The Mercury 08/03

August 3, 2015

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BRAIN STORMS

Center for Brain Health targets veteran mental health issues with special programs STORY BY NIDHI GOTGI | MANAGING EDITOR THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ARUN PRASATH AND HAMID SHAH | MERCURY STAFF

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ergeant Mike Rials felt as though he had lost purpose in life. He had burned several bridges with his friends and family and spent most of his time indoors.

On his third deployment to Afghanistan with the Marine Corps, Rials was caught in a blast when a vehicle hit an anti-tank mine. Along with losing a friend in the explosion, he suffered severe burns and was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

After the attack, life just didn’t feel the same.

“A month and a half after my injury, I was back home out of the Marine Corps on terminal leave and really didn’t have a direction or purpose,” Rials said. “I was somewhat lost or ill equipped to handle a transition at the time.”

His biological father took his own life when Rials was five years old and his stepfather had recently lost his life to pain pills. In the absence of both of his mentors, Rials became mentally unstable.

He enrolled at UT Dallas to find direction in his life and gradually weaned himself off of self-medication.

“I still wasn’t doing too good,” Rials said. “My thoughts were very jumbled, very disorganized. I didn’t see myself communicating very well. I still had a lot of ruminating thoughts and still dealt with a lot of emotions. I felt numb.”

To counter this, Rials looked for a cause to join. He became highly involved in veterans’ affairs and became a part of a student veteran organization. At an event held on Veteran’s Day in 2011, Rials signed up for a PTSD study conducted by the Center for Brain Health.

It proved to be a life-changing choice.

“I tried something else out for the first time and kind of swallowed my pride,” Rials said. “I wanted to improve. I (wanted) better and (didn’t want to) feel sorry for myself.

It was the best decision I’ve made for quite some time.”

PARENTS JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND Columnist examines the influence strict upbringing has on children

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QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES? "To Kill a Mockingbird" sequel questions purity of heroes

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MOVIES TO REMEMBER Our movie critic reviews some of the best flicks the summer had to offer

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UP LIKE DONALD TRUMP Comics mix art, politics with pop culture for maximum laughs

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Mike Rials is one of thousands of veterans who has suffered from PTSD and TBI. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have PTSD.

→ SEE BRAIN, PAGE 8

University starts building SSB add-on Extension will house 500-seat auditorium, serve as new home to Veteran Services Center CARA SANTUCCI Mercury Staff

University officials and facilities management celebrated the beginning of construction on the second Student Services Building on July 29. The new building is expected to be completed by the fall of 2016.

The $26 million project will be 6,000 square feet when completed. The new SSB will replace parking lot K that sits between the engineering building and the existing student services building. It will be four stories tall, including an underground level for maintenance and golf cart storage.

The above ground stories will house plenty of open study space, workrooms, the Veteran Services Center, the Center for Students in Recovery and rooms that can be rented by student groups. The SSB addition will also have a 500-seat auditorium.

The building is being financed through a revenue finance system — a low interest loan from the state — and existing funds.

Kelly Kinnard, the director of physical plant services, has been acting as a liaison between the architects and the faculty to ensure the project runs as smoothly as possible.

→ SEE SSB, PAGE 10

ARUN PRASATH | MERCURY STAFF

Students, faculty and Temoc take part in the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Student Services Building expansion on July 29.

Senior shines in college summer league Infielder with prestigious baseball pedigree prepares for season by competing against Division I players across Texas, Louisiana PABLO JUAREZ Mercury Staff

BRAZOS VALLEY BOMBERS | COURTESY

After being called in to play with the Brazos Valley Bombers as a temporary player last year, infielder Jimmy Norris, who is entering his senior season with the Comets, has found his niche with the team.

Earlier this season, he was selected for the Texas Collegiate League All-Star Game.

From All-Star to record holder, senior infielder Jimmy Norris is at the top of his game. Norris is in the midst of his second stint with the Brazos Valley Bombers as he competes against other studentathletes in the Texas Collegiate League.

The Texas Collegiate League is a university-level summer baseball league featuring a total of six Texas and Louisiana-based teams. The league is active from May 28 to Aug. 7.

This is Norris’s second consecutive season with the Bombers. He earned a permanent position with the squad after originally being brought on as a temporary player.

“I got a call last summer … three days before the season started from Coach (Curt Dixon) of the Bombers,” Norris said. “(He) said they needed a temporary guy to come fill in a spot.”

Taking Dixon up on his offer, Norris ended up breaking the Bombers' single-season stolen bases record. He finished in a four-way tie for fourth place in the entire league with 22 stolen bases.

“I ended up doing really well and turned a temporary position into a full-time signing,” he said.

The Bombers finished the 2014 season with a record of 45-15. The team defeated the Victoria Generals in the TCL Championship Series, becoming the first team to capture back-to-back titles in league history. “(In) last year’s championship series, we won on a

crazy comeback on a walk-off and ended up winning game three for the championship,” Norris said. “The whole team got to celebrate … champagne on the field and everything. That was probably the most memorable (moment).”

The Texas Collegiate League features student-athletes from across the country. Norris is one of the few Division III players in the league this season, along with the Comets’ third baseman, Brandon George, who suffered a shoulder injury in June that shut him down for the rest of the summer season.

“We got four guys from (Texas A&M University), four guys from (Oklahoma State University). We have a lot of huge school (Division I) guys,” Norris explained. “A couple of my teammates already got drafted … It’s real competitive down here.”

Earlier this season, Norris was selected as a reserve infielder for the 2015 TCL All-Star game for the first time. He was one of 12 players to represent the Bombers during the day’s festivities.

“I came in the third or fourth inning … went 2-for-3 and had a couple steals. I had a good game,” Norris said. “Before the game we (took batting practice) and there (were) 15 (Major League Baseball) scouts up there watching us. So it was pretty cool.”

Even though the odds stacked against him, Norris’s end goal is to one day play in the MLB, although he said playing in the minors would also be an accomplishment for him.

His passion for the game began at an early age.

→ SEE NORRIS, PAGE 8

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July 7 t " OPO BĂŻ MJBUFE NBMF XBT BSSFTUFE GPS JO terfering with an emergency phone call, criminal trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia at 1:51 p.m. in Phase 2.

July 13 t "O JOEJWJEVBM SFQPSUFE QSPQFSUZ UIFGU GS om his work trailer at 3:35 p.m. in Lot D. July 13 t "O VOBï MJBUFE GFNBMF XBT BSSFTUFE GPS not having a driver’s license and four traffic warrants from other agencies at 11:15 p.m. on Waterview Pkwy.

July 14 t A UTD employee reported that her crochet blanket was taken without her express consent at 1:57 p.m. in the Student Services Building.

July 17 t "U B N BO BĂŻ MJBUFE NBMF SFQPSU ed that his car keys had been stolen from him in Lot J. July 18 t "O VOBĂŻ MJBUFE JOEJWJEVBM SFQPSUFE UIBU his vehicle had been purposely scratched multiple times by an unknown actor at 5 p.m. on Waterview Pkwy.

July 21 t A UTD student was arrested in Lot H at 9:57 a.m. for possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and hydrocodone and for an other agency warrant.

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JUST THE FACTS

OPINION

AUG. 3, 2015 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

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Success isn’t defined by expectations Story of Asian girl who set up murders of strict mother, father highlights cultural problems of parents too focused on their children ‘making it’

That being said, perfection was an unyielding expectation in our household. They weren’t tiger LINDA NGUYEN parents, though I wonder if sometimes they wish COMMENTARY they had been. My parents always reminded my sister and me that they wanted us to strive for our absolute best.

However, I was petrified when I had to take home my first report card that didn’t contain all A’s. I wasn’t When I first heard about Jennifer Pan, a Vietnamese-Canadian girl who hired hit men to kill a perfect student, but I tried my best to be as close to her parents, my initial reaction was utter disbelief. one as possible. I was always afraid to show my parents But then I thought about it. Was the concept of an my failures because I didn’t want them to feel like their Asian girl feeling so suffocated by her parents that she sacrifices for my sister and I were for nothing.

I was never allowed to go to sleepovers. Whenever took a step as drastic and crazy as ordering a hit on my parents were wrong, there was never an apolthem that hard for me to believe? Not really.

In a nutshell, Jennifer Pan is a typical Asian girl with ogy or an explanation — just an expectation that typical strict Asian parents who have high expecta- it would never be brought up again. Even now, as a tions for their daughter. In high school, she began to 22-year-old going into my second year of graduate school, I still have to call my fall short of her parents’ high academic parents every single day at expectations. Unable to face telling her 9 p.m. parents about her shortcomings, she Was the concept of When I go home, I am fabricated a series of lies by faking false an Asian girl feeling hesitant to make plans report cards, her high school graduawith my friends if I have tion, her college enrollment and later, so suffocated by her to run them by my paradmission into pharmacy school. parents that she took ents. The first and only Eventually her lies went too far and time I introduced a boyher parents found out. They cracked a step as drastic and friend to my parents led down on her and she couldn’t take crazy as ordering a to an interrogation that it anymore. Pan conspired with her hit on them that hard was awkward for me and boyfriend to have her parents killed in petrifying for him. a fake robbery. She was found guilty of for me to believe?

My parents are textmurder and attempted murder earlier Not really. book examples of Asian this year. parents. They are the kind As I read further and further into her of parents it seems like story, so much of Pan’s life resonated Pan had. It wasn’t hard with me. While I would never harm my parents, there are days when their helicopter parenting for me to believe that Pan’s parents restricted her computer and phone usage: my parents have always becomes too much for me to handle.

My parents are Vietnamese immigrants — refugees threatened that if I step out of line, even when I am to be exact. Their story is like that of many refugees away at school, they would not hesitate to pull me from Vietnam: they escaped on a boat to Indonesia out and make me come home.

In that sense, I get how her parents could have where they applied for and waited to be granted immigration to the United States. Once my parents driven her completely crazy. I understand how she got here, they labored and studied with the hope that could have felt like she didn’t have any other option. I my sister and I would have a better life in the United recognize the feeling of knowing you’ve let your parents down. I get all of that. What I don’t get is how States than we would have had in Vietnam.

By most definitions, they’ve succeeded. They that translated into a desire to kill her mom and dad.

I definitely don’t want to paint Asian children as worked hard to support themselves and their siblings through college. They both have prosperous careers ticking time bombs. I love my parents, and I know and I’ve been lucky enough to have their financial that their desire for control stems from love.

I’ve also learned that, sometimes, Asian parents have support whenever I’ve needed it.

Comets and Craters Basketball player nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year: If you read the sports section at all last year, you heard about Madi Hess, the senior point guard who led the women’s basketball team to the Sweet Sixteen. Well now, on top of a long list of awards, she has been nominated by the ASC for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Congrats Madi!

Lot K: It’s with heavy hearts that the staff of The Mercury bids farewell to Lot K. Now that it has been swallowed by construction, we will never again be able to take advantage of its amazingly close parking. Good night, sweet friend.

YORK REGIONAL POLICE | COURT DOCUMENT

Jennifer Pan, whose story has circulated across the Internet, has become a symbol of the extremes that some parents take to ensure their kids succeed. Pan, who failed to graduate from high school, lied about entering college and pharmacy school to her mother and father and set up an elaborate system of deception to escape the wrath of her strict family.

a very singular view of success. It’s hard to convince them that there are many ways to achieve it. I think that ended up being Pan’s problem. She always fell short of what her parents considered being on the “right” path, earning the “right” grades and doing the “right” things.

In reality, that path isn’t always for everyone.

When I got to college, my plan was to finish my undergraduate education in three years and then go to medical school. My GPA and MCAT scores said otherwise and that was all that mattered to my parents.

It didn’t matter that I was the only science major working at my school’s student newspaper, keeping up with my studies and winning awards. It didn’t matter that, as a sophomore, my research advisor and the other faculty members in my department named me as one of two students recognized for their research.

None of that counted as being successful because it wasn’t on the predetermined path my parents had chosen for me. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in college was to not be hung up on what my

Construction clearing up: Remember when the North Mall looked like a scene out of your favorite post-apocalyptic nightmare?

Thanks to the work of the ever-present construction crews, that wasteland is finally clearing up in front of Founders and starting to look really good.

Hopefully the rest of the mall will look just as green.

Construction shutting down : Remember the beautifully written post above this one that you just read? Well, here’s the sad response to it. Even though construction has gotten better, it’s also gotten worse, with the passage between the Student Union and Founders becoming a bottleneck. Have fun navigating that when every class decides to let out at the same time.

So long summer: It’s been another great summer full of adventures in the sun and late nights, but sadly, all good things must come to an end. Soon we’ll all be swallowed by the grind of college once again. Good luck.

COMET COMMENTS

parents thought was success. And I’ve had to work on that with them. I’ve had to convince them what I was doing was special. I had to show them I was still making a difference and I was excelling in my chosen field.

This upcoming year will be scary for me. It will be my chance to show my parents I have been working towards something important. It’s taken me six years to get to a point where I can take pride in my accomplishments regardless of what my family thinks.

I would never justify Pan’s actions because, quite frankly, her story is no different from mine and many other Asian-Americans’ in the United States. We are all under immense pressure, but as Asian-Americans we have to continue moving forward rather than allowing our shortcomings to define who we are.

At the end of the day, success is not defined by the letters at the end of our names-whether it be M.D., Pharm.D. or anything else-or the number on our transcripts. There are many paths to success; we just need to find the right one for us.

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“Do you think parents are too strict on their kids when it comes to academics?”

Tell us what you think about strict parents and answer our poll at www.utdmercury.com.

“I think they are strict, especially during high school. I think as you get to college they’ll kind of slack off and let you become your own.”

“In general, yeah, they’re strict...(In my case) I feel it’s not as strict.”

“I think in many cases (they are.) Though they have good intentions, I believe that it’s actually detrimental to a lot of students....They study out of fear and not wanting to learn more and improve their education.”

Bupe Chinukwe Mechanical Engineering Junior

David Jimenez Electrical Engineering Senior

Simran Malhotra Biology Senior

RESULTS FROM LAST ISSUE “What is your reaction to the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage?”

50% I am in support of legalizing same-sex marriage

50% 30% I am not in support of legalizing same-sex marriage

The online poll was open from July 6 to Aug. 2 and had 8 participants.

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AUG. 3, 2015 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

LIFE&ARTS

Can’t stop, won’t stop Who watches the watchmen?

Criminology prof finishes 7 marathons with more coming up Sequel to “Mockingbird” peels back myth of innocence, champions

HAMID SHAH | MERCURY STAFF

Harper Lee’s new novel came out 53 years after her original book took the literary world by storm.

ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS NICOLE PIQUERO | COURTESY

COMMENTARY

Nicole Piquero started running marathons after her trainer suggested she take up the sport. Since then, she has joined a group called the Marathon Maniacs and plans to compete in several more races before the year ends.

PRIYANKA HARDIKAR Mercury Staff

One Saturday afternoon, after conquering her sixth mile on the treadmill, criminology professor Nicole Piquero considered going home. But she was at the gym watching a college football game, and if she left then, she’d miss the ending.

She couldn’t risk it. Her fingers confidently landed on the start button, and her body adjusted to the pace.

Before Piquero knew it, she had run 10 miles.

“My trainer said, ‘We’re going to sign you up for a half marathon,’ and I thought she was crazy,” Piquero said.

As someone who had been going to the gym for most of her life and working with a trainer since 2011, Piquero was accustomed to running six miles at a time.

She said long-distance running wasn’t something she necessarily hated; it was just something she never considered.

Since that time, Piquero has completed seven marathons. Her best finish came in San Diego last year with a time of 3 hours and 43 minutes.

“I had signed up to do San Diego last year and I couldn’t because I was injured, so I had to go back and redeem myself this year,” Piquero said.

“Not only did I redeem myself, but I had my best time.”

When she’s preparing for a marathon, Piquero

said she normally runs four times a week, gradually increasing the number of miles as the big day approaches. Because of the Texas heat, Piquero tries to get most of her workouts in early — sometimes leaving the house at 5:30 a.m.

“I have a very understanding spouse who indulges me and understands when I say, ‘No, I can’t go to dinner tonight with our friends because I have to go to bed, since I have to be up really early,’” she said.

For Piquero’s husband, Alex, his wife’s training does not cause challenges for him. He and his wife simply making decisions with her training in mind, he said.

Alex, who is an associate provost and professor of criminology, understands the responsibilities that come along with the career choice.

“When schedules conflict, we find a way around them,” Alex said.

Fortunately, Piquero manages to balance time commitments, waking up early daring the week to get in her training before coming into her office to work.

For Piquero, training is the best part. The rigor, planning and setting of goals keep her hooked, she explained. The marathon runner said she appreciates the structure of the training; it contains a degree of malleability while maintaining its level of flow.

“I like to know where I’m going,” Piquero said.

“That’s very consistent across the professional and

→ SEE MARATHON, PAGE 7

Editor’s note: This review contains major spoilers for “Go Set a Watchman.”

People often conjure heroes when they need a role model to look up to. When those facades inevitably fade away in the cold light of reality, people begin to see their idols for who they really are. The fallout can leave disciples in a confused and angry state.

In Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman,” the sequel to the ground breaking classic “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Jean Louise “Scout” Finch has to learn the hard way that appearances can be deceiving. Readers will sympathize with her sense of dread when she slowly begins to realize even the most polished individuals can harbor a dark side.

The novel begins with an adult Jean Louise (who has given up her childhood nickname of Scout that most readers will remember her by) visiting her hometown of Maycomb, Ala. after an extended stay in New York City. Upon her return to her old stomping grounds, she finds that much has stayed the same. Her father, Atticus, is still the county’s most respected lawyer, her Aunt Alexandria is as abrasive to her niece as she was in “Mockingbird” and the city still seems to operate in its own secluded bubble.

Despite the similarities to the Maycomb of the past, readers will find that much has transformed since Scout’s adventures in her youth. Jean Louise is now seriously involved with Henry Clinton, a childhood friend who now works at her father’s

law firm as his right-hand man. Atticus, on the other hand, has aged dramatically since his last appearance. Arthritis now plagues his body and he finds it difficult to even dress himself at times. Calpurnia, once the trusted house maid for the Finches, has retired and moved back in with her family on the outskirts of town where the rest of the black citizens of Maycomb reside.

To top off all of these changes, Jem, Jean Louise’s brother, is dead. While walking in front of his father’s office one day, he is killed by a heart attack. Although it may look the same, Jean Louise’s home is not what it once was.

As she navigates through the perplex web of Southern hospitality and the odd formalities of adult life, readers are treated to Jean Louise’s memories of childhood as she reminisces about a simpler time.

She and Henry seriously contemplate marriage and Jean Louise finds peace with her family. That all changes when she finds out Atticus and Henry aren’t the people she thinks they are.

She discovers that the two have been involved with a group that aims to maintain segregation in the South. She watches two of the most important men in her life sitting alongside a speaker who spouts the genetic inferiority of minorities as fact. Readers will share her shock, confusion and gloom when she sees her beloved Atticus collaborating with these racists.

In a fury, Jean Louise prepares to leave Maycomb forever. The man who told her that you could only judge a man by standing in his shoes is now effectively dead to her and her suitor has been slain along with him. Forcefully ripped from blissful ignorance, Jean Louise is born again in the harsh world of honesty.

Seeing a character like Atticus revealed to be a racist is like seeing Dumbledore turn out to be a Death

→ SEE WATCHMAN, PAGE 7

GALLERY CAPTURES SPIRIT OF virgiN Alumna’s gallery showcases celebrations of revered saint across American Southwest, documents changes in culture NIKITA SOJAN Mercury Staff

An outsider’s glimpse into a sacred holiday is showcased through photographer Lilly Albritton’s gallery, “¡Que Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!”

Albritton, a UTD alumna who got her Ph.D. in Humanities-Aesthetic Studies, spent the last decade traveling across the American Southwest capturing the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Her traveling gallery stopped at UTD from June 26 to July 24.

According to tradition, the Virgin originally appeared in Mexico City to Juan Diego on Dec. 12, 1531 and asked for a church to be built in her honor.

She then proved her identity with two miraculous signs. Since then, Dec. 12 has been revered as a day of celebration for the Virgin.

“I’ve always had a fascination with the Virgin of Guadalupe,” Albritton said. “I saw her in unexpected places like car bumper stickers, tattoos or even an air freshener. And I was intrigued by this figure; who is this figure we see in so many places and not just the church?”

Beginning in Mexico City in 2008, she began capturing photos of celebrations commemorating the Virgin. Over the next 10 years, she traveled from San Antonio to Los Angeles to chronicle how people viewed the Virgin.

In Dallas, a procession in her honor was almost 6 miles long, while in Los Angeles, normal civic life was suspended for the day as a torch from the Basilica of Our Lady Guadalupe was relayed from Mexico City to the metropolis. Las Cruces, N.M., had an elaborate festival that lasted three days while Phoenix had dancers.

“Each city had its own way of celebrating, but they do all draw on the common elements of the apparition story, songs, chants and dances,” Albritton said.

Albritton knew from the beginning there were challenges to be faced when capturing these ceremonies.

“I didn’t want to intrude and I knew I was entering these celebrations as an outsider,” Albritton said. “I made sure I was a very well informed outsider and I

PARTHASARATHY S.K. | MERCURY STAFF

Photographer Lilly Albritton explains the focus of and the challenges related to her project “¡Que Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!” Her traveling gallery presents the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe, beginning in Mexico City and covering San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix and Los Angeles.

knew what to look for.”

She said she wanted to create a genuine and authentic representation of what this celebration meant, so none of her photographs are posed.

“They had pride in their culture, pride in their religion, pride in their city and pride in their family,” Albritton said. “So they were happy to see that someone else was interested.”

In Albritton’s work, old world images are often juxtaposed with new world features.

“You see little girls dressed as Guadalupe, but you can see their blue jeans and Converse sticking out underneath their dresses,” Albritton said.

In many of the photographs, the colors and statues of Guadalupe are prominently displayed in gas stations, beautiful churches or on the street with Chevys

and Fords. While a few aspects of the celebration have been modified to accommodate current technology, the core values and rituals have been preserved.

Albritton’s goal was to create an archive of this cultural event, not only for the devotees of Guadalupe, but also as an introduction to people who are on the

→ SEE VIRGIN, PAGE

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THE MERCURY | AUG. 3, 2015

5 1 0 2SUMMER

SUMMER MOVIES

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W E I V E R E I V O M f the break o s ie v o m t s STAFF the be | MERCURY ndy guide to AFF DRO BREA

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PE URY ST REVIEWS BY AMS | MERC R G Y IL M E DESIGN BY

Jurassic World

“Jurassic World” pretty much follows the same plot as its predecessors: dinosaurs escape from a theme park and civilians scramble to save themselves from the jaws of these prehistoric monsters. The only twists in the movie are Owen Grady’s (Chris Pratt) trained velociraptors and the genetically modified Indominus Rex. Despite the lack of originality in the movie’s storyline, it is still an entertaining film to watch.

UNIVERSAL | COURTESY

HAMID SHAH | MERCURY STAFF

Avengers: Age of Ultron The sequel to Marvel’s biggest movie yet was just as exciting as the original.

“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” like its predecessor, is great because of its ability to balance over-the-top action with light-hearted humor in a thrilling superhero movie. While it lacked the depth and intensity of some of its DC counterparts, “Age of Ultron” didn’t fail to deliver a stunning summer film.

DISNEY | COURTESY

EMILY GRAMS | MERCURY STAFF

Ant-Man The expression “good things come in small packages” comes to mind after watching this movie. The name “Ant-Man” doesn’t conjure up excitement like other Marvel superheroes such as Iron Man, Thor or Captain America, but don’t let the name fool you. Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is an unlikely hero who will have you rooting for him every step of the way. The acting in this movie is great and Marvel keeps up its reputation of intertwining intense action with comedy. The tiny ant scenes are hilarious and extremely well done. If you love superheroes, don’t miss this movie and make sure to stay in the theatre until the very end of the credits; you won’t regret it.

HAMID SHAH | MERCURY STAFF

DISNEY | COURTESY

Mad Max: Fury Road “Mad Max: Fury Road” was a huge surprise. The film received an enormous amount of hype on movie review websites, but the trailers made it seem superficial and excessively brutal. This, however, is not the case. The film delivers a message of sustainability and humanity that should be taken to heart. Still, this movie is crazy, unmerciful and insane in the best way possible. The action scenes are pure genius and the stunts are spectacular. This heart-pounding thriller is sure to liven up the summer.

HAMID SHAH | MERCURY STAFF

WARNER BROTHERS | COURTESY

Terminator: Genisys Ignore all the bad press people are giving this film. This reboot of the “Terminator” franchise is filled with action and amazing visual effects that will keep your eyes locked on the screen until the finale. Humorous moments sprinkled in with breathtaking action shots help to create a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Although some fans may think this movie does not live up to the original “Terminator” films, Alan Taylor’s modern take on the Terminator makes a positive contribution to the franchise and is definitely worth watching.

PARAMOUNT | COURTESY

EMILY GRAMS | MERCURY STAFF

Inside Out Even though the story is mundane, Pixar’s exuberant and breathtaking animations save “Inside Out” and allow it to stand on its own. Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling seemed to fit their parts perfectly. They were fantastic in voicing and giving life to their characters of Joy and Disgust, respectively. The movie is a true piece of art and is a great family film that might bring some viewers to tears.

TIM SHIRLEY | MERCURY STAFF

DISNEY | COURTESY

UTDMERCURY.COM → MARATHON

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running part of who I am.”

Her dedication to her career and her running feed off one another, Alex explained.

Her husband said watching Piquero train is really inspiring because not everyone gets the chance to witness the sacrifice, dedication and preparation athletes put in before the race. It consists of weeks of training, hydrating, eating well and taking care of one’s body.

“It is much like a star athlete, where some make it look so easy when you see them on TV,” Alex said.

“But it is the hours in the gym and weight room that really make the athlete.”

On race day, Piquero wakes up about two hours before the event begins — sometimes even earlier depending on how long it takes to reach the site.

Once there, she familiarizes herself with the area she will be running in and makes sure to carry at least two drinks during the marathon, whether it is Gatorade, water or Powerade. Still, no matter how prepared she is, she said it’s always difficult to begin a race.

“The hardest thing at first was getting out the front door, and even today I’d say the first mile — getting started — is always hardest,” Piquero said.

Marathon running is one of the few athletic activities that possesses a degree of solitude, according to Piquero, who calls it her quiet time.

Before the race begins, the runners use the waiting time to get to know one another. Sometimes, it is a challenge to not get caught up in the anxiety of the race and mentally compete against the other runners, Piquero said.

“It’s hard to say, ‘I’m not racing the person next to me. I’m racing myself,’” Piquero said. “Then it’s just a matter of enjoying the race and being in that moment.”

Once the race has started, Piquero tries her best to listen to her body so she can avoid injuries.

Piquero will allow herself to take walk breaks to change her pace and help her rest up, if necessary.

She tries to keep them to a minimum, though, since they affect her time.

“The way I look at it is I’m still moving, I’m still progressing and I’m not going backwards,” she said.

To avoid slipping into a negative mindset, Piquero plays mental games during the marathon. She said she tries to focus on her surroundings, like the beauty of the scenery.

Once she reaches the halfway point of a race, she’ll start counting down, reminding herself that she’s nearly done.

LIFE&ARTS

Upon finishing, she always finds the familiar face of her husband, who is standing at the finish line of Piquero’s full marathon races.

After running 26.2 miles during the marathon, Piquero’s usually drained. Before she leaves for her competitions, Piquero sets up an appointment with her chiropractor for the following Monday to undo everything she’s just done and put her body at ease again.

Despite the toll it takes on her, Piquero still revels in the thrill of the races.

“There’s something fun about being completely exhausted at the end,” Piquero said. “It’s giving everything out of the tank and saying, ‘You know what? I did this.’”

For Piquero, reaching one goal pushes her to achieve another — in this case, the next level of the Marathon Maniacs, a group that challenges marathon runners.

She is currently part of the bronze level, which holds the criteria of completing two marathons within a 16-day time frame and three marathons within a 90-day time frame. The next level, silver, requires completing eight marathons in 365 days.

Piquero hopes to earn entry into the Boston Marathon of 2016, which she has qualified for.

For the Boston Marathon, qualifying does not guarantee entry, but only allows one the chance to submit for registration, according to the B.A.A website.

She and her husband have high hopes. After all, success breeds success, Alex said.

“There are no ends in sight for her,” Alex said. “I see her getting better, staying healthy, and enjoying the mental and physical rewards that come from her running.”

As of now, Piquero has four more marathons coming up this year. She had planned on completing the Revel Rockies Marathon on July 19, but it ended up getting canceled due to logistical issues.

As a result, Piquero is now trying to fit in another marathon to replace the one she missed.

She is looking into three marathons as a possible replacement: the Rock N Roll Denver Marathon, the Portland Marathon or the Kansas City Marathon.

Her long-term goal is to keep running for as long as her body allows her to.

“When I’m stressed out, the best thing I can do is go for a run,” Piquero said. “There’s just something about seeing the rabbits, the birds and the people out there. The sun, the clouds, the breeze that comes — it’s very therapeutic. It’s running.”

THE MERCURY | AUG. 3, 2015

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Turning up

ARUN PRASATH | MERCURY STAFF

Members of The C.I.T.Y., a Houston-based funk group, interact with the crowd during a performance on the Plinth on July 23.

→ WATCHMAN

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Eater; it doesn’t make sense. Maybe that’s the point of the novel. The truth isn’t easy to digest, but it’s essential to accept it to cure society’s ills.

Nobody wants to hear stories of their parents’ drunken escapades in college or learn that their favorite athlete has been taking steroids. It humanizes them and that’s the last thing you want in a hero.

How super would Superman be if he had flaws?

When Jean Louise learns of Atticus’s racism, her first instinct is to run. After thinking it over, she comes back like the prodigal son and begins life anew with the strength that comes with accepting people, flaws and all. She realizes that only she can save herself from the racism that surrounds her.

It’s ironic that this novel comes out at a time when so many of Maycomb’s struggles parallel those in our modern society. The shadows of Ferguson, Baltimore and Charleston hang over our nation despite the huge advances in racial relations

→ VIRGIN

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outside of this tradition. She said she aspired to portray these events as beautiful acts of faith that happen every year for the Virgin.

As times change, technology advances and cultures morph to fit their environments, she said she hopes

made over the past several decades. Half a century after “Watchman” takes place, people are once again entertaining the idea that black and white can’t live together in harmony.

As a nation, we turned to people like Barack Obama to heal our racial wounds. But soon we learned even he had limits. As 2016 approaches with another presidential race, a new champion will once again be coronated and charged with creating an American utopia. If “Watchman” is to be believed, no matter who is elected, there will be no one to cleanse us of our sins; salvation will only come from within.

“Go Set A Watchman” isn’t the sequel to “Mockingbird” people will be expecting. Gone are the fairy tales of flawless angels that champion equality and change the world for the better. Instead, the novel confronts the ugly existence of buried prejudice that can lurk within even the best men and women.

“Watchman” isn’t the novel people want to read, but it’s the one they need to read.

to preserve these celebrations through photographs.

While the Southwestern portion of her gallery is complete, Albritton plans to travel to New York and Chicago to witness their processions and celebrations. She looks forward to continuing to share her passion of the Virgin with others.

“Altogether, it’s a really beautiful event,” Albritton said.

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THE MERCURY | AUG. 3, 2015

NEWS

UTDMERCURY.COM

Center’s programs fight PTSD, TBI → BRAIN

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Problems with PTSD

systems.”

The head of community programs for the center, Molly Keebler, said veterans learn cognitive control in a brain training program called Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training, or SMART, offered at the center. There are currently 20 veterans who participate in the program.

“We’re interested in how the brain changes,” Keebler said. “We’re interested in helping people change their lives for the better.”

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a neurobiological phenomena exhibited by someone who is exposed to chronic threat, horror, the possibility of severe injury or death. Tina Bass, a clinician and research assistant at the Center for Brain Health, explained that the condition is like constantly having the flight-or-fight Tackling TBI response active.

“It can be thought of as having your stress response Traumatic brain injury, which usually occurs when stuck in the ‘on’ position,” Bass said.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans someone suffers a violent blow to the head, can affect Affairs, 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in the way the entire brain works. After a traumatic Iraq or Afghanistan have PTSD. Bass said PTSD brain injury, it is harder to block out irrelevant inforresults in impairment in occupational and social mation.

The training programs at the center teach indifunctioning, although every individual diagnosed viduals who have TBI to organize and prioritize exhibits unique symptoms.

Some of the common misconceptions about peo- information and transform it into something of ple who suffer from PTSD are that they may be more meaning. The center also teaches techniques to aggressive or that they may suffer from a character improve creativity and innovation.

Rials pointed out that research has proven how flaw. Bass said the center’s goal is to do away with these misconceptions and create long-term treat- the brain was meant to operate. With the strategies taught to the patients, they are able to train their ments for patients.

“That’s our hope; that the research will translate into brains to work in the proper way.

“My communication has become much more clinical services and that these (services) will be adopted by anyone who treats individuals with PTSD,” Bass effective,” Rials said. “My confidence is up to where it was in the milisaid. tary. I feel more One of the energized and ways the cenefficient. I’m not ter does this is so discombobuthrough coglated anymore or nitive processall over the place. ing therapy, a I sleep better.” treatment that SMART is the limits PTSD only program of symptoms. A its kind in the study started United States and in 2010 is stresses affordtrying to see able platforms if CPT can such as Skype be enhanced so that veterans with differare empowered ent forms of to go through neuro-stimuthe program in lation. their homes.

A main Keebler said focus of the CENTER FOR BRAIN HEALTH | COURTESY that the center procedures at the center Nyaz Didehbani (left), a researcher for the Center for Brain Health, hopes to acquire is the decay demonstrates one of the techniques the center uses in their thera- more funding to include group of traumatic py to combat brain-related illnesses. training. memories.

One type of Moving forward treatment — the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation — When veterans go through rehabilitation procan lower PTSD symptoms by inhibiting the area of the brain that is responsible for violent reactions, grams, their insurance stops payment if the indihyper arousal and anxiety. The center is also testing vidual has plateaued against a certain standard that high-definition transcranial direct current stimula- measures progress. Keebler said their programs focus tion to see if it is more effective in improving quality on constant development rather than reaching a stopping point. of life.

For Rials, global education on brain health is vital to The results of the study showed that PTSD symptoms dropped by approximately 50 percent. combating the stigma against mental illness.

“There is a lack of education and there’s a lack of After participating in the protocol, Rials observed a understanding of how the brain is wired to work, what’s significant change in his lifestyle.

“Now, instead of living in a small little bubble, good for the brain, what’s bad for the brain and how I want to taste every new food, I want to try every much control we actually have of the brain,” Rials said.

He said that going through the programs at the new experience (and) public places don’t bother me,” Rials said. “I truly try to practice the tools that center has helped him readjust and educate himself were given to me (at the Center for Brain Health).” about brain health.

He is now in charge of the training programs The treatments are unique because they are personalized forms of care that move away from medi- offered at the Center for Brain Health that are cation based therapy, Bass said. She explained that based on in-house research. He said that being able individuals aren’t always compliant with prescribed to improve people’s lives has helped him regain his medicine, so the center’s strategies could be another confidence as a leader and live a purposeful life.

“When I was in the military, I led anywhere option for patients.

“Brain stimulation is using your own endog- between 12 to 43 men, and I’d like to say that those enous neurochemicals to change things at a neuro- guys would follow me anywhere, and I get that same nal level, as opposed to taking medication to make sense of feeling now,” Rials said. “I get to lead guys in different changes,” Bass said. “(It is) enhancing a new phase in their lives. I get to train them to use the performance of or kick-starting those built-in their greatest asset: their brain.”

TIM SHIRLEY | MERCURY STAFF

Twenty veterans are currently participating in the cognitive control training program to help them regain normal day-to-day functions of their minds.

SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

→ NORRIS

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Baseball played an integral part in his family’s history. “(I began playing baseball) as early as you can start, probably since I was about five years old,” Norris said. “My uncle played for the (Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers) for a few years, my dad played in the minors for the Indians, and both my brothers played in college as well. We all played baseball since we were born.”

Head UTD baseball coach Shane Shewmake said Norris has a non-stop motor and exceptional work ethic, making him a vital part of the team.

“He’s not going to get outworked by anybody.

He’s scrappy, he’s hard nosed, (his) uniform is always

dirty,” Shewmake said. “He’s a leader by example, more than anything.”

Norris approaches each baseball game he plays in the same manner, whether it’s during UTD’s regular season in the spring or during his stint with the Bombers in the summer.

“I bring the same intensity to every game,” Norris said. “When you’re on the field that’s just something you have to do.”

Originally a transfer from McMurry University, Norris will enter his final year as a Comet this fall.

He looks to improve on all aspects of his game this summer, especially his batting mechanics. “[I’ll] take everything I’ve learned … and do everything I can in the off-season to get ready,” he said.

COMICS&GAMES

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AUG.3, 2015 | THE MERCURY

Puzzles: Sudoku

Trump vs. Luthor

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Ultra!

CLASSIFIEDS Help Wanted—Grapevine UTD Staff person needs able-bodied m/f to help with household projects. NO cleaning.

Requires lifting up to 25 lbs. and climbing short ladder. Work 3-6 hours on weekends.

Schedule flexible and on-going. Call Patricia at 682-557-9605

Art by Hamid Shah Words by Esteban Bustillos

Pratt Tattoo

Wait...WHAT?

by Emily Grams

Join the graphics team at The Mercury

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Puzzle Answers

by Emily Grams

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THE MERCURY | AUG. 3, 2015

→ SSB

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“There are complications with every project,” Kinnard said. “No one wants to lose a parking lot but we’ve got to if we’re going to have this building.”

Kinnard said the university has plans to supplement parking with a new garage opening by Clark Center at some point in the future. It will be similar to the two existing parking structures on campus.

During construction, all of lot K will be shut down. The end of Drive A will also be closed and a new turn-around will be created next to the engineering building to help the flow of traffic.

Those involved in the project began planning about a year ago to figure out the details of the building’s construction. According to Kinnard, the university’s growing population made the space deficiency on campus obvious some time ago.

When the original SSB was built in 2009, UTD had 14,000 students. Now the number is closer to 25,000. Gene Fitch, the vice president for Student Affairs, noticed the cramped quarters in the SSB when he first joined UTD five years ago.

“The running joke (when I joined) was that before we’d moved in, we’d already outgrown the building,” Fitch said. “As it happens, that joke turned out to

NEWS

be somewhat prophetic, so it brings me relief and excitement to be standing here today preparing to break ground on this addition.”

While planning the project, faculty members in the Office of Student Affairs spoke with student groups to discover what was needed in the new building. Matt Grief, the associate vice president for Student Affairs, was involved in the conversations with students.

“Each section that we looked at, for example, SUAAB, (we) met with the students in that group (and asked): ‘What do you need in that space?’”

Grief said. “We got a good grasp of what students needed by meeting with them throughout the years.”

Student Government President Caitlynn Fortner is focused on making sure students have the ability to use the services in the new building. “(Student Government’s) involvement … from here on out is (about) making sure that students have access to things we think they should have access to,” Fortner said. “For instance, (we are) making sure (the theater) really is a student space and not something that’s going to be on locks.”

Kinnard said the new addition will enhance the school’s outreach to students.

“The building itself will offer Student Affairs and Student Services the ability to better serve the students,” he said.

UTDMERCURY.COM