at J. Black’s runs mistake. One of the best is the from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Monday Brandy roll, filled with shrimp through Saturday and all night tempura, smoked salmon, avo- Sunday starting at 4 p.m. The cado and cream cheese, topped deals are $1 off all drinks and off with a drizzle of unagi sauce half price on selected sharing and toasted sesame. For a tradi- plates, which include smoked tionally expensive dish, sushi at salmon with goat cheese mousse half price is a rare treat. and fried macaroni and cheese. While there are only six choices of discounted sharing plates, 219West Bar and Restaurant every one of the appetizers is a Everything at 219West, from the winner in taste and fulfillment. But come Tuesdays, it’s not decor to the cocktail concoctions, radiates trendiness. Located in the the cozy environment and tasty heart of the Warehouse District at food that people are coming the corner of Fourth and Lavaca for — it’s the luck of having J. streets, the dimmed, dark mahog- Black’s pick up the tab. A simany-wood-paneled lounge deliv- ple flip of the coin can win you a free meal. ers a rich and sultry atmosphere.
TV TUESDAY
Second-tier television channels offer up mediocre, low-budget shows By Robert Rich Daily Texan Columnist Think about the prime-time series you watch regularly. What networks are they on? In all likelihood, your top shows appear on the major channels — ones like ABC, NBC and Fox. That’s not surprising considering the highest-budgeted, most popular and most talked-about shows tend to be on these networks. But that’s not the only place original-scripted television programs exist. There is an almost underground collection of shows on second-tier channels like USA and TNT that people often forget about — not of their own volition but because these shows appear on channels that aren’t always watched. The shows I’m talking about are ones like “Psych,” in which an extremely intelligent man with heightened observation skills convinces investigators that he helps solve cases via his psychic abilities. An interesting concept, but the show can be lackluster. Another such program is “Royal Pains,” about a “doctor-for-hire” in the Hamptons
who solves medical mysteries for the rich and uber-rich. These kinds of shows are, in essence, the TV version of romance novels. Romance novels are produced very quickly and released just as fast, containing many of the same plot points and situations as more high-profile books, but overall, they are of lower quality than their more high-profile counterparts. Likewise, second-tier television shows are written, produced and released very quickly, containing many of the same plot points and situations as shows on the big networks. So the question becomes: is this a good or bad thing? If romance novels are the trashy form of literature, are second-tier television shows the trashy form of TV? In a way, they are. Not because of copious amounts of sex and the large number of cliche incidents (although they do occur), but because they’re almost always procedural. Drama builds and builds throughout the show until there are about ten minutes left, at which point a dramat-
ic climax makes itself known and leads the way into the episode’s resolution. In a way, the things that happen on these shows are too real. Not to over-generalize, but turning points and plot twists on these shows tend to border on the mundane, reminding us of our own lives without the otherworldliness of more dramatic shows like “House.” Perhaps that’s good, but personally, I don’t watch TV to be reminded of my own life through almost identical situations. Second-tier shows can be entertaining, and I’ve watched my fair share of “Royal Pains” episodes, but when it comes down to it, they’re the kind of shows you record and leave on the DVR for days when absolutely nothing else is on. They’re the programs you watch when a marathon is running, sometimes paying attention, other times milling about in the kitchen or elsewhere while the exploits of a docCourtesy of Royal Pains tor in the Hamptons or a pseudopsychic investigator play out in the Royal Pains is a television series that airs on the USA cable network about a young E.R. doctor who moves background. to the Hamptons and becomes the reluctant “doctor-for-hire” to the rich and famous.