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WEDNESDAY, January 14, 2015 | Vol. 102, No. 1
Campus development
February vote scheduled for new union Proposed Student Union comes to referendum on Feb. 3 and 4 Matt Olson Reporter molson3@twu.edu On Feb. 3 and 4, the Student Union will hold a referendum to vote on a new union building for the Denton campus. In addition to Denton students, students on the Dallas and Houston campuses will be allowed to vote. If students vote in favor of the new Student Union, then construction will begin in 2017, projected for completion by the Fall 2018. Director of the Student Union Kyle Voyles outlined the shortcomings of the current union building: “Certain areas of the building do not meet ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] standards. The building began construction in 1968, and we opened it in 1970. There was no such thing as ADA. Not all of the walkways and stairwells had been built with people with mobility issues in mind.” Voyles discussed the ways in which the increasing student population has posed a challenge: “When this building was built, our campus population was 5,800. Now we have a population of over 15,000. We’ve tripled in size when it comes to students, but we haven’t tripled the size of the building. We don’t have enough meeting rooms to meet all the needs our student
News
Art provided by the Student Union
Above: A sample rendering of the exterior of the proposed Student Union.
orgs have. We have to turn people away every semester for meeting space, or they don’t get to use the building when it’s most convenient for their groups.” Jokingly, he added: “Have you ever been in the Union at lunchtime?” Additional problems with the current Student Union include the building’s
sprinkler system as well as plumbing and electrical lines that have not been updated since the building’s construction. Voyles outlined the reasoning for a new Student Union as opposed to revamping the current building: “If we took this building and gutted it and fixed these issues, then we’d still have the same sized
Construction
Dallas Housing weatherized hit with tremors Preventative maintenance project begins Amanda Clark Contributor aclark9@twu.edu
Matt Olson Reporter molson3@twu.edu
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 6 and 7, a series of nine earthquakes shook North Texas, and the tremors have not since subsided. According to Fox News, the seismic activity ranged from 1.6 to 3.6 in magnitude on the Richter scale, and it was spread across DFW, centering in Irving. Reports came in from areas as far as Arlington, Coppell, Dallas, and Mesquite. According to Earthquake Track, earthquakes both before and after have taken place primarily in Irving, with two outliers: a 1.7 magnitude earthquake took place in University Park on Jan. 7, and a 2.6 magnitude earthquake took place in Midlothian on Jan. 8. In the past week, a total of 16 earthquakes have occurred. In less than a month, 23 earthquakes have hit North Texas. A task force, consisting of Dallas and Irving officials is being raised to look into the sudden seismic activity. According to Dallas Morning News, the task force will consist of specialists across several areas, including emergency management, building, and geology. Additionally, the task force will look to the U.S. Geological Survey and Southern Methodist University, ...
Continues pg. 4
Scaffolds and safety fences have been put up around Guinn and Stark Hall’s this past week as a weatherization project is about to begin. The necessity for this project has been a long time coming according to Director of University Housing Dr. Joseph Berthiaume, more commonly known as Dr. Joe. The towers were built in 1967 and 1969 and have experienced and endured a lot in their time on TWU soil. For the towers to remain functional and safe, a weatherization project was deemed necessary. This weatherization project is not a project in response to an urgent need, but rather preventative maintenance by the university. Last year, preliminary documentation was done by a crew to evaluate the damage of the building through extensive investigation of cracks, chipping and other things that may need replacing on the two towers. Two major problems that have resulted from the wear and tear on the dorms are water leaks and insects being able to
building with the same amount of room, and we’d have spent millions of dollars. It doesn’t make sense to spend that when you could look at spending that money ...
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Inside The Lasso this week: Community: Voertman’s has opened a branch near TWU and Editor-in-Chief Shelby Baker provides information.
Lifestyle: Photo by Tammi Paul
travel into the dorms. It is highly probable that these issues would become worse if not dealt with in the relative future. Dr. Berthiaume said: “They’re [the contractors] going to go in and seal everything up
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Monthly columnist and Page Editor Emily Nickles writes about vegetarian and vegan protein options.
A&E: The Lasso Managing Editor Alex Ancira offers his picks for the best films of 2014.
Sports | Online
Basketball piles on wins TWU wins 6 of last 7 games to improve to 10–5 Alex Ancira Managing Editor aancira@twu.edu The Pioneer basketball team won last Saturday’s home game against Angelo State 68–59 to improve to 10–5 overall with a 3–1 conference record. This win extends the team’s streak to three consecutive wins. The team’s last loss was at home to the nationally ranked, in-conference rival Midwestern State on Jan. 1, 47–61. TWU also earned personal accolades,
including a Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week award for sophomore center Erin Maxwell, according to a press release by TWU’s Athletics Department. TWU began the game by going on a 7–3 run, extending the lead by 13 midway through the first half. By halftime, TWU stood ahead of the Rambelles 33–21, a lead they would maintain throughout the second half. The Pioneers will host Cameron on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. at TWU’s Kitty Magee Arena.
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Opinions
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
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First week gets on last nerve Op-Ed
Why end the break shortly before another one begins? Alex Ancira Managing Editor aancira@twu.edu
Welcome back students, faculty and staff for TWU’s Spring 2015 semester. You might be wondering why you began school on Jan. 12 instead of on the 20th like your pals over at UNT. It is a question worth asking, and I know I’ve asked that same question more and more as we approached our first day of class. I realized that I began school “earlier” than UNT’s students while at my second job at one of Denton’s movie theaters. When asked when I was working during the coming week, I responded that I was not scheduled much because class would be restricting my
work availability. My co-worker looked puzzled at my response. He then proceeded to ask if I had mixed up the date or put it in my calendar on the wrong week. After a few minutes of checking the schools’ academic calendars, I saw that, yes, I was going to be starting school sooner than some other students. Now I’m not usually one to air small grievances publicly, but this first day of class scheduling is driving me bonkers. Why? Because students have next Monday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day — a federally observed holiday. It would have been incredibly easy to simply wait for students to finish up with MLK Day before returning, just like UNT is doing. Instead, TWU students
International
must take on their first week of school, then immediately observe another short break when they should be in class. I’m genuinely not looking forward to missing class on Monday because for a person of habit such as myself, getting into the groove of going to campus on Monday morning is essential. Consecutive weeks are what cultivates my morning waking, and it’s far too easy to keep reinforcing bad habits if not given the right motivation. After adjusting to sleeping at reasonable hours again and commuting to school to get to my classes early, I was eagerly anticipating having the motivation of waking up early for class to keep me on track for the semester. Now with a Monday break, I have no
reason to get up, and my habit is sabotaged right out of the gate. This isn’t really anyone’s fault, I know. But I’m also aware that I’m not the only student who requires a good rhythm at the start of the year. Multiple students I know have been mildly irritated that we have school this week instead of starting next week. I am sure though that some might wave away the complaints with the belief that some students simply wanted a longer winter break. Full disclosure: I did want a longer break. Students always want a long break. Students want breaks that never end, that are carefree, and that are magically filled with fun, family and a dearth of work. No one is going to seriously complain about that pipe dream never
coming true. What students do complain about is administrative choices that make little sense. The positive effects of this type of choice, such as the fact that TWU students get out a week, sooner than UNT students at the semester’s end, mean little in terms of my habit formation and class readiness. A few of my classes forgot that MLK Day was next week so rescheduling on the syllabus was necessary. Now I have to reprint my syllabi when we could have entirely avoided this situation. Whatever the reason, I just see it as generally counterintuitive for students. And while I rarely say this, it just seems like UNT handled a problem better than TWU did. Trust me, it hurts to admit that.
Gas Prices | Local
Violence can’t National gas prices plummet be the answer over the holiday season Thoughts on the Charlie Hebdo attack Shelby Baker Editor-in-Chief sbaker3@twu.edu The attack on Charlie Hebdo was a tragedy. Twelve journalists in France were killed for the political cartoons published by the media outlet. The Prime Minister of France was reported on Tuesday calling a “war on terrorism.” This struck a little too close to home for me. As a journalist, there is always a fear and pressure to conform to the demands of others. There is the fight against being censured, a battle for information and the neverending flood of angry letters. Charlie Hebdo, like The Onion, is a satirical publication. Their job is to poke and prod, unearthing and focusing a spotlight on everything without having to be diplomatic about it. The publication is known to make fun of most religions – they printed a cover with the Pope and raining condoms. Is the art crude? My opinion is yes, but that does not invalidate the points they are making. The attack, spurred by the use of the prophet Muhammad on the front
cover, was an extreme reaction. The intent as far as I can see was to encourage silence regarding their religion. The irony is that the violent action birthed a wave of support for the publication, drawing more attention on Charlie Hebdo and shoving the incident into a worldwide spotlight. Part of me wants to point out that this is an example that violence is never the answer. All this attack did was build animosity towards a group of people that was seeking respect. The killings rallied more than 3 million people in Paris in support of Charlie Hebdo. The other part of me wants to look at everyone and explain that if you don’t like something, don’t look at it. Charlie Hebdo is a publication, and a publication can be ignored. I don’t like Blitz Weekly, so I choose not to read or look at it. The problem is there is always a grey area, and there are more than two sides to every story. The killings were terrible, yes, but all we can hope for is understanding from both sides, rather than forcing instant retaliation like France is looking for.
Students are grateful for low gas prices, but it’s not all savings Emily Nickles Page Editor enickles@twu.edu If you haven’t noticed, and if you drive a vehicle bigger than a Camry you certainly have, gas prices have dropped significantly over the holiday break. From the “take my arm” for $3.26 a gallon to an unheard of low at $1.76 (especially crazy if you’re a ‘90s baby), everyone is wondering whether prices will continue to drop, plateau or increase with despicable rapidity. While I’d like to be hopeful and dream of purchasing gasoline at the historical price of $1.25, it doesn’t seem likely we’ll be going that far back into the past. Between rumors about gas prices dropping during election season to make people euphoric before voting and conspiracies of secret oil wells being discovered creating an abundance as the cause of low prices, I’d say there’s more to the story. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5, in Texas alone, gas prices have dropped an average of 18 cents from $2.16 to $1.97,
The Lasso editorial staff Editor-in-Chief
Shelby Baker • sbaker3@twu.edu
Managing Editor
Alexander Ancira • aancira@twu.edu
Reporters
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Photographer
Tammi Paul • tpaul1@twu.edu
Designer
Toi Ferguson • lferguson2@twu.edu
Design Intern
Carla Benitez Davila • cbenitezdavila@twu.edu
Page Editors
Emily Nickles • enickles@twu.edu Nadiyah Suleiman • nsuleiman@twu.edu
and it’s even cheaper in some places across the state. CBS News cites that the national average price for regular gasoline has dropped approximately 25 cents. According to Bankrate, Americans could put $100 billion back into the economy with the money that is being saved from spending less on gas. Most economists tend to think that this will be a positive thing for the American economy as we struggle to dig out of our national debt. The gas prices though, in general, are expected to last throughout the year. At this point, we’ve probably hit a plateau where the gas prices may drop, but not as significantly as it did this winter. The cause of the low gas prices can be attributed to several economic and environmental factors. While it is a coincidence that gas prices tend to go down during election season, that is not the reason why prices are low. Most of the credit for the prices on gasoline can be attributed to the growing sector of domestically resourced and refined crude oil. Over the years, corporate big shots
have been looking for more ways to get oil through methods such as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, on our own turf. In addition to new fields and shale discovered in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. has slowed down on importing oil, which means less spending on expensive foreign oil. There have also been no environmental disasters or hurricanes on the coast to disrupt oil drilling off the Gulf of Mexico. It’s been two years since a named hurricane or tropical storm has hit the area, and when it does, prices go up to make up for the days lost in oil refinement and production. Every state has limits and regulations on how the oil should be refined and petroleum products should be made. Depending on the area, some towns might have cheaper gasoline than others. There are even seasonal “recipes” per se, in which the gasoline created for the winter season, starting in September or October, brings prices down through the spring until summer hits again with higher gas prices. All in all, we owe it to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
All rights reserved. The Lasso is a weekly student publication of Texas Woman’s University, written and produced by students and printed at DFW Printing. Editors develop their own editorial and news policies.The presentation of news and editorials and the personal opinions expressed in The Lasso are those of Lasso staff and writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, staff, students, administration or the Regents of Texas Woman’s University.
This week’s issue Vol. 102 No. 1
Countries for deciding not to restrict oil production at the end of 2014. By preventing any further embargoes or restricting shipments between countries, the prices are allowed to stay at the state they are in now. Although it all sounds well and good, the money that we’re saving on gas isn’t money that’s going to our savings account. As a college student, I’ve seen the influx of prices on items in the market, especially groceries, and I know that a pretty penny saved by spending less on gas is going to help me pay for more food, perhaps, but it’s not going to do much against inflation. I wager there are unseen consequences to the low cost of gas currently, but I believe the economists when they say the positives outweigh the negatives. If more money being put into the economy instead of in the gasoline industry helps pull America out of massive debt, then I say hoorah. But I can’t help but see what fracking might do to a town like Denton or the environmental damages it could cause. As a plea to the scientists of the world: let’s find an alternative fuel.
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Referendum for the Student Union. Voyles assured that at least one ballroom would be kept, sharing: “That’s a huge deal on our campus.” Voyles also spoke about expanding an existing ballroom and renting out the space to outside groups so that the campus could gain revenue. A set design for the new union building has not been chosen, but a rendering has been used to illustrate to students, staff and faculty the vision for a new Student Union. Voyles explained: “Will the new Student Union look exactly like this rendering? Probably not, but this shows what it could be.” If students vote for the new union building, then the current Student Union may be put to use as a center for student services. Student Health Services would be displaced by the Student Union’s move to Hubbard Hall while counseling and other services could be moved to a centralized location. While the new union building will only directly affect the Denton campus, the Dallas and Houston campuses can be benefitted as well. Voyles shared: “We used Student Union fees to help fund Student Life on the Houston and
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Weatherization
Continued from pg. 1
elsewhere and getting something brand new.” The Student Union is currently looking at Hubbard Hall as a new union building. Voyles stated: “Our architect firm that we hired, SmithGroup, had been looking at a variety of preexisting buildings on campus. They recommended Hubbard because 80-85 percent of the time the building sits empty. The least amount of people are housed inside Hubbard, so the move would not displace as many people as if we chose another building. We could triple the size of the space that we would have.” Voyles was adamant that the move to Hubbard Hall would not affect the Drama Department. He insisted: “We are not taking over Redbud Theater. We are not going to take that away from them.” If the Student Union were to move into Hubbard Hall, then the areas that would be altered include the ballrooms, the kitchen, several upstairs rooms, and unused hallways and walking spaces in the building. The ballrooms contain enough space that a second floor could be added, thusly allowing additional room
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Dallas campuses, and so we are asking their students to vote to build the facility over here. They’ll be getting some new services and new programs. We’re going to use some of the fees brought in here and compliment what they currently have.” Voyles expressed an interest in seeing additional student involvement: “There are plenty of opportunities for students to get involved. If they want to do so, they can contact us at the Student Union office. We’re going to be out and involved in events and meetings in the coming weeks.” He added: “We’re going to have what we call a ‘Backstage Tour and Party’ on Monday, Feb. 2, from 4-7 p.m. Basically, we want to give students the opportunity to come here and take them on a complete tour of this facility so that we can show them what works and, more specifically, what doesn’t work and why we need a new facility.” For more information, and to stay updated on the referendum, contact Kyle Voyles and the Student Union office at 940-898-3641 or email at studentunion@twu. edu.
Photos by Tammi Paul
Left: Scaffolding protects the entrance to Stark Hall on the east side of the building.
Continued from pg. 1 and basically make sure that the towers are modernized and in good shape.” Therefore, Facilities Management and Construction performed an extensive investigation through contractors last year to document the repairs that needed to be made as well as the projected cost of the weatherization project. Following the investigation, FM&C presented their proposed project to the Board of Regents to gain approval for funding. With the approval and funding from the BOR, the project is set to take place starting now through the month of September. The duration of the project is weather dependent, according to Berthiaume, but the project should be able to stay on schedule for the most part. Because of the duration of the project, there was no ideal time to start other than the present. Berthiaume said in regard to the timing of the project: “This is actually probably the best time to do it because our occupancy is lower in the spring than it is
in the fall. In the fall, we’re at 100 percent plus occupancy while right now, we’ve had students graduate, transferred or leave the university for one reason or another.” There will be four teams working from the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday on this project. However, access to the dorms will remain the same during the project — there will just be scaffolding and fences put up for safety. The main interference for students will be the noise of the construction team over the next several months during the daytime hours. Housing has previously sent out an email to let students know about the project and has been putting together a flyer that lists various places on campus for students to go and study during the hours of construction. Berthiaume encourages students to always provide feedback, whether that’s giving the Housing Department an email, or calling or stopping him when he is on campus. Berthiaume said: “We’re always looking for ways to improve.”
New department created Free Wi-Fi on the Square Tiffany Lam Copy Editor tlam6@twu.edu
Recently created Department of Education Abroad now has a director: Annie Phillips. She was formerly Assistant Director of Commuter and Distance Education Student Services. “Currently, study abroad, whether that is for a semester or whether that is a faculty-led tour … is being done by different departments,” Phillips said. Students who wish to study abroad for a full semester fall under the Department of International Education, and students who wish to study abroad or out of state on a faculty-led trip fall under the Office of Teaching and Learning
Campus Blotter Minor in Possession On Jan. 6, a minor was found in possession of an illegal substance in Stark Hall. The case was cleared by an adult arrest. Evasion of Arrest On Jan. 8, an offense was made by a person evading arrest or detention under unknown circumstances on Withers Street The case is still active. Alcohol Misuse A minor was caught on Jan. 10 in possession and consumption of alcohol in Guinn Hall. No arrest was made. Trespass On Jan. 13, a report of trespass was made at the Vineyard Apartments. No arrest was made. Public Intoxication A case of public intoxication is underway. The incident occurred early on the morning of Jan. 13 at the Marketing and Communications Building.
With Technology. The creation of this department is meant to bring these different branches of study abroad into one place. “The goal is that it makes it easier for students to know where to go if they’re interested in studying abroad,” Phillips said. “They can come to this department and get their answers.” Phillips added that the department would also make it easier for faculty members who seek to add a study abroad component to their courses. Senior Associate Provost Dr. Jennifer Martin listed the departments goals as achieving a strong transition that gathers all services students will need to study
Nadiyah Suleiman Page Editor nsuleiman@twu.edu
Photo by Tammi Paul
abroad, designing a website with materials that will provide information about opportunities, increasing the number of students studying abroad and seeing that an education abroad enhances students’ degree plans.
Inauguration events continue Savannah Peer Copy Editor speer@twu.edu On Jan. 27, TWU’s Houston campus will host a reception in celebration of Chancellor and President Dr. Carine Feyten’s inauguration. Many people on the Houston campus have helped in formatting the details for the event. According to Houston Campus Manager Carlos Da Silva: “Practically all leaders of our surrounding hospitals within Medical Center, plus those directors and leaders with whom we, TWU, maintain relationship in several levels, were invited.” The schedule for the event includes a reception for students from 4-4:45 p.m. where light snacks will be provided. The reception for faculty, staff and external
guests will be from 5-7:30 p.m. The President and CEO of the Texas Medical Center Dr. Robert C. Robbins will introduce Feyten. Feyten will speak a few words, but will not give a formal speech. One of graduate Physical Therapy students April Dominick will play the harp for the background music at the reception. In addition to the Houston event, Dallas will also be hosting an event in honor of Dr. Feyten. This event will take place on Jan. 20 and will offer a tea and cookie reception at 4 p.m. for students. The reception for external guests, faculty and staff will take place from 5:15-8 p.m. For more information, and to stay updated on the details of the event visit http://www.twu.edu/ houston.
Thanks to the efforts of the City of Denton, free Wi-Fi will soon be available at the historic Denton Square. Currently, the City provides free Wi-Fi at Railroad Avenue, near the downtown train and bus depot. Assistant City Manager Brian Langley said: “We’re hoping to make the downtown area a more pedestrian friendly area and free Wi-Fi would enhance the experience.” When asked if he thought this new development had
the potential to hurt businesses already providing free Wi-Fi, Langley added: “I don’t think that will be the case. This is an enhancement to attract more people … and it should increase the number of patrons for the downtown area.” The project is costing around $70,000 for installment, and the annual cost for upkeep will fall within a range of $10,000 to $11,000. Sophomore Ashlyn Lee, a frequent visitor of the Square, said: “It’s about time! This will bring more people to the Square, which should help the smaller businesses.”
The city has been working on this endeavor for about a year and a half The city is also collaborating with TWU, UNT and TechMill to discuss the different ways they can support Denton’s community. Sophomore Amanda Hall said: “It will make the lawn area in front of the courthouse a more convenient hang out spot.” At the end of January, the free Wi-Fi should extend to East Hickory Street and provide a strong signal throughout Denton Square.
welcome DSS WELCOMES ALL NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS WITH DISABLITIES
JoAnn
Come and talk to
dss@twu.edu
Katy
Jay
(940)898-3835
Laura
CFO 106
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Community
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
twulasso.com
Community | Store opening
Voertman’s opens a new location on University Drive
After years of success, Voertman’s has opened a location that caters to their TWU customer base
Photo by Tammi Paul
Shelby Baker Editor-in-Chief sbaker3@twu.edu Voertman’s has been a beloved part of the college community since 1925. Many students have found themselves in UNT territory hunting affordable textbooks and quality art supplies, so the fact that Voertman’s has opened a second “TWU” location is cause to celebrate. On the other side of University Drive by Lenny’s and UPS is where Voertman’s has set up shop. The store is quite spacious, housing rows upon rows of books that may be a student’s only saving grace. Ready to greet you is the store’s mascot, a little black dog named Sugar.
The new Voertman’s is selling textbooks only, with the art supplies and apparel still housed at their UNT location. However, apparel will be sold in the future, with possible art supplies depending on business. “We’ve only been open for two months,” Store Manager Tyler Green said. “So far, there hasn’t been much interest in art supplies, but that may change.” The textbook store is one of few that offers deferred payment. Students can buy or rent their books without worrying about money because they can pay later. “We’re all in the business of getting students their books,” Green said. “We have deferred payment, so students who are waiting on
Entertainment
Thin Line Film Fest rolling into town
financial aid can get their books and be prepared for classes that first day.” For the first time in their history, Voertman’s held a promotional event, partnering with another local Denton business. Monday night, TWU students could head over to Lucky Lou’s for a “Denton Double” and enter for a chance to win free textbook rentals this semester. The winner of this contest was Taylor Byrd, who started at TWU last year. According to Green, students can look for more promotionals like this in the future. Voertman’s TWU is now open during the weekdays. For more information, visit https:// voertmanstwu.textbooktech.com/.
Earthquakes Continued from pg. 1
among other associations and organizations, for aid and expertise. The purpose of the task force is to study the seismic activity and inform the public rather than to create any emergency management plans. According to The Dallas Morning News, the seismic activity has not spawned from any existing fault line. Other clusters of earthquakes have previously occurred in Azle and Cleburne as well as the DFW airport, but those events have been linked to nearby faults. The frequency of this seismic activity over such a short span of time has raised speculation that hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has had more of a negative impact than its supporters would want the public to believe. The Texas Railroad Commission’s seismologist Randy Pearson has denied that fracking has caused the earthquakes, but his position and its ties to oil and gas companies make his assertions questionable. Seismic activity in Cleburne and around the DFW airport has been tied to fracking in both areas. However, the seismic activity in Irving may not have been caused by fracking. The nearest fracking site to the earthquakes’ epicenters is located a mere two miles away, but the site has been left unused for years. The next nearest sites are seemingly too
far away from the epicenters to have affected them, but experts are not dismissing the possibility that fracking is behind the earthquakes. Another possibility is that Texas’ drought has affected the fault line, thus causing the recent shift in seismic activity. Because water has weight and because Texas’ ground water supply has slowly been drying up, the drought could very well explain the recent earthquakes. However, scientists are likely to dismiss the notion, since the seismic activity has been centered around DFW rather than spread throughout the state. Local theories include DART construction, underground garbage dumps and the Texas Stadium’s destruction. However, scientists suggest these events are far too small in scale to have such a large effect on seismic activity. While scientists cannot yet predict whether these minor earthquakes will continue, many seem to agree that there is no inherent risk of a large earthquake that can cause widespread destruction. The USGS suggests the risk of a 5.0 or higher magnitude earthquake is less than .3 percent, with the risk of a 7.0 or higher magnitude earthquake at .01 percent. However, determining the source of this seismic activity remains a high priority for city officials.
T E X A S WO M A N ’ S U N I V E R S I T Y
Indie film festival that will be having showings in the Denton area during the month of February Matt Olson Reporter molson3@twu.edu Denton is well known for it’s music, but few would guess that it also has a place for film. Once again, The Square will be home to one of the largest festivals in Denton this February. From Wednesday, Feb. 18, to Sunday, Feb. 22, Denton will play host to the Thin Line Film Fest, centered around Denton Square. The event will screen documentary films, hold concerts for a wide range of music acts and genres, and display galleries for local photographers. Attendees can pay to see individual screenings or shows or purchase pass packages. Photo galleries will be free to the public. The Thin Line Film Fest has been a Denton tradition since 2007 and has its roots as a film support non-profit organization. Planning began in 2006 and resulted in a 60-film festival that also boasted an educational conference and a trade show. Since then, the show has grown in size and profile. Filmmakers have attended the screenings of their films and participated in Q&A sessions. Last year saw the addition of local musical acts, with groups ranging from UNT’s The Three O’Clock Lab Band to indie rock giants Sebadoh. This year’s Thin Line Music artists will include Black Joe Lewis, Boxcar Bandits, Blue the Misfit, Devin the Dude, Gummy, Joe Ely and Little Jack Melody, as well as numerous other artists. For the first time, there will also be Thin Line Photo, a “curated, multi-venue photography festival held throughout Downtown Denton.” The restaurants and venues will become unique art galleries during the festival. According to their website,
photographers can submit their work for $1.50 per photo to compete for a cash prize. Photos will be judged on four themes, which each have many subcategories. The four themes are “Natural Beauty,” “It’s About People,” “There’s a Thin Line” and “What Compels Us?” This year boasts 50 films, featuring roughly 20 full-length features and 30 short films. Some of the high profile releases include “The Culture of High,” a documentary examining both sides of the marijuana legalization argument; “I Am Eleven,” a documentary about 11-year-olds from across the globe and their experiences and perspectives; “Searching for Eddie Running Wolf,” a documentary about a Native American wood carving artist; and “Transcend,” a documentary following Wesley Korir, a Kenyan long-distance runner who decides to run against one of Kenya’s parliamentary leaders. Thin Line’s website has information regarding parking and taxis. Parking will be available on the side streets surrounding the square in addition to perimeter lots, including the Campus Theatre and the public parking lot behind Wells Fargo. Thin Line has its own taxis that volunteers use to drive guests with all-access passes. Information is also available for those traveling from out of town by a variety of modes of transportation. Tickets are available online. Single film screenings start at $8 while single concerts range from $10-15. TWU students can receive a 20 percent discount with a student ID. For more information about Thine Line or to buy tickets online, visit their website at http://www.thinlinefilmfest.com.
On February 3rd and 4th, 2015, all TWU students will have the opportunity to vote in a campus-wide referendum for a new student union. A new union will provide larger facilities, meeting rooms, additional dining and retail options, a larger game room, and technology-enriched areas.
www.twustudentunion.com
Lifestyle
twulasso.com
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
5
Technology | Apps
Vegetarian and Page Editor Emily Nickles outlines the green life
Getting to know your TWU Gmail Gmail hides handy features out of the box
Photo by Tammi Paul
Emily Nickles Page Editor enickles@twu.edu The one thing people ask me when they’ve found out I’m a vegetarian, or I’ve kindly revealed my lifestyle to avoid the awkwardness of not eating a home cooked southern meal, is “Where do you get your protein then?” If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that, I’d be banking in more money than I do working minimum wage. So it’s not significant, but it’s enough to make my ears ring. For some reason, people for the past century have been inundated with the idea that meat is the only good source
of protein. Without meat, you don’t get protein, and without protein you die. Obviously we have forgotten our ancestors survived on the fruits of the land, literally, and often went through periods of time where meat was not available. In fact, in the documentary film “Forks over Knives” (available on Netflix), Dr. T. Colin Campbell proves through his career-long research that humans only need 8-10 percent of protein in their diet a day to maintain a healthy weight and body. This doesn’t include athletes, where they would need more protein in their diet — between 15-20 percent depending on the nature of the athletic activity. Many people have different nutritional needs, such as people who cannot digest gluten or lactose, but even people who have Celiac disease or are lactose intolerant can find ways to get protein in a vegan friendly way. For those who don’t drink milk, eat cheese or eggs, options such as soy milk, rice milk, almond milk and almond coconut milk are available. These options are rich in vitamin D and calcium, more so than the milk we get from cows. There are dairy and lactose-free brand options for cheese, such as Tofutti, that contain no casein, more options are listed on The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals website or the vegan
outreach website. To replace the protein that comes from meat, or complete proteins that contain all the essential amino acids that our body needs and cannot produce for itself, people often will eat rice with some sort of bean or pea combination. The rice is low in the amino acid lysine and high in the amino acid methionine, so combine it with a legume, which is high in methionine and low in lysine, and it makes the perfect balance of protein equal to that of meat. Author of “12 Complete Proteins Vegetarians Need to Know About” from the website Greatist Nick English shares some great ideas of how to get protein from grains and legumes such as chia seeds, hempseed, quinoa, soy, buckwheat, Ezekiel bread, hummus (made from chickpeas) and pita, tempeh, seitan, almond butter, spinach, lentils, and any kind of nuts or varied grains. With a little imagination and a willingness to try new foods, there are limitless options for vegetarians and vegans to survive without the need to murder bunnies. See, Darwin? Herbivores can surpass survival of the fittest.
Food | International recipes
Winter calls for hot cocoa
The last freeze of the spring seems ages off and Emily Nickles provides some satisfying beverages for the meantime Emily Nickles Page Editor enickles@twu.edu Curl up on the couch, wrap yourself in a warm blanket, crowd yourself with the dog and cat, and put on a good film. What else is missing? When Americans think of a cold winter day, when the chill and wind bites our faces and leave us numb and red, we typically think of a fire and, most importantly, a warm mug of hot chocolate to remedy our winter woes. It turns out that hot chocolate is beloved around the world and has been recorded since the time of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans. Thankfully there is more to hot chocolate in other countries than just a packet of Nestle or Swiss Miss, but some of the recipes have an interesting twist that most of us may not expect or think of when making hot chocolate. Also referred to as hot cocoa, hot chocolate across the world is traditionally made with cocoa powder ground from cocoa beans. It is the one ingredient that can be counted on to be in any hot chocolate recipe. In Mexico, people traditionally drink a hot chocolate mix called champurrado, which is atole with chocolate added to it. The recipe includes masa harina, or corn flour, Mexican chocolate, piloncillo (almost like brown sugar), anise star (which gives it a licorice sweet flavor) and cinnamon. The mixture is boiled in water first and then milk or heavy cream is added in later with the corn flour to make it thicker. The consistency of the drink is warm and milky, rather than thin and watery, making for a heavenly drink. While the Aztecs spiced up their hot cocoa with a mix of blood from a sacrifice, the Mayans thought of a better way to spice up their drink — without injuring/murdering anyone. Mayan hot chocolate is made with a mix of crushed vanilla beans, or vanilla extract,
Alex Ancira Managing Editor aancira@twu.edu At last, Gmail has arrived along with the rest of the Google Apps for Education suite. What that means is that students will now have the ability to increase their capacity for emails exponentially while retaining the same email that they were given when they arrived for orientation. Having grown accustomed to Microsoft’s Outlook calendar and web app systems, students, faculty and staff will now have to traverse the very foreign Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive and Google Docs systems. With Tech Talks last semester to help with the transition, the TWU community is at least ready to use Gmail successfully. Luckily with these helpful hidden tips and tricks, you can not only use Gmail with success but with grace and ease. 1. Change Gmail’s look Dislike how Gmail looks initially? There are options at your fingertips for the display density. Initially set to “Comfortable” under the settings toolwheel, “Cozy” and “Compact” are available to space out or condense the amount of emails visible on a single webpage. This can be useful for optimizing the viewing for each users eyes. Make yourself comfortable before moving on to the next tips! 2. Enable keystrokes Love keyboard shortcuts? Google anticipates that you very well might. Under the general settings tab within your settings toolwheel, you can enable keyboard shortcuts that make a mouse an afterthought. Navigating your emails up and down is as easy as pressing the J and K buttons. The O key opens a new email, X selects messages and labels are controlled with L. These are just a few of the options available — and trust me, all of the cool kids use keystrokes for speed. 3. Check out the experimental labs available. I’ve already shared a few tips that Google provides hidden in the settings for you, but there
The Lasso hiring:
Photo by Alex Ancira
Above: What your email probably looks like as you log in to Gmail this week.
are more daring options available if you’re curious. Google offers “experimental labs” to users, which are essentially new, untested features that might catch on after more testing. Some, such as personalized canned responses that Google can generate based on messages you frequently send, are fan favorites. My personal lifesaver is the favicon unread email notification that makes it easily noticable what emails you have not read yet. So check them out — for science. 4. Use the notifier to shoot those email updates to the desktop I’m not sure about you guys, but as a longtime user of gmail nothing bothers me more than when I receive an email and accidently sit on the email for a little while, especially if it’s important. Luckily Gmail offers pop-up desktop notifications to make sure you know when you’ve received that email you’re desperately waiting for. 5. Unsend an email The best is saved for last. With an experimental lab enabled, you have a few seconds after you send that email you regret to undo the sending process. Thank goodness.
is
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cinnamon, cocoa powder, chopped chocolate and a pinch of cayenne pepper (or chili pepper). In South America, this drink is popular for the daring mix of sweet and spicy. Belgium is not only known for their decadent and rich chocolate, but also for how they create their hot chocolate. By using authentic ingredients for the Belgian hot chocolate recipe, it would emphasize the particular flavors that set it apart from other international hot chocolates. The recipe includes a chopped bar of Belgian bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate chopped finely, cinnamon, whole milk, half and half, and finally a pinch of salt. If salt works for cookies, it surely must work for this sweet drink. In Italy, the hot chocolate is called Cioccolato Caldo, and is made with high quality chocolate. Often times, it is served as a sort of pudding or desert because of the thickness it yields
after cooking. Depending on the recipe, the mixture may or may not contain a pinch of sea salt, but it is made with whole milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar and, believe it or not, cornstarch. Cornstarch is the ingredient that causes the mixture to thicken like the consistency of pudding. It is sometimes served with Italian biscuits. While I have introduced you to the world of hot chocolate possibilities, there are more countries that have adjusted and created their own hot chocolate recipe to adapt to their culture and history. I suggest Googling different recipes for each of the four above and deciding how you personally would like to prepare your drinks according to the recipe. Or it could even be interesting to try them all out. There’s a Jamaican or Spanish hot chocolate recipe out there waiting to be wrought.
We are looking for dedicated workers who have a sense of humor and are willing to learn. Applicants must be able to handle caffeine, late nights and wacky humor.
Interested? Visit Stoddard Hall, Room 311 to pick up an application and meet the staff.
6
Arts & Entertainment
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
twulasso.com
Movies
The Round-up: 2014’s finest films After 1000+ movies released in America, our resident film critic has compiled the top 10 films of last year Alex Ancira Managing Editor aancira@twu.edu Most people look forward to November and December for food, family and the friendly aura that escapes from even the crankiest of curmudgeons. But for any cinophile, ‘tis truly the season for outstanding film, awkward awards shows and needlessly long “Best of the Year” lists. Cliche, I know, but a best of list really brings a whole year of art together for a critic. So here’s my obligatory best of year film pitch, which includes 10 excellent films worth watching before the Academy makes its choices. 10. “The Babadook” Aussie horror hit “The Babadook” is proof that sometimes less is more. With fantastic work from stars Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman accompanied by the quiet and jarring direction from Jennifer Kent, few frightful flicks have successfully gotten under my skin quite like it. Check out this film if you love 1960s horror films, classic monster design or psychological thrillers. 9. “A Most Violent Year” J.C. Chandor proves again that he can turn a historically significant moment into a fantastic tale of human interest. “A Most Violent Year” focuses on Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac’s), a struggling businessman on the cusp of success during one of New York’s most statistically violent years. Performances in the film often impress, and the film exudes muted tension boiling virulently under the surface, leaving the film feeling like the best crime drama that didn’t focus on a mobster. Check this film out if you love movies like “The Godfather” or if you adore historical fiction.
seems poised for the recognition that the film should garner after such positive support from audiences and critics alike. Check this film out if you love films that challenge conventions.
Art courtesy of Paramount Pictures
8. “Interstellar” Christopher Nolan’s space-time odyssey never fails to visually stun throughout its nearly three hour runtime. Ostensibly a sci-fi movie, “Interstellar” acts more as a tale of a family and the impact of love across insurmountable barriers. The cast carries a heavy burden, but stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine and Matt Damon rise to the occasion. Check this film out if you dug the visual wonder of “Gravity” or the intelligent writing of “Inception,” “Contact” or “Moon.” 7. “Boyhood” Texas native Richard Linklater has dazzled again with an ambitious vision of adolescence in indie experimental film “Boyhood” — and award season will surely be kind to him. With a Best Drama award in tow from The Golden Globes, Linklater seems like a lock for the Best Director Oscar at least. Adding in the Best Supporting Actor buzz for Ethan Hawke and Best Supporting Actress possibility for Patricia Arquette, the film
and cutting wit, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a must see for Anderson fans and anyone in the mood for a good laugh. 4. “Inherent Vice” Certainly the least accessible film on my write-up, “Inherent Vice” pays deep dividends to those with the attention span and patience necessary. The stoner mystery film adapted from Thomas Pynchon’s wonderful book of the same name is a hazy, winding trip that follows master class performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin as they unravel a disappearance on the 1970s California coastline. Check out Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film if you loved “The Big Lebowski.”
should impress viewers. I’m not exactly sure who would love this movie, but anyone should give it a try. 2. “Foxcatcher” Another historical drama, this time with a sports edge, “Foxcatcher” is one of the year’s most subtle films. Utilizing emotive expressions and quiet, masculine signals of pain, Bennett Miller directed an emotionally impactful film in script and scene. The film’s quality speaks for itself, and any fans of Shakespearean tragedy should check out this masterpiece.
Art courtesy of Weinstein Company
6. “The Imitation Game” Historical inaccuracies aside, “The Imitation Game” is a fine film by an emerging star of a director. Benedict Cumberbatch is blossoming into a true movie star with the weight of this movie on his shoulders on top of his successes in “The Fifth Estate” and “August Osage County”, and Keira Knightley justified her popularity. Check out this Alan Turing historical drama if you loved “The King’s Speech.” 5. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” It’s a bit strange looking back, but Wes Anderson quietly dropped one of the year’s most entertaining and well-crafted films in “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Quirky, odd and utterly charming, the Ralph Fiennes-led ensemble gels in arguably one of the most polished films of a crowded year. With dark humor
Art courtesy of Open Road Films
Art courtesy of Fox Searchlight
3. “Birdman” Strange in all the best ways, “Birdman” is a Hollywood satire with fantastical elements infused that only film could carry out. Michael Keaton’s return to prominence for his role as Riggan Thomson, the washed up actor trying his hand at the stage, will turn heads. And the direction and script at least
1. “Nightcrawler” Dan Gilroy’s news freelance film is nothing short of a classic in crime thrillers. “Nightcrawler” is bolstered by career defining performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo with immaculate scripting and sound editing. For the last hour alone, this film will demand your attention. And trust me, you give it readily waiting for the heated conclusion. Anyone who loves dramas and thrillers should go grab this movie immediately.