Vol. 5, Issue 10 The Summa - March 7, 2013

The Summa

ENTERTAINMENT

Warm Bodies, Warm Hearts This zombie movie doesn’t play into an overdrawn genre, but provides unique zombie romance.

» PAGE 9

SPORTS & CLUBS

Vol. 5, Issue 10

University of St. Thomas

Thursday, March 7, 2013

RRAC CHAMPS! The UST Men’s Basketball team took the Red River Athletic Conference title after dominating the No. 1 seed.

» PAGE 12

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STUDENT GOV’T

CAMPUS LIFE

Old Bookstore Improvements Kickstart New Projects Students

Donate Jeans for Eating Disorder Awareness Week

SGA renovates Old Bookstore space into a ‘real’ student friendly lounge

By CHRIS POWERS

Staff Writer

The UST Student Government Association finally tackled its long-planned project to renovate the Old Bookstore into a permanent UST Student Lounge, by bringing in a number of attractions, including three arcade games and a brand new pool table.

Students wandering into the Old Bookstore have found not only the new recreational additions, but also a relaxing atmosphere and other fellow students to socialize with.

Since its grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 23, the room has been increasingly visited. Thanks to the efforts of the SGA and word of mouth among the students, the

Counseling and Disability Dept. hosts “Be Comfortable in Your Genes” Campaign

By STEPHANIE HERNANDEZ

News Editor

Landon S. Keating / Courtesy Photo

RECREATIONAL CHANGES University of St. Thomas students enjoy new improvements made to the Old Bookstore, including three arcade games and a new pool table as part of efforts by the SGA to increase its popularity with the students.

student lounge is well on its way to becoming the new hot spot on campus.

“The games are going to attract more and more students to come in and just enjoy

themselves,” said sophomore Kevin Rose. “Personally, I have heard a lot of complaints about our lounges - people saying that they are always dead, always boring. So, with

this new student lounge and these new game systems, it’s going to bring a bigger crowd.

I’ve played them myself and BOOKSTORE, Page 2

In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, UST’s Center for Counseling and Disability Services hosted the “Be Comfortable in Your Genes” campaign on campus the week of Feb. 25.

In its efforts to bring the campaign on campus, the department co-hosted JEANS, Page 2

CAMPUS LIFE

CAMPUS LIFE

Azerbaijani Panel Discusses Mexico’s First Female Presidential Candidate Soviet Conflict, Difficulties Shares Campaign, Personal Challenges

By Stephanie Hernandez

News Editor

How countries broke off from the Soviet Union and caused the super power to dissolve was discussed in the lecture, “Frozen Conflicts in the Countries of the Former Soviet Union” on Feb. 25 at UST. A panel of several prominent figures from the Houston Azerbaijani community spoke on the topic, since Azerbaijan was a former part of the Soviet Union, as well as experts from different institutions. These included Riad Efendi, board director of Houston-Baku Sister Cities Association; UST professors, Jean-Philippe Faletta and Hans Stockton; Azerbaijani Embassy Counselor to the USA, Mammad Talibov;

Elkhan Agamirza, MBA; Ryan Kennedy, a University of Houston professor; and Yusif Babanly, cofounder of the US-Azeris Network.

The lecture began with a discussion of the Soviet Union, an empire that once spanned over several modern Middle Eastern countries.

As one of the opening speakers, Faletta spoke on half a century’s worth of Russian Soviet history, condensing it into 15 minutes.

“The Soviet Union itself was supposedly a collection of equal ethnic groups. They had become a very advanced society, especially compared to what it had been in the 1917, after the Revolution,” said Faletta, associate professor at the department of political science. “When they SOVIET UNION, Page 2

By STEPHANIE HERNANDEZ News Editor

The struggle for a woman to run for President in the masculine-run Mexican culture was discussed during the “One Woman’s Challenge: Competing for the Presidency of Mexico” lecture, given at UST on Feb. 26.

Josefina Vázquez Mota, a candidate for the 2012 Mexican elections, gave the lecture at Jones Hall, and drew a full house of students and faculty.

Vázquez Mota spoke about how the predominant machismo culture of Mexico treated her differently. One example was the Mexican press asking questions that normally would not be asked of a male political candidate.

“Because the questions

La Opinión de Houston.com - Jesús T. López / Courtesy Photo

UNITED SOLUTIONS Josefina Vázquez Mota (left) looks on as she greets the audience in Jones Hall on Feb. 26. Vázquez Mota was the first female candidate to ever run for the Mexican presidency.

posed to me at least every day in Mexico, time and again, included whether or not Mexico was prepared to be governed by a woman,” Vázquez Mota said. “I heard and responded to the same questions, dozens of times, and I thought ‘how can they ask them same thing every day,

in all the states in Mexico?’

When in Mexico there are nearly seven million women who are heads of households, who work hard every day, who support their homes, and their husbands on occasions.”

Vázquez Mota was PRESIDENT , Page 2

2

The News

The Summa PRESIDENT Continued...

the representative for the Partido Acción Nacional, the National Action Party, commonly referred to as PAN. The party holds more conservative ideas concerning both economic and social issues. Though Vázquez Mota did not win the Presidential election, attaining only 23 percent of the general election vote, her nomination as a woman is historical, especially when taking into consideration that Mexican women only won the right to vote in 1958.

Vázquez Mota, who has often been called by the Mexican press as an orator who speaks with her heart and real feeling, shared some of the inspiration for why she chose to run for president.

“For having access to the opportunities of education, and the chance to develop their talents and energies into an income that will make them independent and to make true the dream that they can trust that the law will be fairly and equally enforced,” Vázquez Mota said. “This is why I ran for the presidency of my country: because we can and should do better.”

Despite her loss, Vázquez Mota expressed a continued optimism for her country.

“Coming to this University of St. Thomas is even more rewarding because I shared with you the two main values of this institution: faith and character,” Vázquez Mota said. “People ask me what it took to run for the presidency of Mexico. I can tell you in a few words: I have walked all over Mexico and seen those people who have hope and expectation for a better

SOVIET UNION Continued... were rebuilding at the end of the Second World War, they rebuilt the plans according to 1930s specifications.”

The Soviet Union’s demise, according to Faletta, partially hinged upon a lack of technological progress.

“When the country was entering the 1970s, they were entering the industrialize market with machines considered cutting edge technology in the 1930s,” Faletta said. “It was a question of whether or not they were a superpower, especially to the United States: the perception that we were in a battle with a superpower, when in fact the Soviet Union was collapsing

life. I am convinced that governments and politicians can do better.”

As a the first woman on the Mexican national political stage, Vázquez Mota faced challenges unique to her gender: some in her own party withdrew their support, including former President Vicente Fox. “I am very interested in female politicians, and people who have an interest in changing the world, who follow their convictions and who care about their country,” said Leokadia Rucinski, a UST graduate student.

During the question and answer session, Vázquez Mota answered questions asked in both English and Spanish. Several students and university visitors asked about future plans to address the increasing drug violence, and how the Mexican press treating her differently affected her campaign.

The bilingual dialogue needed the use of a translator, as Vázquez Mota delivered her English keynote speech phonetically.

“What really stood out for me was when people wanted to speak with their heart, they spoke in Spanish,” Rucinski said. “When they wanted to be precise, they spoke in English. She struck me as someone very sensitive and passionate. I was really surprised when she said that Vicente Fox had repealed his support and how she said that contributed to the loss of her election. Her integrity when she said that I am proud of running for the election.”

The event was sponsored by the President’s Office, the Cameron School of Business, the Center for International Students, and the Center for Classical Languages.

slowly from within.”

Other countries that were former Soviet States included Kazakhstan, the birthplace of Kenes Sadvakassov, a senior math major at UST. “I have met a few Azerbaijani students during my time in Houston. I came [to the lecture] to hear about my own history as well as Azerbaijan,” said Sadvakassov, who is a native of Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan.

“Their [Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan] histories are correlated; ethnically we are similar. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan can both trace their history back to the Hun Empire. In recent history we both were part of the Russian empire after the 1917

BOOKSTORE Continued...

Thursday, March 7, 2013 levels of Crooker; the second floor of Crooker; the coffee/ smoothie area in Moran; the study rooms in Welder and Tiller, as well as the dozens of places in Doherty Library.

“Before the renovation of the Old Bookstore, and the opening of the new UST Student Lounge, there was not a definite place for students to relax, have a good time and grow in fellowship,” said SGA President, Jose Bolivar.

Initially, advocates for creating a permanent and dedicated student lounge had to overcome significant obstacles.

“It was thought that the room needed to remain a multi-purpose room for general programming, so that different organizations could host various events there,” Keating said. “It was assumed that it had to be more of a multi-purpose room.”

However, not willing to forget their goal of renovating the space to a permanent student lounge, SGA worked with the UST administration to create their design. Now that the student lounge is finally

and fully operational, there are plans to add two more arcade games, including a racing and shooting game, as well as two televisions and new lounge furniture.

From the perspective of the university’s history, there are currently fewer spaces on campus dedicated to student relaxation than in the past.

The opening of a permanent student lounge goes a long way to correcting this deficiency.

“Viewed from the perspective of its long-term effect, the objective of the renovations is to change the holistic identity of the room for the better,” Keating said.

Now that the UST community has accepted that the Old Bookstore is the university’s permanent student lounge, more amenities will be added in the near future; all that remains is to rename the room.

During the next round of SGA elections, students will have the opportunity to vote for one of the top four choices nominated to christen the new student lounge with its own name.

the event with the Society of Macrina, a women’s group and club that started at UST this year.

“We asked the UST campus community to go through their closets and find jeans that were too small or too big that they were holding onto, as a way of thinking about the size that they are now and appreciating the body that they have now and to donate those jeans so that we could give them to local charities,” said Jennifer Shannon, coordinator for counseling and disability services at St. Thomas.

The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) has reported that 70 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 30 are not satisfied with their bodies, which accounts for 50 percent of women with unhealthy eating habits as a form of weight control.

According to NEDA, 25 percent of those women will develop a diagnosed eating disorder.

“What I really wanted

to stress with this campaign was weight stigma and body dissatisfaction,” Shannon said. “We didn’t want to focus just on anorexia and bulimia.

I wanted to talk about how body dissatisfaction and weight stigma stems from the underlying issue such as a lack of self-esteem or positive body image; we wanted to counter that by providing information on how you can build a healthy body image.”

On the day the campaign kicked off, the Center had an awareness table available for students with the box for jean donations.

“We had a table at downstairs Crooker, and we passed out information on awareness of eating disorders,” said Isabella Zamora, a student worker at the Center for the Counseling and Disability Services. “All day long, people were stopping by. I explained to people what eating disorders were; some people know what it is, and some people don’t. You really don’t realize that often, everyone knows somebody that has some kind of eating

disorder, and you really don’t know the symptoms or signs.

It was cool to inform people ... that it is fixable.”

The center also passed out literature on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, as well as statistical information on how common it can be.

“Most people would think that women are the only ones self-conscious about their bodies and the way they look, but really, it’s all genders -men do also,” Zamora said.

According to NEDA, 10 million men in the US are diagnosed with eating disorders, in addition to the 20 million women. “[Eating disorders are] much more common than people think, and there are so many places for outreach that you can go to for help,” Zamora said.

The Center received approximately 30 donations of both men’s and women’s jeans, which will go to the Houston Area Women’s Shelter and the Catholic Women’s Guild Clothing Donation shop.

revolution. And we were both a part of the Soviet Union, as part of the 16 dependent countries, we were then as the same country pretty much.”

Though the lecture was largely given by Azerbaijanis and others native to that region, the American history given by Faletta gave a new perspective on these events.

“I thought the lecture

was very informative, and it refreshed my memory and taught me new things,” Sadvakassov said.“It was a really interesting perspective from an American professor, his ideas on what happened on certain occasions. I didn’t know that there were American troops fighting against the Bolsheviks army.

He wasn’t into details, but it

was pretty similar.”

The Houston Mayor’s Office and the Office of US Congressional Representative Sheila Jackson Lee were also on hand to issue a Certificate of Recognition of the Khojaly Massacre, an act taken by many across the world such as The Hague and numerous governing bodies in the United States, like Texas.

everything is good, so far.”

Until now, the Old Bookstore was saddled by its past. In the past, the space has been used for diverse purposes and by many organizations, both UST and non-university organizations.

Though it was recently called “The Forum,” it has continued to be known generally as the “Old” Bookstore.

“For two years now, Dr. Ivany has asked us to rename the Old Bookstore,” said SGA senator Landon Keating.

“At the beginning of this academic year, SGA was quite unanimous in agreeing that renaming the room was not enough. Something more had to be done. So, we decided to give the room a new identity and purpose by creating a permanent and dedicated UST student lounge.”

Aside from the new student lounge, there have always been other study spaces on campus including “the Fish Bowl,” or the lower

JEANS Continued...

The Opinion

THURSDAY, March 7, 2013

The Summa

3

“Societies cannot endure for long without a belief in God and a submission to His will. We are ignoring Him at our peril.” - Jeff Kuhner

VIEWPOINT

Do Global Women’s Rights Leave American Women Behind?

By STEPHANIE HERNANDEZ News Editor

What is wrong with you America? It is one of the main birthplaces of modernity, the first-wave feminism, home of Susan B. Anthony and the women’s suffrage movement.

We are a country that prides itself on being one of the leaders in women’s rights, at least more so than other

countries, where women, according to some reports, rank higher in inequality than Americans.

Yet it has been Argentina, the Philippines, Chile, and England who have elected female leaders; even Pakistan elected Benazir Bhutto as Prime Minister - a country which ranks 134 out of 135 according to the World Gender Gap annual report, published by the Global Economic Forum.

Even in Mexico, a country where the machismo culture still reigns, a female candidate won her party’s nomination in the 2012 Mexican Presidential Election. Josefina Vazquez Mota was nominated by the 2012 PAN (Partida Action National, National Action Party) in the Mexican Presidential Election, a party considered to be far-right and conservative on the political spectrum.

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The Summa is the official newspaper of The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. It has a circulation of 2,000 copies. The Summa is a student run organization, whose purpose is to inform, comment, and interpret events of local, national, and worldwide importance.

This paper serves as an open forum of student expression and welcomes letters from the UST community. All submitted materials are due by the last Friday of the month.

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Señora Vasquez Mota recently visited the University of St. Thomas, and spoke eloquently on how she will continue to fight for the betterment of her people, in spite of her loss for the presidential candidacy.

Angela Merkle, a member of the Christian Democratic Coalition (similarly a right-leaning, conservative party) has managed to keep Germany from succumbing to the European economic crisis, even leading her country to help bolster up the rest of Europe.

More recently, Park Geun-Hye was elected the first female President of South Korea. Again, her party, the Saenuri, or Grand National Party, is the conservative party of the state, both in economic and in some degree, social policies. In a dim sort of irony, the party is often demonized as anti-woman, and yet has elected to have a woman as their party and country leaders.

Again, what is wrong, America? Hillary Clinton did not even manage to win the Democratic party’s nomination; American Democrats, who are the party that champions women’s rights; yet, they could not even help a woman break through the glass ceiling that

has held back women from attaining the Presidency.

Though she was awarded the prestige of Secretary of State, she did not get any closer to the Presidency.

I am not complaining about a lack of women’s rights in America; in comparison to others, America can be a better place for women.

That isn’t ethnocentrism speaking, but facts: the World Economic Forum, in their annual Gender Gap Report, breaks down the variables of educational access, economic participation and opportunity, access to health care, and political empowerment.

The United States currently ranks 22, with the Nordic countries of Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden ranking as the top four, respectively. So the next time you think of shouting “USA IS NUMBER ONE,” stop and think of this data: American women’s political empowerment earned a score of 55. Similarly, Mexico, which ranks 84 overall, earned a political empowerment score of 48 - barely better than America.

Again, by comparison, America is still a great place for women. Yet when it comes to the political discourse, there are a scant 20 women Senators; something which

has been hailed as a historical milestone, as it is the most female senators ever elected into office.

This disparity has not always been a glaring one; it was not until attending Senora Vasquez’s lecture did I sit up and notice how the difference in economic and educational ranking (with America far outreaching Mexico’s) should mean America has greater political empowerment. It does... barely.

During her campaign, Señora Vasquez Mota mentioned how reporter’s constantly asked: “Is Mexico ready for a female president?” Across every state, she was asked this question.

The real question is, when was any country not ready for a female leader?

Had she been a man, the question of gender would have never been made.

America, like Mexico, clearly is not ready for a female leader; in fact, it could be argued that they are even less ready since no woman has managed to attain the presidential nomination.

So the next time you would like to think that America is better in every way than the rest of the world, think again.

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Submit your letter to The Summa by e-mailing thesumma@stthom.edu Legal Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in The Summa are those of the writer of the article, the editor or the Editorial Board. They are not necessarily those of the UST administration, the Board of Directors or governing organization.

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The Summa

VIEWPOINT

Inequality Between the Genders

By DANIEL BROWN Staff Writer

Ever since the United States of America established its independence from England in 1776, its citizens have strived to create a society where all people are treated equally. The Declaration of Independence states that, “all men are created equal,” and as centuries passed the application of equality evolved and progressed to include people of different races and religions. One notable aspect of the application’s evolution are the rights granted to women, and how people of differing genders are treated in the United States.

However, even though women have been treated much more fairly in recent history, it does not mean that men and women are entirely equal. First of all, defining equality specifically and effectively is imperative to determining whether or not equality has been granted. Equality cannot simply be narrowed down to fair treatment between races or genders, but must also include groups, individuals, locations, families, or social statuses. For instance, a construction worker cannot, and must not, be treated the same as a politician or police officer, since all occupations require specific skills and specializations.

Even if two people from the same race, religion, gender and social status are selected, they may be treated differently solely based on appearance, preventing them from being purely equal.

For the purpose of shortening and focusing the topic of this article, only the various aspects of the relationship between men and women within any state of the United States of America will be analyzed. The biggest obstacle in establishing equality between the genders is the fact that modern science has proven men and women to be physically different.

Muscle development, for instance, is far different between the genders; an abstract on muscle development states, “male skeletal muscles are generally faster and have a higher maximum power output,” while “female muscles are generally more fatigue resistant and recover faster” (proving that females have a higher tolerance for feeling physical pain).

As a result, it is unreasonable to expect precisely the same performance in a single field of work between the genders, at least generally speaking; they cannot lift the same amount of weight, reach the same distance without assistance, or run at the same speed. Even from a social aspect, which is supposedly the most important, men and women do not share the same expectations from their peers. Whether acknowledged or not, men are undeniably pressured by most societies to exercise regularly, act chivalrously, and endure physical, financial, mental and emotional hardships.

Conversely, women are pressured by the same societies to maintain or improve physical fitness and appearance. This is excluding families, which are likely to add differing, yet additional expectations of performing academically well, acknowledging responsibility, and securing a job, home and spouse on either gender. Men and women are not equal in the workplace. Some companies still pay women less than men for the same occupation and, according to the American Association of University Women, if a man and woman have the same college education and major in the same field, the female earns roughly 77% of what the male would earn. For example, women working as a computer technicians in 2009 were paid an average of $39,600, while men were paid an average of $51,300. However, there are certain genuine equalities between men and women, and being unequal in certain respects is not necessarily a bad situation. For instance men and women remain intellectually equal, since the genders generally have the same capacity to learn.

Emotional equality is also evident since two people of differing genders remain capable of developing similar personalities. Especially among social statuses, remaining unequal in terms of power and influence is actually imperative; a mobocracy is a society ruled by the masses, which include every race, religion, and individual as a result. Such societies are at best indecisive and fail to react to important development or determine solutions to problems quickly. Furthermore, they become divisive and quarrelsome, which makes constant civil war a possibility.

This article was not written and is not intended to accuse one gender of receiving more privileges or burdens than the other, but to emphasize the importance of determining what the definition of equality is and what is fair within a society. Furthermore, it will fully acknowledge the possibility that the existence of inequality and the proper solution to inequality is not universal. People are not 2-dimensional, and neither are the rules we set for ourselves.

The Opinion

Thursday, March 7, 2013

VIEWPOINT

Different, but Equal: Are Men and Women Treated Equally in Modern Society?

By CHELSEA FERRAMOSCA Opinion Editor

One of my best friends always says that men and women are different, but equal. I happen to strongly agree with her. The two genders are vastly different emotionally, mentally, and physically. Society expects different things from us, just as we expect different things from ourselves. The physical differences between men and women are obvious; the male body is made for constant physical labor, while the female body is made for reproduction. Academically, on average, men are better at math, science, multiple choice and timed-testing.

On the other hand, women are better at literature, creative writing, and open-ended testing. Emotionally, women tend to base their moods on internal factors, such as hormones, blood pressure, and pulse; while men rely on external factors, such as visual stimuli and physical comfort. Instinctual differences are often the most noticeable differences; men are more aggressive and tend to act on selfish/ possessive instincts, such as protecting their family or their power. By contrast, women tend to act on selfless/maternal instincts, such as protecting their children and sacrificing for their well being. These differences do not make us unequal, but they do make our capabilities different. It is not uncommon to hear women’s rights activists complaining about our “male dominated” society, in which all of our presidents have been male, and the majority of physical laborers, law enforcement, military, fire departments, politicians and business leaders are male. They also seem to have issues with chivalry, stating that it is a man’s way of saying that women are not capable of taking care of themselves. I find all of this to be utterly annoying, but I know women who believe every word of it. There are reasons why men excel in the workforce, and further, it is anything but an insult when they are chivalrous.

As stated above, a man’s body is capable of more work than a woman’s, explaining why they are going to be hired by employers.

Although there are female law enforcement and firefighters that are capable of doing their jobs well, they are the exception, not the rule.

Despite being a woman, I, personally, put more faith in male firefighters and law enforcement because they are in better physical shape and tend to act as protectors by instinct. Within the military, the environment created by a combat situation is not for a woman to withstand. As Kenneth Depew stated in his previous article, “Queen of Combat,” a female’s body poses too

many risks to be on the front lines. Not only can we not safely live in the conditions created by war, females put the men fighting in danger because we are not capable of carrying a male out of danger, or lifting several children to safety at one time.

Business leaders and politicians probably do have an advantage by being male. As a culture, the United States seems to trust male leadership more than that of a female.

I remember a student in one of my freshman International Studies classes that claimed that men make better leaders because they are selfish. He explained that women tend to shy away from making decisions that could possibly harm others, because that is their nature. On the other hand, he claimed that a man not only could, but usually will make decisions based on what will elevate his power and wealth. This line of reasoning explains why leaders tend to be male; it is easier for them to make the tough decisions without having to deal with the emotional baggage that seems to stifle women.

Again, I know there are women who are exceptions to the norm, but that still does not mean that women are required to vote for them because they are women. Many feminists sight the failure to elect Hillary Clinton to the Democratic Party n 2008 as a sign of inequality.

This is simply not true. I would not have voted for her if she were the last woman on earth because I judged her by her politics; this makes us nothing but equal.

The point I am trying to make with this article is that men and women are different, but that we are still equal. We are not made, emotionally or physically, to do the same things.

Men are laborers and women are nurturers. We, as women, are expected to raise our children while the man works because of the maternal bond a mother has with her child, a fact that can also be seen throughout all cultures, as well as most of the animal kingdom. We are naturally going to give ourselves to our children, while a male naturally takes the role of earning wealth and power.

How does this affect society? Real men open the doors, buy us stuff, protect us, let us sit when there is only one chair, and respect us as their equal. There are jobs that have a seemingly unbreakable glass ceiling, and that does need to end. But when men treat women the way they are supposed to, that doesn’t make us unequal. I think it makes us equal, but different, and pretty lucky.

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The Features

THURSDAY, March 7, 2013

The Summa

5

ResLife offers variety of student disability accommodations

By KATIE THOMSON Editor-in-Chief

Guinan Hall is home to a community of almost 300 students, which prides itself for having one of the lowest Residence Life staff to resident ratios around.

Guinan’s Residence Life team works year-round to help the growth of residents’ academic, spiritual and social successes.

Guinan Hall also takes pleasure in having the capabilities to readily accommodate its living quarters for students with disabilities and special needs to make sure all of its residents have equal opportunities to experience on-campus living.

The living facility’s 16 structurally ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis for students who need special housing accommodations. When all of the ADA rooms are full, the Residence Life staff has agreed to always give up their own quarters to make sure the special needs residents have their accommodated living space.

“Our biggest mission is to make sure that the students living on campus enjoy

where they live, have the full advantage of being oncampus Celts and really [have] that full experience of being around other students who are going through the exact same transition as others,” said Yolanda Norman, Director of Residence Life and Conference Housing.

Reoccurring themes that the Residence Life staff strive to promote are sensitivity to diversity and serving those around them, according to Norman. Rather than referring to students as having a ‘disability,’ she and her staff prefer to reference the student’s “other ability,” she said.

“Often times, students were able to identify – whether it’s with ourselves, or family members, or those around us – with those who are around us who identify as needing accommodations,” Norman said. “Teaching our students the jargon is really important and understanding the diversity of ‘disability’.”

According to Rose Signorello, in the department of Counseling and Disability Services, there are currently about 100 students who use the office of disabilities and the number of requests for disability services at UST has dramatically grown over the

Ben Canales / Courtesy Photo

years.

“I think we’re becoming more educated and more aware, and the access to college is allowing students to feel comfortable on a college campus and identify with a [disability],” Norman said.

At the end of each year, Norman hand picks 13-16 Residence Assistants and five Sophomore Advisers to serve on the next school year’s Residence Life staff. Before they start the year, they must complete several weeks of a rigorous training program that includes working closely with the University’s Department of Counseling and Disabilities.

“The time my staff takes to train is amazing,” Norman said.

“They help students understand

about different needs and it’s so great because they often identify – ‘oh my sister,’ or ‘my cousin’ or a classmate, or even saying ‘me!’”

Norman said that the process of accommodating unique living arrangements for those approved for ADA rooms requires the help of “the experts” on campus from the Disability Services department.

She said that the requests are filed through a submission form that must have the input of the student’s doctor and their request must be determined as a ‘reasonable accommodation’ for the student.

“Guinan is the building that is able to accommodate students in wheel chairs,” Norman said. “Young Hall,

because it was acquired and we did not build that facility, is not able to accommodate wheel chairs, but because we still have this space, we’re still able to accommodate students who want to live on campus and guarantee them Guinan.”

According to Signorello, UST’s small campus, intimate atmosphere and personalized approach are likely strong reasons this school is the best choice for students who have special needs.

“Sometimes students and prospective students are referred to us by people in the community such as a psychiatrist, psychologists or licensed professional because they’ve had a student client who has come to UST and has had a good experience,” Signorello said.

Most importantly, Norman said that education is important, especially since this is an educational institution.

Her mission, as the Director of Residence Life and Conference Housing, is to encourage her staff to raise awareness about diversity sensitivity for their peers’ ‘other abilities.’

“We teach the students to be sensitive to diversity, so individuals with a disability would be a part of that,” Signorello said.

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6

The Features

The Summa

Thursday, March 7, 2013

4 Texas things to do this “Easter” Break, off the beaten path

By CLAIRE LOGUE Features Editor

Well, spring break is over and all we got was a four day weekend. Good news! That’s not our only break this Spring. We have a full week off coming up at the end of March. This week-long “Easter Break” is our time to really recuperate, sleep off those all nighters and most importantly, leave town for a few days. Where are the best places to vacation in Texas and surrounding areas at the end of March? I’ve compiled a few ideas for traveling this month that are somewhat off the beaten path.

To the Beach!

See The Bluebonnets

Mustang Island

Burnet, Marble Falls, Llano, Kingsland

Dale Beckett / Courtesy Photo

An 18 mile barrier island along the Gulf Coast from Corpus Christi to Port Aransas allows you to relax with the sand between your toes without having to battle the extensive crowds on South Padre Island.

Head for the Hills Wimberley

Van Chaplin / Courtesy Photo

If you want to see beautiful bluebonnets, head to the Hill Country. Be sure to call a hotel or business at your destination of choice before you head out to be sure there are flowers there when you arrive.

Relax at the Lake Canyon Lake

Sean Malloy / Courtesy Photo

Just south of Austin, Wimberley is the perfect destination for anyone wishing to meander through shops and take part in some amazing Texas traditions. If you head this way be sure to check out the Mountain View Lodge overlooking the Blanco River valley and Bella Vista Olive Ranch offering tours and tastings.

Diana Reed / Courtesy Photo

Entrenched deep in the Texas Hill Country, Canyon Lake is one of the deepest lakes in Texas, resulting in its beautiful blue color. If you want to get away, this area is a completely different world from the urban, hustle and bustle of Houston.

Thursday, March 7, 2012

The Entertainment

The Summa

7

A Good Day to Die Hard: worst to come out of franchise so far

By DANIEL BROWN Staff Writer

The original Die Hard film was an intense, fun experience that was singlehandedly responsible for catapulting actor Bruce Willis into stardom. Predictably, several sequels were filmed as a result of its popularity, though none quite delivered the same performance.

Originally, Die Hard was a trilogy, but when a fourth film, Live Free or Die Hard, proved to be a box office and critical success, a fifth movie went into production in Sept.

2011. In the past, Die Hard movies have had several different directors, including John McTiernan directing the first film in 1988 and Len Wiseman who directed the fourth film in 2007. The fifth movie is the first in the series to be directed by John Moore, who is considered to be more popular with audiences than with critics.

The film stars Willis reprising his role as John McClane, a middle-aged New York police detective famous for multiple acts of vigilantism against terrorists, reminiscing on his strained relationship with his son Jack, whom he has not seen in years. However,

Twentieth Century Fox / Courtesy Photo

once he learns that Jack has been arrested in Moscow, Russia, he flies over to help his son under the pretense that he is on vacation. Meanwhile, a former Russian billionaire named Yuri Komarov is imprisoned and interrogated by a corrupt Russian official named Viktor Chagarin. When Komarov refuses to reveal the location of a file containing incriminating evidence against Chagarin, Chagarin uses his power to deny Komarov a fair trial and incriminates him. The film follows both Jack in his attempt to evacuate Komarov from Russia and John as he attempts to find Jack and learn why his son was arrested.

The film falls flat when it fails to deliver any interesting action, and even the special

effects are lackluster. While many action scenes and explosions are large and expansive, the film never introduces anything original or unique throughout the experience. Even worse, certain scenes have such a laughable execution that it keeps the audience from taking any of the action seriously.

The best example of this is actually near the end of the film. To summarize the scene, five painfully long minutes go by as Jack and John leap off a rooftop and crash through several floors of a building while a helicopter explodes in the background. All of this is ludicrously dragged out in slow motion, and makes their survival all the more implausible.

The boring action and special effects worsen the fact that the plot is needlessly complex.

In the first 30 minutes alone, there are subplots about the father and son’s relationship, Russian conspiracy, a CIA operation, a seemingly important person killed off and never mentioned again and a betrayal by someone unexpected; though it may not seem like much, the experience of trying to understand what is going on is difficult regardless. This problem is not eased by the fact that, later on, Jack inexplicably gets over his anger towards John for not paying much attention to him as a child and an important character is revealed to be a surprise villain who was just using Chagarin as a means to an end.

Even the characters and dialogue, both of which have managed to be consistently likeable throughout the franchise, prove to be unoriginal and uninteresting in the latest film. Part of the problem is that the movie shifts focus away from Willis, who has essentially been the reason to watch any Die Hard film in the first place, in favor of Jai Courtney, the man who plays his son, Jack McClane.

Jack proves to be a whiny

irritating character who always complains about his dad and whatever is occurring, and his spontaneous transformation into a more sound-minded tactician by the film’s end is not only implausible, but does not make him any more likeable. What is seen from John McClane, however, is limited only to one-liners and cheesy dialogue, as if Willis is still living in the 80s.

This is surprising considering his commendable performance in the 2012 film Looper. All that can be said about the villains is that, if they have any character at all, they are always boring in terms of motivation. In fact, Chagarin is never revealed to have any motivation other than wanting to stay powerful and wealthy, and though these are acceptable reasons for his actions, he never has anything interesting to say.

As a result, while it is in no way a terrible movie, A Good Day to Die Hard is inarguably the worst that the franchise has ever presented. From a personal perspective, the fact that the film is so mediocre is even more undesirable, since the possibility of anyone remembering even one aspect of the film is doubtful. Any day would be a good day to die hard for this film.

Oscars go as scheduled with few surprises, many musical performances

By MASON BURRUSS Staff Writer

A few weeks ago the Oscars were held in Los Angeles. It is the biggest and oldest award ceremony in the movie business, and a big deal to most actors and movie buffs. It was hosted

by Seth MacFarlane, who received mixed reviews for his efforts. Some thought the Family Guy creator was funny and more entertaining than the usual Oscar hosts, while others have criticized the show for perceived misogyny and offensive humor. As for the actual awards, there were a few that made records and caused surprise. Argo won Best Picture, becoming the first film to win without a Best Director nomination since Driving Miss Daisy. As usual with the Oscars, there were few surprises, though Argo’s lack of a best director nomination and MacFarlane’s presence kept the ceremony interesting.

MacFarlane started off the night with a far-too-long opening monologue filled with hit-or-miss jokes. He actually started out perfectly with a joke about Ben Affleck’s lack

of a director nomination, but things started to go downhill when actor William Shatner was shown on a big screen as Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek. Kirk supposedly sends a message to MacFarlane from the future warning him he is about to become the worst Oscar host ever. In another venue this joke may have worked, but this allowed the opening to drag on for far too long.

While some of his jokes were cringe-worthy and offensive, the rest of the time he was a funny presence. He definitely redeemed himself from the opening monologue, filling the show with funny one-liners and never staying on the stage too long again.

He had some of the funniest moments seen on the Oscar stage in years. His best moment probably came when, while introducing actress Meryl Streep, he proclaimed, “Our next presenter needs no introduction,” and then promptly walked off the stage.

Some have called MacFarlane an awful host, but aside from a too-long opening monologue I would call his a successful hosting job and I am really glad he did not bring out his Family Guy voices.

The worst part of the show was the abundance of musical numbers. One of the themes of this years Oscars was a tribute to music in film, but this was a theme that was overdone.

Some of the songs worked, such as the performances of the nominated songs, especially Adele singing “Skyfall.”

However, the superfluous amount of songs crammed into the ceremony served only to bore. Actresses Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jennifer Hudson’s reprising of their Oscar-winning roles seemed unnecessary.

The awards themselves came mostly without surprises.

Anyone who reads up in the prior months can pretty much guess who each award

will go to, as journalists and movie critics predict these for months in advance. Everyone could have told you that actress Anne Hathaway was going win Best Supporting Actress. She had been getting all the buzz ever since Les Miserables came out last Christmas, and as her awards stacked up it was evident she was going to eventually win the Oscar. She squeaked out an acceptance speech that was just a tad bit pretentious. Just as unsurprising perhaps was Daniel Day-Lewis’ win. DayLewis has been getting some of the best reviews of his career for his wonderful performance in Lincoln, and he made history as the first actor to win three Best Actor awards. His

Oscars / Courtesy Photo

speech was one of the best of the night, making a joke about Meryl Streep almost getting the part of Lincoln.

Jennifer Lawrence also won a well-deserved Best Actress. One of the most memorable moments of the night came when she tripped on her dress on the way up to the stage. As actors Hugh Jackman and Bradley Cooper rushed to help her up, she picked herself up with grace and dignity. Lawrence left that night with no shortage of love.

One big surprise was Ang Lee’s win for Best Director.

When Ben Affleck failed to receive a best director nomination for his work on Argo, most people assumed the award would go to Steven Spielberg.

When it was announced without a Best Director nomination, many people counted it out as the eventual winner for Best Picture.

However, the film gained momentum as it won almost every other award in the film community. Finally, Argo was called by First Lady Michelle Obama in a surprise appearance and Affleck took the stage to accept his Academy Award.

No one doubted that he was the winner that night.

8

The Summa

The Entertainment

Thursday, March 7, 2012

The Last Exorcism: Part II fails to scare, compete with other exorcism films

By SARAH OYARCE Entertainment Editor

It has become expected nowadays for the announcing of a new exorcism movie every year or so and this time the follow-up to a previous box office success is, The Last Exorcism: Part II. Sometimes you know when a movie is going to be bad just by the title and this is definitely one of those times. How can you have a movie entitled The Last Exorcism and then come out with a second part?

Aside from the title not making sense, every exorcism movie that comes out will forever be compared to the 1973 film The Exorcist. At least in my eyes. Actress Linda Blair who played the possessed star of the film, Reagan, did an incredible job with that role, so much so that she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance.

In comparison to Blair, the actress who starred in The Last Exorcism: Part II, Ashley Bell, has definite star potential but her performance is limited due to the film’s screenplay.

Some of the lines were cliché and cheesy that members of the audience even burst out laughing at the awkwardness on the screen. This made the film more of a comedy than a horror movie.

The film starts out where The Last Exorcism leaves off which is after the exorcism of Nell (Bell) where she makes her way to a house occupied by a young couple. After giving them a fright, a seemingly well and un-possessed Nell is put in a home for troubled girls until her doctor is fully convinced that she is mentally stable. Her doctor does not believe in the paranormal and does not give into her stories of the demon, Abalam, taking over her body, instead tells her that it was not real. Nell begins to show improvements, but Abalam’s hold on her is too powerful. This is a typical exorcism movie plot, but The Last Exorcism: Part II adds a prophecy that foretells the ending of days when a human willingly gives her soul over to a demon which is no surprise due to the 2012/end of the word craze that has captivated many people these past few years.

CBS Films / Courtesy Photo

Even though the film is clearly a follow-up, the way the film is made is different than the first. 2010’s The Last Exorcism was filmed as a documentary following the possessed Nell around along with extra “found footage”.

I had a problem with this switch-up because it lacks consistency and just makes it even more evident that the producers were focused more on attaining the box office success that they had in 2010 without giving the audience a decent horror movie. The only thing that was dramatically scary about this film was the writing. In all seriousness, the only places that made a few audience members jump

was when the “suspenseful” music was turned up during unnecessary and random scenes.

The Last Exorcism was not the best horror movie, but it is far superior to this one. The documentary style it was filmed in gave way for more suspenseful moments.

Even Bell was a much better possessed person in the previous movie. Her famed contortions (which are not computer effects, but Bell doing them herself) were not present in this film and I bet that is what a good part of what moviegoers wanted to see. It ended with a surprise, but was really underdone compared to how much time the film

actually spends building up to it.

Bell was the only thing that made the film watchable, how she went from a seemingly sweet, normal teenager to someone questioning her mental sanity and faith to in a possessed state says something about her acting ability. Many A-list actors have gotten their starts in the horror genre, from the likes of Johnny Depp who had a small role in 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street and even Leonardo DiCaprio who performed in the lesser known Critter’s 3. Horror movies are every actor’s transition into major film roles; it is just a matter of time before Bell gets her own.

Out and About: Houston in March Compiled by Sarah Oyarce

March 7: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony will be performing at the House of Blues March 7: Bruno Mars will play at the Reliant Stadium March 8: David Bisbal will be at the Arena Theatre March 8: Tim McGraw will perform at the Reliant Stadium March 9: The Band Perry will be playing at the Reliant Stadium March 10: Willie Nelson will play the Arena Theatre March 11: Cold War Kids will perform at Fitzgerald’s March 11: Jason Aldean will be playing at the Reliant Stadium March 12: Kenny Chesney will be performing at the Reliant Stadium March 12: Major Lazer will be at the House of Blues March 12: Muse will perform at the Toyota Center March 13: Bad Religion will be playing the House of Blues March 14: Pitbull will play at the Reliant Stadium

Bruno Mars Capital FM Arena Nottingham / Courtesy Photo

March 14: The Ready Set will perform at Fitzgerald’s March 15: Blake Shelton will play at the Reliant Stadium March 15: Tegan and Sara will be performing at the Ballroom at Warehouse Live March 16: Eric Clapton will play at the Toyota Center March 16: Luke Bryan will be playing at the Reliant Stadium March 17: Breathe Carolina will be performing at the House of Blues March 18: Alicia Keys and Miguel will be playing at the Toyota Center March 19: Maroon 5 will perform at the Toyota Center March 21: Jim Gaffigan will play at Bayou Music Center March 22: Sleeping With Sirens will be performing at the Studio at Warehouse Live March 24: Lydia will be playing at Fitzgerald’s March 26: Scott Weiland will perform at the House of Blues March 27: The Summer Set will be playing at the Studio at Warehouse Live

Alicia Keys

March 28: Elton John will perform at the Toyota Center Theo Wargo / Getty Images / Courtesy Photo

March 30: Deftones will play at the Bayou Music Center

The Entertainment

Thursday, March 7, 2012

The Summa

9

Warm Bodies: An unexpectedly pleasant, unique zombie romance film

By BIANCA GOMEZ Copy Editor

I have never been a fan of zombie movies – or anything zombie related – in general.

Personally, the “zombie craze” just seems overrated and drawn out, I cannot even count on my fingers how many times I have heard the words “zombie apocalypse” or seen a t-shirt, poster, book or anything zombie related on them. That is probably why I have not gotten around to watching The Walking Dead, despite the many positive reviews.

In fact, my mom and brother have recently bought into The Walking Dead craze, and I still refuse to watch it. The last zombie movie I watched was Shaun of the Dead, which was years ago and is more of a zombie parody.

However, one of my friends invited me to go see Warm Bodies with her since her boyfriend had the

same mentality as mine and thought it looked ridiculous.

While I had my reservations, I decided to give Warm Bodies a chance, and I will definitely say it completely surprised me and was nothing that I was expecting.

The movie opens with a zombie named “R” who, based on his first person point of view of the world between zombies versus humans, possesses coherent human thoughts and feelings – but cannot actually talk like any other normal person. The audience spends the first 15 minutes seeing the world through R’s perspective, how his daily routine consists of aimlessly walking around and sleeping in a broken down airplane. Seeing the world through a “zombie’s eyes” was completely different for me, and it was quite comical – I was immediately hooked. This unusual take on a zombie film is something directors need to take note of.

As the movie continues

Sudoku

Summit Entertainment / Courtesy Photo

on, you see the complicated and absolutely adorable love story between Julie and R, who he saves from a vicious zombie attack that he and his fellow zombie wanderers initiated; since they eat humans to survive (the humans encase themselves in a protected area away from the zombies and venture out for food and medicine).

The entire time of the film, I was rooting for the unusual duo. Anytime Julie

and R were alone together and spending time with each other, I wanted to stand up in the middle of the theater and give them a round of applause.

I found myself completely immersed in the film because of its different take on typical films that did not make me remind myself of why I do not watch zombie movies to begin with. There were times where I would turn to my friend multiple times and tell her, “Wow that was cute!” or

“This is actually really funny!”

The movie contains almost all the elements– romance, action, horror– but the one thing that kept me going was the unusual comedy.

I was going to watch this film with the notion that it was like “any other typical, gore-filled zombie flick” but now I can confidently say that I am glad I gave this movie a chance.

Zombie fan or not, everyone across the board will definitely enjoy this movie.

Puzzles Corner March Crossword

Created by Sarah Oyarce

1 4

11

2

6

7

13

9

8

5

12

12 3 10

ACROSS 1. CEO of Apple TimoDan Rice / Courtesy thy Riddle of the Month!

2. Voice of Dori in Finding Nemo DeGeneres

3. Past Participle of Your mother’s brother’s only “ring” brother-in-law is asleep on your 5. Plays Dr. Lance couch. Who is asleep on your couch? Sweets on Bones John A: Your Father. Francis

7. Rihanna’s real name 9. Point guard for the Rockets Jeremy 10. Capital of Brazil 13. The largest island in the world

million car 6. Sound of a horse 8. Prison island referred to as “The Rock” 11. DJ/producer responsible for the “Harlem Shake” craze 12. Starred in the 1973

DOWN The Exorcist Linda 1. Prince of Wales 4. Lamborghini’s new $4.6

10

The Health

The Summa

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Child may be cured of HIV with antiretrovirals, according to doctors

By SANDRA EFRAIMSON Health Editor

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is most known as the incurable illness that leads to a fatal, and devastating Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. HIV is transmitted through contact of bodily fluids and has affected millions world wide.

A cure for this disease has been eagerly sought out for several decades and it seems that a cure might have finally been discovered.

According to Science Daily, the first case of a child cured from the HIV infection was documented by virologist Dr. Deborah Persaud of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and a team of scientists. Persaud

announced the news at a conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Atlanta, GA. During treatment, the child was given antiretroviral treatments 30 hours after birth.

At 23 months of age the child no longer needs treatment and tests confirm that the virus is no longer present in his body.

This makes the child the second confirmed person to be cured of the virus, but the first to be cured using antiretrovirals.

The first confirmed case was Timothy Brown, also known as the “Berlin patient.”

Brown’s case, however, was due to accidental causes.

He suffered leukemia and had bone marrow transplant from a person whose genetic composition is immune to the HIV virus.

123dan321/ Courtesy Photo

TOWARDS CURE Doctors announced a possible cure of HIV in a Mississippi infant at a medical conference in Atlanta earlier this month.

The child was born in Mississippi and at birth, both he and his mother had been confirmed to be HIV positive.

The child has now been free of treatment for five months.

ABC News reports that three aggressive drugs were prescribed to treat the child.

The three drugs used were AZT, 3TC, and nevirapine but

Dr. Rowena Johnston, director of amfAR, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS/HIV research, said the success of the drugs could be attributed to treating the child soon after birth, earlier than the set standard of care in the US. This is great news for

those with HIV. If the treatment can be replicated successfully, it can be the long sought out cure used to eradicate the virus for other children affected.

Hope still remains, that researchers will find a cure that is capable of ridding the HIV virus throughout the vast affected population, once and for all.

The ugly truth about energy drinks: no healthy options available

By Daniel Brown Staff Writer

Everyone is familiar with the hard work and effort that is necessary to have even a decent amount of exercise.

Similarly, many are also familiar with Gatorade and Powerade, brands of sports drinks that claim to be thirst quenchers and excellent for use after a workout.

However, these brands in actuality prove to offer very little in terms of nutrition, which is essential to maintain in order to have an effective workout. If one walks into Crooker, goes to the cafeteria, and looks at the nutrition label of any flavor of Powerade, they will see that the most prevalent ingredients are water, citric acid, sodium citrate, sucrose, and dextrose, the last two being sugars.

Essentially, all that is consumed is sugar water with artificial flavoring which has 130 calories per bottle, and that is excluding the larger bottles offered.

There are sports drinks that are nutritionally worse than Powerade. NOS energy drinks for instance, have several different versions, such as “sugar-free,” offered; while it does have significantly less calories, “sugar-free” is still composed of carbonated water, caffeine, sodium citrate, and several different preservatives, none of which are needed for rehydration. In comparison, Rockstar Energy is another brand of energy drink with similar, if not identical, ingredients offered, including taurine, an ingredient often believed to increase athletic

Emmanuel Keller / Courtesy Photo

performance.

The biggest problem with energy drinks, however, is not their nutritional value, but the fact that they feed into a recent dangerous obsession with hydration that has developed in the United States.

Dr. Arthur Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, attests to the existence of water intoxication – caused by drinking too much water or sports drink before, during, or after physical activity – actually being more dangerous than dehydration.

Most individuals do not need to drink anything when they exercise so long as they start out hydrated and nourished. If they do need to rehydrate, plain water is not only sufficient, but is as equally effective as any energy

drink without all the added sugar.

Additionally, there exist several different brands of 5-hour energy drinks, which are essentially claimed to be alternatives to caffeine with no crash afterwards. However, similarly to other sports drinks, these brands do not offer much in terms of nutrition, and are actually more dangerous to consume.

For instance, in Memphis, Tennessee on Aug. 2, 2009, a man named Antonio Hassel was playing basketball when he had a “sudden cardiac event” according to a civil complaint; the same complaint stated that he spent several months in the hospital the following year.

Doctors identified the energy drink as the “sole causative risk factor for his cardiac event.”

While it remained simply a claim, personal experience has proved that 5-hour energy drinks do increase heart rate by significant amounts.

Eventually, the claim that there is no crash later was discontinued because of misrepresentation of the product and allegations of false advertising.

To exercise properly and effectively, one should find what causes fatigue imperative.

Amongst all athletes, though especially among college students, fatigue is often caused by a lack of sleep and proper nutrition. Good methods of obtaining more rest from sleep are using ear plugs to block out noise, taking a moment to relax before actually sleeping, and reducing stress by completing schoolwork

and extracurricular tasks well before their due date.

Other methods include exercising, since it exhausts the individual and sleeping earlier than normal. Nutritionally, eating an apple or another type of fruit will work better than an energy drink, and avoiding caffeine during the afternoons is imperative.

Although the use of energy drinks is not prohibited, these facts and instances emphasize the importance of discouraging their use and encouraging the development of a balanced diet.

Occasionally, using an energy drink is perfectly acceptable if it is only used once between long intervals.

However, constant use not only ignores that problem of dehydration or fatigue, but is a detriment to health.

The Health

THURSDAY, March 7, 2013

The Summa

11

Things you need to know about over-the-counter drugs

By Sandra efraimson Health Editor

The winter is finally over and spring is here, in other words, we are just getting over our cold and flu symptoms and now our allergies are back. Before rushing to the pharmacy for more over-thecounter drugs, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First of all, just because over-the-counter drugs are easily accessible, it does not mean that they are completely safe. Always read the labels and check with your pharmacist if you have any questions or doubts about the drugs that you are taking.

It is very common to find long aisles with a large variety of products that are made for a multitude of symptoms. It seems much easier to choose one product that takes care of many symptoms at once rather than buying several different drugs for each specific symptom, but this is not always the best thing to do.

You should be very selective as to what drugs you choose for the symptoms that you are having so that you are not overmedicating.

Read labels carefully to ensure that you are not

By Sandra efraimson Health Editor

Drinking herbal tea has been a common practice for many generations. We drink tea because it tastes good however did you know that some teas may even have beneficial health properties?

One of the most commonly known teas for its beneficial properties is green tea. Studies show that green tea can be good for your heart, be an energy booster with fatburning properties and can even have cancer fighting properties.

According to WebMD antioxidants found in green tea are very good vasodilators and help reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol, which is commonly referred as “bad cholesterol.” These properties reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, which is build-up that clogs the arteries and can cause heart disease.

Various studies also show that green tea can help with losing weight. Various components of the tea, including caffeine, may be the reason why people lose weight when drinking several cups of tea a day. There are many supplements that contain

Pawel Kryj / Courtesy Photo

OVER THE COUNTER CAUTION Despite the abundance of over-the-counter medicine available at local pharmacies, be sure to use appropriate dosages and read the ingredients of all medicine.

overdosing on any one drug.

Some products should not be combined with other products because they could cause worse health problems.

For example Tylenol, one of the most commonly used fever reducers and pain relievers, is found in various products to treat symptoms of the common cold and flu. The problem is that while most

people know what Tylenol is, the ingredient listed in most “multi-purpose” cocktails of drugs is its generic name, acetaminophen.

Although this drug is generally safe to use, it can pose a problem when used in high doses because it can cause severe liver damage. Adults should not take more than 4000 milligrams of acetaminophen

or acetaminophen-containing products a day.

Another reason you should be aware of what products contain Tylenol is because they should not be mixed with alcohol.

You should never take Tylenol immediately before, during, or after drinking even one alcoholic drink because it could cause irreversible liver

damage.

Another commonly used drug is Benadryl. This drug can treat a variety of allergy symptoms, but be aware that Benadryl can cause dizziness and drowsiness. Be careful and avoid driving after taking this drug.

Something else to keep in mind regarding over-thecounter drugs is that the medicine cabinet is not the best place to store medications.

The reason for this is that most medicine cabinets are not very well sealed, and the heat and humidity from hot showers can cause temperature changes that can inactivate the drug.

Also, as you accumulate over-the-counter drugs, make sure to check for expiration dates frequently and get rid of any expired drugs. You should not flush them down the drain or the toilet, but instead check with your local pharmacy about proper ways of discarding unused medications.

Over-the-counter drugs are often thought of as completely safe because they do not require a prescription, and some even claim to be natural, so it can be misleading.

Overall, be careful with the products that you select and ask the pharmacists any questions you may have.

It is tea time: top reasons for drinking tea

Vivek Chugh / Courtesy Photo

WOULD YOU LIKE A CUP OF TEA? Tea’s ancient beneficial health properties have made it a delicious choice for herbal remedies for common maladies.

green tea for weight loss, however the most weight-loss was shown in those who drink the tea.

Even more astonishing is the cancer fighting properties that green tea has shown in research studies.

Limited studies show that the antioxidants in green tea may not only help prevent cancer, but also fight cancerous cells.

Another great tea to add to your daily consumption is

chamomile tea. Some of the many benefits of chamomile tea include calming effects to treat insomnia and anxiety, cold fighting properties, and reduction of menstrual cramps.

Livestrong reports that research indicates that drinking 2 to 3 cups of chamomile tea a day can reduce insomnia and anxiety. This may be due to the tea’s sedative effects which are soothing to the nerves.

However, more research is

being done to understand these effects on humans.

Chamomile tea has also been known for helping fight colds and viruses by improving the immune system.

Studies show that this unique property of chamomile tea can be attributed to its botanical phenolics.

In addition, this tea helps women with menstrual cramps.

This is attributed to glycine which helps with muscle

relaxation and reduced spasms during uterine cramping.

Other teas, such as mint, lavender, raspberry, rosebud, and lemon tea, among many others, are also great additions to any blend of delicious tea and with their own unique health benefits.

Of course, delicious taste and invigorating aroma can help you improve your mood, and that is the best health benefit of all.

12

The Sports & Clubs

The Summa

Minute Maid Park Dreams?

A Preview of the 2013 Astros Season

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Upcoming Events Friday, March 8

Freedom Music Festival 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Cullen Hall

Tuesday, March 12 Archdiocesan Fair 2013 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Crooker Center

Tuesday, March 12

Meaning of History in Our Faith 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Old Bookstore

Wednesday, March 13

James Ramos / The Summa

By Claire Logue Sports & Clubs Editor

Spring training has been underway since the beginning of February, and we have seen little optimism for a great season for the Astros.

Things do not look good for the ‘Stros this season.

Being known as “one of the worst teams around,” their transfer to arguably the best divisions in the league is a move that some are sure will just add padding and wins to the other teams in the division.

“It’s fairly safe to pencil in another 100-loss season for the Astros,” Susan Slusser writes for MLB sporting news.

She is convinced that while this is not a promising upcoming season, there are a few positives that might help them pave the way in this new season. “[The Astros have] an energetic new manager in Bo Porter, who would like to build on a decent finish by the club in 2012,” Slusser writes. “The team went 15-15 beginning Sept. 1 and was outscored by only 11 runs in that stretch.

“Not surprisingly, Porter plans to emphasize fundamentals,” Slusser also writes.

Adding to their already grim future this season, Houston is beginning short of a few of their top players since

last season, including closer Wilton Lopez and shortstop Jed Lowrie.

Houston’s most dependable player is Jose Altuve, but even he is not known for being the most consistent.

The Astros lost 5-8 to the Detroit Tigers on Monday, March 4, and lost 7-1 to the Washington Nationals in Grapefruit League games this spring training.

So far, things have not been looking up for the Astros as they pave new territory with a new team. We can only hope that enthusiasm doesn’t falter and the team can prove the critics wrong. The team plays the Mets Saturday, March 9.

Men’s Basketball wins first RRAC title

By Claire Logue Sports & Clubs Editor

The University of St. Thomas Men’s Basketball walked away with their first Red River Athletic Conference title Monday, Feb. 4.

The team won against Southwestern Assemblies of God University with a lead 67-51. SAGU was the favored team in their home town of Waxahachie, Texas.

Senior Caleb Williams had a team-high of 16 points and tournament MVP Travis Lampley contributed 12 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists to the game.

The Celts will head to Kansas City, Mo., next for the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics National Championship.

The Men’s Basketball team qualified for the national championship after beating LSU-Shreveport, 69-63, in the RRAC semifinals. The National tournament brackets will be announced on March 6.

Cosmology, the Big Bang and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

St. Mary’s Seminary, Cardinal Beran Library, 2nd Floor

Wednesday, March 13

Fifth Lenten Lecture “Has Pope Benedict Reinterpreted the Ecumenical Vision of Vatican II?” 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Anderson Hall, Room 103

Friday, March 15

Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Chapel of St. Basil and Jerabeck Gym

Friday-Sunday March 15-17

Scenes from Opera & Musical Theater 7:30 p.m. on March 15 and 16, and 3 p.m. on March 17.

Cullen Hall

SIDELINE HTX Houston Dynamo (MLS)

BBVA Compass Stad’m, 2200 Texas Ave.

March 23 | Dynamo vs. Vancouver March 30 | Dynamo vs. San Jose

Houston Rodeo

Reliant Stadium, 8400 Kirby Drive

UST MarComm/ Courtesy Photo

Feb. 24 - March 17 Rodeo Houston

MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM IN REVIEW Overall 2012 - 2013 Record :: 28 - 5 Red River Athletic Conference Record :: 18 - 4 Ranks 1st in RRAC :: 3-point Field Goal % (.280) Ranks 2nd in RRAC :: Assist/Turnover Ratio (1.479)

& Field Goal % Defense (.375) Ranks 6th in RRAC :: Total Assists (.375) Source: Daktstats

Houston Rockets (NBA) Toyota Center, 1510 Polk Street

March 13 | Rockets vs. Suns March 15 | Rockets vs. Timberwolves March 17 | Rockets vs. Warriors