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THE DAILY TEXAN LIFE&ARTS PAGE 12

Fall fashion tips and faux pas Tuesday, October 20, 2009

TOMORROW’S WEATHER

SPORTS PAGE 8

New faces on the field

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Students get creative for $50,000 prize UT, Dell collaborate to create contest that promotes innovative proposals addressing global problems By Audrey White Daily Texan Staff Last week, students around the world began submitting entries to the 2010 Dell Social Innovation Competition, which offers a

grand prize of $50,000 to the student team with the best entry. Guidelines for entering the competition are broad, and students with innovative projects that would help society are en-

couraged to enter their ideas. There are no qualifications for entry except that the team be made up of students in graduate or undergraduate university studies. A panel of judges, as well as voters on the competition’s Web site, will decide the winner in March. The Lyndon B. Johnson School

of Public Affairs’ RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service has teamed up with Dell to host the fourth annual contest. “We were interested in engaging the most number of students to use entrepreneurial skills to solve global problems,” said Heather Alden, senior program coordinator for the RGK Center.

Past winners have included a device that turns rice husks into energy, an online resource for disabled pedestrians and last year’s Gardens For Health, in which students from Yale and Brown work with a community in Rwanda to create more sustainable crops and infrastructure. During its first two years, UT

hosted the contest independently through private funding. In its first year, the competition was statewide and became national the second year. However, in an effort to broaden the scale of the contest to an international level, the University partnered with Dell as a

DELL continues on page 2

Troopers begin bus safety week sting operation

goal is to inform motorists about By Bobby Longoria school bus safety laws, which say Daily Texan Staff Texas Department of Public that drivers cannot pass a school Safety troopers will take a trip back bus when it is loading or unloading students. to their school days this week. This year is the Officers will first time DPS ride along with has participatstudents on bused in Bus Safety es and issue ciWeek since 2003. tations to drivers who illegally [Drivers] need to obey DPS spokeswompass as students the law and drive as an Tela Mange the safety board and exit if their own children said week begins two the bus on their are on the bus.” months into the way to school. school year to National — Tela Mange serve as a fresh School Bus Safety Week was DPS spokeswoman reminder for drivers to remain safe established in around school the early 1990s buses. by groups that “[Drivers] need to obey the law monitor school transportation safety, including the National As- and drive as if their own children sociation for Pupil Transportation, are on the bus,” Mange said. “The the National School Transporta- most dangerous time for a child tion Association and the Nation- riding a school bus is [while] al Association of State Directors of BUS continues on page 2 Pupil Transportation Services. Its

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Texas garden thrives with native greenery By Alex Geiser Daily Texan Staff A monarch butterfly lands on the leaf of a milkweed plant, flutters its wings and flies off. Dale Bulla, a volunteer with the National Wildlife Federation and a member of Wildlife Austin, lifts the leaf and points to the small yellow egg waiting to be fertilized in the young garden outside the Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s main office. Wildlife enthusiasts, like Bulla, crowded around the garden as Stuart Strong, assistant director of Parks and Recreation, and chairwoman Mendy Marshall cut a gold ribbon, officially opening the garden of native plants that took root in the winter of 2008. “If we want to save wildlife, we have to build it back in our communities,” Bulla said. The ribbon-cutting event, which marks the first Texas Native Plant Week as well as the opening of the garden, was meant to increase knowledge of Texas’ native plants and the wildlife they attract. Alice Nance, conservation program coordinator of the Parks and Recreation Department, said

the celebration was an opportunity to do something interactive and fun for the community. “It was just a matter of capitalizing on something that was already created and trying to draw awareness because native plants are beneficial and the right choice,” Nance said. A partnership between the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at UT, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the city of Austin, the office of state Rep. Donna Howard and the Native Plant Society of Texas supplied the resources to develop the garden. The Lago Vista chapter of the Native Plants Society approached Howard with the idea of a designated week as a way to educate the community about the importance of native plants. Howard guided the bill through the legislative process, and it passed in the 2009 session. The environmental and wildlife organizations have been collaborating for years, and the garden is just a larger project they were able to cultivate.

GARDEN continues on page 9

Erik Reyna | Daily Texan Staff

A monarch butterfly sits atop a blue mistflower in a small garden at the entrance of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department.

Karina Jacques | Daily Texan Staff

Liberal arts faculty members Tom Palaima, Kirsten Belgum and Jill Robbins ask Dean Randy Diehl questions about budget cuts at the Texas Union on Monday afternoon. If approved, the changes may result in job losses among UT faculty.

Faculty fights job eliminations By Lena Price Daily Texan Staff Liberal arts lecturers and assistant instructors got a chance to voice their concerns over proposed changes to foreign language curriculums directly to Dean Randy Diehl on Monday. The changes, if approved, will likely result in the elimination of several instructional staff positions, shrink course availability and enlarge class sizes. Two new models for foreign language instruction have been proposed and will be voted on at a faculty council meeting Monday. If enough written protests are filed at the meeting, the measures will be put before the general faculty. President William Powers will have the final say in whether the changes are implemented. Under one model, students will take two six-hour courses for a total of 12 hours in-

stead of 16. Under the second plan, students will take one six-hour class followed by two three-hour classes. An initial proposal from the dean’s office to make first-year language courses pass/fail was dropped after negotiations with the department chairs. Although tuition and state funding from the legislature to the University increased this year, University investments declined. Because UT’s budget is essentially flat, individual colleges will have to pay for programs they were not expected to fund in the past. The College of Liberal Arts has to find approximately $7 million to fund targeted faculty merit pay increases and 49 new faculty positions. For the first time since Diehl has been dean, the college will not have access to money from tuition increases or University investments. In September, Diehl circulated an e-mail

to all of the liberal arts department heads warning them about cuts to the college’s “soft money” fund. The money in the fund pays for the salaries of teaching assistants and non-tenure track faculty. “This is one of the only facets of the college’s budget that we actually have control over,” Diehl said at the meeting. “There is no fat in the budget of the College of Liberal Arts.” “I wish it was true that nothing in the curriculum was tied to the budget,” he said. “But in reality, that isn’t the case.” Cynthia Buckley, chairwoman of the Eurasian studies department, said that when the members of her department voted informally on approving the changes, they were almost unanimously shot down. “The perception among the faculty is

FORUM continues on page 9

Democratic candidates vie for group’s endorsement By Rachel Platis Daily Texan Staff As election season draws near, many political groups in Austin are playing host to candidates hoping to win constituent endorsement. The North by Northwest Democrat Political Action Committee hosted U.S. 10th congressional district candidate Jack McDonald on Monday night as he spoke about his candidacy and what he said pundits are calling “the No. 1 challenger race in the country to watch.” McDonald has raised more money than any other congressional challenger in the county with $934,000, about $200,000 more than incumbent Michael McCaul, McDonald said. The 10th district runs from Austin to Houston. “The bluest district in Texas is not held by a Democrat, but with your help, we’re going to change that,” McDonald said. Other candidates for such positions as Justice of the Peace and various district courts in Travis County also came and briefly spoke at the beginning of the meeting. Jack Sigman, president of the North by Northwest orga-

Michael Baldon | Daily Texan Staff

Jack McDonald, a Democratic congressional candidate, speaks with members of North by Northwest Democrats at their meeting Monday. nization, reminded members that the endorsement meeting would be held in February. McDonald is a businessman whose high-tech company grew from eight to 1,200 employees in 10 years, and now generates more than $2 million in annual revenue. He said that he was a businessman before he became a politician, and hopes to bring solutions to the problems and issues that lie

before the country. “Our problems in this country are too big to leave to career politicians,” McDonald said. “We need folks in Washington with real world experience and real people who have experience creating jobs and balancing budgets.” McDonald answered questions from the audience that included global poverty, trade, health care, immigration reform and taxes.

McDonald said that he is passionately committed to public education and believes in both reproductive and civil rights, and he refuses to be a “blank check” to the party bosses. “I am a fiscal conservative, and I am very worried that we are spending ourselves in the poorhouse,” McDonald said. “We’re Democrats here, but we need to get our arms around spending.” Dave and Linda Davis are actively involved in Organizers for America among other liberal organizations, and attended the North by Northwest meeting for the first time last night. “I just think it’s good for everyone to hear what candidates have to say,” Linda Davis said. “Otherwise, how would you know? And how can you vote?” The organization is one of many partisan groups in Austin such as Stonewall Democrats and University Democrats, among others. North by Northwest President Sigman said that the 50 or so attendees of each meeting are knowledgeable about topics and concerned about many issues — such as health care — that relate to them.

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NEWS

THE DAILY TEXAN Volume 110, Number 95 25 cents

CONTACT US Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Jillian Sheridan (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Stephen Keller (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Web Office: (512) 471-8616 online@dailytexanonline.com

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Local astronomers await meteor shower By Alex Geiser Daily Texan Staff Meteors will dot the Austin sky early Wednesday morning at the peak of the annual Orionid meteor shower. The meteors are the result of the Earth passing through the debris trail left behind by Halley’s Comet. Joseph Wheelock, spokesman for UT’s McDonald Observatory, said that although the Orionid is not the biggest shower, it is one of the more intense ones. “The best instrument you can

Meteor shower vantage points

r 4UBUF QBSLT UIBU BMMPX DBNQJOH MJLF -PDLIBSU 4UBUF 1BSL PS #BTUSPQ 4UBUF 1BSL r &ODIBOUFE 3PDL 4UBUF /BUVSBM "SFB r .PVOU #POOFMM JG ZPV BSF TUVDL JO "VTUJO Source: Lara Eakins, astronomy staffer

use to watch this is your eyes,� he said. Rebecca Johnson, editor of StarDate, the bimonthly astronomy magazine published by McDonald Observatory, said the Leonids meteor shower is the largest to

appear during the year. Johnson said the peak will occur a couple hours before dawn. She said to watch the skies around 4 a.m. Wednesday and be prepared to see up to 20 meteors an hour. “You’d be better off if you are

able to get away from city lights,� she said. “If you are in your own backyard, look at whichever direction the sky is darkest.“ Meteors are named based on the constellation they seem to be coming from in the sky.

Into the belly of the beast

Sports Office: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com

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

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.

Michael Baldon | Daily Texan Staff

A man descends into the parking garage below city hall Monday afternoon.

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BUS: Motorists

urged to keep keen eye on kids From page 1

Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com

TODAY’S WEATHER

“If you trace the path of one of those meteors backward in the sky, it would appear to radiate from the constellation Orion the Hunter,� Wheelock said. Johnson recommends laying on the ground or sitting in a lawn chair to get a complete view of the sky. “Oftentimes with meteor showers, the moonlight will wash out and overpower the meteors,� she said. Fortunately, this year, the moon will not be in the sky at peak time.

DELL: Competition confirms ‘What starts here changes the world’ From page 1 sponsor for last year’s competition, a relationship that will continue for the 2010 competition. “We are a technology company, and innovation is very exciting to us,� said Teresa Miller, U.S. manager of Dell Giving, the company’s community out-

reach arm. Last year, the competition had 527 entries, and about half were international, Alden said. “We’re teaching students to identify when they’re having an idea that could actually change the world and giving them a tool box for implementing that idea,� Alden said.

%FTJHO HSBEVBUF TUVEFOU #FUI Ferguson plans to enter her “Gas Pump Solar Pumps� in this year’s competition. The design for electrical charging stations uses modified 1950s gas pumps. She hopes to use the award money to build more stations and add sophistication to the designs.

“It’s innovative because it’s solving a problem that there is no place for electric vehicles to charge on the UT campus or in downtown Austin or really anywhere in the world,� Ferguson said. “The competition is an opportunity to get funding to make more of the solar charging stations.�

NEWS BRIEFLY Campus Cable TV to upgrade channel line up, programming The Campus Cable TV system, which services TV cable to buildings west of Interstate Highway 35, is upgrading to 72 channels today. The system’s

hardware was worked on over the summer and now features 37 more channels. The new line up can be viewed on the Information Technology Services Web site. Programming includes educational, informational and entertainment channels and broadcasts. Many departments, colleges and offices use Campus

THE DAILY TEXAN

This newspaper was written, edited and designed with pride by The Daily Texan and Texas Student Media.

Permanent Staff

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

Issue Staff

Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Lara Berendt, Hannah Jones, Alex Geiser, Audrey White Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Baldon, Jordy Wagoner, Erik Reyna Life&Arts Writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..David Sieloff, Layne Lynch, Gerald Rich, Rene Hunyh, Katherine Kloc Sports Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Travis Measley, Rishi Daulat, Austin Ries Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Megan Gottlieb, Clair Cardona, Molly Nesbitt Sports/Life&Arts Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amanda Hicks Page Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tarrah Miller Comics Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rudy Emergy Ferguson, Jeremy Johnson, Gabe Alvarez, Sammy Martinez, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rachel Weiss, Connor Sheah, Monica Tseng Michael Bowman Wire Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dylan Clement Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rebecca Couns Editorial Cartoonist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Murphy Web Technician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jordyn Davenport

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, Lisa Hartwig Senior Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felimon Hernandez

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

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Texan Ad Deadlines

10/20/09

Monday .............Wednesday, 12 p.m. Thursday.................Monday, 12 p.m. Tuesday.................Thursday, 12 p.m. Friday......................Tuesday, 12 p.m. Word Ads 10 a.m. Wednesday................Friday, 12 p.m. Classified (Last Business Day Prior to Publication)

loading and unloading the bus. Once they are on, it’s very safe, but people sometimes don’t drive very well around school buses — they get impatient. They forget those are little kids getting on the bus.� According to a DPS press release, more than 35,000 school buses transport 1.4 million Texas children daily. According to information compiled by the Texas Department of Transportation, 20 injuries occurred in Central Texas since 2006 as a result of drivers failing to stop for a school bus. This year alone, six injuries occurred in Central Texas as well as one fatality in Cameron County. i#Z QVUUJOH <USPPQFST> PO B CVT we are able to observe and radio BIFBE <UP BOPUIFS USPPQFS> BOE HJWF the information of the violator,� TBJE %14 USPPQFS 3PCCJF #BSSFSB Violators are given a Class C misdemeanor that can have up to a $1,000 fine. If the incident occurs in a school zone the fine can double. A DPS trooper will be riding along with a Pflugerville Independent School District school bus Tuesday morning, and a trooper will ride on a Manor ISD bus Wednesday morning. Austin ISD has a total of 500 school buses that provide service to about 20,000 students per day. Kourosh Hafezi, Austin ISD’s director of transportation, said that DPS troopers won’t be riding in AISD buses. “Its unfortunate many motorists do not avoid the school buses when they drop off students,� Hafezi said.

Cable TV for educational and informational purposes, according to the Web site. UT-affiliated channels include Deutsche Welle, Middle Eastern TV, AXN Asia TV, German TV and KVR student TV. The service will be disabled beginning at 8 a.m. for upgrades and will resume at 5 p.m. — Hannah Jones

CHEAP STUDENT S TUDENT PARKING 2 blocks from UT Bus Stop Available by y week, month, semester

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Friday October 23rd, 2009 2:00 P.M.

The University of Texas at Austin Texas Union Quadrangle Room #3.304 Austin, Texas

Visitors Welcome

We encourage any community member who has any kind of temporary or permanent disability to contact Texas Student Media beforehand so that appropriate accommodations can be made. Anyone is welcome to attend.

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WORLD&NATION

Wire Editor: Dylan Clement www.dailytexanonline.com

3

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

T HE DAILY TEXAN

Rise in Oct. gas prices is greatest since 2000

Rahmat Gul | Associated Press

A university student, right, holds an effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama close to the flames of a protest fire during a demonstration in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Monday.

Karzai fails to attain majority of votes By Heidi Vogt & Robert H. Reid The Associated Press KABUL — U.N.-backed fraud investigators on Monday threw out nearly a third of President Hamid Karzai’s votes from the August election, undercutting his claim of victory and stepping up the pressure for him to accept a runoff. The Obama administration has been holding off on a decision to send more troops to Afghanistan until a credible government is installed in Kabul. Both Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the U.N. secretary general signaled on Monday that a resolution was near. Clinton said Karzai planned to announce his intentions on Tuesday, adding that she was “encouraged at the direction the situation is moving.� The findings by the Electoral Complaints Commission dropped Karzai’s votes to 48 percent of the total, below the 50 percent threshold needed for him to avoid a runoff. Still, it was uncertain whether the Afghan-led Independent Election Commission, which is dominated by Karzai supporters, would accept the findings and an-

nounce a second round. Karzai campaign spokesman Waheed Omar said the Karzai camp was waiting for the election commission to formally certify the U.N.-backed panel’s findings, thereby giving them the force of law. Karzai’s camp had complained about the panel of three foreigners and two Afghans which conducted the fraud investigation, saying foreigners were unfairly influencing the outcome. The two-month election crisis threatens to undermine the Obama administration’s Afghan strategy at a time when public support for the eight-year war is declining in the U.S. and the Taliban-led insurgents are gaining strength. Preliminary results released last month showed Karzai winning more than 54 percent of the vote in the 36-candidate race. However, proclamation of a Karzai victory was withheld until the U.N.backed commission finished its investigation into widespread fraud allegations. The inquiry concluded last week, but the panel withheld releasing the findings while talks were held with the Karzai-domi-

nated election commission. The U.N.-backed panel decided to release its report Monday after the Afghan commissioners kept insisting on changes that would show Karzai winning outright. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity. Abdullah campaign spokesman Fazel Sancharaki welcomed the fraud panel’s findings as “a step forward� and said the election commission had no choice but to call a runoff. Afghans close to Karzai said the president feared the runoff was part of an Obama administration plan to oust him — a charge the U.S. has repeatedly denied. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not supposed to speak for Karzai. Afghan officials say they can organize a runoff in about two weeks, which is close to the start of winter. After the first snows fall in the high mountain passes, it will become all but impossible to hold an election until the spring. A second round vote would also run the risk of Taliban attacks on voters similar to those carried out during the first ballot. For those reasons, Western diplomats have urged the two sides

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to reach a power-sharing agreement which would avoid a new vote and bring an end to the crisis. Former U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and others held a series of weekend talks with the rival camps on a possible powersharing deal. Officials familiar with the talks, speaking on condition of anonymity, said both sides were open to the power-sharing idea but were far apart on details. Karzai has said he would be willing to offer posts to the opposition in a new government — which falls short of a real coalition with clearly defined powers.

By Dirk Lammers The Associated Press Despite persistently low demand, prices for gasoline have spiked over the past week along with crude oil, threatening one of the very few points of relief for the recession-striken U.S. consumer: cheap gas. Prices have risen for six straight days and they are now comfortably above $2.50 per gallon for the first time in weeks. That may be frustrating for consumers with few signs people are driving more now than during what was a dismal summer for the travel industry. People aren’t buying much gasoline. “I wish it could go down under $2,� said Cheryl Couture, 50, who was filling up at a Speedway station in Columbus, Ohio, where a gallon had risen to $2.55. Couture has watched as gas prices have ticked higher. On Monday, they rose again for the sixth straight day to $2.564 per gallon according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. Rather than rising consumer demand or a tightening of supply, the falling U.S. dollar is most

Steven Senne | Associated Press

Russ Conde, of Kingston, N.H., fills his truck with gas at a fueling station, in Waltham, Mass. on Monday.

You deserve a factual look at . . .

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UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES

likely to blame. All one needs to do is look at the price of crude, which crossed $75 for the first time Wednesday, then neared $80 on Monday. Oil is bought and sold in dollars, essentially making it cheaper when the U.Sw. currency tumbles. The dollar has continued to fall throughout the month. And the rising price of crude is exacerbating problems that already existed for the refiners. People are driving less, trucking companies are shipping less, and airlines are cutting back on jet fuel purchases. That lack of demand has forced refiners to cut back production. And because crude prices are rising, profit margins at refiners who must buy crude to make fuel are shrinking. As a result, they are making even less fuel. Prices remain relatively low so it’s not clear how that would affect consumer thinking on fuel costs. This has been the biggest run up in October gasoline prices since at least 2000. Because crude makes up about 64 percent of the cost of each gallon of gas, pump prices are likely to follow increased crude prices.

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OPINION

4

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

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

T HE DAILY TEXAN

GALLERY

VIEWPOINT

Punishing pregnancy or protecting a child?

The state’s highest criminal court is set to hear the case of a woman who was jailed for violating her probation. Amber Lovill was five months pregnant when she tested positive for methamphetamines in July 2007. Lovill has been a habitual drug user. In 2005, she was sentenced to three years of probation for forging checks, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The court also mandated that she enroll in a substance abuse program. In the first three months of her probation, she failed two drug tests and, as a result, was incarcerated in a drug treatment facility for one year. Five months later, she was pregnant and failed another test. Her probation officer filed a violation report and requested that she be “arrested, since she is consuming methamphetamines and is five months pregnant,” according to a brief submitted by the American Civil Liberties Union and National Advocates for Pregnant Women. Lovill was arrested, jailed and placed in a secure drug treatment facility for felons. The ruling in this case may set a new precedent concerning the state’s ability to penalize women in order to protect their fetuses. The ACLU argues that state law does not authorize “selective and disproportionate punishment” to protect fetal health and that punishment contingent on pregnancy is sex discrimination, as similar punishments would not be administered to men. Doug Norman, a Nueces County assistant district attorney, says that probation officers acted appropriately when they moved to protect the fetus as “the state clearly has an interest in healthy children” and that ignoring pregnancy “defies logic and the reality of the situation,” according to the Statesman. Creating special punishments for pregnant women would amount to legal discrimination, but the punishment would not be based solely on gender. Being female is necessary for being pregnant, but pregnancy, not femaleness, is the material factor in this circumstance. Legal ideals must bend to the sometimes unequal contours of reality — a reality in which only women get pregnant, which is a simple biological fact, not an act of discrimination. Newborns whose mothers use methamphetamines during pregnancy are born underweight and underdeveloped compared to newborns whose mothers don’t use drugs, according to a study at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School. The effects of exposure to meth in the womb are similar to the effects of exposure to crack cocaine, but the effects of meth are longer-lasting. This summer, a friend of my family gave birth to a little boy. She used methamphetamines throughout her pregnancy. The boy was born with underdeveloped lungs and had to undergo an emergency tracheotomy at birth. He was also born with no anus and urinated through his belly button. Without abdominal muscles — his organs are visible through his skin — he will never be able to sit up or function normally. But our state does not penalize women for drug use during pregnancy. It is not considered child endangerment or abuse. After extensive surgeries, the boy was sent home with his mother, under the lax supervision of Child Protective Services. A few weeks later, he had to be rushed to the hospital, near death from pneumonia. His mother had overlooked his illness. A drug test was finally administered, and she tested positive for methamphetamines. Drug addiction is tragic and complex. When mixed with pregnancy, it can destroy multiple lives. Yet in the legal brief the ACLU argues that “the selective enforcement used in this case, if permitted, sends a dangerous message that will invite an unprecedented use of the criminal code to supervise and control women who become pregnant and continue pregnancy to term, while on probation.” That isn’t a dangerous message. We as a society have a right to step in and protect children — in or out of the womb — from sick women who choose to bring them into the world but are incapable of doing so without causing significant harm. Norman has described Lovill’s treatment as “an administrative decision to modify the terms of probation in order to better protect mother and child from the effects of her admitted drug problem.” This is a reasonable step the state should be authorized to make. It’s not gender discrimination — it’s reality. — Jillian Sheridan for the editorial board

GALLERY

Vote against Prop 4 By Tony McDonald Daily Texan Guest Columnist I recently stumbled into a conversation a couple of friends were engaged in about Proposition 4, the constitutional amendment proposed on this fall’s ballot that would create a $500 million National Research University Fund (NRUF) to subsidize research at seven “emerging research universities.” They were in favor of the proposition, and on the surface, Prop 4 sounds like a great idea. But as with most well-intentioned government ideas, unintended consequences can occur. A 2008 study by the Texas Public Policy Foundation found that over the last 10 years, Texas spent $9 billion on research that generated a mere $8.3 million a year in income, a rate of return of less than one-tenth of 1 percent. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Universities simply don’t provide any incentives to ensure research performed on campus is valuable to society. In fact, almost 90 percent of research in the U.S. is performed by private companies and independent laboratories, not universities. It seems that worthwhile research doesn’t need government support to succeed. But university research isn’t just inefficient. It really, truly hurts students. Some may be surprised to learn that tenured faculty members spend 78 percent of their time doing research instead of teaching. To compensate for this lost classroom time, universities are forced to hire more and often inferior teaching staff. Not only does this inflate already expensive tuition, but students end up being taught by less-qualified faculty. Students essentially pay tuition to support tenured faculty who don’t participate in their education.

Only in the higher education market is this sort of poor service acceptable, and for students’ sake, it needs to stop. Additionally, many have said Prop 4 won’t raise taxes. That claim is insincere at best. State lawmakers didn’t just stumble across $500 million. That is the taxpayers’ money, whether it was sitting in an existing fund or not. Second, the enabling legislation for Prop 4 appropriated millions more to the fund. That appropriation was subsequently removed because of budget constraints, but it is clear lawmakers intend to appropriate more tax dollars to the fund in future legislative sessions. Many say Prop 4 will attract better faculty. Well, those professors will be spending almost 80 percent of their time outside the classroom doing research, so what’s to gain? Many also note that Texas has only three “tierone” universities compared to California’s nine. True, but California is in terrible economic shape. States are prosperous when government gets out of the way, not when government spends more. Another argument in favor of Prop 4 is that Texas is losing students to other states. Students go out of state for many reasons, such as to experience the world or get away from home. Prop 4 won’t solve that problem. Those who leave will come back to Texas if we stay competitive and have available jobs. If Texans want to send the message that students, not faculty, are the university’s customers, they should vote against Proposition 4. McDonald is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and a first year UT law student. He serves as the Vice Chairman of Legislative Affairs for the Young Conservatives of Texas.

Put down the phone By Rebecca Counts Daily Texan Columnist

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The reason I avoided getting a “flip phone” for so long is that the keys aren’t as pronounced, which would make it harder for me to text while engaged in other activities, such as driving. For example, I used to change clothes while driving 80 mph down Interstate Highway 35. My name is Rebecca, and I am a distracted driver. Well, I was. The news coverage surrounding President Barack Obama’s distracted-driving summit earlier this month featured enough sob stories that I have started to rethink treating driving time as geteverything-on-my-to-do-list-done time. Also, living in Mexico for the semester, where even the drivers not on cell phones remind me daily of how easy it is to cause a deadly car accident, has definitely changed my perspective. The Austin City Council is discussing this issue Oct. 22, when members will vote on whether or not to accept proposed wording for a texting-while-driving ban unanimously approved in August. As the Austin American-Statesman reports, the ban would make the violation a Class C misdemeanor with a $500 maximum fine, the same class most traffic violations fall under. Austin’s ordinance falls in line with texting-while-driving bans in

18 other states and scores of cities, as well as an executive order from the president that disallows federal employees from texting while in government-owned cars or using government-owned phones. The proposed wording would define the crime as writing, sending or viewing electronic messages, including downloading Twitter posts and other Web content. The ordinance would allow drivers to use GPS systems permanently installed in vehicles while driving and text in the event of an emergency, such as reporting traffic accidents or to prevent a crime. In addition, emergency workers would be allowed to send and view job-related texts while driving. The ordinance’s opponents argue that it is redundant or impossible to enforce. Debbie Russell, president of the Central Texas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, argues that current distracted driving statutes could be used to punish anyone who drives dangerously while texting. Russell also questions whether the resolution could be enforced. “How do you distinguish between someone texting versus just looking at their phone or dialing a phone number?” asked Russell. A spokesperson for an insurance industry group brought up the same question to The Dallas Morning News, suggesting that people will just hold their phones below window level.

Russell raises a valid question. Looking at your phone to search for numbers can be just as dangerous as texting. A recent study by the University of Utah showed that driving while on a cell phone is as dangerous as driving drunk. The other part of the problem — phones held below windows — points out that laws will not be enough to end distracted driving. Safety advocates point out that drunk driving was curbed by groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving as much as by changes to the laws that made DWIs more costly. But the need to wage a two-front battle doesn’t mean the laws won’t make a difference. At the very least, the most paranoid (or broke) among us will put down our phones rather than risk having to pay another traffic ticket. Ordinances such as this one would clear up the gray area of what counts as distracted driving, a determination usually left to the officer writing the ticket. It would also allow officers to punish dangerous behavior before accidents happen, making the roads safer. The City Council should pass this ordinance and consider banning the “hands-on” use of cell phones while driving. In the meantime, the rest of us should recognize the danger we’re causing and put down our cell phones. Counts is a plan II honors and history senior studying in Mexico this semester.

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UNIVERSITY

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Forum focuses on Honduran coup

Speaker encourages ‘conscious capitalism’ By Hannah Jones Daily Texan Staff Bentley University marketing professor Raj Sisodia said Monday that he is trying to change the culture of businesses worldwide by convincing the next generation of CEOs of the importance of compassionate business practices. Sisodia gave a talk on ethics and corporate responsibility as part of the McCombs Speakers Series. Sisodia is founding director of the Center for Marketing Technology at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass., and has written nearly 100 articles in journals such as the Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal. The presentation Tuesday evening emphasized how building companies based on empathy and compassion can enrich the world and transform the essence of business. During the presentation, he said the level of public mistrust of business is at an all-time high. Sisodia researched companies that have a positive public image, such as Whole Foods Market, Starbucks and Google, and used the findings to write “Firms of Endearment: How WorldClass Companies Profit from Passion and Purpose,� which Amazon named one of the 10 best business books of 2007. Companies that practice “conscious capitalism� embody the idea that profit and prosperity

Ambassador’s absence does not hinder lecture on Latin American politics

go hand-in-hand with social justice and environmental stewardship, according to the Bentley University Web site. They tap into deeper sources of positive energy and create greater value for all stakeholders. “There is skepticism, cynicism and people think this is not possible,� Sisodia said. “It’s a very ambitious thing we are trying to do, and some people are simply not ready for this message.� For business students, Sisodia said that the movement can help job-seekers screen companies and align personal passion with business. Business graduate student Joel Goering said a lot of Sisodia’s ideas need to be heard. “I wish more of my classmates and faculty were here,� Goering said. “It really reinforces for me why I am here in the business school. It gives me inspiration for going forward.� Sisodia will speak tomorrow at the Catalyzing Conscious Capitalism summit at The Crossings in West Austin. In January, there will be a summit in India, Sisodia’s home country. He said there is a greater need for conscious capitalism in developing countries because problems are so acute. “Ultimately, companies need to transform from [the] top down. CEOs need to get this,� Sisodia said. “We are striving for this to become the norm.�

By Audrey White Daily Texan Staff Even though the Honduran ambassador to the United Nations had to cancel his visit, the Central American country was still in the spotlight Monday during a series of panels and lectures discussing last summer’s Honduran coup. The Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies hosted the day-long, five-part lecture series, “Military Coup or Constitutional Succession? Foro Urgente on Honduras.� Honduran Ambassador Jorge Arturo Reina was unable to attend as planned because of ongoing negotiations involving the Central American country. The June coup, in which the Honduran military ousted and exiled President Manuel Zelaya, was the first in Latin America since the end of the Cold War. Gary Susswein, College of Liberal Arts spokesman, said the lecture series was a way to make students and faculty in the institute aware of the situation in Honduras. “We have a world-class center to study issues important to Latin America,� Susswein said. “It only makes sense for us to bring in speakers to talk about this issue. The coup is one of the first in the region in a long time, and we want to educate people about what’s happening and prompt discussion.� Paloma Diaz, the institute’s senior program coordinator, said it is important to raise awareness about this recent controversy. The institute — part of the College of Liberal Arts — serves students in undergraduate and graduate programs related to Latin American studies and languages. “Many people didn’t even know where Honduras was before the coup,� Diaz said. “This has a huge impact not only domestically but in the way it has been handled by the government and the international community.� Speakers at the event includ-

Erik Reyna | Daily Texan Staff

Rajendra S. Sisodia, a marketing professor at Bentley University and author of “Firms of Endearment,� gives a lecture on the repercussions of the ethical behavior of world-class firms.

Marta Collart, a Honduran educator, argues with speakers at a panel discussion on the state of politics in Honduras as audience members look on. The panel was part of a day-long forum on the subject.

Jordy Wagoner Daily Texan Staff

ed UT government professors Zachary Elkins and Jeffrey Tulis; activist Miriam Miranda of Honduran human rights organization OrganizaciĂłn Fraternal Negra HondureĂąa; historian, politician and writer DarĂ­o Euraque, the former director of the Instituto HondureĂąo de AntropologĂ­a

e Historia; and Michael Shifter, director of the Andean Program for Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue. During the time scheduled for Reina’s address, several speakers held an open panel discussion with the event’s attendees. The speakers and participants de-

bated the constitutionality of the coup, citing professional and personal experience. “The next book I’m going to write is about this coup,� Euraque said during the panel. “I was going to write a book about the history of sexuality, but I thought this was more exciting.�

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STATE&LOCAL

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

City council considers plan to fund solar power Proposal would follow energy upgrade rebate program, recent state law

state law passed earlier this year that allows cities to make loans to homeowners for renewable energy infrastructure. City Council will review the proposal Thursday, and, if approved, the plan will go to the city manager’s office for further development. The city loans would likely have lower interest rates than those offered by local banks. Additionally, the loans would be tied to the house, not to its owner, so if a homeowner decides to move, the financial obligation for the installed solar panels would be passed to the house’s next owner. “It’s a fascinating idea that, rather than individuals being responsible for the cost, now the value of the solar installation will stay with the home,� Curtis said. “Adding

By Lara Berendt Daily Texan Staff Austin homeowners might soon have a new way to pay for energyefficient solar panel installations if City Council approves a plan for a residential loan program on Thursday. On Friday, Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell announced a proposal for a financing option that would allow residents to pay for solar panels with low-interest city loans and no up-front investment. The loans would be repaid as a charge on homeowners’ property tax bill. The proposal is the result of a

any feature to a home has the potential of adding to that home’s value, and it certainly has a cost benefit of reducing monthly energy bills significantly.� A typical solar panel installation for a 3-kilowatt system costs about $22,000 and can produce the equivalent of three months worth of a home’s annual electricity needs, said Austin Energy spokesman Carlos Cordova. The company began a highly successful solar rebate program in 2004 to help homeowners offset the cost of energy upgrades and has since completed more than 830 residential solar panel installations, Cordova said. “When we started the [rebate] program, we wanted to help spur the development of the solar industry in Austin,� he said.

Their efforts have increased the number of solar energy companies in the city to 22 from just four in 2004, which illustrates the strong market for solar power in Austin, Cordova said. The proposition is not only offered to homeowners. Michael Watson, regional manager of The Quarters apartment complexes in Austin, said he has been in contact with Leffingwell’s office and City Council in an effort to get the proposal pushed through. If the solar financing plan is put into effect, Watson said, The Quarters property owners will quickly upgrade their buildings to accommodate solar power. “Solar panels are the one thing we are lacking, so this is definitely something we want to get on board

with,� he said. “We fully expect there to be a positive discussion on this item and for the council to approve it on Thursday.� The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association supported the legislation that inspired the solar-financing proposal. Executive Director Russell Smith said there are still plenty of details that city officials need to work out. “There is no experience in Texas with this type of program,� Smith said. “Issues that have to be addressed include what kind of interest rate would be charged and where the money to fund the loans will come from.� Also, the city will have to determine what will happen in the case of a loan default or home repossession, he said.

Smith said the plan’s popularity among homeowners will depend on how the city’s interest rates compare with those of local banks and how easy the plan is for homeowners to implement. Councilman Chris Riley campaigned on environmental and energy issues this year. Lewis Leff, Riley’s policy aid, said the plan could help reduce the need for additional power generation sources in Austin. Leff said he expects the proposal to pass with full City Council support Thursday and the city manager’s office to provide an implementation plan around late January. “It’s an environmentally sensitive thing to do, and it’s going to help us move forward as a community toward the goals we’ve set,� Leff said.

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SPORTS

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

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

T HE DAILY TEXAN

NCAA FOOTBALL

Receiving corps sees shake up Inconsistent play

hurting Nebraska against BCS teams

Photos by Bryant Haertlein | Daily Texan Staff

Above, Malcolm Williams, who was named a starter for Monday’s game at Missouri, returns a catch against Oklahoma on Saturday. Below, Colt McCoy walks around after a play in the Red River Rivalry game Saturday.

Kirkendoll, Chiles benched to make way for Goodwin, Williams By Michael Sherfield Daily Texan Staff Two days after its least productive game of the year, the Texas offense is getting a makeover. Don’t worry, Colt McCoy is still playing, but he will be throwing the ball to a few new(ish) faces. After their production declined to nearly nothing over the past four weeks, receivers James Kirkendoll and John Chiles have been moved to the bench on the Texas depth chart. In their place comes freshman sensation Marquise Goodwin, who lead the team with 38 receiving yards against Oklahoma and had the lone touchdown in the second half, and sophomore Malcolm Williams. “Malcolm and Marquise have earned the right to be on the field,” said Texas head coach Mack Brown. “We felt like Marquise did so well on Saturday. What a play he made on our boundary. We need more vertical stretch, [Williams] is a guy who can jump and catch a deep ball.” Williams has spent most of the season as a special teams ace covering kicks, even recovering a muffed punt at the Sooners’ 18yard line. He’s also made an impact in the passing game — last year, he almost singlehandedly dragged Texas back into the game against Texas Tech. Williams came in for the injured Quan Cosby and torched the Red Raiders for 180 yards and two touchdowns. The move is part of a new offensive identity that will see Texas use less of the four and five wide receiver sets that have become so prominent over the past two years. Tight end Greg Smith, who saw more action than usual against Oklahoma, will also be on the field more as Texas attempts to find a balance to its offense. The reshuffled depth chart lists Jordan Shipley as the starter in the flanker posi-

necessary hits. He made up for it Saturday. “I’m going to have to run the ball,” McCoy said. “I’m the biggest competitor in the world. If I have to run the ball every play, I will.” The threat of McCoy running opened up the Texas offense in the second half after being dominated in the first. The Longhorns ran for 142 yards (including yardage lost on sacks), 102 of which came in the second half. After blitzing McCoy out of his passing rhythm early, the Sooners were forced to back off as the quarterback burned them on the ground again and again. Texas scored 13 points in the second half after only three in the first. McCoy is expected to have a larger role in running the ball for the remainder of the season as Texas tries to find a balanced offensive attack. “We have to be able to run the ball,” McCoy said. “Had we not been able to run the ball like that, we would have lost.”

By Austin Ries Daily Texan Staff Nebraska has played like two different teams this season. Against squads from the Sun Belt Conference, the Cornhuskers have been dominant, averaging 472 yards and 47 points a game. But those averages fall off the table against BCS opponents. When facing a team from one of the big six conferences, they average only 297 yards and 17 points, while only scoring touchdowns in two of 12 quarters. That might be why fans at Memorial Stadium chanted Cody Green’s name when starter Zac Lee struggled in Saturday’s loss against Texas Tech. In fact, it looks like head coach Bo Pelini might have agreed with the Big Red Nation. “Yeah, absolutely,” Pelini said about possibly making Green the Cornhusker starting quarterback. “We’re thinking about a lot of changes.” Lee, who was 16 for 22 against the Red Raiders for 128 yards, still isn’t worried about battling for his position. “We’re always competing in practice,” Lee said. “That hasn’t changed since day one.” While fans were begging for Green to replace the struggling Lee, he was not exactly an improvement, going seven for 16 for 87 yards with an interception and a delay of game penalty. Even though he replaced Lee, Green is ignoring the hype. “You’ve got to stay calm. I’m not the guy. Zac’s the guy,” Green said. “If I get in, I get in.”

Mangino honored by fans’ reaction Leave it to Kansas head coach Mark Mangino to make lemonade after a sour 34-30 loss in Boulder on Saturday. While the loss dropped the Jayhawks to 24th in the Associated Press poll and 25th in the BCS standings, Mangino viewed the reaction of the Colorado fans as a sign of respect for the progress his program has made. The game ended after CU broke up a pass from Todd Reesing to Dezmon Briscoe in the end zone as the 51,000 fans proceeded to rush the field in celebration. “We’ve come a long way,” Mangino said. “People want to beat us. We get everybody’s best shot now. We don’t sneak up on anybody. We’re circled on everybody’s schedule, and that’s good. We aspire to be that kind of team.” After erasing a 21-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter, the Jayhawks marched right back down the field for a 10-play, 76-yard scoring drive to go ahead, but it wasn’t enough. “Now, we’ve just got to prove that we can play at a high level week in and week out,” Mangino said.

Cowboys moving to a different tune The addition of Oklahoma State standout alumni Barry Sanders, Robin Ventura and

BIG 12 continues on page 8

Dominating defense

tion, while Williams moves to “X,” where The Texas defense earned its early season Shipley played the previous six games, and praise Saturday. The Longhorns kept the Goodwin takes over Chiles’ “Sub B” spot. Sooners to -16 rushing yards and didn’t allow a third down conversion in the second The Real McCoy half. For good measure, they also picked off After a season spent keeping McCoy’s quarterback Landry Jones on the last two running abilities close to the vest, the Long- Oklahoma possessions. The Sooners shouldn’t have been surhorns finally freed their quarterback to make plays with his feet Saturday. Expect prised. The Texas defense leads the nation in rushing defense, allowing a meager 35.8 to see more of it. McCoy carried 14 times against the yards per game, more than 20 yards ahead Sooners, finally putting the game away of second-place Arizona State. The Longhorns also lead in third down with a six-yard run on third-and-four. The quarterback led the Longhorns in rush- defense, allowing just a 20 percent success ing last year but saw his number of carries rate for opposing offenses. As for turnovers, Texas has 19 on the year drop dramatically throughout the first five games this season to shield him from un- after forcing just 16 in 2008.

Dave Weaver | Associated Press

Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee (5) is tackled by Texas Tech’s Bront Bird, in the second half of their NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb. on Saturday. Texas Tech beat Nebraska 31-10.

MEN’S GOLF

Texas late run falls short Controversial goal highlights weekend’s play as Aggies prevail at UTSA

EUROPEAN SOCCER

Scott Heppell | Associated Press

Sunderland’s Darren Bent, left, celebrates his goal with teammate George McCartney during their English Premier League win over Liverpool on Saturday.

By Rishi Daulat Daily Texan Staff On a weekend where a hot-air balloon created quite the stir in America, a much smaller balloon made headlines in England. Who would have thought that an insignificant red balloon being thrown around in a crowd could drastically alter a Premiere League soccer match and perhaps a team’s title hopes? Not Liverpool, that’s for sure. An inflated red beach ball, hit onto the field by a young Liverpool fan, was the culprit behind the Red’s 1-0 loss to Sunderland. In an astonishing, almost comical moment, Sunderland’s Darren Bent struck a shot on goal that bounced off the red ball and went past goalkeeper Pepe Reina and straight into the back of the net. Reina looked to be in perfect position to thwart the initial shot on goal but after the deflection, he was helpless to stop it. The head referee had no choice but to allow the goal since play had not been stopped when the balloon first hit the pitch. Liverpool played without its two best players, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, but there is no excuse for the Big Four’s four early season losses. With no recent vote of confidence from American owners George Gillette and Tom Hicks, Liverpool head coach Rafael Benitez may soon be

on the way out. Sunderland has now picked up a draw at Old Trafford and a win against the Reds in consecutive matches. The team is currently sixth in the Premiere League with 16 points in nine matches. Bent can only hope that his slew of goals this season has shown England coach, Fabio Capello, that the prolific striker deserves a spot on the national team. In eight Premiere League games, Bent has notched seven goals. Aston Villa scored an equally major upset when they headed their way to a 2-1 win over Chelsea. After an ambitious 35-yard goal early in the match by scoring machine, Didier Drogba, Richard Dunne equalized it for Villa in the 32nd minute. The goal came off a corner kick, and, because of Chelsea’s poor defensive marking, Dunne was wide open for a header directly in front of the goal. James Collins struck the winner for Villa in the 52nd minute. In other Premiere League matches, Manchester United picked up two early goals en route to a 2-1 win over Bolton while Arsenal continued their scoring splurge with a 3-1 win over Birmingham. Manchester United is now alone atop the table for the first time all season, while Chelsea dropped, to second, one point behind the Red Devils.

By Travis Measley Daily Texan Staff In a battle of the best in Texas collegiate men’s golf, No. 4 Texas stormed to a final round 6-under par Monday in an attempt to make up a 10 stroke deficit to No. 18 Texas A&M at the UTSA Lone Star Invitational at Briggs Ranch Golf Club in San Antonio. While the Horns’ 282 total on Monday was one of the best of the tournament, it wasn’t enough to overtake the Aggies, leaving Texas in second with a

three-round total of 6-under 858. “I’m really happy with today’s round — a 282,” said head coach John Fields. “Texas A&M won the tournament yesterday with its back nine in the second round. We were able to push them for a little while today, but shooting under-par at Briggs Ranch is a really good thing, and I’m happy about that. We know we have the opportunity to get a lot better, and that’s what we

GOLF continues on page 8 The men’s golf team finished second at the UTSA Lone Star Invitational this past weekend.

Nancy Rosenthal Daily Texan file photo

8 SPTS

8

SPORTS

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Home, sweet home

GOLF: Late push

proves to be too little for Horns

Kevin Durant will make his first appearance at Texas since he played for the Longhorns during the 2007 season.

From page 7 will aim to do.” Individually, two Longhorns finished in the top three. Sophomore Dylan Frittelli finished second, one shot behind winner John Hurley from Texas A&M, with a three-round total of 9-under par (69-69-69) and freshman Cody Gribble finished third with a three-round total of 8-under par (71-72-65). “Individually, Dylan Frittelli was really strong,” Fields said. “He had three great rounds in a row and played some really good golf.” Gribble jump-started things for the Longhorns Monday, shooting a 7-under 65, one of the best of the tournament, that included two eagles. Frittelli struggled on the front nine Monday, bogeying holes two, three and six, but balanced that out with an eagle on five and a birdie on seven for an even-par 36 on the front. He rallied on the back side, birding 13, 14 and 15 to finish with his third straight 3-under 69. The Longhorns led after the morning round Sunday, firing a 4-under 284, lead by junior Donald Constable, who shot a 4-under 68, and Frittelli, who opened with a 3-under 69. Texas struggled in the afternoon, however, shooting 4-over as a team. Constable finished at twoover par (68-74-76) for the tournament. Junior Bobby Hudson finished at nine over (76-77-72) and sophomore Steffan Schmieding shot a three-round total of 18over (80-77-77).

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For the first time since February 2007, Kevin Durant will play a basketball game in the Frank Erwin Center. But in tonight’s game, Durant won’t be suiting up as a Longhorn, although some Texas fans may wish the 6-foot-9-inch swingman still played in burnt orange. Instead,

Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the San Antonio Spurs in an NBA exhibition game set for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Durant played at Texas for one season and then was drafted second overall in 2007 by the Seattle Supersonics. Despite his short tenure in Austin, Durant started all 35 games

his freshman year for coach Rick Barnes and averaged a double-double. Durant was also the first freshman to win the John R. Wooden and Naismith awards. He went on to play his first pro season in Seattle and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. The Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008, where he

averaged 25.3 points per game in his second season. The University retired Durant’s No. 35 jersey at the Erwin Center last year and just this week Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell proclaimed Oct. 20, “Kevin Durant Day,” for the city of Austin. State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, made a similar

proclamation for the state of Texas, and both men will be on hand for the contest tonight. Fans who wear a Kevin Durant shirt or bring a Kevin Durant sign to the Erwin Center box office today can purchase a discounted ticket for $15 as long as supplies last. — Will Anderson

BIG 12: Australian hard rock enters Oklahoma State’s pregame From page 7 Garth Brooks to the OSU Alumni Association Hall of Fame wasn’t the only change Saturday — the Cowboys also debuted a change to their pre-game routine. In response to pressure from

students, OSU officials changed the song on the soundtrack of a new video played when the Cowboys take the field prior to kickoff. OSU fans and students overwhelmingly rejected the original song, “Cowboys 4Ever,” by singer-songwriter

John Martin. “The original song is well done, and it has its fans, too,” said athletic director Mike Holder. “In the end, it didn’t get the traction we had hoped with the students, so we took action.” OSU officials replaced Martin’s song with “Runnin’ Wild” by the Australian hard rock band Airbourne.

Sooners lead nation in penalty yards Texas cornerback Aaron Williams sent Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford to the sideline and out of the game Saturday after sacking him on the first play of the Sooner’s second possession. On Sunday, Bradford had an MRI and X-ray that revealed no new injury, only an aggravation

of his previous shoulder sprain. While this was a big blow to the Sooners, who were gaining momentum after Bradford’s return last Saturday against Baylor, their biggest problem is not the quarterback, but is turnovers and especially penalties. The Sooners have lost 12 turnovers this season and are currently leading the nation with 84.5 penalty yards per game.

NFL

Denver continues winning ways with win over Chargers By Bernie Wilson The Associated Press SAN DIEGO — Eddie Royal became the first player in Broncos history to return a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game, leading undefeated Denver to a wild 34-23 win over the San Diego Chargers on Monday night. The Broncos didn’t get an offensive touchdown until Kyle Orton threw a 19-yard pass to tight end Tony Scheffler late in the third quarter for a 24-23 lead. Denver added a field goal by Matt Prater and a late 5-yard touchdown catch by Brandon Stokley that was upheld on review. This is the fifth time the Broncos have been 6-0, the first since going 13-0 in 1998 en route to winning their second straight Super Bowl behind John Elway. They opened a 3½-game lead in the AFC West over three-time defending division champion San Diego (2-3). Denver outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil had two sacks to extend his NFL lead to 10. His second sack caused Philip Rivers to fumble, with Vonnie Holliday recovering to set up Prater’s 29-yard field goal. The Broncos sacked Rivers five times, three in the fourth quarter. Royal is the 11th player in NFL history to return a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in a game. He had a 93-yard kickoff return and a 71-yard punt return. After the Chargers were forced to settle for a field goal following a sensational drive late in the first quarter, Royal took the kickoff at the 7, found a big hole at about the 35, cut inside of kicker Nate Kaeding at the 50 and raced down the left sideline to give the Broncos a 7-3 lead. In the second quarter, Royal fielded Mike Scifres’ punt on the bounce at the 29, worked his way inside, then outraced the coverage to the outside to give Denver a 17-10 lead. Royal’s electrifying returns at first silenced Qualcomm Stadium, then had Chargers fans booing.

Jack Dempsey | Associated Press

Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels reacts to the game winning touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the fourth quarter of a game in Denver on Oct. 4. Speedy little Darren Sproles of the Chargers got in on the action when he returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown for a 2017 lead that held up at halftime. Sproles caught Brett Kern’s punt, ran up the left sideline, got a nice block at about the 50, cut inside and was gone. Just over a minute earlier Kaeding kicked a 44-yard field goal. On Nov. 11, 2007, Sproles returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in a 23-21 win against Indianapolis. The Chargers ran 22 plays to only

six for the Broncos in the first quarter, in what seemed more like fastbreak basketball than football. Rivers, in fact, was about to be dragged down by Dumervil when he threw a two-handed chest pass to LaDainian Tomlinson for a 21-yard gain on San Diego’s second drive. It was one of four passes by Rivers for at least 13 yards on the drive, which started at the San Diego 6-yard line. The drive stalled, though, leading to some sideline drama involving Tomlinson.

9 CLASS

NEWS

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Lottery ticket relieves veterans By Alex Geiser Daily Texan Staff A new $2 scratch-off lottery ticket, Veterans Cash, emblazoned with the head of an eagle, will provide funding to meet the immediate needs of veterans and their families in Texas. State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, state Rep. Chris Turner, D-Arlington, and veterans’ leaders came together Monday morning to unveil the scratch-off tickets, available for purchase beginning Nov. 9. A portion of the revenue will go to the Texas Veterans Commission’s Fund for Veterans’ Assistance, created by the state Legislature in 2007. The veterans commission provides claims assistance and helps obtain employment and education for veterans. “Veterans have a lot of unique needs as a result of service,� Turner said in reference to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Our hope is that the funds that are generated because of this new lotto game will help to address some of those needs.� Turner, who authored the bill creating the tickets, said they are meant to establish long-term funding for assisting veterans. day, month day, 2008 Tina Carnes, general counsel at the Texas Veterans Commission, said this is the first time they have received help in offering immediate aid to veterE ans not currently by ERTIS Ecovered T V D A their program.TUD N ! R S Abrought Of Y the OUrevenue TION in by Z I N A percent will go tothe lottery, ORG23 ward the permanent fund. The

FORUM: Language program

to bear brunt of budget cu From page 1

Jordy Wagoner | Daily Texan Staff

State Sen. Leticia Van De Putte, front middle, speaks at the unveiling of the new Veterans Cash Texas Lottery scratch-off ticket. The new lotto ticket is a product of a bill authored by Van De Putte and Rep. Chris Turner during the 81st Legislative Session and will benefit the Permanent Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. rest will go toward prizes, retailers and administration. Prize amounts will range from $2 to $20,000. Payouts to veterans from the permanent fund will help pay for food, family counseling and grief counseling for veterans and their families. Bobby Heith, spokesman for the Texas Lottery Commission, said over 8 million Veterans Cash tickets will be produced, but only 50 to 60 will be on the market at one time, to prevent market saturation.

The Legislative Budget Board the fund expected $2.5 to $3 milexpects the tickets to bring in lion 1 in revenues the first year, around $8 million dollars dur- and received $2.78 million. ing the first full year of cir“The money goes into a big culation, according to a press pot of money, and we can only LASSIFIEDS release. spend the interest accrued,� Texas is not the first state to Hartwig said. “The intent is to use the lottery to provide fund- get the trust fund principle baling for veterans. ance to $50 million. We are tryKent Hartwig, executive offi- ing to grow it to a point where cer at the Iowa Department of the money it generates is enough Veteran Affairs, said the state to sustain veterans.� has been putting revenue from Like in Texas, these funds are lottery sales in the Veterans’ strictly for veterans and their Trust Fund since 2008. He said families.

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Campus

CORKBOARD

negative,� Buckley said. “I can’t recall a time when we voted in favor of the 6-6 or 6-3-3 plan as a whole, deliberative body.� Buckley said the changes will almost certainly be detrimental to language students, and she doubted the amount of impact the forum will have on halting any of the changes. But Esther Raizen, chairwoman of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies, said no link has been established between the amount of hours spent on foreign language instruction and the quality of education. Italian lecturer Mark Garrison questioned why non-tenured faculty were the only people receiving pay cuts and possible elimination. He cited the University of California System, which is facing a bigger budget crisis than UT but started cutting salaries from the top down. Deihl said it is not within his authority to change the salaries of tenured faculty members, but the loss of lecturers is one of the most difficult aspects of the budget cuts. The UT System Board of Regents approves salary rates and job eliminations for tenured faculty, he said. Spanish lecturer Jane Johnson said she will probably be one of the teachers eliminated because of the budget cuts, but she hopes to find another position as a teacher at a new institution. “We don’t want to be let go,�

Johnson said. “We definit do this for the money. W because we love teaching. About a third of the coll to $13 million deficit will co financing the new College al Arts building, which s completed by 2013. Dieh building was one of his hi orities as dean, because t desperate need for space. The average amount of faculty member at the Uni approximately 140 square in some liberal arts dep each faculty member o about 80 square feet per p “I think the rationale for building is a little thin,� said. “I don’t doubt that dean said is true, but I’ve this campus for 20 years, doesn’t seem to be an ove ing need for more space.� Diehl said that if the col not expand soon, it runs t losing that space on camp other college. He also responded to of his communication on get cuts that charged the leadership with a lack of ency. It was the responsibi department heads to pass tion down, Diehl said, bu lecturers said the only com tion they got was through “I have made an effort of the most transparent the University by holding and forums like this,� he s

Weekly Rates: $100 – Large $50 – Medium $25 – Small

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GARDEN: Indigenous plants require less resources, attention promote landscape practices that don’t require much water or pestiSusan Rieff, executive director cides. By choosing the right plants of the Lady Bird Johnson Wild- and putting them in the right placflower Center, said she encourag- es, we can provide a lot of benefit es the growing of native plants, to the environment.� She said the variety of partners which do not use as many resources as plants that are not accli- appeals to a wider audience. Texmated to Texas’ extreme weather. as Parks and Wildlife has a mag“We are all kind of promoting azine and a lot of other ways to the same thing,� Rieff said. “We communicate with their audience,

From page 1

Karina Jacques | Daily

Liberal arts Dean Randy Diehl explains the proposed changes eign language curriculums and budget cuts at the Union on M

CLASSIFIEDS

E! E R F ad s

ty of these native plants, he said. Mayor Lee Leffingwell said the city has taken steps toward becoming a wildlife habitat, but people need to be aware of the kinds of plants Austin’s environment fosters. “If we want a green plan to thrive, we need to use the kind of plants that will survive in our harsh climate,� Leffingwell said.

THE DAILY TEXAN

UNS AD IRNE FOR ONL d wor

while the wildflower center has a special connection to gardening enthusiasts, she said. Bulla said he hopes the garden will inspire others to plant native gardens of their own because native plants ultimately require less watering and attention. The city’s new garden, which survived more than 60 days of triple-digit temperatures, is proof of the durabili-

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LIFE&ARTS

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Multi-faceted host Fall release refines dreamy po stumps trivia fans on weekly basis CD REVIEWS

Local taco restaurant celebrates 10,000th quiz question next month By Katherine Kloc Daily Texan Staff Benji Frankel can beat anyone in a trivia contest. Every Tuesday night, Maria’s Taco Xpress hosts Trivia Knight, a family-friendly trivia game that Frankel emcees. The contest consists of five rounds of 10 questions and a sixth round centered around one logic puzzle. Over the course of two hours, players are quizzed on everything from the average lifespan of a dollar bill (18 months) to the meaning of “panophobia” (fear of everything) to the original voice of Mickey Mouse (Walt Disney). As Trivia Knight never repeats questions, he is constantly searching for new bits of trivia to use in his contests. “[The questions] come from a variety of sources,” Frankel said. “Some of them I just make up, some my mom sends to me [and] some people just give to me. Recently Leslie [Cochran] came up to me and had a question for me. I research different things. I’m a very curious person.” Trivia Knight began three years ago. Frankel, a musician by trade, took the gig on a whim with no previous experience in trivia. “I originally got into trivia completely randomly,” he said. “I heard Maria was looking for a trivia host. I thought it would be a good opportunity to be on stage not playing music, but instead just talking.” Trivia Knight quickly became Benji Frankel, host of Maria’s Taco XPress’s weekly Trivia Knight, knows the most random facts in town.

Courtesy of Benji Frankel

a success and has since accrued a handful of regular players. Frankel knows many players by name and engages in conversation with individual participants throughout the game. Until recently, he waged a war against high fives and tried to prevent players from preforming the action. “I backed off on [my war against high fives] because I felt like the tide had turned,” Frankel said. “I realized that I couldn’t wield my powers in that way. But I still feel like people should just say ‘high five’ instead of actually doing it.” Next month, Trivia Knight will celebrate its 10,000th question. Out of all of the trivia questions he has asked since the beginning of Trivia Knight, Frankel claims not to have a favorite. “I wouldn’t want to hurt any of their feelings,” he said. “I consider each of them my babies.” A self-described “all-around entertainer,” Frankel films comedic videos and plays music at local venues when he is not hosting trivia. “I do all kinds of things that have to do with the ways I entertain myself,” he said. “I cleverly navigate the waters of being a poor entertainer.” Frankel has recently been contemplating what to do with all of the trivial knowledge he has accumulated over the past few years. “My mom thinks I should be the next Oprah, but I told her that it’s a really hard act to break into,” Frankel said. “I’m currently working on a book called ‘Sad, Sad Man,’ which is all about my life and the crazy things I have to do to get by.”

Russian Circles Geneva In the realm of instrumental postrock, Chicago three-piece Russian Circles has always leaned more to the metallic side of the genre. While bands like Explosions in the Sky make their living on the delicate, treble-heavy pairing of soft and loud, Russian Circles embraces the double bass and the distorted guitar, sort of like Isis without the vocals. The group’s newest release, Geneva, is no different, and finds the band refining its trademark sound and discovering the band’s powerhouse. Once that’s found, they exploit it to the fullest extent.

The opener, “Fathom,” runs from ambient, Celtic-inspired noise to a pummeling double bass attack, punctuated by some of the finest metal riffs this side of Mastodon, before returning once more to the noise. The title track follows and picks up in the same place, chugging along with biting force and a sense of controlled chaos. With Russian Circles, it always seems like something’s about to go wrong — to explode into a frenzy — and the fun comes in figuring out when that will be. The album is a stellar piece of work, from the production, to the chord progressions to the instrumentation. The band loves the minor chord, giving everything a sense of apocalyptic tendencies. This isn’t to say they don’t know how to explore the lighter side of the genre, as evidenced by the shuffling drum rhythm and lightly plucked electric guitar present on “Melee” and “Hexed All,” two tracks that function like counterparts to one another. All in all, Geneva is an outstanding piece of work from one of post-rock’s most consistent and reliable bands. — Robert Rich

A Sunny Day in Glasgow Ashes Grammar Ashes Grammar, the latest album from the Philidelphia trio, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, is needlessly dense for an album composed of feathery dream-pop. There are flashes of brilliance, but they’re buried in an unwieldy, 22-track album. However, for fans of blissed-out pop reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine, investing some time into parsing Ashes Grammar could be well worth it. This album is best listened to in spurts. There are a number of short, ambient interludes between the more fully formed songs that are intended to make everything more

complete, but most of the t just seem to bog everythin “Close Words” sets up the ing pulse of “Close Chorus if they’d been combined in track no one would have n The same is true of the last tracks, “Life’s Great” and “ phone Space.” The production on Ashe mar sounds like it was reco der a Vaseline-smeared len erything sounds warm, fuz like it’s glowing; this is am ing for much of the album ter 60 minutes it all sort of smudge together. A very large part of A Su in Glasgow’s sound is airy They never say anything p or even dazzle with singin but angelic, intertwining c for a great centerpiece on s “Shy” and “Passionate Intr A Sunny Day in Glasgow a gorgeous, hypnotic soun they can write some great but Ashes Grammar is need ly difficult. Sifting through the smoke and mirrors can to impossible, although for hazy pop music this could a look. — Da

FASHION: Tips for men provide alternative to boring T-sh homely to vintage chic. Not only are they soft and comfy, but they’re also stylish and apGrandpa Cardigans propriate for a lot of different occa(Unisex) sions. Pair the sweater with black, Seen on celebrities from Jake thick-rimmed glasses or some aviGyllenhaal to Megan Fox, the ators to go urban chic. grandpa cardigan has gone from Be careful though — wearing a

5

From page 12

frumpy, awkwardly fitting grandpa cardigan can easily make you resemble Mister Rogers instead of your favorite indie rock guitarist.

6

Plaid Button-ups (Guys)

Yes, you can wear plaid without looking like a lumberjack.

This season, plaid bu are perfect for those g there who are trying to the free T-shirts and d a little. Fashionable but low-ke allow you to look nice losing your street cred.

UNIFORM: Suggestions for fall accessories provide personal glint of s For those wanting a softer look, plain, fitted tees always provide a jackets with interesting diago- great blank slate to further accesnal zippers can spruce up any sorize. One or two large or intrilook. Add in a pair of black leath- cate gold necklaces, a la Anthroer boots for a sexy, chic, hard- pologie, can give a quick glint of edged look. style on top of that relaxed ap-

From page 12

pearance. “It doesn’t have to be real gold, though,” added Ashley Westerman, secretary of UFG and marketing and textiles senior. “There’s fake gold pieces that you’d only really want to wear for one or two seasons.”

Overall though, fa personal. “It’s mainly about th you look comfortable [in comfortable wearing,” K “Fashion is completely of opinion, not fact.”

12 LIFE

LIFE&ARTS

12

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

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

T HE DAILY TEXAN

Cooler weather inspires flattering fall fashions Fickle temperatures prompt wardrobe overhaul in favor of versatile, vintage apparel By Rene Huynh Daily Texan Staff Now that the fickle Texas weather has suddenly dropped 20 to 30 degrees in late recognition of the fall season, it’s time to re-stock your closet with new fabulous finds. The following tips on garments and accessories will keep you feeling warm and looking chic.

To love and adore Colors to love: r deep purple r mustard yellow r sea green r gold Materials to adore: r suede r linen r wool r satin

1

Vintage Hats

“Remember when women used to always wear hats in public?” asked a recent shopper at Manju’s. The days when hats were as ubiquitous as handbags date back to the 1920s to 1960s, long before most of us were born. And there lies the problem. The insightful implication of the customer’s comment was that women nowadays should wear hats. No, not baseball caps and beanies, but the trendy, sophisticated ones that lent so much style and class to big screen sweethearts like Barbara Stanwyck and Audrey Hepburn. Casual college culture is unnecessarily weary of bells and whistles, especially when it comes to decorative hats. They’re seen as almost theatrical — overdone and oftentimes attracting too much attention. But this season welcomes longforgotten elegance in the form of vintage

hats: fedoras, floppies, feather and floralrimmed. True, not everyone can rock this niche trend (or has a “hat face” for that matter), but don’t be afraid to experiment.

2

Trench Coats

3

Brightly-colored/Patterned/ Studded Skinny Jeans

4

Ankle Boots

Ah, yes, you can finally look like a cast member from “Casablanca.” Or perhaps like a European fashionista. Trench coats were fun and flirty last spring, and now they’re back to shield you from the recent pseudo-cold Austin climate. You can opt for bright, bold colors reflecting the season’s playful mood or stick to the classic, more versatile earth tones. This look is flattering on many body types, but make sure the coat fits snugly and cinches appropriately at the waist. Otherwise, you may end up looking like Sherlock Holmes.

Usually tops and accessories do the talking, but it’s time to let your previously understated jeans speak a little louder. 1980s-inspired neon leggings have evolved into avant-garde skinny jeans. Wear your skinnies in spunky colors and patterns like magenta and leopard print or adorn your blue denim with rhinestones and studs. Either way, this daring look is perfect for concerts and house parties.

Ankle boots have been popular in fashion capitals like Milan and Paris for years, so Austinites need to play catch up. While knee-high boots will always be in style, ankle boots are the edgy hybrid between their knee-high counterparts and stilettos. Wear them with tight-fitting skinny jeans or leggings and a high-waisted skirt for a glitzy night on the town.

FASHION continues on page 11

Photo Illustrations by Karina Jacques | Daily Texan Staff

Above, Nicole Varnado, a Dean’s Scholar biochemistry senior, looks chic in a taupe trench coat from Forever 21. Left, Kasey Spickard, a business honors marketing senior, rocks a plaid button-up from H&M. Below, Varnado sports black ankle boots from Ross.

Typical fall ensemble deemed faux pas, alternate clothing options offer updated look By Gerald Rich Daily Texan Staff Jackets are quickly being pulled out while summer clothes are tucked away for a warmer time. Fall has finally arrived at UT. A controversial cold weather ensemble – Nike athletic shorts, leggings, and Ugg boots — is sure to follow. For years, it has thrived on campus to the point that it’s become a uniform. What began as athletic shorts have now turned into all-purpose shorts. By pairing them with leggings and Ugg boots, the shorts can be worn all year

round. The ensemble is so simple and effortless that it frees up much needed time on those hectic mornings before an early class. Thus, the ensemble became a college staple. However, many are beginning to lament its pervasive, lackluster nature. They criticize the uniform for making everyone too indistinguishable, question what the purpose of athletic shorts are when one isn’t doing athletics, and mock the big floppy boots and muted brown colors as if they were elephant feet. We recognize that fashion is entirely personal, but here are some new fall alternatives to the uniform for those interested in a different look. A great contrast to the shorts, specifically when Texas weather confus-

es summer with fall, are jean shorts. “I just went and bought a whole bunch of jean shorts that were on sale at Urban Outfitters,” said Alex King, vice president of University Fashion Group and senior fashion design major. “They’re like the oversized, torn up ones; they’re super comfortable and they look cool.” King paired her torn up jean shorts with a large graphic tee and a long sleeve plaid button down. As for those colder fall days, cuffed boyfriend jeans and pleated pants are in. They are easier to wear than skinny jeans and look great on everyone. Another emerging trend further accentuates the rugged torn up jeans but with a new twist. Tight-fitting leather

UNIFORM continues on page 11

Tasty Tuesdays

Blueberry oat bars bear fruitful snack

Maddie Crum | Daily Texan Staff

Oats and blueberries will fill the kitchen with fruity and buttery aromas.

By Lisa Holung Daily Texan Staff As much as I adore the cooler weather, there is still something very comforting about coming home, turning on the oven and letting the gentle heat permeate the kitchen. This recipe for blueberry oat bars yields the perfect combination of fruity scents and buttery aromas that will make your oven your new favorite kitchen appliance. As the name suggests, these bars contain oats, a curious ingredient. They can be eaten toasted and crunchy such as in a granola bar, or creamy, like in oatmeal. Oats add a crispy and thicker texture to these bars, which is a great contrast to the soft blueberry filling. After the bars have cooled, you can serve them as is or with dollops of yogurt or ice cream. The stickiness of the blueberries and the crumbs from the golden crust on your fingertips create an experience akin to picking berries and putting a guilty hand into grandma’s cookie jar at the same time. Needless to say, these bars are easy to enjoy, but be sure to have a napkin handy.

Ingredients

blueberry oat b ars

dry ingredients with hands un til the mixture look s like crumbs. r Save 10 perc ent of mixture for topping, press 90 percent into bottom of pregreased 9x13” baking pan w ith hands. r Meanwhile , in saucepan, heat blueberries, co rnst on juice, and ½ arch, lemcup sugar. Brin g to boil for abou t 2 minutes, st ir continuously. Th en pour over Directions crust in pan. r Sprinkle rem aining 10 perr Separate su cent of mixture gar into 1 cup on top. an d r Bake at ½ cup. 375 degrees fo r 25-30 r Mix flour, oa m in ut es or until the ts, 1 cup suga top is goldr and baking so en brown. da in a bowl. r Dice butter r Cool to room into pieces, then temperature add to bowl. Co and chill in re mbine butter an frigerator befo d cutting. re 1 ½ cups all-p urpose flour 1 ½ cups quic k oats 1 ½ cups suga r, divided ½ tsp baking soda ¾ cup cold bu tter 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 2 tbsp cornstar ch 2 tbsp lemon juice

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