The Oklahoma Daily

SPORTS • PAGE 6

LIFE & ARTS • PAGE 12

Barker’s mindset to lead the Sooners

Funny man to visit campus

Brianne Barker will have to provide leadership for the OU volleyball team this season for them to be successful. The Daily’s Greg Fewell talked to Barker about how she found her leadership mentality.

Comedian Michael Palascak performs at OU Thursday. Flip inside to read a Q&A by The Daily’s Lauren Abram.

The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

www.OUDaily.com

Free — additional copies 25¢

Parking permits now mandatory for Lloyd Noble OU to begin ticketing vehicles parked in Lloyd Noble Center parking lot today

ONLINE AT OUDAILY.COM » Link: Download a campus parking map

KYLE SALOMON The Oklahoma Daily

Beginning today, OU Parking Services will issue tickets to vehicles parked at Lloyd Noble Center without a permit, said Vicky Holland, parking services spokeswoman.

This new requirement came into effect at the beginning of this

OU sports network in the works

school year, but so far only warnings have been issued, she said.

Parking permits range from $38 to $195, according to the parking services website.

Holland said vehicles parked anywhere expect shuttle-designated areas or north-central parking lot areas of Lloyd Noble

will be ticketed.

People who park in the approved areas and ride the bus to the South Oval will still be able to park for free, she said.

Students have been struggling with parking amid construction, and the new permit requirement is angering many, like Tierney Soergel, psychology senior.

Soergel said it’s frustrating to have to pay for parking at Lloyd

Parking map NOW

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HISTORY | PROFESSOR TAKES A LOOK BACK

No rate increases for Norman Norman voters rejected two measures to increase trash and water rates.

According to a City of Norman letter mailed to residents, ballot proposition I would increase monthly sanitation bill rates $1 — from $14.50 a month to $15.50 a month — during the 2011 fiscal year. The monthly rate will continue to increase $1 every year until the 2013 fiscal year.

Ballot proposition II would increase a residential water bill based on 7,000 gallons a month from $19.70 a month to $21.95 in 2011, $23 in 2012 and $24.05 in 2013, according to the letter.

Proposition I failed by a vote of 3,707 yes votes (41 percent) to 5,302 (59 percent) in 51 out 51 precincts.

Proposition II failed by a vote of 3,098 yes votes (34 percent) to 5,980 (66 percent) in 51 out of 51 precincts.

Athletic Department considers TV network devoted to OU sports KYLE SALOMON The Oklahoma Daily

With the Big 12 taking a new shape in 2011, OU will look to launch its own TV network, an Athletic Department spokesman said.

It is uncertain when OU will be able to implement a network, but it is likely to happen sooner rather than later, Associate Athletic Director Kenneth Mossman said.

“Our approach at this time is exploratory, so budgets and timelines are yet to be determined,” he said.

OU has a running program called SoonerVision, but the show does not act as a network for OU sports.

Established in 1997, SoonerVision is an in-house studio that produces more than 75 programs each year, according to SoonerSports.com.

If OU was to get a television network, Mossman said it would most likely be tied into SoonerVision for resource purposes.

“In all likelihood, a television network would be meshed with SoonerVision,” he said. “Some combination of those resources plus those that we would have to add would make the most sense.”

The network would cover all Sooner athletics, Mossman said.

The possibility of an OU television network excites some students, but it is not a widely talked about subject around the campus.

Jeffrey Harrison, marketing senior, said he hasn’t heard about a TV network, but thinks it would be a good revenue tool.

“It would be kind of like a go-to network for all OU fans to be able to watch OU sports any time they want,” Harrison said.

A network would allow OU fans from across the country to watch Sooner sports, said Dale Davison, football season ticket holder.

“To be able to watch all OU sports would be a big hit among OU alums.”

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— Daily staff reports SPENCER POPP/THE DAILY

George Henderson holds a copy of his new book, “Race and the University: A Memoir” on Thursday inside his office at the Physical Sciences Center. Henderson is a former OU professor and was the first black homeowner in Norman.

Norman race-relations pioneer releases memoir Former professor’s new book details history of civil rights movement on campus SPENCER POPP The Oklahoma Daily

For more than four decades, George Henderson, OU human relations emeritus and the first black homeowner in Norman, has worked on the front line of race relations as an adviser, professor, administrator and resident.

Now, he is sharing his story and a piece of campus history in a new memoir titled “Race and the University.”

T h e 2 7 2 -p a g e m e m o i r i s Henderson’s insight into the black-and-white divide of the civil rights movement in the1960s, as it happened on the OU-Norman

A LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW AT Watch Sooners talk about getting involved at OU. Visit OUDaily.com/multimedia and click Involvement Fairs.

campus. Henderson, a Detroit native and the third black professor to teach at OU, recounts how he discovered the value of uniting and battling racial discrimination in a nonviolent way.

“I think all people should know their history and this is an important part of the university’s past,” said Henderson, founder of the College of Liberal Studies. “I think something very important happened here and very few people really know the intricacies of what it was like, what sacrifices were made and what some of the outcomes were.”

The book gives OU students an opportunity to see how different the campus environment was in the 1960s and 1970s compared to

Book signing George Henderson will be on campus to sell and sign copies of his memoir, “Race and the University” from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Beard Lounge in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. He also has tentative appearances in Tulsa, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area.

VOL. 96, NO. 6 © 2010 OU Publications Board www.facebook.com/OUDaily www.twitter.com/OUDaily

Officials to vote today whether to approve sale of Sooner license plates in Texas RICKY MARANON The Oklahoma Daily

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles will decide today if the state of Texas will offer an OU-themed license plate for its residents.

Novelty license plates in Texas are overseen by My Plates, a specialty plates vendor, but My Plates must receive permission from the Texas DMV board that oversees license plates and vehicle

Purchase price: $24.95 SEE TAGS PAGE 2

SEE BOOK PAGE 2

THE OKLAHOMA DAILY

Texas to consider OU tags

INDEX Campus .............. 2 Classifieds ......... 10 Life & Arts .......... 11 Opinion .............. 4 Sports ................ 6

TODAY’S WEATHER 88°| 66° Thursday: Mostly sunny, high of 86 degrees Visit the Oklahoma Weather Lab at owl.ou.edu

2 • Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

CAMPUS Sooner Schedule

Today around campus Âť The Bizzell Memorial Library will host OU Libraries Orientation. Students will learn how to access the library’s online resources, plus take a quick tour of Bizzell. Meet at the Information Desk located inside the west doors of Bizzell Memorial Library. Pre-registration is not required. The orientation sessions begin at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and last approximately 45 minutes. Âť Movie night featuring “Killersâ€? with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl from 9 to 11 p.m. at Couch Restaurants for Howdy Week. Âť Free Jimmy John’s sandwiches will be passed out at noon on the South Oval for Campus Activities Council Howdy Week.

Thursday, Aug. 26 Âť The Women in Technical Studies sorority, Alpha Sigma Kappa, will host a meet and greet for interested female students at 5:30 p.m. in the Cate Center social lounge. Âť La Baguette Pastries and In the Raw Sushi will be provided in the morning on the South Oval as part of CAC Howdy Week. Âť Comedian Michael Palascak will perform 8 to 10 p.m. on the Union East Lawn. Palascak is presented by the Union Programming Board as part of CAC Howdy Week. Âť CAC hosts “Midnight Breakfastâ€? from 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at Crossroads.

ReneÊ Selanders, managing editor dailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

BOOK: Incorporates memories of past students Continued from page 1 made and what some of the outcomes were.�

The book gives OU students an opportunity to see how different the campus environment was in the 1960s and 1970s compared to now, Henderson said. “We were not what we wanted to be in those days,� he said. “We were struggling to find our way, and we reached out and found each other. That is what the book is about.�

The 77-year-old credits much of his academic and personal success to his interactions with students.

Throughout his career, Henderson said students always taught him humility, courage and love through all of his struggles as a trailblazer of racial equality. “(This) generation reading the book will say, ‘My goodness, you’re making this up, people didn’t live like this,’� he said. “Well, we did live like that; we lived in parallel

universities; we occupied the same geographical space, but we were not as a whole racially integrated.�

The book incorporates three recollections from three of Henderson’s former students.

They discuss their living, social and classroom conditions.

The foreword of the book is written by former OU professor David Levy. He is the author of the novel, “Oklahoma: A History.� “ F o r d e c a d e s , D r.

Henderson has been a voice raised on behalf of better race relations at OU and throughout the state,� Levy said. “As a historian, of course, I think it is essential that students understand the history that has led us to the present, and this book provides an engaging and worthwhile study of an important aspect of our past.�

All sales from “Race and the University� will go to support the Henderson Scholars Program and other scholarship groups in need. “I think it [the book] will

PERMITS

TAGS: OSU plates already for sale

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

Noble Center, especially while the campus deals with construction. “You would think OU would show a little more respect and compassion toward its students,� she said. “Some students can’t really afford to pay for parking after paying for tuition and living expenses.�

Other students don’t expect anything different. “We really can’t control what the university decides to do when it comes to requiring permits and raising prices of things,� accounting junior JonathanWilsonsaid.

registration before it can print any new designs, said Kim Sue Lia Perkes, Texas DMV spokeswoman. “This decision is likely to pass,� Perkes said. “We have many OU alumi who come back home to Texas, and we want them to be able to show their pride just like longhorn fans and aggie fans.�

Texas began issuing license plates for Oklahoma State University in June. “They’ve been really popular, and the fans have really rallied around them,� said Kim Drummond, MyPlates

PHOTO PROVIDED

George Henderson speaks at the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial service in 1968 at the South Oval. Henderson was the main speaker at the event. have a profound impact on our ability to attract scholars to the program,� said Norris Williams, director of the Henderson Scholars Program. “I think it’s going to really show our future students and current students, just what happens when faculty and staff and students come together and try to make a difference.�

public information manager. “We think the same thing will happen with the OU plates.�

Drummond said more than 200 license plates have been sold to OSU fans and demand is still high.

The Texas State Legislature began issuing special license plates last November in order to bring in new revenue to the state’s general fund for government operations, she said. “Many people are just now noticing new plates on cars,�

Drummond said. “I have a hot pink plate on my car, and some people have asked me if it was real.�

O U P r e s i d e n t D av i d Boren said in an e-mail that Henderson’s book is very important because people should not ignore the mistakes of the past and it will help create a better future for the university. “It takes unbelievable moral courage to end injustice and to change an embedded culture of intolerance,� Boren said.

If approved, the cost of the new Texas OU Boomer Sooner lisence plate would be $55, and the price would go higher if the tag was to be personalized. “It would be a legitimate license plate,� she said. “People would register it with the DMV and put it on their vehicle like a regular lisence plate.�

In addition to an OSU plate, the University of Texas and Texas A&M University lisence plates are for sale.

Visit OUDaily.com throughout the day for updates on the Texas OU Boomer Sooner license plate vote.

Friday, Aug. 27 Âť Eskimo Sno Snow Cones will be handed out noon to 2 p.m. as part of Campus Activities Council Howdy Week 2010. Âť CAC will host the “Welcome Back BBQâ€? from noon to 2 p.m. on Walker Adams Mall. Âť The Union Programming Board and the CAC Concert Series presents Ben Kweller in concert from 8 to 10 p.m. on the Union East Lawn. Âť Free lunch will be passed out on the South Oval for Howdy Week.

Saturday, Aug. 28 Âť The Student Oklahoma Education Association and Student Council for Exceptional Children are hosting an open house event in the newly remodeled Collings Hall from 1 to 3 p.m. Attendees can socialize with other education students, meet faculty, learn about involvement opportunities from student organization representatives and eat free food.

Âť This day in OU history

Aug. 25, 1983 UOSA against raising the beer drinking age In response to new state legislation raising the 3.2-beer drinking age from 18 to 21, UOSA encouraged students to sign a petition against the new bill.

UOSA sponsored a voter registration drive and signature collection at the Duck Pond and gathered more than 8,000 signatures.

Defensive end Murphy back from injury Unanimous All-Big Eight choice and AP defensive newcomer of the year Kevin Murphy came back from arthroscopic surgery on his knee.

OU was ranked in the top 10 by preseason forecasters, something the football team hoped to live up to.

Unfortunately, they did not end up in the final AP poll at the end of the season.

Follow @OUDaily and @OUDailySports on Twitter for updates about campus news and Sooner sports

Huffman offers group fitness discounts for OU students Students can save money and boost their workout routines by registering for group fitness classes offered on campus Thursday and Friday.

The Huston Huffman Center is offering a group fitness special in which students can sign up for fitness classes for a reduced price.

Students can pay $35 plus tax instead of $50 plus tax to sign up for all group fitness classes if they register from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 26 or from 7 to 11 a.m. Aug. 27.

The Huston Huffman Center offers classes such as yoga, kick boxing and Zumba.

The center also recently began offering water fitness classes, including water aerobics and water Zumba.

Heather Kirkes, fitness and outreach coordinator, said students should take advantage of the special. “The group fitness classes are a great way to stay in shape, release stress and meet people,�

Kirkes said. “We really encourage students to join these classes to improve their overall mental and physical health.�

Students may charge the group fitness fee to their Bursar or pay up front with cash, check or credit card.

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NEWS

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 • 3

PARKING

Parking maps go digital OU says it will save $30,000 by cutting booklet distribution KATHLEEN EVANS The Oklahoma Daily

OU Parking Services is cutting costs and going green this year by putting information online.

In previous years, the department printed a 16-page pamphlet about rules and regulations for OU faculty, staff and students purchasing a parking permit.

Now, people only receive the permit and a card with the option to look at the former booklet online. The department expects to save both money and paper with the change.

“Printing just 1,000 copies [of the booklet], instead of 20,000, saves the university approximately $30,000 and 250,000 sheets of paper,” said Vicky Holland, OU Parking

Services spokeswoman.

Beyond the obvious benefits, Holland said that having information online would make the department more efficient.

“It has streamlined the process of distributing parking permits,” Holland said.

“Thousands of dollars is saved in postage as well because the cards weigh much less than the booklets.”

Students have had mixed reports about whether they would use the Internet to look for parking information.

“It’s not really clear where you are allowed to park,” journalism junior Brooke Manning said.

“They should put more signs up or give better maps.

I don’t really go online because I just look for signs or ask people.”

Manning plans to buy a commuter parking permit for this year, she said.

Others thought that the change to online information might be beneficial to freshmen, who they thought m o re l i k e l y t o u s e t h e Internet.

“Freshmen might go online and use it,” public relations junior Holli Horbacz said.

“I know where I’m supposed to park and all the rules, but sometimes it’s just inconvenient or you have to get to class soon and just have to park somewhere.”

Horbacz has a commuter parking permit for this year.

OU Parking Services uses the money from parking permit sales to maintain current parking lots, spaces and garages, Holland said.

Costs associated with parking include maintenance, repairs, lights and security.

Holland did not specify what the department plans to do with the extra savings.

TOP SCHOOLS

CRIME

OU drops 9 spots in college rankings

FBI searching for ‘Bayou Bandit’

LEIGHANNE MANWARREN The Oklahoma Daily

OU fell from a tie for the rank of 102 to 111, according to the 2011 U.S. News and World Repor t Best College rankings released Aug. 17.

While OU has dropped in ranking, it is still in the tier one category.

“We are excited to remain in the top tier of universities as we continue to improve OU, even though our position slipped slightly,” university spokesman Chris Shilling said in an e-mail.

“We strive to create the

optimal learning environment that best serves our students.”

The U.S. News and World Report methodology includes some tangible factors like faculty resources, alumni giving, graduation and retention rates, and class size, with some subjective criteria, he said.

“With fantastic student resources … we are confident that OU’s students will continue to attain a highly valued and nationally recognized degree which will enable them to better pursue their dreams,” Shilling said.

RALLY | STUDENTS STAND FOR THE SILENT

RICKY MARANON/THE DAILY

Ariel Henderson, Western Heights High School senior, leads a group of elementary, middle, high school and college students, including some OU students, at the Stand for the Silent rally Tuesday night at the Oklahoma State Capitol. The rally was held to raise awareness for students who have committed suicide because they were bullied at school. Similar rallies took place in 19 states and seven countries worldwide.

To read a full story about the rally, the ceremony for victims of bullying and a father’s testimony about losing his son, visit OUDaily.com.

The Oklahoma City FBI has teammed with the New Orleans FBI to search for a man who robbed banks in at least five states.

A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the serial bank robber.

The man received his nickname, the Bayou Bandit, because his crime spree began with a series of four bank robberies in Louisiana, beginning last March.

The Oklahoma City FBI became involved when the man robbed three southern Oklahoma banks.

The suspect, described as a white male, 40-50 years old, approximately 5’10 - 6’ tall, with an average build, typically enters the bank and presents a note to the teller demanding money. The unknown suspect has worn a baseball hat, dark sunglasses and a dark-colored shirt.

Sheriff to crackdown on certain drivers The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department will be cracking down on two types of drivers starting this week.

Sheriff’s deputies are looking for drivers who speed through school zones or drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol for the next two weeks.

Operation Back to School Safely is expected to increase the safety of children in school zones, cross walks, and along the sides of the roadways that they may use to go to and from school. Deputies will monitor areas around Noble High School, Robin Hill Elementary, Little Axe Public Schools and Lake View Elementary.

“We want to increase awareness that school is back in session, and drivers need to pay attention to school zones and children before someone gets injured or worse,” Lester said.

Lester also instructed his department to look for impaired drivers to reduce the number of alcohol-related deaths on

Cleveland County roads.

The school zone program will be in effect until Sept. 3 and the DUI crackdown will be in effect through Labor Day.

Police find freshman sitting in puddle of vomit OU Police arrested a University College freshman Sunday after they found him sitting in a puddle of vomit, an OU Police report stated.

According to an OU Police report, OU Police officers found Madiyar Balykbayev, 18, outside of Adams Center on Sunday.

Police initially thought Balykbayev was ill and offered to take him to Norman Regional Hospital, but after he refused, officers noticed he was intoxicated and placed him under arrest, the report stated.

Balykbayev was arrested for public intoxication.

—Ricky Maranon/The Daily

4 • Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

OPINION

OUDAILY.COM ›› Have thoughts? Comment at OUDaily.com

Jared Rader, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-7630

OUR VIEW

COLUMN

Parking services runs over students

High murder rates in Venezuela reveal culture obsessed with images

This is ridiculous.

The parking situation on campus — already worsened by delayed construction projects — got even more asinine this fall.

Starting today, you will be ticketed if you park in one of Lloyd Noble Center’s 4,100 no-longer-free parking spots. Every section, save one on the north side of the parking lot, now requires a commuter or evening parking permit.

Numbers are useless in a world of images.

Let me explain.

I came across an article in Monday’s edition of the New York Times that especially sparked my interest. The title of the article was “Venezuela, More Deadly than Iraq, Wonders Why.” It turns out that in Venezuela, a country with a population comparable to Iraq, almost four times as many civilians are killed each year in murders or other violent deaths than in Iraq.

There are two questions one could ask after hearing about such figures. First, why is Venezuela, a country not ravaged by civil war, a much more dangerous place to live?

The second question, one that I pose to my readers, is why will this not matter tomorrow?

There are several reasons, such as the American military has no presence in Venezuela, and Venezuela is in South America while Iraq is in the Middle East.

I propose the reason why Venezuela’s murder rate will not matter to most people tomorrow is this; numbers mean nothing in a world guided by images.

Sixteen thousand violent deaths have little impact upon the average citizen because there is nothing for them to visualize.

Most Americans know little about Venezuela and have not seen images documenting the murders or subsequent investigations. We have, on the other hand, seen countless hours of video footage documenting American military efforts in Iraq along with footage of car bombings in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities.

So Iraq matters. Venezuela does not. Iraq has pictures. Venezuela has numbers.

My claim here is not that pictures are the only things that matter. Such a statement is foolish and ill-informed.

Geographic, political, economic and

All this accomplishes is concentrating the number of cars in a small area and increasing the likelihood of taking money froms .”

For students who often use the CART services offered from Lloyd Noble Center to the South Oval, this is not good news. In the past, you could avoid paying $195 for a commuter permit – or the $25 ticket for parking in the wrong spot on campus – and ride for free.

Why the change?

A c c o r d i n g t o SoonerSports.com’s Lloyd Noble Center page, there are 4,707 parking spots avaliable.

Now, there are about 600 free spots.

That means roughly 87

percent of parking at Lloyd Noble Center has been snatched by OU Parking Services.

That’s not OK with us.

In an e-mail to The Daily, parking services spokeswoman Vicky Holland said, “The reason permits are now required at the Lloyd Noble Center is that OU Parking Services, in an effort not to raise rates for permits, wants first to make sure everyone pays for parking.”

What kind of logic is that?

The way we see it, students pay for convenience.

Those who choose to pay the $195 and park on campus get to classes quicker than those who choose to park and ride the bus from the Lloyd Noble Center.

It seems fair.

Now, students who park at Lloyd Noble Center might be forced to pay $195 for a commuter permit.

Without a permit, every day is a gamble for students who hope there’s a free spot left.

Eight days without a parking spot means $200 in tickets, which costs more than a commuter permit.

Why did parking services feel the need to take away 4,100 spots?

Maybe they want to minimize the number of non-OU students who take advantage of Lloyd Noble Center’s plethora of parking.

If that’s the case, we suggest they issue all students

a free “Lloyd Noble Center only” parking pass. This way, they can ticket nonstudents who take advantage of the space without penalizing students.

And, if non-students using the lot is the problem, this isn’t the way to solve it.

All this accomplishes is concentrating the number of cars in a small area and increasing the likelihood of taking money from students.

Is allowing the public to use the lot for free really a problem?

Equally frustrating is the lack of notice about these changes.

The Daily received one email from parking services about the changes – Monday morning.

An e-mail several months ago would have been nice.

We would still be furious, but it would have cushioned our anger.

Maybe.

The lack of notice makes it seem like parking services tried to sneak this change past students in an effort to milk us for all we’re worth.

On College Prowler, a website that allows students to review their college, OU students gave parking a C grade.

With 4,100 spots taken away without explanation, we give it an F.

Comment on this at OUDaily.com

cultural factors will always play a role.

However, numbers still mean less than pictures in the fast-paced, visually driven nature of modern media.

Numbers require a different type of thinking. They require that news articles do not stand alone. When using numbers, context matters.

Analysis of c o ntext reSTAFF COLUMN OLUMN q u i re s t i m e.

Sixteen thouJohn sand murders Best in Venezuela is useless information until one knows the population of Venezuela, the past murder rate, and the murder rates of comparable nations.

This requires abstract thinking and analysis, not a mere acceptance or rejection of the facts presented. Most of us do not read the news in such a way.

Most of us read the news as a passive audience. Pictures, images, words and numbers are presented to us.

We internalize facts without analyzing context. Articles and images are accepted as good journalism or rejected as biased scribbles. Again, this is still a passive process.

Because of the passivity, a well-framed picture does more than numbers ever can.

Articles in our modern world stand alone. So if an article starts with an image of a child crying near the wreckage of a car-bomb in Baghdad, then the violence in Iraq is obvious, and no number need be quoted.

But if a well-written article were to explain the dangerously high murder rate in Venezuela, it would accomplish nothing unless the reader truly digests the numbers and what they mean.

-John Best, biochemistry senior

Comment on this at OUDaily.com

COLUMN

Ground Zero Mosque debate not about First Amendment Editor’s Note: This is in response to Nicholas Harrison’s column “Debate about Ground Zero mosque belittles American values” which ran on Monday.

Many are missing the point of the Ground Zero Mosque Debate.

Ever since the “Ground Zero Mosque” (less commonly known as the Park 51 project) became national news, tensions have risen on both sides of the debate.

On Monday, Nicholas Harrison wrote an article arguing that this debate “belittles American values.” In some ways he is right, however not for the reasons he states.

STAFF COLUMN LUMN Many who support the building of the mosque Tucker argue that opponents of the Cross mosque are infringing on the First Amendment rights of Muslims to practice their religion and worship freely, and are therefore un-American.

Harrison writes, “As a soldier, I must emphatically state I am not risking my life so that anyone can tell someone else they can’t worship freely in this country.”

Harrison means that he is willing to fight for American citizens’ freedom to worship. However, I hope that Harrison’s will to fight for the First Amendment also extends to the freedom of any person to openly express their hostility, disagreement, or even hatred of any and every issue, whether one approves of his opinions or not.

AP PHOTO To turn the mosque debate into a debate over First Amendment rights is actually a straw man argument. Pedestrians walk past the 19th century building on Park Place in Manhattan where Muslims plan to build a mosque and cultural Nobody that can be taken seriously in this debate has op- center in New York Saturday. President Barack Obama says Muslims have the right to build a mosque near ground zero in New York, but he’s not saying whether he thinks it’s a good idea to do so. posed Muslims’ rights to worship freely.

Nor for that matter are they opposing Muslims’ rights to build the Muslim center in lower Manhattan. If this were re- among other things, they are worried that such a center the Catholic Church and the worldwide Jewish community. ally a debate over Muslims’ Constitutional rights, then prac- would take attention away from the significance of the It was not until Pope John Paul II intervened that the dispute Ground Zero tragedy. was settled. He ordered the nuns to move, and they did. tically everyone would be in agreement.

Recall the Carmelite nuns who opened a convent near Pope John Paul II realized that the nuns were doing more Stop playing games. This debate is not about rights. Nor is it about Harrison’s statement that “a large portion of the Auschwitz in 1984. Their intentions were noble: to pray for harm than good, regardless of their mission’s innocence or those who had perished, their rights to be at Auschwitz. public has bought into the and, as the nuns believed, If Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his wife Daisy Khan truly idea that the West is at war to help save the lost souls of wish to build a Muslim center that will foster healing, reTo turn the mosque debate into a debate over with Islam.” the non-Christians who had spect, and understanding, then they must understand that The heart of this debate First Amendment rights is actually a straw man died there. building the center at Park 51 runs the risk of burning rather boils down to one question: argument.”

Despite the nuns’ good than building the bridges that they so envision. is building the Muslim cenintentions, many Jews were Ultimately Rauf will have to decide whether the center ter so close to Ground Zero outraged and offended by will cause more harm than good. Whatever his decision, I really a good idea? hope it is the right one.

According to polls from Rasmussen, The New York Times, the gesture.

Some even felt that the Polish government and the - Tucker Cross, letters senior CNN, and Fox News, the majority of Americans and New Catholic Church were trying to minimize the significance Yorkers think it is not.

Comment on this at OUDaily.com Americans do not oppose the building of this center be- of the Jewish suffering at Auschwitz.

The dispute was crippling the relationship between both cause they are afraid of Muslims. They oppose it because,

Meredith Moriak Reneé Selanders LeighAnne Manwarren Jared Rader James Corley Dusty Somers

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010 • 5

6 • Wednesday, August 25, 2010

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SPORTS

OUDAILY.COM ›› See The Daily’s Clark Foy and James Corley highlight key OU football games

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

VOLLEYBALL

Sooners depending on Barker’s leadership Junior setter says she has focused on improving leadership, basics GREG FEWELL The Oklahoma Daily

Brianne Barker has already accomplished a lot in her two years as a collegiate volleyball player.

In 2008, the setter set an OU freshman record with 1,035 assists and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 freshman team. In 2009, after battling back from an injury, Barker garnered AllBig 12 honorable mention honors and led the Sooners with 9.91 assists per set.

However, like the rest of her teammates, the junior is not content with past results. She wants to get better.

“I feel like I had a little bit of a letdown last season, having knee surgery,” Barker said. “My biggest focus now is trying to get back from the knee surgery to where I was and then push forward.”

Through the offseason, Barker has been working on the basics of the game, like blocking and defense. The most important thing she has been trying to improve on, though, is leadership.

The Sooners return nine letterwinners from a 2009 team that finished 18-12 and made it to the NCAA Tournament.

The talent is in place for

the team to make a great run this year, but one thing that every team needs is a definitive leader.

“You have to get leadership,” head coach Santiago Restrepo said. “You have to get a very good setter.

That’s the quarterback of the team.”

Leading a team is about a lot more than simply performing well and encouraging your teammates to do the same — it is a mentality.

Restrepo said Barker has grown into that mindset during her time in college.

“Through her first two years, she always focused so much on making things happen,” Restrepo said.

Being the setter means being the leader, so that’s what I’m really focusing on this year.”

— BRIANNE BARKER, JUNIOR SETTER “She is now able to focus ahead on the next play when a mistake is made and keep her teammates focused and looking ahead to the next play. That’s something that only happens over time.”

Barker said she realizes now is the time to become a leader of this team and is

Volleyball schedule Aug. 27 vs. Wichita State Aug. 28 vs. UT Arlington Aug. 28 vs. Miami (Fla.) Sept. 1 vs. Central Arkansas Sept. 3 vs. Tennessee Sept. 4 at Houston Sept. 7 at Arkansas Sept. 10 vs. Utah Sept. 11 vs. Saint Louis making every effort to make that happen.

That mentality did not come to her overnight, though. It comes with the territory.

“When you get to be a junior or a senior, those younger players look up to you anyway,” Barker said.

“It’s been a bigger role for me this year just because there are a lot of freshmen.

Being the setter means being the leader, so that’s what I’m really focusing on this year.”

Restrepo said Barker has always been one of the most competitive players on the team.

The difference this season is she has the focus and mentality to go along with that competitiveness.

She looks ready to lead a team loaded with both talent and youth through NEIL MCGLOHON/THE DAILY what looks to be a ver y Junior setter Brianne Barker prepares the ball for the hitters during the Iowa State game in 2009. promising season for the Barker said she is ready to step up into a leadership role for the Sooners.

Sooners.

FOOTBALL

Madu to miss season opener Senior running back Mossis Madu will sit out OU’s season opener against Utah State for undisclosed reasons, coach Bob Stoops said Tuesday.

In the two-deep depth chart released Monday, Madu was listed as the No. 2 running back behind junior DeMarco Murray, a position that has been up for competition all summer.

Stoops said it has not been decided who will fill the No. 2 spot in Madu’s absence for the Utah State game Sept. 4.

Madu was arrested and charged with the misdemeanor of driving under the influence July 24 in Norman, according to court records.

It is unclear whether that incident is related to Madu’s suspension.

Nelson learning from veteran Football defensive coordinator Brent Venables expressed complete confidence in freshman linebacker Corey Nelson’s ability to contribute to the team this season.

“Nelson has done a great job,” Venables said. “I feel very good that if Travis [Lewis] went down, Corey’s going to play.”

Nelson has shown a lot of maturity in his short time at OU, partially because junior linebacker Lewis has taken the freshman under his wing, Venables said.

“What you have to do is convince the hot-shot recruit that there is a stud in front of you that can present a unique opportunity for you to emulate that guy,” he said.

Venables said he asked Nelson which position he would be more comfortable at, and Nelson chose to back up Lewis rather than compete for a different linebacker position.

— Aaron Colen/The Daily

Coaches pushing for offensive, defensive line depth Sooners looking for consistency from large rotation of players AARON COLEN The Oklahoma Daily

OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said Monday the fact that any backup is one snap away from potentially being thrust into action has caused the entire team to prepare harder, just another way the Sooners’ abysmal luck with health last season could pay dividends this year.

R e d s h i r t s o p h o m o re Landry Jones being unexpectedly thrust into Sam Bradford’s shoes in 2009 remains in the forefront of the players’ minds.

Who is to say the same thing won’t happen this season?

Whether it does or not, no backup wants to be unprepared if that moment comes for them, which has been something of a theme for the Sooners this offseason, Wilson said.

“I think my guys have that mindset, where we’ve learned from not being as clean and as ready as we should’ve been,” Wilson said.

Center Ben Habern said the mindset applies even to the upperclassmen on the team.

“You never know when you’re going to get thrown into the fire,” Habern said. “ T h a t ’s o n e t h i n g t h e coaches always stressed with us.”

One place the Sooners c o u l d h av e u s e d m o re depth last season was on the offensive line, where injuries made their new quarterback’s transition that much tougher.

The injuries to the line forced Habern to step in last season unexpectedly before he suffered an injury of his own, so he said he knows the importance of the backups being prepared.

Habern said the experience has helped him this offseason.

“Getting those reps in

game time, working with the crowd and playing the away games, it really gave me a boost heading into the next year,” Habern said.

Now that this offensive line group has had an entire offseason together, things are beginning to come together for them, Habern said.

“We have eight, nine guys that are definitely going to be able to play and help the team,” Habern said.

“Just to know that we are going to have that consistent group of guys, guys that can come in and get the job done is going to be helpful down the line.”

Habern said he and the rest of the Sooners hope a bigger rotation of prepared offensive linemen will help them stay fresh for conference play.

“The first string O-line won’t be taking 80 or 90 snaps a game, we’ll be taking 45 or 50,” Habern said.

“Toward the end of the season, that will start to come into play and help us out.”

Defense to rotate players at tackle With Gerald McCoy gone and Adrian Taylor injured, the defensive tackle spot is almost finalized, coach Bob Stoops said.

Stoops said the position assignment depends on how physically mature the players are.

“It’s just like a year ago, Gerald McCoy played 70 snaps, but look how physical, look how mature he is and that he can play hard 70 snaps,” he said.

“We don’t have guys that are that kind of physical nature right now, so they’re better off playing 40 and 30 to play at a high level and play the way we need them.”

Stoops named sophomores Casey Walker and Stacy McGee as the starters at tackle in Monday’s two-deep depth chart.

Adrian Taylor and Jamarkus McFarland will back up the pair, although Taylor admitted he did not know how certain his playing role is as he works to return from a leg injury.

“I have no timeframe or anything of when I expect to be back out there but I did make some strides that I’m liking,” Taylor said. “I have no timeframe or anything of when I expect to be back out there but I did make some strides that I’m liking. I don’t know if it’s going to be the first game or the second or the third or whatever it is.

“It just goes back to what I was saying, just being smart about my situation. I’m not going to do anything that’s going to set me back and not going to let me help them team at all.”

— Clark Foy/The Daily

NATION

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 • 7

Runaway truck crushes house, kills three Drugs and alcohol not suspected to be factor in deadly gravel truck crash along California highway SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — A runaway truck hauling tons of gravel flew off an embankment Tuesday and crushed a home, killing a man, a woman and a child inside, authorities said.

The truck’s brakes might have failed as it careened along State Highway 154 and through two intersections, then hit two parked cars before plunging down a driveway onto the house.

“Completely flattened it,” Santa Barbara County fire Capt.

David Sadecki said.

The truck driver, Joaquin Garcia Morales, had just collected a load of gravel from a nearby rock quarry.

Witnesses reported seeing smoke billowing from under the truck as it headed downhill on Highway 154 and reached 50 mph, California Highway Patrol Officer Jeremy Wayland said.

Morales managed to avoid a motel and steered the truck into a side street before crashing.

A California Highway Patrol website that logs traffic incidents initially said the brakes of the truck had failed. Wayland later said the cause remained “under investigation if it was mechanical or operational failure.”

Alcohol was not suspected to be a factor, and there were no immediate charges filed.

Neighbor Elizabeth Negrete was preparing to let her dog into the back yard when she heard the crash. “It was like an earthquake,” she said. “I didn’t know what to do. I just panicked and just ran.”

Erasmo Zapien, 64, who lives next door to the destroyed home, said he heard an enormous crash, then saw the family’s house collapse.

“Everything fell down,” he said. “It was completely down.”

Emergency crews arrived within minutes and scrambled to dig out rubble and gravel under the truck to reach the victims.

Morales was treated for a minor facial cut after the vehicle landed on the 1,000-square-foot, wooden home that had been built more than 50 years ago.

It was one of two homes on the lot that were surrounded by mini-storage units. Both sat below the embankment and could not be seen from the roadway.

Wayland said Morales initially suspected something was wrong with his brakes after collecting his load, but decided they were in good enough shape to keep driving. The tractor section of the truck was owned by Morales, who was leasing

KEITH D. CULLOM/AP

Santa Barbara County fire fighters search the site where a heavily loaded gravel truck lost its brakes and smashed into a home Tuesday killing a man, woman and child, in Santa Barbara, Calif. the two trailers he was hauling.

Barbra Trouche, who runs the front office at Aegis Medical Systems, called 911 when a patient who had just left ran back inside and said there had been a wreck.

“He saw the truck barreling through the intersection all the way to the end of the driveway,” Trouche said.

Trouche went to look and noticed that cars belonging to two employees had been plowed aside by the truck.

Coroner’s officials did not immediately identify the three in the home.

Zapien identified the family living in the house as Leo Leon, 23; his wife Lorena, 27; and their 7-year-old son. Zapien did not name the son. The family had moved to the U.S. from Oaxaca, Mexico, about five years ago, he said.

Leo Leon worked as a chef and Lorena Leon was a

Judge: DeLay will go to trial before co-defendants Attorney believes DeLay would not get fair trial in Democratic county AUSTIN, Texas — Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will get his long-awaited trial in Texas ahead of two co-defendants, a judge said Tuesday, five years after prosecutors first accused him of illegally funneling campaign money.

DeLay was indicted in 2005 on charges that he illegally sent $190,000 in corporate money through the Republican National Committee to help elect GOP Texas legislative candidates in 2002. He pleaded not guilty to money laundering and conspiracy charges and says he's done nothing wrong.

"I've been asking for a trial now for five years. Finally I'm getting a trial," DeLay told reporters outside the courtroom in Austin after the judge's decision.

Senior Judge Pat Priest did not set a trial date, but said DeLay would be tried before his co-defendants, noting that DeLay had been demanding a trial since his indictment.

Prosecutors said Tuesday that they'll press lesser charges of election code violations against co-defendants John Colyandro and Jim Ellis — essentially severing their cases from DeLay's.

Defense attorneys also asked that Priest throw out the charges against the three men, arguing that thenDistrict Attorney Ronnie Earle did not act properly in seeking the indictments in 2005. The judge, who closed some of Tuesday's court sessions to the public because he said they dealt with secret grand jury proceedings, did not rule on the defense request.

Earlier in the day, he rejected other motions to dismiss charges.

Five years ago, Priest did throw out a conspiracy charge against the three men on a legal technicality.

D e L ay b e g a n p re s s i n g f o r a n

RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL/AP

Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay speaks to media during his pre-trial hearing at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin, Texas, Tuesday. immediate trial in late 2005 to try to save his leadership post in Congress.

He resigned in 2006 from the suburban Houston congressional seat in Sugar Land that he had held for two decades.

"This is a political maneuver by a rogue district attorney, and I had to leave Congress because of it. And if I'd have gotten my trial speedily like I think I'm entitled to, I may still be in Congress, and I may still be in the leadership in Congress," DeLay said.

He said his next goal is to get his trial moved to his home county, conservative Fort Bend in the Houston area, where he says he's more likely to get a fair jury than in liberal Austin.

DeLay's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, began laying the groundwork for his change of venue argument by calling to the witness stand a longtime Austin attorney who is a Democrat and said DeLay wouldn't be able to get a fair trial in Travis County, where so many people didn't like his

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"If you had a popularity contest he would come out on the bottom," said Broadus Spivey, a former president of the State Bar of Texas who has selected juries in hundreds of cases.

The pretrial hearing continues Wednesday.

DeLay, 63, arrived smiling at the Travis County criminal courts building Tuesday morning. The former national Republican leader then sat intently listening to hours of tedious legal arguments. During breaks in the court proceeding, he chuckled and chatted casually about his short stint last year on the television show "Dancing With the Stars."

Once known as "The Hammer" for his heavy-handed style, DeLay learned just last week that the Justice Department was ending a federal investigation into his ties to disgraced ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff without filing any charges against the former congressman.

—AP

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housewife, he said.

Zapien said he recently saw the family in good spirits preparing to celebrate Leo Leon’s 24th birthday on Friday.

“They were very friendly, very good people,” he said.

Nancy Schliemann, who manages the motel near the accident scene, described the family as wonderful and said the boy would often translate for his Spanish-speaking parents.

“The little boy was the sweetest thing in the world,” Schliemann said. “They were hardworking people, and it is an unnecessary loss of life.”

Santa Barbara is about 75 miles north of Los Angeles. State Highway 154 is flat for about 1.5 miles before it reaches the intersection.

—AP

NYC mayor: No apologies for changing skyline NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ridiculed the owner of the Empire State Building for complaining that a proposed skyscraper would ruin the view from the iconic landmark.

The mayor said Tuesday every building alters the city's skyline and no developer owes anyone an apology for new buildings. He welcomes the proposed Manhattan tower as a great investment.

The City Council is expected this week to consider developer David Greenbaum's plan for a 67-story tower a couple of blocks west of the 102-story Empire State Building. The proposed tower would be 34 feet shorter than the Empire State Building, the city's tallest skyscraper.

Greenbaum says his tower would provide critically needed office space.

Empire State Building owner Anthony Malkin says it would be an "assault on New York City."

—AP

AP FILE PHOTO

In this 2008 file photo, Madison Square Garden, lower center, and Manhattan are shown in this aerial photo in New York, as the Empire State Building is seen at top.

STATE AND NATION

8 • Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

NATION

Court says design firm not free of bridge claim Case rolls on to determine responsibility for bridge collapse in Minnesota MINNEAPOLIS — A design firm that tried to shield itself from lawsuits over a deadly Minneapolis bridge collapse has been dismissed from one company’s claim, but still faces litigation from the state, Minnesota’s Court of Appeals ruled in separate opinions Tuesday.

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. of Pasadena, Calif., had argued that it was not liable in the 2007 tragedy because too much time had passed since the bridge was built in the 1960s.

A three-judge panel of the appeals court agreed in dismissing claims filed by engineering firm URS Corp., but allowed the state’s claims to go forward.

The difference, according to law professor Douglas McFarland, is that the state had a contract with Jacobs’ predecessor company that had an “indemnity” agreement — ultimately

protecting the state against losses.

“With regard to URS, once the 10 years passed, then Jacobs was done, off the hook,” said McFarland, a professor at Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul.

But under state statute, he said, situations involving these types of indemnity agreements aren’t subject to time limits.

The appeals court judges wrote that changes made to state law in 2007 made claims like the state’s retroactive “indefinitely into the past.”

The judges also noted that the state’s 1962 contract with Jacobs’ predecessor company protected it against losses arising from the work.

But in the URS case, the judges agreed with Jacobs’ argument that it does not share liability with the engineering firm that was hired M. SPENCER GREEN/AP to do consulting work on In this file photograph taken Aug. 5, 2007, an inspector climbs over rubble as he examines the Interstate 35W bridge, in Minneapolis, the bridge.

— AP

which collapsed over the Mississippi River. An engineering firm that consulted on the Minneapolis bridge that collapsed in 2007 agreed Monday to pay $52.4 million to victims.

MILITARY NATION BRIEFS

Honolulu’s long-standing trash woes grow worse, shipping plan falters HONOLULU — Gigantic piles of shrink-wrapped garbage have been moldering in the heat of a Hawaii industrial park for more than five months, waiting for a place to be shipped.

That wait appeared to end Monday when city officials inked a deal to dispose of the 40 million-pound pile of odious rubbish over the next six months by mostly burning it in an existing waste-to-power plant.

But the city produces nearly 1.6 million tons a year, and though it will burn more in a couple of years, it still will have to site a new landfill soon after.

Report: NYC, Philly, Detroit top a bedbug list, followed by 3 Ohio cities MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A leading pest control company has released a list of the 15 most bedbug-infested cities. New York, Philadelphia and Detroit are at the top.

Terminix released its report Tuesday.

Bedbugs can be found in mattresses, furniture and clothing, and they feed off animal and human blood. High-traffic areas are especially prone to infestations.

Ohio has three cities in the top 10 — Cincinnati is fourth, Columbus is seventh and Dayton is eighth.

NM ranchers sue for changes in wolf program, ask to halt changes ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Ranching groups and two southern New Mexico counties are suing over a program that’s reintroducing Mexican gray wolves into the wild in New Mexico and Arizona.

The lawsuit alleges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state Department of Game and Fish violated federal law by altering program rules without an environmental review.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to stop the changes until the agencies comply with the law.

It was filed by Americans for the Preservation of the Western Environment, the Adobe and Beaverhead ranches, rancher Alan Tackman, the Gila National Forest Livestock Permittees’ Association, and the Otero and Catron county commissions.

— AP

White House touts U.S. troop cut as ‘remarkable achievement’ Obama demonstrates commitment bringing troops home from Iraq VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass.

— The U.S. troop drawdown in Iraq is a “truly remarkable achievement”, the White House said Tuesday.

The assessment from White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan came after the Pentagon reported that U.S. troop strength in Iraq has dropped below 50,000 for the first time since the 2003 U.S.-led

invasion.

Briefing reporters as the president vacationed on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., Brennan noted that the milestone had been reached a week ahead of schedule and represented a drop of 94,000 troops on Obama’s watch.

Brennan said the removal of tens of thousands of U.S. troops without destabilizing Iraq “represents a truly remarkable achievement for our military and for the country.”

Brennan acknowledged that the Iraqis still face

sizable challenges, from forming a stable government to preventing terrorist bombings.

“There’s still more progress that needs to be made inside of Iraq to ensure that security is going to prevail throughout the country and is going to be enduring,” he said.

Brennan said terrorist groups like al-Qaida in Iraq “will try to argue that they have been successful” in pushing U.S. troops out.

“But they are wrong. We are reducing our footprint

in Iraq under our terms,” he said.

Brennan praised Iraqi security forces, which he said were showing increasing competence.

Those forces “have increasingly moved into the lead,” he said.

“Although these terrorists continue to kill innocent Iraqis,” Brennan said, “they have failed to ignite sectarian violence and violence continues to be at a reduced level.”

— AP

STATE BRIEFS

Oklahoma Supreme Court overturns law to add 1 percent Medicaid fee OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Supreme Court has overturned a state law intended to raise revenue for the state’s Medicaid program.

The ruling posted on the court’s website Tuesday said the measure violates the state Constitution. It comes a day after justices heard oral arguments in the case.

State Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland asked the court to overturn the law. It set a 1 percent fee on claims paid by private health insurers and companies with self-insured health care plans.

Insurance Department attorney Michael Ridgeway argued that the bill failed to get a required three-fourths vote when it passed the House and Senate late in the legislative session.

Phone calls to the Insurance Department and the Attorney General’s office — which argued in support of the law — were not immediately returned.

Are you a Twitter user? Follow @OUDaily for up-to-date campus news

Poultry group awards grant to agency OKLAHOMA CITY — A non-profit group has awarded a $43,000 grant to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry that will allow two soil scientists to continue their work on watershed protection.

The agency said Monday the Poultry Federation stepped forward after state budget cuts eliminated funding for the positions.

The 1998 Oklahoma Registered Poultry Feeding Operation Act requires poultry producers to have an approved Animal Waste Management Plan, undergo litter management training and maintain records of poultry waste removed from or applied to the premises.

Agriculture Secretary Terry Peach says the grant by the federation is similar to one provided by the City of Tulsa in the Eucha Spavinaw Watershed.

Federation president Marvin Childers says the poultry industry is serious about its responsibility as environmental stewards.

— AP

WORLD

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

53

1 2

4 WORLD NEWS BRIEFS 1. Beijing, China

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 • 9

12-hour hostage drama in the heart of Manila ended with eight Hong Kong tourists dead along with their Filipino hostage-taker after a day of botched negotiations.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said his government was “appalled” and telephoned his Philippine counterpart Alberto Romulo to voice concern, while Hong Kong residents expressed outrage and media outlets in the Chinese territory denounced Philippine police as incompetent.

Dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza, 55, was armed with a M16 rifle and a pistol when he seized the busload of 21 Hong Kong tourists and four locals to demand his reinstatement on the force. The ordeal ended in bloodshed on live TV with police storming the bus and killing the gunman after he fired at the tourists, killing eight of them.

“The Chinese government demands the Philippine government launch a thorough investigation into the incident and inform the Chinese side of related details as soon as possible,” Yang said, according to a statement posted on his ministry’s website.

At the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong, a wealthy former British colony unaccustomed to violence, several dozen protesters chanted: “Strongly condemn the Philippine government for being careless about human life!”

the chamber where the miners are entombed and a third probe was nearing the spot, Mining Minister Laurence Golborne reported.

The hole that reached the miners Sunday will continue to be used to lower supplies, the second will be for communication and the third will provide ventilation, Golborne said.

Their ordeal, however, is far from over.

Above ground, doctors and psychological experts are debating how to keep them sane during the estimated four months it will take to dig a tunnel wide enough to get them out of the safety chamber 2,200 feet (670 meters) underground where they have been buried since Aug. 5. ___

5. Beirut, Lebanon

___

3. Baghdad, Iraq

Number of US troops in Iraq now below 50,000 figure mandated by Obama

AP FILE PHOTO

XINHUA, LI GUANGFU/AP

In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, rescuers work at the site of a reported plane crash at an airport in northeast China's Heilongjiang province on Tuesday, Aug. 24. According to Xinhua, the plane overshot the runway in Yichun city and burst into flames.

Jet misses runway, crashes in China, killing 43, injures 53 A Chinese passenger jet broke apart as it approached a fogshrouded runway in the country’s northeast and burst into flames as it hit the ground Tuesday, killing 43 people and injuring 53 others, state media said.

The Henan Airlines plane with 91 passengers and five crew crashed in a grassy area near the Lindu airport on the outskirts of Yichun, a city of about 1 million people in Heilongjiang province, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Xinhua quoted Hua Jingwei, an Yichun publicity official, as saying that some passengers were thrown from the cabin before the broken plane hit the ground.

The Brazilian-made Embraer E-190 jet had taken off from Heilongjiang’s capital of Harbin shortly before 9 p.m. (1300 GMT) and crashed a little more than an hour later, Xinhua said. ___

2.Manila, Philippines

China demands answers after 8 Hong Kong tourists killed in Philippine bus hijacking China demanded answers Tuesday from the Philippines after a

The number of U.S. troops in Iraq has fallen below 50,000 for the first time since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and ahead of the end-of-the-month deadline mandated by President Barack Obama, the American military said in a statement Tuesday.

The number is a watershed in the more than seven years that the United States has been at war in Iraq. Under Obama’s plan, American forces will no longer conduct combat operations but are instead to train Iraqi troops and help with counterterrorism operations — if asked for by the Iraqis.

“Today, in line with President Obama’s direction and as part of the responsible draw down of forces, U.S. military force levels in Iraq are below 50,000,” the statement read.

“U.S. military forces will transition to Operation New Dawn, effective Sept. 1, 2010,” it added, referring to the change in operation name from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Gen. Ray Odierno, the commanding general in Iraq, told reporters Tuesday that 49,700 troops are currently in Iraq and that the number would remain level through next summer. ___

4. Copiapo, Chile

Second bore hole for communications reaches 33 trapped Chilean miners

Gunmen carry rifles during clashes between supporters of the Shiite Hezbollah and a Sunni conservative group in the mixed residential area of Bourj Abu Haidar near central Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Aug. 24. Lebanese Shiite and Sunni groups traded machine gun fire and grenades in Beirut on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding several others just blocks from a busy downtown packed with tourists at this time of year.

Hezbollah, Sunni group clash in Beirut, killing 3, including Hezbollah official Lebanese Shiite and Sunni groups fought street battles using machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades for more than four hours Tuesday, killing three people and wounding several others just blocks from a busy downtown packed with summer tourists.

The dead included a Hezbollah official and his aide, security officials said.

Lebanese soldiers cordoned off the area during the worst of the fighting, but the crackle of sniper fire and blasts from rocketpropelled grenades were audible for hours.

Gunmen stood on corners and peering down alleyways while families ran for cover during lulls in the fighting. Ambulances rushed to the scene; an elderly man was loaded into a stretcher clutching his neck, while another man was covered in blood, not moving.

It was the worst clash in Beirut since May 2008, when Hezbollah gunmen swept through Sunni neighborhoods after the pro-Western government tried to dismantle the group’s telecommunications network.

Rescuers are lowering capsules containing rehydration tablets, glucose and oxygen down a long hole to 33 miners who surprised the world by staying alive while trapped a half-mile underground for two and a half weeks.

— AP Raising hopes further Monday, a second bore hole punched into

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Payment is required at the time the ad is placed. Credit cards, cash, money orders or local checks accepted.

RATES Line Ad

There is a 2 line minimum charge; approximately 42 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation.

(Cost = Days x # lines x $/line) 10-14 days.........$1.15/line 15-19 days.........$1.00/line 20-29 days........$ .90/line 30+ days ........ $ .85/line

1 day ..................$4.25/line 2 days ................$2.50/line 3-4 days.............$2.00/line 5-9 days.............$1.50/line

Classified Display, Classified Card Ad or Game Sponsorship

Contact an Acct Executive for details at 325-2521.

2 col (3.25 in) x 2 inches Sudoku ..............$760/month Boggle ...............$760/month Horoscope ........$760/month

2 col (3.25 in) x 2.25 inches Crossword ........$515/month

Bobby Jones, advertising manager classifieds@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-2521

J Housing Rentals

For Sale HELP WANTED

MISC. FOR SALE MOVING SALE - Bedroom sets, bike, sleeper sofa, desks, kitchenware, etc. Sat Aug 14, 21, 28 hvfritch.com 1227 Caddell CASH only 8-5pm Please take a look!

FALL OPENING, Aug 19, 9-4, the place to shop every Thursday, 9-4, First Presbyterian Thrift Shop, 404 Toberman, end of Park St, in First Presbyterian parking lot, 1 blk N of Boyd. Low cost clothing for everyone, OU items, kitchen items, books, and more!

TICKETS WANTED I NEED OU SEASON TICKETS & OU/TEXAS TICKETS! ALL LOCATIONS! 364-7524

C Transportation

The Oklahoma Daily will not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religious preference, national origin or sexual orientation. Violations of this policy should be reported to The Oklahoma Daily Business Office at 325-2521.

Help Wanted ads in The Oklahoma Daily are not to separate as to gender. Advertisers may not discriminate in employment ads based on race, color, religion or gender unless such qualifying factors are essential to a given position.

WRITING TUTORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics Department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!! Hiring for Fall 2010. Call 325-8376

NOW HIRING FOR FALL SEMESTER Community After School Program is seeking staff to work at our school-age childcare programs. Apply now and interview to begin working immediately.

Work schedule is M-F 2:20-6 p.m. Starting salary $7.25/hour, higher salaries for college students with education or related class work. Complete an application online at www.caspinc.org and email to info@caspinc.org. Please submit your fall class schedule and current transcript when applying. CASP also has positions available for Work Study Students and AmeriCorps Positions for students with Health and Exercise Science background.

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

AUTO INSURANCE

OFFICE WORK West Norman - handle files, misc clerical.

Flexible hrs: 10-15/wk.

Call Lorin 1-3pm, Mon-Sat - 310-6125

Quotations anytime Foreign students welcomed JIM HOLMES INSURANCE, 321-4664

Financial BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Your own successful business selling Safe, Healthy Performance Sports Drinks!

Teresa 850-8668

POLICY The Oklahoma Daily is responsible for one day’s incorrect advertising.

If your ad appears incorrectly, or if you wish to cancel your ad call 3252521, before the deadline for cancellation in the next issue. Errors not the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted. Refunds will not be issued for late cancellations.

Belmar Golf Club is looking for full and part-time cooks and servers. Experience preferred, but will train. All shifts available, will work around school schedule. Apply Tues-Fri 1pm-5pm 1025 E Indian Hills rd.

(405) 364-0111

STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM Paid survey takers needed in Norman 100% FREE to join. Click on Surveys.

Auto Insurance

HELP WANTED Norman Medical Office needs PT help Send resume to dr.dpm@hotmail.com Looking for Neat, Energetic Person to Help Customers, Make Food, and Load Feed. $8.50/hr - 872-3853 Ask for Jim Service Coordinator needed for apartment complex housing the physically disabled and elderly. Qualified applicant must have bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, or counseling, or 3-5 years work experience; 30 hours/week, benefits. Send resume to willpath@coxinet.net or fax to 579-4577.

APTS. UNFURNISHED

HELP WANTED

Xbox 360 has launched a revolutionary new platform, Kinect, and we’re looking for campus ambassadors to promote it!

Apply now at http://www.repnation.com/ xbox TUTORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics Department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!! MATH - All Levels!!! Hiring for Fall 2010. Call 325-0554 for more info!!!

Hey College Students!!!

Need extra spending/clothes/dating $$?

How about averaging $1000-$3000/mo in our public relations/advertising crew!

Work 2-3.5 hrs M-F, between 4p-9p Great resume job for business/marketing/advertising/drama majors!

Call Mike 321-8273 Wanted Childcare Provider for M-W 2pm to 11:30pm. Add. days sometimes. Ideal for students. $100/week. Call Teresa at 517-0601 Bartending! Up to $300/day. No exp nec.

Training provided. 1-800-965-6520 x133.

TUTORS WANTED!!!

Available positions in the OU Athletics Department!!! Junior, Senior, Graduate, and Post-graduate applicants only!!! ALL SUBJECTS - SOC, PSY, CHEM, GEOG, GEOL, METR, COMM, ZOO, ACCT, FIN, PHIL, ANTH, PHYS!!! Hiring for Fall 2010. Call 325-8376 for more info!!!

Special Instructor I: After School Instructor Parks and Recreation Experience working with children. $7.50 per hour. Work Period: 2:30pm - 6:00pm, Mon thru Fri, September thru May. Selected applicant must pass physical, drug screen and background investigation.

Application Deadline: Open Recruitment.

Obtain application at: 201-C West Gray, Human Resources Dept., City of Norman 366-5482 Web: www.normanok.gov EOE/AA Immediate/Great part time opportunity: Health Supplement Store, Moore, OK. Will work with your school hours, fax resume to 794-9602 or email to doorwaytohealth2@att.net.

Computer experience a plus ++ Need 10 people who like to clean! Need own car, good attitude! Call 447-4964 MISAL OF INDIA BISTRO Now accepting applications for waitstaff.

Apply in person at 580 Ed Noble Pkwy, across from Barnes & Noble, 579-5600.

J Housing Rentals APTS. UNFURNISHED

700 E Brooks, 2 bdrm apt, bills paid, hardwood floors, window air, w/d, 3 blks to OU; Other units available. Smoke-free, 1 year lease, 1 month’s rent for security deposit, application fee (ret’d if you rent from us). Call 360-3850, leave msg.

2 bd/1 ba - One block from campus corner starting @ $475 per month. Student discount available! 361-2896

CONDOS UNFURNISHED 3 BD 3 BA CONDO for rent, great location, close to campus, located at THE EDGE condominiums. For more info contact Scott @ 661-331-2585

HOUSES UNFURNISHED Tired of tickets?? Walk to class!!! 3/1.5/2, patio, $900. Call 329-4119, 2044016.

131 1/2 W Hayes - 1 bd/1ba, W/D, ref, microwave - $375/mo, $350 dep, no pets, ref. req. - 550-7069 Walk to Campus!!!

Brick Houses West of OU 1 Bd Apt, CH/A, Stove, Fridge 3 bd/2 ba/2 Car Garage, Wood Floors, CH/A, DW, W/D, Deck, Lawn Maintained “Bob” Mister Robert 321-1818 4 bd, close to OU, new paint, carpet, incld w/d, lg closets, avail NOW. Ed, 596-0123.

ROOMS FURNISHED NEAR OU, privacy, $260, bills paid includes cable, neat, clean, parking. Prefer male student. Call 329-0143.

RENT NOW / $99 DEP! 1 & 2 BED Start @ $445-$595 6 Months Free @ Steel Gym! No App Fee! Pets Welcome!

Models open 8a-8p Everyday!

Elite Properties 360-6624 or www.elite2900.com Prices Reduced Saratoga Springs $99 DEPOSIT / 6 Month Free Fitness 2 BEDS SMALL NOW $490 2 BEDS LARGE NOW $500 Pets Welcome! Large Floor Plans!

Models Open 8a-8p Everyday!

360-6624 or www.elite2900.com

All ads are subject to acceptance by The Oklahoma Daily. Ad acceptance may be re-evaluated at any time.

Previous Solution

3

8 4 1 5 1 7 2

5

3 6 2 4 3 5

4 6 1 7 6 3 9 5

5 7 9 4 9 1 5 2

6 3 5 7 8 9 4 1 2

8 1 7 5 2 4 9 6 3

2 9 4 1 6 3 7 5 8

9 4 6 8 5 1 2 3 7

3 8 1 2 9 7 5 4 6

7 5 2 4 3 6 8 9 1

1 2 8 3 4 5 6 7 9

4 6 3 9 7 8 1 2 5

5 7 9 6 1 2 3 8 4

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.

HOROSCOPE

By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2010, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010 VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) - It would be best if neither you nor your mate react in a way that would stir things up, just to get what you want should a disagreement arise. If you can’t remain civil, don’t speak until your slow burn is gone.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) - Be your normal, sweet self, because this is not the day to take a stance or be inflexible when dealing with others. There is likely to be someone who will react rigidly in response.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) - Be particularly careful not to disrupt a situation that is presently running smoothly. If you’re the one who disassembles the mechanism, you’ll have to take the fall.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) - Unfortunately, if you’ve gone beyond the breaking point regarding taking care of your responsibilities, you may have to pay the price.

The costs will only go up further with delay.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Take care that you don’t come off as being too loud or too strong in a social situation, regardless of how much something annoys you. Friends will respond better to consultation than to rudeness.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - Trouble is on the way if you inadvertently promised two separate friends who don’t get along that you would spend your free time with them. You’ll lose no matter which one you choose.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) - Tyrannical reactions will make enemies within the workplace that aren’t likely to disappear in the near future. Wield your power to gain cooperation, not to antagonize.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - If anybody near and dear to you does something that displeases you, before responding, count to 10 or 50 in order to calm down.

You’ll regret it if you fly off the handle.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) It’s your prerogative to endorse or champion an unpopular cause, but don’t expect others to easily accept your position. Don’t be angry with others for being independent and thinking differently.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) - It might fall to you to deal with a temperamental friend or family member on a certain topic or issue that always aggravates him/her.

Remain calm regardless of the reaction you get.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Unless you are extremely careful regarding a critical, financial matter, you could draw the short straw as to who would take the loss. Do not leave anything to chance.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) - Should you find business conditions to be a trifle trickier than usual to deal with, do all the listening to get a true slant on the problems. Don’t try to make any commitment until you have all the facts.

9

help is just a phone call away

number

crisis line

325-6963 (NYNE)

OU Number Nyne Crisis Line

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

except OU holidays and breaks Universal Crossword Edited by Timothy E. Parker August 25, 2010 ACROSS 1 Painter’s plaster 6 One of two popular positions?

9 “Dancing With the Stars” dance 14 College at Oxford 15 Taro root dish 16 Awards for off-Broadway shows 17 Feasted one’s eyes upon 18 ___ Arbor, Mich.

19 Vatican leaders 20 He may have small arms?

23 ’70s White House monogram 24 Actor Holbrook 25 Naval construction crew 27 Wall cover 32 Single-named New Age music star 33 “A long time ___ in a galaxy ...”

34 What a poor handyman blames, in a saying 36 Word yelled while banging a gavel 39 Tricky tactic 41 Taps the brakes 43 Singer with an ego 44 They have a ball at work?

46 Certain

University of Nebraska campus city 48 ___-picker (overly critical one) 49 Hits on the head 51 Uphill battle 53 Ballet academy, familiarly 56 Swiss forest canton 57 Unhealthysounding beverage?

58 Heavy drinker 64 Easily understood 66 Barely get by (with “out”) 67 With the mouth wide open 68 Band of fighters 69 A father of Dada 70 Half of a dovetail joint 71 Symbols of obstinacy 72 Tumbler’s surface 73 Wipe off the page DOWN 1 Silly mistake 2 Word preceding a conclusion 3 Tower by the barn 4 Be silently furious 5 Ancient mariner 6 Halloween baby’s birthstone 7 Like some memories 8 End of a

French film 9 TV mobster 10 ___ system (blood typing) 11 Hearing by seeing?

12 “If they could ___ now ...”

13 The NBA and NCAA 21 Miscellaneous mixtures 22 Wide shoe width 26 Antarctic explorer Richard 27 Bogey beaters 28 Chills in the tropics?

29 They may be checked by pinching 30 “Contendere” preceder 31 Grabs (onto) 35 “The Sultan of ___” (Babe Ruth) 37 “Who knows what ___ lurks in the

hearts ...”

38 Assign a PG-13 or an R 40 Aphrodite’s tyke 42 Hedge component 45 Heavenly bodies 47 Gilded 50 “Do re mi fa ___ ...”

52 “Gilligan’s Island” castaway 53 Berry 54 Clay pots 55 Letter-shaped construction piece 59 Cajun vegetable 60 Broke down, in a way 61 Agent Scully of “The X-Files” 62 Collection of poems 63 Descartes or Lalique 65 “You ___ what you eat”

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

© 2010 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com

HUMAN ANATOMY by Dennis Mooney

(Editors: For editorial questions, contact Nadine Anheier, h i @ li k )

oudaily.com

9

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 • 11 We

LIFE&ARTS

TOMORROW W ›› Read a feature on prepubescent prepubes punk rockers Skating Polly.

Dusty Somers, life & arts editor dailye dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-5189

S E V I G IT WINGS U O Y OU grad uses art and his love for Red Bull to create Michael Jackson memorial

PHOTOS PROVIDED — made up of stars p u n c h e d o u t o f Left: “Kiiing of the Can” by Cody Red Bull cans — to Phillips, mixed media c o m p l e m e n t h i s Right: “The Kiiing” by Jeremy JOSHUA BOYDSTON The Oklahoma Daily acr ylic drawing of Leal, mixed media Jackson on a black velvet canvas. Forty-five Red Bull cans went into For Jeremy Leal, an OU grad and current Red Bull its creation, and Leal spent more than 50 hours employee, being limited in subject matter proved to perfecting it. be a boon to originality.

Leal had the idea of what he wanted “The Kiiing” “It serves as a fundamental foundation and allows to look like early on and crossed his fingers that it you to think outside of that,” would come to Leal said. “Everyone is using the resemble that I wanted to do a timely same inspiration with different vision. mediums ... now how do you “You get an tribute, something that would springboard that into something idea in your mean a lot to other people. I head of what creative?” wanted to give wings to the Wanting to contribute to his you want to do, company’s “Art of Can” exhibit but you have King of Pop.” — an international art show that no idea how features artwork inspired by the i t ’s a c t u a l l y — JEREMY LEAL Red Bull can from artists across going to turn the country — Leal decided to out,” Leal said. submit a work of his own, anonymously, to test the “I was just kind of wingin’ it,” he added with a merit of his piece. laugh.

To some surprise, the selection committee Leal is very pleased with how the piece turned admitted Leal’s piece into “Art of Can,” which is out and is thrilled that it was included in the “Art of currently on display in his current home of Dallas.

Can” exhibit, which displays a host of other diverse W h e n L e a l d e c i d e d t o c r e a t e a p i e c e f o r artworks that range from sculptures to videos. submission, he immediately knew the subject he He also said it means a lot to him that two of his would tackle. passions were able to meet together this way.

Leal’s piece, “The Kiiing,” was crafted to be a “Everyone knows Red Bull as action sports and memorial to the late Michael Jackson. being extreme,” Leal said. “People usually don’t “I wanted to do a timely tribute, something that realize how much [the company] is involved in would mean a lot to other people,” Leal said. “I culture and art and fashion. I was glad to share wanted to give wings to the King of Pop.” something that involved both my love of the brand He gave the music icon wings by crafting a jacket and my passion for art.”

Updated Oklahoma City urban space hosts ‘Art of Can’ exhibit Several selected pieces from Red Bull’s “Art of Can” exhibit in Dallas are coming on display for one night from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday in Oklahoma City.

Allied Arts is hosting the event on the recently finished rooftop patio of the building that houses their offices, 1015 N. Broadway Ave., in the heart of Automobile Alley.

Bailey Gordon, special events assistant with Allied Arts, said “Art of Can” will be the perfect introduction of the rooftop to the public.

“It’s a new urban scene,” Gordon said. “It’s a cool place to experience Oklahoma City and the perfect setting to experience such a unique exhibit.”

OKC’s “Art of Can” consists of a variety of pieces handpicked from the exhibit currently on display in Dallas, including Leal’s.

“It’s not like you are just going and looking at a painting on a wall,” Gordon said. “It’s really pop art, and being inspired by Red Bull, everything just takes a different twist.”

The event not only includes the artwork, but also provides food, a variety of cocktails concocted with Red Bull and live music.

“With the live music, drinks and art, there’s just going to be a lot of energy up there,” Gordon said.

What else would be expected from an event inspired by Red Bull?

Tickets are available for $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Visit www.alliedartsokc.com or call 278-8944 for more information.

— Joshua Boydston/The Daily

Introductory Meeting!

8ggcp ]fi Xe Fj_\i I\\ekip JZ_fcXij_`g 8mX`cXYc\ ]ifd k_\ :fcc\^\ f] C`Y\iXc Jkl[`\j

-interested students -team/organizational captains

welcome

we will discuss:

2010-11 Calendar

Open to any eligible University of Oklahoma undergraduate student Hurry! Deadline to apply is

September 15.

-how to enter events -officials program Q and A! -helpful tips

Applicants must meet the following criteria to apply: • Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in previous coursework • Cumulative gap of at least 5 years out of school from the time a student began undergraduate studies until present • At least 50% of coursework is completed on-site or hybrid (mixture of on-site and online) • Demonstration of financial need, academic promise, and commitment to obtaining a degree • Student is expected to participate in workforce following graduation Comments from previous Osher recipients: "The true meaning of life is one’s ability to utilize opportunities to reach out and help others. The Osher scholarship epitomizes that philosophy."

"The Osher Scholarship…has been instrumental in helping me achieve my dream of finishing my education and gave me what I needed to attain my professional goals."

Download an application www.ou.edu/cls/scholarships Questions? Please contact 405-325-1061 The Osher Reentry Scholarship Program is made possible by funding from The Bernard Osher Foundation, San Francisco, California.

August 26 7:30pm

Huston Huffman Fitness Center for more info contact Jonathan Dewhirst at dewhirst@ou.edu or call 405 325 3053

Rm 129

GROUP FITNESS SPECIAL SALE Sign up for as many classes as you like for one price: $35/semester plus tax.

Thurs, August 26th 1-5pm Fri, August 27th 7-11am All other times are $50/semester plus tax or $90 plus tax through May.

With classes from Zumba ® to Boot Camp, we’ve got what you want!

The University of Oklahoma is an Equal Opportunity Institution. Accommodations on the basis of disability can be made by calling Garry at 325-3053.

LIFE & ARTS

12 • Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

Comedian Michael Palascak discusses life, laughs and Leno Howdy Week just got a lot more hilarious. Comedian Michael Palascak (Pal-a-sack) will be coming to OU to perform for students this week. Traveling to college campuses nationwide, the 28-year-old has already made his mark in the comic world with performances at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace, Comedy Central’s Open Mic Fight and TBS’ LOL Lounge. The Daily’s Lauren Abram spoke with the up-andcoming star about life, laughter and comedy inspiration.

Q:

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

A:

[In his best pageant voice] My name is Michael Palascak. I do stand-up comedy. I travel around to different colleges doing stand up. I live in the Chicago area, but I grew up in the Midwest. For college, I went to Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, and majored in English. When I graduated, I started doing stand-up.

Q:

What made you want to become a comedian?

A: Well, when my parents and I moved, I didn’t know anyone, so I started doing comedy and open mic nights when I was 18 years old. I’d always kind of wanted to do it since I was a kid because it was fun and never really felt like a job.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Comedian Michael Palascak performs for free at 8 p.m. Thursday on the Oklahoma Memorial Union lawn. The show is presented by the Union Programming Board.

Q: You’ve performed in quite a few cities and for some big events so far. What was your favorite venue?

A: Definitely “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” by far.

(Palascak appeared on the show in July.) Steve Carell and Jane Lynch were also guests on the show, and these people

were people I’d seen and laughed at on TV before, so it was cool to be on TV with them.

Q: Speaking of funny people, who are some of your comedic influences?

A: Mitch Hedberg, (Jerry) Seinfeld and Bill Cosby are comedians I’ve heard growing up. But I also really like Bill Burr, Louis C.K. and Chris Rock, to name a few.

Q: Those are all very funny but very different comedians. How would you describe your style of comedy?

A: First answer is really, really funny. I’m clean, though I try to make people laugh the best way I can. The goal when I’m making jokes is to be honest and relatable.

Q: Well, as a comedian you must really like to laugh. What’s your favorite comedy movie, whether it was intentionally funny or not?

A: [laughs] There [are] a lot of unintentional ones. As far as intentional goes, that’s tough. “Talladega Nights” and “Anchorman” — those two are probably the funniest. However, I really liked “Superbad” and “Pineapple Express” as well, even though they’re two different types of comedy.

Q : W h a t ’s i n s t o r e f o r O U s t u d e n t s t h i s Thursday?

A: The students are in for a really, really funny show.

Regardless of whether or not they’ve ever attended a stand-up show before, they’ll enjoy this show just as much as the others — maybe even more. Just come expecting to laugh, a lot.

— Lauren Abram, broadcast journalism senior

‘Madden 11’ hot addition to classic video game series Another NFL season is starting, and EA Sports has released another version of “Madden NFL.” The latest iteration, “Madden NFL 11,” is a good football game, although it isn’t especially deep.

The graphics have the typical touch-ups that come around every year, although the game’s presentation has undergone a significant overhaul. EA has made it clear that it’s trying to make the game seem as close to the actual Sunday experience as possible. Gus Johnson joins Cris Collinsworth in the booth, and does well as a commentator.

Some of the commentary sounds canned, but this is normal in the “Madden” series; it’s nearly impossible to come up with commentary unique to every situation in the game.

Most of the gameplay is as it always has been, with the exception of gameflow mode. By default, if you press “A” (for the Xbox 360) before the play starts, the game will pick what it thinks is the best play for you. This is STAFF COLUMN helpful in obvious situations (i.e. punts on fourth and long, kicking extra points, kneeling the ball A.J. Lansdale down), but any seasoned player may take issue with some of the calls. If you want to just pick the play yourself, you can just hit “X” and do so.

Another new mechanic is “Fight For The Fumble,” which is a fairly easy button-mashing mini game during a fumble scrum to try and come up with the ball.

Franchise mode is probably the main offline mode, as always. It’s not incredibly deep this year, compared to previous installments, but it still allows you to make trades, sign free agents, make adjustments to your stadium in the off-season — the ability to build valet teleporters and food replicators made me chuckle — and of course, lead your favorite team to multiple Super Bowls. This is always fun to do as the Bucs, my favorite team.

One of the better changes they’ve made is how they view a Super Bowl victory. Unlike in previous installments where the final victory just feels like every other game, the commentators comment specifically about your team and its background. The game goes on to show a post-game trophy presentation, a parade back home and eventually a trip to the White House to meet the President. They’re very small changes, but it adds to the gravity of winning a championship.

Superstar mode is a huge weakness of this version of “Madden.” Your player is basically

During my time with “Madden 11,” I had the game simulate the NFL season. “Madden” has the Indianapolis Colts beating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas, 34-26.

The Jacksonville Jaguars finish with the regular season’s best record at 13-3, but lose in the AFC Divisional Round to the New England Patriots. Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota

randomly assigned to a team, and you’re locked into playing as this player, like always, but there’s nothing of interest to do outside of the games themselves aside from going to your agent and saying things to the media.

Madden moments return again in this game, chronicling some of the big moments ments from the last NFL season, and allowing you to play through them and relive history — or change critical ritical moments.

Online play is pretty well-represented -represented in this edition, again requiringg EA’s Online Pass. I played two head-to-head to-head games online, managing to win both against players the server rver selected near my skill level.

The option for “Team Play” also exists, where you lead one set of players each on offense and defense, se, while other players control your teammates. This is can be very amusing if done right, although it can be hard rd to get a game of Team Play going. Online franchise mode de also is here, so you can lead your favorite team to a Superr Bowl against your friends.

I lost interest in the “Madden” dden” series recently, with every game feeling like just st a roster update, but I actually enjoyed ed this one. If they can bring superperstar mode back to glory and d iron out some other kinks, “Madden 12” could be really enjoyable.

— A.J. Lansdale, professional writing seniorr

Vikings are projected to finish 8-8 and win the NFC North, beating the Detroit Lions in the season finale to do so, but lose to the Cowboys in the Divisional round in overtime.

Sam Bradford wins Rookie of the Year with the St. Louis Rams.

—A.J. Lansdale