The Houstonian

Check out Firefest today at 7 p.m. at Intramural Field 3

Huntsville, Texas

Vol 114 — Issue 18

Thursday, October 22, 2009

JAVA CITY CAFE

The answer to Starbucks

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of Java City was held at the Newton Gresham Library. Java City is considered a great asset for any student who finds themselves craving coffee at the library, but finds the Starbucks on campus too far to walk. Some of the attendees at the ceremony were SHSU President Dr. James Gaertner (center), Sammy the Bearkat, and members of the Orange Pride dance team. Java City sells hand-roasted coffees, iced and blended drinks, and fresh baked pastries.

They are open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

IDENTITY CRISIS

Huntsville Police see rise in identity theft

By Jessica Priest

Contributing Writer

Shocked and confused, junior Terry Thomas checked his bank statement and noticed a charge he did not make.

His online statement said he spent $200 for a Paypal transaction, but he did not have a Paypal account.

“I was definitely a little frustrated because I had never had anything like this happen to me,” Thomas said.

“I am fairly careful about my online purchases.”

That day Thomas joined the ranks of countless victims of identity theft, a crime that is quickly becoming Huntsville Police Department’s number one problem.

Senior Colin McCown experienced a similar situation when he discovered fraudulent charges made to his Bank of America account this past summer.

“I didn’t really get why this would happen since I am an average college student with little money in my bank account,” McCown said.

While McCown is uncertain of how the thief was able to steal his information, he believes the viruses infecting his old computer might have been a factor.

“I think the biggest thing

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

Major problem. Many believe that the economic meltdown is one of the reasons identity theft cases have skyrocketed.

about having my credit card information stolen was that

WHAT’S ON THE WEB Visit our website to participate in our latest poll or post your comments on the stories in this issue at houstonianonline.com!

$650 of overdraft fees in addition to the amount that was stolen,” McCown said.

Both Terry and McCown’s banks refunded their money in a timely manner, but some victims are not as lucky.

Stories like these have become commonplace to the Huntsville Police Department, which say they typically get two to three calls a day about identity theft.

In the past year, identity theft cases have soared to 500% at HPD. At this rate, Huntsville and its inhabitants might see a nearly 750% hike by the end of the year.

“Most identity theft cases are a result of data breaches,” Police Officer Joe Thorton said.

According to Thorton, a data breach occurs when a company or banking institution’s information is stolen or hacked into via a computer. Data breaches are alarmingly common in today’s high tech world.

400 million businesses have reported data breaches since 2005, and a lot of theft goes undetected.

“Most [identity theft] cases occur out of the state, and there is nothing in place to try to track down the problem. Plus, a lot of

they only took $77. But because of that, I accumulated — See IDENTITY, page 4

FEATURE PRESENTATION

Entertainment editor Kevin Jukkola reveals the results of his weekly poll.

SEE page 5

TCU professor to talk about food contamination SHSU Public Relations

Matt Chumchal, assistant professor of biology at Texas Christian University, will discuss his research on “food webs of the South Central U.S.” on Thursday (Oct. 22).

The Biological Sciences Department Seminar Series lecutre will be held from 4-5 p.m. in Lee Drain Building Room 214.

Chumchal’s research, “Patterns of HG Contamination in Food Webs of the South Central US: Potential Causes and Consequences,” focuses on the mercury contamination of fishes in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.

“Mercury contamination in fishes is an important issue because it can accumulate in humans and have negative consequences for human health,” said Chad Hargrave, assistant professor in SHSU’s biological sciences department. “In this light, Chumchal will demonstrate the trends in contamination across this region highlighting areas that are highly contaminated, and he will discuss the reason — See SERIES, page 4

FIREFEST 2009

Annual event prepares for game against Stephen F. Austin

By Kristin Meyer Senior Reporter

Heat, fuel and oxygen.

What do these three things added together create? One fiery pep rally to pump up students for the SHSU vs.

SFA football game, the 84th annual Battle of the Piney Woods.

Firefest will be held on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 7pm10pm at Intramural Field #3.

A roaring bonfire, profes-

sional fireworks, activities, food and fun will greet students who attend Firefest, along with a t-shirt for students who have their Bearkat OneCards.

“The football team will be there, along with the cheerleaders and dance team,” Brandon Cooper of Student Activities said. “There will be all kinds of games, activities, giveaways and food to — See FIREFEST, page 4

Thomas Boydston | Former Houstonian Photographer

2008 Firefest. Sammy the Bearkat celebrates during the setting of the bonfire and explosion of the fireworks during the grand finale of last year’s Firefest.

INDEX

Nation & World...page 4

Opinions................page 2

Entertainment........page 5

Campus................page 3

Sports....................page 6

OPINIONS

Page 2 The Houstonian

SPECIAL EDITION THE 2 A.M. DRINKING LAW: IS IT A GOOD IDEA?

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Letter to the Student Body

Dear Sam Houston Students, Staff and Faculty and Alumni: The Houstonian would not survive were it not for the continued involvement and dedication of the SHSU student body.

We welcome all column submissions and letters to the editor.

If at any time you feel the need to express an opinion, please do not hesitate to email your thoughts or drop by our office in the Dan Rather communications building. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you as always for your continued support of the Houstonian.

Addison Reed Opinions Editor dar015@shsu.edu

Key Words: A modest proposal.

Deciding what’s better.

Jerusha Rodgers

discusses why she feels

that alcohol ought to be served in bars after midnight.

When the discussion of what time bars should close in Huntsville arises, we get lots of arguments on both sides of the issue. In many ways, it is being perceived as a divider between students who live here to go to school, and residents who live here because this is their home.

Each has their own goals for the town and their best interests in mind. But, the question still remains, what is best for Huntsville?

Should bars close at 2 a.m. like so many other cities and college towns, or should we stick to the status quo and leave closing time at 12 a.m. with the night young and possibilities endless?

From the economic perspective, the best interest of Huntsville is to gain as much capital as possible.

When a simple change could potentially increase the capital gain dramatically, it seems suspect to oppose it so vehemently.

Why would someone

who advocates the success of a town oppose something that could help its economic status? When bars close at 2 a.m., the establishment gets to make two more hours of profit, the bartenders and waitresses get two more hours to make tips, and the patrons get two more hours of camaraderie that they go to the bar to attain.

Then in turn, the bars can

“

amount of drunk drivers, making roads unsafe late at night.

These, I’m sure, are the same people who are opponents of binge drinking at noisy, late night house parties.

What needs to be addressed is that, after bars close at 12 a.m., people leave the safety of the bar and often just move to a

These, I’m sure, are the same people who are opponents of binge drinking at noisy, late night house parties .” purchase more products, hire more staff, or perhaps even lower prices. The staff can participate more in the local economy more than originally possible, and the patrons can really enjoy the atmosphere and social aspect without having to race the clock or drive half an hour to Conroe.

Opponents of extending bar hours often say that this will just increase the

kitchen where there isn’t a state licensed server cutting them off when they’ve had too much, or taking away their keys when they want to leave.

How is that safer for anyone involved? When people can drink at their leisure in a bar until 2 a.m., servers have the authority to say enough is enough.

The Sam Houston State University Alcohol Abuse

Initiative and many of the bars around town including Shenanigans, The Jolly Fox Club, Tops & Bottoms, Humphrey’s, and others sponsor the iDrive program.

This program provides free non-alcoholic beverages to the person in a group who identifies her or himself as the designated driver.

It would take only a little extra effort on the part of bars to make the knowledge of this program readily known to its patrons.

This alone could help decrease drunk drivers on the roads and make Huntsville that much safer.

The program is much more feasible when bars are open later because the cost of free beverages is offset by the extra revenue taken in.

So, I leave it to you.

What is better for the city of Huntsville?

Jerusha Rodgers is a guest columnist for The Houstonian. She is a junior English major with an emphasis in Creative Writing.

For the greater good.

Jeremy Coffman

discusses how extending

last call would benefit both drinkers and nondrinkers.

Every time I think about the proposal to extend the drinking cutoff to 2 a.m., the same thing comes to mind.

You see, a law such as this one does not affect only the person who is consuming, but every potential person on the road in their path. The simple fact is that many people just don’t drink as responsibly as they should.

Speaking from personal experience, I know when I was in high school in Houston, I stayed out a little later than I should, sometimes until far after last call, which in Houston, was 2 a.m.

My mother always pleaded with me, that if I absolutely had to drive, not to do it between the hours of 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., as she feared for my safety, specifically due to the bars letting out.

She also feared that during those hours, my likelihood of being stopped by an officer was elevated, once again due to the drunk

drivers. While this might seem negative at first, the positive aspects of this situation are worthy.

First and foremost, this law gives a certain time frame during the night where the drunk driving will occur. This allows those, like those in high

“

why 2 a.m. is the best time for last call. Again, I will draw on personal experience here. What we need to understand is that it’s already the accepted time for last call in most places already.

Also, unlike a 12 a.m. cutoff, because 2 a.m. is

The simple fact is that many people just don’t drink as responsibly as they should.” school staying out too late like I did, to plan ahead and know when it is the least safe time to drive.

Also, by having last call at 2 a.m., it helps to assure that police officers will have a time that they can patrol and catch those that would break the law and endanger sober drivers on the road that did decide to take the risk.

By maximizing the time of officers, we can maximize our safety on the road, which is always a good thing.

Finally, we might wonder

ran out of money.

This likely would have happened fairly quickly given that he would have most assuredly lost his job. What we need to understand is there are many people out there with a problem much like John’s, and this law helps them deal with their problem and still maintain a normal day life.

For those who drive during the night hours and are not drunk, this law also helps them keep safe, gauge risks on the road, and helps police maximize their time and effort.

For those of us that are responsible, and could handle a more lax law or simply no law at all, we should be willing to sacrifice a bit of our own fun for the greater good; for those with the addiction of alcoholism, and for those who just want to make it home safely.

the universal cutoff, no one will be heading to another bar or another party in all likelihood.

However, there are some like my former stepfather, whom I will call John, that are not responsible. The 2 a.m. last call sets a cut off point, which while not appreciated, is necessary.

In John’s case, he had a job that required him to be there early in the morning, and knowing his Jeremy Coffman is a guest alcoholism like I do, I can columnist for The Houstonian. safely say that if there were no law, he would have He is a junior Communication stayed in the bars until he Studies Major.

Adam Key takes a satiric look at why bars should not extend drinking hours.

A lot has been said lately about extending the bar hours in Huntsville to 2 a.m.

This idea is clearly ridiculous.

Huntsville should not have limited drinking hours at all.

One of the main reasons we should eliminate restrictions on bar hours is safety.

If students cannot drink until whenever they feel like in Huntsville, they will do one of two things.

They will drink until midnight in Huntsville, then drive drunk to Conroe to drink until 2, followed by an even more intoxicated drive back to Huntsville.

The other option mentioned is that students will cut Huntsville out of the equation entirely, go drinking in Conroe, then drive back to Huntsville drunk at 2 a.m.

Basically, we should set city ordinances to cater to drunk drivers.

People who are dumb enough to drive while intoxicated are going to do it just as much after midnight as they are at 2 in the morning.

They will be just as dangerous coming back from Conroe as they will be leaving local bars.

No plan in the world can counter the amount of stupidity necessary to get behind the wheel while drunk, so we should not try at all.

Eliminating restrictions will also cut down on the amount of house parties in Huntsville.

Since house parties are known for their strict policies against underage drinkers and charging people high

prices per drink, there will be absolutely no reason for anyone to ever choose going over to a person’s house over Shenanigan’s or Tops and Bottoms again.

It has also been argued that extended bar hours will attract more students to SHSU because, as the Houstonian itself put it, “let’s face it, partying is a big part of college.”

Sam Houston should entirely stop focusing on raising our academic prestige.

We should be known for doing what we do best, as a party school.

Taking away drinking restrictions will offer something no other college has, and it will attract exactly the type of Bearkat we’re looking for.

Despite what your position is, there’s one thing we can all agree on: we definitely shouldn’t listen to the people who say that no matter what the hours, some people will drink responsibly and other will not.

If we want to make the streets safer, we shouldn’t do something crazy like advocate a plan similar to SFA’s Driving Jacks or A&M’s CARPOOL and provide free non judgmental rides home to those who’ve had too much to drink.

No, extending drinking hours is definitely the best way to make Huntsville a safer place.

Adam Key is a regular columnist for The Houstonian. He is a Communication Studies graduate student.

The Tuesday, Oct. 22 article titled “SHSU’s Education Ambassadors seeking out new applicants by Shanay Lemon should have had Dr. Richard Hendrickson as the advisor. Also, the leadership conference is in Davis, California, not Los Angeles.

The individual opinions on the Viewpoints page are not necessarily affiliated with the view of The Houstonian or SHSU. The Houstonian is published semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a news publication of Sam Houston State University, a member of the Texas State University system, and is produced by students. It is self-supporting and welcomes all advertisers. Those interested in placing ads or classifieds should call (936) 294-4864. The Houstonian is a member of the Associated Press.

The Houstonian Editorial

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kristina Salazar...............................................................936-294-1505 FACULTY ADVISOR Patsy Ziegler.....................................................................936-294-1499 SECTION EDITORS Meagan Ellsworth........................................................Associate Editor Addison Reed................................................................Opinions Editor Lotis Butchko....................................................................Sports Editor Kevin Jukkola........................................................Entertainment Editor Thomas Merka.....................................................................Web Editor STAFF Kristin Meyer.................................................................Senior Reporter Mike Silva......................................................................Sports Reporter Joe Buvid..............................................................................Photo Editor Krystal Jackson.................................................................Photographer Heath Wierck.......................................................................Copy Editor

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Advertising Deadlines

Tuesday’s Issue............... Friday at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday’s Issue........... Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

SGA BEAT

M a king big moves

CAMPUS

National Day on Writing

Association elects new student affairs chief, president announces Reliant Stadium contract

By Amanda Earp Contributing Writer Sara Goolsby was elected Student Affairs Chief by majority vote at the Student Government Association meeting held on Tuesday night.

Goolsby, a junior Mass Communications major, became a senator from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences last week.

As Student Affairs Chief, she plans on doing surveys of the students and going to the different colleges to figure out what the students want on campus.

“I plan on trying to get students more involved and get a sense of togetherness,” Goolsby said.

The Student Affairs Chief is the head of the Department of Student Affairs, which according the SGA constitution, is “responsible for interaction with the student body”. Also, the Student Affairs Committee is supposed to figure out the concerns of the student body and report them back to the Senate.

Goolsby is a transfer student from Lone Star Community College-Tomball, where she was president of the SGA there. At the meeting, some members of SGA expressed

a reservation about Goolsby being a transfer student. She hopes that by being a transfer student she will bring a different point of view to the Student Affairs Committee and SGA. “Since I am a transfer student, there are a lot of transfer students on campus and I can have that perspective,” Goolsby said.”And I know people that aren’t transfer students so I can get that perspective.”

When she was the SGA President for Lone Star Community College in Tomball, they started the campus recycling initiative and it was under her that the SGA received their office.

Also at the meeting, Emmanual Mbaka was elected into the College of Criminal Justice Senate by a unanimous vote. Mbaka, a sophomore majoring in Criminal Justice, is involved with Bearkat Crew and Phi Alpha Delta.

President Ryan Bridges announced at the meeting that for the next few years the Sam Houston football game versus Stephen F. Austin will be held at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Tickets for next year’s game will be on sale on Nov.16 of this year.

“It is very good news for our university and getting our name out there to the Houston

Open to the public C h u r c h o ff e r s f r e e trail ride retreat

By Brittany McClure Contributing Writer

All photos by Krystal Jackson| The Houstonian

Follow up: The Writing Center had students and faculty gathered together on Tuesday, in the

Farrington Pit, for a national celebration. Open poetry and fiction were read while Associate provost Richard Eglsaer made an appearance as a guest speaker

ANNOUNCEMENT Monday, October 26th 1-2 p.m.

Science & the Paranormal LSC 320 2:30-3:30 p.m. Crime, Science, & Literature LSC 320 7 p.m.

Keynote Address - The Magic of Chemistry LSC Ballroom 8 p.m.

Book Signing & Reception Dr. Joe Schwarcz LSC Ballroom The Fly in the Ointment: 70 Fascinating Commentaries on Everyday Life

Tuesday, October 27th 9:30-11 am Keynote Address - Alternative Medicine: Sense or Nonsense LSC Theater 11 am - noon Science & the Paranormal LSC 320 12:30-1:30 p.m. Science & the Paranormal LSC 320

Association makes supreme selections

The Supreme Court for the Student Government Association is filled for the first time in three administrations.

The president of SGA, Ryan Bridges, appointed four faculty members and five students to sit on the Supreme Court with two-thirds approval of the Senate.

The four faculty members consist of Vice President Frank Parker from Student Services, Dr. Bobby Lane from Agronomy, Dr. Michael Lau from Agriculture Business, and Dr. Laura Sullivan from Human Resource Law. The five students consist of Communications Graduate Student Adam Key; Blake Roach and Emily Rice, who are majoring in Political Science; Josh Shafer, who is majoring in Animal Science, and Jimmy Williams, who is majoring in Criminal Justice.

According to the SGA Constitution, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in cases of disciplinary action, and constitution and by-law interpretations. The Supreme Court will have appellate jurisdiction in election controversies of the Election Commission and over all SGA lower courts approved by the Senate.

The Houstonian, Page 3

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

Grand Opening: Sammy Bearkat (center) and University Provost, Dr. David Payne (right), were among the special guests at the Java City ribbon cutting ceremony, held on Wednesday at the Newton Gresham Library.

The Walker County Cowboy Church will be hosting a trail ride on Saturday, Oct. 24. This event is open to the public, and SHSU students, faculty, and their families are encouraged to attend.

The family oriented ride is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and participants are encouraged to arrive early with their horses. There will also be trailers available for people who wish to participate, but do not own a horse.

Many students may not have ever participated in a trail ride before, so they do not know what to expect with this type of event.

“Well, they can expect fun, for one thing,” said Walker County Cowboy Church Pastor Mark Terry, said.

Along with enjoying the scenery and meeting new people during the 10-mile trail ride, students can also learn about horses and the history of trail rides.

The ride is expected to last three to four hours, but Terry says that the length may vary.

“The more people you have, the longer it takes because you get stalled and have to take more bathroom breaks,” he said..

After the ride is finished, the dinner bell will ring and participants will be served cowboy beans, which is a combination of meat and beans, corn bread, hot dogs, and soft drinks.

If the weather turns bad, Terry says they will reschedule the event in the near future.

To get to the trail ride, take Highway 30 for approximately 2.5 miles. Then, turn left onto FM 1791 and travel for 8.5 miles. You will then turn right onto Nixion road and follow the signs.

For more information, contact Mark Terry at 936662-4333.

NATION & WORLD

Page 4 The Houstonian

Feds: Mass. man planned terror attacks on malls (AP) — A 27-year-old Massachusetts man has been charged with conspiring with others to carry out terror attacks against shoppers in U.S. malls and against U.S. military in Iraq.

Authorities in Boston say Tarek Mehanna (TEH’-rek meh-HAH’nah) of Sudbury sought training in terrorist training camps and worked with others from 2001 to May 2008 on the conspiracy “kill, kidnap, maim or injure” people in foreign countries and to kill prominent U.S. politicians.

Federal prosecutors say Mehanna and his conspirators tried to get automatic weapons for a mall attack, but their plans were foiled when they could not get the weapons.

Mehanna’s attorney, J.W. Carney Jr., did not immediately return calls for comment.

Mehanna was arrested last year for allegedly lying about a man who trained with al-Qaida members with the goal of overthrowing the Somali government.

Judge to rule on unsealing Jackson doctor warrants

(AP) — A Nevada judge is considering whether to unseal warrant documents in the Michael Jackson investigation, following a closed-door meeting with a Los Angeles police detective and prosecutor.

Clark County District Court Judge Valerie Adair said Tuesday she might need until Wednesday to rule whether to release affidavits relating to searches of a Las Vegas pharmacy and of Michael Jackson’s personal physician’s home, office and storage unit.

Attorneys for The Associated Press and other media want documents relating to any Nevada searches made public.

Dr. Conrad Murray’s home and office in Las Vegas were searched July 28, and a pharmacy where authorities say he legally bought the powerful sedative propofol was searched Aug. 11.

Police investigating the pop singer’s death oppose releasing any new documents.

Gunman prays with clerk before finishing robbery

(AP) — Police say an armed robber spent nearly 10 minutes on his knees praying with a clerk at an Indianapolis checkcashing business before fleeing with $20 from the register.

Security video from the Advance America branch clearly showed the man’s face during the stickup Monday, and a 23-yearold surrendered Tuesday on a preliminary charge of robbery.

Police say the robbery took an unusual turn after the gunman came around the counter when the clerk starting crying and talking about God. The man said he had a 2-year-old child to support and asked for prayers about overcoming his hardships.

Police say the man removed the bullet from his gun and gave it to the clerk before taking her cell phone and the money.

From IDENTITY page 1

businesses don’t report what has happened because there is no evidence of it,” Thorton said.

HPD suggests a variety of ways to protect yourself. First, never carry your original social security card.

“If you must have your social security card with you, make a copy, or write down the part of your social security number that you cannot remember,” Thorton said.

Second, use caution when making online purchases. Ebay scams are on the rise. If you must purchase something online, make sure the website is legitimate before making any transactions.

“It is so important that everyone who does business on their personal computer make sure they have the proper firewalls in place and don’t download anything that might give

your computer Trojans,” Thorton said.

Another tip is that card holders should always sign debit and credit cards with permanent ink. It’s also good to have a mailbox at a central location. Mailboxes left unattended are often targeted by thieves.

Lastly, Thorton recommends people have only one to two credit cards. Fewer cards make it significantly easier to manage finances and check online statements.

He says it’s also a good idea to run a credit check quarterly at websites such as http://www.equifax. com<http://www.equifax. com/>.

Companies and banking institutions are becoming very proactive in fighting identity theft.

“They’ve started using firewalls and other precautions to protect sensitive information in order to keep customers,” Thorton said.

But thieves are always inventing new ways to steal personal

information.

For example, skimming is a method sometimes used by waiters who stash a device in their apron.

This device is used to scan the card for pertinent information.

“That is why it is important to be aware of your surroundings,” Thorton said.

Police say too many of us are blissfully ignorant of identity theft and constant vigilance is needed to protect any personal information from intruders.

“Identity theft is such a growing crime because it’s so easy to do,” Thorton concluded. “It’s scary.”

For more information on identity theft, visit http://www.idtheftcenter. org/?source=googleSS or visit www.idtheftcenter. o rg / a r t m a n 2 / p u b l i s h / lib_survey/ITRC_2008_ Breach_List.shtml<http:// w w w. i d t h e f t c e n t e r. o rg / a r t m a n 2 / p u b l i s h / lib_survey/ITRC_2008_ Breach_List.shtml> for an annual list of high profile data breaches.

Court rejects Calif. plan to cut prison population (AP) — A federal judicial panel has rejected California’s plan for reducing the state’s prison population because it failed to meet the terms of an earlier court order.

In August, the panel

ordered California to reduce its inmate population by roughly 27 percent, or 40,000, over two years. The courts have found that prison overcrowding is the main cause of negligent medi-

cal and mental health care.

On Wednesday, the judges gave the administration 21 days to submit a new plan. If it’s inadequate, the court said it will develop its own.

From FIREFEST page 1

get students really excited about the football game.”

Students will be able to make wax hands, get henna tattoos, attend Recreational Sports and Alumni Associa-

From SERIES page 1

why these regions have such high levels of mercury contamination in fishes.”

Held each Thursday, the seminar series is intended

Thursday, October 22, 2009 tion booths, participate in an inflatable obstacle courses, and many other activities.

“Firefest is a tradition that has been held for about 10 years so students are encouraged to come out and support their team,” Cooper said.

for the public and addresses current research being conducted by a guest professor in a way that the general public can understand.

For more information, contact Hargrave at 936.294.1543.

23 states report higher unemployment in September (AP) — Unemployment rates rose last month in 23 states and fell in 19 as the economy struggled to create jobs in the early stages of recovery.

The Labor Department says Nevada, Rhode Island and Florida in September posted their highest jobless rates on records dating to 1976.

Michigan reported the nation’s highest unemployment rate at 15.3 percent. It was followed by Nevada at

13.3 percent, Rhode Island at 13 percent, California at 12.2 percent and South Carolina at 11.6 percent.

There were some bright spots: Ohio and Indiana, two states hit hard by the downturn in manufacturing, reported significant drops in unemployment.

The jobless rate in the Midwest fell to 9.8 percent last month from 10 percent in August. It was the only region where the unemployment rate dropped.

IRAN AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Diplomats: Iranian negotiators back uranium deal (AP) — Iranian negotiators on Wednesday expressed support for a deal that — if accepted by their leaders — would delay Tehran’s ability to make nuclear weapons by sending most of its existing enriched uranium to Russia for processing, diplomats said.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei said that representatives of Iran and its three interlocutors — the U.S., Russia and France — had accepted the draft for forwarding to their capitals.

ElBaradei said he hoped for approval from all four countries by Friday.

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran’s chief delegate, praised the draft, saying it was “on the right track,” while emphasizing that senior Iranian officials in Tehran still had to sign off on it.

The apparent breakthrough came on the third day of talks in Vienna which aimed to overcome differences over Iran’s nuclear intentions. While the United States and other nations fear Iran may be interested in developing nuclear weapons, Tehran insists its activities are peaceful and meant only to generate energy for its growing population.

ElBaradei said he had “circulated a draft agreement that in my judgment reflects a balanced approach

pounds (1,200 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium.

That would significantly ease fears about Iran’s nuclear program, since 2,205 pounds (1,000 kilograms) is the commonly accepted amount of low-enriched uranium needed to produce weapons-grade uranium.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner appeared to outline the contours of the deal, insisting that his country would not compromise on demanding that Tehran ship out most of its enriched material.

If Iran accepts the deal “it must be before the end Talking for the future. With the knowledge that Iran has been trying to obtain nuclear weapons, al- of the year, there must be at though Iran states that they are merely trying to help thier population, a proposal has been drafted to sen least 1,200 kilograms — on that we won’t back down,” most of its existing uranium to Russia.

Kouchner told reporters in to how to move forward.” to Iran to power its small informed about the readiParis.

Neither Soltanieh nor El- research reactor in Tehran, ness of the United States in Based on the present Irabaradei gave details of what according to the draft. a technical project with the nian stockpile, the U.S. has was in the package. But dipThe diplomats spoke on IAEA to cooperate in this estimated that Tehran could lomats told The Associated condition of anonymity be- respect.” produce a nuclear weapon Press that it was essentially cause the meeting was conHe gave no details, and between 2010 and 2015, the original proposal drawn fidential. it was unclear if the equipan assessment that broadly up by the IAEA that would Soltanieh suggested that ment he was describing fell matches those from Israel commit Tehran to shipping his country — which held under a U.N. embargo on and other nations.

75 percent of its enriched at least one one-on-one shipping sensitive nuclearDavid Albright of the uranium stockpile to Russia meeting with the American related material to Iran, Washington-based Institute for further enrichment. delegation — had wrested which is under Security for Science and InternaSending such a large concessions from Wash- Council sanctions for refustional Security, which has amount of Iran’s enriched ington in exchange for any ing to freeze enrichment. tracked Iran for signs of couranium outside the country agreement.

While essentially technivert proliferation, said any would temporarily get rid of “One of the aspects in cal, a deal that foresees Iran deal would buy only a limmost of the material it needs addition to the fuel is the exporting most of its enited amount of time. He said to make a bomb. control instrumentation and riched material would have Tehran could replace 2,600 After that material is safety equipment of the re- significant ramifications. pounds (1,200 kilograms) turned into metal fuel rods, it actor,” the Iranian negoIt would commit Iran to of low-enriched uranium would then be shipped back tiator said. “We have been turn over more than 2,600 “in little over a year.”

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ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, October 22, 2009

The Houstonian, Page 5

SCHOOL EVENTS

Film expert Cervantes speaks to SHSU Tara Lestarjette

Contributing Writer

Students from various communications courses filled room 209 of the Dan Rather building to hear from guest speaker, Alfred Cervantes, on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Cervantes spoke to students about his experience with the Houston Film Commission, a non-profit organization that provides service to those wishing to film in the city.

Houston competes with cities such as Dallas, Los Angeles, and sometimes New York City, to name a few. Cervantes’ job with The Houston Film Commission is to provide easy access to the city, giving Houston a positive light to

filmmakers.

According to the web site, http://filmhouston. texaswebhost.com/, “Houston, The Space City, is ready to host your next film/video project.

Whether it’s a still shoot, music video, commercial, or feature film, we have the resources and professional local crew to get the job done successfully.

We’ll start by scouting suitable locations for your project and putting the photos online for your review and also mail you hard copies if needed.

We will assist you in finding accommodations, equipment, crew and act as a liaison with other City of Houston departments.”

The web site provides those interested in filming Houston

with location photos, production details, and a long list of incentives to persuade away

any uncertainty. Cervantes has been the Deputy Director at the Houston Film Commission for

Krystal Jackson | The Houstonian

Possibilities abound. Alfred Cervantes talks passionately to interested students about avenues to unleash their filmmaking talent.

the past 14 years and has many found memories as well as wild experiences.

“One time we had someone who wanted a NYC winter in downtown Houston, so we used potato flakes as snow and foam on the streets. It looked authentic on film,” Cervantes said. “Another time we had to flood the streets, so we had to figure out a way to plug the drains.”

Cervantes also assists with the Texas Filmmaker’s Showcase, an event that allows filmmakers all over the state to showcase their works with the possibility of winning a flight to L.A. for a screening of his or her film to a large audience. The competition is an opportunity for filmmakers

to increase awareness of their works and gain connections to collaborate with others, which will benefit the film making process.

“I strongly suggest students get involved in the Texas Filmmaker’s Showcase,” said Cervantes. “There is no cost, so it is an ideal way for students to introduce their works and make connections.”

The day continued with presentations and advice from Cervantes to students interested in working with film.

Cervantes gave helpful insight and information to those present, and left students with a better idea of how to manage the time spent in college and what to pursue after the degree is obtained.

Entertainment Poll of the Week

What is the best ensemble film of the decade?

SHSU Student Choice and Critic’s Choice: Crash

SHSU Online Poll Results Crash................................................44% No Country for Old Men..................39% Traffic...............................................11% Babel...................................................6% All Other Candidates..........................0%

Kevin Jukkola

Entertainment Editor

“Crash” is a kinetic and unblinking portrait of racism in a society where cultures are intertwined so intimately that they should be indistinguishable. The film is set in Los Angeles, the ultimate melting pot of American society, bravely telling the story of various people whose interaction with each other exposes their individual racism, possibly giving them the opportunity to learn from their prejudices.

There are heroic and horrific actions by the same characters in “Crash” because it is ultimately illustrating human beings, both flawed and angelic, and how struggles with their own personal past experiences affect their behavior toward certain people in unpredictable and combative situations.

“Crash” is uncompromising in its precise exploration of racism with characters that surprise and disappoint,

providing the audience with an astonishing complexities that often seem to contradict.

There are many scenes of immense power, but the most captivating one comes when Officer Ryan (Matt Dillon) saves Christine (Thandie Newton) out of a burning car. Christine desperately holds on to her savior, but he appears ashamed, instead of proud, after she is taken out of his embrace because of the way he had demeaned her previously.

“Crash” contains no heroes with the understanding that tormenters and saviors are not often mutually exclusive to a singular person because of the inequities that contributes to our humanity.

All of the performances are tremendous, with Dillon and Newton as the standouts, each providing a different element or experience to the story that enhances in the comprehensiveness and the cohesiveness of its entire message. There is also tragedy within the film because some

Life and death. Christine (Thandie Newton) clings to Officer Ryan (Matt Dillon) in “Crash.”

racism is so subtle and buried that it explodes into a sudden, violent rage when confronted with a confounding or unforeseen circumstance.

Every scene is necessary in attempting to demonstrate a complete picture of racism and the hate that it breeds, and the honest dialogue exudes painful realizations about our attitudes.

“Crash” is a difficult film to watch because the stark realism expressed reveals

undeniable and universal truths that we often hope to solve by simply ignoring.

“Crash” is courageous in arguing that the only way to alleviate racism is by admitting and confronting our own prejudices held against various groups. Racism is a cancer that infects everyone and films like “Crash” remind us that the first step in combating this intimidating enemy is by diagnosing the problem first.

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SPORTS

Page 6 The Houstonian

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Reliant Stadium here we come

For 83 years Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin have been playing home and home series, now they will move to Houston Lotis Butchko Sports Editor

T

he second oldest rivalry in Texas will have a new home next season as the Battle of Piney Woods will be moving to Reliant Stadium next year.

Sam Houston State University, Stephen F. Austin University and Lone Star Sports and Entertainment have come to terms on a four year contract for an unspecified amount of money.

“I can’t think of a better deal for both teams on the table,” said Stephen F. Austin Head Coach J.C. Harper. “It is always fun, and a great rivalry.”

Both teams feature a significant number of alumni in Harris County. Sam Houston State reports as many as 58,000 alumni in the Houston area.

The battle of the piney woods, which is now in its 83 year, ranks only behind Sam Houston State and Texas State for the longest rivalry. Both schools use the greater Houston area as a hotbed for recruiting and feel that this could bolster their efforts.

“We recruit really hard down here, and have a big presence down here,” said Sam Houston State Head Coach Todd Whitten.

“So many kids can come to the

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

Table talk. From Left: Sam Houston Head Coach Todd Whitten, Sam Houston Athletic Director Bobby Williams, LSSE President Jamey Rootes, Stephen F. Austin Athletic Director Robert Hill, and Stephen F. Austin head Coach J.C. Harper.

games and I think it will be a huge success.”

Reliant stadium will host “I three college games a year including Rice vs. Texas, the Texas Bowl, which hosts a Big 10 team and a Big 12 team, and now the Battle of the Piney

you walk into the state capital in Austin first thing think it will be a huge success” you see is a statue of Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin,” Athletic Direcwoods game. tor Bobby Williams said.

“I think the most interesting “I think the rivalry starts right thing about this rivalry is when there.”

Eight in a row!

In the 83 years of the rivalry, Sam Houston leads the series 4833-2, including winning the last five games.“I have seen this thing from both sides,” said Whitten, who use to play quarterback for Stephen F. Austin. “It truly is one of the great great rivalries of all time.”

The biggest factor for the game will be attendance. For both teams this game is typically the biggest draw of the year. For Sam Houston the Alumni Association will sponsor a bus this year along with tickets and tailgating.

But with the game being moved to a neutral site will it affect attendance or will it draw more alumni?

“It’s very critical for all of us out there to support this football game when it comes around,” said Stephen F. Austin athletic director Robert Hill. “And to encourage as many people as possible to attend this football game and to support it so we can have kind of a Texas, Oklahoma weekend.”

Reliant stadium will be roping off the top tiers of the stadium leaving the lower bowl open for approximately 26,000 seats, with tickets between 15 to 35 dollars.

“We think it’s one of the best rivalries, regardless of what division it is in,” said Hill.

Now the question is, will that rivalry sell?

Bearkat Volleyball is off to its best start since 1994 Mike Silva

Staff Reporter

The Sam Houston State Bearkats came away with a huge Southland Conference victory in a nail-biter against rival Stephen F. Austin last night, extending their win streak to eight games in a row.

Sam Houston won in five sets, 24-26 25-22 22-25 2725 15-11, to increase their conference record to 8-1 and their overall record to 16-10.

The victory increases their West Division Southland Conference lead on Lamar to one and a half games.

Carli Kolbe and Anna Ferguson led the team with 26 kills each. Camille Alfaro added 10 kills in the victory.

The Bearkats were able to overcome 43 errors with 71 kills, two service aces, and 12 blocks to win their twelfth home game of the year in front of a roaring Sam Houston crowd.

“We just refused to lose,” Ferguson said. “SFA’s really good and they’re a big rival, so it was a great win. We overcame a lot of errors and it shows that as long as we pick the rest of our game up, we can still win.”

The match went back and forth between with 44 ties

and 17 lead changes.

Down two sets to one, the Bearkats trailed 23-24 with momentum on their side.

They scored four out of the next five points en route to a 27-25 victory, tying the match at 2-2.

“This team just doesn’t panic,” said Head Coach Brenda Gray. “We don’t panic. This is one of the best teams I’ve ever coached. I’ve been here 26 years. That speaks a lot.”

The fifth set was all Sam Houston. Kolbe and Ferguson took over the match and dominated the Lumberjacks en route to a 15-11 set victory.

“We were very up and

Party time. The Bearkats are making a run for a championship

down tonight but everyone picked each other up,” Kolbe said. “Everyone played so hard tonight. We weren’t going to lose.”

The Bearkats look to increase their winng streak to nine games this Saturday when they host conference foe McNeese State for Se-

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

nior Day. The Bearkats look to increase their record to 91 in the conference and their overall record to 17-10 this weekend at the Johnson Coli-

SFA’s Sports Editor talks about the Jacks

Stephen F. Austin Sports Editor Ashley Landers sits down with The Houstonion to talk about their team Lotis Butchko Sports Editor

The Houstonian: Offensively wise what should Bearkat fans be looking forward to?

The Pine Log: Definitely big passes from Jeremy Moses from Baytown Lee. He graduated early from high school and is now a junior he has a record holder at SFA for second most yards passing Vincent Pervis our running back is averaging 72 yards a game and around 437 yards gained in the season. On receiving Duane Brooks is leading the team 94 yards per game and has three touchdowns. Aaron Rhea leads the team with six touchdowns receptions.

TH: What kind of style does Moses bring?

TPL: They call him “The Gun Slinger” for a reason.

TH: How about on Defense? What kind of attack should fans look for?

TPL: Devin Ducote is a

red shirt sophomore linebacker with 51 tackles and one sack he redshirted last year because he tore something in his leg.

Line backer Jabara Williams has 47 tackles and line backer C o d y Barlow h a s 4 4

tackles both are very good linebackers.

At defensive end Tim Knicky eight and a half sacks he is the one who the quarterback will have t o look after.

TH: How about special teams?

TPL: Evan Engel our kicker is 12 of 16 on the

year that’s all really.

TH: You guys beat a big team in McNeese two weeks ago, what did you see in that game?

TPL: I was sitting in the

press box it was a really exiting game to watch it went down to the last second of the game and if we hadn’t got that call, and get that last possession of the game we would have been in trouble. But we got the job done in the game.

Both teams didn’t play to their potential. I have seen both teams play way better.

They had lots of nerves and pressure for both teams.

TH: You guys beat up on Texas College 92-0. Really?

TPL: Apparently Texas College is a NAIA team I don’t know what the point of that is but we could have played one of the high

school teams here. I think it was a moral booster for us.

TH: Now lastly how about that coaching staff?

You have JC Harper from McNeese how has he been?

TPL: I believe it’s his third season with the Jacks.

He hired Shannon Dawson the offensive coordinator and he has really helped.

He has given us a spread offense and that has changed Moses quite a big. Harper did a great job on that hire.

TEAM STANDINGS Stephen F. Austin

5-1 (2-0)

Sam Houston St.

3-3 (1-1)

All time standings 48 - 33 - 2

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