The Paisano volume 47 issue 23

Students on the issues: Page 4

Utah State too much for Runners: Page 7

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

October 30, 2012

Volume 47

Breaking down the ballot: A look at San Antonio’s political choices Matthew Duarte News Editor

news@paisano-online.com

Sarah Gibbens Paseo Editor

paseo@paisano-online.com

US Senate

Democratic candidate Paul Sadler and Tea Party Republican candidate Ted Cruz will compete for a seat in the U.S. Senate on the Nov. 6 general election. While both candidates have addressed the key concerns of voters such as the state of the economy throughout their campaign, Sadler and Cruz promote varying solutions for the future of Texas.

Sadler, a native Texan, has legislative experience as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1991 to 2003, where he served as a member of the Legislative Budget Board and as Chairman of the Public Education Committee from 1995 to 2003.

If elected to office, Sadler’s platform stated his plans are to rebuild and spur the economy by creating jobs that will invest in clean energy and renewable resources. He also plans on strengthening national defense and protecting access to quality, affordable health care.

The San Angelo Times took note of Sadler’s willingness to pass bipartisan legislation, such as the protection of women’s health.

Tea Party Republican candidate Cruz, however, has promoted a different solution for Texas. Cruz, a partner in the firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Houston, taught U.S. Supreme Court litigation at the University of Texas at Austin from 2003 to 2008, and served under the Solicitor General of Texas.

Cruz’s campaign platform placed a heavy emphasis on job growth through a balanced budget and the reduction of size and spending by the federal government, including his intentions to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cruz’s conservative ideals advance policies in support of pro-life, traditional marriage, the security of the Mexican-American border and the protection of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

According to the Texas Lyceum Poll, 24 percent of participants are in favor of Sadler, 50 percent expressed support for Cruz and 26 percent of voiced opinions were undecided.

Traditionally, Texas voters consistently support Republican candidates.

Griselda Nevarez of the Huffington Post projected that Cruz will win the seat in the race based on his conservative positions on key Texas issues like immigration, health care and voter ID laws.

Congressional District 20

U.S. Congressional District 20 draws votes from the western half of San Antonio. On the ballot for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives are Democratic candidate Joaquín Castro and Republican candidate David Rosa. The votes from constituents in the UTSA and greater San Antonio area will elect a representative who will ultimately impact local policies and legislation.

Politico named 38-year-old Democratic candidate Castro one of the top 50 politicians to watch in the nation.

Castro served as the Vice Chairman of the Higher Education Committee and

was the Democratic floor leader in the Texas House of Representatives.

The Democratic candidate has defined his platform as “the infrastructure of opportunity.” Castro intends to direct government support and funding for initiatives that aim to provide access to quality public health care and education. Castro has also voiced his support for same-sex marriage, Planned Parenthood and the DREAM Act. For Castro, the priority issue for San Antonio is the economy, including military, transportation and job creation, according to the San Antonio Express-News, following the Democratic National Convention.

Also running on the ballot for Congressional District 20 is Republican candidate David Rosa. Rosa served as the director of the Greater Bexar County Latino Republican Coalition, founded the Federation of Hispanic Republicans and cited his experience as an insurance agent at a private health care agency in San Antonio.

Rosa has criticized the current regulation policies and aims to find the appropriate balance between government oversight and the expansion of business.

Rosa believes in the privatization of health care in order to promote and protect competitive affordability. He seeks to loosen government regulations on businesses in order to facilitate job growth. As stated by the Express-News Editorial Board, Rosa voiced his opposition to Obamacare and his support for pro-life legislation.

The San Antonio Express-News stated that Rosa reported only $933 in campaign funds, whereas Castro’s campaign boasted over $338,101 in the most recent financial quarter.

As Election Day approaches, the disparity of campaign resources and the official endorsements from Congressman Charlie Gonzales and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi indicate a clear political advantage for Castro.

Congressional District 23

Democrat Pete Gallego will attempt to unseat Republican and Tea Party favorite Quico Canseco in Congressional District 23, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso as the largest geographic district in the state.

The influence of the Latino voting bloc was evident at the only debate between the two candidates, which was held entirely in Spanish and focused on issues such as immigration, Medicare and Social Security, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Due to the highly competitive nature of the race, the Texas Tribune described the area as the “only Congressional swing district” in Texas. The Los Angeles Times has gone so far as to claim that the race is “one of the most competitive congressional races in the country.”

Canseco, a 63-year-old businessman from Laredo, TX, was elected to the seat in 2010 as a part of the historic Tea Party landslide that resulted in the Republican party picking up more than 60 seats in the House. However, Canseco failed to win 50 percent of the vote in a hotly contested race.

His official campaign webpage touted his business experience and stated, “Canseco knows what it means to meet See BALLOT, Page 2

Issue 23

Hurricane Sandy bears down on East Coast

AP-TwopedestrianswalkalongtheAtlanticCityBoardwalkinAtlanticCityN.J.,Sunday,Oct.28,2012,astheareapreparesforHurricaneSandy.Tensofthousandsofpeople wereorderedtoevacuatecoastalareasSundayasbigcitiesandsmalltownsacrosstheU.S.Northeastbracedfortheonslaughtofasuperstormthreateningsome60million people along the most heavily populated corridor in the nation.

Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley to partner with UT system for online classes Jonathan Pillow Intern

news@paisano-online.com The UT System has recently announced its partnership with edX, a nonprofit online course provider founded in May by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The UT system is the fourth partner to become an “X University,” following Harvard, MIT and UC Berkeley.

EdX is a unique learning platform. It provides a portal through which almost anybody in the world can participate in courses designed by college professors.

It was founded by Harvard and MIT as a means to research the way that students learn and how learning technologies can enhance the traditional college experience.

Any university that is partnered with edX has the opportunity to add course content to the edX platform, which becomes accessible not only to students from other universities, but also to virtually any person with internet access.

Although the edX platform is designed to facilitate higher education for non-students, the UT system intends to incorporate the edX distance-learning program into their regular course work.

“We will use the edX platform already in place to improve the way our courses are delivered across our campuses,” said UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa at a UT System press conference, “offering a variety of technology-enhanced instruction, faceto-face classes, accelerated classes, hy-

brid classes and fully online classes.”

The edX platform will be made available to all nine UT Universities as well as its six health institutions, but it is unclear whether it will be implemented at every campus.

“At this current moment, the UT system is still exploring the technical details, and at this very moment, UTSA is not planning to switch platforms,” said UTSA Assistant Vice Provost of Distance Learning Sunay Palsole.

Currently, UTSA uses Blackboard for distance learning. However, some students and teachers argued that this system is ineffective.

“The best thing UTSA can do right now to improve the distance learning program is something that I understand is already set to happen this spring. That is, upgrading the Blackboard system,” said Marguerite Newcomb, an online course developer and UTSA lecturer.

“The system currently in place is woefully out of date and overworked.

The next upgrade will allow for more interactive and fun technology add-ons that should make online learning even more effective.”

According to Newcomb, in order for online courses to be effective, they must be interactive enough to engage the modern student.

“People are evolving and this has never been more obvious than over the past 10 to 15 years with the huge increase in technology and educational technology,” she added. “Students are visual and need to be engaged. Technology—whether in an online or onthe-ground classroom—has the ability

to make that happen.”

Even as distance-learning technology improves, it is inevitable that some students will remain more comfortable in a grounded learning environment.

A common concern among traditional learners is that online courses sacrifice effectiveness for the sake of convenience and efficiency. However, online learning also has many advocates.

“You will also find students that think an online course is at least as effective as a classroom experience,” said Palsole.

“Research shows that a well designed online course can lead to an excellent learning experience for learners who can learn from that modality.”

Though it is possible that UTSA may use the edX platform in the future, they will continue to use Blackboard for the time being. UTSA plans, however, to upgrade Blackboard in the near future, and they are also taking additional steps to improve the school’s distance learning program.

“UTSA is currently in the process of identifying courses that have the maximum potential to benefit the students by being online and once they have been identified, the plan is to collaborate with colleges and faculty to design courses to provide the best learning experience for the student and teaching experience for the faculty to ensure student success,” said Palsole.

UTSA students and distance learners can expect an upgrade in the current Blackboard system next semester and may anticipate the introduction of the edX platform in the future.

News

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The Paisano

October 30, 2012

October 30, 2012

The Paisano

BALLOT: Local races attract national attention From Page 1

a payroll, keep a budget and the pride that comes with building a business and creating job opportunities for others.” The website also argued that “Congress is in desperate need of people like Canseco who have the real world experience to help get our small businesses moving again.”

Due to Canseco’s conservative stance on issues such as Medicare and Social Security, Gallego has called his opponent an “extremist who would dismantle the social safety net,” the Texas Tribune reported. Canseco has maintained that “Medicare was on track to go bankrupt and that Republicans want to preserve it, along with Social Security, for future generations,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

Gallego, a 22-year member of the Texas Legislature, is a former lawyer from Alpine who has been identified as one of the Democrats most likely to unseat a Republican, according to CNN. Although Canseco was unchallenged in his primary, Gallego faced and won in a runoff against Ciro Rodriguez, who represented the district from 2007 to 2011, when he lost to Canseco. Gallego has attacked Canseco for the incumbent’s stance on Medicare, claiming that the Republican intended to turn it into a voucher program, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Dallas Morning News reported that Gallego has also made strides to highlight his support for the DREAM Act, legislation that Canseco has opposed in the past.

The Texas Tribune noted that the campaign has turned ugly as of late, particularly by Canseco, who sent out a mailer that used images of Jesus Christ, a baby and two men kissing to draw attention to Gallego’s allegedly liberal stance on abortion and gay rights. Even some Republicans came to the defense of Gallego, a Catholic who opposes legalizing same-sex marriage.

The amount of money spent on ads relating to the race has raised eyebrows as well. The Texas Tribune reported that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Commission and League of Conservation Voters have collectively invested $2.3 million in support of Pete

Gallego. While the National Republican Congressional Committee has spent only $1.3 million on ads supporting Canseco, the incumbent has a cashon-hand advantage of $1 million.

However, the many supporters of Gallego include former president Bill Clinton, who visited South San Antonio High School on Oct. 25 to speak on behalf of the Democratic candidate.

Clinton’s endorsement may boost Gallego’s chances, the San Antonio Express-News claimed. “The race largely pivots on political ideology and the likability of Canseco and Gallego.”

However, in such a close race, the winner may not be decided by TV ads or the likeability of either candidate, according to Larry Hufford, a political science major from St. Mary’s University.

Hufford argued the importance of voter

participation.

“Turnout will be the major factor in who wins that congressional district,” Hufford stated.

Pre K 4 SA

During the general election, PreK 4 SA, an early-childhood education initiative, will be on the ballot for San Antonio voter approval on Nov. 6.

The program aims to improve educational opportunity by offering 22,400 four-year-olds free full-day pre-k instruction by trained teaching professionals. The initiative intends to narrow the performance gap in pre-k education for qualifying children.

The oversight of the program will be governed by a City Council appointed board and if passed, the resolution will

increase the sales tax in San Antonio by one eighth of a cent to fund the construction of four pre-k centers that will house 500 students each over the eightyear-period from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2021.

In addition to the education of qualifying pre-k through third grade students of San Antonio, the program also allocates funding to support family services such as extended day care in order to accommodate working parents.

According to the City of San Antonio’s Pre-K 4 SA Information Guide, qualifying criteria for families include: “At or below 185 percent of federal poverty level (families are eligible for free or reduced lunch); English as a second language; children of active duty member of U.S. Armed Forces; child of injured or deceased member of U.S.

Armed Forces; homeless; or currently or previously in foster care.”

The initiative will be on the ballot in San Antonio this November and will require voter reauthorization again in Nov. 2020.

For more information on the Pre-K 4 SA initiative, visit http://www.sanantonio.gov/Manager/Pre-K4SanAntonio Editor’s Note: Matthew Duarte is a volunteer on the congressional campaign of Joaquin Castro and also volunteers in Mayor Julian Castro’s community office. In the past he has received monetary compensation for his work with the Castros, both of whom are Democrats.

Sarah Gibbens is the Vice President of the Young Democrats at UTSA and has worked for the Pete Gallego campaign.

News

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Paseo

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The Paisano

October 30, 2012

Political Issues of the 2012 Election

As the election draws near, candidates take definitive stands on each issue. The issues of abortion, loans and clean energy are among some of the most prevalent issues facing students in the 2012 election.

Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice Synthia Perez

President: Students for the Right to Life

“ O n e not only has a legal, but a moral responsibility to obey just law. Conversely, one has a moral obligation to disobey unjust laws.” – MLK, Jr. Today our generation is faced with moral dilemmas regarding just and unjust laws on the spectrum of all human life issues.

Life, defined by oxforddictionaries.com, is “the existence of an individual human being or animal.” At the moment of fertilization, a new human life comes into existence. A new life with a unique set of DNA and fingerprints. At just under four weeks, this new life has a beating heart that we are able to hear through sono-

gram technology. At around six weeks, we are able to detect brain waves and by 12 weeks, the baby has already developed everything necessary for their development.

After fertilization, this life is continually growing and developing; anything done to intentionally end this life, like induced abortion, is essentially killing this life.

According to groups such as Students for the Right to Life, at least 3,000 induced abortions are performed on women of all age and race in the United States everyday and more than 53 million induced abortions have happened since the legalization of Roe V Wade in 1973.

The majority of these abortions take place within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, more specifically in the first 6 weeks. It is during these stages of development, that growth is most vital to the human life. If a new human life is not growing and devel-

oping, then what is the necessity of abortion?

Students for the Right to Life value both the life of the mother and her unborn child. The group can sometimes be labeled as antiwoman, but to make things clear, Student for the Right to Life is very pro woman.

The group works with local Crisis Pregnancy Centers to help women choose life.

These centers offer help and support through and after pregnancy.

Students for the Right to Life promotes Natural Family Planning and Fertility Awareness so that women can work with their bodies to track their fertility rather than working against their feminine bodies and suppressing their fertility with contraceptive use.

Students for the Right to Life believe that women deserve better than abortion and efforts concentrate on giving them better resources.

Alejandro Camacho Contributing Writer paseo@paisano-online.com

P r i vacy is protected under the due p ro ce s s clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This includes a woman’s right to decide whether or not to have an abortion.

There are a variety of reasons that may lead a woman to choose abortion, ranging from the dramatic effect a child may bring to her life to concerns about her health or financial well being. No matter the motivation to have an abortion, the government must fulfill its duty to protect women’s privacy.

Before the court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, back-alley

abortions were typically performed under heinous circumstances outside the medical system. Often, these types of abortions were self-induced or performed by non-medical practitioners, and sometimes resulted in fatal consequences.

Without the protection of the law, women’s health was at risk.

Although Roe v. Wade legalized abortion, state legislators, pressured by interest groups, have passed regulations restricting the accessibility to an abortion. This results in many illegal practices to this day.

Among the most famous is the 1988 case which involved the death of Rebecca “Becky” Bell.

Bell, like some American teenagers, became pregnant at the age of 17 and the parental consent laws of her home state, Indiana, prevented her from having an abortion due to her young age. She sought help elsewhere and became a victim of an unsafe abortion.

Indiana, and many other states, has created laws that require parental consent or a

formal notification to parents of underage women seeking an abortion. These policies led Bell to seek options that ultimately resulted in her death.

Her parents have since become outspoken opponents of laws that require parental consent.

In Texas, policies have been implemented to limit a woman from proceeding with an abortion. Texas Law requires a doctor to inform a woman about potential consequences and provide a sonogram 24 hours before an abortion. This has a drastic psychological impact on women and is being justified as “a woman’s right to know.”

Each person is different and what some women may decide to do with their pregnancy may not be the best alternative for every woman. Government can only protect citizens’ rights. It is a woman’s right to decide if abortion is the right choice for her or not.

Private Loans vs. Subsidized Loans Boyd Garriot

Member: Young Americans for Liberty Libertarians and economics majors look at government financial aid for students just like any other public policy. In this case, the public policy involves a service market: education.

Like all markets, the education market is comprised of supply and demand. It is the supply and demand of any good or service that determines its price.

One common argument for more subsidized student loans argues students will not be able to pay off their debts. According to the Library of Economics and Liberty, education must be seen as an investment that students will be able to pay off with the more prestigious jobs that come with higher education.

The ability to borrow from private lenders will offer competitive interest rates that students can easily pay off. Educa-

tion yields steady returns and lenders can be confident of repayment, allowing them to lend at lower interest rates.

There are two ways to lower the price and two ways to raise the price. Decreasing demand or increasing supply will lower the price; consequently, increasing demand or decreasing supply will raise the price.

What does this educational policy do in terms of supply and demand?

Because this policy affects students, who are consumers of educational services, it affects demand because more students are given the ability to consume the service. Basic economics tells us that when you hold things equal and increase demand, prices will rise. Sure, you might be increasing the amount of money consumers hold, but that means nothing if the prices are rising.

Not only does this make

sense in theory, but the numbers support the claim. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, prices for public undergraduate universities rose 42 percent between 2000 and 2001 as well as 2010 and 2011 after adjusting for inflation. Something is driving these prices up, and most economists agree that financial aid plays a huge role in this by driving up demand to artificially high levels.

For those who support government financial aid, it is unjustifiable to drive up prices 42 percent in 10 years. Americans should get quality college education, but government funded policies just don’t work; it’s time to try something different.

Student financial aid will only continue to raise the price of university education.

David Smith

Intern paseo@paisano-online.com Though the U.S. government has been spending more money than it can afford and needs to find places to cut back, the education system is not a place we can afford to be making those cuts. The education of many students is covered in part by federal grants, without which many students would be in a lot more debt. Students who do not qualify for a substantial amount of loan money are even more dependent on government assistance for their education.

We need to regulate college loans so that people who have paid $50,000 on a $40,000 loan do not owe thousands more in unpaid interest.

The recent government take-

over of college loans promises to help fix some of these problems, and with the right regulation, certainly that possibility remains.

As many industries require a degree before even considering an applicant; therefor demand for college degrees has never been higher. The Bachelor’s degree has become the new high school diploma, except now, students are left paying a big chunk of the bill.

The bottom line is that the availability of higher education affects a person’s ability to advance in their socio-economic class. In a recent TED talk, Richard Wilkerson explained how social mobility is affected by economic inequality. More economically equal nations such as Japan and Denmark have higher life expectancies, lower crime and mental illness rates,

as well as more social mobility, than less equal nations like the U.S. He also determined that it doesn’t matter whether this equality is achieved through actual income similarity like Japan or through redistribution of wealth like Denmark.

So while more government subsidization or even the socialization of college student loans may seem bad to some Americans, it should increase social mobility and help decrease economic inequality, which, Wilkerson demonstrated is beneficial to citizens at both ends of the economic spectrum. Science seems to support philosopher John Donne’s conclusion: No man is an island. Let us not allow our students to become cast-aways.

Energy Independence vs. Clean Energy Alyssa Amman

Guest Writer paseo@paisano-online.com O f f s h o r e drilling is vital to our country’s energy security. Take a drive at night; notice how the street lamps illuminate the sky, while families are tucked inside their warm homes. Then notice all the parked vehicles, on average two per household. It would be difficult to maintain the lifestyle Americans are accustomed to using only renewable energy.

Renewable energy is great in theory, but how much land would we have to destroy in order to effectively produce energy to compensate for not using fossil fuels? Solar panels would have to cover 920 acres to produce 150 megawatts; es-

sentially, taking 6.133 acres to make one megawatt. In contrast, a cycle natural gas combustion turban covers 12 acres and produces 135 megawatts; therefore, it only takes .08 acres to produce one megawatt. As a result, for every one acre needed for fossil fuel energy, 76.6 acres would be required for solar energy. Because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, Americans have given a negative stigma to offshore drilling. The National Academy of Sciences found that tankers carrying oil from other countries to the U.S. account for four times as much spillage as offshore platforms, countries on whom we depend for oil. To stop drilling thus puts the environment in more jeopardy, not less. While other countries have adopted the “Drill, baby drill” attitude, America sits back and relies on foreign oil.

A study commissioned by the American Petroleum Institute found that permitting ac-

cess to U.S. oil could produce $4 trillion in state and federal revenue. According to the Congressional Budget Office, “that’s enough money to supply veterans’ benefits for 83 years, cover the cost of Social Security and Medicare payments for nearly three years and cover the cost of the entire defense budget for nearly six years.”

Lastly, we must reduce our dependence on foreign nations.

Lt. Col. Joseph E. Czarnik noted that “foreign nations have used oil as an effective economic weapon in the past and postulates that oil-producing nations’ ability to halt exports could be an effective coercive measure against America in the future.”

A growth in domestic resources could protect America from imminent conflict; as a result, foreign countries would not have oil to hold over our heads or use as a negotiating tool.

David Glickman

Staff Writer paseo@paisano-online.com Texans see them everywhere, on signs, b i l l boards a n d bumper stickers, all repeating the same slogans: “Drill Baby Drill” or “Support Coal Plants.” If you do not see it in person, it is said by many politicians, who repeatedly address the importance of supporting coal plants and expanding offshore drilling in the gulf.

This is an incredibly frustrating mentality shared by too many people because, now more than ever, it is crucial that the United States move away from these pollutant fossil fuels and switch to clean renewable energy.

Less than two years ago, the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oilrig deposited 206 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Influential environmental protection groups such as Greenpeace or the Sierra Club spoke of the damaging effects that hydraulic fracking for natural gas has on the local ground water supplies.

Fracking taints groundwater with poisonous chemicals and “clean coal” pollutes the air by burning carbon monoxide.

These are the clearest instances of fossil fuel’s impact on our environment and our world, a corrosive and destructive impact that is slowly but surely damaging our environment and contributing to the much larger problem that is global climate change.

This use of unsustainable fossil fuels is made more detrimental by the fact that all these fossil fuel based energies are rooted in a limited resource.

As the Wall Street Journal said

in a March article, coal and oil will run out as a viable energy resource within 75 to 100 years.

This is why it is imperative that we need to remove the aversion that the U.S. seems to have towards investing in new energy solutions.

Huge strides are being made practically every year in the production of solar cells and wind turbines, not only in terms of availability but how much energy they can produce as well. These methods of producing clean energy are also becoming more available and efficient. In fact, wind increased to 13 percent of total renewable energy usage, from the 11 percent it was in 2010.

Now is the time to step away from the burden of oil and other fossil fuels and become the energy independent country that sustains the American lifestyle.

The Paisano

October 30, 2012

The Paisano Editor-in-Chief: Katy Schmader

Managing Editor: Stephen Whitaker

News Editor:

Matthew Duarte

News Assistants: Natalie Frels David Glickman

Paseo Editor: Sarah Gibbens

Arts Editor:

Erica Cavazos

Arts Assistants: Valeria Perez Jennifer Alejos

Sports Editor: Rex Castillo

Sports Assistant: Sheldon Baker

Photo Editor:

Editorial

Opinion

The future of college: online collaboration between universities On Oct. 15, the UT System Board of Regents approved a $5 million investment in edX, an open-source online educational platform established by MIT and Harvard.

EdX is just one of many online platforms, often called Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), altering the way people of all ages around the world are choosing the online system as their primary means for acquiring knowledge.

EdX has the potential to revolutionize the way society educates itself.

The courses are free; they’re accessible; they’re informative; and they are worth the $5 million investment.

Online educational systems like edX serve to alter student perceptions of the technological learning environ-

ment. In the past, online classes have had an attractive reputation to those students who wish to get the easy “A” without being inconvenienced by getting out of bed.

Classes hosted by online platforms such as edX would allow students access to a larger selection of classes instructed by experts in their field.

Further, students in a traditional learning environment may benefit from the supplementary material of the online resource in addition to their university coursework. The legitimization of the online learning experience may serve to relieve classroom overflow in universities who struggle to accommodate their heavily populated student bodies.

Because MOOCs would be offered

all over the country, the availability of a quality higher education would encourage competition and the diversity of students who were otherwise limited to geographical proximity for learning. Faculty may tackle additional challenges that could transform a frequent lackluster physical classroom environment into a class of interested students who seek more than just a degree requirement.

In his commentary in the New York Times, Mark Edmundson voiced a concern shared by many traditional learners: “Online education is a onesize-fits-all endeavor. It tends to be a monologue and not a real dialogue.

The Internet teacher, even one who responds to students via e-mail, can never have the immediacy of contact

Alyssa Gonzales

Commentary

Will Tallent

Lets talk about Renewable Energy

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With one week remaining before the American people cast their vote for president, the campaign for that vote is getting hotter than a sidewalk in August.

Both candidates are hitting the swing states and making one final case for why they are the right man for a job that only 43 other men have held in 223 years.

While Republican candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama campaign they are calling on America’s traditions to appeal to the voter who might still be undecided a week away from the election. I still consider myself to be undecided, as the two candidates have not touched on an area that I have become interested in recently, the industry of renewable energy, like wind and solar power.

One of the American traditions is the field of technological innovation. As Obama said to an assembly at

Ohio State University back in March: “We’ve always succeeded because we refused to stand still. We put faith in the future. We are inventors.”

The vast preponderance of American innovation, from the telegraph and the railroad of the 19th century to aviation and the automobile in the 20th century, has come about thanks to partnership between the government and businesses. For the last 150 years or so, the United States has been at the cutting edge of innovation. It is one of the reasons we are a world power today and it has always started with government support.

Romney has said countless times through the campaign that the government does not create jobs. I find that hard to believe. If the government doesn’t help create jobs, what does it do?

Renewable energy, such as wind or solar power, is an industry through which the government can create jobs and in doing so stimulate the economy in a similar way that oil found in Texas during the Great Depression helped

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jump start the economy then. Wind and solar power represent two industries that could play a crucial role in deciding how the country is powered over the coming decades.

The candidates should speak more about the things that will help the entire country, not just two parties. On this they have fallen short so far in the campaign.

Renewable energy such as wind power or solar power should be a bigger issue to Americans and yet it is not.

These two types of energy have been around in some form for decades but the government has not really given them the attention that could tilt the balance of energy from oil and gas to wind and solar. All the materials are there, it just needs the right amount of support from the government.

Like land in 1862, wind and sun power are things that we have plenty of in this country. Unlike land though, the wind will never stop blowing and the sun will never stop shining. But if our government does not put aside its ridiculous preoccupation with par-

that the teacher on the scene can, with his sensitivity to unspoken moods and enthusiasms… It doesn’t matter who is sitting out there on the Internet watching; the course is what it is.”

However, if higher education takes advantage of the innovative technology that is currently available, dialogue between students and professor could be the substitute that traditional students seek.

Educators are constantly searching for new ways to improve and enhance the learning experience. In order to stay ahead of the curve, the UT system needs to continue to commit revolutionizing higher education. Looks like they have taken the first step.

tisanship, our development of these technologies cannot go forward as best it can.

According to USA Today, the United States spent $51 billion dollars on renewable energy in 2011, second only to China, which spent $52 billion that same year on renewable energy. If we are a country that prides ourselves on innovation and being the best at everything it should bother Americans, politicians and voters alike that we spend less than another country in an industry where we have a wealth of resources. Can we not find an extra billion dollars to invest in renewable energy? I think we can.

A United States that put its energies (no pun intended) into wind and solar technology would be a better country.

Renewable energy is not going to solve all of the problems that ail the United States, but if it is properly supported by the government it can go a long way to solving some of those problems.

Alternate Reality: by: Michael Carroll

Stephen Whitaker Managing Editor

Arts&Life

NaNo W r i M o The annual writing challenge retur ns Lorilee Merchant Intern

arts@paisano-online.com Fifty thousand words in one month: can it be done?

Many writers can relate to the frustrating process of writing that novellength manuscript. Hours hammering at the keyboard can dwindle into weeks of writer’s block and uncertainty. Some are never able to reach that moment of completion. Most writers can take years to write one novel.

But can all that tedious effort be squeezed into one month?

That’s the challenge the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo, or “Nano”) poses to all writers in the country.

According to the Nano website, NaNoWriMo is run by the Office of Letters and Light, a non-profit organization based out of Oakland, Calif. The annual event was founded in 1999 by freelance writer Chris Baty.

Participants looking for a spot on Nano’s winner page are challenged to write 50,000 words by midnight of the deadline and submit it on the website

by Nov. 30.

The writing contest and submission are free to anyone who attempts the feat. Although the organization does not offer publication of submissions, it offers motivation and writing advice to help writers find a path into the hands of readers. Up to 90 different novels have been published from the products of NaNoWriMo attempts, including New York Times best-seller “Water For Elephants” by Sara Gruen.

Since its first year, Nano has gone from 21 participants in 1999 to over 250,000 in 2011.

Anyone can win as long as they meet the 50,000-word requirement. Win or lose, however, contestants can pride themselves on a real sense of accom-

plishment. An anonymous testimonial from one winner states, “Because of Nano…I now possess, not only a 50,000-word manuscript, but believe in myself and my gifts.”

NaNoWriMo is a great place for hopeful writers to push themselves to write that novel that may someday make them famous. But how does one go about getting that 50,000-word accomplishment published?

UTSA professor of comparative literature Dr. Steven Kellman suggests that writers seeking to be published with profits should take time with their writing and obtain more formal guidance. “Books, like wine, require time to ferment, and much of writing is really re-writing,” Kellman says. “(In reference to NaNoWriMo) I am skeptical that many masterpieces can be produced within one month.”

There are many avenues of support and feedback for young writers who aspire to have their work published.

Kellman suggests taking creative writing courses in fiction at UTSA. UTSA’s Pearl LeWinn Endowed creative writing professor Dr. Wendy Barker agrees. “My best advice for any student would be to enroll in creative writing classes. In these classes, students gain experience and guidance in the crafts of fiction, poetry and/or creative nonfiction. Students in these classes also learn much about the revision process (someone has said that all writing is actually revision). These classes also provide information about how to go about submitting one’s work for publication,” Barker says.

Gemini Ink (<geminiink.org>), Poets and Writers (<pw.org>) and Scribophile (<scribophile.com>) are also great places to go for literary help and support.

Gemini Ink offers coaching, social networking, writing and publishing support and workshops.

The Paisano

October 30, 2012

Local Events: Tuesday, Oct. 30 10 a.m. Museum Exhibit: “Aphrodite and the Gods of Love” The San Antonio Museum of Art (200 W. Jones St.) presents an exhibition of 125 pieces displaying the various roles and inspirations of the ancient gods and goddesses of love. These pieces include statues, bronze figures, mirrors, jewelry and much more. The exhibit will run through Feb. 17. Admission is free on Tuesdays.

Courtesy of Will Tallent

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Poets and Writers hold writing competitions, offer creative writing programs and give publishing advice.

Scribophile allows writers to upload their works to be critiqued by fellow writers. The site follows a tit-for-tat system that requires writers to read and critique multiple works in order to receive the same help.

In regards to seeking a publisher, Kellman offers a warning to student writers. “At present, the big commercial presses, such as Random House, Penguin and Harper-Collins, do not read unsolicited manuscripts and look only at work submitted by a literary agent. It is not easy to acquire a literary agent; often times you have to audition for one,” Kellman says.

According to Kellman, “There are many new enterprising small presses,” such as, 2LeafPress (<2leafpress.org>), which is operated by Intercultural Alliance of Artists and Scholars, Inc., a non-profit organization in New York that promotes multicultural literacy and literature. Kellman also mentions A Raven Above Press, an independent press that publishes dark fiction and poetry with varied cultural perspective in print and online. Such small presses are often receptive to novice authors.

No matter how a writer chooses to present his or her work to the world, be it a submission to NaNoWriMo for fun or a publication through a major publisher for profit, the feeling of completing a work is worth the exhausting effort.

“I would not discourage anyone from taking the (NaNoWriMo) challenge. At the very least, you might produce prose worth coming back to later and reworking into something stronger,” Kellman says.

10:30 p.m. Poetry Event: PuroSlam Renown poetry slam team PuroSlam will host the weekly poetry slam contest at the On The Half Shell Oyster Bar (202 Navarro St.). All poets ready to face the judges and a “quick-witted” audience must come prepared with at least three original pieces. They are given three minutes per poem and there are no costumes, props or musical accompaniment allowed. This event will continue through Jan. 29 every Tuesday. Admission is free.

Wednesday, Oct. 31 10 a.m. Museum Exhibit: “Mummies of the World” The Witte Museum (3801 Broadway) showcases rare mummies from all over the world, including a 6,420-year-old child mummy from Peru. Admission is $7 - $10.

7 p.m. Theater: “Boogie Monster Mash” The Woodlawn Theater (1920 Fredericksburg) presents Dave Cortez’s kid-friendly melodrama, “Boogie Monster Mash.” This performance will feature parodies of disco songs and other favorites. The audience is encouraged to boo, cheer and throw their popcorn. Dracula and Big Bad Wolfie Brown fight against “Frankenstan” and his “Zombuddy” for the hand of Mary Wollstonecraft. The performance will be shown in the Black Box of the Woodlawn Theatre.

Tickets are $15 - $23.

Thursday, Nov. 1 10 a.m. Museum Exhibit: “Texas Performers Under the Big Top” The Witte Museum (3801 Broadway) presents a series of drawings from the Hertburg Circus Collection. Displays include acts by San Antonio legends The Esquivel Brothers and Buffalo Bill.

The exhibit is open through Jan. 13. Tickets are $7 - $11.50.

Friday, Nov. 2 7 p.m. First Friday’s Tamale Art Auction Casa Hernan (411 Cevallos) hosts the First Friday Tamale Art Auction in the spirit of Dia de los Muertos. The event will include a tamale reception followed by a silent auction, featuring artwork by local and celebrity artists. The proceeds will go to Rosemary’s Kitchen: A Culinary Arts Training Program for SA Youth. Tickets can be purchased for $35 for one person or two can be admitted for $50. For more ticket information, speak with Valerie Gonzalez at (210) 735-0275 ext 0.

Saturday, Nov. 5 7 p.m. Ballet: “The Snow Queen” The San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet presents “The Snow Queen” at Jo Long Theater (226 N. Hackberry). The Hans Christian Anderson fairy-tale follows Kai and Gerda, who are two children that battle the forces between good and evil. Tickets are $12 - $20.

8 p.m. Symphony: “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddess” The Majestic Theatre (224 E. Houston) presents this popular 8-bit classic with a live symphony performance of all the original music from the game. Relive the music you heard as a kid at this one night-event filled with videos from the game’s cut scenes. The performance is in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the “Legend of Zelda” franchise. Tickets are $40.75 - $127.50. For more information, visit <majesticempire.com>.

Sunday, Nov. 4 4 p.m. Theater: “Buddy” The Cameo Theatre (1123 E. Commerce) brings the life of Buddy Holly on-stage in “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story.” The performance includes such hits as “That’ll Be the Day,”“Peggy Sue” and many more. Tickets are $15 - $33. Visit <cameocenter.com> for more details.

Fo r t h e we e k’s f u l l c a l e n da r, v i s i t : www.paisano-online.com

M e n g e r H o te l :

WriteforArts& Life!

Marialuisa R. Bianchi Contributing Writer arts@paisano-online.com

Established just 23 years after the fall of the Alamo, the Menger Hotel has been up and running since Feb. 1, 1859, right next door to the Alamo’s remains. With its age and close proximity to the famous Texas battle site, the hotel is assumed to have its share of ghosts.

Ernesto Malacara has been the public relations representative and resident historian at the Menger for almost 35 years. As a witness to several incidents, Malacara insists that the stories about the Menger being haunted are “absolutely true.”

Malacara is often asked if the spirits start acting up around Halloween and Thanksgiving. “There are no peak times in the year, nor are there any areas in the hotel that are more haunted than others,” he says. According to Malacara, the spirits are “all here, all the time.”

A wide range of historical figures who have stayed at the Menger can possibly point towards the identity of the spirits that haunt the location— including 13 different US presidents, writer Oscar Wilde, philanthropist Cornelius Vanderbilt and actress Mae West.

For the most part, however, the ghosts who haunt the Menger Hotel are relatively obscure characters who may have had strong connections to

the building in the past. Sallie White, a housekeeper who was murdered in a room by her drunk husband, was buried at the hotel’s expense. Since then, she has been seen wandering the corridors, weeping.

A second sad figure in dated clothing has been rumored to stand in one of the elevators and ask passengers to take him to level B2—a level that never existed.

One incident in particular stands out in Malacara’s memory. A young Chinese girl walked through the closed door of an elevator in the lobby as he stared on, aghast.

A more commonly reported ghost is an elderly woman who stands combing her long, silvery-white hair in the restroom of the old lobby. According to witnesses, she has a sad look on her face and exudes a melancholy air.

A prevalent theory suggests many of the older apparitions originated from one of the three funeral pyres from the Battle of the Alamo, which was located where the Menger now stands. The other two were under the Emily Morgan Hotel across the street and where the Rivercenter Mall’s food court now stands. Both places, as well as the majority of the surrounding area, are now thought to be heavily haunted.

Presently, six ghost tours make stops at the Menger Hotel, one of which includes dinner in the hotel’s dining room.

(To continue reading this story, go to <paisano-online.com>.)

Photo Courtesy of Ross Hutchinson

One of SA’s local haunts

Although haunted, the Menger Hotel has employees who have worked there for over 40 years.

Email arts@paisano-online.com

formoreinformation.

Sports

The Paisano

October 30, 2012

7

Burk Frey/ The Paisano

Roadrunners stumble to third loss in a row

UTSA sophomore Safety Tristen Wade celebrating after his endzone interception of Utah State’s quarterback Chuckie Keeton.

Rex Castillo Sports Editor

sports@paisano-online.com The UTSA Roadrunners lost their second consecutive game in the Alamodome against the visiting Utah State Aggies 48-17 in front of 23,519 fans this Saturday, Oct. 27. UTSA has lost the past three games by an average of 26.1 points. Redshirt freshman Ryan Polite started his second game as quarterback in place of regular starter Eric Soza. Soza remains on UTSA’s injured list and the team remains uncertain about his return.

“He is not cleared to play yet, but we will know more next week. We think he will be back, but until he is cleared, we really don’t know,” said Head Coach Larry Coker.

Polite finished the game with 244 yards, completing 21 of his passes out of 36 passing attempts.

From the beginning of the game, UTSA’s troubles with special teams continued to haunt them as Utah State blocked punter Kristian Stern’s kick.

The Aggies had great field position as their offense took the field five yards away from the endzone. Sophomore quarterback, Chuckie Keeton, connected with tight end Kellen Bartlett which gave Utah State an early 7-0 lead with 12:11 remaining in the opening quarter.

“The blocked punt we had was on me because we didn’t bring the extra guy in tight to block. I tell our guys that we are all in this together and we all make mistakes, but let’s own up to it,” Coker said.

The Roadrunners offense couldn’t get their momentum going, and were forced to punt on their next possession. The Aggies showed no signs of slowing down after their first score, but UTSA safety Triston Wade intercepted Keeton’s deflected pass in the endzone.

Polite directed an impressive offensive drive following Wade’s interception, highlighted by a 38 yard pass

“We’re not hanging our heads on this.”

Erik Brown UTSA cornerback

to tight end Cole Hubble. Hubble sprinted down the Alamodome turf to the Aggies’ 35-yard line as Roadrunner fans exploded in cheers from UTSA’s first sign of offensive life.

The Runners came away with three points after a successful 29-yard field goal from Stern. The score was then 7-3 with three minutes left in the first quarter.

In the second and third quarters, the Aggies responded brutally as they scored 34 consecutive, unanswered points against the UTSA defense.

The second quarter started with a quick 22-yard successful field goal for the Aggies from kicker Nick Diaz, extending their lead to seven points 10-3 with 14:44 left in the half. Utah State quarterback Keeton exposed the UTSA defense with his passing performance. In Utah State’s second offensive drive of the quarter, Keeton completed three consecutive first-down passes to three different receivers. The drive was completed with running back Kerwynn Williams diving through the ‘Runners defense on the goal line for a one-yard touchdown with 9:34 left in the first half and the Aggies up 17-3.

The ‘Runners continued to have difficulty under Polite’s command. Every offensive possession ended with a UTSA punt in the second quarter.

Keeton and the Aggies offense continued to rack up the points throughout the rest of the first half. With 6:44 left in the first half, Utah State wide receiver Cameron Webb snatched another Keeton pass for a 29-yard touchdown that extended the Aggie lead 243. Aggie kicker Diaz knocked another ball through the Alamodome uprights with 1:26 left in the half and gave Utah State a 27-3 into halftime.

The Aggies offense didn’t ease up after halftime. Utah State’s lead increased to 34-3 when Williams sprinted his way through the UTSA offense for his second touchdown of the day

with 14:09 left in the third quarter. In their first offensive drive in the second half, Polite’s pass was intercepted by Aggie linebacker Kyler Fackrell. The ensuing drive for the Aggies started with a Keeton screen pass to running back Joe Hill that led to an explosive 42-yard run. Hill would eventually slice through the UTSA defense for a one-yard Aggies touchdown run. The Aggies lead was now a dominating 38 points, 41-3 with 11:14 left in the third quarter.

For the rest of the game, the UTSA offense had moments of success with running back Evans Okotcha’s sevenyard touchdown at the 8:55 mark in the third quarter, their first offensive score since the first quarter, making the score 41-10. In the fourth quarter, Polite found wide receiver Cole Hicks for a 23-yard touchdown with 13:36 left in the game but the Aggies lead was still too much to overcome with the final score 48-17.

Overall, the Aggies compiled 522 total offensive yards compared to UTSA’s 299. The Aggies relied heavily on the consistent production from their running back Kerwyn Williams, which allowed Utah State to control the momentum of the entire game. Williams finished the game with 101 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

“We have to correct the bad things we do and be men and step up,” said Coker. “We learn from this from the standpoint that no matter how good or bad things are, let’s step up and prepare and be the best we can be.”

“We’re not hanging our heads on this. We know Utah State is a great team. They have a great offense and a great defense,” said junior corner back Erik Brown. “We’re going to look at the film...see where we messed up at see how we can get better for Louisiana Tech.”

The Runners next contest will be against the 22nd ranked team in the Bowl College Series rankings, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in Ruston, La.

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Sports

9

Freshman libero with the heart of a champion Rex Castillo

Sports Editor sports@paisano-online.com UTSA volleyball Head Coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff had the challenge of replacing one of the best players to wear the Roadrunners uniform. Last season, senior libero Kelsey Jewasko set the new UTSA career record for digs with 2,280. Jewasko was also a two-time Southland Libero of the Year and earned first-team All-Southland team honors. Freshman libero Annie Kunes from Fontana, Wis. was recruited to be a part of UTSA’s future.

Neugebauer-Groff has already been impressed with her leadership on the court.

“When I saw her [Kunes] play for

the first time I was sold. She is a vocal leader. She is the true spark plug for our team,” said Neugebauer-Groff.

“She’s carrying a big load for this team and she can handle it.”

“I expect a lot from myself. I’m really not about statistics but to keep the energy up is my main goal on the team,”said Kunes Kunes’ numbers this season are impressive; she’s currently leading the team in digs with 4.88 digs per set and 381 overall digs this season. The Roadrunners also rank fifth in the NCAA with a digs per set average of 18.27.

Kunes was a four-year starter as the outside hitter at Big Foot High School and led her team to three straight conference titles. During her senior season, Kunes recorded 313 kills and 357 digs and was also named the conference’s Most Valuable Player. Kunes also earned a secondteam Division II AllState honors and a first-team all-state tournament honors and was also a member of Big Foot High School’s honor roll during her last two years.

Kunes played libero for four years with her Junior Volleyball Directors Association (JVDA) club volleyball team Club Fusion. She led Club Fusion to a JVDA championship as well. Kunes looked for a new challenge after high school and found it hundreds of miles away from her home in Wisconsin.

“I wanted to go very far away from home and I wanted something new,” said Kunes. “I loved

File Photo

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Freshman libero Annie Kunes coordinating her teammates during a home match in the Convocation Center. the atmosphere, the coaches and the players here. Once I stepped onto this court in the Convocation Center, I knew this was the place for me.”

She would not have to wait long to face new challenges. Earlier this season, Kunes suffered a torn hip flexor and a sprained wrist that required her to arrive an hour early to every match to see the volleyball team’s trainer.

They wrapped her whole right side of her hip and her injured right wrist in order to prepare Kunes for the match.

“I didn’t know how to handle this injury because I have never had this happen to me before,” Kunes said. “The girls, the coaches and the trainers really helped me through it.”

Kunes is now back to full strength for her team and has high expectations for herself and her teammates.

“I feel like if we continue to practice

really hard we can win the conference tournament. That’s what we really want in the end,” Kunes said.

Off the court, Kunes is an undeclared student but looking at a future in the college of business. She is still adjusting to the warm southern climate in San Antonio.

“It’s a lot different. I’m not used to the humidity. I miss the seasons but l love the heat,” Kunes said.

UTSA’s physically and mentally tough libero has a soft spot. She is a huge animal lover. When she’s not studying or practing with the team, she goes to a local pet stores and loves holding puppies.

To continue reading about Annie Kunes go to www.paisano-online.com

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October 30, 2012