Vol. 3, Issue 7 The Summa March 3, 2011 by The Summa

The Summa

University of St. Thomas

Vol. 3, Issue 7

Thursday, March 3, 2011

www.ust-summa.com Top of the Class

Battle of the Butters A Whole World to Explore

Number Four Gets a Five

Haven’t checked out all the great museums around the university? Why not? It’s free! Check out our guide.

Check out I Am Number Four before it hits DVD. The theater experience is a must have!

UST students head to Harvard’s UN Conference. One student returns with an award.

Story on Page 9

Story on Page 11

Join two of our editors as they discuss the real issues of the day: Creamy vs. Crunchy Peanut Butter

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Story on Page 6

Charity concert hits UST Lecture investigates human trafficking Stephanie Hernandez Staff Writer

The Music lives

Photo by Katie Thomson

Several bands will play at the concert on April 2, including former UST student Fat Tony.

Brien O’Donal Staff Writer April 2, 2011 possesses the potential for excitement at the University of St. Thomas when live music brings forth great charity. Five Houston Area bands will perform at the first Concert in the Mall with proceeds benefitting the Houston Food Bank. From 4:00-8:00 P.M. students from the University of St. Thomas and other universities will come to the campus to watch local bands perform for the admission price of $1 or one canned food item. The money received at the gate will be used to buy more canned food that will be donated. This concert is the hard work of Senior Clinton Kuykendall. “What I’m trying to do is give something back to my fellow classmates and students,” said Kuykendall. “I’m not asking for anything in return, just come and have a good time.” Clinton first attempted to hold this event last year but was met with some issues that were remedied this year. The hard work he put into this event was not lost on others. “I’m impressed by him,” said Sophomore Alyssa Kain. “I’ve seen him working in

there and all the effort he’s put into it. I think it’s really impressive that he could get that many bands to come and I’m really excited about that.” Kuykendall was not alone in his efforts, as it took the cooperation of UST staff like Vice President of Student Activities Matt Prasifka and Head of Security Daryl Bisset. With the concert almost a month away, the lineup is not entirely set. Currently, Kuykendall has confirmed a performance by former UST student Fat Tony. Some of the other bands rumored to be performing are Tax the Wolf, Finnegan, Versity, and Reckless Endeavour. He is also talking with Young Mammals, who played at the major Houston music festival, Free Press Summer Fest this past summer. “What’s going to happen is that we’re getting five local Houston area bands, well, four and then one of them is going to be a St. Thomas band, The Camels,” said Kuykendall. There will be four thirtyminute sets and one headliner. An event like this is sure to draw a large crowd, and four officers from the Houston Police Department have been

CONCERT, Page 2

On Thursday, February 10, the Center for International Studies, in collaboration with Students Working Against Trafficking, (S.W.A.T.) and CAMSA, presented a discussion panel on human trafficking. The lecture began with an ABC Today Show interview of Linda Geffin. The interview profiled Texas as having one of the highest concentrations of sex trafficking, with particular focus on how many more girls are being trafficked to Dallas for the 2011 Superbowl. “The mission for the Center for International Studies is how to enhance social justice and human

dignity,” said Dr. Betcy JoseThota who was responsible for organizing the event. “Human trafficking violates human rights in a particularly egregious way.” Christa Le and Tina Ho, active members of Boat People SOS, served as the moderators for the panel discussion. Representing Boat People SOS, a non-profit organization committed to protecting and promoting the rights of Vietnamese refugees and immigrants, was the executive director, Dr. Thang Nguyen, a refugee from Vietnam who came to the United States in 1979. “Human trafficking is not only in the sex trade: it is also slave labor, babies, human organs and child

soldiers. Human trafficking is a systematic crime that involves authorized crime, including large corporations and sometimes governments,” said Dr. Nguyen. Dr. Nguyen expressed that their main goal is to change laws to make it possible to facilitate the rescue and documentation of human trafficking victims. “The biggest issue we see in Texas is trafficking from Mexico and South America, and the problem is simply the proximity to the border,” said Dr. O’Rourke who is a International Studies adjunct law professor at UST. “A case I dealt in juvenile court was a 16-year-old who went before

SWAT, Page 2

UST Knights of Columbus lead rosary David Markus News Editor Ash Wednesday ushers in a new liturgical season: Lent. Traditionally, Lent is a time for everyone to recommit themselves to the pursuit of perfection. The University of Saint Thomas will receive an opportunity to renew its Catholic identity through a new event hosted by the UST Knights of Columbus: a giant candlelit rosary. The Knights, in

A time to pray

cooperation with Campus Ministry, are leading a rosary procession around the Academic Mall on Wednesday, March 9, 2011. Beginning around 8:15 P.M., Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus dressed in full regalia, including cape, sword, and tuxedo, will lead the procession of prayer. The unique aspect of this event lies in the way the Knights are keeping track of their progress in the rosary. “We will be using Chinese

hanging lanterns for each of the beads,” said Junior and Deputy Grand Knight Sean Osborne. “Upon completing each of the prayers we will light the candle in each lantern and proceed to the next lamp. Each of the mysteries will be a tiki torch and the medallion at the base will be a large fire.” More than sixty separate flames will combine in an illuminating spiritual experience. Osborne will

ROSARY, Page 2

Photo by Michael Brannon

The rosary, a symbol of prayer for all Catholics, is the basis for the Knights of Columbus event. With each prayer, a candle will be lit, letting more light illuminate the Academic Mall.

The Summa

News

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Graves, Casarez work to spread hope, truth about justice system

David Markus

News Editor The “Fight for Freedom” lecture held on Friday, February 25, 2011 brought the former death row inmate Anthony Graves back to UST to help celebrate Black History Month. Graves, invited by the St. Martin de Porres Society, spoke about his struggle for exoneration and the help he received from Professor Nicole Casarez and volunteers from the UST community. “I fought an uphill battle, people believing something that was not true. People who believed that I was someone

who I wasn’t,” said Graves. Today, Graves stands as an example of a man who overcame the hurdles of the criminal justice system thanks to the aid of individuals who seek justice, especially Casarez. She and her students dedicated more than eight years of work to help prove Graves’ innocence, and finally triumphed on October 27, 2010. The legal battle that had taken 18 years of Graves’ life was finally over. She stressed the importance of hope for those who find themselves in an otherwise hopeless situation.

The community heard them speak

“Never underestimate the power of educated people working together for good,” said Casarez. Now free, Graves is working to reveal the injustice of his original conviction and to lead the community in opposing the death penalty. “Texas is executing innocent people,” said Graves. “I don’t care if you believe in the death penalty, I don’t care if you are opposed to the death penalty, but none of us believe that an innocent man should be murdered.” According to the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Texas leads the nation

Photo courtesy Ronnie Piper

Anthony Graves receives a standing ovation from the audience at the Fight For Freedom Lecture. Graves and Casarez relied on the support of friends, family, and even students in his exoneration process.

SWAT Continued... the judge at LBJ Hospital, and the question of what to do with her. Her case story was that she had come to work part of the American Dream, from Mexico at the age of 13, and she was going to work at cantinas by waiting tables. She was put in prostitution in the Gulfton Ghetto here in Houston, a few miles from where I live, for three years as a sex slave.” Linda Geffin, the Chief of Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan’s Special Prosecutions Unit, and her team have closed down approximately 20 criminal enterprises. “It [has taken] that big of an effort to close down a single enterprise, so we can rescue one person from slavery,” said Geffin. “Trafficking is everywhere. If anybody thinks trafficking is not present in their neighborhood, statistics show that is absolutely incorrect. It’s in every neighborhood; it’s in River Oaks, it’s in the Fifth Ward, in the Ship Channel, on 1960 West: its sex trafficking, its labor trafficking, and every permutation in between.” The Special Prosecutions Unit trains police to remedy

this lack of awareness, teaching them to look for signs such as a cantina with a 10-foothigh wall around the back, bars on the windows, or a lot of surrounding property with different small buildings that can be used to house slaves. Geffin discussed an example of a brothel raid that had been disguised as a cantina here in Houston. “You know that these women, these girls that are sitting there have to go back there every night. Ten, fifteen, twenty times a night; they have quotas, and if they don’t make their quotas, they’re beaten, their families are threatened,” said Geffin. Mrs. Geffin explained how they use injunctive relief by targeting the owners of the building, and by writing letters to the financial holders which explain the notice of unusual and potentially illegal activity. Morgan Zamora, President of the S.W.A.T. at UST, got involved after seeing the movie Trade and went on to intern for Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition, eventually becoming their Community Outreach Coordinator. “Many of you may not know, but 25% of sex trafficking in the United States

happens here in Texas, and the majority of that happens in Houston. Houston also has more sexually-oriented business per square mile than Las Vegas,” Zamora said. “There is a demand for cheap labor, and a demand for instant gratification in the backmarket sex industry. There are people paying money for this service.” Organizations working against human trafficking are entering a new era of cooperation, with increased dialogue occurring within many well-known groups. “The goal of S.W.A.T. is to raise awareness on campus with events like this lecture about the issue of human trafficking,” said the Vice President of S.W.A.T., Mayra Alejandra Morales, a double major in Spanish and International Studies. The national human trafficking hotline number is 1-888-373-7888. For more information on human trafficking, you can visit the Polaris Project at www. polarisproject.org. For more information on how to join the fight against slavery with UST, you can contact Morgan Zamora at zamoramk@stthom.edu.

in total number of executions at a total of 458 executions since 1977. Graves remembers his fellow death row inmates, all of them condemned to death, and refuses to allow them to become just another nameless statistic. “I’ll never leave them behind,” said Graves.

Junior Ronald Key, President of the Black Student Union, attended the lecture. “I think Anthony’s whole message about not giving up, although not all of us will be wrongly accused and end up on death row […] would be something great for everyone to hear,” said Key.

CONCERT Continued... hired for security. The first 200 people in the gate will receive t-shirts donated by SGA, who provided funding for the show. Residence Life has offered their support for this event by handling the concessions. In addition, they will also be selling concert cups as souvenirs. “There won’t be alcohol this year. That’s something, again; we all know St. Thomas is a wet campus and they are used to having those types of things, but we wanted to get them used to the idea of a concert first before we started bringing those in,” said Kuykendall. As Kuykendall is a senior, it will be left to future students to bring this event back next year. “I’ve done all the footwork; I’ve cut through all the red tape with the

University. I’m only hoping someone will pick it up,” said Kuykendall. “Obviously SGA and students are excited about these events or they wouldn’t have given me $7,500. So, don’t lose the interest, let’s keep it going.” Kuykendall also gave a statement that tells what kind of person he is and what this school means to him. “The biggest thing to me is that I love St. Thomas and I wanted to leave them with something that I did for the school. I know it’s a concert, it’s not like I left a scholarship but it is something that I did to give back,” said Kuykendall. “They’re right, there’s always something going on on campus, but there’s only so many times people want to go to an Aquinas Lecture. I’m trying to give the students something else because that needs to be our main focus: students.”

ROSARY Continued... spearhead the event, as he was its architect. “I had the idea when discussing the knight’s weekly rosary one evening,” said Osborne “I felt it would be cool to incorporate a ‘stations of the cross idea into it. This led to the ‘Giant Rosary.’” The Knights have worked diligently to plan and implement the event, organizing volunteers to set up the lights, run ropes across the Academic Mall to hold additional lamps, measure the Mall for fire safety purposes, and procure more than fifty paper lanterns. The official route for the rosary has been planned out by Osborne ahead of time. “The rosary will take us on a lap of the middle section,” said Osborne, “and the section closest to [the Chapel of St. Basil] returning us back to our starting point near the library.” The efforts of the Knights are aided by the support of Campus Ministry. Specifically, Father Mike Buentello, CSB, who is helping to advertise the event well in advance, in order to ensure a good turnout. “We will promote it from the pulpit, we will promote

it from our campus-wide announcements, and I will certainly be present for this rosary,” said Fr. Buentello. “I think it’s a good public demonstration of our Catholic faith, which is very appropriate for a Catholic university.” An example of Fr. Buentello’s commitment to the event is manifested in his creation of a new 7:30 P.M. Mass, so that members of the UST community – students, faculty, and family alike – will be able to come together and share in the rosary afterward. “I think it will set a good framework or foundation for all of us who are beginning the Lenten journey. If we come together as a community for public prayer, then each of us make his or her own sacrifice during these forty days,” said Buentello, “at the end of which, they emerge closer in their relationship to God.” After the rosary event, Fr. Buentello will lead a brief spiritual reflection that will conclude the faith-building experience. “Just a reminder to the community of what the purpose of Lent is all about,” said Buentello. “This is an ancient, ancient tradition within the Church, and it is

The Opinion

“Love is never defeated, and I could add, the history of Ireland proves it.” - Pope John Paul II

Creamy For The Win

Crunchtacular

Matt Wood Editor-in-Chief You know what I like in my peanut butter? Peanuts. Novel concept, I know. Who on Earth would actually want to taste peanuts in their peanut butter? It’s not like that’s the whole point. Of course, some people with more “sensitive” palates seem to think that smooth peanut butter is the way to go. While these amateurs may still have a few things to learn about making a real sandwich, I suppose those of us who have seen the peanutfilled light should not make too much fun of those dimly lit minds that still live in the creamy shadows. As with all gifts to humanity, it is the duty of those who wield the truth of crunchy goodness to spread the good news of great sandwich spreads to the world. Unfortunately this, must begin with a sobering truth. Those of you still eating smooth peanut butter are wrong. This may come of a shock to some who have grown used to the relative “ease” of smooth peanut butter. Though, as Jesus taught us, the path of least resistance rarely leads anywhere good. Can’t deal with your bread crumbling while trying to spread out glorious crunchiness? Man up and stick your bread in a toaster! Can’t stand the

thought of actually having to chew your food? I’m sure there’s a good nursing home in the area that could set you up with a nice meal plan. The fact of the matter is crunchy peanut butter is simply better. Crunchy peanut butter is everything that smooth peanut butter is and then some, literally. It is wholesome, rugged, nutritious, and pretty much the greatest thing since sliced bread. Even then, that’s only because you need sliced bread to enjoy its peanutty bounty. At this point, embattled creamy enthusiasts slowly albeit reluctantly becoming aware of their pathetic ways might ask “How can I have been wrong for so long when so many more people prefer creamy to crunchy?” To this I answer, it is not that more people “prefer” crunchy, but rather that far too many people are too lazy to aspire to crunchtastic awesomeness. Many more people drive Hondas than Lamborghinis, but this does not mean that Honda is better. In the same way, crunchy is the oft dreamed of, far too seldom savored Lamborghini of peanut butter. I mean, I guess creamy peanut butter makes sense, especially if you don’t think about it. Who wouldn’t want a lovely glop of peanut-like who-knows-what awkwardly stuck to the roof of your mouth. If only there was some type of solid peanutlike substance that could help break up that terrible blob. Alas, nature has not invented such a thing. Do not succumb to the mediocre mentality, the popular opinion that says that simple and boring is good. Be bold! Be rugged! Break forth from the mundane. Demand something more than processed paste. Eat crunchy peanut butter.

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The Summa is the official newspaper of The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. It has a circulation of 2,000 copies. The Summa is a student run organization, whose purpose is to inform, comment, and interpret events of local, national, and worldwide importance. This paper serves as an open forum of student expression and welcomes letters from the UST community. All submitted materials will be printed at the discretion of the editorial board. The Summa is dedicated to serving as a model of ethical journalism, acting with honesty, objectivity, and integrity.

Anthony Pejerrey Opinion Editor This article is great. It is profound and witty, beautiful in style, overflowing with truth and goodness, and just generally well-written. All these accolades and more are ladled upon this article like gravy on turducken. And turducken is great, too. Yet there is something greater than both turducken and this article—combined. But what could top a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey with a side of this article? Creamy peanut butter. I’d like to say “Nuff said” at this point. Creamy P.B. is obviously superior to everything in this world. It must be a gift from God. However, as with all claims of divine origin, heresies arise. Beware—there are those who will tell you that I am wrong, that this article is wrong, that turducken, even, is wrong. Do not listen! Know with your very soul that creamy P.B. surpasses in every way its lowly brother: chunky (a.k.a crunchy) peanut butter. Note how well-written this article is. Nothing could make it better—except for a big dollop of creamy peanut butter. Try it. Stop reading, get some smooth, creamy P.B. and spread it on a piece of bread. Notice how the bread doesn’t crinkle, how the knife glides smoothly over the slice, how this sentence obeys the

Rule of Three and makes you agree with me. Maybe add some jelly. Put another piece of bread on top. Now continue reading whilst you enjoy your delicious creamysmooth sandwich. Be sure, however, not to confuse your hands. Newsprint doesn’t taste good, no matter how great this article is. Perhaps have someone read it to you whilst you free your other hand for some turducken? Now imagine (carefully) the horrible, the absolutely terrible opposite sandwich— one with chunks. The bread is ripped to shreds by the crunchy mess, the knife bounces and bumbles along like a motorcycle on a bad road, the Rule of Three makes you agree even more. Your sandwich has icky, chewy bits like bugs in your mouth. You risk breaking your teeth with each bite. And you have the mental anguish that arises naturally from the nastiness you just put inside you. Revolting. Step away. And don’t listen to the supposed “evidence” of a higher nutritional value. The fascist chunky-lovers are brainwashing you into buying their product. It’s like tofurkey—it’s still not a turkey. And it’s definitely not turducken. Creamy P.B. is creamy for a reason, too. It is entering the state of being as “butter,” not hovering between “butter” and “peanut” like an awkward ostrich—the ultimate fate of crunchy P. B. Think of it this way: would you want your regular butter to have bits of cow in it? Or your toothpaste to have bits of teeth? It’s the same, trust me. Look at the words themselves Creamy—the sound of it is like a purewater stream flowing over smooth rocks. Chunky—the sound of it conjures a sludgy swamp full of lumps. I mean, if chunky P.B. wanted to

Jeremy Heallen • Faculty Advisor Matt Wood • Editor-in-Chief Katie Thomson • Managing Editor Bradley Basker • Business Manager David Markus • News Editor

appeal to consumers, it would have a more pleasant word. Creamy—that’s a goodsounding word. Chunky— bleh (to put it eloquently). I mean, if you wanted to eat peanuts, you would eat peanuts, not a crude, bumpridden wanna-be spread. It’s as if the machines that make creamy P.B. failed, and failed hard. Chunky P.B isn’t even crisp, which would be a positive mouth-texture; rather, the lumpy-bumpy butter is hard, yet deceptively mushy. You can glue your mouth shut and break a tooth all in the same bite. Look at the synonyms as well—one may call creamy “smooth,” which, of course, is Santana’s best song— sexy and upbeat, powerfully sung by the talented Rob Thomas. Chunky, on the other hand, is synonymous with “crunchy,” which, according to Urban Dictionary, means “The feeling one gets when they do something extremely stupid or embarrassing, like tripping in public.” Not cool. It also means “neo-hippy,” apparently. I have no comment on that. Urban Dictionary is just weird. So who would you rather be: Rob Thomas singing “Smooth” whilst eating creamy P.B. with a side of turducken and reading this article? Or a neo-hippy feeling “crunchy” for tripping in public whilst eating chunky P.B. without turducken and not reading this article? Eat the creamy and avoid public ridicule. Or eat the crunchy and be a fool. It rhymes, so it must be true. Wasn’t this article great? You can participate in this greatness (and the greater greatness of creamy peanut butter) by eating creamy peanut butter. All the cool kids are doing it. Be cool. Be smooth. Be great. Eat creamy peanut butter.

Staff Writers & Photographers Natasha Alvarez • Katherine Casey Caroline Devine • Chelsea Ferramosca Laura Gonzalez • Stephanie Hernandez Anum Khan • Sean Kriger Sarah McDonnell • Brien O’Donal Matthew Ramirez • Sasha Stinner-Trimble Becky Tapia • Matthew Weatherford

Anthony Pejerrey • Opinion Editor

Editor-at-Large Rebecca Mechler

Michael Brannon • Features Editor

Webmaster Lauren Cooper

Katie Thomson • Entertainment Editor Katie Jahangiri • Sports & Clubs Editor James Ramos • Photography Editor

Ad Sales Representatives Jenny Ayala • Emilio Gonzales

Opinion

The Summa

Jeremy Heallen

The Search for Perspective

Faculty Advisor Perspective can be a difficult thing to grasp, and it is often in hindsight that we are better positioned as humans to evaluate the choices we make as either good or bad, and the relative significance of the challenges we face. This is largely driven by a lack of information at the critical moment of choice. The cliché lament, “If I only knew then what I know now,” reflects this reality. All too often, this ignorance is nothing more than self-imposed apathy or a refusal to separate emotion from rationality. The resultant regret varies from a simple recognition that a perceived crisis really wasn’t to discovering that a life-altering decision was made that never should have. On a personal level, I am guilty of both types of ignorance. I made two lifealtering decisions without appropriate investigation: one which yielded a good result, the other, ultimately, a bad result. As a senior in college, which my students tell me was a long time ago, I found myself confronted with a choice: Either take a low-paying, but fun, job and hope to make it on my bachelor’s degree, or continue my education. Having watched my mom return to UST in her 40’s to finish her degree and then go on to law school, I decided it would be easier to finish my education while I was young, unmarried and without too much commitment. The question was what kind of advanced degree to pursue. I am squeamish (more on that later) so medical school was never a consideration. The options for earning a P.h.D in journalism in Texas were somewhat limited at the time. My mom was in law school at the time and had worked in the

legal profession since 1987, so I decided that law would be a pretty good option. That was it. That was the entire thought process involved 11 years ago when I decided to go to law school. It took me less than a minute to make a choice that has had an enormous impact on my life. Sure, I could have done more research, maybe taken a job as a law clerk, but it was easier to just make a choice, please my parents, and move on to whatever other interesting distraction I was considering that day. Fortunately for me, the results have been good. At the risk of sounding arrogant, I am good at what I do and most of the time I really enjoy it. But it could have been a disaster. I had no idea what I was getting into when I embarked on my legal career, and I shudder at the thought that I could have endured law school, the state bar exam and intimidating student loans only to discover that I hate being a lawyer. Because of this experience, as an adjunct at UST, I see it as my responsibility to help my students think about those kinds of choices so they make better-informed decisions. Ideally, I want them to develop a complete perspective from which to judge a possible career path, so they can move confidently toward success. I was not so lucky with my second decision. After graduating law school, I decided to propose to my longterm girlfriend. We’d known each other since high school and had been close friends a long time before we started dating. We got married a few months later. It proved to be a bad decision. Without going into all the details, there were ominous signs before we got married that I chose to ignore. We had serious disagreements about family, career goals and whether or not to have children. (I wanted them, she didn’t.) I told myself that she

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Luck of the Irish

would eventually change her mind, and I have to admit, I wasn’t honest with her about the fact that I wanted to be a dad. I figured that if I backed off, she would come around. The bottom line is that we were not compatible. I knew it, and I ignored it because I was enamored with her. So we both made an emotionallydriven decision that ended in a painful divorce within five years. I viewed marriage from a myopic and selfish perspective. In my practice as, ironically, a divorce lawyer, I see people who made the same mistake I did almost daily. Some of these people are so consumed with emotion, they completely lose perspective, and launch into hatred-fueled battles over furniture and pots and pans. The toll that this takes on two people who once loved each other is tragic. As a lawyer, a big part of my job is trying to counsel people back to the land of perspective and reasonableness, so they can move on and rebuild their lives. I don’t purport to be an expert at life and like everyone else, am susceptible to haste and emotion. What my experiences have taught me is that having an informed perspective is the best way to navigate the challenges of life. I reflect on my life today: I am remarried to a woman who matches my values and whom I love and connect with on a level deeper than I thought possible. I have a baby on the way. I have a good career, however fortuitous. And I have a side job working with the most talented and intelligent college students. Much of this wouldn’t be possible without a proper measure of perspective. My wife, by the way, told me that notwithstanding my aforementioned squeamishness, I WILL be present for the birth of child. Now there’s something I should have considered.

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Brien O’Donal Staff Writer If you didn't catch the name on the by-line, my name is Brien O'Donal and I am Irish; well, Irish-American. I come from a family that still very much loves its Irish roots. I have brothers named Patrick and Conor and a sister named Erin. All my life I have been raised to know my family history and the history of the Celtic people. Part of the knowledge I was taught is the history of Ireland's patron saint, Saint Patrick. This is a history that sometimes gets lost in America because, like many holidays, we find a way to commercialize it— this time in the form of green beer and shirts that read "Kiss me I'm Irish." St. Patrick's Day is actually a Catholic Holy Day and is officially known as the Feast of St. Patrick. Like all Catholic holidays, it is a time of religious observance. It is a time to be with your family and friends. St. Patrick left an indelible mark on the world by converting a pagan land to Christianity in the 3rd century. St. Patrick’s actions are truly remarkable because he accomplished his mission by coming to know the Irish people and the country. He did not, however, drive all the snakes our of Ireland as some legends say. That is just an exaggerated tale that people tell because he is so revered by the Irish. One of the real, lasting symbols of St. Patrick is the Shamrock. St. Patrick used this three-leafed clover to demonstrate the Holy Trinity. He taught the Irish people how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were three separate parts of the same being, like the three leaves of the same clover. After his death, Christians in Ireland wore the Shamrock on March 17, the anniversary of St. Patrick’s death, and it is still

worn as a symbol of the Holy Day. It is this love of St. Patrick that was brought over by those Irish immigrants who came to America. Like many immigrants, they were discriminated against because of their language and their culture, leaving them with only their families and their cultural traditions to cling to. Fortunately, this prejudice is not so prevalent in the 21st century. The first St. Patrick's Day celebrated openly in America was in Boston in 1737. To this day Boston is known to have a large Irish population. In Chicago they dye the river green for a few hours on St. Patrick's Day to commemorate the holiday. Most major American cities have parades and festivities on or around March 17. These celebrations are just further proof of the influence that Irish-Americans have had on the United States of America. The Irish are a welcoming and friendly people, and we invite people to celebrate our culture with us, even if only for one day out of the year. So yes, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. Ireland is known as "The Emerald Isle" so yes, green is worn to remember the land that bears that moniker. Yes, the Irish fancy a drink or two on special occasions, and St. Patrick's Day is no exception. But over the years it is America that has turned the holiday into a day of binge drinking. I will admit that I tend to drink my fair share; however, I spend the earlier part of the day having dinner with my family and calling my relatives who still live in a small, heavily Irish community in Northern Maine. St. Patrick's Day is a day of celebration for the Irish. It is a time to reflect on our history, our culture, and those things in our history that have made us who we are. Like many other ethnic groups we are a proud people with a unique culture all our own. We have traditional food, clothing, music, art, literature, and so much more. We welcome all to celebrate the Irish culture on March 17; but don't forget to celebrate with your family and friends first. Enjoy your time with them and then celebrate with the world over a pint of Guinness and a good laugh.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Features

The Summa

St. Thomas student begins graduate school after rough start Chelsea Ferramosca Staff Writer “People everywhere, all over the world, millions and millions of people, have a story, a struggle, a passion, a dream. They are no different from you or me. We are all searching. Sometimes we know where we are going, and many times we don’t.” This is the quote that graduate student, Crew Ginn, uses to begin his Youtube video presentation, “My Voyage Through UST.” Although many of us have shared the same struggles on this voyage, Ginn’s years at St. Thomas were more difficult than most. “My beginning at St. Thomas was rough. I came in as a freshman, completely unfocused on what I needed to do to succeed, and I ended up failing out after two semesters.” Thinking this was the end of his college career, Ginn began searching for guidance. He found it in Father William Kelly. The now retired theology professor became a mentor to Ginn, convincing him not to give up on college for good. “Father Kelly took me

under his wing...he wrote two prayers down on the back of an envelope that helped me navigate that rough moment in my life. When I left UST that year he stood by me.” Ginn also found support in Lee Holm, the Assistant Director of Admissions at St. Thomas. Holm convinced him that if he attended Houston Community College for two semesters and made improvements, he could return to St. Thomas the next year. “Lee was a good friend of Father Kelly and he worked with me when it was clear that I was going to fail out. He helped me take the right classes at HCC so everything would transfer in when I came back a year later.” After a year at Houston Community College, Ginn returned to St. Thomas, more focused than ever. “I came back as a communications major. I wanted to learn everything I could about film production.” With a new-found passion for film production, Ginn began working with the communications department to develop the skills he needed to fulfill his dream of making professional films.

Photo by Michael Brannon

After a rocky start in his college career, UST student Crew Ginn shows off the camera proficiency that got him to where he is today

“The learning had its rough patches. The first time I was on camera, I had to shoot the scene over fifty times to get it even close to being right, but that’s what I needed to understand that in film production, the only way to achieve is by doing, making mistakes, then doing it again.” Ginn continued to learn and excel as a communications student, becoming close to communications professors Dr. Williamson and Dr. Bornigia. The two inspired him to reach out to other

students who had the same passion as he did. “I began working for Mr. Butler, I was a TA for him in his production classes. It was a great experience for me to teach kids what I had learned. I learn stuff from them and hopefully they learn some stuff from me, it’s a good fit.” His determination shows as Ginn’s talent and progress continue to earn him numerous project offers. “I have done a public service announcement for Paper Houses [...] and I am

also going to film in Kenya for a project. [...]Vicente Fox and his wife also invited me to go stay with them in Leon. I am going to do a documentary on an orphanage they fund there.” After graduating in December 2010, Ginn entered graduate school and began working with St. Thomas communication students. Despite his success, he vows to always give students the same advice he always has. “Sometimes it takes one beginning, other times it takes many.”

UST students grow in faith through on campus RCIA Program Anum Khan Staff Writer One thing that Father Mike Buentello makes sure his R.C.I.A. students here at the university learn is to accept God in their soul and acknowledge His presence in their lives. Once that is accomplished, everything else simply falls in to place R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) classes teach the fundamentals of the Catholic faith to those who are interested in converting to the faith or who were not baptized and want to complete the process. It began as a tradition of the Catholic church almost 2,000 years ago where members who are coming into the church learn the basics about the faith and receive the three sacraments: Baptism, Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion), and the Holy Confirmation. “We can’t cover everything about the faith because we’re constantly growing in our faith,” said university chaplain Fr. Buentello. “But we give them the basics of what does it mean when we say we’re Catholic,

Photo by courtesy of St. Mary’s Parish

what does it mean when we believe in Jesus Christ.” R.C.I.A. classes begin around September every year and continue until the week before Easter. That is when students receive the Holy sacraments. There are no prerequisites that students must fulfill in order to attend the classes. “All they have to have is a desire to learn,” Fr. Bunetello said. “There are no prerequisites; the willingness to learn is the prerequisite.”

UST alumnus Sara Stephens attended R.C.I.A. classes during the 20082009 school year and she says her class was open to all kinds of questions that people had and discussed things thoroughly to make sure everyone understood. “I think this course is a great opportunity to address questions and uncertainties one has about the Catholic faith,” Stephens said. “Many misconceptions about the Catholic Church

were addressed through the duration of the course.” Some students were in the course simply on an educational level to help expand their understanding of the Catholic faith and their understanding of religions other than their own. Being in a class like this encourages students to ask questions without being afraid of offending anyone, Stephens said. R.C.I.A. classes differ from the theology classes of the core curriculum in

that theology classes are academically designed with regular essays, quizzes and exams. Students are required to know what the textbook teaches. R.C.I.A. teaches the same content but with a different style. “Here we go more into a pastoral perspective where I’m concentrating and focusing not so much on their head but their acceptance of God in their soul,” Fr. Buentello said. “This is entirely more spiritual than academic.” Theology classes are required by the core, but students who are enrolled in the classes are not always interested in Catholicism. R.C.I.A. is for people who want to convert, thus their curiosity is beyond UST theology classes. R.C.I.A. classes last longer than a semester, which gives room for discussion on a certain topic if it’s unclear. “I think it’s a wonderful program that allows [the students] to acknowledge the presence of God in their soul,” Fr. Buentello said. “One thing that I try to get across is God’s tremendous love for us and that doing God’s will only leads to happiness.”

The Summa

Features

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Check out what’s happening in the Houston Museum District A Brief guide by Becky Tapia This Spring, why not take advantage of the pretty weather and the closeness of UST to the Museum District to check out what’s happening in the area? That UST ID is good for more than just 20% off at Niko Niko’s, it can get you into all of the museums and the Houston Zoo for free! Here’s a preview of what’s coming up in March.

The Menil Collection www.menil.org Friday, March 4, 7:00PM: “Andy Warhol and TV” The product of a collaboration between Aurora Picture Show and the Andy Warhol Museum, this outdoor screening includes excerpts of TV works created by and/or featuring artist Andy Warhol. Includes clips from the Factory Diaries and highlights from his appearances on The Love Boat and Saturday Night Live.The museum will be open after-hours for attendees to view exhibits until 9:00pm. Saturday, March 5, 2-4PM (Gregory School) and 4-6PM (Menil Collection) Exhibition Opening: “The Whole World Was Watching This exhibit features Civil Rights-era photographs from artists such as Dan Budnick, Danny Lyon, Bruce Davidson, Leonard Freed, Bob Adleman, and Elliott Erwitt. The title of the exhibit derives from a phrase chanted by protestors who used the presence of the media to remind perpetrators of racial or civil violence that their actions would not go unseen. A selection of photos from the exhibit can also be seen at the African American Library at the Gregory School (1300 Victor St.). For more information go to www.gregoryschool.org Tuesday, March 8, 7:00PM Rice University/Menil Lecture Series – Simon Critchley: The Really Funny Thing About Tragedy” Rice University Student Center-Farnsworth Building. English-born Simon Critchley works in continental philosophy, the history of philosophy, literature, contemporary art, ethics, and politics. His books include The Dead Philosophers (2009) and On Humor (2002). Since 2008 he was been chair of philosophy at New York’s New School for Social Research. Critchley is series moderator of the New York Times Opinionator philosophy blog, “The Stone.”

Houston Museum of Natural Science www.hmns.org Texas! Making History Since 1519 – Opens Sunday, 3/6 Cowboys, immigrants, farmers, roughnecks: Texas has a history as large as the state itself! Explore the unique roles that Texas has played: as a Spanish colony, as part of the Mexican Frontera, as an independent Republic, and as the 28th state to join the Union. Discover Texas’ rich legacy of perseverance, determination, diverse heritage and unique spirit through the stories of its central events and famous icons. Journey to a Prehistoric World with Sea Rex 3D! Join Julie, an imaginative young woman, as she travels from a modern-day aquarium to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Explore an amazing underwater universe inhabited by larger-than-life creatures – including the powerful Liopleurodon, long-necked Elasmosaurus and gigantic Shonisaurus – which were ruling the seas before dinosaurs conquered the earth. Galapagos 3D: Retrace the groundbreaking footsteps of Charles Darwin Explore the biological diversity and unique geologic history of the Galapagos archipelago with Smithsonian Institution marine biologist Dr. Carole Baldwin, as she embarks on her first undersea/on land expedition to Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, a group of 19 islands and 42 islets located on the equator 600 miles west of the Ecuadorian mainland.

Photo courtesy of the Houston Museum of Natural Science

Museum of Fine Arts Houston www.mfah.org Photo courtesy of Hickey-Robertson

Houston Zoo www.houstonzoo.org Take advantage of the pretty weather and free admission with your UST ID and spend a day at the zoo! Look at the chimpanzees and renovated Jaguar house in the new African Forest Exhibit. Coo over brand new African Elephant calf Baylor, the latest zoo baby! By now, Diego and Dora, the Maned Wolf pups born in December, should be toddling around their habitat. Check out the new Shoebill Stork Exhibit and pride yourself over the fact that the Houston Zoo is one of the few zoos in the world that has Shoebills. Three white Rhinos have joined the zoo family! Have you seen Toby, the Red Panda? Find out why he’s considered to be the cutest animal ever!

Photo courtesy of The Houston Zoo

Carlos Cruz-Diez: Color in Space and Time: On View through July 7 For more than five decades, Carlos Cruz-Diez (born 1923) has experimented intensively with the origins and optics of color. His wide-ranging body of work includes unconventional color structures, light environments, street interventions, architectural integration projects, and experimental works that engage the response of the human eye while insisting on the participatory nature of color. The MFAH and the Cruz-Diez Foundation, Houston present the first largescale retrospective of this pioneering Franco-Venezuelan artist. The exhibition introduces international audiences to Cruz-Diez´s extensive production and places his theoretical and artistic contributions to 20th-century Modernism in a broader context than they have traditionally been seen. Or, check out the interesting Film department! Features films include clips from various international film festivals, recommendations from MFAH staff, and more! For a complete schedule go to http://mfah.org/calendar/?etype=film Hopefully you will take advantage of the closeness of the UST campus to the Museum District. There are many things to do around Houston, and I haven’t even listed all of them. Don’t be afraid to check out the websites or make some phone calls. Also, many of the museums and some Montrose businesses offer pamphlets from around the area, including Dirk’s Coffee and the Tea House. On Thursdays, most of the museums offer Free Admission to their General exhibits. Also, your UST ID will get you either free admission or some very nice discounts. Don’t be afraid to ask!

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The Entertainment

The Summa

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Radiohead’s newest album a ‘black sheep’ with past work, still brilliant Matthew Ramirez Staff Writer The King of Limbs is the most divisive and experimental record of Radiohead’s career. It isn’t quite the sonic left-turn of Kid A after OK Computer, but considering its brevity, surprise release-date, and genuine lack of standout singles The King of Limbs is certainly the black sheep among Radiohead’s albums (notwithstanding Pablo Honey). Something about its length and the out-of-nowhere release makes me think twice about calling it an LP proper. Perhaps this zone between an EP-length and full-length album is what Thom Yorke alluded to after In Rainbows when he said Radiohead was done releasing albums. Keeping all of this in mind, stripping away the excess baggage of “A New Radiohead Album” will open up the record to those who are disappointed on first listen. Without trying to fit it in

some pre-conceived canon, the songs breathe and their restless nature will worm their way into your brain. I haven’t been this excited or perplexed by a new Radiohead record since yanking Amnesiac out of the player six months after Kid A dropped (I now love it of course). There are a few obvious influences at work here: the same way Kid A mined late-90s electronic sounds from artists like Aphex Twin, The King of Limbs pulls influences from dubstep, Flying Lotus, Four Tet, even James Blake. The instrumental “Feral” is three minutes of crazy percussion, a mix of drum-machine textures and live drumming that at times recalls Tropicalia (especially with the stuttering boom-bap beat that pushes to the front of the mix when the heavy bassline drops). Other songs are more subtle. It took me a few listens to really love “Morning Mr. Magpie,” because I was turned off by

Photo courtesy Radiohead

its tiny drum-machine, before absorbing the other layers of percussion that are slowly added to the mix during the progression of the song; as if there are two rhythm sections keeping it afloat. Now, it’s one of the most exciting songs on the album. At eight songs, The King of Limbs is the shortest record of Radiohead’s career. There are no standout tracks or obvious singles; not even “Lotus Flower,” even though it arrived with a bizarre/ fascinating video of Thom

Yorke in a synchronized dance routine. The next track, “Codex,” is a piano ballad that echoes “Pyramid Song” but more contemplative, without the sense of complete despair. Most of those who have heard the record cling to “Separator,” the album’s last song, simply because it has a chorus and a clear progression; it sounds like a real “song”; however, this redundancy is what makes it my least favorite track on the album. Radiohead has stayed relevant because they progress

naturally, album after album, absorbing new influences but always keeping a firm grasp on their sound; especially since 2007, when In Rainbows dropped. Music is listened to more and more in small chunks: on blogs, in playlists, videos/songs posted to Tumblr or Facebook. Vinyl is for fetishists: who has $25 to drop on an album every week? And CDs feel like what they are: a disposable product instead of a timeless piece of art. The King of Limbs is genius in this regard, a new step from one of the most popular bands on the planet. Perhaps the “experience” of the album isn’t even over yet: the physical release isn’t until May, via something only elusively described as “the world’s first newspaper album.” A clattering of new sounds, yet another new innovative distribution model, and eight rock-solid songs. For these reasons and more, The King of Limbs proves still the relevance, necessity, and brilliance of Radiohead.

Out and About: Houston in March March 3: Linkin Park will be at the Toyota Center March 4: Janet Jackson performs at the Reliant Stadium March 5: The Texas Hotrod Hoedown takes place at Albert Salas Park in New Caney, TX March 7: Tim McGraw will be at Reliant Stadium March 8: Keith Urban is at Reliant Stadium March 9-13: Blue Man Group performs at Jones Hall March 10: Rascal Flatts will be at Reliant Stadium March 11: Lady Antebellum is at Reliant Stadium March 11-20: SXSW Music and Film Festival takes place in Austin, TX Photo courtesy Janet Jackson

March 14: Kid Rock will be at Reliant Stadium March 15: KISS is scheduled to play at Reliant Stadium March 16: Say Hi will be at Fitzgerald’s March 16: Miranda Lambert plays at Reliant Stadium March 18: Alan Jackson will be at Reliant Stadium March 19: Band of Heathens are playing at Fitzgeralds March 19: Brad Paisley will be at Reliant Stadium March 20: Pink Floyd Experience will be at Verizon Wireless March 25: Devo plays at Warehouse Live March 26: House of Pain will be at Warehouse Live March 31: Cold War Kids will be at Warehouse Live March 31-April 3: Steve-O from MTV’s Jackass performs at The Improv

Photo courtesy Devo

Compiled By Katie Thomson

Entertainment

Thursday, March 3, 2011

The Summa

I am Number Four: astounding graphics, soundtrack, must-see in theatres Michael Brannon Features Editor Since the release of Stephanie Meyer’s wildly successful Twilight series, a few production companies have attempted to turn emerging authors into cookiecutter, young-adult novel writers. This growing trend is what gave rise to the book I am Number Four, which was recently adapted to the big screen. The film, produced by Michael Bay, is based on the novel authored by James Frey and Jobie Hughes. Despite having a blossoming romance intertwined into the action sequences, the movie has Michael Bay’s mark stamped all over it: quick moving action scenes, stunning CGI, fast moving transitions, and of course, explosions. The movie delivers everything the trailer promised and so much more. Alex Pettyfer (a young, relatively unknown British actor) portrays John Smith, the main protagonist of the story. Early on, it becomes evident that John is not like other teenagers; he isn’t even human. He was sent to earth

Photo courtesy Dreamworks

with eight other special children from his home world as it was being destroyed by another race of aliens. These chosen ‘nine’ are apparently the only chance their race has of defeating their enemies and surviving. Accompanying John on his journey is one of my personal favorites, Timothy Olyphant. In the movie he is just called ‘Henri,’ but he plays the same witty, violent character he always does; luckily the part fits perfectly.

The father-son role is quickly established as Henri and John are forced to move from one location to another while running from the Mogadorians (the bad guys). The moves are, of course, difficult for John because he is trying to live a normal life and make friends. I thought this would be a problem initially as he whined to Henri that he didn’t want to leave; however, the plot developed rapidly at that point, somewhat overshadowing

John’s clingy nagging about losing his ‘one and only’. Who is this girl that John is so attached to? Glee fans will be excited to know that Dianna Agron (some of you might know her better as Quinn Fabray) is starring in her first blockbuster film. She has had minor roles before in movies such as Burlesque and The Romantics, but for the first time, she occupies a major character spot. The way she fills it is pretty brilliant too. Unlike

Derek Lam showed off his own version of asymmetric hems on sporty jackets and knitwear, while Alexander Wang had Eskimo, parkalike jackets with this style as well. Thakoon took his own interpretation of the style and had an amazing skirt that was short in the front and carried a floor length train in the back. Collars were also popular and will definitely be popular next fall; the trend will catch on whether if it’s for a formal look like the look seen on the Preen runway show, or to make for a more sophisticated look like Rodarte’s creation. It is always expected for designers to play with different time eras to create new looks and modernize old styles. Tommy Hilfiger was able to transform the 70s craze of silk pajama pants and modernized them into a pantsuit match-up look. Tory Burch was also able to continue on this 70s trend, styling small neutral spots as an interpretation of minute prints. Anna Sui’s collection took the audience back to the 60s with her line which submerged funk with her modern looks. The 80s classic punk-rock style was definitely brought out by Alexander Wang’s

biker jackets and trousers, and Proenza Schouler, who had skirts with pieces of string knotted together giving it a lacy coarse patterns to give a grungy vibe. Oppositely, Preen and Donna Karen were able to make elegance another standout style predicted to be essential to Fall 2011. Preen emphasized sophistication with his jewel encrusted maxi dress. Donna Karen made sure to keep gorgeous, feminine draped dresses in her line to achieve a sophisticated elegance. Though the cut of an outfit is important, trends heavily rely on colors and patterns to define a season. For this fall, designers set the prediction that popular colors will include red and yellow; the most wanted patterns will be dots and color blocks. Red was seen often on the New York runway as a popular tone to pair others with. Derek Lam showed the aesthetic beauty found in accenting this color with his beautiful burgundy and sky blue pieces. In Donna Karen’s New York line, viewers saw the pairing of red and caramel to highlight a pairing that was not limited to expected, balanced colors.

The color yellow also made its début in many different shades. A more subtle yellow was found in Victoria Beckham’s collection, while saffron was showcased at The Row. Proenza Schouler was able to change up the expected yellow hues with a curry spice tone that was unique and appealing. The many patterns that were seen contributed to the eclectic genres and styles of clothing, but the hottest include a demand for dots and juxtaposing different colors in blocks. Dots were used to bring back the 70s, but Designers like Marc Jacobs and the Rodarte sisters sprinkled dots all throughout their collection. Color blocks

the Twilight movies that I am Number Four is so critically compared to, the romance compliments the story rather than depends on it. Without a romance, Twilight doesn’t work. The love story of I am Number Four is completely unobtrusive and even helps propel the movie forward. Without Sarah (Agron), John still has every reason to fight the Mogadorians; they destroyed his planet for crying out loud! Unless you have a mindblowing home theatre set up, it would be in your best interest to see this one in theatres. The sound quality, as well as the soundtrack was amazing -did I mention the soundtrack? The Black Keys, Beck, Adel, Civil Twilight and even the lesser known The XX all helped make a completely thrilling musical score. I cannot say I would have liked the movie as much as I did if it weren’t for all the phenomenal tracks that played throughout. All-in-all, this movie deserves five stars. Great actors, a (most of the time) great producer, and a great soundtrack all add up to one thing: a truly must-see movie.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week exhibits hottest predictions for Fall 2011

Natasha Alvarez Staff Writer There are only a few places in the world where all of the top designers, most beautiful models, and latest fashion trends come together to show off the newest and most exciting next-best things in fashion. New York City, one of the fashion capitals of the world, is one of those few places that just hosted its Fall 2011 Mercedes-Benz fashion week during the week of February 10-17. The list of designers who showed up, flowing with talent and creativity, filled 85 runway shows of both new upcoming designers and established ones. Some of the different tailoring trends included pleats, asymmetric hems, and collars. Pleats give a unique dimension to clothing that can really allow designers to expand their imagination. Flattering to the body, Victoria Beckham did an amazing job getting her collection to utilize the pleating technique. More dramatic styles that designers took to the runway included uneven hems on skirts, dresses, and jackets.

were used on elegant formal dresses by Narciso Rodriguez while Philip Lam used them in a louder and more exciting way on leather sleeves. The use of color blocks allowed designers to show their clothing with an 80’s feel, while using their own play on colors to modernize the looks as well. This week was one that forever will stay in the memory of all the fashion lovers. The stages were walked with fierceness and fabulosity as designers set new trends for our upcoming seasons. There was a very positive response to this fashion week, getting everyone excited for the next fashion week and Fall 2011 to come.

Photo courtesy Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

The Summa

Entertainment

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Houston’s restaurant on the green, The Grove: showy, but not yummy Sasha Stinner-Trimble Staff Writer In theory, The Grove should be the perfect Houston restaurant. As its catchphrase describes it—Restaurant, Bar, View—this venue should be the perfect delight to eyes and taste buds alike. Unfortunately, only the former is true. While The Grove is a contemporary work of art with a lovely view of Discovery Green, the food at The Grove is highly disappointing. Looking online at The Grove, I expected it to be a modern fusion restaurant with soaring architecture and fresh, inspired organic food. However, upon visiting this restaurant, I discovered it is more of a tourist trap than anything else. The décor and ambiance are intriguing, and really give the feel of modern, cosmopolitan downtown Houston. Additionally, The Grove, advertising the use of only fresh, local, organic ingredients and preparing all food from scratch, sounds

scrumptious to hungry tourists. The tourist trap must work, because the restaurant was full of only tourists in business suits, cocktail dresses, or khaki shorts and bandanas wheeling suitcases behind them. So first the positive: decorations. One entire wall of the restaurant is composed of windows looking out onto beautiful Discovery Green, creating a harmonious blend of city and nature. The rest of the space is inspired by organic décor—earth-tone fabrics, bamboo pass points, wicker placemats, and artichoke-like chandeliers. Sleek clear chairs, shiny white table tops and a stunning industrial bar add a modern twist to the earthy scheme. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the food. The menu was incredibly limited. For a restaurant that claims to use all local ingredients, the menu is static, and does not offer specials or changes with the seasons. As an appetizer, I tried the Picnic Platter—a

Sudoku

Joke of the Month: Q: Where do Kings keep their armies? A: In their sleavies!

sampling of cheeses, meats, greens and spreads. Though the apple jelly spread was tasty, the provolone was uninspired, the prosciutto was all fat, and the greens had no dressing. For an entree, one can have a “small plate” or a “larger plate,” and by small, they actually mean tiny. I ordered Cornish hen with shoestring potatoes, which proved to be a baby-palmsized bite of bland chicken and a mound of limp, tiny French fries. Honestly, the fries were so minute I could barely bite into them! Also, the pairing of hen with potatoes left me sorely craving a vegetable, which would have cost an extra $7. I also tried the lamb chops, which were covered with a good mole sauce. But for some reason, the lamb was paired with inedible radishes and an inexplicable tamale that was all corn and no meat. As I was leaving, I grabbed what I thought were some mints to return a positive taste to my mouth, but even these were disappointing. They were not

Photo courtesy The Grove

mints, but rather really nasty gooey gummy dots that tasted like cough syrup! Though the food was honestly terrible, the wait staff was nice and knowledgeable. Actually, I thought that the staff brought the food out a little too promptly, perhaps indicating that the food was not made to order (it certainly tasted like it had been made far in advance). The restaurant also requires an $8 dollar valet and my reservation was

Puzzles Corner March Crossword

ACROSS 1. Gossip or Grime 5. Early March Zodiac 6. Opposite of wax 7. Nana’s husband 8. March 15; “___ of March” 9. Hilly city in Southern California’s Ventura County 10. Get Yer___Out (Rolling Stones album)

13. Lucky Charm 15. A tree that Street are commonly named after 16. a bad guy; also, to tiptoe 17. March 9, 2011 ____ Wednesday 18. Oscar’s 2011 Best Picture Winner DOWN 2. Post-Envelope Oscars Staple

lost once. And one-third of the seating in the restaurant runs along the kitchen, which meant that the space was very noisy. Clearly, I would not recommend ever going to this restaurant, unless it was simply for a drink at the bar and a view of the park. The food was rather expensive, bland and stale. I guess a pretty space does not guarantee yummy food.

Created By Katie Thomson

3. French for Flair 4. Mai ___ (cocktail) 9. Precedes -dox and –pedic 11. Seasoning shaker contents,in chemist-speak 12. “Gets” backwards 13. Island nation north of New Zealand 14. Answers an invitation Answers at www.ust-summa.com

The Sports & Clubs

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Upcoming Events Friday, March 4

UST Overnight and Showcase Saturday Guinan Hall and Jones Hall All day from Friday, March 4, 2011 to Saturday, March 5, 2011

Monday, March 7

University Singers Concert Chapel of St. Basil 7:30 P.M.- 9:30 P.M..

Tuesday, March 8 Safe Spring Break Crooker Patio 11:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.

University of St. Thomas Annual Mardi Gras Gala Intercontinental Hotel 6:30 P.M.-10:00 P.M.

Thursday, March 11 SGA Elections All day

Monday, March 14-18 Spring Break

The Summa

Inaugural women’s basketball team starts in fall Katie Jahangiri Sports & Clubs Editor UST has had great success with the well-established teams offered on campus. As fierce competitors in men’s soccer and basketball, and in women’s volleyball, it is time for another addition of great athletes to the university’s sports teams. The University of St. Thomas is gearing up to welcome its first-ever women’s basketball team into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in the fall of 2011 under the coaching of Mike Ricks, an assistant coach of the UST men’s basketball team. Ricks, who has made a successful career out of coaching, as well as writing articles and DVD’s devoted to basketball, has been given a rare opportunity to build a college team from the ground up. Ricks has been in the process of visiting high schools, looking for talented prospective seniors who want to come play for the school,

recruiting and reading over questionnaires from young women all over Houston, and talking with players who have already had college basketball experience who would like to bring their dedication and skill to UST, in order to put together a great inaugural team. The former Northeast Christian varsity girls basketball coach and member of the Amateur Athletic Union coaching staff puts a lot of emphasis on the fact that being a good team player isn’t just about being able to shoot 10 for 10 layups, but to succeed academically as well as in all aspects of life. “In the long run,” Ricks said, “we want to be contenders on a national level, but immediately, without

Photo by NBA

knowing who is on the team yet, our goal is to represent the university in a positive way.” To any women who are reading this article, (maybe tall women much like myself…) if you can shoot three pointers in your sleep, block any shot that comes your way, or if you just have a general passion for the sport come to the open tryout that is being held on March 13 from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. in the Jerabeck Athletic Center. Coach Ricks is extremely passionate about women’s basketball, and with the experience of leading high school teams to state championships, he will undoubtedly shape the women’s team to become great competitors in this division.

UST Model UN delegate receives honorable mention at Harvard conference Matt Wood Editor-in-Chief From Thursday, February 17 to Sunday, February 20, 2011, the University of St. Thomas Model United Nations team attended the 57th annual Harvard National Model United Nations Conference, held in the historic Park Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. UST MUN brought back an Honorable Mention Award for Junior Samrat Bhattacharya’s performance as the delegate of Sierra Leone in the 1991 Historical General Assembly committee on the topic of the Somalian Civil War. “I won honorable mention for my committee,” said Bhattacharya. “They select four delegates who did really well, who represented their country really well, as well as stayed in character, but still got a negotiation passed, and they select four out of 192 countries.” The conference brings over 3000 students and faculty from over 35 countries together in a simulation of the activities of the United Nations and is among the largest collegiate conferences in the world. Simulating 27 different committees, the delegates discuss a set range of topics including Environmental

Law, Trade Subsidies, Disease Monitoring, the Taliban, and the simulation of the 1991 Somalian Civil War. “The competition was going to be fairly fierce, but luckily when we got there, I felt that our team was fairly competitive compared to the other schools considering that fact that it was a Harvard National Model United Nations,” UST MUN Deputy Secretary-General Seth Romo. Representing Sierra Leone and Yemen, UST MUN members participating in the conference were: Freshmen Sheila George and Jaqueline De Leon; Juniors Maria Turletti, Seth Romo, and Miguel Quirch; and Senior Earl David. The team was led by head delegates Senior Dehua Lea (Yemen) and Bhattacharya (Sierra Leone). These delegates began preparing for the conference in early October when they learned skills in negotiation, writing, research, and public speaking. The primary goal of Model United Nations is to teach students the art of diplomacy and negotiation where a compromise can be reached that creates the best outcome for all parties. Part of the struggle was getting to Boston. To address this, UST MUN held two fund-raisers in the spring that caught the attention of the

Photo by Seth Romo

Boston Summit UST Model UN students Earl David, Maria Turletti, Samrat Bhattacharya, Miguel Quirch, Jaqueline De Leon, and Sheila George (left to right) pose in front of the Park Plaza Hotel where the Harvard National Model United Nations Conference took place.

student body. The UST MUN Date Auction was held on Thursday, January 27, 2011 at the Old Bookstore and helped pay for the team’s lodging and meals throughout the conference. “We recruited people who brought their friends who brought their friends,” said UST MUN Secretary-General Dehua Lea, commenting on the reason for the events success. “It helped us become a little bit stronger,” Romo stated, “We became a lot more

comfortable with each other.” Bhattacharya’s is the second award in the two years that UST Model United Nations has been in operation. Last year, Dehua Lea received a Best Delegate Award at the Houston International Model United Nations at the University of HoustonDowntown. Model United Nations awards are given based on a delegate’s ability to stay in character, maintain diplomatic conduct, and contributions to committee discussions.

“It’s nice to know that I’m able to represent (a country well),” said Bhattacharya. “Considering Sierrra Leone’s government, I didn’t exactly agree with their policies to the tee.” “It is good because I do hope to be some sort of diplomat in the future, and knowing that even though I don’t necessarily commend the policies or support them in any way, even if they’re really drastic, I can still do it and do I good job with it. So it was nice to be recognized for that.”

The Summa

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Thursday, March 3, 2011