Movies for lovers, hatersThe Notebook (shown right) is one

of the six films recommended for those who love — and hate — Valentine’s Day.

Taming the HuskiesJelena Cerina (shown left) and the Sooners will have a chance to topple No. 2 Connecticut tonight on the road.

LIFE & ARTS • PAGE A5SPORTS • PAGE B1

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Bill could allow guns on college campusesOU not likely to follow state of Texas which may enact law starting Sept. 1

HILLARY MCLAINThe Oklahoma Daily

Colleges in Texas may soon allow guns on campus if proposed legislation is passed by the House of Representatives.

T h e b i l l , w h i c h w a s a u t h o r e d b y R e p r e s e n t a t i v e D av i d S i m p s o n (R-Longview), would allow concealed carry license holders to carry firearms on college

campuses, which is presently illegal.OU’s chapter of the Young Democrats

and President Boren’s office disapprove of the idea.

Chris Shilling, OU spokesman, said al-lowing guns to be carried on college cam-puses would present a threat to students, faculty and staff.

“To allow people to have guns who have not trained with our police units could cre-ate chaos in a crisis situation,” Shilling said in an e-mail. “Police would not be able to sort out dangerous gunmen from others on campus with guns.”

The Young Democrats executive coun-cil has taken the same stance as President Boren.

“[President Boren] has previously spoken out against having guns on the University of Oklahoma campus when they are not in the hands of law enforcement profession-als. We agree with him completely,” Ashley Edwards, president of the Young Democrats

said.Allowing guns on campus might also hin-

der OU’s ability to promote the school as a safe place, according to Shilling.

“In addition to compromising the safety of our campuses, allowing guns on campus could also damage our ability to recruit stu-dents and faculty who are likely to view our campuses as unsafe environments,” Shilling said in an e-mail.

OU College Republicans President

ONLINE AT OUDAILY.COM» Link: View the original bill online

PAGEANT | SOPHOMORE WINS MISS AFRICAN QUEEN

Top: Psychology sophomore Monet Olorunnisomo paints on a canvas during Friday’s Miss African Queen pageant in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Molly Shi Boren Ballroom.

Right: Early childhood education junior Karla Ude (left) and University College freshman ‘Jemiyo Akande (right) watch as psychology sophomore Monet Olorunnisomo is named Miss African Queen 2011.

PHOTOS BY MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Winter storms cause more than 50 blood drives to be canceled, supplies dwindle

KATHLEEN EVANSThe Oklahoma Daily

After a 10-day shortage, the state now has an adequate blood supply thanks to donors, an Oklahoma Blood Institute spokeswoman said.

The blood emergency began Feb. 3, after winter storms can-celed more than 50 blood drives across the state and prevented donors from visiting local cen-ters, OBI spokeswoman Leslie Gamble said.

The emergency meant the in-stitute had less than a one-day supply that is typically used, Gamble said.

“It’s not too dramatic,” she said. “All hospitals across the state all had good inventories of blood on site. If we looked at what we had and projected how long it would last without more donations, we would have only made it one day.”

One of the canceled blood drives was the OU-OSU Bedlam Blood drive, which was sched-uled for Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, howev-er, the OU campus was closed.

Typically, about 700 peo-ple donate blood in one day, Gamble said.

“Across the state we have a large number of blood drives each day,” Gamble said. “There is a big impact from one or two days of being shut down.”

After declaring the emergen-cy, Oklahoma Blood Institute e-mailed donors and extend-ed business hours to encour-age participation from the community.

Institute leaders were grate-ful with those who made donat-ing blood a priority, CEO John Armitage said.

Although the institute has re-ceived enough blood to end its emergency, organizers still en-courage participation in blood drives and visits to community donation centers.

“Even though this emergency has passed, the need for blood hasn’t,” Armitage said. “This emergency illustrated just how important regular blood donation is to the health of Oklahomans.”

To donate, visit Norman Regional Hospital, 901 N. Porter Ave. from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. today.

Donors respond to need for blood in state

BLOOD DRIVE

SEE BILL PAGE 2

Applications due March 1 for up to $4,000 in fi nancial aid assistance

SARAH MARTINThe Oklahoma Daily

Single-mother students taking classes full time have the opportunity to apply for financial aid available through a university program.

The Women’s and Gender Studies Program is offering two scholarships:

• The Betty Baum and Norman Hirschfield Award offers three $4,000 awards through an endowment. The scholarship was created in 1999.

• The Empowerment of Spirit Award, which was created in 2009, gives what it can based on yearly funding.

Applications for both scholarships are due March 1.

Applicants must be a single mother rais-ing children, a full-time student at any of the Norman campuses, have completed two full semesters within the last five years and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The recipients are chosen by the Women’s and Gender Studies Faculty, said Brenda Houser, program spokeswoman.

Jamie Brown, microbiology senior, received the Betty Baum and Norman Hirschfield award last year. Brown, the mother of a 2-year-old, said it was nice to see schol-arships established for single mothers.

Brown’s daughter, Addison, was born in the June after her freshman year. She was enrolled in class the next fall, without tak-ing any semesters off, she said.

Brown said she also receives tuition waivers and grants, but takes out some loans to pay her bills. The scholarship allowed her to take out fewer loans, she said.

“I was grateful not just for the money but to know that there is a support sys-tem out there for single moms who are trying to go to school and make their kids a better life,” Brown said.

In addition to going to school, Brown has worked as a teaching assistant for Undergraduate Human Physiology Labs and this semester she works as a note taker in the athletic department.

Brown plans to go to medical school after graduation.

O n e o f t h e 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 Empowerment of Spirit Awards went to letters senior Sara Linman, a mother of two. Linman said she returned to school in 2006, taking night classes and has been a full-time student at OU since 2008.

Linman graduated from high school in 1995 and took uni-versity classes but left school to get married. After her divorce, Linman decided to go back to school and pursue her dream to be an attorney.

“I have such an immense amount of gratitude to be able to

have the opportunity to go back to school and get an education, it’s kind of like a do-over,” Linman said.

Linman has two sons, ages 10 and 7.“My kids and I do our homework together,

they have seen me struggle through classes that are really, really hard for me to take,” Linman said. “It’s really good for them to go through that experience with me.”

Women’s studies program offers scholarships for full-time single mothers

SCHOLARSHIP

To apply:

• Be a single mother raising children

• Be a full-time student

• Have completed two semesters in the past fi ve years

• Have a 3.0 GPA

Chase Cook, managing editordailynews@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

A2 • Monday, February 14, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

CAMPUS

Today around campus» Reporters involved in the Daniel Pearl project will speak at 9 a.m. in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Hall of Fame Room and at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Auditorium.

» A “Biggest Loser” contestant will speak on body image at 10:30 a.m. in Adams Hall, Room 114.

» OU Art Alliance will host Art from the Heart at 11:30 a.m. in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Lightwell Gallery. Tickets are $15.

» Donald Asher will speak at the “Student Success Series: Find Your Major” at 12:30 p.m. in the Union’s Meacham Auditorium.

» Donald Asher will speak at the “Student Success Series: Find a Job With Any Major” at 2:30 p.m. in the Union’s Meacham Auditorium.

» Nancy Matthews will review students for the pre-calculus exam hosted by Student Success Series 3 p.m. at Wagner Hall, Room 245.

» The Faculty Senate will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Jacobson Hall, Room 102.

» This day in OU history

Feb. 14, 1980Baseball field designs approved

The Facilities and Planning committee approved preliminary designs of the L. Dale Mitchell baseball field. The stadium was initially designed to have a seating capacity of 1,500 with grass ramps to provide additional seating until funds were raised for more bleachers. OU played their first game there Feb. 27, 1982. Today’s seating capacity is 2,700.

Repairs on Nielsen Hall sidewalk beginsCrews began to repair the sidewalk north of Nielsen

Hall, which caved in under a truck carrying a load of concrete and dirt. The physical plant freed the truck with a backhoe used to dig holes for trees, using the scoop of the backhoe to lift the truck from the side.

— Source: The Oklahoma Daily archives

Tuesday, Feb. 15» The School of Art & Art History will host a Graduate Art Exhibition called Mixed Tape from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Lightwell Gallery.

» School of Music will host a free Electric Studio concert at noon in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Sandy Bell Gallery.

» Tim Jones will speak on taking effective notes in lectures as a part of the Student Success Series at 3 p.m. in Wagner Hall, Room 245.

» Sutton Concert Series will host the University Singers and Chamber Singers at 8 p.m. in Catlett Music Center’s Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall.

» OU Study Abroad will host a forum from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Cate Main Social Lounge to discuss studying abroad. Food and drinks will be provided.

» Students will screen “The Education of Shelby Knox” and conduct a Skype discussion with Shelby Knox from 7 to 9 p.m. in Wagner Hall, Room 145.

» Chi Alpha Campus Ministries will host LateNite: Dorm Edition at 9 p.m. Tuesday in Adams Tower, Tarman basement.

Wednesday, Feb. 16

» Major and Minors Fair will be at 11:30 a.m. in the Union’s Molly Shi Ballroom.

» Waffles will be served to students writing papers in the writing center 9 to 11 a.m. in Wagner Hall, Room 280.

» The free Health and Fitness Seminar, part of Willpower Wednesdays, will take place at noon in the Huston Huffman Fitness Center.

» OU Trombone Choir will present a free concert at 8 p.m. in Catlett Music Center’s Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall.

» Anthony Stoops will present a free faculty concert playing the double bass 8 p.m. in Catlett Music Center’s Pitman Recital Hall.

» Men’s basketball will host Nebraska at 8 p.m. in Lloyd Noble Center.

» Softball will host St Gregorys at 4 p.m. at the OU Softball Complex.

Dancing competition raises money for Children’s Miracle Network

Dancing never felt so good.

At least that’s how Laura Bock felt when Dance Marathon raised almost $73,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network.

That amount was $20,000 more than event organizers’ original goal, said Bock, Dance Marathon 2011 chairwoman.

Bock and her team had hoped to get 650 people registered to dance Feb. 11 in the Huston Huffman Center. In the end, about 1,100 people turned up, she said.

Bock said she didn’t think there would be more than 1,000 people taking part in the event, but she said that was the best part.

“It was so great seeing all the OU students come in, how excited they were — and then looking out into the crowd and seeing how many people there were,” Bock said.

On the morning of Dance Marathon, about 900 attendees had registered, but later that day, people continued to sign up, Bock said.

Bock said she didn’t know the exact pull Dance Marathon had on students this year, but she attributed much of the event’s success to Campus Activities Council’s active publicity.

“We really used social media a lot this year,” Bock said.

Though Bock said Dance Marathon staff haven’t yet set a goal for next year, they are “hoping it can be an event that can continue to grow each year.”

— Brooke Myers/The Daily

BILL: Boren, OU spokesman say noContinued from page 1

Hunter Ligon said he is un-sure of the legislation and thinks the idea needs to be explored.

“I’m hesitant to approach that issue, I don’t know how to feel about it, so I won’t officially take any stance on the part of the College

Republicans,” Ligon, broad-cast journalism sophomore, said.

The proposed legislation also states that colleges are not allowed to make any rules forbidding the carrying of firearms by a person with a concealed carry license.

If the law passes, it will go into effect Sept. 1, in Texas.

Oklahoma City residents without insurance recieve free dental treatment, program director says

JOSH BURKSThe Oklahoma Daily

Dental students’ and faculty’s volunteer efforts with a downtown Oklahoma City outreach center has earned an OU college national recognition for community service.

The International Federation of Dental Educators and Associations named the OU College of Dentistry as the recipient of the 2011 Orna Shanley Prize for outstanding community service in its partnership with Good Shepherd Ministries.

Every two weeks, dental students, dental hygiene students and faculty volunteers spend Monday and Tuesday nights providing care for children and adults, Good Shepherd Ministries Director Cathy Manual said. Tooth extractions are performed on adults at the Monday night clinic, while children receive preventative care Tuesdays, such as cleaning, fluoride treatments and tooth sealants.

“Anyone who doesn’t have insurance is eligible, as long as

they live in the Greater Oklahoma City Area,” Manual said. “OU has been wonderful; we really couldn’t do it without OU.”

Good Shepherd Ministries, located at 12th Street and Harvey Avenue, is a multifaceted community outreach center, which also houses a food pantry and clothing room open to anyone in need, Manual said.

Dr. Frank Lipsinic of the OU College of Dentistry submit-ted an award application for the school through a letter to

the dental federation.“The primary objective for student

community service is to instill an atti-tude of charity and mindfulness of oth-ers,” Lipsinic wrote in his submission. “Particularly in a lucrative profession such as dentistry, one must have early exposure to the concept of giving back if it is to be ingrained in the fiber of one’s being.”

A formal relationship with Good Shepherd was established in 1978, a few years after medical students began treat-

ing minor ailments in a downtown bar, Lipsinic wrote.“For a while they just put up a sheet between the bar and

the people that needed care, and then they moved here shortly after,” Manual said. “Now they see 12 adult patients or eight children each night.”

Volunteer dental care earns OU College of Dentistry award

Program honors Dr. Seuss by reading with children

OU students can encourage reading among Norman youth by participating in an event celebrating the late Dr. Seuss’ birthday.

The Student Oklahoma Education Association will host a two-part event March 2 called Read Across America. At the first event, students will read Dr. Seuss books to elementary school students at McKinley Elementary School.

The second event will be a free on-campus lecture titled “Reading as a Multisensory, Social Activity” in Collings Hall, Room 250 by author and professor Lawrence Bains.

“Reading is a lost pastime among youth in America today,” said Christine Engelbrecht, association president. “Organizing this event allows us to do our part to raise awareness about the importance of reading for young people.”

To participate in Read Across America, contact Christine Engelbrecht at MissChris@ou.edu.

— Colbi Beam/The Daily

A formal relationship with Good Shepherd was established in 1978, a few years after medical students began treating minor ailments in a downtown bar.”

— DR. FRANK LIPSINIC, OU COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY

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Monday, February 14, 2011 • A3The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com CAMPUS

Choose your own zombie apocalypse

HELEN GRANT/THE DAILY

Professional writing senior Jelani Sims and professional writing graduate Kyle West hold their first book, Night of The Necromancer in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s professional writing alcove. Sims and West co-authored an e-book in a Choose Your Own Adventure format on surviving zombie apocalypse.

OU students Kyle West and Jelani Sims set out to create a Choose Your Own Adventure story

BROOKE MYERSThe Oklahoma Daily

Editor’s Note: Jelani Sims is a current Daily columnist and Kyle West is a former Daily staff writer.

What if zombies were coming for you?That’s what Kyle West, OU graduate, thought two years

ago when he was a professional writing junior in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

It was a question that provided framework for the writ-er’s first novel where the reader is the protagonist, and the outcome is undetermined.

He began writing about 40 pages before he realized the project was larger than he had intended, West said.

Jelani Sims, professional writing senior, got involved in the production process when he and West were in profes-sor Melvin Odom’s Writing the Short Story class and West announced his idea for a Choose Your Own Adventure book.

Sims jumped on board, and the two began the long pro-cess of mapping out the story.

“We would work on it late [at] night,” said Sims. “Kyle would come over to my room and we would sit and map it all out. . . . We took things that you often see in zombie mov-ies: forests, malls, Walmart, cities, airports.”

During the summer, they wrote it all out, West said.“I was really cruel sometimes,” he said. “I guess it was my

job to keep everything on track and stuff. Jelani would get distracted with school and I would have to tell him the book was more important – no, not really.”

T h o u g h t h e y w e re i n s p i re d by b o o k s l i k e t h e “Goosebumps” series, West and Sims say their end prod-uct — “The Night of the Necromancer: Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?” — is unique.

“There are Choose Your Own Adventure books, but the book is unique in its own way because there are none that are as big as this one,” West said.

Sims said he and West tried to pay closer attention to detail than is evident in other books of the same genre.

“We tried to have some detailed charac-ters, like make it a story that maybe you feel like you’re reading a novel,” Sims said. “The only difference is you’re making decisions every now and then.”

Their goal, Sims said, was to make a true hybrid of a novel and a Choose Your Own Adventure book.

It wasn’t the duo’s intention to publish the book once they began writing, they said. With Odom’s encouragement, how-ever, they decided they should go for it.

“We kind of advised ourselves,” Sims said. “We basically motivated ourselves.”

Printing the book cost nothing but time.

“Basically, you just go to Amazon.com and it’s easy, any-one can do it,” Sims said.

Amazon’s CreateSpace, which West and Sims used to publish their book, is a manufacture-on-demand model

and requires no up-front investment in in-ventory, according to Amazon.com.

Through Amazon, writers can create Kindle e-books as well as print versions, and the company takes royalties from sales of the book.

Barnes and Noble’s Nook also sells West and Sims’s book.

“The Night of the Necromancer” costs $3.99 for a digital copy, and the print ver-sion costs $16.99.

Being published authors has evoked some mixed emotions, especially once OU and Gaylord College began publiciz-ing their new book.

“I was like ‘oh my gosh now people are going to know about it, and they’re going to read it and they might think I’m dumb and can’t write,’” Sims said laughing. “Or they might like it. You know, either way it’s

kind of terrifying to kind of set out your child — this thing that you’ve birthed — and just have people have their way with it.”

But reviews have been positive. Sims and West created a Facebook group and a blog for the book. All three reviews on Amazon.com have awarded the book five stars.

That excitement, the authors said, was the very thing that attracted Sims and West to write a zombie novel.

“I think it’s just the aspect of the unknown — fearing the unknown,” West said. “Like whenever you read a horror book, it’s not so much the zombie or the monster that’s scary, but it’s the fact that you don’t know what’s after you.”

Sims said he has always liked stories in which people are put to the test.

“It’s just people in situations — dire situations — and coming out and surviving,” Sims said. “I like that theme in horror, and I like the monsters and gore as well.

Sims said “The Night of the Necromancer” is written to capture that thrill by using second-person point of view, so the reader feels like part of the story.

West said he feels proud of what he’s done and that it’s something he’s wanted to do his whole life.

West and Sims said they are both are in the process of writing and refining new novels, they said.

“It’s kind of my aspiration to be the black Stephen King, and to be a popular horror author,” Sims said. “That’s my goal — to become a popular horror author and make a ca-reer out of it.”

LITERATURE

We tried to have some detailed characters, like make it a story that maybe you feel like you’re reading a novel, the only difference is you’re making decisions every now and then.”

— JELANI SIMS, PROFESSIONAL WRITING SENIOR

Monday, February 14, 2011 • A4The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

OPINION dailyopinion@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-3666

THUMBS UP ›› Dance Marathon raises $73,000 for Children’s Miracle Network (see page 1)

OUR VIEW

High cost for education

Meredith Moriak Editor-in-Chief

Chase Cook Managing Editor

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James Corley Sports Editor

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contact us 160 Copeland Hall, 860 Van Vleet OvalNorman, Okla. 73019-0270

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The Oklahoma Daily is a public forum and OU’s independent student voice.

Letters should concentrate on issues, not personalities, and should be fewer than 250 words, typed, double spaced and signed by the author(s). Letters will be edited for space. Students must list their major and classifi cation. Submit letters Sunday through Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall. Letters also can be e-mailed to dailyopinion@ou.edu.

Guest columns are accepted and printed at the editor’s discretion.

Our View is the voice of The Oklahoma Daily Editorial Board, which consists of the editorial staff. The board meets at 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday in 160 Copeland Hall.

Columnists’ and cartoonists’ opinions are not necessarily the opinions of The Daily Editorial Board.

In my two years writing for The Daily, a persistent criti-cism I have heard is that I am too critical. Looking back on my articles, it is hard to find a single one that is not critical. So, I want to make a change here and highlight two of OU’s positive elements.

First, the university has sidewalks. Sidewalks have an enormous number of advantages that many of us do not even think about because we take them for granted. Of course, they have the initial advantage of allowing us to transport ourselves across campus to various classes, some-thing we all probably recognize. But, they are not just trans-portation strips.

For instance, because sidewalks are paved with concrete or other similar materials, they are partially weatherproof in that they resist the rain and do not become soggy. This means that even in inclement weather, we can get to our classes without muddying our feet and pants.

Additionally, because sidewalks are smooth, they allow for a variety of transportation strategies to be utilized. The most popular of course is walking, but biking, rollerblading, skateboarding and any other wheel-based locomotion are perfectly viable options on sidewalks. One positive conse-quence of this is that people who use wheelchairs or walkers can navigate campus far more successfully than if we did not have sidewalks.

Last, but certainly not least, sidewalks help to keep our campus beautiful. By establishing defined paths for commu-nity members to tread, we can keep some parts of the cam-pus free from foot traffic and plant trees, flowers and grass in those areas. If we did not have sidewalks, people would walk all over these areas because these areas would be indistin-guishable from any other paths. This would ultimately lead to a trampled mess of a campus that devolves into a muddy pit during any precipitation event — not a pretty sight.

The university did not stop with sidewalks, however; we are also graced by the existence of campus buildings. Could you imagine if we did not have buildings? There could be no class, no student organization meetings, no events, no dorms, and no place for the administration to manage the affairs of the university.

We might think of some ways to carry out campus busi-ness without buildings. For instance, we might have classes outside and replace the dorms with tent cities. But ultimate-ly, these alternatives are definitely inferior on so many lev-els to the current approach of using buildings to meet those needs.

The most obvious advantage buildings have is that they are almost entirely weatherproof. Tents and outdoor classes are fun and all, but if it were raining or very cold, that ap-proach would become impractical very fast. More than that, buildings also allow for more efficient land-use than out-door approaches. We can stack floors and floors of people on top of each other, allowing us to increase by ten-fold the number of people that can occupy otherwise building-free land.

So, although my columns might indicate otherwise, it is not all bad at OU. Sure, we have hundreds of employees here being paid poverty wages that sometimes force them to decide between buying medicine and food. Sure ,we have a 1950s-era housing policy that treats adult students as children incapable of choosing for themselves the hous-ing arrangement they would like. Sure, we have a student government that, when not filling out Teach for America ap-plications, spends its time getting chummy with the admin-istration instead of fulfilling its role as a check on them. Sure we have an embarrassing, poverty-satirizing event every fall called Shack-a-thon.

But in all of that, let’s not lose track of the fact that there are many things on campus that work very well, primarily buildings and sidewalks.

— Matt Bruenig,

philosophy senior

Comment on this column at OUDaily.com

University excels at sidewalks, buildings

Steven Zoeller

STAFF COLUMN

er

Matt Bruenig

STAFF COLUMN

nig

MN

Students need understanding of subject matter, not a word limit

COLUMN

COLUMN

The professor who tells students to meet a word count isn’t teaching students to write, but to ramble.

Can you imagine asking a hunter to kill his game with no less than five bullets? Probably not. The best hunters take down their prey quickly and efficiently, without squander-ing ammunition. The request would seem both unreason-able and unnecessary.

The same applies to writers. Words are their ammunition. If we wouldn’t ask a hunter to shoot unnecessary bullets, then professors shouldn’t require students to write a mini-mum number of words when writing essays.

The convention dates back to grade school and remains popular in higher education, but I have yet to hear a sound defense of it. Based on my critiquing of fellow students’ writ-ing and my own frustration in dealing with the requirements, I have come to the conclusion that requiring a certain number of words in an essay is the most frivolous and counter-pro-ductive cliché to ever mark a syllabus.

I’ll be specific. When a student knows that his or her words must exceed a predetermined total, the student is bound to do one of two things: stretch out sentences and include un-needed words and phrases, or provide extra analysis. Guess which one’s easier.

Too often, I’ve read essays in which students deliber-ately convolute their language to squeeze out more words and usually the extra analysis goes on a tangent. The pro-fessor who tells students to meet a word count isn’t teach-ing students to write, but to ramble. The result is bloated paragraphs that avoid or delay getting to the heart of what’s being analyzed. Minimum word counts encourage students to beat around the bush instead.

Remember that conciseness is one of the virtues of good writing. It’s absurd that professors are potentially punishing students for being concise. Guilty professors can say they are “preparing students for the future” with a straight face.

When will an employer ask for a company report or press release to be longer than a set number of words?

From what I understand, word counts are imposed to en-sure students delve deep into their material and put a certain

amount of effort into the as-signment. Shouldn’t both of those things be obvious from reading the essay?

I have a working theory that some professors only read the first few para-graphs before deciding on a grade. The blatant insistence on a word count seems to support this theory.

That’s a problem within itself: it’s inconvenient for the graders to read unnecessary words for the sake of reaching some arbitrary limit. To go back to the hunting reference,

using excessive ammunition is messy and painful. Just as the hunter has to clean the carcass and locate each bullet, the profes-sor is left to suffer through the essay, making sense of its mangled paragraphs and picking out the relevant points.

If a complex, well thought-out response to a prompt can be written in less than 600 words, the length sh ouldn’t matter. Personally, I see more value in maximum

word caps. The current standard is tedious for both stu-dents and professors, and if either wants to see the quality of essays improve, I advise the latter to lift minimum word requirements.

The over-quoted philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said that his goal was to express in ten sentences what other men expressed in whole books. Assuming his sen-tences were of average length, many college professors would have faulted him for his ambition. I know we want high standards, but that’s ridiculous.

Oh, and if any letter should be sent to The Daily dis-agreeing with this column, I ask that it be at least 550 words long. Thanks.

—Steven Zoeller, University College freshman

Comment on this column at OUDaily.com

In an effort to stem the brutality of enormous cuts to higher education, Texas Gov. Rick Perry came up with a solution: community colleges ought to create $10,000 de-gree programs.

Sounds great on the surface, but when analyzing what it would take, it’s clear this is another futile attempt at ignor-ing the higher-education crisis facing many states suffer-ing from huge budget shortfalls.

First, not every degree can be brought down to $10,000. In Texas, there is only one degree students can obtain for a little less than $10,000 in tuition and fees — a Bachelor of Applied Technology — that is offered at three community colleges.

However, this doesn’t include the costs of textbooks, which amounts to around $4,000. So even the cheapest degree a student in Texas can get still ends up around $13,000.

Unless Texas legislators are willing to sacri-fice the quality of a four-year degree, creating more degrees with $10,000 limits is going to be impossible. Tuition, fees and textbooks for four-year degrees average $31,696 at public universi-ties in Texas, according to the Higher Education Coordinating Board. Bringing such a number down to $10,000 will only result in drastic cheapening of the qual-ity of college degrees.

After hearing of Perry’s radical idea, South Texas College President Shirley Reed said one of the ways a $10,000 de-gree could be accomplished is by reducing the number of hours in degree programs.

“But will the students actually have the competencies that the employer is looking for?” Reed asked in an article on Statesman.com. That is the essential question.

Further proving that creating $10,000 degrees will be a next-to-impossible task is the fact that the Texas House’s base budget eliminates all funding for the only current $10,000 degree in the state. The only way such a degree could exist is if public institutions received enormous subsidies.

If we’re not careful, OU could find itself in a similar posi-tion as Texas schools. Gov. Mary Fallin recently proposed a 3-percent cut in higher education. The Daily reported in December that the College of Arts and Sciences is getting hit with a $1.7 million cut for the 2012 fiscal year, which could mean cutting some majors and minors and moving more classes online.

While universities have access to technology that can reduce some costs, online courses save little if any money. This is because the largest expense of classes is the salaries of faculty members, who have to be just as involved with online coursework as they are in a classroom.

This became evident during the days of canceled classes on our own campus. Many professors we talked to said putting lectures on Desire2Learn via podcasts or slideshows required almost as much work as doing it in the classroom.

The simple fact of the matter is funding for higher education, not just in Texas, should be preserved. Continuous cuts are only cheap-ening the quality of public education as col-leges are forced to make tough decisions in

the face of budget shortfalls. We’re all for efficient govern-ment, but not at the cost of our generation’s education.

Of course, the only real way to combat the higher-ed-ucation crisis would be for states to get serious on some of the unnecessary tax breaks for wealthy corporations, as well as raising taxes on wealthier citizens — solutions tan-tamount to totalitarian socialism in red states like Texas and Oklahoma.

However, once the sacrifices of austerity measures re-veal that we don’t have a well-educated workforce, which in turn will lead to greater economic decline, perhaps the wealthy libertarians will finally realize the benefits of some collective forms of government.

Comment on this column at OUDaily.com

We’re all for efficient government, but not at the cost of our generation’s education.”

I HATE VALENTINE’S DAY PLAYLIST

Thousands of songs revolve around love and The Daily’s Emily Hopkins put together playlists regardless of what state your love life is in today.

Autumn Huffman, life & arts editordailyent@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-5189

Monday, February 14, 2011 • A5The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

LIFE&ARTS OUDAILY.COM ›› Read the review on the ‘1964 ... The Tribute’ who performed this weekend in Norman after 15 years

It’s that time of the year to stop and appreciate the special people in our lives. It’s the time of year that asks us not to be ashamed of our repressed sentimental sensibilities, but to cuddle up with our significant other, to rekindle an old flame or to search passionately for our one true soul mate.

So what’s the occasion, you ask? Well, Valentine’s Day, of course. It’s a day that serves as a heartfelt validation of the great loves in our lives or a painful reminder of those who have burned us.—Laron Chapman/The Daily

Movies for the different states of love FILM

Songs that fit every stage of love

I LOVE VALENTINE’S DAY PLAYLIST

MUSIC

“You’re So Vain” – Carly Simon

“Bruises” – Chairlift

“Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” – Beyonce

“Heart of Glass” – Blondie

“F*** You” – Cee Lo Green

“Song For the Dumped” – Ben Folds Five

“Goodbye” – Best Coast

“Gold Digger” – Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx

“I Hate Myself For Loving You” – Joan Jett

“Love Is a Battlefield” — Pat Benatar

“Easy Girl” – Coconut Records

“Write About Love” – Belle & Sebastian

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” – The Beatles

“I’m Into Something Good” – The Bird & The Bee

“P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” – Michael Jackson

“First Day of My Life” – Bright Eyes

“Soul Meets Body” – Death Cab for Cutie

“I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” – The Ramones

“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” – James Taylor

I HATE VALENTINE’S DAY PLAYLIST

It might sound trite to put “Pretty Woman” director Garry Marshall’s overtly sentimental “Valentine’s Day” on your must-see date movies list for the evening. But then again, this is a day reserved for us to indulge in our sappy, romantic and starry-eyed sentiments. From that perspective, what better film is there for the spe-cial occasion than one conveniently name after the glorious holiday? Following the multiple love lives of an A-list cast — including the talents of Julia Roberts, Queen Latifah, Shirley MacLaine and George Lopez — this is a savory and sweet date movie with enough charm and humor to satisfy the taste buds of even the most gluttonous lovebirds.

Who could forget the clever and provocative di-alogue or the amazing chemistry exchanged dur-ing the romantic pairing of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in the timeless “When Harry Met Sally.”? It’s a rare romantic comedy that gives perceptive and thoughtful examination of quirky and unique characters we grow to admire. The ups and downs of their relationship are affected by time and cir-cumstance rather than by obvious plot devices and conventions. The film became an honorable model by which all romantic comedies thereafter should adhere to. With a brilliant comic duo, sharp writing and a big heart, the film is sure to make anyone’s Valentine’s Day a little sweeter.

(500) Days of Summer: (2009)

Paper Heart: (2009)

Valentine’s Day: (2010)

When Harry Met Sally: (1989)

In any event, there’s enough quality Hollywood cinema to cater to anyone’s status in life and love. The following films make our hearts grow fonder of our loved ones and comfort those who view the holiday as a bitter pill.

Do romantic comedies, star crossed lovers and heart shaped baked goods make you gag? Don’t fret my faithful realists, there’s enough pessimism to go around. So whether you’ve been burned or would rather forget the day all together, the following films are a healthy diversion from the happy sappy noises attempting to burst your eardrums.

If there’s a film guaranteed to warm your heart, bring tears to your eyes and enrich your apprecia-tion of the love in your life, it’s romance guru Nicholas Spark’s wonderful “The Notebook.” Giving a lavish look at the early 40s, and illustrating the passion of a lifelong commitment and showcasing the illumi-nating talents of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, the film proves that true love is both fulfilling and ev-erlasting and that one’s devotion to their significant other is of paramount importance. While viewing the film may require a box of Kleenex’s nearby, its timely message is of more substance than its syrupy premise might suggest.

The Notebook: (2004)

Viewers expecting a conventional romantic come-dy from Marc Webb’s “(500) Days of Summer” will be pleasantly surprised by the film’s honorable depar-ture from a typical formula. The film challenges the conventions of the genre, suggesting that love is sim-ply a social construction, an unrealistic expectation and the product of pop songs and hallmark cards. The hopeless romantic who falls victim to this devas-tating revelation is embodied by the always-engaging Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom, whose heart is set on the alluring Zooey Deschanel as the title character Summer. Told with maturity and invention, “(500) Days of Summer” is a romantic comedy in a class of its own. With an unconventional premise, an awe-some sound track, stylish directing and winning per-formances, “(500) Days of Summer” is sure to satisfy any skeptic’s impassioned views.

For those who view Valentine’s Day as the source of sour memories, director Jamie Blanks’ clever horror film “Valentine” is a delicious, mouthwatering treat to overturn one’s bitter past. It tells the twisted fable of Jeremy Melton (David Boreanaz), the unfortunate misfit who fell victim to a malicious rumor and be-came the object of ridicule at his junior high school dance. Several years later, his teenage tormentors, the beautiful and popular best friends Kate (Marley Shelton), Paige (Denise Richards), Dorothy (Jessica Capshaw) and Lily (Jessica Cauffiel) receive sadistic threats in the form of valentines by a man wearing a cupid’s mask. As Melton exacts his revenge on the hotties who took him for some kind of feeble pacifist, the romantic occasion is exchanged for an evening of chilling, dark and bloody mayhem.

For those who cringe at notion of being subjected to the sentimental ideals of the holiday, Nicholas Jasenovec’s innovative “Paper Heart” may just be a match made in heaven. The film is a quasi-documentary about the non-existence of the sweeping Hollywood perception of love as examined by the quirky and charming Charlyne Yi, an articulate Asian-American comedian who establishes an unusual relationship with the engaging Michael Cera of “Juno.” Love is a foreign concept to Yi and it is through a myriad of diligent interviews with common love-struck Americans that she is able to deconstruct the signifi-cance of such a complex concept. All of this makes for a very entertaining, intriguing and controversial examina-tion of a term so many cynics grunt at upon hearing. It’s a film sure to distract those who have stopped believing in fairy tales and wish to escape the frenzied excitement in the air.

Valentine: (2001)

Flicks for the loved The broken hearted

A6 • Monday, February 14, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.comLIFE & ARTS

Valentine’s Day is NOT a holiday

My friend certainly has an optimistic view about this “holiday.” Indeed, she will likely be the beneficiary of many gifts and outpour-ings of affection from her beau. However, I urge you to see this day as it is: a com-mercial farce, a caricature of love that really should not exist in its current form. Let me explain.

It all goes back to the early days of Christianity, the holiday first created for St. Valentine. The famous poet Chaucer can be to blame as well as he was the first to as-sociate Valentine’s Day with romance in the late 14th century.

Paper valentines took off in Britain in the early 1800s, spreading to the United States soon after. As Valentine cards and other mass-produced greeting cards began to spread in the late 19th century, commer-cialism began to work its way into the holiday.

Valentine’s Day’s preva-lence increased drastically overnight, spiraling down to what we have today: ads for jewelry stores every other commercial, romantic com-edies invading the movie theaters, various “romantic evenings” from restaurants and hotels being the norm and candy-makers shoot-ing their production into overdrive. (I find that I do enjoy the extra chocolate, however.)

This excuse to waste money is an economic boom for many sectors, par-ticularly for jewelers, greet-ing card companies and lin-gerie manufacturers. Think back to when you were a kid, when you brought Valentines (and possibly

Valentine’s Day is great and special

Sooners, this is a call to arms. A call to cast off the shackles of cynics and em-brace my favorite holiday.

It is a day both loved and scorned by children, parents, teenagers and, yes, you in the back who still gets candy in the mail from your mom every February.

I’m speaking, of course, about Valentine’s Day.

P e o p l e a l w a y s s a y Valentine’s Day isn’t a real hol-iday, and I’m honestly strong-ly offended. Sure, we still have to trudge to class, but can’t we take one day out of the year to love one another like that awesome bearded guy in the sky tells us to do every day?

Many have a problem with just that: we only take time to show we care on this one par-ticular day and all of the other days of the year we forget to push candy on our friends and refuse to drive them to Catlett Music Center for their music class ‘cause it’s 17 degrees out. We forget to care.

I feel this is a flawed argu-ment. If taking one day out of the year to lay some extra spe-cial lovin’ on your significant other is wrong, then why do we celebrate Mother’s Day? Isn’t that essentially taking one day out of the year to cele-brate motherhood? Shouldn’t we take time to appreciate all of the pain and suffering our mothers went through to bring us into this world every day of the year?

Valentine’s Day also is be-smirched by the title “Hallmark holiday.” Opposition claims the entire holiday is a ploy to sell cheesy cards and choco-late candy, which inevitably leads to the remembrance of failed New Year’s resolutions and recommitment to some sort of futile workout plan.

If Valentine’s Day is a

Is Valentine’s Day worthy of all the hoopla?

Hallmark holiday, then St. Patrick’s Day is a beer holiday. And Mardi Gras is a beads and breasts holiday. Sure, these dates once had significant meanings, and they still do to some people. But to most, it’s an excuse to drink and be merry.

Quite frankly, what’s so wrong about such a holiday? Is there a problem with one day out of the year for kids to exchange Spiderman cards with their classmates and still feel like everyone likes them? For those in relationships, why can’t you take a little cash out of your beer fund and do something special for your significant other?

A n d s i n g l e p e o p l e shouldn’t take Valentine’s Day as a personal attack. Why can’t you just enjoy a night of chick-flick watching with your gal pals or an evening of

whatever it is guys do when they’re alone together? You eat that chocolate that your mom mailed you, and you enjoy it.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m speaking from the bliss-ful mindset of someone in a new relationship. But maybe I’m right.

One final thing to pon-der as today descends upon you: what’s wrong with loving yourself? Buy yourself some Starbucks. Grab a candy bar at the cash register. Go get a mas-sage. Treat yourself, be-cause that creepy guy or girl in your chemistry class is going to ask you on another date and you’ll be too busy thinking of new excuses to keep the Valentine’s Day spirit alive.

—Sydney Allen/The Daily

other treats) to school for all of your peers. Consider that most elementary school-aged kids will be doing that, across the country. Add the various couples who will buy things or do things for this occa-sion, and you’ve got a multi-billion dollar boomto retail-ers during a holiday that has nothing to do with its original namesake.

I have yet to address the “spirit” of this “holiday,” specifically the love that it was designed to represent. There’s nothing wrong at all with wanting to show your significant other how you feel about them (as long as you’re not doing anything illegal.)

My point of contention, though: why does it have to be Feb. 14? Is our society to the point where we need a specific occasion to show oth-ers love? If I wanted to buy a

girl some chocolates and take her out to a nice restaurant on Oct. 7, then I’m going to do it Oct. 7.

Love doesn’t come at a specific time; if it happens, it just happens. Show love when you want to show love, do something special for your significant other when you want to.

Despite what the various advertisements will tell you, you don’t really need to spend much money, if any, to show someone your true feelings. Write a song, cook a nice din-ner, spend the day with them, it doesn’t really matter.

If you’re still not convinced that Valentine’s Day isn’t a real holiday, I’ve got one final point to make: We still have to go to class today.

Check and mate.

—AJ Lansdale/The Daily

POINT/COUNTERPOINT

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

University College freshman Sydney Allen loves Valentine’s Day and plans on celebrating with her boyfriend.

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Professional writing senior AJ Lansdale does not believe Valentine’s Day merits a real holiday.

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Team tied for 9th place after opening-round action of talent-loaded tournament; freshman leads OU in 7th

JOSH HELMERThe Oklahoma Daily

The Oklahoma women’s golf team started its spring season Sunday at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, P.R.

After shooting an opening-round team score of 308 (+20), OU sits tied for ninth place.

Oklahoma’s early leader was freshman Chirapat Jao-Javanil, who shot a 1-over 73 and is tied for seventh just three strokes behind the leader.

The Sooners, ranked No. 17 in the NGCA Coaches Poll and No. 15 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings, teed off for the first time since concluding its best fall season in school history with the first tournament victory under second-year coach Veronique Drouin at the Dale McNamara Invitational on Oct. 13.

“It seems like we haven’t competed in a long time, so I feel like the girls are excited to get back in the routine,” Drouin said.

The 54-hole tournament includes five other top-25 teams in its 18-team field, including No. 1 Alabama.

“This is one of the strongest fields we’ll face this sea-son,” Drouin said. “It should give us a good indication of where we are as a team.”

Jao-Javanil and senior Ellen Mueller will lead the Sooners in the top two positions after notching key per-formances during the fall campaign.

The pair finished in the top-11 in all four fall tourna-ments, including back-to-back top-three performances by Mueller.

Mueller also won the individual title at the Dave McNamara Invitational after shooting a 7-under par 209 and broke the OU 54-hole record by two strokes.

Junior Brooke Collins, with freshmen Emily Collins and Anne-Catherine Tanguay, complete OU’s lineup.

Tanguay earned a place in the OU history books after recording the lowest 54-hole score by a freshman in pro-gram history with her 214 (-2) performance at the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic in the fall.

The Lady Puerto Rico Classic continues at 6 a.m. today and concludes after Tuesday’s final round, which begins at 5:30 a.m. Live scoring is available at Golfstat.com.

Oklahoma faces tough challenge against Huskies on ESPN’s February Frenzy

ANNELISE RUSSELLThe Oklahoma Daily

OU women’s basketball is headed north to once again tackle the perennial giant that is the University of Connecticut. But this time around, it should be easier.

Maybe.“Connecticut’s having a

down year,” OU coach Sherri Coale said. “They’re second-ranked.”

And the bench isn’t as deep as it usually is.

“Don’t get me wrong here; they have really good play-ers, they just don’t have a whole lot of them,” Coale said.

But despite these minor foibles, the Sooners still have their work cut out for them, and then some.

“Here is the thing about Connecticut that I think is different — if you line their players up maybe against Baylor and A&M, they may not have more, better play-ers; as a matter of fact I’m pretty sure they don’t,” Coale said. “The thing about Connecticut that makes them so incredibly difficult to play is that they do not take possessions off.”

So how do you match such play? It starts with OU com-ing correct to face the inten-sity that the Huskies produce game in and game out.

“The first thing you have

to do is you have to be able to match their intensity for 40 minutes,” Coale said. “Play by play, possession by possession, you better be ready.”

And what does being ready mean for OU? You have to prepare against their best game, Coale said.

Even though Connecticut no longer holds the top spot in college basketball, the Sooners have faced their own struggles this year. They were recently blown out on the road by Big 12

rivals No. 5 Texas A&M, 92-71, and No. 1 Baylor, 92-70.

But Coale said she’s not worried. OU’s poor play a g a i n s t t w o t o p t e a m s means the Sooners can only go up from here.

“What worse thing could happen to you?” Coale asked. “Could you just lay a greater egg?”

S o w i t h c o n f i d e n c e and optimism in tow, the Sooners will try to take down the Huskies — whom OU has never beaten — to-night on primetime TV.

“It’ll be a great, great game for national televi-sion,” Coale said.

The game is also part of ESPN’s February Frenzy, and, in honor of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and breast cancer awareness, Coale will ditch the signature heels for cause.

“I have some great little Chucks,” Coale said. “And they have the slogan that Coach Yow repeated so often and so believed in: ‘When life kicks you, let it kick you forward.’”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

OU to play No. 2 Connecticut

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Senior guard Danielle Robinson (right) drives to the basket against a Missouri defender in the Sooners’ 69-47 win over the Tigers on Saturday in Norman.

WOMEN’S GOLF

Sooners tee off in Puerto Rico

The Daily lays out what you may have missed over the weekend in OU sports

SPORTS • PAGE B2

SPORTS Monday, February 14, 2011 • B1

SJW (AKA The Fighter)~Here’s to KO’s, us being in your cornerand beating our enemies bloody. We’ve got your back and are ready to use all the weapons at our disposal. Too bad we aren’t nuclear scientists, but then, we wouldn’t be as much fun!Love, The Boxing Gloves

Pro tea[m],What a year, no? Can’t imagine a group of folks I’d rather swim with to keep from drowning. Thanks for the witty repartee, the sanity-saving walk-and-talks, the sup-port, the love, the head-banging, the ba-nanas and so, so much more. Today is to celebrate those we love, and this means you. Buffy the Grammar Slayer

Chief Tyrol,We’ve fl own faster than a freshly tuned Viper, dropped more pieces than Serenity, kept more secrets than Cersei and Jamie and bent time more frequently than the island. Don’t know what I’d do without your two blocks. So say we all, Gaius Baltar

Aragorn,You’re my wee little Hobbit at heart. (And height.)Gandalf

Mal and Wash,Can’t think of anyone I’d rather travel the ’verse with. I aim to misbehave.Zoe

You can know all the math in the ‘verse, but take a boat in the air that you don’t love? She’ll shake you off just as sure as a turn in the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughtta fall down ...tell you she’s hur-tin’ ‘fore she keens ... makes her a home.

Dear World,Do something pretty while you can.-Belle

E-team,From Burt-worthy facial hair to Bert-and-Ernie love, we’ve got it all. I’ve said it a million times, but I’ll make it all offi cial in newsprint: To a person, you’re the stron-gest group I’ve ever seen. Even if it’s a bit like sausage (it’s not pretty to watch how it’s made), I can’t wait to see how it all turns out. And how all of you do, too. You Know Who

Nottingham loves Post Oak.

You can do it. It’s not that hard.

AD 1 to AD2: I literally couldn’t do it without you, day in and day out. Thanks for being your you. It makes being my me so much more bearable. Wedge and the Beast with the wee ones next, but O soon?

I love you Panda. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Payton ur the best and I love u!-Corey

Nate - miss you like the sun misses the fl ower in the depth of winter. CL

To AD, From CW --KKB baby!

Ad Staff Sales and Design-Keep the up the good work. You all are a great team and the excitement is contagious! - Anne

Glitter Goose, From the complisults to the squeal, you make every day brighter. I love knowing that I’ll watch you shine, personally and professionally, from now to the commune.Jackie O (just seconds after?)

Kendalls’ queen,It’s been worth every semester of Practicum just to fi nd you.Cinnamon-roll lover

--It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.-- What are we holding onto, Sam?-- That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it’s worth fi ghting for.

Lovelines

B2 • Monday, February 14, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.comSPORTS

Thursday night

SOFTBALL» Sooners win season-opener in the desert

The OU softball team started the 2011 season with a bang, blowing out Cal State-Bakersfield, 11-2 in five innings, on the opening night of the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

Friday

SOFTBALL» Gascoigne pitches perfect game in OU rout

The Sooners blanked Appalachian State, 8-0 in six innings, in the first of a Friday doubleheader. OU sophomore Michelle Gascoigne threw just the seventh perfect game in Oklahoma history, striking out eight and registering 41 strikes in 51 pitches thrown.» Oklahoma out to early 3-0 record

OU stayed unbeaten in 2011 competition with a 9-1 win in six innings over Northwestern.

WOMEN’S TENNIS» Sooners win over Minnesota on the road

OU won its third match over a ranked opponent already this season with a 5-2 win over No. 73 Minnesota in Minneapolis.

MEN’S TENNIS» Gavrila, Paval knock off ranked opponents in OU loss

No. 13 Louisville handed No. 24 Oklahoma a 4-3 loss, but freshman Laurentiu Gavrila and sophomore Costin Paval picked up wins over ranked opponents in singles competition.

WRESTLING» Sooners power back to beat No. 14 Wyoming

After falling behind Wyoming, No. 8 OU won seven of 10 bouts to down the Cowboys, 22-10. The Sooners (13-1, 3-1) have won seven straight to build the program’s best record since 1969 (8-1).

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS» Stone, Kelley split individual titles against Cyclones

OU raised its season-high team score to 197.225 to beat No. 25 Iowa State, making Oklahoma just the second squad in the country to score above 197 this season.

TRACK & FIELD» Alex shatters program-best 5,000-meter time

Junior George Alex beat a 14-year-old OU program record in the men’s 5,000-meter run by more than 18 seconds at the Husky Classic in Seattle and qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships. » Salaam owns second-best time worldwide

Junior sprinter Mookie Salaam clocked the second-fastest 60-meter dash time in the world to win the event at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. Only Jamaica’s Nesta Carter (6.52) has a faster time than Salaam’s 6.54.

Saturday

WOMEN’S TENNIS» Doubles play continues to drive Oklahoma team

The Sooners continued to dominate in doubles play, taking the point for the sixth straight match, and improved to 5-1 this season.

MEN’S BASKETBALL» Sooners blown out by stout Tiger team

Oklahoma continued a slide started by the Texas loss Wednesday in a blowout loss to Missouri, 84-61, in Columbia, Mo.

The Sooners tied the contest 27-27 late in the first half, but the Tigers used a 7-0 run to make some space they’d never relinquish.

SOFTBALL» Sooners knock off No. 2 Arizona in the desert

OU built upon a three-game weekend win streak in Tempe, Ariz., by knocking off national champion runner-up Arizona, 11-1 in five innings.» Sun Devils hand Sooners fi rst loss of 2011

Tournament host Arizona State was resolute in not falling victim to a steamrolling Oklahoma team and ended OU’s win streak, 4-3.

TRACK & FIELD» McGrone breaks OU record in 200-meter event

Junior runner Candyce McGrone finished second in the 200-meter dash at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., losing by one-thousandth of a second to LSU’s Kimberlyn Duncan.

McGrone’s time broke the OU program record in the event.» Brooks, Shump continue dominance in women’s throw

Sophomore throwers Tia Brooks and Karen Shump outdistanced the NCAA automatic qualifying mark in the event for the second straight week at the Akron Invitational in Akron, Ohio. The pair also finished first and second, respectively, in the event for the second week in a row.» Williams tops personal, program best

Sophomore runner Kevin Williams, who broke the OU record in the indoor 3,000-meter run last week, lowered his program-best mark by almost a full second to finish 17th overall in the event, 12th among collegiate athletes, at the Husky Classic in Seattle.

Sunday

MEN’S TENNIS» Sooners rally back in singles play for rebound win

After dropping the doubles point for the second consecutive match, the Sooners rallied in the singles matches to best No. 45 Indiana, 4-2, in Bloomington, Ind.

OU won four of the five singles matches over the Hoosiers to secure the bounce-back win after falling to No. 13 Louisville on Friday.

SOFTBALL» Oklahoma ends desert stop with a win, 5-1 record

OU closed out an impressive stand in Tempe, Ariz., with a 5-0 win over Western Michigan.

MEN’S GYMNASTICS» Sooners sweep titles against Nebraska, Illinois-Chicago

The fourth-ranked Sooners stayed perfect this season with signature wins over No. 9 Nebraska and No. 13 Illinois-Chicago in Norman.

OU won all six team event titles and all six individual event titles for the first time this year.

—Daily staff reports

Center seizes opportunity, steps up for Sooners down low against Missouri

TOBI NEIDYThe Oklahoma Daily

In a game where the usual suspects weren’t contribut-ing to the Sooner offense, players like freshman cen-ter Nicole Griffin needed to be difference-makers if the Sooners wanted to come out on top.

Griffin had never started a collegiate basketball game until Saturday’s 22-point victory over the Missouri Tigers, 69-47. But OU coach Sherri Coale should consid-er making the Milwaukee, Wis., native a regular mem-ber of the starting five fol-lowing her performance.

“It was a little different starting, but I’ve played on the court before,” Griffin said. “I was nervous a little bit, but after that it was just like practice.”

Although Griffin missed the tip-off opportunity to give the Sooners an early possession, she responded by scoring the first three Sooner points in the game.

Griffin also contributed to several screens that al-lowed players like sopho-more guard Whitney Hand and senior guard Danielle Robinson to find the inside lane while playing sticky defense at the opposite end of the court to disrupt Missouri’s Shakara Jones’ performance.

Griffin’s long arms and lanky 6-foot-6-inch frame make her an ideal choice for a center that can move quickly while extending to get much-needed offensive rebounds.

But up until Saturday, fans and opposing teams had only seen what Griffin could do coming off the bench.

Griffin replaced usual starter Joanna McFarland in the starting lineup, which turned out to provide a spark in McFarland’s per-formance, who ended with a team-leading 14 points, including going 8-for-8 from

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Griffin impresses in starting debut

the free-throw line. But McFarland didn’t feel like she relinquished anything during the game.

“I don’t think about not being in the starting lineup, but I just try to do my job on the court,” McFarland said. “I’ve been in a slump late-ly, but today I just played like I know how to play basketball.”

In the second half, Griffin continued to produce on both sides of the ball, col-lecting a 3-point attempt just after the 10-minute mark. Griffin finished the game with seven points and a team-leading two steals during the contest.

“I loved the way our post guys established themselves

today,” Coale said. “We have to have more than three guys carry us in Big 12 play.”

Griffin’s not a post player like Courtney Paris, whom S o o n e r f a n s f o n d l y re -member, but then again, can anyone top what Paris was able to do inside the paint? OU doesn’t have to have a Goliath underneath the basket; they just need a David to get the job done when it counts.

So far, there are plenty of applicants for the posi-tion, both within and out-side the starting five. And maybe having more than one go-to-gal underneath will be more helpful to the team as they move into the postseason.

MARCIN RUTKOWSKI/THE DAILY

Freshman center Nicole Griffin (4) shoots against a Missouri defender in OU’s 69-47 win over the Tigers on Saturday.

Weekend Update: What you might have missed

Robinson near career-low point total against Tigers

Against Missouri, senior guard Danielle Robinson scored just five points, the fewest of her career in a game since a two-point outing against Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA tournament her freshman year.

Still, Robinson has 108 career games in which she scored in double figures, tying the second-most by a Sooner in program history.

Ellenberg making herself known as 3-point threat

Freshman guard Aaryn Ellenberg has firmly established herself as a 3-point threat for OU.

She already holds Sooner freshmen records for makes and attempts. She also holds the best single-season 3-point percentage at OU (minimum 150 attempts.)

— Daily staff reports

NOTEBOOK

Stay connected with The Daily while you’re on the go

@OUDaily

@OUDailySports

@OUDailyArts

For news and updates

about Sooner news,

sports and entertainment

Held at SMU’s Plano Campus. Call 972.473.3431 or visit smu.edu/mastercounseling.

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PLACE AN ADPhone: 405-325-2521E-mail: classifi eds@ou.edu

Fax: 405-325-7517Campus Address: COH 149A

Payment is required at the time the ad is placed. Credit cards, cash, money orders or local checks accepted.

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Line AdThere is a 2 line minimum charge; approximately 42 characters per line, including spaces and punctuation.(Cost = Days x # lines x $/line)

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Display Ad ............................................................................3 days priorClassifi ed Display or Classifi ed Card AdPlace your display, classifi ed display or classifi ed card ads by 5:00 p.m. 3 business days prior to publication.

The Oklahoma Daily is responsible for one day’s incorrect advertising. If your ad appears incorrectly, or if you wish to cancel your ad call 325-2521, before the deadline for cancellation in the next issue. Errors not the fault of the advertiser will be adjusted. Refunds will not be issued for late cancellations.

The Oklahoma Daily will not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religious preference, national origin or sexual orientation. Violations of this policy should be reported to The Oklahoma Daily Business Offi ce at325-2521. Help Wanted ads in The Oklahoma Daily are not to separate as to gender. Advertisers may not discriminate in employment ads based on race, color, religion or gender unless such qualifying factors are essential to a given position. All ads are subject to acceptance by The Oklahoma Daily. Ad acceptance may be re-evaluated at any time.

DEADLINES

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Monday, February 14, 2011 • B3The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com

CLASSIFIEDS Cameron Jones, advertising managerclassifi eds@ou.edu • phone: 405-325-2521

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Monday, Feb. 14, 2011

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) - It’s wonderful that you want to want to help those in need, but be careful to not bite off more than you can chew and end up jeopardizing your own affairs.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) - If you have a slim wallet at the moment, fi nd inexpensive ways to gratify your desires. Don’t deceive yourself into believing that spending lots of money guarantees a good time.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) - Con-tinually rehashing issues is a sure way to blow things out of propor-tion, especially if you’re doing so in order to convince someone with whom you don’t agree. You won’t gain a thing.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) - Un-less you allow yourself adequate time to get all your errands done, you’re likely to feel pressured. Be careful, because rushing can cause mishaps and unsavory gaffes.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) - Rush-ing about could cause impulsive inclinations that are likely to encourage you to spend far more than you should. Try to be prudent where your fi nances are concerned.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) - Should those very same people who usually back you up instead do things that would unintentionally block your path, don’t get all in a dither. Work around their efforts.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) - If things don’t go the way you are anticipat-ing, don’t start pointing the fi nger of blame at someone. Spend your energy rearranging what you can.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) - Be your own person when it comes to important matters. If you believe that you are right, don’t allow yourself to be pressured into doing things that go against your better judgment

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) - Because the spotlight is apt to be focused on you, whether you like it or not, be careful not to behave in a manner that could tarnish your image. Your critics will be watching you closely.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) - Usually you’re pretty good at judging the abilities and limitations of others, and you hang out with those who are capable of bringing about what you want. Currently, not so much, however.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) - If you’re too insistent on comparing the trappings of friends against what you have, you won’t be able to see the virtues you possess that totally outweigh theirs. Open your eyes.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) - That wonderful quality you have of giving the other guy the benefi t of the doubt could be absent at this juncture. If you judge people too harshly, you’ll put limitations on your options.

HOROSCOPE By Bernice Bede Osol

Copyright 2010, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

Instructions:Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. That means that no number is repeated in any row, column or box.

Previous Solution

Monday- Very EasyTuesday-EasyWednesday- EasyThursday- MediumFriday - Hard

2 7 1 9 8 6 3 4 58 3 4 2 1 5 7 6 99 5 6 4 7 3 8 1 25 2 9 6 4 7 1 8 31 8 7 5 3 9 4 2 64 6 3 1 2 8 5 9 73 4 8 7 9 2 6 5 17 9 5 8 6 1 2 3 46 1 2 3 5 4 9 7 8

5 4 1 2 38 7

6 1 5 9 72 9 4 7 3

4 63 1 2 8 9

3 2 5 1 42 8

8 6 7 9 5

Universal Crossword

WHAT VALENTINES DO by Ellsworth Parks

ACROSS 1 Loving touch 4 Little Miss

Muffet frightener

10 Missile used in the Gulf War

14 Self-cen-teredness

15 Roguish character

16 Fine-tune 17 Valentines

may make them

19 Table scraps 20 Annoying

type of music?

21 Like a fire at the firehouse

23 Certain petty officers, for short

26 Volcano that once devastated Catania

28 Suffix with “musket” or “ballad”

29 Runs out of gear?

30 Type of test on “CSI”

31 Like a space cadet

33 Item in a golfer’s bag

34 Be relevant (to)

36 Valentines may whisper them

41 Turner in a kitchen

42 Decide 44 Low, deep

voice 47 Prepared

to become an NFL

lineman? 48 Say four-

letter words 50 Nonetheless 51 Earnhardt

the NASCAR legend

53 Light rowboat 54 Very proper

sorts 56 Phone in an

actor’s hand, e.g.

57 Crusoe’s Friday, e.g.

58 Valentines’ chit-chat

64 Compete in a regatta

65 Form a concept

66 Caviar, literally

67 ___ gin fizz 68 Machinist’s

pin 69 Sign of a fish

on the lineDOWN 1 Violin knob 2 “Star Wars”

prologue word

3 ___ close for comfort

4 Soup scoopers

5 Devout 6 Treated, as

a sprained ankle

7 Week part 8 Reference

center? 9 Bow

application 10 “Scram!” 11 Trumpet

family instrument

12 Frees from one’s bonds

13 Catch sight

of 18 Papier mache

ingredient 22 Two make a

diameter 23 Took a nibble 24 Uplifting

poems 25 Seattle ___

(Triple Crown winner, 1977)

26 On the way 27 Tell secrets 30 Kind of

insurance 32 Stopover for

the night 34 School org. 35 Sound of an

epiphany 37 Winding

road shape 38 Lyrical

composition 39 Suffix with

“opera” or “party”

40 Train in a square ring

43 Tax, as one’s patience

44 Kind of

surgery 45 Rooftop

antenna 46 Place for

shooting stars?

48 Spring fall 49 Openly

grieved 52 Jellied

garnish 53 Authored 55 Take out of

the text 56 Surveying

map 59 What

Valentines may say, eventually

60 God’s first word, in the Bible

61 Word with “nouveau” or “deco”

62 Vocalist Rawls

63 Vessel for beer

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

Edited by Timothy E. Parker February 14, 2011

© 2011 Universal Uclickwww.upuzzles.com

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CLASSIFIEDS

Celebrate 40 years of protecting america’s wilderness.www.leaveitwild.org

Tobacco Creek, John Muir Wilderness AdditionsPhoto by ©John Dittli

Stunning ancient forests, magnificent snowcapped mountains and akaleidoscope of red rock canyons—they’re more than just places.They’re America’s most precious natural treasures. Join us in honoringAmerica’s commitment to protecting our nation’s most beloved wildplaces by helping us celebrate the 40th anniversary of the WildernessAct. Together we are preserving the legacy of the wild for generations tocome.—Christopher Reeve

It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from,

america’swildernessis there for all of us.

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The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that your home be tested for Radon. Radon is the secondleading cause of lung cancer. If you have never smoked, Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer. Radon is an invisible radioactive gas that seeps into your home from underground, and theonly way you can tell if you have dangerous levels of Radon in your home is to test for it. Radonproblems can be easily fixed. For testing information, call or visit:

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Radon Causes Lung Cancer.You Should Test Your Home.

SURGEON GENERAL’SWARNING:

B4 • Monday, February 14, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.comWORLD NEWS

1. Cairo

Egyptian military siezes power, takes steps toward democracy

Egypt’s military leaders dissolved Parliament and suspended the Constitution on Sunday, meeting two key demands of protesters who have been pressuring for immediate steps to transition to democratic rule after forcing Hosni Mubarak out of power.

In their latest communique, the military rulers who took over when Mubarak stepped down Friday said they will run the country for six months, or until elections can be held.

___

2. Toluca, Mexico

Possible drug gang shooting leaves seven dead, one injured

A street shootout possibly between local drug gangs has killed seven people and injured one in suburban Mexico City, a state security official said.

Mexico State Security Agency spokesman Edgar Sanchez said the shooting occurred after midnight Saturday in the northern part of Mexico City. He said Sunday that the dead, six men and one woman, all suffered gunshot wounds, and none have yet to be claimed by family.

___

3. Nairobi, Kenya

Pirates hijack ship with 23 crew members, Danish free vessel

Somali pirates hijacked a ship with 23 crew members, and a Danish warship freed a hijacked Yemeni fishing vessel that had been held for nearly a year, maritime authorities said Sunday.

The Maltese-flagged bulk carrier MV Sinin had 13 Iranians and 10 Indians onboard when it came under attack Saturday, the European Union Naval Force said.

In a separate incident, a Danish warship freed a hijacked fishing vessel and arrested 16 suspected Somali pirates, NATO said.

___

4. Geneva, Switzerland

Given the choice, Switzerland votes to stay adequately armed

Neutral Switzerland is among the best-armed nations in the world, with more guns per capita than almost any other country except the United States, Finland and Yemen.

At least 2.3 million weapons lie stashed in basements, cupboards and lofts in this country of less than 8 million people, according to the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.

On Sunday, Swiss voters made sure it would stay that way, rejecting a proposal to tighten the peaceful Alpine nation’s relaxed firearms laws.

The decision was hailed as a victory by gun enthusiasts, sports shooters and supporters of Switzerland’s citizen soldier tradition.

— AP

12

3

WORLD NEWS BRIEFS

4

Monday, Febuary 14, 2011 • B5The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.com ADVERTISEMENT

B6 • Monday, February 14, 2011 The Oklahoma Daily | OUDaily.comADVERTISEMENT

All undergraduate, graduate and professional students aswell as full-time faculty and staff members on OU’s Norman,Oklahoma City and Tulsa campuses are eligible to benominated for the $20,000 Otis Sullivant Award. Onlymembers of the OU community are eligible to be consideredfor the prize.

The award is funded by a $500,000 endowment established byEdith Kinney Gaylord of Oklahoma City shortly before her death in2001. It is named in honor of the late Otis Sullivant, the chiefpolitical writer for the Daily Oklahoman who for 40 years was one of the state’s most influential journalists.

Nominees should exhibit intuitiveness, instant comprehension andempathy, be observant and interpret from their experience. Thebenefit to society and the broader community, which comes fromthe nominee’s insight, also will be considered.

Nominations for the Sullivant Award may be made by callingSherry Evans at the President’s Office at 325-3916, writing to Evansat the Office of the President, 660 Parrington Oval, Room 110,Norman, OK 73019-0390, or by picking up forms at the President’s Office. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution.

Reminder!Feb. 18 is the Deadline to

Nominate an OU Professor,Staff Member or Student for a

$20,000 prize!

- THE PRIDE OF OKLAHOMA