04-16-09

SPORTS PAGE 1B

NEWS PAGE 5A

LIFE&ARTS PAGE 8B

Director redefined face of women’s athletics

Kinky considers a second crack at governor

Curry for college students: Cook once and eat all week

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THE DAILY TEXAN Thursday, April 16, 2009

Opponents of gun bill to walk out of classes

Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900

www.dailytexanonline.com

On Tax Day, calls for independence

Constitutional law professors deliberate 2008 court case’s application to legislation

By Erin Mulvaney Daily Texan Staff Legislation allowing concealed handguns on state campuses has incited passionate debate at UT. This battle has been ongoing since the founding fathers guaranteed “the right to bear arms” in the Bill of Rights.

In protest of a new bill, UT students and faculty, will walk out of classes today at 11:30 a.m. and march to the steps of the Texas Capitol against guns on college campuses. Today marks the second anniversary of the shooting at Virginia Tech.

Several constitutional law professors across the country, however, are debating this issue in light of the rights listed in the U.S. Constitution. In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment protects the

GUNS continues on page 6A

House debates 11 bills that propose tuition caps, freezes

By Mohini Madgavkar Daily Texan Staff Dozens of state legislators are making sure their voices are heard as part of the tuition re-regulation debate.

The House’s Higher Education Subcommittee heard 11 tuition bills at its meeting Wednesday, most of which are variations on a few recurring themes: freezing tuition until the next legislative session, limiting future tuition increases and tying tuition increases to the size of legislative appropriations.

State Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, and state Rep. Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, proposed bills that would cap tuition increases.

Branch’s would cap tuition increases at 4 percent and Rose’s at 6 percent per year. State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, and state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-Mission, proposed tuition freezes at 2009 levels and a return of tuition-setting power to the Legislature.

The UT System Board of Regents has instituted a 4.5 percent increase cap on tuition for the upcoming school year.

“A hard freeze in the next biennium will put quality at risk,” said UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa. “A freeze in four-year tuition is a good

TUTION continues on page 6A

Shelley Neuman | Daily Texan Staff

Protesters gather at Auditorium Shores after marching from a Tax Day Tea Party protest at the state Capitol.

At Tea Party, one of hundreds across US, protesters rally against taxes, spending

By Samantha Deavin Daily Texan Staff Angry and passionate conservatives gathered at Austin City Hall and the state Capitol on Wednesday to participate in the nationwide Tax Day Tea Party, a collaborative national effort to protest tax increases, high government spending and stimulus packages.

Protesters carried signs proclaiming “No to Socialism” and “Taxed Enough Already.” The Austin parties were just two of the “tea parties” held in more than 600 U.S. cities by those concerned with government stimulus spending.

Gov. Rick Perry, who declined

stimulus funds, addressed protesters at the “Don’t Mess with Texas” Tea Party at City Hall.

The party was organized by Americans For Prosperity, which champions individual economic freedom and is concerned with federal economic policies that threaten Texas’ prosperity.

“We need to let the government know that ‘one size fits all’ doesn’t work,” Perry said. “It doesn’t work in a country as big as the U.S., and it darn sure doesn’t work in Texas.

Texans know how to run Texas.”

Peggy Venable, Americans for Prosperity state director, said Texas is a beacon of fiscal responsibil-

ity and that Washington should “take a leaf out of its playbook.”

“Our economy is stronger than any other in the country, and Texans are angry that D.C. is trying to tell us how to spend our own tax dollars,” Venable said. “We sent a clear message today that we don’t need or want stimulus dollars that have federal strings attached.”

Protesters also met at the Capitol and marched to Lady Bird Lake as a symbolic re-enactment of the 1776 Boston Tea Party, which fought against British government control and taxes.

Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Austin, who addressed crowds at the Cap-

TEA continues on page 2A

Death row inmate’s story broadcasted live at UT

Andrew Rogers | Daily Texan Staff

Lawrence Foster, grandfather of Kenneth Foster, a former death row inmate whose sentence was commuted in August 2007, speaks on the West Mall on Wednesday.

Austin law enforcement equipped with controversial weapons

By Avi Selk Daily Texan Staff Shocked, UT police Officer Larry Robertson peered over a ramp in Trinity Garage, watching a man 10 feet below hurl a rock as big as his head straight through both front windows of an SUV. “Stop! Police!” Robertson yelled as he vaulted off the ramp and tackled the fleeing burglar, seizing him from behind in a bear hug.

High on cocaine and desperate to avoid jail, the burglar spun Robertson across the garage and slammed him backward into the side of a car.

Just before he lost his grip on the man, Robertson looked his adversary straight in the eye.

“If you don’t stop resisting, I’m

itol, said the Obama administration has imposed the largest tax increase in U.S. history and warned of the government overtaking individuals’ lives, business and health.

“Forty percent of tax cuts go to people who don’t pay taxes,” McCaul said. “I call it redistribution of wealth. I call it socialism.”

McCaul called the protesters “modern day patriots” in fighting for the country’s founding values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The Tea Party protests began in February 2009 when Rick Santelli,

going to tase you,” he said.

Fifteen seconds later, the fight was over. The burglar managed to sprint a dozen yards before Robertson pulled out his Taser and shot two barbed darts — and 50,000 volts of electricity — into the man’s back. The burglar fell over like a plank of wood.

“Don’t hit me with that again,” Robertson remembers him saying.

“That shit hurt.”

Reducing injuries on the force Stun guns — the vast majority of them Tasers — have swept the law enforcement community since the beginning of the decade, when high-voltage models capable of paralyzing targets at a dis-

tance first became available.

Every patrol officer in the Austin Police Department carries one, and Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo praised the weapons for reducing injuries to both officers and suspects. APD officers have used the weapons 203 times since the beginning of 2008, said Matthew Fortes, a representative for the department.

Taser International estimates its weapons are in the hands of more than 390,000 law enforcement officers in 40 countries.

A standard police-issue Taser resembles a handgun and fires two barbed probes that can pierce a target more than 15 feet away. The probes are attached to the Taser by wires that deliver a high-voltage current, causing the target’s mus-

cles to spasm uncontrollably.

Being tased is paralyzing and — many say — extremely painful.

“You can understand someone hitting you with a baseball bat,” said Dustin Hogard, who was tased as part of his training for the Texas State Guard. “But being electrocuted is something else, entirely.”

While researching this article, I received a 3-second shock from a Taser as part of a UTPD demonstration. I found the experience unendurable, but not exactly painful.

I felt intense pressure from every direction as electrons surged through my skeleton. I yelled and wanted to flail my arms and legs,

POLICE continues on page 7A

By Natalie Ziskind Daily Texan Staff Nashville, Tenn., inmate Timothy McKinney’s voice broadcasted through a UT classroom holding a crowd of nearly 90 people “Live From Death Row.” Students, activists and family members of death row inmates listened in the University Teaching Center as McKinney shared his story for the “Live From Death Row” national tour, sponsored by the Campaign to End the Death Penalty.

“In 1997, I was accused of killing a police officer,” he said. “With-

in two days of my trial, I was convicted of murder. There was no evidence that linked me to the crime.”

McKinney said his trial was unfair, racially biased and that he was the victim of an unjust, corrupt system. Unable to afford a lawyer himself, McKinney said the court appointed an attorney who did no investigation into his case.

“My case in particular is politically motivated and race has a lot to do with it,” McKinney said. “We’re always looked at, pointed at. We’re always stereotyped. Someone with

DEATH continues on page 2A

City to remove  trees

Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

Walter Passmore, Austin’s urban forestry program manager, announced plans Wednesday to cut down roughly 30 trees at Barton Springs Pool. According to city of Austin, the trees pose a threat to the safety of Barton Springs visitors. Turn to page 5A for full story.

2A

NEWS

Thursday, April 16, 2009

TEA: Speakers advocate state autonomy over national spending

THE DAILY TEXAN Volume 109, Number 128 25 cents

From page 1A

Shelley Neuman | Daily Texan Staff

Casey Cochren, dressed as George Washington, leads hundreds walking from the Capitol to Auditorium Shores during one of many Tax Day Tea Party protests that took place in cities across the United States on Wednesday. Protesters said they oppose high taxes, careless government spending, and stimulus and bailout packages.

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the on-air editor for CNBC, called for a Chicago Tea Party to expose what he saw as the bankrupt liberal agenda of the White House Administration and Congress.

Jimmy Talarico, president of UT’s University Democrats, said such allegations are unfounded. “Obama gave the largest and most expansive middle class tax cut in American history in the first two months of his term,� Talarico said. “They are confused. Any political group out of power is going to be angry and upset, just as the left wing was eight years ago.�

After 30,000 Americans took part in the initial protest in February, the second protest was planned to coincide with the April 15 tax deadline.

State Sen. Dan Patrick, who spoke at the Capitol, called the Tea Parties the new Declaration of Independence in America. “Americans cannot be strong if Texas isn’t strong,� Patrick said. “Texas can’t be strong if Washington tells us how to run. This is the day we say to American we want to take government back.�

The conservative, right-wing animus of the protests was not concealed, with Perry telling the crowd, “I’m not saying you’re all right wing extremists, but if you are, I’m right there with you.�

Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Leah Finnegan (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classifieds@dailytexanonline.com

The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.

CORRECTION A story in Wednesday’s Texan titled “At panel, athletes speak on role-model status, student misconceptions� should have said Ashley Gayle is a freshman basketball player.

The Texan regrets the error.

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.

DEATH: Family member protests penalty; victim voices support, calls it ‘justice’ From page 1A money wouldn’t be here.�

Family members of death row prisoners also spoke out against the death penalty system and the Texas law of parties, which states that if a person with someone when they commit a crime, he or she can be held accountable. “I don’t understand how Texas can convict someone who didn’t murder anyone,� said Terri Been, whose brother sits on death row.

Been said her brother was not long out of high school when he and his roommate decided to rob a convenience store in Kerrville on Jan. 1, 1996. Her brother changed his mind and backed

out of the plan, she said.

The next day the two stopped by the same store for some “driving munchies.� While her brother waited in the car, his roommate shot the clerk and began to rob the store, she said.

Been said her brother had been unaware of his roommate’s intentions, was not present in the store when the murder was committed and was threatened by his roommate at gunpoint. “My brother’s family and his daughter were also threatened,�

Been said. “[The roommate] said he would kill her if he ever turned him in. The state wants to know why he didn’t call 911. Would you? If you had a daughter that

was threatened, If you saw that your roommate just cold-bloodedly murdered someone and threatened your child at gunpoint?�

Been said her family was gagordered by the court and not allowed to attend his trial, where her brother was convicted under the law of parties. “It practically makes you have to be a mind reader,� she said, citing her brother did not have prior knowledge of the crime. “I don’t know about you but I don’t have ESP. And neither does my brother.�

Brittany Watson, a member of the UT chapter of Amnesty International, also spoke out against the law of parties and said she wanted to create awareness about the “evils of the death penalty.� “It is the ultimate form of violation of humans rights, the ultimate form of torture and it is the ultimate form of cruel and unusual pun-

ishment,� she said.

But Eryn Baugh disagrees.

Nearly 15 years ago, his 3-month-old son Brandon was murdered by his baby-sitter, Cathy Henderson. Henderson’s original execution date was set for two years ago until a lastminute appeal put the decision on hold. Baugh said he feels justice has not been served and he and his family cannot find closure until she is executed. “Imagine yourself 15 years ago, and someone came up and put a knife to your back,� Baugh said. “The pain is great. It doesn’t leave, and you’re just waiting for someone to pull it out of you so you can heal your wound.�

Henderson’s attorneys claimed the murder was an accident and that she dropped the baby on its head, shattering his skull, according to Baugh. Baugh said he is not convinced. “She would have called emer-

gency services,� he said. “We don’t know how long he suffered, how long it was before he died. He could have been badly hurt but maybe she could have saved him if she had taken him to the emergency room.�

Baugh said Henderson tried to cover up the death. “She put him in our wine cooler box, taped him up,� he said. “She went to the bank, got an oil change with our son in her trunk, took him out to a field with some trees, patched out a hole and threw beer bottles on top of it.�

Baugh said he believes the deathpenalty system is just and more humane than life in prison, and that lethal injection provides a less painful death than that suffered by victims of violent murders, or even those who die naturally. “Until she’s dead, I’ll never have true closure,� he said. “I have to make sure she’ll never get out of prison.�

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ODDLY ENOUGH Stolen Chihuahua returned in shoe box; thieves ‘sorry’ BELLMORE, N.Y. — A stolen $3,000 Chihuahua puppy has been returned to a Long Island pet store with an apologetic note.

Nassau County police say they haven’t identified the man who took the 14-week-old dog back Tuesday to Worldwide Puppies & Kittens in Bellmore, just east of New York City.

Store manager Christina Ingoglia says the man ran away after dropping off the pup in a shoe box. She says he left a note saying the puppy’s abductors were sorry they stole it and didn’t have the money to buy it.

Police have been looking for four apparently teenage suspects in last week’s theft. A surveillance image shows one of the teens smuggling the Chihuahua out of the store in his clothing. — The Associated Press

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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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audrey Campbell, Josh Haney, Abhinav Kumar, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jillian Sheridan, 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, Avi Selk 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Chouy, Bryant Haertlein, Emily Kinsolving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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

Advertising

Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Natalie Ziskind, Andrew Martinez, Priscilla Pelli, Samantha Deavin Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lara Haase, Shelley Neumann, Sara Young Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ben Freed, Sameer Bhuchar, Jonathan Babin Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mia Avramescu, Amber Genuske, Lawrence Lander, Vijay Parthasarathy Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roberto Cervantes Page Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austen Sofhauser, Haley Price Sports/Life&Arts Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susannah Duerr Wire Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsey Estes Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlin Einkauf, Danielle Baxter, Patrick Tighe Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matt Ingebretson, Gabe Alvarez, Melanie Leary, Zac Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michael Murphy, Jeremy Johnson, Alex Diamond, Ryan Hailey Web Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annika Erdman

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ryan Ford, Landon Blackburn, Chelsea Anaya, Jared Barker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Aldana, Ann Marie Burnett, Kathryn Abbas, Jenn Muller, 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

Issue Staff

The Daily Texan (USPS 146-440), a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78705. The Daily Texan is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, federal holidays and exam periods, plus the last Saturday in July. Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX 78710.

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WORLD&NATION

Wire Editor: Lindsey Estes www.dailytexanonline.com

3A

Thursday, April 16, 2009

T HE DAILY T EXAN

WORLD BRIEFLY

NATION BRIEFLY

Pirate gang announces plans to target American vessels

Republicans speak out against Homeland Security assessment

MOMBASA, Kenya — A pirate gang that staged an abortive attack on a second U.S. ship loaded with food aid said Wednesday they were singling out American vessels and would kill their crews. French forces detained 11 other hijackers in a high-seas raid.

Pirates fired grenades and automatic weapons at the cargo ship Liberty Sun, but its American crew successfully blockaded themselves inside the engine room. The ship was damaged in Tuesday’s attack but escaped and was heading to Kenya under U.S. Navy guard.

A pirate whose gang attacked the ship said Wednesday that his group was targeting American ships and sailors. “We will seek out the Americans and if we capture them we will slaughter them,� said a 25-year-old pirate based in the Somali port of Harardhere who gave only his first name, Ismail. “We will target their ships because we know their flags. Last night, an American-flagged ship escaped us by a whisker. We have showered them with rocket-propelled grenades,� boasted Ismail, who did not take part in the attack on the Liberty Sun. The move comes after U.S. Navy sharpshooters killed three pirates Sunday to win the release of a hijacked American sea captain, Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama.

WASHINGTON — Republicans said Wednesday that a Homeland Security Department intelligence assessment unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists.

House Republican leader John Boehner described the report as offensive and called on the agency to apologize to veterans.

The agency’s intelligence assessment, sent to law enforcement officials last week, warns that rightwing extremists could use the bad state of the U.S. economy and the election of the country’s first black president to recruit members.

The assessment also said that returning military veterans who have difficulties assimilating back into their home communities could be susceptible to extremist recruiters or might engage in lone acts of violence. “To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable,� said Boehner, R-Ohio.

David Rehbein, the commander of the nationwide veterans’ group the American Legion, wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano expressing concern over the assessment, which made its way into the mainstream press after conservative bloggers got wind of the analysis.

Iran clones goat in ongoing push to be regional science hub

ISFAHAN, Iran — Iranian scientists have cloned a goat and plan future experiments they hope will lead to a treatment for stroke patients, the leader of the research said Wednesday.

The female goat, named Hana, was born early Wednesday in the city of Isfahan in central Iran, said Dr. Mohammed Hossein Nasr e Isfahani, head of the Royan Research Institute. “With the birth of Hana, Iran is among five countries in the world cloning a baby goat,� said Isfahani.

In 2006 Iran became the first country in the Middle East to announce it had cloned a sheep. Two and a half years later, that animal is healthy, the institute said.

The effort is part of Iran’s quest to become a regional science and technology powerhouse by 2025. In particular, Iran is striving for achievements in medicine and in aerospace and nuclear technology.

Iran’s nuclear work has led to an international showdown over Western claims that it wants to develop atomic weapons. Iran says its nuclear activity is aimed at generating electricity, not an atomic bomb.

Compiled from Associated Press reports

T h e U n ive r si ty of Texas at A usti n

Musadeq Sadeq | Associated Press

An Afghan police officer pushes a counter-protester during a demonstration in Kabul on Wednesday. A group of about 1,000 Afghans swarmed a demonstration by 300 women protesting a new marriage law.

Afghan women protest new law

By Heidi Vogt The Associated Press KABUL — Dozens of young women braved crowds of bearded men screaming “dogs!� Wednesday to protest an Afghan law that lets husbands demand sex from their wives. Some of the men picked up small stones and pelted the women. “Slaves of the Christians!� chanted the 800 or so counterdemonstrators, a mix of men and women. A line of female police officers locked hands to keep the groups apart.

The warring protests highlight the explosive nature of the women’s rights debate in Afghanistan. Both sides are girding for battle over the legislation, which has sparked an international uproar since being quietly signed into law last month.

The law says a husband can demand sex with his wife every four days, unless she is ill or would be harmed by intercourse. It also regulates when and for what reasons a wife may leave her home without

a male escort.

Though the law would apply only to the country’s Shiites, who make up less than 20 percent of Afghanistan’s 30 million people, many fear its passage marks a return to Taliban-style oppression of women. The Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001, required women to wear all-covering burqas and banned them from leaving home unless accompanied by a male relative.

Governments and rights groups around the world have condemned the legislation, and President Barack Obama has labeled it “abhorrent.� Afghan President Hamid Karzai has remanded the law to the Justice Department for review and put enforcement on hold.

A host of Afghan intellectuals, politicians and even a number of Cabinet ministers have come out against the law. But those who decry the legislation face quick criticism from conservative Muslim clerics and their followers, as Wednesday’s protests showed.

“You are a dog! You are not a Shiite woman!� one man shouted to a young woman in a head scarf.

The woman, who held a banner reading “We don’t want Taliban law,� replied quietly: “This is my land and my people.�

The demonstrators chose a risky spot to hold their protest — in front of the mosque of the legislation’s main backer — and were easily outnumbered by supporters of the law.

In the end, more women demonstrated in favor of the law than against it: A few hundred Shiite women marched with banners to join the angry men. They blamed foreigners for inciting the protests. “We don’t want foreigners interfering in our lives. They are the enemy of Afghanistan,� said 24-year-old Mariam Sajadi.

Sajadi is engaged to be married, and said she plans to ask her husband’s permission to leave the house as put forth in the law. She said other articles — such as the one allowing

husbands to demand sex — have been misinterpreted by Westerners prejudiced against Islam. She did not elaborate.

On the other side of the shouting, Mehri Rezai, 32, urged her countrymen to reject the law. “This law treats women as if we were sheep,� she said.

Both sides say they’re defending their constitutional rights — but Afghanistan’s constitution is unclear. It defers to Islamic law as the highest authority, but also guarantees equal rights for women.

Abbas Noyan, a Shiite lawmaker who opposes the law, said he is hopeful it will be changed. But others are less sure, and even the country’s minister of women’s affairs, who is female, has declined to comment on the law.

New York-based Human Rights Watch maintains that the judicial review ordered by Karzai is unlikely to be truly independent because those leading the process come from a conservative Shiite background.

US keeps eye on drug cartels moving to Central America WASHINGTON — Mexican drug cartels are creeping south into Central America, U.S. drug enforcement officials said Wednesday, as the Obama administration put new pressure on drug kingpins ahead of the president’s trip to Mexico City.

Drug Enforcement Administration officials said there are growing signs the stepped-up law enforcement efforts on the U.S.-Mexico border are driving the cartels south toward Central America. “We’re looking at what happens south of Mexico as well, because that’s just as important as what’s happening on our border,� said DEA Chief of Operations Thomas Harrigan. “With more and more success the Mexican government has, literally they’re pushing these cartels further south and potentially it could be a problem in Central America.�

There have been significant seizures of cartel weaponry in Guatemala, and shootouts among Mexican cartels with operations in Central American countries. “We’ve seen running gun battles in places like Guatemala and Honduras between rival Mexican cartels,� said Anthony Placido, the DEA’s chief of intelligence.

Compiled from Associated Press reports

OPINION

4A Thursday, April 16, 2009

Editor in Chief: Leah Finnegan Phone: (512) 232-2212 E-mail: editor@dailytexanonline.com Associate Editors: Audrey Campbell Josh Haney Jillian Sheridan Abby Terrell Mary Tuma

T HE DAILY T EXAN

How Texas sees it

VIEWPOINT

An anti-gun rally cry

“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars ... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

The words of Martin Luther King Jr. continue to ring true regarding the current debate surrounding concealed carry on campus.

Last year, in the landmark case District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government is within its rights to limit where there can and cannot be guns. The court stated that individuals have the right to use arms for “traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.” But Texas House Bill 1893 is trying to circumvent the court’s decision by taking the right to bear arms to a new, non-traditional extreme.

The bill, which has cleared House committee and now heads to the Senate, would allow licensed concealed handgun carriers to bring guns onto public university campuses and would transform UT from a gun-free zone into a gun-friendly one. The bill has 77 co-sponsors, enough to plausibly pass the full House vote.

This legislation taunts disaster. The risks of guns on campus — legally and illegally — are staggering. A gun kept by a licensed carrier in his or her dorm room could easily be stolen. A gun might be whipped out in the midst of drunken revelry or when a student receives a poor grade. Unarmed students, faculty and staff would be left to wonder who is armed and who is not. Many would constantly feel in danger. We would.

There is no logical reason that students need to be carrying guns on campuses. Our forefathers did not write the Second Amendment to guarantee the right of every gunenthusiast to brandish his musket at the probable risk of safety to others. The solution to gun violence is not arming the public. Gun violence begets gun violence, and the concealed carry legislation only provides more opportunities for guns to fall in the wrong hands on our campus.

The Constitution grants the right to bear arms; it does not protect the right of self-defense by weaponry. In this case, our Legislature must prioritize the safety and will of the majority on this campus above the wants of an unreasonable minority.

Today, there will be a campus-wide class walkout at 11:30 a.m., leading to a rally on the south steps of the Capitol at noon. Students are alone in voicing their abhorrence of this bill — because University faculty and staff are considered state employees, they are forbidden from speaking publicly on the matter. It is imperative that UT students against guns on campus leave class and attend this rally to show unified support for keeping our campus gun-free.

Listed to the right are the names and phone numbers of the 77 co-sponsors of this bill. Call any of these legislators directly to urge them to vote against concealed carry on campus. The sanctity of our University depends on it.

Is your legislator cosponsoring the bill?

Charles Anderson

R-Waco

(512) 463-0135

Jimmie Don Aycock

R-Killeen

(512) 463-0684

Leo Berman

R-Tyler

(512) 463-0584

Dwayne Bohac

R-Houston

(512) 463-0727

Dennis Bonnen

R-Angleton

(512) 463-0564

Betty Brown

R-Athens

(512) 463-0458

Angie Chen Button

R-Richardson

(512) 463-0486

Bill Callegari

R-Houston

(512) 463-0528

Warren Chisum

R-Pampa

(512) 463-0736

Wayne Christian

R-Center

(512) 463-0556

Byron Cook

R-Corsicana

(512) 463-0730

Frank Corte Jr.

R-San Antonio

(512) 463-0646

Joe Crabb

R-Kingwood

(512) 463-0520

Drew Darby

R-San Angelo

(512) 463-0331

John Davis

R-Houston

(512) 463-0734

Joe Deshotel

D-Beaumont

(512) 463-0662

Joe Driver

R-Garland

(512) 463-0574

Rob Eissler

R-The Woodlands

(512) 463-0797

Gary Elkins

R-Houston

(512) 463-0722

Kirk England

R-Grand Prairie

(512) 463-0694

Allen Fletcher

R-Tomball

(512) 463-0661

Kino Flores

R-Mission

(512) 463-0704

Dan Flynn

R-Canton

(512) 463-0880

Stephen Frost

D-New Boston

(512) 463-0692

Dan Gattis

R-Georgetown

(512) 463-0309

Charlie Geren

R-River Oaks

(512) 463-0610

Ryan Guillen

D-Rio Grande

(512) 463-0416

Mike Hamilton

R-Mauriceville

(512) 463-0412

Patricia Harless

R-Spring

(512) 463-0496

Linda HarperBrown

R-Irving

(512) 463-0641

Joe Heflin

D-Crosbytown

(512) 463-0604

Harvey Hilderbran

R-Kerrville

(512) 463-0536

Mark Homer

D-Paris

(512) 463-0650

Chuck Hopson

D-Jacksonville

(512) 463-0592

Charlie Howard

R-Sugar Land

(512) 463-0710

Brian Hughes

R-Marshall

(512) 463-0271

Todd Hunter

R-Corpus Christi

(512) 463-0672

Carl Isett

R-Lubbock

(512) 463-0676

Jim Jackson

R-Carrollton

(512) 463-0468

Jim Keffer

R-Eastland

(512) 463-0656

Phil King

R-Weatherford

(512) 463-0738

Susan King

R-Abilene

(512) 463-0718

Tracy King

D-Eagle Pass

(512) 463-0194

Tim Kleinschmidt

R-Lexington

(512) 463-0682

Lois Kolkhorst

R-Brenham

(512) 463-0600

Edmund Kuempel

R-Seguin

(512) 463-0602

Jodie Laubenberg

R-Wylie

(512) 463-0186

Ken Legler

R-Pasadena

(512) 463-0460

Eddie Lucio III

D-San Benito

(512) 463-0606

Jerry Madden

R-Plano

(512) 463-0544

Armando “Mando” Martinez

D-Weslaco

(512) 463-0530

Jim McReynolds

D-Lufkin

(512) 463-0490

Tommy Merritt

R-Longview

(512) 463-0750

Robert Miklos

D-Mesquite

(512) 463-0464

Doug Miller

R-New Braunfels

(512) 463-0325

Sid Miller

R-Stephenville

(512) 463-0628

Rob Orr

R-Burleson

(512) 463-0538

Solomon Ortiz Jr.

D-Corpus Christi

(512) 463-0484

John Otto

R-Dayton

(512) 463-0570

Tan Parker

R-Flower Mound

(512) 463-0688

Ken Paxton

R-McKinney

(512) 463-0356

Aaron Pena

D-Edinburg

(512) 463-0426

Larry Phillips

R-Sherman

(512) 463-0297

Chente Quintanilla

D-El Paso

(512) 463-0613

Debbie Riddle

R-Houston

(512) 463-0572

Tara Rios Ybarra

R-Kingsville

(512) 463-0463

Ralph Sheffield

R-Temple

(512)463-0630

Mark Shelton

R-Fort Worth

(512) 463-0608

Todd Smith

R-Bedford

(512) 463-0522

Wayne Smith

R-Baytown

(512) 463-0733

John Smithee

R-Amarillo

(512) 463-0702

David Swinford

R-Amarillo

(512) 463-0470

Larry Taylor

R-League City

(512) 463-0729

Vicki Truitt

R-Keller

(512) 463-0690

Allen Vaught

R-Dallas

(512) 463-0244

Randy Weber

R-Pearland

(512) 463-0707

John Zerwas

R-Simonton

(512) 463-0657

LEGALESE

SUBMIT A COLUMN

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.

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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Letters must be fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity and liability.

RECYCLE!

Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan.

By Roberto Cervantes Daily Texan Columnist There is the United States, and then there is Texas.

Whether on principle or as a byproduct of arrogance, Texas often finds itself bucking national trends with unmatched ease — a tendency that breeds a dangerous and false sense of independence.

As purely a numbers game, there is a new majority in the national political arena, according to a recent study by the Center for American Progress.

Geographic and demographic changes, including a vast agenda shift, have peeled away the 20-year-old Reagan coalition that sustained the Republican Party through seven election cycles.

Attributed in part to burgeoning minority populations in the nation’s most populous cities, the shrinking clout of the white working class in battleground states and the rise of secular voters, the report contends that“a new progressive America is on the rise.”

As the nation forges a new path, the go-it-alone tradition in Texas survives, as radically conservative legislation this session stymies much of our state’s progress. How does Texas’ treatment of three controversial issues— voter ID, stem cell research and the teaching of evolution in public schools compare to how the rest of the country is dealing with these issues?

Disenfranchising Texas’ minorities The voter ID bill, which would require Texans to provide some form of photo identification — or two identifying documents — before casting a ballot, is perhaps the most contentious bill this session.

Republicans worry that loose voting restrictions will give rise to massive voter fraud attempts (of which there hasn’t been a great history in the state) while Democrats maintain that the bill will result in disenfranchised voters, most of them Democrats (the elderly, minorities, etc). Senate Democrats hold that the bill, which would strip off nearly

three to four percentage points for Democratic candidates, is merely an attempt by Republicans to offset what many political observers contend is the strongest Democratic Party the state has been in decades.

Politics aside, everyone can support comprehensive, level-headed legislation to ensure that every qualified voter in the state has his or her vote, but this bill could cause catastrophic disenfranchisement.

According to Sen. Leticia Van de Putte’s office, the secretary of state reported that 8 percent of all newly registered voters since 2006 — approximately 1 million of the state’s 13.5 million registered voters — indicated they did not have a drivers license or a social security number.

One would have to be blind to see how this bill would not hamper minorities and seniors, who must face yet another hurdle on their way to the polls.

If Texas wants to ensure voter confidence and a robust, democratic system, it should find another way to prevent voter fraud, especially when similar bills in other states have had only mixed results.

A Brown University study found that in the 19 states that required some form of identification between 1996 to 2004, voting was depressed among low-income citizens, but not the elderly. Meanwhile, a University of Missouri study found a two percent increase in voter turnout between 2002 and 2006 in Indiana, which has the strictest voter ID law.

The Senate passed the bill more than a month ago with a party-line vote, and it is now moving through the committee process in the House.

Thwarting progressive research After President Obama lifted the federal ban on embryonic stem cell research last month, promising that the government’s scientific decisions would be free from political influence, Texas produced its own backward answer.

A provision inserted in the state’s budget by State Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, would prohibit state funding of re-

search on embryonic stem cells.

Despite Texas researchers and academics calling attention to the disadvantages of the provision, Ogden chose to not let the issue stand as a bill in its own right, instead adding it as a rider to the state budget bill, answering that it wouldn’t go through public testimony.

In pursuit of Ogden’s categorically destructive provision, the state’s ability to lead the nation in researching cures for debilitating diseases and attracting biotech jobs would be hugely hampered. In fact, a study by economists at the University of North Texas revealed the state could lose out on more than 100,000 jobs in the next five years if it restricts stem cell research.

The Senate passed their version of the budget, including the provision and this week the issue took center stage in the House, whose version of the budget is about $4 billion smaller.

Agenda-ridden curricula

On the subject of science, the social conservatives on the State Board of Education recently tried to force teachers and textbooks to expound on the “weaknesses” of the theory of evolution.

Chairman Don McLeroy went so far as to ask students to learn how the gaps in fossil records disprove evolution and referred to Charles Darwin as a “man who basically came up with philosophical speculation.”

If there is any philosophical speculation involved in this debate, it is clearly on the side of religious instruction in the classroom. Proponents of teaching the weaknesses of evolution want nothing more than to poke holes in evolution to make room for the bogus “science” of creationism.

But, at least here, they were defeated.

It is time the most conservative actors in the Texas Legislature and on the State Board of Educaiton, who continue act as if 2008 was an outstanding year for their party, feel the earth shifting beneath them and stop trying to turn back the clock.

Cervantes is a government sophomore.

Celebrating Women’s Week

By Katie Wanamaker & Muneezeh Kabir Daily Texan Guest Columnists We could not be more different from one another. We are white and brown, lesbian and straight, underclassman and upperclassman, type A and type B. We are particular about our competing loyalties to Central Market and Whole Foods.

We major in government and English; effectively, we are political and romantic.

We met at the orientation for our jobs as student staff members of the Gender & Sexuality Center. It was an unlikely pairing, to be sure.

The first assignment that brought us together was, incidentally, writing an article as two women testifying to the stigma around male victims of domestic violence. We found common ground in the way we think — we reserve judgment, we advocate for the marginalized, we correct misinformation and perhaps most importantly, we do it with a smile.

Eventually, we bonded. As student leaders in the LGBT and women’s communities on campus, we shared stories and stress over planning events, managing agendas and communicating strategies. These conversations eventually were

interjected with comments about Kiehl’s products, boat shoes, Marc Jacobs, relationships and family matters.

And as the pinnacle of our semesters approached — the Queer Texas Conference and the production of the “The Vagina Monologues” — we made conscious efforts to be there for one another as allies, as friends and as women. We have come to learn from one another by example. We encourage one another to be more ambitious, more passionate. And though we are endlessly supportive, we challenge one another to grow.

This is the true spirit of women. The compassion and support we lend to one another as women, historically a difficult group to organize on this campus, is integral to our work. Despite the differences between our causes, it is the alliance we have built with one another that will be most helpful as we push for progress.

This week, we ask all women to remember that it is the relationships we build with other women and the solidarity we form that make us stronger and ultimately better.

Wanamaker is a government sophomore and Kabir is an English honors junior.

5A

STATE&LOCAL

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Kinky begins raising funds for governor’s race

By Pierre Bertrand Daily Texan Staff Texas icon Kinky Friedman continues to mull over another run for governor.

Friedman filed paperwork with the state Tuesday that would allow him to raise funds for a potential campaign. That same day, he launched an exploratory committee that would look into the feasibility of a run for governor. “We are going to travel Texas and visit with as many people as possible,� said Abel Dominguez, a San Antonio lawyer and Friedman’s appointed treasurer. “He feels very strongly about many things in Texas. We want to know what the people of Texas want from their governor.�

Friedman lost his 2006 run for governor as an independent. This time around, he may run as a Democrat. “I have always identified with the Democratic Party,� Friedman told The Daily Texan. “All my heroes are Democrats. Last time was a tactical mistake.�

“I think people will pay attention and respond seriously to the campaign, especially if they see a serious campaign.� — Jim Hightower, Kinky Friedman’s political adviser

Friedman said his ticket to the Governor ’s Mansion relies on motivating and mobilizing the various grassroots organizations in the same way President Barack Obama did during his campaign.

He said he will revert back to the support system he built as a candidate three years ago and unify the state’s independents and Democrats.

“Obama has brought a spiritual change in the country, and I think Texas has gotten shortchanged,� he said. “If you don’t have the grassroots, you’re dead.

They have to get excited.�

Jim Hightower, Friedman’s political adviser, said the potential campaign’s initial strategy would be to clinch the Democratic nomination. He said he believes Friedman has a chance to do so because he plans on running a more serious campaign than he has in the past. “I think people will pay attention and respond seriously to the campaign, especially if they see a serious campaign,� Hightower said. “He’s willing to take a strong stance on the issues and challenge the powers that be, and he really does give a damn about our air and water.�

The Friedman campaign will have the unique job of reversing common perceptions of him as a novelty item rather than a legitimate candidate, but there, too, Friedman relies on Obama. Friedman said he hopes to emerge as a serious candidate as Obama did early in the election season.

As part of the exploratory committee, Dominguez said he will start touring the state with Friedman in the early summer and expects to start visiting rural communities outside the San Antonio area.

The determining factor on whether Friedman runs will be Texas’ reaction to his policies. “It’s very embryonic right now,� he said. “What we have to ask ourselves is, ‘Do you want to win?’�

Chris Glisan, an Austin realtor who supports Friedman, said he was disappointed to see Friedman lose his first campaign. “The No. 1 issue for me is that he is from Central Texas,� Glisan said. “Being from Central Texas, he’ll have the frame of mind that will cater to my needs.�

For Friedman, there is no doubt he is serious about potentially running. “To lose the governorship like I did and come again, you have to be serious,� he said. “No one would want to do this as a joke.�

Lara Haase | Daily Texan Staff

Kinky Friedman announced this week that he has formed an exploratory committee to begin raising funds for a possible run for the Texas governorship. He is considering running as a Democrat in 2010, unlike his 2006 run as an independent.

By Pierre Bertrand Daily Texan Staff The city of Austin plans to cut down 28 diseased trees at Barton Springs Pool by early May. Officials presented their plan Wednesday to uproot the trees outside the pool’s entrance, which may threaten the safety of patrons. “We did an extensive assessment of the trees, and we do not have a viable treatment for them,� said Walter Passmore, the city’s urban forestry program manager. “We are saving 160 other trees by conducting maintenance.�

A series of different scans showed that the trees are stressed and not healthy.

Projections measured low nutrition levels in the trees’ leaves, as well as in the soil surrounding them.

Another scan showed a radar image of the trees’ interior, which found that the trees were structurally unsound from within and thus have to be removed, Passmore said.

The trees’ positions near the water encouraged growth, but the proximity to concrete and foot traffic limited root growth, causing the trees to be weak against rot and other diseases, Passmore said.

The study ended in March, and the condemned trees surpassed the maximum level of risk allowed by the city, Passmore said. “Based off of their size, I suspect the trees are about 100 years old,� Passmore said. “It will be a pretty big initial impact. I’m not going to pretend like it’s not going to hurt tearing these trees down.�

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6A

NEWS

GUNS: Full House to take up

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Enjoying Barton Creek sunlight

concealed carry on campus From page 1A individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in the militia, but the question remains whether or not this right applies to the states.

Raymond Kessler, a criminal justice professor at Sul Ross State University, said the Heller case attempted to clarify the meaning of the Second Amendment and that the focus of the court’s opinion was on arms for self-defense. “Like all constitutional rights, this right is not absolute,� Kessler said. “Whether the amendment applies against state governments is currently an open question. Thus, at this point, the amendment has no effect on state legislation.�

He said the court failed to clearly specify the standard of review to be used in Second Amendment cases when an individual challenges a law. “The Second Amendment, like most of the parts of the Bill of Rights, should apply against the states,� Kessler said. “Further, I believe the Second Amendment should trigger the highest level of scrutiny, requiring government to provide strong justification.�

Kessler said that if strict scrutiny were applied to the states, a state ban on carrying on campus with a concealed-handgun license would be unconstitutional.

Eugene Volokh, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said the Texas Constitution gives power to lawmakers to prevent crime but that the question remains whether the Legislature should restrict carrying guns in certain places and certain ways. “The constitutional matter is not imperative, but at the same time it’s a matter of good policy,� Volokh said. “Protecting the right to self-defense is an important moral right. My sense is that allowing concealed carry is, generally speaking, a good idea.�

The concealed-carry bill would

allow students to obtain a license to carry handguns on campus. In order to obtain a license, a person must be at least 21 years old, pass a background check, complete a safety training course and be “of sound mind.� “The kind of people who get the licenses, you don’t have to worry about,� Volokh said. “The kind of people who worry about committing murders don’t carry around permits. People worry about mass shooters, but it’s not like he isn’t going to do the shooting if he doesn’t have a permit.�

Volokh said it is possible that the use of guns on campus may lead to more crimes, but said it is hard to see why it would be any different than carrying around a gun on the street, which is currently legal in Texas.

Paul Finkelman, an Albany Law School professor and former UT history and law professor, said that from a constitutional standpoint, the Texas Legislature has the right to allow concealed carry on campus, but he questioned the logic of state legislators. “I think no one ever accused the Texas Legislature of being smart,� Finkelman said. “It seems to be an inordinately stupid plan because it means any lunatic can come on campus with a gun.�

He said he was surprised that anyone in Texas would consider wanting to have guns on state campuses, particularly UT. “Given the history of UT when someone climbed up a tower and started shooting people, ‌ what are these people thinking?â€? Finkelman said.

He said the Supreme Court rulings have basically said they are free to regulate fire arms. “The sociological evidence is clear that if guns are handy, people will use them,� Finkelman said. “Having such a rule is an encouragement of death and mayhem at the University of Texas. There is no other way to describe it.�

Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

Yolanda Cortes, a visitor from Brooklyn, spends a sunny day at Barton Springs pool with local families.

TUITION: Officials claim applicant numbers will drop From page 1A option for some students but not for all. ... Guaranteed, fixed tuition comes at a cost: A student pays more up front, and the additional cost is passed on to the state or other students.�

Officials like Cigarroa and UT President William Powers, have hinted that a cap endorsed by Branch and Rose in the House and state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, DLaredo, in the Senate best balances concerns over a lack of higher education funding and rising tuition costs.

Former UT Student Government President Keshav Rajagopalan testified in favor of Rose’s proposal to cap tuition increases

at 6 percent, and said Rose’s plan is being considered for endorsement by SG. Cigarroa and officials from other Texas colleges emphasized the need for shared responsibility between tuition-paying students and legislative appropriations. “We have two ways to get money: the student or the state,� said Texas Tech System Chancellor Kent Hance. “If you limit us and say ‘OK, we’re freezing it,’ and we can’t increase it, you have to give us additional money.�

Raymund Paredes, head of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, said rising tuition costs had no noticeable impact on the number of applicants or new-

ly enrolled students at Texas public universities, but that the lack of impact was unsustainable. “We know this can’t last forever,� Paredes said. “We will see it; we just haven’t seen it yet.�

Students are having to bear a greater portion of the cost of education as state funding declines.

The state now pays $300 less per student and students $1,500 more per student for a college education since tuition deregulation was enacted in 2003.

UT law student Victoria Lauterbach, who testified in favor of Rose’s bill, said applications and enrollment numbers were not the only way to measure the impact of tuition reform. The negative impact of tuition increases

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can be seen in student debt rates and job choices. “One way is to look at the kind of hole students have dug for themselves when they graduate,� Lauterbach said. “A lot of us want to go and work in the government in some way or enroll in a service program, but students are having to look to the private sector for jobs that offer a higher salary to pay off the debts they’ve piled up.�

Legislators have nominally acknowledged that tuition re-regulation would not come cheap. “If we adopt any one of these bills, we’re going to have to dramatically increase funding for higher education,� said state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler.

7A

STATE&LOCAL

Thursday, April 16, 2009

POLICE: Taser

use attracts controversy From page 1A

but couldn’t move a muscle.

I had no trouble breathing and did not lose control of my bladder.

The instant the current stopped, I felt fine, though my legs were shaky and my calf muscles remained tight for the rest of the day.

Claims of abuse Though the long term medical effects of Tasers have not been widely studied, recent medical research indicates they are safer than other methods of immobilizing a suspect. “These are remarkably safe weapons overall,� said William Bozeman, an emergency medicine specialist at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Bozeman and a team of medical researchers published an independent study in 2009 that looked at about 1,200 physician reports of Taser victims.

Only three of the victims suffered serious injuries, two of them resulting from falls.

Other studies indicate Tasers have lower injury rates than other non-lethal tactics like pepper spray, batons, police dogs and brute force.

But the studies have not convinced many critics who say the weapon’s real threat lies not in its design, but in its potential for abuse. “[Bozeman’s study] misses the point,� said Jim Harrington, a civil rights lawyer who directs the Texas Civil Rights Project. “The big problem is the overuse and unnecessary use.�

Harrington’s organization helped a family sue the Odessa Police Department in 2005 after two of its officers used a Taser and pepper spray on diabetic man who was having a seizure at a family barbecue, causing him to break his arm.

The department settled with the family for an undisclosed amount in 2007, said attorney Briana Stone, who represented the family.

The same year a man in San Angelo who had splashed himself with gasoline caught fire when police used a Taser on him, The Associated Press reported.

Taser critics point to hundreds of similar cases — including more than 30 wrongful death suits currently pending against Taser International — and 334 U.S. deaths following Taser usage between 2001 and 2008, according to Amnesty International, though most of the deaths were not attributed to the weapons themselves.

Taser International says its products are safe, and that in cases of misuse, the fault lies with police for failing to properly train their officers. “Any time police tools are being misused, you need to go back and look at the training and policies first,� said company spokesman Peter Holran.

But the quality of that training is hard to analyze. There is no federal or Texas law requiring police agencies to train officers who use Tasers, though many agencies — including UTPD, APD and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office — do so voluntarily.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman is trying this year, for the second legislative session in a row, to pass a moratorium on Taser use until statewide training standards are adopted. “It’s been ridiculous,� Coleman said of police opposition to more regulation. “I almost want to say some of these people are on Taser International’s payroll.�

Though UTPD has not used a Taser on anyone since 2007, nearly every campus patrol officer has been trained to carry a Taser — and to seek immediate medical attention for anyone they use it on. Department policy forbids the weapon’s use against young children, pregnant woman and other high-risk targets.

UTPD Police Chief Robert Dahlstrom, a strong supporter of the weapons, said he hopes that soon his entire department will carry one. “It’s easier to tase [a suspect] than to tackle them,� he said. “I say easier. You can replace that with safer — for the officers and the suspect.�

Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

Barbara Schutz hands out name tags for an interfaith dialogue held at the Texas Hillel about religious perspectives on the economic crisis.

Local religious leaders meet to discuss faith during economic strain

By Priscilla Pelli Daily Texan Staff The University Interfaith Council coordinated with three other campus religious organizations Wednesday night to discuss how different religious traditions understand and are addressing the current financial crisis.

Arban Uka, president of the council, described the group’s purpose as providing a bridge between the different generations and religions on campus.

Pastor Paul Collinson-Streng, the council’s chairman, said the

event allowed attendees to hear different responses to the economic crisis based from an individual’s perspective. “[The University Interfaith Council] takes one faith tradition to another,� Collinson-Streng said. “We try to invigorate a variety of University religious councils among students.�

Three religions were discussed at the event: Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Rabbi David Komerofsky spoke about the Jewish reaction to the current economic crisis. “Jews have been dispropor-

tionately represented in job occupations historically and currently,� Komerofsky said. “Religiously, we need to help people maintain faith in humanity and in themselves in order to solve the economic crisis.�

Bobbie Sanders, spokeswoman for the event’s Christian perspective, held a similar view on dealing with the financial crisis and stated a distinction between two types of poverty that currently affect the nation. “The first type is situational poverty, and the

second is generational poverty,� Sanders said. “The nation has lumped these two categories together but there are clear differences.�

Sanders characterized situa-

tional poverty as a population becoming poor because of current economic trends and generational poverty as a population suffering impoverishment for long periods of time.

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8A

UNIVERSITY

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Lara Haase | Daily Texan Staff

Clinical journalism professor Wanda Cash, left, speaks at a meeting of the Texas Student Media Board Executive Committee on Wednesday morning.

TSM director proposes to cut salaries, not jobs

By Amy Bingham Daily Texan Staff Three jobs may be saved at Texas Student Media through budget revisions proposed during a TSM Board Executive Committee meeting Wednesday morning.

The committee examined ways to cut expenses without eliminating positions from the professional advisory staff of Texas Student Media, which faces budget shortfalls of more than $100,000 for the upcoming fiscal year.

TSM Director Kathy Lawrence proposed to cut salaries rather than jobs in response to outraged complains from student managers and alumni regarding her plan to consolidate six TSM positions into three. That proposal was presented at the board’s March 27 meeting.

“I think the board and I should never be too big or cocky to not think there is a better way,” Lawrence said. “Overall, the integrity of this body will be maintained better with this plan.”

The second proposal shaves $137,000 off the 2009-2010 budget plan in the following ways: A 50percent cut in tuition rebates for student managers of The Daily Texan, Cactus Yearbook, KVRX

“Overall, the integrity of this body will be maintained better with this plan” — Kathy Lawrence, director of Texas Student Media

radio station and Texas Student Television; a 10- percent cut in salaries and benefits for the TSM director, three assistant directors and two professional sales; and a change in the positions of Texan office manager and circulation assistant to half-time.

Texan editorial adviser Richard Finnell said he will retire June 30 and act as a temporary consultant for the newspaper until TSM hires a new, part-time adviser in January.

“We can’t deal with less people here,” said Finnell, who has worked for TSM for 16 years. “[This plan] is not going to solve the whole problem, but it provides short-term relief in terms of financial issues. It all depends on whether the [advertising] sales plan works.”

Under the original proposal, Finnell’s position would have been combined with adviser po-

sitions of the Texan’s advertising supplements, Texas Travesty and the Cactus.

“Richard’s biggest role is being a voice of sanity and the institutional memory,” said Texan Managing Editor Vikram Swaruup. “In a place with a lot of change, he’s the constant. We’ll still have that even though he’ll be part-time.”

The executive committee will revisit the budget on April 29, when it will vote on whether to recommend the new plan to the full TSM Board.

Lawrence said she is confident the board will pass her revised budget, but Swaruup said the details, such as the Texan adviser’s future role, need to be debated.

“It’s not over,” he said. “There is still going to be some ebb and flow between the board, Kathy and the student managers.”

Flash-mob event on Main Mall demonstrates ‘social epidemic’

By Andrew Martinez Daily Texan Staff Hundreds of students unwittingly participated in a class project Wednesday afternoon when they arrived on the Main Mall at precisely 12:55 p.m. for what organizers called the “biggest flash mob UT has ever seen.”

One of the four event organizers, advertising junior Alaina Woodhull, said the purpose of the flash mob was to document the rise of a social epidemic.

Woodhull defined a social epidemic as an idea that has the ability to spread rapidly to a large number of people. One of the focuses of their project was to show how social networking sites like Facebook can speed up this process.

“We created the event at 10:57 [p.m.] on Wednesday the 8th,” said advertising junior Zohaib Waliany. “By the end of the night, over 500 people had confirmed.”

By Wednesday afternoon, the event had 1,416 confirmed guests. Fewer than half actually showed up to the event.

Students began loitering around the Main Mall at 12:45 p.m., 10 minutes before the event

Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

Mohammed Risvi, left, clenches Mohammad Naqvi’s T-shirt during a flash mob in front of the Main Mall. The crowd of people froze for roughly five minutes Wednesday afternoon.

was scheduled to start. It was obvious that something strange was about to happen.

At the sound of a whistle, the entire mass of students froze in place for the next minute and a half. Some people froze in what had to be uncomfortable positions.

One student in a neon-green shirt, his arm pointed skyward, was lifted up by two friends and carried to another location. Staying true to the spirit of the flash mob, he didn’t move an inch.

The entire scene resembled a chaotically arranged wax museum. Students traveling to class navigated the frozen sea of bodies with bemused expressions.

Toward the end of the standstill, two student militants arrived on the scene with duffel bags filled with water balloons.

At 12:57 p.m., they opened fire on the mob of participants.

After the bombardment, the two culprits ran off in the direction of Gregory Gym. They could not be caught for comment.

4B

NEWS

Thursday, April 16, 2009

NEWS BRIEFLY Massage Envy worker arrested for allegedly assaulting patron

Police arrested Austin massage therapist Lawerence Vernett Williams on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a patron.

According to an arrest affidavit, Williams, a 23-year-old employee of Massage Envy at 10515 N. MoPac Blvd., inappropriately touched a female client Feb. 2.

Williams allegedly removed a drape covering the woman and sexually assaulted her with his hand, according to the affidavit.

Routine massages require genitalia to remain covered from vision or physical contact.

The affidavit said the woman had not previously visited the establishment and was assigned to Williams. The victim reported the incident when the massage ended and she had left the business.

Sexual assault is a second-degree felony. If convicted, Williams could face up to 20 years in prison.

According to jail and court records, Williams was released on bail Tuesday and will be represented by Austin attorney Jorge Sanchez. — Samantha Deavin

Tax filing deadline has passed; penalties include interest, fines Those who did not file their taxes or file for an extension Wednesday will face interest and penalties, said Lea Crusberg of the IRS. The penalty is usually 5 percent of the unpaid taxes for each month that a return is late, but the penalty cannot exceed 25 percent of unpaid taxes. Taxpayers are also subject to a failure-to-file and failure-to-pay fees, according to the IRS Web site.

If an extension is filed and at least 90 percent of actual tax liability is paid by the due date, taxpayers will not be faced with a failureto-pay penalty. “Pay your taxes as soon as possible to avoid interest payment,� said James Franklin, director of the accounting program at UT. Franklin said those who did not file their taxes should estimate how much they may owe and pay as soon as possible, which can be done online with debit or credit cards. “Remember to include all your sources of income, which may include things you don’t have receipts for, such as baby-sitting,� he said.

Taxpayers who are single and make less than $8,950 a year usually do not owe taxes and therefore do not have to file, Franklin said.

Franklin said he strongly urges students to seek professional assistance as taxes can be very complicated. Free assistance is provided at the local Austin IRS office, or through the IRS’s toll free number: 800-829-1040. — Natalie Ziskind

Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

Anders Liden, Sweden’s ambassador to the United Nations, delivered a lecture titled “The United Nations and Global Change� at an event hosted by the International Speakers Association.

Swedish ambassador advocates UN expansion

By Priscilla Pelli Daily Texan Staff Sweden’s permanent representative to the United Nations discussed the role of small nations in global change at the Texas Student Union on Wednesday.

Anders Liden spoke about the ways in which a small country like Sweden functions within the United Nations in relation

to larger powers such as Russia or China. He said there are several issues in the structure of the United Nations. “There is a clear issue of division among countries,� Liden said. “Many divide internally on international issues and thus the [United Nations] doesn’t make progress, and counselors remain divided regarding internal affairs. These countries

could easily have repercussions for neighboring countries that might have effects on international security.�

Liden said the United Nations needs to reform its three main powers: security, human rights and development.

Liden said he hopes these reforms will lead to an “enormous expansion of U.N. operations in the world.�

Dave Mauch, media coordinator for the International Speakers Association, said he hoped more students would become involved in international issues through the talk. “We hope to educate people, and more importantly, educate students on the United Nations and foreign policy,� Mauch said.

The campus association was founded last spring by current

president Ameya Latkar. The organization brings speakers to campus to speak about a variety of issues.

Sameer Ramani, vice president of the organization, said the question-and-answer sessions after the talks allow students to learn more about global issues. “It’s mainly spreading knowledge and awareness for global issues,� said Ramani.

TCU cancels plans for gay and lesbian campus housing

The Associated Press FORT WORTH — Texas Christian University will not provide on-campus housing specifically for gay students this fall as previously planned, officials said Monday. “TCU will not launch any new living learning communities at

this time,� TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. said in a statement. “Instead we will assess whether the concept of housing residential students based on themes supports the academic mission of the institution as well as our objective to provide a total university experience.�

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ties, designed for those who want to live with like-minded students.

TCU already has several such communities that will not change, such as one for students who want to become leaders, for 1 interested in the environthose ment and for healthy-living enthusiasts, said TCU spokeswom-

CLASSIFIEDS

an Tracy Syler-Jones.

All others proposed for the fall are no longer being offered, in addition to the DiverCityQ community: “patriotism,� ‘’marine life,� ‘’creativity and the arts,� ‘’Christian perspectives and service� and “community service and teamwork.�

THE DAILY TEXAN

E! E R F d wor

The DiversCityQ community was to open this fall in some campus apartments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students — as well as their heterosexual classmates who support them.

It would have been part of TCU’s living-learning communi-

3B

ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the first day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its officers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, printing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.

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5B

COMICS

Thursday, April 16, 2009

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62 Essential 63 Earthen pots for liquids 64 Big name in ’50s TV 65 Fingers 66 Naughty 67 Scraps Down 1 Point a finger at, say 2 Confine 3 Sartre novel, with “La�

4 Hastens 5 Quiet fishing spot 6 Company started in 1946 at the Detroit and Miami airports 7 Scratch 8 Red carpet walker 9 Shangri-las 10 Out the window 11 Like a saber 12 North Carolina county seat 13 Educ. group 18 Mad workers, for short 22 1992 top 10 hit “Life ___ Highway�

24 Companion of Panza 26 Knight time?

28 Tiger or Twin, briefly 29 Censors have them: Abbr.

30 E-mails: Abbr.

32 “Be ___!�

33 Last digit in a price, often

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Puzzle by David Chapus

34 British author Bagnold 36 Benchwarmers 37 Sang 38 Features of many Olympic broadcasts 43 British fighter plane 45 G.P.’s grp.

48 More like a doornail?

49 Superlatively slippery 50 Frank who wrote “The Pit,� 1903 52 Ingratiating behavior 53 Prepared, as a report 54 Dogfaces

56 Turn-of-thecentury year in King John’s reign 57 ___ chic 58 “That’s enough out of you!�

59 What people who head for the hills do?

61 Popular TV drama set in Las Vegas

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.

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6B

LIFE&ARTS

Fashion student models clothing on architecture

Editor’s note: This is the sixth part in a series about textiles and apparel seniors and their fashion show held at the end of the semester.

By Rachael Schroeder Daily Texan Staff Jessica Collado isn’t afraid of a challenge.

Despite being a textiles and apparel senior, Collado has never been taught how to design clothing for men. That’s goal she has taken on for her collection, which will be shown at the end-of-the-semester fashion show starring the collections of graduating textile and apparel seniors.

“If you’ve never worked with something, your chances of finding a job or an internship are very slim because people want people that have experience in at least a little bit of every aspect of the industry,” she said.

Other pieces in her collection include a non-traditional wedding dress, daywear for women and a jersey dress.

The daywear piece of her collection in particular was inspired by a unique Austin landmark: the downtown Frost Bank.

“It’s a gorgeous building,” she said. “It’s very modern, and I love modern pieces or contemporary pieces of architecture art or anything of that nature.”

Much like the three tiers of the Frost Bank building, the outfit’s vest sleeves are divided into three sections.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Gone fishin’

“I want normal people — college students — to be able to wear the clothes and feel comfortable and confident in themselves.”

— Jessica Collado, textiles and apparel senior Collado describes her overall style as clean with small details. Her dress, for example, was inspired by sleek lines, but it’s composed of hand-dyed turquoise velvet.

At first, Collado was hesitant about using velvet as her fabric because she’d never done it before. But after finally putting it all together, Collado knew shehad created a dress that stands out from the rest.

“I am very satisfied with the way it looks,” she said. “It’s one of those dresses that you actually have to see on a person to admire.”

Collado says she wants her clothes to be marketable to everyone.

“I want normal people — college students — to be able to wear the clothes and feel comfortable and confident in themselves,” she said.

ON THE WEB: Watch video profile @ dailytexanonline.com

Andrew Rogers | Daily Texan Staff

Real estate broker Aldo Berduo fishes for large mouth bass at Emma Long Metropolitan Park in West Austin on Wednesday afternoon.

Berduo said he likes coming to Emma Long on weekdays because it is less crowded than on weekends.

ENTERTAINMENT BRIEFLY Kutcher, CNN wage Internet war for 1 million tweet followers The race for 1 million Twitter followers is on: In one corner is CNN; in the other, Ashton Kutcher.

CNN’s breaking news feed is in the lead with more than 945,000 followers as of Wednesday. Britney Spears and Kutcher were neckand-neck in second, both with around 910,000 followers.

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The 31-year-old actor recently threw down the gauntlet, challenging CNN and its founder, Ted Turner. In a Web video posted earlier this week, Kutcher said he would ding-dong-ditch Turner’s house if he beat CNN to 1 million.

Not to be outdone, King posted a video on YouTube boasting the wrath of his company.

Said King: “Are you kidding? Do you think you can take on an entire network? Do you know how big we are? Do you know what CNN is? Kutcher, you’re playing out of your field. ... CNN will bury you!”

Blagojevich seeking to leave country, star in reality show SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Just when you thought the saga of ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich couldn’t get any stranger, it has.

Blagojevich wants to star on the NBC reality show “I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!” — a program similar to “Survivor” in which contestants will be plopped down in the Costa Rican jungle to perform sweaty physical tasks and throw tantrums for the camera.

First, Blagojevich needs to get

Compiled by Associated Press reports

IN STORES THIS WEEK but the entire record.

Young spent the last few years working with a team of expert mechanics to completely retool his Lincoln Continental to run on alternative fuels. The result of the labor is a cream-colored, eco-friendly, cutting-edge vehicle dubbed “the Lincvolt.”

Fork in the Road has the feel of an album written on the back of a map. The album showcases Young in classic form: He sings about topics he is passionNeil Young ate about, set to a background of Fork in the Road dirty guitar and sloppy solos.

From “Little Deuce Coupe” Young’s song “Ohio,” writby The Beach Boys to “Ca- ten in 1971 as a response to the maro” by The Kings of Leon, shootings at Kent State, estabrock’s love affair with the in- lished him as a talented songternal combustion engine is un- writer and a timely voice of opdeniable. Neil Young’s new al- position. Thirty-eight years latbum Fork in the Road takes this er, Young is singing about our relationship to a new level: His dependence on foreign oil, a 1959 Lincoln Continental in- flawed economic system and the spired not just a song or two, possibility of new technologies

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Judge James B. Zagel to let him leave the country inspite of his pending criminal case. He was ordered to surrender his passport after his arrest on charges that included trying to sell off President Barack Obama’s vacant Senate seat.

The biggest benefit to Blagojevich would be the opportunity to portray himself as a regular guy to millions of people. Of course, appearing on a style of TV show that thrives on conflict and humiliation, he also risks coming across as a kook or a prima donna.

that coincide with America’s love of automobiles. The topics have changed, but his abilities have only sharpened.

Ultimately, Fork in the Road fits into Young’s discography just like the Lincoln in his garage — it is a well-crafted work of art fueled by changing times. Like the cars in his garage, whether powered by gas or electricity, all that matters is if the thing moves.

Fork in the Road makes it clear that Young still has plenty of miles left in him.

— Lawrence Lander

Metric Fantasies

Fantasies, Metric’s latest album, is as enticing as the band’s frontwoman Emily Hanes.

Metric’s previous album, Live It Out, was released in 2005, and the time spent recording Fantasies in the fouryear gap between albums was well spent. As a whole, there is a subduing of the frenzy, but Metric does not lose its trademark sound: poppy drumbeats, heavy guitar and a dash of a quirky synthesizer.

Fantasies fulfills its appropriately titled promises. The song “Gold Guns Girls” is a scornful, sexually charged dance track with lyrics like, “All the toys and the tools in the box couldn’t get you off.”

The album’s explicit lyrics offset Hanes’ melodic voice.

“Help I’m Alive” showcases how her vocals range from a pixie-like trill down to a sultry hum in a few guitar strums.

Promiscuity and broken hearts inundate the songs, but Hanes evokes a compelling independence. Altogether, Fantasies is an evolution of thought, from the most frivolous to the most difficult struggle.

— Amber Genuske

MOVIE COLUMN

Hollywood cultivates diversity, taps global market

By Vijay Parthasarathy Daily Texan Staff Any attempt to pin down Hollywood in the 2000s and attach to it a definitive identity is fraught with risk, since identities are fluid, messy and contestable.

Movies vary greatly in theme and treatment, if not so much in structure, although Quentin Tarantino continues to exert influence in the shaping of alternative narratives.

Nevertheless, it is clear that Hollywood has grasped its global potential. This process of self-reflection began with “Titanic” in 1996, and has matured with summer blockbusters such as the “Spiderman” franchise.

Sony has long operated on the cutting edge of technology. Earlier this decade it brilliantly marketed the “Spiderman” movies through PlayStation; now comes the news that it has cut a deal to license films to YouTube and Hulu. It will be fascinating to see how the Internet continues to shape film industries worldwide.

Film production companies are acutely aware that, while there are hundreds of millions of dollars to be made at home, the box office collections from abroad are on par with domestic collections.

The threat of movie piracy must be fought with vigor, but DVD sales haven’t significantly dwindled. So while the U.S. remains the primary film market, production and distribution companies are increasingly viewing global markets as a secondary collective.

This influences casting in interesting ways. For instance, Jet Li has established himself since 2000’s “Romeo Must Die” as a viable leading man in the action genre.

As a result, companies have shown willingness to invest more cash in already big-budget films. Flashy flicks such as “Ocean’s Eleven” subsidize the production of smaller independent projects. It seems safe to speculate that George Clooney would agree to make “Ocean’s Fifteen” if it gave him the clout to make a movie about Darfur.

While Hollywood itself is no longer exclusively American, it has not succumbed to an identity crisis. It’s fair to say that the American movie industry has spotted opportunity in its newfound diversity.

It has attempted to attract the best talent from other nations, although it must be said that, owing mainly to cultural differences, not every such experiment has worked.

Nevertheless, even as more productions head abroad and a larger number of directors, actors and technicians arrive from Mexico, Spain, South Korea and Scotland, these movies continue to come with a distinct Hollywood stamp, one that guarantees impressive production value.

Story lines, though familiar, are no longer insular.

“Slumdog Millionaire” spoke to universal themes such as love while fitting the archetype of the American dream into an Indian context.

Films such as “Iron Man” engage in discussions of global issues, and the film even hints at complicity between American rogue elements and terrorists.

Some may argue that “Iron Man” falls into a predictably paternalistic and over-simplistic superhero conceit.

Regardless, the terrorist attacks perpetrated on American soil at the start of this decade, which defined consciousness for an entire American generation will continue to find resonance and expression in Hollywood in the decade to come.

7B

LIFE&ARTS

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Duo adapts complex sound to play live Lymbyc System changes set lists, instrumentation to accommodate venues

By Andy O’Connor Daily Texan Staff It’s April now — only four months into 2009 and we’ve already lost our commitment to resolutions and are praying for next year to come. But there was a time when 2009 seemed exciting, and Lymbyc Systym remembers that time.

The band opened for Broken Social Scene as part of the grand re-opening of Bass Concert Hall.

While that show is arguably the largest crowd that brothers Jared and Mike Bell have played, they weren’t intimidated by its size.

“I’m sure we feed off the crowd differently from show to show, but once we go to play a show, we don’t notice how many people are there,” Jared said.

Jared said that the Bass concert was one of their “rowdier” shows. By “rowdy,” he means the crowd was much more vocal in their positive reception.

He also mentioned that opening for more up-tempo rock groups like Broken Social Scene causes the band to use more of their “rocking” songs.

“We’ll throw together the most up-tempo, loudest songs and smash them together,” Jared said.

While Jared likes playing concert halls for their acoustics, he also enjoys playing clubs, because not only is the crowd closer, but the duo can also take more liberties with its set list, he said.

“It’s nice when it’s your own show and you can orchestrate a set from [the] rise and fall between louder and softer songs,” Jared said.

At a first glance it may be difficult to see what is “rocking” about Lymbyc Systym’s music. The music ebbs and flows between ambient electronics, breezy arpeggios and glockenspiels, but the music is also full of jarring crescen-

Courtesy of Amanda Longtain

Brothers Jared and Mike Bell, who make up the duo Lymbyc System, make complex, multi-instrumental music despite having only two members and living in different states. dos and booming electronic melodies. Their music can be subtle and full-on at the same time.

In the studio, Jared handles the melodic sections of the music while Mike works with the drums, percussion and programming. The duo does not have specific bands it names as influences, but instead, it tries to be influenced by the “essence” of a particular type of music.

“Nada Surf, for example, are really great at knowing how to craft a pop song,” Jared said. “How can we take that idea and put it to our music? I feel like instrumental music gets stuck a lot of time — there’s a set way people think in-

COOK: Curry a good meal

to last the entire week From page 8B ion handy. I would have liked some broccoli and mushrooms too, but the beauty of this dish is that it doesn’t matter what you put in it. I sliced the carrot into thin rounds and chopped the pepper and onions into 3/4-inch pieces. These cooked in the sauce, and when the tofu had browned I added it to the mix as well. The final ingredient was, of course, cur-

ry powder — about 1 1/2 tablespoons. I mixed everything together, removed it from the heat and ate it with the rice.

My favorite thing about curry is that not only does it last all week in the fridge, but it actually gets better as it marinates. Although I lost an hour that I could have spent studying or socializing on Monday, I’ll have an instant, satisfying, home-cooked dinner to enjoy all week long.

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“The longer we’ve been apart, the more we send music back and forth, it’s weirder and crazier, in a good way.”

— Jared Bell, Lymbyc Systym band member strumental music should be.”

The brothers are originally from Phoenix, but Mike moved to Austin two years ago. Jared moved to Brooklyn not long after. They send each other files to make demos and meet up any chance they get to record songs.

Jared mentioned that being apart

allows the duo to pursue different musical interests, which makes for interesting results in Lymbyc Systym’s music.

“The longer we’ve been apart, the more we send music back and forth, it’s weirder and crazier, in a good way,” he said.

What’s more challenging, ac-

cording to Jared, is having only two band members. He says that the more complex instrumentations — “strings, horn parts, all types of stuff” — of the band’s more recent songs makes arranging for the live show more difficult.

“We really have to pick and choose what are the important melodies,” Jared said. “At the same time, it’s also really awesome because we have to come up with a creative way to make a song entertaining live and still get the general idea across.”

Lymbyc Systym will be playing Emo’s tonight with Loxsly and Haunting Oboe Music.

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LIFE&ARTS

B

Thursday, Month 16, 2009

Life&Arts Editor: Ana McKenzie E-mail: lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2209 www.dailytexanonline.com

T HE DAILY T EXAN

One hour of cooking provides for week’s meals Easy single-pan recipes such as Thai curry allow for ready-made dinners

By Mia Avramescu Daily Texan Staff I refuse to let budget and time constraints force me into eating microwavable macaroni and cheese. Instead, I try to set aside an hour each Monday to cook dishes that I can heat up throughout the week.

It’s healthier, sometimes cheaper and always more satisfying than the Easy Mac alternative.

This week I made curry — sort of. I made something that involves many ingredients traditionally found in Thai curries — at least at American Thai restaurants.

I tell you this not to pass on a particularly amazing or innovative recipe, but rather to show you that college students, regardless of monetary limitations and lack of culinary skills, can live off their own cooking.

I love curry, or my version of it, because it is a onepan dish and it doesn’t require precision. A key element of cooking frugally is being able to use whatever you have on hand and substituting ingredients.

The only items I purchased specifically for this recipe were a block of tofu and a can of coconut milk. The rest I found in my fridge or pantry.

This recipe isn’t my own, but I can’t exactly point to its source. It is loosely based on a combination of the panang tofu curry recipe from Epicurious.com (but it is not a panang curry) and a recipe I found at About.com by Googling “tofu coconut curry.� It’s also heavily influenced by what I happened to have in my fridge.

I started by pressing the tofu

Nancy Rosenthal | Daily Texan Staff

The Prudent Student, right, cooks a curry dish in her apartment on Monday night. “I just wanted a recipe where I could throw everything in one pan,� said the Plan II sophomore. (one block, extra firm) between a cutting board and a textbook to remove excess water. Meanwhile, I put some brown rice on the burner to simmer while I worked on the main dish.

Va g u e l y fo l l o w i ng the About.com instructions, I heat-

ed 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and added two cloves finely chopped garlic, half a cup of green onions and a generous grating of fresh ginger. (Frugal tip: For a longer shelf life, keep ginger wrapped in a plastic bag in

your freezer after cutting it.)

After that, I got bored of following recipes. Since I didn’t have chili paste, I added a packet of leftover red pepper flakes to the pan. (I don’t recommend this substitution, but it sufficed.)

I poured in the can of coconut milk and stirred the sauce while commissioning my roommate to fry the tofu, in 1-inch cubes, in another pan. (You can skip this step, but if you want crispy tofu, this will be a two-pan

dish. Also consider substituting chicken.) To complete the sauce, I squeezed in the juice of half a lime.

I happened to have carrots, a red pepper and a yellow on-

COOK continues on page 7B

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