The Daily Texan 12-08-10 by The Daily Texan

LIFE&ARTS PAGE 13

Celebrate the holidays with Austin’s favorite beverages

LIFE&ARTS PAGE 11

Dairy farmer carries on family tradition NEWS PAGES 6, 7, 8 10

Texan staffers bid their farewells

THE DAILY TEXAN Wednesday, December 8, 2010

TODAY Calendar So long

The Texan will begin publishing again on Jan. 18.

Wednesday Stu-dying Finals start at 9 a.m. and will continue through Dec. 14.

House of songs

Matt the Electrician and Danny Malone will play a set at the Cactus Cafe beginning at 8:30 p.m. The show will be free.

Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900

As a part of Eat Local Week, a group of food vendors will create speciality holidy gift baskets from 4 to 8 p.m. at Austin City Hall.

Today in history In 1980

By Nolan Hicks Daily Texan Staff State leaders ordered in a letter to state agencies Tuesday to make another 2.5 percent reduction in spending for the current budget period as sales tax revenues continue to underperform initial budget projections. The cut means that UT will have to reduce its budget by an additional $7.5 million for the current budgeting period, which ends in September, said Kevin Hegarty, the University’s chief financial officer. “We don’t know where [we’re going to

cut], we haven’t had a chance to discuss it,” Hegarty said. “Obviously, any reductions we make, we’d want to be thoughtful, but that doesn’t make it any easier, having already cut 5 percent.” He said the UT Budget Council would be getting together “soon” to discuss the latest budget cut request from state leaders. This budget cut would come on top of the $15 million reduction that Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus ordered early this year. Those cuts will be followed by an addition-

al 10-percent cut to UT’s budget for the 20122013 budgeting cycle. In all, UT’s budget is projected to be $52 million smaller than it was when the legislators passed the current budget in 2009 — before legislators offer any additional cuts as they attempt to close an estimated $25 billion budget shortfall. The letter from Perry, Dewhurst and Straus comes three weeks after the House speaker and lieutenant governor announced at a Legislative Budget Board meeting that they would seek the extra spending cuts but

Ivana Grahovac Center for Students in Recovery director

Ivana Grahovac is five-anda-half years recovering from a heroin addiction and said her work with students at the center helps her maintain sobriety. She hopes to help the self-funded center grow with fundraising so that it can support more of the hundreds of students on campus who might need its services.

Online

— Larry Williams Homeless artist LIFE&ARTS PAGE 16

weren’t ready to announce the details. “Texas’ economy remains strong and as we lead the nation in recovery from the economic downturn, we will continue to ensure that Texans’ tax dollars are spent prudently,” Perry said in a statement released Monday. “Identifying these savings builds on our ongoing call to keep government spending in check so that we can balance our state budget without raising taxes and continue to attract businesses that create jobs for Texans.”

CUTS continues on page 2

Self-funded program offers refuge for struggling students

Joseph King grew up genetically predisposed to alcoholism, and his pattern of blackout drinking began when he was 16. He got sober at a longterm treatment center sophomore year and said the support of the Center for Students in Recovery helped him maintain sobriety in Austin, despite the lure of a campus party community that once consumed his life.

Gregory Gym A UT staff member witnessed two non-UT subjects attempt to enter the building without purchasing a pass. During the investigation, one subject informed the officer that he was a UT alumnus an simply wanted to play basketball. The officers issued both subjects written Criminal Trespass Warnings and escorted them from the area.

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www.dailytexanonline.com

By Audrey White Daily Texan Staff

Joseph King

Foul ball

“I don’t want to be defined as homeless. I want to be defined as somebody who can paint — who likes to paint.”

Mentors keep positive to promote recovery

Campus watch

Quote to note

Low

STEPStoRECOVERY: Finding Strength

A crazed fan shot and killed John Lennon in New York City.

For soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, having a veterans court that recognizes the hardship incurred by invisible wounds, may prove essential to readjusting to civilian life. Check out Multimedia's latest account of one soldier's struggle with PTSD. @dailytexanonline.com

High

UT, state agencies brace for further cuts

Biomedical engineering

Gift baskets

TOMORROW’S WEATHER

Photos by Tamir Kalifa | Daily Texan Staff

Tucked away in the basement of the School of Social Work, dozens of students, alumni and community members meet to share stories and support each other in a fight for their lives. They come from places of chemical addiction, years plagued with anxiety, failed relationships and abandoned dreams. At the Center for Students in Recovery, a self-funded program of University Health Services, they come together to work the 12 Step Program, make friends and reach out to other addicts. Coordinator Ivana Grahovac, a five-and-a-halfyear recovering heroin addict who earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan, said the center provides a refuge for students who need to escape the UT party scene that challenges their sobriety each day. “Students meet here, they eat here, they sleep here during the day sometimes,” Grahovac said. “We have meetings here, and we share our strengths, experiences and hopes. It’s our little oasis.” As Grahovac continues to struggle against a heroin addiction that began when she was visiting her parents’ home country of Croatia and modeling in Milan in the early 2000s, she said the students she works with help keep her clean, and she tries to do the same for them. “They absolutely transmitted such a positive strong energy that it kept me sober and alive going through this super intense transition from being a student in Michigan to being a professional in Texas,” said Grahovac, who started working at the 7-year-old center in March. Many of the students at the center came to UT because they knew about the program, she said. UT

STEPS continues on page 2

ON THE WEB: Check out an interactive documentary about students at the center @dailytexanonline.com

Departments work to reform benefits for GLBT partners By Audrey White Daily Texan Staff Advocates of equal benefits for GLBT faculty and staff won two victories this semester, as the UT Human Resource Services department and the Division of Housing and Food Service are each reviewing policies in an effort to increase access for GLBT employees and their partners. The Office of Legal Affairs is considering changes to the University’s emergency leave policies, which currently limit bereavement, sick and parental leave to employees with heterosexual spouses. Human resources is looking to expand the reach of leave benefits, said Human Resource Services associate vice president Julien Carter. “These programs are safety net

programs to support employees with family problems, and that shouldn’t stop with a marriage certificate,” Carter said. “These safety net programs need to be expanded to cover modern definitions of what a family is. It comes down to issues of fairness and equity.” In addition, DHFS administrators are changing their regulations to allow hall coordinators, who oversee all employees and activities of campus residence halls, to have any additional person as a roommate, including a same-sex partner. DHFS executive director Floyd Hoelting said the division talked about changing this policy when he started at the University 15 years ago, and he is excited to

GLBT continues on page 2

Texas anti-bullying bills introduced By Nolan Hicks Daily Texan Staff After a summer of well-publicized deaths of several gay teenagers across the nation, two Texas lawmakers have introduced legislation to crack down on bullying in Texas’ public schools. The two bills — one introduced by State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Ft. Worth, and the other introduced by Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin — would require school districts to toughen their anti-bullying policies. It would also provide training for school district staff so they can better deal with bullying and mandate that districts report the number and types of bullying incidents to the Texas Education Agency. The reporting requirement would mandate school districts to determine if the bullying was a result of a student’s race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. “All Texas children and their parents expect schools to be safe and nurturing environments where the opportunity to learn can be realized,” Davis said. “We hope this proposed legislation

will make children feel safer and next legislative session,” he said. give their parents peace of mind Equality Texas, one of the largthat this type of behavior won’t est gay rights groups in the state, be tolerated in Texas schools.” has endorsed the bills. Strama said the bills were key “It includes a present day definition of bullying and creates for the first time, a definition for cyber-bullying — it’s comprehensive in nature,” said Chuck This is legislation Smith, Equality Texas’ deputy director. “It’s written using educathat seeks to deal tion language. It’s something that with bullying for all people who work in schools will children and at the not have any difficulty understanding.” end of the day no Smith said it was the first time legislator wants to see an anti-bullying measure such as a child bullied.” the ones introduced by Strama and Davis have been introduced — Chuck Smith in both the Texas House and Senate. Equality Texas’ deputy He also said that they would director be lobbying for the measure as a general welfare measure, not as a bill that would expand rights or to updating the state’s anti-bul- protections specifically for gay lying laws to deal with the new youth. “It’s not a gay bullying bill,” phenomenon of using the InterSmith said. “This is legislation net to bully. “The Texas Legislature has an that seeks to deal with bullying opportunity to address bullying for all children and at the end of and cyber-bullying during the REFORM continues on page 2

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News

StepS: Former addict serves as sponsor Chris Hubbert

Former and future UT student Chris Hubbert became addicted to amphetamines, particularly Adderall, his freshman year of college as he tried to fight anxiety and do well in school. It took him five years to commit to sobriety in the midst of failed courses and damaged relationships. He will return to UT in January and hopes to eventually work as a professional photographer.

From page 1 is one of only 14 schools in the country with such a center. Others struggled with addiction while at the University and found a family at the center when they finally began recovery. History senior Joseph King grew up with two alcoholic parents. Although his mother got sober when King was young, he said he saw his father drink every day. Once King started drinking in high school, he was constantly abusing alcohol. At UT, he joined Sigma Phi Epsilon because he said he wanted to be in an environment where friends and family wouldn’t question his daily drinking. After passing out drunk and getting a serious head injury during his sophomore year, his parents sent him to a long-term treatment program in Colorado. At first, he said he was miserable. “I was two-and-a-half months sober when I decided to finally work the steps and stop fighting everybody and everything that was telling me I was an alcoholic,” King said. “From there on, my life started to get better. I was able to enjoy life every day like I had never been able to when I was drinking.” After King started treatment, his father, who asked The Daily Texan not to publish his name, began his own recovery process after decades as a functional alcoholic.

The Daily Texan Volume 111, Number 126 25 cents

Their parallel journeys have given both of them strength to stay sober, they said. “Helping a son is a natural parental instinct, and our relationship became stronger and deeper,” King’s father said. “When I think about my sobriety, part of what I think of is that my son is doing it too. It’s a good thing for me, and I suspect it’s a good thing for him.” Getting sober helped former and future UT student Chris Hubbert return to photography and regain stability after a five-year addiction to amphetamines, particularly Adderall, he said. He is currently on medical withdrawal from UT, but Hubbert continues to be involved with the center and said it provides a base of support as he continues to recover and allows him to give back to other recovering students. “Being a sponsor [to another addict] is the most amazing part. As soon as I did that, being in recovery took on a whole new meaning,” Hubbert said. “The more [love] I give away, the more there is a fullness that I have in my chest that I’ve never had before in my life.” Since May 2009, when Hubbert left school to start treatment after failing his sixth year, he has worked in a wine factory but said he is never tempted to start using again because of his success with the 12 steps. “I’m around alcohol every day,

I’ll break bottles and have wine all over me, and it’s not really a problem,” Hubbert said. “Through working the steps and working with a sponsor and sponsoring people myself, the obsession for me to want to use has gone away.” A bright future awaits students at the center who are committed to their education and sobriety, Grahovac said. She said she will continue to support her students and help raise funds for the center with a coffee sale program called Grounds for Recovery, created with a donation from the family of Student Government President Scott Parks. UT System regent and recovering alcoholic Steve Hicks is helping Grahovac design an endowment program that would earn the center $500,000 over the next five years. Hubbert is returning to UT in January to finish his degree and work as an apprentice under a photography professor. King said he’s not sure what he wants to do upon graduation, but he is taking life one day at a time and has found a new passion for running. “About a year ago, I started running because I was bored, and I started really liking it,” King said. “I did a 10K and I wanted to do more because I’m an alcoholic, and when I like something I want to do more of it.” On Saturday, King ran a marathon.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

ReFORM: Republican dominance

cutS: Texas needs

lobbying on because the expanded Republican majorthe day no legislator wants to ity has all but killed hopes see a child bullied.” for passing a bill that would Smith said this would be allow for state employees the issue that Equality Tex- to receive domestic partner as would focus most of their benefits.

From page 1

changed organization’s priorities to raise revenue, senator advises From page 1

Leading Democrats say there is no way to balance the budget with just cuts alone because the budget deficit makes up almost 30 percent of state-controlled spending. “What’s being said in Austin by the newly elected members is that they [want to balance the budget] strictly by cuts, I don’t think they know what they’re talking about,” said Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, chairman of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee. Whitmire said Texas wouldn’t be able to provide the basic services — such as environmental protection, road maintenance, public or higher education or public safety — with such cuts to the budget deficit and said the state must look at ways to increase revenue. He made the remarks about the overall budget crisis last week in the context of discussion about what cutbacks to public safety might mean for the adult correction system. “Higher education has already raised their tuition beyond any reasonable amount. The negative impact of tuition increases is being felt and they’d be required to raise tuition again,” Whitmire said. “When we go through the reality check, then everyone will sober up and realize that we’ve got a real trainwreck on our hands.”

glbt: Task force continues

fight for partner insurance From page 1 see the new policy coming to fruition. “We want to make it more inclusive so everyone benefits,” Hoelting said. “A livein staff person has a tough job — the residence hall is their home, it’s their office, they’re on call all the time. Other than a background check for anyone that lives here, we shouldn’t be telling them what kind of guest they can have.” The changes address what many GLBT employees and gay rights supporters call soft benefits — policy changes the University can make internally without going through the Board of Regents or the state Legislature. UT President William Powers Jr. created a task force this fall to help plan long-term goals to address other soft benefits, GLBT faculty needs and competitive insurance benefits, which would allow UT employees to provide insurance to a same-sex partner — rather than just a spouse. The task force includes Marc Musick, an associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Lindsey Schell, a member of the Pride and Equity Faculty and Staff Association; and Student Government President Scott Parks, who is gay. They said that in addition to the two policy changes underway, they hope to work for increased access for transgender students as well as competitive insur-

ance benefits, also called domestic partner benefits. “We’ve received a lot of support from other organizations, like staff and faculty council and Student Government,” Schell said. “There is a clear and obvious statement from the campus community that these are policies we would like to see move forward, that they are in line with the campus attitude and the expectations for what UT should offer its employees.” Schell and Parks both said the support of Powers and other administrators and the creation of the task force gives traction to ideas that UT community members have discussed for many years. “Since the founding of this task force, there has been a lot more institutional energy in getting these things moving,” Parks said. “It’s been great having the president’s office and these other people helping us.”

The Daily Texan

This newspaper was printed with pride by The Daily Texan and Texas Student Media.

Permanent Staff

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Winchester Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Beherec Associate Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claire Cardona Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viviana Aldous, Susannah Jacob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Luippold, Dave Player News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Kreighbaum Associate News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Cervantes, Lena Price, Michelle Truong Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Collin Eaton, Aziza Musa, Nolan Hicks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audrey White Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cristina Herrera Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Elyana Barrera, Sydney Fitzgerald, Reese Rackets Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Veronica Rosalez Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Veronica Carr, Martina Geronimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alexa Hart, Simonetta Nieto Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Gerson Associate Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Kang, Peyton McGee Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeff Heimsath, Tamir Kalifa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shannon Kintner, Erika Rich, Danielle Villasana Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amber Genuske Associate Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madeleine Crum Senior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Allistair Pinsof, Sarah Pressley, Francisco Marin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerald Rich, Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, Julie Rene Tran Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dan Hurwitz Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Will Anderson, Sameer Bhuchar, Jordan Godwin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Laken Litman, Andy Lutz, Jon Parrett, Austin Laymance Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Victoria Elliott Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ryan Murphy Multimedia Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carlos Medina Associate Multimedia Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pierre Bertrand Senior Video Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rafael Borges Senior Videographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joanna Mendez Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Doug Warren

Issue Staff

Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Smith, Shereen Ayub, Michael Baldon Columnists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marc Nestenius Editorial Cartoonist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amelia Giller Page Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hasive Gomez, Adriana Merlo Copy Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Alsdorf, Melanie McDaniel, Austin Myers, Benjamin Miller Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexandra Carreno, Shabab Siddiqui

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Director of Advertising & Creative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jalah Goette Assistant to Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CJ Salgado Local Sales Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Corbett Broadcast Manager/Local Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Campus/National Sales Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Bowerman Student Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathryn Abbas Student Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Ford, Meagan Gribbin Student Acct. Execs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cameron McClure, Daniel Ruszkiewkz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Josh Phipps, Selen Flores, Patti Zhang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sarah Hall, Maryanne Lee, Ian Payne Student Office Assistant/Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rene Gonzalez Broadcast Sales Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aubrey Rodriguez Senior Graphic Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felimon Hernandez Junior Designers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bianca Krause, Alyssa Peters Special Editions Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Watts Student Special Editions Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sheri Alzeerah Special Projects Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adrienne Lee

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 2008 Texas Student Media.

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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.

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T he Daily T exan

NEWS BRIEFLY Author, public figure Elizabeth Edwards dies after struggle with cancer at age 61 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Elizabeth Edwards lost her hair to cancer, her son to an accident, her husband to another woman. No wonder she called one memoir “Resilience.” And another “Saving Graces.” Edwards’ death Tuesday at age 61 ended a struggle of extraordinary and multiple dimensions, any one of which might have consumed the more fainthearted. She had lived side by side with high political ambition, personal betrayal, advancing disease and single-minded determination, and in her last years built a network of supporters who took life lessons from her adversities. A public figure to the end, Edwards said goodbye to them the day before, online, after doctors had concluded they could do no more to save her. They figured she might have weeks at best; she lived hours. John Edwards, the man she had advised as a strategist and supported as a spouse through a Senate campaign and two runs for the presidency, joined the family by her side. The couple had separated about a year ago, their marriage and their shared dreams of power shattered by his affair and his eventual admission that he had fathered his lover’s child. — Calvin Woodward & Mike Baker The Associated Press

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Jo Bo-hee | Associated Press

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, right, talks with Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin during cabinet meeting at the presidential house in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday.

By Kim Kwang-Tae The Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea launched apparent artillery drills Wednesday as the top U.S. and South Korean military leaders held talks on the peninsula’s security worries following a deadly North Korean artillery strike last month. As the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, and his South Korean counterpart, Gen. Han Minkoo, met behind closed doors in Seoul, North Korea staged apparent firing exercises near the disputed western sea border. North Korean shells landed in its own waters north of Baengnyeong island, a South Korean military official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing military rules. Mullen and Han, their militaries’ top uniformed officers, were

expected to discuss ways to deter future North Korean aggression. The meeting comes amid tensions that have erupted on the divided peninsula after North Korea’s Nov. 23 artillery barrage on a South Korean island near the sea border. The attack killed two South Korean marines and two construction workers, and reduced many homes and shops to rubble. Meanwhile, the Obama administration announced that it would send its No. 2 diplomat and three other top officials to China next week for talks on North Korea. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg will lead the delegation to Beijing for the talks, the State Department said Tuesday. Earlier Tuesday, Steinberg gave a talk to a Washington think tank in which he urged China to press North Korea harder on halting provocative acts.

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Editor-in-Chief: Lauren Winchester Phone: (512) 232-2212 E-mail: editor@dailytexanonline.com Associate Editors: Viviana Aldous Susannah Jacob Doug Luippold Dave Player

T he Daily T exan

Honorable mentions Loren Campos Last year, there were 376 students at UT who likely will not be able to find a job after graduation because of their immigration status. Loren Campos is working to change that. Along with fellow members of the University Leadership Initiative, Campos has spent most of last semester campaigning for Congress to pass the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who attend college or enroll in the armed forces. As part of that effort, Campos was one of a number of UT students who came out as undocumented immigrants, a courageous move given the personal risk. The DREAM Act did not pass in September, but that has not dented the resolve of Campos and his colleges. Last month Campos helped organize a statewide hunger strike that received national media attention. Campos’ courage and leadership sets an example for all Longhorns.

Matt Portillo

After much deliberation, the editorial board has named the Longhorn of the Year, an award meant to honor a student who has positively contributed to the University.

On a campus where hundreds fashion themselves “student leaders,” Matt Portillo stands out not only for his love of everything UT, but his continuous desire to improve it. His propensity to confront the University’s challenges and minimize its shortcomings authenticates and validates Portillo’s devotion and invaluable contributions to the University. His work with “Save the Cactus Cafe” exemplifies Portillo’s history of representing students and defending the University. When administrators planned to close the Cactus and sought virtually no student input, Portillo was instrumental in the campaign to protect the campus landmark. Not only did he help save the bar and music venue, but he also showed how a results-oriented and unantagonistic approach can yield a positive outcome for all. Though the Cactus episode was more than a year ago, Portillo’s conciliatory and reasonable style of approaching problems continue to be an invaluable resource to UT student interests as University officials face difficult problems today. We are not honoring Portillo because he is loud at football games and speaks at SG meetings, but because he channels this unabashed affinity for the UT community into tangible measures that make the University a better place.

Chelsea Adler Chelsea Adler has made a significant impact on the UT community through her commitment to including students in the budget-cutting process. Budget cuts are beginning to impose on the resources at students’ disposal, and student input is absent in the discourse on the budget, as students have few ways to communicate their thoughts to administrators. As president of Senate of College Councils, Adler led the effort to create the College Tuition and Budget Advisory Councils. The creation of the councils is one of the first attempts to sincerely include students in the budget cut process and, most importantly, it will allow students to be included in the process from the beginning, rather than after decisions have already been made. She also sits on the Tuition Policy Advisory Committee and the President’s Student Advisory Committee. Additionally, Adler represents the University in the UT System Student Advisory Council and represents undergraduate students on the College of Liberal Arts’ Gender Council, a group that meets to address gender equity on campus. She is also a member of Orange Jackets. Adler ’s involvement speaks volumes about her commitment to the UT community and makes her an exceptional choice for Longhorn of the Year.

Tom Palaima Like many of his colleagues, classics professor Tom Palaima is regarded as an educator who makes a profound and lasting impact on his students. But further than the classroom, Palaima’s voice in the greater UT and Austin communities distinguishes him from many of his colleagues. By taking to the editorial pages of this newspaper and others such as the Austin American-Statesman and The Texas Observor, Palaima uses reason and thoughtfulness to magnify issues that extend past the limits of the traditional classroom setting. In the past, Palaima has weighed in on educational reform and the budget, and he has also served on the committee of the Faculty Council and defended his colleagues against layoffs. Palaima’s apparent belief that a person has an obligation to participate in discussions that affect those around them is admirable and, sadly, rare.

Illustration by Amelia Giller

THE FIRING LINE Enjoy holiday food without guilt As a student who has struggled with body and weight dissatisfaction in the past, I feel that a large portion of the Dec. 3 Healthy Hook article, “Avoid post-break gut by keeping good habits,” brings me back to the days when I was practicing unhealthy eating behaviors for the sake of losing weight. The approaches mentioned, such as allowing an extra 500-700 calories on Christmas day and eating “clean a day before and after,” sound like recommendations I would find as part of a diet plan. These restrictive behaviors ultimately lead to episodes of overeating and weight gain over time, a conclusion reached by a team of UCLA scientists after a review of 31 research articles related to weight management. I have also experienced these effects personally, and feel that the approaches are only harmful to my fellow students as they result in guilt and feelings of failure related to the inability to stick to a plan or calorie allowance. Results from the Spring 2010 National College Health Assessment suggest that 50 percent of UT students are currently trying to lose weight while 31 percent describe themselves as overweight. The bigger issue for our student body seems to be the prevention of disordered eating behaviors by encouraging a healthy, nonrestrictive relationship with food. A breath of fresh air is provided by Bethany Dario, Registered Dietitian for University Health Services, who mentions listening to hunger and fullness cues to determine when and how much to eat. This approach to food has changed my life, and is a much more realistic way for students to reach their natural healthy weight, as opposed to the restrictive behaviors suggested above. I wish these recommendations would have been highlighted as more of a contrast to those made by the other professionals. I will be enjoying the delicious flavors of the holiday season without guilt, and I hope everyone else will, too.

— Jill Lawler Senior, Coordinated Program in Dietetics

RECYCLE Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange news stand where you found it.

Cutting strategically By Marc Nestenius Daily Texan Columnist If the University needs help with making budget cuts, it can look to the Zilker holiday tree for guidance. Standing at 155 feet tall, the winter icon of this city has been a Christmas tradition for more than 40 years. But earlier this year, the city of Austin chose to scrap the nearby Trail of Lights attraction in order to save $300,000. That means no giant Santa sleighs, no “Where the Wild Things Are” characters and no colorful reindeer. The Trail of Lights is a tradition, and traditions can be wonderful aspects of a community. They give you something to look forward to, they induce a collective spirit and they are the only reason people actually live in College Station. But if the city of Austin is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a light show that is – let’s be frank here – seriously overrated in an unfavorable economic climate, it makes sense to get rid of it. It was a tough decision for the city to make, but faced with budget cuts, it had to reevaluate its priorities. Universities are under the same pressure, and UT has not shown immunity. Just last week, 150 students found themselves on the West Mall protesting the College of Liberal Arts’ $3.75 million cut that will target ethnic studies. This coincides with an article in Saturday’s issue of The New York Times that highlighted the way language departments are often

the first to be slashed at universities. As usual, humanities are cruelly targeted before other departments, and this has led to some controversial trends that have received unfair criticism. On death row nationwide are the standard Indo-European languages such as French and Italian, and on the rise are Arabic and Mandarin. Many universities are choosing not to offer German and Russian as majors any longer as a way to cope with budget cuts. The shift in educational focus stems from imminent shifts in global power, and the fact that English is already the common European language of choice. But critics have called this prioritization faddish and insensitive. Here at UT, we are facing cuts in state funding in increments of 5 percent. The Times article could have very well listed us as an example, considering that just last spring our department of Asian studies got rid of its Vietnamese program. The decision incited much uproar and drew accusations of the University valuing some degrees over others. However, when it comes to languages, the universities that the Times mentions have merit in being selective. There is much support for this and, in fact, they’re all already very selective. Why is it that Portuguese is offered as a major, but a tribal language found in some village in the Amazon isn’t? Because of student interest, global importance and cultural influence. Ages ago, French was spoken in every royal court. Now, English is the lingua fran-

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE E-mail your Firing Lines to firingline@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

ca, and they say Mandarin will come next. If elementary schools are beginning to emphasize Mandarin in classrooms, why can’t universities reallocate their resources similarly? A university can’t have a major for all of the thousands of languages spoken around the world, so it has to choose which to offer, and these choices naturally will change over time. Personally, I’ve learned that growing up multilingual looks good on a resume. But knowing Swedish has little use in America, and Swedes speak perfect English anyway. So if I were to plan for my future career-wise, would I rather exit college knowing Arabic? You betcha. It’s not that some languages are better than others, but that it’s alright for global trends to alter educational emphasis. Luckily, the Department of Asian Studies, which is facing a 30-percent departmental budget cut, has revived the Vietnamese program as a summer program. Vietnamese at UT has been partially spared, but languages will continue to find themselves on the chopping block. Yes, it’s tragic that language programs around the country are being dropped from numerous university curricula and colleges. The trend that the Times featured can tell us that when departments are forced to slash, they might as well do so strategically. This can hold true for any major or college and will probably be what we see more of in the coming future. Nestenius is a mechanical engineering sophomore.

LEGALESE Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Speech explores cancer By Allison Kroll Daily Texan Staff The challenges and opportunities in cancer research in Texas are progressing with the establishment of a new cancer research institute, a topic addressed by a Nobel Prize-winning biochemist in his presentation at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on Tuesday. Alfred Gilman addressed the need for a stronger science base in Texas and how that will influence cancer research and prevention. “Impact often comes from innovation,” Gilman said. “We’re interested in taking and sharing risks, and we will do that if our investigators have a significant impact.” Gilman, the chief scientific officer of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, ensures the grant monies fund experiments to discover more effective ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. “There will never be a cure for cancer — there will be hundreds of cures for hundreds and hun-

dreds of different types of cancers and diseases,” Gilman said. “Cancer is many different diseases — that is all being very welldefined now.” Gilman’s presentation was part of a monthly speaker series put on by the Austin Forum of Science, Technology and Society. “The series covers everything — from issues on energy to video game design and holographic image technology,” said Faith Singer-Villalobos, spokeswoman for Texas Advanced Computing Center. Jay Boisseau, director of the Texas Advanced Computing Center and one of the sponsors of The Austin Forum’s speaker series, followed Gilman’s research after being affiliated with the same university and being exposed to his research in a variety of different health-science research facilities. “I thought his work was very interesting, and wanted to work more with it,” Boisseau said. “I realized this was another opportunity to solidify a long-term working relationship with him.”

Gilman’s research became well-known and received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1994 for his discovery of G proteins and the role they play in regulating cell function, in addition to being elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and receiving the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, according to the Austin Forum website. The research institute is a state agency sponsored by the Texas Legislature to invest $3 billion during the next 10 years to “enhance research and prevention activities toward alleviation of suffering and death from cancer.” The next thing to focus on is training new investigators to properly understand the diseases and the technology used to study and combat them, Gilman said. “The technology is amazing for sequencing human genomes, and there’s no question that will continue,” Gilman said. “We need to train people to cope with terabytes of data and understand it.”

Nobel Laureate Alfred Gilman discusses his research findings on more effective ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer at the Austin Forum Tuesday evening. Gilman received the Nobel Prize in “Physiology or Medicine” for his discovery of the role G proteins play in cell regulation. Shereen Ayub Daily Texan Staff

Michael Elliott Baldon | Daily Texan Staff

Travis County Sheriff Margo Frasier fields questions during a press conference for candidates running for the position of the Austin Police Department’s police monitor.

Finalists selected for police monitor By Aziza Musa Daily Texan Staff The four finalists in the running for the city’s next police monitor all seek to administer one change if selected for office: more public outreach. The city created the position, along with a citizen review panel, in 2002 after a recommendation from the Police Oversight Focus Group. Since its inception, the Office of the Police Monitor, which is independent from the Austin Police Department, has handled public complaints against police officers, supervised the department’s Internal Affairs unit, has overseen practices and suggested policy changes within APD. Sixty-six people applied for the position and four moved on as finalists. The four finalists are: Cristina Beamud, executive director of Atlanta’s Citizen Review Board; Margo Frasier, senior associate of MGT of America; Ann del Llano,

family law attorney and owner of Capitol City Solutions; and Renita Sanders, Austin assistant police monitor. Sanders said some complainants reached the police monitor’s office through friends’ advice or the city’s information hotline. “They didn’t know we were there,” she said. “Social media would probably help, but we have to share with them who we are.” Frasier said she believes the police monitor’s office should be more user-friendly, including having more accessible hours and locations for the public. “I’ve looked at some of the statistics,” she said. “One of my concerns is that there is a tremendous amount of people that contact the monitor’s office and don’t get past that.” The office needs to be completely transparent, and the public should voice their concerns about police officers and APD’s policies,

said Frasier. “We need to go back and have meetings to see what appears to be working and what doesn’t, and see if there are any changes that need to take place to see if the system is unjust,” Frasier said. The police monitor’s office has looked at individual complaints, but also policy issues, del Llano said. “If I’m monitor, I’m going to look at more policy issues, like racial profiling and others,” she said. “The monitor’s office’s staff can look at best practices nationwide, bring them forward and later make recommendations to the chief.” Former police monitor Cliff Brown held the office for nearly four years. Brown will resign this month and replace Judge Wilford Flowers as the judge of the 147th district court in Travis County. City manager Marc Ott is expected to select someone for the position later this month.

Committee seeks proxy for resigning president By Allie Kolechta Daily Texan Staff The president of the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston announced his intention Monday to step down from his position after 15 years, as soon as a committee for the center appoints a replacement. During John Mendelsohn’s time as president, the center doubled the number of patients and the size of faculty as well as tripling the amount of facilities, the number of trainees and participants in experimental trials. “ We ’ v e John Mendelsohn got a wonderful team of people here,” he said. “I reached the point where I’m in my 15th year, and we’ve really expanded the excellence of the center. It makes sense to turn over the position while you’re on top of your game.” The center has the largest program for experimental trials in the country, and Mendelsohn said he focused his time on expanding research programs and scientific advancements. “Now Houston is on the map not just because of space and energy, but because of medicine,” he said. Mendelsohn plans to remain on the faculty at the cancer center as codirector of its new Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy. He will leave the position as soon as his successor is chosen, he said. “We plan to continue making the very best care available to our cancer patients,” he said. “We plan to continue to contribute, continue to see our friends and continue to work with our admired colleagues here at the center.” UT System Vice Chancellor Kenneth Shine will head a search committee of about 10 to 15 people to find potential replacements, said Matt Flores, a UT System spokesman. Flores said the committee will likely include people from the hospital. “There hasn’t been any great move forward,” he said. “There’s no time table right now because we’re obviously so early on in the process.”

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Editor remembers friendships Web chief reflects By Andrew Kreighbaum Daily Texan Staff It was only natural that Thu and I would become friends. She loves to cook and bake, and I love to eat. She often arrived for a night of page designing with a fresh batch of peanut butter blondies. At one time, I kept a backup jar of peanut butter in my desk drawer in the newsroom. I’ve spent a lot of time over the past year telling freshman reporters that working at the Texan for a few semesters will return greater benefits than four years of journalism course work. But our culinary bond only highlights the greatest value of my Texan experience; not the bullet points on a resume or the internships I’ve held, but the friendships I’ve formed. Many of those relationships have already outlasted my best clips as a reporter. It seems like a different kind of snack has defined each semester Thu and I have worked together. While I worked as a senior reporter, and she as a senior designer in fall 2008, I’d take breaks from waiting for calls by heading to my apartment to bake a box of brownies. In fall 2009, we snuck TerraBurger meals into Hole in the Wall after work, and made giant late night bowls of Buitoni pasta on Friday nights. During a questionable run as a

Andrew Kreighbaum was working as a general reporter for The Daily Texan when he met Tho Vo, a page designer. Their friendship blossomed over their love of baked goods.

Frankie Marin Daily Texan Staff

columnist for the life and arts section, she helped me track down nearly every taco truck known to haunt the streets of South and East Austin, and some we had never heard of before — this, despite her vegetarianism. If her willingness to ride along on my hunt for the tastiest beef gordita doesn’t define friendship, I don’t know what does. I got a relief from the homesickness of a summer in Washington, D.C., when she and Frankie made the 25-hour drive from Austin. Of course, we instantly made a break

for Baltimore and the city’s seafood offerings. Sitting on Federal Hill overlooking the Inner Harbor, eating a hot lunch of crab cakes and fried scallops from Lexington Market was the highlight of my summer. Although Thu did not return to the Texan this fall, we made a haphazard Friday afternoon tradition of beer and burgers (fries and sweet potatoes for Thu) at Old School Barbecue. We alternately caught up on one another’s weeks and listened to Dan Parrott’s outrageous and hilari-

ous stories of his years in the restaurant industry. Directing reporters and editing stories gave me a kick for two semesters as an editor — and quite a few headaches. But a few years from now, I think I’ll remember all of the meals we shared — the late night taco runs or gooey blondies — more vividly than the most rewarding stories. Andrew Kreighbaum worked as a general reporter, senior reporter and life and arts writer, as well as enterprise editor and news editor at the Texan.

Four years of fortune propel multimedia editor By Pierre Bertrand Daily Texan Staff And after eight semesters, I realize today it’s my last working for the Texan. So, for the final time tonight, I trudge up those stony-grey weathered steps toward the night — you know, the cold — and my frame is in need of rest. My footsteps mingle with the traffic noises, and, head lost in its own thoughts, I lose my inclination to

go home. Floating along to the swinging remedy that is Duke’s “Cotton Tail,” I think about all that we’ve done on “Place de Brouckere.” I recall the endless hours, the thin steel blade that is deadline and the rush of inky fingers. I remember the stories, the scandals, that magical fall and summer. So without too much to do: a simple thank you and farewell. So long “Slap Happy,” your features

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were always very inspirational. So long “Moon Indigo,” your composure and smiling face an example for the rest of us, you’ll do well. So long “The Mooche,” if it didn’t get you very far at the Texan, your passion and desire to excel will elsewhere, I’m sure of it. So long “Perdido,” you two quick-witted lightning-tongued generals. So long “Smoke Rings,” you recent graduate, don’t lose your deliberate but sleepy touch.

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So long you, “Sheiks of Araby,” your deadpan nature and media brilliance will transform the Texan. And thank you for all you not at the Texan this semester who blessed me with their presence and guidance. You kept me together when I was coming apart. Tomorrow’s a new paper and next semester a new staff. I’d like to stay, but I’m taking the “A” Train out of here. Pierre Bertrand joined the Texan in the summer of 2008. He was a senior reporter for more than a year covering city and cops and courts, an associate news editor and later an associate multimedia editor.

on time at Texan By Ryan Murphy Daily Texan Staff I never wanted to work here. Maybe it had something to do with the whispers I would hear being passed between students. “It’s just a biased group of students padding their resumes,” or ”you know, everything they write has to be approved by professors, it is not real journalism.” But like most student gossip, it has a lot more to do with cutting down something unfamiliar or different than it does with the truth, and a student-run paper is a perfect target. (For the record, both are not true.) My resistance was a lot more basic. The entry-level journalism courses — meant to put you through the paces — threatened to push me out of my major on more than one occasion. To this day, intermediate reporting is one of the hardest classes I ever completed. I knew I did not want to be a traditional reporter. So when the position of web editor opened up in March, I took a leap of faith and signed up. What I stumbled into was a group of people brought together by the crazy idea that publishing a paper every weekday was worth doing. I got the chance to sit in the night crew, the designers and copy editors that finish the day’s work, as I did the cumbersome job of copy-pasting each

story into the CMS. I have many fond memories from then, but I will certainly not miss being up at 3 a.m. I had the chance to play a role in developing a better online product for dailytexanonline.com, helping to encourage a paper that lives on tradition that sometimes you just have to do what works, even if it goes against everything this paper is built on. Although the web presence for the paper is still not where it could be, I firmly believe the effort we put into rectifying that was worth it, I know it will continue to grow and is in good hands. (Keep an eye out for the site refresh!) But at a time when it is hip to hate the press, I found a group of like-minded individuals that cared enough to give a damn for very little pay. If it was not for the Texan, I do not think I would have made it this far, and I could be carrying the very contempt I now try to overcome. So to a staff that welcomed me in with open arms so late in the game: Thank you. You all made my last nine months of college the best it could be. I should have come down here earlier. But then again, I never wanted to work here. Ryan Murphy has worked as the web editor at the Texan from March to December. He starts at the Texas Tribune in January.

Michael Elliott Baldon | Daily Texan Staff

Ryan Murphy claims to have never wanted to work at The Daily Texan. However, he also attributes his success to the hard work ethic and patience The Daily Texan taught him.

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News

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

‘Remember ... what herps here derps the world’ By Cristina Herrera Daily Texan Staff After two years at The Daily Texan — two years of sitting in the basement until 2 a.m. and driving myself insane over all the mistakes we still made in the next day’s paper — I’ve come to the conclusion that you must be a bit mad to work down here. That’s not to disparage the newspaper. When I see the dedication and amount of overtime this staff puts into their work, even with little or no pay, I can only describe it as insanity. I know, I know. The paper still makes glaring mistakes and we seem like a bunch of pretentious idiots sometimes. Come visit the basement on a typical work day, though, and you’ll get a glimpse at the reporters who won’t stop until they find that one source, or the designers who must tweak the page until it’s just perfect. Since spring 2009, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the finest editors, reporters and photographers in the nation. The talent that walks in and out of this basement still astounds me, and I am optimistic about the future of the paper. My coworkers are colorful and oftentimes hilarious. There is something about sitting in a basement for eight hours that brings people to bond over Antoine Dodson and make puns until we end up annoying each other. We copy editors try our hardest, and then the next day, we still see mistakes, some glaring. But that’s the magic of the paper, and more so copy editing: We learn constantly. The paper provides endless learning for every person who has the courage to sign up and put in the effort. It all sounds cheesy, but it’s true. Now it’s starting to hit me that I must move on from the paper, and to say that I’ll miss it would be an understate-

ment. As much as I complain about the long hours, low pay and late nights, I would not trade any of that for a different job. Copy editing isn’t easy, and my staff put up with a lot when the nights took a turn for the worse, but I encourage anybody looking for something worthwhile to come join the staff next semester. Don’t be shy — timidness kept me from signing up for the paper, but once I did, I did not regret it. Over the semesters, I’ve met friends, watched some of the biggest news stories of our lifetime unfold and witnessed the slow dying of print journalism. I think the Texan is evolving. I see the students who are making it transform and adapt, so I am not worried. Remember, dear copy editors, journalists, media junkies and word lovers: What herps here derps the world. Or something like that.

Cristina Herrera, who graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism this semester, plans to go home to Laredo and help out her family while she searches for a job.

Ryan Smith Daily Texan Staff

Applications being accepted for clean energy incubators The Austin Technology Incubator ’s UT branch and the State Energy Conservation Office are accepting applicants for two new clean energy incubators at Texas universities. Clean energy incubators provide a forum for innovators to discuss ways to apply new forms of clean energy to the real world. Clean energy produces more energy using less intensive technologies by avoiding hydrocarbons or types of fuels in gas emissions. The State Energy Conservation Office noticed the success ATI had in applying clean energy technology to everyday use in Central Texas, director of the Austin Technology Incubator, Isaac Barchas said. “They approached us to work with them to try to establish two new energy incubators, with the idea being we can take learning with the experience here at the Austin

Technology Incubator and try to use that to seed a couple of new incubators around the state,” Barchas said. One of the most important components of a successful incubator is having people who are experts in their field, Barchus said. The $200,000 each new incubator will receive will go to hiring expert staff. It will also pay for the staff to travel to state and national events to keep plugged into what is happening with the clean energy economy. “One of the things incubators can do is to help entrepreneurs or executives navigate the relatively new economy successfully,” Barchus said. “Also we’re successfully commercializing innovation, whether that be intellectual property generated at universities or innovation people are coming up in garages which can be benefitted by building a community that support that commercialization.” — Yvonne Marquez

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CONGRATULATIONS

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Fall 2010 Spring 2010 T he University Panhellenic Council at the University of Texas at Austin would like to congratulate the following scholarship winners for their commitment, participation, and outstanding academic performance during the 2010 spring and fall semesters. The council was able to increase their scholarship program this year and awarded $12,000 to the following deserving members of the University Panhellenic Council community:

Elizabeth Mickle Chi Omega

Kenzie Thompson Chi Omega Sarah Olson Delta Gamma

Katherine Patterson Delta Gamma Jonna Huneryager Pi Beta Phi

Jordan Huneryager Pi Beta Phi Jennifer Rapp Pi Beta Phi

Aleida Gamez Sigma Delta Tau Holle Anderson Zeta Tau Alpha

Emily Schwabenland Zeta Tau Alpha

Kate Long Alpha Chi Omega Marie Teixeira Alpha Chi Omega Megan Plunkett Alpha Delta Pi

Whitney Starling Alpha Delta Pi

Isa D’Aniello Alpha Epsilon Phi Brittany Johnson Chi Omega

Kenzie Thompson Chi Omega Maddie Morgan Delta Delta Delta

Rachel Sherman Kappa Kappa Gamma Alexandria Huff Pi Beta Phi Jennifer Rapp Pi Beta Phi

Lauren Morales Zeta Tau Alpha

P8 NEWS

News

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

You’ll miss us when we’re forever gone By Nolan Hicks Daily Texan Staff The Daily Texan/Texas Student Media is a much smaller place now than when I first arrived in 2006. Newspapers that were usually 16 or 20 pages are now only 12 or 14 pages. Instead of two sections, there’s usually only one. Advertising is how we’ve always paid our bills — so when it collapsed, a collapse that was largely caused by the greater economic collapse in 2008, so did the Texan’s finances. There used to be a magnificent printing press — a gigantic machine that shook the building every time it was fired up for the next morning’s edition. You could wander to the back of the Texan offices and see massive rolls of newsprint being pulled across the massive machine and then sliced and diced until it became the next morning’s paper. The friction generated from pressing paper between different metal plates that were covered in ink would heat the pages until they were almost too warm to touch — the papers were literally “hot off the presses.” It was shut down and sold off in 2009 and four people lost their jobs. By the time the newspaper starts back up in January 2011, the professional staff will be only half the size it was when I started here. Once more, good people that I’ve known for a quarter of my adult life will have lost their jobs because bankers on Wall Street blew up the economy. The Texan is not managed

by the University and receives very little funding from it. Currently, each student pays about 3 cents a day for the finest college newspaper in the country. Talk about a steal. For those THREE cents: — We investigate the University regents to make sure they’re spending university money responsibly, instead of on ritzy hotels in Hollywood. — We dig deep at the University to tell the stories of our almost impossibly diverse university — of Muslim students who practice their religion, a transsexual attempting to adjust to his new life and students struggling to recover from drug addiction. — We make state leaders answer tough questions about key state issues like concealed carry on campus, tuition deregulation and budget cuts that threaten classes and key university services. — When a student walks on campus with an AK-47 thathe fires off as he walks down 21st Street, we’re the crazy bastards running towards the gunshots, chasing the SWAT teams and demanding officials provide whatever answers they have. This is what we do, and if we fail, no one else will do it. Go to any city where newspapers have disappeared and reporters have been laid off — nothing exists to adequately fill the gap that’s left — City Hall goes uncovered, there is no cops reporter for the police department, no features writer to profile the struggles of a neighborhood.

Longtime Texan staffer and suffering San Francisco 49ers and Giants fan Nolan Hicks fondly remembers his time at the Texan and the Giant’s first world series win. Hicks has worked at the Texan on and off since the summer of 2006.

Erika Rich Daily Texan Staff

If The Daily Texan fails, it will be because the collective student body allowed it to fail. The surest way for us to stay in business would be for the University to allow us to increase the price of that student body subscription from three cents a day to five.

Shout Outs To Claire: You’re the best boss I ever had. To Pierre: I hope you get your immigration papers.

To Ta m i r / P e y t o n / E r i k a : You’re the best photographers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. To Ben: You’re the best boss of a boss I’ve ever had. When the new website launches, it will be because you had the balls to okay that completely insane idea I had. To Frank and Tim and Danny and everyone else being laid off: Godspeed. To Flannery, both Shauns, both Scotts, Meghan and Jimmie: I still miss you.

It’s the memories of people that remain on awakening By Collin Eaton Daily Texan Staff It’s strange, but after a year working in the basement of The Daily Texan — cranking out stories on budget cuts, staff layoffs and technology commercialization — I don’t really have anything profound to say. When I wake up Wednesday morning, it may seem like The Daily Texan was one long, irrepressible dream. But I’ll push myself out of bed, snap on my glasses and realize I won’t ever be a Daily Texan reporter again. What the hell just happened? Doesn’t matter, I guess. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I met and spoke to some unforgettable people, such as Harriet Murphy, the first AfricanAmerican woman to be appointed to any judgeship in Texas and a high school friend of Martin Luther King, Jr. I spoke with Red McCombs about leadership. I spoke with Colton Tooley’s high school friends on Sept. 28. I spoke with Mental Health NCO Aaron Puckett, who burst through a pair of doors during the Fort Hood shooting to pull his fellow soldier to safety. I spoke with William Behrens, a retired UT researcher who was the first to discover oil in the deep waters of the Gulf of

Mexico in the 1980s. It’s hazy now, but I remember Nolan Hicks, Tamir Kalifa and I rushing out of the news office to chase down a story about staff layoffs on campus. I spent two days in New Orleans chasing down a court story with Erika Rich, who snapped a memorable shot of UT President William Powers Jr. and his vice presidents. I switched roles with Audrey White and watched UT students protest across campus with drums and bullhorns as she held down the fort. But most importantly, I spent seven hours watching a UT student jam his way past a “Rock Band 2” world record. After it’s all over, it’ll be the daily grind of putting out a newspaper that will really stick with me. Toiling away with dedicated journalists, like the ones we have locked away in the basement, was the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. I can barely remember how I got here, or why I came at all. But a year later, I’m convinced that if it weren’t for the staff, I wouldn’t have made it through the long days, the long nights, the long weeks. These reporters, editors and photographers all bleed talent and they’re a dream to work with. But all dreams have to end.

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Texan reporter Collin Eaton covered the UT System and will always remember the Texan staff for their commitment to quality journalism and friendship.

Foundation invests money for bilingual scholarships By Yvonne Marquez Daily Texan Staff The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health will invest $1.5 million to fund their bilingual scholarship program for three more years, said Octavio Martinez Jr., executive director of the foundation. This is the third year the foundation gave full tuition scholarships to social work graduate students who speak English and

Spanish. Twelve universities in Texas, including UT, are accredited by the national Council on Social Work Education, and participate in the scholarship program. “The state of Texas has a great deal of shortages in social workers, in psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and licensed physiologists and it becomes even more acute when you want to find a workforce in those respective fields who have multilingual skills,” Martinez said. The scholarship requires that after graduation, recipients must agree to provide mental health services in Texas for the period equal to the period of their scholarship. The foundation decided this year to expand the program to be multilingual and include languages other than English or Spanish. The University of Houston submitted a proposal to accept applicants who spoke Vietnamese or Mandarin which are prevalent in Houston. The universities will implement the program either next spring or next fall. The funds for the next three years will pay for each student tuition, stipends for student travel for annual meetings, professional development, including assigned professional mentors, and funding for the continuation scholarships. Program officer Rick Ybarra said the foundation is investing in sustainability to see the program continue after the additional three years is up. “One of the things that we would like to see at the end of this project is for the scholarship to continue in some shape or form at each of the universities,” Ybarra said. “We want to work with [the universities] to identify new funding sources, how they can create partnerships to support some type of scholarship.” Social work graduate student Elizabeth Harvey received the scholarship in the summer for two years of graduate study. If it were not for the scholarship, she would not have been a full time student, she said. “When we graduate with less debt, it gives us greater freedom in what kind of job we would want,” Harvey said. “I’ll be able to get a job that is maybe less high paying and be able to serve traditionally underserved populations because I have more flexibility.”

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SPORTS

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

ENJOY

KS EXERCISE STUDY BREA RELAXING

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

www.utrecsports.org

T HE DAILY T EXAN

SIDELINE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL vs.

Texas Pan-American vs. Texas Date: Tonight TIme: 7 p.m Where: Frank Erwin Center

Head coach celebrates 10th season in Austin as Texas competes in NCAA tournament

By Shabab Siddiqui Daily Texan Staff With the team playing its best volleyball of the season, spending an inordinate amount of time observing head coach Jerritt Elliott during a match is not the most fruitful use of one’s time. After all, Elliott does not draw much attention to himself. He opts for a white shirt with a conventional tie and black pants during games, leaning formally compared to most of his counterparts, but simple all the same. He does not have a beard or a mustache, and there is not much he can do with his hair. During matches, Elliott rarely paces, usually sitting with a slight slouch in the seat closest to the scorer’s table. Occasionally, Elliott will stand up and yell out instructions, covering the net-side of his face so the other team cannot see. Consequently, trying to define the 42-year-old coach and his decade of brilliance at the helm of the Longhorn program is difficult at best. Thus, the rest of this story is built by taking various statements Elliott has made during press conferences and media appearances, creating a word cloud out of them and using some of the more frequently appearing words as building blocks of the story. Here goes: Opportunity After playing collegiate volleyball at Pepperdine and Hawaii, Elliott joined the coaching staff at Cal State Northridge in 1993 as an assistant while finishing up his degree. His former colleague on the bench and current head coach of the Matadors men’s volleyball team, Jeff Campbell, said he still remembers Elliott’s determination.

VOLLEYBALL vs.

NCAA turnament Illinois vs. Texas Date: Dec. 10 TIme: 7 p.m Where: Gregory Gym

NBA

ELLIOTT continues on page 10

vs.

Jerritt Elliott’s coaching highlights

Pistons

Illustration by Simonetta Nieto | Daily Texan Staff

Elliott gets first win against longtime conference rival Nebraska

Elliott arrives on the 40 Acres after going 50-12 as an interim head coach at USC

Fall 2002 Elliott develops first AllAmerican at Texas in outside hitter Mira Topic

Fall 2004

Spring 2006

Texas makes it to the NCAA Regional Semifinals for the first time under Elliott

First of three straight second-ranked classes sign with Texas

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Texas falls in a wild five-set championship match against Penn State

Fall 2008 Texas makes first Final Four since 1995

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Horns look to end turnover woes

Jeff Heimsath | Daily Texan File Photo

Forward Gary Johnson pleads with officials during Texas’ season opening win over Louisiana Tech.

Longhorns face tough schedule during holidays By Dan Hurwitz Daily Texan Columnist

When we return to school on Jan. 17, we will have a lot better picture of what Texas is capable of. Six weeks from now, Longhorn fans may start circling their calendars for an early April Final Four in Houston, or they may start peeking ahead to the Sept. 3 football game against Rice. During the holiday break, the Longhorns have the toughest segment of their nonconference schedule, with dates against North Carolina, Michigan State, Arkansas and Connecticut scheduled prior to Big 12 play. If Texas intends to be ranked and ready for conference play, adjustments will need to be made. In its last three games, opposing teams have exposed Texas’ flaws. They have played zone; they have slowed the ball down on offense;

they have kept Tristan Thompson and Gary Johnson from getting too comfortable inside the paint. UNC’s Roy Williams and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo will be ready for revenge games following losses to Texas last year. Arkansas and Connecticut will be prepared when they come to Austin. So what are the Longhorns to do? 1. Put more focus on offense: Head coach Rick Barnes spent a couple days last week all on defense. Texas has been strong on defense this year. It has allowed 62 points per game and are seventh in the country in rebounding. They will get by on defense. On offense, they need to work on a half-court game. Find an attack that works where they can succeed against the zone defense. The Longhorns are trying too much to be a fast-paced team but they need to be able to slow it down and work the ball around. 2. Work the ball through Thompson: The freshman can create. Posting him up and then having him dish it back out can

OFFENSE continues on page 10

Fall 2009

Fall 2005

Spring 2001

Rockets

By Alexandra Carreno Daily Texan Staff The last two games have been tough losses for No. 21 Texas. Returning to the Frank Erwin Center today for a twogame home stand could be just the remedy needed for an ailing Longhorns squad. Texas’ only two losses have come to ranked opponents who took advantage of the Longhorns’ turnover woes. Against both Stanford and Michigan State, Texas committed 17 and 27 turnovers, respectively. “Our goal is that we know what our weaknesses are, we have the ability to work on them and to get better,” said head coach Gail Goestenkors. Tonight Texas (4-2) welcomes Texas-Pan American (45) in a game vital to the Longhorns confidence. The Longhorns hold an overall 4-0 series record over the Broncs, last defeating them in 2008 by a count of 91-43. In the four games Texas has played at home this year, the squad has averaged an impressive 94.5 points per game and outscored their opponents by a 37.8 margin. As the only school in the league to feature three top 20 scorers, junior Ashleigh Fontenette, freshman Chassidy Fussell and senior Kathleen Nash, the players’ ability to pile on the points against opponents adds considerably to Texas’ confidence. A team who has struggled on the road this season (1-3), the Broncs feature three players averaging points in the double digits. Sophomore guard Bianca Torre most recently posted an impressive 29 points last Sunday. She averages 16.9 points per game right behind junior guard Ce’Monay Newell who averages 17.3. For Texas, focusing on the mistakes made in recent losses has been important. But realizing their strengths has been crucial to the Longhorns’ buoyancy. “Of course nobody ever

Andrew Torrey | Daily Texan File Photo

Junior guard Ashleigh Fontenette shoots during Texas’ Nov. 21 win over Boston University. wants to lose. But we can look back on it and see that we did some really great things in that game,” said junior post Ashley Gayle. “We had some rough times were we couldn’t get stops couldn’t play defense, but we also have good stretches. Doing things like that and recognizing that shows what we can do.” Staying focused is crucial for the Longhorns as they are in the midst of a four game span that includes three Associated Press top 25 opponents. “Being able to break down film and look at how we did things wrong and what we did right is extremely important,”

Gayle said. On Sunday, Texas will welcome No. 8 Tennessee (8-1), whose only loss came to then 12th-ranked Georgetown on Nov. 27. Hailing from small-town Troy, Tenn., Texas’ own Fussell grew up in Vols’ country. Not unfamiliar with the Tennessee program, Fussell is ready to take on the Vols. “I just feel like I am going to be back home because all of my family is coming in,” Fussell said. “There was always a lot of pressure for me to be a Vol, but I just felt like [Texas] was a better fit, and I fell in love with this program.”

vs. Warriors

Mavericks

100

105

MEN’S BASKETBALL AP TOP 25 POLL 1

Duke (65)

Ohio State

Pittsburgh

Kansas

Kansas State

Connecticut

Michigan State

Syracuse

Georgetown

Baylor

Tennessee

Villanova

Memphis

San Diego State

Missouri

Illinois

Kentucky

Brigham Young

Purdue

UNLV

Washington

Minnesota

Notre Dame

Louisville

Texas

WACKY FACT WEDNESDAY Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson is currently third in the country in rushing yards with 1,643. The Big 10 Offensive Player of the Year shattered the FBS record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a season, which was previously 1,427, set in 2009 by UAB’s Joe Webb.

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SportS

Writer strives to make it interesting By Jordan Godwin Daily Texan Columnist A sportswriter’s job is to make something more interesting than it actually is. With my passion for sports, this has never been a challenge — I was the kid watching ESPN instead of Nickelodeon. When my dad would come home from work, I had memorized the most important sports events of the day, and if the Astros played, it was my job to tell him how the game went down. I usually had about 30 seconds before his attention would drift, so I had to talk fast and with excitement. I learned these traits from my mom. You know that perfect parent in the movies that reads a book to the kid every night before bed? That’s my mom. And being from East Texas, her stories tend to get awesomely exaggerated. These are my parents, and this is how I was raised to write. Even though I’m from the tiny backwoods town of Daisetta, my parents made the 105-mile roundtrip drive to Houston hundreds of times so my brother and I could see the Astros. We were the kids who wouldn’t stop screaming at the players until they gave us a baseball, an autograph or the time of day, but instead they’d spend half of batting practice talking to dorky men in khaki pants and plaid polos, carrying tape recorders and notepads. When I found out these were the men in the sports sections I read with my dad, they became my heroes. I knew I wanted to be a sportswriter, and the advisors who convinced me to take that passion to Texas were named Vince Young and Kevin Durant. Texas alumnus and Houston Chronicle columnist Richard Justice advised me to sign up for The Daily Texan once I was comfortable with my classes. Moving from a graduating class of 35 to a theater class of 350 was a rude transition at times and I was a

Daily Texan sportswriter Jordan Godwin snuggles with feline friend Sugar Lump. Godwin has been on staff since 2008.

Courtesy of Jordan Godwin

mess. I had hair down to my knees and essentially did what I pleased for the first few weeks until I found a girl who taught me not to cut corners. It didn’t take long to learn from Monica and her meticulous ways. She encouraged me to join The Daily Texan, a decision that changed everything. In my first semester at the Texan, I wasn’t great, but I embraced that men’s track and field beat like I was covering the Olympics. Toward the end of the semester, my amazing academic adviser Wendy Boggs told me about a last-minute summer internship opportunity at the Houston Chronicle, my absolute dream job. Monica spent hours putting together my resume and a perfectly enveloped application. After I dropped it in the box with a stamp that wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing as she had hoped, she made me go ask a postal worker to dig it out and replace the stamp with a smaller, nicer-looking one — I’m

serious. To this day, she’s still convinced that the stamp was the reason I was awarded the internship of a lifetime. I was blessed to work with some of the best sportswriters in the country at the Chronicle, writers I had read and idolized as a kid. Now, my time at The Texan and Texas has expired. In my time, I witnessed the rise of the football, basketball, baseball and volleyball teams and was forced to watch all of them utterly collapse over the past year. But the juice was worth the squeeze — I saw the albino squirrel around campus more than I saw Colt McCoy, had boudin with Quan Cosby, Rudy’s with Jordan Shipley, pancakes with D.J. Augustin, beat Dexter Pittman at H-O-R-S-E, had Aaron Peirsol as a swimming TA, and asked Garrett Weber-Gale what the night skies were like. Texas probably showed me more fun than I showed it, but I think my story was interesting enough.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

elliott: Coach’s subtle style

key for decade of success From page 9 “He just wanted to be a great coach,” Campbell said. “He really wanted to learn and learn from the best. That was apparent from the very beginning. It’s not surprising he’s doing well.” Elliott joined USC’s women’s volleyball coaching staff in 1995 and served as the interim head coach in 1999 and 2000, where he led the Women of Troy to the NCAA semifinals. Elliott arrived at the 40 Acres in 2001. Texas was coming off a 10-18 finish and had failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament. The team made the NCAA tournament in Elliott’s first year at Texas. In a near-perfect linear progression, the team made the NCAA Regional Semifinals in 2004, Regional Finals in 2006 and 2007, Final Four in 2008 and the National Championship game in 2009. Players. Through the last few years, Elliott has lured some of the nation’s top talents to Austin. The last two recruiting classes were ranked fifth in the country, and this coming year ’s recruiting class could garner the top spot. Part of playing at UT sells itself. But a big part of Elliott’s formula is simply being heavily involved in the process himself. “He’s very active,” said Salima Rockwell, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. “It

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fun,’” Doris said. “But he’ll say that to win a national championship, we have to be at a certain level. He relates it to what we’re doing and tells us what we need to do better.” Confidence. The biggest difference between Texas now and when Elliott started is expectations. “When you’re at Texas and you’re good, there’s lots of pressure to be successful,” Elliott said. “We can’t win every year — that’s reality.” Doris said one of Elliott’s strengths is molding different personalities on the team. “He knows how to push our buttons and get us to respond individually,” Doris said. “On the court, we’re very volleyball-focused, so if it takes him screaming and yelling at us to step our game up, that’s what it takes. Off the court, he’s very laid back and fun to be around.” Boasting one of the highest winning percentages of active DI college coaches, Elliott has brought volleyball back to prominence. Elliott said it is the aspect of working with a staff and new players every year that makes the job enjoyable. “I’m a manager of people,” Elliott said. “Each year, it’s a different team, and how to mold them and how to create leaders and roles is a critical part to being successful. That’s what makes it special.”

offense: Guards need to take more responsibility make things happen on offense. He can’t just wait for offensive rebounds to put back up; he needs to move throughout the zone and come to the ball. This will enable him to get different looks on offense and open up more space

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makes a big impact on the kids because they want to be in touch with him and want to connect with the head coach, and he does an excellent job.” Elliott understands that the biggest lure is not himself but rather his team. Freshman libero Sarah Palmer said the team plays a big part in the courting process as well. “[Elliot is] the one that tells us what’s going on, when they’re coming and what kind of people they are,” Palmer said. “When they come, we act like ourselves and have fun doing it.” Numbers. In a data-oriented world, it is unsurprising to see the extent of its use in the Longhorn locker room. It is a trademark of Elliott. “It’s something I’ve been involved in over the years,” Elliott said. “It’s a training tool. It’s not meant to put pressure on the kids to be able to hit those numbers but teaching them how to be more patient.” The coaching staff sets benchmarks or expectations of the percentages players need to be at to be successful. The benchmarks are broken down by position and style, and statistics are kept in practices and games. Senior middle blocker Jennifer Doris remembers coming in as a freshman and seeing numbers across the board. “I was like, ‘What are you doing? I just play this game for

for everyone else. 3. Dribble penetration: Dogus Balbay can drive to the basket, yet doesn’t do it often. Jai Lucas can do the same. We still haven’t seen too much from Cory Joseph. The guards need to start taking the ball inside and force zone de-

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fenses to collapse, rather than rotating the ball around the perimeter. Before UNC, Texas plays Texas State and North Florida. They need to use those games as a learning curve to broaden their game. Will they be ready?

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Life&Arts

Wednesday, December 8 , 2010

Dairy farmer makes award-winning goat cheese Family business utilizes same ingredients to make multiple types of product By Priscilla Totiyapungprasert Daily Texan Staff On the farmland beside a quaint yellow house in Dripping Springs, dairy goats stood about in a quiet laze, occasionally roaming about as if in a game of follow the leader. Their owner, Amelia Sweethardt, appeared with Lucy her Pyrenees guard dog bounding playfully past her, and a couple of goats immediately walked over for a nuzzle. There are 72 goats on Pure Luck Farm & Dairy, and they all play a crucial part in Sweethardt’s line of expertise: making up to 550 pounds of award-winning cheese each week. In August, the American Cheese Society awarded Pure Luck Farm’s feta, bleu and plain chevre cheese first, second and third place in their respective categories. “I don’t know what else I’d be doing if I wasn’t doing this,” Sweethardt said on her career as a cheese maker, reaching down to give a goat an affectionate pet. Sweethardt has grown up around playing with animals and soil since she was two, when her family acquired the farm in 1979. Her mother, Sara Bolton, became interested in making cheese after babysitting a friend’s goat and seeing another friend’s homemade cheese. Before getting into cheese making, Sweethardt toyed with the idea of going into computer work, but was turned off by the idea of sitting in an office every day of the week. In 1997 her mother asked her if she wanted to make cheese with her, and Sweethardt has stuck with it since then. With the same essential ingredients, Sweethardt makes six different types of cheese to sell to farms and wholesalers, including Boggy Creek Farm, Whole Foods Market, Central Market and Wheatsville Food Co-Op. “The whole process of making cheese is quite rigorous,” Sweethardt said. “You have to be meticulous.”

Erika Rich | Daily Texan Staff

Amelia Sweethardt, owner of Pure Luck Farm & Dairy, tends to one of her goats Monday afternoon. Pure Luck is an award-winning company specializing in cheeses made from goat’s milk. The process begins with milking the goats twice a day in a milking room. Either her or one of her employees pasteurizes the milk by heating it to a particular temperature. Cultures are added afterward, promoting the growth of bacteria that consume the milk sugars and produce lactic acid. Next, enzymes are added that cause the milk to coagulate overnight. The next day, the result is a sub-

stance that resembles yogurt. It is and final day. then ladled into a cheeseThe type of cheese changcloth mold, which ales by varying the prolows the whey to drip cess time, temperature ON THE WEB: through and leave of pasteurization or For more informathe solid cheese inquantity of cultures, tion, visit Pure Luck’s side the mold. Sweethardt said. The website On the third day, majority of the cheese@ pureluckthe cheese is furmaking process occurs texas.com ther drained and saltin three small rooms beed before they are packside her house. aged for delivery on the fourth The beauty of goats is their

manageability in comparison to the size of cows, Sweethardt said. Additionally, while goat cheese is traditionally under two-and-ahalf pounds, cow cheese come in large wheels, which require a lot of muscle to wrap and press, she explained. Sweethardt also keeps two bucks on the farm to breed replacement goats. It’s important to make sure all have plenty of

space, she said. “Most people aren’t aware of how animals are kept,” Sweethardt said. “You have to strike a balance between working them and making sure they live in the best environment possible. People know their milk came from a cow or a goat at some point, but there’s still a disconnect from what condition those things came from.”

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Life&Arts

Wednesday, December 8 , 2010

Upcoming films include romantic comedy, dramas Oscar hopefuls battle it out amid Disney TRON sequel, Seth Rogen superhero flick By Alex Williams Daily Texan Staff As the fall semester wraps up for the holiday season, students and faculty suddenly find themselves with a wealth of free time that conveniently coincides with local multiplexes being flooded with new films. Some of them are heady, Oscar fare, and others are “Little Fockers.” Here are some of the new films to keep an eye out for over the winter break.

Blue Valentine (Dec. 31) Starring Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, “Blue Valentine” has been receiving rave reviews from critics since its premiere at Sundance back in January. Director Derek Cianfrance‘s portrayal of a collapsing marriage has been consistently hailed as a brutally honest, devastating film, and recently became one of the year’s most controversial films after being slapped with the restrictive NC17 rating by the MPAA.

The Green Hornet (Jan. 14) A slimmed-down Seth Rogen strikes out from his comedic roots to star in his first superhero film. However, he’s not too far out of his comfort zone, as the film’s trailers promise action and laughs from direcJeff Bridges plays Rooster Cogburn and Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross in Paramount Pictures’ “True Grit.” tor Michel Gondry. al of a couple reeling from their aters. The trailers, which heavi- visuals should be at least worth son’s death will likely garner a ly push the film’s futuristic look the ticket price. Rabbit Hole (Dec. 17) Another Oscar hopeful exam- boatload of totally deserved Os- and 3-D technology, have been a ining an eroding marriage, “Rab- car nominations and maybe even mainstay in theaters since summer and promise a film that will True Grit (Dec. 22) bit Hole” stars Aaron Eckhart and a handful of wins. If there’s one film you see durbe dazzling to look at. UnfortuNicole Kidman. It screened last nately, early reviews have been ing the holiday break, “True Grit” month at Austin Film Festival saying that looks are about all should be that film. Jeff Bridges, and is almost certainly one of the TRON: Legacy (Dec. 17) best films of the year, heartfelt, 28 years after the original “TRON: Legacy” has going for coming off last year’s Oscar win moving and fantastically written, “TRON” film, Disney’s heav- it, but the film’s soon-to-be-icon- for “Crazy Heart,” reunites with acted and directed. Its portray- ily marketed sequel hits the- ic Daft Punk score and intriguing the Coen Brothers (who walked

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

away empty-handed last year for “A Serious Man”) for the first time since the cult classic “The Big Lebowski” to remake John Wayne’s 1969 Oscar-winning western. Matt Damon, newcomer Hailee Steinfield, and “No Country For Old Men’s” Josh Brolin round out the fantastic cast, and the film’s early trailers, while giving away key plot points, are

strangely addictive and rewatchable in the way that only the best trailers are. Early reviews from critics that have seen the film are calling “True Grit” one of the year’s best films, and while only time will tell, it’s pretty becoming more and more likely the Coens have another remarkable film on their hands.

RestauRant Review

Bits & Druthers

Fried-fish trailer sells British classic to Austin audience illustration by trish Do | Daily Texan Staff

New winter 2010 comics for all tastes and budgets come from creators across the last century.

Comics provide indoor relaxation references. Furie introduces a new character named ‘BirdDog,’ who schools frog-faced Pepe in the history of weed, all the while poetic gags feature characters dancing to Eminem singles. Furie’s art has a vital energy to it; this is possibly because of his animalistic characters. One of the characters, Land Wolf, is this brown-furred thing with “I Want You #2” by Lisa no eyes who transforms into a Hanawalt snake to swallow whole pieces of pizza whole. The series is 42 pages, $6.95 One of the only publish- endlessly quotable and a fast ers still pushing the American read; “Boy’s Club #4“ doesn’t form of serialized comics, “I require knowledge of the past Want You #2” by Lisa Hanawalt issues for readers to join in on is a surreal, free-form anthol- the absurdist fun. ogy of Hanawalt’s signature gross-out humor. Influenced “Strange Tales II #3” by Various by the easy gags of “Ren & Stimpy” and the dark mystery 48 pages, $4.99 “Strange Tales” is a limited of David Lynch, Hanawalt’s comics exist in that scary gap three-issue anthology series between the flesh of our bod- of Marvel superhero stories ies and our self-image. The such as Spider Man and Capfrank attitudes toward sensu- tain America as envisioned ality and sexuality are refresh- by the hottest indie darlings. ing, and the super short pieces For those that enjoy superhero are infectious. If dense draw- comics and would like to get ings of animals wearing ador- exposed to the most exciting able hats and gruesome illus- talents in alternative comics trations of skin diseases tick- or for those hipster dudes just les your fancy, this is the com- itching to get their hands on new work from Kevin Huizic for you. enga or Jeffrey Brown, there’s something here for you. The December issue seems “Boy’s Club #4” by Matt Furie to be quite a bombshell, in38 pages, $6 cluding contributions from Matt Furie’s “Boy’s Club #4” webcomics superstars Kate is a riotous mix of stoner hu- Beaton (“Hark A Vagrant”) mor and vintage pop-culture and Nicholas Gurewitch (“PerBy Ao Meng Daily Texan Staff It’s getting cold outside, so cozy up next to the fire (or your space heater) with a great comic book. Here are the top 5 recently released or upcoming releases of comics that caught the Texan’s fancy.

ry Bible Fellowship”), horror comics dude Michael Deforge (“Lose”), mad hoodlum Benjamin Marra (“Night Business,” “Gangsta Rap Posse”) and comix-making machine James Stokoe (“Orc Stain” “Wonton Soup”).

“Ayako” by Osamu Tezuka 704 pages, $26.95 Osamu Tezuka (1928-89) is a cultural icon in Japan (the closest we’ve got is Walt Disney). He’s got more honorifics than James Brown and releases more content from beyond the grave than Tupac. The Father of Manga, the Godfather of Anime, artist, animator, producer and certified medical doctor, this one-man WuTang Clan cranked out more than 700 manga, which add up to more than 150,000 pages of comics, among them the iconic series “Astro Boy,” “Black Jack” and “Kimba the White Lion.” Most of his comics haven’t been translated into English, which makes New York publisher Vertical’s aggressive licensing of Tezuka’s works extremely exciting. “Ayako” is one of Tezuka’s comics targeted for adults. Although his most famous works are for young audiences, Tezuka produced stuff for all ages, from hardboiled noir to fantastic science fiction to psychosexual horror. “Ayako” is definitely on the darker

side of the spectrum. A scathing social critique, this 700page comic tells the story of a landowning family slowly imploding in the wake of Douglas MacArthur ’s postWorld War II reconstruction of Japan. There’s political intrigue, gangland murders and terrible stains that won’t wash out. Tezuka’s mastery over line and layout are on full display here, and the result is something like a Lars von Trier movie. It’s bloody good.

“Six Novels in Woodcuts” by Lynd Ward 1,408 pages, $70 This is where the heavy hitters come out — the Library of America is attempting to pulverize your wallet with this huge two-volume collection, edited by Pulitzer Prize winner Art Spiegelman, of six wordless woodcut pictorial narratives from a groundbreaking American master. Lynd Ward (1905-85) was a wood block printer who painstakingly carved out wordless long-form narratives long before Will Eisner coined the term “graphic novel” in the 1940s. With one “panel” per page, Ward’s German Expressionism and Art Deco-infused artwork tell moody and dark stories of modernized Fausts, struggling artists and heartbreaking loss during the Great Depression.

By Sara Benner Daily Texan Staff A short menu means either one of two things: Everything’s good or nothing’s good. Wielding a miniscule menu, Union Jack-emblazoned Bits & Druthers, a British-inspired made-from-scratch fish and chips trailer, proves that even the simplest things can be delicious. Located in the “food court” of East Side Drive-In, an open-air fenced lot reminiscent of a barnyard and lined by a handful of trailers, it was fairly empty. Only a few visitors were munching trailer delicacies in relative silence. While eyeing Bits & Druthers’ scanty entree selection — fish & chips, fried gulf oyster roll and a roast lamb sandwich — Mike Kelley, the trailer’s sole operator, warmly chatted with his customers. The battered and deep-fried cod sported a golden brown glow. The fish’s exterior was hard and crunchy like a shell, enclosing the juicy and buttery insides. Served with a side of chips — or as Americans know them best, fries — and a small container of homemade tartar sauce with onion overtones, the flavors mingled well with the malt vinegar drizzled on top for good measure. The most striking feature of B&D’s specialty fish and chips, solidly priced at $6, is its texture. How-

ever, as the meal continued, the flavors began to reveal their one-sidedness. The major components of fantastic fish and chips were there — fried fish and fried potatoes — but the dish was lacking in some inexplicable way that separates this truck from goodness and greatness. While dining in solitude and pondering the lackluster qualities of the fish, a blackbird that had clearly taken inspiration from a certain Hitchcock film swooped in and stole a chip from the table. I was on the fence about the dining ambiance before, but this experience proved to be the tipping point. A dish like fish and chips is very straightforward. Luckily, because this item is one that is made and remade every day in Kelley’s trailer, there is room to grow and perfect it. The food of Bits & Druthers is good and merits a visit or two, but the unpleasant atmosphere makes me less willing to return.

Grade: B wHat: Bits & Druthers wHeRe: East Side Drive-In, 1001 E. Sixth St. weB: facebook.com/bitsanddruthers OtHeR: Cash only

Ryan smith | Daily Texan Staff

Mike Kelley, owner of Bits & Druthers food trailer, prepares his famous coleslaw in East Austin on Tuesday.

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Winter games keep season cool Action-adventure, tribute create strong playability alongside holiday theme By Allistair Pinsof Daily Texan Staff Winter-themed video games have always been available; they’ve just never been all that good. In fact, some of the worst holiday memories one can have can be linked to playing “Home Alone” — all of the versions are bad, but Nintendo is worst — and a forgotten train wreck of a game called “Daze Before Christmas.” Here are five holidaythemed games that are guaranteed to be better than contracting a cold under the mistletoe, getting drunk off eggnog and, of course, the two games listed above.

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Courtesy of Telltale Games

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Costume Quest: Grubbins on Ice (PS3, Xbox 360)

In “Sam & Max: Ice Station Santa,” the player must solve a mystery involving an unwieldy, gunNo one goes trick-or-treat- happy Santa Claus. ing on Christmas, but that isn’t stopping Double Fine earlier this year). The colorful with “the best Christmas junk unique and forgivable. from giving “Costume Quest” projectiles, snowy landscapes you can find.” Finally, you a winter-themed expansion. and music will make you feel have to take photos of screamMerry Gear Solid 2: “Grubbins on Ice” will feature like you are at a Christmas ing brats on Santa’s lap, waitGhosts of Christmas a new level (longer than any in rave. And then the giant evil ing patiently for the occasional reindeer boss comes in. It alsmile. “Bully” works with the the original game), costumes Past (PC) and enemies centered on this most makes the flying, naked same sort of crude, dark hu“It’s been a while since month’s holidays. There are babies before it seem kind of mor that makes films like “Bad anyone’s had a truly merSanta” and “A Christmas Stostill questions about how the reasonable. ry Christmas,” and so begins ry” holiday favorites. game will hold to its gimmick “Merry Gear Solid 2,” a fanof going door-to-door to batBully: Scholarship made tribute to the classic tle monsters (caroling?), but Sam & Max: Ice stealth series “Metal Gear SolEdition (PC, Wii, we’ll find out later this month Station Santa (PC, id.” Sneaking up and stabbing when it’s released. Xbox 360) unaware guards in the neck Wii, Xbox 360) Partway through Rockstar’s with a peppermint candy cane Deathsmiles II “Ice Station Santa” is the rare while wearing a deer mask is free-roaming action-advenyou have to leave the success in Telltale’s hit-and-miss amusing enough, but this fun (Xbox 360, Arcade ture, prep school campus for a mis- episodic, adventure series. In PC title manages to cleverly – Japan only) sion during the game’s win- the second season’s premiere, parody and faithfully repliJapan has a history of set- ter section. After befriending the two detectives travel to the cate the earlier 2-D entries of ting games around Christ- a drunk in a Santa suit, you North Pole to solve a mystery the “Metal Gear” stealth semas time (“Snatcher”, “Par- must take down the imposter involving demons, Satan and, of ries. The controls and visuasite Eve”), but no Japanese Santa Claus at the city square, course, Santa Claus — although, als are fantastic, and the voice game has embraced a holiday destroy his setup and beat his he is barely recognizable half-na- acting is hilarious. It’s rare theme as strongly as this se- elves with a baseball bat. Once ked and holding a machine gun. that so much talent goes into quel to one of the great side- the “imposter” is taken care The episode has the same faults a silly and free downloadable scrolling shooters (the orig- of, the player is asked to deco- as any in the series, but its hol- game, nevermind its ties to inal was ported to Xbox 360 rate drunken Santa’s alleyway iday theme makes it a bit more the holiday theme.

Life&Arts

Wednesday, December 8 , 2010

Holiday food festivities followed by local shops By Sara Benner Daily Texan Staff The act of eating is a universal bonding ritual that unites people from all walks of life. This holiday season, celebrate one another ’s company with festive food and drink from local Austin restaurants. Mozart’s Coffee Roasters’ annual decorative holiday lights transform the lakeside coffee house into a winter wonderland. This year, however, the lights have upgraded from mere ornamentation to a dazzling light show that plays every hour on the hour from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. through Jan. 1. Soak up the holiday cheer while enjoying a heartwarming cup of coffee with a shot of peppermint or their seasonal apple cider sundae with a brownie on the side. Where: Mozart’s Coffee Roasters, 3825 Lake Austin Blvd. Web: mozartscoffee.com Cost: $5 In the U.K., lunchtime is followed by “high tea,” which is a substantial meal intended to satiate one’s appetite until dinner. Full English Cafe is featuring a holiday version of this British tradition, but without the polished pretenses. Holiday high tea includes an assortment of sandwiches, scones, a selection of festive cakes and biscuits and a pot of coffee or tea. The cafe is comfortable and painted completely pink, which redefines teatime’s formal identity to a new, relaxed and cozy affair among intimates and friends. Where: Full English Cafe, 2000 Southern Oaks Dr. Web: fullenglishfood.com Cost: $15 per person

cranberry compote and crowned with giblet gravy. Northcutt is also debuting new hearty breakfast items this month, their bacon waffle and fried chicken sandwiches at a holiday discount, as his “Christmas gift to the world.” Where: Frank’s Hot Dogs & Cold Beer, Fourth and Colorado streets Web: hotdogscoldbeer.com Cost: $8.50 Decorated like a carnival sideshow and stocked to the gills with nearly every candy and sweet imaginable, with the exception of sugarplums, Big Top Candy Shop is arguably one of the most intriguing candy shops in Austin. The walls are lined with peppermint flavored delights and novelties, and at their old-fashioned soda fountain, soda jerks whip up customizable made-to-order holidaythemed milk shakes, such as their pumpkin spice shake, which owner Brandon Hodge describes as “pie in a glass.” If releasing your inner-child this holiday season is not on your todo list, sashay over to Big Top’s fine chocolates display to marvel at their truffle selection, with 30 different flavors, you can celebrate the holidays with eggnog truffles and New Year’s with Jack Daniel’s truffles. Where: Big Top Candy Shop, 17th Street and South Congress Avenue Web: myspace.com/bigtopcandyshop Cost: $4.77

On Dec. 18, Vino Vino is hosting their Oodles of Bubbles event. For $20, you can sample 50 of Austin’s best bubbly wines, pop some oysters with Vino Vino’s own head chef, Esteban Escobar, and drink in the holiday season with live music. As a special offer for attendees of Oodles of Frank Hot Dogs & Cold Beer is Bubbles, Vino Vino is offering a 15 known for their artisan sausage. percent discount for every two or This year, owner Frank North- more bottles of sparkling wine you cutt is doing the holidays “Frank purchase for your New Year’s celeStyle.” Serving up a hot plate brations. W h e r e : Vi n o Vi n o , 4 11 9 of holiday spirit, their take on Christmas dinner consists of ar- Guadalupe St. Web: vinovinoaustin.com tisan turkey sausage smothered Cost: $20 per person with dressing, baked potatoes,

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

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PAINTER: Artists sell works for money From page 16 Williams became homeless three years ago after losing his job as a salesman in the economic downturn, but painting has been a part of his life since he began in high school nearly 40 years ago and plays as big a role as ever today. He returned to painting after a 20-year hiatus after participating in a documentary on street art. His current involvement in the artistic world comes from the Art from the Streets program, of which he has been a member for three years. The program provides a setting for people who are homeless to participate in twice-a-week art sessions at St. David’s Episcapol Church’s Trinity Center and even sell their artwork during yearly shows to provide extra support for themselves. The biggest benefit that has come for Williams from the program, however, is not the money earned, but a new sense of meaning in his life as the popularity of his work grows — and he becomes closer to painting. “I’m glad [I returned to painting] ... There was some stuff there that I didn’t really know I had inside me,” Williams said. A UT alumnus with a government degree and self-proclaimed history buff, Williams incorporates a large range of historical topics into his pieces, from classical works to those inspired by the 19th century and the Napoleonic wars. After selecting a topic for his piece — though he often works on

three to four at a time — he goes to the library and researches that particular segment of history, looking up photos and piling together resources to give him references for his artwork. From that point he creates a sketch and paints over it with a colorful array of acrylics. “Diversity is the word ... I’m trying to [keep my art] that way,” Williams said, adding that working in the ARCH allows him to stay not only grounded, but also in touch with the homeless community around him. Even as he works in the atrium of the center almost every day, others residing there approach him to compliment and discuss his work, often resulting in jovial conversations about recent pieces completed by members of the program. Working on the pieces, he explains, provides not only a form of expression and pieces to sell, but also an important, small escape from the difficulties of everyday life. “[When people become homeless] they get caught up into a life cycle that changes daily. It has a daily regimen to it, but the challenges change daily. One day it’s transportation, and the next, it’s food ... The next day after that, ‘Oh my God, it’s a cold front!’ and then you’ve got to find something to put on,” Williams said. “There’s a lot of challenges that hit you four, five at a time, and then you’ve really got a problem.” Another challenge for Williams is running out of paint, as he has been working with a supply he received

as a gift a year ago as well as the bits of others he is able to obtain. By making careful use of it, he has completed nearly 300 paintings since he returned to making artwork. In a time of economic change and trouble, the numbers of homeless will most likely increase, even for people such as Williams who have college degrees. While in such a situation, Williams said, “Anybody can be homeless.” He has a message for people struggling to cope with events around them as well as those still in college preparing to enter the professional world: “Some people may get cynical about it, but we cannot afford to get cynical about life and our issues.” After all, he said one of the many struggles one faces once homelessness occurs is the problem of becoming invisible. Though his name has become known thanks to his artwork, he often finds that the people who speak to him do not realize that he is, in fact, homeless. Once they discover this, they “are shocked. They’re embarrassed ... I’m embarrassed.” Through his artwork and his job with the Texas Workforce Commission, however, he is determined “not to stay that way — not to stay homeless or embarrassed.” With December art sessions starting Tuesday and an exhibition he will be participating in coming up in February, Williams is looking forward to a future with art. “I don’t want to be defined as homeless,” he said. “I want to be defined as somebody who can paint — who likes to paint.”

WRAP: Decorations can change ‘mundane’ to ‘festive’ the gift, cut up tissue paper into wide, with lengths varying from small confetti bits and filled the three to five inches. Stack the strips clude tin containers (for coffee, tea glass bottles with it. and slightly fan the stack until it reor paint) or glass bottles. sembles a bow tie. Tie the middle Simply line the container with with a strip of the same fabric. Cut some colorful tissue paper, put in The Glitz and Glam the extra fabric off the tie. Glue it Since these household papers are on the package with a hot glue gun the gift, add a bow or ribbon and voila, you’re done. Since glass not meant to be festive and color- with the tied end down. Other fun, bottles such as Coca-Cola or Per- ful, the packaging can be mundane creative decorating ideas include rier have a narrow, bottled neck, if left simply that way. Spruce it up hot gluing pearls, buttons, fake gifts such as jewelry, a ball point with the following tips for hand- wintery plants such as mini pinepen or a sweet message are a per- made bows and decorating orna- cones or hollies or colorful, large fect fit because of their size and ments. To make a bow, cut about 15 light bulbs onto the package in a flimsiness. In order to semi-hide to 20 strips of fabric about an inch pattern or shape.

From page 16

BAD WRITING Bad Writing is a documentary about a wannabe poet who sets off on a quest for answers about writing — bad writing, good writing, and the process in between. What he learns from some leading figures in the literary world will inspire anyone who has ever dreamt of creating art.

Gspn!Uif!Eftl!pg!

Npssjt!Ijmm!Qjduvsft! '!Wfsopo!Cfoumfz!Mpuu

featuring intervie ws with: Margaret Atwood Steve Almond George Saunders & David Sedaris

“Charming and smartly conceived.” — Steven Kurutz, The Wall Street Journal “Everything about Bad Writing works. It’s smart, funny and has an attitiude.” — Bill English, Boise Weekly

SCREENING Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar 1120 S. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX, 78704

Sat, December 11 - 11:00 a.m. Mon, December 13 - 7:00 p.m. Tues, December 14 - 7:00 p.m.

badwritingthemovie.com

DRINKS: Eggnog mixable with many spirits From page 16 The key is keeping your egg whites and yolks separate, so your mixes don’t get foamy. The etymology and history are debatable, but one of the oldest instances of eggnog in the U.S. dates back to a story in an 1801 issue of the Pittsburgh Gazette where a less-than-sober judge terrified a family after ordering an eggnog and then cussing loudly over its lack of whiskey. As for the official spirit of choice, it is somewhat up to your own particular tastes. Alcohol historian David Wondrich writes in his book “Imbibe!” that he found one instance of mezcal eggnog recorded by 19th century Texas prisoners in Mexico. While some sites post their own tequila or mezcal versions, for now, we’ll stick with tried and true classics such as bourbon.

LIFE&ARTS

Wednesday, December 8 , 2010

Don’t worry if you’re not a fan of whiskey. Rum and brandy are both classics that the father of American bartending, Jerry Thomas, often used together, judging by sev-

eral of his eggnog recipes in “The Bar-tender’s Guide.” The basic idea is that you use nice and sweet spirits — ones that won’t play naughty with your ’nog.

Eggnog Ingredients 4 egg yolks 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tbsp. 1 pint whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 3 ounces bourbon 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 4 egg whites* *consuming raw eggs come with the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illnesses.

Directions • Beat egg yolks until light in color and texture. • Slowly add 1/3 cup of sugar and beat until dissolved. • Mix in milk, cream, bourbon and grated nutmeg. • Beat egg whites until soft peaks form on the mixer’s beaters.

P16 ENT

LIFE&ARTS

Wednesday, December 8 , 2010

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

T HE DAILY T EXAN

Homeless painter uses history to create pieces By Danielle Wallace Daily Texan Staff arry Williams sits in the metal-and-concrete atrium of a building, painting by the light of the day despite the windy weather. Before him is a large depiction of the transcending of an Egyptian pharaoh into the afterlife: a collage of pyramids, a tomb, columns adorned with hieroglyphs, all reaching up toward a celestial being in the sky with hair flowing around her face like a sun casting its rays. Different books keep the painting from being carried away, from a history book resting on one corner to a Japanese calligraphy and language book on the other. He works in careful, patient paint strokes, stippling in details with a worn flathead brush, his hand moving quickly across the paper. Every few moments, he glances at the printed photographs beside him, images of historic ancient Egyptian ruins and temples that are serving as his references as he works. To the surprise of many, however, the calm, collected man is not painting in a studio or art center; the atrium he is in is part of a shelter, the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless. Larry Williams is homeless, but more importantly, he is an artist. Williams found his artistic niche in cartoon-inspired works stemming from a childhood of reading and drawing from stories about superheroes and more, and has a strong support for providing versions of the program, which has helped boost him up for other homeless people with a variety of talents. The Art from the Streets program has created a sense of community by allowing people to grow closer through the sharing and appreciation of artistic technique. Williams often mentions the other artists involved in the program, as well as those outside of it, to include musicians who live at the center. “We’ve got the best ARCH-isans,” Williams said, referring to the acronym for the shelter. “The most creative artists on the planet are here!”

Kiersten Marian | Daily Texan Staff

Local artist Larry Williams, has showcased his paintings in the Art from the Streets program for 3 years. Williams’ art features colorful, dreamike images and has garnered much attention from AFTS.

Presents transform with alternate wrap

Eggnog is a holiday classic that’s almost like a custard with its egg, sugar, cream and milk. Mixed with rum, it makes the holidays go down smoother.

By Julie Rene Tran Daily Texan Staff While store-bought holiday wrapping paper, ribbons and ornaments can add a pretty touch to any parcel, the typical red, white and green color palette and wintery print of snowflakes and evergreens can be lackluster and expensive. Plus, when placed under a tree or on a table, all gifts begin to look the same. Get into the holiday spirit with these creative, low-budget holiday wrapping and decorating tips that not only save a few dollars but also bring a kick of personality.

Photo illustration by Tamir Kalifa Daily Texan Staff

Special drinks a must for holidays By Gerald Rich Daily Texan Staff It’s that time of year again to break out the holiday-themed beer or wine for all the friends and family. But why not ring in the new year with some new spins on homemade holiday classics? Known as vin chaud or Gluhwein if you’re from France or Germany, mulled wine requires a relatively short time to make if you’re in a pinch and want the hard stuff. Although this is often thought of as a Christmas drink using dry reds, Manischewitz wine is not an unheard of, albeit cheap, kosher wine base for a sweeter mulled mix. Of course, there are better reviewed kosher wines such as Herzog or Yarden, but $5 a bottle is hard to refuse if you broke the bank with the last seven nights of gifts. Of course, everyone has their own recipe, and there are tons that you can find online from your preferred cooking sources; this one was taken from kleinbl00 via Reddit. More generally, it’s a mix of red wine, sugars, citrus, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Anything else is up to you, but really, that’s good enough on its own.

PAINTER continues on page 15

Once you’ve picked your proportions, leave this to simmer on low in a big pot. You do not want to crank up the heat to speed this up or you’ll end up boiling off the alcohol. Now, this particular recipe calls for letting it simmer for four hours, but there does not seem to be a consensus out there on how long is long enough. At the minimum, heat until steam starts to roll off the pot and at the maximum, you have kleinbl00 with his four-hour marathon. Taste your mulled mix until your tongue feels satisfied. If you’re a stickler for precise timing though, Food Network’s recipe says 20 minutes.

When all is done right, the result is something along the lines of a nice, dark cup of spiced, fruity tea but with that boozy little kick. The warmth is perfect for thawing out those cold nudnik Scrooges you might know. Long before store-bought cartons of eggnog were bought and spiked, great-great-great-grandparents were getting tanked on their own homemade mix. Food Network chef Alton Brown provides a simple recipe that gets your hands a little dirty but utilizes modern tools to speed things up.

DRINKS continues on page 15

Mulled wine with Manischewitz Ingredients

Directions

2 bottles of your favorite Manischewitz 1 tbsp. brown sugar Couple slices of orange (rounds, not wedges — maybe 1/2 an orange) 6 allspice berries 3-4 cloves

• Put in Crock-Pot and set on low • Ignore for about four hours • Drink until it’s all gone

The Paper

color, is also a great lining since it adds a soft textural touch. Since it is delicate and slightly transparent, cover the gift in thicker paper first, then cover with tissue. Try also using colorful magazine pages to wrap smaller gifts, including

DVD/CDs, gift cards and jewelry. Don’t let gift-wrapping limit the use of just paper or even paper bags, either. Be creative and make it work. Cool packaging ideas in-

WRAP continues on page 15

Every process of gift-wrapping begins with the paper. Save a trip to the store by using what’s lying around the house. As simple as it sounds, trying using newspaper — especially the comics secPhoto illustration by Michael Elliot Baldon | Daily Texan Staff tion, graphing paper, brown paper bags and parchment paper. Tissue Materials such as pages from newspapers, brown bags and cloth can paper, which comes in an array of be used in place of store-bought gift-wrapping paper.