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THE DAAILY I TEXAN

TOMORROW’S WEATHER

SPORTS PAGE 7

LIFE&ARTS PAGE 12 Hump Day: sex and the disabled

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Jobs lay dormant in UTMB facilities By Lena Price Daily Texan Staff Although the nationwide unemployment rate has hit nearly 10 percent, Galveston and the University of Texas Medical Branch are in an unusual situation with more available jobs than they have people to fill them. More than one year after Hurricane Ike caused UTMB to cut 25 percent of its workforce — about 2,500 jobs — only 1,000 positions have been refilled. Because of the influx of money to repair the city and the hospital after the hurricane, there is now an increased need to fill those positions quickly. UT economics professor Daniel Hamermesh said labor shortages due to disasters are not uncommon, but they are not normally followed so quickly by an increased demand for people to fill the positions. “What is quite unusual in this one is that the shortage is a result of both a drop in the supply of workers because people left the [Galveston] Island after Ike, and an increase in the demand for workers because money is pouring in for rebuilding,” Hamermesh said. The state legislature authorized $1.1 billion to improve UTMB operations in the state’s two-year budget beginning Sept. 1. To fill the positions quickly and permanently, Hamermesh said employers need to offer more money to draw people to Galveston. “The island is somewhat isolated,” Hamermesh said. “People don’t move unless they have a substantial incentive. Either lots of money now, or a believable promise of a long-term job.” Cindy Stanton, UTMB’s director of recruiting, said most of the vacancies are in the hospital and clinics. UT science graduates may be able to take advantage of some of the empty slots at the branch, she said. “Because of the need to be productive as soon as possible, there are not many entry-level positions in the hospital and clinics,” Stanton said. “However, we have research positions open that are well-suited for some science graduates. We actively recruit UT and other graduates for our research positions.”

RECRUIT continues on page 2

Stephen Keller | Daily Texan file photo

More than one year after Hurricane Ike, UTMB still looks to refill many positions cut after the storm.

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A defense against development

Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan Staff

Bo McCarver, chairman of the board of directors of the Blackland Community Development Corporation, stands in the foyer of a house he is renovating with Blackland residents. McCarver helped prevent UT from expanding into Blackland territory in 1992 and currently works with UT to negotiate future plans for the community.

East Austinites strive to protect neighborhood from UT expansion By Hudson Lockett Daily Texan Staff Seventeen years after the end of a land battle with UT, residents of a small East Austin community remain wary of the University’s plans for expansion along their western border. Residents of Blackland, a community of 38 homes just east of UFCU Disch-Falk Field, began a

round of meetings Sept. 12 with city entities. Residents spoke with Jim Walker, UT’s director of sustainability, earlier this month to address their concerns regarding the expansion of East Campus. The neighborhood association will meet with the city of Austin and plans to approach Capital Metro, said Michael Garrison, chairman of the Land Use

Committee for the Blackland Neighborhood Association. The end result will be a revised neighborhood plan meant to preserve the area’s multiethnic culture and community while still accounting for growth, he said. “That’s a fine tightrope to walk,” Garrison said. At the Sept. 12 meeting, Walker said recent land purchases by

UT in the East Campus area near UFCU Disch-Falk Field were not made with any grand developmental purpose in mind.

The original battle The meeting comes 17 years after the residents’ decade-long

COMMUNITY continues on page 2

Organization insures Austin musicians Local artists perform benefit concert for health alliance that provides medical access By Jordan Haeger Daily Texan Staff Musician Jenny Reynolds still makes payments to hospitals in Massachusetts for her pneumonia treatment from six years ago because, at the time, she didn’t have insurance. Since then, Reynolds has moved to Austin where the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians works to provide health care for full-time musicians who cannot afford it. Reynolds and dozens of other local musicians performed at various businesses around town Tuesday to raise money for the Austin Musicians Bene-

fit Day. Each participating business donated 5 percent of its profits for the day to the alliance. The organization promotes solidarity and good health practices among Austin musicians, Reynolds said. Harmoni Kelley, bass guitarist in Austin alt-rock band, Jeremy Neil and the Incidents, has been a client of the alliance for two years after she was referred by a friend. “I wouldn’t have health insurance,” Kelley said. “Because of them I can go to the doctor.” In order to qualify for the alliance’s services, Kelley said she had to prove she was a working musician, and they adjusted her co-pay based on her income. This year, the benefit received a

MUSICIANS continues on page 5

Eric Ou | Daily Texan Staff

Singer/songwriter Jenny Reynold performs outside Pita Pit to support health care for local musicians.

With little debate, Student Government approves election code revamp By Viviana Aldous Daily Texan Staff Candidates running for Student Government offices next spring will face new election rules after the Assembly approved minimally debated changes to the election code. The changes will affect elections for SG and any other entity that chooses to use the election code. Entities will not be forced to use the code, but SG encourages a universal system for elections. University-wide representatives Carly Castetter and Alex Ferraro proposed the changes, which passed through two SG committees before reaching the floor for a vote. The revisions include a new selection process for the Election Supervisory Board, which oversees elections. Previously, the SG president appointed the superviso-

ry board chair, who then selected board members. Under the changes, Universitywide applications will allow anyone interested in elections to apply for the board. The heads of the entities that use the election code will select the nine board members. Those members will then select a chairperson among themselves. The changes also remove jurisdiction over election matters from the judicial commission, which will only settle internal disputes regarding the SG constitution. Previously, if the supervisory board were to determine that a candidate violated the election code, the candidate could appeal the decision to the judicial commission. But in the future, all appeals will be immediately sent to the appellate court, which consists of a faculty member and two students from UT’s School of Law.

now defines “campaigning” and “endorsing.” “Endorsing is expressing your or an organization’s support for a candidate,” Ferraro said. “Campaigning is directly soliciting votes for a candidate. Endorsing usually falls under campaigning, but not all campaigning is endorsing. We broadened the definitions to make it clearer when a disclaimer is needed by an officer [of an entity].” Last spring, controversy arose during the SG elections when both the supervisory board CoChairman César Martinez Espinosa and former SG President KesEric Ou | Daily Texan Staff hav Rajagopalan campaigned for University-wide representatives Alex Ferraro and Carly Castetter rein- executive alliance Liam O’Rourke troduce their proposed revisions to election rules. and Shara Ma. Rajagopalan used his title in e-mails showing sup“The members [of the appel- which is what we want,” Castetter port for O’Rourke, which was a late court] are very impartial, far- told The Daily Texan last week. violation of the election code. removed from SG and objective, In addition, the election code Under the revisions, members

of the supervisory board and candidates cannot endorse or campaign for any other candidate. Leaders of organizations that use the election code can, for example, send an e-mail to members of their organizations showing support for a candidate as long as they include a disclaimer stating their views do not reflect the views of their organization. With the disclaimer, those leaders can include their position in the organization. The assembly also approved a resolution supporting the creation of an election Web site run by the supervisory board. The Web site would provide users with information about candidates, including which organizations endorsed them. The new election code requires candidates to expressly

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NEWS

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

COMMUNITY: Residents, UT seek common ground, compromise From page 1 fight to maintain their homes, which were threatened by the expanding campus. Walker said the meeting allowed him to gather input from members of the community during the earliest stages of developing a new campus master plan for UT. The plan, created in the early 1900s, was last updated in 1999. The University is about due for a new version of the plan as most of the projects envisioned in the early ‘90s have come or are coming to fruition, Walker said. “You don’t just do one and never do one again,� he said. The land battle started in 1982, when UT began purchasing property in Blackland through a contract with a real estate firm under the name of a front corporation, JAM, Inc. In April of that year, The Daily Texan uncovered the company through an open records request, and a year later, the Blackland Community Development Corporation was founded to resist the University’s physical expansion. Bo McCarver, a Blackland resident, was a chronicler and participant in the conflict. “It was fun to do the research, but it was not fun to do the battle,� McCarver said. The development corporation

obtained state funding and built homes on vacant land UT intended to purchase as it battled and negotiated with the University throughout the decade. In 1988, Blackland managed to catch the ear of soonto-be Governor Ann Richards, whose support turned the tide in favor of the community.

Sticking to the truce The end of Blackland’s 10-year real estate battle came in 1992. A truce that set the effective eastern boundary of the Main Campus — a stretch of road less than a mile long called Leona Street — was signed by then-University President William Cunningham and two Blackland representatives. The agreement, set to last until 2052, is not a legally binding contract, and nothing prevents either party from buying land on the other side of Leona. The UT System Board of Regents’ July purchase of six lots just west of the street raised concerns in the community that the truce could soon be broken. Walker said that when updates to the campus master plan happen, the first phase will likely involve East Campus. But he insisted that UT would stick to the agreement while it develops the next master plan. McCarver, now the chair of the board of directors of the Blackland

Community Development Corporation, said he appreciated the effort by UT to keep the neighborhood in the loop. “It’s always good to know what’s going on, even if we don’t like it,� he said. Blackland residents attending the meeting voiced concerns about the potential increase in traffic and non-resident parking the development could bring, and they worried that whatever UT eventually builds will tower over the residential buildings east of Leona. Walker mentioned that the University was applying for stimulus funding to build a parking garage between the baseball stadium and Interstate Highway 35. Resident Daniel Tucek’s suggestion of a buffer zone along Leona to make any height differences more gradual resonated with Dean Almy, an associate professor of architecture and director of the graduate programs in urban design and landscape architecture. “It makes a certain amount of sense to me,� Almy said. Almy and assistant professor Ming-Chun Lee were at the meeting with more than a dozen graduate students who would be working on different hypothetical new campus master plans during the semester. Almy said the less developed Leona-adjacent prop-

May-Ying Lam | Daily Texan Staff

Roderick Riggins, Jamaica Wonodi, Ronnie Herring, Tamaj Jones and Mike Herring watch their basketball fly past during a late afternoon game on Salina Street. The area is part of Blackland neighborhood, where residents have expressed concerns about UT’s expansion along its border. erty was a logical target for use by the land-starved campus. “If you’re really going to tackle an issue, you need to deal with the east side,� Almy said. Graduate student George Mc-

Queen, who studies with Almy, said he was reassured by seeing the University listen to a small community. The proceedings were calm given the short history of the UT-Blackland relationship

SG: Rep. raises endorsement concerns RECRUIT: Graduates are wary of position stability, income From page 1

consent to each endorsement before it is publicized on the election Web site. Graduate representative John Woods expressed concern about listed endorsements leading to a ticket-like system. “There was something that happened here last semester, with the Tuition Relief Now movement,� Woods said at the meeting. “There was sort of a fear that University Democrats would only endorse candidates who were, in their interpretation, in favor of tuition relief. If you went in there and said

[you don’t support tuition relief] to UDems, they might not endorse you. But if you go to the Web site, you’ll just see that UDems endorsed [a candidate], but you won’t see why they endorsed [him or her].� Ferraro said encouraging endorsements in no way encourages a ticket system. “Encouraging organizations to endorse is good,� Ferraro said. “It’ll tell you something about the candidates and give students the ability to see all the organizations that endorsed a candidate. It will get more organizations involved, which will in turn get the whole student body

involved in the process.� Engineering representative Adam Rosen proposed an amendment to allow explanations of endorsements on the Web site. SG President Liam O’Rourke said the changes will allow for more transparent elections. “It was completely necessary to re-evaluate our election process because of what happened last semester and also because our election code was simply out of date,� O’Rourke said. “I don’t think there’s any perfect system. I just know the changes we are making as an assembly will improve the process and allow for more transparency.�

dents he has spoken to have been completely opposed to moving Ray Easterlin, career center di- to Galveston. rector for the College of Natural “It’s a matter of the stuSciences, said dents wanting UTMB has been to know what recruiting biolothe quality of gy and pre-med life will be like majors from UT if they move The stigma that primarily for lab there,� Estertechnician posisurrounds UTMB lin said. “They tions on and off want to know is that they were hit for years. how the facilipretty hard by Ike, “We have a lot ties and research of science students and it’s been tough for centers have who don’t want to been affected.� them to recover.� go right into gradPre-med seuate or medical — Tyler Merceron nior Tyler Merschool,� Esterlin president pre-med senior ceron, said. “They want of the Health to take a year off Professions and earn money Council, said he and work in the knows many of field. UTMB has been a good option the students in health organizafor those students.� tions around campus might be Esterlin said none of the stu- interested in studying or working at UTMB. Although he hasn’t researched job opportunities at the branch, he said he would be hesitant to take a pobreckenridge sition there after he graduates from medical school. Vail ™ Beaver Creek ™ Keystone ™ Arapahoe Basin “The stigma that surrounds 20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price. UTMB is that they were hit pretty hard by Ike, and it’s been plus t/s tough for them to recover,� Merceron said. “I would definitely have to do some more research before considering look ing into a job there.� 1-800"H@>"L>A9 ™ &"-%%",*)".)*(

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Permanent Staff

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jillian Sheridan Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stephen Keller Associate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David R. Henry, Ana McKenzie Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeremy Burchard, Dan Treadway, David Muto, Lauren Winchester News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Beherec Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pierre Bertrand, Austen Sofhauser, Blair Watler Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viviana Aldous, Bobby Longoria, Rachel Platis, Lena Price Enterprise Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Kreighbaum Enterprise Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hudson Lockett Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Green Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cristina Herrera, Nausheen Jivani, Matt Jones Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thu Vo Assistant Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shatha Hussein Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Fausak, Lynda Gonzales, Olivia Hinton Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May-Ying Lam Associate Photo Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryant Haertlein, Peter Franklin, Caleb Miller Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Karina Jacques, Mary Kang,Tamir Kalifa, Peyton McGee, Sara Young Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leigh Patterson Associate Life&Arts Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Barry, Francisco Marin Jr. Senior Features Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Audrey Gale Campbell, Lisa HoLung, Ben Wermund Senior Entertainment Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Doty, Mary Lingwall, Robert Rich Senior DT Weekend Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Genuske Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Talbert Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Will Anderson, Wes DeVoe, Blake Hurtik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Hurwitz, Laken Litman, Michael Sherfield, Chris Tavarez Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolyn Calabrese Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annika Erdman Associate Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Erik Reyna Multimedia Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Juan Elizondo Associate Multimedia Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kara McKenzie, Rachel Schroeder Senior Videographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dane Hurt Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard Finnell

Issue Staff

Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jordan Haegar, Israel Perez, Shabbab Siddiqui, Molly Trice Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Ou, Lauren Gerson, Daniela Trujilo Life & Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kate Ergenbright, Amelia Giller Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Russo Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rishi Daulat, Matt Hohner, Austin Ries Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kelsey Crow, Vicky Ho, Michael Moran Sports/Life&Arts Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Megan Jones Wire Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Waldman Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rachel Weiss, Jermaine Alfonso, Michael Cormier, Katie Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Hailey, Nom Ngueyen, Gabe Alvarez, Amelia Giller Videographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debbie Finley Editorial Cartoonist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rachel Weiss Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsey Estes, Mustafa Saifuddin

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Director of Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jalah Goette Retail Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Corbett Account Executive/Broadcast Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Campus/National Sales Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Bowerman Assistant to Advertising Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.J. Salgado Student Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathryn Abbas Student Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Ford Acct. Execs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Aldana, Anupama Kulkarni, Ashley Walker, Natasha Moonka Taylor Blair, Tommy Daniels, Jordan Gentry, Meagan Gribbin, Jen Miller Classified Clerks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa Lai Special Editions, Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Watts Web Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danny Grover Special Editions, Student Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kira Taniguchi Graphic Designer Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amanda Thomas Senior Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felimon Hernandez

The Daily Texan (USPS 146-440), a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78705. The Daily Texan is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, federal holidays and exam periods, plus the last Saturday in July. Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX 78710. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591) or at the editorial office (Texas Student Media Building 2.122). For local and national display advertising, call 471-1865. For classified display and national classified display advertising, call 471-1865. For classified word advertising, call 471-5244. Entire contents copyright 2009 Texas Student Media.

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that McCarver gave at the meeting, he said. “I think the community and the campus are trying to work together in a very diplomatic way,� McQueen said.

ONLINE:

Parking and Transportation Services Director Bobby Stone addresses common student parking concerns @ dailytexanonline.com

THE DAILY TEXAN Volume 110, Number 75 25 cents

CONTACT US Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Jillian Sheridan (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Stephen Keller (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Web Office: (512) 471-8616 online@dailytexanonline.com Sports Office: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Photo Office: (512) 471-8618 photo@dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classifieds@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.

CORRECTION Tuesday’s article “Brack Tract plans raise faculty woes’ should have said the tract sits on Lady Bird Lake off of MoPac Boulevard 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.

TODAY’S WEATHER Low

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Wire Editor: Beth Waldman www.dailytexanonline.com

WORLD&NATION

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

T HE DAILY TEXAN

Wildfires continue to endanger lives, land in California

Charles Dharapak | Associated Press

President Barack Obama watches as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas shake hands Tuesday in New York.

Peace in Mideast still negotiable By Jennifer Loven The Associated Press NEW YORK — Bristling with impatience, President Barack Obama sternly prodded Israeli and Palestinian leaders to relaunch Mideast peace negotiations Tuesday, grasping a newly personal role in their historic standoff. He won an awkward, stonefaced handshake but no other apparent progress beyond a promise to talk about future talks. There had been hopes for weeks that there might be more to show from the first meeting of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas since Netanyahu took office in March — perhaps even a dramatic announcement by Obama of the resumption of the Mideast peace negotiations that broke off over a year ago. That wasn’t to be. Despite months of effort, the sides remain far apart on a staunch Palestinian precondition for talks: that Israel halt all construction of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territory. Obama has publicly echoed that demand to Israeli leaders — though the Palestinians noted with displeasure that he used the

word “restrain� on Tuesday rather than “halt� or “freeze.� The president hosted the two foes at his New York hotel during a marathon day of diplomacy on the sidelines of this week’s United Nations General Assembly gathering. It was a highstakes gambit that could prove to be a timely personal intervention into the decades-old bloody dispute or a flop that damages Obama’s global credibility on a broader scale. Obama’s Mideast envoy, George Mitchell, said the president took the risk because he believes the moment is uniquely ripe for progress — and because he felt an in-person display of his rising impatience could help. So, instead of announcing a new round of peace talks, Obama announced a newly intensified effort to bring them about. He tasked Mitchell with continuing to meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials while in New York this week, invited negotiators from both sides to come to Washington next week and asked Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to report to him in mid-October on the status. This tightly compressed timeframe, even if not a real deadline, was

designed to inject urgency into the process and “concentrate the mind,� said a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to more freely describe the private meetings. “Simply put, it is past time to talk about starting negotiations — it is time to move forward,� Obama declared, displaying an unusual level of public frustration as he prepared to sit down with Netanyahu and Abbas for joint talks after meeting with each separately. “We cannot continue the same pattern of taking tentative steps forward and then stepping back.� Spanning over two hours all together, the talks found all leaders promising to work to resume peace negotiations but also often using language described as “blunt� and “direct.� Both leaders kept stressing with Obama their own priorities and fears. Obama in return emphasized a need to take risks and give up some things for a bigger goal, said an administration official. According to Mitchell, Obama told the leaders at one point: “The only reason to hold public office is to get things done.� Neither Netanyahu nor Abbas spoke publicly at the meet-

Texas agency ignores misconduct By Danny Robbins The Associated Press DALLAS — The Texas alcohol agency under fire for its raid at a gay bar rarely punishes its officers for misconduct, and officers' supervisors are usually the ones who conduct disciplinary investigations. Experts say that method increases the likelihood of flawed probes and analyses. An Associated Press review of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission's internal affairs logs found that all but 39 of the 234 allegations of excessive force or unprofessional conduct against agents since 2004 have been closed without disciplinary action. Moreover, in nearly every excessive force case AP reviewed, the accused agents' bosses headed the investigations. The allegations included officers improperly tackling, punching and using pepper spray. The agency has a reputation for heavy-handedness and garnered national attention in 2006 when state legislators forced it to cancel a program that aggressively sought to curb public drunkenness through stings in bars. The commission has again drawn scrutiny from its June raid at a Fort Worth gay bar that put a patron in the hospital for a week. Two agents and their supervisor were fired, and an investigation is ongoing. Experts in police practices say it's common for internal affairs cases to be closed without disciplinary action because they often can't be proven. But allowing officers' supervisors to investigate allegations of excessive force is unusual for large or mid-size organizations, experts say. Conducting a probe like that "seriously calls into question the integrity of the investiga-

ing site. In a moment deep in symbolism, however, they engaged in an unsmiling and seemingly reluctant handshake at the start of the sitdown, with dozens of cameras clicking to record the historic moment. “We can do a lot more if we talk to each other,� Netanyahu said after the meeting on CNN. “The possibilities are there. Let’s get on with it.� Obama praised both Israelis and Palestinians for taking the initiative to make improvements. But he made clear they haven’t done nearly enough. “Despite all the obstacles, despite all the history, despite all the mistrust, we have to find a way forward,� Obama said.

The Associated Press MOORPARK, Calif. — New wildfires threatened homes in Southern California on Tuesday as hot and dry Santa Ana winds turned the region tinder. A blaze in rural hills of Ventura County northwest of Los Angeles spread over 6,000 acres — more than nine square miles — threatening the northwestern area of the city of Moorpark, said county fire spokesman Bill Nash. Evacuations were ordered for scattered ranches and homes. Fire Capt. Ron Oatman couldn’t provide a specific number but said numerous homes and electrical infrastructure were threatened. “Don’t wait for an evacuation order if you feel like you’re in danger,� he said. The fire was believed to have been ignited by spontaneous combustion of manure at a ranch, a Sheriff’s Department statement said. Temperatures topped 100 and humidity fell to single dig-

its while winds gusted to 30 mph, Nash said. “Those are all the ingredients you need to make a fast-moving fire,� he said. Air tankers including a DC10 jumbo jet and big helitankers bombarded the flames with retardant and water, while hundreds of firefighters worked on the ground. Two minor injuries to firefighters were reported. The fires were whipped by the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds, which blow from the northeast, speeding up and warming as they descend through mountain passes and canyons and push seaward. The air is extremely dry, lowering humidity levels and making brush easier to burn. The Santa Anas brought with them clouds of ash north and east of Los Angeles in the vast area of the San Gabriel Mountains burned over by a gigantic wildfire that continues to smolder a month after it began.

Lawrence K. Ho | Los Angeles Times

Ventura County firefigters pull a hoseline to extinguish the approaching flames in Southern California on Tuesday.

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Harry Cabluck | Associated Press

An Associated Press review of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has found that it rarely punishes use of excessive force by officers. tion," said Jon Shane, an assistant professor at New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The TABC's policy is similar to those of other Texas agencies with law enforcement authority, said Alan Steen, the commission's administrator since 2003. Steen acknowledged there were problems early in his tenure with the thoroughness of some misconduct investigations, but said the process has improved since new officers were hired to run the internal affairs unit. He said he's comfortable with the accused agents' supervisors investigating such claims as long as there's adequate training and oversight. The commission's 275 agents enforce the laws regulating the sale, possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages. They also have the authority to make arrests for other offenses. Thirty-four other states have similar boards with agents who are peace officers. How much authority each agency has varies,

but Texas is one of the most aggressive, said Ted Mahony, the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association's president and the chief investigator for Massachusetts' state commission. In compiling its own data, the TABC tracks excessive force by recording the total number of complaints received. Using that measure, the agency’s data shows 36 complaints since 2004. TABC spokeswoman Carolyn Beck said the number is miniscule compared to the more than 108,000 citations issued during that period. The AP tabulated its figures by counting each time an allegation was made against an officer. The results indicated that TABC agents have faced excessive force allegations at about the same rate as the Austin Police Department. Mahony said agents often face situations in which force is required because officers have to handle people who are drunk and don't cooperate.

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OPINION

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

T HE DAILY TEXAN

Editor in Chief: Jillian Sheridan Phone: (512) 232-2212 E-mail: editor@dailytexanonline.com Associate Editors: Jeremy Burchard David Muto Dan Treadway Lauren Winchester

GALLERY

HORNS UP, HORNS DOWN UT should have second thoughts on Second Life In an economic slump and, particularly, at a time in which the UT System’s endowment is down $2.6 billion, it seems as though executives would take care to scrutinize even the smallest of System investments. Yet, as The Daily Texan recently reported, the UT System has spent nearly $90,000 — 49 islands for $700 each, plus monthly maintenance fees — on the purchase of “property” in Second Life, the popular Web-based virtual reality world that has recently gained popularity as a classroom learning device at some universities. With Second Life, instructors can, for instance, offer classes and discussion sections in a three-dimensional online world. The $90,000 purchase is small in relation to a System tasked with allocating billions. But with this use of funds, the System can’t help but send the message that it is prioritizing a venture that amounts to an online gimmick — a glorified chat room — at a time in which the economic climate continues to force cuts at UT System schools. As for now, it would serve the System well to reconsider even the smallest of expenditures — especially those that involve virtual islands and flying avatars.

Powers speaks up for faculty plan Faculty members submitted recommendations for the redevelopment of the Brackenridge Tract only to have them ignored, The Daily Texan reported Tuesday. But in UT President William Powers, they seem to have found an ally. On Monday, five UT faculty members presented a plan recommending an expansion of infrastructure for academic purposes on the tract, the 345-acre swath of West Austin land on which a UT field laboratory and municipal golf course now lie. But New York design firm Coopers, Robertson & Partners LLP — which the UT System Board of Regents hired to assess the possibility of maximizing the land’s potential — has disregarded the recommendations and is instead pushing a plan focusing on retail and housing. In an encouraging move, Powers has not stayed quiet, noting his support for the faculty plans, which he says are in the University’s long-term interest, unlike the firm’s recommendations. Powers’ public stance on the matter calls into question the design firm’s performance and the regents’ original move to prioritize an outside party’s recommendations over those of UT faculty. In standing behind faculty, Powers is supporting those who have worked closest with the tract — a commendable move that hopefully portends a smoother redevelopment process to come.

Merit scholarship cuts The Chronicle of Higher Education has reported that more states are cutting back on merit-based scholarships for public university students. As states face dwindling budgets, many are targeting these scholarships as an expendable feature of their public higher education systems. Merit-based scholarship programs often focus on high school grades and require that students maintain certain GPAs and other benchmarks. States looking to cut money from their programs include the universities of Georgia, Michigan and Florida. Maintaining the scholarship programs has become increasingly costly because they have previously been proportional to the cost of tuition, which has risen significantly. Most states have changed that rule to decrease the amount of scholarship money given out to each student. While the recession has forced many universities to cut back on spending, practically abolishing merit-based scholarships will limit an otherwise inaccessible source of funding for students who don’t qualify for need-based money but still need assistance.

GALLERY

The dark side of free speech By Anna Russo Daily Texan Columnist Last Friday, the Texas Union Film Committee hosted a screening of Tucker Max’s upcoming movie “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.” Those of you familiar with Max know that this movie is based on his book and blog that chronicle his drunken escapades and brief relationships with women during his young adult years. The UT screening was controversial, as Max was originally supposed to address the audience after the screening but breached the contract with UT at the last minute. On the movie’s blog, Max says, “fuck them” in regards to UT administration and states that “they were so obscenely difficult and intractable to deal with, we decided to just not do the show.” Film Committee chair Amy Romero said Max was upset because his production team wanted to film the event and that UT would not allow them to. “Tuesday before the event … we found out they wanted to film the question-and-answer portion of the event. Normally this request wouldn’t be an issue, however the institutional processes that have to be completed for filming to occur required more time than they allowed us to complete them,” Romero said. Although the UT film committee was frustrated that Max bailed on his commitment, other schools wish he had done the same on their campus. About a month ago, North Carolina State University hosted a screening

of “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.” Once Shannon Johnson, director of the North Carolina State Women’s Center, became aware of the movie’s offensive content, she called for the event to be cancelled. Johnson said that even the trailer of the movie contains phrases intended to perpetuate a rape culture. Johnson highlighted some of Max’s most offensive phrases in an e-mail she circulated to many other women’s centers on university campuses. Max has said that women are “cum dumpsters,” that “fat girls aren’t real people” and that the female “gender is hardwired for whoredom.” Concerning what women are good for other than sex, Max said, “I will gut you and grind you into pig fodder,” “Get away from me or I am going to carve a fuck hole in your torso” and “Rape’s not funny, but murder can be.” When the center realized that it could not stop the screening, it instead opted to hold a silent protest to honor victims of rape and sexual abuse. Last week the Chicago Transit Authority pulled the “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell” ads from all of their buses. These ads read, “Strippers will not tolerate disrespect (Just Kidding)” and “Blind girls never see you coming,” among other things. In response, Max issued a statement: “Blow me.” According to the film’s blog, Max believes that “the recent ban is a two month-long effort by angry anti-male groups on college campuses” that have “purpose-

ly manipulated my work — which is a satire and a comedy — to further their own agenda.” Max’s claim that this film is “a satire and a comedy” is ironic considering that in his blog and book the stories in the movie are recorded as personal triumphs. Acceptance of this movie by audiences essentially renders what Max does in real life acceptable. Johnson’s claim that Max perpetuates a rape culture may be a stretch for many, but he certainly perpetuates a culture of disrespect toward women. It is hard to reconcile Max and the First Amendment. On one hand, Max has the right to free speech, even if that speech can be harmful to women. On the other hand, accepting speech that is disrespectful toward women has been shown to perpetuate violence. This dilemma is exactly what a U.S. appeals court dealt with in American Booksellers Association v. Hudnut in 1985. Although the court recognized that speech could condition a person’s thoughts and sometimes actions, it said that if “speech plays a role in the process of conditioning were enough to permit governmental regulation, that would be the end of the freedom of speech.” The court is right that censoring free speech could become a very slippery slope, but the likes of Max should ask themselves at whose expense they’re practicing their right. Russo is a government and plan I honors senior.

The demise of Great Books By John Davidson Daily Texan Guest Columnist

THE FIRING LINE The true nature of Republicans Daily Texan columnist Dave Player railed against Republicans in a Sept. 18 column, “An open letter to Republicans,” calling protesters of the president’s health care plan a “hindrance” to the party and to the nation. A self-proclaimed Republican, Player expresses his disgust with the party but seems to view it through the eyes of a liberal Democrat, demonizing the valid concerns Republicans have with Obamacare. This is apparent in his dismissal of what he calls “the tea bag movement,” a mobilization of citizens who oppose taxation increases in what they believe to be an already inefficient system. Most are unaware of what the Taxed Enough Already parties symbolize, but one thing they do not symbolize is hatred for President Barack Obama. The T.E.A. parties are a protest against big government. If Obama supports big government, then

he may be guilty by association, but the attack is policy-oriented. Player recognized the fact that most media coverage of these rallies focuses on the fringe. This is no fault of our own. If the media chooses to focus on the one “bad apple,” as Player describes it, and ignores the rest of the civil debate, the problem starts not with our party but with the media distorting our position. My suggestion to Player is to get back in touch with the actual party, which embodies a quite different philosophy than the one he painted in his article last week. The College Republicans meet every Thursday at 7 p.m. in Garrison Hall, Room 1.126, and we’re among the happiest people at UT. If you’re confused about the state of the Republican Party, as Player seems to be, come try us out and see for yourself. I guarantee that we’re a lot friendlier than what you might have heard on TV.

— Mike Garcia Government senior President, College Republicans at Texas

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 Editorial Board welcomes submissions for guest columns and firing lines. Columns must be between 200 and 700 words. Send columns to editor@dailytexanonline.com. The Texan reserves the right to edit all columns if chosen for publication.

The latest chapter in the long, depressing story of classical liberal education in America is unfolding here in Austin, where the University of Texas has recently snuffed out a nascent Great Books program. The tale began in 2002, when UT philosophy professor Robert Koons and a few others started working to establish a program focused on Western civilization and the Great Books. Their idea was to develop an alternative liberal arts curriculum that would require undergraduates to read, systematically, seminal western texts such as the Bible, the works of ancient Greece and Rome and the American founding documents. This was considered radical at UT. Koons and his cohorts persevered despite stiff opposition, and last fall the Program in Western Civilization and American Institutions began offering classes. It was, by all accounts, a smashing success: Students were signing up, alumni were sending checks (Koons raised more than $1 million) and a speaker series sponsored by the program was hugely popular. It seemed that classical liberal education was experiencing a renaissance at UT. Then it all fell apart. In September 2008, a front-page article in The New York Times, “Conservatives Try New Tack on Campuses,” portrayed the emergence of a handful of Great Books programs, including UT’s, as a politically motivated ruse by conservative groups to undercut liberal ac-

ademia. Even though the article quoted Koons as saying the UT program “transcends all those political differences,” the damage was done. Under pressure from an incensed faculty, Randy Diehl, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, withdrew his support for the program and in November fired Koons as program director. In the spring, with Koons out of the picture, the program was gutted and renamed, absurdly, the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Study of Core Texts and Ideas. Far from carrying on Koons’ vision, the Orwelliansounding Core Texts program has no criteria for what constitutes core texts and does not require students to take courses in any particular order. In fact, the program’s Web site proudly proclaims: “We have no agreed-upon canon of great works.” (Just in case a prospective undergraduate might be curious what an agreed-upon canon might look like, however, they provide a link to the reading list for St. John’s College). Nearly all of the texts used in the Core Texts courses are, of course, Western. But the program must somehow avoid the offending word, “Western” — as well as “American” and “civilization.” According to Marvin Olasky, a former UT journalism professor and one of the founders of the original program, the Core Texts program is quickly losing the support of donors and alumni, who rightly feel that any Great Books program unable to define the Western canon must be a sham. That’s the short, tragic tale of the rise and fall of UT’s Great Books pro-

gram. Sadly, this is not a unique story in modern academia. Despite growing interest in Great Books curricula, most tenured professors see them as right-wing beachheads and assiduously fight against them. But for modern academics, it is not merely a question of party politics; it is a desire for intellectual homogeneity and an academia in which there is no required curriculum. Ultimately, the effort to eliminate academic requirements is a manifestation of a militant egalitarianism. A “curriculum” implies that there are some courses, and indeed some ideas, that are more important than others — a notion the modern academy cannot tolerate. The practical result is that academic departments almost exclusively offer highly specialized courses and few, if any, surveys. For example, this semester at UT, an undergraduate history major in the College of Liberal Arts can take “Reel Religion: Jesus in U.S. Film” but cannot take a survey of modern European history or World War II, because no such courses exist. What happens to these students? Without a proper context for the minutiae handed to them by professors, they never achieve a synthesis of knowledge about any one subject. Without a narrative thread, they cannot stitch together ideas and in the end are left with a chaotic patchwork of information — rags, when they should have had a shining tapestry; mere facts, when they should have had an education. Davidson is an Austin resident.

5 UNIV

UT researchers debate federal cap-and-trade bill By Molly Triece Daily Texan Staff The long-standing debate on a future energy policy extended to the Texas Capitol on Tuesday as U.S. senators prepared to vote in November on a bill regarding carbon dioxide emissions. Research groups discussed the merits and drawbacks of the Waxman-Markey Bill, which aims to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 by 17 percent by 2020, three percent more than President Obama’s target reduction. The method of restricting emissions is called cap and trade, a system that the government used to reduce acid rain in the 1990s. Cap and trade is a marketbased initiative that gives industries a set number of credits allowing them to emit pollutants. Industries that release more pollutants into the atmosphere must buy credits from industries that have less carbon emissions or face legal penalties. “The Environmental Protection Agency made it clear that if Congress fails to pass this bill, its board of unelected officials will take matters into their own hands,� said Gov. Rick Perry. Perry gave a few opening words before the discussion panel and presented his argument opposing the bill. “We don’t need the federal government to intrude on individual liberties to foster the next stage of technology,� he said. The bill imposes a cap on an industry’s carbon emissions. Because carbon emissions fall under no regulation in Texas, Perry said the cap would be too invasive on the market. The federal Energy and Commerce Committee passed the bill with a 33-25 vote, but ballots were cast largely along party lines. The summit focused on how the bill is relevant to Texas, the state that leads the nation in energy consumption per person. “In order to change how people use energy, you have to change the price signals people get,� said Michelle Foss, program manager of UT’s Bureau of Economic Geology.

Foss said Texas is a highly capital and energy-invested state, and as industries become limited in what they buy and sell, Texas will be affected more than other states if the bill passes. The benefits of the bill will not outweigh the costs, she said. “The EPA’s predicted results [of the bill] are the most optimistic of all the analyses out there,� Foss said. Foss and her colleagues claim that global warming can be explained by things other than carbon emissions. The melting icecaps can be caused by dirty snow, which she said absorbs heat quicker. Those favoring the bill include Michael Webber, assistant engineering professor, who analyzed the market benefits of using the cap and trade program in comparison to other solutions. “The carbon problem is real and significant and global and now,� Webber said. “There’s no question in my mind that carbon is serious, and we need to adjust it in a national way. We need federal intervention.� Webber said that a uniform carbon emissions reduction plan is needed in order to see results. Allowing cities to develop their own individual plans would be too disjointed of an effort to produce any sure results, he said. Another option available to politicians is simply taxing the use of carbon. But the tax option only raises the price of carbon for industry, not the price of carbon emissions. Webber said the two methods are being debated, but both sides agree that some action must be taken. “The primary philosophical thrust is to put a price on carbon,� he said. Instead of doing this through the formation of laws, politicians prefer to use market-based solutions, Webber said. “The cap and trade can be effective,� he said. It was used for acid rain with very good results. It gets complicated, though, because the carbon market is much more complex.�

Eric Ou | Daily Texan Staff

Michael Williams, a Texas Railroad Commissioner, listens during a climate summit at the Capitol on Tuesday.

MUSICIANS: Rich

culture upheld by healthy artists From page 1 pledge from the Topfer Family Foundation to match the amount the alliance raised on Tuesday. This is the first year the foundation has donated to the alliance, said volunteer Ron Taylor. It will take the alliance about a month to total their donations for the day, but executive director Carolyn Schwarz is optimistic that the group will reach its goal as it has in previous years. The benefit provides the alliance with half of its budget, she said. Schwartz said she is only aware of one organization similar to the alliance, the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, which she said operates under a different model. Reynolds said the SIMS foundation, which helps musicians with addiction and mental health, is another organization that is important to musicians in Austin. Reynolds said she believes musicians are an important part of the culture and economy of Austin and should be protected. “We have a responsibility as the ‘live music capital of the world’ to take care of musicians,� Reynolds said. “It would be tragic to lose one.�

5

NEWS

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

So you think you can dance?

Lauren Gerson | Daily Texan Staff

Kate Peoples, dance freshman, Jennifer Nguyen, biology junior, and Sarah Kislingbury, French sophomore, stretch before auditioning for the Escape Dance Company Tuesday evening. The co-ed ballet company plans to perform the Nutcracker ballet in November.

Groups protest pollution, building of coal plants Commission accused of passing illegal air quality permits to power plants By Molly Triece Daily Texan Staff The Sierra Club along with other environmental organizations asked the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday to stop construction of the 11 new coal plants being built in Texas. The coal plants under construction are scheduled to be completed before the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 takes effect. The Sierra Club is concerned this may allow the plants to operate above the new regulations. Ryan Rittenhouse, a member of the environmental organization Public Citizen, said the group has been critical of emission regulations in Texas for years, especially those controlled by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality. The EPA recently ruled that the commission granted numerous air quality permits to coal-fired power plants that violated the Clean Air Act. “The EPA has found what we’ve been saying for years,� Rittenhouse said. The commission said although it will work alongside the EPA to resolve issues brought up in the ruling, it denies that any air-quality permits given to coal plants were illegal. “Experts are concerned about air permits in Texas, particularly our flexible permits,� said TCEQ spokes-

woman Andrea Morrow. “We’re working with them to address those concerns.� The EPA is working with the environmental commission to reform methods of issuing air quality permits, but the Sierra Club questions whether or not coal consumption will be reduced. “The TCEQ has been looking out for big business interests rather than Texans,� said Eva Hernandez, Sierra Club coal organizer. “It takes a lot for the EPA to get involved at state level, so this ruling is a really big deal.�

Hernandez said that the commission’s bias towards big business contributes to Texas being the leading state in mercury and carbon dioxide emissions. “We know there’s a clear link between deaths from asthma and pollution from coal plants,� Hernandez said. “Why is the TCEQ allowing this to happen? It has been really harmful to the Texas community.� Rittenhouse said these health problems are the delayed effect of illegal air quality permits in the hands of coal plants. “The only reason coal is so

cheap is because of it’s hidden costs,� Rittenhouse said. “The price isn’t on electric bills but in health care and environmental destruction.� Future coal plants enter into what Morrow said is a lengthy process to receive a permit, which includes submitting reports for technical analysis and negotiating with the community at the site. “We hope the EPA will consider reductions already achieved on our state program and we will continue to build on our successes,� Morrow said.

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6 S/L

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NEWS

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Web site smooths students’ transfer to UT institutions Internet initiative offers tips to those who wish to attend the University By Shabab Siddiqui Daily Texan Staff Hoping to ease the process of transferring from a community college to a four-year institution, the UT System, in collaboration with two other higher education entities, has launched a new Web site called Transfer 101: From Community College to University. “We know one of the challenges to getting more students to transfer is in extending to them reliable information in an easily accessible and digestible format — and this new Web site addresses that,� said Martha Ellis, associate vice chancellor for community college partnerships for the UT System, in a statement. “It’s all about demystifying the process.� The Texas Association of Community Colleges, which represents the state’s 50 community colleges, and the Texas A&M University System also worked on the project. The Web site works to provide potential transfer students with user-friendly tools to search for the right fouryear institution, speak to advisers, apply for financial aid and complete the actual application. “I think part of the impetus for this was that it’s a one-stop shop,� said UT System spokesman Matt Flores. “A lot of students encounter several challenges. This will help them find what they need.� The initiative to create a Web site was prompted by the findings of a community college student survey which pointed to a lack of knowledge and easily accessible information

as primary reasons that students don’t transfer to a fouryear institution. Flores said studies have shown community college students who transfer into fouryear institutions tend to have higher levels of success than students who came to the institution as freshmen, but he also said only 20 percent of community college students end up transferring. “A lot of students that go to community college are firstgeneration,� Flores said. “We found that many students look at the complexity of the process and figure it’s too much trouble. Part of this effort is intended to let these students know what to do.� Government sophomore Alonzo Campos transferred to the University from Austin Community College last fall. He said while living in Austin made the process smoother, some parts were still ambiguous. “I had some trouble with the financial aid part,� Campos said. “I had to ask some of my friends at UT on what I had to do for financial aid.� Campos said he believes the major benefit of community college is that it helps students slowly get acclimated to college. “It gives you a chance to start over from high school,� he said. “But it introduces you to the college scene without the extreme difficulty.� Flores said the skills and education acquired through community college fit well with the mission of the entire state. “We’re trying to get more students into the four-year college pipeline because ultimately, what Texas needs is a stronger workforce,� he said. “And you get a stronger workforce from an educated workforce.�

Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan Staff

John Langmore presents “Fault Line: A Portrait of East Austin� on Tuesday night at the Texas Union to students, UT faculty and Austin residents.

East Austin, through another lens

By Shabab Siddiqui Daily Texan Staff The untidy yards. The eroding sidewalks. The cautious nighttime. While the images of East Austin hardly seem picturesque, John Langmore sees them differently through his camera. Langmore, an Austin photographer, shared his project “Fault Line: A Portrait of East Austin� Tuesday at the Texas Union in an event hosted by the Center for Mexican American Studies. The two-year project attempts to illustrate the “beauty, history, charm and perseverance of the people of East Austin.� “Storytelling through photography is a lost art, and there just aren’t that many outlets left,� Langmore said. “But there’s still some distinctive power to a still image. There just is.�

The part of the city east of Interstate Highway 35 holds a reputation for high crime rates and economic distress. A movement to redevelop the area through both public and private investments has been in the works over the last few years. But some say the burden of urban revitalization comes at a social cost to the long-time residents of East Austin. Langmore, an attorney-turned-photographer, set out to highlight the characters and personalities of the area through still photography. He said while his initial interactions with residents were tense, their relationship quickly became one of mutual respect and admiration. “At first, they thought I was a narc,� Langmore said. “They were thinking, ‘a white guy, with

a camera, telling our story, yeah right.’ But the essence of getting through to them was showing a deep sincerity in what I was doing. People can sniff out a fraud right away.� Langmore’s subjects range from large celebrations to intimate gatherings, from old storefronts to young kids without their front teeth. The construction of posh apartments and homes has attracted an influx of new residents to the East Austin area. Langmore said while the newcomers make great photographs, his target will not change. “You can take a great picture of a young, white couple drinking coffee in front of the condos,� he said. “But that can be anywhere. If you take a picture of East Austin, it’s impossible to think that

it’s anywhere but East Austin.� Journalism sophomore Natalia Bernard said Langmore’s presentation changed some of her perspectives of the city. “People automatically just call it ‘the bad part of Austin,’� Bernard said. “I think the pictures showed a sense of community that you don’t usually see.� While Langmore’s photographs capture a different perspective of the area, he refuses to be called an activist. “As an outsider, who am I to be an advocate for the people of East Austin?� Langmore said. “That would be disingenuous. I’m just hoping to make people stop and think about what we forgo in the name of progress.� Information about Langmore and his photography can be found at www.johnlangmorephotos.com.

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7 SPTS

SPORTS

Sports Editor: Austin Talbert E-mail: sports@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2210 www.dailytexanonline.com

7

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

T HE DAILY TEXAN

Wild Horn Formation New package utilizes team’s speed By Blake Hurtik Daily Texan Staff Maybe all John Chiles needed to be successful as quarterback was to change positions. Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis installed the “Q package” last year with the idea of taking advantage of the then-backup quarterback’s speed. Chiles would take over as quarterback, setting up in the shotgun with a tailback, and starter Colt McCoy would line up at receiver. Chiles had the option of handing off to the back, taking it himself or trying to pass. The experiment was short-lived. After Oklahoma stuffed Chiles on a pair of runs during the Red River Rivalry game, Davis and Texas coach Mack Brown said they were done with the “Q.” That’s why it was surprising to see Chiles, now a wide receiver, take over as quarterback in the same formation four times during Texas’ 34-24 win over Texas Tech on Saturday. “I think the defense really wasn’t expecting it,” said Chiles.

xxx oo o

The “Q package” was back? Not quite. “‘Q’ died,” said Brown. “We are not going to [call it] that. That will jinx it.” Perhaps hoping to rid themselves of any unsavory memories of the package’s past failures, the Longhorns dubbed the new and improved “Q” the “Wild Horn,” a more fitting title considering it’s Texas’ version of the popular “Wildcat” formation used throughout college and the NFL. But the new name isn’t the only difference. Its effectiveness — at least in the few times Texas has used it — has greatly improved. The Longhorns debuted the package late in the first quarter with speedy tailback D.J. Monroe lining up next to Chiles in the backfield. Chiles kept the ball and ran up the middle for 34 yards. Texas showed the versatility of the “Wild Horn” when Chiles handed off to Monroe for a five-yard gain. Later, he handed off to Monroe, who tossed the ball to McCoy, who hit receiver James Kirkendoll for 11 yards and a first down. Aside from a play with a dropped snap by Chiles that resulted in a three-

‘‘

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yard loss, the new package’s debut was very effective. “I like it because it puts two fast guys in the backfield,” said Davis. “John is comfortable with what we’re asking him to do.” One of the reasons is that there’s no longer a need for substitution — Chiles is already on the field. “Last year, with me coming off the bench, they kind of suspected something was up,” Chiles said. “It was like, ‘Heads up.’” It also helps Chiles personally. Last season, he had to come off the bench cold. Now, he’s already into the flow of the game. “I am a lot more excited,” Chiles said. “I’m having a lot more fun just being on the field and just being able to make plays.” And he doesn’t have to worry about all the other responsibilities of being a quarterback. Taking that mental load off is important in itself. “John doesn’t have to worry about playing quarterback,” said McCoy. “It’s just a little thing in our offense that might be a momentum changer.”

‘Q’ died. We are not going to [call it] that. That will jinx it” — Mack Brown, head coach

VOLLEYBALL

NCAA FOOTBALL

Taller is better for No. 2 Longhorns

Wolverines, Cougars enter Texan’s top 10

No. 2 Texas at Colorado

Peter Franklin | Daily Texan Staff

Even the volleyball players are taller in Texas. At 6 feet 2 inches, Rachael Adams is part of the tallest team in the Big 12. Texas, travels to Boulder tonight to face the Buffaloes, the shortest team in the conference.

Recruiting taller players bringing Texas plenty of success on the court By Jordan Godwin Daily Texan Staff They tower over most students on the 40 Acres, and on the court, the members of the Texas volleyball team are just as daunting to their opponents. When second-ranked Texas plays in Colorado tonight, the Longhorns will stand, on average,

more than two inches taller than the Buffaloes. “If I was on one of the smaller teams that we play where everyone is 5’7” or 5’8”, I’d go into the game saying, ‘Huh? I have to hit over them?’” said middle blocker Rachael Adams. “It’s always nice to play on a team that’s known for our height.” Adams stands 6 feet 2 inches tall, the same as Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and taller than wide receiver Jordan Shipley. But technically, Adams is considered short

in many respects. On the court, she’s shorter than fellow blocker Jennifer Doris, who stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, and off the court, she’s much shorter than her 6-foot-9inch father, Richard Adams, who played in the NBA. Rachel Adams uses quickness and athleticism, instead of her height, to be a more effective and intimidating blocker. “Physicality is very important, and height is a by-product of good recruiting,” said head coach Jerritt Elliott. “We have different re-

cruits who are faster and more explosive, but anytime we’re looking at the top five recruits, they’re going to have some height.” Adams was ranked the third recruit nationally in the 2008 class by PrepVolleyball.com. Following her in the 2009 class, at 6 feet 3 inches tall, Bailey Webster was the No. 1 recruit by the same publication. While it may not be a priority, Texas has a knack for recruiting a tall frontcourt, an advantage the backcourt appreciates. “It always helps me to know that our blockers up front are taller than theirs,” said defensive specialist Heather Kisner. “It’s less work for me.” At 5 feet 9 inches, Kisner is one of the taller liberos in volleyball, but her younger, 5-foot-2 inch teammate of the same position, Sydney Yogi hovers closer to the norm. “Sydney is the only one bringing us down,” said 6-foot-3 inch setter Ashley Engle jokingly. “I think our team average would be like five inches taller without her.” While Yogi’s effect on the team average is not that dramatic, it is a significant difference. Without Yogi, the Longhorns average nearly 6 feet 2 inches, but with her, the average shrinks to just over 6 feet. She fits in when walking to class, but on the court with her towering teammates, Yogi sticks out like a sore thumb. “She has a lot of heart,” said Elliott. “Size isn’t that important in the backcourt, and it’s great to have someone with personality to manage the game.”

Houston needs to beat Tech to keep up their climb in the rankings By Austin Talbert Daily Texan Staff Excuse me if this week’s ramblings are a bit more jumbled than usual. My head is still rattling after witnessing Sergio Kindle’s destruction of Taylor Potts. I — who sat 50 rows away from the field — am still wondering how Potts feels after he did a striking impression of the red boxer in Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. He might even begin to

think that his coach, Mike Leach, is sounding normal. Back before the season started, Leach said that Potts was the quintessential Abilene tough guy, comparing his newest quarterback to John Wayne. And rarely has Leach had a more spoton assessment: after losing the ball, his helmet and his innocence to Kindle on the bone-jarring sack — which happened to be Kindle’s long-awaited first of the year — Potts showed toughness that would put the Duke to shame by peeling himself off the

TOP 10 continues on page 8 Miami quarterback Jacory Harris looks to take down a thirdstraight ranked team when the Hurricanes face Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Phil Coale Associated Press

VOLLEYBALL continues on page 8

SOCCER

Injuries continue to plague struggling Texas squad By Laken Litman Daily Texan Columnist

Peyton McGee | Daily Texan Staff

Everyone was excited to see freshman Leah Fortune play, but early injuries have forced her to the sidelines.

All summer long, Texas soccer head coach Chris Petrucelli was devising ways he could use some new weapons on the field in the 2009 season. After ending last season too soon (the team was knocked out

of the NCAA tournament in the second round), Petrucelli and the Longhorns were eager to get their new crop of freshmen who were said to be loaded with talent. The most anticipated newbie was Brazilian soccer star Leah Fortune . Fortune took the field by storm in her first few games as a Longhorn. The 5-foot-2-inch forward quickly became Texas’ go-to player for scoring. But then disaster struck, and Fortune was benched with an ankle injury. And it wasn’t only Fortune who

would dress in sweats for an unknown amount of time. A few other starters ran into some bad luck as well. The injured reserve list that the team is racking up includes freshmen Sophie Campise, Melanie Foncham and Fortune, sophomores Courtney Goodson and Lucy Keith, junior Niki Arlitt and senior Jordan Godbolt. I know soccer is a contact sport but what happened to playing through the pain? I played competitive soccer before coming to

college, so I know (to some extent) about the vicious girls who like to get a little too physical. But the Longhorns have only played eight games, none of which have been against conference teams, and already people are dropping like flies. Due to the loss of injured players and the lack of upperclassmen on the roster, Petrucelli has had to resort to his underclassmen to carry the team.

SOCCER continues on page 8

8 SPTS

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SPORTS

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

SOCCER: Injuries hurting

Texas’ players, record From page 7

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� 6’3 Engle

ley ster Ash y Web e l Bai

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Destinee Hooker

Illustration by Thu Vo | Daily Texan Staff

Juliann Faucette Rachael Adams Amber Roberson

VOLLEYBALL: The height of Texas is upon you From page 7 Yogi is the shortest player in the Big 12 Conference, and she plays on the tallest team. No. 1 ranked Penn State averages around 6 feet, but few teams could match up with Texas in a top-shelf reaching

contest. Volleyball is easily the tallest women’s team on campus, and even averages to be taller than the men’s golf, cross country, tennis and track and field teams. But being tall on the court isn’t always a natural advantage. “Getting low and being scrap-

py are things we have to pay attention to because shorter teams try to take advantage of us on that front,� Engle said. “They’re always looking for that seam, and we have to make sure that our height is always an advantage and not a hindrance.�

WHAT: Texas Longhorns at Colorado Buffaloes WHERE: Boulder, Colo. WHEN: Tonight 6:30 p.m.

There is a significant difference between a freshman and a senior in NCAA Division I play. Even the most talented freshmen have a tough time winning balls from experienced seniors. College juniors and seniors have been around the league a few years already and know the speed and style of college ball, whereas freshmen are completely blindsided, and sophomores are still only waist deep. Proof is that seven of UT’s 11 starters are freshmen and sophomores, and the Longhorns’ record is 3-5. It’s not that the Longhorns are playing poorly; they are actually playing pretty well. It’s lack of experience, and a coach can’t teach experience. Starters who are not injured are captains Erica Campanelli and Emily Anderson, speedy outside midfielder Amanda Lisberger and defensive blockade

SPORTS BRIEFLY Flu making its way through Florida Gator locker room GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s flu bug is cause for alarm, at least for coach Urban Meyer and his staff. Running back Jeff Demps, tight end Aaron Hernandez and defensive end Jermaine Cunningham were isolated in the days leading up to Saturday’s game against Tennessee. Although Meyer did not say any of the players had swine flu, he cer-

Leah Payne. But soccer is not like baseball where one player can hit a home run and win the game. Nor is it like football where the quarterback can repeatedly give his running back the ball and, have him rush for five touchdowns to win the game. Soccer is the ultimate team sport, and you can’t win a soccer game with just a few players. Texas is lacking 11 players who usually take care of the opportune moments to score goals. It’s not ideal when the women you had in mind to carry your team get injured. Petrucelli counted on a certain starting lineup and now that there’s a running tab on the injured list, he has had to make alternate plans. And with away games at Oklahoma and Baylor looming this weekend, Texas won’t have its full squad at full speed. It looks as if the Longhorns might be in for a turbulent season. tainly was worried the devastating virus could hit his top-ranked team. “It is a panic level of proportion I’ve never seen before,� Meyer said Sunday, a day after his team’s 23-13 victory. “That’s coming from me. You hear about, I think, Wisconsin had 40 players. Ole Miss had 20 players. Meyer said team doctors and his training staff were doing everything they could to prevent an outbreak. Hand sanitizers were everywhere, and prevention checklists were posted all around the training facility. — The Associated Press

Giants player receives lighter sentence on weapons charge By Karen Matthews The Associated Press NEW YORK — Former Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress apologized to his family and tearfully kissed his wife and young son goodbye Tuesday before he was led away to prison to begin

serving a two-year sentence on a weapons charge. Burress, at the time a star receiver with the New York Giants, was at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan last November when a gun tucked into his waistband slipped down his leg and

GO HORNS!

fired, wounding him in the thigh. The gun was not licensed in New York or in New Jersey, where Burress lived. His license to carry a concealed weapon in Florida had expired in May 2008. He had been indicted on two counts of weapons possession and one count of reckless endangerment, but under a plea deal reached Aug. 20, Burress agreed to a single, lesser charge of attempted criminal possession of a weapon. No charges were filed against Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce, who was with Burress the night of the incident, drove him to the hospital and took the gun to his home in New Jersey before arranging to have it returned to Burress. Burress arrived in the courtroom Tuesday wearing jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, a stark contrast to the dark blue suit he wore last month when he entered his

guilty plea. He was accompanied by his pregnant wife, Tiffany; his almost 3-year-old son, Elijah; his father, grandmother and stepmother. He told Judge Michael Melkonian before sentencing: “I want to apologize to my family.� They did not speak to reporters as they left the courthouse. With time off for good behavior, Burress likely will serve 20 months. He could be released from prison as early as the spring of 2011 and will be monitored an additional two years after he is freed. Burress hired a consultant to teach him how to use his time in prison productively. The Giants released Burress in April, but the 32-year-old told ESPN he hopes to resume his NFL career when he completes his sentence. “When I get out, I’ll be 33, not 43,� Burress said in an interview

broadcast in August. “I’ll still be able to run and catch. I’ll still have the God-given ability to snag footballs; that’s what I love to do. Of course, I want to play again.� Gil Brandt, an analyst on NFL Sirius Radio and the former head of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, said Burress won’t be too old for a comeback when he’s released from prison. “First of all, Plaxico is a guy who keeps himself in pretty good shape,� Brandt said. “Lots of times guys get heavy in the offseason. He is not a guy who has done that.� Burress is suspended by the NFL, but the league said he will be reinstated after he completes his prison sentence. Burress’ big moment with the Giants came when he caught the winning touchdown over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in the final minute of the 2008 Super Bowl.

TOP 10: Texas, Florida remain at the top of rankings From page 7

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turf and continuing to chunk the ball downfield. Rest assured Longhorn fans: Kindle was not texting as he drove past the Tech offensive line and crashed into Potts, who played the role of an apartment complex wall very well. If only the University of Southern California were as tough as Potts, we might have had to wait a few more weeks for their yearly loss to a horrible Pac-10 team. Instead, Christmas came a bit early when Jake Locker and last season’s winless Washington Huskies dropped the Trojans. After they rattle off nine more wins en route to crushing an overrated Big 10 team, again, we’ll get to hear plenty of the “USC would be undefeated if Matt Barkley wasn’t hurt against Washington� talk. You can thank me later for the heads up.

Penn State will do both and crush Iowa.

7

Boise State

Goodbye Brigham Young University. Now, the Broncos stand alone atop the mid-major parade. Luckily for Boise State, their schedule is a lot easier than BYU’s as they don’t Alabama have any games with Florida The Tide continues to State looming. roll. Maybe South Eastern Conference foe and alphaCalifornia betic neighbor Arkansas will be a The Golden Bears test for Alabama on Saturday. struggled with the Golden Gophers in an all-around goldMiami en affair. Don’t be surprised if Cal Jacory Harris is do- is the next Pac-10 team to fall, esing a great job of saving pecially with a trip to resurgent Randy Shannon’s job as Oregon looming this week. the Hurricanes are rolling along and their storm strengthens. A Michigan third-straight win over a TopThe Wolverines could 20 team — exactly what a win easily be 7-0 heading into over Virginia Tech this weekend would be — and we might have their showdown with Penn State to upgrade the ‘Canes to a cate- in late October. Now that I say Texas that, they are probably destined gory-four storm. to lose against Indiana this week. Colt McCoy had the Sorry Big Blue. flu, and the offense’s perOle Miss formance in the first half made Jevan Snead has his 101,000 people sick. It wasn’t Houston first big test of the year quite the beat down Texas fans Can the Cougars wanted after last season’s heart- Thursday when the Rebels travwin two straight breaking loss to the “Panhandle el to take on South Carolina. We’ll Pirates,� but the Kindle demo- have our first view of how good, showdowns over Big 12 teams? lition makes up for a lot of the or not, Ole Miss is soon enough. If they do drop Texas Tech this Saturday at home, Houston will struggles. continue its climb up the nationPenn State al rankings. And who knows, Florida Joe Paterno and friends they might finally find themhave their shot at revenge selves ranked ahead of OklahoTi m Te b o w n e v e r wielded his immense this week as Iowa rolls into Hap- ma State — a team they already throwing prowess Saturday but py Valley. The Nittany Lions also beat. Though I think Taylor Potts has he ever? But behind his big have an opportunity to make a and Tech will can declaw the body, the Gators were able to statement against the Hawkeyes. Cougars.

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power through loud-mouthed Lane Kiffin and crew. Maybe Urban Meyer and Tebow were afraid of challenging superman, Tennessee safety Eric Berry. Yet, when it was all said and done, both Texas and Florida finished with 10-point wins over conference foes at home.

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STATE&LOCAL

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Summit prepares locals for emergency situations

Daniela Trujillo | Daily Texan Staff

Lt. Dave Crowder of the Austin Police Department lists the top four responses to disaster Tuesday morning. Crowder was a speaker at the Building Owners and Managers Association summit to discuss emergency situations and responses.

By Jordan Haeger Daily Texan Staff Austin law enforcement officials shared tips with local building owners and managers on how to prepare for and deal with a wide range of emergencies Tuesday at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus. The Building Owners and Managers Association of Austin held its Readiness, Response and Recovery Summit to teach building owners how to use the Incident Command System to plan and prepare for an H1N1 virus outbreak, violence in the workplace or terrorism. The command system is a federal program provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security that helps law enforcement and business owners plan for all the details of a large-scale emergency, said Austin Police Department Lt. Dave Crowder. These preparations include gas for ambulances and debris removal after hurricanes, he said. “You can’t dream of this at the last second — you’ve got to plan and prepare,� Crowder said. Chris Toliver, chairman of the association’s disaster preparedness committee, discussed ways building owners could recov-

er their buildings and return to normal activity after an emergency. More than one-third of businesses fail after they have faced a large-scale emergency, he said. Toliver said business owners need to be prepared if their employees are not able to attend work this fall in case of an H1N1 virus outbreak. He said University officials should have a written plan in place that everyone understands as well as a good relationship with APD and UTPD. The command system teaches four levels of emergency response. The first and most important level is life safety. Next is incident stabilization, followed by property preservation and societal construction, he said. Crowder said UTPD has the same capabilities and responsibilities in dealing with emergencies as APD, except for a bomb squad. “In an emergency, UT would be the lead, and if they needed assistance we would give them the assistance they need,� Crowder said. The two police departments will train together for two days in October. “Taking care of the people is our Number one job,� Crowder said.

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Tax credit aids housing market

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By Israel Perez Daily Texan Staff The housing market in Austin took a hit inERAugust, TISE Taccording to V D EN Austin Board A a recent reportTU S byDthe ! R of Realtors. U YO NIZATION Jay Gohil, RGAchairman of the Austin BoardOof Realtors, said home sales normally slow down after the summer months. According to the report, the number of home sales last month decreased to 1,793, a 10-percent drop from August 2008. The median home price was also down by 4 percent. “Although prices and volume have begun to stabilize, we’re not out of the woods yet,� Gohil said. Gohil said that even though the housing market is not at its pre-recession levels, Austin is in a unique position because it is performing better than other metropolitan areas. “We are in far better shape than

Campus

other parts of the country,� Gohil said. “Austin will recover. We have a good balance here in Austin in terms of the diversity of the businesses here, including the University of Texas.� Gohil said he is also eagerly anticipating any action Congress might take in extending the first-time homebuyer credit. First-time homebuyers can take advantage of an $8,000 credit available until Nov. 30. but must have closed on a home by the deadline, a process that can take anywhere from 14 to 60 days or more, Gohil said. Juston Martinez, a licensed real estate agent working in Austin, said he believes the tax credit was a motivating factor in closing some of his deals. “It’s kind of put people who were on the fringe of buying a home for the first time to make that plunge

even if they didn’t have enough for a down payment,� he said. Martinez said he is feeling the pain of the market but that his real estate business is doing well compared to last year. “The summer of 2008 was when we started feeling it really hard. The winter of 2008–2009 was probably the worst we’ve seen. There were several brokerage firms that couldn’t recover, so they went bankrupt,� he said. Despite the recent trend, he said he expects the housing market to improve in the future and that now is a good time to buy. “I think we’re a creative center which keeps the young crowd around, and the young crowd is usually an economic engine for growth. We’ve been insulated from the economic woes because of that,� Martinez said. “Good times are ahead.�

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Rod Schnuriger, real estate agent for Habitat Homes, speaks to a client at the office on 30th street. The Austin housing market has suffered from the recession with home sales dropping 10 percent since 2008.

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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

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BOOK REVIEWS

Entertaining author delivers again

By Kate Ergenbright Daily Texan Staff If you haven’t heard of bestselling author Dan Brown’s controversial novels,“Angels & Demons� and “The Da Vinci Code� then you’ve probably been trapped under a secluded, soundproof rock for the last six years. “The Lost Symbol,� the highly anticipated addition to Brown’s series of novels, takes readers on a thrilling tour of the various symbols littered throughout the architecture and art of our nation’s Capitol.

Brown has left some pretty big shoes to fill during his six-year publishing hiatus, and fiscally speaking, he delivers. According to publishing company Random House, Inc., “The Lost Symbol� sold more than one million copies in its first day alone. Brown, never one to shy away from discussing controversial subjects and secret societies, zeros in on another influential and mysterious organization, the Freemasons, and their possible influence on the founding of America. “The Lost Symbol� once again follows professor Robert Langdon as he is lured to Washington, D.C. under the false pretense of giving a last-minute lecture for his mentor, Peter Solomon. A shocking revelation reveals that Langdon has been tricked and Solomon, a prominent Freemason, has been kidnapped by a terrifying, tattooed beast. Through a dazzling array of symbolism, of course, Solomon’s kidnapper reveals his true motive in deceiving Langdon into visiting the Capitol: Langdon must solve the mysterious legend of the Freemason’s most closely held secret in order to secure Solomon’s safe return.

Brown frequently receives criticism for his elementary writing style and formulaic plot structures, but his simple style and carefully constructed narratives are enough to gain the attention of millions of readers. And why shouldn’t they pay attention? Simply put, Dan Brown is the Chuck Palahniuk of the thriller genre. He’s a one-trick pony, but he executes his trick extremely well, offering readers a painless, legal way to escape reality. Most of the series’ fans are probably not searching for a deeper meaning or the answers to life’s big questions within the pages of a Dan Brown novel. They simply want to be entertained. Although Brown offers no deep insights or true contributions to literature with “The Lost Symbol,� he remains a master storyteller. Readers and critics should stop expecting something more from him, leave the separation of fact from fiction to conspiracy theorists and scientists and simply enjoy his latest novel for what it is: an entertaining, fast-paced escape, filled with intriguing plot twists and unforeseen conclusions.

Novel exposes Katrina aftermath

By Jonathan Rienstra Daily Texan Staff It has been said that truth is often stranger than fiction, but in Dave Eggers’ latest piece of nonfiction, “Zeitoun,� the facts are so inconceivable that any fictional tale would pale in comparison. The book follows the true story of New Orleans resident Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Syrian-American Muslim, before, during and after Hurricane Katrina forever

NEWS BRIEFLY Lawyer disputes relationship between Anna Nicole, doctor LOS ANGELES — The attorney for a doctor who treated the late model Anna Nicole Smith says Dr. Sandeep Kapoor is openly gay and that she is outraged by claims in search warrant affidavits that he had a sexual relationship with Smith. Attorney Ellyn Garafalo told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Kapoor never had a sexual or social relationship with his patient, and a picture of them together which is cited in the affidavits was taken at a gay pride celebration they both attended.

scarred the landscape of the city. A painter and contractor, Zeitoun stays in New Orleans to watch over his properties and work sites as well as to help others left behind while his wife Kathy and their four children escape to Baton Rouge and then later Phoenix. Though Zeitoun survives the storm, the subsequent month sets him down a helpless path that exposes the most appalling aspects of humanity. Eggers has crafted a beautifully simplistic account that alternates narratives between Zeitoun and Kathy as tensions mount and with each passing day the city stays in disrepair. The city of New Orleans is creepily hypnotic; it becomes a character itself as the waters rise and the silence takes over a city normally known for anything but. The passages in which Zeitoun travels the streets in his secondhand canoe possess a sense of dueling calm and danger as the city falls further into disarray. When Zeitoun is arrested with three others, they aren’t told the charges against him or even allowed a phone call and are sent

A series of recently unsealed search warrants refers to a video cassette clip shown on the TV show “Inside Edition.� Those documents say the clip “showed Dr. Kapoor and Anna Nicole Smith in a reclined position in a nightclub-type setting. Dr. Kapoor had his shirt off, his arms was around Anna Nicole Smith, and he was kissing and nuzzling Anna Nicole Smith’s neck.� They quote a consultant to the state medical board as saying the contact on the video “went beyond any therapeutic touching and appeared sexual in nature.� Garafalo said the mistaken interpretation of the photo is an example of errors that permeated the decision to charge Kapoor with illegally providing Smith

to a Gitmo-style prison at the Greyhound Bus Station downtown. Eggers masterfully ratchets the tension up to create a sense of futility one normally finds in a facist regime. If 9/11 was a sucker punch to America, then the aftermath of Katrina was a self-inflicted wound so dark and embarrassing it makes one question the very meaning of what it is to be an American. Zeitoun’s strength and courage throughout the entire affair are mesmerizing in comparison to the actions that some of the law enforcement took part in while supposedly “helping� the citizens of New Orleans. The story is a testament to the will of the Zeitoun family and those around them. This is arguably Eggers’ finest piece of work, made all the more so by the fact that everything really happened. By allowing Zeitoun and Kathy to tell their stories, Eggers has done more for all those who have been irrevocably damaged, both physically and mentally, by Katrina’s anger and aftermath than any news report or government document ever could.

with controlled drugs. She said evidence in the case will exonerate Kapoor. Another defendant, psychiatrist Khristine Eroshevich, also is accused of an improper relationship with the former Playboy model based on photographs found on a computer of the two women naked together in a bathtub “in various intimate embraces.� Eroshevich’s lawyer, Adam Braun, declined to comment directly on the pictures but said that the relationship between Smith and Eroshevich began as one of friendship and evolved into a patient-doctor relationship. He said they were next door neighbors before Smith moved to the Bahamas. — The Associated Press

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STORE: Mother and son work well together dune, its impact is entirely insignificant against the mass. one to play with.� Elsewhere, vintage concert Austin now sells his toys posters from the Armadillo out of the shop, as well as at World Headquarters and other conventions. Austin venues spill up and over Branson says the two work well together. “It works, you know,� she says. “We’ve been doing it for so long that I don’t bother him, and he don’t bother me.� You don’t need Classic country plays over the money to hang store’s speakers, filling what very little space is left between the overaround in here.� flowing shelves, hutches, pedes— Linda Branson tals and tables with pedal steel. To say the shop is overwhelmco-owner ing would be an understatement. The place is so full of everything — toys, records, leather jackets, silverware, candles, masks, furs, the sides of record bins. lunch boxes, comics — that it is “It’s about the thrill of the almost hard to move through the search,� Branson says. “People make-shift aisles inside. ask me if we have something and Toward the front of the shop, I can go right to it.� a silver saucer falls from a towBranson says the shop ater of steel kitchenware, but, like tracts people from all economa grain of sand tumbling down a ic backgrounds.

From page 12

‘‘

“I get millionaires and bums off the street — this is Austin,� Branson says. The shop has also seen its share of famous patrons. Kinky Friedman did his Christmas shopping there one year and other local musicians have been known to stop by. “Doug Sahm was a good buddy,� Branson says. Sahm, an influential Texas songwriter, stopped in for a visit before leaving on a trip to New Mexico in 1999. “He was in here for a couple of hours, and nobody came in,� she says. The visit was on a Monday and Sahm died that Thursday in Taos, N.M. On a sunny late-summer day, unrecognizable people pop in and out, perusing the masses of stuff. “I need to get out of here,� says one customer. “I don’t have enough money to hang around in here.� Branson answers quickly, “You don’t need money to hang around in here.�

Online games alleviate boredom By Allistair Pinsof Daily Texan Staff While there is no shortage of great games this fall, there probably is a shortage in your personal funds. Why regret spending $60 on a game when you can enjoy many free and innovative games online? The Daily Texan has sifted through the best free games for your web browser so you can save your money for something that will add value to your college experience, like a Wii.

“Time Fcuk� After being transported into a box by your future self (who is wiser than you by 20 minutes), you must solve a series of puzzles in order to escape the madness. If this seems silly and convoluted, it should. “Time Fcuk� is a two-dimensional puzzle platformer distilled to its most basic elements and fittingly tied to a visual presentation that could have been

your village to grow a mullet. “Mr. Mullet� is truly the Macbeth of our time. In direct contrast to “Time Fcuk�, “Mr. Mullet� is all about reflexes and accuracy rather then advanced logic. You control “Mr. Mullet� with your mouse, and you must hover over round things with moustaches to shear them. The catch is that some citizens you have to shave twice, and if you shave anyone else twice you will decapitate them. This is why barbers go to school to shave people. The colorful presentation, upbeat soundtrack and manic pace will keep you glued to your monitor for a long period of time. Mr. Mullet falls into that category of “just-one-more� games. The necessity of a mouse makes Mr. Mullet problematic for class, but if you come to your next computer lab early, type the URL below and let your mullet mane grow wild. “Mr. Mullet� Play it at: http://games.adultswim. Your family has died, and now com/mr-mullet-twitchy-onlineyou must shave the citizens of game.html

executed on an Atari. As you go from room to room — each of which can be beat in under a minute if you know what you are doing — the game introduces new elements that will turn a simple premise into a challenging mind “fcuk.� The real charm of the game is how well it ties gameplay, presentation and functionality into a tightly knit package. Can’t beat a stage? Then skip it. Need some advice? Then pay attention to the box on the right that displays tips from your future self. While the unsettling music and brain-wracking puzzles might not be a serene escape from your economics class, this game is a fun, brainy platformer that will leave you feeling accomplished while your homework piles up. Play it at: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/511754

MONDAY

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(512) 477-pies or pieguyspizzeria.com

12 LIFE

12

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

LIFE&ARTS

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

T HE DAILY TEXAN

Gourd-flavored drink has sentimental value

PUMP IT UP By Ben Wermund

Photos by Dani Trujillo | Daily Texan Staff

Above, Austin Branson sorts through posters at Out of the Past, a thrift store he runs with his mother. Below, Linda Branson, co-owner of Out of the Past, sifts through a jewlery cabinet at her antique store.

Packed store offers unique finds By Ben Wermund Daily Texan Staff A porcelain plate with the image of an armadillo at its center awkwardly balances halfway over the edge of a pedestal. Below the armadillo stretches a pie recipe: two pounds armadillo meat, two tablespoons shortening, one tablespoon dry herbs, one package frozen mixed veggies and flour. “It’s a Texas thing, but it’s pretty rare,” says Linda Branson, co-owner of Out of the Past, the antiques and collectibles store in which the armadillo pie plate waits to be sold. “Anything arma-

dillos in Texas is collectible.” Branson runs the shop with her son, Austin, who was named after the city. “He was named when we were living in New Mexico,” she says. “It was because we wanted to come back here.” Austin’s corner of the store is easy to spot, as ATATs hang from the ceiling and R2D2 and Luke Skywalker toys line the walls surrounding it — a Star Wars fanatic’s dreamland. “I have got so many cool toys, and I only have my one corner in the back to massively over-stack everything,” says Austin.

Austin has worked with his mom for most of his life. “When I was a kid, I used to work at the auctions with her, displaying items,” he says. “After a few years, I started selling my own toys. It wasn’t until I was nearing the end of high school that I was realizing it was a serious thing.” Branson says Austin was always a collector. “We would buy him toys, and he would hang them up on the wall without opening them,” she says. “He would want us to buy two of the same toy, so he could open

STORE continues on page 11

Editor’s Note: This is the first part in a series about society’s autumn preoccupation with pumpkin. Serving autumn-themed beverages before October normally would be a torturous tease in Texas. With the summer sun ceaselessly beating down on the state well into September, chemically produced pumpkin java seems to signal the seasonally spiced steam of an illusory autumn oasis. Normally, the state doesn’t enjoy September nights with the wind blowing coolly, permitting the mind to pretend it exists in a region with more than two seasons. But by some grace of God, such a night happened about a week ago, and, while I was on a 15-minute break from my corporate-retail job, the time was right to greet my dear old friend — the pumpkin spice latte. The beverage and I go way back. In fact, it is probably the closest I ever came to having a high-school sweetheart. For three or four months out of the year, it was my constant companion — whether I was spending long fall nights indoors, filling composition books with embarrassing poems, or finding the sine of theta and defining the medulla oblongata, it was always by my side. There was just something soothing in its artificial flavoring, something charming about its cinnamon-

dusted whipped cream dome. But that seems to all be changing. Pumpkin spice latte and I are on the outs. My first encounter with the latte was sometime in high school. The school year was fresh and one Friday night, some friends and I, avoiding the weekly football game, hitched a ride from one of our mothers to the local Starbuckscoffee-selling bookstore. There in the vestibule, among the bargainpriced books, stood a placard of utmost beauty. Like the ab-ridden medieval warrior on the cover of a Harlequin novel, the pumpkin spice latte stood proud, strong and seductive. There is nothing like pumpkin to win my heart. Instantly, I vowed to make one mine. I beelined for the cafe, tapped my toe anxiously as I waited in line for soccer moms to shout out the million modifications to their non-fat-soy-milk mocha lattes with no whip and an added shot of espresso. The wait for the latte was long, but when I finally held the scalding paper cup in my hand and put the hot plastic lid to my mouth, I knew it was worth it. It was unbelievable. I might as well have been drinking liquid pie. So as I approached that same counter, all these years later, for another cup, I readied myself for the flame to be relit yet again. It has never been so out. No longer was the cup filled with liquid pie. No longer did the latte even taste remotely like pumpkin. The artificial was no longer soothing; the whipped cream had lost its charm. Sweet was somehow replaced with bitter, as if the flavoring had shifted from pumpkin guts to pumpkin rinds. What had happened to my dear old friend? Must I now go elsewhere to satisfy my pumpkin needs? Starbucks refused to comment. So the search begins.

Wheelchair-bound need sex, too

HUMP DAY By Mary Lingwall

When I was first encouraged to write a Hump Day article on sexuality and physical disability, I felt hamstrung by my inherent lack of insight into the experience of a physically disabled person. And despite positive encouragement from my wheelchairbound friends, I felt like anything I wrote would be innately inadequate and ostracizing. So to make a few of things perfectly clear: every Hump Day article has been aimed toward people of all abilities and orientations. Fellatio, hand jobs and anal sex are topics apt for exploration no matter if you get around on two legs, one leg, no legs or even three. Secondly, this is in no way a “how to” guide for getting your favorite disabled friend into bed, nor is it a “how to have sex” guide for the disabled. Believe me, they already know how to get down. So rather than guide portions of our community, I think we should ask questions of our community as a whole. Jacob Payne, an ’09 UT graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, was born happy and healthy. But doctors soon noticed that Jacob showed signs of a physical ailment. Later, he was diagnosed with Strumpell’s Familial Spastic Paraplegia — a rare genetic disorder that progressively deteriorates muscle function. By necessity, Payne began using a wheelchair for mobility and a pen and a pad of paper for communication, but his cognition and mental development were never affected by his Strumpell’s diagnosis. Naturally, Payne, like most people with a physical disability, has the same hormonal development and mental maturity as any other

college-aged human being. But unlike the vast majority of us at UT, when Payne wants to explore sexuality, he faces not only the gamut of prejudice against size, shape, height, weight, etc. that the rest of us do, but he also must struggle with an entirely different bag of preconceived notions about his body, desires and abilities. “The biggest misconception about disabled people and sex is that those two things should not, and therefore do not, go together,” said Payne. “Society on a whole is very judgmental and, at times, even a bit hostile; people tend to draw conclusions immediately based [only] on appearance.” In Paul Joannides’ preeminent book on sexuality, “The Guide to Getting it On,” he explores the marginalizing gaze that our culture has toward the disabled. A few years ago, Joannides caught wind of a news story about a young man had become a paraplegic after an accident. After losing the ability to speak, use his hands or walk on his own, the young man became very belligerent in his assisted living facility. After months of running over nurses and toppling his

dinner trays, he suddenly became calm. Then someone walked in on a nurse giving him a hand job. As a 22-year-old man, this victim of a debilitating car crash may have lost his ability to speak clearly and use his hands for masturbation, but that doesn’t mean his hormones stopped telling him when he was horny. It didn’t take long for his nurse to figure out what he needed. But the hand jobs were deemed inappropriate, and the nurse was immediately fired and threatened with a sexual-abuse lawsuit. The young man again became belligerent. Rights and accessibility to resources for the disabled have greatly improved in the last decade, but we still never see disabled people represented as both wheelchairbound (or otherwise different) and also sexually active. Opening up a dialogue about the conception of “sexiness” and our culture’s insistence on ignoring physical otherness is a much simpler campaign — one that you could start right now with the way you look, conceptualize and include people who do not look exactly like you do.

Illustration by Rachel Weiss | Daily Texan Staff

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