Friday, February 24, 2012

New Okla. abortion bill has potential for abuse (opinion, page 3) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

F R I DAY, F E B RUA R Y 2 4 , 2 012

W W W.O U DA I LY.C O M

2 011 G OL D C ROW N F I N A L I S T

GOVERNMENt

Fallin proposes state income tax end Oklahoma governor introduces tax reform plan in hopes of stimulating state economy KATHLEEN EVANS Campus Reporter

An Oklahoma House committee will hear Gov. Mary Fallin’s income tax reform plan next week, which could result in no state income taxes for low earners and reduced rates for other tax brackets.

During her Feb. 6 State of the State address, Fallin introduced her tax reform plan which aims to simplify tax brackets, reduce current state income tax rates and eventually phase out the state income tax, according to a press release from her office.

Oklahoma currently has seven tax brackets ranging from a 0.5 percent rate on salaries of $1 a year to 5.25 percent rate on those making $8,701 or more, Fallin office spokesman Alex Weintz said. The governor’s plan would create three brackets and redefine income levels.

Individuals earning up to $15,000 would not pay income taxes; those making $15,000 to $35,000 would pay a 2.25 percent rate; those

earning more would pay a 3.5 percent rate, Weintz said.

The rates would decrease by 0.25 percent every year the state has a 5 percent growth in revenue, eventually phasing the income tax out if the state continues to grow, Weintz said. “ We t h i n k t h i s w i l l m a k e Oklahoma more competitive, which will bring more jobs and businesses here,” Weintz said. “It will make an

effect on how much money people can keep, which will be appreciated

by Oklahomans and also help stimulate the economy as they put that money back in the economy and spend it.”

Income tax revenue makes up about one-third of the state’s budget, Weintz said. The plan would eliminate about $1 billion in the see TAX paGe 2

ENROLLMENt

Major coaches to aid Sooners New program to help students select a major JAKE MORGAN

Campus Reporter

Student gets ahead as entrepreneur BENNETT HALL

Campus Reporter

In middle school, Aslan Maleki didn’t crave childish pursuits: He was too busy selling cars.

As a high school junior, he didn’t have time for angst : He was seeking to understand the complexities of the stock market.

Now a University College freshman, Maleki and his business partner, University College freshman Neal Walia, have already entered the formal business world.

The duo submitted plans for their product, an online event database called “Chalked,” to OU’s Startup Weekend, an entrepreneurship conference and showcase held earlier this month.

Maleki’s roommate, University College freshman Bryce Fugate, said they seldom share a dull moment together.

“Whether he is starting a new company or staying up until 4 a.m. drawing the design of a website, I’m glad I am his roommate,” Fugate said.

Having grown up in a structured, business-minded family, Maleki was surrounded with an ideal environment to prepare for the world of entrepreneurship.

“The family culture was always professional to the max,” Maleki said.

Maleki’s father, owner of a car dealership and a real estate broker in Oklahoma City, see BUSINESS paGe 2

niKKi seLF/tHe daiLy

Aslan Maleki, University College freshman, checks the stockmarket in Price Business College. He checks it daily on his phone and laptop, and he occasionally also uses school computers. Maleki and a business partner plan to start a social event website with accompanying mobile apps.

When management junior David Postic came to his first advising appointment as an OU freshman, he was completely unprepared to choose a major.

The adviser, handing him a thorough list of majors, pointed to “business” and essentially chose his major for him. Thus began a meandering journey from business to management, then from accounting back to management.

P o s t i c ’s m a j o r h a s changed at least six times, and three of those changes were results of miscommunication with advisers.

“I think somewhere along the way I was a finance major,” Postic said.

To help students choose a fitting major, OU is putting forth a new initiative through the Assessment Center in Wagner Hall, where students can meet with major exploration coaches to identify their personal strengths, said Joyce Allman, associate provost for academic advising.

“When a student is in the right major, they’re happy with their classes, … they’ve found their passion and they’ll graduate,” Allman said.

Anecdotal evidence typically reveals that college students change their major an average of four times, she said.

The student’s level of maturity and level of exposure to other subjects are key factors that affect the choice of a major, Allman said.

SEE MORE ONLINE Visit oudaily.com to read the full story oudaily.com/news

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OU coach K.J. Kindler says attention is on tonight’s home meet despite probable No. 1 ranking. (Page 5)

Budgets for winter road maintenance for the past 10 years — To learn more about what happens to money left over due to mild winters such as this one.

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total student fees that go toward the winter road maintenance budget — To gather more information about how much students pay each year for road maintenance around campus. any and all utility bills for Rhyne Hall from Jan. 2011 until the building was demolished this year — To gain a better understanding of the energy expenses of maintaining Rhyne Hall.

Wednesday

IMax opens despite Despite real SEaLs, ‘Valor’ movie is mediocre ticket sale decline “Act of Valor” opens today, but The Daily’s Steven Zoeller recommends you choose another movie. (Life&arts)

The Daily’s open record requests

OU gymnasts focusing on one meet at a time

The Warren’s new IMAX auditorium opens today in the midst of a decade of movie ticket sale decline. (Page 6)

astrud reed/tHe daiLy

Junior Costin Paval stretches out for a ball during the Sooners’ Feb. 4 win over Nebraska. The Romania native who at one time questioned whether or not he wanted to come to college is now the No. 4 player in the nation (Page 5)

2

• Friday, February 24, 2012

Campus

Laney Ellisor, campus editor Kathleen Evans, assistant campus editor Chris Miller, assistant campus editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

BUSINESS: Sooners to create social event website Continued from page 1

A piano and cello competition will be held at 8 a.m. in the Catlett Music Center’s Sharp Concert Hall.

Russian Mardi Gras will be held from 11 a.m. to noon in Kaufman Hall, Room 229.

The Spring Bedlam Blood Drive will take place 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the OU ROTC Armory. Today is the last day to donate.

The baseball team will play Hartford at 3 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The women’s gymnastics team will host Michigan and TWU at 7 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center.

Saturday, Feb. 25 The baseball team will play Hartford at 2 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

A free musical showcase by the School of Musical Theatre will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The venue has not been announced.

Corrections The Oklahoma Daily has a commitment to serve readers with accurate coverage and analysis.

Readers should bring errors to The Daily’s attention by emailing dailynews@ou.edu.

Nikki Self/The Daily

Aslan Maleki, University College freshman, presented an idea for a social event website to OU’s Startup Weekend earlier this month.

application should be released in two to three months and our Android application will start within a month of the iPhone application’s development,” Maleki said.

Despite the complexities of tackling work-intensive

projects while focusing on school as well, Maleki said he is driven by adversity.

“I see failure as the biggest motivation,” Maleki said.

“The bigger the risk, the bigger the outcome.”

Maleki is involved in

tax: Phasing out income tax to take 20 years Continued from page 1 state’s revenue. The governor must submit a balanced budget, according to the state Constitution, and these losses are offset by eliminating $700 million in spending by cutting various tax credits and deductions.

The rest of the money would come from predicted savings by improving energy efficiency, increasing money through a two-year license plate tag system and tapping into cash reserves, Weintz said.

“In a perfect world, here’s how the governor would balance the budget, but we recognize that … the negotiations

with the Legislature start, and what we arrive at is going to be different from what we propose,” Weintz said.

The idea that cutting income taxes will stimulate economic growth is credited to economist Arthur Laffer, who worked with President Ronald Reagan. However, the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy said his ideas and research are misleading, according to a February report.

The institute’s report said Laffer distorted data because he picked numbers that showed economic growth; because population grew in states with no incomes taxes for unrelated reasons; and because states with no

✄

Today around campus

exposed his son to the world of business and marketing from an early age.

“I would to go to my dad’s car dealership from the time I was 8,” Maleki said. “At first he would never let me take customers and talk to them alone. Then I turned13.”

To capitalize on these experiences, four months ago Maleki and Walia first began preliminary planning for a social event website with an accompanying iPhone and Android apps.

To date, the website has some of its major graphics and logo prototypes developed. The phone component is also making progress.

The website should be up and running in less than two months, said Maleki.

“Our final iPhone

several campus organizations, from Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature to Circle K International, a national community s er vice and leadership organization.

Communications senior Danielle Landrum has recently gotten to know Maleki and his work ethic through Circle K International’s activities this semester.

“Aslan is always very passionate about the projects we do,” she said. “Whenever he brings in one of his new ideas, they always aim to expand our club’s influence on the campus.”

Maleki said the energy and finance sectors are where the country’s newest and best opportunities are now occurring, and where it’s great thinkers are gravitating.

He said he hopes to eventually do the same.

income tax are not better economically than states with income taxes when looking at certain economic measures.

Critics, such as the Oklahoma Policy Institute, a liberal think-tank based in Tulsa, said the state should not cut taxes at a time when education, public safety and social services organizations need funding.

By creating different tax brackets, Fallin’s plan creates strong tax rate jumps, according to a report by the institute.

For example, a family earning $29,999 would owe $0, but a family earning $30,000 would owe $675.

State lawmakers in the House and Senate have also proposed similar measures,

which passed committees this week. However, these plans do not all cut lower income tax rates, they phase the income tax out quicker and they do not require the state to gain money to cut the taxes.

Key author of House Bill 3038 Rep. Leslie Osborn, R-Mustang, said she supports the governor’s income tax plan, but thinks it would take too long to phase out – almost 20 years – compared to the House and Senate’s proposed 10 years.

Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, voted against the House’s tax measure because of questions of from where money would come to fill the budget hole, he said.

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Friday, February 24, 2012 •

“Do you know who or what can ultimately protect the 21-year old? The 21 year old. ... Should I get a gold star because I’ve kept myself alive so far and I’m a very modest drinker? No, but on the other hand, I don’t believe that we should create unnecessary safety nets for those who simply shouldn’t need them.” (ohyou9033, RE: ‘EDITORIAL: Bill to delay legal drinking oversteps boundaries’)

OPINION EDITORIAL

Website may not be what it seems will include both abortion service providers and legitimate crisis pregnancy centers, then we can understand the benefit.

Despite Oklahoma’s low education ranking and But this clause could suggest that the motivation crumbling infrastructure, the legislature has been behind this database is to foist illegitimate crisis focused obsessively on social controversies this pregnancy centers on women or to offer informasession. In a showing of election-year politics at tion only about those resources. its finest, Oklahoma’s lawmakers have The bill also calls for the collection of proposed everything from fruitless Bandinformation about the “probable anatomThe Our View Aids for small problems to radical and ical and physiological characteristics” of is the majority opinion of dangerous stances. a fetus at each two-week stage, along with The Daily’s At first, House Bill 2560 seems to neatly information about common methods of nine-member avoid either of those categories. The bill abortion, the potential physical and psyeditorial board calls for the creation of a user-friendly onchological risks of abortion, and the poline database of information for women tential physical and psychological risks of facing crisis pregnancies, including resources re- carrying a child to term. lated to abortion, adoption and health services.

This information would be available in printed This information also would be available in print- form and included in the online database. Given ed form. the recent history of extreme anti-abortion groups Despite being authored by Oklahoma’s resident using misinformation and shame, this requireextremist Rep. Sally Kern, its mandates seem un- ment has us worried. usually sane and beneficial at first glance. Kern, The bill specifically calls for information to be R-Oklahoma City, explained that this database “objective, nonjudgmental, and designed to conwould make it easier for women to discover alter- vey only accurate scientific information about natives to abortion. the unborn child at the various gestational ages.”

In this sense, the bill seems fairly innocuous.

If lawmakers are dedicated to upholding this reBoth anti-abortion activists and abortion rights quirement, it could be an important resource. activists most likely would agree that fewer abor- After all, no decision should be made without havtions would be a good thing. And since the aboring all the facts. tion rights argument centers on the rights and But given the ideologies of those supporting personal agency of women, they the bill, it is ripe for abuse. Our should agree that informing pregcharity toward Oklahoma’s more “If the point of this nant women about their options extreme lawmakers is limited. database is to inform is a top priority.

They must prove to us and to all pregnant women about In fact, we often have wondered Oklahomans that they are not the options available to why anti-abortion activists don’t simply using vulnerable women them, abortion services devote their copious time and to push a regressive agenda and are just as legitimate and energize their voting base. fervor to providing better options important to include as for pregnant women and educaWe’d like to believe this is the tion about those options. They adoption services. Putting détente in the abortion debate could accomplish so much more this information alongside that we have been waiting for — this way, reducing the number the end of polarizing, controverother options is fine, but of abortions and making many sial bills and the beginning of a excluding abortion services women’s lives easier. focus on helping women in crisis. simply turns the database But it is possible this is yet anothUnfortunately, upon further into a propaganda tool for er radical anti-women bill masexamination, we are worried that this bill is not what it seems. querading as a beneficial, sane anti-abortion activists.”

On the surface, the bill sounds proposal. reasonable. But some of the language stressing And it is all the more dangerous for its apparent ultrasound imaging and heartbeat monitoring — harmlessness. Lawmakers will vote for it and not in light of the beliefs of the bill’s supporters and give it another thought, assured that its provisions past attempts to use these technologies to shame will do nothing more than keep women informed. women — make us wonder if the list conveniently In order to keep this bill from turning from an will exclude agencies offering abortions. unusually beneficial provision to a dangerous If the point of this database is to inform pregvehicle for propaganda, lawmakers must dedinant women about the options available to them, cate themselves to the right interpretation of its abortion services are just as legitimate and imrequirements and remain vigilant in guarding it portant to include as adoption services. Putting from abuse. this information alongside other options is fine, Lawmakers, you must ask these important but excluding abortion services simply turns the questions when this bill comes up for discussion. database into a propaganda tool for anti-abortion Before you vote for it, make sure you understand activists. what it is calling for and how those requirements Particularly troubling is the requirement that a will be implemented. Then, be ready to hold your search on the site for “abortion” will yield all of the fellow lawmakers accountable. information specified in the bill, regardless of how it is labeled. If this simply means that the search Comment on this at OUDaily.com Our View: An Oklahoma bill creating pregnancy resource database merits intense scrutiny.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dance to change children’s lives If you follow @DanceMarathonOU on Twitter, or any other dance marathon in the nation, you’ll notice almost every tweet ends in #FTK — For the Kids. Campus Activities Council Dance Marathon is not raising money for the sake of calling itself a philanthropy. It is raising money for kids with cancer and childhood illnesses through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Every dollar raised through registration fees or online giving or our other fundraisers like Homecoming Holdup goes directly to the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Oklahoma and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

CAC Dance Marathon is not about competition. It has always been about raising money to help children who are not able to enjoy a normal life — kids who have no choice but to remain immobile in a hospital bed all day because they are trying to fight fatal diseases.

Any member of the Dance Marathon executive committee will tell you what the event really is about. In fact, they have put forth a lot of effort to refocus participants’ attention on the cause so that each person will feel connected to the kids who benefit from their generosity.

This year, CAC Dance Marathon has extended the event to 12 hours, not for the purpose of maximizing the amount of hours greek chapters can put in their President’s Trophy

book, but so that participants will understand we stand for children who can’t.

It is important to clarify that participants that stay for 12 hours do not get President’s Trophy points, they get community service hours. At the same time, greek houses do not get the community service hours, individuals do.

CAC Dance Marathon in no way asks the fraternities or sororities to force members to stay for that period of time, but they do encourage every CAC Dance Marathon participant, greek or non-greek, to give 12 hours #FTK. Also, CAC Dance Marathon completely is separate from President’s Trophy. Our philanthropy is no greater and no lesser than any of the other numerous philanthropies held on campus, and it is viewed accordingly in the eyes of the President’s Trophy committee.

If you come to Dance Marathon, don’t come expecting to win President’s Trophy. Come with the intention of changing a kid’s life by contributing to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the children of Oklahoma.

As a result, you’ll have the most worthwhile 12 hours you’ve spent in a long time.

Melissa Mock, international and area studies senior and Campus Activities Council Chair

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‘Newsworthy’ may not be news worth reading

S

ome say that no OPINION COLUMNIST news is good news. I contend that what society deems “newsworthy” is disgraceful — ludicrous stunts often overshadow relevant events happening in the nation. While media outKayley Gillespie lets in America are satirikayley.m.gillespie-1@ou.edu cal, at times, and laughable in quality and scope, the news coverage that is attributed to deceased celebrities is completely unjustified.

These bitter sentiments aren’t solely in light of Whitney Houston’s death, which remarkably was reported only 13 days ago. This is hard to believe, since I feel like I’ve been hearing about it for a month. Other celebrities also were given too much time in the limelight after their deaths.

Michael Jackson’s death created a renewed interest in the King of Pop. His “Greatest Hits” CD was released promptly after his passing, and a movie soon followed in theaters. Were these ventures to celebrate the celebrity’s life, or rather for a select few to profit from his death?

Let’s not forget, though, that Jackson was plagued by a scandalous child molestation trial and a long-time dependency on prescription drugs. But Michael was the King of Pop, so illegal acts became somehow excusable.

Amy Winehouse, who died last July, had a long history of alcohol abuse. Her blood alcohol content when she died was reportedly five times the legal limit, the coroner said. Even so, Winehouse’s “Back to Black” album suddenly rose to No. 1 on iTunes just days after her death was announced.

Designer Jean Paul Gaultier tastelessly tapped into the image of Winehouse with his designs for his spring show.

Mitch Winehouse, Amy’s father, said, “To see her image lifted wholesale to sell clothes was a wrench we were not expecting or consulted on.” Gaultier admitted he never met Winehouse, but said their styles were similar. What a bold venture, completely motivated for personal profit.

A renewed interest in Houston’s music also was sparked by her death. Sony raised the price of Houston’s greatest hits just 12 hours after she died. Someone at Sony made the executive decision to profit from her death and the public blindly supported it.

Bottles of prescription and over-the-counter medications were found on the scene of Houston’s death — reportedly including at least Xanax, Lorazepam, Valium, amoxicillin and sleep aids, according to various sources.

Some might recall Houston’s public cocaine addiction.

It is sadistic that the west glorifies substance abuse. Call it what you will, but revering the death of a public figure with an addiction, without addressing the actual addiction, is permitting substance abuse within our culture.

If I died because I was strung out on drugs, my friends and family would mourn. The general public wouldn’t say, “It’s too bad she died a year before getting her degree and pursuing a law degree or a career as a journalist.”

People would shake their heads, ask why an ungrateful girl in the privileged position to go to college would throw that away, and would move on with their lives.

Why is it different if a person with a great talent does the same? They can sing. Houston could belt it out. The sounds that she created with her vocal chords were better than what 99.9 percent of the population can produce. So what? She was a person, just like you and me.

Take all scandalous news reports with a grain of salt. But suppose headlines accusing Houston of dying bankrupt due to addiction are true. It would seem that Americans idolize the very evils that define criminals, con artists and thugs. In what kind of a society are we living?

Maybe that means you will one day be the source of someone’s veneration. Heck, we’re all in college and, if you’re lucky, you might just sidestep a couple thousand dollars of debt. Will anyone roll out a carpet for me to walk on because I’m in debt? It’s ridiculous to suppose that my chances to be worshipped might increase if I were to do drugs. Well, Norman, what if I can sing?

This illogical formula is the very one attached to Houston and the outlandish media craze following her telecasted funeral last Saturday, complete with a Twitter feed at the bottom of the screen. One news source even predicted the debacle would be an “intimate affair.” Right, as intimate and private as Paris Hilton’s “home movies.”

The fact that you most likely understand this sleazy reference and just as likely aren’t aware of the 300 prisoners who died in a Honduras prison fire last Wednesday proves my point. Learn what you’re pouring your time and money into, expose yourself to various, credible media sources and respect yourself.

Kayley Gillespie is a literature and cultural studies junior.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24 FRIDAY 24, 2012 In the year ahead, more opportunities might become available to you than in the past. As time passes, better situations and numerous quality chances to do something productive will become viable for you.

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ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- You should stop and take some time to straighten out an old matter that’s never been handled properly. Even if it doesn’t bother others, only you, it’s worth doing things right.

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Joe!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -Although you might not seek or want it, you are destined to play a key role in a group endeavor. Because some members aren’t aware of what’s going on, they’ll welcome your input.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Don’t be surprised if you find yourself to be far more ambitious than usual.

You might have to contend with some challenges, but you’ll win out if you use the big guns.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- If you are required to make a critical decision, trade on past experiences for a plan. By using the same techniques that were successful before, you’ll make the right choice.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Another avenue for material gains could come about through one of your newer relationships. The person in question

likes what she or he sees in you, and wants to include you in something worth checking out.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Chances are you’ll automatically get involved in a partnership arrangement involving something that happens to be your strong suit. With your input, the results will turn out to be good.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- No grass is going to grow under your feet.

Because you’ll see what has to be done and know how to do it, you won’t hesitate to get crackin’. This is likely to turn out to be a very successful day.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- With your popularity at a high point, it goes without saying that you’ll be well received wherever you go. Your presence will automatically brighten up any corner you walk into.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Take any opportunity you get to finalize an important development.

Don’t leave anything up to chance or any loose threads hanging. You may not get another crack at it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Rely on your splendid mental attributes and your innate logic, but don’t totally discount your intuitive perceptions. Each facet has a place in your reasoning, so use your gifts accordingly.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- There’s an excellent chance that certain business matters will be less complicated now than they will be tomorrow. Don’t put off handling anything important.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker February 24, 2012 ACROSS 1 They might precede bravos 6 Does one better than 10 Energyfocused org.

14 “___ for the sky!� (cry in a western) 15 Singular operatic performance 16 The Vatican’s vicinity 17 ___ allegro (very quickly) 18 Boxing officials (abbr.)

19 ___-Cola 20 SOS card 23 Volvo’s homeland 25 It’s obtained by leaching 26 “Do the Right Thing� director 27 Fall into decay 28 Economy size 31 Apply a bandage to 33 A very small quantity 35 Sallie ___ (student loan company) 36 Amateur’s antonym 37 SOS Bible book 42 “... ___ daily bread�

43 Howard Hughes’ airline 44 Evidence of healing 46 Church engagement

2/24

announcement 49 Home of Barack Obama’s father 51 Indecisive result 52 “How was ___ know?�

53 ___ chi 55 Ailing 57 SOS donation 61 Coil in the yard 62 1952 Winter Olympics setting 63 Administers (with “out�)

66 Portentous sign 67 ’50s French president Coty 68 Non-reactive, like some gases 69 Aphid, to a gardener 70 A cheese 71 “A Modest Proposal,� e.g.

DOWN 1 Supply with guns 2 “Anna Karenina� author Tolstoy 3 Register for Tiny Tim 4 Appeared on stage 5 Snowremoving tool 6 Alpine lake 7 White-andblack stacked snack 8 Senseless talk

9 Backtalking 10 “Free Willy� animal 11 Sometimesdyed dog 12 Awards-show hosts 13 Discontinues 21 Inflame with love 22 California’s San ___ Bay 23 “Lanka� start 24 Seeks the affection of 29 Battle of Britain fliers (Abbr.)

30 “Beau ___�

32 CD-___ (computer inserts) 34 “Author� of many quotations 36 Emphasize the importance of 38 Hearty or keen enjoyment 39 Rent to ___

(purchasing option) 40 Eightsomes (var.)

41 Manicurist’s concern 45 ___ paese (cheese) 46 Certain chess piece 47 In one’s abode 48 Hangman’s knots 49 Exchanged smacks 50 Absence of societal values 54 Earlier, in poetry 56 Brown songbirds 58 “They ___ thataway!�

59 Bone below the elbow 60 Rhyming literature 64 “Big Band,� for one 65 Barnyard pen

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

2/23

Š 2012 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

MAYDAY! By Ruby Deswit

Friday, February 24, 2012 •

OUDaily.com ››

SPORTS More online at

5

After over a month of competing on the road, the top-ranked Sooner men’s gymnastics team finally competes at home when it hosts Iowa on Saturday.

Greg Fewell, sports editor Kedric Kitchens, assistant sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

| BASEBALL: Home-opening series | BASKETBALL: Men’s hoops faces No. 13 Baylor | SOFTBALL: Sooners to face top-15 competition on road

MEN’S TENNIS

Romanian star serves up skills Nationally-ranked player finds success with OU

PLAYER PROFILE Costin Paval Year: Junior Hometown: Bucharest, Romania Season stats: Paval is undefeated in singles play this season.

CAMERON STROCK Sports Reporter

Undefeated and ranked as the No. 4 men’s tennis player in the nation, OU junior Costin Paval has reached a new height in his career.

Paval said his work ethic and competitive nature have allowed him to quickly ascend the national individual rankings, but the fact that he has helped the Sooners reach No. 19 as a team is a source of pride for the Romanian.

The reason for his success is because he is just as competitive off the court as he is on it, coach John Roddick said. In short, Paval hates losing.

“What makes Costin so great is that he cannot stand losing in practice and in matches,” Roddick said.

Paval’s competitive drive allows him to play at such a high level, Roddick said.

When Roddick was hired in 2009, one of the most crucial moves he made was securing Paval’s commitment to the Sooners, he said. Maybe the hardest part about getting Paval to become a Sooner was getting him to come on an official visit to the campus.

It took numerous phone calls to lure him to visit the Sooner state, Paval said.

“I didn’t want to come to college in the first place because it had a bad rumor overseas that if you play college tennis, you will never be able to turn pro,” Paval said.

Paval said the prospect of having better facilities to train in, better coaches, better playing partners and, ultimately, better competition eventually lured him to OU. Being from overseas, Paval said he first heard about OU through other Romanians who had played for the Sooners. Other tennis players who went to other American colleges also helped spread the word about playing in the United States, he said.

BEN WILLIAMS/THE DAILY

Junior Costin Paval prepares to return a serve in the Sooners’ match Sunday against No. 25 Indiana. Paval, the nation’s fourth-ranked singles player, has given up only one set in five matches this season. He and freshman teammate Dane Webb also are 4-1 in doubles play this season.

“It’s sad because many people over there don’t even know what college is,” Paval said.

His decision to come to America seems to have paid off thus far. However, he had his struggles when he first arrived in America.

While Paval said he loves living in America, he had a hard time at first adjusting

help is just a phone call away

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number

to the work load that came along with his new role.

“It was kind of hard in the beginning to comply with all the demands of being a student-athlete,” Paval said. “But slowly I adapted and became more comfortable here.”

Past and present Because both his parents were athletes, sports were a constant feature in Paval’s childhood. His father played

rugby, his mother played tennis and Costin showed interest in both sports.

However, he said he didn’t like how physical rugby is and decided to pursue tennis.

From that point, Paval progressed from a spectator at his mother’s practices to becoming a tennis player himself.

While Paval had a good life and two parents who helped

OU UNIVERSITY THEATRE

SCHOOL OF OPERA THEATRE AND SCHOOL OF MUSIC PRESENT

crisis line

8 p.m.-4 a.m. every day

except OU holidays and breaks

X

OU not worried about rankings Sooners focused on improving performances JAMES CORLEY Night Editor

W h e n t h e ra n k i n g s for women’s gymnastics switch over to the regional qualifying score (RQS) system, the Sooners are expected to be No. 1.

RQS averages teams’ six best scores, three of which must be on the road. OU has posted four team scores above 197, all on the road, and leads Florida’s average by .07 going into tonight’s meet.

But coach K.J. Kindler and her team aren’t worried about rankings or numbers.

“We’re focused on the performance,” Kindler said. “I think they’ve earned the score several times this season, but what I’m interested in is seeing them elevate their performances.”

The Sooners host 21stranked Michigan and TWU at 7 tonight at Lloyd Noble Center.

“We expect it to be a very competitive meet,” Kindler said.

UP NEXT vs. Michigan, TWU When: 7 tonight Where: Lloyd Noble Center

Public Lecture Series

OU Presidential Dream Course Earth, Sustainability, and the Economy

325-6963 (NYNE)

OU Number Nyne Crisis Line

hone his skills, he did not have the same quality of life in Romania as he does here.

“It’s a lot harder living in Romania because here, you have everything you’d ever need,” Paval said. “America is everything that I’ve ever dreamed of.”

Focusing on developing his natural ability allowed Paval the opportunity to play his game on the collegiate level, he said.

And as for the rumored risk that a stint in college hinders tennis players’ ability to turn pro, Paval said he doesn’t regret his decision at all.

Paval said he hopes to secure a championship not only for himself but for his team, too.

The men’s tennis team will look to tackle another challenge on its quest for a title this weekend when the No. 12 Pepperdine Waves roll into Norman.

The Waves pose a stiff challenge for the Sooners to knock off, Roddick said. Pepperdine won a national title in 2006 and has been used to being ranked in the top 10 every year since then, he said.

“There are going to be some matches where we are the underdogs,” Roddick said.

W GYMNASTICS

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

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GIOVANNI 8 PM MARCH 1-3 AND 3 PM MARCH 4 REYNOLDS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

All public talks held at Robert Kerr Auditorium, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History 2401 Chautauqua Avenue Norman, OK 73072

February 9, 2012: 6:00 PM “What we know, what we think we know and what we don’t know about climate change” Dr. Berrien Moore Dean, Geographic & Atmospheric Sciences University of Oklahoma

Expires on May 31, 2012

February 28, 2012: 6:00 PM BUY SELL TRADE VINTAGE CLOTHING 318 E. MAIN 12-6 M-SAT NORMAN OK 405-310-6771

One week only!

OU FINE ARTS BOX OFFICE (405) 325-4101 IN YOUR OU ARTS DISTRICT ou.edu/finearts/events The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. For accommodations on the basis of disability call (405) 325-4101.

Grace Evangelical LUTHERAN CHURCH Planting a new church in Norman Worship service begins at 1pm.

3750 W. Main St./Behind J. Boties Gas Station Phone: 405-821-1630 www.amazinggraceok.net

“2052--A Global Forecast For The Next 40 Years ” Dr. Jorgen Randers Professor of Climate Strategy, Norwegian School of Management

April 3, 2012: 6:00 PM “Wanted: United States, Climate Outlaw” Dr. Rodger Payne Professor & Chair, Political Science, University of Louisville

April 30 2012: 6:00 PM “Climate Change Avatars: Building Leadership Careers in Sustainability” Dr. Eban Goodstein Professor, Center for Environmental Policy, Bard College

This advertisement issued by the Un University of Oklahoma has been prepared and distributed at no cost to the taxpayers of Oklahoma.

6

• Friday, February 24, 2012

LIFE&ARTS More online at

OUDaily.com ›› Thinking of going to see “The Act of Valorâ€? this weekend? Think again. The Daily’s Steven Zoeller explains you why you should see something else.

Lindsey Ruta, life & arts editor Mariah Webb, assistant life & arts editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

| WEEKENDER: Make your plans with The Daily’s recommendations | OSCARS: The life & arts staff weighs in on whom Oscars should go to

MOVIES

Ticket sales decreased 4.2% last year Warren Theatre opens IMAX auditorium despite tumultuous market of attendance MARIAH WEBB

Life & Arts Reporter

The Warren Theatre in Moore officially is opening its new IMAX auditorium to the public today.

The $10 million addition features a 60-foot-plus screen and stadium seating for 601 people, according to NewsOK.com.

In an effort to attract audiences for its opening week, the theater is offering half-price showings of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon� and “The Dark Knight� through March 2.

The theater is doing well and ticket sales are rising, Warren Theatres spokesman Dan Gray said.

The same might not be true for the movie industry as a whole, though.

National movie ticket sales plummeted 4.2 percent from 2010 and 2011, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. In 2011, ticket prices hit an all-time high of $7.93 per ticket.

Increasing ticket prices aside, there are several other

factors that could be contributing to the decline in movie theater attendance, film and video studies professor Katrina Boyd said. The problem stems from the artistic side of film clashing with the business side, she said. “In the ’70s, the huge production companies started to notice they could gain repeat customers with spectacular, expensive films like ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Jaws,’� Boyd said.

These high-concept, easily marketable films have become the norm in major theatrical showings, a trend Boyd said actually is narrowing the target audience. “They think these films are marketable to a wide audience; however, they are really for young men,� she said. “This is why we have seen a tremendous rise in popularity of independent ‘niche’ films.�

There are other films targeted at demographics other than young males, but they still present a potential problem, Boyd said.

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

The new Warren Theatres IMAX auditorium is ready for Thursday night’s VIP reception. The new theater, which boasts a six-story screen and 601 seats, opens today.

“There is a major difference in today’s films to that of their ’70s counterparts,� Boyd said. “The average main character has morphed over time from an adult to a teenager, which middle-aged people are not so interested in. The middleaged demographic is being underserved.�

Boyd said this could account for the box office decline, since middle-age adults are more likely to find a trip to the movies a feasible cost in their budget as opposed to a

16-year-old kid.

Boyd also said she thinks the rise of 3-D movies is contributing factor. “Honestly, students tend to dislike it,� she said.

Aside from the ticket price increase — a 3-D movie ticket at Warren Theatres costs $13 as opposed to a $7 student ticket — Boyd said she thinks the whole experience is ruined by 3-D. “The problem with 3-D is that it totally changes the intended dynamic of many

films,� she said. “Most movies in the U.S. are representational. When all of a sudden the story is jumping out at you, it challenges the representational dynamic and makes the story more confusing.�

Boyd said she hopes ticket sales increase in 2012 because she believes attending the movies is a tradition worth preserving. “Theatrical viewing preserves a degree of common culture that would be a shame to see disappear,� she said. “Watching a film in an audience promotes a sort of wrapped attention, which allows complete immersion in the story. It is private and unified at the same time.�

Boyd jokingly calls herself a “cinema vampire� because she feeds off of the reactions of those around her in theaters. “That is why I still enjoy watching films I’ve seen a hundred times when I’m in a viewing with students,� she said. “The reaction of the people surrounding you is vital to a cinematic experience.�

The national average for ticket price is $7.83, down from 2011, according

GO AND DO Half-price movies at Warren’s IMAX ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ When: 11:45 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. every day through March 2 Cost: $8 ‘The Dark Knight’ When: 3:15 and 10:10 p.m. every day through March 2 Cost: $8 Source: WarrenTheatres.com

to BoxOfficeMojo.com.

However, only two months into 2012, the numbers are not truly indicative of an improvement.

For students on a budget who may find cost to be the biggest factor keeping them clear of the theaters, many movie theaters offer rewards programs.

AMC Theaters offer their Stubs card, which has an upfront fee of $12 per year but gives a $10 reward for every $100 spent — roughly a free movie for every 10 you see — as well as free food upgrades, waived online ticket ordering fees and other perks that can help cut costs.

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UOSA SPRING GENERAL ELECTION Positions up for election: -UOSA President and Vice President -Campus Activities Council Chair -Housing Center Student Association President -Student Bar Association President -Undergraduate Student Congress Representative Seats Filing Forms are available in the Conoco Student Leadership Wing, OMU Room 181 and online at:

ou.edu/uosa/home Filing Forms are due Thursday, March 1st, 2012, by 5:00pm to the Conoco Student Leadership Wing, OMU Room 181 Mandatory Candidates Meetings on Friday March 2nd Spring Elections will be held April 3rd and 4th If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact UOSA Election Chair, Cole Jackson either by email at George.c.jackson-1@ou.edu or by phone at 405-517-5812 Printing funded by UOSA