March 18 2014

VOLUME 103, ISSUE 66

www.UniversityStar.com

TUESDAY

MARCH 18, 2014

Defending the First Amendment since 1911

PODCAST | UniversityStar.com

PHOTOS | UniversityStar.com

From the Field to the Fans: Odus Evbagharu and his team of reporters discuss Bobcat Athletics in today’s episode.

South By Southwest: Go to UniversityStar.com to see more photos from the festival.

2014

SXSW

»

Annual interactive, music, film festival draws international crowds

Madelynne Scales | Assistant Photo Editor

Childish Gambino performs March 15 at Butler Park.

page 5: MUSIC page 6: FILM

featuring Young The Giant, Willie Nelson, Coldplay

»

featuring ‘Yakona,’ ‘Veronica Mars,’ ‘Beyond Clueless’

Cheers Elephant performs March 11 at The Thirsty Nickel during SXSW.

Madelynne Scales | Assistant Photo Editor

ONLINE SECURITY

Edward Snowden joins festival via video conference, criticizes NSA surveillance

By Caitlin Clark Editor-in-Chief

In his videoconference at South

By Southwest Interactive March 10, Edward Snowden appeared in front of an image of the document that has charged him with theft and espionage.

“I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and I saw that the Constitution was violated on a massive scale,” he said.

Snowden spoke remotely from

Russia, where he has been staying under asylum since fleeing the United States after leaking thousands of classified government surveillance documents last June. The whistleblower said the National Security Agency and similar government surveillance programs are “setting fire to the future of the Internet.”

"The people in this room are all the firefighters," Snowden said of the SXSW audience. "We need you to help us fix this."

Snowden said he has no re-

grets about leaking the NSA documents, which revealed the intelligence agency has been monitoring Americans’ phone and Internet activity in the name of national security.

"Would I do it again? Absolutely. Regardless of what happens to me, this is something we had a right to know," Snowden said.

While Snowden sat in front of a green screen displaying a copy of the U.S. Constitution in Rus-

See SNOWDEN, Page 2

ONLINE SECURITY

Wikileaks founder Skypes into SXSW

By Caitlin Clark Editor-in-Chief

Internet surveillance and security was a major theme of South By Southwest Interactive, with whistleblower Julian Assange Skyping into the festival March 8 from his current home in London’s Ecuadorian Embassy.

The WikiLeaks founder said living as a political refugee inside the embassy since June 2012 has been “a bit like prison” because

he is confined indoors and under constant police surveillance.

“I am able to exist in a situation which is every national security reporter’s dream, which is a land without police," Assange said. "It is a no man's land, as far as coercion is concerned."

Assange said people have moved all factors of their lives onto the Internet in today’s digital age, and the National Security Agency has been “sucking” all of their personal information up.

The NSA’s ability to store infor-

mation has been doubling every 18 months, he said.

“The ability to surveil everyone on the planet is almost here, and arguably we’ll be there in a few years,” Assange said.

When fellow whistleblower Edward Snowden’s revelations about the NSA surfaced, U.S. citizens were able to see how aggressive the response of its government would be.

See ASSANGE, Page 2

CRIME

Three killed after alleged drunk driver crashes through festival crowd

By Taylor Tompkins News Editor

Two pedestrians were killed and 23 more were injured when a vehicle barreled down a street closed to traffic March 13 during South

By Southwest.

Rashad Charjuan Owens, 21, of Killeen struck a crowd of pedestrians at 12:32 a.m. while they were waiting in line to enter the Mohawk nightclub. Owens was allegedly fleeing police officers attempting to carry out a drunk driving stop when he crashed through the barriers blocking off Red River Street, plowing down a crowd outside the nightclub.

Two people were proclaimed dead on the scene, and a third died yesterday from her injuries, according to the Austin Police Department. Twenty-two other victims were transported to hospitals after the crash and some are still in critical condition.

Meghan Cantu, electronic media sophomore, was waiting for a Tyler, the Creator show at the Mohawk with her friend when the incident occurred.

“I just heard a loud crash, and I turn around real quick and I see

the car bust through the barriers and hit several people,” Cantu said. “But whenever I saw it, I saw three distinct people get hit and fly out and then barrel roll onto the concrete on the ground. It was really scary. It was really indescribable.”

Owens continued driving after hitting the festival-goers, and police followed closely behind him, Cantu said. Ambulances followed a few minutes after the accident,.

“At that point (when the ambulance arrived), I didn’t know if the people were dead or alive.

I mean, they looked to be dead,” Cantu said. “I saw the blood on the ground—they weren’t moving. One of the guys we saw went into cardiac arrest and was later revived. It was complete panic mode. Everybody was freaking out, crying, and we were in the middle of it all.”

Owens has been charged with capital murder and is being held on a $3 million bond, according to the Austin Police Department.

Shows at the Mohawk and Cheer Up Charlie’s were initially suspended after the incident but continued as usual at 7 p.m. for regularly scheduled showcases, according to SXSW officials.

SCIENCE

Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses new show, importance of ‘cosmic perspective’

By Caitlin Clark Editor-in-Chief

If the star power of legendary astrophysicist, author and science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson is any indication, science is becoming cool again.

Tyson’s reboot of Cosmos, a television series that first debuted in 1980 with Carl Sagan as host, premiered March 9 in 170 countries and 45 languages, the largest television rollout in history. The astrophysicist, who

has accumulated more than 1.69 million Twitter followers, told the audience at his keynote address at South By Southwest Interactive he had just learned President Barack Obama would give an introduction at the beginning of the series.

"With the President of the United States participating in the rollout of a scientific adventure, I think there is no better evidence that we do have a future that we can dream of," Tyson said.

Tyson’s popularity can argu-

ably be attributed to his ability to make science accessible to the masses, using humor and storytelling to explain his ideas.

He held an exhibit hall of 3,500 people spellbound as he talked about the wonders of the universe.

Tyson acknowledged his celebrity and the considerable media attention Cosmos is receiving.

“It must mean that there is a hunger out there and it has not been filled,” he said. “Cosmos is landing on fertile ground and sci-

ence is becoming mainstream."

While it may be becoming mainstream, there is an alarming amount of misconceptions about science, he said. Journalist Christie Nicholson, who moderated Tyson’s keynote, asked for his thoughts on a recent National Science Foundation study that found about 25 percent of Americans think the sun revolves around the earth.

Tyson said this is a sign of the education system’s failure to empower people to learn some of

the most fundamental principals of science. However, he does not think people should have to possess a large body of knowledge about science. He prefers to define science literacy by how much one still wonders about the world around them.

He emphasized the importance of skepticism, curiosity and the ability to “question” rather than “believe.”

“You can't just choose what

See TYSON, Page 2

2 | The University Star | News | Tuesday March 18, 2014

SCIENCE

ASSANGE, continued from front

Star of ‘MythBusters’ talks science, art during keynote address at SXSW Interactive

By Liza Winkler

Managing Editor

Wearing his signature blackrimmed glasses, Adam Savage, star of the hit show “MythBusters” on the Discovery Channel, led a keynote session Monday at the SXSW Interactive.

Speaking in his typical fastpaced manner, Savage’s discussion focused on the “maker age” in regard to science and art in today’s society. After a 20-minute presentation, Savage answered various questions from audience members on Twitter about his personal life, “MythBusters” fame and opinions on science education.

There are three major problems with the way science and art are perceived from a cultural perspective, causing the ideas to drift further apart, Savage said. People see science and art as opposites

and separate entities and do not try to understand seemingly difficult concepts if they believe they cannot do so.

“Ignorance doesn’t equal bliss,” Savage said. “The world isn’t perfect. We need to pay attention and talk to each other about it as part of culture. If we think we can opt out of culture, we’re idiots.”

For those who claim they “aren’t math people,” Savage said basic science is not too difficult to understand, as it is even used in sports calculations. It is “culturally imbued” in society that science is the death of art, which Savage said is a fallacy.

“Art and science are how we converse about who we are and what we’re doing,” Savage said.

“Since the first caveman picked up a stick, (he) was utilizing science.

When he told his compadres, how did he tell them? By painting it

on the wall. Art and science have always been the twin engines pushing us forward as a species.”

Savage said there has been a cultural “steering away” from discussing failure in science, and people are often under the wrong impression that a “mountain of facts” must be memorized to be successful. For example, Savage said he doubts the success of his own experiments and learns from mistakes every day on “MythBusters.”

“Seventy-five percent (of the way) in I will think, ‘This is total crap and I don’t know what I’m doing,’” Savage said. “I just have to push past that point and don’t stop even when I want to.”

Costar Jamie Hyneman, known for his beret, glasses and mustache look, hired Savage for his first job

See SAVAGE, Page 3

SNOWDEN, continued from front sia, two American Civil Liberties Union lawyers joined the conversation in Austin. Christopher Soghoian, the ACLU’s principal technologist, said he knew there would be some people watching the “virtual conversation” who disagree with Snowden’s actions.

“But let me clear about one really important thing,” Soghoian said. “(Snowden’s) disclosures have improved Internet security.”

Snowden discussed the need for more accessible, secure communication tools.

One solution Snowden highlighted was to implement end-toend encryption that would protect communications from user to user. Encryption used through Google and other services leave communications vulnerable to collection from the service provider.

Snowden said end-to-end encryption makes mass surveillance

virtually impossible at the network level and provides a more constitutionally sound model of surveillance, because it forces the government to target individual users through hacking rather than conduct mass collection.

“The bottom line is that encryption does work,” Snowden said.

“It's the ‘Defense Against the Dark Arts’ of the digital realm.”

When asked about the difference between surveillance by the government and by private Internet companies, Snowden said government surveillance is more underhanded.

“The government has the ability to deprive you of rights,” Snowden said. “They can jail you.”

Snowden faces felony charges of espionage and theft of government property in the United States and has said he will not return from Russia until the U.S. changes its whistleblower protec-

tion laws.

The first question of the session came from Tim BernersLee, creator of the World Wide Web. Berners-Lee said he believes Snowden’s actions are “profoundly in the public interest” and asked what should be changed in the nation’s surveillance system.

Snowden answered that there needs to be public oversight and “some way for trusted public figures to advocate for us.”

"We need a watchdog that watches Congress, because if we're not informed, we can't consent to these (government) policies," Snowden said.

Snowden reminded the audience that even if they trust the current administration with their data, the person in the Oval Office changes every four years.

"We rely on the ability to trust our communications, and without that, we cannot succeed," he said.

Assange said the penetration of the Internet by the NSA is a penetration of the civilian society, and there has been a “militarization” of civilian space. He questioned the power of the U.S. government and Obama administration.

When the government is serious, someone is fired, forced to resign, prosecuted or budgets are cut, Assange said. None of those things have happened in the past eight months since the Snowden revelations.

“Who really wears the pants?

Is it the intelligence agencies, or is it the (Obama) administration?” Assange said.

American citizens are all now a part of “the state,” like it or not, he said, and have no choice but to attempt to manage the behavior of the state they have been forced to be a part of.

“One of the best ways to achieve justice is expose injustice,” Assange said. “You create a general deterrent for anyone believing they can construct an unjust plan in a serious manner that affects people.”

On the topic of exposing injustice, Assange said there is now an exodus of NSA reporters, who are “a new type of refugee” because they could be arrested at any moment in the United States. Germany and Brazil are nuclei of national security reportage because of the

journalists who have fled there, he said.

Assange praised journalist Glenn Greenwald, who became widely known after writing a series of reports detailing global surveillance programs based on classified documents disclosed

by Snowden.

“I find it hard to imagine any reporter in the U.S. could have done better or been braver than Glenn Greenwald,” Assange said.

In response to a question from the audience, Assange confirmed new leaks are coming, but would not give specifics so institutions would not have time “to prepare spin."

Assange touched on future targets, saying before information like Snowden’s NSA revelations leaked, people were going about their business in what they thought was the world.

“But we weren’t living in the world—we were living in some fictitious representation of what we thought was the world,” he said.

“We are walking around constantly in this fog where we can’t even see the ground,” Assange said. “We think we can see the ground, but we’re wrong. And every so often a clearing in the fog happens when there is one of these grand disclosures. And we see the ground, and we are surprised.”

TYSON, continued from front is true and what isn't,” Tyson said. “That's not the way the world works, or how science works.”

Tyson said having a cosmic perspective reorders what is important in the world. While space can render humankind extinct, it inspires in a way that makes people think about the future. The day people stop thinking about tomorrow is the day people stop innovating, Tyson said.

In the final thoughts he shared with the crowd before receiving a standing ovation,

Tyson explained that this urge to explore is part of the human condition.

“Humans are small,” he said. “There’s very little that distinguishes us, except for our capacity to wonder—to be curious. It’s been suggested that humans among all animals are the only ones completely comfortable sleeping on our backs. Well, if you sleep on your back and you’re outdoors and look up, what do you see?

You see the lights of the sky.

Our cosmos.”

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The University Star | News | Tuesday March 18, 2014 | 3

SAVAGE, continued from page 2 in special effects 21 years ago and later called him up in 2002 to help him produce pilots for what soon became “MythBusters.” The show premiered 11 years ago and has since catapulted Savage to become one of this generation’s science idols. Savage said he hopes

school officials are inspired by “MythBusters” to implement more funding and opportunities for hands-on science and art programs in the future.

“I’m a big fan of Edward Snowden,” Savage said. “He’s talking about social science and very complex issues—it

bears directly on art, science and everything. We owe it to ourselves to educate ourselves exactly what they mean instead of reading the headlines on Reddit and thinking we know what it means. I’m guilty of this too sometimes.”

ONLINE SECURITY

Journalist discusses Snowden revelations, citizens’ online privacy

By Liza Winkler

Managing Editor

BUSINESS

TOMS founder announces expansion of ‘One for One’ business model

By Liza Winkler

Managing Editor

Throughout the years, TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie’s core mission for his company has remained the same—to change the world one person at a time.

Mycoskie closed out the programming of SXSW Interactive March 11 with a bang, publically introducing the launch of his latest business venture called the TOMS Roasting Company. Following Mycoskie’s “One for One” business model, residents in other countries around the world will receive a pair of shoes, treatment for their eyesight or clean water whenever a customer purchases TOMS footwear, glasses or coffee beans.

In addition, Mycoskie announced the first-ever TOMS Cafe, which opened in Austin March 12. Along with the coffee products, a new online TOMS Roasting Club will ship beans out to customers.

Mycoskie said he will focus on opening more locations around the country after he relaxes from the Austin cafe's opening and “has a beer.”

“The first year I came to SXSW, I was living in an airstream trailer, fighting off the cops while selling TOMS shoes on the street,” Mycoskie

said. “I’ve been back a couple of times in between. I have the same hope and hustle right now (as I did then) because I’m getting into a totally new business.”

Since the company’s beginnings in 2006, many people who have seen the name “TOMS” may wonder where it derived, especially since the products are not named after their founder. The idea is if the company sells a pair of shoes today, they will give another away tomorrow, Mycoskie said. The word “tomorrow” did not fit well onto the shoes, so he decided to shorten it to “TOMS.” An unexpected month-long trip to Argentina in 2006 fueled Mycoskie’s entire model for TOMS. Mycoskie volunteered at a shoe drive and described the look on the children’s faces as an excitement “like Christmas Day.” As he was leaving and the children were waving goodbye, Mycoskie said he felt a sense of accomplishment and wanted to help more.

Mycoskie’s friend asked him a question he had not considered before — “what is going to happen when they grow out of those shoes?” Mycoskie said he was stumped.

“I never thought about asking how they would sustain giving shoes to these kids,”

Mycoskie said. “I went to bed that night, and I had new confusing thoughts about what we experienced. I woke up the next morning determined to think of a way to make sure these kids get their new shoes.”

With past entrepreneurial experience, Mycoskie settled on the for-profit “One for One” business model and flew back to Los Angeles ready to change the world. Since then, 15 million pairs of shoes have been distributed to people in need and more than 300 thousand people have their sight back as a result of TOMS. As the business continues to grow, one woman wearing red TOMS in New York several years ago is part of the reason the company has reached its peak today, Mycoskie said. Mycoskie, who faced skepticism from East Coast buyers at the time, said he approached this stranger in the airport because it was the first time he saw anyone in New York wearing his products.

The woman expressed her love of TOMS to Mycoskie, completely unaware he was the founder until he introduced himself. He boarded an airplane completely inspired, but unfortunately, never saw her again. Mycoskie encouraged the SXSW crowd to locate the woman, saying he would give her red TOMS “forever.”

After a videoconference from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden earlier in the day, journalist Glenn Greenwald addressed the crowd March 10 at South by Southwest Interactive via digital telecast, discussing government surveillance and individual privacy.

Snowden provided Greenwald with thousands of documents detailing the NSA’s surveillance activities on U.S. citizens before he fled the country. Greenwald said he has been sifting through the documents for the past six or seven months, and “about half” of his investigative reporting is complete. Greenwald did not feel comfortable publishing all of the documents online because he wants the information to be presented in a way to best inform and maximize the impact, he said.

“I think that the important framework here is that the presumption about secrecy has been radically reversed,” Greenwald said. “In a healthy democracy, everything in public office ought to be transparent. In very narrow cases, the things they do can be kept secret.

I’ve read top secret documents that are unbelievably boring because (government officials) have an obsession to keep everything secret.”

Micah Sifry, co-founder of Personal Democracy Media, interviewed Greenwald and allowed the audience to chime in through Twitter. Greenwald, formerly of The Guardian, will release his fifth book, “No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA and the U.S. Surveillance State,” in the coming months.

Many of the most “shocking” and significant stories regarding surveillance have yet to be published, Greenwald said. The Guardian, The Washington Post, The New York Times and other publica-

tions have “tens of thousands” of NSA documents at their disposal due to Snowden’s whistleblowing, Greenwald said.

In response to Snowden’s term, “the Glenn Greenwald test,” which references “idiot-proofing” online encryption, Greenwald said he has learned to use advanced versions of encryption tools on his devices since he is aware the government is attempting to monitor him.

“I think the barrier that people have to using encryption is more psychological than anything else,” Greenwald said. “I didn’t really perceive the value in it, but once I actually did it, I realized how incredibly easy it is. There are strides the tech community needs to make (for) these (to be) more user-friendly.”

Greenwald said there is a tendency for Americans to be dismissive of the government posing a threat to their civil liberties if one does not feel particularly targeted, which he said is “moronic.”

“I do think individuals have the principal obligation—if you’re really upset about what the NSA is doing, the question should be, ‘what should I do to stop them?’”

Greenwald said. “If you want to hide what you’re saying from them, they think what you’re saying is a bad thing. The more people use encryption, the more difficult that is (for the NSA to access personal information).”

For now, Greenwald said it “would be really good symbolism” if his next trip to the U.S. was made to receive the recently announced Polk Award for his NSA and Edward Snowden coverage amid criticism from the nation’s top officials.

“I don’t just see my role as disclosing info and then walking away,” Greenwald said. “I see exposing information as a means to an end. I definitely view journalism as a tool in pursuit of political value.”

4 | The University Star | Tuesday March 18, 2014

OPINIONS

UniversityStar.com

THE MAIN POINT

Attending class must be priority for students A

s the end of the semester approaches, it is important for students to remember they are generally better off attending class than not.

Temptations to skip class can take on many forms, some more reasonable than others. Barring legitimate illness and family disasters, however, almost all desire to skip stems from laziness or overconfidence. Students who say they can pass every test without attending lectures, a common but usually dubious claim, are missing the point—by registering for a class, they have already agreed to attend.

Students can choose to ignore that agreement, but any consequences of that decision are their own fault, not their teachers’.

Professors do not deserve angry emails and poor reviews for simply caring if students show up to their class. Studies and common sense show that class attendance, mandated or not, leads to better grades and engagement with course content. In a perfect world, grade penalties for repeated skipping would not be needed, but Texas State is not a perfect world— it is Texas State. Negative reinforcement is a necessary evil. Furthermore, the vast majority of class attendance policies are far from unreasonable.

Most allow at least two absences with no penalty at all. Outright failing a class purely due to attendance issues generally requires a week or more worth of classes to be missed without any reasonable excuse.

Every student on campus has heard the cry of “I am an adult, it is my decision to be somewhere or not” from the mouths of their classmates or themselves at some point. This is

a flawed attitude—adults are required to be places, often against their preference, all the time. Jury duty, the DMV and the workplace are all adult obligations that carry far harsher punishments for skipping out than a few points off a final grade. Claiming adulthood as an excuse for ignoring commitments demonstrates a lack of the exact maturity the claimant is professing.

The excuse that skipping class does not affect anyone but the one skipping does not hold up, particularly for classes with low registration caps that fill quickly. Registering for a class then failing to attend means preventing another student from signing up for that class and actually showing up.

Skipping class is also unfair to the parents, bank or institution paying the student’s way through college.

Between family help, scholarships and student loans, very few students are footing their entire college bill completely on their own. Accepting money for tuition then regularly cutting class is a direct waste of other people’s money. At $177 per semester credit hour, a three-hour class that meets twice a week costs roughly $33 per week. While not staggeringly expensive at first glance, that wasted expenditure adds up quickly for a habitual no-show.

The point is simple: Go to class, or do not—but do not accuse professors of acting condescending or unreasonable when they enforce attendance agreements clearly outlined in syllabi at the beginning of the semester.

Those rules are in place because professors want students to be there, and that attitude deserves support, not resistance.

The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do n ot necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University Student Media, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Texas State University.

Jordan Gurley | Star Illustrator

SOCIAL ISSUES

SEXUALITY

National drinking age should be lowered to 18

Alexis Aguirre Opinions Columnist Journalism sophomore

P

eople 18 years and older are considered adults and should be treated as such by being allowed to legally purchase and consume alcohol.

The United States is one of the few countries that maintains a relatively high minimum legal drinking age of 21.

According to a Jan. 23 Huffington Post article, despite the legal drinking age 17.5 percent of consumer spending for alcohol was under that age group. According to the same article, an estimated 90 percent of underage drinking is consumed via binge drinking. Despite the age limit on alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse remains prevalent among the country’s youth.

The legal drinking age should be lowered to 18. Once 18, a person is legally considered an adult and therefore should be able to drink. Lowering the drinking age will not only give 18-year-olds the rights and recognition they deserve as adults, but will also obliterate a largely ineffective law that only serves to create more red tape.

At the age of 18, a U.S. citizen can vote in an election, defend and possibly die for their country and make all kinds of decisions regarding their life and body. If I want to vote democrat, I can. If I want ink up my body, I can. If I want to fill my lungs with smoke, I can do that too.

Going wine tasting with some friends, however, is somehow too far. There is no reason 18-year-old adults should be denied the right to partake in alcohol. At

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the age of 18, I believe young adults are old enough to make their own decisions regarding alcohol.

Even though the minimum legal drinking age is 21, many under 21 still consume alcohol at some point. In fact, underage drinking is overwhelmingly common among college students. If anything, the high drinking age only drives young people to consume more alcohol.

There is something alluring about doing something forbidden. According to John McCardell, founder of Choose Responsibility, the legal drinking age does not eliminate consumption among young people. Instead, it only drives underage drinking underground, creating a dangerous culture of irresponsible and extreme drinking.

Keeping the minimum legal drinking age at 21 will not dissuade young people who want to indulge in reckless alcohol intake. If anything, the age limit encourages binge drinking. Lowering the drinking age could make it easier to regulate consumption among younger adults as well as encourage healthy drinking habits.

If the legal drinking age is lowered, people between the ages of 18 and 20 would be able to drink in safer, more controlled environments. If this age group were allowed alcohol at public settings such as bars or restaurants instead of being restricted to unregulated house parties, the prevalence of alcohol-related accidents among young adults could be lowered. Binge drinking would most likely decline and other incidents such as drunk driving and alcohol poisoning could also be prevented more often.

While a common argument is that the high drinking age has saved lives when it comes to drunk driving, more than three out of five alcohol-related deaths of underage drinkers occurred off-road, according to the same Huffington Post article.

The minimum legal drinking age should be lowered, period. Eighteen-year-old individuals are adults who should be able to make their own decisions regarding alcohol.

Editor-in-Chief.................................................Caitlin Clark, stareditor@txstate.edu Managing Editor..........................Liza Winkler, starmanagingeditor@txstate.edu Letters..................................................................................starletters@txstate.edu News Editor............................................Taylor Tompkins, starnews@txstate.edu Trends Editor.............................................Amanda Ross, startrends@txstate.edu Opinions Editor..................................Savannah Wingo, staropinion@txstate.edu Photo Editor.......................................Austin Humphreys, starphoto@txstate.edu Sports Editor.......................................Odus Evbagharu, starsports@txstate.edu Copy Desk Chief................................Lesley Warren, starcopychief@txstate.edu Design Editor...........................................Lauren Huston, stardesign@txstate.edu

Pornography skews teens’ understanding of sexuality

Ashley Trumps Opinions Columnist Mass communication senior

O

nline pornography is a harmful and pervasive industry that negatively affects its viewers’ sexuality by framing violent sex as normal and enjoyable.

The average age of a person’s first exposure to Internet pornography is 11 years, according to statistics gathered by Family Safe Media. Children of this age are impressionable and sexually uncertain. They are still trying to decipher what sex entails and how one should go about it. About 90 percent of 8- to 16-year-olds have viewed porn (mostly while doing homework), and 80 percent of 15- to 17-year-olds have witnessed multiple hardcore porn scenes, according to these same statistics.

Pornography is not always a bad thing, but the increased availability of hardcore porn is mentally damaging to a young person’s budding sexuality. The teen years are a time of sexual exploration. It is the time when hormones flood young brains and cause teens to become sexually aware.

Ridiculous rumors and misconceptions about sex are common as hordes of sexually interested yet uninformed teenagers roam their schools, genitals attentive and heads empty.

In this critical moment, where information about sex is needed but rarely provided, many teens turn to porn for answers.

Young boys and girls gawk as strange camera angles, bad acting and cheesy music come together to create contrived sexual scenes that have little to nothing to do with the real world. Hardcore porn is even more unrealistic—it fetishizes women, re-

Web Editor...............................................Lee Moran, starwebeditor@txstate.edu Account Executive..................................Stephanie Macke, starad2@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Catie Brossard, starad3@txstate.edu Account Executive.................................Blakely Knowles, starad4@txstate.edu Account Executive.....................................Taylor Bradham, starad5@txstate.edu Media Specialist............................................ Chris Salazar, c.salazar@txstate.edu Advertising Coordinator...........................Kelsey Nuckolls, kjn16@txstate.edu Publications Coordinator.......................................Linda Allen, la06@txstate.edu Publications Director...........................Bob Bajackson, stardirector@txstate.edu

ducing them to sex objects that are always eager and willing to accommodate a man’s desires, no matter how degrading.

With hardcore porn on the rise and more easily accessible than ever, more and more adolescents are being exposed to graphic depictions of sex at a young age.

This early exposure to porn teaches boys that domination is sexy, skewing their ability to recognize what constitutes consent.

Porn often overlooks female pleasure in favor of the man’s, teaching girls that it is okay to engage in sex acts that are not enjoyable. Both genders are taught that violent sex is normal.

Additionally, porn treats transgendered people and people of color as fetishes, stripping them of their humanity and displaying them only for their physical traits. Many online porn sites categorize videos according to race or body type.

This allows browsers to pick and choose videos as though the actors are types of sandwiches instead of people with actual feelings and personalities. Porn promotes a mindset where people are seen as sexual objects rather than human beings.

Pornography could be safe and fun were it better regulated. For one, hardcore porn sites should be more difficult for young children to access. Youths at the brink of puberty should be taught about sex in a respectful, educational environment rather than through graphic online pornography.

Furthermore, educators should explain to youths that pornography does not offer realistic depictions of sex. It needs to be stressed that sex should be a consensual, mutually enjoyable activity. Learning about sexuality should be exciting, and facts should come from trained, educated individuals rather than unrealistic porn clips.

The epidemic of sexually clueless and misled teenagers must be ended. School hallways should be filled with confident, curious kids who respect each other rather than misinformed porn addicts. Kids need to be educated about sex in a safe environment, not from a video that starts with “bow chicka wow wow.”

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

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The University Star | Tuesday March 18, 2014 | 5

TRENDS

Musicians, fans flock to SXSW over spring break

Madelynne Scales | Assistant Photo Editor

Cheers Elephant takes the stage March 11 at The Thirsty Nickel.

By Taylor Tompkins News Editor

housands of fans flocked to Austin for the weeklong music portion of SXSW, featuring huge names in entertainment such as Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg and Coldplay.

Hordes of visitors packed Sixth Street, creating shoulder-toshoulder pedestrian traffic over the week as people flocked to see artists across the Austin area.

Roughly 100 stages hosted more than 2,200 artists in the festival’s 28th year.

Coldplay played songs from their new album on the second night of the iTunes Festival March

T

12 to a full crowd at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. The iTunes Festival spanned from March 1115 and was streamed through the online iTunes store around the globe. Three artists were showcased each night and ticket drawings were held for those who did not have SXSW badges or wristbands. Other performers at the festival included Pitbull, Soundgarden and Kendrick Lamar.

Lady Gaga performed at Stubb’s and garnered audience reactions when she was vomited on by a professional “vomit painter” during her rendition of “Swine.”

The shock factor continued as she simulated sexual acts on a mechanical bull.

Gaga’s fans weren’t the only

The Kooks perform March 15 at Stubb’s BBQ.

ones riled up during SXSW. Tyler, The Creator, or Tyler Gregory Okonma, was arrested March 15 on a misdemeanor charge for inciting a riot at his show on March 13, according to the affidavit for his arrest. Okonma urged the crowd inside Scoot Inn to chant “push” repeatedly to those outside of the venue. Eventually, the crowd broke through the fence and people flooded the venue. Okonoma was released on a $25,000 bond.

SXSW is a time to discover new bands, said Tyler Welsh, vocalist and keyboardist, and Andy Lane, vocalist and guitarist of Driver Friendly, a Houston-based band who played multiple SXSW shows.

“For me, South By is now like Wal-Mart,” Welsh said. “You can

find anything you want. If you want Coldplay, you can get Coldplay. If you want to find a smaller thing that nobody cares about, it’s there too.”

Unofficial SXSW showcases were in abundance, ranging from big-name stars to impromptu local sets downtown. Justin Bieber reportedly played a surprise set at Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden on March 9 with Selena Gomez in attendance. Bieber played an acoustic set that included his hits such as the radio single “Boyfriend.”

Altin Sencalar, Texas State performance sophomore, performed for the second time at SXSW with his horn group the Funknasty Horns at Royal Blue Grocery on

Congress. He said the group would definitely be back for SXSW 2015 because the experience was so positive.

“It was nice having our own thing in the middle of downtown where everybody was,” Sencalar said. “All of the attention (is great).”

SXSW is a great experience for music listeners and performers alike, Sencalar said.

“Everybody should go to it once,” Sencalar said. “I think it is a great way to support local venues and just being able to be exposed to musicians out there. Everybody needs to go see live music—it’s a way better listening experience than a CD.”

Madelynne Scales | Assistant Photo Editor

Hannah Reid, lead singer of London Grammar, performs March 14 at Stubb’s BBQ.

LONDON GRAMMAR By Nicole Barrios Up-and-comers London Grammar performed March 14 at Stubb’s BBQ to a full house.

The breakout band from the UK has been featured on multiple “must-see” lists for SXSW, playing a total of three shows and making several other appearances at the festival. The London-based band opened for Imagine Dragons and Coldplay at the iTunes Festival March 11 in the Moody Theater, and played Hype Hotel March 13 in addition to a Stubb’s show.

Comprised of lead singer Hannah Reid, percussionist and keyboardist Dot Major and guitar player Dan Rothman,

Driver Friendly performs March 14 at The Blind Pig Pub.

WILLIE NELSON By Nicole Barrios It was a family affair March 15 when Willie Nelson played an hour-long set on various instruments with his sons Lukas and Jacob Micah Nelson and sister Bobbie Nelson, along with his regular band members.

Nelson played an acoustic guitar during the set and opened with “Whiskey River” to a crowd that sang along to almost every tune. The show rolled along quickly with the band never actually stopping in between songs, but instead playing through transitions, turning the set into a medley.

Nelson thanked the audience for “coming out

THE KOOKS tonight” in his signature voice and took his hat off after a few songs to reveal his famous red bandana. Nelson stopped midway through the show to introduce his band and family members who joined him on stage. His two sons, in their mid-20s, were introduced, and his sister was highlighted with a solo song she played on the piano.

Nelson’s son, Lukas, paid tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan and played his song “Texas Flood.”

Nelson was later joined by Lily Meola, a young blues vocalist similar to singer-songwriter Norah Jones, to perform a duet.

London Grammar began the Stubb’s set melodically, with Reid singing while excitement and energy built in the audience.

The guitar joined in, and Reid’s voice grew stronger and louder with a deep, ethereal sound comparable to the voices of Florence Welch and Lana Del Rey. The band’s set featured a drum machine, live drums, a bongo, a keyboard, a guitar and Reid’s vocals. Major thanked the audience at Stubb’s in his British accent.

“We’ve had an amazing time,” Major said.

By Taylor Tompkins

The crowd at Stubb’s BBQ sang in unison March 14 to beloved Kooks hits, and the band included songs from their upcoming album in their performance.

The British band celebrated their newest album, Junk Of the Heart, in its set while still playing songs that kept longtime fans interested. The band played two different shows during the course of SXSW and is

no stranger to the festival, having played in 2006 and 2012.

Dust was kicked up by the crowd’s movement on the dirt floor of the outdoor venue, and lights given to the audience flashed across the barbecue restaurant’s venue.

The band punctuated the set with its 2006 single “Naïve.”

The crowd sang in unison, and the band thanked the Austin crowd for its attentiveness.

6 | The University Star | Trends | Tuesday March 18, 2014

Madelynne Scales | Assistant Photo Editor

Wild Cub performs March 14 at Stubb’s BBQ.

CHILDISH GAMBINO By Taylor Tompkins Childish Gambino performed songs from his new album, “Because The Internet,” March 15 at Butler Park.

Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover to fans of his character on NBC’s “Community” or his writing on “30 Rock,” started by playing the piano as his band hit the stage. Donning a black sweater and floral shorts, Glover’s show was performed in front a mansion-looking hall projection with chandeliers hanging above him.

The park show was open and free to the public. Glover began the performance not long after the sun went down amid chants of “Bino” welcoming him to the stage.

The first half of his set was dedicated to “Because The Internet,” with Glover imploring the crowd to jump along with the beats and strobe lights.

“When the beat drops let me see you move,” he shouted periodically throughout the set. Glover dropped the microphone to punctuate his song “Sweatpants.”

The second half of his set was dedicated to older tunes and the backdrop that accompanied the newest album’s concept was switched for a forest.

The audience went wild when Glover came back for his free-style encore, sending the crowd in the park into a frenzy.

American Authors drummer Matt Sanchez performs March 14 at Stubb’s BBQ.

YOUNG THE GIANT By Taylor Tompkins California-based indie rock band Young The Giant took the Stubb’s stage March 15 to the excitement of legions of fans.

The entire event was pushed back 30 minutes because of technical difficulties earlier in the evening. However, the wait seemed to increase the excitement of the diehard fans as the front rows pushed forward while the band took the stage to loud applause and cries.

The show began with a loud, energetic rock song to which the audience danced and screamed. The perfor-

KEITH URBAN

Young The Giant performs March 14 at Stubb’s BBQ.

Trends Editor

While it does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty, it definitely did at every screening of “Beyond Clueless,” a documentary exploring the nuances and themes behind the cult teen movies of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s.

Filmmaker Charlie Lyne watched and analyzed more than 300 teen flicks as research for the documentary, setting out to explore the themes of maturity, coming-of-age, sexuality and consumerism. The film covers what Lyne refers to as the golden age of teen movies, the time from 1995 to 2004 when various films culminated in teenage drama at the prom.

The documentary was filmed through an academic perspective and was stuffed with so many kiss scene montages it

ing loudly. He said audience members were either having “good fun” or were drunk.

“It’s a fine line,” Urban said.

Urban played songs from his new album Fuse mixed with more familiar love songs such as “Kiss A Girl” and “Somebody Like You,” with the audience joining in to sing the more popular songs.

After the 90-minute set, the band left the stage but came back for an encore to the audience’s loud applause.

Before playing a three-song encore, Urban admitted to the audience he was “really nervous” before the show though he never tends to feel that way anymore.

Film on San Marcos River awarded at SXSW

‘Beyond Clueless’ explores archetypes in teen movies

By Amanda Ross

By Nicole Barrios

Country star Keith Urban wrapped up this year’s SXSW music festival by playing the last set during the first-ever iTunes Festival at the Moody Theater March 15.

On stage, Urban strummed a banjo and wore a Tshirt emblazoned with Austin’s famous “Hi, How Are You” frog. The show began with a short jam sessiontype instrumental song with his fellow band members.

They then went straight into one of Urban’s biggest hits, “Long Hot Summer” to the audible excitement of audience members.

After a few songs, Urban addressed the crowd and asked the audience, and specifically the balcony, how they were doing because a certain section was scream-

FILM

mance was accompanied by a colorful light show from the stage that had not been used in the previous bands sets. Fans stood squished together with hardly any room for breathing space as the concert went on.

Cynthia Lohr, first time festival attendee from San Francisco, went to the concert because she heard Stubb’s was the place to be at SXSW. Lohr said she was excited for the show and knew the talent was “going to be great.”

“I’ve been wanting to come to SXSW for a very long time, so I figured now was the time,” Lohr said.

began to feel like the audience was living in a Freddie Prinze Jr. movie trailer.

One of the strongest aspects of “Beyond Clueless” is its ability to shine a spotlight on how all of the films covered can be so simultaneously similar and different. The movies Lyne analyzed all have similar structures. There is always a new student, a popular crowd, a house party and a school dance. The “it-girls” all simultaneously stomp down the hallway in slow motion, blowouts flowing behind them thanks to gusts of non-existent wind.

But while these movies seem superficially similar, deeper themes and acting performances separate them in a recognizable way. After all, not many would immediately clump “Rushmore,” “Mean Girls” and “The Virgin Suicides” all together. Aside from Lyne, obviously.

By Amanda Ross Trends Editor

Hitting close to home, “Yakona,” a documentary about the San Marcos River shot from the perspective of the water, had its premiere at SXSW. In addition to debuting to large audiences throughout the week, the documentary snagged the coveted Audience Award in the Visions catego-

ry. The Visions category is dedicated to filmmakers who take audacious and unique filmmaking approaches, according to the SXSW Film Festival website.

“Yakona” beat out more than 20 other films— including Elijah Wood’s latest project—to secure the victory. Along with the prestige and publicity that comes along with being a favorite of the festival, the documentary was awarded with additional screening time at The Ritz.

‘Veronica Mars’ returns after seven-year hiatus

By Amanda Ross Trends Editor

Nearly seven years after TV’s favorite teen sleuth aired her final episode, “Veronica Mars” reappeared at SXSW’s film festival thanks to the legions of loyal fans who donated to the movie’s production budget via Kickstarter.

The film is set nine years following the show’s third season, long after Veronica Mars, played by Kristen Bell, left her home in Neptune for a law firm position in New York City. Mars is tasked with solving her biggest mystery to date in the movie: who really killed Carrie Bishop?

“Veronica Mars” brings together old favorites from the TV show through a high school reunion,

roping in old and new fans alike.

The film premiered at SXSW March 8 and featured red carpet appearances by the film’s stars and director. Bell weighed in on what she thought of the debate over whom Veronica should ultimately end up with: Logan or Piz. The film’s director, Rob Thomas, is a San Marcos High School alumnus who made history because of the film’s unorthodox fundraiser and its distribution.

After the world premiere in Austin, “Veronica Mars” was given a wide-release distribution to movie theaters and video-on-demand services.

Fans are able to pay for and watch the film at home through their digital cable providers. The distribution marked the first instance of a simultaneous home and wide-release by a major Hollywood Studio.

The University Star | Tuesday March 18, 2014 | 7

SPORTS

UniversityStar.com

SOFTBALL

Texas State wins two of three against Louisiana-Monroe

By Cameron Cutshall Sports Reporter @CameronCutshall

T

he Texas State softball team took two of three games over the weekend at home against Louisiana-Monroe, earning its first ever Sun Belt Conference victories.

The Bobcats swept their double-header Saturday against the Warhawks, outscoring them 22-11. In the first game of the doubleheader, Texas State scored 9 runs in the bottom of the first, eventually winning the contest 14-11.

Timishia North, senior center fielder, went 2-4 in the game and had a team-high five RBI. Kendall Wiley, sophomore first baseman, and Courtney Harris, junior third baseman, had three hits each and a combined six RBI. “I think we swung the bats well,” North said. “We put a lot of runs on the board. I was really happy we put our pitchers in a comfortable spot to come out and pitch.”

North was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week after batting .438 and posting a team-high seven hits, 7 runs and seven RBI. Rayn House, senior pitcher, earned her 13th win of the season, throwing 2.1 innings in the first contest.

In their second game, the Bobcats runruled the Warhawks in five innings to win 8-0. House pitched her seventh complete game shutout of the season to earn her 14th win. House leads the conference in shutouts and ranks seventh in the nation.

Kelli Baker, sophomore second baseman, got the game started early with a leadoff home run down the right field line to give the Bobcats the lead 1-0. Baker hit her second home run of the game in the second

inning. Baker’s 3-run homer in the second gave Texas State the 4-0 advantage.

The Bobcats lost the third game in the series 3-2, making their overall record 17-11.

“A better start would’ve been taking all three games as I think we should have,” said Coach Ricci Woodard. “We also didn’t make some play on some balls that cost us.

I was pleased with where we were at on Saturday. I thought we did a really good job of battling, but on Sunday we fell a little flat.”

House earned her sixth loss of the season starting in her third-straight game.

House pitched a complete game, allowing six hits and 3 runs, and striking out seven.

House now leads the conference in innings pitched with 117.1 and strikeouts with 125.

“The good thing for us is she doesn’t mind being in that spot,” Woodard said.

“She’s in her senior year. It’s always easier to use them like that knowing it’s their last year, where you know they’re going to give you everything you have for the last three or four months. She’s confident about what she’s doing, and I’m confident about what she’s doing. Her teammates like having her out there.”

Texas State will travel to Waco Tuesday afternoon for a matchup against No. 12 Baylor. The Bears are currently riding a 10-game win streak.

The Bobcats lost to the Bears 11-1 March 1 in their last matchup. Texas State has not defeated Baylor since the 2011-2012 season. The Bobcats are one win shy of reaching the same amount of wins they had last year.

“I feel like if we can find a way to compete, then we have a chance,” Woodard said. “These teams are beatable. You just need to find a way to go out and compete against them.”

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8 | The University Star | Sports | Tuesday March 18, 2014

BASEBALL

Bobcats return to conference play with three wins at home

By Kirk Jones

Sports Reporter @kirk_jones11

The Texas State baseball team swept UT-Arlington last weekend at Bobcat Ballpark, earning its first wins in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Bobcats are currently playing in their second conference in two years.

“It’s just different,” said Coach Ty Har r ington.

“There’s no comfort level.

At least we opened up against a team we are familiar with. The consistency moving conference to conference is the inconsistency, but it’s baseball, and we still have to come out here and play our opponent.”

The Bobcats scored a season-high 10 runs in Friday’s victory after losing four out of their last five games, including a 6-3 loss to Texas.

Granger Studdard, freshman leftfielder, hit his first collegiate home run during the game.

“We came out with some

momentum,” Harrington said. “We gave ourselves a chance to win and came off Tuesday’s loss playing better.”

Texas State scored 6 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Matt Smith, sophomore second baseman, hit a double down the third base line, driving in 2 of the 6 runs.

The Mavericks responded in the top of the eighth when Darien McLemore, UT-Arlington second baseman, hit a line drive home run to left field. The eighth was a 4-run inning by the Mavericks.

The Bobcats came away with a 10-5 victory, scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Hunter Lemke, senior pitcher, entered the top of the ninth recording his fifth save of the season.

“I was confident coming into this game,” Lemke said.

“As always, my defense had my back, and I’m comfortable with them back there.”

The team headed into the Saturday matchup with Austen Williams, junior pitcher, taking the mound and looking to improve his 2-0 record.

UT-Arlington was able to get on the board first as Greg McCall, Mavericks catcher, singled in the first inning to score McLemore from third.

Ben McElroy, junior outfielder, started the fourth with a double to right field and advanced to third after a Smith single. Cody Lovejoy, junior designated hitter, grounded out to the short stop and drove in McElroy from third, giving the Bobcats their first run of the game.

The Maver icks were ahead 5-4 when David Paiz, junior third baseman, hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Taylor Bailey, freshman infielder, tying the game and sending it into extra innings.

The Bobcats never led in the ball club’s fifth extra

inning game until Studdard stepped to the plate with a man on first. Studdard hit the first pitch he saw to deep right center field for his second home run of the series to give the Bobcats a 7-5 victory.

Texas State would take the three-game sweep by defeating UT-Arlington Sunday 3-1.

The Bobcats had sophomore Lucas Humpal pitch the final game of the series.

Humpal pitched 7.2 innings, striking out four and allowing a run.

The Mavericks scored first again as McCall doubled to center field and advanced to third on a ground out. McCall scored in the inning on a wild pitch by Humpal for the first run of the game.

The Bobcats scored 3 runs in the bottom of the eighth. Tyler Pearson, senior catcher, hit a two-out double followed by an intentional walk to Studdard.

Paiz, with a runner on

second and first, connected with a pitch to send it down the right field line, scoring two on the double and giving Texas State a 2-1 lead.

The Bobcats added a run in the inning, winning the game 3-1.

Lemke pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, earn-

ing his second save of the series.

“I always have the same mindset,” Lemke said.

“Whether it’s a save situation or not, I’m just going to throw strikes and have my defense ready behind me.”

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