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Kendall Scudder argues for better student representation in city govt
Volume 123 / Issue 10
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Thursday, February 21, 2013
Gun control discussion morphs into debate over SGA’s role at university
JAY R. JORDAN Staff Reporter A debate over gun control led to the debate over the role the student government plays in relation to representing the student body during their Tuesday night meeting. Some members, including the president and chief of staff, believe students elected the group to vote on their behalf. Others say the matter is too big for a group of 23 students to speak on behalf of the entire student body. S013-2 the “Sam Houston Personal Protection Bill” would put support behind the idea that students should be able to carry concealed weapons on campus with the proper permit. Rules and Regulations Chief Steven Perry proposed the amendment that sparked the discussion and would put the bill up for a student vote during the Spring 2013 election cycle. “For the first time, I am truly embarrassed,” Perry said after the amendment failed. “When the student body says that they should make this decision and not (SGA),
that’s (the student’s) decision to make.” Of the 23 members of the Senate, only eight members were directly voted into the organization by students during their election. The rest were all elected internally, something Perry says causes a problem in cases like these. “You have no mandate,” he said. “You can come in here every week and play government, but this is something that actually matters.” SGA President Shane Rankin said the organization had the right to vote on the bill and represent the student’s opinion. “We are elected to represent our constituents in the way the want to be represented,” Rankin said. “I think SGA fulfills the role of representing students. We are elected by the students for the students.” He and Sen. Josh Beaman, author of the legislation, are demanding a public apology from Perry. “Senators should be on their best behavior,” Rankin said. “Perry wasn’t.” Chief of Staff Ramiro Jaime said students wouldn’t have the patience to read the bill all the way
Debate spills over to social media STEPHEN GREEN Editor-in-chief
Jay R. Jordan | The Houstonian
TABLED: David Cullen, mass communication student, speaks to SGA senators during a discussion on the on-campus concealed carry gun bill.
through before placing their vote. “I was hoping that we’d vote on it tonight, not necessarily for the fact of convenience, but just for the fact that I stated that people aren’t going to read the bill,” Jaime said. “It’s just like [situation of] Obamacare. It’s doesn’t matter whether you’re for or against it. Both parties, whether for or against it, didn’t read the bill and it was voted on.” Several senators and students took offense to the statement, which they say called them lazy or unintelligent.
Jaime said this wasn’t his intent. “Basically, I just wanted to point out that I wasn’t calling stupid lazy I was sating the fact that we are all students and nobody reads those emails,” he said. Several students spoke in favor of the amendment while none spoke against it. Only a handful of senators actually voted to pass the amendment. The vote was not taken by roll call so precise numbers are not available. The SGA elections will be held April 3 and 4. All referendums that — DEBATE, page 6
Photo provided by tradekey.com
LIFE THREATENING: “DOC” can come in powder form like this, or in paper tab form. A student on campus suffered from severe hallucinations taking this drug.
Student warns of new psychedelic drug “DOC”
CHEYENNE SIMPSON Multimedia Reporter A psychedelic hallucination from an uncommon drug has one Sam Houston State University student speaking out about their experience and the damage that it caused. Very little is known about the drug Dimethoxychloroamphetamine or “DOC”, which was first reported by the DEA in late 2005. The drug is classified as a psychedelic drug, which causes increased awareness, euphoria and heightened senses. It can be compared to Lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD and can last up to two days. These are some of the
same effects that the student experienced, as well as a magnification of their conscious thoughts. “I was in my dorm room and began to have hallucinations that magnified my worries and concerns about college, my life and the company I chose to keep. The drug combined thoughts I had about my friends and other people in my life that resulted in a horrific psychic experience that combined my conscious thoughts with what was going on around me at the time,” the student said in an anonymous letter to the Houstonian. This “bad trip” ended in a hospital bed as IVs pumped a detox through the student’s body. The student said that if it
hadn’t been for the University Police Department, Huntsville hospital staff, roommate and their residence advisor the drug might have claimed their life. Dean of Students John Yarabeck contacted the Houstonian in hopes that he along with the student could get a message out to other students about the dangers of this drug. “This drug seems to be very unstable and can cause seriously bad trips as can be seen in his account of his experience. Anything you guys can do to discourage students from trying this or any other illegal drugs will be much appreciated,” said Yarabeck in an e-mail to the Houstonian. The student wanted to share
the bad experience so that others could be informed on the dangers of DOC. “If this letter can stop even one student from taking ‘DOC’, a drug that very little is known about in the first place, I’ll have done my job. I don’t think anyone should suffer the consequences of taking ‘DOC’, whether that’s hospitalization, arrest or (worst case scenario) death. Take the time to think about why you’re at college in the first place: to get an education and a degree so you don’t have to wander aimlessly through life. Study hard, make good friends and don’t take ‘DOC’, it will only bring negativity and harsh consequences to your life like it did me,” the student said.
Texas bill could turn SHSU’s Crime Victims Institute into task force MOLLY WADDELL News Editor A bill is going through the Texas Legislature that, if passed, would turn the Sam Houston State University Crime Victims Institute into a task force that would address sexual assaults occurring on campus. Director of the Crime Victim’s Institute, Leana Bouffard said that this bill works with the legislative mission of the Institute.
“This is very much in line with the legislative mission of the Institute, which is to conduct research on issues of victimization and to provide recommendations to the state legislature for policy efforts that would address victimization,” Bouffard said. Bouffard said the goal of the task force would be to develop a better understanding of sexual assault on campus and among college students which would help the CVI make policy changes
or program efforts directed at reducing sexual assault. “The task force efforts will hopefully give survivors a voice in understanding this issue as well as in developing more effective responses to sexual assault,” Bouffard said. “These efforts will also send a broader message that sexual assault anywhere cannot be tolerated and that we all have a responsibility to support survivors and to prevent this type of victimization.”
Bouffard said the bill should have positive results in helping sexual assault victims and preventing sexual assault. “We are optimistic as this bill moves forward and we are able to begin a statewide dialogue with colleges and universities and victim service providers that the efforts of the task force will improve response to sexual assault and strengthen prevention programming,” Bouffard said.
Some senators from the Student Government Association spilled their anger over onto Facebook after a heated gun control debate on Tuesday. “I just love being thrown under the bus asshole!” Sen. Josh Beaman said in a Facebook post. Caucus Chair for the College of Education Ian Cottle commented on the post trashing one of the speakers and an entire college. “Don’t worry he’s only a fine arts major haha,” Cottle said. Beaman said the post was not directed as a student as some first believed, but instead directed towards another senator. “My status last night…was in no way directed at any of the students in the audience at last night’s meeting it was directed at one senator that spoke during the meeting,” Beaman said. However, Cottle didn’t offer any apologies about his comment some say insult an entire group of students. “I was unaware (the senator from Beaman’s post) was not a fine arts major,” Cottle said. SGA President Shane Rankin said although the post wasn’t necessary, Beaman had every right to make the post. CONFESSIONS A thread about the bill also appeared on the Facebook page “Prison City Confessions” where anyone is able to post anonymous comments. Debate broke out between student Ginger Malone and several SGA members, as well as other members of the university community. Malone said SGA hasn’t fully advertised the forums and discussions on the issue. “Hardly anyone showed up,” she said. “Whether you are for or against it isn’t really the issue.” She said the senators don’t want to hear what students say. “They think that we are too stupid and too disinterested to be able to decide for ourselves,” Malone said. “Voting on the bill will happen this Tuesday. I urge you to speak to the SGA before that, and let them know that you want the student body to decide this.” Beaman commented on the level SGA has attempted to get student feedback. “We advertised this in the (Houstonian), on Facebook and through channel 7 news for the last 3 weeks,” he said. “So don’t you (Malone) dare try and say we are trying to pass this without the student body’s knowledge.” Although KSHU Channel 7 news has yet to have a newscast or publicly air information about the meeting, the Houstonian has written several articles about the bill debate, as well as, the Student Government Facebook page. Rankin repeated Beaman’s ideals. SHSU students John Pham and Steven Smith also commented that it is up to the individual students to read student media and follow group publications in order to find out relevant information. “All the tools have been given to (the students),” Smith said. “It’s your responsibility to use said tools to do what you will.” Malone said regardless of what was done, the lack of participation in SGA activities “should say something.”
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News
Thursday, February 21, 2013 houstonianonline.com/news
Agriculture
FFA inspires student to follow in footsteps of former teacher AUDRA BERRY Staff Reporter National FFA Week, an annual event designed to promote public education about agriculture and encourage students to give back to their communities is going on this week. Celebrations, which entail teacher appreciation breakfasts and “Ag Olympics” competitions will be held throughout the country by local and state chapters. These celebrations also provide opportunities of reflection for members and alumni who once wore the blue and gold corduroy jacket synonymous with FFA. “I enjoyed [FFA] a lot,” Sam Houston State University senior and collegiate FFA member Samantha Newton said. “I learned a lot…FFA was about responsibility and time management, all while teaching us agriculture isn’t just about cows, plows and sows” Newton isn’t the only one with fond memories of FFA. Josh Shafer, SHSU graduate and
a current agriculture educator at Waskom High School, said he owes his college and career success to FFA. “Being an FFA member in high school and taking agriculture science courses is exactly what led me to SHSU,” Shafer said. Doug Ullrich, Ph.D., agricultural education professor and collegiate FFA advisor at SHSU, isn’t surprised by Shafer’s story, claiming FFA is “a great recruitment tool” for the university. Ullrich said the Agricultural and Industrial Technology Department did a study about eight years ago that showed “over 70 percent of our incoming freshmen’s first time on [SHSU’s] campus was at an FFA event.” The Ag and IT Department host several National FFA events throughout the year, including area and state competitive leadership and skills events. According to Ullrich, the SHSU collegiate FFA chapter was formed in the early 1930s and is now the largest collegiate chapter in the
photo provided by Josh Shafer
INSPIRATION. SHSU graduate Josh Shafer with his high school Ag teacher, Mary Wilson (SHSU alumni ’68).
country with over 130 active members. Ullrich said that National FFA Week is a great time to give back. “For students to give back to the community, state and country
because someone somewhere gave to them when they were in high school,” Ulrich said. And that’s exactly what Shafer has in mind. “Now that I’ve graduated and
I’m teaching Ag, I hope that I can help my students realize how great the FFA is and how well it can prepare you for almost any career, even those outside of the Ag sector,” Shafer said.
Campus
Losing mobile phones causes pandemonium for students HANNAH BEACH Contributing Reporter
Molly Waddell | The Houstonian
LEADING. President Dana Gibson and Provost Jaimie L. Hebert met with faculty and staff on Feb. 20 to talk about servant leadership and whether or not is was apparent on campus.
Attached at the hip is an understatement when it comes to students and their mobile phones. If you ever lose your phone on campus is not the end of the world because chances are that it has been turned in safe and sound. When freshman, Ashley Pettibone, misplaced her Iphone Feb. 13 she was distraught. “I was going crazy, I literally looked everywhere.” Pettibone said. “I retraced my steps, asked everyone, I was unable to get
Stephen Green| The Houstonian
ATTACHED AT THE HIP. Students misplace their cellphones on campus all of the time, but with lost and found boxes in most buildings, all is not lost.
ahold of anyone! I felt useless.” Having no luck, she went back to her dorm. Later that day her roommate received a call from Pettibone’s missing
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phone. Her phone had been found and turned into the Lowman Student Center’s lost and found in room 311. Aly Olde, senior, who works at the LSC’s front desk, gets on average of two phones a day turned in. “If a student does not come looking for their phone, which they almost always do, I call their parents and have them email the student, or call the last number they dialed,” Olde said. “If the phone is not retrieved I then put it in the lost and found.” Director of the student center, Dan McDaniel, takes a trip to the University Police Department at least once a week with the lost and found items. “Cell phones rarely make it to UPD, because students cannot live without them,” McDaniel said. Once an item reaches the UPD, it is held there until it’s claimed or bought at the SHSU property auction held twice a year in April and October. When your phone goes missing, don’t fret. Retrace your steps, check your email, ask if the building has a lost and found and after you’re absolutely certain you’ve looked everywhere go to the UPD.
Page 3
Viewpoints
Thursday, February 21, 2013 houstonianonline.com/viewpoints
Bearkats are ready to serve
1D, Bieber:
Not-so guilty pleasure Kendall Scudder argues for better student representation in city govt Sitting in the city council chambers on Tuesday was an experience I’ll never forget. I sat and watched the Huntsville City Council vote on appointments to yet another city committee in which students will have no voice: the city’s Charter Review Committee. This shouldn’t have surprised me. City boards and commissions rarely have any student input (which should explain why students are so unhappy with the state of our city). But when you take into consideration the magnitude of the committee that was being assembled, every Bearkat should cringe at the thought of being entirely excluded. The Charter Review Committee may seem dull to some, but to those who understand that the City Charter is the document that defines the playing field for our entire local government, it’s everything. This committee is what allows us to play ball or sit on the bench as the good ol’ boys attempt to line their coffers with our tax revenue. As each name was revealed, I sat and waited in the council chambers for someone, anyone, to stand up and fight for us, and it never happened-not even Councilwoman Tish Humphrey, the councilwoman elected to represent the predominantly student Ward 2. Of the nearly 10,000 students that live in Huntsville, I suppose the mayor and council couldn’t find a single one qualified to serve on this board. In the years that I have served the student
RICHARD MCKINNEY Staff Reporter I have a confession to make. Now, this isn’t something that people generally say in public, nor is it something that a lot of people will find favorable. That being said, it would be great if we could keep this between us. Okay – here goes nothing. I am a strong black woman who don’t need no man. Okay, that’s not the real secret. I like One Direction; you know – the British boy band. Actually, I love them; and Justin Bieber. Call me a teenage girl if you want (I certainly throw like one), but I dance around singing to their music all the time. Truthfully, I am not ashamed of this. I realize I’m not really in the majority in this particular viewpoint, but I don’t care. If you share this particular passion, you shouldn’t be ashamed either. We all have guilty pleasures! Okay – let me back up just a minute. I guess the term guilty pleasure isn’t quite the phrase to use. See when you think about it, this wouldn’t quite be a guilty pleasure. This phrase used to mean something quite different; an act or activity which would derive pleasure, but would most often make you feel guilty afterwards. Now, I don’t mean eating chocolate on a diet. A guilty pleasure would be going into the restroom at the local bar and snorting a line of cocaine (which I do not recommend). Sure it feels good for a bit, but you would feel really bad or guilty later. Somehow this phrase has trickled down through the masses to common vernacular (I blame Entertainment Weekly). Sadly, this pains me. It disturbs me to know that we can take something so serious and turn it into something so trivial, though this does happen all the time. Now, instead of having one or two actual guilty pleasures we attribute any small, unpopular interest as a guilty pleasure. The fact that I know Harry Styles turned 19 Feb. 1, or knowing that Zayn Malik turned 20 Jan. 12 , or that Louis Tomlinson (my personal favorite) turned 21 Dec.24, 2013 doesn’t make me feel guilty. It does make me feel a little like a stalker, but that’s a totally different issue. So, this shouldn’t be considered a guilty pleasure in the proper sense of the phrase. Before we start singing in the cafeteria about the status quo, though, we should think of a new term. Perhaps something like so-what-if-I-likethat pleasure – okay, so that’s a little long, but there must be something else. Let’s reserve guilty pleasure for the more serious things in our life, not my borderline obsession for One Direction.
TAYLOR LIKENS Staff Reporter Science has brought us many fine things. Among them: nuclear weapons, sexual enhancement, and the Umbrella Corporation. Even if we don’t always understand what they’re getting at, the general public at least tries to act excited when our best and brightest churns out some new knowledge. Last year when the Higgs Boson was discovered, Science gave itself a well-earned pat on the back, despite the fact that this was most certainly one of those moments. So why is it important? Abridged, the Higgs Boson basically proves the existence of the Higgs Field, a sort of invisible net that gives particles mass. Recently, however, in a complicated way that can probably only be explained with lots of numbers and five dollar words, physicists skimming through some of the math behind the
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What do you think about the SGA bill to gain student support for guns on campus?
I am very vehemently against having CHL carriers allowed to have guns not only on campus but in classrooms. We live in a culture of violence. Violence begets violence, so I would also hope that love begets love.
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and 4x400m relay races, despite losing his legs to complications from a congenital birth defect when he was 11 months old. Pistorius, aka the blade-runner, was able to compete, because he had blade-like prosthetics built from carbon fiber for the purpose of sprinting. There was some controversy about whether or not the prosthetics gave Pistorius an unfair competitive advantage but he’s largely stayed out of the limelight since then, because nobody really gives a shit about Olympic athletes, amputees or not, when the Olympics aren’t going on. For a couple of months, Pistorius’ tale was one of inspiration.The blade-runner made our own limitations seem trivial by comparison. In November Pistorius began dating Steenkamp, won her heart, and subsequently put a couple of bullets in it, police allege. According to Pistorius’ defense team, Pistorius awoke in the middle of the night to a mysterious noise emanating from his bathroom. Fearing burglars, Pistorius rolled out of bed, grabbed his 9 mm handgun and fired four shots into the locked bathroom door. Only then did he realize his girlfriend wasn’t in bed, but was the source of the bathroom rustling. So he put on his doorbreaching prosthetic legs, vainly attempting to kick the door down. Next, he grabbed a nearby cricket bat (a staple of every South African home) and bashed the door open, discovering her bullet-riddled body and carrying it downstairs
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As someone that’s trying to get in the Senate, I don’t think the bill should be approved. I think that’s a majority of the students’ opinion.
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Stephen Green
and REM wrote a horrific, repetitive song about it. Modern science is no exception, and has a handful of commonly accepted ideas about how things will inevitably come crashing down on us. If you happen to have a moment, and nothing better to ruin your day with, pull up a chair and enjoy a few of them. The Big Crunch: Insecure about its increasing size, the universe adopts a new diet plan. All matter in the universe crunches down into a single dense space. Forever and ever. The end. The Big Rip: The increasing density of dark matter accelerates universal expansion to the breaking point, destroying the universe in a manner that is in no way intended to sound racist. Heat Death: All stars in the universe inevitably die out, with all warmth and energy slowly fading from existence as the universe gradually lulls into its ultimate fate- an infinite era of cold, lifeless
darkness. Forever and ever. The end. You’ve probably already noticed the common denominator; these sound less like scientific predictions and more like HP Lovecraft’s personal collection of bedtime stories. But therein lays the point. Compared to pretty much every other prediction for the end-all fate of the universe, these newest findings might as well suggest that the universe will eventually transform into Candyland. Though perhaps not the most convincing argument against your species’ worries about annihilation, consider that in this particular endgame there is at least a universe to be had. If there were ever a more annoying time to adopt a “well, at least the glass is half full” policy, this would be it, but at the very least you might lose a little bit less sleep at night. Frankly, I couldn’t care less about the destruction of our own universe so long as something else gets to take its place. Beats the hell out of Heat Death.
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I don’t have an opinion of the bill. My concern is less about individuals protecting themselves from harm coming in externally and more about people having access to a very lethal means of harming themselves.
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where she took her last breaths. The prosecution would have you believe a different set of facts. They allege that Steenkamp locked herself in the sanctuary of the master bathroom after a Valentine’s Day dispute that quickly escalated. It was then that Pistorius decided to murder her for carrying on an intimate Facebook relationship with a dreamboat member of the South African National Rugby Team. He methodically snapped on his prosthetic legs and fired into the locked bathroom, killing Steenkamp. The question of premeditation hinges on how quickly after the alleged dispute Pistorius sent a barrage of bullets through his bathroom door. The prosecution argues that the time taken to equip prosthetic legs is sufficient for a charge of premeditated murder, whereas Pistorius contends that he shot into the bathroom before he donned his prosthetics. The same tools which granted Pistorius the opportunity to live a fulfilling life, despite being a double-amputee, may turn out to make the case for the prosecution hoping to put him behind bars for the rest of his days. Regardless of the outcome, nothing illustrates life’s rich pageant quite like the tragic downfall of Pistorius, a man who proved disabled people truly are capable of anything, even fatal acts of domestic violence.
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I’m mostly concerned about guns in student dorms... It if does get passed, I would like to see it go to a student referendum.
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We all remember the 1993 film “The Fugitive” starring Harrison Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, a surgeon trying to clear his name after he was falsely accused of murdering his wife - a crime actually committed by a onearmed man. Fast forward 20 years and we have life COLIN HARRIS imitating art, in the form Staff Reporter of an amputee allegedly murdering a woman, as double below-knee amputee and South African Olympian, Oscar Pistorius, is the alleged perpetrator of the Valentine’s Day murder of his supermodel girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at their Pretoria home. In what’s already turning out to be one of the most salacious and tabloid-ready stories of the year, Pistorius stands accused of fatally shooting Steenkamp three times through a locked bathroom door after a romantic dispute. Even though this tragic lover’s quarrel occurred an ocean away from all of us, everybody’s bound to be talking about it. Besides possibly murdering Steenkamp, Pistorius is best known for competing at the 2012 London Summer Olympics in the 400m
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Higgs Boson have stumbled upon some interesting fine print. Very predictably this has something to do with the end of the universe. As physicist Joseph Lykken explains it, “many tens of billions of years from now, there’ll be a catastrophe. A little bubble of what you might think of as an ‘alternative’ universe will appear somewhere and then it will expand out and destroy us.” It has been brought to my attention that the threat of cosmic destruction may make some of you uncomfortable. Most of you, even. Funny, because this is hands down one of the least terrifying things Science has ever told us. Since the dawn of man, people have speculated about the end of the world. Thus far none of them have been correct- as anyone who has walked into a pole within the past few months can testify- but that never took away the fun of guessing. Revelations ranted about it, the Mayan calendar had its take on it,
Blade-runner murder scandal: tragedy of our heroes
PAWS UP to being able to make your own GIFs on the new app, GifBoom
Faculty Adviser
I know for a fact that 2-time “Outstanding Campus Leader” nominee Kolby Flowers is ready to answer the call. He isn’t just the Vice President of our student body, he’s also a full-time employee of Apple Inc. where he manages the day-to-day operation of their stores. Even between his studies, his full-time job at Apple KENDALL SCUDDER Guest Columnist and his full-time job working for students, he has been a member of the record breaking Bearkat All Paws In committee, twice. Don’t tell me that Flowers isn’t qualified to serve. I don’t expect elected officials to know every person in their districts; that is an unfair expectation. What I do expect is for elected officials to at least know a handful of community leaders, especially the leaders within a demographic that makes up one-third of their constituency. As elected officials, they represent all of the people in their district, not just the people with money, not just the people who vote. How did not one member of the student community come to mind when drafting these committee members? Why didn’t council think YOU were worthy of serving your community?
Higgs Boson predicts the end, optimism is still viable
PAWS UP
Robin Johnson
body and fought for student rights here at SHSU, I can tell you that I’ve found more than just a few students that answer that call to serve every day. I’m not angry I didn’t get appointed, I’m angry that someone like Brandon Pete didn’t get an opportunity to serve. Brandon has served the student body for years in SGA, in Order of Omega Honor Society, as the Political Action Chair of the NAACP, and a member of the Exceptional Men of the Talented Tenth Inc., but in the eyes of the City of Huntsville, he still isn’t equipped to serve his community on the Charter Revision Committee because he’s a student. Or what about Ramiro Jaime, a 10 year resident of Huntsville and Master at Arms for the US Navy? He rarely misses a city council meeting. He is the President of the College Republicans and a VP of their National Affiliate. Jaime is a member of Phi Delta Theta and rose in the ranks of IFC to become VP. Why does being a student disqualify him from the right to continue his service? Or Nancy Severson-Olson, whose degree in psychology is allowing her to pursue her Masters in School Psychology. Severson-Olson simultaneously took full loads of classes, served as the VP of Psi Chi National Honor Society, and held down a campus job. She successfully juggled school, work and service, but our city didn’t think to ask someone like her to represent the thousands of students in that same boat on a committee that drastically impacts the lives of her community?
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Arts&Entertainment
Thursday , February 21, 2013 houstonianonline.com/a-e
Speaker shares insight into film industry
Houston film commissioner emphasizes importance of networking JAMES WEEMS Contributing Reporter A member of the Houston Film Commission came to Sam Houston State University on Wednesday to educate students about the financial and networking sides of filmmaking and how that affects the filming process. Raven Films and the Department of Mass Communication hosted their second guest speaker of the spring semester. Alfred Cervantes, Deputy Director of the Houston Film Commission, highlighted the growth of the Texas film industry, which is becoming a place of opportunity for students who want to enter the film business. “Texas has the second most film commissions in the United States only behind California,”Cervantes said. He said for filmmakers in Texas this means there are many opportunities to apply for grants or fundraise to get a short or feature film produced. Which is making Texas a hot spot for filmmakers in the industry and is
James Weems| The Houstonian
INSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE: Deputy Director of the Houston Film Commission Alfred Cervantes spoke to students about the financial side of filmmaking and emphasized the importance networking to get jobs in Texas.
making Texas a go to destination for all sorts of films. Students who attended the event left informed after Cervantes gave them insight to the financial side
of the industry. “He made me realize that there are so many opportunities out there for independent filmmakers in Texas” SHSU student Brittany
Tanner said. Texas has been forthcoming with the film industry to make productions in the state cheap, with tax breaks and low
Exhibit to blur lines between monstrous, exotic GEORGE MATTINGLY Arts & Entertainment Editor A Dallas artist will juxtapose the grotesque and beautiful to explore society’s response to differences in her exhibit, “The Legacy of Lily White” opening today at 5 p.m. Visiting artist Margaret Meeham will showcase pieces in a remounting of her exhibit in the Gaddis Geeslin Gallery, which features photography, sculpture and drawings as part in her “Pugilist” series. “All of my work is based on the idea of differences [among people] and how society tries to address it,” Meeham said. “[The exhibit] is about how we understand differences and who we’re taught to fear and who we care for.” Meehan received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. Her work has been on display in various galleries nationally, including the Soil Gallery in Seattle and several galleries across Texas. “The Legacy of Lily White” features pieces that aim to blur the lines between the exotic and monstrous. Other large photographs feature seemingly innocent women dressed in white dresses, but who are also bloody, wearing boxing gloves and have faces full of hair that aim to “make whiteness strange.” “I wanted to create something that was
grotesque and exotic to blur the lines between fear and innocence,” Meeham said. “The exhibit is also about contradictions. Just because someone is different doesn’t mean they’re good or bad. Sometimes we just prejudge people based on what we see.” Meeham said the exhibit has not gone without its challenges working George Mattingly | The Houstonian with photography ans special effects BLURRING LINES: This photo by Margaret Meeham uses special effects makeup to depict a woman with full facial hair in “The Legacy of Lily White”. makeup for the first time. said. “They should allow themselves to be However, Meeham said she accomplished informed by their ideas and their media to her goal of cohesive characters and concept. make it interesting for the audience.” In addition to showcasing her exhibit, Meeham also shared her advice for art Meeham has also taught master classes and students who are graduating soon. critiqued student works. “Work hard and do more than just your Meeham said that while she is at SHSU assignment. Details matter.” as a guest, she hopes students will learn Meeham will give a lecture on her work something from her work and open their today from 5 to 6 p.m. in Art Building E minds to new art media. Room 108, followed by an opening reception “I hope they learn that they don’t have to beginning at 6 p.m. in 3G in Art Building F be locked into just one medium,” Meeham Room 101.
Sony reveals first major details for Playstation 4 CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ Staff Reporter The first details were released about Sony’s new gaming console during last night’s conference. While no price point was announced, they did state that the PlayStation 4 would have a Holiday 2013 release. According to Sony’s lead console architect of the console Mark Cerny, the PlayStation 4 will house many features such as cloud gaming, a powerful GPU, social media integration and streamlined
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LEADING ACTRESS: Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty” This actress delivered a convincing performance, making her worthy to win.
download functionality. Cerny said the console is designed as a “supercharged PC architecture.” To address their involvement with cloud gaming Sony announced that GaiKai will offer PlayStation titles via streaming on Sony’s network store. GaiKai CEO David Perry said that users can try out games via GaiKai’s streaming service before they buy. Not much was said about the console’s CPU. Sony only said that it would be an X86 chipset from AMD Technologies. According to Techradar.com, it is rumored that it will
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have 8 cores and will be clocked at 1.6 GHz. That means the console will be energy efficient, quietly ran and will not require cooling fans. As for graphics, Cerny said the PlayStation 4 will house a GDDR5 graphics processing unit also from AMD Technologies. According to Techradar.com, the GPU consists of 18 processing clusters containing 64 cores each. That means that the console will have lots of processing power, which will allow it to —PS4, page 6
EDI CTIO NS
Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway in “Les Miserables” Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz in “Django Unchained”
reservation costs of premium areas in major cities, for independent and commercial use. Filmmakers also don’t have buy expensive film permits in Texas, unlike what you have to do in other states like New York and California. This level of cooperation allows the state to gain from film companies who have invested in Texas. Cervantes has worked on film crews ranging from “Reality Bites” to “Apollo 13”. He started his career in film as a freelancer for films that were being shot in the grater Houston area. After three years of freelance work, Cervantes got a job working for the Houston Film Commission in 1996 and has worked there for more than 17 years. The role of the HFC is to provide information about locations and costs of using certain properties for filming in the greater Houston area. They are a non-profit organization that promotes the use of the Houston area for independent filmmaking or feature films. The HFC gives information on what locations are available for filming and how to book those locations for filmmaking. Follow us today! @TheHoustonian
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Sports
Thursday, February 21, 2013 houstonianonline.com/sports
Martin scores 23, Bearkats snap losing streak with 64-50 victory CODY LEWIS Sports Editor Despite having a 55-8 overall record against the Sam Houston State women’s basketball team, Stephen F. Austin was unable to contain Britni Martin as she scored 23 points and lead the Bearkats to a 64-50 victory. The win stopped the Bearkats’ three-game losing streak, having lost to Lamar, Oral Roberts and Central Arkansas. “We were so glad to be home and to play against SFA and get this win,” head coach Brenda Nicholls said. “It gives us momentum.” The Bearkats (15-11, 10-4 SLC) took the lead early in the game and never gave it up. Late in the second half, the Lumberjacks (11-15, 6-9 SLC) brought the score within four (2218) but Martin scored eight straight points to send the Berakats into the locker room with a 30-18 lead. She finished the game with 23 points and six assists. “Martin’s leadership is huge,” Nicholls said. “She’s been fired up.”
Fellow seniors Chanice Smith and Sequeena Thomas both chipped in 14 points and combined for a total of 13 rebounds. “These seniors are leading this team,” Nicholls said. The Lumberjacks were able to bring the score within six points with a little over 10 minutes left to play, but over the next three minutes the Kats went on a 13-5 run and SFA never got back within 10 points. “We’re going to keep executing and take everything day to day,” Nicholls said. Stephen F. Austin had three players who scored in double digits. Porsha Roberts led the Lumberjacks with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Daylyn Harris scored 11 and Annette Davis scored 10. With this win, the Bearkats still hold a second place tie with Lamar in the Southland Conference. “We have two more games at home and we’re going to take them one at a time,” Nicholls said. SHSU will have the weekend off Alex Broussard | The Hosutonian in preparation to host McNeese State GOING OFF: Britni Martin was nearly unstoppable, as she scored 23 points and dished out six assists as she next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. led the Bearkats to a 64-50 victory over the Lumberjakcs, ending a three-game losing streak.
Late runs by Houston spoil SHSU home opener CONNOR HYDE Sports Reporter An exchange of seven Sam Houston State pitchers and a stagnant hitting rotation cost the Bearkats a 6-3 loss against the University of Houston in Tuesday’s home opener. SHSU baseball coach David Pierce attributes Tuesday’s loss to the five walks and four errors, handing three unearned runs to the Cougars. UH’s plate discipline cornered starting Bearkat pitcher Tyler Eppler to a two-and-one-third
inning outing with 61 pitches thrown. Eppler held the Cougars to one run but multiple full count plate appearances tired the sophomore coming off a preseason injury. Pierce claimed the circulation of the pitching rotation was to preserve arms after the previous tournament at Texas State. “It wasn’t so much of Eppler’s performance, or even [Jason] Simms’s performance, or [Logan] Boyd’s performance. It was much more about preserving their arms and making sure they get in there and get a taste but at the same time we don’t want to give away games
Blue Jays, Dodgers make biggest offseason moves RYAN BOWERS Staff Reporter Spring training is here, and it is only a little over a month away before America’s Pastime begins the long regular season schedule. Before teams can start competing for pennants, however, managers and skippers must figure out who deserves a major league spot and who goes to the minor leagues, all while working out the kinks of not playing for months. There are always stories during spring training worth following for baseball fans, and then there are stories that could potentially mean everything depending on the outcome for certain teams. There are always one or two teams that drastically change their roster during the offseason.Last year it was the Miami Marlins and that move proved to be fatal. This year, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers have made trades and signed top players to try to get over the hump and make the playoffs. The Blue Jays have spent years competing in the alwaystough A.L. East but never quite competing for a playoff spot. A big trade with the Marlins gave the Blue Jays short stop Jose Reyes, first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, pitcher Mark Buehrle and second baseman Emilio Bonifacio. These were all vets added just a year ago by the Marlins to lead their team. The Blue Jays also added R.A. Dickey, the knuckleball throwing 38-year-old who won the National League Cy Young Award with the New York Mets last year, and Melky Cabrera, who was leading the National League in batting average last year before being suspended for PED use after the All Star break. Add in homegrown stars like Brett Lawrie and Jose Bautista and the Blue Jays are looking at this year to finally
make the postseason. The question with the new talent is: can it get together this season? The Blue Jays will try to avoid what happened to the Marlins, who went on a shopping spree of their own and ended up with one of the worst records. The Los Angeles Dodgers also enter with a new roster that they expect to help them make the postseason for the first time since 2009. Last year a big trade with the Red Sox brought the Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, left fielder Carl Crawford and pitcher Josh Beckett. Another trade with the Cubs gave them Ted Lilly. An offseason signing of Zack Grienke, one of the best young pitchers in the game right now has helped to make the Dodgers, at least on paper, to be a favorite to make it to the World Series. The question for the Dodgers is the same. The Cincinnati Reds have the most intriguing player position switch in all of spring training. Aroldis Chapman, the Reds closer last year, will begin training this spring for a move to the starting rotation. Chapman saved 38 games and struck out 122 batters in 71.2 innings last year. He has one of the best fastballs in MLB, time will tell. The Los Angeles Angels continue to spend big. For the second year in a row, the Angels signed a former MVP and the best offensive player on the market. This time, they lured Josh Hamilton away from the division rival Texas Rangers with a five year deal worth $123 million. Last year the Angels signed the Ranger’s top pitcher C.J. Wilson but still couldn’t overcome them in the standings. With Hamilton alongside Albert Pujols and phenom Mike Trout, the Angels hope they have done enough to make a return to the postseason.
doing it,” Pierce said. SHSU reliever Michael Burchett loaded the bases with a single and threw three consecutive walks for three runs, allowing the Cougars to take a 6-3 lead in the top of the ninth. Coming off the Texas State tournament averaging eight runners left on base, SHSU continued to move runners into scoring position but were unsuccessful in piecing together a string of base hits to score from second. Hayden Simerly’s opening homerun of the bottom in the second couldn’t hold the
Bearkats’s lead beyond the fourth inning, after a Cougar single following an error at third tied the game at three. Jessie Plumlee singled to right center to advance Ryan Farley from first to third, scoring on Luke Plucheck’s sacrifice fly to center field during the bottom of the fourth. “I thought we had great executed play with the slash and we got ourselves first and third,” Pierce said. “Plumlee sold the play very well, he handles the bat well. That’s the type of things we have to do.” Farley closed the night hitting 3-4 with three singles.
Late offensive momentum was interrupted from centerfielder Colt Atwood after tagging from first to second base on a towering popfly deep into center field in the seventh inning. “Normally we don’t tag up from first a lot but as deep as [the hit] was, with that runner, all that situation, I thought it was an aggressive play and the only reason it didn’t work was because [UH] made the play,” Pierce said. SHSU will face off against Louisiana-Monroe for their first home series. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
Page 6 Thursday, February 21, 2013
Students remember life of “Johnny” Smith through dance and pictures Students, faculty, friends and family all gathered in the Erica Starr Theatre Wedneday in order to remember the life and career of Sam Houston State University Assistant Professor of Dance, Jonathan Charles Smith. The memorial service consisted of a video and picture montage of Smith’s life and choreography work, speakers from Smith’s collection of friends, family, colleagues and students, and performances by students who danced pieces choreographed by Smith. “The one word I think of when I remember Johnny is spirit,” Assistant Professor of Dance Dana Nicolay said. “And I know his spirit lives on. We see it
PS4,
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consistently deliver high-end graphics at a smooth rate. Cerny also revealed that the PlayStation 4 will have 8 gigabytes of RAM, which allows the console to maintain a speedy operation and reduce loading times. As for PlayStation 4’s Dualshock 4 controller, it is similar to the previous iteration except for a few important changes. The controller is slightly bulkier, has a touch sensitive surface in the center, and has a “light bar” indicator that changes color to identify players easier. The light bar also functions as a motion control device. The controller also has a “share” button on the left side. It will allow users to pick and share any gaming footage they want instantly with their friends. The sharing functionality ties with Sony’s attempt at social integration with their new console. As for Playstation 4’s download functionality, Sony plans on streamlining the process by adding a secondary chip to the console’s hardware. Cerny said that the chip will allow the user to play the digital title that they purchased while it is downloading. Cerny said that he wanted to reduce the download times of digital titles “to zero.” While Sony released many details
every day in his students, his choreography and the lives of everyone who knows him. He left us with a huge spirit.” A former student of Smith’s, Lyndsay Lunsmann recounted her favorite memories as the audience laughed at the familiar antics of the professor. She then said Smith was a second father and great friend to her and that she believed the greatest gift Smith ever gave to his students was the love of dance. Jordan O’Hara Smith, Smith’s daughter, thanked everyone who attended at the service. “Thank you to everyone who came today, and thank you for remembering him this week,” Smith said. “He’s somewhere out here right now and I know he appreciates the love shown today. Thank you so much, and remember to point your toes.”
about their new console, there are still many concerns. The biggest concern is what Sony plans to do about digital rights management on used games. Travis Miller, a graduate student from Sam Houston State University, was especially concerned about the issue. “I hope that they don’t adopt a stricter DRM model,” he said. “That would restrict our choices as consumers and I know that it would drive me to purchase games on a PC via Steam instead.”
DEBATE,
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are put up in the general elections must be voted on by 10 percent of the student body, or more than 1,800 students. During the meeting, Sen. Spencer Copeland redacted his amendment that would require UPD to collect and maintain a list of campus community members with concealed handgun licenses. His reason was that there’s a list that already contains that information and is easily accessible to UPD. Three other amendments were passed by SGA that corrected improper grammar and wording in the original bill. Perry’s motion to have the bill tabled until the next meeting passed. They will meet again on Tuesday to discuss and possibly vote on the bill.
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