The Daily Texan 02-02-12 by The Daily Texan

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Texas lands 28 on National Signing Day, Sanders, Brewer headline signees SPORTS PAGE 7 >> Breaking news, blogs and more: www.dailytexanonline.com

Calendar Groundhog Day

The Alamo Drafthouse at Lake Creek presents ‘Groundhog Day,’ starring Bill Murray. This special 7p.m. showing will include a multi-course meal.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

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Brown nabs top-notch recruit The Tigers fell to Alabama in the national title game but still had a By Christian Corona much better season than Texas, who Daily Texan Columnist capped off an 8-5 season with a win over California at the Holiday Bowl. LSU was considered the nation’s But on Signing Day, it was the best team for the majority of this Longhorns that beat out LSU. Fourpast season. star defensive end Torshiro Davis,

who had been committed to play for the Tigers since last February, changed his mind and decided to sign with Texas Wednesday. Davis’ last-second change of heart, however, was not an isolated incident. Mack Brown and his coaching staff poached prospects from sever-

al different programs, most of which have been more recently successful than the Longhorns, who are 13-12 over the last two seasons. That 13-12 mark has been used to ridicule the UT Board of Regents’ unanimous

RECRUITS continues on PAGE 8

Pregnancy centers split on city ordinance

an for Austin LifeCare, said all employees providing medical care at Austin LifeCare have the appropriate certifications, but there is no license available for the center itself. “[We] do not even know how one would go about getting a license for the facility,” Cobern said. “That just does not exist.”

PREGNANCY continues on PAGE 2

KOKABEE continues on PAGE 2

The College of Natural Sciences will host a Spring Career Fair from 1 to 6p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center. UT ID is required.

Anthony Green and The Dear Hunter

Anthony Green and The Dear Hunter will be playing at Mohawk. $16 Advance ($19 Day of Show) Doors at 7 p.m. $1 from each advance ticket sold will be donated directly to Keep-A-Breast.

Today in history In 1887

Inside In News: “We’re more vulnerable to climate change today” page 6

In Opinion: Referendum renders students essentially powerless page 4

In Sports: Texas tumbles against Kansas State page 8

In Life&Arts:

Indie bands actually need to struggle to succeed page 12

WATCH TStv ON CHANNEL 15 9:00 p.m.

Joel’s accused of a sex scandal, much to Candice’s dismay and it looks like Night Nite is grooming Steven for the hosting position.

9:30 p.m. ‘Sneak Peak’

In the secession premiere , they talk SAG Awards, Golden Globes and the Oscars. There is also an interview with James Franco for his movie Sal.

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff

Dr. Geoffrey Erwin of Austin LifeCare gives an ultrasound to a patient Wednesday afternoon. Austin City Council members passed an ordinance last Thursday that requires Austin LifeCare and other pregnancy counseling centers to obtain a facility license and post signs that say if medical services are provided by licensed health care providers. By Sarah White Daily Texan Staff

Pregnancy counseling centers offering numerous health an d w e l l n e s s s e r v i c e s w i l l be required by a city ordinance passed last Thursday to obtain a facility license that does not exist, said one center’s spokeswoman. In April, Austin City Council

members passed an ordinance requiring Austin LifeCare, Austin Pregnancy Resource Center, Gabriel Project Life Center and the South Austin Pregnancy Resource Center to post signs advertising the fact that they do not offer abortion or contraceptive services and do not refer clients to facilities where they could receive information about these services. On Thurs-

day, City Council members reworded the ordinance requiring pregnancy service centers to post signs indicating “whether all medical services are provided under direction and supervision of a licensed health care provider” and “whether the center is licensed by a state or federal regulatory entity to provide those services.” Pam Cobern, spokeswom-

Post-presidential campaign, Perry’s approval ratings drop By Andrew Messamore Daily Texan Staff

Following his failed presidential bid, Governor Rick Perry’s approval ratings have fallen below President Obama’s among Texans, according to a ne w phone survey. The Austin American-Statesman, the San Antonio ExpressNews, the Houston Chronicle and several other publications commissioned a randomized survey of 806 Texans, conducted Jan. 21 to Jan 24. by Blum & Weprin Associates Inc. Forty percent of Texans approved of Pe r r y ’s j o b p e r for m an c e while 43 percent of Texans approved of President Obama’s job performance. The survey also found 37 percent of Texans think Perr y’s presidential bid has made their own view of Perry less favorable, and 53 percent of Texans believe Perry should not run for re-election in 2014. Forty-five percent of Texans believe Perry’s presidential bid has damaged America’s image of Texas either a little (20 percent) or a lot (25 percent). The margin of error was listed at 3.5 percent. “You can’t go on the road for

By Victoria Pagan Daily Texan Staff

Physics graduate student Omid Kokabee will remain illegally imprisoned in Iran under espionage charges for at least another year with no court hearing or release date in sight, said Eugene Chudnovsky, a physics professor at Herbert H. Lehman College. Kokabee was imprisoned while on a visit to his native Iran in January 2011 under charges of leaking Iranian nuclear secrets to the United States. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Oct. 4, 2011, but was not allowed to testify in court and simply exchanged a written letter with the judge. After the hearing, Kokabee was sent directly back to prison and the judge told his defense to build a better case while awaiting a new hearing that would be scheduled at the judge’s will. Last month, Kokabee’s second hearing was rescheduled for Jan. 31, 2012 but was inexplicably cancelled. Chudnovsky said communication barriers and tight security measures in Iran make receiving updated news about Kokabee difficult. “The hearing scheduled for Jan. 31 was cancelled at the last minute by the judge without establishing a new hearing date, which is against the law in Iran,” Chudnovsky wrote in an email interview with The Daily Texan. Chudnovsky said Kokabee has been in prison for an entire year. Chudnovsky said he received news about the trial, as well as Kokabee’s second letter to Ayatollah Larijani, head of the Islamic Republic judiciary. He said the letter is a poor translation from Farsi, but the message is clear. The allegations, with respect to requests and practice from the authority, are completely incompatible and inconsistent with any logic and common sense, Kokabee wrote in the translated letter.

CNS Spring Career Fair

Groundhog Day is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.

Omid Kokabee stuck in Iran prison without next trial date

To solve a problem, some task forces are just reactionary

Alan Friedman, Faculty Council chair and English professor, said he is concerned about the Whenever a controversial issue control that administrators have “hits the fan,” it can seem like UT over the task forces. The commitadministrators form a task force tees fall under three main categoto confront the issue head on. But ries — faculty affaculty members fairs, student sersometimes wonder vices and activiif these groups imties and institutionThey bypass the prove the converal policy or goversation, or if they governing structure... nance. There is no s i mp l y s i d e s t e p I objected to them on centralized list of faculty committees. task forces, which a number of occasions creates confusion Standing committees of the genand they do keep among faculty. Reeral faculty are crecent task forces coming. ated by the FaculAlan Friedman, Faculty Council chair have met for a sety Council to remester and up to a vise University polfull year. icy. Task forces are “They bypass the groups in which governing strucmembers are appointed by ad- ture,” Friedman said. “I objected ministrators to deal with specif- to them on a number of occasions ic issues. Both groups contain and they do keep coming.” faculty and students. Several facFriedman said he often hears ulty members mentioned their task force supporters argue that grievances at the Faculty Coun- task forces can have appointed cil meeting on Jan. 23. A spe- members with thorough knowlcific concern of some faculty is edge of the given issue and can the forthcoming report from the TASK FORCE continues on PAGE 2 Graduation Rates Task Force. By Liz Farmer Daily Texan Staff

David Goldman | Associated Press

Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry pauses during a news conference in North Charleston, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, where he announced he is suspending his campaign and endorsing Newt Gingrich. His son Griffin is at left.

five months and perform poorly for four of those months and it not have an effect on your image,” said Ben Philpott, senior reporter for KUT-FM Radio, who has been following Perry since his first campaign for governor. “He didn’t do well, people knew he didn’t do well and it’s in the back of peoples’ heads when they are asking about approval in a poll like this.” Perry’s second lowest approv-

al rating came in 2010, when 44 percent of registered voters approved of Perry’s job performance and 38 percent disapproved. The first survey in the 10-year series, conducted in 2002, put Perry’s highest approval ratings at 65 percent of registered voters. His influence in the next legislative session is yet to be seen,

PERRY continues on PAGE 2

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PREGNANCY continues from PAGE 1

Cobern said she thinks this decision was made in response to several lawsuits that have been filed by the affected pregnancy centers after the initial ordinance. She said, to her knowledge, all four centers are planning to proceed with their lawsuit against the city. “The city’s attorney recently recommended that the council change or repeal the ordinance because of the expense of defending it in court,” she said. Cobern said members of Austin’s Law Department must know that at least three other cities — including New York City and Baltimore — have passed similar ordinances that were eventually ruled unconstitutional in federal courts. Pre-journalism sophomore Rachel Bush said she has worked previously with the Austin Pregnancy Resource Center, a pregnancy center close to campus, which has been affected by this these ordinances. Bush said she thought both ordinances were unreasonable. “While the language of the new ordinance is not as controversial as the original, I don’t think the pregnanc y centers should have to post a sign at all,” Bush said. “It is clear upon walking into a [crisis pregnancy center] that they do not perform or refer for abortions. They don’t attempt to cover that up. The whole issue, in my opinion, has to do with [a] desire to stifle the work that the pregnancy centers are doing.” Both Bush and Cobern said t h e y t h o u g ht t h e f o u r c r i sis pregnancy centers affected were being targeted in a way that abortion centers or Planned Parenthood offices would not be treated. Plan II senior Jenny Kutner said she approves of the original ordinance passed last year and thinks centers should post signs describing the exact services they provide. “I don’t think it’s unconstitutional in any way for the centers to be required to be open and honest about their services instead of potentially duping women experiencing a very sensitive time in their lives,” Kutner said. In light of this, she also said she does not agree with the decision to repeal it. “I do believe very much that crisis pregnancy centers should exist for women that desire neither abortion nor contraception,” Kutner said. “They can, however, be misleading for pregnant women who do seek abortion or other information not provided at these centers.”

UT chemical engineering professor, Thomas Edgar, is a board member for Pecan Street Incorporated. The organization is dedicated to researching alternative energy solutions and will begin construction next week.

The Daily Texan Volume 112, Number 108

CONTACT US Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Viviana Aldous (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Audrey White (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com

Fanny Trang Daily Texan Staff

Green research company relocates By Kayla Jonsson Daily Texan Staff

A green energy research company working directly with the University will soon relocate to an energy efficient neighborhood one-and-a-half miles from campus. Pecan Street Inc., a research and development organization dedicated to studying clean energy options, will begin construction next week on the $1.5 million Pike Powers Commercialization Lab, said Brewster McCracken, executive director of Pecan Street Inc. UT became one of the founding members of Pecan Street Inc. three years ago and the company has since raised $3.3 million in research money for the University, McCracken said. McCracken said the goal of Pecan Street Inc. is to perfect the future of home energy. The Pecan Street

PERRY continues from PAGE 1 Philpott said, and his poor performance on the national stage may alter his role within the Texas government. “His relationship with the l e g isl atu re c ou l d c e r t ai n ly change,” Philpott said. “He could attempt to come back and reclaim whatever role he had in the last session, or the legislature could decide that he’s not going to lead the charge. We haven’t begun to hear from lawmakers about what they are going to accept

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ulation of electric cars in the U.S,” McCracken said. “Usually five within one mile is considered a lot, so this is huge.” About 20 UT graduate students and professors will conduct research at the new lab, said Thomas Edgar, chemical engineering professor and Pecan Street Inc. board member. “The number of researchers required to pull this together has really been great for supporting both students and faculty,” Edgar said. The supercomputer at the J.J. Pickle Research Center is used to store the data collected by researchers, he said. “The students are met with the daunting task of organizing all the data stored in the supercomputer and then making sense of it,” Edgar said. He said giving graduate students a chance to work in a real research environment that af-

fects the real world is a great learning experience. “So many times students want to work on graduate projects alone but these 20 students will have to work together, ask each other questions and compare data and we want to ensure they can do that,” Edgar said. The lab will mostly be in use by engineering students but will be available to others as well, Edgar said. He said outstanding students are usually identified by professors to help with the research. “More students should research green energy because it is something we are all going to have to deal with,” electrical engineering freshman Bianca Remmie said. “Older students are always coming into my classes telling us about research opportunities and to talk to our professors about it and I can’t wait to.”

in terms of guidance.” Perr y can still repair his image in Texas in the coming weeks, despite the lack of interest in the GOP race, Philpott said. “He’s going to start giving speeches next week, and rolling out platform,” Philpott said. “He’ll start being the governor again and not just a candidate. He has time to do things that will get people back on his side, but I think we still have to see if lawmakers are interested in him reasserting his role. But there’s plenty of time.” However, Perr y election spokesman Ray Sullivan said

he thinks lowered poll numbers will not change Perry’s role in government. “G o v e r n o r Pe r r y l e a d s bas ed on his cons er vative philosophy and what is best for Texas jobs and quality of life, not poll numbers,” Sullivan said. “In 2009, some polls shows him far behind but he went on to defeat strong Republican and Democratic challengers by wide margins.” Su l l iv an s aid t he presi dential bid has helped Texa s ’s i m a g e a r o u n d t h e c o u nt r y, d e s p i t e t h e l o w approval rating. “ T h e pre s i d e nt i a l c a m -

paign let even more Americans know about Texas’ projob climate, great quality of life and culture of fiscal responsibility,” Sullivan said. College Republicans president and government senior Cassie Wright said she thinks the poor ratings did not affect Perry’s record within the state of Texas. “The past few months have not changed his outstanding economic record in the state of Texas,” Wright said. “We elected Governor Perry based on his successes and his ability to lead; neither his track record nor competence has changed.”

TASK FORCE continues from PAGE 1

respond quickly to the University needs about the issue. “The only part of that which makes sense to me is if administrators want a group that will report only to them,” Friedman said. “Because there’s no reason the committees can’t report back.” Sociology professor and associate liberal arts dean Marc Musick currently serves on a task force and previously served on the Faculty Council. Although Musick did not serve on the Graduation

Rates Task Force, he wrote a report analyzing the time it takes UT students to graduate. Musick said task forces give the faculty and students appointed to them an opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge on the topic. “By simply starting the conversations we can facilitate change on campus,” Musick said. Musick said task forces are meant to create ideas and it is up to faculty to implement those they think are appropriate or to

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forego them. “Much of the business I’ve seen is to vet the ideas coming forward,” Musick said. “The faculty have a voice in that way.” Senate president Carisa Nietsche met with the Graduation Rates Task Force and serves on the faculty’s Education Policy Committee. Nietsche said the task forces bring together the main stakeholders in the issue. “I typically think of task forces as being more in tune with administrator priorities,”

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Nietsche said. Nietsche said task forces can focus on sole issues in a way that faculty committees cannot, due to time constraints and the nature of committees to deal with broader policy matters. She said for the most part, the task forces and committees complement each other in an effort to improve the University. “I don’t see it as a conflict,” Nietsche said. “I think the committe es c an have a role in task forces.”

KOKABEE continues from PAGE 1 “For someone who does not have any activity outside the University and the academic world and [is] not familiar with world politics, what sense does it associate,” said Kokabee in the translated letter. “And what purpose lies behind the accusations and pressures?” In the letter, Kokabee said he refused to put up with threats and a disregard for the country’s laws and regulations. Kokabee demanded in SKI SPRING BREAK 2012! breckenridge

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the letter the basic rights of a prisoner and conditions for a reasonable and impartial court. “As now as a natural reaction to a prisoner who has insulted his dignity and basic human rights, I declare that after this I’m not willing to go to court and defend myself, if you forced me to take court,” said Kokabee in the translated letter. “I will not participate in humiliating court and without jurisdiction.”

R E C YC L E

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Inc. office is currently located at UT’s West Pickle Research Center, but will have its own lab near the old Robert Mueller Municipal Airport by August, McCracken said. “You won’t be able to see it from campus but it’ll definitely be just a short walk or bike ride away,” McCracken said. “In this area there is a big interest in green energy. There are more and more people putting solar panels on their roofs, and it’s pretty amazing.” The Mueller neighborhood demonstration project, an urban neighborhood built on the old Mueller airport site where researchers with Pecan Street Inc. test green energy products, now has 210 homes that use solar panels and will soon have 100 electric cars within a one mile radius, McCracken said. “One hundred electric cars within a mile is the densest pop-

Issue Staff

Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holly Wu, Taylor Graham, Luis San Miguel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristine Reyna, Stefan Scrafield, Allie Eisser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colin Zelinski, Danielle Thomas, Jacob Hamrick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Rodriguez, Ryan Graham, Stephanie Vanicek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carlos Pagan, Caitlin Zellers, Lindsey Cherner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Munoz, Robert Starr, Natasha Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Helen Fernandez, Paige Harriman, Sharla Biefeld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paxton Casey, Pu Huang, Julia Bunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elisabeth Dillon, Charity Lee, Rebecca Howeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andreina Velazquez, Hakeem Adewumi, Juana Guzman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morgan Long, Raveena Bhalara, Sa Wang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nathan Goldsmith, Michael Thompson, Linda Beldin

2/2/12

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Thursday, February 2, 2012 | The Daily Texan | Austin Myers, Wire Editor | dailytexanonline.com

NEWS BRIEFLY American Airlines, facing debts, wants to fire 13,000 employees

DALLAS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The parent of American Airlines wants to eliminate about 13,000 jobs â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 15 percent of its workforce â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third-biggest airline remakes itself under bankruptcy protection. The company proposes to end its traditional pension plans, a move strongly opposed by the airlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unions and the U.S. pension-insurance agency, and to stop paying for retiree health benefits. AMR Corp. said Wednesday that it must cut labor costs by 20 percent. It will soon begin negotiations with its three major unions. CEO Thomas W. Horton said Wednesday that the company hopes to return to profitability by cutting spending by more than $2 billion per year and raising revenue by $1 billion per year.

Romney in hot water for remarks about the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;very poor,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;safety netâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

EAGAN, Minn. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, confident after his Florida primary victory, ended up inviting criticism Wednesday when he said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;not concerned about the very poorâ&#x20AC;? because they have an â&#x20AC;&#x153;ample safety net.â&#x20AC;? Democrats and Republicans alike â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including opponent Newt Gingrich â&#x20AC;&#x201D; pounced and the GOP frontrunner quickly sought to explain his remarks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, no, no, no, no, no, no,â&#x20AC;? Romney told reporters on his campaign plane when asked about the comments. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, no, no. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to take the whole sentence, all right, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mostly the same.â&#x20AC;? He said his remark was consistent with his theme throughout the race, adding: â&#x20AC;&#x153;My energy is going to be devoted to helping middle-income people.â&#x20AC;? President Barack Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reelection campaign was quick to criticize. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So much for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all in this together,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? tweeted Obama campaign manager Jim Messina.

Lax security leads to deadly soccer riot in Egypt Egyptian fans clash with riot police following Al-Ahly club soccer match against Al-Masry club at the soccer stadium in Port Said, Egypt on Wednesday, where dozens of people were killed.

By Sarah El Deeb The Associated Press

CAIRO â&#x20AC;&#x201D; At least 74 people were killed and hundreds injured after soccer fans rushed the field in the seaside city of Port Said Wednesday following an upset victory by the home team over Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top club, setting off clashes and a stampede as riot police largely failed to intervene. It was a bloody reminder of the deteriorating security in the Arab worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most populous country as instability continues nearly a year after former President Hosni Mubarak was swept out of power in a popular uprising. The melee â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which followed an Egyptian league match between AlMasry, the home team in the Mediterranean city, and Al-Ahly, based in Cairo and one of Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular team â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was the worst case of soccer violence in Egypt and the deadliest worldwide since 1996. One player said it was â&#x20AC;&#x153;like a war.â&#x20AC;? The clashes and ensuing stampede did not appear to be directly linked to the political turmoil in Egypt, but the violence raised fresh concerns about the ability of the state police to manage crowds. Most of the hundreds of black-uniformed police with helmets and shields stood in lines and did nothing as soccer fans chased either, some wielding sharp objects and others hurling sticks and rocks. Security officials said the ministry has issued directives for its personnel not to â&#x20AC;&#x153;engageâ&#x20AC;? with civilians after recent clashes between po-

Courtesy of The Associated Press

lice and protesters in November left more than 40 people dead. The violence also underscored the role of soccer fans in Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent protest movement. Organized fans, in groups known as ultras, have played an important role in the revolution and rallies against military rule. Their anti-police songs, peppered with curses, have quickly become viral and an expression of the hatred many Egyptians feel toward security forces that were accused of much of the abuse that was wide-

spread under Mubarakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regime. In Port Said, residents marched early Thursday, denouncing the violence and saying it was a conspiracy by the military and police to cause chaos. Army tanks and armored vehicles joined police patrolling near hospitals and morgues. Police were not to be seen in the streets after the violence and were unavailable to break up fights that followed. The scuffles broke out after fans of Al-Masry stormed the field fol-

Calif. nuclear reactor shut down, some radiation may have leaked LOS ANGELES â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A tiny amount of radiation could have escaped from a Southern California nuclear power plant after a water leak prompted operators to shut down a reactor as a precaution, but plant workers and the public were not endangered, officials said Wednesday. The leak was detected Tuesday afternoon in Unit 3 at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, about 45 miles north of San Diego. The seaside plant was taken off line while investigators tried to determine what happened. While the leak wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t large enough to require the plant to declare an emergency, any possible leak of radiation into the atmosphere is rare. Also concerning was that â&#x20AC;&#x153;manyâ&#x20AC;? tubes that carry pressurized radioactive water were damaged, according to a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The tubes are part of equipment that is virtually new, having been installed in 2010. â&#x2C6;&#x2019; compiled from Associated Press reports

lowing a rare 3-1 win against AlAhly. Al-Masry supporters hurled sticks and stones as they chased players and fans from the rival team, who ran toward the exits to escape, according to witnesses. One man told state TV he heard gunshots in the stadium, while a lawmaker from Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s powerful Muslim Brotherhood said the police didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t prevent fans carrying knives from entering the stadium. The Interior Ministry said 74 people died, including one police officer,

and 248 were injured, 14 of them police. A local health official initially said 1,000 people were injured and it was not clear how severely. Security forces arrested 47 people for involvement in the violence, the statement said. It was the deadliest incident of soccer violence since Oct. 16, 1996, when at least 78 people died and 180 others were injured in a stampede at a stadium in Guatemala City before a World Cup qualifying match between Guatemala and Costa Rica.

Komen pulls grants for breast cancer screening

An Afghan man makes a snowman outfitted with body armor and a weapon after a snowstorm in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Jan, 15, 2012.

By David Cray The Associated Press

Halliburton relieved of damages claimed in 2010 oil spill work

NEW ORLEANS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Halliburton can avoid paying most of the pollution claims that resulted from the catastrophic 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill because it was shielded in a contract with well-owner BP. Still, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said that Halliburton is not exempt from paying punitive damages and civil penalties that arise from the April 20, 2010, blowout off the Louisiana coast. Those penalties could amount to billions of dollars. The judge also said Halliburtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indemnity could be voided if the company is found to have defrauded BP. Houston-based Halliburton supplied cement for the ill-fated Macondo well that blew out in the Gulf of Mexico, and federal investigators have found that the cement failed to seal to the well properly. The cement job was one of several factors that investigators said contributed to the blowout that killed 11 workers and led to the release of more than 200 million gallons of oil.

Musadeq Sadeq Associated Press

Panetta: US out of Afghanistan in 2013 By Robert Durns The Associated Press

BRUSSELS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Defense Secretary Leon Panetta laid out the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most explicit portrayal of the U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan, saying Wednesday that U.S. and other international forces in Afghanistan expect to end their combat role in 2013 and continue a training and advisory role with Afghan forces through 2014. Panettaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remarks to reporters traveling with him to a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels showed how the foreign military

role in Afghanistan is expected to evolve from the current high-intensity fight against the Taliban to a support role with Afghans fully in the lead. The timeline fits neatly into the U.S. political calendar, enabling President Barack Obama to declare on the campaign trail this year that in addition to bringing all U.S. troops home from Iraq and beginning a troop drawdown in Afghanistan, he also has a target period for ending the U.S. combat role there. Panetta called 2013 a critical year for the Afghanistan mission that has dragged on for more than

a decade with little sign that the Taliban will be decisively defeated. He noted that NATO and the Afghan government intend to begin a final phase of handing off sections of the country to Afghan security control in mid-2013. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hopefully by the mid to latter part of 2013 weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to make a transition from a combat role to a training, advise and assist role,â&#x20AC;? he said. He added that this â&#x20AC;&#x153;doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going to be combat-ready,â&#x20AC;? but rather that the U.S. and other international forces will no longer be in â&#x20AC;&#x153;the formal combat role weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in now.â&#x20AC;?

NEW YORK â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Planned Parenthood said Wednesday that it received more than $400,000 from 6,000 donors in the 24 hours after news broke that its affiliates would be losing grants for breast screenings from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breastcancer foundation. Komen, meanwhile, incurred heated criticism from some members of Congress, numerous liberal advocacy groups and some newspaper editorial writers. But it was applauded by many conservative religious and antiabortion groups that abhor Planned Parenthood for its role as the leading U.S. abortion provider. Planned Parenthood says the funding cutoff was a result of Komen succumbing to pressure from anti-abortion activists. Komen, in a statement issued Wednesday evening, denied that politics played a role and reiterated that its decision was based on new-

ly adopted criteria for issuing grants. The criteria bar grants to any organization thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s under local, state or federal investigation. Planned Parenthood is being investigated for alleged financial improprieties by a Republican congressman acting of anti-abortion groups. It pledged to ensure that women who need breast-health services can still have access to them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Komen caved to political pressure,â&#x20AC;? wrote editorial writer Tod Robberson in the Dallas Morning News. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The next time Komen for the Cure comes asking us for an editorial supporting one of their local events, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going the think twice.â&#x20AC;? The Star-Ledger in New Jersey took a more nuanced view. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to see who the winners are in this mess,â&#x20AC;? it wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As so often happens when their bodies become a political battleground, women ultimately lose.â&#x20AC;?

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OpiniOn

Thursday, February 2, 2012 | The Daily Texan | Viviana Aldous, Editor-in-Chief | (512) 232-2212 | editor@dailytexanonline.com

Viewpoint

The dual-credit dilemma In conversations about the future of higher education, dual credit elicits a wide range of opinions. Considered a cure-all by some and a cop-out by others, dual credit offers students the opportunity to concurrently fulfill high school and university requirements in a single course. While classes can meet at higher education campuses, they are increasingly being offered at and taught in high school classrooms by teachers who are certified by a credit-giving institution instead of full-fledged professors. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board released one of its most comprehensive reports on dual credit in December. The purpose of the report is to fulfill the requirements of the General Appropriations Act, better known as “Rider 33,” passed by the state Legislature last year, which directed the board to find “the most efficient and effective delivery of dual-credit courses to students.” Since fall 2008, every school district in the state is required to provide a path for students to earn a minimum of 12 hours of college credit while still in high school. The state-subsidized costs of dual-credit courses make them an attractive option for college-bound high school students. The board’s report highlights the popularity of dual-credit courses, as the number of students enrolled jumped from 11,921 in fall 1999 to 90,364 in fall 2010. The report backs the assumption that students taking dualcredit courses are more likely to attend college and graduate faster than students who do not take dual-credit courses. Dual credit also encourages high schools, junior colleges and universities to collaborate on curricular issues, which helps strengthen the higher education pipeline. But the report also calls for the board to “continue to support efforts to assure rigor and consistency in dual-credit courses,” an issue that plagues a system that operates on a great deal of faith. For starters, although teachers require certification from the institution offering the college credit, there is very little monitoring after that point. And unlike other paths to obtain college credit in high school, such as the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, dual-credit courses have no standardized end-of-year competency exam — even though they may offer the same amount of college credit. Moreover, while Texas public universities are obligated by law to accept most forms of dual credit, private universities increasingly do not. Secondly, the report highlights that only about 5 percent of dual-credit enrollment is offered through 4-year universities, with UT and Texas A&M among the non-participants. With reputation being a major concern of these 4-year universities, the state’s top public institutions could play a significant role in promoting quality and rigor in dual-credit programs to complement the goal of accessibility that underlies the community college tradition. Instead, their lack of involvement only reinforces the perception of the disengaged public university. But the increasing popularity and accessibility of dual credit has major implications for the state’s public universities that go well beyond the question of quality. If a high school student can receive six credits of English at a cheaper price near his or her home while using textbooks provided for free by his or her school district, then what is the point of his or her taking the course in college? UT President William Powers Jr. referred to this dilemma as one of higher education’s “existential questions” during the Faculty Council meeting last week. As the public embraces these low-cost opportunities, UT and its public university counterparts across the country have the burden of reminding people that higher education goes beyond a transfer of content to embrace an exchange of concept. Dual credit provides opportunities for students across the state. But the current debate surrounding it defines education by dollars, cents and credit hours. That’s a debate that UT will not win.

Undercutting the student voice by dave player Daily Texan Guest Columnist

The Student Government Assembly passed a resolution Tuesday to include a referendum on the ballot in this spring’s election. The referendum will include two questions: first, “Do you support the proposed tuition increase?” and second, “Would you accept budget cuts to a wide-range of University services and programs?” At face value, “referendum” is a misnomer. A true referendum puts an issue to the public whereby the popular vote will be decisive in what course of action is taken on the issue. For example, in 2010 the UT student body voted in favor of a referendum to create the Green Fee, a $5 per-semester fee for each student to be used for environmental initiatives. The issue was put forth, students voted and the issue was decided. In contrast, Tuesday night’s “referendum” carries no binding significance. Tuition is set biennially by the UT System Board of Regents. The regents incorporate recommendations from President William Powers Jr. and the Tuition Policy Advisory Committee, a committee that includes several student members. This “referendum” would essentially be an opinion poll. The result will not force any action on the part of any party. The only possible merit would be to provide “feedback” to the regents on student responses to those two questions. The fact that the legislation in question passes itself off as a referendum when it so clearly is not is disingenuous. It defrauds student voters into thinking their vote on that item carries more weight than it

factually could. Additionally, the fact that the two survey options are not presented as being mutually exclusive essentially renders the data worthless. For the past three years, the University has undergone drastic downsizing as first administrative and then faculty positions were either consolidated or eliminated. If the University does not increase some area of revenue to cope with the reductions in state funding, then further cuts to academic offerings will be necessary. I don’t like tuition increases. As a law student, I pay substantially more per semester than the average UT student. If asked, I would say that no, I would not favor tuition increases. Concurrently, I don’t like cuts to academic offerings or student services. Like many Longhorns, I came to UT for its world-class academic offerings. Faced with the two questions posed by the “referendum,” I would vote “no” for each. And thus, my vote would be meaningless. It is inevitable that one of the two outcomes will transpire. Any polling of student opinion should seek to discover which of the two options students prefer. Students don’t like paying higher tuition, and they don’t like cuts to academics and services. What had the potential to be a useful tool to measure student opinion will instead only confirm a truism: UT students don’t like bad things. Instead, poor formulation makes this “referendum” an exercise in futility. There are deeper and more troubling concerns with the referendum, however. Most notably, a last-minute survey disguised as a referendum serves to undercut the student voice in the tuition setting process and disenfranchise the thousands of students who

participated in last March’s election. One of the major tenets of the platforms of last year’s student body president candidates was their respective stances on setting tuition. Students’ votes were influenced by candidates’ positions, and more than 8,000 students voted to decide who should represent them to the campus’ administration and the UT System regents. If that system of student representation, a system that students fought for years to have in place, is allowed to be undercut by a last-minute resolution, then the entire process is cheapened. The weight of student opinion in the future may well be called into question since the current Student Government assembly, in their recklessness, has shown how easily it may be disregarded. A minority fringe has taken it upon themselves to subvert the democratic process and substitute their own opinions and views for yours and mine. Calling themselves “Occupy UT,” the group seeks a form of democracy in which it is not a matter of who gets the most votes but of who can best shout-down the opposition that gets to dictate campus policy. Should this quasi-referendum find its way to the ballot in March, it will serve no purpose but to undermine the democratic process and weaken the student voice on future issues. Meanwhile, our student representatives have allowed themselves to be strong-armed in a misguided attempt to reappropriate the student voice. As the students too busy occupying a classroom or library to attend the SG meeting, we shouldn’t stand for it. Player is a first-year student at the School of Law.

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Tony, who withheld his last name, shouts to passers-by on the West Mall about the merits of Christianity Wednesday afternoon. Heavy foot traffic makes the West Mall a popular location for organizations wishing to reach a large audience.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

ASSUREDLY, THE BEST PART OF YOUR DAY

African studies center focuses attention on dancers’ social issues By Shreya Banerjee Daily Texan Staff

Nathan Goldsmith Daily Texan Staff

Strategies to deal with climate change UK National Weather Service’s chief climatologist and professor at the University of Reading, Julia Slingo, gives a talk on Wednesday about recent natural disasters around the world and the influence of technology in predicting the weather. Slingo said it was important for nations to collaborate on climate change issues to prevent such catastrophes.

By Ayesha Kang Daily Texan Staff

Although there has been a growth in the technology that forecasts climate change, scientists are not equipped to effectively deal with natural disasters, said climatologist and University of Reading professor Julia Slingo. UT’s Environmental Science Institute hosted a lecture covering weather and climate on Wednesday. Slingo, the chief scientist at the Met office, United Kingdom’s National Weather Service, spoke about her current research on the environmental impacts of diverse weather patterns and her work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Slingo said that although she has seen progress being made through the Met Office and other climate change organizations, there is much to be done in order to successfully react to climate change. The Met Office

Rebecca Howeth Daily Texan Staff

6th Annual

Black History Month Concert

Celebrating Black Composers

Honoring

Roland Marvin Carter

has recently developed a Science Strategy, which condenses future endeavors regarding climate change into four main challenges, she said. “We’re more vulnerable to climate change today, period,” Slingo said. “And we are not prepared.” The 2010 flooding in Pakistan, a disaster that affected over 20 million people in an area roughly the size of the England was the worst incident of flooding since 1929, Slingo said. The flooding, along with Indian monsoons, had adverse affects on human health, wellness and the environment, she said. Slingo said she remains uncertain as to whether the floods could have been detected earlier using current technology, but recent technological developments have progressed the understanding of short- and long-term effects of climate change. The recent plunge in the UK’s winter temperatures has also led to weather conditions so severe that hazardous traffic conditions ensued, Slingo said. She said she believes that humans are still ill-equipped in effectively responding to extreme weather occurrences. Slingo believes that these future challenges include dealing with an increasing complexity of models and prediction systems as well as developing partnerships between nations and more vulnerable regions to create collaboration on climate change issues. She said she remains confident that together, the countries in the world can make science work in society.

February is Black History Month and members of the department of African and African Diaspora Studies and the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies said they want to focus their attention on a specific social issue — gay African-American dancers. “The center wanted the UT community to think about the issue of manhood in American society in ways we don’t normally think about it,” said Frank Guridy, associate professor and director of the Warfield Center. “We wanted the audience to think about the world in a different way after this lecture,” he said. Mark Broomfield, one of this school year’s postdoctoral fellows for the department of African and African Diaspora Studies, gave a lecture called ‘Passing for Almost Straight’ Wednesday afternoon about the perception of African-American male dancers and how that perception applies to all males. Broomfield said that in his experience as a dance instructor and from talking to gay AfricanAmerican professional dancers, the idea that men have to be very masculine even when they dance limits their creative freedom in their dances. Broomfield said he chose this field because he wanted their voices and contributions to be recognized. “It’s quite criminal to deny these men their due respect and discriminate them just because they are gay and because the African-American community doesn’t want them,” Broomfield said. “The line between gay and straight men is continually blurring, so people are now starting to emphasize the differences between them.” Broomfield talked about how many gay men are afraid to express themselves due to the perception of gays in society and how it causes gay men to

try to act more “straight.” This causation leads gay dancers to feel pressured to make their dances seem more masculine, Broomfield said. He showed the audience a clip from the 2005 season premiere episode of “So You Think You Can Dance” in which Andrew BryantChesworth, a gay contestant on the show, was criticized by one of the judges for being too feminine. “Dancing is definitely a female-oriented field and women are often perceived as being ethereal creatures in terms of dance,” Broomfield said. “It’s hard for male dancers to break that stereotype.” Broomfield said certain dance poses and the use of music by female artists serves to help gay dancers feel more comfortable with their art. Broomfield showed clips from a documentary he produced, in which he interviewed people on their perception of masculinity. Many of the interviewees in the documentary, who were gay African-American men, said that being vulnerable, something men often shy away from, is actually a real strength and should be included within the definition of masculinity. “I’m seeing that there are now other ways to measure and challenge the conception of masculinity and hopefully this can help change the stereotype for gay men,” Broomfield said. Biology freshman Chigozie Bosah, who attended the lecture for her African-American studies class, said the information presented made her realize that one cannot judge dancers based on their gender and sexuality. “Masculinity isn’t a straight male thing,” Bosah said. “Really anyone can experience it.”

Pu Huang | Daily Texan Staff

Dr. Mark Broomsfield speaks on the perception of masculinity in African-American male dancers at the Isese Gallery Wednesday afternoon. Broomsfield expressed how gay dancers may feel the pressure to act more “straight” in dance.

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Thursday, February 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Sameer Bhuchar, Sports Editor | (512) 232-2210 | sports@dailytexanonline.com

PUTTING TEXAS BACK ON THE MAP

SIDELINE NBA ROCKETS

CLASS OF 2012 SIGNEES

Peter Jinkens, OLB 208 6’1”

Connor Brewer, QB 195 6’2” Scottsdale, AZ

SPURS

Aledo Dallas

Johnathan Gray, RB 190 6’1”

THUNDER

Malcom Brown, DT 280 6’2”

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Austin Brenham

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Cayleb Jones, WR 198 6’3”

CELTICS

ON THE WEB: To see a photo slideshow of all the signees check out bit.ly/txrecruits

NCAAB (6) BAYLOR

Speedster Sanders adds depth to receiving corps By Sameer Bhuchar Daily Texan Staff

Kendall Sanders caught two picks as a defensive back in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in early January. It’s hard to think a performance like that may jeopardize a player’s spot on a team, but to be sure, Sanders texted his future coach, Texas’ Mack Brown. “He texted me right after the game and asked, ‘can I still play offense,’ and I said, ‘yes, you can, and you should have caught more balls instead of knocked them down,’” Brown joked. But Texas’ lack of depth at wide receiver is no laughing matter to Brown or Sanders. Texas spent a great deal of energy adding to their receiving corps with this recruiting class, and it believed Sanders possessed the skill set to work with the offense rather than the

defense. A four-star recruit out of Athens, TX, former cornerback Sanders — 6’ 1”, 175 pounds — committed to the Longhorns’ offer in December and made it all official on signing day yesterday. Sanders is a long, fast and ferocious player who runs a 4.4 second 40yard dash, and has a 40-inch vertical. He’s been compared to current New York Giant Prince Amukamara, and he adds an immediate athletic presence at wide out precisely because he can play on both sides of the ball. “I want to come in and work hard to prove I can play receiver,” Sanders told The Daily Texan. “I bring speed and more talent at that position, and I believe I can be that big playmaker when I’m asked to be. I don’t think people can count me out.” And Sanders is prepared to step up when called upon by the Texas coach-

es. After all, he is extremely happy to be playing on the 40 Acres, especially since he almost missed out on the opportunity. Sanders was committed to Oklahoma State since late last spring, but was having second thoughts as more schools began courting him. Michigan State, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor all expressed interest in him. When Texas offered him a scholarship in November, Sanders really began to think he may have jumped the gun on his decision. His parents had urged him from the beginning to consider all his options out there. “Us teenagers, we’re 17 and 18,” he said in an interview early last month. “We really don’t make good decisions all the time on the first try.”

SANDERS continues on PAGE 8

Tweets to note from National Signing Day

Compiled by Austin Laymance

signees:

current players:

— Torshiro Davis, @TorshiroD — Kendall Sanders, “S/o to all the longhorns out @kendallespn10 lol” “S/o to my hook ‘em fam for all the love! Preciate it !!” — Connor Brewer, @ConnorBrewer7 “Just signed them papers !! “Congrats to all my friends Hook ‘em” signing and especially my fellow longhorns \m/” — Timothy Cole, @Timbo_Cole24 “Welcome torshiro to the family he’s gunna be a beast “It’s official!!! Just got my fax in and I’m now a longhorn. at Texas” This is the happiest day of my life. #soblessed” — Orlando Thomas, @Duke_Da_Savage “Signing today ; look for it on — Peter Jinkens, @SUMBODYSTOP_7 the LHN& EspnU Thanks for the support !” “IMA LONGHORN!!!!!!!!! *RIPS SHIRT OFF*” — Cayleb Jones, @Cayleb_JonesTx4 “Its offical im a longhorn now “Congrats to all my brothers baby \m/ #hook’em” signing today and making it official! On to the next step In life. Thanks to longhorn fam- “*WALKS UP TO GILBERT* “YO NUMBER MINE NOW GILBERT ily For welcoming me!” WHOOOOOO!!!!!!” *RIPS OFF SHIRT* #7” — Adrian Colbert, @ACtooCold1 “*GOES TO MACK BROWN’S “S/0 to the whole TGOD OFFICE AND STANDS ON HIS Fam for signing today! DESK* “YOU READY TO WIN #ProudToBeALonghorn” A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MACK????” WHOOOOOO!!!!! “Put the pen to the paper about 25min ago! Glad to be a *RIPS SHIRT OFF*” longhorn:) Hookem’”

— Malcolm Brown, @MallyCat_28 “Dang, time flys. It’s signing day again! S/o to all the future #Longhorns from the class of 2012! #LetsEat” — Cedric Reed, @Ced_Reed88 “S/o to my boys who signed today @TorshiroD @ ImmaATHLETE #twitterless Hassan Ridgeway & Bryce Conttrell.” — Leroy Scott, @YoungRoy31 “& on tht note S/O to all the young ballers singing today, this a new start to a new life leave the old you at home & cum open minded” — Darius Terrell, @Dnt_Do_It_DT “CONGRATULATIONS to all the student-athletes that are signing Letters of Intent today. The hard work has paid off!”

TEXAS A&M

OKLAHOMA

(8) KANSAS

(20) INDIANA

(22) MICHIGAN

Photo courtesy of Sandra Sanders

Kendall Sanders (10) comes to Texas as the No. 13 ranked cornerback in the nation. However, he plans to play at wide receiver as a Longhorn.

New coaches hold the line, in history haul in top-rated recruits Today In 1970 By Christian Corona Daily Texan Staff

When Stacy Searels first set foot on the field at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, he was in awe. “What a beautiful place,” Searels thought. “Tommy Nobis played here.” Searels, Georgia’s offensive line coach at the time, eventually took the same position at Texas. An AllAmerican offensive lineman at Auburn, Searels became one of the six new coaches Mack Brown hired last January. Another one of them, cooffensive coordinator Bryan Harsin, had a similar situation when he was introduced to the Longhorns’ 88 year-old football stadium. “If you go into the stadium, you’re going to take the job, so be careful down there,” Texas head coach Mack Brown warned Harsin. “He said, ‘I’m going to be fine. I’ve been in a lot of stadiums.’ So he walks in and his kids start crying. And I said, ‘We are in.’” The Longhorns signed one of

the nation’s best recruiting classes Wednesday and have assistants like Harsin and Searels to thank. While Harsin, Searels, defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, wide receivers coach Darrell Wyatt and defensive tackles coach Bo Davis had not been in Austin for a month before last year’s Signing Day, they were instrumental in assembling one of the country’s finest recruiting class. All but one of 23 members of Texas’ recruiting class of 2011 committed to play for the Longhorns before they went 5-7 and lost two-thirds of their coaching staff. But despite the fact Brown was hiring coaches in the weeks leading up to Signing Day a year ago, he signed all of the players that made verbal commitments to Texas except Chandler, Ariz. native and five-star offensive tackle Christian Westerman. “We all fought our guts out to keep those 22 kids,” Brown said. “I thought last year’s [recruiting class] was maybe the most satisfying

LSU’s Pete Maravich becomes the first to score 3,000 college basketball points

LONGHORNS IN THE NBA LaMarcus Aldridge - 22 points - 6-6 FT

Kevin Durant - 23 points - 13 rebounds

Avery Bradley - 11 points

COACHES continues on PAGE 8

— Quandre Diggs, @qdiggs28 “Congrats to all the young Horns that signed today! enjoy the rest of your high school days and come here ready to work! #Hook’em”

WHAT TO WATCH Nuggets @ Clippers

Date: Tonight Time: 9:30 p.m. On air: TNT

Elisabeth Dillon | Daily Texan Staff

After a disappointing 5-7 season two years ago Mack Brown cleaned house, but his new assistants have kept ties with this year’s recruits.

8 SPTS/CLASS

SPorTS

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Horns plagued by turnovers once again

RECRUIT continues from PAGE 1

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Inconsistent guard play and their inability to establish an offensive identity in the post cost the Longhorns an opportunity to move up in the Big 12 standings at the Frank Erwin Center Wednesday night. Texas turned the ball over 21 times and got only 10 points from its bigs as Kansas State moved to 7-2 on the road with a 64-55 victory at the Frank Erwin Center on Wednesday night. “We have to all take responsibility,” said Texas head coach Gail Goestenkors. “The posts need to do a better job of getting [in] position and demanding the ball and the guards need to recognize when our posts are open and get them the ball.” Longhorn starters Cokie Reed and Ashley Gayle combined to score just one point and failed to record a field goal in the game. Texas’ lack of inside scoring had a lot to do with its lack of opportunities. The Longhorns’ four interior players had a total of just 10 field

we’ve recruited out of state about every year. And we haven’t gotten many. The ones that we’ve gotten, by and large, have had ties to the University. We’ve had some great out-of-state players.” Thanks to Brown’s willingness to try new things and incorporate different philosophies, Texas is well on its way to restoring its football program back to the days of perennial national-title contention and doubledigit win totals. It’s recruiting classes like this one that warrant contract extensions. “I think I’m the luckiest coach in the United States,” Brown said. “[Men’s athletic director DeLoss Dodds and President Bill Powers] want me to be the football coach here. And they want me to do it was as long as I can do it and as long as I’m having fun and being productive.” The 13-12 record the Longhorns have posted over their last two seasons stand out like a sore thumb. Texas can’t have two more seasons like that. But in the social media crazed whath ave - you - d on e - for- m e - l at e ly society we live in, it’s hard to realize that past successes really do matter. Because if not for the 128 wins and 12 consecutive nine-win seasons before the

But when it came down to it, Sanders made a gut decision. “It was Texas and I’ve always wanted to go there,” Sanders said of the day he received his offer from the Longhorns. “So I had to really just do the pros and cons and pray and pick the place that fit me. And Texas fit the best, so I picked it. I want to stay in Texas; get my degree

COACHES continues from PAGE 7

2010 debacle, Texas would not have signed the outstanding recruiting class it did Wednesday. “These guys were in the fifth grade when we won the national championship and they all remember where they were and what they were doing,” the longtime Longhorns head coach said. “Those years still have a huge impact on kids wanting to play at the University of Texas.” Those fifth graders are now approaching the freshman year of their college career. By the time they’re done at Texas, they 1 might be the ones elementary school children admire as they hoist a crystal ball.

we’ve ever had with all the problems we had.” The Longhorns went on to play 17 true freshmen last season, more than any team in the nation, including Big 12 Freshman of the Year defensive back Quandre Diggs and Holiday Bowl MVP quarterback David Ash. Rookie running backs Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron combined to rush for more than 1,200 yards despite each missing three games due to injuries. Freshman left tackle Josh Cochran took over midseason for Tray Allen, one of the country’s top offensive tackle prospects five years ago. “Stacy started a lot of freshmen at Georgia,” Brown said. “He doesn’t CLASSIFIEDS

out,” Goestenkors said. After trailing by nine at the half, Texas came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders and was able to build an eight point lead of their own with just under 12 minutes to go in the second half. But the Wildcats refused to lie down. Senior forward Jalana Childs took over on the inside and imposed her will on the Longhorns’ interior defense. “As a senior leader on this team, I have to step up when it comes to crunch time,” Childs said. “I’m glad that my coach and teammates trust me to do so. We love to win these tough games.” Kansas State head coach Deb Patterson liked what she saw from Childs and felt her performance in the latter stages of the game was what put her team over the top. “When we needed a couple baskets to take the pressure off our perimeter players, she stepped up,” Patterson said. “She’s a great finisher and she gave us a chance to come away from this one with a victory.”

from Texas.” Signing day yielded other top receiving recruits to play alongside Sanders. Wide out recruits Cayleb Jones and Marcus Johnson were also brought in to have their numbers dialed on offense when the Longhorns need a game-changing play. The three of them have kept in contact since they had known they would each pick Texas and Sanders is happy to join forces with them. “We three are pumped about joining up at Texas. We talk all the time about [it] and we’re working hard

right now to make sure we can compete,” he said. They’ll have to compete amongst each other for the ultimate playmaker role, as well as compete as a unit against a Big 12 conference that has no shortage of high-octane offensive squads. Sanders said that latter will be his greatest focus during his time on campus, because as a lifelong Texas fan, the last few years have not lived up to what he calls Texas tradition. “I want us to win it all,” he said. “We’ve got to get back to the old Texas.”

care. He’s going to play the guys that are passionate enough, in tuned and ready to play every day at practice. He’s a very demanding coach. But I just think that he’s really good at what he does.” With Texas not having to piece its coaching staff back together, the Longhorns used its newfound stability to reel in a superb recruiting class this year. Brown’s assistants, especially Searels and Davis, were crucial to picking up prospects such as Torshiro Davis, once committed to LSU, but who signed with Texas. The four-star linebacker from Shreveport had known Bo Davis since his days coaching at Alabama. Searels also helped the Longhorns steal away a recruit from the SEC when Van High School linebacker Dalton Santos, who Searels had his eye on since he was at

Georgia, committed. Brown said that Searels nabbed all of the offensive linemen he was targeting, including junior college transfer Donald Hawkins. Davis also attracted a junior college player to Texas in 6-foot-6-inch, 335-pound defensive tackle Brandon Moore. “I’m really impressed with Stacy and Bo and what they’re doing for our line of scrimmage,” Brown said. “Players like to play for an offensive line coach that played in the NFL, that was an All-American, and that blocked for Bo Jackson. They like to play for a defensive line coach that beat us in the national title game two seasons ago at Alabama.” After helping the Longhorns sign yet another outstanding recruiting class, Davis has an excellent chance to be part of a national title-winning team at Texas.

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goal attempts on the night and were never able to establish themselves in the paint. “We didn’t have much of a post presence tonight,” said senior guard Ashleigh Fontenette. “But it’s as much our responsibility as it is theirs, we didn’t do a good job of getting our posts the ball.” Fontenette had 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds in the game but failed to take care of the ball. She turned it over six times, and missed a few key free throws down the stretch. “We just had a lot of mental breakdowns,” Goestenkors said. “Turnovers and all the missed free throws were mental breakdowns that we just can’t afford to have.” A lack of post-production is becoming a trend on this team and if the Longhorns can’t find a way to get their forwards more involved in the offense, they will continue to struggle in a league with as much size as the Big 12. “Most of the teams in this league are very successful in the post, so we have to make a change and figure it

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decision last week to extend Brown’s cont rac t four ye ars through 2020. But the fact that Brown was able to reel in a recruiting class ranked among the top five in the nation, despite that 13-12 record, should be a sign that the extension was justified. “I’m more excited than I think I’ve ever been,” Brown said. “I didn’t like what happened two years ago. I’m sure excited about what happened this year, even though it’s not what we want. It’s headed back in the right direction.” Texas is used to racking up commitments early in the recruiting process, and this year was no different: The Longhorns picked up 12 pledges last February. But the 10 commitments Texas got since the beginning of last December were uncharacteristic, particularly the four that reneged from one school to play for the Longhorns this past weekend. Van middle linebacker Dalton Santos, who committed to Tennessee in August, decided Saturday to play for Texas. Hendrickson High School’s Daje Johnson, who will play both running back and wide receiver, backed down from TCU the following day to sign with Texas, and Plano West defensive end Bryce Cottrell snubbed Oregon and chose to commit to Texas the day after that. “Some of the guys told the schools they committed to that ‘if Texas comes back, I’m going,’” Brown said. “Our coaches did the best job since I’ve been here of keeping in touch with kids.” Brown also resorted to other tactics, such as signing junior college transfers and outof-state players, to compile another top-notch recruiting class. Before this year, only two players came from the junior college ranks to Texas during Brown’s tenure. The Longhorns doubled that total by picking up offensive tackle Donald Hawkins and defensive tackle Brandon Moore. Meanwhile, Texas signed four players from outside Texas, including junior college transfers Hawkins from Tunica, Miss. and Moore from Montgomery, Ala., with quarterback Connor Brewer from Scottsdale, Ariz. and Davis from Shreveport, La. being the other two. “The junior college thing is dif ferent,” Brown said. “But

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New discoveries span from space to skulls TRAVEL Editor’s note: This is a semesterlong column recapping some of the exciting new scientific developments of the week. Robert Starr is a Ph.D. student studying physics.

SCIENCE SCENE By Robert Starr

Man’s Oldest Friend? The dog may have been dom e s t i c at e d e a r l i e r t h a n w e p r e v i o u s l y t h o u g h t . Tw o 33,000-year-old dog skulls have been found in Siberia and Belgium with shortened snouts, indicating a domesticated, rather than a wild, species. This is especially interesting because it appears that the domestication of dogs took place earlier than that of other, more “useful” animals such as cows or goats, which provide food for us. It is believed that the dogs may have provided protection, companionship or hunting assistance to ancestral humans. Spidey Senses Though not as cuddly as dogs, spiders are just as interesting. Japanese researchers have recently discovered that jumping spiders have a method for seeing 3D images that appears to be unique in the animal kingdom. Spiders have special eyes with four separate layers that can detect light. One of these layers views green light in focus and another views it out of focus. By testing spiders’ abilities to catch flies in the absence of green light, the scientists determined that the spiders can detect depth by noting how out of focus the light is in the out-of-focus layer. These results shed light on how a small arachnid brain can quickly analyze and react to complex visual information. New Membrane Means Stronger Alcohol A new thin membrane made from graphene won’t allow most gasses to pass through it. Even

Illustration by Caitlin Zellers

helium, which can make its way through relatively thick glass, won’t pass through this material. However, what makes this material remarkable is that, despite its impenetrability to most gasses, water vapor passes through it as easily as if it wasn’t there. Applications? The researchers insist that there are likely many uses for the new material; however, between them, the only practical thing they could come up with was using it to seal a bottle of vodka. They let the bottle sit and the water evaporate and soon ended up with a much stronger drink. Dinosaur Wore Black Once thought to be unknowable, scientists are slowly but surely discovering the likely color of various species of dinosaurs. The latest victory is archaeopteryx. A well-preserved wing feather has recently been analyzed and, through the use of an electron microscope, scientists have found fossilized remains of the parts of the cell that produce the color. By comparing the results with a similar cell found in modern living birds, it can be stated

Photo courtesy of NASA

A new photograph of our planet has been making its way around the web.

with 95 percent certainty that the feather was black. Hi-Def Earth A new photograph of our planet has been making its way around the web. While it’s not the largest, most detailed or even a real photograph in the conventional sense, it’s a beaut and well worth check-

ing out. The image was created by a satellite orbiting the planet that takes data comparing the amount of light falling on the Earth to that reflected off of it. The picture is a composite of several images taken by the satellite on Jan. 4, combined to make one awe-inspiring portrait of the place we call home.

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you will certainly have money to spend on a few beers afterwards. Right down the street is the Phoenix Saloon, which has live countr y music on Saturday nights. When you’re ready to kick off your dancing shoes, make the 15-minute drive nor th from New Braunfels to Gruene, Texas and check into the Gruene Mansion Inn for the ultimate bed and breakfast experience. Each room boasts its own unique decor, brimming with Southern charm, from the claw foot tu b s t o t h e wo o d-burning fireplaces next to old photographs on t he wa l l of women in hoop skirts. The inn requires you make your reser vations in advance and notify t hem a he ad of time if you intend to che ck in after 9 p.m. Rooms var y by size and range from $190$220 per night. For more budget-friendly accommodations, reserve a room at any one of the motels alongside I-35 between New Braunfels and Gruene, including the Red Roof Inn and Best Western Inn and Suites. Sunday After sleeping in head over to Gruene’s claim to fame, Gruene Hall, Texas’ oldest continually operating dance hall for their Gospel Brunch. With heaps of Texas barbeque and roast, a ragtime gospel band and a conga line, this isn’t your mother’s worship service. Buy your $25 tickets in advance online at gruenehall.com. After brunch, there are plenty of house-turned-boutique

s h op s a l ong Hu nte r R o a d just outside of Gruene Hall. Though most of the stores tend to have the same items — spreads and dips in Mason jars, jingling charm bracelets, Vera Bradley bags — each store’s maze-like layout makes wandering through as fun as smelling the uniquely scented soy candles. After browsing the boutiques, make your way over to the Grapevine Texas Wine Bar for an informal wine tasting that features Texas wines. Your first three samples at the wine bar are complim e n t a r y, a n d glasses after that range from $4$11, with b ottles ranging from $10-$30. Keep in mind that Texas alcohol laws restrict alcohol purchases to be made after noon on Sundays. For dinner, locals and tourists can agree on The Gristmill River Restaurant and Bar, a converted cotton gin tucked under swooping oak trees and overlooking the Guadalupe River. The popular restaurant’s menu offers southern comfort food, like the bacon-wrapped filet and “Gruene beans” simmering in secret ingredients, but locals know the best dish isn’t on the menu. One glance over at the table next to yours, overflowing with baby-back ribs, and immediately you will have the courage to order the Gristmill’s secret entree. After dinner, grab some Jack Daniels Pecan Pie to munch on the ride home or save it for when Monday night rolls around and you were wishi ng you b a c k i n v a c at i on mode. Well, there’s always next weekend.

With heaps of Texas barbeque and roast a ragtime gospel band and a conga line, this isn’t your mother’s worship service.

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LIFE&ARTS 11

Thursday, February 2, 2012

PINTEREST continues from PAGE 12

multimedia and social media, finds it interesting that Pinterest is the first major social network that appears to cater to a specific gender. “Recently, I asked my multimedia journalism students to raise their hands if they were active on Google+, which boasts more than 90 million registered users. No one raised a hand,” Quigley said. “When I asked how many were active on Pinterest, about two-thirds of the students said they were.” Fashion and beauty bloggers appear to be a driving force behind Pinterest. If they aren’t citing pins as inspiration for blog posts, it’s their content that’s going viral as it’s “repinned” by other users. Austin style blogger Lauren Holdsworth of cactuscollective. wordpress.com sees Pinterest as a communal, creative space that is an excellent source of inspiration for her blog posts on fashion and home decor. She also uses the site to promote her blog’s content. When she pins an image, readers of her blog who follow her on Pinterest might get a hint of what’ll be on one of her future blog posts. “Pinning gift guides, outfits or various other collages I’ve created on Pinterest gets my content out in a different way [than] the blog does,” Holdsworth said. Living in an age of rampant Internet sharing means that often, the source listed on a pin on Pinterest isn’t the true original source. Pins from Pinterest, like photos from other websites, can be saved to a computer and be uploaded on other platforms, while the original source gets lost along the way. In the Pinterest terms of use, the company states that they are not responsible for any infringement its users engage in. Oren Bracha, intellectual property law professor at UT, said that as long as Pinterest falls in line with the many conditions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, it is immune from consequences of copyright infringement. “There are many things involved in this act, but simply put, to comply with this act, Pinterest needs to remain a passive host who doesn’t filter, edit, upload or control the user content,” Bracha said. “And if they should become aware of very specific infringement issues, then they are obligated under the act to act expeditiously.” Bloggers who feel that their copyrighted works have been infringed upon are urged to report any specific potential violations to an email address listed on Pinterest’s site. Craft blogger Amy Anderson of crafterminds.com acknowledges that Pinterest can be frustrating for bloggers who aim to control their original content, but sees it as a generally good resource. “I think it’s naïve to think that everyone on the Internet is going to care about sourcing as much as bloggers do. The whole premise of Pinterest is that it’s a quick way to bookmark something visually,” Anderson said. “Most pinners aren’t bloggers, nor do they own a website so they aren’t doing it out of maliciousness.” Anderson feels that with Pinterest, she takes the good with the bad. “Pinterest uses images to represent bookmarks, which makes the visual organization of ideas so easy and so quick. I think people are using it for the means that it was intended, which is to remember cool stuff they saw,” Anderson said. Quigley said now is a good time to be a content creator with Pinterest. “They get more use out of sharing than they see negative consequences,” Quigley, who currently has two pins to his name, said of Pinterest users. “If bloggers, or anyone else, fear social media for that reason, they’ll miss out on all the potential benefits of building an online community around you and your content.”

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Annual chili cook-off will benefit local woman By Lindsey Cherner Daily Texan Staff

This Saturday in the Jo’s Coffee parking lot, locals will gather to conjure up their best chili and learn how to two-step while also benefitting the Lila Tenenbown Recovery Fund at the Jo’s Sixth Annual Chili Cold Blood Chili Cook-Off. “It’s a very Texas experience,” communications director Isadora McKeon said. “A lot of people might not be from Texas, so this is a great way to get a glimpse into that.” The event will begin at 11 a.m. and includes the chili cook-off, twostep lessons and a two-step competition, live band performances, a bake sale by Katy Cupcakes and a silent auction. This cook-off differs from years past because all proceeds will go to the Lila Tenenbown Recovery Fund. For the past two years, money raised by the cook-off has been donated to the nonprofit Caritas of Austin, which provides services to the poor. This year’s benefactor, Lila Tenenbown, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32 and has dedicated her work at the SIMS Foundation to helping provide mental health and addiction recovery services for Austinarea musicians and their families. Tenenbown has also attended the cook-off in years past, so the community has been very enthusiastic to give back to her. “She’s always the person to work at charitable events, so it’s nice to be able to give back to her,” McKeon said. “She has so many friends that would do anything to help out.” More than anything, the preparations for the benefit have created a support system for Tenenbown, allowing her to undergo her chemotherapy treatments in Houston. “Because of the community I’ve been able to focus on healing, which is the best gift of all,” Tenenbown said. Additionally, Tenenbown is looking forward to the opportunity to spread awareness about the severity and possibility of breast cancer in young women. She plans to do this by answering any questions and serving as a sign of courage for young women in the community. “It’s going to be meaningful for anyone that’s been affected by breast cancer, but not everyone realizes how many young women are affected by it,” Tenenbown said. “They need to get their self-checks, to see

Illustration by Danielle Thomas

through any suspicions. Until it’s in your world you don’t see it much.” Although the day has a very personal and meaningful significance to Tenenbown, she is also anticipating the chili competition. The event, she says, always brings out the best in people. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema executive chef John Bullington competed in the cook-off last year and hopes to improve on his second place finish from last year. Although he will be competing against 14 other qualified chili enthusiasts, Bullington says he always feels as though he’s

really only competing against himself to win the prizes, which include a coveted slow cooker trophy and a place on the artisan hot dog restaurant Frank’s menu. Proceeds from chili sales at Frank will also go to the recovery fund. “It’s only really competitive in your own mind,” Bullington said. “You’re not throwing salt into anyone’s chili.” To stand out in a competition in which everyone is cooking the same familiar comfort food, Bullington makes his lamb and pork chili stand out by toasting his own

spices, cutting his own meat and holding off on the beans. “I’ve been cooking chili all my life,” Bullington said. “It’s one of those things about being Texan; if you can’t make a good one, you’re not a true Texan.” The chili cookers have said they enjoy the camaraderie of standing behind their pots and creating their unique recipes, while the two-steppers get the opportunity to teach newbies the Texan dance for free in the morning. These activities, along with the bake sale, live music and silent auction all strive to give back

to a woman who has built her livelihood on just that. “The event embodies the spirit of Austin I love the most,” Tenenbown said. “We take care of each other. It’s a love I can’t put into words.” WHAT: Sixth Annual Jo’s Chili Cold Blood Chili Cook-Off WHERE: 1300 South Congress (Jo’s parking lot) WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 4 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. WEB: joscoffee.com

INDIE continues from PAGE 12 regularly harassed at shows by local police officers, members of R.E.M. survived their first tour on $2 a day, and at one point, Texas’ own Butthole Surfers were reduced to collecting cans to turn in for food money (when their bag was ripped by a passing hooligan, one band member broke down in tears). For most classic indie bands — R.E.M. would become a notable exception — having $100,000 to spend on music was simply unthinkable. That’s not to say that all bands ought to take a vow of poverty before the indie pantheon or go live under a bridge for inspira-

tion. A struggle can be internal or even artistic. But for a band as out of touch as Two Lights seems to be, their greatest struggle as musicians is no more deserving of our admiration than their ultimate, self-professed goal as musicians: “to earn a lot more money than even doctors and lawyers.” Would you really want that band to be your life? But what does the proliferation of label-chasers such as Two Lights mean for music today? Are they really representative of the new scene? Independent rock icon Steve Albini doesn’t think so. In an interview with Niccolo Vecchia May

2011 on Pachanga Radio, the producer gave an optimistic take on the shape of music to come: “One nice thing about the collapse of the music industry — and the music industry is in a state of collapse now — is that the bands are gradually becoming comfortable being 100 percent in control of their careers.” It’s a vision that’s hard to deny. Over the last 10 years, artists as diverse as Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah and The Weeknd have achieved success solely on the strength of their self-released debuts, over which the artists had complete creative and distributive control.

Albini clearly believes this is for the better. “Bands are in the best position to make decisions about their careers and their music,” he said. Yet, Two Lights and most bands whose raison d’etre is financial success want nothing more than to give up control if it means signing a lucrative contract. Put your ear to the underground, where lo-fi projects such as The Microphones, Cloud Nothings and tUnE-yArDs are

maturing into formidable bands, where bedroom recordings by musicians like Youth Lagoon and Washed Out are reaching a decentralized worldwide fanbase, where Steve Albini still records countless new bands in his home studio and it’s hard to imagine that old-school sellouts like Two Lights are in a position to turn indie into a joke. If anything, it sounds like they’re in danger of being laughed off the stage.

LIFE&ARTS

Thursday, February 2, 2012 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Katie Stroh, Life&Arts Editor | (512) 232-2209 | dailytexan@gmail.com

Fun, cheap road trips are possible through South Texas DISPATCH By Anjli Mehta and Jessica Lee

Sometimes it’s hard to believe there is a world outside of Austin, Texas. The city seems to offer everything from eclectic food to late night haunts, but sometimes an escape from the day-to-day is necessary. Texas offers a variety of weekend getaways that are inexpensive and don’t even require a full tank of gas. From naturefilled hikes at Canyon Lake to small town shopping in Gruene, this three day trip will leave you longing to discover more of what Texas has to offer. Friday Throw in a favorite mix CD, and hit the road. No matter what time you leave, you can be sure you will hit traffic on I-35 leaving Austin, so make sure everyone is happy with the song selection. A fun sing-a-long session (preferably to old school Britney Spears or Boyz II Men) makes any traffic jam more bearable. Fridays are typically for unwinding from a stress-filled week. And Canyon Lake, located about 70 miles from Austin, is the place to do just that. What better way to forget that Red Bull-fueled all-nighter you pulled on Wednesday than kayaking on a lake that covers over 8,000 acres? Camping is available at Canyon Lake through various private companies, and rates range from $1224 a night. Split the cost between your parties, and suddenly you have an affordable accommodation. Tent sites include water, electricity and river access. Saturday Vacations are for sleeping in, but for early risers, a morning dip in the lake is the perfect way to get your blood flowing. After a quick swim,

NEW BRAUNFELS Distance from Austin: 49 miles Attractions: Landa Park, Naeglin’s Bakery, Phoenix Saloon

GRUENE Distance from Austin: 46 miles Attractions: The Gristmill, Gruene Hall, Texas Wine Bar

Illustration by Fanny Trang | Daily Texan Staff

pack up the tent and head down the road 20 miles to New Braunfels. New Braunfels is much more than Schlitterbahn Water Park. The city you once went to as a child with the hope of conquering the Master Blaster slide has so much more to offer. First stop, Naegelin’s Bakery. Texas’ oldest continuously operating bakery has been in New Braunfels since 1868 . The town has a high German population that settled in the area during the mid-19th century, so you know the strudel at Naegelin’s is authentic. A quick walk away from Naegelin’s is the farmer’s market. Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., local vendors sell a variety of goods from natural soap to smoked meats. The vendors are friendly and talkative. Grab some fresh-from-thefarm fruit, homemade bread and sandwich meat and head over to Landa Park for a picnic lunch. At Landa Park, you can rent a paddleboat, play miniature golf or check out the natural springs.

A few hours later, head back into town and check out the little antique shops. The real gold mine is Downtown Antique Mall. Located right in the center of town, this antique mall has everything you would expect: creepy dolls, stacks of vintage glassware and political buttons. The key is to head straight to the back of the shop. One of the vendors sells a great selection of vinyl for affordable prices. Cat Steven’s Teaser and the Firecat for $5? Sold. Avoiding the clothing stores in town is probably your best bet. The recurring trend seems to be rhinestone cowgirl — not a great look. New Braunfels has proven you can put a rhinestone cross on anything: baseball hats, key chains or cheetah print jeans. For dinner, the Red Rooster Café is a New Braunfels favorite. Breakfast is served all day and is praised by the locals. The food is fairly priced, which means

GRUENE

I-3

NEW BRAUNFELS Illustration by Simonetta Nieto | Daily Texan Staff

Indie bands must form from struggles Dandy clothes, faux broke image negligible when groups lack foundation By Daniel Muñoz Daily Texan Columnist

Ryan Edwards Daily Texan Staff

Pinterest provides competition for Facebook

Recently, it seems some women have replaced the time they usually spend on Facebook stalking their friends and frenemies with stalking the virtual bulletin boards of social media site pinterest.com. From future wedding dresses to 100-calorie snack ideas, Pinterest works like a scrapbook, saving all of the things you know you’ll forget to remember. Pinterest stands out among its social media competitors as simplistic and user-friendly with an imageheavy grid design. With the click of a button an image can be pinned and saved onto a board that denotes a category, such as “DIY & Crafts”

CANYON LAKE

TRAVEL continues on PAGE 10

The social networking site Pinterest allows users to bookmark content they have found online in a highly visual manner. According to the web information company alexa. com, the site is most heavily frequented by women under the age of 35.

By Anjli Mehta Daily Texan Staff

AUSTIN

or “Hair & Beauty.” Each image becomes a “pin” and you can add a caption to label it. Lots of Pinterest users create a board to remember things they think will come in handy, like 10 ways to use a mason jar and how to sew your own reusable grocery bags. Pinterest is as much a resource as the people using it make of it. Users, or “pinners,” not only save pins that they want to remember but also discover new things that other pinners have to share. By following your friends on Pinterest — a system similar to Facebook — you can see what your friends are pinning, and when your profile is public, others can see your pins. Launched in March 2010 by a company called Cold Brew Labs,

Pinterest is most popular with women under the age of 35 according to web information company alexa.com, which also reports that Pinterest’s traffic ranks 24th in the United States. Despite still being an invite-only platform, Pinterest drew in over 7 million unique visitors this past December. Data from Google Ad Planner suggests that about 80 percent of Pinterest users are female. With virtual pins of craft ideas for old palette boards and homemade beauty recipes, women aren’t just using Pinterest, they’re claiming to be “obsessed” and “addicted.” S enior j our na lism le c turer Robert Quigley, who teaches

PINTEREST continues on PAGE 11

Indie rock, as a term and a tradition, is starting to seem a bit like a joke. Just check last Tuesday’s Time magazine for an article on the realities of life as a 21st century indie musician, incredibly titled, “Want to Be a Rock Star? You’ll Need $100,000.” The article’s rockstar subjects — and authors — are Abner and Harper Willis, two brothers who front a New York City rock outfit called Two Lights. Although they are fresh faces on the New York scene, the boys have already racked up a number of achievements. “We’ve been mentored by former British rock stars, posed for photo shoots, hung out with models, worked with Grammy-nominated producers and rocked some of the top clubs in New York,” the dandy debutantes wrote. “And we’re broke.” Broke, you say? I decided to read up on the band’s financial situation. All I needed to know was in their article, wherein Two Lights exhaustively list their expenses in a misguided attempt to garner sympathy. Among the costs mentioned by the “broke” boys: $25,000 for gear, $1,000

Photo courtesy of Two Lights

New York band Two lights was the subject of a recent Time article called “Want to Be a Rock Star? You’ll Need $100,000.”

for touring, $18,000 for living in New York City and $30,000 for professional lessons — mostly accounted for by the 15 years of guitar and piano lessons paid for by the brothers’ parents. Did I mention that one brother is finishing up at NYU, one of the most expensive private universities in the country? Two Lights are too self-absorbed to know what it’s like to be independent musicians. They don’t even know what it’s like to be broke. Like so many manufacturers of mediocre music, they have co-opted the indie aesthetic (smart clothes, emotive singing, and “grassroots” PR tactics) while learning nothing from its ethic. They could have at least had the savoir-faire

Indie rock, as a term and a tradition, is starting to seem a bit like a joke.

to write some decent tunes. If there’s one lesson to be found in the history of independent music, it’s that behind every great song is a great struggle. The greatest bands were often the ones who struggled most: Black Flag were

INDIE continues on PAGE 11