The Paisano Vol. 46 Issue 9

International student athletes

To learn how to go local see page 6

see page 8

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

October 18, 2011

Volume 46

Issue 9

MARRIAGE EQUALITY

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* marched to court’s doorstep for same-sex unofficial ceremony Sarah Gibbens

Sarah Gibbens/ The Paisano

news@paisano-online.com This past Saturday, members from the LGBTQIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*) community of San Antonio came together to protest unequal marriage laws at the March for Marriage Equality.

Beginning in Milam Park downtown, activists marched to the Bexar County Courthouse with cheers that demanded equality “here and now.” Since gay and lesbian couples cannot legally marry in Texas, the march allowed couples to be “married” on the courthouse steps.

While not legal, their marriages served as peaceful protests against what they stated as outdated and unjust laws.

These commitment ceremonies took place across the state of Texas.

Following National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, the march highlighted ways in which members of the LGBTQIA community lack equal civil rights afforded to heterosexuals. Gay and lesbian couples also lack legal and financial benefits that come with a state recognized marriage.

“Over 1,138 federal rights provided by marriage are denied to families (of same-sex) due to state and federal regulations like the Defense of Marriage Act,” Jay Morris, state leader for GetEQUAL, said. “There is a need to protect the 17,000 same-sex couples in Texas who are raising children together.”

The march was organized by members of LGBTQIA San Antonio. John Deau Domingue, a Trinity University student who was one of the march organizers, said, “Creating this event took several months, hard work, countless emails, texts and phone calls.” Domingue, who was pleased with the resulting protest, believes students are, “more empowered than they realize… they are a powerhouse in bringing change.”

On the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse, members of the LGBT community shared their experiences and talked about what it was like to struggle against the negative judgment sometimes shown towards gay and lesbian partnerships.

Luca Keefer, a Trinity University freshman, spoke about growing up in a conservative Catholic environment and the difficulty in finding yourself amongst prejudices and discrimination.

See CEREMONY, Page 2

Members of the LGBTQIA congregate at the steps of the Bexar Country Court House to participate in the unofficial same-sex ceremony on Oct. 11

Bachmann pledges border fence with Mexico

University copes with loss of treasured faculty member Ryan Branch

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann on Saturday signed a pledge to push for construction of a fence along the entire length of the border with Mexico, raising the issue of illegal immigration in an Iowa town where about one third of the residents are Hispanic.

Bachmann also renewed her attacks on the immigration policies of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, one of the rivals for the Republican nomination, and she criticized President Barack Obama for what she called his failure to control the border.

“President Obama has failed the American people by failing to secure the southern border,” said Bachmann.

“I will secure that border and that will be job one.”

Bachmann’s call for increased border security was made in a town where

the meatpacking industry has drawn immigrant workers. Thirty-two percent of the town’s 9,800 residents are Hispanic.

Van Hipp Jr., head of Americans for Securing Our Border, said Bachmann was the first GOP presidential hopeful to sign the pledge, but he added the group plans to aggressively seek the support of others as well. The document binds Bachmann to support the construction of a double fence along the length of the U.S. border with Mexico by 2013.

“I have been saying this all through the campaign,” Bachmann said. “Now you have my word in writing.”

See AP, Page 2

Dr. Debbie Lopez’s dedication to her students was surpassed only by her students’ dedication to her.

Lopez, associate professor of English and graduate advisor, passed away on Oct. 14, 2011.

In spite of a lengthy illness, Lopez always found a way to be accessible to her students. Even in her last semester of teaching, spring 2011, she did not let her illness keep her from her students, who would sometimes pick her up for class from her home in Boerne, Texas when she was unable to drive.

“I met Dr. Lopez in 2005 in my Intro to Graduate Studies class,” former student and teaching assistant Christina Gutierrez said. “She was very devoted to her students

Courtesy of UTSA

Associated Press

news@paisano-online.com

Debbie Lopez

and she was always very knowledgeable.”

Lopez specialized in Anglo-

American studies. Anglo-American studies is an English discipline that focuses on the relationship between American and British literature. Lopez began teaching at UTSA in 1993 after earning her Ph. D. from Harvard University’s Department of English and American Literature and Language.

“She was a brilliant teacher and scholar; totally devoted to her students,” Dr. Jeanne Reesman, professor of English and Ph. D. graduate advisor of record said.

“She would always go above and beyond to help students. She was also very easy to talk to and had a great sense of humor.”

Students and faculty remembered her on the Facebook page of UTSA’s Department of English.

See LOPEZ, Page 2

2

News

The Paisano

October 18, 2011

Sarah Gibbens/ The Paisano

AP: Governor Perry bashed for providing in-state tuition for children of immigrants

Young children attend downtown march to support their parents of the same-sex .

ceremony: UTSA’s GLBTQ rallies San Antonians in favor of nontraditional unions From Page 1

Keefer, who is also a member of Trinity’s Sexual Diversity Alliance said she protested to “pave the way for future generations, so that they can be free to love without someone telling them their love is wrong.

“It’s important for students to have a safe environment to be themselves and be accepted by their peers,” Keefer said.

The rally was also supported by members of the UTSA’s GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning) club. Sean Goerner, who serves as the political committee chair for GLBTQ, believes the anti-gay marriage laws in Texas are largely due

to “ignorance and close-mindedness.

“People are just afraid of what they don’t know, and, if they choose to educate themselves or get to know a GLBTQ person, those feelings would vanish,” Goerner said.

Goerner notes that Dick Cheney, a notoriously conservative politician, supports gay marriage, largely because one of his daughters is a lesbian.

With roughly 70 members the GLBTQ club is one of the largest organizations on campus, already an indication of the kind of change that can be brought about when people stand up against discrimination and are free to be themselves. This past Wednesday, Oct. 12, GLBTQ hosted their special ‘Bring an Ally’ meeting

in which all who support the GLBTQ community could come out and show their support of equality for members of GLBTQ. Over a hundred members and their allies occupied the UC Ballroom during this event. As support for LGBTQIA rights increases, many are speaking out against unequal treatment by the law.

“This is a matter of human rights,” Isabel Engle said, an organizer for GetEQUAL Texas. “Peaceful protesting and having a voice in the government is what democracy is all about and it may not be long before America looks back on marriage inequality as an injustice of the past.”

From Page 1

She called control of the border a national security issue and said illegal immigration costs the U.S. more than $100 billion a year. At the same time she rejected suggestions that talking about cracking down on illegal immigrants is racist or anti-Hispanic.

“It’s OK to talk about this issue,” said Bachmann. “Some say it’s not OK to talk about this subject because that somehow means we are prejudiced or bigoted or biased against Hispanics.

That’s not what I hear from the people of Iowa. They are tired of paying for other people.”

Hipp said the pledge was intended to insure that action is taken on the issue.

“For too long, too many politicians have given only lip service to the war on our border,” Hipp said. “The rule of law has been ignored and the federal government has been derelict in its duty in defending our borders.”

Cracking down on illegal immigration has become a major theme in the GOP race, with most of the candidates charging that Perry isn’t tough enough on the issue.

Perry has taken a lot of heat for Texas’ policy of allowing the children of il-

legal immigrants to pay in-state tuition to attend public colleges. Bachmann raised the issue again Saturday.

“In 2009 in Texas there were 12,138 students that benefited from that,” Bachmann said. “That cost the taxpayers of Texas $25.9 million.”

Bachmann congratulated Hipp’s group for injecting the immigration issue into the campaign, calling it a “wonderful gift.”

She said that an alleged Iranian plot to launch a campaign of bombing and assassination in the U.S. would have involved people slipping across the border illegally.

“This is not just an economic issue, this is also a national security issue,” Bachmann said. “It’s an issue dealing with terrorism.”

Bachmann noted that 59,000 of those who cross the border illegally each year come from countries other than Mexico. She also argued that it will be virtually impossible to cut into the nation’s jobless rate until illegal immigration is reduced.

Bachmann told reporters she chose the town of Perry for signing the pledge because of its demographics. When asked if she chose Perry because it is the namesake of a leading opponent in the race, she said, “I thought about that too.”

LOPEZ: Mentor to be honored by students and faculty Oct. 18 From Page 1

“She was a brilliant scholar and one of the most encouraging professors I have ever known. She always took the time to help me or answer my questions,” wrote Michelle Neuman. “She was an inspiration. I will miss her very much.”

Lopez served as the Graduate Advisor for Master’s program students.

“She was treasured by her students,” said Dr. Mark Allen, English Professor. “Different professors have different profiles in how they stand out as educators. (Lopez’s) profile was her total commitment to her students and that care was reciprocated by her stu-

dents.”

Students, colleagues, and faculty members remember her as a powerful influence on their academic and personal life.

“She was very special to our graduate students,” said Reina Vargas, Administrative Associate for the English Department’s graduate program. “I can remember many students saying that if it were not for her, they would not have made it through the Master’s program. Her passing has had a profound effect on current and former students alike.”

A memorial service is planned for Oct. 18 at 7:00pm at Vaughan’s Funeral Home in Boerne, Texas.

October 18, 2011

The Paisano

News Advertisement

3

News

4

The Paisano

October 18, 2011

Joshua Morales

news@paisano-online.com The Welch Foundation was established in 1954 by Robert A. Welch, a millionaire who had a passion for chemistry and for Texas. This semester, the Welch Foundation is giving $1.5 million to UTSA to establish the Robert A. Welch Chair in chemistry, pushing the university closer to Tier One status.

Welch attained success and fortune in the oil and mineral industry and believed chemistry was important to the betterment of the world. His will states, “I have long been impressed with the great possibilities for the betterment of mankind that lay in the field of research in the domain of chemistry.”

His foundation provides research grants, endowed chairs and departmental programs. The foundation also hosts an annual conference, where leading chemists sponsor the Welch Award in chemistry, focusing primarily on scientific advancement in Texas.

UTSA is on a mission to find a distinguished scientist that will help the university in the advancement of the sciences. Not long ago, the Texas legislature passed a bill that would give millions of dollars in funding to emerging schools in research across the state.

UTSA was one of six schools scheduled to receive these funds.

UTSA has provided $1.2 billion to the local economy. The school also has nearly 81,000 alumni and has increased research spending by 97 percent within the last five years—placing it as the second research institution in the UT System. The additional funds from the Welch Foundation will allow UTSA to reach their goal of receiving a $400 million endowment.

“The funds will be combined with another $1.5 million from UTSA to form a $3 million endowment to attract and support a world-class chemist,” George Perry, Dean and Professor of the College of Sciences, said. “This recruitment will increase the number and quality of

research opportunities for UTSA students. It will also raise the profile of chemical research at UTSA.” Waldemar Gorski, chair of the Department of Chemistry, explained what this gift means for UTSA. “We are looking for an internationally recognized scientist to join the Department of Chemistry as the Robert A. Welch Endowed Chair,” Gorski said.

“Preference will be given to individuals whose research is at the interface of chemistry and biology with an emphasis on biomedically relevant chemistry.

The Welch Chair’s endowment will support the candidate’s research efforts including research personnel, travel to scientific meetings, chemicals, instrumentation and laboratory supplies.”

Students are also weighing in on the topic of greater advancement for UTSA. “As a student at UTSA, I am excited to see our efforts in reaching Tier One research status. This is an important step forward for the College of Sci-

File Photo

Welch Foundation establishes Robert A. Welch chair for chemistry

More intensive research will be underway as soon as the College of Sciences recruit a new chemist.

ences,” senior political science major Richard C. Rodriguez said. “The sheer amount shows how important research is for our university. This is exactly the sort of opportunity the university needs to show our dedication to higher education and commitment to discovery in the world of science.”

The College of Sciences plans to recruit a chemist as soon as possible to

begin intensive research here at UTSA. Mr. Gorski also mentioned that they “also anticipate that the Welch Chair will establish productive research collaborations with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and Southwest Research Institute.”

WEEKLY POLICE BLOTTER Write for news!

COURTESY OF UTSA PD

Incident: Reckless Driving Location: Main Campus: Parking lots: Lot 5 Date/Time Reported: 10/16 4:44 PM Disposition: Unknown

Incident: Possession of controlled substance Location: Main Campus: Margaret Tobin Ave Date/Time Reported: 10/14 1:52 AM Disposition: Cleared by arrest

Incident: Theft Location: Main Campus: Convocation Center Date/Time Reported: 10/16 2:59 AM Disposition: Active

Incident: Duty on striking unattended vehicle Location: Main Campus: Police department Date/Time Reported: 10/13 4:09 PM Disposition: Active

Incident: Consumption of alcohol by a minor Location: Main Campus: Chaparral Village Date/Time Reported: 10/16 1:52 AM Disposition: Cleared by arrest

Incident: Criminal mischief Location: University Oaks: Phase II Date/Time Reported: 10/13 12:57 PM Disposition: Active

Incident: Driving while intoxicated Location: Main Campus: 1604 access road Date/Time Reported: 10/15 1:21 AM Disposition: Cleared by arrest

Incident: Disorderly conduct Location: Main Campus: off campus Date/Time Reported: 10/12 06:54 Disposition: Cleared by arrest

Incident: Minor in possession of alcohol Location: Main Campus: Chaparral Village Date/Time Reported: 10/14 11:19 PM Disposition: Cleared by arrest

Incident: Possession of drug paraphernalia Location: DT Campus: Parking lots: Cattlemans Square Date/Time Reported: 10/11 11:27 PM Disposition: Cleared by arrest

Incident: Possession of Marihuana Location: Main Campus: Margaret Tobin Ave Date/Time Reported: 10/14 1:52 AM Disposition: Cleared by arrest

Incident: Theft: Motor vehicle Location: DT Campus: Parking lots: Cattlemans Square Date/Time Reported: 10/11 8:07 PM Disposition: Active

For more information please email: news@paisano-online.com Meetings every Thursday at 5:30PM

Check us out: paisano-online.com

COLLEGE SKI & BOARD WEEK Breckenridge • Vail • Beaver Creek Keystone • Arapahoe Basin

breckenridge

20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price.

FROM ONLY

plus t/s

Take the Blue Star Bus to the UTSA Home Football Games Eat a meal at Blue Star Brewing Company to receive a complimentary ride on our Blue Bird Bus to & from UTSA Home Football Games.

The bus leaves 30-45 minutes before kick-off. Park in The Blue Star Arts Complex

WWW.UBSKI.COM

1-800-SKI-WILD • 1-800-754-9453

LUNCH • DINNER • SUNDAY BRUNCH Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Friday 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.

Saturday 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

1414 S. Alamo #105 In the Blue Star Arts Complex 210-212-5506 H 1-866-813-5506 www.bluestarbrewing.com

The Paisano

October 18, 2011

The Paisano Editor-in-Chief:

Vanessa Elizarraras

Managing Editor: Joseph Tidline

News Editor: Allison Tinn

Assistant News Editor: Victor H. Hernandez

Arts Editor:

Katy Schmader

Assistant Arts Editor: Katy Glass

Sports Editor:

Stephen Whitaker

Photo Editor: Burk Frey

Assistant Photo Editor: Brianna Cristiano

Ads Manager: Kevyn Kirven

Business Manager: Jenelle Duff

Staff:

Henry Anderson, Daniel Corona III, Dylan Crice, Daniel Crotty, Graham Cull, Becca Gamache, Sarah Gibbens, Katy Glass, Morgan Kennedy, Joshua Morales, Arron Reinhardt, Julianne Rodriguez, Jay Weber

Contributing Staff:

Andrea Acosta, Jordan Acosta, Eliana Bricena, Rubina Haroon, Charles Horvilleur, Zoe Mobberley, Christy Munson, LaSondra Pryce, Mariel Vazquez, Richard Castillo

Interns:

Christian Gamboa, Sheila Alvarado, Ryan Branch

Advisor:

Diane Abdo

Advisory Board: Steven Kellman, Mansour El Kikhia, Jack Himelblau, Sandy Norman, Matt Stern

The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a nonprofit, tax exempt, educational organization. The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed

by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed towards:

Opinion

Editorial

That’s so funny, oh wait, no it’s not On Oct. 15 The New York Times reported on the solutions that Republican candidates Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann are proposing to address the illegal immigration issue.

The details for those proposed solutions were alarming.

Bachmann’s solution was to make English the official language, build a double fence and eliminate “taxpayerfunded benefits for illegal aliens.”

Cain’s solutions were more unorthodox. He wanted to build an electrified fence along the Mexico-U.S. border that would kill people who tried

Commentary

to cross it. Cain’s other solution was to use troops “with real guns and real bullets” at U.S. borders to stop illegal immigrants from entering the country.

A day later, The New York Times reported that Cain said he was only joking about the fence and that “the American people needed to get a ‘sense of humor.’”

The American people have a sense of humor; they will laugh when something is funny. An electrical fence that has the capacity to kill those trying to get through is just not funny.

In Arizona the number of deaths in 2010 along their border with Mexico was 252, and since 2001 2,160 have died. When there is so much death along the border why increase that amount?

We need to treat all human life with respect even if we don’t agree with the choices that these immigrants make.

Laughing about death may seem normal to Cain, but a lesson in ettiquette would teach him when to make jokes about serious issues and when to refrain.

What do you think about the Occupy Wall Street protests?

Alisa Garza

Junior / communication

Voting should be based on facts, not religion Governor Mitt Romney’s religious beliefs and political platforms are both under fire.

Romney’s faith has been scrutinized in the media lately. The question many are asking is why isn’t Romney using his religious faith to his advantage during speeches and debates? Other candidates, such as Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann and Governor Ricky Perry, are conducting prayer sessions and mailing campaign letters that weave religious doctrine into their political agenda.

If Romney is going to run a conservative ticket, he needs to emphasize his religious leanings as he addresses his constituents, especially Tea Party voters.

In the 2008 primary elections, Romney ran on a religious conservative ticket. His religion of choice was neither emphasized nor scrutinized.

However, former Arkansas Governor

Photo Poll

5

Mike Huckabee also ran on a strong religious ticket and was defeated by the more moderate Senator John McCain.

The Tea Party movement has caused a recent shift in the Republican Party to push for an even more conservative ticket in response to President Obama. For example, voters objected to Perry allowing immigrants state benefits for public universities.

The Church of the Latter Day Saints doesn’t appear controversial, but if we observe history religion isn’t an unlikely deterrent for voters.

The last non-protestant president to be elected was John F. Kennedy, whose Catholic faith was a controversial issue for voters. However, Kennedy was able to overcome that prejudice and win the election. Will that be true for Romney?

It would be appalling if voters refused to vote for Romney on the basis of religious preference rather than the basis of his public service record. While some Republican voters may not agree with his beliefs, they should look at the facts. Unfortu-

nately, for Romney, those facts may be just as appalling.

One of the major debates has been Romney’s shift from a liberal ideology to a more conservative one. Romney was accused of warning a woman he counseled as bishop to not go forward with her abortion. An article was published and the incident made headlines years later when Romney ran for United States Senate as a supporter of abortion rights.

Romney has since abandoned that position. If the other Republican candidates don’t take advantage of these past events, then they deserve to lose the primaries.

Romney has held steady at second place in latest primary polls. Normally, questions of faith wouldn’t come into question, but his recent ideology shifts have left voters wondering who is the real Romney?

And questions like that can only lead to more candidate scrutiny and some religious intolerance.

“If we take power away from the corporations it’ll move jobs overseas, but eventually the restructuring will help the American public.”

Charles Duncan Senior / psychology

“I completely support it; with the unemployment rate so high, we need reform.”

Joseph Tidline Managing Editor

Editorial Photo

Chris Tamez

Senior / communication “I haven’t seen a positive effect, seems like things during the last two presidencies have spiraled downhill.”

© The Paisano 14545 Roadrunner Way San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210)690-9301 Fax: (210)690-3423

Send letters to:

editor@paisano-online.com Letters must be less than 400 words and include the writer’s name, classification or title and telephone number. The Paisano reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Courtesy of Kelly Reid Wells

David Schipper

The Paisano encourages new comic submissions!

Send to

Editor@paisano-online.com

Got an eye for design?

Senior / political science “Just thumbs up!”

Protestors at Occupy San Antonio have traveled all over the city to spread their message of disdain with capitalism and Wall Street.

Baldies by Emily Grams Miranda Hernandez Freshman / political science

“I like that people are gathering and trying to change things, but I don’t think it’ll have an effect.”

The Paisano needs graphic designers and Indesign fiends!

Contact: Editor@paisano-online.com

Join us!

The Paisano has meetings every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. near The Cantina.

Richard Alvarez Senior / public relations

“I don’t even know what Occupy Wall Street is...

I’m too busy preparing for graduation.”

Photo poll: Burk Frey

The Paisano

October 18, 2011

Brianna Cristiano/ The Paisano

Features Paseo

Burk Frey / The Paisano

6

The Mildfire coffee house is located on Huebner road and is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m.- 6p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. Thai Topaz is located on Floyd Curl. Its menu options include Pad Thai, Broccoli Noodle (Pad See Ewe), green curry and Pineapple Fried Rice.

Eating your way through San Antonio Madelyn Garner

features@paisano-online.com Even before opening the door, the aroma of coffee beans, slowly roasting inside, invites customers to have a seat and stay a while.

That’s how customers are greeted every time they enter Mildfire Coffee Roasters on Huebner Road.

“Mildfire is an extension of our living room,” baristas Mark and Tricia Sobhani said. When looking for an alternative to Starbucks or the next great pizza place, students should think outside the box of large, retail chains and go local.

UTSA graduate student Dena Gandy believes that when people go local, they seek originality.

“It’s about relationships, uniqueness and the creativity that larger chains just don’t have,” Gandy said.

Her favorite family owned restaurant is La Chinita’s on Avondale. “I go for the price and quality,” adds Gandy, but she also likes the fact they know her by name.

The idea of specializing in roasting beans in-house came to the Sobhani’s while on vacation in Costa Rica. They toured a locally owned coffee plantation, where they saw firsthand how the beans were harvested and roasted.

“We wanted to set ourselves apart,” Tricia said. Back home, they embarked on business classes at UTSA’s Business Development Center to learn how to formulate a business plan. Their passion for coffee is now a successful business.

But it’s the Sobhani’s passion for coffee combined with fun, memorable experiences they share with their customers that keep patrons so loyal.

“We set out to make the best coffee possible,” adds Mark Sobhani.

But what Mark didn’t expect, were the friendships he formed with his customers who live in the neighborhood.

Going local provides senior communication major, Scott Frierson, friendly customer service and personal relationships.

“I favor [Twenty Grand], a neighborhood bar on Bandera because I know a couple of bartenders that work there, so I know they’ll take care of me,” Frierson said. “I can always expect to have a good time.”

Jacob Valenzuela, owner of Deco Pizzeria in the Deco District, says his restaurant has become a central meeting place for friends and neighbors.

“I love that my customers are from the neighborhood,” Valenzuela said. September marked the sixth-month anniversary for Deco Pizzeria, but this endeavor has been years in the making.

“Living and working in the community for the past 20 years has prepared me for this,” adds Valenzuela. Leaving behind a successful job in corporate America, Valenzuela pursued his dream of restaurant ownership last year, and business couldn’t be better. But the real payoff for Valenzuela is the connection to the community the pizzeria now offers him, “Every day, I get to have a big party with friends and family,” Valenzuela said.

For junior chemistry major Matthew Valdez, the appeal of going local means individuality. Valdez loves the authentic Mexican food at the locally owned Blanco Café.

Despite three locations, “each restaurant has its own identity,” Valdez said. For Valdez, the secret to Blanco Café’s success is the unique flavor of each restaurant. Individuality is also why senior finance major Rodrigo Mata enjoys the adventure

of finding great local eateries.

“I like uniqueness and don’t mind going out of my way to find places that are different and have originality,” Mata said.

Relationships, product expertise and innovative customer service allow independent business owners a chance to really get to know their customers. In fact, he knows them so well, that Venezuela said, “I can tell who’s in the house by the pizza the chef is making.” It is this same personal service at Mildfire Coffee Roasters that has customers accustomed to the staff knowing their

drink preferences better than they do.

“When a customer sees a new face at the register, they have to stop and think about what it is they usually order,” Sobhani adds.

As large retail chain stores and restaurants continue their march into the city, UTSA students may find it challenging to find these local gems, but help is on the way.

“There is a movement forming in San Antonio right now to patronize locally owned businesses,” said Robert Vargas, creator of the Facebook page, San Antonio Owned! Thanks

to his page and other publications such as the San Antonio Current and San Antonio Magazine, students don’t have to go far to find great locally-owned hotspots.

When students take the time to go outside the box, students are sure to discover that independent business owners are personally invested in their products and the community they serve. So, when searching for good times, unique adventures and innovative cuisine go local and be sure to make a few friends along the way.

Arts

The Paisano

October 18, 20011

Coffee House Wednesdays

Campus Calendar

New talent performs on campus

Opening this week:

7:30 p.m Creative Writing Reading Series

7:30 p.m. David Shelton Gallery

UTSA is bringing Catherine Bowman to campus as the next author in the Creative Writing Reading

(*editor’s choice)

UTSA art professor, Sarah Frantz’s new landscapes will be displayed at the David Shelton Gallery.

Tuesday, Oct. 18

Andrea Acosta

7:30 p.m. UTSA

arts@paisano-online.com

UTSA Women’s Choir and UTSA Men’s Chorus will be performing.

Brianna Cristiano/ The Paisano

This past Wednesday, Oct. 12, the University Center Program Council (UCPC) hosted its weekly Coffee House series. The opening artist was UTSA’s very own Alex Fisher, followed by the singer/songwriter, Robin Smith.

Fisher’s melodic voice filled the courtyard with covers of contemporary songs including Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours;” Parachute’s “She is Love;” and Paramore’s “Only Exception.”

Singing since she was able to speak, Fisher’s Christian musical background has led her to become the musician she is today.

“I started singing in church, leading worship,” Fischer said. “And that ultimately lead me to being on my own.

By the age of fourteen, I was playing in coffee houses and places alike.”

Of all the songs she’s covered, Fisher has a particular favorite that she enjoys singing time and again.

“I love covering Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah,” Fisher said. “Although it is probably one of the most covered songs, I still love doing it.”

While all artists strive to get their work recognized, Fisher’s inspiration to continue pursuing her passion stems from a different source.

“My goal isn’t to be famous; it’s to share my music. If you’re good at something, you should share it,” Fisher said. “You shouldn’t keep your talents all to yourself; God gave them to you to make other people happy.”

Typically, performers have rituals that either calm them down or psyche them up right before their show. And Fisher has a few of her own that pre-

Many students attend the weekly Coffeehouse Wednesday events to grab a cup of joe, listen to some good music

pare her before every performance.

“I get excited and tell myself that this is what I love doing,” Fisher said. “For my voice, I will drink water and eat honey straight from the bottle! It helps coat my throat before I go onstage.”

As a UTSA student, Fisher also has to balance priorities like school with her passion of music.

“School is first, but I must stay sane.

So, music is my outlet to relieve myself and be happy,” Fisher said. “Sometimes it’s hard; you can be blinded by passion. But at the end of the day, school is my priority and music is my passion.”

The combination of powerful strumming, a soulful voice and metaphorical lyrics creates the music that belongs exclusively to Robin Smith.

The Minnesota native moved to Austin, Texas in 2005 and hasn’t looked back since. The “Live Musical Capital of the World” was actually a last minute move; Smith was originally going to move to Los Angeles California, but was glad to have decided to come to Texas.

“The people here are genuinely friendly,” Smith said. “I have a group of friends that I get together with and we’ll just sit around in a circle and start playing our music; each person sharing their music. They’re my home away from home. Austin is awesome and ‘it’ for me.”

She’s lived through the emotions and situations described in her lyrics.

The theme of love lost and hurt runs predominantly throughout her work, but one song in particular holds a personal meaning to Smith.

“My song ‘Good Enough’ was the first song I wrote when I came to Austin. It’s about tough times growing up; childhood,” Smith said. “Every time I play it, it takes me home. It’s pure, honest and true. I held back nothing.”

With the debut of her album at the end of the year, Smith is anxious about her first release, but eager to have people listen to her music.

“I love music,” Smith said. “Loved it since I was young; can’t imagine not doing it. It’s natural.”

‘Cache’ me if you can:

Geocaching puts twist on scavenger hunts

Henry Anderson

arts@paisano-online.com By the age of five, most kids have heard the expression “x marks the spot.” Then the thought “What would it be like to be a pirate?” presents itself.

The thought of finding treasure is quite alluring. Unfortunately for these kids, there is little to no hope of finding a map that leads you to buried treasure; however, for kids, explorers and nature enthusiasts that never grow up, there is a solution. It is called geocaching.

Geocaching first began around 1999, with the upgrade of a major satellite that increased the accuracy of global positioning. The upgrade allowed for an unintentional dawn of a global phenomenon that has changed the way people view treasure hunts.

Geocaching is a real life outdoor treasure hunt. Essentially, people use coordinates that others provide to find hidden objects. This used to be done with paper maps when it first started 10 years ago, but the game has quickly modernized and is now played via GPS signals. Once the player tracks down the item, which can be located pretty much anywhere, they have the option to either take the item and re-

place it with an equal or greater value item, or leave it and let someone else claim the prize.

There are currently over a dozen different variations of geocaching. Some of the other forms of geocaching include: multi-cache, which involves usually two to three different objects that lead to the final destination; puzzle-caches, which have elaborate puzzles that must be solved to find the coordinates and letterbox hybrid, which uses clues instead to find the container.

There are multiple apps for geocaching available for both iPhone and Android smart phones making the experience much easier.

Although the coordinates may be quicker to find, don’t be fooled into thinking that finding the prize is no longer a challenge. People that hide “treasures” have adapted in response to new technology, such as smart phone applications, by making the clues more difficult.

This global game has caught the attention of people of all ages, and just keeps growing. There is currently geocaching gear on the market and there are geocaching leagues popping up everywhere. There are even geocach-

ing clubs at universities. As rapidly as geocaching is spreading, it will soon become a common name amongst adventure lovers everywhere.

Here is an opportunity to geocache!

Just find the location below, and it will begin an on campus adventure. Continue finding the coordinates to find the final “cache.”

First coordinates for UTSA’s first geocache: 29°58’38” N, 98°37’35”W Hint: I have a twin. We live up high.

We stand tall. We touch the sky.

Good luck!

Want to write for The Paisano?

Join us every Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

check out www. paisano-online.com for web exclusives

1 7

Friday, Oct. 21 all weekend Greek FUNstival St. Sophia Greek Orthodox church will be celebrating it 51 annual greek festival.

There will be plenty of food and fun for everyone.

Saturday, Oct. 22 8 p.m UTSA The East Asia Institute will be hosting the first Kimchi festival at UTSA on Saturday in the Denman Room (UC 2.01.28).There will be lots to do, including games, music, arts and crafts and Korean food tasting. Admission is is free.

Sunday, Oct. 23 6:30 p.m Hemisphere Park The dead will walk the streets of San Antonio. Dress like a zombie and join in on the fun.

Chills, Thrills and Shrills Ten scary movies to celebrate the season Arron Reindhart

arts@paisano-online.com Are you an adrenaline junkie?

Can’t get enough horror in your everyday life? Are you constantly trying to coax the monsters from under your bed? The Paisano staff has compiled of the scariest movies to keep your adrenaline needs at bay.

10) “Insidious”: The 2010 film directed by James Wan, shows a family moving into a beautiful new home. After their son falls into a deep coma weird stuff starts to happen around the house. The family leaves their home to escape the evil that fills the house only to realize it’s not the house that is haunted.

9) “Poltergeist”: The Freely’s might be aware of the supernatural force under their house, but they certainly don’t welcome it. Objects began to move around the house, but the Freely family had no idea to handle it. Events take a turn for the worse when the poltergeist kidnaps the Freely’s youngest daughter. Many of the cast and crew have passed away within a few years after filming, making many believe the film has a mysterious curse.

8) “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”: On their way to visit their Grandpa’s grave, five teens find themselves in a fight for their lives against the notorious Leather Face, and his cannibalistic family. What makes “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” number eight on the list is that it was based on a true story. Ed Gein, born and raised in Wisconsin would kill and dig up bodies of young girls and use their skin to make a full body suit, he said he wanted to make it for his dead mother. Gein was convicted for first-degree murder, found to be criminally insane and spent the rest of his life in a mental institution.

7) “Paranormal Activity”:

Young couple, Katie and Micah, start noticing a lot of weird events happening at night. In order to get to the bottom of it, the couple sets up cameras around the house to capture unexplained events. As the haunting gets worse, Katie tells Micah this is not the first time she has been haunted. The movie was filmed in ten days in director Oren Peli’s home, and while it was a low budget film it left many of the audience afraid to fall asleep.

6) “Saw”: Two men wake up chained to the pipes in a disgusting bathroom just to realize they were kidnapped by the notorious serial killer Jigsaw. They must complete the “puzzle” to survive. Directed

by James Wan, the “Saw” series terrifies its audience and shows the extent to which a person will go to survive.

5) “Child’s Play”: The 1988 horror movie directed by Tom Holland, plays on the fear of creepy killer dolls. Andy Barclay receives a Good Guy doll for his birthday, which is really Chucky, a serial killer stuck in the body of a child’s play thing.

4) “28 Days Later”: Jim wakes up from a coma to find himself in deserted London. Twenty-eight days earlier a group of activists had released chimpanzees from a research lab infected by a virus that induced rage. The virus quickly spread to the people, causing catastrophic events. Their only hope is to head for a military campus outside of the city, if they can make it there. Danny Boyle’s 2003 horror film is scary due to the plausible plotline.

(To continue reading the rest of this story go to paisano-online.) com)

8

August 26, 2008

Sports

The Paisano

October 18, 2011 Work in Progress Baseball at crossroads Stephen Whitaker

Burk Frey /The Paisano

sports@paisano-online.com

The athletic department has drawn student athletes from around the world to become part of the UTSA community. Locations of player’s home countries are marked by the symbol of their sport. The flags represent the 14 countries who have sent native sons or daughters to UTSA to compete in athletics and academics.

International Club

Athletes from around the world drawn to UTSA for opportunity to compete Christian Gamboa

sports@paisano-online.com Pedro Zanotelli is proof that being an athlete and a university student is a rarity in most countries.

“If I was in Brazil, I would be either studying or playing tennis. I would never be able to do both,” Zanotelli explains. In fall 2008, Zanotelli came to UTSA from Fortaleza, Brazil in pursuit of a college degree and a chance to do what he loves—play tennis.

From the beginning, Zanotelli knew that he wanted to live in a place where he would have the same comforts of home; like Brazil, he wanted to attend school in a city where the weather was mostly hot and rarely cold. Having two friends from Brazil who were already enrolled at UTSA helped him make his decision.

When Zanotelli first came to UTSA, he admits that he was only interested in receiving his degree, but eventually became more focused on tennis.

“Here, you play for a team. You’re representing the school,” Zanotelli said. “The team depends on you.

The result of the team depends on how you do in a match. You have to be much more focused; you have to show your teammates that you care and be 100 percent in everything.”

Fellow tennis player Yannick Junger says that he spends most of his time surrounded by his teammates.

Similar to Zanotelli, Junger left his home of Stuttgart, Germany to come to UTSA so that he could also continue to play tennis while completing a business degree, a task he deems “almost impossible” and “too time consuming” in Europe.

Since coming to America, Junger has found it difficult to be away from his family and friends. “You can make on-the-surface friends with everybody. You go to a party and you meet 60 people you consider friends—I don’t do that—but to make good friends is always difficult. It doesn’t matter where you are,” Junger reflects.

Junger spent the majority of his first semester trying to adapt to his new home, especially the fact that a

vehicle is needed to accomplish most tasks. However, Junger has embraced some of the challenges that he has confronted. “Being in a foreign environment and adapting to it and getting along with different beliefs with a multicultural background is pretty good to be able to perform in that situation.”

During his time at UTSA, Junger has strived to immerse himself in his education and is proud of his 3.44 GPA. Junger attributes his success to UTSA’s learning resources such as private tutoring for athletes, study hall and The Writing Center. Being able to establish and maintain communication with his professors has also been helpful to Junger.

“My best friend studies in Switzerland and he said that he has no contact with his professor; he can’t e-mail him, he can’t talk to him after class.

They don’t have office hours. He was pretty impressed that it’s common here. It’s one big thing that I really appreciate,” Junger said.

Jeromie Hill, sophomore forward for UTSA’s men’s basketball team, experienced his share of struggles with the SAT when he was initially trying to become a UTSA student from his home in Cairns, Australia.

“I had a 2.0 GPA, so I needed a very high SAT score and all the stuff on the SAT was American math and the English was written a little bit different. For me, it was really hard to grasp,” Hill admits. “I had tutoring to try and get it and a month before I was due to come here I got the score I needed, so that was a relief. Since being here, school has been the most difficult part of it, but my GPA at the moment is about a 3.4, so I’m doing just fine.”

Aside from improving himself academically, Hill has also seen improvement athletically because of the difference in athleticism between Australians and Americans. Hill took note of the quickness and strength that American athletes show in their upper body.

“In Australia, basketball is all involved with your feet. So I’ve had to get my upper body stronger to compete,” Hill says. “I already have the legs, so just being able to jump up and

down quicker and be more explosive is probably one thing that I’ve definitely increased since I’ve been here.”

Hill’s athletic performance paid off when he was named Southland Conference Freshman of the Year in March 2011. “Being a freshman, doing what I did in that game,” Hill pauses, “I felt like I really deserved that win and earned that. That was a big thing.” Hill looks back fondly on his first year at UTSA calling it a nearly perfect freshman year, which is almost ironic as Hill didn’t intend on attending college because it isn’t common in his family or among Australians.

For Hill’s teammate Alex Vouyoukas, forward and center for the UTSA men’s basketball team, being a part of the team that won the first NCAA game in all of UTSA’s sport history, is the achievement he is most proud of.

Vouyoukas is a senior and will soon graduate from UTSA with a degree in Economics.

Vouyoukas sees himself going into the banking industry and becoming a manager or a consultant—that is if he doesn’t make it as a professional basketball player. Vouyoukas has deemed his life as a college athlete in America as an absolute positive experience. In his native home of Athens, Greece, college sponsored sports don’t exist.

“First of all, there’s no such thing,” Vouyoukas states matter-of-factly.

“It’s either you’re professional or you’re not and you don’t play at all.”

If Vouyoukas were to have become a professional athlete in Greece, it would be difficult for him to purse a college degree at the same time.

“As a professional athlete you usually practice twice a day, so you’ll have to squeeze in classes, and then you have to drive from one side of Athens—where I’m from—to the other and then drive back to your house. It’s not like here where it’s all together,” Vouyoukas explains.

Getting to UTSA to study and play basketball has been an experience that Vouyoukas would never trade, because the obstacle of even being considered and recruited is difficult.

“High school coaches here, they recruit guys from when they’re 13, 14 years old. Where as in Greece, you’re

17, 18 and you have to send tapes and hopefully someone will like you, and it’s a lot more difficult,” Vouyoukas reveals. “You may be a really good player, but they won’t know you because they can’t actually see you. They can’t drive down the street and watch a high school game, for example.”

The notion that an American college degree is held to a higher standard than a college degree from Greece is appealing to Vouyoukas; however, he realizes that it’s not something that will simply be given to him without effort. Being a student at UTSA has encouraged Vouyoukas to put more time and effort into his studies. “It’s not only basketball, it’s an education too. Your freshman and sophomore years you can get away with opening up a book every now and then, but as you get older, the upper level classes get pretty hard. It’s really put in perspective that I need to work hard in academics,” Vouyoukas reasons.

But for the student athlete who is thinking about leaving his or her country to play sports, Vouyoukas thinks that “as long as you love the sport, because you have to love it, it can take you anywhere.”

The International Club Countries where student athletes are from

Brazil: 5 Canada: 3

Venezuela: 1 Ecuador: 1

Germany: 3

Peru: 1

Australia: 2

Sweden: 1

Norway: 2 Chile: 2 Mexico: 2 Spain: 2 Greece: 1 Denmark: 1

The World Series is set to begin Wednesday in St. Louis between the American League Champion Texas Rangers and the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

While the Cardinals and Rangers will fight to win four-out-of seven games, the sport of baseball is at a turning point.

Over the last couple of months the sale of the Houston Astros by current owner Drayton McLane to a new ownership group under Jim Crane has been in limbo as Major League Baseball (MLB) has considered the move. It appears the move will go through on one condition: The Astros, a member of the National league since their inception in 1962, must move to the American League West where they will join a division consisting of the Rangers, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners.

A few things are wrong with this scenario. MLB wants to move the Astros to the AL West because they want to form a division rivalry between the two Texas clubs but there is already a good interleague rivalry if the Astros can just field a team with major league talent.

Another problem with this scenario is that a lot might change in baseball with this move. As the leagues are currently configured, there are 16 teams in the NL and 14 in the AL. The last time a move like this happened was in 1998 when in order to facilitate the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Milwaukee Brewers moved from the AL to the NL, joining the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks.

The current system of 16 in the NL and 14 in the AL has worked well for the past 14 seasons but the idea that a team has better probability of making the postseason in the AL as opposed to the NL has in some way led to where we are right now where baseball is trying to even the leagues.

The Astros shift would put 15 teams in each league. MLB looked at this possibility before the 1998 season, but it realized that for it to work one team would have to be on bye every day of the season or the two leagues would have to play an interleague schedule all season long. At the time both ideas were turned down. Now it looks like baseball is forgetting this and is trying to get balanced teams, so that more teams can make a postseason that already stretches to Nov. 1.

If baseball wants to have an American League rivalry in Texas and even teams in each league, the answer is not moving one team from one league to another, the answer is to add two teams to the American League. One could be in San Antonio to build that rivalry with the Rangers and the other could be in Portland, Oregon, or Montreal, Quebec or another market ready for baseball.

This would take a few years to implement, but when it happened, baseball would have 32 teams like the NFL, and baseball could either keep the divisions the way they are or split into four divisions of four teams like the NFL. Fewer teams in each division would mean tighter division races, and would allow for either the end of the wild card or the addition of a wild card team, In this scenario, six teams from each league would make the playoffs, the first round would be best two out of three. The two teams with the best record would receive a bye in the wild card round and face the winners of the first round in the divisional series that would continue as a best of five.

From there, the playoffs would look much as they do now.

For this to work there would have to be scheduled doubleheaders, a tradition that baseball got away from in recent years. The double header would mean the same 162 games could be played in a shorter span, allowing for the expansion of the playoffs.

The Paisano

October 18, 2011

Sports

9

Making history, one win at a time National Player of the Week helps Roadrunners to best ever conference start Richard Castillo

Eight up, Eight down

The UTSA Volleyball team defended their home court on Saturday, Oct. 15, and in the process put on an impressive show for the hometown fans.

The Roadrunners swept the visiting Nicholls Colonels in three sets (25-11, 25- 13, 25-14), and extended their winning streak to eight matches. The Runners have dominated their recent competition, sweeping all eight of their previous opponents and are off to their best start ever in Southland Conference play.

Volleyball Head Coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff called this year’s squad the most complete team she has had at UTSA. “If somebody is not having a good match, then I look down the bench and substitute (a player) and do not feel like I’m missing a whole lot,” Neugebaur-Groff said. “I feel we have a great chance to win the conference and go to the NCAA tournament again.”

The Roadrunners gained momentum early in the first set by scoring their first seven points consecutively and forcing the Colonels to take a quick time-out. The Runners took set one with behind UTSA junior Whitney Walls’ four kills. Junior Kelsey Schwirtlich made her presence known with 10 assists and eight digs in game one.

In the second set, the Colonels showed more fight but still did not seriously challenge the Roadrunners. The Runners took another victory as junior Brittney Malloy and Walls both added three kills.

Freshman Dempsey Thornton had four kills of her own. Schwirtlich

Sept 22 UTSA 3 @Texas State 0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-16) Sept. 24 UTSA 3 @UT-Arlington 0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-19) Sept. 29 UTSA 3 Sam Houston 0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-10) Oct. 1 UTSA 3 Stephen F. Austin 0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-11) Oct. 4 UTSA 3 @ A&M-Corpus Christi 0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-20) Oct. 8 UTSA 3 @ McNeese State 0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-21) Oct. 13 UTSA 3 Southeastern Louisiana 0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-17 Oct. 15 UTSA 3 Nicholls 0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-14)

sports@paisano-online.com

Next Opponents Burk Frey /The Paisano

(Conference record in parenthesis): Oct. 19 vs. A&M-Corpus Christi (3-5) 7 p.m.

Oct. 22 vs. Lamar (5-3) 2 p.m.

Reigning National Player of the Week McKenzie Adams finesses the ball over the net during action against Nicholls.

continued to facilitate the offense and brought her assist total to 20 by the end of the second set.

The third set was the most competitive between the two teams.

There were a total of nine ties before either team scored 10 points. Each side exchanged points right after each other, but the Runners completed the sweep with sophomore McKenzie Adams’ and Thornton’s 10 kills and Walls’ 12 total kills in the match. Schwirtlich’s added 14 more assists in the final set which brought her total assists to an impressive 34, and a total of 12 digs.

Web Exclusive

Upcoming on paisano-online.com

Finish reading our top ten best horror movies.

Read our review of ‘The Thing’.

Continue to check our website paisano-online.com for more online exclusive content including articles, videos and photo galleries.

Like our Facebook page for updates: http://www..facebook.com/ ThePaisano

Along with the Roadrunners’ impressive team records, the individual players have also collected a very impressive number of individual awards.

Showing no problems adjusting to her new team, Adams became the Roadrunners’ first player to win a national weekly award. On Oct. 11, Collegiate Volleyball Update named Adams the National Player of the Week. Adams is also first in the Southland in blocks with 1.4 blocks per frame and second in hitting percentage with .353.

Kelsey Jewasko leads the South-

land conference and is ranked 10th in the NCAA for digs with 10.56.

She also is ranked second all time in UTSA history with 2,044 career digs. Jewasko believes the team’s incredible chemistry comes from this year’s success.

“It’s great to be out there with a group of girls who have your back,” Jewasko said. “Everyone has a different role and everyone has been able to contribute. It’s a complete team effort. Looking to the future, we have potential to do some damage in the NCAA tournament.”

On her individual award, Adams

was honored but gave credit for the award to her teammates.

“It means a lot, but I couldn’t have done it without my team,” Adams said. “We truly are a family and they are the reason why I can go out there and do my best.”

The Roadrunners will have two more opportunities to continue their historic run when they face Texas A&M -Corpus Christi, Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m., and when they host Lamar Saturday Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. Both games will be held in the Convocation Center.

10

Advertisement

The Paisano

October 18, 2011