Vol 119 | Issue 19
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Publishing since 1913
Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
Top ten scary movies, pg. 4
KAT Links For more information about the university’s socia media policy, visit HoustonianOnline.com
Football v. Lamar on Saturday, pg. 6
INDEX Viewpoints ...... pg. 2 A&E ................. pg. 5 News ................ pg. 3 Sports ............... pg. 6 Lifestyle ........... pg. 4
Search continues for missing student By Hugo Lopez
Contributing Reporter
Like a bat out of Huntsville
By McKinzie Brocail Senior Reporter
Huntsville has a local fright besides the numerous prisons to get students in the Halloween spirit: Bats! The black cloud-like mass swarms out of an abandoned buildings main entrance most evenings. A colony of Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) live in the abandoned TDCJ building on 13th Street next the infamous Huntsville “Walls” Unit. Large colonies prefer vast dark places like under bridges, caves, deserted mines, and places like the chosen abandoned, empty building. At its peak population during the summer, roughly 200,000 live in the building. according to Sam Houston State University professor Monte Thies, Ph. D, who’s worked with Mexican freetailed bats for about 25 years. The bats are migratory and leave to Mexico for the winter.
Top photo courtesy Kelsey Pearman; Bottom: McKinzie Brocail | The Houstonian
BATTY BUSINESS. The Mexican free-tailed bat, seen above, also known as the Texas’ state flying mammal, can be seen swarming out of the abandoned TDCJ building on 13th Street most evenings.
“They come back in April and the females give birth to one baby in the building,” Thies said. When Thies first learned about the Huntsville colony of bats in 1998, there were only about 15,000 in its population. Luckily for students, they aren’t interested in blood
and this species doesn’t typically carry rabies. They eat as much as one-fourth to half their body weight in insects every night they forage, which isn’t every night, according to Thies. “Bats play a very important role in insect control, and there’d be far more insects if bats were
not there.” While timing varies with the amount of daylight (impacted from cloud cover and weather conditions), the bats usually fly out around dusk. “(They) will actually seem indecisive sometimes
Authorities are still searching for 24-year-old Thomas Murray Jr., a junior consumer sciences major from Sam Houston State University. Murray was last seen late Tuesday, October 18 night at Rookies Sports Bar & Grill located at the Woodlands, Texas. Murray last spoke to his father on the phone around 12:30 a.m. and no one has heard from him since, said the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. His cell phone was later found in a ditch near the sports bar, and his pickup truck was in the bar’s parking lot. Rookies Sports Bar & Grill refused to comment on the situation. “He told us he was going to the bar with his high school buddies as one of his friends is in the military and was going to be shipped overseas,” said Ian Hollifield, senior psychology major. Hollifield and Jake Mayfield, junior construction major, live
Photo couresty City of Huntsville
THOMAS MURRAY, JR. a 24-year-old university student, was last seen Tuesday, October 18 in Montgomery County.
in the same apartment building that Murray lives in and said they just started hanging out with him not too long ago. “We have no idea what happened to him,” said Mayfield. “I texted him to see if he wanted to come over and play zombies [part of Call of Duty] but he never texted back.” “The day before the Steelers v. Texans game, he was hanging out with his — See MISSING, page 3
Pink Out Game 2011 To promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month, football fans are encouraged to wear pink to the home game against Lamar University on Saturday at 2 p.m. Currently, the Bearkat football team is ranked number 6 in the nation for Division II in the FCS Rankings.
— See BATS, page 3
Zip line draws LSC Takeover crowd
Fifth annual event features free magic show, henna tattoos By McKinzie Brocail Senior Reporter Program Council’s LSC Takeover V last night not only gave students an exciting evening in the middle of the week, but also helped prepare students for Halloween. The Takeover was from 8 p.m. to midnight and featured a vast number of free events from food to caricature artists and Velcro wall to a mobile zip line and a haunted house. The festivities stretched from outside to the fourth floor. “We knocked each other out,” Juliana Barreto, a junior criminal justice major, said. “The gloves were heavier than us, it was funny,” Perlita Reyes, a senior animal science major, responded back. The two female students were red-faced and laughing on the steps in the LSC after finishing a round of bouncy boxing in a moonwalk. “To get good speed, I swung my feet to go faster. They called me crazy for doing it,” Brittany Venable, a junior education major, said about her ride on the zip line. While some students
preferred the sporty events others decided to relax. “I went to the Kat Klub to get free food, then I came [to the theatre] to watch ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows: Part 2’,” Jonathan Ferguson, a freshman philosophy major, said. Tiffanie Fleming, a junior biology major, showed off her caricature. “I only waited like 10 minutes,” Fleming said. “It turned out great and only took [the artist] 2 to 3 minutes to draw it.” Treveon Murdock, a senior criminal justice major, got henna tattoos with two of his friends; Ashley Howard, a senior majoring in marketing and management, and Aaron Phillips, a junior musical theatre major. “This is my first henna tattoo I’ve ever gotten,” Murdock said. “I have five real [tattoos]; I’m kind of backwards like that.” Phillips got his plantbased tattoo in honor of Sofia Mendez, a theatre alumnus who passed away suddenly on Oct. 2, 2011. Other students opted for more permanent souvenirs. Brianna Drisdale, a sophomore mass communication major; Autresia Cash, a freshman
psychology major; and a chair, then he jumped up covered the night best when everyone already Rachel Scovall, a sophomore suddenly,” Crystal Davis, when he said, “They had has plans. They took over criminal justice major, all a general business major, good timing, it’s before the whole LSC, and it’s jumped into the inflatable said. It was scary.” Halloween, but not over awesome. I didn’t know “Big Red Chair” to get their Jonathan Ferguson the weekend of Halloween they could do that.” photograph taken together. “We’re having fun,” Scovall said. “This is a nice social environment with a lot of people.” Other take home items students could get were leather bracelets or bookmarks that they personalized by pressing letters into, and miniature stuffed animals that they got to pick out. “We got here early and still waited for an hour and a half in the ‘build-a-bear’ line because people kept skipping us in line,” Maraiha Correa, a junior criminal justice major, said of her and her friends: Ashlee Griffin, a freshman forensic chemistry major, and Loreal Brown, a junior interior design major. “It’s been pretty fun though; we’re going to get food then go to the haunted house.” The haunted house made Bearkats look like scaredy kats. “They touched my leg a little bit and that got me,” Leroy Harris, a freshman business major, said. “They Rachelle Sadler | The Houstonian had clowns, too, and I don’t like clowns. It was fun.” POSITIVELY INKY. Henna tattoo artist Lady Butterfly of Lady Butterfly Productions spent the evening “A clown was sitting in inking students with temporary henna tattoos during Program Council’s Fifth Annual LSC Takeover.
Viewpoints
Page 2 Thursday, October 27, 2011
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Robin Johnson
FACULTY ADVISER 936-294-1499
Erin Peterson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 936-294-1505
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Stephen Green ASSOCIATE EDITOR sgreen@houstonianonline.com
Karmen C. King VIEWPOINTS EDITOR
kking@houstonianonline.com
Kolby Flowers WEB AND MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
kflowers@houstonianonline.com
Zachary Birdsong SPORTS EDITOR
zbirdsong@houstonianonline.com
McKinzie Brocail SENIOR REPORTER
mbrocail@houstonianonline.com
Jessica Gomez PHOTOGRAPHER
April Sanders COPY EDITOR
Christian Pratt
GRAPHIC COORDINATOR
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Today in history: 312 – Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. 1838 – Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs issues the Extermination Order, which orders all Mormons to leave the state or be exterminated. 1936 – Mrs Wallis Simpson files for divorce which would eventually allow her to marry King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, thus forcing his abdication from the throne. 1954 – Benjamin O. Davis Jr. becomes the first African-American general in the United States Air Force. 1961 – NASA launches the first Saturn I rocket in Mission SaturnApollo 1. 1992 – United States Navy radioman Allen R. Schindler, Jr. is brutally murdered by shipmate Terry M. Helvey for being gay, precipitating first military, then national, debate about gays in the military that resulted in the United States “Don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy. 1994 – The U.S. prison population tops 1 million for the first time in American history. 2005 – Riots begin in Paris after the deaths of two Muslim teenagers.
Who the heck is Samhain Karmen King discusses history of Halloween, legends of old Samhain (pronounced sow-en), famously known as Halloween, is right around the corner. This holiday has been celebrated for longer than many may realize. The Scottish-Gaelis Dictionary says Samhain means “Summer’s End.” The Celts believed Samhain represented a mystical fissure in time that allowed the living access to the land of the dead, called Tir na n’Og. Celts did not fear their dead, the custom
Most persecutions took place between the 15th and 17th centuries. During that time, religious leaders changed the Bible, particularly in one passage where it still says, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” In the original language of the Bible, the wording was, “Thou shalt not suffer a poisoner to live.” The end of WitchCraft, or Wicca, as a crime in which one lost one’s life to the bloody hands of the persecutors came at various times in different countries. The dates of the last executions range from: Holland in 1610, England in 1684, America in 1692, Scotland in 1727, and Italy-1791 (although the last individual was given a reprieve). Those choosing to don a Witch’s costume this Halloween should remember the sobering history of what they are portraying-the thousands of innocent women and children (and a few men, too) who were sacrificed because of their religious or cultural preferences (or worse, just because they were different). Witch’s garb should be proudly worn in their honor. More recently, vampires have become quite popular thanks to movies like Twilight and television shows such as True Blood. Ever since Homer’s time, Western nations had the fixed idea -WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, that blood combined with the light the moon could recall the dead “MACBETH” of to life, at least temporarily. Church officials of the Middle Zina Saunders Ages claimed that a woman who exposed her body to the moonlight of leaving food at the table (the birth of the would conceive and bear a vampire child. “treat” part of trick-or-treat) was a gesture The church sanctioned the belief in of welcoming to those departed. vampires and taught that vampires could The early Catholic Church thought that only walk under the light of the moon. if they made the pagan holiday frightening, These old vampires were a far cry from they could stop it. the idea of the sexy vampire as begun by Samhain once centered on activities to Anne Rice, then carried on by Buffy the honor the Gods for the harvest, prepare for Vampire Slayer and True Blood. the winter months by asking for protection, Vampires were originally said to be and welcome the spirits of their loved ones. hideous, hairless, bloated corpses. Some of Now this turn of the year stank of the legends stem from unexplained causes decomposing corpses, demons salivating of death and premature burials. for souls, and hell fires waiting to consume Doesn’t exactly get one’s blood pumping. unsuspecting little peasants. Probably for the best… However, many associate witches with Halloween folklore. *All historical information courtesy of During the Dark Ages, historians believe Silver RavenWolf ’s Halloween. that approximately 1.5 million women and children were murdered by the Witch Finders. This era is commonly called “The Burning Times.” American’s would associate this time with the Salem, Mass., witch trials. - Karmen is the Viewpoints Editor.
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.... Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder’s fork, and blindworm’s sting, Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing, For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Fritz Park via Flickr
STAFF LISTING
Halloween Safety – Tips and Guidelines
The approach of fall in our community includes the observance of Halloween on October 31st. Halloween traditionally includes ‘trick or treating’, costumed children going door to door to collect candy or treats. The Huntsville Police Department asks the cooperation and increased awareness of everyone to ensure the safety of all involved. Observance of the following guidelines can maximize the safety of all involved. · Proper Supervision – Parents/adults should closely monitor the activities of children near or on the streets. Ideally parents should walk with children. Traffic congestion and risks to pedestrians increase quickly when people drive from house to house or parents drive alongside walking children. · Attempt to outfit your children in costumes that are bright colored or light reflective to increase their visibility to motorists. · Require children to wear costumes that allow them to move freely and don’t restrict their vision in any way. Some more elaborate or restrictive costumes may be better suited for parties or other events or gatherings. · In addition to some type of reflective apparel one or more person in walking groups are encouraged to carry and use flashlights. · When walking on the roadway when no sidewalk is present, pedestrians should walk on the left side of the roadway, facing traffic. Drivers are asked to use extreme caution due to the increased number of people and vehicles on the roads. In addition to the above safety guidelines for pedestrians there are several laws pertaining to the operation of vehicles that may apply. · Vehicle passengers should be properly seated in passenger areas of vehicles. Traffic laws prohibit operation of vehicles with riders on running boards, on hoods/roofs/tailgates of vehicles, in or on truck beds, or on trailers. · All-terrain vehicle use on the roadway is prohibited. · When driving on Halloween motorists are asked to allow extra time in the event of congestion encountered in their travels. The Huntsville Police Department will have extra staff deployed for the observance of Halloween activities. Officers will be promoting the safe enjoyment of activities as well as enforcement of violations when necessary. Original by Gris Grimly | Graphic by Christian Pratt | The Houstonian
Christian Pratt | The Houstonian
“Paws DOWN”
to Halloween being on a Monday this year. Letter to the Student Body Dear Sam Houston Students, Staff and Faculty and Alumni: The Houstonian would not survive were it not for the continued involvement and dedication of the SHSU student body. We welcome all column submissions and letters to the editor. If at any time you feel the need to express an opinion, please do not hesitate to email your thoughts or drop by our office in the Dan Rather communications building. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you as always for your continued support of the Houstonian. Karmen C. King Viewpoints Editor kking@houstonianonline.com
- Write Beca for advice at
advice@houstonianonline.com Correction: The article entitled ‘Paranormal Activity...for real’ should have credited Karmen King, Viewpoints Editor, as the author.
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 936-294-1495. The Houstonian is a member of the Associated Press and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.
News
Page 3 Thursday, October 27, 2011
houstonianonline.com/news
Campus building evacuated after ‘burnt’ smell By McKinzie Brocail Senior Reporter The Farrington Building was evacuated on Tuesday around 1 p.m. after a student detected a suspicous odor, according to university officials. “No fire alarms went off, there was no smoke or fire, but the smell alerted somebody and the
Hugo Lopez | The Houstonian
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
SUPER DEAD. Spivey House was drenched in the blood of many “dead” students and monsters yesterday, as well as tonight. The Elliot T. Bowers Honors College puts on the annual haunted house to not only frighten students, faculty and staff (as well as a few Houstonian editors). Half of the $1 admission fee goes to the SAAFE House shelter and shop. The house is open again tonight from 7:30 pm. to 11 p.m.
Huntsville Fire Department was called and the building was evacuated for investigation,” Mark Shiflet, environmental health and safety coordinator for the university, said. According to officials, in a lab on the second floor a student was doing an experiment and ended up burning dirt, creating the odor that alarmed others that occupied the building. Some students remember the smell right before being told to leave the building. “It smelled burnt, like paper had burned,” Jessica Gomez, a freshman psychology major, said. One ambulance and fire engine were called to the scene.
IN THE AIR.Farrington building, was evacuated after a student in the halls smelled a strange odor. That student called officials who determined that it was an experiment by a student burning dirt. An investigation was undertaken.
Freshman program hopes to broaden student experiences By Connor Hyde Contributing Reporter First-Year Experience’s “Read to Succeed” program with Erik Larson’s novel Isaac’s Storm not only administered a creative writing seminar but also allowed students an activist activity of hurricane safety and preparation. These activities, program director Kay Angrove said, is a part of FYE’s goal to increase student educational experiences. The program is afreshmen initiative program strives to ease the sudden conversion
from a high school senior to a college freshman. Angrove stresses the “academic sense” behind the program. She envisions a way to “develop a program that can pertain to the everyday lives of the students on campus.” Her goal as director is to improve freshmen academic success in their first year of college. There is a certain variable that sparks the success of First Year Experience. Though the program’s academic course is listed as UNIV 1301, the curriculum relates to all sectors of academic subjects in the
freshmen core classes. “It’s a wonderful collaborative event” Angrove said; it is “situation learning” where the students can relate one class to another. It allows relationships to be built within the classroom, as well as creating collaborative groups outside of the classroom. “Developing critical thinking techniques is the main goal for our program” Angrove said. She wants the students to start asking “what does this symbol mean” instead of “why am I reading this?”
SGA to examine tabacco, social media policies By Stephen Green Associate News Editor
A policy banning tabacco use on campus and the controversial social media policy will come under Student Government Assocation scrutiny in the next few weeks. The organization will tackle the idea of banning the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes and dip products. SGA President Tyler Eberhart announced the task at the Tuesday meeting. Currently, the only ban on tobacco products is in academic classrooms and facilities, according to a policy enacted in 2004 by then-University President James Gaetner. “Effective upon the date of approval of this policy, the use of tobacco products is prohibited in any Sam Houston State University academic facility,” the policy, which was enacted in July of that year, states. “Use of tobacco products includes burning tobacco
products, chewing tobacco, and snuff.” Students are able to smoke outside of buildings on campus as long as they follow state and federal ordinances dealing with tobacco products. Legislation attempting to ban the use of tobacco products in public failed in the Texas Congress twice. Once in May 2007 the measure failed to pass the Texas House of Representatives. It failed again in May 2009. The Texas legislature has no outstanding statewide bans on any use of tobacco products, except the ban of product use in school activities on or off school property, elevators, theatres, libraries, museums, hospitals, buses, airplanes, and trains, as long as these areas are open to the general public, unless the proprietor designates the place for smoking and posts appropriate warning signs. In addition to the tobacco policy, SGA will deal with the ongoing topic of social
media and the rights of those who use it. University President Dana Gibson will speak to the organization on Nov. 8 to get the opinion of the senate in regards to social media. A newly formed Social Media Committee, including SGA Sen. Steven Perry (CHSS), are tasked with creating a new policy after extreme objection from faculty, staff and students forced university officials to take another look at the wording of the policy. Kris Ruiz, Associate Vice-President of Marketing and Communications, said she now recognizes the objections that the university had to the policy. The committee consists of Faculty Senate, Staff Council, SGA and representatives from each academic college. SGA meets in LSC 320 at 6 p.m. All students, faculty and staff are allowed and invited to every meeting.
The introduction of philosophical perspectives, such as existentialism, is helping students add to their armory of analyzing and interpreting all sources of literature at different levels. Though the program tends to show bias towards building strictly academic relationships within the classroom, Angrove’s program has provided techniques for juggling between time maintenance and social life. This year, the book selection committee assigned a Texas theme for the program. Many
suggestions were made within the staff and the committee. Angrove thoughtfully stated that the committee uses their power of “shared governance” to narrow the suggestions to one reading. “During freshmen orientation the books are handed out free to the students and an assignment is given,” Angrove said. She said the program is received well among student’s parents as they are “thrilled to see assignments given in the summer”. Such a progressive initiative in a university
rooted in tradition. First year Experience is opening the path for SHSU’s growth in academic integrity. “I’d like to see more of the campus involved with our mission,” Angrove said. She’d like to see the cooperation extending merely from the professors and committees to the student population. The First Year Experience program was first introduced to the SHSU population in 2007 with a mission statement to “support and advance efforts to improve student learning.”
City Council Voting Dates Early Voting:
OCT. 24 NOV. 4
General Election:
NOV. 8
From MISSING page 1
11-year-old brother, which means that he cares about his family, so a person like that wouldn’t go a week without contacting his family,” said Hollifield. Murray is Caucasian, 5 feet 6 inches tall, has blue eyes and weighs 140 pounds, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office. He was wearing a red t-shirt with white lettering and shorts when he went missing. Tammy Milum, an official from SHSU Registrar’s Office, confirmed that Murray is an SHSU student.
Although there are no indications of foul play it is unusual for Murray not to have contact with family members. According to the MCSO “He has not showed up to class since he was reported missing,” said Deputy Chief James Fitch of University Police. Fitch said UPD is assisting in the investigation along with MCSO. Anyone with information about Murray should contact Detective Keith Funderburk at 936-7605876 (M-F 8a-5p) or Dispatch 936-760-5800 (24 hours).
From BATS page 1
about whether they even want to go out.” “They may fly down to Raven Lake, Elkins Lakes, or Conroe or Livingston for water and then fly out to hunt for insects. This species doesn’t like clutter, so wouldn’t be found in the forest but would prefer areas like prairies around the WalMart and Target stores.” While these creatures don’t feast on human blood, they do eat some of the pesky mosquitoes.
Lifestyle
Page 4 Thursday, October 27, 2011
houstonianonline.com/
1. The Exorcist (1973)
5. Poltergeist (1982)
9. It (1990)
Image courtesy imdb.com Image courtesy imdb.com
When Viewpoints Editor Karmen King, still in Catholic school at the time, finished watching The Exorcist, she placed the VHS across the room. She then placed a rosary on each the VHS tape and the VHS player. Then went to bed.
2. The Shining (1980)
Two words: “They’re heeere.”
Image courtesy imdb.com
To this day, Arts & Entertainment Editor George Mattingly is still terrified of this movie. The sharp teeth and the fact one of the kids was named Georgie takes the cake.
6. Paranormal Activity 10. A Nightmare on Elm (2007) Street (1984)
Image courtesy imdb.com
Image courtesy imdb.com
The music takes the cake on this one. Way less scary that way. Also, the twins and the bathtub scene... no thanks.
You might slip through the powder in the hallway on your way to change your pants after the movie is over....be warned.
7. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
3. The Grudge (2004)
Image courtesy imdb.com Image courtesy imdb.com
To this day, our editor-in-chief swears at anyone who makes that long, rattling noise out of the back of their throat.
4. The Ring (2002)
Ground-breaking.
8. The Omen (1976)
Image courtesy imdb.com
“One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four, better lock that door. Five, six, get a crucifix. Seven, eight, better stay up late.”
In the Halloween mood? Multicultural Greek Council is hosting a Pumpkin Carving Contest for the Greek fraternities and sororities. Trophies will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. October 27 LSC Mall Area 11 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Image courtesy imdb.com
Also, she refuses to fall asleep in front of the television. And white noise freaks her out. The rest of us dislike the scene where she climbs out of the television. Rather immensely.
Agree or d i s a g re e ? Visit our website and voice your opinion.
Image courtesy imdb.com
“It’s all for you, Damien.”
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Arts & Entertainment “Jungle” to go wild on stage
Page 5
Thursday, October 27, 2011
houstonianonline.com/a-e
By George Mattingly
Arts & Entertainment Editor
A jungle is growing on stage. Flamingos, monkeys, wolves are among the colorful animals coming to the stage in a collection of dances in a concert titled “Mowgli’s Jungle” tonight and Friday at 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Dance Theater. The dances are part of an M.F.A. Thesis concert choreographed and designed by graduate student Matthew Harr and are inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s classic story “The Jungle Book”. Although the works share the same title, the classic story is different from the Disney version of the story , which according to Harr, show differences in the plot and some characters.
“A lot of classic stories have been translated to ballet dances,” he said. “No has ever done ‘The Jungle Book’ before and I thought it would lend itself to a live performance.” The concert will feature 19 dancers in five different scenes including a variety of dance styles such as ballet, modern and jazz with “tapdancing monkeys” and “flamingos dancing en pointe ballet.” It will also tell the story of Mowgli’s coming of age and power as leader of the wolves. The jungle will come alive not just for the dancers but for the audience as well. Harr said the set will be a “total theatrical experience for the audience” including an embellished entry way and a large tree as the
George Mattingly | The Houstonian
“TAP DANCING MONKEYS”: “Mowgli’s Jungle”, a collection of dances inspired by “The Jungle Book” will come to the stage in Thursday and Friday as a part of a M.F.A Thesis for graduate student Matthew Harr.
centerpiece of the show that will “transform” in front of the audience as they watch the show.
The costumes, all of Harr’s design, will also be part of the theatrical experience including the
bright, colorful peacock plus flamingos and more subtle costumes such as the wolves, and even some that are black
light sensitive for a portion of the show. “I want them (the audience) to have a complete theatrical experience and feel like they’ve been in the jungle watching the animals react,” Harr said. For Harr, the concert will represent one of the final steps toward receiving his Master’s degree after a long process. “I had to research methods of theatrical experience and Rudyard Kipling’s book for this performance,” Harr said, who has been preparing for his thesis for the past two years. “It feels good to know it will all be over soon.” The concert is free for all audiences. For more information on the concert, contact the dance department at 936-294-1875.
Halloween spirit returns to Huntsville By George Mattingly
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Ghouls, goblins and ghosts will bring the spirit of Halloween to town this Saturday as the 8th annual “Scare on the Square” returns to downtown Huntsville. The event is free to the community and will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be a wide array of activities for people of all ages to enjoy, including face painting, games, arts and crafts, a costume contest for children under
17, moonwalks, a fire truck display and a helicopter landing. Pizza Hut will be providing free pizza while food lasts. “Scare on the Square” was the brainchild of the Main Street promotions committee who wanted to provide a fun, safe environment for the community to enjoy Halloween activities. Other activities scheduled to be at the event will be Oakwood cemetery tours provided by the Walker County historical commission and the SHSU Webb Historical Society. Also, representatives from
Huntsville Historical Ghost Tours will also be present to sell tickets for tours taking place after the fair. The newest addition to the event this year will be a helicopter landing from Conroe paramedics. “We wanted something new for the kids to experience,” Kim McAuliffe, Main Street Coordinator, said. “It’s for them to see what the inside of a helicopter looks like and have fun with it.” Last year, over 6,000 people attended “Scare on the Square” according
“The Great Cornholio” is back By George Mattingly
Arts & Entertainment Editor
After 14 years, TV’s favorite culture critics and 90s nostalgia are returning to the small screen as Beavis and Butt-Head airs on MTV tonight at 9 p.m. brought back to life by creator Mike Judge. The last time the sarcastic pair was on TV was in 1997:
Bill Clinton was president, Facebook wasn’t even a thought yet, and celebrities like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga were unheard of. Obviously, times have changed in our culture and now they’re back in the modern world with plenty to make fun of. The preview on MTV featuring the, two watching shows like Jersey Shore, 16 and Pregnant,
and Teen Mom are only the beginning of what is to come. The two are still up to their old antics but with new twists. “I think people do want to see want to see them commenting on stuff that is out there now,” said Judge. “I feel like it’s a good fit having Beavis and Butt-Head talking over that. It all makes sense. “
Michael Reyna | Flickr.com
BACK IN ACTION: Beavis and Butt-Head return to their couch on MTV tonight at 9 p.m.
New Coldplay disappoints By Zach Birdsong Sports Editor After two years, Coldplay released their fifth studio album Mylo Xyloto on Monday. While the album was highly promoted on Itunes, the album as a whole does not live up to the expectations. Mylo Xyloto starts with a short 42 second instrumental build that is reminiscent of the introduction track “Life in Technicolor” from the band’s fourth album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. After, the album goes straight into “Hurts like Heaven.” Throughout the song Coldplay uses a happy instrumental sound to contrast the song’s sad lyrics which includes the chorus, “Oh you use your heart as a weapon, and it hurts like heaven.” Overall the song is a good opening piece that immediately draws in the listener.
The next song on the album is the band’s new single “Paradise,” that features a catchy chorus that can instantly get stuck in the listeners head. While the song is catchy, some of the lyrics are not fully explained. In the second verse, lead singer Chris Martin sings that “Life goes on it gets so heavy, the wheel breaks the butterfly,” leaving some listeners confused about the reference. The fourth song on the album, “Charlie Brown” is if not the best, one of the best songs on the album. The song starts with a slow build with an underlying guitar part until about the 40 second mark when the full band joins in and powerfully hits the listener. What makes “Charlie Brown,” so enjoyable is the way that the band is able to capture the listener and consistently change the tempo through the song,
thus keeping the listeners attention. After that the album starts to lose focus and does a bad job of keeping the listener’s focus, as songs like “Us against the World,” “U.F.O” and “Up in Flames” are too slow for their own good. But Coldplay really loses it with the track “Princess of China,” which features Rihanna. In the middle of the song Rihanna takes control and makes it her song. The real problem listeners will have with this song is that it was released under the Coldplay name when really it should have been released by Rihanna. While the band should be applauded for its effort in trying to go in a different direction with their sound, it doesn’t work for them on this album. Advice to the reader: Don’t buy this album. It lacks focus and is inconsistent. Just wait for the singles.
to McAuliffe who hopes the event will be just as successful this year, if not more, and encourages everyone to wear costumes to get into the Halloween spirit. “I hope that families will have a safe and fun-filled night out on the town,” she said. “Plus, there will be lots and lots of candy!” The next major community event is the Downtown Christmas Fair which will be held on December 3. For more information on community events, visit www.huntsvilletx.gov/.
Christian Pratt | The Houstonian
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Kats look to savor Cardinals By Zach Birdsong Sports Editor
Fresh off a 38-14 win at McNeese State this past Saturday, the football team gets ready to host the Lamar Cardinals this Saturday. Lamar (3-4, 1-2 in SLC) is on a three game losing streak and is coming off a loss to Central Arkansas, 38-24, last weekend. The Kats second ranked defense will have a tough time this weekend as the Cardinals’ offense ranks as one of the top in the Southland Conference, and ranks 46th in all of Division I- College Football Championship Series (FCS). In seven games, the offense of the Cardinals averages 383 yards per game: 153 yards rushing, 229 yards passing. Offensively the Cardinals are led by quarterback Andre Bevil. This season Bevil has thrown for 1330 yards, 10 touchdowns and completed 56 percent of his passes. Running back Mike Venson leads the team in rushing. This season, Venson has run for 291 yards and two touchdowns on 82 attempts. Lamar’s defense has been solid and is ranked third in the conference and 56th overall in the FCS, allowing just over 356 yards a game. They will have a tough test in front of them as the Kats’ offense ranks first in the conference and 34th in the FCS, averaging 399 yards per game. The Kats’ offense is led by running back Tim Flanders, who was named Southland Conference “Offensive Player of the Week,” and finished the game against McNeese
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
GET IT. Running back Tim Flanders rushes the ball against Stephen F. Austin in the “Battle of the Piney Woods” game. Flanders finished the game with 42 yards and two touchdowns. This season, Flanders has rushed for 758 yards and 13 touchdowns, seven away from tying the single season school record set in 1987 by Luther Turner.
with 162 yards rushing, two touchdowns, and one reception for 50 yards. Flanders has rushed for 758 yards and scored 13 touchdowns on the season, seven away from tying the school’s single season record. The current record of 20 was set by Luther Turner in 1987. “He’s just a complete back,” head coach Willie Fritz said. “He’s an excellent blocker and sometimes that’s overlooked. He also does a great job receiving the ball.
And he’s big enough that he can run through the tackles, and fast enough that he can run out on the perimeter and turn a short gain into a long gain.” Quarterback Brian Bell has also done a good job this season controlling the offense, and more importantly has not thrown an interception this season. Through six games, Bell has thrown for 946 yards, eight touchdowns while completing 68 percent of his passes. Saturday’s game is “Pink
Black’s game improves By Cheval John Sports Reporter
Senior middle blocker Kim Black is fulfilling her dream of playing collegiate volleyball at Sam Houston State University. The accounting major from Huntsville is among the top five on the team in kills with a total of 199. She is also ranked third in the Southland Conference with a total of 98 blocks, averaging 1.14 blocks per serve. “Each and every day, I strive to improve in practice, through games and through anything that I do to get better,” Black said. Black played for the varsity team at Huntsville High School. During that time, she was a four-time Academic All-District selection and earned the 18-4A MVP award after leading the team to the regional semifinals in 2007. Black received a few offers from different schools including Sam Houston State University during her senior year. Black, wanted to be closer to home and felt that playing at SHSU, would allow that. In her freshman year, the middle blocker played only five games, totaling 11 kills and three digs. The following year, she had 67 kills, 87 blocks and 39 digs. Her junior year would be her break out season as she recorded a total of 139 blocks, which was ranked second in the Southland Conference and was the highest total for any Bearkat since Sam Houston moved to the NCAA Division I level in 1986. She was second on the team totaling 209 kills, helping lead the Kats to
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
READY. Senior Kim Black gets set for the next play during a match against Texas State. The Kats lost the match in three sets.
the Southland Conference tournament that was hosted by Sam Houston last year. She was named an honorable mention to the 2010 All-Southland Conference Team. “It comes down to the pin blockers that are helping you,” Black said. “I could not have improved without them.” Now in her senior season, she has shown determination to improve her game and has set a goal along with her teammates to win the Southland Conference title. They started the season with a 4-0 record by winning the Bearkat Invitational Tournament. In those four games, Black contributed with 28 kills, 24 blocks and 15 digs. “Kim has come a long way,” assistant coach Jason Curnalia said. “She is a great example, not only to the other middle blocker, but to the rest of the team as well.” She especially
contributed in the season sweep against their arch rival, Stephen F. Austin, with 16 kills, 13 digs, 7 blocks and 4 aces. With three weeks left in the season, her goal is to see the team work together as a unit so they can get stronger in their play and finish the season on a high note and to make the post-season tournament. “Kim wants this team to be successful and to take it to the next level,” assistant coach Ellen Andrews said. “The intensity, the fire and the passion she brings to the game is irreplaceable.” The Bearkats’ next matches are on the road as they face the University of Texas at Arlington Mavericks on Thursday and Texas State Bobcats on Saturday. Game time for both of those games is at 7 p.m. For more information about the volleyball team including scheduling and ticketing, visit gobearkats.com.
Out,” and students are encouraged wear pink to the game. Tailgating will occur in the north parking lot beforehand and at 1 p.m., the band will start their “March to Bowers,” beginning at the library. Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 2 p.m. and for more information about the team visit gobearkats. com.