11 01 2006 by The University Star

BIRTH OF A CELEBRATION

LONE STAR LEGENDS

The history of Día de los Muertos lies in European and Indigenous cultures

Gridiron stars of old given dues with league’s anniversary team

SEE TRENDS PAGE 5

SEE SPORTS PAGE 10

DEFENDING THE FIRST AMENDMENT SINCE 1911

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NOVEMBER 1, 2006

WEDNESDAY

VOLUME 96, ISSUE 29

Local law enforcement beta testing new software By Jacqueline Davis The University Star The University Police Department will be among the ﬁrst of four agencies testing new technology that could change the face of law enforcement. Beginning as early as December, UPD will test a software program called COPsync, created by PostInk Technology, LP, which provides vital informa-

tion to ofﬁcers by enabling the sharing of information to law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions. “We wanted to build a product that had direct report entry in real time — live and on the ﬂy,” said founder and CEO Russell Chaney who, along with cofounder Shane Rapp, created PostInk Technology, LP. The information is available the second that it is entered,

Chaney said. “Let’s say there was an abduction of a child. If someone calls 911 to report the abduction, it could take 12 to 14 hours before that information got out to all the ofﬁcers on the street. It would be limited to radio transmissions. Our solution would make it so every car would know about it within two hours.” The ﬁrst to beta test the software, or perform the last testing

before the product is sold commercially, will be the San Marcos Police Department and the Hays County Sheriff ’s Department in the early part of November, Chaney said. The Kyle Police Department and UPD will follow about a month later. In exchange for being guinea pigs for the technology, these agencies get to use the software for free. While agencies testing the software expect a few initial

kinks in the system, most are eager to implement the improved sharing of information. “It’s an excellent opportunity for all law enforcement agencies to leverage their existing databases to use them in a more effective way,” said Sam Williams, chief deputy of the Hays County Sheriff ’s Department. “In a nutshell, it’s like doing an Internet search on Google. This is a secure and efﬁcient way for input-

Rabies scare, misconceptions give bats

Swoosh. Swoosh. The long, elastic wings of millions of Mexican free-tailed bats rub against one another as they emerge at sundown to migrate to Mexico for a warmer winter. While they look like endless streams of black ribbon cutting through a citrus-colored sky, the sounds they make during their migration are harder to describe. “Everybody describes the way they sound differently. Some people describe the sound as something like whitewater river rapids,” said Merlin D. Tuttle, founder, executive director and behavioral ecologist at Austin’s Bat Conservation International. “I can’t describe it. It’s just a very definite sound of their bodies flying past and touching one another.” Barbara French, BCI biologist, said, “It sounds like swoooshhh wooosshhh.” “If you stand around a large roost of them, you’ll hear a lot of chattering. It sounds a bit like bird chitter,” she said smiling. Somehow, Mexican freetailed bats, also known as “guano bats,” ascend quickly from their caves to migrate, while avoiding collisions every split-second. And, cloaked in ashen, short fur, they have been clocked at speeds ranging from 25 to 60 miles per hour with strong tailwinds. “It’s been speculated they commonly go about 500 miles in a night during their migration,” Tuttle said. “They leave not long after sundown and arrive at their next destination.” Tuttle said nobody really knows how far the Mexican free-tailed bats go in a night. Biologists used to think they only traveled to northern Mexico, but more evidence suggests they are flying farther, to southern Mexico and Central America. Tuttle and French are part of a staff of around 30 who work at BCI, a nonprofit organization based in Austin. Texas is

See SOFTWARE, page 4

Relationships focus of new program at Texas State

A BAD RAP

By A.N. Hernández The University Star

ting information which can be used by other law enforcement agencies.” For example, if an offender is written a citation in San Marcos and is later pulled over in Dripping Springs by another ofﬁcer, the second ofﬁcer will be able to see any previous citation. “The Hays County Sheriff ’s Department has really posi-

By Bill Lancaster The University Star

of insects every night and take care of lots of mosquitoes a year,” he said. “The only downside is that they aren’t very picky when it comes to a place they want to spend the night, like any overhangs or places out of the lots of times that’s in

Texas State received approximately $2.4 million Oct. 3 from a Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families grant. The grant will create a relationship education program that will benefit hundreds of young parents in the central Texas area. The relationship education program is designed to assist young parents in dealing with others through Connections: Relationships and Marriage curriculum, a program focused on preventing divorce. The program combats the major causes of divorce by teaching skills including conflict resolution, communication and healthy relationships. Michelle Toews, program coadministrator, said she believes this is the first program in the country to teach relationship skills to young parents. “We will train (student interns) in the Connection Curriculum, and they will go into the classrooms,” Toews said. “I am very excited to get started in the project. It is a good opportunity for the students, a good opportunity for research, and a good way to serve the community.” Texas State students will be teaching communication skills to adolescents in six locations: one at San Marcos High School, one at Hays High and four in Austin. The relationship education program is recruiting interns from several programs including sociology, family and consumer sciences, social work and psychology. Interns will teach the 18 lessons of Connection Curriculum to young parents as well as assist with referrals, completing college applications and similar services. The interns will train on campus in the Center for Children and Families whose goal, according to their Web site, is “to

See BAD RAP, page 4

See RELATIONSHIP, page 4

Monty Marion/Star photos INTO THE SUNSET: Heading off to consume an estimated 10 to 20,000 pounds of insects, Austin’s 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats create a dense cloud as they emerge every night at dusk. DINNERTIME: Mexican free-tailed bats pass a support column of the Congress Avenue Bridge Saturday night in downtown Austin as they head out on their nightly hunt.

home to 32 species of bats, more than any other state. One hundred million Mexican freetailed bats are estimated to live in the Texas Hill Country. In 1982, Tuttle founded BCI because he was alarmed by declining bat populations. Tuttle wanted to protect their habitats and inform people of their ecological beneﬁts. BCI also works to combat misconceptions abounding about the small mammals. “I just think it’s important that we dispel myths that they’re always rabid,” he said.

“I don’t know that I am in love with bats more than I am in love with nature and the natural world. If you love nature, you’ll want to see a healthy ecosystem and you’ll want to see bats because they help keep the balance of nature.” Almost two weeks ago, a rabid bat found at Texas State put the campus on a health alert. “I have heard they have rabies, and they are on campus, and I hear them squeaking up there in the rafters, but they are good for the environment and take care of the ecosystem, and

I am more afraid of bees than bats,” said Jenna Gonzales, anthropology junior. Bert Stratemann, animal services manager for San Marcos, said he knows bats do more good than bad. “They are very beneﬁcial to the area, and I can tell you they kill thousands and thousands

Conference addresses racism, Jewish leadership, Middle Eastern relations By Kara Bowers The University Star Texas State will host the third semiannual Race, Ethnicity and Place Conference beginning Wednesday at the LBJ Student Center. The conference, the biggest to ever come to Texas State, will feature dozens of presentations, lectures and performances that will examine how race and ethnicity affect the sense of place

in our lives. Registration will open at noon Wednesday on the third ﬂoor of the LBJSC. A variety of sessions featuring lecturers and panelists, covering topics such as immigration, U.S.-Middle East relations and racism, will begin at 2 p.m. and continue through Saturday. Karina Monreal, microbiology senior and conference co-chair, said she is especially excited to see Texas State stu-

Today’s Weather

Few Showers 73˚/54˚

Precipitation: 30% Humidity: 57% UV: 5 Moderate Wind: NE 7 mph

dent organizations representing themselves at the conference. “I am also looking forward to several of the sessions being presented every day,” Monreal said. “Some of them include the sessions being presented about ﬁrst-generation college students, the panel on Latino Texas music and America versus Muslim, a post-9/11 world session, just to name a few.” Featured speakers include John Duke Anthony, president

Two-day Forecast Thursday Mostly Cloudy Temp: 67°/ 49° Precip: 10%

Friday Partly Cloudy Temp: 68°/ 49° Precip: 10%

of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations and Denise Trauth, president of Texas State. Friday’s speakers include Bernard Rapoport, founder and former president of the American Income Life Insurance Company, Donald Zale, former chairman and CEO of Zale Corporation and Fred Ziedman, chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, all speaking on “Jewish Leaders in Texas.”

“The Art of Diversity — A Texas Statement” will exhibit the work of Central Texas artists from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the first three days of the conference on the third floor of the LBJSC. Fidencio Duran, an artist featured in the exhibit and member of a first-generation Mexican American family, said his works are narrative in nature and relate to the experience of Mexicans in the United States, particularly of his own

in Central Texas. “They present everyday occurrences as magical moments by means of strong color and personal ﬁguration,” Duran said. “They present various aspects of my family’s ability to survive through hard work and determination.” There will be a performance by the Texas State Mariachi Band at 6 p.m. The Texas State

Inside News ..............1-4 Trends .............5-7 Crossword ......... 7 Sudoku .............. 7

Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

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See CONFERENCE, page 4

PAGE TWO The University Star

Wednesday in Brief

November 1, 2006

Early voting schedule for general and special elections Hays County Elections Administration Ofﬁce 401-C Broadway St. San Marcos (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) San Marcos City Hall 630 E. Hopkins St. San Marcos (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

HCISD Administration Ofﬁce 21003 Interstate-35 Kyle (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Performing Arts Center 979 Kohler’s Krossing Kyle (5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.)

Central Texas Medical Center Main Entrance Foyer 1301 Wonder World Dr. San Marcos (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

— Courtesy of Hays County

News Contact — David Saleh Rauf, starnews@txstate.edu Texas State University-San Marcos is a member of the Texas State University System

Spirited songstress WEDNESDAY

mail@texasstatechialpha.com.

The Comm. Club presents “How to ﬁnd and complete a successful internship” from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in Centennial Hall, Room 318. Come and learn about the many beneﬁts of participating in an internship. Bring your questions and ideas.

Students interested in becoming involved with the community, making business connections and learning leadership skills could attend the Students in Free Enterprise at 4:15 p.m. in McCoy Hall, Room 113.

A Mass for the Feast of All Saints will be celebrated at 12:05 p.m. in the chapel of the Catholic Student Center.

Overeaters Anonymous will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland. For more information call 357-2049.

A student-led rosary will be prayed at 6:25 p.m. in the chapel of the CSC.

Texas State football will be playing Nicholls State at 7 p.m. in Bobcat Stadium

Bible study will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the lounge of the CSC.

FRIDAY

The Alcohol and Drug Resource Center will be holding their weekly “The Network” meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. in the LBJSC, Room 3-6.1. Texas State women’s volleyball will play Sam Houston State at 7 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum.

THURSDAY A “Résumé Basics” workshop will be held from 5 to 6 p.m in The Writing Center, Flowers Hall, Room G-09. Sukyi Douglass-McMahon, Writing Center résumé specialist, will be offering her expert advice free of charge. The Organization of Student Social Workers will meet at 12:30 p.m. in the Health Professions Building, Room 234. Simple Silent Sitting Group will be from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Campus Christian Community Center. An on-campus Alcoholics Anonymous meeting will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. For more information call the Alcohol and Drug Resource Center at (512) 245-3601. The Tennis Club will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. at the tennis courts on Sessom Drive, behind Joe’s Crab Shack. All skill levels are welcome. For questions, e-mail the Tennis Club President Chris Harris at ch1282@txstate.edu. Every Nation Campus Ministries is now meeting at 7 p.m. in Centennial Hall, Room G-02. There will be free food, fellowship and an inspiring message. The Rock - Praise & Worship will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel of the CSC. Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship will hold its weekly meeting at 8:30 p.m. in Old Main, Room 320. There will be contemporary worship, relevant teaching and prayer. Everyone is welcome. For more information call (512) 557-7988 or e-mail

The Central Texas LifeCare nonproﬁt pregnancy resource center will host its 17th annual fundraising Gala at Texas Old Town in Kyle, located at 1205 Roland Dr. An all you can eat buffet will begin at 6:30, the main program starts at 7:15 p.m. Special music will be provided by the Kyle Family of Austin. For more information call Terry Williams at (512) 396-3020.

SATURDAY Texas State women’s volleyball will be playing Stephen F. Austin at 4 p.m. at Strahan Coliseum

SUNDAY Texas State women’s soccer will be playing at 1 p.m. at the Bobcat Soccer Complex Higher Ground, the LutheranEpiscopal Campus Ministry will meet at 6:15 p.m. for a free dinner, followed by Holy Communion at 7. Services are held at St. Mark’s Church across from The Tower. Everyone is welcome.

Correction In Thursday’s issue, The University Star said the Associated Student Government invited Jim Neuhaus, Republican candidate for state representative, to speak to ASG on Oct. 23. A representative for Neuhaus asked ASG to schedule him on that day. In the story “Local ghost hunter, novelist investigates San Marcos,” Scott Johnson was misquoted as saying that a young woman wearing 19th centurystyle clothing has been seen roaming the halls of Old Main. The correct statement was that the young woman wears 1920sstyle clothing.

On This Day... 1512 — Michelangelo’s paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were ﬁrst exhibited to the public. Jeannie Yamakawa/Star photo Reyna Lopez, vocal performance senior and John Schmidt, accompanist, perform in the music department’s Aria Competition Monday night.

Award-winning city planner, director to have memorial service A memorial service for former San Marcos Planning Director Ron Patterson will be held at noon Saturday in the First Christian Church on Ranch Road 12. Patterson died at his home in Henderson, Nev. with his family at his side Oct. 22 after a long illness. He is survived by his wife Becky; children Melissa Figuroa and Chris Patterson; son-in-law Chris Figuroa, a soldier in Iraq; his mother, Ruth Patterson; four sisters and two brothers. A celebration-of-life service was held Friday in Henderson. Patterson was the development services manager in Henderson from 2003 to 2006.

He served as the San Marcos director of planning and development services for 11 years, from 1991 to 2002. As director of planning and development, Patterson provided leadership on many issues, including development of San Marcos Horizons, the city’s long-range master plan, the Capital Improvements Program, development of the outlet malls, aquifer protection rules and assisted growth in San Marcos during a period of record development. While working for the City of San Marcos, Patterson received many planning awards, including the Professional Planning

Home for a huskey

The Texas State Graduate College Information Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the LBJSC Ballroom. Pizza and drinks will be provided. An On-campus Alcoholics Anonymous meeting will be held from noon to 1 p.m. For more information call the Alcohol and Drug Resource Center at (512) 245-3601.

Board of Directors of the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association and as ﬁrst vice president of the City Planners Association of Texas. He was also president of the Central Texas Section of the APA, an organization that serves more than 400 members in a 34county area. Before coming to San Marcos, he was assistant city manager and director of planning for the City of Cedar Park. He practiced in the private sector as an architect, land planner and development consultant. — Courtesy of the city of San Marcos

ASG Beat The Associated Student Government is the ofﬁcial voice of the students at Texas State. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. Monday nights in the LBJ Student Center, Room 3-14.1. Any non-Senate member wishing to address the Senate may speak during public forum or contact a senator prior to the meeting. ASG meetings are an open forum. Anyone interested in being a guest speaker at an ASG meeting should contact the ASG Vice President Amanda Oskey to be placed on the agenda. All requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to the requested meeting date. The Senate has produced legislation regarding the proposed tuition increases. The medical service fee increase has been questioned on a few accounts. The Senate is looking into different options

A presentation on religious vocations, hosted by the vocation director of the Austin Diocese, will be held at 7 p.m. at the CSC.

Go to www.UniversityStar.com and click on contact to view calendar and Stars of Texas State submission policies.

Award for the Central Texas section of the American Planning Association in 1996 and the statewide “1996 Texas Comprehensive Planning” award from the Texas APA. San Marcos won the “1997 Community of the Year” award from the Texas APA, and Patterson received the 2000 Central Texas Section Director’s Award for his outstanding contribution to the city planning profession in Central Texas. He was active in several professional associations, including the American Institute of Architects, American Planning Association and Urban Land Institute. He served on the State

Fees affecting tuition costs examined by ASG

MONDAY

The Alcohol and Drug Resource center will be holding their weekly “Men Against Violence” meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. in LBJSC, Room 3-6.1.

1604 — Othello, the tragedy by William Shakespeare, was ﬁrst presented at Whitehall Palace in London.

for subsidization that do not require a fee increase for all students. Some suggestions are a pay-as-you-go system or capping the number of times students may use the free health service per semester. Texas State will be hosting the third semi-annual Race, Ethnicity and Place Conference Wednesday through Friday. Students are encouraged to attend the sessions. The Senate will vote next week whether to support the computer service fee increase. The Senate has requested, in exchange for the increase in fees, a searchable Web site for students wishing to sell or buy student related merchandise. This site would simply pair a seller with a buyer for items such as books, housing leases and pair students in need of roommates. — Courtesy of the Associated Student Government

Monty Marion/Star photo This unnamed, brown and white female Siberian husky is in need of adoption at the San Marcos Animal Shelter located at 750 River Road. Huskies are known for their soft coat, gentile temperament and ease of care.

www.UniversityStar.com

NEWS

Wednesday, November 1, 2006

The University Star - Page 3

Idea of rift denied as some Baghdad checkpoints removed

Paul Assaker/KRT SCHEDULE TO KEEP: A Sadr City resident talks with friends Oct. 11, 2004, in front of a wall where grafﬁti demands no delay to parliamentary elections scheduled for January. The Iraqi government is desperately trying to improve security conditions in ﬂashpoint areas such as Sadr City, a dangerous Shiite Muslim slum in Baghdad, to make sure elections proceed on time.

By Nancy A. Youssef McClatchy Newspapers BAGHDAD — Moving to wrest control of his army from the United States, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered U.S. forces to take down the barriers they’d erected in their search for a missing U.S. soldier and to end the blockade of Baghdad’s largest Shiite

Muslim district. U.S. ofﬁcials complied, a development hailed as a victory by supporters of Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose Mahdi Army militia is suspected of kidnapping the soldier. The action was the starkest sign yet of the differences that divide U.S. ofﬁcials, who’ve urged Maliki to disarm Sadr’s militia, and Maliki, whose

hold on power depends at least partly on Sadr and his control of parliament’s largest voting bloc. For the past week, Maliki has been openly critical of U.S. policies in Iraq. He rejected assertions by U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad that he’d agreed to a timetable for disarming militias and making other changes. He blamed the

U.S.-led coalition for the violence sweeping his country. He criticized U.S. tactics in efforts to arrest death-squad suspects. He said the U.S. was misguided in singling out the militias as the greatest threat to Iraq instead of Sunni insurgents and former supporters of Saddam Hussein. On Tuesday, he went further. Referring to himself as commander of the armed forces for the ﬁrst time in his nearly six-month tenure, Maliki issued a midday statement ordering U.S. and Iraqi forces to tear down barricades surrounding Sadr City by 5 p.m. and to stop searching cars entering the Karrada neighborhood in central Baghdad, where the soldier was kidnapped. In Washington, White House spokesman Tony Snow dismissed any suggestion of a rift. “To deal with checkpoints does not necessarily change the situation in terms of how you deal with Sadr City,” he said, asserting that Maliki has “been very assertive and aggressive” in combating sectarian violence. But White House concern over Maliki’s stands was evident in the decision to send National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley to Baghdad on Monday. Hadley met with Maliki and his security chief, Mouwafak al-Rubaie, but there was no announcement of what they discussed. Sadr supporters immediately celebrated the end of the barricades, and Sadr City residents cheered in the streets as Iraqi

and U.S. soldiers took down the barbed-wire barricades and drove away in Humvees and Stryker armored vehicles. Shiite politicians also hailed Maliki’s order. “This blockade has harmed a lot of people for a reason that cannot be justified — the invented excuse of a man being kidnapped,” said Jalal din al-Saghir, a leading member of United Iraqi Alliance, a Shiite political group that dominated elections earlier this year. “Such measures were not taken when hundreds of Iraqis were killed in all areas of Baghdad.” Another alliance member, Khalid Atia, also praised Maliki. “Thank God the prime minister’s efforts today were crowned by lifting all these barricades.” The barricades had become a sore point with Sadr City residents, who often had to wait more than four hours to enter or leave the area since the checkpoints were erected last week. Officials of Sadr’s political party also had complained that U.S. forces had raided at least nine Sadr offices, and they warned that if the attacks continued, they would be forced to order the militia to take action. On Monday, a car bomb in Sadr City that killed more than 30 people brought accusations of U.S. complicity. Sadr City residents also expressed anger at Maliki for permitting the barricades. On the street, some spray-painted “Down USA” in English, followed by “Down with Maliki,

the coward and traitor” in Arabic. Iraqi policemen in Sadr City, many presumed to be members of the militia, ordered residents Monday night not to leave their homes for three days. On Tuesday morning, the 3-million-resident district had been all but shut down for two hours when Maliki issued his order. The search for the missing American had also paralyzed central Baghdad. U.S. troops immediately closed the main bridge leading into Karrada, paralyzing the city’s traffic for days. Iraqi soldiers were detailed to search every car attempting to enter the area, creating a huge backup. Maliki ordered the bridge to be reopened and the searches to end. Such measures “should not be taken except during nighttime curfew hours and emergencies,” he said. Despite the dismantling of the barricades, U.S. forces said they’re committed to finding the soldier, an Iraqi-American who was visiting his wife when gunmen abducted him. “We are still conducting operations to find our soldier,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a military spokesman. Meanwhile, U.S. officials announced the death of two soldiers in fighting Monday, bringing to at least 103 the number of Americans killed in Iraq in October, making it the deadliest month of the year. Ron Hutcheson contributed to this report from Washington.

U.N. sanctions unaffected by North Korea’s return to nuclear program talks By Tim Johnson McClatchy Newspapers BEIJING — North Korea agreed Tuesday to return to multilateral talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear program three weeks after it tested a nuclear weapon. The announcement marked a sudden turnaround for North Korea and came amid signs that China had leaned heavily on its neighbor, even slashing vital oil supplies. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the senior U.S. envoy on the nuclear crisis, said he spent seven hours in meetings with his Chinese and North Korean counterparts before obtaining agreement from Pyongyang that it would return to the talks. “What was important is that they have not made any conditions for attending the talks,” Hill said, adding that new negotiations are likely to occur by December or, perhaps, earlier. Hill was asked repeatedly at a news conference how China persuaded North Korea to yield, but he declined to comment. As recently as last week, North Korea insisted that it would return to the talks only if Washington lifted ﬁnancial restrictions, which were imposed 13 months ago after U.S. ofﬁcials accused North Korea of counterfeiting U.S. currency.

President Bush said resumption of the talks was a positive step, but much difﬁcult work needed to be done before negotiations occur. “We’ll continue to resolve this in a peaceful way,” Bush said at the White House. Russia welcomed the breakthrough as “very positive,” but Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso warned that Pyongyang shouldn’t return to talks boasting of its nuclear prowess, following the Oct. 9 test that made it the globe’s eighth declared nuclear power. Earlier in the day, before word of the diplomatic breakthrough, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao denied that China had cut oil deliveries to North Korea. Chinese trade data released earlier this week indicated that China traded no oil with North Korea in September. China normally supplies its neighbor with most of its energy needs. But North Korea’s threat to test a nuclear weapon angered China, and ﬁve days after the test, Beijing joined in unanimous approval of U.N. Security Council sanctions. Hill said the renewed talks wouldn’t affect the implementation of U.N. sanctions, which call for a ban on trade with North Korea in nuclear materials, major weapons and luxury goods. He added that his North Korean

counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan, brought up his country’s nuclear test but didn’t say whether it would change the dynamic of negotiations. Hill praised China for its role in reviving the stalled talks, but cautioned that Washington and its allies need to work out their strategies. “We don’t want to rush into the talks. We want to make sure they are very well-planned,” he said. The breakthrough came a little more than a week after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Japan, South Korea and China to forge a common strategy to roll back North Korea’s nuclear program. Hill said he was in the South Pacific attending a regional forum when Rice called him to return to Beijing for urgent informal talks. In Washington, U.S. officials said the Chinese contacted Rice late last week and told her that Kim, North Korea’s deputy foreign minister, was coming to Beijing. Rice was told that if Hill also came to Beijing for the meeting, North Korea would agree to a resumption of the six-party talks, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the diplomacy. The officials said it took Rice a couple

of days to gain administration-wide approval for Hill to meet with the North Koreans, but they didn’t know whether there was resistance from the office of Vice President Dick Cheney, who in the past has opposed negotiations with Pyongyang. Hill said Kim insisted only that U.S. financial sanctions against banks dealing with North Korea be discussed during new six-nation talks, which bring together the two Koreas, China, Russia, the United States and Japan. “We do want to resolve these, but it also depends on the DPRK’s (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) willingness to get out of the illicit activities business,” Hill said. Washington says Pyongyang sells missile systems to unstable Middle Eastern nations and has developed a vast global criminal network to counterfeit U.S. currency and to peddle bogus cigarettes, narcotics and fake pharmaceuticals. U.S. officials say the criminal networks could allow North Korea to sell a nuclear bomb to an enemy of the United States, perhaps even to a terrorist group. Warren P. Strobel in Washington and McClatchy Newspapers special correspondent Emi Doi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Yonhap/Pool A STEP FORWARD: After hours of meetings Tuesday, North Korea agreed to return to multilateral talks intending to stop the country’s nuclear program.

NEWS

Page 4 - The University Star

BAD RAP: Bats part of ‘natural control’ in ecosystem CONTINUED from page 1

your house, your attic or your porch.” Stratemann said the information used in dealing with bats comes from the Department of State Health Services, not BCI. “I know BCI is very big on doing everything they can to save these bats, but we have a little different perspective because we are looking at the health and safety of the public,” he said. Some other popular misconceptions Tuttle mentioned are that bats are related to rodents. “Well, I think they’ve just got the ‘ick’ factor; they’re ﬂying rodents,” said Jonathan Davies, philosophy junior. But they are not related to rodents, Tuttle said. He also said many people may think all bats are blind or rabid. “I have heard that phrase, ‘he’s just blind as a bat,’ and you know what? Bats can navigate really well with their echolocation,” said Dagoberto Jameson, Spanish senior. Sarah Gerichten, BCI development associate, said echolocation is a sophisticated way of hunting. “Because they are out feeding at night, they use their echolocation. It gives off an audible signal that bounces off the tiniest of prey and comes back to them to form an image and location,” From springtime until summer, Mexican freetailed bats use their stealth hunting skills to eat

“I

f you love nature you’ll want to see a healthy ecosystem and you’ll want to see bats because they help keep the balance of nature.” —Merlin D. Tuttle BCI founder, executive director

billions of migrating pests, including the corn earworm, army and tobacco budworm moths. This, BCI said, keeps the “insect population in balance” and saves farmers a lot of money. David Gibson, executive director of the Texas Corn Producers Board in Lubbock, said he was not quite sure about the number of pests bats eat, but acknowledged that “any natural predator has a beneﬁt to corn producers.” “It’s a natural control that decreases the use of pesticide in our crops,” Gibson said. BCI will continue to ensure bat-friendly places in Texas and beyond for the bats’ springtime return, when they will swoop, circle and cut through the sky in formations like black ribbons thousands of feet above their roosts. Swoosh. Swoosh.

Wednesday, November 1, 2006

RELATIONSHIP: Grant to be CONFERENCE: used over course of five years Area traditions CONTINUED from page 1

be a nationally recognized, interdisciplinary resource center for education and information about children and families.” Karen Brown, director of the Center for Children and Families, said the grant will benefit interns by providing additional training that would not otherwise be available, opening additional sites for the interns to work and allowing them to work on interdisciplinary teams. Brown said one of the reasons Texas State received the grant was because the Center for Children and Families is a university-level, interdisciplinary center working with colleagues across campus. The program, which will start in the spring semester, will benefit more than 60 young parents initially, and the numbers will increase after the first year. “Because the majority are women, we will offer similar curriculum on weekends and

evenings for fathers,” Toews said. “We will also offer the curriculum for grandparents for a support system.” The grant will be distributed over a period of ﬁve years and the program will run each long semester. A grant specialist/project coordinator will be hired to oversee the program. The opening for the position was listed Thursday. The relationship education grant is part of a $118 million program “to promote healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood,” according to the HHS/ACF Web site. The scope of the program will not be limited to relationship education, Toews said. “We have already set up a memorandum of understanding with Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center and SafePlace in Austin so that any woman in an abusive relationship can receive free counseling,” Toews said. “Anything we can do to make their lives a little easier.”

SOFTWARE: Technology gives

officers information from databases outside San Marcos CONTINUED from page 1

tioned itself as a progressive agency, and this (beta-testing the software for free) will ultimately save taxpayers money,” Williams said. “The federal government has been trying to get law enforcement to implement this for years, but the cooperation hasn’t been there,” said UPD Captain Rickey Lattie. “The software hasn’t been available, and there’s been no unifying agency to bring it to pass. We’re going to be the ﬁrst.” Howard Williams, SMPD police chief, said the software would have been helpful for the string of burglaries ofﬁcers dealt with during the summer. Williams

said he did not have the ability to make a query of other police databases outside San Marcos on the suspects involved. “This technology will permit us to look in other areas for suspect information,” Williams said. “We don’t necessarily know who to talk to find information on burglaries outside San Marcos. (COPsync) taps into information and disseminates it. You could run a name and find he is a burglary suspect out of Seguin.” Founders Chaney and Rapp said their hope is the company’s reach will start locally, spread through Texas and effect national change in officers’ ability to access information on potentially dangerous people they may unknowingly encounter.

stem from German immigration

CONTINUED from page 1

Steel Drum Ensemble will perform at 6 p.m. Friday. The final day of the conference, Saturday, will allow participants to sign up for one of the many field trips being offered beginning at 8 a.m. at the LBJSC North Entrance. The trips, varying in length, cost and destination, will examine ethnicity and culture in locations in San Marcos, as well as Austin, San Antonio, Luling and Wimberley. Byron Augustin, geography professor, will lead a trip to Gruene focusing on German influence, where participants will visit the oldest dance hall in Texas, browse historic antique shops and attend Wurstfest in New Braunfels. “Both communities have preserved a lot of the original German traditions and customs,” Augustin said. “Since Germans are the largest ethnic group to have settled in the United States and since the Germans have had a strong impact on the Texas Hill Country, this field trip fits nicely into the theme of the conference.” The conference is cosponsored by Texas State, Binghamton University, Howard University, St. Phillip’s College and the Association of American Geographers. Students are welcome to attend, participate in and volunteer at the conference, Monreal said. “I think it is a great conference everyone could benefit from,” Monreal said. “There will be a variety of topics and activities occurring, so there is something for everybody.”

www.UniversityStar.com

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Día de los Muertos

Loved ones remembered, celebrated during Mexican holiday By Maira Garcia The University Star This is two-part series on Dia de los Muertos, a two-day celebration of the deceased. A pair of skeletons dressed in their wedding-day outfits smile among pictures of the late Texas governor Ann Richards with silk flowers and colorful paper. Smiling dead people? As ironic as it sounds, Dia de los Muertos is a celebration of life. The Mexican holiday, held Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 of every year, celebrates the lives of those who have died. It takes a radical approach from the American concept of death: mourning. Jason Rivera, the public relations director for the Mexic-Arte Museum located in downtown Austin, said the celebration is unlike Halloween, which seeks to scare people. “Day of the Dead is a celebration of the cycle of life. People will ask, ‘Why do you dress up as skeletons and devils? Why does it look so morbid?’” Rivera said. “But it is just symbolic of death and rebirth.” Mexic-Arte currently has an exhibit of Day of the Dead running through Saturday. Half of the gallery is dedicated to “altares,” or altars, and the other half to Luis Jiménez, the Hispanic artist known for his significant contributions to contemporary art. According to Rivera, Day of the Dead is a centuries-old tradition originally celebrated during mid-July through mid-August by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. The celebration coincided with the arrival of the monarch butterflies, which would migrate through central Mexico. “The indigenous believed the butterflies were the souls of ancestors and fallen warriors, who died in battle with other indigenous groups,” he said. “When the Spanish came in, they felt the traditions were pagan and in an effort to convert the indigenous, Day of the Dead was changed

Deleigh Hermes/Star photo (Top) DAY OF THE DEAD: An alter is set up in the Lampasas Building for Día de los Muertos, one of the most important days of the year in Mexico, where families unite to honor loved ones who have died.

Monty Marion/Star photo (Left) SWEET REMINDER: Decorated sugar skulls, which accompany most Día de los Muertos altars, help to remind the living of the frailty of life.

to All Souls and All Saints Day, a Catholic tradition.” Roque Mendez, psychology professor, who will be holding a Philosophy Dialogue on Day of the Dead, said the traditions of the holiday stem from indig-

enous and European beliefs. “There were some customs that are unique to European beliefs, speciﬁcally the Celtic belief of Samhain, the lord of the dead,” he said. “There was a festival that honored him on

November 1 and the Celtic would lay out banquets in the 15th century. They believed that the dead had needs just like the living.” Mendez said the biggest difference between the indigenous

peoples and European traditions was the use of symbols now central to Day of the Dead. “There are two particular customs that separate the Aztecs

Dialogue Series seeks to clarify Mexican Holiday By Jessica Sinn The University Star Halloween is the night for fright — complete with costumes, grinning jack-o’-lanterns, monster movies and trick or treating. For most of us, this holiday stirs up a fear of death and the unknown. In Mexico, it’s a time to partake in the joyous Día de los Muertos festivities. Psychology professor Roque Mendez will hold a Philosophy Dialogue Wednesday, where he will discuss the origins, beliefs and customs of Día de los Muertos. Mendez said this festive holiday is a time for families to unite and honor loved ones who have passed away. “Next to Christmas and Easter, it’s one of the most important days of the year in Mexico,” Mendez said. “It’s a chance for them to be reconnected to the departed.” According to Mendez, people in Mexico have a more positive attitude about death. He said Mexicans celebrate life as well as death by camping in cemeteries and decorating gravestones and altars with colorful floral arrangements. “By integrating a part of remembrance with a part of life, there is a sense of acceptance,” Mendez said. “The experience is seen as something to be embraced, not feared.” Mendez said that vibrantcolored marigolds are placed on altars and graves to help direct the dead back to their homes. These symbolic flowers are meant to serve as a guiding light for the dead. “The marigolds are very bright and aromatic,” Mendez said. “It is believed that these two factors help the dead when they arise and come back to earth; it helps direct them back to their families.” According to Mendez, the ancient Aztecs played an important role in the development of this traditional Mexican holiday. “There are two things that are truly unique to the indigenous beliefs of the Aztecs: the marigolds and skulls,” Mendez said. Vincent Luizzi, professor and chair of the philosophy department, believes that the Día de los Muertos discussion is an important contribution to the Dialogue Series. “Dr. Mendez’s talk is a good example how the Dialogue Series promotes discussions from diverse disciplinary and cultural perspectives,” Luizzi said. “Professor Mendez, a psychologist, tells how the contemporary celebration of the dead evolved from native practices which predated Hispanic Mexico and evaluates its significance for thinking about life and death in Mexico today.”

✯FYI The dialogue will be held at 11 a.m. in the Psychology Building, Room 132.

See MUERTOS, page 6

Author presents Cabeza de Vaca’s story in narrative style Book still non-fiction, despite style change e undergoes a transformation of consciousness. It’s “H the story of Moby Dick; it’s the story of Huckleberry Finn: An individual in the wilderness and the return to By Whitey Lewis Special to The Star

The Southwestern Writers Collection in Alkek Library hosted author Paul Schneider Tuesday to re-tell the journey of explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, the subject of his latest book. The Center for the Study of the Southwest, the Southwestern Writers Collection and Texas State Southwest Regional Humanities Center co-sponsored the event. Schneider read excerpts from his novel chronicling the explorations of Cabeza de Vaca, A Brutal Journey: The Epic Story of the First Cross-

ing of North America. Before reading from his novel, Schneider called attention to the presence of the 1555 edition of La relación, Cabeza de Vaca’s personal account of his explorations, which resides in the permanent archives of the Southwestern Writers Collection. “It’s a little daunting, frankly, because I’ve never spoken within 150 feet of a 500-year-old copy of the original tale,” said Schneider. In A Brutal Journey, Schneider describes the quest of Cabeza de Vaca, which ultimately led to the ﬁrst European exploration of what is now Texas, in a nar-

rative style that reads more like ﬁction than history. The book provides insightful imagery to Cabeza de Vaca’s story. Schneider describes the primitive ship anchors as bundles of rocks attached to palmetto strings. He also attributes an unsuccessful quest for ﬁrewood for Cabeza de Vaca’s unexpected encounter with the Mississippi River. “It propped them up and spit them out to sea like bad pieces of bad food. Then a wicked wind picked up and pushed them out some more. In the following darkness they ate their raw corn and watched America disappear,” Schneider

civilization, and this one happens to be true.”

-Mark Busby Southwest Regional Humanities Center director

read from his book. “That sets the stage for their eventual arrival in Texas,” he added. Schneider said that he wanted to write Cabeza de Vaca’s story as a narrative, and the transition of the explorers from conquerors to survivors provided an element of human drama. “This book is strictly nonﬁction. I never put words into people’s mouths,” Schneider said.

Mark Busby, director of the Southwest Regional Humanities Center, like Schneider, realized the dramatic element of Cabeza de Vaca’s story, comparing it to the traditional American narrative. “He undergoes a transformation of consciousness. It’s the story of Moby Dick; it’s the story of Huckleberry Finn: An individual in the wilderness and the return to civilization, and

this one happens to be true,” Busby said. Busby also addressed Cabeza de Vaca’s relevance to early American literature. “Cabeza de Vaca’s book has become central to American literature anthologies. Whereas, 35 years ago, only seventh graders in Texas history classes knew about him,” he said. See AUTHOR, page 6

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MUERTOS: Organization seeks to educate students about holiday CONTINUED from page 5

from the European tradition and it’s the use of a particular flower, the marigold, and the use of skulls,” Mendez said. “They are unique customs used not just by the Aztecs, but other indigenous as well.” The marigold, or “cempazúchitl,” decorates the altars of those being celebrated. Due to the bright color of the flower and its fragrance, an excess of marigolds are scattered from the graves of the deceased to their original home, believing that this will bring them home. Sylvia Orozco, executive director of Mexic-Arte, said Day of the Dead is important to Hispanic culture because it relates the importance placed on family. “When someone passes away, it’s not like you’re gone and forgotten. For us it’s family, it’s still part of our family,” she said. “It’s a day we remember our past family members. I think that’s very much a part of our culture.” Organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the American Friends Service Committee have altars on display at Mexic-Arte. Toni Logan, communication director of the state office of MADD, said the organization felt it was appropriate to honor the victims of drunk driving. Central to the MADD altar were photos from a book about victims of those driving while intoxicated. “We have a quilt in our office, in which each square was made by a family of a person

who was involved in a DWI accident that wanted to participate in this project. So we took the book and put it on a stand,” she said. “The book tells the story of each square on the quilt and then we put some pictures of victims and a little story about them in a circle around a projection of vignettes with a picture of how (DWI) affects the lives of people, the loss.” However, Logan said the altar is also about honoring victims. “(It’s about) awareness of how many lives are affected and honoring the victims. That is a huge part of what MADD does,

victim services,” Logan said. On campus, the Mitte Honors Student Association is attempting to educate students on the signiﬁcance of Day of the Dead by placing an altar in the Mitte Honors gallery. Psychology senior, Orquidea Morales, vice president of MHSA and studio art senior Michelle Sotolongo, constructed the altar and encourage people to continue to add to it. “We were both born in Mexico and I grew up with it. We would always have Pan de Muerto at home and an altar,” Morales said. “I think that was

hen someone passes away, it’s not like your gone “W and forgotten. For us it’s family, it’s still part of our family.”

-Sylvia Orozco Mexic-Arte Museum executive director

the main motivation, needing to see it. I moved over here and it was gone.” Sotolongo said making the altar was a way to revive Mexican culture on campus. “(Day of the Dead) has been

see students assimilating into American culture, thinking its bad to be Mexican,” she said. “It’s a way to bring back culture that is being lost.” Mitte Honors will host a Day of the Dead celebration Wednes-

day at 7 p.m. Students are encouraged to dress up and come to learn about the tradition. The altar is located in the Lampasas Building, which houses Mitte Honors. It will be on display until Dec. 15.

AUTHOR: Novel’s story mirrors some American classics a tradition for so long. You CONTINUED from page 5

In the past, American literature has only included works written in English, but the contemporary understanding of American literature has shifted to include the writing of Indians and explorers that predate the pilgrims, Busby said. Schneider’s novel can be found at the Alkek Library as well as the 1555 edition of Cabeza de Vaca’s La relación, which resides on the seventh ﬂoor in the Southwestern Writers Collection.

Monty Marion/Star photo

Jennifer Williams/Star photo

SPECTRAL WEDLOCK: Skeletal ﬁgures are a common sight during Día de los Muertos celebrations. They, along with colorful ﬂoral arrangements and photos of the deceased, help mourners to celebrate life rather than dwell over death.

A PAGE FROM HISTORY: Paul Schneider reads excerpts his book A Brutal Journey: The Epic Story of the First Crossing of North America, a nonﬁction work which takes accounts from history and Cabeza de Vaca’s La relación to tell about the explorer’s life.

Move over fantasy sports, here comes Fantasy Congress By Richard Clough Chicago Tribune WASHINGTON, D.C. — Imagine House Speaker Dennis Hastert, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Republican Sen. Sam Brownback and Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton working together toward the same harmonious end. Sound like fantasy? Maybe, but that fantasy may soon be realized in a new Web site game that brings the concept of fantasy sports to the political arena. Created by four Claremont

McKenna College students in California, Fantasy Congress allows people to compete against their friends with teams of lawmakers who rack up points based on real-life legislative accomplishments. And depending on which lawmakers are drafted, Hastert, R-Ill.; Pelosi, D-Calif.; Brownback, R-Kan. and Clinton, D-N.Y., could all play for the same team. In the works for several years, www.fantasycongress.com was launched last week. Word of mouth has already led more than 15,000 people to sign up and the creators say membership, which

is free, grows every day. The online game will go live after the Nov. 7 elections, when Congress returns. Claremont McKenna senior Andrew Lee, who thought up the game during his freshman year, said he hopes his site can contribute to a greater interest in politics among young people. “A lot of people care about sports,” Lee said. “If people cared about government as much as they care about sports, we’d probably have a lot more educated public.” Like fantasy sports, participants draft players to form a team. In Fantasy Congress, players compete with a team of four senators and 12 congressmen against others in their league. The players will earn points — and bragging rights, but no prizes — based on the lawmakers’ real-life performances and the player whose team has the most points at the end of the season will win. But instead of hitting home runs or scoring touchdowns,

legislators earn points for offering amendments and passing legislation. Lawmakers get ﬁve points for introducing a bill and additional points as the legislation inches its way toward becoming law. Members get a whopping 50 points for what Lee calls “the big touchdown” — the president’s signature when the bill becomes law. The Web site, which has been testing its point system over the past few months, lists the updated point totals for all members of the House and Senate. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., leads his Senate colleagues in the game’s rankings with 1,991 points while Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, sits atop the House rankings with 1,905 points. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo. and Grace Napolitano, D-Calif., are at the bottom of the rankings with just 6 points. The increasing popularity of fantasy sports — 16 million people have played this year, according to the Fantasy Sports

Trade Association — has led to a proliferation of fantasy spinoffs, particularly of the nonsports variety. “In the past two or three years, you’re starting to see non-sports fantasy leagues,” said Jeffrey Thomas, president of the association. He cited a league that tracks ﬁlm box ofﬁce receipts and one called Fantasy Husband, in which players get points based on men’s responses to relationship scenarios. Lee said he came up with the idea for Fantasy Congress while sitting in his dorm watching CNN while his roommate pored over fantasy football statistics. “It was kind of one of those epiphany moments,” he said. Having dabbled in fantasy sports, Lee was familiar with the games. With one foot in politics — Lee said he hopes one day to become the attorney general of Colorado — he thought the logical next step was to adapt elements of fantasy games to legislative politics.

But he lacked the technological know-how to realize his vision. So he enlisted three computer-savvy peers and they began to piece together the site. Arjun Lall, who was in an accounting class with Lee, began working on the site. Lall said his computer science professor was supportive of Fantasy Congress and allowed him to work on the site and submit it as his ﬁnal project. The creators said they are using prize money from an earlier school-sponsored award to get the site running and are working on a volunteer basis. The students said they may sell some advertising to keep the site running, but they have no plans to make Fantasy Congress a pay service. Claremont McKenna professor John Pitney Jr. said he plans to have his students play Fantasy Congress next semester. “I thought it was a terriﬁc idea,” Pitney said. “It’s a way of harnessing the spirit of competition to the cause of education.”

TRENDS/DIVERSIONS

Wednesday, November 1, 2006

The University Star - Page 7

✯Star Comics

Michael Perez/Philadelphia Inquirer HEAVY SET PET: Thunder, the black lab, takes a nap while everyone watches a video during the National PetFit Challenge Championships Oct. 19 at the Tavern on the Green in New York City. Studies show that more than 40 percent of pets are vastly overweight.

Problem of obesity in pets increasing By Dawn Fallik The Philadelphia Inquirer

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Tuesday’s solutions:

PHILADELPHIA — It was no Weight Watchers meeting. Under the glittering chandeliers at New York’s famous Tavern on the Green restaurant, Thunder, formerly known as the “black ﬂabrador retriever,” padded up to the scale. His competition: a miniature pinscher, a beagle, an English Lab and a Chesapeake Bay retriever. Starting off at 178.8 pounds, the question was, would Thunder be the biggest loser in the canine slim-down competition? Thunder was always mighty big, but when his owner, Linda Leigh Sacco of Abescon, N.J., got busy with two jobs, he became mighty fat. “He never ate a lot. He just didn’t get a lot of exercise,” Sacco said. “He’s just a largerboned breed.” People know that childhood and adult obesity pose health and social problems. But on animals, well, come on; rub that soft belly. Look at that cute waddle. Give that cuddly mufﬁn a treat. Except that it’s not so cute anymore. With 40 percent of animals older than the age of 4 regarded as overweight, veterinarians say they are seeing more diabetes, joint problems and other health issues similar to those of their heavy humans. And they are calling on owners to step up to the plate, so to speak, and put their pets on a diet. “There really is an obesity epidemic,” said Christine Bohn, medical director of VCA Cat Hospital in Philadelphia. “As a profession, we’re recognizing it more and more, and it’s preventable.” In the interests of full disclosure, Bohn admitted that both her cats, Simon and Stanley, are dieting. They had shed pounds chasing her laser pointer but gained it right back after Bohn went on vacation.

“My friend just put down food, and they ate as much as they wanted,” she said, laughing. “They gained two pounds back — each.” Vets say pet fat is not totally the fault of people. More animals are spayed and neutered, slowing metabolism and increasing obesity. Animals tend to stay indoors more, particularly in urban areas. Apartments may be safer, but cats burn more calories climbing trees than couches. Not everything can be blamed on environment, said Kathryn Michel, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. “The largest growth in the pet industry is the treat division,” Michel said. “There didn’t use to be cat treats.” Last year, she studied the success of the “CatKins” all-protein diet. It worked just as it does in people. “The bottom line is that if they had their calorie intake restricted, they lost weight,” said Michel, who is now studying whether dieting dogs are more aggressive. “Those on low carbs and low calories lost exactly the same amount of weight.” Sounds easy, right? You control the food and the exercise. You’re the boss. But even Jane Brydon, a dog trainer, is powerless over her pooch. Brydon said Gracie does a “knockout” rollover and never jumps on visitors. But when it comes to snatching the cat food, even Brydon cannot prevent “counter-surﬁng.” “I have a baby gate that blocks off the kitchen from the living room, and now I have a rocking chair blocking the baby gate,” said Brydon, whose Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix weighs 12 pounds, instead of the optimum nine. Even people who motivate human clients to climb mountains and drop pounds melt in the face of “that face.” The one with the liquid eyes, the begging

here “T really is an obesity

epidemic. As a profession, we’re recognizing it more and more, and it’s preventable.”

Christine Bohn VCA Cat Hospital medical director

and the pet-my-belly plea. Jillian Michaels, the tough personal trainer who bullied contestants on the weight-loss show The Biggest Loser, was a complete softie when it came to her Chihuahua, Baxter. “I just thought it was cute and he’s a dog, who cares?” she said. There were meatballs. Scraps. Accidental treats, like the entire box of hard candy her friend left on the kitch en table. Suddenly, he was 12 pounds. When her vet told Michaels that her dog could live an extra five years if he shed some weight, the trainer got motivated. Now instead of meatballs, he gets Science Diet treats. “It’s like methadone to a heroin addict,” she said. Michaels was one of the judges at the recent National PetFit Challenge, sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. With the Tavern on the Green’s normally tourist-filled hallway covered in cat litter boxes, and a terrace available for canine relief, Baxter’s final weigh-in was a success — down to 8.6 pounds. Thunder also proved to be an excellent example, dropping 44.4 pounds to an athletic 134.4 with the help of daily walks and low-carb, high-fiber pet food. Alas, he wasn’t the biggest loser; Milo, the miniature pinscher, stole the crown after dropping from 22.8 pounds to 10.6.

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

Tuesday’s solutions:

OPINIONS THE UNIVERSITY STAR

onlineconnection What do you think of the Associated Student Government not contacting candidates from both sides of a race to speak at their meetings? Go to www.UniversityStar.com to vote in our online poll. Results will be published in Thursday’s issue of The University Star.

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - Page 8

*This is not a scientiﬁc poll

Opinions Contact — Emily Messer, staropinion@txstate.edu

THE MAIN POINT

ust as the demons in “Night on Bald Mountain” retired at the end of Fantasia, the girls in skimpy clothing and the Halloween high jinks and excesses came to an end last night leaving students to return to their daily routine.

SPIRITED

The audacity of Barack Obama

CELEBRATION

Holiday a time to honor lives of loved ones

Today is All Saints Day and tomorrow will be All Souls Day. These Christian holidays celebrate martyrs and the departed faithful, respectively. Because we live so close to the Mexican border, Texans are fortunate enough to glean certain aspects of our neighbors’ culture. Although Americans of European descent have let the traditions of honoring our loved ones on today and tomorrow slip away, today and tomorrow you will see the New World incarnations of those ancient celebrations on campus and around Central Texas. The need to gather with friends and loved ones to remember those who have passed seems universal. Students often post messages to their deceased friends on the Internet. People want the forum to communicate with each other about loved ones who are gone. But the cold, impersonality of the Internet seems to add to the pain rather than reduce it. Día de los Muertos celebrations begin today and culminate tomorrow. The holiday gives us an opportunity to get together and celebrate the people we no longer have with us but who meant so much. It is a chance to express our feelings about the dead, feelings we usually hide and are afraid to let out for fear of seeming morbid. McClatchy Newspapers released an article Monday by Alison Ward discussing the commercialization of Día de los Muertos. The article says the holiday is becoming trendy, but points out that is what happens to all holidays. Thanks, Hallmark. It doesn’t really matter if the sales of tiny skulls have gone up in the last few years. The spirit of the celebration remains the same. We have two days set aside to honor the dead, something we don’t do enough. This isn’t a politician’s campaign speech talking about soldiers who lost their lives in Iraq, or some other exploitation of dead heroes. Día de los Muertos is about celebrating the ordinary people who meant something to us. This year’s popular, tourist-driven Día de los Muertos celebration in Oaxaca won’t be as colorful or as grand as it has been in the past thanks to federal troops occupying the city. At Texas State we can still keep the tradition alive. We don’t need to go bake cookies, wear masks or join the marches. But we can take the time to talk to our friends and family about those who aren’t here any more and what they meant to us. It’s a sad reality, but we probably won’t bother to do that for another year. 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 UniversitySan Marcos.

Mike Wood/Star illustration

Economic development important to avoid rival areas taking over I am a native of San Marcos. I attended San Marcos High School and also Texas State. I am IAN SKILES married and City Council Place 1 Candidate own a home here in San Marcos. I currently own a business that, with my employees, repairs houses, duplexes and apartments in and around San Marcos. A majority of the people in San Marcos are attending public school, enrolled in Texas State or working hard to make a living. Because of my 28-year history in San Marcos, I can relate to all of these groups. Furthermore, I believe that my history in San Marcos gives me a unique perspective on our community and will be beneﬁcial as I contemplate our future. Over the last two months of campaigning, I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the students on campus, and I hope to bring your

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

hope to help bring about ways to ease movement of the students to and from campus both safely and efﬁciently. hopes and concerns to the council. I was pleasantly surprised to ﬁnd students who had educated questions about the budget and the direction the city was going towards growth and infrastructure. Growth in San Marcos has been the topic most discussed in this campaign. New Braunfels, Kyle and Buda all experienced six to nine times as many homes built last year than San Marcos. We need to encourage businesses and master-planned communities to build here to increase the tax base before we become smothered by other cities.

City, university keep one another afloat

In Spring 2006, a group of apCompleting the loop proximately around San Marcos will be 50 people one of my top priorities participated while I am in office. The loop in a onewill allow traffic to circumday charette BETSY ROBERTSON vent Hopkins Street and our focused on City Council Place 1 downtown while providing maintaining Candidate areas for San Marcos to grow. the beauty of Being proactive in improvthe San Marcos River. People from ing and building roads will the university and the city joined allow us to avoid the conprofessionals from state agencies gestion our to explore ways to civic neighbors protect the natural deal with and spaces and wildlife The University Star’s reduce the while maximizeditorial board invited congestion we ing human use all contested city council have now. of the river and candidates to write a Working the nearby public guest column. closely with spaces. The ideas the university, generated during I hope to help bring about the sessions will be used to guide ways to ease movement of future planning efforts of the wathe students to and from tershed. Such examples of town campus both safely and efgown cooperation are sometimes ficiently. forgotten when tempers flare and I look forward to serving an “us-versus-them” mentality as your city council represen- takes over. tative. Thank you for your University towns are sometimes time, consideration and your seen as battlegrounds and many vote. people exaggerate the tensions and differences between student Ian Skiles is a and non-student residents for San Marcos City Council their own self-interests. In such an Place 1 candidate. atmosphere, it’s easy to forget how

Editor In Chief...................................Jason Buch, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor.........................Emily Messer, staropinion@txstate.edu News Editor..............................David Saleh Rauf, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor....................Maira Garcia, starentertainment@txstate.edu Photo Editor...................................Monty Marion, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor..................................Chris Boehm, starsports@txstate.edu

Twelve hours is a long wait to have a book signed. But three friends spent Friday night on an Austin street corner hoping to be first in line to have U.S. Sen. Barack FRED AFFLERBACH Obama autograph a Star Columnist copy of his book, The Audacity of Hope. When I arrived at the 2006 Texas Book Festival at the state capitol Saturday morning, people waiting for Obama were lined up for several blocks. Sitting in lawn chairs, wrapped in blankets, some had been waiting since 5 a.m. I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. Didn’t the Rolling Stones play Austin last week? The audacity of an Illinois senator coming down here to our book festival and stealing the show. What is it about this relative newcomer to the national political stage that galvanizes people? Those waiting in line on this chilly October morning told me he was presidential, charismatic, a good family man, concerned and connected. And it didn’t hurt that he was a hit on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Still, I had to see for myself. The 500seat House Chamber was full, but I slipped in and stood near the upstairs rear door. The Texas State Capitol, site of much rancor the last few years, seemed to take a deep breath and exhale. Obama spoke about the significance of the title of his book, The Audacity of Hope. He said it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the problems in the world — war, poverty, genocide. It’s easy to accept that there is little one person can accomplish on a global scale. To hope, to believe, to aspire for such ideals as world peace and harmony can be deemed naïve, even audacious. However, if that’s labeled audacious, too bad. But don’t mistake audacious for ostentatious. The senator’s voice projects and the audience Saturday often interrupted him with applause, yet he is soft-spoken. He mixes a gentle demeanor with a command of language that is uncommon today. In this divisive political age, where it’s red versus blue, you’re either with us or against us and if you speak out about bringing home troops from Iraq, you’re accused of cutting and running, it is refreshing to have someone reach out for common ground. “Our country is not as divided as our politicians suggest,” Obama said. “We have a set of common values and ideals that bind us together.” Obama’s life truly reflects America’s diversity. His father is from Kenya, his mother from Kansas. They met in Hawaii, where he was born, but divorced when Obama was two. He lived with his grandparents for a while and attended school both on the West Coast at Occidental College and the East Coast at Harvard. He now lives in the Midwest. Until a few weeks ago, Obama said he wasn’t interested in running for president. But recently on national television, he said he may change his mind. Obama’s supporters might have to wait another year to see if he’ll run, and a year more to see if he wins. Maybe 12 hours wasn’t that long after all. Fred Afflerbach is a mass communication senior

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e want transportation choices, including mass transit, good roads and safe places to walk and ride bicycles. much we have in common. Everyone wants a safe, attractive place to live. We want to have a choice in the type of housing and if we own, we want to maintain the value of our investment. We want transportation choices, including mass transit, good roads and safe places to walk and ride bicycles. Maintaining parks and open space, a clean river and vibrant public buildings is important, as is a steadily growing economy with an expanding tax base and job and career opportunities. With all these shared goals, it is in our common interest to work together to achieve them. Texas State has already started several initiatives such as Bobcat Build, the Student Volunteer Connection and the Community Relations Council. Donovan Knight,

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pre-mass communication junior, serves as the liaison to the city council; a corresponding council liaison to the ASG would be a good idea. Kim Porterﬁeld of the university’s community relations council and Carol Barrett of the city’s planning department recently attended a national conference on town-and-gown issues. These are all positive steps forward. The university is a tremendous asset to the city. The city provides the university with infrastructure and public safety protection. We need each other and we can accomplish great things working together. Most importantly, we need to keep open the portals of communication and to realize that at one time in our lives we were or will be in the other’s shoes. Creating a cooperative spirit and setting policy to manage a $100 million budget requires thoughtful people of integrity who have an ability to listen, an ability to articulate a shared vision for the long term as well as the short-term interests of the city. It requires people who love where they live, who are experienced and want to give back for the beneﬁt of all. Betsy Robertson is a San Marcos City Council Place 1 candidate. 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 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a distribution of 8,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright November 1, 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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Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - Page 9 Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - Page 33 AUTO

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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.

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SPORTS

familyties

THE UNIVERSITY STAR

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has asked his mother to stop using a picture of him in her campaign commercials for a spot on Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals. Mina Brees, a Democrat, has been showing a picture of her son to represent her ties to football and how a sports background has taught her a strong work ethic she plans on bringing to the judicial bench. Brees, who won a state championship with Austin’s Westlake High School, called his relationship with his mother “nonexistent” after he refused to hire her as his agent six years ago.

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 - Page 10

— The Associated Press

Sports Contact — Chris Boehm, starsports@txstate.edu

Living in a fantasy world Sunday evening, as I watched America’s Team dismantle the Carolina Panthers on NBC’s Sunday WILLIAM WARD Night FootStar Columnist ball, I heard something funny. I’m not talking about John Madden’s puzzling passion for pulled pork, but instead it was something my girlfriend said. I made the comment that I had Cowboys wide receiver Terry Glenn on my fantasy football team. Her reply confused me: “What’s fantasy football?” She then gave me one of those looks that said no matter what my answer was, it would merely confirm her suspicions that I was, in fact, a huge nerd. What confused me is that I assumed fantasy football was popular enough that even people not as geeky for football as I am are aware of what it’s basically about. It’s been a growing fad among sports fans, and I hopped on board the bandwagon before last season. As a two-year fantasy football veteran, I feel adequately qualified to explain the ins and outs. However, the disclaimer here is that there are many types of leagues and scoring, so not everything will be exactly how it goes in every single fantasy football league out there. First thing’s first: Fantasy football is a game that takes a group of people who are football fans and gives them something to boast and brag to each other about relentlessly for almost six months. Your goal is to be a fake general manager/owner of a team and assemble the best fantasy team. The way you acquire your players is through a draft. The name of the game in fantasy football is stats. The game scores your team based on stats. So if your favorite player is a fullback who throws crushing blocks but never gets the rock, go ahead and avoid him on draft day. You won’t be successful in fantasy football if you make a lot of picks with your heart. The rule of the thumb in most fantasy football leagues is that you can never have enough running backs. It will be tempting to take Peyton Manning with your first pick, but keep in mind that even scrub quarterbacks have 300-yard, three-touchdown days. Less often, however, do no-name running backs or journeymen running backs have huge days or put up consistent stats on which you can depend. Receivers are a mustavoid in the first few rounds, for the same reason as quarterbacks. No-name receivers emerge every year, and guys with great careers go quiet. In most leagues, it would not be foolish to take running backs with your first three picks. Guys get injured all the time at that position, and no one is a sure thing. Most fantasy football leagues also draft kickers and team defenses for points. Kickers are scored by extra points and field goals, depending on length. Never take a kicker or a defense before an offensive player. Ever. Even if you want to get the best kicker or defense in the league, just don’t do it. There is not a huge disparity in points you can earn from Chicago’s defense versus an average team like Tennessee. So remember — fantasy football is a sport of strategy, blind luck and degradation. Even the best-laid plans go terribly wrong. Just ask guys who drafted Shaun Alexander and Daunte Culpepper. Don’t forget to rub it in when it happens to your friends — otherwise, what’s the point? William Ward is a political science junior

Austin Byrd/Star photo TEAMING UP: The Spurs Coyote and Boko the Bobcat teamed up at Fandemonium Monday night at Strahan Coliseum to raise money for the American Cancer Society and promote the upcoming 2006-2007 men’s and women’s basketball season.

Charity event raises money for American Cancer Society By Gordon Taylor The University Star With NCAA hoops right around the corner, Bobcat basketball fans gathered at Strahan Coliseum Monday night to meet and greet Texas State men’s and women’s players and coaching staff at Fandemonium. The event was free of charge but fans were asked to bring a $1 or $2 donation that went directly to the American Cancer Society. The ACS has been teamed up with National Association of Basketball Coaches for Coaches vs. Cancer since 1993 to raise cancer awareness, and has raised $29 million toward the cause. The society was also selling rafﬂe tickets at Fandemonium, with all proceeds going to the ACS. The event included introductions of players and coaches from both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, appearances by Boko and the Bobcat Cheerleaders and performances by the Texas State Strutters,

San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers and the Spurs Coyote. Fandemonium left players, coaches and fans excited about the Bobcat basketball season. “I think Coach (Doug) Davalos has these guys working hard. They look like they’ll be exciting to watch,” said Ryan Karpel, exercise and sports science sophomore. “After attending Fandemonium I think the team looks really athletic and will play a fast-paced game.” Davalos was excited about the turnout for Fandemonium and the support shown for cancer awareness. “It’s nice to combine two positives around this time of year. The start of basketball season and the ﬁght against cancer made for a great combination event,” Davalos said. “We really appreciate the support from the community and everyone who came out.” Exercise and sports science junior Matt Fullenwider shared the coach’s enthusiasm about Fandemonium. “It’s great. It’s always good to come home to have a big crowd,” Fullenwider said.

Coach Suzanne Fox’s women are also getting ready for their own schedule. Regular-season play begins Nov. 12 for the women in Austin against LouisianaLafayette. “It’s an exciting event,” Fox said of Fandemonium. “It’s a great cause, and we’ve got a lot of support. The fans had a good time, and we as a team are anxious to do anything to help out the community.” Senior forward Ashley Riley was also impressed with the turnout and said she hoped it will continue to grow in the following years. “It’s really exciting to see everyone who came out to support us,” Riley said. “It’s bigger than last year, and hopefully it will be even bigger next year. I’m just grateful that we have supporters out there.” Both the men and women will make their preseason debuts Tuesday at home in a double-header. The women play at 5:30 p.m. against the Houston Elite and the men are set for a contest at 7:30 p.m. against Texas Lutheran.

Former Bobcats receive LSC anniversary honors By Richard Lopez The University Star Long before the Bobcats were members of the Southland Conference, Texas State played out its gridiron battles in another arena. Founded on April 25, 1931, thenSouthwest Texas State Teachers College was a charter member and competed in the Lone Star Conference until the 19831984 season, when it made the jump to Division I-AA. Today, the LSC is made up of 15 Division II teams from Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. Recently, the conference celebrated its 75th anniversary and will be honoring the members, both past and present, throughout the year in various ways. The conference recognized ﬁve Bobcat players and two coaches as being among the best to ever play in the conference. Although this list highlights individual players and coaches, LSC interim commissioner Stan Wagnon said the conference is what it is today because of charter members such as then-Southwest Texas State University. “The LSC has a proud history in the sport of football. That tradition started with our charter members,” Wagnon said. “If you look at the charter members such as East Texas State, North Texas, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and SWT, each one of those schools has had a tremendous amount of success. They laid the foundation for us being a successful football conference. We are proud to honor that in any way we can.”

The Bobcat players selected to the list are quarterback Pence Dacus (195153); linebacker Cyril Friday (1980-83); guard Gonzalo Garcia (1947-49); quarterback Mike Miller (1978-81) and offensive tackle John Reese (1960-63). The two coaches recognized are Bill Miller (1964-78) and Jim Wacker (1979-82). Wagnon realized such a list would celebrate the last 75 years of the conference, and at the same time honor those that were and are a part of it. “There were about 150 players nominated and we trimmed the list down to 75 since we are obviously celebrating our 75th year,” Wagnon said. “We formed a committee of administrators throughout the conference. These administrators solicited nominations from current and former members of the Lone Star Conference. There are definitely good players and coaches that didn’t make the list, but we felt like we had a pretty comprehensive list to start with and a good process for narrowing that down to the 75 that we selected.” One of the players selected, Miller, led the Bobcats to their first national championship, in 1981. The La Grange native passed for 4,446 yards during his career and was named second-team all conference as a junior and first-team as a senior. Although proud to be selected, Miller acknowledged the team’s achievements rather than individual ones. “It is a great honor to be included on the list. I am very humbled,” Miller said. “I can think of many outstanding players who I was fortunate enough to have participated with who were not includ-

Photo courtesy of Alkek Library SAGE ADVICE: Former coach Jim Wacker, for whom Wacker Field is named, gives instructions to former quarterback Mike Miller. Both have been honored by the Lone Star Conference, along with ﬁve other Bobcats, as some of the most important individuals in the conference’s history.

ed. They are the players who made me and deserve the same if not more recognition than I have received.” Miller is currently an assistant principal in the Judson Independent School District. “I viewed myself as a role player who enacted the intuitive genius of Jim Wacker on the ﬁeld. I wanted to execute the offense the way he designed it,” Miller said. “The guys I was surrounded with made that quite easy. In my mind I can go down the roster on offense and defense and hero after hero comes to mind. I’m sure each team in the conference feels this way, but these are my guys and I know them. They all deserve the highest recognition in my eyes.” Current Texas State coach David Bailiff, who played in the Lone Star conference from 1977-80, played under both coaches and alongside a few of the players, and said he knows what made them deserving of selection. “What made the coaches worthy was

that they brought a lot of prestige to the university. As far as the team, they made us student athletes first,” Bailiff said. “They always put a priority on academics. You would miss practice before you missed a class. They went over and above the call of duty, and made sure morale and discipline were high. They were very giving of their time.” In his teammates Bailiff said he saw a Happy Days star and a mutant straight out of the pages of comic book lore. “Mike Miller had an uncanny resemblance to Richie Cunningham,” Bailiff said. “Mike was a candidate for a Rhodes Scholar, (he was) absolutely brilliant. He put it all together on the football field. With the combination of mind and speed on a football field, he made unbelievable things happen. Cyril Friday was one of the first original XMen. He could beam himself to different places on the football field. He had unbelievable instincts, and a tremendous work ethic.”

Texas State looks to remain perfect in SLC home games By Robyn Wolf The University Star Bobcat volleyball will continue its home stand Tuesday by hosting the Sam Houston State Bearkats. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Texas State currently has a 8-4 record in Southland Conference play going into the ﬁnal weeks of the season. The regular season ends Nov. 11 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. “The next three weeks are the big-

gest of the season,” said Coach Karen Chisum. “We will be focused, intense and ready.” Tonight’s match will be the 77th meeting between the two teams; SHSU holds a 38-37-1 advantage all-time. The Bobcats and Bearkats split a twomatch series last season, with Texas State defeating Sam Houston 3-1 at Strahan Coliseum. Texas State will look to keep rolling at home, while SHSU is 2-4 on the road in conference play.

“We are undefeated (8-0) in SLC play at home,” Chisum said. “We are very conﬁdent in Strahan Coliseum and love playing here.” Prior to a win over UTSA, the Bearkats had been riding a four-match losing streak. Texas State has won seven of its last nine matches, including two sweeps Friday and Saturday. “Getting two wins is always exciting,” senior middle blocker Karry Grifﬁn said after Saturday’s win over Southeastern

Louisiana. “It helps our conﬁdence.” Lindsey Roebken, who is averaging 3.48 kills per game, leads the SHSU offense. Cynthia Yarotsky is second in the club with 3.13. Katie Phillips leads the Bearkats at the net with 77 blocks. The Bearkats have utilized two setters this season; Megan McNamara and Jackie Melinder lead with 9.43 and 7.41 assists per game, respectively. Melissa Sims has 32 aces on the season to lead the Bearkat service line, and also anchors the defense with 5.33 a contest.

Chisum said the Texas State attack will remain unchanged despite sickness among some players. “We’ve had some sicknesses running through the team, so we’ve been limited somewhat in practice,” Chisum said. “But the starters should be the same. Everyone is working hard with great attitudes.” Following tonight’s match, Texas State will remain at home to play conference-leading Stephan F. Austin at 4 p.m. on Saturday

11 01 2006

Published on Nov 1, 2006

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