The Paisano Volume 51 Issue 1

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Could you meet your one true love on your cell phone? page 5

The Road to March Madness page 8

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Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio 2014 Columbia Scholastic Press Gold Medalist

{SINCE 1981}

Volume 50

Issue 1

January 20 - January 27, 2015

Bike sharing comes to Main Campus

UTSA Associate professor Stanton McHardy, in collaboration with Professor Rong Li at the UT Health Science Center, has been awarded $1.9 million for breast cancer research

Matthew Duarte News Editor

@matthew_duarte news@paisano-online.com

Robert Pistocchi, The Paisano Texting or calling someone, without a handheld device, while driving can result in a $200 ticket beginning February

San Antonio blocks calls, texting while behind the wheel

Anthony Mendoza Staff Writer

Texas WalMart is pressuring the Texas Legislature to pass a bill which would allow the store, along with other publicly traded companies, to sell liquor.

U.S. A new report has found that over half of all public school students in the U.S. currently live in poverty.

Sports UTSA Men’s basketball will play Western Kentucky Saturday, January 24 at 2:00 p.m.

@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com San Antonio ordinance 255, a new distracted driving law which prohibits cell phone use while driving, is effective as of Jan. 1. According to Ordinance 255, drivers must use a hands free device, such as Bluetooth, if they want to communicate using a mobile network.

An individual using a “hand-held mobile communication device” — any device intended to receive and communicate via voice, text or picture through Internet or electronic methods — while driving is in violation of the law and is subject to a fine up to two hundred dollars. Furthermore, the law is not limited to only talking and texting. San Antonio drivers cannot read or view text messages, pictures nor use any other phone function.

“Driving is not the time to use the phone. We should be concentrating on the road and your surroundings and what’s happening on the roads,” said UTSA Police Captain Douglas Sonengo.

“Every second you don’t (concentrate) it raises your chances of an accident.”

The ordinance, however, contains certain exceptions that warrant cellphone use while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers are allowed

to dial numbers and end.

Phone use is also permitted if the vehicle is stopped and out of roadway lanes. However, using a phone’s navigation system is acceptable if the phone is attached to the vehicle as well as car navigation systems. If in an emergency situation, drivers are allowed to use their phone to alert officials or if they are in danger.

“You can simply put your phone on speakerphone, get it on the console, get it on your lap, and it’s now a hands-free device so you’re in compliance with the ordinance,” said Sgt. Salazar.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), Bexar County had 34,858 total crashes in 2013 ,with distracted driving being the leading cause at 20,871. Despite safety precautions, there is no certainty the new law will reduce traffic accidents. Although hands free devices may increase safety, they do not ensure that a driver will be more focused.

UTSA adjunct professor Alan Ashworth explained that attention is a “limited resource” that selects how much effort is afforded to each task. When people drive and talk on the phone, attention is diverted from concentrating on driving safely and instead focused on the conversation, causing driving performance to decrease.

“Everyone is capable of multitasking. We do it all the time in many contexts,” said Ashworth. “The real question is ‘How well can a person multitask in a specific context, in this case driving while talking on a mobile phone?’ The answer is ‘Not well at all.’”

According to a study from the University of Utah at Salt Lake City, “impairments associated with cell phone drivers may be as great as those commonly observed with intoxicated drivers.”

Similarly, The New England Journal of Medicine’s research demonstrated that cell phone use while driving increased the risk of having an accident four fold. Further, The National Safety Council reported that talking on hands free devices is still as dangerous as talking on a hand held device.

“Research has consistently replicated the fact that driving while talking on a mobile phone is as dangerous as driving while legally drunk.

If this law is enforced, it will significantly reduce traffic accidents and fatalities in San Antonio,” said Ashworth. “Less experienced drivers are at much more risk than experienced drivers. And that risk is not just to themselves, it is to all the other drivers on the road.”

UTSA’s Main Campus is finally getting a bike share program.

22 bicycles at two B-cycle stations — one adjacent to Alvarez Hall and one near the AET Building — will allow students to check out a bike and use it for up to an hour without an additional charge. B-cycle, a nonprofit organization, allows large numbers of people to share a smaller number of bicycles by operating a stations where riders can check out a bike before returning it to a different station afterwards.

San Antonio has one of the country’s largest Bcycle programs, with 450 bikes and more than 50 stations downtown and along the Riverwalk. B-cycle also plans on opening over a dozen more stations in the coming months. B-cycle also operates several other systems in Texas, including in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Forth Worth and McAllen.

“We’re hoping the students will get out and ride the bikes,” said Gus Sullivan, business development director at B-cycle San Antonio.

“We can turn this into a long-term plan and grow the system beyond campus.”

To encourage students to use program, B-cycle will be offering a discounted, semester-long pass for $25.

The pass will enable riders to use the stations at UTSA, as well as those downtown and at any of B-cycle’s more than 30 other systems.

If a rider requires a bike for more than an hour he can simply dock and undock it at any station to reset the clock. Additionally, a free app allows riders to see how many bikes are waiting at

each station.

“No money from UTSA has gone into financing this,” Sullivan said. Instead, District 8 City Councilman Ron Nirenberg was able to secure the necessary funds for the two stations.

“The addition of B-cycle at the Main Campus is another step in our collective efforts to make UTSA a more accessible, liable community,” Nirenberg told UTSA Today.

“By doing more cycling than driving, I hope students will take advantage of the opportunity to save money, burn some calories and enjoy the beautiful UTSA campus.”

Sullivan noted that the grants B-cycle has used to fund and maintain its downtown stations will not be able to be used for the satellite system at UTSA. Instead, Bcycle and the university are pursuing partnerships with community and business leaders to help pay for any additional stations around campus.

At Student Government’s General Assembly on January 15, Albert Carrisalez, UTSA’s director for external affairs, stated that the university and B-cycle are interested in community input to determine where other stations in and around UTSA could be viable.

The future of B-cycle at UTSA is largely dependant on how frequently UTSA students use the initial stations. The initial two stations are part of a pilot project that will come to an end following the Spring semester, but both Carrisalez and Sullivan are optimistic about growth and expansion of the system around campus.

“We know the more students can get out and ride, the better it’ll look for the future,” Sullivan said.

Marcus Connally, The Paisano UTSA’s two B-cycle stations are located outside Alvarez Hall and near the AET Building

Alysha Gallagher, The Paisano

San Antonio The San Antonio City Council has approved more than $40 million of renovations to the Alamodome, paving the way for the NCAA 2018 Men’s basketball Final Four.

{WWW.PAISANO-ONLINE.COM}

Thousands march to remember MLK’s dream Page 3

NEWS

2 January 20- January 27, 2015

High hopes for UTSA as new Legislature meets in Austin Matthew Duarte News Editor

@matthew_duarte

Anthony Mendoza Staff Writer

Olivia Ybarra

Contributing Writer

news@paisano-online.com Although it may be hard to notice all the way from San Antonio, big things could be in store for UTSA as the Legislature meets in Austin this spring.

Higher education is high on the agenda of many legislators. From tuition prices to construction projects, what happens in Austin over the next few weeks will likely have a huge impact on what happens at UTSA in the months and years to come.

Tuition Revenue Bonds

Albert Carrisalez, UTSA’s Director of External Affairs, said that the highest priority for UTSA in the upcoming session will be Tuition Revenue Bonds (TRBs).

Traditionally, the Texas Legislature would pass a new TRB bill every four years authorizing the construction of new buildings at universities around the state. However, no such bill has been authorized and signed since 2006, when UTSA was given sufficient funding to break ground on the AET Building.

“Every Rep and Senator last year backed the tuition revenue bonds,” Representative Donna Howard, D-Austin, said in the Austin Chronicle, going on to blame the inactivity on “political fumbling at the last minute.”

This year, UTSA is seeking $95 million to build a new Instructional Science and Engineering (ISE) Building, as well as $42.5 million to renovate the outdated labs at the 39-yearold Flawn Science Building.

According to UTSA Today, “the ICE Building would add 175,000 square feet for instructional laboratories and classrooms, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education and research and support programs that enhance teaching skills of students preparing for careers in science instruction at K-12 institutions.”

According to Carrisalez, unlike many public universities in Texas, UTSA has plenty of land for new building projects. However, Carrisalez stated that, because it is a younger university it is much harder for UTSA to secure the necessary funding for new construction projects. As a result, there is a surplus of students trying to fit into a limited amount of space.

In conjunction with the proposed ICE Building, the renovations at the Flawn Science Building would help enable UTSA to become a more researchbased institution. The new labs at the proposed ICE Building would allow the “adaptive reuse” of the Flawn Building, according to UTSA Today.

In short, if the legislature approves UTSA’s proposed

$137.5 million in construction projects, UTSA would likely move much of its science operations from the obsolete Flawn Building into a newer, state-of-theart facility, allowing the university to repurpose the Flawn Building for whatever needs may arise.

Currently, there are several bills being proposed in the Legislature that would permit the use of tuition revenue bonds, including SB 21, which was introduced by Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who is part of Bexar County’s delegation at the Capitol.

Hazelwood

UTSA will also be seeking relief from the Hazelwood Act, which allows military veterans to attend college in Texas free of tuition. Because of the Hazelwood Act — which was expanded in 2009 to include coverage for military families — UTSA will forego more than $10 million for fiscal year 20132014 and is expected to forego an additional $11.2 million for fiscal year 20142015.

Carrisalez pointed out that the majority of the students who enroll with a Hazelwood exemption are not veterans, but rather their family members. Veterans, he noted, are more likely to take advantage of programs such as the G.I. Bill.

Currently, over 1,000 students at UTSA do not pay tuition as a result of the Hazelwood Act. Carrisalez noted that the Hazelwood exemption hurts UTSA more than any other school in the UT System, and that the university is currently leading the charge to seek relief from the Legislature. Although UTSA is proud to serve veterans and their families, Carrisalez said, the cost of the program should be the burden of the Legislature, not the universities.

To provide free tuition to so many students, Carrisalez said, the university must recoup the lost funds elsewhere to supplant the lost funds, resulting in higher prices for things like parking, food or student fees.

“Tuition and fees at UTSA during the 2013 fall semester were about $4,527. During the 2003 fall semester tuition and fees were just $2,222.”

Tuition

Tuition is one place that has seen dramatic price increases in recent years.

In 2003, the Legislature voted to deregulate tuition and allow public universities to determine the cost of attendance. Free from tuition caps, board members were given the authority to raise and lower rates in accordance to course levels, programs and semesters.

As a result, tuition prices have risen substantially since its application.

For example, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board database, tuition and fees at UTSA during the 2013 fall semester for a resident undergraduate student enrolled in 15 semester credit hours were about $4,527.

However, during the 2003 fall semester tuition and fees were $2,222 for the

same resident undergraduate student. This increase is a reflection of the legislative deregulation of tuition rates.

“I think the Legislature has a responsibility to consider whether the deregulation policies enacted over a decade ago still make sense for Texas students,” Senator Charles Schertner, R-Georgetown, said in a statement.

In an effort to maintain tuition rates in public Texas universities, Schertner has filed a bill that will restrain institutional regulation of fees. Senate Bill 233 will cap tuition and fees at their current level and only be subject to change in correspondence to inflation rates. The proposed bill will allow incoming students and their families to develop financial strategies around a tuition that will remain predictable throughout their college career. Additionally, Schertner has submitted Senate Bill 232 which will alleviate the sales tax of textbooks during the start of the fall and spring semesters.

With national student loans at an all-time high, “attending one of our world-class public universities shouldn’t be a luxury afforded only to the wealthy or those willing to mortgage their futures by assuming massive student debt.” said Schertner.

The decision to discontinue deregulation has seen bipartisan support in the Senate. Democratic Senator Rodney Ellis of Houston has argued the decision of legislative deregulation since its inspection. “(Deregulation) is pricing hard-working families out of higher education, forcing students who are able to attend to work, graduate with enormous debt loads, and push back their graduation and eventual entrance into the full time workforce,” Ellis said in a statement. “The people of Texas send their elected officials to Austin to make tough decisions and invest in what’s important to our state’s future. Affordable higher education is no doubt one of those items.”

Ellis’ proposal of reregulation would mandate legislative approval to adjust tuition rates and place a cap on the 2015 cost of attendance. Similarly, democratic State Rep. Mary Gonzalez has issued a bill aimed to end tuition deregulation and make public universities affordable.

Performance-Based Funding

As more students pursue post-secondary education, state legislators address the concern of adequate funding for Texas 4-year public universities. Currently, Texas implements a performance based funding formula at 2-year community colleges but not at 4-year institutions, such as UTSA. The formula allocates 10 percent of funding to community colleges “based on points earned from a 3-year average of student completion” from specified metrics. Some metrics include, number of students who successfully complete their first college level mathematics, reading and writing courses, number of students who complete 15 credit hours and number of degrees and certificates awarded.

Zaffirini, D-Laredo, plans

to implement a similar system at 4-year institutions.

Senate Bill 22 (SB 22) would appropriate state funding in proportion to each university’s percentage of total number of points accumulated from standardized metrics.

Universities Marcus Connally, The Paisano would asIf UTSA receives the funds it is seeking from the Legislature, the Flawn Building could see major change. sign weightperformance based funding ber of degrees awarded and ed values to each of the would increase accountstudents enrolled, while seven metrics — including ability of universities and others would instead use a how many at-risk students hold them responsible formula that factors in the are served by a university, for ensuring students are percentage of students who how many degrees the graduating on time. Mograduate each semester. It university awards and how reso, PBF would incentivis the former system, Carmany credit hours enrolled ize universities to ensure risalez claimed, that would students have completed students are receiving a be the most beneficial for — that they deem most quality education and rely UTSA. beneficial to their instituless on enrollment-based Still, PBF has received tion accumulating points. funding as a means to obcriticism as a potential “My bills were filed early tain funding from the state. threat to eliminating open to advance the priorities of For example, SB 22 could access mission of colleges.

Senate District 21 families: provide more funding to The Institute for Higher early and higher education schools that may not have Education Leadership and and health and human sera large population but offer Policy explained that univices, including for the very more assistance to at-risk versities that already have young, the very old and students by assigning a students who are likely to persons with disabilities,” higher weighted percentage succeed will remain on top, Senator Zaffirini said. “Job to the respective metric. causing other colleges to creation, transportation, Although it has attracted avoid at-risk students and the environment and issues the most attention so far, focus on favorable students. related to the Eagle Ford SB 22 is not the only bill “Higher education is so Shale also will be key issues that would enact perforimportant to the future of during the 2015 session.” mance-based funding at our state,” said Zaffirini, According to the universities like UTSA. “(Higher education) defines American Association Some of the submitted bills our future goals.” of University Professors, would look at the raw num-

NEWS

3 January 20- January 27, 2015

San Antonio still has a Dream Alysha Gallagher Intern

@ThePaisano news@paisano-online.com San Antonio’s 28th Anniversary Commemorative Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March united tens of thousands of San Antonians under one common cause— a dream. On the morning of January 19, participants and uniformed officers began their march at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy and ended at PittmanSullivan Park.

Vendors and volunteers from local churches, schools, organizations and businesses gathered at Pittman-Sullivan Park to provide participants with food, entertainment, and camaraderie.

The event featured local choirs and poet Destinee Gilliam. Mayor Ivy Taylor, San Antonio’s first African-American mayor, State Representative Ruth Jones McClendon and County Commissioner Tommy Calvert all spoke at the event, as did District 2 Councilman Alan E. Warrick II. Special guest Eric D. Carrington and speaker Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Crosby, Sr. Pastor of Wheeler Ave Baptist Church in Houston, TX, concluded the commemorative program.

A number of marchers

held hand-painted signs or wore custom t-shirts to express frustration and angst towards the violence against perceived racial hatred, including the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, the suffocation of Eric Garner in New York City and the shooting of Jordan Baker in Houston, TX. Pride and respect for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream of a united nation rippled throughout the crowd. Michael Williams, a volunteer at the event, said,“Martin Luther King means a whole lot for the country, even for the nation and the world, and just to be participating in something that he stands for — freedom for all — is a beautiful thing and it gravitates to everybody.”

UTSA Alpha Kappa Alpha President Janay Thomas and Vice President Brelyn Donato marched with fellow sorority members. Alpha Kappa Alpha member Ebonee Lister proudly held a “Je Suis Charlie” sign to express her sentiments towards the recent terrorist attack in Paris, while her sorority sister Rachael Ugoala held an “All Lives Matter” sign, which listed the names of recent victims of racial violence.

Donato noticed an increase in UTSA student involvement: “It’s pretty heavy; there are a lot of student organizations

here, and we are very supportive of the MLK march.”

UTSA students and first-time marchers Kenneth Mayfield and Cameron Smith created homemade signs out of plywood and dry erase board.

Mayfield’s sign read “Equality for All,” and left room for participants to sign their names. Smith’s sign used a civil right’s statement from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Several children held signs that said, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot,” a common saying and gesture that originated at the demonstrations that followed the shooting of Brown.

African-American’s carried signs with “Black and Unarmed” in bold, black print to protest racial violence. “I can’t breathe” shirts spread awareness of past violence while UTSA’s “Dream, Believe, Achieve” shirts prompted hope for the nation’s future.

However, the tone of the march was not uniformly somber.

“It’s a glorious time to see the rainbow of all of us in San Antonio coming together as one,” said 50-year-old Rene Thomas.

“With no fighting, no fussing, no cussing, we are all together as one trying to keep the dream alive.”

All photos Mia Cabello, The Paisano Although many who attended the MLK Day march used the event as a platform to protest recent racial tensions, there were also those who used the march as a day to remember Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy.

The Paisano

4 {The Paisano} Editor-in-Chief: Jakob Lopez

Managing Editor: Mia Cabello

News Editor:

Matthew Duarte

Arts Editor:

Beth Marshall

Sports Editor:

Shabazz I. Dawkins

Web Editor:

OPINION

January 20 - January 27, 2015

A pathway to better student living Editorial In the 2014 fall semester, the City of San Antonio accommodated UTSA students by adding bike lanes on Valero Way. Moreover, the City of San Antonio began to work with the Texas Department of Transportation to widen UTSA Boulevard. The project will add bike lines, sidewalks and other pedestrian pathways.

In addition to these improve-

ments, UTSA has added a bike share program known as B-cycle.

The program provides two stations with 22 bicycles at the main campus.

These changes will not only make commuting to classes easier, but also more affordable.

Bikes can cost more than $100, which can be out of budget for the money-tight college student. But

the B-cycle program provides an affordable $25 semester-long pass that enables riders to use the stations at the main campus and at B-cycle stations downtown.

According to the College News and Education website, 12 percent of UTSA students live in housing owned, operated or affiliated with the university. Approximately 3,360 students may now be able

to benefit from the bike share program. The development director at B-cycle San Antonio has stated that if UTSA students get out and ride the bikes, more stations will be present in the future.

In addition to being affordable, the bike share program provides further incentive for UTSA to add bike lanes along Roadrunner Way, Hausman and other streets that

align the main campus, which would make it safer for commuters living off campus to bike to the university.

With university health and safety at the forefront, UTSA continues to create practical pathways for student living.

Michael Turnini

Special Issues Editor: Jade Cuevas

Photo Editor:

Marcus Connolly

Social Media Editor: Rebecca Conejo

Business Manager: Lizzette Rocha

Ads Manager: Edidiong Adiakpan

{Staff Writers} Anthony Mendoza, Patrick Martinez, Robert Avila, Pavela Bambakova, Jennifer Vannoy, Emily Varvel, Savin Weerasinghe

{Interns} Brittany Brink, Maria Cristina Moreno, Daniel Shaw, Teia Herrera, Alysha Gallagher {Staff Photographers} Robert Pistochi {Contributing Writers} Hayden Housson, Olivia Ybarra, Brayden Boren, Randi Gilmore, Nathaniel Archer

{Adviser}

Diane Abdo

{Advisory Board}

Steven Kellman, Jack Himelblau, Sandy Norman, Stefanie Arias, Diane Abdo The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, 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.

The Paisano is distributed on all three UTSA campuses — Main, Downtown and the Institute of Texan Cultures. Additionally, Paisano publications are distributed at a variety of off-campus locations, including Tripoint and a variety of apartment complexes near the UTSA Main Campus.

All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed to:

14526 Roadrunner Way Suite 101 San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210)-690-9301 {Letters to the Editor}

Letters must be fewer than 400 words and include the writer’s name, classification or title and telephone number. The Paisano reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Send letters to: Editor@paisano-online. com © 2014, The Paisano

Selma does not need an Oscar Commentary O n January 13, the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences failed to nominate “Selma” director Ava DeVernay for Best Director.

DeVernay would have been the first African American woman to be nominated for this prestigious award. The decision not to nominate DeVarney has warranted accusations of racism and favoring

male nominees over a more diverse selection.

Despite the protests, DeVarney’s “Selma” does not need an Academy Award to be an essential work of cinema. Yet, such accusations are not unwarranted. Academy membership is 94 percent white and 76 percent male.

This year’s Academy Awards include the greatest amount of white nominees since 1998. However, many critics of the Academy seem to overplay the role of race in regards to “Selma’s” low number of nominations.

Not to say that those angry that “Selma” gained two nominations should not be upset or continue to call for a more diverse Hollywood awards.

However, the Academy has ignored many great films before such as The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo, Requiem for A Dream, and Do The Right Thing. “Selma” belongs with these films and others that have been considered important, defining films in the film industry.

DeVarney’s “Selma” breaks down the sanctified image of Martin Luther King; it shows

King’s commitment to the civil rights movement, displays his shrewd political maneuvering in getting the 1965 voting rights act past, exposes the truth about his extramarital affairs and allows the audience to see him as a complex leader and person.

The script, the cinematography and the performances are all beyond scrutiny.

Teaming with AfricanAmerican business leaders across the country, Paramount Pictures — the studio that produced “Selma” — offers free screenings of the

feature to middle school and high school students. These screenings will familiarize over 275,000 students to bear witness to an important moment in history.

The time and money spent arranging these screenings could’ve been used for an Oscar campaign; however, the makers of “Selma” have made a film that is more important than any award will ever be.

Nathaniel Archer Contributing Writer

Satire

Of course... But maybe by Robert Avila Many commuters know that finding a good parking spot on campus can be tricky.

Unless students have a garage pass or a 7 a.m. class, getting a spot near campus can be time guzzling and infuriating.

After circling the lot for twenty minutes, even the most civilized person may be driven to a primal, honkinducing rage if someone nabs the parking spot that he or she has spotted. What’s worse, some of the closest spots to campus are so terri-

bly painted over that no one knows where to park.

Rows designed to fit 40 cars instead, currently cram about 25 to 30 vehicles due to double parking and uneven spacing, leaving large gaps between vehicles. It is these inconsistent gaps, often barely large enough to fit the smallest of cars, which led to one of the worst studentparking-lot riots in university history.

“I just lost my cool,” said sophomore Ang Rhi, one of

the thousands of students involved in the Brackenridge Ave Lot 1 riot. “There was space for like two cars there, they didn’t have to park like that,” stated the 5-foot 120 pound Rhi, who lifted three cars and turned them on their sides trying to park and make it to class. “I’ve never even been to the Rec, but after circling the lot for over an hour, my instincts took over.”

A cluster of poorly parked trucks immobilized student Anon Nemus. “I didn’t want

I’ll just sit here by Christopher Breakell

to lose my spot,” stated Nemus who was unable to open her doors for over six hours.

“I missed my first three class and had to kick out my front windshield to make it to the quiz in my last class,” she said.

The riot began last Monday and accelerated throughout the week. Torched and battered vehicles, overturned trash cans, and a a garage stampede resulted in sixfigure revenue from parking citations given to students.

Business Auxiliary Services

invites students who have received citations to pay the fee (first) and then to appeal online; however, most citations continue to be denied.

Despite these incidents UTSA has no official plans to repaint these parking spots and plans to continue ticketing students that park incorrectly.

ARTS & LIFE

5

January 20 - January 27, 2015

Wifi: America’s new wingman Mia Cabello Managing Editor

@miacab_ arts@paisano-online.com Is your name Wifi? Because we have a connection.

Keeping consistent with the style of online dating profiles, only the first names of the following people interviewed will be provided.

According to a Pew Research Center survey on online dating and relationships, one in 10 Americans ages 18 to 24 and one in five adults ages 25 to 34 have used an online dating application or website.

Familiarity with online dating has increased as well, consequently peaking curiosity which continues to attract people to the sites.

The Pew Research Center reports that 42 percent of Americans who have not used online dating know someone who has.

Convenient Internet access and a market of adults ready to swipe their phone screens for a love connection has inspired new online dating markets for young adults. The online and application dating platform fuses style elements from social media and interactive games.

Different sites cater to different audiences — those looking for a casual fling, those looking to meet new people and those looking for a serious commitment.

According to a 2013 survey taken from the Pew Research Center, a greater percentage of men than

Michelle Siddiqui, The Paisano

women are online daters.

For that reason, some male users claim that sites and apps that hinge on superficial selection give women an unfair advantage.

“It’s definitely a girl’s market for sure,” said UTSA student Angel about Tinder, a free mobile matchmaking application. “I got a lot of matches and messages.

But (only) when they’d say something interesting or funny I’d respond.”

Since the app’s launch in 2012, Tinder reports that over 1.5 billion profiles have been created, rated and ranked. Additionally, the company estimates that approximately 70 percent of users began conversing through the application af-

ter they have been matched.

Tinder offers users who have “liked” one another the options to “send a message,” “keep playing,” or “tell your friends.” Tinder, similar to earlier apps like Hot or Not and Grindr, accesses its users GPS data to suggest matches in a user-specified radius.

To say hello may be the hardest part. “Guys are expected to make the first move; just saying ‘hey :)’ doesn’t cut it,” said UTSA student and online dater Bryan.

“I would only message someone if I had a couple of talking points — I can’t tell you how many people I message and got ignored. A good, descriptive profile is important.”

OkCupid, a free online matchmaking website, allows its users a longer biographical section and allows users to browse from a list of other users in the area.

Tinder, like its predecessor app Hot or Not, is listless; users either swipe right or swipe left depending on

their initial attraction to the other user. However, an influx of matches and messages may overwhelm users. For example, within 48 hours, a female UTSA junior English major with two photos and a one-line biography received over 100 Tinder messages.

“I met a couple of really nice guys on Tinder and on OkCupid as well, but it just seemed so superficial. Most guys are just trying to get laid,” said Angel, who was an active online dater for only a few months.

The Pew Research Center reports that 60 percent of online daters have been on a date with someone they first met online. Paid matchmaking site eHarmony touts that they have fostered over 600,000 marriages since its 2000 launch with a 3.8 percent divorce rate. Tinder stated that it does not keep track of the connections or relationships made on the app, but rather its main focus is to connect people.

“Online, someone may

not seem very shy, but in person they may be,” Angel said.

“You can put up a front online and pretend to be someone you are not. But you cannot keep that (lie) up in person.”

Members of paid sites such as eHarmony and Match.com and free sites such as OkCupid are required to answer a more extensive questionnaire than are those who register on free mobile applications such as Tinder.

Tinder offers its users 500 characters for a bio and accesses users Facebook information, photos and current location to offer selections.

Pew reports that over half of online daters have felt that someone else “seriously misrepresented” themselves in their profiles.

A 2013 survey for the Pew’s Internet and American Life Project reports that 42 percent of female online daters have reported being contacted or pursued by someone online or on a dating app in a manner that made them feel uncomfortable or harassed. Seventeen percent of male online daters also reported this experience.

“I was way too trusting of someone who, in truth, was a stranger,” said UTSA alum and an elementary school teacher Mindy. “I only had Tinder for about three days.”

During that period, Mindy exchanged phone numbers with a man she met on the app. The two met in person and began dating.

“After Christmas I learned that he was completely mentally unstable,” said Mindy. “Our break up was awful. He threatened to kill himself and show up at my house at all hours of the night. It’s been weeks, and I still get Snapchats from random screen names that he’s made up everyday.”

Mindy acknowledges her exceptionally negative experience is an anomaly.

“The danger of online dating, I guess,” Mindy said.

“I’ve learned first hand that technology is giving us a fabricated trust in strangers.

Online dating is fine as long as you understand that just like in real life, people aren’t how they always seem.”

Concert recap:

ZZ Top plays the Majestic Patrick Martinez Staff Writer

@ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com A month after their cancelled San Antonio tour stop in December, bluesrocking greats, ZZ Top gave a spectacular, long-awaited performance at the Majestic Theatre Sunday night.

ZZ top played the full set amazingly well and never missed a beat as drummer Frank Beard pounded the drums to mesh with Dusty Hill’s bluesy bass lines in the rhythm section.

Singer and master guitarist Billy Gibbons showed that age is nothing but a number as his flawless guitar solos rippled.

After four decades of rocking, ZZ Top has definitely not lost their touch.

Every seat in the Majestic was thumping from the loud, thunderous amps on

stage complete with great lights and two screens to play some of the band’s music videos.

Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill also played with ZZ Top during their solo material.

Heads were bobbing and feet were tapping to the bluesy riffs and sensational guitar solos as Jimi Hendrix’s favorite guitarist, Gibbons, did his thing.

Moving his fingers up and down the neck of the guitar like a man possessed, Gibbons gad the blues running through his veins.

ZZ Top even paid tribute to the late Hendrix by playing his “Foxey Lady,” so elegantly that even Jimi would tip his hat.

The set included hits such as “Gimme All Your Loving,” “Got Me Under Pressure,” “Legs,” and “Sharped Dressed Man,” from their 1983 break-through album, Eliminator.

Gibbons shared two short monologues between some of the songs and even changed some of the cities in their lyrics to San Antonio to make the already pumped-up crowd go crazy.

The stage blackened as the band exited with relentless cheers and applause before reappearing for an encore starting with their 1973 hit “La Grange” from the album Tres Hombres.

They played four songs in the encore including their hit “Tush,” from their 1975 album, Fandango! A favorite for San Antonians, ZZ Top never failed to impress the crowd with groovy bass lines, loud drumming and Demigod-like guitar playing.

Their music and their beards remain unmatched, and they live on through the young, the old, the blues lovers and the rock lovers.

6

ARTS

January 20 - January 27, 2015

Every beard deserves love

Column Corner:

Music

Jennifer Vannoy Arts Assistant

@ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com

Marcus Connolly, The Paisano Bearded Love attendees watch the musical entertainment and beard competition from the grounds of Travis Park. This event marked the inaugural 3rd Friday Bearded Love Concert and Contest.

Brayden Boren Contributing Writer @ThePaisano arts@paisano-online.com

“I call it ‘the Wiggler’ because it moves when I talk,” laughed Rob Witthauer as he shifted his upper jaw back and forth, bringing his curlicued mustache to life before a crowd of amused spectators and judges.

Witthauer, along with many mustachioed and bearded men, wwa contestant in 3rd Friday’s 1st Bearded Love Concert and Contest, a fundraising event celebrating San Antonio’s facial hair aficionados and eccentrics.

Much of the praise goes to the heart of the festival,

which lies in the collective of hirsute gentlemen who form the Alamo Beard Club established in July 2012. It’s a simple story. A group of guys meeting at a bar, putting their drinking to good use, and establishing a club based on the group’s mutual appreciation for facial hair and their desire to reach out to their community.

The men meet three times a year to plan for events such as Bearded Love, which they were invited by the city to host. Categories included partial beards like muttonchops and chin beards, mustaches and full beards under and over six inches. Proceeds go to Network for Young Artists, a charitable organization that fosters music programs for

Texas youth communities.

Christian Oyler, sales/ acquisition officer of the Alamo Beard Club, considers it a great honor to be a part of the organization.

Sporting an orange beard that hangs from his chin down to the middle of his shirt, Oyler said, “It’s really mostly about the people you get to hang out with. I would call us mostly a social club, with a charitable cause. We meet once a month to plan our two annual events and then to fill out whatever events we get invited to such as this one.”

Travis Park, this year’s festival venue, was the perfect spot for both serious competitors and spectators .Numerous Lights strung about through the leaves

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and branches of the park’s trees kept the darkness at bay while festival goers wandered along the pathways to investigate a new booth, art-piece or food truck lining the outskirts of the park.

Catering to the festival’s name, many of the booths sold products and paraphernalia pertaining to facial hair care and styling. Each booth offered signature products such as “Chill,” Urban Beardster’s home-brewed beard juice or “Panty Puller,” Boo’s signature beard balm.

Throughout the night, local singers and bands offered an uptempo break from the sounds of competitors eager to show their largely muffled faces.

Kayla McKenzie began with sultry acoustic covers of some Taylor Swift favorites, as well as some of her own solo material. The Brian Volante Band was close behind with some tunes to raise the volume a couple notches.

Not to be outdone by the old-timers, young new rock outfit Donella Drive hit their stride deep into the penultimate hour before the winners of the competition were announced.

The combination of aggressive hardcore mixed with the heavy atmospherics of bands like Deftones and Glassjaw channeled through frontwoman Ella Macias in a voice that cut through the cold and made onlookers stand at attention, or just outright bang their heads.

Closing out the night, local favorite The Heroine brought their band’s swaggering version of rock and roll to an audience who had waited patiently for a finale worth staying for. Whether it was the loud guitar sounds found in the best arena acts or Lynnwood Presley King’s rough-and-ragged voice that would make Dave Grohl blush, The Heroine may have caused a couple of singed hairs on some of the audience’s faces that night.

After hours of anticipation, the winners were announced, with none other than Rob Witthauer standing victorious among his fellow “Best Mustache” competitors.

Stopping to take a picture with the judges, “the Wiggler” made a special encore appearance.

Witthauer’s jaw slid back and forth once more to entice the competitors to bring their A-game next year.

Paul Revere may have warned us that the British were coming, but he didn’t say anything about the Irish.

Singer-songwriter Hozier, a bluesy musician from Ireland with hair like a Greek god, has made quite an entrance into the American music scene over the past few months. His self-titled debut album hit American shelves in October, peaking at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Trying to “break America,” Hozier has definitely made a name for himself here. He performed during the season finale of The Voice and was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live in October.

Still not impressed? His performance during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show this past year had a whopping 9.1 million live views. Hozier’s also up for Song of the Year at the Grammy’s with his new single “Take Me to Church.”

Other contenders include Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off ” and Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me.” In true UK fashion, he’s already booking festivals to play in the US, including Coachella on April 11 and 18. But no worries if you’re not up for a road trip to

California; his first US tour starts on Feb. 6 in Los Angeles, CA and ends March 22 in New York, NY. Texas is, of course, on the list, but unfortunately those dates are already sold out. Don’t get too upset, though! He comes back during a second wave of touring to Austin’s Austin Music Hall on April 21 and Houston’s Bayou Music Center on April 22.

Get your tickets fast!

His first single, “Take Me to Church,” can be heard on radios all throughout the world. With its soulful sound and intense lyrics such as “I was born sick/ But I love it/ Command me to be well/ Amen. Amen.

Amen. Amen,” this song is just a little taste of what the rest of the album is like.

From sweet, slow ballads like “Work Song” to happy, upbeat songs like “Jackie and Wilson,” Hozier never strays from his bluesy nature. The acoustic vibe in one song can be totally transformed into something completely different, like an island vibe from his second single “From Eden” or an old rocker vibe in “It Will Come Back.” Tap your toes to “Something New,” or lose yourself in the sultry sound of “Cherry Wine.” There is something here for every mood you could possibly be in. You can get “Hozier” on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify; it is an absolute musthave.

EVENTS CALENDAR Tuesday January 20, 2015: It’s that time of the semester again – time to get involved! Stop by the Involvement Fair with student activity booths stationed throughout the University Center and outside the McKinney Humanities building on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The best way to get plugged in on campus is by joining a club that interests you, so take some time to stop and scan your options.

Wednesday January 21, 2015: Check out the opening of “Fare Thee Well,” the UTSA Main Gallery’s newest exhibition from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Wednesday. This gallery features work from artists Robbie Barber, Sedrick Huckaby, Dyan Green and Ben Davis, and it will be open until Feb. 20. For more information, visit art.utsa.edu/fare-theewell.

Friday January 23, 2015: Try date night with Picasso at the San Antonio Museum of Art this weekend. Admission to this event is two for one and a student I.D. brings the cost down to just $5. Expect to flamenco the night away and gaze at the cur-

rent Picasso exhibition.

There will also be a cash bar open for attendees over 21. Date Night Picasso is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

More information can be found at samuseum. org.

Saturday January 24, 2015: The Witte Museum (3801 Broadway) presents “Texas Flora: Nature’s Paintbrush,” opening on Saturday.

Hopefully this aptly named exhibit is just in time for some springtime weather. Admission to the entire museum, including “Texas Flora” is $8 and more information can be found at wittemuseum. org.

Sunday January 25, 2015: Venture out to scenic Gruene, Texas, for the afternoon and wander around downtown. Be sure to mosey on into Gruene Hall for some free live entertainment.

Cajun rocker Slim Bawb will be playing from noon – 3:30 p.m. and Guy Forsyth’s Hot Nut Riveters, described as recession-era themed folk musicians who bring an extra dash of comedy to their tunes, will play from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. For more information visit gruenehall.com.

SPORTS

7 January 20 - January 27, 2015

{Sports Events} Thursday, Jan. 22 2 pm Women’s Basketball The UTSA women’s basketball team face Marshall at the Convocation Center.

Friday, Jan. 23 2 pm Men’s Tennis UTSA’s men’s tennis team meet the Old Dominion Monarchs on the San Antonio courts.

7:30 pm Spurs Basketball The San Antonio Spurs take on the Los Angeles Lakers at the A&T Center.

Saturday, Jan. 24 2 pm Women’s Basketball The UTSA women’s basketball team faces Western Kentucky at the Convocation Center.

Sunday, Jan. 25 6 pm Spurs Basketball The San Antonio Spurs play the Milwaukee Bucks at the A&T Center.

Marcus Connolly, The Paisano

Journey to the Tourney: NCAA March Madness Preview SPORTS COMMENTARY

C-USA Basketball STANDINGS East Division C-USA/Overall

1. Western Kentucky (5-0) (12-5) 2. Old Dominion (4-1) (15-2) 3. UAB (4-1) (8-10) 4. Middle Tennessee (3-2) (10-8) 5. Florida International (2-3) (9-9) 6. Florida Atlantic (1-4) (8-8) 7. Marshall (0-5) (4-14)

West Division C-USA/Overall 1. Louisiana Tech (5-0) (14-4) 2. UTEP (4-1) (12-5) 3. UTSA (2-3) (8-8) 4. Charlotte (2-3) (8-9) 5. Rice (2-3) (5-11) 6. North Texas (1-4) (7-10) 7. Southern Miss (0-5) (5-11)

Shabazz I. Dawkins Sports Editor

@shabazzvs sports@paisano-online.com Madness — the word that describes the basketball tournament every spring semester that pits 68 of the most

talented NCAA Division I basketball teams against one another.

The fall semester is dominated by college football coverage. There is one fatal flaw with college football; the teams in the power five conferences (SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big 12) receive a disproportionate bulk of the acclaim. UTSA, a member of the Conference USA (CUSA), strays out of the football power loop.

In college basketball, however, any team can receive acclaim— all the team needs to do is win.

Thirty-two of the 68 par-

ticipating teams gain automatic entry by winning their respective conference championship with an NCAA committee selecting the remaining teams.

UTSA could receive an automatic bid if they win this year’s C-USA tournament. Coming off a loss to the UTEP Miners, UTSA holds a 2-3 record in conference play, which places them three games behind the conference leaders Louisiana Tech (14-4, 5-0) and Western Kentucky (12-5, 5-0).

With 13 conference games remaining in the regularseason, the Roadrunners have

plenty of opportunities to place themselves favorably in the post-season tournament.

UTSA last appeared in the tournament in 2011. During their latest March Madness stint, the Roadrunners beat Alabama State in the opening round, but were defeated by Ohio State in the next round.

The UTSA Roadrunners have been in the tournament three other times: 2004, 1999 and 1988.

According to the NCAA’s official website, there have been more than 30 different winners of the illustrious tournament — including conference rival the UTEP Min-

ers.

Before the season, Fox Sports projected that UTSA would finish a paltry twelfth place out of the 14 C-USA teams. However, the Roadrunners have already proved to be stronger than this projection, showing muscle in their two conference wins against North Texas (7-10, 1-4) and Southern Mississippi (5-11, 0-5).

The Roadrunners will go on the road for their next game against Marshall (4-14, 0-5). A win against the Marshall Thundering Herd would be a step in the right direction — towards the madness.

8

January 20 - January 27, 2015

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