Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Former Sooners improve draft stock at NFL combine (Page B6) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

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

T U E S DAY, F E B RUA R Y 2 8 , 2 012

RESEARCH

Students develop cancer technology Students researchers hope to create a more efficient, less painful way to detect breast cancer in patients PAIGHTEN HARKINS Campus Reporter

A group of OU researchers tucked away inside the Stephenson Research and Technology Center is developing new technologies to detect certain cancers at earlier stages.

“We build toys,” team leader Hong Liu said.

These toys are the equipment that Liu, chair of Biomedical Engineering and his team have developed to make cancer detection a more streamlined

and efficient process.

The researcher is focusing on phasecontrast imaging and how it can be used for earlier and less invasive treatment of breast cancer.

Normal X-ray imaging relies on how much radiation objects absorb, according to the OU Biotechnology website.

These differences create contrasting images. However, in phase contrast X-ray imaging, the X-ray beams collect information as they pass through the body.

This creates a better picture because it picks up weakly absorbing areas as well and exposes patients to less radiation, according to the website.

The current process to detect breast cancer is slow and painful, research associate Molly Wong said. With this technology, the team hopes to make it a more bearable process.

“Our goal is to be able to provide [patients] a new technology that has a lower dose and allows [doctors] to actually detect the cancer right on the X-ray so [patients] don’t have to go through the TY JOHNSON/THE DAILY not-so fun-process of having a biopsy Graduate student Yuchen Qiu replaces slides of cancer cells in a microscope used to detect early signs of leukemia and cervical canSEE IMAGING PAGE A2 cer Thursday in the Stephenson Research and Technology Center.

Seeking a challenge, student scales rock wall

EDUCATION

Panel stresses national history Inaugural event brings together decorated teachers RACHAEL CERVENKA Campus Reporter

Instructors need to teach the U.S. Constitution to all students in a stimulating way to create welleducated citizens who are aware of their responsibilities, according to seven panelists in a discussion Tuesday.

Students, faculty and visitors crowded into Catlett Music Center to hear noted historians share perspectives on teaching America’s founding in a panel titled, “The Teaching of Constitutional History in the 21st-century University.”

KELSEY HIGLEY/THE DAILY

Kevin Marlow, computer engineering senior, climbs a rock wall Monday at the Huston Huffman Center. Marlow said the wall at the Huff is great for its size and the best indoor place to climb in Norman. He said it’s a good place for interested people to get started with climbing. (See page B1)

SEE PANEL PAGE A2

AT A GLANCE Panel speakers LANGUAGE

Students offer to teach, learn Turkish Volunteer teacher opens opportunity to new language

GO AND DO Turkish lessons

BENNETT HALL

WHEN: 5 to 7 p.m.

Wednesdays and Thursdays

Campus Reporter

About a dozen OU students are volunteering their time to learn a critical language and increase cultural knowledge of the Middle East.

The OU Turkish Student Association started offering its free Turkish lessons Feb. 15, part of a year-old project because the university did not have official classes.

N a t i v e Tu r k s H a m d i Tunbak and Zeynep AkgulGok voluntarily teach the class two times a week in

WHERE: Dale Hall classrooms INFO: Contact Turkish Student Association Vice President Serkan Ozturk at serkanozturk@ou.edu

Dale Hall.

The association contacted Raindrop Turkish House, a community center in Oklahoma City, and Director Orhan Ku c u k o s m a n , r e f e r r e d Tunbak as a teacher. Tunbak

taught English in Turkey, Morocco and Azerbaijan and now teaches Turkish because the language and country are growing in importance, he said.

Turkish is one of 13 critical world languages, according to the U.S. State Department.

Political science junior Travis Ruddle said he takes t h e c l a s s e s b e c au s e h e wanted to expand his linguistic knowledge.

“I’m very interested in languages and also Turkey,” Ruddle said. “It will probably become a very imporERIKA PHILBRICK/THE DAILY tant country in the next few years.”

Instructor Hamdi Tunbak (right) rehearses the Turkish alphabet with SEE TURKISH PAGE A2

students Thursday evening. The Turkish language class is held at 5 p.m. every Wednesday and Thrusday in Dale Hall.

EDITORIAL VOL. 97, NO. 110 © 2012 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25 cents

David McCullough: Two-time Pulitzer Prizewinning historian and best-selling author Gordon Wood: Professor of history emeritus at Brown University and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author David Hackett Fischer: Distinguished professor of history at Brandeis University and winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in history Rosemarie Zagarri: Professor of history at George Mason University Peter S. Onuf: Professor of history at University of Virginia Akhil Reed Amar: Professor of law and political science at Yale University Kyle Harper: Director of the OU Institute for American Constitutional Heritage

The Daily’s open record requests

State bill would empower citizens to check gov’t

Requested document and purpose

Date requested

Oklahomans soon may have the right to hold recall elections if politicians lose the trust of the public. (Page A4)

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.

Feb. 22

Friday

NOW ONLINE AT

CAMPUS

Diplomacy fails to stem political unrest in Syria

Federal student aid applications due Thursday

All purchase orders made by OU Health Services’ Goddard Pharmacy for the past fi ve years — To gather more information about the quantity and types of medication ordered by Goddard Health Center.

Two OU professors and a Syrian OU student talk about the reasons for the recent Syrian conflict. (Multimedia)

The deadline is approaching to complete the five-part application for financial aid for next academic year. (Page A3)

Campus ........................

Classifieds ..................

Life & Arts ...................

Opinion ......................

Sports .........................

A2 B4 B1 A4 B5

REBEKAH CORNWELL/THE DAILY

Junior Max White skids into second base on Friday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The Sooners beat Hartford, 9-6. OU’s matchup with Texas-Arlington has been postponed until Wednesday due to possible inclement weather. (Page B5)

All funding applications for the fall 2012-spring 2013 academic year submitted to the UOSA Budget Committee. — To learn more about the number of student organizations that request funding and the amount of funding requested.

Monday

A2

• Tuesday, February 28, 2012

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

CAMPUS

PANEL: Constitution must be relevant, author says Continued from page A1

TODAY AROUND CAMPUS Art adventures featuring Dog’s Colorful Day by Emma Dodd will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Dee Dee and Jon R. Stuart Classroom.

A free concert featuring the Bill Neill Voice Studio will be held at noon in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Sandy Bell Gallery.

The baseball team will play UT Arlington at 3 p.m. in Norman.

“Ten Tiny Library Tricks,” part of the Student Success Series, will be presented from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Wagner Hall, Room 245.

A free lecture by artist and designer Thomas Thwaites about commissioned projects and his experience in the field at 4 p.m. in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. A lecture, “Limits to Growth — 40 Years Later,” will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History’s Robert Kerr Auditorium.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 29 Cupcakes will be available to decorate at 11:30 a.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s first floor lobby A career fair for the OU College of Architecture will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the College of Architecture.

“The Pivotal Role of Values,” part of the Student Success Series, will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. in Adams Center Muldrow Tower, Room 105.

The men’s baseball team will play UT Arlington at 5:30 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

A student opening party for the “A Century of Magic: The Animation of the Walt Disney Studios” exhibition will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Nancy Johnston Records Gallery.

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.

In an editorial about gender-neutral housing in Thursday’s edition, the OU Board of Regents’ March 28-29 meeting date was misreported.

In a life & arts story in Monday’s edition, the number of actresses participating in “The Vagina Monologues” was misreported. There are 16.

National Public Radio host Diane Rehm moderated the panel, which was part of OU’s inaugural “Teach-In: A Day with Some of the Greatest Teachers in America.”

The U.S. needs leaders and teachers who can make the Constitution relevant to students of all ages and backgrounds, Pulitzer-prize winning historian David McCullough said.

“There is nothing wrong with the younger generation,” he said. “The younger generation is terrific, and any problems they have, any failings they have, and what they know and don’t know is not their fault — it’s our fault.”

Teachers are the most important people in the society, and they should not be blamed for these failings either, McCullough said.

“I think that history, the love of history and the understanding of history begins truly, literally at home,” McCullough said.

In today’s education system students are not trained enough to ask questions, and this is a serious issue, he said.

Some students get all the way to college and have very little knowledge about the Constitution, said Kyle Harper, director of the OU In s t i t u t e f o r A m e r i c a n Constitutional Heritage.

“One of the exciting things about teaching in college is

ASTRUD REED/THE DAILY

Diane Rehm, NPR radio program host, moderates “The Teaching of Constitutional History in the 21st Century University” panel Monday at Catlett Music Center.

that you are teaching adults, and you are teaching kids who are becoming adults,” Harper said.

Harper aims to create situations for debate in classrooms to make college students realize that the facts on a page influence their political lives, he said.

In most graduate schools Constitutional history is always there, but undergraduate schools simply neglect it, Pulitzer-Prize winning historian Gordon Wood said.

Even in graduate training,

IMAGING: Machine finds cancer earlier Continued from page A1 and waiting,” Wong said.

The team also studies ways to detect leukemia and cervical cancer earlier and easier.

They created a machine called the Automatic Cytogenetic Image Scanning System that helps diagnose diseases such as leukemia much more efficiently, graduate research assistant Yuchen Qiu said.

The typical process of identifying leukemia is a strenuous, manual process, he said. Physicians identify a cell using a low-magnification lens, and then switch to a higher magnification to look for any abnormalities in the cell’s chromosomes.

The process is even harder because the cells clinicians are looking for only account for four percent of all cells, Qiu said.

However, this new machine does all of this work automatically.

This research could one day “help people live longer,” Liu said.

MAR CH 1 , 2012 Each year, up to $500,000 is awarded to student majoring in petroleum-related fields at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Tulsa and Okla homa State University. Visit oerb.com/scholarships for more information. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2012.

issues of race and women have preoccupied graduate training and the writing of history.

Only 8 percent of colleges and universities, public and private, in the U.S. require a single course in American h i s t o r y o r g ov e r n m e n t to receive a diploma, OU President David Boren said in an introduction.

One way to increase interest in history and constitutional teaching is to show students that the founding period was not that different

from today, said Rosemarie Zagarri, professor of history at George Mason University.

“It is just the sense of ownership and connection we feel with the political process that makes it different,” Zagarri said.

It all comes down to leadership, McCullough said.

Americans lead by example, and our politicians have to do the same thing. Our country needs leaders who can take this cause of a more educated populace to heart and do something about it.

TURKISH: Stress-free class boosts knowledge of language, country Continued from page A1

BY THE NUMBERS Cancer in U.S.

2.6

Million U.S. women had a history of breast cancer as of Jan. 1, 2008

98.6

Percent of 5-year survival rate for women with breast cancer when discovered in its earliest stage

23.3

Percent of 5-year survival rate for women with breast cancer when discovered in its latest stage

250

Thousand U.S. men and women had a history of leukemia

by Jan. 1, 2008

53.9

Percent of 5-year survival rate for men and women with leukemia Source: National Cancer Institute

The group offers beginning- and intermediate-level classes free of charge, and local Turkish families provide authentic cuisine.

Tunbak, a master’s student at Langston University, teaches the beginning class of about eight students, and Turkish master’s student Akgul-Gok teaches the intermediate class, now up to six students.

They do not assign grades, so students work from a personal desire to learn.

Human relations junior James Barnett said he decided to learn the language to talk with his Turkish roommate.

“Also, I have a hard time learning languages, and because this class doesn’t involve tests, quizzes and formal grades, I am not overstressed by it,” Barnett said.

The ease of the language also helps minimize the stress, international area studies sophomore Mariel Colbert said.

“Turkish is easier than romance languages, for example, because there is no gender differences and all words are pronounced phonetically,” said Colbert, who studies French.

If the popularity of the classes continues to increase, OU should offer Turkish language classes for credit, Barnett said.

The OU Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics Department does not have current plans to offer Turkish language classes, chairwoman Pamela Genova said.

CAMPUS

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 •

A3

FINANCIAL AID

HEALTH

FAFSA deadline this week

Unusual heart condition related to obese males

Students wanting priority federal funding for education need to apply by Thursday KATHLEEN EVANS Assistant Campus Editor

Students seeking federal aid, grants or work-study programs for the 2012-2013 academic year need to complete the application by Thursday.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — FAFSA AT A GLANCE — determines student eligiUseful links bility for financial aid, and many state and local schools To fill out a FAFSA form, review the application as well visit fafsa.ed.gov. when allotting aid.

Applications are accepted To locate or request an after Thursday, but March 1 electronic filing PIN, is the priority, highly-recomvisit irs.gov and click on “Request an Electronic mended deadline to provide Filing PIN” under Tools. adequate processing time, OU Financial Aid Services Director Caryn Pacheco said.

Students who previously have filled out the form can save time by downloading information from previous years and updating necessary information, Pacheco said.

“It was easy to use, and I didn’t have any trouble doing it,” sophomore Ryan Neeley said. “Because it already had my information from last year, it took me about 30 minutes max to finish.”

For first-timers filling out the five-part application, students must be a U.S. citizen with a Social Security number and working toward a higher education degree with good standing.

Jacque Entwistle contributed to this report.

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS Students need to enter their first and last name exactly as it appears and include a valid Social Security number, according to the application.

A common mistake students make is not entering the correct Social Security number, which the government uses to determine citizen status and previous aid, Pacheco said. A wrong number could result in delays in aid.

SCHOOL SELECTION Students should enter the names of all schools they want to receive their financial information for the 20122013 academic year.

Applicants can add up to 10 schools and should list them in preferential order, according to the application.

People applying to more than 10 schools can submit the application and add more later.

The government assigns schools a federal code, but students can search for the school by name and state if they do not know the code.

DEPENDENCY DETERMINATION Students who have not yet completed a bachelor’s degree are considered dependent and will have to submit their parents’ financial data as well their own, according to the application.

However, those who have finished a degree or are not claimed as dependents are independent and should only include their financial information.

In this section, applicants also list if they have any dependents and how many people are in their household.

PARENT DEMOGRAPHICS If students are considered a dependent student from the previous section, they will need to fill out information about their parents, according to the application.

Information includes marital status, anniversaries, birthdays, Social Security numbers and contact information.

Students age 23 or older are not required to provide information about their parents.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION To fill out financial information, there are a few shortcuts using federal tax data, Pacheco said.

The Internal Revenue Service provides an online database in which applicants can access previous tax information and transfer it to the application, she said.

OU strongly encourages students to use this method because it is fastest and most accurate.

To do this, an individual must have filed taxes electronically within at least one to two weeks of the application time or have mailed taxes within at least six to eight weeks.

If students indicate they have filed the previous year’s taxes already, the website will guide students through retrieving the tax information.

98 of 158 male veterans tested diagnosed with rare heart condition CONNOR SULLIVAN Campus Reporter

A recent study from the OU Health Sciences Center linked a rare heart condition to obese males.

Coronary slow flow phenomenon, or CSFP, is a condition in which blood flows slower through vessels even though there is no block, according to a press release.

This can lead to chest pain, heart attack, abnormal heart rhythm and sometimes sudden death.

“It is a rather rare cause of chest pain, compared to the more common coronary disease,” study author Stavros Stavrakis said in a press release. “However ... it may present a more common cause of chest pain than previously thought.”

In the study, researchers examined 158 patients at the Oklahoma City Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center for two years, according to a release. Though all had normal heart function, 98, or 62 percent, were diagnosed with the condition after further testing.

The male veterans had a higher percentage than the general population, which was between 1 and 5.5 percent, because they are mainly male and usually are more at risk for heart disease.

“We do not know exactly why male sex and obesity are independent predictors of [the condition],” Stavrakis said.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol can all be symptoms of the phenomenon, co-author Dr. Mazen Abu-Fadel said in a release. However, exercise and weight loss may help reverse these and the chances of getting the condition.

Researchers still are attempting to find more reasons why these men are affected and how to treat it.

SUBMISSION After submitting the application, the government will send students an aid report, which summarizes the data, according to the application. This will also include your Expected Family Contribution, which determines if students are eligible for aid.

Schools listed on the application also will receive a copy of the report and compose financial aid packages for students explaining for what aid students are qualified.

WE DON’T JUST GIVE HOMELESS FAMILIES SHELTER FROM THE COLD.

There are no limits to caring.®

1-800-899-0089

AT A GLANCE Additional help Call OU Financial Aid Services at 405-325-4521.

www.VolunteersofAmerica.org

WE GIVE THEM KEYS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

Agnes M. and Herbert True Family Lecture

The Recovered Image: The Faith and Reason of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Inklings

Dr. Zaleski, with her husband Philip Zaleski, has just completed an intellectual biography of the Inklings, a literary group at Oxford University in the 1930s to the 1950s. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were members of the Inklings. She will talk about the influence of faith and reason upon their literary work and their world view.

MEETING WITH A PERSONAL TRAINER IN BETWEEN A MASSAGE AND AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL. THIS IS THE CHAMPION LIFESTYLE.

Presented by Dr. Carol Zaleski Dr. Zaleski has been a professor of World Religions at Smith College since 1989. She has a Ph.D in the Study of Religion from Harvard University and has published several books on the topic of religion.

March 7 7:30pm Bell Courtroom at the OU School of Law There will be free parking directly south of the main (fountain) entrance to the OU Law School

We offer personal training workshops, massages and tasty social events.

No other residence can compete.

Fill Your 3 or 4 Bed Apartment, Get a DVR Upgrade!

CRIMSON PARK | 888.724.1594 2357 Classen Blvd | Norman OK 73071

A4

Reader comment on OUDaily.com ››

• Tuesday, February 28, 2012

“Ron Paul finally acknowledges you by a brief stop in your state and you Paul-Bots go a runnin’ and support him. This small and probably oh so sincere gesture on his part seems to legitimate your undying support for this non-legitimate ... candidate.” (Nolan_Kraszkiewicz, RE: ‘Ron Paul tells Oklahomans the U.S. government has deviated from Constitution’)

OPINION

Mary Stanfield, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

EDITORIAL

Bill would hold officials accountable Our View: Oklahoma needs a recall process to increase accountability and voter power.

We agree with Morgan that a recall election is a powerful tool to bring ac- Find out how to contact your senators and urge countability to the state them to support this government. It increases important legislation. direct democracy and oudaily.com/opinion enables citizens to respond directly to egregious violations or failures by elected officials.

Without a recall election, citizens are forced to wait until the next general election to voice their discontent. That could be years from the time of the offense, and those elections are influenced by a variety of factors. That makes it more difficult to hold officials accountable for specific actions or lack thereof.

And because a recall election only can be initiated once a year has passed since the official was elected — and requires such a substantial proportion of the voting public to agree that it is needed — this system would be unlikely to be abused for partisan bickering or other unjustified causes.

The two primary concerns with such a bill are added cost and added strain on officials that could keep them from politically controversial but practically necessary actions.

The former concern is a valid worry. In the House summary of this amendment, the preparer found that statewide elections cost nearly $1 million. But

OUDaily.com

Finally, a state bill focusing on how Oklahoma’s government should function instead of how its people should live their private lives.

In an effort to increase accountability, Rep. Danny Morgan, D-Prague, introduced an amendment to House Bill 2449 that would create a recall procedure for state elected officials.

It works like this: First, a citizen or group of citizens would craft a petition with a 200 word description of why they want the elected official recalled. They would file this petiThe Our View is the majority tion with a state office.

After it was verified, they would opinion of The Daily’s have 90 days to collect enough signine-member natures to put the recall questions editorial board on the ballot, either in an upcoming election or a special election. The petition would need to collect signatures amounting to 15 percent of the voters who participated in the last election for the office they want to recall.

If they are successful, the question of whether to remove the official from office would be on the ballot, along with the question of who will replace them.

Morgan rightly pointed out that voting on these issues at the same time will reduce time and cost.

because of the rather stringent conditions placed on these recall elections, they likely only will arise in the most necessary of circumstances — in which case, the money is easily justifiable.

As to the latter concern, we can understand the logic behind it. Officials already are hesitant to go against their voting base in election years, and this recall option would in some ways make every year an election year.

If they are concerned about the fervor of a few whipping up enough controversy to get them removed from office, then they will be unwilling to take actions that most benefit the state but may go against some of the louder interest groups.

However, here we have to trust in the power of democracy. Public officials are elected to represent the needs of the citizens of Oklahoma, and it is important for citizens to have a say in what their government is doing with the tax dollars and authority they granted it.

This bill has passed the House and currently is being considered in the Senate. This bill is a step toward more accountability in government and more freedom of choice for us all. It brings a more direct approach to Oklahoma’s representative democracy and can increase the agency and power of citizens.

Comment on this at OUDaily.com

COLUMN

Legalizing marijuana has potential for positive effects

A

OPINION COLUMNIST

t a time when legalizing marijuana becomes more and more a possible evolution of the current law — the Marijuana Legalization Initiative that was discussed in California and only failed to pass by a small percentage being a good example — it is crucial to discuss what marijuana is and what its real dangers are.

Marijuana is a drug, and as any other drug, it needs to be considered with seriousness.

Thus, I will use science and facts to lead us throughout this column.

25 20.9

20

Dependence Withdrawal Tolerance Reinforcement Intoxication

5 4

18.8

Simon Cantarel cantarels@gmail.com

1. MARIJUANA IS LESS HARMFUL THAN OTHER LEGAL DRUGS 6

2. IT WOULDN’T NECESSARILY INCREASE CONSUMPTION

16.7 14.8

15

11.9

10

9.5 8.0

5 0

Italy

Spain

France

United Germany The Finland Kingdom Netherlands

5.3

4.8

Poland

Sweden

3

Source: Wikipedia.org

This graph compares “soft drug” use — mainly marijuana — in 10 European countries, including the Netherlands, the only European country where marijuana is legal. The figures are in percentage of people between age 15 and 34 who consume soft drugs once a month.

2 1 0

Nicotine

Alcohol

Caffeine

Marijuana

Source: Jack E. Henningfield for the National Institute on Drug Abuse; reported by Philip J. Hilts, New York Times, Aug. 2, 1994: “Is Nicotine Addictive? It Depends on Whose Criteria You Use.”

A National Institute on Drug Abuse study measured the severity of nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and marijuana using five factors to rate and compare the results.

While the chart seems to speak for itself, it still is important to remember how problematic alcohol is on OU’s campus.

Marijuana could be seen as a good alternative to alcohol for a student looking to release some of the pressure he faces every day at school.

Even long-term use of marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 24,518 “alcohol-induced deaths” (excluding accidents and homicides) in 2009. For marijuana, the number of “marijuana-induced deaths” is zero.

One the reasons is that it virtually is impossible for you to die from a marijuana overdose.

It would require you to consume around 40,000 times the amount needed to be intoxicated for you to die from it. For alcohol, it is only five to 10 times.

Marijuana also poses less of a danger to others than alcohol. Have you ever heard of a rape, a fight or a murder done by someone high on marijuana? No? Well, there might be a reason for that.

Marijuana is famous for its relaxing properties; the only reason why it may create violence is that it is illegal, which encourages organized crime.

The argument is not that alcohol explains or should be an excuse in any way for these crimes, only that they are more correlated.

AT A GLANCE List of drug-related definitions • Dependence: How difficult it is for the user to quit, the relapse rate, the percentage of people who eventually become dependent, the rating users give their own need for the substance and the degree to which the substance will be used in the face of evidence that it causes harm.

• Withdrawal: Presence and severity of characteristic withdrawal symptoms.

• Tolerance: How much of the substance is needed to satisfy increasing cravings for it, and the level of stable need that eventually is reached.

• Reinforcement: A measure of the substance’s ability to get users to take it again and again, and in preference to other substances.

• Intoxication: Associated with addiction and increases the personal and social damage a substance may do.

Something forbidden often is even more attractive than if it were legal.

As the graph shows, the link between soft drug consumption and its legality is unclear. Although it is not possible to

3. IT WOULD BE A NEW SOURCE OF INCOME Legalizing marijuana would create a huge industry.

In the Netherlands, the annual gross revenue of shops selling marijuana is around $3.2 billion per year.

It would create a demand of labor at every level of its production. Farm lands would be needed, as well as the laborers to produce and distribute it.

Moreover, it would create new jobs in the research field — in the creation of new species, for instance.

It would generate income for the state through taxation on marijuana.

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The example of the Netherlands comes to mind again: Each year, $600 million is generated this way.

But the Netherlands is a relatively small country, so how much could that number be for the U.S.?

Well, California’s National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws chapter estimates that a legally regulated market for marijuana could yield the state at least $1.2 billion in tax revenues and reduced enforcement costs.

4. IT WOULD ALLOW A HIGHER LEVEL OF CONTROL The Netherlands chose to legalize marijuana for a reason: Many policy makers there believe it is better to try controlling it and reducing harm instead of continuing to enforce a ban with mixed results.

Not only would it allow people to understand marijuana, through a real and comprehensive education, for instance, but it also would be the only way to ensure good quality and a safe product.

Moreover, as with every drug, marijuana has downsides.

Even if it is not likely, it is possible to

The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum, the University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice and an entirely student-run publication.

Chris Lusk Chase Cook James Corley Laney Ellisor Greg Fewell Lindsey Ruta

accurately predict the future, it appears quite clearly that legalizing marijuana would not create a fundamental shift in its consumption.

It actually might reduce it.

become addicted to it. A prolonged and too regular use of it also is bad for one’s health.

Knowing that it is impossible to prevent its use and that legalizing it most likely would not increase the number of regular consumers, it seems legalizing marijuana only would allow marijuana users to get help if they need it.

Simon Cantarel is a French economics exchange student.

Guest columns are accepted and printed at the editor’s discretion.

Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are their own and not necessarily the views or opinions of The Oklahoma Daily Editorial Board.

Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and must be fewer than 250 words, typed and signed by the author(s). Letters will be edited for accuracy, space and style.

Students must list their major and classification.

To submit letters, email dailyopinion@ou.edu.

To advertise in The Oklahoma Daily, contact advertising manager Kristen Milburn by calling 405-325-8964 or emailing dailyads@ou.edu.

Our View is the voice of the Editorial Board, which consists of nine student editors. The board meets at 5 p.m. Sunday to Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall. Board meetings are open to the public.

One free copy of The Daily is available to members of the OU community. Additional copies may be purchased for 25 cents by contacting The Daily business office at 405-325-2522.

NATIONAL NEWS

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 •

A5

MARIJUANA

Colorado voters to decide on recreational pot plan If passed, adults 21 and older can use marijuana legally DENVER — Colorado voters will decide this fall whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use when the state becomes the second in the nation to put such a proposal on ballots this year.

The Secretary of State’s Office said Monday that supporters of the legalization initiative collected enough signatures to get their measure before voters, meaning Colorado will join Washington state in putting a recreational pot question on November ballots.

Vo t e r s w i l l b e a s k e d whether adults older than 21 should be allowed to use marijuana even without a doctor’s recommendation.

The measure would allow adults to have up to 1 ounce of marijuana or six marijuana plants.

The proposal also allows for commercial pot sales, though cities and counties would have permission to ban marijuana sales if they choose.

The plan would also direct state lawmakers to put an undetermined excise tax on pot, with the proceeds going to education.

Colorado considered and rejected recreational pot legislation in 2006. And, more recently, California voters turned back a similar plan in 2010.

But activists say that Colorado residents have since become accustomed to medical marijuana and

1 2

NATION NEWS BRIEFS 1. CHARDON, OHIO

Police: One dead, four wounded in Ohio high school shooting A teenager opened fire in the cafeteria at his suburban Cleveland high school Monday, killing one student and wounding four others before he was chased from the building by a teacher and captured a short distance away, authorities said.

A student who saw the attack up close said it appeared the gunman targeted a group of students sitting together and that the one who was killed was gunned down while trying to duck under the cafeteria table.

FBI officials would not comment on a motive. And Police Chief Tim McKenna said authorities “have a lot of homework to do yet” in their investigation of the shooting, which sent students screaming through the halls at the start of the school day at 1,100-student Chardon High.

The Associated Press

2. HARRISBURG, PA. ED ANDRIESKI/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Matthew Huron, owner of two medical marijuana dispensaries and an edible marijuana company in Denver, examines a marijuana plant Feb. 10 in his grow house. Colorado citizens will vote whether adults older than 21 should be allowed to use marijuana recreationally — even without a doctor’s recommendation.

are more willing to consider full legalization.

“The people of Colorado are ready to end marijuana prohibition and begin taxing it and regulating it like alcohol,” said Mason Tvert, head of Colorado’s Campaign To Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol.

The campaign needed two tries to make the ballot.

Last month the initiative backers fell just short of the required 86,000 signatures when tens of thousands were deemed invalid.

But officials said a second

attempt allowed under Colorado law left the campaign with more than 90,000 valid signatures.

Compared to Washington state, Colorado officeholders have been slow to embrace recreational legalization.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn has backed recreational legalization in Washington state. But no current Colorado elected official was scheduled to join legalization activists at a news conference Tuesday.

Despite the chilly reception from public officials,

marijuana activists say the time is right for legalization.

The measure would set up a direct federal showdown over drug laws, but Colorado and 16 other state already buck the federal government by allowing marijuana for medical use.

“This could be a watershed year in the decadeslong struggle to end marijuana prohibition in this country,” Art Way, Colorado manager of the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement.

The Associated Press

Sandusky seeks 2-month delay in child sexual-abuse trial Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer wants the judge in his sexabuse case to delay the start of his trial until mid-July.

The former Penn State football coach filed a motion Monday that says he needs more time to contact and interview witnesses, subpoena records and hire experts.

The 68-year-old Sandusky faces 52 criminal charges he sexually abused 10 JERRY boys over a 15-year period, allegations he denies. Two weeks ago, Judge John SANDUSKY Cleland tentatively scheduled jury selection in the trial to start May 14 in Centre County.

Sandusky also is asking for more time to file a catchall pretrial motion that’s due Thursday.

The Associated Press

A6

WORLD NEWS

• Tuesday, February 28, 2012

ECUADOR

President pardons newspaper in libel case Human rights groups, journalists praise decision as a victory for press freedom QUITO, Ecuador — President Rafael Correa said Monday he is pardoning Ecuador’s main opposition newspaper and four of its employe e s, re l i e ving them of a court’s imposition of prison and a $42 million fine for criminal libel against RAFAEL Correa.

CORREA The legal attack on El Universo had prompted allegations by international press freedom and human rights groups that the leftist president is using a judiciary of dubious independence to silence critics.

Correa said he was forgiving the three-year prison terms against three executives and the former opinion page editor of El Universo, whom he sued a year ago under a criminal defamation law.

In addition, Correa said

he was dropping a libel case against two other journalists who wrote a book that said companies tied to his older brother had $600 million in contracts with the Ecuadorean state but he did not act on the conflict of interest until they had revealed it publicly.

A court this month ordered the two journalists to pay Correa $1 million each.

One of the two, Juan Carlos Calderon, told reporters that Correa’s pardon was the president’s way of “trying to halt the enormous criticism, nationally, internationally and from his own organization.”

Correa said the verdict in the El Universo case was deserved but he decided to grant the pardon after consulting with relatives and friends.

Perez and the other two executives affected by the verdict, all of them brothers, will not comment until a court has ratified the nullification of the fine and prison sentence,

Supporters of Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa gather Monday outside Government Palace in Quito, Ecuador. Correa announced he is pardoning the country’s main opposition newspaper following a $42 million criminal libel verdict.

Correa also said he is forgiving the three-year prison terms against three executives and the former opinion page editor of the newspaper, el Universo.

DOLORES OCHOA/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

said the paper’s acting director, Nila Velasquez.

The columnist, Emilio Palacio, called Correa’s announcement a “spectacular triumph” for press freedom.

In the column that triggered the case, Palacio called Correa a dictator and accused him of ordering troops to “fire

at will” on a hospital full of civilians during a September 2010 police revolt.

Correa, who is democratically elected and in his second term, denied issuing any such order, although one of at least five fatalities during the daylong revolt was a police officer shot to death

while helping to spirit the president out of the hospital in an SUV. C o r re a t o o k o f f i c e i n January 2007 and won reelection in 2009 after a voter-approved constitutional reform. He has indicated he will seek a third term in 2013 elections.

With a 70 percent approval rating, the U.S. and European-trained economist is among Latin America’s most popular leaders, thanks in part to an array of statefunded programs that have brought stability to a traditionally unruly nation.

The Associated Press

MIDDLE EAST

South Libya tense after tribal warfare, U.N. officials say BENGHAZI, Libya — The United Nations said Monday that the situation in a remote southern part of Libya where more than 100 people were killed in tribal warfare this month remains tense although a cease-fire brokered by local officials is still holding.

A statement by the U.N. Support Mission in Libya said that as much as half of the population of Kufra has fled and that around 200 foreign migrants are still waiting to be

moved out of the area.

The clashes that broke out Feb. 11 underscore the struggle facing Libya’s new leaders to enforce security, disarm people and unify multiple militias that took part in an eight-month civil war that ended with the capture and killing of longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi in October.

Dozens were killed this month by rockets, mortars and gunfire that rocked residential areas in the desert

town, which is some 500 miles (800 kilometers) away from the more populated coastal city of Derna.

The U.N. said it provided people there with food, medicine, mattresses, blankets and hygiene kits to vulnerable communities whose basic services have been interrupted by fighting.

The injured packed the city’s three-room hospital for days during the clashes. Many had no beds to sleep on. There was one doctor

E V R E S E N R O S E H N I T T S ON S

Shops were closed for days, and no one could walk in the street. If one tribe took over one square, the other tribe opened fire and drove it out.

During that time the powerful Arab tribe of al-Zwia clashed with the African Tabu tribe near Kufra, a border area where Libya, Chad and Sudan meet. The region is a hub for the smuggling of African migrants, goods and drugs.

The Associated Press

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and 15 nurses using empty bottles of water as blood bags. Patients had to share one ventilator.

For days, rescuers were unable to get to the bodies of victims who were left on the street.

An Associated Press reporter who was in Kufra during the clashes saw at least 160 houses demolished by rockets in one neighborhood.

Families gathered inside a school seeking shelter, but even that came under shelling.

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LIFE&ARTS

B

T U E SDAY, F E BRUA RY 2 8 , 2 012

FITNESS

Students eye climbing challenges Huff’s rock wall among many local options for climbers

AT A GLANCE Rock wall hours

NICK WILLIAMS

Sunday: 6 to 9 p.m.

Life & Arts Reporter

There is an underground, almost avant-garde movement developing among the college-aged students of Oklahoma that boasts an almost cult-like following — and no, it’s nothing “Occupy” related.

Ironic though it may seem, this somewhat diminutive congregation of fans — that is, in comparison to other groups of its nature — actually is head-over-heels for the sport of rock climbing, and the towering challenge and enjoyment it provides.

“I absolutely love it,” said David Wills, energy management junior. “I did a little climbing back when I was quite a bit younger, but me and a few buddies have really started to get into it the past three or four months.”

OU students just getting started have access to a rock wall in the Huston Huffman Fitness Center.

“It’s small, but for all intents and purposes it’s the best place in Norman,” computer engineering senior Kevin Marlow said.

Marlow said he was hooked by the sport last spring when he went rock climbing with friends at Chandler Park in Tulsa.

After moving to Dallas for an internship in the summer, he found an indoor rock gym and has been actively climbing ever since, he said.

“I climb at the Huff three times a week for an hour each, sometimes two,” Marlow said.

Climbing at the wall in the Huff is a great work out that he finds relaxing, he said.

The on-campus wall may be great for beginners to jump into rock climbing. However, some soon may find that their

Monday: 6 to 11 p.m.

Tuesday: 3 to 11 p.m.

Wednesday: 5 to 11 p.m.

Thursday: 3 to 11 p.m.

Friday: 3 to 6 p.m.

Source: The Huston Huffman Center

KELSEY HIGLEY/THE DAILY

Kevin Marlow, computer engineering senior, climbs a rock wall Monday night at the Huston Huffman Center. Marlow, who first started rock climbing with friends last spring, said he also climbs at Rocktown in downtown Oklahoma City.

growing interest and love for the sport quickly scales its limits.

“It’s definitely a great place to get started, but after getting used to the basics and such, you may want to branch out a bit,” Marlow said. “It’s not the kind of place to go for a big outing, per se.”

Both Marlow and Wills

agreed, if you want to expand your rock climbing experience, you have to head to Oklahoma City.

“A place that I’ve been going to is Rocktown Climbing Gym,” Wills said. “It’s an awesome place right by downtown Oklahoma City that my friends and I have really fallen in love with.”

GO AND DO Climbing competition WHEN: 8 a.m. March 31 WHERE: Rocktown PRICE: $40 for members and $45 for non-members INFO: rocktowngym.com

KELSEY HIGLEY/THE DAILY

Tiffany Legg, mechanical engineering sophomore, contemplates her next move at the “Cupid Comp,” a rock climbing competition held Feb. 16 at the Huston Huffman Center. The rock wall at the Huff is open during afternoon and evening hours Sunday through Friday.

Rocktown, which has been in operation since 2007, is located in a huddle of former grain silos south of Harkins Theatres in Br icktow n.

Rocktown holds everything from 90-foot climbs to a fully equipped bouldering room.

“We have different elements and climbs for all ages and different levels

of expertise,” said Morgan Gerville-Reache, a supervisor at Rocktown. “And that definitely shows in the different kinds of people that come to Rocktown.”

“What I really enjoy about Rocktown is the fact I’ve not only been able to start there as a novice climber, but I’ve been able to really improve

and grow in the sport there as well,” Wills said.

Another incentive that may perk the ears of college students expanding their horizons in rock climbing is the special student membership prices Rocktown offers, Gerville-Reache said.

Rocktown offers student discounts on day passes and gear rental for those students who may just be getting started, Gerville-Reache said.

Rock climbing is not necessarily a new sport, but it’s a new experience for many.

Marlow said the challenge it what has continued to draw him in his novice year. “ It’s just you and the rock,” Marlow said. “The sport is completely about human body effort. It’s peaceful but challenging because it’s all about what you can do.

There’s no team involved.”

Interested in law school?

Visit OU Law during one of our upcoming events!

Open House with Dean Harroz Thursday, March 1 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Meet OU Law Dean Joe Harroz as well as students, faculty and staff at a reception hosted by the Student Services and the American Indian Law Review. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Student Services office.

Tours are also available.

To reserve your spot or for accommodations on the basis of disability, contact Autumn Lockett at alockett@OU.edu or (405) 325-8521.

Diversity Day Friday, March 2 | 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Tour OU Law, learn about applying and financial aid and participate in a mock class. Registration begins at 9 a.m. in the Dick Bell Courtroom.

Lunch will be provided.

To reserve your spot or for accommodations on the basis of disability, contact Valerie.Fleurima-1@ou.edu. Please register by Feb. 28.

Both events are held at The University of Oklahoma College of Law, Andrew M. Coats Hall, 300 Timberdell Road in Norman.

You are also welcome to schedule a tour and class visit any time Monday through Friday by contacting tour@law.OU.edu or (405) 325-4728.

B2

LIFE&ARTS

• Tuesday, February 28, 2012

RESTAURANTS

Eateries cater to all breakfast needs

B

LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST reakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day. As a college student, I usually live on granola bars and Rachael Cervenka fruit during the week rachmarie@ou.edu because they are quick and simple.

Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of having my mom whip up scrambled eggs, bacon and French toast on a whim. So, I tend to treat myself on the weekends by going out to breakfast.

I have discovered a number of Norman restaurants that satisfy my breakfast cravings for a price that works with my wallet. Whether I am craving eggs, pancakes, quiche or bagels, Norman has it all.

AT A GLANCE Top Dishes 1) The Diner: I usually order the ham and cheese omelet with hash browns and biscuits and gravy.

2) Juan Del Fuego: I love the Papas Con Chorizo, which is a House Specialty.

3) Old School Bagel Café: Depending on my mood I usually order the ham breakfast sandwich on a honey wheat bagel 4) La Baguette: Their French toast is the best. They sprinkle just enough powdered sugar on top.

5) Fancy That: I really enjoy their Quiche Lorraine, which is just a ham and cheese quiche served with gorgonzola cheese sauce, and a side of breakfast potatoes.

My top-five breakfast spots

1

The Diner: Craving a classic breakfast? The Diner is where you must go.

Located at 213 E. Main St., The Diner’s menu has just about everything, from blueberry pancakes to veggie omelets. This tiny breakfast treasure has reasonable prices ranging from $3 to $7.

The restaurant was featured on the Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” I discovered this restaurant my sophomore year, and I am so disappointed I didn’t know about it sooner.

Not only is the food great, but the atmosphere also adds to its allure. The name of the restaurant gives it all away; once you walk in, you feel like you are stepping into the 1950s, with classic bar stools and vinyl booths. You can watch your food being cooked right before your eyes. The waitresses always are friendly, and the service always is speedy once you get seated.

The one deterrent for The Diner is the anticipated wait.

You could be waiting anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes, depending on what time and day you go. However, the wait is well worth it when you take that first bite.

2

Juan Del Fuego: I recently discovered this quaint mexi-diner located at 223 34th Ave. SW. Juan Del Fuego does offer traditional breakfast items, but it also has several specialties with authentic Mexican flair. Prices range from $4 to $9.

In my opinion, if you choose to go here, you should go Mexican all the way. My personal favorite dishes would have to be the South of the Border Eggs Benedict or the Papas Con Chorizo. The Eggs Benedict is a special item, so you have to hope it is being served, but the Papas Con Chorizo is a regular menu item. The pancakes also are to die for.

The top cook at Juan Del Fuego used to work at The Diner, so you know the food has to be delicious.

3

Old School Bagel Café: OK, so I have been a longtime fan of Bagel Café because there is one in Oklahoma City, so you can imagine how excited I was to hear one was coming to Norman.

CAREY FLACK/THE DAILY

Elena Van Dyke, from Russia, enjoys her tea as she waits for her meal at The Diner, a small restaurant located on Main Street. The Daily’s Rachael Cervenka says the restaurant serves classic breakfast.

The Norman location has been here for about six months or so and is located at 710 W. Main St. The bagels are fairly inexpensive with prices ranging from $2 to $5.

I am a bagel lover, so I enjoy most types, but for those who are picky, the Bagel Café has a wide variety to choose from. You can order a chocolate chip bagel, a blueberry See a gallery of photos bagel, an onion bagel and so from each restaurant many more.

The Daily’s Rachael Sometimes I get burned Cervenka features. out on omelets and pancakes oudaily.com/life&arts so I like getting an everything bagel with cream cheese at Bagel Café, it is a light and simple breakfast. However, they also have wonderful breakfast bagels with eggs, cheese and ham, sausage or bacon.

I never have had a single dish at Bagel Café I did not enjoy. It is bagel heaven.

OUDaily.com

4

La Baguette Bakery and Cafe: If you want to sleep in on the weekends and enjoy a nice hybrid of breakfast and lunch, La Baguette is one of the best places to visit.

There are two locations in Norman, so you can take your pick depending on which is closest to you.

One is located at 924 W. Main St., and the other is at 1130 Rambling Oaks. All entrées are under $10.

La Baguette has dishes such as Croque Madame, which consists of ham and two fried eggs with mornay sauce on

Compiled by Rachael Cervenka

sourdough bread. The mornay sauce is a classic French white sauce made of different cheeses. The restaurant’s sophisticated dishes sets it apart from a lot of the other Norman breakfast places.

La Baguette also has a yummy quiche and pastry selection. It has a very nice drink selection, as well, with delicious cappuccinos and mimosas.

5

Fancy That Café: I actually discovered this restaurant by accident. One day my mind was set on The Diner, but the line was out of control, and I noticed a charming bakery right next door at 215.E. Main St. I know ... how ironic.

Anyway, I am glad I stumbled across this place, because it is a nice change from its breakfast/brunch counterpart next door. This definitely is a little pricier than the other restaurants I have mentioned, but Fancy That also has a more specialized menu.

I would describe it as a bistro-type restaurant. The breakfast items range from $9 to $11. It has a great selection of different breakfast dishes, ranging from the Fancy Breakfast Burrito to the BBQ Brisket Benedict.

Fancy That is similar to La Baguette because it also serve a wide array of pastries and quiche in addition to its menu.

This cafe is exactly what its name claims to be; it has a fancy take on all its dishes, which works well.

Rachael Cervenka is a journalism junior.

CALL FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS The Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College invites applications for the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) for the 2012 Spring and Fall semesters This is a competitive program open to ALL undergraduate students at the University of Oklahoma main campus and the Health Sciences Center.

Projects can be in any discipline; for example, allied health, architecture, business, education, fine arts, engineering, the humanities, journalism, natural sciences, and social sciences.

These awards are intended to support individual projects designed and undertaken by undergraduate students.

Winners receive research grants of up to $1000 to be used for the projects.

The deadline for submission is March 27, 2012.

Applications and details are available on the Honors College website: http://www.ou.edu/honors/Undergraduate-Research-Opportunities-Program.html

APPLY TODAY!

LIFE&ARTS

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 •

B3

ALBUM REVIEW

Slightly subpar, but new Fun. still fun LIFE & ARTS COLUMNIST

REVIEWS, PREVIEWS AND MORE

THE DAILY’S

NEW MUSIC TUESDAY Courtney Goforth

Read more at OUDaily.com

courtneygoforth@ou.edu

FUN. “Some Nights�

(Fueled By Ramen) Rating: Â?Â? 1/2

The name of New York group Fun.’s second album, “Some Nights,� seems a misprint for “some tracks� to warn listeners that only some of the 10 songs are worth playing.

Band members Nate Reuss (The Format), Andrew Dost (Anathallo) and Jack Antonoff (Steel Train) come together for their second album following “Aim & Ignite,� their 2009 release.

By the fifth track, Reuss sings, “What have we done?

Oh my God. What have we done? Oh my God.� — and I cannot help but ask the same question.

Statistically, the album encompasses about a 50-50 ratio for good to bad songs.

However, coming off an intelligently mastered debut album, “Some Nights� remains inconsistent after signing with record label Fueled By Ramen in August 2010. The label has released albums of bands such as Paramore, Panic at the Disco and Gym Class Heroes. “Some Nights� anatomy contains the heart of The Format, with Hellogoodbye vibrations flowing through its veins and thoughts of

Album: “Some Nights� by Fun. Released: Feb. 21 on Fueled By Ramen Top tracks: “We Are Young� “All Alone� “Stars� (minus the auto-tune) PHOTO PROVIDED

Compiled by Courtney Goforth

Indie-pop band Fun. members Jack Antonoff, Andrew Dost and Nate Reuss (left to right). The band released its second studio album, “Some Nights,� on Feb. 21 on Fueled By Ramen Records. Although the album isn’t bad, The Daily’s Courtney Goforth says she was disappointed.

GO AND DO Fun. in OKC WHEN: June 8 WHERE: Diamond Ballroom, 8001 S Eastern Ave. PRICE: The band is selling presale tickets to fan community members through its website INFO: ournameisfun.com

Fun. swarming in around its brain. Thus, the indie popinspired trio meets power pop and indie rock, which color a modern-day Queen knock off.

The first track on the album, “Some Nights

(Intro)� familiarizes with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody� by mixing opera melodies behind talksinging and accompanied spurts of “Oh my gods� that transition into sweeter tunes, creating an over-thetop production.

Later, track four inspires listeners to “carry on, carry on� just as Freddie Mercury sang, “carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters.�

Fun.’s first single, “We Are Young� features R&B, funk musician Janelle Monae, who can go unnoticed the first few times through the song.

In December 2011, the cast of Glee covered the song in the “Hold On to Sixteen� episode, which you can take as you will.

“Up until this point on the album, the songs embraced clever lyrics, experimental guitar riffs and consistent Fun. harmonies. All of a sudden, Reuss disguises his pitch-perfect vocals with auto-tune and repetitive lyrics.�

However, this recognition did transmit the song to No. 1 on iTunes that night. The song also has appeared on the television show “Chuck� and the Chevrolet Chevy Sonic commercial. “It Gets Better,� the fifth track, comes in a form of irony. Up until this point on the album, the songs embraced clever lyrics, experimental guitar riffs and consistent Fun. harmonies. All of a sudden, Reuss disguises his pitch-perfect vocals with auto-tune and repetitive

lyrics.

The album seems to level off after this, although the remaining tracks have a few redeeming qualities. “All Alone� begins with Renaissance-inspired composition and brings in hiphop beats and drum-line percussion, making up for the subsequent tracks. “All Alright,� the next on the list, brings in a children’s choir, one of three songs that include kid’s vocals, downplaying the deeper meaning of the lyrics within the

playful appearance.

The final track, “Stars,� makes one final over-thetop production, incorporating an audience cheering, violins, guitar solos, a children’s choir and, yes, autotune.

Maybe it is a little harsh to give the album a 50 percent success rate, but the autotune comes as a huge disappointment, when Reuss’ vocals have tugged at my heart since his early Format days. Reuss himself admits, “Well, some nights I rule the world.�

Although “Some Nights� isn’t perfect, listeners still can have some fun.

Courtney Goforth is a journalism senior.

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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 Lunch, keynote speakers, panel sessions, T-shirt giveaways, door prizes, & more!

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George.c.jackson-1@ou.edu or by phone at 405-517-5812

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B4

• Tuesday, February 28, 2012

CLASSIFIEDS L

PLACE AN AD Phone: 405-325-2521 E-mail: classifieds@ou.edu

Fax: 405-325-7517 Campus Address: COH 149A

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Mental Illness – What a difference a friend makes.

Spring Specials

HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2012, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012

$445 $515 $440 $510 $700

In the year ahead, there are strong indications that you will be entering an extremely creative period. During this cycle there’s an excellent chance that you could develop some type of useful product for which there will be a boffo market.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Be extremely careful not to let pessimistic thinking dominate your optimistic viewpoint. If you do, you’ll allow defeat to carry the day, when you could instead easily triumph.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -Companions might have a difficult time getting a handle on your mood. In some instances you’ll be extremely kind, while in other cases the Scrooge in you might come to the fore.

3

8 6

6 7 9 1 5 2 4 7 8 9

5 3 9

5 6 1 3 4

3 9 7

2

2 6

Previous Solution

8 2 7 6

Monday- Very Easy Tuesday-Easy Wednesday- Easy Thursday- Medium Friday - Hard

8

Instructions: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Be careful what you say and to whom.

Someone might quote your comments out of context and end up hurting both of you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- If you’re not careful, there is a good chance that you’ll be intimidated by your own imagination. Of course, this can be avoided if you don’t misuse your fertile mind.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) --Sensing a friend’s fragile mood, the timing might not be exactly right to remind him or her about an overdue financial obligation. You’ve waited this long, tarry a bit longer if you can.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- When seeking advice concerning a troublesome situation, don’t settle for just one

person’s opinion. Numerous points of view might provide you with a great, collective answer.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- The ideas or suggestions of someone in the family might be superior to your thoughts on handling a delicate situation. Don’t allow your ego to block your eardrums.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- If you’re smart, you won’t waste a lot of time looking for easy outs. The road you’re on might be difficult, but you can overcome any obstacles and will even take pride in doing so.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) --An arrangement that you’re involved in might be of dubious value, so don’t rely upon another person too heavily. Even if the road is bumpy, you will be better off overcoming all the obstacles yourself..

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) --When it comes to serving your own self-interest, you’re likely to be extremely productive, but if you are required to help out another, your faculties could suddenly shut down.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Think twice before investing in a situation about which you know little to nothing. You could end up buying into a pie-in-the-sky scheme, all because you were enticed by a delicious description.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- If there isn’t something in it for you, you’re apt to be reluctant to extend yourself in any way. However, if there are personal gains to be made, it’ll be another story.

Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker February 28, 2012 ACROSS 1 Amazed exclamations 5 ___-Jo (1988 Olympics star) 8 Thing for the plus column 13 Lifebuoy rival 14 Hodgepodge 15 Lavender relative 16 1814-15 exile for Napoleon 17 Some Thanksgiving fare 19 Not in favor of 21 Tridentshaped Greek letter 22 Pitched enclosure 23 Lines that touch but don’t intersect 26 Discolor by burning 28 Angry feeling 29 “Chosen one” played

by Keanu 30 Old Glory’s land 31 Nectar inspector 32 Diamond measure 34 Electromagnetic wave amplifiers 37 Fruity dessert 41 More sharp, as pain 42 “Love ___ Around” (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” theme) 44 Accounting dept. employee,

2/28

perhaps 47 “7 Faces of Dr. ___” 48 .0000001 joule 50 Two-finger sign 51 Abate 53 Building castles in the air 55 Brewer’s kiln 56 Parker’s responsibility?

58 Cause of a run 59 Sexy photographs, informally 62 Calif. wine valley 65 Fauvist painter Matisse 66 Discharge, as radiation 67 Suffix meaning “land” in some country names 68 “Come in” command 69 ___ Luis Obispo 70 Congerlike DOWN 1 Homage in verse 2 2010 Gulf problem 3 Slow Cuban dance 4 It might not appear in the dictionary 5 Affliction formerly called the grippe 6 Hobbles along 7 “Clumsy me!”

8 “How ___ doing?”

9 ___ Domingo 10 Exceptionally good 11 To demonstrate clearly 12 Cut one’s molars 14 Express a viewpoint 18 Did more than just hugged 20 Arm of the sea?

23 ___ Tac (breath freshener) 24 Iraqi or Lebanese 25 Beefsteak or cherry 27 Buttoned sweater 30 Interest gouger 33 California’s Santa ___ winds 35 Gibbon, e.g.

36 “Boom-bah”

lead-in 38 Delicate difference 39 Handle the maps 40 Narrow, secluded valley 43 An April fooler might pull yours 44 Bell-shaped hat 45 “Proud” bird’s mate 46 Be agreeable 49 Adjust the chronograph, e.g.

52 1,000 liters 53 Acting major 54 Clerical quarters 57 Scores 100 on 60 Title of nobility 61 They’re all in the family 63 Trusted friend 64 Indefinite amount

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

2/27

© 2012 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

WHATS FOR (AFTER) DINNER? By Gary Cooper

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 •

B5

OUDaily.com ››

SPORTS

The NCAA has released qualifier allocations for the upcoming wrestling national championships. See what that means for the 12th-ranked Sooners.

BASEBALL

MEN’S GYMNASTICS

Sooners seek to better record

OU maintains No. 1 spot

OU’s game against Texas-Arlington postponed due to possible bad weather

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

Oklahoma continues to beat team-high scores GREG FEWELL Sports Reporter

DILLON PHILLIPS Sports Reporter

Riding the high of last weekend’s sweep of the Hartford Hawks, the 16th-ranked Sooners’ baseball team (4-2) is looking to pick up another home win against TexasArlington on Wednesday evening.

The game was originally slated for a 3 p.m. start Tuesday, but it has been postponed to a 5:30 p.m. first pitch Wednesday in response to Tuesday’s severe weather forecast.

Sophomore Jonathan Gray, who still is looking for his first win of the season, is projected to take the mound for the Sooners after struggling in his first two starts this season.

Against Pepperdine, he lasted just 2 2/3 innings as the Sooners were blanked 10-0. He gave up one run on two hits while walking six batters and striking out four.

On Saturday, Gray was replaced by sophomore Jordan John — who picked up his second win of the season in relief — after giving up four runs on five hits in just two innings of work.

“We didn’t throw it real well starting out there, but again, that’s one of those things where we’re going to have to keep running the big guy (Jonathan Gray) out there,” coach Sonny Golloway said. “He’ll find it sooner or later. He’s got some work to do.”

UT-Arlington (5-2), a team that made quite a splash on YouTube last season with a video of the team “Movin’ like Bernie,” is coming off a 3-1 home win against Stephen F. Austin.

The Mavericks also boast a 7-5 win at then No. 12 Texas on Feb. 21 — a loss that knocked the Longhorns out of the top 25.

After Wednesday’s game, the Sooners will travel to Albuquerque for a three-game series this weekend against the 2-5 New Mexico Lobos.

The OU men’s gymnastics team, now about halfway through its season, is right where it hopes to be at the end of it — on top.

The team vaulted to No. 1 in the third week of the season and never has given that ranking up, not even after a close, upset loss to No. 2 Illinois on the road. Even with the loss, the Sooners still have posted more points than any other team in the nation.

“We’d like to maybe take back an event or two at Illinois where things didn’t go the way I had hoped,” coach Mark Williams said.

“But aside from that, when we were at Ohio State, and the Rocky Mountain Open and then last week in Cal, we’ve done a pretty good job of putting together a pretty consistent effort.”

Maybe the most impressive thing about OU, though, is the level of competition the team faces every meet.

OU opened the season ranked No. 3, but the team promptly went on the road and upset No. 2 Ohio State with a score of 353.150.

Then, a week later, the Sooners went to Champaign, Ill. as the nation’s new No. 1 team to face No. 2 Illinois and No. 7 Michigan.

OU finished second behind the Illini in the trimeet, but scored enough points to maintain the No. 1 spot.

OU wasn’t done, though.

The team followed that

ERIKA PHILBRICK/THE DAILY

Junior Troy Nitzky holds a pose on the steel rings in the Sooners’ meet against No. 12 Iowa on Saturday in Norman. Nitzky won the event with a 15.35. The junior was one of five Sooners to win individual titles as the team swept the awards. Next, the team hosts Stanford on Saturday at McCasland Field House.

performance with a Feb. 12 matchup with No. 5 Stanford and No. 7 Cal in Berkeley, Calif. Oklahoma scored over 350 for the second time this season and knocked off two more top-ten teams in the process.

Five top-ten opponents in four meets, all on the road.

That kind of competition can wear on a team as the season progresses. Coach Mark Williams thinks it only will be an advantage to his squad, though.

“Those are good opportunities where the guys feel a little bit of pressure of what it’s going to be like when we get all of the best teams on the same floor at the NCAA meet,” Williams said. “So, I’m hoping that’s all valuable

X REBEKAH CORNWELL/THE DAILY

Sophomore pitcher Dillon Overton throws a pitch during the Sooner’s first game against the Hartford Hawks Friday. OU went on to win the game 9-6 and sweep the three-game weekend series.

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

Two Sooners lead the nation The most recent NCAA women’s gymnastics rankings were released Monday night using the new Regional Qualifying Score system.

While OU remained at No. 2, now just .050 behind No. 1 Florida, two Sooners moved up in the individual rankings.

Senior Sara Stone now is ranked No. 1 in the nation on the vault, and senior Megan Ferguson claims the No. 1 spot on the beam.

Ferguson also is ranked No. 2 on the floor exercise and No. 3 on bars in the new rankings.

The team hosts defending national champion Alabama at 7 p.m. Friday from Lloyd Noble Center.

Expires on May 31, 2012

experience for this team.”

The Sooners finally did get a break from top-ten competition this weekend.

The team hosted No. 12 Iowa for its first home meet of the year and posted a season-high score of 356.250 in front of the home crowd.

Williams said before the meet that he hoped it would be a good opportunity to get his young team some experience, but it might not be the team’s highest scoring meet of the year. Apparently his team didn’t get the memo.

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WOMEN’S TENNIS

OU picked 5th

by Big 12 coaches The Big 12 coaches picked the Sooner’s women’s tennis team to finish fifth in the conference in the first ever preseason tennis poll Baylor was picked to win an eighth consecutive league title, and Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech round out the top five.

OU opens conference play at noon Friday when the team hosts Bedlam from the Headington Family Tennis Center.

OU Daily Sports Staff

OU swept all six individual titles and team titles en route to its third score of 350 or higher. With several freshmen getting time on the floor for the meet, the win may have been just what Oklahoma needs moving forward.

“Hopefully we get things together,” junior Jake Dalton said after the Illinois loss.

“We’ve got a young team and we need to start picking up things a little bit better and end the season on a high note.”

Contracts for 2012-2013 available online at traditions.ou.edu.

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B6

SPORTS

• Tuesday, February 28, 2012

FOOTBALL

COLUMN

Sooners show off talent

Team’s leader props up spirits

Former Sooners represent at the NFL Combine

T

KEDRIC KITCHENS Assistant Sports Editor

Leading the pack at their respective positions, former Sooner football stars at the NFL Combine are trying to prove they are ready to compete at the next level.

Tight end James Hanna impressed many with his performance.

Hanna ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds, the best for any tight end in this year’s combine and the third best since 2006.

Hanna also had an impressive performance in blocking drills but may have hurt his draft stock by dropping two passes early in the day during the receiving portion of the drills.

His speed and potential can not be denied, though, as his 40 time was faster than two receivers.

Hanna also posted second-place finishes among tight ends in the 20-yard shuttle run (4.11 seconds) and the 3-cone drill (6.76 seconds).

Another former Sooner stand out was offensive tackle Donald Stephenson.

Stephenson, like Hanna, set the high mark in the 40yard dash, posting a time of 4.94 seconds.

The time was good enough for best among offensive linemen, being among only two to post a time of less than five seconds — a rare feat among offensive linemen.

Stephenson showed some weakness on the bench press where he only was able to put up the 225-pound bar 19 times, while most lineman hover right around 30

KINGSLEY BURNS/THE DAILY

Former OU defensive end Frank Alexander (84) throws a block as Ronnell Lewis (56) returns a fumble during the Sooners’ game against Texas A&M last season. Lewis and Alexander are two of the seven Sooners currently participating in the NFL combine to try to up their stock for April’s NFL draft.

repetitions.

Oklahoma’s all-time receptions leader Ryan Broyles also was on hand at the combine.

Broyles is far from 100 percent healthy, still recovering from a November knee surgery, which kept him out of all running and receiving drills.

However, he was able to show what he could do on the bench press.

Broyles put up an impressive 21 repetitions at the event, which tied him at third best by a receiver and only one repetition behind the top spot. The showing was very impressive for Broyles.

One of his only weaknesses being his small stature, showing his strength could move him a little higher up the draft board since teams already are aware of

his running and receiving abilities.

Plenty of former Sooners from the defensive side of things represented the Sooners, as well.

Linebacker Travis Lewis posted top-ten numbers among linebackers in both the vertical jump and the broad jump.

Meanwhile, Ronnell Lewis, a defensive end at OU that is expected to move to linebacker in the pros, showed off his strength by putting up 36 reps in the bench press, the most among linebackers at the combine.

Cornerback Jamell Fleming had similar results, finishing second among defensive backs with 21 repetitions.

With one day of drills still to go in Indianapolis, the former Sooners still have ample opportunity to up their stock

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BY THE NUMBERS NFL combine

5

Donald Stephenson was one of two linemen to run the 40-yard dash in under five seconds.

4.49

James Hanna blew away the competition with his impressive 40-yard dash time.

36

Ronnell Lewis beat out every linebacker with 36 bench press reps.

in the upcoming NFL draft, and defensive end Frank Alexander is still waiting to show the scouts what he’s made of.

So far, though, the Sooner state has had a fair showing at this year’s combine.

he sixth-ranked SPORTS COLUMNIST Oklahoma softball team needs to step up to the plate if it wants to have a real chance at competing in this year’s post season.

OU has yet to beat a ranked team this season Tobi Neidy after being favored in tobi.a.neidy-1@ou.edu every game it’s played in so far. The team’s first loss came against No. 23 Georgia Tech. Albeit just a 1-0 loss, but it was the first time the OU bats had been silenced for seven innings.

In the Cathedral City Classic, No. 14 Stanford repeated Tech’s feat, slapping five runs on the Sooners without letting Oklahoma find home plate. OU barely could get a hit off, registering only three in 23 at-bats.

And then it was No. 13 Georgia’s turn to slip past the Sooners. With a run in the sixth, the Bulldogs pulled out the upset on a neutral field. It was the first two-game losing streak OU’s had since last year’s pair of losses in the WCWS. Last season, coach Patty Gasso talked about how “infectious” her team was. When they were hitting well, everyone was scoring. When the bats fell silent, so did the dugout.

So, this year, she’s propositioned junior catcher Jessica Shults to become a leader for her team to keep those factors from turning into losing streaks.

“Shults has come far in wanting to take this team over,” Gasso said. “Shults is very popular and has a lot of friends.

And when you’re a leader, you have to let that go and can’t worry about if people like you or are mad at you.”

Shults knows how important it will be to pull this team together as one of the few upperclassmen on the roster.

“After making it to the WCWS last year, we’re just hungry to get back,” Shults said. “We have the right chemistry on this team to get that done.”

But OU still is working on finding that right amount of chemistry when the team finds itself behind on the scoreboard against ranked opponents. That is something that will need to change if OU hopes to make a splash in the postseason.

The Sooners have yet to play a game on their own home turf and will have one more road game before coming home to the friendly confines of Marita Hynes Field in Norman. Playing in front of a home crowd may be just what this team needs in order to turn the corner and down a few ranked opponents.

Tobi Neidy is a media relations senior.