Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Sooner defender to return in time for Florida State game (Page B4) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

W E D N E S D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 1

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

2 010 G OL D C ROW N W I N N E R

VOLLEYBALL

TRANSPORTATION

Few riding rail to Texas

DONATION

‘Dracula’ draws Sooner blood Collection drive promotes upcoming OU drama production KIERSTIN KITE Staff Reporter

Sooners seldom use Amtrak service linking to Fort Worth

Vampires invaded Grayce B. Kerr Gothic Hall in Catlett Music Center on Tuesday to draw blood from students, faculty and staff.

The “Dracula Blood Drive,” a collaboration of the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts and the Oklahoma Blood Institute, promoted the University Theatre’s production of William McNulty’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”

UNY CHAN

Campus Reporter

Students may be painfully aware of the railroad track that backs up traffic at Classen Boulevard and East Lindsey Street, but few know much about the passenger train that runs on it.

Th e He a r t l a n d Fl ye r, a n Amtrak service, runs between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas, with a stop in Norman.

The train comes up in conversation when students hash out plans for OU-Texas, but the Heartland Flyer is an option few students take advantage of.

The Daily randomly selected and interviewed 30 students from Texas, and 29 of them had not traveled via the Heartland Flyer.

Some students said they were put off by the price and schedule. Others cited a lack of connections within Texas as the problem.

“It costs $87 to go to Houston via Fort Worth. Even a plane ticket would be cheaper,” said Suzanne Varughese, energy management junior. “The price ruined the excitement. It doesn’t fit my college budget.”

The train takes nearly 16 hours to go to Houston, another drawback for Varughese.

“If Amtrak could make it faster and drive the price down to $30 or $50, I would definitely take the Heartland Flyer,” she said.

But for the one student who said she has used the service, it was a decent alternative.

Ali Browning, geography and economics junior from Southlake, Texas, has traveled on the Heartland Flyer five times.

“The train takes a little longer, but you can do homework and rest well on the train,” Browning said. “With driving, you can’t.”

But for Browning, a car is still a necessity and many times a better option. “ The train leaves from Norman really early in the morning, but the bus doesn’t run that early,” she said. “The station is too far from campus to walk. It’s not very practical to use the train now.”

SEE BLOOD PAGE A2

CAMPUS BRIEFS MELODIE LETTKEMAN/THE DAILY

Seniors Brianne Barker (1), Caitlyn Higgins (10) and sophomore Eden Williams (6) comprise the “Panhandle Trio.” All three come from Amarillo, Texas. Barker and Higgins played on the same team in high school.

Texas trio teams up at OU Old neighbors strengthen bond on the court LUKE MCCONNELL

I

Sports Reporter

n the Texas panhandle, where the wind kicks up clouds of dust and blows tumbleweeds to and fro, sits the town of Amarillo.

In this West Texas town, three young volleyball players once spent their time as friends, teammates and neighbors, only to eventually make the move to Norman to join forces as Sooners.

They call themselves the Panhandle Trio.

Seniors Brianne Barker and Caitlin Higgins and sophomore Eden Williams form this notorious band of volleyball talent.

Barker and Williams were born in Amarillo, and Higgins — born in Mississippi — moved in when she was less than a year old.

The Panhandle Trio assumed their monicker in response to football sophomores Kenny Stills, Brennan Clay and Tony Jefferson dubbing themselves the Cali Trio.

“I kept seeing them tweeting about the Cali Trio, and it’s like trending on Twitter,” Higgins said.

“So I decided since there is three of us from Amarillo, why not be the Panhandle Trio for volleyball.”

Barker said it’s not organized, but something the three of them communicate through Twitter.

“Anytime we tweeted each other, we always put #panhandletrio at the end,” Barker said. “So it’s just kind of stuck.”

Amarillo roots The Panhandle Trio may have just formed, but the relationships between these three players began long before arriving in Norman.

Barker and Higgins played for the same club team since age 11, although they went to different high schools.

SEE TRIO PAGE B3

BIO BOX Brianne Barker

BIO BOX Caitlin Higgins

BIO BOX Eden Williams

Year: Senior Position: Setter Season stats: 10.14 assists per set, 2.82 digs per set

Year: Senior Position: Outside hitter Season stats: 2.06 kills per set, .120 hitting percentage

Year: Sophomore Position: Defensive specialist Season stats: 1.71 digs per set, 60 total digs

VOL. 97, NO. 20 © 2011 OU Publications Board FREE — Additional copies 25 cents www.OUDaily.com www.facebook.com/OUDaily www.twitter.com/OUDaily

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

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

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

A2 B2 B1 A3 B3

NOW ON

MULTIMEDIA Watch Gould Hall dedication today The Daily will livestream the morning dedication.

(OUDaily.com)

Students need a say

Portable eateries offer break from norm

The Daily examines Boren’s recent smoking ban announcement.

(Page A3)

NEWS Creating machines that can nurture OU professor builds robots able to care for other robots. (Page A4)

SPORTS Landry Jones could be greatest OU QB Junior expected to pass Sam Bradford in career passing yards. (Page B4)

DARIAN HARMON/THE DAILY

Architecture hall to be dedicated today Gould Hall will finally get its dedication ceremony today even though students, faculty and staff have used the building since the beginning of the semester.

The $33 million building was scheduled to open in January after three years of renovation, but construction setbacks due to asbestos delayed the opening.

The dedication ceremony will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in Gould Hall, 830 Van Vleet Oval.

Lilly Chapa, Campus Reporter

JOBS

Career fair open to all, director says Students interested in business or government careers should make their way to the OU Sooner Showcase career fair from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. today at Lloyd Noble Center.

OU Career Services Director Bette Scott said 114 companies will attend and talk with students about summer internships and full-time positions.

Scott said a common misconception about the fair is that because it’s a business career fair, it’s only for business students.

Angela To, Campus Reporter

SPEAKER

SEE TRAIN PAGE A2

OPINION

CEREMONY

Kristy Ordonez, international business sophomore, enjoys her food from Taco Loco on Tuesday. Taco Loco’s kitchen is stationed in a trailer with no consumer space that travels in the area, but provides outdoor seating with stackable chairs and fold-up tables.

(Page B1)

Business college to host CEO this week One of the country’s most outspoken advocates for business will be on campus Friday talk to with students.

Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce since 1997, will be the featured speaker for the Price College of Business Distinguished Speaker Series.

The lecture will be 11 a.m. in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Molly Shi Boren Ballroom.

Donohue’s lecture will focus on the chamber’s role and how it relates to current events, said Kate Burch, college spokeswoman.

The Price College of Business Distinguished Speaker Series hosts top-level business executives coming from different backgrounds, industries and regions.

Uny Chan, Campus Reporter

A2

• Wednesday, September 14, 2011

NEWS

Chase Cook, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

TRAIN: Future tracks to open up Continued from page A1

TODAY AROUND CAMPUS OU Sooner Showcase Career Fair 2011 will take place from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt will discuss health care reform’s impact on Oklahomans from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in Beaird Lounge at the Oklahoma Memorial Union.

The “Immoral Jokes” lecture will be from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.

The lecture is free and is part of the 12th series of David Ross Boyd.

OU ethnomusicologist Zoe Sherinian will screen her film “This is Music: Reclaiming an Untouchable Drum” at 5 p.m. in the Catlett Music Center’s Pitman Recital Hall.

The Union Programming Board will host its general interest meeting from 9 to 10 p.m. in the union’s Scholar’s Room.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 15 OU Engineering Career Fair will take place from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Lloyd Noble Center.

Free Seminar: Student Success Series will host a reading-speed improvement seminar from 5 to 6 p.m. in Room 245 in Wagner Hall.

A concert featuring Stephanie Leon Shames and Jonathan Shames will be from 8 to 10 p.m. in Sharp Concert Hall at Catlett Music Center.

The train’s ticket and onboard service revenue could only cover onethird of the cost, said John Dougherty, Rail Division Assistant Manager at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

“Also, Amtrak has a history of developing cost, and they are the only game in town,” Dougherty said.

Despite the cost, additional rail options for students may be in the works.

Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas all fall into the South-Central High Speed Rail Corridor plan.

On Monday, the Commission allocated $3 million of the Federal Grant to begin digitally mapping the environmental impact of the OKC–Tulsa line, which would provide a base for further decisions on the project, Dougherty said.

AT A GLANCE OU-Texas rates The Heartland Flyer is offering a $50 roundtrip ticket to Dallas from Oct. 7-9.

Potential riders can use the fair code X539 and make reservations at www.amtrak.com.

MELODIE LETTKEMAN/THE DAILY

University College freshman Kevin Jones waits to donate blood Tuesday. Each donor had to wait about 20 minutes but received a T-shirt that read “I bleed crimson” from the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

BLOOD: Donors receive free T-shirt Continued from page 1 showing Sept. 23 to Oct. 1.

The institute expected about 45 people to donate blood at the event, which took place from 1:30 to 6 p.m.

Each donor gives one pint of blood per donation and can donate once every 56 days, said Kelley McPhail, blood program consultant.

“We need about 700 donors every day to meet hospital needs,” McPhail said.

Some blood banks have only a one day supply of blood at any given time, but Oklahoma blood banks attempt to have at least a three-day supply on hand because of events such as tornadoes and the bombing of the Murrah building that rapidly deplete reserves, McPhail said.

O-negative is the most sought after blood type because anyone can receive it regardless of their blood type; however, donations of all blood types are needed.

“I have O-negative, so I have recently tried to donate more because everyone always needs blood, and I’m a universal donor,” said Betsy Bailey, University College freshman.

Potential donors were given free health screenings to determine their eligibility.

Donors also received donor rewards points, which can be used to purchase merchandise at the institute’s online store, according to the institute’s website.

All donors received an OU T-shirt and were given a chance to win tickets to the 2011 Bedlam football game.

The school gave away

OUDAILY.COM Video: Students donate blood at a Draculathemed collection drive 20 pairs of tickets to the 11 p.m. Sept. 24 showing of “Dracula,” and 25 donors won T-shirts for the show.

The institute will host the second Bedlam Blood Drive Nov. 14-18 at the ROTC armory, McPhail said. Last year, OSU beat OU by 89 donations.

This year the goal is to draw at least 1,500 units, McPhail said.

“There’s no substitute for human blood,” said Sandra Bent, spokeswoman for the OU School of Drama. “One donation can save up to three lives.”

FRIDAY, SEPT. 16 Women’s volleyball will host Texas Southern at 2 p.m. and Arkansas-Little Rock at 7 p.m.

Women’s tennis will host the Sooner Fall Invitational all day in Headington Family Tennis Center.

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011 •

Comment of the day on OUDaily.com ››

OPINION

“If they want to raise awareness about the potential health impact of smoking, why not fund additional programs for smoking cessation?.” (starfleetjustin, Re: Boren hopes to make campus smoke-free by spring 2012 semester)

EDITORIAL

Students need voice in affairs Our View: The proposed smoking ban should be put to a campuswide vote.

UPDATE Editorial series

Thursday: We will lay out the Background: This is the first President David Boren announced his plan for a editorial in a three-part series important questions raised by campuswide smoking ban during his State of the on a smoking ban proposed by both sides of the debate.

University speech Monday.

President David Boren.

Friday: We will explore the Boren said a committee of faculty, staff and stuimplications of Boren’s ban Today: We examine the dents is in the works to draft the language of the suggestion and the importance motivation behind the proposed ban. Once this language is drafted, the of democratic representation suggested ban and urge a OU Board of Regents will decide whether to apcampuswide vote on the issue. on campus. prove the ban, university spokesman Michael Nash said, leaving no room for large-scale public input.

This isn’t the first time a smoking ban has been If Boren is serious about this ban, a few student championed. A UOSA referendum proposing a representatives on an advisory panel aren’t going smoking ban was approved by 49 percent of stuto cut it. This issue must be put to a campuswide dents who voted in April 2009, with 29 percent vote. Every member of the campus community agreeing to a partial ban and only 22 percent want- should be given a chance to weigh in on the proing no policy change, according to Daily archives. posed ban. And both sides should be given a Student Congress passed a resolution encourag- chance to publicly defend their position. ing Boren to restrict smoking on campus in The administration and those in supMarch 2010. These events failed to inspire port of the ban need to present solid eviThe Our View any direct action, until now. And they still dence that campus smoking is creating is the majority haven’t, judging by Boren’s description of a less healthy environment and that a opinion of the inspiration for the ban — faculty memsmoking ban will be an effective deterThe Daily’s bers’ own experiences seeing cigarette rent. Those opposed to the ban will have 10-member butts littering campus and an email from editorial board to convince the OU community that the landscape director (sent less than two smoking is an important privilege and hours before Boren’s speech) detailing the present plans to curtail the littering, decosts of cigarette-related cleaning. struction and rude behavior that led to the call for Fewer than 12 percent of students voted in the this ban in the first place.

2009 UOSA election, so the results can’t be taken as Democracy, not unilateral actions, will result in a strong mandate. But the bigger question is, if this the best outcome in this case. This is, of course, newest push isn’t directly related to past actions not always true. Many social issues are not best deby the student body — instead a result of a lastcided by majority opinion, particularly when it inminute staff email and epiphanies brought on by volves the rights of a minority. cool weather strolling — then we have to question But in this instance, when approval and disapwhether anyone in the administration cares to take proval of the ban would both affect the rights of student opinion into account. community members — the former curtailing the Why wasn’t something done immediately after rights of smokers to pursue a legal activity, the latthese decisions, if they played a role in Boren’s an- ter restricting the rights of all students to enjoy a nouncement? And if, as Boren suggested, they clean and healthy campus — the best course is to didn’t play any role, what does that say about the follow the decision of those affected by the ban. relative importance of UOSA and the student conComment on this at OUDaily.com cerns it represents?

COLUMN

Judge morals, not skin pigment

I

was at dinner the OPINION COLUMNIST other night with some friends when we started talking about my friend’s new cat.

“So, what did you name the cat?” I asked.

She smirked at me, “Calypso Aquanicha.”

Delaney Harness “What’s with the ocean dharness@ou.edu theme? Calypso is goddess of the sea, and ‘aqua’ as in water,” I said.

She started laughing. “You don’t get it do you?”

I stared at her again, and then I got it. My friend, who is Hispanic, had named her black cat a racially charged name.

She’s been known to do this before; she has a Chihuahua named Pablo Escobar Rodriguez Lopez and his sister Peppa Left-Eye Lopez.

She started laughing hysterically, but I just shook my head. I didn’t want to be seen as the white girl laughing at something so racist. Which brings me to my question: Is it OK for anyone, even minorities, to use racial stereotypes in a humorous way, or is it just adding fuel to the fire?

The musical “Avenue Q,” an adult version of “Sesame Street,” played by actors and puppets, deals with this issue in a song titled “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist.”

From my stand point, “Avenue Q” has it right. As much as we like to think we are color-blind, the truth is that we aren’t.

And I’m not sure we ever will be. The fact of the matter is, while we like to think we aren’t racist, we all make snap judgments based on race. For instance, a friend of mine asked me about my roommate. When I told her my roommate was a National Merit Scholar, she immediately asked if she was Asian. My roommate is in fact white.

But these snap judgments aren’t always a sign of underlying hatred. I think we live in such a racially charged country that we end up pussy footing around the subject unnecessarily. I am tired of living in a politically correct world.

I’m a white girl with no rhythm whatsoever; my Latina friend can shake her hips until I turn green with envy, but race itself is not the problem. The problem arises when a message of hate and/or violence is spread. That’s ultimately what racism is: hating someone because of stereotypes.

People should be judged by their actions and character, not defined by skin color. But that doesn’t mean we have to be blind to cultural differences that often have to do with race.

For everyone out there, I say make fun of me and my whiteness, or my dumb-blonde moments. Make fun of me because I can’t dance, or because when I try to rap you can’t understand a word I say. I’m OK with those little insignificant details.

But when it comes to actually judging me, look at my morals and my character. Look at what really defines me.

Because you won’t know if you like me or not based on the color of my skin.

Delaney Harness is a University College freshman.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Sooners prideful of university, sports Re: “Analyzing school spirit from an outsider’s perspective” I feel like the goal of targeted dissent has been perverted over time, by writers such as Jacob Oller, into a pretentious slap fight pursued for the sole purpose of inflaming others into a response.

There is not one idea more important to this university than school spirit. Without school spirit, what would persuade alumni to give back? Without school spirit, what would draw people to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium each Saturday in the fall? Without school spirit, why would there be any reason for the organizations, the involvement and the leaders that stretch across every corner of our campus?

Beyond requirements and curriculums there exists a tangible pride that enables us to enjoy and love this university. And when practiced, this pride leads to the establishment of a legacy beyond ourselves. That is the Sooner spirit, and I’m damn proud of it.

While Oller may not understand or participate in this same fanfare in which thousands of others believe, there is no reason he should insult or discourage it either.

But since Oller doesn’t want to think that hard, I guess it doesn’t really matter anyway.

Oh well, Boomer Sooner.

David Postic, accounting junior

?

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

» Poll question of the day Should President David Boren put a campuswide smoking ban to a vote?

To cast your vote, visit GUEST COLUMN

Disseminate messages at county fair

T

he tradition of the local fair is older than America itself. Far from being just a place to exhibit local wares and the best livestock, fairs have traditionally been events where people gather to be informed and entertained.

The county fair, especially in rural areas, was a place where the community could gather to exchange ideas, and it often included speeches by the local politicians. For many people, the yearly fair was the only access they had to their representatives, and they would travel great distances to hear the speeches and used this forum to make their concerns known.

During an election year, fairs often included speeches by candidates on all levels and from all political parties.

Politicking was part of the entertainment and the information people came to expect at their local fair.

The Cleveland County Fair, being held this weekend in Norman, has abandoned its role in this free exchange of political ideas. Instead of giving access to individual candidates who wish to be represented, it is attempting to exert control over the political process by refus“Disseminating ing to grant booth space to information is the grassroots supporters crucial to the of a declared presidential candidate. functioning of a In August, a local supporthealthy democracy, er of the Ron Paul campaign filled out all the necessary for only when paperwork and paid the citizens have all rental fee to set up a booth at the information the Cleveland County Fair. available can they The application was, at that accepted. However, make an educated, time, in the week before the fair, informed choice he was informed the group was no longer welcome at about the best the fair and the booth rental course of action.” fee would be returned. They were told the booth did not conform to “fair policy” and that the local group was welcome to share space with the Republicans, but they would not show “favoritism” toward any specific candidate.

This policy seems to be applied arbitrarily and with no written documentation. Nowhere in the Cleveland County rules for exhibitors does it mention restriction of political booths.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am also a supporter of Paul, but I would be outraged if this same treatment were applied to any political candidate attempting to share his or her message with the people in an orderly and reasonable fashion.

Does the First Amendment not guarantee the rights of people to peaceably assemble? What better place to spread ideas and information than at the local fair?

In her book “The Human Condition,” political philosopher Hannah Arendt warns against the tendency of society to eliminate what she calls “the public realm” — that space where people can come together freely out of “love for a body politic” and “share words and deeds.”

As the recent articles about the university protest policy indicate, that space where citizens can come together, air grievances and fight for changes in their world has become smaller and smaller. There are fewer and fewer places for people to gather and exchange ideas, a notion that would shock and appall our founding fathers.

We are a country founded on men (and women) who gathered in town halls, pubs and street corners to fight for liberty and freedom. Our democratic republic rests on the idea that thoughts, no matter how extreme, have the right to be expressed, and censoring an idea is tantamount to tyranny.

Disseminating information is crucial to the functioning of a healthy democracy, for only when citizens have all the information available can they make an educated, informed choice about the best course of action.

President David Boren said (quoting John Stuart Mill) the university should be a free market place of ideas. I wonder why this free marketplace limited to the university? Shouldn’t the county fair, with its rich tradition of populism and politicking, also be a place where all ideas are welcomed?

If any candidate or special interest group wishes to spread their message in a family-friendly, orderly fashion, should they not only be allowed, but encouraged to do so?

The Cleveland County Fair apparently disagrees.

Kalen Kattestad is a social studies education senior.

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A3

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A4

news

• Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Research

Professor teaches robots for new era Left: Computer science professor Dean Hougen looks through simulation data on the possibility of nurturing robots Monday in the Stephenson Research and Technology Center. Hougen has been researching whether robots can learn to care for one another and, eventually, humans.

Experiment cast to test robot’s nurturing ability Kathleen Evans

Senior Campus Reporter

Robots may one day learn to care for and nurture one another, according to research by an OU professor.

Computer science professor Dean Hougen studies robotics in the OU Robotic Intelligence and Machine Learning Lab, founded by him in 2001.

Hougen’s most recent project investigates whether robots can learn to care for one another and, eventually, humans.

“I am hoping one of the things we will evolve is the capacity for empathy, to look at another individual and say, ‘I see what this person needs. I am going to respond to it,’” Hougen said.

“There are people who try to write code to make a robot empathetic, but it’s hard to sit down and say, ‘OK, this is what it means.’”

Born nurturers Hougen said he realized most organisms are born with instincts that tell them how to survive, but if an organism is in a rapidly changing environment, these skills may not be applicable, and it will have to learn new skills.

From there, the idea of having a nurturer seemed most logical.

“What if you had someone taking care of you, protecting you from predators, finding food for you, keeping you warm, all these things you don’t know how to do for yourself?” Hougen asked. “Maybe if you have nurturing first and you’re in a changing environment,

Bottom: The parent and child robots that will be tested. The parent robot switches on a lights with while the child scurries to the light so it can charge.

Unfortunately, the parent does not benefit from the light’s charge. The research has potential of expanding through the next 20 years, computer science senior Bryan Hoke said.

Photos by Aubrie Hill/The Daily

“I am hoping one of the things we will evolve is the capacity for empathy, to look at another individual and say, ‘I see what this person needs. I am going to respond to it.’”

Dean Hougen, computer science professor

t h e n you w ou l d e vo l ve learning mechanisms as opposed to going extinct or someone with instincts not appropriate.”

Birth of an idea Hougen said he hashed out a lot of these ideas through conversations with one of his graduate students, Mark Woehrer.

The two found this was not an unusual idea, and researchers in the OU zoology department supported the concept that nurturing leads to learning.

To instruct the robots to learn, the lab designed a simple experiment with a

computer-simulated robot in the middle of a circle with a light switch and a light bulb, Hougen said.

The goal was to manipulate the robot to turn on the switch, then sit under the bulb to charge itself.

“Over time, they got better and better, and then they would turn and head right for the switch and then head straight back to the light,” Hougen said. “Then we said, ‘OK, what if we wanted a parent nurturing a child.’”

the experiment to have two robots in the same circle, one acting as a parent and one as a child, Hougen said.

The robots had similar algorithms that made them related and had the ability to turn on the switch. However, only the child would benefit from going under the light this time, he said.

“Over time, the parent learned to go to the light switch while the child went to the light,” Hougen said.

Parent and child “Now the parent is taking Hougen and a French ex- care of the child and doing change student working in what it can within its envithe lab this summer tweaked ronment to provide for its

offspring.”

These results show robots, as parents, were indeed learning to be nurturers and children were also learning to be nurtured, Hougen said.

Research Computer science senior Bryan Hoke will take over work on the project to continue expanding the ability of robots to nurture one another.

Hoke is working on the project through the O U H o n o r s C o l l e g e ’s Honors Research Assistant

Program.

“The prospect of working on problems that have not yet been solved is very exciting to me because I will be able to fully and freely use my intellect in the attempt to develop solutions to these new problems,” Hoke said.

Even with robots, the research could take nearly 20 years, but Hoke said he is still excited about contributing what he can during his 10-week work with the project.

Hoke said he has always been interested in Darwin and his theories of evolution and wants to apply these to robots.

“Even now — after having three years of college education in computer engineering and computer science, physics and math — I find Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection to be one of the greatest, most robust theories of all time,” Hoke said.

A lot of Hougen’s personal interest in this project came from his work as a graduate student with robots, he said.

Hougen also worked with teaching robots to perform simple tasks but realized even simple robots required maintenance and a human to take care of it, such as untangling wires.

If a robot could take care of another robot, it would reduce the amount of required human attention.

The experiment could eventually expand to include other social sciences, such as psychology and anthropology, to see what robots are capable of learning, Hougen said.

Hougen said he sees a strong potential for having robots learn to teach one another.

WELCOME Principals and Counselors to the University of Oklahoma for the 2011 OU Principal and Counselor Conference.

We’re glad you’re here!

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

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Life&arts

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W e d n e s d a y, S e p t e m b e r 14 , 2 0 1 1

Local Food

Tasty tacos perfect for warm weather Local businesses offer alternatives to typical food chains Lauren Duff

Life & Arts Reporter

Get your fiesta on before summer is gone.

Many students flock to the typical Mexican restaurants in Norman: Fuzzy’s, Chipotle and La Luna to name a few.

But as they drive down Highway 9 about to merge onto Interstate-35, there stands a taco truck that sometimes goes unnoticed.

Taco Loco ­— a taco stand that has be en open for nearly a year now — is situated across the street from Atwoods by a dirt parking lot.

While standing outside the truck waiting to order, customers stir up the dirt as they find a parking spot.

Inside, the taco truck is cluttered with cooking supplies and ingredients. Bottles of hot sauce are set along the ridge of the truck.

Aluminum foil outlines some windows and black tarp sits on top. The smell of cooked beef and onions seeps through the screen windows, teasing you and making it hard to select only one item on the relatively inexpensive menu.

“I love the cooking,” said owner Laura Martinez, saying

GO AND DO Big Truck Tacos WHAT: Free food WHEN: Oct. 9 WHERE: 530 N.W. 23rd St. in Oklahoma City

the chicken tacos are her favorite item on the menu.

The menu consists of a wider variety than just tacos.

Barbeque, chicken and steak burritos; Mexican sausage, pork and poblano pepper gorditas and ham and chicken tortas are a few of the many options a customer can choose from.

Although business can be slow, Martinez said she can always count on her regular customers to keep the business going.

If students are up for a drive to downtown Oklahoma City and can bear the grueling gas prices, then Big Truck Taco’s is the place to go with an empty stomach.

After taking exit 2A and turning left onto North West 23rd Street, Big Truck Tacos is hard to miss.

About to celebrate its twoyear anniversary, the taco stand is located in an oldfashioned diner. The sides of the building are painted in a

DARIAN HARMON/the daily

Kristy Ordonez, international business sophomore, gets her food from the Taco Loco taco truck on 24th Street on Tuesday. Taco Loco and Big Truck Tacos in Oklahoma City are two of the few free free-standing taco stands around Norman.

terra-cotta color and multicolor lights are strung around the sides of the roof hovering over the outside seating area.

As soon as you step inside the restaurant, a strong aroma of cilantro and onions will make your stomach growl.

The red-and green-tiled tabletops are scattered around the restaurant. Five different

kinds of salsa, including “OMFG”, the hottest salsa; “OMG” and “Big Truck Red” sit on top of each table.

“This is a great place to work mainly because of the atmosphere and the people that come in here,” said Kristen Bliss, restaurant manager. “The owners (Cally Johnson and Kathryn Mathis) have made it a priority to give

Column

Tempting treats around every corner, but say no to these unhealthful choices Life & Arts Columnist

RJ Young roy.a.young-1@ou.edu

W

e’ve heard about the foods we should eat to promote a healthful lifestyle and lose weight. The list is long and repetitive.

What about the foods you should avoid — the diet killers? Sometimes they’re disguised as seemingly healthful choices; other times blatantly obvious edible objects of desire.

They are everywhere, and it’s up to you to say no.

Here are five of the most obvious, yet unhealthful diet busters you see every day:

Campbell’s chicken noodle soup

Though there are only 60 calories per serving in it, there are 890mg of sodium in one half cup. That’s more than half of the daily recommended salt intake.

Too much salt in your diet raises blood pressure which is a risk factor for heart disease.

Chipotle barbacoa burrito with corn salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole

This burrito alone could account for breakfast,

lunch, dinner and a snack fat 1,495 calories. But what makes it unhealthful are its 570 calories from fat and 3,480mg of sodium.

Cheesecake Factory chocolate tower truffle cake

Ben and Jerry’s Schweddy Balls

This vanilla, fudge and malt ball-flavored ice cream packs 270 calories per half cup with 15 grams of fat and 26 grams of sugar. It’s still hot outside, but not at the expense of adding empty calories to your diet.

It’s scrumptious, yes, but it comes at a price. There are more than 1,600 calories, 49 Starbucks venti grams of fat and 206 grams white chocolate of carbohydrates per slice in mocha this dessert. That’s long time The Starbucks venti spent on a treadmill burning cup holds just 20 ounces, calories. but this drink packs 520

WE’RE NOT LIKE EVERY

calories with much of it coming from refined sugar.

Few people have this kind of diet buster in mind when ordering an afternoon pickme-up.

You would do well to opt for the same concoction with nonfat milk and no whipped cream.

RJ Young is a professional writing graduate student.

Young has a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science from the University of Tulsa and has worked as a personal trainer.

back to the customers ... and let them know how much we appreciate their business and support.”

With more than 20,000 fans on Facebook from all over the country, Big Truck Tacos’ main source for advertisement is through social networking.

“It has helped us get feedback from our fans daily,”

Bliss said.

Many of the items on the menu have catchy names. “Flaming Lips”, “5th Amendment”, and “1-40 PileUp” to name a few.

If you can’t make the drive, then don’t worry, Big Truck Tacos owns a food truck that shows and sells their items on the OU campus as much as possible.

entertainment brief Music

New music blasts into concerts New music festival Love Feast will introduce music More Online never before heard to the OU community this Visit OUDaily.com to read weekend. the full concert schedule The event will take place from Thursday to Sunday in Pitman Recital Hall in Catlett Music Center. Music professor Michael Lee came up with the idea for the festival while performing in a new music festival in Seattle.

“I thought to myself, ‘something like this should happen in Norman,’” Lee said.

Students will hear first-rate musicians who will play music not heard before in Norman, Lee said.

“I think students who derive ecstatic pleasure from unexpected sources will be especially pleased by these events.

It’s fun to encounter things you’ve never encountered before,” he said.

The event is free and open to the public.

Lauren Duff, Life & Arts Reporter

The Religious Studies Program at the University of Oklahoma presents A Presidential Dream Course Lecture

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Randall Balmer is professor of American religious history at Barnard College/ Columbia University. His book, “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America,” was made into a three-part documentary for PBS. This lecture is presented in conjunction with the Presidential Dream Course RELS 3313 World Religions in America, taught by Charles Kimball, Presidential Professor and Director of the Program. Sponsored by the office of OU President David Boren and Provost Nancy Mergler, this event is free and open to the public.

B2

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Gymnastics Instructors for pre-school girls and boys classes, tumbling and cheerleading, P/T, flex sched. Bart Conner Gymnastics, 447-7500.

Research volunteers needed! Researchers at OU Health Sciences Center need healthy volunteers ages 18 to 30 who have a parent with or without a history of an alcohol or drug problem. Qualified participants will be compensated for their time. Call 456-4303 to learn more about the study and to see if you qualify.

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413 Elm - 1bd Efficiency $395 Bills Paid 850 S Flood - Lg 1bd $450 + Bills 210 S Flood - Sm 1bd $395 + Gas & Electric 1010 Classen - 1bd $395 + Bills CALL 360-3850 3 bd /2 ba /2 car, CH/A, $895. 364-9008.

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Universal Crossword

HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2011, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 14, 2011

Wonderful benefits could develop for you during the next solar cycle, through one of your many contacts or large social organizations. It behooves you to take an active role in group activities that contain multiple opportunities.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You won’t find a better day to sort out a problem that’s been on your mind. You should easily be able to take it apart and find the intrinsic clues that will lead you to the perfect solution.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Don’t take any unnecessary or wild risks, but do follow any instincts and/or hunches pertaining to your financial dealings.

Your perceptions are better than usual.

Previous Solution

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

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.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Immediately disassociate yourself from any negative thinkers. Instead, associate yourself with those you believe to be lucky. Some of their good instincts will rub off on you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Sublime conditions will quickly replace any leftover negativity that you wake up with. Be on your toes, because anticipation will help you spot opportunities and gain much power.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -After a bumpy start, Lady Luck will look extremely kindly on you. This will be especially true in areas where you are able to express your personal creativity.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Be particularly watchful for developments that would enhance your financial well-being and position. This could be a better than usual time for you.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Good news is on its way pertaining to one of your larger, personal interests. Be sure to take advantage of it in a manner that would enhance all possibilities.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- It behooves you to focus your efforts and energies on work-related issues that can yield you a large profit and/or enhance your material interests in some manner.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Certain friends and contacts could be luckier for you than usual. Hang out with those who provide you with fun and have an interest in your personal affairs.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- If you need some type of help or assistance, turn to those who you know have the expertise you require. If there is one person in particular whom you’ve previously aided, go to him or her first.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- You should put aside whatever is bothering you and turn toward optimism and accomplishment. You stand a good chance of succeeding.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- No one is better than you at sorting out critical issues in ways that are advantageous to yourself and others. Use your gifts to handle something very important.

Edited by Timothy E. Parker September 14, 2011

ACROSS 1 In front of 6 Aid and ___ 10 Tire near the finish 14 Zoroastrian 15 Mumbai dress 16 Big cats do it 17 Variety of beet 19 You hope they meet 20 ___ out a living (barely scrape by) 21 Fawning females 22 Author Hemingway 24 Tools with teeth 25 Political clique 26 Sketching tool 29 Intense dislike 33 “The lights ___ but nobody’s home�

34 12 p.m.

35 Work hard 36 Mondrian the artist 37 Squash or pumpkin, e.g.

38 “Hang ___ your hats�

39 Versatile, electrically 40 Tropical wading bird 41 Expos 42 Not needing dry-cleaning 44 Aquarius 9/14

follower 45 Party cheese 46 “Red� coin 47 Dry and desolate 50 Gratis 51 Miner’s vein contents 54 Bar in a narrow dish 55 Feta-andolive first course 58 Strain, as flour 59 Certain Euro forerunner 60 Jellyfish’s defense 61 Plastic alternative 62 Jerk sharply 63 Be a ham in “Hamlet�

DOWN 1 Choir recess 2 Dove’s opposite 3 Canal for Sal 4 Long-eared animal 5 Feeling of contempt 6 Phoenix’s birthplace 7 Calls to Mary?

8 Make a mistake 9 Area often covered by flooding 10 Breakfast dish from Paris 11 Top-notch steak sauce?

12 June cel-

ebrants 13 Prefix with “while�

18 Hoodshaped cover 23 Go bad, as a plum 24 Soup dish from Glasgow 25 Churlish chaps 26 Fruit tree with purplish flowers 27 Susan Lucci’s Emmy role 28 Necessary things 29 One of Donald Duck’s nephews 30 Column style 31 Gunpowder ingredient, to a Brit 32 Lip shiner

34 Peer of the realm 37 In a taunting manner 41 Tactful handling 43 Is in the plural?

44 Cheat at hide and seek 46 Old floorboard sound 47 Kind of pear 48 Inter ___ (among others) 49 They assess penalties 50 Common houseplant 51 Hodgepodge 52 ___ and rave 53 Part of a skate blade 56 Small inlet 57 Money machine

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

9/13

Š 2011 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE By Carl Cranby

Wednesday, September 14, 2011 •

OUDaily.com ››

SPORTS

Florida State fans’ smack talk is getting out of hand — and completely inappropriate — on Twitter, The Daily’s James Corley says.

B3

James Corley, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

trio: Players shared backyard fences, courts before coming to OU Continued from page A1 Despite Barker’s efforts to get her to come to Amarillo High School, Higgins stayed at Tascosa High School.

Higgins said it was better due to the competition that resulted from them being at different schools.

“I thought it was always fun being able to play Brianne instead of being on her team because I don’t think it would have been as fun if I was on Amarillo High, and there was really no one on Tascosa,” Higgins said.

Williams came on the scene as a sophomore in high school when she made the Amarillo High varsity team. That team won the 2007 Texas 5A state championship and had three players go on to star at Big 12 universities — Barker at OU, Kelsey Black at Texas A&M and Tori Campbell at Baylor.

“If you could have a team that was almost perfect, that team was almost perfect,” Williams said. “They only lost one game the whole year, and they shouldn’t have lost it.”

However, her and Higgins’ paths crossed long before high school. When they were younger, their backyards backed up against each other when they lived in the Woflin neighborhood of Amarillo.

“We shared the alley, but we didn’t have an alley, so it was backyard to backyard,” Higgins said.

Williams spent a lot of time hanging out with Higgins’ younger brother but said Higgins never spent time with them.

“She thought she was too cool for us,” Williams said, laughing. “She didn’t want to mess with the little ones, thought she was so cool walking in.”

Higgins said the time they spent as neighbors — and now as teammates — has allowed their mothers to become close friends.

“My mom and her mom are like besties now,” Higgins said. “They’re just the same person, I swear — crazy.”

Williams would have gone to Tascosa with Higgins, but she switched districts after middle school.

St u d e n t s w h o a t t e n d Crockett Middle School — like Williams did — could either attend Amarillo High or Tascosa High. Williams said her friends made it an easy choice.

“My friends at that point

“I know Eden and Caitlin always have my back, but I couldn’t always say that about some of the people I’ve met here. So I feel it’s like a sense of trust and unity and friendship.”

WHAT’S NEXT Wichita State WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday WHERE: Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan.

AT A GLANCE WSU Shockers

Brianne Barker, senior setter

2011 Record: 4-4 Last game: Lost to Northern Colorado, 3-1 Key Players: OH Camri Zwiesler, L Sarah Waldorf, OH Emily Adney Coach Restrepo’s take: “They provide a very big challenge as far as they have very good outside hitters, which is what we’re going to see most of the time in our conference.

We’re going to have to defend the outside hitters really well and put a really big block on the outside hitters and do a better job of blocking and defending them.”

Melodie Lettkeman/The Daily

Seniors Caitlin Higgins (10) and Brianne Barker (1) celebrate after a game earlier this season. The pair, along with sophomore Eden Williams, grew up playing volleyball together in Amarillo, Texas.

in time, which are now my friends forever, they went to Amarillo High,” Williams said. “I’m glad I went there because my friends were there.”

The impact of a city Knowing one another has had a profound impact on these three athletes, but they have been shaped more by the culture of their hometown — one that values

friendships and relationships more than most places.

Barker said the sense of loyalty and trust developed by people from Amarillo is a stronger bond than anything she’s experienced elsewhere.

“I know Eden and Caitlin always have my back, but I couldn’t always say that about some of the people I’ve met here,” Barker said. “So I feel it’s like a sense of trust

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school, I thought it was so bad and nothing to do, boring,” Higgins said. “I just wanted to get out of there.

But I feel like now there are a lot more things. It’s not that bad when I go back now.”

All of them talked about how close their friendships are with people they went to high school with, even to this day. It was obvious those relationships they have had for so many years mean a lot to them.

“My group of friends, we were born together, and we all played together when we

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and unity and friendship. It’s a comfort.”

Barker said the size of Amarillo makes it a wonderful place to live.

“Perfect place to raise kids,” Barker said without hesitation. “It’s big enough to be a big city but small enough to be a small town.

It’s the perfect mix of small town/big city.”

Higgins said she didn’t always see Amarillo as a great place, but now, after being in college for three years, her perspective has changed.

“When I was in high

were 1 year old, and they’re still my best friends now,” Higgins said.

Despite the intense rivalry between Amarillo High and Tascosa, Williams said she has maintained many close friendships with people from both high schools.

“Since I switched schools, I went from one district to another, so throughout basically my whole life, I knew someone at each school,” Williams said. “It didn’t matter where we were, we would all meet up. We were all really good friends.”

The longevity of the friendships made them particularly unique, Barker said.

“We, collectively as a community, we just take friendships and relationships so seriously,” Barker said. “Your friends that are with you, they could be with you from first grade all the way up until your senior year, and they’re still your best friends.”

The Panhandle Trio is more than just a nickname — it stands for friendships that last a lifetime and the values that make up a West Texas city.

Above all, it defines a trio of athletes who remember the experiences that helped shaped them into the women they are today.

Omega Psi Phi Our Earth

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B4

sports

• Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Football

OU ramping up for game Sooners preparing for Manuel, FSU

Jones can be OU’s reckoning force

L

Tobi Neidy

Sports Reporter

The Sooners, who did not play during last Saturday’s bye week, refuse to listen to the hype surrounding this week’s matchup against No. 5 Florida State.

“Everyone is taking the mindset that we just need to be prepared,” sophomore linebacker Tom Wort said.

“This week’s all about preparation, and everyone’s putting in that extra step, getting excited in the weight room and at practice.”

Although the Seminoles didn’t have a weekend off, Wort believes OU’s first bye week was an opportunity for the Sooners.

“It’s bittersweet,” Wort said.

“You want to get in a rhythm, but having that extra week allows you to get healthier and prepare. We’ve made the most of it.”

One of the things the team has concentrated on this week is learning the mechanics of FSU quarterback E.J. Manuel.

“E.J. is a big, physical, fast guy, and he’ll stay in the pocket. He’s more of a passer than a runner, but he gets credit for his running game too,” Wort said.

Although the defense

Column

Phil Sears/The Associated Press

Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel scans the field against Charleston Southern in FSU’s game Saturday.

The Sooners spent extra time last week and this week preparing for Manuel’s style of play.

continues to prepare this week without senior linebacker Travis Lewis, there will be one Sooner who is looking to make this season’s debut in Tallahassee, Fla. “Tulsa week, I was told I was going to get to the play, and I was really excited, then that Friday I found out I wasn’t going to play,” defensive tackle Stacy McGee said.

“We’re going to have to play fast,” McGee said. “They

play east-and-west, and we’re used to going north-andsouth, and that’s something different for us. Stopping the run, that’s our goal.”

Apart from stopping the run mechanics of FSU’s running backs, James Wilder Jr. and Chris Thompson, OU coach Bob Stoops said he wants to see his team take care of the fundamentals and fix some of the mistakes they made in Week 1.

“We have to be strong with fundamentals such as how they’re protecting, getting assignments correct when we blitz and making sure that we have the right people accounted for,” Stoops said.

But Stoops was quick to point out he will be leaving the hype at home when the Sooners head east this weekend.

“Everything’s brand new this year,” Stoops said.

andry Jones has SPORTS COLUMNIST come a long way after being thrown to the cougars against BYU in the 2009 season opener.

The junior endured a lot of flack from fans and the media who called him everything from inconsisTobi Neidy tent, a step down from Sam Tobi.A.Neidy-1@ou.edu Bradford and the guy who will gladly head back to the bench.

Now, he has the opportunity to be called Oklahoma’s alltime passing leader.

Going into Saturday’s top-five matchup against Florida State, Jones needs just 112 yards to leap-frog Bradford to hold OU’s passing record. And barring injury, Jones should claim the record this weekend in Tallahassee, Fla. Last season, Jones threw for 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns to give the Sooners a third-place national ranking on offense.

Should the Artesia, N.M., native repeat or come close to replicating last year’s stats, Jones should expect not only to blow Bradford’s record out of the water, but he also should distance himself as the team leader with numbers that may never be matched.

And another key factor in Jones’ success is his capability to produce touchdown passes. He needs just 23 more to match Bradford’s career total (88), a feat that’s more than feasible considering Jones threw for 26 touchdowns in OU’s first 10 games last season.

And while records are great, I’m confident Jones knows numbers don’t mean anything in comparison to the national title.

But ultimately, even if the Sooners fall short of the championship this season, give credit to Jones where credit is due.

And now it’s Jones’ time to show the Sooner nation that OU’s best quarterback hasn’t left yet.

Tobi Neidy is a multidisciplinary studies senior. You can follow her on Twitter at @TobiAnn.

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