march 19, 2013
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The March 19 issue of the Houstonian.TRANSCRIPT
The abandoned building across from the Walls Unit in Huntsville is currently home to more than 200,000 bats, but authorities at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) have recently announced their intention of tearing down the building and relocating the bats.
John Hurt, the director at the TDCJ Public Information Office said their plan was to move them to a roost designed for their presence.
“Everyone wants to see the bats relocated before any demolition is started on the building,” Hurt said. “It’s possible that the Texas Department of Transportation could build overpasses specifically designed for bat roosts like the bridges in Austin or the city could
build structures for the bats to move into.”
Professor of biology Monte Thies, Ph. D, said the new bat roosts would have to be in place for at least two to three years before the building could be torn down.
“Building a series of alternative roosts is the best option should the prison system actually take the building down, but those alternative roosts really need to be in place at least two to three years prior to demolition so the bats have time to find and start using them,” Thies said. “. . . If it was torn down, bats would look for any other structures suitable to roost in, which would include any number of buildings in town such as offices, campus buildings, churches, etc.”
David Zeller, the city horticulturist for Huntsville, is
one of the citizens concerned with the bats’ safety and has been monitoring the situation in order to protect the bats.
“At this time, we are just trying to get information out to tell people about the situation so they can make an informed decision,” Zeller said. “We have been working with people from Austin and Bat Conservation International so we can make sure the building will not be torn down without any preparations for the bats.”
Hurt agreed with the idea of relocating the bats, not only for the bats’ benefit, but also for the health of the people in Huntsville.
“The bats eat tons of mosquitos and other insects every night,” Hurt said. “They’re not a nuisance to people, they’re a help. The benefits far outweigh the costs. And the concern over rabies is
unwarranted since there are no more rabies cases for these bats than any other animal.”
Thies said that the bats in the abandoned building are Brazilian free-tailed bats that migrate during winter and eats only insects.
They eat as much as one-fourth to half their body weight in insects
every night they forage, which isn’t every night, according to Thies.
The bats come back in April and depending on weather conditions fly around dusk, according to Thies.
The bats have been in the building since 1997.
After winning their first ever Southland Conference championship, the Sam Houston State women’s basketball team flew through the Southland Conference Tournament before falling to Oral Roberts 72-66 in the championship game.
They did all of this in their first ever trip to the post-season tournament in the team’s 26 years in the league.
Sam Houston and Oral Roberts both won a share of the SLC championship so it only made sense for the two teams to meet in the championship game.
Because of finishing as co-champions of the Southland Conference, the Bearkats have earned a bid in the 2013 Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The WNIT, much like the NCAA Tournament, is a 64-team tournament with single elimination.
“The girls and coaching staff are excited to still be playing,” Kats head coach Brenda Nichols said. “Looking at who some of the bubble teams are for NCAA selection, the WNIT should have an outstanding field this year. It’s a thrill to get to test ourselves against the best.”
The first round of the tournament begins on Wednesday and will
conclude with the championship game on April 6 at 2 p.m. that will be aired live on CBS Sports Network. All of the games are hosted by the participating schools.
Senior Sequeena Thomas was chosen for the all-tournament team after scoring 18 points and 13 rebounds in the final game for her 53rd career double-double.
Sophomore standout Angela Beadle was also selected to the all-tournament team. She scored 19 points and had nine rebounds in the semifinal game against Lamar, which they won 67-61.
“Angela spends every day trying to get better. She puts in the hard work not only in practice but on her own,” Nichols said. “It is paying off.”
She also pulled down 11 rebounds and scored four points in the final.
Britni Martin scored 15 points, Chanice Smith scored 13 and Jasmine Johnson dropped 10.
Kevi Luper led the Golden Eagles past the Bearkats, scoring 26 points. Jaci Bigham also helped lead the charge as she scored 17.
SHSU had better percentages than ORU in field goal shooting, three point shooting and free throws but were unable to contain the Golden Eagles late in the game.
“We went out and fought hard,” Nichols said. “Our girls battled and did everything we asked them to do…I think we learned a lot today about how to win in tournament time.”
TODAY’S FORECAST
HI: 79o LOW: 55o
Chance of Rain: 0%
Inauguration mass to be held tomorrow for first Jesuit pontiff from Argentina
Men’s basketball falls to Northwestern in semifinal round of SLC tournament P5 P2
P2Texas lawmaker apologizes on House floor after DUI arrest on Mar. 14
www.HoustonianOnline.comVolume 123 / Issue 15 Tuesday, March 19, 2013
CODY LEWISSports Editor
SO CLOSE
ALMOST. After exploding for 19 points and nine rebounds against Lamar in the semifinal, Angela Beadle scored four points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the finals against Oral Roberts, which they lost 72-66.
David Barfield, Submitted Photo
Women’s basketball loses heartbreaker in SLC finals
Molly Waddell | The Houstonian
200,000 bats face eviction if TDCJ building is demolishedSOPHIE NELSONSenior Reporter
GONE BATTY. More than 200,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats (above) claim home to the to-be demolished TDCJ building near the Walls Unit facility.
Kelsey Pearman, submitted photo
AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis
Page 2houstonianonline.com/news
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 News
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Texas politician charged with DUIAnother Texas state
representative joined the ranks of a recent slew of government officials charged with DUI/DWI s.
Naomi Gonzalez, Texas state representative of the 76th district has been charged with driving while intoxicated after a collision occurred at 2 a.m., March 14 in Travis County.
In an interview with the Texas Capitol Report, Gonzalez confirmed the details of an incident entailing three people being sent to the hospital, including herself. An unidentified male was struck while driving and in turn propelled into a cyclist.
All three had been released from the hospital by March 14 and injuries have been reported to be minimal.
This year has marked the trials of three separate state representatives also charged with respective DWIs/DUIs
Bakari Sellers of South Carolina was charged with a DWI after refusing a breathalyzer test in December 2011 and was set to face a trial by jury in February.
In another case Cherelle Parker, of the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives, was found guilty of driving under the influence in January of 2011 and faces up to six months of jail time.
Tennessee representative Todd Curry was found guilty of driving under the influence and gun possession charges from January 2011 and has subsequently resigned from his seat in the state’s house of representatives.
The charges being faced by Gonzalez may not hold as much weight as others though. A precedent set in 2010 by another Texas representative, Eddie Rodriguez, left the public with a bad taste in its mouth.
Accusations of preferential treatment arose from several websites such as, radoris.com and therichest.org, after the court quickly dismissed all charges against Rodriguez citing a lack of “sufficient cause” to pull him over. The affidavit read “The vehicle failed to drive in a single marked lane.” and lead to some outcry within the state and claims of unfair treatment within the courts.
“Judge David Crain should be removed from the bench for giving a state of Texas representative preferential treatment that would not be given to the average person,” an anonymous person said on therichest.org.
SOBERING MOMENT. After being charged with a DWI on March 14 Texas state representative [district 76]Naomi Gonzalez addressed the Texas House and apologized for the shame she brought to the chamber and to her district.
AP Photo/Austin American-Statesman, Deborah Cannon
KASSIDY TURNPAUGHContributing Reporter
State
UPDateInaugural Mass for Pope offers simplistic change
March 7, 2013Officer was dispatched to the 1600 block of Avenue I at 1:11 a.m. in reference to a report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, the officer located the vehicle in question that was legally parked; however, a vehicle door was left open. Upon checking the vehicle, the officer detected the fresh smell of burnt marijuana. Upon locating the owner at Lone Star Hall, the two male students admitted to smoking marijuana in the vehicle earlier. While conducting a search of the room, the officer also located other items in the residence not permitted by Residence Life Policy.
March 6, 2013An officer met with complainant at the University Police Department (3:48 p.m.) who reported that he was assaulted by a non-university student in the Bearkat Plaza area. At this time the student was not sure if they want to pursue a formal criminal complaint; however, a report was completed noting the reported incident.
The official Mass to inaugurate Pope Francis as the bishop of Rome will be held Tuesday. One week ago, the conclave convened to elect a new pontiff. After only hours of deliberation, the cardinals chose Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
The new pontiff has set some groundbreaking trends. He was the first pope to be elected from the Americas, being from Argentina; he is the first pope to be elected outside of a European country in over a millennium. He became the first Jesuit pope of modern times and the first pope to take the name Francis.
““I think it’s great. I mean it is exciting to have someone from the Americas,” Ph.D. Joseph Magee, Director of Student Ministries for the Catholic Student Center at Sam Houston State University said.
His name is in reference to St. Francis of Assisi and a nod towards the type of pope he intends to be.
“Right away, with regard to the
poor, I thought of St. Francis of Assisi” Francis said at a meeting with journalists.
Adopting the motto “Miserando atque eligendo” meaning lowly but chosen, Francis has already set a trend for simplicity.
He chose to bear a cross that
is much simpler than the ones presented to him, as well as a ring that was vastly less ornate than options. The pope even opted to keep the coat of arms he had while serving as archbishop for Buenos Aires.
His first few messages as the pope centered on forgiveness, hope and courage. In his inaugural Angelus, or noon offering, which was delivered on Sunday, the Pope Francis addressed the issue of forgiveness, “Never forget this: The Lord never tires of forgiving us. Have you thought about the patience that God has with each of us?”
He also sent out his first tweet from the papal Twitter account: “Dear friends, I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me.”
Pope Francis has already displayed his simplistic approach to leading the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
Magee said, “All the reports say that he is an incredibly holy man, which is what the Cardinals wanted. He is someone that can preach the gospel in credible means.”
RICHARD McKINNEYStaff Reporter
International
SIMPLICITY. Pope Francis greets Uruguay’s priest Gonzalo Aemilius after celebrating a Mass at the St. Anna Vatican parish on March 17.
AP Photo/L’Osservatore Romano
CFPB propose rule to supervise nonbank student loan servicers
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a rule that would allow them to federally supervise certain nonbank student loan servicers for the first time, according to a press release sent by the CFPB on March 14.
“The student loan market has grown rapidly in the last decade, and servicers are now facing the stress of an increasing number of delinquent borrowers,” CFPB Director Richard Cordray said. “Our rule would bring new oversight to the student loan market and help ensure that tens of millions of borrowers are not treated unfairly by their servicers.”
According to Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, a student loan servicer is the company that handles the billing and other services on student
loans. Students do not pick their loan servicers; they are assigned by the Department of Education after the student receives the loan.
“Director Cordray and the CFPB team have always been great partners with us, and we have worked together on a number of projects to protect consumers and better support students,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “We look forward to working with them on their efforts to ensure that loan servicers are protecting student loan borrowers.”
CFPB’s proposed rule would allow them to supervise any nonbank student loan servicer that handles more than one million borrower accounts, according to the press release.
The CFPB is proposing five protections. The first one states that the CFPB supervision activities would generally include examining the nonbank student loan servicers. The examination process would
be an ongoing process of pre-examination scoping and review of information, data analysis, on-site examinations, and regular communication with these companies.
Another protection would be to make sure all relevant federal consumer financial laws are being followed by student loan servicers.
This proposed rule would also make sure that nonbank student loan servicers are being held to the same standard as bank student loan servicers.
According to the press release this rule will cover both federal and private student loans.
With this rule the CFPB would also be able to supervise the entire life of the loan from origination through servicing to debt collection.
The public will have 60 days to comment on the proposed rule after it is published in the federal register.
MOLLY WADDELLNews Editor
State
It happened again. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but it’s a little upsetting. A new reality show recently aired – at least, I think it’s a reality show. It’s like a cross between Big Brother and The Apprentice. It stars former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-Minn.), the first week Sen. Rand Paul was elected as something.
Wait – this isn’t a reality show. It’s actually the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held over the weekend. It featured top GOP speakers discussing the future of conservatism in American politics.
The most notable speech of the conference was given by Palin. She once again proved to the public her ability to entertain a crowd.
I will confess that I enjoy seeing Palin speak. Her fervency and passion are remarkable. I watched the movie “Game Change” over spring break – a movie I definitely recommend. As pointed out in the movie, Palin is the best actress in politics.
Please put your moose hunting rifles back on the rack – I hear Palin has a nice one – and hear me out. I don’t mean that the former governor doesn’t believe in what she’s saying. Quite frankly, she doesn’t know what she’s saying – at least, not all the time, but she speaks with a gentle tongue and harsh
words that would make almost anyone fall into her tightly woven speech.
Palin began her 30 minute block by claiming the CPAC as a second home – even though she’s only making her second appearance at the conference. I know this is going to be hard to believe but I’m not really conservative; I’m kind of sad I missed Palin’s live speech though.
The former governor managed to work in every possible attack about recent and even past political events.
Heading back to her 2008 roots, Palin mentioned what she believes to be Obama’s questionable past,
saying, “More background checks? Dandy idea, Mr. President. Should’ve started with yours.”
She then proceeded to discuss the potential gun legislation. Palin managed to rouse the audience with a story of her and Todd’s Christmas gifts saying, “He’s got the rifle, I’ve got the rack.” After which she pulled out a big gulp – a response to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s (D-New York) recent soda ban.
She even went so far as to quote former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to give a pep talk to current conservatives, “Mrs. Thatcher advised conservatives to focus their concern first and foremost on the people. She said, ‘Look at ever problem from the grassroots – not from the top looking down.’” Palin
offered a “hearty – Amen, sistah!” to Thatcher’s stern adherence to beliefs.
To college Republicans, Palin has a special pep talk for you, “You’ve got to be thinking Sam Adams, not drinking Sam Adams.”
She also called out Washington’s current politics by saying, “We don’t have leadership coming out of Washington. We have reality television.” Those are pretty strong words coming from a reality star.
The only call to action Palin made was requesting that her party “furlough the consultants, and tune out the pollsters, send the focus groups home and toss the political scripts. Because if we truly know what we believe, we don’t need professionals to tell us.” To which I give a hearty – AMEN, SISTAH!
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PAWS DOWN
PAWS UP to the SHSU women’s basketball team making it to
the final game of the Southland Conference tournament. Eat ‘em
up, Kats!
PAWS UP
PAWS DOWN to bees and pollen swarming
the campus. We hate you all.
Sarah Palin addresses CPAC, showcases entertainment value
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PAWS DOWN to new Blackboard. What
was wrong with the old one?
Word on the street
““““““Taco Bell because I really like those Mountain Dew Baja Blasts.
Caitlin OsborneFreshman, Kinesiology
We need a Panda Express because there aren’t any other good Asian places around Huntsville and the ones that are here are really expensive.
Anthony FunesSophomore, English
Taco Bell because it’s cheap and I really love a good five-layer burrito.
Josh GriffinSenior, History
“
“
Sonic.Mackenzie Read
Freshman, Chemistry
What food chain would you like to see on campus?
““Chipotle because we need a better burrito place.
Kyleigh WoodsFreshman, Business
Administration & Sociology
For the most part if you are reading this you probably have made it not only through a semester and a half but have in fact returned to campus after spring break. To some this may seem miniscule but to those of us who did nothing but work and entertain company over the all-to-brief break, this is a feat not easily preformed by the gods.
Exhaustion has officially set in and there seems to be not enough hours in the day to get done what we must. While everyone scrambles to finalize graduation plans, turn in essays, go to work and study for finals the inevitable happens and many of us succumb to the utter distraction that is sleep.
I know that I can’t be the only one feeling the pressures of the last quarter of the year. Sure maybe I don’t fall asleep until five every morning and miss my 8 a.m. classes far too often thanks to a horrendous amount of studying and extracurricular activities but I can’t be alone. Right?
What I’m getting at here is really that I just don’t care anymore. I can’t. If I did I’d have to get up at the same time I pass out to bathe, do makeup and hair and practice my intrigued face. Honestly, I have no idea how so many of you do it. Between work, school, financial issues and debate I have found myself with a major deficit in the department of fucks to give.
People tend to confuse this stress overload with an impermeable layer of relaxation when in fact it happens to just be a mini-stroke.
I walked into this year with the bright-eyed
disbelief that so many freshmen display and have been quickly worn down into a pile of mush and dust by the constant grindstone that is college.
It takes every bit of my energy just to punch my alarm clock across the room every morning, followed by the tantalizing adventure that is putting on pants and actually attending classes.
Ultimately, we must accept the drought of sleeplessness, reach for the mecca of energy that is Red Bull and coffee just to attend test days. I’m not going to tell you that you eventually get used to the pains of never sleeping because, as every adult has been sure to inform me, you don’t.
Instead, I will tell you that enduring the delirium for these last few weeks means that you can plop down onto your couch and wear a dent in it as you sleep until next semester. Not to mention the bonus of pants being optional.
Rest-of-the-semester-itis has officially set inKASSIDY TURNPAUGHContributing Reporter
I was just getting back from class yesterday when I overheard my neighbor busily vacuuming away. The abrasive cry of the motor took me back to a time when I used to vacuum somewhat regularly. Maybe one of these days I’ll get back into that habit. For now though, it’s the middle of March, the perfect time for some major spring cleaning.
With an entire house or apartment to clean, it may be easy to “overlook” some of the grossest areas.
Of all the places in the kitchen, the fridge is the easiest to forget about, because all the spills and stains go away whenever you close the door. According to Marthastewart.com, a solution of two tablespoons of baking soda for every quart of warm water will clean up most spills on fridge shelves with a little scrubbing. If you don’t have
any baking soda handy (who does?) scalding hot water and normal dish soap will work just fine.
Another kitchen appliance that doesn’t necessarily get the regular cleaning attention it deserves is the microwave. Anyone who has ever shared a microwave knows it takes less than a week for the pristine, spotless interior to transform into a sloppy mess with Pollock-like splatters of marinara, Velveeta cheese and barbecue sauce dried into a hard concrete on all sides.
No amount of scrubbing ever seems to get those smears out so you should probably buy a new microwave and cut your losses... unless you know about steaming the microwave clean. Just partially fill a microwave safe bowl with some water and nuke it for a couple of minutes. Then, use a dry paper towel to wipe out all the caked on foodstuffs. Good as new.
Moving out of the kitchen, if you’ve ever had a party at your residence, people probably spilled
drinks everywhere like drunken assholes. You’ve already cleaned the floors but did you know that liquids splatter when dropped from even small distances? Your baseboards and even the lower portion of your walls probably caught a little of the spillage.
Most of this stuff will easily wipe out with soap and water but tough stains are a little trickier. If it was a floor or counter stain, I’d just suggest scrubbing until you tear your rotator cuff but hard scrubbing has the tendency to remove paint on walls. Lysol/Clorox disinfecting wipes are perfect for this problem. You can scrub and scrub and scrub with little worry about paint removal.
Finally, we get to the bathroom. Everyone already knows how to clean their toilet, sink and shower--I hope. After you clean those filthy places, you’ll want to also hit the base of the toilet.
This tip is more appropriate for men or women who host a lot of
men because we, as men, have the propensity to “miss” on occasion while peeing, drench the top of the toilet bowl and let steamy rivulets of urine cascade down the sides and back of the toilet. Shortly after that happens, we dab the top of the bowl dry with toilet paper and make a silent pact to NEVER. TELL. ANYONE. Cat’s out of the bag, ladies. If you’ve let a guy use your facilities a few times, there’s urine all over the base of your toilet.
A once-over with your favorite surface cleaner is all the toilet base needs but let this serve as a reminder to clean one of the grossest areas in your home.
Spring cleaning isn’t hard if you clean up messes as you make them but who’s got time for that? I’d much rather get back to whatever TV show I’m watching than wipe up a fresh spill before it dries. If you’re only going to clean once or twice a year, you need to make sure to be thorough and actually clean everything.
COLIN HARRISStaff Reporter
Spring cleaningOverlooked areas provide the biggest challenges
All photos by Morgan Mears | The Houstonian
Facebook.com/TheHoustonianSHSU
Two guest artists filled the concert hall with a unique mixture of sounds on Monday as they took the stage to showcase a variety of music played on bassoon and percussion instruments.
The Col Legno Duo, made up of Amy Pollard on bassoon and Scott Pollard on percussion, brought their unique style and sound to Sam Houston State University as they performed pieces by Bach, Andrew Beall, Verne Reynolds and Astor Piazzolla.
The finale piece titled “L’Histore du tango” took the audience through the different stages of development of tango music. Made up of three movements, each piece exposed a different mood of tango.
The first movement “Bordel” showcased the technical skills of both musicians in a light, bouncy tango piece. Amy’s fingers flew across the keys of the bassoon as she took control of the piece that kept the excitement going throughout the movement. In “Cafe” the duo showcased a softer side to tango and offered a romantic version of the dance. Scott began with slow, running notes on marimba that gave the song a rich,
smooth sound to accompany the bassoon. “Nightclub” featured a more modern version of tango as it took on a true dance from. It transitioned from fast notes in the opening to a more lyrical mood as both percussion and bassoon echoed each other until the end of the piece.
Students in the audience took note of the emotion the duo put
into each piece. “I liked the last piece because
it was great to see how they put emotion into what they were playing to convey romanticism,” freshman music education major Hannah Talton, said.
In the second song of the night “Song of Almah”, the Pollards offered songs of romance and love by Andrew Beall. Rich sounds of
the marimba filled the room with rich tones as the bassoon shined. Amy showcased her range moving effortlessly between high and low notes to convey the beauty of the instrument. Although most of the pieces of the night were not originally written for percussion and bassoon, the Col Lengo Duo blended their sounds together in a unique performance.
In the middle section of the concert, the Pollards moved from lyrical pieces to a more abstract juxtaposition of sound in a series of movements in “Fantasy Etudes for Bassoon and Percussion”. Scott moved from marimba to bells and hand drums and showcased his versatility, moving to each with ease behind the slower sounds of the bassoon. He offered fast, accented rhythms while the bassoon echoed in several exposed moments.
Students were excited to take away skills from the musicians to apply to their own performances.
“It was good to take ideas from them, not only their playing, but their gestures and how they work them into their performance,” senior music education major, Kathryn Roessler said.
Others were eager to take apply those skills in the practice room.
“I loved watching them because it’s what we’re going to be doing in the future,” Talton said.
It’s good to take what they’ve done and put it into our own music to help us perform.”
Page 4houstonianonline.com/a-e
Tuesday, March 19, 2013Arts&Entertainment
Guest duo blends unique sounds on stage
‘WITH THE WOOD’: Guest artists The Col Legno Duo, made up of Scott Pollard on percussion and Amy Pollard on bassoon performed a variety of transposed pieces that showcased their skill on Monday night in PAC.
George Mattingly | The Houstonian
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GEORGE MATTINGLYArts & Entertainment Editor
While many students left on vacation for spring break, Texas celebrated the 20th anniversary of the South by South West film festival in Austin. This year’s festival showcased big profile movies ranging from “Burt Wonderstone” to “The East” and some great indie films like “William & The Windmill” and “The Spectacular Now”. But the best films from SXSW were a mix of both worlds of multi-million dollar projects to low budget productions.
Here are the top five films from this year’s SXSW film festival.
5. “Much Ado About Nothing” Directed by Joss Whedon is sure to
appease all the his fans with its all-star cast from his previous projects including Nathan Fillion to Amy Acker will make this a smash hit. It was shot in black-and-white and filmed at his own home in just 12 days during Whedon’s vacation from finishing principal photography for his mega hit “The Avengers” in the summer of 2011. Whedon’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” is a romantic and funny play with his principal cast making the it into something wonderful that will get fans of both worlds anxious to see. “Much Ado About Nothing” is set to come out in theaters on June 21, 2013.
4. “Drinking Buddies” Directed by Joe Swanberg. This film
combines the wits of a well thought out cast and the willingness to allow them to improvise in every scene, which at its core made this one of the most buzzed about movies of SXSW. Swanberg was able to show his true talent for humor filled improv and has worked away from his previous films by showing what he can really do. The cast which includes Anna Kendrick, Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and Ron Livingston made this an instant success with SXSW goers and won best ensemble at the festival. The release date is still TBA.
3.“Evil Dead” Directed by Fede Alvarez was a surprise hit with SXSW goers because it was a remake of a 1981 version by the same name. But the screenwriting team was headed by Sam Raimi who worked on the original, making this horror flick everything it needed to be successful. With Jane Levy and Shiloh Fernandez as the principle cast this has become one of the most talked about horror films this coming year. Release date March 25, 2013 in (College Station) and April 5, 2013 nationwide.
2.“Before Midnight” Directed by Sam Houston State alum
Richard Linklater. This is the last film of of his Before trilogy which is concluding after 18 years. Linklater filmed the first of the three in 1994 and has now brought this series to a close with “Before Midnight” which is set in Greece, Italy. It concludes the story of Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) from there whirlwind romance to finding each other and never looking back. Linklater did this trilogy justice by ending it in his true fashion of openness and letting the viewer wonder about the lives of the character after the camera stops rolling. Release date is set for May 24, 2013.
1. “The Spectacular Now”Directed by James Ponsoldt who has
worked on films dealing with alcoholism has made his best work yet. With a cast full of up and coming talent he sets this film during the senior year of Sutter Keely (played by Miles Teller) and Aimee Finicky (played by Shailene Woodley) who are complete opposites. Sutter is the party goer who has a drinking problem and isn’t looking forward to life after high school and Aimee who has her life all planned out by attending college. The only problem, Sutter falls for Aimee and vice-versa. Will this romance be strong enough in the end. Release date set for August 2, 2013.
SXSW top five films include horror remake, ShakespeareJAMES WEEMSContributing Reporter
Dance majors and non-dance majors alike will showcase their talent in the Performing Arts Center Dance Theatre this Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m.
The dance honor society Chi Tau Epsilon is responsible for the Dances at 8 fundraiser which has been around for about 10 years and is put on once each semester.
President of XTE, Alexis Preston, said that performances are put together by the students,
with each choreographing their own routine.
“It’s really just a way for us to reach out past our department and give people a discounted price for a dance performance,” Preston said. “It’s just what they want to do and I guess it’s more personal so it seems more genuine. It’s a lot of fun.”
Secretary of the organization, Michelle Cantua, said that to expect a diverse show with a variety of dance styles including modern, jazz and hip-hop.
“My favorite part is that you get to see a different side of students
a lot of times,” Cantua said. “You get to see them in their element and what they’re good at. So it’s really interesting to see everyone’s different abilities.”
Cantua said there will also be a good mix of duets, solos and group numbers each night with an added solo performance Thursday night performed by alumni Jarell Rochelle.
“The idea of the show is to give students the opportunity to showcase their choreography because a lot of other times they may not always have that chance,” Cantua said. “This is just a way
they can perform.”Vice President of XTE, Madison
Cooper, expects attendees to enjoy themselves both nights.
“It’s one great show on two nights,” Cooper said. “We have 14 pieces currently and they’re all different and it’s really just showcasing the different talent we have in our department and different ways to express yourself.”
Tickets for Dances at 8 cost $5 and can be bought at the door or in the ticket office in the PAC.
Dance group to showcase original choreography during two nights of diverse performancesANGELA BEEL Contributing Reporter
FAMOUS FACES The cast of “Drinking Buddies” at the premiere at SXSW in Austin including Joe Sawnberg, Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Ron Livingston, Ti West, and Anna Kendrick (top). Members of 1960s pop group The Zombies Rod Argent and Colin Bluntsone in an interview at SXSW.
Photos by James Weems and Destini Ogbonna
Entering the Southland Conference tournament with a 16-16 record as the no. 6 seed, the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team surprised many fans, shooting their way into the semi-finals over the weekend.
The Bearkats handled Central Arkansas in round one 69-63 and Oral Roberts, a group who swept SHSU during the season, 58-55 in the quarterfinals before falling in the semi-finals against Northwestern State, who went on to win the tournament.
Against UCA guard Darius Gatson exploded, scoring 19 points. He averaged 13.7 points per game with a .500 percent from the arc to claim a spot on the SLC All-Tournament team. Gatson opened the tournament shooting 75 percent from the arc and 55 percent in the field. Accompanied by forward James Thomas accounting for 16 points (58 percent in the field), Gatson led SHSU to sweep the Bears for the year with three wins during the conference season and tournament.
Preceding the quarterfinals, SHSU trailed Oral Roberts twice
with two second half runs into the remaining minutes. As for the quarterfinals, the story remained the same but with a twist.
Guard Paul Baxter led the Bearkats against Oral Roberts, scoring 13 points, shooting 40 percent from the perimeter and 45 percent from the field to edge out a 58-55 win.
Falling 39-26 at halftime, Baxter and company rallied on the back of their defense to hold off the Golden Eagles offense; shooting 60 percent in the first half. Head Coach Jason Hooten said determination and fight pulsed SHSU over ORU.
“The credit goes to our kids; how hard they fought, how they believed in each other and our program,” Hooten said in the press conference.
Baxter gave SHSU a late 53-47 lead with 3:20 left in the second half after sinking a basket.
“I had not been playing how I thought I should be playing tonight, and I just had to get out of my head,” Baxter said. “I had to make a play and it just happened I got a good shot and some good looks.”
In the semi-finals against high scoring Northwestern State (15-3 SLC), SHSU’s defense held the Demons to 38 percent shooting
from the field. Free throws held NSU within
reach and eventually gave them a 49-48 lead with 2:54 left in the second half. An exchange of leads in the remaining minute placed Demon shooter DeQuan Hicks in a position to sink a pair of free throws to give NSU a 53-51 lead with less than a minute to play.
“When I stepped up, it was like nothing there; it was like being back in the gym,” Hicks said.
Shooting from the free throw line, something that’s troubled the Bearkats all season, proved to be the game changer as Thomas missed his second free throw with 19 seconds left, allowing NSU to maintain a three point lead.
With the season at and end, Thomas commended his teammates with their conference run.
“It has been a long season, but we started clicking at the right time and at the right moment. In the tournament, we were running the offense better and playing with a sense of urgency,” Thomas said post NSU. “Tonight, we played a good game and executed the game plan, played with a sense of urgency and everyone just played for each other.”
The Sam Houston State University Mens Club Basketball Team, ENT Promotions, and the business Conglomerate of ChoseLife will be hosting a Houston vs Dallas basketball game in honor of former Bearkat Demarquin “Moochie” Holmes.
Holmes was a former student at SHSU who died in December 2012 due to a fatal car crash that occurred at the end of the spring 2012 semester. He was in the Intensive Care Unit for six months.
Holmes was a member of ENT Promotions and the Mens Club Basketball Team. He was also highly venerated by his peers on the campus of SHSU.
“Anytime you needed anyone to talk to he was there,” said Dante Howerton, president of
ENT Promotions.At SHSU, there’s always
buzz about which city is the best between Houston and Dallas. These two cities make up a large population of students
“The campus always talks about which City is better, why not make a basketball game out of it and honor Moochie at the same time..Its only right,” said business Conglomerate of ChoseLife, Victor Ihezukwu.
Holmes was from Houston but also had a lot of friends that resided in Dallas.
The game will be held on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Johnson Coliseum.
There will be a pregame tribute to Holmes prior to the actual game. The event is free but donations will be accepted and will go towards the Holmes family to assist them with hospital bills.
Despite a team series batting average of .375 against Dallas Baptist University, Sam Houston State struggled to maintain a presence on the mound in games one and two and dropped their second consecutive weekend series.
Coming off a high clenching their first two series against Louisiana-Monroe and Arkansas State at home, SHSU quickly dropped to University of Connecticut and recently Dallas Baptist from troubles out of the bullpen.
In the series opener 18-4 loss against DBU pitcher Logan Boyd tossed four
innings allowing 10 runs, six of them earned. SHSU struck first scoring two runs going into the bottom of the second when DBU found their rhythm to tie in the second, before pouring 15 runs between the fourth and fifth innings dispersed between three errors.
Head Coach David Pierce said loading the bases with runners and errors cost his squad the series opener.
“We had some defensive blunders in the first game. It was a combination of base on balls more than anything,” Pierce said. “Our nemesis will continue to be base on balls.”
The Bearkats lineup was able to hit for 13 base hits in both game one and two against the Patriots, but the Kats’ inability
to move runners into scoring position made their lineup inefficient.
Outfielder Hayden Simerly swung for .375 accompanied by catcher Anthony Azar connecting for a .600 average in games one and two (8-7 loss) as SHSU’s production throughout the series. Third basemen Kevin Miller and Jessie Plumlee produced alongside Simerly and Azar in the middle of the lineup but received little insurance from the top and bottom three.
Leaving 10 runners on base in games one and two cost the Bearkats potential chances to narrow DBU’s leads Pierce said, but defensive errors plagued SHSU defense.
“We did leave some guys on base that cost us. Defensively we didn’t play well on game one, in game two we had the lead and
just couldn’t hold the lead,” Pierce said. SHSU closed the series with a 12-8 win
from the plate. Connecting for 19 hits and a five run rally
in the top of the fourth, pitcher Andrew Godail silenced the Patriots through the sixth before surrendering four runs in the bottom of the seventh off three walks and a middle infield error. SHSU regained composure in the top of the ninth for three runs to edge out a game three win to cap off the series.
The Bearkats hit the road to Waco to square off against Baylor University Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and will return to Huntsville Wednesday for game two with the Bears at 6:30 p.m.
Page 5Tuesday, March 19, 2013Sports
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Men’s basketball surprises in SLC tourneyCONNOR HYDESports Reporter
Kats drops two straight series against UCONN, DBUCONNOR HYDESports Reporter
ADRINA VINESContributing Reporter
Basketball game to honor former Bearkat Holmes
IMPRESSIVE: Standout freshman Paul Baxter went off in the Southland Conference tournament, making late shots, keeping the Kats in games.
Photo courtesy of David Barfield
Page 6Tuesday, March 19, 2013
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“The Call” offers suspense despite far-fetched plot
“The Call”, which opened Friday, follows Jordan, played by Halle Berry, a 911 telephone operator as she fights to rescue a teenage girl, played by Abigail Breslin, from her kidnapper.
Although the movie appears to be nothing more than an intense phone conversation, it delivers suspenseful moments that are worth the trip to the theater.
The movie offers a different perspective to a crisis situation as it delves into the feelings, fears and stress of the people behind the phones who most people never think about. Through Jordan’s perspective, the audience is taken on an emotional journey to rescue a young girl. This adds another layer to the suspense in the movie as the audience contemplates what they would do in the same situation.
In addition, Berry brought true depth to the character of the everyday operator. Her performance evoked fear, guilt and urgency as she struggles with her personal demons in the film. As she comes to worry for Casey’s life, so does the audience, making her role relatable.
Breslin also delivered a realistic performance. Even though she was trapped in a car most of the time, she is able to convince the audience that she is close to death at any given moment and portrayed believable desperation to survive.
However, some characteristics of “The Call” take away from its suspense and make it a mockery of thriller films.
Hair stylist Jose Zamora, who has worked on “Bridesmaids” and “Easy A” downgraded when he chose Berry’s wig for this film. It was big, curly and looked unnatural to the point where it became a distraction from the action of the plot. Often, Berry’s wig seemed only seconds away from jumping off of Berry’s head in a unique plot twist that even M. Night
Shyamalan wouldn’t think of. Some of the plot, written by Richard
D’Ovidio (“Thirteen Ghosts”) , was too far-fetched to be considered authentic. When Jordan attempts to rescue Casey from her kidnapper, she drives all the way to the middle of nowhere and magically stumbles upon clues that help in the rescue. The premise that an everyday operator would go to such lengths such as driving out that far, conducting investigation of her own and risking her life for only one of her millions of 911 calls is hard to swallow, even in a thriller.
Despite these flaws, director Brad Anderson achieves what a thriller is supposed to do: entertain and keep the audience guessing until the end. It makes up for its faults by giving two main characters that the audience can relate to and hope for. Overall, we give this film 3 out 5 paws.
GEORGE MATTINGLYArts & Entertainment Editor
ALL GROWN UP Abigial Breslin, known for her role in “Little Miss Sunshine” plays Casey, a teen girl who is kidnapped in “The Call”.
(AP Photo/ Sony-TriStar Pictures, Greg Gayne)
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