The Oklahoma Daily

WEDNESDAY APRIL 29, 2009

THE UNIVE UNIVERSITY ERSIT Y OF OKLAHOMA’S INDEPENDENT IN NDEPEENDENTT S STUDENT TU UDENT VOICEE

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news Are you a fan of “The Bachelor” on ABC? Look inside to find out about the he star of season 10’ss visit to campus on Tuesday.

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com

The softball team heads to Stillwater tonight for a Bedlam matchup with OSU. OSU PAGE 6

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OUDAILY.COM » WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SWINE FLU? CHECK OUT THE DAILY’S COVERAGE OF THE OUTBREAK AND LEARN MORE ONLINE AT OUDAILY.COM/SWINEFLU

Architecture students lose sleep for success

Traditions Square revises lease policy New residents for the fall semester may face rate hike RICKY MARANON The Oklahoma Daily

LILLY CHAPA/THE DAILY

Architecture sophomore Aric Yarberry shows a preliminary sketch for one of his projects. Yarberry said there are many steps to creating a project.

Competitive program has some students spending exorbitant hours on projects CLARK FOY The Oklahoma Daily

The occasional all-nighter is common for college students, especially with finals rapidly approaching. But for architecture students, this style of life has become second nature.

Some work on their projects so much, they skip days of sleep.

Some can be been found snoozing in the school’s temporary location on Main Street between long shifts in the studio.

Students said that while such a demanding schedule is not necessarily required by the college, the drive to outshine their peers and impress instructors keeps them coming back for more.

Architecture sophomore Aric Yarberry said a recent accreditation review recommended the studio to limit its hours to 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. instead of being open 24 hours a day so students can have normal social lives, avoid all-nighters and deprived sleep schedules.

He said while he understands the concern, he does not want to lose the opportunity to work extra hours.

“Because of the nature of the profession, we can’t settle for that,” Yarberry said. “We are all very competitive. It’s not that we cannot finish in the time allowed, it’s that I want to beat the guy sitting next to me.”

The competition leads to a different way of thinking as well,

LILLY CHAPA/THE DAILY

A room in the architecture studio on Main Street is filled with projects and homey comforts alike. Students often spend over 70 hours per week working on architecture projects.

Yarberry said. The work becomes much more important than the grade.

“The ultimate goal is to be proud of your work so that the final day you can be as proud as possible,” Yarberry said. “When I finish a project, I don’t show you the letter grade [because] they don’t matter. I would show you what I did and how I did it ARCHITECTURE CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

University pay stubs enter the electronic age, save paper OU to save $30k a year by eliminating paper pay stubs MELISSA MORGAN Contributing Writer

Paper pay stubs are no more at OU’s Norman Campus, giving way to online statements as part of OU President David Boren’s Green Campus initiative.

OU employees no longer receive pay statements in the mail. Instead, digital statements are available at hr.ou.edu the week paychecks are dispersed.

Payroll administrator Michelle Boydstun said she believes OU accomplished three significant goals with the project.

First, the university is effectively using technology that puts access and control in the hands of its customers, she said. Second, the project is an effective way to reduce OU’s energy footprint on the planet, directly supporting the university’s Green Campus initiative.

FREE — ADDITIONAL COPIES 25¢

Finally, online pay statements result in immediate savings to the university by directly reducing administrative transactional operating costs, Boydstun said.

OU projects savings of $30,000 a year on the Norman campus by eliminating the costs of printing and distributing pay stubs.

The cost-cutting endeavor will not result in job losses, however.

“The employees who were involved in printing and distributing earning statements can now focus more of their energy on other projects and responsibilities, such as customer service,” said Marcy Fleming, Human Resources communications coordinator.

Electronic pay statements have been in place on the Health Sciences Center campus and the Tulsa campus since Jan. 1 and have been very successful, Boydstun said.

Boydstun said employees desiring hard copies should try printing the statement, but predicts few will do so.

“Old habits will take some time to change, but our experience during this transition on the HSC and Tulsa campuses has shown that

“Old habits will take some time to change, but our experience during this transition on the HSC and Tulsa campuses has shown that when given the option, most people won’t print a paper copy.”

MICHELLE BOYDSTUN, PAYROLL ADMINISTRATOR

when given the option, most people won’t print a paper copy,” she said.

Some employees are struggling to view their pay statements online.

“The Human Resources Web site isn’t very user friendly for figuring out how to view them,” said Britton Rife, Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative employee.

Boydstun recommends that anyone with difficulties contact the OU IT Help Desk at 405-325-HELP.

© 2009 OU PUBLICATIONS BOARD

Last year, law student Lawrence Wheeler signed a 12-month lease at Traditions Square, with the promise that his rates would not change for five years.

When he applied to renew his lease this month, Housing and Food Services told him it no longer offers the 12-month contract and he would have to sign a nine-month lease with a separate summer extension instead.

H & F Services Director David Annis said the policy change is to help preserve the quality of Traditions Square Apartments.

“We needed to find a way that gives maintenance staff enough time to get into the apartment to clean, paint and repair appliances, and by splitting the 12-month contract into two contracts, we found that we could gain access to the apartment to do necessary upkeep,” Annis said. “We don’t just want people living there for years at a time without us being able to properly maintain the quality of the residence.”

He said during the summer, residents who sign up for the extension may have to temporarily move to another unit for repairs, but can move back for the fall semester.

Annis said people who are currently on 12-month contracts will receive the 12-month rate, but will have to sign two different contracts.

T h e p o l i c y c ha n g e ha s s o m e Traditions Square residents worried higher rent is on the horizon.

Annis said the locked-in rates still will be applicable to all residents who currently live in Traditions Square.

However, the new residents for next fall, mainly current freshman moving out of the dorms, “may face a possible increase in rent pending approval from the board of regents,” he said.

Annis said if the rent increase is approved, rates would jump around 3 percent.

“The local market for a two bedroom/ two bathroom apartment has increased in price, and we want to make the repairs and may have to raise rent to remain competitive and still offer a quality place to live,” Annis said. “We can’t just let Traditions Square go without proper maintenance while we wait for someone to graduate or move out.”

Some students planning to move into the apartments in the fall are unhappy with the possibility of a rent increase.

“Traditions are already highly priced,” said Josh Majed, University College freshman. “That’s a big negative.”

He mentioned that one of the reasons he chose to live in Traditions Square was because he could pay his rent with student loans.

UOSA EXPEDITES SELECTION OF NEXT CAC CHAIRMAN Student Congress passed a bill Tuesday night that will make Kely Van Eaton the next CAC chair.

The bill already has passed the Graduate Student Senate and is expected to be signed today by UOSA President Katie Fox. Nick Bender wrote the bill, which will temporarily change the bylaws of the UOSA Code Annotated to allow the last CAC candidate to claim the win if all other opponents drop out. Since Eaton is now running unopposed he will be the winner if approved by the president.

Congress also passed a bill appointing committee chairs for five of the six committees and approved the cabinet members for the executive branch.

— Cadie Thompson/The Daily

VOL. 94, NO. 143

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

OU WEBSITES TO MERGE

Architecture

Beginning this week, OU’s new all-inclusive Web site, oZone, will inform students of their financial aid awards for the first time.

Students who are receiving financial aid or have missing financial aid data will receive an e-mail which will prompt them to log into oZone. Then, by clicking on the “money” tab, students will have access to what they have been awarded and will be able to click on what they want, and don’t want, Information Technology spokesman Nicholas Key said.

Financial aid is one of the first components ready via oZone, the largest technological project in OU’s history, which eventually will encompass all Web sites students use. More than 200 faculty and staff members from several departments are working on it.

“We’re taking 30 years worth of data and services and moving them into a new system in a short time period,” Key said. “It’s an interesting project that is going to have a lot of positive impacts.” oZone initially was created because the cost of managing individual Web sites was becoming too high.

“Specialists were moving onto new jobs and finding personnel to work on a new project became too expensive,” Key said. “To save costs and improve services and student business services, we moved forward with a student system that would integrate all the information into a single system.”

The Web site that is up right now is only a phase, Key said, and the site will be fully functional by September.

“Sep. 18-27 will be the ‘Big Bang,’” he said. “Everything business will be moved into oZone and the Web site will be up 24/7. Students will be able to access just about anything, and will already be logged into enroll, D2L and their e-mail after they log into oZone.”

Faculty also will be able to access and update student records, manage class schedules and submit grades through oZone.

After the “Big Bang,” pay.ou.edu will join the Web site, and the last phase, “The Ever Evolving Portal” will adapt to students’ needs.

“We will regularly release new oZone channels, partner with departments to enhance the personalized experience, work with students to increase our offering and measure data available to determine ways to better serve our student,” Key said.

The team is considering adding tabs for students to customize the site with their favorite channels and include personalized announcements and calendars. They have not made any concrete plans about what social or entertainment channels will “roll out” after the “Big Bang.”

Key also said they will launch a new site for downloading free music to replace the old “Ruckus” program, which closed down in February.

“OU IT is exploring replacements [to Ruckus] this semester and will promote recommended download services this fall as part of a copyright-infringement awareness campaign,” Key said.

Continues from page 1

—Ashleigh Woodall / The Daily

because that is what is important.”

Dayo Yinka, a fifth-year architecture student, said he “easily spends 70 hours or more” working on his projects every week.

“I think everyone gets tired of it at times,” Yinka said.

“But one thing I’ve always told people is that I’d rather work on a model for 10 hours than read a textbook for one.”

Yinka is currently designing a Chickasaw Cultural Center. The project requires him to design the building and parking areas which include a day-care, art gallery, medical facility and many other things.

“It is definitely frustrating at times and I just feel like, as a whole, people don’t know how much work we do,” said Nick Safley, fifth-year architecture student.

Safley said it is not uncommon to sleep three hours a night, and then go to class and work on his projects at the

architecture studio the rest of the day.

And the hefty time commitment doesn’t end with late nights and long hours.

The architecture undergraduate degree is a five-year, 160-hour program during which students take a studio class every semester where they work on projects to build their portfolios, Safley said.

After the completion of the second year, architecture students submit a portfolio with all of their work. If it does not meet the standards of the college, they are not allowed to continue in the department, Safley said.

Students who get kicked out can reapply, but their odds of getting back in are slim, Safley said.

“I just don’t see how you can improve your work that much after its already been done,” he said.

Still, the long weeks and hours working on projects do take a toll, but Safley said he does not regret his decision for a minute.

“It’s not like we’re up here suffering,” Safley said. “We’re all really close and do a lot of things up here. I’d totally do it again; it’s been a blast.”

Panel discusses prospects of peace in the Middle East Student organizations co-host Israel Week event RENEE SELANDERS The Oklahoma Daily

U.S. participation is absolutely necessary for the possibility of a viable two-state solution for repairing Israeli-Palestinian relations, a panelist told an audience of students and faculty Tuesday evening in Meacham Auditorium.

Three professors offered their perspectives and opinions at “The Chance for Peace in the Age of Obama” panel, answering a mix of pre-determined and audience-submitted questions.

OU Hillel Jewish Student Organization, Sooners for Peace in Palestine and Sooners for Israel co-hosted the panel as part of Israel Week.

Ariel Ahram, political science and international and area studies professor, and Husam Mohamad, political science professor at the University of Central Oklahoma, spoke about Middle Eastern politics. David Ray, political science professor, used his academic background on U.S. foreign policy to make connections between the Obama administration and its influence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“I think the United States needs to be very aggressive in trying to use its leverage to make a two-state solution viable and push both parties into serious negotiations,” Ray said. “I think that not only because nobody else will do it, it won’t happen on its own, but as I said earlier, I think the situation is worsening.”

The panelists spoke on a range of topics concerning the complex conflict between Israel and Palestine, including the future of Hamas in Palestinian government and the highest priority for the U.S. in the Middle East.

The final question looked for panelists’ outlooks on the possibility of hope for peace between Israel and Palestine with the Obama administration.

Mohamad said there may be peace if Palestine is granted what it has wanted for 40 years – the unlikely return of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which Israel captured in 1967. On that note, he said that peace could always be in the future.

“It’s possible,” Mohamad said. “It’s a dream. It’s good to have dreams.”

Though the other two panelists echoed Mohamad’s grim outlook, Ray stressed the importance of efforts despite the desperation of the situation.

“The reason why I think we have to try even if the prospects are bleak is because I think the situation will grow more dangerous if we don’t,” Ray said. “I think, as in so many other ways, the Obama administration raises the possibility for change, and

on that we should attach some hope.”

Zoology senior Mounes Habj-Bik attended the panel, and he said while he is hopeful for peace, he knows the issues are far more complicated than a sense of hope can repair.

“Hope is funny, because you could be hopeful for anything,” Habj-Bik said. “It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. You’re always hopeful when a new president comes in talking about change; that’s always a plus, that’s always a benefit. Now whether or not it’s going to happen, that’s a different story.”

Isaac Freeman, vice president of student programming for OU Hillel, moderated the panel for the second round of questions. He said while the panel took place during Israel Week and shifted some of the attention away from more positive aspects of Israeli culture, the discussion was successful in opening up peaceful dialogue about a sensitive subject.

“It’s impossible to talk about Israel without in some way addressing the political aspect because it is so ingrained in what Israel is,” said Freeman, international security studies sophomore.

Sooners for Peace in Palestine President Bekah Stone said that by hosting the panel with Sooners for Israel and OU Hillel, everyone achieves the same goal of informing others about the conflict.

“We might seem very different, but at the same time we all have this unifying goal of peace,” Stone said.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

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CUBAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS BEGIN TO THAW Cuban Americans can now freely travel to the island ALEX LYNN

The Oklahoma Daily

OU faculty and students are hopeful about the warming relations between the United States and Cuba.

After half a century of diplomatic impasse, the nations have begun to offer warmer words and real steps to ease the deep rooted tensions.

America imposed an economic embargo on Cuba in 1963, after it’s new communist leader, Fidel Castro, came to power and expropriated U.S. owned business on the island.

Since then, diplomatic relations have stalled with little more than antagonistic words and failed attempts to reconnect.

But now, the rhetoric has warmed, said Robin Grier, an international and area studies professor who studies development in Latin American countries.

Before a regular meeting of North and South American leaders, President Barack Obama’s administration announced it was loosening some restrictions. CubanAmericans now are allowed unlimited

travel to the island, and they can transfer money to relatives in Cuba.

Following Obama’s diplomatic moves, Raul Castro, Fidel Castro’s unofficial successor, announced his willingness to discuss “everything” with the American president in order to reach a compromise.

Many trade regulations still are in place, however, and are likely to remain for some time.

“I think the biggest implication for both the U.S. and Cuba is the prospect that the trade embargo might be dropped altogether in the future,” Grier said. “I personally don’t see this happening any time real soon, but this was definitely a move in that direction.”

Grier said U.S. businesses have pushed to lift the trade embargo for years.

“They see Canadian and European businesses making money there, and feel like they are unfairly being held back by the embargo,” Grier said.

Emilie Blanchard, Latin American studies and Spanish senior said she believes the future of U.S.-Cuba relations is now up to Cuba. She said Obama has made the first step by lifting some sanctions; it is now up to Raul Castro, who assumed leadership of the Cuban government after his brother stepped down due to illness last year.

AP PHOTO/JAVIER GALEANO

Students holding posters of Raul Castro and former President Fidel Castro chant slogans during a march to mark the 48th anniversary of the triumph of Cuban forces during the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, in Havana, Saturday, April 18. Trading their warmest words in a half-century, the United States and Cuba built momentum toward renewed ties on Friday, with President Barack Obama declaring he “seeks a new beginning,” including direct talks, with the island’s government.

TV’s former ‘Bachelor’ gives motivational speech at OU U.S. Navy physician hopes to motivate others to make a difference RICKY MARANON

The Oklahoma Daily

“The Bachelor” came to OU Tuesday night in the Scholar’s Room of the Oklahoma Memorial Union, but instead of looking for love, he offered encouragement and inspiration.

Lt. Andy Baldwin starred in the 10th season of the popular ABC reality show, but before he was “The Bachelor,” he served as a Navy physician deployed on missions around the world.

Baldwin spoke at the union to members of the Pre-Med Club about his experiences as a Navy doctor.

“It is a priceless and life-changing experience,” he said.

Baldwin grew up in Pennsylvania, and said he never dreamed he would be traveling around the world helping others.

“I was the first person to be a physician in my family,” he said. “People told me I couldn’t do it, but I said ‘just watch me.’ Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do anything.”

JAMES CORNWELL/ THE DAILY

Lt. Andrew Baldwin discusses the Navy Health Services Scholarship Program with OU’s Pre-Med Club in the Scholars Room in the Oklahoma Memorial Union Tuesday evening.

He said he worked three jobs and began saving up money for college, but received an offer from the Navy that helped him pay for college.

Baldwin said his travels have impacted his life positively.

“You’d go into a village to treat people for parasites and other sicknesses and the kids would listen to my iPod and 50 Cent, and you couldn’t help but smile,” he said.

When the Navy offered him the opportunity to retire, he turned it down because he loved his career, and wanted to do more.

He then gave the audience his personal e-mail address if they needed any advice, and also offered students a free trip to San Diego to tour the hospital where he currently is stationed.

“Anyone interested in studying medicine for the Navy can come over,” he said.

Baldwin also talked about his experiences being “The Bachelor.”

“Because of the show, I have a bigger opportunity to make a difference because I am now a public figure,” he said. “I’m working with the Surgeon General on childhood obesity, and it’s because of the fame, it’s why I have that chance and many like them.”

Students enjoyed seeing the “real” side of Baldwin.

“It was nice to see him talk about his life outside of ‘The Bachelor,’” studio art senior Mariah Johnson said. “His experiences and stories are very inspiring.”

huge graduation sale

FRIDAY MAY 1, 2009

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Open 9 am to 5 pm FOOTBALL STADIUM

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Limited quantities of all items!

Limit 2 per item per person. Quantity limited to stock on hand. Prices valid in-store only, and while supplies last. Buy one get one free items must be of equal or lesser value. Sale ends 5/1/09 at 5 pm.

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COMMENTS OF THE DAY »

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

In response to Adam Kohut’s Tuesday column about the possibility of Norman Music Festival charging for admission.

Ray Martin, opinion editor dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

YOU CAN COMMENT AT OUDAILY.COM

“The point of Norman Music Festival is to have this great, FREE, event for music fans in our demographic. The idea of selling tickets is silly. And putting it in a field? Really man?

The setting for the festival is one of the greatest things about it. I would much rather have several smaller, indoor stages that are located at

local businesses than a few big ones outdoors. This gives the festival a really great local and, I hate to say it, “indie” feel, much like SXSW. The thought of puttting it at a park is just atrocious to me.”

- DWALKER2006

OUR VIEW

staff cOLUMN

Paperless efforts should continue and expand

Column was outlandish, nonsensical

OU has made a noticeable effort to go paperless lately.

Pay stubs are all now digital, and many teacher evaluations will be done online at the end of the semester.

In the midst of a green campaign, we commend these efforts and, indeed, think they should continue unabated.

Much across campus is printed on paper and could instead by distributed online. It doesn’t stop with pay stubs and teacher evaluations.

We think professors who assign multiple essays throughout the semester, and who aren’t doing this already, should at least consider using the drop box on desire2learn.

If professors want a hardcopy of a certain essay, they can make the decision to print. Simply e-mailing essays would also work, provided professors don’t mind papers filling their inboxes.

Syllabuses also could go online. It would save thousands of sheets of paper that most students are likely to throw away before the semester ends, and are sure to once it finally does.

Most professors already put them online, in case students lose it or don’t have it with them when they need it.

They might as well take the next step, stop distribution and refer students to the class syllabus online.

With the explosion of social media like Facebook and MySpace, it’s not unrealistic to reduce the amount of recruiting material sent to prospective students via snail mail and increase the amount sent via e-mail and social networking sites.

High school students are more connected online than ever. Prospective Student Services already has made technological moves in the form of blogs and online applications. There’s no reason it can’t continue to make similar strides.

It’s obviously unrealistic to request all paper distribution on campus come to a halt.

But we think students and professors alike should simply minimize the amount they use, and make sure to throw what they do into recycling bins (which there are increasingly more of across campus) rather than trash cans.

Editor’s note: This is a counterpoint to Zac Smith’s Tuesday column. Look for further dialogue and a response from Zac on OUDaily.com.

I think we’re all used to Oklahoma Daily columnists making outlandish statements, but a Tuesday column really took it to the next level. Jesus probably never existed, the article explains, and besides, the gospel story really sucks.

The controversy!

The shock! The horror of it all! Okay, I’ll take the bait.

The column entitled, “Story of Jesus a ‘pervasive nonsensicality,” examines a version of what you might find on an KYLE evangelistic tract, and WILLIAMS shows some knowledge of biblical proof texts. It claims there is no extra-biblical evidence that Jesus ever even existed.

It says there are contradictions in the bible.

It also says the writers of the canonical gospels borrow their narratives from the stories of mystery religions.

From the outset, the column positions itself within the New Atheism movement, which is generally dismissive of religion and particularly virulent toward Christianity. Authors like Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins write about these things.

These professional atheists often show serious misunderstandings of theology and philosophy and our author is no different – except worse.

Scholars write massive tomes dedicated to understanding the issues addressed

in this column, but this column figured it all out in a few short sentences.

This is problematic.

The material available for understanding many of the mystery religions is relatively small and the relationship between those and Christianity can be quite complicated.

Some scholars believe Christianity influenced many of the mystery religions themselves. Still, our author is certain the gospel-writers stole their ideas from them.

Concerning discrepancies over certain details between the gospel texts, anyone with a cursory knowledge of New Testament scholarship is aware of such things and despite the Synoptic Problem, many of them haven’t abandoned their faith. In truth, some “contradictions” aren’t always what people claim them to be.

As far as whether Jesus of Nazareth ever existed, the scholarship really isn’t behind those who say he’s a fictional character.

Historians have been examining the evidence for a historical Jesus since the 18th century, and very few of them have concluded that Jesus never existed.

But little of this matters when a college student only aims to write for the shock value.

The column simply dismisses a 2,000-year-old religious tradition and a lot of contemporary scholarship to boot. Not bad for less than 1,000 words.

It doesn’t stop there.

The column goes on to do a literary analysis of narrowly defined Christian themes and finds the traditional story of Jesus lacking. The author is not a big fan of the moral demands of a holy God. He finds the doctrine of substitutionary atonement a rather silly concept.

He thinks Jesus’ passion wasn’t nearly enough work to be seated at the right hand of the Father.

And he even jettisons some “horrible advice” from the Sermon on the Mount.

These complaints are arbitrary. They leave readers asking a big, “So what?”

The very nature of much of Christian doctrine leaves personal feelings aside.

How a person feels about Jesus’ ethical teachings is largely irrelevant to whether or not they are true.

Since we already know our author doesn’t think Jesus even existed, we are left wondering what all the complaining is about it.

And here we get to the jest of the column.

In a clumsy sort of way, we’ve been presented with a summary of the Christian religion, from snide references to Old Testament violence and mockery of the sufferings of Christ to claims about contradictory texts and mystery cults.

The intention is to mock. There are very few arguments, and the ones that are made are cheap imitations from the latest New Atheism bestsellers.

In the end, we’re encouraged to dismiss all of this Jesus of Nazareth hooey and go read some good literature like Kurt Vonnegut and Vladimir Nabokov.

It’s playground name-calling dressed in undergraduate academic pretensions.

This kind of rhetoric is a less interesting combination of the thought of Richard Dawkins on a bad day and the rhetoric of Ann Coulter on a good one.

It lowers our public discourse to the level of talk radio shock jocks – which is to say, it’s nonsensical.

Kyle Williams is a classics and letters sophomore.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Jesus column amusing I was much amused by Tuesday’s column, “Story of Jesus a ‘pervasive nonsensicality’.” There are factual errors, such as the parallels drawn between the Christ story and the deity narratives of Osiris or Mithras. No reputable scholar, believing or skeptical, accepts that those legendary events parallel the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. To state there is no extrabiblical evidence for Christ’s existence is egregious, and completely ignores the ancient biblical writings of Tacitus, Josephus, Lucian, Mara ben Serapion, Clement of Rome, Tertullian, Dionysius of Corinth, Origen and Ignatius, to name a few. But these evidences are not even the best line of argumentation.

For Jesus’ greatest apologetic is to be made in the lives that are changed in his name. Having worked with people for several years who struggle with drug addiction and mental illness, I can attest that no single hope better brings people to a changed life than Christ. No other name has given such hope to people without any. The author of Tuesday’s column might turn to Vonnegut, Moore or Nabokov for hope and meaning in his life – a point to which I have no business taking exception. But the stark reality is, no one I work with will find salvation from their prisons of drugs and abuse in a serial comic or a fiction novel.

In the dark halls of the night, there is no “Rorschach” or “Nite Owl” to save the mentally ill from their paranoia. In the guilt of the addict who has violated probation for the fifth time and is heading back to jail, there is no Campbell there to draw strength from.

At the midnight hour, there is no inspiration from Nabokov for these folks that oftentimes have been thrown away by society. Christ works overtime though, through people like me, who find meaning in the service the body of Christ can bring to people who need hope.

- Matt Dowling, zoology Senior

Jesus story misunderstood To me, Jesus’ story is not “pervasive nonsensicality” but is one of love and forgiveness. God chose a simple story so that everyone, all over the world, would be able to understand how to be restored to Him.

Meredith Simons Nijim Dabbour Jamie Hughes Mack Burke Ray Martin Zach Butler

contact us

To some, this story of love and forgiveness may seem foolish, but for those who seek understanding, it is the very power of God for salvation.

The story of Jesus is a rather simple one: God created humans and lived in perfect fellowship with us. We messed up and broke that fellowship and are incapable of restoring ourselves to perfection on our own. God desperately wanted – and wants – to be reunited with us, so he sent Jesus to live a perfect life here on earth, to take our punishment for messing up and provide an avenue through which fellowship can be restored.

Those who do not accept the work of Jesus on the cross spend their lives (now and for eternity) out of fellowship. So why did Jesus agree to this deal? He willingly came down from heaven to the earth he created to show us a better way to live. To show us how to seek the good of others before our own, and to show us how to love each other unconditionally, even to the point of laying down one’s life for someone in need. Those teachings are not “horrible, horrible advice.” What a wonderful world it would be if we all lived like that.

Jesus did not have to do what He did, but it was the only way we could be reunited with God. And since there is no other way to restore fellowship, it is neither a shirking of responsibility nor a loophole to receive the work that Jesus did for us. Indeed, for our part, we must take responsibility for our actions and recognize that our own actions and screw-ups were why Jesus had to come to earth in the first place.

- Tim Hart, JD, CPA, Ph.D. candidate, Price College of Business

Mistakes regarding UOSA court are unacceptable The UOSA Superior Court would like to correct a few false statements made by The Daily’s editorial board in “Our View: Court ignored rules in CAC case” and by Nicholas Harrison in “Your View: Court guilty of paranoia.”

First, the court followed all rules required in the Code. The decision The Daily was advocating would have required the court to break UOSA law. Tyler Nunley was accused of violating campaign spending limits by as much as 35 percent by the

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Dane Beavers Whitney Bryen Steven Jones Luke Atkinson Judy Gibbs Robinson R.T. Conwell

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UOSA Election Board; he appealed the decision to the Superior Court and we found that the board had not proven he violated the spending caps to that extent.

All that was proven was that he violated the cap by 9 percent. UOSA law prohibits disqualifying a candidate unless that candidate overspends by at least 15 percent.

The Court was prohibited from disqualifying Mr. Nunley.

The Daily completely and irresponsibly misrepresented the Court’s decision.

The Daily claimed the Court said Nunley’s overspending was “reasonable.” Whether it was reasonable or unreasonable was not part of this Court’s analysis.

Next, The Daily stated that Nunley had not been punished for his violations. He was fined $150 and recommended to Student Affairs for possible disciplinary action. These false claims misled the public and were biased against Nunley.

Addressing Harrison’s accusations, he stated the Court seems to see itself as the protector of voter rights. That, the UOSA Constitution requires.

We must address grievances by students especially when they involve violations of the Student Bill of Rights or the UOSA Constitution.

Harrison accuses the Superior Court of “taking on a role that no court in the entire country would assume” being involved in an election. We suggest he read the opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore and see the UOSA Code for this Court’s explicit role.

Harrison then goes on to unilaterally define “undue influence.” If he, as the coauthor of the legislation, wanted that term defined, then he should have included a definition like any normal drafter of legislation. Harrison asserts that undue influence means coercion.

This is against Black’s Law Dictionary, which defines undue influence as, “unfair persuasion. . .” and explicitly states, “Today the gist of the doctrine is unfair persuasion rather than coercion.” This definition is available through basic legal research.

But, Harrison asserts the Court should look at how other courts throughout the country rule on these issues. No other court on the planet is interpreting the statute governing the CAC election. There is no precedent by any Court determining what UOSA statutes mean.

Harrison makes the courageous leap to

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call the Superior Court lazy. We work hard to reach a reasoned, educated decision, without compensation (unlike many other UOSA positions.) Van Eaton and Nunley both stand by the decisions of this Court.

Harrison has a severe bias, and The Daily was, at least, negligent. In both instances the student body has been ill-served and misinformed.

- The justices of the UOSA Superior Court

Column an absurd miss A column by Joe Hunt on Monday lambasted Oklahoma Students for a Democratic Society and claimed the petition to remove the McClendon name from the honors college is “absurd.”

While it was difficult to separate the reasons for this claim from Hunt’s personal attacks on OSDS and its members, I was able to discern that Hunt feels that suggesting McClendon’s gift be returned due to his political affiliation “is nothing less than short-sided absurdity.”

The problem: OSDS never advocated returning the money outright. The petition itself does criticize McClendon’s support of certain conservative groups, and raises questions about potential strings attached to the gift – questions that, until recently, were not answered by the administration.

It does not suggest returning the money unconditionally, but simply suggests that if the donation would give McClendon improper influence over the Honors College curriculum, OU should renegotiate or reconsider the terms of the gift.

What is absurd is Hunt’s blatant mischaracterization of the petition, Hughes and OSDS. Also absurd is the suggestion that McClendon’s successful business career and his generosity toward OU preclude criticism for his other philanthropic interests.

McClendon’s support of Focus on the Family is most troubling – the group is blatantly homophobic in its support of “traditional family values.” Last year the, Washington Post reported its misrepresentation of sociological research to support its anti-gay stance. The group also supports school-sponsored prayer and a religiously centered conception of the American state.

- Ian Wright, University College freshman

The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum and OU’s independent student voice.

The opinion page is produced by a staff of columnists and cartoonists who are independent of The Daily’s news staff.

Letters to the editor are welcomed.

Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and should be fewer than 250 words, typed and signed. Letters may be cut to fit. Students must list their major and classification. OU staff and faculty must list their title. All letters must include a daytime phone number. Submit letters to dailyopinion@ou.edu or in person Sunday through Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall.

Guest columns are encouraged. They can be submitted to the opinion editor via e-mail at dailyopinion@ou.edu.

Comments left on OUDaily.com may be reprinted on the opinion page. ’Our View’ is the opinion of majority of the members of The Oklahoma Daily’s editorial board.

Editorial Board members are The Daily’s editorial staff. The board meets Sunday through Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall.

Columnists’ and cartoonists’ work is representative of their own opinions, not those of the members of The Daily’s Editorial Board.

BASEBALL Âť

5

Steven Jones, sports editor dailysports@ou.edu • phone: 325-7630 • fax: 325-6051

ZACH BUTLER/THE DAILY

The Sooners host Kansas for three games this weekend: Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

BASEBALL

SPORTS BRIEFS

SOONERS GO INTO EXTRA INNINGS IN ARKANSAS

SENIOR GYMNAST BROOKS TO COMPETE IN MOSCOW WORLD CUP NEXT MONTH Gymnastics senior Chris Brooks was invited to compete in the Moscow Stars World Cup in May, his first international assignment as a member of the U.S. senior national team.

Brooks will compete in Moscow May 29-30, along with 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Raj Bhavsar and former world championship team members Guillermo Alvarez and David Sender. The event is part of the World Cup series, in which gymnasts earn points and prize money for individual apparatus.

Brooks earned All-American status in the all-around, floor exercise and vault at the NCAA Championships earlier this month.

OU assistant coach Rustam Sharipov CHRIS will be one of two coaches accompanying BROOKS the U.S. squad to Moscow. Sharipov won Olympic gold medals with the Unified Team in 1992 and on parallel bars for Ukraine in 1996.

Former Sooner standout Jonathan Horton, who won two medals at the 2008 Olympics, is scheduled to compete at the Japan Cup, July 18-19 in Makuhari.

Horton, Brooks and sophomore Steven Legendre all qualified to the 2009 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in August in Dallas. — Amanda Turner/The Daily

ZACH BUTLER/THE DAILY

Junior pitcher J.R. Robinson pitches against the California Bears March 9. The Sooners won the game, 9-6.

Closer Duke allows gametying home run in ninth JONO GRECO The Oklahoma Daily

Tuesday evening’s Big 12/SEC matchup between the No. 9 Sooners and No. 12 Razorbacks provided all that fans in Fayetteville, Ark., could ask for, but nine innings was not enough to decide a winner.

A two-run ninth inning homer by Arkansas sophomore center fielder Brett Eibner off OU sophomore pitcher Ryan Duke tied the game and sent the game into extra innings.

The two squads exchanged four

runs each during the first six innings, but two seventh -inning runs with the bases loaded allowed the Sooners to take the short-lived lead.

The Razorbacks got to within one in the bottom of the eighth before sophomore pitcher Tyson Seng left the bases loaded by striking out the only batter he faced.

It seemed the game was in hand for the Sooners after junior shortstop Bryant Hernandez provided some breathing room with a solo blast in the top of the ninth to give the squad a two-run lead, but Eibner’s two-run shot evened the score at seven going into the tenth inning.

OU got a good outing from junior pitcher Stephen Porlier, but he was

not credited with a decision. He went six innings while allowing four runs on five hits and struck out six.

The bulk of OU’s offensive attack came from the four-through-seven holes of the lineup. They combined to go 6-14 with six RBIs. Senior catcher J.T. Wise led that group by going 3-3 with a double while driving in three runs.

Hernandez had a solid night at the plate, too. He went 3-5 with the solo homer and was plated three times.

At press time the game was tied 7-7 in the tenth inning.

READ THE FULL STORY AT OUDAILY.COM

MEN’S GOLF IN 12TH HEADING INTO FINAL ROUND OF BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS The men’s golf team is in 12th place after 54 holes of play at the Big 12 Championships in Hutchinson, Kan. The Sooners, who were in ninth place after Monday’s first two rounds, shot a + 26 Tuesday to fall to last place. The Sooners have a team total of + 77 currently.

Four Sooners, juniors Tyler Rody and Eric Durbin, redshirt freshman Riley Pumphrey and sophomore Liam Logan, are all at + 21 heading into the final around.

The only other Sooner in competition, junior Ryan Sirman, is holding on to a share of 55th place after three rounds of 71, 81 and 81, leading to a +28.

Oklahoma State is leading the tournament by thee shots over Colorado.

Individually, Baylor’s Bill Alcorn is atop the standings with a -1 through three rounds.

The Sooners will finish off the tournament today.

Live scoring of the 18-hole final is available on www.golfstat.com.

The Sooners tee off at 9 a.m. from the 10th hole. — Daily Staff

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

SOFTBALL

SPORTS BRIEFS MEN’S BASKETBALL TO HOST ARIZONA NEXT SEASON IN BIG 12/PAC 10 SERIES

ELIZABETH NALEWAJK/THE DAILY

Senior pitcher D.J. Mathis pitches during OU's matchup against OSU April 15. The Sooners will face the Cowgirls at 7 tonight in Stillwater.

Sooners travel to Stillwater Big 12 regular season champs OU face Oklahoma State at 7 tonight AARON COLEN The Oklahoma Daily

After a huge weekend series during which the softball team swept the then-10th-ranked Missouri Tigers and climbed into the top 10 of the national rankings, the Sooners close out the regular season against Oklahoma State in a rivalry game that is sure to keep the team focused.

The No. 10 Sooners (37-13, 12-4 Big 12) will travel to Stillwater today with the Big 12 regular season title already secured. However, if the previous game in the Bedlam Series is any indication, OU still will compete with a high level

of intensity.

The last time the Sooners played the Cowgirls, OU prevailed 8-1 in Norman.

In the game, senior pitcher D.J. Mathis threw 5.1 innings, allowing one run and striking out seven batters. Junior second baseman Amber Flores had four RBIs against the Cowgirls.

KRYSTLE The game marked the beginning of HUEY the team’s current six-game winning streak, which ended a slump of inconsistent play.

The team received several individual awards this week recognizing some

of the contributors to the Sooners’ recent success. Sophomore outfielder Krystle Huey was named Big 12 player of the week.

She hit .545 in the Sooners’ three games last week, one against North Texas on Wednesday and two over the weekend against Missouri. She went 6-11 with four runs scored, including a game-winning run in the first game of the Missouri series.

Senior pitcher D.J. Mathis was named Big 12 pitcher of the week, the third time in her career she has won the honor and the first this season.

Mathis went 2-0 in the series against Missouri, pitching two complete games and recording a 2.00 ERA. She is now 15-4 this season.

The first pitch in the game against the Cowgirls is scheduled for 7 tonight in Stillwater.

STAFF COLUMN

Don’t be a once-every-four-years fan

I

’ve heard it hundreds of times: “Oh, I love to watch gymnastics!” For a few weeks every four years, Americans love to watch gymnastics during the Olympic Games.

In fact, gymnastics consistently ranks among the most popular Olympic sports.

Then, when the closing ceremonies end the Olympics, everyone forgets about gymnastics for the next 1,400 days because they don’t love to watch gymnastics. They love Olympic gymnastics. It’s back to football, baseball and basketball for Americans.

Despite gymnastics’ place as the quintessential Olympic sport, the games aren’t the only time and place to see great gymnastics, and real fans know this. World championships take place every year but the Olympic year, and in the year prior to the games, this meet serves as the qualifier for teams and individuals wishing to make the Olympics.

The U.S. national championships also take place each summer, and new junior and senior national champions are crowned for both men and women.

Similar events take place in countries around the world.

Europe hosts the European championships each year, and this event often KELSEY serves as a predictor for potential world WITTEN and Olympic champions in the coming years.

The NBC-televised American Cup airs each spring, drawing an international field of athletes who usually end up at worlds in the fall. A whole series of World Cup and other international events also take place throughout the year. And that’s just elite gymnastics.

By January, NCAA gymnastics is in full swing. And unlike elite gymnastics, college gymnasts compete nearly every weekend throughout their four-month season.

The NCAA season doesn’t overlap with the elite season of summer and fall, providing year-round opportunities for gymnastics enjoyment.

And although most female college gymnasts don’t have the pixie appeal of their Olympic counterparts, they are still scored under the ever-popular and simplistic 10.0 system, which disappeared from elite gymnastics in 2005.

Additionally, college competitions appear more often on network and cable television than international elite meets.

The NCAA championships, held each April, often provide as much drama and many of the same tricks seen at the Olympic Games.

So when people tell me they love to watch gymnastics, I can only wonder how many of these events they’ve seen or even heard about. Some of them you have to seek out live streaming video on the Internet or catch them at the

MORE SPORTS ONLINE For more sports content, go online to OUDaily.com.

obscure hours they make it on television. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

If even one-tenth of the viewers tuned into Olympic gymnastics events every four years expressed interest in the world championships, we might actually get to see it on television, and those gymnasts America loves so much at the games wouldn’t have to disappear back into obscurity for another quadrennium.

They’re always there, you’re just not watching.

Gymnastics isn’t a once-every-four-years sport. Don’t be an every-1,400-day fan.

Kelsey Witten is a journalism junior.

OU will host Arizona on Dec. 6 next season as a part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series. Last season, the Sooners hosted the University of Southern California as part of the series. OU beat the Trojans 73-72.

OU is 4-1 against Arizona all-time. This past season, Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 and finished the season at 21-14.

In the Big 12/Pac 10 series last season, the Big 12 went 10-7.

The other games that will take place during the series: Sunday, Nov. 29 Nebraska at USC Thursday, Dec. 3 Washington, at Texas Tech USC at Texas Tech USC at Texas Baylor at Arizona State Friday, Dec. 4 Colorado at Oregon State Saturday, Dec. 5 Oregon at Missouri Iowa State at California Washington State at Kansas State Sunday, Dec. 6 Kansas at UCLA Arizona at OU Wednesday, Dec. 16 Oklahoma State at Stanford Tuesday, Dec. 22 Texas A&M at Washington

SEVERAL FORMER SOONERS SIGN FREE AGENTS CONTRACTS WITH NFL TEAMS Five former OU football players were drafted in this weekend’s NFL draft, and since that time, several more have been picked up in free agency.

Center Jon Cooper signed with the Minnesota Vikings where he will join former teammate Adrian Peterson and recently drafted Phil Loadholt.

Safety Lendy Holmes signed a contract with the Redskins, where former OU receiver Malcolm Kelly was drafted last season.

Also inking a contract was guard Brandon Walker who signed with the Houston Texans.

All the players who signed contracts with teams will be able to fight for roster spots this summer.

SOFTBALL SENIORS TO BE HONORED FRIDAY The softball team’s seniors, first baseman Samantha Ricketts, pitcher D.J. Mathis and outfiedler Jeannie Douglas, will be honored at 6 p.m. Friday at the OU Softball Complex.

A fan fest also will take place where OU fans can face Sooner players in contests. Inflatable games will be available, along with free food and drinks and autographed merchandise will be given away.

SOFTBALL SIGNS JUCO ALL-AMERICAN The softball team added another player to next year’s roster as head coach Patty Gasso announced last week that Texarkana College’s Haley Nix signed a national letter of intent to play for OU. “Haley meets the needs of this team in several areas,” Gasso said. “She is a very versatile player who brings experience from the junior college level. It’ll be key having a player with two years of collegiate experience enter this program and bring in that maturity. Haley has a smooth, almost-effortless swing that generates power. She has a good arm and can play first base or outfield, and we look for her to be a big contributor immediately.”

Nix has played two years at Texarkana College and split time at first base and in the outfield.

Nix earned NJCAA third team All-American. That year, she hit .429, totaling 85 hits and scoring 52 times. She also had nine home runs and a total of 53 RBIs. During Nix’s sophomore year, which is still ongoing, she hit .508 with 90 hits, 65 RBIs, nine home runs and 53 runs scored when she was signed by the Sooners.

In high school at Daingerfield High School in Texas, Nix was selected to the All-State team in 2007 and was named to the All-District team three times.

She was named the offensive most valuable player by both the Texarcana Gazette and Longivew News Journal and was on the All-East Texas team as well.

She hit .750 her senior year with six home runs.

Nix also lettered in volleyball all four years in high school and was named to the first team in volleyball as well.

— Daily Staff

AMY FROST/ THE DAILY

Sophomore Natalie Ratcliff performs her beam routine March 6 against Texas Woman’s University and Illinois State.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Luke Atkinson, L&A editor dailyent@ou.edu • phone: 325-5189 • fax: 325-6051

7

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Check out OUDaily.com for a review of “The Soloist,” starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr.

Sushi restaurant offers interactive experience Boyd Street eatery takes advantage of technology to enhance dining

T

uesday afternoon, I had the opportunity to check out the “in the raw” on Boyd Street and University Boulevard, Norman’s newest sushi joint. The experience was not one to disappoint.

The inside has a sleek, modern feel. As I walked in, I got a sense of the length of the place and the height of the ceiling. A square sushi bar sits in the restaurants center like an island. Stairs lead up the left wall to an out-ofthe-way loft. Out the back door is a small, quiet brick patio perfect for those nice, sunny days away from the KYLE hustle and bustle of Campus WEST Corner during high noon.

But the part of the restaurant that most impressed me was how interactive and geared it is towards students, which helps it stand out among stiff competition.

Chris Le, owner of the restaurant, explained what he was trying to do with Norman’s “in the raw”.

“We’re looking to cater to students,” Le said. “We are open to suggestions and making it their place. A lot of restaurants say that, but we’re already changing things based on student feedback.”

This sort of interaction can be easily seen in

the restaurant’s iPhone app that allows people who come in with iPhones to be able to log onto “in the raw’s” Wi-Fi network and vote on the next song to be played.

“It’s interesting when younger people come in and change the music,” Le said. “It gets poppier and dancier.”

The restaurant also has a Facebook page which allows people to stay updated with what’s going on with the restaurant.

Sometimes discounts are offered through passwords sent out to members of the Facebook page.

In addition to its breakthroughs in the cyber realm that makes other restaurants look so 20th century, “in the raw” has a very customizable menu, allowing each patron to literally have sushi that has never been made before.

Le said the chef special, ranging anywhere from $10.95-$14.95 depending on the size of the roll you get, allows the customer to choose what they want on and off their sushi roll, allowing the chef to do the rest of the work.

“Just tell the chef or server what you don’t like and they make something completely new,” Le said.

Next, I got to indulge in three of the restaurant’s rolls – the Prince roll, which is the restaurant’s most popular, the Boyd Street roll, and the Nirvana roll, the latter of which is Le’s personal favorite off the menu. The Prince and Boyd Street rolls are not on the menu, but can be ordered the same way just by asking the server.

During happy hour, customers can get $3 sushi rolls that are normally priced at$10. The restaurant also offers drink specials of $4 Skyy

AMY FROST/THE DAILY

Sushi chefs Jeff Chauchaleune and Ben Fox prepare rolls at “in the raw” Tuesday afternoon. and Fusion drinks.

“We are updating our wine list and beer list to what’s been requested,” Le said.

Though “in the raw” is definitely a sushi restaurant, they also offer a wide variety of menu items that are not raw fish.

Le points to the beef filet as being ridiculously good.

“A couple used to go the Charleston’s for their steak but now they come here,” Le said.

Not only does “in the raw” have great sushi, but it is also unique in how interactive they are with students. They often host bands and

events in their effort to cater to students. “in the raw” is a great restaurant. For the price, you get tasty sushi and a great experience. If I could point to one thing that makes Norman’s “in the raw” a great restaurant, it would be its customizable nature, from the music you can vote on to play to ordering a never-before-made roll through chef ’s specials.

“We really want to involve the student body,” said Le. Kyle West is a professional writing junior.

L&A BRIEFS AUSTIN CITY LIMITS SETLIST ANNOUNCED AUSTIN, TX – The setlist for one of the nation’s biggest festivals was announced Tuesday amongst groans and praises of many fans.

The three-day-long music festival will begin Oct. 2 at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas and will run through Oct. 4.

THE BANDS • • • • • • • • •

Pearl Jam Dave Matthews Band Beastie Boys Kings of Leon Ben Harper and Relentless7 Thievery Corporation John Legend The Dead Weather The Levon Helm Band

• • • • • • • • • • •

Ghostland Observatory Sonic Youth Mos Def Toadies Flogging Molly The B-52s Lily Allen Citizen Cope Arctic Monkeys The Decemberists Coheed and Cambria

PLUG PULLED ON ‘FALLUJAH’ WAR VIDEO GAME

DARK AVENGERS #4

BATTLEFIELDS TANKIES #1

Norman Osborn is not too pleased after the Dark Avenger’s first mission and decides to make changes in his line up. This might not be such a good idea, since some very powerful and angry people might be cut from the team. Speaking of angry, the Cabal comes back for the first time after the Dark Reign and they are out for blood.

I can't believe I haven't written anything about the Dark Reign or the Dark Avengers, everything I've heard about this series is phenomenal especially when it's written by one of the hardest working men in the business, Brian Michael Bendis. Plus it comes in two incredible covers. Just look at this one; it's just begging to be framed.

In Garth Ennis’ third outing in the Battlefield series with artist Carlos Ezquerra, he switches from World War II planes to tanks.

He tells the story of a British tank crew that is stuck behind enemy lines, struggling to rejoin their squad. To add to their problems, they can't stand their commanding officer, Corporal Stiles.

As usual, expect Ennis to inject his own twisted brand of humor into this story, but like all his Battlefield stories, he is able to write a good, almost tear-jerking story about men bonding under the extreme pressure of war.

Osizimete Aken’ova is a film and video studies junior.

NEW YORK — The publisher behind a video game based on one of the Iraq war’s fiercest battles has pulled the plug on the title, called “Six Days in Fallujah.”

A spokeswoman for Japanese game company Konami Corp. confirmed Tuesday the company is no longer publishing the game, which was set to go on sale early next year.

The game, which was still in development, sought to re-create the November 2004 Fallujah battle from the perspective of a U.S. Marine fighting against insurgents. Fallujah had been an insurgent holdout until U.S. forces stormed it in one of the war’s most intense ground battles.

“Six Days” was developed by another company, Atomic Games, with input from more than three dozen Marines. Before deciding not to publish the game, Konami had advertised it as a realistic shooting game “unlike any other,” combining “authentic weaponry, missions and combat set against the gripping story of the U.S. Marines on the ground.”

The game was criticized by some veterans, victims’ families and others who called it inappropriate.

AP

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MetroShoe Warehouse now hiring energetic persons for FT/PT sales and mgmt trainees. Hrly + comm. Apply at 1732 24th Ave NW, Norman.

J Housing Rentals J Housing Rentals J Housing Rentals J Housing Rentals APTS. UNFURNISHED

APTS. UNFURNISHED

APTS. UNFURNISHED

1 BLK FROM OU, very nice 4 room apt, 800 sf, wood floors, 1016 S College, Apt 1, $295/mo. Call 360-2873 or 306-1970.

Short walk to OU, 4-6 blks west of OU, nice brick homes, wood floors, CH/A, w/d, disposal, good parking.

4 Bdrm $1,600 3 Bdrm $1,500 Bob, MISTER ROBERT FURNITURE Mon-Sat, 321-1818

NEAR OU, 1415 McKinley - 2 bd, 1 ba, garage, W/D, stove, ref, CH/A, $675.

911 Nebraska - 2 bd, CH/A, W/D, ref, garage, stove, $650 NEAR OU, 717 Wilson - 2 bd, 1 ba, carport, CH/A, $675

Available 4/18

SHORT WALK TO OU 1-5 blks west, nice brick homes, wood floors, CH/A, w/d, disposal, good parking.

4 Bdrm $1,800-$2,000 3 Bdrm $750-$1,500 2 Bdrm $600-$800 1 Bdrm $420-$460 Bob, MISTER ROBERT FURNITURE Mon-Sat, 321-1818

Post Oak Apartments 1-2 bed apts available! Newly renovated. Visit postoakliving.com - 364-3039, 705 Ridgecrest Ct. FREE RENT or up to $300 off First Mo! Student and Military Discounts Models open 8:30-5:30 M-F; 10-4 Sat 1-2 bedroom apts/townhomes with washer/dryer hookups in 2 bedrooms.

Pets Welcome! Free Tanning! Immediate Move-in!

Two locations: Apple Creek and Hillcrest Estates Call us at 329-2438 or 360-2048 or look us up online, apartmentguide. com 3 bd $820/mo. & 4 bd $870/mo. Less than 1 mile from OU, CART, w/d, pool, 24hr maintenance. www.oig.biz or call 364-5622

CONDOS FURNISHED 4 Bed/4 Bath Condo for Rent Norman - The Edge Less than 1 mile from Campus. Furnished Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, W/D, Hi-speed internet. $350/Mo + utilities - pdawson. pd@verizon.net

1700 Jackson Dr. 3/2/2 $950 Available 6/1 1413 Peter Pan 3/1.5/2 $950 140 Alameda Plaza 3/2/2 $1000 321 Waterfront 4/2/2 $1260 Contact Wendy at KW, 473-6832

NO PETS, References Required.

Contact: 329-1933 or 550-7069

TOWNHOUSES UNFURNISHED Griffin Park Townhouse, 2 bd, 1.5 bth, combined living & dining room, all appl, unfurn, neutral colors, 329-2310.

Taylor Ridge Townhomes 2 Bdrm, 2.5 Bath, Fully Renovated Townhomes near OU! Pets Welcome! • Call for current rates and Move-in Specials!!!

Taylor Ridge Townhomes (405) 310-6599

oudaily.com

805C Cardinal Creek Condo’s, 2 bdrm, 2 bth gated community, pool, weight room, on-site washer/dryer, close to campus, nice enviroment to study, overlooks OU golf course $585/mo. Call (580) 7634278 JUNE RENTAL 850 S Flood - $475+bills. 212 S Flood - $600+bills. Smoke-free, no pets, 1 year lease, security dep. 360-3850 405 E Acres, 3 bd, 1 bth, fenced back yard, hardwood floors. $600/month.

714-726-1204 Summer Special! NICE 3-4 bd, 2.25 ba.

929 Branchwood, $700. 1621 Chaucer, $800. 2326 Lindenwood, $1000. Call 3602873 or 306-1970

HOUSES UNFURNISHED 4 bdrm, 4 bath, 2 living, 2 dining, most bills paid. Call 329-2310.

3/4 bed, 2 ba, W/D, yard maintained. Adjacent to S Greek area. $1000/mo.

918-271-3336

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Downtown OKC law firm seeks F/T paralegal with great communication/writing skills. Need a self-starter. Email/fax resume to haley@cunninghamandmears. com, or call 232-1675 P/T office assistant/receptionist for OKC advertising agency. Answering phones, filing, errands, etc. Email resume to ideas@insightokc.com - $8/hr, 20 hrs per week.

Looking for a Great Job? Sitel in Norman is Now Hiring!

Inbound Customer Service Agents * Great Bonus Opportunity * Advancement Opportunities * Paid Training High School Diploma or GED req.

Apply today at www.sitel.com or at 2701 Technology Place, Norman

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Previous Solution 5 9 6 1 7 4 3 8 2

2 8 7 5 6 3 9 1 4

4 3 1 9 2 8 7 6 5

6 5 2 3 1 7 8 4 9

8 1 9 2 4 6 5 7 3

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1 2 8 7 3 5 4 9 6

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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.

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

Fantasy Sports Company seeks talented, aggressive people to promote products this summer. Earn generous commissions while having fun! 423-667-5718 or bruce@paythefan.com

Universal Crossword Bartending! Up to $250/day. No exp nec.

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

Edited by Timothy E. Parker April 29, 2009

SUMMER LIFEGUARDS & SWIM INSTRUCTORS. Aquatic staff and competitive swimmers.

Apply at the Cleveland County Family YMCA, 1350 Lexington Ave. EOE.

HIGHLIGHTING OR COLOR

WITH HAIRCUT • $49.99 WEAVE OR FOIL ADD $10.00

Make up to $75 per online survey, student opinions needed www.cashtospend.com.

Attention College Graduates!

If you are looking for a career in the Criminal Justice Field, please call Avalon Correctional Services, Inc. 405-752-8802 or 800-919-9113 Ask for Human Resources!

J Housing Rentals

HAIRCUT • $10.99 Non-Requested Stylist Only

Open 7 Days A Week!

The Works $15.99 Shampoo/ Cut/Blowdry

116 S. Main, Noble 127 N. Porter 872-1661 360-4247

Must present this coupon

129 N.W. Ave. 1215 W. Lindsey 360-4422 364-1325

AVAILABLE IN AUG

APTS. FURNISHED Room for rent $314/month.

Most bills paid, fully furnished.

Call 321-8877 Furnished 1 bdrm studio, utilities pd, corner of Flood & Boyd, bills paid, 329-2310. $400, bills paid, efficiency LOFT apartments, downtown over Mister Robert Furniture, 109 E Main, fire sprinkler, no pets, smoke-free. Inquire store office.

APTS. UNFURNISHED Summer Special! 1 BLK FROM OU, very nice 4 room apt, 800 sf, wood floors, 1018 S College, Apt 8, $295/mo. Call 360-2873 or 306-1970.

Save a Life.

ACROSS 1 Sepulchral structures 6 Take a siesta 10 Did a number 14 Parting of the Seine?

15 EASY-OFF target 16 “A Death in the Family” author 17 Monopoly battleship, e.g.

18 Great excuse for a party 20 “___ he drove out of sight …”

21 Be cheap 23 Crossed one’s i’s and dotted one’s t’s?

24 A device for finding furniture in the dark?

25 Makes lovable 27 Mirror 31 Making eyes at 32 Falsify, as prices 33 Put to the test 36 Crinkled cotton fabric 37 It shoots the breeze 38 In a foul mood 40 It may be tapped 41 Jackie’s second 42 Golf great Arnold 43 Site for a

state slogan, perhaps 46 Books that may display where and tear?

49 Four-string guitars, for short 50 Formulaic 51 Crossed one’s fingers 53 GPs 56 Yellow flower 58 Net letter 60 Analgesic’s target 61 Tree bump 62 Do the honors on Thanksgiving 63 Tops or props 64 ___-bitsy 65 Work, as dough DOWN 1 Where to see Warhol in London 2 Taste stimulus 3 Hammer found in whodunits 4 “Akeelah and the ___” 5 Tanning agent 6 Giving two tablets, say 7 Avis, formerly?

8 Dirigible 9 180 deg. from WSW 10 Buffalo skaters 11 “Phobia” start 12 Of a more

recent vintage 13 Does a stableman’s job 19 Warren Beatty flick 22 Card in a royal flush 24 Hop, ___ and jump 26 Faultfinder 27 It may be picked 28 Storybook monster 29 Cassini of fashion 30 Type of alcohol 33 Plebe’s sch.

34 Annotation in proofreading 35 Bronte governess 37 Like some flowers 38 CD player precursor 39 Builder’s add-ons 41 Another card

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in a royal flush Certain lap dog, for short Some coffeehouse orders “That makes sense” Furnish When to look at curves?

Hatchetburying event Supple Possessive pronoun She ain’t what she used to be Female opera star Bob in the Olympics?

Box score stat Sphinx riddle answer

9

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

FLAMING LIPS TUNE NAMED STATE ROCK SONG TIM TALLEY Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — Michael Ivins left his hammer-and-sickle T-shirt at home and Wayne Coyne didn’t drop the “f ’’ bomb, but The Flaming Lips band members still managed to reflect their nonconforming style Tuesday as their song “Do YouRealize??� was proclaimed

the official rock song of Oklahoma.

Gov. Brad Henry signed an executive order flanked by all four band members in front of about 300 cheering fans at a ceremony that almost didn’t happen after conservative Republicans in the Oklahoma House blocked a resolution to honor the song because two House members objected to band members’ clothing and language. “What a cool effort for a cool

state,� Henry said as he prepared to sign the order. “Their music is original, it’s daring, it’s eclectic and it’s fun.�

Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, sponsor of the unsuccessful resolution, said honoring The Flaming Lips and their song will shine a spotlight on a part of the state that is rarely seen — the contribution to rock music by the group and other Oklahomans like Wanda Jackson,

CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN/AP

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry, left, and Flaming Lips singer Wayne Coyne pose for a photo after Henry signed a proclamation making the Flaming Lips song ‘ Do You Realize??’ Oklahoma’s official rock and roll song at the Oklahoma History Center, Tuesday April 28, 2009, in Oklahoma City.

Leon Russell, J.J. Cale and Hoyt Axton. “We hear a lot about country music, but we don’t hear a lot about the roots o f O k l a h o m a ro c k ,� D o r m a n s a i d .

Coyne said the Oklahoma City-based group was honored to have its song named the state rock song “despite the silliness that happened at the end of last week.� “We always felt people alw a y s b e l i e v e d i n u s,� C o y n e s a i d . “We really do believe in all of you.�

Coyne also had kind words for Henry, who signed the executive order to honor the results of an online survey in which more than half the voters picked “Do You Realize??� to be the state’s official rock song. “This is a class thing you’re doing h e r e ,� C o y n e t o l d t h e g o v e r n o r.

Jill Simpson, director of the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, described Henry as “a governor who has now raised the cool factor for the state of Oklahoma.�

Almost 11,000 people picked “Do You Realize??� as their choice for the official state song in a survey last year in which more than 21,000 people voted from a list of 10 songs selected by a panel of experts.

The Senate voted 46-0 last month for a resolution making it the official state rock song, but the House voted 48-39 on Thursday when it takes at least 51 votes to pass a measure in the 101-member chamber.

The House vote occurred after one lawmaker complained that Ivins wore a T-shirt bearing a hammer and sickle, a symbol of communism, when the band was introduced in the House earlier this year. Another said he was offended by Coyne’s foul language when the band was feted at an event last year that was sponsored by city officials.

Dealerships brace for loss of Pontiac GM’s plans to cut the 83-year-old brand no later than next year. The automaker is trying to stay alive in the worst auto sales climate in 27 years.

Oklahoma’s Pontiac dealerships also sells other cars, and this could help blunt the impact of eliminating the Pontiac line. However, another major concern is the automaker’s plans to reduce its dealership ranks by 42 percent from 2008 to 2010.

GM accounts for 108 of Oklahoma’s 300 new-car dealerships, each one supporting 30 to 70 employees or more. Other automakers, including Ford and Chrysler, also are talking about closing dealerships.

“I think it’s going to have its biggest impact in the rural communities,� said analyst James Kenderdine. “It will affect big cities, where you will have people lose jobs, but the hit on ad valorem taxes and the hit on the kind of contributions to the community they make will be much greater in the smaller communities. “You take a car dealership out of Purcell, even a town as big as Pauls Valley, and you’re going to feel it almost immediately,� said Kenderdine, professor emeritus of marketing and supply chain management with the University of Oklahoma Price College of Business.

AMENITIES SUBJECT TO CHANGE | SEE OFFICE FOR DETAILS

OKL AHOMA CIT Y — Plans by General Motors to eliminate Pontiac from its line of cars would have a direct impact on more than 50 dealerships across the state that sell the storied brand.

Jerry Ferguson, whose family has ridden Pontiac automobiles to business success, is concerned. “I just got the news a few hours ago,�

Ferguson said Monday. “Of course there’s been a lot of speculation. I’ve been hearing rumors. But still ... .�

B r o k e n A r r o w ’s F e r g u s o n Superstore and Norman’s Ferguson Pontiac Buick GMC are among the dealers in line to feel the effects of

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10

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Swine flu fear is catching fast in weak world economy ADAM GELLER

Associated Press

NEW YORK — The swine flu outbreak is unleashing a side effect the global economy is in no condition to handle: fear.

Travelers are canceling or delaying trips to Mexico, and on Tuesday Cuba became the first nation to ban all flights to its neighbor. China, Russia and South Korea have banned imports of some North American pork, despite assurances that the flu is not spread through meat.

Investors just starting to regain their nerve have again caught the jitters.

The threat of a pandemic comes just as the world economy is showing the barest glimmerings of what analysts say might be the light at the end of what remains a long, dark tunnel.

And now this.

“This is just another negative shock when the economy can least afford another negative shock,” said Jay Bryson, global economist at Wachovia Corp.

So far, fear of the flu is at least as responsible for the economic disruption as the disease itself. The number of confirmed cases in the United States climbed to 68, and federal officials warned that deaths were likely. In

NEWS BRIEFS OBAMA ORDERS REVIEW OF FLYOVER WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has ordered an internal review to determine how the decision was made to send one of his official airplanes on a low-flying photo op past the New York City skyline.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday that Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina will lead the review. Gibbs said the point is to determine “why that decision was made and to ensure that it never happens again.”

Gibbs said Obama was “furious” when he heard about the incident. Obama has called it a mistake.

PAKISTANI JETS POUND MILITANTS ISLAMABAD — Pakistani jets and attack helicopters struck Taliban positions in mountains close to the capital Tuesday as part of a widening offensive against militants spreading out from the lawless region along the border with Afghanistan, the military said.

With residents reporting ground troops also moving into the Buner area, the operation could allay worry in the U.S. and other Western nations that nuclear-armed Pakistan lacks the will to fight extremists in the northwest, where al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is thought to be hiding.

AP PHOTO/MARK LENNIHAN

Sano Shinsuke wears a mask to protect him from swine flu as he walks through Times Square after arriving on a flight from Japan Tuesday in New York.

COSTS SOAR FOR IRAQI MILITARY TRAINING

New York, the city’s health commissioner said “many hundreds” of schoolchildren were ill at a school where some students had confirmed cases.

President Barack Obama asked Congress for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to fight the disease.

Economists remember well the financial damage

BAGHDAD — Iraq is falling fall far behind schedule in creating a system to maintain its own military equipment, costing American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars to fill in the gaps, according to a new U.S. audit.

The U.S. has spent billions of dollars to develop Iraq’s security forces with an emphasis in recent years on developing Iraq’s maintenance and supply capabilities — seen as essential for the country to maintain a self-sufficient force after the lifeline from Washington is trimmed back.

the SARS outbreak inflicted in 2003. An epidemic of that scale or greater could inflict severe damage on a global economy already badly listing.

“On top of a synchronized global financial and economic crisis, an outbreak of swine fever is the last thing we need just now,” Neil MacKinnon,

chief economist at The ECU Group PLC, based in London, wrote this week.

There already are early signs that swine flu fear is taking an economic toll. In Mexico City, canceled events and closed movie theaters, night clubs, museums and other establishments are costing at least $57 million a day.

—AP

DID YOU KNOW? 59 Collegiate Awards OU Student Media is among the nation’s best.

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Sooner 2008/Crimson Traditions 2007 and OUDaily.com

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Pacemaker finalist OUDaily.com and Sooner 2008/ Crimson Traditions 2007

Honor Roll Yearbook Adviser Lori Brooks, associate director

Designer of the Year John Salvie, Advertising design manager

Admiral William J. Crowe Award

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Best in Show Best of Collegiate Design SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards Hearst Awards CNBAM Award Gold Circles

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