Vol 115— Issue 15
Huntsville, Texas
SPORTS Sports Editor Mike Silva breaks down keys to success for Men’s basketball team.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
FEATURE PRESENTATION
INDEX
Nation & World...page 4
Entertainment editor Kevin Jukkola finds himself miserable in Alice in Wonderland.
Viewpoints................page 2
Entertainment........page 5
SEE page 5
Campus................page 3
Sports....................page 6
SEE page 6
All-paws-in to help out St u d e nt s w or k t o g e t h e r t o prov i d e s e r v i c e a n d s e t t r a d it i on By Kristin Meyer Senior Reporter
John Rudolph The Houstonian
BREAKING GROUND. University President James Gaertner , Ph. D. (center) shows his Bearkat spirit with volunteers at the Bearkat All-Paws-In event on Saturday. The goal of the event is to continue the long Tradition of Bearkats coming together as one for the greater good while also creating a new tradition.
The students of SHSU joined together last Saturday, March 6, to carry out the motto of our university, “The measure of a life is its service.” The Student Government Association hosted Bearkats All-Paws-In “because of the spirit and unification it brings to our campus and student organizations,” said Mariel Kanene, SGA University Affairs Chief. “The objective of All-PawsIn was to rally all Bearkats to lend a hand to the community that has given the campus of Sam Houston continuous support and a home, said Kanene. Students and organizations were able to sign up for AllPaws-In and receive community service hours, free breakfast, and a t-shirt. Aside from waking up at 8 a.m., students reaped the benefit of eggs, croissants, hash browns and fruit with a side of SHSU spirit. Following the kickoff rally, students carpooled to various locations throughout the community to volunteer until 12:00 p.m. Volunteer locations in-
cluded the University Camp, Good Shepherd Missions, Tomorrow’s Promise Montessori School, Gibbs-Powell Home, the Wynne Home, Huntsville Community Theatre, Pregnancy Care Center, Hospitality House, Huntsville Memorial Hospital, Rita B. Huff Animal Shelter, and Little Woman Home for Animals. “We feel that the event was extremely successful, given the fact that students were asked to arrive at 8:00 in the morning, and adjust to minor changes,” said Kanene. “With a 64% attendance rate, the students believed in this and made it come to life.” Originally, the event was to include a free lunch and shuttles to the volunteer locations. “Because of the influx of participants wanting to participate, we had to make necessary adjustments in the given budget to allow for the full implementation of this initiative,” said Kanene. “With lunch not being able to be provided this year, we could focus our funding on — See PAWS, page 3
R.I.D.D. Week begins Organizations prepare students for Spring Break
By Shawn Ramsey Contributing Writer Next week is R.I.D.D. Week, also known as Reducing Irresponsible Drinking and Drugs Week, at Sam Houston State University. The SHSU Alcohol and Drug Abuse Initiative, along with the National Health Education Honorary, Eta Sigma Gamma, fraternity Omega Delta Phi, and sorority Kappa Delta Chi is hosting the annual event all week until Friday in order to prepare students for a safe spring break. “The goal for the week is to insure that our students can make good, rational decisions about drugs and alcohol with the help of scientific studies of the dangers of using these harmful substances,” said SHSU Alcohol and
Drug Abuse Initiative Director, Rosanne Keathley. The theme for R.I.D.D. this year is “myths of drugs and alcohol.” Every day next week in the LSC Mall area on campus, and other locations, these myths will be daily theme of activities for that day: o The week was originally scheduled to kick off on Monday, March 8 with “Truth or Consequences?” along with the myth that drugs and alcohol can enhance sexual, physical and academic performance. However, due to inclement weather, all events scheduled yesterday were cancelled. o Tuesday, March 9 the theme is “Advertising doesn’t affect your personal choices.” — See R.I.D.D., page 3
The days of Vikings Medieval experts to differentiate myth from history at roundtable discussion By Jake Pickard Contributing Writer A roundtable discussion will take place at Sam Houston State this Wednesday to help students delineate real historical Vikings from those of myth. The discussion will take place in the
College of Humanities and Social Sciences Room 110 from 3:30-5 p.m. The panel, which consists of members of the SHSU Viking Society, will consist of three experts on the study of Norse History and Mythology. — See VIKINGS, page 3
John Rudolph The Houstonian
Sam Houston State University Regional Crime Lab Now Open By Jennifer Gauntt
SHSU Public Relations
The Sam Houston State University Regional Crime Laboratory which will serve the basic needs of nearly 100 state and local law enforcement agencies from the ten counties surrounding Huntsville is now open, according to university officials. Equipment, personnel and resources are in place that will
allow the laboratory, located in The Woodlands, to begin working towards accreditation, at which time it can start accepting evidence in criminal cases. University officials anticipate the lab may provide forensic services in as many as 5,000 to 6,000 criminal investigations annually. The lab will also perform death investigation casework for medical examiners and provide other analytical and testimonial ser-
vices to clients. The major function of the lab will be the identification of seized drugs and toxicology analysis. Services will be provided by almost a dozen full-time forensic scientists and support staff and will offer intern opportunities to forensic science students at SHSU. U. S. Congressman Kevin Brady was instrumental in securing funding from Congress for the crime lab. “Law enforcement offi-
cials and agencies in smaller communities experience long waits and backlogs when requesting services from crime labs in major cities,” he said. “The regional crime lab will give local law enforcement in surrounding counties new tools to help better protect the communities they serve.”
— See LAB, page 3
Fighting crime through fingerprint identification
Fingerprint specialist Jim McNutt visits SHSU to discuss how forensic evidence can catch criminals By Malissa Peek Contributing Writer The College of Criminal Justice is getting real with students. Their program “Real Talk” is a bi-monthly event developed to inform undergraduates of different job op-
portunities in the field of criminal justice. Today at 2:00 p.m. inside the CJava Café, located in the Criminal Justice building, senior fingerprint specialist Jim McNutt will discuss his experiences in law enforcement and his journey to his current po-
sition with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. McNutt has more than 25 years experience in law enforcement and forensic investigation and identification. He has worked on many high profile cases, including a case involving the serial killer many know as BTK. He has a bach-
elor’s degree in administration of justice from Wichita State University, and is a certified latent print examiner and senior crime scene analyst. — See PRINT, page 3
Graphic by Joe Buvid The Houstonian
VIEWPOINTS
Page 2 The Houstonian
The diary of a pregnant woman Meagan Ducic talks about the different aspects of pregnancy and her experiences with it. Pregnancy is a time filled with joy, excitement, bonding and love. Unfortunately, it’s also filled with fear, exhaustion, hormones and pain. Luckily, women posses the ability to repress unpleasant memories from pregnancy, allowing us to be willing to further perpetuate our species. Without this ability, the human race would be in real trouble. When you’re pregnant, you spend a great deal of time worrying about and planning for things you have no control over. It is immensely draining. With my daughter, Michelle, we were told very early in the pregnancy that she had an elevated chance of being born with Down Syndrome. We were given options, and chose not to have any tests done. Whatever happened to our little girl, we decided, we would handle. For months my husband and I tried not to
think about it or bring it up in conversation, but it was always in the back of our minds, and clenched tightly around my heart as the fear made it beat faster and faster. Thankfully, Michelle was born without Down Syndrome, but I spent a long time stressing myself out over it, and
from our daily exercise. As if that could cut it. Where’s my venti Skinny Vanilla Lattes? The irony here angers me. Yes, most doctors allow a small amount of coffee per day, but I know myself—I would never order a small coffee. But that doesn’t stop me from covertly glaring wickedly at
“The ups and downs of pregnancy are surprisingly frequent.” stress can lead to many serious things if kept at too high a level for long. During this pregnancy, which I’m currently going through, I am finding the lack of caffeine especially stressful. The fist trimester knocks most women out with the total body exhaustion and inability to sleep soundly. I, sadly, am no exception. You’d think the body would allow for some kind of energy boost, but all we get is the “high”
others as they walk by me holding their Starbucks cups. I’m so tired I sometimes daydream about smacking that cup right to the ground. Yes, pregnancy makes you crazy. Crazy like a fox, no. Crazy like a great big mess of emotions with low self esteem, lots of uncertainty and a hurricane of non-stop tears; DING, DING, DING! The ups and downs of pregnancy are surprisingly frequent.
One minute I’m laying down because of my back pain or the insane stomach problems I now get from nearly everything I eat— then the next I’m up deep cleaning a closet. My poor husband does his best to understand what’s happening and be there for me. I honestly feel bad for him some days, until two minutes go by and I’m back throwing attitude at him. Even with all this, I am still thrilled to be having another baby. It is a truly beautiful thing and I love being a mother. But I don’t know if I’d ever choose to go through the pain of pregnancy and childbirth again if I fully remembered them. Thumbs up to Mother Nature for that magic memory-erasing ability.
Meagan Ducic is a reccuring columnist for The Houstonian. She is a Senior Print Journalism major, English minor.
Comics for thought
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Letter to the Student Body Dear Sam Houston Students, Staff and Faculty and Alumni: The Houstonian would not survive were it not for the continued involvement and dedication of the SHSU student body. We welcome all column submissions and letters to the editor. If at any time you feel the need to express an opinion, please do not hesitate to email your thoughts or drop by our office in the Dan Rather, room 210 in the communications building. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you as always for your continued support of the Houstonian. Heath Wierck Viewpoints Editor haw002@shsu.edu
Paws Up, Paws Down With the Thanksgiving break approaching,
we at The Houstonian decided to lighten the mood take a of look at the not-so-serious In thisand section the opinions page, side of Turkey Day. After all, we all need we take a look at some various news something funny to get us through the days stories around campus and give the with crazy families.
parties involved either a “paws up” for a good job, or a “paws down” for a not so good job.
“Paws UP” to spring break finally being only a few days away. We’re sure almost everyone is in dire need of this break.
“Paws DOWN” to the onslaught of exams students will undoubtedly face during the remainder of this week.
“Paws UP” to the Bearkat men’s baseball team winning 2 out of 3 games over this past weekend. And also having 2 walkoff hits.
Comic courtesy of comics.com
“Paws DOWN” to the students who decide they’re above traffic laws and walk in the middle of the street around campus. Comic courtesy of comics.com
The individual opinions on the Viewpoints page are not necessarily affiliated with the view of The Houstonian or SHSU. The Houstonian is published semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a news publication of Sam Houston State University, a member of the Texas State University system, and is produced by students. It is self-supporting and welcomes all advertisers. Those interested in placing ads or classifieds should call (936) 294-4864. The Houstonian is a member of the Associated Press.
The Houstonian Editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Meagan Ellsworth...............................................................936-294-1505 FACULTY ADVISOR Patsy Ziegler.....................................................................936-294-1499 SECTION EDITORS Lotis Butchko....................................................................Senior Joe Buvid.............................................................................Photo Jessica Priest..................................................................Associate Heath Wierck..............................................................Viewpoints Mike Silva...........................................................................Sports Kevin Jukkola........................................................Entertainment Thomas Merka...................................................................Web
Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor
STAFF Kristin Meyer.................................................................Senior Reporter Brandon Scott.................................................................Sports Reporter John Rudolph.......................................................................Photographer
Advertising BUSINESS MANAGER Tammie Nokes.................................................................936-294-1500 STAFF Brad Basker.........................................................Advertising Relations Brittany Hampton...............................................Advertising Manager Brittany Pires.......................................................Production Manager Kyle Thomas.............................................................Account Executive Gupreet Singh...........................................................Account Executive
Advertising Deadlines
Tuesday’s Issue............... Friday at 2:00 p.m. Thursday’s Issue........... Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
Can you say privacy breech? Brittany Pires explores the connection
between social network sites and the work place. There are millions, possibly billions, of members on social networking sites, and the numbers are increasing. On Facebook alone, over 400 million people are active users. Sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter have become a hobby for many and an obsession for some. But for most, these sites are a way to keep in contact with friends and family in our hectic lives. By means of interest pages, links, photos, and applications, they are a source of entertainment and a form of expression. There are quizzes, quotes, birthdays and tagging. Many friendships began on Facebook just as on any partner matching website. In all reality, Facebook is just as good as eHarmony. Yet with all the crazy good that these sites have to offer, an issue has risen with them regarding the business world’s exploitation of them to do “background checks.” Many employers and graduate schools have now begun to search Facebook to check up on future or
current employees. They feel that photos that appear vulgar in any way, or information that is unfavorable means that the individual is unfit to be a successful worker. Providing photos and information about marital status with applications was stopped due to liability
Spring Break on their profile, it does not mean they will come to work or class in the same state. The photos may say something about a person’s morals, if anything, but not their work ethic. Not to mention, when employers or universities search a name, they must filter
“The
photos may say something about a person’s morals, if anything, but not their work ethic.” issues. Employers did not want to appear to be discriminating about certain issues. Now with the access of all this information online, they can discriminate subtly if they wish. Now, what is to stop them for refusing to hire a Democrat or a homosexual? As a member of Facebook myself, I cannot understand what the purpose would be. Photos are mere reflections of people’s personal lives, not their professional ones. If a hypothetical student posts photos of a drunken night in Cancun during
through many profiles, some with possibly the same name. They must be sure of many facts before passing judgment. Who knows if they will have the right John Smith. I find it difficult searching my own friends at times, much less people I may not know. I have also spoken to someone with my name in Houston. I hope no one searches for me and finds her. I believe that a privacy breech has occurred. Not only is this imposing on a world that some people go
to for escape, but they are taking something seriously that may in fact be posed to begin with. Facebook is a way to show your true self without being judged in person; however, it is also a way to put on a new face in the cyber world. Facebook has now allowed for many privacy settings in all aspects of the site. For those who wish to keep their photos and friend interactions private, they can chose to do so. It will most likely be a benefit if someone gets unlucky and is Googled. However, keep in mind that those settings are nothing that an experienced hacker cannot bypass. So to all the internship programs and employers being nosy, please stop. What you see is not necessarily what you’ll get on the job.
Brittany Pires is the Production Manager for The Houstonian. She is a Sophomore Mass Communications major.
CAMPUS
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
From LAB page 1
Positioning the laboratory with an academic institution has many precedents, but above all demonstrates the independent integrity of the forensic examinations that are relied upon so heavily within the courts, according to Vincent Webb, dean of the SHSU College of Criminal Justice and director of the George J. Beto Criminal Justice Center. “The College and Center constitute one of the nation’s largest programs focused on criminal justice and related areas including an accredited graduatelevel program in forensic science,” Webb said. The forensic science program is operated jointly with the College of Arts and Sciences and offers concentrations in toxicology, DNA, trace evidence and physical science. “In addition to offering a variety of
Get involved in your government
The Houstonian, Page 3
degree programs at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels, the College and Center have several institutes that serve practitioners in law enforcement and corrections through training, research and technical assistance,” Webb said. “One of these, the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, serves law enforcement agencies throughout the state and through its excellent relationships with the law enforcement community will play a major role in developing sustainability strategies for the crime lab,” he said. Dr. Sarah Kerrigan, who has been responsible for developing and coordinating the graduate forensic science program at SHSU, is a forensic toxicologist and will serve as laboratory director. She oversaw the operation of a government forensic laboratory in New Mexico that provided services to the Office of the Medical Investigator in addition to state, federal and tribal law enforcement agen-
cies throughout the state before coming to SHSU. SHSU has occupied the facility where the lab is located since October 2009 and has been in the process of purchasing and installing laboratory equipment and setting up the lab. Laboratory personnel have also been recruited and hired. The 5,000 square-foot facility was previously a biotechnology lab and already had most of the structural and mechanical features required for a crime lab. Sam Houston State is leasing the facility for now and plans to move the operation to the university in the future. University officials are in the process of laboratory accreditation by the American Society of Crime Lab Directors-Lab Accreditation Board (ASCLD-LAB) and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Once accreditation is in place the lab can start receiving criminal casework and help alleviate the burden of excessive caseloads in other regional crime labs.
GRΣΣK SPOTLIGHT
Huntsville City Council Meeting John Rudolph The Houstonian
From PAWS page 1
other aspects of the event, such as a better quality breakfast, and more quantity in shirts.” Shuttles were not available because the original date for All-Paws-In was Feb. 27, and since the date was moved, the shuttles were not in use on that day. Students found this event rewarding and a good way to earn community service hours. “I did it for community service hours, but also to do something good for the community,” said sophomore, Elise Gibson. “I en-
joyed the breakfast, t-shirt and company, and I would do it again.” SGA plans to make this initiative a new tradition for the university. “With the overwhelmingly positive response from the students, this is something that will not go unnoted and must continue,” said Kanene. SGA would like to thank all participants who came out Saturday, and made this event the huge success that it was. “Without the help and support of the student body, the future of All-Paws-In would not look as bright,” said Kanene
From PRINT page 1
According to undergraduate advisor and coordinator for the College of Criminal Justice, Candice Williams, many past speakers have been SHSU alumni. “Our goal is for students to be exposed to the speakers and for them to graduate and be prosperous,” says Williams. “We hope that once they become successful in their own careers they come back to Sam and share their experiences with new undergraduates.” “Real Talk” has become a great way for students to consider multiple outlets in the
Time: Tuesday, March 9 from 6 to 9p.m. Location: 1212 Avenue M Huntsville , TX 77340 FMI, visit http://www. huntsvilletx.gov/ or call 936-291-5400.
SHSU Student Government Meeting Time: Tuesday, March 9 at 6 p.m. Location: Lowman Student Center, Room 320 FMI, visit http://www. shsu.edu/~org_sga/ or call 936-294-1938.
field of criminal justice and also gives students the ability to ask one on one questions to professionals. According to Williams, the “Real Talk” speakers discuss their agency, the school they graduated from, what it took to get to where they are and how to pursue and prepare for their career. Former speakers have included federal agents the FBI and DEA. Although “Real Talk” is geared towards Criminal Justice majors, anyone interested may attend. For information on upcoming “Real Talk” sessions students may go online to the Today@sam website or the College of Criminal Justice homepage.
Jon Tenant | Pi Kappa Alpha
GREEK SPOTLIGHT. The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity gave back to the Huntsville community this
past semester by volunteering at the Green Acres retirement home. In photo: SHSU students Matt Farris, Manuel Veyna, Cody Wall, Eric Zwernemann, Dave McFarland, Chris Stout, David Prunell, Chris Hurley, Haris Devic, Edward Graham, Shawn Nyman, Rhett Edwards and Hector Parra all helped out by landscaping the outside of the retirement home.
Press Release By Matt Rosales Public Relations Chair The Huntsville community is a place of great beauty. Pi Kappa Alpha is striving to make it better. The fraternity
has served one hundred sixtyfour (164) hours of community service at Green Acres retirement home in the past few months. The Pikes performed tasks such as landscaping the outside, painting the patients’ rooms, and talk-
ing with the residents. Their tremendous hard work has cleaned up Green Acres, and made the people very happy. Pi Kappa Alpha loves Huntsville and will continue to lend a helping hand to the beloved community.
Page 4 The Houstonian
From R.I.D.D. page 1
From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., R.I.D.D. is hosting a “Swap meet” where students can bring items with alcohol or drug references and exchange those items for SHSU merchandise. Also from 10:00 to 2:00 there is a scheduled scavenger hunt that will allow students to win prizes as they advance through the search. o Wednesday, March 10, the theme is “Get high” in a different way from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every kite needs a “tale,” students are asked to come share them and fly high! The second theme of the day is “Designated Drivers Don’t Drink,” campus wide from 10:00 until noon; catch the Kat Kab with Student Activities for free prizes. o Thursday, March 11 theme is “Save a Life” with the myth “It won’t happen to me.” There will be a webcast with Nicole Martingano, survivor of a near-death experience with alcohol from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in a location to be determined later. The second theme and myth of the day is “Alcohol-emia” also known as the “Alcohol Diet.” Members of the National Health Education Honorary, Eta Sigma Gamma, will teach students
From VIKINGS page 1
The first panelist is SHSU assistant professor of German, James Frankki. Frankki received his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, where he studied Medieval German literature. He is fluent in modern German and has helped develop curriculum in courses related to Viking studies and medieval literature. He has been a visiting professor at SHSU since 2007. The second panelist is SHSU history professor Nickolas Pappas. Pappas attained his doctorate in History from Stanford University. He has a studied a wide range of areas, including the histories of Southeastern Europe, Byzan-
NATION & WORLD
the tricks behind dieting without the use of alcohol or other dangerous substances. o The festivities wrap up on Friday, March 12, with a reality check of the myth, “Spring Break doesn’t count.” Students can join with members of Kappa Delta Chi and Omega Delta Phi in navigating a safety maze from 10:00 am until 1pm. “With the R.I.D.D. week, we are hoping, ultimately, that students will be able to make positive decisions, like avoiding driving drunk, riding with friends who have been drinking, binge drinking, and staying away from all types of drugs that can be harmful,” said Keathley. Everyone is encouraged to attend the SHSU Ladies Softball game against the Monmouth Hawks at 3:30 on Wednesday March 10th at the Softball Complex on campus. The first 100 students to attend will receive a free official R.I.D.D. tshirt to help promote the fight against alcohol and drug abuse. “We would love to have everyone come out and participate in the week’s activities. It is important to have students advocate to other students about the dangers of drinking alcohol or partaking of harmful drugs,” said Keathley.
tium, Russian and the Middle East. He has been teaching at SHSU for 19 years. The third panelist is Justin Vance Tyree, the president of the Society for Norse History and Culture. The roundtable discussion will include a short film that will be helpful to people in the audience that aren’t as familiar with Norse history and mythology, and possibly stimulate participation. Participants that attend will also be given an opportunity to ask questions of members of the Society for Norse History and Culture to learn more about the group. The event is open to any that wish to attend, and refreshments will also be available.
Tuesday,March 9, 2010
Woman certified as oldest person in US dies in NH at New attorney for Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger says ‘no sexual assault occurred’ age 114; Iowan now assumes mantle WESTMORELAND, N.H. (AP) — Mary Josephine Ray, the New Hampshire woman who was certified as the oldest person living in the United States, has died at age 114 years, 294 days. She died Sunday at a nursing home in Westmoreland but was active until about two weeks before her death, her granddaughter Katherine Ray said. "She just enjoyed life. She never thought of dying at all," Katherine Ray said. "She was
planning for her birthday party." Even with her recent decline, Ray managed an interview with a reporter last week, her granddaughter said. Ray was the oldest person in the United States and the second-oldest in the world, according to the Gerontology Research Group. She was also recorded as the oldest person ever to live in New Hampshire.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Court documents show that Mike Leach will be deposed in Lubbock by attorneys for Texas Tech in the former football coach’s lawsuit. The university fired Leach on Dec. 30, two days after suspending him amid alPhoto courtesy of The Associated Press legations that he mistreated a player who had a concussion. contract. Leach has denied he misHis suit includes allegations of libel and slander and breach of treated receiver Adam James.
Earthquake kills 51 in eastern Turkey as mudbrick homes collapse; survivors shiver in cold OKCULAR, Turkey (AP) — Hundreds of earthquake survivors huddled in aid tents and around bonfires Monday in eastern Turkey, seeking relief from the winter cold after a strong temblor knocked down stone and mud-brick houses in five villages, killing 51 people. The damage appeared worst in the Kurdish village of Okcular, which was almost razed. At least 15 of the village’s 900 residents were
killed, the Elazig governor’s office said, and the air was thick with dust from crumpled homes and barns. The Kandilli seismology center said the 6.0-magnitude quake hit at 4:32 a.m. (0232 GMT, 9 p.m. EST Sunday) near the village of Basyurt in a remote, sparsely populated area of Elazig province. The region is 340 miles (550 kilometers) east of Ankara, the capital.
Hundreds slaughtered in Nigeria including infants in latest religious violence flare-up DOGO NAHAWA, Nigeria (AP) — “ ...At least 200 people, most of them Christians, were slaughtered on Sunday, according to residents, aid groups and journalists. The local government gave a figure more than twice that amount, but offered no casualty list or other information to substantiate it. An Associated Press reporter counted 61 corpses, 32 of them children, being buried in the mass grave in
the village of Dogo Nahawa on Monday. Other victims would be buried elsewhere. At a local morgue the bodies of children, including a diaperclad toddler, were tangled together. One appeared to have been scalped. Others had severed hands and feet. The horrific violence comes after sectarian killings in this region in January left more than 300 dead, most of them Muslim. Some victims were shoved into sewer pits and communal wells.
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — A high-profile defense attorney hired by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Monday disputed a college student’s claim that the two-time Super Bowl winner sexually assaulted her at a Georgia nightclub. The 20-year-old told police Roethlisberger, who had been out barhopping with friends, assaulted her early Friday. Roethlisberger has not been charged. “The facts show that there was no criminal activity. No sexual assault occurred,”
attorney Ed Garland said in a statement Monday. “Ben is completely innocent of any crime.” Milledgeville police said at a press conference that they expect to interview Roethlisberger in the next several days. They said they have not taken a DNA sample from him but probably will. Authorities also said the woman has hired an attorney, though they would not identify him or her. The woman’s name has not been released.
Lil Wayne begins sentence of year in NYC jail for having loaded gun on tour bus NEW YORK (AP) — After saying goodbye on concert stages and online video streams, Lil Wayne had nothing to add as he was sentenced Monday to a year in jail for having a loaded gun on his tour bus. The Grammy Awardwinning rapper delivered only a brief bow to fans and supporters as he was led out of a courtroom in handcuffs to start serving his sentence. With that, Lil Wayne headed off to face his punishment in a case that had shadowed him as he became
one of music’s most prolific and profitable figures in recent years. Arrested in July 2007, he pleaded guilty in October to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He admitted he had the loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic gun on his bus. His lawyer, Stacey Richman, said the rapper was resolute as he was taken away. “He knew what he had to do, and he’s doing it,” she said.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — One of two U.S. Baptist missionaries still held on kidnapping charges in Haiti was released Monday, but the group’s leader remained in custody. Charisa Coulter was taken from her jail cell to the airport by U.S. Embassy staff more than a month after she and nine other Americans were arrested for trying to take 33
children out of Haiti after the earthquake. Defense attorney Louis Ricardo Chachoute said she was released because there was no evidence to support the charges of kidnapping and criminal association. He predicted Laura Silsby, the leader of the Idaho-based missionary group, would be released soon as well.
Haitian judge frees US Baptist missionary; group’s leader still held
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ENTERTAINMENT
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
At the Movies with Kevin:
Alice in Wonderland an annoying disaster Kevin Jukkola Entertainment Editor “Alice in Wonderland” tells the story of a girl who starts as an inconvenience to society and evolves into becoming a nuisance. Tim Burton’s film essentially ignores the social pressures on a woman in the 19th century and provides us instead with murky visuals and annoying characters who seem addicted to continuously talking even though they have nothing to say. The effort doesn’t seem to be lacking, but the execution suffers from a misunderstanding of where the story should be heading. The film retells the story of Alice (Mia Wasikowska),
a young woman set to marry a man she doesn’t love in a life devoid of passion. After fleeing his proposal, Alice falls into a hole that leads to a fairytale land where the evil Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) rules and the virtuous White Queen (Anne Hathaway) hopes to use her to regain control. Alice is aided in her discovery and journey of the world by many creatures, including the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), each of which has obvious characteristics meant to be cute but are actually extraordinarily irritating. The battle toward the end of the film seems anticlimactic, unless, like me, you were excited that its conclusion meant a swift end to this treacherous
experience. The performances suggest desperation in the way they are overplayed, indicating a lack of faith in the screenplay that should have been noticed by the director. “Alice in Wonderland” has a story that leads nowhere, even though people have continuously placed unfound adoration on a tale that lacks a genuine emotional resonance. Because of this, the images in the film are meaningless exercises that do nothing other than provide an expensive way for Burton to doodle. The next time Burton feels the need to place intricate images together, in order to create a unique but uninteresting world, he should get a coloring book.
Spades of creatures. In “Alice in Wonderland”, all of the characters’ fates are dependent on Alice.
Box Office Winners 1. “Alice in Wonderland”, $116.3 million one week, $116.3 million overall 2. “Brooklyn’s Finest”, $13.5 million one week, $13.5 million overall 3. “Shutter Island”, $13.3 million one week, $95.8 million overall 4. “Cop Out”, $9.1 million one week, $32.4 million overall 5. “Avatar”, $7.7 million one week, $720.2 million overall 6. “The Crazies”, $7.0 million one week, $27.4 million overall 7. “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief ”, $5.1 million one week, $78.0 million overall 8. “Valentine’s Day”, $4.3 million one week, $106.4 million overall 9. “Crazy Heart”, $3.3 million one week, $29.6 million overall 10. “Dear John”, $2.8 million one week, $76.7 million overall
Alice in Wonderland
Stars: * Grade: D Running Time: 108 min. MPAA: Rated PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and a smoking caterpillar. Cast: Mia Wasikowska (Alice), Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter), Helena Bonham Carter (Red Queen), Anne Hathaway (White Queen), Crispin Glover (Knave). With the voices of: Alan Rickman (Caterpillar), Stephen Fry (Cheshire Cat), Michael Sheen (White Rabbit), Timothy Spall (Bayard), Christopher Lee (Jabberwocky). Directed by Tim Burton. Written by Linda Woolverton, based on the books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll .
Jazz Festival to reach milestone The SHSU Jazz Festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary with guest artist Jazz Soph Wednesday and Thursday (March 10-11). “The oldest jazz festival in the state of Texas” will kickoff on Wednesday with the SHSU Faculty Jazz Combo, featuring alto saxophonist James Riggs, at 8 p.m. at Stardust Room, on the Huntsville downtown square. Thursday’s all-day event includes college jazz band performances, a competition among high school and junior high school jazz bands and a clinic with Soph. The evening will culminate with an awards ceremony and concert opened by the winning high school band and featuring Soph and the SHSU Jazz Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom. An internationally recognized author, master teacher and musician, Soph is a professor in the jazz studies and performance divisions of the University of North Texas’s College of Music. He has presented masterclasses throughout Europe, the Mid and Far East, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, Soph has toured and recorded with Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Clark Terry and is the author of several videos on drumset playing and is an active clinician for Yamaha drums. All of the high school and daytime SHSU ensemble performances, as well as the clinic, are free. Tickets to the evening concerts, both at the Stardust Room and in the LSC Ballroom, are $10 for general admission, $5 for SHSU students and senior citizens and free for children under the age of 6, SHSU faculty members and music students.
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The Houstonian, Page 5
Social Network Gaming’s Next Stop James Ashworth Contributing Writer
San Francisco’s Hooked Media Group recently launched a revolutionary platform for online gaming. The program, Yoo-Mee, connects millions of casual gamers through social networking sites, such as Facebook. YooMee is also available as an I-Phone/Android application. In fact, Hooked Media is the only company to offer tournament style gaming on smart phones. Their innovation of turning app-style games into multiplayer matches has made Yoo-Mee a hot topic on the internet. There’s so much hype that U.S. Venture Partners and Altos Ventures is backing the platform with $4.5 million in funding. Hopefully, that will be enough for Hooked Media to beat out competitors like Zynga, the company famous for “Mafia Wars” and “FarmVille”. Yoo-Mee is similar to the Flash Player in that developers simply port the games to the program. Then, anyone who is registered to Yoo-Mee can play those games. Operating under a “virtual currency”, players earn tokens each time they log in. Based on their scores, players can earn more tokens to gain better ranks and bonus rounds. Players over the age of 18 can also buy gold using real money. The gold is used in one-on-one and group tournaments where betting is involved. Apparently, Hooked Media has developed a redemption program, so players can turn in their gold for cash. This business model is profitable for the company because they charge a “25% management fee” for certain matches. Currently, Yoo-Mee offers two kinds of challenges: Winner Take All and 1 vs. 1. In Winner Take All, teams of players will pool their gold/tokens and compete to win a jackpot. This format usually results in bigger payouts. In 1 vs. 1, two players fight against each other to win the other’s gold/ tokens. Even though players can profit off of Yoo-Mee, the program is completely free to use. Though they’ve drawn comparisons to Scoreloop, Hooked Media’s CEO Prita Uppal is confident in Yoo-Mee’s success. “[The program] vastly enhanced players experience by enabling these games to be played at the user’s convenience, whether on a mobile device, website, or social network,” Uppal said to AdExchanger.com. For more information about Yoo-Mee, visit www.facebook. com/yoomeegames or go to www. hookedmediagroup. com.
SPORTS
Page 6 The Houstonian
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Key points to success
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Sports Editor
The 2009-2010 season for the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team has been a memorable one to say the least. The Bearkats finished the season 22-7 overall and 14-2 in the conference, claiming themselves as the Southland Conference champions. With the number one seed in the Southland Conference postseason tournament in its possession, SHSU is far from content and is hungry to earn its way into the big show. “This team has achieved one of their three goals by being the number one seed in the tournament,” Head Coach Bob Marlin said. “But we’ve got bigger things in mind. We’d like to play deep in postseason play and go into the NCAA tournament.”
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HOT BEYOND THE ARC A big part of SHSU’s success has to do with the team’s three-point shooting over the year. After rolling LeTourneau University and Texas College by scores of 73-42 and 91-54 respectively, the Bearkats took a trip to the Rupp Arena to take on the Kentucky Wildcats. SHSU proved to be a competitive opponent for Kentucky, losing by a close 10 points. Guard Corey Allmond scored 37 in the loss and busted 11 three-pointers, setting a Rupp Arena record. The Bearkats totaled 18 threes in the Kentucky game. SHSU averaged a total of nine threes per gamethroughout the season, which is tied for seventh in the nation for threes per game. Allmond and guard Ashton Mitchell finished as the team’s leaders in three point field goals made, with 88 and 45 respectively. SHARING THE BALL Throughout the season, teamwork has been a huge piece of SHSU’s success. The Bearkats finished the season with 605 total assists over the year. SHSU’s 20.9 assists per game led the nation and was more than top ranked teams like Syracuse and Kansas. “We have shared the ball well, which is an important part of a championship team,” Marlin said. “We’ve done a good job taking care of the ball on a turnover standpoint. Our turnover to assist ratio is one of the tops in the country.” Mitchell finished as the team’s assists leader with 146 assists on the year, giving him an average of just over five assists per game. Forward Josten Crow finished second in team assists with 3.86 John Rudolph | The Housto assists per game, totaling 112 for the nian “We’ve got go year. od le adership from our captains .” -Head Coach Bob Marlin
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NEW FACES Perhaps one of the biggest keys to SHSU’s success has been the presence of junior transfer Gilberto Clavell. Clavell finished as the team’s “We’v Photo leading scorer with 491 points insid e been a courtesy Brian ble t and 16.9 points per game. Blalock e wit His presence on the inside has -Head h Clavello score b etter .” Coach been a headache for opposing Bob M teams all year. Along with his 16 arlin points per game, Clavell finished with 189 rebounds, an average of 6.5 per game. Clavell provides SHSU with a dominant post presence, a key piece of the team that was lacking last season. “We’ve been able to score better inside with Clavell being a force in there,” Marlin said. Another impact transfer has been forward Marco Cooper. Cooper, who was a Delaware transfer and red shirt player last year, has filled in nicely for the injured Antuan Bootle. Over the last four games, Cooper has brought in 24 rebounds, nabbing six boards per game. The Bearkats will look to Cooper to stay solid in relieving Bootle until his return to the lineup. LEADING THE WAY The SHSU men’s basketball team is full of seasoned veterans, all of whom have provided the team with consistent leadership. Coming into the season, Coach Marlin appointed the team with three team captains: senior Ashton Mitchell, senior Preston Brown, and junior Josten Crow. “We’ve got good leadership from our captains,” Marlin said. “They have very good work ethic. We work hard in practice and it has made us a consistent team.” The final success of the ’09-’10 basketball season for the SHSU men’s basketball team remains to be seen. Although the team has won the conference and finished as the No. 1 seed in the Southland tournament, the team will only feel truly successful with a bid in the NCAA tournament. “The guys are focused,” Marlin said. “They’re hungry. They want to play. They’re guaranteed two games: the game Wednesday and one next week, whether its in the NCAA or the NIT. That’s it. “We’re going to have to extend it by being hungry and stepping up our play.” SHSU will take on Nicholls State, a team that they defeated earlier in the season, in their first game of the tournament. The Bearkats beat the Colonels 7569 in their conference win and will need to remain successful against Nicholls in order to move on to the second round of the tournament. SHSU will start its journey to the NCAA tournament on March 10 at 6 p.m. at the Leonard E. Merrell Center ustonian Joe Buvid | The Ho in Katy, Texas. ll, we ll ba e ared th sh of a ve rt ha pa e “W portant im an is which ip team.” championsh d Coach Bob Marlin -Hea
Teamwork
Southland Conference Basketball Tournament Men’s Bracket
Quarterfinals Wed. March 10
No. 2 Stephen F. Austin
12 p.m.
Semifinals
Thu. March 11
Championship
No. 7 UT-Arlington No. 3 A&M-Corpus Christi
Sat. March 13
6:05 p.m.
2:30 p.m. No. 6 UT San Antonio
3:05 p.m. No. 1 Sam Houston State
6 p.m. No. 8 Nicholls State No. 4 Southeastern La.
8:30 p.m. No. 5 Texas State
8:33 p.m.