05-12-09 by The Daily Texan

SPORTS PAgE 6 — Senior sprinter paves the way for young team

The Daily Texan Tuesday, May 12, 2009

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Concert, drive benefit local children

Debbie Eynon Finley | Daily Texan Staff

Corporate communication senior MeiLee Langley organizes donations in her garage for the Austin Children’s Shelter on Monday afternoon. Langley organized a benefit concert and an item drive to collect supplies and raise money for the Austin Children’s Shelter.

Student-organized fundraiser proves successful despite double-booking mishap By Lena Price Daily Texan Staff One person almost stopped Monday night’s benefit concert for the Austin Children’s Shelter at Aces Lounge from happening. That person was Afroman. The rap artist booked Aces Lounge on the same night as the benefit show, forcing corporate communication senior MeiLee Langley to reschedule all of the bands she had already booked to play the venue. “Afroman is obviously a much bigger name,” Langley said. “Aces Lounge came to me and said, ‘Would you be willing to move everything forward one day?’ So I had to do a complete 180.” Other than the Afroman crisis, Langley said organizing the combination benefit concert and item drive went better than she expected. “I was worried that I wouldn’t get that many donations this time of year, with finals and everything,” Langley said. “But I’ve gotten over 600 pieces of clothing and two tables full of food.”

“This year in particular, we’ve seen a drop in donations coming in. The economy is still struggling, and people who might normally donate are just being very careful.” — Julia Burch, shelter marketing director Langley held a competition between service organizations to see which could raise the most donations. Several service organizations dropped food and clothing off at Langley’s makeshift collection center in her garage. When they couldn’t drop off the items themselves, Langley would spend her evenings driving around to pick them up. “It’s really awesome that members of these organizations went out of their ways to go to H-E-B and buy giant boxes of cereal,” Langley said. Langley has been a part of several service organizations in the past, but she organized the fundraiser independently. When she first came

to UT, she managed several country bands, which helped her understand how much money she would probably have to spend. “I was getting quoted ridiculous prices like $15,000 [from national agents],” Langley said. “I told them it was for a local benefit, and they would tell me, ‘No, sorry.’” Eventually, Langley started to get in contact with three bands based out of Texas and managed to get the price down to about $2,400. She had some community sponsorship but paid most of the fees out of her own pocket. “If I don’t get paid back all the way, that’s fine,” Langley said. “I’m not too worried about it.” Langley selected the shelter be-

cause she noticed that very few service organizations sponsor them. The shelter houses up to 30 children at a time and is in the process of expanding. After the expansion is complete, the shelter will be able to hold twice as many kids for longer periods of time. Shelter marketing director Julia Burch said the center receives about 70 percent of its funding from donations and that this time of year it sees a drop because people are busy preparing for summer. “This year in particular, we’ve seen a drop in donations coming in,” Burch said. “The economy is still struggling, and people who might normally donate are just being very careful.” Burch said Langley’s effort was tremendously appreciated, but she encouraged students to get involved on a smaller scale. “You can go to our Web site and set up your own virtual event,” Burch said. “You can write a personal story about what the shelter means to you, send it to your friends and ask for donations.”

Acevedo said Quintana arrested the driver, about whom no details were disclosed, and placed him in his patrol car while Sanders and Smith continued to sleep. When Quintana tried to rouse

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McCracken ends bid for mayor By Pierre Bertrand Daily Texan Staff Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken ended his candidacy for mayor Monday afternoon after results from Saturday’s municipal election showed his opponent, City Councilman Lee Leffingwell, leading by a 20-point margin. McCracken declared his intent to concede to Leffingwell during a joint press conference with the Leffingwell campaign. McCracken said a runoff election would distract from the many issues facing City Hall and would not be in the city’s best interest. “The worst thing we can do as candidates is make decisions that are bad for this city,” McCracken said. “In that respect, it wasn’t that hard [to concede].” The city expected a runoff between the two councilmen. Neither candidates received a majority of the vote to win the race outright. With McCracken deciding not to proceed, Austin residents will save an estimated $500,000 to $600,000, which would have financed the monthlong runoff race. McCracken said the election returns coming in late Saturday signified he did not have the support needed to conduct a successful runoff campaign. Results released Sunday showed Leffingwell leading with 47.24 percent of vote. McCracken, with 26.8 percent, would have entered the runoff having earned roughly half the votes that

MCCRACKEN continues on page 2

Jordan Smothermon | Daily Texan Staff

Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken embraces a supporter after resigning his candidacy for mayor Monday afternoon.

Web site connects PR, advertising students with alumni for jobs

Sanders from the backseat, the man made a movement toward a handgun in his waistband, Acevedo said.

QUINTANA continues on page 2

ADGRAD continues on page 2

Nancy Rosenthal | Daily Texan Staff

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo releases details about an officer-involved shooting at the Walnut Creek Apartments on Monday. The incident, which left an 18-year-old man dead and a 21-year-old man wounded, occurred during a police patrol that began after an aggravated robbery Friday night. on Springdale Road in East Austin, Acevedo said. Residents at a nearby complex had complained Friday night that men in the same car had been firing guns into the air.

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By Rachel Platis Daily Texan Staff A new social and professional networking site unique to UT aids graduating advertising and public relations students in their job searches by connecting them with alumni around the nation. After a year and a half of development, senior lecturer Gene Kincaid launched AdGrad in 2007 using alumni and students with whom he kept in touch. The program expanded to include PRGrad this year and looks like an intermediate between popular social networking sites Facebook and LinkedIn. “I kept up with 400 alumni by e-mail and funneled their job opportunities down to my students,” Kincaid said. “I thought everyone did that, but everyone doesn’t. This site automated a process that I was doing manually.” Developed by Kincaid’s digital media and interactive classes, the program received a $100,000 grant from the University Co-op in 2005, through which Information Technology Services developed the proprietary Web site. “Our class helped spread the word about it,” said advertising senior Jordan Caldwell. “Graduating students need all the help they can get. Our main goal was to create a dialogue with alumni.” ITS designed the program so any department at UT could ultimately adopt it if it proves successful. “It’s not ready for prime time just yet,” Kincaid said. “But we grabbed the best practices from MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn to provide students with job openings that alumni send back.” Students and professionals can fill out job genealogies, post pictures, write on walls, share resumes, display portfolio clips, send messages to others and find alumni on a world map. “This allows students to look at a professional’s job history to understand where to start and how to progress through the industry,” Kincaid said. The two programs have about 1,600 members total and include alumni from all over the world. “A public relations or advertising degree equips

Officer-involved shooting leaves 1 man dead By Avi Selk Daily Texan Staff A police officer shot to death an armed 18-year-old man who was in the backseat of a parked car Monday morning. Another man, 21-yearold Sir Lawrence Smith, was shot after exiting the vehicle and is in stable condition, police said. Officer Leonardo Quintana, who has both commendations and a temporary suspension on his record, has been placed on leave pending an investigation into the shooting — standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting case. A document on the Office of the Police Monitor’s Web site shows that Quintana was suspended for 15 days in 2006 after forcing his way into the home of another officer, his girlfriend at the time. Police had no comment on the suspension Monday afternoon, but e-mailed reporters a list of several commendations Quintana has received, including one for “superior service.” While speaking at a Monday afternoon press conference at City Hall, Austin Police Department Chief Art Acevedo pleaded for patience as police investigate the matter. “Whether it is right, wrong or indifferent, the officer is very shaken, very contrite,” he said. “It’s a traumatic incident for all of us.” At about 5 a.m., Quintana spotted Nathaniel Sanders and two other men sleeping in a station wagon parked at an apartment complex

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From page 1 you for many jobs,â&#x20AC;? Kincaid said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every student may have an idea of what they do, but not everyone knows the way to get there.â&#x20AC;? One of the more common features of the Web site is job listings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our economy is in a true downturn, and advertising can be the first expense to go for many companies,â&#x20AC;? Kincaid said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the past, there would be 25 to 30 job postings listed locally every day. Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s down to about 10, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not zero.â&#x20AC;? UT alumni know how hard UT students work, Kincaid said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A shared sliver of a background is important,â&#x20AC;? Kincaid said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reputation is important, and if a student comes from UT, an employer is likely to take a look at them.â&#x20AC;? Katie Heintz, a 2005 UT alumna, works as a business analyst at Coremetrics, an online marketing agency that joined AdGrad two years ago. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I joined to find new hires for the company I work for, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been beneficial since,â&#x20AC;? Heinzt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have brought in many people who have applied to job listings that I posted on AdGrad to interview into our offices and have hired a couple individuals as well.â&#x20AC;? One posting generated more than 20 candidates applying for the position, Heinzt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great resource for finding UT graduates looking for jobs in the Web analytics industry,â&#x20AC;? Heinzt said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Companies are increasingly using social recruiting to source candidates for employments as well as to investigate applicants they are hiring.â&#x20AC;? The site is very sensitive to privacy and security, and a UT EID is required for access. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our department has a history of tough business, and once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in, you have a tendency to want to give back,â&#x20AC;? Kincaid said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always just monetarily, but by hosting a tour, volunteering to come back as a guest speaker or give job and internship leads.â&#x20AC;?

Managing Editor: Vikram Swaruup (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Photo Office: (512) 471-8618 photo@dailytexanonline.com Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu Classified Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classifieds@dailytexanonline.com Mary Kang | Daily Texan Staff

Emma Winters jumps from a rock that she climbed as her father Michael prepares to catch her at the Brushy Creek Park in Round Rock on Monday afternoon.

MCCraCKEN: Concession to save city about $500,000 From page 1 Leffingwell received. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was pretty clear to me Saturday evening,â&#x20AC;? McCracken said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would not be fair for me not to talk to my supporters first.â&#x20AC;? Inauguration day is scheduled for June 22, but election results will not be made official until ballots are canvassed at City Hall on May 19. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe my ideas had a big impact on this race,â&#x20AC;? McCracken said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I truly wish Lee the best of luck.â&#x20AC;? Leffingwell thanked his supporters during the conference as well as his opponent and City Council colleague, praising him for his service to the city. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I appreciate the example he set today in doing what is best for Austin,â&#x20AC;? Leffingwell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will not be a perfect time to be mayor, but it is an important time to be mayor.â&#x20AC;? During the campaign, Leffingwell filed charges against McCracken for illegally taking out-

of-town campaign contributions in excess of the $33,000 generalelection fundraising cap. City attorney David Smith said a search for outside legal counsel on the matter is ongoing but, in a Saturday interview with The Daily Texan, would not say when he expects the charges to be processed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have not set myself a timeline yet, though it is on the front burner,â&#x20AC;? Smith said. In his defense, McCracken initially said excess donations were to be used in the event of a runoff. But McCracken would not say during the conference if he would return the money, saying he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how much money remained in his coffers. He told reporters he would ensure that his staff members are fully paid. Mayor Will Wynn said he is optimistic about the direction of the city and that he is glad to finally relinquish his seat at City Hall and move on. Wynn said that after leaving office, he expects to enter the

green-energy sector, where he would focus on finding ways to reduce carbon emissions of businesses and automobiles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It just feels right to me,â&#x20AC;? Wynn said after the conference. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The fact that two people on the council received 75 percent of vote, I took that as an electoral message.â&#x20AC;? Election results showed that Austin residents are generally supportive of the council members, Wynn said. Despite the few weeks remaining in his term, Wynn said he is not ready to look back and rate his past six years as mayor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I sleep well at night. I am proud of my service. I am proud of this city,â&#x20AC;? Wynn said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The overall picture of this city is very, very positive. We are the envy of the nation.â&#x20AC;? McCracken said he is likely to shy away from city politics in the future and instead focus on the Pecan Street Project, a collection of green-energy enterprises in Austin. He did not specify his

future role in the project. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of ways to make a positive impact in the city,â&#x20AC;? he said. Chase Hill, a UT graduate student and McCracken supporter, said he did not know McCracken was considering conceding and said the decision took him aback. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m surprised,â&#x20AC;? Hill said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think a lot of people contributed and supported him. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m surprised he resigned, even though competition is tough.â&#x20AC;? Hill, who contributed $350 to McCrackenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign, said the candidate should have stayed in the race and seen the runoff through. Attorney Shannon Ratliff said he was disappointed to see McCracken lose the election but that he and his wife think Leffingwell is qualified for the job. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We support Brewster. We like him. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve known him for quite a while,â&#x20AC;? Ratfliff said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are always disappointed when a friend of yours loses.â&#x20AC;?

QUINTaNa: Officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s squad car camera turned off during fatal shooting According to police, Smith woke up, exited the car and ran Quintana then fired â&#x20AC;&#x153;sever- toward the officer. Quintana shot al roundsâ&#x20AC;? at Sanders, killing him as well. Smith has been hospitalized him.

From page 1

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Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leah Finnegan Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vikram Swaruup Associate Managing Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Keller, Gabrielle MuĂąoz Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audrey Campbell, Josh Haney, Abhinav Kumar, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jillian Sheridan, Abby Terrell, Mary Tuma News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Winchester Associate News Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sean Beherec, Katie Flores, Lee Ann Holman Senior Reporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viviana Aldous, Pierre Bertrand, Amy Bingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mohini Madgavkar, Erin Mulvaney, Avi Selk Copy Desk Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Muto Associate Copy Desk Chiefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Green, Austin Litzler, Vikkey Packard Design Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Janie Shaw Senior Designers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marissa Edwards, Shatha Hussein, Lindsey Morgan, Emily Watkins Photo Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Peter Franklin Associate Photo Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Espinosa, May-Ying Lam Senior Photographers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Chouy, Bryant Haertlein, Emily Kinsolving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Rogers, Jordan Smothermon Life&Arts Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ana McKenzie Associate Life&Arts Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy O'Connor, Leigh Patterson, Raquel Villarreal Senior Life&Arts Writers . . . . . . . . . . . Roxanna Asgarian, Mary Lingwall, Rachel Meador, Robert Rich, JJ Velasquez Sports Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David R. Henry Associate Sports Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anup Shah, Colby White Senior Sports Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Will Anderson, Blake Hurtik, Laken Litman, Austin Talbert Comics Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolynn Calabrese Web Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Erik Reyna Multimedia Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Priscilla Villarreal Associate Multimedia Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Baxter, Juan Elizondo Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard A. Finnell

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and is expected to make a full recovery, Acevedo said. Between Quintanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arrival on the scene and the shootings, two backup officers arrived, though Acevedo said he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure exactly when. At least one of the new patrol cars captured video and audio of the shooting, he said. The camera and microphone on Quintanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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NEWS BRIEFLY Ned Rifkin named director of Blanton Museum of Art Ned Rifkin, former undersecretary for art at the Smithsonian Institution, has been named the new director of the Blanton Museum of Art. Rifkin will succeed former museum Director Jessie Otto Hite, who retired in March 2008 after holding the position for 15 years. In addition to his duties as director, Rifkin will work as a professor of art and art history in the College of Fine Arts and special adviser of the arts to UT President William Powers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ned Rifkin is regarded as one of our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most visible and highly regarded art museum directors,â&#x20AC;? said Steven Leslie, UTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s executive vice president and provost. Leslie said Rifkin will add a level of national prominence to what is already one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier art museums. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Rifkin] will have a visionary leadership for the campus in terms of the forward acquisitions of the museum and the exhibitions of art he will bring in from around the country,â&#x20AC;? he said. Rifkin received a bachelor of arts from Syracuse University and masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and doctoral degrees in art history from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Rifkin was appointed director of the Blanton on May 1 and will begin his permanent stay as a faculty member in July. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Andrew Martinez

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will be methodical, and we will get all the information,â&#x20AC;? he told reporters. Before the press conference, Acevedo was on scene at the apartment complex, where a large crowd had gathered and dozens rioted throughout the morning. Rioters attacked eight police cars and several officers, throwing a bottle at the police chiefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head, he said.

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Director of Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jalah Briedwell Retail Advertising Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brad Corbett Account Executive/Broadcast Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carter Goss Campus/National Sales Consultant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan Bowerman Assistant to Advertising Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C.J. Salgado Student Advertising Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Moczygemba Student Advertising Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Derek Diaz de Leon Acct. Execs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ryan Ford, Landon Blackburn, Chelsea Anaya, Jared Barker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Aldana, Ann Marie Burnett, Kathryn Abbas, Jenn Muller, Justin Santilli Classified Clerks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa Lai Special Editions, Editorial Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elena Watts Web Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danny Grover Special Editions, Student Editors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Samantha Breslow, Kira Taniguchi Graphic Designer Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Thomas, Rodrigo Maycotte Senior Graphic Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Felimon Hernandez

car were inexplicably turned off. Squad car cameras are supposed to be running during any police incident. Acevedo said he is â&#x20AC;&#x153;confidentâ&#x20AC;? the officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions were legal. He acknowledged that many questions remain and promised to release the findings of the investigations â&#x20AC;&#x153;when appropriate.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will be thorough, we

The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.

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Wire Editor: Austen Sofhauser www.dailytexanonline.com

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

T he Daily Texan

NATION BRIEFLY Woman’s cocaine marriage results in 2-year-sentence

Weekend violence kills several in Somalia Islamic militia clash with Western-backed forces, leaving more than 35 dead

MOBILE, Ala. — A federal judge has decided that a 48-yearold Texas woman who agreed to a sham marriage so a drug supplier could more easily cross the border will spend two years in prison. Lynn Carol Page of Sugarland pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy that saw more than 150 kilograms of cocaine shipped to the Mobile area. Page’s relatively clean criminal record made her eligible for a “safety valve” that spared her from a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. Page acknowledged taking $9,000 from a Houston drug kingpin, Daron Odell Jones, to marry one of his suppliers in Mexico. Page told U.S. District Judge Charles Butler Jr. in Mobile that she knew it was wrong to take the $9,000, but it helped put a roof over her and her daughter’s head.

Military flyby of New York canceled for short notice NEW YORK — The Federal Aviation Administration turned down a U.S. Navy request to fly a patrol aircraft past Manhattan on Monday, two weeks after a controversial Air Force photo shoot over the Statue of Liberty caused a brief panic. The agency said it refused clearance for the flight down the Hudson River because the Navy had given it only a few hours’ notice of its plans. FAA officials said the four-engine turboprop admittedly had a low probability of attracting attention. It was to have flown no lower than 3,000 feet, well above New York’s tallest skyscrapers. But after city officials were consulted, higher-level FAA officials declined permission for the flight, saying unannounced military flybys were a bad idea. Compiled from Associated Press reports

WORLD BRIEFLY American soldier shoots, kills 5 comrades at Camp Liberty BAGHDAD — An American shot and killed five fellow soldiers at a counseling center on a military base Monday in an attack that drew attention to the issues of combat stress and morale among soldiers serving multiple combat tours over six years of war. Attacks on fellow soldiers, known as fraggings, were not uncommon during the Vietnam war but are believed to be rare in Iraq and Afghanistan. President Barack Obama, who visited an adjacent base last month, said in a statement that he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the report, adding that “my heart goes out to the families and friends” of all those involved

Mohamed Sheikh Nor | Associated Press

An Al-Shabab Islamic fighter looks at the body of a Islamic fighter loyal to the government, buried in a shallow grave after he was killed in clashes on Monday in the Mogadishu, the Somali capital. Hundreds of residents fled their homes after fighting over the weekend killed 35 people.

“in this horrible tragedy.” Pentagon officials said the shooting happened at a stress clinic, where troops can go for help with the stresses of combat or personal issues. Soldiers routinely carry weapons on Camp Liberty and other bases, but they are supposed to be unloaded. A senior military official in Washington said the shooter was a patient at the clinic, but did not know what relationship the shooter had to those he killed.

Declassified reports: Afghan militants use white phosphorus KABUL — The U.S. accused Afghan militants Monday of using white phosphorus as a weapon in “reprehensible” attacks on U.S. forces and in civilian areas. The accusation comes two months after an 8-year-old Af-

By Salad Duhul The Associated Press MOGADISHU, Somalia — Mortars and machine-gun fire rocked the Somali capital Sunday, leveling homes and a mosque in renewed violence that has killed at least 35 people over the weekend as pro-government Islamist fighters clashed with gunmen who want to topple the Western-backed government, officials said. It was some of the worst fighting in weeks in one of the most violent cities in the world, with both sides pounding Mogadishu with mortars and machine-gun fire. Residents were streaming out of the city seeking safety. Ali Mohamed, a 20-year-old Mogadishu resident, said he was losing all hope for his nation, which has been in chaos since the 1991 ouster of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. Rival clans then turned on each other. And insurgents, since late 2006, have been trying to topple the weak government. The lawlessness also has allowed piracy to explode off the coast. “The future is bleak,” he said. An Associated Press reporter counted at least 15 corpses in the streets of Mogadishu on Sunday after fighting that started late Saturday. Hospital officials and witnesses in other parts of the city said another five people were killed. Later in the day, a mortar hit a mosque and a nearby home, killing 15 more people, said witness Yasir Mohamed, who counted the corpses and received minor injuries. Another witness to the violence, Abdinasir Ali, said he recognized six corpses as members of the same family, who were killed when a mortar shell hit their house early Sunday. Medina hospital official Dahir Mohamed Mohamud said 60 people

have been admitted with injuries this weekend. The violence has pitted pro-government fighters against those allied to al-Shabab, an insurgent group seeking to overthrow the government. National Security Minister Omar Hashi Aden said sporadic violence was continuing. The U.S. worries that Somalia could be a terrorist breeding ground, particularly since Osama bin Laden declared his support for al-Shabab. It accuses al-Shabab of harboring the al-Qaida-linked terrorists who allegedly blew up the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.

Another witness to the violence, Abdinasir Ali, said he recognized six corpses as members of the same family, who were killed when a mortar shell hit their house early Sunday.

At a conference last month in Brussels, President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed pledged to do “everything imaginable” to stabilize Somalia. Ahmed, elected by parliament in January, is a former fighter with the Islamic insurgency. He has been trying to broker peace with warring groups and gain legitimacy, but his administration wields little control outside Mogadishu, and needs help from African peacekeepers to do even that. Fighters opposed to his government see the 4,350 AU peacekeepers as “foreign invaders” and obstacles to peace.

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ghan girl named Razia was wounded by white phosphorus in a battle between militants and NATO troops. Razia has received 10 skin grafts at the U.S. military hospital at Bagram. A U.S. military spokeswoman said her injuries could have been caused by either side. The U.S. said militants used white phosphorus in improvised explosive attacks at least seven times since spring 2007, some in civilian areas. The documents showed 12 attacks where militants used white phosphorus in mortars or rockets, the majority of which came the last two years. The militants’ use of white phosphorus as a weapon could cause “unnecessary suffering” as defined in the laws of warfare, U.S. spokeswoman Maj. Jenny Willis said.

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A White’s Tree Frog perches on the hand of a biologist at the National Zoo in Washington. A group has organized to combat a fungus responsible for wiping out frogs in Central America. WASHINGTON — Zoos in the U.S., Panama and Mexico are deploying researchers in Central America to develop new ways to fight a fungus blamed for wiping out dozens of frog and amphibian species as part of a project announced Monday. The Smithsonian Institution is leading six other zoos and institutes in the Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, which aims to raise $1.5 million to fight the fast-spreading chytrid fungus. Their protection efforts will focus on a small slice of Panama that is the only area in Central America that appears to be untouched by the disease, said University of Maryland researcher Kar-

en Lips. Lips said it’s only a matter of time — perhaps five years — before even that area is hit with the fungus. The speed at which the fungus has spread is “absolutely incredible,” she said. “It’s probably much worse than we even appreciate.” Scientists say the chytrid fungus threatens to wipe out a vast number of the approximately 6,000 known amphibian species and is spreading quickly. Already, 122 amphibian species are believed to have gone extinct in the last 30 years, primarily because of the fungus, conservationists say. —The Associated Press

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OpiniOn

4 Tuesday, May 12, 2009

T he Daily Texan

Editor in Chief: Leah Finnegan Phone: (512) 232-2212 E-mail: editor@dailytexanonline.com Associate Editors: Audrey Campbell Josh Haney Jillian Sheridan Abby Terrell Mary Tuma

GALLERY

VIEWPOINTS

Free the journalists American journalist Roxana Saberi, who worked for outlets such as the BBC and NPR before her press credentials were revoked in 2006, was released Monday after being imprisoned in Iran for the last four months on charges of espionage. Saberi had faced up to eight years in jail until her punishment was reduced this month to a two-year suspended sentence. Charged with posing a threat to Iranian national security, she was convicted in a secret trial. The reduction of Saberi’s sentence was an ostensible gesture of “Islamic mercy” for her cooperation with authorities, but international pressures and attention played a larger role, not to mention the timing of the move. With only a month left before Iranian elections and the U.S. willing to open dialogue with Iran, Saberi’s release was politically advantageous to both the Middle East and the image of American diplomacy. Most news reports, however, frame the story as an isolated event and in doing so, they fail to recognize several others who still face persecution for unfounded crimes. Analyst Abbad Abdi spent two years in jail before the Iranian court found his charges to be illegal. He is one of many journalists who continue to be imprisoned on questionable charges, not just by foreign countries but, as Glenn Greenwald points out in a recent Salon article, by the U.S. as well. Abdi, who faces charges similar to Saberi’s for publishing a poll inidcating that the majority of Iranians welcomed dialogue with the United States, found the ruling that freed Saberi surprising, calling it “just political games.” The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that dozens of journalists have been detained by U.S. forces and, in at least eight cases, Iraqi journalists were held for months without charges. Cameraman Sami al-Haj spent six years in Guantanamo Bay — sans trial — facing interrogations about but Al-Jazeera, the media outlet he worked for. After failing to garner substantial evidence or information, U.S. forces asked him to spy on Al-Jazeera upon his release. AP photographer Bilal Hussein faced a similar fate as he was held behind bars for two years without charges after his photos contradicted Bush administration claims about the state of the war. Sadly for these journalists and many others who faced much harsher and longer sentences, international pressures failed to materialize and little coverage of their stories has surfaced. Before we lambast the tyrannical judiciary of Iran or rejoice at Saberi’s release, we should examine our own record of infringing on freedom of the press by unlawfully imprisoning foreign journalists on our soil. Our own unabashed hypocrisy and our lack of due process or judicial review should remind us how imperative an introspection is before we criticize other countries for their injustices. Ordeals similar to Saberi’s are far from over for those journalists who still sit behind bars, awaiting trial or serving time for baseless charges. Let’s just hope this time they do not become pawns in the “political game,” but symbols of justice. — Mary Tuma

A summer to remember When considering your internship opportunities for this summer keep in mind that sometimes the best resume-builders are very different from the best character builders. The confidence you gain from working at a job where you are actually needed prepares you for post-graduate life better than emptily schmoozing with higher-ups in fancy offices. Last summer, after my applications to two prestigious internship programs were flatly denied, I accepted a position at the Azle News in Azle, Texas. On the first day of my internship, I dressed professionally in high heels and gray slacks, only to be told to ride along with a reporter (who was decked out in tattered sneakers and jeans) to go meet the local fire marshall. As my high heels sunk into the dirt of the small Texas town, I wondered what, exactly, I had gotten myself into. The previous summer, I interned at Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Maryland. I had my own office in the polished interior of one of the premier Defense Contractors in the world. But in the end, while the company paid me and let me do pretty much whatever I wanted, there was very little I could do for the company. I would not be explaining the F-35 fighter jet to Israeli journalists or visitors from the Pentagon. I slipped through the cracks of the otherwise airtight corporation. But at the local paper I had a job. The editor gave me a camera and a notepad and told me to cover events. So I did. By the end of the summer I regularly had stories on the front page. So what if my shabby desk at the Azle News wasn’t a third story office with a view of the Potomac? I learned more there than Lockheed Martin has in your tax dollars. May the view from your cubicle be just as good. — Jillian Sheridan

THE FIRING LINE Debunking concealed carry myths It is bad enough that anti-gun activist John Woods continues to use lies and misinformation to make his case against allowing concealed handgun license holders to carry concealed handguns on Texas college campuses; however, it is absolutely deplorable that a reputable student newspaper like The Daily Texan continues to provide him with an unrestricted, unedited forum to espouse such lies (“A crucial push for a gunfree campus,” May 11). In his op-ed, Woods writes, “How do you feel about handguns in elementary schools, preschools, hospitals and bars? UT’s campus includes all of these, and today, the potential passage of HB 1893 — a bill to allow concealed carry of guns on school grounds — would legalize guns in these locations.” The suggestion that the passage of HB 1893 would change the rules at on-campus elementary schools, preschools, hospitals and bars is patently false. HB 1893 simply states, “[An institution] of higher education in this state may not adopt any rule, regulation or other provision prohibiting license holders from carrying handguns on the campus of the institution.” Prohibiting an institution from adopting its own rules or regulations restricting concealed carry does not mean that state laws restricting concealed carry no longer apply to that institution. Per subsection 46.03(a)(1) of the Texas Penal Code, concealed carry would still be prohibited on the premises of any primary or secondary school, regardless of whether or not the school is located on the campus of a college or university. As an aside, it’s worth noting that, contrary to Woods’ claims, the UT elementary school is actually located off-campus, on East Sixth Street. Under the new law, a childcare facility on a college campus would fall under the same regulations as any childcare facility in any other state office, as well as any private childcare facility not posted with a sign, pursuant to subsection 30.06 of the Texas Penal Code, prohibiting concealed carry on the premises. Per subsections §30.06(e), §46.035(b)(4) and §46.035(I) of the Texas Penal Code, hospitals would still be allowed to restrict or prohibit concealed carry on the premises. And per subsection 46.035(b)(1), concealed carry would still be prohibited on the premises of any business that derives 51 percent or more of its income from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages for onpremises consumption, regardless of whether or not the

business is located on a college campus. I’m sure that debating this type of controversial issue is much easier when you’re willing to fabricate facts to support your case, but those of us supporting HB 1893 on the UT campus would prefer that, in the future, our opponents and, more importantly, our student newspaper, stick to the truth.

Jeff Shi Computer Science junior President, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, Longhorn Chapter

Higher GPA and good health attributed to campus recreation usage A new study published in the April 2009 Recreational Sports Journal has found that students who use their campus recreation facilities three or more times per week enjoy higher grade point averages, lower body mass index scores and lower fat intake in their diets. The lower body mass index scores and decreased fat intake may not come as a big surprise, but a higher grade point average for those who visit their recreation centers most often is an added bonus to overall health. It is common knowledge that exercise is necessary to maintain a healthy weight and is associated with lower body mass indexes (ratios of height to weight). It is also quite common for those who exercise to be more disciplined with their diets and to regulate the amount of fat they intake. However, higher grade point averages for those who exercise is not something that has been widely studied. While this research study did not identify the cause for higher GPAs among high users of recreation centers, it may suggest that recreation in and of itself provides a means for relaxation and stress relief. Students who find balance between work and play have been shown to be more successful in their academic studies. This research study is published just in time for everyone taking their final exams. It may seem that there is not enough time to make a visit to the recreation center while cramming for tests, but it appears that doing so may be just what you need.

Rebecca Cruz Graduate student

LEGALESE Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the editorial board or the writer of the article.

A dream retained? By Roberto Cervantes Daily Texan Columnist When a New York Times reporter took to the streets of Manhattan to ask random passersby if they thought the American Dream was still alive, the overwhelming optimism was surprising. After all, the nation is riding out its worst economic storm since the Great Depression. Couple that with rising debt and unemployment and it could be easy to paint a pessimistic picture of the state of the nation right now. But a new national poll by the Times and CBS News tells a different story. The classic version of the American Dream — starting out poor, rising through education and hard work and becoming rich — is still an attainable goal in America, according to an overwhelming 72 percent of respondents. The Times reporter rightly underscores this contradiction: How can a people be so optimistic about the future when the present is chock-full of trade-off decisions measured in terms of what can’t be achieved? The standard rule during this recession, it seems, is to cut back. Obviously, carefully saving up pennies after decades of carelessly charging the card is only going to make a dent in the problem. But it’s a start, nonetheless. As such, every entity imaginable — from universities to hospitals to governments and, of course, newspapers — is struggling to stay afloat by assessing what doesn’t need to be (or what can’t be) tended to right now. It is comforting, then, to recall that the idea of American Dream was born out of the despair of the Great Depression. Historian James Truslow Adams coined the phrase in his 1931 book “The Epic of America,” where he longed for an America built not on wealthy extravagance but on a humble recognition that everyone should be able to achieve to his or her best ability. So it’s easy to dismiss the three percent of respondents who said the American Dream did not exist. After all, how can an idea that rose from the ashes of the most devastating economic crisis America has seen in its short history not survive

this minor kerfuffle we’re in today? For many, though, the American Dream is anything but alive. When I stepped out of the University bubble this weekend to ask Austinites what they thought of the American Dream, I got a few interesting replies. The most pessimistic view: “You’d be joking yourself if you thought the American Dream lasted after ’68,” said a senile man who claimed to be a veteran but refused tell me of which war. (Imposter or not, it was a legitimate response.) A deliberate but noble dodge: “I think it all depends on what your definition of the Dream is,” said a mother of two. The pragmatic view: “I think the response to the Dream’s demise is most important. How are we going to respond?” And the best of them all: “What does it matter if [the Dream] is dead or alive? It doesn’t affect my daily life.” The responses made me wonder not if the dream was dead or alive, but if it ever really existed. It’s commonplace for us to deal with depression — economic or otherwise — by comforting ourselves with fantasies of success. But can we really create and inhabit wholly non-existent realities? Yes, because we simply have to. There are no intrinsic qualities that tie us together as Americans (assuming we want to be tied together). In the nation’s patchwork of Muslims and Catholics, Jews and Atheists, religion has no official place here. Even when times are worst, immigration to the U.S. from all parts of the world only increases our lack of any true cultural or ethnic hegemony. Essentially, what common denominator exists to measure how we feel at any given moment other than our belief in the American Dream? Assuming that it is a fiercely personal assessment — each of our calibrations tinged with debates of race, socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality, et cetera — one’s progress toward their own American Dream during times of crisis is perhaps the best qualifier of progress or stagnation, simply because it is reality as best we can conceive it. Cervantes is a government sophomore.

Looking into the heart of the matter By Andrew Friedenthal Daily Texan Columnist Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” In the consumer-driven, pop culture-infested reality of 21st century America, the philosopher’s words have never been more true. I firmly believe that questioning modern life makes the world more fun and a much richer place to live. Being tuned in to the signals and hidden messages around us allows us to better understand how our society works and, more importantly, how it works on us. This does not necessarily require any kind of philosophical pondering — it’s all about taking a closer look at the things we take for granted. For me, the most interesting thing to analyze both on a serious academic level and for fun is popular culture. For instance, I recently engaged in several long and heated Facebook debates about the early ’90’s television show “Saved by The Bell” and the Looking Glass’ 1972 hit song “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).” However, the most interesting text of the last two decades to sit down and take a close look at is the hit song, “All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You” written by legendary producer/songwriter Robert John “Mutt” Lange and made famous by the band Heart. Ask a random person on the street what “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You” is about and you’ll probably hear that it’s a racy love song. The first verse, fairly straight-forward, tells of a woman (Heart) who spots a young man (“The Stranger”) standing alone in the rain with no umbrella or coat to keep him dry. She offers him a ride and leads us into the chorus, singing, “All I wanna do is make love to you/ I’ve got loving arms to hold onto.” The basic idea of the chorus is clear — “all” she wants is to have sex with The Stranger. Moving into the second verse, Heart and

The Stranger get a room together: “So we found this hotel/It was a place I knew well.” The implication is that this is not the first time, and perhaps not the last, that Heart has picked up a handsome young lad and taken him to a sleazy roadside motel. Whilst in this hotel, The Stranger does “everything right” and, in Heart’s words, “brought the woman out of me/So many times, easily.” Modesty will not allow me to explicate this line any further, but suffice it to say, Heart had a good night. The Stranger, however, has a bad morning, when he wakes to find a note that says, “I am the flower/You are the seed/We walked in the garden/We planted a tree/Don’t try to find me/Please don’t you dare/Just live in my memory/You’ll always be there.” The Stranger, it turns out, has been used! He was being used for his youthful virility and for his “seed” in order to “plant a tree.” The sordid tale picks up some years later, when the Stranger and Heart happen to “come ’round the same way.” Surely, we can all “imagine his surprise/When he saw his own eyes.” Heart then begs him to, “Please, please understand/I’m in love with another man/And what he couldn’t give me/Was the one little thing that you can.” That little thing being, in fact, a microscopic thing: his “seed.” The story of the song is that the love of the narrator’s life is impotent, so in order to have a child, rather than dealing with any kind of artificial insemination or adoption, she decides to pick up a stranger off the side of the road, take him to a motel and have unprotected sex with him. This is one of the oddest, disturbing and most delightfully off-putting stories I’ve ever heard, but its qualities only become evident after one has taken a very close look at an otherwise-forgettable soft rock song. We can see that there are all sorts of interesting, quirky finds in the world around us if we just look closer at the things we like. I recommend that you do so at every available opportunity: I think you’ll enjoy what you discover. Friedenthal is a graduate student in American Studies.

UNIV P5

News

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Lab employees: Custodial staff mixed recycle bins improperly

Taking a breather

By Lena Price Daily Texan Staff Two employees of the Millennium Lab at the McCombs School of Business claim that the school’s custodial staff does not properly dispose of the building’s recycling. Accounting sophomore Karen Merchant and economics junior Bhavik Patel said they saw a janitor throw the contents of different recycling bins into the same trash receptacle. “McCombs is giving false advertisements with multiple recycle bins,” Merchant said. “It is the school’s responsibility to set an example for its students and make a difference in the Austin community.” Laurie Lentz, facilities services spokeswoman, said the McCombs school properly disposes of its recycling when possible. If one person throws trash in a recycling bin, however, none of it can be safely recycled, she said. “With roughly 300 custodial staff and more than 18,000 paper recycling containers on the main and Pickle campuses, staff don’t have time to pick trash out of bins,” Lentz said. Lentz said there is some confusion on campus on which paper products are actually recyclable. Napkins, tissue paper and anything with food residue on it will contaminate a whole recycled paper container. Merchant and Patel suspected the recycling wasn’t being properly disposed of because it wasn’t kept separate in the sorting process. “We have recently discovered the janitors are told not to bother with recycling, and they simply throw away the items from the recycling bin into the trash can to save time from searching for any possible trash that should not belong in those bins,” Merchant said in an e-mail to The Daily Texan. Nellie Cano, assistant building attendant leader, said officials train every custodian on campus to use the same procedure when collecting trash and recycling. “If one piece of trash gets mixed in with any of the recycling, the whole batch is no good,” she said. “We tell the custodians not to sift through all the trash because we want to avoid accidents.” Cano said it is possible to mix all of the recycling and separate it out later. “But all the staff in every building is trained to keep the recycling separate, and it stays separate when it is deposited in the bins outside,” she said. After depositing recycling into the large bin outside of the building, the University’s custodians no longer have control over it. “Facilities Services recycling crews pick up the paper from large outdoor bins and deliver to Balcones recycling,” Lentz said. “Austin Task picks up sensitive papers for shredding.”

Nancy Rosenthal | Daily Texan Staff

Government sophomore Ameya Latkar studies for his macroeconomics final at the Perry-Castañeda Library on Monday.

UT algae collection proves useful for biofuel research Government project uses UTEX to convert cultures’ oil into jet fuel for military

for biofuels heightens. “This collection is unique to UT and has been quietly used for teaching and research on campus since 1976,” Brand said. “Only in the last three years has it been recognized for its value, with orders of algae doubling or even tripling at UTEX.” Algal feedstock is considered a good source for alternative fuels because it is renewable, does not compete with food crops and grows in wet or dry environments. “We now realize that we have to find alternative sources of fuel, and algae is coming to the forefront of that possibility,” Brand said. “We’re trying to understand what ways algae can be induced to produce large amounts of biomass as a transportation fuel or oil that can be converted to diesel fuel.” UTEX sells algal cultures to researchers. The money from the sales pays the income of many staff workers in the lab. “Algae can be used for so many things,” said research assistant Bonnie O’Neil. “Our No. 1 seller is an algae that is a water-quality tester. We also sell to cosmetic companies and to shrimp farmers. Algae is also the No. 1 source of auger in the world, which labs use

By Rachel Platis Daily Texan Staff UT biologists and engineers are involved in a government project to convert oil from algae to jet fuel for military use. The search for biofuels in algae is not rare, and researchers and scientists consort and utilize UT’s culture collection of algae, UTEX. UTEX is one of the world’s largest collections of algae and is home to more than 3,000 strains, which supply scientists around the world. UT is in charge of identifying the best strains from its culture collection to use in a project sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. “The culture collection of the algae is not the only primary player,” said UTEX Director Jerry Brand. “We provide a knowledge base for those trying to grow algae and a culture collection for research.” The logistics of the $25 million project could not be discussed in detail due to restrictions by the granting agency, said researchers involved in the program. However, the project is long-term, said principal investigator K. Sathasivan from the School of Biological Sciences. People around the world use the algal cultures for their research, especially as the search

Additional reporting by Amy Bingham

every day.” The rest of the top 25 algae are sold for biofuel research, O’Neil said. “Many people are researching lipid content,” O’Neil said. “There are various methods to extract lipids from algae and different types of lipids based on

chains that lipids form.” The defense agency is expected to spark commercial development of jet fuel for military and commercial applications and possibly diesel fuel for land transportation. One of the project’s goals is to produce algal oil-based jet fuel

on a large scale at a cost of $3 a gallon to the user as opposed to the current cost of diesel fuel made from algae, which ranges from $10 to $12 a gallon. “The military is interested in various fuels, especially those that can drive military interests,” Brand said.

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SPTS P6

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Sports Editor: David R. Henry E-mail: sports@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2210 www.dailytexanonline.com

T he Daily Texan

MEn’S TraCk

Seniors hope to go out on top By Jordan Godwin Daily Texan Staff Heading into the Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Texas men’s track and field team is right where it was heading into the indoor championships: underrated. “Rankings don’t mean a thing to us,” said coach Bubba Thornton. “Going into any meet, we know that with strong performances, we’re going to be the team to beat.” The Longhorns moved up six places to No. 7 in the rankings after a strong showing at the Texas Invite and Cardinal Invitational two weeks ago. But they are still ranked behind No. 6 Nebraska, No. 3 Texas A&M and just ahead of No. 8 Baylor. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association

“Going into any meet, we know that with strong performances, we’re going to be the team to beat.” — Bubba Thornton, coach ranked the team similarly among Big 12 competition in February. That was before Texas won the indoor team title. Several seniors headline the list of conference championship hopefuls. Three-time Big 12 champion Tevan Everett looks to take home his first outdoor title. Distance runner Jake Morse, who redshirted last year ’s outdoor season, was the runner-up at the conference championships

WoMEn’S GoLf

Texas making second straight title appearance

two years ago in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and hopes to take the grand prize in his last season. High jumper Raymond Harris, who won the indoor conference title by upsetting national champion Scott Sellers three months ago, also seeks his first outdoor conference title. Jacob Hernandez, who already has seven Big 12 Conference championships under his belt, looks to add to his collection. The middle-

distance runner has dominated the Big 12 Conference and knows what to expect from the competition. “This conference has some stiff 800-meter competition, but I’m definitely excited about defending my titles,” Hernandez said. As significant as the veterans are, Thornton has always preached about the importance of the underclassman contribution when it comes to winning the team title. “Our older guys know that every individual contributes to our team’s overall finish, so not only do they excel and challenge themselves, but they also have to motivate our young guys,” Thornton said. M a s t o n Wa l l a c e w o n t h e

TRACK continues on page 7

Paul Chouy | Daily Texan Staff

Sophomore pole vaulter Maston Wallace competes in the Texas Invitational on May 2 at Myers Stadium.

‘Mother hen’ guiding young squad

Seasoned golf trio has experience competing in championship round By Matt Hohner Daily Texan Staff All-Big 12 golfer Nicole Vandermade said it best: “Rankings never reflect a team’s true talent.” The Longhorns are looking to secure the NCAA championship after becoming the highest seed at the NCAA West Regional Championship. Georgetown University will host the tournament at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owing Mills, Md. Duke has taken home the trophy five times in the past nine years. The Blue Devils will be the clear favorite, along with Arizona State, Denver, UCLA and Purdue. This will be the Longhorns’ second consecutive appearance in the NCAA championships. The team tied for 17th last year in Albuquerque, N.M. The girls faced windy and chilly conditions which interrupted play during the tournament. Texas has battled Mother Nature on numerous occasions this season. The team has shown the ability to adapt to any situation thrown at it. This team is not new to the championship spotlight, as Caney Hines, Kristin Walla and Shannon Fish played in last year’s competition. The inspired Longhorn team feels confident about its chances to bring home Texas’ first

GOLF continues on page 7

Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

Senior sprinter alex anderson competes at the Texas relays in april. anderson is one of four seniors on the team and has been a leader on and off the track for a young team. anderson has been inspired by coach Beverly kearney to get involved in the community.

As senior, Anderson serves as mentor to team comprised of mostly freshmen

Sara Young | Daily Texan Staff

kelley Louth competes in a meet earlier this season. The Longhorns head to nationals May 19.

By Chris Tavarez Daily Texan Staff With freshmen making up more than half of the women’s track team, the challenge of overcoming youth and inexperience has been a bit more daunting for the team than in seasons past. The big question for the coaches before this season was how to overcome it. Enter Alex Anderson. One of only four seniors on a team made up of 23 freshmen, Anderson has been the go-to woman for the coaches when it comes to looking over the rookies. “With this many babies, she’s a

mother hen,” said women’s track coach Beverly Kearney. It was Anderson who helped lead the team to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, an impressive feat considering that four of the six athletes the team took to the meet had never competed in an NCAA national championship before. Anderson was the only senior who ran at that meet for Texas. She’s also the only senior on the 4x400-meter relay team. The relay team is the only one of its kind with three freshmen with atop-25 ranking in the nation. But Anderson’s role as a lead-

er came long before she even stepped on the track as a Longhorn. While at Morgan Park High in Chicago, she was the girl on every page of the yearbook as a member of all the clubs. She was the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, a photographer for the paper and the yearbook, a track and volleyball athlete, member of Club Africa and more. While she hasn’t been able to continue being as active in college because of the team’s strict practice schedule, her involvement at as a high school student prepared her for the role of a leader — one she plays both on

and off the track. Amnesty International, one of her favorite clubs in high school, had the biggest impact on her. The club got her involved in the community by having her write letters to inmates, major corporations and the government. Involvement in the community is a trait that still sticks with Anderson. She often donates much of the clothing she receives from the University to local charities and shelters, and she participates in community outreach events. While this often goes unnoticed by most, it doesn’t get past

ANDERSON continues on page 7

MEn’S GoLf

Team is underdog on own course at regional tourney Horns receive No. 4 seed, hope to improve upon last showing at UT Golf Club By Matthew Searcy Daily Texan Staff They’re in the home stretch. With only two tournaments remaining in the season, the Longhorns look to finish out strong. Texas hosts the NCAA Division I Austin Regional Golf Championship Thursday through Saturday. Although the Longhorns will be

playing on their home course, the team is not the favorite to win the tournament, finding itself the No. 4 seed in a field of 13. Stanford, Florida and Texas Tech round out the top three seeds. These three are considered to be the Horns’ most formidable opponents in the tournament, but coach John Fields remains optimistic about his team’s chances. “We have one of the best golf courses in the nation now, and we’re very fortunate to host this NCAA men’s golf regional here in Austin,” Fields said. “I think the

NCAA did a nice job of spreading out the six regionals with excellent teams at each site. We are looking forward to hosting everyone here at the UT Golf Club.” The Horns have been down this road before and are hosting a tournament for a second time this season, the first being the Morris Williams Intercollegiate in March. The team looks to improve upon its fourth-place finish at the last tournament on the home course. Though the Horns will be the underdogs this weekend, appearance in the tournament speaks volumes

about the growth of the program. “The dream to have our own golf course at the University of Texas was presented to me when I first assumed my position here,” Fields said. “We knew we wanted a great course capable of hosting championship events. People are appreciating the course’s strength and character.” After the Longhorns finish up play Saturday, they will have a little less than two weeks off for rest Nancy Rosenthal | Daily Texan Staff and practice to prepare for the NCAA championships, which be- Junior Lance Lopez competes in the Morris Williams Invitational in March. gin May 27 and conclude May 30. The Longhorns are the fourth seed in the regional championships.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

ANDERSON: Female leadership

Sophomore pole vaulter Maston Wallace competes in the Texas Invitational on May 2. Wallace is a favorite to reclaim the Big 12 championship.

important to senior sprinter From page 6

coach when I was growing up, but my high school coach was a male. And he was a great coach, but that … relationship wasn’t there. I wanted to be able to have a coach that I could be able to relate to, not just on the track, but off the track.” Her role as a leader isn’t reserved for only freshmen and the community, though. Anderson serves as a pillar for many of the upperclassmen as well. When four-time All-Big 12 junior Betzy Jimenez injured her knee early in the season, she turned to Anderson for help. “She’s really good about keeping her head, as to where I’m not,” Jimenez said. “She’s someone that I don’t feel bad, or I don’t feel like I’m being weak in being vulnerable with her. She’s been keeping me company and staying with me when she knows I’m having a hard time.” As the season winds down for the track team, Anderson

Kearney’s eye. “I think [her role in the community] just has a lot to do with the quality of person that she is,” Kearney said. “She’s a team player — it’s never all about Alex. She’s definitely about being the best that she can [be] to inspire others to be the best that they can be.” But Anderson isn’t the only one on the team who is active outside of track. As host of an annual Minority Mentorship Symposium and founder of the Pursuit of Dreams Foundation, Kearney nealy makes a second full-time job of nspiring others. Their philanthropy is just one of the many connections Anderson and Kearney share, which was one of the reasons Anderson chose to attend Texas over UCLA and Miami. “I wanted a female coach,” Anderson said “I had a female

only has a few more races to run for Texas, including the Big 12 and NCAA meets. With 17 AllAmerican accolades, Anderson has already locked in her legacy as one of the best sprinters ever to don the burnt-orange, but she wants to leave a legacy beyond what’s written in the record books. “The biggest legacy that I want to leave for them is that it doesn’t matter how you start off,” Anderson said. “I wasn’t the fastest on the team. I wasn’t the star, but I still put in the hard work. In the end … you’re supposed to do it when it counts, when it’s supposed to matter.” It’s advice she is trying to live by, having experienced a dip in perfomance the past two seasons depite a strong freshman year. As she wraps up her collegiate career, all Anderson has on her mind is giving her best. “I’m trying to break records,” she said.

GOLF: Team peaking at end of season they can shave off,” said senior Kelley Louth. “We’re on an uphill ladder to success, and we’re peaking at the right time.” Some of the women will have to put the student before the athlete, prepping for finals this week like most UT students. “They’re excited, we’re excited,” Richards said. “We’ll find a way to combine practices and academics and make sure everyone is ready to play in Maryland.”

From page 6 women’s golf title. “When you get into the postseason, it all comes down to one simple thing — you’ve got to find a way to get it done,” said coach Martha Richards. After a season-best performance in Tempe, Ariz., the team feels its best golf is yet to be played and is hungry for more. “Everyone has some strokes that

freshmen aspire to repeat past triumph

“Rankings never reflect a team’s true talent.” — Nicole Vandermade, golfer

From page 6 1

Classifieds

outdoor conference title in the pole vault as a freshman last year before also taking the national championship. Several freshmen would love to re-

peat that accomplishment this year. Among the hopefuls are distance runner Patrick Todd, thrower Jacob Thormaehlen and sprinter Trevante Rhodes. In their quest for the hardware, the Longhorns will travel

THE DAILY TEXAN

uns ad irne for onl

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TRACK: Championship title up for grabs;

CLASSIFIEDS

day, month day, 2008

d wor

Paul Chouy Daily Texan Staff

on l y

to Lubbock on Thursday for the weekend’s competition. “This team is shaping up to about where we need to be,” Thornton said. “With the Big 12 championships coming up, I like what we see.”

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

ENT P9

Life&Arts

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Devine releases collaborative effort ‘Brother’s Blood’ By Mary Lingwall Daily Texan Staff Kevin Devine’s most recent album, Brother’s Blood, highlights the Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter as a fully matured artist. A career that started with open mic nights and years of opening gigs for bands like Brand New and Manchester Orchestra has finally blossomed into a headlining tour for Devine’s sixth album. Stuck in a van on Mother’s Day, Devine took a little time to chat with the Texan about the many facets of his new album and his passion for songwriting. Daily Texan: Your last five albums have been solo and mostly acoustic. How has working with The Goddamn Band affected your music? Kevin Devine: I think the biggest difference is that [this album] feels more live, [and that’s] because it is. The reason it’s more full is because instead of having a bassist and a drummer and then me playing 80 or 90 percent of the guitars and fiddling around with multiple instruments — this one is a lot more like a band instead of just a studio version of a band. All the [previous] records have had varied instrumentation on [them]. It’s not like this is the first one; all the rest of them were like purely me and a guitar in a room, and now all of the sudden we have electrics and drums … but I almost always went back and re-did [several of the instruments]. DT: What made you decide to bring in more musicians? KD: Well, before I had this strange insecurity where I thought that a solo artist was supposed to play everything. But I can’t do that — I’m not good enough at any of the other instruments to really do that. And, I think that that’s an id-

iotic way to look at things. It’s insane to not let people who are excellent at what they do be excellent just so you can be mediocre to prove some point to yourself. DT: The title track on this record is inherently loaded with a lot of personal emotional baggage, but it’s also multi-focal on human experiences that aren’t strictly your own. Could you describe the thoughts that went into writing a song with so many layers? KD: “Brother ’s Blood” is at once extremely literal and extremely imagistic. It’s basically a song about, on one level, wrestling with the inheritance of bad behaviors and how long a shadow someone can cast and when you have to start being accountable for your own shit and stop blaming it on other people. On another hand, it’s a song that’s about trying to get an understanding about some sense of connection or community with people en masse and an attempt to figure out what’s shared. DT: Personal struggles over faith crop up throughout Brother’s Blood, and the tendency to have a vein of religious imagery in music seems to be getting stronger in the last few years. Can you speak a little about why you think this trend is happening now and why it’s being addressed through music? KD: It’s interesting to me to field questions about things like politics and religion because most of the songs I write are about love or its failure or my own weird misgivings about the world or insecurities or whatever else I wrestle with in my head. I think it speaks to the fact that people must feel that there aren’t a lot of songs being written right now that address faith. I don’t necessarily think that’s true, but it’s the sense I get from the conversations

Courtesy of Kevin Devine

Kevin Devine worked together with The Goddamn Band to produce his sixth album. Brother’s Blood is Devine’s debut as a “fully matured artist,” and he cites touring as a great inspiration for songwriting about the human condition. I have with people. Because I really only have about 10 or so songs over the course of five records that address any of that stuff, and I talk about it a lot. … But, if [what I write that touches on politics or religion] makes someone think or it makes them go and read stuff by the people who actually know what they’re talking about and aren’t just having like a gut-level reaction that they get to express

because they’re standing in front of a microphone … then that’s good and valuable. DT: Has touring almost nonstop for the last three years had an effect on your songwriting style? KD: You don’t need to live in a house with someone for 12 months to write well about relationships. Touring can actually be a great way to observe things. A lot of the songs seem person-

al, and they are all borne out of WHAT: Kevin Devine and The some kind of personal experience, Goddamn Band, Sarah Jaffe, but whether that experience was Minature Tigers, Brian Bonz lived or observed is another story … I don’t seem to write fiction WHERE: Stubb’s Bar-B-Q like someone in The Decemberists WHEN: Tonight, 8 p.m. would that’s about a 15th century Japanese priestess living on a feuTICKETS : $10 dal farm or something like that. I imagine something that’s pretty close to my actual experience, or are about very specific people or some songs may sound like they things — but they are just songs.

In stores thIs week

It’s just like riding a bicycle

Album Art Not Available Literature Demo

Debbie Eynon Finley | Daily Texan Staff

Dave Mirre, 23, and Ryan Nyquist, 22, ride the jumps on the Ninth Street BMX Cowbell trail on Monday afternoon.

ChurCh: Scholar explains historical context

for Biblical passages against homosexuality From page 10 my life,” Cowan said. “I was in a position of uniqueness, as it were, and there was a lot of negativity being tossed my way. I wanted to find a place to go that was safe, where I’d be accepted.” Cowan has been attending ever since. She has seen the transformation from small meetings in members’ homes to the bustling services that make up MCC Austin today. The church has steadily gained popularity and now holds two Sunday services to accommodate its more than 400 members, as well as a Saturday evening “Comfortable Church” — a more relaxed service with a live band. “Saturday nights were specifically designed to acknowledge many GLBT people who have been hurt by church, closed out or have given up,” Thompson said. “We want these people to have a chance to connect, or reconnect, with God.” Thompson said many newcomers are surprised at how “normal” the worship services are. She said many come in conflicted — wanting to be spiritual yet feeling defensive of traditional Christian stances on homosexuality.

Biblical scholar Mona West addresses this conflict as part of the Wednesday night Bible study she leads at the church. She provides historical context on the evolution of the Bible and explains the many translations of it that are sometimes many steps away from the original Hebrew and Greek versions of the Old and New Testaments. “Anyone’s translation is an interpretation,” West said. “It’s not that cut and dry. Some cite the passage in Leviticus that says a man shouldn’t lay with another man as an argument against homosexuality. But that passage also forbids eating shellfish and wearing clothes of mixed fibers.” “It’s important to know the history and context,” West said. “Many things are written with a specific situation in mind, not for all time and all people everywhere.” Some Biblical translations are formal, where translators attempt a word-for-word rendering, and others are dynamic, which try to capture in English the meaning of the traditional texts, West said. She also said it’s important to acknowledge that translators have their own biases, which can be seen when comparing different versions of the

Bible. West’s favorite translation is the New Revised Standard Version, which updates the English and eliminates the masculine-oriented language that is widespread in many other versions. “Biblical scholars and translators have traditionally been white, European, heterosexual males,” West said. “But where are our voices? Each of us has our own authority and right to interpret scripture.” Emily Brown, a 24-year-old UT alumna, recently became a member of MCC Austin. She said studying the Bible with West helps her to get the most from the scripture. “She’s amazing at helping people see those negative verses and put them in context, and dispelling the meanings many have placed on them,” Brown said. “They really let you take from it what you need to take from it.” Brown said finding acceptance at MCC helped her better understand and cultivate her spirituality. “When I went to MCC, it was the first time I felt like I could be present at church, all of me, and I could be accepted by God and by everyone around me,” Brown said. “Being in that environment really solidifies and helps build up my spirituality and faith.”

Brooklyn is today’s creative mecca of indie music. Rarely can a struggling musician find better opportunities for creating novel music than in that famous borough. But the typical narrative has run counterclockwise for Nathaniel Cardaci, one of the founding members of local Austin record label Natrix Natrix Records anda member of the buzzworthy Austin band Literature. After he located to Brooklyn a few years ago, Cardaci’s friends back in Austin started messing around with a new side project and asked him to come back to complete the group. Cardaci agreed to join and made the trip back home to Texas. After a year of “making loud noises,” according to the band’s MySpace page, “melodies emerged from broken equipment and, one day, someone showed up with some actual chords and verse.” This humble side project, borne out of random loudness on broken equipment , has since become Literature. The interesting little foursome of self-proclaimed “gadabouts” self-released their demo earlier this year, and it is promising to say the least. Literature’s demo has been much anticipated since the Internet release of its eerily catchy song “Girls in Space” last fall. Naturally, when I saw “Girls in Space” missing from the four-song track list, I was a bit disappointed. That is, until I actually listened to the album. Opening tracks “Apples” and “Lily as an Afterthought,” are swinging ditties characterized by sweet lyrics and whimsical, jangly guitar riffs. Both retain the low-fi edge of “Girls in Space”, but with more melodic structure. Album closer “Grifted” is an uplifting, hip-swinging track that musically embodies the song’s first line: “If you think that we’re in trouble now and you think there’s no way out — don’t be scared.” While the rest of the demo is charming and mellow, its third track, “The Prime Meridian” has a sultry edge that shows an intriguing darker, more sensual side of the band’s lyrical persona. The only downside is that it’s just a demo and only has four songs. Hopefully summer won’t end before we can get our hands on some more material from this quickly emerging quartet. Literature’s Demo is available exclusively at Waterloo Records. — Mary Lingwall

John Vanderslice Romanian Names John Vanderslice has made a career of setting feelings of depression to the airy atmospheric sounds of folk pop music. The jarring fusion of polar opposite emotions has emerged as a constant theme of his career. Today, Vanderslice continues to break new ground with his brand of happy-go-lucky melancholia. Vanderslice’s newly released LP, Romanian Names, is a gorgeous masterwork of the musical aesthetic that he has honed as an artist over the course of his last six albums. Less heartbreaking than 2007’s Emerald City, which focused almost exclusively on his coming to terms with the horrific realities of 9/11, Romanian Names takes Vanderslice’s unique musical style to a more accessible place for old fans and new listeners alike. Listening to Romanian Names is similar to experiencing a codeine-induced dream after falling in love with a stranger. The instrumentation of Romanian Names is light and bouncy, featuring the ephemeral twinkle of a xylophone and the sweetness of a keyboard coupled with an acoustic guitar. But it’s Vanderslice’s lyrical imagery that makes this album noteworthy, for good or ill. The second track, “Fetal Horses,” features the creepiest hook I have ever heard: “Fetal horses gallop in the womb; seething horses in an empty room.” Fortunately, the rest of the album soars above this disturbing metaphor and gives listeners gems like “Too Much Time,” “Romanian Names” and “Summer Stock.” A concept album of sorts, Romanian Names as a whole tells the enduring story of falling in love with someone who is physically there, but whose life is destined to take them away from you. Opening with “Tremble and Tear,” a uncharacteristically hopeful song, Vanderslice coos, “Here comes the one, here comes the one, the one, the one, yeah she’s the one. Her heart’s gonna do it to me.” Nevertheless, Vanderslice closes the album with “Hard Times,” a song that reminds us that romance almost always ends in desolation. A multidimensional album that can be enjoyed as much for its atmospheric simplicity as its fascinating portrayal of the human condition, Romanian Names is Vanderslice at his best (with the exception of “Fetal Horses,” of course). — Mary Lingwall

ENT P10

Life&Arts

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Life&Arts Editor: Ana McKenzie E-mail: lifeandarts@dailytexanonline.com Phone: (512) 232-2209 www.dailytexanonline.com

T he Daily Texan

Local church accepts members of all sexual orientations

Peyton McGee | Daily Texan Staff

The Rev. Karen Thompson leads a congregation of more than 400 members at the Metropolitan Community Church of Austin on South First Street. The church has a large gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population and encourages those who have been hurt by the church to reconnect with God.

By Roxanna Asgarian Daily Texan Staff The Rev. Karen Thompson sits at her desk with her office door left open. Outside, in the Cowan Hall area of the Metropolitan Community Church of Austin, church members sit at tables and study the Bible. Thompson will celebrate one year as the church’s senior pastor Sunday. Her congregation of more than 400 members embraces a Christianity that is “radically inclusive.” Many of the church’s members are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Thompson’s spiritual journey to MCC Austin, like those of many in her congregation, was not easy. Thompson graduated from Austin Presbyterian Seminary and in 2007 became the first openly lesbian candidate in the region to be approved for ministry in the Presbyterian Church. Shortly thereafter, however, her candidacy was appealed to an ordination standard of the Presbyterian Church, which states that no non-celibate homosexual can be ordained to the ministry. “I consider it a privilege to say my journey towards ordination wasn’t easy or taken for granted,” Thompson said. “I learned to follow my calling when it was not easy — sometimes I felt like it was just me and God.” Thompson’s appeal reached the national level before she chose to withdraw her involvement and seek to minister elsewhere. “I felt my presence had become more divisive than unifying,” Thompson said. “But the experience prepared me with the courage it takes to lead a body of people who are marginalized.” Her experience with the Presbyterian Church led her to MCC Austin, which serves the community from a 10-acre plot of land on South First Street called Freedom Oaks. A group of GLBT people interested in attending church in a safe environment started what was originally called the Austin Independent Community Church in 1975. Judy Cowan was 29 at the time and found the church through word-of-mouth. “I was really looking for something to stabilize

CHURCH continues on page 9

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