The Daily Texan 7-27-10

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SPORTS PAGE 8

48 Hours reports from Kosovo, the youngest nation in the world

Big 12 media days kick off in Irving LIFE&ARTS PAGE 7

WORLD&NATION PAGE 3

Is gluten-free the way to be?

THE DAILY TEXAN Tuesday, July 27, 2010

TODAY Calendar ‘I don’t feel it anymore’ William Fitzsimmons returns to the Cactus Cafe for a show with special guest Rosi Golan at 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 at the door.

‘Am I groovin’ U?’

Local singer-songwriter Toni Price plays the Continental Club at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $7.

Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900

TOMORROW’S WEATHER

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Energy service aimed at fans, alumni University licenses name to renewable energy utility available throughout Texas By Aaron West Daily Texan Staff On Monday, the University unveiled its plan for Texas Longhorns Energy, an innovative energy service concept that will power support for UT while electrifying consumers with a 100-percent

renewable energy plan. Branded Retail Energy Co. and Champion Energy Services, based in Dallas and Houston respectively, have teamed up with UT’s athletic department in the initiative, which is planned to go online in mid-August. Branded Energy is charged with sales, marketing and advertising in the form of stadium signs, UT alumni and sport publications and electronic media. Champion Ener-

gy, which is licensed by the state to provide energy to consumers, will cover everything from writing contracts to providing power and sending out bills. The idea is that the energy service will be paired with the University’s brand, an affiliation facilitated by IMG College, the company that holds the licensing rights to UT. The energy service aims to benefit from the energized support of the fans and alumni who stand

behind UT, and to cut costs usually spent on traditional advertising. The avoided costs will go back to fund the University’s athletic program and to support the recycling, sustainability and energy conservation efforts on campus. “We saw an opportunity to generate additional funds for UT and to give people a meaningful choice in their electricity provider,” said Larry Weil, chief marketing officer at Branded Energy. “Es-

Inside

were younger, so you don’t want to listen to me read.” The crowd laughed and Cannon stepped aside to make room for White at the front of the group. “Thank you all. Thanks for showing up for a Saturday morning job interview,” White said before he was interrupted by some of the crowd members, who were urging him to climb part of the way up the staircase so his voice

By Nolan Hicks Daily Texan Staff FORT WORTH — Gov. Rick Perry faced a barrage of questions Monday about a Burnet County land deal that netted him $800,000 before taxes, as well as the Texas Forensic Science Commission’s preliminary findings in the Cameron Todd Willingham case. Perry spoke at a press conference before addressing the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas convention, a group both Bill White and Perry are courting in an attempt to gain its endorsement. “I believe that the system of justice in Texas was carried out properly,” Perry said. “Even the defense lawyer was guilty of the crime, and he was punished appropriately by the people of Texas.” The commission found that “flawed evidence” was used to justify the finding of arson in bringing murder charges against Willingham. Three separate investigations of the prosecution’s case by the Chicago Tribune, Innocence Project and the commission found significant problems with key evidence used by the prosecution to gain murder convictions. Most of the questions at the press conference centered around the land deal that was reported in The Dallas Morning News on Sunday. Perry had purchased a piece of land on Horseshoe Bay from state Sen. Troy Fraser, a childhood friend, for $300,000 — $100,000

CAMPAIGN continues on page 2

PERRY continues on page 2

In Opinion: Education meets social networking page 4

In Sports: A&M QB Jerrod Johnson causes a stir page 8

In Life&Arts:

TV Tuesday takes a look at reality cooking shows page 7

Campus watch Checking cards

“One moment you are in the darkest, most depressive moment ... and then, the war ends. Then all of the sudden there is hope. ... You start from zero. For the first time in history you are free. That drive, that optimism, of somebody who is free for the first time is the driving force of Kosovo’s development.” — Petrit Selimi columnist at Kosovo’s Express Daily WORLD&NATION PAGE 3

ENERGY continues on page 2

Perry fields questions on land deal, arson case

Bugs Bunny is introduced in the animated short “A Wild Hare.”

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sentially, with each customer that signs up, the University will receive a share. We expect the program to generate well into seven figures a year ... and we’re giving that money to UT because it supports the University and 100-percent renewable energy.” Texas Longhorns Energy, which will only be available to customers in areas of Texas where

Candidates hit the road in bid for votes

In 1940

Quote to note

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Today in history

200 Block of West Seventh Street A non-UT subject was seen arguing with two UT staff members and was demanding to see their “green cards.” The subject then demanded to see the officer’s green card as the officer began his investigation. The officer detected a very strong odor of alcohol on the subject’s breath and noted the subject’s lack of balance as he attempted to stand. The subject was taken into custody for Public Intoxication and was transported to Central Booking. Occurred Saturday at 9:16 p.m.

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Lauren Gerson | Daily Texan Staff

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White signs an autograph for a supporter at the Belle-Jim Hotel in Jasper on Saturday afternoon. Jasper was just one of the stops on White’s tour of East Texas.

White tears through rural Texas on campaign trail to Governor’s Mansion By Nolan Hicks Daily Texan Staff HOUSTON — Campaign lawn signs neatly lined the yard, cars were backed up because of a lack of parking spots and inside the Victorian home that now serves as the Woodbine Hotel, there was standing room only. A woman standing near the staircase, which was going to be used as the podium, attempted to get the crowd’s attention. This event in Madisonville was the first of eight for Bill White

in East Texas on Saturday. time to introduce White. “Good morning,” yelled Laura “In 12 weeks, we’re going to be Cannon, the Madison County in early voting, so it’s time for Democratic Party chairus to get serious about woman, a couple of this,” she said. ON THE WEB: times to no avail. An She proceeded to Check out more older man in a cowrecite some of White’s photos from White’s boy hat spoke up to resume and concludcampaign trail help her. ed by referencing “Can she have y’all’s her past as one of the @dailytexan online.com attention please?” he town’s teachers. shouted. And with that, “I think that’s enough the roar of the chatter in the said. There’s a lot more you room died down. can find out by reading, but I Cannon spoke up again, this read to some of y’all when y’all

Alumnus formulates ‘miracle cream’ Civilian turns to own medical research to help lower his blood-glucose levels By Collin Eaton Daily Texan Staff Five years ago, Ken Russell, a 1972 UT alumnus, needed to find a quick, low-tech solution to a problem: his own diabetes. Russell, then 55 years old, refused to take doctorprescribed doses of insulin, but he had a high-speed computer, a glucose meter and a “very compliant, 180-pound lab rat” — himself. With no background in biology or chemistry, he reviewed about 30,000 abstracts in scientific studies. In the first year of his research, he learned only enough medical lingo to manipulate Google searches for relevant studies. Eventually, he created a pill that lowered his blood-glucose level and enabled him to increase his walking distance from two to nine miles, even with a 60-pound backpack. Last year, he turned that same, unpatented concept into a pink body lotion laden with chromium, vitamins and oils. “Desperation was a key ingredient in my motivation set,” Russell said. “There were no alternatives for me. It was life or death, literally, and death wasn’t even the real motivator. It’s the dying part, the disease part and the extended, unsavory life part. It was either invest in a short-barrel gun or find a solution set.” In 2007, 23.6 million Americans — about 7.8 perDanielle Villasana | Daily Texan Staff cent of the U.S. population — had diabetes. Each year, an average of 1.6 million new cases emerges, UT alumnus Ken Russell holds a bottle of homemade pink body lotion that he uses to help lower his blood-glucose levels. LOTION continues on page 2

Bedbugs infest homes, sweep through nation By David Colby Daily Texan Staff Bedbug infestations are on the rise across the country and at UT after decades of being under the radar. Bedbugs, small parasites that feed on human blood, were once thought by many to have been virtually eliminated in the United States. In recent years, however, bedbugs have started to infest homes and hotels around the country. The University has also seen an increase in the number of bedbugs in recent years. However, through proper training and prompt treatment, UT has kept bedbug infestations in dormitories under control. “We have had five or six cases in the past two years,” said Randy Porter, associate director of facilities in the Division of Food and Housing. “Our main goal is to prevent them, and if we do have them, our goal is to treat them immediately. For bad cases we will treat the adjacent rooms to make sure we get them all.”

Porter said all the cases the University has dealt with have been in the Jester Center, where built- Bedbug specimen in furniture makes prevention and treatment more difficult than in other dorms on campus. “We do about four to five jobs a week for bedbug infestation,” said Janis Reed, an entomologist at ABC Pest Control in Austin. While the reason for the resurgence in bedbug infestations is unknown, most experts agree that humans are responsible. “International travel is a major cause of the spread of bedbugs,” Porter said. “Bedbugs in some countries are just a way of life, and they can be transported back here on a person’s belongings without anyone knowing.” Other possible explanations for the increase in bedbugs deal with

BUGS continues on page 2


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