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CITY
Naishtat reflects on 25-year tenure By Forrest Milburn @forrestmilburn
No one expected the Jewish Democrat from New York City to win the 1990 race for Texas state House District 49, especially with the incumbent Republican running attack ads that asked Austin voters if they wanted Elliott Naishtat — “a liberal social worker from New York City” — as their next representative.
“Until I was elected, it was written in the Texas Constitution that if you’re from New York City, you can’t serve in the Texas Legislature,” said Naishtat, jokingly. “When I ran, a lot of people said, ‘You don’t have a chance, you’re from New York City, you’re a Yankee, you’re a carpetbagger.’” Naishtat went on to defy expectations in November, defeating the incumbent Re-
publican by more than 10 percentage points. Since his 1990 win, he has not faced anything more than minimal opposition in any of his primaries or November general elections. After serving for more than two decades, Naishtat unexpectedly decided in December not to seek re-election for his seat in 2016, despite there being no possibility of a competitive challenger from either party. After his decision
— prompted by health concerns and a desire to pass the torch to the next generation — the number of candidates to replace him quickly grew as seven Democrats and no Republicans announced they would make a run for the seat. “There are a few who stand out a little bit more than a couple of the others, but I’m very pleased with the level of quality and competence, the energy, the passion, of everyone
who is running,” Naishtat said. With HD 49 encompassing all of West Campus and UT, Naishtat said it has been an honor to have consistently fought for issues close to students, including the campus carry bill passed last session that allows concealed carry of firearms on campuses. Naishtat, a strong opponent of guns on campuses,
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Breakdown of Texas campus carry 1%
Fewer than of students have licenses to carry. At the time campus carry was passed in Texas, it became the 8th state to pass campus carry.
23 states allowed col-
lege to prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons on campus. Source: UT-Austin campus working group, Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Infographic by Kelly Smith | Daily Texan Staff
after they implemented campus carry, there was a professor who had an accident in class and shot himself in the foot right in front of his students,” said Valentine, a Plan II lecturer. “Most of them won’t have an accident. Eventually,
somebody will.” Texas became the eighth state to allow campus carry in June 2015 when Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 11, requiring Texas public universities to allow concealed carrying of guns on campus. Every
By Cassandra Jaramillo @cassandrajar
CAMPUS CARRY page
By Caleb Wong
campus won’t have an accident, but he said a prohibition on campus carry would mostly eliminate the possibility gun accidents on campus. “Idaho implemented campus carry not too long ago, and on the first week of classes
Union to pin higher prices on bowling
private university in Texas that has made a decision on campus carry chose not to allow guns on campus. Erick Bruno, a member of Students for Concealed Carry,
NAISHTAT page 2
Many expect smooth campus carry rollout Anticipation and uncertainty about campus carry has increased, especially as UT prepares to release campus carry rules within the next few weeks, ahead of the Aug. 1 implementation date. However, members from various groups involved in studying campus carry said they expect a relatively smooth rollout for the law’s implementation. After studying other schools that have already implemented campus carry, Student Government President Xavier Rotnofsky said he expects the uncertainty about campus carry to gradually subside. “We also found that a lot of these schools that have campus carry now haven’t necessarily seen an increase in gunrelated violence and things like that,” said Rotnofsky, a Plan II senior who is on the UT campus carry working group. “It’s sort of like a perception issue. It goes to the minds of people that campus carry is a thing. The environment around campus sort of stabilizes.” Matthew Valentine, a member of the faculty group GunFree UT, said most people who carry a concealed handgun on
CAMPUS
UT students will pay 25 cents more for bowling at the Texas Union Underground if the University approves a rate increase later this month. The University Unions board met Jan. 29 and with a unanimous vote passed for a new 2016 rate structure. The Texas Union Underground, which offers bowling and billiards, has not seen its prices increase since at least 2007, according to Union Underground data. The twelvelane bowling alley, built in the 1960s, is in need of facility improvements, board members said. Jennifer Zamora, director of student programs at the University Unions, said she presented the proposal to streamline prices for bowling and help pay for lighting and electric features. “The way it was in the past, if you were bowling during the day, then it was $1.50, and then if you bowled at night, it was $2.00,” Zamora said. “Well, that makes it hard sometimes to communicate how much it is to come bowl.” Glow Bowl, the Texas Union Underground’s blacklight bowling experience, will see prices increase 50 cents from $2.50 to $3.00 for UT students. “If you wanted to do Glow Bowl and shoes, you’re still going to be able to do it for under $5,” Zamora said. “For us, it’s really important for the Union Underground to be
CAMPUS
@caleber96
bit.ly/dtvid
CITY
STATE
UT Immigration Clinic assists detainees Airbnb, City Council
clash over regulations
By Elizabeth Hlavinka @hlavinka_e
UT clinical professor Elissa Steglich has seen the despair and fear that resides in Texas detention centers firsthand. One woman she spoke to, a tailor from Central America, terrified by gang threats and the sound of gunshots down her street, fled to the United States with her daughter. Another made the journey with her 13-year-old son, who had not attended school in three years for fear of gang recruitment. Steglich, along with other members of the UT Immigration Clinic, is representing several families detained in the South Texas Family Residential Center and the Karnes County Residential Center — two south Texas centers that hold only women and children immigrants. The families — migrating mostly from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala — are seeking
By Caleb Wong @caleber96
DETENTION page 2
Lizzy*, a senior at UT, makes $300 a month, but she doesn’t work a traditional on-campus job or get the money from her parents. Instead, she charges guests to stay in a room in the bohemian-themed West Campus apartment she shares with three roommates through Airbnb, an online marketplace that matches property owners with people looking for a place to stay. Inspirational quotes on the wall, maps and African-themed poles and totems line the walls of the apartment, which has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Airbnb. After paying a 3 percent service fee to Airbnb from her earnings, she makes enough to purchase groceries and other necessities. She described hosting through Airbnb as not only
Illustration by Melanie Westfall | Daily Texan Staff
asylum in the United States, fleeing gang violence in their home countries. UT Immigration Clinic founder Barbara Hines said because residents aren’t allowed to leave the premises, the detention centers are in
violation of the Reno v. Flores decision of 1993. They are also not licensed as child welfare facilities, although a decision is currently being made whether to grant the centers that license. “These are not childcare centers,” Hines said.
“The government says it’s a residential facility, but when you talk to any of these children or moms, they will tell you it’s a prison.”
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a way to make money but also meet interesting people from around the world. “It’s much more personal,” Lizzy said. There’s only one problem: She’s breaking the law. Her apartment complex prohibits her from unofficially renting her apartment to guests, according to the lease she signed. The City of Austin requires her to obtain a type-one short-term rental license to host paying guests, which costs $285 for the first year and $235 every year afterward. Lizzy, who asked to remain anonymous, said she already knew the apartment did not allow her to rent her place through Airbnb but said she did not know the City required her to obtain a license. “[I wouldn’t pay the City fee]
AIRBNB page 2 REASON TO PARTY
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Thursday, February 11, 2016
FRAMES featured photo
AIR BNB
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Volume 116, Issue 98
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TOMORROW’S WEATHER
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Glow Bowl, the Texas Union Underground’s blacklight bowling experience, will increase its prices by 50 cents from $2.50 to $3.00 if a rate increase is approved by the University later this month.
continues from page 1
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High
Elise Cardenas | Daily Texan Staff
John Elford, the pastor of University United Methodist Church, marks a student on the forehead with ash in honor of Ash Wednesday.
BOWLING
Low
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“My dad taught me how to love my lovers.”
an affordable place.” Texas Tuesdays will still be $1 for UT students. The largest increase to rate changes will apply to UT group reservation bowling, where groups of up to six people will pay $20 an hour instead of $17. Mulugeta Ferede, executive director of University Unions and member of the board, said UT’s newly proposed rates were among the lowest in a survey of compatible bowling charges around town and at peer institutions. “In all categories [of the survey], we came into the low part of it,” Ferede said. “I think the board felt it was a minimal price adjustment.” Maryse Rodriguez, health and society sophomore, said
CAMPUS CARRY continues from page 1
said he does not expect an uptick in criminal activity because of campus carry because gun owners are the “most lawabiding citizens out here.” “[Your gun is] concealed, so no one knows who’s carrying,” said Bruno, a political science senior at UT-Dallas. “It will be one of those issues
Edward Torres Daily Texan Staff
as a fan of the Glow Bowling experience, she found the increase reasonable. “I think the convenience of having a bowling alley on campus is nice,” Rodriguez said. “I would pay $3.00.” From 2014–2015, the Texas Union Underground saw 12,728 unit sales for regular
bowling and 24,202 unit sales for Glow Bowl, Zamora said. Data on specific numbers of people who used the bowling alley was not available. Samantha Grasso, a student voting member on the board and journalism senior, said there was no disagreement on whether the board
should vote to raise rates. “This 25 cent increase is going to do a lot to help the Union and not hurt the students too much,” Grasso said. The resolution still awaits final approval, but Zamora said she expects implementation to begin no later than April 1 once passed.
which will slowly fade away, and nobody will worry about it after the law is implemented in August.” However, the singular nature of campus carry in Texas still leaves lingering concerns about the law’s implementation. “No other state has a campus carry law like S.B. 11, and so the Working Group was unable to find significant
guidance in other states’ implementation schemes,” the UT-Austin working group report said, noting that while there was no evidence that campus carry was linked to increased rates of sexual assault or increased campus violence, there have been several incidents of campus shootings and accidental discharges on college campuses. Ultimately, the effects
of campus carry will be determined by how individual campuses decide to phase in campus carry, Rotnofsky said. “It really will come down to implementation,” Rotnofsky said. “It’s a new frontier for Texas because that hasn’t been done before, so in that regard, Texas public universities will be figuring out what that means.”
NAISHTAT
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helped pass a last-minute amendment to the campus carry bill giving college presidents the power to enact gun-free zones. “He’s kind of an institution in Austin,” said Kiefer O’Dell, Naishtat’s former intern and president emeritus of University Democrats. While serving in the legislature for so many years, Naishtat has had the unique opportunity to forge numerous, strong relationships with constituents of all ages throughout his district. “One thing that is really impressed upon me as I talk to residents across the district is just how many people have a close, personal connection to Rep. Naishtat,” said Heather Way, one of the candidates running for HD49. “It’s really incredible how many lives he’s touched across the district in these 25 years.” For Naishtat, it has grown
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for as little as I’m making,” Lizzy said. Listings on Airbnb haveSCIE come under scrutiny in recent years as many U.S. cities, including Austin, have raised concerns over the legality of Airbnb listings. The Austin City Council discussed stricter short-term rental regulations in 2015 to minimize “party house” disruptions and increased enforcement of existing regulations, but no ordinances have been drafted. Assistant architecture professor Jake Wegmann said, based on his research, there are more listings than authorized STR rentals, suggesting that most Airbnb listings do not comply with the law. “I think a lot of people putting an Airbnb listing on their property quite reasonably make a calculation that there’s a pretty low chance that they’re going to suffer any consequences,” Wegmann said. When asked about the legal status of listings on Airbnb, the company said it provides links to applicable laws during the signup process. According to a 2014 Airbnb report, 67 percent of listings were rented in Austin for fewer than 30 days in 2014. “We ask all of our hosts to comply with local law when they sign up for Airbnb,” Airbnb spokesperson Alison Schumer said in an email. Murray Cox, a self-described “community activist” who tracks Airbnb data, said the company may inform people about the law, but doesn’t take active steps to ensure its listings comply with the law. “[Airbnb] always says it’s up to the host to obey the law, even though Airbnb is part of the transaction,” Murray said. Even Lizzy said she “has a conscience” when it comes to renting from Airbnb. She said she has significantly cut back the days she rents out her room from last semester. “If you’re making more money per month than your rent, I think it shouldn’t be allowed,” she said. “Anything more than that, you’re running a small business and profiting off your apartment building.”
increasingly difficult to pass meaningful legislation and reforms without the help of some members of the Republican Party who still try to take a bipartisan approach to governing, especially as the number of Democrats dwindle in the legislature because of redistricting and a growing conservative electorate. “I’ve always found Elliott to be a very respectful person, willing to listen to both sides of the issue, obviously Juan Figueroa | Daily Texan Staff having his perspective on Representative Elliot Naishtat, New York City native, has held what would be best for the House District 49 seat for the past two decades. State of Texas but always doing it in a very respect- partnership benefits — that reconvene in January 2017, ful manner,” said Rep. John he knew wouldn’t get out of Naishtat said he has a few Zerwas (R-Katy). “Although committee but would inevi- words of advice for whichevRep. Naishtat and I disagree tably become law. er Democrat wins the primaon a number of issues, … “Elliott Naishtat is my ry, which places him or her we’ve never had our relation- role model in the sense that in the minority party in the ship suffer as a consequence he was an effective voice for House of Representatives. of that.” “I’m not saying become Austin without compromisNaishtat, despite his bi- ing his core liberal values,” best friends with every Repartisan approach to leg- said Huey Rey Fischer, one publican, but you have to islating, said he has always of the candidates running work across the aisle,” Natried to be a “visionary” for HD 49. ishtat said. “Be persistent, be progressive, frequently filWhile he won’t have the nice, believe in incremental ing progressive pieces of opportunity to serve in the change, and always maintain legislation — like domestic legislature once members your sense of humor.”
The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone (471-4591), or at the editorial office (HSM 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2015 Texas Student Media.
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ELLEN AIRHART, SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Thursday, February 11, 2016
ge 1
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Four planets to star in rare celestial show By Julianne Hodges @JayHodges2018
A once-in-a-decade celestial show is marching across the sky every morning for a few weeks this winter. For those who don’t want to wake up before dawn, the spectacle will show up again later in the year. This month, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter will be visible in the early morning sky. Viewers can see them lined up diagonally in the east around 6 a.m., according to Lara Eakins, astronomy education and outreach coordinator. On average, this type of alignment happens once every 10 years. The most recent line-up was in 2005, according to mathematics junior Victoria Dominguez. “It’s not the rarest thing ever, but pretty rare,” she said. The planets are all visible every 10 years because of the time it takes each planet to orbit the sun, according to Judit Ries, a research associate and lecturer in the department of astronomy.
“If you try to find the smallest common number which can be divided by all of these numbers, that will tell you how often they will line up,” Ries said. “If you could see the planets on the sky, then you would see that they are really always on this general big arc.” The way the planets line up show astronomers how the solar system is arranged on a flat plane. “What this basically tells us is that we can see these planets in a line because they’re going around that same path on the same level as the sun,” fifthyear astronomy student Alex Robles said. “That tells us a little about our own solar system and that the solar system’s in a disk.” The view of this orbital plane also offers indirect proof that all of the planets revolve around the sun, according to Dominguez. “Back in ancient times, something like this would have really thrown off the world view because it kind of verifies that we rotate around the sun instead of the sun rotating around us,” Dominguez said. In addition to the
scientific background, Dominguez is excited about the alignment because it’s interesting to watch. “It’s a pretty neat thing to see,” Dominguez said. “It’s always cool to be able to look with your own two eyes and see this magnificent stuff lining up.” Dominguez and Robles run some of the “star parties,” or public telescope viewings, hosted by the astronomy department. The alignment has been a popular topic at these events so far this semester. “Everyone who has come in has asked to see it,” Dominguez said. “Everyone’s really interested in it.” Unfortunately, since the public viewings at the observatory are only in the evening, people won’t get to see the planets line up this month at the star parties. “They come out to the star party, and I have to be the bearer of bad news,” Robles said. “I unfortunately have to tell people that they can’t see it right then and there, and I have to show them other things.” However, this fall, when
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
UT-led study attempts to pinpoint seismic activity By Jonathan Vineyard @thedailytexan
Two new programs are working on providing muchneeded public data that will clarify scientists’ shaky understanding of the increasing frequency of earthquakes in Texas. The TexNet Seismic Monitoring Program, a network of planned and pre-existing earthquake detectors, and the Center for Integrated Seismicity Research are now in the initial stages of implementation. They will observe the locations and geological conditions of earthquakes consistently and closely enough to understand what is causing them to occur more frequently in Texas. The collaborative nature of the project and the publicly available data it will produce is paramount to its success. Ellen Rathje, co-principal investigator of the CISR program, said she believes that the transparency of the project is beneficial to its success. “By making [the data] publically available, … other seismologists will have access to it for their research, and it’ll allow us, as well as the USGS — the U.S. Geological Survey — to better locate these events, which is important,” Rathje said. Rathje said that the program is aware that the link between the petroleum industry and these earthquakes is particularly subject to the well-known phenomenon of communication difficulties
between scientists and the media, especially in relation to fracking. “Our research is trying to look at those linkages between activities related to energy exploration, but there is also the chance that there could be just natural cycles in seismic activity that we could be observing,” Rathje said. In addition to researching seismic activity statewide, CISR plans to research how it can avoid public misconceptions about its geological findings. However, reservations about industry are not entirely unfounded. “It’s been widely known for decades that there are many anthropomorphic sources of seismicity,” Peter Hennings, the other co-principal investigator of the CISR program, said. These sources include mining and the geothermal industry, Water disposal, the practice of injecting waste water deep into the earth, has been implicated in several earthquakes statewide. This practice is used to dispose of waste water from many different petroleum industrial processes, including fracking. Fracking refers to the process in which fluid is injected into natural-gas rich rock formations to then extract gas, but people often use the word to refer to related processes such as the creation of wells and the disposal of waste water as well. Hennings, who worked with ConocoPhillips for 13 years prior to starting on the
CISR project, understands that companies have to be cautious about their role in environmental disturbances. Hennings said companies need to think about their societal impact as well as government regulations and profit. “Companies take these types of issues very seriously because there’s a need to maintain their license to operate. … There’s a financial license to operate and a regulatory license to operate, and then there’s also a social license to operate,” Hennings said. Petroleum companies often fund and conduct research of their own in order to prevent or minimize such hazards and maintain these licenses to operate, according to Hennings. TexNet and CISR are both part of a $4.5 million legislative fund authorized by Gov. Greg Abbott last summer. The two programs hope to address seismic issue as a middle ground, large-scale collaboration between government, academia and industry. The Bureau of Economic Geology, UT’s oldest research center and one of its largest, manages both programs. Supported by government, universities and industry, TexNet and CISR plan to work without interfering bias to benefit everyone in the struggle to understand, prevent and prepare for earthquakes statewide. As Mark Blount, head of external affairs at the Bureau, put it, “We’re going to go where the science leads us.”
Illustration by Jason Chen | Daily Texan Staff
the planets are visible again in the evenings, Dominguez and Robles said they expect a lot of people will want to see the spectacle. “It’s not every day you get to see a whole bunch of
planets, more than half of your solar system, in the night sky at once,” Robles said. “That’s something that’s definitely worth seeing.” Events like the alignment make the general public inter-
ested in astronomy, according to Dominguez. “I am really happy when stuff like this happens,” Dominguez said. “I like when people get excited about science, and that’s what this is.”
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Biology program advances software By Sachit Saksena @sachitsaksena
Genomics. Transcriptomics. Proteomics. Researchers across campus need help with the advanced software necessary in a world of “-omics” technologies. The Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CCBB), under the leadership of Hans Hofmann, provides opportunities and support for investigators using computational approaches to research questions in the life sciences. Since 2012, the CCBB has offered a bioinformatics consulting group to meet the growing demands on campus, according to Dhivya Arasappan, one of the original members of the consulting group. Arasappan said they provide high-level analysis to deal with the data advanced hardware can now collect. Another member of the consulting group, Dennis Wylie, started his career in industrial bioinformatics with biotechnology companies Seralogix and Asuragen, where he worked for seven years. He joined the CCBB in early 2015 to re-enter the academic world. Hofmann handpicked the members of the consulting group, such as Wylie and his colleague Benni Goetz, to provide the highest level of expertise. From walk-in consultations to long-term projects, the team offers
varying levels of support for all inquiries. “For some groups, we do routine stuff that they don’t have the expertise for,” Wylie said. He said that in other situations, the team gets deeply involved and contributes ideas in a more meaningful way. Wylie contributes most to a lab on campus that centers around protein degradation, where he looks at different characteristics of amino acid sequences. Otherwise, he specializes in statistics and machine learning. Goetz focuses on transcriptome assembly. The group heavily facilitates the use of the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), a group of supercomputers commissioned by UT-Austin. TACC provides the world’s eighth fastest supercomputing cluster. According to TACC’s website, one of the supercomputers can perform 10 quadrillion math operations a second. “We have an incredible resource just available here with TACC,” Goetz said. “We are dealing with massive data sets, … huge sequence files and big programs that would be impractical to run on a single computer.” The group would like to expand its reach. Many labs are heavily involved with the consulting group, but there are some labs on campus that could benefit from contacting the team, according
We are dealing with massive data sets, … huge sequence files and big programs that would be impractical to run on a single computer.” —Benni Goetz, Member of the consulting gorup
to Wylie. To take advantage of these services, researchers can contact consultants on the CCBB website. Goetz and Wylie, along with a large team at the CCBB, are working to bring life sciences research at UT up to speed in the growing world of computational biology and bioinformatics. “Pretty sure we’re going to make them all billionaires.” Goetz said. Even if this doesn’t happen, Wylie said that the CCBB is still making a significant impact on the field. “Understanding basic principles of computing and statistical analysis is valuable and is growing in importance in research,” Wylie said. “I think that medicine also stands to change a lot as a result of molecular research, and bioinformatics has a huge role to play.”
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4 OPINION WALKER FOUNTAIN, FORUM EDITOR | @TexanEditorial Thursday, February 11, 2016
4
A WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF THE DAILY TEXAN EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
FORUM
Illustration by Albert Lee | Daily Texan Staff
Campaign spending debate occupies SG By Walker Fountain Daily Texan Forum Editor @wf_atx
The Daily Texan Forum this week focuses on Student Government elections and their costs. The University of Texas Student Government passed AB 9 last week, authored by forum contributor Amber Magee, which cuts the amount of money that candidates are able to spend in SG elections roughly in half, beginning in the elections of 2017. Currently, SG spending limits allow candidates for president to spend upwards of $1,000 dollars, with lesser amounts for those running to be SG representatives and first-year representatives. The legislation intends to boost access to SG positions, thereby boosting diver-
sity as well. Its proponents believe it will enable scores of individuals to run for positions that they were previously unable to participate in. This legislation comes during a time where SG continues to face obstacles in engaging the whole student body, even in the light of Xavier Rotnofsky and Rohit Mandalapu’s victory in last year’s presidential election. Although the candidates — who made light of the SG electoral process — won the election, only around 9,000 students voted in the runoff out of a campus of 50,000, an amount viewed as high. However, there is disagreement among some with the content and timing of the legislation. As Tanner Long, SG Speaker, writes, he believes that it was the right step to make this legislation take effect in the
POINT
next election cycle, especially as the races for SG seats begin to take shape this semester. He also believes that money does not play as big of a role in SG elections as believed by the author of the legislation. As SG looks to boost voter turnout and increase student engagement with the institution, perhaps this will be the right step. But SG should make a more concerted effort to broaden its base by encouraging those outside of traditional areas of SG to run for office and engaging them for policy ideas. Time in SG breeds expertise, but new voices are just as crucial in advocating for students to the administration, city and state. Whether this legislation will truly improve student engagement remains to be seen, but Student Government’s recognition that these issues are inherent to
MULTIMEDIA
Editor-in-Chief Claire Smith and Forum Editor Walker Fountain discuss campaign spending limits in Student Government elections in this week’s Texan Talks podcast. Check out our podcast at dailytexanonline.com. the system and do not seem to be going away is a strong step. For now, those running for SG office in two weeks will face their spending limit unchanged, but next year, the process will include lower spending limits, and possibly, more diversity. Fountain is a government senior from Pelham Manor, New York.
COUNTERPOINT
Spending limits will foster Money does not ensure greater diversity in SG victory in SG elections By Amber Magee
Daily Texan Forum Contributor @NewReginaGeorge
AB 9: Campaign Finance Reform passed the Assembly on Feb. 2 and will be implemented starting fall 2016. AB 9 reduced Student Government campaign spending limits by up to 60 percent for representative elections and student body president and vice president elections. Student Government frequently omits the viewpoints of students who lack a disposable income to spend on student organizations, and AB 9 was written in hope of encouraging these students to pursue office. Student Government stands as the official voice of students at UT-Austin to administrators, the UT System, the Texas legislature and even Congress. As such, Student Government should make good efforts to speak in the best interests of the 50,000 students on the 40 Acres. While this is no easy feat, simply walking into an SG meeting will be disconcerting, as the majority of students who sit in the legislative Assembly come from only a few spaces on campus. According to the UT Dean of Students website, as of 2013, there were 5,211 student members in Interfraternity Council and University Panhellenic Council. Of 35 current members in the 2015–2016 Assembly, at least 10 of those members are from IFC/UPC and another three or four representatives are currently involved in a smaller community of spirit groups. While there is nothing inherently negative about these student leaders being active members of Student Government, one can imagine that with over 40 percent of the Assembly being heavily involved in an area of campus that holds only 10 percent of students (Greek life plus spirit groups), we are often missing a large group of students. Some students on the 40 Acres struggle with the shuttle services from East Austin, while others struggle with the increasing costs associated with living in Austin. These two issues have been largely untouched by the Assembly in years past, and the only path for advocacy is direct engagement with the students who live in these realities. I have been involved in Student Government for three years now, and each year, elections come and go without a substantial difference in the groups of students who participate in and win
elections. Under the Rotnofsky-Mandalupu administration, increasing representation and student connection with SG has been a central theme. Last May, we identified the trend in SG elections to spend a significant portion of money, and it’s a well-known fact that not all students have access to a disposable income that can be used to finance a student campaign. Last semester, students were opposed to the tuition increase because an extra $150.00 really would be a large financial burden, so it’s unfathomable to imagine that these same students would be willing to spend that money in a student election. It is true that spending excessive amounts of money in elections doesn’t always correlate to winning, but there exists a notion that you need to spend a certain amount of money in order to be competitive in SG elections. The heart of campaign finance reform was to dispel that notion and encourage more students to run from backgrounds and vantage points that SG has not seen in large numbers. As members of Student Government, we love to say that we represent students and we voice their views, but that voice has been incongruous with the true needs of students for quite some time, and AB 9 seeks to harmonize student issues with the faces of student advocacy. Magee is a public health senior from McComb, Mississippi.
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.
By Tanner Long
Daily Texan Forum Contributor @TannerLLong
No one is against increasing diversity in Student Government. I’ll also say that a vote against AB 9 — Amending Student Government Campaign Finance Limits in the Election Code — was not a vote against increasing diversity. In fact, so many representatives supported this bill that it passed through our Assembly with overwhelming support. The differences with this bill simply surrounded the timing. As a vocal proponent for postponing the bill until after this election, I believed that we, as representatives, should not be changing the rules of the game two weeks into the election process. We should be making it as smooth as possible to file for campus-wide elections, and issuing conflicting documents in the middle of an election season is not the definition of smooth. It would’ve resulted in confusion and demonstrated shortsightedness within our organization. In fact, following student body approval in March, the SG Constitution will prohibit any Election Code changes to take place during the eight weeks leading up to the election. The Assembly unanimously approved this update to our governing
SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | E-mail your Firing Lines to editor@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.
We should be making it as smooth as possible to file for campus-wide elections, and issuing conflicting documents in the middle of an election season is not the definition of smooth. document, and I hope the student body will also see the need to close this loophole. We ultimately agreed that amending the Election Code during the election season was not advantageous and unanimously approved an amendment to AB 9 that allows the proposed changes to take effect for the elections in the fall. The authors of AB 9 found an apparent issue with our structure, and I was glad to have supported the idea of AB 9 from the beginning. It’s a positive sign that we as an organization are constantly looking at all options to increase involvement. However, SG has not solved the problem of increasing diversity in our organization by simple passage of this bill, and unfortunately, no legislative action we take will result in this shared goal. I wish we could encompass all voices on campus in our 41-member assembly by a simple stroke of a pen, but that is not the case. AB 9 is a very good start to encouraging participation, and I want to dispel the myth that you need a significant amount of money to win an elected position in Student Government. Nearly 29 percent of the winning candidates last year spent $0.00. The current college representatives spent an average of $19, and our president and vice president spent only $38. When I first came to UT, I had a passion for wanting to get involved, and I let that motivate me to file for the election. Visiting student groups and interacting on a one-on-one level is the most important aspect. A good portion of this Assembly, along with our president and vice president, can attest to the importance of wanting to get involved and not letting the perceived notion that money is a sure victory influence our actions. Long is a government senior from Aledo.
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 newsstand where you found it. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanEditorial) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.
CLASS 5 5
Thursday, February 11, 2016
DETENTION
continues from page 1 in childcare and are not suitable for children; metal detectors have been placed at the entrance. Inside, families sleep on bunk beds in cinder block rooms. Hines said officers have prevented some mothers from letting their children walk or crawl on the floors, which can hinder their development. The centers are located in remote areas, which make it difficult for many detained women to receive legal counsel. Those that fail to find legal representation are often deported, and those that do find a lawyer are eligible for expedited removal. In this process, women meet with an officer to discuss their immigration in a threshold interview. If the woman’s case is deemed worthy of asylum, she will not immediately be deported. Often, the interviews take place before the trauma the women have suffered has been realized. Some interviews must be done over the phone and with the assistance of an interpreter. Steglich said the passing rate of these interviews has dropped significantly in the past few years. One woman she spoke to, who failed the interview, was desperate to avoid returning to her home country, terrified her daughter would be killed in gang violence. “It should be that everyone [is] given access to the court in order to fully present and develop their facts and overall context,” Steglich said. “Instead, we see a good percentage of women and children prohibited from going to court on their claims.”
FIREWATCH
continues from page 8 ship between the two leads. Henry and Delilah’s connection develops organically, letting the player experience their relationship as it develops and display-
Mothers who have established credible fear may be released from the detention centers, but are assigned ankle bracelets. The bracelets are monitored by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office for anywhere from a few weeks to a year. Steglich said the companies that run the detention centers also run the ankle monitoring companies and that the industry is highly for-profit. Senior government major Montse Alatorre’s brother was detained at the Rolling Plains Regional Jail detention center for several months. Phone calls, monetary transfers and food expenses cost her family about $100 per week. If detainees wish to work within the centers, they are paid no more than a few dollars per hour. “This has been happening for years,” Alatorre said. “It’s very much a money-making business.” Hines said it costs over $300 per day for each person detained in one of the South Texas centers. She suggests instead of spending the money on detention center, direct that money toward legal representation for the asylumseeking families. Steglich said she believes the violence in Central America needs to be addressed on a larger scale to stop the inflow of immigrants. “[The United States] is not only doing irreparable harm to the women and children we’re detaining and deporting,” Steglich said. “It’s a black mark on [the country’s] reputation.”
ing how volatile human interaction can be. Their conversations blend tension, humor and emotion, creating a connection with the player — a feat that is rarely achieved. Impeccable voice acting helps make this aspect
MOVIE REVIEW | ‘DEADPOOL’
‘Deadpool’ breaks comic norm with ‘meta-humor’ By Charles Liu
In “Deadpool,” Ryan Reynold plays an antihero with a potty mouth, delivering comedy and fast-paced action.
@CharlieInDaHaus
Just like Christopher Reeve owned Superman and Robert Downey Jr. owns Iron Man, Ryan Reynolds owns Deadpool, Marvel’s infamous Mercenary with a Mouth. This anti-hero commonly breaks the fourth wall in his comic appearances, engages in hyper-violent action and isn’t appropriate for kids. After a devastatingly bad adaptation of the character graced the silver screen in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” 20th Century Fox’s second try, “Deadpool,” carries over some elements from the comics and will please most moviegoers in spite of its weaknesses. As Deadpool himself declares, this R-rated superhero flick is a love story. Deadpool was once Wade Wilson, an exmilitary specialist suffering from, as he calls it, “el cancer.” When he is offered a cure by a mysterious man, he leaves his beloved girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), behind and subjects himself to a series of torturous experiments run by Ajax (Ed Skrein), a mutant who is immune to pain. The process heavily scars his body and transforms him into a mutant with advanced regenerative capabilities. Wade manages to escape from captivity and, with the help of his friend Weasel (T.J. Miller), sets out to exact revenge on Ajax — Wade takes to calling him by his real name, Francis, just to annoy
him. When Ajax kidnaps Vanessa, Wade must rescue her with the help of two X-Men, Colossus (Stefan Kapičić) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand). “Deadpool” offers a heavy dose of meta-humor that pokes fun at Reynolds’ failed “Green Lantern,” superhero movie clichés and Hugh Jackman’s manly beauty. Deadpool occasionally turns to the camera and addresses the audience, much to the confusion of the characters around him, and his antics involve splattering his enemies, casually lopping off heads, doling out catchphrases (“Maximum effort!”) and throwing tantrums over his wounds. To top it off, director Tim Miller and writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Rheese plug in clever, though juvenile, innuendo whenever they can. There are rarely moments when viewers will not laugh. “Deadpool” reliably sticks
the landing from its hilarious opening credits (the text on screen declares the movie stars “God’s Perfect Idiot” and is directed by “An Overpaid Tool”) to its perfect post-credits scene. There are two big action sequences in the movie. The first is an inventively staged highway battle that gets the picture off to a rousing start, while the second is climactic showdown filled with funny quips and asides. The middle act features smaller yet bloodier fights, where the focus leans more on humor than violence. Deadpool’s insane combat methods are more villainous than the average superhero’s, though Colossus suggests he might one day join the X-Men. Sequel bait, anyone? Reynolds proves a capable and charming action lead, and his comedic timing is on point. Though his good looks aren’t on display
for most of the picture, his quick wit is. Even at his most despicable, Deadpool is thoroughly likable. Baccarin doesn’t get much to do other than play off Reynolds, but the chemistry is between them is strong. Perhaps Fox thought “Deadpool” needed a familiar plot thread to get audiences on board with its unconventional character, but the origin story is a misstep. The revelation of how Deadpool came to be, the revenge plot and the dull Ajax prove the most uninteresting parts of such an irreverent and chaotic movie. It’s a little disappointing — why settle for the bouncy ball when the sandbox is filled with bigger, better toys? Thankfully, the film mostly succeeds due to Reynolds’ talent, the sharp dialogue and Miller’s direction. Though this Deadpool feature is flawed, it certainly feels like a maximum effort.
of the narrative feel real. Whether the characters are being funny, terrified or sad, their emotions are conveyed with genuine sincerity. When combined with the game’s adult subject matter, “Firewatch” becomes highly immer-
sive, leading the player to envision the two leads not as fantastical fictional characters but as something human. Due to the nature of “Firewatch,” the gameplay is little more than walking around the beautiful
environment listening to Henry and Delilah joke around with the occasional environmental interaction. Fans of exploration will be delighted to explore a surprisingly diverse forest, but players with a more action centric game in mind
will be disappointed. “Firewatch” is an oddity within gaming, playing out more like book than a video game. It’s a character piece about two broken people that strikes at the core of the human condition.
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
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JACOB MARTELLA, SPORTS EDITOR | @texansports Thursday, February 11, 2016
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Longhorns take down Oklahoma State By Tyler Horka
SIDELINE NBA SPURS
@TexasTy95
Texas found itself in a tight battle with a team that it dominated earlier in the season. The Longhorns beat Oklahoma State by 30 points on the road over a month ago, but the team went into halftime Wednesday night holding just a 31-27 advantage. After the break, however, the Longhorns exerted their dominance over the Cowgirls, shooting 60 percent from the field in the second half en route to a 70-55 win. “I’m really pleased with this win,” head coach Karen Aston said. “I thought Oklahoma State was playing terrific basketball. They’re constantly putting pressure on you to defend.” Oklahoma State, winners of six-straight heading into the game, led for much of the first half after hitting a couple of three-pointers in the game’s opening minutes, forcing Aston to call an early timeout to wake her team up. “It seemed like we were a little bit frozen to start the game,” Aston said. “I don’t know whether we were nervous because we knew that this would be a challenging game or we just needed our motors to start going.” Sophomore guards Ariel Atkins and Brooke McCarty were all over the court following the timeout. Atkins lost her balance on one play
MAGIC
CLIPPERS
CELTICS
LAKERS
CAVALIERS
TOP TWEET Mack Brown @ESPN_CoachMack Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff
Sophomore guard Brooke McCarty drives to the basket. McCarty ended the night with 18 points on 70 percent shooting in a 70-55 Texas win. The Longhorns advanced to 22—1 on the season with the victory. They will take on Oklahoma on Saturday.
but managed to lob a pass to McCarty before falling out of bounds with just over six minutes left in the first half. McCarty drove the length of the court and laid it in to give Texas a 23-21 lead. The lead was Texas’ first since it led 2-0 at the 9:23 mark of the first quarter. McCarty finished with 18 points on 70 percent shooting. She’s shot a team-high 41.6 percent from beyond
the arc this season but did not attempt a single three on Wednesday. “We have an attacking mindset,” McCarty said. “Coach Travis [Mays] comes in every day and tells us that we have to be aggressive.” The Cowgirls pulled to within one early in the third quarter, but the Longhorns answered with an 11-0 run to take a 44-32 lead midway through the quarter.
Oklahoma State tried to make multiple runs to get back into the game, but Texas had an answer every time. The victory marked the second-consecutive game in which the Longhorns started slow against an opponent they previously beat. The Longhorns beat Iowa State by 21 on Jan. 6 but trailed by four in the rematch on Saturday before coming back to win 65-49. Aston said the growth of
the team’s sophomores on her roster is the reason why her team pulls through late in games despite starting slowly. “It’s a sign of maturity that we don’t get bothered by great starts or bad starts,” Aston said. “For a while, we thought every game was going to be a blowout because of the way we were starting. We now understand it’s not going to be like that.”
MEN’S BASKETBALL | COLUMN
WOMEN’S SOFTBALL
Longhorns must win marquee matchups
Seniors look to lead team back to Oklahoma City
By Akshay Mirchandani @amirchandani41
Shaka Smart said it best. The morning after No. 24 Texas had its heart ripped out by Buddy Hield’s game winner for No. 3 Oklahoma in Norman, the head coach said moral victories aren’t what he’s looking for. “I think a moral victory is more of a media thing, to be honest with you,” Smart said. “I’ve never really believed in that. I think whether you win or lose you want to learn from the game.” Still, even after losing to Oklahoma and Hield — who Smart called an “assassin” — Texas has plenty to be happy about. The Longhorns are enjoying their first week in the AP Top 25 poll, have a few marquee wins on their resume and haven’t sunk in a tough Big 12 conference after losing senior center Cameron Ridley. But the next three weeks will paint a vivid picture about where these Longhorns are heading into March. A road date with No. 14 Iowa State is next on the docket, followed by a home game with No. 10 West Virginia. Oklahoma, No. 6 Kansas and No. 21 Baylor each visit the Frank Erwin Center in February. The Longhorns also have to travel to Oklahoma State and Kansas State — the Wildcats actually beat Oklahoma at home. All of those games are winnable, judging by what Texas has done in the past. But, in this league, anyone can beat anyone. Such is life in this year’s Big 12.
The Longhorns currently have sole possession of second place “fourth place, one game back of Kansas, Oklahoma and West Virginia in the conference and already have a solid NCAA Tournament resume with wins over North Carolina, Baylor, West Virginia and Iowa State. The key for Texas is building on that. The Longhorns’ ceiling is probably a Sweet 16 team if they get on a roll heading into the tournament. Most projections currently have Texas as a No. 4 or No. 5 seed, and, given how Texas has played lately, it’s possible to envision them winning two games to break into the Sweet 16. But, the better the seed, the better the chance Texas has to advance in March. The Longhorns’ remaining schedule may look like a murderer’s row at first glance, but Smart views them as opportunities. The opportunity Texas has is to improve its NCAA resume even further, and get hot going into the Big Dance. A realistic record for Texas in these final seven games is something along the lines of 4–3 — which would boost its resume and momentum going into the postseason. Doing better than that is a huge plus, while faltering down the stretch would drop them drastically seeding-wise. Losing a winnable game to Oklahoma certainly stings, but Texas has the chance to come out of February feeling as confident as anyone. It’ll be wins, not moral victories, that give them that boost.
Joshua Guerra | Daily Texan Staff
Head coach Shaka Smart has led Texas to a 16–8 record in his first year as coach. Smart previously coached at VCU.
“Congrats to Texas Soccer on a great recruiting class. They just keep getting better and better each year!”
TODAY IN HISTORY
1990
Unheralded boxer Buster Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson to win the heavyweight championship. Douglas’ knockout ranks as one of the greatest upsets in boxing history.
SPORTS BRIEFLY Bevo XV to be unveiled against Notre Dame
Gabriel Lopez | Daily Texan file photo
Texas softball looks to return to the Women’s College World Series after falling short the past two years. Opening night for the Longhorns is on Feb. 11 as they take on Arkansas.
By Isabel Miller @thedailytexan
Three years ago, the Longhorns made it to college softball’s spiritual home — Oklahoma City. After six-straight years of falling short, Texas finally advanced to the Women’s College World Series before failing to reach the championship series. But that was 2013. The freshmen on that team are now seniors, and with the 2016 season starting Thursday night against Arkansas, they are looking to get back to the Sooner state. “In previous years, we had people that said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to make it to the World Series,’ but they weren’t necessarily backing it up and actually believing that,” senior outfielder Lindsey Stephens said. “Now, we have all 19 girls who know and believe that we deserve to be in the World Series, and we can do it.” The Longhorns’ hopes of a return to the World Series are bolstered by the return of all but two players from last year’s squad. Stephens led the team
with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs in 2015, while junior third baseman Devon Tunning led the team in batting average. Senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo — who finished last year with 22 RBIs — said that confidence will be key for the Longhorns. “If you don’t start every year out as if you are going to be the number one team at the end, the team mentality is very different,” Ceo said. Texas’ path to Oklahoma City, however, has already hit a roadblock before the season has even begun. The team announced Tuesday that sophomore pitcher Erica Wright will be out indefinitely while nursing a rib injury. Wright impressed onlookers in 2015 with a stellar freshman campaign, leading the team with an 18–9 record, 2.42 ERA and 178 strikeouts. Junior pitcher Tiarra Davis will likely step into the ace role. Davis had a strong freshman season herself before fading back last year, appearing 20 times with a 3.60 ERA an injury. But Davis said
dealing with the injury gave her a new outlook on pitching. “I think my mindset now is better than ever,” Davis said. “Coming back from an injury, you learn how to be a better teammate and student of the game.” Texas’ matchup with Arkansas is the first of five games that will play this weekend. The Longhorns will also face North Carolina and North Dakota State. Arkansas enters this season after posting a 16–37 record last season, including just one win in the SEC. North Carolina and North Dakota State are coming off of seasons featuring an NCAA Tournament appearance. But as the season gets under way, head coach Connie Clark said she’s focused more on how her own team performs rather than the name of the opponent. “Quite honestly, it’s really about us,” Clark said. “It’s about our execution, us attacking those segment goals that we talked about, having quality at bats and having our pitchers make their pitch.”
The search for Bevo XV is over, but fans will have to wait almost seven months before knowing the results. Tuesday night, the Student Government Twitter account announced that the new live mascot for Texas will be revealed at the Texas football’s season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 3. The arrival of Bevo XV will come during the 100-year anniversary of the steer, who made his first appearance as a mascot in 1916 at the annual Thanksgiving game between Texas and Texas A&M. The university has been without a mascot since Bevo XIV retired in late October after the 2,100-pound Longhorn was diagnosed with bovine leukemia virus. He passed away six days after Texas’ 24-17 win over Oklahoma. “Bevo XIV has served the university and the Longhorns family extremely well in his tenure,” men’s athletics director Mike Perrin said in a news release after the retirement was announced. “We are thrilled he heads into retirement with a victory over Oklahoma as his last game, and look forward to welcoming Bevo XV, who will be the same strong symbol his fourteen predecessors have been since 1916.” The UT Silver Spurs Alumni Association will be the official caretaker for Bevo XV.
—Mark Skol
COMICS 7
COMICS
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Thursday, February 11, 2016
SUDOKUFORYOU
Today’s solution will appear here next issue
3 8 5 4 6 5 1 6 4 8 1 7 5 8 3 5 3 2 2 4 2
2 5 2 4 1 5 3
9 6 4 6 8
7 1 5 2 3 6 8 4 9
9 8 3 4 1 5 6 2 7
2 6 4 7 9 8 1 3 5
4 5 1 3 6 9 7 8 2
3 2 6 8 7 4 9 5 1
8 7 9 1 5 2 3 6 4
6 3 7 5 4 1 2 9 8
1 4 8 9 2 3 5 7 6
5 9 2 6 8 7 4 1 3
8 L&A
CAT CARDENAS, LIFE&ARTS EDITOR | @thedailytexan Thursday, February 11, 2016
8
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Scientists explore moving down a gene size By Eunice Ali @euniceali
Many wish that research on genes could help them fit into their skinny jeans, but scientists said more work still needs to be done before successful genetically-based weight loss programs can become a reality. A group of researchers led by nutritional sciences professor Molly Bray found initial evidence that weight loss efforts can be customized to specific genetic information in the body, as published in the journal Obesity. In the review, scientists discussed links between body weight and certain genes, such as those for energy processing, appetite control and fat cell production. The ultimate goal of the research is to develop a way of designing personalized weight maintenance plans that could be altered for each individual based on their genetic codes. This is known as the precision method. Co-author Ruth Loos, director of the Genetics of Obesity and Related Metabolic Traits Program and professor of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, said weight gain
and weight loss are influenced not only by environment, but also by genetics. “We discussed the current status of genetic body weight regulation — why some people gain and lose weight more easily than others,” Loos said. “Our main conclusion is that there is definitely something innate to gaining weight and losing weight. There is an environmental component — some people eat more or are more physically active — but that is not the only [factor].” Loos said the researchers looked into 60 genes that influence weight factors such as the brain and fat storage. “What we’ve learned, of the many genetic studies, is that the genes we’ve identified seem to act predominantly in the brain,” Loos said. “The brain controls our food intake and willpower — hunger and satiety. The brain is a crucial, critical organ that can make you susceptible.” Loos said research in this area is still in its early stage, and thus needs more data before scientists can make recommendations for the public. “Some people claim they can use genetics to prescribe your diet, but these
claims are overstated,” Loos said. “I don’t think at this point we can say, ‘This person has this and this features, so this person has to eat a certain way’ — there is no uniformed diet that works for everybody.” Annie Mahon, a registered dietitian at UHS, offers individual appointments for customized meal plans. Mahon said genebased weight loss methods are not yet widely used. “The reason why someone is overweight or obese is multigenetic,” Mahon said. “It’s more complex than [simply looking at a specific gene].” Neurobiology senior Eve Sharifi said she had heard of the method from her classes. However, Sharifi said she would approach it with caution. Her current approach to maintaining a healthy weight includes cooking her own meals and participating in intramural swimming. “It’s a lot related to metabolism and how different people have the same genes [which are] turned on and off for different metabolic activities,” Sharifi said. “I would be more interested in losing weight in more natural methods, like exercising.” Biology freshman
CAMPUS
Illustration by Jasmin LeLauti | Daily Texan Staff
Christopher Ha said he had never heard of the method, but would be interested in trying it. Loos said a new initiative by President Obama will help scientists
better understand how genes interact in the body. Beginning this summer, researchers funded by the newly launched $215 million Precision Medicine Initiative will start collecting data aimed to
provide patient-specific approaches for different treatments. “This [initiative] is really needed to understand innate processes [of genetics] better,” Loos said.
GAMES
Review: ‘Firewatch’ brings unique, realistic experience to game world By Brian O’Kelly @mildlyusedbrain
Illustration by Jason Cheon | Daily Texan Staff
UT professors suggest four literary favorites for students By Cameron Osmond @CameronOsmond
Students don’t think twice about asking professors for academic advice, but they rarely approach professors when they’re looking for book, movie or music recommendations. This week, The Daily Texan asked professors to share their favorite literary work. Chris Kirk, anthropology professor A finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for biography and autobiography, “Grant” tells the turbulent life story of President Ulysses S. Grant from his days as one of America’s greatest and most revolutionary generals to later receiving heavy criticism during his presidency. “One of my favorite reads in recent years is ‘Grant,’” Kirk said. “It’s not just for Civil War buffs and presidential historians — it’s a well-written account of an extraordinary life. It’s also a great reminder that hard times don’t necessarily last forever. A few years before the Civil War, [President] Grant sold firewood on a street corner in order to make ends meet. Less than a decade later, he was commanding general of the U.S. Army.”
Greg Knapp, geography professor The “Autobiographical Novel” by Kenneth Rexroth is exactly what it claims to be. Rexroth’s memories come alive with rich characters and a thought-provoking depiction of the “California literary renaissance,” a literary movement that Rexroth fronted himself. “Rexroth was a highly influential poet and essayist who helped found the California counterculture,” Knapp said. “He knew many artists and writers and was also an early environmentalist who pursued backpacking in the mountains as a lifestyle. I had the good fortune to meet him. He remains an inspiration for those who wish to combine the goals of poverty reduction, environmental conservation and respect for global cultures. The book is a lightly fictionalized look at a gallery of entertaining characters.” Robert Jensen, journalism professor “How to Be a Poet” is layered within award-winning writer Wendell Berry’s collection, “Given: New Poems,” an assembly of works that explore various themes, including political musings and reflections on love. “Berry’s poem has stuck with me the most,” Jensen
said. “It’s a reminder that life can be lived outside of screens. Screens bring information and entertain us, but every year, every generation, we are more tethered to screens. Wendell Berry’s poem is a reminder that life can be lived outside of a screen. The poem has three lines that I can’t shake: ‘There are no unsacred places. There are only sacred places and desecrated places.’” Rachel Wellhausen, government professor Written in the years following one of America’s greatest financial collapses, “13 Bankers: The Wall Street Takeover and the Next Financial Meltdown” describes why the dire economic crisis occurred and explores what can be done to prevent a subsequent disaster. “There are a lot of great — and infuriating — books about the causes and consequences of the Great Recession,” Wellhausen said. “One superb option is ‘13 Bankers.’ Johnson and Kwak pinpoint people in industry and government who shaped the inadequate response to the crisis. Their work inspired me to think more about the individuals behind what we sometimes assume are faceless, nameless forces in the global political economy.”
Unlike Herculean figures that take the lead in most video games, Henry is a simple man who’s running from his past. Henry is a human, a seemingly random and self-evident fact that speaks to the power of the “Firewatch” narrative. Henry finds refuge in Wyoming, where he volunteers to alienate himself from reality and serve as lookout for park services. His one tether to humanity is his boss Delilah, a park ranger who instructs Henry throughout the game over a walkie talkie. “Firewatch” is told exclusively through the dialogue between Henry and Delilah, with the gameplay used to immerse the player. The game’s ambiance plays a pivotal role in supporting the narrative with visually appropriate sceneries and gripping music directing the player’s state of mind
Photo courtesy of Campo Santo| Daily Texan Staff
“Firewatch” tells a gripping yet odd tale, closer to an immerse movie then a traditional video game.
throughout the adventure. The game’s atmosphere and story orchestrate a truly rich, thematic experience. While the game begins as a pleasant nature walk away from the woes of the world, strange events involving two teenage girls and an unidentified figure disrupt the tranquility, leaving the player unnerved. The mood of the environment changes fittingly with the story, as mystery creates a sense of paranoia which mars the landscapes
with watching eyes. Without spoiling anything, the game’s ending is a weak point. While the conclusion hides a deep, mature message, it is cruelly anticlimactic and rushed. The tension the game so wonderfully builds up is resolved in a matter of minutes but leaves the player thinking long after the screen goes dark. The plot arc is overshadowed by the relation-
FIREWATCH page 5