January 26, 2012 by UTRGV Student Media

Bullfight Toreros preserve traditional, dangerous sport

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Volume 68, No. 15

January 26, 2012

Garner Out

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball leading scorer done with season-ending injury

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A culture of

Piracy

Internet rallies against proposed bills

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Local legislators square off over 82nd session See hot seat || Page 4

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January 26, 2012

opinion

November 10, 2011

A chance to learn from our mistakes - again

Reynaldo Leal Co-Editor-in-Chief

An Islamist regime with ties to terror cells wants to create weapons of mass destruction and has become a danger to national security. Sound familiar? Iran – not Iraq – has become the new potential battlefield for American forces. Its threats against U.S. naval vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, constant pressure from Israel over nuclear proliferation, and talk of a petroleum blockade have moved a fight with Iran past the point of hypothetical. This is the time to learn from history and not repeat it. Cpl. Ian Stewart was killed on Dec. 12, 2004, when he was ambushed on the second floor of a house in Fallujah, Iraq. When my platoon finally retrieved his mangled body from the burning building, four other Marines had also been killed, and a dozen

more had been injured. I was a private first class then. My first tour of duty to a foreign war took me to the largest urban assault in Marine Corps history since the battle of Hue City, Vietnam, in 1968. I was certain that the war I was fighting in was right, perhaps even noble. That night, however, I lay on the concrete floor of a schoolhouse, the fog of war still clouding my brain. I shook uncontrollably from the cold and the effects of coming down from the biggest adrenaline rush I had ever experienced. I realized then the simplicity of war. War was ugly. I was alive. My fellow Marines were not. I now wonder, with the luxury of both life and hindsight, if it was all worth it. If things could have been different. Did Americans feel any safer after that day? Were they freer on Dec. 13, 2004, than the day before? Did anyone, outside the brotherhood of infantrymen and immediate families, even care? I may never know the answer. The end of the war in Iraq always seemed so far away when

I was kicking in doors in Fallujah or patrolling along the Euphrates River. First, we had to stop Saddam from creating “weapons of mass destruction.” We were convinced that Iraq had acquired the necessary ingredients for nuclear warheads and we could not allow

A power vacuum was soon created when we disbanded the Iraqi Army and police forces for being Saddam loyalists. Insurgent elements took advantage of the lack of national leadership and Sunni disenchantment. The battle shifted to a new enemy as Al-Qaeda arrived in Iraq.

Turkey

Syria

IRAQ

IRAN Kuwait

Saudi Arabia

the evidence to be a mushroom cloud over Israel or Europe. When we couldn’t find any real trace of weapons, because there were none, we rebranded the war to one of liberation. Again, we were certain we would be treated as heroes by all Iraqis once Saddam and his sons were ousted. It would never be that simple.

Dubai

By the time the last military vehicles crossed the border into Kuwait on Dec. 18, 2011, the Iraq War had claimed 4,487 American lives, injured more than 30,000 service members and estimates ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of Iraqi lives, according to the Department of Defense.

The Iraq War took up most of my young adult life and stripped away the innocence that comes with being an American civilian. It will shape my personality until the day I die. Combat tends to leave scar tissue on both the body and mind. Along with me are about two million other Americans, roughly one percent of those old enough to serve in the military, who will have to answer the question of whether the war we fought in was just. We supported our troops, despite losing all interest in their daily battles and struggles soon after the 24-hour coverage of combat stopped. We didn’t even notice when some new veterans began to join the ranks of the unemployed, homeless and sick. Maybe, if everyone had a little skin in the game, Americans would have noticed as the coffins kept flying in from overseas. Therein lies the problem with it all, why the war continued for so long. It’s hard to convince people a war should end when they didn’t know we were still fighting in the first place.

cartoon

Americans ended up paying for the war – all $700 billion of it – the way we pay for everything else in this country. Credit. It’s hard to make people feel invested when they never had anything to lose. The war ended officially on Dec. 31, 2011, not because we finally beat our enemy, or the American people demanded it. It didn’t even end because the president kept his campaign promise to get us out. It ended because the people of Iraq refused to continue giving us immunity. Iran doesn’t have to be the same. We can be intelligent, patient, and not allow any country to drag us into another long and expensive fight. Americans need to know that revenge may feel good, but only for as long as their attention span will allow it. Shock and awe is great. Flagdraped coffins are not. Knowing what I know now, there would have to be a real good reason for anyone to tell me that my son, who is 4 years old now, will ever need to place his life on the line for war.

Vol. 68, No. 15

The Pan American

tweets

thepanamerican@gmail.com 1201 West University, CAS 170 Edinburg, Texas 78539 Phone: (956) 665-2541 Fax: (956) 316-7122

Pretty low turnout for the #triblive event @UTPA this a.m. Maybe five dozen attendees at most. Probably too cold (low 70s) for most RGV folk

Co-Editors-in-Chief:

Reynaldo Leal Nadia Tamez-Robledo

- Education @nealtmorton reporter, The Monitor

News Editor:

Karen Antonacci

Students and professors, have you ever had trouble in a class because of a language barrier? If so, email thepanamerican@ gmail.com

Sports Editor:

Michael Saenz

Arts & Life Editor: Norma Gonzalez

Photography Editor: Faith Aguilar

- @ThePanAmerican

Design Editor:

Erick Gonzalez

Letters to the Editor The Pan American accepts letters of 300 words or less from students, staff and faculty regarding recent newspaper content, campus concerns or current events. We reserve the right to edit submissions for grammar and length. We cannot publish anonymous letters or submissions containing hate speech or gratuitous personal attacks. Please send all story ideas to thepanamerican@gmail.com.

Multimedia Editor:

ion t c du o r P otes N week 2 Dear Reader, Sometimes the best laid plans for an article are smashed to pieces. What occupies Page 5 is a case in point. What I planned to write for you was an in-depth

Francisco Rodriguez/The Pan American examination of what I assumed was the core issue behind the SOPA/PIPA/MegaUpload controversy - a deep generational gap on what constitutes “property” and how it should be treated on the Internet. As they say, never assume. What I found on campus was much different than the polarized views that I tried to force my article to stick to. If there is a gap, it exists instead between these black-and-white views

and the majority that points out that the underlying issue is far more subtle than, ‘Pay for it or you’re stealing,’ and ‘Give it to me free or I take it.’ I heard many, many views, but didn’t find one completely for either side. So, yes, when you peel back the first layer of debate, there’s an underlying issue, but it’s one of We Know There Is Piracy, It’s Not Going To Stop, This Isn’t How To Deal With It and There Is No Good Solution In The Foreseeable Future. More surprising still, I

heard an astonishing amount of I Pirate But I’m Not Going On Record and I’m Not Sure If I Should Be Talking About This. So that’s what you will find - an article with neither two clearly defined sides nor a clear plan of action. A story that draws from those bold enough to say what they think on the record. There you will find out what happens when the University community refuses to let a reporter fit a square peg in a round hole. -Karen Antonacci

Pamela Morales

Adviser:

Dr. Greg Selber

Administrative Associate:

Anita Reyes

Advertising Manager:

Mariel Cantu

Webmasters:

Jose Villarreal Selvino Padilla

The Pan American is the official student newspaper of The University of Texas-Pan American. Views presented are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or university.

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news

January 26, 2012

The Pan American

HOT SEAT from Page 1 By Nadia Tamez-Robledo The Pan American

Police Beat Tuesday Jan. 17 Officers responded to the Physical Science building in reference to an ill person, who said they felt dizzy while sitting in class because they skipped breakfast. The instructor gave the student a banana and some water. The student felt better after eating and refused further medical assistance.

The division between Rep. Aaron Peña and his colleagues was palpable in more than just the space between them on the Student Union Theater stage they shared Tuesday. The Republican spent much of his time defending his party’s actions during the 82nd Legislative session against the criticism of State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa and Rep. Veronica Gonzales.

Friday, Jan. 20 Officers made contact with a Public Safety Officer who said he saw an unknown male push a female into a vehicle in Lot F and drive away. Police located the vehicle with the female student, and male, who was not a student. He said that he had not pushed his girlfriend into the vehicle and she said she was fine. Police found a handgun on the floorboard of the vehicle. The driver was charged for unlawfully carrying a weapon. Tuesday, Jan. 24 A male student asked the PD to check on the welfare of his female friend, who was located at the Business Administration building. He reported that she was being physically threatened by her boyfriend, who told her that he would murder her if she broke up with him. The female was contacted and it was determined that the initial report was unfounded.

EVAN SMITH The event was part of “The Hot Seat,” a discussion series hosted by the Texas Tribune, a political news website based in Austin. Mediator Evan Smith, editor-in-chief and CEO of the Tribune, gave the first question to Hinojosa, asking

if the 82nd session had been good for the Valley. “No. Actually, it was the most difficult session I’ve been involved in,” said Hinojosa, a McAllen Democrat who has served in the Senate since 2002. “It was a session driven by ideology and not good public policy.” He and Gonzales slammed the Republicansponsored budget cuts to education and health care that passed in Austin last April. “When you cut $59 million from Texas Grants, which is so relied upon here by students at this university and many others across the state, that’s going to impact the ability of students to get an education, and that’ll impact the workforce and impact the economy,” said Gonzales, who will not seek reelection following the end of her fourth term. Peña explained the logic behind his fellow Republicans’ votes even as he distanced himself from the results. He reminded the audience that he voted against the budget and was in favor of using the Rainy Day Fund, money set aside by the state to cushion budget deficits; Republicans blocked that money from being disbursed. “They’ve got constituencies they have to represent, and I think it would take an act of God to get some of those constituents to want a tax increase,” said Peña, who switched from Democrat to Republican

Reynaldo Leal/The Pan American

POLITICAL PANEL - Members of the Texas Legislature participate in the Texas Tribune’s Hot Seat panel Tuesday. in 2010. He has not yet decided whether he will seek reelection in November. Hinojosa agreed that the Legislature didn’t need to raise taxes to increase state revenue. He echoed Gonzales’ criticism that Congress failed to close tax loopholes or make use of the Rainy Day Fund – which he said had $6 million at the time the controversial budget passed. “(Republicans’) answer to everything – cut taxes, shrink government,” he said. “Unfortunately, government’s

a lot more complicated than that, more sophisticated than that. Taxes is a responsibility, and taxes is a price that we pay for civilized society.” Peña answered no when Smith asked if he thought Texas was spending too much on education. “The bottom line is that the general public does not have an appetite for seeing government grow and grow and grow, so we have to use the creative powers that God gave us to find solutions, and I think we can do

that,” he said. “The only way you could say (cutting education funds) was a step in the right direction was that it reflected the wishes of the general public not to raise taxes.” Smith explained that the majority of funds that can be cut in order to balance the budget come from public education, higher education and health care. “You cannot talk about not raising taxes but wanting to invest in public education,” Hinojosa said.

Students design first UTPA class ring

By Daniella Diaz The Pan American A never before seen ring left the Jostens factory Monday destined for the eyes of eager UTPA administrators that put the whole process in motion a little over a year ago. After much planning and 60 designs were considered, UTPA President Robert Nelsen selected the final design for the school’s first class ring. The design, conceived by UTPA jewelry designers, is still a highly guarded secret. It will be revealed at the Homecoming Pep Rally and again at the Alumni Ball on Feb. 17. Students and alumni will be able to pre-order rings once the design is revealed. Until then, the campus is being kept in the dark about what the keepsake looks like. “We’ve always had a variety of (unofficial) rings… the most official-looking ring currently has a University seal on it and is available at the bookstore,” said Leticia Benavides, an alumna and the director of auxiliary services. “We’re

really proud of the final outcome of the (official) ring design. It’s a beautiful story once you see it and when you understand what each element means, it’s beautiful to see.” The idea of an official class ring sprouted after Nelsen shared his idea to create more tradition. “President Nelsen suggested putting a committee together to design the University ring so that we could help create a tradition,” said Donna Sweigart, an art professor and committee member. “Dr. Nelsen wanted the students to feel that the school was committed to them, as well as have students committed to the school. He wanted the students to feel school spirit and camaraderie and the tradition that we all wish we had more of.” Afterward, the official ring committee was formed with a variety of student and faculty members. Sweigart, the only professor who teaches a jewelry/ metalworking class at the University, asked her students to . submit potential official class ring

designs for extra credit. “(The ring design) really had to be a collaborative effort,” Benavides said. “You know, one area or one department couldn’t run with it without input from students or student affairs, alumni office, there was a whole bevy of representation on this committee.”

DESIGNING THE RING The University began the process in summer 2010 by awarding the contract for creating the baubles to Jostens, mainly known for its sales in graduation items. The designers then began to turn out over 60 visions for the ring; the committee eventually narrowed that down to two. The designs were presented to the SGA Executive Committee Oct. 15. SGA reported their opinions on the two designs and Nelsen took them into consideration when he made the decision a few days later. Since then, Jostens has created the manufacturing sketches of the

“This experience was fun and it ring design and will be finishing manufacture of of the first UTPA was exciting,” she said. “It got to be up the wax molds. Once the class ring. committee approves the molds, the Yvonne Arzola is also a senior overwhelming and stressful at times rings will be ready for manufacture. studio art major who participated but then we remembered how “We designed this ring so that from the beginning in designing amazing it was to be designing the class ring. We were part of history.” if you were, for example, at the the ring. Houston airport and you were wearing the ring and somebody saw the ring they would know it was a UTPA ring,” Sweigart said. “It was designed to stand out. That was part of the intention.” For senior studio art majors Esteban Lopez and Sandi Milford, a University class ring is more than a keepsake. Because of their involvement from the very beginning, they have received a weeklong internship Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American at the manufacturing plant located in MAKING A MOMENTO - Esteban Lopez, 25, works on a ring Denton. From Jan. design using a 3D modeling program. Lopez is one of the main 20 to Feb. 3, they will participate in the collaborators of the UTPA class ring.

news 3

January 26, 2012

1102 ,01 rebmevoN

By Karen Antonacci The Pan American The University community looked on as the Internet and the entertainment industry battled last week over legislation that would hold websites responsible for what users post. Both the Stop Online Piracy Act and the PROTECT IP Act were meant to tackle the murky issue of online piracy – the underground world where users can upload and download or stream pirated content to and from a foreign server. To do this, SOPA and PIPA, sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas and Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont respectively, allow a copyright owner to file a complaint against a site on terms of copyright infringement. The U.S. Department of Justice could then remove the site from search engines results and online payment services, effectively rendering it unfindable and unfundable. SOPA and PIPA came under considerable criticism as detractors cried that the bills spoke in too broad of terms and could take many legitimate sites, like YouTube or Reddit, down with serious pirates. As the Jan. 24 vote date on SOPA drew closer, several prominent websites organized a blackout Jan. 18. Some hid their content or logo behind black bars while others totally stopped service for 24 hours. The day after the blackout, the U.S Dept. of Justice shut down the popular file-sharing company MegaUpload Ltd., seized all of its domain names and arrested the owners on charges of alleged copyright infringement. In retaliation for the MegaUpload incident and enraged by the SOPA/ PIPA proposals, the hacker group Anonymous targeted several government and media sites with a denialof-service attack. Websites belonging to the likes of the FBI and the Motion Picture Association of American were placed out of

1998 -- Digital Millennium Copyright Act is enacted

commission as Anonymous’ minions flooded the servers with requests Jan. 19. Because of the firestorm of criticism, the House Judiciary Committee chairman said Friday that while the committee still wanted to find a solution to online piracy, consideration of SOPA would be postponed indefinitely. Both SOPA and PIPA entered legislative limbo and it is doubtful whether they will be resurrected. Computer science student Daniel Ramirez agreed with SOPA’s detractors, calling the proposed act “ridiculous,” especially because it transfers the blame to the websites. “Websites have their set of guidelines, and if someone oversteps those bounds, it should be their fault, not the company’s,” he insisted.

DMCA was clear that producers of illegal content were outlawed but was unclear if sites that linked or provided loop-around access to the content were in violation. The DMCA got major airtime during the Napster case. The original Napster site was a peer-to-peer file-sharing site for music files. Napster ran into trouble when notable artists like Metallica, Dr. Dre and Madonna discovered their music being traded on the site for free. In 2001, Napster lost the case brought against it by many record companies, and was found liable for the infringing material on the site. Napster shut down later that year and went bankrupt in 2002. “When the DMCA came out, the record companies have made a fairly strong precedent of suing 12-yearolds and grandmas. They made it pretty clear that they will exercise any legal power that they can get,” computer science professor Emmett Tomai said. “Since the DMCA mess, things have gotten a lot better. A lot of companies have stepped into the gap and have done micro-downloads and streaming…companies have adapted and been very successful with that model.”

-Emmett Tomai computer science professor

THE GRAY AREAS

The 24-year-old also said that he didn’t see SOPA as a feasible piece of legislation that addressed the problem. “It’s like trying to buy a mop to fix a leaking faucet,” he said. “It would make it so people could no longer have the choice to upload, so it’s certainly not something I would agree with.”

THE BACKSTORY Disagreement over online copyright legislation is not new. The forerunner to SOPA, The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, was passed in 1998. The DMCA allowed copyright holders to send takedown notices to infringing websites demanding they remove the content. The

2001 -- Napster loses its case against A&M Records, Inc.

2005 -megaupload ltd. is established.

Having a national debate about the cost of piracy is especially difficult when dealing with the unquantifiable – the “what might have happened.” While the MPAA estimates that the total value lost due to piracy across the board is something like $50 billion annually, the University’s Jan Smolarski, chair of accounting and business law, said that these statistics were probably not genuine; he compared the current situation to that of budget European airline, Ryanair. “When Ryanair started, it was thought that they pirated passengers from the larger airlines, but they didn’t. They pirated

june 23, 2010 -google owned youtube wins its case against viacom.

passengers from the ferries. So essentially what Ryanair did was provide low airfares and open up a different market, a new model,” he said. “That’s what we’ve come back to

-Daniel Ramirez computer science student

here. A way to capture the downloaders and figure out revenue from that population group. That’s the main issue, but it’s a lot easier to go after them from a legal perspective and protect the existing revenue model. There is an inertia, companies that are doing well with the existing model have no interest in changing it and typically they’ll do everything they can to prevent the existing revenue model from falling apart.” The argument that the companies failed to innovate quickly enough with the digital revolution to maximize profits while keeping customers happy is a common one among the for-piracy crowd, but Tomai, who teaches programming and web design courses, said the justification has holes. “That’s always a spurious argument, right? ‘Someone did something wrong so I will do something wrong,’” he said. “Depending on your ethics, that’s your decision, but I think to claim it’s right because they did something wrong is obviously silly.” Smolarski added that piracy tended to be less

oct. 26, 2011-the stop may 2011 -- sen. online piracy patrick leahy act is introduced. (D-vt) (sopa) introduces the protect ip act. (PIPA)

acceptable in cultures of developed countries, like the United States, and more acceptable in lower-income countries. “It comes down to affordability,” he said. “I think the business model championed by Google is obviously one that’s being copied by, say, phone companies now. Where you provide a service free and charge at either end, meaning from the end user or from the provider. I think the Old School model of charging for content or applications is going to go by the wayside over time.” Tomai agreed that without legal protections, the old business model is doomed, yet at the same time, he warned against rampant piracy. “I mean, currently anyone can put anything up on these sites, and anyone can get it,” he said. “That is a problem for these businesses, and being a problem for these businesses means it is a problem for our economics, for our country.” Ramirez, who is a senior, remained skeptical about businesses that claim to fill the gap between the entertainment industry and underground piracy, like Hulu, YouTube or other content sites that gather revenue from premium accounts and targeted advertising. “If you upload something online, it’s going to end up somewhere else and travel around. The Internet is designed for file sharing and even if you keep (content) behind a password, behind closed doors, it’s going to travel around without ads,” he said. “The Internet is a powerful tool. It allows people to share information… but it’s not well regulated. And it’s not going to be well regulated. I don’t see a real solution.”

nov. 16, 2011 -sopa recieves a house judiciary committee hearing.

dec. 15, 2011 -sopa is presented for markup.

contemplating property

THE NEW PIRACY:

jan. 18, 2012 -sites against sopa participate in a blackout to protest.

newsbriefs The first Online Teaching Conference will display iPads, the new BlackBoard site and teaching simulations in the Education Complex Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. The free conference aims to educate faculty about the new tools available to them for online classes, which have experienced a dramatic rise in enrollment due to budget cuts and limited physical classroom space. “Building a new building is out of the question so we have to figure out a way to address the needs of the community and students,” said Edgar Gonzalez, director for the Center for Online Learning, Teaching and Technology. The Promotes Overall Wellness Excellence and Responsibility Center reopened Feb. 19. Located in the Learning Assistance Center, the POWER center is meant for student athlete support. “We advocate our athletes spending as much time in the books as they do in the field,” said Director of Athletics Chris King. UTPA currently has 180 student-athletes, including approximately 80 freshmen and transfer students, who are required to attend study hall and specially designed workshops that assist them in acclimating to college life and living away from home.

SGA Bulletins The Senate passed a resolution to establish speed bumps on campus as a result of a car accident that was allegedly caused by a speeding car. Deadline to apply for upcoming SGA elections is Feb. 7, and campaigning starts Feb. 9. Voting is from Feb. 24 to Mar. 1. On Friday, two resolutions will be presented to SGA. One on campus cigarette smoking and one proposing a streetlight at N Sugar Rd. and W. McIntyre St.

jan. 19, 2012 -megaupload is shut down..

jan. 19, 2012 -anonymous attacks the fbi, mpaa, riaa and other sites.

the file sharing battles of the new millenium

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THE PAN AMERICAN

January 26, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

January 26, 2012

Page 7

Cesar Castañeda allows his bull to pass closely with an ayudado, a form where the cape is held in one hand and the sword in another.

Lupita Lopez, 33, from Mireda, Yucatan prepares her capote de paseo, a special dress cape, before entering the arena.

Story by Norma Gonzalez

GRAND OPENING

SIMPLY TO GO MOBILE CART

LOOK FOR US ON CAMPUS SERVING UP

One’s heart races as the bull charges into the ring. The beast snorts, kicks up the sand of the arena, and lowers its head. The fighter, armed with a red cape and a sword he cannot use, stands alone in the middle. He waits. Bullfighting is pomp and circumstance, Hispanic culture, Ernest Hemingway and the rush of near-death experiences rolled into one. It is also considered a dangerous and inhumane sport by some and has even been outlawed in Spanish cities. The question in recent years has been how to hold on to heritage while living in a changing society. Fre d Renk,

fighting tradition

owner of the Santa Maria Bullring in La Gloria, Texas, has figured out a way of incorporating the thrill of the arena without killing bulls or breaking any laws. Bloodless bullfighting. “We built the ring just like the movie Field of Dreams - out of nothing,” Renk said. Renk, the first American bullfighter to compete in Spain 30 years ago, has been running the only sanctioned bullring in the nation for the past 11 years. Although his show has been requested in places like Fort Worth and Chicago, Renk looks at ease in the rural Texas town Northwest of Edinburg.

HOT BREAKFAST AND GREAT LUNCH COMBOS ! BREAKFAST HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY 7:30 AM-10:00 AM LUNCH HOURS MONDAY-THURSDAY 11:00 AM-2:00 PM FRIDAY 11:00 AM-1:00 PM WWW.UTPADINING.COM • 956-665-7485

Lupita Lopez, known as the “Reyna Maya,” performs an abanico, a two-handed cape maneuvre.

On Sunday the crowd that filled seats in the small arena came from all over North America. Young cowboys from South Texas sat next to French Canadians visiting the Valley for the winter. “We want to experience something different,” said Paul Paradis, a 64-year-old self-proclaimed traveler from Canada. “Let’s put it this way, we want to see what it is.” Although the bulls are no longer harmed, the fighters are not out of danger. This doesn’t stop them from stepping

into the ring with the beasts. “It’s like being ignorant - you can’t get rid of it,” bullfighter Enrique Delgado said in regards to why he doesn’t quit the sport. “Every day that passes, you are more i g n o r a n t .”

Photos by Reynaldo Leal

Mexicans Cesar Castañeda, 36, and Lupita Lopez, 33 were the two featured bullfighters of the afternoon. Each faced off against two bulls, the next more difficult than the last. Delgado admits to having about four meters of bulls’ horn still in him from previous accidents and has gone to the hospital six times after being injured. “Out of all the bulls, this is the most difficult bull,” Renk announced during Lopez’s last match. The wild bulls weigh an average of 1,500 pounds and are only used once an event. Instead of killing them, bullfighters are faced with the task

of removing a flower from the charging animal’s back. “That’s symbolic of sticking the sword right through the nervous system,” 60-yearold spectator Felipe Naranjo explains. “It’s more humane this way.” Castañeda was sideswiped in the pelvic area Sunday and Lopez received a harder blow to her stomach while attempting to grab the flower. “One thing about matadors is that their adrenaline is so high that they don’t feel the pain until the next day,” Naranjo added. “It’s a matter of pride and tradition for them not to show pain because it’s a sign of weakness for a matador.” Lopez, known as The Mayan Queen, and Castañeda, who some spectators said resembles Tom Cruise, were swarmed by the audience after their fights. The crowed congratulated the fighters and posed for photos with them. Castañeda even made ladies blush and giggle by offering “besitos,” or kisses. “In the end my desire was always there,” Castañeda said. “I’m always trying to please the audience. It’s the most important thing, and I believe people left really pleased.”

Cesar Castañeda, 36, from Tijuana, Baja California, performs a bajo pass Jan. 22.

for more photos visit panamericanonline.com

Page 6

THE PAN AMERICAN

January 26, 2012

THE PAN AMERICAN

January 26, 2012

Page 7

Cesar Castañeda allows his bull to pass closely with an ayudado, a form where the cape is held in one hand and the sword in another.

Lupita Lopez, 33, from Mireda, Yucatan prepares her capote de paseo, a special dress cape, before entering the arena.

Story by Norma Gonzalez

GRAND OPENING

SIMPLY TO GO MOBILE CART

LOOK FOR US ON CAMPUS SERVING UP

fighting tradition

HOT BREAKFAST AND GREAT LUNCH COMBOS ! BREAKFAST HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY 7:30 AM-10:00 AM LUNCH HOURS MONDAY-THURSDAY 11:00 AM-2:00 PM FRIDAY 11:00 AM-1:00 PM WWW.UTPADINING.COM • 956-665-7485

Lupita Lopez, known as the “Reyna Maya,” performs an abanico, a two-handed cape maneuvre.

Photos by Reynaldo Leal

Cesar Castañeda, 36, from Tijuana, Baja California, performs a bajo pass Jan. 22.

for more photos visit panamericanonline.com

arts & life 3

January 26, 2012

By Norma Gonzalez The Pan American

November 10, 2011

Vatican Beach

Vibrations can be felt down the street of the Gutierrez home on Thursday nights, along with blaring music. Just another local band practicing in a garage. The McAllen-based band Kings and Liars was officially formed in July 2010, performed their first full band show last January and started 2012 by recording their first album. “We had no intention of playing shows,” Harlingen native and vocalist Frank Anthony Vasquez recalls. The band practices about an hour for an upcoming show, before working on new music. They strum random notes and try out different tempos and variations while Vasquez randomly vocalizes along. According to them, songwriting can be the most unpredictable part of their process. “Sometimes it takes two weeks or two hours. It’s random,” Vasquez said. “Sometimes music will hit us, and sometimes we don’t have anything.” The band hopes to finish recording their EP titled “Knights, Queens and Affairs” by Feb. 11. With the deadline looming, the band sometimes has to deal with the consequences of stress. “Sometimes we get frustrated with each other by the time we leave practice,” 18-year-old guitarist Clemente Gutierrez said. “But we usually get over it by the

time we have our next practice.” Although the members pace around the garage making fun of each other and goofing off on their instruments, all four are disciplined and dedicated to presenting the best possible product to an audience. “We want to present ourselves as professional as we can,” Vasquez said. “Even though we’re not technically professional.” This dedication to the project makes them want to take as much time working on it as possible, even if it interferes with a deadline. “Most of our work comes from jamming and building off of that,” said 19-yearold guitarist Benny Garza. At the same time, the band needs to show the same professionalism in shows. They last played at McAllen’s “Nikki” Rowe VFW and will return to the venue on Jan. 28. “We can record well all we want, but if we show up with lunchboxes, no one will take us seriously,” Garza said. In addition to their new EP, the band hopes to gain a spot in the Never Say Never Festival at Mission’s Las Palmas Race Center, but they will need to sell a minimum of 70 tickets. Although it started as a hobby, the band’s goal and ambitions have grown more than they expected. “It’s pretty cliché, but we want to come up with a new sound that people haven’t heard,” Vasquez said.

Solid bass lines, ecstatic drumming, fun guitar rifts and a voice to match aren’t the only things going for Vatican Beach. Fresh off a winter Texas tour, this three-piece ensemble, formally known as Moi Je Joue, is taking off. They recorded a four-song demo with Creative Cave Studios and plan to go back in late January to record a six-song EP. The eccentric tunes this band pumps out are upbeat and ready to be danced to. With the addition of more synth and another guitarist

Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American

Garage band - Vocalist Frank Anthony Vasquez, above, belts out a song during Kings & Liars’ Thursday night practice. Below, band members Clemente Gutierrez, Jesus Gutierrez, and Benny Garza, and Vasquez will releasing their first album Feb. 11.

British artist brings surreal exhibit to the Valley

By Vanessa Garza The Pan American Sculptures of futuristic ladies with large blue eyes and gigantic heads made of fiberglass and silicone will make their way to The International Museum of Arts and Science (IMAS) in McAllen Friday. An opening reception will be held to welcome Londonborn artist Colin Christian’s science fictionand Japanese Anime-inspired exhibit, “Surreal Pop Sculptures,” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This event will be open to the public with an admission fee of $7 for adults and $4 for children. Christian will hold a Q&A session with IMAS executive Joseph Bravo, and will present his work. The exhibit, which has been showcased from Hong Kong to Italy, will be in the Valley until May 13.

Hometown: Harlingen Members:

Sergio Lopez, 21, guitar/vocals, keyboard Ruben Lopez, 20, drums John Morales, 19, bass

Genre: Indie Rock Contact:

facebook.com/vaticanbeach

Jungle Bodies

1960s Modern Revival The year-old band Jungle Bodies is making way in the music scene. Their modern twist to 1960s rock provides a jumpy, danceable tune with funky rifts that provides a fun atmosphere for showgoers. Made up of students from UTPA, Jungle Bodies is currently writing new material for a full-length album to possibly be released in May. They are also recording one of their new songs, “Ghost Beam,” to be accompanied by a music video shot by CAB Films. The video will be shot in February and released in late March or early April. The

group will be recording a cover of the song “Jump Around” by House of Pain for a music blog. The song will be added into a compilation of bands to be released in May. There will be live shows throughout February and March. Hometown: McAllen Members: Andres Sanchez, 22, guitar/vocals Joseph Macias, 22, guitar Osmar Alaniz, 21, bass Michael Flanagan, 22, drums

Genre: Surf Pop Contact:

facebook.com/junglebodies

Reviews by Vanessa Garza

Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American

Pop art at IMAS

in late January, this tripod is going to get a make over that will make a splash in the indie scene of South Texas.

The reinvention of classic By Lea Victoria Juarez The Pan American Last Saturday night citizens of the Valley were captured by the classical stylings of the Valley Symphony Orchestra as it performed the annual January Pops Concert. With the stage aglow and the instruments in tune, a continuous flow of melody filled the auditorium of the McAllen Civic Center. “It’s a very popular concert with our audience because it attracts fans not only of classical music, but also people who like a lighter type of music,” director, conductor, and UTPA music professor Peter Dabrowski said. “It’s really a variety of different pieces. They’re very popular and

really excellent music.” The line-up for the night included the musical selections, “La Suerte de los Tontos,” from Johnny Richards; “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” from Paul Dukas; a medley from Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner’s Broadway show “My Fair Lady”; the march “Bridge Over the River Kwai,” from Malcolm Arnold; and a medley of hits from the Beatles titled “Long and Winding Road Suite.” “It’s a family oriented concert,” Dabrowski explained. “The program of the concert basically concentrates on the music, which attracts different types of folks with different tastes. It offers everybody something to enjoy.”

Faith Aguilar/The Pan American

January 26, 2012

the pan american

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sports

January 26, 2012

Men's tennis falls at SMU By Michael Saenz The Pan American The men’s tennis team were downed by the Southern Methodist University squad 7-0 on Saturday at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas. In the number one doubles match, senior Beau Bernstein and sophomore Chetan Panditi fell to Tobias Flood and Joseph Hattrup 8-7 after losing the tiebreaker 7-3. During Panditi’s singles match, the first-year Bronc took the first set (6-4) but then lost the final two sets (6-4.10-7) to Pablo PerezEsnaola of SMU.

Beau Bernstein The Broncs (0-1) top player, Bernstein, lost in straight-sets to Gaston Guandranti 6-4, 7-5. The men’s team will be back in action next when they face-off against Laredo Community College on Feb. 5 in Laredo. The Broncs lost to LCC last season 5-2 at the Cox Tennis Complex. The women’s team kicks off its season against Midwestern State University on Feb. 3 in San Antonio.

Recent results Men's basketball Jan. 19 UTPA 72, Chicago State 65 Jan. 20 NJIT 58, UTPA 57

Women's basketball Jan. 19 UTPA 43, Chicago State 39 Jan. 21 NJIT 41, UTPA 40

Men's Tennis Jan. 21 SMU 7, UTPA 0

Sophomore standout lost for the season By Michael Saenz The Pan American Sophomore LaQuita Garner was having a breakout year for the Broncs, until it was learned on Wednesday night that her season would end due to six fractures in her shin. During her freshman year, Garner only averaged about seven minutes per game. This season the fivefoot nine guard was third on the team in minutes played (584), started every game and was tied with Bianca Torre as the leading-scorer on the team (10.3 ppg). It wasn’t just a coincidence that Garner was excelling this year. She attributed much of this season’s success, prior to the injury, to hard work that was definitely paying off. “(Last year) it was kind of hard. But I was able to gain my composure and focus on helping my team, if that meant not playing as much then that was okay with me,” Garner said of the few opportunities that she was

given during her debut year. “This past summer I just worked hard and as much as I could. I wanted to help my team as much as possible this upcoming season.” Even though her season abruptly ended this week, she stepped in this year when she was greatly needed. Especially after three-point specialist Ce’Monay Newell was ruled academically ineligible in the fall, leaving a gapping whole in the UTPA lineup. Newell averaged 14 points per game a year ago, and the Broncs needed someone to step in to fill that role. That’s when Downing turned to the young guard out of Chicago. Garner filled in nicely. She was averaging 10.3 points per game and had canned 29 three’s so far this year. She led the Broncs in scoring nine times in 20 games. Her season-high was a 20-point effort in a loss against Sam Houston State Dec. 1. Garner also contributed defensively with 73 rebounds, 30 steals and 16 blocked shots throughout the

course of the season. Everyday after practice Garner would shoot halfcourt shots. Sometimes she would make her first attempt, at times it took up to 20 shots. But one thing is for sure. Garner doesn’t give up easy. No matter if it comes to making a half-court basket or working her way towards the starting lineup. Now a new challenge confronts her, and no one should put it past her to come back stronger next year.

Conference play

The UTPA women’s basketball team dropped a heart-breaking game against NJIT Jan. 21, when the Highlanders scored a putback layup with seven seconds remaining in the game to take a 41-40 lead. Donna Jackson missed a potential game-winning, last-second effort at the buzzer and the Faith Aguilar/The Pan American Broncs dropped to 1-1 in Great West Conference play. time out - Sophomore guard LaQuita Garner moves past her They will be back in action opponent's defense and scores a one-handed lay-up on Dec. 28 against Houston Baptist on against UTA. Garner will miss the rest of this season due to injury. Jan. 28 in Houston at 7 p.m.

Freshman Rising

By Michael Saenz The Pan American The UTPA track and field team completed its first indoor meet this past weekend. Even though a recent coaching change headlined the weekend, the athletes still received all the attention by the time the Texas Tech Invitational kicked off. On day two of the TTI, Davison paced the Broncs as she won women’s shot put section B with a mark of 13.11 meters (37.03 ft). In addition, the freshman finished second in the women’s weight throw section B, measuring a toss of 14.26 meters (46.78 ft). “Jasmine Davison really had a great effort this weekend,” Broncs interim head track and field coach Xavier Richardson said. “Overall we were pleased on how we came out and are ready to get back to work.” Junior Judith Chumba finished in fifth out of 31 runners in the women’s 3,000 meter run

Davison excels in first track & field event

Alma E. Hernandez/The Pan American

Fantastic Frosh - Freshman Jasmine Davison practices her shotput form. She will compete in her next meet Feb. 3 in Lake Charles, La. with a time of 10:43.63. SMU’s Kasja Barr finished half of a second before Chumba. Sylvia Alboniga finished in 11th (8.50 seconds) out of 40 runners in the 55-meter hurdles during the preliminaries and in 13th (8.52

seconds) out of 16 in the finals. For the men, Scott Bann led the Broncs with a thirdplace finish in shot put section B with a throw of 14.82 meters (48.64 ft). He also finished sixth in the weight throw section A

with a mark of 15.49 meters. Jesus Alvarez placed second in weight throw section B with a toss of 14.53 meters as well. Luis Serrano finished in sixth out of 24 in the men’s 3,000 meter run with a time of 9:00.02, and

Martin Casse placed ninth out of 30 in the mile run clocking a mark of 4:30.11. Last week head coach Dave Hartman resigned in order to take an assistant's job at Lamar University. Richardson, previously his assistant, was named interim head coach effective immediately. The program declined to comment on the specifics of the situation, but it is certain that the season must go on with as little distraction as possible. “The whole staff has worked together well so far, and we have a great group of kids to go forward with,” saidRichardson, who has been at UTPA for three years. “Keeping the athletes minds off the coaches, and focused on competing is the goal. We are anxious to get back to work and continue to improve.” The Broncs will compete at the Jess Davis Bank Cowboy Invitational in Lake Charles, La., on Feb. 3 to continue the indoor season.

sports

January 26, 2012

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Men’s

Homecourt advantage By Alex E. Peña The Pan American

Norma Gonzalez/The Pan American

Pushing on - Junior guard Brandon Provost drives to the basket against the TCU Horned Frogs Jan. 11. The Broncs will play six games at home, starting Jan. 28.

Ryan Marks would agree with the idea of going .500 on the road while remaining undefeated at home, even though his Broncs haven’t really adopted that idea. UTPA had gone without a win all season long away from the Field House until last Thursday. To begin the Great West Conference schedule, the Broncs won 72-65 at Chicago State before a one-point loss at NJIT two days later. The Broncs (1-1 conference, 6-16 overall) split road games in conference play and now look to defend their home floor during a sixgame stretch starting this Saturday against Houston Baptist University at 7 p.m. All except one of the games on the schedule are against GWC rivals. “I’m optimistic in our abilities,” Marks said. “There’s so much parity (in the GWC). I feel like its six games that are both equally winnable and losable. I like our chances if we play the way we did against NJIT.” Though it was a loss, Marks was feeling pretty good too about his team’s

performance against the Highlanders considering the circumstances the team faced. Marks suspended Kieondre Arkwright, Nick Weiermiller, Ruben Cabrera, Earl Jefferson and Neo Sanchez for that game, which left him with only seven players to dress. Marks did not specify the reason behind the suspension, but stated that he hoped his message of accountability resonated with the team. “That was certainly the message, the seven guys available to dress did an absolute masterful job,” Marks said. “They were fully focused. The five guys

Upcoming Games Men’s Basketball Jan. 28 vs. Houston Baptist 7pm

Women’s Basketball Jan. 28 @ Houston Baptist 7pm

that received suspensions, the conversations I had with them, it showed their remorsefulness for their mistakes. It’s one thing for those guys to articulate it and it’s another for their actions to prove it.” Aaron Urbanus, Jared Maree and Josh Cleveland all scored in double figures while logging significant minutes against NJIT. Brandon Provost only scored nine points, but was on the floor 40 minutes. Now with a complete roster again, Marks hopes the team can get that first win in order to hold the belief of ‘.500 on the road, and undefeated at home.’ “I think if we can get a good start this Saturday and continue building momentum, it’ll be beneficial for us,” he said. The last time the Broncs were at home for six straight games was during the UTPA Tip-Off Classic earlier this year. They have not had a non-tournament stay at home this long since the 2006-07 campaign when they played future-GWC members NJIT, UVU, South Dakota and North Dakota as well as IUPUI at the Field House.

11 gwc

overall

UVU 11 10

CSU 2

NJIT 9

UTPA UND HBU

Women’s overall

gwc

NJIT 8

UVU 9

CSU 3

UTPA UND HBU

Springtime crunch at WRSC By Jonathan Salinas The Pan American With Spring Break right around the corner, students are now packing the WRSC in hopes of losing extra pounds gained over the winter. Diehard gym rats must now compete with springtime warriors for time at the bench press or treadmill. Jose Salinas had been to the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex a total of three times since first enrolling at UTPA three years ago. Like all students, he was forking over $75 a semester for the WRSC, but was not taking advantage of the services covered by the fees. “I just realized that I’m paying for it,” said Salinas, a junior at UTPA. “I thought I might as well give it a shot. I want to see if maybe I can lose some of this extra weight and hit the beach come Spring Break.” Luckily the WRSC offers more than just standard exercise machines and weights.

Classes like Zumba Toning and Pilates are given weekly and taught by certified instructors. “Spring semester, everybody wants to come in and get ready for Spring Break. Usually, after 5 p.m., more and more people start coming in,” Facility Manager Katheryn Ramirez said. In addition to everyday programs that the WRSC offers, annual Intramural sports are under way as well. Serving over 4,500 participants per year, the Intramural Sports Program gives students the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports and continue their love for activity. The first sport set to begin is 5 on 5 basketball, with an entry deadline of Jan. 26 and play scheduled to begin as early as Jan. 30. Other intramural sports such as flag football, indoor soccer, softball and indoor volleyball will be start later in the spring semester. As far as any more special events, the WRSC staff will release flyers at least a month in advance all around campus.

Faith Aguilar/The Pan American

Packed House - Students fill the Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex to workout in preparation for spring. The WRSC is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and shorter hours on weekends.

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the pan american

January 26, 2012