The Vista March 8, 2011

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Campus Quotes

Mardi Gras

Seven-Year Journey

Basketball

Who is your most memorable teacher and why?

Five things to know about Mardi Gras.

Looking back at America’s presence in Iraq since 2004.

Women’s Basketball loses by one during the finals in the Lone Star Conference Championship.

MAR. 8, 2011 uco360.com twitter.com/uco360

THE VISTA

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA’S student voice since 1903.

THE LONE STARS UCO secured its fifth and final Lone Star Conference Tournament title on Sunday, defeating Tarleton State 68-52 PHOTO BY JEREMY ENLOW

UCO coach Terry Evans cuts down the nets Sunday after leading the No.7 Bronchos to a decisive 68-52 victory over Tarleton State in the LSC tourney final in Bartlesville, Okla.

By Michael Collins / Sports Writer LSC Conference Champions The UCO Men’s basketball team is the 2011 Lone Star Conference Champion after downing Tarleton State 68-52 in the finals on Sunday in Bartlesville, Okla.

The Bronchos stormed past Eastern New Mexico University and survived a wild game against West Texas A&M University in the first two rounds on their way to face Tarleton State in the Finals for the right to claim the conference’s automatic bid to regionals.

In their earlier meeting with Tarleton this season the Bronchos pulled out a 60-57 win behind

Dauntae Williams 23 points. This matchup seemed to be heading for that same course for most of the first half of Sunday’s game.

Early in the Championship game neither team could separate from one another. It was a back and forth brawl that slowly began breaking out as both teams tried to gain the advantage. A Tucker Phillips layup and a Williams three-point shot got the Bronchos rolling early in the ball game.

It was the physicality of the game that eventually gave the Bronchos an edge.

“We knew they were going to crash the boards so we got our minds right and played through the

contact,” Williams said.

With just under six minutes to go in the first half the Bronchos trailed Tarleton State 23-21. By the time the first half ended, the Bronchos had built a 35-28 lead. If it were not for some early foul trouble, the lead might have been much larger for the Bronchos.

The second half is where the Bronchos started to get rowdy. They started changing defenses and getting back into their zone, which really confused Tarleton opponent.

By the mid-point of the second half, UCO had built a 55-39 lead and looked pretty much unstoppable.

Junior guard Brent Friday led the way for the Bronchos, scoring 16

points on 7-9 shooting and added in five assists. Friday used a mixture of shots Sunday, and really seemed to get whatever the team needed at that time.

The Bronchos ended the game with a 68-52 win, and a big reason for that has to be Victor Driver. He came off the bench and added 14 points in only 23 minutes of play.

“Victor has overcome a career threatening injury. He’s back in the mix and he can play,” head coach Terry Evans said.

When talking about the game, Evans said, “It was a hard-fought game, We knew coming in Tarleton was an excellent team. We wanted them to have to do something differ-

ent by playing more zone to keeping them off the free throw line. That was one key, and another key was that we penetrated and kicked the ball out. It’s hard to guard that and that’s what we focused on.”

Evans hit on the subject of playing more zone, it’s not a coincidence then that Tarleton State’s head coach also touched on the subject after the game.

“Central played very well today and we didn’t play as well,” Tarleton Sate head coach Lonn Reisman said.

“They had a good game plan and changed defenses on us. Give them credit. They won 17 of the last 18 games. We had our opportunities, but ours didn’t go in and theirs did.”

Campus Economy

UCOSA

BUDGET WOES LOOM

FREEDOM TO TEST

WEATHER TODAY

H 67° L 36°

UCO may face harsh budget shortfalls if state funding does not increase along with record enrollment figures.

PHOTO BY GARETT FISBECK

By Brittany Dalton / Staff Writer

TOMORROW H 60° L 34°

More weather at www.uco360.com

DID YOU KNOW? Joseph Pilates developed Pilates while in an internment camp during WWI.

UCO has made it through recent budget crises reasonably well, but is the budget crisis likely to be remedied in future?

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education currently employs what is known as a “funding formula” to allocate state-appropriated funds to each of Oklahoma’s institutions of higher education.

According to Dr. Luis Montes, professor of chemistry and president of UCO’s faculty senate, the funding formula as is could be leading to a discrepancy in funding among the universities of Oklahoma.

While UCO strives to be on the same level as the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University, it is classified according to the Regents as a “regional university.”

“The state legislature appropriates a certain amount of money to the Regents, who then decide how to allocate the funds to each of Oklahoma’s universities,” Montes said.

The amount allocated to UCO is $1 billion, a “fairly sizable amount of the state budget,” according to Montes.

However, UCO received 76 percent of that

billion, in accordance with “budgeted need,” as calculated by the State Regents’ funding formula.

Montes explains that the “funding formula” used by the State Regents takes into account different factors with each university, including not only the number of students at the university, but also the number of students within different disciplines.

“According to the funding formula, a student studying chemistry would be ‘worth more’ than say, a student studying history,” Montes said. “This is because of many different factors. The number of credit hours produced within each major is taken into consideration, but there are more fees associated with a chemistry major. For example, the lab costs, as well as the costs of instruments associated with that major.”

But Montes said that the Regents’ formula only applies to funds over and above the appropriated amount.

For example, say UCO was appropriated $1 billion last year. If the university were appropriated an additional $30 million in addition to the $1 billion, the Regents’ funding formula

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A measure passed by UCOSA President Matt Blubaugh has made Scantrons available for free at UCO. Blubaugh said it gives UCO “bragging rights” over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, who lack similar arrangements.

Story on page 4

THE VISTA 100 North University Drive Edmond, OK 73034 (405)974-5549 editorial@uco360.com

The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, semi-weekly during the academic year except exam and holiday periods, and only on Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.

EDITORIALS Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO.

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OPINION

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MAR. 8, 2011

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CAMPUS QUOTES

Who was your most memorable teacher and why?

ANOUK DIJKSTRA

KALEB REDICK

CHARLIE UNG

Junior- Sports Marketing/Management

Senior- Biology

Sophomore- Bio-Med Engineering

LETTERS The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, with a maximum of 150 words, and must include the author’s printed name, title, major, classification and phone number. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.

Address letters to: Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK 730345209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131. Letters can be e-mailed to vistauco@gmail.com.

STAFF

Management

Editorial

Jenefar de Leon, Editor-In-Chief Ryan Costello, Managing Editor Samantha Maloy, Copy Editor Chris Wescott, Sports Editor Garett Fisbeck, Photo Editor

Kory Oswald, Senior Staff Writer Cody Bromley, Staff Writer A.J. Black, Staff Writer Chantal Robbateux, Staff Writer Michael Collins, Staff Writer Brittany Dalton, Staff Writer Christie Rawlins, Staff Writer Josh Hutton, Staff Writer Nicole Ford, Staff Writer

Graphic Design Steven Hyde

Advertising Brittany Koster DeOren Robinson

Photography

Circulation

Editorial Comic

Bill Southard

Prakriti Adhikari

Adviser

Administrative Assistant

Mr. Teddy Burch

“Russell Jones, because he’s 77 and keeps going on about the taxes he has to pay and the government. He’s just funny.”

“Dr. Stone, a Human Physiology teacher because when I first saw him I thought he was a janitor. Long hair and beard, casual clothes and he always wore flip flops.”

“Mrs. Eastman, she was my third grade teacher and would stay after school to help me.”

TRAVIS EREW

CHAD COTNER

EMILY CHILDS

Sophomore- Applied Liberal Arts

Grad Student

Senior- Nutrition

Kathleen Wells

Tresa Berlemann

Editorial

IS THERE REALLY ANY LOVE ONLINE?

By Cody Bromley / Staff Writer I’ll admit to having had a dating profile or two in my time here on earth, but I’m afraid I have to pull back now.

Last month, the free dating website OkCupid, the place on which I had formerly cast my miserable desires, was sold to its paid competitor Match.com.

I understand that this is the nature of business, as start-ups rise and fall on a regular basis. Being against this would be like opposing a trade system for the NBA. But OkCupid isn’t just a service; it’s a repository of several thousand people’s personal information and dating preferences. So when it got sold, so did the information of those people.

In fact this is spelled out very clearly in the privacy policy of the site: “If the ownership of all or substantially all of the OkCupid business or assets were to change, your user information would likely be transferred to the new owner(s)”.

The entire thing is one big slice of dramatic irony pie. OkCupid opened its virtual doors in 2004 as an alternative to pay-for-play dating websites.

What’s even funnier is that back in April 2010 on the OkCupid blog Christian Rudder, the site’s co-founder, wrote a lengthy article about why paying for sites like Match.com and eHarmony is a broken system.

“As a founder of OkCupid, I’m of course motivated to point out our competitors’ flaws. So take what I say today with a grain of salt,” Rudder wrote.

The post continued on by examining data from Match.com and eHarmony’s own public statements and public financial data. But since the acquisition, OkCupid has removed the post. (The full text is available on UCO360.com) “I chose to take that down. Match didn’t ask,” OkCupid cofounder and CEO Sam Yagan said to tech news site Mashable. com. Yagan said that it was not an attempt to censor the message but that some of the assumptions made were incorrect.

At the end of the day, is anyone really surprised? Dating websites are businesses first and matchmakers second, and actions like this acquisition are only a harsh reminder.

I’ve closed my account on OkCupid. I invite anybody else with an account to do the same. Think the dating life sucks?

Well, to borrow a line from the late George Carlin, you can all join the support group I go to. It’s called everybody, and they meet at the bar.

“Dr. Aaron Fortune, because he inspired my interest in critical thinking and philosophy.”

“At OSU, Dr. Melissa Burkley really inspired me to get involved in research, stats and social psychology.”

“We called him Dr. K, he taught Intro to Nutrition at OU. He was really intelligent and an awesome teacher.”

By Pakriti Adhikari / Cartoonist

NEWS

MAR. 8, 2011

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BUDGET P H OTO BY K AT H L EEN WEL L S

would only apply to the additional $30 million.

“The rationale behind this system is that it would allow for more stable funding, and it would be easier to plan,” Montes said.

“On the other hand, [the funding formula] doesn’t significantly penalize those institutions which see a decrease in enrollment. Nor does it rapidly reward institutions which see increasing enrollment,” he said.

One of the universities, which saw rapidly increasing enrollment, a trend persisting over the past few years, is UCO. However, since only new funding falls under the rules for appropriation regulation, UCO does not see a significant change in funding. Particularly when one considers that UCO is currently funded at 76 percent of budgeted need.

“It’s a very interesting situation we’re in,” Dr. David Nelson, associate professor of mass communication, said. “Everyone appears to be getting a fair shake, except UCO.” He explains that if more money were to come from the state, or if UCO were funded on the same level as other state universities, resources would be more readily available, and the university could accomplish much more.

In contrast to UCO, OSU is funded at 98 percent of its budgeted need according to Montes, and Southeastern is funded at a whopping 103 percent of budgeted need.

“If the university had more funds, we could put more money into more areas,” he said.

Nelson particularly believes that with more money, higher retention of students could be achieved.

“Currently we have approximately one advisor per every 1,100 students,” he said. “The average is about half that. Hiring more advisors would be just one possibility of many to lead to higher retention.”

Montes cites certain costs which rise naturally each year, including utility cost, as well as the amount UCO pays for its employees’ insurance and benefits.

“The university is in a situation where it is trying to do more, with less money,” he said.

So how does UCO stack up?

Currently, UCO must use a larger share of

Dr. Luis Montes (pictured) said that the state’s formula for funding higher education does not consider UCO’s record enrollment.

its allocated budget for instructional cost, using 55 percent of the budget; the average for other universities is 47 percent.

“If we had more money, we could allot more funding towards scholarships,” Montes said. “Currently we only allot four and a half percent, whereas other universities allot 10 and a half.”

UCO in comparison to other universities relies much more extensively on tuition and fees for funding, making up 48 percent of funds. Montes explains that proposed increases in fees have been secondary to other university needs.

“Students at UCO are paying a higher share of their education, so increases in fees that would add to that, are not very practical,” he said.

If allotted more money, UCO could offer more scholarships, avoid tuition increases, and have a more stabilized academic service

fee, the fee all UCO students pay according to the college their classes are in.

UCO also has a higher percentage of parttime faculty (48 percent), compared to the regional university average of 33.6 percent.

“If more funds were allotted, faculty salaries could become more competitive, perhaps even leading to more full-time positions,” Montes said. “We can bring in new faculty each year, but as it stands, we may lose them to other universities.”

Nelson believes that if students and families are concerned about the discrepancies between UCO’s funding and other universities,’ they should express those concerns in the appropriate manner, by voicing their opinions to the Capitol, and the legislators making the decisions of financial allocation.

“If you want anything to change about the situation you’re in, that would be the best way to go about it,” he said.

Montes, though, does not believe the situation at UCO should be looked at in mere numbers, as a strictly numeric analysis will leave students, parents, and administrators alike dismayed. He points to past years as indicative that UCO has a much more hopeful future than strictly numbers would suggest.

“We managed the past few years on a tight budget, and reasonably well,” he said.

He points to many important factors that make UCO appealing to current as well as prospective students.

“We offer a range of programs; students with a wide array of different interests can find a field of study for them,” Montes said.

“We are located in a nice location, and attract students from all over.”

“We have a lot going for us at UCO,” he said. “We are a hidden gem in Oklahoma.”

NEWS WITH A FLASH

Vila Isabel samba school dancers perform during a carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday March 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Unidos da Tijuca samba school dancers perform during a carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday March 7, 2011. (AP Photo/ Felipe Dana)

An Unidos da Tijuca samba school dancer performs during a carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday March 7, 2011. (AP Photo/ Felipe Dana)

A disabled Afghan shouts anti American slogans during a protest in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Monday, March, 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

A disabled Afghan shouts anti American slogans during a protest in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Monday, March, 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

An Afghan policeman, right, stands guard during an anti American protest in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Monday, March, 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

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NEWS

MAR. 8, 2011

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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT

MARDI GRAS

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras, French for “Fat Tuesday,” refers to the celebration of Carnival and the last day before the beginning of the Lenten season, a 46-day season of prayer and fasting observed by the Roman Catholic church as well as other Christian denominations. In recent decades, Mardi Gras has been defined by more events than just the single day.

Where did it start?

Mardi Gras’ history runs all the way back to second-century Rome. The Romans observed and enjoyed festivals honoring the Roman deity Lupercus. When Christianity came to Rome, the Romans adjusted their festivals to match a Christian interpretation, and then became a time of celebration before the season of Lent. Over time, the seasonal festival spread across the empire as well as spawned other traditions. Mardi Gras came to America in the early 18th century with French explorer, Sieur d’Iberville. While New Orleans is often linked to Mardi Gras, the very first Mardi Gras celebrated in the United States took place in Mobile, Ala., in 1703, 15 years before the city of New Orleans was established.

What are the traditional symbols of Mardi Gras?

The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold. Purple is symbolic of justice, green of faith and gold of power. While optional for parade goers, masks are worn by members of carnival krewes, people who ride the floats during parades, to conceal their identity. King Cake is a special type of cake associated with Mardi Gras. The cake will contain a trinket or prize, and the person whose piece of the cake contains the prize gets special privileges.

How is Mardi Gras celebrated in New Orleans?

On Mardi Gras day, two of New Orleans’ largest krewes, Zulu and Rex, will parade through the streets giving out “throws” such as beads and “zulu coconuts.” The party is not just confined to Fat Tuesday. One of the additional Mardi Gras parties is Zulu Krewe’s Lundi Gras festival, lundi being the French word for Monday, with live music and food. New Orleans Mardi Gras parties, parade and balls are very traditional and except for one special exception made in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina, laws forbid any usage of commercial advertising in Carnival parades. This year, local CBS affiliate WWLTV has launched an iPhone app to track the various parades alongside a website to watch Mardi Gras day parade footage live.

How much money is spent on Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras celebrations hold a lot of responsibility for spending each year. A study of Mardi Gras’ economic impact in Mobile, Ala., by the University of Alabama Business School in 2004 totaled up to $227 million. A separate study by Tulane University in 2009 found the indirect economic impact of the celebrations in New Orleans to be valued at $332 million.

Campus News

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U.S. HOUSE SEEKS PELL GRANT REDUCTION

FREEDOM TO TEST

By Christopher Howell / Contributing Writer A spending bill proposed in the House of Representatives would cut Pell grant funding by $5.7 billion. The cap for the neediest students would be reduced from $5,550 to $4,705, and some students who are eligible for a Pell grant this year would not be eligible next year, according to Susan Prater, director of Student Financial Services at UCO. President Barack Obama has proposed amendments to the bill to cushion the blow.

“To retain funding to keep the maximum Pell Grant at $5,500, the President is proposing for the 2011-2012 school year, to return to a situation where Pell will be available to students for a summer period, only if they had not received a full-time scheduled award in the previous fall through spring semester.

He also proposes to eliminate the Stafford loan subsidy for graduate students,” Prater said.

The changes would not be in effect until the 2011-2012 school year, so summer students this year will not be affected. All of these changes are still only proposals, and thus only tentative.

The bill is one of a number of cuts supported by Tea Party-backed Republican representatives, elected on a platform of austerity.

These cuts have generated serious controversy.

College students across the country have organized protests against the cuts, includ-

ing California State University Monterey Bay, North Carolina Central University and University of Minnesota Duluth. Opponents of the cuts have also created a Facebook page, called Save Student Aid. However, the cuts would return Pell grant funding to near 2008 levels, when the maximum Pell grant award was $4,731 after the program was expanded under the Obama administration. Without the cuts, the program would have a shortfall of $20 billion.

While federal legislators have passed stopgap measures to fund government operations until March 18, a government shutdown similar to the one that happened in late 1995 remains a very real possibility unless a more permanent compromise is made.

According to Prater, 33 percent of students at UCO received Pell grants this year, up from 30 percent last year. Nationally, about 27 percent of students receive some form of Pell grant.

According to the official Pell grant website, Pell grants have historically paid fewer of college students’ overall costs, from covering 75 percent of a college students cost in 1979 to 33 percent in 2006. Part of this disparity is the result of tuition inflation. The finaid.org website finds that generally, tuition increases at twice the rate of inflation, and the cost of college doubles every eight years.

An executive order has made Scantrons free at UCO.

By Ryan Costello / Senior Staff Writer Students at UCO now have access to free Scantrons.

UCO Student Association President Matt Blubaugh made the free availability of the popular test forms last month by way of an executive order that utilized funds rolled over from last year to cover costs.

During the summer, Blubaugh made a proposal to student affairs vice president Dr. Kathryn Gage to create a rollover account to reserve funds that had been allocated to student groups, but remained unused.

Funds that were remaining in the UCOSA budget from the 2009-2010 fiscal year were then assigned to a “Carry Forward” portion of the account, and brought over to pay for the Scantrons, which bear the UCOSA logo.

“We are not taxing students more for this money, we’re not taking it out of any existing funds or anything that was appropriated by the GCCA,” Blubaugh said. “Funds that weren’t utilized by a number of organizations from last year, we have consolidated into one pot.”

Blubaugh said that he elected to push the motion through via executive order to avoid increasing the burden on UCOSA’s already crowded docket. The order was signed in the midst of the Proposition One debates.

The executive order was also a way to dodge

confusion in the UCOSA House and Senate relating to where the funds to cover the Scantrons would come from, Blubaugh said.

Instead, Blubaugh consulted his executive council, which includes UCOSA’s Treasurer, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tempore, Vice President, and Chief of Staff in addition to other elected members of the UCOSA legislature.

Bringing free Scantrons to UCO was one of Blugaugh’s campaign promises when he ran for the UCOSA presidency prior to his election April 14, 2010.

“I think it’s the responsibility of the University somehow to supply students with things needed to continue their education,” Blubaugh said. “If [students] have a required test, I think they should definitely have provided to them the materials required to take that test.”

The forms are available in the UCOSA office, located in Room 148 in the Nigh University, and next door in the Student Organization office. Blubaugh said UCOSA plans to make the Scantrons available in other areas on campus and hand them out to students.

“I want to raise awareness of the student body that we do have a UCO student association so they realize what we do, that we’re here for them, that we’re a resource they can utilize,” Blubaugh said.

NEWS

MAR. 8, 2011 World

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Opinion

SEVEN-YEAR JOURNEY

OPINION LACED

On March 8, 2004, Iraq’s Governing Council signed the interim constitution.

WITH

FACT

BY

A.J. BLACK Letter of Resignation: Facebook, Digital Drugs, and the Truth

Protesters chant anti-Iraqi government slogans during a protest at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, March 7, 2011. Protesters gathered in central Baghdad to demonstrate against corruption and the lack of government services. The banners in Arabic reads, “ Remorseful” and “No for cut the roads.” (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

2006

By Josh Hutton / Staff Writer Seven years ago today, members of Iraq’s Governing Council signed the landmark interim constitution. The move symbolized a point of departure for the tumultuous nation – a step toward peace and stability. In 2011, the conflict continues riddled with criticism and question marks. Here is a look at the integral shifts in the last seven years.

Al-Qaida and sectarian violence rose with the bombing of the al-Askari Mosque. The U.N. called the aftermath a “civil war-like situation.” The homicide rate in Baghdad jumped from 11 to 33 per day in the month of February. Then the infamous Mahmudiyah killings took place on March 6. The event found five Army soldiers of the 502nd Infantry Regiment guilty of raping a 14-year-old girl, murdering her, her father, her mother, and her six-year-old sister. The current Iraqi system of government took over on May 20. Saddam Hussein was executed on Dec. 30.

2007 Bush called for a troop surge in his State of the Union address. Twenty thousand additional troops were sent to the area; conversely, key Danish and British forces were withdrawn from the area. Ethnic cleansing ran rampant as Shia and Sunni militias engaged in cities of mixed populations. For the first time, members of Iraq’s congressional body rejected furthering the occupation of their country.

2008 A HUMVEE from Alpha Company, 2-12 assigned to 1-5 CAV, performs a security patrol outside An Najaf cemetery where Anti- Iraqi Forces have recently launched attacks at Multi- National Forces. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt Ashley Brokop (Released)

2004 Quickly following the March 8 signing, the region erupted with the most vicious fighting of the war. On March 31, Iraqi insurgents in Fallujah ambushed a convoy of Blackwater USA private military contractors. Four Blackwater fighters were killed by small arms fire; then subsequently dragged from vehicles, beaten by locals, set ablaze and their burnt corpses were hung over a bridge. Photos and film footage of the events incited a blitzkrieg of news stories and anger on the part of American citizens. In April, widespread prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib’s prison garnered worldwide scrutiny against America’s military practices.

Iraq rearms. The security forces trade their AK-47 assault rifles for the standard U.S. weapons of M-16 and M-4 rifles.

Iraq accounted for $12.5 billion of the $34 billion in weapons sales to foreign countries made by the U.S. The Status of Forces Agreement was established. The agreement allowed for criminal charges to be brought against U.S. contractors. The agreement also set up an exit strategy for U.S. troops.

2009 Upon the sixth anniversary of Baghdad’s fall to coalition forces, tens of thousands of Iraqi people gathered to protest in the city. The group demanded the immediate withdrawl of coalition forces and burned an effigy of George W. Bush. The United Kingdom formally removed all of its troops from the region. Iraq ended the year by handing out oil contracts at fixed fees.

2005 Further strides for political stability became the mantra of 2005. As January came to a close, the Iraqi people voted for the Iraqi Transitional Government, whose primary purpose to write a permanent constitution did not come to fruition until Oct. 15. The ratification’s delay was tied to the escalation of violence. May became the bloodiest month of the conflict. A sudden string of suicide bombings plagued the country, overwhelming the people. The bombings left over 700 civilians and 79 U.S. soldiers dead. As December ended, the first general elections were held.

Most people love drama, and I don’t blame them for it. A dramatic scene can be almost just as much fun to watch as it is to participate. I think that is why social networks like Facebook are so popular; because it succeeds in fulfilling both the needs of expression and voyeurism in human beings.

This will be my last article for the Vista at UCO. There are ten or so more issues until the end of the semester, but certain events that have unfolded recently have opened my eyes to new possibilities, and I have decided to pursue a different venue, effective immediately.

I have never held back that much. I am what you might call a “low-filter,” because there is not too much that I am afraid to put out there. It gets me in trouble at times, but when it is all said and done I wouldn’t change a thing; because I have always enjoyed exercising my rights, liberties and abdominal muscles aggressively, and I imagine I always will.

In fact, I refuse to tone it down, right a puff piece, or be censured in any way except profanity, and I have even pushed that to its limits. If you press it enough, you will find just where the line is. I have been dancing on it my whole life.

Over the past two weeks I have gone before Student Conduct, been interviewed by the local police department, had my work edited, and been given an ultimatum to a degree that I cannot continue. The verdict was Not Guilty, due to an irritating little thing called the First Amendment. I figured I might as well use it while we still have it, but even that isn’t enough sometimes.

I don’t think you should necessarily do things just because you can. It is definitely a form of power to practice self-restraint, but just like anything it has its time and place. So, I will quietly finish out the remainder of the year and walk away with a diploma of distinction. I cannot wait to have it framed and placed above my toilet in the bathroom. Right next to the trash can where I store all of my student loan information.

This may mean nothing to you, but it may mean everything. People will never stop trying to control your actions or attempt to influence you to be a certain way.

If you deviate from what they consider to be acceptable then you will find that their companionship is contingent upon your compliance. It is not hard to push people away, and trust me if you push them hard enough it will not be difficult to see how genuine the relationship is.

If you punched your friend in the face, chances are you wouldn’t be friends anymore. It is the same with any of our relationships. Most of them are fragile or even superficial and if you want to be able to separate the skin from the bone the only way to do it is to be yourself and let people deal with it. Otherwise, weeding out the waste is a never-ending process.

I have learned and taken away all that I can from my experience here, and it is time to move on. I am both excited and sad at the moment just thinking about it, but be assured that I have enjoyed it thoroughly, I care about you deeply, and I will genuinely miss our time together. So, stay golden and Good For You if they can’t take a joke or handle the truth.

-Light it up, Mr. Andrew J. Black

An Iraqi soldier on guard while protesters chant anti-Iraqi government slogans during a protest at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, March 7, 2011. Protesters gathered in central Baghdad to demonstrate against corruption and the lack of government services. (AP Photo/ Khalid Mohammed)

2010 Wikileaks disclosed nearly 400,000 U.S. military documents on the Iraq war. The disclosure seriously damaged American credibility. The U.N. finally lifted restrictions on Iraq that had been in place since Hussein was in power, allowing Iraq’s government to function legitimately. Obama said it was time to “turn the page” from the conflict, claiming withdraw should be complete by the end of 2011.

2011

In this Feb. 22, 2006 file photo, Iraqis gather at the ruins of the al-Askari mosque in Samarra, Iraq. A car bomb killed eight pilgrims Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, on the road to one of Iraq’s holiest Shiite shrines, a highly sensitive site still being rebuilt after a 2006 attack that sheered off its gleaming golden dome and engulfed the country in years of sectarian bloodshed. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed, File)

With death tolls in the hundreds of thousands, with $3 trillion dollars spent thus far on the war, and the human rights abuses, the war has seen many changes in purpose and popularity. In a poll of more than 26,000 people in 25 countries the BBC World Service found that a staggering 73 percent of the individuals polled disagreed with the U.S. course of action.

With most withdraws on track for the end of the year, it is difficult to say how history will capture the conflict.

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Hiring for waitstaff, busers, dishwashers, host, bar tender.

Apply in person at Northpark Mall (NW 127nd N. May) after 5:30 pm. 749-0120

Help Wanted

SERVICES

MAR. 8, 2011 CROSSWORDS

The Language Company - Edmond

Conveniently located on the UCO campus, offers English as a second language classes for international students/individuals.

NOW FEATURING a specially designed program with: Strong emphasis in listening/ speaking, highly interactive classes, and a new and improved TOEFL program. Enjoy small classes and the campus facilities. Contact us at (405) 341 - 2125 or www.thelanguagecompany.com

Counseling agency seeking dependable part-time and full-time support staff. Must be able to work evenings until 8pm and Saturday mornings.

Please email resume to zrandall@teampathways.com or Research Volunteers Needcontact (405) 605.8282 for ed. Researchers at OU Health additional information.

Sciences Center need healthy volunteers ages 18 to 30 who have a parent with or without a history of an alcohol or drug problem. Qualified particiRCB BANK – DOWN- pants will be compensated for their time. Call (405) 456TOWN OKC Opening at our down- 4303 to learn more about the town branch located at 701 study and to see if you qualify.

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12:00 – 6:00 M-F and 8:00noon every Saturday (Sat. schedule is working at our main bank location at 7400 N Western – OKC) Min. 1 yr. prev. teller/and or cash handling exper. required Prepares International Stu– good math & communica- dents for University Programs tion skills; ability to operate TOEFL GMAT. Located next standard to the UCO Plaza 1015 “C” office equip/computers. Waterwood PKWY infro@elThis is a benefited position – cok.com and www.elcok.com health/dental/life insurance 348-7602 benefits/401(k)/retirement, vacation, sick leave Send resume to: fpalmer@ RENT bankrcb.net or call (405) 4635951 EOE

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1. Alone 5. Boot 9. Small salmon of northern Pacific coasts 14. 1993 standoff site 15. “Trick” joint 16. Silly trick 17. Upper angle formed by a leaf and the stem from which it grows 18. Doing nothing 19. The third of seven canonical hours 20. Not extreme 23. Japanese immigrant 24. Fine dinnerware 25. The “N” of U.N.C.F. 28. “Animal Farm,” e.g.

32. Cicatrix 35. Insignificant 37. Points at the dinner table 38. Meeting via phone or video (pl.)

41. Writer Wharton 42. Locale 43. Battering wind 44. ___ valve in the heart 46. A piece of turf torn up by a golf club 48. Candidate’s concern 50. Monthly bill 54. Head of the police force (British, pl.)

59. Bisect 60. “Beetle Bailey” dog 61. Golden Triangle country 62. Basket material 63. Hogwash 64. Coastal raptor 65. Scorches 66. A nestling hawk or falcon 67. Caught in the act

1. Master 2. Cab (pl.)

3. Litmus reddeners 4. Hunting dog with a long, silky coat 5. “___ From Muskogee” 6. Annul 7. Acting in an assured manner 8. Choppers, so to speak 9. Form into a chain 10. Where a patient lies during surgery (pl.)

11. “My ___!”

12. Boat in “Jaws” 13. Checked out 21. Deception 22. ___ Master’s Voice 26. Mail place: Abbr.

27. Heads up 29. Ancient Andean 30. Casting need 31. “___ quam videri” (North Carolina’s motto) 32. Check 33. Monetary unit of Ghana 34. Came down 36. Abominable Snowman 39. A furrow or groove, as in a column (pl.)

40. Gun, as an engine 45. Anita Brookner’s “Hotel du ___” 47. Mozart’s “L’___ del Cairo” 49. Stir up, in a way 51. Roar 52. Freetown currency unit 53. Big Bertha’s birthplace 54. A type of candy (British, abbrev.)

55. Chop finely 56. Hip bones 57. Ancient colonnade 58. First-rate

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9

SPORTS

MAR. 8, 2011

7

OKC Barons

STORTINI FITTING RIGHT IN PHOTO PROVIDED BY STEVEN CHRISTY

By Chris Wescott / Sports Editor Zack Stortini cleared waivers from the Edmonton Oilers and was assigned to the Oklahoma City Barons on Feb. 2. The change of scenery is not quite what the forward is used to lately.

Stortini spent all of the past two seasons with the Oilers in the NHL. He has played 256 career NHL games, every single one of them with Edmonton.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-winger from Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada played a career NHL high 77 games last season, scoring four goals and nine assists. It was a career-best 13 points.

Stortini was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the third round (94th overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

The right-winger is no stranger to the American Hockey League, having spent time with Toronto (two games), Milwaukee (37 games), Iowa (27 games), Hamilton (47 games) and Springfield (four games) between 2003 and 2008.

But this is Stortini’s first stay in OKC and he seems to have taken a shining to his new surroundings.

“It’s a fantastic city,” Stortini said. “I got the opportunity to go out and venture around, see

the sights and it’s a tremendous city. Very nice people and it’s a very warm city. Absolutely, everyone welcomes you with open arms.”

Stortini scored his first goal in his short Oklahoma City Career on Feb. 25, against San Antonio in a crucial division game. Stortini is glad he could find twine and help his team grab the 3-2 win.

“It was a great feeling being able to contribute offensively like that. It’s always good for me to score and more importantly we got a big two points (against San Antonio).”

The Barons’ newest face seems to be settling in nicely with the familiar faces in the locker room.

“There’s a great group of guys down here.

I’m having fun with the guys down here.”

Stortini’s list of Barons’ first grew larger when the big forward got into his first homegame fight on Saturday against the Abbotsford Heat. Stortini got into a scrum with the Heat’s John Armstrong. The fight ended when Stortini rocked Armstrong with a back-handed punch and sent him to the ice.

Stortini has showed excellent reliability and toughness in his short time with the Barons and OKC needs that moving forward with their push to the playoffs.

UPCOMING BARONS HOME GAMES: Friday: vs. Grand Rapids 6:05 p.m.

Cox Convention Center in OKC

Tuesday: vs. Manitoba 7:05 p.m.

Cox Convention Center in OKC

Saturday: vs. Grand Rapids 7:05 p.m.

Cox Convention Center in OKC

Zack Stortini has not seen American Hockey League action since 2008, but on Feb. 2, he was sent to Oklahoma City where he has played since. Stortini scored his first goal as a Baron on Feb. 25 against the San Antonio Rampage. The big forward has played steady, reliable hockey in his short time with the Barons.

UCO Baseball

CENTRAL BASEBALL DROPS 2 OF 3 The UCO baseball team lost two games Friday and won one on Saturday against the University of Incarnate Word.

By Trey Hunter / Sports Writer The Central baseball team dropped two games last Friday, but claimed victory in their third game on Saturday against the University of the Incarnate Word at Simmons Field in Edmond.

Errors were the story for the Bronchos in the first two games. Starting pitcher Jordan Stern gave the club six innings of work and only gave up three earned runs, however, he also gave up three unearned runs due to three errors in the first two innings.

Stern got the first out in the top of the first, but back-to-back errors by first baseman Derrick Grimes and third baseman Taylor Brown put two runners on and Incarnate Word took advantage. They scored two runs on a double and a single before Stern was able to record the final out of the frame. Central was not able to answer back in the bottom of the inning.

Stern’s luck didn’t get any better in the second inning. The Cardinals scored four more runs on five hits and an error by left fielder

Ryan Schoonover. UIW also left four runners stranded before Stern shut the door on the top of inning.

UCO couldn’t answer in the bottom of the second, but after holding the Cardinals to no runs for the first time, they got on the board in the third inning. Catcher Arrow Cunningham and shortstop Kevin Blue were able to reach base before center fielder Keegan Morrow drove in Central’s first run on a single to right field. Grimes followed Morrow with a sacrifice fly, which scored another run and cut UIW’s lead to four.

UCO’s pitching staff scattered five more hits from the fourth inning on and didn’t give up another run, however, the offense wasn’t able to get anything going, and the Bronchos dropped the first game 6-2.

The second game on Friday didn’t go well for UCO either. They gave up 14 runs on 23 hits and had two more errors. They used five pitchers in the nine-inning contest and each gave up at least one earned run. The offense just wasn’t able to keep up. They only man-

watch

read

aged to score four runs on eight hits, giving UIW their second straight victory.

“We just have to cut down on the mistakes,” head coach Dax Leone said. “We have to be able to make the plays behind our pitcher in order to pick up a win. If we can do that we can compete against teams like Incarnate Word.”

The Bronchos responded in the Saturday contest. Starter Uriah Fisher stopped the landslide for UCO and gave one of the best pitching performances of the season for the Bronchos. He pitched over six innings and only gave up one earned run. He also had four strikeouts on 110 pitches.

After Fisher’s earned run, Incarnate Word entered the bottom of the seventh with a 1-0 lead. UCO answered with two runs of their own on double by Schoonover and a triple by Blue.

Aaron Rosborough entered the game and shut the door on the Cardinals. He pitched over two innings, earned two strikeouts and got his second win of the season.

listen

“It’s great to see our guys bounce back,” Leone said. “We could have tucked our tails between our legs and quit, but we kept fighting.

It really shows a lot about our team.”

The win was Central’s sixth of the season (6-11), and their third in the Lone Star Conference (3-9). They will travel to Kingsville, Texas, to take on Texas A&M UniversityKingsville in a three game series beginning on Friday. They will host Southern Nazarene University on March 29 at Simmons Field in their next home contest.

UCO Batting Avg. Leaders Player

AVG.

Keegan Morrow

.382

Tucker Brown

.349

Tyler Hancock

.294

connect

8

SPORTS

MAR. 8, 2011

UCO Women’s Basketball

BRONCHOS FALL SHORT PHOTO PROVIDED BY JEREMY ENLOW

By Michael Collins / Sports Writer After wins against Angelo State and Tarleton State, The UCO Bronchos women’s basketball took on Texas Women’s University for the Lone Star Conference Crown.

It just wasn’t meant to be, UCO was just 1-3 in LSC championship games before this last weekend, they fell to 1-4 after the weekend. A heartbreaking 74-73 loss certainly put a damper on a great season the Bronchos have had up to this point.

“I was disappointed in our defense,” UCO head coach Guy Hardaker said. “We let some of their shooters get away from us a few times.

I thought the last team who had the ball would win it and it almost turned out that way for us.”

Almost is right, with time winding down, Ashley Beckley who had 19 points on the night, drove the lane and dished the ball off to Alex Richardson who was up under the basket and could not get a decent shot off. Time ran out and just like that the Bronchos were left stunned.

“I feel like I probably should have taken it on to the goal,” Beckley said. “I didn’t get it to Alex in a great position and it didn’t work out for us. Hats off to TWU, they played a great game and deserved to win.”

Although Richardson missed the gamewinner, do not think for one second she did not play her heart out. She finished the game with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Between her and Beckley they proved that even on a night where their teammates left a little to be desired, they could still compete.

“Our girls have overcome some big obstacles this year and we’re not done yet. At least I don’t think we’re done yet. I think we’ll get a bid and this team deserves it.”

After failing to get the automatic berth into the NCAA Division II playoffs, the Bronchos were left wondering if that would be it. Sunday night they found out they will get to fight another day; they will face the fourth-seeded Washburn University in the South Central Regional.

It was just a month ago that the Bronchos were coming off back-to-back losses, and many were left wondering if this team was going to crumble. Their strong finish to the season, plus this run at the LSC championship has proved to not just us here in Oklahoma, but to the rest of the NCAA Division II teams out there. Beckley and Richardson are the real deal; if UCO can get performances out of those to like they did this tournament, they should have a shot to make a run in the playoffs.

GAME NOTES: UCO fell to 20-9 on the season, and sit at the seventh-best single-season wins total in school history. The Bronchos lost to the Pioneers for the first time in three games this season and TWU snapped UCO’s 17-game winning streak. Alex Richardson led UCO with 28 points and was joined in double figures by Ashley Beckley (19) and Alyssa Fuxa (11). Richardson’s point total tied the most ever by a Central Oklahoma player in the Lone Star Conference Tournament, matching Beckley’s 28 points against Abilene Christian last season.

Ashley Beckley prepares to pass the ball in the Lone Star Conference finals on Friday in Bartlesville. Beckley had 19 points. UCO’s 17 game win-streak was snapped but the team qualified for the NCAA DII South Central Regional this weekend.

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