@thedailytexan facebook.com/dailytexan Thursday, March 10, 2011 >> Breaking news, blogs and more: dailytexanonline.com Calendar ÔLa VigiliaÕ Riso Puleo, an assistant curator of contemporary art will speak on Juliana GuilisastiÕs ÒLa VigiliaÓ in the Blanton Museum of Art from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ÔTraveling with JihadÕ The Thompson Conference Center will be hosting the film ÒJihadÓ at 6 p.m. This film examines three of the worldÕs faith: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Texas Softball Texas Longhorns play the University of Houston from 6:30¥ 8:30 p.m. at McCombs Field. Electric Touch An acoustic band with special guest Liars & Saints will be playing at Cactus Cafe at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $5. Chris Botti Riverbend Centre will be hopsting the Jazz and Blues singer at 8 p.m. Anders Osborne Antones will be hosting this blues singer at 9 p.m. Today in history In 1997 Astronomers discover rings around Uranus. Campus Watch The martial art of lying CLARK FIELD, 300 East 21st Street Criminal Trespass: A non-UT subject approached an unknown subjectÕs property and began look¥ing at it. When confronted, the subject asked the other person if he wanted to fight. During the in¥vestigation the officers located the subject sitting on the north end of the field. The subject informed the officers that he had been ask¥ing the students if they wanted to practice martial arts with him. The officer learned the subject had re¥ceived a prior written Criminal Trespass Warning and took the subject into custody for Criminal Trespass. Occurred on: 3-08-11, at 1:26 p.m. Quote to note ÔÔ ÒYou have to be careful. ThereÕs a distribution process thatÕs important for tax collection.Ó Ñ David Jabour President of Twin Liquors LIFE&ARTS PAGE 10 82ND LEGISLATURE Bill seeks to end texting while driving tion devices such as cell phones while operating a moving mo¥tor vehicle. Orange wristbands with the slogan ÒTexting and Driving: It Can WaitÓ and pam¥phlets on the dangers of texting and driving were available. State representatives spoke about the bill, but Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, who authored the bill, had a a medical emergency just before the press conference. TEXTING continues on PAGE 2 Left: Advertising sophmore Kevin Eisenbaum picks up a ball during a game of Ga-ga ball, an Israeli version of dodge ball, with Mordechi Trepp, 4, and other children at the 13th Annual Israel Block. The block party was spon¥sored by the Texas Hillel. Below: Hannah Abbasi, a religious studies and history junior, and Mohamed Fakhreddine, a com¥puter science masterÕs student, protest at the 13th Annual Israeli Block Party. Some protesters held signs accusing the Texas Hillel of raising funds for the Israeli army. Photos by Erika Rich (left) and Trent Lesikar (below) Daily Texan Staff Bill attempts to increase affordability of textbooks By Victoria Pagan Daily Texan Staff Bookstore representatives and a UT student testified before the House Higher Education Commit¥tee on Wednesday in support of a bill that would make college and univer¥sity textbooks more affordable. Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, au¥thored the bill, which would re¥quire colleges and universities to di¥rectly inform students of textbook¥purchasing resources other than the universityÕs bookstore, require pro¥fessors to use all materials students purchase and require universities to post all booklists early enough for students to explore alternatives. ÒThere are many, many students who donÕt understand [the op¥tions], particularly first-generation college students,Ó Branch said. Branch said the bill would also aim to increase the affordability of student textbooks by supporting the use of alternative textbook op¥tions, such as used, paperback and online versions of textbooks, as well as ensuring professors use all assigned material. ÒSometimes, youÕll go the whole semester and hardly use the book,Ó Branch said. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San An¥tonio, said he doesnÕt understand why the bill encourages schools to inform students of alternative book purchasing options specif¥ically, although he does support lowering the cost of higher educa¥tion in general. ÒI see the spirit of the bill,Ó Castro said. ÒThey are not obligated to pro¥mote Burger King, Jack in the Box or McDonalds in lieu of their cafeteria Ñ why the distinction of books?Ó Stephanie Gibson, a representative of several bookstores, said she hopes the bill will not encourage universi¥ties to promote certain retailers over others in the community. ÒWe want to ensure the most fair, educated business environment in which textbook costs are low, but also we want to address the issue of allowing businesses to thrive, espe¥cially in todayÕs economic environ¥ment,Ó Gibson said. BOOKS continues on PAGE 2 Karen Brooks looks at the smashed remains of a pick-up truck destroyed in a fatal acci¥dent involv¥ing texting and driving. Ryan Edwards Daily Texan Staff By Allie Kolechta Daily Texan Staff A wrecked pick-up truck stood out against the Capitol lawn Wednesday as legislators and members of the media mourned the death of 17-year¥old Alex Brown. The Brown family spoke at a press confer¥ence at the Capitol in support of a bill that would ban sending and viewing text messages and e-mails on wireless communica¥ nior and a chair for the event. ÒItÕs also a chance to advo¥cate for Israel and demonstrate what Israel has contributed to our society.Ó PARTY continues on PAGE 2 Event works to spread information about country, provide University community with taste of culture By Molly Moore The block party, which Tex-ian aid and religion. Daily Texan Staff as Hillel sponsors, aims to spread ÒWe were aiming for a balance information on the culture and between educating and enter- A dozen white tents on the history of Israel and its people. taining by hoping to demonstrate South Mall introduced students to Different booths focused on areas how Israel is modern and up-to¥diverse aspects of Israeli life in the such as environmental policy, the date,Ó said Naomi Gottesman, a 13th Annual Israel Block Party. Israeli Defense Force, humanitar-corporate communications se- New Hampshire attempts to restrict student voting By Huma Munir Daily Texan Staff New Hampshire Republicans are pushing legislation that could make it more difficult for the stateÕs college students to vote. Other proposed laws might prevent students from voting by tightening the definition of res¥idency, according to the New Hampshire Legislature website. Texas is not considering any similar laws. One of the bills would end the Election Day registration, keep¥ing citizens from signing up last minute and casting their votes. Most states, including Texas, do not allow Election Day registra¥tion. Another bill would require parents of college students to es¥tablish residency in the state be¥fore a student can register to vote, according to the bill. College kids are ÒfoolishÓ and tend to vote liberal, said New HampshireÕs House speaker and Republican William OÕBrien during a speech to a Tea Party group. In an interview with Fox News earlier this week, OÕBrien said the goal of the residency law was to keep students from vot¥ing both in their hometowns and again in the New Hampshire dis¥tricts where they attend school. ÒThis coupled with a lax defi¥nition of residency creates an en¥vironment in which people could potentially claim residency in multiple locations,Ó OÕBrien said in a press release. Emily Einsohn, program co¥ordinator of the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Participation at UT, said Texas does not have any similar legislation that requires parents to establish residency in Texas before college students can register to vote. ÒIt is essential for young peo¥ple to have their voices heard through the voting process as well as through other ave¥nues of civic engagement in or¥der to break the cycle of neglect that so often occurs when young people donÕt participate as an en¥gaged electorate,Ó Einsohn said. ELIGIBLE continues on PAGE 2 CONTACT US Main Telephone: (512) 471-4591 Editor: Lauren Winchester (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com Managing Editor: Claire Cardona (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@ dailytexanonline.com News O¥ce: (512) 232-2207 news@dailytexanonline.com Multimedia O¥ce: (512) 471-7835 dailytexanmultimedia@gmail.com Sports O¥ce: (512) 232-2210 sports@dailytexanonline.com Life & Arts O¥ce: (512) 232-2209 dailytexan@gmail.com Photo O¥ce: (512) 471-8618 photo@dailytexanonline.com Comics O¥ce: (512) 232-4386 Retail Advertising: (512) 471-1865 joanw@mail.utexas.edu ClassiÞed Advertising: (512) 471-5244 classiÞeds@dailytexanonline.com The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com. COPYRIGHT Copyright 2011 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission. TOMORROWÕS WEATHER LowHigh 4674 CAT FIGHT!!! Deacon John De La Garza, a member of the Pastoral Staff at the Univeristy Catholic Center, puts a cross of ashes on a wor¥shipperÕs fore¥head on Ash Wednesday. The Univeristy Catholic Center was one of many UT-area churches that offered Ash Wednesday ser¥vices through¥out the day. Erika Rich Daily Texan Staff TEXTING continues from PAGE1 Alex Brown died in a car wreck on her way to school in 2009 in Dripping Springs. She was tex¥ting four friends while driving. The Brown family now travels around Texas with AlexÕs truck in tow speaking at high schools and other venues about the dan¥gers of texting while driving. According to research by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, texting while operat¥ing a motor vehicle makes you 23 times more likely to have a wreck. According to a study re¥leased by the British Medical Journal, talking on a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle makes you four times more like¥ly to have a wreck Ñ the same as if you were over the legal alcohol limit while driving, said Jeanne Brown, AlexÕs mother. The part of our brains we use to operate the car is the same we use to text, she said. ÒMy husband and I would al¥ways text and drive, and we would tell our kids, ÔDonÕt you do it, yÕall arenÕt mature enough to handle that,ÕÓ Jeanne Brown said. ÒAlexÕs wreck didnÕt have to happen. It was a choice she made to use her cell phone in the car. We want to teach kids that life is more valuable than a text mes¥sage. I do believe this bill can save lives.Ó In Texas, minors cannot text while driving, and cell phone use is prohibited in school zones, said Rep. JosŽ MenŽndez, D-San An¥tonio, who has pitched legislation on texting while driving before. ÒI donÕt think weÕve gone far enough,Ó he said. ÒBut I do think this bill will make the roads of Texas safer, so IÕm 100 percent behind this effort. WeÕve got to take every step we can to im¥prove the roadways.Ó Between 2005 and 2010, more than 1,700 drivers caused crash¥es by texting while driving in Texas, with four fatalities in 2009, according Texas Depart¥ment of Transportation reports. Cell phone laws are essential for keeping Texas roadways safe, MenŽndez said. ÒItÕs obvious that distracted driving is a problem in Texas,Ó he said. ÒWith so many people on the roads, especially younger drivers, we have to keep people aware of the dangers.Ó Title 12 of the Austin City Code dictates a citywide ordi¥nance that prevents drivers from using wireless communication devices to view, send or com¥pose an electronic message. Each offense could incur a fine of up to $500, although first offend¥ers can defer the fine in favor of a defensive driving course, said Jason Dusterhoft, Austin Po¥lice DepartmentÕs commander of highway enforcement. At least two dozen other Texas cities have bans on texting while driving, including El Paso and San Antonio. The House bill could prevent accidents by providing concrete legal consequences, said Lat¥in American studies sophomore Mary Catherine Driese. ÒI admit to doing it,Ó Driese said. ÒAs much as everyone does it and we know itÕs not good to do, there arenÕt any consequenc¥es aside from when itÕs gone too far. We would do it less if there were consequences that came before dying in a car wreck.Ó BOOKS continues from PAGE 1 Marc Eckhart, a regional Barnes & Noble manag¥er, said it offers textbooks in multiple formats and makes the process of acquiring them as easy and transparent as possible. Eckhart said a section of the bill that limits the posting of course-required textbooks each semes¥ter to colleges and universities undermines the work many bookstores already do to gather and distribute the information themselves. ÒThe bill as it is currently written could cause colleges and universities to spend their time, mon¥ey and resources to duplicate a process of gather¥ing and posting the information that already exists,Ó Eckhart said. Alex Jones, who recently won a seat on the Uni¥versity Co-op Board of Directors, said he hopes the bill will pass to make the process of book buying cheaper. ÒThe innovative efforts to make course material transparent and available to students earlier allows us to explore options and ultimately purchase cheap¥er, used material, which costs on average 45 percent less than new,Ó Jones said. ELIGIBLE continues from PAGE 1 Texas students can choose to register in their hometowns or the places where they attend col¥lege, said Texas secretary of state spokesman Randall Dillard. ÒAs long as youÕre registered to vote in Texas, you have the right to go to cast your vote,Ó Dillard said. Public Affairs professor Edwin Dorn said lawmakers often try to prevent their constituents from having a say if their policies con¥flict with public opinion. ÒIf you know your policies are not going to appeal to col¥lege students, then you will do what you can to keep them from participating in politics [through] voting,Ó Dorn said. Student Government Exec¥utive Director Jimmy Talarico said it is the responsibility of students in New Hampshire to speak out against such bills. ÒStudents are already disen¥franchised by laws that require you to change your voter regis- PARTY continues from PAGE 1 Informing the public on the structure of Israel helps broaden public understand¥ing of the country, said Amy Hendrick, a graduate coor¥dinator in the anthropology department. Ò[These events] are im¥portant, especially in todayÕs world, when Israel is getting so much bad press, which is fueled by a lack of educa¥tion,Ó Hendrick said. ÒPeo¥ple arenÕt familiar with the history of Israel, its govern¥ment, its policies. ItÕs a very liberal nation, and people just donÕt understand.Ó A hookah lounge, DuduÕs Falafel Cafe and a perfor¥mance by French-Israeli duo ONILI provided entertain¥ment for the estimated 3,000 people who visited the block party. Politics were intention¥ally absent from official pro¥gramming, Gottesman said. ÒItÕs an apolitical event. ItÕs meant as an educational event for students to come and learn about aspects of Israeli life,Ó she said. The aim of the protesters was not to appear disruptive, but rather to maintain awareness that two sides exist in the issue. Danish Syed, a math se¥nior and member of the Mus¥lim Students Association, said separating politics from the event was impossible. Mem¥bers of the Muslim group and the Palestine Solidarity Com¥tration with the change of your address,Ó government senior Talarico said about voting laws in Texas. He said many of the issues that are discussed by lawmak¥ers directly affect the future of students. It is vital that stu¥dents make their voices heard by casting a vote, Talarico said. He was part of an SG initiative called Hook the Vote in 2008 and 2010 that helped UT stu¥dents register to vote. mittee protest the block par¥ty each year. Declaring their support for Palestine, about 30 students lined the steps op¥posite of the South Mall with banners that accused Texas Hillel of raising money for the Israeli army. ÒIf this were just a Jewish cul¥tural event, weÕd be right there with them celebrating,Ó Syed said. ÒBut the event is political by virtue of it being for Israel.Ó He emphasized that the aim of the protesters was not to appear disruptive, but rath¥er to maintain awareness that two sides exist in the issue. ÒThatÕs why we have a silent protest,Ó said Mohammed Riz¥vi, an economics junior and member of the Muslim group. ÒWeÕre not really advocating anything. WeÕre just here to make sure our story gets told. Those voices we canÕt hear from Palestine Ñ weÕre just trying to make them heard.Ó World&NatioN 3 Thursday, March 10, 2011 | The Daily Texan | Ashley Morgan, Wire Editor | dailytexanonline.com NEWS BRIEFLY Connecticut police arrest man as suspect in haircut stabbing STAMFORD, Conn. Ñ Police say a man was getting a haircut at an apartment in Stamford, Conn., when he grabbed scissors and slashed an¥other man in the back Tuesday. Da¥vid Davis was arrested soon after. A police mug shot shows Davis with thick hair sticking up from only one side of his head. Stamford police Sgt. Cory Caserta says Davis was arraigned Wednes¥day on an assault charge. The 21-year-old man from New Haven was being held on $5,000 bond. Authorities say the victim ap¥proached Davis during his haircut in what he called Òan aggressive man¥ner.Ó Davis told police he picked up the scissors in self-defense. The 21-year-old victim was tak¥en to Stamford Hospital to receive treatment for the back wound. Seven die in farmhouse fire as familyÕs kids caught in blaze LOYSVILLE, Pa. Ñ The father was making his rounds in his milk truck and the mother was in the barn, milking the cows, when their 3-year-old daughter smelled smoke and ran for help. By the time the parents reached their farmhouse, it was too late: Seven of their eight children were killed in a furious blaze Tuesday night in Pennsylva¥niaÕs dairy country. The victims ranged in age from 7 months to 11 years. As schoolmates, friends and fire¥fighters mourned, neighbors in the heavily Amish and Mennonite area came to the farm to help out with the chores Wednesday morning, a few arriving by horse and buggy. The cause of the blaze was under investigation, but the childrenÕs grand¥father Noah Sauder said he suspected a propane heater in the kitchen. ÑThe Associated Press Libyan citizen describes stateÕs atrocities By Ryan Lucas The Associated Press BENGHAZI, Libya Ñ Fadlal¥lah Haroun recounted how masked men grabbed him on the street, handcuffed him and threw a sack over his head, then tossed him into a waiting vehicle and sped off. Sev¥en years later, he emerged from Moammar GadhafiÕs prisons with¥out ever being charged. HarounÕs odyssey took him from the underground cells of the Kat¥iba jail in his hometown of Beng¥hazi to the notorious Abu Se¥lim prison in Tripoli, where Liby¥an groups outside the country said up to 1,200 prisoners were killed in 1996. Along the way, he said he en¥dured daily beatings, mock execu¥tions and psychological terror. ÒWhen I was in prison, I met so many people who suffered the same thing I did just for expressing their opinion,Ó said Haroun, 45. Now that eastern Libya has ripped itself free from GadhafiÕs grip, residents finally feel safe to talk about what life was like un¥der the regime. Their stories are stamped with the terror, paranoia and sinking sense of desperation that Gadhafi instilled in his people since taking power in a 1969 coup. A U.S. State Department report from last year accused Libyan se¥curity services of detaining indi¥viduals without formal charges and holding them indefinitely without court convictions. For Haroun, a businessman who imported raw materials from Italy for furniture, it on April 23, 1995, with a phone call. A voice on the line asked him to present himself at the police station. The masked men stopped Haroun as he was getting into his car to drive to the station. in a bloody battle during the early days of the uprising last month. Haroun did not end up there. In¥stead, he was held in a small corner cell before being transferred to Abu Selim prison. ÒIt took my family six years to find out where I was,Ó he said. Haroun spent most of his time in cells that were cramped and filthy, he said. There was just enough food to survive. ÒOne of the daily ÔmealsÕ was a 9 p.m. beating Ñ that was my meal,Ó he said with a laugh. ÒEveryday at 9 p.m. That lasted for 45 days.Ó Haroun said he was once blind¥folded and sentenced to hang. ÒThey had me stand on a stool and placed a noose around my neck,Ó he said. ÒAnd then they kicked the stool out from under me. Some¥body caught me as I fell.Ó ÒThese courts were psycholog¥ically brutal. Some people were mentally out of it for days, others lost their hair,Ó he said. Because he and many other pris¥oners like him were never charged or convicted, the security servic¥es could hold them forever, or free them on a whim. ÒEvery morning we hoped to be released because we were never sentenced,Ó he said. His day came on Dec. 13, 2001. The Libyan government con¥firmed his release from prison in 2001. ÒI was surprised, I didnÕt have any problems. IÕm a businessman, not a criminal,Ó Haroun said. The men told him that he was from Òa trouble-making family.Ó Haroun was taken to the Katiba, a security base in the suburbs with three underground bunkers where political prisoners were held. ÒPeople who ended up in those just disappeared for good,Ó Haroun said during a tour of the base, which was stormed by protesters Photo courtesy of NASA In this image provided by NASA, the space shuttle Discovery is seen from the International Space Station as the two orbital spacecraft accomplish their relative separation on Monday. Discovery is ending its nearly 27-year flying career. NASAÕs Discovery shuttle ends last mission to space By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Ñ Discovery ended its career as the worldÕs most flown spaceship Wednesday, returning from orbit for the last time and taking off in a new direction as a museum piece. NASAÕs oldest shuttle swooped through a clear noontime sky to a touchdown at its home base. ÒTo the ship that has led the way time and time again, we say, ÔFare¥well Discovery,ÕÓ radioed the Mis¥sion Control commentator. FloridaÕs spaceport was packed with shuttle program workers, journalists and even some school¥children eager to see history in the making. The six astronauts on board went through their landing check¥lists with the bittersweet realization no one would ever ride Discovery again. They said during their 13¥day space station delivery mission that they expected that to hit them hard when the shuttle came to a stop on the runway. At three minutes before noon Eastern Time Ñ Discovery landed and ceased being a reus¥able rocketship. ÒFor the final time: wheels stop,Ó DiscoveryÕs commander Steven Lindsey called out as the shuttle rolled to a stop. Even after shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis make their final voy¥ages in the coming months, Dis¥covery will still hold the all-time re¥cord with 39 missions, 148 million miles, 5,830 orbits of Earth, and 365 days spent in space. All that was achieved in under 27 years. Discovery now leads the way to retirement as NASA winds down the 30-year shuttle program in fa¥vor of interplanetary travel. NASA estimates it will take sever¥al months of work Ñ removing the three main engines and draining all hazardous fuels Ñ before Discov¥ery is ready to head to the Smith¥sonian Institution. It will make the 750-mile journey strapped to the top of a jumbo jet. Throughout the flight, Lindsey and his crew marveled at how well Discovery was performing. They noted that the spacecraft was go¥ing into retirement still Òat the top of her game.Ó DiscoveryÕs last mission ended up being flawless despite a four-month grounding for fuel tank repairs. NASA is under presidential di¥rection to spread its wings beyond low-Earth orbit. The goal is to send astronauts to an asteroid and then Mars in the decades ahead. There is not enough money for NASA to achieve that and maintain the shut¥tle program at the same time. As a result, the shuttles will stop flying this summer after 30 years. American astronauts will keep hitching rides to the space station on Russian capsules, until private companies are able to provide taxi service to and from orbit. 4 OpiniOn Thursday, March 10, 2011 | The Daily Texan | Lauren Winchester, Editor in Chief | (512) 232 2212 | editor@dailytexanonline.com OVerVIeW Say ÔnoÕ to abstinence-only On Tuesday, the Texas Freedom Network helped organize a lobby day to support legisla¥tion by Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, which would change sexual education in Texas schools from abstinence-only to a more com¥prehensive approach. We support the legisla¥tion and TFNÕs efforts because abstinence-only sexual education is not based on science, evi¥dence or education policy. It does not work, and Texas students deserve better. Abstinence-only education is currently the only form of sexual education legally taught in Texas public schools. The concept is nei¥ther nuanced nor thorough; teachers simply instruct students not to have sex. If you donÕt have sex, you wonÕt get pregnant, contract sex¥ually transmitted diseases or go through any of the emotional issues associated with sexual activity. Duh. The ÒdonÕt have sexÓ approach has taken Tex¥as youths by storm, as more than half of Texas students have had sexual intercourse. Further¥more, Texas has the third highest teen birth rate in the nation and, most alarmingly, 43 percent of Texas students did not use a condom the last time they had sex, according to information compiled by the Texas Legislative Study Group. What did our esteemed and uber-abstinence¥only supporter Gov. Rick Perry say when Evan Smith of The Texas Tribune confronted him with empirical evidence indicating his beloved method is ineffective? ÒAbstinence works... from my own personal life, abstinence works.Ó There you go. On one hand, you have facts and figures and science and reality, and on the oth¥er hand, you have Perry and his utterly unsub¥stantiated claims. Unfortunately the latter has been driving Texas education policy for the past decade, leading to abysmal sexual health conditions in the state. There is hope, however, with TFNÕs lobbying efforts and CastroÕs legislation. Un¥der the bill, HB 1624, schools will still teach abstinence-only as the most effective method but will also present information about other forms of contraception, such as condoms and the birth control pill. CastroÕs legislation is a much-needed, long¥overdue change. Texas students need and de¥serve all the facts about sexual activity in order to decide for themselves whether or not to en¥gage in it. What is more, the legislation could also pro¥vide an impetus for a re-evaluation of if and how sexual education is taught in the state. Ac¥cording to the Legislative Study Group, only 4 percent of schools in Texas even teach about teen pregnancy and STD prevention. Forty¥one percent of sexual education materials used in Texas schools contain factual errors and 3.7 million Texas students are not taught basic in¥formation about unplanned pregnancies and STDs. So not only are Texas educators forced to teach a flawed method of sexual education, but they are somehow managing to teach it incor¥rectly. Hopefully CastroÕs bill will inspire other legislators and education policy makers to re¥consider the importance and state of sexual education in Texas. HB 1624 could not come at a more press¥ing time. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a law banning federal funding for Planned Parenthood. While the organiza¥tion is most widely known for providing abor¥tions, it actually spends much of its efforts and resources educating young people about repro¥ductive health and distributing various forms of birth control. If the organization loses federal funding and is significantly weakened, then the state must step in and fulfill that responsibility. Similarly, with the Texas Legislature bent on restricting womenÕs legal right to abortion, the state must at least effectively educate its youth on the subject. Lawmakers should listen to TFNÕs student lobbyists because HB 1624 is necessary, sen¥sible and hopefully moderate enough to suc¥ceed. In a legislative session wrought with problems and slim on solutions, the least our lawmakers can do is approve a bill which ac¥tually presents a remedy to one of our stateÕs most pressing issues. Ñ Douglas Luippold for the editorial board legalese Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT ad¥ministration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Stu¥dent Media Board of Operating Trustees. sUBMIT a FIrINg lINe E-mail your Firing Lines to firingline@dailytexanon¥line.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability. gallery The self-fulfilling prophecy of college rankings By Jonathan rienstra Daily Texan Columnist Next week, when UT students are relax¥ing in the sun or snow, the U.S. News and World Report will release its latest rankings of American graduate schools. For students fill¥ing out their law school and business school applications, it can be a tenuous occasion. BusinessWeek already released its business school rankings, and UTÕs McCombs School of Business fell seven spots from last year to No. 17 overall. And of course, there is the undergraduate rankings that US News releases each August, just in time for high school seniors to consid¥er where to apply. While UT is just inside the top 50 at No. 45 overall, we still lag behind our supposed peer universities. Large public schools, including UCLA, University of California-Berkeley, the Uni¥versity of Michigan and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill all ranked at least 15 spots ahead of UT, with Berkeley sitting comfortably at No. 22. In fact, four of the 10 campuses in the University of California sys¥tem beat us. ThatÕs not great if you care about the rankings, and it is hard not to think that at least a few people at the top of the Tower are concerned with the fact that we tied the University of Wisconsin. I have some serious misgivings about the rankings in general, but my main focus is on SAT scores. The Standardized Aptitude Test, SAT, weighs as 7.5 percent in U.S. NewsÕ method¥ology, but it shouldnÕt. Perhaps it should not even count at all. Critics have accused the SAT of cultural bias in the past, and one study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Writ¥ing Director Les Perelman found a high cor¥relation between the length of essays and high scores in the writing section. In fact, the University of California system opted in 2005 to drop the SAT as an applica¥tion requirement. According to BerkeleyÕs 2009 admissionsÕ data, the 75th-percentile score for the reading/math portion of the SAT was a 1460. UTÕs 75th-percentile score for 2009 was 1350. Now, IÕm not doubting that Berkeley is a harder school to get into, (UT has a 45-percent acceptance rate compared to BerkeleyÕs 21 percent), but by making SAT scores optional, the scores that would bring that average down are less likely to be submit¥ted to the school. But, as a university, we also score lower than UNC and Michigan, which have 75th-per¥centile scores of 1390 and 1430, respectively. Which, brings us to the pesky Top 10 Percent rule. The issue has been somewhat remedied by the 75-percent cap passed back in May 2009, but by relying on the top 10 percent, our SAT average has historically been lower. In addition, an SAT score provides no ba¥sis for the legitimacy of a institution of higher learning. Consider a highly rated high school football recruit. He may be considered a top pick-up and will boost a schoolÕs recruit¥ing class, but there is no guarantee that the player will ever produce at the next level. A five-star ranking might be a solid indicator of his potential, but it requires a strong foot¥ball program and coaches to reach that po¥tential, much in the same way that it requires a school to tap into a highly-rated studentÕs capabilities. In a recent UCLA study titled ÒThe American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010,Ó 201,818 students at American uni¥versities gave their choices for selecting the college that they attend. While only 16.7 percent said that national magazine rank¥ings were the most important reason, 62 percent stated Òvery good academic reputa¥tionÓ as their first choice. You say Òtomato,Ó I say Òtomahto.Ó The bill regarding the current Top 10 Per¥cent rule applies through 2015, when current 8th graders will be heading to college. We cannot ignore our current ranking Ñ as much as I wish we could Ñ because future students will use it to guide their decisions. ItÕs a self-fulfilling prophecy. Schools are ranked highly in part because of their SAT scores, which in turn causes students to want to apply to said highly ranked school. UT is left behind in the rankings because we are hamstringed by state laws, and the Univer¥sity has to decide whether it is worth taking students they ÒoweÓ it to or if they want to up their SAT averages and improve the Univer¥sityÕs ranking. Rienstra is a journalism junior. gallery NeurosurgeonÕs life story inspires students By Allison Harris Daily Texan Staff Benjamin Carson, director of pe¥diactric neurosurgery at JohnÕs Hop¥kins, said he rose out of poverty and became a renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson, direc¥ tor of pediat¥ ric neurosur¥ gery at JohnÕs Hopkins, speaks in the Union ball¥room about the path he took to realize his potential. Carson dis¥cussed what it was like grow¥ing up poor in Detroit and how God played a per¥tinent roll in his life. Ryan Edwards Daily Texan Staff NEWS BRIEFLY NPRÕs Ex-CEO to join symposium discussing online journalism A former NPR CEO and gener¥al manager of NYTimes.com has still agreed to speak at a symposium on online journalism at UT in April. Vivian Schiller, who stepped down from her top post at the radio outlet Wednesday, will talk about her vi¥sion as an online journalist with NPR and NYTimes.com, said journalism professor Rosental Alves, who orga¥nizes the symposium each year. This morning he called and told Schiller that he would still be happy to have her speak at UTÕs Communication School, regardless of her resignation through faith in God and himself. Natural Sciences Career Servic¥es and Health Professions Advising sponsored CarsonÕs lecture Wednes¥day, which 750 people attended. The Dr. Joe Thorne Gilbert Centenni¥al Lectureship in Health Professions from NPR, he said. ÒShe will be a superb, outstand¥ing keynote speaker for us,Ó he said. ÒI was very sad to learn that she was leaving NPR, but I was very happy that I could convince her to still come for the symposium.Ó Schiller will be the first in a se¥ries of keynote speakers and will be followed by the vice president and managing editor of CNN.com, Meredith Artley. NPR struggled to transition to the digital age, but through requirements such as mul¥timedia training for all NPR jour¥nalists, Schiller shifted the network forward, Alves said. ÒThe most important work that she has done was moving NPR into the digital age,Ó he said. ÒThat experience alone would be very funded the talk. CarsonÕs background could inspire all students, not just those interested in health professions, said Ray East¥erlin, the director of Natural Sciences Career Services. ÒHeÕs an example of someone who did not have advantages at an early age but worked hard and had fami¥ ly support,Ó Easterlin said. Carson said he lived in a poor ten¥ ement in Detroit during his youth, in an area threatened by gangs. He was called ÒdummyÓ by his elemen¥ tary school classmates, but his aca¥ demic performance changed when his illiterate mother began mak¥ ing him turn in two book reports a week. He recalled how he felt when he knew an answer in class because of a book he had read about rocks. ÒIt was such an exhilarating feeling to know things that no one else knew, especially from people who had been calling me names,Ó he said. Carson said he did very poor¥ ly on his first set of comprehensive exams as a medical school student and was advised to drop out. He improved after taking courses that relied more on reading than lec¥ ture material. ÒYou have to learn how you learn, because everyone learns differently,Ó he said. Carson led the first medical team relevant for us who are concerned with the future of journalism in this country.Ó Ñ Allie Kolechta Ransom Center to process works of cyberpunk-pioneering writer The Harry Ransom Center be¥gan processing a renowned sci¥ence fiction novelistÕs archive last month. Bruce Sterling, one of the found¥ers of the cyberpunk movement Ñ a science fiction genre focused on technology in a dystopian setting Ñ gave part of his paper archive of books and manuscripts to Center. Richard Oram, associate direc¥tor at the center, said the archive in¥cludes manuscripts of ÒThe Differ¥ to successfully separate twins con¥joined at the head in 1987. He said he gives deep consideration to all elements of risky surgeries, espe¥cially when he is breaking new medical ground. ÒNever go off half-cocked,Ó he said. ÒMake sure you study what everyone else has done, even if it wasnÕt successful.Ó Carson said his faith informed his daily practice. ÒI always pray, ask God for wis¥dom whenever I enter the operat¥ing room,Ó he said. ÒWhen it comes to the brain and spinal cord, thereÕs nothing thatÕs simple.Ó Carson said the U.S. needs to im¥prove early math and science educa¥tion to succeed in the technological age. He also said his life is proof that anyone can succeed. ÒAs a fifth grader, I was a terri¥ble student, and as a seventh grad¥er, I was a terrific student,Ó he said. ÒWhat does that tell you about hu¥man potential?Ó Microbiology senior Simone White said Carson inspires her be¥cause she also came from a low so¥cioeconomic background and sin¥gle-parent household and wants to be a doctor. ÒTo see the metamorphosis of someone who was called ÔdummyÕ to one of the most brilliant people on Earth is amazing,Ó White said. ence Engine,Ó which Sterling coau¥thored with William Gibson, anoth¥er founder of the movement and a complete collection of SterlingÕs ÒCheap TruthÓ newsletter, which he printed in Austin in the 1980s. ÒBruce created [ÔCheap TruthÕ] be¥fore the word cyberpunk had even been developed,Ó Oram said. ÒHe sort of initiated the cyberpunk move¥ment, which started in Austin.Ó Oram said there were lots of peo¥ple writing and reading SterlingÕs anthology, ÒMirror Shades.Ó ÒI think there arenÕt a huge num¥ber of literary movements of na¥tional importance and this is one that came out of Austin,Ó Oram said. ÒBruce was behind a lot of these things.Ó Ñ Yvonne Marquez Magazine editor discusses future of Texas Democrats By Yvonne Marquez Democrats because increased Daily Texan Staff wealth, combined with a cultur¥ al sense of family values and pa- Talent is lacking in TexasÕ Dem-triotism, could lead more His¥ocratic Party, and it is up to the fu-panics living in the Valley to ture generation to change it, a polit-vote for Republicans. ical writer told a group of about 50 The Democratic Party hard students at a University Democrats said ly exists in Texas, he said. He meeting Wednesday. said the partyÕs infra- Paul Burka, se¥ structure is not strong nior executive edi¥ because it has not been tor of Texas Monthly, able to reach out to the writes a political blog Hispanic population. and has worked for ÒThe talent level you the magazine since have to replace is not very 1975. He also served high,Ó Burka said. as an attorney in the Burka said Gov. Rick Texas Legislature for Perry is an unsympathetic five years and holds politician who is not in¥a degree from UTÕs terested in the Legislature Paul Burka School of Law. but is a political pro who Texas Monthly Editor UDems President knows what to do and al- Billy Calve said Bur¥ka speaking to the organization is a great opportunity to get a different perspective on Texas politics. ÒPaul Burka is an institution in Texas politics,Ó Calve said. ÒWe re¥ally hope our members will build on their understanding by hearing from him.Ó ItÕs over for Anglos, Burka said. He said the future of Texas is up to the Hispanic majority because there has not been a significant time when Hispanics have voted in large num¥bers. If all Texans voted, the state would prove to have a much stron¥ger Democratic voice, he said. ÒIf you plan to spend your life in Texas, you will live in a blue state,Ó Burka said. However, Burka that the increase in affluence in South Texas threatens ways has a plan. ÒThereÕs nobody better at running a campaign and nobody worse at running the state,Ó Burka said. Burka said charisma is what makes a very strong candidate. He said the next generation of lawa¥makers need to be better at it. ÒThe ball is there, and somebody has to go pick it up,Ó Burka said. Government sophomore Huey Fischer said he appreciated Bur¥kaÕs insight on Texas politics be¥cause he came from a nonparti¥san perspective. He said UDems members gained new insight into how to move forward for the 2012 elections. ÒWe do need to start recruit¥ing tougher candidates, better can¥didates, charismatic candidates,Ó Fischer said. SOFTBALL SIDELINE WINNING STARTS HERE www.utrecsports.org Thursday, March 10, 2011 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Will Anderson, Sports Editor | (512) 232-2210 | sports@dailytexanonline.com NCAA BASKETBALL TEXAS PREVAILS Longhorns hold on for close win over Texas State By Chris Hummer P laying in front of one of the loudest crowds of the year, the 12th-ranked Longhorns were able to squeeze out one run victory in a game that was dominated by the pitchers. This is the second-straight game that the team has played with a final score of 2-1; the difference being that Texas was able to come out on top in this contest. ÒI love that it was tight. We had a tight game with LSU last Sunday, and we didnÕt get the outcome,Ó said head coach Connie Clark. ÒYou need a big atmosphere, and we had it again tonight. The crowd was great. We had some big moments when our back was against the wall, and I thought we managed the moments.Ó Texas started out quickly taking advan¥tage of its speed on the base paths, scor¥ing a run early in the first, when sopho¥more Taylor Hoagland reached base with a bunt hit and quickly stole second. She advanced to third on an interference rul¥ing, in a rundown situation, and then sped home when junior Nadia Taylor grounded into a fielderÕs choice. The next inning and a half went quiet¥ly with neither team managing a hit, but in the third, Texas was once again able to take advantage of its speed and generate a run. Freshman Brejae Washington led off the inning and was able to jump on a pitch driving a double into left. On the next pitch, she broke for third and easily stole the base, but the third baseman was not able to pick the throw, and Washing¥ton was able to score. ÒCoach Clark had given me a steal sign on the first pitch, so my objective was to steal third, and they tell me IÕm fast enough on a pass ball like that to just get up and continue on to the next base,Ó Washing¥ton said. WashingtonÕs run proved crucial in the game, as it went down as the winning run. Texas State was able to threaten a few times later in the game but only managed CLOSE continues on PAGE 7 WOMENÕS BASKETBALL TEXAS 50, No. 8 TEXAS A&M 77 Horns fall to Texas A&M in conference quarterfinals BASEBALL AMERICA RANKINGS SPORTS BRIEFLY NCAA suspends Baylor forward Perry Jones III before teamÕs loss KANSAS CITY, Mo. Ñ Baylor freshman Perry Jones was declared ineligible by the NCAA on Wednesday after an investigation into whether Jones or his family received preferential treatment or improper benefits from an Amateur Athletic Union coach before enrolling in college. The NCAAÕs decision came only hours before the Bears lost 84-67 to Oklahoma in the first round of the Big 12 Conference tournament. Baylor played without the 6-foot¥ 11 Jones, a starter and one of the nationÕs top freshmen, averaging 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds. Baylor immediately appealed to have JonesÕ eligibility reinstated. ÒWe are profoundly disappointed in the timing and determination in this matter,Ó said Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw in a release from the school before the game. ÒThis outcome appears to be inconsistent with other recent, widely discussed NCAA decisions.Ó Ñ The Associated Press By Alexandra Carreno Daily Texan Staff In what was their last chance to prove their worth to the NCAA selection committee, the Long¥horns couldnÕt make it past the the loss. Defending tournament champi¥ons, Texas A&M had an answer for everything Texas tried Wednes¥day night. What a difference 24 hours can make, as the Longhorns looked like a completely differ¥ the Aggies. For Texas, a number of fac¥ deep into the tournament. Held to their tal of the sea¥ just one away from the tour¥nament record Ò of 32. Five of¥fensive calls be¥cause of charg-quarterfinals ent team against of the Big 12 Champion¥ships, as they Ò fell to a well-tors stacked up rested Aggie against their de- Do we wish we could squad 77 to sire to make it 50 Wednesday night. go back and change a little? Yes, but we ÒThe body of work has lowest point to¥ have fought and been done,Ó said assistant son, the Long¥ fought this season. coach LaKale horns commit-Malone. ÒDo ted31turnovers, Ñ LaKale Malone, Assistant coach wish wewe could go back and change a little? Yes, but we have fought and fought this season. Ó es also hurt Texas, as offen- After a convincing first-round sive opportunities slipped from romp over Missouri just the night their fingers. before, fatigue proved to be Tex¥asÕ (19-13, 7-9 Big 12) downfall in TEXAS continues on PAGE 7 NCAA BASKETBALL TEXAS continues from PAGE 6 ÒYouÕve got to take care of the Nebraska plays last game in Big 12 basketball,Ó Malone said. ÒWe got outrebounded, and both need to Cornhuskers lose in opening round of tournament to Oklahoma State By Austin Laymance Daily Texan Staff For the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the end came too early. WednesdayÕs 53-52 loss to Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament ef¥fectively sealed the CornhuskersÕ fate, jettison¥ing them from an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and ending their history in the Big 12. ÒThe NCAA option is out,Ó Nebraska head coach Doc Sadler told reporters after the loss. ÒThatÕs not an option, unless somebodyÕs real¥ly looking out for us.Ó After senior point guard Lance Jeter slipped and fell on NebraskaÕs final possession with the Huskers down by one, the emotion set in. ÒItÕs sad because I wanted to do it for [the se¥niors] because I know how hard they worked and how hard the coaching staff works,Ó Jeter said. ÒYou just want to be the hero, and unfor¥tunately, that wasnÕt the case at that time.Ó With his team behind, Jeter slithered through traffic and tried to pull up for a jump shot in the paint, but he crumbled to the hard¥wood and the buzzer sounded. ÒPretty much got tripped,Ó Jeter said. ÒNo call, which it shouldnÕt be, especially in the last second. You gotta make a play, and I didnÕt do that.Ó The lasting memory of NebraskaÕs time in the conference may be JeterÕs fall, but the Cornhuskers may have avoided the inevitable as they would have faced top-seeded Kansas in the second round. Instead, that honor lies with Oklahoma State. ÒVery proud of our basketball team,Ó OSU head coach Travis Ford said after the game. ÒItÕs always great to win, but itÕs great to win when your whole team contributes, your whole team does something positive.Ó The Cowboys relied on a balanced attack and a couple of timely 3-pointers by junior guard Keiton Page to escape with the win. It was the PokesÕ third conference game decided by one point, and Oklahoma State didnÕt give up down the stretch once again. ÒOut of 16 conference games, I think six or seven came down to the last possession,Ó Ford explained. ÒI said, ÔWeÕve been here before, but donÕt hang your head.Õ I donÕt know if they were hanging their head because they were tired, which they were, or they were hanging their head because we played so well and then weÕre down four.Ó While the Cowboys led for much of the game, Nebraska stormed back in the second half to take the lead. After a layup by NebraskaÕs Caleb Walker extended the Cornhusker lead to four with six minutes to play, Ford called a time out. Inside the CowboysÕ huddle, the coach lit a fire un¥der his squad. ÒWe told them, ÔGet your head up. LetÕs come out of this time out fighting; letÕs come out of this time out and letÕs get a stop every single time,ÕÓ Ford said. The Cowboys didnÕt disappoint as Page sank back-to-back 3-pointers, and Nebraska went cold from the field, giving OSU a two-point advantage with 2:29 left to play. But the Huskers failed to rally in the final minutes, and JeterÕs last-ditch effort came up devastatingly short, sending Nebraska fans to the exits at the Sprint Center. The Cornhuskers were the first team oust¥ed from the Big 12 tournament but will take their talents to the Big Ten next season as con¥ferences realign. Perhaps then Nebraska can avoid the slip¥ups that plagued its final season in the Big 12. be taken care of, not one or the other. We gave up way too many turnovers tonight.Ó Normal assets were silenced ear¥ly, as A&M had TexasÕ number. Tex¥as faltered in both of their regular season contests against Texas A&M. But last nightÕs win was by far the most convincing of the three. Freshman Chassidy Fussell was held to a season-low three points. The last time the guard scored that low was against Iowa State in mid-February Ñ she scored only two points. Texas A&M shutdown Fussell early on, as she missed her first eight shots from the floor and ultimately went 0-4 from the 3-point line. Junior Yvonne Anderson also had a lackluster night, making just two of her six shot attempts in her 26 minutes of play. For Texas, the game began and ended on a similar note. A lack of confidence labeled TexasÕ play, and the Longhorns were never able to shake it off. Feeding off their ap¥prehension, the AggiesÕ desire to win shined as they beat Texas with their defense and converted it to easy points. The Longhorns never got ahead, turning the ball over four times in the first five minutes of play and allowing for the Aggies to jump out to a 12-2 lead. Only two players shot in the dou¥ble digits for the Longhorns, with freshman Chelsea Bass leading the squad with 11 points. Kat Nash trailed right behind with 10. Texas shot a measly 16 for 50, compared to Texas A&MÕs 32 of 59 shot attempts. Danielle Adams led Tex¥as A&M with 23 points, contrib¥uting to the AggiesÕ 54-percent shooting average. ÒWe might be down today, but we arenÕt out,Ó LaKale said. With their Big 12 tournament hopes dashed, all the Longhorns can do now is wait for selection Monday and hope that their overall body of work outshines Wednesday nightÕs impression. CLOSE continues from PAGE 6 to push across one run, and left sev¥en runners on base. Including in the fourth inning when they had the bases loaded with one out, but were shut down by freshman Rachel Fox, who forced a harmless pop fly and struck out the next batter to end the threat. FoxÕs ability to handle pressure was evident in the game, as she worked through multiple instanc¥es when Texas State was threatening with runners in scoring position, but was not able to take advantage of the opportunities. ÒI love pressure situations. I think having the pressure situations that we do is great for us to grow as a team, and for [Amy] Hooks and I to grow as a battery,Ó Fox said. Fox finished the game with her seventh complete game of the year and improved her record to 7-1 and is only going to keep getting better as she continues to see pressure sit¥uations like these. ÒI loved it, especially as a fresh¥man. The more that we can throw her under pressure like that and stay with her, the better. Obviously, her back was against the wall, and she came up big for us,Ó Clark said. ADVERTISING TERMS There are no refunds or credits. In the event of errors made in advertisement, notice must be given by 10 am the Þrst day of publication, as the publishers are responsible for only ONE incorrect THE DAILY TEXAN insertion. In consideration of The Daily TexanÕs acceptance of advertising copy for publication, the agency and the advertiser will indemnify and save harmless, Texas Student Media and its ofÞcers, employees and agents against all loss, liability, damage and expense of whatsoever nature arising out of the copying, print¥ing or publishing of its advertisement including without limitation reasonable attorneyÕs fees resulting from claims of suits for libel, violation of right of privacy, plagiarism and copyright and trademark infringement. All ad copy must be approved by the newspaper which reserves the right to request changes, reject or properly classify an ad. The advertiser, and not the newspaper, is responsible for the truthful content of the ad. 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Amy 512-569-1143 STUDENTPAY¥OUTS.COM Paid Survey Takers Needed In Austin. 100% FREE To Join! Click On Surveys. EARN $1000-$3200 A month to drive our brand new cars with ads placed on them. www. AdCar¥Driver.com $300/DAY POTENTIAL No experience neces¥sary. Training provided. Age 18+. 800-965-6520 ext. 113 EQUIPMENT SUPPLY Sales, shipping, tech support of commercial equipment. Knowledge of wine, beer spirits production desirable. Book Review Novel explores human isolation, sanity By katie Stroh Daily Texan Staff The 48-year-old Maxwell Sim both craves and avoids human connection. HeÕs recently sepa¥rated from his wife, has spent six months on leave from his position at a department store for depres¥sion and has never managed to bond with his distant father. De¥spite the fact that he has 74 Fa¥cebook friends and a cell phone full of phone numbers, Max rare¥ly makes real contact with any¥body. For all his good-natured bumbling attempts at meaningful human relationships, there seems to be no end to the ways Max can mess things up. Jonathan CoeÕs latest novel, ÒThe Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim,Ó follows the titular character as he attempts to shake off his de¥pression and re-engage with an in¥creasingly impersonal world. Max rashly decides to quit his steady department store job to travel to a remote Scottish village as a part of a misguided publicity stunt for a company that sells environmen¥tally friendly toothbrushes. Rather than solely focusing on his mission, Max unconscious¥ly turns the journey into an ex- The Terrible Privacy of Maxwell Sim Jonathan Coe Genre: satirical fiction Pages: 314 For those who like: Douglas AdamsÕÒThe HitchhikerÕs Guide to the GalaxyÓ series, Joseph HellerÕs ÒCatch-22Ó Grade: A¥ him as an unexpectedly compel¥ling narrator. CoeÕs voice, spoken through MaxÕs perspective, effus¥es the novel with an easy, under¥stated and satirical sense of hu¥mor that is a joy to read: ÒDid you like how, when I was describ¥ing the sexy bits, I started every sentence with ÔI forget?Õ ThatÕs good writing, that is.Ó ÒMaxwell SimÓ is also inter¥spersed with many little micros¥tories: a section of MaxÕs fatherÕs memoir, a university essay writ¥ten by MaxÕs schoolboy crush, a short story MaxÕs ex-wife bases directly on one of their relation¥shipÕs most humiliating moments. These little narrative scraps give the novel depth and interest, keeping MaxÕs voice from becom¥ing tiresome and fleshing out his backstory through the eyes of his friends and family. As implausible and bizarre as MaxÕs story eventually becomes, Coe keeps things mostly ground¥ed with his excellent, naturalistic dialogue and utterly believable characters. ÒThe Terrible Privacy of Maxwell SimÓ is an excellent and entertaining take on how our countless methods of mod¥ern communication are making it harder to truly connect. PARADE continues from PAGE 10 rade will mark the beginning of the fundraising event in support of chil¥dren with cancer, Kessler said. Festivities will make an early start at 9 a.m. on Saturday with col¥or guards, members of ESPADA and Irish dancers making their way through downtown. Mayor Lee Lef¥fingwell will serve as the grand mar¥shal and performances will highlight musicians that include Joe Moody, an Americana rock group, and U2 tribute artists Mysterious Ways. One float will feature survivors of childhood cancer, their families and those who have shaved their heads in support. Throughout the day, volunteers, including Fad— employees and members of AustinÕs public safety department, will go bald as part of their efforts to raise money for the organization. ÒOne hundred and sixty kids are diagnosed [with cancer] each year; one in five donÕt make it,Ó said Fad— event manager Kim Rector. ÒYou canÕt imagine how many families come out to support this. By the end of the day, you canÕt tell who is actu¥ally a cancer patient or cancer survi¥vor because everybody has had their heads shaved.Ó Rector will also be shaving her head for Saturday. Even those who choose to keep their locks can show their support by enjoying the live music, tradi¥tional Irish dancing and, of course, Guinness. LEGE continues from PAGE 10 ly, the top five beers sold in Texas belong to the Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors corporations, and the funds from all those sales then go to paying those distributors, as well as providing sales tax revenue for the state. ÒYou have to be careful,Ó cautioned David Jabour, president of Twin Liquors. ÒThereÕs a distribution process thatÕs important for tax collection.Ó But three House bills may change this system Ñ that is, if they donÕt get ignored and die while waiting in committee. If passed, the bills could possibly allow you to grab a bottle of beer to take home after a brewery tour or even buy a bottle of the brewpubÕs own house beer from your local store. Effectively, this would cut into the profits of distributors and large beer companies. To top off that tall pint, on Tuesday, Sen. Rod¥ney Ellis, D-Houston, proposed a bill that would lift the ban on Sunday liquor sale Ñ an outdat¥ed, religious blue law, he says. Jabour disagrees with the idea that this would help generate tax revenue though, citing the Senate bill as ultimately having a neutral effect because of the added cost of wages of employ¥ees working on Sunday. Nevertheless, that could still mean an added sales tax revenue for the state, albeit with less revenue for the retailers. Despite all these various bills with similar goals of putting Texas back in the black, much of the mediaÕs attention, ranging from the Hous¥ton Chronicle all the way up the coast to The New York Times, has focused specifically on the bill allowing brewpubs to distribute bottles af¥ter a tour. Supported by the vocal grassroots organiza¥tion Texas Beer Freedom and Rep. Mike Villar¥real, D-San Antonio, this legislation would al¥low brewpubs to distribute their own personal¥ly brewed beer. But the much larger debate is about who ul¥timately sells you your liquor. Take for instance, the brewery tour bill, which only partially al¥lows for a brewery to directly sell you a bottle. Only after you have taken the tour could they give you a bottle. On the other hand, a House bill proposed on Monday just cuts to the chase. Instead of giving a tour to educate people and then letting them try their beer after talking about it for so long, you could simply buy your booze there. This isnÕt something new; most craft beer¥friendly states such as Colorado and California have similar laws, which allow the distillery to see more profits. For example, you could walk into the Stone Brewery Co. and buy yourself a massive growler Ñ basically a large, refillable jug Ñ full of their I.P.A. to take home with you. But walking out of a brewery with a sealed bottle or buying a brewpubs bottle at the store is not possible in Texas with our current laws. According to a Texas Watchdog article in March 2009 regarding a similar bill to the brew¥pub bill that was later struck down, the current system only serves to fill the pockets of the mid¥dlemen who distribute alcohol. Clearly, this isnÕt a new issue, and the Whole¥sale Beer Distributors of Texas have continually declined to comment. A rare opposing comment was reported though in the same Tribune article by another group called the Beer Alliance of Tex¥as, which lobbies for larger beer corporations. ÒThis regulatory system has worked well since Prohibition,Ó said Rick Donley, president of Beer Alliance of Texas. ÒWhy anybody wants to disrupt it is a question I can never quite get an answer to.Ó Donley also added that he worried that these newer legislations could lead to the accidental distribution of alcohol to minors or dry coun¥ties. Although itÕs not clear how, the argument seems more like an excuse to simply keep the status quo for status quoÕs sake. Regardless of distributorsÕ firm opposition, Texas Beer Freedom and other proponents of similar bills have been continuing their efforts to pass these bills. For more information or to voice your opinion, you can visit house.state.tx.us to find out and get in contact with your local state representative. ALBUM continues from PAGE 10 Gorilla Manor. Since then, the young band has played at Bonnaroo, been featured in magazines such as Rolling Stone, Paste and Filter, and even collaborated with a chamber orchestra for a Walt Disney Concert Hall show. The Daily Texan spoke with vocal¥ist and keyboardist Kelcey Ayers last week about the bandÕs recent perfor¥mance on NPRÕs Tiny Desk, inspira¥tion behind Gorilla Manor and their break from SXSW. The Daily Texan: Okay, well first off, can you tell me what was the bandÕs approach to Gorilla Manor? Kelcey Ayers: I think itÕs the in na¥ture itÕs suppose to be with new al¥bums, like just a collection of songs weÕve worked really hard on for like a bunch of years and those were the best ones. We felt really good about ALUM continues from PAGE 10 Zoroastrian Persian-Indian family. From these experiences, Godiwal¥la wrote two stories based on her fa¥ther and another on her time spent as an investment banker. After two of her professors encouraged her to expand the stories, she weaved them together for her thesis, providing the backbone for ÒSuits.Ó After Dartmouth, Godiwalla re¥ceived her MBA at UPennÕs Whar¥ton School and worked in brand man¥agement. However, feeling restless with her career, she began working on ÒSuitsÓ again. As she delved deeper in the book, she would talk to her fami¥ly about the book and talk about some the cohesive direction. We just wanted to make an album. I donÕt think there was really a direction. It just ended up being what it was. DT: So what were some of the in¥spirations for Gorilla Manor? KA: I guess I can speak for the songs IÕve had more of a hand in. Everyone writes for the record and we all collabo¥rate together, but one person usually steer heads the beginning of each song. Like I began Airplanes and Cubism Dreams and World News. And Airplanes, I actu¥ally remember sitting at the piano at that first house in Orange County and think¥ing about my grandfather. So I kind of wrote these lyrics to these chord progres¥sions I had on the spot. But as far as in¥spiration, everyone is so in love with mu¥sic that it just kind of comes. DT: You guys are playing the week¥ moments included. It provided a ca¥tharsis for all of them. ÒWe would discuss the book, and I would have new revelations as in ÔWow, I didnÕt think about it from that angle,ÕÓ said one of her sisters, who wished to remain anonymous. ÒWe definitely got insights into our upbringing. She didnÕt tell half of what was going on [at Morgan Stanley] because she didnÕt have the time.Ó In the last few years, Godiwal¥la has moved back to Austin. Along with writing, she has founded Mind-Works, a stress management-con¥sulting firm. She hopes MindWorks will provide a new perspective on the high-blood pressure environment of end before SXSW at Stubbs, but will Local Natives make an appearance at the festival this year? KA: No, we wanted to take a break from it. The only reason weÕre coming out there in the first place is for the 35 Conferette in Denton, a four-day mu¥sic conference. Yeah, weÕre trying to take a break from South By. We played two years in a row, so many shows. WeÕre trying to see if we can get off the grid a little bit this year to write our album, but all these things keep hap¥pening. But theyÕre good problems. DT: Okay. Last question. I want to know whatÕs currently on repeat on your playlist. KA: We just got the new Radiohead, so weÕre blasting that constantly. Read the entire interview at daily¥texanonline.com. offices like the ones she began to work at as a freshman in college. Al¥though ÒSuitsÓ is a personal book about Godiwalla and her search for identity, she hopes the book will have a positive effect on readers. ÒI want people to know what itÕs like to go into the culture,Ó Godiwalla said. ÒI didnÕt have anything to read that was realistic. I donÕt think people shouldnÕt go into investment banking, but they should have a better sense of navigating the field. On another point, I hope peo¥ple that are in the majority can get what it feels like to be a part of the minori¥ty. Sometimes you need to see through someone elseÕs perspective.Ó ploration of his own alienation, stopping to visit various figures from his past who live along the way. Max embarks on an inadver¥tent journey of self-discovery and discovers that he doesnÕt much like anything about himself or the alienating modern world that fa¥cilitates his Òterrible privacy.Ó Max also starts relating a lit¥tle too deeply to doomed seaman lels CrowhurstÕs, and soon Max begins to believe that he him¥self is Crowhurst as his sanity crumbles. Coe takes a risk with ÒMax¥well SimÓ by telling a story about a spectacularly dull human be¥ing. Max is uneducated, uncul¥tured and largely uninterested in the world at large. He prefers the comforting, robotic voice of the Donald Crowhurst, who attempts a global sailing race before quick¥ly realizing his voyage is going to be fruitless. Crowhurst then de¥cides to live isolated on the open seas for months in an attempt to hoax his way out of an embar¥rassing defeat, eventually going slowly insane. MaxÕs story paral¥satellite navigation system to the company of most women and will always choose the mediocre famil¥iarity of a chain restaurant over a neighborhood place. Despite the fact that the en¥tire novel is written from MaxÕs pathetic, uninspiring point of view, Coe succeeds in presenting Full time position start immediately. $12+/hr, 1/2 MILE TO HYDE PARK 3/2 Large CAMPUS PART-TIME NANNY house with two living ar-North Austin. NEEDED! Part-time nan¥Email resume to: stpats@ nies needed to work 20¥ bga.com 29 hrs/wk for families in Austin. Excellent pay ling fans, Central AC/ ances including washer/Heat. Wash/Dryer. 3009 dryer. Furniture avail-Cherrywood Rd. Owner able, pictures by request. Pays water & Yard Care. One year lease starting to monica@mbfagency. 8/1/2011. $2,100/mo. ste¥ com. 512-381-3140 fan007@earthlink.net HYDE PARK 3/2 CA/CH, 512-231-1007 W/D, deck, cats OK, no smokers, available now. $1600/month. 512-663¥ 8 1 4 2 7 4 7 8 8 4 7 6 1 7 2 5 9 6 1 9 4 7 9 5 7 3 6 7 1 YesterdayÕs solution SUD OKU FOR YOU 9 3 6 1 7 2 8 4 5 4 2 1 5 9 8 3 7 6 5 7 8 4 6 3 2 9 1 8 4 9 6 5 7 1 2 3 2 5 7 8 3 1 4 6 9 1 6 3 2 4 9 5 8 7 3 8 4 7 1 6 9 5 2 7 9 5 3 2 4 6 1 8 6 1 2 9 8 5 7 3 4 10 LIFE&ARTS Thursday, March 10, 2011 | THE DAILY TEXAN | Amber Genuske, Life&Arts Editor | (512) 232 2209 | dailytexan@gmail.com >> For all your South By Southwest 2011 needs, visit @dailytexanonline.com @dtlifeandarts facebook.com/dtlifeandarts Even though South By Southwest music does not officially start until Tuesday, there is a plethora of music-related events happening the weekend before. Below are two events to look out for before the official mayhem begins. Also, look for The Daily TexanÕs guide to South By Southwest in tomorrowÕs paper. WHAT: Cohabitat Party WHEN: Tonight, 7 p.m. WHERE: The Scoot Inn The Scoot Inn is hosting Erik Hokkanen Band and DJ Dr. Strangevibe for one of the first music-related South By Southwest events. WHAT: Light After Dark WHEN: Sunday, 9 p.m. WHERE: Seaholm Power Plant Vimeo and Nikon are hosting this epic event at the Seaholm Power Plant featuring Diplo and Eclectic Method. More than 3,500 have already said they are attending on Facebook, so get there early or risk not getting in at all. City of Austin to hold parade, benefit charity for St. PatrickÕs By Danielle Wallace Daily Texan Staff With St. PatrickÕs Day fast ap¥proaching, Austin is soon to join the ranks of cities across the nation that get into the spirit for the green sea¥son with its Central Texas St. Pat¥rickÕs Day Parade. While there is something to be said for the shamrocks, fine ales and merriment that often mark the holi¥day, Austinites can expect to experi¥ence more than just the luck of the Irish. Come Saturday, they will have seen the heart. The city of Austin, local public safe¥ty organizations and Fad— Irish Pub have joined forces to bring Celtic spir¥it to the streets to benefit St. BaldrickÕs Foundation, an organization dedicat¥ed to fighting childhood cancer. AustinÕs emergency service work¥ers as well as Emergency Service Pipes and Drums, or ESPADA, a nonprofit organization and band, served as a driving force behind an event that has been four years in the making, said ESPADA president Co¥itt Kessler. By merging the fun and celebrations of the holiday with a good cause, members hope to raise awareness and offer the city more than just a parade. ÒIn most parades IÕve been in¥volved in, at the end, everyone goes their separate ways. When youÕve crossed the finish line, itÕs an accom¥plishment and you pack up your things and go home,Ó Kessler said. For this event, the end of the pa- PARADE continues on PAGE 8 The Lege on LIQUOR THIRSTY THURSDAY By Gerald Rich For years, the system of Texas alcohol dis¥tribution has made overall business more rancid than a Fatty Natty left open for three months. However, with the sizable state bud¥get deficit ranging from $15 million to $27 million, legislators are looking for new ways to fill the gap. The current Texas alcohol distribution re¥lies on whatÕs commonly known as the Òthree¥tier system.Ó Any brewery wanting to sell its goods has to pay a distributor before it reach¥es the bar or consumer, and distributors as well as large beer corporations pay lobbyists to keep it that way. Beer distribution groups have contributed a total of $2.5 million to law¥makers and Gov. Rick Perry since 2001, ac¥cording to state finance records cited by The Texas Tribune in a Feb. 17 article. Some brewpubs, specialty beer bars that can brew their own craft beer instead of sell¥ing something like a can of Bud Light, and smaller state craft breweries are openly com¥plaining that this mercantilist system only serves the interest of the distributor and the Shereen Ayub | Daily Texan Staff closely linked larger beer producers. Current- Four bills in the Texas Legislature could add local competition against major beer companies and circumvent distributors Ñ a nec¥essary player in the controversial three-tier system between breweries, distributors and consumers. LEGE continues on PAGE 8 Photo courtesy of Local Natives Indie guitar-based band Local Natives is returning to Austin this Saturday, sharing a line-up with GAYNGS at StubbÕs BBQ. Local Natives talk up recent album, upcoming concert By Julie Rene Tran Daily Texan Staff Like a brewing storm, Califor¥nian indie rock quintet Local Na¥tivesÕ music begins with an airy and placid sound that stills time. As three-part harmonies, heavy bass and melodic chords pick up to mirror the intensity of the bandÕs grave yet beautiful lyrics, listeners can easily drift into a hypnotizing reverie. Local NativesÕ international ac¥claim sparked from their first ap- WHAT: Local Natives and GAYNGS WHERE: StubbsÕs Bar-B-Q WHEN: Friday at 7 p.m. TICKETS: Sold Out pearance at South by Southwest in 2009 when they played nine sets and with their debut album ALBUM continues on PAGE 8 Alumna writes on Wall Street endeavors By Christopher Nguyen Daily Texan Staff Even though she has recently released her debut memoir, ÒSuits: A Woman on Wall Street,Ó Nina Godi¥walla, a 1996 graduate of UT, never sought to become a writer. Instead, Godiwalla was a finance-driven McCombs business student. Her days were filled with leadership and academic excellence. By her senior year, she had earned a full-time position with Morgan Stanley finan¥cial services in the New York corporate finance sector. In the bustle of Wall Street, Godiwalla was always on the go; pausing was out of the question. She strove to identify herself as one of the boys. The less she was de¥fined as a Persian-Indian or as a woman, the better. Any low expectations that derived from her gender or public university degree had to be overcome by working longer hours. Whether it was 3 p.m. or 3 a.m., she was on-call for last-minute projects. To make matters worse, she was from a second-gen¥eration immigrant family with parents who wanted their children to have the stable jobs that they could not have in America, and that did not include writing. However, Godiwalla took a leap in early 2000 to pursue a masterÕs degree in liberal arts at Dart¥mouth College. ÒThat was a point in my life where I felt like I had al¥ways gone down this path I was supposed to take Ñ this very straight path,Ó Godiwalla said. ÒI felt like I needed a little bit of room to do whatever I wanted.Ó In her creative writing classes, Godiwalla wrote short stories based on her life. Away from the rush of New York City, she could actually reflect on her two years as an analyst. ÒFor me, there was a lot of excitement initially,Ó Godi¥walla said. ÒI had never seen so much money. Most of them were coming from Ivy League schools, and I was being introduced to people I would never have met Photo courtesy of Nina Godiwalla otherwise. I think I was just awed by everything.Ò The moments that vividly stuck out were often the most surreal Ñ the close-minded jabs from co-work¥ers, the alcohol-drenched late nights at the trendiest club, the money that was being thrown away for the hell of it, the stress from co-workers numbed by an¥ti-depressants. She also reflected on her upbringing in a middle-class ALUM continues on PAGE 8