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CAREERGUIDE

Everything you need to get your career in gear

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Issue 89, Volume 76

Tuesday ®

February 8, 2011 Read. Recycle. Repeat daily.

STUDENTS

newsline Got news? E-mail news@thedailycougar.com or call 713-743-5314

CAREER

Texas Job Fair today, over 130 companies to attend

Office simplifies vet needs Students find registration difficult and lengthy

University Career Services, as well as 14 area colleges and universities, will be hosting the 2011 Texas Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. The job fair presents students from all majors with the resources to explore a wide array of career paths. “This is a terrific opportunity to meet and network with representatives from over 130 companies and to evaluate potential job and internship opportunities,” Jessica Campbell, university career services employer relations coordinator, said. “You may find out about alternative career paths for someone with your experience or major.” The fair is sponsored by the Houston Area Consortium of Career Centers. It is a free event open to the public. No pre-registration is required.

Gilbert Requena Louis Casiano

THE DAILY COUGAR The Veterans’ Services Office at UH is working to implement a “one-stop shop” where an estimated 1,200-1,500 veterans’ needs will be taken care of. It would be the central location where anything pertaining to veterans would be taken care of so that students would only have to go to one place for assistance. “We don’t mind taking on more work as

long as the veterans get served in a way that will eliminate all of the issues that they have been having” VSO program director Allen Grundy said. The problem the VSO most often hears about is the length of time it takes to process the VA paperwork. At the start of every semester, veterans who receive benefits must fill out and turn in paperwork to the Office of Registration and Academic Records. Many times it can take up to two months before the student starts receiving benefits. “It just takes a long time,” Horne, a current student-veteran, said. “They lost my paperwork the first couple of times.” The VSO is a resource center that helps

For a full employer list visit www.haccc.org.

veterans with any problems they encounter while attending the university. “They are very helpful and knowledgeable people,” Horne said. “They are always assisting with anything you need. They are great.” Horne and many other student-veterans go to the VSO because it offers a variety of resources ranging from filing for VA education benefits to getting a ride to the Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center for medical appointments. The VSO not only provides resources, it offers a quiet study hall for veterans with a lab area, computers, printers, copiers and VSO continues on page 3

RESEARCH

Cordero Jennings/The Daily Cougar

Spring event to highlight advances

CAMPUS

Plans to survive large budget cuts underway UH will see its state funding decrease from 25 to no more than 10 percent over the next decade, according to a memo from Senior Vice President and Provost John J. Antel. The memo says President Khator has received suggestions from the University community on ways to help the school save money. Many of these suggestions are being implemented. Dr. Antel recently appointed a budgetary advisory group to consult with

Space exploration masters and space life track honored

regarding the budget cuts. Chairman of the Psychology department David J. Francis will chair the advisory group. Dr. Antel said in a memo last week that the advisory group would redesign

Katie Rowald

various policies and procedures in an effort to improve University efficiency. The redesign on module one, which is due by March 31, includes review of the faculty workload policies, post-tenure review and administrative stipends.

While advances have been made in the LGBT community, incoming students are still unable to identify their sexual orientation on the Texas Common Application. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar

On a diverse campus like UH, major headway has already been made with the opening of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender resource center in 2010, headed by Lorraine Schroeder. The center has counseling services, events and an Ally training program that involves other students and faculty to act as support for LGBT students. “I always feel welcome on campus,” media production senior Athena Armylagos said. “I’ve been to a couple LGBT meetings but haven’t really gotten involved in any activities. It’s really important that we have a LGBT group. It’s a great way to meet new people and talk about events or situations going on in the community.” However, not all students feel the same way about the LGBT community. “People are generally not rude to anyone who is LGBT to their face,” finance

The 18th annual Humans in Space Symposium, presented by the International Academy of Astronautics, will put a spotlight on the University’s recent advances in space biomedical research. It will also emphasize the recent debut of its master’s program in human space exploration sciences and the space life sciences track within its doctoral kinesiology program. The symposium this April is hosted by UH, NASA, UTMB and three other organizations. Held at the Westin Galleria Conference Center, the symposium will bring over 500 attendees to Houston, representing most of the space-faring nations in the world, said William Paloski, a UH professor and chair of the Scientific Organizing Committee for the symposium. “This symposium will shine a light on some of our accomplishments in space biomedical research and education, demonstrate some of our leadership capabilities to the greater space life sciences community and offer an opportunity for all the attendees to hear about our broader science and research accomplishments during President Khator’s address in the

LGBT continues on page 3

SYMPOSIUM continues on page 3

Nick Regan/The Daily Cougar

STUDENTS

Center provides LGBT support 58 LO 48

today

Incoming students unable to identify preferences

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EVENTS Free Instructor-Led, Hands-On Computer Training eComputer classes are being offered to students, alumni, faculty and staff. The class is a desktop publishing class introducing InDesign. Registration is required and the class will be held in room 110-6 of the Social Work Building from 10 a.m. to noon. Tuesday Night Music From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Moores School of Music is hosting a music night.

FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT thedailycougar.com/calendar

Tess Livingston

THE DAILY COUGAR The Texas Common Application rejected the option for students to provide their sexual orientation on the college admissions form. The option has not been offered before, but there has been a recent push to add it to the admission process. If the information is not being captured through documentation, then there is no place that information would be with the University, Institutional Research staff member Susan Moreno said. The decision may leave UH statisticians at a loss for information, but it has little impact on the culture of the University.

THE DAILY COUGAR

CRIME

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Sound like you? These symptoms could be more than just PMS — they can also describe PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). Baylor College of Medicine is conducting a clinical study of FDA-approved drugs ,YAZ and YASMIN, to determine if they are effective in relieving PMDD stress in women ages 13 to 20. Participants will complete a diary in addition to receiving medication in this study.

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Females between 13 and 20 experiencing these symptoms and comfortable with tampon use may be able to participate. Parental consent is required under age 18.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR YEARBOOK + SENIOR PORTRAITS Class of 2011 seniors and yearbook ed soon! portraits are being photographed

crime log

The following is a partial report of campus crime between Feb. 1 and Friday. All information is selected from the files of the UH Police Department. The information in bold indicates when the event was reported to UHPD and the event’s location. Information or questions regarding the cases below should be directed to UHPD at (713) 743-0600.

Theft: 4:36 p.m. Feb. 1, Athletic Alumni Building — Several staff members reported that someone stole property from their desks in the Athletic Alumni building. There are no suspects. Resisting Arrest: 12:01 a.m. Feb. 2, Calhoun Lofts — A possibly intoxicated student was detained by UH DPS when she began resisting the officers who were trying to assist her. The student was released to a responsible adult without criminal charges and issued a Student Life and Residential Life Referral. Burglar y: 2:15 a.m. Feb. 2, Bates Residence Hall — A student reported that someone entered her Bates Hall dorm room without consent and stole her wallet and its contents. There are no suspects. Theft: 9:09 a.m. Feb. 2, University Center — A UC bookstore manager reported observing a man remove a sweat shirt from the bookstore without paying for it. There are no suspects. Possession of Marijuana/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia: 8:28 p.m. Feb. 2, Moody Towers — A student received a Student Life Referal and a Harris County citation when a small amount of marijuana was found in a dorm room. The incident occurred between 8:28 and 8:30 p.m. Possession of Marijuana/ Possession of Drug Paraphernalia: 10:28 p.m. Feb. 2, Moody Towers — Four students were interviewed by UH-DPS after a report was made regarding the smell of marijuana. Two students were issued citations for possession of drug paraphernalia. All four students received Residential Life Referrals for smoking marijuana.

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Theft: 9:17 a.m. Feb 3, Athletic Alumni Building — Several staff members reported that someone stole property from their secured offices in the Athletic Alumni building. Currently there are no suspects. Theft: 4:06 p.m. Monday, Taub Hall third floor — A student reported she left cash in a desk drawer and went to an event Nov. 6; when she checked on the money Monday, she found $60 missing. A guest was staying in the room at the time. An investigation is under way. There are no suspects. Theft: 2:50 p.m. Feb. 3, Fleming Building — A graduate student reported that someone stole his unattended and unsecured laptop computer from a room in Fleming building. There are no suspects. Consumption of Alcohol by a minor: 1:50 a.m. Feb. 4, Bates Residnece Hall — Minors were observed consuming alcoholic beverages in Bates Residential Hall. UH police officers issued the minors Student Life and Residential Life Referrals and Harris County citations. Two legal-aged individuals present also received Student Life and Residential Life Referrals at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Warrant: 12:16 a.m. Feb. 4, Scott @ Reeves — A visitor, stopped for a routine traffic violation, was found to have an outstanding Brazoria County arrest warrant. The visitor was arrested and released to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. For the complete report and to view past reports, go to www. uh.edu/police/home.html

Newsroom

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Jack Wehman (713) 743-5362 editor@thedailycougar.com ■

Layout Editor

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Multimedia Editor

Newton Liu (713) 743-5361 photo@thedailycougar.com ■

Monday, February 21st – Thursday, February 24th th

Have information on these or other incidents of crime on campus? Call 713-743-0600

News Editors

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John Brannen Joshua Siegel (713) 743-5303 sports@thedailycougar.com ■

Life & Arts Editor

Mary Baak (713) 743-5302 arts@thedailycougar.com ■

Opinion Editor

Andrew Taylor opinion@thedailycougar.com ■

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Room 7, UC Satellite Student Publications University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015

ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://www. thedailycougar.com. The University seeks to provide equal educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status, or sexual orientation. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. The first copy of the Cougar is free; each additional copy is 25 cents. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. NEWS TIPS Direct news tips and story ideas to the News Desk. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@thedailycougar. com or fax (713) 743-5384. A “Submit news item” form is also available online at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the written consent of the director of the Student Publications Department.

ISSUE STAFF ■

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Newton Liu

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 ■ 3

LGBT continued from page 1

Lorraine Schroeder, the program director for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender resource center in the UC, meets students to provide support, resources and activities. The program began in May 2010 and continues to host events for students. | Newton Liu/The Daily Cougar

VSO continued from page 1

phones so they can do school work, look for jobs and keep up-to-date with the latest news in veteran affairs. The VSO at UH has been in the forefront of veteran resource centers in the state of Texas. The purpose of the office is to help veterans make the transition from the military to academia. “It’s just like a student coming from high

school. If there’s no bridge for support, they’re lost when they get here,” Grundy said. “We try to make that bridge for them to use. They come in here and there’s camaraderie. We have people from all of the military services that can tell you, ‘Hey I did that too, let me show you how to get through this.’” For more information on the VSO, students can visit the office located in UC suite 268 or online at www.uh.edu/veterans. news@thedailycougar.com

senior Francis Dorrego said. “However, I have noticed that behind people’s backs rude remarks and jokes are made. Mainly from guys.” Some LGBT students also keep their orientation to themselves. “I haven’t been exposed to the LGBT community on campus, but I have a couple people I know who are gay,” Dorrego said. “Some are still in the closet and others are out but discrete.” Likewise, Armylagos has never experienced any bias from other students. “Basically, everyone on the UH campus is nice and accepting of the LGBT people walking around campus and if by any chance they aren’t, they don’t say anything,” Armylagos said. Unlike Dorrego and Armylagos, Derrick Maples, a media production senior, has not been targeted but has witnessed the persecution of his friends. “I’m an open Bisexual and have never felt persecuted or discriminated for it on campus. The people and friends I associate with are very open-minded and supportive,” Maples said. “My boyfriend and I feel as though the student body and the school itself (are) accepting of us. However, I’ve had a who had a bad experience, although I do not think this reflects the school as an entirety.” news@thedailycougar.com

SYMPOSIUM continued from page 1

opening ceremony,” Paloski said. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit the UH campus for the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Lecture. The lecture will be given by renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, the first occupant of the Frederick P. Rose Directorship of the Hayden Planetarium.

In addition to the Rockwell Lecture, the symposium will feature the presentation of about 400 scientific and technical papers and special presentations to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic first space flight and the 30th anniversary of the first Space Shuttle mission. For more information, visit the symposium web page at http://www.dsls.usra.edu/ meetings/IAA/. news@thedailycougar.com

WWW.UH.EDU/RECREATION 7 1 3 - 7 4 3 - P L A Y

Aquatics & Safety

Intramural Sport

Outdoor Adventure

Adult & Youth Swim Lessons begin February 7

Sport Entry Deadline

Trip Schedule

Raquetball 2/14 Softball 2/21 Golf 2/21 Badminton 2/28 Dodgeball 3/7 3 Pt. /Dunk 3/7

Friday, February 18 - 20 Backpack the Hill Country-- $75/$85

CRWC Members: $35/45 Non-Members: $45-55

Lifeguarding Training April 23 and 30; May 7 and 14 Masters Swim Who: Adults 18+ (all skill levels!) Where: CRWC Natatorium When: Monday - Friday 6:00am-7:15am and 11:45am- 1:00pm Cost: Students $35/month, Member $40/ month, Non-Member $45/month plus $150 annual joining fee For class times information, visit our webpage at www.uh.edu/recreation

713-743-9509

Sand Volleyball 3/21 For additional information, please contact IM Sports at 713-743-8041 or visit the websote www.uh.edu/recreation

(Mandatory Meeting 2/15 @ 5pm) Escape the big city and wander through cowboy country taking in grassy valleys, spring fed streams and limestone bluffs.

Saturday, February 26 Farmer’s Market Bike Tour -- $10/$15

Explore Houston’s historic neighborhoods as we bike to several Farmer’s Markets and relax at Discovery Green.

Friday, March 4 – 6 Climbing and Bouldering at Enchanted Rock -$80/$90 (Mandatory Meeting 3/1 @ 5pm)

Join us for a weekend of climbing, bouldering, hiking, and caving in Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. For more information contact Caleb Wells at (713) 743-0808 or stop by CRWC Room 1007.

4 ■ Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Daily Cougar

opinion THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITOR Andrew Taylor E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

DIPLOMATIC DECISION MAKING IMMUNITY Courtesy of USBICEF

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITORS NEWS EDITORS SPORTS EDITORS LIFE & ARTS EDITOR OPINION EDITOR

Jack Wehman Newton Liu, Christopher Losee Jose Aguilar, Cristi Guerra John Brannen, Joshua Siegel Mary Baak Andrew Taylor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Enough is enough, crime in Mexico needs to go

n a wave of what seems to be endless violence south of the border, three teenagers were murdered in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on Monday.

Carlos Mario Gonzalez Bermodez, 16, attended Cathedral High School in El Paso. Juan Carlos Echeverri, 15, was a former Cathedral student. There were no witnesses, and investigators have not established a motive for the slaying. The citizenship of the victims has not been determined. The basic rights of democracy are being violated, and corruption is winning. Government officials and media members have been intimidated or killed by thugs who are bent on showing how powerful they are. Whether it be students, government officials or journalists, it is clear that living in Mexico has become increasingly hazardous for anyone who represents freedom, or vows to cut down on violence. Last week, Mexico City police chief Manuel Farfán was ambushed and killed in Nuevo Laredo by assassins sent from a drug cartel. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that at least three journalists were killed in 2010 as an attempt to censor free press. Seven other journalists were murdered, but the motives remain unconfirmed. While performing the tasks of one occupation should not be a death sentence, the gangs in Mexico are indiscriminate when choosing their victims. The Mexican government is too ill-equipped to continue and fight this battle. With unrest in Egypt, Sudan and Tunisia, many are wondering if the US should intervene in the Middle East. But with conditions in Mexico gradually spiraling out of control, it could become a threat to American citizens. Totally eliminating guns and drugs is a far-fetched proposition, and sending troops to Mexico to would jeopardize American lives. The US government established the Mérida Initiative which gave Mexico $1.6 billion to help combat drug trafficking. The US may have to up the ante on that one. Justice may not be served in the deaths of the students. It is three too many that have fallen victim to ruthless and random attacks.

E D I TO R I A L P O L I C I E S STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

NASA findings out of this world C onstellation, NASA’s back-to-the moon program has been removed from the Obama administration’s 2011 budget. The Bush-era program within the space agency had already spent $9 billion on a new rocket, Ares 1, and a crew capsule. This news came in shortly after scientists operating NASA’s Kepler planet hunting satellite reported that they had Travis identified 1,235 possible Gumphrey planets orbiting other stars, which would triple the current number of known planets. Fifty four of these planets happen to be located in potentially habitable zones where temperatures from stars could be hospitable for liquid water. Critics of the budget cut cite the loss of jobs and scientific innovation as the key downsides to the action. A Washington Post article published

last Wednesday reported that Senator Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) said, “The president’s proposed NASA budget begins the death march for the future of US human spaceflight. If this budget is enacted, NASA will no longer be an agency of innovation and hard science.” Is this any different than the same job loss that comes as a result of an old invention or outdated technology? These job losses mean job creation for what the administration plans to fund. The administration has offered alternatives to the spending on Constellation. The proposed budget would invest $6 billion over the next five years into a commercial space taxi to carry astronauts into low Earth orbit. It would also allow for billions of dollars to be invested into developing new space technologies. Charles Bolded, a NASA administrator, said that they will pursue technology that will allow astronauts to explore the cosmos. “Imagine trips to Mars that take

weeks instead of nearly a year,” Bolden said. Discovering as many planets as the Kepler telescope did is astounding. Chief scientist for Kepler William Borucki said that 54 is “an enormous amount, an inconceivable amount. It’s amazing to see this huge number because up to now, we’ve had zero.” The opportunity to discover and learn more about outer space, our own technological potential and even Earth definitely outweighs our need to continually travel to the moon. If we are ever going to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and tools to travel beyond our comfort zone, we have to stop looking at the consequences of actions on a short term basis. Creating the opportunity to begin scientific advancement will only benefit us in the long run. Travis Gumphrey is a journalism sophomore and may be reached at opinion@ thedailycougar.com.

GOP, Dems block issues with voter bill

voter ID bill sped through the Texas senate and House this January. It has virtually 100 percent Republican support and little fear of the legal system to hinder it. The bill embodies the requirement of photo identification before voting, requiring a state or federal ID, driver’s license, concealed-carry license, passport or Military ID. David The two polarized sides Haydon fight for and against it, but what is the punch line? Voter identification fraud is a farce. “It’s symbolically very important to each side because each has a bunch of partisans that think the other side is out to get us,” political science professor Richard Murray said. “It won’t in my view have much practical effect.” In a nutshell, Republicans are citing

proof that the bill will protect voters by stopping illegal immigrants and felons from voting and Democrats present evidence that the photo ID bill is a disguised poll tax meant to dissuade voters. Yet proof and evidence is near nonexistent. Go online, search libraries, or dig in archives; large scale voter fraud in Texas is a myth. You will also not find data showing voter ID as a method to stop minority voters. So why do Republicans push and Democrats fight with such ferocity on the bill? “The perception is important because it’s widely believed,” Murray said. “There isn’t a lot of empirical evidence that supports either.” Obviously there are more pressing matters right now than protecting voters. There is the economy, the deficit and budgets to take a stance on, but voter protection is a strong lever to gain political points.

Depressingly, this is how politicians keep up appearances. As a result, Republican voters now think illegal immigrants are trying to vote. Democratic voters now believe that Texas senators are scheming to repeal the 15th amendment, and conspiracy theorists believe that both sides are simply distracting everyone from the state budget crisis. A word to politicians, this is where pleasing the constituents gets you. This does not make a complete waste of time permissible. Texas politicians should just ignore the hyped up constituents or just listen in moderation. It might cause less popular support, but strong politicians should endure and support a more valid cause. David Haydon is a political science junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 ■ 5

Senior forward Courtney Taylor has outworked opposing front courts this season. She is the nation’s fourth-best rebounder at 12.1 per game and leads the Cougars with 16.1 points per game on 50 percent shooting. With 583 made field goals in her career, she is fifth all-time at UH.| Aaron Cisneros/The Daily Cougar

PLAYER PROFILE

Taylor remains the toast of C-USA Keith Cordero Jr.

THE DAILY COUGAR Courtney Taylor continues her career as one of the top players in Cougar history, earning her fourth Conference USA Player of the Week award for the season and eighth of her career. Taylor dropped 21 points and 18 rebounds on Tulane in the Cougars only game last week. “It’s always an honor to get C-USA Player of the Week,” Taylor said. “I try not to think about it. I try just to go out there and help my team perform and get the win. To get it again is pretty awesome.” Coming off a tremendous season that earned her C-USA Player of the Year for 2009-10, Taylor was also named C-USA Preseason Player of the Year. She has again lived up to the hype, averaging 16.1 points, third in C-USA and a conference-leading

12.1 rebounds. Taylor has also posted 15 double-doubles this season — the fourth best total nationally. “Playing my heart out was a result of getting C-USA Player of the Year,” Taylor said. “Hopefully I can just continue on and be the reigning MVP this year.” A perfect 9-0 in conference play has put UH atop the C-USA standings in their first season under head coach Todd Buchanan, “I think that coach Buchanan emphasizes team, sportsmanship, family and all togetherness,” Taylor said. The Cougars three-game lead in C-USA has the Cougars in line to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. “We haven’t done that before since I’ve been here and it’s been a goal,” she said. “We don’t want to settle for the Women’s NIT. All together we’re just pushing, trying to make a name for

ourselves.” The Cougars have given Taylor plenty of support this season with three other players scoring in double figures led by Brittney Scott (15.6), Porsche Landry (15.3) and Brittany Mason (10.5). “They get it to me on open looks because we have such good shooters out there,” Taylor said. “Landry can get to the basket and Scott can shoot it up there to kind of open it up for me.” Only seven games remain before the regular season ends and the C-USA Tournament begins. Two of those remaining games come against cross-town rival Rice (14-9, 6-3). The Cougars take on the Owls at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Hofheinz Pavilion. “We want to stay undefeated,” Taylor said. “We don’t want to drop our undefeated ranking to Rice.” sports@thedailycougar.com

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BASEBALL

Cougars longing for return to prominence Former player Whitting tasked with turnaround Edgar Veliz

THE DAILY COUGAR Head coach Todd Whitting enters his first year as a head coach with a plan to reload — not rebuild. Whitting graduated from UH and played from 1991-1995. After a six-year stint as an assistant coach at TCU and eight prior seasons as an assistant at UH, he will go back to donning scarlet and white. Whitting assisted UH to four 40-win seasons, helped establish a school record of 48 victories in two seasons and helped UH to a nationally-ranked signing class in 2000. Returning UH baseball back to prosperity is Whitting’s top priority though it could come gradually. “Everything about our program is a process,” Whitting said. “It‘s not only day by day, it‘s literally pitch by pitch. “It won‘t be done overnight, but it starts with recruiting and the team we have right now. The kids we have

in our program are working really hard. They have a great deal of pride, and they‘re looking forward to having a great season.” The biggest adjustment for Whitting is running the entire program and focusing on managing a team, not just players. J Todd Whitting “The assistant coaches are is the eighth head the ones in the baseball coach in trenches with the UH history. players everyday one-on-one,” Whitting said. “I‘m still very involved with player development. That‘s one thing that I enjoy. I think that is one of my strengths.” Whitting — who played under former head coach Rayner Noble brought a new staff that he sees as a compliment to Noble’s defensive brand of baseball. His assistant coaches include a former player coached by Whitting at TCU, Steven Trout, who will coach the infield, hitting and baserunning.

Jack Cressend is the team’s pitching coach, and Trip Couch is returning to UH as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Whitting, along with his assistants, look to pitching and defense as the identity of the team. Whitting believes that to get to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. the team must have these two assets. “The identity of any great team has to start on the mound,” Whitting said. “Second to that you have to have great defense. Pitching and defense, if those two things are steady, you‘re going to play deep in the post season. “We’re going to be hopefully very offensive. You can‘t hang your hat on just scoring runs and driving the baseball in the ballpark. You have to be able to minimize the runs scored with your pitching and defense.” The season opener is at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 18 at Cougar Field when the Cougars host a three game set against UT-Arlington. UH begins Conference USA play on March 23 at Rice. sports@thedailycougar.com

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LIFE&ARTS

6 ■ Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Daily Cougar

COUGAR SUTRA

playlist »

Staff Favorites: Opinion Desk

t the Opinion Desk sits Andrew Taylor, most commonly known for being a vegetarian and having the unique ability to wear funny hats. We know him better, though. He is also notorious for wearing v-neck sweaters and making sure that your voice is heard day in and day out. In our opinion, Andrew Taylor is a man’s man — so much that we can’t even say his first name without his last. Here are the top ten tunes that are in his panda-hat-wearing ears. — Mary Baak Ball and a Biscuit The White Stripes

Talk Show Host Radiohead

Twist and Shout The Beatles

Death Letter The White Stripes

I’m Finding it Harder to be a Gentleman The White Stripes

Kashmir Led Zepplin

Hard to Explain The Strokes

As Ugly as I Seem The White Stripes

Effect and Cause The White Stripes

Let it Be The Beatles

Six ways to ruin a promising first date Mary Baak

THE DAILY COUGAR There will always be things that thwart your attempt to share the perfect evening with someone. Whether it’s a minor setback or a huge problem, something is bound to go wrong. Murphy’s Law puts it best — “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong,” and dating certainly isn’t the exception to this rule. Some things can’t be prevented — like having car trouble or being late because you get stuck in unexpected traffic — but here are six date-ruining things that can easily be avoided. Don’t order too many drinks. First, you shouldn’t order a drink unless your partner orders one too. At the very least, think about how pricey drinks can get depending on the venue you’re at. It is also important that you don’t get so intoxicated that you can’t stand or form coherent sentences. You never want to make a fool of yourself and leave a bad impression on the first date. If you get too rowdy, you probably won’t get another call from that person. Don’t talk about marriage, meeting each others’ families or naming children. These conversations are guaranteed to sabotage your date. Doing this is jumping the gun by a long shot — if you’re going to talk about it at all, at least wait until

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the fifth or sixth date to do so. I can’t actually find a single good reason to bring these things up in a first date-conversation. Just don’t do it. Ever. Don’t dedicate your “couple song.” Again, this should be decided when the time is right, which isn’t usually on the first date. Your date will probably find this more creepy than endearing. Don’t make the mistake of thinking too far into things so soon. Don’t be too flashy or pretentious. This is a common mistake. Don’t wear too much cologne; don’t drop the name of the designer of your shoes and it’s not necessary to buy the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu — especially as a college student. This comes off a bit pretentious, which could cause your mate to be reluctant to say yes if and when you ask them out again. Don’t talk about your ex. This is arguably the cardinal rule of first dates. If things between you and your ex had worked out, you obviously wouldn’t be on a date with someone new. It will seem as though you’re not quite over your ex yet, and it is a definite turn off. Refrain from talking about why that relationship failed, and focus on enjoying your date. It would also be smart to avoid talking about the opposite sex at all. It might seem like you’re implying that you’re wanted by all, and arrogance is never attractive.

There are a few things to avoid when you’re going out on the first date with someone new. Keep your cool by following these six guidelines. | Photos.com

Don’t start planning your next date. At the end of your first date, you don’t know how they feel about the experience. Just because you had a great time and are under the impression that things with this person are definitely going somewhere, don’t assume that they feel that way as well. Don’t pressure them into making a decision; they need just as much time as you do to decide whether the date was enjoyable or not. arts@thedailycougar.com

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COMICS & MORE

Tuesday, February 8, 2011 ■ 7

comics

crossword

Chili Fingers by Nam Nguyen

ACROSS 1 Toppled over 5 Period of time 10 Crowds around 14 Light bulb, in comics 15 Speaker’s need 16 — vera lotion 17 Rather and Aykroyd 18 Pitcher’s dream game (hyph.) 19 Swell, as a river 20 Chewed the scenery 22 Fan spreader 24 Hairpin curve 25 Cuba, to Castro 26 Wrong moves 30 Kauai dances 35 Alley from Moo 36 Pro — (for now) 37 Susan Lucci vamp 38 Unity 41 Harass 43 Like a tablet 44 CD- — 45 Med. specialty 46 Did something 47 Mining refuse 50 Loafing 53 Hitchcock’s title 54 Knives 58 Uttered 62 Resound 63 Kitchen enticer 66 Mad emperor 67 Diet spread 68 Philanthropist 69 Amtrak driver 70 Went down 71 Fishlike 72 Ensure failure

Robbie + Bobby by Jason Poland

sudoku How to play Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Previous puzzle solved

DOWN 1 Bona — (genuine) 2 Party cheese 3 Late-night Jay 4 Held up 5 Attitudes 6 The Plastic — Band 7 Utmost degree 8 Stumbles 9 Bellhop’s milieu 10 Painter Chagall

24 26

36 40

41 44

47 50 55

42 45 48

58 64

11 Hodgepodge 12 Pear variety 13 Be “it” 21 Language suffix 23 Oohed and — 25 Tenet 26 Money, in slang 27 Column type 28 Shelled out 29 — Moines 31 Ending for depart 32 Pep up 33 Doing great on 34 Flavors the popcorn 39 “Neigh” homophone 40 Goggle-eyed Cantor 41 Mae West accessory 42 Courier 44 Country addr. 48 Rim

49 Did a laundry chore 51 Tows along 52 Melody’s words 54 Business VIPs 55 ASU rival 56 Soon after 57 Appearance 59 Vegas game 60 Cogito — sum 61 Benchmark 64 Zoologist’s eggs 65 Ferrer or Tillis

Previous puzzle solved C R A B L I MP P U P H I R E A D RO P F U R L I C E D G A T OR I NG E P H A R A OH H E R B T E A OMOO T I E P O P L I N C L E A RO F F O V A L S L O I N S L O E L OC F A R E D S I L E L K S U K E S I D E S T D I S OR D E R H A U N T S L E G K E N S B A N D A I D H I S T OR Y A CME NO V A S P RO S C H E R G L I N T A N T E H E X L A S S N E A R

8 ■ Tuesday, February 8, 2011

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