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Cougars get pretty in pink in support of foundation

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March 28, 2012 Issue 95, Volume 77

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Court disqualifies four candidates Commission found to have numerous violations, justices decided guilt of students independently Joshua Mann

THE DAILY COUGAR The Student Government Association Justices struck down the Election Commission’s decision to disqualify four members of the McHugh-Aijaz party due to code violations, but determined three of them participated in election fraud. President-elect Michael McHugh and Natural Sciences and Mathematics senators-elect Laxmi Ramana and Brandon Balwant have been disqualified for the fraud. Mohammad Aijaz, McHugh’s

I speak for the Court when I say that we delivered this judgement with heavy hearts. It is truly regrettable to discover that fellow students aspiring to represent the student body succumbed to these temptations.” Chief Justice Taylor Kilroy, on the decision the SGA Court of Appeals made SGA continues on page 2

Michael McHugh (right) listens to James Lee (left) testify that he helped the McHugh-Aijaz party commit election fraud in the runoff SGA elections in McHugh and Aijaz’s Court of Appeals hearing Monday. | Emily Chambers/The Daily Cougar

ORGANIZATIONS

BOARD OF REGENTS

Group wins first place at home

Stadium to be built in current location Regents approve student referendum fee increase There is no tuition Audris Ponce THE DAILY COUGAR increase; it’s just the fees to support The UH system Board of Regents decided to build a new the UC and the athletics football stadium in Robertson’s construction. These are not fees current location instead of the for classes but for services.” proposed site near the intersec-

Event celebrates culture through dance, sports Audris Ponce

THE DAILY COUGAR The University of Houston Filipino Student Association hosted and won the annual GoodPhil festivity at the Stafford Centre. GoodPhil is a weekend event which began in 1991 where FSA groups from universities across the state, including the University of Texas, Texas A&M and the University of Texas at San Antonio among others, convene to celebrate their culture through dance and sports. “It’s something that every participating FSA in Texas looks forward to every year,” President of UHFSA Christian Santos said. “On a competitive note, every

The UH Filipino Student Association won their dances and most of their sports, as well as won the first place overall prize. | Courtesy of Sadiq Amir school prepares and puts in work to represent their school in every competition. In the end, it’s just about getting everyone together as one.” The competition draws in students who watched the events as kids. “Some of us have followed GoodPhil since we were in high school at a young age and had older brothers, sisters or friends who were involved with GoodPhil, and we just were there along for the ride in some way,” business sophomore and dancer Richard Ocampo said.

The preparation for the event spans over months with grueling schedules the students juggled along with school, work and family obligations. Students participating in sports met various times each week to prepare for the football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and dodgeball competitions. “We practiced everywhere on-campus,” kinesiology major Wesley Vu said. “Aside from team practice, we had individual practices at the UH Recreation Center GOODPHIL continues on page 3

tion of Cullen Boulevard and Interstate 45. This was decided in the Board’s meeting Wednesday at the Hilton University of Houston Hotel. “There are too many unknown costs for the I-45 site,” Vice Chair for the Board Mica Mosbacher said. “I would hate to burden our students with more costs.” The alternate site would have cost the University an estimated $40 million more than it would to keep the stadium in the current location. The I-45 site date of completion was 2015 and would’ve relocated Cullen Boulevard and the intramural fields. One year of rental for another facility would’ve been added to the cost.

John Antel, on the increase of student fees in the fall semester Chair of the Board of Regents Nelda Blair said she and other members felt comfortable with the current site for the new stadium. “I am satisfied that our current site is the site to be,” Blair said. The cost for the new, approximately 40,000-seat football stadium is $105 million, and construction will be completed by 2014. The Board also approved a student fee increase that will be implemented in the fall semester. “There is no tuition increase; it’s just the fees to support the UC REGENTS continues on page 3

NEWS

2 ! Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Daily Cougar

SGA continued from page 1

running mate, was also disqualified, although the court did not say Aijaz committed fraud. “Unfortunately, due to the joint ticket, Mohammad Aijaz will also be disqualified,” said Chief Justice Taylor Kilroy in an email announcing the decision. Chief Election Commissioner Arsalan Razakazi declined to comment on the decision until he could speak with his fellow election commissioners, and neither Michael nor Cameron McHugh could be reached before publication. “I speak for the Court when I say that we delivered this judgement with heavy hearts,” Kilroy said. “It is truly regrettable to discover that fellow students aspiring to represent the student body succumbed to these temptations.”

The Dean Of Students Office

THE DEAN’S AWARD

Outstanding

To promote service to the University of Houston by recognizing students for their outstanding contributions to the quality of campus life through service, leadership and spirit. Online applications are available on the Dean of Students website at: www.uh.edu/dos. For more information, call 832.842.6183 Criteria include: Demonstrated significant service and/or leadership; enthusiasm; a minimum 2.5 GPA; enrollment in at least 9 hours; Junior or Senior classification at the University of Houston.

Appeals hearing The party members fought the original disqualification in front of the SGA Court of Appeals Monday in a two back-to-back hearings that lasted from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. The Commission’s arguments during the hearings were largely based upon two student affidavits and the testimony of James Lee, a member of the McHugh-Aijaz party, while the appellants maintained a denial of the charges and said the Commission broke several rules with its actions. “We believe that these charges brought up against the defendants were both meritless, thoughtless and were in direct violation of the election code,” said Cameron, who represented his brother and the other appellants under the guidance of Houston Attorney and former Houston City Council Member Jolanda Jones. Cameron said the complaints of fraud were filed passed deadline, but the Commissioners said they

McHugh

Aijaz

Balwant

Ramana

were allowed time to investigate the allegations. “In the election code,” said Assistant Election Commissioner Said Jalajal, “it states that because there was election fraud, we did not have to file a complaint because we as an election commission have jurisdiction to investigate and deliberate onto the actions.” Lee said he had been given seven PeopleSoft numbers and told to use them to vote for McHugh and Aijaz in the run-off elections. Michael denied this and said Lee was making the allegations due to bitterness over rejected romantic advances made on Michael. Lee said this was not true. The appellants tried twice to have Kilroy and Razakazi recused from the hearing, saying they are biased against Michael, but the motions were denied both times. “We have, in the past, heard allegations (against) Chief Justice Kilroy about blatant bias against members of the McHugh-Aijaz party, particularly Michael McHugh,” Cameron said. The motion against Razakazi was denied by Kilroy, who said that he could not be recused, as he was one of the appellees. “You cannot recuse a party... so I’m going to deny that right off,” Kilroy said. news@thedailycougar.com

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ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://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 Send 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.

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 ! 3

Cougars learn from recycled games

tudents competed in the RecycleMania Olympics and Art of Recycling Contest on Thursday in Butler Plaza. The Olympics consisted of five games, and the art-of-recylcing contest had three tables worth of recyclables from which the students could create art. | Brianna Leigh Morrison/The Daily Cougar

REGENTS continued from page 1

and the athletics construction,” Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs John Antel said. “These are not fees for classes but for services.” Students will pay be charged a $100 increase in fees for the construction of the new football stadium and the new University

GOODPHIL continued from page 1

with our coach two times a week, each lasting about one to three hours long.” Santos said team chemistry was an important factor among the athletes and that new members of the group worked very well with the other dancers. “Every single athlete and dancer put their heart and soul into the preparation of GoodPhil to the point where these ‘rookies’ played and performed like seasoned veterans,” Santos said. One of the highlights of the event is the dance competition on opening night, where three dances are presented: cultural, spirit and modern. The dancers practiced in the University Center Underground since late January three days per week, until March when they practiced every day. There are about 35 dancers for the modern dance, and practices for the group lasted from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Closer to the premiere, the dancers had practices that lasted until midnight or after. “Nothing gets me more motivated than to rep UH and compete for Houston. As much as we practice and as talented as we are, the energy when we get on that stage is unreal. Our friends

Center facilities. Antel said the fee was selfimposed after students voted in approval of the athletic referendum on Feb. 2. UH Chancellor and President Renu Khator said she received news March 20 that the UH systems are now Hispanic-serving institutions. “There are only two Tier One universities who have that: University of New Mexico and University of California at Riverside,” Khator

The last song from our modern dance was an emotional one for all of us. It wasn’t about performing or trying to win at that point; it was about emotion and heart. Some of us couldn’t hold back tears while performing that final song.” Sadiq Amir, on the group’s experience dancing to the last song and families screaming and chanting ‘UH’ so loud that we can’t even hear the music,” management information systems junior Sadiq Amir said. “The last song from our modern dance was an emotional one for all of us. It wasn’t about performing or trying to win at that point; it was about emotion and heart. Some of us couldn’t hold back tears while performing that final song.” UHFSA placed first in dance as well as a majority of the sports competitions, including football, and won the GoodPhil first place overall prize. “I always made it a point for everyone to leave with something memorable from GoodPhil, dance or sports related,” Ocampo said. “And I feel like we did just that.” news@thedailycougar.com

said. To be named a Hispanic-serving institution, a university has to have an enrollment of at least 25 percent undergraduate full-time Hispanic students at the end of the year immediately preceding the date of application. Khator said the title was an important example of the University’s synchronization of Houston’s diverse population and culture. news@thedailycougar.com

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OPINION THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITOR David Haydon E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/opinion

POKING AND PUKING by David Delgado

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

Daniel Renfrow Mary Baak Taylor McGilvray, Joshua Mann Joshua Siegel Jose Aguilar David Haydon Amanda Hilow

STAFF EDITORIAL

Anti-gay group’s strategy revealed

he National Organization for Marriage has been outed. A current investigation into NOM’s illegal campaign finance practices has brought to light how the organization develops its strategies for courting individuals into its anti-LGBT movement. The documents, obtained by the Human Rights Campaign, reveal that the organization relies partly on racially-driven strategies to carry out its agenda. “The strategic goal…is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks — two key Democratic constituencies. Find, equip, energize and connect African American spokespeople for marriage; develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right; provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots,” read a passage of the document. HRC President Joe Solmonese called the material a “game changer.” “Nothing beats hearing from the horse’s mouth exactly how callous and extremist this group really is.” This is indeed a game changer. NOM is often portrayed by its opponents as an extremist organization. It will be quite difficult for NOM to continue to question this portrayal. NOM President Brian Brown issued a statement on the release of the information. According to Brown, advocates of same-sex marriage promote the issue as a civil right. He disagrees with this characterization. “We proudly bring together people of different races, creeds and colors to fight for our most fundamental institution: marriage,” he said. However, it would be more appropriate to say that NOM turns people of different groups against each other in order to deprive LGBTidentified individuals of their civil rights. Now that NOM’s strategy has been brought to light, hopefully the rest of the nation will see what LGBT advocates have known for so long: Hate groups like NOM are the ones with radical agendas.

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 to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements 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.

Thinspirationally disgusting Posting info online about harmful diets needs to be prohibited

interest has followed Tumblr and Facebook in editing their terms of service to bar content that encourages self-harm. Though these bans cover cutting or other unhealthy behavior, they were inspired by the deluge of pro-eating disorder blogs and posts. Until quite recently, social media websites made it shockingly easy for a young person, insecure about his or her Emily weight, to find support Brooks for disordered eating. The groups tag themselves as “thinspo,” short for “thinspiration,” and frequently feature images of emaciated models with disturbing captions such as, “You’re not a dog. Don’t reward yourself with food,” or “Whatever you eat in private, you wear in public.” Once commonly referred to “proana” or “pro-anorexia,” such groups offer instructions for extreme weight loss and provide encouragement to each other in becoming dangerously underweight. Poor knowledge about nutrition by youths makes them particularly vulnerable. For instance, some ex-members have stated that they honestly believed the less than 500 calorie per day diet advocated by some of these groups were actually not dangerously unhealthy — just very strict. This is not to say that there is anything wrong with encouraging healthy weight loss. Obesity is becoming a greater public health issue every day, and the public at large should strive to eat healthier and lead more active lifestyles. However, eating-disorder sites

and support groups encourage obsessive-compulsive and self-destructive behaviors. Rather than encouraging a nutritious diet and an active lifestyle to lose weight, “thinspo” blogs promote extreme methods of weight loss such as starvation and purging. Sufferers of eating disorders often seek others to legitimize their condition — a kind of support they are unlikely to find in their family or friends, but that they can find easily in destructive online communities. These sites “provide community in all the wrong ways,” Claire Mysko of the National Eating Disorders Association said. “It only serves to keep people entrenched in self-destructive behavior.” Tumblr was very popular with these groups for some time until it changed its terms of service last month to prohibit self-harm content. With the help of the NEDA, Tumblr has devised an elegant system that redirects searches for “thinspo” and similar content to places where eating disorder sufferers can get help. In response, pro-ana groups moved to Pinterest in droves. According to Mysko, its highly visual and interactive design structure is appealing to the pro-ana community. After an outcry in the media over the deluge of new “thinspo” content on Pinterest, they have announced a change in their terms of service effective April 6. The new terms will prohibit the posting of content that “creates a risk of harm, loss, physical or mental injury, emotional distress, death, disability, disfigurement or physical or mental illness to yourself, to any other person, or to any animal.” Now that Pinterest is no longer an

This is not to say that there is anything wrong with encouraging healthy weight loss ... The public at large should strive to eat healthier and lead more active lifestyles. However, eating-disorder sites and support groups encourage obsessive-compulsive and selfdestructive behaviors.” option, “thinspo” and pro-ana communities will have to find somewhere else to go. Obviously, removing content that encourages self harm from social media sites will not remove it from the internet entirely and will not stop those actively searching for the information; however, by removing the content from sites that are frequented by young people, it’s possible to keep vulnerable youths from accessing that sort of content and believing that it is a viable or healthy method of weight loss. These social media companies are privately owned and have every right to restrict the content that can be posted. After all, they all already prohibit pornographic imagery. If by prohibiting “thinspo” content, they can keep at least a few young people from believing that anorexia is a valid nutritional option, then they have made the right decision. Emily Brooks is an economics senior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 ! 5

The Daily Cougar

EDITOR Joshua Siegel E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/sports

SOFTBALL

Striking out breast cancer Cougars get to support cause that hits close to home

UH hopes to be on top of their game against top-ranked Longhorns Matt Straw

Joshua Siegel

THE DAILY COUGAR

THE DAILY COUGAR When head coach Kyla Holas sent out a text message asking her players if they knew any cancer survivors to throw out the first pitch of tonight’s sixth annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Game, sophomore pitcher Bailey Watts had the perfect candidate. Watts’ grandmother, Glynis Matthews, is a breast cancer survivor. She attends all of the Cougars’ home games and is “ecstatic” to be a part of the event. “It’s a big thing for me,” Watts said. “And for my grandma to be a part of it, it touches me. It’s very moving for me and I’m so glad that she gets to be a part of it. “Since I was little, she comes to almost every single game. She doesn’t miss home games. She’s just a huge part of my life, so this is a really big deal for me.” Last season, the Cougars used the game to raise nearly $11,000 for Susan G. Komen’s Houston affiliate. “If I can give something to somebody and put a smile on their face or make their day, that makes me happy,” Watts said. “Being able to contribute money, especially a significant amount of money that’s a big deal, and the fact that we do it as a team, that’s just great.” Watts has lost several other family members to cancer, but she is not the only player who has lost someone close to cancer. Haley and Diedre Outon lost their mother to the disease. “Haley and Diedre have been through it,” Watts said. “ I think that on a daily basis,

Sophomore pitcher Bailey Watts’ grandmother, Glynis Matthews, will throw out tonight’s first pitch at the sixth annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Game. Matthews is a survivor of breast cancer. | Hendrick Rosemond/The Daily Cougar they have to get through it and the fact that we can do this as a team and it definitely means something to them, I think it’s different when it’s your mom.” The Cougars have found a way to have “Mama Outon” be a part of the team, though. “If something great happens, we always say things like, ‘Mama Outon’s watching over us,’ or ‘your mom’s an angel today.’” Watts said. “Even sometimes on the plane, if the plane gets shaky, we’re like, ‘Oh come on Mama Outon.’ We know she’s constantly always there, so this is a huge deal, especially for them too.”

Helping the cause Last season, the Cougars played Texas A&M for the Striking Out Breast Cancer Game and drew a crowd of 1,672, a record for Cougar Softball Stadium. The Cougars hope to draw even more fans this year against No. 6 Texas and raise money through a silent auction with the proceeds benefiting the Houston affiliate of Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Cougars and Longhorns will be outfitted in pink jerseys and helmets that will later be available in the auction. In addition to the game-worn

jerseys and helmets, several other items will be up for auction, including a Case Keenum autographed picture, a Matt Schaub autographed mini helmet, a Michael Bourn autographed UH hat and ball, a Roger Clemens autographed UT hat and ball, a Donnie Avery autographed football and a Cat Osterman Team USA autographed photo, among many other items. The auction begins at 4 p.m. More information can be found at www.UHCougars.com. Following the game, the players will also sign autographs for fans. sports@thedailycougar.com

UH NOTEBOOK

UH gets new head coach, Cougars head to Austin The Cougars head to Austin today, until Saturday, to participate in the 85th annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, hosted by the University of Texas at Mike A. Myers Stadium. With only a week to prepare for this competition, head coach Leroy Burrell said that they backed off a little bit at practice. “We tried to get all of our relay combinations together, take some hand offs, things of that nature,” said Burrell. The Cougars will try carry over last meets momentum, as they get ready to face some of the nation’s best. “It’s very simple, we want to qualify and get to run on Saturday,” said Burrell on the Cougar’s

expectations. The Cougars’ main issue right now is to get a few athletes back and with full strength. “We are trying to get Markquis Frazier on the men’s side back healthy and in full strength, and Doug Kelly,” said Burrell. “We are about three quarters of the way there.” This year Texas Relays consist of 200 universities and colleges, and 2,212 collegian athletes. Including high school and invited athletes, there are 6,527 entries compared to last year’s 4,948. The first event of the meet, the women’s heptathlon, is set for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

— Eduardo Venegas

Platt places Alvey on the bench Athletic Director Mack Rhoades announced the hiring of Kaddie Platt as the new head volleyball coach. Platt joins the Cougar Athletic Department after spending 17 seasons as head coach at Houston Baptist University. She enters the 2012 season, UH’s last in Conference USA, with a career record of 499-157. In her time at HBU, Platt amassed eight conference championships and six appearances in the NAIA National Tournament in 17 years. She led the Huskies to a 22-9

record in 2011. Platt will replace former UH head coach Molly Alvey, who accepted the head coach position from the University of Cincinnati in the offseason. UH closed the 2011 season third in C-USA standings, with a 19-11 over all record. Platt is a graduate of HBU, where she played four seasons from 1991-94. The Cougars will be without seniors Lucy Charuk and Ingride Zauere, but return many of their top players including Katie Norris, Stephanie Nwachukwu, Chandace Tryon, Caitlin Ogltree and Kadi Kullerkahn.

— Ricardo Rivera

The Cougars (18-13, 7-2 Conference USA) will host the sixth annual Striking Out Breast Cancer Softball Game against No. 6 Texas today. The softball program will team up with the Houston Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For the Cure to give UH and its ! " Holly Anderson supporters a chance to help in the fight against breast cancer. Along with the coaches, umpires, grounds crew and athletics staff, the players will wear pink to honor those affected by breast cancer. “It’s a way to recognize the important woman and survivors in our lives, and to show our girls that softball is about more than wins and losses,” said head coach Kyla Holas. Holas started the program as a way to honor the mother of a former player who had been affected by the disease. There will be a silent auction with all proceeds benefiting the foundation. Items include game-worn jerseys and helmets, autograph memorabilia, free massages, and much more. The game itself will be just as exciting as the other festivities as the Longhorns (26-2, 5-0 Big 12) travel to Houston with an undefeated record on the road. They have outscored their opponents 197-42. The Longhorns are led by Kingwood-product Lexy Bennett. The senior infielder leads UT in batting average (.463), hits (38), home runs (6) and RBI (38). The Cougars will need to play flawlessly in order to add to their season-high eight-game winning streak. Infielder Holly Anderson and catcher Haley Outon provide the power for the Coogs’ offense. They share the team lead in home runs with eight. Anderson leads UH with 30 RBI and Outon has 29. The key to pull off an upset for the Cougars is to score early. They have outscored their opponents 26-8 in the first inning and have a 14-3 record when scoring first. The game starts at 6 p.m. at Cougar Softball Stadium. The first 1,500 fans who attend the game will receive a free pink T-shirt. sports@thedailycougar.com

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ACROSS 1 Attacks verbally (with “into”) 5 Flower near a mill? 11 “Up, up and away” defunct flier 14 At the crest of 15 Beginning with “dynamic” or “nuclear” 16 Actor McShane of “Deadwood” 17 Christmas carols may put one in this 19 Cold War aircraft 20 Civil War soldier in gray (Abbr.) 21 Put together, as a model 23 Hedgehog mascot of Sega 26 January, in some dates 27 Closer to raw, as a steak 28 1986 Oliver Stone movie 30 Indiana NBA team 31 Beat one’s gums 32 Card game like rummy 35 Residence visited in summer, perhaps 40 Lazy person’s state 41 Flossing-endorsing org. 43 Decorative necktie 46 Arrogant

attitude 49 1980s Mideast envoy Philip 50 “... a pocket full of ___” 52 Antique-car starter 53 Similar version 55 Spoonbender Geller 56 “___ only money!” 57 1970s fashion statement 62 “What’d I tell you?” 63 Field hockey positions 64 Cantina munchie 65 Make a mistake 66 Corporate jet maker 67 “... bad as they ___” DOWN 1 “Let’s go, team!” 2 “How was ___ know?” 3 Capitol Hill figure, briefly 4 “Guest of honor” at a seance 5 Attack with a dagger 6 “___ will be done” 7 Furnish with new personnel 8 Having an irregularly gnawed edge 9 Andy’s partner in old radio 10 In a medium tempo

11 Quality of a singing voice 12 Bob Marley backup 13 Arouses wrath in 18 Art ___ (1920s-’30s style) 22 Former Portuguese territory in China 23 “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, ___” 24 Any of several kings of Norway 25 California wine valley 26 Broadcasting now 29 Certain chamber music group 30 “Fiddlefaddle!” 33 “Believe it or ___!” 34 Absinthe flavor 36 Type of servant or

engineer 37 Like some steroids 38 “The Thorn Birds,” for one 39 First lady’s residence? 42 40 days and 40 nights boat 43 “Longue” chair 44 Blusterer 45 Badmouther 47 Land measurement 48 Batches of grain for the mill 50 Acropolis attractions 51 “For” words 54 Trait determiner 55 Celestial bear 58 Banquet coffeepot 59 Abu Dhabi’s federation (Abbr.) 60 “Cool” target for a yegg? 61 Rocker Petty

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012 ! 7

The Daily Cougar

EDITOR Jose Aguilar E-MAIL arts@thedailycougar.com ONLINE thedailycougar.com/arts

FRONTIER FIESTA CINEMA

Student ‘The Hunger Games’ enthralls fans veterans at Spring blockbuster film premieres across nation and attracts large turnouts for midnight screenings UH honored Annual festival hosts a day in recognition and support for war troops Romana Fatima

THE DAILY COUGAR University of Houston’s most important tradition, Frontier Fiesta, honored the veterans on campus for the first time in years on Saturday. Family Fun Day included the Joe Koppel Military Appreciation Ceremony and a cook-off awards presentation that attracted many people. “There was a history of veterans being honored in Frontier Fiesta before,” said Program Director for Veterans’ Services Office Allen Grundy. “So when we had our new committee and some WWII veterans that went here to UH wanted to bring it back got us excited.” The Veterans Services on campus conveyed their support and work by displaying a great ceremony that attracted a lot of people. “We do recruiting, retain and graduate veterans — it’s a million dollar product, because all the money goes to school,” Grundy said. Chairman of Houston Military Affairs Committee Gene Tulich also spoke during the ceremony. “I’m involved in most of the veterans events going on, one of the big things coming up shortly in April is an Iraq veterans parade,” Tulich said. On April 7 there will be a parade going through Minute Maid Park. “We are preparing for the reduction in the arms forces in the next couple of budget years,” Tulich said. “So you will see more and more people coming to UH as their services end, and getting that extra education is going to be vital.” Tulich asked students to treat the arriving veterans as long lost brethren, take care of them and bring them into their hearts, because they have certainly given their own hearts for this country. According to Allen Grundy, having so many veterans on the campus can be a good thing. “It can do two things: It can grow the population of UH and it can bring in great funding,” Grundy said. Former students also came out to enjoy the day and support the veterans. “I’ve been coming here every year even after graduation. (I) just like to see different shows and be around UH ... and have FIESTA continues on page 8

Jennifer Lawrence, who is pictured here at the 83rd annual Academy Awards that took place back in February 2011, stars as Katniss Everdeen, the lead role in the film “The Hunger Games.” The motion picture debuted this past weekend. | Wiki Commons Channler Hill

THE DAILY COUGAR Panem — the remains of what once was North America and now home to 12 deprived districts surrounding the wealthy Capitol — rebelled, causing severe punishments to take action. Every year the districts sacrifice one boy and girl each who must compete to the death in an arena controlled by the Capitol. Based on Suzanne Collins’ novel, “The Hunger Games” premiered at midnight on Friday and instantly compelled fans, resulting in an opening weekend gross of $68.25 million — the highest gross for a non-sequel film and the fifth highest

Friday gross. The debut of The Hunger Games trilogy grossed $19.75 million from midnight shows, ranking seventh on the list of best midnight grosses. The sequels “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay” are scheduled to follow. Jennifer Lawrence stars as the main character, Katniss Everdeen from District 12. Katniss is a family provider, hunter and older sister to the character Primrose, played by Willow Shields, who is selected by a random draw for the annual Capitol Hunger Games. Instead, Katniss volunteers to fight Primrose’s battles to ensure her safety. The cast includes characters living in all 12 districts as well as the Capitol.

Josh Hutcherson stars as Peeta Mellark, the chosen boy from District 12; his fellow cast members include Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson. Lawrence’s portrayal as Katniss is moving — throughout the entire film, Katniss showcases that the lives of others are more important than her own. Each viewer can feel the heart of Katniss and sense that she will stop at nothing to prove to the Capitol they cannot control everything. Executive Producers Robert Bissell, Suzanne Collins and Louise Rosner and Director Gary Ross, who has allegedly already signed up to direct the sequel “Catching Fire,” built a film that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Architecture, fashion and technology were all factors that had strong presence throughout the picture that alone makes it one of this year’s must see films. Despite the film’s triumphs, it lacked significant detail that had originally been made clear in the novel. The relationship that Katniss had with Peeta before the games is briefly noted in flashbacks in the film, but offer little insight into their history together. Viewers who have not read the novel were lead to formulate their own idea of what their relationship was prior to the games. “The Hunger Games” is a heartfelt journey in a world unlike that of our own encompassing compassion, courage, determination, fear and love. For fans of the novel trilogy as well as new fans that have yet to read the novel, the 74th annual Hunger Games will be an event to be remembered.

arts@thedailycougar.com

FORGET THE CLASSIFIEDS. YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE. Careers For Everything You Are

We misspell on purpose. Just to keep you alert. Your welcome.

Life’s journey is about achieving your goals and helping others achieve theirs. That’s what we believe. And that’s why we’re coming to your campus. Visit us at our Wireless Wednesday booth for a chance to fulfill one of your dreams, and to help The Buried Life fulfill one of theirs. You’ll also put yourself in the running for a $500 Dream Bucks gift card. We’ll be at your school the first Wednesday of select months through April 2012. And we can’t waitSTORY to tell you how Verizonon Wireless SLUG continues page 7 has a career for everything you are. To learn more, visit vzcampus.com/uh

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LIFE+ARTS

8 ! Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Daily Cougar

LITERATURE

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THE DAILY COUGAR Award-winning and bestselling authors Tea Obreht and Gary Shteyngart read from their latest novels Monday at the Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater as part of the 2011/2012 Inprint Margarett Root Brown Reading Series. Obreht read first, picking two excerpts from her highly praised debut “The Tiger’s Wife,” which received the 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction. The novel is set in an unnamed Balkan country and follows Natalia, a doctor who attempts to unravel the mysterious circumstances of her grandfather’s sudden death. Many were caught off guard by Obreht’s lighter reading that showcased humor hidden among the darker themes of death and war. Her consistent but animated tone sparked several laughs from the audience at seemingly unlikely points in the narrative. “In the Balkans, that’s also a motive of coping,” Obreht said. “It’s not exactly a cheerful history there so I think you have to get as much cheer out of it as you can.” “The Tiger’s Wife” originated in the form of a 25-page short story written by Obreht while she was working towards her Master’s of Fine Arts in creative writing at Columbia University. After the story was torn apart in workshops, Obreht realized that as she added on more, the story got better. Eventually it turned into a full-length novel that centered on a grandfather-granddaughter relationship based loosely on the one in Obreht’s life. “It was its own relationship before I realized that my relationship with my grandfather was at the base,” Obreht said. “That was one of those things where the book runs away with itself. It just sort of crawled onto the page when I wasn’t looking.” Following Obreht was Shteyngart, recipient of the 2011 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Literature as well as the 2010 Salon Book Award for Fiction.

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a little sun,” said UH alumna Amariee Collins. “They did veterans ceremony and I wanted to make sure I came to that.” The cook-off awards also brought many people together for a good cause. The ceremony started off with the People’s Choice Awards for chili, beans and barbecue followed by baking. Chris Sams’ recipe won second place for People’s Choice Chili. “This is my third year. I won third-place chili two years ago,” Sams said. “I like winning People’s Choice Award because it’s a public award.” arts@thedailycougar.com

He read from his third novel, “Super Sad True Love Story,” which is set in dystopian New York and follows middle-aged Leonard Abramov as he falls in love with the beautiful and young Eunice Park; it tackles the issues of materialism and technological dependence in the face of a national economic crisis. Shteyngart is someone who could easily be your quirky, sarcastic and witty friend that you rely on for comic relief. He elicited much laughter from the crowd throughout his reading of a scene where Leonard brings Eunice to meet his parents. “When I started writing this book, there was a lot of science fiction in it and I realized that I didn’t know anything about science,” Shteyngart said. “So my editor said, ‘Less science more love.’” He was inspired focus on the love story by one of his favorite dystopian novels, “1984” by George Orwell. “Super Sad True Love Story,” like his previous two works, touches on a much deeper issue while finding a way to incorporate a humorous writing style. “I definitely feel like writing literary fiction that’s humorous is almost an oxymoron and there’s often a pressure not to do it,” Shteyngart said. “I come from a Russian Jewish tradition, where the whole serious stuff is the stuff that’s supposed to be funny.” Both authors’ works are based in a time other then the present. They agreed that setting a story in the present time could be difficult because it’s so fleeting. “There’s no present left. We’re all living in the future,” Shteyngart said. “And that’s the big problem that makes it almost impossible to write about the present — because it’s gone. Just like that, it’s history.” The final reading in this series will feature former U.S. Poet Laureate W. S. Merwin and will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 23 at the Hubbard Stage of the Alley Theater.

arts@thedailycougar.com

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