03 02 2006

Page 1

PRIMARY ELECTION GUIDE

Check out the candidates, their platforms and how it can affect you See pages 4 and 5

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

www.UniversityStar.com

MARCH 2, 2006

THURSDAY

The right thing

By Anna Heffley The University Star Spike Lee said his favorite album of 2005 is Kanye West’s Late Registration, so it was fitting that 12 minutes before the acclaimed director took the stage Wednesday night, West’s “Gold Digger” was piped through the speakers in front of the LBJ Student Center — the radio edit version of “Gold Digger.” About 2,500 people attended Lee’s presentation on “Courage,” put on as part of the Texas State Common Experience and Diversity Month in The Mall between LBJSC and Alkek Library. “We almost didn’t believe that we got

him to come to our campus,” said Natalie Chandler, pre-mass communication junior and president of the Student Association of Campus Activities. “We’re still in shock that this year has been such a success for the Common Experience.” Shelton Jackson Lee, nicknamed “Spike” by his mother, grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. and attended film school at New York University after receiving his bachelor’s degree in communication at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. “College is a key point where we develop as a human being. I was fortunate I found in college what I wanted to do,” Lee said. “If

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 59

Talking with the man: Q&A with Spike Lee

‘If you can do what you love, it’s not a job anymore.’

Editors Note: After Spike Lee spoke to Texas State students he found time to answer three questions for The University Star.

— Spike Lee

The University JASON BUCH Star: In your speech, Assistant you said Hurricane Katrina was the first News Editor time governments Star: The Star at all levels in the was in New OrUnited States turned their leans last month, and the city backs on citizens. Don’t you seemed very unprepared to think that in the history of host Mardi Gras. You were this country, the government there during the weekend has ignored entire communi- shooting your documentary ties of people? about Hurricane Katrina. What was it like? Spike Lee: I meant it was the first time they turned SL: There was a big debate their back on an entire city. over whether or not there We can go all the way around should be a Mardi Gras. A the world to help other coun- lot of people were torn by it, tries, other nations, in their but the general consensus was times of need, but we weren’t that it was needed. It was a able to take care of our own time to let go, a time to forget citizens. about your troubles and your worries just for a minute. The Star: How did you end up people there know that every down here? Texas State Uni- day isn’t Mardi Gras. Mardi versity is a little out of the Gras ended yesterday, today way. is Ash Wednesday; tomorrow it’s time to build the city back. SL: I speak at many, many It’s going to take 10 or 15 years universities. I’ve been doing to see what New Orleans will that for 20 years. Whenever I be, what the makeup of the can get time off, I try to work city will be.

SPIKE SPEAKS: (Left) Controversial and outspoken filmmaker Spike Lee spoke to a crowd of 2,500 on Wednesday night in The Mall between the LBJ Student Center and Alkek Library. Lee spoke about his upbringing, his filmmaking and issues young people deal with today. PACKED IN: (Below) Students listen to Spike Lee on Wednesday night, covering every inch of The Mall. Students showed their approval of Lee with cheers and ovations.

See LEE, page 6

it into my schedule. I’m an educator. I’m a film professor at NYU. I’m also the artistic director of film and television at the Tisch School of the Arts. Besides a filmmaker, I’m a teacher.

A.D. Brown/Star photos

Unknown bacteria found thriving in wreckage of shuttle By Ashley Richards The University Star

Matt Rael/Star graphic

Much like the mythological Greek figure Icarus, Robert McLean’s payload containing a bacteria experiment aboard the 2003 Columbia Shuttle lost its wings when the orbiter broke up upon re-entry into the atmosphere and fell punitively back to earth. Ironically, McLean, biology professor, said his findings from the recovered payload will be published in May in the Icarus International Journal of Solar System Studies, the official publication for the Division for Planetary Sciences and the

American Astronomical Society. Months after the accident on Feb. 1, 2003, McLean and several scientists were able to access their payload. After running tests to find if the original bacteria he sent had endured the harsh explosion and fall, McLean thought there were no signs of life. But he returned to his lab weeks later to find an unknown bacteria thriving. The survival of the Microbispora bacteria shines additional evidence on a theory that is thought by some to be science fiction. The payload contained nine other experiments, McLean

said, which were encased in plastic blocks that were then enclosed in an aerospace aluminum outer shell. McLean focuses his research on biofilms, bacteria that grow on surfaces, such as plaque and slime on rocks. “Originally, we sent a mixture of three different organisms, and we were just curious to see how they’d interact if you take away gravity,” McLean said. “Normally, you have one that gets very dominant, and the others are just minor players. We just wanted to see if you take away gravity does this still hold true or not.” McLean worked with Instru-

Early voting attendance shows decrease of votes cast at LBJ Student Center By Ashley Richards The University Star Campaign officials in the ongoing primary elections approached students walking toward the LBJ Student Center on Monday and Tuesday and encouraged them to cast their vote. “Are you registered to vote?” Eric Heggie, international relations senior, asked students as they passed by. If by chance the student responded “yes,” Heggie was prepared to continue walking beside him or her, handing out a flier and making a quick pitch about why he or she should vote for the candidate Heggie represents. “Basically, I talk about student issues,” Heggie said. “Students will respond to issues that affect them.” Two hours before the polls closed at the LBJ Student Center for early voting Wednesday, Heggie said the number of votes cast there for the day was nearing 150, up from Tuesday’s

official count from the Hays County Elections Office, which tallied the day’s total at 102 votes cast at the LBJSC. Joyce Cowan, Hays County elections administrator, said the 102 voters who went through the polling station on campus represent a drastic drop from the nearly 500 voters who showed up each day during the November elections. “To be honest, it’s down all over for the primary,” Cowan said. “Some of us don’t want to vote the primaries. There’s all kinds of reasons; we try to guess why, but our campus didn’t do any different than anywhere else.” Pamela Bishir and Jessica Irwin, political science sophomores, stood near the student center passing out fliers for their candidates as well. “Most people aren’t registered here,” Bishir said. “I think people are overwhelmed because there’s so many people passing things out.” “I think more people were registered to vote when we

Today’s Weather

Partly Cloudy 86˚/53˚

Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 56% UV: 7 High Wind: SE 9 mph

had a student running,” Irwin said, referring to Texas State student Chris Jones’ successful campaign for the San Marcos City Council in the fall. “People don’t think it affects them now.” She said a number of local issues of interest to students, including area business development and green-space preservation, will also be affected by this election, and that students should be involved in making the decisions. “I think that people think government on the local level doesn’t affect them, but it does, sometimes more than on the national level,” Bishir said. Early voting was available only on Monday and Tuesday at the LBJSC, but other early voting locations will be open in San Marcos until March 3. In Hays County, early voting began Feb. 21, and as of the end of Tuesday, 1,911 votes had been cast, 353 of which were cast at polling stations in San Marcos excluding the 102 at the LBJSC.

Saturday Cloudy Temp: 77°/ 53° Precipitation: 10%

See SHUTTLE, page 5

Shirt swap aims to stir up some gold, maroon pride By Leah Kirkwood The University Star

Spencer Millsap/Star photo illustration

The Student Chapter of the Texas State Alumni Association will host their “Trade Up” event in The Quad on Monday.

Two-day Forecast Friday Sprinkles Temp: 76°/ 52° Precipitation: 20%

mentation Technology Associates helping young students from Port Lavaca and Wimberley with a science project that went up on the John Glenn Discovery Shuttle in 1998. Because of his previous work, he had the opportunity again to send research on a shuttle. ITA is a private company with an agreement with NASA to organize and coordinate various experiments to be sent along on the shuttles. Valerie Casasanto, who at the time was ITA’s microgravity experiment coordinator, worked with McLean on organizing and testing his

Brandon Jones, public relations officer for the Student Chapter of the Texas State Alumni Association, sees a lot of people wearing UT or A&M shirts around the Texas State campus. “You won’t see that at other campuses, but it has become acceptable here,” said Jones, mass communication senior. “We want to change that.” The Student Chapter will host a T-shirt “Trade Up” event in The Quad on Monday. Students can bring their shirts from other universities to trade for a free Texas State T-shirt. There will even be a private changing area for students wearing shirts from other schools. Jones said the event will start at 9 a.m., but that the group may run out of T-shirts before the scheduled ending time of 2 p.m. Jones said the Student Chapter strives to promote “all sorts of pride on campus.” “We want students to know how important the Alumni Association is to students,” Jones said. “There are benefits you can receive right now as students.” The Student Chapter rewarded Erin Breland,

Inside

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

News............... 1-7 Trends .......... 8-11 Comics............. 12 Crossword ....... 12

Sudoku ............ 12 Opinions ..... 13,14 Classifieds ....... 15 Sports ......... 16-18

See SWAP, page 3

To Contact

Trinity Building Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708 www.UniversityStar.com © 2006 The University Star


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