October 9, 2012

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TODAY’S FORECAST

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In case you missed it: Read the in-depth recap of the SHSU vs SFA rivalry game, “Battle of the Pineywoods”; Kats axe Jacks 51-33 in heated game

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Volume 122 / Issue 12

Local political groups make appearance at Fair on the Square

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Wiley: Standardized testing unfair to many types of students

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

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Firefest delivers in 2012 McKinzie Brocail | The Houstonian

The debt that all ‘Jacks pay

Students declare success, rally attendance exceeds expectations SOPHIE NELSON Staff Reporter

Provided by Jennifer Rogers of The Pime Log

DEBT PAID. Since SFA lost the game this weekend to SHSU, SFA Dean of Student Affairs, Adam Peck had to pay up on a bet that he made with Dean Yarabeck, SHSU’s Dean of Students. Peck had to wear and orange SHSU tie and send the Houstonian a picture to share with the school.

The results are in; students have declared this year’s Firefest an enormous success. “I absolutely loved it,” Shatika Clark, junior mass communication major, said. “The weather was perfect, the fireworks were beautiful, and the fire was hot. The spirit part of the rally was definitely a boosting experience for students who wanted to get pumped up for Saturday’s game. This was a much better experience than last year and I will definitely be attending again.” This year’s annual pep rally saw the return of the traditional bonfire and fireworks display after last year’s burn ban restrictions. Students filled Intramural Field 3 on Thursday socializing, playing games and rocking out to music to gear up for SHSU’s rival football game. For those who attended Firefest for the first time, the event left a lasting impression. Risible Merino, a senior Criminal Justice and Spanish dual major, attended for only the first time this year after hearing bad reports of past events. Merino was impressed with the quality and felt that the overall program was much better than she expected. Despite her initial skeptical expectations, Merino was glad she took a chance on Firefest.

Brandon Cooper, the Associate Director of Student Activities, said the response from students was very positive. He said that the number one difference between the success of this year and the reactions to last year’s rally was the return of the bonfire. Cooper added that there were more people in attendance this year than ever before, which added to the spirit of the event. “Students were overall enthused and motivated for Saturday’s game,” Cooper said. “Of course, the whole point of the event is to get the student body geared up for the game and I think this year’s Firefest really accomplished that goal.” Other students got a boost in school spirit from the cheerleaders, Orange Pride dance team, and the Bearkat Marching Band for doing a great job “pumping students up”. Despite the overwhelming acclaim for the event, some students were still disappointed with what they said was a shortage of the free corndogs and shirts being handed out. Jonathan Aguirre, a junior Psychology major, went for the first time this year and enjoyed his experience, not for all the activities, but for the sense of community surrounding the event. “I would love to attend next year,” Aguirre said. “Firefest brought a lot of people together and made us feel connected as a student body. That alone made going worth it.”

UPD looks to become ‘more proactive’ MCKINZIE BROCAIL Senior Reporter

The University Police Department is not short-staffed, but it is continually looking to improve its efficiency to account for the growing student body. There are almost 18,500 students at Sam Houston State University and only 23 total officers that work for the UPD. While UPD doesn’t consider itself understaffed, it only has 20 officers that work on campus and three officers patrol SHSU’s Woodlands Center. “[The issue] is more that we’re more reactive than proactive,” James Fitch, Deputy Chief of UPD,

said. UPD would like to be able to identify and prevent potential problems rather than conduct itself call-by-call. “It’s hard to make sure officers don’t get burned out and that they get vacations,” Fitch said. Despite a full workload, the officers seem to respond quickly to calls. “As a [former] residence advisor I never had a problem with UPD responding slowly.” Crystal Thomas, senior psychology major, said. “Every time I called them they always arrived fairly quickly. They were always very cooperative and helpful.” The small number of officers does

not affect the department’s response times, according to Fitch, but it does affect the way it runs. UPD’s budget is partially financed through the university, but the majority of its funds come from revenue earned through parking permits. The Department of Public Safety’s budget totals $1.8 million and includes both UPD and the Parking and Transportation Office. Fitch said that UPD has looked into other possible options for funding. The criminal justice program at SHSU has one of the largest faculties in the United States. Surely it would be an obvious area to recruit potential UPD officers, but it is not that prospective officers are

not available, it’s that the University hasn’t expressed the need for more officers. UPD only hires certified officers, meaning officers have to already have been through an academy and Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) certified. The Department doesn’t have enough money to put officers through the academy. As enrollment increases, it makes sense that more officers would be hired. As it stands, there are currently 925 students on campus per officer. The Department is currently in the process of filling their only open position.

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE

TODAY Make sure you register to vote if you haven’t already done so!


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News

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 houstonianonline.com/news

Walker County political organizations register late voters at Fair on the Square CONNOR HYDE Sports Reporter With only one month left before voting polls open for the Nov. 6 presidential election, the Walker County Republicans and Democrats wrangled up last minute voter registrations at Huntsville’s 38th annual Fair on the Square on Saturday. Following Wednesday’s presidential debate between Republican candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama, the Walker County Republican and Democratic groups publicized their candidates by handing out political stickers and registering last minute voters before the Oct. 9 deadline. Walker County Republicans Chairman Russell Martinez was pleased with the amount of pedestrians stopping at his booth. “We’re seeing probably enthusiasm like we saw in 2008 with regard to how people are motivated by the election,” Martinez said. “We encourage

people to be registered to vote and to vote, whether it’s early or on Election Day it doesn’t matter we just want people to vote.” With Republicans representing the majority of voters in Walker County, Martinez and volunteers informed pedestrians by advocating Romney as well as local candidates. “This booth helps by giving our candidates a place to come in a central location to talk to the general public,” Vice Chair of Walker County Republican Party Tracy Sorensen said. “It allows the party to be able to sort our candidate and hopefully get the community involved and get them out to vote.” Down the street, Walker County Democratic party representative Cindy Blaylock sat outside her headquarters, 1111 University Ave., registering voters and advertising Obama’s message of moving forward. After Obama’s sub-par debate performance on Wednesday, Blaylock’s appearance at the

Associated Press

IT DOESN’T MATTER. Walker County Republicans and Democrats encourage citizens to make it to the voting booths on Nov. 6 regardless of their political party affiliation.

fair was crucial to continue publicizing Obama’s platform. “I was a little disappointed in Obama’s body language,” Blaylock said in regards to Wednesday’s presidential debate. “[We] make a presence on this square that shows that you believe in your political cause, the Democratic cause, which is for

the people.” Blaylock continued to remain optimistic after Wednesday’s debate as she conversed with citizens Saturday morning. “[I’m here] to show a positive message for all Democrats to be proud that you’re a Democrat and you need to represent your beliefs,” Blaylock said.

“Considering that there are about 20,000 people that will come by this booth that shows that the Democrats are thriving in Walker County.” Although both groups promote different political beliefs, they agree on giving citizens a chance to register to vote and encourage people to make it to the voting booths on Nov. 6. With early voting as a trend for the past couple of elections, both parties are expecting around 10,000 early voters to cast their ballots in Walker County. “We’ve been registering people all year long,” Blaylock said. “The main thing is go vote. I don’t care what party you are but go vote.” Martinez agreed with Blaylock, and is hopeful for a high voter turnout this year. “With the increased attention on the election early voting will continue to be high, we would anticipate that a good percentage of those who are registered to vote will take advantage of the early voting period,” said Martinez.

Dr. Miller offers advice for suicide prevention BRANDON SCOTT Staff Reporter Suicide is a delicate subject to deal with, and maybe even an awkward one on college campuses considering the age demographic. But just a little more than a week following Suicide Awareness Month in September, it’s still worth noting that suicide trends at universities like Sam Houston State can be similar to those of small cities. So what should SHSU students do to seek help for suicidal thoughts, or concern for a friend? The Counseling Center’s response to a suicidal student varies from situation to situation, and is influenced by a large number of factors. First, the students have to identify themselves as being suicidal. While this happens in

a number of ways, most often the student goes directly to the Counseling Center, or shares their concerns with a resident advisor, who contacts UPD. Sometimes the student will call 911 or UPD directly, according to SHSU executive director of Counseling and Health Services Drew Miller, Ph.D. Miller added that the vast majority of students who report suicidal thoughts to the Counseling Center would fall in a less serious category, and for those students who do have serious suicidal thoughts, there are few who articulate a clear plan with intent to act on it. For example, of all of the students who used the Counseling Center last year, approximately 34 percent indicated that they had suicidal thoughts, either active or passive, at some point in their lives. Of those, less than eight percent had

every thought seriously about acting on those thoughts, and less than two percent had ever made an attempt. This isn’t far off from what other universities report. “I also think it’s important to note that when you think about a university as large as SHSU, you’re essentially talking about a population equivalent to a decently sized city,” Miller said. “As a result, you’re going to see the same types of issues and problems pop up, and mental health concerns are no exception.” When students live off campus and call 911 due to suicidal feelings, it’s often the case that the Counseling Center never finds out about it because those calls are routed directly to the Huntsville Police Department. If the individual identifies him or herself as a Sam student, then the officer in question might

ACE Week looks to increase community service participation JEREMY KLEIBER Staff Reporter Our University motto, “The measure of a life is its service”, is not only esteemed and supported, but echoed into action through the community service-based Academic Community Engagement week, which began Monday. During ACE week, Sam Houston State professors interested in building community engagement into their courses are encouraged by the Engaged Scholars Committee to set up individual work sessions with their colleges. Academic Community Engagement (ACE) is a teaching technique that combines community engagement with academic instruction. The ACE initiative allows students to use the skill-set and knowledge acquired in the classroom to make a transforming impression in the community. “We are trying to encourage more professors to incorporate community engagement in their coursework if the class lends itself to this pedagogy”, Director of ACE, Joyce McCauley, Ph.D. said. “In other words, we’re trying to bring the walls of the classroom down so that what is learned in the course, the skills and knowledge, is applied in a real-world setting, thus helping to improve the quality of life in the community. “ In 2011, SHSU was recognized as a Carnegie Community Engaged campus – a designation shared with only a handful of institutions of higher education in the country. In order to help faculty members succeed in implementing ACE initiatives, the Engaged Scholars Committee was created to support faculty in their efforts to connect learning objectives and

community participation. “Courses that have this community engagement component are given the designation “ACE” on the class schedule,” Dr. McCauley said. “Presently there are over 80 SHSU professors who have taught ACE courses and have formed collaborative partnerships with non-profits and other organizations.” Campus-wide engagement at SHSU has resulted in the creation of several programs including the American Democracy Project, the SHSU Center for Leadership and Service, and membership in Campus Compact, a national organization for civic engagement. Last year, President Dana Gibson established a fourth University Excellence Award: The David Payne Excellence in Academic Community Engagement. Gibson has a history of being extremely supportive of the initiative. “We are proud that… through our mission of education, research, service, and community engagement, SHSU makes a positive impact in the region,” Gibson said. The ACE movement continues to be crucial to the mission of SHSU and denotes that our students are working to make a difference in communities at the local, regional, national, and international level. “This semester alone, the students enrolled in ACE classes will be contributing approximately 26,000 hours of service in the community,” Dr. McCauley said. “We hope, through these ACE courses, that our SHSU students see themselves as positive forces in the world and embrace the university motto.”

contact UPD, who will then contact the Counseling, but that depends entirely on the HPD officer in question. The same is true if something happens while the student is at home for the weekend or a break. “We might never find out about it unless the student or a family member takes the time to notify us,” Miller said. Depending on how notification is provided and the actual risk involved to the student, the student will either be brought to the Counseling Center or another safe location for further assessment or discussion, or will be taken direction to the emergency room, where one of the Counseling Center psychologists will go and meet with the student and advocate for him or her during the admission process. Just beware, the Counseling Center and UPD, take any

notification of suicidal student seriously. “There have been instances where a student is not suicidal but claims to be in order to gain attention or influence a situation,” Miller said. “These students are always surprised and often embarrassed when they’re woken up by a UPD officer at 2 a.m. for a welfare check, or when they’re pulled out of class by me and the Dean of Students to check on them. We are serious about the safety of our students, and will do anything in our power to ensure their safety.” On Sept. 18, a nonstudent male went to the top of the Sam Houston State parking garage and threatened to jump before UPD helped talk him down. The man voluntarily received treatment at Huntsville Memorial Hospital.

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Viewpoints

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 houstonianonline.com/viewpoints

besity Sesame Street hijacks Ocaused by food presidential campaign poor choices Taylor Likens discusses Romney’s plan to cut down on PBS

TAYLOR LIKENS Staff Reporter

I had a dream last week that a crab-like alien hid my girlfriend somewhere and tried to take her place. Then I woke up, read the news and saw a reporter at CNN expressing his concern that Mitt Romney was going to put Big Bird out on the streets. It was only then that I became very, very confused. Not the best headline to wake up to, it took a moment to realize that yes, I was in fact awake, and yes, Mitt Romney did in fact absentmindedly say the most comically evil thing imaginable: “I’m going to stop the subsidy to

PBS… I like PBS, I like Big Bird. I’m not going to keep spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for it.” It seems to me that most of the people making an ordeal out of Romney’s statement haven’t really seen the clip itself but are perfectly content in assuming its deviousness. Hands down, it is the most widely discussed portion of the entire debate, marking yet another milestone in the political relevance of Sesame Street. Of course, the intent of his statement was to merely illustrate what sort of programs he would cut. The provided example was just a bad choice. A horrible, horrible choice. Regardless of intent, the statement was still laughably ridiculous. Government subsidies to such programs make up less than a percent of a percent of the annual budget, cashing in at $444 million. That’s half the cost of a B-2 bomber and a little over a day’s worth of running the American forces in Afghanistan. With that definition of progress, it would not be ridiculous to assume that Romney trims his lawn with a pair of tweezers.

yet still manage to keep their military spending under $100 billion. China boasts the largest military in the world--twice the size of the United States--and still operates on roughly one-fifth the budget (most of that is invested in duct tape, but the point remains). This is not necessarily to argue that military spending should be cut- although it seems blatantly obvious it should- but to demonstrate that there are much bigger problems to worry about. And they aren’t hiding from us. Clear as day, our government is filled with wasteful, overprivileged organizations, failing to acknowledge the potential examples of more efficient systems. With no commentary on the economic plans of anyone else-let me say that Romney’s emphasis on such a microscopic change is condescendingly simplistic. But look on the bright side; if Mitt Romney does become president, the first lady’s traditional appearance on Sesame Street will be a fantastically awkward one, hopefully during which Elmo takes catty stabs at Bain Capital and Botox users.

Pres. candidates fail to address issues with church, state

PAWS DOWN

PAWS UP

The United States econom isn’t doing so well. You probably already knew that. The focus must not be on the cracks but the massive holes. Perhaps trim down the $535 billion budget for the Department of Defense, most of which is spent developing and stockpiling purely offensive weapons. Perhaps cease donating over $3 billion a year to Israel, which alone already has one of the most powerful militaries in the world. Perhaps take money from the Department of Homeland Security, a notoriously ineffective, wasteful organization that cost $200 billion in its first five years alone. Perhaps tell the Pentagon that they are going to have to settle for less flashy vending machines, as a budget increase for the 14th year in a row would be somewhat excessive. The observant readers might have already noticed a pattern here. The United States tends to spend an awful lot on things that go ‘boom’ or people who sit around desks and talk about things that go ‘boom.’ Russia, Germany, Britain and France all populate the list of the most powerful nations on Earth,

PAWS DOWN to Texas Rangers losing the playoffs. So sad.

PAWS UP to school officials for getting rid of the possums on campus!

MORGAN MEARS Staff Reporter

PAWS UP to beating SFA 51-43 at the Battle of the Piney Woods.

PAWS DOWN to the new recording on the SHSU phone line. We miss the fight song.

PAWS UP to Fair on the Square being busy even on game day.

PAWS DOWN to InDesign for not wanting to work during a deadline night.

SIDE PAW to the cold front. We love and hate you!

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All the buzz has been about the first presidential debate of the 2012 race for president. While many questions were raised during the debate regarding domestic policies, I feel as if the argument about the division between church and state was not clearly defined by our two candidates. While the Constitution does not clearly state that there is a separation between church and state, throughout history, people have believed that there should be a separation between the two based on the first amendment, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” The first amendment of the Bill of Rights does not clearly say that there should be a wall between the two, but it does state that Congress does not have the right to make a law regarding religion. This draws a blurry line between religion and the state. Many people argue that we need to put God and religion

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Brandon K. Scott Sophie Nelson Karmen King Cheyenne Simpson Jasmine Brown Morgan Mears Allyson Wiley Taylor Likens Jay Jordan Joselynn Taylor Cody Cobb Cristina Baumann Caitlin Adamcik Jeremy Kleiber

back into politics, I must say I disagree. While I am a religious person, I feel as if there should be a line between church and state; after watching the presidential debate, I am still unsure of where each candidate stands on this topic. I believe that each candidate has said a thing or two here and there regarding it, but the issue should have been addressed during the debate. While many voters would argue that this is not an important subject to judge a candidate on, I must point out that in many countries around the world one is judged and their punishment handed down to them all based on religion. At many times these punishments are severe, sometimes resulting in death. There is still sometime between now and voting day, before I make my clear decision on who I shall vote for, both candidates need to clearly make their stance on the separation between church and state known.

CASSIE SOCHA Contributor

My all-time favorite meal is a hot off the grill T-bone steak, cooked rare, with a loaded baked potato and a side of steamed vegetables. Sadly, as tasty as this feast may be, I have come to realize it’s not the healthiest meal to consume on a daily basis. This realization, however, is not apparent to everyone. As a country, our addictions to our favorite foods are beginning to backfire. Obesity has become one of the top social problems in America and is becoming more serious each year. According to a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control in January of 2012, from 20092010, about 35.7 percent of Americans are obese. These are the most recent statistics, and I expect the percentage to be even higher in the next study. Basically, as a nation, our relationship with food needs some serious work to prevent this number from increasing. Some will argue obesity can be attributed to a personal responsibility, such as a person deciding to eat a hamburger over a healthier alternative like a chicken sandwich. We are to blame for making unhealthy choices over healthier options, but with our budgets being as tight as they are, who can blame us? With the majority of college students eating off the value menu, which normally contains higher levels of saturated fats and calories, we are more prone to being obese just because of our lower income level. We eat what we can afford, and sadly, the majority of the time, it is food that is very unhealthy. With this information, can we truly believe obesity to be attributed to personal fault, or can it be that this is an issue that is out of our control? If establishments sold healthier foods at lower prices, the problem would not be as much of an issue. Take the South Paw dining hall as an example. Why is Tortilla Fresca on the meal plan but not Subway? Wouldn’t a sandwich with natural cheeses, meats and vegetables be better for students than tacos and burritos? Yes, it may cost a little bit more, but don’t the benefits that come with better food outweigh the cost? The health of our students should be more of a concern than restaurant profits. With lower quality foods, the overall health of students becomes consequently lower, making them more prone to illness and a higher risk of becoming obese. Yes, we’re being fed, but if we’re truly concerned about our health and livelihood, we should worry more about what we’re being fed. Only then can we truly address and possibly reverse the issue of obesity before it is too late.

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Arts&Entertainment

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 houstonianonline.com/a-e

Dance Gallery filled with outrageous choreography CHRISTINA BAUMANN Staff Reporter

The Dance Gallery Festival was held at the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center on Oct. 6. Companies from around the world came to perform at Sam Houston State University and are headed off to New York to perform at the Alvin Ailey Theater. The purpose of the event was to recognize dancers and give them the opportunity to showcase their talents. Astrid Von Ussar, the artistic director of the Dance Gallery Festival, first started this event in New York and SHSU is lucky to be apart of this festival. It was close to a full-house on the second night of the performance. There were 11 different dance companies from around the US and other countries that were involved in this event. The premiere of the Dance Gallery Festival started with a piece called “Triptych” choreographed by Tim Glenn, a professor at Florida State University. This piece was something I can’t say that I have seen before. The choreography consisted of what he refers to as a ‘videodance’. Three female dancers dressed in what looked like wedding gowns performed this piece. The use of videography was very creative and unique. However, the choreography itself was strange. Harsh cutting movements and what seemed to be little dance technique made the storyline unclear to me. The next piece “Faun” was performed by a dance company

Photo courtesy of: Lynn Lane

IN MOTION. NobleMotion’s “Lorlei’s Whisper” used silhouette lighting to highlight dancers on stage. Any movement in front of the light created shadows on the audience members. NobleMotion is headed by SHSU professors Andy and Dionne Noble.

from Italy, Celli Contemporary Ballet. These three dancers seemed to move effortlessly around the stage and had absolutely gorgeous lines. The dancers mad the performance effortless. Next to perform was a newly formed dance company based out of New York. Although “In Dividing” started with no music, you could feel the beat the dancer was moving to. The choreography and use of partnership was impressive. The audience thought as a whole, that this dance had a lot going on at once, but because of the way this piece was choreographed, the movements fell together. This was one of the top three dances of the night The first three dances of the second half left audience members

all but impressed. “In Jeff, Andy and the Business of Art, I really didn’t understand any of the storyline. He poured soup on himself while dancing in and out of a picture frame. I was very confused,” Jackie Barrack said. However, the last two dances of the evening met every expectation. “Chemistry” was a group number performed by Revolve Dance Company from Spring, Texas. With upbeat music, fun choreography and precise movements, this performance had the crowd tapping their feet to the rhythm. Each and every one of the dancers on that stage looked like they were having the time of their lives dancing together. From their développé leaps to their pirouettes,

every dancer was elegant and on count. This performance was another top three of the night. Last but not least was the performance ‘Lorelei’s Whisper’ by NobleMotion Dance Company from Huntsville, TX. The lights in the theater were turned off and the use of a silhouette light brightened the stage. In this performance, physical features of the dancer were not evident, only their movements. The use of the lighting and the fog made the dancers appear almost angelic as they gracefully moved in and out of the light on stage. Something as simple as the light touching their fingertips made rays of light shine through to the audience. Dancers leaped, kicked, spun and soared through

the air leaving the audience in awe. “I am so very proud of them. All of the dancers did so great” Dionne Noble, owner of NobleMotion Dance Company, said after the performance Saturday evening. “Loelei’s Whisper” was the best dance of the night. The interesting use of fog and lighting combined with the gracefulness of the dancers made this piece beautiful and very enjoyable to watch. This performance deserves five paws. The dance gallery festival as a whole was very unique and a wonderful experience. With the exception of a few weird dances, the Gallery was enjoyable. The Dance Gallery Festival deserves 4 out of 5 paws.

“I thought ‘What can I do doesn’t only go toward her trip to instead of asking for money Russia. every time,’” Baker said. “I can do “Anything extra goes towards something. b r i n g i n g “I have fallen in love with the kids I’m kinda supplies for crafty so the ministry and the people there. I kids to play I came just keep going back as long as God with bringing up with allows me to and he has every time different things n e c k l a c e through things like this and the hearts for them,” ideas. Last of people around the community. Baker said. year I did tile They all support our trip. It’s really “ S o m e t i m e s necklaces so neat to see.” - Charly Baker we bring caps, this year I sometimes found ideas beanies and on Pinterest, of course, so I decided other different items.” Next March to do bottle cap necklaces.” will be Bakers 12th trip to Russia. The money Baker raises from “I have fallen in love with the $10 bottle cap necklaces the kids at the ministry and the

people there,” Baker said. “I just keep going back as long as God allows me to and he has every time through things like this and the hearts of people around the community. They all support our trip. It’s really neat to see.” SHSU graduate, Callie Roberson is an example of the supportive people in the community. This is her second year back at Baker’s booth. “[I come back] because it helps support her trips to Russia and I think that she is going over there and doing great things,” Roberson said. The bottle cap necklaces have

many different color bottle caps and pictures inside. Baker had SHSU, Huntsville Hornets and UT themed necklaces. She also had them where customers could pick a letter to put in the center and Baker would mail them. This is Baker’s third year at Fair on the Square. Last year she walked away with $900. To help the mission or to find more information about what’s going on, visit www.unbc.net. “There are all of these people in Russia that need the love and that’s why we go because we love them,” Baker said.

Fair on the Square gives charity a fighting chance Huntsville’s Annual Fair on the Square is more than just shopping opportunity; it also gives organizations a chance to raise money for a good cause. Sam Houston State University graduate Charly Baker does just that. Baker sells bottle cap necklaces to raise money to visit Russian Orphanages through University Heights Baptist Church. Since she goes on these missions often, Baker wanted to come up with a better idea to get the money.

MOLLY WADDELL A&E Editor

‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ lacks perks on the big screen CAITLIN ADAMCIK Staff Reporter

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a heartfelt and beautiful, but average movie. At some parts, the movie is better than the book. The movie follows Charlie and his first year of high school. Through his struggles, he becomes close friends with Patrick and Sam. Charlie and his friends have adventures, break-ups, and growup together. The entire movie is average. Nothing new, nothing but the story stood out. However there is nothing utterly bad about the movie. The filming was ordinary. There are no outrageous effects. Flashback scenes are simple, rapid cuts. In scenes were Charlie gets high, it was done in a creative way, but it did not have the “wow” factor. The scene could have been fast or colorful, but it lacked. On-screen talent is not a big stand out either. The audience adored one of Charlies’ best friends, Patrick, played by Ezra Miller. He is the comic relief in the movie. The big promise for acting is Emma Watson because she is well known for her performance as Hermonie Granger in the Harry Potter movies. Watson did a believable job and her American accent was well done, but her acting left no impact. Charlie,

played by Logan Lerman, did not give a ground-breaking performance either because he was bland. It is a disappointment since he is the main character. Compared to the book, the movie was better in some parts. The author, Stephen Chbosky, is the director and screen writer for the movie. When the author is close to the movie as the screen writer, the movie will usually do the book justice. Chbosky kept the greatest details in the book, but took out the trivial specifics. For example, Charlies’ relationship with his friend is more developed in the film, which is good because it is important to the story. In the book, the reader knows about Charlie and his family plus his friendship. His relationship with his family is a detail that is interesting but not needed in a condensed movie. The ending in the movie is an improvement compared to the book. The movie ending is more definite rather than the book, which has an assumed ending. The story is the best aspect of the movie. It stayed close to the book so the audience that read the book would be pleased. The audience may leave the theater impacted, but not by the movie itself. The filming and acting is nothing special. The movie is good, but do not expect to be blown away. We give this movie three and a half out of five paws.


Page 5

Sports

Tuesday, October 9, 2012 houstonianonline.com/sports

Bearkats axe Lumberjacks, 51-43 CODY LEWIS Sports Editor

In front of a record crowd of 26,185 fans, the Sam Houston State football team claimed their second straight Battle of the Piney Woods title with a 51-43 win at Reliant Stadium in Houston Saturday. Brian Bell and the Bearkats were able to win in spite of Stephen F. Austin’s quarterback Brady Attaway, who threw the ball 76 times, totaled 545 yards and threw for six touchdowns, keeping the Sam Houston secondary extremely busy. “It was a really exciting game,” Kats head coach Willie Fritz said. “It was a tough, hard-faught victory. I’m just really proud of the effort and the never-say attitude the kids had.” Bell totaled 168 passing yards and threw three touchdowns, for the second week in a row. He also had 69 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in what was easily his best performance of the season. ”Brian Bell…he’s a winner,” SFA head coach J.C. Harper said. “He’s a fighter and a competitor.” The Lumberjacks (2-3, 1-1 SLC) outscored the Bearkats (32, 1-1 SLC) 15-7 in the fourth quarter to put the Bearkats’ lead at only eight, but their rally fell short after they could not convert on a fourth down with under a minute remaining in the game. “We made good football plays,” Harper said. “We just ran out of time.” Attaway and wide receiver Cordell Roberson led the charge. Roberson had 14 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the number one receiver in SFA history for most catches (206). He also became only the fifth wide receiver in Southland Conference history to catch more than 200 passes.

Megan Laurie | The Houstonian

KICK AXE, TAKE NAMES. Quarterback Brian Bell dives into the endzone for one of his two rushing touchdowns. Bell totaled 168 passing yards and 69 rushing yards enroute to the Bearkats’ second straight Battle of the Piney Woods victory on Saturday.

“It felt good,” Roberson said. “We battled and we never gave up. We gave it our all out there. We can’t change the outcome of it but we can learn from it.” The Bearkat defense also looked impressive in the game. The first of two interceptions, a 92-yard return for a touchdown by Bookie Sneed in the second quarter became the longest in school history. The previous record, set in 1968, was held by Paul Wenzel with a 90-yard return. “They’re a passing team. That’s what SFA does,” Sneed said. “They have pretty good wideouts so we were expecting [it]. They really started throwing a lot at the end. We just buckled down and got the job done.” Cornerback Dax Swanson is closing in on Ronnie Choat’s

previous record of 13 interceptions by a Bearkat that has held for more than 50 years. He had one Saturday, but it was called back due to pass interference. Swanson needs one to tie the record and two to break it. Special teams were another factor for the Bearkats, who had a blocked field goal and a fake field goal for a touchdown. Punter Matt Foster averaged 40.2 yards per punt. The Bearkat offense was folding under the powerful Lumberjack defense, who forced fumbles from SHSU running back Tim Flanders on back-to-back drives to begin the second quarter. The Jacks were able to capitalize on these mistakes, scoring two straight touchdowns to put Sam Houston in a 14-3 hole. The Bearkats responded by

scoring 20 unanswered points in the second quarter to lead 23-14 at the half. Once the Lumberjacks got the ball back to start the second half, they scored a quick touchdown to make the score 23-21, which was the slimmest lead held by Sam Houston all day. However, the Bearkats had absolutely no trouble scoring in the third quarter, racking up three touchdowns to lead the game 4428 by the beginning of the fourth quarter. Bell targeted Diller, who led the Bearkats in receiving with 97 yards, and Torrance Williams, who had missed the previous two weeks due to a calf strain. Williams’ catch ended up as the number two play on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays, making this the second Battle of the Piney Woods game to feature a Top Play. Last year’s

Top Play was the unforgettable “Flanders Flip.” Flanders finished the day with a total of 125 yards, as he continues to set the bar higher and higher for future Sam Houston running backs. Since the Battle of the Piney Woods game moved to Reliant Stadium in 2010, attendance has gone up. This year’s game featured more than 1,000 more fans than last year’s total of 25, 083, which was also a record for the game. The Bearkats will continue conference play this Saturday against Nichols State in Louisiana. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. For more information on the Bearkats including stats and schedules, visit gobearkats.com.

CONNOR HYDE Sports Reporter

2002, the Texans are 3-17 against Indianapolis; all of the losses coming from Manning’s hands. In week six Houston will lineup against the Green Bay Packers at Reliant Stadium. Aaron Rodgers and company will give the Texans their first chance to prove themselves as Super Bowl contenders this season. Green Bay has begun this season with a 2-3 record, but since the Texans joined the NFL, the Packers have only won one game against Houston in three matchups. If Houston can claim another victory against the cheese heads in 2012, a Houston Super Bowl title could be in conversation for 2012. Following the Packers from week six, the Texans travel to Maryland to line up against the AFC North leader Baltimore Ravens; a matchup Texans fans are anxious to see after losing to the Ravens in the 2011 Divisional Playoffs. Led by quarterback Joe Flacco, the Raven’s offense ranks third in the AFC with 130 total points scored with an average of 398.8 yards per game. Although the Texans’ defense is ranked third in the league, the Raven’s passing will challenge the defensive abilities of corners Johnathan Joseph and Jackson Kareem. Until the Texans prove themselves against superior teams such as the Ravens and the Patriots (week 14) the possibility of having a Lombardi in their trophy case will remain vacant for years to come. After suffering a season ending injury against Kansas City in 2011, Schaub still has the weight of proving himself in playoff situations to Texans’ fans, as well as leading a dominant offensive attack to leading defenses around the league. Texans fans can continue to scream “Super Bowl season” every September, but until Houston can consistently win against veteran teams that have established themselves as powerhouses they will always remain a mediocre team who slips into the playoffs.

Texans have yet to prove themselves In 2002, Houston was blessed with another NFL franchise after the Houston Oilers flew to Tennessee in 1997. After nine complete seasons, four with a .500 winning percentage or better and one playoff debut in 2011, the Houston Texans is an overrated program that is flourishing in the weakest division of the NFL. Currently the Texans are leading the AFC South with an undefeated record (4-0) headed by quarterback Matt Schaub, running back Arian Foster and wide receiver Andre Johnson. Together the trio has gathered 1,601 yards in the first four weeks against teams who have been sub-par for the past four years. AFC South rivals Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans both have defenses that rank in the bottom tier of the AFC. Jacksonville currently ranks 15th in the conference with 138 total points allowed in the first four games of the season. Tennessee ranks just above the Jaguars with 181 points allowed but with fewer yards. Both Jacksonville and Tennessee have failed to make the playoffs or advance into the second round of since 2008. The Texans have yet to prove themselves against strong defenses such as Baltimore or Chicago. Given that Houston is still considered a relatively new franchise, their success of reaching the playoffs within the first decade of conception is a feat not to curl your nose at. The 2011 season proved to be a remarkable season for Houston as they achieved their second winning record (10-6) and advancing to their first appearance in the playoffs. But with the absence of Peyton Manning in 2011, the Texans plowed through division rivals Indianapolis Colts with a 34-7 victory to secure the top spot in the AFC South. In hindsight, Houston’s advance to the playoffs was without contention because of Manning’s absence in the Colt’s lineup. Since


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