09/24/09

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THE DAILY TEXAN Weekend

DT

24, 2009 SEPTEMBER

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CUISINE OLD WORLD

DT WEEKEND

LIFE&ARTS PAGE 12 Learning from the master

Bon Appétit Thursday, September 24, 2009

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Students assemble to back a DREAM

Jordy Wagoner | Daily Texan Staff

An intricate model displayed in the FAC showcases the proposed designs to renovate the area of Speedway and 24th Streets surrounding the East Mall.

The projected renovations aim to make the East Mall more pedestrian-friendly.

Funds could revive the East Mall

By Viviana Aldous Daily Texan Staff Plans to transform Speedway Street into a more pedestrian-friendly area have been a topic of discussion for more than 10 years. But slow fundraising has hindered progress of the $130 million project.

The Campus Master Plan was created in 1996 to provide guidelines for campus construction and include plans to end vehicular traffic on Inner Campus Drive, Speedway and the parts of 24th Street between Whitis Avenue and Speedway. The plans include new and more pedestrian-friendly walking surfaces, landscape elements, street furniture and lighting.

Speedway, which was to be re-

named North Congress Street, was going to be transformed into a central location for informal gathering and food service, featuring an accessible and accommodating linear plaza.

But funds for the project, which encompasses 16 acres, have not yet been acquired, said Patricia Clubb, vice president for University operations.

“If those funds are raised, the project will be carried out,” said Clubb, who is overseeing the project. “But even if we had all the money at hand, we could not tear up all that space. The campus could not tolerate that kind of disruption. We’d need to do parts at a time.”

Former UT President Robert Ber-

dahl, who served from 1993 until 1997, offered optimistic thoughts about the project during his tenure.

“This new master plan for the UT campus, the first in more than 60 years, is a thorough, probing, thoughtful and bold expression of renewed commitment to the future of this community,” Berdahl wrote.

“There are clear opportunities for us to build a sense of community as we grow by creating an environment conducive to academic life in all respects.”

The University hired an architecture firm, Peter Walker and Partners, to create a model for the project after the firm designed the landscape surrounding the Blanton Museum of Art.

City Council to hear about debated high-rise proposal

By Melissa Pan Daily Texan Staff The Austin City Council will consider a controversial proposal presented by developer Grayco Partners today to build upscale high-rises around the East Riverside Drive and South Lakeshore Boulevard area. The public hearing, meant for Aug. 28, was initially postponed.

Houston-based Grayco Partners plans to ask the council for a special exception that will allow the firm to build 50 percent higher than allowed by the Waterfront Overlay, restrictions established for developers who intend to build around Lady Bird Lake.

Grayco Partners proposes using a planned unit development — a means for large developers to bypass zoning laws if they give community benefits in return — to build its developments as high as 120 feet.

“They’re proposing a unique process that allows them to not necessarily follow the rules,” said architecture professor Elizabeth Mueller. “It seems problematic to be able to skirt the rules.”

According to architecture professor Michael Oden, there would be around 500 apartments torn down if Grayco Partners proceeds with its plans.

“There are a lot of very low-income residents who could be displaced by this,” Mueller said.

She said Grayco is considering donating some money for affordable housing. There is some disagreement over how much

COUNCIL continues on page 2

Derek Stout | Daily Texan Staff

A runner jogs by a construction sight at the banks of Town Lake on Wednesday afternoon.

Besides ideas from the original master plan, current plans include and the addition of food kiosks and seated areas near Robert Lee Moore Hall, near Perry-Castañeda Library and Beauford H. Jester Center, said Lawrence Speck, architecture professor and former dean of the School of Architecture. “[That part of campus] is embarrassing,” Speck said. “The tree roots are all exposed; there are landscaping issues [with] all that pavement.

It could be like the West Mall where students are out there, hanging out.

That was the vision for it, but as long as there are curbs and pavement, it’s not going to happen.”

REBUILD continues on page 2

By Melissa Pan Daily Texan Staff Jorge was 11 when he crossed the Mexican-American border with his family.

“I came to the U.S. with a tourist visa,” said the civil engineering sophomore, who chose to go by a pseudonym. “I thought it would be another two- to three-week vacation, but we decided to stay here.”

Jorge had often visited his sister in Houston before coming to the U.S. permanently. His three siblings became legal U.S. residents by marrying American citizens, and his sister successfully petitioned for his mother’s residency.

But Jorge remains an undocumented immigrant student at UT. “The faster, practical and only way for me to get residency is through the DREAM Act,” he said.

Students gathered at the Union Patio on Wednesday in support of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act and to call on President William Powers Jr. to support the legislation.

In the proposed bill, undocumented immigrant students would gain legal status if they went to college or joined the U.S. military. The act was introduced in Congress in March but has not yet been passed.

DREAM continues on page 2

Jesus Montelongo | Daily Texan Staff

Melessa Rodriguez, president of University Democrats, educates students about the Dream Act during a rally in the Texas Union patio commemorating the National Dream Action Day.

UT plans to use reclaimed water

By Rachel Platis Daily Texan Staff Within the next year and a half, UT will utilize reclaimed water in the cooling towers of the University’s Hal C. Weaver Power Plant to maintain lawns and landscapes around campus.

Reclaimed water is highly treated wastewater that would normally go into the Colorado River. Some of this water is skimmed off, put into tanks and pumped around town through a series of pipes for non-potable or non-drinking purposes, said Dan Pedersen, manager of the reclaimed water program for the city of Austin. Construction of the pipes meant to disperse the water will begin in November or December and finish in January 2011.

“Essentially, the benefit of using the water is that you get to use water twice rather than UT using potable water just one time,” Pedersen said. “This kind of conservation definitely helps during times of drought.”

Using the reclaimed water could allow UT to replace consumption of about 340 million gallons of potable water per year with the non-potable water, according to the utilities and energy management Web site.

“It’s a positive use of the water,” said environmental engineering professor Joseph Malina.

“The reclaimed water program reduces the drain on the lake water. It’s a good way to keep campus green without having to use drinking water.”

The process will take about 18 months and will cost about $1.6 million. The project saves the University money in the long run, said Juan Ontiveros, execu-

Derek Stout | Daily Texan Staff

Ryan Adams, a sophomore design major, repairs a flat bike tire in the west lawn of the Fine Arts Library on Wednesday morning. tive director of utilities and energy management.

Ontiveros said UT purchases two types of water from the city for use in the plant cooling towers. The University first uses free water that is captured condensation from air conditioning coil runoff for use in the cooling towers. Irrigation water and water used for drinking are purchased from the city.

UT pays $4.20 plus a $6.84 sewer charge per thousand gallons of drinking water. Irrigation water costs $4.20 per thousand gallons.

UT hopes to replace the use of irrigation and domestic water with the reclaimed water that costs $1.03 per thousand gallons, Ontiveros said.

“The revenue is about 800 to 900 thousand dollars a year in savings that we will use to pay off this investment,” Ontiveros said.

Austin has several thousand feet of pipes installed for reclaimed water and has been providing a reclaimed water service

since 1974, Pedersen said, though that water went mostly to watering golf courses. Since the 1990s, the program has been remodeled with new facilities.

Pedersen said areas of Florida and California have used reclaimed water for years without any difficulty or problems.

“If the water is used as intended, it’s not harmful,” he said. “The only way it could be is if someone were to accidently drink it.”

The city treats the water with chlorine and other chemicals that kill bacteria, Ontiveros said, but it’s not treated at the same level as drinking water.

“We’re going to add even more chemicals to the water in our own towers,” he said. “So we’re taking additional precautions on top of what is being done by the city.

We don’t want to hurt anyone or damage any equipment.”

Malina said reclaimed water is

WATER continues on page 2

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NEWS

Thursday, September 24, 2009

‘I want to rock’

NEWS BRIEFLY $2.8 million grant awarded to UT professor for research Rueben Gonzales, UT professor of pharmacology and toxicology, was awarded a $2.8 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “It’s quite an honor to work this many years and to have received a recognition from my peers granting me this award,�

Gonzales said.

The Method to Extend Research in Time program was established in 1986 by the National Institutes of Health to award investigators for their research endeavors. By receiving this award, Gonzales will be able to fund his current and future research projects. “The first issue is that you need money and this grant would allow me to continue this work, and it also allows a little more freedom to explore some new ideas,� Gonzales said.

Gonzales’ current research includes investigating the chemical changes in the brain that motivate drinking alcohol. — Perez James

REBUILD: SG joins

fundraising effort to revamp Speedway From page 1 Current plans also include efforts to revitalize the East Mall to better resemble the level of student traffic on the West Mall, Speck said.

He worked with the executive committee on the master plan. “[East Mall and Speedway are] way more like the center of campus, way more so than West Mall,�

Speck said. “But it’s just really ugly.

We need to improve it and increase the health of the trees and vegetation that has deteriorated.�

In an effort to help raise funds, the Student Government Assembly passed a resolution Tuesday to show support for the project.

SG’s “Speedway Team� talks to potential donors and assists with fundraising events. “It’s basically a way to show that students are behind this project so when we’re talking to donors, they know we’re not just

Science program gets grant to help high school students The ChemBridge Program at UT received a $15,000 grant to give more underrepresented students the ability to earn college credit while still in high school.

ChemBridge is a collaborative program among some Texas high schools, the College of Natural Sciences and the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University, according to a press release from the Austin Independent School District.

The grant from the Applied Materials Foundation will provide curriculum materials, chemical supplies and college-planning workshops for high school students. The program allows high school students to earn six hours of college chemistry credit upon completion of the course while earning concurrent high school credit that serves as an Advanced Measure under the Texas Education Agency Distinguished Achievement Program. — P.J.

WATER: Reusing water safe

for irrigation, use in cities

as Martin Luther King Boulevard and connect the Universialso safe to use for irrigation de- ty’s pipes to the city’s pipes. spite the fact that it may run off “We’ve been anticipating the into creeks. project for a long time, and it’s “After the chemical analysis good to know we’re finally here,� that the water goes through in the Ontiveros said. “The project is fitreatment plants, it may be bet- nancially and environmentally ter quality than the stuff in Lake sound because we’re cutting back Austin,� Malina said. on domestic water, which the city The new pipes carrying the needs. Hopefully, it’ll delay the water will run down Dean Kee- [city’s] construction of building ton and Red River streets as well another water treatment plant.�

From page 1

Shelley Neuman | Daily Texan Staff

Cydney McCollum and Ryan Fifia play Guitar Hero outside of the Games2U Headquarters on a mobile game theater on Wednesday afternoon.

DREAM: Presidents of Harvard, Yale have already shown their support From page 1 The University’s current policy lists undocumented immigrant students as international students who pay in-state tuition.

Similar student gatherings occurred Wednesday across the country in support of the legislation. Harvard University President Drew Faust and Stanford University President John Hennessy are among those university leaders who have publicly supported the legislation. “I don’t think President Powers feels obligated to endorse the DREAM Act,� said government junior Lorena Tule. “But we are

going to get this accomplished.�

Angela Valenzuela, an education and Mexican-American studies professor, spoke to the crowd of about 30 people. “This is a group that’s sharp, hungry, highly motivated and self-sacrificing,� Valenzuela said. “The DREAM Act would create an incentive for immigration, which is jobs.�

The event was the first time undeclared freshman Henry Zaragoza heard of the proposed bill. “I’m really motivated now to help out with the cause,� Zaragoza said.

Government junior Olivia Lopez, who is from South Texas, is

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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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melissa Pan, Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, Alex Geiser, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Perez James, Molly Triece, Vidushi Shrimali Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jordy Wagoner, Shelley Neumann, Derek Stout, Jesus Montelongo Life & Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gerald Rich, Robert Doty, Susannah Jacob, Javier Sanchez, Rene Huynh Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas Luippold, Daniel Earnest Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt Hohner, Jordan Godwin Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Chandler, Gabriella Fuentes, Carolyn Webb Sports/Life&Arts Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veronica Rosalez Wire Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacque Rauschber Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Diamond, Michael Bowman, Emmery Ferguson, Sam Martinez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monica Tseng, Connor Shea, Ryohei Yatsu, Kristi Rodriguez Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Benavides

Advertising

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

involved with University Leadership Initiative, one of the student organizations that planned the event. “Aren’t we all Americans?

Don’t we all go to school, eat at McDonald’s, contribute to the economy [and] buy textbooks?�

Lopez said. “It’s just silly to not pass this.�

At the end of the event, the students walked to Powers’ office to give him a letter, a DREAM Act badge and a T-shirt emblazoned with the Statue of Liberty and “DREAM Act Now.�

Mikael Garcia, president of UT’s College Republicans, voiced some concerns about the proposed legislation. “We just hope that it provides equal opportunity for not only — I hate to use the term — illegals, but for everybody who is trying to get into college,� Garcia said. “People who are here le-

gally here are also struggling to get into college.�

Jorge currently works in a research lab for a professor without pay for 10 hours a week. “The first time I applied for a summer job when I was 14 or 15, I had to give a Social Security number, which my parents told me I didn’t have,� he said. “It wasn’t until I was filling out my application to UT that I realized my situation and started to become more informed.�

Jorge lives within walking distance of his workplace and takes the bus to get around Austin.

The last time he flew was to a conference in Phoenix last year.

At the airport, he showed officials his UT and consulate IDs. “Those two seconds were eternal,� Jorge said of airport security. “The fear is always there, but you just learn to deal with it and live with it.�

COUNCIL: Nonprofit among

critics of Grayco’s project From page 1 money Grayco is obligated to contribute. “How the community benefits and who gets to say how much money Grayco will contribute should be a public process,� Mueller said.

Save Town Lake is a nonprofit initiative against the Grayco development plan. Chair-

Volume 110, Number 76 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 Sports Office: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com

breckenridge

Vail ™ Beaver Creek ™ Keystone ™ Arapahoe Basin

20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price.

09/24/09

Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classified@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.

CORRECTION The headline on Wednesday’s article “Texas agency ignores misconduct� was misleading and should have read “Texas agency rarely punishes officers.�

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.

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man Thomas Cooke could not be reached for comment. “The zoning and land development code is always frustrating here in Austin,� Oden said. “We’re always changing and not adhering to it.�

The meeting will take place after 4 p.m. today in the Council Chambers at City Hall, located at 301 W. Second St. The item is last on the agenda.

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saying this on behalf the four of us but on behalf of the student body,� said Carly Castetter, resolution co-author and University-wide representative. “They’re definitely more apt to giving if they think students really want this and are behind it.�

Construction of buildings such as the Student Activities Center on Speedway near Gregory Gym and the Norman Hackerman Building on the corner of 24th Street and Speedway are part of the effort to transform the area, Speck said. “[The project will] turn [Speedway] into an outdoor learning environment with places to study, outdoor classrooms and food court areas,� Clubb said. “It takes advantage of the Austin climate that would allow us to do something like that and would create the social and educational space for students.�

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Wire Editor: Jacque Rauschuber www.dailytexanonline.com

WORLD&NATION

3

Thursday, September 24, 2009

T HE DAILY T EXAN

Obama: America can’t fix global issues

By Jennifer Loven The Associated Press UNITED NATIONS — President Barack Obama challenged world leaders Wednesday to shoulder more of the globe’s critical burdens, promising a newly cooperative partner in America but sternly warning they can no longer castigate the U.S. as a goit-alone bully while still demanding it cure all ills.

“Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone,” said Obama in put-up-or-shut-up comments before a packed U.N. General Assembly hall. “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”

In his first appearance before the group, Obama promised the U.S. would reach out in “a new era of engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” but he also wagged a rhetorical finger at leaders who spend much of their time at international gatherings excoriating the U.S. He said “an almost reflexive anti-Americanism” that swept the globe under the administration of his predecessor, George W. Bush, is not “an excuse for collective inaction.”

U.S. presidents — Bush included — have come to the United Nations year after year with a wish list of action items and preaching the gospel of working together. The U.S. is rich and powerful, but cannot solve problems without help, they say, whether Democrat or Republican.

So Obama’s message was not new. But it was delivered in an unmistakably new, more humble tone.

Following a president criticized for making my-way-orthe-highway “requests” of allies, Obama didn’t demand so much as he chided and cajoled.

It’s now an inextricably inter-

Ohio woman carries another baby due to fertility mix-up TOLEDO, Ohio — Carolyn Savage didn’t know what to think, what to say, where to look as the ultrasound wand glided over her belly. It was supposed to be her baby inside. Not someone else’s.

Yet here she was in her doctor’s office with the baby’s biological mother, both brought together by a terrible error at a fertility clinic. A doctor, they said, had given Savage the wrong embryo, and now she was carrying the other woman’s child.

Embryo mix-ups at fertility clinics are extremely rare.

In those few instances, they’ve degenerated into custody battles, ugly lawsuits and at least one abortion. But not this time.

Savage and her husband decided that the right thing — the only thing — to do was to give the baby to the biological parents.

“This was someone else’s child,” she said. “We didn’t know who it was. We didn’t know if they didn’t have children or if this was their last chance for a child.”

Construction accident kills 20, injures 5 others Henny Ray Abrams | Associated Press

U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrive at a luncheon during the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. connected world, he said, so that each country’s problems become the others’.

“In the year 2009 — more than at any point in human history — the interests of nations and peoples are shared,” Obama said.

And he delivered the message that America will not behave as if it is better.

Even while offering new cooperation from Washington, Obama was blunt that others must step

up or face dire consequences: “extremists sowing terror in pockets of the world, protracted conflicts that grind on and on, genocide, mass atrocities, more nations with nuclear weapons, melting ice caps and ravaged populations, persistent poverty and pandemic disease.”

At the top of Obama’s urgent challenges are the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran, the first having already produced

Winds blow wildfires along

By Jeff Wilson The Associated Press MOORPARK, Calif. — Firefighters guarded rural homes, ranches and orchards Wednesday as a wind-driven wildfire apparently caused by spontaneous combustion in manure marched through rugged land between small Southern California communities Wednesday.

The hot, dry and gusty Santa Ana winds that spread the flames across 15 square miles returned for a second day, and incident commander Robert Lewin said the fire had potential for significant growth.

The blaze, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, was only 20 percent contained. Firefighters cut and burned away brush along a canyon road to try to corral part of the fire’s western flank.

Fire officials said it began Tuesday in the area of an agricultural mulch pile, but the cause remained under investigation. The Sheriff’s Department earlier said it was apparently caused by spontaneous combustion in manure.

Winds and fuels such as grasses and light brush made the fire dangerous, Lewin said.

“Our firefighters need to be on guard, make sure they’re out of harm’s way when they’re engaged in this fire, and so do the citizens,” he said.

NEWS BRIEFS

About 1,000 homes were considered threatened as the fire burned east and west just north of Moorpark, a city of 37,000. The 15,000-student Moorpark College was closed because of its proximity to the fire.

Reverse 911 calls recommending evacuations were made to 2,200 phones in unincorporated areas, but officials couldn’t say how many people actually left.

One of those calls went to the home of school bus driver Maria Kadowaki in Somis, west of Moorpark.

“I wasn’t too frightened but my husband freaked out,” she said.

“He ran outside and started watering the garage in the dark.”

They chose not to leave their home, and Wednesday afternoon she and another driver were out checking which roads would be open or closed when they took children home after school.

Two outbuildings were destroyed but no homes had been damaged.

The fire was also threatening agricultural properties, a major concern in a county where the industry was valued at $1.6 billion last year.

“There are very, very valuable avocado groves and other agricultural values out there and we are doing everything we can to protect those,” Lewin said.

Firefighters were also con-

cerned about five major electrical transmission lines, a 36-inch natural gas pipeline and oil production fields within the fire perimeter, he said.

Firefighting costs surpassed $1 million as nearly 900 firefighters, 18 air tankers and 12 helicopters worked the blaze. Four injuries were reported but all were minor.

The blaze was the largest of several fires that erupted in Southern California on Tuesday as the Santa Anas blew in from the northeast, pushing back the normal flow of cool and moist ocean air.

During a calm period early Wednesday, Marieke Lexmond stood with her dog Flynn and recalled the scary rush of fire and smoke past her rented Balcom Canyon home.

“It was a serious wind and the fire came out of the hills and it was burned out in 30 minutes,” she said.

Lexmond and neighbors gathered horses into a corral in preparation for evacuation.

“We have the cars packed and we are ready to go. When it comes this close, you don’t care.

You take your passport and papers and animals and go,” Lexmond said.

Meanwhile, the hot, dry and windy weather increased fire activity northeast of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains.

John Lazar | Associated Press

A ridge of fire works its way through Grimes Canyon toward Fillmore, Calif., on Tuesday.

several atomic bombs, the second suspected of moving rapidly in that direction and both in defiance of repeated international demands. He said the two nations “must be held accountable” if they continue, without mentioning the tougher sanctions that are his preferred penalties.

“The world must stand together to demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise,” Obama said.

The president was particularly muscular on the need to tackle global warming, declaring that America’s days of dragging its feet on the issue are over. “If we continue down our current course, every member of this assembly will see irreversible changes within their borders,” he said.

He said that all leaders will be held accountable by their citizens.

NEW DELHI — A large chimney under construction at a power plant in central India collapsed Wednesday, killing at least 20 people and injuring five others, police said. As many as 100 workers were feared trapped under the rubble.

The 250-foot chimney came crashing down in the plant’s cafeteria, where the workers were having tea, said Vishwa Ranjan, the director-general of police in Chhattisgarh state, where the accident occurred.

“We have recovered 20 bodies so far,” Ranjan said.“It will take time to clear the rubble as there were huge pieces of concrete.”

Complied from Associated Press reports

OPINION

4

Thursday, September 24, 2009

T HE DAILY T EXAN

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

VIEWPOINT

Reasons for the DREAM Act

Yesterday, students here and across the nation rallied in support of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, a federal measure that would afford undocumented students in the U.S. a path to citizenship. If passed, the act will benefit undocumented students who have graduated from high school or received a GED, lived in the U.S. at least five years, entered the country before the age of 16, compiled no criminal record and demonstrated “good moral character.”

Under the DREAM Act, youths who meet these requirements would be granted conditional permanent residency, an already existing form of legal residency that would allow them to legally drive, work and have access to federal aid.

Conditional permanent residency is re-evaluated after six years, and during the six years, students would be required to obtain a minimum of a two-year college degree or complete two years of military service. At the end of the six years, their cases would be reviewed, and — if they completed the college or military requirements without a criminal record — they would be granted lawful permanent residency. They would then be eligible to pursue U.S. citizenship.

Undocumented youths in America currently have no means by which they can work toward U.S. citizenship. Those moved to the U.S. by their parents before the age of 16 are left to choose between a life of constant fear of government attention and returning to a country they hardly know in order to undergo a lengthy and tedious application for legal admittance to the U.S., which can be denied.

Members of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a national nonprofit organization that aims to improve border security, denounce the DREAM Act as “amnesty for illegal aliens.” They claim the act would provide an incentive for additional undocumented immigrants to enter the U.S. This rationale is inane. The numerous undocumented aliens who have entered the U.S. in the past have not done so out of anticipation of their children one day finding success under the DREAM Act, nor will the many underprivileged and persecuted people who will seek entrance to our country need it as an incentive tomorrow.

The act simply allows those who were brought here without a choice, have lived here, been brought up through our education system and have proven themselves to be decent citizens an opportunity to work toward becoming official contributors to our society as educated citizens or members of the military.

Texas, especially, has much to gain through the DREAM Act. With a large population of undocumented immigrants, Texas will benefit from an influx of degree-holding citizens able to legally enter the workforce.

There is no reason to deny those whose only crime was being carried across the border a route to the full benefits this country offers. Congress would be wise to provide this reasonable path for them to find their way out of America’s shadows and afford them the benefits and responsibilities of full citizenship.

— Jillian Sheridan for the editorial board

Race for a cause

bly joyful and moving. The survivors, who were marked by their brightly colored T-shirts, could not have exhibited I had never felt the unsettling grasp more happiness or fervor for life. For my of cancer more tangibly in my life than I friends and me, they served as a testimodid this weekend. ny to great strength, and being around My grandfather fell to cancer when I the families who had been in the fray was very young, and I thank God that and come out victorious was simply inthe rest of my immediate family has been describable. left unscathed by the disease.

The race itself, while secondary in imBut the disease’s devastation hit me portance, was not without its success harder when my good friend informed stories. While the track was likely shortme that his mother had just been di- er than an actual 5K, my friends and I agnosed with breast were able to run at an cancer. impressive pace, espeWatching my norcially my friend whose mally carefree, easymother we were there to going buddy struggle support and my friend They served as with a new, unwelcome whose mother had just change in his life finally been diagnosed. Somea testimony to made cancer feel more how, my two friends great strength, real to me than just a found another source of commercial or a ribbon. strength within themand being around His fear, uncertainty selves and sprinted to families that had and sadness lent a huthe finish side by side, been in the fray man aspect to the displacing second and third ease that I had not obin the race for their in... was simply served before. Staying credible performances. indescribable. up sitting with him FriThe image of them finday night, mostly in siishing so strongly will lence due to my inabilbe forever ingrained in ity to empathize, will my memory. forever have an impact I have urged readers on me. before to join service orBut this weekend, despite this, had ganizations or participate in communiits triumphs as well. No, I’m not talking ty service to make a difference at a local about the Texas Tech game. On Satur- level. Another great way to leave behind day morning, I ran a 5K marathon with your footprint is to participate in a race a group of about 10 of my friends in for a good cause, especially if you like San Antonio. The race was held to raise running. awareness for ovarian cancer, and my There are several worthy charities and group of friends was there to support even more opportunities to run in Ausmy roommate’s mother, who had bat- tin. Consider this a great way to get in tled and conquered ovarian cancer two shape while also making a positive imyears ago. pact on the community.

The atmosphere of the race, in conEarnest is a finance junior trast to the night before, was incrediBy Daniel Earnest Daily Texan Columnist

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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. All Texan editorials are written by the editorial board, which is listed in the top right corner of this page.

Have someting to say? Say it in print, and to the entire campus community. The Daily Texan Editorial Board welcomes submissions for guest columns. Columns must be between 500 and 700 words. Send columns to editor@dailytexanonline.com. The Texan reserves the right to edit all columns for clarity and liability if chosen for publication.

A rebellious school board of impartiality, responded to the judge’s explicit decision by issuing a statement saying it is “reviewing the judge’s order” and consulting with its attorneys.

Political intrigue has arisen in the Carrollton-FarmThroughout the litigation, the board engaged in a er ’s Branch Independent School District in Dallas. series of political maneuvers that grossly undermined During a school board election in May, tax advis- voters. School Board President Chaffin served as vice er Richard Fleming received 52 percent of the vote president of the board under then-President John and defeated school board president John Tepper to Tepper. When Tepper lost the election, he nominatbecome the first African-American elected to the C- ed Chaffin to replace him as president and the board FBISD School Board of Trustees. Five months and two elected her. She then invalidated the election Tepper lawsuits later, Fleming has still not been seated on the lost and called for a November special election for the board. seat. The school board subsequently appointed TepThat politics are at play during something as theo- per to retain the seat from which he was ousted until retically ingenuous as a school board the special election commenced. election is troubling, disrespectful This type of discord sets a bad exto voters and speaks to greater conample for students and hurts pubcerns about elected officials’ treatlic schools. The board has failed to ment of public education in Texas. uphold a standard that students The trouble began in C-FBISD should strive for, essentially saying That politics when a resident of the district filed through its actions that ignoring an are at play in a lawsuit to prevent Fleming from authority’s decision simply because assuming the position to which he it does not mirror its own is approsomething as was elected. The lawsuit claimed priate conduct. Is a school board theoretically that Fleming did not reside within that brazenly disregards voters and the district and was therefore inelia district judge in a position to repingenuous as gible for a place on the school board. rimand students for disobedience a school board It was quickly dismissed on a techtoward educators? election is nicality and Fleming took the oath To be sure, it is unlikely that a of office. ninth grader will argue “But the troubling.

But before he was seated, the new school board did it!” as an excuse for board president, Lynn Chaffin, isinsubordination. That said, it is hypsued a “formal declaration of inelocritical for the leaders of an instituigibility” against Fleming and pretion as hierarchical as a school disvented him from taking his place trict to ignore their superiors while on the board. She, like the lawsuit, cited a land sur- expecting deference from teachers and principals. vey performed after the election finding that FlemThis issue has implications for education in Texas ing lived 17 feet outside the district, according to The that extend beyond C-FBISD. Public education has Dallas Morning News. become extremely politicized in Texas in recent years.

Fleming subsequently sued the school district. On This election issue, the controversy over social studSept. 21, State District Judge Ken Molberg ruled in his ies textbook content and the debate over sex educafavor. The judge ordered the C-FBISD school board tion serve as examples of leaders using schools to adto immediately seat Fleming. In his decision, Mol- vance ideological or personal ambitions. berg deemed Fleming to have lived within boundHopefully, this is an isolated incident, because pubary lines at the time of the election. Court documents lic schools certainly have enough educational probalso state that Fleming pays local taxes and that niec- lems without the injection of this type of power es and nephews who lived with him all attended C- politics.

FBISD schools.

Luippold is a government junior The school board, which has demonstrated no guise

By Douglas Luippold Daily Texan Columnist

GALLERY

5 UNIV

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NEWS

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Austin kids can do the robot with latest gadgets

Shelley Neuman | Daily Texan Staff

Lily Hiduke takes a ride in the U:bot, the first robot controlled from the inside by humans, at the Games2U Corporate Headquarters in North Austin on Wednesday afternoon.

Capital Metro takes over shuttle to football games

By Alex Geiser Daily Texan Staff The Longhorns Express, a Capital Metro shuttle service, will bus fans to the football stadium from two locations starting with this Saturday’s game against UT El Paso.

Capital Metro began negotiating to run the shuttle service this week after UT cancelled its contract with the previous provider, Executive Coach.

“The first time we ran the service for the first game, we were not satisfied with the quality and did not want to run that service again,” said Bob Harkins, associate vice president for campus safety and security. “That opened up the ability for Capital Metro to run the service.”

The goal of the program is to decrease traffic congestion around the stadium.

The shuttle costs $8 for adults and is free for children under five. As long as enough people ride the shuttle, it should pay for itself, Harkins said.

“Capital Metro will not be in a deficit for this,” he said. “The fans are paying and the deficit will be made up by the athletic department.”

Pick-ups will be made from the Intramural Fields at 51st and Guadalupe streets and Barton Creek Mall at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway.

“If you want direct service, then you would catch the Longhorn[s] Express,” Harkins said.

Company promises cleaner energy Plans for cap-and-trade include alternative fuel, more renewable energy

By Vidushi Shrimali Daily Texan Staff Austin Energy presented the latest work of a citizen panel on planning clean power generation at City Hall on Wednesday evening.

Anticipating the passage of federal cap-and-trade legislation, the city-owned utility has devised a plan to cut future expenses and carbon dioxide emissions. The City Council-appointed Austin Generation Resource Planning Task Force provides suggestions and feedback on Austin Energy’s plans, which are then presented to the public at a series of town hall meetings.

“The council can take action when they wish — we are enabling the public participation process to continue. There is no date set for the action to be taken,” said Austin Energy spokesman Carlos Cordova.

Despite attempts to reach a consensus amongst citizens and Austin Energy, some residents and environmental organizations say they are unsatisfied with the energy provider’s generation and carbon dioxide reduction plan.

David Power from Public Citizen said the plan, which includes increasing the percentage of renewable energy used, shifting small percentages of energy sources from generation fuels to solar power and exploring alternative fuel sources — such as biomass, wind and nuclear power — has an unnecessarily long time line despite having good ideas.

“We feel like they can get more renewables faster than they propose,” Power said.

Cordova said the utility is constantly working to uphold its reputation as one of the most competitive and energyefficient energy providers in the country.

Austin Energy manager Roger Duncan echoed Cordova’s

statement.

“Austin Energy may be limited in its ability to reduce emissions at power plants,” Duncan said. “We don’t have easy solutions, but we are well aware of the problem.”

Cordova said that the benefits of the plan will more than outweigh the little, if any, additional expenses, considering that energy prices are rising globally. A report commissioned by Austin Energy predicted an increase of $23 per month per household electricity bill over 10 years after the plan’s initial implementation.

‘‘

The external impact that coal has on the environment and people is more dangerous than any other source on earth. Burning coal has a laundry list of dangers to human health.”

— Chris Searles Austin resident

“When you increase energy efficiency, you create lower usage for customers, which equates to cheaper bills, and when you work to adjust to climate change, cleaner air is good for your physical well-being,” Cordova said.

Duncan explained to the audience the idea of a grid system, which would alert citizens of energy costs so that they could plan electricity usage around prices.

“Your meter right now tells you how much you are using [and] your thermometer in your bedroom tells you the temperature — with smart grid, you get more information [on] how

to use electricity to your advantage,” said Matt Johnson, a Public Citizen researcher and member of the task force.

Johnson said that Austin Energy is overlooking some parts from the two external reports from May, which show that focusing on solar energy would be the cheapest option for Austin Energy, the city and its citizens.

Austin Energy gets 32 percent of its energy from the Fayette coal plant, a major cause for concern for local environmentalists. The plan proposes to lower this amount to 23 percent by 2020 and continue lowering this amount thereafter.

Austin resident Chris Searles said Austin Energy should withdraw its interest from the Fayette coal plant as soon as possible and claimed that it can be done by 2014.

“The external impact that coal has on the environment and people is more dangerous than any other source on earth,” Searles said. “Burning coal has a laundry list of dangers to human health.”

Cordova insisted that it was not possible to completely replace coal with another source by 2020.

“We don’t have a way to replace it by 2020,” Cordova said.

“We don’t have the resources, but we are looking at an eventual closure and de-investing our interests in the [Fayette power] plant.”

Though Johnson addressed issues that the task force believes Austin Energy has not fully explored, such as even further lowering the coal used from Fayette power plant and increasing energy efficiency, he joined many citizens at the meeting in applauding Austin Energy for its efforts so far.

“As of right now, it’s a step in the right direction,” Johnson said. “At a time when many utility companies in Texas are heading in the wrong direction, Austin Energy is heading in the right direction and getting away from coal.”

By Priscilla Totiyapungprasert Daily Texan Staff From inside an almost 7-foottall, motorized green robot, 11-year-old Katie Gillespey tests out the latest toy from Games2U Entertainment as she zips across the company’s headquarters, shooting laser lights and fog as she moves.

“I definitely want to drive around and scare my friends,” Gillespey said.

Games2U founders, brothers David and Stuart Pikoff, showcased their U:bot invention Wednesday afternoon to neighbors and friends at a debut promo party. The event also featured colorful trailers where attendants could play video games.

U:bot users step inside the robot through a back door on the body and drive using a joystick. Inside are buttons to control light, sound and fog effects, a video screen and a voice machine that changes the user’s voice to “robot voice.” A platform inside adjusts to accommodate height.

David Pikoff said the robot’s development team drew inspiration from television and science fiction movies. Planning has already begun on an updated version of U:bot, which will feature movable arms and Nerf ball guns, he added.

Games2U is an Austin-based

franchise company that brings flashy, mobile entertainment to birthday parties and festivals. The company offers party vans with flat screen televisions and a capacity of up to 16, as well as laser tag, air cannons and a giant, inflatable hamster ball. The cost for a Games2U party starts at $199.

The Pikoff brothers started the company in 2007 after leaving their former jobs in telecommunication, real estate and a building company.

“We’re light-hearted guys, and we thought work should be all fun and games,” David said. “Often times, we get to go to work and we’re talking about robots and video games. My kids think I’m the coolest dad in town.”

David said the brothers lucked out and stayed afloat when the recession hit. Although parents might not buy a new home or new car, they do not neglect their kid’s birthday, and people will always be spending money on their kids, he said.

David’s next door neighbor Sherri Coughlin said it is always a big neighborhood event when he sets up new gadgets in development on his lawn.

“I like that they show different games — not just video games, but unique activities for kids to do, like that giant hamster ball,” Coughlin said.

Fans cheer in the stands at the Louisiana Monroe game.

The Longhorn Express, a Capital Metro shuttle, will begin running Saturday to reduce traffic around campus on game days.

Peter Franklin Daily Texan file photo

6 S/L

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NEWS

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Reservoir Dogs

Pedestrians cross Sixth Street on a rainy Wednesday afternoon.

Caleb Miller Daily Texan Staff

Kinesiology group receives schooling from P.E. program

By Alex Geiser Daily Texan Staff Some students juggled colorful beanbags while others precariously rocked on balance-boards at the fourth annual Applied Movement Science Student Round-Up on Wednesday in the Anna Hiss Gymnasium Courtyard.

“This is a time that we showcase our profession,” said program coordinator Teresita Ramirez. “Part of this is celebrating the fact that they have chosen to be a physical education teacher.”

The Physical Education Teacher Education program was held to bring awareness to a university teacher education program that trains kinesiology students to teach physical education to elementary and middle school-aged children.

The celebration featured various physical challenges in which students, teachers from area schools, Texas Exes and friends took part.

Refreshments were served and prizes including a Run-Tex gift card and an iPod Nano were awarded to challenge winners.

Ramirez said that although the open advising offered prior to the event had a low turnout, the event brought more than 50 people out to the gym.

“The goal of the program is preparing teachers who empower

youth with skills, knowledge, habits and desire to be physically active and healthy for a lifetime,” Ramirez said.

John Ivy, kinesiology and health education professor who provided funding for the event, said the round-up is a way to create mutual respect among students and professors.

“It helps with cohesiveness within the department,” Ivy said.

Kinesiology senior Erin Seaton said the annual event is important because it draws attention to the program and offers anyone interested a chance to participate.

“The PETE Round-Up was promoted around the University so kids around the University who don’t know about kinesiology have an opportunity to learn about the program,” Seaton said.

Seniors in the PETE program are sent to an elementary school and a middle school for six weeks each to help teach physical education.

Mariah McAfee, a senior currently teaching at Pillow Elementary, said the program is grueling but necessary to succeed in teaching.

Since the PETE program is a small organization within the kinesiology school, McAfee said the RoundUp gives students in the program the opportunity to get to know others in the school.

Group protests Iranian president

Jordy Wagoner | Daily Texan Staff

Members of ‘Austin for Iran’ held a small rally on the West Mall on Wednesday afternoon protesting the controversial re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Austin for Iran organized crowd interactions and poetry on the West Mall to object to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.

The group gathered on the West Mall by a white banner reading

Book divulges women’s sex habits

By Molly Triece Daily Texan Staff A new book exploring the psychology of sex reveals some women have sex simply because they’re bored.

The book, “Why Women Have Sex,” by UT psychology professors Cindy Meston and David Buss will be published Tuesday. It surveyed a group of 1,000 women about why they are motivated to have sex, be it with their husbands or a one-night stand.

According to the survey, many of the women who were in committed relationships admitted that they occasionally have sex to maintain a peaceful home environment and avoid fights with their husband.

“A lot of women have sex for pure pleasure but from an evolutionary standpoint,” Buss said.

“It’s a very valuable reproductive resource for males and it tends to be in great demand, so women can use it for a variety of reasons.”

The survey found that women welcomed the opportunity to talk about their sexual experiences, both enjoyable and traumatic. Buss said some women slept with men to inflict damage in

some way.

“I was surprised at the number of times revenge came up,” Buss said. “There were a number of cases where somebody slept with the girl’s boyfriend or someone’s partner cheated on them, so sex was used for revenge.”

Buss said that fortunately these cases were infrequent but helped the survey capture the diversity of reasons a woman can be motivated to have sex.

“Some are glorious and uplifting; to emotionally bond, to experience ecstasy, to get closer to God,” Buss said. “Some reflect the darker side of sex like revenge or being forced into it. It really has the whole spectrum.”

Buss and Meston have different areas of expertise within the psychology of sex that Buss said helped the book achieve a more complete analysis of the subject.

“It illuminated many more facets of female sex than would have been revealed by one perspective,” Buss said. “It’s a synthesis of different perspectives.”

Meston was unavailable for comment Wednesday due to a medical procedure.

According to the survey, wom-

en who continue seeing the man they have slept with also revealed various motivations other than love. Almost one in 10 women admitted to sleeping with a man for financial or material gains. Buss said the practice of exchanging sex for economic goods is common in most cultures.

Arabic junior Kirsten Gassman said she morally disagrees with the idea of having sex for financial gains.

“If you want to do it for a Louis Vuitton purse, then go ahead, but don’t expect them to pay your rent or buy you a car,” she said. “If it’s someone you’re interested in then sure, have sex with them for presents or dinner. But if not, what are you doing in their bed?”

Henry Clay, a Plan II and engineering senior, also said he disagrees with the concept of a woman having sex for material gains but believes that they have a right to use their body for whatever purpose they want.

“I feel like guys want sex for more superficial reasons,” Clay said. “They can’t really use sex in the same way. In fact, we use other things to get sex, like the presents or dinners.”

“Ahmadinejad is not the president of Iran” in black, green and red ink.

Members wore “Free Iran” T-shirts with fake blood on their chests and hands as they moved among spectators, asking them “Have you seen my vote?”

Poet Selah Vie performed a piece

summing up the group’s rejection of Ahmadinejad as the president of Iran. Group members sat in front of the performance to create an image of Vie as a storyteller.

Negar Kalbasi, a member of Austin for Iran, said that Ahmadinejad has been using contro-

versial statements in the media to mask his entrance into the presidency. She said the group believes that media focus should be on the current state of Iran instead of on Ahmadinejad’s statements circulating through the media.

— Kelsey Crow

UT psychology professors David Buss, pictured here, and Cindy Meston wrote the book ‘Why Women Have Sex,’ slated for publication on Tuesday.

Peyton McGee Daily Texan Staff

7 SPTS

SPORTS

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

7

Thursday, September 24, 2009

T HE DAILY T EXAN

Miners’ mastermind finds home Price discovers success at UTEP after messy end to brief reign at Alabama

By Wes DeVoe Daily Texan Staff It’s not often you find a coach with as much baggage as an airport terminal who can still find a rather decent job in college athletics.

Imagine a coach marred by offfield incidents and allegations.

Imagine a coach who served the shortest stint as the head football coach of Alabama and didn’t even get the chance to coach a game.

Imagine a man who had good success at bottom-tier schools, moved up the ranks to bigger programs and had it all taken away reportedly because of one bad decision on a spring evening.

If you’re imagining Mike Price, then you’re in the right daydream.

Price, formerly the 1997 National Coach of the Year and now the head football coach at the University of Texas at El Paso, went through all the ups and downs a man who with aspirations to coach a college football powerhouse goes through.

But when he finally landed the job as the leader of the Crimson Tide in 2002, a job at a college football mecca, things started to spiral downward after Sports Illustrated published a story about how Price had been seen at a strip club in Pensacola, Florida.

Allegations suggested that Price checked into a hotel on the night of the incident with at least one exotic dancer from the club. The magazine further alleged he had a sexual encounter with a woman while intoxicated, an allegation Price vehemently denied.

But the allegations developed into too big of a black cloud that hovered over the University of Alabama, and school officials were forced to rescind Price’s contract, which he had never officially signed.

It was over like that. Price was fired from a head-coaching job before even setting foot on the sidelines. Despite some vindication after settling a libel suit with the magazine, Price’s reputation was scarred, and the dream of coaching at a top-tier program was no longer a reality.

But less than a year later, he was back in business as the Miners from El Paso were in desperate need of a big name to bring the football program back to the forefront.

“I feel reborn,” Price said at the news conference, introducing him as the Miners’ new coach. “I think this is the right situation for me. My dad told me a long time ago, if you

By Matt Hohner Daily Texan Staff It was the 2003 Orange Bowl. And for Iowa student Ben Bruner, it was the place he experienced the greatest 15 seconds of his life.

“My buddies and I took a trip down to Miami to see our Hawkeyes play Southern Cal,” Bruner said. “We have been tailgating all day in anticipation of the opening kickoff. Iowa received the kickoff and we took it back for six. It was the greatest 15 seconds of my life.”

To this day, it would be a memory Bruner would continue to talk about in his home in Des Moines, Iowa. The two friends wanted to bring the same memorable college football experience to students all over the nation. So the pair, who set a goal to attend every Big Ten venue to support their team, created their business, Rivalry Roadtrips.

“We’re fine this year. We want to be on every major campus in addition to college basketball,” Grossman said. “There’s a need for this service, sports or not, and we have the expertise and knowledge to put a trip together.”

Bruner recalls a memorable trip to the Big Ten basketball tournament where he packed eight or nine people in a PT Cruiser.

“We were packed in the car like sardines,” Grossman said. “It was spur of the moment, and we party up on the way to the game. We were damn tired, but it’s the best times and trips we talk about.”

Going bowling

Brian Kanof | UTEP Media Relations

In five years, head coach Mike Price has overseen the transformation of the UTEP program with the Miner’s best stretch of results in the modern ear. UTEP is 1-2 this year ahead of their visit to Austin on Saturday. go somewhere where you’re wanted and needed, your chances for success are a lot better. I want to be here. It’s a match made in heaven.”

And Price made the most of his first year at the helm, engineering an astounding turnaround from previous years. In the three sea-

VOLLEYBALL

Sara Young Daily Texan file photo

sons before he took over, UTEP managed to only win two games during each campaign.

But suddenly, heads turned as the Miners finished 8-4 in the regular season, earning a berth in the Houston Bowl. During that campaign, the team found itself ranked in The

Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time.

And it wasn’t just a one-hit wonder. Price led the Miners to an identical record in the team’s first year in Conference USA the following

PRICE continues on page 8

On the trip to South Florida, Bruner was accompanied by his best friend since age four, Nick Grossman. The two were in the same kindergarten class, teammates on the football field and shared the same passion for Iowa Hawkeye football in college.

“Iowa only has a college team to support,” Bruner said. “There isn’t any professional teams, so whether good or bad, people fill the stands and travel to all the away games. You don’t get that in some of the larger cities.”

In their first semester of college, the two friends decided to travel to Madison, Wis. to see their Hawkeyes play bitter rival, Wisconsin. They spread the word to fellow Iowa students about pulling some money together for gas and hotel reservations.

“We just handed out fliers and got a lot of interest from students,” Grossman said.

Bruner and Grossman received so much interest that they needed extra cars as well as extra hotel rooms.

‘Something to root for’ They know from experience that every trip is different.

FANS continues on page 8

FOOTBALL

Longhorns continue to dominate conference

The No. 2 Longhorns moved to 8-0 on the season with an easy 3-0 sweep of the Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday night in Boulder, Colo.

Fans turning football road tripping into new business Friends hope to inspire new sports traveling opportunities for fanatics

TEXAS 3, COLORADO 0

By Jordan Godwin Daily Texan Staff Second-ranked Texas tiptoed into their match against unranked Colorado with plenty of cautiousness.

Despite the fact that Colorado was their first unranked opponent in seven matches this season, the Longhorns made sure they took the Buffaloes seriously.

“Colorado is a dangerous team,” said senior setter Ashley Engle. “The altitude really affects the way you play. You’ll be playing and suddenly realize that you’re a lot more tired than nor-

NCAA FOOTBALL

mal. That in itself is a threat, but they’re also a great team, and any team on the road is going to be a challenge.”

Overcoming any obstacles they might have anticipated, the Longhorns easily swept Colorado in their most dominating win of the season.

Texas’ Big 12 rival and sixthranked Nebraska marched into Boulder last weekend and dominated the Buffaloes in a sweep by a total of 26 points. While the Longhorns didn’t have any

SWEEP continues on page 8

Derrick Johnson tops All-Decade linebackers

By Dan Hurwitz Daily Texan Staff Editor’s Note: This is the third of a season-long series that will conclude with the all-decade team picked

by The Daily Texan staff.

The past 10 years of Texas football have been unlike any in history.

When it comes to linebackers, there is the best and then the rest. But however weak the position, UT linebackers still make a huge contribution to some of the best teams in the University’s history.

Derrick Johnson Johnson is the easiest pick for the All-Decade team as he was by far the best linebacker in Texas during the early 2000s. With nine interceptions, the highest from a Longhorn linebacker in school history, Johnson was the most feared player for every opposing offense. From 2001 to 2004, he racked up 458 tackles, third most in Texas history. He was known for forcing fumbles by punching the ball. He became the first Longhorn to win the Butkus Award in 2004, which is awarded to the top linebacker in the country. Johnson was an All-American in 2003 and 2004 and was First Team AllBig 12 from 2003 to 2005, as well as the 2004 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Caleb Miller | Daily Texan Staff

Texas linebacker/defensive end Sergio Kindle, far right, has provided a consistent pass rush over the past two seasons. Kindle had 10.5 sacks last year as the Longhorns finished with a 12-1 record. with 10, including five in 2000.

Ten of his career sacks came this decade, along with 159 tackles in 2000-01.

In all four of his years on the 40 Acres, Lewis started every game that was on the schedule and was Second Team All-Big 12 in 2000 and 2001.

Harris was extremely strong at stopping the run recording 282 tackles, 9.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. He got plenty of attention in 2005, after Johnson graduated, and was one of the leaders of the defense that won the national championship. Harris was an All-American in 2005 as well as being First Team All-Big 12

currently playing defensive end, Kindle’s 10.5 sacks in 2008 and 106 career tackles at linebacker puts him among the candidates for the best of the decade. He was named First Team All-Big 12 in 2008.

Roddrick Muckelroy

Muckelroy led the team in tackles in 2008, and was named SecD.D. Lewis ond Team All-Big 12 that year. He Aaron Harris Lewis had two remarkable seahas three career forced fumbles, During his first three years at Sergio Kindle sons in the beginning of this de- Texas, Harris was always the guy When healthy, Kindle has been two fumble recoveries, one intercade. He is the Longhorns’ all- quietly making tackles while Der- one of the best linebackers to suit ception and 3.5 sacks in three seatime leader in fumble recoveries rick Johnson got all the attention. up for Texas. Even though he is sons as a Longhorn.

8 SPTS

8

SPORTS

Thursday, September 24, 2009

FANS: 2003 bowl game inspires nationwide travels From page 7 “It really takes a life on its own,� Bruner said. “You don’t know what you expect or plan on going into it.�

Bruner and Grossman understand what the football season is like on most college campuses across the nation. “Football in general, especially in the big conferences, people identify with school,� Grossman said. “Everybody wants something to root for, latch on to. [It takes a] whole week to build up suspense, each game is so huge.

Slip up at any point, can change overall view of nation. [It’s] much more than a game.�

Fittingly, it was an easy decision for Rivalry Roadtrips to reach out to Longhorn students and fans. “It was a no-brainer,� Grossman said. “In the past decade [Texas] has been a top-10 team. A feared student body, great campus, the Red River Rivalry. They are an ideal football team. We hope to make it to all of the great rivalries in football someday.�

Rivalry Roadtrips doesn’t

feel like work to the founders and employees of the business.

Their love for college football has presented an opportunity for profit.

Ian Beckcom, a sophomore finance major and Rivalry Roadtrips sales representative, enjoys working for the new company. “It’s a really cool job,� Beckcom said. “It doesn’t feel like work, because I’m promoting a job to a football game that everyone cares about. It’s exciting to recruit fellow Longhorns to join me in what will be a fantastic weekend.�

For now, the business is still a bit of a pet project for the two friends from Iowa. “While it is a lot of work, it doesn’t really feel like it because I love college football and I love planning events,�

Grossman said. “Although Ben and I both work regular jobs still for the time being, it is my goal to take Rivalry Roadtrips to the point where I can dedicate all of my time to it and make it the best sports travel company possible.�

Photo courtesy of Nick Grossman | Rivalry Roadtrips

Nick Grossman, left, and Ben Bruner, right, who started Rivary Roadtrips, take in an Iowa vs. Minnesota game as fans during the 2005 season. The two hope to expand their upstart company nationwide.

By Janie McCauley The Associated Press SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Frank Gore got so much attention from his two long touchdown runs last week that even he grew sick of it.

Now he knows how Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson must feel on Sundays and every day in between. Gore went untouched all the way to the end zone on long runs twice in a win against Seattle, setting a new career-high with the 79-yard run then later topping it to help the 49ers to a 2-0 start. The performance earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

For Peterson, it doesn’t seem to matter how many would-be tacklers touch him, he still plows through with a vengeance.

Come Sunday, the two will

Paul Sancya Associated Press

football team revived under coach’s lead From page 7

Two game-breakers face off in early NFC test Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, last season’s leading rusher in the NFL, will match up with Frank Gore and the 49ers in a battle of bigtime backs.

PRICE: UTEP

GO HORNS!

be on the same field for a showdown of sorts to see who can pile up the most yards, game-breaking plays, touchdowns and, most of all, keep his team unbeaten. “I know he’s a great back but I really don’t try to focus on that,�

Gore said. “I’m trying my best to go out there and be the best guy on the field, whatever it takes to get my team a win.�

Same goes for Peterson, who says he’s admired Gore since his college days at Miami but doesn’t want to make this into a competition between the two.

Week 2 and this upcoming trip to face the Vikings and Peterson is generating all kinds of hype this week from Northern California to the Twin Cities.

A hot topic for so many reasons. They’re Nos. 1 and 2 in the NFC in rushing: Peterson with 272 yards on 40 carries and Gore at 237 yards on 38 rushes after his sensational day.

SWEEP: Horns

brush aside altitude in win From page 7 pressure to match that spread, they certainly managed to do so.

Texas swept in three sets, 2514, 25-18 and 25-8, conquering Colorado by a grand total of 35 points. Texas had 39 kills, which was not much more than Colorado’s 30, but they out-blocked the Buffaloes 13-to-1.

After two tight sets were settled by big Texas runs, the Longhorns ran away with the final set for a comfortable win.

The Longhorns’ hitting percentage, which head coach Jerritt Elliott constantly stresses, was outstanding. Texas put up Ted Williams-like numbers with a season-high .444 clip, a mammoth statistic when stood next to Colorado’s .049.

Destinee Hooker led the team with 10 kills, closely followed by Juliann Faucette’s nine. The Longhorns continue their two-game road trip as they head to Nebraska for a decisive Big 12 showdown on Saturday. “It will be a challenge,� Elliott said. “But we’ve already gone through that with our preseason, and we’ve prepared the team for this.�

season, which ultimately ended with a loss to Toledo in the GMAC Bowl in 2005. It was the first time UTEP earned back-toback bowl appearances in more than 50 years.

But since then, the Miners have not had a winning season, going 14-22 in the process. And this year isn’t starting off any better. UTEP is 1-2 thus far after home losses to Buffalo and No. 24 Kansas, with its only win coming against New Mexico State.

But don’t let the team’s recent failures take anything away from what Price has done since his arrival in El Paso. In fact, he has presided over the best fiveyear period in the modern era of UTEP football.

The Miners have posted 30 wins under Price during his five years as coach. The last time that happened was in 1954 when the team went 31-17 up until 1958.

And the residents of El Paso have surely bought into all the hype. Between 2003 and 2004, average home attendance more than doubled from 20,009 to 41,209.

Last season, the Longhorns witnessed firsthand what that home crowd was all about. Texas made the trip to El Paso for what was being featured as the biggest game in Miner history, in what turned out to be a relatively easy victory for Colt McCoy and company.

But the presence of Miner fans was surely felt, and it can all be attributed to what Price has done.

In 2004, the Miners were rated 11th in the country in scoring offense, 26th in passing efficiency and 29th in passing. “We’re going to be challenged in every phase this week [against Texas],� Price said. “We just have to play better, play closer to our potential. We have a lot of work to do. We’re not there yet.�

Now fast forward.

Picture the Miners marching into Darrell K Royal Texas-Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and pulling out a colossal upset. Sure, it probably won’t happen. But it’s a better image of Mike Price today than five years ago.

And despite all the hardships he has endured during his coaching career, he might be the first one to tell you that the nightmares he once went through to get to UTEP have only made him more appreciative of the dream he is living today.

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Austin actress measures up to Shakespeare play

By Susannah Jacob Daily Texan Staff The weekend marks the end of Austin Shakespeare’s threeweek run of “Measure for Measure� at The Long Center’s Rollins Theatre. The play — one of Shakespeare’s darkest — covers sin, mercy and justice. This particular production is set in southern Georgia in the 1920s.

Westlake High School grad and Austin native Morgan Dover-Pearl, who stars in the production as conflicted Isabella, talked to The Daily Texan about her acting career, life in New York and what makes her current homecoming so sweet.

Dover-Pearl began acting as a young child. She fondly recalls putting on shows for her parents.

She would write sketches and she and her sister would perform them. Her first time on a real stage occurred when at the age of five at a UNICEF benefit.

But her legitimate acting career began in her high school years at Westlake. It was there that she met Ron Dodson, a teacher who she credits heavily with encouraging her to pursue acting as a career. “I didn’t think [to] argue with him about it,� Dover-Pearl said about Dodson’s persistence in and outside of the classroom. Her high school days were dominated by theater. “I went to tournaments every other weekend, it was my sport.�

Now a full-time New Yorker and actress, Dover-Pearl said she

will know she has achieved her professional goals in Manhattan when she doesn’t have a day job.

Until then, she has had her share of interesting career stints, including one as a personal assistant to the president of U.S. wholesale company for Coach brand handbags. She describes it as “The Devil Wears Prada job.�

The Big Apple is a tough city to work in. But Dover-Pearl gave advice to aspiring actors and actresses who want to move to New York City to pursue their acting careers. “Go for it, put yourself out there,� she said, even though she admits much of it has to do with luck.

While her favorite role has been playing Thea in the play Hedda Gabler, her character in “Measure for Measure� resonates deeply with her. “Isabella is very reactionary, but also a strong character,� Dover-Pearl said.

Her only concern is that the audience understands Isabella because, like many of Shakespeare’s female roles, she’s a more challenging character to comprehend.

For Dover-Pearl, the best part about “Measure for Measure� is the chance to return to her hometown and show her friends and family what she’s been doing in New York all of these years. She said the only two people more Courtesy of Austin Shakespeare excited than her about her return to Austin, albeit temporary, are Austin native Morgan Dover-Pearl appears in Austin Shakespeare’s run of “Measure for Measure� through this weekend at The Long Center’s Rollins Theatre. her parents.

Local band headlines show to support local Red Cross

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October, just got back from an eight-week EuBy Alex Geiser ropean tour. Despite the short three days of Daily Texan Staff rest since returning from Europe, bassist Steve The American Red Cross of Central TexTerebecki said things fell into place for this as teamed up with Antone’s for a benefit show and they were excited show Wednesday night in to play in their hometown. an attempt to reach out to a “It’s kind of nice to play younger crowd. a benefit,� Terebecki said.

Music fans and supporters “We haven’t played one in of the organization crowdWhen we’re playing a while. When we’re played the venue for the Red and White and Blues Bash, headfor a fans in Austin, ing for our fans in Austin, it’s definitely the best.� lined by local band White it’s definitely Harlem, a duo from Denim.

Nashville, opened for White “Music is the way to reach the best.�

Denim. younger people,� said Diane Jessica Jarrett, general — Steve Terebecki Ventresca, director of develat Antone’s who opment and communications White Denim bassist manager is also in charge of booking, at the American Red Cross of said the bands receive a set Central Texas. “Antone’s has amount of the expected adbeen a supporter of the Red mission revenue and the Cross for a long time. They rest will go to the Red Cross of Central Texhave a lot of information about bands. They as. Even though this is a charity event, Jarknow who is a supporter of what organizarett said paying the bands in a music town tion.� like Austin is a necessity, especially because White Denim, whose sound is influenced these bands drew a younger audience. by a variety of musical genres, has support“They are a tool for getting out the word for ed the Red Cross in the past. The trio, set to rethe event,� she said. lease their first studio album in the U.S. this

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Caleb Miller | Daily Texan Staff

Josh Block, James Petralli and Steve Terebecki compose White Denim, which took part in the charity concert “Red, White and Blues Bash� at Antone’s on Wednesday night.

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LIFE&ARTS

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Sitcom parodies college

By Gerald Rich Daily Texan Staff Community college gets a humorous spin this season with NBC’s “Community.� From the beginning, the show jokes about the college’s stereotypes. “You may have heard it’s ‘loser college’ for remedial teens,� says the show’s dean, trying, but failing, to sincerely inspire students at the beginning of the episode. “Twenty-something dropouts, middle-aged divorcees and old people keeping their minds active as they circle the drain of eternity.

That’s what you’ve heard... however, I wish you luck!�

As the show goes on, the depth of the students emerges. The show stars Joel McHale (“The Soup�) as Jeff Winger, a manipulative, morally-depraved ex-lawyer who has to return to community college because the state bar found his degree illegitimate. “Community,� created by Dan Harmon (“The Sarah Silverman Program�), premiered last Thurs-

day and took the coveted 9:30 p.m. slot right after “The Office.�

According to tvbythenumbers. com, the show held 93 percent of “The Office’s� 18-49 audience and garnered 7.68 million viewers.

That’s a fantastic start for a new show on a network which has seen relatively low viewership for returning shows.

One of the most anticipated aspects of it has been Chevy Chase returning to television as a cast member. “[Working with Chase] is like working with Nolan Ryan,� said McHale in a conference call with The Daily Texan. “He’s older than everybody, but when he throws the ball, he throws it harder than anyone.� “That’s not actually a metaphor, Chevy just throws stuff on the set,� Harmon, who also participated in the call, jokingly added.

Tonight’s second episode promises even more laughs from Ken Jeong (“The Hangover�) playing

Spanish professor SeĂąor Chang.

While this all-star cast is certainly great, the only fear is too much of a good thing, too quickly. Hopefully, though, Harmon can meet the hype, keep up the great dialogue and score a second season. “Community� was inspired by Harmon’s observations of the social interactions he witnessed while attending community college. “Most of us are friends with people we know from work. Basically, people that are colleagues and that are above or below us on some kind of ladder we can understand,� he said. “We very rarely are forced into these quote-unquote community situations.�

McHale offered a much less sociological experience of college. “Once I woke up 10 minutes after an Italian final started. I ran into the class in boxer shorts and a T-shirt and everyone burst out laughing. I was so bad at Italian that I couldn’t even curse them out.� “Community� airs tonight at 9:30 p.m. on NBC.

FLOW: Artist talks industry woes

Elliott Erwitt | Magnum Photos

Legendary photojournalist Elliott Erwitt will speak at the Blanton museum on Thursday and Friday as part of a lecture series hosted by the Austin Center for Photography.

From page 12

BELL: ‘Remake’ invokes fun of old classic From page 12 Similarly, the few instances of improvisation are welcomed deviations from the script. You don’t mind Bryan Cruz’s Slater holding his trademark cute-guy smirk for what feels like two minutes onstage. It’s delightfully indulgent but self-reflexive. He and the cast milk it for all it’s worth.

And what about Jessie’s famous scene? The one where Zack discovers her pill stash and confronts her in her bedroom?

Ellana Kelter channels the now campy performance of Elizabeth Berkley and exceeds it.

All in all, “Staged By the Bell� is a fun night of nostalgia, bringCourtesy of The Institution Theatre ing back neon colors, high-top The cast of “Staged By The Bell,� a new play series at the United sneakers and exercise gear that States Art Authority, reenacts old “Saved By The Bell� reruns in front some of us know and love. Its of a live audience. diverse and energetic cast brings to life the memorable moments sic in the making. ty at the Spider House on Oct. 4, of late ‘80s and early ‘90s televi“Staged By the Bell� continues with new “episodes� starting Oct. sion. This is definitely a cult clas- at the United States Art Authori- 18 and Nov. 8.

sational. You have to speak their language.�

Erwitt’s go-with-the-flow attitude and ability to capture nutty moments in ordinary situations has allowed him to produce memorable photographs with content.

His new book, The Art of AndrĂŠ S. Solidor, is under a pseudonym, as it’s intended to be a mockery of the current art scene. “Solidor ’s a mythical figure who takes these kinds of images... and pretends to be a pho-

ENTERTAINMENT BRIEFLY Actress enrolls in a Master’s program to learn heritage MEXICO CITY — Eva Longoria Parker says she is going back to school to learn about her Mexican roots.

The actress says she will enroll in a master’s program in Chicano studies and political science.

tographer. Basically, the book’s full of photos representing the photographer I never wanted to be.�

Erwitt’s next destination is Italy, where he will photograph a local village with Italian photographer Gianni Berengo Gardin for an exhibition.

Despite his on-going success in the industry, Erwitt is savvy to the concerns that plague aspiring photographers today due to the economic downturn and the progressive trend towards online media. His advice? “Do it as a hobby,� Erwitt said. “The professional aspect is very

limited. There’s some good photography being done but not many places for it to be shown. “Magazines are useless these days. The internet is the frontier, which I don’t find that interesting because I like something that I can touch and feel.

Because I’m a dinosaur,� he said with a grin. “Get a day job and take pictures as a hobby. That way, photography can survive.

Otherwise, it’s just kids taking photos on their cellphones.�

A limited number of seats remain for Erwitt’s presentation.

Come early to purchase tickets.

Doors open at 6 p.m.

In its Mexico edition released Wednesday, Hola magazine quoted Longoria as saying that she wants to “learn more about the history of the country we come from.� She didn’t say what university she will attend.

Longoria says she also is polishing her Spanish. The Texas native’s family is originally from the northern Mexican city of Monterrey.

NEW YORK — Nintendo’s popular Wii console is about to be even more attractive to video game enthusiasts, with prices set to drop $50 on Sunday to $200.

Speculation about a price cut had grown after the other two console makers, Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp., reduced prices on their systems in August. And video game blog Kotaku has posted what it said were images of flyers from major retailers advertising a coming price cut.

Nintendo slashes prices on Wii system to stay competitive

TEA: Kombucha utilizes good bacteria each batch to insure an invariably good product.

Lanski claims that the success business backgrounds,� said co-owner John-Paxton Gremi- of Buddha’s Brew is partly due to llion. “It’s been interesting just the local attitude. to learn as you go. It’s like problem solving.�

The actual brewing process of kombucha is fairly straightforward: After placing a large pancake-like “SCOBY� [Symbiotic I love constantly Colony of Bacteria and Yeast] into hearing good feedback a large jar of tea, the organisms from customers at the eat the sugars in the beverage, creating a drink with bold flafarmer’s market.� vors as well as beneficial probiotics — the good bacteria that helps — Kimberly Lanski the digestive system and metaboBuddha’s Brew creator lism, Lanski said.

Once the tea is brewed, it can be flavored with various fruits, depending upon preferences. Lanski “I’m originally from Califorhinted that seasonal Texas fruit-flavored kombucha will be brewing nia,� Lanksi said, “but I really soon in the Buddha’s Brew factory. love Austin’s atmosphere. The For Lanski, brewing kom- Austin community has been rebucha is analogous to Trappist ally great and supportive. I love monks brewing beer. The brew- constantly hearing good feeding process requires intense back from customers at the farmconcentration and dedication. ers’ market.�

The only negative feedback She personally tastes and tests

From page 12

‘‘

comes from people saying the drink is flat compared to other nationally-produced kombucha teas like GT’s Organic Kombucha, a nationally-available brand.

Really though, carbonated or uncarbonated is a matter of personal preference. “Everybody’s kombucha is going to have a different personality,� said GT Dave, owner and creator of GT’s Organic Kombucha. “Even though everyone is using more or less the same recipe, there’s a lot that goes into making a batch that transcends the actual recipe part. The kombucha culture is a living thing that tends to respond to the environment around it.�

Despite the differences in the companies, Buddha’s Brew seems poised to be a local front-runner for the growing number of kombucha fans.

And for that, they couldn’t be more grateful.

As Buddha’s Brew Production Manager Ricky Johnston put it, “It’s really about sharing what you love.�

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Do you think you have what it takes?

Find Out! Email us and send your resume to: jbcorbett@mail.utexas.edu Or stop by Walter Webb Hall 405 W. 25th Street at Guadalupe – 2nd Floor

12

Thursday, S

12 LIFE

LIFE&ARTS

12

Thursday, September 24, 2009

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

T HE DAILY T EXAN

Demand for tea leads Austinites to Buddha Brew

By Gerald Rich Daily Texan Staff The Buddha’s Brew Kombucha Tea factory lies nestled in a modest row of red and white warehouses in Southwest Austin off Highway 71. A small sign — a pensive golden Buddha’s head with the company name in a handwritten-font – is tacked onto the door to distinguish it from the rest of the industrial homogeny.

Inside, there’s a small office with two desks and various designs for the company’s new label covering the walls. The office directly leads to a large, sleek kitchen. Chrome-bottling machines and long metallic tables reflect light onto clean white walls. While the austerity of the kitchen seems to contrast the quaint, mason-jarred tea, Buddha’s Brew’s passion for its product is its source of charm and soul.

Buddha’s Brew is the local answer to public demand for kombucha tea — a fermented beverage believed to include a plethora of health benefits, including; maintaining the immune system; improving the quality of skin and hair; controlling appetite; aiding in liver function and increasing energy levels, just to name a few. And despite its funny name and slightly bitter taste, kombucha has become a main-

stay for health nuts and tea addicts alike.

Buddha’s Brew can hardly keep up with the demand. The company started three years ago and has grown from humble beginnings at the Austin Farmers’ Market to being sold in 52 local stores, including Spider House Cafe and Wheatsville Coop. This month, Buddha’s Brew kombucha will be sold at Whole Foods Market.

Kimberly Lanski, co-owner, creator and brewmaster of Buddha’s Brew, first discovered the tea from UT government professor David Edwards, who drinks it to help cut down his appetite so he’ll snack less between meals.

“I was making large quantities of kombucha,” Edwards explained, “and taking bottles of it to Casa de Luz [a local vegan macrobiotic restaurant] to share with other lunchers there — [Lanski] was one.”

After trying Edwards’ tea, Lanski decided she wanted to turn it into her own commercial venture. Asking him for advice, Edwards guided her based on his years of kombucha-brewing experience.

Creating Buddha’s Brew has been a case of trial and error.

“None of us come from

TEA continues on page 11

Artist just goes with the flow

Caleb Miler | Daily Texan Staff

Above, Elliott Erwitt attends breakfast at the Driskill Hotel on Wednesday. Below, Erwitt will speak at the Blanton Museum on Thursday and Friday as part of a lecture series hosted by the Austin Center for Photography.

Renowned photographer to focus on ‘amateur’ work as part of University visit

By Rene Huynh Daily Texan Staff World-renowned photographer Elliott Erwitt, famous for his humorous and touchingly candid black and white photographs, will be speaking today and Friday on campus at The Blanton.

Erwitt will speak at 7 p.m. as part of a lecture series organized by the Austin Center for Photography. Topics will cover a cross section of his life work, focusing on what Erwitt calls his “amateur side,” or the photos he shoots out of personal, non-business interests.

Erwitt is widely recognized for his comical photos of dogs and their owners, especially from his 1970s book, “Son of Bitch.” But he certainly never intended to be a dog photographer.

In fact, he rarely seeks out his subjects nor does he consciously shoot with a desired scene or emotion in mind.

“I shoot whatever ’s in front of me,” said the no-nonsense Erwitt

when probed on subject matter and his famous use of irony and wit.

“The better pictures of mine are not preconceived, but observed. And dogs are everywhere. If giraffes were everywhere, perhaps I would photograph them.”

Erwitt’s responses are simple and abrupt, and his facial expression changes minimally when spoken to. It comes as a surprise when the previously-unanimated Erwitt suddenly gives himself moose ears, bugs out his eyes and sticks out his tongue to distract the one-year-old who has begun wailing from a nearby table. The amused baby girl almost instantly stops mid-wail and smiles, delighted.

He uses this same charm and empathy on the subjects he photographs.

“Yes, sometimes I bark at dogs,” Erwitt said as he resumed an almoststraight face with a barely-conceivable smirk. And with the same dry humor that mirrors his photographs, he continued, “Only when I have something to tell them. No, it doesn’t have to be important — just conver-

FLOW continues on page 11

May Ying Lam | Daily Texan Staff

Television show gets new life with ‘Staged By the Bell’ Second City alum puts comedy spin on episodes of late ‘80s teen favorite

Mary Kang | Daily Texan Staff

Brew specialist Benjamin Stoute prepares a batch of kombucha at Buddha’s Brew Kombucha Factory.

ple have been touched by the ‘80s-tastic high school dramedy.

Now, there is the rare chance to experience it live. Enter “Staged By the Bell.”

By Javier Sanchez This production is under the Daily Texan Staff direction of Chicago’s Second If you went to middle school City alum Tom Booker, who in the late ‘80s, or had a sibling once donned the role of Bobthat did, you probably watched by in the popular production of “Saved By the Bell.” But maybe “The Real Live Brady Bunch” you were too young for this. with Andy Richter and Jane Maybe, instead, you watched Lynch. “Staged By the Bell” folreruns of the program on TBS af- lows the same simple premise: ter school. Either way, most peo- actors dress up as the beloved

teen characters and act out the most famous episodes. The episode of choice for this particular performance was the achingly hilarious “Jessie’s Song.”

In this episode, Jessie Spano deals with the pressure of algebra, getting into Stanford and keeping up appearances in the new girl group Hot Sundae. But the pressure is too much to handle for the stressed-out teen, so she turns to caffeine pills as the way to cope with the harsh realities of high school. This, of course, startles

the gang, who pulls her out of the depths of despair.

The drama and comedy comes to fruition onstage, as the cast delivers a pitch-perfect parody of the episode. They appear to have studied not only the characters, but also the actors that play the characters. It is clear with every individualized pose, with every wall-breaking acknowledgement of the audience, that the cast has done its homework.

BELL continues on page 11

Film festival promises screams, laughs with audience-friendly flicks Robert Doty Daily Texan Staff In 2005, Fantastic Fest crawled out of the Austin sewers and into Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. As the brainchild of Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse and Harry Knowles, founder of Ain’t It Cool News, it reeked of geeky-greatness but, in a city already home to SXSW and the Austin Film Festival, what would FanFest bring to the table?

As the festival turns five this year, the answer is clear. Fantastic Fest, which runs from Sept. 24 through Oct. 1, brings the cult classics, the blood, the boobs, the vampires, the horror, the laughter, the fanboys, the beheadings, the bizarre, the zombies, the grotesque and the cinematic indulgence you would expect of a 13-year-old.

But, most important to its success — Fantastic Fest was recently named in a Variety list of “10 Film Festivals We Love” — is the emphasis placed on the audience.

There’s no SXSW gladhanding or Austin Film Festival industry workshops, just movies hell-bent on making you scream, laugh and cry in the

same breath. Here are five that you shouldn’t miss:

Van Diemen’s Land This is straight from the press release: “true life tale of cannibalism in nineteenth-century Australia.” An Irish convict sent to England’s continental prison escapes to find himself and his fellow escapees facing starvation in what’s now called Tasmania. It’s like “Lord of the Flies” but with convicts. If prep-school Brits could transform into such nasty little brutes, imagine what happens with hardened criminals.

A Town Called Panic This eccentric French import displays FanFest’s zaniest face. Using stop-motion animation, Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar, the creators and directors, tell the bizarre tale of three roommates: Cowboy, Indian and Horse. The trailer gives no hints at the overall plot for the monolinguists among us — it’s entirely in French — but the ridiculous visual antics are more than enough to get me in line.

Bronson

Based on the true story of “the most violent prisoner in Britain,” In 2019, nearly everyone on the Bronson tells the highly-stylized planet will be turned into vam- tale of Charles Bronson — man, pires. They still ride the subway myth and celebrity. Early press and work at corporations. The has called it “Clockwork Orange only difference is that they drink for the 21st century” and the combination of stylization and celebriblood, don’t go to the beach as ty worship of the most disturbing often and possess immortality. kind seems made to be.

Though I’m ambivalent about the vampire craze that’s enveloped American culture, Daybreakers Antichrist looks like a diamond in the rough.

After losing their son, “He” It uses vampires to examine the and “She” retreat into “Eden,” human condition — greed, lust an isolated rural cabin. Lars and power. And to be completely Von Trier, writer and direchonest, it just looks cool. tor, has made a name for him-

Daybreakers

Courtesy Noise & Light

Van Diemen’s Land is a “true life tale of cannibalism in nineteenth-century Australia.” self heaping grief onto viewers by exhibiting humanity’s boundless capacity for cruelty.

But now he’s playing the same song in a different key. Cruelty can induce grief, but it can also

elicit fear. Von Trier ’s austere visual style coupled with cabin fever horror is reminiscent of Kubrick’s “The Shining.” Not to mention, Charlotte Gainsbourg looks oddly similar to

Shelley Duvall and Willem Dafoe and has the “just this side of crazy” feel that made Nicholson’s performance iconic. But don’t listen to me. Watch the trailer. It’s terrifying.