The Summa
University of St. Thomas
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Vol. 4, Issue 2
ustsumma.wordpress.com
Rock class rolls into UST Music Department
The News Is Spreading: Rock On!
Photo by Michael Brannon
Flyers across the UST campus attempt to publicize the emergence of the Rock and Roll class this semester.
David Markus News Editor The UST Music Department created a new performance ensemble this semester: a Rock and Roll class. Under the direction of Dr. Malcolm Rector, 15 UST students will come together to play a variety of classic and modern rock tunes. The idea for a rock class came about after a Jazz Ensemble rehearsal, when some of the musicians chatted while packing up their instruments. “In mid- to late-April, after a jazz rehearsal, I went up to Dr. Rector and said, ‘you know, what we
really should have is a rock band,’ and he said, ‘I think we should totally do that, I’m going to go talk to Dr. Fairbanks,’” said Senior drummer Ian Ash. “So, he went and talked to her, and she approved it, and now we have one.” Together, Dr. Rector and several students interested in forming the class, put together a list of specific songs and artists that they wanted to play. “We’re doing some Pink Floyd; some Beatles; some Muse; a Disturbed piece,” said Ash. “We’re trying a sort of broad spectrum, and we have a little bit more focus on the kinds of things that those of us
in the group like.” The class, as a whole, hopes to expand in the future as new students flock to the ensemble over time. “I think it brings a different variety of students into the Music Department that wouldn’t have been able to be there otherwise,” said Senior Marissa Sears. “It’s a great outlet for nonmajors to express themselves musically.” All comers are welcome, as the ensemble will offer its members the flexibility to play songs that suit their tastes and their skill levels. “We’re not just making one giant ensemble here; there’s several pieces where
only a few people play and some pieces where a few different people play,” said Ash. Additionally, members of other UST Music Department ensembles are pitching in their talents to improve the band’s abilities and widen its repertoire. “I’m actually singing for that rock band,” said Sears. “They’re having me sing “Ode to Billy Joel” and something else, but they just needed more singers, so they got us to. It’s a good organization for those who are interested in music, but don’t want to train for as long a time as we do. It’s great for that.” Members of the band posted flyers across campus, in order to raise awareness of the class and its unique opportunity. “[It’s] a class. You do have to sign up and register for it; it’s a one hour credit,” said Ash. “It does require auditions, just in case there’s someone who reads this article and is interested.” Since the ensemble is brand-new, a few of the details are still under consideration. There will, however, be a concert this semester in order to grant the UST community the opportunity to hear their interpretations of various songs. “We’re hoping to do it outside, but, once again, we haven’t nailed down an exact date and time, yet,” said Ash. “We’re hoping to do it in
»INSIDE
THIS ISSUE » Opinion
Sports Debate The time-old struggle between soccer and baseball is brought once to the forefront Pages 3 and 4
» Features
Time Savers Check out a few quick tips on time management to save yourself some hassle. Page 6
» Entertainment
Must See Movies Our Top Ten movies for the fall premiere soon, don’t leave this guide at home! Page 9
» Sports & Clubs
SGA Fall Preview SGA has started the semester with a bang and plenty of plans for students. Page 11
the field between Jerabeck, Crooker, and the Mall, so that if we get a nice turnout, we can have a nice rock concert.”
European debt continues to rise, causing tension abroad Stephanie Hernandez Staff Writer In 2009, it became noted economically that the fluctuation of world markets had created a trend of steadily increasing European debt. Some economists referred to it as the sovereign debt crisis, in which Eurozone states reached high deficit and debt levels. Although Europe’s overall debt rose to previously unforeseen levels, individual Eurozone nations have taken preventative actions reminiscent of past economic measures. When the Eurozone was established in 1992, an agreement called The Maastricht Treaty established guidelines to curb the growth of government debt. The agreement stated that the
annual budget deficit of individual Eurozone members could not exceed 3% at the end of each fiscal year, and that the ratio of debt to Gross Domestic Product could not exceed 60%. In 1997, the creation of The Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) hoped, in part, to ensure that the debt control actions of The Maastricht Treaty would be enforced. Despite these actions, the debt-to-GDP ratio of Greece is now 125%; Ireland, 82.9%; Spain, 66.3 %; and Portugal, 84.6%. “With respect to the financial crisis, the general Italian attitude was concerned and quite depressed as the standard of living noticeably dropped in quality,” said junior Gaia Tedeschi, an Italian citizen studying at UST under a diplomatic visa.
“I had the opportunity to talk to college graduates and their viewpoint on their future is not only greatly influenced by the remarkably low employment rate in Italy but additionally by the elevated cost of life.” Tedeschi spent a month over the summer of 2011 in Italy, a country whose government debt is 104% of the GDP. “It is difficult to make an assessment right now, because the situation is very volatile in the countries of the Mediterranean; Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain. The problem is that the European Union is stretching their resources,” said Dr. Rogelio GarciaContreras, a professor from the Center for International Studies. “When you join the Union – and most of Eastern
A Fistfull of Euros
Photo courtesy Images_of_Money
The value of the Euro underwent inflation against the dollar, with an exchange rate of $1.36 to one Euro as of September 20.
Europe joined the Union in 2005 – the Reconstruction Development Bank of the EU has the policy of helping the new members up to 13 years
of direct investment for the creation of infrastructure.” One strategy for reducing such debt involves
DEBT, Page 2
2
The Summa
News
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Lecture on Abraham, Judaism Campus Ministry, Offices move to Colquitt David Markus News Editor The annual Herzstein Lecture in Judaism focused on the topic, “Abraham Becomes a Philosopher: The Transformation of the Patriarch”. Dr. Jon Levenson of the Harvard Divinity School presented his findings on the subject, citing Biblical, Rabbinical, and Islamic texts in support of the idea that Abraham was the first of a new form of philosopher. Dr. Levenson began with an exploration of the initial promise between Abraham and his newfound God in Genesis 12:1-3, and its emphasis on the fact that Abram forsook his father Terah’s dwelling in Haran in favor of Canaan. Further evidence in the Book of Joshua points toward the reason behind some tension between
Abraham and his father: idols. Rabbinic texts and portions of the Qur’an cited by Levenson mark Terah as an idol-maker. Abram recognized the ridiculous nature of worshipping idols whose existence was derived from human hands shaping clay. Abram separated himself from the polytheistic beliefs of his father in quest of a new monotheistic identity, becoming Abraham. After an examination of such texts, Levenson turned his attention to Greek and Roman philosophical texts that reject the validity of such idol-worship. Abraham, then, practiced a new form of philosophy according to Levenson’s presentation, one in which the practitioner recognized the works of a Creator who set order within the world through His own powers.
David Markus News Editor A number of new offices moved into buildings along Colquitt and Mt. Vernon Streets this fall, which prompted tenants new and old to throw a block party. On Thursday, September 15, representatives from Campus Ministry, the Nursing School, and the Art History, Political Science, Education, and History Departments joined together to build community at UST. Members of both the student body and the faculty shared a potluck dinner. “I’d say that it was a
mix [of students and faculty], leaning more heavily toward faculty and staff,” said Campus Ministry Coordinator Arlene Leggio. “We plan to have activities that will bring students to our new space.” Each group hoped to bond with the new departmental neighborhood, and let people know where the new offices are located. Additionally, some student groups received space in the houses, particularly with regards to Campus Ministry. “The Knights of Columbus and the FOCUS Missionaries each have offices [in the Campus Ministry House], but Father is meeting with all the student leaders
of Catholic groups,” said Leggio “which includes the Knights of Columbus, FOCUS Missionaries, Celts for Life, and Catholic Daughters.” Each organization now has room to promote their causes in a way that was previously unavailable. “We needed more physical space for the students in particular,” said Leggio. Campus Ministry moved quickly, having moved into its new home on September first. “The first official event was the RCIA gathering this last Tuesday night, the thirteenth,” said Leggio. “We had fifteen people attending, mainly students.”
Threat of bank lawsuits Jihane Rodriguez Staff Writer According to The National Bureau of Economic Research, the United States of America experienced a recession between December 2007 and June of 2009. Back then, the NBER did not give any causes, reasons or explanations, but it was quite clear that both the lack of jobs and the housing downturn (which started in 2006) had hurt the economy not only in the United States, but worldwide. The fall of housing prices deeply affected the home building industry and consequently home purchases. Banks started offering mortgages to a larger number of clients; the sub-prime mortgage was popular amongst low-income clients who would not have otherwise gained a conventional loan. The these mortgages focused on a very low teaser rate for the first 2-3 years, to later jump off to 7% and then to maybe 10, 12% etc.; such increases left borrowers out in the dark and unable to afford their payments. Some claim that those who took advantage
of subprime-mortgage home loans aren’t at fault, instead placing it solely on two groups: the government overseers who decided to allow the Collateralized Debt Obligations market to go unsupervised, and the wealthy financiers who created and sold CDOs to at-risk clients who would buy them. So now, years later, articles in The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, indicate that large U.S.based banks, such as Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase & Co., are likely to face federal government lawsuits over mortgage securities sold before the U.S. real estate market crashed. Chase was one of the companies that received money under the federal bailout package in late 2008; it received a reported $25 billion. Nevertheless, there are some new concerns in Washington regarding the increasing profitability that Chase and other banks have shown. Such profit margins correspond with higher fees for many bank customers.
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Photo by Michael Brannon
A New Place to Call Home The new offices on Mt. Vernon Street offer students places to freely express their faith and creativity.
DEBT Continued... the use of economic “austerity measures”, which engendered a debate over their possible negative consequences for EU economies. “There is a diversity of opinion in Europe concerning austerity measures,” said Dr. Pierre Canac, an Economics professor. “There are those who are pushing for austerity measures: you enjoyed a good life, you’ve consumed a lot, now it’s time to tighten your belt and pay back. There are also those who are also saying that austerity measures will make the crisis even worse, because
that would reduce consumer demand, companies would produce less and the recession would become worse, and governments might potentially default. While we do need some kind of austerity, we need to wait ‘til the economy has improved, and to stimulate the economy. However, we cannot only blame the debt on such things as welfare programs. They have some social benefits and help human beings; it cannot be fair to simply blame those people for the debt problem. Every project, every program has a cost, and it should be done carefully according to cost benefit analysis.” Such an analysis also considers the interplay
between the European and American economies. “In both regions, we have extremely low interest rates, which in turn encourages too much borrowing, and now we have huge debt,” said Canac. “In Europe we have the situation where countries on the periphery of Europe such as Greece, Portugal and Ireland benefited from the low interest rates because of the German reputation and credibility. “This encouraged lots of borrowing in both the government and private sector; in Spain and Ireland, the borrowing was mostly private, but in Greece it’s more public debt.”
The Opinion
“Dear friends, may no adversity paralyze you.” Benedict XVI, WYD 2011
Upside-Down Mocchiato
Katherine Casey Features Editor
After hearing the constant talk on campus and seeing everyone carrying a Starbucks coffee cup, I decided to sit in Starbucks to understand what all the fuss was about. Don’t get me wrong, I have had a Starbucks before, but it has never consumed my life. On my occasional visits, I always order the same size of the same type of drink. All that coffee lingo makes no sense to me. Tall, grande, venti, and trenta. Starbucks coffee shops apparently think they are too good to use terms everyone is familiar with: small, medium, large, and extra large. On top of that, want a mind blower? The biggest coffee size, the trenta, actually contains more liquid than the human stomach can hold. The trenta holds 916 mL while the human stomach only holds 900 mL. That sounds safe. The terms they use for coffee sizes are just the beginning of the confusing words. What they call regular drinks make absolutely no sense either. While sitting at Starbucks the other day, enjoying my bottle of water, I heard a person in line order a “grande, non-fat, no foam, green tea latte.” Green tea is a drink most people are familiar with, but what in the world do all the other gibberish words mean? The next person in line ordered a “tall, upside-down caramel macchiato.” I would really like to understand how a drink can be served upsidedown without spilling hot liquid all over the place. Apparently, if you bring a Starbucks brand cup, you can save a whopping three cents off any cup of coffee. Too bad this doesn’t make much of a difference off the total, considering the fact
that prices range anywhere from two to six dollars. That’s quite a lot of money when compared to a package of regular coffee grounds, which runs at about three dollars and makes enough coffee to last a few weeks. But here’s a cool discount, when you get a gold member’s card, after buying 15 drinks, you will receive a free one. So, spend between $30-$90 and you can receive a free two to six dollar coffee. Congratulations! You would think that with all the money you spend at Starbucks, you would at least get a fresh drink, but when it comes to their tea, that isn’t the case. You spend several dollars on tea made from concentrate. Isn’t it nice to know you are spending a ridiculous amount of money on a cup of concentrate similar to what can be bought at the store store for less? Another shock is how many people sat in the coffee shop and did homework. You would think people could find a quieter place to pull out their college books. But instead, they chose to bring their work to a busy coffee shop that seemed louder than a mall. That makes sense. I understand that learning the names and sizes of Starbucks’ drinks is similar to studying vocabulary for an English class, but of course no one was sitting there memorizing the menu. They were all typing on their laptops. That is definitely not the kind of place normal people write grade-A papers. I don’t know about you, but I would rather spend my tight college budget on my three dollar coffee from the grocery store. I don’t see a point in wasting my time stopping at a coffee shop daily or filling my head with useless Starbucks drink names. I have better things to do with my money, time, and brain capacity.
The Summa University of St. Thomas Student Newspaper 3800 Montrose Blvd. • Houston, TX 77006 • 713.525.3579
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.
Seemingly Suicidal Cyclist
though, after riding up and down the streets of Houston for only a few weeks now, I have I’m not from Houston, or gained some sort of insight any large metropolis similar about cycling in Houston, as to it. I come from a humble have countless others before country town of about 20,000 me. people located between thirty Initially I had hopes of minutes and an hour south of coasting down the sidewalks here (depending on how heavy without a care in the world, your foot is). It’s called Alvin, waving to the shop keeps and is pronounced only with sweeping their storefronts, a thick country accent, mind while blue birds and woodland you. Growing up there I was creatures whistled a cheery far more accustomed to seeing tune to accompany my a tractor lumber its way down commute. My dreams, along the road, or even a bright green with my brand new bike, John Deere lawmower for that Natalia, came crashing down matter, than a cyclist speeding when I hit a pothole the size of by my passenger side window. a bathtub. Shortly after, I was Needless to say, I was forced to dismount and roll in for quite a shock when Natalia up in what I concluded I arrived in Houston and to be a nearly vertical face encountered hoards of plant into the Mt. Vernon side seemingly suicidal cyclists walk. frantically peddling their way I suppose what I’m getting down Westheimer. They were at here is that for a city full of at every corner, every stop cyclists, it’s extraordinarily sign, every storefront, and most hard to be one. The sidewalks obnoxiously of are in terrible I arrived in all, on every condition (not Houston and road. Some to mention it’s encountered even dared to actually illegal ride on Allen to ride on most hoards of P a r k w a y of them, more on seemingly amidst the suicidal cyclists that later), and the r e s t l e s s roads were simply soccer moms not intended to barreling home at almost accommodate bicycles. There seventy miles an hour. are potholes, patches, metal For more than two years plates, and shear dropoffs now, I have been among every few feet, causing cruiser the many Houstonians that bikes such as mine to toss you ranted and raved about bikers straight over the handle bars if in Houston, even writing an you’re not careful. Perhaps the article last year in which I most terrifying thing, however, devised a plan to carry bricks is being forced onto the road. in my car to use as anti-idiot As a driver, I always had devices (only passively of the philosophy that if a cyclist course…). But alas readers, wanted to ride on the road they I, Michael Brannon, after must want to be treated like a two years of paying nearly vehicle. Some cyclists are very $50 a tank every two weeks, vigilant of this and make sure have purchased a bicycle. It’s to stop at all the lights and stop true. signs and obey pertinent traffic My car, Sasha, now laws. Some cyclists, on the spends most of her days in the other hand, treat them as mere dreary basement of Moran, suggestions. contemplating whether or not In Texas, there is a law she will start the next time I that says it is illegal to ride turn the key. I must tell you your bike on a sidewalk within Michael Brannon Photography Editor
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three hundred feet of a place of business (I’m paraphrasing, obviously, but that’s the gist of it). So, if you don’t feel like breaking the law, you’re actually forced to cycle on the street. With the cars. Cars that pay no attention to where you are or how close they are to you. This may sit well with some cyclists, but not this one. Drivers are simply not aware enough of where bikers are for me to feel comfortable riding alongside them. Daily, I run into a situation where I must break at an intersection where I have the right away, because a car makes a right turn without looking, or because of someone who didn’t see me waiting at the stop sign before them. When I must ride on the streets, I can assure you I follow the rules. I think we can all agree that it’s pretty obnoxious, not to mention irresponsible, when someone on a bike peddles straight through a red light just because they’re able to. Maybe we should learn from them and just run a red light when we have a chance to slip between passing traffic. Or not, seeing as how laws are in place for a reason, and most of the time they serve an important purpose. In this case, making sure HPD doesn’t have to scrape your brain off the intersection. I can’t say there was a point to this article, because, honestly, there wasn’t. I just wanted to share my experience with you in hopes that maybe next time you see a responsible cyclist peddling alongside your car, you’ll remember that it isn’t easy being a cyclist in Houston. Give that brave cyclist a well deserved break and back off a little; however, if you do happen to see a cyclist breeze right on past a stop sign, have your bricks ready.
Jeremy Heallen • Faculty Advisor Rebecca Mechler • Editor-in-Chief Matt Wood • Business Manager David Markus • News Editor Chelsea Ferramosca • Opinion Editor Michael Brannon • Photo Editor Katherine Casey • Features Editor Katie Thomson • Entertainment Editor James Ramos • Media Editor
Staff Writers & Photographers Claudia Arguelles • Samrat Bhattacharya Nadine Fahmy • Stephanie Hernandez Ryan Hess • Dominic Kisielewski Sean Kriger • Abigail Nava Melyssa Navarro • Sarah Oyarce Jihane Rodriguez • Becky Tapia Douglas Tobar • Hien Tran Chris Michels • Fransisco Montes Rebecca Skaff
4
Opinion
The Summa
Changed for the Better
Samrat Bhattacharya Staff Writer This is my third year at the University of St. Thomas. Every year, I’ve heard complaints and ideas thrown around about how we can improve the campus life as a student body, as well as how administrators can assist us in making these ideas a reality. This year, for the first time, I have actually seen some of these ideas being implemented. I’m talking about how Crooker Center and the Lounge at Moran have drastically changed under the second-year Director of Food Services, Dillon Drake. This year, when I got out of Moran Parking Garage, arriving for the first day of classes, something seemed different as I looked to my right, through the glass of the Lounge. I couldn’t put my finger on it until it was made obvious to me that there weren’t any shelves or refrigerators filled with all the items a college student could ever need or want. Instead, I saw vending machines that held food that can be cooked and eaten as entire meals. When I walked past again that night, I saw that students were just beginning their study sessions. I didn’t understand why students would be studying this late, considering
that the Lounge would be closing within a few minutes. Then I heard about the new hours. Yes, it is an official improvement of the highest standards. A place to study for commuter students like me, open all night; how amazing! Not to mention the cleaner, more spacious look now that the shelves and fridges are moved to Crooker Center. I don’t even need to plan my meals ahead anymore, since the vending machines are there for emergency all-nighters. Being a commuter student, as opposed to my days in both Guinan and Young Halls throughout the past two years, I no longer feel the need to go to Crooker Center. However, I have heard many students comment on the benefits of not having to make two separate trips every night, one to Crooker to get dinner, and one to the Lounge for a weekly stock-up. Nevertheless, my visit to Crooker gave me mixed perceptions. While the electronic menu and various choices of meals is a plus, the place seemed too crowded. I’m no expert on fire hazard codes, but I get the feeling that there are some serious violations being committed. Prices are slightly more reasonable but is that worth the 15-minute adventure through the stations, fridges and aisles? I am impressed with the
new initiatives the Student Government Association has implemented in order to create and preserve what it means to be a Celt. I had the privilege of attending the first SGA meeting of the year. One thing I want to emphasize from that meeting is President David Torres stating that there would be efforts to define events and directly associate them with being a UST Celt, not only among the UST students, faculty, and alumni, but also within the Greater Houston community. First Montrose, then the world. (Insert evil cackle here.) However, the changes in campus dining life does come with one major drawback: no coffee or smoothies after 3:30 p.m. Isn’t that when most students start needing the sugar and caffeine drinks that we so adore and, more importantly, need to survive the home stretch of the day? I’m not saying we need to be served until 10 p.m., for most of us, that is unnecessary, but how about until 7 p.m.? Most of us are only halfway through the day by the time 3:30 p.m. rolls around. We need something to get us through the night. Overall, there are many good changes. Now if we can only get our caffeine after 3:30 p.m., we would be ready to take on the school year. Give me service or give me...never mind. There’s no alternative.
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Thursday, September 22, 2011
The World’s Pastime
Dominic Kisielewski Staff Writer My fellow comrades, for years our voices of reason, heard so often around the world, have gone unheard in America. For years we have suffered taunts due to our beliefs. But now, my fellow comrades, the voice of the proletariat will be heard with one glorious proclamation that soccer, the greatest sport in the world, is the sport of the people. This fact will be proven not by the greats of Maradona, Zidane, and Pele, but through the game’s chief components: universality, accessibility, and emotion. The first central component of a sport belonging to the people is universality – the ability for all of our comrades around the world to unite around the shared experience of our sport. One of the most important characteristics that soccer has going for it is the fact that it is truly a world sport. There is a reason why the World Cup Final is the most watched sporting event in the world: it actually represents the entire world. Baseball is an example of a sport that tries to act as if it does this. However, its championship, the “World” Series, falls short of representing all the people of the world. For those skeptics that proclaim baseball and football as universal sports, I pose a challenge: try having a conversation with a random person anywhere in the world. It is almost a guarantee that the person will have never heard of baseball or American football, but they most likely will have heard of soccer (correctly known as football to most). Everyone around the world, including the baseball and football enslaved nation of America, will know enough about soccer to carry on a conversation. One of the greatest assets allowing soccer to become the true sport of the people is its accessibility – the ability for
all to play and follow along. Playing soccer does not require expensive equipment like the bourgeoisie sports, such as football or baseball. A simple open field, four stones, and a ball will suffice, compared to leather gloves and pads. In addition, soccer is not intimidating to the beginning player, for it does not have rules or plays that require years of memorization; instead, instinct is primarily employed to plant the ball in an opponent’s net. This ease of playing also translates to the fans by increasing the ease of watching. Take any stranger to a soccer game, and they will be able to immediately follow the game, unlike other sports, such as baseball and football. In baseball, the fans will fall asleep before anything meaningful is learned. Football, on the other hand, will result in a headache when it comes to understanding the plays and rules. The aspect that brings people back to a sport is emotion. Comrades, there is no other sport in the world that encompasses the word “emotion” better than soccer. For starters, all of our emotions are intensified by the nationalistic pride of cheering for our respective motherlands. The sight of a sea of your fellow supporters wearing the national colors is truly an awe-inspiring sight, which an Astros or Texans jersey cannot evoke. However, beyond the nationalistic pride of supporters, jerseys, and flags, soccer in itself contains emotions not present in any other sporting event. Soccer primarily showcases this emotion through the ability of the game’s momentum to change in a split second. In soccer there is often that one moment of brilliance, which results in a single goal that can bring a nation or club to elation or tears, transforming the buildup of fear, anticipation and close calls into the purest form of joy or frustration. In essence, soccer presents the purest form of emotion of any sport. Looking at it as a whole, there is no greater sport available to the people of the world than Soccer, the people’s sport. By offering universality, accessibility, and emotion, soccer is able to give the proletariat the most benefit that no other sport can, something that will be visible come 2012 when Brazil hosts the World Cup – a championship that lives up to its name.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Opinion
America’s Pastime
Chelsea Ferramosca Opinion Editor Every sports fan out there has that one game that defines them. It is the game that holds their best memories, most passionate love, and fiercest loyalty, whether it be soccer, football (the American kind), basketball or anything else. For me, that sport is America’s pastime: baseball. I know we have a lot of soccer fans on this campus, many of whom claim that soccer is the “world’s sport,” but that doesn’t matter to me. Baseball is 100% American, and 100% mine. Baseball is thought to have originated in the early eighteenth century in colonial America. Originally called “Cat, One Old, Cat,” the game included a hard ball, twenty men and a catapult. Needless to say it went through its share of changes before becoming modern baseball in 1845. The first team, The Knickerbockers, turned Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey, into the first official baseball field in America. By 1857, there were sixteen official teams in Long Island, New York, including the New York Giants, who later became the Major League San Francisco Giants. After the Civil War ended in 1865, baseball spread to Tennessee, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. It was here that
the first professional Major League Baseball team was formed, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Along with the most popular color in baseball, the team established the traditional uniforms and written rules. Thus began the modern age of baseball. Why do I know all of this off the top of my head? Because the game of baseball is part of who I am. I was raised to love and respect the game, my team, and its players. It is a sport that is dubbed “boring” all too often. It does not have the constant movement of soccer, but the skill and strength required to play the game are awe-inspiring. Just think, which one is harder? Kicking a soccer ball 90 MPH past one man into a huge net, or hitting a baseball coming at you at 100 MPH with a bat? I guess that is up to you, but I’m going to have to go with baseball. I know I am biased though. Baseball is engrained in who I am and who I will continue to be. My grandparents met when they were 15 years old at Dodgers Stadium in Brooklyn, New York. My grandfather asked my grandmother if he could walk her home after the game, and she said yes. To this day, we still have an old black and white photograph of Dodgers Stadium hanging on our dining room wall. If you ask about the picture, my grandfather will tell you stories about his days as a kid playing third base in the Brooklyn sandlots. He still has a chipped tooth from fielding a ball that took a bad bounce. A few of the kids he played with even went on to become some of the Major League’s greatest players, including one he can brag about hitting a triple off of, Sandy Koufax. Baseball was his childhood. He would skip school to run to the field
with his dad’s season pass. He even had to graduate a semester later than his class because he tended to do this during a certain English class. Then, in 1958, the Dodgers left Brooklyn. To say he and my grandmother were broken hearted would be an understatement. They both claim baseball left their lives that year, but there is no denying the look on my grandfather’s face when he sees a close play at the plate, or a walk-off home run. I guess the point I am trying to make is that sports aren’t about politics, universality, or any of the ideals people base their opinions on. It is about the sport that taught you life lessons, where you spend your childhood, what memories you will have forever with the ones you love. I know just about any statistic and historical fact you could ever want to know about baseball. I also have a shelf full of autographed cards, balls, and shirts, from Duke Snider, to Jose Lima, to Michael Bourn, but I would trade all of it for the chance to sit at Dodgers Stadium with my grandfather and watch the game that made him the man he is today. It is the same game that is making me who I am. You can call it boring or slow, but it still doesn’t compare to soccer in my eyes. Maybe you have a different opinion; that is okay with me. You can tell me that soccer offers universality, accessibility, emotion or anything else. Soccer is not the world’s sport. It is just common. Either way, I just don’t care. There are a lot of things in this world bigger than world politics and universality, the love one person can have for a game is one of them. This world may not revolve around baseball, but my world does.
The Summa
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Feathers in CyberSpace
Rebecca Mechler Editor-In-Chief I’ve heard the parable once or twice; that one about scattering feathers into the wind, then trying to pick them up again. It’s talking about gossip, America’s second favorite sport.. The moral of the story is that gossip is hurtful and can’t be taken back, a concept apparently foreign to modern media, despite the widespread nature of the story. Today’s society is incredibly obsessed with gossip. Type “gossip” into Google search. What is the first listing? It’s not Wikipedia or a definition, but rather nearly a whole page of links to celebrity dish (Wikipedia is number four). It is a testament not only to our desire for all things celebrity all the time, but also to our unhealthy glee in other people’s misfortunes. The internet makes it particularly easy to partake in the drama. The whole of the internet makes gossip secondnature in every aspect of our lives; after all, no one has to see you actually buying the National Enquirer when you are online. Celebrities’ lives become an instant extension of our own. Every fashion misstep, faux pas, hissy fit, all on display and accessible 24 hours a day. Nothing is off
limits. And it is all marketed as need-to-know news. These habits bleed into our personal lives as well. As much as I love Facebook, it gives me far more fodder for gossip than any other part of my daily routine. It’s too easy to surf through friends from high school’s pages and see who is up to what and judge, or see pictures from a party and talk. While this behavior is not something I am proud of, I know it becomes even more dangerous here at St. Thomas. The size of the campus and the number of students living in its halls isn’t very large. Most of us know nearly everyone on campus. The whole “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” idea is nonexistent. If something happens, everybody and their cousin hears. And all too often, the truth is distorted and someone is upset. The funniest part is that we know better. And sometimes we just ought to keep our mouths firmly shut. Even the Catechism of the Catholic Church has something to say about gossip. “The right to the communication of truth is not unconditional…This requires us in concrete situations to judge whether or not it is appropriate to reveal the truth to someone who asks for it” (CCC 4288). Thumper says it even more clearly: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” When we treat everything we read, see, and hear as newsworthy, we open ourselves up to judge and discuss matters that are highly personal and dangerous. If we thought gathering up blown away feathers was impossible, just imagine how much of a chore finding all the bits and bytes throughout cyberspace would be.
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The Summa
The Features
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Irish Studies brings old traditions to new building Ryan Hess Staff Writer The study of Ireland and the its people is a thing in which anyone can take interest, a thing from which anyone can benefit, a thing which contributes to what Lori Gallagher, Director of the William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies, takes to be an end of university education: the broadening of men’s minds. The Center for Irish Studies promotes an appreciation of the culture of Ireland. Dr. Joseph McFadden, former UST president, founded the Center in 2003. “[He] created the Center for Irish Studies before I came, and he approved it through the university board of directors as an academic and cultural outreach and study abroad program,” said Center Director Lori Gallagher. “My maiden name is Gallagher,” she said, “and so I come by an interest in Irish naturally from my family. My great grandfather, John Gallagher, emigrated from the county of Donegal in the mid-1800’s; and so that’s the family heritage with which I identify the most.” True to her ancestry, Gallagher studied Irish literature as an undergraduate and went on to enter a graduate program at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Then she went to law school and occupied herself as a lawyer for eighteen years. After she determined to return to her old interest in the
land of her forefathers. “It had come to a point in my legal career where I felt like I had done all I wanted to do and needed a new challenge,” she said. “And my husband and I were discussing the many different avenues that I could try to pursue and I decided that what I left off before joining the legal world was something that I wanted to pursue in more detail, which was Irish studies.” The Center provides students with an opportunity to earn a minor in Irish Studies, as well as a concentration in the Master in Liberal Arts program. To this end, it works to provide courses in a wide range of disciplines. “Our courses focus on history, politics, literature— right now, mainly Irish literature written in English, but Professor Kelleher, our new visiting scholar, would like to develop Irish literature in translation—theology, Celtic spirituality, [and] American Catholic heritage,” Gallagher said. Professor Eddie Kelleher, from Clonmel, County Tipperary, is a teacher of the Irish language for the Center. “English is widely spoken in Ireland now, and a small percentage of people use Irish on an everyday basis,” he said. “Because of our history with England and Great Britain, English has become, basically, the main language of the country. And Irish has been in decline since the Great Famine in the nineteenth century, when we had vast emigration.
Most people who would have spoken Irish emigrated because they would have been the poorest in the country.” Even though Irish has passed out of everyday use, it is still held by the Irish Republic to be important. It is the first language of Ireland, English being the second, is included in the schooling of all young Irish. “That’s how I got to learn the Irish language—in school, because my family was English-speaking,” Kelleher said. “With Irish Studies here, having an Irish language element to it really enriches the program,” he said, “and it really gives that added edge that a lot of other Irish Studies departments in America don’t have.” Over a month ago, the Center moved into a new building, a 1922 home on Yoakum Boulevard. “The President, Dr. Ivany, came to me at the end of April and said, ‘The university would like the Center for Irish Studies to move into this home.’ He commented that Campus Ministry had its eye on our former residence on 4110 Mt. Vernon,” Gallagher said. The new building features a well-apportioned reading room on the second floor, one of many things about the Center that appeal to students involved in the program. “She [Gallagher] has all of the resources here for everybody,” UST alumna Cristina Pizano-Flores said.
Photo by Michael Brannon
Director Lori Gallagher welcomes students into the new home of the Irish Studies Center. “This reading room actually is open to students, to anybody who wants to just come here and use the books. So I think she provides the students with everything that you need to really get into Irish culture in Irish studies here at the university.” The Center provides a way for students with an Irish heritage to return to their roots. Senior Mitchell Wagoner said, “I have Irish connections through my family on my mother’s side and I went to Ireland once when I was younger with my family. And I always wanted to go back after that. When I started school here I got an email from Lori offering a scholarship to take the Irish language. So, I
thought that would be a good way to get into it. And then once I started that, everything else opened up for me.” It also appeals to students of other circumstances. “It’s not just students with Irish heritage who take our courses,” Gallagher said. “It’s people who just are interested in the world, interested in international relations. We have students who have backgrounds in business and finance, international studies, history, politics, communications, it runs the gamut. And many are Hispanic or African American or have other backgrounds altogether; they don’t have a drop of Irish blood in them, but yet they are drawn to Ireland.”
A Quick Guide: keeping up with schoolwork without unnecessary stress Douglas Tobar Staff Writer With a simple observation of the students working in the library, it is obvious who is studying to get ahead and who is rushing to complete what is due for the day. To prevent experiencing stress from rushing an assignment, here are suggestions to stay organized and up to date with homework. “You chose to be bad in some ways but you can also choose to improve and choosing to improve requires a lot of self discipline, knowing that some things need to be sacrificed in order to do well in others,” said Dr. Ric Montelongo, Director for Student Success. The first, a building block to organization, is keeping
time and priorities organized. When homework is delayed, important components get left out: titles go missing and words meant for deletion are left included. An agenda is a college student’s best friend. Agendas have a monthly calendar as well as a daily calendar. The monthly calendar helps keep exam and essay due dates in order. It helps organize which assignments overlap and allow for preparation and studying. The daily calendar leaves space for assignments and their details. “I have an agenda and I always write everything that I need to do the moment I’m sitting in class,” said Freshman Juliette Casas. If too much writing in agendas causes confusion, color coordination may help
keep specific assignments straight. When each class has a specific color and all assignments in both the monthly and daily calendar are highlighted that color, confusion happens less frequently. “I’ll make a list and I’ll make it in priority order,” said Casas. Everyone can relate to the feeling of accomplishment when a challenging assignment is completed. Getting rid of the most important and difficult work first relieves a great deal of stress. Accomplishing homework one day at a time is one way to keep from getting overwhelmed. The day homework is assigned is when it should be completed. This allows time for questions to a professor through an email or
a visit to the Tutorial Services Center in Crooker. Doing homework right away instead of procrastinating prevents a pileup of assignments. “It’s really just about sitting down, putting everything away, and concentrating on doing that one task,” said Casas. If working in a group helps, form a study group with classmates. By the time students begin college, they are aware if they work better alone or in a group. Being in a group to copy answers or to socialize is not proactive. Sometimes it is best to work alone. Hours spent in quiet help decrease the time it takes to complete homework. Finally, reward yourself. College is not just about work. Set goals for each day and try
to fulfill them. “College is a difficult task,” said Montelongo. “It requires a lot of work and effort on your part, but if you don’t allow yourself some opportunity to be awarded, then college now becomes a task and not something necessarily that you enjoy doing.” Taking the time to prioritized assignments and a social life is a key to being successful in college. Everyone who procrastinates is well familiar with the little voice constantly nagging and reminding them to finish an assignment. So next time, listen to it. Do not give into procrastination, even though it is a challenge. Staying organized and on top of assignments will reduce stress.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Features
The Summa
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Club Fair and Sports Carnival The fall club fair and sports carnival offered students not only the opportunity to join a new organization on campus, but also plenty of entertainment, including a rock wall, sweet treats, inflatables, and music provided by 104.1 KRBE. Student clubs, organizations, sports associations, and local groups lined the Academic Mall on September 15 and attracted new members with food, games, prizes, give-aways, and the promise of more good times to come throughout the semester. Photos courtesy Shelvia Smith and Micaela Brebion
Another creative mind joins UST Drama Department Becky Tapia Staff Writer The Drama program at UST is a unique place to learn. Each play is very handson, with as much student participation as possible. Students build the sets, make most of the costumes, and are responsible for locating and even building props. A Drama major learns the ins and outs of theatre, from stage makeup to movement to lighting and set design. This is an aspect that many Texas theatre schools do not offer. Justin Doran, the newest addition to UST’s Drama Department, fell in love with theater at a young age, and decided to pursue a career in the performing arts. “I was always fascinated as an audience member from a very early age attending the theatre with my parents. It seemed very mysterious, challenging, and though I didn’t understand everything that was happening I did understand enough to know I was experiencing something very special. I still feel that way now,” Doran said. He has over 100 professional credits nationally, regionally, and locally as an
actor, director, and producer. In 2009, he played Little Stone in the Alley Theatre’s production of Euridyce. In 2010, he played the villain Crowther in Main Street Theatre’s production of Driftwood. He is currently directing UST Drama alumn Alexandria Ward in Black Lab Theatre’s production of Farragut North. His work consistently tops the “Best Plays of the Year” list as compiled by The Houston Chronicle, in addition to being selected as Best Actor by the Houston Press in 2008 for his role as Senator Joseph Cantwell in Main Street Theater’s production of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Southern Methodist University, and a Master in Fine Arts in Theatre/Film/Television from University of California-Los Angeles, and is a member of both the Actors Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild. Doran became familiar with UST after he had a chance to work with well-known Houston Theatre personality and UST Drama professor Sam Havens. “I have had the pleasure
Photo by Katherine Casey
Drama King
New Drama director Justin Doran displays his humorous side in Jones Hall. of directing one of Sam Havens’ plays before starting on the faculty here. He is an absolute dream to work with. I am honored to be on the UST faculty with both he and Claire,” Doran said. Doran’s passion for theatre is matched only by his passion for teaching. “I have worked in theatre, film, and television for my entire professional career, but have never been more fulfilled as when I am working
with young artists. I am the happiest when I am teaching the craft and working on my own simultaneously.” Doran is also teaching Drama at Rice University. He is thankful for his opportunity to work with so many different individuals. “My classes at both campuses are always filled to capacity with young artists trying to find their voice and work on solidifying a process or way of working that meets
their needs as performing artists,” said Doran. Doran’s passion for directing new and emerging works is fed by his continued work as a guest director for Wordsmyth Theatre Company, Thunderclap Productions, and his ongoing collaboration with The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. He also serves on the Board of Directors at Thunderclap Productions. “I was working with the Alley Resident Company for a number of years and then began to get directing offers. I feel very blessed to be in demand as a freelance director and still perform locally in the union houses around town. I can be seen next as an actor as part of the season at Stages Repertory Theatre” UST’s mission statement was what really made Doran want to become a professor here. His can-do attitude will serve as an inspiration to both students who intend to major in Drama and also to students who are curious about theatre. “I hope to bring new ideas, new energy, a collaborative spirit, a renewed sense of ensemble, and a come on, come all attitude to the UST community.”
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The Entertainment
The Summa
Thursday, September 22, 2011
FOX’s Glee is too relatable for young, modern audiences to turn off more. Occasionally. Stefanie Hernandez Staff Writer
My fellow Gleeks and I are warming up for yet another season of Glee, the Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning musical comedy on FOX. At least, I hope people are eagerly anticipating another season; I’m not too sure if I’m up for 10-weeks worth of overthe-top teenage romances, exaggerated song and dance numbers, and dialogue that fluctuates from monstrously offensive one-liners (even if we all laugh at it) to cheesy inspirational pep-talks. Glee, which at first glance could be dismissed as a televised High School Musical rip-off, has become the sometimes secret guiltypleasures of people who love musicals, high school drama, parodies on American culture, covers of popular songs, and Journey music. (Trust me, there is a lot of Journey music). Though Glee might seem like a sugary, and at times, offensively blunt depiction of teenage life during high school, it can be so much
When the first season of Glee aired, I was one of the many who instantly sneered at the promotional previews for the show’s raunchy makeout scenes and cover songs of popular musicals – ‘cause come on, why watch a bunch of 20-something little known actors playing high school kids prance around while trying (and failing) to measure up to the talent of Barbara Streisand? This decision of mine, however, did not last long, considering that after listening to an impressive cover of Wicked’s “Defying Gravity,” sung by Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) and, Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer), I simply had to hear more. As it turned out, these 20-year-old actors weren’t lacking so badly in talent, both in singing and acting, after all. The Glee club soon showcased all the outcasts of high school’s popularity hierarchy: an overweight Mercedez, crippled Arthur, in-the-closet Kurt, and most noticeably, Rachel, whose combination of charismatic star talent and
overbearing awareness of it have made her a girl both despised and admired by her peers. One aspect I’ve liked about the show is how it addresses serious teenage problems. During the first season, the initially perfect and popular cheerleader Quinn Fabray finds herself pregnant. Even though she’s faced with the outrage of her parents, who expect her to maintain the angelic status of Chastity Club President, she never considers the option to terminate her pregnancy – something that could have easily hidden her mistake from her Christian, Glenn Beck watching parents, who throw her out once they find out about her pregnancy (And yes, the news is broken with a song. It’s a TV musical, what else would you expect?) Adoption is an issue also discussed in the first season, when Rachel Berry, who is adopted by two gay Jewish dads, is overcome by the need for a female maternal presence in her life, sets out to find her mother. Adoption is shown to be the truly loving option,
when Rachel’s birth mother, played by Wicked star Idina Menzel, goes on to adopt Quinn’s baby. In spite of the show’s other inappropriate aspects, I found the issues of both teen pregnancy and adoption to have a subtle pro-life message that (almost) redeems the shows objectionable and more superficial aspects. Season two has taken up the crusade for homosexuality with fabulously overworked vigor. The issue of bullying is a serious one, and a moot issue. The show’s focus on the effects of homophobia took center stage; almost literally during several episodes, as a now outted Kurt flaunts his new-found confidence in his sexuality – even when it means brutal harassment. The show’s single Latino character, Santana; (played by Naya Rivera) also faces the struggle of being very deeply in the closet and in love with her best friend, the stereotypically vacant blond cheerleader, Brittney (Heather Morrison). Santana refuses to out a sexuality that she’s just
now discovering, and at some points, the show dissolves into a mess of melodramatic tears of heartrending songs and confusion. Ah, to be a young, gorgeous cheerleader, whose greatest woe in life is knowing that you can’t openly show your feelings to the one you love, because you fear how other people will think, and even worse – gasp!- how it will affect your popularity. I have found myself snickering at the gross parody of American egocentrism and selfishness that the Glee kids often display. There are people who will watch because they simply have to see “Willemma”get together one day. On a deeper level, Glee is about outcasts trying to find a place to belong. Oh, just finding out that you just really, really like to sing and having the spotlight on you. I, personally, would prefer to have any son of mine prancing about a music room, learning the choreography to a questionably appropriate Journey song than engage in any potential trouble.
TV Tracker Katie Thomson
Castle (ABC)
Photo courtesy ABC
Glee (FOX)
New Girl (FOX)
Photo courtesy FOX
What it’s about: Writer extraordinaire Richard Castle and NYPD Detective Kate Beckett team up to crack the case in this suave crime drama.
What it’s about: Members of McKinnley High’s Glee Club singing their way through the dramas, pressures, and highlights of high school.
Why watch?: Last season’s cliffhanger left Castle trying to save Beckett from death after she is shot by a sniper. Will they find the shooter, and will they ever admit they’re in love?
Why watch?: The New Directions are back after bombing at Nationals. This season is all about putting the spotlight on the seniors about to graduate. Keep an eye out for new freshmen!
Dr. Who (BBC America)
Photo courtesy BBC America
What it’s about: A time-travelling hero who ventures through time, dragging his newlymarried companions to opposite ends of time and space in his TARDIS. Why watch?: The Doctor, Amy, and Rory are on the hunt for River Song after they discover she is their daughter in the future, while stopping to pick up several adventures along the way.
Unforgettable (CBS)
Photo courtesy CBS
What it’s about: A new crime drama featuring a former cop’s medically rare but true ability to remember every detail of every day. Why watch?: This show, like many other procedurals, is one of those that can go on forever. When the young investigator recounts details, the slow-mo recreations of scenes we’ve seen already doom the series. Don’t bother.
Photo courtesy FOX
What it’s about: A cute girl finds herself moved in with three roommates after a bad break up. Why watch? : If you’re familiar with Zooey Deschanel, you’ll enjoy the awkward, quirky humor her character Jess Day brings to the house as she learns to live with three guys and form a charmingly dysfunctional family.
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Photo courtesy CBS
What it’s about: Alan, a single, uptight dad, his son Jake, and their new roommate, Walden Schmidt all help each other overcome their losses. Why watch? : After the death of Charlie (Charlie Sheen), Alan and Jake get Walden (Ashton Kutcher) as a new roommate. Apparently, 28 million viewers tuned in to see Kutcher’s debut
Entertainment
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Summa
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Franks Pizza: small shack downtown with sweet deals and promising food Fransisco Montes Staff Writer Located on 417 Travis Street downtown, tucked in right next to Cabo’s, Frank’s Pizza is unassuming and anything but flashy compared to its neighbor; but, don’t let its exterior fool you: Frank’s contains some of the best food treasures Houston has to offer. This classic little pizza shack is a great downtown hangout and is open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Once you walk in, it is a straight shot to the pizza line behind a glass case where you can order pizza by the slice or whole. As soon as you get to the counter, you will notice the wondrous aroma of food cooking coming from the kitchen fills the dining area. Behind the counter they have a nice beverage selection that includes the standard fare of soft drinks as well as a nice selection of bottle drinks including teas and beers. Frank’s has three different beers on tap, and some of the cheapest St. Arnold beer in
town at just $2 a bottle. Oddly enough, they also sell chips alongside cookies and pecan brownies. The addition of selling packs of cigarettes gives off something between a pizza joint and a small convenience store vibe, considering that you could very well walk in just for a beer and a packet of cigarettes and skip the food offerings all together; however, that would be a shame considering the caliber of Frank’s food. Their employees are always hospitable and ready to accommodate and the patrons vary from business men on their lunch break during the week to bar hoppers out late during the weekend getting something to eat before calling it a night. Once you take a look at the pizza you might be tempted to overlook the fact Frank’s does much more. They offer a wide variety of foods ranging from salads to sandwiches and even fried wings. One of their stand-out items is a delicious bacon cheeseburger, which has a thick
and juicy patty, topped with the standard fixings. It’s served on a toasted whole wheat bun alongside seasoned fries that are just the right amount of crispy. Amongst these are the pizza roll appetizers that can be ordered in either cheese or pepperoni. Don’t be fooled by their name and dismiss them as a simple little treat before the main course; these rolls can fill someone up on their own. The pizza rolls are stuffed to capacity with cheese and pepperoni and are held together by a crispy outer shell made from the same breading as the crust used in Frank’s other standard pizzas. Be warned however, these tend to sop on the greasy side, and biting into one as soon as it’s out of the oven may sprout an oil leak. Of course, the main attraction of Frank’s is the pizza and it is the epitome of what pizza should be. There is no deep-dish or thin crust to be found here. The slices are just the right amount of thickness without being too crispy or too flimsy, and the
Photo courtesy Fransisco Montes
toppings just slide off. As the foundation of the pizza, the sauce is neither overpowering nor underwhelming. It isn’t layered on too thickly, is spread out evenly. The toppings are always plentiful, evenly distributed, and nicely complimented by the cheese. They offer a variety including the classics (Supreme, Hawaiian, Pepperoni, etc.) and their own creative specialty pizzas like the “Chicken Fiesta” (think Supreme but with chicken instead) or “Chicken Pesto.” The prices
won’t leave your wallet starving either, considering that the pizzas average around $20 for a large, and about $3 for a slice. Frank’s is a small space, but has plenty of seating to offer. Since the dining area extends all the way to a second floor with plenty of booths and tables, a large group of people wouldn’t be a problem. Next time your craving some pizza or a burger that’s quick and cheap set by fast food and regular pizza chains -Frank’s Pizza is waiting.
Top ten movies hitting theaters this Fall to be sure to go see Becky Tapia
Staff Writer This past summer, movie theaters were full of bittersweet farewells, critical darlings, horrible flops, and legendary beginnings. The fall movie season is always full of both blockbusters and Oscar contenders. This season, the lit nerd is king, with the first half of the end of the Twilight series, the American debut of Stieg Larson’s internationally best-selling The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, and a movie version of Hunter S. Thompson’s The Rum Diary starring Johnny Depp. Here is a preview of what promises to be some of the season’s best films: Moneyball (Sept 23): Directed by Bennett Miller (Capote) and based on Micheal Lewis’ 2003 nonfiction best-seller, this “non-baseball movie” baseball movie stars Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The movie follows Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (Pitt) as he attempts to revive the image of his cash-starved team by rejecting some of baseball’s most fundamental assumptions. A long time passion project of Pitt’s, this movie promises to be a rewarding underdog story that
will appeal to both baseball fans and movie fans alike. Dolphin Tale (Sept 23): If you’re looking for a heartwarming film appropriate for the whole family, this movie, directed by Charles Martin Smith, is right up your alley. It’s based on the true story of a dolphin named who lost her tail off the Florida coast and the efforts of a marine biologist (Harry Connick Jr.) and a prosthetics expert (Morgan Freeman) to help her to swim again. The little ones will be excited to know that Winter plays herself in the movie. Red State (Sept 23): Kevin Smith fans will be happy to know that the director’s long-awaited horror film is finally here. The movie, which is about a preacher (Kill Bill’s Michael Parks) who leads a group of religious zealots to commit murder for Jesus, was shot in a month for less than $4 million, and is a return to Smith’s indie roots. It will also be on demand starting Sept. 1. Footloose (Oct 14): This remake of a 1980’s classic has gone through a lot to get to the big screen. City-boy Ren McCormack, the role originated by Kevin Bacon, was briefly held and then passed on by both Zac Efron and Chace Crawford before newcomer Kenny
Wormwald from MTV’s Dancelife stepped in. Director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) took the helm after Kenny Ortega (High School Musical) dropped out. Dancing With the Stars’ Julianne Hough plays Ren’s love interest Ariel, while Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell round out the rest of the cast. The story has been updated to include modern Step Up-style choreography and a more racially diverse cast, but will still include Ren’s gymnastics-heavy angry dance from the original and a number featuring Ren’s rhythm-impaired sidekick Willard (Rabbit Hole’s Miles Teller). The Rum Diary (Oct 28): Johnny Depp first approached director Bruce Robinson, director of the cult hit and a Depp favorite Withnail & I, about working on 1998’s Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas but was politely declined. A decade later, Depp sent Robinson a copy of Hunter S. Thompsons early novel The Rum Diary, a tale of an expat American newsman down and out in Puerto Rico, and the film, a passion project of two longtime Thompson fans, was made. Amber Heard and Aaron Eckhart also star. Breaking Dawn: Part 1 (Nov 18): Call it the beginning of
the end for R-Patz, K-Stew and the rest of the toothy, fury Twilight cast. Breaking Dawn is the first part of the last book of the series. The movie will satisfy several cravings of tweens and their delighted mothers. Bella and Edward’s wedding, honeymoon on Esme Island, and the consummation of their marriage before Bella’s vampiric transformation. The movie will feature a love scene not included in the book, as well as the violent, tragic birth of Bella’s daughter and the special relationship she shares with Taylor Lautner’s Jacob. The Muppets (Nov 23): Jason Segel first fell in love with comedy while watching Jim Henson’s lovable felt creatures on the big screen in Muppets Take Manhattan and Muppets in Space, and on the small screen on The Muppet Show, Muppet Babies, and Muppets: Tonight! When he had the opportunity to work with Jim Henson’s muppet team during Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Segel decided to write his own Muppet movie in an attempt to reintroduce a new generation of kids to the lovable characters of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. The movie is directed by James Bobin (Flight of the Chonchords). Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Dec 16): Director Guy Ritchie and actors Robert Downey Jr. and
Jude Law return in a sequel to Ritchie’s wildly popular update of the novels featuring the famous detective. The bromance between Holmes (Downey Jr.) and his sidekick Dr. Watson (Jude Law) continues despite Watson’s impending nuptials. Jared Harris plays Holmes’ longstanding archenemy, Moriarty. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Dec 21): In order to play Lisbeth Salander, the titular character in Stieg Larsen’s novels, actress Rooney Mara had her hair chopped and dyed, her eyebrows bleached, and several body parts pierced. Director David Fincher was more excited than nervous to direct the American version of the films. Daniel Craig plays Salander’s guardian, Mickeal Bloomkvist. The movie will feature some violent and sureto-be controversial scenes in which Mara’s character is abused, but it will be very true to the book. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Dec 21): Pixar’s Brad Bird makes his directing debut in the fourth and possibly final film to the massive Tom Cruise franchise. This is sure to be an action-packed movie filled with death defying stunts by a cast featuring Cruise, The Town’s Jeremy Renner, and Paula Patton.
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The Summa
Entertainment
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Top things in vending machines that might be bad choices to purchase Jihane Rodriguez Staff Writer We have all been there. Staring in from the outside of the vending machine salivating, wishing it takes our creased dollar, and wanting to devour snacks on a crazy eating frenzy that would leave the cookie monster to shame. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating, but we have all been tempted to grab a thing or two from the vending machine every now and then. Have you ever considered how unhealthy many of these snacks are? Let’s just explore into the little known and discover really how much junk we are eating each time we give into temptation. According to different sources, your number one vending machine enemy is Cookies! Yes, sorry, but vending machine cookies are one of the biggest offenders packing on average a whooping 300 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 20 grams of sugar (I bet you didn’t know
Photo courtesy Rebecca Skaff
that, did you?) Next on the “bad choice” list are, of course, Candy Bars (think Snickers Bar) with 266 calories, 11 grams of fat, 37 grams of carbohydrates, and 28 grams of sugar per bar! Apparently, many of us think of a snickers bar as the equivalent of having a meal on the go, but in reality, it lacks
Sudoku
Riddle of the Month:
Q: Take one out and scratch my head, I am now black but once was red. A: A Match
many of the essentials of a good meal, and although it does boost energy, it’s mainly good for a sugar rush rather than true energy, which proper food provides. The third place goes to Snack Cakes, such as Hostess Cakes’ “Suzy Q’s” chocolate with cream filling; yes, these sound rather tempting during
gruelling study hours don’t they? But snack cakes such as these contain an average of 230 calories, 9 grams of fat, 35 grams of carbohydrate, and 21 grams of sugar; do you know how many miles you have to walk to get rid of 230 calories? (The thought of this hurts even more when it was all consumed in one bite or two). This next one is sad; it’s sad to realize such a nice tasting fast breakfast fix is actually so unhealthy: yes, Breakfast Pastries such as Pop Tarts. One little frosted strawberry pop tart contains as much as 200 calories, 45 grams of fat and 16 grams of sugar so basically you just boost your sugar up to super high levels only for it to fall down to the ground a few hours later, at the most. They actually drop these by parachutes to Marines to keep them calorie packed since they work so hard physically. Next we move on to the savories. Chips such as “Doritos Nacho Cheesier” chips are not only packed with food coloring, but fat; one pack
Puzzles Corner September Crossword
ACROSS 3. B-flat enharmonic 6. Mott’s Product 7. Water bottle capacity 9. Pitched Shelter 11. Org. with Raiders and Steelers 14. Sent to the gallows 15. “The Grapes of Wrath” family name
16. Japanese Wrestling 18. Dispatched, as a dragon 19. Bridal Accessory DOWN 1. What Daredevils seems to lack 2. Dickens’s Uriah 4. Wore an Upside down frown
of “Doritos Nacho Cheesier” chips contains 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 17 grams of carbohydrates. When going for chips it might be better to stick to the baked versions. They have less fat, hence healthier, and keep an eye on those nasty trans-fat. And last but not least sodas (full sugar); Sodas contain extremely high levels of sugar, which can not only make you gain weight, but it can also affect blood vessels and some suggest causes that dreaded cellulite around your tights. Sodas contains on average, 27 grams of sugar, which is what makes them a bad choice. Stick to bottled water, iced tea, and fruit juices (not from concentrate) when buying a drink from a vending machine they are a healthier option, without a doubt. Good choices? Sure there are a few good choices, bottled water, baked chips, dried fruit, nutrition bars, nuts, yogurts, tea and pretzels are some. And perhaps taking a trip to the gym twice a week? Just saying!
Created By Katie Thomson
5. Estate Beneficiary 8. _____ santo: Spanish graveyard 10. Latin Ballroom Dance 12. Military Team 13. String quartet member 14. Mandlikova of tennis 17. “Got ____?” Answers at www.ust.wordpress.summa.com
The Sports & Clubs
The Summa
Thursday, September 22, 2011
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UST welcomes new sports Men’s soccer defeated by UT-Brownsville Jeff Coburn Staff Writer The St. Thomas athletics program continues to expand its presence with the introduction of new teams in women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s golf. “All of the players are great citizens, great students, and great athletes with lofty expectations for the upcoming season,” said Lady Celts basketball Head Coach Mike Ricks. The sixteen players were selected from a pool of 80 prospective athletes in the March 2011 tryouts. They face off against the University of Houston Cougars on November 7. “We like to play challenging opponents to be battle-tested by the time we start conference play,” said Ricks. He is assisted by Volunteer Assistant Coach Gerald Brown and student coach Jennifer Wade. The Celts Men’s Golf team has returned to the links for the first time since 1985.
Golf coach Matt Luther brings experience as a member of the Professional Golfers Association of America and a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Golf Fitness Instructor. The men’s team has already experienced success at the September 13 season opener at the John Bohmann Memorial Golf Tournament in Seguin, Texas, where freshman Zach Cabra tied for 13th place. The teams are comprised of fourteen players: nine men and five women. According to Luther, each of the Celt’s golfers possesses a solid work ethic; however, their intense play is balanced by a great sense of their humor. Like Coach Ricks, Coach Luther is determined to see success on the links combine with developing academic, moral, and social success. The men and women each compete in fewer than nine tournaments per year, so they must make every shot count. Like UST’s women’s basketball squad, UST’s golf teams are primed to pursue a championship season.
Chris Michels Staff Writer The UST Men’s soccer team fought well but came up short 2-1 against UTBrownsville on Friday, September 16 at the Houston Amateur Sports Park. U T- B r o w n s v i l l e , the defending Red River Champions, were able to block a goal at the end of the first half, making the halftime
score zero for both. As heard in the stands, “Nobody wants to fight for the fifty-fifty ball,” summed up the first fifteen minutes of the second half, as the both teams struggled to gain control of the field. This allowed for the UT-Brownsville team to take advantage of two goals. However after coming together and continually pressuring the UT team, Rico Pardo, #7,
scored late in the second half, and the team started to rally never letting the pressure off. The team, transformed by the goal, fought for every field position and every free ball, but was unable to catch up to UT. Coach Aaron Champenoy said the team has the talent and potential for winning. The next game is Sunday September 18, 2 p.m. at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
Photo by Chris Michels
HEADS UP Despite a disappointing first half, the Celts managed a goal by the end of the game, bringing the score to 2-1.
SGA kicks off new year, programming
Upcoming Events
Sean Kriger
Thursday, Sept. 22
Staff Writer The Student Government Association has started the year exceedingly well. With freshman elections finished, nearly all positions have been filled. Along with new members, the Senate will be bringing in a new mentality and new initiatives this year. President David Torres has started a new system for clubs from the website CollegiateLink. Now, students will be able to view clubs and events on campus through an exclusive website so that it will be easier to be active on campus and view pertinent activities. Each club will be able to post events and notify its members of upcoming meetings. The site is expected by early Spring. SGA is also starting its traditions committee. This committee will work closely with alumni and current students to re-enliven the campus. A few traditions currently exist, most notable being Neewollah, but more campus events and yearly traditions may bring more campus participation. Not only will these traditions help students recreationally, but alumni will also be directed towards career services and
Salsa Contest Crooker Patio 6:00 PM
Friday, Sept. 23 Augustine Coffee House Clare Hall 2:00 PM SAB Bingo Guinan Lobby 4:00 PM
Thursday, Sept. 29 Archbishop Miller Lecture Jones Hall 7:30 PM
Friday, Sept. 30 Photo by Michael Brannon
Kick Off With elections now finished up, SGA will be starting on new legislature for the coming year. Several plans have already been set in motion. bring more job and internship opportunities to UST. SGA is working on creating town hall meetings for students to discuss current issues they face at St. Thomas. Dates and times are still being worked out, but these meetings will most likely be held once a month and discuss topics such
as financial aid and tuition. The ultimate goal is to close the gap between students and faculty. SGA will be moving into the former Campus Ministry office. SGA will use their space as an area for students to gather and discuss their ideas, questions, and concerns.
Women’s Volleyball Jerabeck Gym 7:00 PM
Saturday, Oct. 1
Volleyball Tailgate for Dig Pink Jerabeck Gym 3:00 PM
Tuesday, Oct. 4
Intramural Table Tennis Doubles Jerabeck Lobby
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The Summa
Advertising
Thursday, September 22, 2011
UST Alum Owned and Operated
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Daily Happy Hour 3-7 p.m. Daily Bucket Specials Daily Industry Specials
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