04 06 2006

GIVE ME SOME MO

SPLITSVILLE

Austin singer, songwriter Mo Pain talks about his unusual brand of music

Cougars, Bobcats split the wins for two-game series

SEE TRENDS PAGE 8

SEE SPORTS PAGE 12

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

www.UniversityStar.com

APRIL 6, 2006

THURSDAY

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 71

Rising cost of dam repair becoming residents’ concern

ASG ELECTION RESULTS:

Morris-Oskey ticket wins Referendums on athletic fee, bus contract pass by large margins

By Clayton Medford The University Star

alternative?’” O’Leary said, referring to aesthetic improvements separate from the repair of the The rising cost of the Rio Vista dam’s deterioration.

Dam repair project was a major O’Leary cited the receipt of topic of the San Marcos City formal bids from construction Council meetcontractors as ing on Tuesday. the reason for Council memthe most recent bers expressed cost increase. their concern “In the beabout the alginning, it was most $2 miljust talks about, lion increase in ‘Well, I think it the price from would cost this the original much.’

They cost estimates were just estipresented to mates,” O’Leary the city by the said. “But when project engithe bids came — Dan O’Leary in, that’s when neer.

San Marcos city manager we While the realized original eswhat the real timate of the Rio Vista repair cost was going to be.” project was $800,000 and the Councilman John Thomaides city appropriated almost $1.4 said that while he remains permillion to the project, the coun- sonally committed to the projcil approved several additions ect, he feels it is time to begin a to the cost of the project that dialogue on the rising cost. brought the total to roughly $2.6 “I just hope that as we move million. forward and enter into emerCity Manager Dan O’Leary gency situations like this again, stressed that the original esti- that we keep that in mind that mate presented to the council this can happen. It is our duty

by Colorado-based engineering to really look closely at these firm Recreation Engineering types of things because we never and Planning was not for the know. What we thought is not entire project that is currently what it turned out to be,” Thomunderway. aides said.

“Originally, we got a standard Councilman Ed Mihalkanin repair estimate from an engineer agreed with Thomaides. to just repair the dam as it is.

“We might want to look at Well, some citizens came in and what’s the best-case scenario said, ‘If we are going to be doing See REPAIR, page 7 this, why don’t we talk about an

By Clayton Medford The University Star

K

yle Morris ascended to the Associated Student Government presidency on Wednesday.

The economics senior and current ASG senate clerk received 71 percent of the votes during the two-day election. Sen. Katie Kasprzak received 28 percent in her bid for the office.

“It’s very humbling to have won because now there’s a lot of work to be done,” Morris said. “We told 27,171 students that we would work to fight the rising cost of tuition, and that’s exactly what we have to do.

I think that we worked hard, and I couldn’t have been blessed with a better team of people that supported me … and I am very grateful.”

Morris said he foresees a busy summer.

“I plan to make contact with some of our leaders in Austin so that we can follow through on these initiatives,” Morris said. “I can’t promise to make miracles, but I’ll sure work as hard as I can.”

Morris’ running mate and Sen. Amanda Oskey garnered roughly the same number of votes in her triumph over vice presidential candidate and Sen. Israel Ruiz. Oskey said she was also humbled by the experience and is “eager to serve.”

Kasprzak and Ruiz said they plan to work with Morris and Oskey next semester, as well as pursue their campaign promise of See ASG, page 4

n the “I beginning, it was just talks

about, ‘Well, I think it would cost this much.’

They were just estimates.”

David Racino/Star photo

THE GOLDEN TICKET: ASG presidential winner Kyle Morris celebrates with his campaign manager, Sam McCabe, after learning of his landslide victory over Katie Kasprzak. Morris and runningmate Amanda Oskey both took about 70 percent of the vote.

Third annual Bike to Astroforensics team solves new Munch mystery Work and School expo surrounding the work ‘The Girls on the Pier’ pedals into The Quad

By Carl Norberg The University Star

By Magen Gray The University Star More bicycles may be seen around town and on campus today as the City of San Marcos celebrates the third annual Bike to Work and School Day. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The Quad, students can get free bike tune-ups, register a bike with the University Police Department and receive free food and information at the Bike to Work and School Spring Expo. Al’s Freewheeling Cycles, Pedal Power, Texas Bike Coalition, Clif Bar, Coca-Cola and Sweet Leaf Tea are participating in the exhibition.

The event is sponsored by the Environmental Service Committee, the National Association of Environmental Professionals and Auxiliary Services.

Taylor Powell, international studies junior and ESC administrative assistant, said that Bike to Work and School Day keeps growing, with more than 1,000 students participating last year.

“We hope to raise awareness that bikes are cleaner, healthier and more environmentally friendly than cars or buses,” Powell said.

Powell rides his bike to school every day and is currently working with the six other voting members of the ESC to get grants for constructing bike lanes along Aquarena Springs Drive and around San Marcos.

The ESC is associated with the geography department, and the members are students and fac-

ulty.

A $1 environmental service fee from the student service fee funds environmental projects on campus, and the ESC decides how the money is spent.

Powell said he wants to pass a referendum increasing the transportation fee to install bike racks on campus buses.

Geography associate professor Brock Brown said buses driving to campus from Austin would be the first to get the bike racks.

Brown said he bikes to campus on days he does not teach, and more bike racks will be needed as more people bike to school.

Brown agrees that student interest in Bike to Work and School Day grows each year.

“There is a magnificent group of students in ESC, and they should get the credit. My objective goal for them is to get more students to ride to school since biking is more efficient than carbon-based transportation,” Brown said.

History junior Corrie Nelson said she bikes to school every day unless it rains.

“I don’t really know if it noticeably helps the environment, but it is a quick way for me to get to class,” Nelson said.

Student organizations can request ways to use the Environmental Service Fee. Applications can be downloaded from www.txstate. edu/esc and submitted to the ESC.

Today’s Weather

AM Clouds/ PM Sun 90˚/60˚

Precipitation: 0% Humidity: 55% UV: 7 High Wind: SSW 13 mph

A Texas State-based team of forensic astronomers that unlocked some of the mysteries within Van Gogh’s paintings and Ansel Adams’ photography has explained yet another artistic anomaly. Donald Olson, physics professor and Russell Doescher, physics lecturer, along with Texas State graduate Beatrice Roberts, traveled to Åsgårdstrand, Norway to

solve the question of a celestial object within Edvard Munch’s painting, “The Girls on the Pier.”

“We have an explanation,” Olson said, “and it’s a physical one.”

Edvard Munch, a Norwegian expressionist who lived from 1863 to 1944, may be known best for his most famous work, “The Scream,” an iconic pop culture artwork that shows a distressed man on a bridge beneath a dark red and or-

ange sky. Olson and Doescher, along with Olson’s wife, English professor Marilynn Olson, researched and discovered a relative location and time for Munch’s inspiration of this painting involving the eruption of Krakatoa, a nearby volcano.

Munch’s “The Girls on the Pier” depicts three young girls on a bridge above a calm Norwegian fjord. In the background, above a house on the fjord’s shore, a yellow disc is

shown in the sky. For a number of years, scholars have pondered the question of what the orb was — a moon or sun?

Even more curiously, they have also studied why the sphere is absent from the water’s reflection below.

Olson and his team decided that the best way to research the mysterious nature of the painting’s sky was to visit the scene that inspired it.

See MUNCH, page 5

Texas State recognized in Princeton Review’s America’s Best Value Colleges

By Marquita Griffin The University Star The Princeton Review ranked Texas State among the top 150 universities that offer the bestvalued education in the 2007 edition of America’s Best Value Colleges.

Robert Franek, editorial director for The Princeton Review said, “This is the third edition of the book and the first time Texas State has been listed. You guys definitely have something to brag about.”

Franek said the book profiles 150 universities, and this year 700 colleges were considered.

The universities that made the cut are “the ones that offer quality academic opportunities at a comparative price,” Franek said.

“We are so pleased that Texas State is in this edition because we want to call out schools that people need to hear about; Franeck said, “especially if that school offers great educational programs at great comparative prices.”

Adam Davis, editorial assistant for The Princeton Review said, “Only the top public and private schools are actually numerically ranked; the remaining institutions fall into one general category.”

Although Texas State does not have an official rank, it is no less competitive with other universities.

“Texas State was ranked because of its performance in the See VALUE, page 7

Two-day Forecast Friday Sunny and Windy Temp: 91°/ 54° Precipitation: 0%

Saturday Sunny Temp: 78°/ 50° Precipitation: 0%

Matt Rael/Star photo illustration

Inside

TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS

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

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

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

PAGE TWO

campushappenings

The University Star

Thursday in Brief

April 6, 2006

A grant of $610,000 from the Meadows Foundation to the River Systems Institute at Texas State will help the institute study and protect the freshwater resources of Texas.

The grant will enhance efforts in watershed conservation, groundwater protection and in outreach and education, said River Systems Institute Director Andrew Sansom.

Sansom said the institute will expand its watershed conservation planning in the Blanco River basin to determine in-stream flow needs and interpret those needs to the state’s policymakers. Among other plans, it will also initiate a similar project in the Pedernales River basin and continue to develop a system of permanent protection of

stream flows into the state’s bays and estuaries.

Founded in 2002, the mission of the River Systems Institute is to develop and promote programs and techniques for ensuring sustainable water resources for human needs, ecosystem health and economic development. Its offices are on the grounds of the Aquarena Center at Texas State.

The Meadows Foundation is a private philanthropic institution established in 1948 by Algur H. and Virginia Meadows to benefit the people of Texas.

— Courtesy of Media Relations

News Contact — Kirsten Crow, starnews@txstate.edu

Calendar of

Tunes and treats

STARS OF TEXAS STATE POLICY Do you know someone at Texas State who has recently celebrated a great achievement? Nominate your choice to appear in The Star as a “Star of Texas State.” Write an e-mail to starletters@txstate.edu with the subject line “Stars of Texas State,” and include your nominee’s name, his/her relationship to the university, contact information for yourself and your nominee, and a brief description of the achievement. Also include a photo of your nominee if available. Accepted nominees will be featured at the top of Page Two.

EVENTS Sunday

Clubs & Meetings Thursday There will be a Communications Club Meeting at 5 p.m. in Centennial Hall, Room 318. Guest speaker Michael Burns, intern with the Today Show for the Olympics, will be present.

Events Thursday The Disney College Internship Program Presentation will be held at 6 p.m. in the LBJ Student Center Teaching Theater, Room 4.16.1.

The Catholic Student Center will have Stations of the Cross at 6 p.m. in the CSC chapel.

Bike to School and Work Day & Spring Expo will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The Quad.

There will be a job expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum.

CBcampus.com, a new job site for CareerBuilder.com created specifically for college students, will be giving demonstrations.

The National Team Poetry Slam will come to Texas State. Twenty to 25 schools will compete on Thursday through Saturday in the LBJSC. There will be performances by Saul Williams & Big Poppa E. For more information, visit www.lbjsc.txstate. edu/poetryslam/.

The Muslim Student Association will present Educational Lecture on Islam Uncovered in the LBJ Mall area at 4 p.m.

Career Services will hold the Spring Teacher Job Fair at Strahan Coliseum. For more information, please contact Career Services at (512) 2452465.

There will be a Music Lecture Series: Symphony for the Devil by Blood, Sweat and Tears at 8 p.m. in the Music Building recital hall.

On This Day...

Campus Sports

1830 - Joseph Smith and five others organized the Mormon Church in Seneca, N.Y.

Saturday Black Men United and Omega Delta Phi fraternity will hold a softball tournament and barbecue from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Strahan fields and at Sewell Park. Team registration forms are available at the Campus Activities and Student Organizations desk on the fourth floor of the LBJSC. Contact tm1124@txstate.edu for more information.

Arts & Entertainment Friday The Bruce Wood Dance Company will perform in Evans Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students.

Monday Clayton Duncan Quintet will perform “The Music of Julian Cannonball Adderley” at George’s in the LBJSC at 8 p.m. Admission is free.

CALENDAR SUBMISSION POLICY Calendar submissions are free. Send submissions to Calendar of Events at starcalendar@txstate.edu or call (512) 245-3487 for more information.

E-mailed press releases will not be accepted. If using e-mail, please submit as a simple bulleted list of essential information. Submissions are on a first come, first served basis and notices for weekly meetings need to be submitted every week they will take place.

The University Star reserves the right to refuse entries or edit for libel, style and space purposes. Deadline: Three working days prior to publication.

1875 - Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the multiple telegraph, which sent two signals at the same time.

1916 - Charlie Chaplin became the highest-paid film star in the Stephanie Gage/Star photo world when he signed a contract The band iSOLA performs in the amphitheater outside the LBJ Student Center on Wednesday. The with Mutual Film Corporation for $675,000 a year. He was 26 members of the band are alumni of Texas State. KTSW will be showcasing bands as well as giving years old. out free food in the LBJSC amphitheater area through April 19.

CRIME BL TTER University Police Department

April 3, 1:44 p.m.

Medical Emergency/ Aquarena Springs Center A student reported to an officer that she dislocated her knee. The student was transported to the Central Texas Medical Center for medical evaluation.

April 4, 3:03 a.m.

Public Intoxication, Alcohol: Driving Under the Influence, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/Sessom Drive A police officer made contact with a vehicle for a traffic stop. Upon further investigation one student was issued a citation for driving under the influence and for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Another student was issued a citation for public intoxication.

April 4, 6:07 p.m.

Fire Call/ASB An officer was dispatched to the Academic Services Building for a fire alarm. Upon further investigation a malfunction was discovered in one of the units. A report was made of the incident.

April 5, 12:27 a.m.

Driving While Intoxicated: Open Container/CM Allen A police officer made contact with a vehicle for a traffic stop. Upon further investigation a non-student was arrested for driving while intoxicated and transported to HCLEC to await magistration.

Crime stoppers: UPD: 245-7867, SMPD: 353-TIPS

City of e-waste

Norman Ng/KRT Workers extract plastics from discarded electronics in the town of Guiyu in southern China on March 16. Guiyu, a few hours drive northeast of Hong Kong, is by far China’s biggest e-waste scrap heap. The city comprises 21 villages with 5,500 family workshops handling e-waste. According to the local government Web site, city businesses process 1.5 million tons of e-waste a year, pulling in $75 million in revenue. As much as 80 percent of the e-waste comes from overseas.

Library Beat Collection celebrates 20 years of ‘Mr. Texas’ This year, the Southwestern Writers Collection marks its 20th year with J. Frank Dobie: Mr. Texas, an exhibit and one-day symposium on Saturday honoring its inaugural acquisition: The J. Frank Dobie Archives.

J. Frank Dobie (1888-1964) was Texas’ most famous writer and a colorful personality from the 1920s to the 1960s. Known as “Mr. Texas,” Dobie helped define the state in the popular imagination.

He published tales of cowboys, lost gold mines and figures from “old-time” Texas. He also chronicled the state’s natural history, writing books about longhorns, coyotes and rattlesnakes.

On Saturday, the Southwestern Writers Collection will host a celebratory symposium to accompany the exhibition. The event will begin at 10 a.m. with Assistant Cu-

rator Steve Davis interviewing Bill Wittliff about the Dobie he knew and why the folklorist remains important to Texas. Following a light buffet lunch and exhibit viewing from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the afternoon will feature presentations on Dobie from Mark Busby, Cathy Supple, William T. Pilkington and Paul C. Stone. The exhibit runs through July 31.

The Southwestern Writers Collection is part of the Special Collections Department on the seventh floor of the Alkek Library.

Admission to the exhibit and event is free and open to the public. If you’d like to attend the Dobie Day event, R.S.V.P. to southwesternw riters@txstate.edu or (512) 2452313. Read more about J. Frank Dobie and the SWWC archives, exhibit and symposium and access the full calendar of events online at www.swwc.txstate.edu.

—Courtesy of Alkek Library

NEWS

Thursday, April 6, 2006

Prof. Gordon to moderate symposium on foreign policy

PET OF THE WEEK

By Leah Kirkwood The University Star

Spencer Millsap/Star photo A TRIO OF KITTENS: Three gray tabby kittens, two female and one male, are looking for a caring owner. If you would like to adopt one or all three, contact the San Marcos Animal Shelter at (512) 393-8340. Their identification numbers are 30471 (male), 30470 (female) and 30472 (female).

As part of the Common Experience lecture series, philosophy professor Jeff Gordon will moderate an Interdisciplinary Symposium on “Blood for Oil, Ports for Sale: The Courage to Redefine American Priorities” at 5:30 p.m. today in the Alkek Teaching Theater.

The five panelists Gordon picked for the event are former U.S. Senator and Ambassador Robert Krueger; James Pohl, professor of military history; Rebecca Raphael, head of religious studies; and two Texas State students, Christopher Walter, Spanish senior, and Johnathan Winston, political science senior.

“I wanted to be sure the students I picked would be articulate and thoughtful and informed about the topics,” Gordon said.

Gordon saw Winston debate for the College Republicans and was impressed by his arguments.

Walter took several of Gordon’s classes in the past.

“To be on a panel with these speakers is a great honor to me,

and I anticipate a lively dialogue,” Walter said.

Gordon said the symposium’s goal is to get students thinking about the direction of our country and the way Americans use our great wealth and unprecedented power.

The panel will discuss issues related to the war in Iraq, America’s use of preemptive attacks, and how to handle threats from other countries with nuclear capabilities, such as North Korea and Iran.

“The general question of how to deal with terrorism in the next 50 years should definitely be considered,” Gordon said.

Gordon also hopes to address the issue of global capitalism.

“Transnational corporations are more and more ruling the world,” Gordon said.

Gordon said he will not limit the discussion to topics named in the event’s title. He spoke with the panelists about some of the issues they would like to address and will structure the discussion around their concerns.

“I believe our handling of (natural) resources have caused

Muslim Student Association to bring Islamic scholar to Student Center Mall

By Jacqueline Davis The University Star An Islamic scholar will be visiting Texas State from 4 to 5:30 p.m. today bringing university students an educational message about Islam and hoping to draw a curious crowd.

Anas Hlayhel will be speaking in the LBJ Student Center Mall, the area between the LBJ Student Center and the Alkek Library, with the topic “Islam Uncovered.” Hlayhel has studied Islam for 15 years and has lectured for the past seven years at different events, typically on college campuses, said Asra Khan, a member of the Muslim Student Association at Texas State and a physical therapy graduate student.

“He’s going to speak and try to clarify the misconceptions and misunderstandings about Islam,” Khan said.

Hlayhel will cover the basic belief structure of Islam and

The University Star - Page 3

talk about his religion in light of current events, Khan said. She said that Hlayhel will also be speaking later at the University of Texas campus at 6:45 p.m.

“I’m thinking that he’s going to talk about the notion going around about terrorism,” Khan said. “Even if he doesn’t, I’m sure someone else will bring it up.”

Samer Morad, manufacturing engineering junior and president of the Muslim Student Association, said he thought Hlayhel would touch on the topic of the recent controversy over political cartoons that many Muslims found offensive.

Morad said that Hlayhel would talk about Islamic beliefs for an hour, laying a basic foundation before opening up the floor for a question-and-answer session with students. Morad said that Hlayhel would discuss the six pillars of Islam, which he has memorized completely in Arabic.

Moral said the six pillars of the Muslim belief system are: believing in Allah, believing in angels, believing in his books, believing in his prophets, believing in judgment day and believing in the preordainment of good and bad.

“Even the people who don’t know and are passing by, hopefully they’ll stop by and listen for a minute or two,” Morad said.

Morad and other representatives of the Muslim Student Association were in The Quad on Tuesday, handing out information and free copies of the Quran. He said he felt that this was good preparation for the event and that students were excited about it.

“I’m looking forward to this,” Morad said. “I have gone to some events at UT, and I think the crowd here is more respectful and willing to learn. All they get there is arguments and people who want to make trouble.”

some of our current conflicts and will lead to other conflicts,” Walter said.

Gordon said the media’s role of informing citizens will also be discussed.

“A lot of students don’t trust the media to give them the truth about the important issues. They feel they can’t just get the facts; they are always being spun with a political agenda,” Gordon said.

Walter said citizens must actively participate and have an interest in politics.

“If democracy is to function properly, then we must participate in public dialogue, such as Thursday’s symposium. Without open debate among citizens, the word ‘democracy’ is nothing more than a mass media sound byte,” Walter said.

Gordon said Raphael expressed a desire to discuss what she calls “American stupidity.” She feels Americans substitute wishful thinking for critical thinking, and most citizens are apathetic towards what is actually taking place in our world.

“There has rarely been a very high percentage of the American

public that vote in an election, no matter how important it may be,” Gordon said.

Gordon said this problem is especially prevalent among the youth, and only a small percentage of voters are informed about the issues.

“Can you sustain democracy where only half of the public is interested in having any say in the direction of government?”

Gordon said.

There is no time limit for the discussion, but Gordon said he doesn’t usually allow symposiums to last for more than an hour and a half.

“If it looks as though there’s still plenty of interest and questions coming from the audience, then I’ll let it continue,” Gordon said.

Gordon stressed the importance of students taking an interest in the topics the symposium will address.

“I am going to gear the topics to issues that will have a lot of impact in the lifetime of the students,” Gordon said.

The event is free and open to all students and university faculty.

Texas State students sow knowledge by creating nature guide for children

By Anna Heffley The University Star Students in Nancy Wilson’s technical communications class have an opportunity to put their skills to a realworld test.

Thanks to the Ralph Waldo Emerson Society Pedagogy and Community Project Award obtained by Steve Wilson, English professor, students will design and produce a brochure of local plants and animals that children will be able to pick up at many locations and use during hikes and nature walks.

“If people paid attention, they would find things that intrigue them,” Steve Wilson said. “That is what is so great about this project; it is a nice way to get people to pay attention.”

Three technical communications students are working on the project.

“At the beginning of the semester, she offered the project to us in class,” said Joey Menchey, aquatic biology senior. “Since it was dealing with a nature guide that would actually be used, I was excited.”

Menchey said the brochures will be about six to seven pages, and include an introduction by Steve Wilson, a guide of plants and animals with illustrations by Campfire Boys and Girls, accurate images of the plants and animals, a worksheet with a crossword or game and quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Nancy Wilson said the brochures will be displayed at the Nature Center and will be available to check out from the San Marcos Public Library.

“This project is very student-driven,” Nancy Wilson said. “They have been col-

lecting data and even got the Nature Center and the library involved.”

Andrea Dravigne, Nature Center coordinator, said the brochures would be an asset to the center and the Parks and Recreation Department.

“It’s an awesome idea. The brochures will have information about local flora and fauna, as well as park information and etiquette, such as leave the park better than you found it,” Dravigne said.

“Plus, as parents are walking with their children looking at the plants and the river, it will spark their interest as well.”

The students said they hoped the laminated brochures would be something children are interested in and enjoy.

“I would like people to take their children (or just themselves) to the nature center and check it out,” Menchey said.

Page 4 - The University Star

NEWS

Thursday, April 6, 2006

ELECTION: ASG continues making plans for transportation, athletic fees CONTINUED from page 1

reaching out to freshmen and educating them about student life.

“We’re still going to continue with everything we promised the student body. As far as the university seminar class stuff goes, we’re already working with Lanita (Legan) on that; we’ve already met with other student organizations to get that started,” Ruiz said.

Students voiced their support for extending the service contract with student bus service provider Cognisa Transportation. ASG worked with Auxiliary Services earlier in the semester to develop the contract renewal, which includes an extension of service provision into 2014 and the purchase of 23 new Blue Bird XCEL buses.

The new buses will give rest to the aging fleet of maroon buses purchased for the university in 1997. However, 10 of the old buses will be kept in reserve to replace buses during routine maintenance and to compensate for demand increases throughout the duration of the contract.

The new contract will raise the student transportation fee from $52 to $78 per long semester. ASG President Jordan Anderson said the 50 percent hike would not adversely affect most students.

“Holistically, the average student isn’t going to look at the individual fees; they are going to look at the sticker price — how much does it cost for them to go here,” Anderson said in a previous interview with The Star.

Students also approved the second referendum on the ballot, which separates the athletic department funding from the student service fee. The creation of the intercollegiate athletic service fee received roughly 80 percent of the total votes and will be presented to the 80th Texas Legislature in 2007 for final approval.

The separation of the fee received support prior to the election from ASG, the student service fee committee and the athletic department, which

“I

can’t promise to make miracles, but I’ll sure work as hard as I can.”

— Kyle Morris Associated Student Government president-elect

receives almost $4 million in funding from the student service fee.

The legislation supporting the new fee passed in the ASG senate in March and calls for a 50 percent cut in five years if the football program is not elevated to Division 1-A. Athletic Director Larry Teis said that the promotion of the football program was not his reason for supporting the new fee.

“My concern is with separating the athletic funding from

the student service fee. We take away so much from the student service fee; it’s just better for the students when they don’t have to deal with athletics’ increases,” Teis said in a previous interview with The Star.

The increases Teis referred to are the annual increases athletic scholarships incur on the student service fee due to increases in tuition. With the intercollegiate athletic service fee, the student service fee will not be subject to those increases.

David Racino/Star photo President-elect Kyle Morris congratulates ASG vice-presidential candidate Israel Ruiz on a hard-fought race.

Thursday, April 6, 2006

NEWS

The University Star - Page 5

MUNCH: ‘Pier’ painting’s secrets unlocked by Norwegian translation, travel CONTINUED from page 1

“The topography in the painting has a basis in reality,” Olson said. “To measure the celestial coordinates, you have to stand in the right place.”

The research for “The Girls on the Pier” was conducted in May 2003, during the same time that the team traveled to Norway to research Munch’s “The Scream.”

Upon their arrival in Åsgårdstrand, Olson and his associates investigated the area and spoke with several local authorities who notified them that the original wooden bridge had been demolished and another had been erected south of the original location. With the aid of several computerized programs, one of which Olson and Doescher had written themselves, they triangulated the parallax shift of reference points noted in the painting to find the location of the original pier, which is approximately 18 feet north of the new stone bridge.

“The difficult thing was finding out where the old pier was,” Olson said.

Once the researchers found the correct location of the demolished pier, measurements were taken to surmise if the Photo Courtesy of Donald Olson spherical shape in the sky was a A SECOND GLANCE: Physics professor Donald Olson, physics lecturer Russell Doescher and Texas State graduate Beatrice Roberts discovered the real-life locale for sun or moon. Through precise Edvard Munch’s “The Girls on the Pier.”

Their research included a trip to the actual location in Åsgårdstrand, Norway. calculations of celestial objects, they found the painting must have been inspired by a sumtorical astronomy, stating that dent,” Vaverek said. “I’m gratemer night scene, and therefore the findings challenge the in- ful for the opportunity, and it’s the object in the sky had to be a tegrity of the artwork or relieve very exciting to get to see the summer moon. it of some of its romance. While whole picture once the research “In Åsgårdstrand, the sun’s some may find fault with such is finished.” path would be almost three full celestial sleuthing, MSNBC colAfter hours on end spent with painting widths to the right,” umnist Alan Boyle feels the op- a Norwegian dictionary transOlson said. “Summer moons posite. lating the letters from their naare run low in the sky and “I think the exercise adds an tive language, Olson found that — Donald Olson would be exactly where Munch physics professor extra dimension of intrigue to the artist originally called the shows it.” the masterworks — and nails piece “Summer Night,” adding While many have attempted reflecting. The phenomenon is In the case of Munch’s paint- ing a November 1991 article down a little bit of art history unquestionable support to the to explain why the moon’s re- credited to the angle of the ob- ing, the researchers came to the in Sky & Telescope magazine by at the same time,” Boyle said in team’s findings. flection is missing through the server as compared to the angle conclusion that at the time of Dennis DiCicco. In his article, a March 20 article.

“We have strong evidence symbolic nature of the paint- of the reflection. While the ob- the painting, the observer’s eye DiCicco attempts to attach a The team of researchers in the artist’s own words, suping or a psychoanalytical inter- server may see a moon above would have been approximately date to one of Ansel Adams’ takes long and tedious steps to porting our conclusion,” Olson pretation, Olson said his team the house with the naked eye, 11 feet from the water line, thus photographs, “Moonrise, Her- unravel the mysteries behind said. found a physical explanation as depending upon the moon’s eliminating the reflection of the nandez, NM.” such artwork. With the help Olson said if possible, he alto why no reflection is visible. height above the house, it may moon from the fjord below.

Since DiCicco’s 1991 ar- of Margaret Vaverek, a Texas ways attempts to work with To explicate the omitted or may not be seen in the reflecThis same principle also ex- ticle, Olson and his group of State librarian of 20 years and primary sources in his research. moon in the water’s reflection, tion. Minnaert’s studies show plains more subtle changes in researchers have published a Southwest Texas State Univer- “Although I don’t know what Olson referenced a well-known that the closer an observer’s eye the roofline of the house, as several articles carrying their sity honors alumna, copies of was more difficult, reading his source in the theory of optics in level reaches the water line, the well as its chimney from the re- findings in Sky & Telescope. The two letters in Munch’s original handwriting or translating the nature, Marcel Minnaert. Min- more truly symmetrical the im- flection below. research team’s latest discovery handwriting were located in language,” he said with a smile, naert’s classic book The Nature age above and the image’s reOlson teaches an honors of Munch’s, “The Girls on the which the artist references “The “if there is ever something I of Light and Colour in the Open flection will become. class, astronomy in art, history Pier,” will appear in the May Girls on the Pier.” want students to learn, it’s to be Air, which contains a concept “I am not the first person to and literature, as part of the 2006 issue, which is available “As a librarian, it’s a won- very careful and always check explaining that reflections do discover that the reflection in Mitte Honors Program. Olson on newsstands now. derful experience to be a part your work — and when possinot always appear the same as water need not look like what’s was first inspired by the field of Olson said some critics have of the collaboration between a ble, always work from primary the scene above that they are above it,” Olson said. forensic astronomy after read- disputed the work of such his- librarian, a professor and a stu- sources.”

lthough I don’t know what was more difficult, reading “A his handwriting or translating the language, if there is ever something I want students to learn, it’s to be very careful and always check your work — and when possible, always work from primary sources.”

Page 6 - The University Star

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Thursday, April 6, 2006

NEWS

Thursday, April 6, 2006

‘Fishapod’ may prove to be link between swimmers, crawlers

By Tom Avril Knight Ridder Newspapers PHILADELPHIA — The fish-like creature was a poor swimmer, and it lived in waters teeming with prehistoric sharks and scaly meat-eaters.

It could easily have ended up as lunch.

But Tiktaalik roseae had a leg up on the competition. With muscular fins — the beginnings of forelimbs, really — it likely was able to escape onto land.

Discovery of the 375 million-year-old fossil, reported in Thursday’s edition of the journal Nature, is being called one of the clearest illustrations yet of a signature moment in the story of life: the transition from water to land.

On a desolate bluff hundreds of miles north of the Arctic Circle, scientists have found the remains of 10 such animals, the largest one nine feet long. Leading the team were Ted Daeschler, of Philadelphia’s

Academy of Natural Sciences and Neil Shubin, a former University of Pennsylvania paleontologist who is now at the University of Chicago.

In a separate opinion piece in Nature, scientists not involved with the research gushed that the fossil “might in time become as much of an evolutionary icon as ... Archaeopteryx” — the famous reptilian ancestor of modern birds.

“It’s an amazing, very important discovery,” added John G. Maisey, a paleontologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, in a telephone interview.

Scientists have found fish with the beginnings of limbs before.

The theory that legs and arms evolved from fish fins dates back at least to the late 1800s, with the work of Philadelphia’s Edward Drinker Cope.

But the limb-like fins in these previously discovered animals, including some in Pennsylvania, were generally more primi-

tive than the ones in Tiktaalik.

And Tiktaalik had a curious assortment of other un-fishy features: A neck, a sturdy rib cage and the flat skull of a crocodile.

The creature’s fins had flexible “wrists,” giving it the ability to maneuver about in the shallows and — apparently — to clamber up onto land for short trips. And the front fins contained bones analogous to those in the human arm, Daeschler said, holding up one of the fossils in his office.

“Look at the internal skeleton. All there in place. Humerus. Ulna. Radius,” Daeschler said, pointing first to each bone in the fossil and then to his own arm.

As in humans, the animal’s radius and ulna were not directly attached to each other, allowing it to rotate its fins as well as to push up and down.

In short, the species was well on its way to becoming a tetrapod (Greek for “four feet”) — the branch of life that includes

mammals, reptiles and birds.

“It’s a fish. It’s a tetrapod. It’s a fishapod,” Shubin said.

It is unlikely that Tiktaalik is the direct ancestor of people, but it is at least a close relative to that ancestor, Shubin and Daeschler said. The odds of finding our actual common ancestor are remote, given the scarcity of fossils from the era.

The scientists, accompanied by colleagues from Harvard and Brown universities, made their big find on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It takes three days to get there by plane and helicopter.

They chose the area specifically because the terrain contains rock from the Devonian period — the time when fish were thought to have evolved into legged creatures. Though now it is far above the Arctic Circle, the island was part of a larger land mass near the equator at the time Tiktaalik was prowling its swampy waters.

VALUE: Texas State’s growth, prestige continue to impress CONTINUED from page 1

four categories: academics, tuition GPA, financial aid and student borrowing, “ Davis said.

Texas State joined ranks with only three other universities in Texas: Texas A&M University in College Station, Rice University in Houston and University of Texas.

“I would not have guessed we’d rank with those universities,” said Summer Brewer, criminal justice senior. “But it feels good to hear that somebody recognizes our value.”

Texas State students immedi-

ately posted their own opinions about the ranking in response to a press release posted on the Texas State Web site. Most students said they felt Texas State finally received well-deserved and long overdue recognition.

Students also said they are pleased to see the “party school image” beginning to fade.

Valenta Carter, biology senior, said being ranked may help diminish the party school image that immediately comes to some minds when Texas State is mentioned.

“I don’t know about other people, but I came here to study

and earn my degree,” Carter said. “The biology program is no party, and I don’t want it to be.”

According to America’s Best Value Colleges, “more teachers are certified at Texas State University than at any other school in the state; the Association of Teacher Educators recognized Texas State as having one of the top three teacher education programs in the country.”

Although a criminal justice major, Brewer said knowing her soon-to-be Alma Matter is evolving into a substantial university, makes her confident

about her success in the future.

“If our teaching program was recognized, we must be doing something right,” Brewer said.

“Even though I am not majoring in the educational field, I’m confident that I’m being taught just as well in my department.

We are all one unit despite our separate majors — we all represent Texas State.”

Many students agreed with the statement in the America’s Best Value Colleges that “what was once Southwest Texas State Teachers College has grown rather dramatically into a vast multipurpose university.”

The University Star - Page 7

REPAIR: San Marcos residents praise city’s code enforcement team CONTINUED from page 1

for a cost estimate, what’s the worst-case scenario for a cost estimate and what’s the midrange scenario for a cost estimate. That way we would have a better sense of potential movement in costs that we are going to have to bear in a construction project like this,” Mihalkanin said.

Mayor Susan Narvaiz said the improvements to the dam will bring in more tourism.

“You won’t see just a solid dam across the water; you’ll see channels. It’s going to be stepping down, so you’ll actually see a flow of rapids,” Narvaiz said. “What we feel like is not only are we preserving the river, which is the heart of the community, but enhancing it because we’re going to have an opportunity for tourists and our tubing business to enjoy.”

O’Leary said the project is still on schedule but did not rule out the possibility of problems in the future.

“Nothing today tells me that Memorial Day isn’t still a goal that we can achieve,” O’Leary said. “But, as I described to the council, we are in uncharted territory here. We are going to literally divert the river and dewater the river behind the dam and dry it out. So we have no idea, once we remove the river, what we are going to find. There are still some unknowns here.”

During the citizen comment portion of the meeting, five residents took the opportunity to praise the code enforcement team of the San Marcos Fire Marshal’s Office.

Absent from the meeting was criminal justice senior and homeowner Howard Smith, who spoke out against the team at the March 21 meeting. Smith

encouraged students at the following Associated Student Government meeting, if they had complaints about code enforcement, to attend Tuesday’s council meeting to address those concerns.

No students spoke at Tuesday’s meeting, but several of Smith’s nonstudent neighbors on Pearce Court lauded the code enforcement team for work that one resident said brought her closer to her neighbors.

“I know there’ve been lots of positives and negatives from all sides coming in, and I just wanted to give a big positive to the code enforcement agency for basically allowing frustrated homeowners to open a dialogue with their other neighbors,” said Jamie Shelton, a Pearce Court resident. “What they are doing has brought our neighborhood together and allowed us to be more neighborly to each other.”

Another Pearce Court resident, Kerrie Rhodes, said she experienced communication problems between “family and nonfamily residents” when she first moved to the area last year.

However, Rhodes said she and her husband, who also spoke at the meeting, welcome college students in their neighborhood.

“No one wants to see college kids not living in our neighborhood; that’s not the point at all.

There’s a great advantage to having young people living in our residential area; there’s much that we can share,” Rhodes said.

“If we can learn to live together the way neighbors should live together — by communicating and by sharing with each other what our concerns are, what our needs are and what our joys are — we can all end up having really good neighborhoods.”

TRENDS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Page 8

happeningsof the weekend san marcos

Thursday Cheatham Street Warehouse – Gary P. Nunn Lucy’s – Vallejo, Nothing More The Triple Crown – Green Mountain Grass, King Tears

Friday Cheatham Street Warehouse – Max Stalling Lucy’s – Saul Williams, The 5th Wheel Slam The Triple Crown – Champagne & Friends

Saturday Cheatham Street Warehouse – Asylum Street Spankers Lucy’s – Isola, Keller The Triple Crown – San Marcos River Rat Brass Band

Trends Contact — Kyle Bradshaw, starentertainment@txstate.edu

Ghostland Observatory gets the crowd grooving

By Samuel Ladach-Bark The University Star

sound has been compared to LCD Soundsystem and Daft Punk, but the unique blend With complete confidence of these and many other inand sweat dripping from fluences in their music is all both brows toward the end of their own. their set on Saturday night at The group said albums like Lucy’s, two musicians stood The Mars Volta’s De-Loused before a crowd of more than in the Comatorium, Miles one hundred people.

Davis’ Stretches of Spain and It was five anything minutes

by Queen past 1 a.m., changed heir music, and patrons their lives. although were comThey have against the grain manded to released finish their two albums of mainstream drinks or within the audio, is easy to throw them past year on out by the appreciate for any i n d e p e n dent label Lucy’s staff. listener, whether Trashy MoUsually this or not they have ped Recordultimatum ings. Delete. would clear an affinity for that delete.i.eat. the room in genre or not. meat was mere minutes, but the released crowd stayed in April of put. Singer Aaron Behrens of 2005, while Paparazzi LightGhostland Observatory stood ning hit shelves this past at the front of the stage, star- February. According to their ing out over the applauding label’s Web site, trashymoped.com, that “(Ghostland) crowd.

“You guys want to hear one spends countless hours in their south Austin studio.” It more?” he asked.

The deafening response unquestionably shows in their was more than any musician music. The erratic yet concise beats sculpted by Turner percould ever want.

Austin-based band Ghost- fectly complement Behrens’ land Observatory is the col- wailing vocals. It is clear that laboration of frontman they have done their share Behrens and producer/drum- of experimenting and in the mer Thomas Turner. process discovered a sound “We got together three and that is not only unique but a half years ago. We were both extremely catchy. Their muin a band called the Waking sic, although against the grain Helix, which didn’t work out. of mainstream audio, is easy So we started working togeth- to appreciate for any listener, er,” Turner said. whether or not they have an “But we’ve only been play- affinity for that genre or not. ing live for about for about a In a generation continually year and a half,” Behrens said. becoming more comfortable Behrens and Turner’s music with the dance floor, Ghostis the incredibly tight fusion land Observatory is at the of electronica and dance rock forefront of this rapidly growthat is impossible to ignore with your lower body. Their See GHOSTLAND, page 11

T

Mershon Illgner/Star illustration

A brief look at the musician who is Mo Pair

By Katie Reed The University Star Austin musician Mo Pair has disturbing dreams about unusual rituals. These dreams, which the singer/songwriter vividly describes in his online journal and blog entries, could very well be side effects from all of the Native American music by which he’s so intrigued.

Pair’s musical style is somewhat hard to describe. In addition to his work with popular Austin bands like Grass and

Groovin’ Ground, his solo work has a unique Native American/ folk sound. This quirky, eclectic musician doesn’t just stick to one genre, though. Pair definitely gets around — musically, that is.

As a child, Pair got his bearings in music through the church choir.

“I do recall listening to my dad sing harmony to the old hymns while we stood in the pews at church. I tried to figure out what he was doing. One day, while I was very young, I caught

the harmony bug at a family reunion,” he said.

As a child, Pair was also musically influenced by his father’s love of bluegrass. Pair would go with his father to music festivals, which he didn’t necessarily appreciate at the time.

“My dad is an excellent bluegrass musician and used to haul me to all kinds of ‘conservative’ festivals while I was young, which I found rather dull,” Pair said. “Still, the practices and jam sessions sunk deep into my consciousness. I’d be a hell of a flat

picker today had I truly understood my dad’s music at a young age.”

Church services and music festivals can’t be given full credit for this artist’s passion and love of music. Like many musicians, Pair has been deeply influenced by “progressive art rock from the late ’70s.”

While growing up, Pair recalls listening to bands like Rush, Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd, as well as Joni Mitchell and even See MO PAIR, page 11

TRENDS

Thursday, April 6, 2006

The University Star - Page 9

My Chemical Romance reveals RIX’S all in Life on the Murder Scene

By Maira Garcia The University Star My Chemical Romance’s music isn’t just about blood, dark lyrics and pop rhythms. It helped save the lives of the music band memreview them✯✯✯ bers selves.

My Chemical The band Romance based out Life on the of the gritty Murder Scene neighborReprise Records hoods of New Jersey has come a long way since its inception, as its live DVD and CD Life on the Murder Scene chronicles.

The story of MCR, although brief, is illustrated through a multitude of interviews, photos and home videos showing a band that could have collapsed but managed to make it.

The first DVD is a video diary that provides and insider’s look at the formation of the band, its influences and setbacks.

The DVD begins by dictating the premise of MCR, which

according to vocalist Gerard Way, is, “It’s okay to be messed up.” Gerard’s trouble handling depression, which resulted in drug abuse and general unhappiness with his life, led him to form the band, which he says saved his life twice.

Gerard is painted as the lyrical and visual mastermind of the band. Imagery of death, comic books and horror movies are the topics of the songs, which are set to fast punk-rock beats with heavy metal guitars.

With his band mates, guitarist Frank Iero, brother and bassist Mikey Way, guitarist Ray Toro and drummer Bob Bryar, Gerard creates an art that is dysfunctional, yet perfect.

The band’s influences, musical backgrounds and life on the road are portrayed with honesty. Even when Gerard hits rock bottom with his drug abuse, the cameras keep rolling. Nothing is left out of the spotlight.

The second DVD features live performances from various tours, America Online live sessions and television performances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The band doesn’t hold back on any of their performances, providing

its best every night. MCR’s energy has no limit, and the audiences taped from the various live performances are the same as well. They sing along with the band and share the same passion for the music.

In addition, the second DVD includes videos of the band’s three singles, “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” “Helena” and “The Ghost of You.” Not to mention each one has a making of the video.

The CD is great for anyone wanting to hear what the band sounds like live. It has the same energy and fervor as their live performances. Added bonuses include demos of “I Never Told You What I Do for a Living” and “Bury Me in Black,” as well as a previously unreleased track, “Desert Song.”

Pack with plenty of goodies for the ultimate MCR fan, it is not only a bargain, but a well produced history of one of the most popular bands in rock at the moment. However, it is great for big fans of the band and not those who haven’t heard of MCR. For those people, starting with the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge would be a better option.

Courtesy of Reprise Records ROMANTIC MURDER: My Chemical Romance’s new live DVD/CD release Life on the Murder Scene tells the story of the band since its beginning.

TECHNOLOGY FIXES

Better graphics in video games call for big bucks out of your pocket

to most gamers, dropping $300 on an extra card will probably not settle so well with those who already feel the pinch of buying top-end video cards.

And it’s to be expected that $300 is only an introductory price for the first PPUs. Like video cards, high-tier physics cards will probably meet or exceed the $500 mark; but that doesn’t take into account the third-party cards that will also hit the market. Like video cards, PPUs will be farmed out to third-party hardware companies — such as ASUSTek Computer Inc. and BFG Technologies, which have already inked deals with Ageia — so gamers can expect an array of cards to choose from once PPUs become mainstream. Also bear in mind that gamers can expect a PPU setup similar to the SLI — Scalable Link Interface, a way to combine the computational power of two pairs of GPUs — and dual SLIsetups, which means even more money to spend for the gamer.

cards will still allow A decade after the gamers who do not graphical processown a PPU to play, the ing unit (GPU) was graphical quality will introduced, allowing be somewhat lessened gamers to experiby their absence, since ence better graphthe CPU will have ics than were to be to bear the onus of had on traditional processing the intense on-board solutions, BILL RIX physics calculations in the semiconducStar Columnist tor company Ageia addition to the other has announced the computations taking next step up for video games place.

— physics processing units.

Games like Rise of Nations: Many current video games Rise of Legends and Cell Factor are able to take advantage such as City of Villains and of PPUs, and videos of these Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advance Warfighter are already games in action have shown programmed to take advantage the benefits of having such of Ageia’s PPU, PhysX, a proda card: Explosions are more uct name which includes the realistic, wave patterns are name of the chip itself, PhysX, rendered with increased precision and particle systems such and the software development as fire and sparks look richer kit (SDK), Novodex. Future when compared to today’s titles, such as Unreal Tournament 2007 and Warhammer CPU-dependant computations Online, are poised to take furof such events. ther advantage of PPUs. While the prospect of better-looking physics is exciting The real selling point behind physics processors is that the burden of calculating traditionally CPU-intensive computations will be given to a separate, dedicated processor.

The PPU will be responsible for calculating such things as particle and fluid dynamics and object fracturing, which will translate to the screen as better-looking and more precise smoke, water and collision detection. The PPU will be much like the math coprocessor commonly seen in desktops in the ’80s and ’90s. Discrete physics processing promises to do what graphical processing units have done for 3D graphics — but are gamers willing to hand over even more money for a top-of-the-line box?

Slated to start at $300, physics cards will run about the same price as most mid-range graphics cards, such as ATI Technologies Inc.’s X1800XL or nVidia Corporation’s GeForce 7800GS, which means Image courtesy of Midway Games an extra $300 for gamers who TRULY UNREAL: The upcoming release of Unreal Tournament will be looking to wrench the most out of their games. While 2007 will make use of physical processing units, which should games that support physics improve the graphical quality of games.

TRENDS

Page 10 - The University Star

Thursday, April 6, 2006

Neko Case brings the melody on Fox Confessor

By Jessica Tenery The University Star N e k o Case’s latest album Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is a showcase of o ut s t a n d ing acoustic-guitar music work, vocal review talent and intimate lyrics.

Neko Case As her Fox Confessor first stuBrings the Flood dio album Anti-Records since 2002’s Blacklisted, the 12 songs on Fox Confessor cast mystery-ridden melodies and engage listeners into sweet daydreams.

Without a doubt, Case’s claim to fame is her voice.

Her powerful yet angelic voice has been compared to classiccountry crooners Patsy Cline and Lucinda Williams. Case’s music is truly unique and cannot be categorized into a single Chuck Myers/KRT genre. Every song on this album contains a culmination COOL CASE: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood is Neko Case’s fifth solo album. She will perform at La Zona Rosa on April 18.

✯✯✯✯

of blues, rockabilly, jazz, gospel and alternative rock. Her voice rings loud and clear in “A Widow’s Toast,” a short song that pays tribute to country gospel. Her surreal and often mystical lyrics are chock-full of melancholy undertones and unadulterated passion and are accompanied by a vast array of instruments.

“Dirty Knife” is another standout song that displays her knack for storytelling. Unlike many popular alt-country artists, she doesn’t spell everything out for the listener to understand. We have to delve deeper into her poetic lyrics in order to grasp the meanings within her ballads.

Fox Confessor is an excellent CD to listen to when you need some good background music for pining over a broken heart or to take the edge off from a stressful day. This fiery redhead recently played at South by Southwest, dazzling music fans during her solo performance at Antone’s. On her current tour, she’ll be making another stop in Austin at La Zona Rosa on April 18. So do yourself a favor, expand your music radar and buy a ticket to her next show before it’s sold out.

Intensity of DiFranco’s live shows is unmistakable on Carnegie Hall

By Ashley Gwilliam The University Star Ani DiFranco is a singer, s o n g w r i t e r, musician, entrepreneur and political activist, but above all of these things, music the word that review ✯✯✯✯ encompasses her best is Ani DiFranco “poet.”

Her Carnegie Hall: original songs 4.6.02 refresh and inRighteous Babe spire the soul, Records unlike much of the redundant pop music found on many radio stations today.

DiFranco is a veteran, with 17 studio albums under her belt. She

began writing poetry and playing the guitar as a child and performing before she could drive.

DiFranco has something missing in many musicians today: passion. DiFranco’s live album Carnegie Hall: 4.6.02 is full of her characteristically charming and intense acoustic performances.

The concert took place not long after the events of Sept. 11, which is obviously still present in the hearts and minds of the audience, as well as DiFranco. She unabashedly unleashes a politically charged message about Sept. 11 in her poem “Self Evident” that crescendos to an emotional applause.

“I will always remember this performance of ‘Self Evident’ as being one of the most intense moments I have ever experienced onstage,” DiFranco said during

the show.

In the song “Serpentine,” DiFranco begins with a long guitar solo before unleashing some powerful and controversial words to the public for the first time. With a deeply pessimistic tone and the ringing of slammed guitar chords, she questions the meaning of democracy by saying, “The freedom of the press is meaningless if nobody asks a question.”

Not all of the Carnegie Hall songs are so politically charged.

Most are little kernels of wisdom unto some aspect of human existence. Everyone can relate to something she says, like when she starts the show with “God’s Country,” an acoustic song with a humorous twist on getting a speeding ticket. Another gem is “Angry Anymore,” an insight-

ful folk melody where DiFranco looks back on her parent’s divorce. “Second Intermission” is a mysterious-sounding song about reaching a place where one is comfortable with oneself. DiFranco closes with “Out of Range,” an upbeat staccato song that drives each note with purpose all the way to the finish. The song shows that love isn’t always pretty with the lyrics, “just the thought of our bed makes me crumble like the plaster where you punched the wall beside my bed/and I try to draw the line, but it ends up running down the middle of me most of the time.” Other noteworthy tracks on the album include “Subdivision,” “Educated Guess,” “Not So Soft” and “Gratitude.”

DiFranco’s Carnegie Hall: 4.6.02 greatly succeeds in capturing the electricity of a live concert.

POLITICAL POET: Ani DiFranco performs poems and songs on the live album Carnegie Hall: 4.6.02.

Courtesy of Fleming & Associates

Singer-songwriter George Pitney passes away at 65

By David Hinckley New York Daily News NEW YORK — Gene Pitney’s amazingly supple voice could deliver anything from street-corner rhythm and blues harmony to opera, but it found its most enduring niche on the airwaves of top-40 radio.

Pitney, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who died of apparently natural causes Wednesday in a Wales hotel room at the age of 65, played a major and underappreciated role in keeping rock ‘n’ roll vital during the years before the Beatles.

With a voice capable of hitting notes only dogs could hear, Pitney scored hits that stretched from the rocking “Louisiana Mama” to the movie classic “Town Without Pity,” the Phil Spector epic “Every Breath I Take” and the lush ballad “True Love Never Runs Smooth.”

“I remember him on Band-

“H

e may have been too eclectic for radio. He finally had to go to Europe to get his full recognition.

I don’t know what we didn’t hear in him back here.”

— Bob Shannon former WCBS-FM disc jockey

stand,” said WPLJ program director Scott Shannon. “A skinny kid with an incredible voice singing ‘I Wanna Love my Life Away.’”

Ironically, Pitney only reached No. 1 with songs he wrote for other artists: “Hello Mary Lou” for Ricky Nelson and “He’s a Rebel” for the Crystals.

“That was a little disappointing,” Pitney said a few years ago. “But I’ll take it.”

Joe McCoy, program director of the late oldies format at

WCBS-FM in New York, recalled Pitney from Murray “the K” Kaufman stage shows.

“He looked like a regular guy,” says McCoy. “He’d be ‘Every Breath I Take’ and wearing a suit. But what a voice. You heard ‘Only Love Can Break a Heart’ on the radio, and it could only be him.”

Around that time, Pitney also hung out with a scuffling blues band called the Rolling Stones, and he was the first to See PITNEY, page 11

TRENDS

Thursday, April 6, 2006

The University Star - Page 11

MO PAIR: Solo career, band involvement mold musician’s work CONTINUED from page 8

John Michael Talbot, a Catholic monk.

As a teenager, Pair began listening to Plains American Indian music from time to time.

The slight interest became a serious passion when he moved to the Ponca Indian Reservation in Oklahoma in the early ’90s.

“That’s where I learned my singing chops,” Mo said. “Living with Harry Buffalohead, renowned pow-wow singer, changed me forever; I called him grandpa. He was a true artist. I have studied thousands of American Indian songs, sung on many drums and always have the songs right there in my head.

“I continue to seek out new Indian songs for study and oftentimes can be found jamming old cassette tapes of these songs in my car.”

For the past decade, Pair has been a part of various Austin bands.

As a member of Grass, he, along with other members Jarle Lillemoen and Carlos Lopez, has released four records and toured all over Texas. Pair described their lyrics as being structurally unsound and somewhat offensive.

“There is a comical side to Grass,” Pair said. “Jarle and I pride ourselves in being rock ’n’ roll clowns and often dress in women’s clothing and silly, green zoot suits to boot.”

After four years of playing with Grass, Mo joined the jam band Groovin’ Ground. A favorite band of Pair’s, Groovin’ Ground plays funky groove rock with a jazzy edge. During his time with them, the group has recorded one record and toured regionally.

Mo describes his other band, The Trebelmakers, as having “that old timey sound … old country, folk, rockabilly, Cajun and swing.”

Although he enjoys playing all of these different genres with so many talented musicians,

GHOSTLAND: Band works to please the souls of rock ‘n’ roll CONTINUED from page 8

ing music scene.

When asked about what drives them to make music and how they managed to release two albums in less than 12 months, Behrens talked about his love for music.

“The love for it all, no question about it. A desire to push it further. We try to practice everyday,” Behrens said.

Since their music hasn’t quite started paying the bills, both band members have other jobs, while Behrens has a family to support. But Turner and Behrens claimed only two longterm goals, “having fun and being positive.”

Their performance at Lucy’s was truly a rush. The amount of crowd enthusiasm Ghostland Observatory received on

Saturday could not have been achieved without stellar opening sets from San Marcos locals This Will Destroy You and Clap! Clap! Borrowing a Clap!

Clap!/Lucy’s tradition, Ghostland invited the entire crowd onto the stage for one final dance that lasted until 1:30 a.m.

The area surrounding the stage was a veritable feeding frenzy for dance music that took on a life of its own.

While Ghostland Observatory’s music is toe-tapping goodness on disc, it was made to be played in front of a crowd.

Expect much more from them in the coming years as they take the working man’s approach to live music in an effort to, as quoted on their online bio, “Create something that not only heals their beat-driven hearts, but pleases their rock ‘n’ roll souls.”

Courtesy of Trashy Moped Recordings GHOSTBUST A MOVE: Dance rock band Ghostland Observatory’s recent album, Paprazzi Lighting, was released in February.

Mo has recently been “jamming out” to music from the ’20s and ’30s.

“Currently, I enjoy playing Jimmy Rodgers and Woody Guthrie. I can’t get enough Woody Guthrie these days,” Pair said.

Of all the shows that Pair has played throughout his solo career and during his time with various bands, one of his fondest memories is the set he played at a bookstore called Dr. Music in Fairhope, Ala. “For solo songwriters, house concerts are where it’s at. That’s what this bookstore gig became.

It was intimate with about 30 folks there, and they enjoyed my stories and songs. I even

sang them a Ponca hymn,” Pair said.

Nowadays, Pair is a busy man.

With multiple band memberships on his plate, he also has a promising solo career in the works. Constantly on the road, playing shows across Texas, Pair is always trying to grow musically while also picking up what he calls “road tricks, like taking long walks and stretching after driving many an hour.”

While enjoying life and music to the fullest, Pair definitely has his priorities straight. He said his favorite places to perform are the ones where he’s treated well and the proprietors “don’t charge me for drinks, and if they feed, that’s a plus, too.”

MO’S MUSIC: Austin musician Mo Pair will play at Alice’s Restaurant tonight at 9 p.m.

Upcoming Mo Pair Shows Thursday, April 6 9 p.m.

Alice’s Restaurant Niederwald

Sunday, April 9 1 p.m.

Blanco Rose Cafe with Thomas Champagne Blanco

Sunday, April 9 7 p.m.

Café at the Crossings Austin

Courtesy of Time 2 Fly Music

PITNEY: ‘Rockville Rocket’ authored classics such as ‘Every Breah You Take,’ ‘Rubber Ball’ CONTINUED from page 10

record a Mick Jagger-Keith Richards song, “That Girl Belongs to Yesterday.”

“It wasn’t a big hit,” said Richards. “But we were ecstatic. The man could sing.”

Pitney wrote “Rubber Ball” for Bobby Vee and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” for a John Wayne movie. He recorded country duets with George Jones and sang foreign-language tunes, leading former WCBS-FM disc jockey Bob Shannon to suggest “he may have been too eclectic for radio. He finally had to go to Europe to get his full recognition. I don’t know what we didn’t hear in him back here.”

Pitney seemed ideal for the singer-songwriter boom, notes Shannon, but by then he was off radio’s radar. Still, he stayed musically active, touring with an orchestra rather

than on the “oldies” circuit.

“He was very particular about his music,” said Scott Shannon. “Very precise.”

But while artists like Cyndi Lauper recorded his songs and the Police borrowed more than just a title idea for their 1983 hit “Every Breath You Take,” he didn’t make the Rock Hall until 2002.

“He was consistently underrated,” said Bob Shannon, perhaps reflecting Pitney’s fairly low-profile life. Born in Hartford, Ct., he formed his first band at Rockville High, married his high school sweetheart and lived his whole life in Connecticut.

But songs about the “last exit to Brooklyn” also tied him to New York, which makes it “a real shame,” says McCoy, that New York today doesn’t have an oldies station “to tell Courtesy of Gene-Pitney.com some stories and play his music. … He was just so damned SINGER DIES: Legendary musician Gene Pitney died of natural good.” causes on Wednesday at the age of 65.

DIVERSIONS

Page 12 - The University Star

my latest tunes

Thursday, April 6, 2006

✯Star Comics

Entertainment Editor Kyle Bradshaw reveals what he’s been listening to this past week.

Changesonebowie David Bowie

All Things Must Pass George Harrison

Bookends Simon and Garfunkel

Favorite track: “Rebel Rebel”

Favorite track: “Let It Down”

Favorite track: “America”

SU DO KU Complete the grid so that every row, column, and 3-by-3 box contains every digit from one through nine inclusively.

Wednesday’s solutions:

© Pappocom

Wednesday’s solutions:

Go to www.UniversityStar.com for today’s answers.

OPINIONS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

quoteof the day “You’ll never get my blood, God curse you all.”

”

Zacarias Moussaoui, following the verdict making him eligible for the death penalty for his failure to report the Sept. 11 attacks. (Source: CNN)

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Page 13

Opinions Contact — Joe Ruiz, staropinion@txstate.edu

THE MAIN POINT

Princeton Review says price is right for Texas State A round of applause needs to be given to the students, staff, faculty and administration of Texas State.

Last week, The Princeton Review placed Texas State amongst its list of the universities that offer the best value for those seeking an education.

Those in the university have made constant strides to help improve the value that this school on the hill offers.

In April of last year, the Associated Student Government discussed legislation that would have asked for admissions requirements for transfer students to be increased.

While the legislation was not voted on, it shows that there is a significant movement to keep the quality of academics high while still keeping the doors open for those who deserve to be here.

While it’s great to believe in ourselves that we’re continually moving up in the world of academia, it’s also great to see the results from others. In ranking us amongst the 149 others selected, the quality of our teacher certification program was one of those singled out.

The Princeton Review wrote in its guide that “more teachers are certified at Texas State University than any other school in the state” and that “the Association of Teacher Educators recognized Texas State as having one of the top three education programs in the country.”

What’s even better about this recognition is that it continues to move the university into the upper echelon of higher education in the state. The only other schools ranked by The Princeton Review’s guide were the University of Texas, Texas A&M University and Rice University.

Increasing the school’s value by lowering tuition rates, fees and even bringing the cost of textbooks down was even a major issue in this week’s ASG elections. Both the Kyle Morris-Amanda Oskey and the Katie Kasprzak-Israel Ruiz campaigns spoke at length throughout the election of what they thought would be the best ways to bring the costs of college down.

This honor should be accepted as such, and we need to continue to move toward improving our status. The continual addition of doctoral programs, as well as finding ways to bring the best students to Texas State, will only allow us to remain one of America’s best values.

The complete profile of Texas State is published in the 2007 edition of America’s Best Value College, which is available from resellers now.

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University-San Marcos Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University-San Marcos.

s u p am

c

s e t o qu

Compiled by Monty Marion

Who did you vote for in the ASG election, and why?

“I didn’t vote because I just didn’t know the positions of any of the candidates.”

—CASSIE EBERLE interdisciplinary studies senior “I voted Morris and Oskey because their stance seemed like it would be better for the school’s future.”

—KIA POUR bio-chemistry junior

“I voted for Morris and Oskey because I liked their viewpoints more.”

—NICK MUSTACHIO chemistry junior

“I voted for Morris and Oskey because their campaign was better promoted, so I knew their platform better.

—BRITTANY ERVIN music freshman

The University Star 601 University Drive Trinity Building San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512) 245-3487 Fax: (512) 245-3708

Kelly Simmons/Star illustration

Wardwell’s complaints don’t add up Let me first start from the “good off by stating Sean faith” and the Wardwell does not repextra exam time resent me as a student has taken so with learning disabilimuch pressure ties. off me that I am I am a student who doing much betSUSAN RAUCH goes through the Office ter in math this Guest Columnist of Disability Services time around. The for help, especially havonly person being difficulties and struggling ing discriminatory is Wardwell myself with any kind of math. against his having to take any I was deeply offended by his kind of math. Sure, I don’t need March 30 column “Math prob- math for my degree, but it is lems aren’t helped by obtuse part of what is required by the department personnel, profesuniversity rules. sors” because he was one-sided Knowing Wardwell personand overlooked many hard ally, I tried to approach him facts in his attack against the about the facts; that there are math department and ODS. services available which the First of all, the math departmath department and ODS’ ment works closely with ODS offer for students with learnin order for students with dising disabilities. In addition, abilities to succeed. They offer to go the extra mile, the math a good faith pass for people like department works closely with Sean and I who have difficulty ODS to offer a slower paced getting through the math class- 1316 math class taken over a sees. As long as you participate mester and a half. It is tailored 100 percent with classes and strictly for students who go attendance, do all of your work through ODS in conjunction and put some effort into takwith the math department. ing exams and get some extra I am very disappointed in help with either an instructor, Wardwell’s juvenile approach Student Support Services or the to his column. His column was Student Learning Assistance more vindictive than personal Center, the math department opinion offending other stuand ODS will give you a pass dents such as myself by includto the next level of math. For ing us in his remarks. me, both departments not only Knowing Wardwell, I like have been supportive of my him as a person and feel he is disabilities 150 percent because very intelligent when it comes such anxiety from strictly math to knowledge of politics and exams and time constraints, communication courses, but ODS has given me even extra when I approached him pritime in addition to the double vately to discuss why he did not time allotted. research the facts other than his The alleviated stress alone personal experience, that these

departments DO offer services and are sensitive/sympathetic to students who struggle with math, he verbally attacked me only reiterating what was stated in his column and that these departments do nothing to help people like him. I never once heard if he was offered or has even pursued the good faith option, extended exam time or tutoring. To say these departments are discriminatory is a slanderous statement, I am positive proof as a product of the programs both departments offer to students with disabilities and the extra mile they go for students who have problems with math. And there is official documentation in writing. Where were these facts in his column?

If Wardwell has spoken to both these departments in the method of his juvenile writing in this article, similar to that of a 12-year-old whining about why he or she has to do math homework, I am sure his debate did not go far and was not well received by either ODS or the math department. What was even worse was his final comment “I will win.”

Win what? Winners of anything play fair, and it does not sound like Wardwell is playing fair. Does he want special treatment to get out of taking math?

That to me is discriminatory.

He made both ODS and the math department look bad by writing, in a public forum, regardless if it was an opinion column or not. He also did not tell the truth, only his personal

angst and hurt. Again, his column was pointless because of the fact that the services he says are not being offered are being offered.

If he would have done further research he would have known that. If he would have participated in what both these departments offer, regardless of his outcome, he could not say there is nothing.

He states the math department “den(ies) learning disabilities even exist.”

I have experienced otherwise and have been told otherwise by several heads of the department and other instructors prior to Wardwell’s column.

As a matter of fact, with the extra effort I have put forth while struggling with math, I have received nothing but encouragement and praise from them including their assistance with the good faith pass. The math department and ODS have gone above and beyond to accommodate and continue to do so.

I speak for myself, and as long as they are offered, Wardwell cannot and should not say they aren’t. He should not say they are discriminatory.

Again, Wardwell does not speak for this student with learning disabilities.

So this I say to Wardwell: Do not speak for others unless you can 100 percent back up your facts other than what has been hearsay between your personal gripes and department heads.

You cannot win if you cannot play fair yourself.

Christians running successful business selling atheists as the enemy This past week, as Minnesota study his political career shows that athecame to a crashing ists are the most halt, Tom Delay made distrusted group some ridiculously silly in America by a comments. He claimed wide margin. that Christians were I have found the most victimized that if an explaTIM SUTO group in America. He nation is tough to Guest Columnist either believes that the come by, it is best 85 percent of Amerito think of things cans who identify themselves in business terms. Christianity as Christians and hold the mais a business, and they have a jority representation of every product to sell. Like most relilaw-making body at the state gions, they are telling the idea and federal levels is the most that a happy productive life is impotent 85 percent of any found through a relationship population in the history of with their invisible friend(s). homo sapiens, or he is a liar.

All other distracting claims This statement got me think- aside, religions share this uning again about a topic that derlying principle. So while a has long puzzled me. That Hindu may not be a Christian, is that Christians as a whole a Hindu still believes in the show greater animosity toward principle theme that a person atheists than they do for other needs religion to navigate life. religions. I, as an atheist, and Atheists who live happy lives a Hindu are both rejecting the are direct evidence to the consame “One True God” aren’t trary of this claim. If a preacher we? However a University of tells his flock that atheists are

lonely cowards who are hateful toward the world because they lack the love of Jesus, then he is reinforcing the claim that the religion is needed to live a satisfying life.

The second part of the business plan is to react to atheists in the method that Delay displayed with his claim: Make Christianity the victim. The fact is that not everyone has a wonderful life, Christians and atheists included. When Christianity doesn’t make good on the promise of a fulfilling life for its parishioners, a scapegoat is needed. Christianity does not need to produce the claimed results if atheists, in league with Satan — whom atheists don’t believe in — are set on destroying the Christian life style, committing rape, stealing babies in the night, seducing youth with homosexuality, polluting the drinking water with doubt-inducing chemicals and wearing white after Labor Day.

People in the business of religion, and specifically in this country, often communicate these ideas about atheists as part of their marketing strategy.

They do it because it works.

Peace doesn’t sell well but conflict does. And if you say that there is a war on Christmas, a war on Easter and war for your eternal soul, it puts people in the pews and money in the donation baskets.

Does this money keep preachers in fancy suits, fast cars and in the company of ladies of negotiable virtue?

Being an atheist does not make a person less trustworthy, less fit to marry your child, humorless or un-American.

We have the same wealth of opportunity and wonder of human experience as the rest of humanity. We just have in common the one and only claim of atheism. We don’t believe there is a God.

Letters policy: E-mail letters to starletters@txstate.edu. Letters must be no longer than 300 words. No anonymous letters will be printed. We reserve the right to edit for grammar, spelling, space and libel. We reserve the right to refuse obscene, irrelevant and malicious letters. All e-mails must include the name and phone number of the letter writer. Students should also include their classifications and majors.

Editor In Chief..................David Michael Cohen, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor..................................Joe Ruiz, staropinion@txstate.edu News Editor......................................Kirsten Crow, starnews@txstate.edu Assistant News Editor.........................Jason Buch, jb1163@txstate.edu Trends Editor................Kyle Bradshaw, starentertainment@txstate.edu Photo Editor......................................A. D. Brown, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor...................................Miguel Peña, starsports@txstate.edu

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Account Executive................................Ana Kulak, ak1094@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Lindsay Lee, atlas@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................Lindsey Randolph, lr1068@txstate.edu Student Business Manager................Robby Silva, rs1237@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator..Linda Allen, starbusinessoffice@txstate.edu Publications Director..............Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu Visit The Star at www.UniversityStar.com

The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos published Tuesday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. every other Wednesday of Summer I and II with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung.

Copyright April 6, 2006. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief.

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Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Page 14 Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - Page 33

All classified ads are charged 20¢ per word. Ads may be emailed to starclassifieds@txstate.edu.

Check your classified ad for accuracy. Any changes must be made by the second day of publication.

The deadline for all classified ads is noon two business days prior to publication. Classified ads must be paid in advance unless credit has been established. Refunds will only be given when a classified ad has been paid by credit card. The Star reserves the right to refuse, edit, and discontinue any classified ad at any time without prior notification. Classified ads will be edited for style purposes. Classified ads that do not note heading, will be put under the appropriate heading. All classified ads are published free, on-line at www.universitystar.com. Since this is a free service, posting is not guaranteed. While The University Star attempts to screen ads for misleading claims or illegal content, it is not possible for us to investigate every ad and advertiser. Please use caution when answering ads, especially any which require you to send money in advance.

Email Classifieds starclassifieds@txstate.edu

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SPORTS

Thursday, April 6, 2006

Maryland comes out of its shell claiming NCAA women’s basketball title in overtime

By Mel Greenberg Knight Ridder Newspapers BOSTON — A stirring comeback and a thrilling finish.

The University of Maryland accomplished both in the second half on Tuesday night to beat Atlantic Coast Conference rival Duke, 78-75, in overtime and claim its first NCAA women’s basketball title.

Laura Harper, a sophomore, was named the most outstanding player in the Women’s Final Four after scoring 16 points for Maryland at TD Banknorth Garden.

The Terrapins (34-4) trailed Duke by 45-32 with 14 minutes, 53 seconds left in the second half.

But Maryland began to edge its way back into contention.

Freshman Kristi Toliver, who had committed 12 turnovers in Sunday’s upset of tournament favorite University of North Carolina, sent the Terrapins into the extra period with a three-pointer with 6.7 seconds left in regulation.

Duke (31-4) took the lead in the extra session, but Toliver put Maryland ahead, 76-75,

with 34.2 seconds left on a pair of foul shots.

“This is the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life,” Toliver said. “I’m really speechless. You just have to give a lot of credit to this team.

We stuck together all season.”

After Toliver’s foul shots, the Blue Devils’ Abby Waner missed an outside shot and Maryland’s Marissa Coleman grabbed the rebound.

Duke’s Alison Bales, who had 19 points, fouled Coleman, and the Terrapin then went to the line and hit both shots with 13.4 seconds left to seal the victory.

The triumph got Maryland to the top of the women’s basketball world in just four short years under Brenda Frese, whose first season produced a 10-18 record.

“I’ll tell you, no team deserved to lose this game,” Frese said. “Duke played a heck of a game, and it was a game I always had dreamed it would be. It was super. We’ve got kids that believe in each other that got it done together.”

Shay Doron and Toliver also scored 16 points for the Terrapins. Coleman finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Crystal Langhorne scored 12 points.

Duke’s Monique Currie scored 22 points, and Lindsey Harding added 16.

Currie has little time to reflect on what went wrong.

She is expected to be taken in the first round of the WNBA draft on Wednesday, which will also be held in Boston.

Tuesday night’s silver anniversary title game was only the second to extend to an extra period.

Tennessee beat the Dawn Staley-led University of Virginia squad, 70-67, in 1991.

Maryland became only the fourth NCAA Division I program to claim men’s and women’s basketball titles. The others were Stanford, University of North Carolina and University of Connecticut.

The Terrapins were the third straight No. 2 seed in the tournament to win the national title.

Duke had controlled the game for much of the way before Maryland’s comeback, building a 38-28 lead at the half.

The Terrapins had recently beaten the Blue Devils in the semifinals of the ACC tournament, snapping a 14-game losing streak in the series.

Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer MERRYLAND: Maryland’s Laura Harper celebrates her team’s 78-75 victory over Duke University during the 2006 NCAA Women’s Final Four at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Mass. on Tuesday.

The University Star - Page 15

GOLF: Women, men face one more conference event to finish spring season CONTINUED from page 16

how I played,” Brijalba said.

“I’d never felt like I did on Monday, where I was just so drained I didn’t want to be out there anymore.”

Louisiana-Monroe’s score of 939 won the 14-team tournament, with Lamar and McNeese State falling into second and third, respectively. The Bobcats finished with a 955, two strokes behind MSU. “We played poorly. You see fourth place, and it looks good on paper; but we were 11 shots out of first place going into the third round,” said women’s coach Dacia Mackey. “We play this course all the time, and we let it beat us.”

The women will see these same teams next week in the Southland Conference tournament, which begins on Monday on the Forest Course at the Clubs in Kingwood.

“It actually hurts us, because now we have little confidence when facing these opponents,” Mackey said. “If we are to finish at the top in the conference tournament, we have to have confidence; we fell short of what I expected (in the Bobcat Classic).”

Tyler Barnes-Wolf finished with a three-round score of 227 to place 34th and led all Texas State men, as the team tallied a combined total of 921 in Bossier City, La. “I played OK on Monday, but a 74 (in rounds one and two) isn’t special,” Barnes-Wolf said. “And when you’re hitting 78 (on Tuesday), you’re just frustrated. A 78 sure isn’t what it’s going to take to win conference.”

Corey Roberson and Derek Jordan replaced Parks and Hutcherson, who were hit head-on early morning on March 23 while driving back from a tournament in Lufkin.

Woodley said Parks will not

be able to play for five months because of a leg injury, while Hutcherson could be back in time for the conference tournament.

“I talked to Bobby several times last week to make sure he’s doing OK,” Barnes-Wolf said. “He said he hit balls (on Tuesday) and felt fine. He still has two weeks to get ready; we all do. It’s tough anytime you lose of two of your top five guys; and we missed them both (in the last tournament), emotionally and team-wise.”

Louisiana-Lafayette claimed top honors with an 874, three strokes ahead of both the New Orleans and Birmingham Southern, who tied for second place in the 13-team field.

The men also have just the conference tournament left to play this spring. Woodley and company will travel to Houston for the three-day Southland Conference Championship, beginning April 17.

“We just have to work our butts every day,” Woodley said.

“In golf, it’s a bit goofy; the conference tournament is the only one that determines where you finish. So you can have a poor or average year and do well in conference, and it’s considered a good year. Or if you play well all year and do poorly in the conference tournament, you’ve had a bad year.”

Anessa Thompson shot 232 to tie for eighth in the Bobcat Classic, her best finish this season. Junior Danielle Mask continued to struggle this spring, tallying a score of 250, fourth on the Texas State squad. Over the previous spring and fall seasons, Mask was the team’s top player.

“If we knew what was wrong, it would have been corrected a long time ago,” Mackey said.

“She puts a lot of pressure on herself; and at this point, it’s a mental problem not a physical one.”

www.UniversityStar.com

SPORTS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

sports snortsquotes from the sports world “I’m proud to join the Montreal Alouettes. This is a great opportunity for me to do what I love best, which is to play football.”

— Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Quincy Carter on his recent signing with the Canadian Football League team on Tuesday. (Source: ESPN News)

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Page 16

Sports Contact — Miguel Peña, starsports@txstate.edu

Softball wins one, loses one

By Carl Harper The University Star

Texas State split 1-1 with the University of Houston in Wednesday’s non-conference doubleheader.

In game one, Texas State held an 8-6 lead going into the top of the seventh inning, but gave up three unanswered runs to the Cougars to lose a seesaw battle 9-8.

Katie Ann Trahan went seven innings, giving up eight hits with seven strikeouts, but suffered her seventh loss to bring her record to 14-7 for the season.

Houston used three pitchers in the game — Candi Kloecker, Crystal Briscoe and Barbie Love,

who combined to give up eight hits to the Bobcats but stuck out four and collected Houston’s 26th win of the season. Love came out with a personal win to put her record at 1-1 for the season.

The Bobcats were down 5-2 entering the bottom of the third inning when they busted out the sluggers and scored six runs.

Amy Hromadka, Kristin Gunter and Ashton Peters all supported the ’Cats with home runs in the inning to give them an 8-5 advantage. With an RBI sacrifice fly by Laurie Wagner in the top of the sixth and a three-RBI double by Elaina Nordstrom in the top of the seventh — who led the team with five RBIs in the game — the Cougars rallied

for good to damper the Bobcats in game one, 9-8.

In game two, Sarah Lancour started on the mound for the ’Cats and pitched all seven innings, giving up four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.

Picking up her 11th win of the season, she pitched the Bobcats to a close 5-4 edge over the Cougars to split the doubleheader.

After there was no action in the first inning, Christa Raley got the Cougars started with a first-pitch lead-off home run to left field. Then, in the bottom half of the inning, Trahan answered Houston with a solo shot of her own to left field to tie the game at one apiece.

In the bottom of the fourth, Trahan led off the inning with

Monty Marion/Star photo SOLID CONTACT: Sophomore Ashton Peters, who hit three for seven on the day with one home run, swings hard during the Bobcats’ Wednesday doubleheader against the University of Houston Cougars at Bobcat Field. The Bobcats lost their first game, 9-8, and won their second game, 5-4.

a walk to set up Alex Newton with her third home run of the year that gave the ’Cats a 3-1 lead. Newton has hit two of her three home runs in the last two games and said she is feeling pretty good about it.

“It’s surprising to me, but whatever works. The swing felt good today,” Newton said.

Later in the inning, with bases loaded, Amy Krueger hit a sacrifice fly to center field that brought in Peters from third and then Keller scored from second after Hromadka reached on an error charged to Jessica Valis at shortstop, at which time Texas State took a 5-1 lead.

Haley Valis attempted to start a rally for Houston in the top of the fifth with a solo shot to left field, but Lancour contained her composure and got the ’Cats out of the inning with no additional damage. At this point Texas State had a commanding 5-2 lead.

Onward to the top of the seventh, Valis led off the inning with an infield single to bring up Nordstrom, who tacked on her second home run of the day to straightaway center. This brought the Cougars closer at 5-4, but once again, pitcher Lancour was able to shut down Houston with a ground-out and two fly outs to close out the game.

Even though Texas State let game one of the day slip away, Coach Ricci Woodard was happy to see them battle it out and then come back and take game two.

“We didn’t stick around long enough in the first game, but I like the fact that we battled back.

They keep on playing hard in every game,” Woodward said.

Texas State now stands at 122 in the Southland Conference and 25-12 overall. The team will take on Northwestern State in a three-game series that begins with a double-header at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Bobcat Softball Field.

Women’s, men’s golf on the upswing after successful outings

By Chris Boehm The University Star Two Texas State women placed among the top 10 in Monday and Tuesday’s Bobcat Classic, leading the team to a fourth-place finish with one tournament left in the season.

The Bobcat men did not fair as well, placing 10th in the Hal Sutton Invitational, a tournament where the team entered without two of its regular players, Todd Parks and Bobby Hutcherson.

“We definitely struggled without Bobby and Todd,” said head

coach Bill Woodley. “We were playing with a totally different lineup than we expected to, and it’s tough when you have guys in who just haven’t had a lot of experience yet.”

Christine Brijalba led the women for the fourth time this season, registering a three-round total of 232, good for sixth place at the Plum Creek Golf Club in Kyle. The freshman opened with a 77 and 79 Monday before closing out with a 76 the next day.

“I wasn’t too pleased with See GOLF, page 15 SWINGING STRONG: Junior Anessa Thompson, shown here practicing on August 21, shot 233 in three rounds of golf, tying in eighth place overall at the CenturyTel Bobcat Classic on Tuesday in Kyle. The Bobcats came in fourth place overall.

Armando Sanchez/Star file photo

Men’s lacrosse remains undefeated after big win over Texas A&M

By Miguel Peña The University Star As part of the Lone Star Alliance, Texas State lacrosse has managed to earn an undefeated record for the 2006 season with wins over the University of Houston, Rice, Louisiana State and, most recently, a one-point victory over Texas A&M. The Aggies were fresh off a victory over conference their rival The University of Texas and had overwhelmed the Longhorns in overtime, taking a victory by a one-point margin.

When Texas State showed up Sunday, a certain amount of intensity and energy was apparent as co-captain Kyle Saunders rallied his team in pregame warmups.

“It was like we were playing for a championship. When I talked to the guys I could barely get a word out before they were screaming and hollering to get the game started,” said Saunders, an international studies junior.

The energy they mustered showed through on the field, carrying the team to victory over the visiting Aggies.

The roles the students play on

the team vary, as there are three key areas on the field played by three distinct positions.

The front line of attack is known for its ability to make the moves to line up for goals.

The forward movement of the attackers is the point at which the team can make the difference on the offense.

The defensemen are placed farthest back from the opponent’s goal serving in most cases as the first line of defense, protecting the goal and locking down on forward progress from the opposition.

“We are a bunch of knockaround guys. We are really trying to put a hit on somebody and keep the ball away from the goal,” said Devon Galligher, business junior.

The midis, or midfielders, are the key to moving the ball from one end of the field to the other; they also have the main role to play when defending. A player positioned in the midfield area also has to be conscious of where all the other players on the field are located in order to keep the off-sides calls to a minimum.

A midfielder is allowed to move freely within his area but

is also able to move around the defensive or offensive end in order to keep the numbers right on both sides of the field.

With their final divisional matchup scheduled against the Longhorns for April 15, the Bobcats have another Lone Star Alliance South team to beat.

Texas State will host the Tulane Green Wave at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the women’s soccer field on West Campus by the Student Recreation Center.

This won’t be the end of their weekend struggles, as they will be on the road later that night to start the first of three games against LSA North opponents, starting Sunday at Denton versus North Texas.

This isn’t just a team focused on winning or dominating a conference, though; this is a group of young men who have come together for a reason.

“It’s a team we all hang out on the weekends after practice — any time really. It is also a form of social support,” Saunders said. “When I first got to Texas State, I didn’t know anybody, and right away I found the Lacrosse team and 25 guys that I got along with, and we all had something in common.”

PUSHING THROUGH: Junior defenseman Chase Nall makes his way through Texas A&M midfielders during Sunday’s game in San Marcos.

Nall’s motto is “Within defense lies invincibility.”

Harrison Gay/Special to the Star