75.149-063010
DESCRIPTION
The official student newspaper of the University of HoustonTRANSCRIPT
THE DAILY COUGAR®
1 9 3 4 – 2 0 0 9
years
t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s p a p e r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s t o n s i n c e 1 9 3 4
UH student to representUSA in national contest SportS »
How does Elena Kagan feel right now? Look right. opINIoN » hi 86 Lo 77
issue 149, Volume 75 Wednesday, June 30, 2010 thedailycougar.com
WEAtHEr »
Forecast, Page 2
THE DAILY COUGAR.COM @thedailycougar is tweeting, so why aren’t you following?
Summer arts
Children from across Houston participated in the sixth annual Summer Arts program at UH’s
Blaffer Art Museum. Taking inspiration from the museum’s
current exhibitions, Tomas Saraceno: Lighter than Air and First Take: Jacco Olivier, the children made art under the direction of artist and educator Patrick Renner. The program ends this Friday.
Jairo razo THe DAiLy COUgAR
Merit-based raises defined
Productivity reviews to determine increases; gg
promotional increases excluded
By Amanda TrellaThe Daily Cougar
The UH Finance and Administration Committee for the Board of Regents approved the fiscal year 2011 budget in one of their most recent meetings.
The budget includes funds for a 3 percent raise pool for faculty and staff, which will take effect in October.
The raises awarded by the Regents will be based solely on merit, rewarding individuals based on productivity reviews that were conducted each year by deans, department chairs and department and college committees.
“Merit increases are justified when faculty productivity increases and there is no doubt that faculty productivity, in terms of research, external funding and scholarly output, has significantly increased over the last year in our quest for (Flagship) status,” Faculty Senate President Mark Clarke said.
According to the Regents presentation, the budget for the fiscal year 2011 is set to $1.34 billion, $7 million of which has been allotted for the faculty and staff raise pool.
“We are pleased that the administration continues to
support (our quest for Flagship) and has worked diligently to secure a 3 percent merit pool for faculty even in this uncertain financial climate,” Clarke said.
in order to be considered for the pay raise, staff members must meet certain requirements.
“To be eligible, a staff member must be employed in a benefits-eligible staff position continuously since March 1, 2010 and have a current PCD (Performance Communication and Development) form on file in Human Resources with a rating of “generally Meets expectations” or better,” executive Vice Chancellor Carl Carlucci said in a memorandum to all UH vice presidents and deans.
Based on the PCD ratings, merit increase guidelines recommend faculty and staff be awarded raise increases of 1 to 2 percent for “generally Meets expectations”, 2 to 3 percent for “Fully Meets expectations” and 3 to 5 percent for “exceeds expectations.”
Recommendations for the merit-based raise will be provided by the president, provost, vice presidents, deans, chairs, principal investigators and directors.
After approval from the specified
By Amanda TrellaThe Daily Cougar
The UH Blaffer Art Museum benefactor, arts patron and philanthropist Jane Blaffer Owen, 95, died last week in her Houston home.
Owen held a life-long dedication to art, culture and history.
“Her passion for the arts, and her continuing support for UH were unsurpassed. She has enriched our campus in so many ways,” UH President Renu Khator said. “Her memory will live on in the
contributions that have helped make UH a more beautiful and gracious place.”
Daughter of exxonMobil founder Robert Lee Blaffer and granddaughter of Texaco founder William T. Campbell, Owen was known for her generous donations in both Houston and New Harmony, ind.
Owen created the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation to preserve and
promote New Harmony, ind., the town in which she honeymooned in 1941.
Her work has earned her numerous honors and awards, including the 2008 Louise Dupont Crowninshield Award, the highest commendation presented by the National Trust for Historic
By Patricia Estrada The Daily Cougar
Renovations for the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication building, originally set to begin in January, have been postponed until mid-August.
Administrators gave no reason for the delay.
Despite the slow start to the construction, senior project manager Dean Ruck said progress has been made in the $3 million renovation and expansion project.
“The documents for the project have just been completed by the architect,” he said. “(And) the general contractor will be bidding the work in July.”
Communications faculty and staff were relocated to trailers by the Law Center on Jan. 19 in anticipation of the construction.
“Any move is an inconvenience,”
communication adviser Les Oliver said. “it’s a trailer park and there is little, if any, privacy. We have adjusted as well as we can.”
The Daily Cougar was relocated to the University Center Satellite due to the construction, while most classes in media production were relocated to the KUHT-TV studios.
Students and faculty can expect disturbances while construction takes place, Ruck said.
“Construction in an occupied building is inherently disturbing to the occupants,” he said. “Facilities planning and construction, as well as the contractor, (will) try to minimize disturbances by performing particularly noisy work during off hours whenever possible.”
Ruck said Bartlett Cocke general Contractors has been selected as the general contractor for the renovation
Patron of arts and music dies
Valenti awaits facelift
Bill aShley COURTeSy OF BLAFFeR ART MUSeUM
Jane Blaffer Owen (second from left), “strongly believed in the transformative power of art,” Blaffer Art Museum Director Claudia Schmuckli said. Owen last visited the museum in fall 2009 for the Jon Pylypchuk and Josephine Meckseper exhibitions.
Blaffer owen gg
remembered for passion, enrichment of Uh
see RAISES, page 6
see BLAFFER, page 6 see VALENTI, page 8
2 n Wednesday, June 30, 2010 The Daily Cougar
Thursday
81˚ 77˚Friday
82˚ 75˚Saturday
84˚ 76˚
TODAY
Free Workshop: Room 110-L in the Social Work Building from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The course will be on Web Devel-opment – Cascading Style Sheets. The workshop is instructor-led with hands-on training. For more information, call (713) 743-1564.
Free Workshop: Room 110-L in the So-cial Work Building from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The course will be on Spreadsheets – Excel Formulas and Functions. The workshop is instructor-led with hands-on training. For more information, call (713) 743-1564.
LGBT Resource Center Grand Open-ing: Room 279A in the UC from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Come celebrate the opening of the UH LGBT Resource Cen-ter with special guest council member Sue Lovell. For more information, e-mail Lorraine Schroeder at [email protected].
Blaffer’s Summer Exhibition: Blaffer Art Museum from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts and Blaffer Art Museum join forces to present a Contemporary Salon in conjunction with Blaffer’s Summer Exhibition,
Tomás Saraceno: Lighter than Air. The talk will feature guest panelists John Reed, the director of the School of Art at UH, architect Garrett Finney and UH professors of architecture Larry Bell and Patrick Peters. Admission to the Contemporary Salon is free and will be preceded by a wine-and-cheese recep-tion. For more information, contact [email protected].
THURSDAY
Peter Wolf Crier: Rudyard’s British Pub located at 2010 Waugh on Montrose, 8 p.m. Peter Wolf Crier is the stage name of indie musicians Peter Pisano and Brian Moen. For more information, visit Rudyard’s website www.rudyardspub.com or call (713) 521-0521.
FRIDAY
Vans Warped Tour 2010: The Show-grounds at Sam Houston Race Park. Concert gates open at 1 p.m. Headlin-ing bands include Alkaline Trio, Every Time I Die, Dillinger Escape Plan, Fake Problems, We The Kings, Andrew W.K. and All American Rejects. Be sure to bring water (one unopened bottle) and plenty of sunscreen. Umbrellas are not permitted, but tarps and blankets are allowed in case of rain. Tickets at www.shrp.com.
C A L E N D A R
F O R E C A S T
CAMPUSBEAT
CO R R E C T I O N S
CO N TAC T U S
A B O U T
I S S U E S TA F F
» Send event information to [email protected]
»Report errors to [email protected]
About the CougAr The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and Wednesdays 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 [email protected] 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.
Corrections will appear in this space as needed.gg
ngCopy editing Moniqua SextonngProduction Sarah NeillngClosing editor Matthew Keever
newsroom(713) 743-5360ngEditor in ChiefMatthew Keever(713) [email protected] EditorNewton Liu(713) [email protected] EditorsHiba Adi Jose Aguilar(713) [email protected]
ngSports EditorsJohn Brannen Christopher Losee(713) [email protected] & Arts EditorTravis Hensley(713) [email protected] EditorAndrew [email protected] EditorKendra Berglund(713) [email protected]
Advertising(713) [email protected](713) [email protected]
business officengPhone (713) 743-5350ngFax (713) 743-5384ngMailing addressRoom 7, UC Satellite Student Publications University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-4015
Whe
re d
o I g
et th
e
late
st U
H n
ews?
ww
w.t
heda
ilyco
ugar
.com
The Daily Cougar Wednesday, June 30, 2010 n 3
SPORTS COMING NEXT WEEK: Daily Cougar checks in with catcher Chris Wallace, one of the newest additions to the Astros farm league.
EDITORS John Brannen, Christopher Losee E-MAIL [email protected] ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports
UH NOTEBOOK
Nolan moves to global stage
Joshua Siegel: » What Kobe can do, Jordan could do better
With his fifth title, Kobe Bryant moves ahead of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West and now has to be considered the third best guard to ever play and one of the top ten greatest of all-time.
Robertson only won one title — and he had Kareem as a sidekick for that one – and West’s teams reached the Finals nine times, but were only victorious once. Forget Kobe’s first three titles with Shaq and how brilliant he was at the time; the guy still led his team to back-to-back championships on his own.
He has been labeled as selfish and a gunner during his career and has occasionally faded in big moments (2004 and 2008 Finals), but Kobe has become one of the best defenders in the league, the greatest shot-maker of this generation and has finally discovered how to win.
Kobe still has several dominant
years ahead of him now that he has an all-world post game and does not have to throw his body into the lane for all of his buckets. He is still well behind Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, but they are not out of reach.
Christopher losee: » Stung by the Black Mamba’s venom
Josh is the new kid on the block, and your feeble attempt at putting the all-time greatest player somewhere in your top ten list is
just what i expected coming from a rookie. i do not want to see your list if Kobe isn’t
sitting at number one. yeah, that’s right,
in front of Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Pistol Pete Maravich, Larry Bird and Shaq.
After paralyzing the Boston Celtics to get his fifth NBA title, the
Black Mamba shows critics exactly what it means to show up and get the job done. His fourth quarter mentality surpasses performances executed by former greats like Jordan and Bird. Bryant’s age of 31 gives him great potential to equal the number of titles. Titles mean everything, and when you compare the teams back then to the stacked all-star teams of today you see what Kobe is up against. When Kobe leaves the game he will have left the biggest impact in Los Angeles basketball history. it’s Kobe, then Jordan.
andrew Taylor: » Goin’ hard in the paint
Josh and Chris both talk like a bunch of guys who respect these ballers but really their words are just air balls. Kobe Bryant, the Slam Dunk giant is the best right now and will most likely surpass Michael Jordan. To set these towel boys straight, Michael Jordan was good but he’s about as annoying as his personal shoe line. This also perfectly describes his place in NBA
history- under everyone’s feet, in the bottom
of dark closets or on Salvation Army racks after two years.
Kobe Bryant may be a perfect example of
the worst personality ever but he can hit shots like an 18-year-old girl with
a fake iD at a lame Midtown club. Kobe Bryant does what he does, and he rarely fails under pressure.
Also, Kobe has plenty of prime left in him and his supporting cast isn’t going to lose any of their power.
So here’s a message for Josh, Chris and MJ — you can keep hoping that the Jordan legacy lives on forever, but really it’ll just end drunk at a party getting punched by Chamillionare or stuck in a lame 30 second commercial with Charlie Sheen.
Judge Brannen: » Jordan gets no respect, i tell ya
i like that Josh showed his grasp on hoops history, mentioning Oscar Robertson and the logo man Jerry West, but bringing up those dinosaurs in this argument is irrelevant. Robertson, West and even His Airness did not have to face off against the athletic defenses Kobe Bryant has faced.
Josh also said Bryant is not on Magic Johnson’s level but it has to be disputed. Bryant does not have the versatility and is not the distributor Magic was, but again Kobe plays in a different game than his predecessors. Magic would crumble with the presence of Ron Artest, as a teammate or defender.
Bryant is by far the best active basketball player on the planet. His 81-point performance in 2006 will likely never be topped again, and his ability to close out and win games is
unparalleled. To Chris and Andrew – i applaud
your arguments but since when did you confuse Michael Jordan with Rodney Dangerfield? While his Hanes commercial with fellow womanizer Charlie Sheen is not a good look, Jordan’s impact is across the board.
you know the baggy shorts basketball
players wear? you can thank Jordan for that, if he didn’t
come along we would probably still
be watching guys running around in revealing, skin-hugging shorts so give thanks and praise to His Airness for the change in fashion.
Jordan still has the upper hand over Kobe but not by much. Bryant shares the same desire of refusing to lose. Like Jordan, teams know Kobe cannot be contained. This is a two-man race and Kobe is closing in; putting them in the same sentence is definitely a valid argument after Kobe’s fifth championship.
VerdictChris and Andrew made the same point, but i have to big up our opinion editor for his pop-savvy response.
Facetimehey Lady Gaga, you can come hang in my clubhouse anytime. Call me.
at issue: gg After winning his fifth championship, where does Kobe Bryant rank on the all-time list?
Fighting Words Talking smack and sports
Cougar Sports Services
errol Nolan added another accomplishment to his freshman season this weekend at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, iowa, by winning the 400-meter dash. Nolan won the preliminary race and then ran a 45.68 split in the finals. The result means Nolan qualifies for the iAFF World Junior Championships July 19-25 in Moncton, Canada. Nolan will not be running for UH, but instead for the United States.
Noble and athletics Department cut deal; Two Cougars begin pro career
Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades announced last week that Rayner Noble has coached his last game as head baseball coach. After 16 seasons, Noble leaves with a 551-420 record and has the most wins in school history. Noble was signed through the 2013 season and was due to make over $700,000, but Noble and the Athletics Department came to an agreement. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Shortstop Blake Kelso signed with the Washington Nationals and has begun playing in the New
york Penn League for the Vermont Lake Monsters. Catcher Chris Wallace was drafted by the Astros and has signed; he is playing in the Rookie Appalachian League for the greenville Astros.
More preseason accolades for football team
The awards keep rolling in for the Cougar football team as another publication recognized several top players. Senior quarterback Case Keenum, kick returner Tyron Carrier, and wide receiver James Cleveland earned their spots on the Sporting News Preseason All-America Third Team.
Linebacker Marcus Mcgraw was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. He is one of 74 other talented individuals to be recognized for performances over the last two seasons. Last year, Mcgraw led the team with 154 tackles, ranking him fifth in the nation with 11.1 tackles per game.
Coleman and lewis get NBa opportunity; Dickey lands recruit
Although not picked by any teams on draft night, Aubrey Coleman and Kelvin Lewis will get another shot at the NBA. The Houston Chronicle reported Sunday that Lewis was invited to attend the Rockets minicamp and could potentially receive an invite to the summer league team. Aubrey Coleman will play for the New Orleans Hornets
summer league team as reported by Neworleans.com.
Head men’s basketball coach James Dickey announced June 18 that 6-foot-5 forward Alandise Harris signed a statement of financial aid to play at UH. Harris graduated from Little Rock Central high school
where he averaged 20.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.7 blocks per game.
Buchanan completes staffThe women’s head basketball
coach made the final additions to his staff, adding assistant coach
Ravon Justice and new director of operations Rusty Laverentz. Justice and Laverentz are not new faces to Buchanan; both were assistants for Buchanan at his last coaching job at Houston Baptist University.
CourTeSy oF uh aThleTiCS
After finishing first in the 400-meter dash at the C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Nolan will go on to represent the United States at the World Junior Championships July 19-25 in Moncton, Canada.
rayner noblegg
4 n Wednesday, June 30, 2010 The Daily Cougar
The 1980s have been over for longer than many current UH students have been alive; therefore, America is long overdue to move on from the stereotypes embraced
during that period. Specifically, the Federal Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human
Services need to lift the current ban preventing all men who have had sex with other men after 1977 from donating blood.
The restriction, originally imposed in 1983, was meant to prevent the spread of HiV. However, significantly lower restrictions were placed on straight men and women who have been directly exposed to HiV. Straight individuals who have had sex with others with HiV/AiDS only have to wait a year before they donate blood, while any man who has had sex with another man in the past 33 years cannot donate blood at all.
in addition to the ridiculousness of this fact, it only takes a maximum of 38 days after exposure before HiV shows up on screening tests. if a man got HiV in the
‘80s, he’d certainly know by now. Simply asking the same questions given to straight individuals would be just as safe as the method currently used for gay men.
The extreme imbalance found within this policy can only be attributed to stereotyping at the federal level of government. it might be understandable if this was still the 1980s and AiDS was an epidemic that predominantly affected gay men, but this is 2010. even aids.gov, a Web site run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, admits that the face of AiDS has shifted.
The Web site states, “Only gay people get HiV” as a myth and explains, “Many new cases of HiV occur among heterosexual women of color, ethnic minorities, and people who live in rural areas.”
if the federal government follows the logic it used in 1983, it would place a ban on all minorities and rural residents from donating blood. Only white urbanites would be able to donate blood. The problem with this sort of thought process is simple and clear: it drastically reduces the number of people who are able to donate blood,
limiting the volume of supplies held in blood banks and putting lives at risk.
Despite this reality, however, the federal government is standing by its anti-gay policy regarding blood donations. On June 11, the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability, a federal committee that considered the issue, decided in a 9-6 vote to not recommend lifting the ban. instead, it weakly proposed that more research be conducted before any changes are made.
The ban on gay men donating blood prevents individuals who would otherwise be more than willing to give their blood from doing so, needlessly preventing tens of thousands of pints of blood from going to those who need them each year. By continuing the ban, the federal government is depriving hospitals and blood centers from accessing resources they could use to save lives. it also continues a hateful message of oppression to all Americans who are a part of the gLBT community.
Casey Goodwin is a Mechanical Engineering Sophomore and can be reached at [email protected]
On May 9, 2010, the birth control pill, commonly known as a contraceptive turned 50 years old, marked by its approval by the FDA. The pill has changed the way women live, and most of all how women are viewed.
Woman is such a beautiful word, and a beautiful creature. Women are viewed as
fragile, delicate and in need of protection. This has long been the argument for the history of America, and as a woman i am here to say, no more. We have been strapped into corsets, forced into the motherly role on classical television and now are unfairly being forced to speak to a health professional regarding a necessity of everyday life for most women: birth control. is the fear that making birth control accessible will somehow promote sexual activity in today’s youth? Birth control is not only an effective form of contraceptive, but it is also a treatment
for a common ovarian disease afflicting the lives of women between 1 in 10 and 1 in 20 women of childbearing age: Polycystic Ovarian Disease, or PCOS. There are a couple of benefits of keeping birth control from becoming an over-the-counter drug. Although it is necessary to obtain a doctor’s prescription, birth control remains covered by insurance. This allows contraceptives to remain inexpensive under insurance plans. When drugs such as Claritin became accessible to the public, the price of the pills soared! Another benefit arises by the necessary yearly appointment to the gynecologist in which full exams are performed; however, organizations such as womenshealth.gov now agree that women over 21 only need to get the life saving, cancer detecting Pap Smear every other year if the history of such tests are clean. As an accounting major it has been drilled into me to recognize whether the benefits
are greater than the cost. The benefit of a publicly accessible birth control pill does outweigh the cost to the consumer when insurance no longer partially pays. The cost to the consumer has yet to be seen as a long term cost, something that we have a hard time thinking about in our fast paced society. The future costs of preventable unwanted pregnancies are so great that even thinking about the reduction of OTC birth control is unfathomable. Despite arguments against the pill, isn’t it time that women have control over their lives in a greater way? isn’t it time to break out of one more binding chain of oppression? Birth control regulation is outdated, and it is time that we move into a future where a woman, at any age, for any reason, can decide to take control of her ovaries.
Krissy Martinez is an Accounting junior and can be reached at [email protected]
Krissy Martinez
Current donation rules outdated
The Pill needs wider distribution
EDITORIAL CARTOON
JaSoN PolaND THe DAiLy COUgAR
President Barack Obama decided to accept the letter of resignation from general Stanley McChrystal on June 23, 2010. This decision was widely seen by many as president Barack Obama firing McChrystal, a decision that would have been chosen correctly.
Following some condescending remarks made to Rolling Stone magazine about Obama’s strategic decisions and staff including vice president Joe Biden, McChrystal earned himself some vacation.
As a country we need to face the fact that in all areas of our military we have a fundamental problem when it comes to resignation.
in all branches of the military, resigning is commonly looked down upon and is widely discouraged. Most servicemen and women will unanimously say that leaving is the hardest thing to do. This is even more the case during war times and who could blame someone for frustration when success appears unfathomable. The situations our brave loved ones face over seas are enough to push anyone to the brink after four years, not to mention a common theme of low morale.
Once those commitment papers are signed everything is a done deal with no chance to turn around or reverse. This is precisely what contributes to gratuitous stress for soldiers and for those who become unhappy or mentally ill.
According to an article published on congress.org, more U.S. military personnel committed suicide in 2009 than the total number of casualties in iraq and Afghanistan combined. if this isn’t a sign of losing a war nothing is, also this shows the innumerable cases that prove just how stressful and flawed the military system is when it comes to mental health and obligation.
general McChrystal is an intelligent man and he knew exactly what he was doing when he was in the company of the Rolling Stone staff. The general and his staff didn’t commit a bunch of accidental tongue slips; they were calling for help. All of those comments were just a way to get the president’s attention, they were a way of saying i want out.
This stress can be seen in what happened with general McChrystal’s resignation. The many who believed Obama fired him may be correct, but either way McChrystal can now truly say Mission Accomplished.
STAFF EDITORIAL
McCrystal wanted to leave anyway
E D I TO R I A L P O L I C Y
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 [email protected]; 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 [email protected]; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.
THE DAILY COUGARE D I T O R I A L B O A R D
Matthew Keever, editor in Chief
Newton Liu, Managing editor
Hiba Adi, News editor
Jose Aguilar, News editor
John Brannen, Sports editor
Christopher Losee, Sports editor
Travis Hensley, Life & Arts editor
Andrew Taylor, Opinion editor
OPINION COMING NEXT WEEK: What does the Pride Parade do for Houston and how valuable is it?
EDITOR Andrew Taylor E-MAIL [email protected] ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion
Casey Goodwin
The Daily Cougar Wednesday, June 30, 2010 n 5
EDITOR Travis hensley E-MAIL [email protected] ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/life_arts
LIFE+ARTS COMING NEXT WEEK: How to survive social media mistakes.
By Stewart Williams The Daily Cougar
We all require energy to function. Our cars require gas to get from one place to the next and our iPhones require a daily charge to survive eight hours of texting and game play during a long day of sitting in class. The energy animals require is called the calorie. So the question is, “What exactly is a calorie?” each student on campus understands the basic concept of a calorie, but new studies show that almost 75 percent of Americans do not know the true definition of a calorie. We know that there are more calories in a number four from Taco Bell than in a single classic chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A, but what most of us don’t understand is what these numbers truly mean.
A calorie is a measure of energy; more precisely, it is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. Nutritionally speaking a calorie is used to determine the energy potential of food. Let me put this idea into play. When we wake up in the morning (or for some of us, the afternoon), energy is needed to wake our bodies up in order to function. Whether it is driving to school or editing a paper minutes before it’s
due, our bodies need calories for fuel.
if we deprive our bodies from the appropriate energy we need to function then we crash; on the other hand, if we give our bodies more energy than required then it is placed around our midsection and used later as a reserve. There are several places to find your calorie requirements, including online or on your phones, but once you have this number, what does it mean?
i require 1,650 calories each day just to survive. This number is the minimum for my body to get through one day without resorting to destroying my organs to survive; scary, huh? Currently i am training for the ironman triathlon so my actual calorie requirement jumps a thousand points — 2,600. Taco Bell offers a chicken ranch taco salad that sounds awesome. What could be better than a salad, right? Well this salad offers 910 calories; add a 32 ounce Coke and you have 1,300 calories — or 50 percent of my daily needs — just for lunch.
Calories are all kind of equal; carbohydrates, protein and fat are the three nutrients that provide calories. For each gram of carbohydrates and protein you get 4 calories, and 9 calories for each gram of fat. As far as alcohol, that’s separate article. Take a student that eats a meal with 40 grams of
fat while a friend eats a meal with 40 grams of carbohydrates and protein. each student will consume 360 and 160 calories respectively. it is best to limit the amount of fat you eat each day.
it’s no wonder Americans are getting heavier; we simply don’t
understand the concept of the calorie. The obesity epidemic is like the BP oil spill. There is a higher rate of problems, and very limited clean up or prevention. if we understand the idea of controlling our caloric intake then we have a better chance of preventing factors
that lead to obesity. Let me leave you with a simple equation with no difficult math, i promise; calories eaten every day should match calories expended everyday to maintain your current weight.
Truth about what calories really are
wikiCoMMoNS
Knowing what a calorie actually is will help you learn how to better manage your weight loss plan and live a healthier life.
Ask the editors What is the worst place in Houston to take a date?
“the worse place to take a date in Houston is my once a month ray Don Chong movie marathon that I host in my bedroom. ”
— travis hensley, Life & Arts Editor
“the $2 movie theater at Sharpstown Mall, because even though it’s only $2 they still get mad when they have to pay. ”
— John brannen, Sports Editor
“After being gone for two weeks on vacation, I returned to my then “boyfriend” (he didn’t really like that word, so I don’t know what we were). I had just bought a really cute outfit and when I got to his house (yeah, he refused to pick me up) the first thing he said to me was, ‘Wow, you look fat.’ He then proceeded to take me to a bar, which I couldn’t get into because I’m not 21. So he left me at the door, and I had to call my mom to pick me up.“
— Kendra berglund, Photo Editor
“the worst place is Sdfasdfadsfasdf third nipple asdfasdnfasdfk dfjlkasdjf l webbed toes asdfjkals dfasdffas dffdasdfjdf Duct tape.”
— Jack wehman, Copy Chief
“Worst place to take a date: the Church’s Fried Chicken inside the Fiesta at Bellaire and Chimney rock...on a Sunday.”
— Jose Aguilar, News Editor
“I have yet to do this; however, I have always fantasized about taking my date home and role-playing on Chatroulette. I have two computers located in different rooms so we can pretend to be strangers. the first part of the game consists of ‘nexting’ through chatters until we find each other. the second part consists of role-playing. In an ideal world, all will end well with this game, but in reality, I’m not sure.”
— newton Liu, Managing Editor
“Forget where, and let’s focus on letting the other person know that it’s a date they’re on. once a friend of a friend of mine, we’ll call her Ashley, called me and asked if I wanted to get coffee with her and our mutual friend. I said, ‘Sure,’ and left my apartment to meet them. on the way, Ashley called me and asked if I could pick her up, because she was having car troubles. Unassuming, I picked her up, and we proceeded to go out for coffee. When we got there, I asked when our friend would be joining us. ‘He’s not coming,’ she said. And that was the start of the most awkward ‘date’ of my life.”
— Matthew Keever, Editor in Chief
Place an ad today(713) 743-5356CLASSIFIEDS
rentalsrentals
Help WantedHelp Wanted
E-MAIL [email protected] ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/classifieds
Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board
Egg Donors Needed. Ages 21-32. Earn $5,000+, High demand for Asians.
Surrogate Mothers Needed. Earn $25,000+, Ages 21-39.
(713) 771-9771 www.cooperinstitutearm.com
email : [email protected]
Looking for a NEW Apartment?Free Apt Locating Service!$500 REBATE! FREE MOVE!
Classifieds for Roommates & Sublets!Call now to start your search today!
1-866-933-4878ApartmentGURUS.Com
Mentors Needed for FallGreat Experience!
Great Pay! 832-842-2122
College Success Program
Tutors Needed For FallGreat Experience!
Great Pay!832-842-2122
UScholars@ UH College Success Program
Egg Donors Needed! Compensation $5,000-$7,000. Must be: non-smoker, healthy, BMI within normal ranges, and between 19-30 years old. Visit
www.fertilityresourceshouston.com or call 713 783 7044 for more
information and to fill out a preliminary application.
Fertility Resources of Houston
Joyful catering waitstaff needed asaP
Part time weekends-$12/hr Heights Area
Hospitality Experience Preferred. Email resume to
[email protected] random drug testing
Teachers, Aids & Receptionist needed
at new daycare center opening in June. Teacher position must
meet minimum standards qualifications. Please e-mail
resume & cover letter to [email protected].
Greenway Plaza Area, Houston.
Since 1974
EGG DONORS NEEDED $5000 COMPENSATION. Are you ready for an incredible journey of generosity and compassion while at the same time generating additional income? Must be between 21-29,
healthy, nonsmoker/drug user, w/no criminal background, height-weight proportionate, & willing to undergo
medical and legal screening. We have one of the most respected global
programs in the field of egg donation.www.openarmsconsultants.com
941-741-4994 email: [email protected]
Modern OpticalFrames, Lenses,
Contact Lenses & Sunglasses.
Go online forLowest-PriceQuote, FREE!
Visit us at:www.HoustonOptical.com
CONTESTANTS WANTED
You can be Ms. Black World
Houston!Ages 18-32
Prizes, Cash Awards.
Call 1-877-781-7958 or Email [email protected]
$$$$$$$$ GET PAID FOR $$$$$$$$ $$$$$ YOUR EXTRA TIME! $$$$$
Plaza Research, a local focus group company in the Galleria area, is looking for students to participate in paid focus group discussions.
There is absolutely no sales or solicitation involved, we are only interested in your thoughts and opinions. Our groups are ongoing and
include topics such as: pets, travel, consumer products, sports, politics, magazines, books, medical conditions, food, beverages, etc. Those who
participate are compensated $35-65 per hour for their time.
Please call Plaza Research at 713-840-9500 and ask to be added to our database OR log on to www.iopinion.com and click REGISTER
WORSHIP DIRECTORYBaptist Baptist
Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church3826 Wheeler Avenue
Houston, Texas 77004-2604713.748.5240
Worship Services7:15a.m., 9:00a.m., 11:00a.m. & 1:00p.m.
Wednesday, Bible Study: 12 noon & 7 p.m.Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Cosby, Pastor
Rev. William A. Lawson, Pastor EmeritusSunday Services via webcast:
www.wheeleravebc.org
metHodistcHurcH of cHrist
WestburyChurch of Christ
1024 Hillcroft
713-729-7880www.westburycocc.com
Sunday Worship9:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m.
Bible Class10:30 a.m.Wednesday7:00 p.m.
Worship- 10:30amHaley Brown- Worship LeaderPeter Scafidi- Worship Leader
Dariel Newman- Pastor
CHURCHA NEW UNITED METHODIST FAITH
COMMUNITY
www.1CHURCH.NETSundays at Pearland ISD
Berry Miller Junior High School
Help Wanted
for sale
YOUR SOURCE FOR JOBS,
APARTMENTS and MORE
THE DAILY COUGAR® classifieds
NEED A JOB? WE’VE GOT ‘EM RIGHT
HERE.
legal Help
Brown, Cahill & Macerola PLLCCriminal Defense
lawyers
(832) 303-1573www.thebcmfirm.com
Houston, tX
BB’S CAFE NOW HIRING part time or full time flexible hours/ good pay serv-ers and delivery drivers email [email protected]
CONDO/MED/UH $595, No Pets ,1-1 W/D cable,carport ,gated /guard/pool/tennis court. Call 713-621-0910.
EFFICIENCY APARTMENT. Cycling dis-tance. W/D. Quiet. Newly Renovated. SAVE $$$! 832-659-8130
QUIET, BEAUTIFUL 1-bdrm apt for rent. Hrd-wds, 5-mins from UH. $625/mo ($550 deposit). Call Joan 713-661-3185.
QUIET, BEAUTIFUL, SPACIUOS 2-bdrm apt for rent. Hrdwds, 5-mins from UH. $875/mo ($750 deposit). Call Joan 713-661-3185.
ESTABLISHED EYE CARE PRACTICE for sale. West Houston Area. $65K Call 713-816-1443.
!BARTENDING! up to $300 a day, no exp necessary, training provided. 18+ ok. 800-965-6520 ext.145
EARN $1000 - $3200 a month to drive new cars with ads. www.youdriveads.com
SELL YOUR STUFF. Buy a Classified ad and reach thousands of potential buyers in the UH community.
VECTOR FREEBIES FROM
http://www.gomedia.us/arsenal
Read our blog and stay fresh!www.gomediazine.com :
Find more jobs, apartments and more @ thedailycougar.com/classifieds
Can’t get enough?
6 n Wednesday, June 30, 2010 NEWS The Daily Cougar
division’s vice president, Human Resources will review individual recommendations for compliance with all listed guidelines.
Raises due to promotions will be funded separately and are not included in the funds set aside for the merit-based raise increase.
For those faculty awarded promotional raises, the awarded amount for tenure alone in the upcoming year is set for a $3500 increment.
A promotion to associate professor with tenure is set for a $7000 increment, and for the promotion to full professor is set for a $10,000 increment.
in addition to reallocation of
funds, the Regents added several new principles including, but not limited to, the reallocation of resources for new faculty and instructional sites, the promotion of enrollment growth and a call for recruiting and retention programs
for faculty and staff.
The previous year’s budget e s t a b l i s h e d s e v e r a l p r i n c i p l e s including the m a i n t e n a n c e of a balanced
budget, the appropriate use of revenues and the continued investment in faculty and campus growth.
RAISEScontinued from page 1
Preservation. Also, the 2007 Sachem, indiana’s highest honor given to one person each year in recognition of them bringing honor to indiana through excellence and virtue.
Although much of her time was spent in New Harmony, Blaffer Art Museum Director Claudia Schmuckli said that whenever Owen was in Houston, she would visit the museum regularly.
“She particularly enjoyed coming to the student and young Artist Apprenticeship exhibitions, and engaged the students in conversations about their work,” Schmuckli said.
“Mrs. Owen strongly believed in the transformative power of
art and considered it an integral and necessary part of a rounded education.”
in addition to her devotion to the Blaffer Art Museum, which was established in 1973 and named after her mother, Owen was also a supporter of the Moores School of Music and gerald D. Hines College of Architecture.
“Her donation of artworks to the university and her life-long support of the Blaffer are demonstrative of her way to ensure that every student at UH would have access to great art,” Schmuckli said.
Her work in Houston, however, is not limited to the University. Owen served as a trustee of the C.g. Jung educational Center, first president of the Allied Arts Council, an early organizer of the Seaman’s Center and board member of the Sarah Campbell
Blaffer Foundation, also named after her mother.
“(Owen presented) a world where idealism, creativity, equality, intellectual pursuit and religious and political tolerance were valued highly,” Schmuckli said.
Schmuckli feels that Owen’s work, both in Houston and New Harmony, has left people feeling invigorated, enriched and hopeful.
“Her commitment to the arts was exemplary and we are deeply affected by her loss,” Schmuckli said.
Owen is survived by two daughters, Jane Dale Owen and Anne Dale Owen.
The funeral service will be held in Houston, while an official memorial service will follow two weeks later, on July 25, in New Harmony.
BLAFFERcontinued from page 1
Carl Carluccigg
TURN YOUR USED BOOKS INTO CASH.NO mAgIC REqUIRED.
Sell your stuff for FREE to the UH community with online classifieds!
To get started, sign up with your UH e-mail address at: thedailycougar.com/classifieds
THE DAILY COUGAR.COM
GRAND OPENINGJune 30, 2010 • 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Special Guest
Council Member Sue Lovell
Come Celebrate the Opening of the
UH LGBT Resource Center
Be part of the creation of our Lending Library.
We are accepting donations of new or used books and DVDs.
From I-45 exit Spur 5. Turn West on University Drive. Stop at Information Booth for a Visitor Parking Permit.
The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.
University Center, Rm. 279A – Second Floor713-743-3662
Be part of the creation of our Lending Library.
We are accepting donations of new or used books and DVDS.
wordnerd?Are you a Put your nerdery to work making The Daily Cougar a better
newspaper as a copy editor. Geek out on subject-verb agreement,
spelling and punctuation, quote “The Elements of Style” and learn
Associated Press style. Sound like fun? Download an application at
www.uh.edu/sp/jobs or e-mail [email protected] for
more information. Positions open to all enrolled UH students.
THE DAILY COUGAR®
The Daily Cougar COMICS & MORE Wednesday, June 30, 2010 n 7
todAy’S cRoSSwoRdcoUGAR coMIcS Find more daily strips at thedailycougar.com/comics
todAy’S SUdokU
how to playEach 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.
A.D.D. Circus by Chris Jacobs
robbie and bobby by Jason Poland
aCroSS 1 Pike’s discovery 5 — -eyed 9 Vex 13 Moon
phenomenon 14 Republic near
italy 16 Matinee — 17 Greenspan’s
subj. 18 Parting word 19 Construction
toy 20 Grind, as an ax 21 Sign before
Virgo 22 Night flight
(hyph.) 24 Misfortunes 26 Nurse’s helper 27 Sticky-footed
ones 30 Range hazard 34 Nerdy 35 Folksinger —
ives 36 Reduction 37 — — was
saying... 38 French menu 39 UK clock setting 40 Felt awful about 42 Town north of Anaheim 43 harvest
machine 45 Postponed 47 Fuse unit 48 Turnpike 49 Whimper 50 Grace — 53 Briefcase item 54 Write on glass 58 Tel — 59 Ammonia compound 61 Claudius’
successor 62 Congenial 63 “— vincit amor” 64 Lobster pot 65 it runs on
runners 66 Grassy
meadows 67 Candied items
DowN 1 Sigh of relief 2 Every 3 — vera 4 heyerdahl’s raft
(2 wds.) 5 Some shirt sizes 6 Fills the hold 7 hodgepodge 8 hot time in
Quebec 9 Powdery fungi 10 — fixe 11 Fuddy-duddy 12 Polar bear perch 15 outer ear 23 Tokyo, once 25 Prune off 26 Ventricle neighbor 27 Museum employee 28 Follow upon 29 Most important 30 Tempted
31 Silent flier 32 Toon Fudd 33 Raison — 35 Divulged, as
facts 38 Trucker’s need
(2 wds.) 41 Stemmed from 43 Pricey car logo 44 More than
enough 46 outback jumper 47 Dido’s lover 49 Kind of coverage 50 Kitchen utensils 51 Fiendish 52 Paddy crop 53 Turpentine
source 55 Prefix for “trillion” 56 Study late 57 Gym dances 60 ovid’s 2050
© 2010 uNiTeD FeaTure SyNDiCaTe iNC.
previous puzzle solved
previous puzzle solved
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16
17 18 19
20 21 22 23
24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 32 33
34 35 36
37 38 39
40 41 42 43 44
45 46 47
48 49
50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57
58 59 60 61
62 63 64
65 66 67
T W I G S I N C E B O O NO I L Y T R I A L U R D UP R E P R O B L E F A I NS E S S I O N M U F F L E S
I R K S U EC H E E S E S L I N T E L SY E A S D O D O S S L O TN A G N E A C I AI T E M F I F T H G A R NC H R O N I C H U M O R E D
L A X T A UR O L L B A R I C E L A N DA L A I T O U G H A L E ES E R F E S T E E S O I LP O K Y D E A R S H U L L
Learning Support ServicesLearning Support ServicesSummer 2010 Workshop Topics
Room 321 Graduate College of Social Work Length: 50 minutes. Please be on time.
No admittance after 5 minutes past the hour.Must register on line by going to 'workshops-signup' at
www.las.uh.edu/lss
Free Tutoring Free Tutoring Learning Support ServicesLearning Support Services
Need help with your courses?
For more information, contact Learning Support Services at 713.743.5411 or visit www.las.uh.edu
Mon - Tue 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.Wed – Thur 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Schedule available at www.las.uh.edu
Room 321 Graduate College of Social Work
Workshop of the weekWorkshop of the week !!Visit www.las.uh.edu for information on workshops
WEEK TOPIC TIME
Preparing for the GRE, Friday, July 9, at 2 pm
6 Preparing for the GRE Friday, July 9 at 2 p.m.
7 Improving concentration Wednesday, July 14 at 2 p.m.
8 Understanding motivation Friday, July 23 at 11 a.m.
9 Procrastination Tuesday, July 27 at 12 noon
10 Preparing for and coping with final exams
Friday, August 6 at 2 p.m.
8 n Wednesday, June 30, 2010 NEWS | LIFE & ARTS The Daily Cougar
of approximately 15,500 square feet, which will include an updated media production studio, studio support spaces, two classrooms and new faculty and staff offices and a new
entry way. Approximately 4,150 sq ft will be added to the northeast corner of the building for a new media production studio and support space.
Additional reporting by Gordon Furneaux
VALENtIcontinued from page 1
By Jack WehmanThe Daily Cougar
in today’s complicated celebrity-driven culture, pulling off the perfect pop culture reference is much harder than it used to be. Carelessly firing off a Family Guy reference is the social equivalent of stabbing yourself in the squishy parts, while a successful Ghostbusters reference can make you the hit of the party. Well, perhaps not the hit of the party — but at least the most popular person who’s still going home alone at the end of the night.
The biggest (and hardest) part of crafting a great pop culture reference is knowing what to bring up and what to keep on the back burner. The rule of thumb is — with almost no exceptions — anything over half a year old is no longer acceptable. That means anything, not just everything, except The Hangover. We get it; you’re a one-man wolf pack. it’s not funny anymore; it’s just admitting you have no friends. Do everyone a favor and be silent if you can’t find something better to say.
Picking something that isn’t completely obvious is a must. yes, everyone hates Twilight and wants to shove Robert Pattinson’s face in
a blender. However, it’s not funny to ask someone if they are Team Jacob or edward or whether they sparkle in the sun. Stop trying to be cute, people; that’s Kristen Stewart’s job.
However, while semi-recent pop culture events are off-limits, old pop culture magically becomes funny again. Case in point: any semi-decent ‘80s movie. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (and, really, anything made by John Hughes) has recently become hilarious again. Try asking someone if they really are Abe Froman, the sausage king of Chicago, and see what their response is.
As with anything popular, it’s always better when some people are excluded from the fun. The best references aren’t the ones that everyone gets. Rather, the funniest references happen when exactly half the people in the room burst out laughing, while the other people stand there trying to figure out what’s so hilarious. Bonus points if you can stump the self-named movie buff in the room with your pop culture awareness. But be careful, because if you try and go too far into the obscure stuff you’ll be the only one who gets your own joke, which is actually worse than
making a tired reference.Obviously, straight movie quotes
are a little boring, so don’t forget to throw the nearest broken-down celebrity under the pop culture bus. Whether it’s comparing the nearest female to Heidi Montag’s terrible new face or simply making fun of gary Coleman for being dead, making a horrible pop culture reference is hilarious because it’s so atrocious. if you can somehow combine multiple celebrities into one giant blend, then it simply means you’ve conquered the art of being hilariously offensive. There would be examples here but they were deemed too terrible to print; use your imaginations. Something involving gary Busey and Steve irwin’s death is a good place to start.
So, you drop the perfect reference and half the people who hear it think you’re hilarious. From there, just STOP. Don’t ruin the moment by trying to come up with something even more ridiculous or obscure, because chances are, you’ll just destroy everything you’ve tried to make so funny. Sit back, relax and remember that deep down you’re just a little bit more special than everyone else you know.
How to make your references pop
Y O U C A N D O i T A L L O N t h e D A i L y C o u g A r . C o M . T R Y i T T O D A Y.
JACK’S FACTS