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Issue 24, Volume 77

HONORS COLLEGE

Speaker tells crowd to shoot for the stars Astronaut’s lecture describes how position earned at NASA was attained through perseverance Love Patel

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Astronaut Bernard A. Harris earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from UH in 1978. | Paul Crespo/The Daily Cougar

The first African-American to walk in space said that only through unwavering persistence was he able to accomplish his goal of becoming an astronaut in his “Infinite Possibilities” lecture Thursday at the M.D. Anderson Library. Bernard A. Harris Jr., a UH alumnus, spoke to approximately 150 students, faculty and guests about his career as an astronaut and the years that followed in promotion of his book “Dream Walker: A Journey of Achievement and Inspiration,” in the

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event hosted by the Honors College. “It’s not just a straight path to outer space, there are a lot of peaks and valleys... a lot of challenges,” Harris said. “It doesn’t matter how you persevere through those challenges, but how you use them as stepping stones to reach higher.” Harris was rejected after applying to the astronaut corps in 1987. “I could’ve stopped there, but I figured out this is what I really wanted,” he said. Three years later he was one of 23 people to be selected out of the 6,000 that applied to join NASA’s 13th class of astronauts. After two missions and 18 days in space, Harris decided to take on a new mission. He stressed the importance of investing in young people and making sure they are educated in math and science. He established the Harris Foundation in 1998,

a non-profit organization that supports math and science education and crime prevention programs for America’s youth. Exxon Mobil Corp. sponsors the Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp held across 25 colleges and universities including UH. The camp is free and provides an opportunity for middle school students to boost their knowledge in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “I tell my story to them because I want to show them and teach them and demonstrate to them that it doesn’t matter how you start life; it doesn’t matter what adversities or challenges that you deal with, it is how you deal with them and how you use them as stepping stones, as hurdles to reach higher and higher,” Harris said. ASTRONAUT continues on page 2

CAMPUS

Meeting focuses on consumer law rights Deisy Enriquez

THE DAILY COUGAR The People’s Law School, hosted by the UH Center for Consumer Law, held one of its biannual sessions on Saturday, drawing in over 500 people eager to learn about different laws regarding everything from bankruptcy to health insurance to immigration. Associate Dean of the Law Center Richard Alderman started The People’s Law School over 25 years ago to educate people about the laws and their rights. Since then, over 50,000 people have attended the classes. “I didn’t think that law was just for lawyers,” said Alderman. “I thought it was really important that people be able to help themselves.” Alderman, who began teaching consumer law at UH in 1973, realized that many people had misconceptions about the law, and as a result were either being taken advantage of, or assuming they were entitled to something when they really weren’t. In order to clear up common misunderstandings of the law and reach out to the public, Alderman started a newspaper column called “Know Your Rights” in 1979, which is the same name he has continued

to use for books and television appearances since. “This is something that once you know your rights, from that point on you can protect yourself,” Alderman said. “Whether it’s dealing with a bank, a landlord, car dealer, or even neighbors — if you don’t know your rights, you screw up.” There are fourteen available classes, free to anyone who registers online, that are taught by lawyers, judges, and law professors who volunteer for the event. Representatives from the Houston Bar Association and Texas Consumer Complaint Center were also available to provide information and answer questions for attendants. “To be honest, it’s all about money. This is not an academic endeavor,” Alderman said. “This is all about making sure that when you are in the marketplace ... you get what you’re entitled to.” Since the recession in 2008, interest in financial classes such as credit and debt collection, bankruptcy, and employment has increased because people have lost jobs and taken on large amounts of debt that they were unable to pay. People from all classes and socioeconomic levels are facing the same struggles. LAW continues on page 2

Students surrounded and cheered for contestants as they stuffed their faces during the tamale eating contest. The event also featured a mariachi band, a buffet of traditional Latin cuisine and a piñata. | Johnny Peña/The Daily Cougar

Cougars celebrate Hispanic heritage Julian Jimenez

THE DAILY COUGAR Students crowded the UC Arbor for food, music and games Thursday as part of the 4th annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. The event was created as a joint effort between the fraternity Lambda Theta Phi and the sorority Lambda Theta Alpha, with additional funding provided by the Activities Funding Board. Abigail Guevara, a communications junior and the president of Lambda Theta Alpha, said that the

celebration was an important way to promote Latin cultural awareness. “(It’s) a way of empowering not only Latinos but everyone in the community,” Guevara said. “Our event focuses on our heritage so we understand more about our traditions, and as Latinos we can be proud to know that there’s so much rich history for us to learn about.” Ezekiel Escareno, a construction management senior, helped organize the event as a member of Lambda Theta Phi. He explained the efforts of everyone involved was a result of a passion for their culture.

“We all got together to show diversity,” Escareno said. “This is our way to celebrate Hispanic heritage.” Construction management junior Santos Tovar serves as president of Lambda Theta Phi. He said the celebration is one of the largest annual events for the two organizations, and that it teaches visitors a great deal about his heritage. “We’re celebrating Hispanic culture and the Latino background that describes where they come from,” Tovar said. “We have tons of cultural HERITAGE continues on page 2

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ASTRONAUT continued from page 1

UH played a major role in Harris’ background. He graduated with a bachelor of science in Biology and later a master’s in business administration. His time at UH helped him establish a path towards earning a medical degree from Texas Tech University. “I look at this University as my launching pad for space and certainly for life,” Harris said. Harris contemplated becoming

continued from page 1

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HERITAGE food like empanadas and tamales, and we even brought in a piñata too. We made them all for this event.” Students who visited the festivities were treated to a live mariachi band and had an opportunity to participate in events such as a tamale-eating contest and a piñata. Others lined up to taste smorgasbord of Latin cuisine, which included dishes such as pupusas, pan dulce and charamuscas. Computer science senior Josh Riffel said that he enjoyed tasting the numerous cultural dishes. “This horchata is pretty cool,” Riffel said. “I haven’t tried it before.”

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“The whole economy has been hurt by the bankruptcy stuff. People are out on the streets and it’s just a sad situation,” said Lillian Jollifee, who attended The People’s Law School. “Because of the change in the laws, I want to protect not only myself as a consumer, but also my family. Something like this (event) is a great opportunity to pick up a little information to help you later if you face some of

an astronaut as a child living in a Navajo reservation in the northern part of New Mexico and Arizona. “I watched the sun go down at night, the stars appear in the heavens and wondered what it would be like to travel among those stars,” said Harris. Being in outer space completely changed Harris’ perspective of life on Earth. “It makes you colorblind,” said Harris. “I’m an earthling — from Texas.” news@thedailycougar.com

Sarai Hernandez, a UScholar student, said she enjoyed everything the event had to offer, and that it provided an excellent introduction to Latino culture. “They have tamales and Mexican drinks and a mariachi band — everything that really represents Hispanic heritage,” Hernandez said. “I didn’t know so many organizations were dedicated to Hispanics.” Clarita Montant, an international student with the Language and Culture Center program, valued the perspective the event offered visitors. “I like it. It’s interesting, and you can get an overview of different cultures,” Montant said. news@thedailycougar.com

these problems.” Alderman has taken The People’s Law School to other cities around Texas such as San Antonio, Amarillo, and Laredo. “What we try do with other cities is get groups that want to take over and do this,” said Alderman. “I also work with other schools and states to see they will do People’s Law Schools of their own because law becomes more and more complex, lawyers get expensive, and people just have to (be able to) do more for themselves.” news@thedailycougar.com

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://thedailycougar.com. The University seeks to provide equal educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status, or sexual orientation. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. the first copy of the Cougar is free; each additional copy is 25 cents. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. NEWS TIPS Send news tips and story ideas to the News Desk. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@ thedailycougar.com or fax (713) 743-5384. A “Submit news item” form is also available online at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the written consent of the director of the Student Publications Department.

Monday, October 3, 2011 ■ 3

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EDITOR Mary Baak E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts

FINE ARTS

Theatre season opener heats up stage

Tracie Thomason, Matt Severyn and Laurel Schroeder take the stage as residents of the condemned Hotel Baltimore in opening weekend of “Hot L Baltimore.” The play will run Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. | Emily Chambers/The Daily Cougar

Alex Pechacek

THE DAILY COUGAR The 2011-2012 School of Theatre and Dance production season began with its opener “Hot

L Baltimore” over the weekend. Directed by Leslie Swackhamer and written by the revered Lanford Wilson, the play revealed itself to be a zeitgeist of the early 1970s, revisiting the decade’s entrancing spirit.

The opening scene is led by the folk song “City of New Orleans,” which inspired Wilson to write the play. The song’s hazy tune and reverberating vocals set the scene for the dilapidated Hotel Baltimore. The residents of Hotel Baltimore

include the elderly and prostitutes who habitually wander into the lobby, discussing whatever happens to be on their mind and often feed off each other’s foibles. When word gets out that the hotel is set to go under, residents are outraged and burst into fits of emotional panic. The play is set entirely in the hotel’s rustic lobby, and is illuminated by a yellow glow. Characters funnel in and out, many throwing tantrums in bipolar bouts and returning affably. After long, the stagnancy of the lobby along with the wacky dialogue makes for a long and foggy trip. The character wardrobe consists of bell-bottoms, big collars and plaid patterns. Jackie, an annoying loud-mouth played by junior Sarah Cortez, tells her dreams of becoming a farmer with lines like, “Lettuce has opium in it if you know how to get it out,” and expounds on her scientific knowledge. Wilson’s play hones long, complex dialogue with overlapping conversations that are disorienting at times. Tim Sailer, a first-year MFA student, plays the role of Bill Lewis, a level-headed hotel employee acting as a voice of reason throughout the onslaught of

residential complaints and distress. Occupant antics set him off at times, causing him to stare then explode with frustration. Zoquera Milburn takes on the role of a young prostitute with a sweet, bubbly personality, entertaining the crowd with her fascination with trains and dreams of being in contact with a supernatural world. Her interaction with other lobby-dwellers conjures some of the more passionate insights within the play. She harnesses hope as she yearns for a modernday miracle. Her interest in meaningful faceto-face conversation exposes other bitter characters pummeled with troubles and sorrows, not so much looking for redemption but mirroring their own depression. The final act opens as light fades and re-emerges with a blue haze. Cold psychedelic rock music gives off a murky atmosphere that sticks around until the play’s hysterical end. The 15-member cast behind “Hot L Baltimore” put on a strong performance in all, successfully opening the season and leading the way for other productions. arts@thedailycougar.com

MOORES

Review: Orchestra, choir performance strikes a chord Terence Yung

THE DAILY COUGAR Student ensembles brought nothing less than music to the ears with their performance this weekend at the Moores Opera House. The concert, which featured the collaborative work of the combined choirs — Concert Chorale, Concert Women’s Chorus, University Men’s Chorus and the University Women’s Chorus — and the Moores School Symphony Orchestra explored a number of genres in the musical repertory. The first thing that the audience noticed is that the orchestra is

noticeably beefier — both visually and aurally. “The string section is the largest that we’ve ever had,” said Franz Anton Krager, director of the Moores School Symphony Orchestra. “It’s wonderful for everyone involved.” The choice of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Russian Easter Festival Overture,” demonstrated the lushness of the string section. The piece is special for being constructed from liturgical material of the Orthodox Church and is counted among Rimsky-Korsakov’s more popular works, along with “Scheherazade” and the “Capriccio Espagnol.” In the “Concerto for Tuba and

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Orchestra” by Roland Szentpali, tuba soloist Derek Fenstermacher performed to general acclaim. “Derek is the winner of our Concerto Competition, which is a major feat in and of itself,” said Krager. “What makes it more incredible is that he won it with the tuba.” Pierre-Alain Chevalier directed the following number, Ravel’s “Alborada del Gracioso.” Chevalier is a doctoral candidate at the Moores School of Music coming from the Hart School of Music in Connecticut. In the grand finale, Krager returned to the stage to direct Francis Poulenc’s “Gloria.” Poulenc was

part of a group of composers called “Les Six,” a term coined by Henri Collet. The group responded to and sometimes against the impressionist movement and romanticism in many ways, sometimes incorporating their stylistic characteristics, other times mocking them and rejecting them altogether. The choice of “Gloria” is what brought together the combined choirs and the symphony orchestra. “With the choirs, I never have to worry about fundamentals,” Krager said. “I could tell in the first 10 seconds that it was going to be wonderful.” Poulenc’s “Gloria” is a

challenging work, involving many innovative compositional techniques such as planing, chromaticism and often un-speechlike accentuations that generate a sort of odd humor. Juxtaposition accurately describes the performance of “Gloria” because of its contrast of angular lines with flourishing melodies. This emphasis on contrast demands flexibility, interplay and balance between the orchestra, choir and soprano soloist Cynthia Clayton — all of whom rose to the occasion. arts@thedailycougar.com

RECIPE O’ THE WEEK Mediterranean Macaroni & Cheese

The happiness you’re seeking can be found within.

ONLINE EXTRA

See what’s cooking in Shasta’s Kitchen thedailycougar.com/tags/kitchen

Macaroni and cheese has to be one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. When you combine classic flavors from the Mediterranean with the rich creamy textures of this dish, it brings this traditional dish to a whole new level and depth. Whether it is in the middle of a hot Texas summer or a chilly fall afternoon, there is never a time when a plate of mac & cheese is not appreciated.

Ingredients: J 2 lb macaroni pasta, uncooked J ½ lb white cheddar, shredded, divided J 2 cups feta cheese J 1 lb of grape tomatoes, quartered and broiled J 1 bunch of fresh basil, thinly sliced J ½ gal Whole milk J ½ lb unsalted butter J ½ lb all purpose flour J 1 White Onion, diced J 2 cloves of Garlic, minced J 1 cup Panko bread crumbs J Salt to taste J 2 Tbsp Olive oil

Instuctions: J 1. Cook macaroni pasta and toss with oil, then chill in the refrigerator in a baking dish. J 2. In a deep sauce pan, melt butter on medium heat, then add the onions and garlic to sweat for four minutes on low heat. J 3. Stir in flour until well incorporated and continue to stir for another five minutes. J 4. Quickly add in the milk and continue to stir until it reaches the consistency where it covers the back of a spoon. J 5. Whisk in the cheddar and continue to stir until fully melted; taste and add salt if needed. J 6. Add cheese sauce to pasta with the tomatoes, feta, olives and basil, then top with bread crumbs. J 7. Broil in the oven until the bread crumbs have toasted, then serve.

Additional thoughts: J When toasting the bread crumbs be sure to set the broiler on low and keep a close eye on it so it won’t burn. J To get some extra basil flavor, throw some into the boiling water as the pasta cooks to infuse the pasta with the basil oils.

Recipe and photo by Jorge Porras

4 ■ Monday, October 3, 2011

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OPINION THE DAILY COUGAR EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS SPORTS EDITOR LIFE & ARTS EDITOR OPINION EDITOR CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Jack Wehman John Brannen Taylor McGilvray, Julian Jimenez Joshua Siegel Mary Baak Daniel Renfrow Natasha Faircloth

STAFF EDITORIAL

Wall Street protestors speak for Coogs

or the past few weeks, protesters have been gathering in larger and larger numbers along the sidewalks of Wall Street. It’s about time. For far too long, Americans have been sitting on the sidelines just waiting and hoping for things to get better. Citizens sat on their couches, tightening their fists in anger as they watched the news reports about the tanking economy, the rising unemployment, and the greed and corruption in Wall Street that drove us into this situation and walked off, scot-free, avoiding any of the ramifications of their decisions. There’s no way the country should let them get away with it. To date, over 700 peaceful protesters have been arrested for making a stand against economic corruption. But their point has been made, and as the protesters gather support, people across the country are banding together to send politicians and the wealthy who pay for their policies one message: we won’t tolerate it any longer. The sentiment has sparked solidarity protests in major cities everywhere in the US, with Chicago, Los Angeles and even Houston joining in. These efforts show that Americans are still willing to take a stand for their beliefs, and that the vast majority of Americans are tired of the blatant robbery and inequalities that the wealthiest individuals of the US have left behind for us to suffer. It’s tough to believe that the nation still operates as a democracy when the laws and policies that our politicians have instated done nothing to help its citizens, and do everything to benefit the corporations. When elections no longer serve the people, the only way we can ensure our voices are heard is through protest. As Thomas Jefferson said, “the issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” The country has shifted in a direction that undermines the principles on which it was built upon, and it needs to be brought back. The Occupy Wall Street protests are a necessary and important step in the democratic process to make sure that America is still a country by the people, for the people.

E D I TO R I A L P O L I C I E S STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

EDITOR Daniel Renfrow E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion

Criticism of DADT repeal is unfounded

resident Obama had some choice words for the 2012 Republican presidential candidates last Saturday. While speaking at the annual Human Rights Campaign fundraising dinner, he rebuked the candidates on their silence in a debate after a gay soldier asked a question about DADT and was booed by several audience members. “We don’t believe in the kind of smallness that says it’s okay for a stage full of political leaders — one of whom could end up being the president of the United States — being silent when an American soldier is booed,” Obama said. Daniel Sen. Rick Santorum Renfrow (R-Pa.), who was asked the question during the debate, said that the repeal of DADT gives gay service members a “special privilege” not given to straight service members, that it is a form of social experimentation, and that it “tries to inject social policy into the military.” However, when did granting a minority group equality turn into giving them a special privilege? Our founding fathers believed that all men were “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.” The ability to serve openly in the military is one of them, and should not be viewed as a special privilege. A parallel can be drawn between the repeal of DADT and the desegregation of the military in the 1940s. This is not to say that discrimination based on race and discrimination based on sexual orientation are the same thing — they are two distinct categories that should not be grouped together. It is in the rhetoric of those who

were opposed to the desegregation of the military and those who are in favor of DADT that the similarity can be found. In 1942, The Navy General Board issued a report on the potential effects of desegregating the military. “How many white men would choose, of their own accord, that their closest associates in sleeping quarters, at mess, and in a gun’s crew should be of another race? How many would accept such conditions, if required to do so, without resentment and just as a matter of course?” The Navy General Board wrote. This is similar to the argument many people continue to make against the repeal of DADT, even though a 2010 Pentagon review of the policy found that “the risk of repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ to overall military effectiveness is low.” President Harry Truman must have known the same when he issued an executive order in 1948 to desegregate the military. Only 26 percent of Americans at the time were in favor of his decision. The fact that 63 percent of Americans at the time favored the racial segregation of the military indicates that this was social experimentation on the part of Truman — something Santorum thinks is a bad idea. But could you say that this type of social experimentation is wrong? It was not until the Civil Rights Act was signed into law in 1964 that racial discrimination in America ended, at least theoretically, on a national scale. That was 16 years after the military ended racial segregation. It is safe to assume that the social experimentation of the military gradually changed the opinion of desegregation over the course of those 16 years. According to a Gallup poll, 60 percent of Americans

were in favor of desegregation at the time of the passage of the Civil Rights Act. According to a Gallup poll published after the repeal of DADT, 67 percent of Americans supported the repeal. When you compare that to the 63 percent of Americans who were against the desegregation of the military in 1948, it becomes evident that there has been much social progress in the US over the last 63 years. Gay US service members should rest assured that those who booed the gay soldier during the debate are in the minority. This is because America’s opinion of the LGBT community is changing. According to a Gallup poll from May of this year, 53 percent of Americans are in favor of same sex marriage. If you break it down by age, 70 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 are in favor of gay marriage, but only 39 percent of people who are 55 or older are in favor. The Republican presidential candidates need to realize that if the Republican Party wishes to remain relevant in the 21st century, it needs to stop catering to the bigots of its party. Social change is coming to the US. Obama seems to know this, but the GOP can’t seem to figure this out. The GOP can survive for a few more years by catering to the prejudices of older voters, but those voters will soon be replaced by a generation of voters less open to the idea of blatant discrimination — in any area. Daniel Renfrow is a senior anthropology and print journalism double major and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com.

Resistance to vaccinations are baseless

ince Andrew Wakefield’s, now thoroughly discredited, Lancet publication regarding so-called links between the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism was released in 1998, the fervor surrounding mandatory vaccinations has swelled to a fevered pitch. Indeed, mandatory vaccinations have become a key point in the Republican primaries — specifically between Emily Texas Governor Rick Brooks Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MI). Perry has been criticized by the Right for requiring middle school girls to be vaccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which has been known to cause cervical cancer. The Texas legislature overturned this order despite a simple opt-out procedure that allowed parents who disagreed with the vaccination on moral grounds to prevent their daughters from being vaccinated. Bachmann capitalized on the HPV vaccine issue at the Republican debate last month decrying government injections, despite there being no evidence that the HPV vaccine Gardasil has any harmful side effects. In the wake of the debate, Bachmann claimed she had heard anecdotal evidence from an anonymous woman who said that her daughter had developed mental retardation after administration of the vaccine. It should be pointed out to Bachmann that

the plural of anecdote is not “anec-data”. Bioethicists Dr. Steven Miles and Dr. Arthur Caplan have offered $11,000 to charity if Bachmann can produce this woman, along with any medical records or other evidence demonstrating a link between the Gardasil vaccine and intellectual disabilities. Thus far, she has remained unsurprisingly silent regarding this challenge, but has justified her earlier statements by clarifying that she is not a physician or scientist. Let us hope that in the future she will remember this before giving irresponsible medical advice. In Europe, Wakefield’s study on the MMR vaccine is still wreaking havoc on children’s health. So far this year, almost 30,000 cases of measles and 8 deaths have been reported. Immunization rates have nose-dived since Wakefield’s 1998 study. Many parents are now either unaware or unwilling to accept that the study has been deemed fraudulent and there is no medical evidence for any link between the MMR vaccine and autism. As a result, measles rates have skyrocketed, and children have suffered and died. Wakefield’s article was deemed fraudulent after multiple researchers attempted to duplicate his results and failed. Following several allegations of misconduct, including accusations of abuse of disabled children, Wakefield has been stricken from the medical register in Britain – the equivalent of having one’s medical license revoked in the US. Despite this, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 40 percent

of Americans have declined or delayed vaccinations due to completely unfounded concerns. However, the resistance to Gardasil is largely based in the fear that less risky sex will cause teen girls to behave promiscuously. The same concerns were leveled against antibiotics effective against syphilis, hormonal birth control, and educating couples as to what acts will result in conception; yet such fears have been consistently unrealized. I have no doubt that protection against only two cervical cancer causing strains of HPV out of the over 100 strains that result in warts will not make young people forget all about pregnancy, herpes, or HIV. It is clear that neither the MMR or Gardasil vaccines pose a risk to the health of children. In fact, it is exactly the opposite that is true: vaccines have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Skeptic philosopher David Hume once said, “A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.” It seems today that most prefer to do the opposite and proportion evidence (or the absence thereof) to their beliefs. When parents refuse to vaccinate their children against infectious diseases like measles, their children’s lives are being put at great risk for no reason other than allegiance to a debunked ideology. Is a child’s life truly worth so little? Emily Brooks is a senior economics major and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.

Monday, October 3, 2011 ■ 5

The Daily Cougar

SEPT. 3 vs. UCLA W 38-34

SEPT. 10 vs. North Texas W 48-23

SEPT. 17 at La. Tech W 35-34

SEPT. 24 vs. Georgia State W 56-0

SEPT. 29 at UTEP* W 49-42

OCT. 8 vs. East Carolina * 6 p.m.

OCT. 22 vs. Marshall 3:30 p.m.

OCT. 27 vs. Rice * 7 p.m.

NOV. 5 at. UAB * Birmingham, Ala. 7 p.m.

NOV. 10 at. Tulane * New Orleans, La. 7 p.m.

NOV. 19 vs. SMU TBD

GAMEDAY

NOV. 25 at Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. 11 a.m.

SIDELINE REPORT This week in college football, by Joshua Siegel

STAND OUTS Junior Charles Sims broke out in the Cougars’ win. He gained 111 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, and caught two passes for 90 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown. It was Sims’ first multitouchdown game of the year, and fourth of his career. His 40-yard score set a new career-long run for him. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar Senior linebacker Marcus McGraw recorded six tackles (three solo), two for a loss, and a sack. McGraw also ran back a fumble 34 yards for his first career touchdown.

Juniors Phillips Steward and Dominic Miller (99) were two of the eight Cougars to record tackles for a loss in Thursday’s 49-42 win over UTEP. Steward led UH with eight tackles — two for a loss — and recorded 1.5 sacks. Check out the entire gallery from the game at thedailycougar.com. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar

Consistently inconsistent Defense proves adept at making big plays, giving them up Everyone has one of those friends. The kid that puts off writing their 10-page paper until the morning of, but still gets it turned in the next morning — and does well on it. Didn’t read Joshua the book, aces the test. Falls Siegel behind by large deficits early, but flexes its muscles when it needs to and comes out on top. There’s a reason they’re called the Cardiac Coogs. Thursday’s 49-42 win in El Paso was not the first time this season the Cougars had gotten off to a slow start. Excluding the season opener against UCLA — and the exhibition against Georgia State — it’s become the norm. So why the wait? The defense has the ability to step up. They make a habit of doing it when they must. But why does it take the urgency of a back against the wall, falling behind by 27 points or a possible game-tying possession in the red zone to get them to make stops? Why can’t this be a regular thing that happens on the opening possession of games or in a boring, comfortable situation in the second quarter? They make up for their inconsistencies with big plays. Against the Miners, Marcus McGraw ran a fumble back for his first career touchdown, and also recorded a big sack. Kent Brooks and Jackie Candy came up with big plays in coverage to stop the Miners from tying the game in the final minutes. Phillip Steward had two huge sacks. Sammy Brown continued to do what Sammy Brown does best, wrapping up ball carriers in the backfield. But the defense still gives up too many big plays in the running game.

UTEP running back Joe Banyard did his best Donald Buckram impression and had seven runs of more than 10 yards — 12, 50, 19, 12, 68, 15, 16 — finishing with 240 yards on 22 carries. “They ran it all over the place in a variety of ways,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said. “We got the power stopped and then they went to a little different scheme. We got that stopped and then they went to a draw. Then when we got that stopped, they screened us. They were coaching and they were moving and it was the same thing on both sides.” The Cougars were undermanned on defense, with defensive backs D.J. Hayden and Chevy Bennett sitting out, and Colton Valencia missing time in the second half. But injuries are part of the game. And with so many new pieces on defense, there are still growing pains — even five games in. Fans are clamoring for UH to be ranked. On Saturday, No. 22 West Virginia took out Bowling Green 55-10. That is how ranked teams take care of business. There is work to be done. What is refreshing is that Sumlin and his staff know there is work to be done, and improvement should be expected. “We’ve got some things to clean up,” Sumlin said. “We’ve got some things to work on, we’ve got some things to fix. We are 5-0 and 1-0 in our league and the West. We get to go back home for a pretty good while now and I think right now coming through this portion of the schedule playing three road games out of the five and not how we won them, but we won them, it ought to give us some type of confidence. “We’re honest with ourselves. We didn’t play very well. We’ve got to play better as the season goes on, but the good news is we did win those games and we’ll be back home at the Rob.” sports@thedailycougar.com

UTEP UH

1 14 0

2 7 21

3 14 17

4 7 11

FINAL 42 49

REPORT CARD Offense: The Cougars didn’t get going until the second quarter, but made up for it by scoring 49 points in the remaining three quarters. Running backs Charles Sims and Mike Hayes were electric, big-time playmakers. Case Keenum was Case Keenum. The offensive line was perfect, not allowing any sacks and creating huge holes for Sims and Hayes. The only blemish was the few dropped catches by Tyron Carrier and Justin Johnson. | Grade: A-

Scoring summary

Defense:

First quarter UTEP — Jeffery, 22 yd pass from Lamaison (Warren kick) 12:05 UTEP — Jeffery, 10 yd run (Warren kick), 1:35 Second quarter UH — Sims, 40 yd run (Hogan kick), 6:09 UH — Sims, 4 yd run (Hogan kick), 4:21 UH — McGraw, 34 yd fumble recovery (Hogan kick), 3:38 UTEP — Edwards, 21 yd pass from Lamaison (Warren kick), 0:45 Third quarter UH — Hogan, 18 yd field goal, 9:59 UTEP — Wenrick, 29 yd pass from Lamaison (Warren kick), 8:15 UH — Smith, 23 yd pass from Keenum (Hogan kick), 6:10 UH — Hayes, 71 yd run (Hogan kick), 3:08 UTEP — Banyard, 68 yd run (Warren kick), 1:02 Fourth quarter UH — Hogan, 29 yd field goal, 12:58 UH — Sims, 84 yd pass from Keenum (Johnson pass from Keenum), 9:42 UTEP — Myers, 2 yd run (Warren kick), 6:21

The defense made plenty of highlight plays, but they allowed plenty of them as well. Safety Nick Saenz was clutch filling in the secondary. Marcus McGraw’s fumble recovery for a touchdown was game-changing. But there were also moments when the Cougars just couldn’t stop the Miners. There was encouraging play, but this is still a work in progress. | Grade: C+

Game leaders Passing UH — Keenum, 30-46, 471 yd, 2 TD, 0 INT UTEP — Lamaison, 19-29, 267 yd, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing UH — Sims, 12 att, 111 yd, 2 TD UH — Hayes, 10 att, 100 yd, 1 TD UTEP — Banyard, 22 att, 240 yd, 1 TD Receiving UH — Edwards, 8 rec, 144 yd UH —Sims, 2 rec, 90 yd, 1 TD UTEP — Leslie, 5 rec, 64 yd UTEP — Edwards, 4 rec, 49 yd, 1 TD

Special teams: Matt Hogan missed his first field goal of the season from 32 yards out, but bounced back to nail 18 and 29-yard attempts. Richie Leone was solid. The coverage did well, with Nathan Jeffrey’s 34-yard kick return the longest allowed. | Grade: B-

GAME OF THE WEEK SMU 40 TCU 33 Mighty Mustangs: After coughing up a 16-point fourth quarter lead, SMU opened overtime with a 19-yard touchdown connection from J.J. McDermott to Jeremy Johnson to give the Ponies a 40-33 lead. After throwing three fourth quarter touchdown passes, TCU quarterback Casey Pachall could not lead his team into the end zone to match the Mustangs. The loss ended TCU’s 22-game home winning streak.

SAY WHAT? I don’t ever want to come back here as a player. I’m glad I’m done playing these guys.“ — Case Keenum, senior quarterback, about his final battle with the Miners at the Sun Bowl in El Paso.

6 ■ Monday, October 3, 2011

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

TENNIS

Senior takes singles title in San Diego Pozzan triumphs in first full-squad competition Cougar Sports Service

Sophomore pitcher Diedre Outon hit a home run and pitched a complete game in the Cougars’ win against TSU. | Joshua Siegel/The Daily Cougar

SOFTBALL

Opening weekend brings a split for UH Cougar Sports Services

The Cougars began their fall season with a four-game split at the Spring Klein College Classic on Saturday and Sunday. UH (2-2) began play with a 4-1 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday, but followed with a 9-5 win over UTSA. The Cougars followed that with a loss to Baylor on Sunday, but rebounded behind a strong pitching performance and a home run by sophomore Diedre Outon. Outon is the lone holdover from last season’s Conference USA regular season champion pitching staff that was built around Amanda Crabtree and Donna Bourgeois. Last season, Outon went 6-3 with a 1.73 ERA in 60 2/3 innings. “We have a lot of work to do in

that area,” head coach Kyla Holas said. “They are very young. “I do think it is going to take the right personnel. Right now we do not have everyone healthy and ready. That is something that, come January, we can have a different conversation about.” Despite the split results, Holas was pleased with several aspects from the weekend. “I thought that defensively we had some good rotations and plays,” Holas said. “I also think a few times, offensively we were able to manufacture some runs. “We have two pitchers injured right now; that’s why we were so deep into our pitching staff. Hopefully the season will go a little bit better than that. We just have to get through the fall right now.”

Senior Giorgia Pozzan took home the singles title for her respective draw Sunday at the SDSU Fall Classic at the Aztec Tennis Center. Pozzan defeated San Diego’s Anna Depenau 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 to earn the black draw title. Pozzan led the Cougars last season with a 17-6 record in singles play. The Cougars also claimed victories in two consolation brackets during the final round of play. Sophomore Celia Fraser earned two wins in the gold consolation draw after losing her opening round match on Friday. Fraser took the draw by defeating

sports@thedailycougar.com

After leading the Cougars with a combined singles record of 27-9 last season, senior Giorgia Pozzan opened fall competition with a win. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

CROSS COUNTRY Cougars hit ground running in Austin The UH men’s team finished fifth and the women’s team took home eighth in an 11 school field at the Rouge Grass Routes Running Festival on Friday. “The course was challenging with several hills, but that’s what makes cross country exciting, unexpected challenges,” head coach Ryan Turner said in a release. “Running at night with lights on the course was a new twist as well. I think our men and women enjoyed experiencing the hilly course and lights, it was something new.” The Cougars will next compete at the CalState Northridge Invitational on Oct. 15 in Los Angeles.

Wesley Ruttoh

Yonas Tesfai

Megan Munoz

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Runner

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Wesley Ruttoh