The Daily Texan, 09-22-11

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THE DAILY TEXAN Serving the University of Texas at Austin community since 1900

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LIKE OR UNLIKE?

UT powerlifters gain a positive outlook for the coming season

Tell us what you think about Facebook’s new design

SPACE OUT Could Luke Skywalker’s home planet exist?

SPORTS PAGE 7

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Thursday, September 22, 2011

Greek studies to be eliminated from UT majors

TODAY Calendar

By Jillian Bliss Daily Texan Staff

Post 9-11 Art

A visiting professor from the University of Massachusetts explores how Hollywood films and popular music depict race and immigration in a post 9/11 society.

MMMBop

Pop trio Hanson will play a set at Antone’s. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets cost $30.

Story Tellers

A group of performers at St. Edward’s University will share the oral history of slaves beginning at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Lawrence Peart | Daily Texan Staff

She Doesn’t Look Druish

The Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek will screen Mel Brooks’ classic parody “Spaceballs” at 7 p.m.

Today in history In 1862 Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation.

Campus watch The answer is 42 ROBERT L. MOORE HALL, 2515 Speedway A UT staff member reported a non-UT subject had entered a fourth floor office wanting to see a professor. The subject wanted to have the professor determine if his paper on the riddles about the heavens in multi-dimensions could be solved. Officers soon learned the subject had an outstanding Outside Agency arrest warrant. The subject was taken into custody and transported to Central Booking.

Inside In News: McCombs hires entrepreneurin-residence page 5

In Sports: What’s next for the Big 12?

page 7

In Life&Arts:

Ready for new Parks and Rec

page 11

‘‘

Quote to note I don’t want a guy to be selfish, to go get a sack when his job is to squeeze down and play the zone read. — Oscar Giles defensive ends coach SPORTS PAGE 7

Junior civil engineer Andrew Watkins searches for a parking spot in a C-lot behind the RecSports on Wednesday afternoon. “It’s a nightmare if you don’t get here early,” he said.

Limited parking puts students on ‘prowl’ By Aaron West Daily Texan Staff

Levi Sturgis is on the prowl. He guns his black Corolla’s engine and cruises down a straightaway in one of the student parking lots on campus. A truck, an SUV and a pack of students cross at the intersection in front of him. Sturgis looks left and right, plotting his next move. It’s 10:50 a.m. — the lot is sure to be buzzing with action soon. Sturgis, an engineering junior, almost turns left, but he surveys the path ahead and stops. “Nah, I’m going straight. I’m going straight,” he decides. Then he whips the

steering wheel back again with one hand and guides his car down the long aisle of filled parking spaces. “I saw a lot of cars going that way,” he explains matter-of-factly. “I feel like they’re going to that C-Lot, so I didn’t want to go to there.” For students like Sturgis who have an orange C permit dangling from their rearview mirrors — 5,627 of them in 20092010, according to UT’s Parking and Transportation Services’ most recent annual report — a parking lot strategy like Sturgis’ is a common scenario. C permit holders have access to more than 3,000 on-campus parking spaces, but as the PTS website points out before students buy a C permit,

“Purchase of a permit may not guarantee a parking place on campus.” To some students who are late for class, those words are ominous. “If you’re not here before around 8:30, you’re not in luck, normally,” Sturgis said. “You have to go on the hunt and the prowl. And if you’re really close to class time, that’s when it gets bad.” Essentially, having an “early bird gets the worm” kind of mentality helps when parking in the student parking lots, which include four C permit parking areas (commonly referred to as “C-Lots”) near the stadium and several Longhorn Lots across

PARKING continues on PAGE 2

UT is the only public university in Texas to offer an undergraduate degree in Greek studies, but students entering the University after the current academic year will no longer be able to declare a major in the program. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board directed UT to eliminate its degree in Greek studies following this academic year. The board has suggested colleges cut certain degree programs with low enrollment in order to ease state-wide budget cuts to education. Every five years, the board evaluates every program at public universities and community and technical colleges in the state to determine which programs produce the fewest degrees. Programs that award an associate degree or bachelor’s degree to fewer than 25 students within five years are considered low-producing and are at risk of elimination because of the board’s new standard. This year, board members directed colleges and universities offering programs that do not meet the 25-student requirement to phase out the substandard degree, consolidate the degree into another program or apply for a temporary exemption from the stipulation. The board stopped accepting appeals Friday, and denied UT’s appeal to retain its Greek studies degree, offered by the Department of Classics. In addition to the Greek major, board members identified 13 other bachelor’s degrees offered by UT as low in productivity. Of the 14 total, six were granted temporary extensions and seven were allotted consolidation into other programs.

GREEK continues on PAGE 2

First-year students win Activist alumna honored in library naming inaugural SG election By Allie Kolechta Daily Texan Staff

By Allie Kolechta Daily Texan Staff

ON THE WEB:

For more on the After Tuesday’s election, first-year representwo freshmen with the same tatives, go online. number of votes will step into the Student Government ofbit.ly/dt_video fice as UT’s first first-year representatives. Economics freshman Kornel Rady and business sophomore Amanda Goodson came into the position after each receiving 291 votes, 23.24 percent of all votes. Goodson said she was interested in running for the position because SG is the voice of the student body. Kornel Rady “It is the link between the SG representative students and the administration,” Goodson said. “This position is new this year, and this new position give students a voice through me.” She said she served on her high school student council and acquired a drive to help other people. The election process went smoothly, with 1,252 first-year students voting at computers across campus, said SG vice- Amanda Goodson president Ashley Baker. The SG representative two winners had notable campaigns, Baker said. “Kornel had a really cool campaign trail,” she said. “Amanda had a series of videos online that were almost like fireside chats. Both of them had a really strong online presence.” The representatives will begin by joining one of the six committees in SG’s legislative assembly so they can start working with their new colleagues, Baker said. First-year students in the UT community can now bring any concerns they might have to their first-year representatives, she said. The first-year representatives will participate in SG’s legislative assembly with all of the rights of other representatives, she said. “All of our representatives are really excited to have them on board and get started,” she said.

One of UT’s many libraries now bears the name of a recently deceased UT alumna, after a dedication ceremony Wednesday evening. The ceremony officially named the Gender and Sexuality Library in the Student Activity Center for Ana Sisnett, an Austin-based writer, artist and activist. She was born in Panama in 1952 and came to the United States in 1965 for her education. Sisnett died on Jan. 13, 2011, at 56 years old after suffering from ovarian cancer for three years. Several of Sisnett’s family members were present at the dedication ceremony, including her son, Amanda Martin | Daily Texan Staff granddaughter and Priscilla Hale, Anthropology doctoral candidate Courtney Morris commemorates Ana Sisnett

ALUMNA continues on PAGE 2

in UT’s Gender and Sexuality Center on Wednesday. The center’s library is named The Ana Sisnett Library to honor her contributions to the LGBT community.

Supercomputer will help explore phenomena By Kayla Jonsson Daily Texan Staff

UT’s Texas Advanced Computing Center plans to build a supercomputer with state-of-the-art computing and visualization capabilities as part of a National Science Foundation grant. The NSF will provide $27.5 million immediately and is expected to invest $50 million total over the next four years in for the new system, called “Stampede.” It will be the most powerful system in the NSF’s eXtreme Digital program, which enables advancement in science and engineering research, according to the center. “This is a very generous donation, so we are very excited,” said President William Powers Jr. Dell and Intel will work with the center to build the supercomputer. The

machine will address challenging science and engineering problems such as weather forecasting, climate modeling, energy exploration and production, drug discovery, developing new materials and building safer automobiles and airplanes. “NSF funded the [past supercomputers], ‘Lonestar’ and ‘Ranger’ — the top technologies for their times,” Powers said. “UT has been on the leading edge of technology for the last 10 years. Stampede will ensure that we remain there.” The network will use new technology to explore phenomena that are too big, small or dangerous to be studied in a laboratory. According to the center, Stampede is expected to be up and running in January 2013 at UT’s J.J. Pickle Research Campus, replacing the current supercomputer, Ranger. The grant may be renewed

in 2017, which would offer another four years of the network. TACC director and scientist Jay Boisseau said the center will release more information about Stampede at a press conference today. The system will support more than 1,000 science and engineering projects across the country through a peer review system and will allow sharing of research and expertise. Clemson University, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Cornell University, Indiana University, Ohio State University and the University of Texas at El Paso will use Stampede. Intel is still working on details of how it plans to help with the new system. “Intel is making some last minute changes,” said TACC spokeswoman Faith Singer-Villalobos. “They still plan to be a part of the program, but we don’t know the details yet.”


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NEWS

Thursday, September 22, 2011

PARKING continues from PAGE 1

GREEK continues from PAGE 1

Interstate Highway 35, near the baseball fields. There are 866 parking spaces available to C permit holders in the C-Lots and 2,389 spaces in the Longhorn Lots, which anyone with one of UT’s 22 different types of parking permits has access to (32,380 parking permits were issued in 2009-2010). Jeri Baker, assistant director of PTS, said besides arriving early enough to get a spot, students also should make sure to check out the Longhorn Lots, where there are generally lots of open spaces. The East Campus UT shuttle bus is available to transport students to campus from those lots. “Parking is an issue, yes, if by ‘parking is an issue’ you mean ‘will there always be a spot outside the door where I want to be?’” Baker said. “That’s not going to happen. But [PTS] does lot counts d aily, and there are usually about 300 spaces left.” These counts, conducted by PTS employees who record the number of empty parking spaces in on-campus parking lots at different times each day, are designed to identify under-utilized lots so that PTS can direct drivers to park there. Dennis Delaney, parking services manager, said that parking lot counts allow for PTS to see if new parking areas should be constructed in the instance that there are too many drivers for the spaces to accommodate. “When we have gotten tight in the past, we have provided additional spaces through the construction of garages,” Delaney said. “By doing lot counts, we create data that has value for historic purposes, allows us to respond to the claim ‘that there is no parking’ and strategically plan for fu-

“Given the budget challenges, our board decided we need to be much more prudent about levels of productivity we should expect from out institutions,” said Dominic Chavez, spokesman for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. “Last fall, we did a cost-efficiency study and found these [smaller programs] to be less cost-efficient.” Chavez said the phase-out and consolidation processes of certain degrees will be done in the best interest of students, and those currently majoring in a low-producing degree will still be allowed to graduate from the program. Stephen White, classics department chair, said he is astonished at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s reasoning in denying the appeal, because only two other universities in the state offer the degree. He said Baylor University and Trinity University, both private schools, will be the only universities offering a bachelor’s degree in Greek after the phase-out. “One of the points I made in requesting an extension is that this major is not offered at an-

ture parking needs.” While PTS tries to make parking more available to everyone, Sturgis said there’s no denying the benefit of arriving to campus sooner rather than later. Every weekday morning, while other folks drink coffee, read the newspaper and park elsewhere, Sturgis and many of his fellow C permit holders wake up early to prowl, cruise and battle over the asphalt aisles. Anyone who shows up late might be doomed to wander the rows, waiting for a spot to open up. Sturgis glances down at the digital clock. It’s 10:53. “I’ve got about 37 minutes ’til my class.” Let the countdown begin. He patrols another row, eyes

ting a bag in his car. Sturgis turns away from the window and continues the hunt. He says that he doesn’t like to bother people too much if he can help it, but being late to class and not having anywhere to park can make people more aggressive. “I’ve definitely seen times when people will roll down the window and say, ‘Hey, are you parking here?’” Sturgis says as he drives on. “And a lot of times, you’ll see a person just sitting there. And they’re seriously just parked, waiting for walkers. And then as someone starts walking to their car, they’ll just trail ‘em. Like at two miles an hour — just trail ‘em.” Sturgis believes this to be the true definition of prowling. It’s a t e c h n i qu e that he said anyone w ho k n o w s a ny t h i n g a b out parking in the C-Lots employs. However, Sturgis said prowling can — Dennis Delaney, parking services manager backfire if the target is just going back to alert as he scouts for a space. The his or her car to get something or whole time he’s driving and surdrop something off. False alarms veying the landscape, Sturgis like that are disheartening to stutalks about how he’s had to miss class because of parking problems dents who are late for class, Sta couple of times before, especial- urgis said. He’s no stranger to ly in the beginning of the semes- the feeling. “The girl ended up getting ter. That’s when last spring’s C permits hadn’t expired yet, but a yoga mat out of her car and the new fall 2011 permits were then left,” Sturgis recalls. “It was still being issued, so there were disappointing.” Another group of students are even more C-Lot parkers fighting walking towards the parking lot for a space. Sturgis spots a tall man about that Sturgis is patrolling. His eyes 50 yards away, fiddling with his narrow a little bit, and he circles back around in order to tail bags by his closed car door. “You’ll see a person walking in them. As he races to get in prowlthe lot,” Sturgis says as he takes a ing position, he says that it’s a determined left and drives in the risky move to turn back in order direction of the man. “And you to get behind a group of pedesknow, you like lock on, and all trians. If they turn out not to be the other cars will see it too, and leaving, the driver that went back you kind of jockey for positions.” for them ends up giving up his or Sturgis rolls up alongside the her position and wasting time. “You’re looking for the pole poman and mouths, “Are you leaving? Are you chilling? Are you sition here,” he says. Assigned Garage Parking Available! Lucky for Sturgis, the students leaving?” into his closed window, THE CASTILIAN RESIDENCE HALL spread out and go to different across the street from UT moving his hands back and forth 2323 San Antonio St. cars. He follows one of them and to get the point across. The man 478-9811 (ask for Heather) www.thecastilian.com waits patiently about 20 feet in signals that he’s actually just putSPACES ARE LIMITED & GOING FAST! the distance. He’s still on guard, however, against potential “spotCOLLEGE SKI & BOARD WEEK stealers,” as he calls them. These are the people that blatantly take breckenridge another driver’s chosen spot “from right under their nose.” However, people like this aren’t Vail • Beaver Creek • Keystone • Arapahoe Basin 20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price. too common, Sturgis acknowledges. In his experience, he has always found people to be replus t/s spectful of others’ territory. The targeted pedestrian gets in his car and begins to leave. WWW.UBSKI.COM Sturgis lets out a whoop and 1-800-SKI-WILD • 1-800-754-9453 pulls in. “11:17!” he exclaims. “Plenty of time to get to class.” The University Co-op and the Tonight

By doing lot counts, we create data that ... allows us to respond to the claim ‘that there is no parking’ and strategically plan for future parking needs.

GOT PARKING?

FROM ONLY

The Daily Texan Volume 112, Number 43

other public institution in the state,” White said. White said in addition to Greek, the classics department offers four other degrees that require students to learn the language, and many non-Greek majors enroll in Greek courses each year. White said though the courses are popular, the department has not awarded any degrees in Greek over the past two years. The Latin major offered by the classics department fell two graduates short of the requirement and was also listed as lowproducing but received temporary extension by the board. Undergraduate academic advisor Lynn Gadd said despite the board’s analysis, she does not feel the classics department is in danger of total elimination. “Our Latin program is strong, one of the strongest in the nation,” Gadd said. “If [students are] really interested in the classics and want to go into graduate school they really need Latin and Greek. We’re such a strong department, even though we’re small in the scope of the University, we’re really large in the scope of the nation.”

CONTACT US Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Viviana Aldous (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Lena Price (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News Office: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Sports Office: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts Office: (512) 232-2209 dailytexan@gmail.com Photo Office: (512) 471-8618 photo@dailytexanonline.com Comics Office: (512) 232-4386 Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu

ALUMNA continues from PAGE 1 her partner of 10 years. Sisnett touched the lives of many but was always humble, Hale said. “Ana didn’t like a lot of accolades and a lot of light shined on her, but I think she’s alright with this,” she s aid. “I re a l ly t hin k t his is one of those moments where she’s like, ‘this is alright; this is good.’” Sisnett’s mother Lucille Sisnett could not be at the dedication ceremony but sent Hale with a speech to read in her place. In the speech, she noted that she taught Sisnett not to discuss her accomplishments and to be humble. Many of Sisnett’s accomplishments were not made apparent to her until the memorial service held after Sisnett’s death, Lucille Sisnett wrote. Sisnett shared her love easily with many people, including communities that benefitted from her activi s m , h e r f am i ly an d h e r friends, said Paul Bonin-Rodriguez, assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance. Bonin-Rodriguez met Sisnett through a mutual friend and became close with her after being

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introduced to her writing, he said. “Ana always greeted me with the brightened eyes of recognition and warmth, the kind of look I thrive on receiving from close friends,” he said. Sisnett was a close friend an d m e nt or t o m any on UT’s campus, said Courtney Morris, assistant instructor in the Department of Anthropology. “Ana always made me feel like I had a right to believe in myself,” Morris said. “She named me ‘writer’ before I had the courage to give myself the name. She believed in my ability to create.” Sisnett accepted her friends the way that they were, and even though they have to s ay go o dbye for now, her family can take comfort in her legacy and in the number of people whose hearts Sisnett touched, Morris said. “I suppose, in a way, her d y i n g d o e s n’t c h a n g e a thing,” Morris said. “I can still sing for her, read her poems, talk to her about my g r a n d m ot h e r. S h e i s eter na l now and pres ent everywhere.”

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

COPYRIGHT Copyright 2011 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.

TODAY’S WEATHER High

96

Low

68

Ryan Gosling is ugly.

CORRECTION Because of a reporting error, Wednesday’s Page 10 feature of Sputnik should not have said that Randall Stockton is the owner of Beerland and co-owner of the East Side King trailers.

Harry Ransom Center present

THE DAILY TEXAN

Elliott Erwitt THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 7 P.M.

USA. New York City. 1953. © Elliott Erwitt/MAGNUM PHOTOS.

Legendary Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt discusses his life and work. In a career spanning more than six decades, the former President of Magnum Photos has published over 20 photography books and exhibited his work in both public and private galleries from New York to Paris and Tokyo. The Magnum Photos collection resides at the Ransom Center.

FREE, BUT LIMITED SEATING Doors open at 6:30 p.m. JESSEN AUDITORIUM View live webcast at www.hrc.utexas.edu/webcast. Members of the Harry Ransom Center receive complimentary parking and priority entry at this program. Join and learn details at www.hrc.utexas.edu/events.

Harry Ransom Center The University of Texas at Austin www.hrc.utexas.edu 512-471-8944

This newspaper was printed with pride by The Daily Texan and Texas Student Media.

Permanent Staff

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viviana Aldous Associate Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew Daley, Shabab Siddiqui Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lena Price Associate Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sydney Fitzgerald News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Matthew Stottlemyre Associate News Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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World&NatioN

Thursday, September 22, 2011 | The Daily Texan | Elyana Barrera, Wire Editor | dailytexanonline.com

Gunmen drop off 35 bodies on active roadway in Mexico

A few hundred demonstrators protesting corporate greed march from nearby Zucotti Park to Wall Street amid heavy police presence Tuesday in New York City. The demonstrators, who have been camping overnight in the park since Saturday, have been surrounded by police officers around the clock with at least 12 protesters arrested in recent days.

By E. Eduardo Castillo The Associated Press

John Minchillo Associated Press

Protesters vow to camp near Wall Street indefinitely By Meghan Barr The Associated Press

NEW YORK — In a small granite plaza a block from the New York Stock Exchange, a group of 20-somethings in flannel pajama pants and tie-dyed T-shirts are plotting the demise of Wall Street as we know it. They have been there since Saturday, sleeping on cardboard boxes, eating pizza and take-out dinners that were paid for by donations to their cause. There are only about 200 of them left now, though they started out 1,500 strong. Welcome to the headquarters of “Occupy Wall Street,” a place where topless women stood Wednesday morning on the corner shouting “I can’t afford a shirt!” What they are protesting is

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somewhat unclear. On its website, the group proclaims: “We, the people of the United States of America, considering the crisis at hand, now reassert our sovereign control of our land.” A barricade was set up to protect the NYSE building as they marched past it. Some people in suits stopped in the street to gaze curiously at the scene in the plaza — people carrying signs, playing snare drums and openly smoking marijuana on benches. Police watched the proceedings carefully after a scuffle Tuesday that led to seven arrests and one injured protester. Most of those arrested were given disorderly conduct summonses and released. Ryan Reed, 21, a senior at Rutgers University, was missing class to attend the protest, but his pro-

fessors are letting him make up the work by writing papers about the experience. “The enemy is the big business leaders of Wall Street, the big oil company leaders, the coal company leaders, the big military industrial leaders,” he said. “I came out here because what I see — and what I feel most people in this country see — is an economy and a system that’s collapsing.” Kaitlyn Leigh, a 21-year-old from Rochester, N.Y., said she is going to move out of her apartment and stay here indefinitely because she’s been so inspired by what she’s seen. “It’s about creating a community in this liberated space,” she said. “It’s about having the ability to have people’s needs met, whether it be food, clothing, shelter.”

Every afternoon, the group convenes at the center of the plaza for what they call a “General Assembly,” during which they map out their tactics for the next day. Forbidden from using a microphone — they don’t have the proper permits — the group got creative. “What we do is a people’s microphone,” Reed said. “So the person who’s speaking says a couple of words and then the whole crowd repeats it so everyone can hear. It’s actually beautiful.” For Reed, at least, an ideal outcome for the situation would be a near-shutdown of Wall Street, with protesters descending upon Wall Street and preventing bankers from getting to their desks. But he realizes that may not happen anytime soon — particularly not before he returns to class next week.

MEXICO CIT Y — A gang aligned with Mexico’s most wanted drug lord may be delivering a gruesome challenge to the ruling cartel and Mexican officials in the Gulf state of Veracruz, by dumping 35 bodies on a busy avenue in front of horrified motorists and near where the nation’s top prosecutors were about to start a convention. Authorities said Wednesday they believe the bodies unloaded by gunmen during rush hour Tuesday were people connected with the Zetas cartel, whose presence has grown in the state since a crackdown began last year in their main base of Tamaulipas to the north. A dozen of the victims were women, the state attorney general said. While Mexican officials would not say who carried out the attack, a banner left at the scene threatened the Zetas and bore the initials “G.N.” A U.S. law enforcement official said that appeared to refer to a group tied to Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, widely considered the world’s wealthiest drug trafficker. But the official, who could not be quoted by name for security reasons, also said it would be surprising to see heavy involvement in Veracruz by Guzman’s Sinaloa cartel, which is based in the Pacific coast state of the same name on the other side of Mexico. Drug trafficking in Veracruz was long controlled by the Gulf Cartel. But the business has been taken over by the Zetas, who had acted as enforcers for the Gulf Cartel before breaking away in early 2010 and waging a bloody war with their former allies across northeastern Mexico. “We don’t have anything that corroborates or disputes” that the body

dumping was linked to Guzman, the U.S. official said, adding that other sources say the Gulf Cartel could have been responsible. “Sometimes these criminal groups blame the other guys.” Security expert Raul Benitez agreed it could be possible, however, because Guzman is forming alliances to attack the Zetas in other parts of Mexico. He said Guzman is seeking both to control territory and to punish the Zetas for attacking civilians, something that is shunned by most drug traffickers and that has ramped up government heat on all cartels. Veracruz, with its major port, is a key route for cocaine passing through Mexico from Guatemala en route to Texas. Photographs of the bodies showed them handcuffed, bloodied and bruised, some marked with a “Z’’ on their torsos. Veracruz State Attorney General Reynaldo Escobar Perez told MVS radio Wednesday that they had been dead only a few hours. Escobar, who earlier reported that many of the victims had links to organized crime, said they had records for kidnapping, extortion, murder and drug dealing. He called the killings unprecedented in a state where crime has been escalating dramatically, including deadly attacks on soldiers and journalists. “The killing of 35 people is deplorable, but it’s even more deplorable the same victims chose to extort, kidnap and kill,” Veracruz Gov. Javier Duarte wrote via Twitter. Authorities said they were examining surveillance video for clues to who left the 35 bodies beneath an overpass while other gunmen pointed weapons at frightened drivers. The bodies were left piled in two trucks and on the ground near the statue of the Voladores de Papantla, ritual dancers from Veracruz state.


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OPINION

Thursday, September 22, 2011 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Viviana Aldous, Editor-in-Chief | (512) 232-2212 | editor@dailytexanonline.com

QUOTES TO NOTE

Higher education hearing

The newly formed Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency held its first public hearing Wednesday at the Capitol. UT President William Powers Jr., UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, new Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp were among those in attendance. The following quotes are from the written witness testimonies presented at the hearing.

Amanda Martin | Daily Texan Staff

Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, speaks at the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency’s first public hearing Wednesday at the Capitol. Branch and Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, co-chair the committee.

“We need experienced and influential people to oversee our universities, university systems and state higher education agencies — people who have demonstrated leadership in business or civic life.” — Richard Novak, senior vice president of programs and research at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, speaking about the challenges in board selection and governance. Novak was invited to speak at the hearing on behalf of his organization, which specializes in strengthening the performance of citizen governing boards and academic trusteeships, according to its website.

“Such criteria are superficial and ill-suited to universities. They reduce the classroom to an assembly line, the library to a book repository and the laboratory to a for-profit business. And they fail utterly to differentiate among disciplines. ... Above all, they do not address what universities turn out: people, not products, thinking individuals, not cogs in a machine, new knowledge and new ideas, not mute objects. You can’t measure universities with a blunt instrument.” — Hunter Rawlings, president of the Association of American Universities, re-

Be the many with suicide prevention By Katherine Taylor Daily Texan Columnist

In honor of Suicide Prevention Week, the Counseling and Mental Health Center is hosting events each day this week with a common theme: to teach students how to “be that one.” That tagline caused me to wonder, be what one? What are they asking us to do? The center reports that 18 percent of undergraduates, or 6,300 students, on the UT campus have seriously considered suicide at some point in their lives. The point of their campaign is to encourage students to “be that one” that talks about mental illness to their friends in need of help. But I’m not so sure that I agree with their campaign. “Be that one” seems to imply that one person needs to be concerned with suicide prevention and that if it’s just one of us, then it doesn’t have to be you and me. So I read this message as a way to diffuse responsibility: If suicide prevention only needs “one,” then I probably don’t have to be involved. I feel like this is a typical college student reaction to these types of campaigns. We’ve all heard about what a huge issue suicide is on college campuses, (and I’m not trying to discount it), but it’s sort of hard to imagine what a suicidal person looks like, making it difficult to “be that one” to help them. So what do we know about suicide? It’s the second leading cause of death for college students, according to CMHC. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 90 percent of people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental illness.

So most likely, if someone commits suicide, then they probably have a mental illness. The American College Health Association reported in 2009 that 46 percent of college students felt “things were hopeless” at least once in the previous 12 months, and nearly one-third reported feeling so depressed that it was difficult to function. These shockingly high numbers point to the prevalence of mental health issues, and there’s no way that we can claim ignorance to them any longer. Each of us likely knows at least one person who is coping with a mental health issue, even if it’s not a chronic disorder. But let’s go back further. I’m not sure that I would know what to do if I were struggling with feelings of hopelessness. But it’s not like that for other health problems. For instance, when I have the flu, I know exactly what to do. I know when to get the shot, how to treat myself and when I should see the doctor. I’d tell all my friends that the reason I couldn’t hang out was because I was sick, and I’d probably make a Facebook status about it for good measure, too. But what if I felt too depressed to function normally? What would that mean? One day in bed? A week in bed? A missed “Thirsty Thursday?” And even if I decided I did need to go to the CMHC for help, I definitely wouldn’t make a Facebook status about it, nor would I feel comfortable sending texts such as “I’m too mentally depressed to function tonight.” If I had a fever, was throwing up or otherwise felt too sick to go to class, I would automatically send an e-mail to

my professor expecting to be excused. But somehow, I can’t imagine sending an e-mail saying I felt too hopeless to go to class. It’s not even the imagined teacher’s response that holds me back but something internal that makes me feel like I couldn’t. So why do we feel so comfortable talking about physical health problems but not mental ones? It’s not because mental health issues aren’t serious because, along with the risks of suicide, the surgeon general also reports that major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in ages between 15 and 44. So what is it? There is a stigma attached to mental health issues — that somehow, if you admit to having one, you are weaker than the average person or your will isn’t as strong as everyone else’s. Perhaps there’s a fear of being seen as crazy or some distinct “other” that can’t fit in with the rest of the happy people around you. The New York Times reported that Sallie Mae offers tuition refund services to students if they are forced to drop out of school for illness. However, physical illness warrants a 100-percent refund, while mental illness only nets 75 percent back. So we are not the only ones creating some sort of mental health stigma. So if we are going to make an actual difference in suicide prevention, we need to be much more aware of mental illness. It’s more than a problem that “one” can fix. So let’s not strive to “be that one,” but let’s “be the many” who realize the seriousness of this issue and are able to candidly talk about mental health issues among each other. Taylor is a Plan II and rhetoric and writing senior.

ferring to subjecting universities to unproven corporate models to measure efficiency. The AAU is comprised of 61 research universities in the country, and in Texas, only UT, Texas A&M and Rice are members of the prestigious group.

“There has been much discussion and controversy surrounding initiatives in Texas to separate research and teaching budgets and to develop metrics for faculty productivity. Developing a fair and effective metric is not easy, but the regents’ efforts to ensure productivity are entirely appropriate.” — Michael Poliakoff, vice president of policy at the American Council of Trust-

ees and Alumni, endorsing the use of data and the active involvement of regents in ensuring that universities meet their goals to educate.

“What is not so well reviewed at universities is the curriculum offered by the faculty as a whole. Here we should do better in molding a coherent set of courses that will enable students to learn what they need to become critical thinkers .” — Rawlings expressing that while a corporate model of accountability may not be

Jeremy Johnson | Daily Texan Staff

appropriate, universities should not be immune to scrutiny and review.

Keep the Internet free-flowing By Rui Shi Daily Texan Columnist

Last week, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget took the first steps in keeping the Internet fair and open. The office finally signed what is commonly known as the net neutrality rules. Net neutrality goes something like this: The Internet is an open medium and you connect to it via Internet service providers (ISPs) such as AT&T and Verizon. Net neutrality is the notion that all websites are equal in terms of connection speed and quality and your ISPs are not allowed to discriminate against different kind of content online. For example, net neutrality ensures that a company such as AT&T cannot make your Gmail work more slowly than your Yahoo! Mail just because Yahoo! is an AT&T partner. Net neutrality has been a hotly debated topic over the past couple of years, and the passage of the regulations will no doubt stoke the flames once again. And while these new guidelines are an important first step toward protecting net neutrality, they do not go far enough. This ideal has created a level playing field for everyone on the web. Sites including The Daily Texan’s are able to compete with sites such as CNN because both have the same accessibility level. Certain telecommunication companies, however, want to disrupt this equilibrium by becoming gatekeepers of the Internet. They

want the authority to decide which websites go fast, slow or won’t go at all. Essentially, these ISPs want to tax the Internet by creating a fast lane for their own web content and those of companies that pay them, while demoting everyone else to the slow lane. The Federal Communications Commission’s guidelines offer a temporary sigh of relief, as they prohibit ISPs from blocking or impeding web content on their networks. These new rules focus those providing a fixed wire connection. However, they do not apply to wireless providers, who can monitor various traffic speeds. With the mass proliferation of smart phones and tablets, wireless devices are growing at a very fast rate and the FCC must expand its ruling to ensure that content accessed wirelessly are not regulated in any manner. And don’t expect opponents of net neutrality to go away without a fight. The FCC ruling was passed three-to-two, entirely along party lines with the three Democratic commissioners for the new rules and the two Republican commissioners against them. Companies such as Verizon and Metro PCS are expected to challenge the legality of these soon-to-be laws with aid from lawmakers. These opponents argue that the FCC does not have the authority to regulate the Internet and that the new regulations will hurt consumers. These arguments are flawed on many fronts. The FCC’s goal is to ensure that the Internet

remains open and that companies should not be allowed to upset that balance. While Republican lawmakers want to keep government out of regulating the Internet, passing the reins to companies and allowing their regulations to kick in would clearly hurt consumers. It would force us to partake in a pay-per-view version of the Internet as websites would have to charge a fee to stay on the fast lane. Just imagine doing a research paper without the use of Google or Wikipedia because you cannot access or pay for them. Net neutrality protects students by providing us the freedom of choice. Because everything online is equal, we can freely choose between different avenues of entertainment or academic related activities. The loss of net neutrality would severely damage our ability to expand our knowledge. Net neutrality ensures that innovation on the Internet can continue because the next big thing will be accessible by anyone, anywhere. Corporations won’t be able to simply push their way to a top spot on the web simply by paying large sums of money. The beauty of a free-flowing Internet governed by net neutrality is that it empowers the individual. Anyone with an Internet connection has the ability to access huge troves of digital knowledge for personal uses. Internet service providers’ jobs are to move data, not to filter it. Shi is an electrical and computer engineering junior.

LEGALESE Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

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5 UNIV

NEWS

Thursday, Septmeber 22, 2011

Business lecturer named entrepreneur-in-residence

Ryan Beverly, Lilyana Heimberg and their dog Harley take part in Med Mob, a meditation flash mob, outside the Long Center for Performing Arts Wednesday evening. Med Mob got together to meditate at sunset to celebrate the International Day of Peace.

By Jennifer Berke Daily Texan Staff

Trent Lesikar Daily Texan Staff

Flash mob meditates for brighter future By Shreya Banerjee Daily Texan Staff

Although many mobs are affiliated with loud noise and violence, a different kind of mob took over the north side of the Long Center for Performing Arts on Wednesday night. Approximately 150 people gathered to participate in a meditation event held by the group MedMob in conjunction with International Day of Peace. The participants silently meditated for one hour and then did a sound bath afterwards. The sound bath is an 11-minute interval in which the members chant one word together — with “om� being the most common — as a way to supplement their meditation. “We spend most of our time hearing bad stories, and it’s nice to spend time with people who haven’t lost hope on a brighter future [and are willing] to stand up peacefully and make a dif-

ference in the local and global community,� said Austin resident and participant Elspeth Allcott. “It’s a living affirmation of hope.� The roots of MedMob began Jan. 28, when 10 members of the yoga community in Austin decided to utilize the sound resonation at the state capitol in order to create a powerful meditation experience. As word spread, the event grew, and 250 Austinites as well as people from seven other cities chose to participate in the February meditation mob events. Over time, approximately 150 cities around the world joined the movement, and group organizers said the number is increasing every month. “MedMob is an invitation to people of all backgrounds to collectively meditate and pray,� said MedMob co-founder Joshua Adair. “I believe that meditation is natural for humans, and it has been lost to suburbanization.�

MedMob’s current goal is to spread to other countries and host meditation mobs in other languages. MedMob’s Italian operations went from 10 cities to 48 in two weeks, and coordinators are making contacts for meditation mob events in South America and Russia. “I’m so humbled by how far this has gone,� said UT alumnus Joshua Whisenhunt, MedMob core member. MedMob aims to have meditation mobs in conspicuous places in order to get people accustomed to the idea of meditation. “MedMob won’t need to exist in four or five years because through MedMob now, we will already have a world where it is natural for people on streets, parks, grocery stores, et cetera, to sit down and meditate,� said Patrick Kromsli, MedMob cocreator. Me d Mo b h a s a l r e a d y b e gun to have effects on its

participants. “It’s brought me out of myself,� participant Cara Hopkins said. “Even if you don’t talk to anyone here, it’s nice to just to come and sit and know that everyone is meditating.� Though there is not an official MedMob student organization through the University, MedMob has held meditation mobs on campus. The previous one occurred on the first day of school and included approximately 70 people. “Students on campus are often disconnected,� said MedMob organizer Jessi Swann, a human development senior. “Medmob has three goals on campus — instill campus unity, inspire future leaders and uplift students. We want to be the model for college campuses around the world.� The next MedMob event at UT is scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 on the East Mall.

The Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship selected its 2011-2012 entrepreneur-in-residence last week. The entrepreneur-in-residence is chosen from a group of businesspeople nominated by the faculty, said John Butler, director of the Kelleher Center. Melinda Garvey was chosen as this year’s entrepreneur-in-residence because of her extensive experience, great success in entrepreneurship and her approachability, said Jim Fredrickson, chair of the Red McCombs School of Business Department of Management. “We were trying to identify someone who would be high energy and a good example for students,� Fredrickson said. “She’s very open and energetic, as well as unpretentious and student friendly. She’s built a small business from an idea to a flourishing business.� Garvey has been a guest lecturer in classes on entrepreneurial management for the past five years. She launched Austin Woman Magazine nine years ago this month. “Our goal is for her to meet with as many students as possible and to bring her vision of entrepreneurship to students,� Butler said. “Having an entrepreneur on campus allows students to see an entrepreneur who is doing good things and can talk to them about their ideas.� As entrepreneur-in-residence, Garvey will be interacting with students on a small-ratio basis. Garvey said she wants to contribute her previous knowledge of how to run a consumer-driven small business to students. “I have always just really enjoyed interacting with the students,� Garvey said. “What I can bring to the table is a lot of knowledge and experience, showing the students what it’s really like to start a small business and do something

Melinda Garvey Entrepreneur-inresidence that you’re passionate about.� Garvey said there will be oneon-one meetings, as well as a firstcome, first-served round table dis cussion offered at different times throughout the week. The purpose of the small, group setting is for students to discuss business and entrepreneurship ideas with each other and with Garvey. “I want for students to be able to throw around ideas and get guidance,� Garvey said. Garvey will be focusing on small business entrepreneurship during the year but also hopes to offer ideas to any students with different focuses within the business school. “My belief is the small business will be the engine of the future,� Garvey said. “It will fuel and drive the economy — and students will hopefully grasp the idea that they can have a great life and give back to the community.� She said she is excited to see how being entrepreneur-in-residence will change her perspectives. “It’s really an opportunity for me to pull back a little — the students are a great fresh resource, but it’s also a chance for me to look at my business from a different perspective,� Garvey said. “It’s really going to help me do that. I think there’s going be a lot of great exchange of ideas.�

Professor studies women in technology By Jennifer Berke Daily Texan Staff

Although computer and information technology careers have not always been considered popular for women, School of Information associate professor Lecia Barker is working to change that preconception. Barker received a $442,000 grant in order to identify new teaching methods for recruiting and retaining women in technological fields. To discover new methods, she plans to interview computer and technology related faculty and then create a large, national survey to find better ways to recruit and retain female students in these fields. Barker plans to visit 30 departments around the country at many different types of public and private colleges and universities, including research schools such as UT, minor-

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ity-serving institutions and womenonly colleges. “The most important outcome would be to find out how to make it more likely that college professors can teach in ways that keep students, especially women students, in computing majors like computer science, computer engineering and information technology,� Barker said. America’s current economic standing may be a good motivator for female students to consider working in a technology field, Barker said. “Although we are constantly hearing that there are not enough jobs, there are plenty of jobs in technology,� Barker said. “The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of professional computing and information sciences jobs will grow faster than all other engineering, life sciences, natural sciences and physical sciences jobs com-

bined through 2018.� Barker also serves as a senior research scientist for the National Center for Women and Information Technology, a nonprofit organization that values the importance of encouraging women to pursue careers in technological fields. “One of the things she’s studying is why certain techniques work and why people adopt them,� said center spokeswoman Jenny Slade. “Hopefully, her findings will better produce resources to influence young women.� Barker’s study will also focus on the effectiveness of some major technological companies’ programs. “Not all companies evaluate whether their workshops and outreach programs are working. Barker will be studying the impact and gaining the ability to identify what works,� Slade said.

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Thursday, September 22, 2011

Breeding fish in captivity reduces coral reef damage By Kayla Jonsson Daily Texan Staff

Lawrence Peart | Daily Texan Staff

Jan Ramesh, a junior in biochemistry and finance, receives a massage from Jeff Timmons during Wellfest outside the FAC Wednesday afternoon. The event brings representatives from University and Austin-area groups together in order to promote students’ well-being.

Wellfest encourages healthier lifestyles Students gather at FAC for wellness advice from University Health Services John Farey Daily Texan Staff

Students received free health advice ranging from vision screening and safe sex kits, to nutrition information and free relaxation massages Wednesday at the Flawn Academic Center. Susan Hochman, University Health Services interim assistant manager, said the 35th annual Wellfest was a fun way for UHS to promote health and well-being on campus. Approximately 37 campus and community organizations participated in the event, which lasted from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

“We want students to be healthy tion, or even if that person has an and for them to know that there addiction, and encourage them to are a ton of resources available get help,” he said. “We provide a in order to stay healthy,” Hoch- safe place to go on Tuesdays, have man said. “In order for students to a great network of friends, and just be really successful, they need to have a great time being sober.” practice good health. If they Student Health Advisoare not sleeping and ry Committee senior eating healthily then Stephanie Bradley they are not going invited students to ON THE WEB: to perform well wash away their To see more of Wellfest academically.” stress by writand to hear from students ing down stressCenter for Stuwho attended, ful thoughts on visit dents in Recova piece of paper bit.ly/dt_video ery representative and watch it disAustin Berry was at appear with a “magthe event to promote ic wand” to dissolve the group’s work supporteach stressful thought in a ing addiction recovery. bowl of water. “Hopefully I can reach out “Having a healthy way to reto somebody who either knows duce stress, rather than drugs or somebody battling a drug addic- alcohol, is so important for stu-

dents during your college years, ” Bradley said. “It can be one of the most stressful times in your life, especially if you’ve just transferred in as a freshman or are applying to graduate school.” Passers-by were drawn in by the island sounds of the UT Steel Pan Ensemble, performing calypso interpretations of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and The Naked and Famous’s “Young Blood”. Ensemble director David Saad said all students needed a creative outlet, such as music, as a way to reduce stress. “The music we play is so hard to listen to without a smile on your face, just because it makes you think of the Caribbean,” Saad said. “It’s just so much fun, and being fun is an essential part of being healthy.”

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The amount of healthy coral reef has taken a dive toward the deep end, but scientists are attempting to help it make a comeback. Breeding ornamental fish in captivity is becoming a more popular way to reduce coral reef damage. Joan Holt, the associate director of the Fisheries and Mariculture Lab at UT Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, came up with the idea 20 years ago. “My interest began while diving in Belize, observing very small juvenile reef fish on isolated coral hummocks in sea grass beds,” Holt said. Currently, most saltwater ornamentals are caught in the wild, and the fishing process damages the reefs. Holt said she learned about the damage associated with collecting marine ornamentals for the aquarium trade after researching the lifestyles and habitats of ornamental fish. Although she was unsure whether saltwater fish would successfully breed in captivity, Holt said she gave it a shot to prevent damaging any more coral reefs. Holt said pygmy angel fish and Cuban hogfish were only the first of many successful reproductions. “We spawn these fish in captivity and hatch out the eggs, which

only takes 24 hours, and then hatch out the larvae under varying environmental conditions and planktonic food,” Holt said. “Such research would define optimum conditions for growing the larvae and provide guidelines for habitat requirements.” Eighteen species of fish and shrimp have now successfully reproduced in captivity and seven different species have survived to adulthood, Holt said. She said this new system of breeding could also boost sales for ornamental fish tanks. “The marine aquarium trade is a big business,” Holt said. “This could be very good for communities that have previously captured these species in the wild.” Holt continues to research at UT Port Aransas and shares her knowledge with students. “I took some classes in Port Aransas over the summer and I heard about Dr. Holt,” said marine biology senior Alyssa Roach. “I think breeding fish in captivity is definitely better than hurting coral reefs.” Even students not majoring in marine biology can see the benefit of the idea. “I think that if it’s good for the environment and it’s good for p e opl e, t he n it’s a go o d thing,” said urban studies senior Nick Prejean.

NEWS BRIEFLY Georgia prisoner executed despite claims of innocence JACKSON, Ga. — Georgia inmate Troy Davis maintained his innocence until the very end, saying he did not kill an off-duty officer in 1989. Davis made his final statement as he was strapped to a gurney. He was executed at 11:08 p.m. on Wednesday. Davis told the family of officer Mark MacPhail that

he did not kill their son, father and brother. Davis said the incident that happened that night was not his fault and he didn’t have a gun. Davis’ claims of innocence drew worldwide support from hundreds of thousands of people. Courts, however, consistently ruled against him. MacPhail’s family believes Davis was guilty. — The Associated Press


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Thursday, September 22, 2011 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Trey Scott, Sports Editor | (512) 232-2210 | sports@dailytexanonline.com

SIDELINE MLB RANGERS

ATHLETICS

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Amanda Martin | Daily Texan Staff

UT powerlifting Coach David Hammers practices alongside the team in Gregory Gym on Wednesday afternoon. The team is preparing for the Longhorn Open on Nov. 6.

Ready for

By Chijioke Okorie Daily Texan Staff

LIFTOFF

A few things stand out about the UT powerlifting club team. A quick glance around the team’s weight room reveals a group with patience, cohesion and a willingness to learn. At a recent practice, veteran lifters spent time with the new guys, demonstrating how to properly do all the lifts. With their coach, David Hammers, noticeably absent in the weight room on this occasion for another powerlifter’s competition at the World Championships, each of the returning lifters showed a level of maturity that will be necessary for the upcoming season’s meets. Austin DeShane, an economics junior who currently serves as the captain and president of the powerlifting squad, has a positive outlook for

FOOTBALL

Big 12 to remain intact, Pac-12 says no to expansion By Christian Corona Daily Texan Columnist

Fanny Trang | Daily Texan Staff

Longhorns pass rush yields few sacks Defensive ends Jeffcoat, Okafor have yet to record a sack after three games By Austin Laymance Daily Texan Staff

Oscar Giles is confident his sacks is a direct result of the ofgroup will start getting sacks as fenses Texas has faced so far. the season wears on. “It’s hard now to get sacks “If they come, and I think now because of the way the offenses are designed,” said defensive tackles coach Bo Davis. “They put the quarterback deeper, and they get the ball out faster. Quarterbacks are not three yards deep any more.” But while the sacks aren’t showing up in the stat sheet, the Longhorns defensive line is doing other things to cause havoc in the backfield. “Disrupting the quarterback is the most important thing we have in our scheme,” Giles said. — Oscar Giles, defensive ends coach “If we get the sacks, it comes. I think right now it’s a work in progress. Are they making all the sacks? No. But what I like about our guys is they’re disthey will come, they’ll come in rupting the quarterback.”

The sacks will come. At least, that’s what the Texas coaching staff believes. While the Longhorn defensive ends have the potential to be some of the more dominant pass rushers in the nation, junior Alex Okafor and sophomore Jackson Jeffcoat have yet to record a sack in three games this season. In fact, the Texas defense has only had two in 2011 — one from senior linebacker Emmanuel Acho and the other from sophomore defensive tackle bunches,” Giles said. Ashton Dorsey. Part of the Longhorns’ lack of Still, defensive ends coach

Mack Brown may get what he wants after all. The longtime Longhorns head football coach has repeatedly expressed his desire to keep the Big 12 Conference intact and maintain regional rivalries. That seemed less and less likely with the Pac-12 Conference becoming a probable destination for Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. But after Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott’s announcement that his conference won’t expand, the Big 12 could be saved in the 11th hour yet again. Even if Missouri follows Texas A&M into the SEC, the Big 12 won’t be beyond salvaging. The Big 12 has proven it can make things work with 10 teams but

may soon be stuck with eight. Fortunately for the Big 12, the Big East is in an even worse spot with Syracuse and Pittsburgh headed to the ACC (and Connecticut and Rutgers eager to join them). The Big 12 needs to go after Texas Christian University and West Virginia. TCU is set to become a member of the Big East soon but would be a better fit in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs would make sense geographically and would quickly become one of the Big 12’s most competitive teams. West Virginia, who was rejected by the ACC and SEC (possibly for academic reasons), clearly wants to leave the Big East for a more stable conference. The Mountaineers would, unlike TCU, provide another television market to explore, as well as great football and

BIG 12 continues on PAGE 8

If they come, and I think they will come, they’ll come in bunches.

SACKS continues on PAGE 8

YANKEES

WHAT TO WATCH NC State @ Cincinnati

LIFTOFF continues on PAGE 8

BIG 12 COLUMN

Junior defensive end Alex Okafor battles a Brigham Young offensive lineman during a Sept. 10 game. Okafor has found sacks hard to come by in 2011.

RAYS

Lawrence Peart | Daily Texan Staff

Head coach Mack Brown celebrates the Longhorns 49-20 win over UCLA on Saturday. His team will remain in the Big 12 for now.

Date: Tonight Time: 7 p.m. On air: ESPN

TWEET OF THE DAY Quan Cosby @Cosby12 Great day of work today! Like a lot of my Cincy homies good dudes on the team! Awesome personable coaching staff also #broncos

SPORTS BRIEFLY Lewis advances to USGA finals after beating Smith in playoff RICHMOND — Randal Lewis defeated two-time defending champion Nathan Smith on the first extra hole Wednesday to advance to the final of the USGA Mid-Amateur at Shadow Hawk. Lewis, a 54-year-old financial manager from Alma, Mich., will attempt to become the oldest U.S. Mid-Am champion when he faces Kenny Cook, a 6 and 5 winner over John Engler, in Thursday’s 36-hole final. Smith, 33, was attempting to become the first USGA male golfer to win three consecutive national titles since Tiger Woods won three straight U.S. Amateurs in the 1990s. He tied Lewis by sinking an eagle putt on the par-5 18th. He hit an errant drive on the first extra hole, though, and Lewis sank a birdie putt to win the match. — The Associated Press


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SPORTS

Thursday, September 22, 2011

BIG 12 continues from PAGE 7

Fanny Trang| Daily Texan Staff

Jackson Jeffcoat, no. 44, attempts to get to the quarterback during the Longhorns’ 17-16 win over Brigham Young on Sept. 10. The sophomore defensive end has yet to record a sack in three games this season.

SACKS continues from PAGE 7 The Longhorns finally got consistent pressure up front last week against UCLA. But while Texas only had one sack in that game, the line hurried the Bruins quarterbacks and forced them to make bad passes, which led to three interceptions in the first quarter. “We rushed the quarterback on some of those throws which caused some inaccuracy,� said defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. “That’s how you defend the pass.� On one series, Jeffcoat plowed one Bruins offensive tackle into the quarterback’s grill, forcing quarterback Kevin Prince to throw off his back foot and float a pass that junior safety Kenny Vaccaro intercepted. Jeffcoat didn’t register a sack on the play, but his pressure lead to a turnover. “It’s like going out to block a field goal,� Davis said. “Every

time you go out to block a field goal, do you go out to block it or do you go out to affect the kick? “So when you’re rushing the quarterback you may not get a sack, but the goal is to affect him and make him move his feet. And once you affect the quarterback, his throwing rhythm is off. The interceptions we’ve had come from making the quarterback get out of rhythm.� In three games, the Longhorns have faced a steady diet of teams using the zone read, which has changed the roles of the defensive ends. Instead of pinning their ears back and darting up field to get the to the quarterback, Okafor and Jeffcoat are being asked to support the run defense. So far, the game plan hasn’t relied on the ends getting sacks. “I don’t want a guy to be selfish to go get a sack when his job is to squeeze down and play the

zone read,� Giles said. “We have to be disciplined. You make sure you take care of your responsibility, and then you go rush the passer. “If we’re working on getting Alex Okafor five sacks, and we lose the game, it’s not a benefit to our whole team. If we get sacks, great. But we’re not concerned about getting a sack for Alex or Jackson Jeffcoat if we lose.� But while the chances for sacks have been somewhat limited during the first three weeks of the season, Texas foresees the sacks piling up once the leaves start to change colors and conference play begins. That’s when the defensive line will go against offenses they already have a feel for. “You’ ll s ee a change, and you’ll start seeing guys make more s acks and getting t he quarterback on the ground,� Davis said.

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men’s basketball programs. If either of those two teams isn’t willing to come to the Big 12, Louisville is also a viable option. But TCU and West Virginia would put another Band-Aid on the Big 12’s wounds and keep the conference around a bit longer. Oklahoma’s recent demands for a new Big 12 commissioner and new rules regarding the Longhorn Network (which may be responsible for this whole conference realignment mess in the first place) could be problematic. But the Sooners lost all their leverage when joining the Pac-12 was eliminated as a possible destination. Problem solved. The ACC is also a potential landing spot for Texas. It’s handled this conference realignment chaos beautifully by realizing it’s not a football powerhouse and playing to its strength: basketball. Look for Connecticut, whose men’s basketball team just won a national title, to join Syracuse and Pittsburgh in the ACC, along with Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish have made it clear they want to stay independent in football, but the ACC would be their first choice if they gave it up. The ACC should let them keep their TV deal with NBC, especially since Notre Dame meets its academic standards. Texas is beginning to look more and more like Notre Dame now that it has its own network. And, like the Fighting Irish, the Longhorns could go independent. It would make scheduling difficult, especially for teams playing Olympic sports. So, like Notre Dame and the Big East, Texas would likely have to join a conference for its non-football squads to compete in anyway. Only 24 hours ago, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Texas was going to the Pac-12. That’s no longer the case, but such is the nature of conference realignment. Just when you’ve finished packing your bags, you find out you’re not going anywhere. You’re welcome, Mack.

LIFTOFF continues from PAGE 7 his team going into this season. “I’m very optimistic about this year,� DeShane said. “We finished second in Nationals, and we’re returning five AllAmericans. I’m looking forward to us taking first place this year.� He said the weight room has “high energy and high intensity,� and there “are always weights hitting the ground, and the coaches are always getting on team members� to help improve their technique and performance. Sophomores Ian Bell and Michael Pyon are also looking forward to a successful season. B el l, w hos e fat her is an eight-time world champion powerlifter, recently qualified for the World Championships, and Pyon, who was a state champion in high school, both have very high aspirations. “I want to win the college championship,� Bell said. “Win the Arnold Strongman [competition], win the Men’s Open

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Nationals and qualify for the World Championships.� Pyon said he wants to focus on Nationals first. “I totaled 1,399 pounds in all last year, so I want to do at least 1,500 pounds this year,� he said. B ell and P yon also have great expectations for their teammates. “Everyone needs to come in and work, along with being committed to the sport,� Bell said. For each member of this team, the expectations are high, and each feels very good about how the results will come about. As they get closer to their first competitive meet of the year, they will get their chance to prove what they want to achieve can be accomplished. They have the potential to do so and will be a team to look out for. But for now, there’s only one thing on the team’s agenda: winning.

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Special teams improvement pays off early for Houston Chris Duncan The Associated Press

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans have excelled in special teams in their first two games, and coach Gary Kubiak says that’s a product of finally having the right people in place. Jacoby Jones returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown in the opener against Indianapolis, and offseason acquisition Danieal Manning had a 46-yard kickoff return against the Colts and a 43-yarder in Houston’s 23-13 win at Miami on Sunday. Houston (2-0) ranks third in punt return average (25.4 yards) and second in kickoff return average (41 yards per game) heading into Sunday’s game at New Orleans (1-1). Last year, Houston ranked 27th in kickoff return average (19.8 yards) and 29th in punt return average (6.7 yards). Injuries played a role in last season’s struggles, but Kubiak said the move to the 3-4 defense has also created more players equipped to block and defend kicks for special teams coordinator Joe Marciano . “The way our team is built, we have more speed, a lot of linebackers,� Kubiak said. “And then we’ve got two dang good returners. So I just think Joe’s got a better group to work with and hopefully, we stay healthy. Last year, we were pretty beat up in that area, so off to a good start.� Rookies Brooks Reed and Bryan Braman have joined the unit, and the team released specialteamers Xavier Adibi and Stanford Keglar. “We’ve got two good returners, and we’ve kept the right guys to block for them,� Marciano said. “We let some veteran players go, some guys who’ve been around here. Hard decisions to make, but we wanted the younger guys. We’ve got the right chemistry, and we’ve got the right personalities.� While Houston has shuffled some of its personnel in the return game, the team made it an offseason priority to re-sign Jones. Only Chicago’s Devin Hester has more punt return yardage since 2007, and Jones has four touchdowns in that span. Jones thinks he’ll see more opportunities this year, with more continuity in front of him. “Our chemistry is rolling right now,� he said. “It starts off in training camp, in the heat of the summer, getting a feel for each other, getting a feel for the way I run, the way Manning runs. And those guys, they want to block. They work their butts off to make the block, and then they’re running up-field with me. That’s the great thing about it.� The Texans signed Manning as a free agent, landing not only a starting safety, but also one of the game’s elite kickoff return men. Manning leads the NFL in kickoff return average since 2006 (27.3 yards) and one of his first directives early in training camp was instilling confidence in Houston’s return unit. “I told the guys, ‘I believe in you, no matter what anybody else says,’� Manning said. “They took a lot of slack [last year]. But I said, ‘We’re going to make something happen. We’ve got a good team, man. And you guys can play. It’s just a matter of believing.’ I’m big on belief.� Manning and Jones have set a goal of leading the league in return yardage this year. “It’s the hidden yards that nobody ever accounts for,� Manning said. “It always comes back around.� Houston’s kickers have also done their job in the first two games. Neil Rackers is 5 for 5 on field goal attempts. Rookie punter Brett Hartmann booted a teamrecord 69-yarder in Miami, and eight of his 12 kickoffs have been touchbacks. The Texans decided to keep Hartmann and cut veteran Brad Maynard because Hartmann showed a stronger leg in training camp. Marciano said Hartmann is still raw, but showed his potential in Miami, averaging 48 yards on six punts.


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LifE & Arts

thursday, september 22, 2011 cd review

das racist

Artists release unique beats, engaging lyrics By Ali Breland Daily Texan Staff

If Odd Future has a competitor for the title of most controversial, angry rap group, it would be Brooklynbased alternative rap trio Das Racist. Inflammatory to an extreme, in a clever way, Das Racist doesn’t care because they know they’re smarter than you — or at the very least, they think they are. In that sense, the group creates an exclusive vibe that only a select few think they are intelligent and brash enough to understand. The only problem is that in Das Racists’ world, no one is smart enough except the rappers themselves. Fusing sociopolitical commentary with absurd, abstract nonsense, they’re always telling a joke, and it’s always on you. Their first studio album, Relax,

serves as a much more cohesive introduction into the abstract, enigmatic minds of Das Racist than the trio’s two previous mixtapes, Sit Down, Man and Shut Up, Dude. With lines like “Urban Dictionary is for demons with college degrees,” and “I stay where young Icarus went to daycare,” Relax features more pop culture and academic references than a Howard Zinn New York Times crossword puzzle. In terms of instrumentals, Relax is extremely compelling. The album’s first single, “Michael Jackson” and additionally “Booty In The Air” illustrate this perfectly with deeply layered beats that sound like wonderful ear candy. Das Racist makes fantastic use of Relax’s beats by placing ridiculous verses on top of them. Outside of be-

Relax

Dazs Racist Genre: Hip-Hop Tracks: 14 For those who like: Earl, shabazz Palaces, Childish Gambino

Grade: B+ ing good lyricists, all three members of Das Racist have impeccable flows, and are capable of quick rapping in a unique, articulate manner perfect for weaving metaphors throughout intelligent, yet almost nonsensical narratives. When they’re not rapping, they utilize indie rap talents, El-P and Despot, among others to complement them.

At the base of it, Relax is good. Really good. The variety of styles and technical ability of Das Racist is unmatched. Their sound is extremely unique, something hard to do in the oversaturated world of hip-hop. Relax might finally get them the notoriety they deserve. Just as likely, it might not. Das Racist probably doesn’t really care either way.

SOULJA continues from PAGE 12 after the high-end urban street wear skate brand, is 24 cuts deep and is unquestionably one of the best releases in Soulja Boy’s massive catalog. It is certainly among his most coherent. Throughout a large portion of the mixtape, Soulja Boy employs a minimalist beat style, producing and picking compelling beats that aren’t saturated with excessive amounts of synth, lasers and the slew of other weird noises that are prevalent in modern hip-hop. On certain tracks like “Go In,” he plays around with slightly more complex beats, matching them with more technical rapping. Soulja Boy can actually rap pretty well, even if he

doesn’t usually. “No More Holding On” is another example of this, featuring Soulja Boy spitting over an old school hip-hop beat. In hip-hop terms, the track is hype. In layman’s terms, this track is good enough to win over the haters who will probably never hear the song. Technical aspects aside, Soulja Boy does some other interesting things on Supreme, namely his songs about video games. Outside of hustling and being a rapper, Soulja Boy has the interests of a Japanese schoolboy — he’s an avid video gamer and has an affinity for anime. On Supreme, he makes this very apparent: The hook

for his song “Playstation 3,” is literally just him saying “Playstation 3” over and over in his signature Soulja Boy voice. It’s actually pretty cool. All the video game songs include chip-tune infused beats, reminiscent of simplistic 1980s arcade

soundtracks. On Supreme, although he maintains a demeanor of childish absurdity like in mixtapes past, Soulja Boy shows a lot more of his chilled out, more mature side, and it sounds good. Just like his last eight mixtapes,

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ally have two or three — it’s pretty common. The sun is sort of an exception to the rule.” The real challenge and what is ultimately the mission goal of Kepler, is to find a planet the size of Earth orbiting a star the size of our sun at the distance necessar y to maintain liquid water on its surface. Such a planet would likely harbor complex life. To find such a planet among the 100 × 10^22 stars in the visible universe would be nothing short of impossible — there are fewer grains of sand on all the beaches in all the world. Instead, the Kepler spacecraft attempts to find these planets by star-

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count on at Fantastic Fest, it’s the presence of unspeakably brutal Asian horror, and “Revenge: A Love Story” will hopefully fill that quota this year. Juno Mak and Japanese adult film star Sola Aoi headline as a “Natural Born Killers”-style couple mutilating its way through a scrambled timeline and hopefully some of the most cringe-worthy bloodletting at this year’s festival. Screens: Friday, Sept. 23 at 11:45 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 11:30 p.m.

‘ Melancholia’ (120 mins.) “Melancholia” director Lars Von Trier coined Fantastic Fest catchphrase “Chaos reigns” with his “Antichrist” a few years back, and word is “Melancholia” manages to keep all of the intensity and humanity of that film while shedding some of the pretension that weighed that film down. The film is named for a planet headed straight for Earth, but it’s more interested in the emotional turmoil it causes in sisters played by Kirsten Dunst (who won Best Actress at Cannes for her role) and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Screens: Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 8:30 p.m.

‘You’re Next’ (95 mins.) Last year, director Adam Wingard’s “A Horrible Way to Die” was a festival standout, winning numerous awards, including one for star AJ Bowen. Bowen returns for Wingard’s “You’re Next,” a home invasion thriller starring indie horror directors Joe Swanberg and Ti West, as well as genre stars Barbara Crampton and Amy Seimetz. The film premiered to strong reviews at this year’s Toronto Film Festival and will hopefully be among the best of the many home invasion flicks Fantastic Fest is apt to feature. Cast members AJ Bowen and Barbara Crampton will be in attendance, along with various other members of the cast and crew. Screens: Saturday, Sept. 24 at 11:40 p.m.

‘The Loved Ones’ (84 mins.)

Soulja Boy

Genre: Hip-hop Tracks: 24 For those who like: LilB, Wakaflockaflame

PARKS continues from PAGE 11

Supreme

Grade: A

ing continuously at one particular area of the Milky Way between the constellations of Cygnus and Lyra. Every six seconds, the spacecraft measures the brightness of 170,000 stars for disturbances in a star’s observed brightness, indicative of a stellar event known as an “astronomical transit.” “What we’re doing is we’re looking for those fortuitous cases where we are looking edge-on to a planetary system, and then, once per orbit, if a planet crosses between us and a star, it will block out part of the light of the star, and that’s called a transit. And we can measure that very, very precisely from space,” said Depart-

ment of Astronomy senior researcher Bill Cochran, who is also a member of the Kepler team. A planet meeting the criteria of Kepler’s mission would take one year to orbit its parent star. It is possible that Kepler has already found such an object, but the design of the project requires the observation of three transits to verify the detection of a planet. “The mission has only been going on for two and a half years,” Cochran said. “You see something at a one-year orbit, you basically need three years to see three transits, and that’s why we’re not at the 1point yet at being able to find an Earth [at the same distance from its Sun as ours].”

Classifieds

Swanson’s (Nick Offerman) reaction to the return of ex-wife Tammy (Patricia Clarkson), the first of his two ex-wives with the same name. Even as its characters deal with mostly dramatic events, the premiere feels like a reunion, a chance to catch up with a group of very comically gifted friends you haven’t seen all summer. Much of the draw of “Parks and Recreation” is based in its flawless ensemble cast, and there aren’t enough adjectives for “funny” in any thesaurus to describe just how hilarious this group of people is. From Chris Pratt’s puppy-dog enthusiasm (and equivalent intelligence) to Audrey Plaza’s deadpan smirks to Aziz Ansari’s obnoxious braggadocio, the show mixes a wide variety of comedic styles with impeccable ease. Even the straight men get a chance to be funny, especially Rob Lowe’s health-obsessed Chris, whose delivery of the word “literally” never stops eliciting a chuckle.

CLASSIFIEDS THE DAILY TEXAN

Then there’s the single funniest character on television, Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson. Even with only morsels of screen time in the season premiere, Offerman gets some of the episode’s biggest laughs, and the season’s second episode puts the spotlight squarely on Ron’s relationship with Tammy 1. Patricia Clarkson is an inspired bit of guest casting, and the episode, easily a contender for one of the funniest the show has ever produced, has big moments for characters new and old. “ P a r k s a n d R e c r e a t i o n” proved last season that there’s not a joke it can’t tell with expert timing and not a character it doesn’t know how to write for. The combination of “Community” and “Parks,” which air consecutively, makes for perhaps the funniest hour of television this fall, and if you don’t believe in Leslie Knope, you certainly will after tonight’s season premiere.

3B

ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the fi rst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect insertion. In consideration of The Daily Texan’s acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its officers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, printing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. Advertising is also subject to credit approval.

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Sean Byrne’s “The Loved Ones” played at South By Southwest last year and to make the wait until its currently unscheduled theatrical release shorter, it’s making an appearance at Fantastic Fest, complete with a “Loved Ones”-themed prom party after its first screening. Xavier Samuels stars as Brent, who has the bad luck of being asked to prom by Lola (Robin McLeavy), who doesn’t take his rejection well. She ends up staging her own prom with Brent — a prom that ends up being less John Hughes and more John Carpenter. Screens: Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29 at 1p.m.

SPACE continues from PAGE 12 two parent stars (Kepler-16A and Kepler-16B) at half the distance of what was previously thought to be the inner limit for planet formation in a stable binary star system. It turns out that multiple star systems like Kepler-16 and the suns of Tatooine aren’t even anything special. The most recent data release from the Kepler team counts 2,225 eclipsing binaries observed over a threemonth period. “There’s a tongue-in-cheek statement that three out of every two stars is in a binary system,” said astronomy professor J. Craig Wheeler. “Which means if you go out there and look where you thought you had a star, you actu-

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10 COMICS

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11 ENT

Life & Arts

thursday, september 22, 2011

‘Parks and Recreation’ to bring big laughs

Movie lovers in store for full week of genre films By Alex Williams Daily Texan Staff

Photo courtesy of NBC

11

Fantastic Fest is, to put it plainly, the best week of the year to be a film fan in Austin. The festival, entering its seventh year, focuses on genre films and has been the host of prestigious world premieres such as “There Will Be Blood� and “Zombieland.� Other festival highlights include high-profile secret screenings, epic opening and closing night parties and the fantastic debates, which annually pit festival co-founder Tim League against a challenger on a topic, which the two debate before settling the issue with a good oldfashioned fist fight. While League easily bested “Avatar� star Michelle Rodriguez last year, this year pits him against undefeated bareknuckle brawler James Quinn McDonagh, subject of Fantastic Fest selection “Knuckle.� This year’s Fantastic Fest, held primarily at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, opens with the controversial and probably disgusting “The Human Centipede 2 (Full

Sequence).� Here are a few other films attendees should keep an eye out for:

‘Sleep Tight’ (102 mins.) From Fantastic Fest alum and “RECâ€? co-director Jaume BalaguerĂł, “Sleep Tightâ€? marks a turn for BalaguerĂł as he abandons the zombie-fueled terror of the “RECâ€? franchise to delve into the mind of Cesar (Luis Tosar), the doorman of a Barcelona apartment complex. When Cesar’s obsession with tenant Clara (Marta Etura) turns sinister, the film begins truly earning the comparisons to Hitchcock that have been buzzing around it. Director BalaguerĂł will be in attendance. Screens: Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 3:30 p.m.

‘ Revenge: A Love Story’ (91 mins.) If there’s one thing you can

FeST continues on Page 9

Audrey Plaza, Chris Pratt and Amy Poehler star in NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,� whose fourth season premieres tonight. By Alex Williams Daily Texan Staff

Born from a network whim for a spin-off of “The Office,� “Parks and Recreation� certainly got off to a rough start with a first season that forgot star Amy Poehler is not Steve Carell, and Leslie Knope is certainly no Michael Scott. Once “Parks� returned for a second season, the show quickly became a highlight of NBC’s Thursday night comedy block.

In its third season, “Parks� pulled off something very few television shows have ever done — it had an absolutely perfect season, during which each member of the wide ensemble was firing on all cylinders and each episode warranted at least one rewatch to catch the jokes you missed the first time around. It’s also with this third season that “Parks� declared its contention for best show on television. While the basic cable heavyweights contin-

ue to hold that title, the new season of “Parks,� premiering tonight on NBC, continues to display the laughs and heart that make the show so exceptional. The premiere, “I’m Leslie Knope,� is mostly preoccupied with the fallout from last season’s cliffhangers, which range from Leslie (Amy Poehler) preparing to run for office and the normally unflappable Ron

Parks continues on Page 9

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12 LIFE

Life&Arts

12

Thursday, September 22, 2011 | The Daily Texan | Aleksander Chan, Life&Arts Editor | (512) 232-2209 | dailytexan@gmail.com

Cd REviEW

soulja boy

WEEKEND

Criticism fails to hold down popular artist Soulja Boy

WHAT: 3rd Annual Horns and Heroes WHEN: Friday at 7 p.m. WHERE: Mike A. Myers Stadium HOW MUCH: $7 WEB: texassports.com Join Texas Soccer in celebrating America’s service men and women, and interact with service department members and vehicles including fire trucks, police cars, helicopters and military vehicles. A canned food collection will take place to benefit those affected by the Central Texas wildfires.

By Ali Breland Daily Texan Staff

WHAT: ZACH Theatre presents “Spring Awakening” WHEN: Sept. 21 - Nov. 13 WHERE: ZACH Theatre HOW MUCH: $35-$55 WEB: zachtheatre.org The critically-acclaimed, eighttime Tony award winning folkrock musical explores the joys and difficulties of budding adolescent sexuality. “Spring Awakening” at the ZACH Theatre premiered this week and will run through Nov. 13. Contains mature themes and nudity.

SPACE continues on PAgE 9

SOULJA continues on PAgE 9

Photos Courtesy of NASA

Above, diagram shows the orbital paths of the Kepler-16 system compared to those of the inner planets of our solar system. Below, Kepler16b is in transit around a secondary eclipse of its parent stars Kepler-16A and Kepler-16B. By Benjamin Smith Daily Texan Staff

WHAT: Quesoff 2011 WHEN: Saturday, September 24, 5 p.m. WHERE: The Mohawk 912 Red River Austin, TX 78701 HOW MUCH: Free WEB: www.mohawkaustin. com The Mohawk hosts the quest to find the greatest queso Austin has to offer, from amateur chefs to recipes from well-established local joints.

Consisting primarily of sand and broken dreams, the fictional desert planet of Tatooine appears in five of George Lucas’ six “Star Wars” films, re-released this weekend on Blu-Ray. The planet is a barren wasteland orbiting two suns 43,000 light-years from civilization and populated by kleptomaniac midgets in robes and salty bartenders that look like the Elephant Man. Tatooine also happens to be the childhood home of famed one-armed moisture farmer Luke Skywalker. In a research article published in Science Magazine on Sept. 16, astronomers working with the Kepler spacecraft revealed that the $600 million space observatory, launched in 2009 to find Earthlike planets orbiting other stars, had detected a planet that, like Tatooine, orbits two suns. But before you fire up the X-wing you built to scale in your parents’ garage out of an old Dodge Stratus and the disassembled Bowflex machine you found in the garbage behind Academy, know that

WHAT: Austin Museum Day WHEN: Sunday WHERE: Various participating Austin museums. HOW MUCH: Free WEB: austinmuseums.org/ museumday On Saturday, participating Austin museums, including the Blanton Museum of Art and the Visual Arts Center, will be offering free exhibits and activities. See austinmuseums.com for a full list of participating venues and events.

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the only actual similarities between this planet and the Tatooine of fiction are those two suns. Rather than being a terrestrial Earth-like planet composed mostly of silicate rocks and metals like Lucas’ Tatooine, the planet known as Kepler-16b is a gas giant comparable to Saturn in mass and size. Gas giants are planets at least 10

times the size of Earth that are primarily composed of gasses, most commonly hydrogen and helium. As such, they have no solid surfaces and very low densities. Saturn for instance is 750 times the size of the Earth, but because the gasses of Saturn take up so much space compared to its total amount of mass, the planet is less dense than

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water. If you could find a pool big enough, Saturn would float in it. Kepler comes across these gas giants often, but they are generally insignificant to the mission design. The only thing that makes Kepler-16b stand out against the happenstance discoveries of other gas giants like it is that it orbits its

The dissonant and awkward style characteristic of Soulja Boy has been met by extremely harsh criticism in hip-hop since the rapper’s breakout hit “Crank Dat.” Album after album, and song after song, Soulja Boy is constantly labeled as a passing phase, a mere fad, an ofthe-moment artist. “Soulja is the only person I follow on Twitter. All the time, people say, ‘Why do you follow the worst rapper in the world?’ Daily, I hear that,” said Girl Talk, in an interview with Complex Magazine. Nonetheless, Soulja Boy continues to crank out hit after hit cementing his reputation each time. Despite what the detractors say, this is with good reason. Soulja Boy has been putting out music that sounds like a little of everything and like absolutely nothing being created in contemporary hip-hop. He is original and his ability to create catchy beats with stellar hooks is unparalleled, and the prolific level he creates music on is rivaled only by Bay Area phenom, Lil B. Soulja’s latest mixtape Supreme,

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