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‘Science Guy’ works his trademark fun Bill Nye, of PBS fame, leaves the test tubes behind for talk on environment By Melissa Pan Daily Texan Staff The audience cheered for Bill Nye, but Nye did not appear. “Bill is currently in the bathroom,” said Andrew Segovia, chairman of the Distinguished Speakers Committee and a radio-television-film senior, to audience laughter. Nye sprinted to the podium 30 seconds later to more cheers. Nye, famous for his TV show “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” spoke about sustainability and environmental issues Tuesday night to a full audience in the Texas Union Ballroom. The event sold out in just three hours on March 31. Before Nye’s speech started, people waited as long as two hours in line outside the Texas Union entrance. Many said they attended because they watched his television show, which aired on PBS from 1993 to 1997, when they were young. “He was my childhood hero,” said physics senior Chris Lu. “Him and Mr. Rogers.” With a PowerPoint presentation and trademark patterned bow tie, Nye gave his lecture followed by a brief question-and-answer session. The hour-and-a-half lecture covered topics ranging from the temperature of the planets to stem cell research. Students began filing in half an hour before the speech began. “I want to see how he changes his agenda for a college audience,” said aerospace engineering sophomore David Carter. While Nye wove his enthusiastic mannerisms and trademark phrases into his lecture, he also explored topics appropriate for college students to illustrate his theme of “Changing the World.” Nye also used such visuals as a changing map from the United Nations that showed rising
NYE continues on page 2A Bill Nye — scientist, engineer, comedian, author, inventor and former TV star — spoke on sustainability and a variety of global science issues at the Texas Union on Tuesday night.
Shelley Neuman | Daily Texan Staff
New SG assembly approves executive board appointments Administration’s five members to oversee resolution enactment, have ties to O’Rourke campaign By Amy Bingham Daily Texan Staff The Student Government assembly unanimously approved SG President Liam O’Rourke’s five executive board appointments Tuesday night at the first meeting of the new administration. The five-member board — selected through an application and interview process — facilitates SG-sponsored events, appropriates funds to student organizations, acts as a liaison to the UT administration and assists representatives in writing and researching legislation. The executive board’s main role is to ensure that resolutions passed by the assembly are enacted within the administration, said SG Vice President Shara Kim Ma. In past years, executive board members served as the chairmen of SG’s six standing committees, but this year they will attend the meetings as advisers only. “I don’t think it’s a question of outsiders or insiders on the exec board,” Ma said. “I don’t think any of our execs should just be yes men and go along with what Liam and I say, but we shouldn’t be looking for contention within the exec board. What we need really is people that can work together and work toward the same cause.” All five executive board appointees were involved in O’Rourke and Ma’s campaign. Executive Director Natalie Butler mobilized volunteers to increase voter partic-
House committee accepts budget with $11 billion in stimulus funds By Erin Mulvaney Daily Texan Staff A House committee unanimously approved its version of the state’s 2010-2011 budget Tuesday, including $11 billion in controversial stimulus funds. The House Appropriations Committee will send the $178.4 billion budget to the House floor for a vote next week. The proposed budget has $11 billion in federal stimulus funds, which would fill the gap in the state’s estimated $2 billion deficit. Neither the House’s nor the Senate’s version of the bill includes dipping into the state’s emergency Rainy Day Fund, which will contain more than $9 billion at the end of the year. The stimulus funds have been a contentious issue among lawmakers, particularly with Gov. Rick Perry. “Questions that came up throughout the hearing were, ‘How much stimulus money is in the bill?’ and ‘Where was it spent?’” said Wayne Pulver, assistant director of the Legislative Budget Board. Perry rejected $555 million of the federal stimulus funds in unemployment compensation, and many lawmakers have proposed legislation to override his decision. He objected to the “strings attached” to the money that he said would expand programs and cost business owners more in the long run. Perry defended his rejection of the funds at a conference in Austin on Tuesday. “The last thing we want is Washington coming down here to Texas and telling us how to run our state,” Perry said. At the conference, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who has positioned herself to run against Perry in the 2010 gubernatorial primary race, openly criticized Perry’s rejection of the funds. “I think a leader would be taking time to look at all of these aspects and coming up with a better solution,” she said.
APPROPRIATIONS continues on page 2A
House hears public opinion on contentious Voter ID Act Democrats, Republicans debate potential impact of photo ID requirement
identification or two other forms of identification — including a birth certificate, passport or citizenship card — to poll workers. Republicans say the act would eliminate voter fraud, while DemoBy Matt Stephens crats allege it would disenfranchise Daily Texan Staff some minority voters, as they are Debate continued Tuesday as the less likely to have photo IDs. Texas House Committee on ElecBefore the meeting, supporters of tions heard public testimony re- the bill rallied on the south steps of garding the Voter ID Act. the Capitol. The act would require potential voters to present a form of photo VOTER continues on page 2A
Jordan Smothermon | Daily Texan Staff
Louis Armendariz was affirmed as director of the Freshman Leadership Organization at Tuesday’s Student Government meeting. Five executive positions were also approved. ipation, Internal Financial Director Sarah Yu helped organize the campaign’s special events, External Financial Director Scott Parks oversaw public relations and built the campaign’s Web site, Administrative Director Katina Rajunov planned the candidate’s speaker circuit, and Communications Director Danielle Brown assisted with campaign projects. “They made it very clear from the beginning that no one was entitled to anything,” said Parks, a finance, business honors and urban studies senior. “Liam was a good friend of mine, and I wanted to help him
out. I thought they really were the best candidates running and wanted to make sure they won.” O’Rourke said experience was the most important qualification when assembling his executive board. “That experience doesn’t have to be SG experience, but they need to have working knowledge of the University system and have experience working with a lot of other people,” O’Rourke said. Butler, a political communication and
SG continues on page 2A
Jeffrey McWhorter | Daily Texan Staff
Austinite Deborah Penn, right, and Arnold Alonzo, of Lockhart, sign up to testify in support of the voter ID bill at the John H. Reagan Federal Building.
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NYE: Scientist says choosing
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Editor: Leah Finnegan (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com
global temperatures through history and projecting into the future. Nye pointed to the brown color spreading through the continents that indicated high temperatures. “They’re trying to scare you, because they should,� he said. Nye said he wants the world to reduce its greenhouse gases by 95 percent by 2050. Stem cell research aims not to make more people but to repair tissues without killing
Managing Editor: Vikram Swaruup (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classified@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.
them, he said. “I’m a huge fan of stem cells,� Nye said. “I spent my first few weeks as stem cells.� During the Q-and-A session, Nye said that the biggest impact that college students can have on the environment is their choice of transportation. Nye said he owns a Toyota Prius but that he regularly commutes on a bicycle. After the session, Nye was presented with a gift bag that included a Longhorn bow tie, which he proceeded to put on in front of the audience with-
out a mirror. Students said they thought that Nye met their expectations for an entertaining and educational night. “I was struck by how personal and dynamic he was,� said Plan II junior Emory Skolkin. “I felt empowered.� The event was coordinated by the Student Endowed Centennial Lectureship and the Texas Union Student Events Center Distinguished Speakers Committee. Past speakers include Demetri Martin, Maya Angelou and Margaret Cho.
SG: Appointees cite insider, outsider
statuses as potential advantages
CORRECTIONS The caption for the photo accompanying a story in Tuesday’s sports section titled “Longhorns tied for third despite chilly conditions� should have identified the athlete as a Texas State golfer. The caption should have also stated that she was planning her shot. The caption for the photo accompanying the story on Tuesday’s front page titled “Scientists defend medical benefits of testing� should have said that the cages wait for use in the Animal Resource Center. The Texan regrets the errors.
From page 1A Plan II junior, will be in charge of about 30 SG-sponsored agencies, from the Campus Environmental Center to the Student-Athlete Affairs Agency, as the executive director. Butler has served as the Longhorn Legislative Aide agency director for the past year and was the assistant to the past executive director as a member of the legislative agency, SG’s freshman internship program, during the 20072008 academic year. Parks was a business representative this year with Ma. He was also the City Relations Agency director, in charge of keeping the assembly up to date on the Austin city government. As the external financial director, Parks will look for new sources of funding for SG and oversee its endowments and scholarships. “You can’t knock people for having a lot of experience in SG,� Parks said. “It gives us the ability to build on the experience of past years.�
COPYRIGHT Copyright 2009 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.
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“As a quote-unquote outsider, I feel more in tune to the campus community.� — Sarah Yu, internal financial director Sarah Yu, a finance and business honors senior, said she had never been involved in SG before Ma asked her to help with the campaign this year. “As a quote un-quote outsider, I feel I am more in tune to the campus community,� Yu said. “Being from the Asian community and the business community, I have a different spin and a different perspective.� Yu and Ma have worked together in the Asian Business Students Association for three years, Yu said. As the internal financial director, Yu will manage SG’s budget and oversee its appropriation of funds to student organizations on campus.
Rajunov, a business and government senior, was appointed to the Student Services Budget Committee — which allocates more than $30 million of student fees — last April by former SG President Keshav Rajagopalan. As the administrative director, she will assist representatives in researching and writing resolutions. Brown, a psychology senior, served as the Philanthropy Agency co-director two years ago and a liberal arts representative this year before her appointment as communications director. She ran with Ma on the Empower ticket last year and worked with O’Rourke when he was an agency director in 2007 and 2008.
APPROPRIATIONS: House, Senate must compromise on final budget From page 1A Hutchison said she hopes Perry is looking for innovative ways to avoid docking Texas taxpayers’ unemployment funds. The proposed budget would spend $2.1 billion less in general revenue than the current 20092010 budget, but the overall budget, which includes federal stimulus funds, would grow by
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$8.7 billion. Appropriations chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, said the committee will have a budget written by the weekend. He said it is still discussing how to prepare for the stimulus money Perry rejected. The Senate and House will come to a compromise in a joint committee meeting if the House passes the budget. The House version could change
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during next week’s session. The Senate’s version of the budget, which was adopted last week, includes more funds for bond debt, which will go toward building new roads in the state. If passed, it will accept $2 billion in road projects that the Texas Department of Transportation announced as part of the federal stimulus package. “They’re going to have their hands full of building roads,�
Pitts said. The committee also considered a supplemental bill to address the current fiscal year’s high costs. The supplemental bill will also be heard on the House floor next week and would include paying for Hurricane Ike damages and the restoration of the Governor’s Mansion. Additional reporting by The Associated Press
THE DAILY TEXAN
This newspaper was printed with pride by The Daily Texan press crew members, who will be laid off in May.
Permanent Staff
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leah Finnegan Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vikram Swaruup Associate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Keller, Gabrielle MuĂąoz Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Abhinav Kumar, Abby Terrell, Mary Tuma News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Winchester Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Beherec, Katie Flores, Lee Ann Holman Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Viviana Aldous, Pierre Bertrand, Amy Bingham, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mohini Madgavkar, Erin Mulvaney, Evelyn Ngugi, Clay Sampson Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Muto Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Green, Austin Litzler, Vikkey Packard Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Janie Shaw Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marissa Edwards, Shatha Hussein, Lindsey Morgan, Emily Watkins Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Peter Franklin Associate Photo Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Espinosa, May-Ying Lam, Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryant Haertlein, Emily Kinsolving , Paul Chuoy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Rogers, Jordan Smothermon Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ana McKenzie Associate Life&Arts Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy O'Connor, Leigh Patterson, Raquel Villarreal Senior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roxanna Asgarian, Mary Lingwall, Rachel Meador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Rich, JJ Velasquez Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David R. Henry Associate Sports Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anup Shah, Colby White Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Will Anderson, Blake Hurtik, Laken Litman, Austin Talbert Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolynn Calabrese Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Erik Reyna Multimedia Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Priscilla Villarreal Associate Multimedia Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Baxter, Juan Elizondo Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard A. Finnell
Jeffrey McWhorter | Daily Texan Staff
Dignitaries ascend and descend a stairway in the east wing of the Capitol building Tuesday morning. The Capitol has been lively since the Legislature opened its 81st session Jan. 13.
VOTER: Critics say bill may
disenfranchise minorities From page 1A “I know our future elections will be in jeopardy if we don’t get this passed,� anthropology senior Lance Kennedy said at the rally. Kennedy said eliminating voter fraud outweighs the negligible amount of disenfranchised voters. He does not think the bill would discourage voting and noted a 2007 University of Missouri study that found that between 2002 and 2006, when voter identification laws were implemented, voter turnout increased by 2 percent. “[The bill] has bipartisan support,� Kennedy said. “Only a fringe of the Democrats are against this.� In October 2008, a survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports, a political polling media company, determined that 66 percent of Democrats supported requirements for showing voter identification. Katie Naranjo, president of College Democrats of America, said the bill would be detrimental to minority voters as well as young people. “We’re trying to get people to the polls,� Naranjo said. “But now we’re trying to bring in a regressive piece of legislation to disenfranchise voters.� If the bill is passed, out-of-state students attending private schools would need more than just a student ID and an out-of-state driver’s license to be eligible to vote. State law would require that all addresses on ID cards match voter registration cards unless a state university ID card is presented. Naranjo said other states have seen residency problems with their voter identification bills and that the bills discouraged college students from voting in Indiana, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Colorado
— all 2008 swing states. Naranjo called the bill a “poll tax,� as most forms of identification required under the bill — UT student IDs included — cost money to acquire. Naranjo said the Legislature should put more money toward supplying potential voters with photo IDs. The state has $2 million to cover expenses associated with the bill. Naranjo said that during her investigation of student turnout, she found no cases of students impersonating other voters. “We had people dress up like the Mario Brothers, but they didn’t say they were the Mario Brothers when they went to vote,� she said. Maria Leach, a member of the Objective Watchers of the Legal System, an organization devoted to voter identification legislation, said voter impersonation is an issue that needs to be addressed. “In Texas, we have a lot of places that have you show your ID,� Leach said. “What’s wrong with showing who you are when you go to vote?� Attorney Randall Buck Wood, who has been studying voter fraud since 1969, said he has never found a case of voter impersonation. Wood said voter fraud is far more commonly seen with absentee ballots and among those who vote in counties of which they are not residents. “This issue of voter impersonation — I’ve never seen it,� he said. “I’ve never found one, and I’ve done hundreds of [studies].� Wood also criticized the bill’s language. “The voter language says, ‘If I don’t have that, then I won’t be able to vote,’� he said. “We need to make certain that they understand they will be able to vote.�
Issue Staff
Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Melissa Pan, Nehal Patel, Matt Stephens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Priscilla Totiyapungpraset, Ben Wermund Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tamir Kalifa, Jeff McWhorter, Liz Moskowitz Sports writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wes DeVoe, Matthew Hohner, Dan Hurwitz Life&Arts writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Barry, Jonathan Briseno Page Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynda Gonzalez, Jordan Humphreys Sports/Life&Arts copy editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nausheen Jivani Wire Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bethany Johnsen Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christina Cheng, Alexis Mouledoux Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gabe Alvarez, Josh Flanagan, Ryan Hailey, Matt Ingebretson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeremy Johnson, Melanie Leary, Monica Tseng, Zac Wood Web technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annika Erdman
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Advertising
Director of Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jalah Briedwell Retail Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Corbett Account Executive/Broadcast Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Campus/National Sales Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Bowerman Assistant to Advertising Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.J. Salgado Student Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Moczygemba Student Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Derek Diaz de Leon Acct. Execs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chelsea Anaya, Jared Barker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Marie Burnett, Derek Diaz de Leon, Justin Santilli Classified Clerks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa Lai Special Editions, Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Watts Web Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danny Grover Special Editions, Student Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Samantha Breslow, Kira Taniguchi Graphic Designer Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Thomas, Rodrigo Maycotte Senior Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felimon Hernandez
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Wire Editor: Bethany Johnsen www.dailytexanonline.com
WORLD&NATION
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
T HE DAILY TEXAN
WORLD BRIEFLY Somali pirates hijack five vessels with new strategy NAIROBI, Kenya — For the first three months of 2009, Somalia’s notorious pirates faded from the headlines as a massive international naval force moved in, and many observers thought the pirates were running scared. But the pirates have come back in force, having hijacked at least five vessels since Saturday. Using a new strategy, they are operating further away from warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden. And they no longer have to contend with the choppy waters that always plague the seas off Somalia in the early part of the year. “The weather has improved west of Seychelles and they’ve realized they have much more freedom of action down to the south because the coalition are not there in great numbers,” said Graeme Gibbon Brooks, managing director of the British company Dryad Maritime Intelligence Service Ltd.
Afghan government reviews law affecting married women KABUL, Afghanistan — A new law that critics say legalizes marital rape will face a thorough review, the Afghanistan president’s spokesman said Tuesday. The law, quietly passed and signed last month, has stirred international outcry over women’s rights. The law says a husband can have sex with his wife every four days unless she is ill, and it regulates when and for what reasons a wife may leave the house
NATION BRIEFLY Vermont first state to legalize gay marriage without courts MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont, the state that invented civil unions, on Tuesday became a pioneer once again as the first state to legalize gay marriage through a legislature’s vote. The House barely achieved the votes necessary to override Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of a bill that will allow gays and lesbians to marry beginning Sept. 1. Four states now have same-sex marriage laws and other states could soon follow suit. Bills to allow same-sex marriage are currently before lawmakers in New Hampshire, Maine, New York and New Jersey. The three other states that currently allow same-sex marriage — Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa — each moved to do so through the courts, not legislatures.
California man faces jail time for selling minor into marriage SALINAS, Calif. — A California man accused of selling his 14-year-old daughter into marriage for $16,000, beer and meat has pleaded no contest to felony child endangerment. Marcelino de Jesus Martinez had pleaded not guilty in February to procuring a child for lewd acts, aiding and abetting statutory rape and child endangerment. If convicted of those charges he could have faced 10 years in prison. Monday’s plea on the endangerment charge means the 36-year-old man will be sentenced
by herself. The law would apply only to the country’s Shiite population, which constitutes between 10 percent and 20 percent of Afghanistan’s 30 million people. Critics have said the legislation undermines hard-won rights for women enacted after the fall of the Taliban’s strict Islamist regime in 2001. The regime banned women from appearing in public without a body-covering burqa and a male escort from her family. Much has improved. Millions of girls now attend school, and many women own businesses. Of 351 parliamentarians, 89 are women. But in this conservative country, critics fear those gains could easily be reversed.
Israeli police shoot Palestinian driver during home demolition JERUSALEM — Israeli police on Tuesday shot and killed a Palestinian man who tried to run them over with his car as tractors nearby demolished a militant’s home, sparking clashes between angry Arabs and heavily-armed riot troops. This was the latest in a string of attacks by Palestinian drivers on Israeli targets in Jerusalem, feeding tensions between Jews and Arabs in the disputed city. The issue of sharing Jerusalem, with its holy sites, has stymied Israeli-Palestinian peace talks for years. Reversing the policy of previous governments, Israel’s new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, opposes giving any of the city to the Palestinians, who demand the Arab section as the capital of their future state. Compiled from Associated Press reports
May 7 to up to a year in jail followed by deportation. Prosecutors say Martinez and the family of Margarito de Jesus Galindo negotiated a marriage and dowry contract. Galindo and the girl allegedly lived together for a week. Martinez went to the police to get his daughter back because payment wasn’t made.
Canadian flight student steals plane for suicide attempt ST. LOUIS — Suicide by fighter jet was the goal of a flight student who stole a plane in Canada, entered U.S. airspace and flew an erratic path over the Midwest with the military on his tail before he landed safely on a rural Missouri road, federal authorities said Tuesday. Adam Dylan Leon, who was running out of fuel when he landed the plane Monday night in Ellsinore, Mo., was charged Tuesday with transportation of stolen property and illegal entry. The six-hour flight prompted a brief evacuation of the Wisconsin Capitol and warnings to commercial aircraft over Chicago and other cities, but terrorism is not believed to be a motive. Leon told the FBI that he flew the plane into the U.S. expecting to be shot down by military aircraft. The complaint said Leon also told the FBI he “has not felt like himself lately” and he recently was being treated by a psychiatrist. Leon was jailed in St. Louis and does not yet have an attorney. A federal detention hearing is set for Friday. Compiled from Associated Press reports
Charles Dharapak | Associated Press
President Barack Obama gets a hug while meeting with military personnel at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, on Tuesday. The president spoke to U.S. troops and Iraqi officials about ending America’s combat role, telling them Iraqis need to “take responsibility for their own country.”
Obama visits Iraq, vows to end war By David Espo The Associated Press BAGHDAD — Flying unannounced into a still-dangerous war zone, President Barack Obama told U.S. troops and Iraqi officials alike Tuesday that it is time to phase out America’s combat role in a conflict he opposed as a candidate and has vowed to end as commander in chief. With violence diminished but hardly disappearing — a car bomb killed eight Iraqis just hours before Obama’s arrival — the president met with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and emphasized that “we strongly support” steps to unite political factions, including integrating minority Sunnis into the government and security forces. Iraqis “need to take responsibility for their own country,” Obama told hundreds of cheering soldiers gathered in a marble palace near Saddam Hussein’s former seat of power. “You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an
extraordinary achievement,” he told some 600 troops, saluting their efforts during six years of American fighting and losses. “We love you,” someone yelled from the crowd of photo-snapping men and women in uniform. “I love you back,” the president responded, repeating a sequence that played out at hundreds of campaign stops on his successful run for the White House last year. Obama met with top U.S. commanders as well as senior Iraqi leaders on a visit of a little more than four hours that was confined to Camp Victory, the largest U.S. military base in a war that began in 2003 and has cost the lives of 4,265 members of the U.S. military. Many thousands more Iraqis have perished. A helicopter flight to the heavily fortified Green Zone a few miles away was scrapped, but White House aides attributed the change in travel plans to poor weather rather than security concerns. Al-Maliki, appearing along-
side Obama after their meeting, told reporters, “We assured the president that all the progress that has been made in the security area will continue.” American commanders told the president that the country is experiencing a relatively low level of violence, although the car bomb explosion in a Shiite neighborhood of Baghdad was evidence of a recent resurgence. Obama flew from Turkey, the next-to-last stop on an eight-day itinerary that also included Britain, France, Germany and the Czech Republic. Aides said Obama chose to visit Iraq rather than Afghanistan, where U.S. troops are also in combat, in part because it was close to Turkey and in part because of upcoming Iraqi elections. In his remarks to the troops, Obama made no mention of the Afghanistan conflict — where he has decided to commit 21,000 additional troops — and it was not known whether it came up in his meeting with Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. command-
er, and other officers. Obama announced plans in February to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq on a 19-month timetable, though a force as large as 50,000 could remain at the end of that period to provide counterterrorism duties. He said that for the next year and a half, the United States will be a “stalwart partner” to the Iraqis. And yet, he said, “they have got to make political accommodations. They’re going to have to decide that they want to resolve their differences through constitutional and legal means. They are going to have to focus on providing government services that encourage confidence among their citizens.” By contrast, little more than a week ago the president announced a revamped Afghanistan strategy that calls for stamping out the Taliban and al-Qaida and broadening the mission to include increasing pressure on neighboring Pakistan to root out terrorist camps in its lawless border regions.
OPINION
4A Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Editor in Chief: Leah Finnegan Phone: (512) 232-2212 E-mail: editor@dailytexanonline.com Associate Editors: Audrey Campbell Josh Haney Abhinav Kumar Jillian Sheridan Abby Terrell Mary Tuma
T HE DAILY TEXAN
VIEWPOINT
Capping Internet usage will inhibit Austin
You may soon want to think twice before downloading an entire season of your favorite TV show. If you’re using too much bandwith, Time Warner, Austin’s largest Internet provider, doesn’t mind making you pay for it. In an audacious move to cap Internet usage in our high-tech, increasingly Web-dependent city, Time Warner has chosen to implement a tiered system of payment beginning this month, charging its customers based on how much Web data is consumed. Lucky Internet users in San Antonio, Rochester, N.Y., and Greensboro, N.C., will also be indefinitely subject to the new consumption-billing trial program. If the model is a success in these cities, the company will apply it nationwide. Customers will pay between $29.95 and $54.90, based on data use and connection speed, for up to 40 gigabytes per month. Exceeding their usage limit will cost customers $1 per gigabyte of data. To give a rough example of what this entails, two high-definition movie downloads will cost you up to 16 gigabytes. Under this policy, Time Warner customers will be forced to consistently monitor their Web activities. Large families with several computers and university students, who heavily download music, videos and games, are most susceptible to these overage charges. In a recent report cited by BusinessWeek, a family that streams about seven hours of online video per week on the 40-gigabyte plan (which is just a fraction of the 60 hours Americans spend watching TV in a week, according to the article) could end up spending $200 per
POINT COUNTERPOINT
month on broadband usage fees. This equation doesn’t even factor in music downloads, photo sharing and other popular Internet activities. As one can imagine, Austinites are fuming, chastising the change as price gauging, anti-competitive, a limit on customer choice and a potential chokehold on new companies and innovation. The new pricing system even incensed mayoral candidates Brewster McCracken, who said the change “undermined public interest,” and Lee Leffingwell, who criticized Time Warner’s plan in a recent Austin Buisiness Journal article as a move in the wrong direction. Leffingwell stressed the significant effect on families and particularly those who work in the tech and creative services industries. He called proposed usage caps “unreasonable” and is asking Time Warner to work with the city and community in an attempt to reconsider the plan. Many have voiced their decision to switch providers upon the trial’s implementation, yet choices are limited in Austin, a fact of which Time Warner is keenly cognizant. Internet service provider AT&T is conducting similar trials in other cities — capping bandwith at 150 gigabytes — but has not placed a cap on Austin customers yet. And according to the Aus-
signatures. (An Austin-based petition is ready for your signature: http://www.petitiononline.com/nocap/petition.html.) As a leader in technology and creative media, instituting metered broadband in Austin on what once was a flat rate will result in discouragement of Internet use, stifling of innovation and ultimately a drop-off in customers for the company. Consider the myriad breakthroughs in digital independent filmmaking, social media and music, their reliance on streaming and downloading music and video to disengage themselves from corporate studio models and how a tiered pricing system would effectively make production of this new media economically unsound. If we examine the undeniably crucial role Internet has played in our political, social and educational lives, it seems apt to translate “usage limits” into essentially a limit on communication, innovation, political mobilization and the flow of the vital information necessary to sustain our city. Citizens can voice their concerns today at 6:30 p.m.: Austin Community Technology & Telecommunications Commission City Hall, Room 1101 301 W. Second St. Austin, Texas 78701 Tuma is a journalism senior.
Does UT have a liberal agenda?
Denying love of Reagan for an A By Daniel Earnest Daily Texan Columnist College is supposed to be a place where new ideas and information allow students to develop their own unique viewpoints. But in today’s universities, the majority of theories driven down students’ throats align directly with the Democratic platform. Simply put, liberals have a monopoly on higher education. Don’t believe me? According to a poll conducted by Luntz Research, more than 80 percent of Ivy League professors who voted in 2000 voted for Democratic candidate Al Gore. Of the professors polled, only 3 percent identified themselves as Republicans. Other interesting results included the fact that a majority of professors selected Bill Clinton as the best president in the last 40 years, and at least 40 percent favor tax-payer reparations for blacks whose ancestors were slaves. But the fact that there are just more Democrats or liberals in higher education is not the problem. Everyone, regardless of occupation, is allowed to hold an opinion, and different occupations generally attract the same types of people. The problem occurs when professors use their classes as a personal pulpit from which they preach ideas as truth rather than as the opinions they actually are. The self-proclaimed intellectuals employed by higher education will usually boast of their open minds and claim to want their students to find truth for themselves. But this critical scavenger hunt for reality, students will soon find, is not as arduous as they thought. How can there be choice or truly introspective thought when the student is never presented with a fork in the long road of education? This lack of choice, in my estimation, stems from the palpable arrogance of many professors. This hubris convinces the liberal professors that their ideas are right (no pun intended, of course), so why should there be any discussion? Even worse than controlling the curriculum,
GALLERY
tin American-Statesman, Grande Communications, which uses a less restrictive all-fiber network, doesn’t plan on enacting bandwith metering at all. Yet the ISP landscape in Texas and nationwide remains paltry as media consolidation and loose regulation engender fewer choices. The economic barriers of entry into the world of Internet use augment even wider for those left unconnected on the opposite side of the digital divide as exploitive pricing measures are introduced atop already economically unfriendly basic monthly charges. In a recent Austin American-Statesman article, Alex Dudley, Time Warner’s vice president of public relations, contends that the tier system is necessary to keep the network from slowing down and that because people really aren’t using that much data, charges will only affect a small number of customers. The company points to the initial trial program in Beaumont initiated last year as a precursor. In Beaumont, 14 percent of customers exceeded their caps, paying an average of $19 a month in additional fees. The bandwith cap angered citizens in Beaumont so much that a petition formed countering the rate charge; it currently has nearly 1,900
professors control students’ grades. In my experience, professors have not only pushed their own agendas but have also denied any student imprudent enough to offer a nonconforming opinion the right to disagree. After all, who in their right mind would jeopardize their grade over an opinion on foreign policy? Personally, I have made it a stringent tenet to never die on an anthill. I have taken this personal regulation to the extreme at the University. Call me spineless, but I have never spoken up in class to correct teachers or challenge them when I have seen their biases enter the classroom. I have even gone as far as writing a government essay on Ronald Reagan’s racism and how he used people’s inherent fear of blacks to win the 1984 presidential election. Blasphemy, I know — but I did get an A. Some students and even faculty may say that there is no such thing as liberal bias on our campus. However, these people have just been duped into thinking the University’s obsession with shouting the word “diversity” at every opportunity means that diversity actually exists. Don’t get me wrong; diversity is not a bad thing. The problem is that universities and professors today generally think diversity only relates to race or ethnicity when it really runs so much deeper than that. Diversity, when used in the context of a classroom or learning environment, should refer to diversity of ideas or beliefs. Race and ethnicity are encompassed in these broader topics but definitely do not define them. The dominion that liberal ideas have within higher education is dangerous, not necessarily because of the ideas themselves, but because of their basic hegemony in academia. This dominance of liberal ideas only perpetuates groupthink, stifles opposing opinions and demolishes one of the supposed main pillars of higher education — the commitment to intellectual diversity. Earnest is a business junior.
Campus bias wildly sensationalized By Hooman Hedayati Daily Texan Guest Columnist Right-wing culture warrior David Horowitz has come out with yet another anti-academic-freedom book and accompanying campus tour. The book, “One-Party Classroom,” is a virtually unreconstructed rehash of his previous books, “The Professors” and “Indoctrination U.” In these works he announces the shocking news that they teach feminism in women’s and gender studies, social movements in courses on social movements, and Arab and Muslim culture and politics in Middle Eastern studies. Once a prominent member of the New Left, Horowitz has since established himself as an outspoken conservative advocate. Through his writing and activism, he is trying to convince the public that there is a crisis of political bias in college classrooms — one that needs to be solved by censoring the free exchange of ideas critical to higher education. In 2007 he unsuccessfully brought the Academic Bill of Rights to the Texas Legislature. Sponsored by state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, SCR 3 encouraged state colleges and universities to implement policies to safeguard the academic freedom of faculty and students. After facing evidence mounted by students and professors, SCR 3 failed in the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education. When Pennsylvania set up a committee to investigate academic-freedom violations in the classroom, they found there were few, if any, problems and that legislation was not necessary. In the same year, Horowitz helped to organize the “Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week,” a national campaign to mobilize college students in support of George Bush’s war on terror and the alleged threat that Islam poses to the very foundations of western civilization. The poster promoting the event featured a picture of a teenage girl being stoned as an example of the status of women in the Islamic world. As it turned out, the “stoning” pictured actually took place in the 1994 Dutch film “De Steen.” Horowitz opportunistically claimed to be defending the rights of women during this campaign even as he called for the censorship of courses in women’s and gender studies. Free Exchange on Campus, a national organization committed to defending academic freedom, has investigated other claims Horowitz has advanced. They concluded that he has “played fast and loose” with the facts, inventing or distorting information from course syllabi and denying the relevance of political discourse in fields like communication, sociology and literature. Imagine if your favorite professors suddenly couldn’t connect the literature you were reading to current
LEGALESE Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the editorial board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.
events or even teach in the subjects they were hired to teach simply because those areas did not meet the standards of orthodoxy demanded by Horowitz. His efforts would seem feeble and irrelevant if not for the fact that academic freedom is still seriously threatened by the political right. University administrators, under pressure from the Department of Homeland Security and right-wing donors to University endowments, have been successful in key instances of harassing and firing outspoken left-wing intellectuals in recent years. Since 9/11, universities have largely cooperated with State Department and Homeland Security harassment, wiretapping and denial of entry to Middle Eastern and Muslim scholars, such as prominent Oxford theology scholar Tariq Ramadan. Until last September, University of South Florida professor Sami al-Arian had languished in jail for more than five years as the victim of an ongoing government campaign of persecution. New hearings are exposing the over-zealous prosecution by and anti-Muslim bigotry of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg, who claimed during al-Arian’s trial that “all Arabs lie.” Israel’s critics face especially harsh attacks in the name of academic freedom, as DePaul professor Norman Finkelstein discovered in 2007, when he was denied tenure after an intense campaign against him was led by Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz. Now that campus activists across the country have begun campaigns to boycott, divest from and sanction the state of Israel for its actions in Gaza, we can expect such pressure from the right to continue, with demagogues like Horowitz leading the charge. Horowitz’s efforts have had serious consequences in establishing a chilling climate on our classrooms and threatening activist professors around the country. Locally, his targets include affiliates of women’s and gender studies, including communication studies professor Dana Cloud, among others. While calling Cloud an “anti-American radical” who “routinely repeats the propaganda of the Saddam regime,” he has repeatedly denied her invitation to a debate. UT students deserve more respect from Horowitz. We are not a bunch of mindless zombies, following the lead of every theory and idea that’s put before us. On Thursday, David Horowitz will be giving a lecture with the inflammatory title “Exposing Radically Leftist College Professors.” Let’s welcome him with a peaceful protest outside the Jackson Geology Building, Room 2.324 at 6:30 p.m. Hedayati is a government and Middle Eastern studies senior and a member of Campus Progress at the Center for American Progress.
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Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan.
SUBMIT A COLUMN The Daily Texan welcomes submissions for guest columns. Columns must be between 500 and 700 words. Send columns to editor@dailytexanonline.com. The Texan reserves the right to edit all columns for clarity and liability if chosen for publication.
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Visiting professor discusses humanitarian dilemmas Neutrality, independence, flexibility among rising complex global challenges By Nehal Patel Daily Texan Staff Karen Mingst, professor of international commerce and entrepreneurship at the University of Kentucky, addressed the topic of humanitarian non-governmental organizations at the LBJ Library on Tuesday. Mingst discussed whether the organizations are truly a new force in 21st-century international relations or if they are compelled to act as agents of states and international organizations. “Impartiality, neutrality and independence are the three traditional norms for [the organizations], and we’re moving away from the view of humanitarians as idealistic, altruistic people and now see them as professionals who should be held accountable for their actions,” Mingst said. Mingst’s presentation centered on five major dilemmas the organizations currently face, including ensuring that acting impartially does not inadvertently help others and that the organizations are independent even when they rely on governments for funding and actually work with them in the field.
She also addressed ensuring that humanitarians preserve neutrality, attempting to make the organizations more institutionalized while still maintaining flexibility to adjust to local issues and making sure that relieving immediate suffering does not come at the expense of building the capacity of the state to respond or prolong the actual conflict. Mingst also discussed the major shifts in the international security environment, including changes in the nature of warfare, an increase in the number of non-governmental organizations and the presence of media in conflicts. “The need to do something has become an emerging norm,” Mingst said. “Even the smallest wars in the most obscure places come up in the media, and if a state fails to carry out its obligation to protect its citizens, then the international community may act.” Though the demand for the organizations to act in the global community has increased, the complexity of the problems the organizations face has also risen, said Eugene Gholz, an associate public affairs professor. “[The organizations] see the pressure to do something, Bryant Haertlein | Daily Texan Staff but we have to remember that ‘something’ doesn’t always fix University of Kentucky professor Karen Mingst discusses the ethical dilemmas facing humanitarian non-governmental organizations in regions dealing with corruption and violent conflict at the LBJ Library on Tuesday evening. problems,” he said.
In tough economy, Austinites turning to unemployment services By Pierre Bertrand Daily Texan Staff Unemployment figures in Austin have yet to reach levels seen during the last recession, but more people are utilizing unemployment services than in recent years. Between February 2008 and February 2009, the most current available data, Austin lost 2,700 positions from its private sector economy, in which 605,700 people are employed. Austin’s entire work force totals 877,361, according to the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s April 2009 economic indicators. Beverly Kerr, vice president of research for the chamber’s division of economic development, said that while Austin lost some
jobs, it was able to generate 4,000 jobs in government, yielding a positive job growth rate. The city’s unemployment rate sits at 6.3 percent, or 54,883 individuals. This number is down slightly from January’s figures. In the early 2000s, a recession that hit the technology industry caused unemployment numbers to rise in Austin. That recession was industry-specific, unlike the current downturn, which has touched the entire job market. “In the previous recession, Austin and Dallas were very adversely affected,” Kerr said. “Austin is not adversely affected as much as the last one. We are very fortunate. We are doing a lot better than other places.” Austin is one of only 11 met-
ro areas in the state that has created jobs since February 2008. Throughout the state, 12 metropolitan areas have lost jobs, and Austin ranks second — only to San Antonio — in the top 50 metro areas in the country with the lowest unemployment rate. Weston Sythoff, a spokesman for a Workforce Solutions Career Center in Austin, said the center helps people in every stage of unemployment. The center was among many created throughout the state in 1995 by the state Legislature to help Texas residents deal with unemployment difficulties. Sythoff said monthly traffic in the city’s three centers has risen to 50,000 visitors, up from 35,000 since the onset of
the recession. In 2008, 82,788 people visited the center. “We’ve seen a marked increase in interest in the programs,” Sythoff said. “But we can only help the amount of people that we have funding for.” The centers also provide resources, such as access to free Internet, phones, fax machines and weekly sessions — which are open to the public — on resume build-
ing and interview tactics. Ryan Drake, an Austin branch manager for Kelly Services, a career planning company based in Troy, Mich., said he has seen a 30 percent increase in hires in finance, health care, education and government. “What’s interesting is that we’ve seen an elevated number of contract workers,” Drake said. “[Companies] want a more con-
tingent workforce. That means they contract them as long as the work is there.” Some people facing contract jobs are overqualified for the available positions but take the jobs because they need the income, Drake said. “What it boils down to is, does the group of candidates qualify for the position, and how willing are they to take the job?” he said.
The Littlefield Lectures April 7th & 9th
“Mapping Southern Historiography” Tuesday, April 7 from 3:30-5 3rd Floor Conference Room in Gebauer
“Out of Scale: The Native South in the Atlantic World” Thursday, April 9 from 3:30-5 3rd Floor Conference Room in Gebauer Two lectures presented by
Claudio Saunt
Professor of History and Associate Director of the Institute of Native American Studies at the University of Georgia. Author of A New Order of Things: Propery, Power, and The Transformation of the Creek Indians and Black, White, and Indian: Race of the Unmaking of an American Family
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
High schoolers urge Legislature to toughen DUI laws Proposed law would give murder charge to drunk drivers who cause deaths By Ben Wermund Daily Texan Staff Following the death of a middle school girl in December, students from a Houston-area high school presented a petition at the Capitol on Tuesday to strengthen drunken-driving laws. Ten students holding leadership positions in Cypress Creek High School’s Key Club brought their petition to lawmakers to propose Lilly’s Law, which was named after Lilly Lalime, a 13-year-old Houston girl who was hit and killed while getting off her school bus. Lilly’s Law would require drunken drivers who cause traffic fatalities to be charged with murder and, if found guilty, given a minimum 15-year sentence. Jim Wells, principal of Cypress Creek High School, said the trip to Austin allowed the students to experience the political process firsthand. “It’s important for kids to understand we live in a country that has a process so people can affect what happens,” Wells said. The students drafted the petition and collected 1,200 signatures before bringing it to Austin. “The point behind all of it is public awareness and to influence politicians,” Wells said. “Who can argue with a law that protects society and saves lives? That’s essentially what the kids were here for.” Angela Collins, a Mothers Against Drunk Driving representative, said the students’ goal embodies MADD’s message. “Their whole message is a MADD message,” Collins said. “These kids are doing it on their own. They’re trying to raise awareness, ask for tougher laws — espe-
Jeffrey McWhorter | Daily Texan Staff
T.J. Sarkar, 17, president of the Cypress Creek High School Key Club, presents a petition to state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, to support stricter laws against drunken driving. Ten students from the Key Club made the trip to the Capitol after an eighth grader from the Cypress Creek area was killed by a drunk driver. cially for repeat offenders.” The students, along with Wells and Lalime’s parents, were introduced to the House on Tuesday morning and subsequently visited representatives and sen-
ators backing bills to increase penalties for drunken-driving offenders. Three proposed bills advocate installing ignition interlock breathalyzers on the car dash-
boards of those with previous drunken-driving charges. The device requires a driver to blow a legal blood-alcohol concentration before starting the car. Wells said similar legislation has
been rejected in the past. Harris County, in which Cypress Creek High School is located, issues the highest number of DUIs in the nation, he said. “Obviously, Texas does not
have a good track record,” he said. “What’s embarrassing is that there is an obvious discrepancy with what’s happening here in Texas. The students get it, but adults don’t.”
UT program awards scholarships to migrant students for hardships By Ben Wermund Daily Texan Staff A UT program that helps migrant workers graduate from high school honored its annual picks for outstanding students Monday. UT’s Migrant Student Graduation Enhancement Program awarded Deyanira Castillo and Amanda Lira, two migrant workers graduating from Texas high schools this year, each with $2,000 scholarships. The scholarships were given for hardships the students overcame, academic accom-
plishment, extracurricular and community activity and performance in courses offered through the organization. The program offers distancelearning courses intended to help migrant workers keep up with their peers when they miss class to work. The courses are offered online, on discs or on paper, depending on what works best for the students, who are then provided with high school credit. “Students can work on them independently, at school or at sum-
mer programs while they are working,” said Peggy Wimberley, a representative for the organization. “They work all day in the fields and then work on these courses in the evening so that they won’t fall behind.” A committee of former scholarship recipients selected the winners. Wimberley said three other students — Pedro Fuentes, Diana Gutierrez and Jessica Rios — were named runners-up but were also awarded scholarships of the same
“You can speak to any migrant student and they can tell you the difficulties and the obstacles they have to face — economically and socially.” — Alexis Fernandez, engineering senior amount. The money is drawn from a pool of $10,000 donated to the program by the Exxon Mobil Foundation. Engineering senior Alexis Fer-
nandez was awarded the scholarship in 2006. Fernandez said he worked in Texas, Illinois and California during his high school career and
knows the hardships migrant students face. “You can speak to any migrant student and they can tell you the difficulties and the obstacles they have to face — economically and socially,” he said. While Fernandez does not credit the program for helping him make it into UT, he said the scholarship helped him purchase his first laptop. “It’s pretty difficult to be an engineer here without a laptop,” he said.
With tropical theme, counseling center to host event promoting ways to unwind
Wear Your Horn & Get Cash!
Every Tuesday this spring, the UFCU Prize Patrol will search for students around campus wearing any t-shirt sporting the UFCU horn. If spotted, you’ll get cash! If you don’t have a UFCU t-shirt, stop by the University Branch (next to the Co-Op) and ask us how you can get one. See you around campus!
By Priscilla Totiyapungprasert Daily Texan Staff Students can catch a break today between classes to hop aboard the 12th annual Stressfest “virtual cruise” at the Flawn Academic Center. Just follow the inflatable palm trees, deck chairs and nautical flags that transform the FAC into a tropical ship deck. The UT Counseling and Mental Health Center is hosting Stressfest from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to raise awareness about healthy and fun ways to manage stress, said Jane Bost, associate director of the center. Stressfest gives students an opportunity to lie out, watch dancing and live music, sip nonalcoholic margaritas, and stroll through a variety of booths that offer information about anxiety control and health concerns. The center’s staff members, including psychologist and event coordinator Laura Ebady, will act as the “ship crew” and hand out leis that include tips for deal-
ing with stress. Ebady said that one of the mistakes students make that can lead to high stress levels is stretching themselves to the limit by attempting to pack everything — additional class hours, a job, extracurricular activities and more — into their schedules. “Students think they have to do everything and do it all well,” Ebady said. “They need to be able to recognize that they can’t be the best at everything, and figure out what’s important to excel the best at and what’s OK to just perform well enough.” Students will be able to explore different ways to reduce anxiety levels by receiving massages, participating in acupuncture and listening to relaxation tapes. The festival will also give away free therapeutic music CDs. Animal lovers can participate in pet therapy with dogs. “Research has shown that petting animals decreases blood pressure,” Bost said. “Owning a
pet might be a way for some students to find stress relief.” Bost said lack of sleep, a significant cause of stress, is the No. 1 body abuse she wishes students would change. “It’s like running a car into the ground,” Bost said. “There’s not enough fuel, and eventually the car breaks down.” Ebady added that exercise can help clear the mind from anxiety but that it tends to be one of the essential things that slips to the bottom of a student’s priority list. “Exercise allows you to perform not just sports but also intellectual pursuits better,” Ebady said. “You have more energy and can focus more clearly. It’s well worth the trade-off in time.”
NEWS BRIEFLY
of all eligible voters, in Travis County have registered to vote as of Friday. While the mayoral race is competitive this year, the expected number of registered voters is not particularly high, said Tina Morton, a spokeswoman for the Travis County Tax Office. “Last year, during the hyper period of the presidential race, a lot of people registered to vote,” Morton said. “Therefore, we’re not expecting big numbers.” In Austin’s 2006 mayoral elec-
tion, 62,016 out of 553,934 registered voters — 11.2 percent — cast ballots, according to a study conducted by the Austin Community College Center for Public Policy and Political Studies. The registration application can be found online at www.traviscountytax.org/goVotersRegistration. do or by calling (512) 238-8683. Early voting begins April 27. A runoff for mayor, if necessary, will be held on June 13. — Melissa Pan
Voter registration for May 9 city elections ends Thursday Voters have until Thursday to register to vote in the May 9 general and special elections. The elections in Austin will decide the mayor, four city council seats and ballot initiatives. According to the Travis County voters’ registration office, 536,138 people, or 93.02 percent
WHAT: Stressfest WHERE: Flawn Academic Center WHEN: Today, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Sports Editor: David R. Henry E-mail: sports@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2210 www.dailytexanonline.com
T HE DAILY TEXAN
NCAA FOOTBALL
Predicting 2009’s Top 25 poll nothing has changed on the defensive side of the ball, as Florida returns every single starter to its daunting defense. Not to mention the fact that there’s a guy by the name of Tim Tebow who told thousands in Gator Nation at the victory parade that he wanted to come back for his senior season to go for another title. The loss of dual-threat receiver Percy Harvin to the NFL will obviously hurt, but Urban Meyer has the talent 1. Florida in the swamp to manage Harvin’s Not much has changed for the departure. The Gators’ toughest Gators since their win in the title game will probably come on Oct. game against the Sooners. In fact, 10 in Baton Rouge against the LSU
By Wes DeVoe Daily Texan Staff We’re five months away from the beginning of college football season, but it’s never too early to take a peek at who might be in the top 25 in mid-August. With departures for the NFL draft finalized and spring football practices concluding, here’s a list of what to expect.
Tigers. But with nearly the same squad walking through the tunnel in September, it will be hard to find a team favored over Florida to win the championship.
2. Texas Texas quarterback Colt McCoy is coming back for his senior season to complete some unfinished business. After the Big 12 South fiasco last year, in which Oklahoma was placed in the Big 12 Championship and ultimately the national championship, the Longhorns have one goal on their minds: to make it to
Pasadena in early January. Texas has a favorable schedule to complete its goal, as the team’s only tough road test will come against Oklahoma State on Halloween. Of course, the Red River Rivalry will carry considerable weight, as it does every season. The Longhorns will look to make it four out of five against the Sooners on Oct. 17. With yet another top-five recruiting class in 2009, Texas will face high expectations from everyone. The only question now is whether the Longhorns can live up to those expectations.
TOP 25 continues on page 2B
Texas’ recruits making noise
Phil Sandlin | Associated Press
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow throws a pass during the team’s first day of spring practice in Gainesville, Fla.
SOFTBALL
Baylor at No. 20 Texas
Longhorns taking close games in winning streak By Dan Hurwitz Daily Texan Staff Coming from behind has become a regular occurrence for Texas. After winning their last eight games, the Longhorns (31-11, 7-1) are atop the Big 12 standings and are continuing to rise in the rankings, as they jumped to 20th in both polls this week. Dramatic endings have shaped the season for the Longhorns, who intend to extend their winning streak to nine tonight against IH-35 rival Baylor (29-14, 5-3). “Last year we had so many one-run losses against some really good opponents,” head coach Connie Clark said. “This year, we have been getting the one-run games.” Last year the Longhorns went 7-8 in one-run games. This season the team has won 12 of its 14 games decided by one run. Late-inning heroics from an array of players have given the Longhorns the confidence that
WEDNESDAY: Baylor (29-14, 5-3 Big 12) at Texas (31-11, 7-1) WHERE: Red & Charline McCombs Field WHEN: 6:30 p.m. ONLINE: TexasSports.tv they are capable of beating anybody. “As long as we get the W somehow, some way, I guess any kind of win is good,” Clark said. “When you have to come from behind, I think it helps build confidence in that the game is never out of reach and it’s never out of hand, and we have some of those.” Others on the team don’t mind how it happens, as long as they get the win. “We always know that we are still in the game,” said junior Loryn Johnson after hitting a walkoff home run Saturday against
SOFTBALL continues on page 2B
BASEBALL
No. 19 TCU 0, No. 9 Texas 6
Texas earns sixth shutout of season against Frogs
Henny Ray Abrams | Associated Press
Texas recruit Avery Bradley, a Findlay Prep senior, goes up for a windmill dunk during the McDonald’s All-American All-Star game March 30. Bradley led Findlay to a championship in the inaugural ESPN RISE Invitational on Sunday.
Bradley takes national title; Hamilton ineligible for All-Star game By Colby White Daily Texan Staff After falling short of the Sweet 16 for the second time in two years, Texas fans can divert their attention toward next season. Three wingmen make their way to Austin next season, including two top10 recruits. With high school all-star games coming to a close, here’s an update on Texas’ recruits.
Bradley takes home national title Incoming Texas guard Avery Bradley led Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) to a 74-66 victory over Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) to take the title in the inaugural ESPN RISE National High School Invitational on Sunday. The championship game pitted the
No. 1 team in the country ESPN RISE’s national ranking, well-known powerhouse Oak Hill, against the No. 2 team, three-year upstart Findlay. After the win, Findlay moved to the top of the rankings, earning the team a national title, according to the polls. Bradley led Findlay, a privately funded basketball academy, with 20 points, eight rebounds and two steals before fouling out with less than three minutes remaining and the lead at five. “If [Avery] had fouled out maybe two minutes earlier, we’d have had them,” Oak Hill head coach Steve Smith told ESPN RISE. “He’s the best guard Oak Hill has ever faced.” Findlay would hold on to win the title, pushing the team’s record to an impressive 33-0 on the season. Findlay used a zone defense to sti-
fle Oak Hill’s scoring, holding Keith Gallon, a McDonald’s All-American who is set to play for Oklahoma next season, to five-of-12 shooting. The switch to zone came after playing man to man all season, a change similar to this season’s Texas squad, which mixed in zone at times during the postseason. “I think it was hard to learn it at first,” Bradley said. “All year, we have been playing man to man. I could kind of see [Gallon] was getting frustrated.” Bradley, a 6-foot-3-inch Tacoma, Wash., native, earned MVP honors for the tournament and won the dunk contest a week earlier at the McDonald’s All-American All-Star game.
RECRUITS continues on page 2B
By Laken Litman Daily Texan Staff On Tuesday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, No. 9 Texas (218, 6-6 Big 12) took it to No. 19 TCU, beating the Horned Frogs 6-0, which marked Texas’ third consecutive midweek, nonconference win. “We saw some power tonight,” said Texas head coach Augie Garrido. “We had a little more rhythm, a little more time, a little more confidence.” Freshman right-hander Austin Dicharry (3-1) earned the win as he pitched four innings, striking out five and allowing no run on three hits. “[Dicharry] continues to be very effective,” Garrido said. “The best thing about [him and his fastball] is his location. He locates consistently.” The team’s hitting was on point as well. The Longhorns got their feet wet in the third inning when center fielder Connor Rowe started a rally with a double to left field and advanced to
third on sec ond baseman Travis Tucker’s bunt single. Rowe scored on third baseman Michael Torres’ single to left center. With no outs in the inning, the bats kept on swinging as first baseman Brandon Belt placed a single to right field to plate Tucker. After holding TCU scoreless in the top of the fourth, the Texas bats found life again as they scored three runs on four hits to widen their lead 5-0. After catcher Cameron Rupp reached on an infield single to start, Keyes hit his fourth homerun of the season. Shortstop Brandon Loy followed up with a single to centerfield moved to second on a Tucker single and came home on Torres’ single down the left field line. “I’ve just been working on staying under the ball and turning my hips,” Keyes said. “Coach keeps the pressure off of me. Just gotta see it and hit it. Hitting is very contagious. Everyone’s getting hot at the right time.”
SHUTOUT continues on page 2B
Elizabeth Moskowitz | Daily Texan Staff
Texas’ Russell Moldenhauer rounds the bases during the Longhorns’ shutout victory over TCU on Tuesday.
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
UConn finishes off perfect season soundly By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press ST. LOUIS — With one final blowout, UConn grabbed the national title and a piece of basketball history. Tina Charles had 25 points and grabbed 19 rebounds Tuesday night as UConn routed Louisville 76-54 and captured the Huskies’ sixth national championship. It wasn’t just that Connecticut claimed another title. It was how they did it. UConn won every one of its 39 games by double digits, an unprecedented run in college basketball. Charles was the star of the last big win. She commanded both ends of the floor and Louisville, which lost to UConn for the third time this season, had no one who could stop her. Coach Geno Auriemma had said before the tournament that his junior center would be the key to UConn winning the title. A year after he benched her in the NCAAs for inconsistent play, Charles delivered. She was 11-for-13 from the field, and fell just one rebound short of becoming only the second player ever in a championship game to have at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. Charles was named the outstanding player of the Final Four. Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery each added 18 points for the Huskies. Angel McCoughtry finished off her stellar career for Louisville with 23 points. Candyce Bingham was the only other Cardinal in double figures with 10 points as Louisville (34-5) shot a dismal 31 percent from the floor.
Iowa State. “We take it one pitch at a time and focus on the fact that we always have a chance to win the ball game.” The offense continues to get on base and put runs on the board, as it has already surpassed the amount of wins last year’s squad earned. “[The offense] keeps doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing,” said pitcher Brittany Barnhill. “We’re scoring a lot of runs and it makes it a lot of fun.” The Longhorns are in the middle of their second winning streak of seven or more games, but the team is aware that there is still plenty of work still to do. Left on the schedule for the Longhorns are 12 more games, only one of which is against a ranked opponent — Texas A&M. “Right now we’re just riding the high and trying to rack up the wins and just keep pushing,” Chalk said.
RECRUITS: Future
Horn hasn’t seen action all season Mark Humphrey | Associated Press
Connecticut’s Tina Charles, Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery, from left in front, celebrate after the Huskies defeated Louisville 76-54 Tuesday to win the women’s NCAA national title. Unlike its previous two wins over Louisville, it took about 15 minutes for UConn to begin pulling away from the Cardinals. Leading by six, the Huskies turned up their defense. Louisville missed 18 straight shots spanning the half as Connecticut turned a 30-24 lead into a
19-point advantage. Louisville (34-5) came into its first title game with little pressure. The Cardinals were big underdogs, bidding to knock off three No. 1 seeds on their way to a championship. The victory put the Huskies in the same class as UConn’s other unbeaten teams in 1995
and 2002. Besides Connecticut, only Tennessee and Texas have run through a season without a loss. The title was Connecticut’s first since 2004. UConn was suffering through its longest “drought” since first winning in 1995. Only the Lady Vols, with
eight titles, have more than the Huskies. With UConn’s victory, the Big East also became the first conference ever to sweep the NCAA and WNIT championships in the same season. South Florida topped Kansas 75-71 on Saturday to win the WNIT, which began in 1998.
WOMEN’S GOLF
Texas finishes third in Indiana By Matthew Hohner Daily Texan Staff Texas finished its last regular-season tournament on a high note. The Longhorns recorded their best finish of the season, placing third in the Indiana Invitational, while the University of Nevada, Las Vegas took home the trophy from Columbus, Ind. Players battled temperatures in the 30s throughout the tournament, with a mix of rain, sleet and hail on the first day. Their final day of play included cold temperatures but no precipitation, and the Longhorns did all they could to keep warm by wearing layer upon layer of clothing and hand warmers. Texas’ first day of play took 11
Sara Young Daily Texan Staff
hours to play 36 holes. Texas head coach Martha Richards stressed the importance of not letting the weather affect the players’ game. “It was a marathon kind of day,” Richards said. “You just have to stay patient and stay in the moment for each shot. We did a really nice job of doing what we needed to do despite Mother Nature.” The team finished the tournament with a score of 84-over par, while tournament champ UNLV shot a 67-over par. The Longhorns weren’t confronted with any kind of precipitation, but cold temperatures were a factor yet again. Richards said the team fell backward on the last 18 holes. “We came here to win,” Rich-
ards said. “I’m not happy with their finish, but I’m happy with a lot of things. ... We should have beaten Iowa State in terms of Big 12 [tournament]. That should serve as motivation for the team heading into the Big 12 tournament.” Kelley Louth led the Longhorns for the team’s lowest score while tying for second in the individual standings. Louth has been determined to make the most of her final tournaments as a Longhorn. “Overall I feel like I had a complete tournament,” Louth said. “I started off with two bogeys, but then I started to get comfortable. I had ups and downs, but I kept plugging away.”
TOP 25: Big 12 should start with three in next poll 3. Oklahoma Heisman-trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford decided to turn down millions of dollars in guaranteed money to give it another go at a championship in college. Only time will tell if that was a good choice. Oklahoma lost its two most threatening receivers in Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson to graduation, and much of its talented offensive line is gone as well. But tightend Jermaine Gresham took the same road as Bradford and turned down millions to call himself a Sooner for one more season. The schedule is difficult early for the Sooners, as they take on BYU in Dallas on opening weekend before traveling to Miami to take on the talented Hurricanes on Oct. 3.
4. Southern California
riding high into Baylor matchup From page 1B
A Texas golfer takes a swing against Texas State. The Longhorns finished third this week in the Indiana Invitational.
From page 1B
SOFTBALL: Horns
chance to shine. A tough schedule could hinder USC’s hopes of playing for a championship come January, especially with an inexperienced leader behind center. The Trojans’ Sept. 12 showdown with Ohio State in Columbus could go a long way in determining the direction for the team this season.
5. Mississippi Two words, one name: Houston Nutt. Yes, Houston Nutt has the Rebels’ back. A team that used to be only a blip on the radar made a big splash last season with key victories over Florida in the swamp and LSU in Baton Rouge. Then the Rebels gave Texas Tech fits, upsetting them in a game no one thought they would win at the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2. Former Longhorn quarterback Jevan Snead has developed into a star and is looking to improve on his stats from last season. The schedule is favorable for the Rebels to be a contender late, as they play LSU and Alabama in Oxford while avoiding Florida altogether. Ole Miss could be a sleeper in the SEC West to contend for not only an SEC Championship but a National Championship as well.
in 2007 finish the year 8-5. But the Tigers left the media with a little taste of what to expect this coming year after a thumping of Georgia Tech in their bowl game. With the No. 1 ranked athlete out of high school Russell Shepard coming to the bayou, LSU looks to be gaining back its old form. The Oct. 10 match against the Florida Gators should be something to watch in Louisiana.
back Zac Robinson and receiver Dez Bryant take them. Losing tight end Brandon Pettigrew to the draft will hurt, but head coach Mike Gundy will be able to fill the position. Oklahoma State gets an early test at home against the Georgia the opening week before facing the Longhorns on Halloween in Stillwater. Texas’ cupcake non-conference schedule means that if there’s another three-way tie atop the Big 12 standings in 7. Ohio State 2009, either Oklahoma or OklaAfter being so close to upset- homa State will advance to the ting the Longhorns in the Fiesta Big 12 championship game. Bowl last season, it appears Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes are back. Despite losing three bowl games 9. Alabama Quarterback John Parker Wilin a row, two of which were title games, Ohio State now has a phe- son has graduated and running nom in the making under center back Glen Coffee decided to forein Terrell Pryor. The defense will go his last year of eligibility to be suspect after losing cornerback pursue playing on Sundays. The Malcolm Jenkins and lineback- Crimson Tide probably overer James Laurinaitis to the NFL, achieved in 2008 if you ask exbut the Buckeyes have produced perts. It will be interesting to a superb recruiting class and will see who emerges as the starting look forward to gaining national quarterback. But if head coach respect again after a strong per- Nick Saban can fill the void fast, formance to close the season. Re- Alabama should be a threat once venge will be on the minds of all again in the SEC — especially the fans in the Horseshoe when with a receiver like Julio Jones to the Trojans visit Columbus, Ohio. make plays in the open field.
Everyone is expecting the Trojans to take a step back this coming season after losing quarterback Mark Sanchez and many starters on defense. But with Pete Carroll at the helm, it’s only a matter of time before USC reloads. It will be interesting to see wheth8. Oklahoma State 10. Penn State er former Arkansas quarterback 6. LSU Head coach Les Miles was Oklahoma State is hoping Joe Paterno was literally one Mitch Mustain is given the reins to the offense or Matt Barkley, disappointed in last season’s re- for the same season Texas Tech second away from potentialthe No. 1 quarterback from the sults after watching his team that showcased in 2008. The Cow- ly booking a trip to Florida for 2009 high school class, is given a won the national championship boys will go as far as quarter- the BCS National Champion-
ship last season when the Iowa Hawkeyes rained on the Nittany Lions’ parade with a last-second field goal. Despite losing its bowl game, Penn State is likely to contend for the Big 10 crown. The defensive side of the ball will take a hit after losing Aaron Maybin to the NFL, but quarterback Daryll Clark should have the Nittany Lions up there with Ohio State.
11. Oregon Apparently, the Ducks were a little upset at all the negativity surrounding the Pac-10 last season heading into their bowl game against Oklahoma State. They quickly silenced all the critics as they took their game to the Cowboys at the Holiday Bowl. If quarterback Jeremiah Masoli can improve his pass efficiency, the Ducks could be a formidable opponent come December, especially with the mighty Trojans losing quarterback Mark Sanchez to the NFL.
12. Virginia Tech While the ACC illustrates utter dominance in collegiate basketball, the gridiron is a different story. The Hokies look as if they will be the class of the conference. If quarterback Tyrod Taylor becomes a better passer during the spring, the Virginia Tech offense could pose a threat early in the season.
From page 1B
Hamilton to play in Jordan Classic Jordan Hamilton didn’t get a chance to wear a McDonald’s AllAmerican jersey. At least he’ll get the Jumpman logo. Hamilton will be featured in this year’s Jordan Brand Classic game on April 18 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The 6-foot7-inch forward from Dominguez High School (Compton, Calif.) was given a fifth year of high school eligibility by the NCAA after Hamilton’s parents made him repeat the ninth grade to receive better grades. But the California Interscholastic Federation declared him ineligible, saying he was taking a fifth year only for athletic reasons. Because of the CIF’s decision, Hamilton hasn’t played a game for Dominguez all season, making him ineligible for the McDonald’s game. The Jordan Brand Classic, however, doesn’t seem to mind and Hamilton will suit up in the game on the same team as fellow Texas recruit Avery Bradley. Other Big 12 representatives in the game will be Keith Gallon, Wally Judge (Kansas State) and Tommy Mason-Griffin (Oklahoma).
SHUTOUT: Texas
uses five pitchers to contain TCU From page 1B The offense has remained consistent up to this halfway point in the season. “It’s all about consistency of the offense,” Garrido said. “That’s what we’re trying to accomplish — trying to take quality at bats, take quality turns on the bases, make productive outs and advance the runners.” TCU (19-10, 6-3 MWC) was a little shocked with the outcome of Tuesday night’s game. On Sunday, the Horned Frogs cruised by then-No. 18 New Mexico 19-3. Jimmie Pharr and Matt Carpenter both hit grand slams in the same inning, which was part of a nine-run fifth that helped TCU nab the sweep and top of the Mountain West leader board. Texas’ pitching staff rotated through five pitchers to deal with TCU’s offense. Starter Cole Green scattered two hits and one walk with one strikeout in two shutout innings. Dicharry came in second and pitched four innings while right-hander Stayton Thomas went 0.2 innings, surrendering no runs on one hit and one walk. Freshman Taylor Jungmann preserved the shutout, working 1.1 innings while allowing one hit and striking out two. Sophomore Brandon Workman closed the game, striking out one while giving up a hit in 1.0 inning. “We have a plan for each one of the pitchers, and we want them to stick to it,” Garrido said. “We want them to pitch to that plan because it’s something that suits them. The plan is based on pitches they can make.”
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SPORTS
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
BIG 12 BASKETBALL
Griffin to skip last 2 years of school, enter NBA draft Oklahoma head coach supportive of forward’s decision to leave college
Oklahoma sophomore and Associated Press College Player of the Year Blake Griffin, left, and Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel listen to a question during a Tuesday press conference during which Griffin announced that he will make himself eligible for this year’s NBA draft.
The Oklahoma Daily (UWire) Two days after being named the Naismith Player of the Year, sophomore forward Blake Griffin made national headlines again Tuesday with the announcement that he will forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility to enter the 2009 NBA draft. “This past week I have been going over in my mind what I should do,� Griffin said. “I sat down with coach Capel and my family and I think it is time for me to move on and take my game to the next level.� Sitting beside the 6-foot-10-inch, 251-pound forward was head coach Jeff Capel, who said there was no question that the Oklahoma City native he recruited two years ago was doing the right thing. “This is the right decision. In my mind it was a no-brainer,� Capel said. “It was the best thing for Blake, it was the best thing for the University of Oklahoma and it was the best thing for our program.� Also on hand were Griffin’s parents, Tommy and Gail, as well as his older brother Taylor. As big as an influence as the trio has had on Griffin over the course of his life, this was something he had to decide on his own. “We told him last year the most important thing is he has to make
Sue Ogrocki Associated Press
SPORTS BRIEFLY
Championship Series standings sent Oklahoma to the conference title game, though the Longhorns beat the Sooners by 10 points. Brown, whose base pay is $2.9 million, could have earned a $50,000 bonus for winning the Big 12 South and another $100,000 for winning the conference championship.
Despite not making title game, coaches to receive Big 12 bonuses Assistant football coaches at Texas are receiving Big 12 championship bonuses even though the Longhorns didn’t reach the title game. Texas officials announced Monday that a dozen assistants and support staffers will receive Big 12 championship bonuses totaling $44,000. Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds said he received permission from UT’s president and men’s athletic council to cut the checks. Head coach Mack Brown will not receive a bonus, the Austin AmericanStatesman reported Tuesday. A .0128 difference in the Bowl
CLASSIFIEDS
THE DAILY TEXAN
UNS AD IRNE FOR ONL
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PITTSBURGH — Pitt coach Jamie Dixon has been named the Naismith men’s coach of the year after leading the Panthers to a school-record 31 wins and the NCAA tournament regional finals. The sixth-year head coach also guided Pitt to its first-ever top seed in the tourney and the school’s first
a great big grin can help Memphis stay in the top ranks of college basketball, Tigers fans will be happy with their new head coach. “I’m excited. I’m energized. I’m pumped up. I’m jacked,� Josh Pastner said Tuesday at a news conference to introduce him as John Calipari’s successor. “I’m ready to rock ‘n’ roll.� Calipari left Memphis last week for Kentucky, casting a gloom over a program he built into a national contender over nine seasons. The search for a successor, which started to drag on longer than many Tiger fans expected, did little to lift their spirits. Then late Monday, the university announced it had settled on Pastner, a 31-year-old assistant to Calipari who is regarded as a top recruiter.
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Pittsburgh’s Dixon awarded Naismith award for best coach
Pitt has won 20 or more games No. 1 ranking in the AP Top 25. for the eighth straight year. Dixon Led by the standout trio of sesaid he thinks the Panthers have beniors Sam Young and Levance come an elite program, though he Fields, and sophomore center DeJuan Blair, the Panthers fell short of added, “We’re not where we want the Final Four after a loss to Villano- to be because we want to win a nava on a last-second layup by Scottie tional championship.� Dixon also said he’s spoken Reynolds. with Blair and the center’s fami“It means we had a lot of good ly about whether Blair should skip players,� Dixon said in a phone his final two years of college to eninterview about the coaching ter the NBA draft. He said Blair award. “It’s a reflection of playwasn’t ready to make a decision as ers individually and as a group ... of Tuesday. The players developed into better Blair averaged 15.7 points and players than may thought [they] 12.3 rebounds a game this season. would become.� The award was presented by the Atlanta Tipoff Club, which anMemphis introduces Pastner nounced the winner Tuesday. Oth- 1 er finalists were Oklahoma’s Jeff Ca- as coach, Calipari’s replacement pel, LSU’s Trent Johnson and KanMEMPHIS, Tenn. — If youthful sas’ Bill Self. energy, unwavering confidence and
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the decision himself, and it was the same this year,� Tommy Griffin said. “He cannot live his life if I tell him what to do. “I just told him, ‘Make sure whatever you do, it’s going to take care of you, because if you have too many people pulling on you, that’s not good.’ We just told him whatever decision he comes up with, we’re going to back him 100 percent.� Many people have speculated for the past few months that Griffin would not be returning to school. Though that prediction turned out to be correct, the consensus national player of the year still had to think about it. “The decision was tough. I love playing here; this is my home state,� he said. “This is the school I wanted to come to, obviously. It is tough to walk away from something like this, but at the same time this is a big opportunity. I felt like I was ready for it this year as opposed to last year.� Griffin, who set OU and Big 12 single-season records for rebounds, field goal percentage and double-doubles, will leave OU as one of the greatest players in school history. For Capel, his departure is bittersweet. “It’s sad on one end,� Capel said. “But it’s a great thing to know that you had a kid that has worked his butt in something he’s wanted to do his whole life, and he’s going to have a chance to pursue that, not only pursue it but to be very successful.�
Pastner said he was packing for Kentucky himself when an unexpected call came from Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson. “There was no hesitation,� Pastner said. “He gave me the opportunity and I jumped on it.� Pastner moved to Memphis after six years as an assistant at Arizona, where he had been a walkon player. He said he decided to become a basketball coach as a teenager and played in college to gain experience that would help in coaching. “I believe in myself,� he said. “I’ve prepared myself my whole life for this.� Johnson said Pastner has a fiveyear deal worth $4.4 million. Compiled from Associated Press reports
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HOUSING RENTAL
360 Furn. Apts. WHERE TO STAY NEXT YEAR? In the Best Locations! Eff., 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms, pool, UT shuttle, shopping, food, parking, gated. Hancock Mall, 5 min. to campus. *Park Plaza and Park Court, 915-923 E. 41st St., 452-6518. *Century Plaza, 4210 Red River, 452-4366. *VIP Apartments, 33rd and Speedway, 4760363. apartmentsinaustin.net
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RECESSION PRICES! Great for roomates HUGE 4/2 for $995, 2/2 for $875 1221 Algarita Ave Call Cindy 512-444-4485 1 MONTH FREE 1/2M FROM CAMPUS on 2bd. before 4/20/09@Eastside Commons (512)478-5353 2BD/FROM $725!
400 Condos-Townhouses
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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RECYCLE
April 8th, 6pm-8pm SantaRita Room, TexasUnion FreeAdmission/FoodProvide x ID 2778438
560 Public Notice
CTC WILL BE holding a Free Self defense seminar for Women April 25th & May 2nd. Please call 330-4269 for details x ID 2764844
EMPLOYMENT
766 Recruitment
GETTING MARRIED SOON? RECENTLY Married? You may be eligible to participate in a study for understanding how couples adjust to the early years of marriage. We are looking for couples entering their first marriage and who currently have no children. Eligible couples can receive up to $330 for participating. Please contact The Austin Marriage Project at The University of Texas 512-4757527
WATCH FOR DT WEEKEND EVERY THURSDAY
AFTER SCHOOL CAREGIVER for our happy, cooperative, friendly, nonverbal, 13 yr. old Special Needs son. Personal care, feeding, toileting, transporting, playing. Special Ed. & Therapy majors preferred. M-F 3-6:30pm & 1 evening. Call 698-4815
791 Nanny Wanted
AFTER SCHOOL CHILDCARE NEEDED Looking for individual to pick up and care for children (7 & 11) after school (Brykerwoods Elementary) for the entire school year. M-F 2:30 - 5:00pm. 512-922-0317
800 General Help Wanted ATHLETIC MEN - ---------------------------------------------------------------- ATHLETIC MEN $100 - $200 hour Up To $1,000 a day for calendars and other projects. 18+. NoExperience Needed. 512684-8296
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SUMMER JOB Petroleum consulting firm seeks responsible, detail oriented individual to obtain data at the Texas Railroad Commission. This job is expected to last most of the summer. Email resumes/inquires to sgriffith@researchconsultants.com
RECYCLE
800 General Help Wanted
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Great job for a new graduate. Job coach/teacher for young man with special needs. Learn stateof-the-art program. Very fun and rewarding. Full or part-time. $8.25-$11/ hour. Call 263-9773.
810 Office-Clerical PARALEGAL CLERK TRAINEE near UT. Will train. Create form documents, assist clients, obtain state records, fax, file, proof. Flexible hours, casual dress. PT $11, FT $12-12.50 + benefits. Apply online, www. LawyersAidService.com
810 Office-Clerical
RUNNER/ OFFICE ASSISTANT Needed for Property MGMT Office Downtown on 6th st. Reliable Transportation needed. Part/ Full, very flexible for students. $7.50/hr. 512474-5043
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860 Engineering-Technical SYSTEMS ADMIN/DATABASE DVLPER near UT. Troubleshoot, document, backups, programming, security, database development. FileMaker exp. a plus. Flexible hours, casual dress, small office, benefits if long-term. Apply online: LawyersAidService.com
870 Medical
Seeks College-Educated Men 18–39 to Participate in a Six-Month Donor Program
Donors average $150 per specimen. Apply on-line
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890 Clubs-Restaurants WORK ON CAMPUS! The University of Texas Club is now hiring servers. Pay averages $11.00/hour. Experience preferred, but not necessary. Must be available for summer and fall. Apply in person, M-F between 2-4 PM, Eastside of DKR Memorial Stadium, 7th floor. EOE
LFFQ BO FZF PVU GPS UIF TVQFS UVFTEBZ $0610/4
DMJQ BOE TBWF
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4B COMICS
4B
COMICS
Yesterday’s solution
2 4 7 6 1 1 6 8 2 8 4 1 9 4 7 5 5 9 2 7 8 3 9 7 4 8 4 2 6 5
5 8 3 9 1 2 7 4 6
7 6 9 5 8 4 3 1 2
4 1 2 3 7 6 9 5 8
6 5 4 7 2 1 8 9 3
3 9 1 8 6 5 2 7 4
2 7 8 4 9 3 1 6 5
9 2 7 6 4 8 5 3 1
8 3 6 1 5 9 4 2 7
1 4 5 2 3 7 6 8 9
The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 500 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Edited by Will Shortz Across 1 Revenue / Result 6 Many a holiday visitor / Bandit 10 Welcome, as a visitor / Try to make a date with 14 Comedian George 15 1980s Geena Davis sitcom 16 Locale for a seat of honor 17 1985 Kate Nelligan title role 18 Chickadee’s perch 19 Up to the job 20 Condor’s claw 21 College asset 23 Glean 25 Oldest U.S. civil liberties org. 26 At a lecture, say / Surpass in quality
29 Steel helmets with visors 34 Daughter of 28Down 35 Genesis victim 37 Gawk 38 Priest’s garb 39 Choice for a dog, as well as a hint to this puzzle’s theme 41 Half a score 42 Has rolling in the aisles 44 Trick ending? 45 Gist 46 Lacking inflection 48 Sub / Excel 50 D.C. bigwig 51 False god 52 Grand Canyon material 57 Doritos dip 61 “Uh-huh” 62 What a surveyor surveys 63 Govt. security
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE D E F O G
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64 ___ Bora, wild part of Afghanistan 65 The Box Tops’ “___ Her in Church” 66 Painter’s prop 67 Soon to get / Trying to get 68 Ushered / Showed the door 69 Attract / Protract Down 1 Fjord / Bargain locale 2 Mixer 3 Autobahn auto 4 Holiday display 5 Periodicals not brought by a postal carrier 6 Foot part / Go beyond 7 White House adjunct 8 Parched 9 They may be covered and circled 10 Unwavering 11 Kemo ___ 12 Brick baker 13 Map feature / Start 22 Watch location 24 ___ example 26 Arriving at the tail end / Survive 27 It has four strings 28 Brother of Rebecca, in the Bible 29 Some Muppet dolls
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Puzzle by C.W. Stewart
30 Burn balm 31 Consumed 32 Tire feature 33 Submitted, as an entry / Emitted 36 Honcho 39 Antilles, e.g. 40 ___ Major 43 Spouse’s response
45 India’s ___ Coast 47 Necessitate 49 Tried 51 Hit so as to make collapse / Win over 52 ’60s protest / Skip, as a dance 53 From
54 Peter at the ivories 55 “It’s either you ___” 56 Poverty 58 Marge’s TV daughter 59 What Cain did to 35-Across 60 Tired / Total
For answers, call 1-900-285-5656, $1.49 a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-814-5554. Annual subscriptions are available for the best of Sunday crosswords from the last 50 years: 1-888-7-ACROSS. AT&T users: Text NYTX to 386 to download puzzles, or visit nytimes.com/mobilexword for more information. Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 2,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Share tips: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/learning/xwords.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
5B ENT
AWARDS: ‘Austin City Limits’
Head above water
wins in multimedia category
Public affairs graduate student Anna Cherkasova pauses at the LBJ Library fountain on Tuesday evening, as she does on most days. “It’s my favorite place on campus,� she said. “The fountain is so strong and simple.�
From page 6B
Bryant Haertlein Daily Texan Staff
HUMP: Opinions
on virginity still contested, split From page 6B
Laura Carpenter published in the Journal of Sex Research, people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender have often had to rework their definition of virginity because their orientation doesn’t fit the mold created by mainstream definitions. Equally troublesome is the treatment of those who experience rape as the first penetrative sexual act. Hanne Blank, author of “Virgin: the Untouched History,� addresses the paradox in a recent interview on Scarleteen.com, a leading sex-ed Web site. “Opinions have gone both ways,� Blank said in the interview. “[Some have contended that rape victims] remained virgins in spirit even if their bodies were violated without their consent. ... Other people have believed that the physical fact of penetration was the only thing that mattered.� There is one central misconception that gives rise to both of these objections — the presumption that simply engaging in sexual intercourse has the innate power to change a person. But when exercising safesex practices, including barrier protection (condoms, dental dams, etc.) and pregnancy prevention (condoms, birth control), a person’s body is protected from most of the potentially life-altering consequences of sex — even first-time sex. But there is a myth that every girl “pops her cherry� the first time she has sex, a noticeable physical effect of intercourse. But in reality, most women have perforated the hymen tissue that covers the opening of their vagina by their mid-teens due to sports, tampon-usage and even masturbation. In a study published by Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, on the “Appearance of the Hymen in Prepubertal Girls,� fully intact hymen tissues were found in less than 1 percent of female subjects and were “not considered a normal finding.� Moreover, the language we use to discuss virginity is equally troublesome. You can’t “lose� your virginity, and no one can “take� it. Virginity isn’t a tangible thing but rather a culturally constructed idea that has affected the way our society has judged sexuality for ages. But if we can allow for the possibility of looking at “firsttime� sex in a new way, outside of the “virgin� context, we can begin to realize that sexuality contains a wonderful plurality of valid choices, including the decision to have sex or abstain in the first place. It is your choice, and it should be based on your ideals, not those projected by the media or our mainstream shame culture. Owning your autonomy over these choices is the first step to exploring sexuality in healthy ways.
5B
LIFE&ARTS
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
SCHOOL: Unique methods encourage,
increase personal growth, confidence From page 6B hired to conduct an independent study of the effectiveness of the original school’s teaching approach. The Hendersons and their son Mars, then 5 years old, stayed at the Indian school for six weeks while Cliff conducted his research. Mars was invited to attend the school in India as a guest student. “After the first day I had a smile plastered on my face,� said Mars, now an eloquent, polite freshman at the University of Oklahoma. “I spent three hours describing my experience there, and both of my parents loved my reaction to the school [so much] that they fell in love with it, too.� The Hendersons asked the Indian school’s owners if it would be appropriate to open a branch in Austin and went back to India for three months of training to understand the unique teaching approach. The Austin location opened in September 1995 with Mars and five other 5- and 6-year-old students, as well as six teachers. The school has added a grade each year and had its first high school graduating class in 2007. Three students graduated in 2007, and three more are graduating this May. There are currently 20 students in the entire school, which charges $8,812 per year in tuition. The four basic aims of the educational program are building relationships of trust, wholehearted involvement in each child’s activi-
ties and interests, awareness of a child’s needs and development of personal qualities and academic skills. “It is about developing a self with a capital ‘S,’� said Cliff, who no longer works for the school but operates as an unpaid adviser. “If you don’t know who you are or where you are, how are you going to get anywhere?� Natalie Shea has attended the school since kindergarten. Her sister graduated in 2007 from the school and now attends St. Edward’s University. Natalie says she is unsure what her own career goals are but that she is confident her unique education has prepared her for life after graduation in two years. “I’ve known these people since I was 5, and I feel totally comfortable around them,� Shea said. “I’m free to be whoever I want to be, I don’t have the fear of being judged. If I want to come to school in a costume that’s fine and if I want to come in my pajamas, that’s OK too. If I have a question, I know I won’t be laughed at. You feel really at ease, it’s kind of like a second home.� Until fourth grade, students are led through hands-on activities and outdoor playtime, which aid in developing social skills, personal awareness and acceptance. Fourth through sixth grades are more structured, and by seventh grade, students receive homework and grades. Shea formed a garage band in one of her music classes, where
she learned Beatles songs that she covered at Lanternfest two years ago. For Earth science, her class visited the Grand Canyon. She won a Keep Austin Beautiful award in 2008 for a recycling campaign she started at the school, earning her the nickname “Enviro-girl.� Her geometry class has two students in it, and when she isn’t working on homework, she’s researching her new interests in dance and fashion design. “We don’t practice negative reinforcement or punishment,� said Doug Shea, who is Natalie’s father and an economics teacher at Sri Atmananda. “Through the teacher-child relationship, children build confidence in themselves and begin to develop a real love of learning. It’s a revolutionary school in that academics are never forced on any children. Some students don’t even learn to read until they’re 9, but once they do, they take off like rockets.� Doug Shea chose to enroll his daughters in the private school after his negative experiences attending and teaching in public schools. He has worked with the Hendersons since the early days of the school and says the difference in child development is “unbelievable.� “I saw a lot of kids being more beaten down in public schools than being raised up,� Doug said. “That was my experience also. I lucked into this opportunity of having my daughters go to this private school, and it’s worked out very well. I’ve gotten to see them absolutely flourish.�
as he accepted is award and noted that the industry and filmmakers are no longer concentrated in California like they used to be. “There’s no stopping them no matter where they are,� he said. “The best is to be as technical and cutting edge as possible so that you’re always one-up in the competition.� “Austin City Limits� producer Terry Licona received the award in the multimedia category. This is not the first time the show has been honored; it was the first television program to receive the National Medal of Arts six years ago. “‘Austin City Limits’ has been a window to the rest of the world, showcasing the best of what Austin and Texas music is all about,� Licona said. “We have a long life ahead of us. We celebrate our past, and look forward to our future.� A new recording studio for “Austin City Limits� is currently being built in downtown Austin. Former first lady Laura Bush was also honored, receiving a standing ovation for her commitment to the arts. Bush founded the Texas Book Festival and established an endowment to give more children opportunities to experience art through the Education and Outreach
“The best is to be as technical and cutting edge as possible so that you’re always one-up in the competition.� — Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker program organized by the Austin Museum of Art. Other honorees were Anheuser-Busch and Edith O’Donnell for corporate and individual patrons of the arts, respectively. Artist Robert Rauschenberg, who passed away last year, received a lifetime achievement award. His son Christopher was there to receive the award on his father’s behalf. “There’s a thing that’s part of everybody’s growing up, where at some point you go from thinking that your dad is the greatest whatever he does in the world, and I actually missed that because my dad was always the greatest at what he did,� CHristopher Rauschenberg said. “Therefore, my development has been stunted, but I love having this celebration of him and have everyone else agree with me.�
TONY AWARD WINNER! BEST MUSICAL
PLAY HOOKY AT THE THURSDAY MATINEE SPECIAL PRICES AVAILABLE!
: Tickets available at BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com, 512.477.6060 and all Texas Box Office Outlets. For groups of 20 or more, call 877.275.3804
Recycle your copy of THE DAILY TEXAN
AVENUEQ.COM MUSIC AND LYRICS BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX BOOK BY JEFF WHITTY BASED ON AN ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX DIRECTED BY JASON MOORE ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST RECORDING AVAILABLE ON MASTERWORKS BROADWAY. AVENUE Q HAS NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY THE JIM HENSON COMPANY OR SESAME WORKSHOP, WHICH HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENT.
6B LIFE
B
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
ump D H ay By
wa ng
Mary Li
ll
LIFE&ARTS
Life&Arts Editor: Ana McKenzie E-mail: lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2209 www.dailytexanonline.com
T HE DAILY TEXAN
School focuses on instilling sense of self
Choices about your first time should not rely on norms Virginity is a touchy subject. In fact, for young people in America, virginity is one of the touchiest subjects. Often seen as the Rubicon between innocence and experience, immaturity and maturity, or even purity and dirtiness, virginity is given a lot of weight in our culture. The gender stereotypes that pervade our society dictate that sexual initiation is a sign of power and prowess in men, while virginity is seen as a sign of purity and worth in women. The underlying problem resulting from America’s paradigmatic obsession with both a Victorian conception of virginity and the chronic hyper-sexualization by the media is that it may lead young people to hastily make a decision according to stigma, shame or peer pressure, when the choice should be made according to one’s personal beliefs. The decision of whether, when and why to start (or not start) engaging in sexual activity is a tough one for many young adults to make, and the popular conceptions about virginity do nothing but exacerbate the difficulty. Even worse is when these constructed ideas about virginity cause individuals to feel shame or isolation if his chosen path diverges from the one our culture deems appropriate. So what does “virginity” even mean? When I asked a group of my peers this question, all of their answers were based on the idea that a girl “loses” her virginity to a guy when his penis enters her vagina. This kind of definition is very problematic. What about the first time for a person whose orientation does not follow the penis-vagina model? According to a 2001 study by
HUMP continues on page 5B
Ryan Propes | Daily Texan Staff
The Sri Atmananda School provided fire-dancing entertainment for the guests in attendance at its LanternFest and open house Saturday. “Stay behind this line”, the guests were cautioned, before the kerosene-soaked poi were lit.
Sri Atmananda School practices hands-on teaching methods, hosts creative events By Rachel Meador Daily Texan Staff Behind the decorative iron fences that enclose a 9-acre historic property sprinkled with mansions and play areas, students of Austin’s nonprofit Sri Atmananda Memorial School perused the inflatable playgrounds and local vendor stands are listened to the school’s musicians as they waited for dusk to come and LanternFest to begin Saturday. The school, much like its annual festival, is unique. The private school opened 14 years ago and is modeled after the original Sri Atmananda Memorial school in southwest India. The school’s director, Pattye Hen-
derson, decided to incorporate the festival 10 years ago. The celebration includes students decorating paper lanterns and marching around the campus grounds surrounded by fire-dancers. The festival serves as a creative outlet and just another one of the school’s innovative approaches to education. “Children are natural learners,” said Cliff Henderson, co-founder of the school. “Here children are led and encouraged to develop individually.” In 1995, Henderson was working as an educational psychologist and was
SCHOOL continues on page 5B
Activist organization evicted from co-op Due to code violations, Rhizome Collective forced to find new home By Roxanna Asgarian Daily Texan Staff Piles of trash now line the sidewalk along 300 Allen St., where the quaint entrance to the Rhizome Collective’s warehouse was once dotted with plants. Among the heaps of rubble stands a handwritten sign that reads “Inside Books Project Needs New Home.” On March 23, a primary hub of Austin’s grassroots activism movement was forced to disband. Families were evicted from their home at the cooperative living space on Allen Street, and several activist organizations were left to find new headquarters. The Rhizome Collective has used the warehouse on Allen Street since 2000, when the project was founded. The organization hosted sustainable living workshops, tended gardens and served as headquarters to the Inside Books Project, which sent books to Texas prisoners. The location was also home to activist organizations Food Not Bombs and Bikes Across Borders. These community projects have been on hold since their eviction in late March by the city due to several code violations. “It was mostly for permits that we needed but didn’t have,” said Laura Werner, a spokeswoman for the collective. “We just don’t have the resources to purchase or fix up the facility.” Cory Skuldt, a member of the Treasure City Collective, which runs a thrift store a few blocks from Rhizome’s old space, said
Ryan Propes | Daily Texan Staff
Participants in the Sri Atmananda School’s LanternFest on Saturday paraded the school grounds with their creations, glowsticks and instruments.
Awards honor select citizens for doing their part for the arts Texas Cultural Trust recognizes former first lady, University alumni
Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan Staff
The warehouse that once held the Rhizome Collective sits vacant on the edge of Allen Street in East Austin. the Rhizome eviction came as a shock to the larger activist community. “They had been having money problems for a while, but the problems with the city came pretty abruptly,” Skuldt said. “There’s quite a bit of overlap between members of Treasure City, Rhizome and organizations like Inside Books and Food Not Bombs,” Skuldt said. “All the organizations that were a part of Rhizome are still doing the work they’ve always done,” he said. “But the longterm stability of the place wasn’t there because they didn’t own the space.” In response to the Rhizome Collective’s eviction, the Treasure City Collective has started fundraising for the first time in hopes of purchasing the store it currently runs. “It has made us think about the long-term investment,” Skuldt said. “We want to have a stable place to offer support when things like this happen.” As for the Rhizome Collective’s next step, Werner said members
of the collective are unsure. “Folks are just worn out from the move,” she said. “We’ve been running around trying to figure out what to do with nine years’ worth of stuff ... and finding places to live.” For now, Food Not Bombs has been relocated to the 21st Street Co-op. The Rhizome Collective and Inside Books Project have been hosting board meetings to agree on a new plan of action and pursue leads on possible new spaces for their groups. The collective plans to continue to grow despite its current struggle. “The Rhizome Collective takes its name from the root system that makes even seemingly insignificant plants notoriously difficult to destroy,” Werner wrote in the Collective’s latest press statement. “Kill one plant, and one or two or hundreds more can blossom from the same root. The Rhizome Collective intends to do everything in its power to make certain that [it] lives up to its name.”
By Raquel Villarreal Daily Texan Staff As the sun was setting west of the Long Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday evening, the patio area was filled with laughter and chatter coming from elegant women in long
gowns and men in suits. Amid the decor, a few well-dressed Texas artists and patrons were recognized with a Texas Medal of Arts for their contributions to the arts. The Texas Cultural Trust selected citizens for their work in architecture, art education, film, literature, theater, music and multimedia. Among the honorees were UT alumni James Dick, a concert pianist, and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez.
Dick was honored in the category of arts education for establishing the International FestivalInstitute at Round Top. “I think art is how we tell about civilizations,” Dick said. “The art’s how we record them. Otherwise, we don’t remember them.” Rodriguez, who was honored for his career in film, recalled the time he spent as a UT student 20 years ago as an undergraduate
AWARDS continues on page 5B
Threading a history
Elizabeth Moskowitz | Daily Texan Staff
Martha Coleman, Bessie Futrell, Carrie Henderson, Hazel Weathersby and Annie Wattress, from left, stitch quilts for their families at the Blackland Neighborhood Center.